Feeling Slummy [FINISHED]

[Kaigen Korrick]

It had been a rotten day and it was looking like a rotten night. He would almost have preferred sleeping out in the wilderness somewhere than sleeping among this filth. Even back in Chicago he always had a bed to sleep on. Lately, he has had to make do with whatever he could find during the day. And this day, that was nothing.

What little food he had managed to eat today felt like nothing at all. He was still extremely hungry and it was making him miserable, and even a fouler temper than usual. And he still didn't know what he was. Oh he had several clues, and if he were smarter and had heard any of the legends and stories about werewolves, he would have figured it out a long time ago. But Kaigen only knew the streets with the education of a fifth grader, and most of what he had learned he had already forgotten.

Kaigen had been roaming the city for a couple hours, looking for a place to crash for the night that was as inconspicuous as possible. He was certainly not looking forward to sleeping out in the open and exposed, especially when he had no real weapon, and no friends. This area of town looked almost as bad as the worst sectors of Chicago. It was kind of familiar, but Kaigen had never really frequented the absolute worst areas. That was where the drug crazed freakos went most of the time. No one that could be trusted for a strong gang. He had the nagging feeling that there were probably even more crazed freakos here. He really did not like this place, but if he could break into one of the buildings and lock it back up somehow, it might be safer than most other places.

Watching his back, he tended to do that a lot, Kaigen went up the steps to an old derelict building he was hoping desperately had once been a house and might still have a bed and maybe even some canned foods or anything else salvageable. The door was of course boarded up tight, but he only wanted to peek in first. Leaning this way and that, trying to see through the dust and grime, Kaigen peered through one window, moved around to another, then another. All of them were too aweful to see into, or boarded up so he couldn't.

It didn't matter. Now to break in...the boards would stop most people, but Kaigen had noticed his strength since a few weeks ago. He looked around for something to pry with, and bar-none, decided to see just how strong he really was. Moving to the allyway at the side of the building and completely out of sight of the road, Kaigen spit on his hands and got a firm hold on one of the boards at a decent sized window...and pulled.

Much to his delight, and though it made his hands raw -they were not the best straight and well sanded boards, with sharp edges- the nails were slowly pried out and the board came off. Throwing it to the side, he grabbed the next and repeated the procedure until all four were off. Finally sinking to the ground, he clutched his hands for a few minutes, and groaned, waiting for them to stop screaming at him for his stupidity.

Standing, he still had to deal with the locked window, which was simple enough to fix. He grabbed one of his newly hated boards, and using it like a bat, broke the window and made plenty of noise. He wasn't trying to make a lot of noise but it really couldn't be helped. Putting the board across the sill so he didn't have to put his hands on the shards that were left, Kaigen climbed through the window and crunched down on the glass on the other side, grateful for his cheep-ass tennis shoes.

Kaigen began exploring. It was dark except for whatever streetlight that managed to filter through the space between boards, but somehow he could see rather clearly. His building of choice for the night was a two story, and very empty. No furniture, no food, nothing but dust and dusty bunnies. It didn't matter. Walking upstairs, he entered one of the rooms, shut the door, and locked it behind him. This would be the best protection he could manage for the night, and hopefully would be enough. Backing away from the door, he turned and went to the farthest corner. At least this room was carpeted. He sat and stared at the door for the longest time.

He could feel the wave after wave of despair growing and building from the pit of his stomach through the rest of him. He had no clue what he was going to do with his life now. He was cold and hungry, alone, and if he admitted it to himself, scared. Eventually laying down, Kaigen tried to get some sleep.

[Jericho Gayanelo]

Echo hated doing rounds at the Second District, especially the ones where he needed to go really deep into the bowels of the city. Granted, most of the heat took place down here, but not this far down. This area of the city, there was nothing to steal. In fact, the proud criminals of Arc probably thought themselves too far above to even step into this putrid place. Well, the place did stink like crazy which was why Echo was waving a pine-scented air freshener against his air conditioner. He had to make the squad car as homey as possible if he was going to camp the night out here, and sure enough he already had his paper bag of Taco Bell take out and a can of ginger ale on the cup holder.

When he was good and satisfied with the general smell of the car, he reached towards the passenger’s seat to take out a burrito. It was still warm, and he took it as a sign that the night was going to be good. He opened his mouth and was about to take a bite when suddenly there was a knock on his window. He turned around and saw a grubby little urchin in a grey-blue flak jacket and dirty bonnet that was too big for his head. Echo pulled down his window and grimaced as the smell wafted into his car again.

“Hey kid, what do you want?” he asked. He wasn’t able to completely hide the irritation in his tone.

The kid was waif-ish, and obviously intimidated by Echo practically growling whilst in full Arc City police uniform. But he had to hand it to the little guy for not bolting right away; he made an audible swallowing sound before he spoke. “My grandma sent me down here; she said that someone broke into the old Tanner building.” His voice was a little shaky.

“So, what do you want me to do about it?” asked Echo. It was strange to think that people actually lived in the decrepit old buildings here. But then again, some of the apartments still had lights open, and down more than one alley there were hobos circled around a drum fire. This place was a living tribute to urban squalor. Why would anybody even care about the old Tanner Building?

“Well you’re a cop aren’t you? Why don’t you go do something cop-y.” said the kid. His sudden surge of courage surprised Echo a bit, but in a good way. If the kid kept that back bone of his, he might actually make it out of this place. Preferably not in the back of a police cruiser, or a body bag.

“Okay, okay. You’ve got a smart mouth don’t you kid.” He stepped out of his car, taking the flash light from the glove compartment. He spared one look at the kid before he picked up the so-far untouched burrito and handed it over. The kid beamed up with a smile, showing a couple of missing teeth before he ran towards one of the apartment buildings and disappeared inside.

