More time has passed since the recent events. The last few days have been quite peaceful, and Justin marked the passing point of Chimney Rock just recently. This signals that we're almost a fourth of the way to salvation. At least from what he's been saying. I don't remember the route at all, but without Charlie calling the shots, we've got to put all of our trust into Justin. Weirdly enough to say, it's a good thing that only Charlie has died recently. We would usually be down half the cast before making any real progress. This indeed, is a strange trip we're having. I myself would rather have That dead, but I can't change what happened. Charlie's dead, and we have to deal with it.
Why would I want to keep traveling with this bunch, though? I know how my attitude is towards the others, and how negative I may seem, but I don't chose to be here for fun. I have to be here for my own personal reasons, like everyone else. They all don't want to be here, maybe besides Announcer, but we're all here for one reason or another. Justin, I know that he's still in debt, and caught word that he had to go down to shady business to keep himself afloat. He didn't want us here, he NEEDED us here. Tim is here with the sole reason to spite Justin, even if it means him dying. Esther is here to protect me and the others, cause she actually cares for her friends. That is also here just for me, which I don't appreciate. He doesn't mean to spite me, but he rather wants my attention.
That and I go back longer than we should. Before the original TTL, I had worked in a rather busy BuckStars™ near Esther's farm. As my adoptive mother, she sheltered me to the best of her ability to keep me safe, keep my mind safe from the past. Her efforts could only last so long, and I longed for new sights in the world. I took up the job tas a double deal. I get paid, and get to explore more of the world. It was a long process full of questions and confusion, but I soon got the understanding of life in the city. Pay was good, mobs were big, and I was happy. Until the fateful day he came in the get a freaking bagel.
We locked eyes together, his black eyes gazing at me.
"May I help you sir?"
"You are really beautiful."
"Your order, sir."
"Oh, right. A bagel, please."
That concluded our little exchange, and the minutes passed by for an unbearable long time until his small snack was ready.
"Your order, sir."
"Thank you, Anna.
"...why do you know my name?"
"I just asked. It's not impolite, is it?"
"..."
He extends his arm out in common courtesy. "That Awesome Guy, nice to meet ya." I wordlessly hand over his bag to his outstreched arm. "Guess respect needs to be earned. I'll see ya around, Anna Marie Mendezoa." And with that, he left with his snack. I was left speechless, motionless at the register. The line forming behind him patiently waited, with some snickering at our conversation. One of my coworkers walk up to the counter next to me. "He'll be back. I'm sure of it." She says in a confident fashion. "Next in line, please!" She shouts, going back to her register. "Anna, do you need a quick break?" She worriedly asks. "Welcome to BuckStars. May I take your order?" She continues on, her head still facing towards the growing crowd. "Y-yeah..." I say after a delay, walking to the back storage room. "June, cover for Anna, will you?" Says May at the counter. June gets up from her seat on a bad of coffee beans. "I'm coming, I'm coming." She lazily says, walking past me and patting me on the back. "Take it easy, Ann." She comments, before taking my place at the register. I opt to lay down on the bag instead, trying to clear my mind.
No one had ever known my name besides my coworkers, and some of the regulars. I had never seen him before, and he waltzes in, trying to make small talk? What kind of person was he? A creeper, that's what I thought.
Sure enough, he kept coming. Day after day, even when we were closed, he waited outside for me. The strange notion of a reoccurring customer never bothered me before, until then. We got to know each other over time through indirect means, with me mostly asking my coworkers. That was obsessed with me. He proclaimed his love whenever I saw him, and kept faith that one day, I would return the favor. Fat chance that I would fall for him, but he is very persistent. I later got word of TTL. Hearing the chance of a possibly well-paying job and a leave of absence from BuckStars, I immediately took it up. I still hold my job, but I'm a standby. May and the others seem to be handling just fine on their own anyways. Either way, I still got stuck with That in the end.
Here I am, having a monologue to myself. Again again.
Esther is so gonna kill me for thinking about the past like this...
