Riverside 16: Turn and face the strain

[Shadowcaller]

[Eastside Hospital]

The hospital has four wings and the ruins of what once seems to have been a separate part of the hospital. It appears to have burned down for some reason. The first thing they may notice however is the smell, there is a strong rachid smell in the air but it's source is nowhere to be seen. Yet they feel the strong sensation of being watched by something, or perhaps it's just their imagination. This place does evoke a natural sense of dread even there isn't anything supernatural going on.

[Northside Hospital]

Obriane and Kitty (and maybe Kanya of she chose to come along) will be taken here and rushed into intensive care for their injuries. Unfortunately it's pretty crowded at the moment to they're put in the same room until something opens up. Obriane doesn't seem too unhappy about this fact however, now she at least had someone to talk to. It can be assumed Kitty has already gotten basic treatment on the way over here so her wound should be bandaged up and whatever ambulance personnel do to treat a wound like that.
As they're left alone for a bit Obriane slowly turns her head to look at Kitty. "Are you... okay?" She asks dizzily.

[Gullara]

[Northside Hospital]

Kitty is tired. So tired that the only reason she's staying awake is because of the pain. "Not really." She grimaces and suppresses the urge to shift over to look at Obriane. Those pain killers better kick in quick... "I'll be okay, though." She adds, only to reassure Obriane. Not because she feels it.

[Solidarity]

Once, a long time ago, Okami had actually met Trucido and seen his weapon.
He brings this memory to the forefront of his mind and widens his eyes...this would be dangerous.

He sets Atsuko down on Spook and barks a command.
The shewolf would run ahead with the little girl, and the remaining three wolves would deal with this oncoming threat.

At this point, Okami's claws are unsheathed, and the hair on the back of his neck is tense, likewise with his canine companions.

The Kei-Jin crouches low, preparing to pounce.
Hold fast, friends...we outnumber our opponent, just stay away from his weapons!

Leaving Southside - The Pack

The laughter ceases abruptly at the crux of the charge, when the sith warrior making a beeline at the wolves takes the strange looking staff to slam it into the ground, launching the acolyte over the group and toward the females with the Force. Where once would've been a bloody clash of burnt fur and torn skin ending the charge is now a crater in front of the Alpha, flinging dust and hunks of debris forward at them, almost masking the now soaring white and red blur.

It's unlikely even with his velocity that he'll land in front of the woman and child that'd gotten a head start, though unless the pack thinks quickly, they will soon both be in great danger. Such danger to loved ones might cause some people to react irrationally. Kei-Jin and his pack will be tested appropriately.

[Deathkeeper]

Eastside Hospital

Tep looks about the place. How drab. He shouldn't underestimate whatever's here, but really, it's a bit hard to find any mortal place terrifying when you were born in Hell. Tends to make you a bit jaded.
"Well, there's definitely something here. Though I admit, I'm quite lacking in terms of definite leads. Where should we start, Mister...?" says the demon.

[Aric Kale]

Leaving Southside - The Pack

Spook races on, not daring to look back, though she is jolted by the force (haha) of the sudden crater.
Flitter leaps into action, instantly reacting to Seyren's maneuver and teleporting between the fleeing females and their foe. He takes a step forward, growling fiercely.

Sure, he could die, but better it be him than the child...
Trace is a bit out of his element. This wolf is a tracker and a warrior, but still only a canine. He has no defenses or tricks against a lightsaber.

As for the Wolf Sage, when the staff hits the ground and energy spreads out in a shockwave, tearing up the earth, he responds with a backflip, avoiding the worst of the damage and landing on his feet, turning around to face the back of the Sith.

Boy! He barks, Your fight is with me...

[Solidarity]

Leaving Southside - The Pack

Spook races on, not daring to look back, though she is jolted by the force (haha) of the sudden crater.
Flitter leaps into action, instantly reacting to Seyren's maneuver and teleporting between the fleeing females and their foe. He takes a step forward, growling fiercely.

Sure, he could die, but better it be him than the child...
Trace is a bit out of his element. This wolf is a tracker and a warrior, but still only a canine. He has no defenses or tricks against a lightsaber.

As for the Wolf Sage, when the staff hits the ground and energy spreads out in a shockwave, tearing up the earth, he responds with a backflip, avoiding the worst of the damage and landing on his feet, turning around to face the back of the Sith.

Boy! He barks, Your fight is with me...

Tumbling in the air, the acolyte lands on his feet, directly next to Flitter as he blinks within range. Up this close, the canine would be able to see into the glazed, manic red eyes of their predator. Bloodshot, with his pupils and irises erratically vibrating, seemingly unable to focus. Hesitant for the millisecond he lands, the assassin quickly adjusts to Flitter's sudden presence and attack.

