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And then there was a Lightwaves update, whoo! Now with action, plot revelations, and ho-shit Casimiro and Finas! Crazy!
As always, I'm sure you're thrilled. Erm... not much else to say. On our DA account we had some craziness called Conrad's journal, not sure if I'm gonna post it here. We'll see.
For the moment though, enjoy the chapter! Also I'd highly recommend listening to the music we picked out for this chapter, as it is awesome and is where we got the name for the Ahimsa. Yaaay.
First: Here
Previous: Here
Title: Lightwaves
Authors: Myself and HosekiDragon
Rating: PG-13 at present
Characters: Hanna, un!Zombie, Toni, Veser, Conrad, Worth, Lamont
Chapters: 11/26
Description: Sprawling thousands of miles and surrounded by walls, the City of Varuna is a sight to behold. People are under constant watch and surveillance under the name of protection. The only issue now is Undesirables. Paranormal creatures, vampires and werewolves, remnants of an ancient and dying world. These creatures are expected to register with the government and are seen as second class citizens, living in oppression so as to avoid tainting the other citizens and ruining their quality of life.
"Eli" is a member of the Ahimsa, the police agency charged with dealing with Undesirables. He's beginning to feel rather disillusioned with the world he's living in. Fortunately for him, a certain redhead is about to come crashing into his life...
"Worth, put that one down, it's too expensive. These ones are cheaper." Lamont hefted a bag of essentials under one arm and indicated a box of cigarettes on the stall in front of him. "Better yet, let's not get any at all. Saves me from having to smell your shitty cancer sticks."
The doctor turned to fix a glare on Lamont, the sort of glare that had been known to make most grown men piss themselves. "…'re you seriously telling' me to skip my brand?" Behind the dealer, the owner of the stand gave a whimper and shrunk behind the table.
Lamont, who had grown quite immune to Worth's deadly glare over years, simply smirked coolly at him. "Why do you even care about brands? I thought you were against that whole 'advertising' thing. Or are you really just an inner circle, conformist, pussy? Something you're not telling us, Worth?"
Worth blinked, then smirked back. "Fuck no. Got nothing t' do with brand loyalty, I jus' stick with 'em because I know it bugs th' ever-living shit out of you."
"Aw, so glad to know you care." Lamont said sarcastically. "Fine, get your cigs. But we're getting cheap booze if you do."
His friend snorted. "It's all the same watery horse shit anyway, what's it matter?" He said as he grabbed an armful of the boxes and shoved them in the vendor's face. "'M buyin' these. How much?"
"E-er," the vendor stuttered, blinking as he tried to count. "A-ah I believe that would be twenty…" he trailed off as Worth fixed a glare at him. "Er, fifteen, so--"
"Christ, you're useless," Worth grunted as he shoved several crumpled up bills. With those words he stuffed the boxes into his coat pockets, turning to Lamont and grinning. "See? I got us a discount."
"Discount?" Lamont snorted, "That was more like rob--" The crack of a gun shot cut him off, and he spun around to look down the street at the panicking Undesirables. "Shit...I hope that's just some drunk who got a little trigger happy...!"
His friend let out a snort. "With our luck? Doubt it," he said as he dodged a pair of flailing arms. Again there came a flare of bright blue from down the street and the doctor reached out to grab Lamont's arm. "C'mon, a raid's t' last thing we need to deal wit' right now. Let's just hope Hanna's not stupid enough to get involved this time."
"I wouldn't count on it." Lamont answered, pushing several people out of the way, "If Hanna's here, you can bet he's going to get mixed up in it. He always does."
"Of course," Worth grumbled, then let out a yelp as a bullet whizzed past his ear. "Jesus fucking Christ, that was close! The fuck happened to their Storm Trooper shooting abilities!?" He snapped as he clapped a hand over his ear.
"I don't think it's just the police, Worth!" Lamont ducked behind a stand as several bullets ripped through the air, dragging the doctor down with him, "It's the Ahimsa! What the hell are they doing!? And how the hell did they find the black market!?"
The blond shook his head. "Fuck if I know. The raids normally don't bring them anywhere near here… shit!" He cursed as another bullet whizzed past their hiding place. "I think they're actually aiming for us!"
Lamont peered over the edge of the booth and then ducked back down quickly. "Damn it, there's a ton of them! It's not a raiding party, it's fucking army!" Wood splinters hurtled into the air and a bullet blasted into the stand just beside his head, "Holy --! We've got to get everyone out of here, now! Where're the others?!"
"No idea, but we ain't any use to them if we die here! Move!" With those words Worth darted from behind the cart to one of the alleyways, coat flaring behind him.
"W-Worth, hold on! Damn it!" Lamont leaped up and raced after his friend. "What're we going to do? We can't leave Hanna back there!"
"We're not going to," Worth said grimly as he reached up and tapped his ear. "Hey, faggots, the Ahimsa are here. I dunno what's going on and I don't give a fuck. I want you all to get your asses to the van in fifteen minutes, you got me? Fifteen minutes and we're leaving!"
A crackle of distant screaming came over the communicator and Veser's voice shouted, "Way ahead of you, Doc! Bet we can beat you there!"
"Stop chatting and get moving!" Conrad snarled through the earpiece. "There's even more of them on their way! And nobody had better get shot!"
Worth let out a harsh, barking sort of laugh as he and Lamont ducked around another corner, gunshots on their heels. "What, is our gay little housewife actually worried 'bout us?"
"No!" Conrad said a little too quickly. "But you can't see what I'm seeing! These Ahimsa agents... they just keep coming! And they're all headed after you guys! It's because of the Ark, isn't it!? It's because you blew up the Ark!"
"That doesn't explain how they found us!" Lamont shouted back.
The doctor shook his head. "I don't know and I don't fucking care. Let's just move! No one's getting arrested today, you got me?!" He declared as he leaped over an overturned cart.
For once, he really hoped no one would make a liar out of him.
---
"Damnit!" Toni cursed under her breath as she wove through the crowd, the clicking of her heels lost in the chaos. "How is this happening?!"
"Hate to admit it, but Worth's right!" Veser jumped over a pile of wood and steel that might have once been a booth. "We'll worry about how later! Right now we've gotta save our skins!" The teenager suddenly grinned. "Hey Toni, if we make it outta here alive... how about a victory kiss?"
