Private/Closed The Heart of The Volcano

[Hotshot14380]

(Discussion/sign up here: https://pokecharms.com/threads/the-heart-of-the-volcano.18373/#post-554396)
"Of all the people who could have been picked for this suicide mission... I just had to be one of them," Zack complained as he walked down the hall towards the prep room. He had been thinking about this mission since the moment he was picked. Well, of course he did. He was basically picked for execution. He tried to shake off the thought and the butterflies in his stomach go as he entered the room. Besides two guards in heavy armor, no one was inside. Though the entire room was lined with tools, supplies, and weapons. As well as a giant hangar door that he figured would open as soon as him and the rest of the elected people arrived and got ready. Zack took a breather, and then began picking things off the shelves he thought would be needed on the long (or short), and dangerous journey ahead of him.
"Alright Hunter, you got this," He said to himself.

 

[FrostCrispz]

Raden stepped into a room with another boy there. "Your part of it as well?" He asked. If the kid was, he would know what Raden meant. Raden started fiddling around with his watch. Suddenly, a cord ejected from it. "Nice, a solar powered generator useable on a wrist." Taking the cord, Raden placed it so that his right arm gained continuous power from it. "What do you prefer?" He asked, taking a nice and sharp knife from the wall. Doing a few practice slashes, the knife proved useless. "Nothings made good these days."

 

[Hotshot14380]

Zack turned to the boy who'd arrived, asking a question.
"I wouldn't be here if I wasn't, I can tell you that," Zack answered, while strapping on his sword pack that rested on his back. He quickly noticed the metallic arm the boy had, but didn't really question it. A lot of people needed mechanical limbs now a days.
"I usually prefer what I need to survive. Which means food, water, my swords, and whatever else looks shiny. Oh, and the names Zack. You?" He responded.

 

[FrostCrispz]

Raden shrugged off the question. "Raden, Raden T" Raden answered. Picking up another blade, he took a few more swings. "Better, but not best." Even though it wasn't perfect, nothing here would be, so Raden placed it in the belt. "So, Zach right? Ready for the drop? Bet your gonna flip out." Raden does these things for fun all the time and has a special glider he uses. Picking up a short but thick blade, Raden flipped the handle around to Zach. "Opinion?" He asked about the basic blade.

 

[Hotshot14380]

"Well nice to meet you Raden. Better get to know each other now rather than when we need to save each other's lives out there," Zack stated, zipping up a small compartment. It was a new invention, being able to store almost 10 times its actual size. He'd filled the pouch with all the food he'd need for the trip. He then turned his attention back to Raden when offered a knife.
Zack took the blade and examined it.
"Uh, it looks, sharp? I'm not a knife person, is there something I'm not seeing?" Zack asked, twiddling it around in his fingers.

 

[FrostCrispz]

Raden's face grew a grin of near insanity. "Not a knife guy, huh?" He said taking the blade. Spinning it quickly, the knife looked like it just launched from Raden's hand into the side of the plane, point first. "Sharp means nothing unless you can use it. Just wanted an opinion." In fact, Raden wanted to see how the man would deal with that kind of question. He had learned more from him by that answer than the entire conversation.

 

[Hotshot14380]

"Well alright then. Good advice," Zack said, turning back to the wall of supplies. Raden didn't seem nearly as concerned with what they were about to do as Zack thought he should. They were about to jump out a plane and go on a journey that led to their doom, most likely. Zack shrugged it off, and took a seat against the wall, while he waited for the other members to show up.
"So you're not worried about the fact we are about to essentially die? Let's face it, these 'expeditions' never work, and haven't for the past 100 or so times," Zack asked Raden.

 

[DragonFlye]

Mika swayed a bit as the aircraft changed directions, unused to the floor moving underneath her feet as she tried to walk in such a machine. Regardless, the thing could be performing sickening rolls in the sky and it would still be better than the harsh smell of soil and stale air that she'd been accustomed to for most of her life.

