 _______________________________........ |  Location · |@Theyra] Location · Wilds ____________________________________________________________________________. |
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 _______________________________........ | Location · |@vietmyke] Location: Overpass, Wilds ____________________________________________________________________________. |
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█ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ | . Sumire slipped around back of the Kyoshi where Jin had tapped on one of the outer shell compartments and pulled it open, fishing out a pair of binoculars. ”Jin can’t, but I can. It doesn’t matter where I am, I always make sure my Piperunners leave prepared. That…” She tossed the binoculars up to a waiting Reman and then pointed finger guns at him. ”...is a ‘Sumire guarantee’.” ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________.. Ahead of the overpass, Tenet finished checking the other vehicles before turning his attention down the road further West. So far, he’d found nothing and all signs were pointing toward no surprises. ”We’re clear up here!” He called back to Feyi as he posted up. "Nothing South of us either!" Takoa yelled out as well. Feyi was still inspecting the stopped vehicle when Jin and Surmire caught up. Half her body was leaned into the open driver side of a heavily weathered gray minivan. There were very few modifications done to the vehicle besides a gutting of parts of the interior, but beyond that, and a few wielded panels of metal for small repairs, little else had been done. Feyi was staring intently at jagged holes seemingly punched into the instrument panel. Lining her eyes up with one, she turned her head around to find a matching, blood stained hole in the driver seat. ”I’m no ballistic expert but this isn’t making much sense…” Past the driver seat and in the back, the rear seats had been removed to increase space. However, the only things back there were four water bottles bundled together, a cooler and a leather messenger bag. On the ground where Feyi was standing were shattered glass shards and a trail of blood that led away from the vehicle South. The closest cover beyond the highway and the overpass was the forest only fifty or so yards away in the same direction. ”... And whoever was in here left in a hurry toward the forest..” "What'chu think, Jin? We just push it out of the way with the Kyoshi?" Sumire asked. | _
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shylarah the crazy one
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__________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Ziotea looked around the large room. Most of the hundred-odd people there did not look ready to cross a desert. The short woman had been outside the walls before -- she knew to wear loose clothes and a head covering, and bring the largest canteen she owned. Some of these people looked like fancies from the Upper Ring, but fine clothes wouldn't protect a person from the heat, or the cold. Some looked like the poorer people from the Lower Ring, such as herself. They had packs and bags, probably all their possessions in the whole world. Those bags would slow them down. Ziotea herself carried weapons -- a spear and a pistol. She knew how to use both to defend herself from the more aggressive wildlife -- and from people, if she needed to. Given that she was a bender now, she just might need to. Three days ago the disaster at the SynEn plant shook the city. It shook Ziotea too, when a careless gesture left sparks in its wake. Fortunately she'd been alone at the time, but the memory haunted her when, the following day, there was news of a camp just outside the walls attacked and destroyed. Benders, the media said. Dangerous, evil, and fortunately eliminated. But that wasn't the end of it. She'd been through something like this before, as a young girl, and the patrols in the streets and the vanishing neighbors brought back unhappy memories. A scan was all it would take -- and they sometimes scanned folk coming back inside from the desert. She hadn't told Ryo what she was doing. She'd prepped like she was going out on a scrap run, but instead made her way to the only person she knew who might be willing to help her. Hunang was a bender. Involvement with Hunang had gotten her parents killed, all those years ago, but maybe the woman could provide Ziotea with an out, a destination across the desert where the RSF couldn't get her. And here Hunang was now. Her voice echoed across the room as she spoke. It was time to move, quickly and quietly. They were to stick together. People were coming. Pursuers -- danger. A young woman about Ziotea's age with a child barely more than a toddler holding her hand and two lean dogs in tow led the way. The child looked miserable. Tired. Scared. Her face spoke to the general temperament of most everyone in the room. Ziotea found herself near the front of a long procession that headed into a veritable maze of tunnels. The woman with the child, who seemed to be one of the ones in charge, said not to wander off or they would never be found again. Ziotea knew better -- there were ways of marking confusing pathways to keep from getting lost. A bit of chalk or small signs made of stone and scrap could easily signal the way. But that would waste precious time -- and possibly provide a trail for their pursuers to follow. Almost running through the dim tunnels, with just a few flashlights and lanterns to illuminate the way, Ziotea felt her heart cramp. This was it, then. She was really doing this. Abandoning her life in the city -- abandoning Ryo. The atmosphere was one of fearful tension. Behind her, muffled thumping, like a distant explosion, made the walls vibrate ever so slightly. A fight? The woman in the lead scooped up the child with her and picked up the pace. Ziotea and the others behind her followed suit. |