The werewolf gave a snort. "You wish," she said as they ducked around a corner, her skirts flaring around her. Green eyes narrowed as she glanced ahead. "Heads up, we've got company," she muttered over the cries from up ahead.
This was pretty much an understatement. A number of Ahimsa agents were rushing down the alleyway ahead of them, guns in hand and wearing expressions of anger.
"Shit!" Veser shouted, digging his heels into the ground as he skidded to a halt. A handful of bombs and his harpoon were in his hands in an instant, his neon green eyes narrowed and glaring, all of his sharp teeth bared in an almost animalistic way at the charging agents. "Bring it on, mother fuckers! You're going straight to hell!"
"You're always so eager," Toni murmured as she charged ahead. "Be careful!" She called out as she transformed, a blur of flashing blue in the tight alleyway. The Ahimsa before her could only shout in surprise as she pounced on him, a blur of glowing fur and claws.
"I'm more worried 'bout you! Don't scar that pretty face, now!" Veser laughed, lunging at the Ahimsa. "Come on, you bastards! Show me what you're made of!" The half-selkie swept his harpoon down in an arc, slicing through an agent's hand and making him drop his gun. In the same movement, the teenager spun and flung out a couple of small bombs, making sure they landed away from Toni. The screams from the injured agents made him grin madly. "Serves you fuckers right!"
"You're lucky I'm busy," Toni growled as she jerked her head to the side, taking a chunk of an agent with her. She used the screaming man as a springboard, leaping from his falling form and kicking against the brick wall so she could bounce to the next one. "I would so punch you if I could!" She snarled as she lashed out with her claws, knocking an Ahimsa agent clear across the alleyway.
"Hey, any physical contact is fine with me," Veser smirked, spinning into a roundhouse kick and smashing an Ahimsa agent in the face. The man fell to the ground, blood pouring from a broken nose, and Veser stabbed his harpoon into the agent's chest. "I'll even let you touch this merchandise free of charge..."
Toni channeled her rage from that comment into a solid blow to a poor agent's chest. "You ass," she growled out as she dove to the ground, narrowly avoiding several shots. "Look, let's just go. We've got enough down, we need to move!"
"Right, right, ruin the fun!" Veser emphasized his last word by hurling a bomb at a couple of agents. "Okay now we can go!"
The werewolf let out a growl as she tackled one last agent into the dirt. Then they were off, a streak of blue fur and gray, torn up hoodie in the streets.
The two of them ran for several blocks, occasionally running into an agent or two with relative ease. Veser had more than enough bombs, after all, and Toni could certainly handle her own. By the fifth skirmish, however, Toni was getting irritated.
"Veser!" She snapped, sharp teeth clicking together as she leaped over another gun barrel. "Stop picking fights, we need to move!"
"Psh, you worried?" Veser knocked an agent down and flashed a grin at Toni. All he got in response was a deadly glare. "All right, all right, fine. I'm moving already. Geez, you're starting to sound like Worth... can't have any fun around here..." The agent he'd just sent to the ground started to get up and Veser kicked him in the gut before finishing him off with a quick slash of his harpoon. "Right, you happy now? Let's go."
He received an eye roll as the two tore down yet another alleyway. "Worth said fifteen minutes! I don't know about you, but I sure as hell don't feel like being left behind!"
"You know he won't leave us!" Veser replied. "He's just sayin' that 'cause he's scared of getting shot!"
Toni scowled. "Maybe so, but I'm not risking it!" she exclaimed as they turned another corner.
Veser opened his mouth, ready to spit out some wisecrack or another, when a gunshot split the air. The half-selkie's large eyes widened and he stumbled backwards, his hand coming up to grasp at his side where a red stain was slowly spreading across his shirt.
"F-fuck..." He muttered in a strained voice and fell to the ground, blood spreading over the fingers that covered the wound. His harpoon tumbled from his other hand, clattering to the pavement beside him.
His friend skidded to a halt, wolf eyes widening as she spun to watch the half-selkie fall. "Veser!" Toni cried out, rushing to the nineteen-year old's side. She knelt down, reaching out carefully with her claws. "Oh God! Are you all right!?" Her voice was panicked, canine face betraying a surprising amount of emotion.
Before the half-selkie could reply, the two of them both heard the hum of a gun barrel from down the alleyway.
"That was easier than expected."
---
"Why does this always happen?"
The former agent's question was a calm one as he and Hanna weaved through the alleyways, leaping over fallen carts and treading across ruined merchandise. The Ahimsa seemed like an angry, faceless mass behind them, distinguished from the crowd by gunfire and little else.
Hanna's partner was grateful that most of the alleyways besides the main street were less crowded. The last thing he wanted was for anyone else to get caught in the crossfire when the target was so obviously them.
"What do you mean? Why does what always happen?" Hanna asked almost innocently, tripping over a ruined stand and pinwheeling his arms as he ran to keep himself from falling.
"This," the ex-agent said conversationally as he caught the redhead by the back of the shirt, his coat flaring out behind them as they turned a corner. "Everyone running, the Ahimsa following us. Does this just happen all the time?"
"Er, yeah, actually," Hanna replied with a smile. "It's a... uh... occupational hazard, I guess you could say. Nothing really new. Why? Does it bother you?"
His partner shrugged as he leaped over a fallen barrel, hardly seeming to notice as it burst in a hail of splinters and some sort of goo shortly after he cleared it. "Not entirely. I really should have bargained for a better dental plan when I joined up, though."
Hanna laughed, "Hahaha, oh, well, there's always Doc Worth..." He paused for a moment. "On second thought, he'd probably be listed under 'hazardous to your health', wouldn't he?"
"Pretty much," the former agent agreed as they ducked around another corner, pausing to get a few shots in before the two continued on.
"Well at least he will fix us!" The redhead chuckled, skipping around a pile of metal beams that sparked as a bullet ricocheted off them. "Okay, sure, he might accidentally sew a cigarette inside you, but it's all right, because he usually gets it out a week or two later." Hanna noticed the look his companion was giving him and quickly added, "He takes care of us, he really does. He probably just seems like a general asshole to most people, but I know he --" Hanna suddenly pulled up short, staring off into the distance without really seeming to notice it, his blue eyes taking on a somewhat glazed look.
