Non-HPU: Crater City

Post by **SeanWolf** » Tue Jan 21, 2020 10:04 am

Hlaoroo wrote:Preparing to open the door for the horse, the driver stops half in and half out of the car, looking shocked.
"Um... Gee. Thank you, sir!" he says, straightening up and taking the sandwich with a grateful smile.
"My lunch break isn't until two so it's usually a long morning unless I can sneak something in between trips." he explains, unwrapping the sandwich.
"But please, don't think badly of Master Ryan, sir. He treats us all very well, really, and we're generously remunerated too." the driver hurries to assure his passenger, before pausing and pulling some cash from his pocket.
"Oh, here. And thanks again!"

Mordecai smiles and tells the driver, "Your meal has already been paid for, so you don't have to worry about paying me" before heading back inside to Titus and Ryan.

Post by **CyberDragon** » Tue Jan 21, 2020 12:39 pm

DdeeStar wrote:His face turns to disgust. "In a heartbeat. Those guys are jerks." He crosses his arms. Tigress nudges him, and he continues "And yeah, against family too. This is my home. And while I myself haven't had a lot of great experiences with non-Kaiju, they're certainly necessary. Plus it's not fair for someone as impulsive as mom to be allowed to kill thousands." He sticks his tongue out at her, and she swipes his hat with a cocky grin. "Hey!" Tigress and Mist both distract themselves with the silly game as he tries to snatch it back off her head. Neither want to consider how a fight would go, especially since if something drove Tigress that far she'd easily crush Mist along with the city.

"Why thanks. I'm glad my existence has been deemed 'necessary'." Heather quipped.

Welsh Halfwit wrote:"Personal opinion," Julian said, waiting a moment after Mist, "I'd prefer not to fight. I have very little interest in war. But the Defence part? Getting the Humans and Zoomorphs out of harm's way? That I can do willingly."

"Unless you're joining the KDF, you shouldn't have to worry about that." Heather said as they continued to drive. "But a lot of what the KDF does is unrelated to fighting. Construction, counter-fire measures, and disaster relief are all things we help out with."

The group continued traveling through the tunnel when finally a light could be seen towards the end of it. "We're almost there." she said. The light grew brighter as they got closer, and they emerged from the tunnel into what looked like a wide open military checkpoint. Two helipads flanked the entrance to the tunnel on the right and the left. A couple of trucks carrying supplies entered and exited from the mountain road leading up to the tunnel mouth. The main area in front of the tunnel was large and wide open, able to accommodate a Kaiju of even Tigress's size. Heather drove across the main platform and took a right at the mountain road, heading uphill.

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

Hlaoroo wrote:"Hey, I'm a sea otter! Eating fish is in my blood! What's his excuse?" Ryan jokes, ignoring the stares from the onlookers shocked at the sheer volume of food he's putting away.

"You're a Zoomorph. I'm closer related to you than you are to a sea otter." Titus grinned. "So if it's in your blood, it's in mine too." he laughed.

Titus looked to see if anyone was listening, then he leaned in to Ryan and whispered to him. "I'm also several times your size and have two stomachs and a crop to fill, so I suppose that's the real excuse."

SeanWolf wrote:Mordecai smiles and tells the driver, "Your meal has already been paid for, so you don't have to worry about paying me" before heading back inside to Titus and Ryan.

Titus watched Mordecai walk back into the restaurant. "Hey, whenever you two are ready, just let me know."

DdeeStar · Post by **DdeeStar** » Tue Jan 21, 2020 1:37 pm

CyberDragon wrote: "Why thanks. I'm glad my existence has been deemed 'necessary'." Heather quipped.

Mist turns his focus back to Heather, looking abashed. "Sorry, I just don't like being insincere. I'm pretty neutral towards others. I'd be doing this more for the rare normals like you and Titus than for the general population." With that said and Tigress distracted by the conversation, he swipes his hat back and places it on his head. She flicks at it once more, then they both turn to look at the scenery outside. Tigress flinches and covers her eyes as they reenter the light, muttering grumpily about the life everywhere. Mist doesn't react, just looks around quickly as he tries to see as much as he can before they fly by.

Deske · Post by **Deske** » Tue Jan 21, 2020 1:52 pm

"'Giant fox saves hundreds' has a pretty good ring to it if you ask me," Gregg said, turneing from looking out the windows to looking at the vehicles occupants, "If you guys have a reserve unit I'd be down to enlist for that. With my normal job, be on call, decide to be in the military for a couple of weeks, then back to letting out suits for people richer than I. Sounds like a good deal if it exists."

Welsh Halfwit · Post by **Welsh Halfwit** » Tue Jan 21, 2020 3:28 pm

"Y'know, you're right, Gregg," Julian remarked, "it DOES sound cool. But would you date one?" He sighed. "If I did get close to Tracie I'd have to tell her. Bet that'd change things..." He perked up as he registered the rest of what Gregg had said. "I'm always up for earning extra cash. I'm only holding down a part time thing now..."

Citrisfur · Post by **Citrisfur** » Tue Jan 21, 2020 3:53 pm

Foxfan2164 wrote:"No its fine you didn't take long." Hyper replied with a smile. "Now what was the thing you wanted to test out?"

"Okay, don't freak out, but look what happens when I hold out my paw," Lyncus starts, holding out her paw. Absolutely nothing happens, and she looks at it in pure confusion before holding out her other paw as well, still nothing happening. "Wait, hold on... I got it... this worked last time..."

Foxfan2164 · Post by **Foxfan2164** » Tue Jan 21, 2020 3:59 pm

"Umm what happened before when you held out your paw like that?" Hyper asked. "Did like something come out or something formed?" he added on, confused.

Citrisfur · Post by **Citrisfur** » Tue Jan 21, 2020 4:46 pm

Foxfan2164 wrote:"Umm what happened before when you held out your paw like that?" Hyper asked. "Did like something come out or something formed?" he added on, confused.

