Somewhere in the Czech Republic

[wolfskincoat.livejournal.com]

The billboard by the side of the road is probably an advertisement. It's hard to tell, because the writing around the far-west panorama of stampeding buffalo is all in Czech, and any internationally recognisable logos that might have been on it are obscured from a theoretical observer when

FLASHBANG

a bright red Porsche convertible materialises out of nowhere, clocking at over125 kmph, with just enough distance for the driver to slam on the brakes before it screeches into the huge board, crashing into the board with enough force to send both rolling into the neighbouring field in a mess of smoke and wood.

When the smoke clears, the car is completely totalled, as one might expect. The sole driver, however, appears more annoyed than distressed over the accident. The air bag deflates with a hisssss after being sliced with a hunting knife, and the young redheaded driver sits for a few seconds, tapping three nails (one broke off in the crash) on the dashboard.



A decision later, clad only in her stockinged feet, that same stylish young lady makes her way to the road, carrying a roomy pigskin travelling case in one hand and a pair of patent black shoes in the other. They had been stilettos, but the heel has sadly snapped off one.

Comments

[hippos-purros.livejournal.com]

That happily purring vehicle coming up from behind her might be a welcome sound, then?

The cherry red Landrover pulls past her and slows to a stop, the volume of the music (Benjamin Britten) blaring through the open windows reducing to a point where you can actually hear yourself think over it.

War sticks her head out of the window and offers the girl a friendly grin (which is all sharp white teeth).

"Need a lift?"

[wolfskincoat.livejournal.com]

The young lady stops at the sound of the engine, placing her bag on the roadside. She watched the Landrover approach with green eyes wide and head tilted.

When the question is posed, she smiles artlessly, biting her lip softly.

"I'd never usually hitch-hike."

[hippos-purros.livejournal.com]

Sliding sunglasses down her nose, War eyes her over the top of the frames with amused orange eyes.

"You're not exactly dressed for it," she agrees.

[wolfskincoat.livejournal.com]

With an embarrassed laugh, she looks down at herself: silk stockings with tops just covered by a green pencil skirt that emerges from under her near vintage Wolf-fur coat; and lifts her damaged shoes in explanation.

"I crashed my car, and the AA appear to be out of reach."

[hippos-purros.livejournal.com]

"Well, I can offer you shoes, or a lift."

Something about the girl appeals to War's better nature. Or rather, what she sees as her better nature - the side that likes people who do what they want and damn the consequences.

"If it were me, I'd take the lift but," she lifts one shoulder in an elegant shrug, "it's your choice."

[wolfskincoat.livejournal.com]

The girl's lips spread out again into a smile, and she bends at the knees to pick up her bag.

"I didn't say I wouldn't take the lift."

[hippos-purros.livejournal.com]

War chuckles, and leans over to open the passenger-side door.

"The name's Carmine, but most people call me Red."

[wolfskincoat.livejournal.com]

"That makes two of us."

The travelling case is large and heavy, but the diminutive young woman carries it gracefully, setting it in the foothole in front of the seat before she climbs in.

"Would it be easier for you to call me Ride?"

[hippos-purros.livejournal.com]

"Doesn't bother me at all," she says, flipping a hand. The engine's been running, but she pushes the gear lever neatly into first and guns the engine. It does make a nice, vicious rumble.

Name's only last a few decades at most anyway, it's not as if she's particularly attached to 'Red'.

"Carmine is fine."

[wolfskincoat.livejournal.com]

"Then Carmine it is," Red agrees. She sits back in the seat, letting her right hand fall naturally against her thigh, and turns her gaze out of the windscreen.

"Where are you headed?"

[hippos-purros.livejournal.com]

"Not a clue," War says cheerfully. "Seeing as I don't know where I am, I don't know where I'm going."

She's rather enjoying not having anything specific to do.

[wolfskincoat.livejournal.com]

"Really?"

The teenager looks back at the driver, head tilted gently to one side as her fingertips tap a small tattoo on her thigh.

"Well, where did you come from?"

[hippos-purros.livejournal.com]

"England," she says, putting her foot down as they come to a particularly straight stretch of road - not that she was driving slowly before.

"You?"

[wolfskincoat.livejournal.com]

"Capital City," Red says, absently at first, before she turns back. "England? Where's that?"

[hippos-purros.livejournal.com]

War raises an eyebrow and looks over at her passenger. Interesting. She sounds English. . .

"Other side of the sea from here? Little island? Used to pretty good at kicking ass and taking names, but they've gone downhill the last hundred years or so."

[wolfskincoat.livejournal.com]

Tap, goes the finger on the skirt, taptap.

"Who's King there?" Red asks.

[hippos-purros.livejournal.com]

"No King," she says. "Queen - Elizabeth the Second. But she's a figurehead, the politicians are the ones with the real power."

Strange girl. Strange questions. No harm indulging her, though.

[wolfskincoat.livejournal.com]

The strange girl twitches her lips at the side.

"And you feel safe saying that out here?"

[hippos-purros.livejournal.com]

War smirks. She'll say anything she likes.

"Why wouldn't I?" She asks, innocently.

[wolfskincoat.livejournal.com]

"I might be from this 'England'" Red offers, moving one shoulder in a shrug. "Or I might choose to tell someone who might have an interest in defaming the power of Queen Elizabeth."

[hippos-purros.livejournal.com]

War tries not to snort, she really does. But she fails, because that is just too, too funny.

"Oh, sweetie," she says. "You really aren't from my world are you? I meant that quite literally. The Royal Family are little more than a tourist attraction these days. There are only a few countries that still actually let their Royals have any power."

[wolfskincoat.livejournal.com]

Head tilted again, Red stares at Carmine for two exact seconds, her perfect brow creasing slightly.

She then relaxes, and returns her gaze to the window.

"That's fucking weird."

[hippos-purros.livejournal.com]

"Tell me about it," she says with a wry smile.

"Gone are the days when the man - or woman - with the biggest army was in charge. Nowadays it's all about how well you lie."

Not that she minds, it's just a different set of techniques for her to use. Keeps her brain active.

[wolfskincoat.livejournal.com]

"Doesn't sound like it changed that much."

[hippos-purros.livejournal.com]

She shrugs.

"No, not really. The guns are bigger, is all."