Catalysts: IC (Oh the thread is slowly dying...)

"Nah, they always smile because while you're asleep they go onto your computer and look at your porn. They're always smiling cuz they like what you got, man, and the other goldfish hear about it through the grapevine."

He thought carefully and then grinned widely.

"I'd very much like to cut something up into bits.."

Pandora shook her head. "How can I miss what I do not recall? Do you miss your mother's womb? your first crib? No, I was born from those actions, but I am... distinct from who I was... before."

"Well then go up into the storeroom and cut the C4 into block-size pieces. I'll need it if I'm ever to get into Ferrum. Speaking of, there's a certain CD I need. Would you be so kind as to get it for me?" The C4 was for... obvious reasons. The CD was necessary because it was essentially all Piotr Illich Thaikovsky's music, and a bombing isn't a bombing without the 1812 Overture.

"Yes, well... If you plan on going into Ferrum, we'll need a large enough distraction to hide your bombings. Or at least the set up. Shall I go with our friend Winter's 'peaceful' ideals and just cause a bit of a rally?"

He nodded at the idea of the C4, bit ocnfused over the CD without being informed what was on it. He thought carefully and laughed.

"Also... We're going to need masks."

"Sure. Incite a riot if you can, it'll be more distracting. I have a bone to pick with Ferrum's supervisor, though. The CD should be under classical. 'Tchaikovsky's greatest hits.'" Oh, what glorious hell he would bring upon Ferrum camp. The barracks and walls would be destroyed, amd after the serum was obtained the medical lab would go. He only spared the "experimental storage" area. That was where the newer Catalysts would be.

"Remember; Kill only the humans. Save as many catalysts as you can, we want as many of them protected and working when we attack Gold and Brass... Oh him? Excellent."

Ragnarok vanished into the subway's tunnels, returning with excellently symmetrical sliced C4, and the CD he was asked to obtain.

"Oh do you have a megaphone? I want to make a real difference. And you can't start a riot unless you're loud as hell, after all..."

"Umm, I think I have one lying around somewhere. It's in one of these cabine- oh! Here it is!" Nox grabbed the megaphone and handed it to Ragnarok. He then looked in the cabinet for a while before pulling out a small fat mouse. He sat it on the table and gave it a few goldfish crackers. The mouse seemed to enjoy the cheesy snacks and it squeaked and rolled over.

Ragnarok scratched the mouse's stomach in a gentle, stroking manner with the tip of his finger so as not to harm it. He giggled at its rolling over then looked seriously at Nox.

"Right. We set out. We'll want to hit more police stations further from Ferrum, but still within its jurisdiction. I'll make a great large ruckus... And then when I see you and say the phrase 'Behold your government', detonate them.."

"I intend to... have some fun with the district commander first." He remembered Commander Jameson. He ran the place like a boot camp. The experiments were mere pions beneath him. The flag ceremonies and timetables were up to him. He knew everyything about Ferrum. It was his job.

"I don't care. We just need the Serum... You can do what you will; the Serum is our first goal, the other Catalysts is our second goal..."

He hated it but he had to be strict.

"Now then, I'm off to start a Riot/Rally!"

Off he ran, for the nearest car so he could drive off into New Suffolk. He'd start the rally near Fort Ferrum... And then Rioting would cover a large area. He'd attack with Nox, and kill anyone except the Commander, Nox, and the new catalysts.

Truly, Winter could not decide whether to retain pity or fear for this woman - though something told her that she would not appreciate being pitied.

A thought struck Winter. "That makes sense... I suppose. Say, what is your name?"

Aran kept looking through every tree, and every bush for even the smaller signs of life.. But to no avail. Perhaps he would have to go look in the city... He would have to conceal his weapon very well... He looked to the direction north. After all, he could tell where it was due to the position of the sun. It rose in the east, and set in the west..Right? He began to slowly tread through the thick canopy of bushes and trees.

He stopped once he had drived for half an hour towards New Suffolk. He was standing on the steps to a public library, near Fort Ferrum. Putting the megaphone up to his mouth he clicked it on and spoke. His parking had of course gotten him a quick response with the media, going through even the Abandoned City and it's subway systems.

"People of New Suffolk! Look around you! All we can see is the dystopia! The government forces you down, with heavy taxes and cruelty; but think. If you are the working force, and you stop, what do they have to work with? Quickly! Raise your fist in defiance! Let not they be your puppeteers! Fight back! Start riots! They dare not kill you because you are their working gears! If you stop, their utterly useless and mundane murder machine is stopped!"

He had no doubt gotten the attention of Fort Ferrum, the media, and of course the remaining police force. He thought he had bought enough time, and raised his free hand slowly, then allowed the Apocalyptia to ensue.

"Behold! Your government!"

He had given the code; now it was up to Nox to detonate any bombs he had.

"My name? Ah, my dear, I am Pandora, no more and no less. Now, if I might, you wish to alter their plans, yes? If so, I would suggest that we head to their lair, whatever it may be. You will have far greater luck with changing the course of events if you keep your finger on the pulse than if you stand back and say 'it isn't my fault'."

"I... call me Bloom. It's a pleasure to meet you, Pandora."

