[PLAYER PLOT LOG] you can fight this all you want

[groupiedrifter]

CHARACTERS: Everyone opting into the Kaiju player plot!
LOCATION: The Train to Vrefesea
DATE: The very end of the mission.
CONTENT: Newton Geiszler, fully possessed by precursors, attempts to wipe out the Ximilia crew and get to the station to retrieve the orb — by borrowing some of the orb's power to raise a miniature kaiju, of course! How else do you try to kill your meatsuit's friends and take what's obviously yours? (Please read the mod's mission conclusion as well, as it contains information before and after this player plot!)
WARNINGS: Likely will involve blood/violence, potential mentioned NPC civilian death, and possession; any additional content warnings will be listed in anyone's top levels!




I. YOU BETTER RUN LIKE THE DEVIL | (KAIJU ATTACK PROMPT)

"Oh, screw it."

There's a vivid burst of light in front of Newton — a cacophony of energy around him that brightens his eager, manic expression. He talks to the mysterious glow, his smile wolfish, predatory. "Lend me some of that sweet power of yours, and I'll make it worth your while. Enough destruction to feed on for lifetime after lifetime. I know just the planets we can visit. I even have the perfect means of travel in mind to take over. What do you say? The Ximilia's really cozy. Help me get to you in Vrefesea, and we'll strike you up a fresh new bargain...!"

The orb is nowhere on the train; it's many miles away, and yet — it's power is here, and there's little room for doubt: it has given Newton Geiszler a fraction of its power. Before anyone can push through the force that has been created, it's too late. The ethereal light pops like a bubble in front of him, expanding to blind those in the train cars nearest to him.

If any crewmembers of the Ximilia are close enough and make the choice to lash out at him, what weapons they have on hand will not meet Newton's skin; their blades or bullets will bounce off a resilient set of thick, reptile-like scales. As the train shakes uncomfortably, rattling their bones and flickering the lights, a long-tailed, bi-pedaled beast bursts out of the light itself, created from thin air and shielding its master from harm. The sharp spines that line the back of the beast's head scrapes gashes into the ceiling of the train car, and its barbed tail whips around with enough strength to break bone, smashing into windows and letting unpleasant gusts of wind into the long line of cars.

It is a kaiju.

Just like the creatures from Newton's world that he'd spoken of many times aboard the Ximilia — smaller and more compact here, but no less of a nightmare when you're literally powerless. And despite Newton saying nothing to it, it seems to know exactly what its purpose is. The beast looks straight down the walkway ahead of it, toward orbers and confused civilians approaching from the back cars... and begins its wild assault down the middle of the train cars. Newton has already fled in the other direction — toward the front of the train — and as he goes, the kaiju lets out a battle-cry that rattles abandoned glasses before it lunges toward whomever may be unfortunate enough to be in its warpath.

You'll need to think fast or fight hard; the kaiju is creating chaos as it goes, and the passengers are all in peril if left unguarded. Likewise, many orbers don't have the means to fight, and must simply run and survive... to do what they must to get out of this without the beast's massive claws slicing through their skin or its tail snapping bone. It will not hesitate to try and take anyone too slow or bold in its mouth and shake them like prey, throw them aside, and move onto the next target. The kaiju's goal is clear: it is here to kill and damage, to keep them all at bay for their master.

Those who can manage it may dodge around the beast with some fast moves, or tucking away into corners to be passed over, left to be able to hide safely in the debris and chaos... or give chase to Newton. The others who fall back? Must fight it, as well as defend the train's passengers, many of which scurry toward the back of the train in a mad panic.

Luckily, the kaiju is not all-powerful: if a weapon is lodged between its scales, the pointed ends can be wedged in deep enough to draw blood and do real damage... and the softer underside of its long, alligator-like jaw can be pierced after many foolhardy attempts, but be careful: its blood is a terrible corrosive. If it meets one's skin and isn't removed very quickly, it will leave an awful burn where it falls, one that will worsen until the thick substance is wiped away and left to slowly corrode elsewhere.

Eventually, the creature will be taken down. Try not to get killed before then.

[PROMPT NOTE: The two selected characters from the plotting post's RNG may create a thread together to kill the kaiju; the takedown will happen at the very tail end of the player plot, of course, but feel free to start in any time! Everyone else is more than welcome to land blows on the kaiju or find themselves running, harmed or attempting to save civilians and orbers.]


II. SPARKS AGAINST THE RAILING | (OPT-OUT OPTION)

But not everyone will even know what's happening, in that moment: those who are further back in the train cars will be concerned by the distant jolts of energy making the train cars tremble, until an even larger jolt that knocks them to their knees — followed by the smell of smoke. If they make their way through the doors that bridge one piece of the train to the next, they'll find themselves stopped suddenly short... when they open the door and find that there is no next train car to greet them. No walkway that leads to a new door.

Instead, they look down to see railroad tracks submerged in ocean water.

And further up the tracks? The rest of the train is speeding away, leaving them behind.

As the backend of the detached train they're stuck in slowly rolls to a helpless stop, an inspection will reveal what must surely have been a bomb of some sort that had been detonated and completely blasted through the train coupler. Can't really keep moving if you're not coupled to an engine anymore, can you...? The orbers and passengers on these last few cars will be mortified to realize they're stranded — and there's no catching up to what sounds like the distant sounds of monstrous roars. Indeed, it looks like everyone trapped there will have to simply hope that those left aboard the speeding train will return for them later. And for the orbers: they'll have to hope that their fellow teammate will retrieve the orb and teleport them back to the Ximilia.

Hopefully with everyone in one piece. Hopefully.

