Parking Lot [Page 10]

”Hey, aren’t you Connor Kroww?”

“...who in the—!” The blonde leaned back, scrabbling just a touch to stay on the hood as the rapid approach of feet had him spinning to see...a fan? He had fans? That was new. Team Awesome didn’t even make it through the first round of the last tournament he’d been a part of. I guess just seeing the name and the face was enough for some people. Even after all these years he was still recognized.

“Uh...sure? I’m not sure whether to be concerned or flattered.” Connor shifted to accept the pen and paper, eyeing his ‘fan’ warily.

“So who do I make this out to Mr...?”

“Better Than Gore” Wrote:

“Alright Marcus...” Connor put pen to paper and wrote a stylized K with a flourish then...

All that energy dissipated in an instant, contrary to what Connor had seen just moments before. His guard was already up after being approached so suddenly and now this abrupt change in behavior sent bells ringing wildly. The parasite reared, his eyes went piss yellow as it flooded his system once more. Marcus looked up and Connor could smell the hunger radiating off the young man.

”It’s a shame I’ll have to eat you now.”

“Oh?”

Snap! Marcus’ tongue lashed out and, dropping the pen and paper Connor leaned back and shot a hand upward to intercept, allowing that bifurcated appendage to wrap around and bury it’s teeth into his left forearm. Pain lanced up but he barely batted an eyelash.

“Didn’t know I was on the menu tonight.” He clamped his hand around the tongue and yanked the arm forward, hopefully pulling Marcus’ head down to where Connor’s left foot, still booted, kicked out viciously.

He was going to rip the rude boy’s tongue right out.

“Better Than Gore” Wrote:

Karne

Mistakes were most certainly made...

The sarcasm was not lost on the mage, as he bowed theatrically during the applause. An undeniable smile forming on his lips, “Omi Barsait, you have successfully made Karne Divil, the fool” Karne declared. His urge to laugh only sated by his canine tooth pressing into his tongue. Barsait’s performance art was a sheer delight and levity to Karne, whom rarely had opportunities to witness such character.

“It relieves me to hear that. I was admittedly concerned, if you had been true to your declarations....that stone.... a mute point now. But since I wouldn’t want to claim possession of your pocket stone, to you it shall return.” Karne said, indicating towards the open sky above the messy haired man. The rock descended from the heavens only to strike the asphalt at the feet of Omi. Despite the man's attempts to get under Karne's skin, the individual known as Omi did speak his truth. Leaving Karne with a increased respect for the man.

“Sir, you look unwell perhaps...”

Haelikor Wrote:

Time was catching up with Karne

Patience was a virtual long lost on today’s youth, replaced with a gift for uninspired name-calling, and thoughtless aggression. Pulling Karne’s attention from the belittling jests of Omi was the hydrokinetic powers that tickled the mage’s senses. The enemy approached from behind, which left Karne with little to no time to prep. Experience told him, the time required to channel a suitable counter measure was out of the question, leaving him only a single option.

Under the boot of Karne were fragments of an arrow, from the beloved archer. It was coated in magic, and unlike the rock...was a real threat. Crimson magic urged to erupt, contained only by the shell of Karne’s own will. He had been struggling to maintain the blast for quite some time, hoping to force it into submission since first crushing it under his boot. But admittedly, despite his best efforts he had only managed to delay the magic, not neutralize. The mage was honestly a tad embarrassed, but the archer’s magic was....outside of the norm.

Sweeping his foot back, Karne kicked up the fragments of the arrow and its crimson magic like dust on a dirt path. The small fragments of the crimson coated arrow encapsulate in purple spherical crystals now travelling towards Epitome. “Apologizes” Karne whispered as the magic that once encased the arrow fragments and its foretold magic melted away. No long contained, the crimson magic erupted outwards with violent intent. A fragmentation blast directed at the core of the approaching warrior.

Presuming the cloud of red and purple magic divided Karne was his attacker, the mage would take the opportunity to prep a quick spell. Forming a gesture resembling a peace sign in his right hand, magic flowing across his fingers before channeling into his palm.

Eapon Ultimate Wrote:

OOC: I am sorry friends, I completely forgot about this. I wanna blame the amazing 30 degree weather we are having.

Very few people could withstand Marcus' neurotoxin; needless to say, the World Eater was impressed. Connor's arm jolted about very briefly before the venom was fought off, which was truly disappointing, Marcus had expected the poison to consume his opponent like it did to his previous victims. Had Connor been paying attention he'd likely noticed the impact his boot had made; Marcus' face was indented, the skin around the boot peeled off and shed. Flaking and falling toward the hood of the car. An outer layer of skin had absorbed the blow somewhat, it still hurt like no other, but it certainly saved him from the full force of the attack.

Onto bigger and badder things. Connor had a firm grip on Marcus' tongue, that wasn't going to change any time soon, in fact, it was going to get a whole lot worse for the World Eater in just a couple seconds. But he had a few tricks up his sleeve.

Shnnk~

Marcus was quick to realize that there wasn't a grip to establish with his left hand; Connor's clothing wasn't in the greatest of condition to do so, so the hand sought his own wrist. Taking hold of the wrist with a *ball and socket grip*. Once the grip had been established, Marcus would pull him from the hood of the vehicle, the Mutant wouldn't dare try to lift him. As the pull happened, a protrusion of bone jutted from the right arm, specifically from the bend of the elbow. Acting like that of a stiletto; the bone would aim to pierce through the bottom of Connor's knee cap.

This however wouldn't stop Connor from yanking out Marcus' tongue. The tongue extended until it simply couldn't; ripping from the middle and spewing a tar resembling substance. Connor probably expected the World Eater to wince or cry out in pain, but all that could be heard was laughter, maniacal laughter. Connor would be coated in the disgusting substance that escaped the torn and mangled appendage, as would Marcus, and he would soon realize the nature of it. As it bubbled and steamed upon coming in contact with clothes and flesh, it would begin to go to work, melting away at everything it touched.

