[center][h2]Matthew Detmer[/h2][/center][hr]

[i]"Who ya' textin? Your side chick?"[/i]

Matt winced, realizing he was being somewhat rude. He shook his head to dismiss the thought from her mind. "No, no. Just- Texting Israel." he explained, an awkward half smile gracing his lips. 

The music was in full swing now, it was difficult to hear much, he could barely even hear himself think. But he saw people preparing to release their balloons and followed suit. It must be that time. Experience had taught him that tying the balloon to one's wrist was usually the best method of keeping it in one's possession, so he carefully untied the balloon. There are cheers around him, as the light on a tall, large building across from him lights up, bright fluorescent lights casting a glow across the streets and into the sky.

"10!"

He berates herself mentally for a moment for thinking the way he did. He closes his eyes, and the hand holding the balloon tightens its grip. He wills every ounce of willpower and determination into that little paper and that fragile balloon.

"…6!"

He doesn't open his eyes, even as the time counts down. The sound of people laughing and chanting all around him grows louder as the time shortens.

"4!"

He feels a cool breeze from the sea pass by him, and he only clutches even tighter onto his balloon, moving it in front of his, both hands clasping desperately to the thin line to the small, yellow balloon. A line to her.

"3!"

Laughter erupts from the right of him. He tightens his eyes.

"2!"

He takes in a deep breath.

"1!"

[i]I hope she finds what she's looking for. Even if it isn't me.[/i]

Screams of joy and laughter erupt from all around him as she hears the sound of music erupt from the stage. And finally he lets go of the line he so desperately clung onto just moments ago. He opens his eyes and finally releases his breath, and watches as the fragile, light balloon lifts slowly into the air, carrying his wish along with hundreds more. He turns to smile at Amanda, who is calling his name from the water's edge, but there is screaming in his ears- the bad kind this time. He whirl's around in time to see red and viscera, Amanda yells about his friend and then a person barrels into him. 

[i]"¡Coño asere, vámonos!"[/i]

Speak of the devil, he thought despite the panic. There Israel was.

"He's here!" Matt said, pulling Israel off of him and almost shoving him toward Amanda's direction, giving him a direction to run and deciding that greeting his friend was probably not a priority at the moment. Getting the hell out of here was.

Pain ripped through Matthew's back, and he felt hook like appendages catch his shoulder blade, effectively lifting his body off the ground and throwing him about three feet to right. He felt himself scream as muscle was rent and his arm was popped out of it's socket, but he didn't hear it. A small, separate part of himself realized that there was more than on monster at this park. He felt his body impact the sand face first, and felt painful weight on his back. One of those creatures was likely on top of him right now- ready to end his life. 

[hr][@Ruler Inc][@Spoopy Scary]


[center][h2]Henry Olin[/h2][/center][hr]

Henry stood in silence for while longer with Jake. The two men obviously had plenty of stories to share, but it felt... wrong to push. At least right now. So Henry didn't say anything- talking right now would be like asking him to admit weakness. They knew each other's type, so they stood in silence, simply enjoying quiet company. It was, at least in Henry's case, something he was unused to. A welcome change of pace.

He must've looked silly, giant lizard cop holding a tiny yellow balloon. He looked up to it, then to the stage. It was time to let them go. The singer was calling for everyone to release. Henry looked up to his balloon once more, holding on for a second longer before letting go. From there, he watched the balloon float away, up, up, up until there's nothing left but a dot in the sky.

[i]Wish you were here.[/i]

He closed his eyes and imagined, allowing his arm to fall to his side and relax at the thought. He wasn't sure who the wish was for yet, but he knew that he would know when he saw them.

His eyes snapped open at the sound of screaming and the smell of blood. He heard his radios buzzing with activity, people giving commands and others reading them back. Something something manifestations. Get civilians to safety. He looked across the street to Drake, who was already shifting forms. Hot blooded and rearing for a fight. Henry momentarily remembered the days when he was like that, too. He caught sight of Bobbi making her way over towards him, trying to brave the crowds running through the streets away from what was best described as a hot spot of manifestations. Through luck and will, the little girl made it across- and then promptly opened a portal of all things.

Henry was instantly more on edge, if that was even possible. This person had been particularly friendly towards them- something that was both uncommon and something he was unused to. He tensed, had she been the cause of this event somehow? His mind flew a mile a minute, but stopped as soon as she pulled out a small pink adult toy from the portal she had created. He furrowed his brow, more confused than suspicious now.

[i]"Jus' what teh fuck am I s'pose tah do wit' dis?"[/i]

Henry opened his mouth, but no words came out. He shook his head, and took a step forward into the street. He stopped momentarily, turning around and taking the monstrous handgun off of his hip. He grabbed Bobbi's arms and pulled her towards him roughly, at the same time putting the gun into her hands- practically shoving her back as soon as he let go of her arm to give her the gun.

"Crash course-" He said. The gun was huge and heavy for its size- essentially a modified glock that had thirty 9MM rounds in its gigantic magazine. It was largely useless to him, but it was standard for all FAMA agents to have a sidearm and building a handgun chambered in .50 cal would be wasteful, inhumane, and unnecessary even if it would've been far more normal for his size. "Point, aim, fire." He said, pointing at the iron sights and then the trigger. He gave Jake a glance- he'd prefer to have given [i]him[/i] the gun, the man reeked of gunpowder for Christ's sake, but he was likely packing heat himself. It was the better decision to arm Bobbi.

"Keep each other safe-"

He heard the wet smacking sound of Drake's tongue behind him and the inhuman sounds of the mutants. He winced, he couldn't stay much longer.

[i]"Hey, Henry! You comin'?"[/i]

Henry craned his neck, turning around and glaring at Drake. It was time for the giant to do his job.

"Drake will get you out of here."

He stepped back, turning around again to face Drake. "I got this, Dragon. You know the drill, get them out of here and if I dont come find you, scrape my ass off the pavement gently please."

The aberrant's attention was on Drake, and it had no time to reach when Henry grabbed it by it's head with one of his enormous hands and with herculean strength lifted it's thrashing body in the air. With his other free hand he grabbed one of it's wildly kicking legs and brought it horizontal. It feebly clawed, scratched, and beat against the scales on his hands, and with a grunt the reptilian giant brought it down against his knee. There was an almighty shattering sound as the aberrant's  chest cavity was turned to paste, and the mutant's spine arced unnaturally around Henry's leg. Henry released the corpse, which fell unceremoniously to the asphalt like a discarded trinket, or a broken toy.

Henry wasn't the best shot, nor was he the best technical fighter in FAMA. He couldn't be, he was too big and never had any extreme talent with firearms. He [i]was[/i] good at a few things though. Henry curled his hands into fists and beat his chest like an ape- emitting a loud pounding sound. Like a living war drum. He arched his back forwards and roared, the sound reverberating through the very souls of those around him. Deep, primordial, and an uncanny combination of both human and inhuman.

He was good at being the diversion, so everyone else could do their jobs. In this case, a giant to get the mutant's attention, and an immovable object to keep most of them at bay. A distraction, but a force of nature all the same. Henry felt the ever familiar blood rush as his body shifted into fight or flight mode- he was a warrior through and through and this was what he lived for, and what he would die for.

Just not today.

[hr][@Ruler Inc] [@EclecticWitch] [@CaptainBritton]