Are You Entitled To Your Own Pain? @bitten-and-beaten - Tumblr Blog

Open Starter 🔬 Strange Arrivals

Tw: dystopian themes

Lyn froze at his seat, pausing the music in his earbuds. The man pulls back, turning around and pulling out a taser defensively at the stranger in his quarters.

“…how did you get past all these walls?”

His voice was calm and flat, despite the fear in his eyes. He rarely felt that, fear. Not anymore. But yet, the unknown always lingered.

His quarters were dark, full of gray and black. The most colorful thing visible being the sage of his suit. It felt like a prison.

The man standing in his lab is definitely strange. Or well... strange would be an understatement. He's dressed in a black armor and shorts with a white fox mask covering the upper half of his face. Pointed fluffy ears poke out of his long gray and red hair. 3 fluffy tails flick anxiously behind him and he wears no shoes, sporting gray paws instead of feet. He's pale like the dead with tan markings and his right arm is missing, replaced by a shiny red metal prosthetic. He's breathing heavily, facing away from Lyn as he shakes his head.

"Undead world. Was not ready for undead world. Gods I'm too fucking tired for this..." He straightens up to look at them, tilting his head in a dog-like motion. "Teleported, sorry I'll be out of your hair soon. Just... was not prepared for..." Gestures in a random direction. "That."

“You can teleport.”

He tucks his weapon back into his belt, tilting his head right back. Lyn runs a hand through his hair, focusing on the feeling.

“The hordes around here are intensely populated. We purposefully lure them closer for study.”

He crosses his arms, muttering something quietly to himself about it always being something mutated. His tone held no annoyance, only confusion.

"I can do a lot of things. Magic, yay!" Does half hearted jazz hands.

He seems a bit off. Like he's drunk, or maybe sleep deprived. He stumbles and a comfy looking lounge chair appears out of thin air to catch him.

"Have you considered not doing that? Sounds bad for your health."

“It’s good for society’s.”

Lyn steps closer, leaning to look at Hemlock from a bit away. He had a cold but cautious stare.

“Were you bit or scratched by one..? You need to tell me now if you were.”

"Don't think so?" He looks over his regular arm. "Yeah no, I'm good. That would really suck. ...actually depends if they're true undead... might not hurt me. That's a curious thought... probably not worth testing though."

“Unless your ideal is losing yourself, no. I wouldn’t.”

Lyn walks from his desk to the gray kitchenette on the other side of his room, pulling out a mug.

“Tea? I’ve unfortunately been out of chocolate powder a long time. Rida can’t keep himself from using it all during one meeting.”

He sits up in his chair. "Tea sounds perfect. Mango hibiscus please."

Before they bother telling him they don't have that he snaps his fingers and a box of it appears on the counter next to them. At their feet appears two boxes of hot chocolate mix, the kind in a container so big you'd only find it in a restaurant kitchen. "That was overkill... my bad."

Lyn makes a face at the sudden drink making goods in his kitchen. One of dumbfounded disgust. Nothing truely came for free.

He was giving something back.

But regardless, he pours from his kettle, adding the tea bag.

He yawns loudly, sitting back. Tries not to let himself get too comfortable, he needs to keep moving after this. Doesn't matter how tired he is, its a bad idea to just fall asleep in a strangers lab.

"Thanks for your hospitality, sorry to just drop in on you like this."

“I can’t exactly kick you out. You can teleport.”

Lyn walks over to the lounge, holding out a gray mug full of mango hibiscus tea, complete with one gray marshmallow.

“I’m glad you weren’t bitten.”

"Me too. This place would be fucked if I lost my mind." He smiles as he takes the drink. "Marshmallow in tea? You're pretty interesting yourself huh?" Happily eats the squishy treat.

“I’m just a man.”

He mumbles, moving back to his desk chair, as if about to return to his journal.

"Hm. Well what do you do here just-a-man?" He smirks playfully.

“Do you want my schedule then?”

There is no signs that he’s joking or being lighthearted, but still, he was.

"I dunno, maybe. Got nothing better to do till I... uh..." He trails off, losing his train of thought and just staring in a random direction, blinking slowly. After a moment he snaps out of it, shaking his head. "Sorry- forgot what I was saying."

“Are you sleep deprived?”

Lyn picks up a sickly green book, tossing it weakly to Hemlock. It had a deaths head hawk moth on the cover, and the date 2042.

On the inside, it was full of blocked scheduling. Meetings, sample deliveries, addressing his team, free time was scribbled over with the exact plans every time. He had a meeting tomorrow with the board. A assistant coming over next weekend. A delivery of food rations today.

“It’s accurate.”

"Um- yeah... yeah been uh... th... foour days. Mm four days I think."

He looks it all over, curiously. "Wow... you're really busy, huh? So much to do..."

Lyn nods, sighing quietly.

“You should sleep. I don’t know your exact needs, but 96 hours is too many. You can use my cot, if you can’t get home soon.”

He was disgusted with himself, but he can’t not offer.

"Really?" He knows he shouldn't. He knows nothing about this person and with this level of sleep deprivation once he's out he'll be out like a light. It's just not safe. But... he can already feel himself falling asleep just sitting here. "Thank you... just... just a short nap..." He mumbles.

His mask dissappears and his armor is replaced by a comfy looking sweatshirt and sweatpants. He slowly curls into a ball on his chair and within minutes he's fast asleep.

When he wakes up, he’s been almost swaddled in a thin green blanket, but otherwise left completely alone.

Lyn was still sitting on his desk chair, leaning back to stare at the ceiling with his constant tired expression.

He yawns, stretching. Pulls the blanket around himself and letting out a short purr. Blinks sleepily at them, red eyes full of curiousity.

"Hey... whatcha doing..?"

Lyn sighs, looking back at the fox-man.

“Nothing. I don’t feel confident enough in you to leave long enough to grab samples from the horde.”

"Oh! Do you want help with that? What kind of samples do you need? Blood? Spit? Flesh? Hair?"

He feels he needs to help them at least somewhat, as thanks for the chance to rest. Besides, he'll never say no to a chance for violence.

He frowns, spinning in his chair whimsylessly.

“Flesh, but I don’t want you using your claws to scratch one up. For one, it’s dangerous. For two, you’d comtaminate the sample.”

The chair stops and he sits up.

“We have to catch it first. That’s the hardest part of the process.”

"Got it, no claws. Don't contaminate it. Catch it? You want it in here? Okay... you got somewhere to store it?"

“Lower floors, we have restraints and a containment area between the re-entrance and decom.”

“…I need to get you a security pass.”

He stretches, standing up as his chair dissappears. His skin and fur slowly turn into scales, a mess of red, white, and black. He grins.

"Alright, just show me where to bring the fucker and I'll grab you one. Feeling much better after that nap. You just need one right? I can grab more if you need."

“Tell me something I don’t know.”

He pauses, narrowing his eyes at the now scaled creature-man.

“I need to confirm I’m not having any hallucinogenic after effects from something.”

"I doubt it. I'm just a shapeshifter. These scales are completely indestructible by mortal means. I can stand in the middle of the hoard and be totally fine like this. This won't take long."

“Open the third book to the right on my bookshelf to the 30th page, tell me the second word.”

He was serious. …This man has clearly hallucinated many times before.

He laughs. "Okay, sure, why not?" He teleports over the the bookshelf, grabbing the book and skimming through it till he finds the page. "Reciept." Then he tosses the book at them. "You happy now? I'm very real."

He flips through the pages.

“Satisfied. Thank you.”

Lyn starts towards the door, about to scan his badge to open it.

“What is your name? I’ll need to know for your identification, and it’ll ensure I can introduce you.”

"Which name ya want? Most people call me Hemlock but I also go by Voss Rose and Reyna Rose. Call me whatever you please."

He follows close behind them.

"Also will my apperance be an issue?"

“Rose it is.”

He scans his wrist badge on the door, it unlocking with a quiet click.

“I don’t think it will. I’ve never seen a true shapeshifting mutant, but if I tell them not to care, they won’t.”

He walks through, holding the door for Voss Rose carefully before continuing down the dimly lit hall, to a stairwell.

“Elevators are for supply carts only. Energy preservation.”

"Oh you have mutants here? Didn't know that... thought it was just humans and undead. Thats definitely convient though. I hate disguising as human, its so much work." He smiles and nods in thanks as they hold the door for him. "Oh no, stairs, whatever will I do?" Jokes sarcastically.

He ignores the joke completely, beginning to walk downstairs.

“Security center is outside decom. Ground floor.”

"Noted. Okay. So you didn't answer my question of how many you need. And do you want me to kill the rest of them? Probably wouldn't be too hard... got any idea what works on them? Fire? Beheading? Stab through the heart?"

“Two. The last two were completely stripped but we made no progress.”

He says casually.

“They keep moving, it’s not easy.”

