There'll be trouble when the kidz come out

[lucetimods]

Who: All remaining draftees
What: Zombies! Zombies! Zombies!
When: The 29th to 31st
Where: Vaskoth
Summary: Please read here for event information
Rating: B for BRRAAAIIIINSSSS

On the 29th, the Malnosso announce over the radios that the power cap will be lifted to a full 100%. Carol broadcasts a message.

On the 30th, the Malnosso declare Vaskoth completely lost. Those with radio access will discover that the enclosure is to be bombed.

On the 31st, survivors will have one last chance to evacuate or try to find the cure. 3PM is do or die.

Comments

NPC Threads

[malnosso]

BROADCAST ON THE 29TH

[liaising]

[At some point on the 29th, a single voice manages to hijack nearly all of the active communications devices within Vaskoth. It’s unclear how this is possible, but she broadcasts her message three times after the evacuation is announced. Attempted replies receive no further radio response. ]

Hello? Hello. May I have your attention? [A well-spoken, firm, but warm tone.] To any uninfected personnel entertaining the Organization’s evacuation advisory, I urge you to proceed to the tunnels and accept. Many -- if not most -- of you must have loved ones and possibly family members waiting for your return. There's no shame in sparing them their worry and their grief. Leave with clear consciences; I suspect all of Vaskoth feels grateful for all you've already done.

But even still, I know there are those of you who would sooner stay. Let me be brief: there are efforts being made across the enclosure to find a cure for this...disease. I embrace these efforts wholeheartedly but I'm not convinced that my employers will be as optimistic. Their pessimism means that us busy bees will be buzzing against a ticking clock.

Clear the hospital. And the MSF labs to the south. You can make the most of your work by using both of these places to your full advantage. Start with what you know; work forward from that point. You’re all extraordinary people, or you wouldn’t be here. I have faith in you.

Making the Cure - Hospital

[lucetimods]

For those who made it to the hospital and are working on the cure.

Prior to Receiving the Lone Survivor

[hadtobeme]

[Mordin is at wit's end. Growing infected, increased hostility, a strained moral compass, and now the threat of mass destruction. He frequently banishes the other doctors from the lab, locking the door so he can think in privacy, usually resulting in some sort of progress. When he unlocks the door, it is always the same, manic pacing, a series of apologies, and then back to work.

There are so many brilliant minds in front of him. He values their opinions, he swears. But sometimes humans just work so damn slowly. In this insanity, he needs to work at his mind's speed or he's likely to go insane.

The creation of the proto-cure was a massive success, but just restoring the minds of those infected isn't enough. There needs to be a full cure. Too many lives are at stake. Too many minds destroyed by the tragedy and grief of watching, feeling, their bodies reduce to shambling husks.]

Making the Cure - MSF Lab

[lucetimods]

For those who chose to work at the laboratory at the MSF base instead.

Making the Cure - MSF Lab

[complicatedliar]

[Loki is concentrating on chemistry, since that's where he's most comfortable without being able to bring his will to bear on things. He has "decorated" his corner of the lab with chalk boards and reams of paper, to go with the cobbled-together equipment.

His mind, at least, is unaffected by the power cap, and he concentrates on that, ignoring everything else entirely unless forced - at which point he becomes snappish. Now and then he will share what new conclusions he has along the chain, but he prefers to work alone, at his own pace.

Now that he's got his teeth into the problem, he's not letting go. Even if this wasn't his idea. Even if he's not doing it for any good reasons. It's still a puzzle, a problem, and he refuses to be defeated.]

SEARCH FOR THE LONE SURVIVOR | 29th

[daisy023]

[Voice | Action]

[daisy023]

This is SPARTAN-023. Requesting a team to go up north.

We've got reports of a single survivor north in the mountain tunnels that has been drinking the infected water. He hasn't turned into one of them. It could be the only shot we have at finding a cure.

The subject is not to harmed, but all units must wear complete protective gear from contamination. The survivor could be a carrier for all we know.

All volunteers report to my position near the APC. VIP must be taken alive, but to be treated like an infected one for caution. Carry tranquilizers along with your current weapons if the subject cannot be contained. SPARTAN-023, out.

[Everyone that comes through will find the Spartan waiting for volunteers, picking up a heavy machinegun gathered from a casualty.

Without her augmentations, she would have to fire in a stationary position. Not something they will afford for long in this mission.]

29th on

[handing]

[There's a sense of separation that begins after--after. Pepper feels distant, apart from herself almost as if she's watching it happen to someone else. The body that drops to the ground so close to hers. The pinpricks of pain in her arms that feel so insignificant next to the hot, wet spray over her skin. The realization of what all of it all is, who, and Pepper can't keep down what's in her stomach.

