15688/Death Valley Epitaph

Death Valley Epitaph
Date of Scene:	23 August 2023
Location:	Death Valley, California
Synopsis:	Harley, Jinx, and Gerti remember the life of the Jag that lost its life in the previous episode as they three trudge across Death Valley's desert.
Cast of Characters:	Jinx, Harley Quinn

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Jinx has posed:
[ https://youtu.be/VSDOlkUkcyc - Love Lost - The Temper Trap ]

Carrying the hot turkey in her arms was not possible under this beating heat. Gerti was trailing along behind the two beleaguered humans hiding in their growing shadows.

Jinx glances over at Harley whose sniffles had continued as they trudged across difficult sandy terrain. Out here in the desert with no water; Harley insists on carrying her big 'go bag' which Jinx is pretty sure contains only weapons. Even so, she can see the watery glint in Harley's eyes. Each step taking them farther away from the burnt out corpse of her beloved Jaguar.

Jinx's parched lips curl in to a small smile as she remembers the first time she met the car. A long walk along a highway in a ball gown escaping a small town of werewolves she had pissed off. Harley pulled up out of no where just in time.

She was hesitant at first but what better options did she have with the sheriff and his werewolf men on the hunt. Her fingers curl a little. Still no water, not easy water anyway. If it'd just rain then she could draw it in to them. Alas, Death Valley was a notorious dead zone for rain most of the year.

Harley Quinn has posed:
It had been love at first sight...

Right as Harley was beating down on a mob boss that had given the stink eye to Mistah J. "I swear! I didn't mean it! Listen, take my car.." he points to a slick, beautiful Corvette behind him, now a bit splattered with blood after the punches. Which speaking of, another punch! A ow. But then Harley looks over. A glimpse of a majestic yellow hidden behind a corner, old school lines of a convertible Jaguar that had made those baby blue eyes immediately water and she is staring at it. The mob boss slinks off from under Harley's grip. "What, that old thing? It's old and I don't think it even starts anymore. Something not right with the engine."

Harley just whispers, "It's perfect."

-----

It had been Harley's first contact with the Jaguar. Love at first sight. An old car that wasn't quite right to a clownette that also wasn't quite right. Another sniffle follows as she drags herself after Jinx, blowing snot out to a handkerchief. She barely felt the scorching sun on her pale skin, too miserable.

Jinx has posed:
It wasn't just that Harley was always there for her - but she was always there for her with the car. When the car took damage, she could see it hurt Harley too. Metaphorically speaking of course - there was no actual mystical bond between them that she could see.

Fighting the two telekinetic bounties the door of the jag had been snapped off by another car passing at high speed. Jinx really didn't like the idea of people knowing she cared so she quietly repaired the car when no one was looking with her magic.

A touch of reverse entropy and with the help of a local garden she was able to put the door back on the car good as new. Harley knew, but she didn't say anything. When the car is there for you, you need to be there for the car.

Which is why the flaming wreck burned her hear too. She was too slow with her magic to protect the symbol of freedom, of hitting the road and not giving a care in the world. Instead, she protected Harley, Gerti, and herself. Another quiet glance over at Harley. She hopes her friend doesn't blame her.

Harley Quinn has posed:
From there it had been a wild ride. Literally. Harley recalls all the times with her sweet jag. Driving into a birds of prey shindig and literally blowing up a werewolf with a grenade launcher. Or having icecream in the car with April while they went at high speed on a highway. Or even when the car door had blown up to smitterens and had been quietly repaired by Jinx.

Oh Harley surely knew -why- that had been done. Yet there had been no need to verbalize it. Like there is no need to verbalize how parched she is. And sad. And tired.

She dares a look up at the blue sky, squinting. Sand all around them. Getting EVERYWHERE. This isn't turning out to be the great vacation they wanted to have.

And now they are one man down.

Jinx has posed:
The sun is slowly creeping down over the distant horizon. Hill tops of more sand dunes. The only living things around being Harley, Jinx, and Gerti. Jinx pauses a moment as she stares in the distance. An oasis? No - just an illusion. She lumbers forward one foot in front of the other.

It's ironic that all her training in H.I.V.E., survival training, and suffering hardships was actually paying off for once. A life she'd left behind because being in a secret take over the world mind control cult is no fun at all. Especially when they're trying to prop you up as just a figure head.

That life is behind her, the life of villainy. Now she spends her time with Titans and Harleys.. and the car. She remembers the time they were fighting off street thugs while an orphanage was on fire. The car, hand brake apparently forgotten, rolled down the incline and hit a fire hydrant which sprayed the building putting out the fires.

Even the car is a big dang hero. With the last rays of the sun closing down over the horizon the trio turn the corner around a large boulder and spot an encampment of cars. Several large trucks that are opened at the sides sport a full mechanical workshop. The cars themselves are being worked on while men wearing nuns habits drink wine straight from the bottle and weld new weapons on to the chassis.

~~ Gobble gobble ~~ "B'Gaark!" Gerti exclaims as Jinx dryly licks her lips. She notes the large array of armaments and - these aren't the same people that blew up the Jag. Yet there's something big going on out here. Bigger than just two hoons with a rocket launcher.

Harley Quinn has posed:
That power up courtesy of Ivy most likely gave her some sort of enhanced stamina for Harley is able to keep up, even if by the end she is mostly dragging her sorry carcass in a self-pity, woe is me, manner that is rather over-dramatic. As Harley likes to do.

BECAUSE SHE LIVES THINGS INTENSELY!

And it's with that same intensity that she spots it. The crown jewel of their collection. The leader of the Nuns gang - a dodge charger that looks right out of fast and furious with the engine sticking out. Machine guns. Rockets. Extra metal. Oh my.

Hands are close together when Jinx looks her way. Blue eyes wide and a big grin starting to creep onto her lips.

"I think I am in love..."

https://youtu.be/gDShOlbCrko - Love at First Sight - Freddie Lozano

To be continued...