Chapter 10: Riot
They began to see green grass and dirt again. Trees and plants were starting to grow, and they reached some hills. They climbed over, climbed down and over again. All of this took effort, and no one spoke until they saw lights and wood buildings.
"We've made it to town," Jana said, as the sun seemed to lower. "Come."
The group was happy to meet a habited place. The ground was still of yellow dirt, and the buildings were all lined up, looking a bit like a town out of an old western movie. They heard chatter coming from the lighted buildings and people walked the streets. They wore cloaks and robes and long skirts of monotonous colors, and some spoke in a fast paced language that no one in the group understood.
"In here," Jana said opening a creaking wood door that said 'LODGING' on it.
"Is this- on the route still?" Matilda asked.
"Yes. The route is to pass through this town so we can go anywhere, as long as we don't stray away from the town." Jana went to the main desk. Harry looked around. The place had a warm brown tone, with a fireplace and comfortable seating. Pictures hung of the walls; they were of plants and landscapes from many different places. Some people sat and engaged in the unfamiliar native language.
The woman smiled behind the desk. "Ecumé."
Jana shook her head.
"O?" The woman's said. "Bienvenido!"
Jana shook her head again.
"Bienvenue?"
"English, Pat, English!" Jan said impatiently. "The second language here, it's used as often as your own."
"Apologies," Pat said. "I had a couple come in and it took me seven tries." When she spoke the vouls, she dragged it long.
"Perhaps you should ask them the language and not make yourself guess all the time." Jana said. "Three rooms, next to each other." Jana slipped an envelope to Pat.
Pat opened it and read the parchment inside. Buffy bent to see what it read but all she noticed was the name 'Scruass' before Pat folded it and slipped away. She handed Jana five keys. "2 each for two rooms and one key for your room."
"Gracias," Jana said and they both smiled. "Come group." She didn't take them far down the hall. "Room six for the girls, seven for the boys. Here, Buffy and Matilda can each have a key. Now, you boys have to decide who should have these two."
"I lose things," Jesse backed away.
"What if I need to morph?" Jake said. "You two can have a key each," He said to Harry and Jack. Jana handed the keys over.
"I didn't think you lads would let me." Jack said, as they put it in their pockets.
"Now- it is not to dark yet. You can explore the town, for maybe half an hour but then I want you back here, wash up, practice a little and sleep. You have another long day ahead of you. You have a box to get tomorrow." Jana smiled, and gave them some money each. "This town- it's got bad people in it. You see some wrongdoing, feel free to practice your fighting skills. I'll check to make sure you are all in on time. G'night."
"Night." The group chorused and Jana went into her room. Buffy opened the door. "Ah. A real bed."
The two beds were not luxurious, but beds still. There was one window, a desk, and a night table. There was also a small bathroom in the corner, not too pleasant either.
"I'm just glad to sleep on a bed," Matilda said and lay on her bed. She could tell that it had been slept on many, many times.
Buffy sat on the edge of her bed, moved, and she could hear the springs. Both the girls smiled and went outside the room after minutes of rest. The boys were already out.
"Hey, you guys want to explore the town?" Jesse asked.
"Duh," Matilda said, and for some reason felt weird saying it.
"We thought you might be tired." Jake said.
"We've rested enough," Buffy said.
"Mm. Well- lets find a murderous mob and fight!" Jack said.
"We aren't supposed to go looking for trouble Jack." Matilda said.
"I know," Jack said, running his hand against his sword. "Lets go then."
The group walked away and out of 'LODGING.' They looked at the town, close to darkness. They walked together, passing by people. Jesse accidentally bumped into someone, and the person dropped the container he was holding. "Sor-" When the man looked up at him, Jesse saw that he was not completely man. His mouth was closed, but his bottom lip was so small that it made his lips look triangular. The man's nose was pointed, he had a symbol tattooed onto his left cheek, and his ear was square like. The man's chin even ended in a point.
"O wrio." The man said and walked on.
The rest of the group raised their eyebrows. "Lets- uh- go in here," Jesse said blinking and opened the nearest door. Inside it was loud and full of people, they were playing games with cards and balls, drinking at what looked like a bar, and live music played.
