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[shield-devildog]

“No, I reckon keeping him waitin’ ain’t the best thing to do,” she agreed with a thin, wry smile. She took that as her cue to leave and let her father know ahead of time that they had an extra guest on the property—even if Tank was right. Not much got past her father when it came to the ranch. She passed by her brothers on the way into the house proper, as they were setting up the grill. Just before she disappeared inside, she heard them turn on the new piece of prime entertainment. The rumble of voices followed her inside, although she tuned it out as she wove her way through the rooms to the kitchen near the back.

Her father was already setting up platters laden with seasoned meats and vegetables. He was working on a platter of kebabs when she walked into the kitchen. He glanced up at her, gave a curt nod and smile without missing a beat in skewering a piece of meat.

“I assume you’re here t’ tell me about our guest?”

“…Um. Yes?”

He snorted softly, finishing off the last kebab and putting it on a platter with other completed ones. “I noticed the flyby earlier when I was preppin’ the steaks. I assume they’re here now, judging by the rambunctious rabble from your brothers.”

Jo sighed, but she smiled nonetheless. He really didn’t miss much. “Hm. I’ll be out soon to greet our guest. That young man of yours still here as well?”

She nodded again. “Hm. Help me out with these platters and I’ll greet him right proper then. Be rude if I don’t.”

“Got it,” she said, already picking up several platters. “The grill’s already gettin’ set up and whatnot.”

Reflections and Visits (Vincent, Jo Kang)

[shield-devildog]

She felt a little slow, for once, and more than a little dumbfounded at the answers provided. It didn’t exactly leave her reeling, but it certainly gave her reason to steel herself a little more now at the pending situation. She glanced over at Tank, not entirely sure if she should smile or look embarrassed.

“Uh…I don’t really know how to answer that one, honestly, except um…okay? I guess? Just so long as she don’t try to…I dunno. Touch me? Beyond a firm handshake, that is.”

It wouldn’t exactly be proper to not greet prospective neighbors, after all. Her father had raised her better than that. “Other than that, I guess I’ll be okay. Not like I’m gonna run screamin’ the other direction.”

Reflections and Visits (Vincent, Jo Kang)

[shield-devildog]

Jo gazed at the hologram with a quiet sense of giddy wonder. No matter how many times she got to see the technology splayed before her from time to time, it still gave her a bit of a thrill. Her eyes raked over the design until it was swept away and with it, her attention came back down to earth.

“Beg pardon?” Jo raised a brow, looking between the two men. “Jealous of…what, and why, exactly?”

Reflections and Visits (Vincent, Jo Kang)

[shield-devildog]

“Pleasure t’ make yer acquaintance,” she nodded with a faint smile, offering a hand out when Tank had finished introductions. “And welcome to the family ranch, even if yer not needin’ a place to stay, yer welcome to visit. Just try not to get in the pens with the horses without me or my family present. Safety and all that is kinda what we aim for here.”

She paused to give the silver-haired man a slightly skeptical gaze, her blue-green eyes looking him over in a new light. Briefly, they flicked towards Tank, then back to Vincent.

“I’m gonna hazard a guess that this is fer some kinda ship that’s gonna be cloaked or invisible to some effect,” she drawled out at last. Giving a cursory glance over her shoulder toward her family home, she sighed, crossing her arms over her chest and leaning her shoulders back a little.

“If yer lookin’ fer space, I can wrangle up an area that won’t be disturbed for a spell,” she finally conceded with a tip of her head. “There’s some areas on our property that can provide as much.”

Reflections and Visits (Vincent, Jo Kang)

[shield-devildog]

Jo had been keeping an eye on Tank and the stranger he’d been conversing with. They seemed familiar with one another, and had kept her distance for the time being, figuring it was business between the two of them and it was certainly none of hers. So, she kept going on about her own business, continuing with her routine with the golden dun that had been causing the most ruckus with her family. The stallion was indeed a rather bright, clever cog and seemed to have a knack for playing games when it came to everyone else. But for whatever reason or another, he more or less gave his ear to Jo and listened…to an extent.

Out of the corner of her eye, on her next round with the golden dun, she noticed someone waving to flag her attention. Bringing his head around, he gave a jerk but she won out in the end and he went by her lead. Turning in full, she found it was Tank waving to her and hopping the fence as he went. She gave him a grin and waved back, keeping a firm grip on the reins.

“Don’t you even think about it, Sunny,” she warned the horse beneath her. He snorted and huffed in response and she gave him a light jab with her heels and click of the tongue to move forward. He obliged, trotting over at a reasonably agreeable pace. She noted the other figure for moment before pulling up to Tank.

“Howdy. Startin’ t’ get late out here an’ I’m thinkin’ of headin’ in soon.” She nodded to the white haired stranger still lingering back. “Is your friend over there stayin’ a spell longer?”

