Arida
Day 2: de Mon Castle

"Maybe I will have some tea," Vange stood. She walked to the mantel and fixed herself a cup, adding sugar and cream. She hoped the caffeine and sugar would wake her up before she said anything she'd later regret.

Returning to her seat, she let out a bitter chuckled. "When Chris and I were together, we always had to remind each other that we could trust one another..."

Day 1, Post Supernova, Diabolis

Jason said goodbye to the kid whom he collided with, brushed his jacket off and went over to inspect his bike, it would need to be repaired but nothing major happened too it, compared to what could have happened. He grabbed his CB radio and prepared to give his boss the bad news however, when he clicked the button he got nothing but static. He cursed and spit on the ground and then he grabbed his bike and righted it and began to roll the motorcycle off the road.

It was then when he noticed the complete silence, no cars were running. No factories, Nothing. Just people talking, it sounded weird, even alien. Jason looked back at the boy with the SUV who just shrugged and leaned against his car. “I’m going to check this out” Jason said, running across the road to an apartment building, going to the alley way he grabbed a fire escape ladder and began to climb.

When he finally arrived at the top of the structure, he took a look around. Everything was out, not a single light was on in the city “This is messed up; the whole system could never fail. Only a Nuclear EMP could do this much damage “Have we been freaking nuked? That’s impossible!” with those worried words he began to rush back down the fire escape, half way down he slipped on some water and stumbled over the edge with one final curse he fell more than thirty stories to his death.

— 11 AM, Day 2 —
Parksville, Erbaine
Palisade National Park
Woods Near Lui's Cabin
"I'm. . . I'm right here, Lui," Terra called weakly, coming up behind her cousin from the direction of the cabin, her face almost as green as the scar spiraling around her forearm. She was shaking.

"I-I couldn't help it, I had to go back and put out the fire," she said, her voice wavering. She didn't mention that she had put out the fire by using roots to sling dirt over the flames until they were snuffed out. Everything was just too weird.

"You. . . went a bit—a bit w-wild in your wolf form for a while. . . you weren't yourself, and I c-couldn't control you. L-Loretta was gone, and I just. . . I just couldn't leave them to d-die," she stammered, her voice soaring an octave higher than usual and her eyes were prickling with tears. "I had to go back, Lui."

She swallowed and gave herself a little shake.

"They're... they're all right, I-I think they'll be all right," Terra said, repeating the words as if to convince herself they were true, and looking as if she were going to be sick.

"They were all unconscious, but still breathing, and I treated their wounds the best I could. . ." She placed a hand to her forehead and closed her eyes, as if trying to steel herself.

Terra knew a lot about first aid because of all the time she had spent away from urban areas and their state-of-the-art medical care, though she had never treated burn wounds like these.

Out in the wilderness, you had to be prepared for anything, including serious injury, but she was afraid what she had done wouldn't be enough. The men had threatened them and left them no choice but to fight back, but they were still human. They had been wounded, badly, and mostly by accident from the consuming fire and the weakened structure of the cabin, but Terra and Lui were still responsible.

She didn't want to entertain the possibility that they. . . might not make it. She did not think she could deal with that.

Terra shook her head. She had done what she could for them; now she had to take care of Lui and Loretta. Whatever happened, the men would be found and the bizarre struggle that had happened at the little cabin in the woods would be discovered. There would be no doubt that something very strange had happened there. Investigators would figure out who had been involved. And there would be a bounty on their heads.

The smell of smoke in the air was choking. This was it. There was no turning back after this morning.

They were fugitives now.

"I left some food and water and medical supplies in case they come around, and dragged them to the garage, which hadn't been touched by the fire. . . the military should come looking for them when they don't report back, and I don't think they are going to like what they find."

Terra gulped, then took a deep breath.

"I got my backpack and as much food and supplies I could fit into it, as well the shotgun. What should we do? People must have seen the smoke from the fire, and they'll be coming to find out what happened! Military reinforcements could show up at any minute. We have to get as far away from here as possible. Where is Loretta?"

(OOC: Yah! Supernova's back! )

Day 1, Arenico, Diabolis, Sturgeon Family Apartment

Flame twisted his neck to get a look at his back. Sure enough, red wings were sprouting from his back. Now that he knew that they were there he stopped flapping his legs about and focused on his wings. He steadied in mid-air.

