Animorphs: A New Beginning

[Kelran-Isthinar]

Kelran spent most of the limousine ride trying not to have spasmodic fits of laughter about Cody's comments on his own possible death.
He could see that this 'ticked' Cody off immensly.
But all the same it was funny.
When not in morph it was doubtful any human had the finesse to even place a sharp edge or bullet within a hundred feet of him.

Hence Kelran did not like human morph, or the club, in the slightest.
"No tactical advantages, no..." he gave up mumbling to himself, and decided to attempt to find something palatable on the buffet, since after all he needed no looking out for, and there might be some culinary advantages in addition to the tactical and cultural points at work.

He had only just begun to enjoy something referred to as 'shrimp' in '****tail sauce', and a refreshing liquid known as 'cola' when he spied several controllers. It had taken some time to get used to human's vastly dulled senses, whereas a general sense of clarity and awareness was natural and unavoidable for a Gryphon, it required some peculiar effort in a human.

But once Kelran discovered this, he was able to identify every controller in the room before he finished his first batch of shrimp.
He also noticed a weapon of some kind, but he wasnt able to see enough of it to even make a cursory guess as to its type and power.

As he surreptitously observed each group of controllers and consumed the shrimp voraciously he noticed a girl, about his age, watching him.
He ensured that she was not a controller by quietly observing her mannerisms for a moment, then returned to eating and observing.
"Hi"
Her words took him by complete surprise and he jumped, were it not for years of training and reflexes he would have spilled shrimp and ****tail sauce everywhere. As it was it ended up a near miss because he was still slightly clumsy by his standards with a human body.

"Greetings" he said slowly, realizing it was the same girl who had been watching him earlier.
It suddenly occured to him that by human standards his morph was decently handsome, especially in the type of suit Cody had chosen for him. The morph was a combination of several young men approximately his age in human years combined with enough of his DNA to make it something completely new.

"You want to dance?" the girl asked, but much to Kelran's satisfaction and relief he never had to decide how to answer, he didnt have to learn a hard lesson in human socialization, and he didnt have to stay in the horridly cramped dimly percieving morph.
Because all heck dropped in. literally.

[Chad32]

Suddenly, a loud crash sounded above the noise. Screaming ensued as a group of people fled from the dance floor. Two large feline aliens had somehow fallen into the room, but out of thin air.

"Nichole!" Cody yelled, then located her. "Get Yarin to the bathroom for emergency demorphing. Emily, find Kelran and help him get to safety."

"What are you going to do?" Emily asked.

The two aliens seemed confused, but soon stared angrily at each other. They were getting ready to fight.

"I don't know." Cody said.

"One of the controllers is talking on a cell phone. Cop controllers are bound to be here soon." Emily said.

"Just go get Kelran and be ready to fight."

"I don't have a morph that can fight."

"Then do what you can."

[Cloak]

Bened leaped for Hu's throat, but it didn't go as planned when Hu leaped to the side, unsheathed his claws as Bened did and slashed at him.  Bened managed to escaped most of the power of the blow.  He bullrushed Hu into a nearby table, breaking it in two.  Bened impaled one half on his claws and threw it at Hu, who used his own claws to turn the table into smaller bits.

Both of their tails thrashed angrily as they paused the battle momentarily to take notice, with teeth bared, of their surroundings.  Of the "giant Prosims" that surrounded them.  But then they broke into the brawl yet again, with Hu unaware that his Encarta was currently absorbing the new language of the "tailless Prosims" -- humans.

[Yarin]

Yarin quickly demorphed and assessed the situation.  Two large felinoid aliens, they looked confused and ready to fight.  "What are you doing here?"

[Kelran-Isthinar]

By the time Emily reached Kelran not only had he demorphed, he had forcibly aquired the metal leg from one of the now overturned buffet tables, had layed a controller out cold, and was dodging energy weapons fire from three others in an incomprehensibly amazing display of acrobatics.

[Cloak]

Bened and Hu were too engrossed in their battle to notice the larger fight around them.  Hu thought he heard someone pose him a question, but he ignored it.  His hatred for his own brother had manifested to its peak.  Hu's full rage was upon Bened, which caused Bened to laugh raucously.

Suddenly, their battle spilled onto the street.  Bened took off in one direction, and Hu followed him without hesitation.  Still unaware of the strange place where he was, Hu found that he really didn't care.  As long as Bened paid for what he did.

[Yarin]

Yarin took a cue from Kelran and fashened himself four makeshift weapons he quickly joined Kelran in the fray

[Cloak]

Hu and Bened made it to a nearby forest, leaving the giant Prosims far behind.  Darkness was falling, surprisingly early to the two Smilodites, though darkness was no barrier to them.  They continued their battle.

Hu had refrained from using the items within his Master's satchel, for reasons of personal honor and for the fact that he wasn't sure of the long-term of effects of many of them.

