Vladimir "Volodya" Grachyov Posted August 5, 2020 Author Share Posted August 5, 2020 @Morrigan Voloyda nodded with a tired sigh and followed Joe into the tent. "Alright, Mr. Sousa I brought her in." Voloyda said, sitting down in the chair next to Joseph's bed. "I consider that a miracle in and of itself, personally..." Voloyda muttered before getting back to business. "So, the carnival. You mentioned that last time we spoke and my commander is rather interested in it" Voloyda explained then gestured to Joe. "...with her present are you willing to tell us a bit more?" Voloyda asked, grabbing the pen and paper pad that had been left on a table since the day before. ---------------- "Come on, Katya. We're home...." Grischa muttered, helping Katya out of the rail cart. She was still silent, still fuming over everything that had happened. For once Grischa decided to keep his mouth shut as much as possible unless it was to give some brief support, for once the old man's teasing had stopped, and part of him was somewhat angered that all that took was for Misha to take his usual stupidity and recklessness and this time make it all the much worse. So many years wasted trying to make friends with that fatass! Grischa thought, Belikov was useful, making friends with the law enforcement usually was, and now all that time of working in Polis and it's little sphere of influence was wasted due to that little shit. It was getting late, and almost everything else other than the bar was beginning to close down at Serpukhovskaya, they made their way to the platform and began to head for Misha's tent, just as Misha rounded one of the stations pillars...with another stalker, Adam. "Why aren't you at home, boy?" Grischa almost yelled, stopping Misha in his tracks for a brief moment. "I...was talking to Adam." Misha began. "And what a great conversation we had, didn't we Misha?" Adam asked sternly to which Misha nodded, looking over his shoulder with a slightly annoyed look at the stalker, missing Katya walking up to him in silence, surprising him when he turned his head back around. Ok, now or neve- "You fucking asshole!" Katya shouted after delivering a quick smack across Misha's face, catching him and everyone else off guard. Pain shot throughout his cheek and into his face and nose, causing it to pulse and throb, each time more and more painfully. Ok....I had that coming...Misha thought, rubbing his cheek. "You stupid, stupid asshole!" Katya continued while everyone else stared in silence. "We...God damn it Misha I was close, literally right down a-a fucking tunnel from my dream! What I've wanted for years, Misha!" She continued, and Misha for once in his life decided to keep silent, too afraid to say anything that could lead to pissing her off further. "Grischa lost a fucking connection--We're hated by the rangers--all because you couldn't stop poking the fucking bear, you colossal fucking idiot!" She said, as she Misha tried to step forward seeing another hit coming, taking her shoulders but she slapped him once more before he could. "No! No--None of that's gonna work...you fucking idiot!" She shouted again, and Misha began to dread where this could lead, anxiety began to take a hold of him and he just wanted to run off into the tunnel, or to the surface, to slink away and die. "You could've been killed you idiot!" She said, continuing with her yelling. "All because of that dumb bitch--You could've been killed!" She shouted once more, tears of anger, resentment and fear soon forming as Misha tried to take another step towards her, hugging her tightly before should could slap him again. She tried her best to slap him again but resorted to a weird head-butt against his chest as she spoke. Not as painful as the slap but still not pleasant. "You are so stupid sometimes!" She continued. "You nearly die on the surface, now you're picking fights with rangers!...and ruining what I want for all of us..." She said, the last part turning into a sob filled murmur. "I know..." Misha began--and it was genuine, he knew he fucked up; he knew that even before Adam began to drill it into his head, but it seemingly wasn't enough for Katya who once more tried to push him away. "You don't fucking know that you idiot!--You don't think, you just do, you're no different than that bear at Polis! You're idiots, violent, horrible, selfish idiots!" She shouted once more, this time almost screaming it out and all Misha could do was force the pain down and keep silent, ignoring the staring of the others. