The Bostaurus Settlement; Pit Stop!

First topic message reminder :



Buck would lead the newcomers on into the heart of the Bostaurus Settlement, past many cowpokes of many types. Many of them looked onto the newcomers with warm, welcoming eyes, though some of them found the two of them rather strange looking; possibly because they were the ones that hadn't ever seen their kind before, wherein many of the older ones probably had, since they dealt with the trade more often than the younger ones.

"This way!" he said, reaching a nice little log cabin house with a field beside it. This was the Wilde House.

El caught the shovel gently, or as gently as he could. With the new found powers he had, he wasn't sure what amount of pressure could have just snapped the thing in half. He was highly reluctant to break any of Joe's tools since this family had been so kind to him and Tzita, even with the whole glowing ankh fiasco.

"Shouldn't take too long." El said confidently as he positioned himself a fair amount of space apart from Buck and sunk his shovel deep into the fertile soil. With all his willpower, he prayed he could do this normally, without throwing dirty halfway across the planet. He couldn't even calculate how strong he'd gotten.

Buck smirked and wiped his nose with his thumb. Seeing El working so hard made him want to do so, as well. With that, he had a thought. "Hey El..." he said, driving his shovel down into the ground, "... Betcha I can get done faster'n you!"

Joe: Now, don't y'all go tearin' up my plot, y'hear?

Naturally, Joe wasn't too far off, keeping a watchful eye on the young ones whilst he continued on with what he was doing independently, but his ears weren't failing him yet. "Aw, Pa!" Buck said, kinda sullen. He was the competitive type and was always up for friendly competition... Especially since El beat him in that race before. But he figured now wasn't the time for it, even if he wanted to. "Oh well..." He continued to dig, moving onto the next spot. He still wasn't gonna stop his idle banter, though. Made the work move along much more quickly.

"So, uh, El... How you likin' our cozy li'l home here? Hope it ain't too dull for ya!" He chuckled, tossing some dirt off to the side.


Meanwhile, in the kitchen, Bessie was in the midst of preparing breakfast, which was coming along quite nicely. She was already halfway done. She hummed a light tune as she did her part and turned around to catch an eye peeping from the corner of the hall. She smiled and continued on as if she didn't notice, pulling out some bowls. Eventually, she would speak up clearly to the one hiding around the corner, "... Breakfast's almost ready, darlin'." She giggled to herself, wiping her hands on her apron. "Ain't no need to be shy. Come keep ole' Bessie comp'ny, why don'tcha?"

El was doing well with keeping his new found gifts in check, and, as he continued to dig holes, the speed at which he was digging began to increase. Even with the increase in speed, he was still diligently delicate and detail oriented with the way that he dug each hole. You never forget how to work the land, even if you've been away from a farm for years.

"I grew up in an environment similar to this, just not as big. If circumstance hadn't chosen me, I'd still be a farmer and a proud one at that. Fate decided that I wield Durandal instead."

"That right?" he said with a boyish scoff. El told him a bit about his past as a farm boy before and as a knight and all that, but that Durandal was actually something that Buck was more interested in. "... Duran...dal...?" By the time he inquired on the sword, he'd already finished his first row and was moving onto the next. "That there sword ya got? *sticks shovel into the dirt* ... I wouldn't mind seein' ya use it in a battle or sum'n! Heh heh!" Buck didn't get to see a lot of action and stuff beside the occasional scuffle between some of the more proud steers trying to prove their strength or something of the sort. "You ever killed anyone?!" Naturally, something you have to ask someone wielding a weapon... Or, at least in the young Buck's eyes.


Back in the kitchen, Bessie kept watch over the food to make sure it wasn't getting overdone. It wasn't much, but it was something they ate frequently. "Oatmeal's almost done," she said, stirring the large batch in a big pot simmering over the stove, "... Bet ya smelled the cinnamon? It's my li' secret ingredient!" Tzita looked pretty downtrodden and Bessie was trying to make some sort of small talk in order to help her feel better. Figuring that this young looking girl wouldn't tell her outright, she would instead have to ask flat out. "... So, what's eatin' you, dear? Can't eat breakfast if somethin's nippin' at ya!" She brought out a loaf of bread as though to make some toast with, waiting for Tzita's response.

El was already done with his third row and beginning on the fourth. Once he'd gotten used to suppressing himself, or as use to it as he could get in this short amount of time, he'd gotten himself into a groove. It helped that digging holes was all he was able to help with when he was a small child on the farm, so this was an element of expertise.

El stopped however when Buck asked his question, and hesitated, only briefly, to answer before he continued digging. "No... never." He responded without looking at Buck, or anyone at all and only staring at the ground as he dug. Seemingly at the time of his response, Durandal by the front door of the house hummed before falling to the ground with a thud. The sound of it alone proved that it had gotten much heavier than it used to be.

