Sleep comes reluctantly for Yolo tonight. There's just too much on her mind. It's hard to relax in a strange dangerous place, especially without anyone to watch your back.
When sleep finally comes, it's not as restful as it could be. Yolo has vivid dreams, likely brought on by some property of [[The Ruins]]
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Start Date & Time | |
| Previous Scene | [[005. Bunking Down]] |
| Current Chaos Factor | 5 |
| Scene Type | Altered |
Relevant Entities
- [[Yolo]]
- [[Characters/Daxter Biggby]]
- [[The Artifact Dax Died To Get]]
- [[The Ruins]]
- [[Lee Rensler|Lee Rensler]]
Setup
Game
- GME
- How did Dax and I meet?
- Conceal, Possessions
Scene
Dax was having a meal in an inn before setting out. On of his more violent creditors found him, and was threatening to rough him up or take the shirt of his back. Dax had something he needed for the next expedition and couldn't give up. I ended up helping him secret it away, on a lark and in hopes of breakfast.
The Alley
Yolo rouses herself from her resting place, the alley behind the inn in the heart of The Old City. She stretches to fully wake herself, and flinches a bit at the sound of her popping back. She reaches a hand back to massage her backside. "I may miss the beds, but I surely do not miss that ancient bitch waking me up at dawn for work.".
She opens and closes her hand in an imitation of speech. She rocks her head and shoulders back and forth as she adopts a gravely tone, "No lessons until we've finished our work. You're a born shirker if ever I've seen one, and I'll have what I'm owed first." "You'd think she could have at least paid me for the work...," she trailed off having a new, infuriating thought. "That bitch! She didn't pay me so I'd depend on her."
An older man walking past laughed heartily and gave her a roguish wink. "That's how they get you. Give you a taste of comfort and plenty, then make sure you know they can take it all away." He stopped, came back down the alleyway, and thrust a hand towards Yolo. "I'm Daxter, Daxter Bigby, and I assume you're hungry, whoever you are."
Yolo looked at the offered hand, then the curious man to whom it was attached. "You don't think it's a bit odd to offer a perfect stranger something immediately after pointing out that's how people gain leverage?"
He laughed, and pulled his outstretched hand back to slap his thigh. "You know, I hadn't connected the two until you did," here he crouched down to be at eye Level with Yolo. "Look, I'm a lonely old man back from an expedition, and I haven't had a good bit of tea, either sort, in weeks. All breakfast will cost you is telling me who this 'ancient bitch' is, and why she's left you sleeping rough. Then we part ways and you'll likely never see me again."
He offered his hand back, this time open at an upward angle, to help her to her feet. "Come on, I'm dying to know."
Yolo took the outstretched hand, and began to pull herself up. "Yolo." She kneeled back to where she'd been sitting, and gathered her pack, hat and cloak. As she dusted them off and began putting them on, Daxter chuckled and said "Oh my, this looks to be quite the tale. We'd better go somewhere that does a full breakfast."
The Full Breakfast
You could smell the place from three blocks away. Spices, roasting meats, and heavy perfume. The sounds started closer in. Piano at first, laughing patrons, the ding of a restaurant bell. When we rolled up on it, I couldn't believe my eyes. There at the end of the street stood a sign declaring this building "The Bangers and Mash", replete with sausages and eggs positioned exactly like you imagine.
"I thought we were going to breakfast. This," Yolo pointed, "looks more like a bawdy house."
Dax smiled widely and clapped Yolo on the shoulder. "It is lass, it is. It's also got the only full breakfast in all of the City. None of this shabby 'continental' affair. And, it's the only place serving liquor before noon. I don't know about you," here he turned and started walking again, "but I could use a stiff drink after my night." Daxter through wide the door, holding it open for Yolo. He nodded and gestured for her to enter.
Yolo muttered, as much to Daxter as to herself, "This is decidedly one of the dumber things I've ever done."
"Fret not, you've got years and years ahead of you Yolo," Dax shot back. "Miss! Table for Two!" he called to the hostess.
Part way through the meal, it occurred to Yolo that she had yet to answer to nature's call that morning, and it was pressing urgent after the coffee and beer that arrived before the meal. "Umm... Dax, where's the bathroom in this place?" He pointed, "Over yonder. Don't dawdle, food will be here soon and it's best hot. Then we'll have that story."
Yolo excused herself and headed for the privy. As she exited, three large gentlemen entered. They seemed out of place in the establishment. Everyone else was having a very good time, and these three wore scowls. Walked past the hostess trying to seat them, and rolled up on Daxter. Daxter heard them and stood up to greet the gentlemen.
