>...-= Saddled =-...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PDVvuJmPcSo
 
>The world outside slept and went on
 
>And some were still awake trapped inside of a prison of their own thoughts.
 
>The things that keep you awake at night.
 
>Eyes locked on the ceiling.
 
>-Shipping out tomorrow and wanted to see you-
 
>-Wanted to see you-
 
>Sunset turned over to her side, pulling the blanket up and over her head.
 
>-I wanted to see you-
 
>She peeked out from underneath the blanket at the clock
 
>'2:00 AM'
 
>She groaned internally. Only six more hours before facing the next hurdle.
 
>The phone. It was right there on the desk.
 
>'He might still be awake'
 
>She sat up slowly, setting her feet gently against the carpet.
 
>Her chest felt heavy. Eyes fixed on the phone. The white numbers on the keypad stood out even in the dark.
 
>A hand entered her field of view as she leaned over. She had no control over it.
 
>-beepbeepbeep-beepbeepbeepbeep-
 
>-riiiiiing-
 
>She took a deep breath. Her foot began to bounce frantically against the carpet.
 
>The lamp on the nightstand began to shake.
 
>-riiiiing-
 
>The noises echoed inside of her, reverberated by the darkness of the room.
 
>"Hey, its Flash. Check back in about two months okay? If not, Ill get back to you whenever. See ya"
 
>The receiver collided with its housing violently, agitating the bell inside.
 
>"...... fuck"
 
----------
 
>-BRZT BRZT BRZT BRZT BRZT-
 
>7:15 AM
 
>Her hand clapped down on the clock with frightening force.
 
>The ringing subsided and gave way to a peaceful morning hush.
 
>With eyes closed, her arm fanned out against the bedsheets, searching for sleeping pile of infant canine.
 
>Nothing
 
>She battled her eyelids for control of her vision, looking around the room blued by the morning light.
 
>"Faust*?"
 
>a series of patting replied from the foot of the bed, and the tiny wolf made himself known.
 
>"Getting started without me buddy, huh?" She giggled to herself sleepily and sat up, stretching out her fatigued muscles.
 
>The slight morning chill kissed her naked body. She lifted herself off of the bed and began searching around the room for her clothes.
 
>Her search yielded a large pool of unidentified liquid underneath her toes in the carpet.
 
>Her blood boiled.
 
>She sighed
 
>"It's gonna be a bad day..."
 
>After a quick search and a thorough sniffing session, she was relieved that her inspection had not suggested shenanigans on behalf of Faust.
 
>She lazily dressed herself, scooped up her pup, and crashed back down on the bed.
 
>The sun had illuminated much of the town outside, faint rays of white and pink were beginning to pour in through the blinds.
 
>Sunset slipped the holster behind her back and sat up with a yawn.
 
>"Alright Faust*... Let's do it"
 
----------
 
>The girl clad in black strolled up to the shop with Panzer's saddlebags thrown over her shoulder, Faust had hitched a ride inside the big deep pockets.
 
>The front door was propped open with a cinderblock. From the outside it was eerily quiet.
 
>The main lobby was in dire need of repair. A mismatched set of chairs were haphazardly against the wall with a large, dust covered window just behind them, where passers by held daily penis drawing contests.
 
>The lights burned dimly over chipped paint and drywall-covered carpet. A radio played faintly from the back room accompanied by a pair of voices, enjoyed by an older man reading a magazine at the front counter.
 
>He looked surprised as she entered, setting down his girls and offering his best 'welcome in' smile.
 
>"Mornin'"
 
>"Good Morning"
 
>"What can I help you with?"
 
>"Pretty much everything... You're Torque right? I need your help... And... Jack sent me, from the Diner down the road?"
 
>He nodded, acknowledging his name
 
>"Who, Flappy?" He laughed slightly as he spoke.
 
>He turned around and shouted into the back room "FLAPPAAAY!"
 
>"FLAPPAAAAAY!" Was the response.
 
>Faust* squirmed around in his pouch at all the commotion. "Aaaaoooooww!"
 
>He raised his eyebrow whimsically at the bag
 
>Sunset blushed slightly.
 
>"Heh, Cool, Alright. What was it you were needing?"
 
>"I... May or may not have gotten my bike stuck. Ive got it hidden away about a mile or two from here. The tank is dead-empty"
 
>"Hey, if Jackie sent ya, I can help you out. Where abouts is it?" He had already collected a set of keys and an old denim jacket, making his way over to the door.
 
>"That's another thing. Its out in the sticks."
 
>"The forest?"
 
>She nodded apologetically, making use of her favorite rehearsed smile.
 
>"You're killing me, kid."
 
>"Hey"
>"Call me Sunset."
 
----------
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nujy7QJvFVM
 
>Week 2
>Fort Bannon
 
>His hair was all gone.
 
>The eyes that stared back at him in the mirror weren't his own. They belonged to his country.
 
>The eyes were scared.
 
>The first morning was a blur of camouflage and constant angered voices. All of it, tailored to his ultimate fate, his ultimate purpose.
 
>That black rifle was heavy in his hands.
 
>Rules of life were unlearned.
 
>War is the law of the world now.
 
>His goal is destruction pure and simple
 
>The game now is War.
 
>And victory is measure in life and death.
 
>"PRIVATE SENTRY!"
>"TAKE EM OUT!"
 
>"AYE SIR! FIRST SQUAD! TENCH-HUT!"
 
>The heels of hardened jackboots snapped together in unison.
 
>"FORWARD-" The prepatory command.
 
>"-HARCH!" The uniform and disciplined line of men advanced forwards and together.
 
>/His/ game is now War.
 