"Wow Flame, that's cool," said Harry.

Flame had too agree. With a joyful cry he swooped up in a loop. He then began darting all around the room. Harry watched him open mouthed for several minutes until. . .

"Flame! Watch. . ."

Too late. Flame had bumped into a glass sitting on the counter. It wobbled for a moment, then fell in slow motion onto the floor. SMASH!

"W-W-Whoops."

Harry closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "I know it was an accident, but I think now would be a good time to stop."

The lizard stayed still for a moment, then said "I was getting tired anyway," and landed on the counter. When Harry walked over to him (careful of the glass) he could see that the red scales on his back which had given Flame his name were gone. When the skink folded his wings back up they looked just like those scales.

"Well, the good news is, as long as you don't extend them, no one will know they're there. I'd better go get a broom. Here's your food." He set down the bowl of greens and stepped out of the room. Flame glared at it for a moment, took a few bites, and set the rest on fire. With a laugh he flew off.

Day 1, Arenico, Diabolis, alleyway

Legion found a dead end alley to sleep in. He lay down at the back while Sally stood near the front.

"You need to sleep," he said.

"I'm your bodyguard, aren't I?" she retorted. "Someone has to stand watch."

"If your near the front, anyone who wants to hurt both of us are going to go for you first. You'd probably make enough noise for me to wake up and help you, and if you're seriously injured I can absorb you like you want. And if they for some reason ignore you, sneak past you, and killed me without touching me, you can touch me and resurrect me. I need you to be wide awake tomorrow."

She lowered her ears in submission. "As you wish Legion." She lay down and closed her eyes, but Legion couldn't tell if she truly was going to sleep. Figuring that she was at least getting more rest than if she were up and actively gaurding, he shut his own eyes and fell asleep.

Day 2
Parksville, Erbaine
Palisade National Park
Woods Near Lui's Cabin

Lui stared at the rubble of her cabin, a new wave of nausea coming over her. Beside her, Terra was speaking, but Lui was hardly registering the words. Her thoughts were running wild and it was as if she was thinking as two now: human and wolf. Usually, as herself, she would stay and help, talk to the authorities, but her animal instincts were telling her to do one thing and one thing only: Run. As fast as she could.

She turned to face Terra. "Now. We have to go now."

Without wasting another second, she sprinted toward the thickest part of the woods.

Day 2: Burg
Lawrence Manor, late night/early morning

After returning from the industrial district, Malcom and Selena had gone their separate ways to clean up before meeting in the study to discuss a possible partnership.

"... I mean really, you don't expect to be able to protect the whole city, do you?" Selena said setting her glass on the table by her chair. "Of course, I guess I could take one side of Burg and you could take the other. Then we could constantly be at each others throats for crossing into the others territory."

Malcom smiled at the "election speech" his female acquaintance had been giving him for the last few minutes. Turning from the fireplace, he addressed both Selena and Jennings, who was standing by the door. "So, you two are afraid I'll get in over my head with this vigilante thing, right?"

"You're already in over your head..." Selena cooly replied.

"I must say, I agree with miss Browning, sir. It would be most advantageous to have someone "on the field", so to speak, to assist you. I can only do so much from here and besides, I was never one for thrill seeking."

"I wasn't expecting you to do anymore than you already have, Jennings." Malcom said with a chuckle. "I'm personally surprised you've stuck with me this long..."

"Thank you, Jennings. You see, your right-hand man agrees with me. You need me out there with you. You need help out there. We both want to help people and currently, Burg needs all the help it can get." After making her last push for a partnership, Selena leaned back into the overstuffed armchair and straightened the collar on her nightgown.

After a minute long pause and another sip of his beer, Malcom made his pronouncement. "Alright. I'll accept you as my vigilante partner. You can stay here with us so you don't get picked-up anywhere." Before Lawrence could finish, Selena had bolted from her chair and was giving her new partner a tight hug.

"Thank you! I promise not to get in the way, you'll barely know I'm here."

I doubt that... Lawrence thought, but on the outside simply gave the girl a pat on the back and forced a smile. "This only on a trial basses, though! So don't mess it up..."