"Alright. I'll grab two then... I mean you said there's more elsewhere, so I'll just deal with the ones nearby. I love a good challenge! You should time it, see how long it take me to kill em." Very excited to show off.

“Uhuh.”

He opens the door to the ground floor, leading Voss Rose through 2 turns of the hallway, into an office. He quickly addresses the workers inside, calling them to make a visitor badge for his guest, Rose, who was unlogged so far.

“And please, be quick.”

Hemlock was quickly printed a gray badge, which was handed to Lyn first. He was clearly a man of authority.

His tails wag, already thinking about all the carnage he's about to cause. Do things like this bleed? It'll be fun to find out. Waves to the workers with a fanged smile, bouncing on the pads of his paws as he waits.

Lyn walks Hemlock through the large warehouse like containment area, leading him to the two glass walled cages. Each had a layer of chains, clearly intended to keep an infected human contained.

As they got closer to the exit, something caught his eye. The guards seemed less human, some with thin fur, others wings. There hadn’t been any inside.

He inspects the cages. "Very nice, very nice. Seem sturdy enough." Then he looks toward the inhuman guards and tilts his head, curiousity winning out over focus on his new mission. He gestures to them. "Are all the mutants in your world animal hybrids?"

“Just about. They’re less susceptible to infection. Technically, there are mutants with other presentations, but you can always tell by the outward traits.”

Lyn shrugs slightly, continuing to the observation area at the edge of the building.

“They’re the most fit for outer security, as they’re less likely to contract the contamination if a breach occurs. I’m not involved in that branch.”

He added the last part, as if to justify.

"Huh. Thats so cool. And weird. But good weird."

He tilts his head, a bit confused by the need to justify. Sounds like a logical plan to him.

He stretches as they reach the observation area. "Alright then, you safe? Ready for me to go grab you two fresh zombies?"

“Yes, I’ve already made the call to prepare the enclosure. Go for something larger if you can, they last longer.”

#🔬#blighted #ic

Open Starter 🔬 Strange Arrivals

Tw: dystopian themes

Lyn froze at his seat, pausing the music in his earbuds. The man pulls back, turning around and pulling out a taser defensively at the stranger in his quarters.

“…how did you get past all these walls?”

His voice was calm and flat, despite the fear in his eyes. He rarely felt that, fear. Not anymore. But yet, the unknown always lingered.

His quarters were dark, full of gray and black. The most colorful thing visible being the sage of his suit. It felt like a prison.

“You can teleport.”

He tucks his weapon back into his belt, tilting his head right back. Lyn runs a hand through his hair, focusing on the feeling.

“The hordes around here are intensely populated. We purposefully lure them closer for study.”

He crosses his arms, muttering something quietly to himself about it always being something mutated. His tone held no annoyance, only confusion.

"I can do a lot of things. Magic, yay!" Does half hearted jazz hands.

He seems a bit off. Like he's drunk, or maybe sleep deprived. He stumbles and a comfy looking lounge chair appears out of thin air to catch him.

"Have you considered not doing that? Sounds bad for your health."

“It’s good for society’s.”

Lyn steps closer, leaning to look at Hemlock from a bit away. He had a cold but cautious stare.

“Were you bit or scratched by one..? You need to tell me now if you were.”

“Unless your ideal is losing yourself, no. I wouldn’t.”

Lyn walks from his desk to the gray kitchenette on the other side of his room, pulling out a mug.

“Tea? I’ve unfortunately been out of chocolate powder a long time. Rida can’t keep himself from using it all during one meeting.”

He sits up in his chair. "Tea sounds perfect. Mango hibiscus please."

Lyn makes a face at the sudden drink making goods in his kitchen. One of dumbfounded disgust. Nothing truely came for free.

He was giving something back.

But regardless, he pours from his kettle, adding the tea bag.

He yawns loudly, sitting back. Tries not to let himself get too comfortable, he needs to keep moving after this. Doesn't matter how tired he is, its a bad idea to just fall asleep in a strangers lab.

"Thanks for your hospitality, sorry to just drop in on you like this."

“I can’t exactly kick you out. You can teleport.”

Lyn walks over to the lounge, holding out a gray mug full of mango hibiscus tea, complete with one gray marshmallow.

“I’m glad you weren’t bitten.”

"Me too. This place would be fucked if I lost my mind." He smiles as he takes the drink. "Marshmallow in tea? You're pretty interesting yourself huh?" Happily eats the squishy treat.

“I’m just a man.”

He mumbles, moving back to his desk chair, as if about to return to his journal.

"Hm. Well what do you do here just-a-man?" He smirks playfully.

“Do you want my schedule then?”

There is no signs that he’s joking or being lighthearted, but still, he was.

“Are you sleep deprived?”

Lyn picks up a sickly green book, tossing it weakly to Hemlock. It had a deaths head hawk moth on the cover, and the date 2042.

“It’s accurate.”

"Um- yeah... yeah been uh... th... foour days. Mm four days I think."

He looks it all over, curiously. "Wow... you're really busy, huh? So much to do..."

Lyn nods, sighing quietly.

“You should sleep. I don’t know your exact needs, but 96 hours is too many. You can use my cot, if you can’t get home soon.”

He was disgusted with himself, but he can’t not offer.

His mask dissappears and his armor is replaced by a comfy looking sweatshirt and sweatpants. He slowly curls into a ball on his chair and within minutes he's fast asleep.

When he wakes up, he’s been almost swaddled in a thin green blanket, but otherwise left completely alone.

Lyn was still sitting on his desk chair, leaning back to stare at the ceiling with his constant tired expression.

He yawns, stretching. Pulls the blanket around himself and letting out a short purr. Blinks sleepily at them, red eyes full of curiousity.

"Hey... whatcha doing..?"

Lyn sighs, looking back at the fox-man.

“Nothing. I don’t feel confident enough in you to leave long enough to grab samples from the horde.”

"Oh! Do you want help with that? What kind of samples do you need? Blood? Spit? Flesh? Hair?"

He feels he needs to help them at least somewhat, as thanks for the chance to rest. Besides, he'll never say no to a chance for violence.

He frowns, spinning in his chair whimsylessly.

“Flesh, but I don’t want you using your claws to scratch one up. For one, it’s dangerous. For two, you’d comtaminate the sample.”

The chair stops and he sits up.

“We have to catch it first. That’s the hardest part of the process.”

"Got it, no claws. Don't contaminate it. Catch it? You want it in here? Okay... you got somewhere to store it?"

“Lower floors, we have restraints and a containment area between the re-entrance and decom.”

“…I need to get you a security pass.”

He stretches, standing up as his chair dissappears. His skin and fur slowly turn into scales, a mess of red, white, and black. He grins.

"Alright, just show me where to bring the fucker and I'll grab you one. Feeling much better after that nap. You just need one right? I can grab more if you need."

“Tell me something I don’t know.”

He pauses, narrowing his eyes at the now scaled creature-man.

“I need to confirm I’m not having any hallucinogenic after effects from something.”

"I doubt it. I'm just a shapeshifter. These scales are completely indestructible by mortal means. I can stand in the middle of the hoard and be totally fine like this. This won't take long."

“Open the third book to the right on my bookshelf to the 30th page, tell me the second word.”

He was serious. …This man has clearly hallucinated many times before.

He flips through the pages.

“Satisfied. Thank you.”

Lyn starts towards the door, about to scan his badge to open it.

“What is your name? I’ll need to know for your identification, and it’ll ensure I can introduce you.”

"Which name ya want? Most people call me Hemlock but I also go by Voss Rose and Reyna Rose. Call me whatever you please."

He follows close behind them.

"Also will my apperance be an issue?"

“Rose it is.”

He scans his wrist badge on the door, it unlocking with a quiet click.

“I don’t think it will. I’ve never seen a true shapeshifting mutant, but if I tell them not to care, they won’t.”

He walks through, holding the door for Voss Rose carefully before continuing down the dimly lit hall, to a stairwell.

“Elevators are for supply carts only. Energy preservation.”

He ignores the joke completely, beginning to walk downstairs.

“Security center is outside decom. Ground floor.”

“Two. The last two were completely stripped but we made no progress.”

He says casually.

“They keep moving, it’s not easy.”

“Uhuh.”

“And please, be quick.”

Hemlock was quickly printed a gray badge, which was handed to Lyn first. He was clearly a man of authority.

Lyn walks Hemlock through the large warehouse like containment area, leading him to the two glass walled cages. Each had a layer of chains, clearly intended to keep an infected human contained.

As they got closer to the exit, something caught his eye. The guards seemed less human, some with thin fur, others wings. There hadn’t been any inside.

“Just about. They’re less susceptible to infection. Technically, there are mutants with other presentations, but you can always tell by the outward traits.”

Lyn shrugs slightly, continuing to the observation area at the edge of the building.

“They’re the most fit for outer security, as they’re less likely to contract the contamination if a breach occurs. I’m not involved in that branch.”

He added the last part, as if to justify.

