shadow the hedgehog. ⁽ ᵀᴴᴱ ᵁᴸᵀᴵᴹᴬᵀᴱ ⁾ (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
obfuskate) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
smash_logs2013-06-29 09:03 am
obfuskate) wrote in smash_logs2013-06-29 09:03 am
let him out so he can breathe. ( open )
Who: Shadow the Hedgehog [ obfuskate ] and whoever else.
What: Body horror event; Shadow's a werehog. See the OOC note at the end of the post for more details.
Where: The forest surrounding the academy.
When: All throughout the event, from June 28th to... tentatively July 5th? ( This is very subject to change. )
Warnings: Extremely heavy gore at worst, so discretion is advised for the faint of heart. Also, puppy tummy rubs. Very important warning.
Scenario A: This is Lycanthropy ( June 28th - July 2nd )
The transformation was instantaneous and most painful. He only had to be thankful that he'd made it away from the bake sale in time, having to pass through the forest in order to take care of other miscellaneous errands. He hadn't even see the city yet before he felt the dagger of energy soar through his body, leaving him doubling over, suppressing an agonizing howl of the foulest of suffering. Every muscle in his body throbbed, tripling to three times their average size. Every shred of fabric, every hunk of metal, had fallen to pieces around him, and only in that moment did he have the mind to be thankful for his inhibitor rings snapping off through repairable means.
Afterward, he had no mind at all.
Shadow's body was morphed into something... disgusting, something monstrous, his adrenaline and blood pumping through him like nothing he'd ever experienced before. Ferocious eyes had snapped open, and his mind, oh, his mind, was filled to the brim with instincts otherwise untouched by him. All he could see was red. He heard their cries, wails that hadn't even existed until now - did they even exist at all, or was he hallucinating? Did it matter when all his mentality was focused on was murder and conquering these pathetic humans?
He felt alien - was he literally? - and all he knew to do was maul.
He wanted nothing more than blood in his maw and flesh at his fingertips.
Should he be found in this state, scouring the forest, lost and dazed with a fog of murderous intent over his brain, may Chaos have mercy on their poor soul.
Scenario B: S.O.S., He's in Disguise ( July 3rd - July 5th, tentatively )
All he could remember after passing out in the wilderness was the sound of birds chirping. His materials were gone - his gloves, his air shoes, his inhibitor rings - while he himself had twisted into a form beyond his imagining. Only when he'd confusedly scrambled for the nearest body of water for a reflection did he realize what had happened.
He wished he'd just been a werehog.
Instead, he was a werehog caked in the blood of the living.
Shadow lacked the control he held as a hedgehog in his right mindset. Instead of handling this quietly as per usual, he'd howled, reeling back and swearing he'd heard cries and moans and pleading all around him. Human cries, human children, human men and women begging for their lives to be spared, and he couldn't take it anymore.
"Stop!"
And so they did.
He didn't. He shivered, shook, hobbling over to the nearest bush in hopes of being able to cloak himself. All he could remember was the sound of bawling citizens, some familiar, some new, and it drove him mad, albeit not in the same way as before. For the first time since Maria's passing, he felt scared, afraid of himself and of the world, and he couldn't find a better solution than to hide, curling up within the shrubbery by the lake. He was a mass of mangled fluff now, the Ultimate Lifeform reduced to nothing more than a simpering, whimpering canine.
He couldn't be seen like this.
( okay, here's the gist: shadow's a werehog. permanently. this means the sun isn't affecting his form and he's constantly a giant puppy dog with an obvious problem. should your dude encounter him in scenario A, he will be aggressive and will attack them with no hesitation. should he be found in scenario B, he'll be harmless, albeit terrified and resisting contact, not for his sake, but for anyone else's. should you choose the first option, please keep open communication with me so i can know my boundaries, that being how much or how little shadow's allowed to hurt your character.
please put your scenario in the subject line. feel free to specify date, as well, but given the inevitable havoc of the event, it's totally optional. however, the scenario obviously has to be listed. thanks! )
obfuskate ] and whoever else.What: Body horror event; Shadow's a werehog. See the OOC note at the end of the post for more details.
Where: The forest surrounding the academy.
When: All throughout the event, from June 28th to... tentatively July 5th? ( This is very subject to change. )
Warnings: Extremely heavy gore at worst, so discretion is advised for the faint of heart. Also, puppy tummy rubs. Very important warning.
