The Pinetree Frontier (Maiska)

Limb 1

     Maine turned in his chair to cause his back to pop, giving a laugh when he felt Mass hit him in the back. As he turned back to the table he glanced at the time, noting there was only a few more minutes before the april meeting started.he rubbed his arm a bit, sore from fishing from the night before- due to being dumb, he had to go to the doctor after the meeting. He'd gone out fishing to let out some stress and anger, issue there was that he went out alone. Usually when he went out alone, it was no big deal. Just fishing, done it since he was a kid, no big deal. Well shit, it became a big deal when Maine Marine Patrol rolls up. Maine was legal, so he shouldn't have panicked, but something about being pulled up on gets your blood pumping. He stopped paying attention to the fish he was about to throw out- large mistake.
    Sirens on the patrol boat blared, and moments later, his arm was punctured. He looked at the wolf Eel he was holding, and all he could do was curse, be because right as he was trying to throw it out, he got bit. By a fucking 6 foot wolf fish or, wolf eel. It's a wold eel but it isn't an eel, it's just a skinny fish that gets long and represents the shaping of a snake- he thought to much into it when he was doing research. Either way, he didn't get any ticket, tho the patrol officers informed him to be careful fishing alone in open waters, along with telling him he should likely go to the hospital just to get the bite checked out if nothing else. He agreed with the officers, and sorta just bandaged his arm with some guaz wrapping and some duck tape before setting his boat to go back toward land... not his brightest moment, but it stopped the bleeding. He didn't end up keeping anything from the trip, only having the deep bite to show for, tho he didn't tell anyone, honestly deciding it best to just schedule an appointment for the next day. Besides, when. He got his boat docked he teleported back to the state house and fixed up the bite, cleaning the wound on his arm, propperly bandaging it, etcetera. So at the end of the day, he was really fine.. in his opinion at least.
    He had zoned out in his spot at the table, coming back from his thoughts only to feel a hard hit against his arm- ok it was a tap but it hurt a shit ton.  "AY MAINE- finally you're listeni-"
   "YA MUST HAVE SOME WICKED LARGE GUTS- GOd That hurt," he calmly set his palm against the bandage where it was under his sleeve, wrapping his hand the rest of the way around his arm.
   Rhode starred at Maine a sec before speaking, "That hurt you?" He rode a brow as he watched Maine role his eyes while leaning back in his seat.
    "Noo, I just said 'God that hurt' to address the mans himself." Maine spoke sarcastically, slowly letting go of his arm before putting his arms crossed, watching his friend calmly.
    Rhode leaned back, waving over his hand,  "So.. what, did you get a tattoo? Wild night?  What's the gesture here."
    Maine shook his head;  offering a laugh,  "just a fishin injury,  no worries-" he heard a pop as some southern states arrived.
    "Talkin' bout fishin?" Alabama questioned as he tapped his leg under the table.
    Louisiana spoke next,  a large grin,  "Mai Sha, comin' from you I expect you gon be pinchin tails an suckin heads after?"
    Florida have his, at this point expected,  chaotic grin as he tapped the table,  "and I heard injury,  and I wanna see it."
   Maine shook his head, glancing st the clock. He had 3 minutes,  and there is no way he can stall 3 south state's for 180 seconds flat.. he can tho, on the other hand,  get someone else to do it.  And saying as it's popular with the south right now,  "Fine fine, but first the story,  see over here in Maine, we have the BIGGEST fish IN THE COUNTRY, so see-"
    "In not to sure about that," texas grinned as he appeared,  "here in Texas, we have the biggest everything. Food, trucks, roads, houses, boats- I'm pretty sure we got larger fish."
   "Little buddy,  it's real hard to understand how you could not be compensating for something with a tone and attitude like that." Alaska smirked while Florida cursed, saying something about each time he arrived or something- Alaska was someone Maine payed attention to- if nothing else, respected. They were just, well, respectable he supposed. To be honest tho, they were able to keep texas in check, and that is something that-, "Little Canada, you don't usually boast. What fish?" Shit.
    Maine mentally cursed Florida for having told Alaska to focus back to him, "Oh just'a Wolf Eel, nothing to bad." He bit the front of his tongue after he amswered, seeing a curious brow risen from the upper north state.
