I'll use DS comments for now, but sometime today I'll need to switch online.

Oooh swag bg

I'll be able to be here later - probably in a hour, or a bit longer, if you want to RP then. X)

And nice cover. XD I actually really like post-apocalyptic settings, but I can't think of any characters of mine that I could use in something like that. I'll have to think about it.

Alright! I might have to leave soon a couple hours, so hopefully I'll return the sam-ish time that you do.

I've got a couple unintroduced OCs that would fit in an apocalyptic theme, but if you can't think of any characters then we can definitely try something else.

Hmm... let me just go through #RadiantOC and see who I've got...

I may use #RRAdder. He could maybe work in an apocalyptic setting, I might have to create a bit of alternate backstory for him though. I've also got #RRRikk and #RRArminus who could work.

I'll come back in a while, hopefully we'll both be here then. X)

Any of those are cool by me, although the two characters I have in mind are human so it might be weird to have Rikk in there. But if you choose him (and I'd love to see him in an RP), I'll pick a character that can shift.

I can also use #FGRaven and #FGQaetar.

In that case, I think I'll use either Cherry (as a human), Adder or Armin, and you can use your human OCs, if you're cool with all that.

Alright! One warning that things might get difficult if I use my two characters because they're twins and I've noticed in a lot of roleplays that it's hard to interact with another's characters when their OCs share a close bond. I'm not sure why, maybe you just feel excluded from their little circle.
I don't know if this will be different, but we can definitely try it out if you're still cool with it.

I can give you a basic description of my twins but then I gotta head out.

I'll break into their little circle somehow. XD

And alright!

(Sorry got distracted)

Hawk and Hunter are 16-year-old twins, although they act beyond their ages, probably because their race is not fully human. Their pointed ears suggest they're elves, but they have the abilities to bend steel by touch. (They normally control fire and iron (and carbon + iron makes steel), but I need to do a little more research on the elements before I can properly roleplay as them.)
Hunter is 5'8", ties his blonde hair back in a ponytail, and wields a bow. He's the older of the two and can be pretty cocky and bold. He likes a good fight but knows when to keep the peace of a situation.
Hawk is 5'6", has shorter dirty-blonde hair, and carries around a crossbow. He's less outspoken than his brother, but throws out some witty comments from time to time. He is more thoughtful and observant but keeps a mask of indifference.

If you've got any questions, feel free to ask. I'll be back in a couple hours at most.

They both sound pretty cool! If you are going to use them, I'm looking forward to seeing how they behave and interact. And I don't mind at all that they're twins, I think it'll make things more interesting.

I think I'm probably gonna use Adder, since as I need to practice writing him. Do you want me to give you any info? He does have a ref, but it might not be completely relevant to this setting.

I'll head off for a while seeing as you're leaving, I'll check back in an hour or so.

Oh yeah, I have a little question: do they travel together at all times, or do they seperate, even for brief periods?

Just a warning, my wifi usually gets turned off earlier on weekdays. So if I'm not online when you come back, we'll probably have to wait till tomorrow to RP.

It'd be great if you shared some basic information about him, thanks!

They almost always stick together, although one or the other will occasionally go out alone to scout or scavenge.

I came back pretty late for you, so I don't think we'll be able to get to roleplaying today. I have yet to know how busy I'll be tomorrow.

Alright!
I'm here, but it might be best not to start roleplaying now, since I don't know when my wifi will go off.

Adder is going to be a human in this RP (though I can keep him as a dragon shifter if you want). He's around 26 and a skilled fighter, always carrying a collection of knives or daggers for self-defence when roaming around the apocalyptic city. He's a thief, occasionally an assassin when he needs to be, but he hates killing.

I have a few old crappy drawings of his human form under #RRAdder, so you can get an idea of his appearance from there.

Yeah, I say we start things tomorrow. I'll be on some time past lunch your time if to want to start while it's still daytime.

Alright, thanks! Shifting would be cool, but I think 2-on-1 hand-to-hand combat would be even cooler, if it ever came to it.

I'll be on pretty much all day tomorrow, if you want to try and start sometime in the evening (afternoon for you).

I think I'll keep him human - lots of my RP characters are either dragons or shifters, so it'll be fun to make a change. X)

I've checked and I have nothing going on tomorrow, so that's cool with me.

Okay then! I need to cook dinner now, so I'll most likely see you tomorrow.

You cook dinner? The only things I can make are toast and hot chocolate. XD And alright, see you!

Lol. XD

Wooooooooooooo
*train noises*

I should be available to RP sometime later in the day, hopefully we can get started then. X)

Awesome! I can't wait!

*drives a train into a wall*

*runs away from train*

I think I can be here properly in a couple of hours, if you'll be able to RP then!

(Re: (sorry if I'm getting in the way of your rp) Same here ;o; Thanks! )

Alright Radiant! I'll be here unless my mom drags me somewhere!

I'm here now, woo!

Hey!

Hellooo!
I've no idea how we should start, do you feel like doing the honours? XD
It's your apocalypse city, anyhow.

Sure, I guess I can. XD Give me a moment, two characters is a lot for a picky writer like myself.

Alright!

(I gotta switch to DS comments, noooo)

The afternoon sun beat down on the barren city. Great buildings, now reduced to rubble and coated in plant life, cast shadows on the endless empty streets. In the center one of the town squares of the metropolis sat Hawk on a dried up water fountain, his feet kicking idly as he gazed at his surroundings.

Hunter crept down a rubble-coated road, his bow and arrow ready in his hands and his hazel eyes scanning the terrain for any sign of movement. His target was prey, but a few survivors of the Desolation were scattered about the city, waiting to pounce on any weaker scavengers. Because survivors meant competition, he and his brother always had to stay vigil.

(Alright, let me grab my DS)

In one of the empty streets, Adder leaned against a wall, meticulously sharpening his favourite dagger using a piece of stone. //Can't be too careful,// he mused, knowing better than most people how dangerous this particular area could be sometimes. When he was done, he tossed the stone aside and set off at a meandering walk, his blade held low at his side in preparation to attack or defend if need be. His footsteps made only a slight sound on the cobbled pavements.

Hunter's boots crunched over broken glass as he explored the streets, traveling farther and farther from the camp. Temporarily returning his arrow to a quiver on his hip, the scavenger climbed over a large hunk of concrete and landed on the other side. He rounded a corner, then froze and pulled back into the shadows when he spotted a figure down the road . Nocking an arrow, Hunter leaned and peeked around the brick building. //Scavenger, eh? He's nearly on our territory. Best to turn him back now.// The boy aimed and then released, sending an arrow whizzing by Adder's ear -- a warning shot.

(I will try to be quicker. XD)

Adder heard the buzz of the arrow and jerked back instinctively, but he was not fast enough that he would have successfully evaded it, had it been aiming to kill him.

Despite that, he didn't allow himself to be distracted by how close he'd come to death. Pressing his back against the wall of a half-demolished building, he withdrew a small throwing knife and hurled it in the direction he guessed the arrow had come from, hoping to either wound or scare off whoever his attacker was.

(It's alright, I'm sort of multitasking right now so I might be slow anyway.)

(Alright, that's good. x) )

The strange glint of a metallic object nearly caught Hunter off guard as it flew in his direction, but there was no need to dodge because his building took the blow. Adder's knife glanced off the brick wall and clattered to the street. Hunter flattened himself against the building.
//Heh, I thought I had the advantage here, with him with his sword and me with my bow. Guess not,// Hunter mused, grinning to himself. He readied another projectile. //Hawk'd kill me if I started another border skirmish so soon after the last one. I'll take this one more cautiously this time.//

"You looking for a fight?" he called out to the stranger, remaining unseen behind the building.

Re: Yeah. I think the reason I'm switching is because I'm not fully satisfied with anything right now.

Adder kept carefully still when he heard the voice. //He sounds quite young. Probably another teenager trying to make himself look tough - or else he's alone and fighting to survive like everyone else.//

He gripped the hilt of a new throwing knife and, after checking his surroundings to make sure there was nobody else who might hear him, shouted back. 'No, I'm not. What about you?'

(Re: Okay im there! :3 sorry to butt in btw xD)

Hunter remained behind his cover, finger tapping his nocked arrow. "You're on claimed territory right now. If you don't turn around now, then we can give you a fight."
//Actually, you're still a block away, but it never hurts to bluff.//

Adder smirked. 'Claimed territory? That's not something I've heard of before. Aren't we all just people trying our best to survive?' He ran the edge of his knife across the brick wall, producing a shrill sound that was sure to be audible several blocks away. 'I'm armed and ready. If you want to drive me out, go ahead and try.'

