Post by Alex Vipond on Aug 29, 2015 20:58:01 GMT -8
T C Beckwith [1:55 P.M.]: TC was chopping wood when the phone rang. Burying the axe into the stump, he slipped his phonefrom his hip pocket and checked the screen. It wasn't a number be recognized, but he had been expecting a call after his talk with Alex, and as he answered, he moved to the porch to pick up his water. "Hello?"
Wile E Ki Yo Tea [1:58 P.M.]: "Hello Mr Beckwith? This is Ki.. umm it's a full moon tonight, and well Im pretty damn twitchy, was wondering if there was any chance I could run with you tonight? Just to be around another wolff and stuff, little protection .. just in case?" -d-
T C Beckwith [2:01 P.M.]: TC took a sip of his water, and then set the bottle back down on the porch. "Sure, where are you? I can come pick you up. Might be best since my place is a good ways out."
Wile E Ki Yo Tea [2:02 P.M.]: " Im at Uncle Alex's ... eh.. umm, Girlfriends house?.. Aunt Adrienne. I'm living here now. Need the address? " -d-
T C Beckwith [2:05 P.M.]: "Yeah, give me a sec," TC stepped into the house and moved toward the kitchen, rummaging through a drawer until he found a pen and he pulled an envelope from the stack of mail he'd picked up in town. Flipping it over, he clicked on the pen. "Alright, let me have it."
Wile E Ki Yo Tea [2:06 P.M.]: "Okay its four, six, two, two, forty sixth avenue S. " He waited a moment before asking. " Get that? It's a blue house, with a garage. " -d-
T C Beckwith [2:08 P.M.]: "Got it." TC clicked the pen off and tossed it on the counter, the envelope he ripped the back off of and tucked it into his shirt pocket. "I'll be there shortly." And he hung up, grabbed his keys and headed for the Jeep.
Wile E Ki Yo Tea [2:10 P.M.]: He hung up and looked around the place, walking over to make sure everything was in his pack that he needed.. then went through the house shutting and locking everything and turning off the lights, but leaving the porch and back light on. He then went and sat down, waiting on TC.. his feet tap, tap, taping against the floor nervously. -d-
T C Beckwith [2:26 P.M.]: It took a couple of hours, but TC rolled up to the house at the address given and stepped out of the Willys. The top was up due to the rain but the thing was wide open so it didn't leave much to warmth. Stepping up to the front door, TC gave a knock as he looked around the place.
Wile E Ki Yo Tea [2:27 P.M.]: And that door came open quickly and there stood Ki.. He had on a hoodie, long sleeved t-shirt, jeans, with a pair of hiking boots. His pack was slung over his back, and over it all he wore a hooded rain poncho. " Hi Mr. Beckwith, how are you today?" -d-
T C Beckwith [2:31 P.M.]: "TC, Mr. Beckwith was my old man and well that's a story for another day." He hooked his thumb toward the Jeep, that like his bike, had been meticulously restored. "Toss your pack in; let's get rolling. We got a two hour drive ahead of us."
Wile E Ki Yo Tea [2:32 P.M.]: "Yes sir.” He nodded and locked up putting the key in his pack, then jogged over to the jeep tossed his pack in the back and got in. " Nice day today isn't it sir?" What can he say, he grew up in the desert.. he liked the rain. -d-
T C Beckwith [2:36 P.M.]: "That it is." TC didn't mind rain. Hell he didn't mind snow unless it was balls deep. Backing out of the drive, TC whipped the Jeep around and headed back the way they'd come. "You hungry? Might be an idea to stop and get something to eat on the way."
Wile E Ki Yo Tea [2:38 P.M.]: He just got though eating about a side of ribs, but he glanced over at TC.. “Sure.” He grinned. “What are you thinking food wise?” -d-
T C Beckwith [2:45 P.M.]: "Anything that don't eat me first, and I'll take that if she's cute enough." TC smirked. "There's a place called Jack's that has the best barbecue this side of Texas." And that was all it took, just mentioning Jack's, and TC was headed that way.
