The Side of Wild

admin_jared Fri Mar 26, 2010 9:51 am

THE SIDE OF WILD
SAN GABRIEL VALLEY

Eric’s neighborhood in the San Gabriel Valley seemed to be lit up by a mix of twilight and porch lights. Where green grass should have been springing forth from the ground, dirt clods and trash littered the area instead. Stone apartment buildings stood prominent around the neighborhood, the residents having no concern for those around them. Windows that weren’t broken or missing were open, the noises from screaming children or loud televisions ringing throughout the air. Outside of the complexes, different groups of Latino residents rested around barbecues and small, portable tv sets. Though each gang seemed wrapped up in their own activities, there wasn’t a single group that wasn’t carefully keeping an eye on their competitors – though things were friendly now, the hours after dark would introduce the violence that the Valley was known for.

On the edge of the streets rested old, broken automobiles, most with their hoods popped. A few had tires missing, being propped up on cement blocks; these would never run again, though their purpose was changed from driving to makeshift barriers. The gunshot dents in their sides were evidence for the gang drive-bys that happened when members stepped out of line; none of the residents sitting out in the lawn with their rusted furniture would ever deny the ride-or-die code they lived by. None of the locals took kindly to strangers, either. When Logan’s vehicle pulled into the street horizon, it didn’t go unnoticed by any of the watchful eyes. Even as the SUV drove past small groups and coasted to a stop at its destination, some refused to look away. This was their turf; any trouble brought by strangers wouldn’t be dealt with very lightly. Though it may have gone unnoticed by some, others may have caught the way certain, bulkier members took to standing from their seats, while some members in front of the buildings scrambled inside.

Taylor Sullivan Fri Mar 26, 2010 9:24 pm

(Taylor continues from here.)

Before Taylor could even get first aid supplies or dry clothes, Logan had come out from the library and said they needed to go. Shit. It only took a look and one name to let her know that it was something they needed to check out. Eric. He had proved himself to be useful in certain situations and gave them heads up whenever there was spiked activity in a certain area. He had never steered them wrong and this was not the time to start doubting what he says. However, this was another example of a hunter’s job being never-ending and no matter how much pain you were in, you had to suck it up and deal with whatever was thrown in your direction. Looking at her small bus group, she offered a small smile. "You're in good hands here." Lorelei and Brayden were two people she trusted the most and she felt comfortable leaving them at this penthouse. Of course, she really didn't have a choice in the matter and was going to leave them anyway, but she gave them some words of security that probably didn't help any - but it was worth a shot. She then picked up her bag that had her equipment in it and went out the door with Logan and the rest of the Eldritch-noobs. Hopping into the passenger’s seat in the front, she placed her bag between her legs on the floor as she leaned back in her seat and took this time to relax – even for a split second. Breathing heavily, she closed her eyes trying to ignore the pain that was making itself evident throughout her body. “I can’t promise I’m not going to bleed on your seats.” A small smile appeared on her face, trying to make light of the situation. She was referring to the gashes on the top of her shoulders that seemed to close and reopen as easily as Seiko’s craziness had come and gone. Eyes reopened so she could see what exactly what was going down in the streets of San Gabriel Valley. Nothing seemed to change much since the last time Taylor had been there. Visitors got the same response as they drove down the street; staring down the newcomers trying to instill fear in their hearts. Little did they know who exactly were coming down their street. Taylor took little notice to the small gangs that stood on the edge of the road and kept her eyes on where the destination actually was. It only took them a couple of minutes for them to arrive at Eric’s place and park in front of the building. Opening the car door, she readjusted the jacket she was wearing so it laid differently on her wounds; it was severely irritating for the article of clothing to constantly be there and rub against the raw skin. One dagger still remained in her holster inside said jacket and one more hidden in her boot. However, she didn’t necessarily know how she could get to that dagger quick enough to inflict damage, but she’d make it work. You never knew what things might pop up, especially in this area so Taylor expected the worse even if she was hurt. She refused to see herself as at a disadvantage when it came to her being hurt. Pain just let her know she was still alive and breathing – no matter how much it hurt. Before anyone in the back seat left, she looked to the three hunters, "Watch the truck, we won't be that long." It was just going to be easier if Logan and Taylor go in and get the information and get out. Five people were not necessary for a five minute conversation. She knew it'd start some trouble with the psycho contained in the backseat, but she really didn't have time for bitch fits either. Dominic and Sebastian were there to keep her company if she really got that antsy. Sucks to be them!

Walking up the cement path with the other hunters, the adrenaline started to pump throughout her veins. The pain throughout her body seemed to subside as a switch seemed to flip on in her brain. This was the second time that she had to be in huntress-mode this evening and she didn’t like that one of those times involved a friend of hers. Situations like these were never easy, especially when you had to think objectively and not let your emotions control what your next move was. For Taylor, things automatically changed if it had to do with someone she knew and cared about, but she knew that she couldn’t attack first and ask questions later. Making it to the stairs that led up to his apartment, she caught a glimpse of the ground and noticed a subtle difference in the texturing and pigment in the cement. From what she knew and studied, it was vaguely familiar to those that Kreelocks left behind. It was subtle and she probably wouldn’t have noticed it if she hadn't see it before – and what was left behind was not a pretty sight. As she walked up the stairs next to Logan, her hand went inside her jacket and rested on the hilt of her dagger. Who knew what was going to be inside of the apartment, but Taylor hoped that it was her mind playing tricks on her and she was a little off from the previous events of the night. Either way, it was better to be safe than sorry. Whatever was behind that door, Taylor knew both she and Logan could handle it. She hoped she was wrong though..

Seiko Ishitomo Fri Mar 26, 2010 9:26 pm

SAN GABRIEL VALLEY

The time had come, Logan's voice filled her room with a hint of urgency, telling her simply. "Let's go." Rolling to rest upon the tantalizing swell of her hips she snatched her sword from the large bag and wrapped a charcoal colored tank-top around it. Scooping up a pair of white and black shell-toe adidas she fell in quick step behind the hunters, throwing a side-cocked deuces by way of bandaged right hand to any that watched them go. Nearer the truck, Seiko would strategically fall to the back of the group due to her disfavor of riding bitch. Sebastian tried to manage himself a seat nearest the window but the brash femme was more cunning when it came to fighting for position, rotating the sheathed weapon's blunt end to point directly at Sebastian, "Slide over." Her word spilled from heavenly vocals in such a way that the underlying threat was well apparent.

As the large Sport Utility emerged upon the surface streets and weave its way through the city, Seiko would observe life from the other side of her window. A group of girls sat laughing outside of a popular corner coffee house, sipping their latte's or mocha jaba-jaba brew-ha-ha's.. Whatever they called that shit now days.Then there were normal, everyday people, going about their daily routines completely oblivious of exactly what nightmares lived just beyond the realm of their limited vision. She suddenly felt herself slip that little bit into depression while comparing those people to herself, her inadequacies, fears and flaws all snowballed until Seiko drew those brilliant emerald eyes closed upon a tear. Through the ever changing landscape, half of which she missed because of her emotional hiccup psycho noticed that everything had changed from clean orderly streets to absolute 'wrong-turns-ville.' Even though she'd yet to notice, she could feel the eyes upon her as they would creep through the 'hood.

They crept to a slow crawl, then an eventual stop and Seiko's attention shifted to glance to Logan as if he'd some divine quest they were to set out on, but Taylor stuck her face into the window and ordered that she and the other two to keep an eye on the truck. As if to argue the fact, she'd cast her eyes back to Logan, preying that Taylor did not just drop her an order like the bitch had some kind of say. 'Nah, to hell with this..' Seiko's hand fell upon the door handle and with a quick flick of her wrist the door swung open and she would slip her shoes on before stepping out only to watch as Logan gave her a passing look and slight shake of his head to indicate Seiko was to remain.