Echo let out a sigh. There was still another one in the paper bag, but the two were supposed to last him till his shift finished in the morning. Oh well, a good deed was supposed to be its own reward so he just let it go. He looked down the street where a two story building loomed in the distance. That was the old Tanner Building that the kid had mentioned. Echo didn’t really know much about it except that some Charles Tanner had it built during the 60s, or was it the 70s? Either way, the way it was now it blended perfectly with the rest of the rat hole. He didn’t even think he’d find anything, and considered just returning to the squad car, the kid wouldn’t know any better. But his moral compass when on the fritz and made the decision for him. He opened the back seat and took one of the magic skins, the coyote one. Why? He didn’t know, but something seemed to shout the words “Just in case” in his head.

With a roll of eyes, more for him than anybody else really, Echo stuffed the folded skin inside his shirt and made his way down the street towards the building. He walked up the steps and immediately found that the door was still boarded up. Once again the prospect of just turning around surfaced, but Echo decided that he was already here so why not just finish the job. Shining the flashlight through the window he tried to get a good peak, although most were covered with a thick layer of dust that he only really saw grey. He moved around the building until finally the signs of breaking and entering stared him right at his face. At least the kid and his grandma weren’t bull-shitting him.

He moved closer and looked at the boards scattered on the floor and the broken window. He tried to look for the tool used to pry the boards open and couldn’t find any. That must’ve meant that whoever broke in still held unto it. A possible weapon, Echo had to be careful. With a quick leap, he moved inside the building. The thick dust on the floor provided an easy trail of foot prints for him to follow, and as Jericho walked he noticed that he didn’t leave any prints of his own. He grimaced, as he scratched the floor with the tip of his shoe. The dust came off easy that time, but when he experimented with walking forward once again no foot prints were left. It must’ve been a skinwalker thing; maybe he’ll ask his grandfather’s ghost whenever the imposing old fart decided to pay him a haunted visit again. He didn’t like the idea that his body was doing magic without him wanting it to.

He looked forward towards the foot prints he was supposed to follow. The weird magical occurrences could be dealt with later, but right now his police duties were of prime importance. He shone the light down the hall as a warning before he called out.”Arc City Police, you’re trespassing on private property.” Began Echo the tone in his voice exasperated, he like his adventure but he honestly didn’t think this one was going to get his blood pumping. “It would be really swell if you just showed yourself and we walk out of this place quietly. If you ask me, there are a lot better places to break into than this shit hole, preferably somewhere I’m not on duty.”

[Kaigen Korrick]

Lost in the turbulent tides of his dreams and nightmares, a voice slowly filtered through his mind. .”Arc City Police, you’re trespassing on private property."

[/b][/color] Brown eyes flashed open and grimaced as Kaigen curled tighter, struggling to hold onto the dream-scape while at the same time being unceremoniously dumped into the real world. “It would be really swell if you just showed yourself and we walk out of this place quietly. If you ask me, there are a lot better places to break into than this shit hole, preferably somewhere I’m not on duty.”[/b][/color] Great...just great...just what he needed now. Some nosy ass cop...what the hell was a cop doing this deep in the city anyway...for that matter, what was he himself doing out here. It didn't matter.

Barely awake, Kaigen uncurled and grunted quietly, hands planting against the carpet and pushing himself up into a seated position. Various ideas trickled across the analysis centers of his mind. Surely the guy would have a gun, something Kaigen really needed. Maybe he could get it from him...Or just get shot in the process and get put out of his misery. Because surely that was all his life had been, one long cesspool of misery. Who could he really say had ever been happy on the streets? Or he could go down, fight the guy, narrowly avoid getting shot, and get taken downtown to a warm, safe cell where he would have food, a bed...

Food...

Kaigen blinked. That had not been his thought-voice. Oh it had come from his head alright, but it wasn't...Blood... Kaigen blinked again. What the...that was strange. As he was frowning, he felt a tingling sensation. It started from the center of his chest, his heart likely, and rolled through the rest of him. A cold wave rushed down the center of his spine as the briefest snippet of a memory crossed his mind as well. This had happened before...just a few nights ago...and there had been blood...oh yes...lots of it...Kaigen shuddered with horror as the tingling became an incessant itch that grew and grew. Last time he had passed out at some point during the process and had no conscious memory of it. Not this time.

Kaigen was fully aware as his natural body hair was being supplemented. New hair was growing rapidly, lengthening and layering. Staring at his arms, his gaze was drawn down to his hands as his nails lengthened and became claw like. That was when the real pain began. Bones lengthen...break...reform... Pain Kaigen tilted his head back and a scream that was shrill and would have rivaled any female shriek tore itself from his throat borne of pain and agony. This was worse than anything he had ever felt before. He had been shot before, it came with the territory. The scars had faded recently, he didn't know why. But this was worse. Unbidden, another memory floated up. Coming home...the blood...his baby sister...his sweet, innocent baby sister...cradling her...that had been pain. Oh but this was so much more than even that.

His cries deepened, grew more guttural, primal, inhuman. Spurned by the grief and agony of that memory, the change quickened blessedly and as Kaigen grew the final inches, his bellow was a thunder that shook the rafters, and surely went down to the deepest foundations to quake the rocks. He had gone from a 170 pound man to a nearly 300 pound beast and been aware of every agonizing minute of it, almost fifteen in fact. Yellow, feral eyes were moisture rimmed from the tears of pain the man had felt, narrowed as they swept the room. What was left of Kaigen, had been pushed back to the farthest corners and the Wolf that he had become was seated squarely in the driver seat of his body. He felt like a bug riding on the back of some animal. There, but helpless and powerless to affect the movements of its host. Oh, but he was trying.

The wolf had risen during the change, and stepped heavily forward to the center of the room. Nostrils flaring, his gaze bore down at the ground, and he knew there was food below him. His fists came together and in hammerlike fashion, pounded forcefully against the floor. The ceiling shook. Another bellowed, sorely pissed off roar, and the beast began tearing through the layers of carpet, plaster, cement, wood, plaster, paint...Somewhere in the ceiling of the room the cop was in, the hole would be visible and growing.