[PROMPT NOTES: If you'd like minimal interaction, there's also the option of still being able to contact those involved through the network/inboxes! This is basically just an option put into place so that anyone who isn't feeling the player plot or are too busy to participate to have an easy out.]


III. SAY HELLO TO THE BRUSH FIRE | (BOMB DISARMING PROMPT)

Ah, but was that explosion the only one those left aboard the speeding train need to worry about?

Unfortunately, the answer is no.

Those who have managed to skate by the kaiju or are further back on what's left of the train will have another concerning dilemma on their hands, one of which is swiftly brought to their attention: explosives.

Explosives some of the more seasoned orbers may recognize, built eerily close to those used to blow up the pulse-fire mining tunnels on the planet Badrock. Another sample of Newton's work, something which the precursors possessing him must've sapped knowledge of to prepare before they'd even left for this train mission; those train guards really should have checked their luggage, huh?

There is a telltale timer build into the sides of the devices, giving frighteningly short windows of opportunity to be defused. Yes, if left unattended, these will no doubt finish off any of the remaining train cars, leaving them to become stranded — or worse. Derailing is not something anyone will want to happen here, nor do they want Newton to decouple the remaining train cars as he makes his way to the front of the barreling locomotive; being left behind or killed means the orb's as good as theirs.

Attempting to rip the explosives away from the spaces they've been attached will do no good, not unless you want an instant explosion to occur (and maybe some of you need to be urgently stopped before you do this very stupid thing; don't you know anything about pressure switches, friends?). But if you've got someone around with particularly skilled hands and well-trained brains when it comes to bomb disposal, you may be in luck, because they can most-certainly be disarmed by those familiar with basic technologies. Better get on that fast, team. Newton will appreciate it keeping you busy either way.


IV. KILL ALL YOUR FRIENDS | SEMI-CLOSED | (CONFRONTING NEWTON PROMPT)

'We feel you wriggling around in there, Newton,' the precursors think.

Armed with a supply of talismans from Sedorum powered by their new best friend the orb, they make their way from train to train, their perfectly shined shoes tapping urgently along the train. Most of the civilians make way, too busy cowering, but they don't hesitate to aim a handy-dandy ray gun from the Ximilia herself and shoot any brave souls who try to stop them from progressing. 'That'll show 'em.' As long as they can get this body to the first few train cars, it'll be easy breezy: the remaining bombs will detonate and decouple the rest of them to be left with a violent, murderous kaiju, they'll get to the station, and the orb will be as good as theirs... And then, of course, they'll take over the Ximilia and collect the rest of the orbs for themselves.

Easy peasy, as Newton would have said.

But the prideful creatures don't particularly expect too many of you to get through the kaiju's barrage, or the bombs planted along the couplers ... Hmm. But shouldn't they have heard some explosions by now? Surely the timed bombs weren't disabled, were they? They slide their hand into their pocket, curling Newton's fingers around the etched talismans there he'd taken from Sedorum — the last mission had a lot of benefits, y'know?

So do be careful if you're giving chase: he's more armed than he seems, and more capable of defensive attacks than some who are usually more superpowered aboard this train. They won't hesitate to shoot to kill, though you can try your best to talk to Newton; clearly this must be Newton, right? And Newton is a good man — surely he can be convinced what he's doing is wrong. Surely he will see reason and remember his empathy and better nature...!

(Oh, if only.)

But eventually, finally, with some elbow grease and maybe a bit of rough treatment, Newton will be apprehended.

Just in time for (most) of the train to roll up to the loading zone.

... Welcome to Vrefesea Station?

[PROMPT NOTES: This prompt is somewhat closed for Newton! I'll be plotting with CR and seeing who is interested in running into him and getting hurt or failing to capture him; if you're interested, feel free to hit me up on plurk at simpledog or via private message! I cannot guarantee I can involve everyone that is interested for the sake of time, but I will try my best to keep it varied! There will also be a short network post from the precursors, as well as a post-player plot log where characters with the ability to supernaturally or technically help remove the precursors from Newton's mind, so there'll be plenty of other methods of interaction if those fit your fancy! The two characters who are RNG'd to apprehend Newton in a thread will be contacted and threaded out here in a closed thread.

And that's all she wrote! Check out the mod's conclusion post to see the ending of the mission and the player plot, in which the orb is retrieved and Newton is apprehended and returned with everyone else to the Ximilia. I'll be posting a log sometime after this one for (less perilous) precursor interaction and removal aboard the station, so stay tuned for that if you're interested in being involved!

Thanks so much for everything. ♥ ]

Comments

percy de rolo | kaiju attack

[whitestonelives]

Well.

This, Percy thinks, somewhere in the distant part of his mind not currently occupied with trying to survive, is a very bad time to be depowered. He's used to feeling out of his depth when going up against monsters like this, and he latches on to that so he doesn't have to even think about this fresh wound of betrayal. He's glad the orbs already have a claim on him, because he's in a dark, dark mood and Percy in that kind of mood has not, historically, ended well for him or other people.

The barrel spins. The shot ricochets, slams into the train's walls, but it does the trick in drawing the monster's attention away from a civilian trying to scramble out of its reach. "Should've known something like this would happen," he mutters. "We've never finished a mission so easily."

Bang.

Finn - Kaiju Attack!

[hatejakku]

I. MEDDLING KIDS

[ Finn's standing beside Peter when it happens. The way "Val" puts all the pieces together is pretty intriguing, but he's more intent on keeping an eye on Goldie, making sure she doesn't try to make a run for it. Seems like she's smarter than that, though.

