03-26-2009, 11:00 PM
She could hear them on her tail.
It was far-off at first – a distant, steady clank, clank, clank, but as Rose crossed the sandtrap, the sound drew closer and louder. Even in all this wide flat space, it somehow made her feel claustrophobic. It didn’t help that in the blowing wind and blazing heat, she couldn’t see far in any direction. Things in the distance were at best blotches, rough meaningless shapes of shade and colour. But she knew they could almost certainly see her.
She’d heard gunshots earlier, and her first reaction had been to head in the opposite direction. But then, wouldn’t that be exactly what they would expect her to do? The girl had bit her lip, and then begun walking towards the gunfire. Time would tell on whether she’d made the right choice.
Right now, Rose had a more pressing choice to make. She had an inkling that the things following her weren’t coming to sing happy birthday. But to fight them off would be to give Kai exactly what he wanted – ratings. Rose grimaced. It seemed like there was going to be a confrontation either way. But she wasn’t ready to face it. Not yet.
The girl willed her aching legs to start running, and with a little encouragement from the CLANK CLANK CLANK now getting louder from behind, they obeyed. Every slip, every trip, she wanted to give up and lie down, but she urged her body onwards. Ahead of her, the desert sloped upwards, and through the airborne sand she saw pillars, ruins the same dull colour as the desert.
Rose risked a glance behind, and despite the desert heat she felt a cold shiver run up her spine. In the whirlwind of sand, she could just make out three dark silhouettes. One was far to her right, whilst the others trailed behind. The path to her left led deeper into the sandtrap. Were they trying to drive her deeper into the desert, to her death? Rose growled. Not if I have anything to do with it, she thought.
Heart racing, she finally reached the base of the sand embankment. At the top lay the ruins. If she could just get up there … maybe she could lose them. Get ahead. In the meantime, she was a sitting duck.
The CLANK, CLANK of her pursuers grew ever louder. Rose spat. They’re not even trying to be subtle. Well, I won’t go for the bait. She looked upwards at the steep slope ahead of her, and cursed inwardly. There’s no time left. I’ll have to use my powers … but only to get away from these guys.
Rose crouched down, and began to focus. This time, the familiar tingle of ki rose quicker – either it was the urgency of the situation, or she was starting to get the hang of it. Energy began to build up in her legs, like a spring being compressed, causing particles of sand to rise up in a faint spiral.
The real chase starts now, thought Rose.
She released the energy, and her rubbery legs shot outwards, catapulting the girl up into the air. Less accurate than flying … but more fun, she had time to decide, before hitting the top of the embankment and rolling thankfully forward. The girl looked up to see broken pillars looming above her, casting a shadow across her person. Already behind her, Rose could hear the authoritative buzz of robotic voices, but she paid them no heed. Stumbling to her feet, she darted outwards, charging energy into her legs before taking another leap. Her powers had got her into this, and they would have to get her out. But confusion still clouded the girl’s mind. Did they intend to kill her, or not?
BZZZZT!
The hybrid had time to spin mid air and see the energy blast, just before it collided with her. It hit her crossed arms and exploded; the next thing she knew, Rose was bouncing across the sand. Now I know what it feels like to be hit by one of my attacks, she thought groggily. Looking up, she saw what had hit her; a thin, spindly android made of some dull metal, clad in a silver jet pack and wielding a ki rifle that was easily half its size. Its barrel was aimed straight at Rose.
The girl rolled just as the energy bolt hit the sand where she’d lain, exploding in a shower of plasmic dust. Crouching down, she kicked off into the air again, landing with uncharacteristic grace on top of a broken pillar. Her moment of pride was ruined as another energy blast crashed into the already-worn object. Rose, who had managed to wrap her arms around a slab of shattered stone, was sent flying.
Plus side, thought Rose, as she sailed through the sky, He just put a load of distance between us. Down side … The piece of pillar she’d latched onto hit the ground, sending its passenger sprawling onto the dusty ruins.
When she picked herself up, Rose couldn’t help but do a double-take at her surroundings. It looked like she was finally reaching the end of the sandtrap! She grinned, but the whine of the android’s jet pack reminded the girl that now wasn’t the time to be celebrating. Hopping to her feet, she threw an arm out like a grappling hook around the branch of a nearby tree, and swung forward, landing on top of what seemed to be a broken temple. Ahead of her, the ruins were much taller, with many structures largely intact, albeit with many a collapsed wall here and there.
Rose grinned. She would lose them here.
