End of the World: Game

[Vell]

when all else fails: shove the truth in their face.

I have to be real. I can touch you, I scratched you, and no matter how good at healing yourself become, that thing's going to scar. my sword you picked up. Real. you can't harm an illusion. where's Sarah, huh? or John? if I shoot them, the bullet with go right through them, and hit whatever is beyond them. but I shot You, and it hit. now come on, at the least let's go see your sister so you cna prove to yourself she's Real. you're right, I am liable to trick you, but aren't your illusions just as liable? The mind fools best itself, boy. they can fool you easy because they Are you, and you know it, just figments of your mind on the brink of insanity, and if you don't accept your going over the edge, and fight it while it is weak, it'll take you over completely. and then you will never be able to go back. never be able to accept that you might have killed your sister. come wiht me, child, or next time we meet, I will have to kill you to protect your sister.

she hoped that wouldn't incite a rage response. she stood back just as far as she was, and took her hand back.

[Fallen Angel X]

Kaishou looked at her in distrust. She really did make sense but then he'd have to live with the fact that he may have killed his beloved little sister. That was something he couldn't accept. His thoughts and emotions were waging war with themselves. He really wanted to believe Tia but that meant taking responsibilitiy for his actions. Not something he wanted to do. His head suddenly had a sharp stinging pain go through it. He collapsed on the floor. A few seconds later he got back up. He had an intense crazy look in his eyes. He was out for blood.

No more! You've ruined my fun and now you'll die. I warn you I'm much more fierce than that coward Kai.

He shifted his form into a rhino.

[Vell]

that didn't sound like the boy. so his name was Kai? well. this would be interesting.

she muttered something about dragging him out to see his sister so he could acknowledge what he did.

worked for her. back then, when she first left, it was an accident, but it'd worked, and she never went near it again. but it still left her very different from the naive person she was once.

sighing, she dodged to the right, and fired a few quick bullets into the rhino's side.

the kid was a damn fool. she drew her sword, and kept it ready, still pumping bullets into the Rhino.

Kai recovered fast from stuff. she found that out while tending to him. she didn't do all that much.

so. who are you? Sarah? John? someone Kai didn't tell me about? or was Kai a hallucination and you the real one? it is difficult to tell the difference. anyway whoever you are, I will drag Kai back to his sister by his unconscious cuffs if need be; he can heal successfully fine on his own. I swear, you'll not keep that boy's body as your own whoever you are.

Tia dodged down the subway stairs, and jumped in a parked never-to-be-used again subway train.

a Rhino would have a tough time being very successful inside a subway train.

[Fallen Angel X]

Kaishou was possessed by Sarah. She wasn't very patient and wanted to finish this quickly but Sarah's opponent was a stubborn one. For now Sarah would remain in a human form but not Kaishou's form. Sarah began to laugh maniacally.

What's to say? I'm his killing instinct made real. But you can call me Sarah. But that doesn't really matter because soon I'm going to find you and torture you to death. After all, I hate chasing trash like you.

Sarah's human form walked clumsily. She wasn't adapted to walking in the real world. It didn't help either that her mind was in a struggle for control between Kaishou and John. She'd have to adapt quickly or Tia would be able to pounce on her easily. She changed her form again, this time a leopard. This was the form that represented Sarah and as such she was more comfortable with it.

Y'know idiots like you piss me off. I'll make sure you die a slow death.

[Vell]

so. Sarah. Killing instinct. no wonder she was so influential with the man.

well Sarah. I have a proposition for you. lets fight a duel, no tricks, no dirty-handedness. I'll even put my sword and gun down. and you take the form of a half-animal. as I'm a half-wolf. I want to show you that yo are just a hallucination. let me guess. John is what represents Kai's sanity, the him his sister remembers, or atleast a part of it, right?

she remembered hallucinations. vaguely. she didn't remember much from that brief stint with insanity.

Tia couldn't help laugh.

I'm no fool, you're the idiot. accept my duel, run away, or give Kai his body and leave him sane, or you won't much like the alternative.

Tia was wary. she wouldn't let it show, but she knew that Sarah would likely be very hard to fight. she didn't have enough of an attachment to Reiko yet that she would feel a lot of remorse over killing her brother in this situation, but Tia knew well the difficulty of fighting a battle where you want to win, and weaken your opponent, but killing them is unnacceptable.

growling, she broke a hole into the ceiling of the subway train, and jumped above it.

so make your decision and come at me if you want, bitch.

she used the word to refer to a wolf mother, but she knew what the opponent she faced would interpret it as.

[Fallen Angel X]

Sarah climbed atop the subway train. She changed into a half-leopard half human creature. She looked at Tia. She wasn't going to fight by her terms. After all, she was killing instinct. The instinct to kill and survive at whatever the cost. She gave Tia a fierce look and growled.

I'm no bitch you little whore.

She waited a few and seconds and leaped at Tia.

[Vell]

Tia expected that. Sarah didn't even wait for Tia to toss her gun and sword to the side.

when the half-leopard leapt at Tia, Tia grabbed Sarah's arm, and dragged her through the air, and slammed her elbow down over her opponent's back.

