Walk With Me In Hell {Gandigan}

A wave of relief would wash over the girl when they finally decided to acknowledge her pleas, or rather pestering if we’re being entirely accurate. Hand lowered to meet the other in an enthusiastic clap of the hands as this individual, smaller in stature than herself and yet imposing to boot, would offer his peace. The words spoken all but confirmed whatever lingering suspicions she held about this place. There was some struggle to wrap her mind around the severity of her situation, but not enough that she couldn’t put it aside for the time being. No halo, which meant she was alive – another wave of relief, however little it helped. Her broad grin soon shrank as she considered the notion of ogres, that she may possibly be some servant on errand to find this curious cultivator of secrets.

There had been no mention of the dried blood all over her hands, but maybe that was for the best. It wasn’t even worth questioning, the impulsive spunk that was Estelle couldn’t resist the temptation of such an opportunity.

The girl nodded with a hint of enthusiasm. ”Of course the ogres sent me! They said someone would be here, with a map, at this very spot. Someone who could teach me what I needed to know!” That disturbing grin returned as she raised a finger, almost as if to add a point to her story. Whoever had been the subject of the namekian’s scrying had possibly endured enough of the humanoid’s optimisim, for it wasn’t long before someone out of her periphery made their leave. ”That’s the curious thing though, they never gave your name Mister...?” Enough of a pause to glean a name, before she continued on with a wide sweep of the hand to the lands beyond.

”Well, haha! I suppose they just expected me to wander these lands between, aimlessly on my lonesome!” A weary sigh, dreadful the thought in of itself was. A moment of genuine concern may have fleeted through those abnormal eyes, but the charm was back on before the ashes of that sorrow could settle. ”I suppose a little company couldn’t hurt. You probably know these roads better than I do,” suggested the blond, a musing hum in in her tone. ”Very well! I accept your rather generous offer! Lead the way, good sir!” A rather charismatic gesture made to the marketplace, or wherever they were meant to be going to look for one of these rifts. Truly, it all sounded rather fascinating, and she couldn’t wait to put eyes on one in the flesh.

TWC: (+443) 1,305
6/6 KP 0/6 MP 0/250 HP
Estelle’s PL: 24,000
Antisense: Inactive
Resources: OW Training, Life Leech

Gandigan.

It was a name she was sure to commit to memory, certainly if she wished to see the land of the living any time again soon. This individual, the way he spoke, seemed to carry a sage-like wisdom to his tone. Maybe if not for his age, he seemed well-versed in the taxation life’s troubles tended to take upon the soul. It wouldn’t be the first time she met someone with that in common, if she were to be honest. From what she could ascertain, this Gandigan didn’t particularly care for the ogres, or their laziness, judging how he spoke of them. Maybe there was some bad blood in that department?

The girl nodded along in agreement, pausing abruptly when her own name was questioned. Those crimson eyes blinked several times before the request seemed to register. Her chin tilted upward in consideration, finger tapping the side of her cheek with a hum in her throat. ”I think I’m Estelle, but I’ve been having trouble remembering things from time to time.” She offered an innocent shrug, as if her bouts of amnesia that came and went were all too common to mention. Surely there was a reason behind it, just as there was for her being here at all.

”I’m from Earth, yes. West City, actually. Home of this cute place I know with the best calzo-...actually, nevermind.” She cut herself off, not wanting to spill the beans on something that bore little relevance to anyone but her stomach. A noticeable frown swept away her charm with another wrench in her gut – she was going to start becoming unpleasant if she didn’t' get something down in the nearing future. Again, it brought up the question about the likelihood of edible sustenance in this place, but it wasn’t something she couldn’t champion. The blond had gone many a school’s day without eating anything until she got home, and sometimes not having anything at all, this might be a piece of cake. Which was also starting to sound good.

A shake of the head, the notions of sweet tarts and pastries dissolved from the mind like a mist in a sunrise. ”They said to go through the forest, that’s where I lost my sense of direction you see. I’m not sure they were being straightforward with directions though, the place was rather filthy if I’m being honest.” The gravedigger’s daughter couldn’t help but let slip a tug at the corner of her lips, finding some amusement when she thought back to what might have been her handiwork. There was truthfully no way to tell, but at least the Namekian had his answers regarding how she wound up here. Or at the very least, what the pair of them could put together for the moment.

TWC: (+483) 1,788
6/6 KP 0/6 MP 0/250 HP
Estelle’s PL: 24,000
Antisense: Inactive
Resources: OW Training, Life Leech

The blond had to think back over the last few days, to when she had visited that very place she made to mention. There had been several ’errands’ that afternoon, none of which could have been considered actual busywork – alas she couldn’t recall her head hitting anything more solid than her pillows back home. ”Not that I recall?” Nodding in turn when he revealed the name of these woods, she too shared concern, if not an inkling of excitement, that she had awoken in a seemingly dangerous place. Or at least, not one which the locals here so willingly ventured. Imagine that. There was another ache in the back of her skull, prompting Estelle to rub the back of her neck anxiously. She shadowed Gandigan as he led them back to the path, only to hesitate when he made motion to the west.

A glance at the plateau, which seemed only a stone's throw away from whence they stood – then to the equally ominous forest. Lesser of two evils perhaps? If her unexpected guide to one of these portals back to Earth believed this was the way, truly she was in little position to suggest an alternative course of action. After all, if a more vicious predator decided to come along at some point, at least there would be a handy body to shove its way should the worst come to pass. Ever resourceful, she’d do what she must, but that was neither here nor now. He was more useful alive to her for the time being, and she wouldn’t want that to go to waste.

