Night 63: Road to/from Doyleton

[dividedby]

[From here.]

But being outside was probably just as dangerous, if not more dangerous, than it was being trapped inside the bus with that nurse.

Besides the many other deformed nurses that were roaming around here, Zero caught sight of numerous forms flying overhead, casting large shadows on the ground as they passed by. They looked like...eagles. But deformed and horrific-looking, just like the nurses. At first, they seemed content to simply circle overhead, screeching, like vultures swarming above a carcass. But then many of them suddenly swooped down and headed straight for some of the prisoners running in the street.

Kind of like the one flying at Zero right now.

"Kh--!" The once-Reploid barely managed to dodge the monster as it dived for him by falling to the ground and rolling back onto his feet. The bird flew upwards again, slowly flapping its wings, then circled around as if to try again, another eagle joining it. To avoid them, Zero quickly moved out of the open, where he was obviously a target, and circled around one of the buses, keeping his back to it for cover. But he knew he wasn't going to be safe here...not when there were nurses on the ground and so many eagles above.

Not since the night he had become temporarily stronger had there been so much visible chaos... And if that one prisoner hadn't started a riot, this wouldn't be happening right now...!

As he stood contemplating the best route for escape, Zero glanced around quickly, searching the fleeing prisoners for anyone familiar or anyone who might need help. He was defenseless, so protecting someone else would only get him so far (and he certainly didn't want a repeat of two nights ago), but they all might have a better chance of survival if they grouped up...

[Leanne, Lana, and Harvey, WHERE YOU AT.]

Comments

[heroesdontshave]

[from here]

As bad as things had seemed to be inside the vehicle, it was a hell of a lot worse outside. Everyone was running all over the place and there were these big things flying all over the place, swooping down and attacking people. They were friggin' everywhere! It was almost like there had been a whole swarm of the damn things just sitting around and waiting for them all to come out so they could fly in and make snacks out of them. Some kind of bird monsters, it looked like. Definitely nothing you'd find on Cocoon, that was for damn sure.

Maybe it was that junk in him or maybe it was because he was caught so off guard by the whole situation, but Snow just found himself staring at the mayhem around them. The things just kept attacking out of nowhere, diving down from the darkness. One would dive down to attack one person, then before he could even think about heading over there, another would swoop down at someone else in another direction. Then another. And another. His attention was being pulled in every conceivable direction and he had no idea where he should even be focusi--

"Screeee!" It came from above and there was only enough time to look up and register a shape diving down at them before reacting. He moved immediately without thinking and half dove-half ducked for the ground, hoping to drag the other two along with him to evade the attack. His only warning was to suddenly yell "Look out!" just as he was doing so.

Hey, he might have been drugged up, but he could still fall forward pretty damn well.

[ippo]

Alone, Ippo wasn't sure if he could get the big guy moving in a new direction. He was thankful for the second helping hand that pulled Snow away from the deranged monster convulsing on the ground. However, the triumph soon meant nothing as they escaped the frying pan and hopped right into the licking fire.

The only thing Ippo could do was tighten his grip around Snow so the boxer didn't simply bolt like a wild animal caught in a frenzy. It was a really tempting idea, but as he watched the rest of the patients caught in the chaos, no amount of running in any direction wore on the monsters that herded them like sheep. He almost wondered if they should get back into the bus and take their chances with the nurses instead, but it was too late.

One of the flying monstrosities had set its sight on their little pack and for how high Snow was, he seemed to be the only one of them with any bright ideas. When he dived for the ground, it forcibly pulled Ippo down with him and gave him an aerial view from the hard earth below. Claws and giant maws descended upon them and he unabashedly screamed, rolling in closer to the giant American for cover.

[ofthemotions]

Outside... Turned out to be not that much better. If not that much better was defined as insanely worse. Dumbfounded at the sight, Mikado gaped, brain struggling to turn over the amount of information given to him. Nurses... Mutated nurses? Birds... Monster birds? And all of this was... It seemed so unreal, but this... This had to be 'reality' and yet... And yet--

A sharp sound close by, followed quickly by Snow's shout drew Mikado's attention, but too late, for the boy saw nothing but the ground as Snow's weight dragged him downward. He hit hard (...this was too much of a habit) and groaned, shifting onto his side as another scream burst out from Ippo, and Mikado's head jerked to the side in time to see a rush of unbelievably huge wings and claws wet with something dark and dripping. Emotion ceased--curled next to Snow where he fell, Mikado stared fully, memorizing the bird's features in some uncommon way as it moved to sweep back up, claws raking at them as it pulled upward.

[heroesdontshave]

Even if the other two hadn't curled in closer to make it easier, Snow would have tried to use himself as a shield to protect them anyway. As it was, all three seemed to hit the ground hard and Snow squeezed his eyes shut for a second, arms spread wide over them and bracing himself for whatever hit might come. But it didn't happen. Instead there was a rush of air and beating wings as that thing swept over them, aiming for where they had been standing only a few seconds ago. It through was sheer dumb luck that they'd managed to get down in time.

The close call didn't really register, though. All that clicked was the fact that pain and screaming hadn't happened. From anyone. And that was good enough for him. He snapped his eyes open again. "C'mon! Let's move!"

Move where? He had no idea. It didn't matter. All that mattered was getting to some place that wasn't right there. So get up. He had to get up. Get up and run. Or should he stay? Yeah, that's right. He should stay here and exterminate these things, shouldn't he? But then Ippo and Ryuu wouldn't have anyone to help if they ran off on their own, so he should stick with them. But then... ARGH!

Okay, one thing at a time. Stand up. He was wobbly, but he somehow managed to get himself on his feet again. Maybe the stuff was wearing off. Or maybe focusing on the living hell around him was enough to keep his mind together. He remained split on where he should be focusing his priorities, and that showed in how he looked back and forth between the two there with him and the many around him. What should he... do? Stay protecting these two or try to save everyone? The obvious answer was the latter, but...

He was just standing there as he internally battled over this. In the end, what he would do really depended on what the other two did and said.

[ippo]

Yes, moving sounded like a great idea. The problems came when there was no sensible place to run to and the fact that they had three hundred pounds of drugged out American cozied between two short Japanese boys. How in the hell were they supposed to get anywhere safe? When no answer really came from anyone, a swooping bird came back with its own reply.

Silent as the night, which wasn't exactly quiet what with all the shrill cries from both human and monster alike, the winged creature banked left and headed back for them. There was no warning except for the heavy beat of wings and this time it was too late.

Ippo mistakenly turned around toward the noise and was struck in the head by a set of heavy claws. It took him down, staggering until his baser instincts held him up by just the toes of his feet. Something hot and wet ran down his head as he waited for the spots dancing across his periphery faded away. So scattered, the boxer forgot to warn his friends to pay better attention than he had.