Shawn could feel Ralph shaking behind him as he tried to consider an option that didn't get Ralph or him beat up. "I'm sorry about that." He hung his head as if acknowledging the insult as true.

"Empty your pockets." Eric commanded.

Shawn's mind instinctively went into what was in those pockets.

Dollar Bills. Did he want money?

The stick from the lollipop that he shoved in there earlier. No.

The Rabbit's foot. The Rabbit's foot.

A tissue?

Shawn considered how he was going to sell this. He quickly cleaned out the lollipop stick and the tissue and set them on the ground for Eric. Then, acting hesitant, he pulled out his change and all but one of the dollar bills and set them down as well. "T-there. That's all I've got."

"Good." Eric said, without even looking at the objects. A smile broadened across his face, as if thinking of a new way to add to the humiliation.

"You know what would be funny? If you walked home with no pants." He said, more to himself than Shawn. Without prodding further, he sat there, staring, waiting for Shawn to react to the comment.

Shawn redoubled considering his possible exit routes. "I don't think that'd be very funny..." He let some of his actual fear out, hoping that Eric just wanted to scare him, to make it clear that he could do that to Shawn and Shawn wouldn't be able to stop him. And he wouldn't actually try going through it.

Eric's smile broadened, clearly enjoying the game. The way the cat enjoys playing with the mouse before it pounces.

He sighed a fake, overdrawn sigh. "Well that's the problem Shawny-Shawn. You see I'm one pair of pants short. What am I gonna do about that?" He asked rhetorically, and Shawn could tell that he already had made up his mind seconds before.

"I'll tell you what. One of you gives me your pants. You, or the twerp you have with you." He said, jabbing a finger at Ralph.

Ralph, moved to the left, behind Shawn as if Eric's index finger was the barrel of a gun.

Shawn could see the writing on the wall. Eric wanted to humiliate them, and all the appealing to his better nature in the world wouldn't change it. All Shawn had left was a hail Mary, stone cold bluff/threat. "Please Eric, don't make us do it. My uncle just got out of prison and he's coming to see me and Ralph today. He'd get really mad, and we're not supposed to get him mad, right Ralph?"

Eric's smiled disappeared.

"Oh yeah!? What's your Uncle's Name!?" He demanded.

OOC: Shawn Rolls Wits + Subterfuge + Striking Looks

Fortunately, 'come up with a name on the spot' had been part of the improv exercises Shawn had to do in acting class. "I'm just supposed to call him Uncle Cameron. Mom says he was in prison for putting someone in the hospital with his bare hands. She said he used to be a Ranger."

OOC: 07:48, Today: Shawn Cramer rolled 3 successes using 10d10 with the World of Darkness nWoD system with a target of 8, rerolling on 9 or more with rolls of 3,8,8,6,1,8,4,7,5,7. Wits + Subterfuge + Striking Looks + WP.

Ralph looked at Shawn with some concern and surprise at this notion. It seemed that Ralph, for all of his experience at such a young age, was still young. He offered Shawn a wince at the notion that an ex-con was coming back into the household. Strange considering Ralph had seen much, much worse. But then again, it had been a while since Ralph had been exposed to the Circus.

But Eric gave Shawn a more measured look.

"We'll see about that." He said, not offering any opinion about Shawn's thoughts regarding his criminal Uncle.

There was a long awkward pause as Eric stared. It was as if...

OOC: Shawn Rolls Wits + Empathy with the following results

0 Successes: Shawn can't tell what Eric is probably thinking or going to do based on his look and body language

1 Success: Shawn can gauge what Eric is probably thinking based on the expression on Eric's face, but cannot read his body language

2 Successes:  Shawn cannot gauge what Eric is probably thinking, Eric hides his facial expressions well, but Shawn can read his body language

3+ Successes: Shawn can tell what Eric is probably thinking and going to do based on his look and body language

OOC: 23:06, Today: Shawn Cramer rolled 2 successes using 6d10 with the World of Darkness nWoD system with a target of 8, rerolling 10s with rolls of 7,8,4,4,9,4.  Wits + Empathy + WP.