Whatever, she was already out the truck, pushing the door shut regardless of anyone following behind her. slipping around to the front of the truck, she'd press the small of her back against the massive trucks aftermarket brush guard, letting her eyes take in her surroundings as she fished a cigarette and lighter from her pocket. Mumbling as she lit her cigarette about having to baby sit, she'd hardly noticed the Cholo who hopped from the curb of his yard, into the street and toward them. Psycho only smiled as she mumbled softly under her breath, mainly as an escaped thought.

"If this wanna-be gang bangin ass Vato tries to holla at me..." The edge to her voice left the rest of her sentence to draw out, it's warning clear enough..

Sebastian Mosely Fri Mar 26, 2010 9:29 pm

[taking a walk on the wild side]
san gabriel valley

From all the chaos happening in the library, it was a nice distraction when there seemed to be just as much going on outside of the book-covered walls as well. Unfortunately, Sebastian was sitting in such a way that blocked his vision from what was going on in the living room. That and he didn’t want to look directly at the doorway considering Riley was there (or someone who had the same voice and sass as Riley did anyway). Logan had looked down to his cell on two different occasions, but the second seemed to catch his attention more seeing how they had to leave and check something out. Closing his book, he set it down on the table and looked up in the doorway to see the person of his past returning his gaze with a look of disgust behind those eyes he had got lost in so many times before. He couldn’t blame him, but at the same time he really had no justifed reason to give such a look. Times had changed and they were both very different individuals, or so it would seem; Riley with his apparent magical powers and Sebastian’s own demons to battle – figuratively and literally. Standing up, he pulled his grey hoodie over his fitted blue button down shirt and followed Logan out of the library and saw what looked like a bunch of people who had had a rough day. Blue eyes landed on Taylor right after she punched Dominic and at that moment he made a mental note not to bother her when she looks so beat up and worn down. Distraction came once more as Riley spoke up saying that someone tried to run him over? Now, to the blond male, practically running over could be a brush to the shoulders if they were in a hurry. Sebastian just shook his head and let a small smile appear on his face; Riley hadn’t changed much – at least in the diva-esque department.

No time to waste, the group of hunters walked out of the building, the brunet not looking back to avoid dealing with that whole gaze thing again. There were more important things that Logan had to tend to and if he had an issue, the small group of hunter’s had an issue. The mini-Eldritch hadn’t really gone out with the whole group before, mainly because he tried to avoid Seiko, but also since he felt like he wasn’t ready to be the veteran hunters’ back up for certain situations. When he got into the car, he managed to get the seat by the window and hoped that Dominic would come in afterward so he didn’t have to deal with the psycho being next to him. No such luck as it was made apparent by the pointy weapon she was holding in front of Sebastian’s face that this was not his seat and Seiko made sure of that. Good thing Taylor didn’t see that - stuff would’ve gone down if she had! Sliding over, his heart was racing because he got the seat next to the girl that would kill him over said spot and also probably going where he had to fight for his life. Leaning over to Dom, he whispered into the bigger guy’s ear, “Next time I am not sitting next to her. She can’t threaten you as easily.” That was the advantage of sitting bitch; he could at least talk to Dom who was right next to him. Looking up, he saw the run down streets of San Gabriel Valley. This was his big test with everyone, to show what he was really capable of and prove that Taylor and Logan’s training wasn’t wasted on him. A surge of pride rose in his chest as he thought about being able to handle himself and be a person people respected not only for this intelligence but his physical skill as well. His ideal situation was interrupted when Taylor spoke to them about sitting in the car. How did they get there so quickly? Time flies when you’re having fun! Ha.. Not. Sebastian had no problem watching the car, or even staying in the car for that matter. If Taylor said for them to stay there, he trusted her opinion! Seiko obviously didn’t and got out of the car. He shook his head and rolled his eyes when she wasn’t looking because she was a tad ridiculous. As Seiko walked out, he slide over to the window seat again and watched as she went to lean on the front of the car. She was asking for trouble – probably wanting someone’s blood to drink or something. If there was trouble to be had, of course Sebastian would step outside and help, but with Taylor and Logan inside doing their information thing, there was no need to defy Taylor’s orders. Yeah, he’d stick with that conclusion.

Logan Kilmartin Fri Mar 26, 2010 9:31 pm

ERIC'S HIDE-OUT, SAN GABRIEL VALLEY

Logan glanced over in mock seriousness to Taylor’s threat about ruining his seats. He was a little more disturbed about her bleeding all over the Kreelocks than any personal possessions. In all honesty he had no attachment to the suv, the vehicle just happened to be parked outside the Fortunate Isles building. An enchanted skeleton key he’d swiped from the Ashford estate allowed him to jack the car and even fool his comrades. Arriving curbside he took one extended look at his injured friend and popped the middle console. Inside the dark bottomless plastic pit were a bunch of papers and a checkbook. Nothing of use, but then when he learned over flipped open the glove compartment a tiny worn white bottle of painkillers presented themselves. It was an SUV parked in one of the nicer neighborhoods of Los Angeles, if anyone kept coping medicine in their cars it would have to be California soccer moms, business types, and trophy wives. In Taylor’s current state Logan dropped most of his quick quips and afforded the investigation the respect it deserved. The motivation being that there was no fucking way she was leaving him alone with the recruits. He’d already planned that at some point he’d partake in a selfish and heroic death leaving Taylor as their soul guardian.

The experienced hunter was accustomed to the scrutiny of locals in various communities where turf was divided or fought over. He’d had run-ins with southern rebels and overly tattooed gangsters alike so the strength of these men’s stares meant little to nothing. The danger usually existed in the lack of attention, which more often than not meant you were about to get ganked. In the end it was just best to avoid raising confrontation altogether if you could, and if you couldn’t well than keeping yourself armed was a plus. When his feet reached the threshold of the apartment door Logan reached around his back to a shiny AMT Longslide hardballer that had been hidden between his jeans and boxers. He hadn’t noticed the same tall tell signs in the dirt that Taylor had, his focus rested more so on what could still be lurking around. He gave his partner a look questioning her readiness before he lunged back on the ball of his left footing and thrust his right leg through the flimsy structure. The door swung open and the stench of monster filth swarmed through the doorframe. Muscles tensed and so did his trigger finger as he brushed through the front room and into the kitchen sweeping through for possible hostiles.

Taylor Sullivan Fri Mar 26, 2010 9:32 pm

FAMILY ROAD TRIP!
SAN GABRIEL VALLEY

The gesture by Logan was appreciated but something Taylor could do without. Her body had gone through worse and she wasn’t about to take anything that could impair her ability to think clearly. A small smile was given before they both got out of the car. It also came to no surprise that Seiko would ignore what Taylor said and do whatever the hell she wanted, at least when it came to being told what to do by the other female huntress. Looking over to Logan before they walked in, he noticed that she stayed when he gave her a little shake of his head. Who knew that Logan had gotten a new dog? As they got to the door, she looked over to the male catching his gaze showing that she was ready for whatever laid behind that door. Taking a step down, she gave him the room he needed to kick down the door but was automatically by his side when they went into the trashed apartment. The aroma that filled the place reminded her of nothing but death and destruction; and it seemed that her friend was turning into another person who Taylor couldn’t get to in time. As Logan searched the front room and kitchen, she went into the room that hadn’t been checked yet – Eric’s room. The room was the same, if not worse than the front room and kitchen; the smell let her know that this was a fresh attack and the hunters couldn’t have missed him by that much. Crimson red blood was splattered all along the walls as Taylor took in the scene that could have come straight out of a horror movie. What did he get himself in to? Shaking her head while she tried to ignore the guilt that she felt, she made her way further in the room trying to see if there was anything Eric had left behind for Logan and Taylor to see. Images flashed through her mind of the innocent man trying to give the two hunters an edge being brutally torn apart because of something he could of potentially found or rather did find. This was the person who taught her the basics of tracking and why she had gotten so good over the past couple of years. Of course, she would be nowhere near as skilled as the computer whiz was, but it was something she had appreciated being taught.

