StarFox: The Echoes & Silence

[Geo Stelar]

"Well, I'm going out now. I'm going to have to look for a merchant since my .45 calibur gun's conditions doesn't seem to look good. Plus I have to buy shotgun shells." Norman said as he got out of the van and noticed a fire in the distance...he couldn't really identify what that fire was...

"Now where could a merchant be..." He wondered to himself as he walked near a destroyed building that used to be a arcade place.

"Psst, over here stranger!" A voice said to Norman all of a sudden.

"Huh? Who's there?" He called out to make sure he was not paranoid.

The arcade place, now a ruined place, had some purpose. Charles, who used to be one of the known makers of armor in this part of corneria, found this place to be a good enough for refuge.

He stood up and admired his new masterpiece. He hung it on a pole beside the big closet by the wall.

Suddenly he heard some one. He wore his trusty-but-rusty old armor, took out his crossbow, and walked slowly towards where the voice came from.

[Guest Mr. Mario]

'Huh...I guess it was just me.' Norman thought, looking around himself to see if anyone was with him, for now, Rhode was behind Norman.

"I think that voice came from the hospital over there..." Norman muttered to himself, unaware if Rhode was listening or not. Not taking any chances, Norman decided to go inside the hospital to see if anyone was inside and if there was, find out if they were the ones who called Norman. He arrived on the first floor and saw the hospital seemed a little bit clean of of any pyschos or the people that tried to kill Norman eariler.

"Welllcome!!!" A voice shouted out and a dark figure jumped out of nowhere near Norman.

'Wha...is this a illusion?' He wondered as he rubbed his eyes.

[Geo Stelar]

'Huh...I guess it was just me.' Norman thought, looking around himself to see if anyone was with him, for now, Rhode was behind Norman.

"I think that voice came from the hospital over there..." Norman muttered to himself, unaware if Rhode was listening or not. Not taking any chances, Norman decided to go inside the hospital to see if anyone was inside and if there was, find out if they were the ones who called Norman. He arrived on the first floor and saw the hospital seemed a little bit clean of of any pyschos or the people that tried to kill Norman eariler.

"Welllcome!!!" A voice shouted out and a dark figure jumped out of nowhere near Norman.

'Wha...is this a illusion?' He wondered as he rubbed his eyes.

Just as Charles took a step out of the now unrecognizable arcade place, he was thrown out of his feet by what seems a big monster, he landed with a loud crashing sound a few feet away from the hospital. As he tried to get back up, he was kicked, directly on his stomach by the monster, and he flew farther away. Groaning, and thankful for his armor, he quickly got on his feet and saw his crossbow just a few meters away from where the monster attacked him. He thought quickly as the monster advanced on him, ready to strike once more, and recognized it at once as one of those zombies wandering around. The zombie raised its hands, ready to strike, and Charles did a well-timed roll out of the way. As he stood up, he ran as fast as he can towards his crossbow. He picked it up, turned around and saw the monster advancing again, and fired, with shaking hands, at its chest, and the big zombie fell back with a large "THUD" near the hospital's entrance.

[EazyIN]

"Guess this where he went." Rhode said to himself.

He walked inside the arcade place and thought he heard moaning.

"What the...?" He quietly said.

He opened a door and saw a zombie feasting on an unlucky soul.

"Holy..." He said trying to stay still

All that was practically left of the victim was bone and gore. All the skin and muscle seemed to be gone.

The creature then turned it's attention to Rhode as it rose from it's meal. It charged at the young raccoon but tripped over it's own footsteps.

While the zombie was down, Rhode shot it in the head.

No good.

Once more.

No good.

He turned and ran and just caught a glimpse of Norman, and tried to hurry in his direction.

He looked back and the zombie was standing up. One of it's decayed eyes fell out of it's socket onto the ground.

Rhode ran and kicked the zombie across the small sized room to give him more time to escape. He fired once more and the bullet struck the zombie in the neck.

Blood spilled onto the floor and the zombie was barely moving but it still had some energy to pull itself up again.

Rhod fired the last bullet in his current magazine and the zombies head exploded. Splashing small amounts of blood on Rhode.

"DIE ALREADY!!" he yelled frustrated and furious.

The body fell the ground and no longer moved. It was dead.

"Thank god." Said the raccoon as he hurried to find Norm.

He switched out his empty magazine and turned on his flashlight.

'There you are' He thought to himself as he saw Norm down the hallway, chasing after him.

[Guest Mr. Mario]

Norman turned around to find out about where the light came from, it came from Rhode's flashlight.

"I think there may be a merchant here nearby..." Norman whispered to Rhode as pumped his shotgun quitely and sneaked in the hallway to the right side...

As he kept sneaking inside, he saw a blue light flashing from somewhere and saw another figure who was standing on the wall near the elevator just standing and doing nothing...

The figure began to walk away from Norman and into another path which left him to decide whether he should follow that figure or not...what if it wasn't the merchant?

'This is tough...should I follow the figure that walked away from me or should I turn back...' He tried to make up his mind.

