Camping in the Cold...

[Dai]

Man, is it cold...

That was the first thought that came to Daigoro Ito's mind as he scanned the snow-covered wasteland that lay before him. The rest of the Briggs people were coming up behind him. Why had they left Fort Briggs unattended, you ask? It's simple, they were camping out and seeing if the soldiers could handle one night without their expert guidance. He just hoped that they wouldn't get attacked in the meantime, and everything would go without a hitch. He turned, watching for the others to catch up to him - and they were on their way. They'd all brought something with them, Daigoro had brought a hotpot, hoping that it'd keep them warm, hopefully somebody had brought alcohol or something... They needed to keep the night interesting. Going to sleep tonight would most likely mean death for them.

He smiled to himself, and found a small sheltered cave for them to camp in. After checking it for any threats - there were none, he knelt down, breath coming out in steam plumes, and put a lantern onto the cave floor. It was going to be a cold night, that was for sure. He grinned.

Those idiots back at base. We just needed a night off... He laughed to himself, and sat down, waiting for the next person to come into the cave.

Please have brought some alcohol...



(OOC - This is going to be a comedy thread. No fighting, BYO. You must have brought one item of food or drink...)

[Reila Tsukino]

Reila smirked evilly. Yes! Her constant plotting for the opportune moment had been finally successful! She was almost certain that Briggs wouldn't be attacked while they were away, but the possibility still stood, as it always did. It was unlikely. Reila was determined and invited her whole Briggs cast to the event that would most definitely bring them all closer together. The best way to get to know the people you work with is to... PARTY! Dai had come up with the idea to play the game of Truth or Dare. Of course, Reila had agreed immediately and proceeded to organize this.

She stumbled through the deep snow, pulling her skirt down from the frigid wind while dragging dry fire wood and booze behind her in a large suitcase-like bag. She entered the cave behind Dai, her golden eyes glinting in the lamplight. She tossed the heavy thing into a stalagmite in the back corner and sighed with the effort it took to bring it there. Stretching her arms high into the air, Reila prepared herself for the fun to ensue. She bent down on her heels to unzipper her bag and pull out some of the firewood to place in the middle of the cave whose top had airy holes for the smoke to escape. Suddenly she realized something, when her thoughts drifted from her makeshift bonfire to burning marshmallows. Damn! She had forgotten to buy smore ingredients! She could only hope that someone else had thought of it...

Once one-forth of the wood was stacked neatly in the center of the area where they would be spending the night, Reila then pulled a lighter out of the mini pocket of her navy blue military uniform skirt. She cupped her hands over the flame and watched as the wood began to burn until a whole log went up in fire. With her hands on her hips, she admired it and shot Dai a satisfied look. "I brought Hard Lemonade, Whiskey, and a case of PBR Beer and Bud Weiser." She sat daintily down onto the limestone floor and crossed her legs.

[Murazar Dauthi]

Murazar grumbled as he walked in a few minutes after the first two, he had a canteen between his undershirt and his jacket of the white suit. It was filled with snow to melt, it made it alot easier to melt it than to bring water. He carried a sack in one hand filled with crackers, chocolate bars, and some cheese wrapped up. In his other hand was a deer with its white coat glistening with blood from the gigantic gash in its side. He had decided to go hunting before hand to provide fresh meat to the 'party'. Not that he really wanted to be here, he had work to do.

I really never should have gave reila that report and information that gave us the best all-clear we've ever had. Should of just kept my mouth shut and modified the report a bit. What could she do? Fire me? Ha! I'd just go work for someone else, its not as if there isn't tons of work I could do. This is just the more fun and interesting of them. Although, now i'm regretting the choice a bit.

He walked into the cave before shouldering off the deer near them, but far enough so he could use a spare knife he brought to skin it and remove the organs. He dropped the bag of food near reila, he didn't bother to say a word as he walked over and knelt near the deer before cutting away at it expertly. He had done a many failures of hunting before he had gotten good at it. After all he didn't always have money to feed himself, and there was more wilderness than cities.

He simply spoke dully, the edgy calm and frozen mystery still in his voice and body language. " Crackers, Chocolate bars, and spare cheese from the kitchen in the bag." He paused a moment as he removed the skin and set it aside to use later as a mat or blanket when the blood dried. He made sure to spread it out. He turned to them still as serious as always, " Anyone here eat organs of any type? If not i'm burying them all so a bear or wolves dont come looking for us." Then he waited for a answer if any before cutting the strips of muscle coupled with fat off. He also set the bones aside in a seperate pile. He used everything from a animal to survive, after all that was the proper way to live.

