ғɪᴠᴇ. [ action; Dead District, Sunday evening ]

[secondcomingof]

WHO: Pretty much all of you! Except Kallie. She sucks.
WHAT: Werewolf Hunting the Movie, starring yours truly.
WHERE: All around the Dead District.
WHEN: Forward dated to Sunday evening.

[ The hour is late. The sky is dark and the stars are out, the only guidance they'll have for this mission—and this was a mission, in Casval Mass' mind. One he intended on carrying out and returning successfully from, despite the difficulties involved.

He sends out the mass text to everyone when the hour draws near with the full details of their rallying point, sitting on the same trunk from his previous post on the network. He's dressed the same as always; in full captain's regalia, boots polished to an almost severe shine, coattails flickering in the gentle evening's breeze. The only sign of nervousness lingers in the occasional twitch of his knuckles. Otherwise, he's primed and ready for the challenges ahead, keeping a lookout for his "forces" as they arrive.

He's got no delusions about what's going down here. The borderline murderous intent is clear in his eyes. Let them come, his sharp gaze reads.

Let them come so I can kill them all. ]

(( And here we go! Operation: Werewolf is now go! Tag at will! Team assignments can be checked here while you are waiting. Please make sure to mark this post with your appropriate character tag as well.

EDIT: The mingling threads will proceed for awhile to give people time to tag in. Keep an eye out for special threads to go up. Until then, you're wolf free... for now. Please do not NPC running into the wolves, or the wolves themselves. At this time of estimation, they'll likely start appearing tomorrow evening at the earliest, but watch this space for updates. ))

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BEFORE THE HUNT

[secondcomingof]

MINGLING THREAD

[secondcomingof]

[ For everyone to talk shop with each other while they're gathering. Post, threadjack, give some details on what your character's thinking, jump in however you see fit here. ]

[scramasax]

Anthony was in the Dead District again, at around the same time as before. In this case, he knew that there was some monster creeping somewhere and he knew what to look for - and he was even less alone than before, with the trustworthy and ready. All of this was good.

He wasn't sure whether it was good or not that he still felt, if he stopped to notice, just as faint as he had after whatever had happened had happened at the statue. Since this morning, he'd looked just as pale as he had since he'd gone home that night. But he didn't feel any worse - then again, honestly, the days since then had been welcome reprieve from the worse of the constant stream of strange events around them all.

He'd stopped thinking it was anything psychological, anyway - as far as he had any clue, a combination of factors that night had made him sick, the stress of running for his life with only one companion no better off than him and the shock of that sensation when he'd touched the statue, that flood of burning, consuming sick yellow light.

But he hoped, at least that it wouldn't get in his or anyone else's way. He found himself half-tempted to ask Mr. Lyall how he thought that he should handle himself, when he made his presence known, but was it better that he did know about what he'd gotten himself into?

[northless]

[Despite once being a policeman's son, and despite all the street fights he once got into when he was younger, Robb has never held or fired a gun. Seen one, yes, it's impossible not to, and he knows how they work, but he's never had the occasion to use one himself.

But he can't be totally defenseless. He thinks back to the things he's remembered, as much as they make him want to vomit (forgive me, I never wanted--) and he thinks maybe there's another option there for him.

He takes a sword, and somehow it feels--right. Swing, parry, thrust, cut, and while there's nothing flashy about it, he thinks that, for now, it'll be enough.]

OPEN for anyone who wants to bother him...

[professorwolf]

Lyall shows up for the gathering a few minutes early, after having spent the past hour trying to find the best and freshest scent trails to send people along with. He meets Casval Mass in person, to a rather strange and uncomfortable sort of vision, and settles in to wait, hands stuffed into his pockets and keeping well out of the way.

As others start drifting in, looking varying measures of confident, his own confidence-- not that high to begin with-- has just kept sinking. There are so many faces here he knows... none of them he'd wanted to see here. He looks decidedly unhappy, while he waits for things to get started.

OPEN for all you folks who wanna fret over the tiny kid.

[icy_heavens]

[Well, he's out here now. He'd been hiding his age as long as he could by only communicating through text message on the network, but now there's no way to hide. He'd either had to come along with everyone else, or just stay back entirely. He's not stupid enough to have considered going out alone to be an option.

[But he wants to be here. He wants to help. He wants to understand. And he can't do that if everyone keeps him back.

[Even so, once he's gotten a weapon -- a short sword, as the blades had practically called out to him -- he just keeps himself off to the side, leaning his back against the wall, just watching everyone. Of course he's nervous. This is deadly serious and he'd known that even before he'd said he'd come here. But that doesn't mean he can't try to look as calm as possible.

[He does a better job of that than one might think, but it really isn't that hard to tell.]

/crawls in fashionably late; OPEN

[earnedmystripes]

[God, he was nervous. For all that he'd readily agreed to this, Kotetsu wasn't remotely sure he knew what he was doing. Between his network conversation with Casval and receiving the text with directions on where to go and when to arrive, he's had plenty of time to mull over all the possible ways it could all go wrong.

(Isn't this exactly the sort of thing that happened in those horror movies? His whole life feels like a badly scripted movie these days.)

