Jeremi

Well-Known Member
The Convergence Series GM

It had been six months since the Melding and the new world was starting to accommodate to the status quo. The robots that had once not too long ago attacked anyone in sight had now become more docile and scarce, only being summoned when things started to get too out of hand for the Wily-Eggman coalition.

Which suited the man zooming down the highway in his massive truck just fine.

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The man called Sodom had managed to avoid the original onslaught and with his truck in tow had sped down the countryside only returning back on the road when his wallet started to feel empty. While never having gone on the straight and narrow after his Mad Gear days, before the melding had begun he had considered starting a yakitori stand, he already had all of the equipment and in his current predicament it was a nice cover if someone started to ask too many questions.

There were no maps to follow in this new world, Sodom only hoped that the roads he drove on lead him somewhere to sell his food, get enough gas to last him for quite some time before he continued on the road.

What else could he do? He was just one man and his yakitori stand. He had mused about beginning anew, a Mad Gear gang of no equal, but strays had been hard to come by and most places he arrived most of the people he could have considered had already left or been snatched by the robots, the rest were either too timid or had grown complacent to do anything about the situation. Sodom as well had grown complacent in his own way. This current stretch of road was otherwise surrounded by dirt and it was very rare to see any other vehicle on the roads. He was just on autopilot not listening to anything as he continued going down the road.

Then! He saw it! On the road in front of him a silhouette started to emerge. A man walking on the side of the road. An even rarer sight! The reason why he saw vehicles so rarely was the simple fact that no one dared to venture further from where they now lived, to see someone walking on the side of the road was unprecedented!

Sodom honked loudly with his truck as it came to a screeching halt next to the man. It didn't take long before the window was rolled down and the kabuto masked visage of Sodom came into view. "DIE JOB DEATH CAR?!" He managed to sputter out in excitement, his attempt at speaking Japanese having become completely mangled.​


@Yun Lee
 
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To say that this whole Melding thing was going well would be like saying New York gets a little chilly in the winter. The complete and utter chaos that had resulted from the whole damn thing took Alex's life and turned it upside down. The world he once knew and loved had turned into a mess, and people he knew and had befriended were all gone, taken away by two old geezers and their robot army.

But Alex continued on like he always did in life. After all, he managed to keep Tom and Patricia safe, which was really all that mattered to him. The Melding had ripped families and friends apart just like that, so he considered himself lucky to keep the two most important folks in his life safe and sound. Of course, keeping them safe in the midst of all this meant that he was now the sole breadwinner, taking on whatever idd jobs he could find out there and sending most of the money back home until all this got sorted out. Plus, it gave him a chance to get out and sew some new things. Not every day you meet an orangutan in overalls, that was for sure.

So, on this particularly sunny day Alex found himself on the road again. No car, since he found not every world was so welcoming to them. Nothing but the clothes on his back, which in this case was a pair of jeans and his green flannel.

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This was a new way he was headed, so he was interested to see what was waiting for him. That was honestly the only good to come of this mess; you got to see a lot of pretty cool stuff...when it wasn't, you know, evil robots or stuff like that.

What Alex hadn't expected to see today was a giant truck.

Or an equally giant man who screamed nonsense at him from the driver's seat.

"Guh-!" Alex stumbled back, nearly losing his balance. What the...was this for real? This guy was dressed like some kind of...football samurai or something. And just screaming complete gibberish that sounded like English. But Alex wasn't sure. For all he knew...he could be a mugger.

"Hey." Regaining his footing, Alex stood his ground, pointing at the strange stranger. "You speak English, buddy?"

@Jeremi
 
The passenger side door opened as a woman with long brown hair jumped down. "What Sodom was trying to say was."

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"Are you okay?" The woman gave Alex a friendly smile as Sodom seemed to scramble in hiding his blunder.


"Haha! Yeah exactly!"
Sodom opened his door and jumped down, even standing a few inches taller then the already tall Alex. "Just got excited! Not too often you see people on the road!" His eyes narrowed a bit as he sized Alex up. "You look familiar stranger, have we met?"