#🔬#blighted #ic

A New Start

Open RP - V-055 🐙

V-055 had been told it would be working with a new handler today. It hopes they're nice. Maybe if it does a good enough job they'll give it headpats! He hasn't had any missions lately and its lead to a horrible lack of attention. At this point he'd be happy with torture, as long as its given even the slightest bit of touch or approval.

Usually it would spend its alone time training, or napping on the small dog bed it had been so graciously given. But knowing he's getting to meet someone new has him too excited. He sits in front of his bedroom (read: cell) door, eyes wide and excited as he stares at the lock. His tails wag behind him and his knees kind of hurt from how long he's been kneeling, but he doesn't care. All that matters is he's about to make a new friend!

The lock turns, and the door cracks open, as a pink haired woman pokes her head through. She smiled at V-055 as she slipped through the crack in the door, patting down her pockets.

“V-0-55! I’m so excited to meet you!”

She squeals, leaning forward to meet its eyes.

The woman reaches into her pocket, pulling out a fresh rose, safely dethorned for it.

“I’m Briar.”

It tails wag quickly. Wow, she seems as excited as it is! It yips in greeting, smiling. Its eyes widen at the flower, sniffing it curiously. Briar. It can already tell it likes Briar.

Briar holds the rose out, making it clear it was for them.

“I hope we’ll be able to be best friends, don’t you?”

She chuckles, petting its head.

It sits, nodding excitedly at the question. Hesitantly it takes the flower, though it isn't really sure what to do with it. It doesn't really get things just to be pretty. It likes it though, pulling it close to its chest.

She smiles, pulling a leash out of her skirt pocket to clip onto its collar.

“We need to get to work. Sweet flowers like that can be earned later.”

Spin opens the door again, starting to lead it out after a quick hair tussle.

Briar had permission to take it for a quick round of training in her garden, and flor never passed out on a chance to sharpen the skills of a pupil.

#🌺 beloved #🌺

A New Start

Open RP - V-055 🐙

The lock turns, and the door cracks open, as a pink haired woman pokes her head through. She smiled at V-055 as she slipped through the crack in the door, patting down her pockets.

“V-0-55! I’m so excited to meet you!”

She squeals, leaning forward to meet its eyes.

The woman reaches into her pocket, pulling out a fresh rose, safely dethorned for it.

“I’m Briar.”

It tails wag quickly. Wow, she seems as excited as it is! It yips in greeting, smiling. Its eyes widen at the flower, sniffing it curiously. Briar. It can already tell it likes Briar.

Briar holds the rose out, making it clear it was for them.

“I hope we’ll be able to be best friends, don’t you?”

She chuckles, petting its head.

#🌺 beloved #🌺

A New Start

Open RP - V-055 🐙

#🌺 beloved #beloved #🌺#info

The lock turns, and the door cracks open, as a pink haired woman pokes her head through. She smiled at V-055 as she slipped through the crack in the door, patting down her pockets.

“V-0-55! I’m so excited to meet you!”

She squeals, leaning forward to meet its eyes.

The woman reaches into her pocket, pulling out a fresh rose, safely dethorned for it.

“I’m Briar.”

#🌺#beloved

🌺 Beloved

Diana Briar / “Prune” / “Gardener”

(Assassin Trainer and Handler) She / Spun / Flor

Her name is Diana Briar, she’s made drunk with power! She won’t care, who you are. She won’t care, how, you, feel.

She’s kinda generic, a polite woman who loves being underestimated, hates being understood, loves having people under flor’s thumb.

She’s a nymph, but most don’t know that, at all.

Marvel (Hyde affiliate. They pay her, she doesn’t really care) or Original Universe . Send an Ask for Conmections <3

Open Starter 🔬 Strange Arrivals

Tw: dystopian themes

Lyn froze at his seat, pausing the music in his earbuds. The man pulls back, turning around and pulling out a taser defensively at the stranger in his quarters.

“…how did you get past all these walls?”

His voice was calm and flat, despite the fear in his eyes. He rarely felt that, fear. Not anymore. But yet, the unknown always lingered.

His quarters were dark, full of gray and black. The most colorful thing visible being the sage of his suit. It felt like a prison.

“You can teleport.”

He tucks his weapon back into his belt, tilting his head right back. Lyn runs a hand through his hair, focusing on the feeling.

“The hordes around here are intensely populated. We purposefully lure them closer for study.”

He crosses his arms, muttering something quietly to himself about it always being something mutated. His tone held no annoyance, only confusion.

"I can do a lot of things. Magic, yay!" Does half hearted jazz hands.

He seems a bit off. Like he's drunk, or maybe sleep deprived. He stumbles and a comfy looking lounge chair appears out of thin air to catch him.

"Have you considered not doing that? Sounds bad for your health."

“It’s good for society’s.”

Lyn steps closer, leaning to look at Hemlock from a bit away. He had a cold but cautious stare.

“Were you bit or scratched by one..? You need to tell me now if you were.”

“Unless your ideal is losing yourself, no. I wouldn’t.”

Lyn walks from his desk to the gray kitchenette on the other side of his room, pulling out a mug.

“Tea? I’ve unfortunately been out of chocolate powder a long time. Rida can’t keep himself from using it all during one meeting.”

He sits up in his chair. "Tea sounds perfect. Mango hibiscus please."

Lyn makes a face at the sudden drink making goods in his kitchen. One of dumbfounded disgust. Nothing truely came for free.

He was giving something back.

But regardless, he pours from his kettle, adding the tea bag.

He yawns loudly, sitting back. Tries not to let himself get too comfortable, he needs to keep moving after this. Doesn't matter how tired he is, its a bad idea to just fall asleep in a strangers lab.

"Thanks for your hospitality, sorry to just drop in on you like this."

“I can’t exactly kick you out. You can teleport.”

Lyn walks over to the lounge, holding out a gray mug full of mango hibiscus tea, complete with one gray marshmallow.

“I’m glad you weren’t bitten.”

"Me too. This place would be fucked if I lost my mind." He smiles as he takes the drink. "Marshmallow in tea? You're pretty interesting yourself huh?" Happily eats the squishy treat.

“I’m just a man.”

He mumbles, moving back to his desk chair, as if about to return to his journal.

"Hm. Well what do you do here just-a-man?" He smirks playfully.

“Do you want my schedule then?”

There is no signs that he’s joking or being lighthearted, but still, he was.

“Are you sleep deprived?”

Lyn picks up a sickly green book, tossing it weakly to Hemlock. It had a deaths head hawk moth on the cover, and the date 2042.

“It’s accurate.”

"Um- yeah... yeah been uh... th... foour days. Mm four days I think."

He looks it all over, curiously. "Wow... you're really busy, huh? So much to do..."

Lyn nods, sighing quietly.

“You should sleep. I don’t know your exact needs, but 96 hours is too many. You can use my cot, if you can’t get home soon.”

He was disgusted with himself, but he can’t not offer.

His mask dissappears and his armor is replaced by a comfy looking sweatshirt and sweatpants. He slowly curls into a ball on his chair and within minutes he's fast asleep.

When he wakes up, he’s been almost swaddled in a thin green blanket, but otherwise left completely alone.

Lyn was still sitting on his desk chair, leaning back to stare at the ceiling with his constant tired expression.

He yawns, stretching. Pulls the blanket around himself and letting out a short purr. Blinks sleepily at them, red eyes full of curiousity.

"Hey... whatcha doing..?"

Lyn sighs, looking back at the fox-man.

“Nothing. I don’t feel confident enough in you to leave long enough to grab samples from the horde.”

"Oh! Do you want help with that? What kind of samples do you need? Blood? Spit? Flesh? Hair?"

He feels he needs to help them at least somewhat, as thanks for the chance to rest. Besides, he'll never say no to a chance for violence.

He frowns, spinning in his chair whimsylessly.

“Flesh, but I don’t want you using your claws to scratch one up. For one, it’s dangerous. For two, you’d comtaminate the sample.”

The chair stops and he sits up.

“We have to catch it first. That’s the hardest part of the process.”

"Got it, no claws. Don't contaminate it. Catch it? You want it in here? Okay... you got somewhere to store it?"

“Lower floors, we have restraints and a containment area between the re-entrance and decom.”

“…I need to get you a security pass.”

He stretches, standing up as his chair dissappears. His skin and fur slowly turn into scales, a mess of red, white, and black. He grins.

"Alright, just show me where to bring the fucker and I'll grab you one. Feeling much better after that nap. You just need one right? I can grab more if you need."

“Tell me something I don’t know.”

He pauses, narrowing his eyes at the now scaled creature-man.

“I need to confirm I’m not having any hallucinogenic after effects from something.”

"I doubt it. I'm just a shapeshifter. These scales are completely indestructible by mortal means. I can stand in the middle of the hoard and be totally fine like this. This won't take long."

“Open the third book to the right on my bookshelf to the 30th page, tell me the second word.”

He was serious. …This man has clearly hallucinated many times before.

