dear_mun | [Always homeless]

[The groaning is growing louder, as though more voices are adding to the din. It's definitely coming from inside.

All of Stitch's hackles are raised now. The little alien isn't talking, but emitting a steady growl. His nose wrinkles back, as a fresh breeze carries along a stench of something rotting.]

[Kino chambers the first round, watching Stitch's reaction. Whatever is waiting for them in there, it isn't friendly.]

...

[The smell is familiarly repugnant, but Kino is already on guard, so it adds nothing.]

[Stitch begins making his way into the building. Whatever's here, it's important. He can feel it. The alien skitters up the wall and across the ceiling, forgetting that Kino's going to have a slower time moving through the rubble. From the shadows comes a flicker of movement. Stitch's growl increases in volume, his whole body rumbling like Hermes' engine.

Something thrashes in the girders, hands clawing - are those hands? They look like they end in bones. It moans again, pitching higher as it spots the travelers.]

I'll just wait out here! [Hermes whispered after Kino decided to lean him against the most stable looking piece of wall; bringing him in along further would slow her down even more.

Something flickered in her peripheral vision, a sound, and then—

A round fired at one of the grasping, bony-fingered hands. Easy enough to dodge, it might just serve as a warning shot if evaded.]

[Rather then dissuading the creature, the vocalizations get louder. Hands scramble madly, start to gain a hold. Stitch bolts back to Kino at the shot. He drops down, hissing in alarm - ]

Adaja?! Juti? Juti?!

[With a sharp crack the creature pulls free, leaving an arm behind. It begins crawling forward, revealing a head and distended stomach. Legs trail uselessly behind.

It might have been human. Once.

It is now coming toward the gun, which is the exact opposite of what any sensible... thing would do!]

Edited 2014-04-18 00:33 (UTC)

No good.
[Off goes the arm. Clearly no big loss to the creature.

The appendages are worthless, so maybe—]

Go! Make sure there aren't others.

[Hurriedly, if unusually calmly, spoken words meant for Stitch as she takes aim for the skull, hoping to splinter it and its spine. It might have been human once, but now, she found it easier to think of it as an insect that won't die without losing its head or part of its main body; of course, only a theory for now. One that must be tested quickly.]

[The creature's groans draw answering calls, and another comes around a corner. It's in better shape then the first, shambling forward at a much faster clip.

Stitch considers his options - teethclaws NO. With the way those things reek, direct contact is not a good plan. Instead, he rips up a piece of mortar, flinging it like a frisbee. There's an incredibly satisfying crunch. The creature stumbles, most of the rib cage in smithereens.]

Bullseye!

[It keeps walking forward, splintered ribs sticking out at all angles.]

Oh come onyuck!

Nice shot. [Kino sounded genuinely impressed.

But they really are too persistent; Kino pointed at the exposed spine in its splintered thoracic cavity, hoping the momentum of the bullet will take it down, if not incapacitate it like the other.]

[Meanwhile, that Crawler is getting way too close. Stitch yanks free another slab. It's several feet longer then he is, but he easily hoists it over his head.

Taking a few running steps forward, he heaves the slab. It comes straight down on the creature.

Splat!]

EwwwwwwPANCAKE!

[Amazingly strong for such a small creature, isn't he?]

A very disgusting pancake.

Is there something they're guarding here? Are they spawning from somewhere?

[You bet! That ~~idiot scientist~~ Evil Genius really didn't spare any expenses in the "throw heavy objects" department!

At Kino's question, Stitch considers the second creature. It limps around its flattened companion, taking no notice at all. The movement reminds Stitch weirdly of robots - only following commands.]

Hmm. Maybe they want -

[Stitch scuttles back as the walker lunges at him. It's faster then he thought!]

Getaway! - Want US!

[Kino dives out of the way into a flip, before firing another round into the crippled one.]

Well, they'll just have to be disappointed.

Yeah!

[There's something familiar about these things. The way they lurch, groan -

...stumbling across a TV screen in black and white...

Giving a mad laugh, Stitch chucks another piece of rubble at the creature. Direct head shot! It crumples.]

Hahahahaha! Kill the brain kill the ghoul! Coming to GET you Barbara!

[Kino wasn't familiar with whatever Stitch was referencing, but takes advice where she can get it:

Sound choice, the nervous system seems to be all they need intact to carry on, so, if any more show up, she'll know where to shoot.]

Nice shot. Who taught you to fight?

Monster movie night!

[Which may or may not be a good explanation. Kino knows about movies, right?]

Zombies dead stupid hungry - keep moving until you kill brain!

