Ah! Open Air! (open)

[Malcomb Warhazzard]

And there it was, The first step to freedom! Mal breathed deep the free air as he was no longer a prisoner of his father, and he was glad to be free, but it raised questions... Why was he freed now? Was this just another method of torment meant to teach another lesson? Where was his father? How long had he been kept prisoner? Mal didn't want to stick around long enough to find out.

Mal walked down the road for as long as he could before taking a break. Approaching what appeared to be an old intersection there was a boulder large enough to sit on. Here Mal could at least catch a breath and try and figure out what was going on.

The world feels different... Mal thought to himself.

Perhaps, in time, someone would be along to inform Mal of what he had missed out on in the past decade.

[Donovan]

Donovan would be out and about. Thinking more than he was prone to. With everything that had transpired these past few days... a hand went up to gingerly touch his chest were the dark heast had cut him it was still tended... what was he going to do now? Would Cabal even allow him to stay anymore? I mean he didn't kill the boy... but his Sprite...

"Fucking little prick."

Donovan would mumble.

[Malcomb Warhazzard]

Mal looked down if only for a moment and saw an ant heading back to the mound with a small bit of treasure, surely this was meant for the rest of the colony to sustain them.

Food... Mal Thought. I need food...

It had been a while since Mal had eaten, but he had gone longer without before, and surely he would again. Gazing off into the distance he saw what appeared to be something of a man, militant in nature. At least it looked that way. The figure was buff to say the least, and if any of the books that Mal had read would give him any sort of preconceived notion about this character, it would be that he is probably looking for a fight.

No! Mal thought. Father just made me read those books so that I would have those kind of prejudices! I bet this guy has probably had an amazing day and is just chipper to meet another soul! I should say hi...

Mal would stand up from his rock and gesture an arm wave toward the figure in the distance.

"Hello there! What brings you to my neck of the woods?" Said Mal.

My neck of the woods??? Do you own this intersection? That was really stupid to say! You're just going to piss this guy off! That was really stupid! Maybe this guy wants to know what I'M doing in HIS neck of the woods! Also, who the hell says neck of the woods anymore?! Mal looked downtrodden immediately after he spoke, realizing that he either just started a fight with the wrong guy, or made an absolute fool out of himself, or so his own twisted thoughts would have him thinking.

(ooc: in case it isn't obvious, Mal gets in his own head A LOT)

[Donovan]

Donovan barely looked up from his own thoughts. All ue registered was that someone was speaking, bit the words stated never made it past his ears. He would simply wave his metal arm in response and keep walking.

[Malcomb Warhazzard]

He waved! That means he's friendly!

"Hello fellow traveler! My name is Mal!"

Mal took no defensive stance but rather... open, friendly even. There was a large smile on his face, genuinely expressing joy at the idea of meeting a new person. As Donovan waved, Mal noticed a glare from the sun reflecting off from Donovan's arm.

huh... a metal arm? That's cool! Maybe he makes them! Maybe he's an ARMS DEALER!

Mal visibly cringed slightly at his own joke. That was bad even for him.

[Donovan]

Donovan was still being spoken to! He would turn, just now realizing he was the one being spoken to he turned to see the person speaking.

"Hmmm? What's up?"

[Malcomb Warhazzard]

"I said my name's Mal! What's your name?" Still appearing chipper as ever, Mal showed slight hesitation as he was concerned that he could be bothering this stranger while deep in thought.

[Donovan]

"Uh... Donovan... why?"

He would ask confused.

[Malcomb Warhazzard]

"Well Hi there! I'm Mal, what brings you out here?" Again, chipper. "I only ask because I, too, am traveling these parts. I don't really have a direction to go, but traveling all the same!" Mal smiled.

[Donovan]

Donovan stopped and looked around not recognizing the area.

"I am... not sure. I seemed to have gotten lost..."

[Malcomb Warhazzard]

"Well then there! Let's see if we can't point you in the right direction then!"

Mal took a look around, it was barren mostly, except for the roads going off in different directions. The intersection had not been taken care of in a while it seems, vandalized significantly, and missing identifying markers for which highway or street was going where. Fortunately enough one of the roads had one lane going in either direction, and the other road had two lanes going in either direction. That was somewhat useful information.

"I would say it depends on where you're going." Mal sighed. He couldn't help this man because he didn't know the area, but at least he wasn't dumb and could help out a little. "If you're headed towards a larger city, roads like these tend to have a larger city in both directions. But if you're looking for a smaller settlement, I'd say the small road is gonna be your best bet."

Mal nodded affirmatively. There was some amount of satisfaction to be had in helping out someone else, it wasn't much, but it was honest work.

"I don't suppose you know what local cities are around here do ya?"

[Donovan]

Donovan looked at the directions pointed out by the stranger. Then he added the path of his footsteps and nodded.

"I only know of Cabal, where I am from."

Donovan would point in the direction of where he had come from.

"The largest city in this territory... that I know of."

[Malcomb Warhazzard]

"So why leave then?" Mal asked simply. "If you are lost it only makes since to go back to where you were, yet you have not stopped until now. What's so bad about Cabal?"

[Donovan]

Donovan just shook his head.

"I was simply lost in thought. There is nothing wrong with Cabal it is a pleasant place."

It would then click.

"Wait... where are you from stranger?"

[Malcomb Warhazzard]

"That... is a good question. I guess I'm from 'here', but that term is relative..." Mal paused for a moment, and then continued. "I'm a local, but suffice to say I've been living in a hole in the ground for the last 5 years."

Mal knew that his nonchalant nature would come off as a whimsical turn-of-phrase, but better that than him having to answer questions about his past. He winced at the thought.

wait...

"We should go to Cabal! You're lost, and don't know any other cities, and I could get a fresh look at the place! Plus maybe we could get you a nice map! Whaddya say?" Mal seemed overly excited, Like REALLY excited at the idea of getting to visit a new city.