The more the foul stench filled her nose, the more her stomach churned. Unfortunately, it wasn’t an odor that was unfamiliar and was something she’d come across in her past and also later in life – that was a guarantee. Looking to Eric’s work area, it could rival that of a junk yard; four different computers had been crushed and torn apart – the glass from the old school monitors laid mixed with blood all around the cluttered desk. There had to be something that was there for both Logan and her and she wasn’t about to leave the room until she found what was out of plain sight. Eric was a smart guy, and he always had a place to hide his information if things were out of control. Most of the drawers in the desk had been yanked out and papers were strewn across the top of the desk except for the one that looked like it was jammed back into place. Before her curiosity could get the better of her, she noticed that the one drawer that had been tossed on the desk had an uneven bottom and didn’t sit right. Moving closer, she removed papers spotted with Eric’s blood and got to the piece of wood. There was enough space between the bottom and side of the drawer that she could, after a couple seconds of maneuvering, pop the bottom up and reveal a set of papers that were safe and sound. As she picked up the hidden sheets, she looked over to the weird sitting drawer and could only imagine what was inside. Of all the things that it could be, she wasn’t prepared for what it actually was. Pulling it open, the blood swirled underneath a severed head with an inhuman look on its face – a look of pain and anguish that would forever be plastered there, unchanging and concrete. Shutting the drawer once again, the huntress closed her eyes and felt her heart ache with the idea of what someone she considered a friend had to gone through. Taking a deep breath, no matter how much it hurt both physically and emotionally, she walked back into the front room, shutting the door behind her. Not much got under her skin, but something like this? She couldn't help but let it bother her. Even when injured, she couldn’t wait until her next hunt. “Here. What Eric wanted us to see.” Handing the papers over to Logan, nothing else was said and her expression remained the same, the "hunter's way" of going through life – it wasn’t necessary to be emotional. At least in front of Logan it wasn't. Being objective was the what she was aiming for. It was all business, wasn’t it? That’s all it came down to and it proved that, once again, she could never be fast enough.

Logan Kilmartin Fri Mar 26, 2010 9:34 pm

ERIC'S HIDE-OUT, SAN GABRIEL VALLEY

Logan took to the small apartment like a man furiously looking for his house keys. There wasn’t a door he didn’t open or an inch of the apartment he didn’t set his eyes on. In anyone else’s mind there would be the hope that Eric was just hiding under a bed or in a closet. In Logan’s there was a burning lust to find a monster or at the very least a lead to one. Logan’s demons were never the ones he could physically beat into a paste. He had an over-zealous nature for the kill that the order always tried to hone. It wasn’t breaking news to anyone currently in his midst, but more recently the anger of not having something to decapitate was becoming an issue.

Logan stopped in the living room just in time to meet up with Taylor, who’d obviously found something worth seeing. His lips parted with the intention of asking what she’d found, but something in his gut suggested that in this case he avoid prying. He respected Taylor’s ability to handle the disturbing world they shared, but they as prepared as they were the duo weren’t without moments that shook them off their easy footing. Rather than feed into his own curiosity the brutish hunter followed his partner out of the apartment.

When they finally made it outside the sun was coming up, but Logan’s attention cut to the collective of thugs that had converged on the vehicle. Blindly he exerted his walking speed to put himself between the thugs and Taylor so that when conflict arose he’d be first to receive them. A smaller man nonchalantly slaving over the ability to keep his jeans above his ankles gravitated to Seiko. He was stereotypically tatted and clad in a worn-out wife beater.

“Ai mami, how much for a happy endin'? Cause I got-jo eggroll chica.” His accent was thick enough that it was clear he’d spent sometime in TJ, but based on Logan’s skills in assessing dialects and locations this man grew up in California. A couple of his buddies chuckled in response and the man blew on his knuckles and rubbed it off on his chest as if he’d taken a bow for his adoring audience. On any other day Logan would have let Seiko have this one, he wasn’t her keeper or protector. Not to mention he shouldn’t have started an altercation with a bruised Sullivan around, but the frustration and tension had to go somewhere and if there wasn’t a Kreelock then these guys were the next best option.

Logan’s hand came out of nowhere and gripped onto the side of the smaller man’s head like a basketball. He smashed it into the side of the vehicle twice before he was aware that anyone else was still there. Instead of guns these men had knives and bats, it was like a long awaited Christmas present specifically for Logan Kilmartin. The thug closest to the back of the vehicle rounded behind the violent hunter and swung the aluminum bat into Logan’s side. He uttered a spit filled growled from the impact and blacked out briefly before the second hit. This time Logan wasn’t caught by surprise and his arm wrapped around the weapon securing it between his arm and bruised ribs. He then yanked it out and slid it into his anxious palms. By this time he’d forgotten about the small thug that came onto Seiko and instead started wailing on the batter leaving the noise of the hollow device screaming through the air louder than the abused man's cries.

Plotline Sun Mar 28, 2010 6:42 pm

THE SIDE OF WILD
SAN GABRIEL VALLEY

Nighttime in the San Gabriel Valley hadn’t been a safe time for the neighborhood for a couple of months. What had previously held a brighter air now was corroded with quiet murmurs of riddles and violence. The cause of the change in the area was lost to the minds of the residents, but one thing was for certain for them all: whenever it became dangerous to be out after dark, the death rate had skyrocketed. Many pushed it off as increased gang violence, but even the various criminals were curious as to just who was behind the numerous deaths. One thing was for certain; if it wasn’t them, they had to step up their own game or else they’d be next.

Eric hadn’t been the most outgoing kid while growing up, but what he lacked in sports ability, he surpassed with his technological and research skills. Growing up with his nose in books—varying from comics to mythological literature—he was content with being the odd one out and encompassing great mounds of knowledge that no other he knew beheld. When he had accidentally stumbled into the secret world of monsters and mythos, Eric hadn’t been as freaked out as any other might have been. Eagerly embracing the things that go bump in the night, he found himself in many unlucky situations—if it weren’t for the brave heroics of two certain Eldritch Hunters, he would’ve been killed earlier than he had.

For him, his place in the world was as a researcher for his two saviors. Case after case, he supplied them with ghoulish activity that lead them on their hunts. He had been researching the Valley’s downward spiral himself when he had stumbled upon secrets he was never meant to. Ten minutes after his printer had cooled down and he had placed the important documents into his safe drawer, he found himself taking his last breath just as his head was aptly removed from the rest of his body.

The residing neighbors had heard his screams, but none had come to his rescue. Living in the Valley, you learned to take care of those close to you and yourself – that was about it. There wasn’t time to waste playing games. So when Logan’s hand grappled the young thug by the head and thrust it downwards into the van, everyone across the area scattered. The children ran inside, and the lawn-spectators threw their rusted furniture back with the force they used to dash to their man’s side. If it was a fight Logan wanted, that’s what he—and everyone else—was going to get.

One Latino took a bat to the lead hunter’s side, while two were quickly at his side for back up. Eight others surrounded the parked van, laughing to themselves and muttering colorful words to themselves under their breath. As if it were a planned maneuver, two took to grabbing towards Seiko, while one particular man with a rough goatee set his eyesight on the bruised huntress.

“What’chu say ‘bout comin’ back wid me, girl? I give ya somethin’ real ta get worked up ‘bout.”

The batter wasn’t happy with being wailed on. After losing his weapon to the violent hunter, his friends had grabbed Logan up fast, pushing him against the van and holding him in place. Standing up from his beaten spot, the thug began ruthlessly delivering blows of equal proportion to the hunter. The aluminum bat was plucked from its spot on the ground, one hard blow aiming for the skull of the man who had beaten him. And though the attack missed by Logan wrestling free from his capture, the bat collided with the glass window of the back seat, shattering the shield that had been protecting the two hunters left inside.

Dominic Hayes Tue Mar 30, 2010 6:50 pm

(Dominic continues from here.)

Christ on a bike, these people knew nothing of finesse. Not that Dominic was exactly one to talk, but really--it was a pretty sad day when he (of all people) was forced to act as the voice of reason for any given group. This went double for any given group prone to fighting with deadly weapons. Go figure. Needless to say, after being showered in glass shards from the van's rear window being smashed in via baseball bat, it became pretty clear that there wouldn't be any sitting this one out.

