|
|
Post by choongsung on Jun 4, 2013 13:34:00 GMT -8
After raining for several days, the weather finally rolled away leaving a clear blue sky with wisps of clouds dotting the sky. Given how hot it was before the rain fell, the current weather was relatively nice. The temperature itself was warm and there was a cool breeze coming in from the west. The warm sun and onshore ocean breeze felt relatively pleasant to Vincent as he had been slogging through the rain in order to get to where he was today. The young man looked down at the map given to him by a man named Jonathan Marston. Though unlikely to ever see that man again, Vincent treasured even the smallest of gifts he received from people that he had met along the road. The map was another addition to the small cache of sentimental items he carried around in his pack.
"Lets see.. nearby territories are marked Dragon and The Gods.", mumbled Vincent as he studied the map closely. Figuring that he would be staring at the map for a while, the young man dumped his pack on the ground and stretched his sore shoulders. Who'd ever thought walking three miles per hour with this dinky little thing would get so annoying. Vincent finished stretching out, took a seat on his pack and began to trace his potential route towards the Santa Monica coast. Ideally, he would have preferred staying in neutral territory all the way but at some point, Vincent was going to have to cross into Dragon territory. "So, I'd just have to follow the I-5 all the way up here and.."As the young man looked up from his map in order to visually confirm his position and what was ahead of him, he noticed an obstruction on the highway.
"You've got to be fricken kidding me," cursed Vincent under his breath as he realized that the "obstruction" was a destroyed section of a highway. Currently, the highway that Vincent was resting upon was raised above the ground with another highway running underneath. One section of the elevated highway sloped to the ground, providing a "slide-like" apparatus to the ground right into Dragon territory. "Well I suppose it was going to happen sooner or later." Vincent grabbed his pack and walked towards the edge where the concrete had split and exposed rebars stuck out like metallic tentacles. Of course, he could have just jumped and slid down, but he would rather not risk having a hole in his pants. After all, it would be pretty embarrassing to walk around with a hole on the side of his butt. Vincent began searching for a suitable "sled" for him to ride down this concrete slope. To his luck, there seemed to be a lot of random car parts littered around. Quite possibly from when a bomb destroyed this portion of the highway a while back. When Vincent found a suitable "car hood" he liked, the young man dragged it towards the ledge and sat in it. "Aaaaand we're off."
Vincent pushed off with both hands and his sled quickly slid down the concrete slope. The young man cringed as the metal ground against the concrete creating a very unpleasant sound. Truthfully, it hurt him a little bit as he remembered how upset he was when someone first ran his car along the guard rails of a highway. Very unpleasant. Just before Vincent reached the bottom of the concrete slide, his sled hit a small rut which sent him and his hood piece flying into the nearby grass. With a large thud, the young man hit the ground and rolled over a couple times. Vincent then began to laugh uncontrollably. For some reason, the military seems to condition its people to laugh as a method of coping with pain. Once the laughter died down, Vincent just lay there thinking about the events that had caused him to walk this far up the I-5 from San Diego. He then sighed, stood up, and brushed himself off before putting his pack back on.
