Living in the City

[Amy Rose]

[The best battles aren't always won. Amy's lost a couple herself. =P]

My brows tucked in as a cloud of smoke encompassed the second deer that Tutley had successfully electrocuted. As the fumes gave way, a raccoon appeared in its place. Confusing as it was, it sure explained things. I heard Jack off to the side and turned my head as my hammer disappeared. I almost looked away again. There was something chillingly different about him, but I couldn't put a finger on it. For that matter, I think I would rather not. Instead, I nodded.

"Yeah, I'm okay. He got me the once, but see?"

I held up my arm and then quickly wished I hadn't. The pain streaking through it was excruciating. That I could hide. What I couldn't was the blood that had found its way trickling along my arm. I must have really overdone it with that hammer strike. My mouth gaped open at the sight and I quickly pressed a hand to it without thinking, glove and all. I looked at him sheepishly and that's when the blood on his own fur finally registered.

"Jack!"

I closed the distance between us faster than you could say Sonic. Poor Tutley would have to fly solo for the moment. I spared my good arm from my wound a moment, yanking off my glove. Then, searching both my pockets, I was in luck to find a packet of cheap tissues. I'd come down with a short bug a couple weeks back. For once, I was glad I had. I yanked what remained from the plastic wrap and pressed it quick to the gouge across his stomach. I felt silly, maybe even simple minded for doing it. But what can I say? I was a little bit desperate to help. And something was better than nothing, right?

"And you were asking me if I was okay! You look terrible!"

[Jack-the-Hedgie]

Jack saw Amys crossbow wound, and again, his teeth clenched together in anger.

"That bastard..." he growled, referring to that damned sharpshooting deer some distance away. Trembling in its agony, Jacks injured hand clenched into a fist before he punched it into the ground beside him, sending yet another wave of pain through him. "He thinks he can innocent people... Hurt my friends... I'll...I'll kill him!!"

Any other day, Jack would never think such thoughts, let alone say something like that. If anything, such blind rage sickened him... But... Something wasn't right with him, and if he was in a calm enough state of mind, he would have noticed it. Unfortunately, he had unintentionally fed his own latent savagery in this fight, thinking too much about what was at stake. It wasn't enough to release it. Still, as Jack struggled to stand back up, despite his injuries, it was clear what it had to say sounded pretty good to the hedgehog.

At least, until he was brought back down to reality.

It started as a tapping feeling on his head. Jack had considered giving whatever was causing it a swift backhand, until he realized just what it was. That little chao that followed Tutley around was trying to calm him. It's no secret by now that Jack always liked chao. They had an innocence around them which always served as a reminder that the world really wasn't so bad. It hadn't calmed him down completely, but it had caused him to stop for a second and rethink. Had this been all that was there, Jack would have just brushed it off and continued his warpath. But, that wasn't at all.

"Jack!"

Jacks eyes lowered to find Amy trying to mop up his own bleeding, in spite of her injuries. He reeled back a bit in surprise.

"And you were asking me if I was okay! You look terrible!"

Jack opened his mouth to speak, but in his surprise, words didn't come out for a few seconds. His fury had drained slightly, and a twinge of embarrassment had taken its place. Finally, he managed to get out...

"Don't worry about me, Amy. I'll be okay... I won't be flying any time soon, but... I just got too angry"

He really didn't know if he was okay. Critically injured or not, it still hurt like hell. If anything, a part of him just didn't want her to try and stop him before he had got the vengeance he needed to quench the thirst of his inner animals fury. Still, he was being tended to by two others who he just didn't have the heart to smack off him, so he just sat where he was. Painfully, he took in a deep breath, trying to get back under control. The hedgehog closed his eyes as he breathed out, giving a simple question to anyone willing to answer.

"What are we going to do with the deer and the raccoon? We can't risk them waking up. Not while Amy's hurt... and I'll admit, I don't think I'll be able to fight, either"

[Chadin]

[And this would be my cue.]

"We take them in. That's what." I interjected as a stepped off the fire escape and onto the roof top. "I saw Amy knock that guy for a loop..." I explained, pointing to unconscious deer lying a few feet from the group before continuing. "Then I could hear a loud bang, like a mini lightning bolt went off; then nothing. I was worried what might have happened so I decided to check for myself. Everyone alright?" And while I was coming up here to check on these three, my children were waiting for us back at the cars.

I could already see that not everyone was 'okay' but I still needed to ask anyways. If for no other reason then to gauge how badly they are injured. I started tearing off the sleeves of my long shirt, just as I had been trained back in the military, to make an impromptu dressing. I motioned Amy out of the way and started wrapping Jack's belly wound; making sure they were fastened nice and tightly. Jack would feel uncomfortable, but it was the only way to stop the bleeding effectively.