"Don't worry, I won't! Thanks again, Lawrence." With that, Selena said goodnight to Jennings and retired to her room.

"She's going to be the death of me, Jennings. I just know it." Malcom muttered cryptically before taking a final swig of his drink, setting the empty glass on the mantle.

"More likely to be yourself than miss Browning if you keep drinking like this, sir." The butler said as he gathered the glasses on his tray. "Is there anything else I can get you sir before I retire?"

"No, but thanks. I'll be going to bed soon as well." Lawrence said as he rummaged through some mail on his desk.

"Very well. Goodnight, master Lawrence."

"Night Jennings..."

— 11 AM, Day 2 —
Parksville, Erbaine
Palisade National Park
Woods Near Lui's Cabin
Terra watched her cousin disappear into the underbrush like she was wearing camouflage. She shook her head, feeling uneasy; she didn't think Lui had heard half of what she had said, and although she was back to "normal" now and no longer a wolf, there was still a wild, hunted light in her eyes. . . although she could not blame Lui for feeling hunted at this point.

Terra bit her lip and set off into the woods, following her cousin's path.

Day 2, Judicia Suburbs, Warren's Home

At the very moment the door was shut Warren’s leg buckled and he dropped to his knees. Letting the yet unconscious Haley tumble to the floor, for his arms felt like lead. All of that adrenaline was gone and his world began to spinning around him, closing in at every rotation. The feeling was oddly like being stuck in a barrel and rolled down a steep hill; suffocating and dizzying all at once. At last Warren succumbed to the pain and blacked out, for how long he wouldn’t know.

When he finally awoke from his blood loss induced slumber, he was laying on his back upon the kitchen table, In his boxers

“The heck?” was Warren’s first response and then he noticed the multiple bandages upon his body; the largest one was around his upper thigh where he had badly cut his leg. “Haley?”

“Oh good, you are awake” her voice wafted to his ears from across the room “How you feeling?” Warren shifted his head over so that he could see her “Aspirin, third shelf from the top… Please?” the throbbing in his leg was nearly unbearable, he wanted to cry. But he couldn’t, not in front of her.

Day 1
Judicia, Erbaine
Laramie's House

(Note: please ignore some info from my last post for this guy, which I mean the dying family and goin' to sleep stuff; I'm kind of on a cleaner slate here)

Leon braced himself as he slowly opened the door to his neighbor Laramie's house. Nervously adjusting his pair of sunglasses, he tried to speak calmly and clearly. "Hey, Laramie. I realized I didn't even think about how your family was doing, so I came to see how all of you were doing. Nothing seems exactly normal anymore, to be honest, and if anyone got hurt, I might force myself to jog a few miles. Believe me, it's what I do in situations like this."

He gulped and prepared to say something else, but hesitated when he noticed the scene he had walked into. Liam and Laramie were glaring at each other tensely, and if he wasn't wearing his sunglasses, he suspected he would see smoke in the room. For a moment he considered taking them off, but faltered once the horrible reminder of earlier hit him.

"Hi, Liam. I didn't know you would be in here." Leon tried to smile, but imagined it look weak. He didn't know Liam very well, but had always found him a bit intimidating to be around. Of course, Leon knew he was a person with a hard past who didn't like to get too close to strangers for a long time. As far as he could tell, maybe Liam was a good guy. "Are you doing ok as well? I-I guess this is weird, coming out of a person like me, who often says little to you unless Laramie is around. Er, not that I mean I don't like seeing you around, but I guess I'm closer to Laramie than you."

Wow, I must look like a crazy weirdo. Just the thought made Leon shudder. They had no idea. Turning to Laramie, he asked "I've obviously made a fool of myself by barging into your conversation like that. I'm also pretty oblivious to what's happening around me unless it makes a fascination story." He groaned. "Seriously, I am sorry. I haven't been feeling very well after that incident earlier today. I bet you and Liam haven't been experiencing any feelings as bad as mine."

Arida
Day 2: de Mon Castle

Candi nodded.

"...and then he abandonned you?" she said softly. A second later she shook her head. "I'm sorry, I should not pry into you personal matters, my dear. I just... I want the Estate to be a safe place, or as safe a place as possible. The government is losing control and cannot promise people safety. They have no resources like I do. But with a little work, I could promise that."

