Who: Roy Mustang, Riza Hawkeye, Edward Elric, Raven When: Memorial Day Weekend What: Ground Zero at the Hellmouth, everyone gets to cut loose Where: Disneyland Ratings/Warnings: T for Teen / Violence Status: Complete when Posted
The day had started well. Roy had picked up the others and they'd made it to Disneyland mid-morning. Taking a soft left, they'd cut through Frontierland (it was usually less-crowded, and today was no exception) to hit the Pirates of the Caribbean and the Haunted Mansion.
They'd emerged from the second ride into a nightmare not much different from the one they left, save that those previous unearthly beings were animatronic and peaceable. This was something else entirely -- a terrifying battlefield as demonic creatures bubbled up from every last nook and cranny to prey on the stunned mass of humans.
"That line about the ghosts following you home is not supposed to be literal." Despite his shock, Roy's training asserted itself in a snap. This was war, and he was a survivor. "We don't stand a chance if we stay here. Move --!"
He was cut short by the howl of a hellhound, diving down from the rooftop of the mansion onto their position.
Having never been to Disneyland before Riza thought she was actually more excited than Ed was, of course spending the day with Roy as well was helping her mood. He was a very kind and sweet man and she enjoyed spending time with him.
Emerging from the Haunted Mansion was rather a shock to all of them, immediately she looked to Roy for instruction. Knowing his training would kick in, as hers was.
Moving in front of Ed and Raven automatically, Riza retrieved her weapon from her purse. She wasn’t one to walk around unarmed anymore, not since the incident at the store a while ago. Taking aim she shot the creature in the head, hoping it would at the very least slow it down. “Let’s go” she said, looking to Roy for exactly where they were heading.
There was a tiny bubble of relief inside of Roy. Some things never change. The creature howled, but stayed down. "That way!" He pointed across the lagoon in front of them, the launch boat area labeled with a sign that read Pirate's Cove. "There's a fort over there. Never thought I'd have to use it." As a kid, he'd often dreamed about a real fight here. Who knew it would ever actually happen?
A split-second survey of the area showed the water mostly clear, but with a half-dozen demons and their hapless victims between them and the rafts. He jammed his hands into his pockets. "Stay behind me!" It would be safer for them there. Roy's accuracy was not where he wanted it, yet. He shouldered past the rest of their group, picking the first demon in their way. It seemed to sense the incoming doom, as it dropped the limp figure it was carrying and turned to face him, ugly maw covered in slaver.
SNAP.
Flame bloomed from Roy's glove in an arc that burst across the demon's chest and face, spreading out to incinerate the nearby planters and trees as well. Shit, too much again! Oxygen was so damn hard to control! But at least it caused the hell-creatures to shy away from that route. "Keep moving!" he urged the others, taking his own advice and pushing forward.
It seemed their actions had gotten the attention of a few of the passers-by, who gravitated toward the protection their little group could offer.
Raven didn’t know why she had agreed to this whole… Disneyland thing. Something about being a normal teenager? Whatever it was, she’d had a low grade migraine since entering the park and while she was vaguely aware of an energy signature, she couldn’t tell if it was just too many people or something more. Whatever the case, it was there and she was dealing with it and trying that whole normal teenager thing. Especially as she’d been skipping school to focus on prophecies and visions.
Or they could step out of Haunted Mansion to… demon attacks. While some people were freaking out, she had one reaction.
“....Seriously…?”
It was some sort of sign. Eyes narrowed, she was ready to defend people and fight whatever these were. Roy and Riza seemed to have taken to being in front of her and Ed, but Raven could take to the sky if necessary. It probably would be but right now, people and trying to keep them from freaking out more. Which meant use of her soul self to grab objects to use as barriers and block things as needed.
And Roy did something with flames? Okay, figure that out later. Right now it seemed the group plus civilians towards Pirate Cove. So far, no need to do any healings. That was good, though this really was one of those times that having the other Titans there would be nice, she knew how to work with them better. No matter. In the chaos, the teen figured her flying would be ignored and so she did just that to get a better idea of what they were up against.
Riza followed instinctively almost dropping into the role of Roy’s second in command, she made sure to keep herself between potential harm and the kids. Even if they could hold their own she would rather anything attacking encountered her first. Her protective instincts had kicked in quite hard.
When Roy spoke Riza knew what he planned to do and made sure everybody was behind him as he sent out the fire, a little more than expected or planned but it did the job. Raven taking to the sky was momentarily surprising but then Riza re-focused, “Be careful” she called up to the girl as she made sure the crowd were in a tight formation, “Alert Roy and myself to anything you think we need to know about” she requested before focusing once again on the group they now had with them. They needed to get in a more defensible position, then they could come up with a plan.
Flying? Ed had warned Roy that Raven was an empath, but nothing at all about the flying business. He’d let himself process that later … and really, why should something like this bother him when he’d been spending the past two months (re)teaching himself alchemy?
For now, survival was key.
“You’ve got anything that flies. And stay out of the updraft,” Roy warned Raven, raising his fingers, the alchemic circle on the back of his glove glowing into life. The first plume of flame had walled some of the monsters off from them, but the remainder apparently had decided that these were the prime juicy targets.
SNAP! A second gout of flame brought them another twenty steps closer to the dock, demons falling back in its wake.
“Riza, cover our backs. Ed, you’re our extra eyes.” After the sparring session they’d had, he was fairly confident that he could trust the teen to hold off anything that got too close until he or Riza could finish it off.
