Event | Satellite | Crash Landing

[ironwood]

Characters: Any and all!
Date: May 21, 2013
Location: In and around the city of Keeliai
Situation: The early morning hour brings unexpected devastation to Keeliai and the outlying areas. Emergency response and damage control follows!
Warnings/Rating: Fires, minor violence; please put CW in your subject lines

Satellite Crash Event

Crash Landing | Salvage Party | Shocking Spectres

Questions | Fire Sector | Earth Sector | Metal Sector | Water Sector | Wood Sector | Outlying Areas

The early morning hours of May 21st are broken by the sound of a low lying explosion and a veritable rain of fiery bits and bobs such as molten hot metal and space debris. Those out and about in the very early morning (three hours before dawn) see a meteoric shape streaking overhead and leaving a debris trail. Those interested in following it may find themselves distracted by the debris raining down across Tu Vishan, starting fires and damaging buildings turtlewide. Tu Vishan certainly is, for the great turtle grinds to a halt amidst all this and a trace of concern for the little ones on his shell can be felt in the minds of many.

Comments

rude, dw :|

[backwordscompatible]

[She tries to rush through as quickly as possible, knowing that Jack was holding back the wall. But the smoke was getting thicker. Her eyes burned, and breathing was getting more and more difficult. Her coughing got louder.]

[Still, she pushed on, holding as tightly to the small child as she could.]

Where's the exit?

[wintershepherd]

[ He could see no better through the heavy smoke and decided they had no time to stumble around finding the exit. He held out his hand to keep her from advancing, pointed his staff and channeling his power through it, blasting an icy hole through the wall that immediately shored itself up into a tunnel. The wind immediately came whistling down the passage, pushing the smoke and heat out and around them. ]

[backwordscompatible]

[She obeyed the silent command, and a moment later, was rewarded with a blast of fresh air as the heat and smoke was diverted elsewhere. Still lightheaded, but her vision was clear enough that she could see the exit.]

Let's go.

[Her muscles ached, but she pushed through the pain and broke into a moderate dash.]

[wintershepherd]

[ He followed her out, turning just in time to see the ice succomb to the growing heat, the tunnel collapsing in on itself with a hiss of melting ice turning to steam. It had been close and he was still tense, steps lingering a moment until he turned once again towards Zatanna and the child. ]

Are you both all right?

[backwordscompatible]

[Her head was bowed, hair covering her eyes, but she gave a nod.]

[Still...the moment they were at a safe distance, she collapsed to her knees. The child still in her arms, but as bent over as she could be. Her breath game in heavy gasps, like she were struggling for air.]

[She'd breathed in too much smoke.]

[wintershepherd]

[ He held his hands out to take the child, giving him a frantic check to see that he was all right (the boy whimpered a little but nodded, having pressed his nose and mouth into Zatanna's clothing) and settled him onto the grass, turning to Zatanna. His first inclination was to urge her to heal herself but how could she when she was gasping that hard?

This is my fault. I put her in danger. ]

Zatanna...!

[backwordscompatible]

[Don't you dare blame yourself for this.]

I'm...

['okay', she tried to say, but was interrupted by another fit of coughing.]

What...about...the kid...?

[wintershepherd]

I-I'm okay, the fire didn't get me.

[ The child is watching wide-eyed at his rescuers, huddled on the ground with his arms wrapped around his knees, but appears to have no injuries. Jack settled his hands on her shoulders, holding her steady. ]

Can you cast a healing spell to help you breathe?

[backwordscompatible]

[A nod, but it was frantic. Two more gasps, and she managed to spit out all of two syllables before it proved too much.]

[She coughed again, hands rising to her chest. Speaking was out; as a last attempt, she practically collapsed onto the ground as she leaned forward, a trembling hand scrawling out the necessary words to activate the spell: LAEH EM]

[A gust a wind, and seconds later, she sat up with a sudden, desperate breath. No longer wheezing.]

[wintershepherd]

[ When she takes an unimpeded breath, he wraps her arms around her and squeezes tight, and a moment later the kedan boy comes up and hugs her as well. ]

You scared me...

