That will make it difficult to synchronize events and work together though.

Better difficult to work together than working together on alternate months.

guys, sorry, i didn't see acid's post from last weekend. i'll finish my chapter as soon as i can and get it up so we can keep things moving.

*Gasp!*

Potential activity?

*Has heart attack*

*reanimates*

good, I'll have something to read

Okay, I wrote three pages at work, brought it home to type it up, plus the one already on my machine, and I think my mom threw it away. I will find it...but hence the delay. Sorry.

good good, err, good luck typing, well see it soon

Mothers are always like that. Do you know mothers are recorded to have thrown away three novel manuscripts?

only 3 for all of the world? or on average?

3 reported. probbably more unreported and ones that were never publish [on accont of being thrown out]

This is the first half of my chapter. It's a little slipshod and I apologize for that; I just didn't want to hold the thread up any longer.
I am planning on completing it if not this weekend, over the course of the next week (I just want to have some action in the plot that's involving the four characters I'm writing about and get this moving towards the rest of the story), so I will post it up as soon as I am done. If the next person after me is one writing a different group of characters, I would suggest posting that, and I will put my second half in as soon as I can!

Thanks all ;P


Chapter 31(?)
Lucky Numbers

Icarus and Verity worked at the glowing blue screens together all night, taking their alternate shifts sleeping. Verity squinted at the papers laid out before her. In the dark of the early morning, the bare light bulb hurt her eyes, but she kept working. There had to be a way to make this happen. Getting off Diamondus was their only hope.
Getting to Carrotus was her only hope.

Icarus, hunched over a cup of coffee, slid a stack of papers onto the floor and shoved his paws into his eyes, rubbing tiredly.
"It's going to work," he said. "I've got it."
Verity looked up from her computer screen.
"Tetracolyhydroxide," Icarus garbled.
"Gesundheit," Verity offered, "That's a mouthful."
"It's the stuff we need. It's a composite, completely blocks magnetic pull to and from any magnetically attractive material. It was apparently first used- and made 'famous', if you will- in the craft that broke the land speed record on Medivo in 3761." Icarus muttered this from the dark, shuffling printed pages.
"Of course," Verity concurred. "Medivo has an iron core. It's molten, but the magnetics are much stronger than on, say, Carrotus, with a molten rock core. If the craft was demagnetized, it would practically float on the surface of the planet."

A sleepy Naomi entered the hull of the shuttle. "So where do we get enough of this to coat the shuttle?" Icarus shook his head. "I have no idea. It says on this site that it's a ...controlled substance... wait, that can't be right." He clicked, frowning at the screen.
"Tetracolyhydroxide is also used as a--"
"-- hallucinagen," Jesse said, coming into the room as well.
"Um, what he said," Icarus finished.
"The form used as a drug is the purest form of the composite," Jesse said sitting down beside the screens on the opposing side of the room. "Plus, because it's illegal, probably the only form you are going to be able to get. Govermental consent and all that crap- they require permissions signed by sixteen heads of state and four federal vouchers and what have you, to use for strictly monitored experiments and designs. The ship that broke the last land speed record on Medivo was confiscated."
"I remember it, " Verity said, suddenly distant. "I was only a little girl. Six maybe."
"I didn't know you lived on Medivo," Naomi said gently, but Verity shook her head, "I left twenty, twenty-one years ago, when my parents died." she changed the subject abruptly, turning to the white rabbit. "You seem to know enough about it," she said, her forehead creased.
"A hit is a liquid gram," Jesse continued, uncomfortable under Verity's vicious green stare, "and a hit costs about as much as Queen Eva's diamond. Rest her soul, " he added in reverence. Looking around the cockpit, he concluded- "I'd say you'll need about two gallons to paint this ship."
There was a small silence.
"So um... can you get it for us?" ventured Naomi.
"Yeah, sure, no problem." Jesse smiled, the first time they had seen his face without sadness shrouding it.



Later that afternoon, Verity stayed alone to watch the ship while Icarus and Naomi went to buy supplies. Jesse was still gone, having galloped off as soon as the sun came up to find what they needed. Verity was still disgruntled at Icarus's choice to bring that white rabbit with them. She would never be off her guard. But he was right in that ...Jesse, as he insisted upon calling himself, was well acquainted with the illegal side of this area. He'd found them what they needed, all right, and it was thanks to Naomi not exactly being the worst off in monetary terms that they were almost ready to try again.
Carrotus or bust. There was only one problem.

