Non-HPU: Crater City

[DdeeStar]

The mountains and cliffs by the beach weren't fully barren. There were plenty of shrubs and succulents along the sandstone cliffs. However, the dry bushes and small desert plants put off significantly less energy when compared to the human in desert camouflage climbing across the cliff face.

The twitching of her nose stops as Tigress recognizes the oddly-shaped field, immediately stepping over, leaning her full weight against the cliffside, and tenting her forearms far above the traveler to brace her weight. Her head bows down between her arms and torso to address the individual she'd mostly enclosed between the mass of rock and herself. Her enjoyment of the hunt has been silenced, replaced by the emotionless stare of a predator. She waits an extra moment, hoping for a sudden disruption in his energy hinting at sudden panic or a spike in stress. More importantly, she wanted to be sure he knew she saw him.

"One move and they won't find your pieces." She growls under her breath, completely disinterested in whether or not he can understand. Her tone is more than clear, and even if it isn't, he wouldn't have a chance to argue his case.

[Hlaoroo]

"Copy that." Ted responds, directing the driver to take the bride through the centre of the bay and over Meteor Island to save time. Once across the bay it doesn't take long to spot Tigress. With another quick call to the Colonel to determine which of the five boathouses in front of the Raskshasai is the correct one, Ted is soon on-site. He orders his military escort to guard the back entrance of the boat house and makes sure his helmet is secure before exiting the vehicle, medical bag in paw.

"Colonel, I'm here. It's Lightfoot. Have you got the door barred on your side?" he asks, knocking to announce his presence instead of simply opening the door to make sure he's not greeted with a bullet.

Once he's allowed entry he salutes the colonel and then hurries to his patient.
"Got yourself into a spot of bother, honey?" he asks the otter.

"I was injured in battle while heroically saving the city!" Ryan boasts.

"So I see. Tell me exactly what happened. And I mean about the injury, not your heroics."

"Spoilsport. AARGH!" Ryan winces as Ted gently palpates the arm.

"Sorry."

"You'll pay for that tonight." Ryan grins before blushing as he remembers the Colonel is watching.
'Erm, ahem, anyway. Had my teeth in the Leviathan's tail, it lifted me up and slammed me back into the water from, erm, I'm not sure how high. Felt like a mile up though. Landed straight on my flipper, blacked out for a moment, then Fen brought me here."

"Possible brain and spinal damage then. Did you see how high the fall was, exactly, Colonel?" Ted asks, shifting his attention from the arm to shining a light into Ryan's eyes.

[SeanWolf]

"I'm not a lawyer, but... I'm pretty sure it's not up to you whether we have charges pressed against us. I'm pretty sure there are a lot of parties that can - and will - seek charges against us..." one of the other fishermen pointed out. "You might not want to make a promise that isn't in your power to keep..."

Mordecai looked at the fisherman who spoke. "True, but let me worry about that, OK? I intend to keep this promise to all of you. So, for now, just relax and don't worry about tomorrow, OK?"

[CyberDragon]

The twitching of her nose stops as Tigress recognizes the oddly-shaped field, immediately stepping over, leaning her full weight against the cliffside, and tenting her forearms far above the traveler to brace her weight. Her head bows down between her arms and torso to address the individual she'd mostly enclosed between the mass of rock and herself. Her enjoyment of the hunt has been silenced, replaced by the emotionless stare of a predator. She waits an extra moment, hoping for a sudden disruption in his energy hinting at sudden panic or a spike in stress. More importantly, she wanted to be sure he knew she saw him.

"One move and they won't find your pieces." She growls under her breath, completely disinterested in whether or not he can understand. Her tone is more than clear, and even if it isn't, he wouldn't have a chance to argue his case.

The sniper couldn't understand what she was saying, but it didn't really matter. Whether he wanted to move or not, the combination of Tigress's weight hitting the cliff face and the deep thundering of her voice caused the sandstone rocks to give way below him, and he found himself falling down the face of the cliff.

- - - - -

"Copy that." Ted responds, directing the driver to take the bride through the centre of the bay and over Meteor Island to save time. Once across the bay it doesn't take long to spot Tigress. With another quick call to the Colonel to determine which of the five boathouses in front of the Raskshasai is the correct one, Ted is soon on-site. He orders his military escort to guard the back entrance of the boat house and makes sure his helmet is secure before exiting the vehicle, medical bag in paw.

"Colonel, I'm here. It's Lightfoot. Have you got the door barred on your side?" he asks, knocking to announce his presence instead of simply opening the door to make sure he's not greeted with a bullet.

Once he's allowed entry he salutes the colonel and then hurries to his patient.
"Got yourself into a spot of bother, honey?" he asks the otter.

"I was injured in battle while heroically saving the city!" Ryan boasts.