Hu knew dimly that killing Bened wouldn't bring his Master, his wife or his children back, but he felt that it would make him feel better.  The flame of hate was still burning within him.  He wanted to kill Bened, and he wanted to do it on his own.

But before he knew it, he had lost Bened.  Both in physical terms and scent trail.  Frustrated, Hu roared to the darking sky.  The roar would be heard two miles round, but Hu didn't care.  He had just been denied his vengence!

[Kelran-Isthinar]

Kelran swung his table leg in an arc, braining one controller, then on the back-swing he caught two more a blow across their backs.
"You Nyac certainly know how to skirmish." Kelran said with some degree of awe, he had in truth pegged Yarin as likely to be only a mediocre fighter, but he was certainly holding his own.

The controller in charge seemed to be a man barricaded behind one of the upturned tables, he was laying down constant fire.
Kelran swiftly snapped his table leg in half, delivering a vicious gut-check with a back paw, and knocking another man over with a tremendous clout from his wing, he lobbed one table-leg-half end over end towards the controller in charge.

Now the table legs werent especially heavy, but they were very sturdy. And Kelran had thrown at what would register as about 92 miles an hour. The table split in two, and the man behind practically lost all his left ribs and arm.

Kelran smiled. it was brutal, vicious, ruthless. Exactly like he wanted it.
Only the occasional rememberance that the human body belonged to someone besides his enemy kept his actions toned down.
He would, given the ethical opportunity, have simply killed all the controllers. But that for sure wouldnt be right...

[Cloak]

Hu slumped against a tree, and decided to take inventory of the satchel, with the help of his Encarta.  This was more to stave off the painful memories that struggled to make themselves known.  Then he thought about that battle that took place at their arrival.  He wondered . . . then shook his head, and told himself reproachingly, "It's not your concern.  Bened is the only one you need to worry about."

And despite himself, Hu managed to sleep, where he dreamt of happier times.

[Chad32]

"I'm surprised those controllers brought dracon beams to a club." Emily said as she hid behind Kelran. She had ducked down there since the shooting started, and wished she could be more useful. Yarin got into the action, and she hoped they didn't resent her uselessness.

The controllers backed behind a bar, and held their ground. That is, until Cpdy flushed them out. He had morphed crocodile, and with a mighty roar he chased them out from the bar. They were subdued shortly afterwards.

Sirens wailed, which was their cue to leave. Cody demorphed, and they all ran out the same way the two cat aliens went.

"That was wild!" Cody yelled after they made some distance between them. Everyone was accounted for. "Happy now, Kelran?" He asked with a smile.

"Should we follow those two aliens that came out of nowhere?" Emily asked.

"I could morph a bloodhound and track them easily, though it's best if we head back to the limo. Your driver will be anxious." Cody said. "Unless you want to split into groups. Yarin, Kelran, and I can go after the cat people, and the rest of you can go home for the night."

((Shall we have the controller cops find and capture Bened? I could play Visser Five if they grab him and take him to their leader.))

[Cloak]

((They'd have to make something worth his while, and he'd go with them willingly.  Otherwise, he'd resist and he wouldn't exactly hesitate with killing them, I think that's clear.  He has several potion-like items, but not to the extent that Hu has, though most of what Hu has is for concealment (such as Disorientation Dust and his cloak can reflect natural -- artificial light reveals him -- light away from it -- though he has yet to realize such) and healing draughts.  I also imagine he has some blast-root and vine bolas (which incapacite foes) with him.  But, yeah, I think that a Bened-Visser Five meeting are in the cards.))

((You guy do remember they have Smilodon-like fangs, or did I neglect that tidbit of information?  And you can tell their emotions by their ears and tail.))

[Chad32]

((I think we all probably got the idea that they had fangs. Maybe the controllers would be more willing to talk than just draw dracon beams and fire, but either way, I'll control Visser Five. Unless anyone else really wants to. When dealing with controllers, though, you're dealing with people wielding beam and semi-automatic weapons. And vehicles, of course.))

[Cloak]

((I was afraid that I was giving an incomplete picture, that's all.  That the fangs actually protruded from their mouths.  Oh, and that the females are more yellow in color, as opposed to the male's orange.  And I'd like Hu to be the first one to meet Bened after this goes down.  Then he realizes that he can't do this alone.))

[Kelran-Isthinar]

"Oh most exhilirated! the timely intervention saved me from having to learn how to dance... Speaking of which, that sounds like a plan. I would think that despite a decent sense of smell that your 'bloodhound' is likely better.
Perhaps you and Yarin could trail him planetside, and I will follow above in order to give you a better picture of your surroundings overall."

As they all split up, Kelran paused, "I know that for some of us our identity is no secret, but shouldnt the rest be somewhat more careful to ensure they arent identified? especially those of you with family?"