His partner skidded to a stop as well, brow furrowing. "Hanna? What's wrong?" Mahogany eyes flicked across the redhead, trying to see if it was an injury that had stopped them.
"They're..." Hanna's voice came out in a hoarse murmur. "I can... feel..." He shook himself and the light returned to his eyes as he spun around to look at the former agent, "Listen, Noland, I have to... I have to go take care of something. You just make sure you get to the van and get everyone else outta here safely, 'k?" And without waiting for a response, the redhead took off running down another alley, blue sparks flying from his bracers like some physical manifestation of anticipation.
"I have to go."
"What!?" the ex-agent sputtered, reaching out and grasping for his partner's arm on reflex. He missed, however, and already the redhead was speeding ahead. With a curse the dark-haired man took off in pursuit, hands clenching into fists. "Hanna, wait!"
Hanna glanced briefly over his shoulder and muttered, "Sorry, Alphonse." He then crouched low to the ground, azure light spilling from beneath his heels, and rocketed off into the sky, leaving a blinding trail of energy behind him.
The former agent let out a curse as he helplessly watched Hanna take off. Why hadn't he seen this coming? Hanna's eyes had looked just like the other night, and of course he couldn't have expected the redhead to stay with him amongst all the chaos! He should have known, and of course that only made the whole mess even more frustrating.
But what was he supposed to do now?
He stood there for a moment, then shook his head. There wasn't really a question there. His job was to look after Hanna, whether the resistance member told him to leave or not. With a growl the dark-haired man took off after the trail of light Hanna had left behind, face set into an expression of grim determination.
"Hanna, you've got to stop doing this," he murmured. "I can't keep chasing after you forever."
---
"They're like ants."
The observation came in a snicker. The two were perched upon the edge of an aged skyscraper, the wind sending new coats and freshly cleaned hair whipping about. Far too nice for your average Undesirable… but then again, they were both aware they weren't average.
It was funny just what one could bargain from the Council when those nerds in coats wanted something.
A thin elbow reached out to nudge the other in the side. "Come on, Fin, look at this! They look like ants down there!" The taller of the two drawled as he squinted at the chaos of the streets. The alterations had worked well enough that they could handle sunlight without bursting into flames, but even he had to admit he wasn't a fan of the glaring sun.
Well, sacrifices had to be made, right?
There came a sigh. "Casimiro…"
"What? I'm bored. I still don't see why we can't just go…"
"Patience, Cas. He'll be here soon."
All he received in reply was a hiss.
---
The first thing Toni really noticed about the woman were her eyes.
They were ice blue, their frigid gaze seeming to pierce right through her. A gun was held in the woman's gloved hands, her uniform jacket and pants fitted to perfection. Her hair was a no-nonsense, dark brown bob, and it seemed to suit her grim expression as she walked up to them.
"For Undesirables, I will admit that you fight well. You aren't the most aware of your surroundings, however," she said, her tone clipped and heavily accented.
"F-fuck you..." Veser ground out, still on the ground and holding his bleeding side. "That was such a... cheap shot... n-no skill behind it at all..." He smirked a little. "You got no c-class, lady..."
The woman looked to him for a moment. "Hardly. I simply saw my shot and took it. Though clearly I wasn't as spot on as I'd hoped," she murmured as she pointed the gun again.
Toni let out a roar as she leaped between Veser and the stranger, her teeth bared. "You stay away from him!" She snarled the fur on her back standing on end.
"Do you really thinking standing between me and him is going to help?" The woman asked, raising a brow. "I'll just shoot you as well, it's hardly a problem."
"Try and I'll rip your throat out, bullet wound or no," Toni hissed. "You Ahimsa and your guns aren't exactly news to us."
"Ladies, ladies, please..." Veser snorted and then winced as pain lanced through him. "D-don't fight... there's plenty of me t-to go around..."
"Shut up, Veser," Toni growled under her breath.
Their opponent said nothing for a moment. "Comedians. Wonderful," she said dryly before reaching into a pocket and pulling out her badge. "I am Anya Borokov, Captain of the Ahimsa. You are Toni Ipres and Veser Amaker Hatch, and you are well known to be resistance members. By order of the Council of Mitra, I am placing you under arrest."
"Arrest? Seems more like an execution to me," Toni huffed.
Anya almost smiled at that. "It is all the same, is it not? You are Undesirables. The system is made to combat monsters like you. One or two deaths in the name of this city is a small victory, but a victory none-the-less."
"B-bastards..." Veser spat, "Fuck you." His fingers curled around his harpoon and drew it close to him, trying to lever himself to his feet with it. His arms shook and he collapsed to the ground again. "Sh-shit... Toni, get out of here...!"
Toni shook her head violently. "No way. I'm not leaving you!" She snapped before looking back to Anya. "And where the hell do you get off? We're not just animals for you to hunt, we're people too!" Her normal calm was long gone, replaced by a rage that sent her fur bristling.
"Is that so?" The captain murmured. "You saying such things while under that guise is laughable, Miss Ipres. You're all little more than wild animals who have gone out of control. All that's left is to exterminate you."
The werewolf let out a snarl at this, very nearly launching herself at the captain then and there. "Is that so? Because when you talk like that, I don't see you being any better, human! You're not so high and mighty and you have no right to treat us like this! We're not all monsters, but I'll be damned if the way you all act doesn't make me wonder just what you are."
Those blue eyes narrowed slightly. "You will not deter me from doing my job. I have seen what you are capable of, I have seen what you've done to my men. They were good men, Miss Ipres, and you have slain them without question. My job is to make sure that doesn't happen, to protect this city."
"Great," Toni growled. "So tell me, who's going to protect them from monsters like you?"
Anya shook her head as she leveled the gun. "That is not my concern. My boss may find amusement in your schemes, but I've grown tired of this war. I am ending this. Goodbye, Miss Ipres."