    "How long? I've seen them get to 8, tho I assume you would be in the hospital right about now if that was the case." They watched Maine calmly, not paying attention to other states as he spoke, "also, they aren't usually to violent. How did ya get it to bite?"
    Maine shook his head with a chuckle, "It was just a six- he got in a trap; or basket. He was jus' eatin some lobsters but when I went to toss 'im out a patrol pulled up- I got startled, loosened grip on the head,  so he turned round and snapped." Alaska seamed surprised tho impressed.
     Alaska gave a hum before she spoke, "how'd you convince Gov to let you stay at the meeting after going to the doctor for a bite like that?" Maine smiled with a tinge of nervousness.
   Alaska's gaze narrowed a bit in confusion before he gave a knowing look, "I have an appointment scheduled for after the meetin' an really the bite ain't to bad."
    Rhode glanced to Alaska's look than back at Maine, "how about you show us that bite-"
   "Show the bite! That's literally the whole reason I'm already here. " Florida blurted, honestly excited from across the table.
   Maine rolled his eyes with a shrug before sipping off his jacket and rolling up his shirt sleeve to his shoulder. He pealed the bandage tape off carefully before the guaz, seeing- in his opinion- the bite not looking to bad. Compared to the night before at the very least.
    Jaws dropped, to which Maine didn't really care,  tho fastly Alaska's voice sounded, "you've gotta go in for that." He had walked over and leaned over Maine's chair from behind him,  carefully looking at the bite would.
    Maine froze as Alaska observed the wound.. but he didn't say much regarding it, only saying what he really had to.  "I have an appointment for after the meeting- ow." Alaska carefully touched the purple, rimming bruise.
    As Alaska looked over it,  they only moved away when the meeting chime went off,  too which he went back calmly to his seat, just not saying anything. That.. got to Maine a bit. Did he actually upset Alaska? God thats- is it upsetting? Or is it just.. saddening? Why does he even care. It's so dumb, he doesn't even really know the upper north state but it still feels off to have him just walk away.
   Forget how he feels- did he make Alaska mad?  Shit, he hoped not. Maine wasn't scared, tho at the same time, he wasn't wanting to upset them. He did know that Alaska was commonly quiet tho. Something Maine took note of. Alaska just.. didn't need to be noisy he guessed. Maine didn't realize he so had zoned out from the meeting, by now to lost in his own thoughts. He soon felt Rhode nudge his shoulder tho, causing him to look back up and to the south east side of the table where Gov was seated, "Maine, I was asking you if there's been any spike in cases, any trouble with vaccines, any disruptions to the roll out?"
    Maine stared a second before he clicked in, remembering them meeting at hand, "Oh-! Yeah, I mean, no, nothing has gone wrong with anything- everything's being handled correctly, I mean." Gov watched for a moment longer, before giving a gentle nod and moving to ask whatever next state was in line. Maine sighed leaning back in his chair, starring at the table. Rhode tapped Maine, a rose brow with a thumbsup.. Maine nodded, giving a smile. He was fine. He's always fine, no thoughts, ever. He just had to shut up, pay attention and everything is going fi-
   "Little Canada, where's your appointment?" Maine looked up. Wasn't paying attention- wasn't he just giving himself a pep talk-?
    He has to stop thinking, he can't exactly stop through telling himself to tho, "it's over in Ventura, not to far really." Maine stood carefully, seeing Rhose was already gone due to running from.. York with jersey. Alright, weird but not the oddest thing that has happened in the state house.
    "I'll take you than, I need to head there for checking in on something anyway." Alaska spoke so calmly and her words were just.. chosen before he actually spoke.
   Maine swallowed, rubbing the back of his neck; nearing a bit his shoulder blades. "You sure? It might take awhile, I mean you really don't have to-"
   Alaska laughed a little, starting to walk toward the door, "I wouldn't have offered if i wasn't sure, Maine, besides. Depending what the doctor decides with that cut, you might not want to be driving yourself back."
   Maine gave a nod, catching quickly up to their pace, walking next to her, "can't argue to that." Alaska gave a smile, stretching calmly.
    "Need to grab anything before we leave?"
  "Nope."
     "Alright, let's go than."