Wile E Ki Yo Tea [2:46 P.M.]: “Don’t mention Texas. " He glared down the road for a moment but then that moment passed. " So are you off the grid at your place or .. how big a place is it? " -d-
T C Beckwith [2:50 P.M.]: "Off grid and big enough. Nearest town is Peshastin and that's what my address reads, but it's all dirt road to get there and it's all mountain range." And he was the only one for a good ways.
Wile E Ki Yo Tea [2:54 P.M.]: " So someone better have a jeep or a four by four or they were going to have a bit of a time finding you huh?" He grinned, and looked back out at the rain. " I don't know, don't mind being alone, but I like people, and listening to people.. and being around people. I was always one of those kinda kids that just wished there could be a family reunion, I would give anything to hear about uncle murry getting into a fight with aunt silvia and then everyones in an up roar! " He grinned. " he glanced over at TC again. " How about you? got any family, or a wife and kids or anything?" -d-
T C Beckwith [3:00 P.M.]: "No family, no kids. Never was close to my old man. " And TC left it at that as they pulled into the lot at Jack's. Killing the engine, TC left it in gear to keep her from rolling and then stepped out. Unlatching the hood, he propped it up, popped the distributor cap and pulled the rotor. Dropping that into his pocket, he dropped the hood again and re-latched it before he started for the door. "Come on, kid, there's barbecue waiting."
Wile E Ki Yo Tea [3:02 P.M.]: Ki watched all this and then followed TC.. " Ah no key. " and he followed along... yeah his nose was already going as they neared the place... " there is a god. " He stated as they stepped inside. " and he likes to eat meat. " -d-
T C Beckwith [3:08 P.M.]: "No alarm." TC smiled at the hostess as they stepped in, as she asked if it was just the two of them, TC nodded. "That's it, just us." Following her, he watched her; then glanced at Ki and gave him a nudge of his elbow and a tip of his head the woman's way. Hey, if you see something worth biting in the ass, you had to point it out.
Wile E Ki Yo Tea [3:10 P.M.]: He glanced over at the waitress, then back at TC.. " What?.. you know her? " He followed along, but his attention was less on the woman and what was on the plates of patrons.. " Ooh that looks droolable. " -d-
T C Beckwith [3:19 P.M.]: TC chuckled and shook his head, and once they reached the table, he took up the menu even though he was pretty sure he knew what he wanted already. "Well have the chips and salsa and I'll have the brisket and make it double, with the potato salad and ranch beans, hold the veggies and double the bread, and a draft beer, Blue Moon if you got it."
Wile E Ki Yo Tea [3:22 P.M.]: He looked at the menu... " Yeah I will have that... and a half rack of ribs, a sloppy jack, a bowl of the chili, mac and cheese, and then banana pudding after? " He looked up at the waitress and smiled. " And a Dr Pepper please?" -d-
T C Beckwith [3:47 P.M.]: TC smirked and added, "And a glass of water." Because face it, eating was thirsty work. Once she'd left he looked at Ki. "You know if you eat more often, people tend to not look at you like you'd lost your mind when ordering."
Wile E Ki Yo Tea [3:50 P.M.]: " I ate right before we left..... " He just grunted. " My temp is a constant one oh three, and I just burn though calories by sittin. Should see me around this girl I know name Sarah.. I try and keep with the small meals and what not... that.. is hard work. She’s a normal person and well.. " he shrugged. " So, guess you come here a lot?" -d-
T C Beckwith [3:52 P.M.]: "As often as I can." He nodded. "Things will slow down for you after a while, your temperature will mellow out a bit. You'll still run hot, but most likely somewhere between 99 and 101. Once you stop growing, the need to constantly eat will taper off as well."
Wile E Ki Yo Tea [3:55 P.M.]: " you mean I am going to get taller?" that perked him up.. -d-
T C Beckwith [3:59 P.M.]: "You're only seventeen Ki. You probably got another two inches in there somewhere." Their drinks were brought out and TC smiled at the girl, and then looked back at Ki. "You'll likely fill out some more as well. So tell me about your girl, Sarah."