"Yeah, there was an orb and it had information on it and why won't it work now?" she asks, now fully frustrated as she shakes her empty paw up and down. The moment she stops due to exhaustion, her orb then forms, immediately shooting a dark, red light straight down. When it hits the ground below, it dissapears and leaves the contacted grass singed. The orb remains, sitting in Lyncus's paw once more. After a few moments of stunned silence, staring at the smoking pile of charred grass, she drops her paw and looks up at Hyper.

"Um, that's new. I wasn't expecting that to happen."

Foxfan2164 · Post by **Foxfan2164** » Tue Jan 21, 2020 4:59 pm

"Uhhh... Has this happened before? Not the laser but the orb, did you know you could do that?" Hyper askes, surprised by the beam of light that burned the grass. "Don't you think you could be a kaiju?" he askes jokingly while trying to be serious at the same time.

Post by **CyberDragon** » Tue Jan 21, 2020 5:32 pm

DdeeStar wrote:Mist turns his focus back to Heather, looking abashed. "Sorry, I just don't like being insincere. I'm pretty neutral towards others. I'd be doing this more for the rare normals like you and Titus than for the general population." With that said and Tigress distracted by the conversation, he swipes his hat back and places it on his head. She flicks at it once more, then they both turn to look at the scenery outside. Tigress flinches and covers her eyes as they reenter the light, muttering grumpily about the life everywhere. Mist doesn't react, just looks around quickly as he tries to see as much as he can before they fly by.

"Right... Titus..." Heather said. Mist would learn soon if he still decided to go with the KDF that Titus was actually Wildfire, but she didn't want to reveal that information about her partner in the event he changed his mind.

The group continued up the mountain pass through the forest when they came across a clearing in the trees next to the road. The ground shook subtly, sending small rocks rolling down the hill to their right. Heather pointed out the window to draw the attention of the others to what was going on. There were rolling hills in the distance filled with plant and animal life. Before them lay a large valley. A lake lay at the bottom, fed by a river and some streams from the snow-capped peaks. That wasn't all that was out there. Flying high in the sky, two massive Kaiju sparred. One was a golden yellow dragon. It's back was covered with thick, frizzed out fur. The other Kaiju, a bipedal gryphon appearing to be a cross between a Native American Thunderbird and a Manticore, with a lion's body and a spiked scorpion tail. The dragon's furry mane crackled with electricity as it flew overhead. A bolt of lightning shot down at the Manticore gryphon, who held up a rock to deflect it. The Manticore then hurled the boulder straight at the dragon, who dived out of the way and swung up, tackling the Manticore to the ground, causing the earth to shake even from several miles away, where Heather and the others were driving.

"Combat training. The attacks those two are throwing around aren't enough to hurt each other." Heather said as the car passed through more trees which blocked the view of the fight. Up ahead, a waterfall flowed down the cliff face to the right and passed under a bridge. As they drove over it, Heather pointed out the window again. "Though some just come out here to relax." She said.

Sitting under the waterfall, relaxing as the water washed over him, was another Kaiju. Bipedal, with a scaly hide, dragon-like tail, large black wings, and face adorned with a beard of tentacles, the Kaiju below them bore a strong resemblance to Cthulhu before he too was out of sight and the truck continued along the road.

Citrisfur · Post by **Citrisfur** » Wed Jan 22, 2020 3:36 am

Foxfan2164 wrote:"Uhhh... Has this happened before? Not the laser but the orb, did you know you could do that?" Hyper askes, surprised by the beam of light that burned the grass. "Don't you think you could be a kaiju?" he askes jokingly while trying to be serious at the same time.

"No, no no nono," Lyncus says quickly, shaking her head. "Neither of my parents are Kaiju, so I can't be one. Besides, aren't Kaiju Kaiju because they can grow big and all? I've never had that happen before."