Scenario A: This is Lycanthropy ( June 28th - July 2nd )
The transformation was instantaneous and most painful. He only had to be thankful that he'd made it away from the bake sale in time, having to pass through the forest in order to take care of other miscellaneous errands. He hadn't even see the city yet before he felt the dagger of energy soar through his body, leaving him doubling over, suppressing an agonizing howl of the foulest of suffering. Every muscle in his body throbbed, tripling to three times their average size. Every shred of fabric, every hunk of metal, had fallen to pieces around him, and only in that moment did he have the mind to be thankful for his inhibitor rings snapping off through repairable means.
Afterward, he had no mind at all.
Shadow's body was morphed into something... disgusting, something monstrous, his adrenaline and blood pumping through him like nothing he'd ever experienced before. Ferocious eyes had snapped open, and his mind, oh, his mind, was filled to the brim with instincts otherwise untouched by him. All he could see was red. He heard their cries, wails that hadn't even existed until now - did they even exist at all, or was he hallucinating? Did it matter when all his mentality was focused on was murder and conquering these pathetic humans?
He felt alien - was he literally? - and all he knew to do was maul.
He wanted nothing more than blood in his maw and flesh at his fingertips.
Should he be found in this state, scouring the forest, lost and dazed with a fog of murderous intent over his brain, may Chaos have mercy on their poor soul.
Scenario B: S.O.S., He's in Disguise ( July 3rd - July 5th, tentatively )
All he could remember after passing out in the wilderness was the sound of birds chirping. His materials were gone - his gloves, his air shoes, his inhibitor rings - while he himself had twisted into a form beyond his imagining. Only when he'd confusedly scrambled for the nearest body of water for a reflection did he realize what had happened.
He wished he'd just been a werehog.
Instead, he was a werehog caked in the blood of the living.
Shadow lacked the control he held as a hedgehog in his right mindset. Instead of handling this quietly as per usual, he'd howled, reeling back and swearing he'd heard cries and moans and pleading all around him. Human cries, human children, human men and women begging for their lives to be spared, and he couldn't take it anymore.
"Stop!"
And so they did.
He didn't. He shivered, shook, hobbling over to the nearest bush in hopes of being able to cloak himself. All he could remember was the sound of bawling citizens, some familiar, some new, and it drove him mad, albeit not in the same way as before. For the first time since Maria's passing, he felt scared, afraid of himself and of the world, and he couldn't find a better solution than to hide, curling up within the shrubbery by the lake. He was a mass of mangled fluff now, the Ultimate Lifeform reduced to nothing more than a simpering, whimpering canine.
He couldn't be seen like this.
( okay, here's the gist: shadow's a werehog. permanently. this means the sun isn't affecting his form and he's constantly a giant puppy dog with an obvious problem. should your dude encounter him in scenario A, he will be aggressive and will attack them with no hesitation. should he be found in scenario B, he'll be harmless, albeit terrified and resisting contact, not for his sake, but for anyone else's. should you choose the first option, please keep open communication with me so i can know my boundaries, that being how much or how little shadow's allowed to hurt your character.
please put your scenario in the subject line. feel free to specify date, as well, but given the inevitable havoc of the event, it's totally optional. however, the scenario obviously has to be listed. thanks! )
(Sc. A) Pulse Attempts To Get Lost Before He Loses Himself (around July 1 or 2)
His species more suited for a volcanic environment, he was terribly out of place in the verdant wilderness, not to mention standing out like a sore thumb against the greenery with his bright red scales. But it wasn't anyone finding him that he was worried about, not as much as him finding his way back out and finding someone else. He pressed on deeper and deeper into the woods, his thudding footsteps and large body pressing and scraping against tree trunks making his presence readily known to any nearby woodland denizens.
He had figured, because of his size, there wouldn't be very many creatures in the forest that would pose a danger to him, much less attempt to take him on...
no subject
That was when the scent of something smacked him in the face. It smelled... smoky. Very smoky, like burnt meat on the barbecue, yet he could tell it was alive. It was far too warm for his liking, and he wanted it gone.
He absolutely barreled for the source, his body creating thunderous thumps from his weight as he approached. He roared and he howled, menacing enough to make any average person's neck hairs stand on end. The sound was nothing short of purest blood lust, a battle cry, a sign of impending murder.
Kill. Kill. Kill.
no subject
The ground continued to vibrate, getting more and more intense. Something was approaching.
It was then that, with his mild deafness, he finally heard the howling. Any speculation about it being the earth moving on its own, or some large vehicle tearing through the brush, was dashed from his mind. There was something here, some large creature, and it didn't sound very happy at all... worse, it seemed to be heading straight... towards... him.
