Event | Turtle Dive | January 20 - 23 | Underwater zombies crave your briiiiiines

[ironwood]

Characters: Any and all PCs
Date: January 20th - 23rd
Location: All Sectors
Situation: Tu Vishan continues swimming along the ocean floor after his monumental dive, but it turns out there are a whole bunch of undead that want in on the party!
Warnings/Rating: Underwater situations, violence, potential gore; to be updated as noted.

>See the comments of this post for various situations and areas available for tagging.
>Each header will be set for a date and/or area.
>Feel free to start your own header for specific situations.
>The Palace subplot will be run in a separate log.
>Refer to the two OOC posts for further details. 01 | 02

Comments

[backwordscompatible]

[Zombies? But that meant--]

[She didn't have time to process this. She didn't even have time to think. Through the pain and exhaustion, Zatanna's survival instincts kicked in. Seeing everything only in terms of this is a battle and I need to do something NOW. Retreating back, she managed to dodge the oncoming attack enough to allow the younger Robin to catch up, grabbing the Zombie and flipping him away from her.]

[Stumbling only once, she quickly croaked out a strong gust of wind to help further the trajectory, minimizing the chance for a quick recovering time.]

[It landed on its face...and was right back up again.]

[Well, crap.]

[A last ditch effort; she held up both hands and initiated a freezing spell. One that would capture the Robin-lookalike creature. Its body went still, paralyzed with one arm still over its head, mouth agape mid-cry. Horrifying. Terrible.]

[But it still looked too much like him.]

[She was heavily out of breath from the little amount of exertion, heaving large gasps of air as she stared it down. All of three feet separated them; she'd managed to catch him just in time.]

Robin, stop, please. I know you're in there. [Actually, she had no idea. Maybe it was him, maybe it wasn't. She had to try.] This...this isn't right.

[The last part was spoken more to herself than the creature.]

[Any other time, the spell would've held indefinitely. But she was still too weak, and after a few seconds, the strain was palpable. Wincing, she struggled to maintain hold on the creature that was already desperately trying to fight her.]

Oh, no, you don't. You're not going any...[groan]...anywhere....

[demon_brat]

[And now, the button went on the back of the zombie shoulder, close enough to the neck that the cape flying out wouldn't make a difference.]

[Then Damian rolled around, half-tackling Zatanna down to protect her from the explosion.]

[When it was over, he looked over his shoulder to make sure there were no intact pieces large or mobile enough to be a threat, then retreated from the girl, staying down on his knees, head bowed, white-out lenses fixed on his hands.]

[backwordscompatible]

[She hit the ground roughly, face turned away, the full weight of the younger Robin's surprisingly heavy frame shielding her from the brunt of it.]

[Once the sounds of an explosion faded away, she made the mistake of looking up. Glancing over just long enough that--had she anything left in her stomach--she would've vomited right there in then. As it was, her body lightly shook. Threatening to dry heave into the dirt. The urge was there. She somehow managed to suppress it No tears, but a vacant stare as her eyes fell to the ground.]

[...it wasn't him...it couldn't've been him..]

[Now if only she believed that.]

Robin | Closed to Damian and Zatanna

[hackingyoursensors]

[Dying... didn't really agree with Dick. He'd been disoriented when they pulled him out of the ocean ('How did I get here' barely crossed through his mind before the images flashed through his head again).

He had died.

It's a thought that hasn't quite sunk in yet. How could it? He was still here warm and living and breathing. Even if he still felt a little cold and shaky but he can't tell if that's just because he hasn't recovered from being dragged out of the ocean and told he'd died.

In any case, the caravan had taken him to the palace. He'd tried to convince them to take him to Keeliai-- he had to tell them he was okay, to warn them about his new body double.

They wouldn't. So now he's nervous and feeling shaky and very much not like himself.

And so he sat, leaning against an outside wall of the palace, hoping everyone else made it through alright.

(Hoping that "he" hadn't killed anyone. The thought makes his stomach twist, and he tries to push it away.)]

[demon_brat]

[It took Damian a while to pull himself at least a little back together, the only thoughts in his mind it was easier without looking at his face and Mother would have been proud.]

[But, eventually, he looked up.]

Get on the stupid bike.

[backwordscompatible]

[She didn't respond. She didn't even acknowledge she'd heard him...which she very well may not have.]

[Zatanna remained perfectly still. Almost catatonic. Like she had been when he first pulled her from the waters, only her eyes were open. The only sign of life. Still staring at that small patch of dirt to one side, where a dark, wet puddle seemed to have her total focus. Blood. Robin's blood. What was left of him.]

[demon_brat]

[No, he wasn't going to let her stay like that any longer. It was too fucking dangerous. He hauled himself up, then braced himself and started pulling her up by the shoulders.]

I said. Get on the stupid bike.

[Except this time, he's not letting her move on her own.]

[backwordscompatible]

[That snapped her out of her trance.]

