taxonomites | Arrival Post

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Arrival Post

The blinding light from the transmutation faded. Colonel Mustang was nowhere to be seen. He was pulled through The Gate. But, then again, no one else was in sight either. In fact, Riza Hawkeye found herself in a completely different location. The room was metallic and disgustingly sterile, and she found herself on a raised platform with a pedestal not too far away. There were no doors or windows. She had heard the small girl’s cry to stay back or be pulled along with her superior officer. Was this...?

No, it couldn’t be. Black Hayate, her dog, was laying a few feet away from her. If she was at The Gate, he wouldn’t have followed, would he? Besides, there was no Gate or any other kind of door to be found.

Riza ran over to her dog, which stirred and looked around just as confused as she was. He looked up at her, waiting for a command which she didn’t have for him yet. She reached out to scratch his ears when she noticed the strange watch on her wrist. "What the-?" She turned her wrist, trying to look for a clasp to take it off and inspect the devise closer, but she didn’t find one. She then tried to slide it off, but found that the devise was now a part of her skin as if someone had transmuted it to her arm. As disturbed as she was with that, she managed to shrug it off.

"Let’s look for a way out of here, Black Hayate." The little dog yipped and stuck his nose to the ground, trying to locate a scent that wasn’t his own or his master’s. Meanwhile, Riza went around the perimeter of the room, feeling for some kind of crack that may indicate a door. She found nothing. Black Hayate didn’t fare any better. The only other thing in the room was the pedestal which held...a thing.

Riza walked over to it. It was a strange rectangular object that looked polished. She hesitated, not knowing if it was even safe to be near. From what she’s been through recently, she wouldn’t be surprised if it was some sort of secret weapon the military had been working on. She left it alone for now, stepping down and trying the perimeter again to no avail.

She went back to the perimeter of the room, kicking at the metal walls, all the while getting increasingly frustrated at her situation. Riza wasn’t one to normally lose her cool but the Colonel was just forced into human transmutation, there were flash-eating things overtaking Central headquarters, and 'Father’s' goal was about to be completed. If this wasn’t a good enough excuse to lose it, then nothing was.

"Where are you?!" She yelled out ay no one, expecting either Pride or some other homunculus to answer her, but there was nothing other than her echo bouncing off the walls. "If 'Father' is here, then show yourself!" Again, nothing but her own echo. She pounded on the wall out of frustration before sinking to floor, holding her head as her faithful dog walked over to provide what comfort he could. "This can’t be happening..."

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"I'm sorry but it is," Glitch began carefully. "And...I doubt your father's here."

And then there was the stupid question that needed asking, no matter how obvious the answer: "Are you all right?"

Riza jumped at the voice. Other than black Hayate, she was in the room alone! Riza picked herself up and returned to the pedestal with the weird devise sitting on it. The top was glowing now, and showing her a strange face. It was obviously some kind of high-tech equipment. That much she could figure out.

"Who are you? Are you the one in charge here?"

Meanwhile, Black Hayate was standing at his master's feet, looking up in the direction of the voice he heard.

Oh dear, here we go again.

"No, I'm...another person who was taken here," Glitch began and held his hands up, bracelet clearly visible on his wrist. "But I have been here a long time and I can help you if you like. My name's Glitch."

Glitch? That was an odd name, even when compared to names like Wrath and Pride that have been bouncing around her for the past few weeks. Still, she didn't have time to dwell on it.

"Lieutenant Riza Hawkeye." She absentmindedly touched her own wrist with the strange bracelet, but felt disgusted once she did. "I don't know how much help you can give me. I've tried looking for some kind of window or door, but there are none." Of course, for her to have entered the room, there had to be some kind of opening somewhere, but she still hasn't found it.

"Lieutenant," Glitch repeated and nodded to himself, a habit left over from when he'd still only had half-a-brain as it helped get details into his memory.

"Well, there's a trick to the door, it...kinda stays hidden until you pick up the tablet-- that's the device I'm talking to you on." He peered at her image curiously. "Is that a dog you've got with you?"

Well, obviously, but he's trying for a little calming small talk before Riza gets overloaded with taxonian info-dumping.

That seemed....to easy. Oh well. Here goes. She grabbed the tablet...

And she heard a door open up behind behind her. She hadn't even seen any cracks to indicate that there even was a door before. It was obvious not to underestimate the people/beings who built this place.

Riza immediately left the room, not wanting the door to shut on her for good. Black Hayate quietly followed at her heels. Once she was out of the room, she looked back down at the device. The man's face was still on the screen.