Hooked claws grabbed and pulled, tearing up the floor until it seemed big enough and he lunged forward, headlong, falling, arms outstretched. Hands landed first, the rest of him completed the fall, feet planting, the weight of him shaking the floor. And then his gaze lifted. The wolf's yellow eyes darkened for the briefest moment, the beasts head jerking to the left at the window as Kaigen was struggling to stop himself, to control the beast he had become, but it was only his first conscious change. It was a testament to his strength of will that his efforts had made any effect at all. The wolf was blood crazed, and would not relinquish it's hold so easily. The change had only worsened his need, almost all of his energy spent to the change.

The werewolf rumbled a growl deep in his throat. Head slowly swiveling back around, eyes locked on the target. Muzzle parting, row on row of inch long serrated fangs that were made for tearing flesh dripped with saliva. Still on all fours, the beast lunged.[/blockquote]

[Jericho Gayanelo]

Echo had spoken out quite clearly, and he had even injected some humor into his words so that whoever broke into this place would think that he was someone to be trusted. Some of the cops around the city liked to throw their weight around too much, but Echo knew that sometimes you needed to adjust to a situation. There were times when just some easy words would have everything come out all fine and dandy. He really thought that some middle aged man new to the hobo-scene would step out, or perhaps a teenager, who was high as a kite (Echo would have given him a scolding, but ultimately let him off with a warning). But of course, this was Arc City; around here, nightmares were like Starbucks, there was one at every corner.

There were no comprehensible words that answered Echo, but there was an audible scream of pain. At once his police instincts kicked in and he rushed into action. With his free hand he pulled out his police issued revolver from its holster at his belt, while he shone the light steady ahead of him so that no surprises jumped out of the dark. The screams continued and they were getting more violent, as if somebody was being disemboweled, based on what Echo knew about this city it was very possible that that was exactly what was happening. The screams changed, they were now bestial, sounds that couldn’t possibly come from a human mouth. Echo immediately thought about werewolves, something so close to Skinwalkers yet still so different.

The creatures of the night, werewolves, vampires, demons, were the reason that Echo decided to revisit the ancient magical disciplines of his people. He knew that being a cop, having a badge and a revolver wasn’t going to be enough. And so he started to learn, wanted to learn despite the stories saying that skinwalkers were evil creatures. Even the ghost of his grandfather sanctimoniously saying that the nature of the skinwalker would corrupt him whatever his initial good intentions may be, didn't scare Echo away from pursuing his training. Echo didn’t want to think about the repercussions, he’d cross the bridge when he’d get there. All he knew was that being human wasn’t enough to make a difference. He needed his own edge.

He moved across the abandoned building until he came to the foot of the staircase, the monstrous sounds were just directly upstairs. Echo had his revolver at the ready. He wasn’t sure what was up there but he called again, just in case he could appeal to some form of sentience.

“Whoever’s up there, if you can understand me answer back! I’m Sergeant Jericho Gayanelo of Arc City Police.” There were just more growling and roaring sounds, and Echo wasn’t hoping for the best in case any normal human being had been up there. He had met some werewolves, and some still retained their ability to think, some even spoke. But the new ones, the young ones, as he’d been told were more monster than man. Maybe this one…

Suddenly the ceiling was torn off above him, wood chips and old nails flying everywhere. He shielded his eyes against the falling dust and debris but aimed his gun directly at the growing hole. Echo had learned that only silver bullets affected werewolves, but he didn’t have any silver rounds. It wasn't as if ACPD was made of money that it could issue silver bullets to all its officers.

There was a particularly violent smash through the upper level that shook the entire building and one of the boards swung across smacking the flashlight out of Echo's grip. The little light source, rolled off until it was only able to illuminate a small portion right below the hole. That was when the creature finally decided to move downstairs, there was a resounding thud as the large and heavy beast landed on the ground. A small cloud of dust rose up clouding what little visibility there was in the room. The beam from the flashlight was virtually parallel to the ground, but Echo could make out the silhouette of the beast. It was unmistakably a werewolf, but one of the biggest that Echo had ever seen. He must have been excessively muscular and large as a human if he morphed into something like that

The beast seemed to wait for something, or maybe something held it back. Unfortunately it only lasted for a moment, before the monster attacked. Echo dove to the side, firing rapidly but without effect. He managed to empty the cartridge half-way before he hit the ground. He rolled across the floor to right himself before he ducked behind one of the pillars. The pillar would provide little protection based from the monster's handling of the ceiling. There was also no hiding from a werewolf; they could smell you wherever you were. He could try to run out of the building, escape through the same window. But he thought about the kid, and about the kid's grandmother. Hell, he even thought about the stinky hobos. They were all free dinner for this monster if Echo just got up and bailed. He couldn't do that, not after everything he wanted to stand for.


Echo looked at his gun, it was absolutely useless now. He’d just be wasting perfectly good bullets if he still insisted on using it. He shoved the thing back into his holster and reached inside his shirt, his fingers immediately found the coarse coyote fur and he closed his fingers around it. The skin pulsated with some primal energy of its own, as if beckoning him to wear it. Echo had managed to perform a couple of shifts and had spent nights practicing moving around in skin walker form, but this would be his first ever fight with it. For a brief moment Echo missed the simple days when a gun was what decided a fight, all this business with werewolves and magic made things complicated. He pulled out the skin from his shirt and with one big movement unfurled it to reveal a hood and cape made from coyote pelt. The pulsating energy from the skin escalated and Echo reached into that part of his soul that allowed him to tap into magic. From across the spirit world he heard the distant howls of the coyote spirits, he felt an ancient power beating from within his bones like a drum.