"Great. We're in a club." Buffy said. "C'mon guys lets-"
Jack was already walking around the place and to the bar. Jake and Buffy followed him. "Jack c'mon-"
"Yeah, I would like a bottle of Rum." Jack said.
"Jack!" Buffy said. She noticed that the man behind the counter looked exactly like the man Jesse had bumped into. In fact, everyone had pointed features and tattoos on their faces or arms. "Your underage."
"This man didn't ask anything," Jack said. Buffy grabbed Jack by his shirt and dragged him off the seat with her slayer strength. When she released him, he lost balance and bumped into a waiter with a tray of drinks in small glasses. This man fell and his drinks spilled right on a table where a man with two women each at his arm was playing cards. The cards were wet, and some coins fell of the table.
"Ani!" The man yelled at the waiter who spilled the drinks. The man began to speak English, only to give a flood of swear words. The waiter had no time to speak. A second man, who was at a nearby table, started to pick up the coins and placing it in his pockets.
"What are you doing?" The man yelled. He then turned around sharply. "Those are mine!"
The second man's eyes held shock, and he did not look away, but he kept picking up the coins, as fast as his fat hands could move.
"Stop it," The man said firmly as his woman stepped away. "Stop it. STOP IT!" He took out what looked like a gun- sized crossbow. The second man back away and knocked over two tables. Jake and Buffy watched as more people became angry and started taking out their weapons. The place broke into a riot.
"Yeah!" Jack yelled, and smiled. "Look what you caused me to do, Buffy." He was laughing but then the waiter who he had spilled everything took out a tube and he blew into it, and hard, small balls came out and towards him. "Whoa!" Jack yelled and took out his sword.
A girl started attacking Buffy for no reason. Buffy jabbed her and punched her in the nose that she fell to the ground before Jake. "What are we going to do?"
Jake watched Matilda moving things with her eyes, to stop men from attacking Jesse and Harry yelled something out at a man and he became rigid. Then, being near the door, they exited quickly.
"We have to leave," Jake said. "But Jack-"
Jack was using his sword and fighting two waiters at once. It was sloppy, but the waiters weren't doing any better.
"He can't kill anyone-" Buffy said when the woman stood and started attack. "Would- you- stop- it!" Buffy yelled, ducking out of the way, punching and then kicking the girl to the ground. Buffy then grabbed a broken chair leg and smacked it against the back of her head. She laid there, eyes closed.
"Buffy!" Jake said.
"I knocked her unconscious," Buffy said. "C'mon." Buffy went to Jack's aid by grabbing a waiter and throwing him across the room. "Sorry!" Buffy yelled after.
Jake looked around, and kicked the unconscious girl under the table so people wouldn't trip on her and pushed a man out of the way. The man, not going very far, lunged at Jake and they fell to the ground.
"What are you doing?" Jack said angrily, wiping sweat off his forehead.
Buffy replied, "Saving your-"
"Ahh!" Jake yelled in pain and Buffy and Jack looked to see that the man that had been fighting Jake had stabbed him at his left abdomen.
"Jake!" Buffy yelled. The man who had stabbed Jake threw him, pushed him against the bar counter, and Jake toppled over. Buffy ran to Jake and Jack gave the man a smack in the middle of his face.
"My nose-"
"It wasn't that pretty anyways," Jack said and with another punch the man fell to the ground. Jack went to Buffy and Jake. "He okay?"
"You care?" Buffy said, checking his pulse.
"Well, he's an important person to our group- we have a box to get tomorrow." Jack said. A man came flying in and hit the shelves of glasses, nearly missing Jack.
"He's breathing, but unconscious," Buffy took Jake and put him over her shoulder. "We have to get out. Now."
"But we were having some fun." Jack said, breathlessly.
"I can carry you on my other shoulder." Buffy warned.
"Oh, Fine, C'mon." Jack led the way out, pushing people out of the way. They made it outside. "It's getting dark. The others-"
"Can you go find them? They shouldn't have gone far," Buffy said. "I'm going to take Jake to the rooms. Tell them what happened."