Wile E Ki Yo Tea [4:05 P.M.]: "Oh she's nice, blonde hair blue eyes, sixteen, she's from Hawaii, she loves to surf, her dads in the military, and tomorrow negotiations start at Sunday Dinner with aunt Adrienne and uncle Alex's to see if Sarah is going to be able to come with us to the Bahamas. So, I get to meet her dad tomorrow.. so glad we will be on the downward slope of this moon thing. " He took a sniff, as the waitress left, then glanced at TC.. " I smell a hint of brute there buddy boy.. don't think you got the chance. " He grinned and picked up his soda to sip from. -d-
T C Beckwith [4:08 P.M.]: "You'd be surprised." TC smirked. "The attached ones, the ones who have some asshole at home that doesn't know what color her eyes are, let alone how she thinks and feels... They tend to not mind a little casual attention."
Wile E Ki Yo Tea [4:10 P.M.]: He smirked. " Yeah but with casual .. attention, comes you getting to go on your way and them having to deal with the ... guy at home. " He pulled a straw out of the wrapped and stuck it in his glass. " People are odd. " -d-
T C Beckwith [4:12 P.M.]: "Sometimes that's what they need. The 'security' of the bird in hand, and the attention of the one that flies off." TC shrugged. "I'm not the settling down type, and I let everyone I show an interest to know. I've tried to settle down. More than once. Never ends well."
Wile E Ki Yo Tea [4:13 P.M.]: " What usually causes the rift?. " He was sitting there with the tip of the straw between his teeth letting the other end bob up and down. -d-
T C Beckwith [4:16 P.M.]: "Me." TC shrugged. "Just not wired that way. A woman starts getting close and I start making tracks." Waking up in a cold sweat because a woman is sleeping on your arm tends to kill the mood, too.
Wile E Ki Yo Tea [4:18 P.M.]: "Oh so you have kinda a paranoia toward relationships? Is it because you are afraid you might hurt them in some way down the road? So best get while the getting is good and you can both split on okay terms?" -d-
T C Beckwith [4:24 P.M.]: "There is that. I know myself enough to know that I can't commit and that any woman that starts looking to me as husband material is best off looking elsewhere." And about that time, their orrder arrived and it took three people to bring it.
Wile E Ki Yo Tea [4:39 P.M.]: "Guess it's like a separation of church and state huh? Family is who you love, pack is who you depend on? " He was already over half way through that rack of ribs when TC started on his brisket.. He wiped his moouth and took a bite of chili, then after swallowing looked back up at TC. " Is there any way to resist the moon?" He asked in a very quiet voice. -d-
T C Beckwith [4:44 P.M.]: "Some can." He shook his head. "But they're older than fuck, and generally it comes with a price." Like hooking up with a vampire. "Some can change on an off moon too, but that as well comes with a price. Do it often enough and the wolf takes over. Who you are, who you were meant to be, ceases to exist. You've heard the term mad as a rabid cur dog?" TC paused and added, "And as far as the differences between pack and family, one you're born into, the other you choose. Other than that, they pretty much serve the same purpose."
Wile E Ki Yo Tea [4:48 P.M.]: " Yeah I am still having problems with me controling the wolf and not the other way around from time to time. " Chili gone, on to the brisket. " Do we have to be... " He glanced around then shook his head. " Nevermind, I will just wait on a few questions till we are at your place. " And back to devouring .. -d-
T C Beckwith [4:53 P.M.]: Nodding, TC understood all too well the sensitive nature of being thrust into this. For him, high school had been a bitch to say the least. The strength and power that surged through him didn't help when his father's tirades came at him, full force. He wanted to smash, rip, and tear into the man... Control was something hard learned.
Wile E Ki Yo Tea [4:59 P.M.]: He leaned back after finishing off what had been brought and waited on the banana pudding.. " So other than being the recluse hermit of the hills, what do you do sir? " -d-
T C Beckwith [5:04 P.M.]: "You know those bears and shit carved by way of chainsaw that you see at the roadside stands and arts shows?" TC regarded him. Yes, some of those pieces sold at the Native American wide spot in the road places were his handiwork. "Keeps me busy."
