starhuevalley | .1 caliber [Intro]

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.1 caliber [Intro]

[ACTION]

[She steps down from the bus and tugs at the strap around her shoulder tighter - she travels light, but there's something rather long, carefully wrapped, strapped between her bag and back. Squinting lightly at the warm summer sun, she sighs. Mixed feelings, all in one breath. This lady travels light except for the baggage in her mind.

Still, as she treads through the beaten paths towards an x in a map (excellent orientation skills, for one), she looks around carefully with what seems like a half smile in her piercing gaze. Yet, when she finds the place in the map, she keeps walking around, checking the Community center, the city, - greeting a couple of kids playing outside with a smile - walking through the beach... ending up finally at the Saloon around the evening, asking for a cup of tea at the counter.

Where do you meet her? ]

[VIDEO]

[That's exactly where she is when the video feed opens up. She's looking down at the screen, kohl rimmed eyes scrutinizing the device with a somewhat disappointed expression to them. She tsks.]

So unintuitive. How old is this?

[Dexterous fingers reach the screen and blip! goes the feed

Ring ring?]

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[Ana nods, as it's relatable. While ye olde adage of "it could be worse" could ring true, she knows it wouldn't sit well with Gabriel.] Do Jack or Jesse?

[Walking along with him, they leave the saloon and go towards Jack's farm, falling into their customary 'you lead I follow' of whenever only one of them knew the grounds well enough. A child, a boy, that she had greeted earlier during her walk, waves at her as he heads home with who looks like his mom. She waves back with a flick of her fingers, wondering if they were one of the few locals of this place or if they had arrived just like her one day.] A second chance? [A beat.] Or a break?

[It could always be worse.]

Far as I know, no. [But here they were.

Hands rested in the pockets of his hoodie, for all the world looking outwardly relaxed as he kept that pace steady enough as if h were out for a leisurely stroll. Of course he was watching their surroundings as they went, as he tended to do.

Just enough tenseness for anyone who knew him he had yet to lower that guard of his. Couldn't help it with all of this happening.]

Probably a mix of both.

Me neither. [It's no wonder that Gabriel is upset. She may not look it, facing everything with the same resolve of someone who's used to being thrown a curve ball all the time, but she's not unaffected by it. And even if the presence of these familiar faces was comforting, it was that they had gone through the same thing that bothered her the most.

Tenseness aside, and while Gabriel looked like the world was always against him, it was nice to see him a little younger. Just a little less hardened. It makes her feel very much aware of the grey slipping into her black hair.]

How are they dealing with all of this?

[It was comforting to know that there were people he trusted around, that would have his back should things suddenly turn from peaceful ideal farm country in to.. anything else. Just like he'd be right thereto back them up as needed.

There'd have to be some adjustment but.. he was flexible, this just didn't do anything to sooth any sort of nerves or anxiety, but they weren't enough to start him falling apart.

His head tipped a little as he spoke.]

Jack is remodeling the house, Jesse in running errands. Keeping busy, more or less. [He was as well, but still.]

[At that, she can't stop the grin curling at the corner of her mouth, shaking her head. The tasks seem so fitting in her mind that it's like she knew the answer before she even asked - Gabriel merely had the job to fish it back to the surface. ] Of course they are.

[She tilts her head in his direction, sharp gaze turned to him.] What about you, besides escorting newcomers?

Honestly, when Jack lead me back to his place we caught Jesse clearing the loft of the barn out. [Yeah, there was a bit of a smile with those words. Not going to mention that the kid had done it out of boredom since the word 'caught' could well imply Jack hadn't asked him to do it.

Gabriel looked innocent for a moment or two.]

Clearing out the land, since I guess we're actually doing this.

[Ana is definitely not surprised. Is even a little relieved, then, that Jack and Gabe are around to keep an eye on him. She remembered that most of young McCree's issues were boredom, restlessness, and a bit too much of a taste for adrenaline.

That he's busying himself with barn work, of all things, is a lot more comforting.] So much for taking the cow out of the boy, hm?

[At that innocent look, Ana hums. Rolls her shoulder in order for her back to move in front of her, opens its side pocket. She knows that Gabriel's reflexes are fast enough if she tossed the item she's getting, but she has a thing for said object, so she merely shows it for a second or two, in its neoprene (or whatever futuristic material they have at their time) case.] I think this will be useful, then.

