Wrong place, wrong time

[Roy]

Roy finally arrived at Gradia after he made his way towards the futuristic city when he received message about the cloning incident that happened some days ago. He was just somewhere between Veyyard and Ianne when the roaring of a spaceship that shot through the bright blue sky, got his attention. Roy has heard of the metal city Gradia, but its not common to have its ships fly over the whole continent.

Like Roy expected it not to be right, he noticed that the ship tossed out a bunch of items over the land. After Roy was able to find one of the electronic devices a hologram of a news speaker appeared telling about a bio-chemical terror in form of synthetic humans that spread over the city. He was never interested in visiting that futuristic place, but he couldn`t deny that this adventure was literally screaming out for him. Next to that the people really need some help. He didn`t want to think about how many innocent people might have already lost their lives...

Roy was wandering through an area that was filled with storage halls and big facilities that threw huge shadows on the surrounding buildings. As Roy was clinging to the device in his hand. It was official: He was lost.

"Gah... I can`t believe I didn`t find the correct entrance. I miss the huge gate thats greeting you with 'WELCOME TO GRADIA'!" he started muttering but literally shouted out the last three words. What Roy didn`t know was that he was currently moving on the plot that was owned by Niam Robotics. But the part that he entered was abandoned long ago. Therefore it only inhabits old storage halls, shut down steel facilities and closed robot construction workplaces. "Alright... so where to go now? I don`t think I meet any of those synthetic men out in an empty place like this."

Gazing on the horizon Roy spotted the huge buildings of the actual city, the silver metal was glowing in the sun and the whole mass of glass that was a part of the construction just added a nice sparkling effect. He still had quite a way if he wanted to reach the city.

Even though Roy has heard stories about the high advanced city Gradia, he never had the urge to take a look at it. He didn`t know why, but maybe it was just a twist in his mind that was neglecting the technical achievements that have been made. Roy preferred to stick to the nature, he couldn`t imagine to live in a city that was made out of pure metal.

While following the metallic path, Roy noticed that this part of the city was far more dirty than the one that he saw in a distance. Slowly he was getting the thought that he might ended up at some abandoned place. But before he could think any further, a loud CRACK made him startle very hard and he turned around in an instant reaching for the hilt of his sword as the feeling of fear slowly turned into excitement.

[TAG SYANI~]

[Syani]

Syani froze, completely stiff...on top of a crate, which happens to be on top of some other boxes dangerously stacked on each other just inside a random abandoned building. Unfortunately, the height of the boxes are exactly 30 feet in total, which happens to be approximately the same height her portal wishes to open to kick her out.

So there she stands now, balancing herself not to fall, her hands wildly flailing in the air to reach for something she could hold on to. Her arm caught a piece of wood above her that was supposed to be the roof's supporter ceiling thing, but then again, its an abandoned building so...

CRACK!

"Ahh...snap."

That sudden crack of the wood imbalances her as she found herself flailing her arms to stabilize herself, but it only made things worst as the boxes started to fiddle, then toppled over each other. Well of course, that makes one heck of a spectacular dive for a certain half-vampire from the top of the crate. Oh, and she didn't forget to scream her lungs out too, that's the cliched part.

Before long, dust occupied the whole storage hall she was in, with some of the feeble boxes broken and a small piece of the roof had fallen off too.

[Roy]

After the crack sound that pierced through the silence, a high pinched girl voice screamed out in fear. Roys stance changed immediately from one second to another. Firstly, because he was expecting everything but a girls scream, secondly, and maybe it was just his imagination, the voice sounded familiar to him... "Could that..?" He let out in surprise. But it doesn`t matter who it was, he had to find that person either way.

Roy detected the medium-sized storage hall, where the scream came from, not that far away from him. Putting the device into a bag thats detached to his belt, he started running towards the building afterwards.

Reaching the door he noticed that it was locked, obviously. Then he noticed though, that the lock was already rusted. "Perfect!" He cheered and pulled out the dagger from his side. With two hard blows he hit the stud against the lock and caused it to brake.

Opening the door Roy slowly entered the hall and all he could see, through the thick dust that was in the air, was a total mess of crushed crates. "Uh... hello ?" He called out, still holding up his dagger. Who knows, maybe he`ll need it.

