[Closed; see note] Trigger Scent Hunting

[shoplifter]

who: Laura Howlett and You
what: Laura has been afflicted with the Trigger Scent - and is ready to kill.
when: Thursday, Early Friday morning, after this unsettling post. 
where: All across Riverview.
warnings: Violence/blood, potential death (mainly NPC).
Note: If you would like to be involved, I may be able to squeeze you in; just hit me up at simpledog! I have a plurk here regarding this plot.

Laura isn't herself.

She doesn't really feel anything — see anything, think anything. It's more just an all-encompassing need to kill, some sort of mentally paralyzing fog where all she can think is that she needs to track and hunt. If you'd asked her, before the trigger scent was used, what this strange liquid was? She wouldn't be able to tell you. It's new information, something the scarce files Gabriela stole away didn't cover.

Too late now. 

She prowls through the city, her steps fast and her nose sniffing at the cooling air. She smells her targets. Some are stronger than others, closer by. Some are moving. Some are stationary. Whatever the case, she stops firstly by a local liquor store where a man is stumbling out with a beer in hand. She doesn't know him, and she won't remember that he's her first victim. Poor guy just got doused with the wrong thing, wrong time, wrong place. With him easily neutralized, she moves on to the next scent—

Likely one of you.

Comments

[threatenwithcuteness]

*Lola's freaked out enough that it takes her a little longer to focus, but not so freaked out she's unable to focus. Jintetsu should notice a feeling, not a thought, just this sense he's not alone. And whatever he's dealing with he has help. Oh also the smaller wounds are closing up and everything hurts a little less.*

*Completely unrelated the tips of Lola's hair have gone white.*

She's not a monster! I mean, usually, I have no idea what's happened now. She heals, like, instantly, but that's usually wounds I've never seen her on fire or burned with chemicals so I have no idea how long she'll be held up by what I did.

*Lola's still jumping, but they're shallower jumps, a few feet, enough to offset how bad she is running in heels. Enough to stay pretty even with Jintentsu and not get too far ahead.*

I just know we need to run and find a swimming pool, or a fountain. Maybe break a water main... something that can get whatever she's tracking off of me.

[jintetsu]

[The sudden feeling of... support, for lack of a better word, is a bit incongruous to the rest of what's going through Jintetsu's head. It's unexpected enough that he actually has to stop being mad at himself for a second to process it. Something positive? That can't be right. The blood loss must be worse than he thought. (It's not, and in fact he's got something of a second wind - but he'll figure that out later.)

The idea to lose their pursuer in the water is a good one, in theory - but Lola's talking like it'll throw her off for good. It sounds like she may have tangled with this kid before, so she'd know better than they would, but Haganemaru wants to be damned sure.]

You're sure it's something on you? Not something you did to piss her off?

[threatenwithcuteness]

I give her free food and speak fluent Spanish, Laura loves me.

That isn't her, not... no, it isn't her in there.

*Sure, Laura was weird, she's been through a lot. And, you know, claws. And fighting. She's got a lot going on, but she's been nothing but good to Lola. Because Lola's super sweet and utterly harmless. Lola's also pretty low on people she can call, for starters they'd never get here fast enough. Plus, calling Keith would just put the Lions in danger, and Keith does not need new scars.*

Are you healed enough we can start running, I have to stay close or your wounds will kill you or something.

*You're what Lola has and she needs you not to die.*

[jintetsu]

[Wait. This is starting to sound a lot like... There's the wild look in her eyes. She's completely berserk, out for blood, ready to kill even her friends. And she fights like a wild animal, like - a demon. It isn't her in there.

Could it be that she's been... "taken over"?

Right now there's no time to figure that out, unfortunately. Lola has to stay close or he'll die? That doesn't make any sense, but it sounds pretty damn dire.]

Oi, not everyone can just heal up instantly! [But Jintetsu adds-] ... I can make it a little further, though. Isn't the river nearby?

[threatenwithcuteness]

We should keep moving. The river is... that way. I think.

*Lola's pulled out her compact and is checking her hair, the white tips are getting longer, slowly but surely. Maybe a few minutes, maybe a little more, and her hair won't have any color at all. And for some reason that matters while a kid is trying to murder her.*

Sorry you got hurt, and got involved in this. I kinda wish we could wait for some more of your wounds to close or, get less bad anyway.

*Why aren't there good perches for her to jump to, at least if she was off the ground Laura's got to work harder to get to her.*

[jintetsu]

... It is what it is.

[I mean, what else was he supposed to do? He's up to his neck in it now, anyway, and they can't exactly walk that back.

Her checking her hair draws his attention to it, and his first thought is Is this really the time? - but then... Wait a second, something just clicked with him.

The second wind all of a sudden. The pain feeling a little more bearable every time he notices it. That bizarre feeling of support... It's not just in his head. She's doing something to cause it. But as she's doing it, her hair's gradually turning white. Why...?

His stomach knots as the last piece falls into place. It's a timer. Which then raises the question: what happens when the color runs out? He doesn't fully understand what she's doing, but - what if it's the only thing keeping him from bleeding out?

... Shit. No. The river, Jintetsu, focus. She's saving your life, so focus on saving hers.

He's listening for running water, but the plants draped all over the buildings muffle sound too well. They soon pass a sign, though, pointing toward the Portal - which, Haganemaru remembers, is on the opposite side of the river.]

Right! Turn right!

[Jintetsu doesn't question it. He takes a hard right at the next corner, crossing into the street. A car slams on the brakes to avoid hitting him (successfully, but by less than a foot), and honks angrily as he passes.]