[It's a camera. Or the body of it, at least. A couple of lenses are safely tucked in the actual bag, cradled by the few clothes she brought.

Don't think she doesn't know you guys are keeping tabs on everyone.]

[Gabriel snorted.] Mm, he's made a friend as well.

[That was an adventure, and at least he was going to spare the details for the moment and let Ana find out about the Karamatsu character on her own. Or even ask Jack, since they'd gotten quite the introduction to him.

Hoo boy.

He gave the case a glance, and it wasn't that hard to place what it was. Corner of his mouth twitching a bit.] Definitely might.

Can get a better plan once we're all together, rather than just get my telling of it. [When it came to thoughts on what the hell might be going on.] Bit unfortunate the person who knows what's going on hasn't been seen for a while.

[An arched eyebrow.] That's a good thing, though. [It sounds more like a question.

She nods, tucking the case back into the bag and rolling it hang at her back again. Her gaze lowers to the pathway, though her thoughts aren't really there, just rearranging themselves in her mind.]

This Marjorie person, right? You weren't around by then?

[Gabriel just

shrugged.

That was definitely an impression left, he could give them that much.

His jaw tightened, just for a moment.] She'd been gone for a few weeks, used to be in that cafe by the bus station. At least that's what the guy from the sheriff's office said.

That's also where all the papers that held information about the people here was seen. Scattered across tables.

Edited 2018-07-20 10:22 (UTC)

[Ah yes, The Return of The Shrug.

Not that she had missed it, in fact, she had seen Gabriel not too shortly from... ending up on the bus. But it still feels new, or something that she hadn't witnessed in a while - mislocation of the familiar in a strange context did that, Ana supposes.

She guesses she has to meet this friend, then. Although it could be because Gabriel was usually suspicious of everything and everyone.

More pertinent things had her focus, anyway.] For everyone to see? [That's mishandling information, breach of privacy... not to mention a definite power move.]

[Really, this friend of Jesse was an interesting character, only thing suspicious was the... clearly talent for story telling to possibly hide some insecurities that he picked up on. Wasn't going to say anthing about it just.

Keep an eye on them. That and the fact they'd somehow gotten their hands on a gun and had no idea how to use it, which was going to change.

A nod of his head.] For everyone to see. They said it was mostly things like favorite colors, favorite foods, but that in and of itself may come off harmless but it's something they shouldn't know.

[Oh dear, and here she thought she’d never have to do the “Gun Safety 101” lesson again.

As for this Marjorie character, well. Ana doesn’t like that story. At all.] That’s still private information given without consent. [She had to deal with so much bureaucracy about that kind of thing - legal issues mostly that she had to oversee as second-in-command. They were always a mess.] And people reacted casually about it?

Edited 2018-07-21 08:58 (UTC)

[It takes three old soldiers to train one Karamatsu how to properly handle a gun would seem about right, honestly.

That scowl of Gabriel's only grew darker.] Apparently they did, but the guy who told Jack and I this seems to agree that it's information she shouldn't have had. [He didn't like it at all, and it was very clear he agreed.] Nothing about this place sits right, and what locals there are will likely get caught in the cross-fire if something shifts.

[Hopefully they won’t need backup. One thing is a world Omnic Crisis, Karamatsu was an entirely different ordeal.]

Is he a reliable source, this guy? [It’d be good to have a good source of information from before all of them got there. The more they have the better.

She doesn’t really blame Gabriel for being suspicious. Who knows what kind of people would end up in this place. While Ana is glad that the four (six, if she counted Angela and Mei) of them being here, it made her uneasy.] Do you think there’s a reason why we’re all here? Any theories?

So far he seems to be,works at the sheriff's office and has no reason to lie. He's got his own suspicions about this place as well. [So it wouldn't hurt to have him as a source. He'd also been here for a bit longer, so hell.

More helpful than not.

Gabriel huffed out a bit of air.] Not much of anything, yet. Don't know enough about the others brought here. Can't tell if it's planned or coincidence that Jesse, Jack, me, and you seem to have found ourselves here in some short amount of time either.

A thought to hold on to, though.

Was he appointed by the locals?

[Not that it’s suspicious, but it would be good to have the locals behind someone who was in the same situation as them. Maybe she could get in touch with some of them, understand exactly if this was the one occurrence or if there’s historical records of something similar.