"Thanks." And then the question about Black Hayate. "Oh, yes. His name is Black Hayate."

Another one.

A shock of bright red, dyed hair popped up on the screen as Party Poison's hazel eyes gazed quietly at the tablet, watching her and her dog. No one deserved this. Even someone with a snazzy military uniform.

"Hey. The tablet thing, pick it up. The door will shhhhhhkt," he did his best to mimick the sound. "And I'll meet you out there to explain everything. Long story short, diesel darling, is you've been kidnapped and thrown into hell hole of a city that looks like some Stepford word of God. Shoutin' won't get you heard in the wastes."

A pause.

"Oh yeah. And hamster aliens."

Another face. This one with obnoxiously bright hair.

Riza listened to his advice, though after the word 'darling' escaped his lips, it was hard to take him seriously. It became impossible to do so once he spat out 'hamster aliens.'

Riza reached out and grabbed the thing that had to be the 'tablet thing' the red-head mentioned. She was about to open her mouth to speak when she heard the 'shhhhhhhhhkt' sound as a previously invisible door opened up. Black Hayate whined and took a step towards the exit. Riza nodded and they both left the sterile room. Once she left, she looked back down at the face talking to her.

"Who's responsible for this?"

Party fiddles with the tablet while the blonde speaks, lips curling up to make a face. The video fades out bu the audio's still there, as well as the heavy revving of an 80's-esque car that's seen better days. Party's driving like a maniac, which isn't unusual, and isn't hard to tell due to the swerving and--yup, that was a scream from a passer-by as he clips the curb.

"I already told you. Hamster aliens," the slight annoyance is apparent. "Walk right through. Unless anyone's with a bracelet thing? Don't even bother talking to them, tumbleweed. They're bad news. Semi-sentient automatons made from neon and fucking garbage. What's your name, diesel darling?"

Riza was startled a little to see the face suddenly disappear. From the background noise coming through the audio though, she could tell what that he was driving. Poorly. It sounded like he was worse than the Colonel when it came to driving and holding a conversation at the same time.

"Lieutenant Riza Hawkeye." The annoyance in her voice was also apparent, and she was quickly losing her patience over his insistence on 'hamster aliens.' Being called 'darling' wasn't helping this guy earn points either.

She out the front doors, Black Hayate still following at her heals. There were quite a few people roaming around, though something seemed...off about them. Riza ignored them for now, keeping an eye out for a terrible driver with bright red hair.

"Lieutenant?" Suspicion immediately materializes itself in his voice--it's not her fault, sure, but it's not like Party plays nicely with authority. Sure enough, when Riza is met with a few things (http://poisonousparty.livejournal.com/1742.html#cutid1): one, a shitty, beat up car, two, the young looking male on the tablet, and three, a bright yellow pistol on a holster on his hip. And don't think his hand isn't near it, just in case.

He's done stepping out and he eyes the girl--Riza--before motioning for her to get into the car.

"I'm Party Poison. This is Taxon, the shittiest place this side of Battery City. I normally don't let people in my car unless they're Killjoys, but.. well, there's only two of us motorbabies runnin' around. And as for you, I-"

He trails off and looks confused. "Is that..a puppy?"

"Is there a problem?" She sees that obnoxiously bright colored gun. Even though it kind of looked like a toy to her, she was still going to assume that it was somehow a functioning weapon. Unfortunately for Riza, her guns didn't come with her here. She felt naked. She never went anywhere with at least two loaded guns on her person. Hopefully, her training in hand-to-hand would be enough to get her out of trouble for now.

Riza didn't skip a beat. "He's my dog. Black Hayate." The dog wasn't too thrilled with Party's presence. He could feel his master's displeasure with him, but he also knew better than to bite without Riza's command, though he did growl a little.

Party wrinkles his nose. "'Course there's a problem. We've been kidnapped by aliens and there's no way out, there's a creepy apple-pie guy claiming he's the sheriff, no one here is actively tryin' to do something except for me, my brother and another gal, and all the food and water is drugged." That last bit is just Party's paranoia, but it doesn't mean he doesn't believe it's true.

"Listen, crash queen," Because there's no way Riza's a diesel darling, not in his books. "We gotta find a way to punch through the gates. Pump up the volumes, bring nuclear blasts to a knife fight, follow? Which is why," He motioned to the car again. "I don't trust bein' in Sanctuary as far as I can throw you. And something tells me you'll kick my ass if I try to, tumbleweed, so even if you don't wanna climb in the car we're at least gettin' outta the middle of this zone, hear?"

