Stay Down: The Lives and Times of Yorkmizer's Finest (IC)

[bluemoon]

Dawn was in the back of the semi gathering her things and mulling over Captain's Marsh's words when Grizz knocked against her hip and gave her that grin. Yeah, she knew what he had in mind...the lecher. She smiled to herself, glad that they would be sharing a room...she always slept better when he was around anyhow. Grabbing her stuff, she ran to catch up, her bag weighing heavily upon her shoulder. When she caught up, she fell in step with him, staring at the dingy grey hangar walls with interest. At the end of a corridor, they went up a short flight of stairs where Marshakra was waiting, her hand on her hip. Dawn offered her a shy smile, but the woman turned, opening an off-white door which led into the interior of the apartment.

Dawn followed the woman without comment, her eyes catching the gentle sway of her hips as she walked. The house was modestly furnished, with very little adorning the walls. What it lacked in personality, it made up for with functionality. It had a small, but well stocked kitchen--a toaster, coffee pot, and blender occupying the counter, with a large refrigerator pushed up against a corner. The living room had enough space for a thread-bare sofa, love seat and recliner. They were mismatched, but looked comfortable, especially compared to living in a semi. Dawn almost squealed with delight.

When the first door along a short hallway was opened, it revealed a double bed with metal rails centered along one wall, a long dresser with mirror on the opposite wall, and a small closet. The Captain stood aside, and Dawn entered, throwing her things on the floor and sitting on the edge of the bed. She bounced on it, the springs letting out a tired squeak. "It's perfect," she said with a sigh, then laid back and put her arms over her head.

[Kiro Akira]

Ketsuki stepped from the back of the truck tossing his bag on the ground while hopping down with his rifle slung over his shoulder. He gave a heavy yawn and stretched as he closed his eyes listening to the creaking and popping of a few of his bones as the stiffness broke loose. He was well rested and ready to go as it was and that last haul from their stop to the town was a long one at that.

As the captain came up to speak to the group Ketsuki stared over the captain and eyed her blinking as he attempted to process the situation. Of course it would be a woman. It was well past the point in time where women were nothing but the average house wife, but Ketsuki was looking forward to a rather tough man who had scars covering his body from the many many wars he dealt with in his life. But none the less he had to settle for a cocky woman. Or so he would judge by the way she spoke to them

The marksman showed no interest in her speaking to them the way she did and actually gained a quick annoyance for the matter. He would be the first to speak up looking her down. "Worth your time? Hah! You need our help not the other way around lady. I'm just here to help you get your shit in order." The remark was quickly responded to with a swift kick to the stomach from the woman causing him to nearly double over in pain. He cringed at the pain and looked up to her only to get a response back. "So you're the moron of the group huh? Thought for sure the painted one would be."

Ketsuki showed no interest in the woman and rather attempted to shrug it off. "Whatever you say Marsha." She responded by giving him another swift quick and put him on his ass before grabbing the front of his shirt and making him look her in the eyes. "You listen to me punk, I only need one of you fucks to be alive to fight back against the warlord. I've been training the townspeople during my time here. They're quite useful and don't have the psychotic tendencies like you four have. But Yorkmizer wanted you twats field tested so he could bring in the next batch of recruits and make more money." She roughly shoved the sniper back making him fall into one of the empty rooms. "If you want, you can leave at any time, but you won't be allowed to take anything with you that's Guild Property." She shut the door and left him alone in the room.

He felt the pain in his stomach and grumbled at the matter. He was free to leave whenever he wanted huh? Well that was an easy way out if this place was that big of a problem. But the matter on the guild property was something else. He owned his handguns personally but the sniper wasn't his. He knew he'd attempt to take it with him if he chose that route anyways.

Ketsuki sat there with his thoughts and caught his breathe once more. He was overly pissed as it was and this trip was going to be a long one. Why did they get the bitch of a captain? Of all people at that. And for the oh so great My Yorkmizer to bring in the next batch Was she being serious? To him it sounded like they were sent on a death run just to die so they had a whole new set of people. In his eyes they were expendable to Yorkmizer. And although irritated by the matter he could only see it coming.

He took a glance over his rifle after examining it. Of course she threw him down with the gun on his figure so he only made sure there was no damage only to find out the scope had been knocked off center meaning he would have to realign the thing when he could get to an area where he could fire. But he would wait on that matter later.

[Ma1chbox]

After the whole fiasco with the strange girl, the trip to the town was more or less uneventful. Some days and nights later and the settlement of Kulig was finally in view. The commando, as usual, sat atop one of the roof hatches which gave him the best view of the surroundings. As expected, an armored escort came out to greet and inspect them, and just like that, the trip was over.