He had just enough time to pick a fresh set of targets before a dozen unspeakably ugly half-insect creatures descended on them from the nearby café, biting and clawing. Two of them grabbed him. He slammed a knee into the thorax of the first, taking a welt across his cheek for his pains. The other latched onto his shoulder and attempted to bite-walk its way up to his neck. He raised his hand again --
Well, that was the purpose, at any rate. See if there was anything coming towards them, or if there was another way out. She was also running through scenarios in her mind. She could put a protective barrier around the small group. Or she could try to seal off the entirety of the park so the demons didn’t get out. But both would be taxing, and it would leave her unable to fight back.
The point about updrafts was noted, and Raven made sure to maneuver as necessary before lowering herself closer to where Roy and Riza were, though she maintained her levitation as it would be easier to move if necessary.
“There seems to be clusters of attacks in the north east section of the park.”
Noting a presence to the other side, the teen’s eyes flashed as she turned suddenly.
“Azarath metrion zinthos!” A dark current of electric energy shot out from her hands into something from a bush, quickly manipulating her soul self to move more items for a barrier.
Noticing the creature trying to bite Roy’s neck, Riza turned her weapon and shot it before it could do any damage to him. “Let’s keep the fire in front for now” she said, after all he didn’t yet have full control over it and she’d hate to see him accidentally set himself on fire.
Instructing Ed to use his alchemy to create a protective barrier around them she glanced up at Raven, who had just taken out something else. Good, they were working well together. Reaching into her bag she removed the couple of extra clips she had and shoved them into her pockets.
“Thanks, L— Riza.” Where did that come from? He didn’t have time to think about it. “That’s what I was thinking.” Snap! The next few creatures in front of them fell away with howls of agony.
Given Raven’s report, Roy scanned the premises again. The initial plan still seemed best. There were enough of the monsters here that taking an offensive towards … oh hell, it was It’s a Small World, wasn’t it? … seemed like a bad idea. Better to fall back and regroup in a safe location for now.
“Get the boat started,” he ordered as they reached the dock, full military experience taking effect. He turned to mount an offensive guard for the others, trusting Raven to handle anything else that would be coming down on them from the air.
Riza had almost called him sir but she wasn’t about to question that now either. They had more immediate concerns. Like getting everybody to safety alive and unharmed.
Riza issued commands to the others, before locating one of the workers who had taken refuge with them who had driven the boat before during the show finale. She took up position guarding her as she started the boat as instructed, it was obvious she was afraid but determined to do well.
“Get ready to move. Everybody brace and take what cover you can” she called out, the fewer targets the better. It was easier to protect them.
With everyone getting into a more isolated area to get on the boat, Raven remained as she was, levitating and keeping a barrier in place. She wasn’t quite sure what to make of all of this, but at the moment it was just trying to get people to safety and then get support from others. The good thing was from her initial view, it didn’t seem like every single location had been attacked. That would have gotten a lot more difficult.
The Colonel herded the last of the civilians onto the boat ahead of him, flames crackling at his fingertips. A last burst of fire, and he wedged himself into the last space available. “Move!” he barked, another gout of fire holding off the incoming monsters so they could shove off.
The boat shot across the lagoon at the best speed the worker could muster — faster than normal, but still a lazy pace. Roy shouldered his way through the crowd with a muttered “excuse me, pardon me” so that he could reach the far side to evaluate the state of the island.
Ugly. But not as bad as where they’d been. “Stay back!” he ordered, and started clearing away the scaly creatures on the landing. “Riza, how are you doing on bullets? Ed, make her some if she’s running low.” He had unshakable confidence in the other alchemist. “Raven, what’s the path to the fort look like? How many monsters between here and there?”
By this point, there was probably enough chaos that the non-Valar types probably wouldn’t pay much attention to the teen more or less flying above even if they were all on the boat now and not ducking and hiding. Which was good if she was playing lookout. As well as knocking things out of the way if necessary with energy jolts.
“Clear.”
Riza was keeping Ed in her sights at all times and when Roy questioned her about the bullets she nodded to her nephew, “My last clip” she responded, followed by a flash and an amended, “Nevermind. I won’t be running out for a while” She flashed a smile of thanks to her nephew before moving to one side of the crowd to ensure that nobody was getting left behind or attacked without them realising.
“We need to move now” she said after hearing Raven call out the all clear, who knew how long that would last.
“Everyone, follow!” The order was barked with the precision of a professional soldier as Roy took point, gloves poised. It was a straight march to the fort, and they marshalled the panicked civilians inside, keeping the creatures at bay as they went.
It didn’t look like it would last long — he could hear more coming, rustling through the trees. “Ed, seal this place shut, and keep a lookout for anything coming up from underneath or through any gaps. Raven, you’ve got recon. Riza and I will keep them from climbing over. Hold them down long enough so we can get a distress call off, all right?”
Roy didn’t need to tell Raven twice. She was good at recon, and good at keeping things pushed away if they broke through the defences that had been set up by Ed or the two adults. So she basically just waited for the distress call to go out, making a telepathic link with Zatanna to let her know what they were up against as well. She had no doubt her aunt would respond to it.
So beyond that, it was keeping an eye on things until they could finally go home.
It was ten minutes later before the makeshift fortress was secure enough for Roy’s taste that he risked grabbing for his cell phone. Even then, he decided that it was best to stick to a voice post. He had no desire to occupy both hands. The decision was a good one, as the creatures just kept coming and coming, scrabbling over the walls in twos and threes.
It was with some relief that the phone pinged a few minutes later. “Zatanna,” he told the rest of them. “She’s on her way.” Thank goodness. They’d get out of this yet.