Description: *Season Three, Episode Ten* Next week on "Kitty Spy Naerose" the results are in on the class election and despite the love triangle between loverboy Rock, Sylvester and Naerose, a winner is announced, but will it be who had been ahead in the polls all this time? Or will a surprise victor emerge and did they play fair? You have to watch to find out!
Of all the interesting people around this war torn country side what was really curious was why Naerose Delphine, the red witch was here! All of the fanboys and fangirls of witches were wondering, this place lacked magic and mystery, it lacked much fanservice too. What it had though and had plenty of was soldiers. Lots and lots of soldiers. So why would she take any interest in one jeep vs another jeep and why was she here and why would the jeep take interest in her? Probably because she stood out so much, the soldiers would likely take interest in her too, this is because she didn't look like she belonged. Not a doll, not a soldier, just a person in a weird red dress a pointy hat and a pair of shades. So is it a coincidence that she decides to try ducking into the same camouflaged jeep? Not really.
She didn't even know who the jeep belonged to, was it Shadaloo? A relief group? Who knew, only that she hid in a ditch like a dead body, until it started to pass then hoped on her broom and shot in for the back like a torpedo. That was the easy part, stoping was harder, maybe they'd think they hit a rock and not bother to look back and see Naerose looking like @@ with head totally over heels. Whatever that means.
The solitary driver of the jeep might not stop when the entire green vehicle shakes from Naerose's arrival, but Rock Howard, sitting on the back bench seat and staring at the strangely clothed girl who he's pretty sure just crashed into his ride on a broomstick, certainly does. The jeep rumbles down the dirt road, the driver -- a private contractor and Thailand native who Rock paid off -- only shooting a surprise look in his rear view mirror before he keeps the car rolling on towards the capitol city.
But Rock stares for a few seconds. He's not sure what just happened. He's also not sure what the proper social custom here is. When someone dives into your potentially illegally hired military jeep, what's the protocol? How do you react? He finally settles for simply asking, "Are you okay? Do you--" Who knows if this person is one of 'Lord Vegas' people or not? "--Do you need something?"
"Ugh.." She rubs her eyes and her head, then fixes her shades and looks around the jeep. A moment of consideration, did she just land in an armed vehicle, is she about to get shot? no. Are they offering her something, yes, like help? Okay. So far she liked the direction this was going and gives Rock a big broad smile, after all, smiles disarm people. She thinks she heard about that once in a song.
"Oh hello," the witch replies and sits up a bit, fixing her hat on her head more squarely, "Well since you ask I wouldn't mind some asprin if you have it, I have a killer head ache." She rubs her head to signify that there was something wrong there. Yeah, I'll say.
but was there a deeper point to her making so trivial a request? Perhaps. Perhaps disarming Rock truly was the intent, make him see this as a rather odd, but harmless situation. Lower his guard, open his heart, and then her strike. Though she was certainly no viper, there was always the possibility this was the trap. Perhaps Naerose noticed this relatively well founded suspicion too and amends her statement,
"And a place to duck for a bit?"
"Taking off that hat might help?" Rock says dubiously, about her request for ducking. It is probably a pretty large topic for any snipers in the trees or Dolls preparing to swing down on ziplines with ninja stars and machetes. He's then quiet again, studying this person with as much caution as you can give a twenty-something girl in sunglasses who materialized in your jeep from seeming thin air.
As for aspirin? "Sorry, I didn't pack any," Howard says, dumbly. He looks away from Naerose finally, trying to see over the driver's shoulder at the road ahead and the city beyond. He's trying to get a visual reading of how far they are from Bangkok. Finally, he relents, and looks back over at her, crooking his head to peer under the bill of his hat. "But anyway, we're heading for Bangkok. You're welcome to hitch a ride if you don't get us shot."
Vega heads towards Point 48106.
Vega enters the jungles of Thailand.
"Yeah, okay, I'm all for not getting us shot, " The witch replies and peers into the distance through her dark shades,
"And as for my hat. . " She shifts it just a little to display the worst mass of hat hair you've ever seen. Clearly this girl isn't used to going places without her hat on. Also it jingles a little when it's significantly moved. Come to think of it, her outfit really does lack pockets and it would seem her hat does that job for her, perhaps some sown folds allow her to tuck things away in it.
"I'll ahh.. right.." it is a big target, so she takes it off. Hat hair ensues.
"So umm.. Yeah I guess, I dunno why you wanna go there, they have some nasty curfews and women in bikini's... well more like one pieces, patrolling around. It's pretty bad. I tried to get some pictures but.." She displays her camera, apparently recently repaired with many of the plastic parts a different color than some of the others, as though she had to forage for the bits and pieces,
"One of those women did this when I tried to get a picture. The name is Naerose, I'm a freelance journalist trying to expose the horrors here to the rest of the world.." She offers a hand.
Rock's eyes widen at the camera. He's pretty keen to see some actual raw, non-sterilized, footage from within the city. The CNN and other news agency coverage has been spotty and lots of rehashed footage at best. This is probably because none of their correspondents have the balls to go into Thailand with Lord Vega ruling the joint. But for the moment, he tempers his thirst. Introductions are being made.
Finding it unlikely that a freelance photojournalist dressed like a witch is going to rat him out to Geese Howard, Rock takes Naerose's hand and gives it two firm shakes. "Rock Howard," he says, expecting that she'll probably at least recognize his face now that there is a familiar name to it. "I'm trying to get in there to find a friend of mine." And lay low, he thinks.