"So I see. Tell me exactly what happened. And I mean about the injury, not your heroics."

"Spoilsport. AARGH!" Ryan winces as Ted gently palpates the arm.

"Sorry."

"You'll pay for that tonight." Ryan grins before blushing as he remembers the Colonel is watching.
'Erm, ahem, anyway. Had my teeth in the Leviathan's tail, it lifted me up and slammed me back into the water from, erm, I'm not sure how high. Felt like a mile up though. Landed straight on my flipper, blacked out for a moment, then Fen brought me here."

"Possible brain and spinal damage then. Did you see how high the fall was, exactly, Colonel?" Ted asks, shifting his attention from the arm to shining a light into Ryan's eyes.

"It was about three hundred meters. Frankly, I'm surprised he's not in worse shape." Heather said.

--------------------

Mordecai looked at the fisherman who spoke. "True, but let me worry about that, OK? I intend to keep this promise to all of you. So, for now, just relax and don't worry about tomorrow, OK?"

The fisherman nodded.

"Right... guess we'll cross that bridge when we come to it. But also..." he started, paused, then continued. "We never had much of a problem with Kaiju. We're fishermen, not hunters. Trust isn't really an issue here any more than it'd be with anyone else."

--------------------

Eventually Traci just ordered a soda and waited there with Julian, looking into his eyes and holding out a hand for him to hold on to.

[Welsh Halfwit]

Eventually, Julian looked up and realised time had passed. "Hmm? Oh, sorry," he said. "Lost in thoughts. Like what my parents would have said if they'd seen e this morning." He grimaced. "They weren't exactly the turn from a fight when hit sort. Anyway... What's recommended?"

[DdeeStar]

The sniper couldn't understand what she was saying, but it didn't really matter. Whether he wanted to move or not, the combination of Tigress's weight hitting the cliff face and the deep thundering of her voice caused the sandstone rocks to give way below him, and he found himself falling down the face of the cliff.

It takes the towering Kaiju a moment to realize that the tiny monster is moving again. Retreating, kind of. He's so small that it's easy to miss. She snaps to moving, her arms sliding down the rock face to lace her massive claws together under him, just stopping herself from clapping her backward hands together. It'd be an easy accident, but still, she'd rather catch him alive. Maybe get a chance to help interrogate him. "Hey! Stay still!"

[Hlaoroo]

Ted whistles.
"That's quite a height, even for most kaiju. Definitely have to consider brain and spinal damage. Any numbness or tingling?"
"Nope. Just in my messed-up arm."
"Well, I'd expect it there. Can you feel me touching here? Or here? Or here?" the doctor asks, working his way up Ryan's legs and sides. The otter confirms that he can feel it all.
"Well, it seems on the surface that you were very lucky." the hare says, drawing on his power.
"Okay, now I feel tingly and cool."
"Yep, that's my power. Hold still and be quiet for a moment." Ted instructs and the otter complies.
"Okay. I don't know how you did it but your flipper is the worst of it. Possibly the Leviathan's tail hit the water first and the downwards motion from that moved enough water and created enough of an air bubble to cushion you a bit. You have no spinal damage but I definitely think you're concussed. I want to get you back to the base and put you in an MRI just to make sure there's nothing more serious going on up there. For now though, I can at least stop the pain." Ted says. Bringing his power to bear again, Ryan feels the coolness spreading through his injured limb, and then it jerks back into place with an audible pop. The otter groans in pain at the movement and then sighs in relief as the strained nerves and muscles relax and the broken bones knit back together.
"Oh, that's MUCH better!" the otter exclaims, testing the arm gently. "Why the MRI though? Can't you heal the concussion here?"
"I can and I did, but brains are tricky things. I always like to double check to make sure I haven't missed anything and that everything has healed properly."
"That makes sense."
"Does anyone else need help while I'm here? Was anyone else injured? Colonel, Fen, are you both all right?"

[SeanWolf]

The fisherman nodded.

"Right... guess we'll cross that bridge when we come to it. But also..." he started, paused, then continued. "We never had much of a problem with Kaiju. We're fishermen, not hunters. Trust isn't really an issue here any more than it'd be with anyone else."

Mordecai nodded at the fishermen's mentioning of having no issues with Kaiju before leaving the tent. As he stepped outside, what they said soon raised some suspicion in his mind: If they never had issues, why did they take the money? Something was, pun not intended, smelling fishy about this situation and he had a feeling it had something to do with the Crater City Council, but he couldn't say with certainty nor could he say this was the proof he needed. For all he knew, the person behind this could very well be some random kaiju hater who wanted to raise a ruckus. Whatever the reason was and whoever was behind this, Mordecai knew they had to be stopped but, without the proper evidence, all anyone had was the word of the fishermen.

