150th page

[monkeycrap]

The sun rises and the forest is very quiet. No sign of the guards. Maybe Jakky and Jessica found out a way to distract them or maybe she just ate them all... you'll never know. That's good news so try not to dwell on it.

If you keep your eyes on the skyline you may notice a pack of crows flying past. When you travel the flora and fauna around you change like they should, but those damn birds are just here to stay apparently. Someone really paranoid might think they're following you, haha!

[ mission: move on. ]

Comments

[dices]

Yeah. Maybe.

[ what the fuck does he know about birds anyway. shields eyes from sun and takes a closer look ]

I'm just over thinking it. [ recent events have made him a little jumpy ]

[noshoes]

[ smiles and nods. yeah you are. silly. they're just birds.

so carefree! ha ha! please don't destroy her! ]

[dices]

Yeah.

[ cute kid.

nessy
what
stop threading with yourself
okay ]

[wears]

wow awkward

[dices]

[ U HAVE THE NERVE. ]

[armedarchaeologist]

[looking at the sky, nearly steps on neri. stops in time because some awkward silences are loud enough that you can hear them in time to avoid stepping on people. looks at nessies.]

Is that weird? That's weird, right. I'm not an ornithologist by any stretch of the imagination, but... Well I mean I guess you do see crows in lots of places. Planets.

[dices]

Yeah, that's what I said. Weird.

[ shrugs a little and scratches the back of his neck with a finger, looking at the group ]

Maybe we're just getting paranoid.

[noshoes]

[ she would have dodged out of the way. just smiles at him. birds aren't weird. this group is weird. ]

[armedarchaeologist]

[shrugs back at nick, who definitely isn't a Prior of the Ori. he doesn't have the skin for it.]

Maybe. I mean, stalked by birds would hardly be the weirdest thing to happen to us, on the other hand. Who knows.

[smiles back at neri. aw.]

[dices]

[ and he's also a really nice guy. ]

Maybe it's the food?

[armedarchaeologist]

[also not a Prior trait.]

Maybe.

[refrains from mentioning the whole, "crows are carrion birds so dead us is their food" thing.]

So I guess we're not going into the city after all? Since the monkey got away and all that.

[dices]

[ not a bird expert ]

Nah, man, I think we're going around. Anyway, we got what we needed from it so. [ money and provisions and no trouble at all. there we go. ]

[armedarchaeologist]

That's too bad. It looks interesting from here. Tiny, but interesting.

[gazes at the minarets or shantytown or whatever with a sort of wistful look.]

That's right, you went on the supply run, didn't you. How'd it look? I mean— Subdued, celebratory, crowded, normal city, whatever?

[dices]

[ glances at him and then back at the city before shrugging with ducky lips ]

Y'know, normal... medieval thing. There was a yellow cow, that's about it. We didn't go for the view, we just sold the horses, got some stuff and came back. [ pats his shoulder ] Maybe next time.

[armedarchaeologist]

Right.

[crying on the inside.]

Although if we have to double back I think probably we're going still have things to worry about other than the view.

[dices]

[ why would you say such thing ]

I... don't think we'll have to double back? [ stop jinxing it ]

[armedarchaeologist]

Yeah, me neither.

[sigh of mixed emotions.]

There's always the next place, right? I'm sure there'll be lots more interesting places, some of which aren't even populated by people who, rightfully or not, want us dead.

[perhaps excessively optimistic.]

[dices]

[ smiles at him because that's kinda funny. military nerd guy. ]

Yeah, definitely. That can happen. One day.

[armedarchaeologist]

[oh that was a long moment of silence, but not all that awkward. Team Nice, hanging out, looking at the view.

daniel's gonna ruin it.]

Do you mind if I ask you a question?

[gonna do it anyway.]

Sorry if this seems sudden, but I'm just wondering, are you from Earth?

[dices]

Hm? [ turns to him when he speaks again, tilting his head slightly before smiling a little. no, he gets it. the whole telekinesis thing isn't very comfortable, he admits it. ]

Hong Kong, actually.

[armedarchaeologist]

Oh, really? I love Hong Kong. It's a little crowded and it smells weird, but, you know, in a good way.

[you know how it is with cities.]

OK, second question. Again, just wondering: Are you human?

Because I sort of assumed everyone was because everyone looks and pretty much everyone acts pretty human but I guess I was wrong on a few counts, so-o... You're not a fairy, are you?

[since derek and bo seem to be.

also he did see you throw dean around like professor moody with an ill-behaved ferret.]

[dices]

[ just laughs at his comment, but doesn't particularly disagree. you do get used to it and by then he doesn't even notice weird smells anymore. and the crowd is good, gives him camouflage or whatever

he's still smiling, but it drops a little, not as sincere - his eyes give it away mostly. he shrugs a little ]

I've always considered myself human. I mean, I'm not a-- a superhero or something, not some kind of, you know, Fantastic Four kinda guy. I just [ waves hand around ] got this.

[ he knows why and how, but isn't willing to discuss it so bullshits him a little ]

I guess it depends on your definition of DNA 'cause I've never had any tests done.

[armedarchaeologist]

So, human with talents.

[doesn't even throw him off, really. randomly developed telekinesis is less weird than goddamn werewolves.]

[and he might be dense but he can see he's kind of upset nick, and in retrospect yeah he can see how his question might have come out as more of an accusation.]

Sorry, I guess that was... Rude. Just sort of, you know, taking a census.

[dices]

Yeah, I guess you could put it like that.

[ adjusts the strap of the bag on his shoulder, rolling the soreness out of it. he has passed the community one to one of the cardboards so that's a bit of a relief ]

I get where you're coming from, it's fine. [ flicks a dismissive hand ] Don't worry about it.