[EazyIN]

"Well I doubt these walkers would know how to handle a flashlight so it seems legit." Whispered Rhode to Norman

He flashed his light over and saw a sitting but most likely dead walker that had a knife stuck in its head. Above the 'corpse' were bloody hand prints, and a message written in blood and some marker that read: "TURN BACK NOW B4 ITS 2 LATE"

There was a signature at the bottom of the message that said "From, Kayla"

"No..." Said Rhode "T-this can't be real..." He said sobbing

He pulled the knife from the dead zombie's head, forced its mouth open, and literally shoved the knife down the creatures throat to where part of it stuck out from the back of the zombies neck.

"They got one the best people I ever met in my life..." He said as a tear rolled down his cheek.

"Those motherf***ing bastards took her and everyone else from me..." He said

"Norm, let's find this merchant of yours, then we go on a killing spree. Sound fun?" He said clinching his weapon tightly.

[Geo Stelar]

Charles walked near the entrance to the hospital, seeing of there are more of the zombies. He looked at the one he just brought down. He wasn't totally convinced he had killed it. He returned to his arcade place, took of and wore a new armor, took some of his weapons; His gun, his sword, and ammo for the crossbow, then walked back towards the downed zombie.

[Guest Mr. Mario]

"But I don't know if what I just saw was a merchant...I have to make a choice here." Norman said, closing his eyes and wondering what he would do, whether he will follow the figure or leave the hospital and go on a "Killing spree"...

'If I don't take any chances...it may never come back...' He thought, opening his eyes and nodding his head.

"Come on, I think the merchant went that way!" He said and held on to his weapon tightly while he walked to where he claimed the merchant went...

Soon after going through 2 hallways, he arrived in a patient's room, seeing someone who was dressed up in some clothing that not even Norman himself could determine what species of animal the merchant was...but it didn't matter.

"I see you've got a eye for things, stranger. It's not about shooting, it's about-" The merchant was interupted by Norman.

"Look, I don't know if you're the only merchant here alive but...I would like to have my gun fixed...and I would like to buy shotgun shells." He said.

"Hmm..." The merchant paused for a moment to examine Norman...then he said "Well, if you got cash...welcome!!"

"Well...I have Corneria dollars..." Norman said and took out his wallet to pay the merchant.

"Ah-ah-ah-ah!" The merchant pushed the fox's wallet towards him and said "First...let me see your gun."

[EazyIN]

"Sure your gun's broken Norm?" Said a worried Rhode. Feeling iffy about the merchant

"Look 'pal' when you fix his gun, you got any firepower I can buy from you?" Asked Rhode to the merchant.

[Geo Stelar]

'Hmm, look at that, zombie sleeping', Charles thought, staring at the face of the zombie, excitement fetched on every feature of his face, Charles looked around. 'I haven't got much money anymore', he thought. 'I need some ammunition for this gun, but there seems to be no much merchants in this area. And if I manage to find any, I had to have some money, but...' Charles looked at the unrecognizable arcade place. 'I got no one to sell my armors to'

[Guest Mr. Mario]

"Well I can't fire anymore rounds until this gets repiared...I'm not out of ammo or anything." Norman said to Rhode and then handed the .45 calibur gun to the merchant...he look very closely and examined what could be wrong with Norman's gun.

"Ahh, here's your problem! A bullet is stuck inside the gun, causing it to jam." The merchant said and took out a screwdriver and some other tools to disamble the weapon and the get the bullet that is stuck out. He threw away the bullet into a nearby trash can and gave a glare to Norman...then the merchant said

"That bullet was for .47 cailbur guns...and seeing how it's a little too big to fit in your weapon, you won't have that problem anymore with it removed now!" The merchant laughed.

"Ok, how much was the repiar?" Norman asked.

"Hmm..." The merchant paused for a moment. "Since this is your first time here, it's free! Next time, you've got to pay in cash! Now... is there anything else you would like?"

"Nope. I'm done..." Norman said, watching the merchant walk over to Rhode.

"I've got a selection of some very good things, stranger! Was it that you'll be buying?" The merchant asked Rhode.

[EazyIN]

"Hmmm.....How 'bout that one?" Said Rhode pointing to the large chrome revolver.

"How's its fire-power?" He asked.

[Guest Mr. Mario]

The merchant picked up the large chrome revolver and looked at for a moment, then he said "It's a very wise choice. This gun's bullets can penetrate through just about anything...but I must warn you, this gun and the ammo needed for it is very exspensive."

"I'll buy it for him." Norman said and took out some Cornerian dollars to give to the merchant, the merchant then gave the gun to Norman and then he gave the gun to Rhode in a manner like giving it as a gift.

The merchant laughed and said "Thank you! Anything else?"

[EazyIN]

"Oh thanks Norm." Said Rhode To Norm

"Yeah, my pin-pointer seems busted, can you fix it?" He asked handing the merchant his laser.

He looked out the window while the merchant did his work. He saw a big beast heading West of where the current trio stood.

"Gees, Norm, we outta make good time if we wanna get back safe." He said putting his new weapon in his sling.

"I mean did you see that thing?" He asked

From Rhode's perspective, the creature had an ogre like face, large, white body.

"That thing had spikes for knuckles." He said looking back at the merchant to see what he was doing.

