ic IC: Paper Trail to the City of Sin

[Nerdzul]

"So Vegas! F-ck Yeah!" Luke grinned enthusiastically, as he threw a glance at the map.

 

It was a long way from Freedom City. Was it for a daring rescue, though? Chasing a dangerous mastermind? An ingenious heist?

 

Nope for the nineteen years old, it was something way more important.

 

Road Trip! Graduation was approaching and what better way to celebrate than an adventure. 

 

Now, they were both pretty much broke, had no ride, a continent to cross and... well... Luke dreaded to imagine what his best friend might have planned at an actual Casino.

But those were just details, that the two still needed to iron out. Nothing that could not be decided in an afternoon, an amazingly short amount of time before the expected beginning of their journey in a messy dorm room with piles of half packed crowding out the place. 

 

@Spacefurry

Edited July 21, 2023 by Nerdzul

[Spacefurry]

Leon entered the room he shared with Luke (at least for a little longer). The mischievous grin on his face nearly Cheshire-like as he spread his arms.

“Behold, and be amazed. For our automotive aspirations have been acquired!”

Luke would know right away his best friend was really proud of himself. He was alliterating… badly.

 

The 19 year old was graduating this year along with his roommate. He stepped around the boxes he had already packed to drop onto his bed. Most of what was packed was books and papers, to noone’s surprise. His closet was half packed and his dresser was half empty, but he had no plans for where he was going after school was officially over for him.

But none of that mattered right now.

 

What mattered now was planning their upcoming road trip.

“This is gonna be awesome. Viva Las Vegas.”

He sat up and looked over at Luke.

“Are we still ruling out the whole Ocean’s bit?”

The smirk he shot his roomie said he already knew the answer before asking.

[Nerdzul]

"F- Yeah!" Luke smiled enthusiastically, standing up from his spot on the bed where he was lazily daydreaming their upcoming adventure, wearing just a pair of worn gym shorts.

 

"I mean... I am kinda scared to know how you found it..." He smiled. "But... now I want to see 'her' " He grinned, approaching his friend and heading out of their room. "I mean... you have the ride already, right?" He asked, once he was already a step out of the door. 

 

Not unlike Leon, the dragon boy didn't really have an idea about what to do with his life after school was over, although, he had been in contact with the staff to try and see if he could find a job a Claremont or something, definitely grateful about the occasion that he had been granted there. One thing he had made it clear to his buddy though, that if he didn't know what to do, he could always crash at the Landers trailer. Or who knew, right? Perhaps share the cheapest room that two young broke super-heroes could afford...

 

Whatever. Graduation Trip! Las Vegas. Yeah... 

 

"You can say it out loud my man." He gave his roomie a playful pat on the back. Plus to be honest, a part from their destination itself, the young man was definitely looking forward to the long trek through the US. It was funny perhaps, that he had been in other dimension, including, among others, the north pole, but in the real world, he never really had the chance to leave Freedom City, unless that involved some kind of school activities or superhero shenanigans. "We are gonna Rule the freakin' Vegas man." He added enthusiastically.

 

"You know... Casino Heists are a bit overdone..." He teased, a playful smirk on his lips. Now his last adventure wasn't exactly Ocean's Eleven kind of quality, but still the boy had decided that it definitely counted. 

Edited July 19, 2023 by Nerdzul

[Spacefurry]

“Ask me no questions…”

Leon joked about the car as he shot Luke a grin.

 

He got up off the bed and crosses to the only shelf of books left un-emptied. Pulling one of his favorite books off, he opens it and pulls out a photo. In the photo, a younger Leon smiles back with another boy and girl. He gives it a sad look before tucking it back and flipping pages.

This time he pulls out a few bills he’d set aside just for the trip. Ever since they had decided to do this, Leon had tucked away a little here and there from odd jobs.

 

“They might be overdone, but that because they’re more fun then bank jobs. Now those are overdone.”

He smirked at Luke as he stuffed the money into his pocket. He grabbed a small gym bag and shouldered his backpack.

“Now,”

Leon grinned.

“You ready to meet the hot, older lady we’ll be traveling with?”

