Following a scrap at the scrap heap...

[deusrexmachina]

WHO: Rex Salazar and OPEN
WHERE: Near and just inside the Junk Pile
WHEN: Not long after Rex's arrival, prior to the end of the 2 week invasion period
WHAT: As he is sometimes prone to do, Rex separates from Six and manages to wander off in another direction. His path leads him to the Junk Pile and another bug that needs squashing.
WARNINGS: Monster violence.


It hadn't taken much to end up separated. The world they were in was scaled for large machines, not for humans...or humans-turned-EVO. There was a lot to take in, a lot to look out for. The air smelled different, the sounds native to the land around them were foreign. With so much to pay attention to, Rex had been drawn away from Six, eventually, and ended up separated from his partner and father-figure. The teenager wasn't too concerned, however. Both of them could take care of themselves and if push came to shove, they had their comm devices. He would meet up again with Six soon enough.

In the meantime, however, his path had led him to what he assumed must be the Junk Pile that Kay had mentioned over the Link...network thing. The size of it was startling, far beyond impressive. Rex hadn't seen so much junk build up since his trip to the Pacific and "trash island" several months before while at home. As he moved closer, however, he could detect the gnashing of metal mandibles and the scraping of several bladed appendages over the hard ground.

This one was larger than the first, closer to twenty feet long. As Rex turned to see it scuttling quickly toward him, he figured it might be best to end this particular fight quickly. The Junk Pile was more interesting than the monster, after all.

He built out the Boogie Pack and took off, narrowly avoiding having his legs grabbed by the creature as it lunged at him. Once airborne, Rex gained some altitude before circling back and readying the bola launchers over the turbines. Taking aim, he fired off a pair. The first hit and wound around the centipede's thick neck, earning a screech of anger. The second became entangled in a number of its legs on the left side. As it slid to the left, struggling to right itself, Rex shed the Boogie Pack and traded it for the Sky Slicer. The hover board built out as he dropped, then the Bad Axes followed on both arms. Neon blades at the ready, Rex charged in and dragged one blade down the right side of the centipede. Metal groaned and split, fluids oozing out of the open wound. As the centipede collapsed entirely, lashing about over the ground, Rex swung back in and made a second pass and then another. He cut back and forth until gash wounds covered the metal monster...and until his luck ran out and its tail finally caught him and sent him sprawling to the ground, builds coming apart. Fortunately, it seemed the worst damages were only some bruises and having the wind knocked out of him, but that wasn't surprising. He'd survived far worse...like being slammed clean through a building wall.

Gaining his feet, Rex summoned the Blast Caster and lashed out with the whip, the end of it wrapping around the centipede's neck. An energy burst followed, causing it to screech, writhe and then fall to the ground in a smoking heap. Mission accomplished, Rex traded the Blast Caster for the BFS and walked toward his fallen foe. Normally he wasn't really one for killing, but these things reminded him of the Lomitle...the Swarm. And Providence had been forced to find a way to eradicate all of them. It was with that in mind that he climbed up onto the back of his fallen enemy and, after only a moment's hesitation, drove the massive sword blade down through the unguarded head before ripping it clear again. The BFS vanished after and Rex left the evidence of his handiwork behind to continue on into the Junk Pile.

From there, he found himself digging through the massive piles of discarded parts and gadgets with interest, baffled by some and almost reminded of home by others. Some part of him hoped he could find something from Earth, something definite and familiar that would be a comfort while he was stuck on an alien world. There had to be something, right? Maybe if he just looked around a bit more...

Comments

[littlecrowgirl]

The commotion of the battle seemed like it would be something that no one within the vicinity could even think to miss. And in some ways, they were right. Some giant metallic bug smashing was probably on the list of top things you didn't think you'd see in a trash dump, and it probably wouldn't happen twice.

If anything, it attracted attention towards the kid.

But something had it's eyes on Rex as he started rummaging through the trash, and if you listened closely, there were little...hopping noises. Coming from somewhere.


Weird.

[deusrexmachina]

Rex tossed aside what looked like half a clock (or some sort of time piece, the markings on it weren't any he recognized) and found a gold chain bracelet beneath it. Picking it up, he let it hang from two fingers while he watched it glint in the light. It was a pretty little piece, probably worth something where he was from, but did it have any worth in his current location?