"If you think that's best," Jack said and was off in an instant. Buffy walked the distance, into the building and to their rooms. Buffy fished for her key, found it and unlocked the door. Quickly she lay Jake on the bed and went into the bathroom where they had left the first aid. Buffy went to him, lifted his shirt and looked at the wound. It was deep, but the slash was about 2 inches in diameter. Buffy pressed a towel against the wound and talked to Jake. "Jake. Wakeup. Jake." Buffy finished with a bandage wrapped around his abdomen. That was when he began to stir, and awaken.
"Jake! Are you ok?" Buffy asked.
Jake looked down at his wound. "What did you do?" He said weakly. Buffy only opened her mouth but Jake started to morph. Buffy backed away and Jake became a tiger. Then, he morphed back into a human, and ripped off the bandage. "All healed."
Buffy scoffed. "Well- a waste of my time-"
"Thank you, anyways." Jake sat up, and pushed his shirt back down. "You didn't know. It's fine. Hope I didn't worry you-"
"Who said I was worried?" Buffy said. "I knew you were going to heal."
Jake smiled. "So- what happened. I- I don't remember."
Buffy sat next to him. "A guy stabbed you, and you got knocked out I brought you here and Jack went to find the others." Buffy shifted. "I hope- you can avoid being stabbed, we kind of need you tomorrow." Jake nodded, and they sat silently. Buffy looked at him "So- you just morph and your healed."
"Yes," Jake lifted his shirt. "Nothing."
Buffy, put her hand on where the wound was. "Nothing," she whispered, feeling around.
"Okay that's getting weird," Jake put his shirt down. Buffy smiled and Jake returned it. Then they looked at each other in silence.
"Sorry," Buffy said gently. "Its just- I thought I was a quick healer." Jake didn't reply. He began to notice how close he was to her. He shifted closer a little and Buffy did the same.
Matilda and the group came into the room and stopped at the scene. Buffy and Jake backed away from each other, and Buffy moved slightly away on the bouncy, springy bed. "We were just-"
"Doesn't matter," Jack said, when Harry, Jesse and Matilda couldn't speak. "Group meeting. Now."
******************
They began to see green grass and dirt again. Trees and plants were starting to grow, and they reached some hills. They climbed over, climbed down and over again. All of this took effort, and no one spoke until they saw lights and wood buildings.
"We've made it to town," Jana said, as the sun seemed to lower. "Come."
The group was happy to meet a habited place. The ground was still of yellow dirt, and the buildings were all lined up, looking a bit like a town out of an old western movie. They heard chatter coming from the lighted buildings and people walked the streets. They wore cloaks and robes and long skirts of monotonous colors, and some spoke in a fast paced language that no one in the group understood.
"In here," Jana said opening a creaking wood door that said 'LODGING' on it.
"Is this- on the route still?" Matilda asked.
"Yes. The route is to pass through this town so we can go anywhere, as long as we don't stray away from the town." Jana went to the main desk. Harry looked around. The place had a warm brown tone, with a fireplace and comfortable seating. Pictures hung of the walls; they were of plants and landscapes from many different places. Some people sat and engaged in the unfamiliar native language.
The woman smiled behind the desk. "Ecumé."
Jana shook her head.
"O?" The woman's said. "Bienvenido!"
Jana shook her head again.
"Bienvenue?"
"English, Pat, English!" Jan said impatiently. "The second language here, it's used as often as your own."
"Apologies," Pat said. "I had a couple come in and it took me seven tries." When she spoke the vouls, she dragged it long.
"Perhaps you should ask them the language and not make yourself guess all the time." Jana said. "Three rooms, next to each other." Jana slipped an envelope to Pat.
Pat opened it and read the parchment inside. Buffy bent to see what it read but all she noticed was the name 'Scruass' before Pat folded it and slipped away. She handed Jana five keys. "2 each for two rooms and one key for your room."
"Gracias," Jana said and they both smiled. "Come group." She didn't take them far down the hall. "Room six for the girls, seven for the boys. Here, Buffy and Matilda can each have a key. Now, you boys have to decide who should have these two."
"I lose things," Jesse backed away.
