Ivy and Chrome PbP Forums

Dane lifts his arm again, sharper this time, pointing hard toward the lumberyard until he’s sure his dad sees. “I’m going ahead,” he tells Meg, already pushing into the crowd in that direction. “Meet me at the obstacle course if you’d rather not chase him.” He moves as fast as he can to clear the crowd before settling into a purposeful jog.

"I'll meet you at the library!" She shouts as she tries to keep up with Dane, but he maneuvers through the crowd at such an unbelievable pace, not understanding that he's calculating all proximal movement to determine the best path as he tries to clear the main crowd.

His dad catches up quickly, "Alright son. Where is he?" asking as Dane leads them to the lumberyard. "I want you to leave once we find him. The man is very dangerous and I don't want anything bad to happen to you. Do you understand me?"

“I saw him heading toward the lumberyard,” Dane says quickly, already scanning ahead.

His thoughts are moving faster than his feet. “He covered his hands with something blue—trying to hide the cuffs. He’ll look for somewhere to break them off. He'll need tools and privacy. Then he’ll try to blend in and get out of town.” He hears himself starting to spiral into projection and forces a steady breath.

“Yeah, Dad. I’ll let you handle the dangerous part.” His voice softens just a fraction. “Just… be careful. I can’t lose you too.”

“I saw him heading toward the lumberyard,” Dane says quickly, already scanning ahead. His thoughts are moving faster than his feet. “He covered his hands with something blue—trying to hide the cuffs. He’ll look for somewhere to break them off. He'll need tools and privacy. Then he’ll try to blend in and get out of town.” He hears himself starting to spiral into projection and forces a steady breath. “Yeah, Dad. I’ll let you handle the dangerous part.” His voice softens just a fraction. “Just… be careful. I can’t lose you too.”

George briefly smirks, "I was thinking the same thing," as Sheriff Ericson catches up and gets updated by Dane's dad.

The trio are quickly joined by deputies Kickman, Suarez, Tokahashi and Chala. Upon reaching the lumberyard and stone mason, the deputies begin fanning out. Sheriff Ericson asks George to stay with Dane on the street. Before the deputies are able to enter the property, the old man, Dusty Sky, walks out of the lumberyard, hands covered in blood.

"Dane, stay here..." George states with grave seriousness, and walks over and joins the deputies. A few moments pass before Dane's dad walks back over; his face expressionless. "Okay, let's get back to the festival. You don't need to see this. They have it handled." Dane glances over to see Dusty explaining what happened, but can't hear what's being said. The sheriff and deputy Kickman nod and enter the lumberyard while Suarez and Chala cuff the potential obstacle winner and escort him towards the Justice Center.

Dane nods automatically when his dad tells him to stay, but his eyes remain locked on the bloody hands. The adrenaline that carried him here drains quickly, leaving his arms heavy… his thoughts suddenly louder than the world around him.

For a split second, the red is all he sees. Memories of a day long past turn over in his mind. His mother. Another festival. A gunshot. Red. Memories that, in another person, might lead to an emotional breakdown right where he stands.

His jaw tightens. He forces himself to look away. Forces order back into his thoughts. When his dad returns, face unreadable, Dane doesn’t argue. He just says quietly, “Okay.” He keeps his hands in his pockets so no one sees them shake as the last of the adrenaline leaves his system. He walks in silence for a few steps before adding, in a steadier voice, “I… I’m gonna go find Meg. She said she’d meet me at the library.”

Instead of turning toward the library, he takes a few more steps before stopping. “What happened?” he asks quietly. There’s a brief hesitation before he voices the question that’s truly on his mind. “Is he dead?”

Dane nods automatically when his dad tells him to stay, but his eyes remain locked on the bloody hands. The adrenaline that carried him here drains quickly, leaving his arms heavy… his thoughts suddenly louder than the world around him.

For a split second, the red is all he sees. Memories of a day long past turn over in his mind. His mother. Another festival. A gunshot. Red. Memories that, in another person, might lead to an emotional breakdown right where he stands. His jaw tightens. He forces himself to look away. Forces order back into his thoughts. When his dad returns, face unreadable, Dane doesn’t argue. He just says quietly, “Okay.” He keeps his hands in his pockets so no one sees them shake as the last of the adrenaline leaves his system. He walks in silence for a few steps before adding, in a steadier voice, “I… I’m gonna go find Meg. She said she’d meet me at the library.” Instead of turning toward the library, he takes a few more steps before stopping. “What happened?” he asks quietly.

George sighs as he sees that his son's no longer his genius little boy, "The guy we were chasing ran into the old hermit. What he was doing at the lumberyard, who knows?"

There’s a brief hesitation before Dane voices the question that’s truly on his mind. “Is he dead?”

"We're doing what we can to help the guy, but there was an altercation. Just know that everyone is safe again," he smiles towards the town librarian, "You go have fun with your cougar. I'll fill you in later. I promise. Don't talk to anyone about this. We don't want to cause a panic." George paternally regards Dane as he tries to show brave stoicism. "Don't let this ruin your day. I haven't seen you have so much fun in a long time."

Meg is already waving from the library steps, obviously curious as to what unfolded.

His voice steadies as a more familiar calm settles back in. “Well… I hope he lives. I just didn’t want him to hurt anybody. I didn’t mean for something bad to happen to him,” Dane replies. “And yeah, I won’t tell anyone. Except Meg—if that’s okay. She already knows everything but what just happened.”

He excuses himself, heading toward the library steps. The last of the tension eases when he sees Meg waiting there. The thought of him having a girlfriend brings a little of the smile back to his eyes. “Hey,” he says, leaning in to give her a hug before sitting on the steps.