"Fuck y-your system!" Veser shouted suddenly, eyes blazing with rage as he struggled to his feet. "A-and your rules! And your s-stupid... stupid government!" The hand that wasn't holding his harpoon came up, holding a blinking, silver and orange sphere. "You have s-s-serious anger issues, l-lady." He smirked, hoisting himself up a little and bringing his arm higher. "You need to g-get laid."
There was a beat of silence. Anya made a sputtering sort of noise. "You --"
Veser cut her off with a shout, "We don't h-have time to get shot!" He hurled the sphere into the air. "See you, Ahimsa bitch!" The orange sphere struck the ground just in front of Anya and exploded. Thick, gray smoke filled the air, a suffocating cloud that obscured everything from view.
In an instant Toni had transformed, a flash of blue signifying her change from her battle form to full wolf. Veser's gloved hands caught hold of her thick fur, and in a flurry of paws, the two were tearing down the street, leaving the cloud of smoke far behind them.
Anya let out a violent cough, just barely catching a glimpse of their flight through watering eyes. "Get back here! You're und--" Her shout was cut off a coughing fit and she let out a groan as she collapsed against the wall, her grip loosening on her weapon. "Damnit."
Well, she supposed they weren't the most wanted Undesirables in the city for nothing.
---
The slums were a blur beneath Hanna as he soared through the air, red hair whipping in the wind and brilliant blue eyes narrowed into slits behind his glasses. Light spilled out behind him, sparks shooting from the bracers on his hands, but he kept his gaze ahead, swooping down a little lower to the ground, searching.
Somewhere in the back of his mind was the hope that the former agent would listen to him, that he would go back and help the others, that he wouldn't follow. Because Hanna was pretty sure he knew what was coming and he really didn't want his friend to see. Not him, not like that. Not again.
Hanna dropped a few feet lower and eased up on his speed. Dust and debris was kicked up behind him, the only remaining window in a building exploded into tinkling shards of glass as he shot by, but Hanna ignored it all. He was on a mission.
Ironically, the redhead was so focused that he didn't even see his target coming. Thus, he was caught completely by surprise when a bright, blinding red blur came out of nowhere, slamming into him with the force of a semi truck.
Hanna tumbled out of the air with a choked cry, slamming into the side of a building, bouncing off of it, and thudding into the ground. He pushed himself up with a groan, one hand on his side where he'd been hit, and glared at the rooftop across the street.
"Damn, that kid is light!"
The voice was cheery and somewhat feral, mixed with the sound of sizzling flesh and the sparking of energy. Its source was a tall, lithe man with hair a mixture of reddish brown and black and skin that was tanned, even with the pallor of death on his features. His mouth was stretched into a horrible grin. One of his eyes was scarred over and white, while the other was a brilliant red matched only by the energy sparking around him.
"Casimiro, focus."
The second voice was far calmer and deeper, though there was a hint of a warning to its tone. Its owner seemed to be the exact opposite of the first man, a stocky figure with a similar deathly complexion. Dark blue energy sparked around his thick shoulders as he paused at his companions side, beady red eyes narrowed as he gazed down at Hanna.
The two both would have had the air of being gentlemen -- they certainly had the clothes for it -- but their fangs told a different story.
The first man, apparently named Casimiro, gave a huff. "Come on, Finas, it's the first time we've been free in ages! Learn to live a little!"
His partner let out a sigh. "Let's just get this over with."
The red vampire looked back to Hanna and grinned. "My pleasure."
"Wait, what...?" Hanna raised an eyebrow in confusion. "Who're you guys? And why'd you hit me?"
"What, you mean you didn't know?" Casimiro asked, brow furrowing in confusion. He then looked to Finas and shrugged. "I could have sworn he was supposed to feel us coming… oh well."
And then quite suddenly he was leaping off of the roof, skin and muscle separating from bone in a sizzling flash of energy, revealing thin, vein-like lines of brilliant red running through his body. These lines became a blur as the vampire charged toward Hanna, tan fingers twisting into claws.
Hanna cursed and dashed to the side, trying to avoid the attack even as he channeled neon blue energy into his hands. "Hey, whoa! Stop a minute! Why're you doing this!? We're the same, right!? Can't we just be friends!?"
That got a laugh from Casimiro even as his attack missed -- a wild, hair-raising cackle. "Friends? Sure, we can be friends! Let's play!"
But the next attack did not come from him, but rather from a dark blue blur to Hanna's right. It was as if the redhead were smashing into a great big, blue wall… one that was moving in the opposite direction.
Hanna let out a cry of pain, spinning through the air before landing heavily on the ground and rolling across the pavement before skidding to a stop. A streak of red was smeared across the concrete and as the redhead got to his feet again, the gash on his cheek dripped blood onto his jacket.
"Two against one..." He wheezed, hands on his knees as he tried to find his breath again after being hit by the second vampire, "Don't you think... that's kind of unfair?"
"Against you? Hardly!" Casimiro laughed as he skidded to a stop, floating a mere foot above the ground. "Though I have to admit, I'm surprised. I expected you to be a lot stronger than this."
Finas shook his head as he came to a stop as well, blue energy sparking around him and skin fizzling away from his now terrifying face. "It doesn't matter. Focus on the directive, Cas."
"Why're you even doing this!?" Hanna shouted, straightening up and raising his arms in a defensive position, blue energy coiling from between his clenched fingers. "Why're you attacking me!?"
The two vampires blinked. "Isn't it obvious?" Casimiro asked. Without waiting for an answer he began to laugh again, the energy sparking off of him causing the hairs on the back of Hanna's neck to stand on end. "Given what you are, you should have known this was coming. Everyone goes on and on about how you were the best of the Firefly Project, the strongest one, the final product… did you really think you could get out that easily? You should have known, your past always catches up to you and all that…"
"Cas…"
"Not now, Fin, I'm making a speech here." The energy was swirling around Cas now, building up, thrumming like a heartbeat with his giggles. "They said we were 'unstable'. They said we weren't as good as you… but in the end, they had to rely on us. Funny, isn't it? They sent us here to catch a Firefly… but really, they shoulda known better. They did say we were unstable, after all."
"Casimiro," Finas' voice was a warning tone now.
Fortunately, Casimiro seemed to be ready. With a burst of red energy he went charging at Hanna, his expression a mask of maniac ferocity.
