X: Cannot Stand Divided Selected
Karma Rank Changed to: Little Angel
Achievement: "A house divided cannot stand."
Even with the warm comfort he was giving Nicole, Michael's words made her feel a sense of abandonment. Seeing as she already witnessed three deaths, and lost any connections to her family, everything seemed to be falling apart. Nicole was tired of it, and couldn't take it anymore.
She pushed herself out of Michael's arms and told him, "No. I can't go along with it.".
Michael then said, "Nicole. I want to protect you. Being around me…".
"I'm not going. Just because things are hard, we have to split? The world is falling apart, so we should do the same?!"
"That's not what I'm trying to do."
"But it is what you are doing."
"Nicole, please. You have to understand that I can't protect you from everything."
"No! You have to understand I'm tired of this feeling of abandonment!" Nicky shouted at Michael.
Everyone then looked towards the bone conduits. All except for Rebecca turned to see what the young girl was furious about.
"You think I can't see how things are going. I realize things are falling apart. But that was because we had an idiot run everything."
"As a group, we are very vulnerable to attack, Nicky." Michael told her.
"And split apart, they can take us out one by one. Only together can we protect one another. It's the only way any of us can be safe."
"Up in Canada, they have programs for people like us. You'll be safe and sound in no time."
"Pffft. Screw Canadia, eh? We need to actually fix things in our own home." Sebastian said abruptly as he finished up with Rebecca. "We should focus on what we've got here."
"Have you got a problem with Canada or something?" the musical conduit asked him.
"No. Just pointing out that we shouldn't just abandon everything. Plus if we go, how long would it be before the D.U.P. end up finding a way to purge into Canada? Saying something like 'They smuggling terrorists!' What about that?".
"Are you nuts, kid?" Rick asked Sebastian.
"No, he's got a point. It would a matter of time before our government would either convince, or force cooperation to get rid of the 'bio-terrorists' as they call us. And it wouldn't take long with force, considering they don't have forced conduit programs there." Riley told the group.
"But what about the UN? Wouldn't they stop it?" Felix asked.
"They didn't help when people was killing each other overseas." Sebastian told Felix.
"Are you talking about Syria?" Emily asked.
"I don't know much about current politics, I was talking about Rwanda." Sebastian said.
"What do you know about Rwanda?" Maria asked Sebastian.
"I know that when black people were killing each other there, the UN just took everyone else out until the differences were settled." Sebastian said to her.
"That's not really what happened, but you do bring up a point." Nicole said.
"Enough politics!" Michael shouted out. "Nicole. Are you sure you don't want to just go to safety in Canada? Maybe start a brand new life free from…"
"Yes, I'm sure." Nicole interrupted.
"Well, alright then. If the Misses doesn't want to go, fine. I hope the best for you and your group." The bearded man said as he went back into his RV. "I really do."
The man then closed the driver's door, and started up the engine. He then drove down the empty highway, disappearing into the fog. With him out of the picture, the group of conduits (and a few humans) looked at one another with questionable looks. No one really knew what their next move should be.
Michael then stood up to say to everyone, "Welp, it looks like we're all stuck together. But that doesn't mean we're out of solutions to survive.".
"Maybe we should find out about that conduit she was detecting." Sebastian said.
"You think a wild goose chase is the best thing to do?" Rick asked Sebastian.
"Well what have we got to lose? We might as well find out what's going on if we intend to stick together." Riley told Rick.
"She intends to stick together. I intend to protect my brother. As for you, you just don't give a damn apparently." Rick said.
"Don't give a damn?" Riley asked.
"Yeah. Rebecca has a point when it comes to you and your 'bringing death to everyone' bullshit!" Rick answered.
As the two continued to argue, Bruce came out of the bushes off the freeway. He felt very exhausted, as he started limping across the road. Rick turned around and saw his brother trying to join everyone. Nicky looked at Bruce using her "bone vision" seeing if anything was wrong with his skeleton. She didn't see anything abnormal, but Nicky did get her powers ready when Bruce started stumbling. The rest of the group watched as Rick ran over to grab Bruce as he tripped on his foot.
Before he could fall face first into pavement, Bruce appeared to be held back by something. With this, Rick was able to get his brother.
As he held Bruce, Rick told him, "I told you to stay back. You're still tired as hell from all that damn TV watching last night.".
"But I wanted…" Bruce said before coughing.
"God damn it! Now you're sick." Rick said with frustration.
"We should have some cold medicine leftover still." Michael told the decay conduit. "Felix, it should be in the bag you have."
