Just The Streets, Day 3 (02/04/2317)

[Cytherea]

Olivia

Olivia looked up at the window of the mention of the "doofus". She shrugged.

"He's facing prison for assault with intent to kill." Archer said in his deep voice.

Camri nodded. "Were you on either of the D.S. streets?"

"No. I'm not that stupid."

Olivia rolled her eyes can gave him a look that said, "seriously?" She turned to Camri.

"Camri, you know how I feel about the D.S. streets, right? Please don't mention them." she added with a smile.

[Anwen]

Will ran into the fray with fists flying. He got the first guy that turned toward him with an uppercut that knocked the thug off his feet. He hardly had time to notice a striped wristband on the guy's wrist before he was standing over the guy that had been knocked to the ground. What are the Tigers doing here in the daytime? This is Shark territory! He planted a jab and a left hook on another guy, sending him running. Two down, Three to go.

[Hwin]

Still slightly dazed, Tucker rushed up and back into the brawl. A blurred figure seemed to be fighting alongside him, but was obviously helping Tucker out. Finally, after no time, two men were left on the ground with somewhat serious injuries and the third had fled. Leaning down, Tucker grabbed up his beanie and tugged it onto his head. Turning around to leave, a person was standing in front of him.

"Hey, thanks for the help. As much as I hate to admit it, I needed it." Tucker said, the corners of his lips turning upwards. “Most people wouldn’t have even considered helping out a guy in such...circumstances.”

[Anwen]

The fight was over almost as soon as it had started. The Tigers gave ground quickly after Will arrived as it soon became clear who was the victor. Once all the thugs had been knocked down or sent running, Will turned to the other guy who started talking.

"Hey, thanks for the help. As much as I hate to admit it, I needed it. Most people wouldn’t have even considered helping out a guy in such...circumstances.” The guy smiled, slightly.

"No problem! Five to one isn't a very good ratio anyway; you'd be great with better odds." Will smiled back at him. "I'm William. What's your name?"

[Hwin]

Tucker had already warmed up to William's friendly personality. "My name's Tucker. Do you live around here?"

[Anwen]

"Yeah, I was just on my way home when I heard a ruckus and decided to investigate." Will looked at the cracked, uneven pavement, lost in thought. "D'you have any idea why those guys attacked you? I mean, they would probably avoid attacking innocent bystanders, seeing as they haven't taken this territory yet."
He looked up, "Sorry, just thinking out loud. You want to come by my place and clean up your bruises and cuts? I have to get to work later, but until then..." He trailed off, leaving the statement unfinished.

[Lithium]

(Hey, Anwen & Hwin, Sol's house is just down the street, so if you'd like, you can bring them over there to get patched up and at the same time introduce Tucker to a whole bunch of Subterreans. Just a thought. )

"Camri, you know how I feel about the D.S. streets, right? Please don't mention them," Olivia added with a smile.

"Oh, sorry," Camri said. "I'd forgotten."

Archer turned away, threw himself into the air and, with one huge jump, landed on the second floor.

Camri rolled her eyes. "Show off!"

He winked at her and grinned, then disappeared down the corridor.

"I'm sorry. He's..." Camri smiled and ran her fingers through her hair. "He's trouble. Anyways, why don't we head up?"

Camri made her way to the stairs and dashed up them three at a time.

[Cytherea]

Olivia

As Archer bounded ten feet up, Camri flew up the stairs three at a time, and Olivia laughed out loud as she went up them one by one. When she reached the top, Camri and Archer weren't even breathing hard, and Olivia laughed another laugh that that sparked with her enthusiasm. Camri and Archer looked at her.

"Sorry, but the Three Musketeers have officially stated their strengths, and they all vary."

[Lithium]

"Sorry, but the Three Musketeers have officially stated their strengths, and they all vary."

Camri grinned. "It's all right." She unlocked the door and called out, "Hey, Sol! I've brought more people for dinner!"

"Oh! Who's here?" she called from Sydny's room.

"Archer and Olivia."

Sol came out holding a tiny white kitten and Camri shook her head. "Oh, no. Please not a kitten. I won't––"

"He can be my wedding present from you. Please?"

Archer came forward and scratched the kitten behind the ears. The kitten purred and rubbed up against his hand. "I like him."

Camri rolled her eyes. "All right. All right. Whatever."

"Thanks!" Sol hugged the kitten to herself and it mewed softly. "I'll call him... Hikaru. It means light in Japanese."

[Cytherea]

Sydny slowly came from his room at the sound of voices. He thought he heard Camri's.

"Well, Hikaru definitely is light, but picky. I tried to grab him, and he wouldn't let me until he'd crawled over my back and into the house. He's too cute, and I think he knows it."

Seeing Archer and Olivia, he smiled at them and held out his hand.

"I'm Sydny, by the way."

