PLOT: WISE SNAKE'S EMERGENCE

[theearth]

Who: OPEN.
When: March 9th, Sunday, daylight hours.
Where: The business district of Locke City.
What: An enormous snake monster is pissed.
Warnings: Violence.

[The alien explodes silently - but it explodes.

First in a small cloud of hot (rose-scented) gas - those there to watch its final moments will want to step back.

A ripple in the air pulses - heavily - from where it once was, with absolutely no sound and color, but penetrating force. Anyone standing within two miles of the point of origin will feel a push, with those closest guaranteed to be knocked off their feet and temporarily dazed. Cars swerve and crash. Staff in the nearest office buildings launch into disarray. There’s no shielding from the blast - it can be felt through walls, through structures, in the air, and underground.

And it is felt underground.

The entire business district starts to shake, abruptly, jarred to a stir by some movement. It rises over the span of a long half-a-minute to the magnitude of December’s earthquake.

Tuning Towers experiences the worst of it - windows are smashing and objects are shaking loose and falling from the upper floors.

It finally ends - with screaming - as the head of an enormous pink snake breaks the lobby floor.

It flows its way quickly out of the hole it’s made, breaks itself another hole ever so politely through the main entrance doors, which were not meant to accommodate a twenty-foot-tall-and-wide exitor, and as it draws the last of its tail out after it, the quaking dies down.

It’s now roaring its way through the streets of Locke City’s business district - all several hundred meters of Wise Snake, emerged in the flesh (or stone?).

No regard for the walls of buildings, streetlamps, civilians, stopped and blindly pulled-over vehicles, anything else on its course - in a frantically-awakened, unrestricted rampage.]



[ OOC: This is part two of the Season 1's finale. The first - the assault on the farmhouse - is here; pertinent plot posts one and two. ]

Comments

[strikeraid]

You're lying.

[ Skyler knows it. Everyone lies to him, says things he wants to hear and let him do the dirty work and laugh behind his back because what a fucking joke, how desperate do you have to be to drop everything for a friend, how fucking hilarious. Killian has no reason to be different. He's got nothing but reasons to be exactly the same.

His thoughts are crowding up in his head again. Do what's best for Ari. Don't risk the Keys. It's driving him insane. It's wrapping his fingers around Killian's throat. ]

Don't fucking lie to me.

[youngestone]

Dumbass when have I ever fuckin' lied to you? I'm not you. I don't lie to my best friend.

[He chokes a little when Skyler wraps his fingers around his throat]

You wanna kill me? Just let me bleed out. Least that way I get to send off goodbye texts.

[strikeraid]

[ Oh. It was a struggle to make his hands move one way or another, but that does it. It's not the hypocrisy that strikes him, per se; he always knew he was lying about everything important, knew that it would eventually ruin everything someday. Like he does with everything in his life.

No. It's Killian having the gall to say that he was his best friend. He knows Killian doesn't lie to him... At least, he's pretty sure he doesn't. A best friend. Skyler's never had one before.

His fingers loosen, but stay at Killian's neck for a short moment longer. ]

Don't tell me we're best friends. [ He takes in a breath. The next part comes out as more of a mutter. ] Not now, you piece of shit. I'll fucking believe you.

[youngestone]

Well, we were. Least I thought we were.

[His breathing is getting heavy and the pain is really, really starting to get to him. He's pretty sure he should have passed out by now but amazingly he hasn't. Then again, Killian was able to run a lot longer today so maybe he had another change happen. He's not sure.

He just knows that the guy he thought was his best friend is going to kill him]

[strikeraid]

[ It would have been so easy. He could have just done it, blamed it on a snake. He'd be shocked and horrified and he could have pretended. The grief would have been real.

But now. Now... he can't do it anymore. His head sinks down as he makes a sound deep in his chest - it's a groan, it's almost a sob - but he shoves away, ripping his attention away and shoving his shades back over his eyes. His other hand goes to Killian's leg. ]

Don't talk to me again. [ And with that, he starts glowing green light, and Killian's body gains the same green halo. Hey, that leg should be feeling a hell of a lot better, even if it isn't healed. ]

[youngestone]

Wha--

[...the hell?! Still, it's helping. He can't argue the helping. Killian just falls back and lets the magic wash over him, not sure if he approves or not]

[mysteltinn]

[Normally this would almost be a touching scene. Broken-hearted, but at least ending in a distinct lack of murder. But they are still in an open building with a blown in wall, and there are people running around- people that can SEE.

