raisetheearth | Echo Incursion 01 - Jurassic Gateway (August 10th, 2016)

It's a particularly hot day in the Gateway City zoo. What else could you expect? It's not like it's not to be expected, it is the middle of August, after all. But there's plenty of things to see here at the zoo, and the visitors' center is air conditioned well enough.

Just a normal summer day in a typical summer vacation spot. Right?

Well, that's when things change. Those in the visitor's center would find the building changing around them. There's suddenly a dinosaur skeleton in the middle of the place, with the banner "When Dinosaurs Ruled the Earth" hanging from the ceiling.

That's not all. The animal enclosures are now different. What used to be a pen for the african elephants now has very large, very long necked reptiles in it. A gigantic, meat-eating dinosaur just tromped its way out of the lion habitat it's too much too large for, and unfortunately for the people around it, its vision is based on movement. The monkey house? Well, those are velociraptors breaking out of it. The aviary? Now filled with particular aggressive flying pterosaurs.

These are just some of the creatures making their sudden emergence, and it's not long until they spill out of the zoo and into the city proper. Dinosaurs are now walking the streets of Gateway City.

Yes, indeed. Just a normal summer day.

[OOC: The new event is live! Please see this post for npc information and just what characters will have to deal with.]

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"We just need to calm them down first." Torin remains firm on this point, and he isn't exactly thrilled to see a dinosaur knocked over into a canopy. "They're just as afraid of their new surroundings as everyone else is of them." He sighs. "We need a bit of bravery here..."

"It doesn't matter to me," Responding evenly, Pendragon leveled his sword, looking along the street to the numerous dazed dinosaurs he had tossed around. He didn't smell any blood lingering on the air, but it was only a matter of time.

"I don't think I'll prioritize dinosaurs over the people."

"Dinosaurs are people too," Torin says evenly. "Just because they do not look human does not mean they don't feel things."

There was a scowl from the end of the 'knight', who lowered his sword. Irritation maintained itself on his face, before he shook his head.

"You're a person, because you act like one. Until they start acting the same as you--"

He pointed towards one of the unconscious raptors laying on a tarp.

"I won't see your point."

"Then it seems we've reached an impasse." For Torin will not back down. "I've found it's less one's shape than one's actions that define a being's level of being civilized. Of personhood, if you will."

With that, Arthur pointed the invisible sword he carried right towards Torin's face, his expression lacking any sort of feeling. There had been rumors floating around that he ha been in shady places, taking out Numbered who took their echoes as a reason to steal power and torment others.

When he spoke, it was the same as confirming it was all true.

"If they're people, then they're accountable for their actions, even if it's out of fear. If they can't possess their own judgement properly, then someone has to assume responsibility for them. Will it be you?"

"I will get them all to a place where they won't be able to hurt themselves or others," Torin says coolly, unruffled by the sword. "There are rather a lot of them, and they're frightened. Fear can lead to regrettable actions." Like threatening him with a sword. He snaps his fingers. "Come, Feather Edge!"

Because if it comes down to a fight, Torin wants to be armed with his own blade. His sword soars in from who-knows-where and lands neatly in his outstretched hand.

However many times Pendragon had settled himself into that situation--he could count the number of times it hadn't turned out bloody. Most would attack straight away, he recalled, rather than giving Arthur a chance to choose his actions. In the end, it all ended in blood--his warning turning into a moment that forced others to retaliate out of fear. Torin wasn't acting out of fear--or, if he was, he was suppressing it for what he believed in.

"If you can--"

He turned on his axis perfectly, the turn of his invisible sword coming the same as a war-hammer. The impact of Arthur's swing would have felt just as strong. It was the only time he intended to swing his sword, as if to test if Torin was physically capable of handling himself if things went wrong.

"--Then, I suggest you hurry."

Torin's own sword came up to meet that invisible sword, and he braced himself for the impact. He was stronger than a human and in very good shape. The impact didn't rattle him much. "And I suggest you not act as though you're the one in charge here."

"I could say the same to you. If you're insistent on taking a risky stance like you are--then, be ready for the responsibility that comes with making a decision like that for yourself."

There were numerous reasons as to why he was called the Tyrant. Many of them were just, some were unfair and just as many were simply out of fear. Pendragon drew back his sword, dismissing it to nothingness before he turned to leave.

"What you're trying to do is take the stance of a leader, whether intentional or not. When you impose your beliefs like that--you're expecting people to follow them."

"I've been ready for responsibility since the day I left the zoo," Torin says smoothly.

"We appear to be at an impasse--neither one of us is likely to back down." This too doesn't seem to shake him up. It's regrettable, true. But if it comes to a fight, it comes to a fight. "Are you prepared to fight for what you think is right, if we cannot settle this with words?"

"The issue isn't being prepared," Pendragon countered, albeit a little irritated with the question. He was already among the worst of them. He should have been branded a traitor, despite the fact that he was trying to save people. He was merciless and cruel in how he dealt with out of control entities.

"It's putting off the consequences of taking action as long as possible."

"Then rather than stand here talking..." Torin rises into the air with a flap of his wings. "I have some dinosaurs to corral."

Echo Incursion 01 - Jurassic Gateway (August 10th, 2016)

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