Wile E Ki Yo Tea [5:09 P.M.]: "Oh really? I knew a guy down in Vegas that sold that stuff at the swap meet every weekend, some of the big stuff went for a pretty penny.. " he nodded and when the banana pudding was brought he dug into it. " I may be needing a new carrier track here soon, my current job is switching to fall schedule , and is laying off a bunch of us, and I am one of the bunch of us.. Though I may have something lined up. " -d-
T C Beckwith [5:13 P.M.]: "Let me know if it doesn't pan out. I could use a hand around the shop and come winter, I could use some help plowing the roads." Because that snow didn't move itself you know. TC finished up his food, and used the last of his bread to wipe up the meat, potato salad and bean juices left over. It was one step away from licking the plate, which he refrained from doing.
Wile E Ki Yo Tea [5:14 P.M.]: He nodded and smiled.. " Really? Thanks.. " He leaned back and patted his stomach... then looked around... " This isn't too bad a place. Maybe I will bring Sarah here sometime. " -d-
T C Beckwith [5:25 P.M.]: "You should." He nodded. "Sometimes they have live music." TC sipped what was left of his beer. "You ever run a snow plow?" TC was pretty much the one that kept the roads clear in winter. He got paid in trade by others in the area, and during the time he'd been doing it he'd gotten everything from fresh elk, to a mint condition Bob Dylan album. Vinyl, that is.
Wile E Ki Yo Tea [5:27 P.M.]: " A snow plow.. no... I am just now learning to drive a stick shift.... but it sounds cool. " -d-
T C Beckwith [5:31 P.M.]: "Well we'll get you up to speed when the time comes." TC nodded and when the check arrived, he flipped it over, did the math and then reached into his pocket; sorted through his cash and laid a tip on the table. Rising, check in hand, he headed for the register.
Wile E Ki Yo Tea [5:33 P.M.]: He sat there a moment, made a little origami cranes out of the cash TC left, then got up and followed him, telling the lady at the register that the food was great, and he would be back. Then it was on outside, hoodie pulled back up over his head as he stood in the misting drizzle. Then he headed for the jeep to get in. -d-
T C Beckwith [5:40 P.M.]: TC paid the bill, and headed out with Ki, then popped the latches and lifted the hood. Removing the distributor cap, he put the rotor back into place, then buttoned her up once more, before sliding behind the wheel. Starting her up, they were back out on the road. "When I shift, it gets messy. Skin, hair, teeth... it all just sloughs away. I don't know what Mars taught you, if anything, but you don't leave that behind. It's a good way to have the cops looking for the rest of your body." TC looked him as he drove, to see if he got the drift.
Wile E Ki Yo Tea [5:45 P.M.]: He glanced over at TC a moment.. " I saw that with some of the others but mines a little different.. is that normal? Mars called me a hybrid?... He glanced around then back at TC. " Is it okay to show you here?... with the moon and stuff?.. I still kinda go all hemlock grove but.. " He reached up and scratched at his neck.. maybe there was something wrong with him.. Mars never said anything, other than hybrid... and didn't go into much.. Ki just thought it was another form of werewolf. -d-
T C Beckwith [5:48 P.M.]: "You want to avoid that if you can. Especially when you're not yet in control. Like shifting on the wrong moon, shifting to hybrid can become irreversible. You get lost in the beast and can't find your way back."
Wile E Ki Yo Tea [5:52 P.M.]: "I rather get lost in a wolf than in that hybrid thing... " He swallowed... and looked back down the road again.. " once I get a bit more flush with cash I am going to hire someone to try and find my real dad. " He just had to say that for some reason.. perhaps it was all the talk about mars, or changing and not really knowing what is going on... but he took in a breath.. " The others at paragon said there was rules I had to follow when dealing with others and the pack? Yet they never told me... " –d
T C Beckwith [5:57 P.M.]: "Fucking figures." TC shook his head. "Kind of like Fight Club kid, you don't talk about it. Outsiders aren't to be let into your circle of trust without being certain that they're not going to run their mouth. You don't shift in front of others; you don't shift on the wrong moon. If I or someone in the pack, which to be honest, there aren't that many of us, but if we tell you to do something, do it and ask questions later. There's not a one of us that will tell you to do something without there being good cause. If you have questions about what you're told to do, bring them to me or Sasha." He turned off the highway to head up the smaller, two lane black top that would eventually give way to dirt. "What brought you to Mars in the first place? What made you think he was your dad?"