Well, a little anyway. The cover keeps any details hidden, but someone does see Killian almost being strangled... then seemingly en-spelled, and with a scream comes charging in over broken glass and debris, sword up and aiming at what is assumed to be an attacker.

(Not that he's wrong, but like so much in his short life too much is seen in black and white)

Owen looks like shit, if one wants to be honest. Clothing torn in covered in dust and dirt, blood leaking from wounds on his face and arms, his eyes wide and shocky... and the sword in his hands shaking with exhaustion, fear, and too much adrenaline. This is a child on the brink of an irrational decision]

You! Stop whatever you're doing! Now! Quick!

[youngestone]

--Owen?

[Killian glances over, surprised to see the younger teen. He's also surprised by the sword, but that's unimportant. What's more important is that Owen looks half-crazed]

He's keepin' me from bleeding out, don't kill him!

[strikeraid]

[ He looks up - shit who the fuck what the fuck is that a real sword - and instinctively turns his wind spell on, sending gusts of wind blowing around both him and Killian, strong enough to knock someone off their feet. He fumbles for his bandanna, pulling it over his nose. Okay. Fully disguised again. Key voice. Nice and low. ]

Shut the fuck up, dipshit!

[mysteltinn]

[He is not expecting magic, not aimed at him anyways. But in that otherlife he had been hit by plenty of wind spells, and while he of course doesn't recall it, the recent memory in his muscles does, and without think he plants his sword, going to a knee to lower his balance, arm up to protect his eyes.

But before the banana and his own arm hide Skyler completely he's rocked by a pulse as strong as a punch to the gut. Someone hurt, someone bleeding out slowly while he howled for help. It mixes sickly with the now and he almost retches right there, holding his throbbing ribs with the hand that had been on his sword. There's black on the edges of his vision, but crazed will and adrenaline keep him lucid....enough]

I saw you choking him!

[youngestone]

N-no, dude, he was checking something. No chokin', swear t'god.

[And speaking of God, the pain's back and Killian swears softly]

More worried 'bout my leg honestly...

[strikeraid]

[




He. Covered for him. Skyler lets the spell die, looking down at Killian through his shades. Oh.

He's not as concerned by whatever's going on with sword guy over there; he turns back to Killian and starts his healing spell again, checking on the wound gingerly. The spell is helping with the bleeding and probably the pain, but it probably wouldn't help much if he pulled the fragment out. He's very sure his spell couldn't heal a wound that deep. He's had enough practice with it. ]

Do something useful, jackass, go find help!

[mysteltinn]

Have you LOOKED outside?! There's no one out there that can! We gotta get him outta here!

[His words are stuttered and half gasped, half yelled, and now that he's to one knee it's hard to get back up. But he does, moving closer to Killian]

...holy shit, that's... there's big veins in a leg...

[This is bad, so bad, and with the rage losing it's focus he just looks scared]

[youngestone]

M'fine, mostly, swear, look get my phone out of my pocket an' call Fil.

[He's starting to slur but that's not important, especially since Killian just felt that rush of a pulse and so doesn't care. He needs to distract Owen and that's the best way to do it. ]

Hand feel weird, can't call him myself. Call Fíli.

[That he just called Fil by his past name escapes him.]

[strikeraid]

[ -- That's. A weird nickname. Skyler's a little busy healing his leg, the wound almost sealed up around the fragment but still bleeding, but he'll pause to feel at Killian's pockets, tossing the phone at Owen. ]

Call. I'm busy. [ And that would be him pouring the last of his magic into making sure Killian doesn't bleed out. This is his limit. ]

[mysteltinn]

[He fumbles with the phone, glaring at Skyler but obeying.

...give him a few here guys. He hears Fil and he assumes Phil so he's kinda in the p's and drunkingly blinking- why u no work?]

[thebalrogslayer]

[After the shock of acquiring a sword and the ability to use it, Gabriel set about making use of his new skill. And maybe in that was something of burying the memory that also surfaced, his way of making sure that this city will not also get destroyed.