----------
 
>Elwood Forest
>8:43 AM
 
>A rusted, old fashioned pickup rattled down the dirt roads on the outskirts of Elwood.
 
>Sunset's eyes never once left the treeline.
 
>'There's the grove...'
 
>"Right around here?"
 
>The truck bounced and climbed over grassy inclinations, each threatening to smash metal and scrape paint.
 
>Her hand drummed against the dashboard. "Yeahyeahyeah, stopstopstop"
 
>She pushed the door open and dashed around back to the bed, snatching a red jerry-tank and jogging briskly to the treeline.
 
>Her hair whipped around frantically, her eyes scampered from place to place.
 
>"Cmon, cmon, cmon, cmon.....!"
 
>She  continued to walk along the treeline.
 
>Glinting metal.
 
>"OH thank goodness!"
 
>The can sat down in the grass. She leaned over and heaved the sleeping monster back up on it's wheels.
 
>She snapped the kickstand down and reached over for the can, filling the tank with its deliciously aromatic compound.
 
>The can dropped to the ground. Sunset frantically threw her legs over the saddle and stomped down on the saddle.
 
>Panzer awoke with a furious groan. The engine thumped and smoked alive as its lifeblood began to pump through its veins.
 
>Sunset turned to the truck and held both of her thumbs up in the air with a wide grin across her lips.
 
>Torque leaned over and closed the door to his truck, nodding back, and turning his machine around back towards the path back to Elwood.
 
>Sunset rolled her stallion down the hill and followed Torque closely behind.
 
----------
 
>Engines died and tires ceased to turn.
 
>The door of the old pickup groaned open.
 
>Her jackboot struck the ground and she dismounted with a smile that could drive a man into cardiac arrest.
 
>"While im out here going out of my way, can I fix that headlight for ya?"
 
>"Nah. You've done enough, more then I thought you would actually..."
 
>"Thank Jackie, not me. Tell him I dont owe him anymore, this makes us even." He chuckled and threw the door closed.
 
>"Take care kid"
 
>Sunset removed Faust and the saddlebags from the back of the truck.
 
>She looked at the man walking away from her.
 
>'Say something you idiot!'
 
>"HEY!"
 
>Torque looked over the back of his shoulder briefly.
 
>"YOU'RE MY HERO!"
 
>She settled Faust in her lap, and thundered out of the lot and back down the highway.
 
----------
 
>...-= Roadstorm =-...
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ov4epAJRPMw
 
>The next two days became a near ceaseless blur of gas stations, single-serving friends, fast food, and energy drinks.
 
>The road blazed onwards into the light of the sun and the moon, and Sunset, It's faithful student followed it's path with unwavering faith and devotion.
 
>The wind and droning engines became her soundtrack.
 
>As towns and cities came and went, Sunset and Faust become one with the road and its teachings. 'The world was not a safe place', 'Work for your keep', 'Dont spit into the wind', 'and for fucks sake find time to take it easy and break for a while'
 
>'The road and my life are mine.'
 
>This day, the sun peaked out over the tan-jagged pink mountaintops. It's rays beaming at the back of her road's two lonely travelers.
 
>-LAS PEGASUS - NEXT EXIT-
 
>"Yes! You see that Faust?!"
 
>The wolf peaked up, out through the collar of her shirt licking at the tip of her chin. His tags bounced against his collar in the wind.
 
>"We're almost there..."
 
>"Almost home..."
 
----------
 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJpGHR6ofus
 
>The skyline of the desert utopia finally came into view.
 
>As the bike sped onwards down the road, the towers loomed ominously overhead.
 
>A multitude of questions arose, and some had no answer.
 
>Where will I stay? Will I be able to work right away?
 
>Roughly two Hundred dollars was all that remained. Hardly enough for lodging and food for a few days.
 
>'First things first'
 
>"Lets have a look around shall we?"
 
>The city itself was a marvelous spectacle. Brilliant neon lights kept its citizens awake day and night. Music and horns filled the air, along with an overwhelming aura of excitement and wonder.
 
>However, accompanying all the hysteria and commotion was a thick horde of traffic running down the boulevard.
 
>Sunset ran with the crowd as she pulled in to the main road, breaking off at the nearest convenience in search of parking.
 
>She turned down an alleyway, by some miracle finding an entrance to a parking garage. After a short and relaxing cruise, Sunset's journey came to an end.
 
>Sunset cut the engine and sat Faust down on the asphalt. The pup sank down on his shoulders, whining as his muzzle let out a shrill groan.
 
>The two walked over the ledge, just overlooking the Strip past the guardrail. Sunset picked up Faust and help him up just enough so he could appreciate the sights with her.
 
>The Strip was split into two by the multi-lane boulevard that cut through it. Each side offered something fantastic and beautiful to behold.
 
>People from all walks of life congregated on this street.
 
>Beggars and Panhandlers. Performers and Millionaires. This city had it all, and it was ready to make or break just about anyone.
 
>She liked those odds.
 
----------
 
>...-= The GAP =-...
 
>Sunset stepped foot onto the fabled sidewalk of the Strip, with Faust cradled in her arms. The commotion was a tad too much for him, and the pup buried his muzzle into her chest.
 
>It was even more beautiful down here...
 
>Performers were well awake, and primed for entertainment even at this hour in the morning.
 
>The schemes varied, but all had the same goal in mind.
 
>They were all rather bland and unimaginative.
 
>Well... Except for one.
 
>"Gather around, travelers of the desert jewel!"
>"Affix your eyes upon your enchantress!"
>"THE GREAT!"
>"AND POWERFUL!"
>"TRIXXXIIIIIE!!!!"
 
END