Sitting in the small cockpit of the shuttle, she gazed out the tinted windshield and shoved her hands into the pockets of her scuffed leather jacket. In one pocket, she touched the vial that she carried with her to this day, still the same six drops of poison. Give me sign, she would say at night, when she was young, That I can end this now.
In the other, she delicately fingered a soft, worn page. There was a name scribbled on the blue-lined notebook sheet, faded with the year that it had traveled with her, but still clear, her mentor's handwriting familiar forming the unfamiliar name.
"it's your choice, Verity," Eddie had told her that night in the back room of the bar.
She missed the bar, missed bartending. What had happened to that? She remembered smiling at the familiar faces and asking carefully selected questions of the unrecognizable ones.
She remembered Raphael entering the bar and the thrill she always felt when she saw the tabby cat's face looking back at her.
There was a thrill of anger and hate coupling with the love now when she saw Raphael's face in her head, just as she couldn't look at the face of the white rabbit insisting that he was not Jonathan.
Verity admitted deep down inside her that he was too young, that the rabbit who blasted the cavern into Eddie's chest had been at least ten years older than her.
But that changed nothing, and she clenched her paw around the paper in her pocket.
"He'll make you into a machine," Eddie had told her.
"You'll never have your own life back."
She withdrew her paw from the pocket and looked at the crumpled paper.
"Are you willing to give up your soul for what you believe in? Don't think lightly on this, Verity."
But Verity's decision was no longer based on choice and it was clear as the war waged what she had to do. She unfurled that paper and read the name, though she had long since memorized it.
"He's a vampire," said Eddie's voice in your head, "If you let him bite you, you'll have it all. You will be able to do what you want. You will have the power to change this world. But you will also spend the rest of your days with the devil himself living inside you, and even if you end the war, you will fight him for eternity. I'm giving you his name because you are the only rabbit I have ever known who I know has the strength to face off against hell itself."
Louie Greenthorpe.
Verity stalked to the back of the ship to clean her RF for the sixth time that day.

Naomi and Icarus walked through the village, paws clasped, but without speaking. As the days passed there seemed less to say than when the black rabbit had first seen the love of his childhood laughing in the bar that night.
She spoke eventually- "Are we doing the right thing?"
Icarus nodded without hesitation.
"I'm sad when I think about my father," Naomi said, "Even though I know this is better, I wish it didn't always have to be one way or the other. I wish we could be happy all together. When I go back, how do I know he'll even look at me? I just don't..." she stopped as Icarus pressed his cold paw to her lips.
"I knew your father well, " he said, caressing the soft fur on her worried face, "and you are his daughter, Naomi. He loves you."
He held her paws with his and leaned down to her. "But so do I." He looked into her eyes.
"We're so young, Icarus," Naomi said into his ear.
"The war will make us old soon enough," said Icarus, and wrapped his arms around her thin, muscular body. "We are ageless now." On tiptoe, Naomi placed her lips on his, warm and deep. He closed his eyes as he kissed her, but even so a tear escaped them to slide down his cheek.
When he kissed her he relived every moment of their past and every dream of their future, and there was more pain than possible to take, but when he kissed her, at the same time he knew he could bear it and with it whatever the future might bring.

"Be careful with that, little man, " said the burly, tattooed lizard, slouching over the filthy counter housing a glass cased selection of plastic exposives. "I don't know what you're planning with all that tetra, but I hope to hell you're not using it all by your lonesome." He raised a hairless eyebrow.
"It's metal, Reg, " Jesse tossed back, "there's more to do with this than funnel it into my brain through my eyes." He gingerly hefted the canvas sack onto his shoulder, feeling the mercurial liquid fluid heavily inside the temperature controlled canisters.
"I guess I probably won't be seeing you back for a while, then."
"I hope not." Jesse flashed a grin. "This should cover our debts." He tossed a small, rattling tupperware container onto the wooden counter. Reg's scaly forehead crinkled as he pried off the top. "The hell..."
"Take care of those," Jesse said, turning and opening the door, leaving the lizard, tail twitching, gazing at the handful of white, pastel-tinted Carrotian gems.
As the door closed behind the teenager's slim white back, the lizard narrowed his yellow eyes.
"Hmmph," he grunted, and heaved his beer belly off the counter to reach for the grubby telephone on the wall behind him.

