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Post by Romano on Aug 19, 2010 20:38:00 GMT -5
The closer Romano got to the city the worse his mood got. The further on the he went there was less cover, and even worse, more people.
He stayed a little traveling parallel to.... what could have been called a road so that he could avoid most of them. The terrain was slightly rougher there but Romano was used to it. To take his mind off of what he was doing he began to sing softly.
"Frattelli d'Italia, I'Italia s'....."
He broke off abruptly, scowling. That song reminded him too much of the place he had left and the brother he had not found. He was so busy thinking he did not realize he had started to hum. Romano paused when he recognized the song but did not stop. It was not his fault the "Marcha Real" was so catchy.
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Israel
Slave
She's like those people who get abused and then go psycho.
Posts: 47
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Post by Israel on Aug 20, 2010 15:22:42 GMT -5
The caravan started speeding up as it rolled downhill, pressing Israel against the wall. In a matter of minutes she'd arrive at Dry Rose. Israel squinted her eyes at the, well, eyesore, and turned around to look at her passenger.
Austria was gone. Israel rolled her eyes.
"Oi vey. That shmuck actually wants to go down the valley by himself? Fine, let that shemndrik shlep down. Oi Gevalt if he stayed here, I may have put him in a kiln!" Israel chuckles to herself as feels Yiddish coming out of her.
Suddenly the gates of Dry Rose are near and Israel stops the mule.
(OOC: Pshaw, My babushka came by and I demanded she give me Yiddish words.)
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Post by Roderich Edelstein on Aug 20, 2010 17:56:49 GMT -5
Roderich watched as Israel made her way to the entrance of the city. He was still several hundred meters away, but he thought it was a good idea to let her get a head start. With any luck, they wouldn't run into each other again. She conjured up too many dark memories from a past no one wanted to remember. Her screams from everything he, Ludwig, and Gilbert had done to her people were still all too fresh in his mind, even almost three hundred years later.
He pushed the thought away, trying to keep his composure. There was no use in sulking over the past, as long as it wasn't forgotten. He started walking down into the valley again, hoping that once inside Dry Rose, there would at least be some shade, a reprieve from the killer heat.
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Israel
Slave
She's like those people who get abused and then go psycho.
Posts: 47
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Post by Israel on Aug 20, 2010 20:11:34 GMT -5
Israel climbed aboard her caravan and poked the mule to get moving. She had some slight trouble with the guard, considering her rather tough appearance gave her the look of a raider. But after convincing the man that she was a trader, he sent her of to the stables inside.
"It seems the uglyness of the outside extends to the inside on this city. Dry indeed. And I thought we had a drought." The woman thinks. Her eyes carefully analyze the resources. Crucial to her were solar panels. Israel had some at home, but she wanted to make a power plant with them.
"Nope. I see nothing." She sighs and continues onto the stables before completely halting her caravan as she sees a familiar face.
(OOC: Whoever wants to meet Israel can reply.)
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Post by Roderich Edelstein on Aug 22, 2010 16:13:13 GMT -5
With his limited Spanish, Roderich somehow managed to get through the gates of Dry Rose. Israel's caravan was out of sight, so he picked a road at random and started walking. Even in the miserable heat, the city was beautiful, in a way. After traveling through the wastes for weeks, any kind of civilization was bound to be a little awe-inpiring. Not many people were out at this time of day, preferring to find a shady spot and take a siesta. He took another drink from his dwindling water supply and trekked on, keeping himself amused by imagining where Spain or France would be in the city, if either of the two actually were.
There was a good chance Antonio would be sleeping, or at the very least taking a break from whatever he was doing. Francis was harder -- he would most likely be walking around, being social and flirting with anyone who would listen, and a few who wouldn't. Then again, there was always the likelihood that the two were also out looking for other nations, and Roderich was on a giant goose chase to account for. He tried not to think about that.
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Post by Heracles on Aug 22, 2010 16:31:31 GMT -5
Heracles continued walking on towards Dry Rose, spotting two familiar figures in the distance. On one hand he saw Romano close by. But in almost the opposite direction was Israel. "Antonio, I see Romano. He pointed towards the Italian, trying to get the Spaniard's attention.
"Let's go get him and then we can meet up with Israel over there." He told him, pointing back towards Israel. "We can all go into Dry Rose together."
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Post by Antonio Fernández Carriedo on Aug 22, 2010 16:44:15 GMT -5
Antonio froze, staring at Heracles incredulously before he forced his eyes to follow where the Greek was pointing. Surely his companion was kidding (and he would surely kill him if he was), but what if--
...And there he was.
Antonio couldn't see Lovino's face, but the Spaniard could easily tell it was his tomatito. For a moment, all he could do was stare, before his legs moved themselves and he found himself walking briskly toward Lovino. He wanted to run, really, but he didn't want to startle the poor boy. "Romano...?" He called out, almost hesitantly. Screw Heracles and Israel, all he cared about right now was his little Italian who was right there after years and years of waiting and worrying and wondering and...
No, he wouldn't cry. Not yet.
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romano
Wastelander
Warning: The edges of a broken mind may be sharp. Handle with care.