As soon as the truck pulled in and came to a halt, Barsad rolled over and dropped down to the dusty ground to join the others. He looked around at the settlement's interior, noting the old military aesthetic to the whole place. The new scenery fascinated him for all of five minutes up until a figure showed up on the catwalk. She began eyeing the squad from head to toe, noticeably unimpressed. Barsad, not being able to put two and two together so quickly, simply eyed her right back, but with more of a very casual, curious manner. He looked around at his squadmates and awkwardly asked no one in particular, "Why's the butch lady lookin' at us funny, eh?--"

The woman on the catwalk cut him off with a strong, straight to the point introduction. Barsad almost choked on his spit upon hearing her refer to herself as Captain Marsh. He immediately dropped the informality and, almost comically, stood at attention, despite pretty much nobody else doing so. Old habits die hard, as they say. The captain then went on to say exactly how she wished to be referred to. The moment she finished speaking, Barsad saluted, and the first words that came out of his jittery mouth was "You got it bossman! ... lady... Bossmanlady-- Er-- Captain!"

He stood there for a few seconds before awkwardly lowering his salute with a frozen 'oh shit' look on his face, fully expecting to be chewed out. First order in and he's already tripped on his own laces. Fortunately, nothing bad happened. Well, at least not to him, anyway. Ketsuki, being his usual confrontational self, talked right back at the captain. Barsad audibly gasped at the rude remark and winced shortly after as the sniper's soft underbelly was cordially introduced to the captain's jackboot. She made another remark regarding the position of group dunce, and in his awkward trying-to-get-a-word-in manner, the commando meekly interjected, "W-well uhh, notmeaningtobuttintheconversationbutwellyeah, that'd usually be me in most cases... innit?"

Not long after the big introduction, Barsad found himself in a room. His room. His room with a bed. A bedroom. Alone. He placed his duffel bag on the bed and sat beside it with his knees up to his chest. He looked around, visibly unnerved at the sight of having all those apartment furnishings all to himself. It had occurred to him that this was the very first time he ever actually had his own room. Since birth, he'd only ever been in shared housing or out in the dirt. For a good few minutes, he simply sat there, awkwardly glancing at anything and everything. The surreal experience had left him in an uneasy shock. Finally, he slowly inched off the bed and stood up. The commando walked around the room, cautiously inspecting everything thoroughly like a caveman who had just discovered the concept of furniture. "By the power of greyskull, of all the shit I've been through, this has got to be the most fucked up..."

[SikstaSlathalin]

Grizz couldn't help but smile to himself seeing Suki get his ass-kicked not even a day into reaching their goal. He had a feeling the sniper was going to be the Captain's special project to fix...or shoot dead, the Driver wasn't sure, but either would be amusing for Grizzwald to watch. He followed besides Dawn as they were led through the hangar and into the team's apartment.

Upon entrance Grizz whistled softly. Not even the rec hall at the guild was this nice, it looked like someone might actually live here. The Rec Hall at the Guild was more like a storage unit they tossed some couches, books, and a couple of random game tables into. He wasn't sure how to use a toaster, but it couldn't be that hard.

As they were set up with their rooms Grizz followed Dawn into their's and tossed his bag besides Dawns and hung his coat across the desk placing his hands on his hips studying the room. It wasn't as big as the bayrooms, but those were built for like sixteen people at once. He's never been in a room mostly by himself maybe this was the proper size for two people. He flopped down besides Dawn and rolled over kissing her on the cheek before he mimiced her pose. "This is bigger than we're used to." He chuckled spreading his arms out to full and he still couldn't reach both ends.

[bluemoon]

With a smirk on her face, Dawn scooted closer to Grizz, closing the available space between them. She turned to look at him, her fingers smoothing down his ginger locks. "Better?" she asked, laughing lightly as she tried to bump him closer to the edge of the bed with her hip. "...more like home?" She leaned over him and put her hands on either side of his face, planting a kiss on his lips. She began unstrapping his robo-arm, setting it aside, then removing his boots. Laying back down on her side, she cuddled against him and threw her leg over his, her arm draping his chest. With her breath blowing warm against his neck, Grizz slipped into sleep only moments before her.
...........

Dawn awoke only a couple of hours later, Grizz still sleeping soundly beside her. The long drive had worn him out--unlike the others, he could not rest while on the road. She brushed her fingers softly against his cheek and he stirred briefly before his breathing slowed again. "You sleep," she whispered, deciding she would go check on Annabelle while he was out. She knew he would not approve of her going alone...but what he didn't know wouldn't hurt him. Carefully she climbed over him then reached into his pocket to retrieve the keys.

Once in the hall, Dawn made her way through the quiet apartment. It was only a short walk to the hangar and she smiled fondly when she saw the truck, making her way to the driver's side quickly. She jumped in, turning the key and frowning when the engine coughed before catching. Damn sand, she thought, as she quit the engine then went to open the hood.