I'm not going easy. and I'm no whore; I only had sex once, and that wasn't really my choice. oh, but you're a bitch, quite certainly.

not really: the way she usually referred to it was too high for this girl, but the other meaning was quite sufficient to enrage her.

Killing is so attuned to rage, that Kai, near insane, might have put the two together closely enough that it could be used.

Tia was willing to bet on it.

after slamming her elbow done and as she spoke, Tia brought her foot over the girl's head and drove it as hard as she could into the top of the subway, and, using her grip on the half-leopard's arm, she sat down on her back, and twisted both arms behind her bakc, and continued twisting, then suddenly shoved the arms farther back than any arm based on a human was supposed to bend. with the added strength of a wolf, any normal person would have broken arms.

[Fallen Angel X]

It hurt. Tia was skilled alright but Sarah wasn't going to be taken down so easily. She used sheer effort to lift Tia off of her. It was a hard task lifting someone like Tia off with just the use of her legs. She shaped her bones and made a quickfix to them. She punched Tia and was about to send a second one when she was interrupted. The fool John was pushing dominance over Kaishou's body.

Tch. You win. I concede defeat this time. Do what you will with this weakling Kaishou. Kill him if you want. But no? You really are a friend of Reiko. Say hi to Koren for me then will you?

Sarah fell back into Kaishou's subconscious. The body fell and reverted back to normal.

[Vell]

inner battles. gotta love em.

in the meantime, to assure that he didn't go insane on her, while he was still unawake, she delivered a strong blow to his face, knocking him unconscious.

I have a bad feeling about this Sarah girl. and that thign about Koren. Kai, what have you gotten yourself into. and Reiko might be susceptible as well... geez. people are so hard to deal with. well. to the hopefully still unconscious spy.

she dragged Kai's unconscious form back to where the spy lay. she was still there, fortunately. Tia wasn't sure she would be. from there, she punched the spy also, and carried both people to the hospital.

Blake. this is Reiko's brother. he's insane. keep a watch on him, and if he starts talking about a John or Sarah or starts calling people idiots or being annoyingly rude, knock him out. and we might need to be a bit wary of Reiko as well. Sarah is the dangerous one, if you think she starts taking over, do whatever you can to restrain Kai. thats his name.

after making her report, Tia sat down in a chair, and looked at Reiko, who somehow was attached to an IV, and had something over her wound.

Tia hoped she'd make it. fully mentally intact.

[Blulightning]

Blake was confused as to what Tia meant. Sarah? Reiko dangerous? He would have asked, but Tia looked exhausted. He was too. He'd managed to hook Reiko up to an IV and bandaged her wound. Once upon a long time ago, he'd wanted to be a doctor. Benjamin had changed that...

Blake stood and walked to the two new comers. The girl was fine, or so it seemed. The man... Was a mess. Blood streamed down his face in rivulets. With a sigh, Blake carried him to another room, and cleaned him off. He bandaged the cuts as well. He noticed a few straps used for seizure patients, and strapped the man down. Just in case.

[Vell]

Tia called out to Blake.

He can morph too, so restraints on a table won't do much. bring him in here, we'll just have to keep a close eye on him. Sarah, the insane part of Kai over there, told me to say hi to Koren for her. I don't know who Koren is. I'm assuming it's like Sarah, an insane part of Reiko. they're brother and sister so it'd make sense. lets hope my reasoning is flawed.

after all, what if Sarah IS whatever gave Kai his powers? what if Sarah IS the infection? what if it is Sentient? might Koren be the name of the thing inside Tia? or Blake? maybe the spy over there.

and then she remembered to tell Blake.

oh yeah, Kai heals extremely fast. those wounds i gave to him just before coming over here.

Tia sighed. she so wanted to give over to sleep. but she couldn't, and she'd had practice.

[Blulightning]

Blake shook his head at Tia.

I don't know who Sarah or Koren or whoever are. I do know that Kai can shift, but he needs medical attention regardless of his ability to heal. *pause* Listen... I know I was really rude before... And I never really thanked you for saving my life... So.... Thanks, I guess.

Blake walked to Reiko's bed, and shifted into a mouse. He scampered up to sit next to her wound so he could keep a watchful eye on her.

[Fallen Angel X]

Kaishou stared into the ceiling of the room. He wasn't in the subway anymore. For now however he had time to think. His head pains were gone, for now atleast and he could think straight. He could hear voices near the room but he was to exhausted to check. That and he'd rather reflect. At the moment, he wanted to say sorry to Rei but he didn't have the resolve to face her. He also thought about his situation. He'd remain silent if they asked him anything. An instinct told him that. They weren't completely trustworthy but he was indebted to them for caring for his younger sister. It was clear to him he wouldn't be able to have the same relationship with Rei though. He was in deep thought when his arm started to hurt.

Augh...

