**** Nox ****
They had to hail a cab from the airport to the long term parking he'd put his Jeep in before he left for Moscow. Aurora was an information nut, she had everything, encrypted on her phone so no one could get to her important information, which with her memory shot made things difficult for her. But now they had all the information they could have used to figure out who the hell they were, and why they were in Moscow. It was rather ironic.
Aria didn't seem much into the sight seeing, she seemed more interested in just relaxing, the cab driver was a talker though, Nox didn't think he shut up the whole ride. Aria looked touristy he guessed. She definately sounded it when she spoke, though he knew it wouldn't be hard for her to pick up another accent. He'd seen her move from her normal italian accent, into a frech one, and russian too. She'd probably float into southern redneck or coon ass easily. It's a good thing they wouldn't be in Georgia long. He didn't want a peach walking around with him.
Aria paid the driver, she enjoyed handling the American money. He didn't understand it. Maybe because she'd not actually seen it before. But they still didn't have much cash, everything was credits on their wallets, it's how they were paid. It was easier to pay the cabbie with cash though.
Nox was not looking forward to paying the long term parking bill, much less the shipping his Jeep home. But he was glad to see her sitting in the parking garage under the tarp. He'd normally not have cared but there was still some things he and Aurora had left there expecting to be back soon. Seemed like soon wasn't ever going to happen, he didn't intend to stay. He missed home, but he liked Moscow. It was easy enough to get work there. And transferring to employment had been realitively easy considering the Atharim had established institutions for such things. It really was quite the gedup they had over there.
Aria didn't act much like a tourist, but she was clearly seeing things differently than where she grew up. It was probably a good thing she didn't drive, all those Europeans drove on the other side of the road.
It was a hefty bill Nox paid, but it was worth it. His Jeep was worth the trip to the States alone, he'd be happy if he had to leave now, but he had every intention of taking Aria out and about and showing her his home.
**** Aria ****
New York City, one place Aria never thought she'd see. They weren't actually in the city proper, out at JFK airport, but close enough. They'd be going through the City to get out on to the main land. Going under the water to cross into Manhattan was only a distant memory once they reached the skyscrappers of the city. Aria had seen tall buildings before, but in New York they seemed a bit more majestic, maybe it was just because it was America.
Aria hadn't thought she'd be much touristy but as they ran through the city and over the bridge, she couldn't help herself. Nox didn't say much as he watched her from time to time. He just listened to music and grinned at her.
Out in the open road it was less awe-inspiring. The rolling hills were normal, everything else except houses was the same, it seemed that architecture beyond the oceans was different, and as they road through the towns of othe states Aria noticed that it even changed base on region.
Overall Aria's awe faded quickly as they drove from cache to cache until Aurora found them something to hunt.
They stayed in a few motels as they drove around the country. Mostly bug ridden places that Aria really wondered how they stayed in business, but then there were always people like them, wandering and using what they could afford. After the first week, the funds started running low, they shared a room, or they found a camp site to sleep on the ground. Thankfully the weather was warm. This was not the life Aria had expected. She wasn't exactly sure what she expected. But this was hardly glamorous, it was freeing, but hardly glamourous.
Nox was at home though, he was happier, more chipper, he was free, he was wandering his home. They'd talked about him coming back again, and he'd sounded almost excited to return. It was not what Aria had expected not from the way he felt while out here on the open road. He grinned at her with that stupid grin, and confided that it felt good to be home, but this life, he didn't want anymore. He wanted a home. Aria smiled because she didn't want to have to find someone else to hunt with her. And she liked him too, he was a good friend.
They worked their way west, collecting caches of equipment, mostly selling to local hunters though. His family had a few stashes around the country and they couldn't keep all of it, not with only one location in Moscow. It was hardly needed. Nox stashed a few things in the Jeep, but mostly he was just clearning it all out, paying up bills and meeting old contacts.
They caught a few hunters mid hunt, and they joined them. The man was a friend of Nox's father. He regaled tales of the Durante family legacy. Nox nodded along full of smiles as his friend spoke highly of his father. Nox was proud. Aria didn't have stories like that to tell. Not of her own legacy anyway. He could quote from her mother's journal or from those she'd read, but beyond that she didn't have stories like that to tell.
The hunt itself was pretty normal. And she and Nox were not really needed. They stuck around to be back up but the guy didn't need it. He came back with a minor bruise and a gash across his forehead, but he said he fell on his way back. It was dark, and Aria didn't think he was lying, he felt drunk when he had returned to camp.
It was a good trip, thus far. Aria called Lucas when she remembered. They weren't hunting so it wasn't an issue really, it was just them driving. Which was tiring in and of itself. But it did give them time to bond, not that there was much need for that, Nox knew enough about her on purpose, she was still picking up a few things about him though. It was going really well, there wasn't much to work out right now, it was not stressful at all.
(3 pages - 1136 words)