She was supposed to meet up with those who she'd be traveling with, but she hadn't gotten the chance with all of the chaos that these past few days had been. As Mika strode down the hallways of the complex, she nodded at the guards that she passed and entered the armory-like prep room. As she entered, however, she noticed that there were two teenagers there already--both young men, and there was an odd uneasiness in the air. Turning, she spotted a knife sticking out from the wall as though it'd been thrown at a target. Raising an eyebrow, she wondered if the tension was exclusively from the pressure of their looming task. "I've missed something," she commented dryly.

 

[Hotshot14380]

Zack perked up when someone walked into the room. He wasn’t expecting a female however, not because he had anything against them, but he thought it was pretty low of the government to send a teenage girl to do this. Let alone a teenager as it was really. He noticed her questioning expression as she saw the knife.
“Uh, bah, that’s not what it looks like! Well, it is, but not for the reason your probably thinking. Um, anyway... I’m Zack. Uh, that’s Raden, and uh... Hi,” Zack said, thinking he couldn’t have made that anymore awkward. He scratched the back of his head in embarrassment as he turned back to gandering at the wall, even though he didn’t want anything.

 

[_obsequious]

Evelyn followed shortly after, in the midst of Zach doing what seemed to be failing at speech. She slowly rolled the hood off her head, revealing a mess of black hair.
"So. You're the company I get for the suicide mission?" she murmured, almost to herself, a light smile on her face despite the rather grim situation they'd met upon. She shuffled her feet, fiddling with her belt beneath her cloak, where her dagger rested. She slumped against the wall, nonchalantly toying with the small knife. Not in a threatening way. Just admiring the curves and points of the blade as though it were the last thing she'd ever see. Which was probably true. She started grabbing what she needed- a canteen, which was thankfully full, a small piece of steel to sharpen her knife, etc.
"You'd think they would've given up by now, with all the failed attempts," she huffed, sighing gently. "S'not like we have so many people to spare."

 

[Hotshot14380]

Zack watched as another associate entered the prep/launch room. He felt kind of wimpish seeing that everyone so far didn't seem at all nervous that they were about to go along with this mission.
"Uh, well I guess that makes 4. So, how many more 'til launch? 2?" Zack asked, worrying that they might miss the drop zone if the others didn't hurry. He walked over to a window and peered out, seeing a sandy yellow plain below. That meant they'd be dropping fairly soon. Alright, say goodbye to your life in a couple minutes Hunter. He thought as he leaned on a wall.

 

[_obsequious]

Evelyn pursed her lip, finding herself fidgeting even more. Honestly, she was terrified. But she couldn't show that. Because she had to save the world, or whatever, even though nobody before her had done it. She sighed.
"What're your guys' names? Might as well know them before we..." she hesitated, realizing the horrible meaning of what she was saying next. "...Before we get dropped."
She winced under the weight of the word, but straightened her back.
You're going to die, you've accepted that, but don't die doubtful. Die proud, Ev.

 

[FrostCrispz]

Raden grinned when everyone started to sound nervous at the future happenings. "Remember, we know nothing. Except nobody returned. So keep an open mind." He said. Not that that was to help anything, especially since Raden's kinda insane.

 

[DragonFlye]

Mika blinked in surprise at Zack's stuttering. He must've really been nervous about the drop-off, the girl figured. Of course, who wouldn't be? Aside from the boy wearing a smile that, admittedly, kind of unsettled her. Mika's own palms were sweating a bit, but it was from excitement as well as nerves.

Before she could say anything in return, another teen walked into the busy room. As they conversed and Zack made another attempt at speech, Mika tightened her bow to her back, not wanting to think about what would happen if it became lost or broken and left her helpless. She picked up a few stray arrows from a case on the supply wall; they looked and felt to be made from steel, a rarity for arrows these days since factories had all but shut down. She put the seven that she could find in her quiver to join the fifteen wooden arrows she already had and secured it shut, listening to her new comrades talk. "My name's Mika Harte," she hummed in response to the other girl's question. "It's nice to meet you."

