The More things Change [Open-ish, Pre-podpop]

[governmentninja]

Leon was, somehow, 900 kajillion light-years away from everything and everyone he ever knew. But what was he doing right now?

Walking through a ruined city that was crawling with raging infected in an attempt to locate and rescue any survivors. Again. Not that this work wasn't his stock and trade, but one would think that fate would have something else in store for him. But what is, is. At least he wasn't completely on his own, this time, having gathered a small group to go in and help.

With the virus having leaked out here initially, there was no telling where the hot zone was, so as a precaution, he (and anyone else who went) was wearing a modified combat-ready environment-suit. It was fairly light weight, but had some added padding in addition to body armor, and had ts own re-breather to supply air. In addition, he had a few weapons with him, as well as several clips of 'specialty' ammo, since he really had to be ready for anyone to be infected.

He moved through cautiously, looking for anyone who needed help.

((OOC: Open thread for anyone, infected or not, stuck in the city, and for anyone helping with the evac. Interacting with Leon isn't required, and you guys can free thread amongst yourselves if you want.))

Comments

Standard disclaimer: Zetta is a legitimate serious character, I swear

[badassfreakingoverlord]

The Overlord had converted his plaza into something of a fortress. The openings to surrounding streets had been sealed off with massive piles of debris and random crap Zetta had appropriated from who-knows-where. Oddly, the fort seemed to have no gate. Atop the ramparts, minions stalked about the walkways, weapons at the ready. And in the midst of them the book yelled out imprecations at the City at large.

"The fortress of the Overlord can't be overrun! Try it if you dare! Hyaaa ha ha ha ha!"

Leon, no one would really blame you if you chalked this up to "acceptable loss" and moved on.

[changelingdude.livejournal.com]

A green bloodhound was picking his way through the city sniffing carefully seeking out anyone in need of his assistance.

This probably would be a great excuse to rally the Outsiders. Beastboy mused as an after thought rounding a corner, Do I just call them I wonder? Would they come? I mean it's not like we have to do much. Find the sick people get them to the med bay right?

[mynameisax.livejournal.com]

The sound of hoof beats on stone nearby carried far enough to warn someone of the approach of a young and very restless Andalite. Well, 'restless' wasn't the right word anymore, he'd left 'restless' behind...ages and ages ago. Stupid, ridiculous ship! Upsetting his ability to track time! It was ridiculous! Infuriating! How dare Stacy do this to him?!

If only there was someone around that he could make pay for all these indignities...

[changelingdude.livejournal.com]

Beastboy looked up from where he was tracking, the noise catching his attention.

What the heck? His dog vision wasn't so great so he shifted back to regular form to get a better look at this new arrival, it was like no creature, alien, mutant or otherwise that he could identify.

"Uh...YO!" He called waving his hand to get the persons attention, "Yo dude over here! Seen any sick dudes?"

[mynameisax.livejournal.com]

< 'Dude'? >

Ax would have frozen, insulted to the core, if his body had been properly under his control. However, he was less coordinated than usual, and instead stumbled and nearly smacked into a wall; which only infuriated him further.

< I am not you're 'dude'! > he shouted in thought-speak.

[changelingdude.livejournal.com]

"Whoa!" Beastboy clutched at his head for a minute, "Easy d- guy easy!" He held up his hands in the universal sign he was unarmed, "I'm just a guy trying to help out, this sickness business is bad news you know?"

A part of him noticed that this person spoke in his head like the red tailed hawk he'd met earlier. Maybe they knew each other?

[not_the_philistine]

Little more than an hour to go before he turns to stone again, and Goliath is still waiting for Rhiow atop the Vatican, keeping an eye out for infected to immobilize. To that end, the steel bar in his hands isn't a weapon.

It wasn't practical to ask Stacy for a wind to glide on when there was a virus to be contained, so, limited to running and climbing, he is facing the challenge of how to approach the human down below - the scarred prince who has retained in his rage the ability to produce fire, but not to control it.

If he is burned, sleep will cure him - but if a fire starts in the city, they may not have to worry about the virus anymore, but they might have to mourn the infected their lives.