He flips through the pages.

“Satisfied. Thank you.”

Lyn starts towards the door, about to scan his badge to open it.

“What is your name? I’ll need to know for your identification, and it’ll ensure I can introduce you.”

"Which name ya want? Most people call me Hemlock but I also go by Voss Rose and Reyna Rose. Call me whatever you please."

He follows close behind them.

"Also will my apperance be an issue?"

“Rose it is.”

He scans his wrist badge on the door, it unlocking with a quiet click.

“I don’t think it will. I’ve never seen a true shapeshifting mutant, but if I tell them not to care, they won’t.”

He walks through, holding the door for Voss Rose carefully before continuing down the dimly lit hall, to a stairwell.

“Elevators are for supply carts only. Energy preservation.”

He ignores the joke completely, beginning to walk downstairs.

“Security center is outside decom. Ground floor.”

“Two. The last two were completely stripped but we made no progress.”

He says casually.

“They keep moving, it’s not easy.”

“Uhuh.”

“And please, be quick.”

Hemlock was quickly printed a gray badge, which was handed to Lyn first. He was clearly a man of authority.

Lyn walks Hemlock through the large warehouse like containment area, leading him to the two glass walled cages. Each had a layer of chains, clearly intended to keep an infected human contained.

As they got closer to the exit, something caught his eye. The guards seemed less human, some with thin fur, others wings. There hadn’t been any inside.

Open Starter 🔬 Strange Arrivals

Tw: dystopian themes

Lyn froze at his seat, pausing the music in his earbuds. The man pulls back, turning around and pulling out a taser defensively at the stranger in his quarters.

“…how did you get past all these walls?”

His voice was calm and flat, despite the fear in his eyes. He rarely felt that, fear. Not anymore. But yet, the unknown always lingered.

His quarters were dark, full of gray and black. The most colorful thing visible being the sage of his suit. It felt like a prison.

It’s a kid, a short teenager covered in scars, along with metal arms that gleam against the low light of the lab. They had tactical gear on over a hoodie, which was an odd combination of clothing. They carried a backpack and wore a belt, some weapons visible, but they certainly had more that were concealed.

They stumble a little after landing into the room. It takes a moment for them to adjust their eyes. When they do, they come face to face with the scientist. They stare for a non-zero amount of time, trying to gauge whether or not he was a threat they should neutralize (read: kill), and come to the conclusion he probably wouldn’t attack them. They relax. This was an unfortunate spot to travel to.

“Accidentally.” They admit after hesitating about what they should tell the man. “…where am I?” The gray on gray makes them uneasy. It reminds them of labs under a cold forest with cold eyes observing them. They shiver despite themself.

Lyn frowns deeply. A child. A child was in his office. What could he even say to its question?

“You’re in my Quarters. I’m Dr Gale.”

The man seemed shaken as he put away his only weapon. The kid had scars. Weapons. Clearly it’d been on the wastes.

“…were you bit? I promise, I can help if you were, but only if you tell me. It works fast.”

He could prevent spread. He could save them if they were. The thought put a bad taste in his mouth as he realized the kid might need to lose another limb if it was infected..

They frown back. He’s either a doctor or a scientist, not that they’d trust either. Especially in a bunker(?) of a lab like this. “Dr? Doctor in what?” They internally hope it’s not something to do with genetics or enhancements. They might have to murder him if he does tests on people.

“Bit? By what?” They look even more confused, but shake their head and answer regardless. They still look over any exposed skin - not a lot, they wore too much tac gear and loose-fitting clothes for that. “No. I haven’t been bitten by anything. Even if I was, I have enhanced healing. I ate raw bear once, and it was fine.” They add. That had certainly been an event.

“Virology.”

The man readjusts his glasses, looking over Sol’s skin as closely as he could without approaching the Armed Child.

“I obviously mean the horde. You were on the wastes. I don’t need to know how you got in, but you can’t stay if you were infected. You shouldn’t stay anyways. I’m not fond of the idea to call our security on a child.”

Blank stare. They didnt really know what virology was, but considering he had talked about bites and diseases, they could assume. They tilt their head to the side, he seemed wary of them. That was good.

“I didn’t get bitten by anything.” They object. “I just got here. I don’t know what this horde is, seriously.” They’re scowling at him. “And I’m not a child.” They add, making themself sound more childish if anything.

“Fine then. The Horde is what we in Hurricane call the roaming infected humans. And you, a young adult, should know to avoid them.”

His voice went from emotionless to irritated. He had no idea what was going on. What does he even do in this situation?!

“So they’ve got rabies on steroids.” They mumble, since he had been worried about them being bitten. That made sense, they supposed. “Okay, noted, I’ll avoid this Horde… do you need help with killing some of them?” They ask. Killing things was their specialty.

“I’m not sending you out there. If you want a job here, you can do something reasonable. I don’t send people out on death missions.”

His breathing became a bit shallow as his mind raced through thoughts.

They frown. “I’m a trained assassin. I’ve been on death missions before.” They mutter. But seeing the hyperventilating, they put their hands up placatingly. “…Okay fine. Hermit lifestyle.” They weren’t planning on going through with it, they had a life to get back to after all, but they could stay for a bit. Just to see if they could help with this Horde.

“Thank you.”

Lyn.. tries? to smile, but it looked wrong on his face.

“Now can you tell me a name? You know me, it’s only fair I get something to refer to you with.”

“You’re welcome, I guess.” They smile back hesitantly. It doesn’t look much better on them.

“Oh, uh-“ they consider it. They probably wouldn’t need to use a fake name, they weren’t on a mission, or something. This was a common occurrence, whenever someone asked what their name is. “Winter.”

“Winter. It’s a pleasure.”

The man steps forward, offering the teenager his hand for a firm handshake. Lyn’s movements all seemed shaking and weak, as if sick.

#🔬#blighted

Open Starter 🔬 Strange Arrivals

Tw: dystopian themes

Lyn froze at his seat, pausing the music in his earbuds. The man pulls back, turning around and pulling out a taser defensively at the stranger in his quarters.

“…how did you get past all these walls?”

His voice was calm and flat, despite the fear in his eyes. He rarely felt that, fear. Not anymore. But yet, the unknown always lingered.

His quarters were dark, full of gray and black. The most colorful thing visible being the sage of his suit. It felt like a prison.

“You can teleport.”

He tucks his weapon back into his belt, tilting his head right back. Lyn runs a hand through his hair, focusing on the feeling.

“The hordes around here are intensely populated. We purposefully lure them closer for study.”

He crosses his arms, muttering something quietly to himself about it always being something mutated. His tone held no annoyance, only confusion.

"I can do a lot of things. Magic, yay!" Does half hearted jazz hands.

He seems a bit off. Like he's drunk, or maybe sleep deprived. He stumbles and a comfy looking lounge chair appears out of thin air to catch him.

"Have you considered not doing that? Sounds bad for your health."

“It’s good for society’s.”

Lyn steps closer, leaning to look at Hemlock from a bit away. He had a cold but cautious stare.

“Were you bit or scratched by one..? You need to tell me now if you were.”

“Unless your ideal is losing yourself, no. I wouldn’t.”

Lyn walks from his desk to the gray kitchenette on the other side of his room, pulling out a mug.

“Tea? I’ve unfortunately been out of chocolate powder a long time. Rida can’t keep himself from using it all during one meeting.”

He sits up in his chair. "Tea sounds perfect. Mango hibiscus please."

Lyn makes a face at the sudden drink making goods in his kitchen. One of dumbfounded disgust. Nothing truely came for free.

He was giving something back.

But regardless, he pours from his kettle, adding the tea bag.

He yawns loudly, sitting back. Tries not to let himself get too comfortable, he needs to keep moving after this. Doesn't matter how tired he is, its a bad idea to just fall asleep in a strangers lab.

"Thanks for your hospitality, sorry to just drop in on you like this."

“I can’t exactly kick you out. You can teleport.”

Lyn walks over to the lounge, holding out a gray mug full of mango hibiscus tea, complete with one gray marshmallow.

“I’m glad you weren’t bitten.”

"Me too. This place would be fucked if I lost my mind." He smiles as he takes the drink. "Marshmallow in tea? You're pretty interesting yourself huh?" Happily eats the squishy treat.

“I’m just a man.”

He mumbles, moving back to his desk chair, as if about to return to his journal.

"Hm. Well what do you do here just-a-man?" He smirks playfully.

“Do you want my schedule then?”

There is no signs that he’s joking or being lighthearted, but still, he was.

“Are you sleep deprived?”

Lyn picks up a sickly green book, tossing it weakly to Hemlock. It had a deaths head hawk moth on the cover, and the date 2042.

“It’s accurate.”

"Um- yeah... yeah been uh... th... foour days. Mm four days I think."

He looks it all over, curiously. "Wow... you're really busy, huh? So much to do..."

Lyn nods, sighing quietly.