"Oh, ok. I'll check." Felix said.
Felix took his backpack off and looked through it. After digging through cloths and a first aid kit, he found a small medicine vial called "ER-Gent Cold and Cough". As Felix grabbed out the cold medicine, Sebastian grabbed it out of his hand, and tossed it towards Michael. Mike raised his hand as if being tossed a beer can. Michael caught it, and handed it to Rick.
"Here, buddy. Take some of this medicine.". Rick said.
The toxic conduit then took off the cap for the vial and poured some of the medicine into it. He gave it to bruce, who then drank the contents of the cap.
"We need to get you someplace safe, buddy." the toxic conduit told Bruce.
"Maybe we can find something in Seattle." Felix suggested.
"You sure there's not a bunch of "rock heads" over there too? My brother's life is on the line." Rick said.
"Funny you talking about another's life." Nicky made a snide remark.
The toxic conduit looked at her before saying, "I care for my family, kid. I am trying to turn a new leaf.".
"As long as you don't do the same terrible things you did when I first met you." Nicky said.
"It's been two years, would you drop it. It's not like I'm breaking rules, 'momma'." Rick said.
"I miss mom." Bruce said before he started coughing again.
"I miss her too buddy." Rick told his brother.
"Let's get a move on. The longer we stay here, the more likely we are to be screwed." Sebastian said.
"Sebastian's right everyone. We need to get moving and now." Michael said to everyone.
"We could have been moving with that RV you all let get away. What the hell were you thinking letting him leave?" Rebecca said.
"We're not looking to make others suffer like you want to do." the bone girl said.
"We're all suffering." Rebecca told Nicky.
"Enough, Rebecca. We're going now." Michael said.
Most of the group just nodded their heads in agreement, then grabbed everything that was left off the side of the highway. Nicky went ahead and climbed back onto Michael for the trip. Rick held Bruce in his arms, and Sebastian threw Rebecca onto his shoulder.
"Hey, let me out of this." Rebecca told Sebastian.
Sebastian simply ignored her, and followed close behind Michael. Everyone else went through the fog with them, hoping that what came next would be at least a glimmer of hope.
As everyone traveled, some of the group talked amongst each other. Riley spoke with the tallest member of his crew, trying to keep it as silent as possible from the others.
"How do you think things will turn out from hanging around these people?" the tall teen asked Riley.
"Not sure, but we'll see how everything turns out. I'm starting to think that those bone heads might be the only hope for this group." Riley responded.
"Yeah. Plus without Sebastian, I don't think anyone else would be kept in line." the tall teen responded.
"Yep."
"Do you regret following Rebecca, boss?"
"What's done is done. I simply did what I thought would help us survive."
"But you stopped when you saw the little girl in the RV. Why?"
"We're survivors, not baby killers, Logan. I'm not going through the same shit like I did before I found you guys."
The two teenagers continued their conversation about the past, while others spoke of more miscellaneous matters.
"He just seems like a nice guy, Maria." Emily said to the musical conduit.
"Yeah, whatever. But whatever you do, don't go and play with his heart." the musical conduit responded.
"Why would you think that of me?" Emily asked.
"Because when I was a reporter, I covered cases with emotional girls like yourself. So I know a manipulator when I see one." Maria told her.
"You're comparing me to…" Emily said before being stopped.
"Everyone stop." Michael told the group.
Michael took a sniff of the air around them, sensing a strange aroma.
Sebastian took in a whiff of the air as well before saying, "I smell it too. It's like burning rubber.".
"Everyone be on your guard. Get ready for a fight." Michael said to everyone.
Nicky jumped off of Michael's back to get herself ready. Sebastian made sure that Rebecca was secure on his left shoulder to get his other arm prepared. The rest of the group (who wasn't tied up) followed suit, getting anxious for another attack to happen.
As they walked through the fog, the scent of burning rubber became much more potent. Michael noticed pieces of metal all over the ground in many different shapes and sizes. Some looked like parts of an axle and engine. Others appeared to be bullets and casings. It became more apparent that this was the scene of a battle. Felix took a look around the area, and stretched his arms out.
"Hey. What are you doing?" Sebastian said as he took notice of the "Steamer" conduit.
Felix began to absorb some of the fog ahead of the group, revealing a trashed up recreational vehicle. The front of the RV appeared to have been crushed downward, causing the engine to be thrown underneath the frame. It didn't take long for Michael to figure out where the RV came from.
"Oh god." Michael said to himself.