[CyberDragon]

Eventually, Julian looked up and realised time had passed. "Hmm? Oh, sorry," he said. "Lost in thoughts. Like what my parents would have said if they'd seen e this morning." He grimaced. "They weren't exactly the turn from a fight when hit sort. Anyway... What's recommended?"

"I'd say everything's good, but I'm biased." the eagle chuckled. "The milkshakes are always popular. Just finished baking some fresh sourdough, so the Crater City Melt is great if you like a lot of cheese. Breakfast items are served all day, if the clock doesn't dissuade you from eggy toast or an omelet."

--------------------

It takes the towering Kaiju a moment to realize that the tiny monster is moving again. Retreating, kind of. He's so small that it's easy to miss. She snaps to moving, her arms sliding down the rock face to lace her massive claws together under him, just stopping herself from clapping her backward hands together. It'd be an easy accident, but still, she'd rather catch him alive. Maybe get a chance to help interrogate him. "Hey! Stay still!"

The sniper falls, tumbling down the rocky cliff face until smacking into the enormous cat's hands. Tigress might be able to tell from the impact that he had fallen, and from his lack of movement that he was now unconscious.

--------------------

Ted whistles.
"That's quite a height, even for most kaiju. Definitely have to consider brain and spinal damage. Any numbness or tingling?"
"Nope. Just in my messed-up arm."
"Well, I'd expect it there. Can you feel me touching here? Or here? Or here?" the doctor asks, working his way up Ryan's legs and sides. The otter confirms that he can feel it all.
"Well, it seems on the surface that you were very lucky." the hare says, drawing on his power.
"Okay, now I feel tingly and cool."
"Yep, that's my power. Hold still and be quiet for a moment." Ted instructs and the otter complies.
"Okay. I don't know how you did it but your flipper is the worst of it. Possibly the Leviathan's tail hit the water first and the downwards motion from that moved enough water and created enough of an air bubble to cushion you a bit. You have no spinal damage but I definitely think you're concussed. I want to get you back to the base and put you in an MRI just to make sure there's nothing more serious going on up there. For now though, I can at least stop the pain." Ted says. Bringing his power to bear again, Ryan feels the coolness spreading through his injured limb, and then it jerks back into place with an audible pop. The otter groans in pain at the movement and then sighs in relief as the strained nerves and muscles relax and the broken bones knit back together.
"Oh, that's MUCH better!" the otter exclaims, testing the arm gently. "Why the MRI though? Can't you heal the concussion here?"
"I can and I did, but brains are tricky things. I always like to double check to make sure I haven't missed anything and that everything has healed properly."
"That makes sense."
"Does anyone else need help while I'm here? Was anyone else injured? Colonel, Fen, are you both all right?"

"We had a witness earlier who was wounded by sniper fire. Tigress is currently hunting for the sniper, and the witness has been taken to a secure location along with a KDF agent. From what I understand, the injury was not life threatening."

[DdeeStar]

The sniper falls, tumbling down the rocky cliff face until smacking into the enormous cat's hands. Tigress might be able to tell from the impact that he had fallen, and from his lack of movement that he was now unconscious.

Her quarry vanishes against the backdrop of her hands almost immediately. Trying to track down a puny little human against the pure strength that flowed through her was pointless. He was nothingness, insignificant. She thinks he landed in her palm - maybe there was an impact? A vibration like that died in her hide quickly. Maybe it was just rocks. Tigress glares down at her hands for a moment, waiting for the monster to give some sign of life or presence, but there was nothing. She carefully pulls her arms back from the cliffside, keeping them together. There's nothing below her, from the looks of it...? He must be in her hands. That decided she slides her bottom hand around and over the left, cupping them the same way she'd hold a frog. Her head twists around as she checks for the helicopter, eventually turning back towards the boathouse. She lifts a finger, peeking into her cupped hands, then brings them down in front of her navel. "COLONEL! I CAUGHT IT!" The tower roars proudly, taking short, deliberate steps towards the building.

Mist jumps as his mother's roar pierces his surveillance (and eavesdropping). He quickly shakes it off, moving from his post to jog to the beachfront between them. With some waving, he manages to get her attention. She kneels down, leaning forward to rest her hands in the sand. Mist looks up at her, his voice raised so she can hear. "Mom, can I-?"

"Yeah, check it out." She invites, her tone hushed. "Tell me if it's one of us." A finger lifts slightly. Mist peers over the bottom hand's fingers to try to get a look at the criminal she'd found.

A small pause passes as he analyzes the slumped figure. The dark wouldn't protect others' secrets from him. The camo... a little harder to see through. He throws his arms over the finger and pulls himself a few inches higher, then releases and drops to the ground. "Human."

