The Calm Before the Storm [Semi-Open]

[Nikolai [39]]

Thunder crackled overhead. Lightning split the horizon in the distance. Rain thundered down upon them.

Nikolai didn't mind. He quite liked the rain- His frame was made to stand up to the weather and his fabric would dry, especially once they reached their destination.

Crossing into Rogue territory had not been difficult- The one thing that he had been disappointed about was that he had been forced to cover his eye. This was not something they could necessarily afford- Hollow was out there, somewhere, undoubtably watching them. When he had first revealed his eye in front of Florin he had not explained it to her, nor had he even mentioned it; He didn't quite care if she was upset by it, not when they needed it so. Nikolai was not the only one who liked the rain- Hollow had always loved a storm, something to further blot out the light of the sun and the moon. The only light as the three ragdolls trooped across the Rogue encampment came from lightning as it struck the horizon in time with the thunder.

Behind him, Florin, and behind her was Nikolai's hunting brother, Ulysses. They travelled in loose file, at Nikolai's request, and as they walked through the driving rain Nikolai cast a practiced eye about the Rogue base.

It was too open, far too open. Hollow was undoubtably watching them. Ahead, in between two rather large domiciles, was nestled a smallish can. "It is here." He rumbled, pulling aside the barely-hanging-on lid of the can. It lead down a set of rather uncouth stairs into a hole in the ground that seemed to be the muzzle of a Tank barrel, rather large and embedded in the ground by some explosion or another. Inside, warmth radiated intensely, and the occasional flicker and spark of a welding tool could be seen within. "Springfield, are you home?"

[Florin]

"Oh, thank God..." Florin sighed once Nikolai announced they'd reached their destination. Florin had spent most of the trip cursing and complaining, trying desperately to keep herself dry. After a while, she gave in and hushed up, likely much to her companions' relief. Her fur was soaked and clung uncomfortably to her body. Without the fluff, she seemed quite a bit smaller.

She'd been somewhat alarmed at the sight of Nikolai's eye at first, but quickly found herself used to it. It was odd, but certainly not the strangest thing she'd seen lately. He wasn't going to harm her, and as long as it stayed that way, she couldn't care less what his eyes looked like.

Florin nearly shoved the other two aside to step out of the rain. She was dirty, wet, far from home, and most of all, pissed off. True, she was still fearful for her life, but that didn't mean she was any more keen on being wet and messy. She shook herself, sending droplets of water flying off her fur around them. Her decorative fur, though still wet, resumed it's fluffy appearance. "I certainly hope this was absolutely necessary, dragging us through the mud in a storm..." She said, her voice thick with annoyance as she attempted to wring out some of her cloth and fur.

[Ulysses-Σ47]

"I certainly hope this was absolutely necessary, dragging us through the mud in a storm..."

The sellsword rolled his eyes, and simply shook himself off as they traveled down the tube. While the prima dona couldn't handle a little rain, Ulysses could get over his distaste of rain. As usual, he was silent, having made no real motions or hand signals, or at least any that his client could even begin to understand. His relaxation was only an appearance, of course; the moment he'd heard the sparks and ticking of the welding torch, he'd gone back to his usual alertness. Nikolai said that this ragdoll was his friend. Fine.

Still, he thought, as Nikolai called out the name Springfield, playing with fire was never a good idea. He came up to stand next to Nikolai; he'd long ago gotten tired of Florin's complaining. A quick look at Nikolai seemed to pose a question; Eyepatch off now? Ulysses knew at least partially how important that eye was to his friend, and he'd seen what it could do.

[Nikolai [39]]

Before the larger doll got a chance to respond, the welding stopped. There was a loud clank, the sound of something falling, a rather uncouth curse, and then a loud, somewhat drawn-out crash, the sound of many items tipping to the floor.

Nikolai winced and leapt backwards, throwing his arms out to shield Ulysses and Florin as though something dangerous were about to happen, before a rather messy looking doll tumbled from around the corner, shaking a piece of metal out of her hat. The big doll frowned. "Did you forget to put your things avay again? I told you we were coming over." He snapped.

[Springfield]

The she-doll looked up from the piece of metal she had extricated from her hat. She gave a large grin and took three long steps forward. "HEY, if it ain't Niko!"

She gave Nikolai a large bear-hug, which he looked none too comfortable with. Springfield barely came up to the other doll's mid-chest, but she hugged him as though she were the larger doll, trying to lift him with the hug- Which promptly didn't work.