[found-myway.livejournal.com]

The scarred human down below lurches, not for lack of coordination, but because he is so full of anger and has no-one to unleash it on, and part of what's angering him is the loss of control of his firebending. Flames erupt from his fists where he flails them and occasionally he expels a flaming breath. His clothes are already singed from where he's accidentally set himself on fire a few times - not good for his temper.

If only someone would arrive - someone for him to punish for making him this angry -

[on_errantry]

Rhiow had been to the Vatican before, although not to its roof - it was simple to modify the spatial coordinates to pop out on the roof instead.

She appeared with a bang of displaced air and got up, shaking herself off before trotting over to where Goliath sat. "Shall we?" she asked, putting her whiskers forward. "I'd like to get to the podpop soon - there's been another one-"

That's when she smelled smoke, and other charred things. She leaned her head over the roof to look down below. "Sweet Queen Iau - I take it he's been infected?"

[not_the_philistine]

Forgive him if he's not as excited for the podpop, Rhiow. There's only one person he hopes to see when he attends them, and all these rounds of not seeing her there has dulled his enthusiasm.

"Yes, and I need your help to restrain him. We mustn't allow him to start a fire that spreads through the city. I hope you have magic for these circumstances, because all I have is this."

He hefts the steel bar. Good for clubbing people, good for restraining people . . . not good for stopping pyrokinetics from setting whatever they're restrained to on fire.

The Brig

[chosenfamily]

There were definite disadvantages to being stuck in the brig without an omnicomm. For one, Sam had no idea what was going on. Or why Dean was currently missing, though he figured GLaDoS had something to do with THAT.

That there was something going on, though, he couldn't exactly miss. And that put both him and Schmuz on edge. Which made him up and pacing.

At least the brig was well-built. Sam, Schmuz, Bobby and anybody else that was in there were quite safe.

Re: The Brig

[birthmural]

Sam wouldn't be alone for much longer. There was a pair of steady, well pronounced footsteps followed by shuffling ones that sounded more like a dog. Just who these footsteps belonged to was revealed when Daimon Hellstrom opened the door to check on those inside the brig. His alien dog peered inside and started making an odd chuffchuffchuff sound as it approached Sam.

"Dog." Daimon intoned and it dutifully stopped in its place. With that taken care of, the Son of Satan turned to Sam. "Are you all right?"

[chosenfamily]

Sam paused, turning as Bobby rose from the bed and jumped down beside him. At least one of the last things Dean had done was allow the alien pup in to keep Sam company in the cell.

"Yeah, fine. I mean, nerves, yeah. Atmosphere feels like it's changed." He didn't want to think too much about what that meant for him. He'd always been good at knowing when things were going wrong. "What's up?"

[birthmural]

There would be no easy way to say this. Not that Daimon would have bothered to find one in the first place.

"A disease that saps the mind of its ability to reason and causes unprovoked episodes of rage has overrun the City. Those of us who remain uninfected are being evacuated."

[psi-flames.livejournal.com]

Jono had ended up in the City again just before it was shut down. He hadn't noticed that the City has been closed off, though, since the City was large and he wasn't feeling the need to slow down.

The illness had zapped his coordination, though, and Jono was gangly to begin with. Arms and feet didn't go the directions he thought they should and it was getting frustrating as Hell, especially when he tripped over another bit of rubble from an old building that hadn't been repaired yet. Bloody buggerin' shite, he shouted, pushing himself back up and glaring at the bit of offending stone. Wot the 'ell's wrong with this place? All fallin' t' pieces. Jus' like the rest of the bloody ship.

He tugged at the plantsuit, which had been losing bits and pieces since he'd come to the City, fever making him run even hotter than usual. Now the entire top was gone, exposing his ruined chest and the inferno within. The flames churned, flaring as his emotions ran out of control.

[rollwthechanges.livejournal.com]

Not far from the center of the City was a small scrapyard, seemingly abandoned aside from the massive piles of garbage that had been stacked around the entrance. Clumps of metal, mechanical scraps and other assorted bits of refuse stuck up in what was an attempt to be foreboding. Visible behind the waist-high makeshift fence was a small figure, patrolling back and forth with a pencil for his weapon.