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█ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ | . The arrival of a second wave of refugees from the city put a strain on the already delicate balance of survival within Tu Zin. Supplies were stretched well beyond the settlement’s usual capacity, surplus had been chewed through and space to quarter the refugees had very quickly dwindled. A few found room with those willing to accept them into their homes. The rest, or those who chose it, were given a recently rebuilt building near the tavern with enough rooms to house everyone who had arrived, including those a day or two after the first. In total, ten people shared the same roof, making for a somewhat crowded situation and a complicated resource problem. There was never really enough to go around as good will from those who were more accepting of Benders could only go so far. Thankfully, for those who sought it, there were opportunities in abundance to earn yuan or favor and use either for trade. For nearly a week, that was all anyone was up to. Learning, working and surviving, and when time allowed, some would sit and ponder. Ponder the life they had left behind and the life that lay ahead of them. Ponder the ‘why’ everything had happened and why, out of hundreds of Benders who had attempted to leave the city, only they survived. A few days later, a peculiar trading caravan pulled into Tu Zin, and given how stretched supplies had become in recent days, many saw it as a stroke of good luck. Three vehicles entered the settlement in the early morning hours and headed toward the center, coming to a stop near the shops lining the square. Of the three vehicles, the one in the center drew the most attention. While the lead and rear vehicles were escorts, made obvious by the mounted guns and their improvised armor improvements, the vehicle in the center was very different. It was a hodgepodge of rusted metal plates, rivets and wields that vaguely described the shape of a semi’s cab, on top of which was mounted yet another gun. It pulled behind it a trailer covered by a large canvas tarp, beneath which were a series of obscured shapes. These prodded at the imagination which was only further fueled by the strange noises coming from within. Odd squawks and moans and the rattling of chains drew in the curious. They flocked with interest, or concern, while many more approached out of necessity. A dark haired man stepped out of the semi, his eyes sweeping the surrounding settlement with a hunger and focus that was easily recognizable. He wore clothing less typical of those who wandered the Wilds. Clothing that provided less protection from the elements and was significantly less durable but was compensated by the extra layer he put on. Beneath the protective shell of a sand-stained and torn poncho was a faded, old-world suit and tie. Beneath that, the man wore a pair of dark jeans and a pair of brown boots, both of which were caked in dried mud. Oddly enough, however, the gold buckle on his belt shone as if it never knew the shame of a blemish. The man himself gave an air of someone who knew comfortability in a world without it, or at the very least of someone who clung desperately to the idea of it. Not to mention he had the energy to match. The seriousness in his eyes became more of a grin or a smirk, as if he were satisfied with the town that had been laid at his feet. He jumped down ahead of the approaching crowd and began signalling to his crew. “Let’s go let’s go!” he shouted, clapping his hands loudly in an attempt to spur his people into action. ”We haven’t got all day and these people have waited long enough!” Five men and a woman, all dressed less glamorously than he, though very clearly more comfortable in the elements, clamored out of the vehicles and set about their practiced work. Signage was retrieved while several others began undoing the straps that tied the tarp to the trailer. “Milo! I want that there… Right there!…No a- A little to the right… Perfect. Mira! Where are my lights?!” The more limber member of the group climbed up and behind the semi and opened a half concealed box to a tangled mass of wires. What was to anyone else an impossible and incomprehensible mess would take her no more than one or two wire swaps to redirect power. A series of lights lining the semi immediately turned on and began blinking on and off in an alternating pattern. “That’s great, thank you! Now! Get that tarp removed and let’s get this show started!” The excitable man turned around to face the crowd and produced from seemingly nowhere a small microphone. He held it a little too close to his lips. ”Good morning, Tuuuuuu Ziiiiiin!” he yelled into the mic, as if it would not otherwise pick up his voice. If he had been loud before, the speaker attached to the side of the semi made it louder still. It threw his voice across the entire square and well beyond, until his excitement echoed against the nearby mountains. ”Allow me to introduce ourselves!” He placed a hand on his chest. ”We are the Travelling Troupe of Trinkets, Treasures and Timeless Things! That’s trademarked, baby! And today, we bring to you–” He pointed into the crowd. “For your wonder and amazement, and your business of course, the four corners of the world!” As he continued to speak, he began pacing around while work to loosen the straps on the tarp continued behind him. ”Maybe you’ve lived here your whole life. All you’ve known is the desert wind and sand that’s coarse and gets everywhere. Maybe you just don’t have the time to travel. Who does?! But worry not because I, Tan-ming the Traveller, will be your guide.” ”Tan-ming the Traveller of the Travelling Troupe of Trinkets, Treasure and Timeless Things…” Sonam, who was standing just inside Sarah’s office by her front door, sighed in defeat. ”I think I want to go back to the city now.” Standing next to her was Vasra who was watching the settlement square with her. ”Behold!” With an overexaggerated flourish of his hand, and as if meticulously timed, the tarp was pulled most of the way back revealing, as told, a plethora of odd wares and wonders, some of which were indeed not recognized as having been from the immediate area. Tan-ming started on the left, framing with his hands and arms a series of shelves holding peculiar looking vials of clear liquid. They seemed reminiscent of vials of spirit water found within the City, though they lacked its subtle luminescence. ”Water from the shifting continents of the far North! The purest found anywhere in the world, untouched by the war that tore it apart and blessed by the spirits themselves. Unlike the over-processed, over-priced rubbish from the City, this water is all natural. It’s crisp. It’s clean and it’s guaranteed to remove all toxins from your body and last but not least, it’s available to all!” Sonam had a feeling, but that didn’t stop her from looking over at Vasra and then Sarah just to be sure. Sarah, who was seated in what would have been her reception area, rolled her eyes and shook her head. ”It’s just water. I don’t even need to see it.” ”I want to see…” Sonam looked down at Chosah who was trying to peer through the dense crowd of onlookers in front of them. An impossible task for the little girl. Since leaving the City, Chosah had been on the move, with little to no time allowed for her to process how quickly her life was changing. Taken from her family and everything she knew within the walls. Dragged through the desert with storms and monsters on her tail. And now she was surrounded every day by nothing but strangers and the harshness of a world that did not care for her. She was weary. Anyone could