Outside the Freedom Arms | Saturday Morning

[no-i-in-york.livejournal.com]

Life worked in weird ways. In no way did York know how he got from being a super soldier to a small time burglar to the owner of a gun store but here he was. He stood outside the Freedom Arms with a lone suitcase by his side, looking up at the joint.

"What do you think, D?" he asked.

A miniature armored AI appeared by York's shoulder. "I do not detect any danger so far but we have not yet entered the building."

York sighed. "I just meant in general but, sure, thanks for the update."

[So York is officially on the island and the Freedom Arms will open up sometime next week! Feel free to say hi and you can refer to this info post if you'd like more info on him and his AI Delta beforehand. Also please join my amusement at a Freelancer owning the Gulch again]

Comments

[worstofalltime.livejournal.com]

Well, hopefully York was expecting company on his first day. Highly paranoid company with guns. And paranoia.

Did we mention paranoid?

Wash checked the perimeter of the shop before selecting the best entry point (the front door) before sneaking in with rifle ready.

"York?" he asked, voice going up high and almost screechy at the end.

[no-i-in-york.livejournal.com]

"Wash?" Yes, York said that even as he was raising his pistol. Because he wasn't going to be the unarmed one here even if he highly doubted Wash would shoot. It was how he'd greet any Freelancer he saw, really.

"That's Wash, right?" York mumbled to Delta.

"It does look like Agent Washington," Delta agreed. "Though it is entirely possible someone has killed him and taken his armor."

[worstofalltime.livejournal.com]

"Yes, it's me." No need to get snippy, Wash.

[no-i-in-york.livejournal.com]

"Well it's been awhile." He wasn't going to put the gun down until you did, Wash.

[worstofalltime.livejournal.com]

Most awkward reunion ever.

"What are you doing here?"

[no-i-in-york.livejournal.com]

"Making a living?" Or attempting to, rather.

[worstofalltime.livejournal.com]

"Here." Feel his disbelief.

[no-i-in-york.livejournal.com]

"Why not here?"

Delta decided to chime in. "It is unlikely that Agent Washington and yourself would meet at the same island by chance."

But that was exactly what happened.

[worstofalltime.livejournal.com]

"Thank you, Delta." For looking at this logically.

Even if he had his issues with... things.

"So, I'll ask again. What are you doing here? I thought you left Project Freelancer."

[no-i-in-york.livejournal.com]

"I did," he said. "And I heard that you didn't."

Which was why everything was awkward right now.

[worstofalltime.livejournal.com]

Hey now, he got left there. Which, again, super awkward.

Wash stared at him for a moment longer before slowly lowering his rifle. "And I haven't seen you."

If asked.

[no-i-in-york.livejournal.com]

"Good," he said, lowering his pistol. "I would have hated to shoot you."

[worstofalltime.livejournal.com]

"Because I never told you bad knock knock jokes." That was a valid reason.

[no-i-in-york.livejournal.com]

"Correct," he said with a nod. "What are you even doing here, Wash? Doesn't seem like a place the Director would want to stake out."

[worstofalltime.livejournal.com]

"No, it doesn't," Wash replied. "But here I am."

[no-i-in-york.livejournal.com]

"Doing what exactly?"

[worstofalltime.livejournal.com]

"Teaching."

RIGHT?

[no-i-in-york.livejournal.com]

"You're shitting me." One couldn't see the look on York's face right now but you could imagine it was pretty dubious.

[worstofalltime.livejournal.com]

Oh, Wash could imagine it. "Found out when I got sent here. They signed me up for teamwork and tactics."

Think about that.

[no-i-in-york.livejournal.com]

...

"Seriously?" York said.

Even Delta was looking at Wash like he was nuts. Through the helmet, yes.

[worstofalltime.livejournal.com]

"Seriously."

Wash was really glad someone got the insanity of this.

[no-i-in-york.livejournal.com]

"Ooooh-kay then," he said slowly. "That's a thing then, I guess."

A very weird thing.

"I guess there's worse things you could be doing." Like killing all their friends and taking their AIs.

[worstofalltime.livejournal.com]

Aww. Awww. Maine made them sad.

"Well, we didn't all have have a chance to run off when things happened."

Not that he was bitter or anything.

[no-i-in-york.livejournal.com]

York offered a shrug in reply. "You know Tex. She's not the most trusting person in the world."

He couldn't help that he was personable and that Wash was an awkward turtle.

[worstofalltime.livejournal.com]

Hey! Wash was perfectly social.

With his weaponry now.

Shut up.

"Understatement," Wash replied. "She's not with you, is she?"

[no-i-in-york.livejournal.com]

"Haven't seen her since the break in." Though he knew that she was alive after the soul crushing experience of trying to search for Carolina.

[worstofalltime.livejournal.com]

Wash looked down slightly at that, knowing immediately where thoughts might have wandered. Carolina and York had been...

Yeah. They're almost been something.

"Did you at least accomplish your goal?"

[no-i-in-york.livejournal.com]

"No," he answered. "But it doesn't really matter anymore."

He was content with just living out his life as quietly as possible now.

[worstofalltime.livejournal.com]

"It doesn't?" Wash really begged to disagree. Not that he was allowing those feelings to filter into his tone.

This is what happens when you are perfectly sane and have nothing at all wrong with you. Nothing.

[no-i-in-york.livejournal.com]

"Not to me," York said, ignoring Delta's protests in his head. "I got out of the Freelancer Project; I'm lucky I got that much."

[worstofalltime.livejournal.com]

"With your armor and your AI." He was doing pretty well compared to the others! "Try to keep it that way."

And not die, Wash meant in a completely jacked up way.

[no-i-in-york.livejournal.com]

"I'll do my best," he said. "I own an arms shop now so at least I'll be well armed if somebody tries to mess with me."

[worstofalltime.livejournal.com]

"...you own a business."

And there was the incredulous tone the old Wash was so good at.

[no-i-in-york.livejournal.com]

"Uh yeah," he said, gesturing around to the building. "I wasn't just standing in here for fun."

[worstofalltime.livejournal.com]

Debatable.

"You picked the wrong place for that," Wash informed him. "Trust me."

[no-i-in-york.livejournal.com]

"Well that's vague and foreboding."

[worstofalltime.livejournal.com]

It was his thing now!

"You're not going to believe me until it happens to you." Because it was weird. "But last weekend I woke up as a woman."

He was setting himself up for a joke, wasn't he?

[no-i-in-york.livejournal.com]

"That's brave of you to admit," York said. "I'll support whatever makes you happy."

[worstofalltime.livejournal.com]

Wash sighed because yes. Yes, he had set that one up.

"It's so good to have you back, York."

[no-i-in-york.livejournal.com]

"It's nice to see you alive, Wash." Even if York hated Wash's boss.

[worstofalltime.livejournal.com]

It was okay. So did Wash.

Maybe eventually he'd share these things instead of playing everything insanely close to his chest in a fit of paranoia.

"Enjoy the town."

Cryptic.