"What if I need to morph?" Jake said. "You two can have a key each," He said to Harry and Jack. Jana handed the keys over.
"I didn't think you lads would let me." Jack said, as they put it in their pockets.
"Now- it is not to dark yet. You can explore the town, for maybe half an hour but then I want you back here, wash up, practice a little and sleep. You have another long day ahead of you. You have a box to get tomorrow." Jana smiled, and gave them some money each. "This town- it's got bad people in it. You see some wrongdoing, feel free to practice your fighting skills. I'll check to make sure you are all in on time. G'night."
"Night." The group chorused and Jana went into her room. Buffy opened the door. "Ah. A real bed."
The two beds were not luxurious, but beds still. There was one window, a desk, and a night table. There was also a small bathroom in the corner, not too pleasant either.
"I'm just glad to sleep on a bed," Matilda said and lay on her bed. She could tell that it had been slept on many, many times.
Buffy sat on the edge of her bed, moved, and she could hear the springs. Both the girls smiled and went outside the room after minutes of rest. The boys were already out.
"Hey, you guys want to explore the town?" Jesse asked.
"Duh," Matilda said, and for some reason felt weird saying it.
"We thought you might be tired." Jake said.
"We've rested enough," Buffy said.
"Mm. Well- lets find a murderous mob and fight!" Jack said.
"We aren't supposed to go looking for trouble Jack." Matilda said.
"I know," Jack said, running his hand against his sword. "Lets go then."
The group walked away and out of 'LODGING.' They looked at the town, close to darkness. They walked together, passing by people. Jesse accidentally bumped into someone, and the person dropped the container he was holding. "Sor-" When the man looked up at him, Jesse saw that he was not completely man. His mouth was closed, but his bottom lip was so small that it made his lips look triangular. The man's nose was pointed, he had a symbol tattooed onto his left cheek, and his ear was square like. The man's chin even ended in a point.
"O wrio." The man said and walked on.
The rest of the group raised their eyebrows. "Lets- uh- go in here," Jesse said blinking and opened the nearest door. Inside it was loud and full of people, they were playing games with cards and balls, drinking at what looked like a bar, and live music played.
"Great. We're in a club." Buffy said. "C'mon guys lets-"
Jack was already walking around the place and to the bar. Jake and Buffy followed him. "Jack c'mon-"
"Yeah, I would like a bottle of Rum." Jack said.
"Jack!" Buffy said. She noticed that the man behind the counter looked exactly like the man Jesse had bumped into. In fact, everyone had pointed features and tattoos on their faces or arms. "Your underage."
"This man didn't ask anything," Jack said. Buffy grabbed Jack by his shirt and dragged him off the seat with her slayer strength. When she released him, he lost balance and bumped into a waiter with a tray of drinks in small glasses. This man fell and his drinks spilled right on a table where a man with two women each at his arm was playing cards. The cards were wet, and some coins fell of the table.
"Ani!" The man yelled at the waiter who spilled the drinks. The man began to speak English, only to give a flood of swear words. The waiter had no time to speak. A second man, who was at a nearby table, started to pick up the coins and placing it in his pockets.
"What are you doing?" The man yelled. He then turned around sharply. "Those are mine!"
The second man's eyes held shock, and he did not look away, but he kept picking up the coins, as fast as his fat hands could move.
"Stop it," The man said firmly as his woman stepped away. "Stop it. STOP IT!" He took out what looked like a gun- sized crossbow. The second man back away and knocked over two tables. Jake and Buffy watched as more people became angry and started taking out their weapons. The place broke into a riot.
"Yeah!" Jack yelled, and smiled. "Look what you caused me to do, Buffy." He was laughing but then the waiter who he had spilled everything took out a tube and he blew into it, and hard, small balls came out and towards him. "Whoa!" Jack yelled and took out his sword.
A girl started attacking Buffy for no reason. Buffy jabbed her and punched her in the nose that she fell to the ground before Jake. "What are we going to do?"
Jake watched Matilda moving things with her eyes, to stop men from attacking Jesse and Harry yelled something out at a man and he became rigid. Then, being near the door, they exited quickly.