Standing on the bumper and leaning in, Dawn used an air hose and soft brush to clear the engine of sand. She then proceeded to change the oil, check the fluids, and adjust the belts. She was finishing up, tightening the battery cables, when she heard a noise behind her and froze, her handgun slipping easily into her palm. She turned quickly, her pistol at the ready, only to find one of the hangar guards moving in her direction.

"Ma'am," he said casually, nodding to her before noticing the gun aimed in his direction. His hands went up halfway, in a mock of surrender. "...just came to offer a hand," he said with a chuckle, her smaller stature obviously not made for working on a semi's engine. "I could get you a step ladder." He said the last with a smirk...the sentence hanging in the air while Dawn decided on his intentions.

A few moments passed, then she put her weapon away, wiping her hands on her pants. "I'm good," she stated simply, then turned back to her engine. She didn't pay him any more heed, deciding he wasn't a threat. Just as she was finishing, she heard his footsteps again and his hands were on her waist before she could react. Without waiting for an explanation, she kicked out backwards, her boot striking his knee. His let go and stumbled, her next kick driving into his stomach. As soon as he was down, she drew her weapon, aiming it at his chest. "You don't touch me..." she hissed, moving closer.

"Don't," he stammered, "...didn't mean anything by it..."

Her eyes narrowed, once again the man losing his place as a threat. She remembered her training and with a grin she cocked her head. "Say uncle..."

"Wha.."

"It's what you say when you give up..." she explained, as if to a child.

"Uncle?"

With a shrug, she turned her attention once more to the semi, closing the hood, then climbing into the cab. With a turn of the key, the engine caught, purring in satisfaction. Without another thought in regards to the downed guard, she made her way to the apartment and her room. Grizz was just stirring and she gave him a gentle shove.

"Come on sleepy head, I need a shower and I nominate you to wash my back." She grinned at him, her face streaked heavily with grease. She began undressing, dropping Annabelle's keys on the bureau and giving him a smirk before heading for the door.

[Kiro Akira]

Ketsuki sat on the upper racks watching Dawn work on the truck. He was still working on recovering from the Mistreatment he retrieved from the oh so great captain Marsh. But he paid it no attention on the matter and continued munching on the small bag of chips in his hand.

In the midst of everything he watched as the man crept up on her offering help. He could clearly see the mans attention even tho Dawn couldn't from behind. "Smooth..." He muttered below his breathe and laughed to himself at the matter. If The Beast caught sight of what was going on he would clearly rip the man in two with that.... His thought process paused as he shivered at the thought of the robotic arm. It was a terrifying sight indeed and just the thought of something of that nature ripping a person in two was just horrific.

Ketsuki shook the image from his head and watched as the man reached up and touched dawn. This caused Ketsuki to perk in interest to see the next move of action. THUD Contact was made from Dawn's boot straight into the knee. His eyes cringed as he watched it. Any harder she clearly would have shattered his knee cap if not just broke his knee. And a follow up kick directly to the chest.

As the event unfolded he found himself munching on his chips faster. This was a show indeed and now she had her gun to his chest. That was an interesting matter. He was loving the way Dawn handled herself and nearly shot the guy.

Just as Ketsuki thought the matter was over, he could see to what he thought was a crazed look in her eye. Even went with the cocking her head to the side. "Say Uncle." The words echoed in his mind as he leaned over the edge a bit more and peeked down. "Wow....He gives up so easily." He spoke hearing the guy mutter the words.

After seeing Dawn walk away, Ketsuki made his way down to the man who she encountered. He stepped up beside the man and peeked towards Dawn exiting through the door. "So uh....Uncle.....You know mate...... She sure is a good one. But what makes her even better. Is...."

His words paused as if he was unsure whether or not he should tell the man or not but shrugged. "Well theres this guy she's into. He's got this Giant!" Ketsuki raised his hands as if to show the massiveness to it. "Giant man....With this robotic arm in which she works on herself. So if her boot did that much damage to you." He pointed towards his knee and only shook his head. "Then you could only imagine what that arm can do....It's a terrifying thing, been on the wrong side of that arm myself once."

As Ketsuki explained the matter he looked beside him at the man who was nearly trembling now. He surely looked frightened like a puppy who was kicked outside and left in the rain. "You're kidding right?....." The man spoke to Ketsuki only to receive a shake of the head. "Nope..... I call him The Beast. Or Big man." Ketsuki then patted the mans back and began walking off. "Robo arm man! Robo arm!" He said in a taunting way as if to strike fear into him on purpose.

Just as he left the hanger he let the laughter loose on the inside. That was a fun matter to him and it was enjoyable. None the less he went back towards his room so he could clean his firearms. He needed to do the cleaning see he didn't do it for nearly a week. They didn't have time to clean the guns on the way here and eventually he would have to get to Dawn on his rifle. She was a mechanic of sorts and the bolt on his rifle was funny when racking it back so she would fix it right? Or figured she would in the least.