But he has an obligation to these people, his fellows in Weird-Ass-Shit-Going-Down, and there are going to be children here. So whether or not he feels like he's in way over his head, there's no room to back out. He'll see this through, one way or another.

Kotetsu arrives at the designated place in his police officer's uniform, minus the hat and badge. He'd considered coming in his regular street clothes to prevent any unnecessary source of animosity, but his gun holster would be unwieldy in his ordinary clothing, and the bulletproof vest was fitted with the uniform in mind. He's definitely tense, hands clenched tightly and shoved in his pockets and looking nervously around as if waiting to be jumped any minute, but otherwise there's a faint smile on his features and he'll interact casually with anyone who speaks to him.]

[shiromadoushi]

[[There's an odd mix of insecurity and determination in Bakura's features as he waits. It's not that he's having second thoughts. He had offered to help and he was going to help, anyway he could. But he's doubting how much help he's going to be able to give. Even with the brief training on how to shoot... would he really be able to if something came at them? Should he? This wasn't a game, this wasn't an RPG. It was something much bigger than him. But like hell he was going to stay behind and be useless while everyone was taking action...!]]

[chalicejoker]

[Hajime's never been a terribly social person. He arrives a bit earlier than he'd intended, and he just hangs around at the edge of the group. He's surprised to see so many here; it's like a small army of people experiencing weird visions and changes.

He's hanging around the edge of the group leaning back against some wall somewhere. Watching things is a bit easier than just diving right into socialization, after all.]

WITH CASVAL

[secondcomingof]

[ Those who've made prior arrangements with Casval to meet up beforehand may reach him here. Basic gun training will take place leading up to the start of the hunt below. ]

no i don't have a boner for shooting guns at all 8|

[11ady]

[Gun training, huh? The distant memory is still playing in the recesses of her mind. She knows what the weapon will feel like before she even lays hands on it. The right stance. The proper grip. Firing isn't child's play. Going at it like an action hero will only waste bullets. No, you have to hold it in both hands. Don't treat it like a wounded bird. Grip it hard and hang on to it as if your life depends on it.

Because your life will depend on it.

With your finger on the trigger, don't anticipate the shock. Don't prepare yourself for the eventual explosion that will send the bullet flying faster than your eye can perceive it.

You will always lose your cool. You will always be surprised. The trick is not to show it. The trick is not to spook yourself so the threat of recoil doesn't make you jerk in the wrong direction out of fear. Push the trigger nice and slow whenever you can afford to. That way, it'll go off before you even know it. Recoil will be nothing more than a slight ringing in your ears and vibrations running down your arms as the bullet hits bull's eye.

Yes, good.

She needs a gun in her hands. She needs it now.]

Got a target?

[icy_heavens]

[It's not the guns he has his eyes on. He's not sure he'd want a ranged weapon anyway, since he has no clue on whether he's a good shot or not, and he doesn't want to hit the people he's with. Besides, he hadn't intended necessarily to go on the offensive.

[No, it's more the swords he's watching. Maybe a little of his interest in sword-and-sorcery style fantasy novels coming through, but who needs to know that?

[Maybe it's curiosity more than anything else that leads him to touch the hilt of one of the short swords. But it's not curiosity that keeps it there. What keeps it there is that hollow feeling he's had twice before and that feeling that his heart is beating in his head.

[It stops him cold for just a moment. But only that moment, as his hand finally closes around the hilt and he deftly pulls it out of the sheath. He instinctively adjusts his grip to perfectly accommodate the weight and balance of the blade.

[He shouldn't know how to do that. Until this moment, he hadn't. But something about the feel of a sword in his hand is more than familiar. It's comfortable, as if he'd had one by his side for years. But before today, he'd never handled a sword in his life.]

[shiromadoushi]

[[Bakura... isn't sure if this is the best idea, to be honest. Scratch that, he knows it's not. But its the idea he has and what he can act on right then. Better to learn how to shoot than need to and not know how, right?

Still. There's not much confidence coming from the teen as he heads to meet up with Casval. Just a mess of determination with no clear goal.

Think you can work with that, Casval?]]

[chalicejoker]

[Hajime's kind of eyeing those guns suspiciously. He remembers having a strange handgun pointed at him by some guy in bug-eyed armor, and, odd memories aside, has never used one before anyway. The only fighting he does remember, both in his normal life and that one weird memory he'd just as soon forget? It was all up close and personal.

But it's not like the swords are of any use to him, either. He knows how to punch things. That's about it. The gun's going to have to do. How hard can pointing and shooting be?]

[scramasax]

So Anthony had steeled himself, picking out the captain, with some help, and gone cautiously to collect on his request of some practice using a sword, and he'd done so hoping it'd help him slip into a "hunting" mindset - not hurl another surprise in front of him.

But as it happened, he'd gotten a sword in his hand, given it an experimental swing with a yelp, and felt his heart leap for who knew just why and subconsciously anticipated another one of those disconnected ideas was going to come rushing into his head.

Instead, he felt the sword slip from his hand, and when he tried to grab for it, he felt his fingers catch a hilt, but a colder one, and something metal still clanged on a ground.