Wile E Ki Yo Tea [6:03 P.M.]: He nodded, listning to TC. " Yes sir.. " Then after a moment of watching the rain.. " A photo, high school my mom said. and it was the only thing I had of hers around.. Took me over a year to find Mr Jones. And he seemed great right off didn't have any problems when I said I might be his kid.. Got DNA work done which came back positive, and he had one of his people make up papers and everything for me. Eli Ki Jones. That's my name now on anything offical.. but then right before Mr Jones died he got word by mail that the lab had made a mistake, and I wasn't his kid. " He shrugged.. " Didn't even tell me, my uncle Alex did. " He glanced over at TC. " Then came the chase through the woods. " He grinned a bit.. " Switched trains twice. " -d-
T C Beckwith [6:07 P.M.]: TC chuckled. "Yeah, you were all over the place like a pup looking for his favorite tree." Or all of the trees. In a forest of them. "Once you hopped the train, I called Alex. There was no way to track you. You could jump off anywhere, or ride it to the end of the line. At that point, we left it up to whatever powers that be that you'd be safe."
Wile E Ki Yo Tea [6:09 P.M.]: " Wanted to just let the wolf take me then.. no fuss no muss, the wolf didnt need a dad, and didn't mind being rejected. But stupid me was still in the wolfs brain and I still had control.. you can't run away from problems... " He glanced over at TC again.. " well .. unless the problem is a female trying to get you to put a ring on it... " He grinned. -d-
T C Beckwith [6:15 P.M.]: Chuckling, TC nodded. "Yeah, my advice, avoid those for as long as you can. Doesn't mean don't have fun, just means make sure you don't have any accidents that cause people and get you hustled up the aisle." As pavement gave way to dirt, TC glanced over at Ki. "So where did your mother live when she was... put in the family way?"
Wile E Ki Yo Tea [6:23 P.M.]: "Texas. Don't know where.. mom never talked about anything before I was born.. and she was already with Ted then. " he grabbed the side of his seat when they went on the dirt road. " only thing she had like I said was a photo and told me this was my real dad.. " he shrugged. " Guess even parents lie. " -d-
T C Beckwith [6:27 P.M.]: "Odd." TC shook his head. "Best way to find him is to find her. Back track through records and find her marriage certificate. That will have her maiden name on it, and then you can go from there to her birth records. Which will have the town in Texas." TC paused, and let out a breath. "And she may not have lied. She simply may not have known, for certain, and gave you the photo of the one she hoped was right."
Wile E Ki Yo Tea [6:30 P.M.]: "I just don't get it though.. I mean when Mars and I were together, everyone was going.. Oh yeah thats mars's kid alright.. black wolf, dads a black wolf, same traits and eating habits... It just hurt a lot you know TC? It was like being given someone ... family.. a real dad that seemed to care for me, and then it just went away, and no one would talk to me. " He glanced back out the window again. " If it wasn't for Alex and Adrienne... I would be long gone from here now.. Alex has almost kinda filled in the gap that mars left, and Adrienne.. oh like night and day with her an Lana... at least Adrienne wants me around, and I think she cares for me just as much as Uncle Alex does.. guess it's why I still call him uncle Alex.. cause he treats me like family. " -d-
T C Beckwith [6:36 P.M.]: "Coat color doesn't indicate paternity." He nodded as he went on to talk about Lana and Adrienne being night and day. "My mother always said, if you don't have anything nice about someone don’t say anything at all." he glanced at Ki. "I won't be saying anything about Lana." he smirked. "As for Alex, I've never met a man, let alone one of his kind, who has a more compassionate heart. Kid wears his heart on his sleeve." And yes, he called Alex a kid, not because of his age, but because he looked like a kid. "You could do a lot worse than to have him and his girl as family."