Her scoff is a little too loud. "Of course." He starts a response, but she shakes her head and commands "Just get Heather. And don't come back out if you don't want to be in the news." With a glance skyward he nods, speeding back to the boathouse and its protective overhang.

A moment later he's peeking in the doorway. "M- Colonel Heather? Mom has someone right outside, I think he's unconscious." He glances back up at the helicopter. If he can see it... In one swift movement he enters, closing the door behind him. "What do we do with him?"

[Hlaoroo]

"Guess I just got another patient." Ted says. He makes sure his helmet is secure before carefully poking his head out the door.
"Who've you got, Tigress?" he calls to the Rakshasa.
"Is the sniper still out here?"

[DdeeStar]

"Guess I just got another patient." Ted says. He makes sure his helmet is secure before carefully poking his head out the door.
"Who've you got, Tigress?" he calls to the Rakshasa.
"Is the sniper still out here?"

Tigress snaps to attention as the doctor's voice rings out. She sits back upright, closing the gap in her upper hand's fingers. "Think I got it." She responds, turning to look back over her shoulder for a moment. "It was hiding up there. Seems like the right place." She turns back, carefully watching as her lower hand balls into a loose fist. Her covering hand drops to the ground, used as support so she can lean and stretch her closed hand out to the building. "Haven't heard any more gunshots, but you've got better ears than mine." The outstretched hand stops a few feet before the entrance - depth perception being a struggle for her. The encaging digits open slightly, her attention locked on the exchange. "I think it's out, but it might be trying to trick us. Be careful."

[Welsh Halfwit]

"I think I shall take an Omlette," Julian opined, rubbing his hands together. "Been a while since I had eggs. Or egg substitute. ANd Tea please. I don't want to unfairly judge the coffee." He winked at Tracie.

[CyberDragon]

A moment later he's peeking in the doorway. "M- Colonel Heather? Mom has someone right outside, I think he's unconscious." He glances back up at the helicopter. If he can see it... In one swift movement he enters, closing the door behind him. "What do we do with him?"

Heather keeps her attention mostly on Ryan and Ted while she addresses Tigress and Mist. "Right then. Tigress, set him down in the sand on the beach as close to the boat house as you can get him. Gently as you can, please. He might be an enemy, but he has information we need. Once he's on the ground, I'll take it from there."

Heather turns to Mist. "Mist, see if the doctor needs your help with anything while I deal with the suspect."

--------------------

"I think I shall take an Omlette," Julian opined, rubbing his hands together. "Been a while since I had eggs. Or egg substitute. ANd Tea please. I don't want to unfairly judge the coffee." He winked at Tracie.

The diner owner nodded and took note of the orders the two made, then walked back into the kitchen to get started cooking. Meanwhile, Tracie sat across from Julian, gazing into his eyes. She studied him, a mix of curiosity, fascination, and excitement on her face. After a moment, she spoke up.

"I have so many questions... But I also don't want to pry too much. Can I ask you a few things?"

[Welsh Halfwit]

Julian sat opposite the object of his affections and wondered on the collision of fates that had brought them together. "Absolutely," he said, unsteepling his fingers. "Just so long as it's not 'when did you realise you were a Kaiju'?" He grinned.

[DdeeStar]

Heather keeps her attention mostly on Ryan and Ted while she addresses Tigress and Mist. "Right then. Tigress, set him down in the sand on the beach as close to the boat house as you can get him. Gently as you can, please. He might be an enemy, but he has information we need. Once he's on the ground, I'll take it from there."

Heather turns to Mist. "Mist, see if the doctor needs your help with anything while I deal with the suspect."

"Yeah, yeah..." The Raksasi grumbles. She could barely see the figure in her hands. It was reminiscent of catching frogs in her youth. Too much pressure around the catch and you're left with a mess instead. After a few deserted attempts she eventually manages to cradle her palms together in a V shape angled down against the ground so the creature can slide out of her grasp. She'd had to lower herself entirely, with her torso atop her folded knees on the ground. Luckily, it means her head is just above her hands during this, so she can whisper a menacing (and far too loud) message down to her prey. "If you're faking and you try to run off I'll crush you into a pulp."

The smaller cat flinches slightly as his name is called, stepping off the wall immediately. "Ah-yes Colonel!" He responds, found tailing the good doctor within the same moment. He doesn't do anything to draw attention to himself at first, merely reaching for the set of matches at his chest and coming up bare-handed. He instead runs it through his hair with a nervous sigh. His mouth opens to summarize what he saw in his mother's hands, a step towards the doctor and door readied, when both stop short. He doesn't want to be that close to him. He doesn't want the doctor's attention on him. It's a sudden cold feeling that seems to stem from his spine, like an instinctual correction to his plan. Following the hesitation, he merely moves back beside the doorframe, standing out of the way and waiting to follow the doctor to Tigress.