"I'm gonna tear you apart, Thirteen!"
---
Next: Ta-da!
As always, I'm sure you're thrilled. Erm... not much else to say. On our DA account we had some craziness called Conrad's journal, not sure if I'm gonna post it here. We'll see.
For the moment though, enjoy the chapter! Also I'd highly recommend listening to the music we picked out for this chapter, as it is awesome and is where we got the name for the Ahimsa. Yaaay.
First: Here
Previous: Here
Title: Lightwaves
Authors: Myself and HosekiDragon
Rating: PG-13 at present
Characters: Hanna, un!Zombie, Toni, Veser, Conrad, Worth, Lamont
Chapters: 11/26
Description: Sprawling thousands of miles and surrounded by walls, the City of Varuna is a sight to behold. People are under constant watch and surveillance under the name of protection. The only issue now is Undesirables. Paranormal creatures, vampires and werewolves, remnants of an ancient and dying world. These creatures are expected to register with the government and are seen as second class citizens, living in oppression so as to avoid tainting the other citizens and ruining their quality of life.
"Eli" is a member of the Ahimsa, the police agency charged with dealing with Undesirables. He's beginning to feel rather disillusioned with the world he's living in. Fortunately for him, a certain redhead is about to come crashing into his life...
"Worth, put that one down, it's too expensive. These ones are cheaper." Lamont hefted a bag of essentials under one arm and indicated a box of cigarettes on the stall in front of him. "Better yet, let's not get any at all. Saves me from having to smell your shitty cancer sticks."
The doctor turned to fix a glare on Lamont, the sort of glare that had been known to make most grown men piss themselves. "…'re you seriously telling' me to skip my brand?" Behind the dealer, the owner of the stand gave a whimper and shrunk behind the table.
Lamont, who had grown quite immune to Worth's deadly glare over years, simply smirked coolly at him. "Why do you even care about brands? I thought you were against that whole 'advertising' thing. Or are you really just an inner circle, conformist, pussy? Something you're not telling us, Worth?"
Worth blinked, then smirked back. "Fuck no. Got nothing t' do with brand loyalty, I jus' stick with 'em because I know it bugs th' ever-living shit out of you."
"Aw, so glad to know you care." Lamont said sarcastically. "Fine, get your cigs. But we're getting cheap booze if you do."
His friend snorted. "It's all the same watery horse shit anyway, what's it matter?" He said as he grabbed an armful of the boxes and shoved them in the vendor's face. "'M buyin' these. How much?"
"E-er," the vendor stuttered, blinking as he tried to count. "A-ah I believe that would be twenty…" he trailed off as Worth fixed a glare at him. "Er, fifteen, so--"
"Christ, you're useless," Worth grunted as he shoved several crumpled up bills. With those words he stuffed the boxes into his coat pockets, turning to Lamont and grinning. "See? I got us a discount."
"Discount?" Lamont snorted, "That was more like rob--" The crack of a gun shot cut him off, and he spun around to look down the street at the panicking Undesirables. "Shit...I hope that's just some drunk who got a little trigger happy...!"
His friend let out a snort. "With our luck? Doubt it," he said as he dodged a pair of flailing arms. Again there came a flare of bright blue from down the street and the doctor reached out to grab Lamont's arm. "C'mon, a raid's t' last thing we need to deal wit' right now. Let's just hope Hanna's not stupid enough to get involved this time."
"I wouldn't count on it." Lamont answered, pushing several people out of the way, "If Hanna's here, you can bet he's going to get mixed up in it. He always does."
"Of course," Worth grumbled, then let out a yelp as a bullet whizzed past his ear. "Jesus fucking Christ, that was close! The fuck happened to their Storm Trooper shooting abilities!?" He snapped as he clapped a hand over his ear.
"I don't think it's just the police, Worth!" Lamont ducked behind a stand as several bullets ripped through the air, dragging the doctor down with him, "It's the Ahimsa! What the hell are they doing!? And how the hell did they find the black market!?"
The blond shook his head. "Fuck if I know. The raids normally don't bring them anywhere near here… shit!" He cursed as another bullet whizzed past their hiding place. "I think they're actually aiming for us!"
Lamont peered over the edge of the booth and then ducked back down quickly. "Damn it, there's a ton of them! It's not a raiding party, it's fucking army!" Wood splinters hurtled into the air and a bullet blasted into the stand just beside his head, "Holy --! We've got to get everyone out of here, now! Where're the others?!"
"No idea, but we ain't any use to them if we die here! Move!" With those words Worth darted from behind the cart to one of the alleyways, coat flaring behind him.
"W-Worth, hold on! Damn it!" Lamont leaped up and raced after his friend. "What're we going to do? We can't leave Hanna back there!"
"We're not going to," Worth said grimly as he reached up and tapped his ear. "Hey, faggots, the Ahimsa are here. I dunno what's going on and I don't give a fuck. I want you all to get your asses to the van in fifteen minutes, you got me? Fifteen minutes and we're leaving!"
A crackle of distant screaming came over the communicator and Veser's voice shouted, "Way ahead of you, Doc! Bet we can beat you there!"
"Stop chatting and get moving!" Conrad snarled through the earpiece. "There's even more of them on their way! And nobody had better get shot!"
Worth let out a harsh, barking sort of laugh as he and Lamont ducked around another corner, gunshots on their heels. "What, is our gay little housewife actually worried 'bout us?"
"No!" Conrad said a little too quickly. "But you can't see what I'm seeing! These Ahimsa agents... they just keep coming! And they're all headed after you guys! It's because of the Ark, isn't it!? It's because you blew up the Ark!"
"That doesn't explain how they found us!" Lamont shouted back.
The doctor shook his head. "I don't know and I don't fucking care. Let's just move! No one's getting arrested today, you got me?!" He declared as he leaped over an overturned cart.
For once, he really hoped no one would make a liar out of him.
---
"Damnit!" Toni cursed under her breath as she wove through the crowd, the clicking of her heels lost in the chaos. "How is this happening?!"
"Hate to admit it, but Worth's right!" Veser jumped over a pile of wood and steel that might have once been a booth. "We'll worry about how later! Right now we've gotta save our skins!" The teenager suddenly grinned. "Hey Toni, if we make it outta here alive... how about a victory kiss?"