Hearing a voice that he recognises in amongst the chaos snaps him to attention, though it takes him a while to hunt them down. Three boys - no, two boys and a blood key - and then Gabriel notices the injury to Killian's leg. He scrambles over the remains of the wall, eyes scanning the building to double check that it's not in danger of coming down on their heads anytime soon.

He doesn't waste time, crouching down beside the boys and trying to get his head around the situation. He sets his sword down at Killian's side to free up his hands. Whatever the blood key seems to be doing, he's not hurting Killian further and the other boy has a phone in his hands - good. Hopefully they've already judged that there's no point trying to call the other stretched emergency lines.] Killian. Try and relax, you're in good hands. [He'll see him safe. And then his attention changes to the boy with the phone.] Who have you called?

[strikeraid]

[ Skyler can't help but double take when the new arrival gets there - hey, it's this guy. And... he has a sword for some reason? Whatever. He knows he can count on him; he's seen this crazy fucker in action. He gets up suddenly, stretching the last of his magic out before they both go non-glowy.

He looks over at the new arrival... Yeah, Key voice. He still doesn't want to let anyone know who he is. No more than necessary, anyway. ]

That's all I can do. Don't let him die.

[ And with that he's going to jog off, running into a high jump - an inhumanly high jump, over ten feet in the air - and fly away, kicking off walls as he goes to gain height and speed. He still has another mission, after all. And Killian's in good hands. No regrets. EVERY REGRET ]

[youngestone]

Gabriel---

[Killian has another headrush and he remembers being saved by an Elf before and this is all to familiar and he doesn't even realize that Skyler's left because Gabriel being here means that he's safe]

Call Fil.

[And he passes out.]

[mysteltinn]

[he was about to call Dr. Phil, he really was.

Then Killian fainted]

OH GOD HE'S DEAD!!

[Sorry Gabriel]

[thebalrogslayer]

[Gabriel looks up at the Blood Key as he leaves, a frown furrowing his brow, but he doesn't say anything or stop him from leaving. It's probably for the best; he's not sure what he was doing here in the first place, but he can hardly ask Killian right now. Especially when the young man passes out, leaving him with his panicking friend.

Fortunately Gabriel has dealt with hysterics before, if not in such a serious situation, and he barely even blinks, taking a breath and trying to recall the various first aid courses he's taken over his life. Right. First things first. Reaching out, he sets his fingers to Killian's neck, and though it takes a moment finds his pulse, reassuring himself that he's fine. He checks his breathing while he's looking for his pulse, relieved to see his chest moving.]

He's unconscious, not dead. [Probably for the best, at least he doesn't have to suffer through the pain like this. Shrugging out of his coat for the second time that day, he lays it over Killian to stop him from losing too much heat, then turns his attention to the other boy.] Have you found Fil's number? Let me speak to him. [Probably best not to give Fil the news in such a panicked tone. He'll need to call Thorir too, if Fil isn't with him.]

[mysteltinn]

[He passes off the phone like it's about to burn him, relieved to have the burden off his exhausted shoulders. This was an adult, somone calm and knowledgeable. he can't shed the responcibility fast enough.

But now that things are no longer in his hands, the echo Skyler caused comes back to his mind full force, and he leans down further, resting his forhead against Killian's shoulder.

They aren't close, not at all. But right now emotions from his past self rise and the *who* doesn't really matter. Just the guilt and grief and shame]

I'm sorry I'm sorry...

[he should have gotten here sooner he should have done MORE. He finally just breaks into tears, adrenaline finally fleeing him and terror and exhaustion rolling in. His chest hurts, breathing is hard and every spare bit of air is tossed right back out in wheezing sobs. The only thing keeping him from fainting being the idea that certainly Gaberiel can't carry them both.]

[thebalrogslayer]

[Killian might be the one with serious injuries, but there are two people here who need to be taken care of, Gabriel realises as he takes the phone. Which would be less of a problem if they weren't currently in the midst of what looks like a scene from a disaster film.

But first things first, and he keeps the call to Fil as brief as he can, though he has to stand and leave for a moment to let him know where they are. With that done he returns, ending the call and crouching back down, this time on Owen's side. He sets his hand lightly on the younger man's arm, a soft offer of support.] What's your name?