tell. So when Sonam noticed the curious spark in her eyes, she knew she had to nurture it. It was the first signs of light on a face that had known nothing but grief for days. ”Alright. We can go take a look but you have to stay close to Vasra and me.” Chosah nodded and followed the two women as they stepped into the crowd. Archer and Dutchess followed silently behind, and like every day before, began drawing eyes. The show in the square continued with Tan-ming moving from the vials to a series of jagged black rocks. He picked one up and held it in front of the crowd, attempting to explain to them the rock’s ability to retain heat and how each one was infused with the cleansing fires from the land they hailed from. ”Mined in the far West where the ground erupts in fire that can never be extinguished!” or so he claimed. They were warm to the touch, flammable and would ward off dark spirits if kept within your home. Then there were the canisters of air, collected and compressed directly from the source: the top of a ruined air temple in the South. And finally, from a place that many simply wanted to forget, or go back to as a different person: Signed stickballs from some of the most famous players in the league, Chua Hua included. There were also a couple synergy batteries, which did seem legitimate enough. However, it didn’t take a genius to recognize that most of these ‘wonderous’ items, as Tan-ming called them, were anything but absolutely worthless, and it didn’t take long for the more level-headed survivors to move on. Specifically to the other side of the trailer where on display were more of the usual fare as far as trade was concerned. There was a wide variety of dried meat from what looked to be recent hunts, though it was difficult to tell how recent. There was a selection of weapons, both ballistic and melee, and ammunition. Some body armor and clothing and tools as well as a plethora of other useful items that looked as though they were scavenged from previous owners. All in all, onlookers began to gather here, trading with the guards standing nearby for various supplies in the hopes they could recoup much of what was lost in recent days. But Tan-ming was not one to allow the mundane to outshine what he knew to be extraordinary. Before the rest of the crowd could disperse or decide to find a better way to spend their time, he signaled for his men to pull back more of the tarp unveiling two more items of interest. The first was a somewhat large mechanical device that would immediately be recognizable to Reman or anyone who’d spent time travelling the Wilds years prior. It was mostly spherical in shape with a large gun attached to the chassis beneath it and there were markings denoting it as having once belonged to the RSF. The second was something very few had seen and even fewer had experience with. In a cage near the rear of the trailer was a large, four legged animal. Pastel teal in color with skin that seemed calloused and rough, almost stone-like with bony protrusions around its joints. Its appendages were tipped in talons and fanned in a near complete circle. Its tail curled up behind it and its bulbous eyes refused to focus on any one thing. They continued to shift, independent of each other, to different faces in the crowd. “From a land of mud and darkness to the North. Clinging to the roots of the Great Dying Tree. The last of its kind! I present to you: The Chameleon Water Bear! This amazing beast of burden is nigh impervious to physical trauma. Can climb anything. Glows in the dark and, best of all, can turn invisible!” _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ | 
  Tan-ming. The drone on display. A chameleon water bear. |
...| The trailer has not been entirely unveiled. At the end is a square shape that is still covered. There is the odd sound of strained moaning coming from within as well as the shuffling of feet and the scraping of metal against metal. The guards are all armed with automatic rifles but they’re slung across their backs and are not holding them in such a way that implies they mean to use them. After nearly a week in Tu Zin, all player characters have ‘currency’ enough to take one item from the trader, unless it is the Chameleon Water Bear, a trade for which may need to be discussed with Tan-ming himself. If there is something you would like, this is your opportunity to describe what it is to me and see about procuring it. This can be rations for a number of days, or a special type of tool. Keep in mind that there is still a planned expedition starting the next day, SE+12. Reman. You recognize the drone as the earliest model purchased from the Xuoshi family by the Moons and deployed into the Wilds to patrol it. Compared to later models, these were quite durable and long-lived but highly inefficient on resources. None are still in active use. They operate in much the same way as drones in the Wilds do today. They run on synergy, operate a conventional high caliber rifle, and will scan for Benders beyond the walls while directing those who are not Benders back to the City. Chu Hua. Those signed stickballs are most definitely counterfeit. Jin. You see a strange shadow hanging over the back end of trailer, right above the still concealed 'box' beneath the tarp. This is only visible to you. It's also vaguely familiar to the shadow you saw on the day of the explosion. |
shylarah the crazy one
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__________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Ziotea had always stood out just a little thanks to her bright red hair. It was unusual, in most places, and drew attention. However, ever since her arrival in Tu Zin, she'd been subjected to more attention than usual. She was an outsider in a place that didn't get many newcomers -- and they all assumed she was a bender, because she was fleeing the city. That made her interesting. Ziotea did not enjoy being interesting. Her usual attitude wasn't great to begin with, and the additional attention made her even more grumpy. At least she'd found a place to stay at the tavern, and a means of income by way of doing message running and assorted small jobs around town. Everything was going fine until the town leader, an earthbender named Unye, had contacted her a day or two after her arrival. There was an expedition being formed to investigate recent disappearances in and around the city. Ziotea had heard about the disappearances, of course. Some thought it monsters. Some thought it spirits. She thought it likely a load of nonsense, until she was asked to investigate. It was framed as a request, but of course she knew it was more likely a demand. We will give you shelter, but we want something in exchange. That was how things worked, after all. It was the day before the expedition was to leave when a strange-looking caravan came into town. Traders. Mostly of things advertised as mystical when they truly weren't, but also of some normal stuff, and two peculiar items. Ziotea recognized one as some sort of drone, the kind that patrolled the Wilds. She was quite familiar with them, since she'd spent a good amount of time outside the wall. They were annoying before, and now that she was a bender, outright dangerous. You couldn't negotiate with a drone, after all. The other was some sort of funny-eyed lizard. Ziotea decided she was probably going to buy a week's worth of rations, but she was curious what was under the tarp. She could hear faint noises coming from beneath it, like a person in pain, and a metallic scraping. "What's under the last tarp?" she called, her voice easily carrying over the sound of the crowd. |
