Realistic or Modern A Descent into Chaos

[Keeperoftheghosts]

The crackle of a simple little camp fire carried over the dark wilderness of the Rockie Mountains. A small sliver of light, warmth, and humanity amongst the ancient stricken wilderness that surrounded the long overgrown path its two travelers took. There at the alter of temporary safety from the endless void two weary traveller's rest. Taking their momentary reprise at the beacons feet.

"We should put this out soon...we don't want to attract unwanted attention." The younger of the two, an Algiara donning the code name of Insomnia, advised, as they set down the bow of their violin returning the string instrument to its case after the last note of its haunting melody faded off once more into silence.

"It'll be fine, leave it Chrisy, it's going to be cold tonight, I'd rather face unwanted attention then hypothermia." Wrath, the elder of the two replied using a long stick to briefly stir the embers of the blaze keeping the bright blues of her eyes focused on the fire. She could feel the skeptical gaze of her partner from across the fire and eventually looked up meeting the faded grays of theirs.

"I don't think that's a-" they began only to be cut of by an amused shoo gesture.
"If you're done playing perhaps you ought to go fetch some more firewood?"

 

[Prairerosethefirst]

Out in the frostiness of the waning night was a humanoid creature. Not human enough to make himself a place in society without some questions being raised.
His eyes flickering around nervously as he teetered through the snow. The tips of his fingers getting harder to bend as he could feel himself freezing as water often does in the cold. Before long he might not be able to move.
His short chestnut hair frayed and grey at the ends wavering like ripples of a stream.

 

[Keeperoftheghosts]

Insomnia let out a sigh standing up and ever so gently setting their instrument up against the stone they had rest themself upon.
"...If you insist that's the wisest choice then fine. I'm going to do one more clear of the area while I'm at it. Radio me if you need me to return quickly. " they stated stopping to check the long knives they had strapped to their thighs and the throwing ones across their chest were all in place. They popped up the collar of their black fleace lined leather jacket tugging the red beanie they wore down a bit closer to hide the blackened points of their ears and moved stepping out beyond the glimmer of light and into the woods ignoring the amused laugh of their mentor and close friend. They moved near silently with only the slight crunch of their boots in the snow alerting any one nearby of their presence.

 

[Prairerosethefirst]

With his ears perked and on alert the soft crunching nearby made him tense. The frosty blue of his cheeks paled as he went to step the other way. He couldn't be caught, the last place he wanted was to return to the wretched place that had held him captive most of his life. Though this small taste of freedom did him no good if he froze out here.
Could he trust a stranger? What if it was a scientist or a guard? No he couldn't risk it.
Shuffling back the way he came eyes narrowed prepared to do all he could to protect himself in the moment.

 

[Keeperoftheghosts]

The sound of footsteps appeared to be getting closer and after a moment a figure came into view. Looking to be around 5'6, with choppily cut dusty black hair tucked into a red beanie, they were dressed for the weather it seemed wearing what looked to be a black leather jacket and some sort of black form fitting pants, with two holster straps attached to each side. The figure was looking around one hand hovering just above their thigh as they stopped crouching down and picking up a couple of sticks breaking one off a bush with a crack. They stopped wincing at the noise and looked around quickly, the dull grays of their eyes widening slightly as they landed on the stranger.
"Hey!" Insomnia (the figure) called out dropping the stick and booking it towards watery man, not yet reaching for a weapon in case he intended no harm.

 

[Prairerosethefirst]

His breath hitched and he went to roll out of the way in no way intending to get caught. Hissing as he felt his limbs grow heavier and stumbled to get up. Unlike the figure he was not dressed for the weather and while he was not injured he still seemed to be dragging himself quite slow. Even with how panicked he appeared.
“I’m not going back!” He growled out firmly despite the shake to his voice and the way his words were smoothed like lapping water.