Suddenly a loud roar rang out, and Rhode peered out and saw the beast letting out it's possible frustration for not finding anyone to prey on.

[Guest Mr. Mario]

"I've seen worse. But you're right, we'll leave as soon as the merchant fixes...whatever you gave him." Norman said, watching the merchant fix the laser.

It took a little while for the weapon to be fixed, but within the nick of time, he handed the laser back to Rhode and said "Come back anytime!" then the merchant walked away from Norman.

"Ok, we should get out now, the longer we stay, the better we'll get killed." He said as the left a patients room and ran to a nearby elevator...but he forgot it was broken, so he ran outside where the beast was, letting out some fustration.

'Man, Rhode was actually serious on this one!' Norman said, running to the arcade.

[EazyIN]

"Dude, don't fire at it, let's sneak through town and don't fire at a thing! If we get chased, just run..." He said to Norm

"We gotta make it to camp and inform them of this thing" He said

"Quick! Let's go already! " He said taking the lead.

The darkness of the night, didn't help him much to see where he was going, he just kept quietly jogging down the deserted street.

The beast looked in Rhode and Norm's direction and Rhode was paralyzed with fear...one slight noise and the two were dead...

The creature snorted and turned back in the direction it was walking

"Thank you lord..' Rhode thought to himself.

[Guest Mr. Mario]

'All right, lead the way then.' Norman as he turned back and followed Rhode to where he was going, Norman hoped he knew Rhode wouldn't end up somewhere where the beast could kill both of them together.

'I hope this beast isn't like one of the monsters I have fought a while ago...before this happened.' Norman thought.

[EazyIN]

They made their way 2 blocks until...

BEEEPBEEPBEEEPBEEEEEEP.

Someone stepped on a severed police siren...

"RUN LIKE HELL." Growled Rhode as he sprinted through the street.

The beast roared and turned to where the noise was coming and walked towards it.

"Norm! Here's a sewage pipe! When we arrived at the hill I noticed one there on it. Let's go!!!" He said attempting to lift the sewer lid.

The beast was now less than a block away.

Rhode fired his new weapon at the beast and got a perfect eye shot.

The beast staggered but regained itself and continued forward.

"NORM HURRY! LETS GO!" He yelled as he jumped down the sewage hole.

[Guest Mr. Mario]

"I'm going!!" Norman said and jumped down the sewage hole in order to hopefully avoid the beast...Norman landed on his back into some dirty water which got onto his tuxedo. Although he wasn't happy with the mess he had on his clothing, he had to ignore it and survive.

'When this is done...I'm going to a cleaners somewhere...' He said in his thought.

"It's awfully dark in here, I hope you brought your flashlight with." Norman said, looking around to see some pitch-black spots in the sweage, no light was on whatsoever.

[EazyIN]

*Click* "Got it." He said as he turned on his light

"H-helllooo...?" Said a voice. Most likely female

"You hear that?" Whispered Rhode to Norm.

"Is s-s-s-someone there?" said the voice again

"Think we should follow it?" Asked Rhode

[Guest Mr. Mario]

"I don't know...do you trust the voice or not?" Norman asked, watching above him the beast walk past the hole he and Rhode jumped in to...

'Looks like he got away...' He thought.

"Isn't that Carly?" Norman whispered to Rhode.

[EazyIN]

"No, that voice is to high..." he said

"What do you think we do?"

[Guest Mr. Mario]

"Well...we're gonna have to find out who is in here besides us, we can't just get away from that voice." Norman said, thinking in his mind something to make the figure who was lurking in the darkness come out.

"Just follow my plan, OK?" He whispered to Rhode and winked at him. Then Norman cleared his throat and said

"I-I-I'm here...and I don't know where I'm at...I'm kinda lost." He said and pretended to talk in nervousness and fear.

"I got lost on my way...t-t-to my home." He said and pretended to cry. "I don't know about...m-my friend here...I don't even know him." He said and faced Rhode.

'If you got any better plans, say it now. Otherwise just stay in the act.' Norman thought.

[EazyIN]

"I-it's obvious we're in the sewer..." Replied the voice "Right now we're all lost...What's the point? We're gonna die sooner or later..." Replied the voice once again sobbing.

"Alright, I'll pitch in I guess..." Said Rhode as he cleared his throat.

"We're lost obviously, lemme just tell you my name, it's Rhode Crushiev, I don't know about... Ain't your name Billy?" Rhode said and asked Norm in a tad quieter voice.

"I've heard of a Rhode before, but not a Rhode Crushiev." replied the voice

"Do you mind telling us where you're at?" Asked Rhode through the echoes of the sewer. Then a silence arose. Until...

"You're right under the old Military supply store right?" Asked the voice

"I guess.." Replied Rhode

"K-k-keep h-h-heading forward then. I'm in the Second tunnel on the right..." Replied the voice, still sobbing

"Sound good to you Norm?" Whispered Rhode to his partner.

[Guest Senshi]

( I started early so I just made the waiting roles CPU's until you guys joined. We're currently at the van, so you can now make your characters do as they please.)

(k, thanks)

Tenshi slowly and cautiously approaches the group, trying to figure out what's going on.