Post by **Hlaoroo** » Wed Jan 22, 2020 9:04 am

The driver thanks the Clydesdale again before tucking into his meal.

~~~~~~~~
"Wait, dragons are like birds? Who knew?" Ryan whispers back, hiding the question slightly from anyone that might be trying to listen by wiping his mouth with his napkin as he speaks. He makes a mental note to ask more about dragon anatomy later in a more private setting.

CyberDragon wrote:Titus watched Mordecai walk back into the restaurant. "Hey, whenever you two are ready, just let me know."

"*burp* 'Scuse me! I'm ready if you guys are!" the sea otter stands, dropping the dirty napkin onto his plethora of plates.

DdeeStar · Post by **DdeeStar** » Wed Jan 22, 2020 9:12 am

Environment by CyberDragon wrote:*Everything that's happening outside the car*

Mist stares slack-jawed at the splendor of both the incredible scenery and the massive beasts roaming freely, almost pressed against the window for a better view. He's at a complete loss for words. Tigress sits forward in her seat eagerly, watching the energy fields of the battle be created, tapped, and smashed into each other as the fight goes on. She wants to jump into the fight with every ounce of her being, but there's no way that would end well so she holds herself in her seat by gripping the cushion with both hands. She'll have to be satisfied just watching. She speaks with an almost childish excitement. "By the stars, what I wouldn't give to have a fight like that! Look at that power!"

Post by **SeanWolf** » Wed Jan 22, 2020 9:57 am

CyberDragon wrote:Titus watched Mordecai walk back into the restaurant. "Hey, whenever you two are ready, just let me know."

"I'm done with my meal," Mordecai replies as he sits back down.

Welsh Halfwit · Post by **Welsh Halfwit** » Wed Jan 22, 2020 12:49 pm

Julian watched the scenery more than he did the fight. Of course it was of interest but he much preferred the open landscape. Of course these were legends (and not just in name) and he'd probably enjoy meeting them on a social level.

Deske · Post by **Deske** » Wed Jan 22, 2020 2:33 pm

Gregg also turned to stare out the window as they passed. More excited about the wide open space and the gorgeous scenery than with the fight, he gave a low whistle as they turned the bend, leaving it behind. "I'm gonna have to remember this place for when I need a break from life."

Post by **CyberDragon** » Wed Jan 22, 2020 5:13 pm

Hlaoroo wrote:"*burp* 'Scuse me! I'm ready if you guys are!" the sea otter stands, dropping the dirty napkin onto his plethora of plates.

SeanWolf wrote:"I'm done with my meal," Mordecai replies as he sits back down.

Titus smiled and nodded. He turned and addressed Fredrick. "Hey, Fred, would you mind giving us the grand tour of the place?" Titus asked.

Fredrick grinned broadly. "Of course!" He set the glass he was cleaning onto a drying rack. He walked over to a door that appeared to lead into the kitchens, and opened it. "follow me, please!" he said.

Titus cleaned up the table and followed Fredrick through the door.

- - -

After everyone followed Titus and Fredrick into the back, the shop owner lead them through the kitchen. Fredrick's employees were quite busy fixing food, and the smell of cooking filled the room. Fredrick lead the group to a door in the back. He opened it up, lead the group through, and then shut it so nobody would hear or disturb them.

The room Titus, Ryan, and Mordecai found themselves in was a small room with towels and lockers for personal items. There were a couple of changing curtains in one of the corners, and there was some kind of hatch in the floor. Fredrick opened the hatch and pulled up a ladder leading down into the bay under the pier. "You'll be entering and exiting the bay through here." Fredrick said. "Rules: Don't shift until you're in open water. If you shift without having the room to do so, you could seriously damage the pier. Don't go near any fishing areas. If you get caught in a net, you could drag the fishing boat under. Watch out for divers. I have towels for you to dry off when you get out of the water, and there are some brand new swimsuits in the lockers if you need them. When you shift back, anything you're wearing will end up getting wet."

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

DdeeStar wrote:Mist stares slack-jawed at the splendor of both the incredible scenery and the massive beasts roaming freely, almost pressed against the window for a better view. He's at a complete loss for words. Tigress sits forward in her seat eagerly, watching the energy fields of the battle be created, tapped, and smashed into each other as the fight goes on. She wants to jump into the fight with every ounce of her being, but there's no way that would end well so she holds herself in her seat by gripping the cushion with both hands. She'll have to be satisfied just watching. She speaks with an almost childish excitement. "By the stars, what I wouldn't give to have a fight like that! Look at that power!"

Welsh Halfwit wrote:Julian watched the scenery more than he did the fight. Of course it was of interest but he much preferred the open landscape. Of course these were legends (and not just in name) and he'd probably enjoy meeting them on a social level.

Deske wrote:Gregg also turned to stare out the window as they passed. More excited about the wide open space and the gorgeous scenery than with the fight, he gave a low whistle as they turned the bend, leaving it behind. "I'm gonna have to remember this place for when I need a break from life."

"I will say that living in a majority-Kaiju town this close to such an open valley, there's never a dull moment." Heather said. As she was speaking, as though on cue, a colossal boulder the size of a house flew through the air and slammed into the cliff side above the road about a quarter mile down the path. The boulder fell, blocking the road, and was immediately followed up by the cliff face sliding down and covering the boulder with mud, dirt, and rocks.

Heather threw on the breaks, grumbling. "Good timing..." she said, sarcastically. Heather opened up the door and pulled her phone out of her pocket. She wordlessly started dialing a number on it. "I'll handle this..." She said to the passengers in the truck.

Post by **SeanWolf** » Wed Jan 22, 2020 5:29 pm

"I'm sorry," Mordecai said after Fredrick gave the rules, while he stood at the door, "But I rather swim with the people I protect and as myself, not as a Kaiju," Looking over at both Titus and Ryan, he adds, "My apologies if I came off as a bit of a..what's that term...a 'party pooper' during our interactions today, but we Tikbalang have our reasons for what we do," before looking over at Fredrick and saying, "Still, thank you for the meal. The soup was delightful and the shrimp was decent but lacking in a few areas."

Welsh Halfwit · Post by **Welsh Halfwit** » Wed Jan 22, 2020 5:41 pm

"Sure you don't need help," Julian asked, before grimacing and looking at the others. "Who the heck am I kidding? Probably got a guy big enough he can use a dustpan and brush on that lot!"

Foxfan2164 · Post by **Foxfan2164** » Wed Jan 22, 2020 5:48 pm

Citrisfur wrote:
Foxfan2164 wrote:"Uhhh... Has this happened before? Not the laser but the orb, did you know you could do that?" Hyper askes, surprised by the beam of light that burned the grass. "Don't you think you could be a kaiju?" he askes jokingly while trying to be serious at the same time.