He was distracted from his thoughts by the sense that something moving was close by. You didn't train under the Sixth Most Deadly Man on the Planet for the last couple years of your life and not pick up the ability to monitor the environment around you more carefully. Rex tensed, slowly rising from his crouching position, free hand clenching into a fist. His gaze slid over the piles of junk in front of him before he turned his head, trying to take in the surrounding area...

[littlecrowgirl]

The skittering sound continued, as something seemed to move from little pile to pile. It was a quick, black flash, at least from a distance, as it approached. Whatever it was, it certainly wasn't very big. Maybe the size of a small dog at most. But it was fast too, which certainly gave it an almost eerie vibe. Some of the surrounding trash falls, as if moved by the weight of the creature, before causing it to cry out in surprise. It obviously wasn't expecting anything like that to happen.

The sound resulted in a 'caw!', and as if on cue, tumbled out into the open. And what was this magical creature that seemed to be trying to make its way over to Rex? A crow, and a little fledgling at that. And for a bird, it certainly looked dazed at what just happened. It's still trying to learn to be big, tough and sneaky, okay. With a bit of a struggle, it rolled to it's feet, fluffing up it's feathers and tilting it's head every which way to look at Rex.

Up. Down, left. ...Stares for awhile.

and then.

"CAW!"

[deusrexmachina]

Yeah, that...was not expected. At all.

Rex stared down at the little crow, eyebrows arching in surprise. Partially because it was a crow. And partially because there was a crow there at all.

He knelt down, then glanced at the chain in his other hand. A sly smile spread across his face. Crows liked shiny stuff, didn't they? Maybe that was what had the little bird interested. Rex jingled the gold trinket a bit to see if that would get a reaction.

[littlecrowgirl]

The crow's head turned towards the sound, as if trying to listen for that jingle. Oh yes, you definitely have his attention now, Rex. After turning it's head a few more times, it takes a hop closer, it's tail swishing. It really, REALLY wants that bracelet.

Another hop and a "CAW!" followed as it looked from Rex to the trinket, then back to Rex. And then to the trinket.

Jingle it again, please!

[deusrexmachina]

"I dunno if you should actually have this or not, little guy. How do I know you're not going to choke on it?"

In hindsight, it was probably mean to tease the bird with something if Rex wasn't actually going to let it have the item in question. Still, the crow's reactions were kind of cute.

It was then he got an idea, however.

Rex slipped the bracelet up over his glove covered wrist so that it was just below the orange cuff. He then held out that hand to the bird to see if it would hop right up to or even into his open hand to get at the bracelet.

[littlecrowgirl]

"CAW!"

That seemed to be the crow's way of saying 'I want that stupid necklace, human', and hopped closer yet again. It's head tilted, watching as Rex slipped it up his sleeve, pecking at the ground a few times before it ruffled his feathers. So you're going to play that game, huh?

It seemed to crouch down slightly, repeating the motion a few times before it hopped up onto Rex's arm, immediately searching for it. Crows were rather quick learners, and began to tug at the sleeve to slide it up, hoping to make the bracelet more accessible.

[happyduckbutt]

     It was concerning to find so many of the overgrown bugs around the Haven. How they'd managed to sneak in was a mystery, although Ventus supposed that with how broad the area out between here and the Badlands were, it wasn't entirely impossible for them to find an entry point that wasn't monitored.

     He was still a little upset to think he hadn't been doing a very good job of patrolling though. Well, this was one way to make up for it- or at the very least it made him feel better about things.

     Rex wasn't the only one zipping about the wide area of the Junk Pile. The young Keyblade wielder flew overhead on his glider, in full armor as he kept an eye out for centipedes. He'd seen a few of them taken down by a figure below, so he decided giving the area another loop around wouldn't hurt.

     He hadn't gone too far before he noticed the long, slithering form of another bug as it made its way slinking over the dunes of junk. It was probably intent on the black-haired teenager rooting through things on the other side of the mound. Apparently Ventus hadn't been the only one that had seen its kin taken down.