As Sodom pondered that the woman came in to give her introduction. "You don't look hurt at least so that's good. I'll let the driver do his own introduction so hi, I'm Tifa Lockhart, it's a pleasure to meet you."

That made Sodom snap out of his thoughts in trying to remember where he'd seen the blond man before. "Yes, I am Sodom and this!" He turned around like he was revealing a price in a game show. "Is my truck!"

Tifa chuckled slightly. "He's really proud of it you know."

"And why shouldn't I be?"
Even with the helmet on you could see that Sodom was practically beaming with pride. "It's gotten me through thick and thin and is STILL as PSYCHO as ever! But!" He turned back to Alex. "If you're alright then why are you walking on the side of the road on your own?"
@Yun Lee
 
"...uh." Okay, let's recap. Pretty girl hops out of the truck. Guy can in fact speak English. She's Tifa, he's Sodom. It's his truck. And he...looks familiar? What, they ain't from the same world, are they? Pretty small odds, but hey. Stranger things and whatever.

"The name's Alex," he replied, giving the two a small smile to let them know he wasn't a criminal or nothing. "I'm on the road lookin' for work. Can't really bring my trailer along with me in a lotta these parts."

He narrowed his eyes at Sodom. "Hey, think we may be from the same place? Ever heard of New York City? The United States?" What made his world unique? Uhh..." Any World Warrior tourneys?

@Jeremi
 
Sodom lulled over Alex's question for a moment. "World Warriors to- yes! Alex! I have seen you on TV! You're that wrestler!"

"Oh? You two know each other?" Tifa asked them.

Sodom shook his head. "Not personally but by reputation! He's an upcoming wrestler! What stroke of luck!"

Tifa smiled and nodded. "Yeah, it really is surprising meeting someone from your own world." She sounded rather sad when she said it but her more cheerful disposition returned when she asked Alex another question. "Well if you're looking for work why not tag along with us? We seem to be heading down the same road after all." She looked over to Sodom. "That's not a problem, right?"

"N-No. No! Not at all!" The former Mad Gear member exclaimed. "In fact I insist! How could I leave a fellow country man on the side of the road like this?"

"Then it's settled! Come on, I've already called called shotgun so you get to sit in the middle! Welcome aboard, Alex."
There didn't seem to be much Alex could say to change their minds about this.

@Yun Lee
 
"That wrestler, huh? Sure is nice to have someone remember me for that." Alex could feel his chest instictively puff out with pride as Sodom recognized him. After three months of complete upheaval, it felt pretty great to not only be recognizes, but to have someome admire his wrestling. Man...that was something he sure missed doing. He really should try to find a sparring partner out here...

"Aw jeez, you'd do that for a stranger like me?" Normally, hitching a ride with a rando on the highway would be completely ridiculous, but there was an odd sort of community that came from the Melding. Plus hey, these two seemed pretty decent. Why not? Though both he and Sodom were pretty bulky...and Tifa wasn't super tiny, either. "You sure we'll all fit?"

@Jeremi
 
"Well you seem like a nice enough guy and I wouldn't feel good about you just walking especially since we are heading the same way." Tifa looked over to Sodom who nodded vigorously.

"I concur! Come then let's get this show back on the road."
Tifa let Alex get in first and as he looked into the truck cockpit he found it to be surprisingly spacious. That was until he was sandwiched between Sodom and Tifa as they entered, though he still had space to move his legs around. "This is fine!" Sodom replied as he started up the truck again and they continued down the road.


The journey continued on no real landmarks in sight as the wasteland continued to stretch on in front of them. After a moment of silence Tifa turned to speak with Alex. "So what kind of work do you usually do when you're on the road like this? Do you like do wrestling stuff? I bet you'd do a good job as a bouncer somewhere."
@Yun Lee
 
"I wish," Alex said, smiling a bit sadly as wrestling came up again. "But no one really has time for entertainment much. At least, no one where I've been. Right now, at least. Found myself doin' tons of manual labor, mostly repair work." He looked around at the interior of the truck and nodded approvingly. "This baby ever needs some under-the-hood TLC, you two got yourself a mechanic, free of charge."

