Not So Bad

[BarrenThin]

The dog just sat down and stared at Jason with eyes that were an abnormally dark color, and cocked its head to the side.​

Jason crouched. There was something up with the dog. He didn't touch it. "Got something up your sleeve?"​

 

[Midnight Maiden]

Jason crouched. There was something up with the dog. He didn't touch it. "Got something up your sleeve?"​

Of course, no response came. The dog did bark, though. However, it made no attempt to make physical contact. Just kept staring.​

 

[BarrenThin]

Of course, no response came. The dog did bark, though. However, it made no attempt to make physical contact. Just kept staring.​

He stared back. "What do you want? A belly rub? Food? A philosophical discussion? I can't give you any of those."​

 

[Midnight Maiden]

He stared back. "What do you want? A belly rub? Food? A philosophical discussion? I can't give you any of those."​

The dog seemed to understand.. Because he promptly shook his head. And, quietly lifted his haunches from the ground and started off.

Jason could follow the dog or resume exploring the town.​

 

[BarrenThin]

The dog seemed to understand.. Because he promptly shook his head. And, quietly lifted his haunches from the ground and started off.

Jason could follow the dog or resume exploring the town.​

Jason blinked. Well... that wasn't something you saw every day. Hesitantly, he followed the dog.

​

 

[Midnight Maiden]

Jason blinked. Well... that wasn't something you saw every day. Hesitantly, he followed the dog.

​

The dog appeared to be headed for Ravenwood Manor. Of course, Jason could turn back, or keep following.​

 

[BarrenThin]

The dog appeared to be headed for Ravenwood Manor. Of course, Jason could turn back, or keep following.​

He kept on following.​

 

[Midnight Maiden]

He kept on following.​

The dog eventually turned- right outside the Manor -and vanished into what appeared to be a lemon grove. Voices could be heard from the direction he'd headed. Jason could follow, knock at the Manor's doors, or head back to town.​

 

[BarrenThin]

The dog eventually turned- right outside the Manor -and vanished into what appeared to be a lemon grove. Voices could be heard from the direction he'd headed. Jason could follow, knock at the Manor's doors, or head back to town.​

Jason's helmet folded back out. He followed the dog while listening with detective vision.​

 

[Midnight Maiden]

Jason's helmet folded back out. He followed the dog while listening with detective vision.​

"What're we gonna do, Ethan..? How could she be back?" This was the voice of the female Ridley had been with, earlier.. And seemed to be coming out in sobs. Oddly, just before, the rain had intensified quite a bit.

There was a heavy sigh, and a long pause. "I don't.. I don't know, Lena. But.. We'll figure it out."​

 

[BarrenThin]

"What're we gonna do, Ethan..? How could she be back?" This was the voice of the female Ridley had been with, earlier.. And seemed to be coming out in sobs. Oddly, just before, the rain had intensified quite a bit.

There was a heavy sigh, and a long pause. "I don't.. I don't know, Lena. But.. We'll figure it out."​

They must have been talking about Sarafine. He kept up with the dog while listening.​

 

[Midnight Maiden]

They must have been talking about Sarafine. He kept up with the dog while listening.​

"'Figure it out'? Stop lying to yourself, Ethan! To me!" The rain got harder, and the girl's voice was raising. "Don't you get it? I beat her. She's.. She's supposed to be dead. This was supposed to be over." It wasn't difficult to pick up on her frustration.

"Lena.."

"Ethan, just.. Don't. Not right now." There was a brief silence.. And the dog went to a clearing where Lena and Ethan could be seen. Lena blinked at the dog, before smiling almost tiredly at him, and starting to pet him. Even in the rain, it wasn't hard to tell she'd been crying. "Hey, Boo.. Haven't learned to stop following me yet, huh?"

There was a small pause, and Ethan frowned. "Lena.. He wasn't here a minute ago."​

 

[BarrenThin]

"'Figure it out'? Stop lying to yourself, Ethan! To me!" The rain got harder, and the girl's voice was raising. "Don't you get it? I beat her. She's.. She's supposed to be dead. This was supposed to be over." It wasn't difficult to pick up on her frustration.

"Lena.."

"Ethan, just.. Don't. Not right now." There was a brief silence.. And the dog went to a clearing where Lena and Ethan could be seen. Lena blinked at the dog, before smiling almost tiredly at him, and starting to pet him. Even in the rain, it wasn't hard to tell she'd been crying. "Hey, Boo.. Haven't learned to stop following me yet, huh?"