“You should sleep. I don’t know your exact needs, but 96 hours is too many. You can use my cot, if you can’t get home soon.”

He was disgusted with himself, but he can’t not offer.

His mask dissappears and his armor is replaced by a comfy looking sweatshirt and sweatpants. He slowly curls into a ball on his chair and within minutes he's fast asleep.

When he wakes up, he’s been almost swaddled in a thin green blanket, but otherwise left completely alone.

Lyn was still sitting on his desk chair, leaning back to stare at the ceiling with his constant tired expression.

He yawns, stretching. Pulls the blanket around himself and letting out a short purr. Blinks sleepily at them, red eyes full of curiousity.

"Hey... whatcha doing..?"

Lyn sighs, looking back at the fox-man.

“Nothing. I don’t feel confident enough in you to leave long enough to grab samples from the horde.”

"Oh! Do you want help with that? What kind of samples do you need? Blood? Spit? Flesh? Hair?"

He feels he needs to help them at least somewhat, as thanks for the chance to rest. Besides, he'll never say no to a chance for violence.

He frowns, spinning in his chair whimsylessly.

“Flesh, but I don’t want you using your claws to scratch one up. For one, it’s dangerous. For two, you’d comtaminate the sample.”

The chair stops and he sits up.

“We have to catch it first. That’s the hardest part of the process.”

"Got it, no claws. Don't contaminate it. Catch it? You want it in here? Okay... you got somewhere to store it?"

“Lower floors, we have restraints and a containment area between the re-entrance and decom.”

“…I need to get you a security pass.”

He stretches, standing up as his chair dissappears. His skin and fur slowly turn into scales, a mess of red, white, and black. He grins.

"Alright, just show me where to bring the fucker and I'll grab you one. Feeling much better after that nap. You just need one right? I can grab more if you need."

“Tell me something I don’t know.”

He pauses, narrowing his eyes at the now scaled creature-man.

“I need to confirm I’m not having any hallucinogenic after effects from something.”

"I doubt it. I'm just a shapeshifter. These scales are completely indestructible by mortal means. I can stand in the middle of the hoard and be totally fine like this. This won't take long."

“Open the third book to the right on my bookshelf to the 30th page, tell me the second word.”

He was serious. …This man has clearly hallucinated many times before.

He flips through the pages.

“Satisfied. Thank you.”

Lyn starts towards the door, about to scan his badge to open it.

“What is your name? I’ll need to know for your identification, and it’ll ensure I can introduce you.”

"Which name ya want? Most people call me Hemlock but I also go by Voss Rose and Reyna Rose. Call me whatever you please."

He follows close behind them.

"Also will my apperance be an issue?"

“Rose it is.”

He scans his wrist badge on the door, it unlocking with a quiet click.

“I don’t think it will. I’ve never seen a true shapeshifting mutant, but if I tell them not to care, they won’t.”

He walks through, holding the door for Voss Rose carefully before continuing down the dimly lit hall, to a stairwell.

“Elevators are for supply carts only. Energy preservation.”

He ignores the joke completely, beginning to walk downstairs.

“Security center is outside decom. Ground floor.”

“Two. The last two were completely stripped but we made no progress.”

He says casually.

“They keep moving, it’s not easy.”

“Uhuh.”

“And please, be quick.”

Hemlock was quickly printed a gray badge, which was handed to Lyn first. He was clearly a man of authority.

Open Starter 🔬 Strange Arrivals

Tw: dystopian themes

Lyn froze at his seat, pausing the music in his earbuds. The man pulls back, turning around and pulling out a taser defensively at the stranger in his quarters.

“…how did you get past all these walls?”

His voice was calm and flat, despite the fear in his eyes. He rarely felt that, fear. Not anymore. But yet, the unknown always lingered.

His quarters were dark, full of gray and black. The most colorful thing visible being the sage of his suit. It felt like a prison.

“You can teleport.”

He tucks his weapon back into his belt, tilting his head right back. Lyn runs a hand through his hair, focusing on the feeling.

“The hordes around here are intensely populated. We purposefully lure them closer for study.”

He crosses his arms, muttering something quietly to himself about it always being something mutated. His tone held no annoyance, only confusion.

"I can do a lot of things. Magic, yay!" Does half hearted jazz hands.

He seems a bit off. Like he's drunk, or maybe sleep deprived. He stumbles and a comfy looking lounge chair appears out of thin air to catch him.

"Have you considered not doing that? Sounds bad for your health."

“It’s good for society’s.”

Lyn steps closer, leaning to look at Hemlock from a bit away. He had a cold but cautious stare.

“Were you bit or scratched by one..? You need to tell me now if you were.”

“Unless your ideal is losing yourself, no. I wouldn’t.”

Lyn walks from his desk to the gray kitchenette on the other side of his room, pulling out a mug.

“Tea? I’ve unfortunately been out of chocolate powder a long time. Rida can’t keep himself from using it all during one meeting.”

He sits up in his chair. "Tea sounds perfect. Mango hibiscus please."

Lyn makes a face at the sudden drink making goods in his kitchen. One of dumbfounded disgust. Nothing truely came for free.

He was giving something back.

But regardless, he pours from his kettle, adding the tea bag.

He yawns loudly, sitting back. Tries not to let himself get too comfortable, he needs to keep moving after this. Doesn't matter how tired he is, its a bad idea to just fall asleep in a strangers lab.

"Thanks for your hospitality, sorry to just drop in on you like this."

“I can’t exactly kick you out. You can teleport.”

Lyn walks over to the lounge, holding out a gray mug full of mango hibiscus tea, complete with one gray marshmallow.

“I’m glad you weren’t bitten.”

"Me too. This place would be fucked if I lost my mind." He smiles as he takes the drink. "Marshmallow in tea? You're pretty interesting yourself huh?" Happily eats the squishy treat.

“I’m just a man.”

He mumbles, moving back to his desk chair, as if about to return to his journal.

"Hm. Well what do you do here just-a-man?" He smirks playfully.

“Do you want my schedule then?”

There is no signs that he’s joking or being lighthearted, but still, he was.

“Are you sleep deprived?”

Lyn picks up a sickly green book, tossing it weakly to Hemlock. It had a deaths head hawk moth on the cover, and the date 2042.

“It’s accurate.”

"Um- yeah... yeah been uh... th... foour days. Mm four days I think."

He looks it all over, curiously. "Wow... you're really busy, huh? So much to do..."

Lyn nods, sighing quietly.

“You should sleep. I don’t know your exact needs, but 96 hours is too many. You can use my cot, if you can’t get home soon.”

He was disgusted with himself, but he can’t not offer.

His mask dissappears and his armor is replaced by a comfy looking sweatshirt and sweatpants. He slowly curls into a ball on his chair and within minutes he's fast asleep.

When he wakes up, he’s been almost swaddled in a thin green blanket, but otherwise left completely alone.

Lyn was still sitting on his desk chair, leaning back to stare at the ceiling with his constant tired expression.

He yawns, stretching. Pulls the blanket around himself and letting out a short purr. Blinks sleepily at them, red eyes full of curiousity.

"Hey... whatcha doing..?"

Lyn sighs, looking back at the fox-man.

“Nothing. I don’t feel confident enough in you to leave long enough to grab samples from the horde.”

"Oh! Do you want help with that? What kind of samples do you need? Blood? Spit? Flesh? Hair?"

He feels he needs to help them at least somewhat, as thanks for the chance to rest. Besides, he'll never say no to a chance for violence.

He frowns, spinning in his chair whimsylessly.

“Flesh, but I don’t want you using your claws to scratch one up. For one, it’s dangerous. For two, you’d comtaminate the sample.”

The chair stops and he sits up.

“We have to catch it first. That’s the hardest part of the process.”

"Got it, no claws. Don't contaminate it. Catch it? You want it in here? Okay... you got somewhere to store it?"

“Lower floors, we have restraints and a containment area between the re-entrance and decom.”

“…I need to get you a security pass.”

He stretches, standing up as his chair dissappears. His skin and fur slowly turn into scales, a mess of red, white, and black. He grins.

"Alright, just show me where to bring the fucker and I'll grab you one. Feeling much better after that nap. You just need one right? I can grab more if you need."

“Tell me something I don’t know.”

He pauses, narrowing his eyes at the now scaled creature-man.

“I need to confirm I’m not having any hallucinogenic after effects from something.”

"I doubt it. I'm just a shapeshifter. These scales are completely indestructible by mortal means. I can stand in the middle of the hoard and be totally fine like this. This won't take long."

“Open the third book to the right on my bookshelf to the 30th page, tell me the second word.”

He was serious. …This man has clearly hallucinated many times before.

He flips through the pages.

“Satisfied. Thank you.”

Lyn starts towards the door, about to scan his badge to open it.

“What is your name? I’ll need to know for your identification, and it’ll ensure I can introduce you.”

"Which name ya want? Most people call me Hemlock but I also go by Voss Rose and Reyna Rose. Call me whatever you please."