Re: thanks ^^ think I'll keep it like that for a bit

Hunter peeked around the corner again, his face obsured by the shrubs growing between the cracks in the brick pattern. //Geesh, this guy's a maniac. I don't know how strong he is, and Hawk's too far away right now for back up. I need to buy more time.//
He pulled back into the shadows. "When you've got a team big enough, you need more room to move around, don't you think? Turn back now and we won't have to kill you."

'I don't see or hear anyone else with you,' Adder responded without a pause. He slipped away from the building and began to creep across the street towards the place where Hunter was hiding, wary of being shot at a second time. 'Face it: you're on your own.'

//Dammit, I hate this guy,// Hunter grumbled inwardly, tightening his grip on his hand-carved bow. //Think, think... What would Hawk do in this situation... Hawk!//
Lurching from his cover, Hunter let an arrow loose in his opponent's direction, then made a mad dash for the building opposite of him. As he ran, he released a shrill whistle, something that sounded somewhat like the call of a tropical bird. //I'd better not get myself killed over this...//

Adder threw himself to the side as soon as he heard the twang of Hunter's bowstring, landing and swiftly rolling back to his feet in a practised movement. Once he was up, he realised he couldn't hear anything except the sound of footsteps fading into the distance.

//He ran for it,// the thief thought. He considered turning away into a different street, but curiosity over the boy made him give chase instead, keeping his knife at the ready, muscles tensed in case he needed to dodge again.

Hunter made it into the safety of the next building, but he was allowed only a moment to catch his breath before he heard the stranger making pursuit. Heart leaping into his throat, he charged down the opposite path, flying over rubble and glass shards.

//He's faster than I expected,// Adder thought, gritting his teeth as he leapt over a small mound of rubble in pursuit of the boy. However, being considerably taller and with longer legs, he was able to quickly gain on Hunter, and before long was only a few feet behind him.

(I'm gonna have to go soon, sorry! My parents are turning the wifi off in a little while.)

(No problem! I'll try to be quick.)

As the teen ran, he risked a split-second glance behind him and nearly had a heart attack when he saw Adder gaining on him like a tiger. //Get away from me!!// Reaching into a pockect, Hunter retrieved what may have looked like a hunk of metal, but as he blindly swung it behind him, it shaped itself into a blade similar to Adder's.

(If you need to head off now then I won't mind, we can continue another time.)

'What the--' Adder instantly slowed and dropped back, but he wasn't quite quick enough to avoid a blow he hadn't even seen coming. Instead, he threw up an arm in defence and let Hunter's blade slash across it, rather than risking it cutting anything more vital.

He retaliated by throwing his own smaller knife in Hunter's direction, somewhat less accurately than he normally would thanks to the fresh wound in his arm.

(I can probably stick around for another few minutes, but I'll have to go soon.)

Adder's knife managed to strike Hunter's arm just above his elbow, but his flesh was thin enough that the blade had nothing to sink into and it fell immediately after.
The boy stumbled back before brandishing his new knife. He grinned to disguise the pain. "I've got more surprises for you, buddy. Back away."

(Okay. I'm guessing you'll be able to sneak in one reply before you have to leave.)

Adder stepped back so that several feet of clear space seperated them, then withdrew a different blade from one of his many hidden sheaths, this one a dagger with a wider blade better suited to blocking attacks.

'You sure do brag a lot,' he commented calmly. 'If I were actively attacking you right now, you probably wouldn't stand a chance.' Despite his words, he was still wary of the boy, not knowing what he might be capable of.

(I think I'm gonna go now so I don't get caught out by my wifi. This was pretty fun, hopefully we can continue soon!)

(Yeah, it was! See you tomorrow!)

(Or whenever we see each other again. XD)

(I might be too busy tomorrow, with family stuff going on and having to host my Shacklestone roleplay, but hopefully we can meet up again over the weekend.
See you!)

(No problem, I understand! I'll just leave this and you can reply whenever...)

Despite his attempts to remain confident, Hunter's grin was fading. //I'm all alone right now, he's too close for my bow to help, and he got my arm too so I won't hold out long in a knife duel. I gotta take a different approch.//
The teen dropped his weapons and held his hands above his head. He took a step away from Adder and frowned. "You can't blame me, man. I'm just trying to survive and support my little sister. You can finish me if you want, but she'll die from starvation or by other tragic means, and you'll be a heartless murderer. I'm you wouldn't mind that, though - she's not your sister, after all..."

*I'm sure

(Since as I still have wifi at this moment, I'm gonna reply to that because I can't help myself. XD)

Adder froze, and despite trying his best not to show it, Hunter's words struck too close to home for his liking. 'You're trying to support your little sister?' he repeated stupidly. His knife dropped by a fraction of an inch as he momentarily forgot to keep his guard up.

(Lol)

//Hah! He totally fell for it!!//
"Yeah, the poor dear," Hunter continued his tale, "She broke her ankle last week when she tried to climb the vines on a building, so I've had to go out like this every day and scavenge for food for both of us. If I died, just imagine what would happen to the poor, crippled dear..." He watched Adder's face intently, hoping for a favorable eaction.

Adder tried to keep his expression unreadable. //Don't fall for anything,// he berated himself, but even so, a sickening feeling of unease was churning in his stomach. If somebody had succeeded in killing HIM all those years ago, his own sister would be long dead too.

He slowly lowered his knife to his side, though didn't sheathe it - he wasn't THAT stupid. 'I see,' he said uncertainly. 'And you care for her all by yourself, I'm guessing?'

Hunter nodded his head, perhaps a bit too eagerly. "Just me and her. It's been a perilous week. But if you'll let me go, I can return to her," he suggested, smiling slightly. //Is he gonna fall for it?...//

(I think my parents went to bed and forgot to switch off the wifi.)

(I think so too. XD)

Adder mulled it over for a few moments, absently running a finger along the side of his knife blade. 'If you run now,' he said at last, 'I won't come after you.' Then he seemed to hesitate, adding, 'But I could help you. I'm no villain. And I don't consider you an enemy.'

Hunter's smile widened, but then his heart rate quickened at Adder's final suggestion. "I'd rather you didn't," he replied, scratching his neck. "Our tent is in a very hidden location. I'm afraid to let anybody else know where my sister is..."

'Are you sure about that? I'm a thief, I'm good at staying hidden.' Adder let his gaze bore into Hunter's, searching for any obvious sign that he was lying.

(It's past 1AM now, so I think I'm gonna head off to bed. Plus, my DS is running out of power and I can't charge it at night. XD
Thanks for RPing with me!)

(No problem. See you later Radiant!)

(See ya!)

Hunter knew he was a good liar, but he still couldn't trust his face enough to not give him away. He dropped his gaze to his feet where he pushed a shard of glass around with his toe. "That's not what I mean.... Well, I just met you today, and we didn't start out on the best of terms..."

'You're the one who tried to instigate a fight,' Adder pointed out. 'I wasn't doing anything besides walking through your "territory".'

Hunter bit his lip, growing irritated with how easily this stranger was outwitting him. He grasped his bloody elbow in an attempt to relieve some of the wound's pain. "Look, just let me go, alright? I don't trust you, and that's fair." In case Adder was breaking through his lies, Hunter began to turn away, planning out his route of escape in his head.

'Yeah, that's fair,' Adder replied. 'Not many people trust each other nowadays. But I want to be able to pass through your area of town without getting arrows shot at me in the future. Sound reasonable?' He reached out and grasped Hunter's shoulder to stop him from turning away.

The young marksman glared at the stranger, an annoyed twitch to his lip. He considered putting up another fight, but if Adder survived then he would likely attack them in the future. "Fine, whatever," Hunter finally said, pulling his shoulder away. "But don't scare off all the creatures here. There's a system, you know, and you can't abuse it." With one last glare, he made another move to walk off.

Adder crossed his arms over his chest and leaned against a nearby wall, this time making no attempt to stop Hunter from leaving. 'I think I can manage that,' he called out in response. 'So long as you do the same.'

//I'm going to find out if he was lying about his sister, too,// he thought afterwards. //Time for a bit of a stealth operation, I think.//

After a slight nod of toleration, Hunter turned and headed down a different road. After a moment of walking, he glanced behind him then slipped through a backstreet, short-cutting back to where he and Adder had first fought in order to retrieve his weapons.

Once Hunter was well out of sight, Adder glanced around, spotted a building that had a drainpipe going down the outside wall, and quickly, though not entirely easily, clambered up it. Now standing on the roof, he scanned his surroundings for the boy, smirking when he noticed a shadowed figure gathering up his weapons in another street.