_______________________________........ | Location · Tu Zin |@Theyra]Location · Tu Zin @Theyra _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ |
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That.” Setting aside his other trinkets, he made his way over to her and stood between her and the covered box in question. ”This,” he began, holding his hand up to it with mock reverence. ”This took great pains to capture. A sacrifice, in fact and as such, it is quite valuable. I’d let you see it, maybe even take it off my hands… but first I’d like you to answer a question.” ”Is it true that a large number of Benders have recently arrived here?” shylarah “Most of your wares are fairy-tales and wishes,” Ziotea said, with narrowed eyes. “How do I know this is any different?” She immediately did not trust this peddler -- not only were his mystical goods questionable, but he wanted to know about benders. For all she knew, he was reporting to Ba Sing Se. Then again, just walking around town would reveal the answer, by way of gossip. “How do I know it’s worth any information at all?” Exit ”It is, I can assure you…” he replied quickly, his eyes suddenly fixated on her hair. ”But more importantly, where are you from?” shylarah “Nope, you get one question,” Ziotea said. “I’ll answer about the benders, or I’ll answer about me, but you have to pick which one you want to know more.” Exit Tan-ming's eyebrow raised as the corner of his lip twitched upward comically. ”You sound like you’ve done your fair share of haggling.” shylarah Ziotea shrugged. “Pick.” She wasn’t going to volunteer unnecessary information. Exit Tan-ming turned the mic in his hand off and with a subtle flourish, it disappeared. ”The truth is, I want to hire a Bender. I need to hire a Bender. For protection, but also because they would make me so. Much. Money. Word is, some have recently arrived here, many in fact. If you happen to know one, well… I can pay them very well.” shylarah Ziotea considered. “Yeah, okay. A bunch of benders recently came into town. Ask around; I’m sure you can find one that will sign on with you.” She smiled slightly, a slim curve of her mouth. “Now: what’s under the tarp?” Exit Tan-ming remained silent for a moment, but his eyes on Ziotea’s hair spoke volumes. He was fascinated. He was also beholden to their agreement, so although he kept his eyes on her, he moved to where the mystery item was still concealed beneath the tarp. ”Tell me, have you ever been to the great cities of the past? Seen with your own eyes the deepest scars the war of the world left behind?” He placed his hands over the corner of the tarp and curled his fingers underneath. shylarah She folded her arms. “Can’t say I have. You saying this came from there?” Exit ”That’s right. There are untold mysteries hidden among the ruins of the old world. Treasures buried beneath the rubble and guarded by death itself. Exclusion zones. Every bit as dangerous as you’ve been told, but I, Tan-ming, have braved the depths of the unknown to bring to you–!” Falling again into his overly-dramatic performance, Tan prepared to pull back the tarp, but as he yanked on the edge, a strap caught on the clasp it was resting against. ”Ah–... One moment…” He reached down and began prying the two apart just as a young girl approached, shadowed by two strange looking dogs. Ziotea would recognize them as having been in the same group of refugees she had escaped Ba Sing Se with. Chosah, the girl, ignored the other two and simply stared at the drone curiously. shylarah Ziotea stifled a laugh as the dramatic reveal was foiled by a recalcitrant strap. The sound of soft footsteps to the side had her glancing over her shoulder. It was the child who’d been at the front of the escaping group, and the two dogs. The girl seemed interested in the wasteland drone. Ziotea didn’t really care about the kid, or her attendant dogs. She stiffened as the thing under the tarp made a noise. It almost sounded like it said “Die” -- was there a person under there? Despite her caution, Ziotea took a step closer. canaryrose Standing a few feet from Ziotea, a quiet Chu Hua ran her fingers over the fraudulently signed stickball sticks. Despite it all, they brought a smile to her face- even the one signed Kanna Wu. Her fingers ran over that name, although it wasn’t her penmanship, particularly reverently. She might have bought it, if she had the money to waste on these outrageously priced fakes. But she didn’t. Her stores of cash had been running preciously low- and so had people’s generosity. Chu had what she could earn with her two hands, which wasn’t much… her marketable skills were few and far between. Being a celebrity didn’t net you much when no one recognized you. Chu had been broke before, though it had been a long time, and she hadn’t missed the feeling. She either needed work- or she needed to get out of here. The expedition they were going on would fulfill both. So she hoped. So she really should’ve been looking at the guns (not that she knew how to use one) or the food. But here she was. Sticks and dead women. She sighed, and her eyes wandered to the red-haired woman and the tarp. And the man struggling with the tarp. She snorted. “Need some help with that?” she asked the man, putting her hands on her hips. Exit ”Oh no, it’s quite alright. This happens all the time and is an easy– fix–” he said, grunting the last two words as he tried to tug at the strap on each syllable. It would not budge. ”But also, it is probably best if you keep a little bit of distance.” Theyra Reman was in the crowd, watching from afar and while he was initially curious about the old drone. Wondering if he could get to work or get something from it. He moved closer to it, to get a better look. Just about in the front row and he knew what the drone was. A old drone that is no longer in service but maybe still useful to him. If he can afford it that is. But, as he was done inspecting the drone, Reman’s eyes