Rumor has it that they planned to make this place into a supermall of some kind. But the potential monster center of consumerism lost its funding only halfway through and it stands there today, utterly unfinished. It is often used as a favored hideout for stupid teenagers and angry hobos, especially since some of the equipment is still left there. But tonight, there's something different about the abandoned construction site. Something frightening and dark and strangely alluring calls from its deep shadows, waiting for something or someone to answer its call.
The night was clear, and stars shone proudly through the black velvety sky next to a full moon. It was like the whole universe had swelled with pride, and was wondering what little old Earth was doing feeling sorry for itself.
Chilla strode with a light step beside her old friends, munching on leftover popcorn from the movie they'd just seen. "Man, I do NOT feel like going home this early," she said, grinning. "What do you guys think?"
"Total chick flick"
Kyle mumbled past a mouthful of toffee, trying to hide the fact he'd enjoyed quite a lot of the film. He looked around at the mall, taking in all the rails and wood laying around. He grabbed his board which was with him at all times "I dont really feel like going home."
"Awe come on Kyle, it wasn't that bad."
Charles said, sticking up for the movie. He had actually rather enjoyed it. "I'm with you Chilla. I don't feel like goin home either. I dunno, just doesn't feel right to just up and go home..."
"There is the abandoned mall."
Max said sipping the extra extre extra large Dr. Pepper they'd gotten to share instead of paying extra for individul sodas. "It might be interesting."
"As long as we are careful, it would be a cool place to hang out."
Olivia said, agreeing with Max(for once). She was walking by Kyle, taking some of his toffee every so often. Olivia was wearing a pair of pink capris and a white blouse.
Kyle looked up wards slowly at the mess of scaffolding and grinned "Who dares me to go to the top of that and grind off the end?"
"Do it."
Max said reaching into the bag of popcorn Charles was holding. "Maybe you'll die early in this storyline."
"Yeah... whatever"
Kyle mumbled, giving Max an odd glance. She really could be wierd at times. He grabbed onto the nearest piece of metal and began to haul himself upwards.
"Dude, do you really think that's a good idea?"
Charles asked him, smiling softly as Max reached into his popcorn.
"HELL NO!"
Kyle called out from half way up the scafold. He looked down at Chilla and Olivia, he'd have thought they'd had something to say, since it was Chilla's night out after all.
Olivia starred up at Kyle as he hoisted himself up the pipes. She heard some creaking noises coming from the bottom of the scaffolding, "Get your fat ass down here!"
Kyle was hanging just by his arms now, wriggling his backside at Olivia below him "COME UP HERE AND GET ME!"
Olivia rolled her eyes at his ignorance. She walked to the base of the scaffolding and kicked it, causing it to sway a little.
"Woah..."
Kyle muttered, grabbing tight onto a pole as it swayed "not good not good.."
"Just stop acting like a hero-show off and get back down here. Your embarrassing yourself."
Olivia crossed her arms and rolled her eyes up at him.
"You crazy little motherfucker,"
Chilla laughed, looking up at him. Beyond him, a glimmering light caught her eye. "Hey, you guys, a shooting star!" She said happily, pointing it out.
Kyle grunted as he hauled himself up onto the platform, sheilding his eyes as he looked up at the bright light "Cool..." he mumbled.
"That...."
Olivia trailed off, gazing up at the star that was quickly getting bigger. "Doesn't look right."
Charles stared at the shooting star that seemed to be getting closer? "Ummmmm....I'm not entirely sure, but I think we should be running."
Olivia kept her stare at it like the others. They all looked like bugs, swarming to a bug zapper.
"Oh...wow."
Chilla managed to say before the light rumbled, a trail of smoke following it as it centered almost right at them. They were immersed in a deafening roar as the meteor slammed into the abandoned construction site, billows of dust and smoke flying in its wake. It finally rumbled to a stop only a few feet away from the scaffold Kyle was climbing. It creaked and moaned of its own accord before falling silent.
"Well. uh." Chilla gulped, gaping at the dust-concealed monstrosity that had almost crushed them. "That's....new
."
"Um..." Max stammered "Is... that a... First ghost then ainchent sumarian demons now... aliens?"
Olivia approached the steaming rock slowly, "It's just a meteor, idiot."
Charles dropped his popcorn and stared at the crater that the supposed meteor caused.
Chilla approached it warily, coughing at the dust the landing had thrown up into her face. She reached out hesitantly, about to touch the city bus-sized thing, when it emmitted a huge groan, and a loud, popping noise as the top was forced off. It landed a few meters to the left of the group, a huge metal plate with a large dent in the center, like it had been punched off. Chilla jumped back several paces, startled. Steam pumped out of the hole, and a groan passed through everyone's minds, old and weary.