"We have to leave," Jake said. "But Jack-"
Jack was using his sword and fighting two waiters at once. It was sloppy, but the waiters weren't doing any better.
"He can't kill anyone-" Buffy said when the woman stood and started attack. "Would- you- stop- it!" Buffy yelled, ducking out of the way, punching and then kicking the girl to the ground. Buffy then grabbed a broken chair leg and smacked it against the back of her head. She laid there, eyes closed.
"Buffy!" Jake said.
"I knocked her unconscious," Buffy said. "C'mon." Buffy went to Jack's aid by grabbing a waiter and throwing him across the room. "Sorry!" Buffy yelled after.
Jake looked around, and kicked the unconscious girl under the table so people wouldn't trip on her and pushed a man out of the way. The man, not going very far, lunged at Jake and they fell to the ground.
"What are you doing?" Jack said angrily, wiping sweat off his forehead.
Buffy replied, "Saving your-"
"Ahh!" Jake yelled in pain and Buffy and Jack looked to see that the man that had been fighting Jake had stabbed him at his left abdomen.
"Jake!" Buffy yelled. The man who had stabbed Jake threw him, pushed him against the bar counter, and Jake toppled over. Buffy ran to Jake and Jack gave the man a smack in the middle of his face.
"My nose-"
"It wasn't that pretty anyways," Jack said and with another punch the man fell to the ground. Jack went to Buffy and Jake. "He okay?"
"You care?" Buffy said, checking his pulse.
"Well, he's an important person to our group- we have a box to get tomorrow." Jack said. A man came flying in and hit the shelves of glasses, nearly missing Jack.
"He's breathing, but unconscious," Buffy took Jake and put him over her shoulder. "We have to get out. Now."
"But we were having some fun." Jack said, breathlessly.
"I can carry you on my other shoulder." Buffy warned.
"Oh, Fine, C'mon." Jack led the way out, pushing people out of the way. They made it outside. "It's getting dark. The others-"
"Can you go find them? They shouldn't have gone far," Buffy said. "I'm going to take Jake to the rooms. Tell them what happened."
"If you think that's best," Jack said and was off in an instant. Buffy walked the distance, into the building and to their rooms. Buffy fished for her key, found it and unlocked the door. Quickly she lay Jake on the bed and went into the bathroom where they had left the first aid. Buffy went to him, lifted his shirt and looked at the wound. It was deep, but the slash was about 2 inches in diameter. Buffy pressed a towel against the wound and talked to Jake. "Jake. Wakeup. Jake." Buffy finished with a bandage wrapped around his abdomen. That was when he began to stir, and awaken.
"Jake! Are you ok?" Buffy asked.
Jake looked down at his wound. "What did you do?" He said weakly. Buffy only opened her mouth but Jake started to morph. Buffy backed away and Jake became a tiger. Then, he morphed back into a human, and ripped off the bandage. "All healed."
Buffy scoffed. "Well- a waste of my time-"
"Thank you, anyways." Jake sat up, and pushed his shirt back down. "You didn't know. It's fine. Hope I didn't worry you-"
"Who said I was worried?" Buffy said. "I knew you were going to heal."
Jake smiled. "So- what happened. I- I don't remember."
Buffy sat next to him. "A guy stabbed you, and you got knocked out I brought you here and Jack went to find the others." Buffy shifted. "I hope- you can avoid being stabbed, we kind of need you tomorrow." Jake nodded, and they sat silently. Buffy looked at him "So- you just morph and your healed."
"Yes," Jake lifted his shirt. "Nothing."
Buffy, put her hand on where the wound was. "Nothing," she whispered, feeling around.
"Okay that's getting weird," Jake put his shirt down. Buffy smiled and Jake returned it. Then they looked at each other in silence.
"Sorry," Buffy said gently. "Its just- I thought I was a quick healer." Jake didn't reply. He began to notice how close he was to her. He shifted closer a little and Buffy did the same.
Matilda and the group came into the room and stopped at the scene. Buffy and Jake backed away from each other, and Buffy moved slightly away on the bouncy, springy bed. "We were just-"
"Doesn't matter," Jack said, when Harry, Jesse and Matilda couldn't speak. "Group meeting. Now."
******************