[Guest]

"Damn It's cold", Liam shivered 6 layers of cold weather jackets, a gray trench coat, a beaver pelt hat, and he was still freezing. "Why did I come to fort Briggs, I hate the cold, I grew up in south city for god sakes, it was uncomfortably cold in central for me at times, so logically I decided to come to Briggs". Liam pulled out a flask from his inner jacket, and took a rather large swig pausing his march to enjoy the warming sensation it brought. "Now look at me, I hardly ever drank before I came up here, and I have already gone through a flask on this journey alone", Liam took out the flask and swished it around, "Damn it is already half empty, or is it half full?"

Liam chuckled aloud at his own thought, "crap I might be a bit drunk, ah there's the cave", The light emanating from the cave was encouraging, "At least they have a fire going." As he walked in, he saw Dai, Murazar Dauthi, and Reila, were already there. Once he took off his backpack, he pushed his glasses back up the bridge of his nose, and checked the packs contents. A box of frozen chocolate chip cookies that he set down by the fire, several bags of jerky because it was going to be a long night, and in the most secure area of the backpack with several pages from a newspaper wrapped around them were two bottles of his favorite brandy with a complement of shot glasses. He set everything down took of his hat grabbed a piece of jerky, and moseyed on over to where Dauthi was dissecting a deer, bit a piece of jerky. "How long were you hunting before you bagged that fine specimen of a deer?"

[Reila Tsukino]

Reila was suddenly mystified by her urge to please everyone. She didn't quite understand it herself, but she felt it was her job to make everyone around her happy. She despised negative feelings of any form and would dispel them to the best of her ability! First, the female Brigadier General turned to Mura as he breezed in with all sorts of things to add to their growing stock of supplies. If she didn't know better, she would have thought they were living in the cave for a month. Then again...boys did eat a lot. She was sure they could handle devouring everything so they had nothing to carry back with them tomorrow except a hangover and heavy stomachs. Hah! With a mix of emotions lingering on her face, she slid over to the silver-haired man, trying to smile through her dampened and unsure feelings. "Mura, you know...you didn't have to come..." She frowned slightly, trying to hide the disappointment. "But thank you so much for everything you brought! We really appreciate it, ne."

Reila looked up quickly from Mura's mess of deer that had set her heart pounding. She blocked out his comment about organs and took a deep breath. Trying to avoid the onslaught of nausea brought by the blood on the cave floor, she smiled brightly as Liam walked in. Wait...wasn't he a bit drunk? She giggled. That was amusing. It only helped her to forget the pool of blood over there. She gulped and focused solely on the newcomer. "Liam, you look cold..." She smiled with care, laughing a bit more. "why don't you sit by the fire to get warmer?" Reila took her own advice and inched closer to it. At the mention of the deer again though, she placed a hand over her mouth and sighed. Ugh blood...why did it always bother her so much? She knew...she knew very well. "I'm getting bored, why don't we just start without the others?" She smirked, golden eyes gleaming. "Dai, Truth or Dare?"

[Dai]

While everybody had been busy getting everything up, Daigoro was still checking the cave out. He had only gone down so far, and when he reached the end he held the lantern up to it. Nothing. It was simply... Empty. Daigoro sighed, and walked back to the group. Once everybody was there, Daigoro would attempt to close up the door of the cave. It would offer them shelter, and Daigoro would leave some metal in there, if he needed to get out of there in a hurry. He sighed again, and moved over to where everybody else was, and sat closer to the fire. He then brought his hair out in front of him, before gripping and sliding the white cloth out from between the red locks, letting his hair fall behind him, really showing off how long it actually was, and looking far more feminine than usual.

He smiled softly, and pulled out the hotpot, taking the lid off, allowing the steam to come out. He could smell the stewed meat from where he was sitting, and he gave a contented sigh. So good. So, good. He smiled, and pulled out one of the bowls from the bag he brought.

/"Dai, Truth or Dare?"/

Daigoro blinked, and looked up at Reila. Already? He smiled, before moving some of his hair behind his right ear. He wasn't ready to embarrass himself, he'd have to be pretty liquored up beforehand. So he decided that Truth would serve him better, for now. He nodded towards the Brigadier General.

"I'll take truth."


