Building a Better Mutant
Gathered before the mall, there's a crowd of distraught rats milling about. Rod, the de facto leader of the rats, approaches the group of agents, "Hey guys, how's it hanging?" he says as if there wasn't a situation in progress.
Balina thought she arrived to pick up some salvage, but finding a cluster of rats *outside* a mall is rare enough to cause concern. "It goes, Rod," she manages, attention fixed on the larger mass, "hosting a concert or something today? Mood's all weird."
You mention experiments getting loose and you're going to get the attention of at least one scientist. And that is why Zarlene is here, tails twitching about behind hir as shi rests a rifle pimped out with the sort of blinking lights and seemingly random pointless bits of external doodads you'd expect from a sci-fi B-movie crooked in an arm. "Howdy, Rod. Looks like somethin's harshin' the otherwise mellow mojo round here." She's delt with the rats enough to at least fake the jive lingo.
Peril turns to face the rat, rising up onto stand on the tips of her toes in order to appear as tall as possible yet still coming up short. Ears perked attentivly, Grinning impishly, eyes glistening at the thought of the potential opportunities on offer here and extending her arms toward him as her tail nervously flicked back and forth curling about her thighs the little cat cheerfully exclaimed "Hello There Rod! Looks like you've got some trouble."
"It's a real drag," agrees Rod, "Two big brain rats were working on something big, like, major stuff, man, and then it all goes crazy." He rubs behind his neck, "They're sure it's not, like, really... dangerous, but, uh. You've gotta see to believe on this, trust me. You guys available to help with that?" His bangled tail gives a soft clatter as it twitches.
"Not dangerous can be entirely subjective," replies Zarlene with a faint hint of amusement in hir voice. Though hir vulpine ears are perked and wary. "Dealing with... wayward experimentations is part of my job description Rod, of course I can help."
Balina's head jerks. Mentioning big things tends to do that. "You had me at 'major stuff'," the wolfcow beams. "But unless it's in the middle of that crowd, everyone seems awful skittish about it."
Peril chirped excitedly while nodding her head, arms dropping back as her hands rose ahead of her, clapping together before beginning to rub one against the other as thoughts of potentially valuable information if not salvage soon coming into her possession filled the cats thoughts "Oh I am always eager to help out the brains. What kind of thing is it we're talking about here?"
Eavesdropping normally isn't something Redd did, but this seemed more than causal conversation, "What's 'it' in this case?" He looks around, noting the numbers of rats outdoors.
He waves a hand, "I know a lot of mutants are all about that kind of thing," he says, "But most of us are more chill, man, we're not comfortable with it. Just go and see." he points inside, "We appreciate it." As if on que, several other rats bob their head and give a chorus of 'right on man' and other appreciative sounding things.
Peril found it increasingly difficult to sit still, her eyes scanning the crowd and the front of the mall as the little cat considered her best way in as she wondered just what sort of treasure she could get her little paws on. Feeling the needed to get things under way as quickly as she could before anyone else showed up to try and be a hero an claim a share of any reward she looked at Rod again. Raising her voice and chiming in a melodious tone to try and catch the Rats attention as she gave a few choice words as she began to skip forward, slipping past the rat on her way to the front entrance. 'I am sure I can help out! Just send any messages through Zephyr, they know how to get in touch'
Balina stares at Rod, expecting further explanation. When none comes, she shrugs and puts on her cockiest smile. "So, are we just going in to take a look, or are you going to ask us to bring it back in pieces?"
Zarlene gives the mallrat a reassuring nod. "Just chillax, amigos. We'll take care of the bad vibe throwin' off your groove." Speaking their lingo isn't as easy as it sounds!" The kitsune shifts the techno-rifle to rest on hir shoulder and starts off, tails flicking back and forth with a mix of caution and anticipation. "That possibly depends on just what it's doing in there," shi remarks over hir shoulder to Balina. "Best way to find out is to go look for ourselves."
The crowd moves without command, generally making way for easy entry to the mall they vacated. Rod takes a slow breath, "Hey, chill. Don't hurt nothing that deserve not to be hurt. Look first, then, do whatcha gotta do, get it? Keep it real." He flips a sign with his fingers and joins the others, out of the way.