"Think he's upset?" The apparent sarcasm should have let Sebastian know that there was no real need to answer the question. Besides, before the bat-wielding cholo could land another swing in Logan's direction, the rear passenger's side door to the SUV swung open with enough force to knock Logan's assailant clear on his ass--the metallic sound of the bat skittering along the asphalt making it apparent that the man had been disarmed.

"This is why we can't have nice things," Dominic pointed out, though it was unclear if he was still speaking to Sebastian, or admonishing the fallen gangbanger who was attempting to push himself back to his feet by this point. A quick boot to the side of the man's jaw would keep him down for the time being, though by this point Dom had lost sight of exactly where that bat had rolled off to--which meant that anyone was liable to pick it up and start slamming out home runs all over again. Ah well, there were more pressing matters to attend to--like the fact that their fearless leader was being singled out and swarmed all over again.

Working as a team was a lot more trouble than it was worth sometimes. No matter. One of the men surrounding Logan was peeled off of him, earning Dominic yet another fist to the face as said vato spun around and struck the hunter square in the jaw. Lovely. He'd have to send Taylor his dental bill later. For now, it looks like they'd all have their hands full.

Sebastian Mosely Fri Apr 02, 2010 10:34 pm

[out of the frying pan and into the fire]
san gabriel valley

Man, things would have been better if Seiko didn’t walk out of the car and listen to what Taylor had said. When he actually stopped and thought about it, he’d rather her go out and start up some trouble with other people rather than threatening him with a sharpened object that he knew she wouldn’t hesitate in using. Things would soon start to go south as the two male hunters watched as a group of gangsters surrounded the truck. At least it isn’t Kreelocks. Not that he had issues with fighting Kreelocks, but he was confident that if he had to defend himself at this very moment, he would. Unfortunately, saying that he had got a hit on the female huntress wasn’t exactly ‘grade A’ killing Kreelock material. As he was thinking about all the horrible situations he would come eventually come in contact with, his thoughts were shattered just as the window did. Jumping a little bit by the sudden crash, he looked at Dominic and couldn’t help but smile at his sarcastic comment. “Mom didn’t give him hugs when he was a kid..” All Sebastian needed to do was comfortable in his own skin and embrace what his life had turned in to. Taking a deep breath, Sebastian pushed himself out of the car after Dom to join the ensuing madness.

Before he could even have a first thought, he was pushed up against the car by one of the members who formed the circle in the first place. The man who not much older or taller than he, wrapped his hands around his neck and began to squeeze like his life depended on it. Really? Choking? He might’ve been smaller than his other male friends, but he hated being underestimated. Keeping his composure as the airway was slowly being crushed, he practiced something that Taylor had taught him; he raised his right arm swiftly and twisted his body while bringing it down giving him some room in order for his elbow to come up and connect with the man’s jaw. As the gangster stumbled back, Sebastian threw a hard right hook, ducking for the one the man returned, followed by a left hook and again, ducking when the man reacted out of anger. He capitalized on his advantage with a straight forward kick to the abdomen, watching as the man fell to the ground and pretty much stay down. No need for fancy moves – his opponent seemed to be going on pure brawn and no brain.

He wasn’t so lucky when his buddy who was a little more intelligent jumped in with his switchblade and came at Sebastian like a madman. The young hunter managed to avoid the knife being plunged into his abdomen by backing up with his butt leading the way. Furious, the gangster planned on the male moving out of the way and swiped higher at his chest. Turning his body slightly to steer clear of a gash along his chest, he took the brunt of the blade to his bicep, feeling the white hot pain followed by his shirt being stuck to his shirt. Score! First fight wound! With no time to stop and think of such foolish things, Sebastian grabbed the wrist of his assailant who tried to swipe at him again and thrust it in an abnormal direction for at least the blade to be dropped. Mission accomplished, the thug dropped his weapon and Sebastian was back on a level playing field. Well, things were level for a split second before a second guy jumped the brunet from behind, grabbing his arms in order for his gangster buddy to get revenge for the pain inflicted. So much for things going his way..

Taylor Sullivan Sat Apr 03, 2010 3:24 am

THREE STRIKES YOU'RE OUT
SAN GABRIEL VALLEY

The events that transpired in Eric’s apartment was nothing she hadn’t seen before but that didn’t mean it made it any easier for her to continue with this job. It would be something that she carried with her and add to the already established shell around the female huntress. If it wasn’t for the few things she had in her life that kept her grounded, she might as well take on the personality Logan had. However, at the moment the male hunter had decided not to inquire as to what exactly she had seen in the room she had come out of. That was probably the best thing he could have done and it showed her where their relationship actually stood. Yes, he could have his moments of being an asshole, but the two of them had been through too much for him to treat her the way he treated other people, females in particular. It could also be the fact that she didn’t tolerate his bullshit and would call him out when it came down to it. Logan didn’t test her patience with his ‘gun-blazing’ attitude which was noticed and appreciated once again, but he did seem to be in his own frame of mind when she tried to hand him the papers that she got from Eric’s room. Deciding to keep the papers, she let out a deep breath. “Let’s get out of here.” They got what they needed and there was no longer a reason to stay in the apartment nor drag out this semi-awkward don’t ask, don’t tell situation.

Walking down the steps, she noticed a vast difference; there were way too many people out here for her liking. Honestly, she wasn’t surprised at all that this happened because of where they were, but she was hoping that it could have been something that could have been avoided. In her eyes, the gangsters really had no idea the group of people they were messing with. It wasn’t going to be fair fight; Seiko alone could make one move and end up causing the group to disappear within an instant just so they didn’t have to be in her company. But in all seriousness, she had bigger things to worry about and this was not helping anything. Of course all those thoughts were negated when Logan responded to one of the thug’s quips with the temper she was hoping he’d keep to himself. He put himself between her and the group of criminals, but really – what is that going to solve? Absolutely nothing! Either way she was going to fight and they had to deal with this mess before even considering what Eric had on the papers he had purposely hid. Rolling her eyes some, she quickly folded the contents in her hand and placed it inside her jacket pocket to keep them relatively safe. Unfortunately, if she was in better physical condition, she would have made her own mark on the fight sooner rather than later – but she was an intelligent huntress. It was inevitable that she was going to get her piece of the pie, it was all about timing.

Everything seemed to happen within a couple of seconds; Logan attacking, Seiko being attacked, and now one of the bigger guys calling out Taylor. God, if she had a dollar for every time she was in a fight because of Logan – she’d be a rich woman. With the man coming up to her, she hadn’t even noticed Dominic and Sebastian get into the fight as well. Nope – she had to focus on how to take down this guy in as little moves as possible. “Does that crap really work with girls?” She shook her head some and quirked her head slightly to the side, “I guess not seeing how you’re with a bunch of men tonight..” A small smirk appeared on her face as she watched the man’s face go from creeper-mode to anger-mode. Without much warning, except for the ones Taylor picked up by his body language, the man lunged at the huntress with his hands outstretched. Taking a large step to the side, she grabbed the man’s wrist and braced the back of his shoulder with her other arm, using his body weight she spun him around and face first into a nearby streetlight. As the man connected with the cold steel, he fell to the ground covering his face and mouth where a dark-red liquid started to replace his tanned complexion. Her body screamed in agony and that pain was plastered all over her face. The last two men who made up the circle were apparently all Taylor’s considering they didn’t like the way the ‘wooing’ was going on with their fellow gangmember. They both came at her at the same time, one with a Louisville Slugger baseball bat. Wonderful. All she knew was if that bat hit her, she'd be down for the count and they knew that little bit of information as well. Completely on the defensive, as the man swung the bat at her stomach she stood behind the protection of the steel streelight, the bat connecting with the solid structure with a loud reverberate sound. His buddy came up and grabbed Taylor by the arms, pulling them behind her back to make sure his next hit was a good one. Gritting her teeth and wincing - this was not the best position to be in, especially with the scumbag breathing down her neck and by her ear. Gross. The man with the bat walked up and placed his weapon on the ground, a look of anger and perversion in his eyes. As he came within striking distance of her, she shook her head "You should've kept the bat.." His mistake. Head went forward and brought back to connect with the guy holding her down's nose. As he yelled back in pain, her arms now free, she went straight to the throat aiming her knuckles at his trachea; it wasn't long before he dropped to the ground gasping for air. Walking over to the bat next to the gasping thug, she bent down slowly and picked up the bat. "Told you.." Oh men - how they don't listen. Now more people to take care of. Glorious.