[Vell]

your welcome, and thanks, but don't get too comfortable there. Sarah overtook Kai's mind and I seriously think something similar might be planted inside Reiko. remember that time Reiko collapsed? I remember a few insane people who seemed to faint and woke up thinking some deity or another spoke to them. a few. most just had dreams that sunk them further into insanity.

but she'd never seen a hallucination take over the mind of one and attack. much less talk back.

I suspect theres an inner battle with crazy going on in him. and slowly he's decided to give more to the fight, and less from other stuff. its odd, but as you do that, you actually become more insane. or so I think i picked up. my memories from when I lived with people seem to be coming back. i don't want to remember a good deal of it.

some of that started coming out with a snarl.

suddenly Tia felt very small in the face of things for some reason.

she tossed her head, which would have tossed her hair over her shoulder when she had some, but now it was replaced with fur, which only ruffled a bit.

look Blake. the spy I don't even know yet. Kai's definitely insane, Reiko might go insane if anything Sarah says can be trusted, and if Kai means anything to shape shifters, at best it could mean you'll just go feral. and I'm a half-wolf. I snarl and growl already; will I go all Wolfed out on you guys? insane people tend not to realize it when they go even more insane.

Tia didn't understand it. she'd been backed into walls before and she's always kept her cool.

she didn't trust easily: she never did, especially not after what happened.

but, right now, she felt that, despite everythign she usually required, she'd have to trust Blake, and Reiko.

even though they might just go crazy on her at any time. or her on them.

she sighed. words were useless to explain the complexity of everything.

[Blulightning]

Blake was confused. Who was Sarah? He decided he didn't need to deal with it right now. Tia looked uncomfortable with the conversation. He curled up into a ball and collected his thoughts.

This is what I know:
1. Most of the people I know are dead.
2. I can shape shift.
3. I have met 4 others
4. Three are unconcious, and one is a wolf woman
5. One can shape shift like me, and is possibly insane
6. One is a young girl, who might be crazy too
7. I don't know anything about the other woman
8. I am in a hospital
9. I am a mouse
10. The girl might die.
11. The other shifter is her brother.
12. The wolf woman thinks I might go crazy
13. She thinks she might go crazy.
14........

Blake drifted into the realm of sleep.

[Vell]

Tia wondered if she wasn't a bit insane already. the boy Blake had nodded off, and Reiko was still unconscious. at the very least, if humanity was to survive, she thought those two needed to survive. she'd protect them, and trust them. if only because she needed too. in truth, though she didn't admit it even to herself, she thought of the two as cubs, and she the mother wolf.

[Fallen Angel X]

Kaishou got up. He headed towards where he heard voices and saw Tia. He had to apologize to her as well. She wasn't someone she could trust but he had a sense of decency and honor to say sorry. He looked around around a little more though. He saw Rei lying unconscious in a bed. Had he done that to her? He failed in his oath to his parents. On his parent's graves he had sworn to protect Rei forever. In his mind he couldn't forgive himself. He looked around a bit more and saw an unconscious lady. He approached Tia.

Hey, Tia look I'm sorry about earlier. I wasn't quite myself.. Listen I wanted to talk to you..

He still had a small recollection of what happened when he fought Tia in the subway.

[Vell]

Tis motioned for him to sit on the chair Blake was in before turning into a mouse.

apology accepted. I'll listen to what you have to say and talk, but first, I need to warn you about Sarah. She's dangerous, don't listen to her. I think Reiko will understand; I do, I smelt that whatever when you saw her. so, what did you want to talk about?

Tia hoped the boy could be saved. Reiko definitely held him highly. she also was exhausted; she hoped she could take him out again, but Tia had fought him multiple times that day, it seemed.

she waited for Kai to respond.

[Fallen Angel X]

Kaishou felt kind of relieved. He half expected her to yell out "He's awake!!" and fire her gun at him. Luckily that wasn't the case. He had a couple things to ask Tia. For whatever reason his instincts told him she was dangerous but in his heart he felt as though she could be trusted. He knew something was up in his body. For now he'd side with his heart and go out on a limb and trust her. He spoke in a soft and gentle tone.

I had a few things I wanted to ask. I don't know how she got here but she's here now and that's something I can't help. But is she safe with you guys? Can you promise me nothing will happen to her? I'm asking this becau-

His head throbbed slightly and he paused for a second to rub his temples in an effort to calm it down. No luck however and it continued to throb. He continued to speak.

because.. I don't think I can stay here. This is my business and plan to settle it elsewhere. If you ever need me I'll be in Toronto Canada.

[Vell]

Tia sighed inwardly; that was good.

be wary of those headaches. and I promise I'll do my best to protect your sister. don't get upset but I think Blake is starting to see her as a sort of sister. take care of yourself. make no mistake though; you are dangerous. i stick to my promises. if, when I see you next, your are too far gone in your insanity, or if Sarah has you, I will kill you. and know this: Reiko will carry guns. we all will. because we don't know what we'll meet out there. just be wary. much longer with your features getting all screwy, and I'll not recognize you, nor your sister. fare you well, Kai.

Tia stood up, and picked up her sword.

it was still a little messed up from what Reiko did to it.

hey, your sister did this to my sword, think you can do something to fix it?