The first thing to come into view were the massive ivory wings, struggling to fit through the small hole. Then came the long horn, much longer than it should be, and the writhing tail, no, it split into two tails, tipped by two things, but it was hard to see what through the dust and smoke. The thing shimmered in the moonlight, a vibrant bright blue and white as it stood, vaguely humanoid in build, yet pointedly not. It crouched, wary of them.
"Holy wow," Chilla breathed.
"What the hell is that thing?!" Olivia shouted, seeing that it wasn't a meteor after the smoke cleared.
"Told you." Max whispered nidging Olivia
"You know....I think I've seen that thing before, or at least something similiar." Charles said, remembering a powerful monster in his favorite card game. Only difference being the amount of tales basically. "Think it's friendly?"
"Think about it Chuck... Is anything wierd we meet friendly?" Max said sipping the soda.
The creature stood, towering above them, and rubbed its face--or, rather, the bony part of its head where a face should be. Four golden eyes peered out, two on either side of its equine head. ---Oxygen...Hydrogen..Carbon. It's always carbon, one way or the other, isn't it?--- it muttered into their minds. It sounded old and worn, like someone who woke from a fitful night's sleep, having gained no rest from the experience. I suppose you're the natives then. It paused. --Any chance of some form of intelligence?-- When it spoke, it was less words forming in their minds and more the idea of the words, displayed in a foreign tongue.
"Our intelligence more than likely does not equal your own, or at least that's probably what you're thinking, isn't it, big guy?" Charles asked the enormous creature before them. He just had to say that...the aliens always believe themselves to be of a higher intelligence in all the movies and games and stuff. Most of the time, it's true...
The alien stroked back its horn, irritated. --Not a telepath in the lot. Lovely. Guess that means no space travel yet, either.-- The dust had drifted off and they could see him clearly now. He stepped down from his huge, wrecked, twisted metal of a ship, his long neck snaking his head closer to Charles.
Chilla could do nothing but stare in wide-eyed wonder and shock at the dragon-like creature.
"Umm..." Max sid slowly trying to think of something intelegent to say "May we ask why you are here?"
For maybe the first itme in his life, Charles actually wasn't scared. This kind of thing was right down his alley, although naturally, he had never actually met an alien before. But he read all the rules on first contact and pretty much knew what NOT to do to piss them off.
The alien cocked his head slightly. --Where is your..skleixya? Your king, your leader?-- He spoke slowly, but with a deep impatience.
"Take me to your leader?" Charles asked him, unbelievablly. "Trust me pal. You don't want to meet our leader. The man's kind of a being of lower intelligence."
Max smakced Charle's arm "HEy I voted for him."
"Shhh." Charles told her. "I voted for him too. He was the best candidate at the time, but still."
"Maybe we could tell him where some other leader is?" Chilla said tentatively.
--I don't see why you insist on oral communication,-- the alien said irritably. All other races of intelligence have moved on. You must not be the dominant species. I will look elsewhere.-- His skin shimmered into what looked like a skintight suit of armor, stretching all over his body and curling around his eyes. He turned away from them, craning his long neck to search for other animals that he might have better luck with.
Charles' eyes went wide with shock as the creature turned it's back on them. He closed his eyes tightly and thoguht really hard. But we ARE the dominant species!
The alien stopped, paused, and turned to face him again, examining his face much more closely now. --Really.-- He sized the human up. --Why didn't you speak up before?-- He asked warily, glancing around and growing tense in case they had somehow called for backup.
You heard my thoughts? Charles thought, or rather asked the mighty dragon before him, curiously.
--Is that not how telepathy works?-- The alien replied. --What a quaint species. What are you called, pray tell? What planet is this? What system?
You mean, I'm telepathic? Charles asked him in disbelief. We are called humans. We call our quaint little planet Earth. As for the system, I'm not entirely sure...it's in the Milky Way Galaxy though.
--No, and yet we seem to communicate perfectly,-- The alien snapped. --Forgive me. My circumstances as of late have been...dire, at best, and I am strained beyond civility.-- he pulled back his horn again, a repetitive moment to cool his nerves. --I beseech you, unless you are a figure of power, take me to the 'human' who is, I must speak with them.
Why do you want to see our leader? As far as I know, he's not telepathic and he really really isn't that intelligent, sir. Charles responded, trying to act as serious as he could
"Shut up, Charles!" Olivia punched him hard in the shoulder, "This guy might murder the president if we say where to find him." She looked up at the being, "He's in the white house...make his death slow and painful if you will."