Dominic Hayes Sat Apr 03, 2010 4:39 pm

"And stay down this time!" Not that the man in question had much of a choice at this point. He was out cold--and he'd probably need medical attention depending on whether or not he'd suffered a concussion from that last blow to the head. The poor sap would have probably fared better picking a fist fight with Mike Tyson. All right, so maybe that was stretching it, but Dominic wasn't exactly lacking in the rock solid muscle department. You'd think that dropping two of these fuckers in rapid succession would warrant a breather of sorts, but he barely had an opportunity to set his jaw before yet another assailant was approaching. Apparently this one had been smart enough to go and retrieve that metal bat that had clattered off to God knows where.

Obviously this was exactly what Dominic wanted to deal with at the moment--only, you know, not at all.

"Come on, man. Really?" The subsequent swing toward his head was the only answer he'd receive from the disgruntled gang member. Luckily for Dom, he was a lot lighter on his feet than he appeared. He managed to duck back, avoiding a dangerous blow from the blunt object. "All right, fine. We'll do it your way." The next swing was avoided even more narrowly than the first, as Dominic began to back away from the bat-wielding gang banger in order give himself more room to work with. What the hell were they even doing fighting these guys again? Oh, right, Logan's self-control rivaled that of Cookie Monster near a tray full of Oreo's. Scratch that. They had Cookie Monsters eating vegetables in order to promote good health to kids now, didn't they? Whatever the case, the third swipe of the bat was caught mid-swing. It hurt like a bitch, but better a little pain in his hand than a lot of pain in his brain, right? Right.

Tugging his opponent forward with the very weapon that the man had just intended to use on him, Dominic delivered a heavy kick to the other man's gut, causing him to double over in pain. That done, he'd cast a glance in Taylor's direction just in time to watch her take out the duo of thugs that had surrounded her. Looks like she was handling herself just fine, even with those injuries she'd suffered. Attention turning back toward his own problem, who was know puking all over the asphalt, Dominic's face contorted into a look of disgust. He could have really done without seeing that.

"Now that's just gross."

Bringing the bat's handle down to the back of the gang member's head, Dominic knocked him out cold to collapse in the puddle of his own stomach contents before moving on. Unlike Taylor, Sebastian actually looked like he could use a hand. Besides, Sebastian would probably appreciate a little help, whereas Taylor would most likely thank any attempt to help her with another punch to the face. As much as he was looking forward to another one of those, option "A" sounded like the better of the two, at least for the time being. Spinning the metallic bat in his hand a few times (because now was the perfect time to show off, obviously), he approached the knife-wielding vato who was preparing to make a pin-cushion out of Sebastian's soft underbelly. The tip of the bat gently tapped said knife maniac's shoulder to get his attention--"Mind if I cut in?"-- to which the man responded by spinning around violently and swiping his switchblade in an arc that would have probably sliced open the Eldritch Hunter's throat had Dominic not had enough sense to maintain some distance.

"Easy, princess. Why not let the two of them have a little bit of alone time so that you and I can get to know each other better?"

"Joo a fag, mang?" The Hispanic man retorted, his accent heavy. Clearly any attempt at humor was lost on this one. Dominic just watched as the bandana-wearing gang member leveled the switchblade toward him, giving Sebastian an opportunity to deal with the man who had him restrained from behind without having to worry about being gutted in the process.

"What can I say, I'm really into the whole socks pulled up to your knees look," Dominic deadpanned, right before knocking the bladed weapon straight out from papi chulo's hand as the bat connected with the side of the other man's arm. These guys weren't so tough after you'd broken a few of their bones, as evidenced by the way his latest opponent took off running down the street, screaming in Spanish like a little girl and cradling his now-broken arm before disappearing down one of the darkened side alleys.

Sebastian Mosely Fri Apr 09, 2010 4:22 pm

[there's more?!]
san gabriel valley

Sebastian was proud of himself for how everything was going. Well, except for the past couple of seconds, but before that he was a force to be reckoned with! As he felt his arms being held behind his back his blue eyes fell upon the blade that seemed to be a little too pointy for his liking. He knew he was in trouble, but at the same time he knew he could get himself out of this little predicament he was in, Taylor taught him better than this. Before the opportunity arose, Dominic cut in with his quips. Both the thug holding him down and Sebastian watched as the other hunter conversed with the blade wielding nuisance. Hearing a grunt on the other side of the street, he turned just in time to see Taylor use her head, quite literally, to get out of a similar situation he was in. That was kind of impressive, she didn’t even flinch! It got the job done and taught them that she was not some helpless girl to be preyed upon. Poor guys – didn’t have too many tricks up their sleeves and especially with the people they chose a fight with. What they really did was initiate a war that they would ultimately end up losing with nothing but humiliation with their shattered prides.

As the hooligan with the blade was distracted, so was the one holding down the young hunter’s arms. Distraction could be the decision whether or not you win or lose a fight , words that stuck in his head ever since the huntress said them to him. It was true though and he learned that the hard way when he sparred with her. The other important thing was to capitalize if your opponent was distracted, which is what the brunet was going to do. Using mostly his leg strength, he pushed the man’s back into the car; the air from his lungs quickly exiting as he grip loosened. Sebastian pulled a Taylor and tried this whole head-butt strategy. In his head things played out so much better than what really happened. Instead of head-butting and everything being fine, Sebastian connected with the guy’s head but it ended up hurting Sebastian just as much! As the guy yelled and grabbed his blood-covered face, Sebastian grabbed at the back of his head. “That was not what I was aiming for!” That hurt like a bitch! How the hell did Taylor do that? It got the point across though and the man fled along with his other buddy with the broken arm Dom gave him.

Little white specs remained in his eyesight as he looked up at the bulkier man, “I’ll leave the using your head thing to Taylor..” The throbbing in was almost unbearable and he could feel his veins pulsating through his temple. He had never had a migraine in his life and this would probably be as close as he’s ever got to one. Hey, it was his first time for a couple of things and he kicked ass like the rest of the group. Even though they weren’t Kreelocks or vampires or any other nasty thing, taking on a couple of guys twice his size, without much pain involved, said he was learning a lot and it showed. From going to a relatively peaceful person to jumping back into a life that he had sworn off, he knew that if he could come this far in a short amount of time he couldn’t wait to see where he was a couple of years from now. As things were winding down and what few thugs were left was taken care of by Logan and Taylor, it was time to get back down to the real reason why they even came here in the first place. It would’ve helped if Sebastian actually knew before he got in the car to San Gabriel Valley, but it was better to find out sooner or later. Well, now that he thought about it – he was now worried considering being jumped was a huge inconvenience and they were just the warm up before the big game. Hopefully what was coming up wasn’t too much worse than a group of thugs, but he knew it was hopeful wishing. He had a feeling the next time he would be fighting, it wouldn’t be so easy and coming out of it with only a flesh wound and headache would be something he wished for.

Taylor Sullivan Fri Apr 09, 2010 6:49 pm

I GOT 99 PROBLEMS..
SAN GABRIEL VALLEY

Using a bat was not something she was accustomed to but if the occasion called for it and it was there, why not take what comes your way. The good news was that many of the guys who tried to assert their dominance had decided that maybe it wasn’t such a good idea to stay. However, the two that had originally started with Logan seemed to be prolonging the fight – especially the elder hunter who technically should be ending the fight. The blond would let the gangsters get a hit in and then he would turn around and show them why he was better. It was honestly watching a cat playing with a mouse. “Logan, seriously?!” This was starting to get ridiculous. Everyone who was there knew that this was a fight that should’ve been over two seconds after it started. These pansies cried at a broken bone and ran like little girls, not that hard to make them leave. Walking over with the bat in her hand she swung at the knee at the one closest to her and watched as the male fell holding his legs. She made sure not to swing hard enough to break his knee, but enough to blow it out. It didn’t take long for the thug to drop to the ground yelling out in the pain and his buddy attacking Taylor with the switchblade he had in his possession.