[Nerdzul]

"Of course. Plausible deniability..." He grinned and gave his friend another playful nudge. 

 

"Can't wait. I mean, I hope Muirne won't be jealous." He chuckeled, although, to be honest, the young man wasn't spending as much time with his girl as he would have wanted. Life, apparently, keep getting in the way and with school soon to be over, he had found himself wondering how things were going to go since... 

 

Whatever. He mentally shrugged. 

 

He tossed a look at Leon as the boy began gathering his stuff. As for himself, Luke the concept of packing was reduced to stuffing a couple of 'piles' of clothes and essentials in a large battered backpack. As far as finances went, well, he had a small wad of cash gathered primarilt by delivering pizzas plus a small advance of his new job at the North Pole to rely upon. All in all, it was much likely not enough for the trip they had in mind, but the nineteen years old, had decided that they would just have to figure out something on the way.

 

"Damn I wish I had kept at least one of those gold bars..." Wouldn't have been fair, but...

 

He put on his sneakers, ballcap, a pair of cheap sunglasses (and no shirt, but well...) before effortlessly, lifting the backpack on one shoulder. 

[Spacefurry]

On 7/21/2023 at 12:58 PM, Nerdzul said:

"Can't wait. I mean, I hope Muirne won't be jealous." 

 

Leon gave a small chuckle. It was hard not to notice the two were in a rough spot, but he was supportive and never brought it up with his roommate.

 

On 7/21/2023 at 12:58 PM, Nerdzul said:

"Damn I wish I had kept at least one of those gold bars..." 

 

“I don’t know how well that would’a ended.”

Leon teased, thinking his friend was lamenting the little ‘trip’ they had taken one night over a year ago. A trip Leon had more than once himself wished out loud they could have brought something back from.

 

He gave Luke a smirk as the other boy shouldered a bag without bothering with a shirt.

“Show off.”

He chuckled as he flicked his wrist and a few sheets of paper became a pair of those novelty slotted sunglasses.

“Go ahead and laugh.”

Leon grinned.

“But I can make this look cool.”

 

***

 

In the schools parking lot Leon gave a smug smile as he presented Luke with a pearl blue 1960 Chevy Impala.

It wasn’t in cherry condition, but it was obviously not something the 19 couldn’t afford. But Leon dropped his bags in the back seat and spread his arms proudly.

 

“Well? I will now except your praise and worship.”

 

…and just what is that suspicious little hole near the rear fender?

Edited July 25, 2023 by Spacefurry

[Nerdzul]

On 7/25/2023 at 4:27 PM, Spacefurry said:

“I don’t know how well that would’a ended.”

 

 "Well..." Luke ruffled the hair on the back of his neck. Yep, besides, they were superheroes and not thieves and yet... How easier would things be if he could actually profit from his powers...

 

 

On 7/25/2023 at 4:27 PM, Spacefurry said:

“Show off.”

 

 

Luke smirked playfully. "Well it's summertime after all..." Obviously, it was an excuse... but well...

 

"Besides, you have no idea how much it takes to keep up with my training as a freakin' dragon." He grinned. 

 

***

 

Luke had an huge grin on his lips when they got to their ride. Sure, the car was older than his dad and probably needed a good coat of paint, but that that's not what the nineteen years old who had never owned a car of his own saw. This was their glorious ride, the trusted 'steed' that would carry them to their summertime adventure! Plus she wasn't old. That was vintage... 

 

"Awesome..." He enthusiastically closed the distance that divided him from the Impala and caressed the hood with reverence. 

 

"F- Yeah!" He shouted to the sky.

 

"How? Ah yeah... right... not askin'... She is -ing great."

[Spacefurry]

Leon laughed as he walked around to the passenger side, tossing his bags into the back seat. He pulled a set of keys from his pocket and tossed them across to Luke with a grin.

 

“I got it here. You can take the first shift driving.”

He opened the passenger door and dropped into the seat.

“We should pop in for snackadges and gas before hitting the highway.”

 

Checking his phone he smiled as he texted his girlfriend the typical ‘love you’ and ‘don’t do anything I wouldn’t do’. Also to let her know Chewy’s new favorite hiding spot was the space under Luke’s dresser.