Buck hadn't been paying much attention to how many rows El had done; he was too busy focusing on his own and finding random chitchat he found interesting to talk to El about. "Man, that's somethin'!" he said with a bit of surprise. "Figured a knight with a nice, shiny sword woulda been fightin' all sortsa bad guys an' protectin' people an' stuff..." He continued to dig, making his way to the midst of the second row, "Well, I reckon it ain't quite right ta kill folks anyhow." He shrugged his shoulders, finally looking up, "WOAH! Yer already on your fourth row!? Shucks, I'd better keep up with ya!!!" Buck started picking up the pace, quickly finishing the second row and making his way to the third. "Tryna show me up again, eh, El? Hahahaha!" It was good to be able to have a guy to joke with around the house. Milly was fun and all, but there were some things that only guys could talk and joke about. "Well, you beat me in that race, but I ain't gonna let ya beat me at this here farm work!" Buck heard a random thud somewhere in the front, as it was definitely loud enough to have been noticed, but he didn't pay it much mind, figuring it was just one of the other tools that had fallen or something. He was too busy trying to catch up to El, anyway.


Bessie, in the kitchen, could tell of Tzita's inner struggle just from her words alone. There was definitely something deeper than what she was saying, but it wasn't nice to pry too much. She simply took what the girl was saying and nodded her head. "Y'all ain't intrudin' none, hun! Trust me, iff'n ya were, Joe woulda already gave ya the heave-ho!" She giggled again after making the joke, even though knowing Joe, it probably would have ended like that. "Just try to relax, darlin'! The only way you can be a bad guest is if ya don't let yerself be one in the first place!" She returned to her pot, stirring it a bit and turning off the stove. "You just sit back an' enjoy yerself. Let us handle the worryin' 'round here! S'what the hosts are supposedta do, don'tcha think?" She turned back around and smiled, pulling out some pieces of bread and placing them in the toaster. "And iff'n we ain't makin' ya feel as cozy as possible, well, don't that make us bad hosts, dear?"

By the time breakfast was about done, Milly had woken up and made her way out of her room, finally. "Maaaaa~" she damn near mooed, "... That breakfast I smeeeeell~?"

"Yeeees, Milly~!" she said with a ring, "Go getcher grandpa and the boys and round em all up. Breakfast is just about done!"

Milly: Yes'm~. *goes to Gramps' room*

Buck was right with his assumption of what Knights usually did, what everyone assumed that Knights did. There was a point in El's memory where it blanks out before he appeared in this world, and he wasn't sure what happened in those moments that were missing, but everything he could remember were mostly peaceful memories and smiling faces of the people. El lived by one creed though, even as a knight, and that was that he refused to kill. It was the reason for why, when he and Tzita were dealing with her brother, he didn't do as the mysterious stranger with snow colored hair demanded he do. There was reason for this... but El wouldn't get into it.

He thought to comment, but saved it and looked up to see that he had gotten pretty far ahead in digging the holes when compared to Buck. He smiled and laughed heartily, "Haha. This isn't even my full speed. When I was young, digging holes was my specialty!" before getting back to digging at a faster pace than he had been. As it stood, they were definitely gonna finish the work before breakfast was ready, or at least El thought before he caught the lingering scent of...

"Seems like Oatmeal with a hint of cinnamon and toast."

Buck: No foolin'?! AW YES! Cinnamon's my favorite!!

He hoped that breakfast was done soon. He worked up quite the appetite, even if they hadn't done much but dig these holes. They'd almost covered the entire plot, quite honestly; mostly thanks to El's doing, no doubt. They were a pretty good team, and of course, Joe had been casually watching every now and then to see how far they'd gotten. He was impressed with El's work, as well.

Buck: Wow, yer nose is great, El! You got senses better'n my cow senses, seems like!


Inside, Mildred would walk out of the room with her grandfather, who seemed to still be a bit dazed, but much better than he was last night. A certain peacefulness had come over him, which made him much less rambunctious than he had been just that day before. After sitting him down at the table with Tzita, Milly would go out to get the guys. Bessie was rather pleased to hear that Tzita had taken her words to heart and had lightened up a bit. It put a smile on her face to know that Tzita was smiling in her heart. "Yer quite welcome there!" she said, toast popping up after a while, "Well, no need to wait for me! Help yerself to fixin yer plate!" She would have already been working on Gramps' bowl, of course, since he was her elder and all. She pulled out the two pieces of toasts and put them on a small plate before sitting them down before him. "Y'all doin alright this mornin,' Paw?" She would get some jam and butter from the cabinet and put them on the table to be used as seen fit.

Gramps, in a docile tone "... Yes'm..."

