I don't own any of this Loud House belongs to Nickelodeon.
Two months after impact; the impact winter that Lisa had predicted is now in full swing. Lisa knew it was coming, but she could never imagine on how fast it came, as for just in a matter of a week the globe is covered in snow and ice, along with cold temperatures that reached to three degrees Celsius, even in the equator it's well below freezing. The only places that are warm is the oceans and at the impact site itself; where a lake of lava laid within the large crater.
Great Lake City is now stuck in the middle of a icy desert where many of the residents are caught off guard by the cold temperatures. They suddenly find themselves looking for warmth wherever they can, but the freezing cold kills without mercy to those that can't find shelter or in not very good shelter. It's by definition a perfect double whammy for the people that faced the blazing temperatures.
But what was worse? Diseases contributes to these deaths, what with medicine and other medical supplies being very scarce by now, diseases that could be treated are suddenly killers to the young, the elderly, and to those that don't have a strong immune system.
Ronnie Anne rubbed her hands together for warmth, after she completed the finishing touches for her armor. She felt like that she was freezing, but she didn't care at the moment for she is too busy looking down proudly at her armor which was made out of metal trash cans, a hard football helmet, chain link arms and legs, and finally heavy, steel toed boots.
"Not a bad piece of armor, if I have to say so myself." She told herself very proudly, now with the armor finished Ronnie Anne turned to get her weapon, which is a katana that she had gotten from the japan weaponry in the museum. Holding the katana with both hands, Ronnie Anne swings it around while feeling powerful with each swing, then with a hard swing outwards Ronnie Anne accidentally knocks over an old vase which shattered into pieces upon hitting the floor.
Ronnie Anne looked down at the shattered vase in a bit of embarrassment for she did not intend to do that. "Opps."
Looking around sheepishly as someone might have heard the vase shattering, Ronnie Anne kicks the pieces behind a podium, but luckily it seems like that no one has heard it, so Ronnie Anne quickly placed the katana down next to her armor.
Really finishing up her armor came at a good time as Ronnie Anne had been selected to go out with the search team today, so Ronnie can wear it as she search for supplies with the group, as well as looking for clues on the whereabouts of those men. What she didn't account for was this cold weather, which her armor couldn't protect her from. Luckily there were heavy coats in the lost and found that are from owners who forgot about them from years prior, so it's not like they were going out with nothing on them. The thing though is that a combination of wearing those clothes and the armor is going to be very awkward, but Ronnie Anne will deal with it for it's better to be warm and protected, than being subtracted by one of those clothes.
Ronnie Anne now looked towards the exit of the medieval section, it must be almost time to go out, she grabs her armor and heads into the restroom, she comes back out and after five minutes she came back in with a blue coat. From outside the restroom there came the sound of grunting and metal clanging, soon the door open and Ronnie Anne came out in her armor with the coat underneath it, she stands there with her arms crossed, then nodded to herself. Walking on over to where she had been working on her armor for weeks, Ronnie Anne picked up a belt, where she placed her katana inside a hoister.
Ronnie Anne had to admit that wearing the coat and the armor did make her feel very warm, but it shouldn't matter very much once she goes outside because as judging by the wind she could hear howling, it was going to get very cold.
"I'm freezing." Adelaide complained as she hugged herself for warmth. The Chang family are currently standing in front of the tallest building, giving Randall and Joey some batteries in exchange for some hats.
"These batteries well do very nicely for the heater!" Randall exclaimed.
Joey nods in agreement. "Yes, thank you for them. We understand that the batteries were hard to find."
"It was." Mr. Chang agreed before putting an arm around Sid. "My daughter here actually found them under the shelf." The two men looked down at her with Randall pointing to her. "Oh yeah! Your the one with the scar." Randall's head got bumped forward a bit as Joey smacked him a good one.
"Sorry" Randall meekly apologize.
"It's alright, I think the scar is beginning to make me look cool." Sid replied.
