Broken Ground

[Miggle]

Jane, out of habit, pulled on her leather pack strings as she looked up towards the green/gray clouded sky. She blinked underneath her goggles, and for the smallest second wondered what it was like to feel sun on her face. She shook any lingering thoughts of "blue skies", and marched forward towards a towering skyscraper in front of her.


She walked past piles of rubbish, and kicked a few scattered bones on the road. This was much farther than most of the topsiders went, and it was obvious that most people did not survive when they ventured this far. Jane decided that the best thing to do would be to get out of the open street and into a building. She turned to her right, into an old time store. She walked inside to find empty, rusty, metal shelves lining the wall and not much else. Jane instinctively started coughing once the smell of the store reached through her mask and into her nose.


It smelled like death in the room, and she soon found why. Behind the counter were two bodies, a young couple, ripped to bits. It became obvious to her that they were trying to hide out and live together here, and it was also obvious that the world decided their lives were up. Jane breathed a small apology to them, then turned to their packs. She found a few metal canisters filled with water, and some other oddities. Jane pulled everything useful out, and placed it into her own pack. It was just when she stood up that she heard the soft rattling behind her.


so that's what killed them... she thought as she stiffened.


Jane knew that she would soon be dead if she didn't get out of the room now. She quickly lept over the counter of the store, and raced out the door. She only took one small glance behind her as she raced down the road. Her suspicions were right. Bounding towards her on all fours was a Ratter, and probably the biggest she had ever seen.


[visual of Ratter]

Spoiler

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[Reito]

"Are you sure you'll be able to deliver this?" The customer asked, his eyes wide. "You'll have to grow above ground, but it is really rather urgent." Asagi stared at the man, and then nodded once, silently handing him a clipboard and a ragged broken pencil. The man signed randomly on the page and handed her a can tine full of water, along with a small ration of bread. "I know this isn't much, but it's all I can offer you." Asagi accepted the gifts and stuffed them into her tattered messenger bag. She then snatched the letter from the man's hand and spun on her heel, returning to the empty street.


She walked quickly on the street, her emerald eyes darting from side to side, taking in everyone and everything in sight. Four people in total, completely spaced out, scavenging for whatever they could find. Asagi placed her hand upon the messenger back and picked up her pace, walking briskly towards the Above grounds.

 

[keizerin]

In a glitched fashion, Eli transported down the floors of a skyscraper one at a time, having seen someone walking about down below. Of course, it was rare to see humans in such an area, probably due to the fact that it was practically overrun with animals. Slightly curious, the girl scoped out the situation.


Wrong move. she thought, watching as the stranger walked into the old store. She had witnessed a couple head in a few days or so ago. Needless to say, they didn't come back out. It didn't take long for her to come sprinting out of the building, a Ratter in pursuit for its next meal. Eli leaned against the window, pale light reflecting off the glass of her mask.


Although reluctantly, the girl hopped out the window, falling until she was near the ground and then teleported close to the other human in an alleyway just ahead, then Eli jumped out to run alongside her when she caught up.


"Bad day?" she asked through her mask.

 

[Goddess]

"God, what do we do...they aren't here." Eimin spoke with such wonder in his voice. From a far , Zero looked upset or unwilling to budge from his position. Eimin looked down but his hues moved toward the side, the hole where they came from. The spot was supposed to be hear, where the sun rises first and the night drifts last. Eimin looked up again , his eyes blinded by the rays of the sun when it decided to rise even higher into the blue sky. He gulped a little as he heard a voice. It was strong and stern . "Eimin cover your eyes and moth, the sand will get in there." Eimin was happy that he had at least spoken some words, even if it was so little to give him instructions. Doing as he said though, he covered them with the rag and a gas mask that was given to him before his travels. Although he was prepared , Zero didn't have on which worried him above all else."


Zero sat down, a loud plump landing against the dessert ground. The sand floating away from where he had sat as if they were escaping. Eimin had walked up to him , his hands by his sides, since his pockets were of no use at the moment. " What do we do?" His question was only answered with another , which made him question his own question. Was it the right one or was he not specific enough. " What do you think we do?" Confused the boy was so he tried again but this time he was specific enough. "What do we do out here, the other's haven't showed up for the trade and the night will be here soon." Zero looked back with an amused look on his face. Was he right, was the question right on the mark. "We wait?" Eimin backed up a little. What kind of answer was that, it was an unacceptable one. He stepped forward, showing his protest in his answer to him. "But we can't, you are sick and the weather could effect your health." The man looked back, showing him a look of understanding. " Yes but we do the trade, the money we need it." Eimin flew his hand to the side as he tightened the other one forming a fist.


