Name Pending [1x1 With PrincessYuna]

[Shalashaska]

A smile made its way onto River's face when Mak said those two magical words - 'trade free'. Biting into the apple, he was content with listening to them talk as he ate. He was surprised they seemed to be so at ease with having two of their friends apparently gone for a week. River wasn't sure he'd be able to stay calm if he had someone he knew be gone without any contact for a week.


Pausing in the middle of a bite, River's eyes moved between everyone present. Why would anyone even think about going there? Sure, information may not spread as quickly, but word of mouth still had to be a thing, surely?

"H-Huh? Oh. Uh... When I was passing through... Ken...tucky, I think it's called? I get it confused with Kansas, but anyway, there was this farm. It was this really closed community, but they let me stay the night since I was just passing through. Anyway, when dinner time came around they decided to let me eat with them, yeah? They gave me an actual burger - like the ones you see on old signs." He reminisced while staring into the radio. "Anyway, why would you want to head Southwest? It's a pretty shit region."

 

[cat.]

Amelia was astounded when he spoke about a burger. She has never had one, or maybe she did but couldn't remember. After spending so many years on The Kidd she practically forgot everything she ate because she was so used to eating the crap they gave her here. Oatmeal, porridge, soups, and things that did not have a lot of meat in them. Meat was just scarce. Not that she minded.

"Wow, I would love to taste that sometime," she said, fantasizing on how a burger would taste. Those old dug up billboards that advertised them made them look so great. One day, she thought, one day. "I heard there are good findings in the southwest, more so I want to go to New Orleans, or should I call it Old Orleans now?"

She looked at River curiously. "Do you know anything about that place to call it shit? I know that every region is shit, but there has to be a reason for it."

 

[Shalashaska]

River regretted opening his mouth - he should have just stayed quiet and minded his own business. Who was he to try and give advice to anyone? He was the king of bad choices, after all. But, nevertheless, he knew he couldn't bullshit his way into a subject change, and he figured he wouldn't be sticking around long anyway. It was a nice place, and they were nice people, but he had learned the hard way what you see isn't always what you get.

"I came from there. Grew up there, actually. There ain't no real... Hospitality like there is here." He paused, his mind wandering as he zoned out. "Mississippi is filled with mutants, Fringes are nothin' but Raiders and with the Governor and his Bandits controlling mostly everything, outsiders just ain't welcome." River shrugged, trying to focus on the radio.

 

[cat.]

Amelia thought for a moment, knowing that there were weird mutants in different areas. The government wasn't really something that was something good, considering how corrupt it became after the year. None of what he said surprised here. "Hell, we aren't all rainbows here. We hunters are also bandits, we get the short end of the stick," she told him. "Yes, we are nice, but we aren't welcomed."

"They would kill us if they had nothing better to do. We hardly get shit, so we know a thing or two," she continued. "If they don't welcome me then I will move on. If they arrest me then they arrest me. What more can I do?" Truth be told, she had very little to live for. She did what she did to keep her entertained. Trash was treasure and she collected it to keep herself alive. Her life was not worth much. Well, people out there wanted her dead, but they enjoyed the chase because they had nothing better to do.

"Amelia just has a death wish," Jerry spoke, and then put his book aside. He turned on his side to face the wall. "We all do, in a way. This world has nothing to offer, especially if you got no family or a loved one to care for."

 

[Shalashaska]

River wanted to argue that she was oversimplifying things, but at the same time he hated arguing - even if it was to stress his own point. He didn't even know what to say, in all honesty. Her points were valid - even Jerry's, but he didn't see a reason to be reckless. River, either due to his paranoia or sense of self-preservation, had always tried to be careful when he could. He wasn't the type to look for trouble, even if he usually found himself in over his head.

"You have a point - it's just some places can be a lot worse than you think." River agreed as he focused more on the radio. He just about had it fixed; it was mostly just a few loose wires and a pin that had been knocked loose. Glancing up to Jerry, River stared at the man's back before his gaze dropped back to the radio. River himself didn't believe the world didn't have anything to offer, be it idiotic optimism or youthful hope, the teen couldn't comprehend the thought of there not being something somewhere worth living for.

He wouldn't voice that, though. He felt quite ashamed and stupid for thinking it - adults lived in the real world where everything sucked, but his mind demanded there be something more. Something better, right around the bend waiting for him to find it.

"I guess..." River muttered out and agreement, saying it solely for the sake of agreeing.