Descension
Part 1
The morning was about as peaceful as it could get on a Monday morning. People were going about their business, heading off to work, school, and wherever else they needed to be today.
But all was not peaceful in the loft of a particular martial arts training dojo. In the kitchen sat a particular man, Duncan MacLeod, looking miserable as he nursed a cup of coffee, trying to work up the nerve to actually drink it. He had awoke feeling terrible, which was highly unusual for him. He had been in many battles and felt many varying degrees of pain, but what he felt now was something he hadn't felt in so very long. He felt sick.
"I live to be four centuries old, never suffered the cold or flu for 380 years and now I catch something. It just isn't right," he muttered to himself, still unable to really drink his coffee.
Suddenly a tingling feeling crept up Duncan's spine into his brain. Another Immortal was close, right in the dojo. As he heard the elevator come to a stop he grew worried. He didn't have time to get to his sword and if this Immortal was looking for a fight it probably wouldn't go in his favor.
But his fears were put to rest when he saw the source of the buzz. The youngest known Immortal, Richie Ryan, entered the kitchen.
"Hey Mac'," he greeted as he walked over to the coffee maker and poured himself a hot cup, "you wouldn't believe what was on the news, it was pure---my God Mac! You look terrible!" he stated.
"I feel it too," Duncan grumbled and set his cup down.
"I didn't think Immortals could get sick," Richie said with surprise.
"I didn't think so either but I guess there are just some diseases that are more hardy than others," Duncan replied, "...so what was on the news?"
"Oh yeah. Something crazy happened downtown and nobody knows what went on. From what I heard it was some kind of weird electrical disaster. Streetlights were blown out, a traffic light fell like it had been cut down, manhole covers were thrown in various locations with one coming down and cutting right through a mailbox, a fire hydrant went missing and was later reported landing in a brothel that fronted as a pool hall. And in one old alley there were burn marks all over the walls," he explained.
"Burn marks," Duncan asked curiously, "what kind of burn marks?"
"I dunno they just said burn marks. But the really weird part was that there was a huge cut hole in one of the brick walls, but nobody knows what could've done it in the fashion it was in. And at the back of the alley was a body."
"A body?"
"Yeah, it's the weirdest thing. This body was burnt to a crisp and didn't have a head. They don't know what happened to it," Riche explained, "do you think it was the sight of another battle?"
"I don't know Rich' the loser would've had to have been very strong for the Quickening to do so much damage," Duncan explained.
"I knew the Quickening was powerful but I never thought it could do that much damage. I guess it's a good thing nobody was around when it happened," Richie commented.
"Indeed," Duncan said as he rubbed his aching head, "for such damage to be done it must've been a very powerful Immortal that got killed."
Just as Duncan finished speaking, the same tingling feeling crept up both their spines. Another Immortal was in the vicinity. The elevator sounded as it rose again, possibly bringing the new Immortal with it.
"Why today?" Duncan thought to himself as he watched and waited. But his concerns were dispatched when he saw who their visitor was. "Oh, it's only you Methos."
"Of course it's me. Were you expecting the bloody postman," Methos asked flatly as he promptly moved for the refrigerator and withdrew a can of beer to drink, "the night I had was rotten if you're interested in knowing."
"What happened?" Duncan asked, regretting that he did as soon as the words left his lips.
"Well I---Great Scott MacLeod! You look like crap!" Methos exclaimed, finally noticing his fellow Immortal's appearance.
"Oh really? Well at least I look better than I feel, because I feel like shit," Duncan muttered.
"Very unusual MacLeod, I've never been sick before a day in my life. How'd you get ill?" Methos asked.
"I don't know. I woke up feeling like death warmed over," Duncan said as he massaged his temples, "so what brings you here? Are you just mooching beer or did you have something to tell us?"
"Well both actually," Methos said as he opened the can of beer and took a drink before continuing, "last night had to be one of the worst nights in my life."
"Did the rabbit die?" Richie asked with a giggle and earning a glare from the old man.
"No carrot top. Last night I went out to look for a good time and I found this quaint little pool hall. So I went in to enjoy a few rounds and I met the most beautiful of girls I've seen in 500 years. Well, she took me to this quaint little room and promised to show me an incredible time, and the next thing I knew a fire hydrant crashed through the roof and landed right in front of my lap!" Methos explained.
Duncan and Richie glanced at each other, their minds trying to take in what Methos had just told them. When it finally registered Richie was fighting a personal conflict between remaining serious and laughing hard; and the latter was winning.
Duncan, on the other hand, was more composed than his younger associate and decided to ask. "A fire hydrant? It crashed through the ceiling and landed in your lap?"
"No, in front of it. Although it was really close," Methos explained.
And," Duncan paused to stifle a laugh, "you met her at a pool hall?"
