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Posted by dragonfang on Aug 5, 2008 2:05:05 GMT -6
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(Three weeks after CaS:S&G)
Kaz’s memory was hazy as he thought back to the mission in Times Square. In fact it was worse than hazy, he remembered engaging the Stalkers but from that point on, he couldn’t seem to make sense of anything. Images of being high in the air and lying under rubble come to the forefront of his mind, along with pain, lots of it. The next thing he could clearly remember was waking up in Mondragon Labs with Dr. Ingram looking over him. How he got there he wasn’t sure, whether he somehow dragged himself back or had been brought back, he hadn’t a clue, and didn’t feel like pushing the matter.
The first thing he did, besides outright refusing the sling for his left arm, was find Nicki. She should have been in their room at the labs or somewhere on the grounds, but no matter where he looked he couldn’t find her. After questioning the staff and checking security tapes, he only found out she had left of her own will without saying a word to anyone, and hadn’t come back. This of course led to a very broken computer terminal and a nearly broken hand as Kaz punched the wall in frustration.
Before Kaz had a chance to leave to search for Nicki outside of the labs, he had been paged by Dr. Ingram. As Kaz returned to Ingram’s lab, the doctor motioned towards a most curious little thing. Dr. Ingram proceeded to explain that it had been with Kaz since he had returned to the labs, though it hadn’t been nearly as large at first. Over the few weeks that Kaz had been unconscious the, dragon, had slept curled on his chest. When it had woken up, it had a ravenous appetite. Dr. Ingram had checked it’s DNA and confirmed it was very similar to Kaz’s and that it had in fact come from Kaz’s body.
That might be why Kaz never flinched when the cat sized, red dragon pounced onto Kaz’s shoulder, as if it had always had a place there. Kaz didn’t understand it, “Whatever” were his exact words. When Ingram told him where he could find his equipment he started for the door, but stopped short as the doctor handed him a report he had had Dr. Jackson do. Nodding, Kaz had left the lab and headed toward the equipment bay reading the report along the way. It was filled with much technical mumbo-jumbo that he didn’t give a crap about, nor did he understand. He was about to throw it in the trash until he saw the last page, hand written by Dr. Jackson herself. Her happy, energy filled writing explained in laymen’s terms what the report said, “Your X-gene is in a state of flux, meaning it’s unstable, most likely due to exposure to an outside source. A disease, virus or another mutant.” Haywire was the first thing to pop into Kaz’s mind as he rolled his eyes at the last comment, “Have fun.”
When he reached the equipment bay, he saw exactly what he was looking for: The board Hades had made him, along with the boots and control glove, not to mention all of his blades and guns. After donning clothes more appropriate for high speed and high altitude, Kaz left the labs to find Nicki. He checked the obvious places first, his warehouse and the X-mansion. Failing those he headed towards Nicki’s parents’ house. Having no luck there, he returned to NYC and began checking with the city’s underground information network. It took a while just to start that stretch, no one wanted to talk, which meant more than a few people no longer drew breath.
(Half a month after the end of the plot)
The camps and the registration law had come and gone. Kaz still searched for Nicki, though he has almost given up all hope. No longer wearing a bandage over the right side of his face, the scar fully showed. He could only guess it had happened during the mission, but he couldn’t be sure, his memory of the mission hadn’t gotten any better.
It had only taken a bit of time, but Kaz had quickly abandoned the watch he had received from Hunter to the safe in his warehouse. In his time away he had quickly realized he had changed, that Dr. Jackson had been right. He felt almost…’human’ most of the time, unable to do most of the things he had been able to. Though it was a completely different matter when he shifted. Gone was his oversized, monstrous form, replaced by a sleeker, tougher, obsidian color skin, thick black ‘quills’ for hair, as well as an ability he wasn’t quite use to yet.
He wore a specially designed suit most of the time that acted much like a pilot’s suit, as well as giving him extra protection for his shoulders. The left shoulder while not broken, must have taken a large impact as he could feel the bones grate and grind slightly as he moved it, which felt quite sickening, but sounded so much worse to his ears. If he wasn’t wearing the suit, he wore his silver and white tunic and pants.
Though he had spent much time away from his home, his warehouse, he stopped back every so often to check on things, sleep in a familiar place (though not in his room) and generally try to relax. Kaz wandered around NYC often, having taken up his roll as sub-instructor at The Classing Blade once again. No matter where or what Kaz was doing, Demi as Kaz soon came to calling the little dragon, was always with him, usually perched on his shoulder.
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