EVENT: HERE THERE BE MONSTERS

[initiatesnpc]

Date & Time: October 24 - October 31
Location: Throughout Exsilium
Characters: ALL; tag yourselves in
Summary: The Transports return from their mission to find the island crawling with monsters.
Warnings: Violence, possibly injuries (notify a mod if there's cause to add a particular warning!)

The Transports return from their mission to Medieval Russia, but the Initiative Hold is eerily deserted. Normally, their would be a number of Initiative personnel prepared to meet the Transports at the end of their mission for debriefing.

Instead, there is only silence.

That is, until a distant thumping sound can be heard. It is growing closer, and suddenly the beast is bursting into the room. It lets out a roar and charges. Within minutes, it is easily defeated, but damage has already been done -- it collided with the Transporter machine, which is now making a low fizzling sound and lets off a couple sparks. The commotion is enough to draw the attention of the few remaining Initiative personnel who still inhabit the Hold, who arrive immediately afterwards. They are able to tell the Transports two things: that the machine is broken and currently unable to sent anyone back in time, and that the island has been overrun with aggressive, mutated beasts sent by the United Earth. They have been under siege for months, with the island's population reduced to a mere fraction of what it had once been.

Comments

[has_a_cult]

"I knew this was a bad idea. Nice shot, at least."

She watched as it twitched and fell over, bleeding. Apparently it was a scout, for in short order four more came. Ionae chambered another round. "Here goes."

The next few minutes were frantic and loud. By the end of it all, their hideout smelled of sweat and gunpowder.

[strategic_guile]

Blaine grinned, because he was enjoying himself at least. This was a job familiar to him and he slipped back into that sniper's skin easily. "Thanks, but get ready for the rest of the pack~" he mused, ejecting the casing and preparing for the next shot. He wasn't comfortable yet, but it would have to wait until the monsters were gone.

He looked up after the last shot, scanning the area but he didn't see any more movement. "Not bad," he said, sliding back and instantly getting his surroundings in order.

[has_a_cult]

"I pride myself for being a good shot, at least."

Having already set herself up earlier that day, Ionae sat back from scanning the street for a minute to properly feel smug as she watched Blaine work.

[strategic_guile]

Blaine chuckled at her. "You wanna make a bet on that?" It would make this real interesting. He turned over the table and set up the chair on the opposite side and set to perfectly draping his camo sheet that blended in to the furniture-filled surroundings. He dragged his stuff inside and put everything within an arms reach in the specific order he liked to use.

[has_a_cult]

She eyed the street. The dead beasts were already starting to attract scavengers. "...What kind of bet?"

[strategic_guile]

"Simple. Whoever kills the most wins." He sat down in a comfortable place and looked at the scavengers that were bound to attract more of the monsters. "What do you want if you win?"

[has_a_cult]

"That's a surprisingly good question."

She thought about it for a moment, but eventually came up with an answer.

"Very well, if I win, you have to cook me another meal like the first one."

[strategic_guile]

"Why so surprising?" he said with a pout. "But I can do that. And if I win..." he grins at her. "You'll owe me a favor~"

[has_a_cult]

"You're going to have to be more specific than that. 'A favor~' could be anything."

She had, after all, made deals with mortals before. She knew the tricks.

[strategic_guile]

That's the point in asking for favors, Ionae. He doesn't have anything in mind yet that he would actually want to ask for that he thinks she wouldn't do without a few nudges. He thinks about this for a second. "A favor that wouldn't put your life in undue risk?"

[has_a_cult]

"That's not very creative. Fine, one favor that I can veto if it's too unsightly."

Not waiting for a 1-2-3-go, she aimed out the window and shot one of the scavengers in the neck, killing it instantly.

[strategic_guile]

"The things I want to ask for I wouldn't want you to do because of a favor," he mused. Then she was shooting and he scoffed. Wow, cheater. That's alright. He's set up and ready, turning back to the window and aiming. When he fires, he gets two for one. It is on!

[has_a_cult]

This time, the room did not fill with smoke quite so much, as their targets were more spread out and more likely to hide at sign of trouble. There were jeers, arguments over who shot something first, curses, and general banter, but eventually.

"...I'm out of ammo. I think it's about time to head back to the safe zone."

[strategic_guile]

Blaine fired a last shot, taking down one more skittering critter before he leaned back from his scope. He looked at her blankly, his usual smile and pleasant demeanor gone for now. He had been in his work!mode and it wasn't easy to shake. "You don't have any left at all? Do you have a weapon for when you go back?"

[has_a_cult]

"I've got a pistol, but it' no good at this range."

She went about packing up all her stuff into a tattered backpack. "I got twenty nine. You?"

[strategic_guile]

No, it wasn't, and he hadn't expected her to. He was going to stay if she had a gun to defend herself with on her way back to the center of the 'safe zone'. Looking at her and remembering her voice when he had snuck up on her, he decided he should go with her even if she did. He started to pack up, sweeping up casings and putting them into the empty ammo boxes. As he did, his face got the fluidity of emotion he had before. He grinned at her. "Forty two."

[has_a_cult]

"Forty two!? I know I was falling behind a bit towards the end but, are you sure that's not just manly bravado padding your score a bit?"

[strategic_guile]

Blaine's smile didn't diminish as he stowed his box of bullets and casings away. "I don't need manly bravado for padding. I'm just that good."

[has_a_cult]

Of course.

"I suppose that means I owe you a non-specific-but-not-unreasonable favor now."

[strategic_guile]

He unwrapped a protein bar as he grinned widely at her. "Damn right." He bit off half of it and held the other part between his lips as he chewed so he had his hands free to placed the rifle back in the bag since it was the last thing he put away. He pulled the bar out before asking, "Ready?" Then ate the rest while turning his chair and table right side up to leave it how he found it.

[has_a_cult]

Ionae didn't feel the need to clean up after herself, but she hadn't made much of a mess to begin with. She buckled up the backpack and threw it over her shoulder, struggling for a moment with fitting her wings through the straps. "I am. Let's get to somewhere marginally less dreary."

[strategic_guile]

Blaine cleaned up after himself so as to leave as few traces of his presence as possible. Not always easy, with gunpowder residue, but if you look with the naked eye, it was like nothing had happened. "Less dreary, right." He mused, picking up his own packs and heading towards the door. "How long have you been shooting?"

[has_a_cult]

Ionae thought about it.

"Hmmm, since somewhere around midmorning. There wasn't much activity until the end there."

[strategic_guile]

"A good end to the day," he said, opened the door slowly and peaked out, the gun in his shoulder holster out and ready just in case something popped out of somewhere. Once nothing happened he held it open for Ionae to go through while he slid his gun home. "I'll have to come out here earlier tomorrow."