[IC] MnM 3e - Hunter the Reckoning

[Sakuro]

Alan and Angela: Friday 23, July 1999, late afternoon
Angela makes her way to the door. Grasping hold of the knock her turns it and pulls the door. But it doesn't open. At least not right away. It takes a couple hard tugs before the door swings open. The woman's path impeded, however. Standing in the way is a pale skinned black clad teenager with black painted lips.

He looks normal, even if his style of dress leans towards the gothic, but Angela can feel that his very existence is wrong. Yet when she glances out into the hallway, she can see that he is the only thing blocking line of sight between her and a security guard in the hallway, looking up and down the length of the hall while a second searches a nearby room. Angela's attention is pulled back to the teenager in front of her as he speaks in a droning monotone with just a hint of an Australian accent.

"Ms. Skyking. May I have a word with you and Mr. Darwin?"


While Angela goes to the door Alan opens the half gallon jug of 'Liquid Green', as he had dubbed it. He smells cherries and oranges open letting it breath. He pours himself a glass, using a plastic cup at his bedside. Then steeling himself, he brings the cup to his lips and tips it back, pouring it into his mouth. When the fluid hits his tongue he can taste cherry and and orange. The cherry was dominant with an acidic highlight from the orange juice. It was good. If you liked fruit juice.

As the green liquid settles in his stomach there is a moment where something inside of Alan screams out to resist. To expel the thing he had invited into his body. It was wrong. It was delivered to him by an abomination. But Alan needs to know. He accepts the unnatural concoction into his body. He lowers his guard and invites it to take root inside of him. And then ...

Alan's wounds be not suddenly vanish. Instead he feels a surge of alertness and energy. Like imbibing a potent energy drink. His neck wound, and the score of cuts he'd earned from shielding Hugo not long ago, are still there. They still hurt. But despite them he feels ready to go. Ready to do and act on the world.

While Alan considers the results of the leap of faith he had taken he hears a possibly familiar voice at the door.


Henry: Thursday 22, July 1999, evening
Henry and some friends had been partying at the beach during the early portions of the evening. Hot dogs were roasted. Beers drank. Stories told and music listened to. Someone even had a guitar and played a few songs while others sang along. Or at least that is how it was supposed to go, more or less, in Henry's mind. Reality fell flat.

First, no one showed up on time. That wasn't too bad. But the entire event seemed to go wrong. People just weren't in a good mood. Some were sullen. Others complained about little nothings. One fellow, Mike, showed up already drunk. Mike was the sort of guy who got angry when he was drunk and he wound up picking a fight with his ex, a fellow named Leo. Things spiraled from there and the party ended before it really even began. Everyone wound up leaving early. Henry had a fire though and the sun was setting. You couldn't take that beautiful sight away from him.

[mrdent12]

Henry Santos
HP: 1
CND: Fine


Henry cut another slice from the remaining steak on the long metal skewer that he grilled for the rather depressing get together. Based on Mike being wasted and Leo almost getting into it with him, things could have gone worse. It was nights like this where he missed heading down to the beach in Dubai for a feast or partying all night until the sun started to come up on the beaches of Rio. That life was so long ago for him though. Tonight, it seemed, people just showed up for the one thing he could make well enough. The churrasco style meet. Isabella said it was the one thing he could cook right and Carlos had even given him an old gaucho knife to make it. Give likely wasn't the right word. Isabella was pissed at him for keeping Henry late on a rough negation with a Japanese conglomerate, so he had to make it up to her.

Beer in hand and slice of meet on his plate, it nearly felt right. Only nearly. It didn't change the fact he was stuck in Oregon of all places out of duty and most of the time had to put up with mostly American type food. There was evenings like the current one where it was beautiful. His heart longed to go back to Rio though, the one place he could never go back.

Sipping the beer one more time he tossed the empty bottle into the cooler with only a few beers left, Henry sighed. Ernesto needed him, so he had to stay. Life just felt boring to him being stuck in one place too long. So much of the same and so little of the different. His heart was torn between caring for his grandpa and hitting the road again. Past clients were calling, but he had to stay for now.

[Sakuro]

Henry: Thursday 22, July 1999, evening
As Henry finishes cooking his meal and begins to finally enjoy it a cold wind blows in from the ocean. Bone chilling cold and strong enough that he has to lean into the wind to keep from becoming unbalanced. The winds had picked up suddenly and without warning. Stranger still, the waves have not increased in intensity. The san has not been kicked up, by the wind, and none of the items at his fire sight even stir in the wind. It is only Henry who is affected by the freezing wind. As this realization dawns on him the young man sees the form of a child crawling out of the water about a hundred feet away. Long hair wet and plastered at her back. He can just barely hear the sounds of her crying from where he is.

