While Dare felt bad about how terrified the girl looked, she had no way of know if this girl was an enemy or an ally. "Show me your palm," she commanded, sticking out the hand with the brand on it to show the girl. "Do you have this symbol on your hand too?"
"Hey there, hey there it's alright shhh we're not gonna hurt you miss." Tempest softly told Yumi "You can run if you want but it's not safe alone." He knelt by her side but gave her a bit of space. He held his hand out to the frightened girl, his tone dripping with concern.
Ember nodded and thought for a bit then made a motion as if she was turning a school locker combination
Yumi looked up, her eyes locked onto Tempest. She reached out her hand, her palm exposed the brand, she still held her book tight. “Y-You aren’t going to kill me?”
Yumi shook the whole time, tears were still running down her face out of fear, she didn’t know what to do.
Tempest reached out carefully with his paw padded hand and wiped away some of her tears with his thumb "Of course not. Breath please, take some deep breaths." He took the fearful girl's hand gently in his and gave a bit of a smile "Are you okay? Are you hurt? Hungry? Cold? Maybe just scared like I am?" He whispered to Yumi
Blake shouted into the distance again, "Anyone out there? Without murderous intent?"
Dare relaxed when she saw the mark on her hand. “Ok. Alright, we’re friends, not foes. We’re not gonna kill you.” She tucked the knife back into her jeans and stood aside awkwardly as Tempest reassured the girl. She never was good with crying people.
As if an answer to Blake they soon came across a little makeshift tent with leaves glued together with the black substance that was so common now in this forest. three large branches were tied in place with a thin chain and a tall lanky Caucasian male with dyed grass green hair was snoozing under it. The male had a heavy winter coat draped over himself like a blanket. Shadow looked back to Blake as if awaiting an order on what she wanted him to do
Dare relaxed when she saw the mark on her hand. “Ok. Alright, we’re friends, not foes. We’re not gonna kill you.” She tucked the knife back into her jeans and stood aside awkwardly as Tempest reassured the girl. She never was good with crying people.
“I haven’t had food for a while. I recently found this forest when I blew up my house on accident… the last time I ate was… I think three days ago. I got a drink from the creek.” Yumi explained, her chest plate stopped glowing, it turned back to it’s dull color. “Usually when people find me they try to kill me… I’ve been running for days on end looking for a place to settle.”
Yumi looked over, a bag was there with a few books, each in a different language. All of them had covers with robots, mechs, buildings, all kinds of stuff.
“Yikes. That’s… not good. Um, right above you is a cherry tree, and I’m in the middle of making a fishing pole to hopefully grab a catch. So, let’s get you something.” Dare stopped. “Wait a second, I don’t even know your name. What do people call you?”
“My name is Yumiko, but I like to be called Yumi… I mean I don’t mind Yumiko… it’s just.. weird.” Yumi said, she looked above, the cherries were high up, and Yumi being a short 4’9, can’t do anything about it. “Aw man…”
Yumi sighed, and put her books back in the bag, grabbing the arm piece to her armor, and attaching it to her body. Her left arm is defensive, so she always puts it on that arm. “I-I’m an inventor. I have lots of things, most are small. Maybe you can use some..?”
Yumi got her bag, Yumi had a lighter which she had made from scratch, thin wires, metal scraps, and a pocket knife, along with books. “You can use these if you need them. I’m not that useful…”
"Hello…?" Blake stepped defensively in front of Shadow, she didn't want anyone to attack him.
“Yumi. Great. I’m Dare,” she said shortly, but not unkindly. “An inventor? Could be useful. May I borrow some of that scrap, if you would be so kind?” She didn’t want to grab for anything without Yumi’s consent because she didn’t want to spook her away. In this girl, Dare could have just found a valuable new resource she couldn’t afford to lose. “Oh, I’m sure you’re not useless. No one is,” she said with a small smile.
Tempest backed up and let out a little sigh, glad they were getting along. His ears would not longer stand up on their own as the last few weeks caught up to the young boy. Any steps he took dragged along the snow just a bit. He had been running off of power naps and energy drinks for about three weeks and now that he was separated from one of those things…well he knew he would crash eventually. Tempest knelt down by the water and splashed some on his face, for he couldn't afford to be dead weight in the new trio they had formed
The green haired boy did not stir in his sleep as Blake called out
“I… I have a mech suit… if that’s any help… and use my stuff as you need. I usually use them to build stuff.” Yumi said, putting her hand on her chest plate. “I’m not much of a fighter, but I’m a good defense… and I know how to treat wounds.”
Yumi looked over at Tempest. “Sorry for me being startled. I’ve been getting attack a lot recently, I’m not sure why.”
"It's uh…well understandable I know what that feels like." Tempest assured her, sitting on the snow covered ground as he tries to let his lightheadedness pass
A functional mech suit and medical knowledge? Yumi was far more capable than she first appeared. “Trust me, you sound more than helpful,” Dare said in what she hoped was a reassuring tone. “Thank you for allowing me access to your materials. I promise I will repay you.”
"More useful than I'm being right now at least." Tempest joked a bit as he stood back to his feet to pick some more cherries
Blake pouted, and walked up to the boy. She leaned over him. "Wake up!"
The boy still didn't wake up. Either he was a heavy sleeper or…something else. Shadow let out a little and let out a little "wuf" from Blake's side
"Is he…" Blake nudged the boy with her still-armored foot.
The boy's eyes shot open and he pushed the coat off of himself, revealing an olive colored tee shirt, worn out jeans, and vans skating shoes. He also had many different charms all attached to a single thin chain around his neck. He quickly scooted across the dry ground he had cleared ahead of time reaching for a charm as his eyes widened
Blake backed away from the boy. "Woah, woah. Chill out." Blake remembered she was still armored. "Oh, yeah. Good night, Willow." The suit of armor folded back into her prosthetic leg. "Do you know where we are?"
His hand dropped from his charms and he signed in ASL 'A forest last time I checked' hoping she understood sign language.
Blake blinked at the boy. She tapped her foot, and as usual, the keypad popped up. Upon tapping a command, her leg unfolded into a half-suit of armor that covered the left side of her chest and her left arm, ending at the top with a visor. "Can you sign that again?"
He nodded and repeated what he had signed but added 'you must be one of the hunted' pointing to the symbol on her uncovered right hand