It was late that night when the four creatures assembled in the now-familiar corner of the pub they'd frequented for the past week. A rain was beginning to fall over the swaying sign -Marinated Pearl- as Jesse, the last to arrive, slithered inside. The grainy jukebox drowned their voices from outsiders.
"It's all there," Jesse confirmed, nodding at the canvas satchel he'd dropped at their feet.
"It's going to work, " Icarus announced tiredly. "The anti-magnetic coating painted on the shuttle's hull, antennae and controls will prevent the artificial gravitational pull that's holding us in orbit, allowing a supercession of the 80-kilometer force field that's placed to spray the false imagery into our monitors-
"At least, we think it's 80 kilometers. that's all the airspace outside of a given land mass that a government can hold," Naomi uttered a little bitterly into her cider.
"When we hit the estimated 80 kay barrier, we'll see the planet behind us, and we'll be out of mesospheric control of the Diamondian government.
There's just one problem."
"Security?" Naomi queried. 'They're not going to just let us fly off the planet when they see we're not in the Orbit, right?"
"But even so you're flying an f-wing ST-9063, "Jesse said, "even the built in weaponry is adequate, with shields and all. My father flew an f-wing when I was young and if we've got a good pilot-"
Verity narrowed her eyes at Jesse, but said nothing.
"Naomi's as good as they come when we're talking about flying," Icarus said idly, and Naomi smiled at him.
"I believe it," Jesse said, "But I'm just saying that we shouldn't have a problem, with a gunner and a pilot, getting out of their- legal - range in enough time."
"Well, that is sort of the issue," said Verity, stirring a vodka and lime.
"Using the tetra to demagnetize the ship prevents all outside impulsion to affect the ship. Unfortunately, it also prevents any similar impulses to escape. In essence it will de-locate the ship, make it near to impossible to pinpoint, and thus when painted, the ship will be like a dead thing, no pull, no weight, no heat.
It'll disable the shields, " she said. "I've tried to figure out a way to technologically delete that side effect, but where computers and guns don't figure, I'm afraid I don't do much good, and if there is an answer out there- I know Icarus has looked too- we can't find it. Even if we place an externally located force field generator on the outer surface of the ship, the shielding will just bounce around because the anti-magnetism makes the ship undetectable. The force will just slide off and deflect into space. "

"Anything else?" said Naomi.
"Nope, everything else is cool." Icarus rolled his eyes.
"Lets do it then. " Jesse leaned forward over the table. "We've only got one shot at this and I don't know about you all but I'd rather die trying."

"No one's going to die, " Verity said forcefully, exhaustedly, "We're all going to Carrotus."


To be continued.

Progress! And excellence! Huzzah! At last! Wonderful chapter, it seems everyone is converging on the same spot, perfect.

So then, who's going next?

Yee! Duckary! *hug*

*hugs! all around*

Can't think of much to say other than awesome chapter, Ducky.

C'mon people! I *know* you're reading this! Lets hear some compliments and support for this awesome chapter!

Yay Ducky

DD, it is your turn next.

Oh, I'm reposting the list here for convenience's sake. Tick, I'm not certain when you write, hence the question mark.

Cobra.
Spaztic?
Coppertop.
Alex.
SlaYo.
Risp.
Acid.
Ducky.
Doubble Dutch.
ToxicBunny.
Strato.

Really? I thought Ducky posted ahead of some people that haven't had their turn yet?

Meh, I'm sure I'll have something ready in a month or so, maybe a year, tops.

Yay Duckies! Awesome chapter.

According to this URL of sexyness, the order here on out is as follows:

Doubble Dutch, Toxic Bunny, Strato, KRSplat, Cobra, Spaztic, Coppertop, Unknown, SlaYo, Kaz, Risp, acid, Ducky, (Alex)

Minus the people who have permanently stopped writing, of course.

And I warn you all in advance that I won't be writing until after the 12th of May. Still, given the recent record of things around here, that's not too serious...

Meh, I might volunteer writing.

Hm, I just reposted the list that Slay has on page 11. Our, uh, revised version, I guess ...

(-)! I don't know why, but my proxy server doesn't like long replies, stupid server.