"We don't need that money." Eimin glared down at Zero as Zero returned his glare as well. "We do to, we will not lower ourselves to become petty thieves that feed off of the scraps of others." Eimin truly wanted to strike him down, from where he sat. This made no sense, why one earth would we wait. He had fallen to his knees as he leaned forward. The dirt smudging on his pants where his knees were. His hands dragging into the dirt as he gritted his teeth. "Why risk your health for just money." This was a valuable question, he wanted it to be answered and not with another question. "Because you are here." Eimin's heart almost dropped. Tears could not stop there flow as it ran down his dry cheeks. For the sake of him he was willing to sacrifice his health. "I...I am sorry for questioning you god."

 

[Miggle]

Jane let out a small huff as the girl appeared next to her.


"I would say yes, but then every day would be bad", she replied jokingly. She heard the ratter breathing raggidly behind her. That meant it was closer. She listened carefully to it's labored breathing- it must be sick. Things didn't tend to live very long on topsoil, and this monster must be nearing it's end.


Jane spoke to the girl running next to her, "This one is sick. Even if we do get away from it alive, it'll only follow us back to the colony. We can't let it follow us if it's diseased, who knows what havoc that could wreck on topsoil"


As she spoke, Jane slid her hand into her jacket to pull out her blade. She gave the girl a countdown with three fingers, then quickly jumped back onto the ratter's back. It was an impressive move- she pushed herself into the air, flipping as she went, and landed on the scaly back of the Ratter.


Jane used her legs to secure her hold on the tall beast, as she reached for it's neck with her blade. She had only sliced her blade partially into the monster's windpipe when one of it's long arms pulled Jane off by her pack. With a cry, she wrapped her wiry legs around the monster's arm and pulled, snapping a bone. The Ratter through her to the ground, and approached with fury in it's eyes.

 

[Reito]

Asagi was now on top ground. She pulled a scarf out from her messenger bag and tied it around her mouth. It wasn't much, but it would do for now. She began walking down the streets, her body tense. She spread open her minds eye and began searching for life sources, looking for any possible indication of where the destination to deliver the letter would be. There were massive amounts of animals around her, scavenging for food.


She kept walking and scanning, until a loud cry jerked her from her concentration. She refocused on the direction of the sound, and spotted three life sources behind a building. She rounded the building and spotted the scene. She pressed herself against a building,out of sight, and began observing

 

[keizerin]

Eli stopped once the girl ended the countdown, spinning around to watch her first attack. Impressive as she was, with her fancy jumps and flips as well as her excellent agility, she was overcome and thrown to the ground. Eliza was sure the girl could handle this herself, but it had been a while since she had actually fought with one of the wild animals. She decided that she could end this herself.


With one quick swoop of her hands, Eli pulled six small shivs from the straps on her back into her hand, holding them in between her fingers, and brought them to her sides. With a quick last-minute examination, the shivs disappeared from her fingers, two appearing on each of the monster's feet to hold him to the ground, and one for each eye. Of course, the two remaining were unseen yet fairly fatal wounds, sent into the Ratter's body and puncturing its heart.


Eliza turned to the girl, looking at her through her mask for a few moments before adjusting her hood and turning on her heels, heading in the other direction.

 

[Miggle]

Jane called out to the girl, "Aren't you going back to the colony? It's going to be night soon, and it's safer being around other people".


Jane spoke with genuine concern. As tough as she was, she knew how dangerous being alone could be. After all, look what happened to that couple. They died because they chose to not live in the sanctuary of the colony.


Jane pulled her mask off and gave the girl a hopeful smile. In Jane's mind, this gesture was one of showing trust. Most Above Grounders hid behind their mask always, not showing their faces or smiles to the world. By exposing her face to the girl and sharing a small smile, Jane hoped to convince the girl that she had goodness in mind. While extending her hand she spoke, "Come on, I'll share my water with you"

 

[Reito]

Asagi took in the scene and exhaled silently. She turned her head to the west and began searching for sources again until she pinpointed the one she wanted. The weak, flickering outline of a body gave her the signal she needed. She stepped out of the shadows and walked across the street and placed her hand on the door. She fished the letter out from her bag and glanced at the address.


