A Cure for Human Nature (KrisBeta and crabhelmet)

[KrisBeta]

Riley stood just inside the edge of the forest after stashing her pack in the hollow of a tall tree, arms crossed as she looked at the city about 50 meters away. In her earth-tones and hard-wearing clothes she resembled one of the Rangers who roamed the remaining wilds, which was the only good thing about the damn serum. They'd seen the logic of preserving nature and sought to do so immediately. Which also gave immune survivors like Riley a place to hide and a way to travel without getting caught. This little semi-disguise of hers also meant she could wander into cities when she needed to and use the cred-cards she'd stolen off the Rangers she'd fought out there to get supplies.

Letting out a last sigh she shoved a hand through her hair and then neatened it again before heading into town with a blank expression pasted carefully across her face. She was quite well practiced at hiding her emotions, after 17 years of learning how to do just that. It helped her blend when she had to go into the cities and she passed through the security checkpoints without a problem before entering into the city proper and heading for the commissary.

 

[crabhelmet]

Isabelle slouched by a tree's trunk, burying her head into her hands and sighing. It was not worth it, she decided. She held back tears and sniffed. She had only escaped three days ago, and she was already out of supplies. Supplies that she thought would last her months, until they got lost in that stupid river. Now she was cold and alone.

Granted, other than her losing her supplies, she had not experienced any trouble, from the Rangers at least. Or any one who might be searching for her, now that she had disappeared. And she was pretty sure someone was searching for her. Many people, probably. And that was what kept her tense, the possibility that two seconds later she would be dead, or worse, captured. Death was a better fate than most of the ones she could imagine for herself. But it also was a fate she did not want to accept.

She just had to keep on going. But Isabelle knew her will was not one of her strong points. It would be only a matter of time before it shatters. She needed help. Glancing up, she saw a blue sky nearly entirely covered up by the darken branches of the forest's overgrown plant life.

She pulled herself to her feet and continued to walk.

 

[KrisBeta]

Riley heard footsteps behind her, heading the same way, and looked over her shoulder. If it was a real Ranger then she needed to be prepared to talk her way out of going straight to the reporting office with them. She settled her weight differently, ready to fake a limp as the person came into sight. She relaxed a little, it obviously wasn't a Ranger. But at the same time, citizens didn't go outside the cities alone. And rarely on foot. Her expression remained blank as she studied the person and then she turned and headed in their direction, taking in the girl's appearance with a critical eye. Once she was close enough to speak to her without being overheard by anyone or anything she let a small frown cross her face to put her more at ease.

"You're going to get caught just walking into a city like this." Guessing that this was another runaway, granted one with less experience. If she wasn't, well Riley could skip this city and head to the next easily enough if she had to fight outside the walls.

 

[crabhelmet]

Isabelle's eyes widened. "Are... you, you're a runaway too?" she asked. She looked down. Isabelle remained still for a moment, thinking. There was no way this girl could be some sort of spy, could she? Isabelle sighed. She had to trust this girl. It might be her only chance at surviving. She then poked her head up and said, "Caught...? I... I, I don't have much of a choice. Or I didn't have one, until now maybe." She smiled softly. "I lost all of my supplies in the river. I don't have anything besides these clothes, really." She was lucky that she was wearing her rain jacket when she dropped her bag, because otherwise, that would have been lost too. "Do you have any food? I haven't eaten in days."

"Wait." She realized something. "If you're a runaway, you can feel emotions, too then?" Her bright eyes widened. She had never met someone like herself before.

 

[KrisBeta]

Riley smiled softly at that and nodded, gently turning the girl around and leading her back to the forest.

"C'mon, before they see us. We can talk once we're hidden again." She explained softly, pulling herself fully upright and dropping contact as she spoke so as not to arouse suspicion if they were seen. The Cured didn't touch one another without reason. The only reason there was still any intimate contact between people anymore is because the scientists still hadn't quite gotten the hang of making children without physical procreation. There were some ways, but they were all the same ones from before the Cure.

 

[crabhelmet]

"Right," she said, whispering as they walked into the forest. Isabelle decided she could trust this girl; if she was some sort of spy or enemy, she would have become hostile by now. Maybe they could stick together. Isabelle knew she would not last out here long alone. But at the same time, Isabelle was not completely useless. This girl may be better equipped to survive, but two was almost always better than one while on the run.

"Say, what's your name?" she whispered. "Mine's Isabelle."

 

[KrisBeta]

Once they were safely in the forest Riley's smile grew a bit as she led the way to her pack. There she pulled out a couple of nutrition bars and offered them to the girl, Isabelle.

"I'm Riley, it's nice to meet you Isabelle." She replied, leaning back against a tree and looking up at the canopy overhead. She was relaxed, at home here in the forest where she didn't have to pretend. And it showed in the way her lean form stood slanted from ground to where her upper back rested on the bark of the large tree she'd hidden her pack in earlier.