I guess hello Dragon territory
|
|
|
|
Post by Mitsuki Park on Jun 4, 2013 18:24:10 GMT -8
OOC: ... I'm just going to make this after David gives her the green(?) sash that allows her into Dragon Territory. Cool beans. A dull hum of a motor would probably cross the guy's ears- Mitsuki's bike was revving well over 150mph down the highway. The bike in itself was nice; the outer shell merely taken from another bike, while the insides were eco-friendly by running on electricity. The muffler and upgrades she's received from a mechanic helped to quiet the noise, but there was an eerie silence that passed along the entirety of the road; eerie, because before the bombs it was always bustling with life. If it was ever quiet, it was because the cars were stopped dead in traffic. So while Mitsuki may have stood out like a sore thumb for having a vehicle in a barren land, she couldn't help but think that the young man was more out of place- almost like a tourist, but not? Gas mask covered her face and she was dressed in her usual attire. Black on black on black- not that she was 'goth' or 'emo', it just helped with stealth whenever Mitsuki travelled at night. And, as to not startle the guy, she pulled her gas mask off while she slowed down, almost matching his pace. He had Asiatic traits, something not typically out of place when it came to California especially with its high population of Asian Americans. But other than that, he was unfamiliar, and debated briefly on whether or not to drive on ahead or... "...where are you headed?"She had travelled by foot for a long time to know the pains of rather slow travel. Mitsuki herself was weaponless and knew the dangers of taking a stranger, but she was fairly confident in her abilities. She confirmed with Andrew's glasses - the one that compared ones abilities to herself by showing statistics. |
|
|
|
Post by choongsung on Jun 4, 2013 18:45:06 GMT -8
As Vincent trudged along the abandoned highway, his ears picked up a dull whirring sound in the distance. The young man first thought it was an annoying fly buzzing around his head so he brushed his head to the side. However, the noise remained constant no matter what Vincent did. Slowly but surely, the noise started getting louder and louder by which point Vincent realized it was coming from behind. When the young man turned around to see what it was, he was met by a female biker slowly trailing him. At first he was a little uncomfortable by the fact that she was wearing a gas mask. Should I be wearing one? Such thoughts ran across his mind as he studied the newly arrived stranger. To his relief, she took off her mask and revealed a face with Korean features. Or was it Japanese? He could not really tell.
"...where are you headed?" she asked.Vincent was not really sure how to answer this question. He had an idea of where he was going, but no where specific. In addition, he was not sure whether he should treat her with caution. While she was a female, Vincent could sense that she held a lot of confidence with whatever she had going on. After all, anyone could easily be a threat.
He relied, "Inglewood". While that was not his final destination, it was close enough. Vincent then nodded towards the girl's bike.
"Nice bike."
|
|
|
|
Post by Mitsuki Park on Jun 7, 2013 9:34:06 GMT -8
"Dragon territory...?"
She stopped the bike and motioned with her head for him to get on. It was interesting, though- she figured this guy knew something about the factions within Southern California, seeing as he was deliberately making his way down here. Or maybe he had family in the area and was hoping to find some alive- that was usually the case with strangers purposely stumbling upon this area. Whatever his reason was, though, wasn't really interesting enough to peak her curiosity.
"Convenient. Want a lift?"
Convenient, because she was headed in that direction. Her reason for offering him a lift was a mix of sympathy - knowing the pains of walking great distances herself - and kindness.
|
|
|
|
Post by choongsung on Jun 7, 2013 11:22:25 GMT -8
When the young woman mentioned Dragon territory, Vincent nodded. To him, that name was nothing more than a marked territory on the map. He had not necessarily met anyone that was considered a "Dragon" or anyone that was part of a faction. Everything he knew was from the man he had met at the strawberry farm. She however, seemed to know some things that Vincent did not know about.
"Convenient. Want a lift?"
At this, Vincent was a little hesitant. Once again, not everyone you met out here was friendly. She seemed a little different though and the young man did not sense any ulterior motives. Also, it WOULD be nice to sit on something as opposed to walking the entire time. Boots may be rugged, but they are not always the most comfortable to wear day in and day out.
"Sure.. If you don't mind. Heading in that direction yourself I suppose, miss?" Out of gratitude, Vincent gave the young woman a slight smile. It felt a bit unnatural. He really did not have much to smile about anymore.
|
|
|
|
Post by Mitsuki Park on Jun 9, 2013 17:09:34 GMT -8
She noticed his hesitance, which was good- he was smart enough to not blindly take offers from strangers. And the smile, though unnatural, wasn't anything of a surprise; the saying 'everyone has a story' was never more true than the world they lived in today.
"Yeah. Going to meet someone there?"
She stopped the bike completely, giving him time to settle on behind her. She was a woman of few words, but that didn't mean she was going to make him feel uncomfortable in silence. Besides, once they started moving, she assumed that the winds would deafen their ears and shouting to have small talk might just be too much effort.
"I'm Mitsuki Park, by the way."
|
|
|
|
Post by choongsung on Jun 9, 2013 18:00:03 GMT -8
"Yeah. Going to meet someone there?" , the woman asked. At this, Vincent took a while to figure out what he was going to say. Before the bombs fell, his brother worked at a defense company near LAX and his sister ran a speech therapy clinic in the suburbs just further north. From what the map told him, LAX was a strong hold so just maybe, some of his family may have survived.