His natural instinct was to run, hide. In his current state, he could do neither; even if he tried to get away, it would mean turning his back and exposing his tail, the very long and hindering weak spot which trailed behind him, to whatever was after him. He was not yet completely confident in his new body and its means of defenses, but for the moment, they were his only option. Swinging his tail under one leg, he curled it up underneath him, resting his large stomach, also unarmored, down on top of it. All that was exposed now was his thick scaly covering, a row of large spikes running down his head and back, hopefully offering enough protection against whatever raving creature what was nearly bearing down on him.
Whatever it was, he hoped he wouldn't have to fight it. He hoped it would give up and leave him alone, perhaps after some attempt at an assault, which he dearly hoped his armor would withstand. But most of all, he hoped he still had enough time after this encounter to get away; he didn't feel that he was a safe enough distance from the school, not yet.
no subject
He found him, the reptilian curling defensively on the ground, staring at him with hope in his eyes. All he could think upon seeing that, however, was hatred. He wanted this thing dead and gone. It couldn't be here. It couldn't see him. Why? He couldn't remember. He was too far gone to understand. His emotions, his logistics, they were all gone, only replaced with the need to maul, and he was going to do just that.
With a mighty roar, his flexible, stretchy claws, much more like elastic than any average creature, came down on him. He aimed to grab him by his torso and head, to crush him in his grip, or at worst, toss him into a nearby boulder.
Die.
He had to die.
no subject
"...M-Mister Shadow...?"
What happened next was like something out of a dream... How did those arms suddenly get so long, those hands so big! Now they're on me... His grip... Squeezing me... No... Stop... Mister Shadow, STOP!!
Crying out, Pulse shook his head as hard as he could from side to side, trying to dislodge himself from the clawed hands. He didn't know if he could persuade Shadow to let him go. He didn't know what it would take. He only knew that he didn't want to hurt him, for as long as he could help it.
no subject
The nearest rock was a good two feet, and while not humongous, it'd do the job. Shadow certainly didn't leave time to ponder the success of it, let alone having the idea cross his mind. He simply flung him, a guttural shout accompanying the vicious assault. If the armor would crack and fall apart, he'd be able to pummel him with ease. If not, he'd likely have much more difficulty. It wasn't as if it mattered in his twisted mind in the end. All he knew was to reduce him to nothing but a useless carcass.
Despite that, somewhere, somehow, some part of him was screaming at him to stop, the stammer of, "Mister Shadow?" having rung a bell. Of course, all rationale was long gone, so those cries of resistance proved futile.
He didn't care who this was. He had to be eliminated at all costs.
no subject
How--
He didn't have much time to think before he found himself thrown with great force, feeling the wind whistling past him and seeing the ground fly by underneath, unable to see the rock he was headed for.
BRAKKT--
THUDD!!
He had collided with the boulder head-on, flipping over it and collapsing to the ground afterwards, laying on his side. The impact had nearly knocked him senseless; some part of the rock was strong enough to score a dent in his head, jamming the edge of one of the scales in a little behind his eye.
Pulse tried to focus on his surroundings, but it felt as though he were seeing everything from inside a dark tunnel, slowly sliding backwards and further away... The world was dimming, fading.
No... N... N-no... Not here... Not like this...
Gritting his teeth, he tried to shift his legs back underneath him, but he couldn't find the strength to move.
I can't... I can't die here...
He felt the sensation that he had experienced a number of times over the last few days, a fire welling up inside him, some deep primordial rage... a desire to hunt, to burn, to consume... He had tried to repress it, unable to understand it, frightened terribly by it, and what it might cause him to do if he let it take over... He had tried so hard, and yet--
Mister Shadow, Alter Ego, everyone...
I'm sorry...
The beast inside him tore its way out of his mental grip before he could even muster the strength to release it, and quickly took over. All traces of Pulse buried deep in his mind, he began to transform further, his red scales washing over with a dirty blue-green as his body grew in size. The small, weak arms in front began to be absorbed back into his body, resembling small vestigial limbs before disappearing completely. His jaws widened, teeth filling his maw, huge fangs jutting upward from his mandible. His bright blue eyes, full of sadness and fear, began to dilate, the blue irises dominating and filling the orbs completely. A raging flame burned in his stomach, waiting for a chance to be unleashed from his mouth.
His strength returning, he shoved himself back up onto his feet, turning to face the puny furry beast that had challenged him before. He was hungry... so hungry. This warm-blooded creature wouldn't be so much as a mere snack, but it would do for now, at least until he could find something more substantial.
"GRRRRRAAAAAAWRR!!"