Sebastian had a look of worry on his face before saying, "Wait. Was that…?".
"The man's RV." Nicky continued for Sebastian.
"I'm going to go check out the wreckage. You all stay here for a second. Alright?" Michael told the group.
Everyone (who could) gave a gesture of acceptance, except for Nicky. Michael looked at the young girl, confused by Nicky having her hand on the side of her head, appearing to be straining.
"What's the matter, Nicky?" Michael asked her.
"There's… there's three." she answered.
"Three what?" Michael questioned as he formed spiky bone armor over his arms and fists.
"Three mean ones. They're coming fast." the little bone girl said.
Hearing what she said, Rick set down his brother to lay against a backpack. Sebastian went ahead and set Rebecca down to free his arms.
"We have to get ready…" Nicky said as she changed her form.
Her clothes and flesh quickly turned into an orange energy around her bones as they grew. Her skeletal structure became three times as thick, and stood seven feet off the ground. Small spikes formed along the spine and limbs as well.
As she finished her transformation, she continued saying, "... to fight these bastards!", with a strange, deep voice.
"Have to try and be intimidating. Huh kid?" Riley asked sarcastically.
"You've already been knocked out twice. Strike number three is coming up if you don't shut up." the skeleton told him.
"Oh snap. Give me some." Sebastian said as he held his hand out for a high five.
From behind the ruined RV, a figure in a white coat moved in random flashes towards the group. Before anyone could engage this individual, they slammed their hand into the ground. In doing so, the hostile individual threw a large shockwave at the group of conduits. It knocked over Nicole, Sebastian, Felix and Emily.
Michael and Rick ran towards the perpetrator when another quick moving person came in. They flashed quickly towards Michael, swinging their arm at such a fast speed that the impact swung the bone conduit's legs into the air. In turn, he had flipped over, and landed on his face. The same individual flashed in Rick's direction. This time, they jumped, flipped and spun in the air, and wrapped their arm around the back of the toxic conduit's neck. With that grip, the quick moving individual used the force on their body to bring Rick's head to the ground. All three of the large conduits were knocked down.
The rest of the group got their powers and weapons ready to strike the two, but we're stopped when a voice from behind said, "Hold it!".
Maria, Riley and his crew turned around to see a man in a fur lined jacket holding Bruce with a knife at his throat.
"Drop your hands to the ground before he guts the boy." the quick moving person said as they walked away from Rick.
The other quick moving individual walked up to get behind. Being able to actually see their shapes now, it was obvious that the more brutal of the two was a woman, and a rather tall one at that. She grabbed out an AK from her back and pointed at the rest of the group.
"Well…?" she said to them.
The group complied with her request, and put their hands on the ground. Nicky slowly changed back into her human form to retain her consciousness. She turned her head to see what was happening, and was very frightened by the sight of the man holding Bruce.
[Comic Scene]
Seeing Bruce in this state sent a sick feeling through my body. That man with combed back hair holding Bruce with a knife, and smiling as he did so. I thought of how we helped free him from the D.U.P. around two years ago.
His brother Rick said he witnessed them kill his girlfriend as they took his brother away. I helped crack some skulls, both literally and metaphorically, to get to Bruce. The D.U.P. even attempted to kill Bruce before we could grab him, but I quickly got him out of line of fire. Probably the only reason Rick doesn't hate me.
I knew the man was going kill him if given the chance, so I wasn't going to let him have it. Stretching my arms out, I passed some of my energy into Michael and Sebastian. Then I took a look at the animal holding Bruce, pulled his finger… and the rest of his arm to the side. It sounded like multiple bones popped out of place as he screamed and let go of Bruce. Sebastian and Michael subdued the tall woman, Rick grabbed a hold of the other quick running conduit, and I was face to face with one of Death's favorites.
Hey everybody, sorry for another long ass wait. Glad to finally put this chapter up. It took too much time, but now our favorite transforming, super powered (puff:)) girl is back. Gotta like kids with powers. If it weren't for the fetishes, then I'd really like some of those Japanese cartoons/anime. Frack, I hope they don't make one of this material! Naw, but for real, I'm still accepting characters and "shipments". Also, let me know what you think of the story so far in your review. Maybe tell me if things are getting too violent or too creepy. (Definitely don't want creepy with a twelve year old main character. Dear god, did make an anime concept?!) On one final note, I will answer questions publicly every week or so in the bottom of my profile page. That way, I can answer questions from even anonymous people on this site. Anyway, PEACE!