It's just when the mystery appears to be solved, and Finn finally allows himself to relax, finally believes that this mission wasn't so bad after all, that Newton steps forward. And all hell breaks loose.

Newton makes a run for it, and Finn follows for about two steps before he turns and goes after the beast. He has no idea what the hell is going on, but everyone on this train is in danger if that thing isn't stopped.

And it's not going to be stopped anytime soon, so he hops on a table and darts around it, trying to get to the back door before it tears through to the next car. ]

II. RUN RUN RUNRUNRU-

[ Evidently, Finn managed to get around the beast, not that the people seeing him now know anything about that adventure.

What they do see is a man in a torn suit (sans jacket, a little bloody) running through whatever car they're in as if the rest of the train is on fire. He very much wishes it was just a fire. ]

Come on, get up! Go to the back! We have to go, now!

[ There's nothing in his tone that leaves room for argument, his squad commander General voice kicking in. And it's likely that they obey, given the train shaking around, all the noise, the lights flickering like crazy, the explosions-

But if they don't listen or they're trying to hide or help someone else- Whatever reason they may linger, they're probably going to be witness to a kaiju ripping off the front of the car and crashing inside. ]

III. FIGHT! - feel free to jump in during any section of this prompt

[ At some point, Finn has to stop helping people evacuate. It's not like they can go anywhere except into the ocean, and he really doesn't want to find out if this thing can swim. No, at some point, he has to stand his ground and fight. ]

We have to hold a line here! It can't go further!

[ The more cars it tears through, the more people die. Not to mention that this "battlefield" is far too chaotic. They need something that they can control. Just chasing after it won't keep working.

Finn's got his blaster in his hand, but it's been practically useless. The armor of this thing is too strong. So, against every good instinct he still has left, he pulls out and ignites the lightsaber. Luckily, with one swing, it's evident that the saber can hack through some of its scales. Also evident is that the saber can hack through everything else. Long gone is all that elegance and control Itachi's been beating into his skull. It's all about swinging at the kaiju like it's a particularly elusive yet XXXL-sized piñata.

But eventually, Finn lands a good hit between the scales. So much so that some of the blood sprays over his right arm. He already found out about the corrosive properties of the blood, and it hurts like fuck, but he doesn't let go even as he cries out.

What does make him let go is the kaiju grabbing him, piercing into his left shoulder, and slinging him into the wall. He's- He's fine. ]

IV. WILDCARD

[ ooc: Feel free to cut into any section of the above prompts. You don't have to go for where they leave off. Also, make your own prompt! I'm open to whatever! We can even do bomb stuff or getting left behind stuff or whatever you're into. ]

FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT

[whitestonelives]

And I was so hoping to go see what the engine room was like.

[Nerd. But Percy's doing his best to draw the kaiju's attention away, and it's frankly admirable how stubborn he is, with only bullets to do so while Finn has a lightsaber. That, he's going to ask about later—

Then Finn gets slammed into a wall, and Percy quickly runs towards him. Or tries to, because the kaiju simply backhands him right into a wall, the sheer force of the blow making Percy's head ring. The gun clatters out of his hand. At least he's here now, just...also injured. Ow.]

Fuck, that fucking hurt—are you all right?

FIIIIIGHT

[bossily]

[Clara can't fight this thing. She's not in any way strong or capable enough. But she manages to grab a large knife as she moves through what's left of the kitchen car. She has every intention of trying to protect others as best as she can. Which is exactly how she winds up cornered, attempting to stab a kitchen knife through the scales of the kaiju's leg.

To her credit, she does manage to eventually get her knife in up under the scales. The blood that hits her arm makes her hiss in pain and cry out, and she quickly realizes that the blood is corrosive. She's in the middle of trying to wipe her arm clean on the carpeting when Finn shows up and leaps into action.

Breathing a sigh of relief, she watches Finn use his weapon to beat at the monster with abandon. She's able to clean her arm off, leaving it minimally wounded. And when Finn is flung against the wall she's caught her breath, and is able to leap into action.

Her sonic is pulled out, turned to the highest frequency setting. When she activates it this time the reaction of the kaiju is to get the hell away from the sound rather than to charge at whatever is making it. The roar that it lets out is deafening, but she doesn't cover her ears. She keeps the sonic activated until it retreats to go stomp and kill some other people, leaving Finn to drop gracelessly to the floor.

She's at his side a moment later, trying to help him up.]

You're covered in that thing's blood. We need to get it off of you, come on!

FIGHT!

[cruelyethuman]

[The calm and collected conclusion to the murder gives way to chaos, to the loud explosions of bombs and to the screams of pain and terror of innocent bystanders and random orbers as something huge, with sharp teeth and shaper claws tears through the train.

The Darkling turns in to the almost physical force of it, of fear wafting out from the compartments and dark hiding holes, barreling down the crowded corridor as he pulls out a sword. It gleams silver in the flashing lights, held at his side and at the ready.]

I never knew you had a sword like that.

[Sparing a short glance to the bright saber in Finn's hands before he kicks over a table - a weak barricade against this thing, this monster, and he longs, once again, for the Small Science that has been blocked from him, yearns for his shadows to place a wall between this and them all.

Sword held high, he takes a step forward.]

Go left!

A WILD BOMB APPEARS

[callada]

[Which is a shame because as Finn comes across Rosi staring at it, hunched over and yet afraid to breathe on it wrong, it's clear that this is not his area of expertise.

Still, something has to be done, right? He looks over at Finn, holds out a hand in caution, then points to the ticking device tucked inside some luggage.]

Careful. You know much about these?