Day 2, Palisade foothills

Cameron was about halfway up the fuselage of his plane when a large red crested bird landed on his right hand fingers. “You’ve got to be kidding me!” he said, wiggling his appendages in an attempt to shake the bird off. That seemed however, only to enrage it and the bird began to peck on his hands “Get off you stupid bird!”

I am not stupid, jerk face!

“Wait what? Well, this is just great, lets review the past forty eight hours, I've wrecked my plane, broke my leg and now, now I’m hearing things!”

Oh great, you are one of those, fine, I’ll prove it to you! Jerk.

With that, the bird burst into flame and proceeded to burn Cameron’s hand, this forced him to release his grip on his aircraft. As he fell he braced himself, preparing for the intense pain that should have arrived. But it never came, instead there was only darkness.

Mmmkay, that wasn’t supposed to happen… Wait! Hey, get back here! Since when can you hoomans fly? Whoa, am I on fire? Oh crap! Put it out, get back here and put it out you big oaf! HEY. I said... Oh wait, he can't hear me. He's blacked out. And flying. THIS IS SUCH A BAD DAY!

If someone in the distance had been watching, it almost would have been humorous. A fiery bird and an unconscious air-force pilot floating off into the distance, except for the fact that after the events of the last two days, it was almost normal.

Arida
Day 2: Near the Convent

Xandria had slowed down considerably once she entered the woods, since the very advantage of the woods (that they were dark, and thus she was less likely to be seen) also meant she couldn't see anything, either. She looked down through the darkness at the little boy that was with her. He was holding her hand with an iron grip, tentatively picking his way through the trees. A light mist began to fall.

"Xandri, I'm scared," he whispered. Xandria nodded, swallowing her own fear as best she could.

"It'll be alright, we'll be there soon," she replied as cheerfully as she could. "The sisters will have warm food and cookies waiting for us."

He nodded. "Carry me, please." Xandria stopped and leaned down to get him, then groaned as she picked him up.

"What's wrong, Xandri?"

"Just...been walking all day. My legs hurt, that's all." She smiled. "Come on, let's get there before it starts raining much more, k?"

"K."

Xandria kept on, doing her best to continue walking in a straight line, hoping that she was not walking parallel to the wall. The steady rain was making it hard to walk. Whenever she stopped walking, her legs would stop hurting, but the moment she started moving again, it seemed her muscles were tearing away from her bone. She realized her breath was getting ragged, and she was panting.

This is ridiculous. I'm a professional swimmer. I shouldn't be struggling to breathe like this. Doubt began to swirl through Xandria's mind. Was she having a panic attack? Had she been shot, and just didn't realize it? She shouldn't be stumbling like this. Xandria shook her head and gulped for air, and began forcing herself to count her strides and match her breathing to her step.

Her breathing began to even out as focused on counting and walking, but the pain did not go away. She stopped and leaned against a tree, hugging the little boy close.

"You're all wet," she said, looking down into his big dark eyes, then began wriggling out of her cardigan. "Here, wrap this around you. We'll be safe soon. I promise."

He looked up at her, his eyes big.

"You sure?"

"I promise. I promise...." Xandria leaned back and closed her eyes for a moment. "I promise."

She shifted his weight and began walking again. Her steps were growing smaller and smaller and it seemed to take every ounce of strength to put one foot in front of the other. Xandria began to count her paces again, when her ankle gave way, sending both of them sprawling in the mud. Xandria groaned and sat up, reaching down to check her foot.

It was then that she realized she didn't have a foot anymore. Xandria stared, trying to see through the darkness. She wiggled her toes, yes, she could still move them. But they weren't there. She crawled over to a nearby tree and propped herself up against it, putting the little boy in her lap.

"Here, love, lean against me," she said quietly. "We're going to rest here for a bit, then we'll keep going, ok?"

"K."

Xandria waited until his breath evened out and she was sure he was asleep. Gently, she searched her cardigan for the lighter she had picked up the day before, then tentatively flicked it on where she could see her legs and feet. Her surprise made her jump, and she barely stifled a scream. The boy stirred, but didn't wake. It took Xandria a few more minutes to muster the courage to find the lighter and try again. Finally, she did.

