Looking up from my current bit of work, I glance around the truck's dashboard, "You know, I'm surprised you know how to drive one of these things. To get it out into the open."
Ivahstar spares me the moment to offer me his eyes, "Wouldn't have been able to do the work I do without knowing how."
"Yeah, but, it's been so long..." I point out, drawling myself out with a sigh at how exhausting it is to consider the length of time. Heiya was a small child when Gamtambo went after Ivahstar, so it's at least been as long as that. Fifteen years? Twenty? I don't even know. I never cared to ask Heiya her age. Certainly haven't been made privy to either of their birthdays.
I know certainly that there are odd days in my memory from the past handful of years. Two days. Both of these days, the pair are much happier than usual. They certainly show that happiness a lot more to each other quite a lot on those days. Guess those are their birthdays. And I cannot even remember what day of the year... Damn. No teasing for me.
"We'll need to handle the licence plate when we get back," Ivahstar remarks as we stop at a red light, a pair of police officers on the beat at the crossing. I keep my eyes on the down low and keep picking away at the concrete block. Whittling it down nose-picking sized piece by much the same. My lips part with a wet noise.
"I can't particularly do that. Too many details." I say and Ivahstar shakes his head, almost as if to taunt me that I barely fit inside the cabin. Hwardgon-made goods are no happy riding time for me. No siree.
"I'll handle it, then. We have what we need to jumble the code, and eyes will only be open for this code." Ivahstar tells as my dusty hand leaves a print up on the dashboard. I eye the handprint and ruin it with a dragging swipe.
"If it gets reported." I huff and the quillback bastard gives me another nod.
"Lucky for us, the police are busier than usual to handle motor theft." Ivahstar says as we turn, bouncing on the curb a bit. I smirk down at my friend as he acts like nothing happened.
"I retract what I said earlier." I say, the expression growing as he frowns my way. Not a speck of attention on the road.
"Don't know what you mean," he lets out, showing off more and more to batter down any attempt to pull on his strings. I keep it to a smile and go back to my work of freeing up more steel mesh. Wasn't much trouble at all, really, finding what we need. It was all practically being asked to be stolen with how much of it was simply lying about.
For all the trouble the earthquake has caused us to this point, this bit of help is appreciated. Still, the earthquake can face the worst kind of damnation as it's the whole reason we're doing this! Stupid giant... Stupid bug. Go fight your end-of-the-world duels elsewhere.
Breaking away from my work, I look out at the street and watch as it goes by. The hustle and bustle of the underground people and their neon-loving architecture. Frilly dresses and slicked back jackets made of a black leather. Ribbons in the spines of the girls, a greasy shine in the attitude rocking boys. A people that can use magic but are not as defined by it as the people on the surface. Mountain-dwelling or Ravineer, it matters not.
Mm, I remember my first time going underground to hwardgon lands. I remember it so clearly in the foggy, vague kind of way. Flat open tunnels filled with the rumble of engines and pairs of dim lights. Wide open caverns full of dance and merriment.
If I recall my history lessons, as well, this isn't even the homeland of the hwardgon. The underground, that is. They're a surface people, much like everyone else. Born in the Time of Liquid Mountains, along with all the other races.
But, unlike the others, something drove them underground, and they thrived here. Thrived so much that they picked up all the mineral wealth one could think of. And where honest trade exists, so do slime-tongued liars. Two-faced creatures I am more than happy to be in the employment of so long as I see a well filled back at the end of my efforts.
Work that introduced me to my friend here... So stoic-faced and yet so readable at the same time. To me, anyway. Even then, he's still much of a mystery. Aren't you, Ivahstar?
"You know I'll never love again." Ivahstar comments, throwing me about for a wild ride that I could never see coming. I cough on nothing and reorient my head, but I cannot do it. How can I!?
"Wa-Was that a joke about...?" I struggle to say as his slight smirk settles down into something miserable. His chest heaves and empties, though not as much as his spirit.
"Look." Ivahstar tells me, pointing out across the steering wheel.
"Oh... We parked." I quip, shaking my head and following his finger.
"This place has Heiya worried." Ivahstar lets out thoughtfully and I crouch down how I can to give an understanding nod.
"It's no wonder, look at the place. We've no doubt got eyes on us already. Eyes that will spill the truth with me here." I caution and he grumbles something that I do not think even comes close to resembling words. Still, if we were a hwardgon pair, it would be easier to hide our snooping. But with me being a human... Well.
"I think we should take our chances," he lets out and my head shakes, almost burning off my scalp in the process with the friction from the roof.
"No." I assert as firmly as I can to my old friend. I reach out for him, grabbing his arm and squeezing it as I become nervous about the twitch in his leg. We didn't bring our main gear with us, and we don't even have enough of that, either! All we have right now are a couple of one-handed pieces that are only two steps away from being waste of space barburs.