Man. . Poor Rock. The witch's face lights up, I mean LIGHTS UP. This is to be expected probably, there is no doubt he has many fans, especially those that follow the fight circuit, but this was something else. This was, scary fandom, or something else. Maybe the images of misery would flash through the heads of some people, but Naerose does not take long to dispell worry and create new worry.
"Oh wow, wow, What are you doing here?? Oh wait, you jsut said, I can't believe it. Hah, Back home I'm an official Saturday Night Fight commentator, sort of freelance too but I think your father must sign my pay checks." She beams brightly. The good part? Well, she doesn't seem to think that there would be any reason she should tell anyone about his being here. The bad part? Well all of that.
"Okay.. So you're looking for a friend.. I've seen a lot of people around here, but.. huh. You know their name or what they look like?"
"Sorry.. Ths isn't digital or I'd show you what I have on this roll.. Lemme see what I have developed."
Sure enough the hat is used to hold stuff, she reaches in and pulls out some pictures. One of Tony, one of M.Bison, Sagat, Cross, Elle, Marise, Tran. . .
"Any of these people look familiar?"
All of them are generally profile shots, as though she were just taking these particular pictures for records sake.
Rock's sweat goes cold when Naerose makes the connection and then reveals her own relationship to Geese Howard. He's quiet, studying her with renewed concern, for several long seconds. He briefly considers ditching the jeep and trucking it through the jungle. He'd probably have better odds in there than against Geese if the man finally decided to pull the plug on his erstwhile son.
Rock places a hand on the side of the jeep. It's open-air, wind whipping past them, so it wouldn't be hard for him to make the jump and disappear from sight forever. He watches the dirt and stones whizz by beneath the vehicle's tires, sighs, and finally looks back at Naerose. "Just don't tell anyone, okay?" he says, quietly, taking the pictures and ruffling through them.
Rock stops on the one of Sagat. "I fought this guy once," he says. He knows the real kickboxing master pretty well. "Sagat's a real bastard." He hands the pictures back. "But my friend shouldn't be too hard to find. He has a habit of making a lot of noise wherever he goes given enough time."
"Don't tell anyone?" Naerose looks confused, like for real confused.
"I dunno why or who.. or what.. umm.. huh. Look umm. Howard enterprises..? They don't pay well, in fact, they pay terribly and they're not very nice, in fact, they're a bunch of bastards, I mean heh, not to insult your family or anything, but, I only deal with them so far as I do stuff for Saturday Night Fight and they happen to pay me for it once in a while. But I'm not like I dunno, on the payroll.. or anything." She shrugs a bit and nods as Rock speaks then tilts her head curiously.
"Oh ..? So this friend of yours has a reason for being here? I mean that's weird, hey, how about you let me tag along a bit, I promise not to take pictures of you since you don't want anyone to know you're here, and I won't get us shot, besides, I might be at least a little useful.. Er.. what did you say your friend's name was.. again?"
Rock smiles thinly as Naerose starts to become the one who is confused. He's still riding into the heart of enemy Thailand on the backseat of a jeep with a girl in a witch costume who may or may not be a real freelance photojournalist. She's allowed to share some of his confusion over what the horizon might bring.
"His name is Terry," Rock says, as if this was explanation enough for Naerose about who he's going to look for in Bangkok. The truth is somewhere in between. Rock wants to find Terry, who he is sure is in Thailand, because he wants Terry's help to go find Sakura. He mostly needs Terry because he's trying to not stir any fires and Bogard is awesome enough he could save the girl and keep it all quiet. "I'm sure his reasons are his own. He follows his own path and all."
And the coincidences pile up, Naerose who didn't know Sakura was captured yet, was kind of a student of hers. Blind leading the blind. Anyway, she does know of course of Terry Bogard, but without the last name why would Naerose ever assume Rock was speaking of that Terry. She didn't personally know any Terry's so she just assumes, someone named Terry. Maybe it's a soldier, maybe a spy, maybe someone who is excentric and lives in Thailand. Either way it would be very worth her while to find out what Rock's own journey will bring, right right?
"Well there are a lot of interesting people around here, I wish I had more pictures to show, but yeah, that crazy life guard destroyed my film," She gives an apologetic smile and replaces her pictures into her hat.
"So .. maybe we can help each other, if you let me tag along, and get some more pictures, I'll see if I can't use some of my passes I've managed to get through bribing people to get you through some check points."
It was a half truth, the full truth was that Elle who was a mercenary paid by Vega had arranged for Naerose to have some freedom of movement through the country. She wasn't going to say that though.
Rock isn't sure about Naerose's proposal. He usually takes care of things like this on his own. He likes to prove to himself that he can do something once he's set his mind to it. He gets it from his father and his posh upbringing. An anti-rich kid like himself doesn't want to feel coddled anymore.
On the other hand, there probably will be checkpoints. It'll be a lot easier to move around the city with a photojournalist's credentials. He has to admit that's a powerful thing when there is war and anguish. Even the worst dictators like their celebrity and welcome the people with the cameras. Provided you don't take anything that might make them look bad, of course.
"I'll get you into the city," Rock says, finally. "If you follow me, I can't, you know, /stop/ you..."
"Alright, so it's a deal then, I'll follow you and you won't hurt me or anything." She flashes a bright smile, trying to look as innocent as possible because really even knowing she can kind of look after herself, one thing she was pretty sure from the reputation of Rock Howard was that he could look after himself better and probably wipe the ground with her face. Though she wasn't the type to look at things negatively so instead she flashes a broad toothed grin and seems to relax a little.
"Don't worry about me, I'll stay out of your way." she assures and prepares for a possibly long ride.
Log created on 19:41:36 06/07/2007 by Naerose, and last modified on 10:14:58 08/19/2007.