The swamps were as they should be. Wet soil; Marshy waters; Snakes and serpents, lizards and insects, things lurking beneath the water that could very well rip a leg off of somebody if they really wanted to. Though the forest canopy was broken up here, shadows were cast everywhere. Trees - long and big and old and gnarled - twisted and snatched at the air, dead leaves training to break free from decrepit branches. Hanging vines could easily be mistaken as pythons, and vice versa. The frog croaks and cricket songs mixed with the occasional snap of a twig as something large moved in this wild place. This was no place for children to wander.
Even though somebody with the mentality of one was here.
Had been here. For over three weeks already.
Hunched over in a sobbing willow tree, Scarlet was the only living person within a mile. The base of the fauna was coated with dead leaves, adorned with ripe-smelling skulls and bones, some with bits of flesh still hanging off of them. All recent kills - some human, others animalistic. Maggots, flies, and the occasional water moccasin worked their way through the mess. The question was ... who did this? Who killed, who mauled, and who left the remains to be displayed at the foot of the tree?
All signs pointed upwards.
Scarlet.
She was huddled into an upright fetal position. Arms wrapped around camo-panted legs. Steel-toed boots tapped rhythmically against the dying bark of the willow. Glazed eyeballs that seemed to have sunken more did not blink: they were wide open, forever staring. An eerie sight, to be sure. Bleached blond hair was in a tangled mess and matted with coagulated bloodstuffs. There were red stains all over her clothes, and adding darker patches of crimson to her already flaming skin. Nostrils flaring in the absence of a real nose, eyebrows missing. Claws flexing - but wait, were they bigger now? Thicker? More deadly looking no doubt. And also blotted with blood goo, wrapped around a thick-spined book ... a journal of sorts.
Occasionally, her head would sway from side to side, lips parting to unleash scratchy tunes. Childish songs; Old limericks to startle the strange noises of the marsh lands. These would last for a few moments before she would stop, freeze up, and rock back and forth muttering, "Comearoundcomearound, something's lost that can't be fouuuuuuuuuuund!"
Distant memories paved a road in her mind, but they were of no use. She couldn't make sense of them, though she would try and ponder with no success.
News: ~August 18th 2022~ - (Old News)
The move has been completed successfully! Everything appears to have survived the move just fine, but if anyone finds a broken link or anything else that doesn't work as it should, please make a post in Away from the Woods to let me know, thank you.
RP News: ~November 19th 2015~ (Old RP News)
There is no current plot. The forests welcome new travelers within these lands.
Event Status: Not Active (each accepted character allowed to RP in multiple RP threads)
RP Season: Summer
This means everything is green, flowers are everywhere, and the shining sun creates a need for shady shelter on the warmest days.
The move has been completed successfully! Everything appears to have survived the move just fine, but if anyone finds a broken link or anything else that doesn't work as it should, please make a post in Away from the Woods to let me know, thank you.
RP News: ~November 19th 2015~ (Old RP News)
There is no current plot. The forests welcome new travelers within these lands.
Event Status: Not Active (each accepted character allowed to RP in multiple RP threads)
RP Season: Summer
This means everything is green, flowers are everywhere, and the shining sun creates a need for shady shelter on the warmest days.
They're Coming to Take Me Away Haha! (Open)
Moderators: The_Vizir, forgerofsouls
They're Coming to Take Me Away Haha! (Open)
"We all change, when you think about it, we're all different people; all through our lives, and that's okay, that's good, you've gotta keep moving, so long as you remember all the people that you used to be."
-
Luxon Cobrat
- Oldie
- Posts: 1505
- Joined: Mon Dec 04, 2006 10:34 am
- Location: Questing through nebulae in search for crystal stone
Eventually, another living person came near. Floating, by way of magical levitation, through the air several feet above the watery ground was a silver-skinned humanoid with a pointy tail and two leathery wings. The wings were hidden, though, by an outfit of heavy winter clothing made of thick leather and fur. But despite the fact that the swamp was already quite warm, the heavy clothes didn't seem to bother the Succubus who was wearing them.
Entropy was lost. She had been trying to get a closer look at the mountains, as she planned on eventually venturing into them to try to find a nice and warm volcano in which to build a lair. But she had started travelling in circles and had eventually wound up here. Of course, she could have simply flown up into the sky above the forest to find out where she was. However, she thought it would be windy and cold up there, so she didn't want to do that until she had to.
She counted herself lucky, though, to have found this swamp. For one thing, the temperature of the air here was tolerable for the Succubus, even if it wasn't quite warm enough to be called "comfortable." For another thing, it seemed to be out of the way of the normal paths the sentient creatures of the Deep Forest seemed to follow, and the forboding atmosphere of the place would probably keep it that way. She was considering setting up a temporary lair here so that she could have a secret retreat that wouldn't likely be disturbed, at least until the next summer when she would go looking for her volcano.
Suddenly, she noticed the smell of decaying flesh and her attention fell on the willow it was coming from. The tree seemed to be trying to sing, but it wasn't doing as good of a job as the other tree Ashowan had been in when Entropy had found her. Another difference between this tree and that one was that the base of this one seemed to be littered with corpses.
That was when a realization fell on the Succubus: Singing trees kill people! The tree Ashowan had been in had kept dropping branches on her, but the half-dragon had thankfully been able to dodge them. The creatures at the base of this tree apparently hadn't been so agile.
What didn't add up in Entropy's mind, though, was the fact that there didn't seem to be any detached branches at the base of this tree along with the corpses. Obviously, this meant that different species of trees used different methods of killing people. The one that had attacked Ashowan obviously used falling branches. Judging by its appearance, this one likely used strangulation. Whatever the method, Entropy was overcome with outrage.
"You vile Salix!" Entropy shouted as she charged in. "I don't care if you are a vegetable, an animal, or a mineral! No organism has the right to just wantonly murder in this manner! I swear that I will burn your kind away from this world. From this day forth, no singing plant will escape judgement!"
Entropy's hands were outstretched above her head and a large fireball was gathering between them.
Entropy was lost. She had been trying to get a closer look at the mountains, as she planned on eventually venturing into them to try to find a nice and warm volcano in which to build a lair. But she had started travelling in circles and had eventually wound up here. Of course, she could have simply flown up into the sky above the forest to find out where she was. However, she thought it would be windy and cold up there, so she didn't want to do that until she had to.
