[irisheathen]

Johnny was reveling in the beauty and simplicity of nature but the thoughts of why he was here kept him on the outside of true enjoyment. He decided to ask some questions be damned if anyone could hear. "So am I actually following Samantha Delavine around in the woods naked? I know we are supposed to be quite right now but I think figuring out whats going on is pretty important. I mean I don't even know smooth talkers name. "

[Thvor]

Smooth talker? Guess he means me. Since the wildlife didn't seem bothered by their presence at all, Sam decided that talking probably wouldn't make that much of a difference, despite the mage's warning. Looking back over his shoulder, he smiled at Johnny. Keeping his voice low he said, "Sorry, guess I got a bit distracted by all of the...excitement. Name's Sam Torley, but let's just stick with Torley to avoid confusion with this talented young lady."

"I have to confess, I'm a bit out of my element out here. Not quite as bad as Fionn here, apparently, but...well, I'm a people person. Give me the energy of the city any day over this," he suppressed a shudder, "this wilderness. There's no pulse here, you know? Everything's just, well, wild. Uncoordinated. People aren't like that. They live in a rhythm. Get enough of them together, and life becomes a dance. This? Out here, it's just dead."

[irisheathen]

" To say there is no rhythm here just means you need to listen harder Torley. This forest is wild but it dances to a unseen harmony." Johnny smiled. " Sorry I was raised a Taoist, I get a little deep sometimes. Johnny's face clouded for a brief moment before he continued quietly " What are we doing here though? I cant remember anything after getting out of the shower yesterday, I think it was yesterday anyway. And why us? What do we have in common if anything? I hate puzzles. Johnny's face showed exactly how he felt, confused.

[Thvor]

Sam shrugged. "Never had much use for religion or philosophy; those always seem to be designed to give people who aren't happy with their lives a reason to continue on with things as they are, rather than doing what you have to to get what you want. But if it makes you feel better to say there's some mysterious harmony out here, fine...but I just don't feel it."

"As for what we're all doing out here...That's something I've got ideas on. I know how people are, how they move. Someone managed to grab all eight of us, using magic, drugs, or something to make sure we wouldn't remember, and brought us out here. Stripped us of everything, too--even my contact lenses. That sort of thoroughness isn't easy, or cheap; you wouldn't do it to a random group of people. So whoever did this to us has a fair amount of power and money, and knew who they wanted. Maybe a politician or the mafia; definitely not a normal gang. Personally, I'm guessing one of the big corps."

Stepping over a protruding tree root, he continued. "And look at us: two mages, a techno, some fighters, me...that's a Running team. A big one. Whoever did this is planning something major, and they've picked us for it. At first, I thought they might be testing us to find a smaller group...you know, "best of the best" sort of thing. But there aren't doubles for everyone. Fionn's the only techno, for instance. So that's not it. Whatever we're in for, we're supposed to be in it together."

"Why we're out in the middle of frakking nowhere, though, beats the hell out of me. Either the job's out here, and we're supposed to figure it out as we go--hell of a way to avoid negotiating payment, if you ask me--or we're being tested to make sure we're up to whatever it is we're ultimately supposed to be doing."

A thought occurs to Sam, almost causing him to stop in his tracks. "And if we're being tested, then we're being watched. Hey, Fionn, if there were a drone tracking us, would you be able to find it?"

[Gorean]

Glancing at his group, Heron notices the japanese man's animated tattoos.

Way cool tattoos chummer!

A chummer of mine get some oh those nano-tats.
Wanted to get "Just did you yo Mamma" across his forehead as a joke. But when he tried the joke out at a bar turned out the ork had never known his mama and kept pestering him for details. Sad, was just sad.
Heron shakes his head at the memory.

So why static, eh?

What do you do anyways?

[Novocrane]

Eyebrow raised at the sudden enthusiasm, Ikari mentally reset the image load order to an animated phoenix and dragon flying around the symbol of the Kenran kai, with a set of ire zumi half sleeves.