"I'm Olivia" Olivia said with another warm smile. She shook his hand..

[Hwin]

"Yeah, I was just on my way home when I heard a ruckus and decided to investigate." Will looked at the cracked, uneven pavement, lost in thought. "D'you have any idea why those guys attacked you? I mean, they would probably avoid attacking innocent bystanders, seeing as they haven't taken this territory yet."

Tucker thought for a minute before replying, rubbing the back of his wrist on his bleeding chin. "Truth is I have no idea. They just seemed to come out of nowhere. I don't normally stay around these parts so I don't know much about whose territory is whose."

He (Will) looked up, "Sorry, just thinking out loud. You want to come by my place and clean up your bruises and cuts? I have to get to work later, but until then..." He trailed off, leaving the statement unfinished.

"Sure, that would be great, thanks. You just lead the way!"

[Anwen]

Will led the way to his home, the green house on the corner of two streets. "Well, here it is." He said, opening the door. "The bathroom is down the hall on the right. There should be some clean rags in the medicine cabinet over the sink." He started over to the kitchen, "I'll make lunch while you 'tidy up'."

___________________________________________________________________________-

Aria strode through Subterria, observing everyone. Where is he? She wondered.

[Hwin]

Tucker found the bathroom. It was small but neat. Opening up the cabinet, he found the clean rags and began to wash his cuts. Wincing from the sting, Tucker cleaned them quickly but thoroughly, trying to avoid any chances of infection. After he had finished, Tucker put the rags in a hamper he had found and walked towards the kitchen. Will was making lunch.

"Thanks again, William." Tucker said with a full smile, his eyes shining with gratitude. "You've got a nice place here."

[Lithium]

Archer looked at the hand, then slowly reached out his and seemed to be sizing Sydny up. "I'm Archer. Archer Nelson. You're the guy Sol has to help. The new patient, right? Speaking of which, Sol, would you mind taking a look at these?"

He quickly pulled off his shirt, revealing his chiseled abdominal muscles. Camri flushed and averted her gaze.

Sol rolled her eyes. "Archer, you're always getting into trouble, but these don't look deep. Unless..."

She moved closer to him and prodded at the wounds. Archer just looked down at her.

"Oh my word," Sol breathed. "How long was the knife?"

"Five inch blade? It was big. Didn't hurt too bad, though."

"Oh my word. These are going to get infected. Come in here. Hurry!"

Sol dragged him into the hospital of a room and closed the door behind them.

Camri clasped her hands together. "Well... it looks like Sol will be taking care of him for a while and it's about two or three hours until dinner. What do you guys want to do? I mean, we've got board games, card games. We could go out for a walk. Oh, and if Archer wants to play poker, don't bet for real money. He'll run you for all you've got. He once got 100 credits off a bloke who accused him of cheating."

She shrugged. "What do you guys want to do?'

[Cytherea]

"Oooh..." Sydny said with a smile. "What type of board games? I'm terrible at all of them."

"I'm fine with anything." Olivia said with a shrug. "We could go for a walk, but that would exclude Sydny." she shook her head tiredly. "Maybe we'll happen to find another job, though." She said, turning to Camri and smiled. "Do you have poker, by the by?"

[Anwen]

"Thanks again, William.You've got a nice place here." Tucker smiled at Will, and he could tell that Tucker really meant what he said. He's very sincere, Will thought, and I almost feel as if I - I trust him!

"Here's lunch." Will said, turning off the stove and handing Tucker a grilled-cheese sandwich. "I hope you like ham, I put some in." He led the way into the sitting room. "Oh. and you can call me Will."

[Hwin]

“Mhm, I’m always ok with any kind of meat. It looks great. ” Tucker said, biting into the sandwich. Leaning against the wall, Tucker had the time to take in Will’s appearance.

Blonde hair, blue eyes, tall…he also had a reassuring and calm sense to him. It feels good to be around a sincerely nice person.

“Willia-Will. How long have you lived here?” Tucker asked, although his face went into consideration after asking and he looked up into Will’s pale eyes. “Feel free to leave my questions unanswered. I know a lot of people don’t find it easy telling strangers about their personal lives and I’m completely ok if you don’t. No pressure.” Tucker gave Will another reassuring smile. He's so easy to be friendly with...

[Anwen]

"Oh, no problem. I've lived here for a few years now, after-- after an incident in Royalia." Will looked down at his sandwich. "I was born a Subterrean, but I grew up a Royale. I was interested in, well, just about everything, and a doting old man encouraged me in it." Will smiled at the thought. "I was 12 when I came back to Subterria. I've managed since then." He met Tucker's eyes, "What about you?" He smiled wryly, "or are you one of those people who don't like answering? You don't have do if you'd rather not."