It was a nice car, and these two were nice people. The whole situation felt pretty nice, for once. A lot of folks were trying to stay positive, but everything had happened so suddenly that people were still getting used to the new normal. "How 'bout you guys? What are the two of you doin' on the road?"

@Jeremi
 
Tifa chuckled at that. "I think the driver will have something to say about that."

"You damn right I have!" Sodom exclaimed. "Me and only me gets to check out this truck under the hood...but I appreciate you offering to help." He hastily added seemingly not wanting to sour the mood.

Though the second question seemed to sour it despite, Tifa especially looking rather somber. Alex couldn't really tell what Sodom was thinking though, maybe he was just too focused on the road. "I'm looking for my friends," Tifa finally responded. "The situation's been different for everyone but I woke up in some weird swamp after the melding with no one close by except some really large frogs. They were nice and all but I just couldn't stick around."

She then looked over to Sodom. "Then one day Sodom drove by with his truck and he so graciously let me tag along with him. So now I handle the register when we're trying to sell our yakitori."

"She is amazing with the costumers I gotta say!" Sodom chimed in. "I think people mainly come to eat my stuff because she's there front and center!"

The flattery seemed to go over Tifa's head, or she chose to ignore it, probably the latter. "I ran a bar back where I'm from so handling costumers comes pretty easily you know? But yeah that's what we mainly do. Try to sell enough chicken so we get enough currency to restock, resupply and get back on the road."

@Yun Lee
 
Alrx raised his hands. "Hey, I know better than to get between a man an' his machine. I'd be the same way if someone got too close to my trailer." Yeah, these two were a pretty decent duo. Most folks he'd met so far had been, really, which he understood. You had to work together in a situation like this.

"Here's hopin' you find 'em," he said to Tifa. "I ain't seen too many people from back home myself, but I lucked out and got moved around with my family. We got dropped in a little desert town full of these little skeleton guys. It's a nice place, but there's only so much you can do to make a livin' there." After a pause, he added, "Plus I, uh, don't fit many of the doors."

@Jeremi
 

"You better!" Sodom replied as he put his foot down a bit harder on the pedal as Tifa continued her conversation with Alex.

"Thank you, not like I really have to worry all of them are more than capable to take care of themselves!"
As Alex continued the conversation along Tifa started to think. "I've met a few from my world, but they were just like, normal? That's really mean to say but they had just been like normal people living their lives when this thing happened. At least we could fight back but..." She didn't dwell on it too long before answering his second question changing the topic. "That does sound pretty weird, me and Sodom drove through a little village in the mountains were a bunch of weird round fellas with big noses lived who talked funny."

"Oh those guys!" Sodom chipped in. "Yeah that place was weird, but at least they liked the food!" He kabuto helmeted man stopped mid sentence as he looked back in his mirror. "Dang. Tifa, it's back again."

Tifa groaned audibly. "Again? Does it never learn?" If Alex tried to look in the mirror he'd spot was was causing their irritation.

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A very angry looking miniature sun was flying behind the truck and getting closer. "We've dubbed it the angry sun," Tifa quipped. "Cause that's basically what it is."

@Yun Lee
 
"The Hell...?" Even hearing what they called it didn't prepare Alex to actually see it. How was it that after these three months things STILL managed to completely floor him?

"And that's all it does? Follows you guys around?" His first instinct was to take it on if it got too close, but even he could see how completely absurd fighting a literal Sun sounded.

@Jeremi
 
Tifa spoke casually as she rolled down the window. "Well it looks like it wants to bump in to us, but for obvious reasons we haven't let it. I'll be back in a bit." With that she started to climb out of the window and up on the roof of the truck.

"Don't worry about her,"
Sodom assured Alex. "This is like the third time, we kind of figured out what to do!"

Sure enough if Alex looked through the side mirror he'd see the sun following them still when suddenly what seemed to be a massive ice block flew against. It managed to avoid the first one but the second block hit it head on and caused it to spin out and land hard on the ground only leaving behind a dust cloud.

It didn't take long for Tifa to return back into the truck and rolling up the window again. "Sorry if I made you worry. Like I said best to get rid of it before it could do any damage."