[SikstaSlathalin]

Grizz was indeed very tried, so tired he only stirred a little when Dawn got up. As she quieted him back to sleep he simply let out a mumble and rolled onto his side curling into a ball some like he'd suddenly lost a blanket. But still he slept on, and like before he slept in the darkness of his mind. Simply turned off like a truck engine, no dreams, but also no fear of suddenly being awoken for drills.

He'd be looking forward to that the most being out in the wastes. No middle of night wake-ups...at least not for something as stupid as making sure everyone's canteen was full. He hated those nights, because even if that was it and they were allowed to go back to bed, he could never go back to sleep once he was awoken. That was rarely a problem for Dawn so he spent many long hours just staring at the wall, ceiling or his cute little bunk-mate before they had to get up for the full training day.

Once he heard his truck fire up though he was quickly awake and half sat-up when Dawn returned and told him it was shower time. She was covered in engine grease and he stared slightly at the truck keys she had liberated from him. He was tired still, but he'd be sure to think of some smart remark to use once he was coherent. He did hear she wanted to shower with him. Like beds they've shared a shower lots back in the Guild. Like with sharing a bed it was more about protection than sexual things, the shower room was where women were most vulnerable in the mostly male Yorkmizer Guild. No where to run, no one really around to call to for help.

When they were kids Grizz would just stand outside the shower stall and keep an eye on things. But on Grizz's fifteenth birthday that changed that rule and their friendship forever. Dawn had just turned thirteen a couple days before and she asked him to join her in the shower itself. He agreed and the encounter led to their first time actually sleeping together, granted it wasn't in the shower stall itself, but it carried over to the bay and the bed they'd had already been sharing before. Rolling up and off the bed he undressed, and grabbed some soap and a couple of towels from his bag. This place only had one bathroom, so they'd need to move quick before someone else took it. He tossed Dawn her towel and some underwear from her bag before he pulled out some of his own. He spanked the woman's ass with his free hand as they left the room heading for the bathroom. "I outta eat your face for working on Annabelle without me." He chuckled looking out and being glad they were the only ones out of their rooms right now.

"Just try it," she rebuked, moving a little faster to get to the bathroom ahead of him. Once inside, she pulled back the shower curtain and turned on the water. She preferred the water cooler than Grizz, so she compromised and made it a little warmer than her typical. She got under the spray, lifted her face to it and opened her mouth. As soon as Grizz got close enough, she spit the tepid liquid at him, laughing, then jumping back.

The birdman laughed wiping his face then reached out with his good arm and caught the woman in the somewhat close confines of the shower. Quickly wrapping his arm around her waist he pulled her body close and playfully bit her cheek making nom, nom, nom sounds as he moved his teeth gently along her face, he didn't want to really eat her face, but she called him out and he had to act on his bluff. To make up for his lack of an arm his picked Dawn up and set her on his hips before pressing her back to the wall of the shower still nomming on her face. "Told ya, I'd do it." He chuckled and kissed her lips.

"Sicko," she laughed, the word coming out mumbled due to his lips pressing against hers. She tightened her legs around his waist then groaned. "Don't start something you don't intend to finish," she teased, her arms reaching behind him to bring him closer.

Grizz laughed and winked at her pressing closer. "Hmm I never do. You know that. He tried to tighten his grip on her, but the water was making both of their bodies slick so he gave her one more kiss than reluctantly put her down. "But only having one arm does make that position very dangerous in this wet environment." He handed her some soap and began sudsing the woman up. "So we'll be sure to make it far more dangerous, then try it." He cackled continuing to soap her up.

Dawn laughed with him, knowing he had a danger-loving side to him...a side which she enjoyed for the thrill. They were trained to fight...to survive...but that meant they were expected to face danger and somewhere along the way, it became a game for him. Grizz was at his best when his life was in peril. Turning to allow him to scrub her back, she moved closer, tilting her head back to look at him. "I'm feeling awfully clean....want me to wash you?"

The one-armed man chuckled looping his arm around Dawn's back and kissed her neck before crossing his arm over her chest pulling her a little closer. "Well I do usually need help washing. Can never get this pesky left side." He gave her a playful squeeze.

She turned to face him, taking the soap and lathering it up in her hands before pressing herself against him and running her hands up his back, starting at the waist. When she got to his shoulders, she kissed him, a quick peck, then brought her hands to his chest. This time she worked her hands lower, staring at him with a look of mischievousness as she reached his hips.

Grizz smirked down at the woman moving his hands down to grip lower as well. "I guess this will be danger enough." He winked at the woman and picked her up again using his arm to cradle her rear before kissing her deeply. And that was all the urging the pair needed to reunite, just like they did at the Guild. The water was cold by the time the pair was satisfied and called it good. They hugged each other for warmth until they were both dried and dressed in their underwear. They shared one final kiss then quickly snuck across the hall back to their room smiling like young fools who had just gotten away with a good joke.