Peril carries on heading toward the mall picking up her pace as she gets closer, quickly pushing her way through the crowds made much easier as they begin to part she was hurried on be the hope of being the first to get a crack at whatever technological marvel waited within or perhaps find out what else the rats were cooking up It honestly didn't matter what was waiting inside the cats curiosity demanded satisfaction and armed with a laser pistol and a remote control she was confidant enough in her abilities to tackle whatever waited inside on her own and claim that much more credit as a result.
Balina expected that. Still, best to be sure. Smile still present, she gives a nod to Rod and, grabbing the straps of her pack, she follows behind Peril at something just below a jog. Eagerness is not the same thing as foolhardiness. Certain doom awaits!
Zarlene has no problem with the catgirl taking the lead, always better to have someone else take the front line and the possible first few rounds of fire. But the kitsune is not far behind her. "Of course. Analyse first, recontain if possible... and if not..." Everyone else here can probably tell without hir actually finishing that as shi follows in.
Redd watches as the other three responders go forward, and follows a short distance behind them, rather uneasy that the rats refused to identify what exactly was going on.
The mall looks much like it always has, except it's quiet today. Not all that unexpected, with most of the rats outside. The few that are inside seem to be hiding, only noticed for the soft jangling of their various baubles and bands on nervous tails.
Peril bounded up to the door before pausing. With a brief glance about the interior of the mall the cat picked out the best bits of cover and ideal spots to start sniping from or at the very least the biggest, heaviest objects to hide behind in the event things didn't go to plan. Given the moments break in her thoughts on what new and shiny potential source of income waited for her within the mall, the cat finally realised she was rather lacking a plan and more critically a meat shield. Whatever the rats were working on had forced almost the whole lot of them out into the streets and this presented the ideal opportunity for the Cabal to lead the charge in rescuing them from a disaster of their own making. Eager not to let her momentum drop, she slipped through the door breaking sharply right to take up position by the entrance and drew her pistol out from within her coat while she stood in wait of the others while still retaining her glorious claim to being the first into battle
Zarlene isn't all that reassured that the rats are still hiding. "Not really dangerous..." shi murmurs under hir breath, ears stiff and alert atop hir head. Shi even tilts up a bit to sniff at the air, see if the vulpine senses can pick up something other than the aroma of rats and cheap nachos.
Balina takes a few steps into the mall proper, muzzle twitching as she practically begs her nose to tell her anything about the situation. Following her ears, or at least guessing at the nearest convenient hiding spot, she asks, "Which way?" to air in the vicinity of the nearest probable rat.
A tail raises from behind a counter, pointing towards the 101 Yogurt stall in the food court, then slowly withdraws back out of sight.
Zarlene grunts a snicker. "Well, either it's into healthy eating, or is extremely omnivorous," shi deadpans sarcasticly.
Peril perks up as the other catch up, bravely beginning her advance, moving first toward the middle of the mall a few more steps before stopping, her attention going back to those behind her smile only broadening as Balina finds a rat willing to give direction. With a suitable clear and loud voice the diminutive feline cries out "We shall soon have this in hand! Quick, while we know where it is advance and surround it!"
Balina gives a wave with her good hand, then starts working the straps on her outfit. Chill requests be damned, this is not going to end peaceably. Her form begins bulking out as the rest of her grows into her left paw, patchwork outfit spreading out to cover comically near nothing while her stance drops down to all fours. In no time there is traditionally-sized Balinawolf here.
Balina starts working towards the food court, barely restraining the urge to run full-tilt until she knows everyone else will be shortly behind.
As one would expect from an experienced analytical sort Zarlene approaches the court at a paced measure. It's caution, not hesitation. Shi's trying to get an actual look at what they're dealing with beforehand and get an idea of just what it is they are dealing with here.
Redd grumbles a moment, before he edges towards the direction indicated by the rat, knowing full well the object of the search could be elsewhere.
A sudden grunt is heard, then a strange chorus of a cry, easily explained when a chimera rises up. A body of a bear, with a fox hanging off one shoulder, and a cat the other, three torsos appended. Affixed next to the bear head is a rat like head, and all four heads affix their eyes on Balina's approaching form. It has no arms on the central body, replaced as they are with a fox and cat bodies, but it does its best to reach for her, the arms of its... arms? doing further reaching as they give a disquieting growling hiss of their assorted animal like noises and low human whimper.