Justin
Alright, got the sitch' under control, for now. Time really has passed, huh? Well, not today audience! If you're relatively new, I'll debrief ya. We're on our way to Fort Laramie right now, with Independence Rock in tow. And the atmosphere seems to have calmed down. I look up in the sky and see clouds circling above, each a tone of gray in color. I stare back down at the road, the multiple wagons creaking and cracking along the side. Our supplies can still supply us five, but there's been a lot of food complaints. Anna's been off on her own hunting for us, and Esther's preparing constant healthy meals with the limited resources we have. Tim's been good on keeping us in check when resources have run low, yet food's always a constant struggle not matter what. I wonder if human flesh is edible when salted...
Oh, and for convenience, I still have not found out why there was a double taking my place. It was not in my written plot, so it's definitely not going to help me if I look back on my notes and on the script. My plan, was to have a smooth sailing trip, but if something as minor as Tim getting sick because he did whatever, screws everything up. I could've known to assign Esther to the front so I could keep tabs on everyone else, but we all saw the results of that already. Can't go back now, cause I barred off my own powers to fix it, unless I want to kill Tim for comedic purposes, of course.
Heh, sure, I might have agreed to not using my powers, but who can actually prove that I'm not using them? Well, to start, I'm going to nocholantly kill Tim later, but Anna is also monologuing to herself in her wagon, probably remembering when she first came to TTL. Why don't I expand on that? We could always use more exposition in the beginning of an arc for further backstory and foreshadowing! Who doesn't love blatantly hidden and sometimes cryptic hints to the big overlooking picture? People who don't appreciate Deadpan and Deadpool humor, that's what.
Justin. Copyright.
"Ah f**k!"
And that's also five dollars.
Shaking off the bad accident, I relieve my stressed mind with a good set of memories. Starting five years ago, back when Tim wasn't in the big picture. It was me, James, and Casey, with Announcer and Charlie still in the background, still unknown to the audience at the time. James would later leave after Season Two on his own accord, with Casey being arrested after the same season.
"When are the new recruits coming along? They're late!" I shout, making my frustrations clear. "They don't care, and neither would I." James dully says, putting his earbuds back in. "Thanks for trying, friend." I jokingly say, turning to Casey. He condescendingly looks at me, obviously with James on the not caring bit. Finally, the doors open, revealing a lone figure in the mist. "We get it, you vape. Now would you reveal yourself? I impatiently ask. "That's my bad." Casey quietly says, escorting himself out of the conversation. I put my head down in frustration and grip it with both of my hands, before the person entering forces it back up. The man is of medium build, medium height, and seems about average in every other aspect. "Nice to see you too, Justin." He blandly says, not happy with the welcoming committee. "Yeah yeah, I didn't expect you, That." I respond with an annoyed tone. "Why are you here, anyways? You weren't invited." He shrugs his shoulders, putting on a sly grin. "Well, I might've followed you onto the set." I gently grab his shoulders, and turn his body in the direction of the door. "Here's the exit. I think you'd like it." He pulls out a few bills out of his back pocket, waving it wildly in my face. "Here's the bribe money. How much more to stay here?" I grab the money out of his hands and inspect. Each a hundred, adding up to a thousand in total. "I see no problems with this. Carry on." I delightfully say, making a mental note to myself to pay back Announcer and Charlie for their services later. "Why do you want to be here, again?" I ask, my curiosity now peaked. "Reasons, and why not? It's a guaranteed adventure, full of whatever comes our way." He casually says, already tired of waiting and wanting for the journey to start. He stands beside James and Casey, and joins them in the ritual of playing on their phones while they wait.
This cast is already killing me, before I can start any killing. For my sake, let Anna be as interesting as Esther made her out to be.
Heh, sure, I might have agreed to not using my powers, but who can actually prove that I'm not using them? Well, to start, I'm going to nocholantly kill Tim later, but Anna is also monologuing to herself in her wagon, probably remembering when she first came to TTL. Why don't I expand on that? We could always use more exposition in the beginning of an arc for further backstory and foreshadowing! Who doesn't love blatantly hidden and sometimes cryptic hints to the big overlooking picture? People who don't appreciate Deadpan and Deadpool humor, that's what.
Justin. Copyright.