"No, no no nono," Lyncus says quickly, shaking her head. "Neither of my parents are Kaiju, so I can't be one. Besides, aren't Kaiju Kaiju because they can grow big and all? I've never had that happen before."

"Well there is no other way of getting those kinds of powers without being a Kaiju." Hyper tells Lyncus truthfully. "Isn't it possible that might've skipped a generation or so?" he then asked. "Or you can try to grow big as you said to really see if you're a kaiju." he added on with a cheeky smile.

DdeeStar · Post by **DdeeStar** » Wed Jan 22, 2020 7:27 pm

CyberDragon wrote: "I will say that living in a majority-Kaiju town this close to such an open valley, there's never a dull moment." Heather said. As she was speaking, as though on cue, a colossal boulder the size of a house flew through the air and slammed into the cliff side above the road about a quarter mile down the path. The boulder fell, blocking the road, and was immediately followed up by the cliff face sliding down and covering the boulder with mud, dirt, and rocks.

Heather threw on the breaks, grumbling. "Good timing..." she said, sarcastically. Heather opened up the door and pulled her phone out of her pocket. She wordlessly started dialing a number on it. "I'll handle this..." She said to the passengers in the truck.

"A Kaiju-dominant town? That exists?" Mist asks quietly, looking almost hurt towards Tigress. She shrugs in response.

"I didn't know. Don't think we could've lived here though-" She glances towards Heather to make sure she's not listening, and mutters almost inaudibly "-we aren't legal citizens anywhere. You don't even have a birth certificate." He nods as he's reminded of why he was homeschooled so long. In an effort to draw attention away from their suddenly silent conversation, he changes the subject.

"Why don't you offer to clear the road? You've still got a bunch of power energy, right?"

"And a bit of heat, but I could do this with my hands alone. I'm not going to shift though, if that meter thing doesn't tell her how strong I am I don't want her to know. Just to be safe. They might try to force my hand, and I said I wasn't getting involved." She narrows her eyes. "Which is going great so far."

Post by **CyberDragon** » Wed Jan 22, 2020 9:21 pm

SeanWolf wrote:"I'm sorry," Mordecai said after Fredrick gave the rules, while he stood at the door, "But I rather swim with the people I protect and as myself, not as a Kaiju," Looking over at both Titus and Ryan, he adds, "My apologies if I came off as a bit of a..what's that term...a 'party pooper' during our interactions today, but we Tikbalang have our reasons for what we do," before looking over at Fredrick and saying, "Still, thank you for the meal. The soup was delightful and the shrimp was decent but lacking in a few areas."

"Oh..." Titus said, looking rather disappointed. "I'm... sorry. I thought I was clear what we were going to be doing. At least, as clear as I could be."

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

Welsh Halfwit wrote:"Sure you don't need help," Julian asked, before grimacing and looking at the others. "Who the heck am I kidding? Probably got a guy big enough he can use a dustpan and brush on that lot!"

DdeeStar wrote:"A Kaiju-dominant town? That exists?" Mist asks quietly, looking almost hurt towards Tigress. She shrugs in response.

"I didn't know. Don't think we could've lived here though-" She glances towards Heather to make sure she's not listening, and mutters almost inaudibly "-we aren't legal citizens anywhere. You don't even have a birth certificate." He nods as he's reminded of why he was homeschooled so long. In an effort to draw attention away from their suddenly silent conversation, he changes the subject.

"Why don't you offer to clear the road? You've still got a bunch of power energy, right?"

"And a bit of heat, but I could do this with my hands alone. I'm not going to shift though, if that meter thing doesn't tell her how strong I am I don't want her to know. Just to be safe. They might try to force my hand, and I said I wasn't getting involved." She narrows her eyes. "Which is going great so far."

Heather didn't give any indication that she heard what the people in the car were talking about. Instead, she spoke into her phone. "ATTEN-TION!" She bellowed into the phone. Her voice boomed and echoed throughout the valley, projected by high-powered speaker pylons distributed across the surrounding mountains. The two fighting Kaiju stopped fighting immediately. The Manticore Gryphon stood at attention while the lightning dragon landed and sat up straight. The Cthulhu-like Kaiju's eyes opened, and he stood up, his head towering above the road.

Heather held the phone up again. "MANTIS! THUNDERSTORM! FRONT AND CENTER!" Her voice echoed once more. The dragon stood up, and the two fighting Kaiju moved over to the cliff the road was on. They stood once more at attention. "CONGRATULATIONS. YOU TWO ARE NOW ON CLEANUP DUTY!" Heather ordered, pointing to the pile of debris. "YOU WILL HAVE THIS ROAD CLEARED BEFORE YOU GO HOME TONIGHT. YOU WILL CLEAR IT IN YOUR DISGUISED FORMS." Thunderstorm and Mantis both visibly cringed.

"ELDER!" Heather called. The Cthulhu-like Kaiju stood at attention this time. "WATCH THESE TWO. MAKE SURE NEITHER ONE TRIES TO CHEAT BY SHIFTING." Elder nodded. "BECAUSE THE ROAD IS OUT, I NEED TRANSPORTATION TO THE OTHER SIDE OF THE BLOCKAGE." Heather called out to Elder, and the Kaiju nodded again. Heather hung up the phone, cutting the connection to the mega-speakers. She climbed back into the truck and shut the door. The Cthulhu Kaiju reached over the tops of the trees and gently wrapped it's fingers around the truck. Gravity shifted slightly when Elder lifted the truck into the air, and Heather felt her stomach turn slightly when the Kaiju carried the truck forward. She felt a moment of near-weightlessness as Elder set them back down on the road on the other side of the blockage. Seconds later, they were back on their way.

Post by **SeanWolf** » Wed Jan 22, 2020 9:52 pm

CyberDragon wrote:
SeanWolf wrote:"Oh..." Titus said, looking rather disappointed. "I'm... sorry. I thought I was clear what we were going to be doing. At least, as clear as I could be."

"Clear? My dear boy, you were as clear as a dimming light bulb," Mordecai replies, sounding a bit upset, "When you brought up about the swimming, you lead me to think that we would be doing it at a beach. But when Fredrick here said about fishing areas and the dangers of dragging boats...I realized you withheld information from me. I understand why Fredrick here likes you...but in my town, you would be shunned for swimming as a Kaiju, for that is cheating mankind out of the simple idea of being patience." he then walks over to Titus and looks him right in the eyes as he continues, now a bit angrier then before "We kaijus, specifically us Tikbalang, were put here to defend and help mankind...NOT[/b ]to cheat or be simple entertainment!" He then looks over to Ryan and said, "With your permission, I would like to speak with your father today. I had planned on doing this later but I feel like getting it done now." before making his way out towards the limo. It was very rare for Mordecai to get angry but that moment was an exception to this case. Him, along with his ancestors, were strong believers of letting nature be the decider and that they were put there as defenders of the innocents and helpers to those in need, but with what Titus and Fredrick said...it did not sit well with him.