Peril rather hopes at least some of the rats are watching as she begins the charge, trying to show no hesitation at all while still starting at a rather reserved speed, being thankful in this instance for her shorter than average legs which wouldn't carry her too far ahead before the others caught up. Pistol held securely at hip lever, her other arm reaching across to rest the free hand on top of the weapon to steady it the cat courageously lead the way while keeping an eye out for the first sign of trouble ahead which brought her to a sudden and indignant stop as the massive creature rose up ahead of her. Dropping to all fours and arching her back pistol briefly forgotten the cat began to rush again though now having changed direction rather considerably so that she soon found herself taking cover behind another stall
Zarlene actually stops for a moment when the chimaric beast rises up, one brow quirking rather high. Tails twitch back and forth a few times behind her as the thought of hir own, ah, altered children briefly comes to mind. "... And people say I make bizarre combinations..." Then squints a bit, studying the four? creatures the bizarre agalmation is composed of.
Balina takes a few steps backwards, then lowers her stance and begins to growl, daring the creature to take just one more... is step the wrong word? It probably has a lizard and a raven for legs. One more move towards her, at any rate. The cold surrounding the icewolf kicks up, a few traces of frost starting to form on the ground beneath her.
Redd briefly stops upon seeing the strange creature, before cautiously approaching the creature, first at 30 feet, then 20, and he continues to inch closers.
The creature is too large to easily get free of the stall, at least the front way. It abandons trying to reach Balina directly and instead waves its people-arms with a louder chorus of dissatisfaction. It turns, and in its profile one can see there's another whole person dangling off the back in place of a tail. Appropriately, a snake, which grabs the handle of the door of the booth in its jaws and pulls it open.
Peril draws a deep breath, steadying her nerves before peeking out from behind the stall, shaking her head briefly at the sight on the food court before calling out 'Don't attack it! We don't know that it's hostile. It mighyt even be a victim of whatever the Rats put together' Fairly convinced that whatever the best was its attention was securely caught by the massive wolf ahead of it, the little cat broke from cover starting to make her way around the far side of the creature while being mindful of the probability that many of her companions probably had inaccurate, explosive or scatter weapons on their person that were very likely to miss the target
Zarlene makes a face, muzzle scrunching up in what could almost be a cute abiet disgusted expression. "Okay, I am officially perturbed here, and I do that sort of work for a living." At least shi keeps bodies as bodies and limbs as limbs... well except when arms are also heads but that's normal for hydras. Despite that, shi nods a little at Peril and starts slowly moving around to the other side, rifle ready but shi's not arming it yet. Don't worry kitty, shi's actually got fairly precise attacks. "It's got heads on all sides, so it'll be difficult to surprise. However if they're all seperate minds it also may be easy to confuse in spite of that." Followed by a 'should just put it out of its misery' under her breath, but withholds firing for the moment.
"One chance!" Balina barks, not really expecting an answer. "Who/what/why are you?" She circles the stand, looking for the best spot to pounce from if the chimera actually tries to do something stupid. Questions of how, exactly, the stupid thing got in there are left unasked.
Now only 5 yards away from the creature, Redd stops approaching, and drops to all fours in an attempt to appear as unthreatening as possible, not to mention getting a better grip on the floor should he be struck.
With the door open, the strange amalgam can step free of the booth, which it does. Its legs appear to be a husky and skunk, female, handstanding awkwardly for every, equally awkward, step. They are a part of this off chorus of animal and human sound.
One of the rats peeks up from a hiding place, then ducks right back down with a 'Totally gnarly'.
Peril remains well out of the creatures way leaving Balina to assess the threat of the creature and get any answers from it, which the cat thought of as rather a bad idea though certainly wasn't about to step in and take the responsibility herself and instead rather reluctantly pulling her attention away from it to check the area for lingering rats ready to warn them off before any fighting started. The little certainly cat didn't want her impending victories tainted by casualties caused by friendly fire.
Balina receives no answer, and simply resumes plan A. Growling resumes, and she WILL pounce if it tries any sudden moves.
"Considering it only makes the incoherent sounds of its composition chorused together, I don't think it can form a comprehensive reponse to you, Balina," Zarlene observes from hir position to the side. Mentally adds Snake, Skunk and Huskie to hir mental tally... but as they're all stuck on as limbs awkwardly it's hard to deduce just what they'd be capable of. With a grunt shi tips over one of the foodcourt tables with hir tails and ducks behind it for some cover with hir rifle raised. "It may just be best to put this... thing out of misery..."