Almost ceremoniously Echo donned the skin over his head and immediately it began to morph. The skin rapidly grew to cover every inch of him, traveling down his arms, his front, and his back seeming to form a full-body suit. But it wasn’t something separate from him, it was fusing with his body, forming dense muscle and tissue, growing previously non-existent bones and tying it all together with a network of magical channels. Echo opened his eyes, but now he saw things much brighter and clearer, he smelled and heard things to a degree that would have been overwhelming for a human. He now resembled a coyote, but larger and more powerful than it would have been seen in nature. His teeth and claws would be able to rend through steel and stone. All in all, it wasn’t as sophisticated a transformation as a werewolf’s, but the power behind it was undeniable. Echo made his move, rushing out from behind the pillar like a blur. He bounded off one of the walls and made to tackle the werewolf straight through into the next room. It was monster versus monster it seemed.

[Kaigen Korrick]

“Whoever’s up there, if you can understand me answer back! I’m Sergeant Jericho Gayanelo of Arc City Police.”

Oh the words had been heard alright, the proof of them had been the beasts hesitation as Kaigen, what was left of Kaigen, had tried desperately to stall the beast he had become. So this is what he was. The truth of it burned his soul. He thought back to the first time he had woken up to find himself blood covered and puked raw meat. He had forced the thoughts from his mind at the time of what it could of been and what could of happened. And then, when it happened nary a month later again...he had known. Part of him had remembered, but had blocked it out. He wish he could block it out now. He didn't want to see what would happen to this poor cop who's only crime had been to stick his nose where it didn't belong. Nosy ass cops...Kaigen almost blamed him for what the beast was doing now. If he hadn't showed up, Kaigen would still be asleep right now.

As it were, he was wide awake and felt the fire of the beast's desperation and rage. He could feel the need of the beast and Kaigen could only cringe. He kept trying to calm down this new nature that was as much a part of him now as his arms and legs, he only had to learn how to use them again. He tried with little things, making himself blink when he wanted, to wiggle a toe, anything. The Wolf was very well seated as he had been the last two times, but Kaigen was determined. It was as if two minds occupied the same body.

When the werewolf lunged, the cop put a bunch of rounds across his shoulder and chest. A short lived cry of pain was quickly replaced by another bellow of fury. The small bullets were soon deposited on the floor as they were pushed out of his flesh. Kaigen took the moment of the beast's pain to try again to stop himself.

While his mind warred, Jericho was given a perfectly good opportunity to run. Kaigen had hoped the man would take it. Even though he was a cop, he'd have rather killed the guy the old fashion way, not like this. Not when he knew what would come after. He didn't even like meat....He would apparently have to get over that now. Again the beast's eyes darkened, until the wolf grew only the more frustrated. Who would submit first?

Tilting back his head, the Wolf gave voice to a melody as old as time. The cry of the hunt. On the move again, the wolf advanced on the pillar behind whence his quarry was surely cowering. He seemed to feel complete confidence in his upcoming meal, he'd not missed one yet. What came charging at him instead was quite the surprise. The two bodies collided heavily, the wolf's upper half breaking through the wall behind him, his fall completing by flipping backwards onto the floor in a heap with the Coyote on his back, snapping and snarling and surely going for his neck.

The werewolf screeched, trying to both push himself up and roll. Echo was heavy as a coyote, but the wolf was bigger and stronger, the coyote built more for speed. Reaching up over his shoulder, the wolf attempted to grab the coyote, whatever he could get claws around, and would then throw it off while rolling the other way. The wolf wanted only to feed. It was not interested in a prolonged fight. It wanted to end this as quickly as possible.

In the wild, the coyote is sometimes chased down and killed by a wolf. Wolves do not tolerate other predators in their territories. Would this be the same outcome?

[Jericho Gayanelo]

Echo rammed the werewolf with a surprising amount of force; he felt the wall crack beneath his feet as he had pushed from it. And when his shoulder collided with the other monster’s midsection, there was a resounding shockwave like two wrecking balls slammed into each other. Echo had no idea there was this much power in his coyote form, running around the outskirts of the city wasn’t really very predictive of what this baby could do in a fight. They burst through the wall, sending wood and glass everywhere before they crashed down into the ground. Echo instinctively made for the back of the werewolf’s neck, he didn’t know why but some cunning animal instinct at the back of his head told him that that was the way to establish dominance. He tried to get his jaws clamped down, but the werewolf proved to be able to fend off his attacks.

The werewolf was fighting in the savage desperation of a cornered animal, there didn’t seem to be any level of human cognition left there anymore. That would prove to be more of a problem; it meant that Echo really wouldn’t be able to just leave him alone. He needed to keep this beast contained until he reverted back to human form. Echo didn’t really want to think about having to kill this guy, but if he needed to, then he needed to make the call that most cops dreaded. Suddenly the werewolf was able to get a good grasp on him and with a powerful arm threw him away. Echo let out a canine yelp as he smashed against one of the pillars. It cracked in the middle from the force and Echo slid down it, half-crumpling on the floor.

That hurt like hell, he moved to get back on all fours and found that he was sore but nothing was broken. The extremely dense muscle protected the more vital parts of his body, but Echo knew he didn’t have the luxury of healing, like the werewolf did. During the times of the tribe, the skinwalker was discovered by the tell-tale wounds on his human form. He was going to feel the gigantic bruise on his side tomorrow that was for sure. He quickly shook off the pain and started circling around the wolf.

Echo continued to move, keeping the perimeter. Across the floor the shards of glass reflected the both of them and Echo couldn’t help but see their two monstrous forms standing across each other. The werewolf stood on his hind legs, an anthropomorphic monster with shaggy fur. Drool dripped from his mouth in dollops and long claws extended from his fingertips. Then there was Echo himself, he vaguely resembled a coyote except that he was far larger, about as big as a bear. His form was more animal than man, but his front limbs stretched out longer than his hind ones and they ended in a something caught between a paw and a human hand. He was a distorted form of the canine creature, his arched spine jut out of his back making the ridges very visible until it extended out into his long bushy tail. Echo let out a low growl from the back of his throat, the werewolf was stronger and tougher but he was faster and he could actually still think at a human level. With keen eyes he looked around the room for something to use, all the while he kept the distance ideal between him and the wolf. If the other monster should try to escape then he’d drag him back, if he attacked then Echo would meet him head-on.