Well, I'd better post something before Copper gets mad and gets her cronies, cobalt and nickel to rearrange my face.


Chapter err, 32 I think


"Okay then, what about fire? I've seen that used lots in movies, maybe-"

Tier smiled grimly. "Hold out your hand then." Michelle did as she was told. Calmly Tier picked up the small lighter by the table, lit it, and held it beneath an outstretched digit, after a few seconds it blackened, a short while later the sulfurous smell of singed fur permeated the air. Michelle removed her hand and stared at it, where the flame had flickered was barely charred, as they watched the fur regrew. "You're moist, as in, mostly water, you're gonna need one hell of a fire to do anything, and believe me I know, besides, this condition comes with instincts, if she knows it'll kill her, they'll take over."

He stared at the group, it was quite a cozy setting; everyone clustered around the fireplace, deep in discussion about Michelle’s condition. They’d considered everything, from crushing to freezing, fire to magic, and every time they’d come to him, asked, and been disappointed. If there was a way to end his condition, he hadn’t found it in a thousand years, but they never gave in, it was a characteristic of the living.

Tier walked off, leaving the group in further discussion. Michelle had taken a shine to the vampire, and they spent a lot of time talking, which was only to be expected, they were in the same situation, more or less. She hadn't had to go through the hell of regular feeding, the estrangement, lack of sleep, but she knew what was coming, she had immortality and all its horrors to face. They'd tried to talk to him of course, since he had a lot more experience, but the conversations always died, ebbing away into those uncomfortable silences, he knew he could never tell them what it was like, they were too alive to understand.

He smirked, a vampire? Too alive? I bet that hadn't been said too often. He sighed, it sounded like someone squashing a wet sock, and went back to work. Work, he was good at that, just as long as he had something to do, no matter what, or how long it'd take he'd get it done, even if it took a hundred years, literally.

"Hey, thought you might want these, take a bit of filling out of course."

Tier turned to face the rabbit behind him. His mind flickered a bit, ah yes, Thomas, the one who read books. He stared at the rabbit’s outstretched hand.

"Citizenship papers? What for?"

"Well, I just thought-"

"That I might want to vote? When everything will be the same in a hundred years? And I'll be around to see it? Hell, why not? Who's the guy you want to win?

Tier spent the next half hour filling out the forms, it was just something else to do, people got all excited about the most insignificant things, he'd seen good government, and bad, and all that really mattered was that everything came to an end, eventually. After that he went back to rebuilding the wall, then clearing out the basement. As he worked his mind plodded on thinking of the upcoming civil war. It seemed everyone was always fighting one another, no sooner had the last battle finished before people were rushing off to another. He remembered...

A red sky, not sunset, but at night, fire from the ground spiraling into the air. The world was thick with noise, and blood and life. The dog was ahead of him, then behind, slumping to the ground, a rabbit on his left, a quick swipe and nothing more. They were too busy fighting each other to notice the red streak of death that cut through their ranks. Another there, and there, slash! Stab! Feed whenever possible, the battlefield filled with those like himself, but alive, at least for now. Shots rang out, he felt pressure, but moved on, no need to stop, no need to think, this was home.

Michelle stared up at the ceiling and counted the cracks in it for the hundredth time. Geez, even the vampire could sleep, this was going to take some getting used to. She felt something, in that strange way she'd got used to in the last few days, sitting up slowly she saw a rat, black and sleek nibbling her big toe. They never ate anything living she noticed, at least if it was bigger than them. She let it get about halfway through before almost unconsciously swiping out at it and biting it in two. Hell, why not? Apparently this was her future diet. She'd tried normal food; it made her sick just to put it in her mouth, even raw steak tasted foul. It had to be living. She'd already got the nickname 'rattrap', something she was oddly proud of.

She sat back and let her mind wander, exploring her new ability to detect life. She could see in her mind the little lights, each one a rabbit or rat, scuttling about their own business. She could even see Louie, a different.. shade? Taste maybe? But asleep all the same, lucky sod. She felt around, assigning names to the specks, feeling rather oddly like an invisible spy. There was a rat nest, young ones in it too, have to see about that tomorrow, over there was Thomas, with his wife, more late night reading, and there were the refugees, the first early arrivals, and the place hadn't even been cleaned up yet! She sighed, so much to do, so much activity, she'd never been good with people, because she'd never had the chance to meet any. This was all so new, so exciting, for now her condition could wait, it wasn't like many people notived, or cared, several had been forced to eat rats themselves, most were just glad of a warm place to stay. She named every single one she could remember, recalling her brief talks with them during the past day.