There was a crayon-drawn sign on the fence.

KNOCK ON THE FENCE FOR HELP!

[sonofether.livejournal.com]

Zetta was about the last person(?) Stephen wanted to deal with, with the City locked down. So he went the other way from where he could hear the Overlord shouting maniacally.

He'd been holed up in his lab, and figured that was the only reason he hadn't submitted to the insanity that was plaguing quite a few people.

Problem was, he now had to get out. He wasn't entirely sure how to do that without involving anyone else.

And then, he came upon the scrapyard and the fence.

Panting just a bit, he sidled up to the fence, and did as the sign instructed, crouching down to try and keep out of sight. Just in case someone who was ill DID happen to see him.

[rollwthechanges.livejournal.com]

A few moment after he'd knocked, one of the stacks of junk slid off to the side and out of the way. The Prince peeked out from behind the others, caught sight of Stephen, and gave a tiny salute, motioning for Stephen to come inside with him.

[sonofether.livejournal.com]

Stephen's brows arched for a long few moments, but he shook his head, smiled, and headed into the fort, shortening his steps. He didn't want to inadvertently squash his miniature rescuer, after all.

"Pretty ingenious place you've got here, Your Majesty," he said as he levered himself down to the ground. He figured if he was sitting, he was a lot less likely to draw unwanted attention, again.

[godbydefinition.livejournal.com]

The beginnings of rage that had been bubbling up inside of Ba'al were quickly becoming much more than that. He wasn't even entirely sure why he was actually so angry, but he suspected it had to do with being inflicted with this pathetic sickness. To be brought down to the level of these other creatures. To be unable to heal himself of this illness...

He paced through the city, going nowhere in particular, eyes narrowed, and all but growling. He would have none of this.

((ooc: He's about ready to pick a fight here.))

[runnerwithagun.livejournal.com]

Unfortunately a one Ronon Dex had chanced upon Ba'al in the city and it was obvious to him that Ba'al was infected.

"You. You need to come with me, you're infected."

Ronon had been stuck in the city since the outbreak and he did notice he was getting increasingly aggitated with the whole situation. Whether he was infected or not, a lot of this aggression came from being stuck there and the amount of infected people he had to deal with. And the Satedan wasn't about to let some stupid infection get in the way of his duties as a member of Command and Security.

[godbydefinition.livejournal.com]

Ba'al's reaction was far from accommodating-- at the sound of Ronon's voice, familiar or not, he turned to it, all but snarling. The nerve these lesser beings had... to cage him in this city, and then to attempt to move him where they pleased? He would not stand for it.

"No," he snapped, threatening even if 'human' in tone. "I will go where I please."

He was never going to let himself be ordered around by this man-- or any other -- as long as he lived. Did they not understand who he was?

[runnerwithagun.livejournal.com]

"Go where you please?" Came the mocking tone. Ronon looked Ba'al up and down figured that he could take him out quite easily. "I can't let you do that," he replied arrogantly, taking a step towards the yet undiscovered goa'uld.

[curiousredsoul]

Light twisted atop one of the buildings nearby, giving the slightest impression of a blur that moved from rooftop to rooftop before becoming almost invisible as it stilled. The dragon who hid within and controlled the shroud observing the streets and the skies of the city in which she had found herself contained within.

She had heard word of the pathogen that was the reason the City was contained, and indeed she had observed some others and slipped by them and their acts of violence and anger as she skulked the rooftops, away from the reach of most who bore the infection. Thus it was that she followed something that moved through the streets below, something of interest, was it the Captain searching for others or something else, one of the infected? After all much caught her interest.

[dis-courageous.livejournal.com]

Komali knew what Captain Kennedy looked like, honestly he did, but in his virus-maddened haze, he only know one thing: the difference between cold architecture and warm flesh.

And you, Leon, are looking mighty vulnerable, from this point of view.

Komali folded his wings and dropped like a stone, feet outstretched and mouth open in a snarl. Get out! My territory! MY CITY!