[Kaigen Korrick]

The longer this went on, the more angrier the Wolf became. This was not supposed to have been an all out battle, he was not in the mood. He kept his eyes glued to the other Coyote's eyes, his tail was lifted, radiating dominance and challenge. Watching the other's every movement, fangs bared and the wolf gave a vicious snarl.

Inside his mind, Kaigen was struggling to put down the wolf. He did not know what he was doing, had never experienced this before. He did not yet know how to control his bestial nature, and he was beginning to think he was going to have to watch this cop turned coyote thing get chewed up. He was even freaked out that the cop even had a coyote side. He was paying attention to the Wolf's actions and noticed how he kept staring at the other man's eyes.

Just as Kaigen had an idea, the wolf lunged again.

With a thunderous roar, the wolf bunched it's legs beneath himself, and vaulted into the Coyote, just as Kaigen was glaring into the eyes of his Wolf in his mind. The yellow brightness dimmed in the werewolf's eyes and finally remained that way just as he was coming down onto the Coyote, mid-snarl tapering off.

[Jericho Gayanelo]

As Echo let the low canine growl rumble at the back of his throat, the werewolf returned it. The other beast seemed to instinctively understand its purpose; this was a battle of dominance between two predators. The werewolf bent low, tensing. It would charge, for all the good that would do. Echo was unlike anything he’d have come up against before. Perhaps it knew it was out-classed. The werewolf was practically staring defeat in the eye, and defeat’s shadow, death. But it would not give in meekly. That was not in the beast’s nature. Echo prepared himself as well, keeping his distorted coyote form ready for whatever would come.

Abruptly, the werewolf charged. It came fast – so fast –barreling at him like a runaway goods van. Echo knew that if he fucked this up, it was all over. Then don’t fuck it up, he told himself, and loped forward to meet the other monster. Echo was confident that he was faster, his form was built for that and all his reflexes were honed over his career in law enforcement. He would go straight for the jugular and rip out the werewolf’s throat. They could regenerate, but not grievous wounds that killed on the spot.

Echo opened his jaws, ready to go for the kill but in a second something in the werewolf caused him to hesitate. In those yellow eyes, Echo saw the flash of comprehension, and something else. He couldn’t be sure, but he thought it looked like resignation. That was impossible. The young werewolf was an unthinking creature, a mindless force of destruction. There was nothing in that wolf head but malevolence and the basic animal cunning needed to survive. Or so he’s been given to believe. The werewolf couldn’t know that it was about to die. Could it? The notion seemed so human.

At the last second Echo threw his weight to the side, dodging instead of closing his teeth around the werewolf’s neck. He didn’t move extremely fast though and the werewolf practically bulldozed across his side knocking him back again. Echo rolled unto all fours as best as he could, before running across the floor and leaping on the werewolf’s back again. Both of them hit the floor but this time Echo didn’t attempt to bite the bigger creature, instead the Coyote’s maw opened wide…wider than what was possible without breaking the jaw. Where one would expect to see inside into the canine creature’s throat, instead was Echo’s human face. It was really an unnatural sight, like a dog with a human head, but Echo needed to be able to access his human speech.

“I know you’re still inside there, control the wolf! There are people outside, I can’t let you out of this building if you can’t control yourself.” Called out Echo desperately, he was trying to pin the werewolf under his monster coyote weight, but he didn’t know how long he could keep it up. At once he thought about the bag of Bone Powder he still had in his possession. It took him months of collecting road kill to make that much amount and his grandfather’s ghost said it barely had magical strength to perform the most basic of spells, because it was created from animals not humans. Echo expected that to paralyze this beast he’d have to use the entire bag. That would be an entire month’s effort down the drain, but what other choice did he have?

His choice to become a skinwalker was in order to protect the people of the city. But he wasn’t going to go out and kill the supernatural creatures for no reason. Turning a monster himself, he knew there was something human underneath. It just had to be brought out.

[Kaigen Korrick]

The wolf thundered forward, with mindless brutality wanting only to feel flesh between his teeth, blood between his claws. He was unthinking, a brute, half starved and bloodthirsty. He was also pissed off and getting madder the longer the fight went on. This creature had some nerve to stand in his way!

Inside the Wolf's mind, Kaigen could see the murderous intent in the Coyote's eyes. That look of resignation, accepting what must be done. A look Kaigen had taken on, only once before, when he killed his own father for the things he had done to his sister and their mother. From then on, every kill got easier until it was like nothing to him. He didn't like to think about the things he had done. Because of him, whether by his own hand, or through the business of leadership and gaining power, he was responsible for exactly 37 lost lives. Oh yes...he knew that look well. It was not the first time he had been on the receiving end of that look either, oh no. He had been caught once when he was still a young teenager. He made sure he never got caught again.

But this...this was different. He was not in control of himself right now, and to see that look...he knew it was over. It was then that he had managed to get some reaction out of his Wolfen nature and saw for himself the Coyote reacting to it. He had somehow, narrowly survived the close encounter. The massive Wolf was not as swift and agile as the Coyote beneath him, and suddenly found himself face down on the floor, his arms pinned beneath him.

Flailing, the wolf snarled savagely, viciously, and snarled again, louder, tossing his head side to side, and struggling to lift himself enough to free his arms. His feet left deep gouges in the floor, tail whipping back and forth. Oh he was pissed indeed.


“I know you’re still inside there, control the wolf! There are people outside, I can’t let you out of this building if you can’t control yourself.”

Kaigen knew that already damn him, the real question was HOW!? He did not give a rats ass about anybody outside, he just wanted to make this nightmare stop. The wolf continued to struggle, but was slowly tiring himself out. After a few more minutes, the Wolf seemed to finally have had enough. The pain came back, the change was quicker this time, and his struggles were for quite a different reason until there was nothing left of the beast but the man he had been and Kaigen blessedly passed out.