Apartment 10. She looked at the number on the door. Seeing that it matched, she opened the door and walked in, all the way to the living room. The woman laying on the couch shot up and grabbed the closest thing, a lamp, to protect her with. "Go away!" She screamed at the top of her lungs. " I don't have anything for you to take! I have nothing!" Her face was dirty and pain etched into her wrinkles.


Asagi regarded the woman slightly, before holding the letter out to her. The woman looked down at the letter and up at Asagi. "What, what is this?" Asagi reached for her bag. " Don't move!" She screeched. Slowly, Asagi pulled the bag in front of her, showing the word "MESSENGER" Sewn into the front of it. The woman nodded and snatched the letter from her, then returned to her defensive pose. " You've done your part! Now get out of here!" She spat as Asagi turned her back on the woman, and walked out of the apartment, shutting the door quietly behind her.

 

[Goddess]

Eimin soon sat up by Zero as he waited for the traders to come and trade with them. Zero had his carefree look about himself which threw Eimin off from time to time. He was supposed to be stern , a godly figure yet he he has such a smile upon his face. It concerned him but not as much as his health. The night was soon coming upon him and he knew he wasn't ready for it. He began to tear up again but they were soon stopped by his big hands upon his head. Zero smiled down at him as he ruffled his hair. "It will be ok." Eimin nodded his head as he tried to smile, or at least give him a smirk.


Zero began to shiver as the sun set behind the mountains. Eimin got closer and hugged him to try to warm him up just a little. He looked up at him to make sure he was getting warmth , but his face was looking pale. His eyes were getting droppy as he began to let his head fall. Eimin began to panic as he shook him . " stay awake ." Zero gave him a warm smile as he nodded his head, his coughs getting worse than his sneezes.

 

[keizerin]

Eli stopped, listening to the girl's offer. She would prefer not to go to the colony, especially not to be around other people. However, she was running out of supplies, and scavenging wasn't giving her much lately. Besides, it's not everyday when someone offers to share precious water with you. The situation was very tempting, so Eliza decided to go along with it, for now.


She turned around slowly, peering at the stranger through her mask. Hesitantly and slowly she brought her hands up, sliding the gas mask down her face and let it hung around her neck, then lowered her hood. Her dark braids slid out of her hood and hung low, reaching her lower back.


"We should get going then," Eli replied, fixing her braids so they now hung in the front, "the sun is already setting."

 

[Goddess]

Eimin slept against his shoulder as he yawned. He looked like a child , tired from his play time and he needed rest. He was soon woken up by the sound of his voice. " EImin." Eimin nodded his head as he rubbed his eye. "yes." Still siting in his current position he smiled as he patted his head. "Now remember even when you are upset control yourself, even when you are sad or down. "Eimin looked at him weird. "why would you say that." Eimin soon realized he would die before the traders ever came. His heart began to ache as he coughed again.


Eimin looked out toward the distance as he sighed. He held his head on Zero's shoulder as he pointed out each star and what they meant.

 

[Miggle]

Jane kindly escorted the girl back to her home. All the way there she attempted at making small talk, and the such. Eventually they reached Jane's home. It was a simple hideout- part of an old skyscraper. It was on one of her scavenging trips that Jane had found the place. She had managed to climb up to the third floor of the building, and ever since she has been living there. The floor she occupies has two parts- a large room with windows all around, and a metal storage room in the back. Jane sleeps, and keeps everything valuable in the metal room where she feels more safe.


Jane approached her building, her home, with the girl following at close quarters.


"I hope you don't mind doing some small climbing", Jane said with a sly grin.


She walked over to what was called an "elevator shaft", and proper herself up in a looped metal cord. The first time she had been here, she had to climb up by the cracks in the wall. Overtime she had arranged a set of loops and coils to leap from. She's at in the swing-like contraption and offered a hand out to the girl.