"Something like that," responded Vincent."Just hoping to reclaim some of what I've lost.." The more questions she asked, the more he felt at ease. Of course, Vincent did not fully trust her but there was something about human interaction that made everything seem better than it really was. The young man got on the bike as it came to a halt.
"I'm Mitsuki Park, by the way."
Park. Korean? those were the first thoughts that went through his head when "Mitsuki" told him her name. After all, Koreans were Koreans. They immediately pick up on "Korean qualities."
Vincent responded, "You've got a good name." He meant it. Vincent took some time to learn Japanese while he was stationed in Okinawa for two years. Enough to understand meanings of words at least. Like the Korean culture, good names usually meant good luck. "I'm Vincent Chung. What's your reason for going my way if I may ask?"
For some reason, Vincent felt as if he had heard the name somewhere. Of course he had never met Mitsuki before, but word does spread quickly amongst friends even if you are overseas.
|
|
|
|
Post by Mitsuki Park on Jun 10, 2013 22:27:13 GMT -8
Reclaim what was lost? Property? She hoped he didn't mean territory. Regardless, she went slower than usual keeping to about 45mph since she didn't want the guy holding onto her for dear life if she drove at speeds she was most comfortable with. Staying out in the open wasn't ideal, but getting into an accident and killing the passenger was even less ideal.
Chung could have been both a Chinese and Korean surname. Interestingly, Asians were able to key in on various features that belonged to certain ethnicities, making it easier for individuals to identify with others. In this case, Mitsuki was 90% sure he was Korean based upon his last name and facial features.
And of course...the name Mitsuki had multiple meanings. All depending on its kanji form- for herself, her name was spelled in a way where it meant light and rare. And she had a Korean name but it was legally registered as her middle name, so never bothered with adding that in her introductions.
"I have friends there."
Friends, heh. What an oddity for Mitsuki to say that aloud- wasn't even singular, but plural. And she wouldn't be surprised if Vincent had heard of her before. Not because she was famous, but because Asians (Koreans, especially) seemed to know other Koreans in the immediate vicinity (even though she wasn't 100%). Small world, heh.
|
|
|
|
Post by choongsung on Jun 11, 2013 11:25:13 GMT -8
"Ah, Friends..", responded Vincent as he looked out over the barren landscape that used to be covered with vegetation and small urban centers here and there. Now, all you could see was rubble, dirt, couple trees, and more dirt. How long had it been since Vincent saw anyone that he could call a friend? Eight months? Twelve months? Somewhere around that time frame. Maybe some of them did retreat to one of the safe havens controlled by the resistance fighters. Vincent may even see some of them when he got there. "Must be nice to have people you can return to."
The young man then began to wonder where he might have heard of Mitsuki. It might not have been in middle school or high school. There were no Korean kids in his school named "Mitsuki." Possibly a Korean newspaper? There was an article in the newspaper more than a few years back when he was in high school about a girl who was practically a genius. "Chun-jae" they called her. Vincent never read the Korean papers but his parents certainly did. Like any other "sensible" Korean parent would, Vincent's parents told him he should be more like her. Her name started with a "M" as far as he could remember. It was worth a shot.
"Would you happen to be the 'Mitsuki' that came out in Korean newspapers over five years ago?" Vincent asked. "You know.. about med school and college."
How funny, who'd ever thought that he'd be remembering such things in this sort of situation.
|
|
|
|
Post by Mitsuki Park on Jun 11, 2013 12:19:35 GMT -8
"Mm.. Yeah."
Especially after a decade of not seeing them, since Mitsuki left for Chicago and hadn't seen any of them since her 'return'. Though whether her stay in California was going to be permanent was still up in the air- she knew she was going to Japan to find (or at least attempt to find) the whereabouts of her remaining family, but after that...
She frowned.
Five years ago?
The only time she ever remembered being in the newspaper was when she 'faked' her death back in high school. It was believable because her blood littered the grounds of her home and, having been school captain at the time added numbers to potential 'enemies'. Heh. But Mitsuki was never really connected with the Korean community in California or Illinois- she and her family (since her parents didn't live with her) stayed off the radar to keep attention away.