He follows close behind them.

"Also will my apperance be an issue?"

“Rose it is.”

He scans his wrist badge on the door, it unlocking with a quiet click.

“I don’t think it will. I’ve never seen a true shapeshifting mutant, but if I tell them not to care, they won’t.”

He walks through, holding the door for Voss Rose carefully before continuing down the dimly lit hall, to a stairwell.

“Elevators are for supply carts only. Energy preservation.”

He ignores the joke completely, beginning to walk downstairs.

“Security center is outside decom. Ground floor.”

“Two. The last two were completely stripped but we made no progress.”

He says casually.

“They keep moving, it’s not easy.”

Open Starter 🔬 Strange Arrivals

Tw: dystopian themes

Lyn froze at his seat, pausing the music in his earbuds. The man pulls back, turning around and pulling out a taser defensively at the stranger in his quarters.

“…how did you get past all these walls?”

His voice was calm and flat, despite the fear in his eyes. He rarely felt that, fear. Not anymore. But yet, the unknown always lingered.

His quarters were dark, full of gray and black. The most colorful thing visible being the sage of his suit. It felt like a prison.

“You can teleport.”

He tucks his weapon back into his belt, tilting his head right back. Lyn runs a hand through his hair, focusing on the feeling.

“The hordes around here are intensely populated. We purposefully lure them closer for study.”

He crosses his arms, muttering something quietly to himself about it always being something mutated. His tone held no annoyance, only confusion.

"I can do a lot of things. Magic, yay!" Does half hearted jazz hands.

He seems a bit off. Like he's drunk, or maybe sleep deprived. He stumbles and a comfy looking lounge chair appears out of thin air to catch him.

"Have you considered not doing that? Sounds bad for your health."

“It’s good for society’s.”

Lyn steps closer, leaning to look at Hemlock from a bit away. He had a cold but cautious stare.

“Were you bit or scratched by one..? You need to tell me now if you were.”

“Unless your ideal is losing yourself, no. I wouldn’t.”

Lyn walks from his desk to the gray kitchenette on the other side of his room, pulling out a mug.

“Tea? I’ve unfortunately been out of chocolate powder a long time. Rida can’t keep himself from using it all during one meeting.”

He sits up in his chair. "Tea sounds perfect. Mango hibiscus please."

Lyn makes a face at the sudden drink making goods in his kitchen. One of dumbfounded disgust. Nothing truely came for free.

He was giving something back.

But regardless, he pours from his kettle, adding the tea bag.

He yawns loudly, sitting back. Tries not to let himself get too comfortable, he needs to keep moving after this. Doesn't matter how tired he is, its a bad idea to just fall asleep in a strangers lab.

"Thanks for your hospitality, sorry to just drop in on you like this."

“I can’t exactly kick you out. You can teleport.”

Lyn walks over to the lounge, holding out a gray mug full of mango hibiscus tea, complete with one gray marshmallow.

“I’m glad you weren’t bitten.”

"Me too. This place would be fucked if I lost my mind." He smiles as he takes the drink. "Marshmallow in tea? You're pretty interesting yourself huh?" Happily eats the squishy treat.

“I’m just a man.”

He mumbles, moving back to his desk chair, as if about to return to his journal.

"Hm. Well what do you do here just-a-man?" He smirks playfully.

“Do you want my schedule then?”

There is no signs that he’s joking or being lighthearted, but still, he was.

“Are you sleep deprived?”

Lyn picks up a sickly green book, tossing it weakly to Hemlock. It had a deaths head hawk moth on the cover, and the date 2042.

“It’s accurate.”

"Um- yeah... yeah been uh... th... foour days. Mm four days I think."

He looks it all over, curiously. "Wow... you're really busy, huh? So much to do..."

Lyn nods, sighing quietly.

“You should sleep. I don’t know your exact needs, but 96 hours is too many. You can use my cot, if you can’t get home soon.”

He was disgusted with himself, but he can’t not offer.

His mask dissappears and his armor is replaced by a comfy looking sweatshirt and sweatpants. He slowly curls into a ball on his chair and within minutes he's fast asleep.

When he wakes up, he’s been almost swaddled in a thin green blanket, but otherwise left completely alone.

Lyn was still sitting on his desk chair, leaning back to stare at the ceiling with his constant tired expression.

He yawns, stretching. Pulls the blanket around himself and letting out a short purr. Blinks sleepily at them, red eyes full of curiousity.

"Hey... whatcha doing..?"

Lyn sighs, looking back at the fox-man.

“Nothing. I don’t feel confident enough in you to leave long enough to grab samples from the horde.”

"Oh! Do you want help with that? What kind of samples do you need? Blood? Spit? Flesh? Hair?"

He feels he needs to help them at least somewhat, as thanks for the chance to rest. Besides, he'll never say no to a chance for violence.

He frowns, spinning in his chair whimsylessly.

“Flesh, but I don’t want you using your claws to scratch one up. For one, it’s dangerous. For two, you’d comtaminate the sample.”

The chair stops and he sits up.

“We have to catch it first. That’s the hardest part of the process.”

"Got it, no claws. Don't contaminate it. Catch it? You want it in here? Okay... you got somewhere to store it?"

“Lower floors, we have restraints and a containment area between the re-entrance and decom.”

“…I need to get you a security pass.”

He stretches, standing up as his chair dissappears. His skin and fur slowly turn into scales, a mess of red, white, and black. He grins.

"Alright, just show me where to bring the fucker and I'll grab you one. Feeling much better after that nap. You just need one right? I can grab more if you need."

“Tell me something I don’t know.”

He pauses, narrowing his eyes at the now scaled creature-man.

“I need to confirm I’m not having any hallucinogenic after effects from something.”

"I doubt it. I'm just a shapeshifter. These scales are completely indestructible by mortal means. I can stand in the middle of the hoard and be totally fine like this. This won't take long."

“Open the third book to the right on my bookshelf to the 30th page, tell me the second word.”

He was serious. …This man has clearly hallucinated many times before.

He flips through the pages.

“Satisfied. Thank you.”

Lyn starts towards the door, about to scan his badge to open it.

“What is your name? I’ll need to know for your identification, and it’ll ensure I can introduce you.”

"Which name ya want? Most people call me Hemlock but I also go by Voss Rose and Reyna Rose. Call me whatever you please."

He follows close behind them.

"Also will my apperance be an issue?"

“Rose it is.”

He scans his wrist badge on the door, it unlocking with a quiet click.

“I don’t think it will. I’ve never seen a true shapeshifting mutant, but if I tell them not to care, they won’t.”

He walks through, holding the door for Voss Rose carefully before continuing down the dimly lit hall, to a stairwell.

“Elevators are for supply carts only. Energy preservation.”

He ignores the joke completely, beginning to walk downstairs.

“Security center is outside decom. Ground floor.”

Open Starter 🔬 Strange Arrivals

Tw: dystopian themes

Lyn froze at his seat, pausing the music in his earbuds. The man pulls back, turning around and pulling out a taser defensively at the stranger in his quarters.

“…how did you get past all these walls?”

His voice was calm and flat, despite the fear in his eyes. He rarely felt that, fear. Not anymore. But yet, the unknown always lingered.

His quarters were dark, full of gray and black. The most colorful thing visible being the sage of his suit. It felt like a prison.

Lyn frowns deeply. A child. A child was in his office. What could he even say to its question?

“You’re in my Quarters. I’m Dr Gale.”

The man seemed shaken as he put away his only weapon. The kid had scars. Weapons. Clearly it’d been on the wastes.

“…were you bit? I promise, I can help if you were, but only if you tell me. It works fast.”

He could prevent spread. He could save them if they were. The thought put a bad taste in his mouth as he realized the kid might need to lose another limb if it was infected..

“Virology.”

The man readjusts his glasses, looking over Sol’s skin as closely as he could without approaching the Armed Child.

“Fine then. The Horde is what we in Hurricane call the roaming infected humans. And you, a young adult, should know to avoid them.”

His voice went from emotionless to irritated. He had no idea what was going on. What does he even do in this situation?!

“I’m not sending you out there. If you want a job here, you can do something reasonable. I don’t send people out on death missions.”

His breathing became a bit shallow as his mind raced through thoughts.

“Thank you.”

Lyn.. tries? to smile, but it looked wrong on his face.

“Now can you tell me a name? You know me, it’s only fair I get something to refer to you with.”

Open Starter 🔬 Strange Arrivals

Tw: dystopian themes

Lyn froze at his seat, pausing the music in his earbuds. The man pulls back, turning around and pulling out a taser defensively at the stranger in his quarters.

“…how did you get past all these walls?”

His voice was calm and flat, despite the fear in his eyes. He rarely felt that, fear. Not anymore. But yet, the unknown always lingered.

His quarters were dark, full of gray and black. The most colorful thing visible being the sage of his suit. It felt like a prison.

“You can teleport.”