[Jericho Gayanelo]

Echo didn’t know if his words managed to get through, but the monster beneath him kept up the fight. It desperately writhed under Echo’s weight, but the skinwalker made sure to keep the monster’s shoulders pinned down. Echo silently cursed himself, he had been wishing for adventure and lo and behold, one came crashing down from the second floor of an old decrepit building. There were moments when the werewolf almost managed to squirm free, but Echo moved with him, adapted his style. It was slightly awkward to restrain such a powerful creature with hands that didn’t know whether they wanted to belong to a human or a coyote, but soon enough the werewolf’s attempted began to simmer down.

Echo didn’t know how long it took, but soon enough the werewolf stopped struggling. He felt the beast’s form warp beneath him and Echo guessed that he was shifting back into a human. He was unsure whether or not it was safe to get off the monster, but compassion overpowered caution and Echo slowly backed off. He didn’t want to crush the poor man once he changed back into a…well…a poor man. Echo watched through the entire process of the shift, and for the first time in his life was thankful for how easy he had it with being a skinwalker. Fine he was a monster, but at least he wasn’t mindless and at least his shifts weren’t painful. It was just a symphony of breaking bones and ripping muscle as the werewolf lost chunks of his mass. He shrank down to about one-half his beast form’s size until once again he was just a man. He lay there practically naked except for the few sparse shreds of clothe that their melee wasn’t able to shake off.

Deciding that it was safe to do so, Echo finally decided to shift back into human form as well. His coyote form went up on its hind legs, one of its front paws moving to touch the end of its snout. As he moved, he also changed, shrinking down to human size, having the coyote shroud shrink back into the cape and the hood. The process didn’t take long and it finished with Echo pulling the coyote skin off his shoulders. Echo let himself crumple on the floor with his back against the wall. He didn’t even realize how tired he was, and all the pains from the fight with the werewolf came back, this time hitting a lot harder. He didn’t have his coyote’s form’s dense musculature anymore, so it was just a human body taking the abuse from a werewolf. His bruised side made it slightly difficult to breathe, but Echo felt like he was going to be okay. He reached into his shirt and pulled out the pouch of Bone Powder, just in case it would be needed. The werewolf seemed to be sound asleep, maybe he’d just catch a couple of minutes to rest as well. Echo’s eyes began to feel heavy and fatigue slowly crept up clouding his mind.

…Just a few minutes, just to charge back up.

[Kaigen Korrick]

It was only an hour, but it felt like days when Kaigen finally awoke. His head was splitting in the worse headache ever and he felt like he had been through hell and back. Ghost pains from his awful changes and the battle affected him immensely, even though an examination of his body would find him perfectly fine.

He found himself lieing on his back with a blanket draped over himself. Lifting a hand, Kaigen rubbed his head, opening and closing his eyes, a low grumble that was both pain and despair rumbled from him as the memories returned.

Very slowly, Kaigen tried to sit up. He found in his other hand a plastic Taco Bell bag. Immediately he was in it, pulling out its only content, a burrito. He was disappointed, but it was something. It would not make much a dent but he would have eaten anything right then.

It only occurred to him a few minutes later, after it was gone already, to wonder from whence it had come? The blanket as well. It was one of those standard emergency woolen blankets some people kept in their cars in the winter for those days your car just wants to be an ass and breakdown on you in the middle of a blizzard. His eyes swept the room, and fell on the Cop against the wall, knocked out.

Kaigen's eyes narrowed. Damn nosy cops...But then more memories came back and he shook his head, sinking his head into his hands. If the man hadn't shown up, he might have still been sleeping peacefully and never learned what he really was. Well, it would have shown up eventually right? At least this cop had been there and had the ability to deal with him. He did not relish the idea of eating people.

Well, now what that man he met at the club had said made sense. So he really was a Werewolf then? Whatever good that did him. He sighed softly and heard the man beginning to stir. He looked a lot worse for wear, but he was alive. Which was more than Kaigen would have wanted in that moment.

"Hey. You. Mother fucker. The hell was all that about?" The cop shouldn't expect a gushing thank you any time soon. He frowned at the man who seemed to be taking his sweet time waking up. Grabbing some rubble, he threw it at him. "Wake up!" Kaigen growled, the sound more wolf than he wanted. "You said I can control this?"

He would have to accept what he was and learn how to use it to his advantage. Somehow he had already accepted that he was no longer who he once had been. He had known that old life was gone for a while already. He now knew what he was dealing with, he only cared about how to control it. He had not enjoyed sitting passenger through that experience. It also occurred to him, he would have to get over his aversion to meat because the Wolf would definitely not be satisfied with salad and fruit. He would probably continue to black out and hunt for meat until he learned to do it on his own.

He could feel the Wolf now. It was as a part of him as his arms and legs now. The Wolf stirred, but stayed in the back of his mind.

[Jericho Gayanelo]

Echo groggily stirred to the feeling of being pelted by little stones. The gruff voice of a man began blaring through his skull, and he just wanted to curl up into a ball and hide under his blanket. He pulled up the blanket up to his chin, but then realized how coarse and rough it was…wait, why was his blanket like this? And what was a big burly –sounding man doing in his room. The sheer oddness of it forced everything back into Echo’s immediate memory and he practically jumped awake.

Just earlier, fatigue had also gotten the better of Echo and he woke up an hour after happy that the werewolf wasn’t chewing on his innards yet. For that matter, the werewolf was still asleep lying on the floor…stark naked. Echo pushed himself up from the ground and walked across the room, finding that he needed to go slowly because the pain was still there. He was beside the man and he poked it with the tip of his shoe, but the guy just made a few noises and remained asleep. Echo gave a sigh of relief, at least the worst of it was over…and thank god he didn’t decide against bringing the Coyote skin with him. He made a mental note to bring it everywhere from now on. The guy wasn’t going to wake up anytime soon it seemed, and Echo decided to get back to his squad car.