The werewolf gave a snort. "You wish," she said as they ducked around a corner, her skirts flaring around her. Green eyes narrowed as she glanced ahead. "Heads up, we've got company," she muttered over the cries from up ahead.
This was pretty much an understatement. A number of Ahimsa agents were rushing down the alleyway ahead of them, guns in hand and wearing expressions of anger.
"Shit!" Veser shouted, digging his heels into the ground as he skidded to a halt. A handful of bombs and his harpoon were in his hands in an instant, his neon green eyes narrowed and glaring, all of his sharp teeth bared in an almost animalistic way at the charging agents. "Bring it on, mother fuckers! You're going straight to hell!"
"You're always so eager," Toni murmured as she charged ahead. "Be careful!" She called out as she transformed, a blur of flashing blue in the tight alleyway. The Ahimsa before her could only shout in surprise as she pounced on him, a blur of glowing fur and claws.
"I'm more worried 'bout you! Don't scar that pretty face, now!" Veser laughed, lunging at the Ahimsa. "Come on, you bastards! Show me what you're made of!" The half-selkie swept his harpoon down in an arc, slicing through an agent's hand and making him drop his gun. In the same movement, the teenager spun and flung out a couple of small bombs, making sure they landed away from Toni. The screams from the injured agents made him grin madly. "Serves you fuckers right!"
"You're lucky I'm busy," Toni growled as she jerked her head to the side, taking a chunk of an agent with her. She used the screaming man as a springboard, leaping from his falling form and kicking against the brick wall so she could bounce to the next one. "I would so punch you if I could!" She snarled as she lashed out with her claws, knocking an Ahimsa agent clear across the alleyway.
"Hey, any physical contact is fine with me," Veser smirked, spinning into a roundhouse kick and smashing an Ahimsa agent in the face. The man fell to the ground, blood pouring from a broken nose, and Veser stabbed his harpoon into the agent's chest. "I'll even let you touch this merchandise free of charge..."
Toni channeled her rage from that comment into a solid blow to a poor agent's chest. "You ass," she growled out as she dove to the ground, narrowly avoiding several shots. "Look, let's just go. We've got enough down, we need to move!"
"Right, right, ruin the fun!" Veser emphasized his last word by hurling a bomb at a couple of agents. "Okay now we can go!"
The werewolf let out a growl as she tackled one last agent into the dirt. Then they were off, a streak of blue fur and gray, torn up hoodie in the streets.
The two of them ran for several blocks, occasionally running into an agent or two with relative ease. Veser had more than enough bombs, after all, and Toni could certainly handle her own. By the fifth skirmish, however, Toni was getting irritated.
"Veser!" She snapped, sharp teeth clicking together as she leaped over another gun barrel. "Stop picking fights, we need to move!"
"Psh, you worried?" Veser knocked an agent down and flashed a grin at Toni. All he got in response was a deadly glare. "All right, all right, fine. I'm moving already. Geez, you're starting to sound like Worth... can't have any fun around here..." The agent he'd just sent to the ground started to get up and Veser kicked him in the gut before finishing him off with a quick slash of his harpoon. "Right, you happy now? Let's go."
He received an eye roll as the two tore down yet another alleyway. "Worth said fifteen minutes! I don't know about you, but I sure as hell don't feel like being left behind!"
"You know he won't leave us!" Veser replied. "He's just sayin' that 'cause he's scared of getting shot!"
Toni scowled. "Maybe so, but I'm not risking it!" she exclaimed as they turned another corner.
Veser opened his mouth, ready to spit out some wisecrack or another, when a gunshot split the air. The half-selkie's large eyes widened and he stumbled backwards, his hand coming up to grasp at his side where a red stain was slowly spreading across his shirt.
"F-fuck..." He muttered in a strained voice and fell to the ground, blood spreading over the fingers that covered the wound. His harpoon tumbled from his other hand, clattering to the pavement beside him.
His friend skidded to a halt, wolf eyes widening as she spun to watch the half-selkie fall. "Veser!" Toni cried out, rushing to the nineteen-year old's side. She knelt down, reaching out carefully with her claws. "Oh God! Are you all right!?" Her voice was panicked, canine face betraying a surprising amount of emotion.
Before the half-selkie could reply, the two of them both heard the hum of a gun barrel from down the alleyway.
"That was easier than expected."
---
"Why does this always happen?"
The former agent's question was a calm one as he and Hanna weaved through the alleyways, leaping over fallen carts and treading across ruined merchandise. The Ahimsa seemed like an angry, faceless mass behind them, distinguished from the crowd by gunfire and little else.
Hanna's partner was grateful that most of the alleyways besides the main street were less crowded. The last thing he wanted was for anyone else to get caught in the crossfire when the target was so obviously them.
"What do you mean? Why does what always happen?" Hanna asked almost innocently, tripping over a ruined stand and pinwheeling his arms as he ran to keep himself from falling.
"This," the ex-agent said conversationally as he caught the redhead by the back of the shirt, his coat flaring out behind them as they turned a corner. "Everyone running, the Ahimsa following us. Does this just happen all the time?"
"Er, yeah, actually," Hanna replied with a smile. "It's a... uh... occupational hazard, I guess you could say. Nothing really new. Why? Does it bother you?"
His partner shrugged as he leaped over a fallen barrel, hardly seeming to notice as it burst in a hail of splinters and some sort of goo shortly after he cleared it. "Not entirely. I really should have bargained for a better dental plan when I joined up, though."
Hanna laughed, "Hahaha, oh, well, there's always Doc Worth..." He paused for a moment. "On second thought, he'd probably be listed under 'hazardous to your health', wouldn't he?"
"Pretty much," the former agent agreed as they ducked around another corner, pausing to get a few shots in before the two continued on.
"Well at least he will fix us!" The redhead chuckled, skipping around a pile of metal beams that sparked as a bullet ricocheted off them. "Okay, sure, he might accidentally sew a cigarette inside you, but it's all right, because he usually gets it out a week or two later." Hanna noticed the look his companion was giving him and quickly added, "He takes care of us, he really does. He probably just seems like a general asshole to most people, but I know he --" Hanna suddenly pulled up short, staring off into the distance without really seeming to notice it, his blue eyes taking on a somewhat glazed look.