He tucks his weapon back into his belt, tilting his head right back. Lyn runs a hand through his hair, focusing on the feeling.

“The hordes around here are intensely populated. We purposefully lure them closer for study.”

He crosses his arms, muttering something quietly to himself about it always being something mutated. His tone held no annoyance, only confusion.

"I can do a lot of things. Magic, yay!" Does half hearted jazz hands.

He seems a bit off. Like he's drunk, or maybe sleep deprived. He stumbles and a comfy looking lounge chair appears out of thin air to catch him.

"Have you considered not doing that? Sounds bad for your health."

“It’s good for society’s.”

Lyn steps closer, leaning to look at Hemlock from a bit away. He had a cold but cautious stare.

“Were you bit or scratched by one..? You need to tell me now if you were.”

“Unless your ideal is losing yourself, no. I wouldn’t.”

Lyn walks from his desk to the gray kitchenette on the other side of his room, pulling out a mug.

“Tea? I’ve unfortunately been out of chocolate powder a long time. Rida can’t keep himself from using it all during one meeting.”

He sits up in his chair. "Tea sounds perfect. Mango hibiscus please."

Lyn makes a face at the sudden drink making goods in his kitchen. One of dumbfounded disgust. Nothing truely came for free.

He was giving something back.

But regardless, he pours from his kettle, adding the tea bag.

He yawns loudly, sitting back. Tries not to let himself get too comfortable, he needs to keep moving after this. Doesn't matter how tired he is, its a bad idea to just fall asleep in a strangers lab.

"Thanks for your hospitality, sorry to just drop in on you like this."

“I can’t exactly kick you out. You can teleport.”

Lyn walks over to the lounge, holding out a gray mug full of mango hibiscus tea, complete with one gray marshmallow.

“I’m glad you weren’t bitten.”

"Me too. This place would be fucked if I lost my mind." He smiles as he takes the drink. "Marshmallow in tea? You're pretty interesting yourself huh?" Happily eats the squishy treat.

“I’m just a man.”

He mumbles, moving back to his desk chair, as if about to return to his journal.

"Hm. Well what do you do here just-a-man?" He smirks playfully.

“Do you want my schedule then?”

There is no signs that he’s joking or being lighthearted, but still, he was.

“Are you sleep deprived?”

Lyn picks up a sickly green book, tossing it weakly to Hemlock. It had a deaths head hawk moth on the cover, and the date 2042.

“It’s accurate.”

"Um- yeah... yeah been uh... th... foour days. Mm four days I think."

He looks it all over, curiously. "Wow... you're really busy, huh? So much to do..."

Lyn nods, sighing quietly.

“You should sleep. I don’t know your exact needs, but 96 hours is too many. You can use my cot, if you can’t get home soon.”

He was disgusted with himself, but he can’t not offer.

His mask dissappears and his armor is replaced by a comfy looking sweatshirt and sweatpants. He slowly curls into a ball on his chair and within minutes he's fast asleep.

When he wakes up, he’s been almost swaddled in a thin green blanket, but otherwise left completely alone.

Lyn was still sitting on his desk chair, leaning back to stare at the ceiling with his constant tired expression.

He yawns, stretching. Pulls the blanket around himself and letting out a short purr. Blinks sleepily at them, red eyes full of curiousity.

"Hey... whatcha doing..?"

Lyn sighs, looking back at the fox-man.

“Nothing. I don’t feel confident enough in you to leave long enough to grab samples from the horde.”

"Oh! Do you want help with that? What kind of samples do you need? Blood? Spit? Flesh? Hair?"

He feels he needs to help them at least somewhat, as thanks for the chance to rest. Besides, he'll never say no to a chance for violence.

He frowns, spinning in his chair whimsylessly.

“Flesh, but I don’t want you using your claws to scratch one up. For one, it’s dangerous. For two, you’d comtaminate the sample.”

The chair stops and he sits up.

“We have to catch it first. That’s the hardest part of the process.”

"Got it, no claws. Don't contaminate it. Catch it? You want it in here? Okay... you got somewhere to store it?"

“Lower floors, we have restraints and a containment area between the re-entrance and decom.”

“…I need to get you a security pass.”

He stretches, standing up as his chair dissappears. His skin and fur slowly turn into scales, a mess of red, white, and black. He grins.

"Alright, just show me where to bring the fucker and I'll grab you one. Feeling much better after that nap. You just need one right? I can grab more if you need."

“Tell me something I don’t know.”

He pauses, narrowing his eyes at the now scaled creature-man.

“I need to confirm I’m not having any hallucinogenic after effects from something.”

"I doubt it. I'm just a shapeshifter. These scales are completely indestructible by mortal means. I can stand in the middle of the hoard and be totally fine like this. This won't take long."

“Open the third book to the right on my bookshelf to the 30th page, tell me the second word.”

He was serious. …This man has clearly hallucinated many times before.

He flips through the pages.

“Satisfied. Thank you.”

Lyn starts towards the door, about to scan his badge to open it.

“What is your name? I’ll need to know for your identification, and it’ll ensure I can introduce you.”

"Which name ya want? Most people call me Hemlock but I also go by Voss Rose and Reyna Rose. Call me whatever you please."

He follows close behind them.

"Also will my apperance be an issue?"

“Rose it is.”

He scans his wrist badge on the door, it unlocking with a quiet click.

“I don’t think it will. I’ve never seen a true shapeshifting mutant, but if I tell them not to care, they won’t.”

He walks through, holding the door for Voss Rose carefully before continuing down the dimly lit hall, to a stairwell.

“Elevators are for supply carts only. Energy preservation.”

Open Starter 🔬 Strange Arrivals

Tw: dystopian themes

Lyn froze at his seat, pausing the music in his earbuds. The man pulls back, turning around and pulling out a taser defensively at the stranger in his quarters.

“…how did you get past all these walls?”

His voice was calm and flat, despite the fear in his eyes. He rarely felt that, fear. Not anymore. But yet, the unknown always lingered.

His quarters were dark, full of gray and black. The most colorful thing visible being the sage of his suit. It felt like a prison.

“You can teleport.”

He tucks his weapon back into his belt, tilting his head right back. Lyn runs a hand through his hair, focusing on the feeling.

“The hordes around here are intensely populated. We purposefully lure them closer for study.”

He crosses his arms, muttering something quietly to himself about it always being something mutated. His tone held no annoyance, only confusion.

"I can do a lot of things. Magic, yay!" Does half hearted jazz hands.

He seems a bit off. Like he's drunk, or maybe sleep deprived. He stumbles and a comfy looking lounge chair appears out of thin air to catch him.

"Have you considered not doing that? Sounds bad for your health."

“It’s good for society’s.”

Lyn steps closer, leaning to look at Hemlock from a bit away. He had a cold but cautious stare.

“Were you bit or scratched by one..? You need to tell me now if you were.”

“Unless your ideal is losing yourself, no. I wouldn’t.”

Lyn walks from his desk to the gray kitchenette on the other side of his room, pulling out a mug.

“Tea? I’ve unfortunately been out of chocolate powder a long time. Rida can’t keep himself from using it all during one meeting.”

He sits up in his chair. "Tea sounds perfect. Mango hibiscus please."

Lyn makes a face at the sudden drink making goods in his kitchen. One of dumbfounded disgust. Nothing truely came for free.

He was giving something back.

But regardless, he pours from his kettle, adding the tea bag.

He yawns loudly, sitting back. Tries not to let himself get too comfortable, he needs to keep moving after this. Doesn't matter how tired he is, its a bad idea to just fall asleep in a strangers lab.

"Thanks for your hospitality, sorry to just drop in on you like this."

“I can’t exactly kick you out. You can teleport.”

Lyn walks over to the lounge, holding out a gray mug full of mango hibiscus tea, complete with one gray marshmallow.

“I’m glad you weren’t bitten.”

"Me too. This place would be fucked if I lost my mind." He smiles as he takes the drink. "Marshmallow in tea? You're pretty interesting yourself huh?" Happily eats the squishy treat.

“I’m just a man.”

He mumbles, moving back to his desk chair, as if about to return to his journal.

"Hm. Well what do you do here just-a-man?" He smirks playfully.

“Do you want my schedule then?”

There is no signs that he’s joking or being lighthearted, but still, he was.

“Are you sleep deprived?”

Lyn picks up a sickly green book, tossing it weakly to Hemlock. It had a deaths head hawk moth on the cover, and the date 2042.

“It’s accurate.”

"Um- yeah... yeah been uh... th... foour days. Mm four days I think."

He looks it all over, curiously. "Wow... you're really busy, huh? So much to do..."

Lyn nods, sighing quietly.

“You should sleep. I don’t know your exact needs, but 96 hours is too many. You can use my cot, if you can’t get home soon.”

He was disgusted with himself, but he can’t not offer.

His mask dissappears and his armor is replaced by a comfy looking sweatshirt and sweatpants. He slowly curls into a ball on his chair and within minutes he's fast asleep.