Once in the room, Dawn flopped down on the bed and turned on her side, her head resting on her arm. She watched Grizz as he dressed, noticing the persistent redness at his shoulder.

"Still bothering you?" she asked, picking up the mechanical arm that was beside her. "I could make some more adjustments."

The man had just pulled on his pants and decided that was enough before he joined Dawn on their somewhat bouncy bed. He groaned lightly rubbing the sore spot on his shoulder shaking his head. "No I don't think it's the arm, it fits fine. I think it's the shoulder itself, didn't bother me much as a kid, but now...ouch."

Dawn sat up, the arm in her lap. "Perhaps it is the weight that is causing the pain on your joint. We could add more padding and I could rig a harness to help redistribute the weight across your back and chest." She climbed off the bed, setting the arm on the floor by her bag. She rifled through her things, throwing clean clothes on the bed, then removing a few tools. "I think you should leave it off for a few days...if you can. See if it helps." She slipped into a pair of jeans and t-shirt---casual wear---then her boots and went for the door. "I need some things from the truck...wanna come?"

Grizz nodded slowly just pulling his coat and boots on before picking up his arm and slipping it into his long pocket. "I guess we can try keeping it off, but I have a feeling Captain Marsh isn't gonna give us a lot of downtime now that we're here. As for rigging me up to a harness...hehe don't we have enough trouble getting this hunk of junk off at night without making it more of a pain?" He gave her a playful hip bump aside before he opened the door for her smiling that roguish mad smile of his.

She punched him, but not hard, then stepped through the door. "You let me worry about removing it. If it works, it'll be worth it." She moved down the hall at a fast walk, hoping the guard from earlier had moved on. She didn't think she had done any real damage...maybe a bruised knee...and ego. Otherwise the captain might find out about it...and then Grizz would know. Not to mention she might get in trouble...and she didn't want to piss off that woman like Suki had. "I need to get some strapping for the harness...and some buckles...I think I can strip them from the seat belts."

Grizz chuckled keeping pace with the woman and joined her in the hangar running his hand along Annabelle's side, he should give her a nice waxfilled bath soon. The old girl had served them well so far and he felt she deserved the pampering. But that'll wait right now he had to stop Dawn from desecrating the truck's sacred interior.

He looped his arm around Dawn's waist and easily hefted her up from behind stopping her forward momentum. "Now, it's bad enough you got frisky with her engine when I wasn't around, but I will not let you damage her. Look in the box on the back, I saw some ratchet straps and things in there earlier." He placed the woman down and nudged her to the metal supply shed.

Dawn narrowed her eyes at him. She didn't like being physically restrained...or redirected...like she was a child...but there was nothing she could do to stop him. She grunted angrily. "Not like you use your belt anyhow..." she grumbled, then opened the door in front of her. She rummaged around, grabbing the long blue strap and the medical box. "I suppose taking the belt buckles is also out of the question?" she said sarcastically. She grabbed a roll of cotton and some stitching supplies and put them under her arm. "This isn't going to be pretty...but I think I have everything I need. Do you need to kiss your Annie good bye...or are you ready to go back?"

"I might use it someday, besides it'll be like someone taking your toenails or something just mean and painful for her." Then he gave a cheeky smirk and went over to the dustiest part of Annabelle's side and kissed it making sure he got a lot of dust and such stuck to his lips. "I'll always kiss her good bye." He then walked over to Dawn as casually as possible then kissed the woman on her cheek making sure to spread the dirt before pulling back and laughing as he bounced out of range of her rage. "And I'll always kiss you hello Dawn."

She growled at him, wiping the dirt from her cheek. "You're lucky I like you...cause you're an ass...with cooties." She glanced at him before walking away, knowing he would follow. "..and don't look at my ass."

Grizzwald laughed following behind the woman watching her ass as she walked. "Well I like you too Dawn, even with your cooties. But now you're just daring me to look at your ass which is always a treat." He caught up to her and quickly looped his arm around her waist pulling her fondly close. "Thank you for helping me Dawn."

She groaned, then leaned into him. "No fair getting all mushy and tender when I'm mad. You know I can't resist your charms." She laughed lightly. "...but you're still an ass. ...and you're welcome."

Grizz smiled kissing the top of her head. "Yes, but I'm your ass. So could we also use like belts or something for this wonder harness you have in mind?" He asked opening the door for her again.

"Maybe...just the buckle part though." Dawn slipped inside the apartment and tossed her collection on the sofa. "First though, I need something to eat. You gave me an appetite--all that showering." She winked at him, then opened the frig. She took out some eggs and a mix of vegetables. "Want an omelet?" she called over her shoulder.

Grizz smiled and joined Dawn in the kitchen. "Sure, and I'll help you!" He chuckled going to the toaster he was intent on figuring out...and he was keen to see if Dawn would poison him so she could take Annabelle for herself.