Of course that was a problem. She was referring to the fact that she was in the military. Some people back home weren't fond of the army, and this guy certainly seemed the type to dislike any kind of authority.

"Yes, I follow, but it would be best for you if you stopped coming up with those nicknames for me and at least call me by my rank. So far, you haven't given me much incentive to trust you either." Black Hayate growled a little louder this time, also baring his teeth. He doesn't like the way you're talking, stranger.

Really?

Party doesn't try to hide the look on his face--mouth half open in a slightly shocked smile, hazel eyes looking at Riza and then the dog once he growled.

"Touchy," He commented. He really was trying to make peace--just in an incredibly inept, socially awkward way. He leans back and pulls himself up from the hood of his car, crossing his arms, letting them dangle--he isn't the tallest person in Taxon, but thank god he's no midget--and looks at the blonde again.

"Okay, zonera--err.. Lieuwhat'sit. Sorry, what was it again?--You gotta cut me some slack. I'm not exactly from here, either. None of us with these are," He holds up his hand, revealing the same bracelet. "So we're all trying to get into the swing of things. Which means I'm tryin' to give you a four and two ones. Not very milkshake if you ignore it, huh?"

Riza's face still showed distrust, but then again, this guy was the only one offering help, which Riza didn't think she really needed at the moment, but she wasn't about to turn it down either.

"Where are we going?" She walked up to the car and opened the door, letting Black Hayate jump in before taking a seat on the passenger's side. "Do you know of any place where I could get a gun?"

A sharp whistle. "Well if you aren't a regular crash queen!" Distrust or not, Party Poison likes the way this blonde girl thinks. And the dog is....Well. He's just glad he has to focus on things or he'd probably revert to a puppy playing fool. He remembers the Gwen-cat incident and visibly shudders.

"Guns you can get from these hatch things, but I don't trust 'em. I'd much rather just go to a shop--that's the thing. That's what this is. Slaughtermatic game, some social experiment gone all costa rica." He peels out and puts the pedal to the floor, face focused on the road.

"As for where we're goin'? Dodgy Jammer. One of the guys here, Fitz, he's a jive sucker--anyway, his programmed possession is his restaurant. There's flats above, and it's not the most quiet place out here but it's not Central. That's here--I'll draw you a map of this place when we sit down." He's rambling now, but it's what he does--there's a reason he's the more talkative out of the two Killjoy brothers here.

"I'm guessin' your programmed thing is your paw-purr. Which is kinda cool, I didn't know you could get ani--ANYWAY." He jerks himself out of his usual paranoid, lingo-laced rambles and casts a look at Riza, offering as much of a smile as he can. Which isn't much.

"Pretty much, aliens that took a keen eye on you, Lieu..whatsit.. decided to bring you into their little playground of a city with other people from different places. No one's figured out what they want, why they're doing this or how to even get out, but you stick with me? I'm not sleeping until I can get outta this fucking gilded cage."

Riza's knuckles were almost white as she gripped the handle to the door as the car peeled out. Sure, she had dealt with convicts whose souls were bound to armor as experiments, homunculi, and a genocidal campaign against the Ishvalan people, but being in a car which was as out of control as this was still pretty terrifying. At least in the other situations she had some form of control. She dealth with it the best she could.

Riza didn't really believe much of what this guy was saying. He was still pushing the alien thing, but he also seemed to have distaste for society as a whole. Still, she listened closely. He was still dropping bits and pieces of important information.

"Programmed possession? What do you mean?"

"Programmed posessions. We each gone one thing from out world here. Me, it's this car. My brother got his gun," Not that he's going to admit that his own laser pistol is on the fritz. "A lotta people have houses. This one Victorian lady has a huuuuge manner, but I'm not sure if I can trust her yet, so I lay low."

He glances over at her, and then turns a sharp left, and--yup, there's a ghost of a smile at the fact that Riza seemed to be cluing in. "Pickin' up what I'm putting down? It's like they want us to be comfortable here. Happy. But then they pull shit and it's bad news from the zones. According to a few people, there were zombies. I've only been in two glitches, but two is enough." He shudders.

"Anythin' you need clearin' up for?"

This guy needs to learn to drive. She was still clinging to the door handle for dear life, though her expression showed little concern. Black Hayate was cowering under the back seat.

"Glitches? A man named Glitch talked to me over this." She fished out the communicator. Thankfully, they were on a relatively straight path when she did so. "He claims that he's another prisoner here."