She counted herself lucky, though, to have found this swamp. For one thing, the temperature of the air here was tolerable for the Succubus, even if it wasn't quite warm enough to be called "comfortable." For another thing, it seemed to be out of the way of the normal paths the sentient creatures of the Deep Forest seemed to follow, and the forboding atmosphere of the place would probably keep it that way. She was considering setting up a temporary lair here so that she could have a secret retreat that wouldn't likely be disturbed, at least until the next summer when she would go looking for her volcano.
Suddenly, she noticed the smell of decaying flesh and her attention fell on the willow it was coming from. The tree seemed to be trying to sing, but it wasn't doing as good of a job as the other tree Ashowan had been in when Entropy had found her. Another difference between this tree and that one was that the base of this one seemed to be littered with corpses.
That was when a realization fell on the Succubus: Singing trees kill people! The tree Ashowan had been in had kept dropping branches on her, but the half-dragon had thankfully been able to dodge them. The creatures at the base of this tree apparently hadn't been so agile.
What didn't add up in Entropy's mind, though, was the fact that there didn't seem to be any detached branches at the base of this tree along with the corpses. Obviously, this meant that different species of trees used different methods of killing people. The one that had attacked Ashowan obviously used falling branches. Judging by its appearance, this one likely used strangulation. Whatever the method, Entropy was overcome with outrage.
"You vile Salix!" Entropy shouted as she charged in. "I don't care if you are a vegetable, an animal, or a mineral! No organism has the right to just wantonly murder in this manner! I swear that I will burn your kind away from this world. From this day forth, no singing plant will escape judgement!"
Entropy's hands were outstretched above her head and a large fireball was gathering between them.
The sound of somebody coming near ... Somebody living and breathing coming near, was enough tobreak Scarlet out of her trance. Ears perking as much as they could, the V-ACT could make out lungfuls of oxygen being stolen from the air, exhaled in the form of carbon dioxide. The undeniable flow of blood traveling in veins of life. Glazed eyes turned, examined, pressing past dead branches and rotting leaves to pursue the person below. Yess yess ... somebody was here. Though she could no see very well - the film covering oculars assured that - what scent and sound she picked up from this strange creature indicated it as being human. Or partially human, with things growing from its back, and tail bone.
She placed her the ragged, worn-down journal on a bough with all the loving tenderness of a mother to a newborn. "I'sss be baaaackies, kaykay? Hushnow," she crooned in a voice that, for all its soothing, was eerie as hell.
Then she turned back and struck out at the tree's parched appendages. On all-fours, elongated claws lent her support. Scarlet was careful in her movements - easily picking out which branch was fragile and would break, avoiding them, and moving along without causing one single leaf to drop. But it was obvious that there was something in the tree, for the entire head of it swung and rattled, giving the illusion that the fauna was a totally mobile organism.
"Whaaazzis?" she hissed, voice crackling, grated. She got to a better vantage point just above the Succubus and proceeded to lick dried blood from her fingers. "Itsgotwings, likebirdeeeh. But iz gots a tail like DeadthingSho. Annnd it be's stinky like BOW. METHINKS ... methinks BOW!"
The entire area lit up with a ball of fire forming from the Succubus' hands. Scarlet drew back with an 'ooo'.
"Izflamin'! BOW BOW! Rodddyyy, I'ma maulnow!"
The laugh that came from Scarlet's mouth was loud enough to echo throughout. As if the entire Swamp was laughing, hysterically, at Entropy.
"Izgot fresh flowin' bloodstuffs. Goodmeal, yusss. Andheadtrophy!"
She placed her the ragged, worn-down journal on a bough with all the loving tenderness of a mother to a newborn. "I'sss be baaaackies, kaykay? Hushnow," she crooned in a voice that, for all its soothing, was eerie as hell.
Then she turned back and struck out at the tree's parched appendages. On all-fours, elongated claws lent her support. Scarlet was careful in her movements - easily picking out which branch was fragile and would break, avoiding them, and moving along without causing one single leaf to drop. But it was obvious that there was something in the tree, for the entire head of it swung and rattled, giving the illusion that the fauna was a totally mobile organism.
"Whaaazzis?" she hissed, voice crackling, grated. She got to a better vantage point just above the Succubus and proceeded to lick dried blood from her fingers. "Itsgotwings, likebirdeeeh. But iz gots a tail like DeadthingSho. Annnd it be's stinky like BOW. METHINKS ... methinks BOW!"
The entire area lit up with a ball of fire forming from the Succubus' hands. Scarlet drew back with an 'ooo'.
"Izflamin'! BOW BOW! Rodddyyy, I'ma maulnow!"
The laugh that came from Scarlet's mouth was loud enough to echo throughout. As if the entire Swamp was laughing, hysterically, at Entropy.
"Izgot fresh flowin' bloodstuffs. Goodmeal, yusss. Andheadtrophy!"
"We all change, when you think about it, we're all different people; all through our lives, and that's okay, that's good, you've gotta keep moving, so long as you remember all the people that you used to be."
-
Luxon Cobrat
- Oldie
- Posts: 1505
- Joined: Mon Dec 04, 2006 10:34 am
- Location: Questing through nebulae in search for crystal stone
Hearing the laughter, Entropy stopped paying attention to her fireball and glanced around, glaring indignantly.
"Who's laughing at me?" she demanded.
Then, she realized that the tree she was about to attack wasn't her only enemy. In fact, it was just the bait. The other trees nearby had been waiting to ambush her, and she had dashed right into their trap. Now she felt like an idiot.
Deciding to flee and hoping that it wasn't already too late, Entropy spun around to face the other direction. The momentum of her charge was still pulling her in the direction she had been going, though. So, she had to put as much energy as she could into reversing that momentum, even flailing her arms around like she was trying to swim through the air.
The fireball, meanwhile, was losing its stability without its creator's attention. Just as Entropy began moving away from it, the thing exploded, throwing her into the water below. When her head came back up from below the water, she was flailing around in a panic.
"Help! I can't swim!" she shouted as if she hoped someone would hear her, not thinking to just levitate out.
"Who's laughing at me?" she demanded.
Then, she realized that the tree she was about to attack wasn't her only enemy. In fact, it was just the bait. The other trees nearby had been waiting to ambush her, and she had dashed right into their trap. Now she felt like an idiot.