His tree-trunk-like legs slamming the ground, tail swinging behind, he kicked his way toward Shadow, mouth wide open.
this is terribly short my apologies
"AWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"
Shadow lunged, attempting to grab onto the face of this mighty hulk with his long, razor-sharp claws. His plan was to bite into him, sinking his teeth into the flesh of his face and hopefully piercing armor. If he got his brain, he'd be successful, and he would be gone. He'd be alone once more, the very state he yearned for so much.
Nothing was going to stop him.
Nothing was going to get in his way.
It's OK, if I had listed everything he was angsting over I'd have two more pages
The fluffy thing was on his face now. It must have missed his mouth. Maybe if he scraped it against a tree or something, it would fall in. He swung his head from side to side as hard as he could, bashing against tree trunks and snapping a few in half like giant toothpicks.
These trees were rather fragile. What he really needed right now was a nice big rock... But alas, there were none large enough to be much use to him. To reach the one he had woke up next to before, would mean lowering his head, and he already had his prey right where he wanted it, or so he believed.
Just needed to... get it... into his mouth.
"G-G-GAAAAAAARWH!!"
The furry thing's pointy fingers had found the soft spot, the jammed-in scale where the armor had been compromised just a moment ago. The shock of being stabbed in such a sensitive place drew tears from his big blue eyes. His attention diverted, he thrashed about, swinging his long, thick tail and bringing down nearly everything around him.
However, that was accomplishing absolutely nothing in regards to relieving the pain. Maybe if he could roast the furry thing, the pain would stop. He raised his head up as far as he could, bringing his assailant up to the level of the treetops, opening his jaws wide and loudly sucking in a massive breath of air as he prepared to unleash a fire attack.
no subject
Shadow lowered his maw, the scent of unclean, dripping dog saliva surrounding the top of Pulse's head as he bit down, attempting to take a bite out of crime, so to speak. Maybe it'd even serve to take a chunk out of him. Needless to say, he could use a good meal, and lizard meat would serve just that purpose.
Well, or not, because that thing tasted rancid. Despite it all, he didn't care. He wanted to do damage, and his terrifying bite would do just that. As long as he accomplished his initial goal, nothing else mattered.
Pulse was going to be eradicated, whether he left his sight or he died on the spot.
no subject
He unleashed the column of fire from his gaping mouth, sending it straight up into the sky. Of course, seeing as how the potential dinner was on his face, it likely missed completely, although anything close to the teeth at all would experience some singeing.
"BWAAAAH."
This was getting to be too much trouble. He had run out of things to scrape the furry pointy thing off with, and it looked like it was going to stay stuck to his face until he did something about it. No rocks to smash it against... What else could he do?
For some reason, he was able to recall that there was a lake nearby. That's it. The furry bitey thing probably needed to breathe. He would drown it... then bake it and eat it. It might be a bit soggy afterwards, but it probably wouldn't taste too bad. It would be worth it, anyway, to get it to stop stabbing him. Ow. That'll teach it to pick on him!
He wasn't quite sure where it was, but he would try to find it nonetheless. Turning back around in the direction of the fairly-visible trail of destruction he had left behind in arriving here, he took off as fast as his big thick legs would take him... back toward the campus grounds.
no subject
He did have to admit, however, that this wasn't doing too much. He had to try something else. He had to do more.
He finally attempted something different, his breathing reduced to heavy pants as he hauled himself onto his back, fuzzy palms pressing into the thick scales of his armor. It's annoying and abrasive, but it doesn't serve to bring any hesitation to the werehog's mind, especially not as he started to bite. Again.
Crunch.
He wasn't sure how much damage he could do here, but that was exactly why he was there in the first place. He was experimenting.
no subject
Why did that hurt so much? He had just started getting used to the stabby pinpricks on his face, but now there was a searing, blinding pain from somewhere on his lower back that felt as though he had been struck by lightning.
He stumbled and fell, jaw slamming flat against the ground. Oww! He had bitten his tongue. Blood flowed from his mouth as he struggled to get back up.
The stupid fluffy thing was causing him even more pain somehow! Right now, he didn't want to eat it so much as just kill the darned thing. Burn it, squash it, stamp it into a bloody pulp. But it was still out of his reach.
But, he caught the scent of water on the air... the lake was nearby. Up ahead, he saw the break in the greenery, light reflecting off of... some structure...
He had to do it. He didn't care if he couldn't eat it. He had to drown the furry stabby bitey thing now.
Splitting the air with his pained yowling, blood still dripping from his jaws, he charged out of the forest, headed straight for the water.
no subject
The lake was nearby, yes. Did Shadow care? No. He was almost done. He just had a little more to go.
He held on tight, managing to remain on his back, until...