"What brings y'all down here to see lil' old me? 'Squite a surprise, big man." She drawled, waving her arms about her home. She picked a small, oblong orb off a table and waved them deeper into her home- The cause of the colossal crash had seemed to be the table in the middle falling over, sending a menagerie of short, squat, round, square, chained, unchained, and cylindrical items toppling to the floor. Presumably, Springfield had attempted to extricate herself from this table before falling and bringing the table with her.

[Florin]

A yelp slipped from Florin's lips at the sound of the crashing. She leapt behind Ulysses, her hands grasping his shoulders as if using him as a shield.

When the new she-doll emerged, Florin didn't yet retreat out from behind Ulysses. She just watched warily. Not that she was afraid of this doll, just... she seemed like she may be a bit dirty. If Florin got dirt on her fabric or fur while it was wet, it would never come out. Hell, she'd be lucky now if she could dry her fur without it matting.

Anyway, this doll seemed nice enough, if a bit... unrefined. But why was Nikolai so adamant about getting her help? For now, Florin chose to remain silent.

[Ulysses-Σ47]

Nikolai's shielding was unnecessary; Uly was up to his side the instant the cursing and the crash was heard, reaching for his tomahawk before the source of the noise became apparent; the she-doll came out, clearly disheveled, but still. . .

Intriguing. That was the word. Ulysses let up on his favored weapon, and watched with a mixture of apprehension and increasing amusement as the Russian was promptly near strangled in a hug by her. Ignoring Florin's attempts to hide, he only saluted the she doll, before following her in. He was moderately gratified to see that his first impression was correct; the place was cluttered, and the objects rolled on the floor. One tapped his foot, and he pushed it out of his way idly. He was more focused on his friend, client, and this new ally. He did a quick study of her.

Missing half a leg, odd finger on her right hand. She obviously either worked with something dangerous, or was crazier when it came to testing than Enzo was, he decided. More likely the prior; her personality was far too outgoing. And she certainly had plenty to say, which suited the sellsword just fine; less for him to answer.

[Nikolai [39]]

Nikolai's eye widened an almost imperceptible amount when Ulysses idly kicked the object at his feet. "Nice to see you cleaned the place up for us." He said soberly, gently picking another object off the table as though it were a vicious creature and depositing it well up on a shelf with others like it.

"Should you really be allowing such a clutter? Does it not obscure your vorking?" He brushed himself down slightly- He was already dry thanks to the arid warmth of the inside of the little home. He took his sword off and leaned it against the wall next to the entrance and took another step into the abode. "I am sorry to say but dis is not a cordial visit." He halted for a moment, looking to the side as if thinking.

"Our... 'Mutual acquaintance' has returned." He said meaningfully. "Calling himself 'Hollow'."

[Springfield]

Springfield gave a light, bouncy laugh. She grinned at Ulysses before bending down and picking up the object he had kicked. "Careful with this, sugah, 'less ya wanna find out what livin' sans-legs is like." She gave Ulysses a rather larger grin than the occasion called for. Then she slapped Nikolai on the shoulder and tossed the object into the corner. "Jus' kiddin', it's a dud. As to cleanin' up, I eh... Got a bit preoccupied with somethin' for the occasion." She returned to the table and lifted a medium sized cylinder. Something in the casing caught her eye and she began to futz with it idly, smiling contentedly.

As Nikolai continued, she stopped working and looked up. It was a few moments before she said something. "I thought he was... I thought you... Ain't he dead? People don't get better from bein' dead last I checked."

She frowned, then shook her head after a couple seconds. "Aww shucks. Where are my manners? We got company and I ain't even introduced myself. Name's Springfield. You c'n call me Spring if ya find my full name a mouthful."

[Ulysses-Σ47]

"Careful with this, sugah, 'less ya wanna find out what livin' sans-legs is like."

The sellsword blinked. He'd been afraid that that was what it was, to be honest. But it hadn't gone off, and her next words confirmed it; a dud. Her grin was odd, but he'd seen far worse, and simply shrugged, his eyes betraying a single flicker of mirth. As she and Nikolai continued trading words, he built a larger picture, and noted her little "somethin'." It certainly would leave a mark, he reckoned, though he did wish Enzo were there to oversee its proper implementation. The she doll seemed nice enough but. . .

He preferred someone with proper experience, and preferably a mindset he knew well to use things that went boom. Of course, she obviously had some qualifications, if Nikolai were recommending her.

"Aww shucks. Where are my manners? We got company and I ain't even introduced myself. Name's Springfield. You c'n call me Spring if ya find my full name a mouthful."