Deciding to flee and hoping that it wasn't already too late, Entropy spun around to face the other direction. The momentum of her charge was still pulling her in the direction she had been going, though. So, she had to put as much energy as she could into reversing that momentum, even flailing her arms around like she was trying to swim through the air.
The fireball, meanwhile, was losing its stability without its creator's attention. Just as Entropy began moving away from it, the thing exploded, throwing her into the water below. When her head came back up from below the water, she was flailing around in a panic.
"Help! I can't swim!" she shouted as if she hoped someone would hear her, not thinking to just levitate out.
A look of dawning confusion rose upon Scarlet's face. how strange, how strange! The person below - the BOW who Scar had no doubt was really a BOW now - had been charging full steam ahead with a ball of blazing fire. But all of a sudden the figure went tripping and falling. Her scent suddenly mingled with dirt and filthywater, which was nearly lost beneath the rotting stench of mangled corpses, rotting at the base of her willow.
Had the Juggernaut been in her right mind, she would have laughed. Extensively. Cracked up so much that her sides would start to split. But for the moment, the only thing that came to her mind was an easy prey to be hunted. An easy meal to be gorged. Moreblood. Insatiable hunger; The curse of being a biological monster with no purpose, designed to kill and nothing more.
A slow, raspy gasp gargled from deep within the confines of her throat. She leaned forward so that her chin fell between twin clawed hands, lightly tapping the branch they held. And from her maw, between parted jagged teeth that could easily rip through sinew and bone, came a tongue that elongated and twisted; A snake of sorts, with no mouth and no end.
It extended towards the fallen Entropy, coiling around her ... lowering to the level of the Succubus' throat but not coming near enough to touch her neck, choke, and strangle. It only paused, however, when the suspicious BOW started calling for help. A spark of humanity pierced the animalistic haze.
"Heeeeeelp?" inquired the beast from the tree. "Whyyyyheeelp?"
The tongue twitched.
"You's Bioweapon. Bioweapons kill. I kill da's Bioweapons. Whyyyyyyhelps? Huhuh?"
Had the Juggernaut been in her right mind, she would have laughed. Extensively. Cracked up so much that her sides would start to split. But for the moment, the only thing that came to her mind was an easy prey to be hunted. An easy meal to be gorged. Moreblood. Insatiable hunger; The curse of being a biological monster with no purpose, designed to kill and nothing more.
A slow, raspy gasp gargled from deep within the confines of her throat. She leaned forward so that her chin fell between twin clawed hands, lightly tapping the branch they held. And from her maw, between parted jagged teeth that could easily rip through sinew and bone, came a tongue that elongated and twisted; A snake of sorts, with no mouth and no end.
It extended towards the fallen Entropy, coiling around her ... lowering to the level of the Succubus' throat but not coming near enough to touch her neck, choke, and strangle. It only paused, however, when the suspicious BOW started calling for help. A spark of humanity pierced the animalistic haze.
"Heeeeeelp?" inquired the beast from the tree. "Whyyyyheeelp?"
The tongue twitched.
"You's Bioweapon. Bioweapons kill. I kill da's Bioweapons. Whyyyyyyhelps? Huhuh?"
"We all change, when you think about it, we're all different people; all through our lives, and that's okay, that's good, you've gotta keep moving, so long as you remember all the people that you used to be."
-
Luxon Cobrat
- Oldie
- Posts: 1505
- Joined: Mon Dec 04, 2006 10:34 am
- Location: Questing through nebulae in search for crystal stone
Hearing the voice from the tree, Entropy came out of her frenzy enough to notice the tongue that was coiled around at the level of her throat. Her eyes tracing it along its length back to its origin, she saw the creature it belonged to.
"You's Bioweapon. Bioweapons kill. I kill da's Bioweapons. Whyyyyyyhelps? Huhuh?"
Entropy's head bobbed under again as soon as the question was finished. Flailing around again to get her head back up, the Succubus actually caused herself to stay under longer than she would have if she had been still. When she finally did come back up again, she gasped for air.
"Please," she started to beg, coughing between every few words as she spoke. "I... I'm not a... bioweapon. I'm a Succu... Succubus. And I'll... drown if you don't--"
Before she finished, her head went under again.
"You's Bioweapon. Bioweapons kill. I kill da's Bioweapons. Whyyyyyyhelps? Huhuh?"
Entropy's head bobbed under again as soon as the question was finished. Flailing around again to get her head back up, the Succubus actually caused herself to stay under longer than she would have if she had been still. When she finally did come back up again, she gasped for air.
"Please," she started to beg, coughing between every few words as she spoke. "I... I'm not a... bioweapon. I'm a Succu... Succubus. And I'll... drown if you don't--"
Before she finished, her head went under again.
Stumbled words called from a half-drowned state. The BOW was calling to her, saying things that were hard for Scarlet to comprehend and yet ... yet it all made sense, to some part within her psyche.
"Please," the monster fleshthing, head on a stick, prey to be maimed, killed, and eaten, pleaded. "I ... I'm not a ... bioweapon. I'm a Succu ... Succubus."
" ... not a ... bioweapon ... "
" ... not a ... "
"Will you stop staring at me like some hungry jaguar?" Alice bit, green eyes narrowing. The woman in red looked over to Rodriguez, her features puzzled. The man shrugged in response.
"But youse a BOW!" Scarlet shrieked, pointing a gnarled claw at her. "One of da weapons of Umbrellaaaaaa scumshitbagstuffs! Any BOW be's needing to be killed!"
"Which means, by all rights, that I should kill you right here, right now," Alice snapped back. "But I won't, because technically you aren't a BOW. Neither of us are."
"BUT YOU-" the Crimson Head started. Alice briskly cut her off.
"I mean to say that while you and I have manipulated genes, we are in the possession of something that separates us from them. We have minds. Thoughts. Dreams. Even memories, though we might not remember them all. The other BOWs may or may not have them, but not on the same level. We're different. And we're against the corporation that made us. Thus, we are not BOW."
"And I'll ... drown if you don't--"
The Succubus went under. There was a flash of pink as something blast into the water, beneath the surface. Not a second later was Entropy dragged from the murky depths by the clothing at the scruff of her neck by the tongue of a mutated V-ACT. Scarlet held her high above the liquid of moccasins and leeches, one eye half-lidded in puzzlement. When she spoke ... there was a ... grip to her voice.