"Yes," Methos replied.
At that Richie lost what little control he possessed. Her burst out in a silent laugh and buried his face in the bend in his arm as he laid his head on the table which he beat repeatedly with his fist before his laugh finally became audible.
"What did I miss something?" Methos asked, causing Duncan to nearly lose control.
"I think you should see the news and judge for yourself," as he cleared his throat, at the same time fighting back another laugh.
"Why? Have they invented birth control pills for men now?" Methos asked, only adding fuel to the flames that were laughter.
"No but something almost as bad," Duncan explained, "there's a reason for the fire hydrant."
"My magnetic personality?" Methos asked.
"This is serious Methos," Duncan said as he stood up, his tone suddenly switching from funny to serious, "an Immortal was killed last night. And the Quickening was so powerful it caused more damage than anything I've ever encountered."
"What kind of damage are we talking about here?"
"Blown out streetlights, manhole covers thrown about, that fire hydrant that nearly landed in your lap, and a charred body with no head," Duncan explained, recalling what he could about what Richie had told him.
"That definitely sounds powerful," Methos said quietly as he held his chin in thought, "anybody we knew?"
"I don't think we'll ever find out. There was no head," Duncan replied, "do you think the Watchers would know what happened?"
"They always know what happens. Well, sometimes anyway," Methos replied, "I'll see what I can dig up but I'm not guaranteeing anything."
"Sounds sorta like a modern day marriage doesn't is Mac'?" Richie asked, barely managing to recover from his laughing fit.
"Oh dry up why don't you," Methos grumbled as he turned to leave.
As soon as Methos entered the elevator and descended Richie turned to Duncan, the grin never leaving his face. "I think the fire hydrant landed closer than he was willing to admit," he said while not even attempting to fight back another laugh.
As he walked out of the dojo and over to his car Methos grumbled to himself in a Roman dialect. Today wasn't looking like it would be enjoyable. "First I'll head over to Joe's. He always has better beer there," Methos thought as he withdrew his key chain to unlock the door to his car.
He was about to get in but then his right temple flared angrily with pain, stopping him in his tracks. "What the bloody hell? Where'd that come from?" he asked himself as the pain increased.
He looked around to see if anybody was watching him but saw nobody. But somebody certainly saw him...
What's this mysterious malady that has affected Duncan? Can Methos find out anything about this brutal killing of last night? Who can Methos see but they can see him? And who was responsible for all the damage caused?
Part 1
The morning was about as peaceful as it could get on a Monday morning. People were going about their business, heading off to work, school, and wherever else they needed to be today.
But all was not peaceful in the loft of a particular martial arts training dojo. In the kitchen sat a particular man, Duncan MacLeod, looking miserable as he nursed a cup of coffee, trying to work up the nerve to actually drink it. He had awoke feeling terrible, which was highly unusual for him. He had been in many battles and felt many varying degrees of pain, but what he felt now was something he hadn't felt in so very long. He felt sick.
"I live to be four centuries old, never suffered the cold or flu for 380 years and now I catch something. It just isn't right," he muttered to himself, still unable to really drink his coffee.
Suddenly a tingling feeling crept up Duncan's spine into his brain. Another Immortal was close, right in the dojo. As he heard the elevator come to a stop he grew worried. He didn't have time to get to his sword and if this Immortal was looking for a fight it probably wouldn't go in his favor.
But his fears were put to rest when he saw the source of the buzz. The youngest known Immortal, Richie Ryan, entered the kitchen.
"Hey Mac'," he greeted as he walked over to the coffee maker and poured himself a hot cup, "you wouldn't believe what was on the news, it was pure---my God Mac! You look terrible!" he stated.
"I feel it too," Duncan grumbled and set his cup down.
"I didn't think Immortals could get sick," Richie said with surprise.
"I didn't think so either but I guess there are just some diseases that are more hardy than others," Duncan replied, "...so what was on the news?"
"Oh yeah. Something crazy happened downtown and nobody knows what went on. From what I heard it was some kind of weird electrical disaster. Streetlights were blown out, a traffic light fell like it had been cut down, manhole covers were thrown in various locations with one coming down and cutting right through a mailbox, a fire hydrant went missing and was later reported landing in a brothel that fronted as a pool hall. And in one old alley there were burn marks all over the walls," he explained.
"Burn marks," Duncan asked curiously, "what kind of burn marks?"
"I dunno they just said burn marks. But the really weird part was that there was a huge cut hole in one of the brick walls, but nobody knows what could've done it in the fashion it was in. And at the back of the alley was a body."
"A body?"
"Yeah, it's the weirdest thing. This body was burnt to a crisp and didn't have a head. They don't know what happened to it," Riche explained, "do you think it was the sight of another battle?"
"I don't know Rich' the loser would've had to have been very strong for the Quickening to do so much damage," Duncan explained.