He opts to let the wolf bite his staff forearm, letting the dense, lead-like material take the brunt of the damage. He doesn't look it, but the boy is heavily armored. His eye twitches as he feels his ulna bend and bruise under the clamping maw.

"Hah! Why don't you tell that to your beloved MUTTS!" the warrior screams as he launches a knee at the pharynx of the canine attached to his arm during the emphasis. "Scum have no honor, and the weak have no shame. Both are hypocrites, but even prey have names. What is yours, fearless leader? I'd like to know what to write beside your epitaph."

He half turns to glare at Okami, smiling all the while.

[Murkus]

[Eastside Hospital]

In places like this, a feeling of being watched is never your imagination. "I think it's seen us already, Mister, ah... mister..." Sticks realizes neither of them have given a name yet. The tall man isn't solely at fault, at least, but it's still very impolite. "Sticks. I mean. I'm called Sticks. And you are?"

"I think it'd be best if we investigated the centermost point of the hospital. If an evil presence has a place of mystical locii, a focusing ground, it is sometimes at the literal center of the affected space. If not there, it's often in the place where an atrocity occurred, or where the presence first took root..." The tall man moves forward, looking for an entrance to the ominous hospital. He is not afraid, he tell himself. A wizard fears nothing but himself. He ought to fear for his foes... or so a wise master of the destructive arts once advised him.

[Deathkeeper]

The Hidden Mansion

"You may call me Tep, Mr. Sticks. Your reasoning is solid. If the center isn't it, we should probably try the morgue, or some of the rooms where operations took place. Likely places for shades and beings of misery to be born from the dead, or for a being to stir them up from their rest."
Tep tries to get a feel for the presence around him as Sticks looks for a door. For obvious reasons, were it the work of a demon, he might be able to recognize it, but he doubts he'll get any clues beyond that just from the atmosphere.

[Aric Kale]

Tumbling in the air, the acolyte lands on his feet, directly next to Flitter as he blinks within range. Up this close, the canine would be able to see into the glazed, manic red eyes of their predator. Bloodshot, with his pupils and irises erratically vibrating, seemingly unable to focus. Hesitant for the millisecond he lands, the assassin quickly adjusts to Flitter's sudden presence and attack.

He opts to let the wolf bite his staff forearm, letting the dense, lead-like material take the brunt of the damage. He doesn't look it, but the boy is heavily armored. His eye twitches as he feels his ulna bend and bruise under the clamping maw.

"Hah! Why don't you tell that to your beloved MUTTS!" the warrior screams as he launches a knee at the pharynx of the canine attached to his arm during the emphasis. "Scum have no honor, and the weak have no shame. Both are hypocrites, but even prey have names. What is yours, fearless leader? I'd like to know what to write beside your epitaph."

He half turns to glare at Okami, smiling all the while.

The Pack - Leaving Southside

I am the Okami Kei-Jin...he growls, dashing forward with three long steps.
The speed with which he moves is stunning, though someone with Seyren's abilities may be able to keep sight of him.
Who are you to speak of honor, fiend?
When he is within range of the warrior, Okami jukes to Seyren's nonstaff side, attempting to duck under his arm and slash under his armpit.
Flitter whimpers pitifully as the knee slams into his throat, causing his eyes to widen. He won't let go this round...not just yet.

Meanwhile, with his packmates on either side of Seyren, Trace lunges forward, his teeth seeking out his opponent's face.

[Deathkeeper]

Streets of Eastside

A taxi cab arrives on the corner of First and Jones, exactly as scheduled and requested. It pulls over to the curb, and waits for its appointed passenger.

[Recaiden]

[Leaving Southside]

Atsuko holds closely to her packmate as they run away. The little child is wailing and crying at all the shouting and yelling and force-crashes.
This really is a bad place.

[Lost_Deep]

Bus to Inside

A number of people get on the bus. Some of them don't trust the riftline. Some don't like that you have to go out of town to get to the riftline. Some just like busses. What matters is that it's a bus to inside, leaving soon. It's not all that full, but there's a few people on it.

Sitting in the back is one girl in paritcular, and given her tote bag and suitcase she's leaving for a while. She seems to be napping, and might be noticed for her short-sleeved shirt and shorts despite the weather.

[Devixer]

Bus to Inside

One of the last people to board the bus is Cassidy, who's also not really dressed for the weather. She's wearing the same black jeans and tanktop as she always does. She grabs a few coins of some currency she barely knows, and uses them to pay the bus fare before heading to the back of the bus, where only the coolest people sit.

She looks over the napping girl, before leaning over to poke her shoulder. "Hey. You up? Don't wanna miss your stop, right?"