Bessie was a bit surprised to hear him less gruff, but found it to be a plus rather than a minus. She smiled and nodded at him. "Good! Well, g'won and fix yerself yer toast as ya likes it, Gramps!" She would start on the bowls of the others, getting their breakfasts together and setting them down appropriately at the table.


Outside, Milly would call out in a loud voice, "BREAKFAST IS READYYYYYY~~!!!" And rush back inside to get herself to her seat so she could get to hers. She wasn't trying to spend time out there not woofing down her food.

Joe turned his head to the call of his daughter, chuckling and shouting to the others, "Alright, y'all! You heard the lady! Git on inside and get yerselves some food!" They hadn't finished, but they'd done more than enough for him. "Mighty fine work y'all did! Much obliged for yer help there, Elliot!" He walked over to the plot, figuring he might as well finish it up, since there wasn't much left to do. "Tell Bessie I'll catch up." He would take the shovel from Buck, pointing to the door, "Go'won then! Scoot!" He said with a chuckle.

Buck: Ha! Guess you were right on the money, El! Let's go get some breakfast! *rushes off inside the house.

"No problem Joe, I'm just glad that I could lend a hand. I've been a bit restless if I'm being honest." He admitted, and figured that was the reason for why he didn't sleep any last night.

"All that energy..." El said quietly to himself with a small chuckle before he followed after Buck, but not nearly as quickly. El was close to his thirties, after all, and liked to take things at a more chilled and relaxed pace. He had a fun-loving side too, but it wasn't as pronounced as Buck's.

When he came around the front of the house, he noticed Durandal had fallen to the ground, assuming that that was what the thud earlier was all about. He knelt and wrapped his hand around the handle of the sword to pull it up, but noticed that he needed to use a bit more strength than usually to pick it up. Durandal... It was strange, but he decided to think nothing of it and attach the sword back to his waist and enter the home.

He saw Tzita awake and at the table already, with everyone else, and came over with a wave of his hand. "Everything smells lovely. I could practically taste it out back, Lady Elizabeth." He said as he moved to Tzita side and tap her shoulder gently with a smile before moving to get his food. "And a good morning to you as well, you too Lady Mildred."

"Mm..." Gramps grunted, nodding his head at the lass, ".. T'ain't nothin' ta worry 'bout none. Y'all... Are good folk." He didn't seem at all disgruntled about it, but in fact was pretty content with it. "Made me feel... Good..." He'd say, digging his spoon into the oatmeal.

"Well ain't that something?" Bessie said with a smile as the kids rushed in, "Gramps don't take kindly to most folk that even look a bit of human, let alone be all friendly-like with 'em!" She was happy that the presence of the two strangers was able to put his old soul at east, quite honestly. Right behind Buck and Milly was El, who looked just about as enthused as the young ones. "Hope y'all worked up an appetite there, Mister Elliot~! Got more than enough here for ya!"

Milly: Mornin' El~!

Buck: Oh, by the way, Ma, Pa says he's gonna keep workin fer a li'l while longer.

Bessie, with a sigh, "Oh, that Joe! Don't he know it ain't polite ta ignore guests?" She shook her head, "Ain't he sum'n?" She figured there was nothing that she could do about it, so she just threw her hands up and went to the refrigerator. "Oh well. Anyhow, y'all thirsty?" She brought out numerous bottles of fresh milk, placing them on the table before sitting herself down. By that time, everyone was seated and starting on their meals.

"Hmm, oh I was out helping dig holes." El answered to Tzita while giving Milly just another wave to acknowledge her greeting. He figured that she would like that. Then he went back to making his breakfast and everything, realizing that he had been especially spot on with his "prediction" about with Elizabeth had made for breakfast. It wasn't exactly a prediction, but the fact that El was just able to smell it. It wasn't one of his super enhanced senses or anything, El just naturally had a sensitive nose.

Once he was finished, he took a seat at the table on the other side of Tzita and undid Durandal from his hip to lean it against the chair. When he did so, it seemed like the sword had returned to its original weight, a fact of which El was glad he ignored earlier. Ever since he'd gotten here, Durandal had been acting much funnier than usual. He wish he knew more about it.

The family and their guests enjoyed their breakfast and company, as they'd done for the past day. The first one done, surprisingly, was Tank, who stood up abruptly and walked to the door. "Paw?" Bessie called, wondering what he was doing and where he was going. "... Need some fresh air," he said pretty decisively, as though he'd made up his mind about it long before he finished his meal. The door shut behind him and Bessie sat there a bit concerned. "Hmmm..." She didn't want to be poking her nose into it too much, but she was worried about him, as she basically did about everyone and everything that was amiss. Buck and Milly were a bit frazzled, too, but didn't think as much of it as Bessie did. They just continued on eating as they did. "I wonder if I should tell Joe...?" He hadn't even come in to eat his breakfast yet, and the dishes were going to need washing, so she knew she couldn't just leave the house.