OOC Dai/Aki TOD rules:

Spoiler:

[Reila Tsukino]

Reila smiled sincerely, crossing her legs over to the other side now and flipping hair back out of her eyes. "I figured that we should do a bit sober so we have some memories of it," She laughed, golden eyes amused as they caught the light of the flickering flames around her. She watched as Dai's long red hair came into view and smiled. She really loved long hair and it suited her head of military operations very well. Reila also genuinely trusted this man however dangerous it may be.

Before anyone could see, Reila's hand darted out and stole a chocolate bar from Mura. She tried to act innocent as she peeled the wrapper off and took a large bite. She was attempting to eat it before it melted in the rays of the growing bonfire. Screw smores; she would be happy just eating this. She pondered as she swallowed, trying to think of something that would yield a good answer. "Dai..." She trailed off, "How many girls have you been with?"

[Murazar Dauthi]

Murazar listened to reila talk to dai, mainly the whole truth and dare thing. To him it seemed pointless and simply a waste of time, he could probably meditate or clean his nails and be more productive. He looked at nakamora and paused as he dug a small hole with his hands and buried the blood. " About fifteen minutes. These dear seem unaware or at least cautious before a sound is made, usually by then its too late and they're dead. Should take a hour or so to cook it generally well."

He then did something generally unusual he pulled out some of his dirt from the pouch and used his wind transmutation to push the blood gently into the hole. Funny thing was is that no one here had probably seen him actually use his abilities. He usually avoided that unless necessary, and right now it was somewhat necessary simply because he didn't want to fight a bear while cornered with only these other fools. That would be dangerous.

He took his gloves off and stuck them in the snow for the blood to slid off into it as he buried the organs afterwards he took a piece of jerky from nakamora to chomp on, he looked to reila and asked politely, respectfully, yet distantly and still as icy as the enviroment they were in. " Ma'am, may I borrow your sword if you brought it. I could use it to cook the meat." He didn't for a second relax himself, despite her saying earlier that he didn't have to come. Of course he did, otherwise he'd be more seperated from them. Well that and observing them analytically like they were chess pieces.

[Guest]

Liam looked over at the fire picked up his bottle of brandy, strolling over to the fire and sat down. He looked over at Murazar, "Could you spare me a steak? I haven't had venison since I went hunting with my dad a couple of years ago. Fifteen minutes, my word it took my father and I an hour just to get into a decent area to hunt them, and there were days when we would be out for five or six hours still ending up empty handed." Come to think of it the mountain range that he used to hunt near wasn't nearly as cold as it was here, these deer had only a couple of predators to worry about and humans weren't on the list. He listened as the game of truth or dare started up, and poured himself a glass of brandy, if I'm going to play truth or dare I'm going to need more of these than I thought. "Yeah I am a bit drunk...I mean cold, well both I guess any way, does any anyone want a shot of brandy, I have enough glasses for everyone... I think.

He chuckled at the question Dai was given, he doubted he could even come up with an interesting question in his state let alone a sane answer, oh well. Liam took a bite of jerky looked around at the rest of the guests, and then started staring at the fire as it's light flickered of of the walls illuminating his shot of brandy in an odd light.

[Dai]

Daigoro smirked at Reila's question. Great. Just bloody great. He ran an automail finger along the partly-frozen ground, trying to take his time. Funny. He'd never actually cared about it until now. Hell, he'd never thought about it in all honesty. He just lived and that was all. He sighed, and laid back down onto the ground, thinking some more, before sitting up and looking at Reila with a slight smile to his face.

"I lived in a basement for 17 years, learning and such. I only got out three years ago, and those three years were basically devoted to become a fully-fledged State Alchemist. So the answer to that would have to be zero. Complete and utter zero." He laughed, and turned around, looking for someone to choose. Who could he choose?

"If you'd please, Mura. I'll have a steak also. I'm not much of a meat person, Father taught me that way, but venison never goes wrong." He smiled, choice made.

"Nakamora, Truth or Dare?"

[Guest]

Liam listened to Dai's response, and smiled it fit his personality well from the amount of time Liam had to observe him. Liam poured him a glass of brandy, adjusting his glasses to see better he handed thee glass to Dai. "Truth or dare, well I may be a bit drunk but not nearly enough to make a fool of myself on a dare, so truth, public humiliation will come later". Liam smiled and laughed he was happy to be social again, his job before this had him on the move constantly. He only made a few good friends, and even they didn't know him as well as they thought. To make up for that Liam had made an effort to have many acquaintances and colleagues allowing him to never be far from someone he could at least share a drink with.