[UncleWolf]

Eastside

When the cab gets there, it'll find a middle age man with gray hair, a slouch hat, and workman's clothing. His face isn't very memorable either, but he gives a small wave when his ride comes and he'll slip into the back.

Lotus Gardens

When Cessie and Quinn realize they've been teleported, they'll find that they're both in the Lotus Gardens' park and it's raining heavily. Even though it is storming though, no rain is hitting them as the rain hits an invisible barrier above both of them. Jezebel is nearby, allowing the rain to hit her as she looks up with her eyes closed. Oddly, there's a smile on her face. "Apologies for the quick transition. There's not much trouble a MagClone can cause."

[Lost_Deep]

Bus to Inside

"The bus hasn't moved at all since I got on," the girl says, "there's no way I've missed my stop yet. Between-city busses always take their sweet time." All the same, she straightens up, and looks Cassidy over.

[The Bushranger]

Lotus Gardens

When Cessie and Quinn realize they've been teleported, they'll find that they're both in the Lotus Gardens' park and it's raining heavily. Even though it is storming though, no rain is hitting them as the rain hits an invisible barrier above both of them. Jezebel is nearby, allowing the rain to hit her as she looks up with her eyes closed. Oddly, there's a smile on her face. "Apologies for the quick transition. There's not much trouble a MagClone can cause."

Quinn stumbles slightly, not having anticipated a teleport, and takes a moment to collect herself as she blinks in surprise, before slipping her sword away once more.

"...I think we could have handled him," she says, sounding mildly annoyed, perhaps, before taking a deep breath. "But you're right. And it'd be more embarassing for him to be defeated by Mikani than me," she admits, unable to help a soft giggle as she looks around.

[Deathkeeper]

Streets of Eastside

As the passenger enters, the driver turns from her seat. She's a thin woman with almost unnaturally clear skin and dark red hair, currently in a braid, along with a pair of curly goat horns on her head and long white goat ears. She's wearing a black collared shirt and black jeans to match. Her eyes are oddly reflective, though she gives a kind smile to make up for it.
She's also a bit large in the chest, but that's not really notable for anyone who isn't thinking perverted thoughts, or more importantly, for anyone who saw her a short time ago and would remember that it's not how she looked before. Though, really, you'd probably note the horns first. Hopefully.

"Where to, sir?" she says simply.

[Devixer]

Bus to Inside

Cassidy looks the same as she always does. Her tanktop does little to hide her toned body, and does nothing to hide the tattoos across her arms. "Yeah, that's nothing like the buses back home. You're five secs late, then you're screwed, time to wait forever for the next one."

[Lost_Deep]

Bus to Inside

"I don't understand people who are all, 'the buss is stopping for five minutes? Better go to a restaurant!' I mean, if the bus leaves early, that's not cool, but... come on. You likely won't even be through the line by then," she says with a shake of her head "On the other hand, I'm from New York. People would riot in the streets if the public transit didn't run like a well-oiled machine."

[Devixer]

Bus to Inside

"Hey, you're from New York? I'm from Seattle," Cassidy says. Sure, she's from the Seattle of a magic-torn future, but those are really just details around the Nexus. "I've met like five people from Earth since I got here."

[Lost_Deep]

Bus to Inside

"Yeah... I've met a few people like that, but to them spider-man was fiction, so.." She shrugs. "Being from earth doesn't seem to be as unifying as it would seem."

[Devixer]

Bus to Inside

Cassidy grins. "I don't even know who spider man is," she says. "Sounds like some monster from an old movie."

[Lost_Deep]

Bus to Inside

the girl, curious, leans back a bit. "Well, either you're from the future, the past, or our worlds are even more different than mine is from the other earth natives. What year are you from?"

[Devixer]

Bus to Inside

"It's 2072 for me," Cassidy says. "Probably '73 now." she shrugs and offers her hand. "Name's Cassidy."

[Lost_Deep]

Bus to Inside

"Well, there's your issue. I'm from 2014." She accepts the handshake. "Mira Cover."

[Devixer]

Bus to Inside

"That'll never not be weird," Cassidy says as she shakes Mira's hand. "So Mira, what's bringing you over to Inside? You look like you're gonna be there a while."

[Ionbound]

[A Letter]

A letter arrives at the Burning Light Cathedral, addressed to one 'Ms. Azare'.

Spoiler: The Text of the Letter

Show

Ms. Azare, I regret to inform you that I will, in fact, be needing your testimony in front of the Riverside City Council if we want to shut down this shop. Please meet me at Eastside Park so we can discuss specifics.

Sandy Brown.

[Lost_Deep]

Bus to Inside

"Call me curious. And I have yet to settle in anywhere over here, so it's no issue to up and move," Mira says. "Maybe I'll like it enough to stay, you know?"