It was far-off at first – a distant, steady clank, clank, clank, but as Rose crossed the sandtrap, the sound drew closer and louder. Even in all this wide flat space, it somehow made her feel claustrophobic. It didn’t help that in the blowing wind and blazing heat, she couldn’t see far in any direction. Things in the distance were at best blotches, rough meaningless shapes of shade and colour. But she knew they could almost certainly see her.
She’d heard gunshots earlier, and her first reaction had been to head in the opposite direction. But then, wouldn’t that be exactly what they would expect her to do? The girl had bit her lip, and then begun walking towards the gunfire. Time would tell on whether she’d made the right choice.
Right now, Rose had a more pressing choice to make. She had an inkling that the things following her weren’t coming to sing happy birthday. But to fight them off would be to give Kai exactly what he wanted – ratings. Rose grimaced. It seemed like there was going to be a confrontation either way. But she wasn’t ready to face it. Not yet.
The girl willed her aching legs to start running, and with a little encouragement from the CLANK CLANK CLANK now getting louder from behind, they obeyed. Every slip, every trip, she wanted to give up and lie down, but she urged her body onwards. Ahead of her, the desert sloped upwards, and through the airborne sand she saw pillars, ruins the same dull colour as the desert.
Rose risked a glance behind, and despite the desert heat she felt a cold shiver run up her spine. In the whirlwind of sand, she could just make out three dark silhouettes. One was far to her right, whilst the others trailed behind. The path to her left led deeper into the sandtrap. Were they trying to drive her deeper into the desert, to her death? Rose growled. Not if I have anything to do with it, she thought.
Heart racing, she finally reached the base of the sand embankment. At the top lay the ruins. If she could just get up there … maybe she could lose them. Get ahead. In the meantime, she was a sitting duck.
The CLANK, CLANK of her pursuers grew ever louder. Rose spat. They’re not even trying to be subtle. Well, I won’t go for the bait. She looked upwards at the steep slope ahead of her, and cursed inwardly. There’s no time left. I’ll have to use my powers … but only to get away from these guys.
Rose crouched down, and began to focus. This time, the familiar tingle of ki rose quicker – either it was the urgency of the situation, or she was starting to get the hang of it. Energy began to build up in her legs, like a spring being compressed, causing particles of sand to rise up in a faint spiral.
The real chase starts now, thought Rose.
She released the energy, and her rubbery legs shot outwards, catapulting the girl up into the air. Less accurate than flying … but more fun, she had time to decide, before hitting the top of the embankment and rolling thankfully forward. The girl looked up to see broken pillars looming above her, casting a shadow across her person. Already behind her, Rose could hear the authoritative buzz of robotic voices, but she paid them no heed. Stumbling to her feet, she darted outwards, charging energy into her legs before taking another leap. Her powers had got her into this, and they would have to get her out. But confusion still clouded the girl’s mind. Did they intend to kill her, or not?
BZZZZT!
The hybrid had time to spin mid air and see the energy blast, just before it collided with her. It hit her crossed arms and exploded; the next thing she knew, Rose was bouncing across the sand. Now I know what it feels like to be hit by one of my attacks, she thought groggily. Looking up, she saw what had hit her; a thin, spindly android made of some dull metal, clad in a silver jet pack and wielding a ki rifle that was easily half its size. Its barrel was aimed straight at Rose.
The girl rolled just as the energy bolt hit the sand where she’d lain, exploding in a shower of plasmic dust. Crouching down, she kicked off into the air again, landing with uncharacteristic grace on top of a broken pillar. Her moment of pride was ruined as another energy blast crashed into the already-worn object. Rose, who had managed to wrap her arms around a slab of shattered stone, was sent flying.
Plus side, thought Rose, as she sailed through the sky, He just put a load of distance between us. Down side … The piece of pillar she’d latched onto hit the ground, sending its passenger sprawling onto the dusty ruins.
When she picked herself up, Rose couldn’t help but do a double-take at her surroundings. It looked like she was finally reaching the end of the sandtrap! She grinned, but the whine of the android’s jet pack reminded the girl that now wasn’t the time to be celebrating. Hopping to her feet, she threw an arm out like a grappling hook around the branch of a nearby tree, and swung forward, landing on top of what seemed to be a broken temple. Ahead of her, the ruins were much taller, with many structures largely intact, albeit with many a collapsed wall here and there.
Rose grinned. She would lose them here.
![[Image: superbuuelectricityne4.jpg]](http://img148.imageshack.us/img148/3128/superbuuelectricityne4.jpg)
Bra Wrote:People are dumb, essentially.