     Leaning into the wind, the boy put on some speed as he dropped his glider into a dive, shifting his balance as he made his approach. With still a good distance to go, Ventus suddenly launched himself off the glider. His ride vanished in a flash of light, and immediately after did his Keyblade appear in hand as he swung it back.

     "Fira!" he shouted, even though it wasn't necessary for casting as he swept Wayward Wind forward to shoot off a ball of flames towards the centipede. The creature craned its head about, mandibles spreading in question prior to it getting a face full of fire.

[deusrexmachina]

Rex had just been starting to get that feeling like something, somewhere was not quite right, glancing up with a bit of metal in one hand when he suddenly heard a shout and...an explosion? He threw the metal aside and took off in the direction of the noise, pulling his goggles into place as he moved.

He appeared at the top of the mound just in time to see a wounded centipede that looked like it had just been burned. Also present was that kid Rex had met over the network before. Never did get the guy's name, but they could save introductions for later, as it didn't look like that monster was quite down for the count. Not just yet.

Rex held up his left arm and converted it to the Slam Cannon, the rear loader shooting back to snap up a large chunk of junk before snapping back into place again. The EVO leveled the loaded weapon at the centipede and opened fire. If it was mad about getting fire in the face before, it wasn't going to like getting shot in the back of the head with a cannon ball made of compacted metal, either.

[happyduckbutt]

     The creature made some sort of hissing sound, its head jerking forward by the flying hunk of metal that came from behind. Rearing up on its lower half, its spindly legs moved in a wave as it twisted back to face Rex. This left it plenty open for Ventus who was still on course, and he gave the thing another solid smack with his Keyblade once he came into range.

     The boy angled himself towards the ground, using the centipede to push off from, just as the creature began to writhe at being hit again. Landing in a crouch amongst the junk below, he glanced up at the thing before looking over in Rex's direction.

     "You know, I don't think it likes us very much."

[deusrexmachina]

"Sounds like a major understatement to me!" Rex called back with a grin as he fired again.

The second shot caught the centipede square in the mouth, the chunk of compacted debris getting partially lodged in the opening. The monster made a low choking sound as it continued to thrash about, trying to clear the junk away. Unfortunately, as it did not require air to live, the blockage was not going to be enough to finish it off. If anything, it was more like a hindrance that was throwing the centipede for a loop.

"Got any tricks up your sleeve you wanna pull out about now?" Rex asked the kid nearby. "Or should I move in and play some slice and dice with Creepy Crawly?"

[happyduckbutt]

     Grinning behind his visor, the boy watched then as Rex made another shot. It was definitely an interesting way to attack!

     "That thing seems pretty tough- but if you want to get in close, I can handle distractions!" he offered. He remembered how effective Rex had been against the things, after all.

     Ventus took off running around the thing's other side, leaping as its tail swung out towards him. He flipped, rolling in his landing to get more space between him and the thing before he pointed his Keyblade upward. Its tip glowed briefly along with the briefest of sparks, and then a lightning bolt came careening downwards at the centipede-monster.

[deusrexmachina]

Rex watched a moment, fascinated, as his temporary partner in battle managed to summon a bolt of lightning from seemingly nowhere. ...how the heck? The kid had been through and seen a lot of bizarre things in what short part of his life he could actually remember, but all of the weirdness was related to science. This...was something else.

It only took him a second to snap out of it, though, and get back into the fight. Trading the Slam Cannon for the BFS, Rex pulled the side handle down and converted the blade to whirling buzz saw mode. He dashed in immediately after, taking quick swipes at the centipede's legs and cutting them off one and two at a time to eliminate any remaining stability. Once it was down and unable to get up, he could then try for a full killing strike...

[charm_of_23]

Sometime after Rex had begun his search through the mountains of collected discards from the Lambda, he might just hear the faint sound of a low-pitch rumbling such as what might be audible with tunneling. Granted, if he doesn’t notice it at first, he will as it begins to grow louder and louder until the monstrosity responsible erupts out of the ground. Irate and screeching, the centipede scatters the junk of the side of the pile it disrupts to come out, and passes by the EVO without showing any sign of notice.

After all, it’s already a little busy.