[Nerdzul]

Still with that massive grin on his lips, Luke barely managed to catch the keys and enthusiastically jumped in on the driver side.

 

"Let's go!" He shouted as he let the engine roar a couple of times, before heading toward their adventure. 

 

--- 

 

Freedom City had already vanished past the horizon and the two boys were now navigating a country road, Highway to Hell blaring from the old radio of their time-worn, but still glorious, as far as Luke was concerned, ride. Not a cloud in the sky... 

 

That was, of course, not going to last... 

 

OOC:  @Spacefurry Sorry for taking a while to reply. Anything fun you'd like to do for their first adventure?

 

[Spacefurry]

The sun was high and bright and the wind whipped their hair as the the duo cruised down the country road. The radio was jamming and Leon was leaning into the back seat to grab drinks from a plastic bag. They had been smart and grabbed a few drinks and snacks from the gas station they hit up before leaving the city proper, but with two young men they wouldn’t last long.

 

He passed one to Luke as he settled back into his seat.

“I got a great idea.”

He said over the Bon Scott’s declaration that there were in fact, no stop signs or speed limits.

“Let’s stop at one of those truck stop diners for lunch. Order the greasiest thing on the menu and see who taps out first.”

He gave his friend a challenging smirk. They both knew Leon had yet to win an eating challenge against Luke, but as the young thief had explained once before. It was the thrill of the challenge that was the fun.

 

OOC: the usual road trip shenanigans could be fun. I can see them at some point having to deal with some truckers or locals and have to deal with them while keeping a low profile (ie - no flashy powers)

[Nerdzul]

"Challenge accepted, man. I mean... Can't say no to an easy win... Speaking of which... wanna bet somethin' on it?" He suggested playfully. Now, he didn't have anything specific in mind, yet, but perhaps, Leon was up to for the challenge.

 

The diner they stumbled upon was little more than a rundown shack nestled on the side of a dusty country road. Its neon sign flickered intermittently, spelling out "Biff's Diner" in red letters. Peeling paint adorned the façade featured, one side of the building, was fully decorated with graffiti, dominated, in particular, by the stylized head of massive black bull. A couple of rusty, vintage gas pumps stood sentinel by the entrance, seemingly barely operational. There were no cars in the asphalt lot surrounding it, but it was not, in truth empty, it's sole inhabitants being a row of Harley Davidsons, many of which heavily customized.

 

Inside, the place had a sort of rusty charm almost straight out of a movie set. The scent of smoke and grease almost overwhelming to Luke's dragon senses. The walls were adorned with decades' worth of memorabilia – faded posters of classic motorcycles, yellowed newspaper clippings, a bull skull and worn-out license plates from every corner of the country.

 

A friendly, albeit world-weary, waitress in a pastel uniform bustled about, pouring beers for a group of burly bikers perched on worn leather stools by the counter.

 

A jukebox in the corner played a country song neither of the boys could recognize and a small row of dusty arcade games and gambling machines lined up on one side of the building, while two well kept pool tables, occupied what little other space was left between the maze of tables and stools. 

 

OOC: There you go, feel free to add whatever fun quirk you want in the scene as well  Including who the patrons are.

 

 

 

[Spacefurry]

Leon laughed as Luke excepted the challenge. The engine purring low under the music as the car continued down the blacktop.

 

It wasn’t long before the small building came into sight. There was little to it, small and somewhat forgettable. Old fashion pumps decorating the frontage which was flanked by a gathering of Harleys. 

Leon gave smirk as they slowed and turned in. River Cuomo was leading the chorus as Weezer gave their blessings to the rains down in Africa. They were cut off as Luke killed the engine and the two teens climbed out.

 

A bell jingled as the door to the diner opened and the teens entered. The smell of smoke and grease (both cooking and engine) assaulted Leon’s nostrils and he knew his roommate was having it even worse. Heads turned in their direction, with most of the bikes giving the duo dismissive looks before turning back to their beers.  Dusty patches of a flaming bull skull emblazoned on the backs of their jackets.