His partner skidded to a stop as well, brow furrowing. "Hanna? What's wrong?" Mahogany eyes flicked across the redhead, trying to see if it was an injury that had stopped them.
"They're..." Hanna's voice came out in a hoarse murmur. "I can... feel..." He shook himself and the light returned to his eyes as he spun around to look at the former agent, "Listen, Noland, I have to... I have to go take care of something. You just make sure you get to the van and get everyone else outta here safely, 'k?" And without waiting for a response, the redhead took off running down another alley, blue sparks flying from his bracers like some physical manifestation of anticipation.
"I have to go."
"What!?" the ex-agent sputtered, reaching out and grasping for his partner's arm on reflex. He missed, however, and already the redhead was speeding ahead. With a curse the dark-haired man took off in pursuit, hands clenching into fists. "Hanna, wait!"
Hanna glanced briefly over his shoulder and muttered, "Sorry, Alphonse." He then crouched low to the ground, azure light spilling from beneath his heels, and rocketed off into the sky, leaving a blinding trail of energy behind him.
The former agent let out a curse as he helplessly watched Hanna take off. Why hadn't he seen this coming? Hanna's eyes had looked just like the other night, and of course he couldn't have expected the redhead to stay with him amongst all the chaos! He should have known, and of course that only made the whole mess even more frustrating.
But what was he supposed to do now?
He stood there for a moment, then shook his head. There wasn't really a question there. His job was to look after Hanna, whether the resistance member told him to leave or not. With a growl the dark-haired man took off after the trail of light Hanna had left behind, face set into an expression of grim determination.
"Hanna, you've got to stop doing this," he murmured. "I can't keep chasing after you forever."
---
"They're like ants."
The observation came in a snicker. The two were perched upon the edge of an aged skyscraper, the wind sending new coats and freshly cleaned hair whipping about. Far too nice for your average Undesirable… but then again, they were both aware they weren't average.
It was funny just what one could bargain from the Council when those nerds in coats wanted something.
A thin elbow reached out to nudge the other in the side. "Come on, Fin, look at this! They look like ants down there!" The taller of the two drawled as he squinted at the chaos of the streets. The alterations had worked well enough that they could handle sunlight without bursting into flames, but even he had to admit he wasn't a fan of the glaring sun.
Well, sacrifices had to be made, right?
There came a sigh. "Casimiro…"
"What? I'm bored. I still don't see why we can't just go…"
"Patience, Cas. He'll be here soon."
All he received in reply was a hiss.
---
The first thing Toni really noticed about the woman were her eyes.
They were ice blue, their frigid gaze seeming to pierce right through her. A gun was held in the woman's gloved hands, her uniform jacket and pants fitted to perfection. Her hair was a no-nonsense, dark brown bob, and it seemed to suit her grim expression as she walked up to them.
"For Undesirables, I will admit that you fight well. You aren't the most aware of your surroundings, however," she said, her tone clipped and heavily accented.
"F-fuck you..." Veser ground out, still on the ground and holding his bleeding side. "That was such a... cheap shot... n-no skill behind it at all..." He smirked a little. "You got no c-class, lady..."
The woman looked to him for a moment. "Hardly. I simply saw my shot and took it. Though clearly I wasn't as spot on as I'd hoped," she murmured as she pointed the gun again.
Toni let out a roar as she leaped between Veser and the stranger, her teeth bared. "You stay away from him!" She snarled the fur on her back standing on end.
"Do you really thinking standing between me and him is going to help?" The woman asked, raising a brow. "I'll just shoot you as well, it's hardly a problem."
"Try and I'll rip your throat out, bullet wound or no," Toni hissed. "You Ahimsa and your guns aren't exactly news to us."
"Ladies, ladies, please..." Veser snorted and then winced as pain lanced through him. "D-don't fight... there's plenty of me t-to go around..."
"Shut up, Veser," Toni growled under her breath.
Their opponent said nothing for a moment. "Comedians. Wonderful," she said dryly before reaching into a pocket and pulling out her badge. "I am Anya Borokov, Captain of the Ahimsa. You are Toni Ipres and Veser Amaker Hatch, and you are well known to be resistance members. By order of the Council of Mitra, I am placing you under arrest."
"Arrest? Seems more like an execution to me," Toni huffed.
Anya almost smiled at that. "It is all the same, is it not? You are Undesirables. The system is made to combat monsters like you. One or two deaths in the name of this city is a small victory, but a victory none-the-less."
"B-bastards..." Veser spat, "Fuck you." His fingers curled around his harpoon and drew it close to him, trying to lever himself to his feet with it. His arms shook and he collapsed to the ground again. "Sh-shit... Toni, get out of here...!"
Toni shook her head violently. "No way. I'm not leaving you!" She snapped before looking back to Anya. "And where the hell do you get off? We're not just animals for you to hunt, we're people too!" Her normal calm was long gone, replaced by a rage that sent her fur bristling.
"Is that so?" The captain murmured. "You saying such things while under that guise is laughable, Miss Ipres. You're all little more than wild animals who have gone out of control. All that's left is to exterminate you."
The werewolf let out a snarl at this, very nearly launching herself at the captain then and there. "Is that so? Because when you talk like that, I don't see you being any better, human! You're not so high and mighty and you have no right to treat us like this! We're not all monsters, but I'll be damned if the way you all act doesn't make me wonder just what you are."
Those blue eyes narrowed slightly. "You will not deter me from doing my job. I have seen what you are capable of, I have seen what you've done to my men. They were good men, Miss Ipres, and you have slain them without question. My job is to make sure that doesn't happen, to protect this city."
"Great," Toni growled. "So tell me, who's going to protect them from monsters like you?"
Anya shook her head as she leveled the gun. "That is not my concern. My boss may find amusement in your schemes, but I've grown tired of this war. I am ending this. Goodbye, Miss Ipres."
"Fuck y-your system!" Veser shouted suddenly, eyes blazing with rage as he struggled to his feet. "A-and your rules! And your s-stupid... stupid government!" The hand that wasn't holding his harpoon came up, holding a blinking, silver and orange sphere. "You have s-s-serious anger issues, l-lady." He smirked, hoisting himself up a little and bringing his arm higher. "You need to g-get laid."