Dawn chopped up the veggies and whipped the eggs, adding some spices to the mix before putting them into a pan. She glanced at Grizz a few times, noticing him glancing her way. "What?" she finally asked. "Am I making them wrong?" She laughed to herself, mildly amused at his fumbling with the toaster. She had no plans to show him how it worked...it was more fun letting him work it out for himself.

Grizz shrugged having lifted the toaster up and looking it over very closely trying to figure out it's secrets. "I have no clue, just making sure you don't poison me and try to steal Annabelle away." He put the toaster down giving up on figuring it out and came around behind Dawn wrapping his arm fondly around her waist kissing her cheek and placing his chin on her head. "Don't tell Suki a toaster outsmarted me please."

Dawn made a choking sound, followed by laughter. "Oh...that would be rich.." She elbowed Grizz away and took the eggs off the burner, folding the omelets onto the plates. She then grabbed a loaf of bread and cut two pieces from it, sliding them into the toaster's slots. "Like this," she demonstrated, once again being taken over by a fit of laughter. "We really need to domesticate you...you are like a feral cat." She wiped tears from her eyes and gave the broad man a hug. "Come on...lets eat." She grabbed the toast and plates and sat down, a smile stuck on her face at his bluster. Unlike her, his training had nothing to do with "womanly" chores. She couldn't blame him for not knowing his way around a kitchen, although she had no problem laughing at him because of it.

Grizz watched intrigued as Dawn performed her sorcery with the toaster. He hmmed quietly testing the button's springiness his curiosity going even deeper. But he did manage a quick laugh at her calling him a feral cat. "Well all a rowdy tom cat needs is a nice female to show him the finer things in life, and where all the good trash to eat is." He joined her at the table and breathed the pleasant smell of the omelette in before picking up a fork and knife and cutting into it.

He studied the morsel for a few seconds them put it into his mouth chewing thoughtfully his face brightening with the taste. "Hmm this is really good, you girls get the good training, I can't cook anything that I didn't have to kill first."

"You have no idea..." she said with a smirk. Her training in the cooking department was nothing compared to other things she had been forced to learn, but it wasn't something she wanted to discuss with the likes of Grizz. "Finish up...then I will get to work on your harness. It might take a while to get it fitted right." She ate rapidly, barely tasting her food in her excitement to get started on a new project. She liked nothing better than to tinker with tools. She had always enjoyed taking things apart and bettering them when she reassembled the parts. She could only hope that the harness would help with his discomfort. Otherwise, he would just have to learn to deal with the pain...better that than not having both arms to function with. She took her plate to the sink and stood with her arms folded...waiting on him.

The big man finished his food then scooped up the bits and bobs the woman had gathered and began walking back to the room. "Come on fixit lady, we don't have a lot of time before Captain bosslady comes calling for us."

Over the course of the next hour or so, Dawn fitted and assembled the rig while Grizz sat patiently through her ministrations. She finally had it pieced together and attached it to the robo-arm, slipping the contraption over his chest and securing the prosthetic. She made a few adjustments then stood back. "There...all done...now we can rest some before the Captain calls." She plopped down on the bed, pushing the remainder of the supplies on the floor before laying down. She patted the spot next to her as she scooted to the other side.

Grizz nodded approvingly feeling the pain lessening testing the limits of the new harness before laying down besides Dawn wrapping his around her and kissed her cheek. "Thank you again Dawn."

[Kiro Akira]

Ketsuki sat in his room playing with the gun for what seemed to be forever and frowned when he slid the bolt back hearing a strange click noise. He ruffled his hair in frustration and grumbled to himself. How dare that captain throw him down like that. Not to mention his rifle was slung on his back already and she clearly knew it. So that only made the situation worse on the subject of his rifle.

There was nothing more he could do and he frowned at the thought of asking but he needed help with the firearm. He sighed softly and closed his eyes as he tried to think it over. It had to be something was off and needed adjusting but he didn't have the tools for fixing it.


After a few moments of sitting in the room he frowned and shook his head. He had to do it whether or not he wanted to. The man wandered the hanger for a bit looking around the area. It wasn't much but it was something right? Better then his small room at MotherShip as he called it. And he had full free roam of this area rather then being in an area filled with guards 24/7.

After his little wander, he stopped at the door that held the love birds in it, his rifle slung over his shoulder. He really didn't want to ask her especially with Grizzwald around, he felt the man would probably retaliate with something stupid, he still didn't forgive him for the matter at the start of their adventure. The man sighed softly and closed his eyes prepping himself for the matter at hand. "Yo Dawn, Grizzwald.....You two in there?" He called through the door before giving it a few knocks.