The drawl from the jukebox was unidentifiable to him, and he was sure to Luke as well. The tired looking server smiled politely and waved the two towards a little table with a…

“Make yerselves at home.”

Leon smiled back and thanked her.

 

A few stray eyes still followed them as they sat. It didn’t take her long to finish pouring bears for the bikers at the counter, then the server came over with menus. She introduced herself as Lacey and Leon ordered an unsweetened tea.

“My friend here’s trying to put on a little extra weight.”

He chuckled but smiled.

“What would you recommend?”

Lacey eyed the two but rolled with it.

“If that’s what ya want, it’s the Big Willie ya’ll be want’n.”

Leon bit his lip as she continued.

“It’s three patties, six slices of cheese, onions, mushrooms, slaw, and and a whole pickle. It comes with a whole order of fries. You can add chili to both for extra.”

Leon looked at Luke with a grin and raised an eyebrow.

 

“Think you can handle that?”

He joked knowing full well Luke could probably eat two of them and still have room for dessert.

[Nerdzul]

“Make yourselves at home.”

 

"Thank you Lacey..." Luke nodded and gave the waitress a friendly smile. 

 

“My friend here’s trying to put on a little extra weight.”

 

"One of us has to." The young man grinned at his friend's playful teasing. 

 

"Yeah, it'd do, two of those." He smirked. "And Leon what are you gettin'?"

 

"With chips and an ice cold bee-..." 

 

Lacey's disapproving, but still gentle, gaze reminded him that, well neither of them was old enough of drink.

 

"I meant coke. Thanks." He smiled again warmly at the waitress.

Now of course, the Luke's fake Id was quite believable and 'somehow' he was sure Leon's papers were as well, but there was no need to cause problems.

 

--- 

 

"Boy..."  A gruff man interrupted the two nineteen years old. 

 

"Wh-"

 

"You have some courage in showing your face down here..." The biker continued, his gaze shifting, ever so slightly to the grinning tiger tattooed on Luke's shoulder. 

 

Now Luke couldn't be sure, but it almost felt like that this guys's bull themed gang had some beef with one who used a tiger as their symbol. Great...

 

 

[Spacefurry]

Leon chuckled as Luke ordered two burgers just for himself. He knew the look the server was going to give them.

He smiled up at Lacey and nodded.

“And one for myself, please. Just the fries and a… cola.”

He gave Luke a smirk. He was sure their IDs would pass, but there was no need to invite trouble.

 

16 hours ago, Nerdzul said:

"Boy..."  A gruff man interrupted the two nineteen years old. 

 

"Wh-"

 

"You have some courage in showing your face down here..." The biker continued, his gaze shifting, ever so slightly to the grinning tiger tattooed on Luke's shoulder. 

 

The tanned skin of the biker was leathery looking at a glance, and the smell of dust, asphalt, and beer clung to him. Leon looked up at him with a raised eye brow. The man was too busy glaring at Luke.

“Grandpa here a friend of yours?”

He asked with a smirk and teased his friend.

“Or is this just your wondrous people skills at work again.”

[Nerdzul]

"Never met him in my whole life." Look stared down at the man, dismissively. 

 

"Look. We don't want any trouble here..."

 

While his posture remained relaxed, the young man cracked his knuckles and smirked.

 

The biker didn't seem particularly impressed though. 

 

"Look, the cub is jokin'" The man laughed and his friends quickly joined him. 

 

"Any help from your own amazing people skills man?" Luke whispered to his friend as the group was distracted. 

 

Now of course, either of them could probably clear the diner of a gang of common bikers without breaking a sweat. But well... thrashing the place didn't feel like... Plus they were on vacation. Luke would have much likely left Nightscale at home...

 

[Spacefurry]

Leon grinned and stood.

“If you insist.”

 

He turned to face the man.

“Look, we’re not looking for trouble, well not right now.”

Leon smirked.

“We just popped in for lunch. So, if you wanna shuffle off back over to the bar and go back to drowning your mid-life crisis with your friends that be real friendly of you.”

He made a small shooing motion.

“And if you need me to explain this again, just let me know if I need to speak slowly or just use smaller words so you’ll understand?”