"Y'all?" she said to everyone, though mostly her kids, "When y'all go out to the market, iff'n ya don't mind... Would y'all please keep an eye out for your grandfather? You know how I worry..." Since they were all going out anyway, might as well ask them. After what happened last night, even if he said he was fine, she was still concerned about his safety and his healthy.

"Yeah, sure ma," the two of them said, of course, having a slight concern in a similar fashion (and wanting to ease their mother's worry.) They were almost done with their food, anyway. By the time they were, hopefully El and Tzita would be ready to hit the town and stock up on their own goods.

El was quite busy enjoying Elizabeth's delicious home cooking, the same way he had been last night before everyone went to sleep. He wasn't too busy, however, to hear the woman's heartfelt request and to see the glance of Tzita while he spooned the last bite of his oatmeal. Grinning, he placed a hand to the head of Tzita and stroked gently before nodding to Elizabeth.

"It'd be my honor." He finally chimed in before finishing his breakfast and stretching in the chair until he heard satisfying cracks in his bones. He began to think on what exact supplies that him and Tzita would need to collect while they were out. Traveling the land meant that they would need something to sleep on and/or in, as well as wash clothes and maybe a couple changes in clothes. He knew Tzita knew where they needed to go, but he assumed she didn't know how long it would take them to get there. El was in no hurry, but he wanted to make sure they had the essentials.

"Ahh! Thank y'all so much!" she said, placing a hand on her chest, "It would do me so much better just ta know Joe's Paw is alright..." She looked around, seeing that basically everyone had cleaned their plates, "... Well, iff'n y'all are ready right now, then Bucky and Milly, show our guests to Market, will y'all?" She felt much better about it, no longer having to worry since the four of them would be on the case. "I'll talk to Joe about it when he gets in for breakfast..." she said, getting up and collecting their bowls.

Buck: YEAH!!! You got it, Ma!

Milly: Okay, El, let's go to the Market~! *gets up and grabs his hand, trying to drag him to the door*

Buck: Heheh, yeah, you two, Miss uh... *blush* Miss Tzita!

Bessie: Now don't y'all be rushin' our guests here!! That ain't nice!

Both: Yes'm...

"It's terrible manners to leave two ladies waiting, if you'll excuse us Lady Elizabeth." El said and got up after everyone else, allowing himself to be pulled along by Mildred pulling at his hand. He was glad to see Tzita coming back to her senses and getting back to normal. She'd been rather pensive since they'd gotten here and he'd be lying if he said he hadn't missed her playful side.

"Well, that does it, then!!" Buck said, heading out the door, "Let's mosey on down to the Market and see what we can rustle up for ya, huh?" He would be the one leading the way as Mildred clung to El's arm affectionately.

It wouldn't take very long for them to get there; in fact, they'd passed through it when Buck first brought El and Tzita into the Bostaurus Settlement. It wasn't very busy the other day, but because it was morning heading into midday and not the afternoon into evening, there was more hustle and bustle among the cowpokes around the town. The shops were small, no more than what a personal vendor should be, set up under large sheets for shade and dictation of area. Some of the finer ones had entire tents or large rows dedicated specifically to their wares. There were many things, including many normal human items that they'd received from trade with the other settlements among the Kaolo Highlands, which many of the Bostaurus people seemed most interested in. Naturally, they were more expensive.

Buck: Hope y'all are good at barterin'! Won't take a lick of nothin' they don't want. *chuckle*

Mildred, nuzzling El's arm "Yeah, but don'tcha worry iff'n ya ain't got nothin' worth nothin.' We'll cover ya."

Buck: Yeh, we're pretty well known cuz of Ma and Pa. Plus, Milly's our secret weapon in town...

Mildred popped up gleefully, her exceptionally large breasts bouncing about just as happily as she, "Heehee~!" Since milk was one of their best products, anyone that could produce a lot basically meant getting a lot in return. Not everyone had breasts as big as Mildred, nor could produce as much milk as she could alone. Luckily their mother passed down some mighty fine genes.

El's eyes gleamed happily at the idea of bartering, it was a skill well respected in his world. He wouldn't brag, but he liked to think that he was pretty good at it. Most of time though, it was more like him betting the person that he could do a feat that they thought was impossible. He always got what he needed that way. So, he wasn't good at bartering, but at gambling!

"Well I like to think I'm pretty good at this type of thing." Though, looking around, he could see all the eyes of the various shopkeepers and such locking onto Mildred and Tzita both, and understand the other method in which they might receive supplies. And why Mildred was considered their secret weapon.

"What should we get first then, Lady L'sia?"