"Oh dear Lord...I'm a mutant...."

Last post here

Day 5, Quadrant 9
11:13am, Q9 time
Isolation wing, room 349

The lights, the wires, the heating, the pipes, her own breath.

Hali lay face-down on her bed, exhausted from her sleepless nights and the blow to her head. She shuddered, fighting the cold tingling in her mind. All she wanted to do was pass out and find refuge in sleep, but the ticking, the beats wouldn't stop. Her brain felt overloaded by the headache.

The lights, the wires, the heating, the pipes, her own breath.

"Argh! Just switch off, will you?!" she screamed. Her voice echoed hollowly against the bare walls of her cell. I have to fight it, she thought, muffling her sobs with her pillow. I'm not a freak. I'm not.

The lights, the wires, the heating, the pipes, her own breath.

Too tired to try anymore, Hali broke down and let her tears flow freely. I'll never see my sisters or my dad, or Becky and Elise. I'm a prisoner. There's no way out. No way out... "Someone help me!" she cried. Only the flickering of the fluorescent lights answered. As her strength gave out, for the first time since the Supernova - how many days ago was that? - she surrendered to the pain and the ticking.

Instantly, her senses changed. Instead of perceiving random waves of pain, the ticks arranged themselves into ordered mental pictures. Her face still buried in her pillow, she could see the room, see the electricity running through wires in the walls, feel the air rushing through pipes to reach her vent, see the very movement of her lungs and heart. Hali sat up slowly, her cheeks wet with salty water. She felt as if she had been blind her whole life and had just now opened her eyes.

The lights, the wires, the heating, the pipes, her own breath.

She had been fighting against a gift all this time. She gave a shaky laugh as she turned around and around, staring not with her vision, but her mind's eye. She could see through the walls to the wires in the hall outside. No one was there, but she could see it. Feel it, with every atom of her being.

"I can see." she whispered. And she laughed again.

The lights, the wires, the heating, the pipes, her own breath.

-Day 2-
Middle of Night, Parksville, Kingsley's house

Previously...

[Jenny said] "I promised myself that I would do everything I could to prove his innocence to the world. But I kept doing other things, telling myself I could do more when I grew up, and now I can't….all the other things I did in my "spare" time when I could have used it like I should have!"

Angie could find nothing to say to Jenny. This wasn't because she was unsympathetic to her new friend's plight; instead, her own might-have-beens and regrets were heavy on her mind.

They had been so close to adopting a baby when the supernova had struck, and now that was gone - at least for the foreseeable future. And Angie had no illusions about things being restored any time soon. Their dream of a baby boy, a little brother for Grace, had died when that second sun had lit the sky. A few tears made their way down her cheeks.
-----

It didn't seem like a dream at first. Dan was walking down the streets of Parksville, hand-in-hand with Angie; Candy and Grace frolicked ahead of them. It seemed so realistic, yet with that strange ethereal quality dreams sometimes have. It was hard to tell, but something in the lighting, the colors of the trees, and even the air itself said months had passed, yet the streets were as empty as the day they'd arrived in town, shortly after the supernova.

His attention was torn away from the paper when his wife shrieked unexpectedly. He turned quickly, really seeing her for the first time. How much time has passed? he wondered. And what’s going on? For she was pregnant – very pregnant - and her face was twisted in agony.

"This baby's coming now!" she managed to gasp.

But it's way too soon, Dan somehow knew, even as he rushed to her side to help her gently down to the pavement. Grace looked up at him, her eyes wide. "Get Holly, Daddy! Please! Holly and me can save Mommy and my brother!"

Dan jerked awake, his blood rushing in his ears. The room was dark and unfamiliar. Gradually he became aware of a sliver of moonlight illuminating the walls and furniture, and it all came back to him. He was at the Norwoods' home, and nearby he could see Angie - not pregnant. She seemed to be crying, and he gently gathered her into his arms.

Day 2, Middle of Night, Parksville, Kingsley's house

Jenny inhaled sharply when she realized Dan had woken up, and once again tried to shove her feelings back down. Telling all this to Angie was one thing, but she didn't want to cry in front of more people then she had too. Volt eased back onto the ground as Jenny sat up, wiping her eyes as best she could. "Er, sorry to wake you Mr. Baxter."