trans_9 | What's a vacation? [Closed- Bendytimed to middle of shore leave]

Thank goodness Samus' bike was shipped down with them, or else she would be a lost woman.

Sure the relaxation is nice, but like hell she is used to it. She always needs to be doing something with herself. Sitting on a beach and shopping do not fulfill those requirements. Plus she had already done those two things. She's wearing normal clothes for once and sporting new boots. They aren't quite what was in fashion back in her home universe, but the stores here seem to lack blue bodysuits and orange two-pieces. How sad.

With all her vacation obligations taken care of, no one could criticize her for sneaking off alone. Well, they could, but they didn't have much of a case considering she did at least make an attempt to partake in some normal activities. She had done them only half-heatedly but it is still better than nothing, especially for Samus.

She took her bike. She doesn't know exactly where she's going, but she will find what she needs. She had been to enough of these "vacation planets" to know them. She used to hop between them back when she was getting started as a hunter and needed jobs. She rides through the back alleys. She's less likely to get stopped or spotted by an enthusiastic crew member trying to drag her along somewhere.

Except, one does duck into her path. He isn't going to try and stop her, though. She knows that. Instead, she slows and eventually stops, placing her feet onto the gravel road to steady the bike as it ideals.

"Trying to go somewhere? Or trying to get away?" she asked, even if she already knew it was the latter.

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The Master Chief is not very good at shore leave. He can't relax, he can't make himself comfortable. He almost wishes he could.

He can't relax. He feels like he shouldn't be here, that he doesn't belong somehow, and hasn't been able to shake it since they landed. John's not used to street clothes. They're an improvement over the podsuit, but he still feels vulnerable. Open. Even worse, he doesn't even have his sidearm. Sure he can fight, but it's a blow to his sense of security. It's ridiculous. He should be able to feel safe here, he knows that the chances of something going wrong are small. But he still can't shake the spike of nerves he gets whenever he notices the lack of his sidearm's reassuring weight at his hip.

And now here he is, hands jammed in the pockets of a new jacket as he walks, having just given a cluster of crew members the slip and trying to analyze his reasons for doing it. Just... being there felt wrong. Going inside that club with them would have felt wrong too. And being out here alone is also wrong. He can't figure out where he wants to be and what he wants to be doing right now, and it's bothering him. The only answer is "working" but there's nothing for him to work on.

He moved to one side to let the bike pass when he heard the engine, briefly pulling him out of a mess of trying to sort his own thoughts. As he hears it come to a stop, though, he silently prepares to deal with some street punk who thinks it's a smart idea to sneak up on him. But it's not necessary.

Samus' voice. He stops walking.

"Going nowhere," he replies, not turning. "I'm out of your way," he adds. Why did she stop?

The way he wanders with his hands in his pockets gives Samus a hunch that Chief is itching for something to do the same way she is. The only difference between them is a lack of resources. Even if she doesn't dare use it right now, Samus has her suit quite literally at her fingertips if she needs it. Not even Chief is exempt for the no weapons rule.

She also has the advantage in knowing where to look for something to occupy her time. Samus may not know much about Chief, but she knows he is a soldier, his life objectives and assignments doled out by a superior officer. It'd been quite a few years since Samus was in a position otherwise, as well, but there was once a time where she was in full control of all of her operations, including finding a job to actually do.

Still, she isn't fully sure why she should stop (she could easily keep riding and look for an assignment herself), but she does.

"You're not going to find something to do walking here," she tells him.

How did she know that? He bristles a little at that, but makes himself relax. This is worrisome. If people can tell he's bothered, it means he's doing something wrong.

He looks back at Samus over one shoulder.

"Maybe not," he answers.

"What's it matter?"

She's leaning on the handle bars of her bike, her head propped up on one hand. She's just looking at him.

"Because I know where you will," Well. That's only a half truth. She's not completely sure what or where she'll find to do, but she knows that she'll find something. Eventually.

He raises an eyebrow at that, and turns to face her.

"And where's that?" he asks, skepticism audible. He's not really in the mood to be messed around with and told what's good for him, he's been getting that all week.

"Haven't found it yet," she says plainly. It's a slightly more truthful answer, but it's clear Samus is confident in her abilities to discover the place in question. "But it's where I'm going now."

She thinks whatever she ends up doing tonight, the Chief would benefit from tagging along. However, she can tell Chief is more than a little on edge at the moment,s so the 'do you want to come with?' is left unsaid.

"That an invitation?" the Spartan asks. He's still not sure why she didn't just pass him and keep going, or why she seems to care.

She isn't entirely sure why she didn't pass him either. Had she not seen him in the alley, he wouldn't have crossed her mind. A bit of chance that she happened upon him and decided to stop.

"Maybe," she shrugs. "Got an extra helmet."

The Chief thinks about it for a moment. He doubts this will do him any good, but then again neither was wandering around in the dark. This way he's not alone, at least.

"Sure," he says.

Catch, Chief! One helmet coming his way. Samus, perhaps abusing her armor privileges a little bit, dons her own. Convenient.

The Chief dons the helmet and climbs onto the motorcycle behind Samus. Motorcycles, unlike the mongeese he's used to, are built for two people instead of one and a half people so this works out pretty well.

"Ready."

She nods, leans forward, and places her feet back on the pegs as they start to roll forward. She takes a relatively easy pace in the alleys between the buildings, but speeds up as she turns onto actual roads. She goes through the more crowded parts of town, past where everything starts to spread out, and ultimately lands them on a sort of rural road on the edge of a cliff. Only a guardrail separates them and a fall into the sea. The sky is still a purple from dusk, though no sun is visible in the sky. Soon they'll be relying on the headlight on the front of her bike and the stars for light.

Samus doesn't say anything. There isn't anything to say. Chief's a good passenger. He keeps his balance well and leans when needed. She doesn't need to ask him to do anything to avoid any spills.

They ride for awhile. Samus eventually pulls them away from the cliff road and heads inland. Up ahead are a few buildings. Different from the resorts and shops and entertainment in the city they were staying in. These are shorter, more run down. A few of them are clearly warehouses with some smaller, far from cushy office buildings around. Every building looks unoccupied except for a select few. One with dim lights still shining through the small windows seems to catch Samus' interest. She slows and eventually stops in front of it.

It was a bar.

As they get off the bike, the Chief surveys the building. He raises an eyebrow a bit, making eye contact with Samus, but says nothing.

He has nothing better to do but follow her in. It's either be uncomfortable here or be uncomfortable out in the dark on his own.

Samus says nothing. She kicks down the stand and left the bike in a spot in front of the bar. She walks in without looking back at Chief. She just assumes he follows.

The bar is... a bit on the shady side to say the least. It's a hangout for criminals and a breeding ground for plans illicit activities. They get a couple of strange glances as they enter, but between the air Samus gives off and Chief's pure size, most of the patrons return to their own business quickly.

Samus takes a spot at the end of the bar in a rather dark spot. The first words she says are to the bartender, ordering two drinks.

What's a vacation? [Closed- Bendytimed to middle of shore leave]

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