A sigh that isn’t entirely without humor. For one, she agrees, this place, and the fact that they’re all here, seems a mess. But on the other hand it’s good that she’s here to help protect them if push comes to shove.]

Guess it’s like Jack always says: no rest for the weary.

No, and no one in the sheriff's office was. There was no sheriff's office around here. They all decided this place needed it and assumed the positions. [Which in and of itself was a powder keg if something went wrong.

The few locals that existed would likely be the ones to pay whatever price, too. It didn't sit well with him, but hell he understood why it existed at all, too.]

Just the way it always seems to be.

[The explanation of who the "sheriff's office" actually is concerns her, and it's noticeable in the way her eyes focus forward, frown setting over her brow. She hopes that those who stepped up had at least some experience in doing that kind of supervision and not just making use of a gap in this location. Something to look into later.]

We will figure it out. [She tilts her head towards him. Optimistic? Maybe. A little unavoidable, with the three of them there.]

[At least he wasn't along in that feeling. Damn well wanted to look in to it further just... to be sure.

There was a chuckle, just under his breath, corner of his mouth twitching a bit.] Yeah, we always do.

Might have to see how we can expand the farm, if you want to stay with us. I'm sure the kid would enjoy you around. [A very open invitation even if it wasn't his own house.

Jack'd probably do the exact same.]

[Feeling the weight in her pocket of the key to a farm that Ana had yet to visit, there was a fleeting moment where a thought about how a waste of land and housing that would be. It leaves just as quickly as it arrives, however. While she doesn't know that Gabriel is inviting her to stay at a place that isn't technically his, was there anything actually of their own there?

Tiny, tiiiiny little smirk that works her eyes more than her lips.]

The kid, hm? [There seems to be a wide variety of farms from what she could tell.] What kind of facilities do we have now, then?

[He had yet to even go see his own plot of land given to him, just accepted Jack's invitation without second thought. Was easy for quite a few reasons, on top of safety in numbers that he trusted.

Really hard to chase away that type of smile of his once it started, when there was no one else around. Peaceful once they reached the farm lands, honestly, walking along a road.]

Be a relief of just being stuck with Jack and me, I'm sure. [hummed faintly.] There's a barn, close to the woods. Got a mix of field and wilderness by the looks of it.

[Surprise for them all, Gabriel's plot of land was just next door and completely in that wilderness area.]

[That rare smile of his fills up her chest with a bittersweet feeling. It's then that she realizes that by the time she left the Gabriel Reyes in her time, she hadn't seen that quiet, somewhat fond curl of his lips in a while.

Then again, neither of them had been in a smiling mood. She didn't blame any of them for being sullen

Which is why she's pushing this moment just a little further. Said just a little teasingly:] You're right, you two are a handful.

[Why that sounds like a place that Jack would pick up, she has no idea. But it does. ] How many rooms? [She has a sleeping bag anyway.]

[A hand went over his heart in some miming of a far more physical than emotional wound, still walking. That chuckle just under his breath again.

Despite the fact he was keeping a guard up, there was just enough of him relaxed with a familiar face that he easily sunk back in to that rare and playful sort of state that only a rare few knew existed at all.] Jesse has suffered alone, clearly.

[Things were tough, they always were when it came to a group like Overwatch and Blackwatch... but things were still good. Some growing pains, but there were a few accomplishments under their belts.

Better times.]

Two floors, two bedrooms, bathroom. Standard sort of thing. Reason Jack's been remodeling; think we're all going to have to sit down and talk about arrangements again. [Then there was a low noise in his throat.] Don't let either of them try to suggest the loft of the barn, Jack was determined to sleep on the couch.

Thing's way too small for him to sleep on. [Sounded like that had been a Thing.]

[She replies with a chuckle of her own, smirk growing into a full fledged grin.] it's no wonder he sounded so happy to see me, then.

[ Listening closely to the description! Ana tilts her head. It does sound like it had been a thing between them. It seemed par of the course with the two of them, at least. ] Jack Morrison, being the stereotypical Boy Scout? I never heard such a thing.

[There's fondness in this saying, though. She always appreciated that Jack has tried to do the right thing, but she understands how it can be frustrating.] Sounds like you were already butting heads.

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