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

[whatsupcroc]

( Collette moves closer to him as well, hackles raised, careful not to make sudden movements. Their mutant mammalian compadres take a step forward, trying to gauge their prey. )

< Is your arm and leg really up for this? You won't be straining yourself, will you? >

[implying]

It will be quite fine.

[ He edges in front of Collette, dropping to a slightly lower crouch, both forearms out in front of him with their blades bared. He might not be moving at peak efficiency, but he's still more than fast enough to split a few of them open. ]

Move back a little, nearer to the wall, and I'll make a run of it.

[whatsupcroc]

( She complies even as he's speaking, inherently trusting that Vanadi knows what he's doing. Edging slowly backward, she waits with equal tension to see what will go down.

Not your brightest moment, Collette. )

< Ready when you are, Captain. Let's get this show on the road! >

[implying]

[ He's about to turn and dart back for her, but it's that moment that one of the creatures picks to leap, which triggers two more attacks. Vanadi moves far more quickly, even now, and split them open is exactly what he does. The first is slit nearly from nose to stomach, and Vanadi spins aside as it falls past him, already dead. The next nearest is simply kicked aside, on his way to slipping a gash down the ribs of the second.

He pauses just long enough to be sure that the second is thinking better of renewing his attack and the rest are cowed, then he's whirling back for Collette. Too bad about the blood splashed onto his clothing, but he doubts there's much he can do to keep from muddying that fur of hers with it. So he scoops her up anyway, and uses a series of leaps to bring them up to rooftop level. ]

There.

[ There's a frown in place when he sets her down again, and he brushes in vain at a sleeve. ]

[whatsupcroc]

< Vanadi! >

( He's fast. Ax would probably find his arm work inspiring, similar in a way to Andalite tailfighting. Speed, grace, terrible efficiency.

Collette mostly notes the odd sensation of being carried and flying through the air in the arms of the guy who'd just taken down three mutated dogs at once. )

< He is so cool. >

( Nice mental mouth filter, kid.

When she has something solid under her paws again, she steadies herself. Vanadi's brushing at his sleeve catches her attention, ears swiveling around. )

< Got soap? >

[implying]

[ Compliment noted, but not quite appreciated. He'd have been pleased to receive it two years ago, but less so now. So he doesn't react, or even glance over. ]

Ah. Not currently. Although I've got quite a lovely bar of it in my room, which will probably be my next destination...

[ After a quick clean of the blades against the legs of his pants, they disappear back up his sleeves again with a quiet hiss of metal on metal. ]

[whatsupcroc]

< Use it on your shirt. It's better than bleach half the time for getting blood stains out. >

( She shakes herself off, trotting a bit forward. Those screams from earlier return, and she can't quite control the raising of the fur over the coyote's hackles.

Some things were worse to imagine what you were hearing than knowing what it was you were actually hearing. )

< Thank you. Exactly how many times have you saved my hide by now? This is the worst record for staying out of trouble I've ever had. James would kill me if he knew. >

[implying]

[ ...huh. Well, that's noted too. He gives up on trying to clean it for now, intending to check out this soap thing when he arrives back in the safe zone. ]

A full twice now, my dear, balanced neatly against your once in return. [ That with a quick little smirk. ] If you'd like to save me again, we'll call it neatly even, and your James will have no need of complaint.

[whatsupcroc]

( She sits down, canting her head to the side and observing Vanadi. It's a solemn nod from her coyote head at his smirking remark. )

< Call on me the next time you need a friend. It's a solemn promise! One Animorph to one Kitrite. I'm yours! >

( She sat back, paws up against her chest. Once she feels she has her balance, she sticks out one leg. )

< Shake on it? >

[implying]

[ That gets an outright grin. Adorable. He leans down, accepting her paw as gravely as he knows how. ]

Consider it shaken upon. Although I'm afraid I haven't any treats to offer to top it off!

[whatsupcroc]

( Collette laughs, offering a quick lick to his likely gloved hand. )

< Fine by me! I might have tried rolling over to get belly rubs if you had. >

( A jest on acting the dog if fully treated the dog. )

< Tell me you're heading in now, too? >