[TOY] Plaything

[skinstealer]

POLKA DOT: Hey!
POLKA DOT: I'll have you know that the five of us are combat trained, we've got food and water for like two weeks, and we've got a charm that protects us from curses.
POLKA DOT: Thanks for being concerned for our safety or whatever, but trying to scare us isn't gonna help.
POLKA DOT: We've got this handled- so just open the damn door.
 

The truck stares at you for a few moments, his silence mysterious-

Until he breaks into snickering, unable to contain himself as he leans back in, messing with an unseen panel of buttons.

GUARD: Cute! Real cute.
GUARD: Have fun getting your heads bitten off, for all I care.
GUARD: With any luck, the dusters won't strip your corpses too clean by the time we get some scavengers out to clean up after you.
 

He nods at Cross, the virtual pet looking away uncomfortably.

GUARD: Circuit boards go big on the market these days, and dusters have no use for 'em.
GUARD: Maybe you should watch out for people even more!
 

The shorter robot steps to the front.

ROULETTE: Then the sooner we leave, the sooner you can pick through our remains.
ROULETTE: We are burning daylight.
ROULETTE: I would very much appreciate it if you would open the gate.
 

You exhale as Roulette steps forward, only just now realizing your wings are clenched into fists.

GUARD: Yeah, yeah...
 

He makes a long, drawn out honk as he finishes fiddling with the controls, as if this is the most exasperating task in the world.

GUARD: Go on. Get yourselves killed.
 

The gate rises up, leaving a path through the solid wall.

You shoot the guy one last dirty look, Tim doing the same.

Roulette doesn't bother looking at him.

As you make your way out into the wilds-

You're blinded momentarily by a swath of white, as far as you can see, before your eyes adjust.

When you get a grip on what you're seeing, you can parse it as a field of white snow, gently hilly and extending a large ways in front of you. There's more walls to your left and right, but not as high as the other ones.

The only way to go is forward.

DEVO: It's like this, for a bit.
DEVO: There's some branching paths to places like junkyards and farms, but it's a bit of a walk to something people call the outpost.
 

He starts moving forward and trudging through the ankle-deep snow, Tim close behind.

DEVO: Used to be a place where people could restock up and meet with people from the city without going inside.
TIMOTHY: ...used to be?
DEVO: ...dusters got into it, makes it hard for people to get in or out of the city's outskirts.
CROSS: Dusters...I read about those, I think.
DEVO: Yeah!
 

Everyone's mildly startled at the sudden enthusiasm, Devo's voice getting notably more excited.

DEVO: They're really cool.
DEVO: You can find dusters pretty much anywhere, but they look different based on their environment-
DEVO: They take pieces of things they find around and make it part of their body!
DEVO: They're smart enough to use weapons, even-
TIMOTHY: ...and we have to kill these things?
DEVO: ....
DEVO: Probably.
DEVO: But that's nature, right?
 

You get a peek at Devo's face-

Yellow cheeks...that's new.

ROULETTE: ...If we're lucky, there are many we could simply avoid before needing to defend ourselves.
DEVO: Yeah!
DEVO: Maybe we can just, leave them alone!
DEVO: Or watch them from afar...
POLKA DOT: ...this isn't exactly a sightseeing trip.
DEVO: True, but...
DEVO: A guy can dream!
 

Tim gives you a worried look as Devo shuffles even more ahead, the dog moving to hold his partner's hand.

TIMOTHY: you feeling alright?
DEVO: Yeah! I'm good.
 

You fall back with Cross and Roulette.

POLKA DOT: ...did either of you know he liked monsters?
ROULETTE: It's understandable, given that he has fought some before.
ROULETTE: Everyone has interests.
POLKA DOT: ...yeah, you're right.
POLKA DOT: Not like I know him that well anyway...
CROSSBONE: It'll help to have someone who knows what they're talking about with those...
 

Your conversation fades into silence, the five of you trudging through snow as you hear Devo rambling excitedly to Tim about the biology and behavior of dusters. Tim seems to lighten up over time, his nervous clinging giving way to relief as it turns out that yes, Devo is fine, just....enthusiastic.

All of a sudden, Tim's ears perk up, the dog pointing ahead.

TIMOTHY: Look!
 

There's a worn down, gray stone structure up ahead, capping the end of the walled "hallway".

DEVO: That's it!
DEVO: Look alive, then! Outpost ahead!
 

Roulette stops to look at it; staring, clearly thinking over something, though you don't have the faintest idea what.
It catches up moments later.

You follow suit, the five of you standing in front of the structure. The doorway is completely opened up, snow falling into the outpost itself.

Tim takes a step forward, peeking in.

TIMOTHY: Just a lot of rubble inside...
TIMOTHY: ...cmon-
ROULETTE: -Hold on.
 

Tim finds a claw on his shoulder, gently pulling him back.

ROULETTE: We should have a plan if we're traveling into any kind of enclosed space or difficult terrain.

It quickly removes its claw, as if the touch were somehow hurting Tim.

ROULETTE: ...Apologies.
TIMOTHY: No, you're-
TIMOTHY: You're right. We should be careful.
ROULETTE: I'll go in first.
ROULETTE: Tim, I think it would be best if you followed along next. But leave enough room that we can both get out quickly if need be.
ROULETTE: Devo and Willow could be next in line, but spread out somewhat from each other horizontally; that way you would be able to flank or hide and ambush as needed.
ROULETTE: And Silk Ribbon could take up the rear; equal access to assisting Tim, Willow or Devo as necessary, while also able to warn us if something follows us in.

ROULETTE: . . .
ROULETTE: Does that work for everyone?
POLKA DOT: Works for me.
 

Everyone else gives quiet noises of approval, lining up accordingly.

Taking up the back end is...it feels nerve-wracking, but at least you have everyone's backs....

POLKA DOT: All set back here.
ROULETTE: Alright.
ROULETTE: I'll make my way in.
ROULETTE: Try to keep your voices low, and I suggest we find a way through quickly.
 

The robot carefully makes its way inside, surveying, sickle out of its holder and at the ready.

The first room isn't huge, the quarters made tighter by the presence of rubble littering the right side of it. A quick inspection above reveals that the ceiling had fallen in, revealing a second floor above in the process.

To your left, there's a stairwell, presumably going up to said floor. To your right...a bunch of boxes, some kind of storeroom.

Ahead, there's a hallway, lined with a tattered, raggedy rug.

POLKA DOT: Jeez...how long has this place been like this?
DEVO: Longer than we've been out of the store, that's for sure.
POLKA DOT: Yeah, it-
 

Everyone freezes as a noise comes from the storeroom, from behind the boxes.

Something clattering to the ground.

Show ContentSpoiler:

[id: a map with a singular, rectangle room with exits to the left (a stairwell), the right (a storeroom), and forward (a hallway). there is rubble in the right side of the room, boxes visible in the storeroom, and a rug up ahead. there are character icons in the formation that roulette described.]