"Anyway thanks for the hats." Mrs. Chang said sincerely.
Joey nods. "Much applies, now you folks better get home as I feel that's it's going to get colder soon." Randall let's out a whistle that showed his breath as he rubbed his shoulders. "It's as cold as the chill in 2011. Wait, I think it's colder."
"Weren't you in Hawaii at the time?" Joey reminded.
"Oh yeah, I was." Randall remembered, that sure was a fun trip with the warm beaches, the music, and especially the hula dances. Mr. and Mrs. Chang looked at him rather awkwardly while their kids are busy puffing their breaths to see who's were longer.
"Well get going now." Mr. Chang said bringing Randall out from his memories. "Oh right, have a safe journey home and see you next time."
They go their separate ways with Randall and Joey going back inside, while the Chang's headed back to the bowling alley, leaving behind footprints in the thick snow. Their trading with Joey and Randall is going good, they have gotten very good items in their exchanges with them. Lately the family have been requesting for warm clothes in order to combat these freezing temperatures, the clothes they have gotten so far were gloves, coats, and most recently hats. These clothes they have gotten from them is definitely helping them keep somewhat warm, though they definitely needed to find heaters sometime later.
But what most of them wanted right now is some nice, steamy, dark, hot chocolate. Oh boy, if they can have anything in the word right now, it'll be hot chocolate and hot soup. Which was one thing they at least have, so at least they can have that when they got back.
The Chang's have returned to their bowling alley shelter safely, on the outside at one of the entrances stood a classic snowman with a snow fort nearby that were made by sisters who despite their dislike for the cold, they definitely enjoyed the snow.
Inside it wasn't much warmer, which made the family to keep wearing their warm clothes. Mrs. Chang headed for the food stand. "Alright girls, I'm going to start making some soup. Go on and play until I call you."
"Ok mom." The sisters go off to do something, meanwhile Mr. Chang went with his wife to help her with the soup. In the kitchen he uses a lighter to lit up the top of the stove, while Mrs. Chang grabbed a pot and filled it halfway up with water from water tanks. After that she placed the pot above the flames and then placed the tomato soup into the water, now all they had to do is wait.
As they waited for the soup to cook Mr. Chang shivered. "I never felt this cold before."
"I know what your saying dear. I think it's close to artic leveled cold." Mrs. Chang puffs into her hands. "We really need to find some heaters."
"If only I can get the boiler in the basement working, then at least we would be somewhat warm." The couple shivered some more from the cold, meanwhile steam began to come up from the soup, signalling that the soup was ready. Mrs. Chang went to get some bowls, while Mr. Chang got a serving spoon and stirred the soup a bit until his wife came back with the bowls, Mr. Chang then happily serves all the bowls in an equal amount.
With the soup ready, Mrs. Chang leaned forward over the counter. "Girls! Soups ready!"
Sid and Adelaide came running up to the counter and waited for their mother as she placed both of their bowls in front of them. They slowly took the bowls, smiling as the heat from the soup warmed up their hands, the two sisters go off to one of the tables at the bar, but didn't eat just yet as they waited for their parents to show up.
Their parents eventually did show up with their bowls of soup, after they sat down the family began to eat, of course blowing it a couple of times before placing the soup in their mouths. "This is some good soup mom." Sid pointed out.
"Thanks honey." Outside the wind howled shaking the foundation a bit. "Boy, glad we're inside. I hate to be stuck outside in this weather right now."
"You think we're going to get more snow?" Adelaide asked.
"Looks like it." Mr. Chang replied.
Adelaide smiled as more snow, meant more snowmen. This is just great! She could never recall on this amount snow coming down during this time of year.
Ronnie Anne had her head down as the wind blows into her, as she walked with the group. Her family members who were present in the main hall, have been very much surprised to be seeing her wearing the armor, for she stood out like a sore thumb.