'That's him,' he said to himself under his breath, and crouched lower on the roof to observe Hunter. 'Now I wait for him to go home... or back to wherever he lives... and follow. Hopefully without being seen,' he added.

(Have a novel. I take after Shadow)

After collecting his bow, dagger, and loosed arrows, Hunter wandered across the street from Adder and leaned against a wall. He inspected his new wound with a grimace. "Well, hasn't this been a joyful afternoon?" he grumbled.
A tropical bird called out somewhere above the marksman as he pushed himself off the wall. Out of annoyance, he picked up a rock and chucked it in the direction of the call, about two stories above his own head. He knew it met his target when he detected a pronounced, "Ow!"
"What the heck man?" Hunter shouted up at the building. "I made a freaking signal for help and all you did was WATCH?"
"So I'm you're sister now, huh?" a voice teased. Hawk's face, nearly identical to his brother's, appeared over the top of the building.
"I had to make that dumb excuse because SOMEBODY was doing a terrible job of backing me up. Did you enjoy watching me get beat up?" Hunter snapped.
Hawk rested his chin on crossed arms. "That little cut? You've had worse. It was more a beating on your ego than anything else."
"Whatever. I just gave that guy permission to waltz all over our territory. We gotta chase him out before he eats all our provisions, so get down here, you monkey."
"Yeah, yeah, on it," Hawk grumbled as he disappeared back over the ledge. In only a few moments, the twin was standing beside his brother.

(XD)

'Interesting.' Keeping himself at a low crouch, Adder crept along the sloping side of the roof to put the two boys in better view. 'That must be his brother - twin brother, by the look of it. And they're planning to drive me out of their "territory". Rude. What did I even do?'

During these few moments he was preoccupied with talking to himself, his boot struck one of the roof tiles which - though he hadn't noticed before - was loosened slightly. The impact dislodged the tile and it tumbled free, falling off the edge of the building and smashing on the pavement below with a dull crash.

Adder winced and, glancing around, hastily ducked behind a chimney in an attempt to conceal himself. If he was lucky, the twins would just think a bird knocked the tile off.

(Do you think you could add my tag in the description so I can get to this more quickly?)

The twins both paused and glanced in the direction of the sound, but Hunter promptly shrugged it off and opened his mouth to continue.
But Hawk, the more observant of the two, raised a hand to silence him. "I'm gonna check that out," he murmured, taking a step toward the building.
Hunter held him back with a hand on the shoulder. "It's not like that dude climbed to the rooftops. He's agile, but that would be plain stupid."
His brother eyed him with unamusement, but he eventually shrugged and started down the street, hands in his pockets. "Whatever. We'll head back for now. Let's take a detour, maybe split up too." Still wary of the possible spy, Hawk kept his eyes on the rooftops for any motion as his twin jogged to catch up.

(No problem!)

(When it scones a hassle just to get to this page, tell me so I can post a new room.)

*becomes

Adder stuck his head out from behind the chimney, letting out a long breath. //Close,// he thought. //Very close.// Keeping every movement as quiet as possible, he walked along the rooftop and jumped onto the one next to it, using the row of houses as a precarious walkway of sorts. There was no way he could follow them on the ground. He'd just have to stay up here and hope that if they looked up again, he'd have time to dodge behind something or jump off the roof before he was spotted.

(He's underestimating how observant Hawk is. XD)

(Sorry for online comments)

Unaware of their stalker, the twins continued down a series of roads that would eventually lead back to their fort. But before they were halfway there, Hunter grabbed Hawk's wrist and led him down a different path.
"Where are you going? Doesn't this lead to--"
They stopped at the beginning of another section of the city, one marked with nothing other than a skull on a post.
"Yup," Hunter said with a grin, crossing his arms. "Skull Alley."

"This isn't a detour. It's a path to our doom. You know our relationship with this pack," Hawk remarked, giving his brother a sidelong glance.
Hunter playfully elbowed his ribcage before starting forward. "Oh, come on. We're good so long as they don't catch us. Besides, we know how their shifts runs. Mr. New Guy doesn't. Best way to lose him."
For once, his brother had beat him with a logical argument. Hawk unhooked a crossbow from the belt on his back and followed after him. "If we die, I'll kill you."

Adder noticed the twins switching to a different route. As inconspicuously as he could manage, he slipped down the side of the building and dropped into the street below, hesitating when he found the sign marked with an image of a skull.

//What's this, then?// he mused. Not being familiar with this part of the city, he assumed the twins had built the sign at an earlier point and used it to scare off enemies who were tailing them. Not wanting to take any chances, he drew another dagger and crept forwards, gripping one blade in each hand.

(Come to think of it, I didn't bother to check whether it was a signpost or an actual skull on a post. This is what happens when I do 3 RPs at once, all using my DS. XD)

(Lol. XD I'll try to use DS comments for your convenience.)

The twins walked silence, but after a glance behind them, Hawk nudged Hunter and they took off in separate directions, disappearing into the maze of a place.
Hunter traveled down a narrow street with a crevice down the middle,choosing to slink along the vine-covered walls of the run-down area.

Hawk, on the other hand, scaled a building with the vines and cracks in the wall alone before creeping among the rooftops, hopping from one building to another with expertise control. At one point, he stopped and set a bolt into his crossbow before leaning over the edge and observing the street below.

(Oh, and don't feel obligated to do this RP if you're busy enough with your other roleplays.)

(Yeah, I think I'll reply later, once I'm done with the the RP I'm hosting. Three at once gets to be too much. XD)

(I want to be able to focus on this RP properly rather than rushing and making mistakes.)

(Gotcha. Enjoy your roleplays!)

(Wooo, I'm here for a second, hope you don't mind a browser comment.)

Adder didn't know the brothers had split up, being some way behind them to avoid being seen. However, he was lucky enough to hear footsteps on a nearby rooftop and smirked. //Found one of them. Which one...?//

He quickly located the vine-covered wall that Hawk had used to scale the building and pulled himself up onto the roof, grunting with the effort. //After today, I swear I'm not climbing any walls for a week.//

He unsheathed his knives again, having put them away to climb, and began to walk along the rooftop, following the sound of Hawk's steps on the tiles.

(Not a problem! Idk where my DS is right now, anyways.)

Hawk kept his gaze on the road below, crossbow at the ready, but he was not seeing any signs of their follower. //Did he abandon, or is he--// The teen looked up just in time to spot Adder on the rooftop beside his. For a heartbeat, his eyes locked with the stranger's, and then he fired his crossbow. Not watching to see whether he found his target, Hawk spun and leapt onto the roof of the flat beside him and made a run for it.

Meanwhile, Hunter wandered farther and farther down the street. He paused at one point to stare behind him. "He's not following me, huh.... Good luck, Hawk."

(How can you lose your DS in such a short space of time? XD)

Adder heard the click of the crossbow's trigger and momentarily thought he might be about to have a heart attack. Then his assassin reflexes kicked in and he leapt to one side, the bolt whizzing past his head and missing by less than an inch.

Unfortunately, he hadn't noticed that he'd just leapt the wrong way. 'Aaargh!' he yelped as the force of his evasion threw him clear off the rooftop and into empty space. Instinctively, he lunged out with both hands and managed to secure a grip on the edge of the roof, at the cost of dropping both his knives. For a long moment he just hung there, trying to get his breathing back under control.

//I am an idiot.//

(I don't even know. X'D)

Hawk slowed and looked back only when Adder shouted, but he quickly resumed his retreat. //Serves him right.//
However, he hesitated again when he caught multiple sources of movement down on the street. He dropped to his knees and peered over the wall of the roof. Two members of the Skull Alley pack had arrived at the sound of the commotion and were pointing up at the defenseless Adder as he hung over the edge of the building. Hawk glanced back and forth between the party and his stalker. //Crap...//

Hunter detected the start of a commotion and charged back in the direction he had come, pulling out his bow as he ran.

Hearing the people in the street underneath him, Adder suddenly became aware that hanging off a building wasn't exactly the safest place to be. He growled with frustration and started hauling himself up onto the roof again, but exhaustion from the day's chase and the his injured arm slowed down his efforts.

Hawk narrowed his eyes on Adder. //What's worse? Leaving him to be killed, or saving him and getting caught by these thugs? I can't risk it.// The teen made a move to retreat, but at last he turned back, aiming at one of the men below and firing without further thought. The bolt buried itself in his target's chest, who fell back with a cry. Then, while his partner was distracted, Hawk ran in Adder's direction to help.