wondered to the last remaining tarp still covering something. Curiosity got the better of him and he was curious what else this merchant had. Which he heard a familiar voice and found Chu. It was nice to see her and he has not seen much of her or the rest of the group since being kicked from the tavern. Still, he stayed where he was but kept a eye on the tarp. So far, this merchant had some valuable goods. Even if a snake oil salesman and waited to see what was under the last tarp. Exit ”I saw one at the museum. My dad took me,” Chosah said. She was standing near Reman but did not linger long and began to approach the old drone. ”He said they kill monsters.” ”...SC–zzrttt–rRRING…” A single miniscule bulb of light began blinking rapidly and from beneath its metal shell, the muted sounds of shifting gears could be heard, barely audible among the noise of the crowd. Tan-ming immediately stopped what he was doing and looked at the machine curiously. shylarah Ziotea heard the little girl’s statement, and the noise of the drone. Her heart dropped. “Those drones kill benders -- kid, get back!” She lunged for the child and scooped her up just as the drone chimed a confirmation. It sounded awfully similar to the chime used by the Vanguard units in the City. Exit ”FIR–Zzzzrkkkaaa–DET–zzttzzt.” Because of the way the drone was laying on its side, the mounted gun that was supposed to be ‘beneath’ it was actually positioned to its left. The barrel was angled slightly up and away from the crowd but was also pointing directly at the edge of the still concealed shape. So when it suddenly discharged a single round, the bullet it fired tore through the canvas tarp and severed the troublesome strap. The bark of the shot was loud enough to silence the crowd. Tan-ming hit the ground as did much of the crowd. shylarah Ziotea swiftly moved away from the drone, far enough that it wouldn’t detect them. Only then did she set the child down. “You okay, kid?” Exit Chosah was about to reply when blurred movement from right behind Ziotea caught her eye. She quickly threw out a hand signal at Archer and Dutchess and both of them stopped in their tracks only a foot or two away from the woman. Their teeth were bared and a growl bubbled in their throats but they remained where they were. ”I-... Th-thank you,” she said, trying to catch her breath. Her rescue had been so sudden, Ziotea’s movement so quick and sudden that by the time Chosah had heard the warning and understood it, she’d already found herself in the air with her world spinning unnaturally around her. She barely had time to register what was happening before her feet found the ground again and it was only when she realized the loud sound she’d heard was a gunshot that she recognized the danger she had been in. ”I’m sorry, I didn’t know it was–” Her voice caught in her throat. shylarah “S’okay, kid. You’re safe; that’s what matters.” Exit With little else holding it in place, the tarp slid easily off its mysterious cargo revealing to the crowd a cage. Within it stood several individuals that, although not dead, looked as though they had not slept in ages. Their eyes were blood shot and rolled into the back of their heads. Their jaws were slack and their heads hung at awkward angles. Even more strange were their clothes: Torn, caked in many layers of dirt and of a style and design unfamiliar to anyone surviving in the wilds. Despite the grime, the clothing itself was impractical anywhere in the wilds, even within the settlement itself. One of them wore an orange jumpsuit and was bound in hand and ankle cuffs with a chain linking the two. Another was in a skirt and a half torn shirt. Another was a large man with jeans and no shirt at all. The last three were a trio of men in faded business attire, each one of them covered in dirt and mud and dried brown stains. shylarah Ziotea’s eyes widened at the sight of the cage’s contents. “You keep people in there?!” she cried in disgust. canaryrose “HOLY SHIT!” Chu’s shout was loud. She backed a few steps away from the cage, her mind reeling. He had people in there?! In the cage?! Her first instinct was to be sympathetic to their plight, but then… she saw that cold look in their eyes. She shivered. vietmyke Jin, who had been looking through the selection of weapons and ammunition with Sumire, turned as he heard the commotion. Jin didn’t know what he expected to be under this fancy secret tarp, but he certainly wasn’t expecting people. Jin thought he’d imagined it before, but now that he was looking at them- he remembered. Back at the SynEn headquarters, when the operators went crazy and attacked Sumire- when he had to reveal his airbending. Their eyes were glazed over, vacant. Theyra The thing Reman did not expect was more of those, How… Luckly, Reman did have his pistol on him. When he saw the cage, he felt like doing something but once he saw their eyes. He had a flashback to the SynEn HQ. Exit Those slightly more perceptive would have noticed that the locking mechanism to the cage had been destroyed by the mounted gun going off. The cage door very slowly began to swing open and although Tan-ming was rather quick to scramble to his feet and attempt to shut it, the first of these things managed to throw itself into the door and knock the man onto his back. When the door swung open again, the chained one fell on top of him. The other's heads suddenly straightened, their eyes snapped to people in the crowd and they immediately began clambering out of the cage. vietmyke ”Woah! Back, back, back!” Jin called out to anyone in earshot, pushing Sumire behind him. He gathered his hands together and threw them forward, airbending a massive gust of wind to slam the cage shut. Exit It closed in time to catch the last of the creatures as it tried to escape with enough force to throw it onto its back. The rest spread out while the one in the orange jumpsuit found Tan-ming's throat and began to squeeze the air out of his lungs. "DiiiIIEEEEEEE!" vietmyke ”Shit- Reman! Shoot him!” Jin said as he gestured with his chin towards the one on top of Tan-ming. ”It’s like those weirdos back at SynEn HQ. They got this weird- uh- aura about them!” shylarah Ziotea hadn’t noticed more than their abysmal state, at least not until the chained prisoner attacked Tan-ming. The way he moved was wrong. Damn, and her without her spear! “Kid?” she said slowly. “Run.” canaryrose Chu Hua's eyes snapped to Jin Wei. … And then to the little girl and the redhead woman behind her. Shoot him. It was quick, her reaction. Chu braced herself and moved her hands, wide, in an imitation of what she had done with the worm. She felt heat in her core and hands, and then she released a stream of fire at the cage, and the man on top of that stupid fucking trader. “WATCH OUT!” A belated warning. Theyra Reman went for his pistol as he heard Jin’s command. As he was going to aim for the man on top of the merchant, he heard Chu’s warning and he saw the fire she was unleashing. He was safe where he was and simply watched while keeping his pistol aimed at the man on the merchant. Exit The fire engulfed the cage, the chained man and every one of the strange and violent individuals that had leapt from the cage. Despite the heat and the flames, they continued to charge forward with an unhinged desperation, ignoring completely the flames licking at their pallid flesh and chewing away at their clothes. _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ | 