 

Sometimes his roommate really shouldn’t let him talk to the general public, let alone try to defuse a situation.

[Nerdzul]

"Really smooth..." Luke teased his friend beneath his breath...

 

Unsurprisingly perhaps Leon bravado didn't exactly help in defusing the situation. 

"Look there are two cubs..." The man chuckled. "And both feel like they are in dire need of a lesson..." 

 

The other bikers all stood up from their chairs.

 

When Lacey tried to intervene, Luke 'reassured' her with a "No need. I bet you we are not gonna be the one getting lectured here..." Which the bikers replied to with a chorus of colorful expletives as the waitress rolled her eyes and retreated toward the counter. 

 

As the men surrounded the two boys any hope of resolving the issue outside also evaporated...  

 

 

[Spacefurry]

Leon rasied his hands defensively.

“Okay, okay. I may have not helped. But in my defense…”

He paused.

“I got nothing.”

Leon shrugged.

 

“Gentleman, and I use the term loosely, do we really want to make dear sweet Lacey‘s job harder?”

Leon suddenly got a brilliant idea (at least in his opinion) and grinned.

“Tell you what.”

Luke could recognize Leon’s mischievous tone.

“How about we wrestle for it? Or, rather, arm wrestle?”

 

He paused for effect.

“Any one of you beats my friend here and you get a free shot at me. I’ve been told I have a very punchable face by many men… and a few women.”

He smirked.

“I’ve also been told I have a very kissable face by many women… and few men.”

He shrugged.

“I suppose if you win I can let you choose.”

He flashed a familiar Cheshire grin.

[Nerdzul]

Luke grinned at Leon's suggested challenge. 

 

"Yeah, I mean, unless you are just a bunch of sissies..." He teased, eliciting a chorus of threatening grumbles from the small crowd of bikers. 

 

On 9/6/2023 at 6:18 PM, Spacefurry said:

“Any one of you beats my friend here and you get a free shot at me. I’ve been told I have a very punchable face by many men… and a few women.”

 

"Oh definitely." Luke smirked playfully.

 

"And why would we accept? I mean, we don't need a freakin' authorization to punch those smile off you boys..." 

 

"It's a deal..." A voice from the back of the room interrupted the conversation. One of the biker, that had remained silent during the whole ordeal. A beast of a man, he towered over his comrades and was a head taller than the two teens, powerfully built, his skin was like tanned leather and adorned by a complex collection of labyrinthine tattoos. 

 

"As... Of course boss." The man who had challenged the two teenage heroes grinned as their leader calmly walked toward the boys confidently. His gaze shifted to Luke, who suddenly found himself much less secure in his upcoming triumph. 

 

OOC - Hehe if you want to decide how the competition between Luke and the guy ends go ahead  perhaps Leon cheats a little to help Luke? Or does he do the honorable thing and sees what happens?

 

 

[Spacefurry]

Leon was all grins until the big man stepped forward. He looked at his roommate, who returned it with uncertainty. He was sure Luke could handle the bigger man.

 

The biker leader smirked down at Luke as he bent down to rest his elbow on table. Leon gave him an encouraging thumbs up. Luke leaned in and took position, the man’s hand nearly enveloped his. Another of the bikers came up, set a hand on top of the two and counted to three.

 

The big guy was as strong as he looked and Luke had to actually put in some work to hold him off. The cheers and jeers from the bikers echoed in the diner when the teenager didn’t immediately lose. Leon was smirking as he watched.

His smirk slowly started to fade when Luke didn’t start to gain ground. He knew his roommate could take him… couldn’t he. They had agreed not to draw attention with their powers on the trip, but this didn’t count. It just a bunch of old bikers. No one would find out.

 

“Come on man, you can take him.”

He encouraged, but slowly Luke began to lose ground and Leon started to sweat. The calling from the bikers was getting more excited.

 

Leon watched in horror as slowly, inch by inch Luke’s hand dipped. Maybe he friend was just trying to be funny and playing around. Ya, that’s it, right before he loses he’ll suddenly turn it around.

 

The back of Luke’s hand hit the table with an audible thunk and the bikers roared. Their boss grinned and stood up.

