Alright, toolbox, bedrolls, other stuff... Yep, looks like they haven't gotten to the cart yet, everything's still all here. Ah, can't forget to grab Sis's stuff, either... Alright, now everything is accounted for. Great.
Now we gotta go stop that band of ruffians outside from taking it, I guess...
An "Ehk" sound manifested itself out of S's mouth as his face scrunched and we returned to the cart. "Somethin' smells really weird."
"What?"
"Dunno, think it's coming from outsi- OOOHAUUUUH-" S said as we looked out the window.
It looked like our assailants came on some sort of weird... Horse car? Okay, so, it was, like, a big box carried by 4 horses, each placed where a wheel would be if the thing were a car. Also, the box looked kinda like a treasure chest, for some reason. Even had this big lock in front that you can totally see through. Looks about big enough for 4, maybe 5 people if you shifted the loot around. Nobody in there now, though.
Probably 'cus they were all in front of our cart. 2 of them each on 2 horses. I wonder if they strapped them to the back of their chariot like spare tires?
Also, one of the ruffians had a giant warhammer made of bones on their back.
And also were, themself, made of bones.
They were a skeleton.
"Right, what the F**K is that?!" S shouted in exasperation.
Okay, guess that means living skeletons aren't a common occurrence in this world. Noted. Also, vulgar.
"NYEAH?!" The skeleton shouted at us in a very skeleton like way.
"AH! IT TALKED!" S exclaimed. I guess this would be a lot more traumatizing if you didn't grow up watching cartoons and stuff. That's reasonable, but personally, I just can't see what's scary anymore about the walking, talking corpse of a man, stripped of his flesh and organs, drained of his blood, animated by God know what awful power-
Oh shoot, I'm terrified, aren't I?
Well, at least Sis didn't seem to mind.
"Oi, there's people in the cart." Said the bald man behind the skeleton.
"I CAN SEE THAT, YOU NUMBSKULL! WE'LL DEAL WITH THE PASSENGERS LATER!" The skeleton shouted, skeletonilly. "FOR NOW- OI, STOP THE FRAGGIN' CART, HELMET HEAD! FYYYYYYNAL WARNING!"
Todd did not stop the cart. What, is he trying to outrun them? This is a pretty crappy pace to do that, isn't it?
"NYAAAH THIS GUY!!! ARE YOU MOCKING MEEEE!?!?"
Todd did not respond.
"SCRRRRRRRREW THIS GUY!" Okay, I can buy that a skeleton can talk, but how did he just roll his R like that? I can't even do that! And I've got a whole tongue and a voice box in here! I think, anyway. Guess I haven't really looked since... Actually, now that I'm thinking about it, my tongue does feel a bit smaller than it used to- "HOOK! PARROT! CIRCLE AROUND AND RAM INTO THE CART!"
"Oi, you sure that safe, bossu?" Said whichever guy was on front of the horse the skeleton wasn't on. He didn't sound all that concerned.
"I DON'T KNOW! JUST DO IT WHILE I SEE TO IT THAT THIS NUMBSKULL IS CRUSHED BENEATH THE HEEL OF HIS OWN DAMN HORSES! YEH!"
I guess people normally stop moving when an inexplicably loud skeleton on horseback tells them to stop. I can see why.
"Okie, bossu."
"THAT'S CAPTAIN BOSS TO YOU!"
"Okie." Returned the guy with an 'ok' hand sign.
"Are we doing something about that?" Sis asked me, readying her fishing pole.
I nodded, but quickly added "Just be careful not to get the clothes dirty-"
"DAMNIT, TODD!" S shouted as the horse began to turn towards us with intent to ram. "STOP THE CART, WE'RE BEING ATTACKED!"
"Hm?" Todd said, as his head turned just slightly. "Oh, would you look at that."
After a moment, the horses and the cart came to a stop. I saw Todd begin to grab his things, and I assume he went to get off the carriage, but I was a little preoccupied looking at the rapidly approaching horse and the two ruffians on its back aimed directly at our cart (and, consequently, all of our stuff) to be certain.
Speaking of ruffians, these particular dudes were all seemingly on the larger side, clad in some rough leather padded shirts, relatively plain faces, and black hair. The one up front had an almost pompadour and no facial hair, and the one behind him had short hair and a beard. I think the other ruffian with skin was bald, and I might've saw a mustache, which was also black.
I wonder if they're all related? Or maybe they just all dyed their hair black together?
"MOVE, MOVE!" S broke into my thoughts, shoving past me and heading towards the cart door.
"Uh-whu, what are you doing?" I asked.
"I'M GONNA GO BEAT THE CRAP OUT OF THAT BONER!" He said, briefly turning to me with a smile before leaping out of the cart.
Phrasing!
And then S scurried off past the horse in front of us and towards the one that was carrying a skeleton.
He and I have very different responses to fear.
"Guess I'll deal with these two. You stay back here." Sis said, also hopping out of the cart and readying her fishing rod before I could respond.
Which was fine. As it happened, sitting in the back of the cart happened to suit me juuuuust fine.
After all, while I'm no tactician, I couldn't help but notice none that of these guys are wearing helmets. How curious.
Y'know, this old toolbox over here is pretty hefty, isn't it?
How curious, indeed.