"You be's speakin' and thinkin' like you no be's a BOW. Sooooooo I'll believe ya nooowss."
She laughed. A deep grating sound that was strangely lifting after such an encounter.
"BUTYOUSE SUCK AT SWIMMIN'! LAWL!"
"Please," the monster fleshthing, head on a stick, prey to be maimed, killed, and eaten, pleaded. "I ... I'm not a ... bioweapon. I'm a Succu ... Succubus."
" ... not a ... bioweapon ... "
" ... not a ... "
"Will you stop staring at me like some hungry jaguar?" Alice bit, green eyes narrowing. The woman in red looked over to Rodriguez, her features puzzled. The man shrugged in response.
"But youse a BOW!" Scarlet shrieked, pointing a gnarled claw at her. "One of da weapons of Umbrellaaaaaa scumshitbagstuffs! Any BOW be's needing to be killed!"
"Which means, by all rights, that I should kill you right here, right now," Alice snapped back. "But I won't, because technically you aren't a BOW. Neither of us are."
"BUT YOU-" the Crimson Head started. Alice briskly cut her off.
"I mean to say that while you and I have manipulated genes, we are in the possession of something that separates us from them. We have minds. Thoughts. Dreams. Even memories, though we might not remember them all. The other BOWs may or may not have them, but not on the same level. We're different. And we're against the corporation that made us. Thus, we are not BOW."
"And I'll ... drown if you don't--"
The Succubus went under. There was a flash of pink as something blast into the water, beneath the surface. Not a second later was Entropy dragged from the murky depths by the clothing at the scruff of her neck by the tongue of a mutated V-ACT. Scarlet held her high above the liquid of moccasins and leeches, one eye half-lidded in puzzlement. When she spoke ... there was a ... grip to her voice.
"You be's speakin' and thinkin' like you no be's a BOW. Sooooooo I'll believe ya nooowss."
She laughed. A deep grating sound that was strangely lifting after such an encounter.
"BUTYOUSE SUCK AT SWIMMIN'! LAWL!"
"We all change, when you think about it, we're all different people; all through our lives, and that's okay, that's good, you've gotta keep moving, so long as you remember all the people that you used to be."
-
Luxon Cobrat
- Oldie
- Posts: 1505
- Joined: Mon Dec 04, 2006 10:34 am
- Location: Questing through nebulae in search for crystal stone
The Succubus immediately gasped for more air as soon as she was raised from the water, then she began coughing again. Now that she was drenched, she also began to feel cold and started to shiver. She took a moment to rub the water out of her eyes, then looked up again at the creature whose tongue was holding her by the scruff of her neck.
The creature was laughing at her for not being able to swim, but Entropy didn't have the energy at the moment to protest. Instead, she just let an embarrassed, sheepish half-grin cross her face, which made her look even more pitiful.
The creature was laughing at her for not being able to swim, but Entropy didn't have the energy at the moment to protest. Instead, she just let an embarrassed, sheepish half-grin cross her face, which made her look even more pitiful.
The Succubus offered a sheepish grin, but she was shaking so badly that the vibrations traveled up the strong oral muscle. Scarlet felt her own jaws start to rattle and shot off the most confused look her red undead face could muster up. Glazed eyes twitch and tilted upwards, giving the Crimson Head with bleached hair, marred with stains of coagulation, a more ghastly appearance than was needed.
"Youse be's all shake shake senora, whyzaaaat?" She paused, puzzled, then tasted the nastiness of the swamp water soaking Entropy's clothes and gagged. Even for somebody with the taste for rotting flesh, that stuff was grosssss. "EWW Swamppoo!"
Scarlet pulled the Succubus closer to land and dropped her unceremoniously to the ground. The tongue drew back to its owner, who proceeded to wipe her mouth with the back of her hand. She then slid off the silver shaded trench coat from her shoulders, revealing her now filthy and matted black tank top, and chucked it over.
"HEREHERE, cuz ya humans be's so cold blooooooded lizardypeeps!"
"Youse be's all shake shake senora, whyzaaaat?" She paused, puzzled, then tasted the nastiness of the swamp water soaking Entropy's clothes and gagged. Even for somebody with the taste for rotting flesh, that stuff was grosssss. "EWW Swamppoo!"
Scarlet pulled the Succubus closer to land and dropped her unceremoniously to the ground. The tongue drew back to its owner, who proceeded to wipe her mouth with the back of her hand. She then slid off the silver shaded trench coat from her shoulders, revealing her now filthy and matted black tank top, and chucked it over.
"HEREHERE, cuz ya humans be's so cold blooooooded lizardypeeps!"
"We all change, when you think about it, we're all different people; all through our lives, and that's okay, that's good, you've gotta keep moving, so long as you remember all the people that you used to be."
-
Luxon Cobrat
- Oldie
- Posts: 1505
- Joined: Mon Dec 04, 2006 10:34 am
- Location: Questing through nebulae in search for crystal stone
As soon as the tongue had let go of her and she had landed on the ground, Entropy uttered a few strange syllables. An electric shock pulsed out of her a short distance and killed the leeches that had attached themselves to her. She then collected the trench coat, put it on, and sat down huddled up.
"Thanks," she said as her strength started to come back.
Then she glanced around at the trees. They weren't moving. If they had been planning on strangling her, they should have done it by now. So, they obviously weren't killer plants after all. But then, what had killed the creatures that had been left under the willow?
Could it have been the bioweapons the red creature that had saved her had mentioned? Or maybe the dead creatures were bioweapons and the red creature had killed them. Of course, it was also possible that the red creature had just mistaken the creatures under the tree for bioweapons.
The fact that the red creature had called Entropy a bioweapon lead her to believe that the last possibility was what had happened. The Succubus didn't jump up and accuse her, though. Her old mind understood how someone could get into that kind of muddle. She would be a hypocrite if she attacked someone for it. And besides, demons aren't necessarily such staunch defenders of justice.
Entropy wasn't really old, though, she reminded herself.
"So, what exactly are you?" Entropy asked after a while. "Someone I met earlier was a half-dragon. She had wings and a tail like me, but she wasn't a Succubus. So, with that tongue, I'd say you're a half-frog."
"Thanks," she said as her strength started to come back.
