Around the Abandoned Warehouse District; Friday, Later in the Day [12/17].

[special_rabbit]

Well, it was sad to see it, but the Squirrel Crumbler hadn't made it very far in the marshmallow snow at all once Amaya and Dwight headed out of the Forge. Clearly, she was going to need to do some marshmallow-related upgrades, but that was for another time, since she'd already put out the forge and bundled up against the elements to make the trek out to Dwight's shop to inspect the cases he was working on.

And you know? The marshmallow snow wasn't all that bad, once you got used to it. And as Amaya was looking around and sort of appreciating just how nice it looked and was about to say as much, something else instead rather caught her eye.

"Well, that's new," she remarked, in spotting that island that seemed to affix itself to the District, and then she frowned, suddenly uncertain. "Isn't it?"

[[ for that bullet magnet with her! Gee, whiz, I can't imagine anything that could possibly go wrong here! ]]

Comments

[alwaysonguard]

Dwight was about to tell Amaya not to be too down about the crumbler and that it had been a good idea and now she at least knew what needed to be done to make it even more 'Fandom proof.'

But that all never got vocalized as he turned to look at Amaya questioningly and then to where her gaze was fixed....

Ok, that was odd. They were just outside the Business District by now. And while he hadn't come by this way today this was his normal route anytime he went basically anywhere. And yeah... that... island... thing... that was not usually there.

"It's either new or I have been completely blind and oblivious till now," he said squinting as well at the strange sight. "What is this? We getting double the shenanigans today for Christmas Advent day?"



[[and I have noooooooooooo idea what could POSSIBLY go wrong with this situation XD ]]

[special_rabbit]

"It is the of a semester," Amaya noted, in a murmur, almost as if to herself, while she busied herself with a deep frown.

"And I know it's not a holiday I know much about," she added, this time more directed as she turned back to him for insight, "but nothing about that," she gestured toward the complex, "seems very Christmas-y to me."

[alwaysonguard]

"No... no, you have a very valid point there" Dwight agreed. "Doesn't look like they are here to hand out brightly wrapped presents to everyone."

Dwight stood there staring in bewilderment for a moment before turning back to Amaya.

"Think we should like, let someone at the station know? Or do you think they already know about this. I mean it is a small island but surely someone has seen this before now and told someone about it.... right?"

[special_rabbit]

"I mean," there was another gesture toward the compound, just in case anyone was still missing it, "it's not exactly subtle! But...you're probably right. Better safe than sorry, it might not hurt to just drop a report off with the troopers..."

[alwaysonguard]

Dwight nodded and reached into his pocked for his phone. Fiddling with it for a moment or two, he managed to type out a quick text and then sent it on to Liam. When he was done he looked back at Amaya.

"What?" he asked as she stared at him. "I wasn't going to walk all the way to the trooper station in this mess" he said gesturing at the thick layer or marshmallow that covered then ground still, even though it had finally stopped falling from the sky.

"Besides, we're almost to the shop and we can get out this mess. Besides.... I don't even see anyone or anything other that" he said waving at the mystery chunk of an island. "So, ya know... maybe it's nothing to worry about at all."

[special_rabbit]

Dwight Hendrickson. The place you suddenly claimed was too much of a hassle to trudge to in this weather was literally next door to the place you had just had no problem at all trudging to earlier!

There was a good chance the side-eye Amaya was giving him could have been seen from space, but instead of dwelling on that little factoid, she was, instead, going to resolutely focus on far less dangerous thoughts:

"It's bad that I kind of want to scope things out a bit," she said, "isn't it?"

Much safer territory down that way, if you asked her!

[alwaysonguard]

And Dwight was just going to keep pretending that that excuse made perfect sense because he was definitely NOT going to admit any other reason. At least not to present company who already seemed to be catching on. So yes, this was him, changing the subject and jumping on Amaya's distraction in a totally natural and non-suspicious manner.

"Maybe... but I have to say I am pretty curious to. Though..." he added thoughtfully. "I do wish I had my crossbow with me at least. Ya know... incase there is anything dangerous lurking around in there."



(Foreshadowing? I have no idea what that word is or what you are trying to imply!)

[special_rabbit]

Even a person with no hands could have caught onto that.

"Could always go and get it," Amaya pointed out, especially since nearly certain danger did sound like a preferable option at that moment, "and come back."

Was there an unspoken comment about walking all that way hovering just there, palpable and heavier than marshmallow snow by far? There was, but Amaya wasn't going near that level of acknowledgement with even a ten-foot buster sword.

Not that she'd have the chance, anyway, as a not-so-distant crack of gunfire turned her attention sharply toward the island again and she squinted at it.

"Did you--?" she started to ask.

