ZRP-2: Chapter 3, The Coming Storm

(James)
"He mentioned.....something. Something called the Pariah, that he had sent for. But Hibiki....I shouldn't let his words affect me. I shouldn't even be paying attention to them. But despite everything....I still feel like I can't trust her entirely. And I shouldn't feel that. I want nothing more than to embrace her as my daughter, but I still feel something. I thought that by killing Jonah I could....but his words..."

Hibiki sighed.
"She's ours now James. We have to let go. If we want to proge those words false...you...me...Sam...we have to love her. We have to make sure she always has something tonfight for."

(James)
"I'm trying Hibiki. And I promise to stop trying and just do. But it's not easy. Not to forget the lies, or the betrayal, especially with all this doubt."
=Closing my eyes, I tilted my head back to look at the ceiling=

"It doesn't make a difference that they broke her and programmed her like a computer? Its not her fault. It's about time we stop thinking it was."

Eve rolled onto her side, hair splaying over her face.

(James)
"I never said it was her fault Hibiki. Hell, I know it's far from her fault."
=I sat up straight in the chair=

"But maybe it's just not as easy for me right now, to immediately accept that. To come to terms. Because no matter what, I killed her father. And I can't help but feel that I'm going to pay for that."

"She fainted. James, she's paying for that, her betrayl, hell. She's paying for having no social graces. It might be hard, but before you see her again, you need to put those feelings to rest. She needs you. Sheneeds me. She needs Sam."
Hibiki sniffed. "Dammit James, she needs love."

(James)
=There was silence between us, and I wasn't sure what else to say. But dammit....maybe I was just more of a cynic than Hibiki. I'd lost so much, been hurt so badly.....that it made it so damned easy to doubt Eve=

Hibiki just stayed silent.

In her slip, Eve whispered Sam's name.

(Sam)
=Hearing my name, I moved over to the girl, brushing some of her hair out of her face=

(James)
"I'm worried though..... Not about Eve, but what happened during...and after the fight. He mentioned something called the Pariah, and he almost seemed scared of it. And then I saw something through the glass ceiling. A helicopter. They had a helicopter."
=Sighing, I leaned forward=

"Victory, shouldn't leave me with so many questions."

Eve sensed warmth, and scooted closer to Sam.

"Victory means you're alive." Hibiki said.

(James)
"Alive but scarred....this makes forty scars in total that bastard gave me."
=I ran a finger along the cut, and it didn't sting as much as before=

(Sam)
=I welcomed it, when she scooted closer to me=

Hibiki remained silent.

Eve snuggled up to the warmth that was Sam, still asleep.

(James)
"So, other than a wedding....what now?"

(Sam)
=I was curious, about where the cat had gone to. More than likely she was under the bed, but if so she would have come out by now=

"Sleep." Hibiki said.

Sammy crawled out from her hiding spot and hopped onto the bed, purring.

(James)
"I find it odd how despite everything, I'm not tired enough for sleep. I mean hell, it's only one in the afternoon."

(Sam)
=I petted the cat's fur, glad to see she was still around=
"You're stuck with us like glue, aren't you?"

The cat nodded as Eve murmured in her sleep.

Hibiki sighed. "Oh well."

(James)
=I cocked an eyebrow at her=
"You want to go to sleep at one in the afternoon?"

(Sam)
"Well, you certainly have a way of picking the crazy groups, don't you?"

Sammy just licked Sam's hand and hopped to the other bed, taking it over.

Hibiki rolled over and promptly fell asleep.

(James)
"Well, you're no fun."
=Still not tired, I got up, grabbed a clean shirt, and left the room. I figured I may as well grab a snack or go for a walk=

(Sam)
"Fine, be that way."

Talk about dumb luck.
James was up and walking, and headed right for me. I moved forward, a little over excited, and stumbled before catching myself a few feet away from him.

"Uhm.. heheh, uh, you're James right?"

(James)
=I had just walked out of the hall and into the lobby, when the most random of girls stumbled into my path. She asked if I was James, and I realized she looked very familiar. I saw her on the bus=
"Hey, I remember you. You were handcuffed to the bus, right?"

I blush, looking away disgruntled.
"Yeah, coz I was 'drunk'. Pfft."
I looked back up, smiling widely, and wondering what it was I was actually trying to ask. "So... you were in the attack right?"

(James)
=Honestly, I felt like running a finger over the cut on face, and saying a sarcastic remark. But I held back=
"Yeah, why? Sad you missed out?"

I shrug a little, smiling. I'd been in enough fights in my life to miss out on one.
"I guess, but I'm more interested in what happened out there. Shepards, right? What was it like fighting them?"