|
...| One of the 'crazies' in a suit is trapped in the cage and is burning up. It's currently thrashing about, throwing itself against the bars of the cage angrily and screaming loudly but is currently unable to escape. Theyra: The orange jumpsuit is ignoring the fire and continues to press into Tan-Ming's neck. The merchant is struggling to remove the hands choking him out. His legs are thrashing about. He's not on fire and as of now, it doesn't look like he's running out of oxygen... yet. Canary & Shylarah: Two have charged through the fire in Chu Hua's direction, though one is really aiming for Ziotea. The closest one to Chua Hua, the second 'crazy' in a suit, is knocked to the side by a blast of air from Sonam. It's thrown against the side of the trailer and is currently trying to scramble to its feet. Flames are eating away the top half of his suit. The second 'crazy', this one wearing a skirt and torn shirt, throws itself at Ziotea in an attempt to tackle her to the ground. Vietmyke: The third suit scrambles beneath the trailer to get to the otherside and pops up near Jin and Sumire. Just like all things in the desert, its clearly focused on getting to Sumire. This one has flames licking at his left leg. It throws itself slightly to the side of Jin in Sumire's direction with its arms out hoping to grab her. Everyone: The largest 'crazy' is the slowest and most cumbersome. It originally rolls out of the cage first, effectively slowing the escape of the others and allowing Chu Hua to hit all of them with her fire attack. When it finally manages to find its feet after landing awkwardly on the ground, it begins lumbering toward the crowd. It takes the brunt of Chu Hua's attack, and although it is not engulfed in flames, its clear it's been severely burned. Flames lick at open wounds though it does not spread quickly across its body. Attacks on these assailants are auto hits and do not require checks from me. However, the result of each attack will need to be described by me. If you decide to post directly to the thread this round, please leave the result of your attack open ended. Also keep in mind that these 'zombies' are not slow. They are fast and violent but their attacks are heavily telegraphed. |
shylarah the crazy one
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1 hr ago
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________ shylarah Ziotea had no time to worry about the fact that the tall woman next to her had just used firebending. She backpedaled as the person -- no creature in the skirt came at her. She swiftly drew her suppressed pistol and aimed in one smooth motion, firing two shots into its center of mass. Pop, pop! The bullets snapped as they left the barrel. Exit The woman’s body jerked as the bullets landed in her chest but did little to stop her advance. She collided with Ziotea clumsily, taking her to the ground and began searching for the red-haired woman’s throat with her hands. shylarah Ziotea swore as she went down, landing hard on her back. She was in trouble if she got grabbed properly -- these things seemed strong, and she herself had the disadvantage in size. She shoved the muzzle of her gun against the creature’s head and pulled the trigger again, hoping that if a shot to the torso didn’t work, depriving it of its head would. Exit The bullet tore through the skull, ripping off a sizable chunk of the woman’s face and leaving a gaping hole around the exit wound. Thankfully, with the way her head snapped violently to the side, much of the blood and brain matter emptied onto the ground next to Ziotea. The body stopped thrashing about and collapsed lifelessly on top of her. shylarah “Go for their heads!” Ziotea bellowed, heaving the corpse off her and rolling to her feet. “Torso shots do nothing!” |
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canaryrose
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27 days ago
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KillamriX08 Cheese Lover / Professional Cat Cuddler
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shylarah the crazy one
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1 hr ago
shylarah Ziotea holstered her pistol once the danger was past. The cheering of the crowd was annoying and unwanted. She’d been protecting herself, not them. She found herself looking at the young earthbender who’d finished off the largest of the creatures. He was going to get himself killed if he kept being so reckless. “Hey. You.” She approached him, a frown on her face. “That was rather stupid, don’t you think? Deliberately getting so close? ...Brave, but stupid all the same.” KillamriX88 Weiyuan was staring at the thing he’d just killed. He was pretty sure that was a first. He supposed he was glad someone had already shot a hole in it. Never mind the literal opening it had made for him, it had made it easier to not hesitate – to not see it as a person. Speaking of, the individual responsible for that had approached him only to mostly criticize him. He stared back blankly. What was he supposed to do about this? Think? He hadn’t had a chance to think. As for his other half, he couldn’t really say what he’d been thinking. He’d simply gone for the quickest solution in the few seconds he’d had to act. All that was way more than he cared to explain to someone he barely knew when he couldn’t even speak up loudly enough to be heard over the ruckus the onlookers were making. And just because he could actually “speak,” unlike his other half, didn’t mean wanted to if he didn’t have to. So, instead, he just responded with a half-hearted thumbs up and placed a hand on her shoulder. It seemed she’d gotten into enough of a scuffle before he got there to get covered in sand. A moment later and most of the dirt and dust rained off of her, and what wouldn’t just fall free collected around Weiyuan’s hand to be tossed aside. With that done he turned away to go check on the people he actually recognized. He was going back to sleep soon and for who knew how long. Why bother getting to know a stranger? shylarah “Huh-- wha-- oh.” Ziotea was startled as the young man wordlessly used his bending to