She focused on that one speck, currently in the basement, the only one her instincts said 'like me' the only life signature she wouldn't attack no matter how hungry she got, the others... There was something out in the forest; it pricked her mind, another taste of life, no several, a group. She focused muzzily on it; watched figures half a mile away meet, interact and then disperse. She wondered idly what they had been; she'd spent a lot of time in the woods, all her life. She'd been expected to be able to work since she'd been five, and had spent many hours before that repairing family equipment in the hut, even more so after mother had died. They tracked down the bandit together, her and father, the werewolves had found what they left, and that’s what he had deserved. Werewolves, was that them? She held on to this thought; there were said to be some around, she'd have to start stalking the woods, her new condition offered, possibilities, there were rewards, father could use the money.

She lay back and thought of sunny forest days until the soft dawn light told her it was time to get up. People would be wanting breakfast, and she was a good cook.

yay

Nice chapter. I feel like I'm missing something, but that's probably because I haven't read the rest of the story in too long.

I might as well do everyone a favor and drop out of the running. It's obvious I won't be able to keep up with the new schedule. However, I will stick around and keep reading the rest of the story.

Dear lord! At the rate this story is shedding contributors it'll have a single author in no time! [What do we do with all the authorless characters?]

Merge them in anyway. They've been established, we may as well use them. I'd suggest getting the author's permission before doing anything drastic such as killing them however. What do you guys think?

BTW, excellent chapter, DD.

We don't need author's permission for use of they're characters.
It might seem rude to use them but it's all in the best interest of the story.
If it's necessary too kill them, then so be it.
Just don't make them die at random and it will be ok.
They abandoned the story so I imagine they could care less about they're character.

And I've very much enjoyed reading the past two posts.
Thank you for keeping this story alive.

HI. I'll get started on one of those flashback thingies for Gary Parker tonight.
Just to keep things going.

NEXT IN LINE, START WRITING PLEASE.

Toxic Bunny, I believe?

I know, I know. I haven't forgotten.

I've been working on summaries of each round: Yes, this page again.
This should make it a little easier for people who are having trouble keeping track of a plot that's been spread out over almost two years now.

So, I'm sorry, I've only just started my chapter. But at least it stands a better chance of maintaining continuity and coherency.

Chapter 34: Transition

They had begun to arrive. Refugee centres had sprung up all over Carrotus. Provincial governments, city executives and village councils from east to west, from pole to pole, had arranged accomodation on a scale that dwarfed King Jazz's proposals. The new Greenthorpe Mansion Refuge was among the least accessible, but still they came. The Carrotus Interior Ministry had set up a database to try to fairly distribute the newcomers among the various centres, but it was proving to be next to impossible to administer. Diamondus was emptying, and Carrotus was a popular destination.

Gary Parker smiled as he watched the latest news bulletin on the situation. There would be so many people who, for whatever reason, would fall through the cracks of the system. So many people who would not be missed.

"So, let me get this straight," said Tony. "The vampires hate the werewolves because the first werewolf killed the first vampire, Kaijin."
Tony, Alexander, Tom and Susan were taking a rest in the library. They had been hard at work all day, helping the refugees settle in.
"'Killed' may not be the most appropriate term, but yes," replied Alexander.
"It certainly seems like the vampires have the moral high ground," said Tom.
"Creatures of the night, dear," interjected Susan. "I don't think the moral high ground really matters to them."
"Besides, that's just their side of the story," said Alexander. "Werewolves think Ronahin, the first werewolf, was framed. There's even a theory that Kaijin faked his own death."
"So he may still be alive?" asked Tony.
"I doubt it. If he is, he's been very well hidden for thousands of years. Anyway, it's not that important right now. Our intelligence suggests most vampires and werewolves on Carrotus have formed an alliance. There's a strong feeling that they're not going to have to compete so much for prey."
"With that pleasant thought in mind, I'm afraid I have to go," said Susan. They said their goodbyes, She kissed Tom, and then she was gone. Tony turned to Tom.
"What about you, shouldn't you be out campaigning?"
"Parker's ahead in the polls, he has the sympathy vote from the death of his aunt to look forward to, and the election's tomorrow. There's not much I can do."
"But if he gets elected..."
"I know."