The sound of a crossbow firing again made Adder tense, but the thud as it struck whoever was behind him brought a bit of relief. He didn't know who was helping him, but at that moment he was willing to take any assistance he could get. He made a last effort to pull himself onto the roof out of harm's way, then hesitated when he realised it was Hawk moving towards him.

The stranger managed to pull himself onto the roof just as Hawk reached him, but his mission wasn't finished yet. Gripping his weapon tight, the boy watched Adder, checking for any lethal injuries, then hurriedly commanded, "Follow me."

The ruckus below was increasing, which meant the rest of the gang would be gathering in minutes to block their escape. Although the stranger probably wanted to catch his breath first, their swiftness determined Hawk's fate too, so he took off in a direction without further hesitation, expecting Adder to follow.

(I might have read that wrong and assumed that Adder had pulled himself up, when in fact he may have only made another failed attempt....)

(The way I imagined it, he'd pulled himself up halfway and then stopped when he saw Hawk, but what you wrote works fine.)

'Crazy kid,' Adder mumbled, staggering to his feet and taking off at a full sprint after the boy. //And who are those guys down there?// He didn't dare turn around to look, not with all the shouting and chaos not far behind them. If Hawk were anything like his brother, then staying with him might get Adder killed anyway, but he reasoned that fighting off one teenager was easier than defending himself against an entire pack.

'Slow down,' he called out. 'We're on the roof, they're not going to get us that easily.'

(Oops. Too late. XD)

"But if we don't hurry, they'll surround the bases of the buildings and then we'll be stuck up here," Hawk retorted over his shoulder, slightly annoyed that the one he was saving would have the nerve to take control of the rescue. Once he reached the edge of the building, he hooked his crossbow over his back and hoisted himself up onto the ledge. Without pause, he leaped across the expanse to the adjacent building, landing in a neat crouch.
"And if we get stuck up here," he added matter-of-factly, "We'll be sitting ducks for their artillery."

(Do you need me to switch to DS comments?)

//Dammit.// Adder gave pursuit, bounding over the gap and landing on the next building. 'If this is so dangerous, why did you and your brother come here to begin with?' he asked as he drew another small throwing knife from a hidden sheath under his coat. He kept himself fairly close to Hawk, seeing the boy as the lesser of two evils while they were being rapidly surrounded by the Skull Alley pack.

(Why did I say artillery? I meant archer, or firearms, or whatever you call long-ranged fighters.)

(You can if you want to, but I might be a little slow in replying anyway. So if it's more convenient for you, feel free to stick with browser comments.)

(I'm not sure if there's a specific name for long-ranged fighters. XD)

Hawk gave Adder what might have been a dead-serious glare, except the corners of his lips betrayed his amusement. "To get away from you."
He ran ahead to a chimney and flattened himself to it before peering down at the streets below. "Of course, we didn't plan to get noticed by these guys, but somebody just had to go and make a scene." The boy retrieved his crossbow, eyes still searching below.

Raising an eyebrow in disbelief, Adder mimicked Hawk, crouching down beside the chimney and scanning the street directly below, preparing to throw his knife if any of the pack came too close. 'You thought I was so dangerous that you and your brother decided to run into the hideout of a gang of maniacs to lose me? Not clever.'

(Alright, it's just awkward when it looks like you're talking to yourself on the DS comments. X'D)

(I don't mind, but if it bothers you then you can come and join me. XD)

(I arrive. *^*)

(Woohoo! Now we can suffer through typing on a tiny DS keyboard together. XD)

(My last three comments all have XD at the end, I need to stop.)

(Lol. X'D)

(Also how did I miss your reply?)

(I dunno, I was just starting to to think you'd already replied and I hadn't seen it.)

"That was his idea," Hawk replied defensively. "I went along with it because I knew you were too experienced to lose us on the empty streets. But if you ran into a band of scavengers, we'd never have to worry about you again."
//Unfortunately, they found you while I was still around and I was obligated to help.// He shot Adder a glare which might have seemed unnecessary unless he could read Hawk's mind.

Adder shrugged slightly, still keeping his eyes focused on the street below where they were standing. 'If you two made the decision to come here, then you can't blame me for us being in this situation now,' he pointed out. 'I didn't even know those guys lived here.' He absent-mindedly trailed a finger along the edge of his knife as he spoke.

"That was the point," Hawk mumbled before focusing on the commotion below. There were several thugs flocking to that side of the building, but his eyes were drawn to a buff-looking man with a scarred face and a particularly mean look in his eyes.

"I hate that guy," Hawk growled. Without warning, he leaped up and ran to their left, not even seeking consent from Adder first. "Let's head west."

Adder straightened up and followed, albeit not quite as hurriedly. 'Where are we going now?' he asked. //Wonder why he hates THAT guy in particular. They all look pretty nasty to me.//

A map of the fallen city materialized in Hawk's head as he ran. "The patrol system here doesn't cover the entire perimeter of their territory at once," Hawk began, giving Adder a momentary glance.
"At this time of the day, there are three gaps in their defenses, or 'exits'. Hunter and I usually escape north-east through 'Exit 2,' but that guy earlier knows us well enough to predict I'd go that way again."
He paused to leap onto another roof, then pointed to a road a few blocks away. "We'll have to try for 'Exit 3' this time."

'So, if I'm understanding this right, you don't normally escape via this way,' said Adder as he continued to follow, a little out of breath from all the running, jumping and climbing they'd been doing. 'Are there more risks to using Exit 3?'

(I'll probably head off after my next post, I'll be going to sleep in about an hour and I have some other things to do first.)

"Risks? Nothing significant there. It's just..." Hawk stopped when he landed on the next roof, keeping his gaze away from Adder's. "...Where our mom died."

Not wanting to hear a reply from the assassin, the teen hurried over to the other end of the building. Just before he jumped, an explosion sounded and a bullet whizzed by Hawk, managing to clip his forearm in its pass. With a yelp, he fell back onto the roof.

(Alright! Thanks for telling me!)

Adder reacted immediately to the sound of the bullet, whirling around and flinging his throwing knife in the general direction the missile had come from. He didn't look over the edge of the roof long enough to see if it connected with its target, instead walking over to Hawk, grabbing his shoulder and pulling him to his feet. 'C'mon, we've got to move from this spot!'

(I'm gonna go for now, see you!)

(Goodnight!)

Hawk gritted his teeth to keep from remarking unnecessarily and nodded. He took off after Adder, peeking over the edge only long enough to get a glimpse of where the flow of their pursuers was headed. "We can beat them to the exit if we go over that building," he called out, pointing a finger to a particularly long white-walled structure ahead of them. To anyone on the ground, it acted as a barrier between them and the exit, but for Hawk and Adder, it provided a way out.

Re: Her arm?

Adder nodded tensely. 'Go on. I'll be right behind you.' He hadn't even noticed quite how many people were on their tail until now. //And if they've got guns and can aim at us accurately from a distance...//

Re: thnx :3

(I wasn't sure if you'd see it in the chat, so here)

(You don't have to apologize for your actions, quite a few of us understand what it's like have things happen irl and how it can affect our mood on certain things. I was worried because I thought maybe I'd done something to upset you or made you feel left out. If you ever want to talk about something, we can talk in private, I might not be the most sensitive person, but I want to be there for my friends <3)

(Reply:
Yes
yes I am)

(Re: Haha thanks! I'm so proud of the anatomy. I saw Alien Covenant yesterday night so that could be my xeno inspiration because it was AMAZING)

(Sorry for the late comment! It's been busy, and I'll be out of the house the rest of the day, so I can't guarantee another reply until late my time.)

Hawk led the way across the rooftops until all that was left between them and the long building was a wide aperture.
He took a moment to catch his breath, in the meantime inspecting the gap to guage how far he'd need to jump.
At last, Hawk backed up. "I'll go first." With a running start, he reached the edge and leaped.

In the moment that the teen was airborne, he caught the glint of several raised barrels from down below.
Miraculously, Hawk hit the roof without before their pursuers could fire. If Adder followed, he wouldn't be so lucky. "Don't jump!" the boy shouted to the other roof, just as the volley of shots was released.

The scavengers had reached the street below. If Adder tried to cross now, he would be filled with holes.

(Don't worry about it! I'll just reply whenever.)

Adder pulled himself to a standstill just before his momentum carried him over the edge of the roof, grimacing when he realised why Hawk had told him to stop. 'Damn it...' he swore under his breath. 'Now what?'

He glanced at the throwing knife in his hand, but it was the only weapon he had left, and one small knife would be nothing against an entire pack of opponents armed with firearms. He climbed up to the highest point of the roof and ducked behind the chimney to lower the chances of being hit, his mind racing.

