Echos Of The Moon

Packing - Echo

Beelzebub watched with mild interest as Echo marched back and forth, carrying various camping supplies to a small pickup truck. The truck had been one of the first things he had bought after actually starting to earn money, but he still preferred walking if his destination wasn't too far. The oasis he planned on taking Loona to was almost a two hour drive from Wraths elevator. Walking would take days. And there'd be no way to take all of the supplies.

Vortex joined Bee, watching as Echo loaded the bed of the truck. At one point he brought out a cast iron pot that had short little legs that let it stand a couple of inches above the ground. Vortex started laughing.

"What, are you planning on starting a restaurant out there?"

Echo smirked. "Don't be jealous just because I know how to cook better than you. But there's a decent amount of Hells version of rabbits near the oasis. I'm hoping I can bag a couple and make a stew. If not I have some meat and other stuff I can use in a cooler."

Echo loaded the pot, before turning around and heading back to the house to grab something else.

When he returned, Bee asked "Did you ever decide if you were gonna take the job from Stolas?"

Echo lifted the box he was carrying, which held a tent and some tarps, into the bed of his truck before responding.

"Nope, I haven't. And I've decided I'm not going to worry about it until after this trip."

Bee nodded. "Hell yeah. Just go enjoy yourself."

"Yeah," Tex joined in. "You've been working a lot lately. I'm surprised you haven't collapsed from how many jobs you've done back to back."

Echo shrugged. "To be honest I've gotten close a couple of times."

He went back into the house to grab what he hoped would be the last things to pack. But most likely he would realize he forgot something before tomorrow came.

He returned to the truck, his lever action rifle, and a pump action shotgun in his hands.

"You going camping or to war?" Bee teases.

Echo gave a small smile. "Would you want to go into Hells wilderness without a weapon? I'm not expecting trouble, but it doesn't hurt to have them. And it's fun just to do some plinking."

Bee smiled impishly. "Or... you just wanna show off your skills to Loona."

He gave a small smile. "You can't prove that. But it would also be a valid reason to bring them, I'd say."

"I don't need to prove anything." Bee giggled. "What if she ends up being a better shot than you? I think that would be funny."

Echo didn't respond, turning away and pretending to make sure something was packed correctly in his truck to hide his blush. If he was being honest, he thought it would be pretty hot if Loona was a better shot than him.

Satisfied that everything was squared away, he got a tarp and draped it over the bed of the truck, using some rope to secure the tarp to the frame of the truck. He turned back to his two friends.

"Well, that should be it for now. Now it's just waiting till it's time." Echo walked next to them and sat down on the ground, cross legged.

The two decided to join him, both sitting down. They all just sat for a moment, enjoying echothers presence. Then Bee spoke up.

"So... are you gonna make a connection with her? So you can talk to her with your voodoo mind powers?"

Echo sighed. "I want to. But what I want and what we're ready for are two different things. We've only been talking for a week or so, and have hung out a couple of times. It's obvious we both want to pursue a deeper relationship, and we've clicked together really well really quickly, but I'm not sure I'd be ready to make a connection until we've been steady for at least a while."

Vortex frowned in confusion. "Why are you so hesitant? I know that it's a very... personal experience, but if you two really like eachother it should be ok, right?"

"Don't you remember when we made the connection? It's like a handshake between our minds, if a handshake also acted as a conduit for information. Your thoughts, your feelings. For that small time you feel the other person's feelings, think their thoughts. For you and Bee, it wasn't too extreme. We had been friends for a while, and neither of you had any romantic interest in me, nor I in you. But the more you feel, the more they feel. In that moment, nothing is hidden. And if one person isn't ready for what the other's feeling, it can make things go south pretty quick."

"You say that like it's happened before," Vortex said.

Echo sighed. "It has. I was actually the one not ready for how the other felt. And once I knew... I couldn't be around them anymore. For mine and their sake."

They all fell into a somewhat heavy silence, before Echo spoke up again.

"But, I think things are going good with Loona and I. If all keeps going well, it won't be long before I'll feel comfortable enough. Then it will just up to her."

"Hell yeah!" Bee shouted. "She'd be an idiot to screw this up with you! But hey, that means you can't be an idiot either." She gave him a playful shove.

"I was in the military and now I walk into giant bug hives for a living. I think that tells you just how much of an idiot I am."

They all shared a chuckle, before falling into comfortable silence. Bee then stood up, stretching as she did.

"Well I think I'm gonna bust out some beelzejuice. You want some Echo?"

Echo smirked. "I'll have ONE drink. I'd really rather not be hung over for the drive tomorrow."

"Fair enough. I am gonna get you wasted soon though. It's been so long since the last time. Drunk Echo is so much fun."

Echo groaned while Tex chuckled.

"Thats true," Tex said. "It was a really good time."

"I'll have to take your word for it, cause I don't remember it. And that's reason enough for me to not want to do it again." Echo stood as well, following Bee and Tex and they all went back into the palace.

"But what you do remember was fun right? So lighten up." Bee giggled.

They went to the kitchen, and Bee pulled a couple bottles of the liquor out of the freezer.

She poured each of them a drink before raising hers. "To Echo having a good time on his trip... and getting some action!"

Bee and Tex laughed as Echo groaned and face palmed. He then joined them in the toast.