[jmucchiello]

Angela Skyking
HP: 2, Status: Normal
Friday 23, July 1999, late afternoon

"What are y--... What do you want? Get in here." Angela says to the thing at the door. She pulls, if he allows it, the man into the room and closes the door softly. Turning around she wonders what Alan was just doing. "You were holding the door closed. Why?" She says to the man.

[mrdent12]

Henry Santos
HP: 1
CND: Fine

Henry: Thursday 22, July 1999, evening

He couldn't be that drunk. Wind without anything else being blown about? Three beers over a few hours were nothing too him and yet he was feeling a cold wind and almost being blown over while nothing else was effected. Humans could dismiss a lot, and Henry nearly dismisses the wind if not for the sound of the the girl coming out of the water. Most of the people had left a bit ago, so where did she come from? He didn't recall seeing any boats out or a little girl running on the beach with her family. Then again, he was lost in his own thoughts for a while, so maybe he missed something. Either way, it didn't matter. There was a little girl out there crying.

Putting his knife, plate, and the long skewer down he strains his eyes to see if he can see anything distinguishing about the girl. She might be hurt or need help. With the possible wind, she might even need a jacket or something to keep warm. He would give her a towel or something if he had it, but didn't think to bring one. As he started to make his way to her, he waves. "Hello! Are you ok!", Henry said trying to talk over the wind.

Percepton 9, blind as a bat

[Sakuro]

Alan and Angela: Friday 23, July 1999, late afternoon
When Angela takes hold of the youth he grasps her wrist and levers it with one hand into an uncomfortable angle that gives him control over her arm's mobility but does not cause pain. Then he gently guides her hand away from his personal space before releasing her. Only then does he step inside.

"Timing."

... is his response to her question about why the door had been held closed. Moving further into the room he leaves Angela to close the door. Stopping near the center of the room he absorbs the space visuals, seeming to scrutinize everything in the room. Including Angela and Alan themselves. Briefly he pauses at the vase of flowers Blane had brought for Alan. Then he looks between Angela and Alan as he begins speaking.

"My name is Michael. I saw you and Mr. Darwin being chased down the hall by a pair of security guards. I am here to determine whether I wish to offer you my help."

There is a brief pause to allow the pair to consider what he had said, then he offers an inquiring prompt.

"Would you like to tell me why you are being pursued?"


Henry: Thursday 22, July 1999, evening
Moving closer to the girl Henry picks up on the scent of water briny water logged rotting meat and the smell intensifies as he draws closer until it becomes difficult for him to keep his most recent meal down. He can feel that she is wrong. Her very existence is wrong. The feeling was one of extreme repulsion. She shouldn't exist. As that feeling rouses in him the girl turns her head to look up at Henry. It is white and drained of like. Water logged. Pieces of skin on her exposed arms and face a sloshing off. A a small crab crawls out of a hole in her cheek ... and she sobs.

"Why?"

... is all she manages to say past the tearless sobbing. Her voice small but full of pain.

[Doctor Malsyn]

Alan T. Darwin
HP: 5
Status: Curious even still, -2, Dazed
-{o}-

He flexed his hands, considering the sensations that filled him. Did he expect his wounds to magically heal the moment he drank the substance? No, of course not. As far as he was aware such a thing was still utterly unfeasible, and the young man had even told him as much. It would help him recover faster, not immediately. Though this energy he felt was very peculiar.

The Lotus Manual was already in hand the moment he finally noticed the commotion going on just at the door. Had the security tracked them down after all? No. It was the very same being who'd given him the substance earlier.

"Michael. I didn't expect I'd see you again so soon." Out of courtesy, he set his journal aside to muse on it later.

"...We saved a little boy from something strange. Our efforts weren't as well received as we'd have hoped."

[jmucchiello]

Angela Skyking
HP: 2, Status: Normal
Friday 23, July 1999, late afternoon

Angela locks the door as Alan greets this thing. Michael? She has her back foot braced against the door to keep it closed. Her eyes remain fixed on Michael, her stance defensive, prepared for an attack.

"You know this.... person?"