//I can't fight them, and I can't jump over. Come on, think of something...//

Re: Thanks :3

Hawk cursed under his breath as he stared at Adder. //How am I supposed to get him across? I can't shoot all of them, and I can't leave him behind. There's no way we can make it to another exit...//

Rising slowly, the teen began to walk down the rooftop, planning on distracting the Skull Alley pack. However, there was no need. From below came a cry of pain, followed by a variety of shocked and confused shouts. Baffled as well, Hawk peeked over the roof to see one scavenger with an arrow in his back and the others whipping about in search of an unseen attacker. //Hunter!//

"Jump now!" Hawk shouted to Adder, waving his arm wildly. There was only so much time before their enemies returned their attention to the escapees on the rooftops, or caught Hunter.

Adder couldn't see clearly what was going on, but in that moment he knew he had to make a decision - trust Hawk and maybe get killed, or stay on his roof and almost certainly get killed.

//Well, I guess things can't get much worse than this,// he thought with a bit of morbid humour.

He took a running jump and sprung over the gap, landing on the opposite roof and rolling to break his fall. As he stood up, he finally realised what had distracted the pack. 'Is that your brother somewhere?'

"Yeah, now let's get the crap out of here," Hawk hastened, throwing one last glance down below before grabbing Adder's sleeve - a habit formed over months of dragging Hunter out of trouble - and flew across the roof to the opposite wall. "We can climb down here," he informed, pointing to a collapsed part of the building, its fallen concrete and plant life making an easy path to the ground. "You can go first if you want."

Hunter threw one last glance in the direction they had come, his fists clenched. //You'd better make it out of this alive, Hunter.//

(Just so you know, I'll be out until the afternoon, so I might not reply until the evening for you.)

("Hunter looked back at Hunter and hoped that Hunter would make it out alive")

Adder didn't reply, but stepped in front of Hawk and started to make his way down the incline, mostly walking and other times dropping to a crouch and climbing whenever the path became too steep or rocky. Near the bottom, he tripped on a piece of sharp stone and stumbled, just about stopping himself from falling on his face. 'Watch out for that bit,' he called out as he reached the bottom. He could tell Hawk was worried about his brother, but he couldn't afford to spend time dwelling on the matter. //Escape first, ask questions later.//

(And no problem. X))

Reply: I was just thinking it looked like a bib as I was drawing him. XD

(What happens when I wake up early. XD)

Too distracted to find humor in Adder's remark, Hawk descended without comment, only saying, "Let's go," once he touched the ground beside the assassin. He led the way down the street at a brisk pace, eyes darting even though the enemy was most likely still on the other side of the wall.

(At this time, should I tell what Hunter's doing since he's a main character of mine, or should I keep it suspenseful?)

(Suspense might be fun, but I'm cool with either. X))

Adder followed, easily keeping pace with Hawk as they walked up the street together. As soon as he was certain they had a few minutes' peace and weren't in any immediate danger, he decided to ask the main question that had been eating at him for a while. 'Why did you stop to save me? You went into those guys' territory hoping I'd get driven off or killed by them, but then when you saw me hanging on the roof, you decided to risk your life helping me out. Why?'

Hawk kept his eyes on their surroundings as they trekked out of Skull Alley, but he eyed Adder when he spoke up, his expression a mixture of confusion and suspicion.

"I'm not heartless," the boy finally replied. "How can I let a person die right before my very eyes when I am capable of saving him? And although you threatened Hunter, you have done nothing to me to make yourself an enemy. I have a sense of justice, you know." He returned his eyes to the road as he added, "Besides, I knew you were smart, which means you'd know to get yourself out of there before you were killed."

'You don't consider me an enemy?' Adder repeated. 'That's a surprise to hear, seeing as your brother threatened ME when I first met him.' He glanced over his shoulder to make sure nobody was on their tail. 'But I guess it's nice to see some people around here still have a sense of honour.' Now that they were safely out of Skull Alley, he allowed his pace to slow slightly, the exertion of the day's events starting to catch up with him.

"I know better than to make enemies with a passerby. Hunter doesn't."
When Hawk looked up to take in their current suroundings, he slowed down in the slightest and grew tense. "We should've headed right instead," he murmured.

Adder raised his head and glanced around, but couldn't see anything that he would've considered worrying or unusual. '...Any reason why?' he asked, keeping his voice low. 'Don't tell me we're about to be ambushed again...'

"N-No, it's fine; we're safe now. I just don't have good memories with this place," the teen explained, glancing at the walls apprehensively. He picked up his pace again. "We aren't far from the base. We'll probably meet Hunter there."

(brb)

Picking up on the slight stutter in Hawk's voice, Adder threw him a look that was half-concerned, half-amused. 'If you're sure,' he responded. 'I don't think your brother's going to be too happy about seeing me again, though.'

(My wifi might get switched off soon, so if I suddenly disappear, that'll be why.)

(I took too long, you're probably gone by now. xP)

"That's his problem," Hawk grunted. He looked Adder up and down. "He hurt you, didn't he? I can get that cleaned up for you."

(Re: thank you so much!!!!)

(A weird wolf with bleu hair appared and said" would you like one of my horsie designs???? If so leave a theme and i'll make you one!!". And it disappeared again!!!!!)

(XD)

Adder glanced down at the gash along his forearm, his walk slowing slightly. He'd forgotten about it while they'd been running away from the Skull Alley gang, but he could feel it now, stinging and trickling blood into his sleeve. 'You sure?' he asked. 'I'm used to dealing with my own injuries.' He then shrugged. 'The help would be appreciated, though.'

"I guess you could say it's a 'thank you' for not killing my brother back there when you could've," Hawk murmured with a lopsided grin. "Besides, I'd like to patch my own cut up sooner rather than later." He swept a palm over the bullet wound on his forearm to find blood on his hand.

The two stopped at a lonesome town square, a simple cobblestone clearing with short buildings surrounding it. There seemed to be nothing significant about it, but Hawk's hollow gaze would make anybody think the place was cursed. Without a word, he lurched forward and started to cross through the clearing.

He could still remember himself and his brother screaming and wailing, held back as their mother was dragged to that very square to be slaughtered. The Hidden Resistance had rescued Hawk and Hunter from certain death, but it had created chaos for the world and inside Hawk. Because of it, their mother died and their father left them. And of course, it turned the world upside-down. A shudder ran down Hawk's back.

(Re: that's fine!!!)

Hawk's reaction to being in the clearing was starting to make Adder uneasy as well, despite not knowing the reason why the boy hated this place. He gripped his single remaining knife tightly and kept close to Hawk's side, glancing repeatedly over his shoulder in case they were being pursued.

'What's up with you?' he mumbled, half to himself. 'This place looks alright to me...'

(Re: thnx :3!!! Also do want any specific breed or theme for the horsie I'm gonna draw you??)

Adder didn't look at Hawk, but he was listening intently. Of course, he remembered the war - he had been living somewhere outside the city when it happened, but had still been very much aware of it. 'I didn't know it all started here,' he said at last. 'I don't know HOW it started, either. There were a lot of rumours and stories, but...'

The young scavenger's dark eyes remained fixed on the road, flickering only once upon Adder's subtle query.

The sun had nearly set by then, turning the sky a sickening umber and tossing shadows onto miles of endless wreckage and destruction.

"If you must know," Hawk finally responded, "This was the place where the Revolutoinary War began.

//The very war that destroyed this world.//

(Dangit, sorry for rewriting my comment. X'D)

(Re: gotcha!!! I'm gonna work on it!!)

Hawk shot Adder a sour glare, his fists clenching. "Of course you wouldn't have known. You're an ordinary human. Probably didn't even know the war had been going on underground for decades."
//Of course, it was only recently that the war became reality to everybody, when actions became enforced.//

As they left the town square behind, the teen exhaled, cooling his temper. "I don't blame you. The conflict was between leadership and the 'Magis,' and the former planned to keep it secret from the public. To protect their 'divine deity' appearance or whatever.
"However, with a quarter of Radebul's citizens possessing powers that qualified them as Magis, it wasn't long before we retaliated against the constant arrests. You were probably told that the Magis caused the war, weren't you?"

(Radebul is the official name of this city because creativity)

(wHY DID YOU HAVE TO REWRITE IT
IT'S BARELY ANY DIFFERENT ANYWAY)

'I've barely heard anything,' replied Adder calmly. 'I wasn't in the city when things really got serious, and I didn't come back until very recently, when everything was already like this.' He waved an arm to indicate the rubble, destruction and signs of warfare all around them, showing what he meant. 'Looking at Radebul the way it is now... it's hard to even tell which side won.'

