A Steaming Yellow Cocoon Hanging in a Scrapyard

[Zerminar12Admin]

Dangling from a ruined crane arm is a sickly greenish-yellow cocoon.  The insidious pouch squirms and wriggles ever so slightly yet by and large it is immobile. Strands of yellowish mucus support the cocoon and attach it to the crane's hook. Numerous insects swarm around the cocoon, especially cockroaches. The insects that swarm around the pod are large and lively. Various pores in the leathery surface of the pod inhale air and exhale a thick billowing yellow gas. The vile odor of this gas betrays its identity, a sulfurous compound of some form. Directly below the pod is a mysterious pool filled with a thick yellow liquid. The surrounding landscape appears barren and lifeless even for some scrap heap in the middle of the wasteland.

[TimTheDM]

The adolescent wipes sweat from her brow as she emerges from a pile of trash and scrap, dragging a bag nearly as large as herself. As she opens the bag to inspect her findings, a large cockroach skitters out of it. She quickly stomps the over-sized insect, splattering its blood over the threadbare pieces of leather Old-Tokyo's less fortunate residents call shoes. The girl was adorned like many other scavengers her age, with threadbare hand-me-downs a size too large, and a wire used to tie her matted unkempt hair into a ponytail. The only unusual thing about her is an ornate katana she keeps at her side.

She scrambles atop a pile of scrap, peering all across the wasteland until she catches sight of the cocoon. She skips down the pile trash, and sprints towards the strange object, leaving behind her bag of scrap. As she nears it, she picks up a small rock, and attempts to throw it at the cocoon.

[Zerminar12Admin]

The cocoon splits open with a sickening crunch and a pale humanoid with translucent skin emerges from the leathery sac. It slowly drips from the cocoon coated with a thick brown mucus before falling to the ground in a slimy heap. As it clatters to the floor at the base of the scrap heap, it makes a disturbing squirming noise and steadily lifts itself to its feet. The alien organism stands 4' tall with see-through skin. Its four arms are shriveled up while its legs also appear thin and malnourished. The mouth of the creature resembles an insect's mandibles yet it possesses no antennae. It slowly limps forward, mandibles clattering, and reaches out a frail arm towards the fallen casing of its cocoon. As it grasps the leathery hide it moves the cocoon closer to its face and begins hurling a yellow bile similar to the puddle it is standing in. The cocoon quickly disintegrates into a thick pulp which the mutant takes great pleasure in chewing on. It becomes incredibly preoccupied with its autocannibalism to the point where it ignores the offending young girl.

[TimTheDM]

The girl hides in a nearby pile of scrap, watching the creature carefully as it eats its own cocoon. At this point in time, she does little else but observe it, with furrowed brows, as if trying to decide something.

[ICK]

Tern Gilheim, after getting wildly sidetracked via getting blackout drunk at a bar, is groggily walking towards the scene, not really paying attention to where he is going. He spots the girl, and, hoping she can give him directions to the Dome, approaches her.

[TimTheDM]

The girl glances between Tern and the strange mutant feasting on its cocoon. She puts her finger to her lips, and motions for Tern to hide with her in the scrap pile.

[ICK]

Tern crouch walks over to the girl and whispers,"Quick question: what the fuck is that? Also, could you point me to the dome? I'm a little lost at the moment."

[TimTheDM]

She gives Tern a fierce glare, then turns it to the strange aberration as she speaks, "You are responsible for your actions and the consequences that follow, hunter. I can smell it on your breath. As for that thing, it is neither human, nor food." she says to Tern as she narrows her eyes. "Whatever it is, I don't like it. It reeks of death." The adolescent takes a deep breath, and wipes sweat from her brow. "Hunter, help me destroy it, and I shall provide an escort to the dome, and a warm meal," her tone shifts from matter-of-fact to pleading, and she grits her teeth, clearly intimidated by the creature.

[Zerminar12Admin]

The insectoid monster finishes its meal and turns to the two humans. Sensing her hostility, it lets out a shrieking hiss that pierces their ears and begins to creep along the ground on all fours. The creature's pitch black eyes look like glassy orbs filled with a black oil-like fluid. As it crawls its bulbous head bobs and the disgusting black oil sloshes around in its skull behind its compound lenses.