Post by **CyberDragon** » Wed Jan 22, 2020 11:26 pm

SeanWolf wrote:"Clear? My dear boy, you were as clear as a dimming light bulb," Mordecai replies, sounding a bit upset, "When you brought up about the swimming, you lead me to think that we would be doing it at a beach. But when Fredrick here said about fishing areas and the dangers of dragging boats...I realized you withheld information from me. I understand why Fredrick here likes you...but in my town, you would be shunned for swimming as a Kaiju, for that is cheating mankind out of the simple idea of being patience." he then walks over to Titus and looks him right in the eyes as he continues, now a bit angrier then before "We kaijus, specifically us Tikbalang, were put here to defend and help mankind...NOT[/b ]to cheat or be simple entertainment!" He then looks over to Ryan and said, "With your permission, I would like to speak with your father today. I had planned on doing this later but I feel like getting it done now." before making his way out towards the limo. It was very rare for Mordecai to get angry but that moment was an exception to this case. Him, along with his ancestors, were strong believers of letting nature be the decider and that they were put there as defenders of the innocents and helpers to those in need, but with what Titus and Fredrick said...it did not sit well with him.

Titus stood there, stunned for a moment, as Mordecai left. Fredrick was also, likewise, quite shocked by the series of insults and insinuations. Soon though, smoke literally started pouring out from Titus's ears as his eyes narrowed in anger. "Excuse me for a moment, Ryan." Titus extinguished his ears and stormed out, following Mordecai. At some point, he slipped into a quiet alley and shifted into his half-form, the anthropomorphic dragon, before continuing to follow him.

"What do you think I'm doing here?" Wildfire asked. "Better yet, what do you think we are? Do you think we're just people with superpowers? Do you think that this disguise we put on is who we actually are? I've got a news flash for you; We are KAIJU. We are giants all the time. Even when disguised, we're still Kaiju. Even small, we're still giant creatures just beneath the surface. This form we take when we walk among people is a costume. It's something we wear around others to hide. Don't you dare suggest that all 44,000 Kaiju in this city exist only to be shields and tools. Don't you dare say that all three million Kaiju in this country don't have a right to live their own lives. That none of them are allowed to seek acceptance or enjoyment of being who they are." He spat, getting increasingly angry.

"Now I guard this city with my life. I protect it's people. I build it's buildings and put out it's fires, and I believe that's what I should do. Even so, I have to hide what I am. I and every Kaiju in this city have to stay disguised, locked in a tiny body because a portion of the very people I protect want to make hunting our kind a spectator sport." Small flames were shooting from his nostrils, and electricity crackled between his antlers. "And so I hide. I hide what I am out of courtesy for the people of this city and for the protection of my friends. I hide so people don't run from me. I finally found something that lets me feel at peace, and you have no right to criticize me for doing the one thing in this ******* city that lets me feel some simbolince of peace in the one place where people are actually happy to see me." Wildfire shouted, short bursts of flame shot from his fangs as he did so. "All because you think I'm... what, cheating? Abusing my power? Playing the dancing monkey? All because I want to go for a swim with a friend without having to hide for one hour of my ******* life?!"

He started to turn away. Wildfire didn't get that angry very often either. But one thing rubbed him wrong as well. "You know what? Fine. Go. Take your self-righteous pompousness elsewhere. The Kaiju in this city don't need it drilled in their heads that their entire purpose for existing is to be servants and meat shields. You and I chose to dedicate our power to helping people. But our lives are not the model every Kaiju will follow or want to follow. To say that it is denies the right of millions to choose their own path. My path is my own, and I choose to be somewhere people enjoy seeing me. Your path is yours, and you wish to see yourself as a tool."

Post by **SeanWolf** » Thu Jan 23, 2020 12:01 am

CyberDragon wrote:Titus stood there, stunned for a moment, as Mordecai left. Fredrick was also, likewise, quite shocked by the series of insults and insinuations. Soon though, smoke literally started pouring out from Titus's ears as his eyes narrowed in anger. "Excuse me for a moment, Ryan." Titus extinguished his ears and stormed out, following Mordecai. At some point, he slipped into a quiet alley and shifted into his half-form, the anthropomorphic dragon, before continuing to follow him.

"What do you think I'm doing here?" Wildfire asked. "Better yet, what do you think we are? Do you think we're just people with superpowers? Do you think that this disguise we put on is who we actually are? I've got a news flash for you; We are KAIJU. We are giants all the time. Even when disguised, we're still Kaiju. Even small, we're still giant creatures just beneath the surface. This form we take when we walk among people is a costume. It's something we wear around others to hide. Don't you dare suggest that all 44,000 Kaiju in this city exist only to be shields and tools. Don't you dare say that all three million Kaiju in this country don't have a right to live their own lives. That none of them are allowed to seek acceptance or enjoyment of being who they are." He spat, getting increasingly angry.

"Now I guard this city with my life. I protect it's people. I build it's buildings and put out it's fires, and I believe that's what I should do. Even so, I have to hide what I am. I and every Kaiju in this city have to stay disguised, locked in a tiny body because a portion of the very people I protect want to make hunting our kind a spectator sport." Small flames were shooting from his nostrils, and electricity crackled between his antlers. "And so I hide. I hide what I am out of courtesy for the people of this city and for the protection of my friends. I hide so people don't run from me. I finally found something that lets me feel at peace, and you have no right to criticize me for doing the one thing in this ******* city that lets me feel some simbolince of peace in the one place where people are actually happy to see me." Wildfire shouted, short bursts of flame shot from his fangs as he did so. "All because you think I'm... what, cheating? Abusing my power? Playing the dancing monkey? All because I want to go for a swim with a friend without having to hide for one hour of my ******* life?!"

He started to turn away. Wildfire didn't get that angry very often either. But one thing rubbed him wrong as well. "You know what? Fine. Go. Take your self-righteous pompousness elsewhere. The Kaiju in this city don't need it drilled in their heads that their entire purpose for existing is to be servants and meat shields. You and I chose to dedicate our power to helping people. But our lives are not the model every Kaiju will follow or want to follow. To say that it is denies the right of millions to choose their own path. My path is my own, and I choose to be somewhere people enjoy seeing me. Your path is yours, and you wish to see yourself as a tool."