(I actually rewrote it like three times, adding to and editing each time. X'D)

(Also I might change Radebul because it looks like it should w pronounced raid-bull

Aaaand I gtg brb)

(That's how I was pronouncing it. XD
Byyye)

(Gonna be dramatic and name the city Phoenixa)

"You're lucky you were away when the battles climaxed," Hawk mumbled, scanning hair surroundings as well. "Originally, the government wanted to eradicate the Magi kind - that is, all people with magical abilities - because they thought they were too powerful and could overthrow the city. But later on, they began to arrest the Magi and use their powers against us. How many of our own people we ended up killing, I can't count.
"One day the city's "weapons" clashed with the Hidden Resistance, which ended up destroying the city and eliminating everybody."

Hawk sighed, rubbing his forearm. "If Hunter and I hadn't used our own powers, we wouldn't be alive right now."

The teen shoved his hands in his pockets. "So, to answer your question, nobody won."

(Re: Thanks! I am pretty proud of the anatomy and her pose x3)

'Sounds nasty,' Adder remarked. Though he spoke quite casually, his mind was swirling with thoughts on what Hawk had told him. //Seems like I missed a lot... even living outside the city, how did I manage to not know everything? I must have been more out of it than I realised...//

'So... everyone's gone? Or, mostly everyone?' he asked. 'How many people live here besides me, you, your brother, and our Skull Alley friends back there?'

Hawk watched Adder through the corner of his eye during the silence before the survivor spoke again. He chewed his lip before replying, "The clash of magic took out pretty much everyone in the country except for those who had special protection. The mongrels back there were dogs of the leadership. They survived by using the protective powers of the captured Magi. I'm not sure about their leader, but I wouldn't doubt it if he's in hiding right now. As for the Hidden Reistance..."

He pointed to a distant metropolis, the capitol of the city, its magnificent skyscrapers illuminated in the final rays of sunlight. "The few survivors have gathered there. With the help of illusion magic, they've disguised themselves completely. Hunter and I only know because they revealed themselves to us. As for the ones who survived but stand with nobody, they're scattered about the city but keep to themselves."

He paused before asking, "Are you all alone?"

(Sorry for all the talking from Hawk, I'm trying to give you all the information you'll need to understand the world but there's a lot to it. 'XD I shouldn't be picky so add what you think fits whenever.)

//So, there's still citizens around the place,// Adder mused, scratching his jaw thoughtfully. //Even if the majority of them are dead, there's a few who made it out alive... and there's still that 'Hidden Resistance' group he keeps mentioning.//

In response to Hawk's question, he said, 'I'm as good as alone right now. Before I ran into Hunter, I was living in a tiny shack on the outskirts of the city with my sister...' He trailed off, remembering something he'd heard from Hunter earlier in the day. 'You and your brother... you don't really have any other siblings, do you?'

re: Actually, its pretty easy once you get used to it. And my average (not best) is about 4 seconds.... I guess it was just a lucky scramble. :p

At the mention of Adder's sister, Hawk was tempted to ask what had happened to her to leave Adder all by himself, but he figured the man didn't elaborate on it for a reason, so he saved the thought.

In response to Adder's query, the boy's lip twitched in a smile. "Nope. The sister Hunter told you about is completely imaginary. I would say he made it up on the spot, but the part about the broken ankle was based off of a mistake I made long ago. Still, he totally duped you."

He opened his mouth to say more, but movement in the shadows of an alleyway made him freeze. A hand instinctively moved to the crossbow on his back, but he quickly relaxed.

Hunter emerged from the darkness, face lighting up when he recognized his brother, but it turned aghast when he spotted Adder. "Why the heck is //he// with you?" he exclaimed.

Adder felt a bit of annoyance flash through him as he turned to confront Hunter. //That was an interesting conversation you just interrupted...//

He stepped forwards to stand right beside Hawk and sheathed his knife to show that he didn't view the boy as an enemy. 'Got into a little fight in Skull Alley,' he replied with an unpleasant smirk. 'Your brother helped me out and we've been travelling together since. Got a problem with that?'

"Yeah I've got a problem with it!" Hunter retorted, glaring at Adder then stepping toward Hawk. "Why would you trust this guy? He hurt me and threatened me - you witnessed it, didn't you?"

"I did see it," Hawk replied, annoyance in his tone, "but that doesn't mean we can't give him a second chance. We're all trying to survive here, and fighting is not going to help."

"Unless he plans to find where our base is and then kill us," Hunter growled, facing Adder with tightened fists.

Adder watched casually as the two brothers argued, slightly amused that something as small as his presence there could cause such a fuss. He dug around in his pocket, pulled out a cigar, lit it, and stuck it between his teeth while he waited for them to shut up.

Then, when Hunter rounded on him, he raised a hand and said, 'I'm not here to kill you or steal from you. I could've easily killed Hawk while we were running away from the pack - I could've pushed him off the roof and left him to die. But I guess it's ultimately your choice whether you trust me or not.'

Hunter glanced back and forth between the two, then finally threw his arms in the air. "Agh-- what the-- you know what, whatever. I need a moment with you," he said abruptly, grabbing Hawk's arm and lugging him into the alley.

"Hawk, we gotta lose this guy," he began, pushing him against the wall. His brother opened his mouth to retort, but the archer interrupted him by holding a necklace up, its bronze clock pendant seeming to glisten even in the shadows.
"Because we have this. And we can't lose it to anybody, especially that suspicious man."

"So that's what you were up to in Skull Alley," Hawk breathed, staring at the accessory. "How did you manage to get it?"

Hunter pocketed the item, then crossed his arms behind his head. "For some strange reason, //his// office was empty and unguarded. It was a no-sweat heist," he bragged.

Adder let the two of them talk privately for a few moments, then called out a little impatiently, 'Hey, I'm still here, you know. Not very polite to ignore someone, especially after you've just dragged him halfway across a city.' He put his cigar back into his mouth while he waited for a response.

Both boys glanced in the direction of the voice, then Hawk pushed off the wall and made his way out of the alley. "We'll part with him soon, but for now please tolerate his presence," he murmured before approaching Adder. "Sorry about that. We're only a block away," he assured, nodding at the road ahead.

Hunter kept his distance from Adder and held a constantly dissatisfied expression over his face, yet he managed to keep his mouth shut. He stared in a different direction as he waited for the trip to resume.

'Alright,' said Adder quietly. He let his eyes trail over Hunter, knowing the boy was resentful of his presence. But he didn't care enough to try winning him over with words; he'd just have to prove he was on the brothers' side.

'Let's get going then, shall we?'

With a nod, Hawk took the lead while Hunter hung back. Shortly, they came to a blockage in the road; a building had collapsed some time back, obscuring whatever lay beyond it. Not hesitating, Hawk climbed over the rubble and crouched at the top to wait for the others.

Before him rested a small town square, hidden from view because of the fallen structure, thus making a perfect hideout. A dried-up fountain stood in the center, giving the lonely space a homely feel.

"Welcome to our camp," Hawk announced.

Adder swiftly climbed up the pile of rubble to look at what Hawk was indicating. Standing on the top and lifting a hand above his eyes to block out the last fading glow of the sun, he took a moment to observe the view of the little square, then smiled slightly.

'Nice place,' he said. 'Do you two live here alone? All the time?' He wanted to climb down the pile and get a closer look at the square, but decided that, on account of Hunter's mistrust, it might be better to wait until he was invited.

(Hey Fade sorry to interupt again xD But I made my girl's line art on her ref and I am do proud of the coloring and shading on the one in my paintings x3 #NallaSF I changed her name and I like Nalla more thanks so much for her again I just adore her!!! <3)

"Pretty much," Hawk said, slipping off the heap and landing on his feet. He led the way over to what was supposed to be the brothers' fort, but the fact that it was a solid box made of steel would make anybody skeptical. He stepped through its metal door and shortly returned with a bundle of bandages. "We do have other 'bases' throughout the city, but this is our prefered station." He handed a wad of the cloth to Adder.

Hunter followed, but his mind was distracted as he fiddled with something in his pocket - most definitely he necklace, Hawk perceived.

(Sorry I've been responding slowly, I keep getting distracted and I'm too lazy to reply on my DS, so I always wait until I get on the computer. XD)

Adder nodded in understanding to everything Hawk said and set about wrapping some of the bandages around his injured forearm. 'And nobody else has ever found this place? Well...' He smirked slightly. 'Until I came here, of course.'

His gaze travelled to Hunter for a moment, guessing the other boy wasn't paying much attention to anything that was going on.

