Darkness of the Open Road

[Dunstan Hue]

"Oh come on! Move, would you?"

The motorcycle Dunstan had shouted at just sat there, not moving an inch ahead. It putted lowly, the engine on and making a sound but refusing to move. Smoke rose from it, usually a bad omen but from this particular bike it was simply a fact of life. Smoke until the air around it turned to a grey ash, putt-putting all the way through. Day in. Day out. The Princess was one of the few things Dunstan remembered since the accident that scarred him, and he knew that 'she' was a stubborn engine, but he didn't remember simply moving forward to be such a chore. He got off the bike and sat down grumpily, huffing in an indignant rage. The Princess kept putting, her exhaust letting out a flame that wasn't meant to come out of that hole. "The Princess? Go wrong? Big shocker right there." Dunstan internally grumbled, using the flame to warm himself in the darkness of the clear road as he looked into the dark distance.

He just wanted to escape for a while; he had spent most of the day in his poky home, trying desperately to find out what he remembered and what he didn't. He remembered bombs, engines and suddenly blanked out on everything else. The day was perfectly encapsulated by a single moment, when he had repaired his broken fridge to almost brand new condition, only to realise he didn't even know what it was anymore. It had made him quite miserable; he could make, break and repair anything he pleased with his expertise with machinery and explosives, and he didn't have a clue about the world that he lived in. So the day became more about discovery; experimenting with various items he didn't remember, books he had forgotten he had read, things he had forgotten he had done. Some were easier than others. He had broken down in tears of frustration in trying to remember the faces in a dusty old photo album. He knew that, sometime ago, those faces were important to him, but he looked upon his parents and didn't feel a shred of empathy. They were just inkblots on a page. He wasn't even sad that he had lost these memories. He tried to make himself feel bad; that was what one was meant to feel, he supposed. Heros with amnesia are always tormented by their past, according to the movies. But no; Dunstan just felt annoyed by the photo album. Annoyed about the fact that he once knew about how to work all the things in his home and now he had lost it all. He wasn't being tormented by the past at all. He couldn't even bring himself to care. It was his present that tormented him, by making him feel stupid.

So he tried to run from it. Now, with the night's beginning, he wanted to end the day on a high note; a long, hard, fast drive on his beloved Princess. The scrap metal motorbike. He didn't know what he had called her The Princess; the name of the bike shone bright pink in the light of the tiny flame. He looked to his left and right. The road was the main road into the main city centre, but nothing was around for miles upon miles, a rarity in Carraig it seemed. The late time, the darkness and the lack of anything to go to left this road abandoned. The occasional rumbing echo of another vehicle aside, Dunstan was completely alone. Perfect, surely, for a brilliantly fast drive...

... and the Princess refused to work. Typical.

"I am done with this shite!" Dunstan bellowed in frustration, standing up and kicking the Princess as hard as he could. It wasn't too hard, but hard enough to hurt his foot badly. "ARGH GOD FUCKING DAMN IT!" He grabbed said foot in agony, not noticing The Princess begin to roll forward, as if of its own volition. Dunstan only looked back when the Princess was beginning to pick up speed; the putt-putt sound began to sound like a mocking laugh as Dunstan thought that this was just one more piece of evidence that The Princess probably was alive.

[Guest]

She had been craving for a milkshake during the evening. One of those stubborn cravings that just keep poking you till you satisfy it. So hoping on her beloved Agro she sped to the nearest fast food joint.

But while out in the crisp cold air she couldn't help but give into the urge to just drive. Taking the deserted road where Agro's speed could really let fly. The roaring engine under her the wind whipping her hair back and forth. Ah perfect.

As she cruised along she couldn't help but notice there was a fellow trying to enjoy his own drive but...oh dear his bike was broken down. As she pulled up she then realised he was Toss's friend. "Hey are you alright?" She called but as he words left her lips the bike fumbled back to life moving slowly. "Oh..dear.…" Was all she could say to the run away bike mocking it's owner.

[Dunstan Hue]

The Princess kept rolling at a steady, cheerful pace, without Dunstna on it, but despite his weight and generally unfit body he managed to catch up, before leaping onto the smoking heap. The metal machine strained slightly, but managed to hold as Dunstan rebalanced himself. He heard a voice amongst the darkness, and turned to see a woman he recognised. Fiery red hair, fair face, massive... assets; it was the woman from Toss's party. Dunstan smiled to her, then saw the bike she was sat on.