Seeing Titus, now Wildfire, coming towards him, Mordecai stood there and listened as Wildfire defended himself and his actions to him. As soon as he was done, however, Mordecai shook his head and sighed before looking back up at Wildfire, "I never said of that. I said we Tikbalang specifically were put here to help and defend mankind and not be what you believe me to say...I never said ALL Kaiju. And you are right about our paths, but here's the thing: Sometimes the right path isn't always the one we choose."

Post by **Hlaoroo** » Thu Jan 23, 2020 7:17 am

Now it's Ryan's turn to step up and he deliberately positions himself so that the two kaijus have to separate slightly.
"All right, that's quite enough, I think, from both of you. Wildfire, please lower your voice before you give us all away. Mr. Mayor, please take a moment to consider things from our point of view before impugning our characters." the sea otter says slowly and calmly.
"Firstly, I want to apologise for both of us. We're both ignorant of Tikbalang customs and any offence we've caused stems purely from that and not any kind of malice on our part. We may have withheld some information but only because it was not safe to give in public. The city here is very different to your village. Many people aren't as accepting of Kaiju as they might be at your home and although we wish to help the humans and zoomorphs, there are a not insignificant number of them that want to harm us purely because they don't understand us." Ryan explains.
"We do genuinely want to have some fun and enjoy a swim with you. We certainly never meant to use you at all or to set you up as a circus animal or anything like that. Despite the irony, Wildfire loves the water, and me? I'm a kelpie who disguises as a sea otter. I was quite literally born and raised in the water. Both of us love swimming and if we can give some humans a special memory, or bring some traffic to the humans with waterfront businesses, then we consider that a way of helping the humans too. I did try to hint at this too - when I mentioned the Crater Bay Creature, that's me. Kinda like Nessie or Morag or Bessie. Unlike you guys, I'm slow and awkward out of water. Think a turtle but worse. So this is one way I can help the humans - improving their mental health and lining their hip pockets. If I can enjoy myself while doing it, is that really such a bad thing? As to Fred and his warning, we use his place because it's an easy and safe way to get in and out of the water undetected. People would ask questions if they saw us swimming miles out to see from the beach. All the stuff about shipping and fishing? That was purely for safety - for us as much as the humans."
The sea otter pauses for a moment before continuing.
"If you really want to leave us and see my father now, we won't stop you. I'll have my driver take you wherever you wish to go. But we would love your company if you decided to join us. And, of course, whatever you choose, you're still welcome at my party tomorrow night."

Deske · Post by **Deske** » Thu Jan 23, 2020 9:45 am

"Seems a little for excessive for something that apparently happens fairly often..." Gregg held on to one of the grab handles in the truck as they were transported over the pile of rubble, unperturbed by the changes in motion. "Y'know if I'm being honest, this is honestly turning out to be a fun vacation from real life."

Welsh Halfwit · Post by **Welsh Halfwit** » Thu Jan 23, 2020 10:58 am

"Always interesting to see, though." He leaned forward to talk with Heather. "You're very good at that, by the way. Almost had ME saluting!"

Post by **SeanWolf** » Thu Jan 23, 2020 11:00 am

Hlaoroo wrote:Now it's Ryan's turn to step up and he deliberately positions himself so that the two kaijus have to separate slightly.
"All right, that's quite enough, I think, from both of you. Wildfire, please lower your voice before you give us all away. Mr. Mayor, please take a moment to consider things from our point of view before impugning our characters." the sea otter says slowly and calmly.
"Firstly, I want to apologise for both of us. We're both ignorant of Tikbalang customs and any offence we've caused stems purely from that and not any kind of malice on our part. We may have withheld some information but only because it was not safe to give in public. The city here is very different to your village. Many people aren't as accepting of Kaiju as they might be at your home and although we wish to help the humans and zoomorphs, there are a not insignificant number of them that want to harm us purely because they don't understand us." Ryan explains.
"We do genuinely want to have some fun and enjoy a swim with you. We certainly never meant to use you at all or to set you up as a circus animal or anything like that. Despite the irony, Wildfire loves the water, and me? I'm a kelpie who disguises as a sea otter. I was quite literally born and raised in the water. Both of us love swimming and if we can give some humans a special memory, or bring some traffic to the humans with waterfront businesses, then we consider that a way of helping the humans too. I did try to hint at this too - when I mentioned the Crater Bay Creature, that's me. Kinda like Nessie or Morag or Bessie. Unlike you guys, I'm slow and awkward out of water. Think a turtle but worse. So this is one way I can help the humans - improving their mental health and lining their hip pockets. If I can enjoy myself while doing it, is that really such a bad thing? As to Fred and his warning, we use his place because it's an easy and safe way to get in and out of the water undetected. People would ask questions if they saw us swimming miles out to see from the beach. All the stuff about shipping and fishing? That was purely for safety - for us as much as the humans."
The sea otter pauses for a moment before continuing.
"If you really want to leave us and see my father now, we won't stop you. I'll have my driver take you wherever you wish to go. But we would love your company if you decided to join us. And, of course, whatever you choose, you're still welcome at my party tomorrow night."

"I was hoping you were to join me in speaking to your father but...I understand. I'll shall see you tomorrow night...and thank you for understanding that Tikbalang customs are different then yours," Mordecai replied to Ryan then added, "If my beliefs came off as being forceful, then I deeply apologize as that was not my intention...contrary to popular belief," he paused for a bit to look over at Wildfire before sighing and looking back at Ryan to tell him, "And in regards to invitations...you and your father are still welcome to my barbecue..and if you want to swim, though not as a kaiju, I do have a pool at my house." With a nodding of his head towards Ryan and a simple wave towards Wildfire, Mordecai walks over to the limo, gets in, and politely asks the driver if he would drive him over to Ryan's dad's place.

DdeeStar · Post by **DdeeStar** » Thu Jan 23, 2020 11:08 am

CyberDragon wrote:Gravity shifted slightly when Elder lifted the truck into the air, and Heather felt her stomach turn slightly when the Kaiju carried the truck forward. She felt a moment of near-weightlessness as Elder set them back down on the road on the other side of the blockage. Seconds later, they were back on their way.