“Remember the peddler—Dusty—the one we talked to earlier? He ended up in an altercation with the guy my dad was chasing before the deputies caught up.” He pauses, choosing his words carefully. “It didn’t go well for the guy. Dusty looked okay, though.”

His voice steadies as a more familiar calm settles back in. “Well… I hope he lives. I just didn’t want him to hurt anybody. I didn’t mean for something bad to happen to him,” Dane replies. “And yeah, I won’t tell anyone. Except Meg—if that’s okay. She already knows everything but what just happened.”

"Just make sure it doesn't go any further." George nods as he notices a mob heading towards the school, forcing their way in, "Good grief! What now?" and trots off to investigate the commotion.

He excuses himself, heading toward the library steps. The last of the tension eases when he sees Meg waiting there. The thought of him having a girlfriend brings a small smile back to his eyes. “Hey,” he says, leaning in to give her a hug before sitting on the steps. “Remember the peddler—Dusty—the one we talked to earlier? He ended up in an altercation with the guy my dad was chasing before the deputies caught up.” He pauses, choosing his words carefully. “It didn’t go well for the guy. Dusty looked okay, though.”

"Oh no! I hope nothing too bad happened." she replies as she releasing his hug, "So... I guess Vi and Teddy are fighting," she points towards the school. "Those two are going to cause everyone else to do so much damage to the school." She gives a slight laugh, "That would mean that the kids would have to come to the library to learn!"

Dane notices the deputies haul Dusty past the library. They've uncuffed him but it looks as though he's cooperating with them. For a brief moment, he looks up at Dane and Meg and gives a friendly nod. Meg stays silent as the they pass Lord Stein's mansion and into the Justice Center. Tokahashi and Kickman can be seen the other way up the street walking into the stables. The sheriff has yet to leave the lumberyard.

"Are you sure everything's okay?" Dane feels like Meg is peering into his soul.

“Me too,” Dane replies. “I just didn’t want the guy to hurt anyone. I didn’t mean for him to get hurt himself. I don’t really know how to feel about that.”

“Are you sure everything’s okay?”

Dane feels like Meg is peering into his soul. He nods, watching the deputies and Dusty’s retreating figures as he thinks about how quickly Meg has penetrated the shell he’s built around himself over the years—how to handle someone besides his dad seeing inside it.

“I’m alright,” he says at last, after his thoughts finish cycling. He exhales slowly and looks back at her, getting lost in her eyes. “What do you say we go have some fun and forget about it?” A small, uncertain smile tugs at his mouth. “I think I could use another one of those hugs first, though.”

There’s a note of hopeful innocence in his voice, almost like he’s asking permission—still unsure how this whole relationship thing is supposed to work.

Before they go, Dane puts the tablet and all of its peripherals into the satchel and, with Meg's help, locks it back in the safe for now.

“Me too,” Dane replies. “I just didn’t want the guy to hurt anyone. I didn’t mean for him to get hurt himself. I don’t really know how to feel about that.”

"Are you sure everything's okay?" Dane feels like Meg is peering into his soul. He nods, watching the deputies and Dusty’s retreating figures as he thinks about how quickly Meg has penetrated the shell he’s built around himself over the years—how to handle someone besides his dad seeing inside it.

“I’m alright,” he says at last, after his thoughts finish cycling. He exhales slowly and looks back at her, getting lost in her eyes. “What do you say we go have some fun and forget about it?” A small, uncertain smile tugs at his mouth. “I think I could use another one of those hugs first, though.” There’s a note of hopeful innocence in his voice, almost like he’s asking permission—still unsure how this whole relationship thing is supposed to work.

Meg looks deep into Dane's eyes, as if seeing him for the first time, then hugs him, "Of course!" She holds the hug long enough for Dane to feel her breathing. After she releases the hug, she deliberately rubs her nose against his, smiling.

Before they go, Dane puts the tablet and all of its peripherals into the satchel and, with Meg's help, locks it back in the safe for now. He also places the other loose articles that would get ruined by falling on the obstacle course, including his losing bet ticket on Midnight.

Oddly, he also pulls a picture, of over a dozen men and women standing proudly together, from his pocket. At the bottom of the picture, it's titled "Drive City Council - 59 P.A." Every single member of the picture has an "X" over their face in what looks like red ink. The only two of the people have no X on them. A young man with small metal knobs protruding from his head, like some odd cybernetic deformity. The other is a young man with boyishly long blonde hair and a pleasant smile. How did Dane end up with this picture?

The doors to the library open as a middle-aged man steps in and announces, "Sorry to intrude, Miss Hoffman," he starts as he sets down a metal cash box in front of Meg, "All books sold and here are the proceeds. I am now going to enjoy the festivities."

Meg stops him, "All of them? Wow that's a first! Oh wait," she hands him several credits, "Thank you for your help."

The man nods, quite handsome with his mop of hair and well trimmed mustache and beard, "Thank you! Much appreciated," smiles and walks back out, happily trotting down the library steps. Dane's seen him around, but not often. He lives quite a ways to the north, where it's dangerous, and rarely comes into town.

She turns back around, noticing Dane examining the picture, "What's that?"

“I’m not sure,” Dane replies, frowning as he examines both sides of the photo. “I just found it in my pocket. I don’t know where it came from. I don’t think it was there this morning.”

He glances back at the bottom edge. “Fifty-nine P.A. That must be the date.” He runs the numbers automatically. “It’s 103 P.A. now… so that makes this 44 years old.”

He looks up at Meg. “Have you ever heard of Drive City? It says Drive City Council on it. Most of the people are crossed out like they're dead or something, but there are a couple that haven't been crossed out. Who do you think they are?” He hands Meg the picture for her to examine.