There was a beat of silence. Anya made a sputtering sort of noise. "You --"
Veser cut her off with a shout, "We don't h-have time to get shot!" He hurled the sphere into the air. "See you, Ahimsa bitch!" The orange sphere struck the ground just in front of Anya and exploded. Thick, gray smoke filled the air, a suffocating cloud that obscured everything from view.
In an instant Toni had transformed, a flash of blue signifying her change from her battle form to full wolf. Veser's gloved hands caught hold of her thick fur, and in a flurry of paws, the two were tearing down the street, leaving the cloud of smoke far behind them.
Anya let out a violent cough, just barely catching a glimpse of their flight through watering eyes. "Get back here! You're und--" Her shout was cut off a coughing fit and she let out a groan as she collapsed against the wall, her grip loosening on her weapon. "Damnit."
Well, she supposed they weren't the most wanted Undesirables in the city for nothing.
---
The slums were a blur beneath Hanna as he soared through the air, red hair whipping in the wind and brilliant blue eyes narrowed into slits behind his glasses. Light spilled out behind him, sparks shooting from the bracers on his hands, but he kept his gaze ahead, swooping down a little lower to the ground, searching.
Somewhere in the back of his mind was the hope that the former agent would listen to him, that he would go back and help the others, that he wouldn't follow. Because Hanna was pretty sure he knew what was coming and he really didn't want his friend to see. Not him, not like that. Not again.
Hanna dropped a few feet lower and eased up on his speed. Dust and debris was kicked up behind him, the only remaining window in a building exploded into tinkling shards of glass as he shot by, but Hanna ignored it all. He was on a mission.
Ironically, the redhead was so focused that he didn't even see his target coming. Thus, he was caught completely by surprise when a bright, blinding red blur came out of nowhere, slamming into him with the force of a semi truck.
Hanna tumbled out of the air with a choked cry, slamming into the side of a building, bouncing off of it, and thudding into the ground. He pushed himself up with a groan, one hand on his side where he'd been hit, and glared at the rooftop across the street.
"Damn, that kid is light!"
The voice was cheery and somewhat feral, mixed with the sound of sizzling flesh and the sparking of energy. Its source was a tall, lithe man with hair a mixture of reddish brown and black and skin that was tanned, even with the pallor of death on his features. His mouth was stretched into a horrible grin. One of his eyes was scarred over and white, while the other was a brilliant red matched only by the energy sparking around him.
"Casimiro, focus."
The second voice was far calmer and deeper, though there was a hint of a warning to its tone. Its owner seemed to be the exact opposite of the first man, a stocky figure with a similar deathly complexion. Dark blue energy sparked around his thick shoulders as he paused at his companions side, beady red eyes narrowed as he gazed down at Hanna.
The two both would have had the air of being gentlemen -- they certainly had the clothes for it -- but their fangs told a different story.
The first man, apparently named Casimiro, gave a huff. "Come on, Finas, it's the first time we've been free in ages! Learn to live a little!"
His partner let out a sigh. "Let's just get this over with."
The red vampire looked back to Hanna and grinned. "My pleasure."
"Wait, what...?" Hanna raised an eyebrow in confusion. "Who're you guys? And why'd you hit me?"
"What, you mean you didn't know?" Casimiro asked, brow furrowing in confusion. He then looked to Finas and shrugged. "I could have sworn he was supposed to feel us coming… oh well."
And then quite suddenly he was leaping off of the roof, skin and muscle separating from bone in a sizzling flash of energy, revealing thin, vein-like lines of brilliant red running through his body. These lines became a blur as the vampire charged toward Hanna, tan fingers twisting into claws.
Hanna cursed and dashed to the side, trying to avoid the attack even as he channeled neon blue energy into his hands. "Hey, whoa! Stop a minute! Why're you doing this!? We're the same, right!? Can't we just be friends!?"
That got a laugh from Casimiro even as his attack missed -- a wild, hair-raising cackle. "Friends? Sure, we can be friends! Let's play!"
But the next attack did not come from him, but rather from a dark blue blur to Hanna's right. It was as if the redhead were smashing into a great big, blue wall… one that was moving in the opposite direction.
Hanna let out a cry of pain, spinning through the air before landing heavily on the ground and rolling across the pavement before skidding to a stop. A streak of red was smeared across the concrete and as the redhead got to his feet again, the gash on his cheek dripped blood onto his jacket.
"Two against one..." He wheezed, hands on his knees as he tried to find his breath again after being hit by the second vampire, "Don't you think... that's kind of unfair?"
"Against you? Hardly!" Casimiro laughed as he skidded to a stop, floating a mere foot above the ground. "Though I have to admit, I'm surprised. I expected you to be a lot stronger than this."
Finas shook his head as he came to a stop as well, blue energy sparking around him and skin fizzling away from his now terrifying face. "It doesn't matter. Focus on the directive, Cas."
"Why're you even doing this!?" Hanna shouted, straightening up and raising his arms in a defensive position, blue energy coiling from between his clenched fingers. "Why're you attacking me!?"
The two vampires blinked. "Isn't it obvious?" Casimiro asked. Without waiting for an answer he began to laugh again, the energy sparking off of him causing the hairs on the back of Hanna's neck to stand on end. "Given what you are, you should have known this was coming. Everyone goes on and on about how you were the best of the Firefly Project, the strongest one, the final product… did you really think you could get out that easily? You should have known, your past always catches up to you and all that…"
"Cas…"
"Not now, Fin, I'm making a speech here." The energy was swirling around Cas now, building up, thrumming like a heartbeat with his giggles. "They said we were 'unstable'. They said we weren't as good as you… but in the end, they had to rely on us. Funny, isn't it? They sent us here to catch a Firefly… but really, they shoulda known better. They did say we were unstable, after all."
"Casimiro," Finas' voice was a warning tone now.
Fortunately, Casimiro seemed to be ready. With a burst of red energy he went charging at Hanna, his expression a mask of maniac ferocity.
"I'm gonna tear you apart, Thirteen!"
---
Next: Ta-da!