 

[JPSomeone]

Kyle was sitting in the corner of the this room, listening to the song "Sucker For Pain" by lil Wayne on his phone. Soon as he heard the other people in the room he picked up the bow on the left of him because he didn't need the guilt of killing anyone with the gun on the right of him. As fast the human eye blinked his he readied his bow and fired to the left of Zack's head missing by hair. The arrow hit the wall and stuck there. "Be a little more quiet or shut the f- I mean firetruck up." Kyle said in a cold hard voice.

 

[FrostCrispz]

As soon as the arrow was shot, Raden had a knife thrown. The blade pierced through the bow string, lodging it in the wall. "I wouldn't try that again, if I were you." He said in the same tone of voice. "Now try asking nicely without saying anything that sounds like your cussing."

 

[Hotshot14380]

"WHAT THE HELL?! We haven't even jumped yet and I'm already being attacked!!!" Zack yelled as a arrow hit the side of the plane. He looked over to the two heavily armed guards.
"You're not doing anything about this?! No wonder the last however many groups died! You let them kill each other before the launch even happens!" Zack shouted with all the commotion going on. Suddenly, a man with a serious and almost threatening tone came on over the speaker. Attention all journeymen, I suggest you all prepare for launch immediately, door is opening in 10... 9...
"W-Wait what?!" Zack said, scrambling to his feet, grabbing a parachute from the wall and strapping it on over his sword pack. He made sure he had everything he needed quickly, and looked around the room.
"Well here we go I gue-," Zack started to say, before the door began swinging down.

 

[FrostCrispz]

Raden grinned as the countdown occurred. "see you on the flip side!" He called taking the knife from the wall. Raden then lept out of the plane in a swan dive without taking a parachute. Halfway through the free fall, Raden opened some flaps on his back opening a pair of wings. The wings were kinda like fins on his back that allow him to glide along in the air. Raden prefers them over a normal chute.

 

[Hotshot14380]

Zack let out a breath.
"Well, here goes everything," he said waving to his partners as he backwards fell out of the plane. He steadied himself out into a more proper dive, and continued in his descent. Unlike Raden however, he didn't start gliding down halfway, and zipped by him. He waited till just about the last couple seconds, before pulling his cord and beginning to glide down a couple feet to the ground. Zack then pulled out one of his swords and slashed the parachute lines, and rolled onto the ground as he hit the desert wasteland.
"Wow. I just did that," Zack said, shaking off the dizziness he now felt, and looking up to see if he could spot any of the others.

 

[JPSomeone]

Kyle ignored the other guy and prepared for the count down. The moment the doors opened he was free falling the parachute, no wings, no way to glide. With the one arrow and his bow he shot a net between two trees but with the force he was coming down it's only going to make it a little less pain full. His fall was quite a loud thud, he fell through the net and hit the ground. "Well that was a heck of a landing..." Kyle said dusting off his shoulders.

 

[_obsequious]

Evelyn, feeling the need to impress her new comrades, did a tiny salute with two fingers, grinned, and dove backwards, tumbling in the air in what someone could call a flip, and springing her parachute maybe 15 meters before she hit the ground. She glided for a moment, and cut the cords when her feet touched solid ground.
"To certain death," she toasted, curling her fingers into a small finger-gun and 'shooting' it at the sky. She tucked her dagger back in her belt sheathe, steadying herself from the wave of dizziness that occurred when she hit the ground.

 

[FrostCrispz]

Landing in a swooping motion, Raden landed unscathed. "Hey Mr.Arrow guy. Try actually having a plan next time. We can't have people dieing before a single fight." The wings folded back in to his backpack and sealed away. "Also, what now?"

 

[JPSomeone]

Kyle heard the voice of the over protective friend guy. "Shut up, wait for the others then move out." Kyle said even colder then before. He pulled the arrow he shot out of the tree on his right then gathered the net and put it in his backpack. The area was quite horrible. Did us humans never learn from our mistakes, Kyle thought.