[Sakuro]

Alan and Angela: Friday 23, July 1999, late afternoon
Gives Alan his attention when he speaks. There is no prompting or pressing for further information. He merely listens. When Angela speaks up his storm cloud gray eyes slid over to her. Michael does no interject, rather allowing Alan to respond and provide whatever explanation he chose to. After both have finished saying their peace Michael speaks up again.

"As time is pressing for the two of you, I will choose to trust that your intentions with this child were noble. Later, however, I will know the details surrounding this event."

Where initially the dark haired teen had asked for information that Alan or Angela wanted to share, now that they had brought up the issue of a child being in danger, he was no longer asking. It he was stating a fact. He would find out what happened whether they told him or not. Despite the tense situation for Alan and Angela, Michael was calm. His expression stoic and posture relaxed. After a moment of quiet and looking into an empty space in the room, Michael eyes moved between the yoga instructor and the forensic analyst.

"Do you ... both of you ... wish for me to intercede on your behalf?"

[Doctor Malsyn]

Alan T. Darwin
HP: 5
Status: Curious even still, -2, Dazed
-{o}-

Alan watched him for a moment, seeing him both as he looked while acknowledging him as something... Different. Michael didn't,act like a normal human teenager, even one nature for his age. It made him wonder if there was something about his biology that led to a longer lifespan, or something else that'd prompt his mental maturity like this. Details he can try to uncover later.

Crossing his arms, the man looked upon both other occupants of his room. "He's the one that met with me before here in the hospital. Now.... Putting aside what you'd do if we agreed, why would you offer? You're... Aware of what we went through. That's all there is, as far as I've seen."

[mrdent12]

Henry Santos
HP: 1
CND: Fine

Henry: Thursday 22, July 1999, evening

Henry stopped dead in his tracks. Several thoughts and realizations ran through his head all at once as his brain tried to piece everything together. She was rotting, yet she talked. She was dead with creatures living in her, yet she moved on her own power seemingly. She smelled like something that had died, yet she wasn't dead. None of it made any sense to him. Every fiber of his being told him it would be a good idea to run. That is every fiber except the one that drove him to travel in search of new places.

She? It? Whatever wasn't a place so much as an oddity. Fight or flight is a natural human instinct and Henry was one the verge of flight. He very well may have went for his knife and tried to fight if she seemed like she was going to lunge at him. This was all before she said "Why?". What kind of dead thing does that? He searched his mind and came up blank. So, he responded with the best he knew how. "Why what? Who did this to you? Is there anything I can do to help you", inquired Henry tossing everything out there to see what stuck. All the while he was slowly backing away.

Taking 10 on insight for a total of 20
Current Events 24 if he heard of any drownings or dead girls in the news

[jmucchiello]

Angela Skyking
HP: 2, Status: Normal
Friday 23, July 1999, late afternoon

Trying to keep things short, Angela says, "First, there was a wraith-thing sucking the life out of the child. It had to be stopped. Second, what would intercession by you look like? And third, as Alan asked, why would you intercede?"

[Sakuro]

Alan and Angela: Friday 23, July 1999, late afternoon
When Alan crosses his arms and begins posing questions to Michael, he receives a hard look from the youth. One that serves to remind Alan that he is in no position to interrogate him, or even negotiate. The harsh look wanes over a few seconds and rather than act or speak right away, Michael appears introspective. When Angela speaks up curtly he looks to her. A subtle nod of acknowledgement is given when she said that a thing hurting a child had to be stopped.

"Then I applauded your bravery and desire to aid someone in need. Though it is always a bad thing to destroy a spirit of any kind. It creates a wound in the world that can never be healed."

Michael lingers on that, allowing each part to consider the seriousness of his words. After a spell he moves onto address the concern for what kind of action Michael may take to remedy their situation.

"You only need know that no one will be harmed and you will not have to fear action from the authorities."

With that it becomes evident he has no intention of divulging details. Michael appears unrushed, taking his time to speak at a pace of his own design. Despite this, Angela can hear the pounding of fists on doors outside as the guards draw closer. Moving from room to room in their search. But it does not take long for Michael to speak again. This time it is with a question of his own, and as he initially poses it he takes the time to regard both Angela and Alan for a time.

"Are you familiar with the story of King Arthur? Arthur's land is in a terrible state when he is made King. It is beset by warring factions, raiders, and rampant banditry. When he receives Excalibur and becomes King, Arthur does not take up court and play politics like other leaders at the time. He travels the land. He takes it's troubles upon himself. Arthur also seeks out knights to aid him, and together they fight off the raiders, they subdue the bandits, and in time they unite the realm's factions."