Reflections and Visits (Vincent, Jo Kang)

[shield-devildog]

Jo watched as he carefully added some extra kindling to the fire and adjusted a few other pieces until it was blazing again. She kept her gaze locked on the twirling flames, mulling over his words for a time until he made a motion, signaling her closer. She obliged, not shy when it came to a point of needing to survive versus playing coy and shy.

Not that she was shy in the first place, but it was moot all the same.  

“Not everyone might be as acceptable t’ the idea of strangers from outer space, true,” she finally managed to get out with a faint grin. “But then again, they might be more open to it than people from Earth would be, considerin’ the creatures they tend to keep at their sides and live right next to. But I think I’d rather keep the information to ourselves if it’s all the same.”

Starter: "It is difficult. All things worth keeping are."

“Well, it sure as hell ain’t simple to keepthe things you wanna keep, that’s for sure.”

[shield-devildog]

“I..honestly? I don’t think it’d be a good idea to oust ourselves. Mostly because the people here might not be as willing and open to helping us if they knew we weren’t exactly from around these parts, if’n ya catch my drift. I think for now, we should keep it to ourselves and mosey along as we have been for now.” Jo shrugged, allowing her own words to sink in.

“It might be just my skewed point of view, but our planet hasn’t exactly achieved travel beyond the moon in a rocket. And…we’re kinda xenophobic with ourselves enough as it is. Who’s to say the same thing about these people? We don’t really know all that much yet. It just seems a bit smarter. And if we can continue explainin’ away some of our things, then we should just keep on truckin’ with that. I’d rather people think of me as some kinda ranger than as a prospective source of information to torture out of.”

Starter: "It is difficult. All things worth keeping are."

“Well, it sure as hell ain’t simple to keepthe things you wanna keep, that’s for sure.”

[shield-devildog]

As the Dust Settles

Once upon a time, she would have felt comforted with her daily routine—getting up around zero-four, zero-four-thirty in the morning and rounding up all her morning chores before moving on to herself. But that was years ago, and her routine has since changed. First the Marines. Then the Queen Marie Project. After that, SHIELD. But now...now that she was home, it did little to comfort her. Twice over, she had been passed over and lost her chances to show she was worthy of time invested in her. She was put aside, forgotten about, passed over twice now and it was disheartening.

The Marines didn't want her anymore, they had made that clear when they played her around, forcing her hand and her chance at reenlistment fucked over—and on purpose, she had no doubts about it.

SHIELD was no longer around, not actively as far as she knew anyway. Even if a small faction was functioning, what use did they have for a Captain America science lab copycat when they had the real deal leading the Avengers? Certainly not them. Certainly not the Marines. She wasn't cost efficient. She wasn't needed or wanted by them.

Her family was another matter entirely. She loved her brothers and her father, and the ranch they had, and all the horses and other farm animals they had to get them by. Even that estranged, distant uncle on her father's side, she loved. And yet...she felt no excitement like she used to with being another hand at work, helping out once again like in her youth. She had tasted a hardship she couldn't explain, or experience, while working the ranch. No one in town could identify, except maybe the occasional war veteran in town, but even then, they dwindled.

No. No, she had a taste for something that no one could appreciate or compare in likeness with. Not now, not where she was. She missed her old command under Commander Winchester. She missed the personnel she had come to know and appreciate, like Seamus and White down in the main hub that overlooked Tank's ship. And then there was Tank, of course.

She missed him too. It was hard not to. Besides the other faces she was used to, she had worked alongside him for well over a year, nearly two in fact, before SHIELD's fall and now...it was still hard to get used to. To wake up early like she was used to, half-expecting to find herself in her old barracks room and ready to go to the gym, only to remember she was in her room, with Maximillian's pelt over her, and his skull leering at her from her desk. Or she'd hear the faint crow of a rooster and the waking snorts and nickers from the horses out in the stables. To smell the coffee her father or brothers had put on as they readied to go out.

Jo rolled over onto her side, contemplating all this as she readied herself to get up. She almost didn't want to.  As much as she loved her family, her ranch, her horses, her town, she didn't want to see any of it, any of them. She wanted to stay there and sleep some more, for once, and maybe she'd wake up and be back where she used to be—or better, where she wanted to be, where she had been promised to be transferred to if things had gone her way.

I should call them. See how things are going. The errant thought kept her awake and ran on a loop, over and over again. It kept her awake long enough to hear the familiar tromp of footsteps climbing creaky steps, down the hall, and pause at her doorway. Then there was a knock at her door and her father's rumbling, low voice behind it.

“Baby girl? Are you all right?”

She contemplated not answering, but then that would mean he'd investigate further, stick his head in. She sighed, sitting up and calling back she was fine. There was a lengthy pause before he rumbled back his query of concern again.