 

[Hotshot14380]

Zack watched as one by one all of his comrades touched down, well, except for Mika who hadn't jumped yet. He met up with them, and checked the surroundings. He pulled out a map of the landscape, to try and get a sense of direction
"Well, once Mika gets down, I believe we head that way," Zack said, pointing towards some skyscraper high rock pillars and what looked like super ancient structures.
"Apparently once we get past that we should be able to see a forest, but I'm doubting it. Also Raden, Kyle, please stop acting like children and learn to get along without being at eachothers throats please. I swear you two aren't even going to die by the Volcas, but by each other," Zack said putting away his map and sheathing his sword onto his back.

 

[DragonFlye]

Mika froze, wide-eyed and watching where the others had disappeared, her hair whipping about in the vacuum of wind. She'd never done anything even remotely this suicidal, and so her knees began to lock up. That wouldn't do. Either way, she had to jump.

She took a deep, trembling breath, and before she could talk herself out of it, threw herself though the hatch. The freezing wind instantly tore at her clothes, hair, and skin, preventing her from making any noise. In her shock, she nearly forgot to pull her parachute, and did so barely in time. She nearly landed on someone, and as it was landed roughly in the dust, but Mika hardly felt it. Instead, she couldn't help but laugh.

 

[_obsequious]

Evelyn yelped in surprise as one of the others almost landed on her. She lunged out of the way, biting back a laugh. She went to help her up, sticking her hand out as she glared at Kyle and Raden, most of her steely glare directed at Kyle.
"Yeah, I agree. Considering we're the chosen ones-" She made sarcastic quote marks with her fingers, rolling her eyes, "-we really ought be all friendly and cheerful even though we're totally about to die."
The sarcasm dripped from her tone, and she arched her brows at the both of them.

 

[Hotshot14380]

"Aaaand that's our que to go," Zack said as the girl touched down in a- different fashion than everyone else. He took a breath and began walking towards the ruins, waving everyone else to follow along. While he did, Zack took a minute to think. Despite all the jokes about everyone most likely dying on the trip, he had an unusual strong feeling that they might just pull it off. Though, then it occurred to him that that's probably what everyone thought before their head got taken off by a Volca.

 

[JPSomeone]

"Don't even think about it Zelda, if over 100 million people died or so what makes you think we have a chance. Even if you think we have the slimmest chance we have two people who can be useful at close combat, one who is useful at range, we don't even know what the other two are good at!" Kyle said filled with rage. Point being he didn't think Zack had a chance much less them as a team. The rest of the way he just looked around quietly unless the conversation carried on.

 

[FrostCrispz]

Raden turned around and walked backwards in front of Kyle. "Hey, Mr.Arrow. Keep the anger to the Volcas not us. We don't need any deaths on this team. Especially if you kill someone, rest assure I'm gonna kill you." At the last statement, Radens right arm, the metal one, started to expand into a chain saw. Good thing they let me weaponize this thing.

 

[Hotshot14380]

"First thing, I strike myself more a Leonardo kinda guy. Two swords, not one. Secondly, if you really had no hope this entire time we could get this mission done, and if you're going to continue not cooperating with anyone, you should have stayed on the damn plane," Zack said, as everyone continued towards the ruins, slowly but surely getting closer. He was getting a little fed up with Kyle’s attitude. He was fine with a little annoyance here and there, but if he was going to act like this the entire trip, Zack didn’t see a valid reason to have him tag along.

 

[JPSomeone]

"Ok, fine but at least set some roles 'Leader' cause I'm not gonna be MIA or KIA (missing in action or killed in action)" Kyle said. Usually if he acted like this he'll get people to show there true potential. Seeing as this was going to be a life and death situation there was no point but he going to do it anyways.

 

[_obsequious]

Evelyn shot Kyle a glare.
Who does he think he is?
"Why do we need roles if we were all sent here as equals?" she challenged him. She wasn't trying to be rude, but with all the bickering, she was really starting to get ticked off. And, as people did, she found it a bit hard to bite her tongue when she was ticked.
She grabbed at her dagger- definitely not to attack him, but it was kind of the closest thing she had to therapy. Angry? Hold the dagger. Depressed? Dagger! Feel like dying because you feel like everyone hates you and wants you to kill yourself and their friendliness is just an act no matter what they say?
Dagger.

