(-(-(Hunters of the Eternal Night)-)-) (NEED NONHUMANS)

[Jason_Grey]

Maria smiled. "Yup. Raised in some monestary down south of 'ere." She chuckled. "Very far south. Where are ya from?"

'Nice guy,' she thought, grinning slightly to herself, Nice to meet a man who doesn't expect every girl he runs into to be like my mother Her smiled dimmed a little. 'No, don't think about her, don't think about that woman.  

[Milquetoast82]

"Monastic eh? Not my thing. Gave that stuff up after SeHoW." He said with a sigh. He grabbed his cup and tossed it to the bartender before standing. "Well, I've gotta go reclaim my truck from the damn guards' took it. Was nice talkin' to ya." With that he walked to the door, on the way giving the gir- ah Maria a friendly punch to the shoulder. "See ya in another life mebbe." He said quietly before exiting the bar.  

[Jason_Grey]

Maria stared at his retreating back. 'What did he mean by that' she thought.

She sighed and gently touched the shoulder he had punched. A dreamy smile wafted across her face before she realised what she was doing and snapped out of it.

"God, I need help," she said softly to herself, and took a swig of her drink.

'I wonder if I'll ever see him again...'  

[Jason_Grey]

After she finished her drink, Maria left the bar. She was grinning from ear to ear from the juice that she'd been given; Maybe it was achoholic after all. Ah, well, right now all she wanted to do was to go home and get some-

"Oi, Maria!"

She stopped dead in her tracks. What was that? It sounded like...

"Madam Bellatrix? Is that you?" she asked, turning to the alley next to her.

Out of the darkness of the alley stepped a prostitute. She had long black hair, and tired brown eyes from years of abuse from men. She didn't look tired at the moment though; In fact she looked alert and very frightened.

"Maria, you have to get out of Oretown." she said.

"What? Why? I haven't learned everything for Mr. Calibab yet!"

Bellatrix frowned. "Yes, you have," she hissed, "He's taught you everthing he knows. The next lesson you go to will be the art of pleasing a man." Her voice turned despreate. "Maria, he's going to turn you into one of us."

Maria felt cold water run threw her veins. "W- what?"

"It happens to every girl who learns under him that doesn't turn to it immediatly. He says you haven't paid for things you've never agreed to, and then forces you into The Buisness under threat of death." THe prostitute looked at her with pained eyes. "Please, Maria, leave as soon as you can. You can take the truck you've been working on; the guy who owned it is dead anyway." There were tears in her eyes. "Please. Go"

Maria felt sick, and so hurt she could hardly bear it. "I- I will. I promise."  

[Milquetoast82]

Jayne was standing over his truck outside the gates of town, cursing like a sailor with tourettes syndrome. The bastards took half his gorram engine block! If they didn't have him out-gunned, he'd kill 'em... He needed a repair. ********, he needed a new vehicle. So long's it has a trailer hitch, he'd be fine... Didn't have the money though...

At least they hadn't taken the box...  

[Jason_Grey]

"Everything's ready," Maria said to herself, "Now I just haveta go." She was staring at her backpack that was filled with all her tools and a few shirts. She only had one pair of overalls, so that wasn't in there.

She didn't want to go really. This place, as much as she didn't want to admit it, had become home to her, and to leave so quickly... But she valued her freedom, and her honor more than someplace to call home, and if she had to protect them by leaving, well, so be it.

Nodding her head, she picked up the back pack and ran out the door.

After several minutes of running, she finally reached the gates to the town. By that time, tears were streaming down her face, and blurring her vision. She took one last look at Oretown.

"Goodbye, my home," she whispered, and ran through the gate-

And straight into someone.  

[Milquetoast82]

"Oi! Watch where yer goin' ya gorram idiot!" He said angrily as he regained his balance. Then he noticed who it was. That girl from the bar. What was her name again... Ah, Maria. "Where the hell d'ya think yer goin' without a car? Hell someone yer age'll get kilt in a second out there. And judgin' from the clankin' of yer bag, ya don't even have any food or water..." he said, most of the anger gone from his voice. Most of it.  

[Jason_Grey]

Maria's eyes welled with fresh tears at the sound of the man's -what was his name? Jayne, yeah, Jayne- voice. Stumbling to her feet, she lunged st him, attatching herself to his waist, and began to sob afresh.

"Oh, God, I'm sorry I ran into you, but I haveta get out of town-one of the pro-prostit- one of my whore friends told me that- I haveta leave, and fast!" She sniffed. "Mr. Calibab is gonna try ta make me into a whore if I don't leave now."  

[Milquetoast82]

It took a lot of restraint not to follow his survival instinct and flip her over his shoulders, using the impact of her fall to snap her neck. He had been outside too long. Instead he simply stared blankly down at her. "So yer boss's gonna turn ya into a whore? Well. I can certainly understand your motivation. 'Doesn't make your lack of preparation any more forgivable." He said, though his voice wasn't angry at all now. He pulled her off his waist without too much force. "I think we might be able te work out a deal here. I need my vehicle repaired, either that 'r get a new one all together, and you need someone who knows how ta survive out there for more than a few days. So hows about you repair my truck an' I'll deal with the problem of havin' someone else along with me? Deal?"  

[Jason_Grey]

Eyes wide, Maria nodded. "Deal."

Straightening up, she closed her eyes. When she opened them, the green was steely, and stubborn. She walked over to the truck and smiled. "Nice truck. You've kept 'er in good condition." She patted the side of the truck fondly, and took a look at the engine-

Or where it used to be, at least. She hissed.

"I don't think I hava engine that'll fit in here." Holding up a hand to forestall the cursing that was bound to come, she said, "But I do hava new truck, all nice and new. Or, at least," she chuckled, "As new as they can get. Even has an optional towing rig on it. D'ya want it?"  

[Milquetoast82]

He cursed under his breath. He loved that truck... He'd had it nearly since SeHoW... Ah well, not every day you got offered a free vehicle. And God knows he needed one...

"Alright. What'd be the askin' price fer this thing?" He asked, patting the side of his truck.  

[Jason_Grey]

Maria thought over the question for a while, then said, "Most pimps would sell you their best prosititues for a truck in this condition. And many travelers would give all their limbs, plus the right side of their brain, lung, and kidney for it. But I'd say a truck like this is worth enough s**t to pay for an entire new town." She grinned, "And I ain't exagerratin' either."  

[Milquetoast82]

Jayne whistled. "Damn, no wonder so many pirates were after me..." He said quietly. "Ah well. I'll sell 'er then..." He sighed and his eyes grew distant. "She was a good girl... Never once died on me... But she's done fer now... Damn scrappers..." He said quietly, and though no tears formed, it was obvious that a part of him was being ripped out.

"Ye'd know better n' me who'd wan' it..."  

[Jason_Grey]

Maria watched Jayne sadly. Telling someone that their truck or car was no longer good was the hardest part of her job. Travelers got so attached to them that it was hard to let them go.

She thought over his question, and bit her lip. "I can think of only one person who'd want this baby, at least in this town." She shuddered. "James Calibab."  

[Milquetoast82]

Jayne closed his eyes and leaned his head against the side of the truck. But to her surprise, he was smiling. "Well now... I think it's about time you made a sale..." he said quietly.