"Oh, hey. What's that brick you're sitting on?" He mocked quite meanly, though the part of his head that dealt with mechanics was actually quite impressed. The engine had a much healthier rumble than the Princess's dying choke, and Dunstan could almost identify it from sound alone. From the bulky shape, he guessed that it wasn't turned by the hands but possibly by the hips; unconventional, and not without problems, but very useful in a firefight. Overall, a bit of a monster...

... still got nothing on the Princess, he thought.

"Have you GOT enough wheels on it? I'm surprised the thing can move, considering the massive weight." Dunstan said; now with a chance to talk about the Princess, he decided to try and make it look quite good in comparison to hers and point out her bike's flaws rather than the things he was secretly very jealous of. "Why don't I have an engine like that?" He thought. "Now, this right here, is a proper bike. "He then tapped the Princess proudly, causing a metal panel to fall off the other side, letting off a geyser of smoke. He looked to it, and smiled nervously. "Eh heh... it's meant to do that."

[Guest]

"Have you GOT enough wheels on it? I'm surprised the thing can move, considering the massive weight." Artemis glared cheeks flaring. Did he just call her fat? DID HE JUST CALL HER FAT?!?!

She was about to give the man a piece of her mind when a metal panel fell off the bike with a clatter and smoke billowed out. She chuckled loudly. "At least mine is still in one piece." She snorted loudly meant to do that her ass! "I would offer to help you but your a rather rude little man."

She revved the engine of her bike which roared healthily. “Now I’m going to drive my working bike home.” She let it roll beside his bike looking the princess up and down. “I hope you have AA break down insurance.” She waited to see. Feeling bad about leaving the poor half blind man on the highway with a broken bike. Even if he HAD called her fat.

[Dunstan Hue]

"At least mine is still in one piece." Came the reply, and Dunstan's eyes narrowed. The Princess was in one piece; just not a whole piece. "I would offer to help you but your a rather rude little man." She turned around and scanned the Princess, and the machine gave an extremely loud croak. Dunstan looked down to the engine, scowling.

"Don't embarress me in front of her! Who's side are you on anyway?!" He hissed. The engine replied with an almost dead choke that sounded somewhat like a snort of laughter. Great, Dunstan thought. Even my own bike is conspiring against me. He looked to the woman, and almost snarled. He didn't want to fall away from this without some last word.

“Now I’m going to drive my working bike home.” The woman guided her bike beside his, looking the Princess up and down. “I hope you have AA break down insurance.” Dunstan scowled slightly.

"Hardly working, more like." He replied, her singular beady eye suddenly racing along her bike, every inch laid out for his examination. He was impressed, yes, but it didn't mean things were wrong, and he decided to point everything out he could find. "Screws on your brakes are too loose, the engine's fast to travel but slow to start, I could probably decrease your nought-to-sixty by about half a second, your mudguard's both too close to the front wheel and too small, those hidden weapon compartments are hardly hidden and when open probably slow it down like a parachute with the sails and your radiator's water needs changing soon." He smugly rattled off; sure, he exagerrated some of those points, but he felt as if he had proven that the Princess was the superior bike. He nodded to the distance; a small radio tower, blinking a tiny light, with a more crowded part of the motorway, a dirt patch and the curled expanse of the road ahead of them. "Try to get over to that radio tower before me and I can guarantee your bike would fall apart if it so much as tried." He said this with an air of smug genius, but the image was immediately ruined as the Princess spat a screw out of the exhaust pipe, and a small piece of paper flew into the engine and came out the other end on fire.

[Guest]

She huffed but she had to admit to the man that Agro was ready for a service. She ran a loving hand over the bikes side. "So my bike is ready for his service." She huffed and planted her hands on her hips. "But it runs better then that hunk of junk that looks ready for scraping your sat on." She shuffled on the seat and glared. "Agro is designed for the use and purpose I want him too."

She sighed leaning against the front lazily. She was tired and wanted to get back to her bed. "If you like I can give you a lift to a nearest service station." She really couldn't leave on of Toss's friends out to battle the cold. Toss gave her enough hassle as it was. He'd never let this go. She yawned and sighed. “But please make you choice quickly. I'm tired and I need to head back to bed.”

[Dunstan Hue]

"So my bike is ready for his service. But it runs better then that hunk of junk that looks ready for scraping your sat on. Agro is designed for the use and purpose I want him too." The woman said, but Dunstan's only reply to it was a fiery death glare; the Princess was no hunk of junk! She was essentially his child. A homemade bike built with love. His ego was as burnt as his face, and was now too angry tolisten to reason; he now had to show just how good his bike was.

