[Don't worry, it takes just a little bit before he gets there, wearing that frayed coat from his small arsenal of clothing. And of course, he's got the notepad he's been working on tucked into a pocket. He walks over some of the rubble from the caved-in Chinese monument, looking up at it.]
Guess even the Great Wall couldn't keep it safeguarded.
[Dean's armed and ready, standing there in his layered clothing, giving Sam a nod as he gets closer. There's a part of him — darker, less acknowledged — that hopes that the Wastes will be like Purgatory, with dangerous creatures all around and nothing to do but hack and slash at them. The more time Dean spends here, the more he wants something like that again. Something that makes more sense than what they've been doing, sitting around and playing nice, knowing that most of their neighbors are dangerous. Dean's already heard of a vampire that's been pestering someone — and yeah, he volunteered his services in the event that they're needed, but the fact that he can't go off and just hunt the damn thing once and for all gets under his skin. Makes him restless.
They have an enemy on which they need to focus their energy, Dean reminds himself. But that progress is slow-going, and Dean really just needs to burn off some steam. So when Sam arrives, Dean's expression is focused — alert. Ready.]
Guess not.
[He doesn't need to ask Sam if he's armed. Of course he is, because he's a Winchester, and wouldn't show up to something like this without a weapon. Dean leads them through a gap in the wall — bending low and working his way out until he's in the Wastes. He waits for Sam to emerge after him, and while he does, Dean takes in the scenery — vast, and shifting. The ground shakes, a little, for a moment, and then settles down. Dean pulls out Ruby's knife.]
We'll scope it out. Take a look around, see if we can find a good hunt. Anything out of our league gets on our trail, we'll turn back.
[Because for all he wants to do this, Dean isn't stupid — he's very well of their limitations and their ammo situation, and he knows better than to throw himself at something they can't handle right now.]
[Sam isn't just armed, he's got a bag with a few supplies, in case they for whatever reason get mauled, stuck, or otherwise lost in a big place full of nature and monsters. Gotta be prepared, Dean. Besides, Sam's kinda a big fan of nature walks. So. Whatever, he's totally prepped.
Though, he is worried about Dean, sometimes. This whole hunting thing... Sam's just not drawn to it. But isn't that how it usually is? If it's hunting for the sake of hunting he could never really put his mind into the game; even when he was at his lowest, hunting was mostly a distraction, a means to an end for revenge. Now, he's just here because he's not leaving Dean to this alone. Sam knows this has to be a little worse off after Purgatory, especially considering... how much Dean seemed to start to like it.
The thought is a sad one. He could never say that, not to Dean, not if he didn't want a split lip, but...
He just nods to his brother.]
Might be able to identify some. [... he grins, good-natured.] look out for the rabbits. Like usual.
[Have you had the privilege of meeting the violent killer rabbits, Dean?]
[Dean has had the misfortune of encountering one of them, and he is well aware that they aren't pleasant if provoked. But...]
I think rabbits'll be the least of our problems out here.
[There's a hint of enthusiasm in his tone as he surveys the Wastes. Hunting just for the sake of hunting shouldn't be appealing - after all, their job is to save people, not kill aimlessly. But trapped as they are here, with monsters they can't hunt and an enemy they can't just go out and face, Dean feels an inner restlessness that is only growing as time passes. He just sucks at settling down and biding his time - something he has already established once before. At least in Purgatory, it was kill or be killed, a constant surge of adrenaline and movement. Here, it's live quietly and hunt down harmless fruit cows for food.
They can't go too far, at least not this first time out, and not if they don't want to deal with the time discrepancies that he heard about. But a little venturing should be enough, so Dean leads them outward, every so often glancing back at the Safezone to gauge their distance. The ground rumbles, and Dean notices some movement far ahead as the Wastes shift yet again.
Something flies overhead. Dean looks up.]
...the hell is -
[There's a loud, disorienting cry, and Dean finds himself stumbling over his next steps. The creature cries out again, and Dean clamps his hands over his ears, whipping around as he does so to check on Sam.]