”Well, the pair which pointed me that way suggested it to be the quickest route. Not very informative about how busy it was, but I suppose that’s what I get.” A shrug of nonchalance to the matter, before she stepped ahead of Gandigan with a lazed stroll along the charred and weathered bricks. ”You seem a rather helpful soul. Whatever horrid deed managed to bring one such as yourself to this...paradise?” The phrase was used rather loosely to describe the otherworldly realm they now traversed, but there was no mistaking how genuine her question may have sounded. Interesting truly, if he was a soul which possibly didn’t belong here. Though the gods were oft fickle as they were cruel, and they cared not for the concerns of mortal men, no matter the land from hence they hailed.

”Truthfully, I cannot answer that myself. All I remember is falling asleep back home before any of this began...”

That was when the unexpected happened. Down the other direction of the path, a cloud of dirt seemed to be billowing in place, growing in size by the passing minute. Upon closer inspection, one could easily tell it was an ogre, but not one anybody might expect to be serving duty as a watchman of Yemma. No, this blue skinned newcomer dressed far differently than the others but wasted no time in his attempt to hard sprint down the stones in their direction. The dust cloud ceased abruptly when he sped past the pair, prompting the blond to still herself as he too grounded all momentum, almost spinning like a top before pointing dramatically at the Namekian. Estelle wasn’t sure what to think, but before she could open her mouth to ask, this stranger was already demanding a compensation of some kind.

”Gandigan! There you are! Have you seen them? The soldiers who were supposed to show at the Pit? I’ve been waiting a whole sneeze of Yemma’s time for these louts! I’m going to lose everything in this fight if they don’t show up! P-please! Have you seen them!?”

Soldiers – did the ogre possibly mean those she encountered in the forest? Surely this place was far bigger than this – a mere coincidence, no? Estelle couldn’t help but let a frown grace her features, feigning concern for the newfound circumstance, however unintentional it was. They sounded important to him, or at the very least, the outcome of this fight seemed to hold sway of this individual’s fortunes. A gambling addict perhaps – another vice she could potentially coil her grasp around, then watch this desperate fool squirm for his desires. Estelle regarded Gandigan, curious to his decision regarding this ogre’s untimely plea.

TWC: (+733) 2,521
6/6 KP 0/6 MP 0/250 HP
Estelle’s PL: 24,000
Antisense: Inactive
Resources: OW Training, Life Leech

It wasn’t very comforting to discover she may have been the subject of an Ogre prank, but given how Gandigan spoke of these woods, she may have been fortunate to make it out at all. Ah, another stroke of luck – who might’ve guessed? It was truthfully a lot to wrap her head around, parts of the blond still hoping this would end at any moment’s notice. The notion of being alive inside Hell itself was more akin to another fairy tale, perhaps even one without a merry conclusion. There was a lump in her throat, a fleeting dread which entertained the notion that she might be stuck here...forever. It wasn’t pressing enough to keep her attention from the sage’s answer, almost perking up at the mention of some destroyer of planets.

Wait. Wha-?

The truth was, Estelle had never encountered the likes of a true Saiyan before, or at least the ones that were so often brought up in history lessons or tall tales. The boys back in her classes before graduation had tails, but none of them ever claimed to be from the so-called homeworld. Sure, some tried to act like the bully, lead disciplinary committees to try and herd and shepherd the less outgoing, scholastic focused students to their bidding, but never were they able to achieve a true hierarchy in the school. Folks talked about saiyans like they were the thugs, the barbarians of the universe; even the documentaries on their culture and way of life seemed so far removed from the half-breeds she had become accustomed to. So naturally, when Estelle tried to imagine and visualize this murderer of Gandigan, by his description, the blond would have a rather difficult time trying to picture the villain.

Was the Namekian telling the truth here?

Or was this simply some other tale spun to acquiesce her obeisance and gullibility?

The undertaker’s daughter couldn’t help but weather a hint of skepticism to these answers. If some madman was truly out among the stars, leaving chaos in his wake wheresoever he went – why did Earth receive such little information about this? Was the presidency aware of such danger to their home? Or even more concerning given the recent rumors surrounding the administration – were they even likely to warn anyone about such a threat. Part of Estelle was worried about such foe possibly coming to Earth, while cells and excitement danced about underneath her skin, almost like a euphoria.

The unexpected interruption by this lout from the markets did little to appease the girl’s disposition of the recent news, nor did the circumstances of it put her mind to rest. He was looking for soliders? The same ones who-? The blond shook her head as Gandigan offered his reply. No, they couldn’t be. Could they? The ogre shot her a look, taking her gesture as nothing more than irritation than personal input. A furrow of the unibrow, before those stern eyes moved to her crown, witnessing the lack of a halo much like his green acquaintance. ”Y-you dare!?” The otherworldly denizen seem taken aback, offended even that he would go so far as to evoke Yemma’s name itself.

The notion that Estelle was a living being in a land of those less fortunate also seemed to rub him the wrong way. ”They weren’t ogres damn it! They were saiyans put in my charge! I was going to win the pot this week too, hasn’t been this size in Bub’ knows how long!” Another pang in the stomach, Estelle was quickly losing patience with this fool, if only for the sake he had started to impede on her time. The fleeting idea that she’d be trapped down here because this jackass was too concerned with his own self gain and winnings – well, let us just say it wasn’t something she was keen to sit idly to. The blond stepped forward, only to drive a kick into the complainer’s shin, forcing him to begin bobbing and howling on a single foot.

”He said no.”

- Estelle kicks the ogre in the shin for wasting Gandigan's time

TWC: (+691) 3,212
6/6 KP 0/6 MP 0/250 HP
Estelle’s PL: 24,000
Antisense: Inactive
Resources: OW Training, Life Leech