(No problem, I've been so busy that I haven't been able to reply more than twice a day. I think we ought to keep this on online comments. XD)

Hawk gave Adder a lopsided smile. //A good thing we kept our store of valuables elsewhere, for that reason.// He took a second bundle of bandages for himself to tend to the bullet scratch on his arm. "Hunter, come get that injury fixed up," he called to his brother.

//The power of this one item.... We're so close. We can have whatever we want.// The older twin jolted back to reality at his brother's call, then slid off the pile of wreckage. With a mumble of thanks, he took the cloths and walked over to sit by the fountain

"Don't mind him," Hawk murmured, watching his sibling go. He turned to Adder "You hungry?"

Adder curiously watched the interactions between the two brothers, then looked around when he heard Hawk speaking.

'A little,' he replied. 'I'm guessing you have food here, then?'

He leaned against the pile of rubble and stones that concealed the entrance to the hideout, letting himself relax slightly after a day spent fighting, climbing and running away from gangs. He doubted Hunter's attitude towards him would change anytime soon, but he hoped to prove he was trustworthy. He was tired of surviving in this city almost alone; the idea of having others on his side was an inviting prospect.

"Of course. I'll get a fire started," Hawk stated, walking back toward the fort to gather firewood. //I wonder how long this guy will hang around? Oh, come to think of it...// "Hey, I don't think I got your name yet," the boy called, approaching Adder again.

'Nope, don't think I ever told you,' he replied casually. He briefly contemplated using a false name, but decided that it probably wasn't necessary; there was nobody here except the two brothers, and they'd trusted him enough, at least, to show him their hideout. 'It's Adder. That's all.'

The teen nodded in acknowledgement. "You might've already heard, but that's Hunter and I'm Hawk. That's all." After a small smile, he returned to preparing the fire.

Meanwhile, Hunter's gaze had wandered over to their visitor, and he stared without much consideration to courtesy. //So he isn't attacking us, yet.... Is he here just because Hawk invited him?//

Adder nodded at Hawk. 'Got it.' He crossed the small square to sit on the edge of the fountain and wait, aware of the way Hunter's eyes were boring into him. 'What's up with you?' he asked. 'Still think I'm going to kill you? Or are you just impressed by how I managed to get here despite your best efforts to keep me away?'

He grinned and leaned back, clasping his gloved hands together in his lap.

Hunter grunted at Adder's taunting, turning away slightly. He leaned forward and rested his jaw in his hands. "Whatever. I don't even care anymore." His hazel eyes flickered in the assassin's direction. "Just don't overstay your welcome."

'Not very polite,' Adder reprimanded him. 'But understandable, I guess. I'm technically trespassing on your territory.' He stared off into the distance. 'Don't worry though, I won't be staying long. There's a certain person on the other side of the city who'll need me.'

He fell silent and watched Hawk building the fire, his blood-red eyes unreadable.

The taller twin eyed Adder suspiciously, wondering if he'd be able to pry out whatever it was he was hinting, but he ultimately gave up and stared in another direction.

Hawk successfully sparked a fire, then ran to the brothers' fort. "You alright with poultry?" he checked as he returned, some kind of grouse in his hands.

Adder smirked at Hunter, then glanced up at the sound of Hawk's voice. He shrugged, trying to look indifferent, but couldn't quite ease his look of distaste when he noticed the bird. 'Sure, if there's nothing else.'

(I was sort of inspired by Hawk and Hunter to concept my own twin sibling characters... I promise they're not similar, though. XD)

(Ooh really? But I haven't even drawn them yet, how would you know that? XD)

Hawk nodded, then did a double-take when he managed to catch the irregular look on Adder's face. "Oh, we've got fruit too, if you'd rather," he offered.

//Why should we even give him food? Because of him, I never caught dinner for us,// Hunter mused, biting his lip.

(I'm pretty sure they're different. Mine are angel-like beings, for a start. XD
They probably won't even become real characters, they're just ideas.)

His expression relaxed somewhat. 'Then I'll take that instead, if it's not going to be a problem,' he replied.

He glanced sideways at Hunter, wondering why the boy had been so quiet since they'd reunited. He'd certainly been able to talk a lot the first time they'd met.

(Lol gotcha XD)

"Of course not," Hawk replied amicably, carrying the grouse back toward the fort. "We're having fruit instead, Hunter," he called out as he left.

"Like I couldn't tell that already," the archer grumbled. In the silence that followed, Hunter finally looked to Adder, his expression unreadable in the shifting light of the fire. "Why are you here?" he murmured.

Adder looked down at his hands, knotting the fingers together idly, not meeting Hunter's eyes. 'Because I need allies,' he said bluntly. 'I haven't found anyone since I moved back into the city who was even slightly trustworthy. I might need your help, and Hawk's, in the future. And I'm willing to help out in return.'

He shifted and let his gaze settle on the flickering, dancing flames, and he didn't elaborate any more.

Hunter scoffed, folding his arms. "So you decide to trust the first group of people that attack you? I know I'm young, but I'd know better than to do that."

'Don't go overboard,' said Adder. 'I didn't trust you at first - in fact, I still don't.' He shot Hunter a grim look. 'I started trusting Hawk because... well, among the criminals and scavengers who roam this city, he's one of the more honourable people I've met. Doesn't mean I trust him completely, though.'

He looked down and scuffed the toe of his boot along the ground, lost in thought.

"Why do you need our help, anyway?" the teen prodded. "Do you have enemies out there? If that's the case, then we won't get involved - we've got plenty enough enemies as is."

Hawk began to make his way back to the two, a net of various fruits in his hands.

'I don't have enemies,' Adder retorted. 'Unlike some people I know -' he glanced pointedly at Hunter '- I don't run around picking fights with everyone.'

As Hawk approached, Adder turned his attention to him instead.

Hunter opened his mouth to leave a remark, but a suspicious look from his brother quieted him. //If I'd say so myself, you're the one picking a fight with me,// he grumbled inwardly.

"Sorry for the wait - fruits don't last very long. I had to sort out the good and bad ones," Hawk explained as he opened the net and laid out its contents. "Take whatever you want; we won't mind."

Adder smirked knowingly at Hunter, then turned away to examine the net of fruits. 'Thanks. Where do you get these from? Do you grow them here, or do you have to go outside the city to get them?' He picked out two apples and a handful of cherries, and started to eat while he waited for Hawk's answer.

//Hm. Been a while since I've had fresh fruit - not since I was living beyond the city.//

"You might say both," Hawk replied, taking a mango for himself. "The tree fruits came from the outskirts, where a few groves have miraculously survived, while the rest can be found growing on walls and the sort. We've located and have been guarding a few plants for the past couple months."

Hunter snagged a bundle of grapes from the net while his brother began to make conversation. "So where have you been living some you returned to Phoenixa, if I may ask?"

*since

Adder took a bite out of the apple he was holding and chewed slowly while he considered the question. 'I found an abandoned house, mostly intact, on the outskirts of the city. I've been living there for a while now, though I'm not actually there very much - I spend half my time exploring and looking for supplies.'

He paused before adding, almost as an afterthought, 'My older sister lives there as well.'

Hunter looked up upon hearing Adder's second comment. "Huh, so you have a sister," he remarked, smirking.

Hawk threw an exasperated look in his brother's direction.

'Yeah,' Adder responded, giving Hunter a pointed sideways glance. 'And she's real, unlike some people's 'sisters'.'

//I hope she's alright,// he suddenly found himself thinking. //It's been nearly twenty-four hours since I was last at home... I need to get back there by tomorrow morning, at least. What if she's worsened?//

He realised his pulse had accelerated from nerves and took a couple of deep breaths to calm himself, focusing on finishing his food. //She'll be fine for a little longer.//

Hunter's grin grew, and he crossed his wrists behind his head. "So that's why you got all mawkish when I made up that story about my sister," he deducted proudly.

"Cut that out," Hawk grumbled, shooting his brother a sideglance.

"I wonder why you'd get so sentimental over her. Is she dying or something?"

'Well done for figuring it out,' said Adder sarcastically. He threw an apple core across the square and watched it roll out of sight through a crack in a wall. 'She's not dying. At least, that's what I keep on telling myself.'

"I said cut it out," Hawk growled, shoving his brother's face away before he could say more. He gave Adder a concerned look. "If I've heard things correctly, you're sister's in trouble.... And you need our help?" he guessed.

Adder half-shook his head, his expression thoughtful. 'I didn't come here just to beg for your help. I know you two have enough problems of your own. I'm planning to leave at sunrise - I need to go home and see her. I won't bother you again.'

Then he hesitated. 'But if you WANT to help... then I won't turn down the offer.'

Hawk rested his chin on his knuckles in consideration while Hunter sat back. "I already told you, we don't want to get involved with your little problems."