THWACK.
One large branch, just tall enough to miss the dodongo, was enough to knock Shadow off of his perch, just before they'd reached the lake. It was a good thing, too, because as a werehog, he'd likely sink like a stone. There'd be no saving him. However, he didn't like that he fell at such an inopportune time, let alone the fact that the impact left him dazed, laying on the ground and whining painfully.
He was immobilized. If Pulse wanted to pull any more tricks out of his sleeve, now was his chance.
no subject
The lake was right in front of him. He would throw himself in and--
nnnooononononnoNONONONONONOSTOP
He didn't understand why, but all of a sudden he was feeling an incredibly overwhelming aversion to the mere thought of touching water. This confused him greatly; his mind taken off the very reason he had been wanting to jump in the lake, he immediately tried to halt himself, but he simply had way too much momentum carrying him in that direction to be able to stop as soon as he would have liked.
He tripped on his own feet, toppling forward, rolling and twisting so that he ended up on his side, kicking at empty air, then finally landing with a terrific SPLASH in a rather deep part of the lake edge.
Bubbles rose up as the surface began to calm, but as for Pulse, he had disappeared into the depths, at least for the time being.
no subject
He was alone.
He never felt this good in his entire life, as far as he was concerned, at least in regards to being in total solitude. He no longer had to upset himself over that menace in his way, so he could now live in peace and catch up on some sleep.
Tiredly, Shadow hobbled over to a nearby bush, flopping directly into it and curling up into a tight, fluffy ball. He wanted to just... sleep. He wanted to sleep without any possible interruption.
Tranquility.
deus ex branchina
And massive he was, having consumed a good bit of the lake's aquatic population after discovering his swimming capabilities, his gorging only put to an end by the efforts of a certain Gyarados who apparently did not enjoy having his tail-fin chomped on. This encounter left him sporting another nice wound: a long gash ran across his lower abdomen. He had only just managed to get away from Mr. Fish when he felt his stomach hurting from the inside as well, which was when he decided that he was finished eating, at least for right now.
After much effort in removing himself completely from the water, he finally lay there on the grassy field, breathing heavily, his strength completely spent. His tail hurt, his face hurt, his belly hurt... everything hurt. But he was no longer hungry, and that was the only reason he went charging after food in the first place. Eventually his internal flame would boil all the water in his stomach to vapor, then reduce the fish to ash; then, he would be ready to go off in search of his next meal. But for now, he needed to rest.
Already, steam from the heated water was starting to rise from his mouth and nostrils. Ultimately, the air in that area of the campus grounds would be full of the scent of boiled fish. He lay there on his swollen stomach, closed his eyes, and drifted off into a peaceful slumber.
Somewhere deep in the recesses of his mind, there was the faded remnant of the consciousness of an electrace boy, face in hands, sobbing in disgust of what he had become, and in fear of what might become of him.
B I guess!
"Meoooow," he said, flicking his tail as he approached the bush. He batted at the leaves with one paw until he could get a good look at the bloody mess that attracted his newly refined senses.
no subject
He wanted to face the world and show it that this was not what he was meant to be, yet he couldn't bear the thought.
It was then that he realized that he wasn't as alone as perceived.
He flinched, lifting his head and grumbling at whatever this was, batting at him like he was a toy. His voice, while ragged and gravelly, was easily recognizable as his own, yet it had been some time since he'd properly utilized it to speak. He sounded terribly weak as he questioned, "It... has happened to you, too?"
He wasn't exactly fond of Ocelot, granted, but he wasn't about to let himself get irritated by his presence. He had far worse on his hands right now.
no subject
"Yoworrr," he said, distractedly rubbing a cheek against a twig for the nice scratchy feeling. Clearly he wasn't indulging Shadow with any sympathy now that he had the self-absorbed arrogance of a cat... not that he didn't have that before.
But it's cuter now, right?no subject
Shadow pulled one of them out of his sleeve, looming right over him and making a point to rest his hulking body just in front of him. He wasn't done with him yet, so he was going to make sure he stayed put.
"Are you even capable of speech?"
no subject
For a long moment he didn't do anything else, but then a muttering growl bubbled in his throat, and after a moment of struggle, he spoke.
"Oh corsh I can talk," he exclaimed slowly in a quavery moaning cat-voice. He finished that effort with an annoyed grumble.
no subject
After pointing that out, he took to flopping right before him, casually thumping his hind leg to reach an itch in his fur. He better not be getting fleas, or Chaos help him...
"Let me guess," Shadow continued, lowering the leg with some slight hesitation as he felt the itch beginning to return. "Straight after the bake sale?"