(James)
=I started moving, not really content to stand still=
"No different than fighting bandits. The only difference is that bandits don't call you heretic."

"Heretic?"
I stepped aside for you to walk, following you, intrigued. "They called you heretic?"

(James)
"Yeah. Well, heretic was the kindest thing they'd called me."
=We were outside, walking down the street=

"Really? Cool... did you get a chance to talk to any of them? Like, find out more about them? Scavenge guns or notes or something?"
These were the things that interested me. Organized groups. Groups of people with a set goal that they dreamt of achieving, no matter how sick.

(James)
=I eyed the girl with a look that was somewhere between curiosity, and caution=
"Yeah, i talked with one of them....before killing him. Why so interested?"

"I'unno, what's not to be interested in? We don't really know what else is out there, why they're out there, what they fight for... what they live for. They're not just survivors scraping by like us."
I shrugged, scratching my neck.
"And Hell, if they can figure out how to lead zambambos around the place... Who doesn't want in on that?"

(James)
=I stopped, and looked at her with a straight face=
"Zambambos? And unless I'm wrong, almost sounds like you're interested in joining them."

"Woah woah, hold your horses cowboy. I never said a thing about joining them. Just... you know, you can't just get by on your own merits. Needa take bits and pieces from other people. Same goes for nations, companies... whatever we are."
I cleared my throat a little, realizing what I was saying sounded insane.

(James)
"Maybe. But I'm pretty sure there are some people out there that will disagree with you on that."
=I'm probably one of them. I was on my own for maybe....six months, before joining the caravan, and I did fine=

"Well... yeah, people always disagree with people. It's a factor of human life or something. But if we wanna do more than survive, then we'll eventually need to look at what we have around us."
I smile happily, and pat his back. "So, where are you off too anyway?"

(James)
=The pat on the back was unexpected, though after everything I had been through, it wasn't entirely unwelcome=
"Just walking around for the most part. Might talk to someone later, get some advice."

"Advice huh... Never a bad thing. Unless, you know, you're getting it from a bad person. Then it's generally never a good thing."
I rubbed my eyes a little, before yawning. "Hard day for you, I bet."

(James)
"One of the hardest. But....at least it's one less burden. And that's one less Shepherd base."

"Do we have any idea how many bases there might be out there? I mean, I can't imagine them being some sorta major operating force. They'd probably be more shaken up than ever knowing they lost a base, which I assume we're now occupying?"
I realised a little too late that I'd asked two questions in the form of a misshapen sentence, but I doubted he'd mind.

(James)
"Oh, they've got the people to man a large number of bases. There was a map I recovered a while ago, and it showed where they're based. All of their bases. And there's a shit ton of them, and they control a lot of territory."

"You got a map?! Was this before or after the attack?"
I had to admit, that was really impressive, no matter how good or bad a person was in this scenario.

(James)
"Before. A week ago at best....."
=We had soon walked into the crops beneath the arch, or at least outside them anyway=

"We're not going to leave anything left of the Shepherds."

I punched his shoulder, smiling.
"I like it! Full scale obliteration!" I said, laughing happily.

(James)
=I grinned a little at the punch=
"Yeah....certainly makes for a great way to get back at them for everything they've done."

(Allie)

I woke up and blinked my eyes.

"Son of a..."

Missed another fight.

(James)
=I figured that now was as good a time as any to go and find Book. Considering the previous conversation with Hibiki, I needed some advice=
"Listen, I need to go and talk with someone. Catch you later....ah, I don't know your name."

(Allie)

"Well.... Time to find some food."

I walk away, confused and hungry.

I blink, shocked at the revelation. I didn't even introduce myself? Jeez.
"Wow, sorry, hah. I'm Sammy." I said, smirking, and holding out my hand for a shake.

(James)
"Sammy? Pleasure to meet you."
=I shook her hand=

"Welcome to the group. Now, if you'll excuse me."
=I walked away, heading back to the hotel=

I nodded and smiled. "We'll chat later, kay?"
I yelled as he walked further away, and not bothering to find out if he'd heard me, turn on my feet and begin to walk in the direction of the bar.

(James)
=Walking back into the hotel, I spent some time trying to find Book's room. I asked around, and eventually found him in a ground floor room, and I knocked on the door. Soon enough, he opened the door and looked surprised to see me=

(Book)
"James! You're back, and in one piece!"
=I saw the cut that ran down from his right eye=

"So to speak."

(James)
"Yeah, more or less. May I come in?"
=He stepped out of the way=

(Book)
"Of course, of course."