Huh--? What--get off me!

[It was irrational to be mad at him. He'd just saved her life. Again. But all she could think of was this little brat had just blown up her best friend right in front of her.]

What the hell is wrong with you?!

[demon_brat]

[Unimpressed Robin was unimpressed.]

You are going to the palace.

[Even voice that brooks no argument.]

There is defense there. At least Evandau is halfway competent to manage that.

[Crossed arms, but not letting her consider other options.]

[backwordscompatible]

That's not what I meant

[They would get to her being taken to the palace in a minute. First things first.]

You blew him up. Robin. Without a second thought. [From her point of view, at least.] He was...and you... [Words failed her, thoughts jumbled and incoherent even in her own mind.] You killed him.

[cmdreffingshepard]

Something the politicians never seem to get. [She throws another shock wave at a couple of incoming zombies, knocking them over.]

[demon_brat]

[Damian and Zatanna hadn't really talked all that much, on the ride to the palace. Where they were checked for injuries, then admitted inside. But he took one look at the entry hall and how crowded it was, and he crowded her into keeping on moving, looking for a place where she would be, by his standards, safe.]

[Which is how they found the yard... and the small figure leaning against the wall, there. Damian stopped so suddenly that it was absolutely possible for Zatanna to just run into his back.]

[demon_brat]

He had been dead for a while, Zatara. The wound on his side wasn't even bleeding, only faintly oozing. There was nothing left of him.

[His voice was no longer shaky, or filled with tears. It was, if anything, detached. Dispassionate.]

Killing zombies is not the same as killing people. Believe me, I've done both.

[backwordscompatible]

[She didn't know if she was still pissed or distraught or depressed or anything other than partially in-shock. Most of the fight had since left her, as she slowly followed the younger Robin towards the castle. There would be someone to check up on her; a few scrapes and bruises, minor injuries from having been thrown so forcefully to the ground. And then there was the whole lightheadedness and vertigo from having almost drowned.]

[Not looking where she was going, she did crash right into him.]

What now?

[Then she looked up, and saw what he saw.]

[Her jaw dropped.]

...no way...

[hackingyoursensors]

[Robin doesn't notice them immediately. He's absorbed in his thoughts, his worries, his memories.

It takes a minute or so before he feels the eyes on him and looks up.

He looks tired and worn, despite being physically fine. His smile is tired, but it's there. He looks relieved.]

Zatanna, Robin! Man, I'm glad you're okay.

[Unless they'd.... His expression sobers.]

You are, right?

[backwordscompatible]

[Meanwhile, she was desperate.]

You don't know that. It could've been magic.

I could've saved him.

[demon_brat]

I was fighting these things before I came to the shore to look for the children, Zatara. I did learn a thing or two. He was gone.

[This place returned people to life... at least, one person. But Damian had backslid way too far to allow himself hope. Any hope.]

Which is why it is too dangerous out here. Those things are attracted to living things. We need to get moving. Go. On. The. Stupid. Bike.

[backwordscompatible]

[He could see her visibly deflate. The understanding clear. She was in denial at this point, because denial was all she had left.]

What if I said no?

[demon_brat]

This is what happens, on Tu Vishan. Don't know about the kedan, but the one foreigner who had been killed before returned to life and was fished out of the ocean again. I suppose the kedan would be bringing them here for protection.

[Damian's words were low, meant for Zatanna alone. His eyes were down, not looking up at anyone's face. Not moving, either.]

[As Grayson approached, he took a step back, crossing his arms.]

I am fine.

[demon_brat]

[... even with the mask, the look he gave her was unmistakable.]

I'd take you when you passed out again.

[andaway]

I'm not really known for letting things hang around me, no. I don't want to overwhelm you now that you've told me you know all this, but I don't want you to think we're done here either.

[He flies closer to him, placing a hand on his shoulder.] You'll still come around our house to eat every now and then, won't you?

[backwordscompatible]

[He...was alive. Smiling, like nothing had happened out there. Did he not remember?]

[She'd heard about the one foreigner in the past, but it never occurred to her that the same thing would happen again. Not the way he'd been blown to pieces like that. Even thinking about it still brought a wave of nausea.]

It's...really you, isn't it?

[She remained rooted to the spot, eyes wide, until she got verbal confirmation. Possibly even after.]

[backwordscompatible]

I'm not going to pass out again.

[...probably.]

[Still, rather not take any chances. She did approach the bike, though she didn't look very happy about it. When her eyes left his, turning away so he couldn't see the look on her face, she went blank again. Remaining that way long after taking a seat. After he climbed on after her, and they had begun the trip to the palace.]

[demon_brat]

>Tt.<

[He had his ways.]

[And he was fine with blank. His own expression wasn't all that different, either.]

[tactile_telekinesis]

[He looks at his shoulder and continues to stare there as Kal asks him the question and he smiles more looking back at him.]

Count on it.