"Ah f**k!"
And that's also five dollars.
Shaking off the bad accident, I relieve my stressed mind with a good set of memories. Starting five years ago, back when Tim wasn't in the big picture. It was me, James, and Casey, with Announcer and Charlie still in the background, still unknown to the audience at the time. James would later leave after Season Two on his own accord, with Casey being arrested after the same season.
"When are the new recruits coming along? They're late!" I shout, making my frustrations clear. "They don't care, and neither would I." James dully says, putting his earbuds back in. "Thanks for trying, friend." I jokingly say, turning to Casey. He condescendingly looks at me, obviously with James on the not caring bit. Finally, the doors open, revealing a lone figure in the mist. "We get it, you vape. Now would you reveal yourself? I impatiently ask. "That's my bad." Casey quietly says, escorting himself out of the conversation. I put my head down in frustration and grip it with both of my hands, before the person entering forces it back up. The man is of medium build, medium height, and seems about average in every other aspect. "Nice to see you too, Justin." He blandly says, not happy with the welcoming committee. "Yeah yeah, I didn't expect you, That." I respond with an annoyed tone. "Why are you here, anyways? You weren't invited." He shrugs his shoulders, putting on a sly grin. "Well, I might've followed you onto the set." I gently grab his shoulders, and turn his body in the direction of the door. "Here's the exit. I think you'd like it." He pulls out a few bills out of his back pocket, waving it wildly in my face. "Here's the bribe money. How much more to stay here?" I grab the money out of his hands and inspect. Each a hundred, adding up to a thousand in total. "I see no problems with this. Carry on." I delightfully say, making a mental note to myself to pay back Announcer and Charlie for their services later. "Why do you want to be here, again?" I ask, my curiosity now peaked. "Reasons, and why not? It's a guaranteed adventure, full of whatever comes our way." He casually says, already tired of waiting and wanting for the journey to start. He stands beside James and Casey, and joins them in the ritual of playing on their phones while they wait.
This cast is already killing me, before I can start any killing. For my sake, let Anna be as interesting as Esther made her out to be.
Esther
I stick close to Anna, unsure about all the new sights in front of me. We stand next to a very large building. In front of us stands two double-doors, each with a distinct sign on them. "Staff only!" The first one says. "Thank you! :3" The other one says. I nervously cling to Anna's side as she steps forwards, her green hair shimmering off the light. "You're friends are in there, right Est?" She says, carefully picking out the right words to use. I signal a "yes" with a slow nod. My grip to her arm tightens, but she slowly pushes it off. "Well, no more waiting. Into our new lives." I had never gone past the farm before, with the sole exception of chatting with Justin at the BuckStars that Anna works at. All of this has been new to me, and Anna has been trying her best to modernize me as well, thinking that this reality show job would get me both money, and knowledge for the future. With my permission, Anna opens the door, and here I get my first encounter with my friends for life.
Then again, they're my only friends...
"There they are! Been a while Est!" Justin's loud voice echoes through the building, making the rest visibly quiver in anticipation. "I-I-I guess..." I can only manage a few soft words in response. He takes his graze towards Anna, and the rest follow suit, getting a good look at both me and Anna. "So... this is your friend?" His head turns towards me, and I sheepishly respond. "This is Anna. I t-take care of her." Anna nods in contempt. Justin turns back and extends a hand. "Welcome aboard! I'm Justin, personal friend of Esther." His warm eyes give off a sense of comfort and hospitality, but first looks are easily deceiving. My attention shifts to the other three guys in line. I study each of them very carefully while listening to Justin's introductions. "James here isn't much for conversation, though he compares himself as 'pretty sane' to me, so that's good! I guess?" James wears shorts and a short-sleeved shirt. Headphones lay around his neck, and a short haircut finishes the look. He mindlessly puts his headphones on and walks off, ignoring us completely. "Wow. Rude. Bet he'll leave us later in the future, too. Moving along! This is Casey." "..." "He does talk, but mainly keeps it to himself." The aforementioned wears a coat that envelops most of his body. I can only make out his curly hair and black shoes from the shadows. "Now, anything else you need?" Justin ecstatically asks, as if he was a tour guide. Casey walks up and whispers something in Justin's ear, to which he responds with a look of disgust. "That's not for now, that's for later. We don't want to get arrested, ALREADY." Casey nods his head and walks back to his previous spot, and Justin motions for us to follow our lead.
