New Adventures

Posted on Sat May 6th, 2023 @ 7:18pm by Kyleigh Arynson & Glitch

3,151 words; about a 16 minute read

Mission: Welcome to the Hometown
Location: Hometown 1
Timeline: March 22, 30 AP

After doing her job of providing Hometown One with enough electricity to keep things running for a bit, Kyleigh received her payment from The Council, and was now ready to get the hell out of dodge. She didn't fault those who had to live within the limits of the Hometowns, but that kind of life wasn't for her. No, she was more for the open roads, living life by her own rules, doing what she wanted to do when she wanted to do it.

And now, she had someone who would keep her company. She wasn't sure how long Cordelia would want to travel with her, but Kyleigh was pretty sure that her new companion hadn't seen the world quite like she did. It would most definitely be an adventure for her.

She stepped off of the elevator and made her way to the place where she told Elixer she would meet her once she'd completed her task. Charging the batteries had taken a little more than twenty-four hours, which gave the other young woman time to explore, earn credits of her own, or just hang out. But, now, it was time to get the show on the road, and Kyleigh found herself hoping, for once, that she would be having company for the next leg of her journey.

The young water controller was on the ground floor chatting with a young other young people. She was dressed in her usual garishly bright mix and match colors sewn into her version of an aviator suit and had her leather helmet and goggles in hand. When she saw Kyleigh, she excused herself from the others and headed to meet her with a bright smile.

"Kyleigh! Did you get 'em charged proper?"

Kyleigh didn't realize she'd been holding her breath until she finally let it out. Was she worried Cordelia wouldn't be there when she came back down? Yes. Would that have bummed her out if she wasn't? Also, yes. She smiled. "I did! It takes a bit longer than most jobs, but it keeps me moving."

"Wish I coulda watched, but I had a gig, too," the young woman bubbled as her imagination filled in plenty of images of Kyleigh shooting bolts of electricity at the massive Hometown batteries. "I got us a pressie for the road, too."

She had a large backpack on her back that had all manner of gadgets, cookware, a large compass and even an hourglass hanging from the bulging pack. "I'll get it out once we get to a settle in spot for the night."

"Let's lock that up inside the fifth wheel and head to the market. I want to pick up a couple of things for our trip, too. I haven't had a chance to do anything other than the batteries," Sparky said, beginning the trek to where her bike and fifth wheel were waiting.

Cordelia walked with her to the garage by the outer exits, steam powered vehicles of every description pulled, pushed and lowered into bays where they were stored until they were ready to be used again. "This place is huge. I always take off from the roof."

Once the fifth wheel was open, she tossed the backpack in and then pulled her helmet and goggles on. "So, which way we heading?"

"It's massive," Kyleigh agreed. "There are still a lot of places I haven't been able to get to, but that's mostly a timing issue. I'm supposed to be in Hometown Three in about a month to charge their batteries." Once everything as inside, she closed the door and locked it up again. "A month is more than enough time to make it from one Hometown to the next, but I like to do things in between."

She looked thoughtful as she debated what she wanted to get for their journey. "You said you bought a present for the road? Are you going to tell me, or do I have to wait and see?" the young woman asked, not minding if she was told she would have to wait. Still, there were other things they'd need, and that set her walking toward the elevators that would get them to the market.

"You're going all the way to Three? Dang. You're lucky you have your own transport." Cordelia said. "Since you're nice and all, I got us some choc-oh-lat." She sounded quite proud of herself and everyone knew that chocolate was incredibly hard to get ahold of and no one could agree if it was ever as good as it used to be. Fewer people had been alive when they had real chocolate and most of them had better things to remember.

"Chocolate? Now, I'm really excited. I can't remember the last time I had any," she said. "I've been to all of the Hometowns over the years. Recharged all of their batteries. We've got an ongoing thing. I'm sure there are others out there that help out, but I haven't met them. I only know when I need to be there to help out."

"You really got a good thing going," Elixer said as she followed her. "I can't do mass volume no matter if I'm using an existing source of water or not. It takes time and people get impatient like water just comes out of the ground."

Kyleigh couldn't disagree. She really did have a good thing going. "Water used to come from the ground once upon a time," she said. At least, that's what it said in one of the books she'd read. "That was some time back, though, but people need water to survive. What you can do is no less important that what I can do."

"It's why people like us exist," the other young woman said, sounding like she'd said it more than a few times in the past. "To help better the world of today and make a better tomorrow." Now she sounded like a mutant recruitment poster.

Kyleigh nodded her head. Cordelia wasn't wrong. It was like the world knew something bad was going to happen and humans had to evolve if they had any hope of surviving. "And we will do what we can to see to it that future generations have it just a little easier," she said. "Is there anything you need for a week long trip or so? Or maybe let someone know you're going to be heading out for a while?"