She hoped that they would get to their destination soon. IT would be easier to talk when you weren't worried about being in a vehicle you couldn't control and crashing to your death.

"Pfffft!" Well, that's Party's opinion of Glitch in a nutshell. "He is. We're all prisoners in someway or another, Cityra--err, Lieuwhatever. But most of us are all bracelet and no clue. Check anyone you come across for 'em. Otherwise? Just lifeless corpses, reanimated like a sick game. Automatons. Robots. Ain't nothin' in their heads, but people get mighty iffy if you mess with 'em." Okay, so maybe he's a little bitter that everyone got mad at him when he threw molotov cocktails at Extras at the top of Sanctuary with his brother. He still saw nothing wrong with it.

Sure enough, he pulls up (and nearly hits the curb) at an English-style pub (http://taxon.wikia.com/wiki/The_Dodgy_Jammer), hopping out of the beat up, spraypainted Trans-am with ease.

"Glitch, DG, Cain? They all run in the same circle. Frankly, the only one that actually seems to have what it takes to be a Killjoy is the Crash Queen known as DG. Glitch talks too much, and Cain?"

His gaze darkens for a moment. That's all he's going to say about that. But the short, teenage-looking redhead takes a few extra steps forward and holds open the door.

"But Glitches.. Glitches are....uh. Special." He licks his lips, a habit, and then motions to the bar. "Why don't you get a drink and then I'll tell you about it? You're gonna need it."

Riza got out of the car and left the door open for Black Hayate to bound out. Last time either of them were getting in a car with that guy. EVER.

From the sounds of it, Glitch and DG might be worth talking too. She noticed the dark look that fell over Party's face when he mentioned Cain. Riza had a good feeling that this guy's judgment of other people would be far different from others, so she kept Cain's name in mind as well.

Riza walked on in with Black Hayate following at her feet. She took a seat at a table near the back, not wanting to stand out. At least, not for now. Her dog lay down next to her chair. I can't imagine how 'glitches' can be much harder to grasp than what you've been telling me."

Party opens his mouth and it looks like he's going to spew about six paragraphs of words (which is what he normally does), most likely in a firey and passionate, borderline terrorist(which he was) speech.

Instead, he just looks at the bandshell and a rather sparkly bass and sighs. He'd definitely order a drink, too, if he wasn't so goddamn paranoid. Instead, he leans back.

Riza reminds him a bit of a robot, all properly sitting. It must be an army thing, because Party's slouching and currently balancing the chair on two legs, waving his arms as he speaks.

"Take everything in your grapefruit. Your thoughts, hopes, dreams. Now, mush that around. Bam. You've got my first glitch. Thinkin' I was someone else, personality changing. That everything I fought for was silly and childish. Or how on halloween, some people got turned into their costumes." It's the easier stuff, so he starts with that.

"Then have people mysteriously disappearing. Have people die and come back to life. Have zombies runnin' around an already vampire-infested place. They can do anything they want to us. Anything."

Riza wasn't sure what to make of the information she was given. Of course, she didn't have any idea what Halloween was or why people would wear costumes for it, and the personality changing seemed impossible. However, the thing about zombies and people being resurrected from the dead weren't too far outside the whole homunculus thing she had been dealing with back in Amestris. Even if this guy was lying for whatever reason, it was just another reminder to keep her guard up.

"I see." She leaned back a little and held her chin in her hand. "The glitches seem pretty random, as if whatever is controlling this place doesn't have a set plan for us." In fact, it sounded like a poorly conducted science experiment. Riza didn't like that thought much.

"You mentioned some sort of hatch where I could get a gun. If everything you're telling me is true, I'd like something to defend myself with."

It's a habit, but Party's hand goes to his holster and his laser gun, nodding as she talks. Understandable. She may be a robot in the military, a soldier void of everything that Killjoys hold important, but at least they have common ground in the fact that more weapons are good and defending yourself is even better.

The phrase 'defend yourself, killjoy' uttered in a gravelly, dirt-deep voice from a particular bald-headed man jars him for a moment, and it unsettles him so much he actually drops his gaze from Riza's eyes to look at a fixed spot on the wall, muttering his next sentiment.

"Nah, I think they have a set plan. I gotta ton of theories on thier little plans. But guns..." He begins to explain the hatching system, before adding, hastily--"don't use 'em against the Sheriff. he's the bastard that's responsible for my broken arm versus my brother."