The trip had been grueling, especially having to climb back out of the window. But somehow he made it and he practically collapsed into the driver’s seat. He looked at the police radio and thankfully there were no other disturbances, nobody had needed him in the time that he was trying to take down a friggin werewolf. Echo, with a lot of effort, managed to get himself out of the car again and he took the paper bag from the passenger’s seat, an emergency blanket from the back, and his duffle bag from the trunk. The trip back wasn’t as difficult since he had managed to rest up a bit. He remembered his grandfather talking to him about his magical discipline being able to create magic poultices that could heal injuries in seconds. He really wished that he could do something like that already; but right now his powers extended little beyond using his magic animal skins.

He saw the sleeping werewolf right where he had left him, and Echo laid the blanket out over the other man and dropped the paper bag down beside his head. Echo moved back towards the wall where he had fallen asleep earlier and sat down. He clung unto the coyote skin much how a little kid would cling unto their security blanket, if anything it was really a security blanket since he would need it if the werewolf went berserk again. Echo very much wanted to have a decent - preferably human – conversation with him. He just spent the better part of the night making sure this guy didn’t kill anybody, it would have been wrong if he just left.

He planned to stay up, but he didn’t know at which point of the night he finally dozed off, and now it was morning and the werewolf was also awake. Echo’s still groggy mind didn’t register the meaning of the other man’s words at first. “You said I can control this?" said the other man. ”Said what?” was the first thing that went through Echo’s mind but then he remembered those desperate speeches he had been giving while the two of them were fighting last night.

“Oh…that. I don’t really know. I’m not the same kind of monster. I was just trying to get through to you or something.” He stood up and dusted off his pants, from the corner of his eye he saw that the werewolf had devoured the entire burrito. Okay, he had decided to give it away; he just half-expected some form of altruistic reward to let him eat half at least. He let the entire burrito thing go and kicked the duffle bag across the room until it ended at the other guy’s feet.

“Those are my civilian clothes, I don’t know if they’re going to fit you but that’s the best I have right now.” Said Echo as he slung the coyote skin over his shoulder, he placed his other hand in his pocket and leaned against the wall. The distance between them was obvious and the fact that there were only two of them in the room made it even more so, but Echo wanted answers and he expected to get them if only to have the other guy pay him back for the food and clothes. So he started with the most basic and easily answered one.

“Who are you?”

[Kaigen Korrick]

“Oh…that. I don’t really know. I’m not the same kind of monster. I was just trying to get through to you or something.”

Kaigen narrowed his gaze at the man, but let it go. He would have to figure this out on his own it seemed. So be it. Watching the cop out of the corner of his eye, Kaigen threw the blanket off of himself and slowly tried to get to his feet. His skin felt like a thousand needles stabbing him, the after effects of the forced change, but it was nothing he could not ignore. He realized then how torn his clothing was and cursed colorfully under his breath. He'd have to steal some more clothes.

The kicked duffel bag arrived at his feet and Kaigen just stared at it. What was it with this guy? First he was trying to kill him or something, and now he was being nice? He remembered the burrito and just grunted again. He didn't really want the man's handmedown clothes, but he couldn't go walking around half naked like this in the middle of the city no matter how slummy the area was. He growled under his breath, and started digging through the bag, pulling out the shirt and pants. The shoes were never going to fit so he left them there. He'd just have to deal with the glass, apparently he could heal so good then it wouldn't matter.

Kaigen changed with no sign of modesty. The shirt was extra tight around his shoulders, but it came down long enough. It only accentuated his build. He kept eyeing te Cop and his Coyote skin draped over the shoulder. Whatever Kaigen was thinking, he kept it to himself.

The man's next question reminded Kaigen he wasn't out of this yet. Like hell was he going to tell a frickan cop a damn thing. He had a record after all. And there were not a few murders out there that had been labeled homicides but while Kaigen hadn't done them himself, he had orchestrated them. And several more that he had done. Not to mention all the thefts, breakins, arson...the list went on and on. No way was he going to tell this cop anything.

"I ain't telling you shit...But I have a question for you. Actually, a couple questions. What the fuck is going on in this crazy ass city?...You're the second freak to come after me. What are you? And because he was a cop, the question begged to be asked, "And now, what are you going to do with me?" Because somehow, he did not see himself walking out if here free.

[Jericho Gayanelo]

"I ain't telling you shit...” okay, that didn’t really come as a surprise for Echo. He was really counting on some form of reciprocity to take effect, but apparently he wasn’t that lucky. He was about to open his mouth to insist knowing the guy’s name at least, but the other man decided that he had a few questions of his own and bulldozed over Echo.

“But I have a question for you. Actually, a couple questions. What the fuck is going on in this crazy ass city?...You're the second freak to come after me. What are you? …And now, what are you going to do with me?" Echo blinked a couple of times as he took in the litany of questions, he even ran through them in his mind once to make sure he got all of them right. But in the man’s questions alone, light was getting shed on the situation. He was obviously an outsider, and he had contact with another supernatural prior to Echo. This guy was considerably lucky, considering that he wasn’t dead yet. And finally, the question of what Echo was going to do. In all honesty, even he didn’t know. He’d get there later, but first to continue helping this guy out, he’d started it already so he might as well see this helpful thing through. Echo half-hated himself, for listening to that kid, this could have all been avoided and he wouldn’t have a guilty conscience because he wouldn’t have been any wiser.

“You’re in Arc City brother, the Hell Hole capital of the United States, although some would challenge that and say the world.” began Echo. He once again let himself drop down to the floor and assumed an Indian-sitting position; he didn’t even know how to go about this, but he anticipated that it was going to be tediously long. One answer would open the door to a dozen more questions.

“You actually shouldn’t be surprised why you ended up here, something about this city draws us here like flies – by us I mean people like you and me, and what I assume that other guy was. Around these parts, the term that people go by is Supernaturals, which is a collective term for the stuff your parents used to scare you with as a kid. You’re obviously a werewolf, I…if any more familiar term comes to mind…am a witch.” Echo registered the look that came upon the other man’s face, obviously Echo’s performance showed nothing of the stereotypical witch with the cackling and the broomsticks. But how the hell was he going to explain to this guy what the hell a skinwalker was? He didn’t want to over-saturate the poor man with much too detailed information.