[Sam's a mirror image, stumbling over lanky limbs until he backs up defensively against a large rock with a bit of overhang. He peers up toward the sky with a squint, but whatever it was passed over him already, sweeping in a massive circle he couldn't see him here.]
What is that??
[He says it nearly at the same time as Dean speaks, lining up on the dot.]
[There's a lull — while the creature is flying around, Dean drops his hands and looks up at it, gauging whether or not it's going to be swooping back around. It seems likely, but they don't have anything that they can use to take it down unless they waste bullets — something neither of them want to do. So it means that they'll have to wait for it to pass.
He joins Sam at the rock, taking up the spot next to him.
And sure enough, it starts to fly back around.]
Cover your ears —
[He quickly puts Ruby's knife back on his person so that both hands are free, and then that shriek sounds again — far away, but still loud enough to reach them. Dean's knees buckle and he presses his hands to his ears, but a second too late — finding himself feeling lightheaded and unsteady.]
[Sam curls in closer to the rock defending their location, squinting hard through a painful dizziness scrambling his thoughts for a moment; he grits his teeth passed it and turns to Dean, letting his hands away just long enough to grab Dean and yank him back in case he falls in the middle of his vertigo.]
— ean, you alright?
[Sam thinks he's alright, personally, but he's not entirely sure what the hell the thing does when it screeches at them like that. Any blood leaking out of unnatural places? Weird mental effects? We good?]
[It takes Dean a moment to respond, disoriented as he is, but he manages a nod and, after another moment, he's able to speak.]
Yeah, I'm fine.
[No weird effects, but it definitely doesn't feel nice to be sent to his knees like that. He looks back up — the creature seems to be flying further away, maybe expanding its circle or migrating elsewhere. They're unseen, though, and that's what is most important. Dean isn't sure how they'd fair going up against something that can do that with just a screech.
He allows them another few minutes of hiding by the rock — just until he feels confident the thing isn't going to turn around on them again. Then he pulls away.]
All clear.
[And starts walking again, keeping the occasional eye on the sky.]
[Yeah, yeah, warn the monsters about the monsters. He's knows your mission, although in a place like this there are probably more monsters than Sam'll ever be able to record in that book of his.
He follows Sam's stare upward. It looks clear. For now.]
[A canon - sure. And unlimited ammo and a whole host of other things to which he and Sam don't have access. Might as well make a list.]
I'll see if I can get some supplies.
[He's been planning on trying his hand at the bartering system around here, anyway. See what he can get. Maybe he and Sam can learn the art of ancient weapon making, when they're not brainstorming a way to get at the Animus. Why the hell not.]
C'mon. Let's see if we can find something else.
[Because Dean's out here to hunt — something a little bit more attainable than that thing.]
[Text]
He knows you have his back with these forays into the city's unknowns. All this back and forth is for your benefit.]
what the hell is a swan dragon
is it tasty
[Text]
Use your imagination.
And I have no idea. I've never eaten swan dragon. It's gotta be better than dragon meat, though. Bird tastes good most of the time, right?
[Text]
reptile meat is good too
fried alligator tail sammy
fried alligator tail
you need to lay off the salads and live a little
[Text]
... You seriously eat fried alligator?
[Text]
i have a few times
it's good
[Text]
Just try to avoid the weird creatures here that might give you ulcers.
[Text]
won't try until you get your ass here so we can go
so get moving
[Text]
Where are you, exactly?
[Text]
[Action]
Guess even the Great Wall couldn't keep it safeguarded.
[Action]
They have an enemy on which they need to focus their energy, Dean reminds himself. But that progress is slow-going, and Dean really just needs to burn off some steam. So when Sam arrives, Dean's expression is focused — alert. Ready.]
Guess not.
[He doesn't need to ask Sam if he's armed. Of course he is, because he's a Winchester, and wouldn't show up to something like this without a weapon. Dean leads them through a gap in the wall — bending low and working his way out until he's in the Wastes. He waits for Sam to emerge after him, and while he does, Dean takes in the scenery — vast, and shifting. The ground shakes, a little, for a moment, and then settles down. Dean pulls out Ruby's knife.]
