if you've come to make some trouble

[mycrosstobear]

WHO: Nicholas D. Wolfwood and OPEN
WHERE: any Porter city, though particularly Heropa
WHEN: October
WHAT: zombies + Shadow shenanigans + whatever else may arise
WARNINGS: zombies, others that may come up with the Shadow to be added if needed


1. [your favorite Shaun of the Dead quote here]

[What people first notice, out in this park, are the dogs. A few of the local strays are behaving aggressively, lunging after other animals and people with equal fervor. One of them already has blood on its teeth from something. Panicky parents start dragging their children away, someone with presence of mind takes out their phone to call animal control, and Wolfwood...suddenly has what looks to be a five-foot tall cross, tightly wrapped and with strap to carry it, in his hands. To start with, he uses the end of it to push the nearest dog back. This...seems more off than just being rabid, though. (Possibly? He can't actually be sure of that.)

It is not going to end with dogs. Maybe you're already dealing with more than dogs somewhere nearby.]


2. the true self

[There's a new guy around, in his late teens or maybe early 20s. He looks, well, a lot like Wolfwood - same messy black hair, same strong nose, same lanky height. (Same smoking habit. Clearly, he's had an insufficient number of PSAs in his life.) But there are differences apart from his apparent age. He's dressed more casually, in a simple short-sleeved button down shirt, not tucked into his dark khaki pants. And then there's the eyes - yellow instead of Wolfwood's grey-brown.

But if the eyes might be unnerving, his manner isn't. In fact, he's pretty outgoing. He might offer to help with your groceries. Maybe you'll find yourself invited to join a game of basketball he's just joining if you pass by a local court. You could run into him as he puts up fliers for a church bake sale. Or just hanging around the imPort housing in Heropa during the day, for some reason. He's happy to talk. Not just about what's going on immediately or standard politely friendly matters, as Wolfwood tends to, but about more personal matters. What you're doing and how you're getting along. How much he likes Earth, and how much he wishes his friends back in his world could see it.

He introduces himself simply as Nicholas.]


3. wildcard

[Have another idea? Go for it, or hit up paperbacks!]

Comments

2

[thecacophony]

[Sal takes one of the fliers and holds it one hand, perplexed but curious.]

A bake sale, huh?

[Inwardly she's hoping this is a normal sort of church; nothing like that aberration in Jeopardy. She looks at the young man who's putting up the rest of the fliers and he doesn't seem to be a cultist. Then again, that eager and friendly type of face has her guard down just a bit.]

This a normal sort of thing around the city?

[mycrosstobear]

[The flier states that it's for "the Episcopalian Church of the Redeemer's Hospitality Project." Which at the very least is less immediately ominous (and more immediately officious) than "Church of the Ancient Web Mistress."

He nods.] Pretty normal. Usually for schools or churches. Or youth groups. [Organizations that don't have enough money to do what they want to do, basically.] This one's to raise money to help shelter the homeless.

[He holds out a hand, smiling.] I'm Nicholas. It's nice to meet you.

[thecacophony]

[She takes up the offered handshake. The flier is tucked away in her jacket, not that she really understands the full concept behind such a thing. But there's baked goods, and it seems like a nice effort to help the homeless, right? Probably harmless?]

My friends call me Sal, and I guess you can too.

[She looks him over, curious but not quite sure what to make of him.]

So you're just walking around and pinning these up, huh? Kind of takes a lot of time and effort probably. Shit, if you could fly then you'd be able to hit up more of the neighborhood.

[Hmm, a thought.]

[mycrosstobear]

[His hand is noticeably callused as he gives a firm shake.]

Flying would have been a pretty useful power. [He laughs briefly.] I don't mind doing it, though. I like helping out.

[thecacophony]

[Hmm, the callouses are interesting. A swordsman maybe? Kind of hard to tell in a strange place like this, she'll concede.]

I guess I could spare a moment, if you needed a lift. Like, literally speaking.

[She looks around, trying to determine a good, high-up drop zone for fliers. Sal points around.]

Up there maybe? [A shrug.] Unless you're not good with heights...

IDK WHICH CATEGORY THIS BELONGS IN LET'S JUST GO

[adamantlyardent]

[DO NOT WORRY: he is not the only one dealing with dogs! he might...be dealing with them in a cleaner fashion than, say, cleansing, all-encompassing fire]

Get away! Get away from me!

[Cecelia's distinct shrill pierces through the latest rush of flame that laps up the sides of brick walls not far from the open park, and lumbering shapes big and small stagger and melt in its wake. while there are things nearby -- trash, mostly -- that can hold a flame, much of it dies out in the cool, damp air, as there had been a rain not long ago.

one would think that was a deterrent, but to her dismay, they just keep coming!]

WE'RE DOING THE THING

[mycrosstobear]

[He knows that yell. He's been on the end of that yell. He swings the Punisher around, knocking the dog he was dealing with to the side as he makes for the brick buildings across the street.] Red?

[...Hang on, did she set them on fire? She can electrocute things and set them on fire?]

[adamantlyardent]

[oh yes she can. and she will! she may have well continued to do so in his direction had he not appeared and given her a start!]

Ah! Oh-! Hey!! [hey! stinky man! she knows you!] Help, they just keep coming and--aahhGETOFFMEEEEE!

[feeling a tug on her dress, she squeals in fear and whirls around, a burst of flames erupting from her open palms to engulf the mindless creature gnawing at her. all the while, she tries to shuffle back, tripping over charred trash and remains.]