Scenario B; YE.
Not that getting what he dished out would likely stop the blue hero from doing as he pleased, but he certainly didn't feel right about this disappearance either, much like the last. He found Shadow in a hospital bed the first time, but this time? Who knew.
Either way, it was in the back of his mind as he went to visit the Chao near the lake, always trying to take the time to ensure their wellbeing in this crazy world of theirs. They seemed to be doing pretty well, he thought, crouching down to watch two of them wrestle a flower between them.
i see what you did there you little scamp
It was about time he showed up. That elusive hedgehog always danced about without care, so unpredictable in his location, so he never knew where and when he'd pop up next. Shadow did expect him soon, truthfully, for whenever something suspicious brewed, he was there. It was just a bit of a pattern by now.
He wasn't sure if his presence was comforting or not. He hated the idea of being seen like this, to the point that he'd lost his mind to his feral state and attacked whatever creature passed him by, even some... familiar faces. Needless to say, it wasn't pretty and he was ashamed, disgusted by his actions. He wanted nothing but to just disappear.
Maybe that was how Sonic felt. Maybe now he knew.
... Maybe his presence would prove more comforting than he thought.
Shadow growled, not aggressively so, but as a tiny noise to bring himself to Sonic's attention. He could very well speak, but he knew not what to say, not with the position he was in. He remained curled within a nearby bush, his large paws and ears easily visible through the shrubbery. It looked kind of silly.
no subject
The blue hedgehog figured if it hadn't attacked him yet, he had nothing to worry about, right? Considering he hadn't gotten wind of anything like suspicious monsters roaming and attacking innocent people, it wasn't the first thing to pop into mind.
He took a step toward the bush. "Hello?" Another. "Y'gonna come out or what?" Even if it was dangerous, not a problem for Sonic the Hedgehog.
no subject
The voice was muffled and quieted by the bush's substance, yet intensified by the natural rumble in his throat, his voice sounding like a leather sack of pebbles rolling about. Finally, Shadow rose, leaves drifting off of his body and landing neatly as he moved, some yet remaining lodged in his excessive fur.
He was obviously very... different. Very big. Very bare.
"Now do you recognize me?" He honestly couldn't fathom how he didn't, what with his black and red fur sticking out like a sore thumb. Maybe he had less unveiled than he thought.
a million years late; somewhere between A & B
Now he was a pokemon. A pokemon who obliged his instincts more and didn't listen. A pokemon who was picky already to begin with and didn't seem keen on people food anymore. A pokemon who now loitered around the firehouse at will and had a relationship. A pokemon who's relationship with his former dog could now be described as turbulent at best.
At least he wasn't dead, and Samus still held onto the hope that this wouldn't be permanent. Until then she had to work with it. Which meant grocery shopping when it was an opportune time to do so. That time unfortunately didn't come until late at night. Deciding to barrel through the forest in the dark could have been a better choice in retrospect, but to be fair she was kind of stressed out.
Her one saving grace was the fact the roar of her red motorbike was loud and scattered animals away from her path, but she couldn't contest for every one. She was on a mission, and they'd better get out of the way.
no subject
Every woodland creature made their getaway... except for one. The one who recognized that he was no longer alone. The one who wanted to remain in solitude. The one who smelled the aroma of living flesh. The one who wanted it all gone.
The one who barreled in front of Samus and held his claws out in anticipation. He didn't know what she was riding, nor did he care in his vicious stupor. All he cared about was stopping it, killing her, making a meal out of her, and hiding in seclusion all over again.
Shadow the Hedgehog was nothing less than feral in that moment, and it was all punctuated by one heavy growl.
He was going to be alone.
That was what he wanted, right?
no subject
Shit--!
It happened seemingly in slow motion. A monstrous creature emerged from the dark wood right in front of her bike. She slammed on the breaks and twisted the handlebar in attempts to swivel the bike and avoid a head-on collision. This was met with half success as the wheels sputtered and popped, flipping the red machine into the air. She was airborne, and spinning, that's all that registered before the other half of the bike came around and slammed into the creature she desperately tried to avoid.
Not a direct collision, but Samus was still jettisoned from her bike at high speed and hit the ground rolling until a tree stopped her momentum with a painful thud. Her bike would likely met with the same fate, if Shadow didn't have a say in it first.
no subject
The human was there. He got her off the bike. That was one accomplishment made, albeit not without its cost.
Now he just had to murder her.
With a gurgling snarl from saliva buildup in his jaws, he approached on all fours, knuckles pressed deep into the dirt. He loomed, aggressive and intimidating and generally dangerous to anyone around him. At this point, Samus had two choices: fight or flight. Or both.
no subject
Get up.
