Off Duty Time is Miller Time

[John]

Once again, John is out and about enjoying his freedom. You know what that means? He's likely fucked up on illegal/legal substances. Though to be fair today he was simply sitting on a table at a bar sipping on a white unmarked can of who knows what, with a huge grin on his face, enjoying life. Living his way whatever that was whenever the need struck him.

That was Johns way, so yeah he isn't at the bar, he isn't even sitting in a chair. He is sitting on the table, igniting his free hand in fire, letting it go out, rinse, repeat.

[Rhona Hall]

"John... John!" he hadn't noticed her te first time she called to him. The blonde turned down her tunes and draped her ear buds around her neck. She got close and patted his back firm.

"Oi! John?" She'd said a bit louder sitting by him on the table. "Ooh boy, you look out of it... Everything okay?" she crossed her legs easily with a pair of shorts and a sports bra she was as often did.

[John]

John would turn to look at the pat on his back, having assumed she was calling some other John. Even with the population cut into a third of what it once was there were way too many Johns. However he would nod at her statement.

"Thinking about stuff. You know who the Kazahana family is?"

[Rhona Hall]

She straightened her back and folded her arms and tilted her head thinking. "That sounds incredibly familiar... Refresh my memory would you?"

She relaxed her pose again. Hands dropping in her lap waiting to listen.

[John]

"Before the war the Kazahana family were killing each other for some huge inheritance from an ancestor. Well they had promiscuous people in their bloodline which spread their family through the world so lots of possible inheritors. There were judges and crazy people, and people trying to survive, blah blah blah. Well this guy, Kilik Kazahana that created the first ever Brimstone, you know the stuff you can buy from our very own military for quick power boosts."

John would shake his can in emphasis.

"Well this early stuff was way more potent. It make your muscles bigger, your eye sight better, all around just better. Downside was the addiction. Maybe 2 out of 10 people kick it without permanent damage. Some even die from the withdrawals. They were a fucked up group of people, ya'know?"

He'd take a sip of the can.

[Rhona Hall]

Rhona went wide eyed about his explanation. She sat with her thick lips parted just slightly in a silent shock of the situation.

"How did you even get started on this if you knew about what it would do?" She reached for the can attempting to take it but stopped part way hand floating mid-air as she thought the better of it. "If you stop right now it is possible you'll die? How long have you had this?" her hand pulled itself back and she rubbed her nose bridge.

[John]

"I had no idea... Neither did my old man. When I first joined his side Kilik Kazahana offered us Brimstone. We took it as a quick one up, and he promised to help advance his research. It wasn't until he turned on us that we found out. I've been on this stuff since I was a kid."

[Rhona Hall]

Rhona looked off in the distance hand covering her mouth.

"Piece of shit..." she tensed her jaw and grit her where muscles in her cheek rippled from the tension. "So this could end your life, end your career, or your sanity..." not knowing what to make of it or be upset or scared or worried she pushed personal emotions aside and focused herself on her partner. "So are you telling me because you want off of it? Because I am certainly not taking if you are offering. I also certainly dont want you to see Hades with this on your Death record."

[John]

John would take another sip, the grin still on his face, though he was visibly perspiring in some manner, though not real beads of sweat so far.

"I'm running low."

[Rhona Hall]

She looked to him her tan skin visibly growing pale. A lip quivered.

"Ah..." She tried to find something to say. "Give me a time line? How long do you think your... Stuff will last?"

[John]

"I can stretch a can out for a few days. With the necklace I made I could probably stretch it out further. I can also drink only when I start getting withdrawals. Maybe three months."

John would say with a sigh at the end, he began setting his hand on fire and turning it off like a bic lighter, flicking it on and off with a small movement of his wrist.

[Rhona Hall]

"Three months is time we've got. Even with the exams and a possible war breaking out... We'll make the time." she tried to think of the ways it could pan out for the better. "I suppose this means you've tried every other alternative substance? People have Qi that can help you..." she couldn't think of how yet but there had to be something... Right?

She reached and pulled a strand of damp red hair from his face brushing in behind his ear. "Oi, we are partners..." speaking of partners. "Shoot... Tina, she is from Territory 1; she might know a way."

[John]

John would nod as she rationalized and asked him the options he pursued. In fact some options were probably really dumb, like when he thought if he did other addictive things he could substitute that addiction for this one, which didn't work. When she brushed his hair back he would look at her from the corner of his eye smiling and giving a small sarcastic huff from his nose. However when she brought up Tina.

"Yeah, I might be able to get more Brimstone from Territory 1. Though my old man said something about business deals with Cabal being out of the option with Territory 1, maybe they will make an acceptation for individual."

[Rhona Hall]

"I'll be honest it I don't want you to get more brimstone. Makes no sense because once that is gone you are back here again. But should we run out of time... Thats an option."

She went back to thinking again. "We have to find a way that doesn't kill you." That is all she can think about.

[John]

"Thats been my thought process for some time now."

John would take another sip putting the can down and leaning back on his hands.

"I really dislike the idea of dieing."