[Dai]

Daigoro smiled softly, before accepting the glass of brandy from Nakamora, sipping it and feeling the warmth grow in his body, putting it down next to him, he began to think. He was never all that good at creating either truths, or dares, but he was going to try his hardest today, err, tonight. He laughed, before standing up, pacing back and forward. He already had a truth thought up, but he was going to let Nakamora simmer for a little while. He sighed, before sitting down and taking another sip. He turned towards the man with a smirk, and spoke.

"So, Nakamora. Have you ever been skinny dipping?" He laughed, it sounded a lot worse coming out than it did in his head. Typical. He yawned, and sipped more of his drink, waiting for the man's answer. The cold metal of his right arm was beginning to freeze over. Just great. He really needed to see his mechanic, if she still lived. He may have to find a new mechanic, one who was going to be able to replace the auto-mail on his arm with stuff for the cold...

[Murazar Dauthi]

Murazar nodded to both of them once simply saying to each seperately, " Of course." He grumbled lightly as he still waited for reila to either give him her sharp friggen stick or not. He needed that at the least to cook them evenly well. Otherwise no one would be getting steaks, or at least well tasting ones. More or less they'd probably taste more like mutton which tasted like a meaty kind of shit. He popped his neck as he listened to dai question nakamora if he ever skinny dipped. Murazar doubted nakamora had ever done that, but if he did would it really matter? No.

At least they hadn't bothered to include him in their game yet, for one he didn't want to play. Two he probably had never done anything of the like they had. His life was business, how he had got caught in this thing he didn't know. Despite reilas insistenance that he didn't need to come, he was given very clear options. Either go or end up hanging off a railing naked for half a hour while being photographed. Not that he really cared about the photographed part he just hated anyone having proof via a photo he existed. That and hanging outside for half a hour in briggs, with a wind, and over a very high altitude was not pleasant. So he chose the less painful alternative. This way at least he could take a break from his job and no one could blame him if briggs had gotten attacked or he missed something. He could just point to reila before vanishing like a ghost who had never existed.

[Reila Tsukino]

"C-cook the meat?!" Reila stammered, her gold eyes glowing fiercely at Mura. She was trying to hold back her outburst, she really was. Maybe that tequila she had earlier was loosening her tongue... Shit, here it comes. "I'll have you know that a tachi is a precious sword. It's like a katana only longer andand...and!! It's delicately fashioned like a work of art. You can't use it for that!" She covered her mouth with her hand and blushed slightly. "Etooo...what I really meant to say was that we could just use something else. You guys are alchemists, right, make a metal cooking rod." She let her hand drop and smiled embarrassedly.

Reila turned to Dai and gave him a sweet smile. "Is that so? Well, we'll have to change that, ne?" She nudged him and winked. This was turning out to be really fun, she just hoped that she didn't let too much of her true personality slip out so as to be disliked. She laughed when Nakamora's turn came up. He was a new recruit for the most part, but Reila really liked him and enjoyed his personality so learning more about him was going to be entertaining. Dai's question made her giggle as she grabbed for a beer and popped the top to begin sipping at it. She caught sight of Mura then out of the corner of her eye and a devious smirk fell on her lips as she looked back to Nakamora for his answer. How amusing...

[Dai]

Daigoro, at this time, had been roasting his auto-mail over the fire, while all of this was going on. He really needed to melt the ice off of it. When Reila spoke, before nudging him suggestively, Daigoro looked around and back to her, blinking in confusion. He sighed - not really understanding what was going on here, being one of those people with little world experience. He then looked back to his arm, watching the ice finally melting off, he'd probably have to do that quite often, tonight. He sighed again, before picking up the glass of brandy off the ground, downing and finishing it, then turning to his hotpot, and pouring a bowl for himself and a bowl for Reila, handing it to the woman. The hotpot was simple, with only a little bit of meat, but cooked in whisky to braize the meat that was there.

He took a bite of the food inside the bowl and smiled. He'd done good. He then remembered Reila's outburst, and turned to her, with a mouthful of meat.

"I'd like to, but my Alchemy isn't really good for much except magnetising metal itself. Sorry, can't help you there..." He smiled softly, before swallowing and yawning. He was... beginning to get slightly tipsy, thanks to the mixture of whisky and brandy. Oh, it was gonna be a fun night...