She goes with whoever comes for her after that. She feels dizzy and sick, but she won't fight. She won't resist whatever treatment the doctors insist on after they discover the skull fragments embedded into her skin. When they tell her that she's infected.

That she's dying.

That she's becoming the same thing Steve had been.

---

When she thinks she's alone, Pepper shuts her eyes, presses her hands against them and tries to keep it in even as tears stream down her face. But maybe it's better if she does lose it now, early on, before Tony gets there, and god, how is she going to tell him? He tried to get her to leave. He gave her the gun, taught her to use it and she hadn't, and now, now--

Pepper insists on being the one who tells Tony. Even if she needs someone else to get him there, the hardest part of the burden lies on her.

---

After, Pepper can only wait. She's been given some hope in the form of the proto-cure, but that doesn't stop the process. Only keeps her aware of herself, of all the ways she's changing as her body burns and chills in turns, aches throughout. She feels every bit of pain, every pang of hunger, and not even a full day after she's been infected, Pepper finds herself wanting to bite into the people who draw near, to taste their flesh and feel it slide down her throat. The thoughts are sickening, but she can still think them, and resist the horrible instincts burrowing in the back of her mind.

It means the proto-cure is working. They're on the right track. There's still hope, and all Pepper has to do is endure, and wait.]

29th

[hadtobeme]

[Three days into this disaster, Mordin has grown accustomed to dealing with the infected. However, it was refreshing to have a patient who still had their wits about them, for however long that would last. She welcomes the young woman into the lab, ushering her past the holding area filled with infected restrained in various ways. He frequently reminds her to try not to touch anything for the time being. The good doctor's demeanor is rushed, but kind. The last thing he wants is to freak out a patient, these are troubling times, and most humans here aren't used to visiting alien doctors, but sometimes desperate times call for removal of formalities.

When they enter the lab, Mordin quickly shuts and locks the door behind them.]

Terribly sorry for the "display". Limited space, growing number of patients... problematic. Assure you, Lucetians, moreso those with mental stability, receiving priority.

The Proto-Cure 29th-30th

[hadtobeme]

[ledbythewind]

[Richard had barely left Isamu's side for the past day, yet that didn't stop him from hearing that broadcast about a possible cure being developed at the hospital and the MSF labs. With Isamu's condition deteriorating despite his desperate efforts with healing spells, it soon became clear to Richard that only one option was left: try to get him to this hopsital to get this cure, or at least get any sort of information on its progress.

Asbel was on board with this idea once Richard explained it to his friend, which left only the issue of actually transporting Isamu there. Knocking Isamu out left him feeling far more guilty than he really should have, but at least it allowed safe transport, as he was light enough to easily carry between the two of them.

And so they make their way to the hospital, hoping that whatever this cure is, it will be more effective than Richard's now rather useless healing.]

29th-31st

[shenevermisses]

[29th:

The power cap means nothing to Clove. She fights with her knives and stays in the fray. Not only is she ruthless when a fight comes to her, but she continues actively seeking them out.

She may end up with an accidental rescue or two, since she'll take on any infected that she sees, especially if there's a chance of keeping from them adding to their ranks.


30th:

The word bombed is terrifying. She hears it over a radio that isn't hers but doesn't ask questions. Now? Now she has one goal.

She's wandered away from Cato at times, but now she is dead set on finding him. Seeking fights is gone, but she will kill anything in her path, anyone who tries to stop her from getting to Cato.

And when she finds him? There will be no debate or argument.

They are leaving. As soon as its an option.

...If it's an option...


31st:

It's not cowardice when it's a choice between life and death. Anyone left? Is left. There is only one person Clove will make sure is on that evacuation with her, and that's Cato.

But if she runs into people going the same way she is, she won't turn them away as companions.]

30th

[deadalready]

[He overhears the order for the bombing, away from Clove. And it brings him out of the cloud of strange happiness and familiarity of killing enough to make him feel like he's about to panic. He doesn't give up searching for her but he finds himself swarmed by five infected. Two of which he's managed to slow down with crippling blows to their legs and arms but they're still coming at him and he's completely pissed that he can't get through them faster.]

[patchworkallegiance]

[29th:

Stephen isn't aware (with no radio or Journal access) about the power cap, and it doesn't slow him down in the slightest. He has a few injuries, and the heartless butchery he's been engaging in will weigh on him as soon as he stops, so, for the most part, he doesn't stop.