Both Mist and Tigress are dead silent, Mist barely catching himself before the motion change. He's amazed, just completely stunned even after they start moving again. Tigress starts laughing quietly as both of their coats settle back down and Mist's hat falls lightly back onto his head. She's still got a death grip on the chair, but she's clearly enjoying herself. Mist quickly shakes his head, trying to regain his sense, and just whispers "What..." and trails off as he tries to figure out what exactly to ask. Neither has much experience with other Kaiju powers past the news on rogue attacks, so this is a new experience to say the least.

Post by **CyberDragon** » Thu Jan 23, 2020 3:13 pm

Deske wrote:"Seems a little for excessive for something that apparently happens fairly often..." Gregg held on to one of the grab handles in the truck as they were transported over the pile of rubble, unperturbed by the changes in motion. "Y'know if I'm being honest, this is honestly turning out to be a fun vacation from real life."

"They need to learn that carelessness comes with a cost. A small accident for them is a big mess for little guys like humans and zoomorphs." Heather said. "Having them clean up the mess they made while restricted to their disguised forms gives them perspective on the damage they caused." she explained, continuing up the mountain. "It also encourages them to be more careful if they know they'll have to clean up whatever they break. It might have just been an empty mountain road now, but accidents are uncontrolled. If they happen in a real fight out in the city, it could be an apartment building that gets smashed. Or someone's home. Or the Giant's Gate Bridge during rush hour. If you aren't watching where your attacks are going, the only certainty is that whatever gets hit it's something you didn't want to hit."

Welsh Halfwit wrote:"Always interesting to see, though." He leaned forward to talk with Heather. "You're very good at that, by the way. Almost had ME saluting!"

"Thanks." Heather said. "I have to say, it's not too easy getting the respect of people millions of times larger than yourself."

DdeeStar wrote:Both Mist and Tigress are dead silent, Mist barely catching himself before the motion change. He's amazed, just completely stunned even after they start moving again. Tigress starts laughing quietly as both of their coats settle back down and Mist's hat falls lightly back onto his head. She's still got a death grip on the chair, but she's clearly enjoying herself. Mist quickly shakes his head, trying to regain his sense, and just whispers "What..." and trails off as he tries to figure out what exactly to ask. Neither has much experience with other Kaiju powers past the news on rogue attacks, so this is a new experience to say the least.

"Glad you two seem to be enjoying yourselves." Heather smirked. The truck was getting close to the top of the mountain, and buildings came into view near the peak. A whole village was perched on top of the mountain, overlooking the valley on one side and with a clear view of the crater on the other. The mountain town was so high up, one could see clearly over the tall eastern wall of the crater and into the city itself. One could even see the ocean out in the distance. The town itself seemed to extend along the mountain ridge, being longer than it was wide.

The houses in this town had a certain style to them. They were very modern in design, yet solidly built. As they drove down the main road, they passed through a shopping district with cafes, a grocery store, a few restaurants, a doctor's office, a dentist, a barber, a few shops dedicated to specialized items for Kaiju, and plenty more. The truck continued past the shopping area, and Heather pointed out of the car to the right where a crocodile Colossus was gently lowering a new, fully constructed house onto it's foundation, guided by a human and a wolf zoomorph. The truck drove past, and out in the distance to the east, one could see a few younger Kaiju playing in a lake. There was another mountain between where they were playing and where the soldiers were training, so they were out of the way. Meanwhile, up in the sky, the sun was blocked and replaced by a massive set of flaming wings. A pheonix with a wingspan larger than that of a Boeing-747 flew overhead, then dipped down into a dive straight for the town. As it approached, the pheonix burned a bright white. It's body rapidly shrunk down. It's legs grew longer in proportion to it's body, and it's wings shrunk down. The feathers on the pheonix's wings shrank as well until the wings more resembled arms. The Pheonix put it's feet forward and the landed as a five-foot-six-inch hawk zoomorph, who proceeded to casually walk into one of the houses as though he wasn't just a giant firebird moments before.

"Like I said." Heather said, grinning at all the activity around them. "Never a dull moment when you live in a majority Kaiju town." She took a turn and started driving further up to the peak of the mountain, where a large building stood watch over everything around it. A sign at the gate read 'KDF Headquarters'. She drove through the gate and pulled into one of the parking spaces in the lot just beyond it. "We're here."

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

SeanWolf wrote:"I was hoping you were to join me in speaking to your father but...I understand. I'll shall see you tomorrow night...and thank you for understanding that Tikbalang customs are different then yours," Mordecai replied to Ryan then added, "If my beliefs came off as being forceful, then I deeply apologize as that was not my intention...contrary to popular belief," he paused for a bit to look over at Wildfire before sighing and looking back at Ryan to tell him, "And in regards to invitations...you and your father are still welcome to my barbecue..and if you want to swim, though not as a kaiju, I do have a pool at my house." With a nodding of his head towards Ryan and a simple wave towards Wildfire, Mordecai walks over to the limo, gets in, and politely asks the driver if he would drive him over to Ryan's dad's place.

Wildfire looked over at Mordecai. He felt bad about his outburst, and he knew he would just feel worse if he didn't resolve things while he could. When Mordecai climbed into the limo, Wildfire walked up to the window.

"Hey... I'm sorry." he said. "There's no excuse for me going off like that, but... that is another reason why it's important for me to swim as a Kaiju sometimes. My body gets hot, being a fire dragon, and it can... shorten my temper a bit. If I don't vent the flames or put them out, I can get irritable. Swimming puts out the fire and lets me literally cool my head. It's why I like the water so much despite it weakening me." Wildfire sighed, and his scales darkened slightly. "As for our paths... Just keep in mind that two roads going in opposite directions can still both be the right path. None of us have a map."

Post by **SeanWolf** » Thu Jan 23, 2020 3:23 pm

"Driver, wait" Mordecai said after Wildfire began to walk away from the limo. Lowering the window, he shouts, "Wildfire!" and said with a sigh then a smile "Enjoy your swim and...thanks for the meal." before looking back at the driver motioning that he was ready to go.

DdeeStar · Post by **DdeeStar** » Thu Jan 23, 2020 3:47 pm

CyberDragon wrote: "Like I said." Heather said, grinning at all the activity around them. "Never a dull moment when you live in a majority Kaiju town." She took a turn and started driving further up to the peak of the mountain, where a large building stood watch over everything around it. A sign at the gate read 'KDF Headquarters'. She drove through the gate and pulled into one of the parking spaces in the lot just beyond it. "We're here."