"Nice shot!" Sodom exclaimed giving her a thumbs up.

@Yun Lee
 
"Nah, not worried." From the look on his face, it was clear Alex was impressed by the way the two of them had figured this whole situation out...although... "You guys been stockin' up on ice just to deal with that creep? What happens when ya run out?"

@Jeremi


 
Sodom laughed at Alex's remark. "We got plenty of ice in the back! But that wasn't what that was!"

Tifa nodded and raised her hand to show two green orbs etched to her glove. "From where I'm from there are things we call Materia. You slot it into your weapons and you can do different things depending on the Materia. I got an ice one and one that I can use to heal some wounds. Only two left after the melding. They do run out after too much use though and I have to rest up so they aren't that helpful."

"More than enough!" Sodom chimed in. "Saved our ass a few times and patrons getting some healing usually splurge on the eating!"

And so the conversation continued for awhile until suddenly. "Look! A town!"

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Sure enough over the horizon the trio noticed a small town coming into view under the glistening sun.


Driving up close it didn't seem like there were many people living here but perhaps they could manage to scrounge up some money in this place. Sodom stopped the truck near the road and jumped out to stretch and Tifa followed suite.​

@Yun Lee
 
"I mean if it keeps that freak sun thing from catchin' up then it ain't completely useless." Alex shrugged, but his eyes lit up as he instantly recognized this place. So, THIS was where Lumiose City led to going West! Damn, good to know. Here he'd left in the opposite direction and never looked back...did they build a road here while he was gone? Talk about good news! He could maybe bring his trailer back and forth from the city, get Patty and Tom an apartment there...eccentric as this duo was, he oughta thank 'em for this discovery.

"You guys remember that little desert town I told ya about?" Alex said, getting out of the truck himself. "This is it: Tostarena. Word of advice: cold stuff sells best out here. You guys can meet Tom and Patty too. I'll treat 'em to some grub."

@Jeremi
 
"Well would you look at that?" Tifa replied smiling. "Glad we could be of help."

Sodom meanwhile was pondering. "Cold stuff huh? We still have some soda but our main thing is is the chicken!"

Tifa let Sodom figure out the business as she continued talking with Alex. "It's going to be a pleasure to meet with them! I know we just met and all it's so rare to meet nice people nowadays."

As they spoke some of the natives were walking about. A keen eye would notice however that most of them seemed rather nervous and had a concerned look in their eyes. You'd think that a large truck coming into town would cause some sort of positive commotion.

@Yun Lee
 
"Trust me, you ain't gonna meet anybody nicer than Tom. He's pretty much like a father to me. Patty's a doll, too. Sweetest kid in NYC." Alex smiled fondly as he spoke about his family, but he soon frowned in confusion as he noticed the way the locals were acting. That was weird...usually the little fellas were all dancing, or at least a little more outgoing. Maybe their arrival was scaring 'em? Sodom did look kinda off-putting if you didn't know the guy.

Alex walked up to a few locals, giving them a little salute with his index and middle finger. "Yo. Don't worry, they're with me. Remember me, Alex? Big guy who kept hittin' his head on all the doors. You guys seen Tom and Patty?"

@Jeremi
 
The Tostarenan Alex approached had a light pink face and the usual get up of the locals. "O-oh it's not them we are concerned over." He said looking behind Alex to see Sodom setting up is takiyaki stand and Tifa handing out some fliers. "There is an...ominous wind and oh...Tom is in that house over there Patty's looking over him right now."

He pointed out to one of the huts. "He's being taken care of. You see, there was an attack. If it hadn't been for Tom well, I don't think I'd be standing here right now." He shook his maracas. "We are just concerned because he only managed to fight them off and not best them completely. We are a simple folk of music and merriment, it is not often things like this come to our village."

@Yun Lee
 
"What...?!" Alex's stomach dropped immediately as he heard the news. Damn it...damn it! He had no time to ask any follow up questions-who had attacked, were they still around, when did this happen-he couldn't even think straight until he could see Tom for himself. Rushing over to the hut the Tostarenian pointed out, he managed to at least duck in. "Tom! Patty! You there?!"

@Jeremi
 
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