30th:

He hasn't hear the radio news. All Stephen knows is to keep fighting and, when it can be of use to someone else in the field, pull out his medical kit and do what he can.

31st:

Now, the fighter is gone. The doctor is tired -- nearly exhausted -- but he forces himself to keep going. He can sleep when they are all back in the village.

He'll leave it to those more familiar with technology to see to any kind of cure. But he won't chance waiting for a third evacuation chance. He'll make sweeps through the enclosure as much as he can, seeing to the wounded not able to seek other medical help and assisting anyone he can to the evacuation site.]

31st

[fleurdesel]

[No cure. There was still no cure. At this point Adele was mending as many as possible and sending them directly to the evacuation site. They did not need to remain for whatever would come. Worked to the bone and half dead from worry she took a moment to breathe, mug of weak tea between her hands. At Stephen's approach with yet another patient she motions for two lingering volunteers to take the man and takes the time to pour him one as well.]

...how bad is it on the field?

29th and 30th

[eyesofstrength]

[While Leonhardt got infected on the 28th, his own natural resistances thanks to his curse did prevent the onset of any symptoms for a time. Once he realized this was the case, he went ahead and went to the hospital and volunteered to allow them to research him to aid in finding a cure.

Said cure may not work on him, but if it could save others, then he'll deal with his hatred of doctors and hospitals for a time. Easier said than done with the fact that his curse is very out of control and he's barely keeping the violence under wraps. It's obviously not on the level of a runner, but he is definitely showing signs of agitation and impatience and snapping quickly at people. He'll calm down quickly enough and apologize and explain that he was like that before and it's normal for him and a side effect of his resistance to disease. Not quite it, but close enough.

Then once the power cap goes into effect and Leonhardt can tell his curse is temporarily broken because of that, he'll be escaping from the hospital before he sees the onset of symptoms and can harm any innocents. He knows with his last sane thoughts that death is the only way out of this for him and hopefully there is someone out there who isn't infected who will do the deed.]

[ooc: Killing him already claimed by Saleh and will happen on the 30th, open to anything else before that.]

30th

[mountain_sage]

[With the power cap in effect, Saleh is obviously at a disadvantage. He's well on his way to the area where they'd be sent back to Luceti when the time comes. He's taking it slow and steady so as not to attract any cultists or infected runners or shamblers. Part of him is wishing he could find someone to stick with, to cover him in the event that something does happen. And he just may have found someone. At least, he hopes so.]

...Leonhardt? It's good to see you.

[generalflirt]

[Day 4 & Day 5 // 28th and 29th - Masaomi left on a trip to find the Kin'corans. It did not end particularly well. He "learned" a few things because he was lucky enough to run into Mashiro, but he's at Davis's encampment at the tunnels that night of the 28th and still around there the next morning, having mostly reconned to get more equipment, when the power limit is announced. That's the final straw for him about Linda, and he'll be forcing her through the teleporter with someone else.

And then, with those supplies in hand, Masaomi is trying his hand at driving for the first time in his life (how hard can it be?) and using a hijacked car to speed to the hospital with whatever supplies he could salvage to guard whoever is showing up there following Carol's message over his radio. He's still capable of fighting, so damnation he will fight.

The driving doesn't go super well. He gets in some tight spots and needs to switch cars once. But he does make it there. The lack of electricity reducing things to just moonlight is unfortunate. Thereafter, he'll meet whoever is at the hospital before patrolling the halls and outside with anyone still alive to help him of NPCs or PCs to clear out any shamblers that near.

Day 6 // 30th - Same here, really. Defending the hospital. Being hungry. Fortunately he found some water bottles, so he's not that thirsty, but he's not getting a ton of sleep and relying mostly on salvaged weapons now. Fortunately, one of those salvaged weapons was a box of bombs. So while he is using them sparingly, in addition to using clubs and swords he also is trying his hand at grenades when larger mobs show up. He's up basically all day here on attentive guard duty.

However, if anyone's up for it- midday on the 30th, the Hospital will be damn near lost. A metric ton of shamblers coming upon it from all over the area. Masaomi and any other defenders will be very hard pressed to hold off this particular wave, but defend they most.

Day 7 // 31st - Which continues onto this morning but... By 11AM he sets off from his post to make his way to the teleporters, recklessly driving a hijacked car through shamblers as need be. No doubt it'll be a big adventure if anyone can walk in on. In theory he'll make it there by 1PM. If a cure or something to isn't presented before 2PM, he's leaving the enclosure at the last moment. He's not sure if that's cowardice or not, but he is not a hero. He's doing his duty - hell, he's so scared he can't help but figure he's going above and beyond it - but he owes Katara to survive more than he owes this world to play his part in curing this ailment all the way to death.

