[Winter - Moonton]

The bright Sun hung high in the sky casting golden rays over the rugged landscape, the broken door closed carefully behind them, as Ollie and Buck volunteered to retrace the route and potentially bring aid to Wolf.

“Quite the impressiv’ shot,” Ollie breaks the ice as the two set foot.

With timing impeccable, showing a raised eyebrow, the spry young man carried a unique form of endearment to those while always securing a good first-impression. Buck, as senior, assessed his thoughts before sharing them.

“...I like to earn my keep out here. I could tell J.J. wasn’t convinced yet-”

“So you’ve done a lotta that shootin’?”

Buck looks down, adjusts his belt with his next step, and answers calmly.

“Haven’t we all?”

That was that. The pair dug into the dirt, firm with each step in the environment. The dirt crackled underneath every boot step, filling the silence between topics.

“Always laughed at myself saying, ‘should’a just learned to cook and stayed in the kitchen’.”

The two look at each other. Buck hardly reacted. Ollie looks down, kicking a rock from his path.

The Sun beamed relentlessly, causing them to sip from their canteens, Ollie’s covered in spots and stains, while Buck’s belt-buckle reflected brilliant in the daytime. The reflection caught Ollie in the eye.

“Ahh-,” he veers himself to the side. “I see you take care of your things.”

Buck looks ahead, increasing his pace.

“We all gotta find something to take care of.”

Short for words, I always struggle with this type, Ollie thought to himself. He nervously caught up to speed, finally realizing that perhaps he was asking too many questions. Buck read the situation faster, speaking with haste.

“Talking, it helps you relax, it seems?”

Ollie flashes a face in thought.

“Right, probably,” he says with a grin emerging.

“Look,” Wolf ceases the small-talk. He bends to a knee and picks up a piece of charred wood, sniffing it. “We’re going the right direction for Mr. Wolf.”

“Alrigh’ then buddy,” Ollie pats his hand down on Buck’s broad shoulder before he rises, “Let’s go get bring em’ back.”

The pair hustled off along the railroad tracks, the golden rays began to bleed red, as the afternoon waned, giving the duo another reason to hurry for completion and return to the group.

[Winter - Moonton]

“You sure ain’t the average drifter, huh mister?”

Looking up, around, even walking backwards, Lou gawked at the isolation that The Immortal fashioned for himself. The man who hosted him, broke him out of the Department of Misconduct's custody, yet hadn’t mentioned a lick about it in their journey back together. When Lou was honest with himself, he’d question his motives.

Eriko slowed his pace, “Sounds lowly… don’t use that moniker again to describe me. Ever.”

His compound lacked decoration, matching his responsiveness. Instead opting for a dull, stone-faced interior, with a dark wood accent, somehow mirroring his minimal presence. Wooden stakes protrude from the walls, holding lanterns for dim lighting every few paces. The duo walked slower, Lou stopped looking around and focused his attention toward the strange criminal, tightening his lips.

“Here,” The Immortal stops before a fork in the corridor, “this way.” He was posturing his arm in a ushering style, awaiting for Lou to catch up with his short-legged stride.

Lou locked eyes with Eriko, hesitant to let this man and his vague notions follow, but figured he didn’t have much of a choice in the matter at this point. If he wanted to lodge for the night to gather his composure, potentially even seize a bite to eat and warm bed, he had to traverse down the man’s shady hall. Just before committing to the walk, he looked up at The Immortal while face-to-face, he spoke with conviction.

“Thanks, partner.”

He wrapped his arms around the frail man, hugging The Immortal. Wrangled by kindness, Eriko almost leaned into the embrace, eyes swollen. In the next instance of recognition, he violently stiffened, pushing off Lou with embarrassed vigor.

Eriko was struck by emotion, staring odd-eyed at Lou. His guest settled himself with a radiant smile, his long hair outlining his casual appearance and outreached arms.

“No. (hmph) None of that either.”

Eriko finally regains his stature mid-sentence. Brushing his hair with his long fingernails and fixing his shirt by yanking the seam.

Lou squinted as if being blinded by an eclipse, he struggled to comprehend the lack of social prowess. His face grimaced, he passed up further elaboration, choosing to embark down the final hallway. Eriko followed at a slight distance.

Dust and other fragments of life cover the floor, thickening the deeper into the compound they walk. Lou wasn’t yet nervous, but his paranoia grew with every cell he passed. There were gaps between the cages, but men slept just past a set of steel bars, offering a limit of visible amenities, the sight was unsettling.

Lou figured The Immortal was trying to intimidate him, something he was used to. He was disappointed in himself for taking so long to put it together-

“Next door.”

Lou looked back while he spoke, then fixed his attention toward the door just a few more steps ahead, on their right-hand side. The panels of the door were beaten, paint chipping through multiple layers as the handle displayed a dull, rusted metal to pull. Lou was surprised to see a lackluster secured door, green-painted dark wood from the surrounding forest with simple locks. He looks back at The Immortal.

Wearing a blank face, he instructs, “Get comfortable, let’s discuss business.”

Lou figured if he was gonna face anything miserable it’d be behind this door. He pulled at its handle, revealing a clean interior, spacious. The two men enter and find seats, Eriko selecting a rustic bar stool, Lou a shorter wooden chair.

Along the wall was a red and black wallpaper displaying a pattern of mythological creature-like shapes. Some were breathing fire, others sprouting flowers and roots, but all of them interpreted in a unique shapely design. This room had the most life in the entire compound, sporting low lit candles to accent the lighting, this was a room where The Immortal must have spent plenty of time as remnants of his scribbles on parchment were scattered throughout.

The two find a seat across from each other, Lou turns his wooden chair, posturing it in reverse, as he sits. His legs too small to reach fully around, he half-straddles it before finding a comfortable pose while not straining.

Eriko scoffs. He raised his hand, wiping his sweaty hair back in one swipe, exhaling before proceeding with the discussion at hand.

“You made it off that deathtrap the settled lawmen had you on. I assume my hired men weren’t too rough with you?”

Lou leaned back, keeping his grip atop his anchored chair and peering up.

“Yeah, I mean, fuck-em. I didn’t really get to stay and chat- but no one I punched looked nice I tell ya’.”

Eriko met the man’s casual answer with amusement. His aloof nature had a sort of charm being emitted from his frail frame, he was once more humbled by the abilities of another Agist.

“So, I hear you have a specialty of sorts, when it comes to this Agi nonsense. Am I misinformed?”

The Immortal looks on, desperate for an answer and unable to hide his interest. His chair’s back feet even crept the slightest off the cold slabbed floor. Lou teased his patience, opening his mouth and bubbling air in his throat as a child would to entertain themselves when neglected.

“Uhh…Yeah, I think, we all do, right? How does anyone get by? Just one meal and shit at a time I say.”

The nonchalance took over, as Lou slumped his head downward atop his chair, resting now. The Immortal slumped his own head to his side, into an open palm, visually dissecting his new ally.

“Yes, yes. I understand. Yours happens to be a vital element I’d say, with rumors of your hands creating torrents of water, enough to satiate entire villages at a time?”

Lou’s brows arched, almost surprised, “Villages people say? I don’t know if that’s even true, but I make those I care about make sure they forget thirst was ever an option, if that makes sense?”

The poor posture led to a muffled delivery, but Eriko understood the man.

“How’s your arithmetic?”

The Immortal stood, prompting Lou to raise his head at attention, still relaxed and invested in the conversation, sparks of a grin showing by now.

“Let me explain to you what sort of plans I have commenced with our latest deed.”