Shawn could not tell whether or not Eric believed in the possibility that such an Uncle existed. However, judging by Eric's body language--tense, balled-up fists, narrowed brows, rigid posture and shaking arms--it seemed like it didn't matter. It looked like Eric was in an all out rage. From something Shawn said or from just seeing Shawn and Ralph, it was impossible to know. Whatever the reason, Shawn could tell that Eric was going to jump forward at any moment, the rage having consumed him.

"You...NERD!" Eric spit out with poisonous hatred. "YOU NERD!!!" He said again, taking a step forward.

Shawn looked in Eric's eyes and realized with sudden clarity, that no one had ever looked at him with such stunning hatred.

Shawn crouched down next to Ralph's ear and whispered. "Be ready to run." He looked at Eric, scared and small and unsure. And then, suddenly, relief broke across his face as he saw something behind Eric. He was saved!

Or, at least that's the story he was telling with his expression. He watched carefully for even the slightest twitch of body language that told him Eric was distracted, and then he grabbed Ralph's arm and ran for the bikes!

"Wha...huh!" Ralph said, startled and running, tripping over his shoes, rubber scraping on concrete. He managed to right himself before falling and then they were running. Running towards the bikes. Running to get away from Eric with the hope that maybe, just maybe, they would get away.

OOC: • Running for it: The player rolls Dexterity + Wits,
opposed against a refl exive roll of his opponent’s Wits +
Composure. If the player wins, or if it’s a draw, the character
runs away, out of his opponent’s reach. Every success
the player rolls counts towards one of the successes he
needs to outrun his opponent in a foot chase before the
chase even starts

Shawn Rolls Dexterity + Wits

OOC: 22:09, Today: Shawn Cramer rolled 2 successes using 5d10 with the World of Darkness nWoD system with a target of 8, rerolling 10s with rolls of 10(+10,1),3,7,1,5.  Dexterity + Wits.

22:15, Today: Eric 'Trenk' Trenkenschue rolled 2 successes using 4d10 with the World of Darkness nWoD system with a target of 8, rerolling 10s ((10(+8),7,7,7))



"Oh you're gonna get it now!" Eric yelled, swiping at Shawn as he ran out of reach.

OOC: Foot Race!

Shawn Rolls Stamina + Athletics + 1

Ralph in hand, Shawn ran for the bikes!

OOC: 22:22, Today: Shawn Cramer rolled 2 successes using 6d10 with the World of Darkness nWoD system with a target of 8, rerolling 10s with rolls of 1,1,2,5,8,9.  Stamina + Athletics + 1.

"When I get a hold of you, I'm gonna break your head!" Eric cried out, and Shawn could hear his heavy footfalls from behind.

OOC: Eric's Speed is 7

The number of successes that must be acquired
for the quarry equals the pursuer’s Speed. So, if the pursuer
has a Speed of 12, successes accumulated for the quarry must
reach 12 for him to get away.
The pursuer, however, does not seek to get away. His
goal is much more specifi c: to stop the quarry from escaping.
The number of successes that the pursuer needs is
therefore different. He seeks to tally a number that equals
or exceeds the quarry’s current total of successes at any
point in the chase. If the pursuer gets that number, he
catches up.

15:06, Today: Eric 'Trenk' Trenkenschue rolled 2 successes using 5d10 with the World of Darkness nWoD system with a target of 8, rerolling 10s ((7,5,9,10(+4),3)).

Caught!

Shawn felt Eric's hand grab a hold of his shirt. A slight ripping sound as the fabric tore. His legs were still moving, still running. It was a choice now. He could keep the running going and risk having the shirt literally torn off of his back, or he could just surrender to Eric and take what was coming, hoping that Eric was merciful.

OOC: If Shawn chooses to keep running and have the shirt torn, then - Foot Race!

Shawn Rolls Stamina + Athletics + 1
This message was last edited by the GM at 19:09, Mon 03 July 2017.

Shawn wasn't going to throw himself on Eric's mercy; he'd seen the look in his eyes and knew there was none to be found. In an odd sense, it was freeing - the only way out was away, so that was all he had to concentrate on. He kept trying to run...

OOC: 15:10, Today: Shawn Cramer rolled 1 success using 5d10 with the World of Darkness nWoD system with a target of 8, rerolling 10s with rolls of 7,8,5,7,4. Stamina + Athletics + 1.

riiiiiiip!