"If anyone else you know wants them, don't let it be wireless or neurally enabled," he replied with a forced smile.

"Mostly back office work, data appropriation, sokaiya arrangements, personnel translation ... and community services. What do you do?"

[irisheathen]

Johnny grinned broadly "Doing what you have to get what you want is a philosophy Torley. Johnny thought for a moment before continuing, his brows knitting together in thought and worry. "I can only hope this is a elaborate beginning to a interview but ... I worry it could be a longer test. The possibilities are endless, and almost all are dangerous."

[HydroRaven]

Clem looked at Ikari's tattoo. She recognized the Kenran Kai symbol, but thought it odd how a made member would have a nano tattoo. "They're mostly chromed goons there anyways" she thought to herself. Just to be sure, she said to him "Unless you're affiliated with them, I'm not sure they would appreciate you wearing their colours casually like that." in Japanese.

[Novocrane]

Ikari nodded as Clem offered her perspective on the matter before replying, "Better you wave flies away from your own head, before you reach for mine."

It looked to be a long walk to whatever dubious shelter lay ahead of them.

[farothel]

Sammy had walked mostly in silence, looking around to the various locations and animals.  She couldn't tell what most of them were, especially the birds, although she did recognise a deer.  Also her feet started hurting, as she wasn't used to walking bare feet in the forest, at least not for this long.  Luckily at least the air was fresh here, without all the pollutants that normally forced her to wear a respirator.

[HydroRaven]

"You don't need to be so defensive, omae. I'm just giving you a friendly piece of advice." answered Clem in Japanese. "You're traveling with a bunch of strangers, stranded in the middle of nowhere and with nothing on you. I know you Kenran guys like to make a strong statement, but do you think it's wise to flash your affiliations so openly, especially given the fact that you can choose to keep them secret? Just imagine if someone had something against the Kenran Kai. Do you really want to start a fight with someone in the middle of nowhere, in these conditions? Imagine it was more than one person who had a score to settle. Far from civilisation, are you confident someone else here is going to risk their skins in order to save a made man?" Clem talked to Ikari like she was talking to a new recruit. Her tone wasn't condescending, but more disappointed.

[Necrogigas]

I'm stuck in the woods with no clothes, no guns, no food, and no Zen. Damn, I could use a hit of Zen right about now. Fuck my life, can shit get any worse? Wait, no! God, Karma, Whatever...I don't want an answer to that. I'm sure you have more important things and people to attend to. Go ahead and ignore that question. While pleading with The Powers That Be, O'Connor heard Clem and...Icarus was it?...stop speaking in English. He was really getting sick of people switching to foreign languages, now it was Japanese or something, "God dammit, if you're gonna have yourselves a private conversation, walk off and have it." But it was he who walked away from the group. They'd come to a stream and he needed to wash off the monster dog's blood, it was starting to congeal.

[Crossbow]

Okay, the whole ‘nature is a wonderful thing’ bit?  You are so over that.  It might be nice if had some proper clothes, or boots.  But being bare-assed to the world it seems like every step you take something is either trying to take off a piece of you or come along for the ride.  Some tunes would be nice too, and a chance to check your messages.

It took twice as long to get to this stream as you figured it would, what with all the gawking and jabbering, plus none of you are really being able to keep a good pace between injuries and terrain.  Getting water and being able to clean up a bit helped, but now what?  No way will you make that cabin at the current rate, even if it is where you think it is.

Speaking of things being where you think they are, is the other group even with you anymore?

[Novocrane]

"You waste your breath on words, when action would better serve." Ikari replied, in English.

After passing ankle-deep through the cold waters of the stream, he pushed on in the expected direction of the lodge.

[irisheathen]

Johnny sighed "What it was, What it is, What it will be." Johnny looked over his shoulder then around the others to the woods in front of them. " So I don't think we're gonna hit the lodge today unless we pick up the pace... when should we check in with the other group or can you tell where they are Ms. Delavine?"