They of course asked her on what was up with the outfit. Ronnie Anne responded by saying that it was for her own safety, before they could even question her further, Ronnie Anne was quickly out the door with the group who gave her a couple of glances for her outfit.
Now none of them are looking at her as they moved through the snow with their heads down from the wind, which has also whipped up some of the snow which hits and covers them. Despite this terrible weather, they kept on moving towards the part of the city that they haven't pillage yet. As they walked, Ronnie Anne had a funny feeling that they were being watched, she looked back to see, but saw nobody, so she continued on with the group as she could just be paranoid.
What Ronnie Anne doesn't know however is that her along with the rest of the group are being watched from inside one of the buildings. The tiger had moved out of the zoo to look for more fresher meat, his fur protected him from the cold, but nevertheless he stays inside some of the buildings for shelter.
Currently he watches the group with interest, but the size of the group makes it too much for him to go in for an attack, for now. Letting out a low growl, he rests his chin on his paws, waiting for a better opportunity to pass by.
Ronnie Anne's group continues onwards through the cold city. They eventually reached Ennard St, where they all stopped and began to look around, though Ronnie Anne however is more interested in the bowling alley that stood before her.
Ronnie Anne had been to this bowling alley before, it was during last July when she played a game with her friends, it had been intense, especially near the end where Nikki had actually won by one point ahead of her. It's amazing how this place is still standing, although what amazed her more is the snowman and snow fort standing near it.
Those two things made one thing clear. That there's people inside of the building, now who exactly could it be that resides in there is the question?
Ronnie Anne wanted to find out as they could be friendly, so Ronnie Anne opened up the doors and entered the building.
After finishing up their soup, the Chang's had went into their room for a nap. Sid is dreaming up of Hawaii, surfing a big wave with Stitch doing a handstand.
She is rudely brought out of her sleep by a noise. "Huh? What?" Blinking slowly, Sid looked around the room wondering what woke her up? It must've been her sister or parents, glancing over Sid saw her family still sleeping, seeing them together made instant alarms raise in Sid's head.
Someone else is inside the building, someone who could be dangerous. Panic for her and her family's safety is her top priority, she needed to do something to protect her family. Sid quickly, but carefully got up in order not to wake her family as she doesn't need to scare her family with a possible intruder in their shelter. Slowly creeping over to a table, Sid grabs herself a chair, then slowly, (without dragging it) came up to the door and opened it.
Peeking around, Sid couldn't see anyone, which meant that they must be somewhere else in the building.
Ronnie Anne nodded her head at the bowling alley, it's a really good shelter for whoever is living here. Walking on by the food counter her nose picked up the faint smell of soup, she fallows the smell to the pot where the stains of the tomato soup could be seen. "Someone had a good, warm lunch." She muttered to herself.
Ronnie Anne dipped her finger in pot and rubs it against the dry surface. "Shame on how there's none left. I would've enjoyed some warm soup." Ronnie Anne took a good look around the kitchen, before leaving the food counter. Walking along Ronnie Anne cast her gaze to the bowling lanes, wondering on who lived here?
"Bang!"
An object suddenly hit Ronnie Anne on the back of the head, knocking her to her knees. "Ow! What the hell?" Ronnie Anne rubbed the shore spot of where the object hit her, which wasn't so bad thanks to her helmet taking most the impact.
"Take that intruder!"
Wait a minute? Ronnie Anne knew that voice. She looked up to her attacker in a mix of shock and surprise. "Sid?"
Sid with the chair held up above her head looked back at her in equal shock and surprise. "Ronnie Anne?"
The two friends looked at each other in silence, but then smiled with Ronnie Anne getting up to her feet and Sid dropping the chair to the ground as she accepted the embraced her best friend gave her, laughing together from this unexpected reunion.
"I thought you were-" They both say at the same time, before going into another fit of laughter. The two release themselves from the friendly hug. "Oh man! It's so good to see you Sid." Ronnie Anne exclaimed, but then her eyes laid upon the scar on Sid's cheek. "Whoa! Where'd you get the scar?"