"Eatyoueatyoueatyoueatyoueatyoueatyou!" Despite not having a tongue, he still managed to speak, quite well I might add.

Just a Kroww Wrote:

Epitome possessed a very thin, almost negligent core. So, when an arrow coated in crimson magic fragmented and flew at his stomach, he proved capable of blocking the pieces with the flat of his great-sword.

Hasting, he charged Karne, holding his weapon up with his right hand, using his left hand to cover the knuckles of the hand he held his sword with.

Next, he swatted at Karne with the flat of his weapon, attempting to smart the other warrior on the back, noticing the peace sign he gave him and the tendrils of magic arcing between his fingers. He also tried to take Karne down from behind by tackling him.

Jam House Wrote:

”There it is!”

A frown. Connor’s mind was quite detached from the fight, calmly analyzing and debating on a course of action. Had Marcus been baiting him, baiting the Worm? The mutant obviously knew his face and had seen him fight, wherein only a sliver of the Worm had been used. Connor couldn’t quite remember where else Marcus would know him from. Their abilities were similar as well, albeit the World Eater seemed a much less...refined version of the Parasite. Like it had been in the old days before Connor had bound the creature, when he really had been a monster.

“Can only hope for what?” He wondered at the intentions of the thing before him. It was escalating the fight to uncomfortable levels, Connor sensing just how deadly Marcus was and stepping it up to knock him down decisively but the mutant kept matching him. Concerning.

The poor Chevy melted and the asphalt bubbled. Marcus was quick on his feet, Connor would give him that. Those appendages released from his spine were also thicker than what spread from his own spine and shoulders, so perhaps stronger. But he had a swarm. There was sudden motion a moment after the Chevy groaned and settled with a plop; the limbs of the Worm thrust themselves into the earth and burrowed, some around Marcus and some towards. Those going around him would form a blister over the truck and affected asphalt, hardening into its own little contained dome. That would keep whatever acid was in Marcus’ blood from infecting the whole lot. It would boil and bubble but beneath a dome of encasing Carapace.

Four tendrils still shot towards Marcus and would erupt in spiraling spears to hinder movement by targeting feet, legs, knees. In addition, Connor shuffled forward slightly to be in reach of Marcus when or if the jutting spears slowed him down, intending a snap-kick that became more of a stomp to smash in Marcus’ right knee.

“Better Than Gore”[/quote Wrote:

Marcus seemed to move in slow motion for Connor, too quickly for a human to see but then again ‘human’ went out the window with that first kiss. Marcus had time to shout which gave Connor ample time to react. As Carapace flowed over his face protectively and Connor lost his eyes and nose and throat, he saw with a different sort of sight and tasted with a different sort of tongue.

Marcus was ablaze with heat and roiling fumes, the acid pumping through what accounted for veins in the shifting biology was bitter and acrid. Connor tasted death and he smelled an insatiable hunger within the World Eater. This needed to be finished and quickly. Behind Marcus those appendages bunches and propelled him forward while Connor was shifting his snap-kick into a powerful plant that cracked earth and let molten asphalt flow over armoured feet. The tendrils that had aimed to slow instead contributed, altering their path to follow the mutant and drill into his back, making damn sure he would hit his target.

Marcus slammed into Connor, but they did not go down.

Carapace about his left arm had torn the tongue to pieces, breaking it down to raw biomass that mirrored the tendrils and spiraled into a point that drilled into Marcus. If the mutant was anything like what the Worm used to be, then there would be a weakness, a central ‘brain’ running the show. Connor dug for the spine as acid burned through chitin.

“Better Than Gore” Wrote:

HonoRaven Wrote:

> She was up to no good blaugh

Dense as ever, Silver seemed immune to her feminine wiles. Tho he was more likely just oblivious than impervious. He let out a sharp sigh, and his mouth contorted at the mention of Vahn.

"Yeah, I miss him... I miss them, too. It was all so long ago. Maybe it is time for a reunion, of sorts. It would be good at least to see Laz again. I can't imagine Vahn'd ever go for it... It was hard enough to get him to hang around to begin with."

The platinum haired young man turned his back to her, hiding his souring expression. He hadn't meant to be rude, but it seemed she had already lost interest anyway.

"Look, Raven, I gotta-"

HonoRaven Wrote:

> "Humm, you know what... I should let you get to work, interesting seeing you here Silver. Remember to watch your back." Raven said the last in a sing-song voice before turning back towards the parking lot with a swish of her hips.

"Oh, y-yeah.. but I'm actually..."

He pointed in the opposite direction and looked back to see her sashay away, somewhat bewildered. He was actually mostly relieved, having no means of entertaining a woman of her caliber to begin with, but also exhausted from a long day of work and nearly getting killed. It was all he could do to quietly utter a response.

"It was nice to see you again..."

Silver adjusted his tie, and shoved his hands into his trouser pockets, beginning the long walk home. His bus was never coming at this point. He had hoped to check on Athan one more time, but the rumble in the parking lot was still too dangerous to approach and it had gotten mighty late already. Perhaps he would stop by on his way to work tomorrow to check on him.

****** SOMETIME LATER ******

Silver shut and relocked the modest mailbox his apartment complex afforded him on the ground floor. Turning to the immediately nearby trashcan, he began to sort and discard the various yet expected junk mail. He let out a heavy sigh, business as usual. However, today was a special day. There was something new here: a letter. A letter from an individual he almost couldn't believe, since earlier this evening had also been the first time he had even spoken of them in years. But as they say...

"*Speak of the Devil...*"