I. MEDDLING KIDS

[tochnyy]

[ the whole thing with the family and the web of lies, scandal and drama goes a bit over mal's head. it seems like they were right about the artifact, he thinks, and it's special.

but that train of thought is really cut off by one of their own releasing a monster on the train. mal's never seen a kaiju, but it looks a lot more unpleasant than the volcra that almost took his life in the fold.

he jumps out of the way when it charges by, glad that he'd bought some guns on their stop-over even if he doesn't have both on him. he hops toward the back door, notices finn doing the same as the kaiju blasts air toward the next cart. ] Any chance you thought ahead and brought or bought a gun too?

clara oswald | doctor who

[bossily]

KAIJU ATTACK;
[This mission is officially the worst one ever. She hasn't exactly had time to recover from being a murder suspect thanks to Newt, and her mind's reeling after the big reveals done by Pinot. But she doesn't exactly have time to deal with any of that, because Newt's betrayal takes on a new twist.

A kaiju, here.

She'd almost admit it's brilliant, except it's terrible and a situation that she doesn't particularly want to be in. Newt's told her plenty about the kaiju, and it's exactly why she doesn't understand how or why he'd summon one here. But there's no time to dwell on that. Not now.

The second Clara realizes the danger she and the others are in, she launches into action. She hurries to get other passengers to move through the train to safety, dodging and hiding when necessary. And although she isn't a fighter, she has her sonic out and at the ready. When someone's cornered and in the middle of being attacked, she activates her sonic, letting the sound attract the attention of the monster. She'll play bait if she needs to, this is fine.

And then she's running, brushing past or grabbing the hand of anyone she bumps into along the way.]

Run now, talk later! Move!

RESCUE PROMPTS;
[As Clara moves through the cars of the train, she's ushering others to keep going. Everyone needs to try and hide or get to safety, even if safety seems hard to find. Her eyes are peeled for anyone in need of help as she hurries along. If you're in need of a rescue, don't hesitate to call her name. Or perhaps you've run into her and you're working together to help someone else. It's a teamwork montage, and everyone's invited.]

BOMB SQUAD;
[By some miracle, she manages to slip far enough ahead of the kaiju that she makes it toward the back of the train. Who knew over a hundred cards would take that long to run through? She's utterly exhausted, but can't stop now.

Especially since the car she's in now already have a few others gathered, focused on something that makes Clara's eyes go wide. She approaches the explosives to look them over, frowning at the sight of the timers. There isn't much time left, she notes.

She's just about to comment on how these seem familiar somehow, when a member of the group reaches out to try and touch at a cluster of the explosives. Gasping, Clara reaches out to grab at their wrist.]

Careful. We don't know if these are made to go off with even the slightest bit of pressure against them. Best not to touch, not until we know exactly what we're working with.

TRAIN DASH;
[For those who spot Clara moving through the obstacles that the kaiju leaves behind, she'll only pause briefly for a familiar face that belongs to a fellow orber.]

Have you seen Newt?

[She calls out to them, clearly distressed. She's trying to get to him first, to protect him if anyone else has the mind to try and gut him like a fish for what he's done here today.]

IV. KILL ALL YOUR FRIENDS

[groupiedrifter]

['Please... don't do this... Call it off. Please call it off. I'll get you whatever you want. I'll figure something else out...'

Doesn't matter. It's too late, isn't it?

'Way too late, doctor.'

She will find him eventually, if she runs hard and fast enough; he'd been taken aback a few times already by orbers throwing in an attempt to take him down — if marks on his face and ripped, bloodied graze on his bicep is anything to go by. His slicked hair and once carefully maintained suit is someone unkempt now, looking much more like the Newton that had arrived to Ximilia all those months ago.

But more than that, he seems pained, pinching the bridge of his nose with one hand while the other seeks out the phaser he'd used to fire on those who'd chased after — no, not 'him'. 'Them'. Not that anyone knows; not that it matters. He catches sight of the gun not too far from him, tucked up beside a train seat, but the sounds of Clara's feet crunching on glass make him turn sharply toward her instead.

Make them turn sharply toward her. There's annoyance in their stare.]

You again? Give me a break.

Don't tell me you're gonna throw another shoe, huh? Because that worked so well the first time.

Train Dash

[callada]

Believe me, if I had I wouldn't be far from him.

[He speaks through gritted teeth as he takes cover behind a train compartment, or what's left of one - debris has torn right through the walls and left the door swinging wide until it too collided with a chunk of metal. It's safe to assume some flying piece of something hit him earlier too - he's bleeding from the forehead, red running down and matting his bangs against his skin as he tries to reload his pistol. Not that it seems to do a lot of good, though.]

Have you seen Law?

takeshi kovacs | ota

[kovach]

[ — "What the hell's a Kaiju?"
— "Oh, y'know. Giant Japanese monsters in movies, sometimes radioactive, almost always twenty to forty stories tall, stomping through cities? Only we had those for real. Alien invasions are a real pain to deal with, turns out."

the way it bursts out near newt, kovacs can already tell what it is, or at least, what it's supposed to be. the very thing the other guy spoke about with such thrill and fascination, carrying endless pounds of energy despite having been accidentally punched in the face by kovacs' knuckles just minutes prior. ]

Oh, fuck— [ he manages to mutter under his breath, just before getting knocked back by the creature's swinging arm, shouting another curse as he's tossed several feet, crashing into a completely ruined dining set, glass china shattering on the floor of the train car.