Mist throws the door open and leaps out, taking a few steps to come to a stop out in front of the KDF building. He grabs the brim of his hat as his gaze follows it skyward, stumbling back a step as he underestimates its height (at least relative to his own). He spins back to the car and throws his arms upwards, eyes sparkling, as he announces "Everything here is AMAZING! It's like a dream!" He looks off into the town again with a broad smile. Tigress shakes her head and gestures the other two towards the door. Her smile's turned to a light frown as she watches Mist enjoy the scene. There's still a lot of issues between him and staying here, and he seems to have forgotten her advice to keep his hopes in check.

Welsh Halfwit · Post by **Welsh Halfwit** » Thu Jan 23, 2020 5:46 pm

After a while stuck in a car, Julian was quite glad to stretch his legs (so to speak) and pulled himself out of the van before offering to help Tigress out. "You don't really need the help, I know," he said, "but there we are."

Citrisfur · Post by **Citrisfur** » Fri Jan 24, 2020 5:57 am

Foxfan2164 wrote:"Well there is no other way of getting those kinds of powers without being a Kaiju." Hyper tells Lyncus truthfully. "Isn't it possible that might've skipped a generation or so?" he then asked. "Or you can try to grow big as you said to really see if you're a kaiju." he added on with a cheeky smile.

Lyncus, with an completely expressionless face, stares at Hyper.

"How. How would I do that. I've never done that before."

Deske · Post by **Deske** » Fri Jan 24, 2020 6:22 am

"Makes sense," Gregg said to Heather's explanation of the cleanup process. As they came to the top of the mountain, Gregg found himself impressed with the town. He stepped out of the truck and turned about, looking at all the town had to offer. "You're a gentleman and a scholar," he said, tilting his head towards Julian. "So! Where are we headed too first?" He asks Heather, "I remember you said there would be questioning?"

DdeeStar · Post by **DdeeStar** » Fri Jan 24, 2020 6:38 am

Welsh Halfwit wrote:After a while stuck in a car, Julian was quite glad to stretch his legs (so to speak) and pulled himself out of the van before offering to help Tigress out. "You don't really need the help, I know," he said, "but there we are."

Tigress suppresses a laugh. "Cute gesture, but with our influence the one picture the media will get is this and you won't have your dating issue anymore." She simply steps around him to stand by Mist. "Thanks anyway." Folowing that she taps Mist on the shoulder, whispering "I know this place looks good, but they knew we were coming. Don't take everything at face value." Mist looks up at her, then nods and goes silent.

Post by **Hlaoroo** » Fri Jan 24, 2020 9:54 am

Once the driver whisks Mordecai away into the traffic, Ryan turns to his friend.
"Well... That was unexpected... You okay, bud? We could, you know, go after him instead of swimming if you wanted."

Post by **CyberDragon** » Fri Jan 24, 2020 11:13 am

SeanWolf wrote:"Driver, wait" Mordecai said after Wildfire began to walk away from the limo. Lowering the window, he shouts, "Wildfire!" and said with a sigh then a smile "Enjoy your swim and...thanks for the meal." before looking back at the driver motioning that he was ready to go.

Hlaoroo wrote:Once the driver whisks Mordecai away into the traffic, Ryan turns to his friend.
"Well... That was unexpected... You okay, bud? We could, you know, go after him instead of swimming if you wanted."

Wildfire smiled and shook his head. "No. My internal body temperature right now is about 2000 degrees ferinheight. I need to get in the water to get that temperature down a bit." he said. Evidently, he's called Wildfire for a reason.

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

DdeeStar wrote:Mist throws the door open and leaps out, taking a few steps to come to a stop out in front of the KDF building. He grabs the brim of his hat as his gaze follows it skyward, stumbling back a step as he underestimates its height (at least relative to his own). He spins back to the car and throws his arms upwards, eyes sparkling, as he announces "Everything here is AMAZING! It's like a dream!" He looks off into the town again with a broad smile. Tigress shakes her head and gestures the other two towards the door. Her smile's turned to a light frown as she watches Mist enjoy the scene. There's still a lot of issues between him and staying here, and he seems to have forgotten her advice to keep his hopes in check.

Welsh Halfwit wrote:After a while stuck in a car, Julian was quite glad to stretch his legs (so to speak) and pulled himself out of the van before offering to help Tigress out. "You don't really need the help, I know," he said, "but there we are."

Deske wrote:"Makes sense," Gregg said to Heather's explanation of the cleanup process. As they came to the top of the mountain, Gregg found himself impressed with the town. He stepped out of the truck and turned about, looking at all the town had to offer. "You're a gentleman and a scholar," he said, tilting his head towards Julian. "So! Where are we headed too first?" He asks Heather, "I remember you said there would be questioning?"

Heather circled around to the back of the truck and opened up the tailgate. She had a bag in her hand holding the evidence from the attack, and she reached into the bed of the truck with her other hand to grab the hunter by the collar and haul him out. She reached back into the truck and pulled out a beach towel that happened to be back there, then draped it over the hunter's face. "Try to shake that towel off or remove it in any way, and I will hurt you. I can't have you seeing where this place is, so if I see your eyes, I'll remove them. Got it?" she told the hunter. He started nodding vigorously, but then stopped dead when he felt the towel start to slip. Heather smirked, then readjusted the towel and started pushing the hunter forward.

"The rest of you, follow me." Heather said to the four Kaiju she was with. She walked forward towards the entrance to the Headquarters and opened the door. Immediately, four security guards showed up and took the hunter from her. She continued inside, showing her ID to another guard. It wasn't exactly needed, as everyone in the KDF knew who Colonel Heather was, but it was still standard procedure. The guards let Heather and the evidence through, but stopped the others at the metal detector.

"Alright. Any metal items you've got on you need to go in one of these bins..." one of the guards said, pointing at the plastic tubs. "That includes belts and any electronic with an internal power source like cell phones and computers. Once everything's out, please step through the metal detector."

"I know it's a bit of a hassle, but it's a government building." Heather said. "The KDF takes security seriously. Obvious reasons."

Welsh Halfwit · Post by **Welsh Halfwit** » Fri Jan 24, 2020 12:17 pm

"This might get more interesting than you know," Julian remarked mischievously, taking item after item from his pocket. Keys, coins, a phone, old circuit boards, a packet of batteries, his (cheap) watch and then, his toolbelt. The belt that was holding up his slightly oversized trousers. He put his hand on the top of his trousers to hold them up whilst he was scanned.