We'll scope it out. Take a look around, see if we can find a good hunt. Anything out of our league gets on our trail, we'll turn back.
[Because for all he wants to do this, Dean isn't stupid — he's very well of their limitations and their ammo situation, and he knows better than to throw himself at something they can't handle right now.]
[Action]
Though, he is worried about Dean, sometimes. This whole hunting thing... Sam's just not drawn to it. But isn't that how it usually is? If it's hunting for the sake of hunting he could never really put his mind into the game; even when he was at his lowest, hunting was mostly a distraction, a means to an end for revenge. Now, he's just here because he's not leaving Dean to this alone. Sam knows this has to be a little worse off after Purgatory, especially considering... how much Dean seemed to start to like it.
The thought is a sad one. He could never say that, not to Dean, not if he didn't want a split lip, but...
He just nods to his brother.]
Might be able to identify some. [... he grins, good-natured.] look out for the rabbits. Like usual.
[Have you had the privilege of meeting the violent killer rabbits, Dean?]
[Action]
I think rabbits'll be the least of our problems out here.
[There's a hint of enthusiasm in his tone as he surveys the Wastes. Hunting just for the sake of hunting shouldn't be appealing - after all, their job is to save people, not kill aimlessly. But trapped as they are here, with monsters they can't hunt and an enemy they can't just go out and face, Dean feels an inner restlessness that is only growing as time passes. He just sucks at settling down and biding his time - something he has already established once before. At least in Purgatory, it was kill or be killed, a constant surge of adrenaline and movement. Here, it's live quietly and hunt down harmless fruit cows for food.
They can't go too far, at least not this first time out, and not if they don't want to deal with the time discrepancies that he heard about. But a little venturing should be enough, so Dean leads them outward, every so often glancing back at the Safezone to gauge their distance. The ground rumbles, and Dean notices some movement far ahead as the Wastes shift yet again.
Something flies overhead. Dean looks up.]
...the hell is -
[There's a loud, disorienting cry, and Dean finds himself stumbling over his next steps. The creature cries out again, and Dean clamps his hands over his ears, whipping around as he does so to check on Sam.]
[Action]
What is that??
[He says it nearly at the same time as Dean speaks, lining up on the dot.]
[Action]
He joins Sam at the rock, taking up the spot next to him.
And sure enough, it starts to fly back around.]
Cover your ears —
[He quickly puts Ruby's knife back on his person so that both hands are free, and then that shriek sounds again — far away, but still loud enough to reach them. Dean's knees buckle and he presses his hands to his ears, but a second too late — finding himself feeling lightheaded and unsteady.]
[Action]
— ean, you alright?
[Sam thinks he's alright, personally, but he's not entirely sure what the hell the thing does when it screeches at them like that. Any blood leaking out of unnatural places? Weird mental effects? We good?]
[Action]
Yeah, I'm fine.
[No weird effects, but it definitely doesn't feel nice to be sent to his knees like that. He looks back up — the creature seems to be flying further away, maybe expanding its circle or migrating elsewhere. They're unseen, though, and that's what is most important. Dean isn't sure how they'd fair going up against something that can do that with just a screech.
He allows them another few minutes of hiding by the rock — just until he feels confident the thing isn't going to turn around on them again. Then he pulls away.]
All clear.
[And starts walking again, keeping the occasional eye on the sky.]
[Action]
[He stares up for a while, frowning.]
Should figure out more on that one. Somehow.
[Action]
He follows Sam's stare upward. It looks clear. For now.]
We really need something with good range.
[Something that doesn't have limited ammo.]
Re: [Action]
Against that? A canon would be nice.
But yeah. Bows and arrows can't be too tough to whip up here. Maybe it's about time we got a little medieval, learned old-school bows and arrows.
[Action]
I'll see if I can get some supplies.
[He's been planning on trying his hand at the bartering system around here, anyway. See what he can get. Maybe he and Sam can learn the art of ancient weapon making, when they're not brainstorming a way to get at the Animus. Why the hell not.]
C'mon. Let's see if we can find something else.
[Because Dean's out here to hunt — something a little bit more attainable than that thing.]