"Sorry," Cordelia said with a lopsided grin. "I do that when people expect me to perform a miracle. I can make the water, sister, but I can't walk on it. Nah. I got everything and can forage if I need to. I have a trick that you'll love when supplies get low."

"Oh? What's that?" Sparky asked as she stepped off of the elevator when they got where they needed to be. She quickly moved aside when a group of people were coming right at them.

Elixer lowered her voice as sh followed her. "I got seeds."

Seeds? Kyleigh wondered. What kind of seeds? She didn't ask that question out loud... at least not yet. They didn't need to be a target for anyone looking to make a quick buck. "We can talk about that more once we're on the road," she said as she began to make a mental checklist of what they would need for the next couple weeks.

"Ya, The stuff that I earn," Cordelia said. "For my work, ya know? Dehydrated seed veggies. I call them seeds because they shrink really small when you pull all the moisture out of them. You can store weeks of them in a average backpack until you rehydrate them."

Kyleigh looked a little sheepish. "I thought you were talking about something entirely different," she admitted. "But, I plan on picking up some of that, too. You can never have too much of it, especially when there's no guarantee that there will be any fresh food on the road."

"I can spot things ten miles away when I'm up in the air and I have a very good eye scope," the young lady responded. "But you're right. There isn't much out there and I'm grateful that I can make water to hydrate my seeds."

"We can still look at see what we can find. We might get lucky," Sparky said as they entered the market. There were vendors all over the place trying to sell their goods, and she couldn't blame them. They needed to make a living somehow.

Vendors competed side by side with each other, each declaring the freshness and deliciousness of their meats, eggs, vegetables, fish, herbs, and everything else that could be grown and raised.

Others called the quality of their iron, their fabrics, their engines, their works of art, and their claims to have maps to fabulous Old Tech riches. In short, it was a bazaar that never, ever stopped if the vendors wanted to continue to survive.

"This is why I hate shopping," Cordelia muttered. "Where to first?"

Kyleigh knew exactly what her new friend meant. Shopping wasn't on her list of favorite things to do, but it was a necessary evil. Especially when a person spent most of their life on the road like she did.

She looked around for a moment as she took a deep, calming breath. "We'll start with non perishable first and farthest inside the market, then work our way out," she replied. It made the most sense to her, and now she was walking farther into the market, making mental notes of which vendors she wanted to stop at then they came the other way.

Elixer walked beside of her, keeping one hand on her hip satchel as she did so. "Rear back is dehydrated meats. Center is fruits, Right is veggies. I already visited that area myself, so I'll ride tail and keep the pickies out of your pockets."

"Thanks, I appreciate that. I've been lucky so far, but realistically, I know my luck can't hold out forever," she said with a frown. There were people in the world that didn't want to work for their living, but instead, wanted to steal it from others. "I need to get toiletries. We can do that first. Do you need anything while we're here? My treat."

"I feel ya, but you got cred with your name alone and people won't think twice about backing up," Cordelia pointed out. "I wish they had stuff like the old days. Mom said they had super soft paper with lotion on it. Now we gotta use what we can get our hands on." She shuddered. "I'm so glad I can pull water from the air. Let's see what they have."

One vendor stepped forward, heavy blue koi eye powder lining her eyes and giving her an exotic look. "Trade your nightmares for a dream and turn a scream into a moan. Come to my table and I'll ease your mind," she promised them.

Kyleigh wanted to respond to Cordelia, but the vendor's quip to sell... whatever it was... to them caught her attention. "Er... what are you selling exactly?" She found herself asking.

"Selling?" The exotic looking woman sounded like she were trying a new word. "Ah. No. I'm offering to give you something good in exchange for something bad. I trade dreams for nightmares."

Kyleigh offered her a smile. "Thank you, but I have a schedule that I need to keep. Perhaps next time I'm in town."

"Your sleep," the woman said and turned to another customer.

After they had stepped away, Cordelia murmured "Who does she give the nightmares to?"

Another mutant, a scrawny male covered in home scratched tattoos raised his arms wide on the pedestal he stood on, little more than a wooden box. "I am Janus, God of Portals! Tell me your destination and I will deliver you to it for a price!"

Now Kyleigh remembered why she didn't visit the markets often. Offering the gentleman a smile, she shook her head. "Thank you, but no, thank you," she said. "I have my own transportation." With that, she continued on her way.

Elixer followed after her. "Now that would be a gig to have," she mused. "No walking, no raiders. From here to there without leaving home."

"It would be, but I don't trust many people. I could tell him I wanted to go one place, and he could send me somewhere else entirely where an ambush was waiting," the young blonde haired woman said. Her brow furrowed. Did she always look at the bad in every situation? It definitely seemed like it, but in the world they lived in had made her incredibly paranoid. "I bet you think I'm some kind of freak."