The alien turned to her, his head cocked in a questioning angle. He looked back at Charles. --I fear I must employ you as my interpreter. What did the yellow one say? he asked.
Her name's Olivia, and she said that he's at the White House. It's basically our king's palace, I suppose you could say. Charles interpreted with a nod. But, might I inquire as to why you wish to meet with him?
"Oh right....mind power." Olivia rolled her eyes, Sooo...what are you? Do you have a name?...Don't kill us ok?
There was a crash and Kyle finally landed. When the space craft had impacted he'd been at the top of the scafold, clinging onto the nearest pole he could lay his hands on. The tremor had freed the pole from most of it's bondings however and it had fallen towards the smoke laden craft, the bindings breaking slowly as it fell sideways. He'd managed to hit the craft head on though, driving the wind out of his chest as he was splayed across it's front.
Olivia jerked to look at Kyle, "Shit! Are you ok?" she ran over to his side.
"Pain hurts alot" Kyle burbled, peeling his head off the side of the craft's side "What did I hit?"
"Serves you right for being an idiot. You hit an alien ship." Olivia helped Kyle to his feet.
Kyle blinked a few times and stared up at the strange horned beast infront of him. "Soooo... you're not a brain hemorage?" he mumbled, poking in what generally should be considered the knee cap area.
"Hey!" Olivia grabbed his hand and moved it away firmly, "Idiot." She looked up to the creature, Sorry....he's a moron
"Would you guys stop before we get vaporized." Max hised
"He wants to see our leader. I told him that the President is a creature of lower intelligence, but he really insists..." Charles told them all. "Should we lead him there or what?"
The alien simply stood and waited for them to finish conversing, his arms akimbo and his head bowed. --So tell me, do one of you of superior intellect than your leader have access to plutonium chloride, a cksion director, et al?-- He asked, to prove a point why he would still want to discuss matters with their leader.
"N-not unless Max's shitload of pot doubles as plutonium chloride on its off days," Chilla said warily, trying to acknowledge that an alien was standing before her.
Well, I'm not entirely sure that he'd be able to help you, but I suppose we could take you there...as long as you don't intend to destroy us with those items. Charles said to the alien.
--That is the least of your concerns,-- The alien reassured. He paused. --...Have there been others here before me?-- he asked, reaching out and brushing Charles' face with a talon. He felt a slight sting as he sampled his DNA, wincing himself at the action. He rubbed two talons together, and it was worth noting that what he lacked in thumbs, he made up for in many too many joints. --Or is this your first encounter with my kind? The Pnelma Tiris?--
The color drained from Charles' face as the massive talon brushed his cheek. There was a horrifying moment when he thoguht for sure he was abou to become the first one killed for a change. Rest assured, you most certainly are the first that I've encountered. Though your appearance is somewhat similiar tot hat of a dragon in one of my games.
--Would it be too much for me to assume you have an intergalactic or perhaps an interplanar embassy?-- the Pnelma Tirian asked tiredly, dread almost tinting his voice.
It would...my friend asked earlier if you had a name, do you? Charles asked him rather boldly. Sorry if it is rude to ask of it, but it is much easier to converse if names were involved.
--Warlord Carmonolon Thertii of the ruling Triad of Agoreth, last standing fortress of the Pnelma Tirians,-- He recited. --It'll stick with you when They catch up with me.--
"Who?" Chilla asked, stepping forward a little, still a little bit afraid of him.
--Everyone,-- He replied, turning back to his ship to examine exactly the extent of the damage.
"Everyone?" Charles repeated, both outloud and telepathically. That really didn't sound good at all...
Kyle blinked a few times. Yes, there it still was, life size white horned beast from space. "Pluto... oh whoops" Plutonium chloride? Dont they make that there was a horrible crackling noise here, as if his mind had slipped into static in Nuclear plants? Buildings, not real plants.
Olivia found a nice ledge to sit on and observe the group interacted with the creature. It looked so elegant, and yet she figured could be deadly when it needed to.
--If they find me here, they'll destroy your civilization, as primitive as it may be,-- the Warlord said casually, attempting to resculpt his body into something that looked like Charles. He kept folding and changing and shifting until he was a poor imitation, skin weaving itself together to form cloth over him. --Convincing?-- he asked the humans.
"Five fingers dude" Kyle said, holding up his hand for the Warlord to see "And our skin has little marks all over it, you're kinda... smooth and shiny."
Olivia stared at the monster as it shifted, completely confused and disgusted.