reaching into his trench coat (luckily, he'd had the mind to wear it for this confrontation of the murder suspects, rather than the typical sweater vest marta had forced him into on the first day of the mission), he grabs his signature gun, one that blasts out bullets rather than merely shoot them. he manages a few shots, unsure if the kaiju's cry is from feeling pain or just rage.

for now, he's got people to think of. not everyone here's a fighter. especially when they were all put powerless onto this train. even he doesn't have the typical boost of endurance this body normally gives him. ]

--

( I ) Get to the next car! [ he screams out to whoever might be trying to look for cover, charging over to block them from the path of the monster so they could make a break for it.

he'll focus on trying to get them to a safety location, protective over them, especially if they're much smaller in size, making sure his own body performs as a shield, moving about through the car, as fast and away from the kaiju as they can. ]

--

( II ) [ but sometimes it's worth stopping to fight. after all, this thing isn't going to stop on its own, and the sooner they could take it out, the sooner they could make sure everyone's safe again. his guns are the best bet right now, since his durability likely isn't as strong for a close range fight against a thing that size. he'll focus on long range attacks, aiming for the face, performing as cover for anyone that might be attempting a closer ranged hit. ]

--

( III / closed to marta ) [ even if he does contribute to the fighting, it's hardly his focus, just enough to beat it around, giving people time to flee while the heavier hitters try to work in some damage. but there's a constant tug in his mind, in his chest, keeping him unfocused, unable to help himself from turning about, frantically, desperately. ]

Marta — !? [ he hasn't seen her. and if he's lucky, then maybe she never got close enough to the car in the first place. but he can't be sure, and after what happened in scorpion's bend with elias — no, he isn't risking that again.

his feet move, eyes wide, trying to peer past the hazy gust of debris to find her. ]

--

( IV / closed to newt ) [ when marta's safe, when the kaiju has all hands on deck for taking it down, he moves further along the cars, looking for the man that started it all.

— "Y'know, you keep looking at me like you wanna kiss me. You can just ask."
— "I mean, I could kiss you if you'd like."

only it isn't the same man. a guy like kovacs, with the kind of world he comes from, he knows what it really is to look at a person's soul and it's never the body. not when you can switch them almost as easily as a pair of socks. how do i know you are who you are? is what he always asks when he meets someone new, when they claim to be a name, when they wear it like a shield. before stacks, yeah. a face is a face. but now, anyone could be anyone in there. it might not be his tech. but the man that called out to the orb in that train, the one that seemed off for weeks and weeks — no, there's someone else in there.

— "You did great. What a kickass little dude; I'm proud of you."

when he sees him, he keeps his gun raised, steady and focused, though not so ready to shoot as he typically might be. ]

Hey, asshole! [ he calls out, finger remaining close to the trigger.

that's not newt. not the pain in the ass who practically spotted him on day one, had him labeled as the "big, muscular loner" just before they began an exchange of heavy drinks out of beakers in the laboratory. the weird kid who always managed to prompt a reflexive rolling of the eyes every time he opened his mouth.

they weren't friends. that's what kovacs would say. even after whatever came about from that one morning they woke up side by side without a clear story on how they got there in the first place. even after kovacs made sure to save his ass more than a handful of times, telling him there wouldn't be a next time. even after newt had seen the heavy weight upon his shoulders in reliving a pain from his past that he never wanted to see again.

— "I gotcha, man. You're good... Just remember, it's a memory — just a dream. One your head decided to use to mess with you. And when you're ready, we'll get the hell out of here, because screw this."

his jaw clenches. ]

Where is he!? He still alive?

[ one more time, geiszler. one more time, he'll save your ass. just for old times' sake.

— "You think you can trust me for a minute, dude?"
— " ... Yeah. I trust you." ]

[groupiedrifter]

[The precursors wipe their sleeve across Newton's nose as they walk him down the train aisle, smearing blood off on a sleeve. Truth is, he wasn't hit in the nose, wasn't dealt a blow that left it flowing; it just started happening. They step over a whimpering man's arm where he lay in the walkway, injured but at least alive — trying to play hero, stop the guy who caused a monster to rampage.

'Stop fighting, Newton. You know it's over. Even if you came back, they'd all despise you. Besides, you're one of us now. Can't you feel it? You're bleeding into us, and we're bleeding into you. Soon your consciousness will be freed from individual thought. Aren't you excited?'

The writhing, ugly consciousness inside their mind can't do anything about it.

They grin around blood-marked lips, humored by the attempt. It reminds them of a memory of Newton being held down by a few older kids; one of the boys held his shoulders, and the other boy grabbed Newton's hands, using them to assault the little child's freckled face until it turned red with a terrible sting.

They whisper under their breath:]

Stop hitting yourself.

[Their shoulders twitch at the sound of Kovacs' voice, stopping in their step.

Then, slowly, they turn to look at him. None too concerned, it seems, though properly unhinged at this point — if the scrapes and red marks are anything to go by, he's ran into a few orbers at this point. He grins. They grin.]

Geez, Kovacs. Is that any way to greet your buddy?

As big a bully as ever.

ii.

[attackbrows]

[ Sometimes you’ve got to be there to fight the monsters. The Doctor can see Kovacs getting several shots out to slow the monster down. A foolish man’s attempt with primitive weaponry, but he will give him points for putting on a brave face.

He runs to stand by his side with his old model of sonic in hand. ]

You’re going to need more than bullets to slow that one down.

[ This isn’t like their kerfuffle back in Badrock. There is no trace of indignation in his voice. They have an objective to accomplish here.

He raises points his sonic towards the kaiju’s head. ]

Something preferably with ultrasonic lasers!