She was in danger. Her life was truly in danger. Adrenaline and exhilaration quickly sobered Samus up, but perhaps not fast enough.
Move!
Her addled state made it difficult to react much further than to pull out the emergency pistol at her thigh and fire away. Not enough time to charge up even a modest blast--the paralyzing bolt of pink electricity would either stun it only briefly or serve to piss it off even more. Anything to buy herself a few precious seconds to get back up on her feet.
no subject
Basically, it was a terrible mixture of both. He was furious and out for her blood more than ever now.
Despite it all, something... something felt wrong. It was almost like a dog being halted with a shock collar, hesitance ringing in the back of his mind and holding him back for an extra few seconds, all while he stared at her confusedly. This woman seemed familiar, but not enough so that he could immediately put a name to the face, not in his muddied state of mind. She looked like someone he knew, but why? How?
There was no time to ponder the matter. He shook his head, whining briefly, looking as though he'd reverted to a sad little puddle in that moment... but then he released an earth-shattering roar. He pulled a 180 so fast, lunging for her with no reluctance, no regrets in his ferocious, blood-stained smile.
Samus was his now. Dinner.
no subject
"Shadow...?" She rasped in disbelief. Shadow, maybe if he transformed into bestial abomination--wait. The revelation clicked in her head; given the circumstances going on around campus, that's probably exactly what happened! Samus had little time to question or analyze this discovery much further. She was still in grave in danger. There was no mistaking that maniac look in his eyes; Shadow intended to kill.
Springing to her feet, she summoned a surge of strength to leap up to the closest tree branch, and hoisted herself up with a groan. Her entire body smarted from the crash, but if she wanted to avoid a worse fate she had to push herself and keep climbing.
no subject
He whined.
The pathetic noise urged itself from his throat, his mind crushing in on itself as he realized that this human knew his name. Didn't another creature know his name some days back? He couldn't remember, but the concept rung a few bells. Was this, perhaps...
Wrong?
No.
He saw red. He had to kill. Murder. Devour. Destroy.
He howled, latching himself to the tree Samus had lumbered upon, shredding his claws into the trunk as he climbed. His vicious growl signaled his approach, his red eyes gleaming through the darkness of the foliage.
He was coming. It was in her best interest to keep on climbing. He wanted to see her climb.
No, he wanted to see her dead.
Why?
no subject
As she neared the top of the tree Samus suddenly sobered up even more, choosing to ignore any pain and bodily injury to oblige a flash of anger at the realization that 1) whatever happened to Shadow (if that was truly him) warranted immediate attention and 2) running for her life wasn't going to remedy it. Reckless, thy name was Samus Fucking Aran, and she didn't run away from a fight.
Moments like this reminded her just how long she had been at the school--that choosing to utilize the Power Suit only as a last resort seemed like such a dramatic reversal from what she might normally otherwise consider a regular, mandatory part of her life. It was a second skin, as much a part of her as her eyes or her words.
It was coming on. Samus took a swam-dive-turned-somersault leap from her branch, and a blaze of digital light materialized around her entire body. What rolled out of the somersault was a heavy, bright orange suit of metallic armor hurtling downward, arm-cannon first. She didn't waste any time firing, either.
She was angry, mostly that things like this kept happening to individuals she liked.
no subject
That hit in the head might have been just what he needed, yet it was impossible for him to realize it, gurgling dizzily as his vision began to go black.
Shadow only remembered having eaten a bunch of sweets and endured a stomach ache. What else had progressed from there, he did not know, but it must have been bad if he was laying in the forest floor with the scent of scorched fur filling his nostrils. Did he wander into the woods while vulnerable, only to get attacked?
He was tired - moreso than he'd expected - and hurt, but he had to move. It was fight or flight now, and hell if Shadow was the type of hedgehog to flee like a coward.
His eyes opened, his ferocious body trembling as he lifted his head, only to view... it. Something made of metal, orange and red hues smacking him in the face. He was still in a daze, staring at the thing in confusion and wariness.
What the hell was that?
no subject
Her gauntlet-clad hand lashed forward, and from it sprung a glowing grappling beam, sticky at the business end. If successful, she was going to lasso the werehog around in the air like a bull whip until he hit something nice and good.
no subject
Shadow managed to gather enough strength of body and mind to manage a backwards roll, just barely enough to dodge the beam of light hurdling dangerously towards him. He heaved a large breath of air, only now realizing how much more weighted he was, to the point that he felt like getting oxygen was a bit of a chore. Was he just that exhausted? What happened to lead to this?