 

[Keeperoftheghosts]

Insomnia scoffed quickly managing catching up to the fumbling specimen, they slid to a stop near him pulling out one of the long knives from the sheaf on their thigh and held it out in front of themself, ready to attack, the dull grays of their eyes pinning on the brown haired man. Eyeing him up and down trying to determine his threat level, eventually letting out a puff of hot air visible in the cold and lowered their blade ever so slightly.
"Get up. Don't try running, your attempt of dragging yourself around is frankly pathetic. I don't know where this there is but I have no association with it."

 

[Prairerosethefirst]

He stared at them with his hazel eyes trying to determine how much he wanted to risk it. Slowly he shuffled and pushed himself up, despite the way his joints seemed to crackle a little at the movement. Once he was standing he wasn't but three inches taller than the figure.
“Who are you?” He asked instead, his focus refusing to leave them as if they would attack them.
Eyeing the knife a tad nervously but not saying anything about it. His arms moving to hug around himself. His tinted blue lips not wavering too awfully much.

 

[Keeperoftheghosts]

They stared straight back. Keeping the knife out but more so kept at a defensive position incase he tried anything.
"Yours first, then I'll tell you mine..." they trailed off noticing his closeness to freezing and tsked taking three steps back.
"Don't try anything, I assure you, you will regret it. At this point you'll freeze before we get anything useful out of you." They threatened momentarily sheafing the weapon and quickly taking of their unzipped jacket it tossing it to him quickly pulling out the knife again.

Up close the Specimen could see that they were likely not quite human either. Their skin had a grayish tint that faded into charcoal black splotches that had been previously been hidden under their outer layer along with a couple bandages wrapped around the forearm of one hand and several scars marring the flesh.

 

[Prairerosethefirst]

He flinched before catching the jacket and hesitating before pulling it on. “Thanks…. Erm… I'm Eighteen…” He looked around himself nervously biting at his lower lip. “Did you escape them too?” He focused on them again less scared now that he was certain they couldn't be a guard or a scientist. That for now he was safe from the lab’s grasp.

 

[Keeperoftheghosts]

"I asked for your name not your ag- ah shit you're one of the governments aren't you?" They asked suddenly looking around warily herself.
"And no...they do like to send to send your folks after my species though...fuck...We don't have time for this..." they groaned looking around muttering a few curses.
"Alright follow me, Wrath can figure out what to do with you while I make sure you didn't lead anyone to us."

 

[Prairerosethefirst]

He gulped and nodded meekly as he walked over to her cautiously. “I’m pretty sure it’s just me… I’ve been keeping an eye out… I’m not sure if they even know I’m gone.” He looked around again narrowing his eyes before shrugging. “I did a good job of keeping out of sight… plus it’s hard to keep tabs on me…” He whispered in a quiet tone.

 

[Keeperoftheghosts]

Their eyes flickered over him skeptically letting out a slight scoff.
"You were five seconds away from becoming a popsicle, and for all I know you could be a mole. No thanks, I'd rather not chance it. Come on, we have a campfire and food." They said said sheafing the long knife and switching it out for one of the throwing knives they had strapped across their chest.
"Just...stay quiet if what you say is true until we reach the fire."

 

[Prairerosethefirst]

He nodded biting his tongue to keep from retorting that he’d be fine frozen. His gaze watching them close at the mention of food as if unsure to trust that. Shuffling along to follow them on. Biting at his lip more as a nervous habit. His hazel eyes shifting to the jacket he had pulled tight around himself. Thankful that this person had let him borrow it.

 

[Keeperoftheghosts]

They started walking leading him back the direction they came from stopping to pick up the sticks they had tossed in persuit. They shook the branches to get the snow off them and continued on. They stayed dead silent themself shifting the way they placed their feet ever so slightly to avoid making any sort of sound now that there was the possibility of there being others around. More importantly they kept the Specimen in their peripherals not trusting him not to run or try and attack them. Eventually the glimmer of a fire became visible and as the two drew closer a not yet discernable figure resting there as well.