"There, that should do for now, Jack. We should probably tie those two up. Then, we need to find a place with a phone. For some reason I can't get any signal through on my cell. I don't suppose anyone here has a place nearby or knows someone in the area do they? It would be less awkward dragging two unconscious criminals with two injured people walking in if its somebody we know."

[Tutley Sakamoto]

Tutley growled at his phone, the reception meter showing a certain mad scientist waggleing his finger. He stood up, hammer drawn, ready to pummel the add on. "Piece of stardusia-", he cut himself off. He'd have time later to smash his failed equipment to pieces. For now, damage control.

He got in the middle of Jack and Amy, spinning his hammer around twice for show. He raised his hammer up, gathering all his magic reserves in one spot, and then channeled it into his hammer.

Star Restoration

A familar shower of comets fired from the hammer, passing into whoever they hit, resoring some of their cuts and wounds. For Amy, that meant a full recovery more or less...but for Jack....not so much besides the wounds he got from grappleing. He needed true medical attention. He sighed, and slumped down. "I'm never gonna get used to this spell...am I?", he asked his chao as it took a seat on his head, watching the scene play out.

[Amy Rose]

I backed off as Cutter motioned me out of the way. Seeing her tear her clothes without a second thought left me feeling sheepish. I probably should have done the same, but I guess selfishness had gotten the better of me. I'd just bought this new set the other day. Looking down briefly, I noticed they were ruined anyway. Blood stained my shirt in varied blotches. I sighed and chose to ignore it for now. There were more important things to worry about- like why these guys had attacked us and how we were going to clean up this mess. We also had Jack to worry about.

Tutley had a knack for healing, something I still wasn't used to as stars blossomed from his hammer and touched down on me. I felt better near instantly and nodded in thanks, but it seemed that even had its limits. Jack still didn't look all that great and now our turtle companion appeared exhausted. Cutter was complaining that she hadn't had any reception either, so that only further complicated things. I tapped a finger against my chin a while before suddenly snapping my fingers.

"I got it! I know the place!"

Without a second thought, I made back for the fire escape, taking three steps at a time with renewed energy. I didn't know how well they would take to such an extensive intrusion, but they were the closest friends I had around and she'd always been very accepting. Even if sometimes what I'd asked had been pretty daunting.

[Yolanda Riona]

[Actually, change of plans. If you guys would like to continue to play it out (a few minutes after Amy left or something without them. This is just for the sake of convenience, since "Life as Normal?" is already filled as is and I don't want us all jumping in). I'll return with her shortly (I hope) and we can continue to story from there. In the meantime, the downtime would serve as good character development between you guys or something. Does that sound decent?]

[Chadin]

[So in the mean time, here's the post order, Tutley, Jack, Huu (if you decide to wake up before Amy gets back) and Chadin. And just to keep things rolling, how about we just assume Amy's run off to get help after her last post? That would make it your turn Tutley.]
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[Tutley Sakamoto]

The turtle waved with a smile as she decended down the ladder, unable to move off the roof till he recovered. He sighed as she disapeared from sight, and after a moment or two dug through his backpack with a laugh. "Ha! My job follows me everywhere I go. Never a dull moment.", he said with a beaming smile as he pulled out a pair of cuffs. Useing his hammer to stand, he grabbed the doppleganger, dragging him over towards Chadin, and cuffed the duo by the wrists. With that taken care of, he turned his attention to Jack. "How you holding up there?", he asked curiously. He still didn't know to what extent his spell helped. The chao meanwhile, had grown tired of the mayhem outside, and settled down in the turtle's backpack to sleep.

[Jack-the-Hedgie]

((next week is finals week, and I'll be a little busy. As a result, my writing's likely going to slow down and sound a little more disjointed. No need for alarm. Just the usual end of quarter stress))

Jack had been resting after Tutley had healed him. Many of his major injuries had healed up well enough that he wasn't in danger of bleeding to death right away. Still, he was quite wounded, and would need some real help before long. He simply sat back, keeping himself calm as he waited for Amy to come back.

"I've been better... But I'll live..." was his answer. He tried his hardest to put on a brave face for his friends, especially in the face of all that had happened. However, as his anger faded away, and he slowly came to realize what he was so tempted to do, he couldn't help but feel a little shaken up. A few seconds passed before Jacks tone took a more somber note "I really screwed up today, didn't I, Tut?"

[Tutley Sakamoto]

[Assuming Chadin is still ko'd....]

"Nah, not at all! For a civillain like yourself, your quite the brawler!", he shouted out, acknowlegeing the hedgehog's skill as he took another seat on the roof pavement. "It takes a LOT of skill to take on a archer and survive, much avoid getting hit. That archer uses magic in his shots...had I not seen the shot coming, I would have had my shell pierced clean through!", he said scratching his head with a grin, laughing. "So don't worry about it. Long as you have two feet to walk on, and a inflatable body, I think you haven't screwed up."