[ICK]

"Well, I guess I can't turn that down. Away it goes." Tern pulls out both pistols and begins firing on the insect.

[Zerminar12Admin]

As the bullets fly towards the creature it lets out a shriek and sulfurous steam begins jetting out from its pores. It uses the bursts of odorous gas to propel its light body in various impossible ways, strafing from side to side and swiftly leaping up before abruptly using its jets to return to the ground. The sudden quick bolts of jet-propelled movement make the insect almost impossible to aim at steadily and it seems to almost predict bullet shots, leaping out of the way right before the trigger is pressed.

[TimTheDM]

In one or two strides, the girl is on top of the trash heap, Katana drawn. She watches the creature carefully, tensing up slowly, like a cat ready to pounce. A moment before the creature lands, she leaps off the trash heap, and brings her katana down, hoping to catch it as it lands.

[Zerminar12Admin]

The creature jets out of the way of the sword but into a stray bullet. The side of its face is cut open by the passing projectile and it shrieks once more. The gas it emits from its body becomes more thick and opaque as it attempts to hide with a sulfurous smokescreen.

[ICK]

"If you swing at it, I can aim where I know it's going to dodge. Keep going and this fucker will be dead before my hangover is." Tern aims carefully at where the insect will dodge to, not wanting to hit the girl.

[TimTheDM]

"I'll force it out of the smokescreen for your clear shot.." As the girl says this, she closes her eyes as she plunges into the smokescreen, using only her sense of hearing to attempt to drive the creature out of its cover.

[Zerminar12Admin]

The creature leaps out of the smoke into plain sight. As it does so it squeals in fear as it stares down the barrel of Tern's gun.

[ICK]

Tern fires an accurate shot directly at the monstrosity's chest, then sprays with the pistol in his left.

[Zerminar12Admin]

The creature tries to dodge the first shot yet is quickly mowed down by the wild spray. He lets out one last screech as it spasms in its death throes. Eventually, the roach creature ceases moving and lays on the floor bleeding yellowish ichor onto the scrap heap.

[TimTheDM]

As the roach creature falls, the girl approaches it carefully, and gives it a solid kick. She exhales in relief. She stoops in front of it, and takes a tentative sniff. She gags, and turns to Tern, "Think its edible? Might as well try to bring it back. I still owe you that meal, a deal's a deal after all." She hoists the things legs over her shoulder, and starts dragging it away from the wreckage, motioning Tern to follow.

[ICK]

"It's fine, I wasn't that hungry anyways" Tern mumbles, following the girl.

[Zerminar12Admin]

Tern's communications device suddenly rings.

[ICK]

"Hello?" Tern answers, listening intently after seeing the caller I.D.

[Zerminar12Admin]

"Listen, I just got word that the prototype was spotted with several mutants. Apparently, it has been attacking the Japanese and creating havoc. While it's lack of cooperation is... unfortunate, it still appears to be operating in a manner conducive to our agenda. Nevertheless, I am afraid it has been targeted by unknown organizations and thus must be protected. I hear the ones after the specimen are powerful plus if you were to face it as you are now you'd be destroyed. The pay for this job is well over double of your last job. If you choose to accept this assignment go to the following coordinates and pick up the little package I left you. This is a temporary gift. Use it wisely." a mysterious encrypted voice whispers.

[ICK]

"Holy shit that's a lot of money!" Tern exclaimed. "Oh mysterious little girl, would you like to eat something that isn't literally garbage? Well look no further! With a bit of good old fashioned combat you and me could be set up for a long time. By the way, how open are you to fighting giant regenerating rat mutants? Also, who are you anyway?"

[TimTheDM]

The girl blinks once or twice, and then furrows her brow. "I'm supposed to be back home before dinner. But," she bites her lip, "If this is such a big opportunity, I can't let it go to waste." says the girl as she finishes with a nod. "I'm Chiyoko Kimura." she extends her hand, "Disciple of the great swords-master of Old-Tokyo, and follower of the old tenets of the warrior," she say's in a clearly well-rehearsed matter-of-fact tone.

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