“I really don’t…”, she began to say as she moved to the side as the man tried to slash into her stomach, “…have time for this.” As she finished her statement, she brought up the bat and knocked the man across the face hearing a gruesome crack come along with it. The force behind her swing wasn’t enough to give him serious damage but a broken jaw would get the point across. Needless to say, the men got the idea that these were people who did not fool around and didn’t want to be bothered with (except Logan). Watching the last of the group run away with the one who had the gimpy leg hobbling right along after them, Taylor brought her attention to Logan. “Are you kidding me? You know I’m hurt and you still can’t control yourself? This is not why we came here.” Taylor didn’t even have the energy to shove him or punch him in the face, which he really deserved. Her body was starting to wear down and she could feel it. Of course she could fight when hurt, but there’s only so far you can push your body before it physically won’t let you move anymore. With this last altercation, her injuries were more noticeable and she ached more than she let on. “You pull a stunt like that again..” The last part was muttered under her breath purely out of frustration. It was times like those that made her wonder what exactly was going on in his mind. He did care but then he had to crack some skulls. Obviously having a member hurt and pushing her to her limit unnecessarily seemed like a good idea at the time. Fan-freaking-tastic.

Taylor walked slowly back to the truck feeling as though she’d been hit by a bus – oh wait! she was thrown off one, just kidding. Dropping the bat right by the car, she turned back to the three males who were a tad beat up and let out a deep breath. “If any of you put yourself before someone else, you don’t deserve to call yourself an Eldritch Hunter. We are a team and that’s how it has always been. No one is asking you to stay; if you have your own personal issues to attend to, do it on your own time. Don’t bring them here.” It wasn’t said to anyone specifically and it was probably because she was in a lot of pain and tired but it was something that needed to be said – to all of three people. She knew there were more hunters to come and more issues to push through, but these were the ones closest to her right now and people she would trust her life with, even the noob Sebastian.

Opening the passenger car door, she carefully sat down on the cushioned seat making sure she didn't crush her bag o' weapons and took a second to relax. This was the first time she could sit down and figure out why they were here in the first place. She didn’t forget about the papers in her jacket pocket and pulled them out as she sat uncomfortably. Looking at the few pages, it took her a second to figure out what exactly she was reading. Going into the mind of a genius wasn’t necessarily the easiest thing to do and this was a perfect example. Between the different calculations and charts that were in black and white, she could’ve sworn she was in math class. However, she could get the basic gist of what was going on and it wasn’t anything good. There was a hoard of Kreelocks setting themselves up somewhere and it was definitely putting them on the radar – figuratively and literally. Eric had provided the area in which the convergence was at its strongest – Hawthorne, which fortunately wasn’t too far from San Gabriel Valley. What is said on the papers was something big and something that was going down tomorrow night, when the peak would be at its highest. Story of her life. Wonderful. Taylor was visibly upset and for good reason. She tossed the papers onto the dashboard and punched against the side of the car door out of frustration. Of course that hurt both her first and body, but it just deserved such a reaction. They were screwed.

With these circumstances it was time to take some people hunters off the bench and get into the swing of things. Okay, no more baseball metaphors - promise. Maybe this wasn't the best idea to throw them in at such a crucial moment but Taylor needed the manpower and if these people didn't step up, they weren't worth being called a hunter. Pulling out her cell, which thankfully didn't get crushed or have water damage, she texted Marcus Hale to meet them at Eric's address in San Gabriel Valley with the weapons he had. So what if it was late? This needed to get sorted out now, not later and unfortunately, it would most likely be figured out in Eric's apartment. Guhreat.

Plotline Sat Apr 10, 2010 8:44 pm

THE SIDE OF WILD
SAN GABRIEL VALLEY

The San Gabriel Valley citizens had picked a fight that they thought would be easy. Little success had come out of their plucking; the only things they garnished as they ran with their tails tucked between their legs were the broken appendages most of them were sporting. The Eldritch Hunters had been more than a formidable adversary for them; having wiped the street clean with the locos of the area, they were free to explore the hidden messages left to them by Eric, post-mortem. The papers were tossed onto the dashboard of the van, letters thick on the pages for any inside to read: shit was going down, and soon. Monstrous beings were littering the streets by the moonlight, gathering in the confines of a secluded location to summon up Hell on Earth – or, at least, as close to it as possible.

The words yelled at Logan fell on deaf ears. From his spot on the ground he rose, anger pumping throughout his veins from the attack he had initiated and ultimately caused himself to be the most hurt. The death of Eric and the chaos his life was shrouded in was beginning to take a weary toll on his mind. He cracked his neck, reaching for the papers through the open car door though his fingers fell short. Without warning, his body was wrapped within dark red lights, pulling him from his existence it seemed. His eyes were wide as he was engulfed by the lightshow, and as he thinned from the area, the spell gently wrapped around Taylor and extended around the area itself. The warm light flooded the night sky, temporarily blinding any onlookers, but it was the after-show that would have everyone muddled.

About the area, the Arcanists from the Penthouse were scattered, though near the friends who had been close to them before they were transported. While Logan was gone, the taboo act had licked away the wounds on each of the person the light had touched – a last minute pick-me-up provided by the dying Sterling. Torn clothes were replenished, wounds closed and healed; all were as they were when they left their house that morning. The mud caking Carolina and Riley had been eradicated; the wounds and scrapes cut into Taylor Sullivan’s body were covered by new flesh, hiding any trace of newly inflicted imperfection. The confusion on the faces of Eldritch Hunter and Arcanist alike was humorous at best.

It would be up to Taylor to lead them all to stop the Kreelocks from achieving their plan. With one night to go, they needed more than luck to bring them to safety.

Riley Cameron Thu Apr 15, 2010 11:08 pm

THIS IS A JOKE, RIGHT?
SAN GABRIEL VALLEY

The magical shit was hitting the fan. All in one day, the blond had been through two near-death experiences – as far as he was concerned, anyway – and had been thrust from one terrible situation into another. Whether or not he wanted to admit it to himself, he was beginning to fear that the horrendous day wouldn’t end. Was he and the others destined to live in an endless loop of torturous attacks until they all fell? The man that was supposed to have amnesia was unleashing unrelenting attacks on them all, and one girl had already had her life card stamped for the last time. The constant wear and tear was creeping under his skin, no matter how hard he tried to fight it; without a break, he was afraid they would all fall. To him, even with an unsuspected upper hand, they were still fighting a losing battle. The maniac psychopath was going to continue hunting each of them down until he had each of them as a corpse-trophy; that seemed like a worthy award for the lunatic, anyway.

The back-to-back events leading up to their expulsion from the Penthouse happened so quickly that he barely caught sight of it all. As the familiar red energy pulsated from the fallen body and grabbed him up similarly to the demanding way it had earlier, blue eyes took in the sight of the hooded red figure separating itself from the dead Conjurer. He could feel his wounds being licked cleaned, healed completely as he was yanked from the complex and pulled into another unknown area. In those moments that he felt suffocation, he prayed that they all – or at least, whoever was teleported too – ended up in a relatively safe place. The constant back-and-forth of dangerous situations was beginning to take its toll on each of them; or at least, it was straining on him. Just when the suffocation felt like it had choked the last remnants of breath from his lungs, the crisp nighttime air welcomed him with open arms.

Or at least, the cement did. The audible plop of his body landing was almost covered up by the multiple other sounds of his companions arriving in the San Gabriel Valley. Standing from his spot on the ground, the model checked his body for the multiple injuries he had sustained within the day; nothing. All of his scratches, scrapes, and wounds had been healed. Even the very clothes he had put on that morning were missing the hard layer of caking mud from the graveyard. All of those around him had gone through the same healing process; the last bits of Gavin Sterling’s power. Some of them looked normal now they weren’t soaked from whatever adventure they had been brought from; others weren’t as good looking, no matter what process they had went through. That was, in Riley’s mind, highly unfortunate.