clean the sand off her. She was not thrilled to be the target of such an action, but he seemed to have decent control, and she emerged no worse for wear. “Uh, thanks, I guess?” she called after him as he turned and walked away. Whatever. If he didn’t want to talk, she wasn’t going to force him. She scanned the area for the little girl and the two dogs, spotting them emerging from a nearby building. Ziotea headed in their direction. Exit ”Chosah, wait!” Sonam yelled after the girl as she too stepped out from the crowd, a part of which had gathered near Sarah’s clinic. Sarah herself had sheltered within with some of the Tu Zin settlers, but as they returned to the street, she remained in the doorway. ”Don’t worry, Sonam,” She called out after the two. ”They’re dead. It’s safe but I’d still keep away from that idiot of a salesman.” Chosah waited with her two dogs for Sonam to catch up, but her eyes caught Ziotea approaching her. She flashed the woman a smile. ”Are you okay?” shylarah “Yeah, I’m fine.” Ziotea went down on one knee in front of the girl. “What about you? I’m sure that was pretty scary for you, huh?” Exit ”Yeah, but I’ve seen some pretty scary stuff.” Chosah balled her hand into a fist. ”But I’m being brave… Daddy said I have to be.” shylarah She looked the little girl over. She remembered that the child had been in high-quality clothes, the day they left Ba Sing Se. Middle Ring, at the very least -- maybe Upper. Ziotea doubted the kid had been exposed to the harshness of life much. “I’m Ziotea. What’s your name?” Exit ”Chosah,” Sonam said, finally catching up to the pair. ”Her name is Chosah and just be careful getting too close to her.” She motioned at the two dogs standing sentry at either side of the girl. Though docile at the moment, their eyes became laser focused on Ziotea. ”They’re uh… just dogs I guess, I’m not really sure but they’re very protective of her.” ”My dogs! Archer and Dutch-ness. Daddy said they cost lots of money.” Sonam’s eyes darted to the ground briefly before meeting Ziotea’s. ”I’m glad you’re alright.” she said. shylarah The repeated mentions of Chosah’s dad, coupled with the fact that he didn’t seem to be around, made Ziotea suspect the worst. “You are very brave, Chosah. I’m sure your daddy would be proud of you,” she said, getting to her feet again. She turned her gaze to the woman beside Chosah. She’d heard the lady from the clinic call her Sonam, she thought. “Sonam, right? Never did get a chance to thank you for taking us to Tu Zin. So...thanks.” Exit Sonam nodded. ”Yeah well, I think a certain someone around here wouldn’t have let me live it down if I didn’t help someone in need,” She said with, looking back over her shoulder. Standing in the doorway in conversation with Sarah was Vasra. ”Between you and me, being out here sucks but it’s better than being hunted like picken back home.” Chosah began wandering toward the center of the square again, moving toward the trailer and the others gathered around it. Her dogs kept to her heel. Sonam huffed and moved to follow. ”C-Chosah… wait,” shylarah Ziotea let the pair wander off. |
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Exit ✁- - - - - - -
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3 hrs ago
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_______________________________........ | Tu Zin · in collaboration with |@Exit]Location · in collaboration with @Exit _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ |
| Everyone is allowed to select up to two items from Tan-ming's wares. This includes firearms, ammunition for your character's firearm and food. You may also request from me a specific item you would like your character to have and see if Tan-ming carries it. This can be done outside of the RP. With the threat behind them and the source of it dealt with, everyone returns to their normal day to day. The following morning, Team Kyoshi heads into the WIlds heading West in a convoy of now three vehicles in addition to the two before the RP's reset. This one is occupied exclusively by Tan-ming's guards and takes position at the rear of the convoy. Additionally, joining the convoy is Reman's chameleon waterbear. It will be attaching itself to the roof of the Kyoshi. |
█ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ █ | . The dead city loomed into view on the right side of the road, slowly growing from a jagged silhouette on the horizon to the large structures they were, dangerously leaning into each other. By now, the group was close enough they could make out individual details on the desolate structures and, if they tried, could make out the past lives left behind beyond every broken window. By the time they reached their destination, they were less than an hour walk away, or a little over five minute drive, from the city. The overpass that the group approached was similar in some ways to the one they had stopped at before. There were ramps on both sides, though these did not loop, and the road that crossed over the highway also framed the corridor underneath that traffic once passed through. Earlier reconnaissance from MOVA observed that all but one of these ramps were blocked, the exception being the Eastbound offramp, and that the road making up the overpass was only blocked going South. The road North heading into the city was open. The six lane highway was split into two sets of three with a divider in the center separating what would have been the East and Westbound lanes. Cars were piled up here as well, significantly more than there had been at the rest stop, and for a while now the small convoy had been picking their way through these cars at a steady pace. As they drew closer, that pace slowed until finally coming to a halt just a few yards away from the stopped vehicle in their path. At first glance, it all seemed like an obvious setup, but thanks to MOVA’s eyes, Feyi was confident the area was clear. She did not, however, want to stay in one spot exposed as they were for longer than they needed to, so as soon as her car stopped, she was out and moving. The Kyoshi pulled to a stop a few feet behind Feyi's lead vehicle and idled gently as Jin climbed out and Sumire slid over to take his spot behind the wheel. Reman too stepped out to stretch his legs while his chameleon waterbear climbed down from the roof. It sauntered over to the side of the road where a small patch of green was splitting through the asphalt and promptly yanked it out of the ground with it's tongue. As it chewed, it observed with one eye everyone exiting the Kyoshi while the opposite eye stared into the distance. "I don't think I've ever been far out enough to see anything other than sand and desert" Jin remarked. He hit a button on his helmet to depolarize his faceplate. "I'm not used it not being so... bright." Feyi