Posts: 38
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Post by romano on Aug 22, 2010 17:46:09 GMT -5
Romano froze. His hands went instinctively to his knives then stopped. There was no way. He had to be hallucinating. He knew he was close to the Spanish border but to...was it really?
He slowly turned around. There he was. The person he had not allowed himself to hope to find. Tears tried to collect in his eyes but he blinked them away quickly.
Antonio looked thinner, was he doing okay? Was he hurt? Did he miss Romano as much as he missed Antonio? What would Antonio think of his scars? What would Antonio think of how he had left his people? Would he be disgusted? Thousands of thoughts raced through Romano's head but they didn't matter now.
He took the hood off of his head, hand shaking. He let out a breath. "A-Antonio...how..." He couldn't finish.
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Post by Antonio Fernández Carriedo on Aug 22, 2010 17:57:18 GMT -5
...Oh, screw not crying. He ignored the tears running down his face as he ran the rest of the way and tugged Lovino into a tight hug, pulling him as close as humanly possible. "Lovino! Oh, Dio, I'm so glad...I was so worried...are you okay? Are you hurt? Where's Feliciano? Where have you been? Dio, I missed you so much..." He continued babbling almost incoherently, pressing a relieved kiss to Lovino's head. He'd been so worried, and now, his pequeño Italiano was finally here, safe in his arms, and he didn't think he'd ever been happier in his life.
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romano
Wastelander
Warning: The edges of a broken mind may be sharp. Handle with care.
Posts: 38
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Post by romano on Aug 22, 2010 18:17:06 GMT -5
The moment the other pulled him into a hug Lovino lost the battle with his tears. But he did not care anymore. He wrapped his own arms around the other man, held tight, and then just breathed. Antonio, underneath the dust, still smelled the same. His arms still felt the same. For the first time in over a hundred years he felt safe. He felt like maybe things would be okay.
"Antonio...Antonio, I...are you...I'm okay. Are you okay? Please say your okay...I...your here. your really here." He wasn't entirely sure what Antonio was saying or what he was saying for that matter. His head was being overwhelmed by his heart, and it felt like it was flying.
His brother though. The question rang through his mind. "I don't know where Feli is. Probably in Italy, or maybe in...Germany." He really didn't want to think about it.
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Post by Heracles on Aug 22, 2010 18:30:27 GMT -5
Heracles watched the scene with calm eyes as green as the olives that used to grow on the rocky slopes of his homeland. He tried to shut out the ache in his heart as he thought of Kiku. Where was he? Was he ok? Would they ever meet up like Romano and Antonio had done?
He blocked the thoughts and sent them elsewhere, not wanting to think about that right now. He didn't want to think about Sadiq, either and about how the last thing he'd said to the man was about how he hated him. If he'd have known...
But no, his job right now was to get the latin-blooded lovers to Israel so that they could all get to Dry Rose. He would admit that he was eager to see the other Mediterranean nation who at odd intervals had been a sort of stand-in mother for him.
"We should meet up with Israel and get into the city now before dark falls." He stated simply.
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Post by Antonio Fernández Carriedo on Aug 22, 2010 18:46:19 GMT -5
Antonio looked back over at Heracles, blinking as if he'd forgotten the Greek was there.
Well, actually, he had.
He nodded, though he didn't loosen his grip on Lovino in the slightest. "I suppose we should..." He said almost reluctantly. He didn't want to go anywhere just yet, but he knew Heracles was probably right. It would be dark within the next couple of hours, and they shouldn't waste their time standing around. He would have plenty of time to spend with his little Lovino, because he wasn't going to be letting the Italian out of his sight ever again.
With that thought in mind, he looked down at Lovino. "We're heading into the city. You'll be coming with us, si?"
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romano
Wastelander
Warning: The edges of a broken mind may be sharp. Handle with care.
Posts: 38
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Post by romano on Aug 22, 2010 18:56:30 GMT -5
The city. Going into the city with all of those people. The walled city with no easy way to get out....on the other hand, he would not leave Antonio. Not after so long, not ever. It would be hard to go in, but it would be worth it. He looked up at Antonio, not relaxing his grip on the other. "I'll stay with you." That had not been exactly what he meant to say. "Um, I mean.. yeah, I'll come too."
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Post by Heracles on Aug 22, 2010 19:11:31 GMT -5
Once that was settled Heracles set off in the direction of Israel, going maybe a bit faster than he would have if they were heading directly to the city and with a small smile on his face. When he got to the woman he stopped just short of where she was standing and just stared, the quiet, polite child in his coming in again now that he was around her, waiting for the "adult" to acknowledge him first.
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Israel
Slave
She's like those people who get abused and then go psycho.
Posts: 47
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Post by Israel on Aug 22, 2010 19:22:27 GMT -5
Israel smiled as she saw the boy approaching her. It was positively cute, to be honest, but also uncomfortable. Israel was wise and older. She knew he saw her as a potential mother-figure, and she didn't know whether to hug the adorable 'little' boy or back away.
Calmly, Israel smiles and says "Hello," before waving at all the other nations. "Well, aren't we a bunch of mediterraneans? Come, I have some food."
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