"If you like I can give you a lift to a nearest service station. But please make you choice quickly. I'm tired and I need to head back to bed.” She said, and Dunstan's glare changed back to a smirk.

"Too tired to prove me right? See that radio tower I mentioned earlier? I'll race you to it." He then spun the Princess around to point in the same direction as the red haired woman's bike. For the Princess's lack of any real top speed, she could turn on a dime when she needed to. He extended a hand to her, a smirk on his face. "Unless you're ready to accept the truth and admit that The Princess is a marvel of engineering. The name's Dunstan, if I didn't mention it at Toss's.

[Guest]

"Too tired to prove me right? See that radio tower I mentioned earlier? I'll race you to it. Unless you're ready to accept the truth and admit that The Princess is a marvel of engineering. The name's Dunstan, if I didn't mention it at Toss's."

She made a noise with her tongue. A Che like noise. "Hate to break it to you Fester. This bike was made by the geniuses of Carriag." She let the engine rumble like a tiger ready to attack. "I'll beat you easily. You look like you can barely even move an inch." She rumbled the engine again before speeding forward with a screech. Gliding down the road leaving a trail of red light behind her. Agro speed along easily not even hitting near its top speed. Zipping between the lanes. Gliding from right and left lane easily. She looked behind her briefly to see if Dunstan had even gotten faster.

[Dunstan Hue]

Dunstan wasn't at all surprised when the bike opposing his rolled forward in an easy, lazy and fast motion. It wasn't going half of its actual top speed, he could tell, and the Princess was already left in the dust. It crawled forward, the sound like metal scraping against metal and louder than a gunshot, it was an unhealthy whine. Under his own breath, Dunstan hissed angrily. He couldn't rely on the Princess's speed to win this race; she was already at least a hundred yards ahead and gaining distance with ease. However, the anger became a smugness as he saw in the distance a turn, leading straight into traffic of a low crawl. Now there was the Princess's home territory. He saw the woman turned back to her and he saluted cheekily.

"Ooooh! Look at that traffic; it's a good thing you're not riding an oversized paperweight of a bike, or you might not be able to keep up with this!" He hollered loudly, then he very suddenly turned. He veered to the right and back again, cutting off a large deal of the road. The Princess rumbled uncomfortably in the dirt, sending bits of metal and all sorts everywhere, but it stayed together. Dunstan waited for the right moment, then, just before he crashed into one of the cars ahead, he applied the breaks and leaned back. The Princess spun back onto the road, before it suddenly dropped, sliding underneath the car with rider still on top. Dunstan looked back from underneath, seeing the wheels of his opponent just coming up behind. "Ha! Got the lead and put traffic inbetween her and me! Easy." He smugly thought, until he turned off the main road to get the road to the radio tower, and gulped.

Not a car in sight. And worse, not even a mile ahead of her. Then he heard the traffic rumble into life and begin to move. He gulped. His advantage! Gone! He looked back to the open road and put his foot down; an impressive action in most motorbikes, but as it only made The Princess wander forward at a pathetic fifty miles an hour, he looked even more pathetic than before. "At least the traffic cut looked really cool." He hoped.

[Guest]

There was a loud roar as she managed to get behind an empty car transport lorry. Driving up the back carrier revving the engines she clamped her legs in as she took off over the traffic and landed neatly just behind Dustan. As she speed pass she winked and blew him a kiss. "Sorry Fester!" She cheered as she speed ahead.

Sure his car slide had been cool but she just flew through the air. Take that!

she still didn't go or the top speed. Why rush? Leave it for the last spurt to take it. For a second she enjoyed the breeze of fresh air that the wind past over and through her. It kept her alert and left a path of goose bump and shivers over her body. Yeah she would sleep well tonight. Deciding to end this so she could sleep she flicked the throttle and accelerated as if the devil himself was at her ankles ready to take a bite.

[Dunstan Hue]

Dunstan's jaw dropped. She just wouldn't go down! The rubber smashed into the ground and she blew him a kiss. A scowl curled across his burnt face. He was not going to lose this. He watched her begin to pick up speed, and panicked slightly. He was going to lose this after all...