[Devixer]

Bus to Inside

Cassidy shrugs. "Heck, that's as good a reason as any." She picks this moment to actually sit down, across from Mira. "Not like I ever stayed in the same place, even in the megaplex."

[Shadowcaller]

[Eastside Hospital]

In places like this, a feeling of being watched is never your imagination. "I think it's seen us already, Mister, ah... mister..." Sticks realizes neither of them have given a name yet. The tall man isn't solely at fault, at least, but it's still very impolite. "Sticks. I mean. I'm called Sticks. And you are?"

"I think it'd be best if we investigated the centermost point of the hospital. If an evil presence has a place of mystical locii, a focusing ground, it is sometimes at the literal center of the affected space. If not there, it's often in the place where an atrocity occurred, or where the presence first took root..." The tall man moves forward, looking for an entrance to the ominous hospital. He is not afraid, he tell himself. A wizard fears nothing but himself. He ought to fear for his foes... or so a wise master of the destructive arts once advised him.

The Hidden Mansion

"You may call me Tep, Mr. Sticks. Your reasoning is solid. If the center isn't it, we should probably try the morgue, or some of the rooms where operations took place. Likely places for shades and beings of misery to be born from the dead, or for a being to stir them up from their rest."
Tep tries to get a feel for the presence around him as Sticks looks for a door. For obvious reasons, were it the work of a demon, he might be able to recognize it, but he doubts he'll get any clues beyond that just from the atmosphere.

[Eastside Hospital]

There are two visible entrances into the hospital. Two large older-looking wooden doors next to each other and then a more modern sliding door. Except it's not sliding anymore. Instead someone has smashed the glass to gain entrance so there are shards all over the entrance. Otherwise one could attempt to enter through one of the many smashed windows, indeed, even the wall is smashed at some places. That last part looks fairly new too.

[Northside Hospital]

Obriane looks like she's going to reply when she suddenly turns her head towards the door and gasps. The next moment something moves into the room like a big black blur. The doors are slammed shut as by their own accord the head of a creature that looks like a mix between a snakes and a wolfs appears out of the blur, it's long forked tongue slides out, tasting the air with a drawn out hiss. The being looks between Kitty and Obriane, it's eyes glowing with a intensity that would be hard to match. But then it opens it's mouth and utters words that shardply contrasts with the burning hatred in it's eyes.
"I'm not here to hurt you." The voice is barely restrained, like it could unleash a roar or just throw itself at their throats.
It then pause and for a moment only it's heavy breath can be heard, like it needs to calm itself down.

Outside Kitty and Obriane can hear someone attempting to open the doors which doesn't exactly seem to calm the creature before them's nerves. It's really breaking apart mentally by just seeing the two. "LISTEN! You need to understand what I will do. What I am." Three huge snake tails manifest out of the darkness and blocks the door. "My name was- is Miriam. I was human once, just like you are now." The creature laughs a hollow, almost painful laugh. "Funny isn't it? It's almost like we're in opposite positions now, you and I." 'Miriam' says as she stares hatefully at Obriane. If they object it won't listen, it's voice powerful and intense enough to easily cut through theirs. "But you, you aren't human, whatever you might hide behind you are just a monster. A monster that you made me into. But not before you removed everything I loved of course." She breathes out again in a low huff. "But you made a mistake when you made me remember, when you didn't think I would ever be a threat since I could never hurt you..." The creature moves closer to obriane, it's tongue moving up and down into a hiss. "Since what could I do to a monster that doesn't care about anything or die? You wait until it does..." It's voice trails off as Miranda's tongue disappears into her mouth once again, which closes into a big wolfish grin. "I will take vengeance for all that you did to me, all you did to the others. Even if I can't kill you I will make you suffer just like you made us." She laughs like a maniac, all pretenses of sanity shattered in an instance. "First I will kill your father, then your mother, then that little offspring they left... and whatever else you learned to hold dear during your joytrip into the human world." Miranda turns to look at Kitty and grins like a chesire cat. "Then I will kill her when you come to stop me." The creature then backs away. "So hurry back to your parents. I won't be killing them until until you're there so I can make you watch, or until I grow bored." She then giggles childishly before her head disappears into the black blur that makes up her body along with her tails. The doors burst open as hospital personal rush in as Miranda simply makes her way through them, disappearing out of sight.

Lotus Gardens

Cessie herself look rather surprised. Could Jezebel simply teleport her with but a thought? That was faintly worrying, what was also worrying was Quinn's attitude towards her daughter, but she would try not to judge. "...back at Lotus Gardens?" The sorceress breathes out, the sudden change in location rather jarring for her. "You could have warned us, Jezebel."

Eastside Park

Azare arrives here, dressed up in some more casual t-shirt and jeans. She didn't wear that fire warden robe all the time. She looks around for Sandy.