[ aka, he’s got a plan. ]

[naloxone]

[ she's further down the train when it happens, so all she has to work off of is newton's condescending voice in her head and the sounds and tremors and screams traveling along the metal vessel that signal anything but something not to worry about. where do you go when there's literally nowhere to run?

she starts with forward. her feet take her there, something in the back of her mind telling her what she's looking for isn't behind her. the more and more cars she passes through the more she understands what it is she's looking for — or rather, who.

fortunately — she finds him before long. entering a car just as he does on the opposite end, eyes as wide and wild as hers, frantic in a way she can relate to. she opens her mouth, takes a few steps closer, expression softening in relief — ]

Tak—

[ —and then the bomb goes off.

another one, this one located in the train car she'd just vacated, sending a blast of explosion that pushes marta and several other passengers who'd been down at that end sailing forward only to get knocked back down by obstructing furniture. the end of the car is no more — just a blasted-off end of metal. sea water, smoke, debris all in the air of the aftermath and marta—

marta...?




there, off to the side, a hand he'll recognize, immobile under an overturned car booth. ]

closed — capturing newt.

[business]

( it's with a keen eye and detachment that rhys proceeds throughout the short mission — uncommitted to getting another orb, uninterested in facing the demons stirred up inside him from the last orb's mission. deny, deny, deny. ignore everything from the rhys he was two months ago, cloaked in his own darkness, making promises he did not mean, breaking hearts he otherwise treasured. he feels so disconnected from it all that he actively runs away from the confrontation of his previous actions, including but not at all limited to one newton geiszler.

but, then there is peter quill. and clara — her fearful texts, her palpable worry, a fucking dinosaur, and rhys once again making promises despite that he hasn't seen a single one made in the ximilia to fruition. so. he can't ignore it anymore. not himself and the demons inside, not newt, not the oath he swore with the ink on his skin, a deal to end each other if they ever spiral past the point of saving.

they also said they would try to live first, though. a loophole rhys intends on exploiting for as long as he can — which doesn't seem like a long time at all, given the scaled beast currently snapping at anyone who gets close. now is clearly not the time for inaction. rhys won't sit idly by with this promise sitting over his head. )

Alina, I need to tell you something. And I need your help.
It's about Newton.
Are you with me?

( he's not sure there's another option — if there's anyone else he trusts half as much to help him in this. )

[peasant]

[ shellshock should, by all accounts, wear off by the second betrayal. for her, it's the nearly the same story rewritten with new twists and turns: alina starkov, disarmed by a friendly face. alina starkov, misled by her own lonely need to connect to anything, anyone. alina starkov, and her no-good judgment of someone's character.

any of them could be working titles for her autobiography. she accepts that fact with a hollow numbness; whatever fresh hurts and old pains newton's about-face have dredged up, it's anesthetized by that stirring self-hatred. by the poisonous little voice in the back of her head that sounds like newt's voice, rattling through her skull like a migraine that won't leave: do you ever feel like that, sometimes? like you're being used for some cause. like maybe you're expendable?

bitter, she thinks, not just expendable but an idiot, too. her fragile ability to trust fractures a little more, cuts her on its sharp edges, as she barely dodges the clobbering swipe of an armored tail. silverware rainfalls to the ground in a chiming clatter before her eardrums go — tinny, buzzing with desperate shrieks that bring to mind a different set of claws, a different bloodbath.

rhysand's voice slices through the darkness of that memory, though she swears she can still hear it, that distant echo of kirigan's monsters descending on a massacred city permanently scarred on her memory. she swipes the tablecloth aside, snatching quickly at a wayward knife spilled across the floor, with an urgency that bleeds over into — ]

yes
spit it out already, rhys

kill all your friends — for "newt";

[winscenario]

[ Jim figured something was going to happen, all of them were counting on the mission to go sideways one way or another, but the real unexpected surprise is when it's one of their own causing the chaos purposefully. But of course that the murder being solved so quietly seemed a little too easy, and they should have expected some other kind of shit to hit the fan instead.

It's been chaotic at best, and too much is happening at once, most people running around the train like headless chicken in a panic. It's not necessarily easy for Jim either, but experience helps him know where to focus his attention. He knows he's got little use in trying to stop the Kaiju, so his skills are best employed trying to stop Newt, and whatever it is he's planning to do.

With a group of people disarming the bombs, it makes it easier for Jim to rush through the train, away from the Kaiju fight and instead chasing after the man who's made all this happen. He's got his own phaser in hand, and when he catches up to Newt, he doesn't waste time with friendly words or attempts to talk him out of this. He just aims the phaser at him and yells out. ]

Stop! Stop this right now, Newton.

[groupiedrifter]

Oh!

[Newton sounds a little winded — but lucky lucky, Jim's one of the first people to run into him. Probably because the captain had made a real effort to play catch-up, hunt him down as soon as possible... One of the downsides of rigging up those bombs, you know? You're a little slower to get out of there. They turn to Jim with little concern for the gun aimed at them; the smile that sweeps across Newton's face seems too friendly for the situation.]

If it isn't my old fuckbuddy. How's it going?

[They'll humor you for a moment, but they've really gotta go after.

Business, yanno.]

IV. KILL ALL YOUR FRIENDS

[morethan084]

[Everything unravels so quickly that Daisy doesn’t even have time to come up with a better plan. She knowingly goes into a very dangerous situation head on. There is no other option. She has to stop Newton. She feels guilty for not doing something sooner when she knew something was right with him. She knew in her gut this had to do with the Kaju he drifted with, and now he’s confirmed that in the most horrific ways possible.

This isn’t him. This isn’t Newton, and she has to remember that when she confronts him.