Pleased as she was to have made an acquaintance of the woman, Winter was not quite ready to trust her yet. "I seek only to preserve peace, and this I intend to do actively. But what may we accomplish in their lair? And, better yet, why are you assisting me? What interest do you have in my goals?"

Somewhere out in the distance, Aran could hear a voice.. With his acute sense of hearing, it was like a normal conversation he would have with a person, albeit with background noise. He hurried over to the source of the noise, where sweat and mixed food was; into a grouping of many people.

All around him, people were standing still, watching intently up at the speaker. To him, he looked kind of odd, what with his odd piercings and whatnot. He had never seen a person such as him. But yet, he did speak the truth to these people. To his knowledge, perhaps one or two could possibly be a person with strange abilities, or not. He indeed, was drawn by his speech, and he waited.

What was this man talking about the government for..? Did he have something planned to convince the people...?

Nox heard the code. "Behold your government." Just in time. The sun was beginning to set. He pressed the button. Explosions ripped through the fort, destroying barracks and resources. Fuel was burning all around the camp, and the only ones unharmed were the Catalysts. He entered the andministration building. He found a file marked "David Cady." Who he used to be. He walked to the stairwell and climbed up. He entered the largest office. There, skewered on a shattered pipe, was the administrator. He feebly looked up at Nox, blood dribbling from his mouth. "So, you have come to kill me?" Nox laughed. "I already have killed you. You were dead the day you broght me here." The next word he spat with burning conviction: "Father."

Pandora pursed her lips, thinking, before saying "Well, my dear, I want to be there when you break."

He shook with the explosions and shouted into his megaphone to be heard over them. At least Nox had placed the bombs correctly.

"You see their madness?! The detonate bombs that my words may not reach you all! Trust my word when I do say I am innocent in this matter; they bomb thereselves for their own greedy needs! A defense fund to kill me, to silence my voice. But let my voice be heard; they wish you to be forced into obedience, and be killed should you fight back; but we are safe with our numbers! Fight back!"

With his final statement, they began to riot. He escaped amid the rioting to fort Ferrum to find the serum with Nox and then escape to their abode in the Abandoned City.

Thank God I'm a great thespian...

Winter, a bit taken aback, quickly looked away, shuddering slightly. "I... I'll think about it. It's been nice talking to you, Pandora."

She resisted the urge to simply walk away without waiting for a returned farewell, as being in the presence of Pandora was becoming increasingly uncomfortable.

"Well, if you don't wish to make an attempt, then I suppose a goodbye is in order. I do believe I hear the sounds of most delightful chaos, and I really must be going." Pandora turned sharply, and quickly ran off. She ran in the general direction of the sound of screams of anger and pain, searching for what she knew to be a riot. Oh, she could form such beautiful chaos there.

The crowd began to shout and scream, as such would a riot would do. Aran, however, was the only one who did not join in the riot. Perhaps the man was like him..One who was like him, perhaps that of a higher power. Aran knew that he was of superiority right away. He was most likely telling the truth with all these facts...And his plan to convince the people was genius. The government couldn't just attack like that out of nowhere, they would have attacked the riot most likely in order to contain them. Aran made his way through the crowd, and began to trail the man. He wanted to see where he was going...

He trailed him with light footsteps, keeping a great distance from him. He didn't want to be attacked, nor did he want to be caught. He hid in the shadows whenever he could, and looked around the corner of every building so that he did not lose sight. Aran kept a hand on the hilt of his sword, still broken into two pieces. If there came an attack, he would be ready...Somehow. His breathing was slow and calm, not loud like that of an elephant.

Fire, practically brimstone about... He could smell the dangerous flames licking the metallic base; the bombs had done quite the number. He drained energy from some of the remaining soldiers and his eyes widened when he recognized someone was nearby; a sound of metal moving in a sheath.

"I suggest you come out now; that way I can judge you... I wouldn't want you to have to be killed...."

He was talking out of assumption. If this little attempt proved to be valid then he'd feel less than insane; either way he had to make sure..

Dammit... It must be those two at work. Winter watched Pandora go, even less sure of what to make of the woman than when she first appeared, and considered following.

No. This is an opportunity. She dropped the spraypaint canister; her words would be so spread out now that it would be difficult to pass through the abandoned city without viewing at least one of the proclamations, though very few individuals would likely give them much notice.

Winter was quick to make her way to the city proper; though she was careful to move away from the sounds of chaos, which even she could hear now. The police will have their hands full with whatever the devil is going on over there - I should not waste this chance...

Pandora found her way into the rioting crowds, quickly walking through the mass of people, where someone attempted to block her path she would firmly, but non-fataly, assert that this was not a good idea. Shortly she found her way to the center of the town, and allowed a package to drop onto the street below her before continuing away from the chaos, looking toward a smoking pillar where she assumed a bomb went off. Well, they wanted a distraction she'd give them a distraction. As Pandora made her way toward the military base the chaos was quieted, before a new kind entered the square- Fire. Napalm roared outward from a package in the middle of the riot, and quickly reduced half of the rioters to not but embers. As screams of pain reached her ears, Pandora heard screams of rage, tempered by feelings of revenge into a burning fury, and the crowd began to rush around it's burning comrads toward the center of the city, leaving behind a hundred dead but heading off to create a thousand more.