Then she glanced around at the trees. They weren't moving. If they had been planning on strangling her, they should have done it by now. So, they obviously weren't killer plants after all. But then, what had killed the creatures that had been left under the willow?
Could it have been the bioweapons the red creature that had saved her had mentioned? Or maybe the dead creatures were bioweapons and the red creature had killed them. Of course, it was also possible that the red creature had just mistaken the creatures under the tree for bioweapons.
The fact that the red creature had called Entropy a bioweapon lead her to believe that the last possibility was what had happened. The Succubus didn't jump up and accuse her, though. Her old mind understood how someone could get into that kind of muddle. She would be a hypocrite if she attacked someone for it. And besides, demons aren't necessarily such staunch defenders of justice.
Entropy wasn't really old, though, she reminded herself.
"So, what exactly are you?" Entropy asked after a while. "Someone I met earlier was a half-dragon. She had wings and a tail like me, but she wasn't a Succubus. So, with that tongue, I'd say you're a half-frog."
"Thanks."
Scarlet made a gesture that was rather flippant, unmotivated. Her claws waved about in the air, enunciating her suddenly piercing laugh. Instead of sticking around, though, Scarlet retreated back into her wounded Willow, heading back to her branch and scooping up that mangled journal with coos and caresses. She cradled it back and forth in her arms, oblivious to the fact that it was quite inanimate and thus unresponsive.
To her, all was peaceful. The stench of rot from below only added to her euphoria. She momentarily forgot that the Succubus was there.
"S'ooookay now's, I tells youuuu. There be's wingedladehthatcan'tswim, but she no be's BOW so you're okaaaaay."
She was talking ... to a book?
Then Entropy's words broke the silence. The V-ACT immediately snapped to attention, what little was left of her sanity taking root and holding.
"So what exactly are you? Someone I met earlier was a half-dragon. She had wings and a tail like me, but she wasn't a Succubus. So, with that tongue, I'd say you're half-frog."
"FROGGERRRRR!" Scar yelped, grinning toothily though she wouldn't be seen by Entropy through the wiry branches. "NONO, I's no froggeh like Hunter Betas! I's ... uh ... I'd Crimson Heaaaaaad. V-ACT 35, Juggernaut, advanced Crimson Head Zombaaaay, hunter and cap'n for ... for ... uh ... S.A.R.S.!"
A blink.
"Half-dwagon sounds likey ShoshoDeadthing. She all be's saying she's a Reaper but really - WAITshehadnowiiiiiiiings!"
Another blink.
"Wuzza Suck-you-bus?"
Scarlet made a gesture that was rather flippant, unmotivated. Her claws waved about in the air, enunciating her suddenly piercing laugh. Instead of sticking around, though, Scarlet retreated back into her wounded Willow, heading back to her branch and scooping up that mangled journal with coos and caresses. She cradled it back and forth in her arms, oblivious to the fact that it was quite inanimate and thus unresponsive.
To her, all was peaceful. The stench of rot from below only added to her euphoria. She momentarily forgot that the Succubus was there.
"S'ooookay now's, I tells youuuu. There be's wingedladehthatcan'tswim, but she no be's BOW so you're okaaaaay."
She was talking ... to a book?
Then Entropy's words broke the silence. The V-ACT immediately snapped to attention, what little was left of her sanity taking root and holding.
"So what exactly are you? Someone I met earlier was a half-dragon. She had wings and a tail like me, but she wasn't a Succubus. So, with that tongue, I'd say you're half-frog."
"FROGGERRRRR!" Scar yelped, grinning toothily though she wouldn't be seen by Entropy through the wiry branches. "NONO, I's no froggeh like Hunter Betas! I's ... uh ... I'd Crimson Heaaaaaad. V-ACT 35, Juggernaut, advanced Crimson Head Zombaaaay, hunter and cap'n for ... for ... uh ... S.A.R.S.!"
A blink.
"Half-dwagon sounds likey ShoshoDeadthing. She all be's saying she's a Reaper but really - WAITshehadnowiiiiiiiings!"
Another blink.
"Wuzza Suck-you-bus?"
"We all change, when you think about it, we're all different people; all through our lives, and that's okay, that's good, you've gotta keep moving, so long as you remember all the people that you used to be."
-
Luxon Cobrat
- Oldie
- Posts: 1505
- Joined: Mon Dec 04, 2006 10:34 am
- Location: Questing through nebulae in search for crystal stone
"Sho didn't have any wings?" Entropy thought out loud. "Oh, yeah. She had a tail and big claws on her feet."
She started to feel awkward about getting that wrong, but then she turned defensive.
"I've been around for close to 20,000 years now, so you can't blame me for missing a few details here and there," she explained to herself, apparently not opposed to the idea that she was old now that it was convenient.
With that settled, she started thinking about how to explain what a Succubus was.
"A Succubus," Entropy began thoughtfully, "is a kind of dem-- uh... extraterrestrial that looks like a human female, but sometimes has wings and a tail like me. We're usually pretty good with magic. Some Succubi will use their magic and their looks to control men and sometimes even take their souls, but that's really crass and it shows that they don't have any real skills to work with."
As it just so happened, Entropy had an opinion on the subject of soul-taking, and she would have launched into a tirade about it if another question hadn't popped into her head.
The Succubus hadn't recognized most of the words the red creature had used in her description of herself. All Entropy understood was that this creature was some kind of zombie.
"If you're a zombie, do you know which necromancer raised you?" she asked. "Actually, are you sure you're a zombie. I haven't seen very many zombies that could talk. Maybe you're a Wight... or a Lich. Maybe a Kaisharga? Oh, but you're eyes aren't glowing green, so you're probably not a Kaisharga."
She started to feel awkward about getting that wrong, but then she turned defensive.
"I've been around for close to 20,000 years now, so you can't blame me for missing a few details here and there," she explained to herself, apparently not opposed to the idea that she was old now that it was convenient.
With that settled, she started thinking about how to explain what a Succubus was.
"A Succubus," Entropy began thoughtfully, "is a kind of dem-- uh... extraterrestrial that looks like a human female, but sometimes has wings and a tail like me. We're usually pretty good with magic. Some Succubi will use their magic and their looks to control men and sometimes even take their souls, but that's really crass and it shows that they don't have any real skills to work with."