Taking a closer look around him, he found himself surrounded by the group that had left right before all hell had broken loose at the penthouse. Among them, his eyes crossing and lips pursing, he noticed was Sebastian. If he had thought his luck was turning out for the better, he was wrong. The day apparently had no wish for him to be happy. At least it was sticking to a pattern: one messed up situation to a greater one. He could only imagine where he’d end up being teleported to next. After everything he had been through, he simply just wanted to go home and curl up in bed – unfortunately, he didn’t believe that would happen anytime soon.

Sebastian Mosely Sun Apr 25, 2010 9:54 pm

[uhhh.. wtf?]
san gabriel valley

As Dominic and Sebastian finished their own business, it was Taylor who was getting the bad end of the deal. The brunet watched as Taylor took control of Logan’s situation and stood her ground. It was like he was watching his mom and dad all over again. A small shiver ran down his back as all he could do was stay back and watch the alpha huntress show why she was just that. He’d admit that it was a tad awkward when she directed her questions toward everyone. He felt like he was a child being scorned for something he had not been a part of nor had shown any reason to be asked such things. His eyes fell to the ground as if thinking over why exactly he was here and if this was his ultimate choice. It hit him that this was not something he could get into and then be ‘just kidding!’ and leave; well, theoretically he could considering Taylor didn’t want people who didn’t want to be there.. but - whatever, the point is made. When it came down to it, there was no question about what his decision would be. This was his life now and he had accepted that the day he traveled across the country to meet a woman he had never met before. This was the point in time where everything stayed quiet and he couldn’t help but still feel awkward. Even through his epiphany, he couldn’t help but be a little pissed at Logan for starting such an insane, useless fight. Sure, it was awesome and everything seeing as how he could kick ass and he got to prove himself a little bit, but for Taylor’s sake, it had to suck. If he wasn’t so afraid to what Logan was able to do to him, he probably would have said something... but it was in his best interest, and living interest to not do such a thing.

Blue eyes watched the female walked over to the truck and took out what seemed to be a packet of papers. All he could think of it being is something she found in the apartment? If she had them before she would have taken them out in their car ride over. Looking over to Dom, he shrugged his shoulders a little bit giving him a sign that he had no idea what was in her hands. Whatever it was, he didn’t like the way she reacted to it. In this line of work, any reaction like that was warrant for him to be a little nervous as to what was to come. He wasn’t necessarily scared, but the fact that he didn’t know what was going on kind of made him on edge. Opening his mouth as if getting ready to speak, he again advised against it as a pissed off Logan walked over to the truck to see what the issue was. Not two seconds later, the elder hunter was engulfed in deep red lights and beginning to disappear. His gut reaction made him run over and try and stop it. He had no idea what was going on, why the hell was Logan disappearing right in front of him? Was Taylor going to disappear too!? His heart began to beat uncontrollably at the thought of something happening, especially this drastic. The light was too bright and ultimately stopped the brunet from getting close to the truck. He stood by helplessly, shielding his eyes, as he waited for everything to settle.

The sounds of solid masses hitting the ground would be the end of the light show and when Sebastian would let down his hands to see what exactly happened. His wound was gone? Damn it! That was the first one! Great. Looking over at Taylor she looked completely rejuvenated with no sign of her ever being hurt – which means she had all her strength back, which meant that things got a lot more interesting. He almost forgot about the sounds that made him uncover his eyes. Looking behind him, he saw the group they left at the penthouse. Eyes scanned over the confused group and landed on Riley. Really? Could this night get any more complicated? Probably. His stomach sank as he saw the familiar blond – obviously there were some things the two needed to work out. But wait, with them there.. where was Logan? At the penthouse? Taking his gaze away from the group, specifically Riley, his eyes went back to Taylor. “What the hell?” It wasn’t a lot, but it was the best reaction he could come up with! It covered everything.

Taylor Sullivan Mon Apr 26, 2010 7:49 pm

ANYONE? BUELLER..size][size=9]
SAN GABRIEL VALLEY

Taylor didn’t have time to deal with temper tantrums or childish behaviors especially when they came from the hunter that was supposed to be the leader. She had more important things to focus on like not trying to get them killed. An overwhelming feeling came across her as she thought about everything that needed to be done in order to pull something like this off. Already things were in action and she found out about the impending doomsday not even two minutes ago. Hearing someone walk over, she looked to see Logan who closed the distance between them and was grabbing for the papers. A twinge of annoyance fell over her as he stomped over in his very closed off and "not show any emotion except pissed" way, at least at this point in time. Before he could get his hands on the papers, eyes widened as she watched the blond get engulfed into a red light. Whatever it was – it couldn’t have been good. She didn’t like surprises and this was no exception. “Logan!” She tried to reach for him but it was no use; what was taking him was leaving her there. At least, that’s what she thought until a less deep red light engulfed her body. It was a weird feeling; all her panicky thoughts disappeared and her body felt warm and at ease. She looked down as the light seemed to wash over her. The pain seemed to diffuse out of her skin and leave behind what she looked like before she had the mishap on the bus. Nothing was out of place. There wasn’t any sign of her being in a fight that day and that boggled her mind (even though it shouldn’t). With everything she had been through with the arcane families, this should be something relatively normal, but rarely, if ever, did she have something happen to her directly.

As the light diminished and everything seemed to settle, Taylor couldn’t help but first look for Logan. What the hell just happened? With someone so essential to any plan disappearing into thin air, it didn’t give her much comfort for the night that was about to come. At the same time, she was back at what felt like full strength with no injuries which was a good thing. Out of curiosity, she opened her jacket to see if the switchblade that she had taken from her had been replaced. No such luck. Damn. Anyway! The look on her face was priceless as she hopped out of the car. Moving without pain was definitely something she was appreciating right now. “Is everyone all right?” As far as she could see, no one from her group had disappeared, but she had gained some people. Oh god, the people from the bus and penthouse. What were they doing here? More importantly: if they were here, did that mean Logan had switched places with them and was at the penthouse now? “Someone explain. Now.” Obviously she didn’t expect Sebastian or Dominic to answer her question so that left the little group that lay in front of her. They didn’t get here without someone knowing what exactly went down. There was no such thing as a coincidence when it came to already unsual events happening at the same time. She kept her composure as she looked at the confused faces of the misfits that dropped into her lap. Wonderful. Logan gone. A group of what seemed to be noob arcanists. Sebastian. Dom. Oh yeah, they were in great shape. On the bright side of things, she always liked a challenge and this… was definitely presenting itself to be one.

Still getting used to the weird feeling of being completely healthy with good looking clothes and hair to match (ha), she walked back to the car and grabbed the papers that were thrown on the dashboard. Once she got her answers from the misfits, she had to figure out what exactly her game plan was. In reality her mind was doing somersaults considering Logan vanished. Even with something good coming out of it, she still had a bad feeling and her instincts were usually right. She didn’t like the fact that out of nowhere she lost the person she trusted the most. It wasn’t a good feeling, but the game face had to be on. At the moment, whether people liked it or not - hell, whether she liked it or not, she was in charge. It had already been a long night and it would be even longer by the looks of it. On top of things, it was already getting to be very late into the night and shadows were starting to form in the darkness. “We need to get inside. If you have a weak stomach – don’t breathe.” Ha. Kidding! But seriously.. having people throw up in front of her was not something needed. As far as she knew all the doors were shut so they wouldn’t wander into worse rooms than the living room. When the misfits and her hunters went inside, she would be the last one in. She was really hoping no one would back talk, she didn’t need it. On the bright side? She knew her bus crew wouldn’t. “Don’t go anywhere but the living room, please.” There – she was cordial and even had a please behind it.