Feel free to encounter him within any of these adventures, though who brings Linda back to Luceti has been decided]

29th

[calmbeforethe]

[Ororo had been driving a jeep of her own - empty, because she'd just escorted several people to the teleporters for evacuation, and was hoping to pick up more at the hospital - when a car comes careening out of the corner ahead of her. It makes the turn far more sharply than it should (and for a second she thinks wildly of Kitty Pryde), making her veer out of the way in a hurry.

War, infection, bomb threats and now, bad drivers? Just when she thought she'd seen everything this draft had to offer.]

29th - 31st

[zumo]

29th

[The power cap has reduced him back to a human being--luckily, he doesn't need his rasetsu powers in order to be an effective swordsman. Though he doesn't feel as lively during the night as he did before, the adrenaline from all the excitement is still enough to make up for any fatigue.

When Carol's announcement goes up, he begins the journey back to the MSF base after weighing his options, which are few. Fighting through the shamblers as he encounters them, he is still eagerly relishing in combat.]

30th

[As he is on foot (what the hell are automobiles anyway) and the zombie numbers aren't getting any thinner, he doesn't reach the base until late afternoon. From then on, he focuses on defending the area.

Frankly, he is a bit dehydrated by this point, but as the power cap has made him effectively human, there's no more danger of any bloodlust cropping up from this.]

31st

[Evacuation day! Not much happening today except abandoning the base and heading back to Luceti. Goddamn it, but he's almost happy to be going back. Almost.]

30th

[ahappylie]

[Being separated from the others and defending the barracks has taken its toll on him. Communications broke down somewhere along the way and Souji hasn't entirely been certain how the rest of his household, let alone the rest of the draftees have been faring. To him, each day on the draft has been endless hours of bloodshed, hours spent in a struggle that hasn't gotten any easier as more and more infected appear. His uniform is spattered and torn in some places from the struggles, but he's unharmed so far.

He's on a quick round about the base and barracks, sword out when he spots someone moving toward the barrier around the barracks. It isn't until the person gets closer that he sees who it is and he brings the sword around, wary.]

If you can hear me, respond.

[complicatedliar]

[Loki is around for zombie!Steve getting his head blown off on the 29th, too disoriented to be as much help as the power cap hits. As soon as things have calmed down he escapes in a search for fresh air and a hiding place, trying to recover from being so suddenly diminished.

Afterward, he will be avoiding combat as much as possible, though he's still an effective fighter as humans go. But he will be involved in discovering the cure, just as soon as someone talks him into it and he realizes what a spiteful thing helping can be at times. He'll be at the barrack's lab constantly at that point.

He won't be sleeping and he will be in a cranky mood, so approach with caution. Genius at work is never a pretty thing, particularly not when it's genius in the form of the biggest douchecanoe in all nine realms. Those who he actually likes (or even slightly trusts) may get an idea of just how tired he is, and just how off-balance the loss of his magic has left him. In his own way, he's barely holding on.]

30th

[fleurdesel]

[She doesn't spend much time around the Barrack's lab other than to make certain everyone that works there has something to eat and attempts to rest every ten hours. Loki did not truly need either- but the last thing she wanted was for the god to become infected. Keeping his bandages fresh and sealed from possible contamination was the one way in which she could help him, help those finding a cure- and by what little will she has left, it'll be done.]

A moment of your time, Loki?

[endgames]

[29th. Having expended a lot of energy holding back Moro on the 27th, then turning around to fight Jiraiya on the 28th (plus everyone in between)... he is tired. Soon as the announcement about the powercap goes out, Shikamaru will get someone(s) to cover him so he can get some sleep. Maybe you? Recovering chakra takes time, and the cap just makes it more difficult. He tells himself he'll leave if he doesn't feel better waking up, but it doesn't turn out to be a problem.

The rest of the day is spent searching for the survivor with the group.

30th. Two words. Molotov. Cocktails.

There's all sorts of cars abandoned along the highway. Shikamaru siphons off the gas and starts putting them into glass bottles (some courtesy of Zoro, RIP). He's getting creative with weapons here, with the powercap and his own supply running low. But it's here Tony Stark's lessons in engineering also finally prove handy, in that it's given Shikamaru all the knowledge he needed to figure out to rig an assortment of household appliances to explode.

Oh yeah. He's ready.

