[Issue 11] Let the Wild Rumpus Start

[Trev Anderson]

Shit. Hopefully everyone keeps hold of themselves...not that good at close quarters fighting...and shit, how is this gonna work in a gas mask. Damnit. Worst x-man ever.

[Nick Varkan]

Nick floated up, letting the three borrowed steel spheres spin around him at increasing speed.

Gotta get me some of these.

[Byrna Cooper]

Bear gritted her teeth, holding the ball at throwing position.

[Ryan Gabriel]

Ryan shuddered, and found himself sneering. Did this foolish creature really think that it could beat him? He was no rampaging beast, oh no, he was a force of life... a force of life and death. Did any of them have any idea what he could... what he could... Ryan blinked, shook his head sharply and gritted his teeth. Not enough therapy in the world for me when this is done, he thought, then gathered his power in to blast at Grizzly as soon as he came into view.

[Narrator]

Grizzly came charging in, a mountain of fur and muscle. His roar echoed through the fog. Rachel managed to cramp up his leg, which sent him stumbling, lashing out wildly at those nearby with a massive pawlike hand.

[Ryan Gabriel]

Ryan's hand snapped out, sending energy coursing toward Grizzly, his entire body flaring alight. He reached out with his power, feeling the life around him, feeding it into his blast, snarling as he realized that he had this thing, this creature at his mercy if he wished it... he could rip the life right out of him... it would be so, so easy...

[Rachel O'Brien]

Rachel stepped back, gasping in shock as she felt what Ryan was doing to the bear. "Ryan, stop it!" she said, her hand going to her head "He's down. Stop it."

[Narrator]

Grizzly staggered back at Ryan's blast, bellowing in pain and thrashing.

[John Hino]

"Nick! The collars deliver shocks when messed with!" John called out.

[Nick Varkan]

"Okay but I better not get a call from PETA," Nick smirked, giving Grizzly's collar a telekinetic tweak.

[Narrator]

This indeed produced a nasty shock, which took the last of the fight out of Grizzly. Still, he was so damned noisy about his suffering.

[Ryan Gabriel]

Ryan blinked, staggering slightly as he broke off the blast. Christ, what the hell? Keep it together, Ryan.... "Thanks..." He said, rubbing his forehead as he took a step closer to Rachel. And farther from Grizzly. Let's... See how the others manage. Think I proved my point here. Too well.

[Trev Anderson]

Trev hung back, sweating profusely behind his mask and swearing mentally.

Damnit. You useless piece of shit. Can't scream without taking off this mask, and any time you do it's just going to draw everyone and everything's attention.

[Nick Varkan]

Nick crossed 'knock out a bear' off of his mental list.

"Anything else inbound Rachel?"

[Rachel O'Brien]

"Let me check." Rachel said, reaching out to look for any more incoming.

[Ryan Gabriel]

I can do this... I can do this... keep ahold of yourself, Ryan... I can do this... His eyes lit up as he scanned the area to try to home in on any of their other friends.

[Narrator]

Certainly the noise that had been made seemed to have... roused... more of the forest's denizens. Ryan and Rachel both did notice however that two of them didn't seem to be roving around much.

Oh, they were moving, alright, but they didn't seem to be getting anywhere. Rachel could feel that they were exerting themselves quite a bit.

[Rachel O'Brien]

"There is a fight going on over there." Rachel said, pointing, "There are two of them, the closest that I'm sure are human."

[Ryan Gabriel]

You can do this... keep it under control... you can do this...

"All right... do we split up? Keep together?" Ryan asked, not trusting himself to put out plans right then

[Chloe Grant]

"Stick together." Chloe said "Flock...I mean, a team is stronger."

[Trev Anderson]

"Agree. Sticking together is our best bet to find everyone and avoid losing anyone else," Trev nodded.

[Narrator]

It wasn't far. A relatively straight shot along the creek, and as they approached, they saw trees shaking, growling noises signifying a fight.