 

[JPSomeone]

"I don't mean roles but more like a way to position ourselves if we get into a battle." Kyle said calmly for the first time since he left the plane. He wanted to show he can be nice but also be serious at the same time. He thought maybe just maybe if he could show them he wasn't a cold hearted guy he could get a little respect.

 

[Hotshot14380]

“Well, I guess it would be good to go into battle with a strategy of sorts. Going in blind without the help of each other could get messy,” Zack agreed for the first time with Kyle. The group was nearly at the ruins, about a football field away. He was hoping they could get some sort of vantage point there, and hopefully spot the forest before it got dark.

 

[DragonFlye]

"We don't have to be best friends to not be at each other's throats, but I agree that a strategy would help. It'd be easier at least if we knew each other's strengths," Mika spoke up, fiddling with the strap that held her bow in its place. The arguing was giving her a headache, but at least it looked like it was settling down. "As of now, all I can tell is that you two," she paused, referring to Kyle and Raden, "are trigger-happy instigators. Not exactly a strength."

 

[FrostCrispz]

Raden turned to Mika. "Well, my strengths include," Raden stops and mimics him thinking. "Well, I'm legally insane, I know more about technology than 99% of the world's population, my arm is made of metal, and I know what end of a knifes used for cutting." Meeting her eyes with his own wild and insane eyes, "Oh, and I'm also a decent chef." Lifting his metal arm causing it to change into a hand again, "Want more?"

 

[Hotshot14380]

"Well if we are going to start introducing ourselves... My name is Zack Hunter, if anyone didn't catch it, both my parents are dead, I'm a master martial artist, pretty incredible with my twin katanas, and about to go on a suicide mission with a group of people who have no hope it will succeed! Fun," Zack briefly explained to the group. He took a breath after that entire introduction. Finally, they'd reached the ruins, filled with collapsed buildings and a bunch of rubble all over the ground. Suddenly however, SSSCCCREEEEEECHHH. A Volca was here, and alerted. Zack rushed over to the nearest building, waving over the group, as he spotted the Volca on the roof of a nearby ruin.
"Somebody with a ranged weapon please get it off the building!" Zack yelled to the group.

 

[DragonFlye]

Mika didn't have a chance to respond to Raden or Zack's words before an inhuman screech interrupted, raising the hair on the back of her neck. Pulse thumping, she followed Zack to the remains of a building and listened. It was a little too close for comfort, but at least the shorter distance would make it easier to hit.

She had no idea how thick the thing's skin was, so she started with a sturdy wooden arrow in hopes of at least knocking it off balance. Peeking around the corner, she got a look at the alert creature. She pulled the compound bow from its place on her back and removed one of the arrows from her quiver. Taking aim at the beast, she breathed in, and let the bowstring go on the exhale, and the projectile hit the creature on what she hoped was akin to its temple. Mika could tell it made contact by the way the beast screeched again and toppled it from its perch; she allowed herself a grin in triumph, but it quickly faded once she realized that the thing wasn't dead.

 

[JPSomeone]

Kyle followed seeing a creature fall of a building. "Wow nice shot..." Kyle said as he trailed off. His hand reached to his pocket were his gun was. Slowly pulling it out he struggled while holding it and even aiming. With one pull off the trigger he hit one of it's legs. After he dropped the gun and slowly backed up eyes wide open.

 

[Hotshot14380]

"Yes! Thanks guys," Zack said to his fellow marksmen. He unsheathed the two swords from his back and quickly sprinted over to the wounded creature, that was letting out a painful screech. He leaped onto the creature's back, stabbing the two swords into his back. He used them as grapples for a grip, and flipped over it's head, pulling out the swords with him. Quickly, he threw two shurikens directly at the face, making contact and causing the creature to collapse. It was almost dead, hopefully.