"I got bit by a tiger." Sid replied nonchalantly.
Ronnie Anne sputters at that. "A tiger!"
Sid nodded "Oh yeah. It was at the zoo." Sid told Ronnie Anne about everything that she and her family has been doing ever since the impact; from their escape from the subway, her nearly succumbing to the infection from the tiger bite, and finally on how her family settled themselves here. "Well you had a time." Is all that Ronnie Anne could say, for really she didn't know what else she could say to her best friend.
"So what have you been up to?" Sid now asked her.
"We've been living in the community center and now we're living in the museum. I have to say, my story sounds a bit lame compared to yours."
"Are you kidding?" Sid said with her hands on her face. "Living in the museum sounds awesome!"
Ronnie Anne shrugs. "I suppose, if you like museums that is."
"Also your story can't be that dull." Sid points to her outfit. "After all, look at that wicked armor you got on ya."
"Oh this." Ronnie Anne gestures to herself. "It's nothing much, just something to protect myself with."
"Does everyone in your group have armor like that?"
"Nah, I'm the only one."
"I guess your prepared, huh?"
Ronnie Anne nodded. "Oh yeah." Sid nods as well, but then perked up. "Oh! I gotta show you to my family." Sid grabs Ronnie Anne's hand and leads her to where her family is sleeping.
"Hey guys! Look who showed up!" Sid suddenly announced as she slammed open the door. Her family jumped awake from the sudden announcement, they all looked over to Sid, getting very surprised to see Ronnie Anne standing next to her.
"Oh, hi Ronnie Anne." Adelaide greeted. Mr. and Mrs. Chang quickly got themselves up not sure what to think, it was good that they ran into such a familiar face, yet it was such an unexpected surprise.
"How you doing Ronnie Anne? It's been so long since we last saw you." Mr. Chang finally said.
"Oh yeah, much too long." Ronnie Anne agreed.
"Why do you look like a knight?" Adelaide asked as that's what Ronnie Anne honestly looked like. "It's for protection." Ronnie Anne answered.
Mrs. Chang stepped up to Ronnie Anne, for now it was her turn to ask a question. "How did you get here?"
"My group just happened to come across here. As you can probably already guess, we're looking for supplies." Ronnie Anne explained.
Mr. Chang frowns after hearing that. "I hate to inform you, but there really isn't that much here."
"That's a bummer." Ronnie Anne said, but wasn't that much disappointed. "At least I know that now, instead of me looking around at rubble and the inside of abandon buildings for hours."
"We could give you some of our supplies." Sid offered for she wanted to help her friend, Ronnie Anne simply shook her head. "Nah, I can't take your supplies, you need all you can get. My group needs to get our own supplies."
"Are you sure?" Sid didn't want her friend to have little or no supplies, especially in this cold weather. "Yeah, I don't want to deprive you. I'm confident well find something anyway."
Mr. Chang nods in understandment. "Let me give you some advice before you go on, don't go to the next block over as there's nothing there besides a hole to the sewers."
"Noted" Ronnie Anne now looked back. "I should get going now. The group is probably starting to wonder where I am?"
"Aw! You can't stay?" Sid cried, after not seeing her best friend for such a long time, Sid wanted nothing more than to hang out and catch up with her some more. Ronnie Anne did to, but knew she had work to do, plus she had to focus on her search for them. "Sorry, but you know how it is Sid. You gotta find supplies in order to live."
Sid looked down in disappointment, Ronnie Anne frowned as she didn't like seeing her best friend so disappointed, she at least has to make her a bit happy before leaving. "Look on the bright side Sid. I at least know where you live, so when I'm not so busy I can visit you."
This made Sid smile for that is true. "Ok, I guess when you're not busy, I should be expecting you."