“There are vampires around here too,” continued Echo. “I’ve never met any but I heard there are also demons. I’m pretty sure there are ghosts. This entire city is as big as New York or Las Vegas, but around every corner you’re never sure if you’re gonna be dealing with a normal human or not.” The more he said it, the more he realized just how stupid his goals were. He was practically playing vigilante in a world were villains outnumbered heroes a hundred to one. Echo didn’t want any fame or fortune, he didn’t want acclaim. He just felt that it was his obligation to at least try and do something…Why? Because he was one of the few people who could.

“Finally, as for what I’m going to do with you…I don’t exactly know. I mean I can have you in for a case of breaking and entering, but seeing how this place was broken to begin with then I can let that slide. But maybe we can actually start getting somewhere if you give me your name at least?” Echo made an up-and-down eyebrow movement to the other man, just as a sign of good faith or something. A name was easier, and if it proved to be effective then he can continue asking. He wracked his brain, but really didn’t know what to do. It was like suddenly coming into the responsibility of having a pet. He couldn’t just leave this obviously inexperienced werewolf where he could shift and kill people, he couldn’t exactly point him to the direction of the other werewolves as well…the last thing that the force need was one more goon for any of the crime family’s.

[Kaigen Korrick]

Kaigen could only glare at the cop as he waited for the man to process all of his questions. It seemed like he glared a lot these days. He had lived through enough shit in his life that finding out he wasn’t human anymore was just another piss drop in a bucket of human waste. He really did not like cops. They reminded him of just how dirty he was. They went around helping people while he went around killing and robbing people. Like now. Got his ass beat, wearing his clothes, eating his food, now at his mercy with his freedom and life hanging on what kind of mood the guy was in. Damn cops.

Kaigen turned his face away from the man. He couldn’t even look at him. He felt like nothing so much as a bug beneath this man’s foot, not even worthy enough to meet his eye like a man. The only good thing that had ever been in Kaigen’s life had been his baby sister. She was raped by their father so he killed bastard. He hit the streets to earn money to feed her, clothe her, and shelter her. He had murdered other people because they had been a threat to him and his lifestyle, or his brothers, his street brothers, because they all protected each other, yet she was murdered anyway. And he couldn’t just back out and break down because now he had other people under his responsibility. So the cycle continued. He’d burned the house down of the man who’d been responsible for it, and in return killed that man’s little sister. Eye for an eye and all that. Now he was a werewolf. Had he ever really been human at all? What was normal anyway? Was it normal that he took every chance he could to find a reason to hurt someone else just because he couldn’t handle his own pain any other way?

Even now, he wished he could roll over and wake up in his own bed in Coolie’s house and go back to his old messed up life because at least that one had been familiar and comfortable. At least there he had been somebody respected. But Coolio was dead, and he should have been dead too but he wasn’t. And here was this cop, Jericho or something, wasn’t even human himself, dressed in a nice uniform, had money, probably ate a nice big dinner the night before. Probably had a family, at least someone he liked. Had a job that involved helping and protecting people. Even helping him right after seeing what he was. Kaigen didn’t hate the man personally, maybe a little, he hated every good thing the man represented that he himself would never have.

Even being in this new place, a new start, it was just one shit chapter closed and a new shit chapter opened. And he couldn’t even meet this nice cop’s eyes because he couldn’t bear to see the god damn pity he’d find there, or risk the other guy seeing just how fucked up his life was in the pain of his own. Here he was, in the few short minutes between their words, waiting to find out just what kind of new shit life he was facing.

Jericho started speaking, and the first few words out of his mouth already had Kaigen pissed off again. This cop had the biggest balls in the world to call him a Brother. His face turned back to the cop with an angry scowl but he didn’t say anything, still didn’t meet his eyes, only staring at his badge. And he completely agreed with the city being a hell hole because it was fitting. It was exactly where he belonged.

When the cop sat down, Kaigen felt strangely nervous. He paced a little bit before finally sitting down himself. He even went so far as to prop his head in his hand with his elbow on his knee, effectively putting his head just below the other guys and exposing his neck. A submissive posture if there ever was one. It was as if the Wolf in him, knowing he had just been defeated by this Coyote man, saw him as a dominant and agreed with Kaigen that he was better than him, so felt compelled to place himself beneath the man because that was where he belonged. He didn’t even feel angry with him anymore.

As the cop mentioned probably hearing about supernaturals from his parents, a slightly insane laugh bubbled up from Kaigen’s throat, but he quelled it and didn’t interrupt. The basic point wasn’t lost on him; he’d seen enough TV to know what all those creatures were. The witch part made him lift an eyebrow though, he didn’t fit the type but that didn’t matter right now.

And then came the really interesting part, what next. Of course he didn’t know what to do with him. And again he wanted his name. The longer he sat here, the more frustrated he got, and the more he thought about it all, what this city was, what he was now, and that there wasn’t a single thing he could do about it, he just got more and more frustrated until finally, lifting his head off his hand which fell back into his lap with the other, he leaned forward slightly. Kaigen looked up and met the man’s eyes.

“You should have just killed me when you knew there was no other choice. But no. You had to stop because why? You think you saw something in me? You think you saw something worth saving? Did you think I was going to thank you for sparing me? Do you think I can just go out and be normal? Do you think I can be happy with being a freak like you? Like the rest of the freaks in this city? You think I can control this, and maybe I can, but what difference would it make? You want to know what to do with me? You should throw me in a silver cell and never let me out because you know why? Because I’m a monster, I’ve always been a monster and I am going to continue being a monster, because I don’t know a single thing better to do with myself.”

Kaigen held his gaze for as long as The Wolf would let him before averting his eyes again, leaning back.

“You want to know what my name is? It is Kaigen Korrick. That probably won’t mean anything to you now, but you just wait until you find out all the shit I’ve done. You’ll wish you had killed me then…And by the way…thanks…for nothing.”