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xp_logs2016-01-26 03:00 am
x-callisto.livejournal.com) wrote in xp_logs2016-01-26 03:00 am
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Fall of the Mutants: Prologue 3
The Morlocks have retreated deeper into the tunnels, but it hasn't kept them from being targeted. Things are coming to a head.
"So far, so good," Sunder was saying to Callisto as they traversed one of the many tunnels that formed the Morlocks' home. "No new attacks, no-one missing. Tunnelers are bitching, of course, but they're staying put for now."
"And you're checking in with everyone? Have we got Mother keeping an eye o-"
"Callisto!" A figure peeled away from the wall of the tunnels, growing more and more three-dimensional until a slight, frantic-looking girl stood before them. Even in the dim light they could make out the pale pastel stripes across her hair and mottling her skin as well as the flush across her cheeks. "They... they got us! Healer and the others, they came from all over and they attacked us, they were killing us..."
Sunder moved instinctively to protect the girl, his bulk filling the tunnel. "Healer?" he asked, shooting a worried look at Callisto. Healer was the soul of the Morlocks, besides the only one able to heal their injuries and avoid them having to use Upworlder hospitals. "Was it the uniformed humans again? The same ones as before?"
She nodded agitatedly, wringing her hands as her gaze darted from Callisto to Sunder and then back again. "I think so. I... I didn't get a very good look. They had guns, there was shooting... I think Healer was hit. There was so much blood..." She didn't elaborate, obviously too shaken by the experience to report in anything approaching a clinical fashion, and Callisto's first act was to pull the girl into a tight hug.
"'Sokay," she muttered, pulling away to grip Tommy's shoulders, bending a little to look at her. "You're okay. Take us to them, 'kay?"
***
Tommy's distress hadn't been exaggerated. The scene, when they reached it, was bloody, bullet holes in the walls, red stains on the concrete floors, one or two sprawled bodies... One of those was dressed in Healer's distinctive monastic-type robes and while Sunder hung back to secure the area, Callisto made her way to his side.
Sinking to her knees and pressing her hand into his she knew immediately that it wouldn't be long. She felt a tiny spark of life flow into her through his touch, and felt a lump rise in her throat. Even to the last...
"Stop it," she muttered. "You can come through this," she lied.
His eyes fluttered open; he gave a smile as he recognised her, though there was a growing film across the crisp blue of his irises like ice over a winter's lake. "No," came the quiet reply. "No, I'm afraid I have met the end of my path. The others... I did what I could, but..." He let out a wheezing sigh, his hand tightening around hers. "I'm sorry."
"What happened?" Callisto asked, unable to stall finding out what she could any longer. "Are they... did they take them?"
"They rounded them up... and took them, yes. They said something about a scow... by Con-Ed. You'll go for them, won't you?"
"'Course I will." Callisto smiled, eye shining with tears. Her fingers laced with Healer's and she squeezed his hand tightly as she felt the last of his life flow out of him and into her. She released his hand, rose to her feet slowly, turned.
"Okay," she said. "I am done running."
"So far, so good," Sunder was saying to Callisto as they traversed one of the many tunnels that formed the Morlocks' home. "No new attacks, no-one missing. Tunnelers are bitching, of course, but they're staying put for now."
"And you're checking in with everyone? Have we got Mother keeping an eye o-"
"Callisto!" A figure peeled away from the wall of the tunnels, growing more and more three-dimensional until a slight, frantic-looking girl stood before them. Even in the dim light they could make out the pale pastel stripes across her hair and mottling her skin as well as the flush across her cheeks. "They... they got us! Healer and the others, they came from all over and they attacked us, they were killing us..."
Sunder moved instinctively to protect the girl, his bulk filling the tunnel. "Healer?" he asked, shooting a worried look at Callisto. Healer was the soul of the Morlocks, besides the only one able to heal their injuries and avoid them having to use Upworlder hospitals. "Was it the uniformed humans again? The same ones as before?"
She nodded agitatedly, wringing her hands as her gaze darted from Callisto to Sunder and then back again. "I think so. I... I didn't get a very good look. They had guns, there was shooting... I think Healer was hit. There was so much blood..." She didn't elaborate, obviously too shaken by the experience to report in anything approaching a clinical fashion, and Callisto's first act was to pull the girl into a tight hug.
"'Sokay," she muttered, pulling away to grip Tommy's shoulders, bending a little to look at her. "You're okay. Take us to them, 'kay?"
***
Tommy's distress hadn't been exaggerated. The scene, when they reached it, was bloody, bullet holes in the walls, red stains on the concrete floors, one or two sprawled bodies... One of those was dressed in Healer's distinctive monastic-type robes and while Sunder hung back to secure the area, Callisto made her way to his side.
Sinking to her knees and pressing her hand into his she knew immediately that it wouldn't be long. She felt a tiny spark of life flow into her through his touch, and felt a lump rise in her throat. Even to the last...
"Stop it," she muttered. "You can come through this," she lied.
His eyes fluttered open; he gave a smile as he recognised her, though there was a growing film across the crisp blue of his irises like ice over a winter's lake. "No," came the quiet reply. "No, I'm afraid I have met the end of my path. The others... I did what I could, but..." He let out a wheezing sigh, his hand tightening around hers. "I'm sorry."
"What happened?" Callisto asked, unable to stall finding out what she could any longer. "Are they... did they take them?"
"They rounded them up... and took them, yes. They said something about a scow... by Con-Ed. You'll go for them, won't you?"
"'Course I will." Callisto smiled, eye shining with tears. Her fingers laced with Healer's and she squeezed his hand tightly as she felt the last of his life flow out of him and into her. She released his hand, rose to her feet slowly, turned.
"Okay," she said. "I am done running."