[Syani]

Coughing non-stop by the lack of air and dust hovering all over the place, Syani moaned as she tries to feel her receptors. That was a long fall...and the fact that everything in this place is made out of metal, the floor too, only further made that fall of hers more painful.

Though, maybe she's grown used to the 30-feet dives of hers that it didn't hurt that much anymore...it's like she has grown an extra-thick skin of sorts after all these falls. The boxes that covered her fall lightens the pain a bit, and she's grateful of that. "Gosh....so much for helping people...."

Her senses perked up as soon as she could hear a voice from the entrance of this building. And with a quick swift, Syani tosses a tiny pebble-like object towards the door as it slides its way on the metallic floor and stopped right at Roy's feet. Before anything happens, the thing suddenly exploded into white smoke, blurring the vision of anyone trapped inside the mist.

Once the smoke clears, Syani could be seen handling a few needles in between her fist, and the sharp points are dangerously close to her victim's neck now. It's until she can see who her victim is clearly that she steps back a bit, taking a while to register who she almost killed.

"R...ROY?!!"

[Roy]

Since there was nothing but dust that blocked Roys vision he was tempted to call out again for the person who seemed to have had a little accident in here. But before he could opened his mouth again, he noticed a little object sliding over the ground that exploded into a white cloud of mist before he could even see what it was.

Coughing he tried to step backwards, until he noticed that somebody already approached him. Why he knew that? Well, sharp objects that almost pierce your throat can`t be ignored that easily.

His eyes closed and body tensed up in order not to make any hasty movements and get killed by accident before he even knew what was going on.

Then he suddenly felt how his attacker was removing his weapons. Roy slowly opened his eyes, the mist vanished, and the next thing he heard was somebody yelling his name. Turning around in an instant Roy got sight of the least person that he would have ever expected to see.

"S-SYANI?!" He let out in surprise. "How the hell did you get here?" His words were anything but wisely chosen. But the sound of them was more surprising than accusing. Of course he had thought about her now and then, but actually seeing her in front of him was a totally different thing.

It was easy to see in Roys face that he had absolutely no idea what to say, so he sticked to the most obvious thing. "You know that this was pretty close, do you?" He said while rubbing his neck.

[Syani]

Upon hearing Roy's respond that further proves he's not some ghost trap or something, Syani further steps to the back...or, well, more like hopping back out of more shock at the realization of what she almost done. Dropping the needles she equipped in her fist, the half-vampire quickly raises both her hands up high as if she's about to get arrested.

"H-holy crap, Roy!! I am so SO sorry!! Gosh, dammit, are you okay?! That was SO stupid of me!!" And as fast as she moves away from him, she managed to leans down under Roy's chin a bit to take a look at his neck, now extremely worried. "I didn't poke inside your skin accidentally, did I?! 'Cause if I did, then I gotta suck the poison out really quick!" Well, who wouldn't be worried if they ended up accidentally killing a friend they haven't met for a while!

Her hands are already busy trying to feel his neck for any punctures of sorts, pushing his chin up a little bit too high though. It's a funny sight really, since Roy's a human and Syani's a half-vampire, so it almost looks like she's trying to find a good spot for bloodsucking from afar.

[Roy]

After Roys words of accusion he witness how Syani dropped her weapons after she took a few steps backwards. Seeing her obviously shocked face expression he tried to calm her down. "Hey, hey, don`t worry about it." Roy said smiling "How should you have known that it was me? You just tried to defend yourself." It wasn`t really a deal to forgive Syani for that. After all the two of them had gone through lots of dangerous situations. Still, Roy had to admit that a few of them were at Syanis fault, but he would never blame her for that.

Roys face expression went blank after Syani mentioned the poison that was attached to the needles. "Are you serious about that?" He asked with a dry voice and reached with a hand to his throat touching the skin. Also Syani was up pretty close to him now to look for any injuries too.

He exactly knew how many days had left since she was that close to him for the last time. Call it a good memory if you want to. Still, it really wasn`t the time to reminiscence old times. "Umm.. to be honest.. Theres something itching around here.." He answered slowly and was touching the left side of his throat.