Shawn's shirt tore off of his torso, the left arm only clinging for a moment before the fabric fell away. The first feeling, outside of the thrumming of Shawn's heart, was the warm sun on his back as he ran ahead.

"It's gonna take more than...*heavy breath*...that!!" Eric said, buoyed with confidence at the sound of the torn shirt, the sight of Shawn running away without it.

21:06, Today: Eric 'Trenk' Trenkenschue rolled 2 successes using 5d10 with the World of Darkness nWoD system with a target of 8, rerolling 10s ((5,5,9,5,9)).

OOC: Shawn is caught. Erik's free attack is a grapple Strength + Brawl (3+1), Shawn's back facing him = no defense.


21:09, Today: Eric 'Trenk' Trenkenschue rolled 1 success using 4d10 with the World of Darkness nWoD system with a target of 8, rerolling 10s ((5,10(+7),5,1)).

The  bicycles were so close. Only maybe ten feet away.


"Gotcha!" Eric yelled as he sprung forth, grabbing a hold of Shawn and wrestling him to the ground. The two began to roll around on the grass near the pavement where the bikes were, tumbling over and over again, the slight sense of pain from rocks, a distant register inbetween Shawn's surging adrenaline.

OOC: Erik's Strength is 3, Defense is 2

• Getting Free: The character being held has the
chance to try to wriggle free when he next gets to act. If
he hasn’t acted yet that turn, he can try to get free when
it’s his turn to do something. If he has, he has to wait until
the next turn. For the character to get free, the player
needs to roll Strength + Brawl, minus the opponent’s
Strength. If the player gets one success, the character goes
free.

• Turning the Tables: A character caught in a hold
by another character can try to turn the tables on his opponent,
getting the upper hand. The player rolls Strength
+ Brawl, minus the opponent’s Strength. If the player gets
a success, the character can try a maneuver next turn.

• Biting: Kids bite. The player of a character who
decides to bite an opponent (and a kid caught in a grapple
— see below — can always resort to a bite) rolls Strength
+ Brawl (minus the opponent’s Defense), with no bonus
dice, causing bashing damage on a success.

Shawn tried ineffectually to kick free, but couldn't manage it.

OOC: 21:24, Today: Shawn Cramer failed (no successes) using 1d10 with the World of Darkness nWoD system with a target of 8, rerolling 10s.  Strength + Brawl + WP - 3.

06:40, Today: Eric 'Trenk' Trenkenschue failed (no successes) using 2d10 with the World of Darkness nWoD system with a target of 8, rerolling 10s ((6,2)).

"Ughh!" Eric said, as the two began to tumble about, wrestling now on the grass, Eric still holding Shawn, trying to pin him down under the hot sun.

The sun bearing down on Shawn, the sweltering heat of the summer time, his world turning over and over as he rolled around on the earth, the smell of freshly cut lawn in his nostrils, the taste of grass in his mouth.


But Eric was strong. Stronger than he looked and the boy managed to maintain a hold on Shawn.

OOC: Erik's Strength is 3, Defense is 2

• Getting Free: The character being held has the
chance to try to wriggle free when he next gets to act. If
he hasn’t acted yet that turn, he can try to get free when
it’s his turn to do something. If he has, he has to wait until
the next turn. For the character to get free, the player
needs to roll Strength + Brawl, minus the opponent’s
Strength. If the player gets one success, the character goes
free.

• Turning the Tables: A character caught in a hold
by another character can try to turn the tables on his opponent,
getting the upper hand. The player rolls Strength
+ Brawl, minus the opponent’s Strength. If the player gets
a success, the character can try a maneuver next turn.

• Biting: Kids bite. The player of a character who
decides to bite an opponent (and a kid caught in a grapple
— see below — can always resort to a bite) rolls Strength
+ Brawl (minus the opponent’s Defense), with no bonus
dice, causing bashing damage on a success.

Shawn didn't have the strength for another escape attempt like that, not really. But he noticed they were rolling around on the earth, and that gave him another desperate idea. He noticed a rock nearby - rather than escape, he had to maneuver himself so that Eric threw him at the rock...