 

[Prairerosethefirst]

He followed how they stepped careful to be slow and quiet. Pausing as he saw the dim light of fire. Looking uncertain about drawing near. Reaching to grab a few sticks like they had and holding them close to his chest. His breaths slowing down as he looked around nervously. He wondered if freezing would be a more acceptable alternative than dealing with these people who he had no idea of their intentions for him.They really hurt him yet though, and he really had no other choice then to follow them or perhaps get caught by the lab.

 

[Keeperoftheghosts]

They glanced over at him eyeing the sticks questionably before breaking the tree line into the small little clearing they had their campfire set up in. The figure at the fire straightened up, a human woman with platinum blond hair and icy blue eyes, glanced between the two before giving an amused smile.
"Oh, well hello there...Insomnia...why did you?"
"One of the P.P.R.D's, I don't fucking know....look you talk to him or whatever, I'm going to go make sure he's not leading anyone straight to us." They said giving him a light nudge to go join the woman at the fire.

 

[Prairerosethefirst]

He tensed at the touch and nodded shyly. Walking over to the woman at the fire and holding out the sticks to her nervously. His hazel eyes watching her closely as he used his free hand to hold the jacket firm on his shoulders. The tips of his fingers clear like frozen ice. And his face seeming frosted even though he wasn’t shivering.

 

[Keeperoftheghosts]

She have him a warm somewhat teasing smile and accepted the sticks shifting over on the log she sat on to make space and patted it to symbolize he should take a seat to warm up.
"I don't suppose you have a proper name if you come from the Lab?" She asked opening up the backpack by her feet and pulling out a 2 cans of soup nestilng it among the stones creating the pit so it would warm up after using a pocket knife to break the aluminum seal.
"You can call me Wrath for now by the way...do you like cream of mushroom?" She asked as an afterthought as Insomnia disappeared from sight back into the forest.

 

[Prairerosethefirst]

He shuffled awkwardly and went to sit by her. “I guess not…. I go by Eighteen…” He eyed the soup pressing his lips in a thin line. His fists clenched around the jacket as he shrugged. “I don't know… I don't mind any sort of food I guess…” He watched the embers of the fire with his hazel eyes. His straight chestnut hair dripping a little as he brushed away the snow.

 

[Keeperoftheghosts]

"I see....well I don't feel comfortable calling a sentient being by a number unless it's their choice, so would you like to be called that?" She asked keeping an eye on him out of the corner of her eye as she wiped her pocket knife off with a piece of cloth from her backpack.
"And I suppose after that we should figure out what exactly to do with you...I suppose try and find out where Sanctuary's nearest hide out is and direct you there." She commented watching him carefully out of the corner of her eye as she added the sticks to the fire.

 

[Prairerosethefirst]

He looked at her and frowned. “Well… erm… what about Caleb?” His feet shuffled under him. “What’s Sanctuary?” He asked instead as he watched the color return to the tips of his fingers with a frown. Reaching and brushing his fingers through his hair.

 

[Keeperoftheghosts]

"It's good to meet you Caleb...Sanctuary is a resistance of sorts? It's run mostly by those like you...escaped Specimen. I'm personally not affiliated with it, but they accept any supernatural, and in some locations depending on who's in charge humans as well." She said carefully touching the cans to see if they had quite heated up yet.

 

[Prairerosethefirst]

“Oh… what are you and… erm… Insomnia yes? What are you two affiliated with then?” He went to stand up and paced a little bit. His gaze watching around them nervously as he then paused and bit at his lip again. “Anyways I think I could maybe be okay as long as I live somewhere warm… where I wouldn't freeze in the weather… evaporation isn't much more fun… but I could at least run if I needed…”

 

[Keeperoftheghosts]

Wrath sighed putting the can back down to let it heat up some more.
"Someone you'd rather not be affiliated with, trust me...I know they have a base somewhere in the Mohave Desert, that should be a good place for you then...otherwise we do know the exact location in New York...both are long trips for you take by yourself though. " She observed suddenly looking a lot more serious.