[There's more coming, probably attracted by the gunshots/mad cackling. The best plan might be letting them all come out in the open!

Hopefully they aren't surrounding Hermes while Stitch and Kino are distracted... ]

[... he learned all that from movies?] Must have amazing memory. [Yes, she's seen a movie or two! Old-fashioned, projector movies, and more modern screens as in the Land of Sickness.

No zombie movies, though.]

Alright! [Killing off hungry predators isn't new to her.] Too bad I don't have any bombs...

[But she has the next best thing; until the others come into view for easier aim, she's going to quickly switch from the Woodsman to the Canon; modified to work with explosive gunpowder, plus it's an automatic and will save her even more time!]

[Meanwhile, Hermes has been enjoying a relative peace broken only by faint, groans and gunshots. He has moved onto counting the gunshots for entertainment.

Which miiiiight attract one or two zombies with less maggot-infested ears.]

Iyet, bombs messy, hit body not brain. Keeps crawling eyyuuuuck! Have to shoot again!

[The sentences are getting better and better - who knew zombies could be so useful for language development?

Stitch scoops up several large rocks, then scuttles up a tilting wall to the ceiling. From there, he gleefully drops them on the ghouls. Each is a direct hit to the skull.]

Yeah! Fish in barrel!

[Meanwhile, more of them are shambling out from the side, drawn by Hermes's counting.]

Depends on the kind. [And how you use them. If an explosive were to go off lodged in their throat, for example...

Either way, the Cannon fired bullets and had a red dot sight, so it still had plenty of accuracy on its side. Too mindless to understand the danger of the little red light flitting across their heads before they're hit, hopefully!

Hermes stopped his counting when he realized they were taking an interest in him.] ... uh-oh.

Kiiiiinooo? [They wouldn't want a Motorrad, right? There's nothing for them to gain by taking him apart! ... if they keep coming closer, he might have to call for help.]

[Stitch cheers at the shots. Kino is good! Then, over the moans, he picks up the motorrad's worried call.]

Uh-oh.

[Stitch wants to find out what's inside, but they're in trouble if their ride gets eaten. Well, okay, he's pretty sure zombies don't eat machines, they might knock him over!]

Kino! Hermes!

[Yanking out some metal ceiling tiles, Stitch zips them into the gathering crowd.]

Eat THIS! Ahahahahaha!

[With Master's training, she had no choice but to turn out good! Stitch's warning takes Kino by surprise.] Is something wrong with Hermes?

[What would they want with a Motorrad? She can't imagine them eating him either, but just the thought that something migh happen to her only constant companion of four years...

Time to rush back out. Stitch seems to be doing a fine job of breaking up the crowd, making it easier for Kino to tear out.] Cover for me!

Leave now, come on... would it help if I said please? [Sounding a little worried. Being knocked over doesn't sound fun either, the ground doesn't look very soft here!]

[No Hermes, it would not! Just as the first ghoul is about to knock into him, there's a rushing noise, a thud, and it collapses. Stitch's tile sticks neatly out of its skull.]

Hey! No touching, stupidhead!

[Stitch keeps peppering the crowd, really more to distract them so Kino can get good shots!]

Thanks, blue koala! [Considering Hermes' unchanging tone, it's hard to tell if he's joking or sincere.

A couple of rounds more fired by Kino and they'll come crashing down.]

I wonder when they'll come to an end...? I'm almost out of bullets.

[So, she'll stick to shooting a path and warding the others away with the laser sight as she darts over to Hermes.

Hop on and make a get-away or does everybody's favourite experiment still want to play with the zombies?]

No worries motormouth!

[Of course, this is yelled with the same manic glee Stitch yells everything, so hard to tell if it's an insult or not!]

Waitaminute! Be right back!

[While Kino keeps the zombies off of Hermes, Stitch gives a manic cackle which draws quite a lot of attention. They begin lumbering after him as he races deeper, whooping and hollering as if he's trying to get them to follow him!

There's a minute of quiet, possibly interrupted by gunshots if a ghoul gets too close.

Then comes a rumble, and quite A LOT of smoke! Also flames. Also a blue, fuzzy, slightly-singed missile, which lands next to Kino and Hermes.]

Go go go!

[Always homeless]

Ahahaha that's okay! On with the show!

[Yeah! o/]

Spoiler - It's zombies. HAVE FUN GUYS!

[OH, BOY, and here we were expecting scavengers or cannibals. xDDD;]

Zombie-scavenger-cannibals?

Fun for the whole family!

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Oh so late sorry!