Stuck to its underbelly is a young teen covered in dirt and blood with the claws extended from her hands and feet alike sunk deep through the weaker armor into its innards with long tracks from each blade above her position oozing and dripping slime. As the centipede finally reaches open space, it twists around on itself as it sweeps its legs at its violent hitchhiker. It wants her off, and if it can get its mouth to her, it will take her off in pieces.

X-23 twists the blades of one hand to cut horizontal to the tracks made by the effort of dragging her along through the tunnels below ground, and with one last swipe of the other hand, opens a gaping hole in the armor as she retracts her foot blades to kick free of the monster. Caught by a leg of the shrieking monster as she tries to get distance to reorient for another attack, the girl is thrown off her original course and off into the junk.

“Uhph!”

Slammed into what feels like a hunk of metal scraps backside first, the loose pile gives somewhat, allowing her to slide down several feet before she stops. She is stunned only for a second from the force, but in that time, the centipede realizes that its attacker has been removed. With a vile hiss, acid saliva bubbling from its jaws, the creature searches for her as X-23 pushes to get her feet back under herself.

[deusrexmachina]

That low rumbling is enough to stop Rex cold, the EVO dropping his latest find to back up and away from what seems to be the epicenter of all the shaking. Only moments after he starts to retreat, however, is when the ground explodes, the centipede rising up with attacker in tow. As the scene plays out in front of him over the course of just a few seconds, Rex pulls his goggles into place and tries to evaluate the situation and choose a course of action.

The girl's been flung aside, but the monster isn't out for the count. If she's going to have a chance to survive, the centipede needs to die.

"Hey, feo!" There's a metallic *CLANG* as the Funchucks build out of his arms, the two large, wrecking ball-like weapons glowing bright blue. "How about you BACK OFF!"

Rex whirls one 'chuck, allowing it to pick up speed and momentum before launching it at the centipede, who's now noticed him thanks to the combination of the shouting and neon light. There's a vicious, metal denting *CRACK* as the weighted weapon slams into the side of the creature's neck just beneath that horrible open maw. As soon as it impacts, Rex reels the weapon back again to prepare for another strike if need be, the 'chucks a pair of whirling blue blurs.

[charm_of_23]

She’s been through worse.

The shouting draws not only the attention of the centipede, but also of the girl it shed. X-23 watches on as the teenager builds out the two blunt-force weapons and prepares to attack. To move those weapons around as he does, regardless of the fact they came out of his arms, requires strength, and that assumption is only confirmed as he smashes one into the side portion of the monster’s neck, breaking the armor and knocking the creature off balance. It staggers, but it doesn’t fall as it lets out another shriek.

Without hesitation, X-23 takes advantage of the brief intermission in her part of the fight and with her feet now solid beneath her, she goes after the target once more. Leaping from the pile, she covers the distance between her and the monster rapidly in a sprint only to once more jump as she nears it. Peaking at nearly ten feet, she uses one of its legs to rebound from and takes an additional shorter leap to get herself right onto the back of its neck.

The bash to the neck from Rex broke the armor over what X-23 has learned to be one of the more vital areas of the monsters, and anchoring with a single foot blade into a joint between the armor, she drives her hand blades through the cracks and pries off sections of the armor in that area as the monster begins to thrash, opening up the soft insides with a gaping hole leading directly to important parts.

[deusrexmachina]

Whoever that girl is...she's tough. At the very least, Six tough. And with guts and weapon choices to match, at least in terms of them being blades. Fortunately, this gives Rex enough to go on that he can work with the situation. He needs to do something to further incapacitate the centipede so that girl can finish the job, yet nothing so drastic that he also hurts her in the process or throws her from her perch.

With the Funchucks already in motion, Rex brings them crashing together, keeping them aimed horizontally at the nearest set of legs. As the two weighted ends meet, they unleash an energy shot that plows into the appendages, which will hopefully be enough to completely take the creature off balance and bring it down on that side, crippling it. With less lift and mobility, it should have a tougher time trying to shake the girl loose from its neck.

[charm_of_23]

The thrashing from the monster is certainly hampering her progress with opening up the hole in the armor, as X-23 is forced to keep anchored with one hand and her single foot blade, leaving her with just one hand to really work in at the growing wound. Slicing with one pair of blades along the cracks works well enough, but it is slower going when staying steady is a challenge.