Feeling confident in his new arsenal, he spends his time escorting evacuees to the teleporters, and helping out anyone he runs into.

31st. More escorting. How soon he leaves depends on when his friends go, really. Regardless of that, there's bound to be some fierce battles along the way.]

29th - after the sleeping.

[dangerouswind]

[There are a lot of zombies around and, dear God but Temari is going to punch someone in the face for all this trouble. Telling her she can't bring her fan. Making her go through all the trouble of making a fan. Four days later, she's sitting pretty with a useless fan and relying on all those other weapons anyway, thanks to the power cap. She's ridiculously weary but too angry to sleep.

She hates those days. That thought makes her even angrier.

On top of all that, she's getting too goddamned tired to lip-read properly.

Which totally explains why she's out on some idiot mission with Shikamaru. Really. Maybe she can punch a zombie in the face. There's enough of them around.]

29th-31st

[most_unwanted]

[29th: Mulder's still running around half-injured, but he's been getting by and he's still going well into the night of the 28th/29th. It's during one of these battles that he gets into contact with infected blood sometime shortly after midnight. He doesn't realize what happened until he wakes in a cold sweat during one of his rare rest breaks. The illness means one thing of course. Damn it.]

[He considers his options. It's not exactly pleasant to think that putting a bullet in his own head while he can still think clearly is one of them, but, well, it's something he does have to seriously consider.]

[The other option is heading to where the cure's being made and see if he can do anything for them. Get himself contained at least, however it turns out. Minimize the inevitable damage he'll be trying to cause. That would be at least more helpful to the others even though it still might not end well for him. But it's worth a try. So he heads to the hospital, only hoping he can keep his right mind enough to make it. He gets there sometime in the late night/early morning hours.]

[Unfortunately, he'll have turned to a zombie by the time that proto-cure is administered... and he'll get the unpleasant experience of being a human, trapped in a zombie's body. As his mind returns, the aggressive hunger instincts begin to lessen.]

[But he does get to take advantage of being a thinking-zombie for a while before the power cap is lifted. He insists on getting out there again, using his zombie-strength to his advantage. So he eventually gets cleared to go out there and fight.]

[30th: The power cap is in place, but he'll keep doing what he can. There's at least still some advantage to appearing outwardly like a zombie, even if he's no longer got the extra strength or speed.]

[31st: He keeps going, holding out for as long as he can until that full cure can be found and administered... and then he can get back home.]

29th

[mistlegacy]

[Rydia's attempts to keep herself contained have failed. In her current runner state, she managed to escape her confinement and is now roaming the area, restless...and hungry. As soon as she spots Mulder, he'll have to deal with a large green blur running toward him and ready to bite as soon as she's within range.]

29th - 31st

[alloys]

[He thought he'd seen the worst of it out there, with the mangled semblances of things once human determined to live the only way their fevered minds would let them. It'd been grisly, and he'd been stressed to hell and fighting by the skin of his teeth. But he'd stayed alive. He'd saved lives. And he'd already seen the worst of it.

Oh, how wrong he'd been.

He didn't get Pepper's message until after the fact, having been stuck fighting in the city with Rogue. But when he does, there is only one option for him.

It was goddamn poetic, wasn't it. How everything that could go wrong had gone wrong, so perfectly and succinctly. And here he was, tethered to where Pepper is dying. Even with the proto-cure keeping her mind intact, the infection is still ravaging her body. And watching her suffer slowly unmakes him, brick by carefully-laid brick.

Because it’s his fault. He should have been there, protecting her. Why did he ever leave her side, this wouldn't have happened if he’d just been there--

But he wasn't.

A vicious pain consumes him. He barely leaves her side, only to check that the medics are doing everything possible in their power to create a cure. Occasionally he steps outside like he expects to find fresh air there, or maybe he’s just looking for something to fight, something to latch his festering guilt into. Of course, even a minute out there at a time threatens to suffocate him and he returns to her bedside, grief-stricken and relieved every time he sees her anew; still suffering, but still alive.

Even if it’s no way to live.

These days are impossibly long, and if he was having trouble sleeping before, it was certainly a far cry from reality now. He doesn’t sleep. He doesn’t eat. He doesn't tend to his own minor injuries. And speaking was even a Herculean effort most of the time. How could he possibly even begin to say the things he needed to? There was too much knotted up inside his heart, mottled and gnarled, pressed and refined into deeply edged regrets that were the agents of his undoing. He should keep hoping. He knew, rationally, there was still hope for a cure.