Wile E Ki Yo Tea [6:40 P.M.]: " And have. " Meaning done a lot worse. " Anyone ever tell you, you are kinda easy to talk to? " Oh hey they were off the main road. " Oh and what I wanted to ask you.. Healing... whats up with that?" Can we make it go faster or slower or anything?" -d-
T C Beckwith [6:48 P.M.]: Chuckling, he slowed for a sharp curve and then accelerated as they came out of it, and then he looked back at Ki. "Once or twice." He smirked and then nodded to the question. "We heal faster than humans, and if in a pack situation, where everyone is together to lend their own strength, that process can be speed up further."
Wile E Ki Yo Tea [6:49 P.M.]: "And we age slower?" -d-
T C Beckwith [6:53 P.M.]: "Yes, we do." TC nodded. "It doesn't mean we can't die. And there are things that will slow the process. Silver being amongst them. If you're shot with silver bullets, as long as the slug remains in you, the wound won't heal. It's not like with lead and your body can heal around it. And the shit burns. If you've ever been hit by an angry father with a double load of rock salt, you'll know what I mean."
Wile E Ki Yo Tea [6:55 P.M.]: " I have been shot with silver before.. I know the feel... " and that was all he said about that for the moment... as they continued. He glanced over at TC though... " Your dad was hard on you too huh?" -d-
T C Beckwith [6:59 P.M.]: "He was a fucking prick." TC slowed as they came into the yard, and he continued past to the barn, pulling in and shutting the engine down. There were two snow plows, a Rhino, the trailer that he towed behind the Willys when picking up supplies, and TC's '48 pan head also tucked within the structure. In the ensuing silence, TC continued. "He beat my mother. Until I got old enough to start stepping in, standing up to him. Up until then, my mother had done her best to shield me from him and his abuse." TC looked over at him, "And then one night, the shit hit the fan but good. He backhanded my mother, she fell, hit her head on the table and was dead before she hit the floor." TC started back out and started rolling the door down, using the chain fall. "I killed him, and left Texas. Haven't been back since."
Wile E Ki Yo Tea [7:02 P.M.]: He glanced over at TC as he got out of the jeep, grabbing his pack as he did... " you and I have a lot in common... " And that was all he would say about that for the time being.. He turned around and looked the place over. " This place is huge! And it's just you here?" He went walking towards the house. " You sure you are not like a wolf version of tony stark or something?" -d-
T C Beckwith [7:12 P.M.]: Chuckling, TC shook his head. "I don't have a head for technology." There was a dog on the porch, a mutt of unknown origin that had just showed up on his porch one day and TC had taken to feeding the dog. The dog looked like a mottled combination of caramel and cream, and had whiskey colored eyes, which was what TC had taken to calling him, Whiskey. There were also a few cats roaming the property, ferals which TC fed and sheltered to keep the mice down. Stepping up on the porch, TC stopped to scruff Whiskey's ears, and then he straightened. "This is Ki. He's gonna be running tonight." As if the dog understood it and the way the dog looked from TC to Ki, one would have to wonder if the dog did in fact understand every word. Tail wagging, Whiskey approached Ki and started sniffing his feet and working his way up as if he had to check him out and make sure he was okay. Once the inspection was done, his head lifted and cocked to the side and he dropped to his ass there in front of Ki, looking at him expectantly.
Wile E Ki Yo Tea [7:18 P.M.]: He grinned at the dog and crouched down to his level to scratch at his ears. " Whiskey huh . Nice to meet you whiskey. " A glance up at TC. " Always did like animals, though I am more partial to cats. Odd me being a wolf and all. " And then back to scratching Whiskey. " Had a kitten when I was little but it ran away. Ted said I left my window open and it jumped out.. though I don't remember leaving my window open, and there wasn't that big a hole in the screen. " He shrugged then stood up giving whiskey a few pats to the side. " So where do I put my stuff?" -d-
T C Beckwith [7:22 P.M.]: "Through here..." TC led Ki off to one of the spare room, and made a sweeping gesture. "Pick one." he headed back the other way. "Make yourself at home, I'm gonna throw some steaks on." It wasn't good to run on an empty stomach and TC did his best not to do so, ever. The shift took a lot out of you, and the aftermath the next day made him feel like he'd partied too hard the night before.