As it just so happened, Entropy had an opinion on the subject of soul-taking, and she would have launched into a tirade about it if another question hadn't popped into her head.
The Succubus hadn't recognized most of the words the red creature had used in her description of herself. All Entropy understood was that this creature was some kind of zombie.
"If you're a zombie, do you know which necromancer raised you?" she asked. "Actually, are you sure you're a zombie. I haven't seen very many zombies that could talk. Maybe you're a Wight... or a Lich. Maybe a Kaisharga? Oh, but you're eyes aren't glowing green, so you're probably not a Kaisharga."
Scarlet seemed to ponder over this for a long couple of moments. She held the torn and mauled journal close to her chest all while sporting the most peculiar, complex look of contemplating. Something that the Succubus said puzzled her. Neeecroomanccerr ... ? What was that? There were only a few words that she knew that started with 'Necro', and all of them irked even her. She stuck her tongue out in disgust.
"Wuzza Necromanceeeeeeer?" she inquired loudly.
A couple of rapid blinks. Realization smashed her face - frown turned upside down, jagged-edge teeth glinting in what little light there was. Jovial despite the rancid remains beneath her.
"OHOH, ya means who created meeee? DA'S BE'S Umbrellalalala. Umbrellaaaaaa Incorporated! Yaya. They's scumbagbishes, I'ma kill 'em."
She removed a claw from the book and pointed the index one at her temple.
"See's, dey's made me from dat T-Virus, yusyus. And G, TG, T-Veronica Viruses. I'm like da mutant badass from the midwest!"
"Wuzza Necromanceeeeeeer?" she inquired loudly.
A couple of rapid blinks. Realization smashed her face - frown turned upside down, jagged-edge teeth glinting in what little light there was. Jovial despite the rancid remains beneath her.
"OHOH, ya means who created meeee? DA'S BE'S Umbrellalalala. Umbrellaaaaaa Incorporated! Yaya. They's scumbagbishes, I'ma kill 'em."
She removed a claw from the book and pointed the index one at her temple.
"See's, dey's made me from dat T-Virus, yusyus. And G, TG, T-Veronica Viruses. I'm like da mutant badass from the midwest!"
"We all change, when you think about it, we're all different people; all through our lives, and that's okay, that's good, you've gotta keep moving, so long as you remember all the people that you used to be."
-
Luxon Cobrat
- Oldie
- Posts: 1505
- Joined: Mon Dec 04, 2006 10:34 am
- Location: Questing through nebulae in search for crystal stone
"Oh, a mutant?" Entropy asked. "Okay, that makes more sense. I knew I didn't feel the Underworld on you like I usually do with the undead."
Now Entropy took a moment to contemplate something. She didn't look confused, but she had just been introduced to a new idea. The Succubus had never thought that zombies could be made without magic.
"So, they're using a virus to make zombies now, are they?" Entropy inquired. "Sounds dangerous, if you ask me. Those little things can get out of control pretty fast, you know. What's even the point, anyway? Wait, does that have something to do with those bioweapons you were talking about?"
Now Entropy took a moment to contemplate something. She didn't look confused, but she had just been introduced to a new idea. The Succubus had never thought that zombies could be made without magic.
"So, they're using a virus to make zombies now, are they?" Entropy inquired. "Sounds dangerous, if you ask me. Those little things can get out of control pretty fast, you know. What's even the point, anyway? Wait, does that have something to do with those bioweapons you were talking about?"
Entropy spoke. Over Scarlet's head it all went. The only thing that her sharp ears caught and held onto, was the dreaded 'B' word.
"BIOWEAPONWHERE?!" the V-ACT shouted, jumping to her feet in an instant. The movement jostled her hold on the diary, which fell from her grasp and tumbled ... right into the pile of decay, which it sunk beneath as if it were quicksand.
Scarlet gasped and bounced after it, roughly tossing aside limbs askew and head decapitated. Including the random mauled squirrel.
"NO!" *Toss toss* "WHERED'YA GO?!"
"BIOWEAPONWHERE?!" the V-ACT shouted, jumping to her feet in an instant. The movement jostled her hold on the diary, which fell from her grasp and tumbled ... right into the pile of decay, which it sunk beneath as if it were quicksand.
Scarlet gasped and bounced after it, roughly tossing aside limbs askew and head decapitated. Including the random mauled squirrel.
"NO!" *Toss toss* "WHERED'YA GO?!"
"We all change, when you think about it, we're all different people; all through our lives, and that's okay, that's good, you've gotta keep moving, so long as you remember all the people that you used to be."
-
Luxon Cobrat
- Oldie
- Posts: 1505
- Joined: Mon Dec 04, 2006 10:34 am
- Location: Questing through nebulae in search for crystal stone
Entropy saw the book fall out of the tree and into the pile of corpses, then she saw the mutant zombie drop down to dig for it. That was the kind of thing that happens when people get overexcited, she observed. Still, Entropy did feel a little bit responsible, so she stood up and walked over closer to the base of the willow.
"It's down in there somewhere," she offered. "Probably sunk to the bottom by now."
And that was the extent of the help she felt she was obligated to give. Besides, she needed to get busy finding a decent place to settle in, and she needed to find some place to wash her clothes off, too.
"Anyway, here's your coat back," she said, taking the trench coat off and tossing it up onto a branch of the tree. "I'll be seeing ya."
And with that, she levitated up into the air and sped away.
(Entropy has left this thread.)
"It's down in there somewhere," she offered. "Probably sunk to the bottom by now."
And that was the extent of the help she felt she was obligated to give. Besides, she needed to get busy finding a decent place to settle in, and she needed to find some place to wash her clothes off, too.
"Anyway, here's your coat back," she said, taking the trench coat off and tossing it up onto a branch of the tree. "I'll be seeing ya."
And with that, she levitated up into the air and sped away.
(Entropy has left this thread.)
Scarlet blinked at the sudden leave. Mentally, she cackled. "HAHA, impatience!"
Physically, she latched onto the trenchcoat and swung it over her shoulders. Arms slid through, claw-tipped fingers jutting from the cuffs to grasp at the stagnant air. There was something about this swamp; Deadly, decayed, every ounce of it reeking with a type of danger that hid beneath the waters. Glazed eyes fell on the surface of the 'dead sea', watching with intent hunger. Yessss ... there was something here. And it felt old and ripe like it'd been there forever.