"I went to med school, but I don't think I'm the right person."
To call Mitsuki a chunjae was pushing it. She didn't skip any grades but she graduated early because of her older brother's constant watch over her study habits at home. On top of taking classes at PHS #259, she took courses at the local community college (the ones marked 'gen ed'). But all this resulted in no social life, which meant no friends. What little friends she had only really developed after her (almost) ten year hiatus.
"...are you from California?"
|
|
|
|
Post by choongsung on Jun 11, 2013 18:52:05 GMT -8
"Ah, my apologies." Vincent was slightly disappointed. Even if he had only read about a person through the newspaper, a familiar face would have been better than none at all. Vincent naturally kept to himself and he did not mind having his sanctuary of peace and quiet. But going for so long without seeing anyone familiar can take its toll on the human soul.
When Mitsuki asked Vincent if he was from California, he perked up a little bit. "Yes actually. Born, raised, even had a family here at one point.." No matter where he was in the world, no matter where he had been stationed in the past,Southern California was home to Vincent. Its barren hills, beautiful coast line, dry air, and near perfect weather was always something to look forward to. Even after the bombs fell, California maintained its quirks for the most part.
"Where are you from if I may ask? Your accent is.. subtle." Life in the military had conditioned Vincent to look for small quirks in people's personalities. Especially their behavioral and speech patterns.
|
|
|
|
Post by Mitsuki Park on Jun 17, 2013 13:08:08 GMT -8
Had a family.
That was a story that, unfortunately, many could relate with- herself included. Where his voice trailed off, her mind picked up and wondered, not of his familial situation but of hers. The family she had left included her brother, who wasn't even blood related to her, her biological parents, whose whereabouts and status were currently unknown, and her most faithful companion: Skye.
And the question he asked was a bit complex; unlike him, she didn't really identify with a single location. Technically, she grew up in Korea but bounced to and from Japan so frequently that it didn't seem like home. The reason for her subtle accent was because the school she went to only allowed students and (American) teachers to communicate in English. So by the time she arrived to California for high school, she was already fluent in three languages.
"I was raised in Seoul, Korea and Osaka, Japan. And you?"
|
|
|
|
Post by choongsung on Jun 17, 2013 18:54:52 GMT -8
Seoul, Korea and Osaka, Japan. Huge metropolises that were also most likely burned to the ground. Vincent had family in Korea as well, but they were from the south west portion of the Korean peninsula. Possibly, he may still have family living there but that chance was very slim.
"Los Angeles and Long Beach." Vincent replied. He stopped for a second before adding, "Koreatown." That place was way too close to downtown Los Angeles. It was probably gone as well.
She was guarded. Probably for a good reason. Vincent noted.Of course, she had no reason to open up about anything that had happened before their meeting. It was just the way things were, especially when you meet someone along a high way.
"Did you still have family.. You know, where you're from?"
|
|
|
|
Post by Mitsuki Park on Jun 21, 2013 19:00:46 GMT -8
Ah, he was a 'true Californian'.
"Unfortunately... Still searching, for the most part."
She would have kept all information concerning her family to herself unless she found some sort of purpose. Vincent, although was someone she just met, from how he asked and answered questions, was someone who probably more than herself needed some place to belong. She wasn't pitying him by any means, but more so just relating to him as it seemed like he lost everyone ('Must be nice to have people you can return to.')- and, by how he was striking up conversation, seemed as if he were trying to relate to her ('Would you happen to be the 'Mitsuki' that...').
"What have you lost?"
He mentioned earlier he was trying to reclaim something he had lost. She was referring to that, though it's always open for interpretation.
|
|
|
|
Post by choongsung on Jul 1, 2013 19:50:55 GMT -8
"Of course. Never stop looking until you know for sure."
It was a good philosophy to live by, especially now. Such hope kept people going even if conditions were terrible. Hope really was the only thing some people had. At least Mitsuki was searching for something. He could respect that. And then she asked him the question. What had he lost. He had lost a lot of things. Vincent could have just gone ahead and listed everything he could think of, but there was probably a more tactful way to answer Mitsuki's question.
"A daughter. A wife. Everyone worth protecting. The only thing that really mattered."
|
|