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Josephine Sousa Posted August 6, 2020 Share Posted August 6, 2020 The Joe's stared at each for what would feel like an eternity as Joseph gauged Josephine's resistence to being there. He had heard the whispered conversation outside and in a way he regretted even coming home. Instead of speaking in Russian he spoke in Spanish to his daughter first. "Lo siento mija Yo no me fui. Nunca me iría Lo juro por la vida de mi madre," he started with. "Qué bueno que la abuela está muerta, ¿eh? No puedo ver qué padre tan terrible resultaste ser." "Incluso para ti eso es cruel. Prometo que todo lo que he pensado en los últimos diez años ha sido volver a casa. Que me perdonarías." "Fucking talk old man. I don't give a shit about your apology. I'm here so I can get out of hot water because you showed up in the shittiest part of my life. Worse then when you left me for dead." "Mija," he attempted. "Fuck you papi," she said to him. The man went silent as he considered his options. @AnOriginalAccountNam Translations though I doubt Voldya can understand: I'm sorry mija. I didn't leave. I would never leave. I swear on my mother's life. Good thing grandma is dead huh? Can't see what a terrible dad you turned out to be. Even for you that's cruel. I promise all I have thought about the last ten years has been coming home to you. That you'd forgive me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vladimir "Volodya" Grachyov Posted August 7, 2020 Author Share Posted August 7, 2020 (edited) @Morrigan (OOC: Thanks for the translations. Yeah, he probably wouldn't know it. I've never been good with Spanish IRL either.) "If I may..." Voloyda began. "I...think it'd be best...for now anyway, Mr. Sousa, to just tell us." Voloyda explained. "If she's willing to listen later, I'll bring her back." Voloyda added to Joseph. ----- The rest of the stalkers had returned home a while ago, mostly in silence, Grischa had made some comment but Misha was too tired and hurt to care much what that old bastard thought. Katya was the first one to head off to bed, turning her back to Misha after a few moments of silence, seemingly too tired to continue her lecture. For now at least. Now Misha sat there in silence, staring at the tent's ceiling. What the fuck's even happening anymore? He wondered. Ever since his escape from the dead city a while back, life had been getting crazier and crazier. More violent and painful. Edited August 7, 2020 by AnOriginalAccountNam made a clearification Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joseph Sousa Posted August 7, 2020 Share Posted August 7, 2020 "Its a place beyond the Moscow. On the surface. Its run by a redheaded woman and her family. Its just like a carnival in the traditional sense. Bearded woman, fish woman, magicians. Only problem is they take you up on debts and I owed one, even though I didn't realize it, when they saved me from death. I barely escaped to come back here." @AnOriginalAccountNam Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vladimir "Volodya" Grachyov Posted August 7, 2020 Author Share Posted August 7, 2020 @Morrigan For a moment Voloyda thought either he had misheard, or that Joseph had misspoke and waited for the old man to say that the carnival was somewhere in the metro or partially near the surface but that didn't happen. Is he wasting our time?--Is he crazy? Voloyda wondered and looked back at Joe briefly turning back to Joseph. "There is nothing beyond Moscow, Mr. Sousa." Voloyda said sternly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joseph Sousa Posted August 7, 2020 Share Posted August 7, 2020 Joseph chuckled. "I knew there would be skeptics but that's not true. Outside of Moscow there are many civilizations. I only know because they all come to the carnival," he advised. "The forest children, the bug people... everyone comes to trade," he advised the man. "I'm actually surprised we never went out to look before your ranger friends passed through," he admitted. @AnOriginalAccountNam Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vladimir "Volodya" Grachyov Posted August 7, 2020 Author Share Posted August 7, 2020 @Morrigan Voloyda was even more shocked now. This man clearly believed he was telling the truth, even if it was insane. The people of the Moscow metro knew they were probably all that was left out there. Why wouldn't they be? The Moscow metro was the worlds biggest bomb shelter, deep underground, stations were given airlocks and water pumps and so much more, each station was essentially an overly ornate bunker. With the exception of the totally silent St. Petersburg and Novosibirsk, cities they hadn't heard from since the early days after the apocalypse, no one else had these accommodations; at least no one nearby. Could others have existed on some far flung corner of the globe, Voloyda wondered; it could be possible, theoretically, but it'd be a stretch with all the radiation, mutants and God only knows what else out there. Rangers passing through? He thought. What could he mean? No one, especially no Ranger had ever left Moscow, except for a very brief scouting mission in the early days, and even then they only went to the very edge of the city's suburbs. For a moment, Voloyda remembered the Colonel...no one really knew what happened to him, or his squad, or his daughter and her husband Artyom. Some rumors circulated a while back that they all ran off into the sunset together, looking for a new home, but that was just bullshit, wishful thinking...wasn't it? "...What do you mean when our ranger friends passed through, Mr. Sousa?" Voloyda asked. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joseph Sousa Posted August 7, 2020 Share Posted August 7, 2020 “I don’t remember their names. Not sure I even heard them but they had come from a train. They were looking for supplies,” he advised. “That’s around when I finished my plan for my escape. I think one was named Marty... like from back to the future,” he advised. @AnOriginalAccountNam Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vladimir "Volodya" Grachyov Posted August 7, 2020 Author Share Posted August 7, 2020 @Morrigan Voloyda scoffed after a moment. "Funny..." He muttered then messed with the button on his pen. "So...what, should I tell my commander that you came from the surface, some circus with forest and bug people and a time traveler? Did the train also fly? Was there a crazy professor as well?" Voloyda asked sternly then looked at Joe, seeing if she believed any of this insanity herself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joseph Sousa Posted August 7, 2020 Share Posted August 7, 2020 “How did Miller and Artyom get there?” Joe asked. She was standing to the side with her arms crossed. The man looked to his daughter. “Was that their names?” He asked. ”Just answer the question.” ”A train. Everyone knows how to get there that lives outside. This place is falling apart. We should go too as long as we don’t stop there.” @AnOriginalAccountNam Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vladimir "Volodya" Grachyov Posted August 7, 2020 Author Share Posted August 7, 2020 @Morrigan Voloyda looked at Joe wide eyed before turning back to Joseph. "Go?" He asked. "...Out there?--I don't think it's that simple, even if I choose to believe in your shit, Joseph." Voloyda continued then sighed, leaning back in his chair. "I think the radiation rotted his brain...what do you think, Joe?" Voloyda asked, still thinking all of this over. There's no way...none at all He thought. No way the colonel ran off and left us all here; especially not to head east of all places! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joseph Sousa Posted August 7, 2020 Share Posted August 7, 2020 “He’s telling the truth,” she said. “His tell is when he taps his finger on his tattoo on his left arm,” she advised the other officer. ”What do you owe those people?” ”My life. They saved it so they think they own it,” he explained. @AnOriginalAccountNam Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vladimir "Volodya" Grachyov Posted August 7, 2020 Author Share Posted August 7, 2020 @Morrigan She's actually believing him? Voloyda wondered, shocked she could believe something like this...but she would know if he was telling the truth? Wouldn't she? Part of him was already considering the thought of leaving, this didn't seem possible, it seemed like either Joseph was crazy or would rather make up some outlandish story then tell the truth about himself...Yet Joe seems to believe him, at least on this.... Well...we're here, might as well keep the investigation going. He thought...at least she was talking to him, even if he was crazy and lying at least he got something like this, something that seemed impossible, done--and who knows maybe it'd do her some good but he highly doubted it. Voloyda quickly made some notes, thinking back to everything Joseph had mentioned before. "...Assuming this is all real, who owns this 'circus'? you mentioned a red haired woman?--Who is she? What's she like?" Voloyda asked. "Why'd these circus people 'save you' as they claim they did anyway?" Voloyda followed up a moment later, finishing with the brief notes and looking back at Joseph Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joseph Sousa Posted August 8, 2020 Share Posted August 8, 2020 "I don't know much about them. They kept labor separate from everyone else and they were very private in their affairs but they are called the Nemes clan. That's really all I know," he advised. "Its not that I didn't try though. It was just impossible." @AnOriginalAccountNam Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vladimir "Volodya" Grachyov Posted August 9, 2020 Author Share Posted August 9, 2020 @Morrigan Voloyda nodded and quickly finished his notes. "Then we're done I guess..." He said. "Or I am at least." He added then looked at Joe. "You wanna leave?" He asked, thinking there was no way she'd want anything else. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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