005: Lessons in Zombie Survival

[conmanofdeath]

The first lesson of survival in a world where everyone hunts you down came into play when Nick decided to just dunk David's head into a stream of water and hold it down firmly. "I'm sorry, I don't understand fish," he quipped so simply while the young man thrashed about. The kid had two options: either turn into an animal and run away or fight back

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[sixthanimorph]

Coughing and sputtering, David demorphs.

The fish wasn't the most ideal of David's morphs but it was the first thing that came to mind. Unfortunately, the trout wasn't really bred for survival in the muddy little creek and so he was little better off than he was as a human.

"You could... warn a guy." The fact that this isn't the first time Nick has done this to him doesn't make it any more annoying.

[conmanofdeath]

"Hmm, maybe I should ask the Hunter to drop me a text before he tears my skin off," Nick instantly quipped but extended a hand to help the kid up on his feet. "Only cartoon villains and dumbasses warn you about they murdering you."

He did have to give the kid a break; he was probably still experiencing the changes that came along with being injected by the strain that made him into the Horseman of Death.

[sixthanimorph]

"I guess Visser Three falls under 'cartoon villain' then."

Fully demorphed, David once again feels the strange newness of his changed body. He's been spending more time in morph lately, an unconscious defense against the changes forcibly made to his human body. A bad habit that Nick's noticed, if this sudden dunking is any indication.

"I can't really morph with a weapon." Despite the sarcasm, the statement is a valid one - one he's been trying to think of how to get around. He tested it and found out his eagle has enough strength to carry his new pistol... but a fish can't really carry anything. Neither can a lion really, for that matter.

[conmanofdeath]

"That's bullshit and you know it. Why are you spending more time on four legs?" he spits back. He has been paying attention to the kid ever since he first cried red tears. He was starting to think he was going to become one of those animals permanently...which EXACTLY the catalyst that got David in this mess in the first place.

[sixthanimorph]

"Because I want to." David's response is petulant and automatic. He hasn't given much thought to the fact that he's been trying out a lot of different morphs lately... but apparently Nick has. And he doesn't really want to dwell on the reasons why.

"What's it matter anyway? El never cares if I try out a new morph." Not entirely true - as far as he knows, El doesn't know about his recent morphing spree. And he aims to keep it that way.

[conmanofdeath]

"He'll start caring when you're sleep deprived and Legion + Sleep Deprivation equals hibernation, kid. You've seen us sleep."

Nick already figured out the problem with the kid: trying to find a more familiar form that doesn't feel weird. He might not be McKinley or Holden but the conman suspects that, because David hasn't been able to hibernate properly, his body may start to reject the strain or make one of his forms more permanent.

The effects of the virus made morphing a hell of a lot easier and quicker, not to mention last longer. One of the changes Nick and Ellis caught during a Horde lasted 3 hours 23 minutes and David was able to resume his usual self.

[sixthanimorph]

He's noticed the changes in his morphing as well, but unlike Nick, he hasn't stopped to think about them. Hasn't cared to. He's just gone with the flow. And he's even tried out other human bodies - he has over five to choose from, after all.

"I'm sleeping just fine." David folds his arms stubbornly. That one's even farther from the truth - ever since that night, he's been clocking 3 to 4 hours of sleep a night, tops. Whenever he's in his own body he feels... wired, like he just drunk six cans of Red Bull. It was fun at first but got old quick.

[conmanofdeath]

The conman isn't dumb nor is the mechanic and El has voiced his concerns between hunting for prey. I think he's goin' off 'em walls and it ain' pretty.

"Again, don't bullshit the bullshitter by profession. You're barely sleeping, you're abusing your morphing ability and even an idiot can see why. You're not giving your body a chance to accept the changes. I'll even bet good money you haven't even tried to hibernate." Yes, he's fully aware he sounds like a bad 80's horror movie but it's the truth.

[sixthanimorph]

"I don't need to hibernate. And I don't need this either."

Scowling, David starts to change - his body shrinking, his face distorting, as he responds to the problem like he's been responding to all his problems lately.

[conmanofdeath]

"Oh really? Then face me like a man."

[sixthanimorph]

< Fine. >

David stops morphing - only to start changing immediately after. He grows taller, his boyish features hardening and faint stubble sprouting from his cheeks.

"Better?" The voice of David's morph is deeper, rougher. It doesn't sound right coming from him.

[conmanofdeath]

Nick scoffed at the notion of this morph being 'better' and yet, the kid wants to make his point. "Not particularly but it'll do."

Ellis would be pissed out of his damn mind if he walked it on them. They were both being stubborn assholes.

[sixthanimorph]

"So back off already." The morph doesn't have much height on Nick and is actually lighter, but David's not thinking far enough ahead to care. Being in the larger, more mature body reassures him in all the wrong ways.

[conmanofdeath]

"Can't; you're my responsibility now, kiddo." Kid's like a juicer on steroids by the way he's acting, Nick sidesteps and raises his hands in a defensive stance but not before dropping his knife and sword to the ground. When David stabilizes, next weapon to teach would be the sharp-edges justas Ellis had been teaching him firearms.

[sixthanimorph]

"I can deal with this myself." David can be an ass sometimes, but the way he's acting is belligerent even for him - between his attitude and body, if Nick hadn't seen him change it'd be hard to believe this was actually David.

Forgoing any semblance of strategy or even common sense, David lowers his head and charges Nick head on, intending to tackle him.

[conmanofdeath]

Big mistake, huge really, as the Horseman simply takes him down with the same basic armlock Ellis taught him so long ago. "That's it, you're taking a nap."