Startled from her focus at her task by the loud crash, X-23 just manages to turn her head enough to catch a peripheral look at the energy shot before it disappears beneath and causes the legs along that single opposite side of the creature to buckle and give. Hanging on for the collapse, she wastes no time once the head is against the ground. Releasing with her second hand, she plunges both bladed fists straight in through the opening and drives her hands down until her elbows sink into the surface of the mess. Twisting her claws and raking them through her targets inside, she tears both her arms out with an angered cry of effort as she retracts her foot blade to once more kick herself free of the monster in the same motion. With her arms out, a gush of fluid sprays upwards from the wound as the creature screes in pain.

Sticking her landing on the solid ground, X-23 watches vigilantly as the centipede writhes with its legs and tail only to go quite silent and still with one last hiss.

Only after she is certain the target is terminated does her attention shift. Shaking first one arm, then the other, she flings some of the muck off her skin as she turns to face towards the stranger with her chest pumping fast in heavy breaths. He’s the first human she’s come close to here on this world, and it seems as though he might be a mutant like her.

[deusrexmachina]

Rex watches as the creature collapses and is dispatched. As messy as the display is, he has to give props to the other fighter in the battle. She's definitely not afraid to get her hands dirty to get the job done...literally. Though he does have to wonder if she's just mad in this case or if this is how she handles all the skirmishes she gets into.

Once it's over, Rex builds down, the Funchucks vanishing from sight. He glances from the centipede to the girl and walks up closer, greeting her with a smile.

"Hey, nice job. You've got some serious guts and some slick moves."

[arnhaid]

If he looked around a bit more, he might witness a bulky red soldier hefting a long piece of twisted metal... and casually swinging it like a baseball bat. Right into the face of a damaged centipede monster. Repeatedly.

It let out a rattling screech before it fell, twitching and curling in on itself. Apparently unsatisfied, the 'bot lifted his improvised bludgeon and slammed it down, several times, on the dying creature's head.

"And stay down," he told it, stepping back from the half-flattened corpse.

Ironhide: 1, Centipedes: 0.

[deusrexmachina]

...it was a little hard to miss the repeated sounds of metal on metal. Rex set down the half mangled gadget he'd had in both hands and climbed up the side of a nearby junk mound to see the towering form of Ironhide standing over the remains of a very dead, very squashed centipede.

"Well, if you're gonna get a job done..." Rex pulled himself up into full view, smirking at the mess before looking to the robot in red. "Gotta say, I like your style!"

[arnhaid]

"If you're gonna get a job done, make sure the job don't get back up and take a bite out of you," he finished, scoffing. He gave it a few swift kicks before stepping back for good, leaning on the length of metal.

"What're you doin' out here?"

Because, really, it wasn't safe out here lately. Sure, the kid showed he could handle himself, but the bugs didn't seem to want to quit. And there was a limit to anyone's endurance.

[deusrexmachina]

"Most people finish that saying with 'get it done right', but that'll work, too," Rex admitted. Hardly bothered by the question from the big bot, the kid slid down the mound of scrap to the remains of the centipede so he could look it all over.

"Exploring," he answered after reaching level ground. "I got separated from my field partner, but not like that's anything unusual. We've got comm devices, so I'll find him again later."

Judging from Rex's tone, this was just business as usual. Nothing to get too worked up over, really.

[arnhaid]

"I ain't 'most people'," he answered. There was a slight smirk on weathered faceplates as he said it, too. No, he was proud of himself for that.

"Separated?" he asked, crouching slightly to better see the little organic. Despite the casual tone, that was never really anything to be so unconcerned about, given the situation. "You sure he's okay?"

He didn't know anything about this "field partner", after all. It seemed a rational enough question.

[deusrexmachina]

Rex ginned up at Ironhide. He kinda liked this guy. Tough, willing to get dirty in the middle of a fight and it seemed like he maybe had a decent sense of humor?

"I'll go find him again after I leave here, but he should be. Six taught me most of what I know about combat. He's probably the toughest human I know. Also the quickest in a fight and the most stealthy." For as much of a hard time as Rex gave his partner at points and for as crazy he could drive the man, the teenager had a definite love for Six.