[Guest]

(Hope its ok to post now)

The next to arrive in the cave was a new member of the Briggs Brigade. Her name was Yochi Houka though she always introduced herself Houka Yochi. She walked in wearing her usual combats, uniform jacket with long sleeves. The uniform jacket was for once done up over her red long sleeved top. Fortunately, her grey scarf helped keep the cold off and it coverd her lower face. She pulled down the front of the scarf and sat down by the fire.

"I brought marshmallows, wafers and chocolate sauce." she said and thought for a moment as she placed the heavy bag down. "And a few bottles of Absinthe." She looked around at them as she poured herself a shot of absinthe and downed it. "So I heard that you'd started truth or dare when I was just outside. Whose turn is it?" She looked over at Murazar and went to draw her sword, but stopped. "You can use my sword if you want Murazar, or you can use these cooking sticks." She suggested as she took them out of her bag. She always came prepared.

[Murazar Dauthi]

Murazar blinked at reila as if not comprehending the reason to hold the sword back, he shot right back at her in his normal cool tone of voice. " Ma'am, sorry to say. We are not magical genies who can make metal rods appear out of snow water." The last was sarcastic, which was his general sense of humor was known for. He continued, " Generally speaking weapons of finer grade usually make meat thats being cooked taste better or have a unique taste due to the metals, whether condition, temperature outside the fire, and humidity. Its simple really."

He added the last part almost as a slight insult due to her stuttering to look for a answer and suggesting the impossible even though her sword wouldn't be damaged due to what he would do because then it wouldn't be durable, which mean't it wouldn't be worth using as a weapon. She was being irrational, which was one of the many, very many things he hated.

He turned to the newcomer who he hadn't met yet, but had heard of. He held out two hands, one for a handshake and the other for the sword. " Thank you Miss Yochi, I think I will use the sword. It has a finer metal material to add a sweet taste to the meat. While i'm at it, since we haven't met its a pleasure to meet you Miss Yochi." He was completely polite, nice, sort of like he had done this a thousand times before with equal precision and efficiency. He just hoped no one involved him in their truth and dare game, by politeness he'd have to play at least a little bit before using the cooking as a excuse.

[Reila Tsukino]

Reila frowned and opened another beer, drinking it like water. Her sword wasn't to be used for frivolous things, besides eating something off a sword that had sliced through human flesh regardless how clean, still grossed her out. She turned away from the scene and watched as the fire devoured the wood she had previously placed before it. It seemed that Nakamora was in deep thought, so she tried to push the game onwards. "Someone else ask a question now," She nodded encouragingly, "we can come back to ya, Nakamora~" She leaned back against the cold wall of the cave, but didn't shiver. It seemed the alcohol was beginning to have effects on her, but she definitely wasn't going to complain about the warmth it brought her.

[Dai]

Daigoro finished his glass of brandy, and laughed softly, before eating some more of the bowl of stew within his hands. it was so good - he was a pretty good chef when it came to time. Not that much meat in the mix, but it was still rather hearty. He smiled, the alcohol was beginning to kick in, and he'd surmised that to be a good thing. It meant that he'd be able to avoid embarrassment, or at least, remembering most of it. he then turned to the newcomer and laughed.

"Of course, Houka. You're not late at all. Come in, take a seat. Hell, while you're at it, you can ask someone truth or dare... I mean, if you're game for it, that is..." He laughed softly, before staring into the fire, partly mesmerised by it. He just hoped that he wouldn't give up any... deep secrets tonight. He laughed again, and finished off the stew in his hands. Good stew. He stood up, walked out of the cave, relieved himself around the corner, and walked back in with a smirk and a yawn, hair flowing behind him.

[Guest]

Houka had begun toasting marshmallows for smores when Daigoro spoke. She looked at him for a moment swallowing a cold marshmallow she had eaten. She looked at the flame for a moment seeing which way it was flowing. It was flowing towards their commanding officer. She smiled to herself. "Ok Reila. Truth or dare." she asked as she pulled one of the toasted marshmallows out of the fire and ate it. She made a small sound of pleasure. It tasted so good. She decided to use the next one to make a smore and pulled it out putting it inbetween two wafers and adding some of the delicious chocolate sauce. It had a hint of caramel in it. She bit into it and smiled. This tasted any better. "Help yourself to smors." She thought about that for a moment. "Or just the marshmallows or sauce or whatever." she added. Some people preffered cold marshmallows for some reason though she had never worked it out.

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