The Ford Republic | Riptide #133

Grizzly (0:00)

During your hero's feast with the scrambled eggs, the fish, the other meats and vegetables and fruits, graciously, magically prepared by Aurora, you heard the sound of a fireball in constant motion, a machine and magic. Four bikes pull up.

SPEAKER_2 (0:20)

Hey, there's four bikes, there's four of us.

Grizzly (0:24)

A man steps off of his as it kind of like gently rests, a little bit lean to the side, but still floating in the air. Two massive rubber tires on the ground. Takes his hat off. You see a man clad in brown leathers and a golden star badge. Black hat comes off. Warm brown skin, rectangular wide face, beard that's thicker in the goatee area, cloudy silver eyes, short dark hair, very short, very nicely cut. Takes his hat off. Well, smells mighty fine. Not every day you pull up and see someone having this grand of a feast in the middle of the desert.

Excuse me, I should introduce myself. My name is Sheriff Dallas Jackson. These are my officers, Houston Bart Officer Jane Oaken Officer Sylvester Lee.

Slimecicle (1:12)

Holy shit.

SPEAKER_4 (1:15)

Sheriff, I'm going to have to have you repeat that one more time.

Grizzly (1:19)

It's fine. We'll have time to do proper introductions on the road.

SPEAKER_4 (1:22)

On the road?

SPEAKER_6 (1:23)

And you know you can't drive on an empty stomach, Sheriff.

Grizzly (1:27)

Is that an invitation?

SPEAKER_6 (1:28)

Look over to the feast.

SPEAKER_7 (1:30)

It's up to 13 people, isn't it?

Slimecicle (1:31)

12

Grizzly (1:32)

So five more? Yeah. Yeah, that's enough.

SPEAKER_6 (1:34)

Sheriff, we got just enough seats.

Slimecicle (1:36)

It's buffet style, whatever you can grab.

Grizzly (1:38)

One of the horses you go disguised will be the 12th.

SPEAKER_9 (1:40)

Okay.

Grizzly (1:41)

That one horse you see will just be like nabbing stuff from the table.

SPEAKER_4 (1:44)

I'll start feeding him behind us and just start being like, just eat this.

Grizzly (1:48)

Oh shit, we're in trouble. We're in trouble.

SPEAKER_9 (1:50)

No, no, it's okay, it's okay.

Grizzly (1:51)

You guys watch as these officers and the sheriff all begin to sit down at whatever makeshift magical table that you've created. They have badges. Officer Houston Bart is another man, brown mullet, face that kind of like perpetually frowned underneath the handlebar mustache, looks half elven.

SPEAKER_4 (2:09)

Howdy. Howdy.

Grizzly (2:11)

Sits down. Officer Jane Oak, she has straight, long, slick, black hair with straight bangs that cover the forehead. Goliath. Oh, sorry, I forgot to mention that. Half elf, paler skin, Goliath, pale gray skin. Officer Sylvester Lee sits down, has a cooler tone, much darker skin than the sheriff. Brown skin, round face and features, very short, curly afro, but clean shaven. Eyes constantly hidden, behind darker, small circle shades and two tusks that curve out from his bottom left. He sits down, no words, just big, big strong presence.

Cool. They all sit down and they begin to have this feast with you.

SPEAKER_4 (2:48)

Oh, help yourself.

Grizzly (2:51)

Much appreciated. I would ask for your names, but I do recognize you from your wanted posters.

Bizly (2:57)

The whole time, I've just been nervously looking over at them and looking around.

SPEAKER_10 (3:02)

We are criminals. These are cops.

Slimecicle (3:04)

That's not going to be a problem. Is it sheriff?

Grizzly (3:06)

Yeah, the sheriff looks at you all tight. Says, all right, buddy, relax.

SPEAKER_10 (3:11)

I'm not resisting.

Grizzly (3:12)

No one in this Republic is in outlaw until a crime is done inside our state lines.

Bizly (3:18)

Wait, really?

Grizzly (3:18)

You're a free man, unless you do something wrong.

Bizly (3:21)

So if we do a crime here, then we're in trouble.

Grizzly (3:24)

Then you're wanted on our system.

Bizly (3:25)

So we're cool for now. Do you have a list?

SPEAKER_7 (3:27)

But don't say for now.

Grizzly (3:28)

A list of outlaws?

SPEAKER_6 (3:29)

Of crimes.

Grizzly (3:30)

No.

SPEAKER_12 (3:31)

Laws, I think. Yeah.

Grizzly (3:33)

Laws. We have laws. We have laws.

SPEAKER_7 (3:34)

Just like-

Grizzly (3:35)

Don't worry. I'll let you know when you break one.

SPEAKER_6 (3:37)

Sounds fair.

Grizzly (3:38)

You know, mostly just use common sense, human decency, try not to cause trouble for others, and you'll be just fine.

SPEAKER_12 (3:43)

What's your law on horses?

Grizzly (3:44)

Looks back at the bikes, all just kind of like resting. What about them?

Bizly (3:49)

If one were to behead a horse.

Grizzly (3:52)

Oh, like animal cruelty. Yeah, that's illegal.

SPEAKER_6 (3:54)

No, no, it would be so quick.

Slimecicle (3:58)

It would be fast. It wouldn't be cruel.

SPEAKER_6 (4:00)