"I'm Jane, by the way"

 

[Reito]

Asagi began walking down the street, her focus solely on retracing her steps back to the mid-ground. She tightened the scarf and kept her bag close. Her eyes drifted to the lifeless corpse of the animal in the middle of the street. Curiosity got the best of her, and she changed directions, walking towards the animal, stopping just before her feet reached the puddle of blood now pooling around it.


She squatted, her hands on her knees and her eyes scanning the body. She observed clean cuts and fatal hits. The animal's blood had turned black and crept slowly towards her. She fished a vial from her bag and popped open the cork. She then dipped the vial in the black blood and took a sample. She reached in her bag for a piece of paper and wiped the blood from the outside of the vial before returning it to her bag. Asagi then stood and began walking back to her previous path, her eyes wary of her surroundings.

 

[Goddess]

A few hours past and Eimin had fallen asleep. He didn't work untill he heard laughter. Eimin slowly opened his eyes, as he saw the traders holding Zero by the hair. EImin's eyes went wide as he reached for him with his teeth grinding together. " ahh wait what are you doing." The trader tossed Zero aside . "Your god is dead." Eimin began to cry as he ran toward him, but he stopped halfway. His body looked cold, its pale color turned blue and his eyes weren't moving. Eimin fell to his knees, as he held his head screaming out loud. He knew he shouldn't have waited for them, he knew he wasn't feeling well but he insisted on waiting just for some money. How reckless he thought.


The men came up to him and kicked him down. "Well were's the trade off, I need it now." EImin covered his eyes, ashamed by his actions, he knew he need to push the subject more. Just taking his answer was no good. The men weren't patient at all, and began to kick him around hid body. unable to move by his shock he allowed them to hit on him, his eyes glued on to Zero.

 

[keizerin]

Eli followed the stranger, although kept her distance. Even though the girl had attempted to make conversation, she had just brushed everything off with a petty and lame answer. When they arrived, Eliza took in the site. She didn't usually see people who have made an old building their home. Most people were wanderers, like her. Needless to say, she was impressed by how well she had fixed up the place.


She was looking around, observing, when she heard her speak. Eli looked over, seeing her extended hand.


"I don't climb." she answered. She was about to just teleport up, but something stopped her. "But," she said then took Jane's hand, "I guess I could use a bit of exercise."


"It's nice to meet you, Jane. I'm Eli."

 

[Nirvana]

(Sorry I didn't post sooner!!! Gonna wing it...)


Naomi finishes working on her book, and sets it aside. She'd been working on it for hours, straight. "I'm going out!" She yells to her dad and brothers, and heads outside. She walks around aimlessly.

 

[Riddle78]

(Crap! I didn't notice this started! Sorry for the wait.)


Malcolm jogged across the surface. It was a wasteland and graveyard,populated by the corpses of men,women,children,animals,machines,buildings,civilizations,hopes,and dreams. However,some people have survived. He was one of the few. He has mastered life up here. The soil was infertile,probably poisonous. So,he hunted the wildlife. He knew what was edible,and what wasn't. He even figured out how to make water drinkable quite early on. And that doesn't even touch on his ability to scrounge up good materials.


He approached one of the countless entrances to the Middle Ground,and saw an interesting scene at dusk. A group of men were surrounding a young boy,and a motionless older man. What have we here... He slowed down,and approached the group. His pack had something poking out the top: A long,slender tube,topped with a brick-like object with holes on the sides and end,all made of metal. The barrel of a big gun. The rest of the weapon was in his pack,too. Something to trade.


Malcolm approached the group at a walk,sizing up the crowd through his red-tinted visor. The men began to kick the young boy. They're killing our future! Malcolm strode forward,left hand in the folds of his coat. "And what the Hell is going on here!?" Malcolm stopped about twenty feet from the scene. He had already undone the snap for the kukri's sheathe,hidden under his coat. The tube for his respirator hung down his front,and snaked it's way to the back near his waist,and the charcoal filters on the side of the mask were enormous,and looked fresh. The filter cases themselves,he found and cleaned up. Their contents were one of the primary commodities he traded for. "You do know you're damaging the future of Humankind,right?"

 

[Reito]

Asagi slowed her pace as she noticed a group of people at the entrance of the mid-ground. Her eyes darted from person to person and then to the boy curled in the fetal position on the ground. Blinking, she raised her eyes to the person confronting them and scanned his body. She eyed his hand, which rested on a sheathe and turned her head back to the crowd in front of her.