Which happens to be right now, as she rushes through another car only to stop him in the middle of the next car. She doesn’t see what happened, because his back is to her. But she hears terrified screams followed by people rushing towards the door that leads to the car she’s in. Pushing past the stream of people, Daisy feels her stomach drop at the sight of someone dead on the floor.

Newton killed—

No. This is not Newton.

She’s been in his exact position before, remembers what it felt like in the moment, and what it felt like once she was freed from the thing that mind controlled her. The guilt ate away at her. And while she doesn’t want to hurt him, it might be the only way she can stop him. Raising her gun, Daisy aims it at him.]

This stops now.

[groupiedrifter]

[He's still in pretty good shape so far. Hasn't run into Clara or the Doctor, through he certainly had a compelling shootout with the good Captain Kirk. As they turn to her, there's a scrape or two on his face... but otherwise? He looks great. Totally on cloud nine over here, even as a man lay dead at his feet. Their phaser hangs in their hand, the other a closed, easy fist, and they turn toward her with little concern for the gun aimed.]

Heya, Daisy Duck. What's with the long face?

... Riiight. We're broken up as friends, huh? That'd explain it.

[Looking around, their eyebrows raise.]

Stop it how, though?

I don't see any breaks you're gonna be pulling any time soon.

andromache | the old guard

[oiorpata]

[ open and closed starters below ]

open 🗡

[oiorpata]

run like the devil 🗡 open

[ andy has fought many things and many people, in all kinds of ways with all kinds of weapons. even on ximilia, she keeps finding new battles, new dangers. but a fucking giant alligator lizard beast? it might take the latest cake. ]

[ she tries to be mindful of the fact that she is temporarily without her immortality, but it's the only thing stripped from her: her skills haven't been altered. the monster crashes through the train and it's instinct to duck and roll into people to roll them out of the way, to grab them and throw them out of its path, to prioritize them above herself. it's a hard habit to break after several millennia. ]

[ perhaps one of them is an orber - she'll grab you without hesitation as the tail whips around and throw herself to the ground, taking you with them. ] What the fuck is this?

[ there is something almost wholesome about watching how many of the orbers are throwing themselves at the beast despite the carnage, especially when andy knows half of them are without their more magic abilities. she is one of them, because despite all her fatigue of the world, there's a reason andy has fought for so long in the first place. they're all here for the orb, but plenty of them are stepping up for this too. she is, she idly notes, before diving at the kaiju once more. ]

[ she fires several shots into its neck, hoping to open it up for someone to attack from another angle. ]

IV| Kill all your friends — Closed to Newt

[spacedisaster]

[ After Pinot released them, there hadn't been much time to talk to the others or to find Newt, because discovering the identity of the real murderer was a more pressing issue. But all Peter wanted was to have a private conversation with him, and figure out if he was framing Clara and him for murder just because of a stupid goal. He wanted to understand, to believe it was simply Newtchoosing his goal, to undo his regret, over them. Not something sinister, of this caliber. Something that hurt still, but that would make a smidge of sense.

You're one of my best buds, y'know? Newton had said after the Taeum mission, not that long ago, after Peter got hurt protecting him. Or so he thought. That had also been a lie, and Newton himself had tried to kill him. Hurt collects in Peter's chest, wrapping around his heart like barbed wire, twisting and squeezing, until he's feeling another familiar feeling born from Newt's betrayal and disloyalty. Anger.

Newton had said after the Taeum mission, not that long ago, after Peter got hurt protecting him. Or so he thought. That had also been a lie, and Newton himself had tried to kill him. Hurt collects in Peter's chest, wrapping around his heart like barbed wire, twisting and squeezing, until he's feeling another familiar feeling born from Newt's betrayal and disloyalty. Anger.

Peter welcomes it because it's often been the only thing that's kept him alive, keeping him focused on the present instead of the painful past memories. He lets the burning feeling spur him on as he tracks down Newt, dodging alarmed passengers or stopping to protect them when the necessity arises, but he's never too far back. Persistence hunting is a significant human track, something the Precursors will learn soon enough when the Guardian finally manages to get close enough to be heard. ]

Newton, stop it. [ Peter's voice has gone dangerously quiet. He's lent one of his blasters and his sword to other orbers so they can fight as well, people whom he trusts despite everything, but he is still armed with all his other gadgets and the remaining blaster. For old friendship's sake, his finger is on the trigger that would fire an electric stun shot, not a fatal one. He aims at Newt's head and only the car train shaking, caused no doubt by the Kaiju raining destruction behind them, makes him miss the shot. The electric shock hits a lamp on the wall, making it explode on impact and rain glass everywhere.

Not for the first time, Peter wishes he were wearing his leather jacket and not a three-piece suit. He tries to meet Newton's eyes, and if glares could kill, his ex-friend would already be on the floor. But part of Peter hopes it's all a mistake, that there is still some sort of explanation, that Newt is better than Ego, Thanos, or Ronan. That things could go back to how they were. He aims his blaster at Newton again but doesn't fire. ]

I don't believe it was all a lie. It can't be. The music talks and jokes, the movie nights, working hard to make Viveca her own body..why all that? Just to pretend? That's a lot of effort to now blow it up like this.

[groupiedrifter]

[Newton twitches to the side — human reactionary thing, they suppose, watching the glass rain down. They seem eerily unaffected, however, by the few bits of glass that scrape their cheek, their forehead. Turning toward Peter, that disinterest in the carnage — in the danger — seems just as palpable.]

You again. You're just always this tenacious, aren't you? What a pain...