"... unless." He thought, looking to the handlebars of the Princess, then back to her. She was a fair distance from the radio tower, the predetermined finish line, but she was still picking up speed. The road was completely straight, too, not a car in sight. Not at full speed yet. He looked back to the scarlet button, the words "Oh Shit" written across them. It was a ludicrous idea, but it might work; even then he couldn't match her top speed, but he could certainly accelerate at an impossible rate. He gulped. It was dangerous, both to him and the Princess, but he really didn't have much choice. He pushed the button...

BOOM!

Flames jettisoned out of the back of the Princess, leaving a trail of dancing fire across the tarmac where the Princess went. It was an approaching storm, as if a monster from Hell had been let loose; a motorcycle growled more healthy, angrier and louder than any vehicle to ever travel across the road. The world became a blur to Dunstan, who fought desperately for a grip on the bike. He caught a glimpse of the woman as he passed and stuck his tongue out, before easily overtaking. He very suddenly slid the bike to one side, making the snake of flames cut across the road ahead of the opponent; he grinned at the effect. She'd either have to stop or melt her own tires. He was going to win. He turned his head back to the fiery-haired woman, and hollered back. "What did I tell you?! The Princess is a marvel of engineer..."

POP!

Dunstan froze, then looked back to the Princess. "... no..."

Pop... splutter, bang, clang.

"No no no NO NO NO! NOT NOW! Dunstan screamed, the Princess slowly and steadily grinding to a halt. He began engulfed in smoke, and heard one last sound out of the Princess; a mocking whisper. It was identical to a laugh. He slammed heavily on the accelator, but the Princess refused to move anymore. "COME ON YOU WONDERFUL BITCH AND MOVE! He then sighed, and looked to his right. The radio tower. He was literally an inch from the finish line, and the Princess broke down solely out of spite. He sighed, and rather than draw the effort to actually win and move forward, he just let his head fall onto the horn of the bike, which sounded out a weak "honk" sound before dropping off as the headlight flickered into blackness and the smoke plume ended.

[Guest]

What sounded like a explosion caused Artemis to look back. Only to receive a large shock. First the source of the bang was that small bike propelling forward at a shocking acceleration. The second shock was that the sudden leerch hadn't caused the bike to fall apart.

The bike zoomed straight pass the engine leaving a trail of fire that he zipped in front of her leaving the road blocked with flames. Eyes wide she had to think fast. Stop...burn tyres or.......She smiled. A good thing about the storage flaps where they pop out fast and would blow down the flames enough for her to speed over. Pressing the release button they both sprang out on the spring pistons letting out a swoosh of air that blew back the fire enough for her to speed over. Pressing the button again the compartments snapped back shut.

She speed as fast as she could to close the ground that Dunstan had gained and as she was just behind him a large pop was heard and as she passed. She couldn't help but laugh. It pulled off a short distance of amazing speed and died shortly after. With a laugh she zoomed ahead and stopped at the finish line. Gently rolling still she sat back and waited. She had to admit that was a shocking surprise the man had pulled.

[Dunstan Hue]

His body trembled in a silent weeping, angrily kicking the Princess as the smoke eminating from it spiralled into the night sky, lashing out as the wind pushed it this way amd that, until finally it ended. The Princess gave out a final, mocking choke, then died. Dunstan remained still, not really moving out of embarressment as his opponent rushed by laughing. As she rolled to a halt, Dunstan remained still, getting off his bike. It never worked after using the 'Oh Shit' button, no matter what he did. He put his hand just close enough to judge the heat; boiling hot. It'd be stupid to touch her. He sighed, and looked back to the victorious racer, before extending his hand to call for help, hoping she'd notice.

"You know I could've won that, right?" He said, but it didn't have much enthusiasm. Something was bothering him. She was a good driver, he'd admit that, and her bike was no pushover, but his beady eye saw that he could make it better, and his pride refused to admit that he lost to something that wasn't definitely better than the Princess. "Could I possibly get a lift from... urgh! I refuse to let myself lose to a broken bike. He moaned, pulling his wrench out of his belt in a singular motion, and stormed towards Agro. He was going to fix it and the rider wasn't going to stop her.

[Guest]

"Could I possibly get a lift from... urgh! I refuse to let myself lose to a broken bike." She blinked and frowned. "It's not broken just due for it's service...." Suddenly the man pulled out a wrench and was walking aggressively towards her beloved baby. Oh no he didn't!

In a swift movement the compartment flicked open and she grabbed the first firearm. A simple magnum but aimed at the man would be enough to stop his mad wrench driven tyrant. "Don't you dare!" she growled. She wasn't going to let some stranger touch the beautiful roaring beast between her legs without some explaining and some qualifications or evidence of skill first. And even though that spurt from his bike was impressive....the short death after wasn't so.