"I knew the Quickening was powerful but I never thought it could do that much damage. I guess it's a good thing nobody was around when it happened," Richie commented.
"Indeed," Duncan said as he rubbed his aching head, "for such damage to be done it must've been a very powerful Immortal that got killed."
Just as Duncan finished speaking, the same tingling feeling crept up both their spines. Another Immortal was in the vicinity. The elevator sounded as it rose again, possibly bringing the new Immortal with it.
"Why today?" Duncan thought to himself as he watched and waited. But his concerns were dispatched when he saw who their visitor was. "Oh, it's only you Methos."
"Of course it's me. Were you expecting the bloody postman," Methos asked flatly as he promptly moved for the refrigerator and withdrew a can of beer to drink, "the night I had was rotten if you're interested in knowing."
"What happened?" Duncan asked, regretting that he did as soon as the words left his lips.
"Well I---Great Scott MacLeod! You look like crap!" Methos exclaimed, finally noticing his fellow Immortal's appearance.
"Oh really? Well at least I look better than I feel, because I feel like shit," Duncan muttered.
"Very unusual MacLeod, I've never been sick before a day in my life. How'd you get ill?" Methos asked.
"I don't know. I woke up feeling like death warmed over," Duncan said as he massaged his temples, "so what brings you here? Are you just mooching beer or did you have something to tell us?"
"Well both actually," Methos said as he opened the can of beer and took a drink before continuing, "last night had to be one of the worst nights in my life."
"Did the rabbit die?" Richie asked with a giggle and earning a glare from the old man.
"No carrot top. Last night I went out to look for a good time and I found this quaint little pool hall. So I went in to enjoy a few rounds and I met the most beautiful of girls I've seen in 500 years. Well, she took me to this quaint little room and promised to show me an incredible time, and the next thing I knew a fire hydrant crashed through the roof and landed right in front of my lap!" Methos explained.
Duncan and Richie glanced at each other, their minds trying to take in what Methos had just told them. When it finally registered Richie was fighting a personal conflict between remaining serious and laughing hard; and the latter was winning.
Duncan, on the other hand, was more composed than his younger associate and decided to ask. "A fire hydrant? It crashed through the ceiling and landed in your lap?"
"No, in front of it. Although it was really close," Methos explained.
And," Duncan paused to stifle a laugh, "you met her at a pool hall?"
"Yes," Methos replied.
At that Richie lost what little control he possessed. Her burst out in a silent laugh and buried his face in the bend in his arm as he laid his head on the table which he beat repeatedly with his fist before his laugh finally became audible.
"What did I miss something?" Methos asked, causing Duncan to nearly lose control.
"I think you should see the news and judge for yourself," as he cleared his throat, at the same time fighting back another laugh.
"Why? Have they invented birth control pills for men now?" Methos asked, only adding fuel to the flames that were laughter.
"No but something almost as bad," Duncan explained, "there's a reason for the fire hydrant."
"My magnetic personality?" Methos asked.
"This is serious Methos," Duncan said as he stood up, his tone suddenly switching from funny to serious, "an Immortal was killed last night. And the Quickening was so powerful it caused more damage than anything I've ever encountered."
"What kind of damage are we talking about here?"
"Blown out streetlights, manhole covers thrown about, that fire hydrant that nearly landed in your lap, and a charred body with no head," Duncan explained, recalling what he could about what Richie had told him.
"That definitely sounds powerful," Methos said quietly as he held his chin in thought, "anybody we knew?"
"I don't think we'll ever find out. There was no head," Duncan replied, "do you think the Watchers would know what happened?"
"They always know what happens. Well, sometimes anyway," Methos replied, "I'll see what I can dig up but I'm not guaranteeing anything."
"Sounds sorta like a modern day marriage doesn't is Mac'?" Richie asked, barely managing to recover from his laughing fit.
"Oh dry up why don't you," Methos grumbled as he turned to leave.
As soon as Methos entered the elevator and descended Richie turned to Duncan, the grin never leaving his face. "I think the fire hydrant landed closer than he was willing to admit," he said while not even attempting to fight back another laugh.
As he walked out of the dojo and over to his car Methos grumbled to himself in a Roman dialect. Today wasn't looking like it would be enjoyable. "First I'll head over to Joe's. He always has better beer there," Methos thought as he withdrew his key chain to unlock the door to his car.
He was about to get in but then his right temple flared angrily with pain, stopping him in his tracks. "What the bloody hell? Where'd that come from?" he asked himself as the pain increased.
He looked around to see if anybody was watching him but saw nobody. But somebody certainly saw him...
What's this mysterious malady that has affected Duncan? Can Methos find out anything about this brutal killing of last night? Who can Methos see but they can see him? And who was responsible for all the damage caused?