[alwaysonguard]

Dwight heard it before Amaya even acknowledged anything. It had been a nice six months or so on the island, with no real worry about his Trouble. And though that seemed like enough time to let his guard down enough he didn't have his vest or his UMF shirt on (damnit it all it was still sitting in the washing machine at the apartment!) it was not nearly enough to undo nearly 15 years of reaction to the sound of gunfire.

"Amaya!" he cried out, panic filling his voice in an instant. "Get down!"

He didn't even give her a a chance to react or respond really. He knew that depending on close that shot had been fired, he had only a couple seconds to react. And Trouble be damned he was not going to be the reason she got hurt... or worse.

Even as he called out the warning he turned towards Amaya, knowing that without being sure what direction that bullet was coming from the best chance of her escaping it was to be as far from him as possible. Without a moment hesitation he gave Amaya a shove towards the nearby alleyway that was hopefully out of the way of any bullets heading their way. It was a hard urgent shove- one he would be profusely apologizing for at some point he was sure but that was still 100% essential in that moment. And in almost the same movement he turned and tried to take a few steps away, everything seeming to happen in super slow motion.

The next instant he felt it. No matter how long you go between experiencing it, you never really forget the feeling of being shot. As he fell, Dwight tried to listen if any additional shots were going out but it all seemed quiet as he caught himself against the nearby wall.

[special_rabbit]

The next few moments were jarring, to say the least. Her curiousity at what she was now certain was a gunshot was quickly swept away by Dwight's reaction, but not quickly enough for her to fully process what he was saying. And just as she had caught up and was about to follow his instructions, she was being shoved by a large and panicking man into an alley, her feet stumbling over themselves. She tried to turn, but only managed to fall back roughly...

....or it would have been roughly, if not for the marshmallow snow. But she didn't even have time to really appreciate small graces like that.

It was kind of funny, really, how she could swear she could see the shot hitting him before she heard it, but everything at that point really was blurring together. She barely even felt certain that the shocked and strangled cry the escaped her had even come from her own mouth.

"Dwight!"

It was probably more guts than brains that moved her; she knew it probably wasn't the smartest idea, but she couldn't just sit there in the muck while he needed her...needed somebody...to help. So she pushed herself up and darted forward, where she could, without a word, without even thinking about it, pull him from the wall he'd slouched against into the cover another alley, and, once there, hoping she hadn't somehow jostled the injury and made it worse, gushed out, "Dwight, are you okay? Zards, where were you....It doesn't matter! We have to get you out of here."

It was going to be interesting, she realized, trying to lug this lug anywhere, while he was injured, probably bleeding, but that wasn't going to stop her from trying to get him moving all the same.

[alwaysonguard]

It took a moment for Dwight's... well... everything to clear and he realized Amaya was crouched down beside him and they were now somehow huddled in one of the nearby alleyways.

"Amaya" he gasped as he turned to her. "Are you alright?"

He felt a wave of relief wash over him as she nodded in reply but he wouldn't let that cloud his mind for long. As he tired to push himself back to his feet, one hand instinctively going to his shoulder.

"Good. Glad you aren't hurt. Now get outta here!" he said trying to push her away like he really expected her to walk away from him. "You can't stay here Amaya. If anyone else gets trigger happy, you are just as likely to get shot as I am if you are anywhere near me!"

[special_rabbit]

"You big dumb lunk," said Amaya, who was now shaking her head in disbelief, although a part of her, really, had already prepared for exactly this kind of nonsense. "What's going to be the better solution here, huh? How about neither of us are anywhere near here, and we both don't get shot."

A pause.

"More. Come on," she said. and she did move away, but you'd better believe she'd made sure to get a hold on him first to pull him up with her. Which was no easy feat.

"If you want me outta here so bad," she stated, "then you better be ready to come with me, 'cause I'm not leaving otherwise."

Then, with a strained effort, she lited. "C'mon, blacksmith arms," she murmured, "don't fail me now!"

[alwaysonguard]

"Damn it you stubborn blacksmith...." ah yes very good insult there Dwight, the pain was obviously already getting to you. "I care about you and I don't want to be the reason you get hurt, or worse." Any other response was cut short as Amaya heaved him up, trying to get him to his feet.

She was right of course, it made no sense for them both to sit there in what was probably still the active war zone on the island now. And he knew she was actually stubborn enough to just sit there with him. Or stubborn enough to nearly kill herself trying to drag him to safety.

"Ok ok... let me get my balance" he said staggering to his feet as he put his uninjured arm around her to support himself. "It's just my shoulder. My feet work just fine..." he said as he stood up wobbling a bit as he took a few steps forward.

[special_rabbit]

"Debateable," Amaya murmured, as she took a hold of Dwight in attempts to steady that wobbling as she tried to keep him moving, to take advantage of their slowly-gaining momentum. "Let's just keep those feet working fine enough to get you to the clinic and have that shoulder looked at."