He croaked, one hand wrapping about his own throat... and he froze.
He was fuzzy. Very fuzzy. Too fuzzy.
Well, that wasn't right.
"Y-You..." His voice was horrible, gravelly, and gurgled, for reasons he could not understand beyond a possible transformation. This again. This academy never proved to stop being insanely hectic, didn't it?
"What have you done to me?" And how could it have done this to him so easily? He was the Ultimate Lifeform. It was near impossible to combat him with some form of success. How in the world did this thing manage to change him this way?
no subject
She aimed her arm cannon at him threateningly, but held her fire. Diplomacy was definitely not a strength of hers, nor was she going to be quick to trust his words but if he was attempting peace...
For several long, tense moments, the robot person said nothing. Didn't move. But eventually, it tried his name again.
"...Shadow."
no subject
"Who are you?" He slightly bore his teeth, those massive, grotesque fangs open for her to see. These would sink into her if she dared to make another move at him again. "And how do you know my name?"
That could mean one of two things: this one was a threat, or it was an ally. He was willing to bet the former, but he wasn't about to attack again unless he was certain about it.
no subject
So it really is you... She frowned, unseen behind the visor. Acknowledging it really was him, this monster, twisted her gut. And she wished she wasn't so used to the sensation.
"What happened to you?"
no subject
Shadow's body relaxed at long last, but not in full. Rather, he was still confused, his remaining tension solely out of distrust. He never knew a person like this, but his memories were also a little flighty. Not only this, but what if he also hurt this thing? What if he attacked first and didn't know?
He had so many questions swimming through his head, but he had to make his stance known first. His voice was still as rough as sandpaper, but he tried to muster something a little calmer, less threatening. It truthfully didn't succeed.
"I will not hurt you, just as long as you do not hurt me." It felt like a simple deal, that one.
no subject
So be it then. With her arm cannon still pointed firmly in his direction she started to shuffle backwards, putting more distance between them. If he was truly going to keep his word then she'd dearly like to definitely not hurt him and even try to help him not be this... thing. However, Samus had a sinking feeling if he was being afflicted by the same thing Falcon was, there would be little in her power that she could do.
Speaking of, she wasn't forgetting the original reason she was venturing out in these woods in the first place either.
I need to get back to my bike.
no subject
Shadow then drooped his ears, realizing that, if he'd attacked this person, he couldn't remember a lick of it. This person - him, her, he couldn't tell - wouldn't have an ulterior motive behind lying to him, would they? Of course, he didn't even know who they were, so that left him skeptical enough. He didn't trust them. He couldn't.
He also, however, couldn't deny that the possibility that he'd attacked and maimed living creatures was still there.
... They were probably telling the truth.
"I... might have," he conceded, his fur no longer bristling in self-defense. He sat, much like a puppy who'd been scolded for destroying the sofa, yet he still felt furious. It just wasn't towards the mysterious, robotic stranger any more.
That bake sale...
Did that girl have anything to do with this? She seemed innocent enough, but anyone could with the right social skills.
His brows knotted tightly together.
"I'd lost control. I cannot remember anything... except for devouring some sweets and coming here." That was it.
SHIT I SUCK
Look at him he looked like a kicked monster puppy nooooo.Samus could unfortunately sympathize. "You too, huh." She finally lowered her arm cannon and collapsed to her knees. The suit worked its mysterious space bird magic on recalibrating energy levels, hers included. If she could rest for a little while she'd be in better shape.
Probably much against her better judgement she popped her helmet off and dug it firmly in the battle-worn grass. A wad of blood had been collecting in the back of her mouth and she spat it out off to the side. An attempt an apology might have looked the same, but she couldn't muster even that.
"It was most likely the bake sale. A contaminant has been causing transformations on a genetic level. They've always been quick or instantaneous before, but this time..."
NUH
That explained a lot. Some random idiot in a suit couldn't best him so easily, after all. Then again, he was also in a vastly different form, one that he was definitely not used to. (Sheesh, it was so clunky.)
"These transformations are clearly different. They... aren't just affecting me physically." Shadow hated to admit it, but it struck him in a manner much, much worse than any of his prior transformations had. It troubled him, clearly, his brows furrowing at the frustrating prospect.
"Don't be surprised if they're permanent this time." Maybe they wouldn't be, just as per usual, but considering the irregularity of the entire situation, he wasn't about to rule it out. He sulked a little,
surely looking like even more of a kicked monster puppy, lowering himself to the ground and resigning to completely relaxing. He was beat in more ways than one.