“Not bad kid. Haven’t actually had to work for it in a long time.”

 

Leon gave his roommate a ‘what happened’ look, to which Luke only shrugged. The first biker reappeared in front of Leon with a sh*t-eating grin.

“Too bad, you little snot. I’m gonna enjoy this.”

The biker cracked his knuckles.

“Best, two outa three? Take that as a no.”

Leon tried to persuade to no effect. He put up his hands defensively.

“F*cking karma.”

He managed to mutter before a fist connected with his face and another round of hollering from the bikers erupted.

 

Leon stumbles back a step or two but manages to stay on his feet. Luke could tell his friend had rolled with the blow and probably hadn’t hurt nearly as much as it should have. 

“This it because I was being a smart ass isn’t it.”

[Nerdzul]

Luke had started their competition with a cocky grin on his lips, but it didn't take much for it to drop from the nineteen years old face. 

 

Damn! This guy was freaking strong, at first, just enough to match Luke human strength, that in truth, already wasn't exactly an easy feat, thanks to the dragon-boy intense training. That, of course, hadn't been enough to worry him, but even when Luke pushed himself further than what any normal person would, the fellow didn't seem to relent.

Quite the opposite indeed.

 

It was Luke's turn to sweat as well as slowly, although not without effort, the biker boss started to push his hand down. Luke couldn't believe it, at least until he could finally feel the surface of the table brushing against his hand. "F*ck... How..." 

 

Golden light flashed in Luke's eyes when the man collected his prize

 

The boy closed his fists, but the biker interrupted him. 

 

"There would be no need of that." The grin on his lips showed a playful warmth that wasn't there long before. "I call myself satisfied about the outcome of this little challenge..." He continued, his gaze however met with Luke's and Leon in turn, like if to quietly say them that he knew that something was off with them. 

 

"Your friend wasn't lying... that was... really cathartic... you should try sometimes boy..." The grizzled biker grinned and then gave Luke a strong pat on the back.

 

"And it was entertaining enough, that I don't feel like kicking your assess out either..." The huge man continued, his gaze shifting back to Leon. "No offense taken, I hope?"

 

"In fact, sharing a pint might be in order..." He called for the waitress, with a friendly, yet booming, voice, quickly sorting an order for his whole crew. "Get one on me too boys..." He offered.

 

"No alcohol though... I got a feeling that you two might not be of age." The man smirked.

 

OOC - I haven't decided much about what else to do with the bikers, although for why this guy is as strong as Luke, I was thinking he could be an actual minotaur in disguise (I have a band of minotaur bikers in one of my games I thought it would be fun having them make a cameo. If you got any idea about where to go next, go ahead

Edited October 8, 2023 by Nerdzul

[Spacefurry]

Leon rubbed his cheek and worked his jaw. The blow had stung a lot, but he’d been hit harder before. He eyed the biker as the man high-fived one of his friends and laughed. Just because he lost fair and square, didn’t mean he had to be happy about it.

 

Leon looked back at Luke and the leader.

“No offense taken.”

He said, but Luke could tell Leon was about as happy as a wet cat. But at the offer of a drink on then big man Leon’s demeanor did a 180 and he perked up.

“Don’t mind if we do-“

Non-alcoholic.

“Oh.”

He added with obvious disappointment.

 

Leon sighed, but shrugged and smirked.

“Free drink, is a free drink.”

He chuckled and waved over at Lacey.

“Two of your biggest chocolate milkshakes.”

He flashed a boyish grin.

“Next best thing. Fight me if you think I’m wrong.”

He chuckled.

“But fair warning, I’ll defend myself this time.”

That drew a good natured laugh from the bikers and everyone else in the diner visibly relaxed. The tension in the building had broken and things seemed to settle.

 

The boys ate their lunch and teased each other over what had happened. As they finished and paid, Lacey thanked them for not starting an actual fight in the diner. The leader of the bikers warned Luke with a knowing smirk that he’d be looking forward to a rematch next time they ran into each other.

 

As they left the diner Leon spotted a cat sitting by the dumpster watching them.

“Tell her I miss her.”

He said to it, then glanced at Luke.

“I just assume every cat reports back to her.”