"Hrrr, precioussssss."
From the weeping willow she crawled. Sidling up to the marsh liquid's banks, she pressed her claws against the slick, still barrier between water and atmosphere. She broke the surface tension and submerged her arm, curious to see if something would rise to meet it.
Physically, she latched onto the trenchcoat and swung it over her shoulders. Arms slid through, claw-tipped fingers jutting from the cuffs to grasp at the stagnant air. There was something about this swamp; Deadly, decayed, every ounce of it reeking with a type of danger that hid beneath the waters. Glazed eyes fell on the surface of the 'dead sea', watching with intent hunger. Yessss ... there was something here. And it felt old and ripe like it'd been there forever.
"Hrrr, precioussssss."
From the weeping willow she crawled. Sidling up to the marsh liquid's banks, she pressed her claws against the slick, still barrier between water and atmosphere. She broke the surface tension and submerged her arm, curious to see if something would rise to meet it.
"We all change, when you think about it, we're all different people; all through our lives, and that's okay, that's good, you've gotta keep moving, so long as you remember all the people that you used to be."
<center>A half an hour or so later, Scarlet finally decided that she had better things to do other than tap at murky waters, hoping something strange and festering with green tentacles and leeches would emerge to attack her. Though the thought was entertaining, and would give her something to do (she was bored out of her necrosis skull), the chances of it occurring were about as slim as a Tyrant suddenly sprouting a tutu and take up ballerina dancing. To the weeping Salix tree she retreated, hunched over: a malformed Gollum with blood-seeped skin.
“Haaaaaah, no fishies for meh todaaaaay!” she sang, raspy voice croaking out in a toad’s tone. “Sorrehs, Roddehboi!”
“Never you mind. Psycho.” In her mind’s eye, the long dead S.T.A.R.S. mercenary was standing beside her, walking with her. Normal in appearance but ragged in clothing, the living presence of the man was destroyed only by the gaping hole where his heart had been. The Tyrant had shown him no mercy at the Edge, leaving his body to rot with the flowers wilting from winter winds. “Not like you can fish for shit, anyways.” Calm and taunting, as always.
“Awww, thanks!” Scar purred. Eyes narrowed and twitched into pallor ‘U’s. “BUTSTILL, ah could makey Hunter steakies, yus! They’s so tasty … “
“Nah, that’s … that’s okay. We’ll pass,” responded Nonexistent Rodriguez. He looked around, confusion dwelling upon his brow as they came to a stop at the sagging tree’s trunk. “Where’s Michelle, Darcy, Danielle, and Rino? They were chillin’ with you at the meeting site not too long ago.” A snort. “What, nature call? Springing a leak somewhere?”
A flash of images whipped through the V-ACT’s mind. Blood, gore, a destroyed Hummer scarred by bullet holes, an Umbrella Corp. truck not too far from it, splattered with blood from the men who’d been occupying it that now spread out on the ground, torn to shit with intestinals flayed apart. Rino and Darcy, crimson coated, hugging each other forever as they’d died in each other’s arms from a spray of M-16 rifle shells. Danielle, his face exploded open.
Rino … Rino Rino … Leaning against a tree with a journal in one hand, his free palm pressed up against the hole in his chest that was pouring rivers of blood. Claw marks; Bites, all across his neck, his legs: hints of a Hunter attack.
“I’m infected … “
“They’re … “ Scarlet started to talk but froze, frowning.
“Scar- … as a human- … as a member of S.T.A.R.S. … “
“Just … “
“ … kill me … “
Claws entangled around one of the Virulity Twins; A sadistic grin spreading across lips long silenced by a genetic insanity; Eyes widening with a king of warped pleasure as the trigger squeezed tight in her grip, spurring into motion the deadly magnum round locked in the barrel’s place; A fireworks explosion of gray matter-
“Waitin’ for meh back at HQ, izall,” Scar told the ghostly Rodriguez, fully believing the words she said and forgetting their horrifying ends …
No response.
“Roddeh?” she called, glancing back and forth. All her looking told her the same thing: he was gone without a trace. Subliminal sadness, deep understanding … knowing of what was what broke through the madwoman’s glimpse and she fell on her rear, hugging camo-clad knees to her chest. “Rodrodroddon’leave … “
One hand found something hard in her trench coat pocket. She pulled Rino’s journal from it, eying it with mindless speculations. Hugging it, the Juggernaut rocked back and forth a broken creature with no past and no future worth working towards, but here she pressed on. And through the dismal mood came a small chortle that heightened into a pointless mass of laughter that brought her precious little tendon of reality closer to snapping permanently.
--
“What do you mean you lost them?!”
Though normally cold and calculating, precise in his work and never failing to succeed even in the most trying of occasions, Tillor was actually quivering in his boots. The Umbrella scientist in a white lab coat was never so frightened as he was when beholding Albert Wesker’s presence just short of two feet from his face, snarling with outrage that a mission had gone wrong and the objective deemed incomplete. He bowed his head, mousey black hair falling over bespectacled eyes.
“Well, sir …,” he stuttered, trying to explain. “We-uh-we lo-lost contact with team Alpha just short of their last call. There has been no word-word from them since.”
Wesker’s knuckles cracked, his frown reeling back to show pearly whites of grinning displeasure. “I want them found, no matter the cost-“
“-But sir, they vanished right off of radar-!”
“It doesn’t matter, do you understand?!” snapped the blonde man. He was in Tillor’s face now, leering into the man’s eyes with his sunglasses that were worn so frequently that they may as well have been super glued to his face. With a final guttural growl, the boss man drew back, cracking the knuckles in hit man gloves. “The Juggernaut is too valuable to be lost in some kind of ether. She would be an asset of greatest importance to The Organization. She must be obtained and contained as soon as possible. With that fragile little mind of her’s, it’d be too great a loss for her to lose all symptoms of intelligence before we can … medicate her.”
Trillor hesitated. “But sir-“
“No ‘Buts’. Contact the U.B.C.S. and inform them of the situation. I want the area they were last seen in combed to the very last grain of sand.” When Trillor didn’t move from his spot, Wesker yelled sharply, “Move!” and the scientist was gone.