[bluemoon]

Dawn had been sleeping lightly when she heard Suki calling for her and knocking on the door. She rolled out of Grizz's embrace and climbed over him, winking at him as she did so. Mumbling to herself she opened the door, her hand resting lightly on her hand gun...just in case. Seeing that he was alone, she relaxed, opening the door wider and offering him a smile. "Hey there...come on in."

In his own little world, Ketsuki stood at the door for a few moments, he could hear rustling in the room from what he assumed was the two moving about. "Not looking forward to this." He muttered to himself before closing his eyes, letting his mind some-what relax knowing that the entire gun problem would be solved soon.

Ketsuki jumped when Dawn pulled the door open, of course she was with Grizzwald but that was a normal thing to him now. "Hey..." He paused with his words and sighed softly knowing he still had to ask. But when she offered to let him in he nodded in agreement and slipped into the room unslinging his rifle. "Well you're a mechanic right?"

He asked more of a reassurance to himself, rather then trying to be rude but realized how it may have came off. "Well what I mean is the gun's not acting right and I was hoping you could fix it." He finished his statement and gave her a gentle smile. Part of him completely ignoring the fact Grizzwald was in the room.

The man held his rifle in an at-ease stance and worked the bolt on the rifle. Each time he would pull back it would make a Click! noise and repeat the same noise when he slid it back forwards. "When Boss lady there threw me on the ground she fucked up the bolt some how. I'm assuming it's just out of place or something but I have no idea." He spoke before placing the butt of the rifle on the ground holding it simply by the barrel. "Think you could fix it?"

"Hmm...I'd be glad to look at it...not sure what it could be off the top of my head." She took the weapon from him and grabbed her bag, letting Grizz know she would be right back. She went into the other room and set the rifle on the kitchen table, removing the bolt assemble and examining it in the brighter light. It didn't appear to be damaged, so she stripped it down to its individual parts, noticing a few grains of sand falling from the casing. When she tipped it upside down, sand sprinkled the table top like salt with a few larger particulates mixed in. She looked at the gunner and smirked.

"I assume you cleaned this after our trip in the desert?" she asked mockingly. "If so, you missed this part." She laughed lightly, taking out her oiled cloth and wire brush. When she put the parts back together, the bolt slid easily and no noise could be heard. "I think the sand was your problem...but now you owe me a favor, Mr. Gunner."

Ketsuki watched as she tore his gun down. It was a normal matter but nobody really knew the gun like he did. So part of it bothered him on the matter of it not working at all now. Yet regardless of his thoughts, she knew what she was doing.....Right? Ketsuki assumed she did anyways. When she was finished stripping the firearm down, he took note of the different pieces. Each one looked normal, almost as if nothing was wrong.

Just when he thought it was nothing at all and his gun really was just busted his eyes fixed on Dawn as she dumped out the sand from the chamber itself. Of all things something so simple was the problem? He denied it in his mind and would continue denying it.

Is she serious right now? Was the thoughtful question that had crossed his mind. Yet she dumped more sand out and put the firearm back together. Upon reaching the bolt he cringed slightly and listened for the solid Click noise that it had made numerous times only to pause when he listened to the sound.

To his surprise, it went right in with no noise at all. No click, no snap, nothing. It was as smooth as it was once before. Ketsuki blinked at the matter only to feel his mind go blank. Of all things it was simple. Of every thing he did to fix the gun it was a fucking grain of sand screwing his gun all up.

As much as the man wanted to speak up in protest to the whole matter at hand he frowned. Of everything he did, Dawn had not only solved the problem but made him look like a clear fool. Luckily Grizzwald was in the other room so he wouldn't get the joy of picking at him. Glancing away slightly one could see the defeat on his face. "Well it was fine when I cleaned it yesterday." He muttered to himself before taking the gun from her.

He knew of most people, Dawn would probably be the most conniving person. She would likely not let him hear the end of this one. And the payment for her deed was going to be a harsh one in his mind. Yet he had no idea and only shrugged glancing back to her. "Alright, alright. What do you want?"

Dawn stood up, giving him a playful punch then stretching her arms back and rolling her shoulders. "Ah...not gonna be that simple...but don't look so worried. I don't need anything right now...but when I do, you will be the first person I look to...okay?" She gathered her supplies into a pile and pushed them to the side, sitting back down and putting her socked feet on the table. "The sand was probably damp when you cleaned it...and packed in tight. I'll bet it was your 'fall' that dislodged it and caused all the problems...but you didn't hear that from me. You need to keep that rifle cleaner soldier!" she said with a laugh.

Ketsuki nodded when she said not to worry but shook his head. "You scare me more than Beast man in there." He said pointing to the other room motioning towards Grizzwald. Of course the mechanical arm was scary but Dawn was one who could craft that arm and then probably do much much worse. "Tho, little Bunny isn't scary I'm sure if he put his mind to it could do some damage too." Ketsuki laughed at the idea of Barsad being as fearsome as he tried.