[Syani]

"WHAT?!!" Upon hearing Roy's confirmation of the itch at his neck, Syani wildly tries to search for where he directed. She feels uneasy and panics more at this, never stopping to wonder if her needles can really spread some itchiness to the skin. "Where?! My left or your left??"

She designed this poison specifically for the creatures that started attacking the city, and truly did give certain properties to it, for example, it takes exactly 15 seconds for the poison to spread all over the body and eating every nerve tissue the host has. In fact, it doesn't seem like poison at all, more like lethal tissue-consuming bacteria. It sounds crazy, but at least it could make the monsters stop moving.

Syani paused. It's been more than 15 seconds now, and seeing Roy still standing on his feet instead of toppling over like a squished squid, the half-vampire glared at him. "Sheesh, don't SCARE me like that!!" And after that, a feeble punch on his arm. Though, she can't help releasing a rather relieving sigh at the fake alarm.

"And never ever let yourself got attacked like that so easily!"

[Roy]

Watching the obviously scared Syani hopping around him he tried to calm her down. At least one of them was able to keep a clear head, for now. "Here, my left, I pointed at it, do you see anything?" He let out and turned his head so that she could get a clear view.

Luckily Roy did not know about the special poison that Syani created for the synthetic men. Otherwise Roy would definitely not stay that calm. So he just waited for Syani to take a closer look and waited for her answer.

But all the Roy got was a slight hit on his arm and being yelled at by Syani who didn`t seem to have found anything suspicious. "H-Hey!" Roy let out in surprise of the sudden hit, but even stronger than the surprise was the feeling of relief. He sure kept a cool head, but he still had been scared for a second.

But Syani changed the topic pretty quickly. "Hey! I had heard a female scream! So why on earth should I assume that you have been one of those synthetic men?" Roy let out with a fake angry expression. "And I WAS being careful... but you have to admit that even the synthetic men can`t throw smoke bombs.." Roy uttered out as an additional info to clarify that he wasn`t careless.

What both of them haven`t noticed so far was, that Roys skin, at his throat, was indeed slightly pierced... even though he was still on his feet.

[NPC: Male]

The noise of two arguing people attracted the attention of the Syns that have taken the robotics building as their home. Some of them were feeding on former workers they have killed that didn't turn into Syns while the others fiddled with the various machineries that made up the assembly line. While they didn't know how the contraptions work in full, the Syns were intelligent enough to get some concepts. If they pushed a certain button, for example, a dozen robots will move. Since they were created to be future workers, the Syns were no doubt capable in manning these things.

But the screaming from the far side of the factory caught there attention in a matter that they couldn't ignore. There was people there and that meant food. One of the Syns let out a grunt that was primitive at best but the others understood him without difficulty and, wasting no time, they started stalking the prey that would provide them fresh meat to eat.

One of the Syns wore a formal business suit, he seemed to be one of the professionals that worked in Niam before he got turned. His light blue shirt was soaked with blood on one side where he had been bitten by one of the original Syns. His eyes, once soft brown, were now outlined with electric blue. His human memories lie dormant in his mind, overwhelmed by the virus' need to support its host, to feed. James, his former name, walked liked the man he was, straight, dignified, and with an air of authority, but this mind was consumed with thoughts of food. From the direction of the noise, James already knew where his prey would be and he made his way there with his naked brethren walking in the same manner behind him. When the intruders became visible, James didn't make a move to stalked, a quality of people who have been turned, but instead slowly walked up to them.

[Syani]

Syani has to admit, she missed arguing with this dude. "Hey, I thought those synthetic men can be women also! They bit whoever they want and turn them into THEM, including women! ...Right?" Even when squabbling, she's still unsure of her own theory. "And I thought they're smart also, so they could learn their way into throwing smoke bombs."

Her half-vampire senses perked up as she straightens her spine, her hand also reached up to grab Roy by the shoulder, but she didn't speak, merely scanning her eyes around to indentify what this feeling is. It almost feels like...danger, somehow, but she doesn't want to lean on it. "Did I...screamed...really loud?" Well, as insane as she is, the the half-vampire can choose to use her common sense now and then.