Then again, they're my only friends...
"There they are! Been a while Est!" Justin's loud voice echoes through the building, making the rest visibly quiver in anticipation. "I-I-I guess..." I can only manage a few soft words in response. He takes his graze towards Anna, and the rest follow suit, getting a good look at both me and Anna. "So... this is your friend?" His head turns towards me, and I sheepishly respond. "This is Anna. I t-take care of her." Anna nods in contempt. Justin turns back and extends a hand. "Welcome aboard! I'm Justin, personal friend of Esther." His warm eyes give off a sense of comfort and hospitality, but first looks are easily deceiving. My attention shifts to the other three guys in line. I study each of them very carefully while listening to Justin's introductions. "James here isn't much for conversation, though he compares himself as 'pretty sane' to me, so that's good! I guess?" James wears shorts and a short-sleeved shirt. Headphones lay around his neck, and a short haircut finishes the look. He mindlessly puts his headphones on and walks off, ignoring us completely. "Wow. Rude. Bet he'll leave us later in the future, too. Moving along! This is Casey." "..." "He does talk, but mainly keeps it to himself." The aforementioned wears a coat that envelops most of his body. I can only make out his curly hair and black shoes from the shadows. "Now, anything else you need?" Justin ecstatically asks, as if he was a tour guide. Casey walks up and whispers something in Justin's ear, to which he responds with a look of disgust. "That's not for now, that's for later. We don't want to get arrested, ALREADY." Casey nods his head and walks back to his previous spot, and Justin motions for us to follow our lead.
"Hey, big shot. Forgot about me?" The last of the trio finally opens their mouth as we walk. He has an average voice, and tall height, at least in comparison to us. Short black hair and a zipped-up jacket compliments the look. Justin makes a half-turn and walks backwards, now facing us. "Ah, yes. The unwarranted guest." Anna looks puzzled by this predicament. A quick glance tells her all that she needs to know. "Who? That?" She rudely says out loud. The man just devilishly smiles back. "That, is kind to mention my own name. That Guy, or TG for short." This alone gets many of our heads spinning in his direction. I myself am confused, but most pay not extra mind to it. "I know that I'm from the sticks, but what kinda name is that?!" My sudden tone throws him off a bit, but he recovers. "Don't ask, long story. What I do want to know about is Anna." He twirls his head towards my friend, who rolls her eyes mindlessly. "And what do YOU want?" The anger is easy to perceive, and I know that I didn't teach her any of that. She must've picked up a few tricks out in the city. I should be teaching her better, and punishing for her rudeness. TG chimes in, interrupting my thoughts. "How do you two know each other, specifically?" I put a finger to my lip, trying to word my answer to the best of my ability. Anna bails me out in the end with a very simple answer:
She's my mother."
"AUGH!"
"The heck? TG Down, TG down!"
"Why even care about him? You don't, so let's get going."
"Good point. He'll catch up eventually."
"Why even care about him? You don't, so let's get going."
"Good point. He'll catch up eventually."
"I suppose the shock overcame him?" I guess. "Yeah, but shock at what exactly? You two being related? That's not something too surprising." James seems to not care about the passing events, and Casey says nothing about it either. I nervously laugh as I scoot away from the pack. "Well, it was an adoption... Not an legal one, but nobody was there to protect her, so I took her in. Guess that does make me her mother." Anna slows pace down a bit to listen. "You did say it earlier. By instinct, I guess?" I ask, making Anna blush, a bit embarassed probably. She grips her arms together in a subtle sense of insecurity. "Uhm... are we there yet?" Justin nods. "Yep. Perfect timing, too!" I take a deep breath, and sigh.
The pacing that Justin set is too fast for my own comfort, but it will be an adventure for sure...
The pacing that Justin set is too fast for my own comfort, but it will be an adventure for sure...
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