Game
- GME
- Is it the unknown client who sought the relic?
- Unlikely. 02 - Extreme yes!
"Gentlemen, how... good to see you! I see that Lee sends his regards." The large men keep advancing on him and back him into a corner. Once he's backed to the wall, the largest pulls a knife and holds it to his throat.
"Mister Rensler only lets his friends call him Lee, and 'e hasn't been feeling too friendly towards you of late Daxter. Mr. Rensler isn't a patient man, and you've kept him waiting for some time."
"I can appreciate that, but unfortunately finding ancien..." the tough leans in and presses the blade a little harder into Dax's adam's apple, "finding that particular item has been tricky. When there are multiple conflicting stories of a person or thing's location, sometimes you have to look in more than one place before you find it. I'm sure you boys can sympathize with that."
Game
- Yolo
- Exiting the restroom, roll notice. 10, 1 raise
- GME
- You see three large men talking to Dax. The largest is holding him at knifepoint.
- Yolo
- I'm going to try and nonchalantly walk past our table, grab our bags, mine and Dax's, and head for the door. My goal is to get to the hostess station and pay with Dax's money, then leave.
- That's stealth. 23, after spending two bennies
- GME
- Impressive, you walk by, cool, collected, and unseen as a ghost.
This was the tableau that Yolo exited the restroom to see. Three large men threatening Dax. Mercifully, they all had their backs to the table. "As long as the old fool doesn't give me away, this should be simple, " she thought as she strode up to her table. She grabbed her bag, then Dax's, and headed to the hostess station.
"Hi, do you mind if we pay? We're sort of in a hurry to leave," she said, looking at the toughs having their 'discussion' with Dax in the corner. The hostess glanced and followed Yolo's eyes.
"And you came to pay first? Well, aren't you sweet." Yolo settled the bill, as the hostess mused, "I always wondered if old Daxy had friends. Guess this answers that."
"We've only just met... Hey, do you know those guys?"
Game
- GME
- Does the hostess know the gentlemen?
- It's Very Likely. 15, Exceptional Yes.
Hostess
Those are Lee's boys. They make sure none of patrons get too handsy with the staff, help deal with drunks, that sort of thing.
Yolo
Yolo cocked an eyebrow and looked across and the shakedown.
Dax is one of those then?
That doesn't seem right. He's not exactly a gentleman, but...
Hostess
Dax? No. Never. Must be about some other business.
Yolo
Thanks
She digs out a couple of bills from Dax's wallet
Here, you've been a big help.
Hands a tip to the hostess.
And this is for the trouble.
Hands hostess twice the original amount again.
Hostess
Turing away from Dax being shaken down
Trouble?
Yolo
Waves while walking out the door
Game
- Yolo
- I need to make a commotion.
- Does Dax's kit have anything obvious to make a ruckus with?
- GME
- Well, there's the rifle he carries around on the top of his bag.
- Yolo
- Lovely. I want to load it and fire it.
- Roll general knowledge
- 6, Simple success
- GME
- You know how to load a gun, and do so quickly.
- People in the street are growing concerned.
- Yolo
- Great. I aim at the the nearest window to the bangers and mash. I'm looking for a clear line at a wooden column or something. I don't want to kill anyone accidentally.
- GME
- 50/50 such a line exists. 35, yes
- You find a shot to take
- Yolo
- Great, I line up the shot and go.
- It should be ranged, but defaults to agility., Roll with a -2 penalty
- 10 - 2 = 8, that's enough for a raise
- GME
- You take your shot.
- The gun cracks like thunder, the window shatters.
- There are screams.
- You pack the gun into the bag again and get ready to run.
- Something is wrong. Give me a Smarts roll.
- You take your shot.
- Yolo
- 10 -- 1 Raise
- GME
- The smoke smells wrong. Cordite has a scent to it. This isn't that metallic burning. This is brush... or maybe oil? It's brackish and wet. Heavy. You start to cough.
- You wake up coughing. The room is filled with smoke.
Ending Summary
Added Threads
- Where's the smoke coming from?
- Finish Yolo & Dax's meet cute
Closed Threads
Added Characters
[[Characters/Lee's Toughs]]
[[Characters/Bangers And Mash Hostess]]
[[Places/The Bangers and Mash]]
Removed Characters
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| End Date & Time | |
| Next Scene | [[Journal/007. Waking in a Haze]] |
| Next Expected Scene | Yolo awakes to a fire filling the ruins, putting her in immediate mortal peril. |
| Ending Chaos Factor | 6 |
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