There was a small pause, and Ethan frowned. "Lena.. He wasn't here a minute ago."​

Jason remained hidden, for now. Why had the dog brought him here?​

 

[Midnight Maiden]

Jason remained hidden, for now. Why had the dog brought him here?​

"So?" Lena seemed less alarmed by this than Ethan.

Tentatively, 6'2" brown-haired Ethan placed a hand on Lena's shoulder. He seemed to recoil very slightly when he touched her.. As though the contact bad literally shocked him. "So.. He wasn't following you. Where else could he have gone?"

Lena just kept petting the dog, Boo. "He's a dog, Ethan. They explore."

Sighing, the male relented. "Alright, well.. Do you suppose Boo has some sort of magical solution to figuring out why Sarafine's back? I mean.. Could Abraham have done this? Could this--"

"Ethan.. Stop. Please."

All while this was going on, Boo just glanced at Jason almost boredly. Assuming a dog could have a bored expression.​

 

[BarrenThin]

"So?" Lena seemed less alarmed by this than Ethan. "Poor guy's probably still looking for Macon.."

Tentatively, 6'2" brown-haired Ethan placed a hand on Lena's shoulder. He seemed to recoil very slightly when he touched her.. As though the contact bad literally shocked him. "He's been gone for a while now, Lena.. Boo's smart. He knows that."

Lena just kept petting the dog, Boo. "Being smart doesn't mean you can't wish something weren't true, Ethan."

Sighing, the male relented. "Alright, well.. Do you suppose Boo has some sort of magical solution to figuring out why Sarafine's back? I mean.. Could Abraham have done this? Could this--"

"Ethan.. Stop. Please."

All while this was going on, Boo just glanced at Jason almost boredly. Assuming a dog could have a bored expression.​

Time to step in. He came out like a ghost from the walls. "You sound like you're having a problem." His white visors shinedo brilliantly at the two.​

 

[Midnight Maiden]

Time to step in. He came out like a ghost from the walls. "You sound like you're having a problem." His white visors shinedo brilliantly at the two.​

The pair jumped visibly, and Lena took a cautious step back, Ethan subconsciously moving in front of her a little, protectively. You could never be too careful, in the Caster world.

"Who are you?" Ethan was studying- and watching -Jason closely. The visor looked.. Almost like something from a comic. Boo was still simply staring at Jason.​

 

[BarrenThin]

The pair jumped visibly, and Lena took a cautious step back, Ethan subconsciously moving in front of her a little, protectively. You could never be too careful, in the Caster world.

"Who are you?" Ethan was studying- and watching -Jason closely. The visor looked.. Almost like something from a comic. Boo was still simply staring at Jason.​

"The Cavalry. I've got some expertise in the area of not staying dead." Jason crossed his arms. The Bat was very visible on his chest.​

 

[Midnight Maiden]

"The Cavalry. I've got some expertise in the area of not staying dead." Jason crossed his arms. The Bat was very visible on his chest.​

Ethan looked wary of the man. He wasn't picking on Lena.. That was a start. Before he could say anything else, he was cut off by Lena tugging at his sleeve.

"Ethan.. Look." She pointed at Boo, who was still just staring at Jason.

"..Boo Radley isn't freaking out. He's okay.. I think." As if to agree with this, Boo Radley barked a single time.

Ethan just sighed and ran a hand through his wet hair. "Yeah, well.. Can't argue with the dog, huh?" he mused to himself, giving Boo an exasperated look.. Before looking to Jason again. "What all did you hear, anyways?"​

 

[BarrenThin]

Ethan looked wary of the man. He wasn't picking on Lena.. That was a start. Before he could say anything else, he was cut off by Lena tugging at his sleeve.

"Ethan.. Look." She pointed at Boo, who was still just staring at Jason.

"..Boo Radley isn't freaking out. He's okay.. I think." As if to agree with this, Boo Radley barked a single time.

Ethan just sighed and ran a hand through his wet hair. "Yeah, well.. Can't argue with the dog, huh?" he mused to himself, giving Boo an exasperated look.. Before looking to Jason again. "What all did you hear, anyways?"​

"Enough to know some chick names Sarafine isn't as dead as she should be." Jason tilted his head. "And that you're the 'good guys.'"​

 

[Midnight Maiden]

"Enough to know some chick named Sarafine isn't as dead as she should be." Jason tilted his head. "And that you're the 'good guys.'"​

Lena rubbed her neck quietly, averting her gaze. "Well.. Yeah." Least we didn't say anything about Casters. Suddenly, a thought occurred to Ethan. "..Where did you come from, anyways? Nobody ever comes to Gatlin. How do we know you're actually here to help?"​