Impact: Chapter 1

[roymbrog]

As one of the men approached her, Chanji finally took note that she wasn't alone. She didn't know if she were among friends, either. Scrambling backwards only managed to crush her tail, which ensured that she wouldn't stop crying at the moment. At least this guy seemed normal enough. Maybe he could help...

“I'm Ch-chanji,” she managed to stutter out. Her voice wasn't working well. It sounded rough. “C-can you help? I don't know what happened or w-where I am...”

[Nanami Touko]

She recoiled a bit, but that was to be expected. He was surprised he was handling this as well as he was. "Chanji, alright." She's scared, she sounds like she's in pain... maybe this is one of those mutations Cyrus was asking me about. Maybe he can help? "I... don't know if I can help. I'm just as worried as you are, alright? I wish I knew what had happened, but... Right now, we've just gotta keep on living, right? Here, give me your, er... paw. We'll go over to Cyrus and see if he knows anything. He is a doctor, after all." He extended a hand to her, giving her a calm smile. She's not a monster, even if she looks it. Just a scared girl.

[ReformBlade]

As Janson ran, he felt... comfortable. It was an odd soothing sensation that overcame him. He was hardly in any sort of shape to really be running any sort of distance, and yet... "Wait..." He looked his body over, specifically where his clothes were ripped and torn, noticing the blood stains and a distinct lack of pain. "Why are there no holes...? There's no cuts, there's no bruises, there's nothing... I shouldn't even be standing now, with how far I feel from th-the damn city... What the HELL is going on here?!" He paced back and forth, trying to piece together an impossible puzzle as a sudden cry reached his ears.

"H-help! Is there anyone there...?"

A human? Alive?! HERE?! Janson tore off towards where he thought he heard the voice, leaping over rubble, tripping and skidding his knees and cutting his hands where he grabbed a hold of things to help him along the way, and yet, it all felt great to him. "That's gonna need some getting used to..." He said out loud. Of course, he saw a man off in the distance, or what he thought was a man, curled up in a fetal position. "Are you alright?!" he yelled as he ran to the ball.

[roymbrog]

“Um... ok,” Chanji said, reaching out to take his hand. He seemed sincere enough, and perhaps the guy in the lab coat would know what to do... She only held his hand for a moment before she recoiled in pain. Her fur melted back into skin, and she bit her tongue as her bones shifted back into place. The pain wasn't nearly as intense as the first transformation, and she now looked more or less normal. Chanji passed out. Again.

[CT075]

Thunp. Thunp.

Marcus clutched his head tighter. Nothing made sense.

Thump.

OhgodwhyamInotwakingupwhyisn'tthisadreamwhatthehellisgoingonwhyamialivewhatjusthappenedhowjustwhat His head swam as the pounding got more intense.

...

In the end, he got over his panic attack in a few seconds when he bit his tongue and realized he was not, in fact, dreaming. Gingerly, he removed his hands from his ears, only to quickly clamp them back on as he realized that the pounding was in fact the sound of something hitting the ground his head was resting on.

Thump.

Footsteps? Keeping his hands tightly pressed to his ears, he glanced up to see someone running towards him. Far away, it seemed. Far enough that he shouldn't have heard anything yet.

"That's gonna need some getting used to..."

Who said that?

A quick glance showed that nobody around was moving. Again lifting one hand slightly off his ear to see if he could hear more. He could hear groaning, talking, something about a doctor. Also the sound of wind, tearing fabric and the like.

As he was taking all this in, he noticed that the man approaching him had gotten way closer. The boy began uncurling and standing up, when-

"Are you alright?"

"Gah-!"

Marcus recoiled and fell back again. The man's voice sounded like a thunderclap.

"Don't shout, please!"

Something had happened to him as the fortress was falling. Somehow, his ears had become that much more sensitive.

"P-please..."

Marcus gestured towards his bleeding ears from his position on the floor. The man wasn't injured at all. Marcus realized that his body had various bruises and cuts, but somehow nothing major.

Hopefully something good could be gained from this.