 

[Goddess]

The men stopped their attack on the boy and turned their heads toward the new comer. The taller one with the gas mask and hood was the leader of their little gang. He laughed as he held his stomach, walking up to the man but staying at a good enough distance so the guy didn't get the urge to punch him. "Look her pal, this isn't your fight to barge in. So be a good little boy and go run off somewhere." He put his hand in his pockets as he leaned back toward the others and gave them a nod. The gang took that a sign to resume kicking the boy, as they laughed.


The male sighed as he shooed his away. His eye wider than the other and much higher when he showed him a smug grin. The boy was able to steal a glance at the man who came over. "Where you looking at kid." The smaller one yelled out at him as he kicked his head. The pain shot through his body as he covered his head with his arms, exposing his midsection to them. Zero told him to promise he wouldn't use his power today, no matter what may happed. Eimin hated he said yes to it. he's letting them kick him senselessly and for what, a dead body. Eimin was tempted , until one of the guys hit him in the back of his head. His eyesight became fuzzy a little as he tired to reach out , but was kicked in the nose for letting his guard down.

 

[Reito]

Asagi averted her attention to the boy on the ground. Then she turned her head to her surrounding area. There were a total of four Ratters in the surrounding area. She raised her hand and called to them with her mind, asking them for help. They heeded her and began marching towards her. She returned her eyes to the group, walking forward until she stood side by side with the man that confronted them. "Let him go." Her face remained blank, although her mind was scanning them all, their flaws would come in handy.

 

[Riddle78]

Malcolm frowned under his mask,and replied simply, "It is my fight." He pulled out his kukri,and said, "You're damning our entire race for kicks." And with that,he vibrated out of the visible spectrum. He strode across the twenty feet that separated him from the crowd beating on the boy,and saw a woman approach,looking stern. When she made her demand,Malcolm buzzed back into the visible spectrum,swinging his kukri to swat one of the aggressors up the side of the head with the back of the blade,right to left. "I agree."


Malcolm followed through on his strike by striking the right side of the fool's head with his right elbow,and gripped the back of the slob's left shoulder with his right hand,and kicked out his legs from beneath him,pulling on the shoulder at the same time. All of this caused the man to tumble to the ground,dazed and bruised,but very much alive. Malcolm planted a foot on the man's chest,and held the end of the vicious forward-pitching blade to the man's face. "Back off. I won't hesitate to kill you. You're just scum anyways." Malcolm shrugged,causing the large weapon's barrel in his backpack to catch the gloomy light,just in case they needed more convincing. It may not work,but they don't know that.

 

[Reito]

Asagi raised her head and leveled her eyes with the man as he struck one of the members of the group. She raised her hand and snapped her fingers. On cue, the three Ratters rushed to her side, their teeth snapping and crunching at the group, letting out hisses and growls. She lowered her hand and patted one of the Ratters on the cheek. "I suggest you leave before I let my friends have a field day." She eyed the boy on the ground, concern slivering up her spine.

 

[Goddess]

The man groaned as he looked toward his fallen friends. The boy curled up into a ball, shaking but not with fear. The man looked up at him and scowled. "Fine we'll let him go this time, but if your ever here again well tear you to pieces." His words were nothing but air as he was on the ground underneath the man's feet. Hid friends groaned from the pain as one was just knocked out. Eimin heard the voices of the people that had helped him.


"Zero" He mumbled to himself as he slowly opened himself up. His arms filled with bruises and his eye barely open. He began to crawl towards him, Zero whose body was only a few feet away from him. lifeless and cold. He tried his best to get there, pushing away the pain he felt through his body. He was on the brink of just taking everyone down with him, but he knew that wasn't what Zero wanted. Halfway he began to sob, crying like a baby as he stopped. His body unable to move anymore.

 

[Reito]

Asagi patted the Ratter's nose and thanked them for their service before sending them back to their original places, several miles away. She turned to look at the boy, who was now crawling towards another lifeless body. She looked from the boy to the man that protected him. He could take care of it. She should leave it to them. She stepped forward to the man with the gas mask, and fished out some ointment along with multiple bandages and handed them to him.