Exile on Main Street

[Rezantis]

By the time anyone actually gets around to looking at Rez, he's face-down unconscious between the couch and the table.

He left the bag on the floor next to the couch, though.

[Bjorn]

The first thing that Bjorn does upon waking is to pick up Shinmyouken.  This is an act he approaches very carefully, since the trick with an invisible sword is that it's hard to see, and as a result, you need to be especially careful about the sharp bits.

With sword in hand, Bjorn explores the contents of the dressers, and is pleasantly surprised to find clothing that fits him, if not flatters him.  Throwing on an overlarge pair of jeans and a loose-fitting, plain green t-shirt, he cinches on a belt.  No shoes fit him, though, so he'll have to stick to the combat boots.

And, to his irritation, the only pair of underwear that fits him is, in fact, the pair of Workshop-issue boxers.  This could become a problem.

These necessities procured, his first thought is to meditate a bit (lot), but a rumbling reminds him that it's been at least three days by his count since he had anything decent to eat at all, and there's been more than few calories burned during that time.  So he heads down to the first floor, intent on raiding the kitchen.

When he arrives there, though, Dracos is already putting around.  "Morning," Bjorn drawls amiably.  "Is there something small and fast I can grab before starting a workout?  Or, for that matter, is there anything at all?"

[Huitzil]

"No food in the fridge," Paul calls from the couch, in a voice that indicated that he is far more than half -asleep. "Go to the gas station 'n get some milk.

He pauses, then emits a freakish groaning/stretching sound. "And some Cocoa Pebbles," he says, and then you hear his head hit the lumpy couch again with some force.

[Dracos]

"Bah.  You want to join me to get some actual edibles Bjorn?"

Dracos goes and assaults Ginrai for the keys to the minivan, waiting a moment for Bjorn's answer.

Dracos

[Bjorn]

Grimacing, Bjorn replies, "No, not really.  But on the other hand, I want to eat, too, so yeah, I'll come."

As he steps forward, though, the weight in his hand remidns him, and he frowns down at where his sword presumably is.  Shit.  Don't want to just leave this lying around.  On the other hand, lugging sharp objects that no one can see around isn't the  best idea I've ever had.

Hey, wait a minute....

"Hey, Drac," Bjorn interrupts himself.  "Yesterday, did you say that you could see my sword?"  He hefts Shinmyouken.

[Dracos]

"Yes, and if you wish me to drool in envy over you having an incredibly cool looking magically glowing katana made out of...crystal is it?  You are doing a good job."

Dracos

[Bjorn]

Bjorn frowns at Dracos.  "That's strange.  And very interesting.  There's some things I want to try, then...."  His stomach chooses that moment to, once again, imitate a collapsing San Francisco accurately.  "But after we get food.  Gimme one sec."

Trotting back to the master bedroom, Bjorn wraps Shinmyouken in the discarded jumpsuit (bloodstains facing out), sets it beside the futon, and then thumps back downstairs.  "Okay, let's roll."

[Dracos]

Dracos got in the car, drove Bjorn and himself over to the nearest convinence/gas store, got about four days worth of food for the hungry squad, filled up on gas, and drove back.

Following driving back, Dracos eats and then goes to watch Bjorn's practice session (Assuming Bjorn doesn't complain) out of idle curiousity at a more formally trained sword style.

Dracos

[Brian]

While at the store, you see a newspaper clipping of the San Jose Mercury news (they're fast, considering it's an hour or so drive away), with a picture of the explosion in San Francisco.  The image is grainy, taken by a camera set for night exposure, and not the brightness of the actual event, but from the angle, you can see the pillar of fire clearly.

From the range of the camera, a detail previously unobserved comes to light.  Within the pillar, larger than life, though only in silhouette, is Ashnod's outline.  You probably wouldn't see it if you hadn't seen the man in person, but....

The headline reads, "Terrorists Attack America Again?" and the article reads that while there are no firm leads, the Forge is strongly suspected.  The scientific explanation is that this simply isn't possible; there was no radiation at the site of the attack, and the effects are more likened to that of a volcano than a bomb.

Further down, the article goes on to suggest that even though more research is required to explain it, this blow to a one thriving metropolis will adjust its position from 'largely abandoned' to 'ghost town'.

[Bjorn]

Bjorn pestered Dracos into buying a copy of the newspaper before leaving the convenience store.  What they say, how they say it, what they mess, and who "they" are are all theoretically information-carrying things.  Even if he isn't up to figuring out, well, he'd like to try.

If Dracos is looking for deep insights into sword mastery, he's probably deeply disappointed.  Bjorn's practice seems more like an exercise routine than anything comabatively related -- a few exerices without the sword, loads and loads of vertical cuts, a peculiar looking exercise that involves cutting diagonally in eight different directions one after the other, and then a bunch of ridiculous-looking cut-and-jump combinations that do manage to get his feet an ungodly distance from the ground.

It's actually fairly everyday stuff for Bjorn, though rendered a bit surreal by the fact that he's doing it all with Shinmyouken.  It's a bit odd to feel something sharp fly by your ear without actually beign able to see it.

When he finally stops, though (a good hour or so later), he looks tired, very sweaty, and in the best mood since... well, in fact, since before this whole mess started.  "Best I can do by myself without other weapons," he remarks, picking up his shirt from beside the door.  

"Now," he said to Dracos.  "Let's double-check.  You can see my sword, right?"

[Dracos]

"Yes, I can."

Dracos

[Huitzil]

Paul walks out onto whatever passes for a back porch, yawning and rubbing the gunk out of his eyes. "Sleep all right, guys?"

[Dracos]

"Yar,"  Dracos calls out.

Dracos

[Huitzil]

He yawns, stretches, and scratches his back absently. "So, what're you up to?"

[Bjorn]

"I'm not sure," Bjorn says slowly.  "But it might be interesting."

Facing Drac again, he points at himself.  "What about me?  Do you see anything..." he gropes for words, "special about me?"