[Hlaoroo]

Ted glances back at Ryan and gets the nod to say the otter's okay before venturing out of the boathouse, medical kit in paw. Immediately he spots something that needs attention.
"Mist! Eyes up! Keep a lookout in case of any other snipers! Look for movement or flashes of light and tell us immediately if you see anything. Keep yourself under cover just in case but do shift up if it helps you see better."

Pulling on a fresh pair of disposable gloves, the doctor carefully approaches the prone figure. Immediately he can tell the man is awake, in pain and, more importantly, terrified. Stopping just out of reach, the hare drops his medical kit and draws his pistol.
"Colonel, he's awake. Do you have cuffs or zip ties?" he asks, not taking his eyes off the human for an instant.

"Right. Do you speak English?" he asks the man. "If you can understand me, I need you to stay perfectly still. No sudden moves. I will heal you, if you'll permit me, but I need you to stay calm and cooperate fully. You are being detained until we can verify your identity and involvement in this situation. We will use force to restrain you if necessary. You do not have to say anything but anything you do say will be taken down and used in evidence. Do you understand?" Ted keeps his pistol at the ready, visible to the man, but not pointed at him just yet, to show he's deadly serious.

[CyberDragon]

Julian sat opposite the object of his affections and wondered on the collision of fates that had brought them together. "Absolutely," he said, unsteepling his fingers. "Just so long as it's not 'when did you realise you were a Kaiju'?" He grinned.

Tracie smiles and looks at Julian, thinking about what she wanted to ask first. "What's it like when you change, if you don't mind me asking? Like, is it disorienting, suddenly being a lot taller?"

----------

"Yeah, yeah..." The Raksasi grumbles. She could barely see the figure in her hands. It was reminiscent of catching frogs in her youth. Too much pressure around the catch and you're left with a mess instead. After a few deserted attempts she eventually manages to cradle her palms together in a V shape angled down against the ground so the creature can slide out of her grasp. She'd had to lower herself entirely, with her torso atop her folded knees on the ground. Luckily, it means her head is just above her hands during this, so she can whisper a menacing (and far too loud) message down to her prey. "If you're faking and you try to run off I'll crush you into a pulp."

The smaller cat flinches slightly as his name is called, stepping off the wall immediately. "Ah-yes Colonel!" He responds, found tailing the good doctor within the same moment. He doesn't do anything to draw attention to himself at first, merely reaching for the set of matches at his chest and coming up bare-handed. He instead runs it through his hair with a nervous sigh. His mouth opens to summarize what he saw in his mother's hands, a step towards the doctor and door readied, when both stop short. He doesn't want to be that close to him. He doesn't want the doctor's attention on him. It's a sudden cold feeling that seems to stem from his spine, like an instinctual correction to his plan. Following the hesitation, he merely moves back beside the doorframe, standing out of the way and waiting to follow the doctor to Tigress.

"Right. Do you speak English?" he asks the man. "If you can understand me, I need you to stay perfectly still. No sudden moves. I will heal you, if you'll permit me, but I need you to stay calm and cooperate fully. You are being detained until we can verify your identity and involvement in this situation. We will use force to restrain you if necessary. You do not have to say anything but anything you do say will be taken down and used in evidence. Do you understand?" Ted keeps his pistol at the ready, visible to the man, but not pointed at him just yet, to show he's deadly serious.

The man was awake and responsive but seemed to speak in a hushed and hurried whisper. "Sure... ow... sure... I won't move... There is a giant freaking Tiger standing right there."

Heather came out of the building and handed some zip tie restraints to the major. "Once he's mobile, we'll take him to headquarters for questioning."

[DdeeStar]

Ted glances back at Ryan and gets the nod to say the otter's okay before venturing out of the boathouse, medical kit in paw. Immediately he spots something that needs attention.
"Mist! Eyes up! Keep a lookout in case of any other snipers! Look for movement or flashes of light and tell us immediately if you see anything. Keep yourself under cover just in case but do shift up if it helps you see better."

The young mage jumps again as his name is called, flinching back behind the doorway. It's shaken off quickly enough and he slides along the outside of the building, taking a position on the corner sheltered by the overhang. His stance lowers, slightly crouched, as he peers up into the sky and surrounding peaks. Shift up... as if. The helicopter alone was a threat, the last thing he wanted to be is a bigger target. Tigress would draw plenty of attention without him stomping around the sands. Maybe... if he could use the Shadows the way he was supposed to, he could hide the doctor. Entertaining the thought, he felt for his tail, trying to awaken his awareness of its twitches. Minor, irregular flicks. There wouldn't even be enough energy nearby to push it over the two if he knew how to. ...so there's nothing I can do but hide and watch. He told himself, abandoning the idea with a quiet relief. There'd be no point. There was enough around him for some minor tricks... and if the doctor needed to heal the man, he could hypothetically help with that. But the doctor could handle that. He was better off out of the way, shading his eyes as he peers into the distance.