She was certainly friendly. The sellsword, of course, did his usual greeting; A salute, and an offer of a quick handshake. No noise.

[Florin]

Florin gave a relaxed smile as she finally stepped out from behind Ulysses. This doll was a bit rough around the edges, but seemed plenty polite. Normally Florin would've immediately taken a stance that portrayed her with an air of dominance over new company. Out of habit, more than anything. This time, though, she decided against it. As much as she hated submitting to another, even she couldn't deny she needed the help of all these dolls, and her normal behavior, at least her habit of trying to dominate others, needed to be set aside for now if she wanted to keep herself in their favor. It wasn't worth the risk right now.

"Springfield. How lovely. Wonderful to meet you."

[Nikolai [39]]

Nikolai shrugged his shoulders, crossing his arms. "I do not know. Perhaps the Fabricator found his corpse, although I find that unlikely as he is still the same as he vas." He took the 'order' from her and examined it while the others introduced themselves. "Vill this do the job?" He asked, though he did not sound all that concerned.

He already knew what her answer would be; He knew several of the Stitchpunks that the elusive CHAPERØNE had created, and knew a few of them well. Springfield was one of them, and he had known her long enough to know what she was about to say, probably to the letter.

He felt a feeling of foreboding, looking around at a room full of enough explosives to blow them all into next week. He had never liked calling on Springfield in her home- He got nervous around all the ordinance. He shifted his stance slightly, leaning against the cracked, dry earthen wall. The heat was starting to bother him, now. He'd always preferred the cold.

[Springfield]

Springfield shook Ulysses' hand quite energetically, a wide smile on her face. "Nice ta meetcha, nice ta meetcha!" She turned to Florin and similarly shook her hand, before taking a step back and looking her over. "Never thought I'd catch ya travellin' with a racketeer, Nikolai." She said mildly. There was a shrewd undertone to her voice- She was quite obviously more intelligent and considerably less goofy than she let on. But, then again, she also held herself like a soldier, and that alone spoke volumes about the way she must really have been underneath all the fake appearance of being somewhat ditzy.

When Nikolai made his comment, she rounded on him. "What!?" She cried, throwing her arms into the air. "Will it do the job!? Will it do the job!? I one-hundred percent guarantee it'll do the job so well, it'll pick up the tab! This little baby right here gives off a small kick and then releases a thick black smoke made from sodium carbonide, which reflects light! When his pretty peepers try to see through it he'll end up blindin' himself while you folk remain perfectly able to see him! If it don't do the job you c'n take mah fingers!" She waggled her digits in his face as proof, grinning a challenge.

[Ulysses-Σ47]

Ulysses' grip was firm, and he returned the shake, and simply looked on as she talked with Florin. Her shrewdness didn't escape him, and her posture struck him as odd. Then again, who was he to judge? He couldn't speak at all. It took all kinds. Then, Nikolai asked the question. And the answer was quite relieved with the answer, now that he knew what it did.

"Will it do the job!? Will it do the job!? I one-hundred percent guarantee it'll do the job so well, it'll pick up the tab! This little baby right here gives off a small kick and then releases a thick black smoke made from sodium carbonide, which reflects light! When his pretty peepers try to see through it he'll end up blindin' himself while you folk remain perfectly able to see him! If it don't do the job you c'n take mah fingers!"

So it wasn't an explosive. That made him feel immensely better. Still, her word choice caught his attention, and he nearly had to roll his eyes; bloody chemistry language. She was like a cheery, friendlier Enzo. Oh, he was going to have fun with this. The chemist was going to be either highly amused, or, if the Sellsword knew him well, and he did, annoyed that someone might threaten his mental superiority.

He made a quick signaling to Nikolai.

Remember the Chemist?

[Florin]

Florin's fur stood up slightly. She wasn't used to being the one left out of a conversation. She was terribly out of place, here in a room of explosives with these warriors. She didn't like this new feeling. How she wish she'd stayed home, and just asked the other Racketeers or some wandering mercs to protect her. She'd at least been somewhat safe in the tower. Now, he could be anywhere, there were no clocks to drive him away, and two of these three dolls seemed afraid of him.

She visibly perked up at the mention of the effects of... whatever it was they were talking about. This stuff wasn't really her forte, after all. "Blind him? That does sound quite nice. I do hope there's more though." She said eagerly. Obviously she didn't just want to weaken him. She wanted him dead, the more painful, the better.