But logic had little place in his mind, and his regret was immense. This is a man shaken to his very core, beams torn down from the inside, attempting to not cave in on himself for the sake of the woman he loved.

My fault.]

29th

[touchofrogue]

The power cap was at 100. Logan was no longer quite the danger he was before; the containment they had set up should hold him. Particularly since he not only had to deal with the virus but adamantium poisoning as well. He was dying and there was nothing Rogue could do about it.

It was with that particular mindset that Rogue set out to do as the nice lady from the Malnosso suggested - secure the MSF base. Someone had to find a cure. They just - had to. It was on her way to joining up for this that she ran into Tony.

"Hey."

Noticeably, Rogue's uniform is mended in several places - across the heart, high on her left thigh - and she has that certain look of someone stalking death, less kindly put as being twelve miles of bad road.

[selfhelp]

[The latter half of the draft is not at all that Billy had expected. Granted, none of it was expected - the zombies, the deaths, the quarantines and looming threats of god-knows-what-else. He'd been doing alright up until the 29th. And then they took away his powers.

On the 29th, Billy is a wreck. Young Loki is dead. Captain America is dead. Most of his time will be spent either in hiding or hunched over in some secluded corner, face buried in his knees, if he's not clinging to his teammates. He doesn't handle deaths well at all, even temporary death, and he may or may not be crying.

On the 30th, a bit of that spark is back, and Billy is out there once again, trying to help wherever he can- transferring supplies, supporting the wounded, and assisting the evacuation, though he doesn't evacuate, himself. After everything they've gone through, and the lives that were lost, it feels too much like cheating, even if he feels absolutely useless.

Some time in the evening, on an attempted supply run, Billy and Teddy (and maybe Tommy? not sure yet!) will all but disappear for a while. During the night Billy will send off a few messages cautiously requesting aid, but there's a hoarde of zombies between them and a safe area... and Billy will have been bitten.

The afternoon of the 31st, either by some miraculous rescue or pure luck, will have a zombified Billy back in the main area, chomping at the flesh-craving bit until the cure is produced and distributed, at which point he'll be heading home, probably either unconscious or really out of it, but nonetheless grateful to be alive.]

29th

[complicatedliar]

[Loki, looking like he's barely keeping his feet, comes looking for Billy. He's not certain if the power limit would hit the boy worse than him or not.

He sits down next to him without preamble, lacking his usual grace.]

29th

[thebellthatbinds]

As the progression of the virus grew steadily worse throughout the infected still roaming the city Sabriel can’t help but shutter as her Death sense starts to pick up all of the newly Dead now roaming the streets. It was a slow slide but it felt like a vice creeping tighter and tighter around her the longer she had to stay in the down town area. She had heard of the concept of the Dead being born of a virus only once over the journals but to actually see it, see the decline of once healthy individuals as they suffer and almost burn inside to tear others apart was another thing entirely. As Runners they had all of the aggression of the Dead she knew from her own world, but they were still alive, and there was nothing she could do to fight the death slowing eating them away from the inside.

It’s the morning of the 29th when she’s forced out of her hiding spot to try and find some water. The bottles she had brought with her had long since emptied and she couldn’t afford to be dehydrated. It happens as she passes by one of the store windows, a cold chill travels up her spine and she spins on the spot, eyes wide as she tries to find the source. Breaths slowly growing more frantic she turns and runs from the cold, from the Death surrounding her on all sides, all the while feeling that shiver clinging to her skin.

Got to get away. Got to get out.

She’s running like a madwoman through the downtown area, trying to find her way back to a safe place but from the way she moves it’s like she’s blind to where she’s actually going. Try to stop her? Try to calm her down? Good luck.

29th

[merelychewed]

Draco's in the middle of his last sweep of the day over the streets when he happens to spot someone down below running through them. In the dark, it's impossible to notice the shadow of the dragon following after, and so he manages to shadow her from far above for a few minutes. He's waiting, watching, and trying to discern if her movements are those of an infected runner or a terrified survivor.

In the end, he decides to take the risk.

It's only a human. What could he have to fear from them if they even are in the throes of the illness? He draws his wings closer and swoops down among the buildings, the speed of his descent shooting him over Sabriel to a clear enough spot for him to land. There's now a dragon in her path, turning to face her.

"Hold there! Are you bitten or are you not?"

That will be his greeting to her. It's worked to make people stop from fleeing before, so here's hoping it'll work again. Of course, his voice, even at it's quietest, might also be enough to bring a swarm upon them.