Her eyes caught sight of a silhouete entering the front door where Roy went through, and out of pure instinct, pulled Roy back with her, since her hand is still on his shoulder unconciously. Not long after that, a number of others can be seeable following this stranger, Syani quickly pulled off her bat-like necklace from her neck, activating her telekinesis back from being sealed after such a long time.

"Roy. Please, please, PLEASE don't get bitten by any of them." Syani said, or somehow ordered in a way, before letting go of his shoulder, and preparing whatever that is about to come.

'They're like my mob...yeah... Just have to evade every attack, and kill as much as possible. Alright. Plan A set. Awesome...'

[Roy]

It was just like back then in the days when Syani and he were exploring random places and they went into a quarrel now and then. It was actually quite amusing. "So you think that I couldn't-!" Roy was already starting to give her another fierce reply as she suddenly got a hold of his shoulder and teh expression of her eyes also changed. This could only mean one thing..

"I think it was... really loud.." Roy whispered to her as he also started to scan the area. Hiding with Syani between the mess that she created earlier Roys eyes were pinned to the front door where alll the shapes started to appear. But they somehow.. walked like humans. It's not what Roy has expected, but afterall, like Syani said, those guys were made to be LIKE humans.

They humorous mood that the two of them just had a few seconds ago totally changed into a tensed and maybe scared feeling. 'Damn, thats not good.. we sit like rats in a trap..' Roy thought slightly paniced. He managed to keep a cool head though, thats the only thing that he could do right now.

"I don`t plan to..." Roy replied serious, whispering to the friend next to him and was scanning the storage hall for some kind of emergency exit. But except for the front door, and the hole where Syani crashed through he roof, there was none...

He watched the men coming closer. "Stay close to me... this is about to get ugly..."

[NPC: Male]

James continued to near the place where Roy and Syani stood. Every step he took allowed his heightened senses to smell them more and the more he smelled them, the hungrier he became. He continued to walk, blood dripping from his shirt, and stopped near where Roy and Syani were. He hadn't noticed them yet but he could almost taste them from the air.

James' former colleagues, now Syns, stalked the perimeter of the room in attempts to corner the prey that they could smell so perfectly. Some of them growled to each other, communicating in the large holding area as wolves would do. There were twelve of them in this group in total, including newly transformed James.

One of them finally spotted the duo and without a sound, jumped down on them from his position atop some supply crates, pinning Roy into the ground.

[Roy]

Roy was holding his breathe as the group of people were coming closer and closer. He had no idea what kind of danger they are going to face, since it was his first meeting with the Syns. Of course he heard that they were extremely dangerous, but that was not giving any information about their ways of fighting.

Without any kind of forewarning Roy was suddenly pushed to the ground by a Syn that jumped from above. "AHH!" He couldn't help but to yell out in surprise. Totally overwhelmed by its strength Roy wasn't able to reach for his weapons at all and his eyes were pinned to the wide opened mouth of the Syn.

'Now that's definitely not what I had in mind!!' Roy paniced in thoughts as he clenched his teeth and hold tight onto the Syns throat, struggling to break free or at least to get some space to do something.

[Syani]

A silly thought came across Syani's mind the moment she could feel her heart beating fast in this danger they're about to face, that she would be the first one to scream, since she's a girl. But then, when one Syn suddenly leaped up and pinned Roy on the floor, she surprised herself that she didn't screamed at all.

But merely, shifts herself to the back a bit in shock, feels that her telekinesis power multiplies with her emotion(worry, in this case) off the edge, the half-vampire instinctively readies her foot and literally kicked the Syn off of Roy. Her long-forgotten telekenesis she had sealed through the years responded with her kick, that before her foot even reached that Syn's head, her telekinesis had taken over and pulled that Syn off of her friend, flinging him off in the air like a true soccer ball. ...In fact, comically enough, Syani does look like some misfit soccer player of sorts with one of her foot up high in the air.

Syani can feel her eye sockets widened by how far she chucked the Syn off, that the monster banged on the roof and fell off the same height she did the first time she got here. The half-vampire doesn't have any time to think how the hell did she managed to do that, but rather quickly tries to pull Roy up on his feet.

"What did I told you about not making yourself an east target?!" That just rolled off her tongue in pure panic. It's probably one of her annoying traits that she would said the most silliest things during a life-threatening crisis.