Charles fought back the urge to vomit fromt he transformation. He was a little appalled by how much work actually went into him changing his form. What was worse was the smiliarities he saw in the 'human' before him. Wrong number of fingers, and your skin's too smooth and shiny. He translated telepathically to Carmonolon. How about talking? The strong silent type, the government isn't exactly happy with, and I doubt the President would be telepathic...
"Umm....maybe he shouldn't shift to look like you, Charles." Olivia mentioned.
What with living in a house full of ghouls for his collage dorm and being a stunt man, Kyle was trying to convince himself that he'd actually seen worse things than an alien transforming into his freind. Now he worried that he actually had "He wants to go to our president? ... is it just me or is that a waste of time? For all we know he could get slammed up in area 51."
"Charles... What's a going on?" Max asked slowly.
"Aie..down't tink dat eet izuh good eyedeeuh," Carmonolon attempted. He grimaced. --How vile,-- he spat. --With all due respect, of course.--
Olivia just observed. They had seen so much freaky weird shit lately, this didn't really phase her. Plus he seemed nice.
Kyle covered his ears slowly, making a small "Ouch" noise at Carmonolon's bad speech. Not because of the speech really but his head was aching quite badly and trying to figure out what he said wasn't helping it.
Pretty close actually, Carmonolon, was it? But yeah, I think maybe it would be best if you didn't talk too much... Charles told him with a shrug and then looked more clsoely at the form he chose, My friend thinks it might not be a good idea if you look so much like me, and I kind of agree...
"What doesn't he think is a good idea?" Kyle asked, staring at Carmonolon.
"Speaking outloud." Charles informed Kyle with a smirk. "I guess his kind have been telepathic for a long time."
Carmonolon glared at them, almost hawklike, and concentrated. He got taller, much, much paler, his eyes widened in spacing, and his muscles rippled beneath Charles' skin. --You must forgive me, it has been very long indeed since I have felt the need to reassert my structure,-- He replied. His lips and facial muscles were tense, as sculpted as it was when he was himself.
"...Looks good to--" Chilla cleared her throat, dropping her voice down to a normal level. "Looks good to me."
"How.. are we going to get to Washington anyway?" Kyle mumbled "I mean... in all the films with aliens and stuff they dont show them driving for hours. And the craft has got to be hidden."
"In all the movies, eventually the government agencies show up to investigate the crash site. We could hide the ship and just wait for them?" Charles offered with a shrug
Kyle looked up at the craft and sighed "I guess we could hide it under a pile of scafolding."
"Or we could ask if he's got a cloaking device." Charles suggested with a grin. "Most space crafts do you know, or at least in the books they do." He turned to Carmonolon. Carmonolon, does you ship have a cloaking device? It will need to remain hidden while we take you to the President.
Taking an alien to the president? It was a completely pointless and undeveloped plan, but Olivia remained plain and idle on the rafter that was sitting on a pile of debris.
Kyle went over and sat down next to Olivia "Hey Liv" he groaned, holding his head "You ok?"
"Yea, just thinking." Olivia grinned, dreamingly.
Carmonolon nodded and pressed his misshapen hand against the side of the hull. He concentrated for a moment, and then the ship disintegrated. --I hope that will suffice.-- He stared at the sky warily as two new stars popped into place. --Not a moment too soon,-- He said. --We need to get moving. Underground would be best.--
Olivia looked up at the deformed creature and jumped down. She approached the alien, "You should...fix yourself." She raised her hands and hovered them on each side of the creature's head, hesitating to mold the figure.
Carmonolon jerked back his head. --...Allow me to clarify something for you.-- He picked up a piece of rubble from the ground and held it up for her to see. It sank into his palm with a hiss, and his palm turned into the same grey color as the rock was. --If something touches me, I eat it. I would advise against it. I am not fond of the taste of flesh.-- He walked around her awkwardly, closing his fist and letting the rubble drain out of his pores and Charles' flesh sink back in. The lights were getting closer, and he was getting more nervous. --What's the nearest underground chamber?-- he asked impatiently, frustrated with his lack of knowledge of the world he was on.
Olivia backed up a little, "Oh...sorry..." she felt stupid. "I- I don't know. You mean...like a sewer or something?"
"I'm thinking that the subway might be best suited for our needs, right? We have to go somewhere, afterall." Charles pointed out to the group with a shrug. He wasn't too keen on the idea of taking this guy tot he president, but there really wasn't much other choice was there?
Kyle pointed out towards where he knew the nearest subway was "Should we get going? Before I turn into alien food."
Although the creature was mishapened to look human, Olivia still eyed the creature up before she started to walk.
Just then 27 advanced alien armadas exited hyperspace and vaporized the entire planet.<hr<
Stumble!