[backwordscompatible]

Jack...air...

[She manages a weak laughter at the irony, even though she returns the embrace...noticeably weaker than before. Her limbs felt heavy from the lack of oxygen. No doubt, her legs would be suffering the same if she tried to stand.]

[wintershepherd]

[ He pulls back after a moment, eyes still stormy with concern and guilt (she could deny it and tell him not to, but it was inevitable) and he brushes a few strands of her hair away from her face. ]

Just take it easy. No more fire fighting tonight or I'll pull a coach and bench you.

[ The child sniffles, as though the only now registering what had happened and crawled into Jack's lap. ]

Hey, shh... everybody's all right, kiddo. You're safe now.

[backwordscompatible]

No arguments here.

[She remained in her collapsed position on the ground, smiling weakly at him. Even with the gentle gesture, she knew she must've looked a mess. Her skin felt grimy from the soot and sweat, and her hair was a mess.]

[At the sniffles, her eyes lowered to the child. The one they'd saved. He crawled into Jack's lap, still terrified even in the aftermath of it all.]

Just let him cry, Jack. I'd cry too, if I were in his position.

[wintershepherd]

[ Jack rubs the child's back soothingly, letting the boy hide his face in his hoodie's shoulder. ]

He can, but he's no less brave for it. You're both brave.

[backwordscompatible]

Never said he wasn't.

And that makes three of us.

[Seeing Jack had things under control--somewhat, she finally allows herself to lean back, resting the majority of her upper body weight on her hands as she tilted her head up, eyes clothes. The spell had managed to clear the smoke from her lungs, but the vertigo had not completely faded just yet. Deep breaths. In. Out.]

We should probably find a safe house to bring him too. [Preferably with his family, but she was afraid to assume anything.]

[wintershepherd]

[ The child tugged Jack's sleeve and spoke an address that the spirit recognized as one of the larger schools. ]

Good idea, kiddo. They gathered there when the jiangshi attacked before too. I'm telling you, I'm going to ask the Emperor to clear her calendar, this is too crazy a schedule.

[ The jest draws a hiccuped giggle for the boy and Jack looked over at Zatanna to see how she was doing. ]

[backwordscompatible]

[She was attempting to rise to her feet just as he looked over.]

You're still trying to reason with her? Even after she--whoa.

[Made it all the way to a stand before her knees threatened to buckle under her own weight.]

[wintershepherd]

I didn't mean it litera-- whoa there!

[ Seeing she was about to fall, the Wind swirled around her and floated her on a cushion of air so that she couldn't fall back to the ground. ]

[backwordscompatible]

I'm okay.

[You definitely didn't see that.]

Just...having a little bit of trouble remembering which way's up right now.

[wintershepherd]

[ lies he did too ]

It's okay, we can all stay here until you remember.

[ The kedan boy had quieted in Jack's arms, not asleep but certainly coming down off the adrenaline high of the rescue. ]

[backwordscompatible]

No, I said I'm fine.

Besides, I don't want to linger in this place any longer than necessary. Bad enough my shower's been taken out...I'll have to find some place else to wash the smell of smoke out of my hair now.

[She tried again, this time very obviously aided in her battle with gravity by Wind. Three whole steps in, and she had yet to collapse.]

[wintershepherd]

[ The wind huffed worriedly, intent on keeping her up and, one hand securely on the child's back, Jack stood as well with the kedan boy in his arms. ]

All right.

[ Still staying close to steady her if needed, Jack hoped they came across no other fires between here and the school. ]

[backwordscompatible]

[She stumbled a few times, but remained on her feet. The third time, she instinctively reached out to lightly rest a hand on Jack's arm. Not enough to throw him off-balance, but an unspoken sign of trust in him to help maintain hers.]

Why do you think this is happening?

[wintershepherd]

I don't know, Zatanna... I wish I did.

[ One of his hands comes up and squeezes hers lightly before returning to holding the child. ]

We're almost there. You should get some water and have someone check you over.

[backwordscompatible]

I already told you. I'm fine.

Besides, the doctors in the area are probably already as busy as we are. I can bother one of them later. [Maybe]