Edited July 11, 2012 by Camtech

[ReformBlade]

"Don't shout...? Ok, I'm sorry... I didn't mean to surprise you like that, I just... You're the only living human I've found so far, as depressing as that sounds." Janson walked over to the man who seemed to be bleeding from his ears. "Wait... you're bleeding, are you ok? Is there anything I can get for yo-" There was a growl in the distance, a rather disturbing groan as well, one that made Janson's skin crawl. "The hell was that? This day is just... the dumbest thing to happen. Why is everything flipped upside down?!" Foliage rustled, heavy panting and some growling. Janson's first instinct was to run, but the man on the ground here didn't seem to be able to run, so... He waited.

More rustling, much closer, a... laughing sound? Whatever teh sound was, it sounded vaguely human.

"Hello...?" Janson spoke up a little. This turned out to be a bad idea.

Bursting from the brush was just about the scariest thing Janson had seen all day. A ragged looking humanoid with gangly arms and legs jumped at him, bearing what seemed to be massive fangs, dripping with fresh blood at first glance. The creature thing roared at him, tearing into his arm ferociously and almost yelling in excitement, whilst Janson screamed for dear life. "WHAT THE FUCK, GET OFF ME, GET OFF, WHAT THE HELL IS THIS, RRRAAGAGAHGAHGAHG" He was shaking violently on the ground, being torn at, but Janson wasn't giving up. Not here, not now, there was so much for him to explore in this new world, and he wasn't going to give up now! With his spare arm, he grasped at the nearest thing, a rock with a sharp enough edge. "PERFECT!" he shouted as he gripped it as hard as he could and slammed it into what he thought was the thing's brain. It recoiled, eyeing Janson's frame up and down. "AlL skiN and BonEs? WhAt, DID yoU neVER worK OUt as a K-Kid?!"

This... this was new. Janson was honestly stupified by this development but his stupification was broken when the... thing leaped at the man on the ground, apparently preferring to go for the easy prey first. "Shit, RUN dude, RUN!"

[Nanami Touko]

"No worries." Good, this is going well. Cyrus can take a look at her, check out what's going on, see if he can't help... her... His thoughts slowed as she took his hand and began melting back into a human. His eyes shot open with a mix of fear and wonder, backing up just a little. He pulled himself to his feet and called to Cyrus, "h-hey, Cyrus, if you're done your hug, the dog just turned into a person. I'm really starting to get freaked out by all this, man." Just stay calm, don't freak out. This... this is how life is now. People randomly shifting from animal to human.

[Eail]

Getting himself up on his feet Cyrus croaked out an answer "Yeah, that's done. Lemme see what's wrong with her though, you know, aside from the whole shapshifting thing."

'So they can change back under certain circumstances? Interesting, wonder if the rule applies to everyone else like her.'

Looking over the once dog-girl Cyrus couldn't find any injuries on her, just some minor tears in her clothes and a few scrapes and bruises. "Looks like she's all right surprisingly, just a few minor scrapes and bruises here and there. She probably just passed out from exhaustion and shock. Did she happen to say what her name was before passing out? Just calling her She is getting old quick."

[Nanami Touko]

"A name? Yeah... she said her name was Chanji. Doesn't look too old. I can't imagine how scared she must be." He sighed and stretched, taking a deep breath. "How do you stay this calm? I know you're a doctor, but still... this is all too much." He was a bit jealous of how well Cyrus was dealing with the situation, wishing he could do it as well.

[Jaybee]

Kaden

He slowly walked through the foliage, stopping every once in a while to catch his breath. His wounds hurt horribly, to say the least, and the cut on his back was bleeding profusely.

No one... Is there even... anyone a-alive?

"WHAT THE FUCK, GET OFF ME, GET OFF, WHAT THE HELL IS THIS, RRRAAGAGAHGAHGAHG"

A-A human?! Kaden stumbled in the general direction of the voice, barely shouting, "Hey! HEY! There's someone else here too!"

[Eail]

"I doubt my brain has had time to calm down enough to focus on our current situation yet Dustin, since I woke up from the crash I've been working. Barely got to sit down for a minute or so before Selena woke up, then you arrived, then the thing with Chanji" Cyrus said as he finally finished smoking, about to reach into his coat to bring out another.