"Can't communicate with so many heads, doesn't mean it isn't trying," the kitsune adds from hir makeshift cover after a few more moments of eyeing the thing, specifically the way it's 'limbs' are laid out. And stumbling out of the stall. "It's likely strong from being part bear, but clumsy and probably not very nimble either." It is walking on two handstands after all. Amazing it can stand at all. Up to the others what they decide to actually do with the info, though.
The bear/fox/cat/dog/skunk/snake looks around, which is something it is actually pretty good at doing, with so many sets of eyes facing in different directions. It gives another keen warbling mixture of sounds and then looks at Balina, all eyes, even the snake curling around, to look at her more directly.
Peril exhales a long sigh before tucking her pistol back into her coat, tail flicking back and forth quickly as she examines the creature more closely, rather puzzled as to just how to deal with it "Well, it fits the vague description the rats gave us. The question is, how the hell do we deal with it? It's not hostile, heck, even if part of it were I'm not sure we would be right to actually fight it. Maybe we should take the poor creature back to the Labs for study"
The giant growling iced-over wolf would, under normal circumstances, be fascinated by this kind of abomination. If, say, there was a labratory surrounding the tw-- fiv--- there are at least eight people involved just between Balina and the chimera right now. Zarlene's words do not go unheeded, but there are more pressing matters right now. For her part, Balina shifts into full-on dominant posture. She stands up straight, hackles raised, growl maintained.
"I wouldn't say not hostile, we don't know either way. But regardless, anybody got some rope or chains offhand?" Redd calls out from his position, now a few yards behind the creature.
"I've got vines and tails," Zarlene mutters. Maybe shi should of kept the tentacle monster kid on call instead of the wolfdragon. "Subduing it with limited damage would be an optimal outcome."
The bear head gives a roaring growl, finally responding to Balina's threatening posturing. Its people-arms wave about in a meandering sort of way. The other heads are slow to pick up on what's going on, but soon they join in with hisses, growls, and other such offensive noises.
Peril glances about to see if any rats are hanging about close enough to be questioned on the creature, why it is here or why the rats would even consider making such a thing. It all seemed rather puzzling for the cat. Though she had to admit the possibility of converting enemies into something similar though decidedly less massive and powerful seemed appealing. 'I'm not so sure we need to restrain it just yet... Perhaps we should try asking it to come along peacefully. We can ask Rod what the hell the rats were thinking and give a few pointers on ethical research. I mean it hadn't done anything wrong... Oh... Never mind'
Zarlene adds, as an afterthought "And hypnosis, but that's not going to work well on multiple heads." When the various heads start snarling at Balina shi lifts hir rifle over the edge of the table-bunker again. "We can attempt to beat it into submission without killing it..."
Finally! Balina had been waiting for an answer, and if the chimera wants to do this the fun way, this trip might be worthwhile after all. She leaps, jaws aiming for the upper part of the bear's neck, while the metal spike on one paw is aimed for its true home: the nearest set of eyes. Cold flies off of her body as she herself flies through the air.
It's as big as it is awkward, and not very well put together at that. A coordinated assault by a trained agent is a bit too much for the thing and the aggressive growls turn night instantly to pained wails. The skunk leg slips in surprise, bringing down the whole thing in a pile of rapidly bloodied parts.
Balina holds the bear head's neck in her jaws, holding it up for a few moments before dropping it unceremoniously to the ground. She looks from head to head, silently asking if anyone else wants in on this.
Zarlene's ears briefly pin back at the thud the thing makes when it falls over. "Pin it down and restrain it if you can," she offers, opting back to strategic advice than attacking hirself. "Watch out for that tail, it's got the most flexibility and reach."
Peril looks extremely uncertain watching the battle that has only just begun playing out. With a grimace at the sight of the creature falling the cat seems concerned her ears folding back and shoulders hunching forward 'We sound find someone with medical training. Maybe we can sedate it and get it back to Zephyr safely'
Seeing the beast trip and hearing Zarlene's advice, Redd pounces and pins the tail down the best he can. Hopefully Balina can hold the arms down.
