Apocalypse RP #3: The Vanishing

[Celadon's Penultimate]

The steak-sword lowered just a bit; Tyler's grip on it eased only a hair. For a second, as he looks over the scraggly pajama-clad man, Tyler considers handing Jeff a steak knife. After all, he looked harmless enough, if only really worn for his time roaming around in ragged PJs.

Though, by the same token, there was just...something about how Jeff looked. Tyler decided against it.

"Well, don't get too happy." Tyler forced his hands to stop shaking so obviously, and his back stiffened, "You might not be a mutant monster dog thing, but that doesn't make you totally safe to be around. I got my eye, um...my sword on you."

[Gentleman Vaultboy]

"Monster?" He says, quirking an eyebrow. "If that lot are mutant monsters, then what does that make the rest of us? But I seriously don't mind if you don't trust me; for all you know, I could be a highlander. The weakest highlander ever, but, you know, still.... oh man you don't realize how nice it is to have a conversation. It's really one of those things you don't miss until it's gone."

[Gentleman Vaultboy]

There is no ignition. This engine has been scavenged to hell and back.

[Ericus Europaeus (Bug)]

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[Philote]

"I'm not quite sure what to do with you yet, so I'm going to have to ask you to stay in this room until we get all our information sorted out" Nix says, trying to take command of the situation.

"First, who is this Bowie character you mentioned, and while you're telling us that, why don't you show us if you're carrying anything on you so that we can all feel a little safer."

[Gentleman Vaultboy]

"Bowie," he says, standing up and turning out his empty pockets, "is the leader of that pack. My buddy Albert caught a look at his collar once. Before that, we just called him Diamond Dog. Sort of fitting, I mean, in retrospect."

"There used to be seven of them, but Mel put an end to that. Now there's only five. Bowie, the big shaggy one, the two little westies, and Benny." he almost spits the last name.

[Philote]

"And Mel and Albert, where are they now?" Nix asks "And has Bowie or any of the dogs been seen with a human? Being led by one or given powers by one?"

[Gentleman Vaultboy]

"That's Mel." He says, pointing to the woman on the floor. "And Al is Mr. Crispy out there." he jerks his thumb to the door. "Benny's work." He adds bitterly. "Don't let the puppy eyes fool you. That little bastard is a psychopath. He was the only one we ever had trouble with before...." His eyes flick down to the woman, Mel, and he scowls.

"No" he says, changing the subject, "I haven't seen anyone since we put the city behind us. For a while I though someone in your basement might be their master. I mean, they're so smart, you know? But nah, I don't think anyone could command Bowie."

[Philote]

"So, you're alone or so you'd like us to believe" Nix says almost as if he was pondering out loud.

"I'd like to say we could just forget about these dogs and move on. All we would need to do would be to leave the area and start looking for food. With how aggressive the dogs are though, I doubt it would be safe to let them go unchecked to attack us as they please. Tell me, do you think they are sentient?"

[Gentleman Vaultboy]

"Honestly? Hell yes. If they were just animals, they would have eaten Mel and Al. But they didn't come after us for food." He looks away. "It was revenge, pure and simple. If you'd been here that night, you'd understand."

[Ericus Europaeus (Bug)]

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[Philote]

"So you tried to hunt them down first? And now they are attacking anyone they see?" Nix asks, trying to pull as much information out of the man as he could while the neighborhood was still peaceful.

[Gentleman Vaultboy]

"It was Mel's idea." He says, dejectedly. "Said we couldn't live off what could scavenge from around here, that we needed the protein. Girl got scary toward the end. Part of the reason I didn't tell her about you guys. We managed to get one, this collie, then they came to get her back. I've been hiding for a month, moving whenever I heard them coming, hoping that something would distract them from looking for me. Waiting, well, for you guys to come up. Didn't count on my conscience getting the better of me once I had a bug out window. Heheha...."
'

[Philote]

"Alright, last questions. Do you know where they sleep? Or can you hear them now?"

[Gentleman Vaultboy]

"Bowie's smart. Different place every night, and they do it in shifts so they can watch one another. Now hold on....."

He closes his eyes and concentrates. "They're spooking around in pairs. They're keeping their distance. Hehe, little one just ported. I can always tell because it makes this weird sucking noise. She's somewhere outside of my range now."

[Ericus Europaeus (Bug)]

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[Philote]

"Alright, what powers do they have, from weakest to strongest" Nix says, a look of determination in his eyes. He had thought it over, looked for every excuse not to, but had finally accepted that these dogs would have to put down.

"We're going on a dog hunt."

[Marvelous Miscreant]

Ben silently slipped behind the group, cleaver still clutched tightly in his hands.

"We're....we're going after those things?!?! But....but they'll kill us!"

[Celadon's Penultimate]

Tyler's expression told everything he wanted to say; in his mind, Ben was undoubtedly right.

[Ericus Europaeus (Bug)]

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