"Colonel, he's awake. Do you have cuffs or zip ties?" he asks, not taking his eyes off the human for an instant.

"Right. Do you speak English?" he asks the man. "If you can understand me, I need you to stay perfectly still. No sudden moves. I will heal you, if you'll permit me, but I need you to stay calm and cooperate fully. You are being detained until we can verify your identity and involvement in this situation. We will use force to restrain you if necessary. You do not have to say anything but anything you do say will be taken down and used in evidence. Do you understand?" Ted keeps his pistol at the ready, visible to the man, but not pointed at him just yet, to show he's deadly serious.

Tigress's ears twitch attentively at Ted's words. Was it alive? Really? She'd actually tried to keep it alive, but that was easier said than done for someone of her size.

The man was awake and responsive but seemed to speak in a hushed and hurried whisper. "Sure... ow... sure... I won't move... There is a giant freaking Tiger standing right there."

Heather came out of the building and handed some zip tie restraints to the major. "Once he's mobile, we'll take him to headquarters for questioning."

The giant freaking Tiger grins as her commanding officer interacts with the group below her. She just manages to stop herself from asking to be part of the torture session - that annoying fly was still watching, or at least she thought it was. She instead slowly sits up, glancing above her to make sure she doesn't accidentally nudge it and cause a crash. That would definitely be blamed on her, despite them flying in what was literally her airspace. Once upright she stares down at the ground, counting the Life fields to make sure no one else was crashing the party. There were more than she knew, but most seemed under control.

[SeanWolf]

"Landon, take over for a bit and make sure the fishermen are in my office then. I'm heading back to Crater City to see if I can lend a hand." Lt. Landon nodded, noting the subtle hand signals he was giving him and understanding what he meant, as Mordecai made his way to the bay, diving back in and re-emerging as Sleipnir and walking back to the city. As he walked through the waves, his thoughts returned to the fishermen and what they told him, once again asking if they never had issues, why did they take the money? For that matter, there was something about said fishermen that seemed off. Something wasn't adding up and he was determined to get to the bottom of it. Right now, there was only three facts he knew: The Crater City Council did not care for kaijus, even those in power like him, the fishermen were paid to summon a rogue kaiju, and someone paid a sniper to take out the fishermen. He had theories as to how they could be linked and theories as to how they couldn't, but that was all he had: Theories. Theories that would not hold up in a supreme court, let alone a small town court. If I could look at that boat they were on and see if there was any sort of clue, he thought before shaking it off, thinking they'd probably have kept any documents at their home and not on the boat. Still, his mind was racing with the events of the day as he got closer to Crater City, unaware of what had currently transpired in his absence.

[Hlaoroo]

Ted double checks to make sure the colonel and Rakshasi are covering him before holstering his weapon and picking up his medical bag again.
"Okay. Where does it hurt? Can you feel this? This? This?" he asks, gently touching the sniper's feet, legs, sides, arms and torso to check for a lack of sensation that might indicate spinal damage.

[Welsh Halfwit]

Julian thought on how to reply to that. "It's... like a stream becoming a river,"" he said enigmatically. "Right at the point where one becomes the other there's, like, an explosion of energy. The water gets faster, deeper. You can't hear the trickle you were over the roar of what you are. You really have to concentrate. I used to look down, all the time, to make sure I wasn't stepping on anyone in the time I was still with the parents and training. I did learn that, if you shift up in the street? Remember that the road is a lot wider if you're facing one of the sides." A warm smile. "Having a building slam into your leg isn't fun. and, as for disorientation? Can you believe I used to have vertigo?"

[CyberDragon]

Julian thought on how to reply to that. "It's... like a stream becoming a river,"" he said enigmatically. "Right at the point where one becomes the other there's, like, an explosion of energy. The water gets faster, deeper. You can't hear the trickle you were over the roar of what you are. You really have to concentrate. I used to look down, all the time, to make sure I wasn't stepping on anyone in the time I was still with the parents and training. I did learn that, if you shift up in the street? Remember that the road is a lot wider if you're facing one of the sides." A warm smile. "Having a building slam into your leg isn't fun. and, as for disorientation? Can you believe I used to have vertigo?"

Tracie nods. "I believe it! Like standing up too quick, only times a few hundred. I also got vertigo for a while when I first started rock climbing. I got over it eventually though, but it took some practice."

She smiles. "Now though, I love seeing what everything looks like from way up high. I once even tried to climb the O'Connor building, but I got caught when I got to the third story and they made me come back down."