"I'm not sure how we can help her," Hawk admitted. "I may need you to elaborate on her condition more before we can make any decisions."

//Am I really going to do this?// Adder thought, not meeting the brothers' gazes. //This is stupid. I was doing fine by myself and I wasn't risking anyone's lives...//

Somehow, he found himself explaining anyway.

'She's ill,' he said shortly. 'A little-known disease. There's medicine that can cure it, but you can't find it here... not since the War.' He inspected his own hands while he thought about what to say. 'My goal was to get enough money to travel out of the city, find a settlement that sells this stuff, and buy some for her. Problem is, it's taking longer than I anticipated to earn... or steal... enough cash.'

Hawk nodded thoughtfully as he listened. "How far do you reckon this remedy is located?" he pressed.

Hunter pretended to ignore the conversation, busying himself with removing all the grapes from the branch in his hand. //Can't really do much in this situation... Hawk does what he wants to do - I have no say.//

Adder was also making an effort to ignore Hunter. 'It could be in any town, as long as there's still civilisation there,' he replied. 'The medicine isn't especially rare or expensive - but since Phoenixa was half-destroyed in the war, there's nobody left here who can make it.'

He paused, then added, 'I'm not very familiar with the rest of the country. Where's the nearest big town you know of?'

"Makes sense." Hawk nodded again, then paused when Adder asked his question. He exchanged glances with his brother, then turned back to the visitor, a subtle look of longing in his eyes until he blinked. "I've heard a lot about Trundale, which can be found up north. They're still flourishing, as far as I am aware. You could probably find what you're looking for there. Do you plan to being your sister with you?"

'Trundale...' He'd heard of the place before, but wasn't entirely sure of its location. Then he looked up at Hawk, his expression serious. 'I haven't thought about that yet. She's usually too tired to walk any distance. With some kind of transport, we could probably make it... but if there isn't, I'd have to leave her here alone. And I'm not willing to do that.'

Hawk glanced to Hunter who shook his head, but he spoke anyway. "Automobiles are out of the question, but we might know some people who could give you and your sister a ride there. Coincidentally, we--" he elbowed his twin who was staring off angrily-- "need to go to their area as well, so it would benefit us."

//Yeah right - he's gonna ruin our plan, mess up everything we've labored to set straight,// Hunter moaned to himself.

'In that case,' said Adder, smiling faintly, 'I'd be interested in meeting those people.'

He then caught Hunter's expression off to the side and turned towards him. 'You've been quiet. Something you want to say?'

The teen cocked a brow at the assassin. "Sure, I do. How do you plan on repaying us for all we've done? I don't recall you rescuing either of us, or giving us food and a place to stay. Why do you think we should help you any further?"

Hawk frowned at his brother, but he said nothing. //For once, he's made a good point.// He waited on Adder's reply expectantly.

'I made it clear earlier that I wasn't here to insist on help from either of you,' said Adder calmly. 'I'll manage on my own, somehow.' Looking almost bored, he stretched his legs out in front of him and folded one over the other. 'But if you DO decide to give me a hand, then I'll be willing to do anything you ask of me in return. Even if it's dangerous.'

Hunter threw his brother an exasperated look, then caught a look of deep consideration on Hawk's face. //Huh...//

"There is something you could help us with..." Hawk instinctively lowered his voice. "I can tell you're fairly experienced in assassin-like jobs. You think you could take a couple people out for us?"

Adder looked at him for a long moment before replying, 'I could. I'd need a full description of them, for obvious reasons... Also, I'm curious: who do you hate enough that you'd want them dead?'

(Whoops, that was short. I think I've temporarily lost the ability to write.)

(Lol it's fine, you've no obligation to write longer comments. x) )

Hawk chuckled bitterly, crossing his arms over his knees. "Oh, there are plenty people we want dead - more than you'd be able to track down. Nah, in this case, we just need you to take out a couple guards. You wouldn't even have to kill them, if you're able."

Adder shrugged in response to Hawk's first remark. 'You never know.' He pulled out another cigar from somewhere in the folds of his heavy coat. 'Anyway, what are they guarding? Something important?'

"It's the city center that we need to get to. Althpugh the people camped there were part I the resistance, we aren't particularly 'best buddies' with them. Depending on how things turn out, we may need you for combats purposes as well."

'I'm fine with that. How many do you think we'd be fighting, if it came down to that?' The assassin's eyes flickered towards Hunter for a split second as he spoke, wondering what he was thinking.

'And if we're really doing this,' he added, 'I'm going to need more weapons. I lost a couple of my throwing knife against the Skull Alley guys.'

*knives

"Errr..." Hawk scratched his head, smiling awkwardly. "Let's just say, a lot more than I'm willing to admit." He cleared his throat. "But if we don't agitate them, we won't have anything to worry about. We can make you new weapons, if you're fine with steel. Just tell us what you want," he said.

Hunter watched with a faint smirk. //Maybe this won't go so bad after all... We might be able to get out of it alive.// His thumb ran over the etchings on the pendant in his pocket.

Adder smoked on his cigar thoughtfully for a moment. 'Sounds good. And I wouldn't worry about the number of enemies - sometimes it's easier to escape from a large group than from a single, focused opponent. As for the weapons...' He reached into his coat again, this time withdrawing his solitary knife and passing it to Hawk hilt-first. 'Something similar to that would be nice.'

Hawk took the knife and examined it. "That should be easy. Hunter and go can make some for you tonight. How many do you prefer?" he asked as he handed the weapon back. He rose to his feet.

Adder tucked the weapon back into his cloak and mimicked Hawk's action, standing up and casually dusting off his clothes. 'Three more will be enough. I can only carry so many at once.' Then he paused, looking down at the boy with slight surprise visible on his face. 'Hold on, how are you going to make weapons that quickly?'

"Do you want your knives or not?" Hunter interjected abruptly, standing without bothering to make eye contact. He headed toward the twins' tent, hands in his pockets. "Don't tell the smith how to do his own craft."

His brother watched him leave, then laughed quietly in embarrassment. "Let's say, magic," he said dismissively.

"Err, we haven't considered lodging for you yet..."

Adder stared at Hunter's retreating back, a little startled by the abrupt departure. Then he laughed and focused his attention back on Hawk, dismissing the other boy in his mind. 'Magic. I'd guessed that,' he said. 'And don't worry about lodging - I can find somewhere to sleep.'

The boy cocked a brow at him, then shrugged. "Alright, Adder. Let's get some sleep now. It may be a long day tomorrow."

After waving to Adder, Hawk returned to the fort where he found Hunter with two knife replicas already laid out in front of him. "That was quick," he commented, observing as Hunter wrapped his hand around a metal rod. The item's form promptly rippled and reformed itself into a dagger-like shape, exactly like Adder's.

Hunter set it down and stood. "What else was there to do?"

Hawk snagged a ragged blanket and curled up on the floor. "Well, you can take the first shift for tonight. I'm going to bed."

"What the heck, man?" his brother growled. "I did a ton more running than you did today."

"Yes, but I'm the one who did all the talking. You and I both know how exhausting that can be. So goodnight." With that, Hawk disappeared under his blanket.

"Ugh. Whatever." Exiting the fort, Hunterc clambered onto the roof and sat to watch the moon.

(Novelssss)

(Do you think after this we should take a little break and create a new room, thus starting a new "chapter"? I'm sure this room is a difficulty for you to locate. Beaides, this next part requires a lot of strategy thinking to make it work in the way I want it. X'D)

(Sounds good! It's not actually hard for me to get here, seeing as it's in my gift tag, but it'd be nice to have a new room.)

(Okay then! How long of a break do you suppose we should have?)

(I don't really mind! Make it however long you like. X)

Do you want me to leave another reply from Adder here, or should I just wait until we post the new room?)

(I guess you can leave one last post if you had something you wanted to write. I'd imagine the next chapter would start in the morning.)

(I'll leave it there, your post looks better as the last one. And alright, sounds good.
You can make the next room, unless you'd like me to do it.. XD)

(Lol. I've got a drawing in mind, so I might make the next room if that's alright.
I have noticed though that I've practically taken over the plot, thus putting my own characters on the spot - if there are things you want to throw in, go ahead and do it. I won't mind. x)

(Alright!
Ha, I don't have anything of my own I want to put in just yet. I've been in a seriously uncreative mood recently. But I'm fine with everything you're doing, and it's more fun for me to follow someone else's plots usually. X))

(Alrighty then. x) Thanks for roleplaying with me, it's been really fun!!)

(Yeah, it's been fun! Can't wait to see what you're doing for the next RP's cover.)