'No, that's probably not a good idea. Need to save those until I really need to calm down. I've always got the renewable one if I really need something.'

"One of two things are gonna happen soon, based off my knowledge of the mind. I'm either going to completely break down once doctor mode switches off, or nothing at all happens and I manage to stay calm and in control of my emotions."

[Shin]

"See you later, Grandpa!"

On any other day, Alan would have actually seen his grandson again. However, that day had been different... very different. For the last few years, Alan had been seeing a lot more of Richard. Between the departure of his wife and his early retirement, there wasn't as much for him to do during the day. His new hobbies, boxing and painting, were wild things he always had wanted to try in his youth, but even they couldn't take up all his time.

The fortress was a technological metropolis, where gadgets and electrical thingies did pretty much everything. Admittedly, they had already been predominant in Alan's youth but he had been around for their introduction to surgery. They helped, but they often got in the way or made things long-winded and complicated. It was still early, so Alan decided to take a slight detour through the park. Unfortunately, he never did make it the park. He felt an odd falling sensation.

Wait, am I passing out? I can't be, wait...

Fortunately, or unfortunately depending on how you look at it, Alan wasn't alone. Everyone around him had been affected and judging from the outside world, the fortress was falling. They had been told that it was impossible, but the impossible had happened. People around him were running around screaming, clutching their children. Even if people survived, it wouldn't be pretty. There was nothing they could do, Alan only hoped his family were in a better position than he was.

-------------------------------------------------------

When Alan awoke, he knew one thing... his back was killing him. He managed to get himself off of the ground, so he knew at least he wasn't too badly hurt. Sadly, everyone around him wasn't quite as lucky. The dead littered the area, literally nobody else had survived. He spotted a young girl on the ground, most certainly dead. Bizarrely, her body had flowers sprouting out of it. He stood bewildered for a second, how could plants grow from a human being? It wasn't possible. Sadly, the flowers weren't the only thing wrong with her. A metal bar, potentially from some sort of bicycle, had lodged itself firmly in her abdomen.

Even if he had got to her whilst she was still alive, he wouldn't have had the time, facilities or equipment to do anything about it. So young, but I can't turn back time, I need to press onwards.

"Hello!" Alan shouted. "Is anyone out there? Respond if you can hear me!"

It just occurred to him that he was no longer on the fortress but... on the Earth itself? It had truly fallen. He'd have to do his best to find survivors... and hopefully his family.

Edited July 11, 2012 by Folgore Red

[Caliban of Sycorax]

Caliban's slumber was interrupted by the loud crashing that suddenly surrounded him. He had no time to register what was happening--he knew it was bad. Exiting his residence, he noticed people running in every direction. His instinct told him to run to the right, and so he did. He pushed people out of his way that were running in the opposite direction, trying to figure out the source of the chaos that was unfolding around him. Lights flickered, alarms sounded, people screamed. It was getting to be too much for Caliban--his head hurt, his body ached, he could barely see. His pain was interrupted by a sense of falling. He knew what was happening.

We're going down.

Caliban didn't know if he was going to die or not--it was too tough to tell, honestly. He just decided to brace himself and hope for the best. He ran back to his residence and hid under his bed. He had hoped that it would be enough for him to survive.

Is this it?! Am I to die here?

The Impact occurred, with things falling every which way. Caliban tried to cover himself, but the noise was getting to be too much. His head felt like it was going to split in two, and he secretly wished he could die right then and there in order to alleviate the pain. Eventually, the noise stopped, and movement seemed to cease.

I'm alive?!

Caliban was slightly trapped under his bed--he started moving whatever he could, barely being able to squeeze out from his hiding place and stumble around his quarters. He felt blood streaming down his face--he had cut himself on his head. He took a cloth he found nearby, shook it off, and placed it on his cut.

What next...? Is there anyone else?