--------------------

Ted double checks to make sure the colonel and Rakshasi are covering him before holstering his weapon and picking up his medical bag again.
"Okay. Where does it hurt? Can you feel this? This? This?" he asks, gently touching the sniper's feet, legs, sides, arms and torso to check for a lack of sensation that might indicate spinal damage.

The giant freaking Tiger grins as her commanding officer interacts with the group below her. She just manages to stop herself from asking to be part of the torture session - that annoying fly was still watching, or at least she thought it was. She instead slowly sits up, glancing above her to make sure she doesn't accidentally nudge it and cause a crash. That would definitely be blamed on her, despite them flying in what was literally her airspace. Once upright she stares down at the ground, counting the Life fields to make sure no one else was crashing the party. There were more than she knew, but most seemed under control.

With further tests, Ted would find that the man's injuries were not life threatening, but he did have a pelvic fracture and a broken femur.

"Major, can he be moved? If so, we need to get him back to the medical facility at Headquarters. I don't want to take any more chances by lingering here long. I'm surprised we don't already have a ton of gawkers given the Leviathan and Tigress here." Heather said.

Heather turned to call up to Tigress. "Rakshasi! Time to return to base! Fenrir, lead the way. I'll stay with the Major."

Fenrir nods and turns to Mist. He dives into the water and swims out a ways before shifting up into his full size and emerging from the ocean surface.

"Tigress, you should carry Mist with you. At least until we are out of sight."

[DdeeStar]

With further tests, Ted would find that the man's injuries were not life threatening, but he did have a pelvic fracture and a broken femur.

"Major, can he be moved? If so, we need to get him back to the medical facility at Headquarters. I don't want to take any more chances by lingering here long. I'm surprised we don't already have a ton of gawkers given the Leviathan and Tigress here." Heather said.

Heather turned to call up to Tigress. "Rakshasi! Time to return to base! Fenrir, lead the way. I'll stay with the Major."

Fenrir nods and turns to Mist. He dives into the water and swims out a ways before shifting up into his full size and emerging from the ocean surface.

"Tigress, you should carry Mist with you. At least until we are out of sight."

A mass of fur brushes the ground as she hears her name. Her tail, flicking back to attention before the rest of her, and creating a miniature new sand dune at the end of the disruption. She barely recognizes the sensation of contact through her hide. "Oh, we're done. Got it." She peers down at the crowd again, bringing a hand up and taking to one knee to look for the shadowy cat amongst them. "Mist? You want to walk or do you want me to bring you?"

Luckily for her, Mist's vanishing act had ended by the time he first heard his name echo through the air. Tigress's call had only served to return the pinpricks to his spine. Why was it that when he tried to hide everyone suddenly wanted to yell at him? He was done. Everything was fine, or at least not things he could make better. At least they were finally leaving. He releases a held breath, taking a few steps towards the monster. Without bothering to crane his neck upwards he calls out "Down here!"

Eventually her sweeping gaze coordinates with her other senses, letting her triangulate the tiny source of the voice. She lays a hand down on the ground in front of him. "I'm bringing you? Alright." Watching him clamber up into her palm, it doesn't escape her just how frazzled he's getting. It wasn't clear why, exactly, but he definitely wasn't taking this whole thing as well as she was. Once he finally settles (after some difficulty figuring out how he was supposed to position himself for the ride), sitting with his legs crossed, she hushes her voice to ask "You alright bud?"

Mist doesn't answer right away. The question... seemed to hurt, almost? It was hard to explain. He didn't want to think about it. Not that he really had to, the entire day since he woke up had been one giant disaster. Not that that was new, but it was more disaster than it ever had been. "I- can we just get back? Please?"

Tigress watches him for another moment, then eventually closes her other hand over him. She can feel the tension ease in her son's frame, out of sight and in her hands. A pang of guilt sweeps through her, something she's not quite sure how to handle and definitely not ready to right now. With a quick shake of her head the frown is replaced by a sterner expression, then she takes to her feet to pursue her new comrade. "We're right behind you." One ear flicks and her attention briefly returns to the shore proper, back to the thinning crowd. "Hey, are the news... guys going to follow us? Should I shoo them off if they try to come with?"