[mycrosstobear]

[The fire definitely engulfs the dog. It also catches the wrappings on the Punisher, which Wolfwood had been swinging towards the offending creature. He clicks one of the restraining straps off, letting the burning cloth fall away from the weapon.] Watch it with that! [You could have set him on fire! Don't do that!

Even if he does somewhat recklessly kick the still-burning cloth towards the next animal to approach. It's a raccoon. Is that better or worse?]

1

[monster_san]

[nnnnngh. zombies.

Fuu has encountered the undead exactly once, when the long-drowned corpses of mobsters rose from that lake in Nevada during a Swear-In. She did not enjoy the experience then, and her opinion hasn't changed any now.

She has her sword out already. The seven-foot blade is ideal for keeping back things. So far it's been dogs, which is bad enough--she can't help but think of Hikaru as she stabs or beheads them.

And then she spots Wolfwood. Rather, she spots what he's carrying. If someone were to make a sci-fi rendition of the Stations of the Cross, it might look like that.]

Er--Mr. Wolfwood? What do you have there?

[it's said as she puts her sword through another dog's mouth, wincing.]

[mycrosstobear]

[This is Wolfwood's first time encountering the undead, because he is from the wrong Nightow series for experience in that category.

Heaving the Punisher a little into the air, he brings the butt of it squarely down on the dogs head. It's not moving for the moment, at least. That accomplished, he turns. You know, a giant robot might be useful here - wait] Is that a sword?

[monster_san]

[Fuu looks down at it for a moment, as though she's double-checking. (She knows why he's asking. But she can't resist.)]

Yes, it is.

Is that a cross?

[JUST SAYING ONE OF US HAS A WEIRD WEAPON FOR THE SITUATION AND IT'S NOT FUU]

[mycrosstobear]

[He hesitates a second, but he'd used the Punisher on the moon, so it's not like there aren't people who know. Besides, she does have a giant robot for when she needs it. Which is, apparently, less often than one might think, considering the sword that's longer than she is tall.]

It's a gun. [Just five feet tall and shaped like a cross. And which he's currently using to bludgeon zombie dogs. Perfectly logical.]

1

[rebelarrow]

[Judd is nearby when the commotion starts, and immediately he begins grabbing the aggressive dogs with psychic hands, telekinetically pulling them back and away. It's a visible strain to grab so many at once, pulling his attention into different directions. Still, he can't help but comment:]

And here I left mine at home.

[mycrosstobear]

Haah. [It's not exactly a laugh, but one side of Wolfwood's mouth does turn upwards.] Haven't you heard? You've gotta be prepared for everything these days.

[He turns, raising an eyebrow as he gets a better look at what's happening to the other dogs.] That you?

[rebelarrow]

[He nods slightly, distracted by the fighting.]

I would not turn down assistance.

[mycrosstobear]

[Wolfwood nods in return. There are still enough people around that he'd prefer to use limited firepower, if possible, so he draws his pistol from beneath his jacket and aims for a dog at the edge of the group. It must be harder to control something the further away it is, right?

Well, shooting it in the head seems to work. On to the next one.]

2. the true self

[stlg13bomber]

[Carter doesn't see anything weird about this guy. If anything it's nice to find someone as outgoing as he is. He's happy to talk to this 'Nicholas' about his life, and it won't take much prodding to get him talking about his past, his worries for the future, and how much he really wishes he could get a dog.]

But someone pointed out that I'd be abandoning it if I ported back out again, so I can't just straight-up buy one, y'know? [He leans on the chain-link fence around the basketball court, looking thoughtful.]

[mycrosstobear]

[Nicholas leans back himself, looking upwards as he considers the problem.] Hmmm.

We had a dog at the orphanage, for a while. It was mostly Jasmine's, but everyone took care of it. So even if she'd been adopted, people would have been left to look after it.

[He turns back to Carter.] Maybe if the dog belonged to the house, or the neighborhood?

[stlg13bomber]

Like a farm dog, kind of a communal thing? That'd be nice. I miss having dogs around. [He bounces the ball casually a few times.] I don't think the house's CO is on board with dogs...I mean, he's not technically my CO, but he's highest in the house so I guess that sort of makes him in charge.

[mycrosstobear]

[Nicholas frowns slightly.] Why wouldn't he like dogs?

[He can see why someone wouldn't want to deal with specific dogs, if they're mean or untrained, but surely dogs in general should be fine. They're nice company.]

2. the true self

[by_candlelight]

[ Nicholas wasn't the only shadow in the area. A girl who looked remarkably like Ruby, though a little shabbier, a little more open, and her hair an undyed red was snooping around. Snooping, running, being a very minor nuisance at worst, but all in all just enjoying life.

So naturally, when she's invited to play some basketball she just grins and homes in on the older teen. ]

Sure! Count me in! I once played against robots, you know. That was fun.

[mycrosstobear]

[He bounces the ball over to her.] Robots? How'd that happen?

[Mind you: cool.]

[by_candlelight]

[ She catches the ball, and starts an awkward dribble - this is literally only the second time she's played basketball. ]

Well I was on the moon and some of those OTO guys showed up. Someone called out for assistance, and I was near by! I don't know why, but some of the robots decided they wanted to play basketball.

[mycrosstobear]

Oh yeah! I didn't know some of them had tried to play basketball.

[The ones 'he' met were all fighting.

...What made some of them want to play basketball?]