"You got it." The two do a quick goodbye handshake, before Ronnie Anne finally left to rejoin the group, leaving the Chang's to wave goodbye at her while smiling.
"Well that was a nice surprise." Mrs. Chang said.
"You know what, it was." Mr. Chang agreed.
"You think we should've went with her, so that we could live with her group?" Adelaide asked.
"It would be nice to be with other people." Mrs. Chang agreed. "But it probably wouldn't be good to add more mouths to feed. Besides we have a good thing going on around here." The rest thought this over, then agreed on what she had said, but still it was nice to know that their former neighbor and most likely the rest of her family is alive and well, they are definitely looking forward to when Ronnie Anne will visit them again.
Sid meanwhile hoped that her best friend will get inside soon, as it was too cold to be outside right now.
Ronnie Anne's group returned to the museum, they had found some items that will substain them for the week. Most of them are very glad to be out of the cold, sighs of relief are heard as they took off their coats and let the heater hit them. Yes, that's one big advantage of living here, it's the only building that they know of that has working heaters, mainly thanks to the generators they found in the basement.
Ronnie Anne wandered her away back to the medieval area, her whole body felt like that it was stuck in ice, mainly her legs and parts of her face, the heaters helped make the leftover snow melt along with warming up her cheeks which were the most cold.
Reaching the medieval section, Ronnie Anne went into the restroom, after a few minutes with clanking and grunts, she comes back out in her regular outfit while she thought about today. She hasn't found any sign of them, and the cold she can definitely do without, yet it wasn't all bad as she had that unexpected reunion with Sid and her family, which was definitely a great highlight of this day for sure.
She will go visit Sid for sure, as it would be great to be talking to someone she knew again, training for a couple hours is fine, but it is repetitive she will admit. They'll be able to catch up, hang around that cool bowling alley she's staying at, and perhaps have Sid help her track down the guys. Out of everyone Sid would be a great companion, as like Bobby, she saw them leave. Granted not close like Bobby who had more details, but still it'll be great to have another witness. Plus Sid will understand about Ronnie Anne's need for revenge, unlike her family who aren't even doing anything to avenge grandpa.
If that was one thing which annoyed her about them, that was it. Her family wants to survive which is fine and all, but what they should be doing is be like her and seek out justice. How can they just sit here and allow those guys to walk around unpunished? It wasn't right. Ronnie Anne wanted to shout at them for ignoring the problem, but she knew that if she did, they would just lecture her and Ronnie Anne didn't need that at all.
She is truly alone on this, but you know what? She didn't care at all, it only meant that she didn't have people getting in her way. Going up to a window, she looked out to the snowy city thinking that they were out there somewhere, and she'll find them no matter what.
The city is cold, but out in the open it was much more colder and the snow is whipped into long distances with no breaks, what with no buildings in the way, it's actually up to whiteout conditions and for poor Arturo, he's very much lost.
Arturo has been wandering the landscape for weeks after his great escape from those cannibals, he had make do with whatever scraps of food and small portions of water he can find out here. Arturo believed that he had gotten several good miles, but this weather put a damper on him and taken a bad toll on his already weaken health.
Since he had no clothes to keep him warm, much of his body developed frostbite, he's also delirious from starvation and dehydration making Arturo go into his imaginary world with his family. "Yes Bobby, you becoming a manager is great. Oh Ronnie Anne your growing everyday."
His wandering through the snowy wasteland eventually leads him to the bottom of a small cliff where the wind relentlessly blows the snow on to him. Arturo stumbled a bit, nearly falling flat on his face, if he hadn't caught himself. He stops in his tracks, swaying before stepping forward, only to fall on to his side into snow. His breathing goes slow, while he began to get buried by more snow that began to fall from the sky.
Through his dying body, Arturo could still see his family as they have all gone to the beach. In the end; he has reunited with his family and they were all happy to be together in a normal, pleasant world. And when his heart had finally shut down, a smile could be seen on his frozen face.