pullmeoutalive | RO > call me out; a forever open RP post

[ It's not long after that that a perhaps-familiar horse rides into town. And even if it's not familiar, it certainly is distinctive- made of brass and steel, steam pouring from its nostrils as it comes to a halt in from of the general store. It's clear both horse and rider have come a long way, covered in dust as they are.

Rex dismounts, and, despite that for all intents and purposes his horse is indeed a robot, tethers it to the hitching post. He tips his hat at Mika in friendly greeting before actually taking note of the expression on her face. ]

Somethin' troubling you, little lady?

Yeah, blasted gears won't work and I just--

[Mika sounds a little breathless as she looks up from the fitting she was bludgeoning into submission and almost--almost--drops her wrench. Even dusty and travel-stained Rex is hard to mistake, even if she'd been so irritated with her brace she hadn't looked up at the sounds of his horse. Embarrassed at being caught with her skirts hiked up past her knees so that her striped stockings showed, her cheeks flush a little and her ears flick back. Tail thumping once against the seat she's perched in, she looks back at the metal brace since it was safe to stare at.]

I'm not very good with machines, Jezebel's the one who built it but I can't make heads or tails of the more complicated parts and this thing's been hard to walk in all morning.

[Jezebel was very good with her tools, and Mika had often heard her commenting on how she'd like to take a closer look at Rex's horse whenever he rode into town. Among other things, of course. But the thought of how Jezebel had said that with such a scandalous smile on her face made Mika regret remembering it while thanking everything that the huntress was nowhere in sight.

So she just mumbles at her knees instead.]

's been sticking something awful since yesterday.

[ at her obvious embarrassment, Rex's smile softens. He really hadn't meant to catch her off-guard like that. ] We can't have that, now can we?

I'd be more'n happy ta take a look, with your permission, of course.

[Her tail curls a little as it starts to wag, and she nodded bashfully.]

If it's not too much trouble, I don't want to keep you if you're busy.

No trouble at all. [ It looked like a fascinating device, after all. And he was always willing to lend a hand whenever he could. ]

Gimme one moment. [ He returns to his horse and rifles through the saddlebags until he comes up with his toolkit. With that, he heads back over to her, and kneels in front of her. ] Is it just the knee joint or somethin' else?

Just the joint, I think. At least I hope so.

[Her ears droop a little before they flick forward again, and she adjusts her skirt and petticoats to get them out of the way while still keeping herself fairly modest. It was a fairly intricate device, or at least it certainly looked it. Jezebel had a flair for making all of her constructions look grand and elegant, though the knee-joint was looking a little put-upon after Mika had so readily taken out her irritation on it. Thankfully her readiness to flog it into submission had only left a few superficial scuffs on the well-polished metal and even though the knee was sticking, the rest of it moved fluidly when she stretched out her leg to make it easier for Rex to see to the parts.]

Would it be easier to fix if I took it off first?

I'll let you know if it comes ta that, but right now it should be fine.

[ He falls silent for a bit as he begins inspecting the device, fiddling with a few things here or there before going for his toolkit in earnest. ] I've seen you around town before. You help Miss Jezebel with the wards, right?

Mm.

[She nods, watching him with the quiet concern that she might've accidentally broken something she uses daily. So focused on what he was doing that she almost missed the fact that he was talking to her.]

Ah! Y-yeah, I do. I can't do any of the machine work though, save for simple things.

[ He pulls a few things out of that toolkit and sets to work on that knee joint. ] Really? 'Cause you sure do wield a wrench like a pro.

[ He flashes her a grin, clearly teasing. ] I've whacked the heck outa a few of my own gadgets. It's a shame that doesn't always work.

[She laughs, a little nervously as her cheeks went pinker. Mika had hoped he hadn't seen that outburst.]

Only when someone tells me where to aim it. I'm a bit better with a hammer, to be honest.

[So she simply lifts a hand to hide her face until her face stopped burning.]

[ That draws a chuckle out of him. And really, he's too busy working to notice her blushing anyway. ]

Ya know, I never did get your name.

Mika.

[Her hand still hides half her face but she's watching him work over her fingers.]

My name's Mika Whitepaws, Mister Marksley.

Well, I guess I don't have to go and introduce myself, then.

[ He glances up from his work to beam at her with his patented Rex Marksley Charming Smile^TM ]

Pleasure to meet ya, Miss Whitepaws.

Not in this town, really.

[And then he had to smile at her and she stutters whatever she was going to say next into a flustered silence, looking away and hiding behind her hand and her shaggy hair that had come undone from the quick twist she'd put it up in earlier. Her tail thudded heavily against her seat, the heel of her left boot thumped against the porch floorboards in a nervous fidget. When she managed to speak it was a little rushed and a bit muffled by her palm.]

Pleasure to meet you too.

Fair enough.

[ A smile as he turns back to his work. Poor thing. He should really back off a bit, but he did have admit her reaction was kind of cute.

He's quiet a bit longer, working intently until: ] There we go. Give 'er a try. Should be good as new.

It is?

[Her brows arch as she leans forward to peer down at the brace, her ears flicking forward as her tail began to wag. The joint moved smoothly as she slid her feet under her and stood up carefully. Giving her knee a few experimental flexes, Mika's face lit up with a smile as she huffed, her skirts still held tightly in her hands so they didn't catch on the hinges.]

That's miles better than before!

Glad to hear it. [ Rex gathers up his tools and stands up. ] Your friend Jezebel does good work, by the way.

Yeah, she really does...

[Her smile is bashful again as she lets go of her skirts, smoothing them out. They've been bustled in the front to keep them from catching in any machinery, though they still covered her knees. Mika fusses with the buckles on her own tool belt before she can actually meet his eyes again.]

Just don't let her near your horse without you watching her, Mister Marksley. She's been itching to see how it works.

[ Another laugh ] So long as she doesn't up an' take him apart, she's welcome ta look.

Th-that's why I said don't let her near him...

[She looks a little distressed, twisting the fabric of her skirts. It was pretty clear from the look on Mika's face that taking him apart was exactly how Jezebel wanted to see how he worked.]

All right, all right. I'll be takin' him home soon anyway.

[ "Home" in this case being the little house on the edge of town he'd been given after saving them from something or other. A home away from home, if you will, because his real home will always be the family farm. ]

Care ta give that brace a try and walk with me?

A-ah, I suppose that wouldn't be objectionable.

[She fidgets a little and almost stumbles for reasons that had nothing to do with her leg brace. Mika catches herself quickly, tail bristling before she makes it safely down the steps and onto the dirt road.]

I should probably check the wards out that way as it is.

Just let me buy a coupla things and we can be on our way.

[ He pops into the general store, and after a moment of haggling with the store owner (yes, he's paying for his items. He wants to pay for them. Stop trying to give him stuff), he joins her out on the street. ]

Shall we?

[He can't hear her chuckling as she catches wisps and snatches of the conversation, and the only thing left of her amusement is the ghostly dimples of her smile by the time he returns. Mika has gathered her supplies and her satchel is slung over her shoulder and already buckled into place.]

Of course! After you, Mister Marksley.

[ He un-tethers his horse, taking the reins in one hand. His free arm, he offers to her. ]

finest marksman in the weeeest

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