When she mentioned not needing anything he simply slung the rifle over his shoulder and nodded. "Well, as long as it doesn't get me killed then thats ok. I don't mind doing things.... Just please nothing like washing clothes or some stupid shit like that. It's more frustrating then it is actual work." With that Ketsuki sat on the table across from her and leaned back into the chair staring up at the ceiling. "Wonder what the first mission will be like."

Dawn's eyes narrowed when Suki mentioned being more afraid of her than the others. She didn't consider herself menacing in any way. As long as he wasn't the enemy, he was safe from harm--at least from her. She kept her face neutral though when he mentioned his returned favor--she had no intention of it being anything as mundane as cleaning. He was a skilled sniper and she would take advantage of those skills when the time arose to make him good on his debt.

When Ketsuki sat at the table she put her feet back onto the floor and leaned towards him, the thought of the upcoming jaunt exciting her. "It's going to be great! We get to hunt and kill...and not rabbits...or dogs...this time. We can make it into a contest though. See who makes the most kills...bandits only of course. Cause if we include bystanders or other innocents, the count could get too high." She gave him a wink, knowing his aim was far superior to hers, but sure her methods were more 'interesting'. She hoped to catch one of the bandits for questioning...between her, Grizz, Barsad, and Suki, she was sure they could get him to talk. She might not even need the others, but who knew. "Of course, we will have to rely on the honor system for numbers. No way I am bringing back all of my kills to the campfire."

He nodded when she spoke of the mission and only smiled at the thought of making it a contest. "I love contests they're so much fun. There was one mission where we ended up racking out about 30 kills in total, I had I think 12 of them personally while the other squadron I was with had the rest."

Ketsuki beamed with joy at the thought of his previous missions. They were always fun and this one would be just as great if not better. He adjusted in his chair and nodded in agreement to the bystanders. "Couldn't picture killing innocent people tho. I've had to do it of course but by that time they were by no means innocent. And if anything we might be able to set up a contest of sorts to 'who gets the flashiest kill' type of thing. Give us a way to kill them with style and such if that makes sense."

The man propped his feet up on the table and kicked back in the chair letting it stand on the back two legs staring up at the ceiling. With that, he crossed his arms in front of him resting them in his lap and sighed. "Hopefully it isn't something too hard and unless you plan on eatin em' I suggest you don't bring them back to the campfire. Cause I really don't wanna smell dead bodies all night. I don't mind the excitement of bloodshed by it doesn't mean I wanna stare at it all freaking night."

Dawn nodded, laughing at his comment. "No bodies...I promise...and no eating them. Yuck!" She put her elbows on the table, resting her chin in her palms. "I've never been on a mission--just the practice ones with the paper targets. ...and a few with the prisoners they intended to kill anyhow. I can't wait to finally get to kill real bandits. Nothing more exciting than the metallic smell of blood." She grinned at him, also excited by the thrill of a contest, even if she didn't expect to win. Maybe once she had a little practice she would be more of an equal opponent. Until then, she would use her special skills to have a little fun.

"I should get back to my room. The Captain will be coming to collect us soon and I still have to clean my guns. Maybe you could check on Barsad? I haven't seen him since he went into his room. ...and you know how he gets?" She got up from her chair and picked up her supplies. She leaned in real close to Suki, uncomfortably close, and locked eyes with him. "Don't be afraid of me Suks...I'm harmless...it's my 'other' self you should fear." She stood back up and walked away, swinging her hips in her natural way, a smirk forming on her lips.

[Khawarij]

It was a late night for Duncan. Not unusual at the camp, but at least a bit annoying nonetheless. He took a massive swig of the coffee tankard at his desk and pulled the surgeon's mask over his mouth and nose again, adjusting his goggles to let him see at 4 times closer into the intestines of the man he was working on. He scoffed as he poked through the writhing tendrils of muscle. How does someone end up with this many metal shards in their chest? He checked the patient's field-diagnosis again. Of course. He jumped on a grenade.

Duncan leaned back and let out a small, if heavy, sigh of frustration. He had been stuck at this camp for months, and while he enjoyed helping out the injured and wounded, he couldn't help but feel that his talents were being wasted. He was one of the finest, after all! He wasn't all brains! He had a bit of brawn, too! He glanced down at his small growth of a pot belly. Well, at least a bit of brawn. He pulled out his note book and sketched the words, "Hit the gym" into it. It was time to lose a few. Duncan began rhythmically tapping the cover of his notebook as he decided what machine he would hit first. Maybe the lats. Possibly the bicep curls. Pilates were also an option.

He was shaken out of the daydream when he heard his current patient wake up from what was supposed to be unconscious. The man yelled out as he sat up to see his intestines spilling out of his chest. Duncan just sat and watched as the man turned pale as a ghost, locked eyes with him, and passed out from shock. Duncan stood up, fist bumped the now unconscious body, and stuck his hands back into the soldier's belly. Back to it.