[Hwin]

Tucker shrugged. “Sometimes I like to keep it to myself, depending on the people who are asking, but there is not really anything to tell." Sitting down in an open chair, Tucker continued, “My parents left me in an ally around the age of seven. They told me they were going to return the next day, that they had to go and find food, but they never came. Since then I’ve gotten around on my own. One nice woman taught me piano. I loved it.” Tucker sighed. “I guess that’s all there is to it. Nothing much left to tell...”

[Anwen]

Will finished his sandwich and looked at his watch. He stood up quickly. "I've got to run, I'm nearly late for work already!" He looked at Tucker. "Y'know, if you want you could come with me. If I recommend you, they won't mind if you wanted to stick around and earn something."

[Lithium]

Sol sighed in relief as she set the last plate of food down onto the table. She smelled it all again and smiled. Meatloaf, mashed potatoes, carrots, green beans and dinner rolls.

She turned and looked at the group of people playing poker around their coffee table.

"Hey! It's dinner time, guys! Come to the table."

Camri and Archer both looked up, then at each other.

"Race you to the table," Camri said before she bounded up and ran to the table.

Archer darted up, flipped over the coach and touched the table just as Camri did.

"Hey, Archer!" Sol said. "No acrobatics in the house. Okay?"

Camri smirked at him and he stuck his tongue out at her. "Fine."

[Cytherea]

Olivia helped Sydny up from the coffee table and over to the dining table. The room smelled wonderful from the aroma of the food.

"Here you go." Olivia said as Sydny slowly sunk into the chair opposite Camri. She slipped into the one beside him and took a deep breath.

"Mmm, Sol! The food smells wonderful!" she said with a smile.

[Lithium]

Sol grinned as she took her place next to Camri. "Thank, Olivia."

She quickly stood up. "I nearly forgot to grab Mom's plate. I'll be right back."

Grabbing a plate filled with food for her mom, she dashed over the bedroom and knocked.

"Hey, Mom? It's dinner time."

Her mom smiled and nodded before setting her book down.

"You look better today. Are you feeling better?"

She nodded before digging into dinner.

Sol smiled gently, remembering when her mother was able to speak and walk around and... she sighed. That was before the stroke.

"Love you, Mom."

Her mother nodded and Sol left the room, closed the door behind her and went back to the table.

"Huh. We're missing someone. Will, I think." She shrugged. "He'll come in when he's ready."

"Can I turn on the radio, Sol? I'd like to listen to the news," Camri asked.

"After we pray, you can."

Camri nodded and Sol took her seat and said the blessing. "Pardon our sins, oh Lord, and accept our thanks. These things we ask in your son's name. Amen."

[Cytherea]

"Amen." Olivia said quietly.

She was about to serve herself some meatloaf, when she felt something jump into her lap. Startled, she hastily checked what it was.

"Oh." She breathed in relief. The white kitten was sitting in her lap, beaming its big eyes at her. She stroked the kitten behind his ears, and he rubbed affectionately on her stomach, purring loudly.

"You're not supposed to be here right now." She whispered to the kitten. "You know I love you, but I don't think you're allowed at the table."

The kitten purred even louder, and rolled over in her lap. She smiled down at it, but gently picked it up and set it on the floor. It jumped right back up and set its paws on the table. It quickly climbed onto the table, and Olivia snatched him up quickly.

"No, you can't eat this. Wait till we're done for any attention."

She set him down again, and he jumped in her lap again. Olivia looked at Sol for help.

"Are you all right if h-"

The kitten jumped onto her head and crouched, getting ready to spring onto the table full of food.

The kitten pounced, and Olivia grabbed it as it flew onto Archer's plate. She scooped the kitten up and held him as he squirmed and tried to get away.

"Sol, what should we do with him?" She asked as the kitten batted at her arm.

[Lithium]

Archer

Despite being part feline himself, Archer was just about ready to murder this small kitten.

"How about we put him in with my mother," Sol suggested with a light shrug and took the kitten from Olivia.

Archer nodded. "Yes. Please. Anything to keep me from skinning this little furball."

Camri

"Hush, guys. There's an emergency report on the radio! Let me see if I can turn it up."

Camri turned on the tuning auto-adjust and waited for the message to come in clearer. She could only make out a few words in the static.

"War... (static)... Ambia.... (static).... peace treaty... (static)... Hunt.... (static)... marriage...(static)"

Then, the message died into the roar of fuzzy reception.

"Rats." Camri smacked the radio, hoping to get it into receiving better.

"They're probably blocking most radio transmissions," Archer said quietly.

"Who?" Camri demanded, turning to him.

"The Ambian I.S.es. Haven't you been keeping up with the news? They've finally overthrown their oppressive government. They were going to march on OnNa, but they're trying to work out some kind of peace treaty."

Camri and Sol, the kitten mewling in her arms, just stared at him.