had already moved ahead of the group on foot and began barking orders. ”Tenet, with me,” she called to the man still climbing out of the passenger seat. ”And Takoa, climb up there and watch the South road.” Feyi nodded toward where the ramp met the overpass and Takoa, who was also still clambering out the back, gave her a nod in response. When he’d finally found his legs and had slung his rifle over his shoulder, he hopped the center divider and made off for his post. As she finished giving out directions, MOVA floated by her. She threw the drone a small wink and whispered a ”Thank you,” as she watched it return to Reman. Reman gave it a congratulatory smile and a "Good job," before placing her back in his suitcase. ”Are you having fun yet, Reman?" Feyi called out to him, flashing him a smile. "Does this remind you of when I used to take you around the Lower Ring?” "I am having fun, Feyi, and I never thought I would see this much of the world outside of Ba Sing Se. And well, it kinda does, Feyi, but without someone trying to rob me every once in a while." Reman laughed. "I remember the Lower Ring being a lot more cramped," Jin commented. Feyi laughed. "Oh it was definitively more crowded, but Reman's got the same face he had on the first time I walked him through those streets." She threw Reman a teasing wink and then pointed to the opposite end of the overpass where the offramp met the road heading North. ”We’ll need one more person up there to watch the road into the city and if one of you wants to help me figure out what we can do with this car..” Reman wanted to earn his keep and figured he would be best at watching the road. "I will watch the road into the city,"" he said, moving to where she'd indicated. "By chance, did we bring binoculars or anything?" Jin banged a fist against one of the containers hanging off the side of the truck. "If I have anything, it'll be in there. No promises on whether or not its broken." It was then that Sumire leaned out the window. "Jin can’t promise, but I can." She began, stepping out vehicle momentarily and around to the container Jin at tapped. She pulled it open and fished out a pair of binoculars that she promptly tossed up to Reman to catch. "I always make sure my Piperunners leave prepared. That..." She threw finger guns at him. "Is a 'Sumire gaurantee'!" Jin readied his own weapon, sliding the action just far enough back that he could see the rim of the cartridge currently seated in the breach before he pushed the bolt back forward. As he approached the wreck, he kept his distance, relatively and noted the others investigating with him. He cautiously waved them forward, using generalized hand motions to direct those not used to conflict. "Half circle, don't envelope it fully." His digitized voice hissed. Feyi followed his cautious lead until they had come up to besides the stopped vehicle and could peer inside. Tenet continued ahead, past the blockage with his handgun drawn. Although MOVA had reported that the area was clear, he wanted to be sure. He spent ample time checking around, inside and underneath the abandoned vehicles in the area and wasn't finding anything. ”We’re clear up here!” He called back to the group. "Nothing South of us either!" Takoa yelled out as well from above. ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________.. Feyi was still inspecting the stopped vehicle with Jin. Half her body was leaned into the open driver side of a heavily weathered gray minivan. There were very few modifications done to the vehicle besides a gutting of parts of the interior, but beyond that, and a few wielded panels of metal for small repairs, little else had been done. Feyi was staring intently at jagged holes seemingly punched into the instrument panel. Lining her eyes up with one, she turned her head around to find a matching, blood stained hole in the driver seat. ”I’m no ballistic expert but this isn’t making much sense…” Past the driver seat and in the back, the rear seats had been removed to increase space. However, the only things back there were four water bottles bundled together, a cooler and a leather messenger bag. On the ground where Feyi was standing were shattered glass shards and a trail of blood that led away from the vehicle South. The closest cover beyond the highway and the overpass was the forest only fifty or so yards away in the same direction. ”... And whoever was in here left in a hurry toward the forest..” | _
_ |
| Jin. From the passenger side you notice the large gaping hole punched into the side of the vehicle about in line where the engine would be. You also notice through the passenger side window that the keys are still in the ignition. Reman. Through the binoculars, you notice something strange happening in the city. The road stretches a mile or two away from you before threading between two large skyscrapers and disappearing. On the far side of these skyscrapers, you can make out humanoid shapes moving from behind one building and quickly crossing to the next. You catch three of these figures in quick succession seemingly running toward something, though not toward you. Very shortly after you see another. And another. And another. Due to player absence, Vasra has elected to remain at the settlement during the groups excursion. She will be assisting Sarah in monitoring the health of other newly arrived Benders. |
shylarah the crazy one
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1 hr ago
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Ziotea hopped out of the Kyoshi. She'd introduced herself to the others before they set out, but she'd spent the ride quiet. It seemed like the others mostly knew each other, whereas she only recognized the sand bender from the disaster at the market the day before. She wasn't sure about having Tan-ming's men with them, either. Still, a job was a job, and if this was the price she had to pay for safety...she'd take it. She waited for the all-clear before venturing forward towards the gray minivan. Ziotea's salvager sensibilities said there was good material to take here, but that wasn't why they were there. Still, she checked the cooler and the messenger bag, looking for anything interesting. She found half a dozen synergy batteries in the cooler, which she scooped up and put in her bag. The messenger bag held a letter which she also took, to peruse later. Then she took the four water bottles, separating them so she could keep one and distribute the others. She offered the second one to the young earthbender who'd finished off the largest of the creatures the day before. "Here. ...I don't think I ever caught your name." |
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KillamriX08 Cheese Lover / Professional Cat Cuddler
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