Caliban's mind raced as he opened the door tentatively, wondering what was out there. He saw bodies--some moving, some not. He thanked the powers-that-be that he wasn't as injured as those around him. He needed to move, though--he couldn't stop here. He hoped others would come and assist the injured, but now it was time to find survivors who were not injured. If there were any.

After clearing more debris, he climbed upward. He figured there was a way to get out. He made his way to a hole in the fortress, which he climbed out of.

I guess this is outside...

He slid down the edge of the fortress, which seemed like ages. He hoped he wouldn't fall off or get killed. He ended up falling off, after hitting a bump in what seemed to be the former top of the building. He flew off the building and landed face-first on the ground. Thankfully for Caliban, it was grassy. He cursed himself for that idiocy, and slowly stood up. He was in pain, but he knew he had to keep on going.

He looked at what had unfolded around him. It seemed some people had been thrown from the fortress, and there were pieces of metal everywhere. Not everyone seemed to make it.

Is this the end of the world...?

He maneuvered his way around, trying to find people who were still alive.

"Hey!! Is anyone out there! Anyone alive?! I'm here!!"

His shouting echoed into the eerie world around him. He only hoped someone would respond.

Edited July 11, 2012 by Laurence Olivier

[Ether]

As the man pulled away, his warmth began to dissipate. Selena felt her rapid heart begin to slow, the sparking from her hands stopping.

*Thump Thump*

'What... is going on...'

Selena's face was still hot, her cheeks flushed and her brow gathering sweat.

'Why is everything so hot...?'

Her arms instinctively pulled themselves to her body, her hands taking some shape or another... her eyes were hazy, she wasn;t quite sure what it was, but it felt... cold.

'... that's... nice...'

Her breaths were becoming ragged, uneven, her face growing more flushed.

"What's... wrong with me?" Selena muttered weakly, as she collapsed backward onto a nearby tree trunk.

[Eail]

Hearing Selena collapse again Cyrus went into to doctor mode once more

'Dammit here we go again, is it blood lose? No I managed to stop the bleeding before it got that bad'

Placing his hand upon Selena's head Cyrus immediately felt how hot it was, obviously a fever.

'Fever in a place like this, not good. I need to get her body temperature down before this gets any worse. She's already delirious.'

As he was concentrating on the fever that Selena had Cyrus suddenly felt incredibly exhausted. Having trouble getting his breath Cyrus managed to wheeze out "Holy crap, what just happened to me?"

[Nanami Touko]

"WHAT THE FUCK, GET OFF ME, GET OFF, WHAT THE HELL IS THIS, RRRAAGAGAHGAHGAHG"

A sudden scream rang through Dustin's ears, coming from the direction of the foliage he had been heading towards in the first place. So there were people there. And they sound like they're in trouble... I can't just leave them there, we're probably some of the only people left. We've gotta bad together to survive, right? "Cyrus... you heard that, right?" He hadn't noticed what Cyrus had done to Selena, but for some reason he was staggering and breathing heavy. "Whoa, you alright? What... just happened?" Geez, this is bad. Selena's having a mental breakdown, this new girl, Chanji, she's unconscious, and Cyrus is having a heart attack. He kept thinking. I can't just abandon someone, can I? These three aren't in the best condition, but... "Cyrus," he said, a bit more determined, "I'm gonna go check on that scream. It's not too far off. You can watch these two, right? One's unconscious and the other's out of it. Doesn't seem too bad for a doctor. I'll be back quick, don't miss me." And he took off towards the forest, not as fast as he normally would because of his leg, but as fast as he could go with that limp.

[Shin]

There was no response, all he could hear was the echo of his own voice. If an old man like him could survive, surely there should be somebody else? He turned to see the fortress. It had literally toppled over and sunk into the Earth beneath it, much like a model boat in a pond. Even if anyone was still up there, Alan sure had no chance of reaching them. With all the casualties he'd already seen, Alan was aware that he might have to accept the worst for his family. Finding people and surviving... could he really manage both?

'Bah, what am I thinking. I've never been a quitter and I don't feel like giving up now. Get your rear in gear, Alan. You're in good condition, there are probably a lot of people who need some help.'