When he wakes up, he’s been almost swaddled in a thin green blanket, but otherwise left completely alone.

Lyn was still sitting on his desk chair, leaning back to stare at the ceiling with his constant tired expression.

He yawns, stretching. Pulls the blanket around himself and letting out a short purr. Blinks sleepily at them, red eyes full of curiousity.

"Hey... whatcha doing..?"

Lyn sighs, looking back at the fox-man.

“Nothing. I don’t feel confident enough in you to leave long enough to grab samples from the horde.”

"Oh! Do you want help with that? What kind of samples do you need? Blood? Spit? Flesh? Hair?"

He feels he needs to help them at least somewhat, as thanks for the chance to rest. Besides, he'll never say no to a chance for violence.

He frowns, spinning in his chair whimsylessly.

“Flesh, but I don’t want you using your claws to scratch one up. For one, it’s dangerous. For two, you’d comtaminate the sample.”

The chair stops and he sits up.

“We have to catch it first. That’s the hardest part of the process.”

"Got it, no claws. Don't contaminate it. Catch it? You want it in here? Okay... you got somewhere to store it?"

“Lower floors, we have restraints and a containment area between the re-entrance and decom.”

“…I need to get you a security pass.”

He stretches, standing up as his chair dissappears. His skin and fur slowly turn into scales, a mess of red, white, and black. He grins.

"Alright, just show me where to bring the fucker and I'll grab you one. Feeling much better after that nap. You just need one right? I can grab more if you need."

“Tell me something I don’t know.”

He pauses, narrowing his eyes at the now scaled creature-man.

“I need to confirm I’m not having any hallucinogenic after effects from something.”

"I doubt it. I'm just a shapeshifter. These scales are completely indestructible by mortal means. I can stand in the middle of the hoard and be totally fine like this. This won't take long."

“Open the third book to the right on my bookshelf to the 30th page, tell me the second word.”

He was serious. …This man has clearly hallucinated many times before.

He flips through the pages.

“Satisfied. Thank you.”

Lyn starts towards the door, about to scan his badge to open it.

“What is your name? I’ll need to know for your identification, and it’ll ensure I can introduce you.”

Open Starter 🔬 Strange Arrivals

Tw: dystopian themes

Lyn froze at his seat, pausing the music in his earbuds. The man pulls back, turning around and pulling out a taser defensively at the stranger in his quarters.

“…how did you get past all these walls?”

His voice was calm and flat, despite the fear in his eyes. He rarely felt that, fear. Not anymore. But yet, the unknown always lingered.

His quarters were dark, full of gray and black. The most colorful thing visible being the sage of his suit. It felt like a prison.

Lyn frowns deeply. A child. A child was in his office. What could he even say to its question?

“You’re in my Quarters. I’m Dr Gale.”

The man seemed shaken as he put away his only weapon. The kid had scars. Weapons. Clearly it’d been on the wastes.

“…were you bit? I promise, I can help if you were, but only if you tell me. It works fast.”

He could prevent spread. He could save them if they were. The thought put a bad taste in his mouth as he realized the kid might need to lose another limb if it was infected..

“Virology.”

The man readjusts his glasses, looking over Sol’s skin as closely as he could without approaching the Armed Child.

“Fine then. The Horde is what we in Hurricane call the roaming infected humans. And you, a young adult, should know to avoid them.”

His voice went from emotionless to irritated. He had no idea what was going on. What does he even do in this situation?!

“I’m not sending you out there. If you want a job here, you can do something reasonable. I don’t send people out on death missions.”

His breathing became a bit shallow as his mind raced through thoughts.

Open Starter 🔬 Strange Arrivals

Tw: dystopian themes

Lyn froze at his seat, pausing the music in his earbuds. The man pulls back, turning around and pulling out a taser defensively at the stranger in his quarters.

“…how did you get past all these walls?”

His voice was calm and flat, despite the fear in his eyes. He rarely felt that, fear. Not anymore. But yet, the unknown always lingered.

His quarters were dark, full of gray and black. The most colorful thing visible being the sage of his suit. It felt like a prison.

“You can teleport.”

He tucks his weapon back into his belt, tilting his head right back. Lyn runs a hand through his hair, focusing on the feeling.

“The hordes around here are intensely populated. We purposefully lure them closer for study.”

He crosses his arms, muttering something quietly to himself about it always being something mutated. His tone held no annoyance, only confusion.

"I can do a lot of things. Magic, yay!" Does half hearted jazz hands.

He seems a bit off. Like he's drunk, or maybe sleep deprived. He stumbles and a comfy looking lounge chair appears out of thin air to catch him.

"Have you considered not doing that? Sounds bad for your health."

“It’s good for society’s.”

Lyn steps closer, leaning to look at Hemlock from a bit away. He had a cold but cautious stare.

“Were you bit or scratched by one..? You need to tell me now if you were.”

“Unless your ideal is losing yourself, no. I wouldn’t.”

Lyn walks from his desk to the gray kitchenette on the other side of his room, pulling out a mug.

“Tea? I’ve unfortunately been out of chocolate powder a long time. Rida can’t keep himself from using it all during one meeting.”

He sits up in his chair. "Tea sounds perfect. Mango hibiscus please."

Lyn makes a face at the sudden drink making goods in his kitchen. One of dumbfounded disgust. Nothing truely came for free.

He was giving something back.

But regardless, he pours from his kettle, adding the tea bag.

He yawns loudly, sitting back. Tries not to let himself get too comfortable, he needs to keep moving after this. Doesn't matter how tired he is, its a bad idea to just fall asleep in a strangers lab.

"Thanks for your hospitality, sorry to just drop in on you like this."

“I can’t exactly kick you out. You can teleport.”

Lyn walks over to the lounge, holding out a gray mug full of mango hibiscus tea, complete with one gray marshmallow.

“I’m glad you weren’t bitten.”

"Me too. This place would be fucked if I lost my mind." He smiles as he takes the drink. "Marshmallow in tea? You're pretty interesting yourself huh?" Happily eats the squishy treat.

“I’m just a man.”

He mumbles, moving back to his desk chair, as if about to return to his journal.

"Hm. Well what do you do here just-a-man?" He smirks playfully.

“Do you want my schedule then?”

There is no signs that he’s joking or being lighthearted, but still, he was.

“Are you sleep deprived?”

Lyn picks up a sickly green book, tossing it weakly to Hemlock. It had a deaths head hawk moth on the cover, and the date 2042.

“It’s accurate.”

"Um- yeah... yeah been uh... th... foour days. Mm four days I think."

He looks it all over, curiously. "Wow... you're really busy, huh? So much to do..."

Lyn nods, sighing quietly.

“You should sleep. I don’t know your exact needs, but 96 hours is too many. You can use my cot, if you can’t get home soon.”

He was disgusted with himself, but he can’t not offer.

His mask dissappears and his armor is replaced by a comfy looking sweatshirt and sweatpants. He slowly curls into a ball on his chair and within minutes he's fast asleep.

When he wakes up, he’s been almost swaddled in a thin green blanket, but otherwise left completely alone.

Lyn was still sitting on his desk chair, leaning back to stare at the ceiling with his constant tired expression.

He yawns, stretching. Pulls the blanket around himself and letting out a short purr. Blinks sleepily at them, red eyes full of curiousity.

"Hey... whatcha doing..?"

Lyn sighs, looking back at the fox-man.

“Nothing. I don’t feel confident enough in you to leave long enough to grab samples from the horde.”

"Oh! Do you want help with that? What kind of samples do you need? Blood? Spit? Flesh? Hair?"

He feels he needs to help them at least somewhat, as thanks for the chance to rest. Besides, he'll never say no to a chance for violence.

He frowns, spinning in his chair whimsylessly.

“Flesh, but I don’t want you using your claws to scratch one up. For one, it’s dangerous. For two, you’d comtaminate the sample.”

The chair stops and he sits up.

“We have to catch it first. That’s the hardest part of the process.”

"Got it, no claws. Don't contaminate it. Catch it? You want it in here? Okay... you got somewhere to store it?"

“Lower floors, we have restraints and a containment area between the re-entrance and decom.”

“…I need to get you a security pass.”

He stretches, standing up as his chair dissappears. His skin and fur slowly turn into scales, a mess of red, white, and black. He grins.

"Alright, just show me where to bring the fucker and I'll grab you one. Feeling much better after that nap. You just need one right? I can grab more if you need."

“Tell me something I don’t know.”

He pauses, narrowing his eyes at the now scaled creature-man.

“I need to confirm I’m not having any hallucinogenic after effects from something.”

"I doubt it. I'm just a shapeshifter. These scales are completely indestructible by mortal means. I can stand in the middle of the hoard and be totally fine like this. This won't take long."

“Open the third book to the right on my bookshelf to the 30th page, tell me the second word.”

He was serious. …This man has clearly hallucinated many times before.