30th + 31st

[deadpoet]

Sure, Spike lacks his vampire strength, but he has his vampire immunity still in play. Ever since he lost track of Buffy and other Lucetians, he's been lying low in the downtown area with a small ragtag group of survivors in an old warehouse. Most of them Vaskothans, an MSF soldiers, and a few from other enclosures. In a day, Spike went from their immune guardian to being just as vulnerable as they were. It took the wind out of his sails and now he was taking orders from the soldier with the gun. A woman with a radio and a big gun, that is. Spike didn't like it at all, but he wouldn't be staying long.

On the 30th, their warehouse is raided and Spike tries to mount a defense. He's knocked out in the battle and when he comes to, all of his fellow survivors are gone. All except a small girl, eleven, who was hiding under a table. But with a gash on her forehead. Spike may have only been imagining it, but he was certain he could smell the infection in her blood. She was a lost cause. Or it's what she should have been, if he had any sense. Binding her hands and arms, he picked her up and went to the streets. There were no working cars left to hijack, so he he had miles upon miles to walk to where he heard there might be hope.

On the 30th, he's in the hospital yelling angrily at one of the nurses.

"I don't care if she's from Zompania or if she's from bloody Mars. You've got a cure and I want it for her. I know they're prioritizing Lucetians in there. Well sod it, I'm Lucetian, so give her my share of the cure."

The poor nurse was sympathetic, but looked a little lost. After all, there were so many more people ahead of the girl when it came to the cure. One angry man couldn't just bypass the line for a cure that took time to produce.

One the 31st, Spike has left the confines of the hospital to search out the Slayer. He may not find her, but it's his intent to drag her to the teleporter and ensure she survives. Even if it means risking going up with the bomb himself. Which is why he's reckless enough to face the zombie hordes with just a blood-coated axe.

30th

[touchofrogue]

Rogue was leaving the hospital, a woman on a mission, when she heard shouting in the corridor. Shouting was unfortunately getting more and more par for the course, but shouting lead to violence and violence lead to... well, whatever, she stuck her head in anyway.

Spike. And a child. And... a nurse.

At least Rogue had the satisfaction of knowing that her headache was 100% hers, and not psyche induced. She stepped more fully into the room and propped one hand on her hip, a tired imitation of one of her usual postures. Her hair was pulled back into a messy ponytail and her uniform had been mended; on her chest by her heart and around her left thigh. "What's goin' on in here?"

29th [Ran Fan only]

[avaricious]

[The power cap was lifted and Ling was stunned when the souls inside him were suddenly silenced. He and Ran Fan had been staying ahead of the runners for awhile now, but that moment was enough to slow him down. It took only a split second and an infected cultist got him with a sword. Ling stumbled back, dizzy from pain and hunger as he clutched the wound.

He wasn't healing. Not this time.]

[oftheyin]

[It took only a second for Ran Fan to realize that Ling stopped, and she was by his side. She wasn't even going to bother asking what was wrong. It was easy to see that he was hurt, and the fact he wasn't healing was troubling.

She reached out for his hand.] Lean on me. I'll get you to safety, young lord.

29th

[chikaidestroyer]

[After the evacuation on the 28th, Albert headed back to Old Town to see if there was anything else he could do there. He remained there, trying to concentrate on organizing survivors to continue scavenging supplies, until the burning pain started wracking his body. Staying here wasn't helping; whatever stress he was feeling out on the battlefield was aggravating his wound.

And so he is moved north with some later evacuees by the MSF, where he spends half the day in quarantine. He spends most of the quarantine time on a cot, switching between trying to sleep and observing others who were hoping to evacuate.]

[averybadfeeling]

[The 29th
Obi-Wan is going to be out of commission after Steve, trying to rest and recover from the exertion and the asskicking. This will not be made any easier by the power cap suddenly cutting him off from the Force. However, that afternoon and evening, he'll be sticking with the medical staff as a bodyguard- he's still got combat experience and training and tactical knowledge at his disposal.

The 30th
Having recovered from his ordeal and adjusted to the power cap, he's taking to the field again- not to fight, but to find. He's searching for two things: Any remaining stranded survivors in need of rescuing, and this bizarre patient who's immune to the zombie plague, to help the scientists develop a cure.

The 31st
Regardless of his success in finding the survivor, Obi-Wan isn't going to stop trying to get people evacuated until the very last evacuation team has left, and then he's going to stay with the science teams until they find a cure or the whole enclosure comes down, whichever comes first.]

Late on the 29th

[complicatedliar]

[Loki sits down next to Obi-wan and offers him a cup of coffee.