“Explain what your attempting to do first....” She lowered the gun a bit but it was at a handy quick aim and fire position. “I don't let just anyone tinker with Agro...”

[Dunstan Hue]

Dunstan almost immediately stopped the moment she pulled the magnum out of her car. His blue eye was staring right down the barrel, the black gulf holding only danger for him. His nerves withheld, however; he had guns pointed to him before, and the stillness required in making bombs gave him a discipline over his body that his ego didn't share. He raised his wrench slowly, gently nudging the magnum out of the way, revealing his smirk.

"Umm... hello? You're looking at a genius here." He moved past her, his wrench spinning in his hands.

“Explain what your attempting to do first..." She said, still pointing the gun at him. “I don't let just anyone tinker with Agro...” Dunstan sighed irritably.

"You said it needed a service, right? Consider this as one, but also making it better. He said, before plunging his hand right into the engine with a fearsome 'clunk', the wrench recklessly twisting and turning. Dunstan put his open eye to the small gap he had forced his hand through, and the mechanics of the bike were laid before him. "Not needed, not needed, should be over here, vital, needs tightening, needs loosening..." He muttered to himself, bits of metal moving to his will, some unnecessary weight dropping off underneath. Dunstan was as fast lightning, the work of a devoted artist-of-a-mechanic. He pulled his hand out and turned his attention to the mudguard, which was a little too close to the wheel for his liking; a shake out of place and the tires would be ripped. He raised it at its highest point.

"So, you've got my name, but I don't remember you ever telling me yours." He said idly, now beginning to modify the brakes on the front left wheel; too tight, wouldn't break hard enough and would probably bent out of shape while stopping the bike at any speed close to its usual top. All of his muttered under his breath to himself, not even hearing it himself. "Hmmm... that's probably the best I'm going to get without the materials back at my flat..." He explained, standing up and inspecting the bike.

[Shula Brighton]

{BUMP}

[Guest]

Artemis bit her lip and fluttered around as Dunstan worked on her beloved bike. Trying to look over his shoulder as he worked to make sure he wasn't going to kill the precious machine she made soft whining noises. "Careful!" She yelped and pressed closer. "Don't you dare hurt him!"

"So, you've got my name, but I don't remember you ever telling me yours." She blinked and smiled. "Artemis...It's Artemis." She moved back to let him stand before hugging the bike. "I'm sorry..." She soothed and petted it's sleek body whispering softly to it.

Looking back to Dunstan she whistled. "Hey Fester....So how do you know Toss...I can't remember much of that night." She grinned sheepishly. After all she had been so wasted she had been convinced her breast's where plotting to take over the kingdom. she swore to never mix Vodkas and what ever else she had drank again.

[Dunstan Hue]

"Artemis...It's Artemis." Came the answer. Dunstan nodded, and then she wrapped her arms around the bike as if it had just been broken. He snorted; he knew what he was doing. "I'm sorry..."

"You're welcome, sweetheart." He moaned sarcastically. "Don't you know genius when you see it?" However, Agro did not look much like a genius had touched it; a lot of weight had been lost, and metal lay across the floor from Dunstan's vicious attacks with the wrench. However, he knew just how much more powerful he had made the bike now. When it turned on, it was going to roar.

Artemis directed her gaze back to him. "Hey Fester....So how do you know Toss...I can't remember much of that night." She grinned sheepishly, but Dunstan's eye darkened slightly as he looked to her, scanning her. It wasn't a darkness of misery or anger but more irritance.

"I said my name's Dunstan." He said. "As for how I know him... I don't. Not anymore, at least. My head's a little scrambled eggs at the moment, and I was hoping for it to be unscrambled a little. It's a long story, I'll tell you on the way home. Now set back, and listen to the lovely sound of your bike at full potential." He stood back, tensing his foot. "One last adjustment... and... THERE!" Suddenly, his foot rammed right into the engine, which let out a splutter as it begun. It sounded like it was gargling and dying for a few minutes. Dunstan felt like sweating; he didn't forget how to fix bikes, did he?

VROOOOOOOOOOM!

It was like a cannon had been fired as the engine roared passionately into life, sounding stronger than ever. Artemis' motorbike seemed to, for a moment, became alive, and it sounded like a dangerous predatory animal. Dunstan turned his head to Artemis, his grin from ear to ear. "Who's a genius? I'm a genius."

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