As Susan walked down Old Main Street, she noticed a few dark glances from passers-by. Not everyone approved of the company she was keeping these days. Word had got out, as it would in a small community, that she was consorting with vampires. Most people accepted that Louie was good, but there were many who didn't believe a vampire could ever be anything more than a monster. She reached home and went up to Yakira's room. Louie was there, removing her bandages, applying the lotion, then redressing the wounds. Susan had been uneasy at first about leaving Louie with Yakira as her bleeding could have been too great a temptation. Louie, however, would not leave her side. At least Majo was there.
"How is she?" asked Susan.
"She hasn't moved or said anything since you left. I think her pulse may be steadying, though," replied Majo. "How are the people at the refuge?"
"The injured ones were treated in Oakloma, and only a few of those need post-operative care. But there are a few who are showing symptoms of delayed symptoms of Diamondus Green Vine poisoning. They were stowaways in a ship carrying the stuff, but they wouldn't admit it to the authorities in Oakloma."
"But they told you?"
"They were coughing up bile, they didn't have much choice."
"You were able to cure them, though, right?"
"Yes. But we'll be run out of medical supplies quite soon if we keep getting this many sick people."

* * *

"And now we go live to Greenthorpe, where Gary Parker is waiting for the reults from his hometown."
The screen changed from the presenter's face to the Greenthorpe council chamber. The councillor's benches were covered in neat stacks of ballots, and small groups of anxious locals were milling around.
"And, indeed, waiting for the results from across the province. But right now the Greenthorpe Returning Officer is stepping up to..."
His voice faded out and Councillor Dalton read out the results. A cheer went up from half of the room, and the screen changed to show Gary Parker's reaction.
"An interesting result from Greenthorpe. Gary Parker has lost to Felicity Jadsworth, getting only 35.3 percent of the vote," commented one of the co-presenters. "If he wins, this will certainly overshadow his governorship."
Gary Parker looked devastated. The screen returned to the presenter.
"We'll get an interview with him as soon as we can. Meanwhile, over to Quillanham, which Mr. Parker is widely expected to carry. If you've just joined us, Gary Parker is in the lead, but has lost in his hometown. Felicity Jadsworth is currently in second place, but Halen Neilson could still pull ahead to join Parker in the second round."

Gary solemnly got into his car, and asked his driver to take him to his campaign headquarters.
"How did the count go, sir?" asked the driver.
"Badly." He glanced up at the rear-view mirror and confirmed that the driver had no reflection. "Not that it matters. It's one small town in a huge province. It's an embarassment, but if I feign a bit of humility over it for a few days, it'll be fine."

Tom had just got home from the count. There was nobody around on the ground floor, so he went up to Yakira's room. He opened the door to see Susan and their houseguests clustered around Yakira's bed.
"Hello. How's..."
Susan interrupted. "Ssssh!"
Only then did he hear her patient trying to speak.
"Bit... better."
"Is there any part of your body you can't feel?" asked Susan.
"No... Hurts ev... rywhere."
"What can we call you?"
"Yyyak... ira."
"Yakira," said Louie. "What happened to you?"
Susan reprimanded him. "Medical questions only!"
Yakira coughed. "'Sss okay."
Louie leaned closer. Yakira let out a guttural sound as she tried to continue.

The Screen returned to the face of the presenter. "And it's official, there will be no second round. Gary Parker has an absolute majority, and is Peddleburg's next governor."

"Es...Estella."
Louie froze.

Progress! Excellentation!

I am expressing interest to cram myself back into the story.

Well then, I'm sure if you write something the great Coppertop will forgive you, and your characters can be released from the abandonment home.

He's still in usage, actually. I find that odd.

Oh, it's not my forgiveness he needs, it's Slay's. Maybe if he asks real nice and presents a three-post chapter ... hehe.

Slay already gave me the go-ahead. As such, I've started anyway, and I'm at a page and a half of writing, so it'll probably be an average size.

Edit: Well, I've hit page 5. I'm trying to get it out there as quickly as possible so that you guys don't regret my re-introduction =P.