"I am looking for knights."

The teenager pauses there, allowing Angela and Alan to absorb the the story and his final declaration. However bizarre it may have sounded, the stoic youth appeared serious.

"If you place yourselves in my service I will see to your needs and you will have my protection in matters such as this, so long as your intentions remain noble and you do not go out of your way to cause discord."

When he says 'this' Michael gestures to the door Angela had he back to, indicating the guards that were drawing nearer.

As a reminder for Doctor Malsyn, Alan sees more than Angela. To him, Michael does not look entirely normal. He has light gray veins instead of blue and there is something like a heat haze surrounding him. As though he radiates heat or energy that cannot be felt.

Henry: Thursday 22, July 1999, evening
The unnatural wind dies down when Henry begins to actively interact with the corpse of the girl. But the cold of it seeps down to his bones and stays there. Chilling him. A drive permeates him. Pushes him to act, to do something. When Henry asks 'why what?' he curls inwards defensively. Her voices is small and timid.

"Why would you hurt me?"

Then, as Henry backs away her head snaps up as though he had threatened or attacked her. Her limbs move in awkward unnatural angles as she raises to her feet. There are a series of pops and cracks as she moves, walking towards Henry now. A jagged broken bone pokes out of her thigh.

"Why don't you love me?"

She sounds sad now. The expression on her colorless white face imploring. Her arms reach out for Henry. As he draws further away from her she grows more agitated. Her sadness turns to an expression of anger. Then she screams, but it isn't the voice of a little girl that comes out. It is deep, resonate, and inhuman.

"WHY?!"

It is so hard for Henry to read what is going on with this thing. But as Henry tries to get away from it, it is starting to become hostile.

As for recent events, there was a report of a girl that went missing about a week ago. The pictures look similar to what Henry can see of this corpse' face. Minus all the water logged deadness, and things living inside of it. The missing girl's name was Tabitha Garth.

[mrdent12]

Henry Santos
HP: 1
CND: Fine

Henry: Thursday 22, July 1999, evening

Despite the urge to vomit and seeing possibly a living corpse of a girl who drowned a week ago, Henry felt that fiber which was in the vastly overwhelmed minority grow. Given her slowness, he could probably get his knife and finish her. That or run. Instead, he did what he would do in any situation when running into someone new. He would be nice to her.

Putting his hands up and palms out, he stopped moving backward. "Tabitha right? I saw think i saw your picture in the paper. My names Henry.", began Henry trying to deescalate her. So far, all he saw was a child who drowned and was confused. The last scream unnerved him, but still he had to try words. "I didn't mean to be hurtful to you. I promise. They said you went missing in the paper. Children should never just go missing and maybe end up in a bad shape. I'm sorry about what happen to you. Do you want to tell me about it?", asked Henry in the nicest voice he could muster given the situation. Maybe, maybe, if she would calm down she might find some peace from the torment she was feeling.

Henry didn't have a family of his own. He passed on that when he left Rio. In his travels, he had sen many children though and inhuman as she may be, if he fled she might chase. While he could get physically away possibly, his heart would be breaking. In Morocco, he faced situations where fleeing meant harm and fighting was stupid. Talk worked then to make everyone understand each other. he had to hope it would work this time.

Persuasion 25 if needed

[Doctor Malsyn]

Alan T. Darwin
HP: 5
Status: Seeking Answers, -2, Dazed
-{o}-

"Knights," Alan almost laughs, freeing one of his hands to flex it in front of his face, noting the recent bruises left behind from such a close encounter with the entity. "You seek knights out of someone left mostly bed-ridden and a woman who until a few days ago only had to worry about breaking a nail during a particularly intense workout-"

A cringe crosses over his face, and he regards Angela with a brief look of reproach. "Sorry, I don't really mean anything by that. All this has just been- ...A stressful experience. Traumatic in some ways. Yet we're still standing, still able to think rationally. Perhaps that's why you're seeking us out then."

Sighing, Alan picks up the journal again, casually flipping through it's pages. "Fine. I want to know what's going on with this world, figure out just how deep these shadows seem to actually be. We tried doing this by ourselves, but it's clear we're not going to get far enough to even glance at the lightest of shades. There are things we'll need to discuss, assumptions that need to be cleared up, clarifications noted. For one, you look at me like I'm an insolent child while wearing the face of a teenage boy. There's a story there, one I'd really like to hear."

A glance towards the door, where security is encroaching upon even now. "Later. Once things have calmed down enough for such talk."