Albert gave a huff, pacing back to his terminal chair. Sunglasses gave off the glint of the many television screens lining his office, all displaying reports from other operatives, top secret plans, genetic modifications and stats of genetically altered monsters and B.O.W.s of all sorts, shapes, and sizes … including one of a post-six foot Crimson Head alteration with claws and a deadly lust for blood, tempered only by her seeming humanity and seething hatred for all things Umbrella or similar to them.
“Scarlet, Scarlet, Scarlet, what will we do with you?” Wesker purred, stroking the screen with sweet tenderness. “You keep getting away from me, just when I’m about to seize you … “ A grin. “No worries, my dear. Shortly, you and I will be standing on the same ground.”
Gloved fingers roped about his glasses. He pulled them off, a humored gleam of madness spreading about the yellow orbs with slitted pupils.
“I assure it.”
The laugh was proliferating.
</center>
“Haaaaaah, no fishies for meh todaaaaay!” she sang, raspy voice croaking out in a toad’s tone. “Sorrehs, Roddehboi!”
“Never you mind. Psycho.” In her mind’s eye, the long dead S.T.A.R.S. mercenary was standing beside her, walking with her. Normal in appearance but ragged in clothing, the living presence of the man was destroyed only by the gaping hole where his heart had been. The Tyrant had shown him no mercy at the Edge, leaving his body to rot with the flowers wilting from winter winds. “Not like you can fish for shit, anyways.” Calm and taunting, as always.
“Awww, thanks!” Scar purred. Eyes narrowed and twitched into pallor ‘U’s. “BUTSTILL, ah could makey Hunter steakies, yus! They’s so tasty … “
“Nah, that’s … that’s okay. We’ll pass,” responded Nonexistent Rodriguez. He looked around, confusion dwelling upon his brow as they came to a stop at the sagging tree’s trunk. “Where’s Michelle, Darcy, Danielle, and Rino? They were chillin’ with you at the meeting site not too long ago.” A snort. “What, nature call? Springing a leak somewhere?”
A flash of images whipped through the V-ACT’s mind. Blood, gore, a destroyed Hummer scarred by bullet holes, an Umbrella Corp. truck not too far from it, splattered with blood from the men who’d been occupying it that now spread out on the ground, torn to shit with intestinals flayed apart. Rino and Darcy, crimson coated, hugging each other forever as they’d died in each other’s arms from a spray of M-16 rifle shells. Danielle, his face exploded open.
Rino … Rino Rino … Leaning against a tree with a journal in one hand, his free palm pressed up against the hole in his chest that was pouring rivers of blood. Claw marks; Bites, all across his neck, his legs: hints of a Hunter attack.
“I’m infected … “
“They’re … “ Scarlet started to talk but froze, frowning.
“Scar- … as a human- … as a member of S.T.A.R.S. … “
“Just … “
“ … kill me … “
Claws entangled around one of the Virulity Twins; A sadistic grin spreading across lips long silenced by a genetic insanity; Eyes widening with a king of warped pleasure as the trigger squeezed tight in her grip, spurring into motion the deadly magnum round locked in the barrel’s place; A fireworks explosion of gray matter-
“Waitin’ for meh back at HQ, izall,” Scar told the ghostly Rodriguez, fully believing the words she said and forgetting their horrifying ends …
No response.
“Roddeh?” she called, glancing back and forth. All her looking told her the same thing: he was gone without a trace. Subliminal sadness, deep understanding … knowing of what was what broke through the madwoman’s glimpse and she fell on her rear, hugging camo-clad knees to her chest. “Rodrodroddon’leave … “
One hand found something hard in her trench coat pocket. She pulled Rino’s journal from it, eying it with mindless speculations. Hugging it, the Juggernaut rocked back and forth a broken creature with no past and no future worth working towards, but here she pressed on. And through the dismal mood came a small chortle that heightened into a pointless mass of laughter that brought her precious little tendon of reality closer to snapping permanently.
--
“What do you mean you lost them?!”
Though normally cold and calculating, precise in his work and never failing to succeed even in the most trying of occasions, Tillor was actually quivering in his boots. The Umbrella scientist in a white lab coat was never so frightened as he was when beholding Albert Wesker’s presence just short of two feet from his face, snarling with outrage that a mission had gone wrong and the objective deemed incomplete. He bowed his head, mousey black hair falling over bespectacled eyes.
“Well, sir …,” he stuttered, trying to explain. “We-uh-we lo-lost contact with team Alpha just short of their last call. There has been no word-word from them since.”
Wesker’s knuckles cracked, his frown reeling back to show pearly whites of grinning displeasure. “I want them found, no matter the cost-“
“-But sir, they vanished right off of radar-!”
“It doesn’t matter, do you understand?!” snapped the blonde man. He was in Tillor’s face now, leering into the man’s eyes with his sunglasses that were worn so frequently that they may as well have been super glued to his face. With a final guttural growl, the boss man drew back, cracking the knuckles in hit man gloves. “The Juggernaut is too valuable to be lost in some kind of ether. She would be an asset of greatest importance to The Organization. She must be obtained and contained as soon as possible. With that fragile little mind of her’s, it’d be too great a loss for her to lose all symptoms of intelligence before we can … medicate her.”
Trillor hesitated. “But sir-“
“No ‘Buts’. Contact the U.B.C.S. and inform them of the situation. I want the area they were last seen in combed to the very last grain of sand.” When Trillor didn’t move from his spot, Wesker yelled sharply, “Move!” and the scientist was gone.
Albert gave a huff, pacing back to his terminal chair. Sunglasses gave off the glint of the many television screens lining his office, all displaying reports from other operatives, top secret plans, genetic modifications and stats of genetically altered monsters and B.O.W.s of all sorts, shapes, and sizes … including one of a post-six foot Crimson Head alteration with claws and a deadly lust for blood, tempered only by her seeming humanity and seething hatred for all things Umbrella or similar to them.
“Scarlet, Scarlet, Scarlet, what will we do with you?” Wesker purred, stroking the screen with sweet tenderness. “You keep getting away from me, just when I’m about to seize you … “ A grin. “No worries, my dear. Shortly, you and I will be standing on the same ground.”
Gloved fingers roped about his glasses. He pulled them off, a humored gleam of madness spreading about the yellow orbs with slitted pupils.
“I assure it.”
The laugh was proliferating.
</center>
"We all change, when you think about it, we're all different people; all through our lives, and that's okay, that's good, you've gotta keep moving, so long as you remember all the people that you used to be."