[One hand hangs at their side, the other in their pocket, as they study Peter with a critical eye.]

Have you never put on a show once in your life?

I know you're a meathead, but c'mon. You can't completely lack imagination.

What reason would I possibly have to actually be your buddy?

iv. kill all your friends

[romancekiller]

[clarke isn't the least bit surprised that things escalate so quickly. it was a reoccurring theme with the mission and it wasn't any different this time, first with the murder followed by newt turning on them. the latter was more of a surprise but it wasn't the first time she's dealt with betrayal so it does hit a little close to home for comfort.

between the kaiju attack and the bombs that people were working on disarming there was a lot going that more capable people were dealing with so instead she looks to keeping people safe and ultimately goes after newt to join the efforts in stopping him. she has her gun in her hand as she makes her way through the train to catch up to him] Hey— Newton. Just stop this.

[groupiedrifter]

[The precursors turn to look back, and their eyes instantly roll in their head. They're armed themselves, phaser dangling casually in one hand, the other hand clenched around some round, rock-like item. Talisman business, you know? Always handy in a pinch, especially when the orb is so kind as to power them.]

Oh, hey Clarke. Something I can do for you today?

I'm on a really tight schedule, is all.

IV - Prewt

[unclesam]

[ The train turns into a warzone, and Sam's inner landscape decides to reflect that. There are too many fronts to work on, and there's a moment in which he can't decide on his path. No way to do all of this at once, to pursue Newt, fight the massive monster, protect people, save people.

Sam remembers a small guy marching alongside an army, on the verge of a panic attack. Remembers plastic bags blown across the street, late night drinks and barely held back tears on a roof top. He remembers a friend.

So in the end, the choice makes itself. He doesn't ignore people in help - he does what he can, helps who would otherwise receive no help, and chooses to split the difference, too - sends Redwing to assist others, robbing himself of one of his most useless tools.

He doesn't pursue Newton on foot, circumventing the destruction by going outside the train and flying, instead. It's risky, it exposes him to the Kaiju wreaking havoc much more directly. But then again, Sam has flown through RPG fire and towards loaded rocket launchers. What's a little more danger, in comparison, when somewhere ahead is someone he cares about.

Fuck the mission, to be honest.

There'll be time for the what ifs later, for bemoaning his failure to notice just how wring things had become. Shouldn't the change have been more apparent after his coma, not less? Shouldn't he have been more aware?

But no. There'd been other things. His own panic attacks and break downs. Bucky's everything.

Some things had fallen to the wayside - even the important things. Because Sam runs when it hurts - or flies, as it were.

He heads Newton off, catches up to him on the outside of the train, flings himself at an open window, tucks the wings in tight and balls himself up, body unfurling when he lands in front of Newt - wings retracting into the pack, shield in front of Sam.

Sam doesn't know what it is to lose your mind to something else - but he's had his share of company afflicted like that. ]

You gonna chill if I ask you real nice?

[groupiedrifter]

['Newton' has had an interesting time so far, and it certainly shows; leaving a trail of wreckage and violence in their wake, there's no shortage of scrapes on their skin, of bruises and little rips in their tailor-made suit. Yet despite this, the orbers who had chased after them are fairing much worse: Clara half-strangled, trying to usher a stabbed Doctor to safety; Harley Quinn, battered and bruised and dragging herself into standing; Daisy being pulled into Kirigan's arms with her wound oozing blood; Peter Quill, blasted out of the train, barely able to get his bearings again to fall back in further down the track.

Among others.

Sam's no different an obstacle, and as Newton turns toward the man, the expression on his — their — face is less than pleased.

It's also dripping with blood. From two nostrils, specifically, congealing on their lips. They'd been in the middle of wiping it away with their silk handkerchief when Sam had barreled in; now they're tossing the dirtied fabric aside, hand clutching the phaser gun in their hand more firmly.]

... Sam, hey. Wasn't hoping to find you here, at the end of everything.

[A soft sigh. Almost authentic. Almost.]

Why wouldn't you have done us all a favor and stayed comatose, huh?

iv.

[krazed]

[He played a good con and even connier con than the fair residents that occupied the same train car with them. Peter was definitely a fall guy (based on her own very limited knowledge of him) but who could arrest Clara under suspicion with a straight face? That girl practically oozed adorable.

What Harley didn't expect was Newt going full-on psychopath with the devil riding shotgun or well, in this case, some kind of eldritch alien. She liked Newt, and so that was a motivating factor for chasing after him. Talk some sense into the guy, hug it out, and share another round of drinks. Something. She's used to off-the-walls crazy. It plays into her wheelhouse.

She catches him after following the path of destruction, and a couple of tell-tale signs that a Newt's been near to the area. Chaos follows a significant pattern and she doesn't have "finder of things," listed on her resume for no good reason.]

Newt!! Hey Newt! [She'd know that frock of brown hair and those misleadingly broad shoulders anywhere. The posture's all wrong, but still.] So, I was thinkin' you ever seen Invasion of the Body Snatchers? Possession, huh? You know, I knew someone in the same situation once. She shared body and brain cells with like some really old goddess type looking to enslave humanity. What's your co-pilot like?

[groupiedrifter]

[Oh, for fuck's sake, not that one.

Their eyes roll to the heavens before they turn around, giving her one of their best glowers in this little body of theirs. Harley had always been too obnoxious, too loud — some nasally version of Newton in a way that made her just as intolerable if left unchecked.

They don't move from where they stand, but the phaser's in hand, the talisman in the other.]

I don't have a co-pilot, but I appreciate the concern.

Shouldn't you be off fighting giant monsters?