In a moment he was looking at a new sword that'd appeared in his hand. A simple short sword or dagger, more like, with no guard and a thick symmetrical blade. His mouth hung partly open - this was one of those physical things-like-those-ideas. And it probably wasn't a horrible time for one like this to arrive. But why would it - and just what kind of sword was it? That could be a clue, to something.

[iaijutsu]

[Despite the fact that most are going for the guns, Hajime meant it when he said he didn't think he wanted to handle one with so little training. Five minutes before the hunt starts might be enough to ensure he isn't shooting anyone just by picking the thing up, sure, but aside from the grue hunt, the closest thing he's faced to a fight is pushing back when someone shoved him into a locker in high school. If things get bad - would he panic?

He doesn't know.

And until he knows, he's not about to put himself into that situation with a gun in his hands.

So he sticks with Casval's original suggestion to him - whatever sharp object is in that whole mess. And when his gaze stops on one of the swords -

- sure, why not.

And as he picks it up, something feels - odd; he tests the balance, finds himself thinking that the weight is different than what he's used to, still workable, but not what he'd rather - which is a stupid thought when he knows perfectly well he's never held a sword in his life.

It feels odd, but it feels right.]

[reapsthewind]

[She'd done decently with learning how to fire the gun. Well, decently for a first-timer with zero training and very little time to learn. Most of her shots missed. But she still hit. Okayish. Still, she'd never fired a gun before! Cut her some slack!

She was getting the hang of it, ok?

When Casval seemed to think she was done, she returned to the weapons stash, looking for something that suited her.]

You said we have our pick, right? Within reaso...n.

[She paused. That gun... it looked old. World War II era. What the hell was it doing in with a bunch of state of the art modern stuff? But it seemed... familiar, somehow. it looked to be a semi-automatic. She reached in, and picked it up.]

[And then, froze.

It should be heavier?

It shouldn't fire bullets. but it can? It...]

[She stood there for a moment longer, and then, without even thinking, loaded it, and took off the safety.]

... I know how to use this.

THE HUNT

[secondcomingof]

RALLYING

[secondcomingof]

[ Once enough people have sufficiently gathered and weapons have been appropriately distributed—following bare bones instruction, for those in need of it—Casval gathers everyone together for a group address. ]

Seems like most of you haven't gotten cold feet and showed up after all. Good.

[ Selecting a sniper rifle for himself and strapping it to his back, Casval turns sharp eyes back on the crowd. ]

Our aim here is simple: scout the Dead District for these "werewolves" in question, and if they prove to be hostiles, suppress and eliminate them. Mr. Lyall has provided us with a scent to follow, but rather than traveling as a large group, which lends itself easily to attack, I will be splitting you into three teams. These teams are as follows...

[ Blah, blah, blah. Not typing this out, but he basically said what's in this post. ]

...you are to follow your team captains' direction and orders as you would mine. Team captains, I've provided you with some handheld radios for easy communication with each other, so make good use of them.

As for the rest of you— [ straightening himself, squaring his shoulders ] —I expect you to behave appropriately and use your best judgment. This will be dangerous, and some of you may get hurt. But panic and paranoia are our enemies, far more than these beasts. Do not allow fear, or anything like it, to consume you. We are here for a very specific purpose, and we will fulfill that purpose by whatever means necessary, rest assured.

I'll be providing background support and intervene as needed, but captains, don't hesitate to get in touch with me, either. I'm the leader of this operation; thusly, the responsibility for its success or its failure rests on my shoulders, and my shoulders alone. It is a burden I bear willingly, without complaint.

To everyone gathered tonight, to the brave and the courageous, the driven and the dedicated, I sincerely wish you the best of luck.

[ Casval salutes his ragtag army crisply, with a confident smile spread on his lips. ]

Happy hunting to the lot of you.

TEAM ONE, "ALPHA"

[secondcomingof]

[ I summon Dr. Mordin Solus, Christobel "Chris" Starsky, Hajime Aikawa, Elizabeth Victoria Bishop, and Anthony in attack mode! Your thread goes here. You may work out posting order amongst yourselves. ]

TEAM TWO, "BETA"

[secondcomingof]

[ I summon Rue Oslo, Robert "Robb" Smith, Hajime Fujisai, Toshirou Katase, and Elle Une in defense mode! Your thread goes here. You may work out posting order amongst yourselves. ]

TEAM THREE, "OMEGA"

[secondcomingof]

[ I place Kotetsu Kaburagi, Toushirou Hitsugaya, Bakura Ryou, Dr. Aaron Strider, and Randall Lyall face down, and end my turn! Your thread goes here. You may work out posting order amongst yourselves. ]

OTHERS

[secondcomingof]

[ Anyone else who wasn't assigned a team by me, or feels like doing their own thing, can post here. Use this thread as needed for whatever reason. ]

AFTER THE HUNT

[secondcomingof]

[ What's going to happen here? Who knows! But I'm putting up this section in advance, anyway. ]

ANYONE WHO'S HURT, TAG IN HERE FOR MEDICAL ATTENTION

[elfstoned]