Dominic Hayes Thu May 06, 2010 12:57 am

Dominic watched as the remaining group of defeated gang-bangers turned tail and fled. He even helped one of them along, whacking homeboy who just had his face rearranged by Taylor on the ass with the baseball bat he was still holding. The added momentum nearly caused the poor guy to faceplant forward as he stumbled to keep his balance mid-stride. Good riddance. Hey, Dominic appreciated a decent throwdown as much as the next guy, but when their team was at as much of a disadvantage as it was now, random street fights were even more counter-productive than usual. As it stood, they nearly had their asses handed to them by a group of illegals fresh across the border. If it'd been something worse looking to fight them, like the Kreelock, their little rag-tag cell of Eldritch Hunters would have likely been wiped out before they knew what hit them. It was times like these, and thoughts like that which only served to remind Dominic why he went out of his way to avoid the whole group dynamic for so long. Needless to say, when Logan started losing his shit all over again for no apparent reason, it was the last straw for the typically easy-going Dominic.

"Logan, man, I don't know what you were smoking before we left--"

Before he even had time to finish his sentence, the mysterious light had engulfed Logan, and then extended to encompass Taylor, Sebastian, and himself. As he reeled back to shield his eyes from the increased intensity, Dominic eventually lost sight of the others. For a good few seconds, he felt the pain in his jaw slowly begin to subside, along with the rest of the bruising he'd sustained during their little skirmish. Once the light subsided enough for him to realize that the group from earlier had replaced the Latino Mafia, Dominic was back on alert. Sebastian and Taylor looked like they were fine--scratch that, completely healed. The only downside to this little scenario was the fact that Logan was nowhere to be seen (which, considering the impromptu gang war he'd provoked, might not be such a bad thing after all). Plus, you know, the fact that he had no idea what the hell was going on. Luckily, Taylor quickly took point. Better her than him. Clapping a hand to the back of Sebastian's neck, if only to keep him from staring at the blond guy who'd captured his attention, Dominic started for the building Taylor indicated with his newfound sidekick in tow. Yeah, sorry Sebastian, it looked like you'd be the Robin to Dominic's Batman from here on out. Nearly getting yourself eviscerated by some hoodlum with a neck tattoo and his homies would do that, though. Dom didn't plan on letting any of the newbies go down on their first night out.

"You heard the lady, everyone inside--move it!" Taylor could thank him for his no-nonsense support later. For now, Dominic stayed just outside the door to make sure everyone else was ushered inside (well, everyone minus Taylor who seemed to be aiming to score the most badass points) before following the last of them in, himself.

"I'm hoping you have some sort of plan beyond all of us huddling in a random building that smells like death took a dump in it, then let it fester for a week or two." Taylor seemed to be just as clueless as the rest of them, sure, but Dominic was still irritated that he didn't know what had set Logan off out there. He could only assume that it had something to do with what they found inside the building. Judging from the smell, though...

"Call me crazy, but I'm gonna go out on a limb here and assume that Eric guy didn't make it."

Carolina Kenyon Fri May 14, 2010 10:38 pm

It was an odd sensation; being clean and not having a dozen aches and pains, or her body sending messages to her brain that she was cold, hurt, scared.. okay she was still scared, and a bit more than a little frustrated. If she had ever thought she'd had a bad day before, this day trumped all of them. She stood up from where she had landed, her hands ran over her now dry jeans, the feel of the denim comforting and familiar, and without the layer of dried mud upon it. Her hair was still a knotted mess, but she didn't care much, or actually at all about her appearance. It seemed kind of secondary to fighting for your life.

She looked at those around her, and felt a bit of relief at Riley still being there. Her attention swiftly switched to Taylor and then to Dominic as one said to enter the building and the other repeated the demand. Carolina listened and moved forward, and understood the reason theyd been told to hold their breath. It certainly smelled worse than her brother's old sweaty gym socks he'd shoved in her face when she was five. The smell of them had made her gag. This was a hundred, no a thousand times worse. And she didn't have her oldest brother there to protect her from it. The brief thought of her family made her think of too many other things and she stopped and focused her attention on the ordeal at hand.

Daphne Fuller Fri May 14, 2010 11:28 pm

...We're Not In Kansas Anymore
San Gabriel Valley

While the petite brunette enjoyed living life on the wild side, for once Daphne Fuller could do with a little less excitement in her daily routine. She thought she had left New York to escape whatever destiny had planned for her, but instead fate knocked right on her door no matter which way she turned. She was never one for hysterics but the enchanter felt like screaming out her frustration for the world to hear. One minute she was happily going about her own business and the next she had run into the most despicable man on earth. She had only learned his name from the woman at the Penthouse. Daphne may have been accustomed to all types of men, but few ever managed to get under her skin. It may have been for the simple reason that tensions were high and she had a constant feeling that someone or something was chasing her. That was the very reason she kept on the move. Dominic had dragged her into the middle of a three-ring circus full of all the garnishes and toppings. Majority of those gathered at the large Penthouse had been just as clueless as she and the few who seemed to know exactly what was going on seemingly ignored them. She may have wanted answers but she would buckle down her curiosity for the time being. People disappearing and a mad man running loose also provided her mind with a distraction. Eventually someone had to lay the entire situation at their feet, the only question of the matter was when. At moment surviving was more important than her own interest.

[More coming later]

Xakiel Fri May 14, 2010 11:37 pm

Let's Get This Over With

The lackluster coloring of the past few hours shaded imperfect blends of boredom and impatience for the Essentian’s life. Previously believing that sending Arik’s gaggle of idiots on a homicidal rescue mission would be in some shape or form fun, had been a mistake. As he watched them all run around, split up from one another and the prisoners free themselves, he had lost all forms of entertainment. The Kreelocks that should have been ripping them apart seemed to have decided to pick that day to be off from spreading mass amounts of evil. Scoffing to himself, he sighed; how pansy the Kreelocks were for taking an off day. Evil wasn’t supposed to sleep. Sure, a few of them may have attacked, but it was nothing compared to the insidious slaughter Xakiel thought he had been sending them into. Not one Arcanist down there had impressed him any; though he had been toying with the idea of saving them in the knick of time had they needed it, he was upset that he hadn’t been given an entertaining show first.

When Arikstrasza arrived on the scene, the disgust boiled back up in the pit of his stomach. The utter dislike that he held for his Essentian brother was teetering on the edge of deep contempt; in his eyes, the other was just as repulsive as the Kreelocks were. With him arriving though, that meant he no longer had to play guardian to the group of misfits. His responsibilities didn’t end there, as much as he would have liked for them to. Instead of him getting the rest of the day to himself, the Ancients had summoned him up another task: retrieving the information dug up by a mere human on the Kreelocks’ activity, which was currently in the hands of another flock of fresh Arcanists, joined by a small handful of hunters. While the task wouldn’t take too terribly long, it was terribly inconvenient for him to pop into the San Gabriel Valley for just one little task. If anything, it was beneath him. Arik should be running more errands; he was terribly inept, after all.

Within moments of making up his mind to get the unbearable task over with, he was wrapped in a silvery glow, disappearing from his confinements and taking form in the tiny apartment occupied by so many others. The looks of the gang painted them as confused individuals not wasting much time on. The object he was in search of rested in the grasp of one of them—the one who had curves he’d rather like to get acquainted with—so his attention focused solely on that before he made any motion at all. He glanced the group up and down for a small amount of time before making a move, as smooth as it was.

With a quick snap of his fingers, a resonating clap bounced from the motion, swirling energy leaping from his fingertips and enfolding around the very papers he had been sent to retrieve. Ignoring any protests, the object materialized in his hands. A smirk pulled coldly at the corners of his mouth, eyes scanning the material in his palm before taking one last look at the gang in front of him. The small apartment was way too crowded for his liking.

“You don’t have much going for you, but at least you all are better looking than the other group. Still, it’ll just get you killed quicker.”

No other word was spoken. His fingers snapped together once more, and familiar energy reached out to grasp hold of each individual around him. The tightening sensation would be recognized by some of them who had been teleported there in the first place, though others would possibly be experiencing the teleportation feeling for the first time. Regardless, he wasn’t worried about any protests or comments any of them shot forth before they were forced from the premises. The spell would deliver each of them to their individual housings around L.A., before enclosing around Xakiel himself to take him to the Ancients. With the war just around the corner, the Arcanists had a little break to prepare for what was coming for them.

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