Riza listens closely about the hatch system. She gazes down at the bracelet literally attached to her wrist. Just looking at it makes her feel a little sick, but she'd have to deal with it.

"I'll keep that in mind." She stands up, and Black Hayate sits up as well, ready to go where ever his master went. "Thanks for your help." She approahes Party and offers her hand to shake. It was pretty obvious that they wouldn't see eye to eye on quite a few things, but he had been helpful. "I think I'll be good on my own from here."

"Milkshake." A thumbs up to show that that's his world's lingo for 'cool,' and Party's still leaning back on his chair, gaze refocused to the blonde. At least she was nice enough. That was a start. A teeny, tiny, start.

"You should check out the house band. The guy that owns this place, Fitz? He has some pretty cool dudes help him out to play."

And yes, that's a direct plug for Party Poison and Kobra Kid's band.

"I know it looks a bit weird, but if you're trying to get out, the fastest way is to pick up the tablet thing," Jenna began once the blonde had stopped talking. "I'd say welcome to Taxon, but I don't think anyone wants to be here."

A third voice coupled with a third face to see in the tablet. Riza didn't reply, instead just picking up the devise and spinning around at the sound of the previously invisible door opening. Black Hayate yipped in response while Riza's first action was to leave that room. She didn't want to give it a chance to trap her inside again. Her dog followed at her heals.

"Taxon?" She looked back at the 'tablet.' "I've never heard of it. It's certainly not a part of Amestris." She's asking you for an explanation here. How she was under Central Command not ten minutes ago and suddenly being transported to another place entirely was beyond her.

"It's not a part of anything I've ever heard of, either," Jenna admitted with a shrug. At least the woman seemed to have figured out how to get out of the Sanctuary. "All I know is it exists and we're brought here by aliens." A beat. "And you have no idea how much I wish I was lying on that last part."

Aliens. Who would have thought those existed?

Really? Another explanation that centered on aliens. Either there was something in the water here or she was with the red-head. How could they expect her to believe something like that?

...

Then again, this wouldn't be the first time she was faced with something like this. Homunculi weren't supposed to exist either, and she had personal experiences with some. Was this really much different?

"Are you sure these things are actually 'aliens?' Couldn't they be something like chimeras or homunculi?"

One of Jenna's eyebrows shot up. "Considering I've never actually heard of those, I'd say not." Though, she'd never thought vampires and aliens were real and look at what Taxon had taught her. "I would just suggest being careful once you get out of the Sanctuary. It's usually better if someone can come get you and show you around. The city's pretty easy to get lost in, though the map helps."

And she'd go get the woman herself if she didn't have work... or if she knew who this woman was and if she could compel or otherwise force Jenna to do her bidding. That was one issue Jenna did not want to walk into.

Maps? "Is there a library near here where I could find a map?" Riza hasn't messed around with the tablet yet, and even if she did, she would have only found the map on accident.

"It's actually on the tablets." And in a few quick steps, Jenna explained how to retrieve the map from the tiny little device. "Having that makes your life a bit easier. Even if the place is still huge and intimidating."

Well, that was informative. Riza would have to take some time out and learn everything she could about using the little tablet. "Thank you."

For the moment though, logistics were more important than a map. "If I could ask you one more thing. Where would I be able to find food and shelter?"

"You could probably stay in the Sanctuary," Jenna answered, tilting her head a little as she thought about it. "I'd offer you a room here, but we're already pretty crowded. I know there's space in the Sanctuary if you can find it. The whole city got locked up in that place for about a month once."

"I see. Thank you." To be honest, Riza was more than a little curious about the city being locked up in one building, but there'd be time for that later.

"No problem," Jenna replied. "If you need anything else answered, you can just ask me. My name's Jenna."

"Lieutenant Riza Hawkeye. I'll keep that in mind."

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Arrival Post

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[visual] I am the slowest and the worst >.<

[visual] Is ok! You are still loved!

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Location: Outside of Sanctuary

Location: Outside of Sanctuary

Location: Outside of Sanctuary

Location: Outside of Sanctuary

Location: Outside of Sanctuary

Location: Outside of Sanctuary

Location: Outside of Sanctuary

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Location: Streets of Taxon

Location: Streets of Taxon

Location: Speares, The Dodgy Jammer

Location: Speares, The Dodgy Jammer

Location: Speares, The Dodgy Jammer

Location: Speares, The Dodgy Jammer

Location: Speares, The Dodgy Jammer

Location: Speares, The Dodgy Jammer

Location: Speares, The Dodgy Jammer

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