[Hlaoroo]

Seeing that the man's arms and spine are uninjured, Ted zip ties his wrists together before beginning the healing.
"He can move now." he answers the colonel after a few moments. "He had a broken pelvis and femur and I've healed the damage there so he won't bleed out or lose function. He can heal his own scrapes and bruises though. As in, the normal way. He's not a kaiju and doesn't have powers." The major applies dressings to the worst of the scrapes before hauling the man back to his feet.
"Taking him in the chopper, or shall I give him to the MPs waiting outside?"

~~~~~~~~
Ryan continues to wait patiently on the work table in the boat shed.

[CyberDragon]

Heather turned her comms on to talk to Mist and Tigress.

"They won't follow you if you take the tunnels. Fenrir! Guide Tigress through them back to base."

The enormous werebeast nodded and waded through the shallows off the coast, guiding the way back to the tunnels he and Tigress had come through. Meanwhile, Heather turned back to address Ted.

"If he's good to walk, he's good to run. If we hand him off to the MT's, I'm going with them. Ted, is Ryan good ok to be moved?"

--------------------

Meanwhile, Fenrir continued to run through the tunnels, taking care not to get too far ahead of Tigress. Whenever he had to make a turn, he made sure Tigress could see where he went. Whether he knew much about Tigress's sight or not, he knew the tunnels were old, with many different routes. Many lead to different sites around the Crater Bay area, while some sections were blocked or even submerged. Eventually, however, with how large the two were, they reached the exit in the mountains west of Crater City. Once they got there, Fenrir shifted back down to his disguised size.

"Alright. We're clear. It's best to shift down here and hike up to the town. It'll be hard to get your footing otherwise."

[DdeeStar]

The demon's gaze lingers a moment after the answer. It felt uncanny, this new stillness. Decades of battle resided in her muscles, and those memories called for a celebration. The battle was over and they'd won. Clearly, they'd won. But no one seemed to appreciate it. ...maybe later. She considers, turning to Fenrir's escaping form. When we're with friends instead of vultures. Loud splashes begin as she starts her chase, raising her knees high in a ridiculous sight as she tries to find a way to run through the water.

Tigress breathes a sigh of relief as they enter the tunnels, ears and tail twitching backwards one last time. The electricity it sent through her veins would dissipate quickly, leaving her more drained than she expected. It wasn't helped by the sudden (relative) sensory deprivation as cool stone and earth surrounded her, only the shining Life before her and the one in her hands there to really distract. Her own shallow breaths rushing past the walls and the depth of the echoes of her steps would show her the walls enough to avoid bumping into them, but the oddity of being inside in this form would take much longer to allow her any comfort here.

Sheltered in her grasp, her young son lies still, eyes open in the darkness as he tries to reach some state of composure - one that evades him tirelessly. Even in the dark, in what is likely the safest location he can be, there's no peace. He's not even given the privilege of racing thoughts to try to sort. They're beyond his reach. His body fights for light, sound, smells - his ears perked up against the flesh floor, listening to the pounding of a massive heart and thunderous footfalls. The dull ache in his flank from his self-inflicted wound doesn't bother him, nor do the scabs of the day prior's, but they ward off any chance at rest. Why? This was normal. He was always hurt in one way or another. It was as though something was chaining him to reality, to consciousness, and he didn't like it. The many minutes of travel dragged on as he drew in one deep breath after another.
----------
Finally, the party reaches their exit. Tigress comes to a slow stop, watching Fenrir shift down with a mild curiosity. There wasn't much to see from her end. The combination of flesh-grinding and bone-cracking painted the same Life in a smaller Pool, a little more vulnerable but far more able than most his size. Softly, she warns her son with a whisper, trying not to cause a deafening echo down the halls. "Mist? I have to put you down now. You up?" Some sensation of movement hidden inside leads her to believe so, and she slowly takes a knee. The cupped hands lower to the ground, bumping it before the roof comes off.

Mist shakily manages to take to his feet on the uneven ground. He brings a hand to his head, gritting his teeth in some invisible discomfort as he begins a clumsy gait towards the edge. Tigress quickly realizes he's lacking his normal grace, whispering to ground control "Hey, can you help him down?" as Mist approaches the edge.

The cat's fangs flash as he hears the request, glaring down at the stranger. He commands, with a hiss, "Stay AWAY from me." His pace increases, forceful, as he almost leaps down to the ground, the momentum carrying him several steps away before he spins around to keep an eye on the other two, his scowl replaced by an exhausted frown and his attention somewhere between them.

Tigress watches with some confusion, unable to hear more than the sound of the cutting S in his remark. Not something she was about to grill him over here, and definitely not while hundreds of feet taller than him. Bringing her hands back up, she joins them in her traditional gesture, a deep breath preceding her own loud crackling and shrinking. Seconds pass in observation before she's back in working order, shown by a long overhead stretch and yawn from the feline. "Allllllright. Good workout today, huh?" She asks the group, a small grin on her face as she eyes Fenrir. Mist, arms crossed over his chest in an X, doesn't care to respond - or even look at her, turning instead to the exit.

[Hlaoroo]

Ted glances back at the otter hiding from the helicopters in the boat shed who gives him a thumbs up.
"Yes, ma'am. Ryan is good to be moved." he confirms, keeping a firm grip on the captive and awaiting further orders as, after all, this is still technically a combat situation.