He grinned and chuckled.  

“My turn to drive.”

 

 

ooc: hmm, gonna have to think on it.

Edited October 18, 2023 by Spacefurry

[Nerdzul]

Luke rolled his eyes as witnessed his friend talking with the cat. "Sure man..." He smirked.  To be honest, given the kind of lives they lived, it wouldn't be that absurd to think that Leon wasn't being metaphorical with his words. "You are making me jealous right now." He teased. 

 

"Fair." Luke nodded and tossed Leon the keys.

 

--- 

 

The boys have been on the road for a while now, in fact, they had traded places and already multiple times behind the wheel. They had spent the night in what must have been the cheapest hotel in the next one hundred miles, one that seemed it was cut straight out of a cheesy eighties horror movie, fortunately though, no maniac with a chainsaw came looking for them during the night and the only shenanigans they had to face were of their own making (which was already saying something...) 

 

The sun was again high above the horizon and the two were darting down an isolated stretch of desert road, it was again Leon's turn to drive (and pick the music), so Luke was resting lazily against his seat, this time with an actual shirt on (albeit one of his trademarked sleeveless ones) and the legs against the counter, arms behind the head and his ballcap down to shield his eyes from the unforgiving sun above. 

 

"Where do we wanna stop next man?" He wondered out loud, they were still a long way from Vegas, but that didn't mean that the two couldn't have some fun on the way.

 

The young man had just finished listening to Leon's response when the two spotted a figure down the road. A young woman, perhaps just a few years their seniors, was sitting on top of a comically huge suitcase by the side of the road, with her thump up, eyes hidden by a pair of luxurious sunglasses. It was the first soul they had met in miles and there was no other car in sight...  

[Spacefurry]

The Neon Trees were calling from the speakers to reassure the listeners that, in fact, Everybody Talks as Leon checked his phone for a moment, keeping one eye on the road as he did so.

“Well, if the GPS is right, there’s a place further down where we should be able to get ‘authentic’ tacos and fireworks of questionable legality.”

Luke could actually hear the quotation marks around the ‘authentic’ and picture the mischievous grin Leon gave when he mentioned the fireworks without even looking at his friend.

 

He was chuckling lightly when he noticed the girl on the side of the road himself. He glanced at his best friend with inquisitively raised eyebrows. He gave Luke a little shrug and an ‘it’s a damsel in distress, what else can we do’ look.

 

“Hold on tight.”

Was the only warning he gave as he hit the brakes. The Impala skidded and kicked up a trail of dust and tire smoke as it came to a stop just past the young woman. He turned down the radio and little and set the car in Park before he hopped up to sit on the back of the seat. He turn back towards the woman and called out.

“Vegas and points in between.”

Leon gave her his best smile.

[Nerdzul]

"Questionable legality... You say..." Luke grinned, stretching his arms as he kept basking in the sun, eyes closed and just vibing with the underlying music. 

 

On 12/11/2023 at 8:43 PM, Spacefurry said:

“Hold on tight.”

 

"Wh-"

 

In fact, the young man wasn't paying enough attention to the street to notice that there was someone waiting there and he quickly found himself having to brace tightly not to get catapulted out of the car when his friend hit the brakes. 

 

He gave Leon a puzzled look, but a glance at who sat at the side of the road quickly dispelled his questions.

 

"Hello boys..." The young woman smiled mischiviously. 

 

"Somehwere in between." She nodded.

 

"You two are life savers..." She leaned closer to gently pat Leon on his shoulder, seemingly caring little about the paper texture of his arm. 

 

Luke pretty much jumped down from the car with a fluid movement to help load the massive lugage in the Impala (and to show-off of course). She gently lead his hands to the handle, ostensibly to guide him due to its fragility, but at the same time giving him a gentle caress and a soft "Thank you...". 

 

"Ivy..." She introduced herself to Leon, lifting her sunglasses to let her bright green eyes meet with the ones of the young rogue. 

 

OOC - Feel free to write Ivy as well, do you think she should be an honey trap and maybe rob them or something, or perhaps there is some kind of trouble following her on the road that the boys finds themselves having to deal with?