There's not a lot of fight in the bleeding beast. The nanites don't seem to be in any great rush to stitch it back together, the rat face is keening and wailing, as one probably would when an eye gets gouged out, and the other heads are in varying states between tears or terror.
Balina steps away, licking her teeth. It was probably overkill, but she was polite enough to wait until it asked for it.
As the others attempt to hold the thing down Zarlene steps over hir table-bunker and walks closer. Gives the closest heads her best terrifying visage look (think pissed off mother glare, considering the number of child freaks she has) to encourage it to just back down and not resist.
Peril folds her arms across her chest, narrowing her eyes as she gives Balina a dirty look 'Why don't you go make yourself useful by finding Rod, or a rat what knows how to use a medkit? I think the rest of us can handle restraining the creature before anything else happens to it'
Redd glares at Peril a moment, "I seriously doubt you could restrain it should it get up, perhaps you should get a medic and sedatives."
Zarlene smoothly says, "I'd suggest getting it out of here and to a proper medical facility first. So the rats can have their home back, and to be honest, I don't know how effective first aid is going to be on such a mishmash in the first place."
Balina gives a satisfied grin to Peril, stepping over and laying on the ground, bringing her backpack, straps extended to their limits, down to something approaching a normal level. "I would, but I can't work a comm without thumbs. Milk and a medkit are in my bag, if you need 'em. I'd just pour a pouch in the socket and call it a day, though."
"Oh for the love of..." Zarlene rubs hir face for a moment with hir paw, then pulls out hir own comm device to radio Zephyr for some sort of retrieval unit or whatever. They're going to be here all night if they wait for those two to sort it out between themselves.
A rat peeks again, then gives a sharp whistle, and other rats emerge rapidly, and begin entering the front door. An all clear signal?
Peril snorts softly, stepping toward the creature, looking it over closely particularly where the bodies of the different creatures merge into one and quickly loosing focus as she tries to work out just what the beast was intended to be and how it was accomplished 'Maybe this isn't what the rats were trying to do. I can't see why anyone would want a creature like this. I'd say they have a lot of explaining to do. And I am glad you have milk with you because I am sure as heck not breast feeding it'
Balina calls, "Unless there's anything else, it's not going anywhere!", but otherwise stays where she is. The offer was open, but she can't really reach her back, herself, either.
The rats disperse through the mall, most picking up where they left off. Two rats come directly to the scene, tails and ears low, "Aw, total bummer," says the female, moving up to the side of the great mass of parts. The male stays back, scuffing a shoe on the ground.
Zarlene notes the various rats finally wandering back in now that the creature has been subdued. "So.. anyrat got any idea what they actually did that caused this... I'm going to presume it was 'accidental'..."
Peril looks two the two approaching rats, a brow quirted as they come close to the creature. Curling her tail about a leg and folding her arms across her chest, the cat turned to them, trying her best to look intimidating but falling slightly short as she asks 'Is this your mess?'
The she rat isn't giving any helpful words, cradling the disfigured rat head of the beast and rocking back and forth. The guy rat sighs loudly, looking around, "Nothing to worry about," he says in a defeated tone, "Won't happen again."
Zarlene smoothly says, "I'd strongly suggest seeing that it doesn't."
"I suggest you answer her question," comes a low growl, cold breath snorting at the the reluctant rat's neck.
Other rats look over as things suddenly get more tense. Rod comes jogging up, "Woah, hey, chill out dudes, what's going on over here?"
The guy rat, on the other hand, is just angry, "Leave me alone and bag your face, expect me to be amped about this? Fuck that static!" And he moves to storm off.
Seeing the creature placated, Redd moves towards the stall where it had been trapped. "Wonder what it was doing here to begin with..."
Balina finds herself missing shoulders to shrug with almost as much as she misses having a hand. Excusing herself for a moment, she finds a quiet spot to pack herself back in.
".. Somehow I doubt that's the effect you intended," Zarlene asides to the wolfcow, then turns when Rodd shows up. Jabs a thumb over hir shoulder towards the... thing. "It's subdued. Took a little beatin' up to get it there. Suggest ya find someplace to keep it out of trouble and make sure whatever happened doesn't again."
The stall has little of interest in it but food supplies, likely for the rats. Rod bobs his head, "Yea yea, you guys were fly, taking care of that on short notice, uh, I promised a reward, let me see what I can scare up," and he goes to get some boxes of other supplies.