He turns and looks me in the eye, an odd shine to the edges of his. My gaze mellows and my grip loosens while his tightens, turning white even through his dark fur. A thousand bullets must be in his ears right now. The fire in his look is certainly not determination. No, it's all a memory.
"Let's get going, before we have someone snooping too close to all of our stuff." I insist and Ivahstar shakes himself out of the unfortunate life he is reliving. He blinks once and harshly, forcing the wet rim of his eyes away. His grip eases up, and he stomps, burning rubber. I go back, hitting my seat and we get back onto the road, an unstable throw-about on our back section.
Turning around, I look through the glass and watch it stabilise, tearing at my heart otherwise. A noise of relief slips through my lips and down my nostrils and I shake my head. I get back to work, nearly done anyhow. However, I can't find it in me to keep going at it.
"So... Ivahstar... Growing up, did you ever get any of those toys with the toys inside of them?" I ask, though not correctly, as the name is slipping through my mind. How do I explain it? Those rock toys you break apart to find a model on the inside? Oh, he'll know if he ever had one.
"Didn't do toys growing up," he answers, his rough early life coming back to mind.
"Ah, right." I let out, my mood flattening as it becomes apparent I'm at as much of a dead end as they can really get. Unbreakable rocks ahead, flesh-eating monster right behind me, ready to gobble me up. Screaming and crying and all that good stuff terror makes you do as you die.
"I think I know what you're on about, though." Ivahstar says, a slight rise to his lips putting one back onto my face.
"Do you? Those rock things that came with the hammer and chisel thing. Usually some kind of skeleton model on the inside. Like a forge's cast or something. Or anything that pours liquids into moulds, really?" I say and my old friend nods, a clear picture probably in his head either way.
"Nah. I don't have a clue," he says and I let out a quick laugh.
"Honestly." I say, getting a nudge from him as he shifts gears.
"Personally, I prefer the ones for adults. They call them bank vaults and sticks of demolition charges." Ivahstar tells me, his tone taking on that usual tell of dry enlightenment.
"Oh, I know the ones you mean! There's this toy company... Gamtambo or something. They make a good few of them. Lovely prank material. I heard the company did such a silly thing though..." I say, carrying on the joke as a sadistic smirk comes to both of our lips. Anything to degrade the bastard we're here to get, ey?
"Hm?" Ivahstar goes, already pulling us to a stop so we don't have an accident.
"They used their actual money!" I laugh out, smacking my crumble dusted leg as Ivahstar roars with delight. I come to a stop and he keeps ongoing, all that pain fuelling his want for a chance to laugh at them. Soon, my friend. Soon we shall give you an actual moment to laugh like this.
He keeps on going and going, simmering out of his own accord. He switches back to normal, his expression becoming something that might as well have never changed. A quick snort comes out of him. We drive off.
"I tell you what, though. It'll be a lovely time when I get out and stretch my legs." I say, dumping the concrete out onto what little seat there is next to me. Keeping my grip on the mesh, however, I try to bend and straighten it. Though, I don't get very far with steel of this quality. Not with my magic-lacking backside. Guess I need more wagon pulling time to build up my natural muscles!
"Will you? I assumed you'd want to be in front when we leave town." Ivahstar remarks, some of that uncharacteristic joker still inside of him. A pained huff wheezes through my nose.
"Gods above, kill me now if that is how it's going to be." I lament, already hating how much I feel squashed and cramped.
"There's no rain down here, anyway. Weather is always the same." Ivahstar tells me, dismissing my moans and groans.
"Yeah, dark." I moan one last time as we turn onto a familiar road.
"Mm, guess we should look for a tarp?" Ivahstar asks, his eyes dashing about to get a peek at our stolen goods. I shrug on both of our behalf and settle in as much as I can. Moment we stop on the driveway or in the garage itself, I want to spring out into the open. Fly into a wall if I have to, just, please... Whatever god is in my head, free me from the claustrophobia of this damn truck!
"Freedom!" I cry out pre-emptively, seatbelt lashing back into its socket as I reach for the door. I shove it open, the motion of the truck defying my attempts. Popping out, I stroll for a moment and stretch my legs, the door banging away behind me.
"Open the garage, will you?" Ivahstar asks of me as if I have much choice while he has a gun mockingly pulled on me. He settles it down, keeping it out of view of the neighbours as they give us ponderous looks. A rare moment of people focusing on those around them in these parts.
"Yeah, yeah..." I groan as an ache stings both of my knees. Honestly, the gun might be a cure for how much soreness I'll be feeling in no time at all. Seriously... I've been hauling all the luggage and the wagon itself and I've been stuffed into a car. What am I going to do about this friendship? Oh, I wonder.
"Welcome back, lazy good for nothings." Heiya greets as she leans on the entranceway. I heave the garage open and let Ivahstar get in. The truck putters on through, blasting me with engine fumes.
"Says you!" I snap back, slamming the garage door down so no one can get to peeking at our osibindah payday. Heiya giggles and I smirk in turn, her personality far more agreeable to conversation despite how her father's been on the car ride.