With his confidence restored, Alan decided to call out again. Who knew? Maybe he's even wake somebody up. Even if he didn't have any equipment, he still had nearly 40 years of experience on his side

"Hello! Is anyone out there! Call back if you can hear me!"

Whether it had been pure chance, or if his message had been heard, Alan got the response he wanted. Someone else had survived and, from the sounds of it, wasn't in too bad a shape.

"Hey!! Is anyone out there! Anyone alive?! I'm here!!"

"Hold on there! I'm coming towards you! Do you need any help and is anyone with you! I'm alone but I'm not injured!" Alan called back.

He started walking towards the voice. It sounded like a young man, it'd be good to have someone around to lend a hand.

Edited July 11, 2012 by Folgore Red

[Ether]

Cyrus did... something, Selena wasn't sure what. Soon he was staggering away from her, seeming weary, but her headache was... gone?

'My head doesn't hurt... I can see, my heart isn't pounding...'

Selena quickly stood, she felt... completely rejuvenated. Cyrus seemed winded, but not in any particular harm, and this Dustin fellow appeared to be leaving.

"Where are you going? What's happening?" Selena asked him, the small cooling fan at the end of her wrist instinctively shifting into a sharp blade.

[Nanami Touko]

"Where are you going? What's happening?" Selena's voice made him stumble, not expecting her to be up so soon, but he slowed down to respond. "There was a scream from the jungle! I'm gonna check it out! You can come along if you want!" And then he was back at what speed his leg would let him go.

[Eail]

Steadying himself against the tree Cyrus called after the running man "We shouldn't be splitting up Dustin! We don't know what's out there, some of those animal people might be ripping guys to shreds. You're hurt and can't run, what good would you do in a situation like that?"

[Ether]

More animal people? And Dustin was... yes, she could see the limp now...

'I... I am... a weapon...?'

"I'll go." Selena stated flatly, as she began moving towards the conflict.

'... yes... what else could I be...'

"Cyrus, catch your breath... Dustin, rest that leg... her... just make sure she's okay." Selena continued, the blade protruding from her wrist extending as she swung her arm, slicing a layer of foliage from her path.

'... but a weapon...?'

"I'll bring them back here... if I make it in time."

[Nanami Touko]

"... You're hurt and can't run, what good would you do in a situation like that?" He stopped, Cyrus making a bit too much sense than he would like. He didn't really know how to respond. Not much I can do, eh? He's right... But... "Y'know, you're right!" he called back, smiling. "But I've gotta try! My arms still work." He smirked. "Can't... can't just leave someone out there. Sorry! Take care of the girls!" He muttered everything until his apology, turning and continuing on. You can do this. You can at least try.

"I'll go." "Huh?" He stopped again, wondering when they'd actually let him try and take off. "Cyrus, catch your breath... Dustin, rest that leg... her... just make sure she's okay." "My leg'll be fine. Let's go already." He pushed himself past some vines as Selena started cutting, not letting anyone stop him. Not this time.

[Eail]

The two of them were already running off. Dammit why couldn't they just listen to him? Now he was left alone with the unconscious girl

'I'm not letting them split up from the group, sorry about this Chanji. Hope I'm not too rough' Thought Cyrus as he hefted the thankfully pretty light girl into his arms before going after the others

[CT075]

Marcus barely had time to scramble away as a massive... thing pounced on his would-be savior. Instinctively he dove for the gun as the animal turned its attention towards him.

Without thinking, he grabbed the weapon and fired, killing his assailant instantly.

Silence. Marcus couldn't hear anything, not even his own heartbeat.

"W-what the hell was that-?"

[Caliban of Sycorax]

Caliban had hoped someone would hear his call, and then he heard the response he'd hoped for.

"Hold on there! I'm coming towards you! Do you need any help and is anyone with you! I'm alone but I'm not injured!"

The voice was male--it sounded older, for sure. Nonetheless, it was another survivor. He wasn't injured, which helped Caliban out. He needed someone to help him, as long as they were human and friendly.

"It's just me here! I'm not seriously injured..." Caliban called out to the voice. He hoped that whoever it was knew more than he did.