Loki's nose, it should be noted, is currently swollen to twice its normal size and he sports a fetching set of raccoon eyes.

He takes a slow sip of his own cup of coffee.]

You know, I cannot help but feel as if this day could have gone better.

29th to 31st

[windandrain]

[29th: As soon as the power cap went up, Saori did the smartest thing she could and stopped roaming around alone. Losing her divinity was temporarily disorienting, but it had happened before so it wasn't a total loss. She stayed near the barracks, acting as a guard for those working inside. Even powerless, she still had centuries of martial experience and the strength to draw a bow or swing a sword.]

[30th: Today too, Saori will remain as a guard, never straying from within vision range of the MSF barracks and t8hose working on the cure. With Sabriel sent home, she had a clear goal in mind now, and that was to make sure Adele got home safely.]

[31st: Do or Die, Saori remains guarding the barracks right up until the 11th hour. If it becomes apparent that the cure is not happening, she'll be grabbing up a certain housemate and hauling them to the teleporters and to safety. Beyond that? Expect to see her doing much the same as the last three days. She's barely slept, and is completely exhausted but doing this is necessary.]

31st

[endgames]

[On this last day, Shikamaru is escorting people to treatment, and to the teleporters. That a cure is in the works doesn't completely rid the rush - some people want out, while they're still uninfected and confident that their loved ones are finally getting treatment.

So it's with a group of two that Shikamaru is passing by the barracks. There's still some hours to go.]

[asthehawkflies]

[Late 29th-30th
Clint spends a few hours trying to recover from what happened to Steve, focusing on keeping the hospital safe for the people working there, because otherwise he'll have to think about what happened and he doesn't have the time to mourn.

When the call goes out for people to help find the survivor, he volunteers because the hope or a cure, of something concrete, is something that he can't ignore, not when Pepper is in there and when Adele had broken down about not being able to fix things.

Late 30th-31st
Even if they don't find the survivor, Clint isn't leaving until the bitter end. He gets back, exhausted and still heads back out to try and herd any survivors and buy the hospital the time that the researchers need.]

31st

[fleurdesel]

[Adele was waiting for him when he returns from hunting down the survivor. Success or failure- it doesn't matter. She knows he most likely hasn't slept. In his position she wouldn't have either. The moment she sees him coming in for ammunition, water, whatever, she reaches over and despite every reason not to- he's a trained assassin, it won't go well- grabs the collar of his shirt and begins tugging him by the scruff to the nearest empty room.]

You look like shit.

29th [Mithos only]

[fortunefail]

[Despite Raine's healing actions the previous day, the infection had started to wreak havoc on Yuan's body once more early in the morning. And still, he hadn't evacuated. He'd endured the symptoms as much as he could, even as they progressed faster than usual. The power cap had gone up and a few hours later, he'd lost himself to the infection entirely.

Unable to speak, unable to think, he was driven only by a mad thirst to see blood flow and eat. Others in the enclosure could count themselves lucky that the power cap prevented him from using magic, or there would've been incredible damage. Now, however, he had only his weapon to take down potential prey.]

29th [best day ever except not really]

[imatreenow]

[He had meant to evacuate when the order was issued the day before, but en route to the quarantine area he was ambushed by a pair of runners and suddenly he realized... Why leave? He has nothing to look forward to back in Luceti. Here, he can lose himself in violence. For ecstatic bursts at a time, he can feel nothing but the adrenaline of battle and his mind is filled only with calculations for survival.

It's the relief he craves, even as his exhausted body craves nothing but to rest. He doesn't want to die again, but he's willing to push himself closer and closer to the edge, for the sake of forgetting everything else.

So he stays. He'll stay until he absolutely must go.

As he slinks through the woods, wondering when the next battle will be, wondering if he'll be able to find enough to eat and drink, he catches sight of Yuan. He pauses, watching silently, hand moving to his sword.]

29th to 31st

[innerdragon]

[Perhaps foolishly, Lance has opted to stay behind to help any stragglers that need to evacuate. He will be using his dragons to help transport people.

Somewhere during this point, he will be having an argument with Draco about evacuating himself. Lance ends up staying and helping Draco with the airborne search for the lone survivor.

Ultimately, he likely won't be leaving until Draco does, or if he's convinced otherwise.

If he is needed anywhere, he will do his best to be of assistance.]

29th, +1 argument with dragon goes here

[merelychewed]

[Wherever they've ended up (let's say the hospital), it had begun as simply a rest stop to catch a breather. Once they're on the ground, though...]

I take it you heard the that message?

[Referring to the broadcast.]