“I'm just...not feeling all too well. I'll be down in a little, Dad, promise.”

Another pause, then an affirmative followed before she heard the quiet retreat of her feather's footsteps. She sighed again, flopping back over onto her pillow and pulled the mountain lion pelt further up along her, curling into a ball. Maybe I should call them...

[shield-devildog]

“It’s the nature of the world,” Jo agreed and shrugged. “Shit happens. Then more shit happens. Then you kinda die later on.” She gave a cheeky grin. “If’n ya wanna be as simplistic as possible in regards to it all, that is.”

She flexed her fingers over the dying campfire, tendrils of heat soaking into them, although the fire was fading, their kindling was dwindling, and the rain and wind howling outside the cave wasn’t letting up anytime soon. She sighed, wishing she’d grabbed more branches before the downpour started. She perked, however, her attention back on Tank. “Don’t reckon we could call it anything else but a situation, but do go on.”

Starter: "It is difficult. All things worth keeping are."

“Well, it sure as hell ain’t simple to keepthe things you wanna keep, that’s for sure.”

[shield-devildog]

Baby Horse Insists on Cuddling with Girl. [video]

[shield-devildog]

♚ - titles (e.g. Hero, Champion, Lady/Lord, Teyrna/Teyrn) / ☄ - birthdate, day & year / ☹ - something they regret / ✓ - their hobbies

♚ -titles (e.g. Hero, Champion, Lady/Lord, Teyrna/Teyrn)“Champion.”

☄ -birthdate, day & year “November 6, 1989”

☹ -something they regret “I wish I knew my mama a little more. I wish I could remember her better.”

✓ -their hobbies“Taking care of the ranch when I’m home, going to the gym, and on the occasion Iget to, huntin’.”

[shield-devildog]

Starter: "It is difficult. All things worth keeping are."

“Well, it sure as hell ain’t simple to keepthe things you wanna keep, that’s for sure.”

[shield-devildog]

Jo's ready for the end of the world, methinks. Still trying new things. Guns and rifles aren't my specialty, but I think I should try more often.

Stock was used for rifle and pose from a user on DA, found here: 

http://phelandavion.deviantart.com/art/Survival-Situation-STOCK-II-521205032

Credit goes to them for the photographic stock. :)

[shield-devildog]

thedosian: adj. of, relating to, or characteristic of the world of Thedas ✯ - religious beliefs ☼ - opinion of the Chantry ✎ - literacy (can they read, write, what languages, etc.) ♛ - common or noble ♚ - titles (e.g. Hero, Champion, Lady/Lord, Teyrna/Teyrn) ❤ - marital status (married, unmarried, estranged, widowed) ✓ - their hobbies ✖ - their pet peeves ☺ - something they’re proud of ☹ - something they regret ♞ - a time they’ve felt powerful ♟ - a time they’ve felt powerless ❝ - something they’re always saying ❞ - something they’d never say ☠ - last words ➹ - Varric’s nickname for them (even if they’ve never met) ☄ - birthdate, day & year

Ask Meme: Thedosian OCs

[shield-devildog]

Sentence Starters (Gaming Edition pt. 2)

"Good deeds are like pissing yourself in dark pants. Warm feelings, but no one notices."

"Gravity's one mean mother, huh?"

"Hell of a way to tell the boss you're quitting."

"Killing is an art. And I am a master."

"The law is only a defense against those who agree to be bound by it. We don't."

"The universe is a dark place. I'm trying to make it brighter before I die."

"It is difficult. All things worth keeping are."

"You know... you know what it's like to think you're alone... and then find out you're not?"

"Turns out, mess with someone's head enough and you can turn a scared kid into an all powerful bitch."

"Whatever you say boss man."

"They still die when you shoot them."

"I figure, every time someone dies and it's not me, my chances of survival go up."

"Dead is dead. There's no such thing as a good way to go."

"When the bullets start flying, I'm there. Otherwise, pretend I'm dead."

"This was never a story that would have a happy outcome."

"Sometimes the most brutal path is the only honest one."

"Come back later. I'm sure I'll have more to talk about."

"It crashed every half hour and the error message was about how the galaxy was at stake and you should fix the problem yourself."

"Today we're on a secret mission to get coffee and donuts. Problem is, someone drank all the coffee and ate all the donuts. So now, we gotta go kick their ass."

"What kind of pep-talk was that?"

"You seemed to like me well enough when I saved your life. Perhaps next time I won't be as charitable."

"Heh, ain't it a bitch?"

"MY war ends with you."

"We're gonna make 'em pay for what they've done."

"You know me... I don't like anyone."

"Good men are defined by the choices they make."

[shield-devildog]

Leave an object in my ask and my muse will react to it being given to them.

[shield-devildog]

commission