"No, I think you're someone who's been through a lot," the other young lady said. "Let's just get what you want and head out of here."

"Maybe I can tell you a bit about them while we're out," Kyleigh said as she moved to the booth containing homemade cleansers.

The products ranged from the very harsh ash and lye, foaming leaves of the Yucca plant, tiny Buffalo Gourd leaves used for freshening up a little, Fir twigs for brushing ones teeth, leaves of the Soaproot for washing hair, Mountain Lilah soap, Mullein leaves toilet paper, Wooly Lamb’s Ear for strictly feminine needs, and other herbs for a variety of needs.

"Welcome to the Apothecary," A man in a plague doctor outfit said, gesturing his hands towards his wares. "How can I help you today?"

Kyleigh wasn't sure when she would be able to get back to a market, and therefore, needed enough supplies to last a couple of months at the very least. She looked over what was on offer and offered the man in the plague doctor mask a smile. "I need soap, toilet paper, feminine products, shampoo and a few other things," she stated. "Preferably, the better smelling products you have for soaps and the like, please."

"How much of each would you like and what do you consider to be good smelling?" the merchant asked. "And how many credits would you like to spend?"

Cordelia had been looking and listening as she put together a small pack of her own travel goods herself. "It's probably best to pick your own, Sparky. They always give you their personal preference."

Cordelia wasn't wrong, and she did have her own preferences. Not the she didn't appreciate recommendations from time to time. "On second thought, I think I'll choose my own items, but I do thank you for your willingness to help," she said as she reached for a bag to start filling. "I'll get with you as soon as I have everything needed." And, with that, she began her shopping.

When the young lady saw how much supplies that Kyleigh was getting, she edged closer to her. "Exactly how long were you planning on going back out for?"

"I'll bring you back whenever you're ready, but I won't be back in a Hometown for a bit," Sparky answered. "I'm just trying to get enough supplies to last me for a few months just to be safe."

"Carrying that much isn't safe, either,." Elixer said as she picked a few more items for an extended trip. "Besides, I'm not from One. I'm from Four, so I'm good on wherever I go."

"I won't be carrying that much. I still have some supplies from my last trip to town. I just need to fill things in a bit," Kyleigh said. "Food is the biggest necessity right now. This stuff is more of a luxury, but I still want to have it. Do you need anything while we're here?"

"I got what I need other than a few changes of clothes. Even by myself, I get offended when I haven't had a change in a week."

Kyleigh laughed. "I feel the same way about myself, but I do try to bathe as often as I can. It's not easy."

"Well, I can help provide the water, but you're gonna have to wash your own ass, sister," Cordelia laughed.

As they selected their goods, the merchant kept a neat and rapid tally on a slate board they could both see and the prices of each.

"I've been capable of doing that for quite some time," she said with a laugh before looking to the merchant. "I think that's everything. What do I owe you?"

After looking at the tally on the slate, the merchant doctor added a twenty percent total to it. "Thirty and two credits," he said.

Elixer rolled her eyes but kept silent as she completed getting what she'd need for herself.

"And that's for both, right?" Sparky asked.

The merchant cocked his covered head at her. "No, that is for yours alone."

Kyleigh had a feeling that was the case. "Can you add that to it, too?"

"Wait? Kyleigh, no," Cordelia objected. "I got creds."

"I know you do," Kyleigh said, offering her new companion a smile. "Still, consider it a gift and an advanced thank you for those showers you've already mentioned."

The young woman hesitated for a moment. "Thank you, Kyleigh." It was clear she wasn't used to others offering to do things for her. "I heard they used to have cold and hot running water back before the Glitch."

Kyleigh smiled. "You're welcome, and they did. My grandparents home has hot and cold running taps, but neither of them works anymore. I haven't been to see them in a long time. I think maybe I should consider a trip that way soon."

"Where did they live?"

The merchant added up Elixer's goods and added them to Kyleigh's. "Fifty-four and three credits," he amended.

“Colorado, or Hometown Fifteen, with the rest of my family. I haven’t been back to see any of them in a long time,” Sparky answered as she made the transfer of credits to the merchant. While it might have been a bit pricey, the quality was there, and he had to make a living just as the rest of them did. “I really should go pay them all a visit. I miss them, and I know they have to be missing me, too.”

"The Four Corners Hometown?" Elixer asked, giving it the common name as it was on the corner of New Mexico, Utah, Colorado and Arizona. "That's a long haul but plenty of good flight time along the Corridor."

"I might make my way that way," she said, looking toward her companion once the transaction was done. "How about we go grab a bite to eat before we finish shopping and head out?"

"I'm down and it's on me," Cordelia said. "Fair."

Kyleigh smiled. "Fair."

 

RSS Feed