Breath Of Life // OPEN

[Guest]

Mara had decided to take a walk. It was rather cold today, though, so she wrapped up warm. She had just let her legs take her anywhere they wanted to go, not really paying attention. She found herself just wandering the streets of London, which wasn't a bad thing, she knew. Her hair bounced happily around her shoulders as she walked, every now and then falling across her face, and each time it got tossed back over her shoulder. When Mara checked her watch, she noted that it was 11:30 AM. Okay...not too early, not too late. She'd wander around for a bit longer, and then perhaps get some lunch. Unable to stop herself, though, she ended up buying a cupcake and then going back to her wandering.

Shortly after finishing her cupcake, though, she passed an alleyway and paused upon seeing a shadow of some sort there. She frowned and looked more closely into the alleyway. That didn't show much. The alleyway was very dim; she could just make out a shape that was in a sitting position. She didn't hesitate, and walked slowly into the alley, towards the thing. "Hello there...are you alright? Are you hurt?" Mara asked. "My name's Mara, and...I can help you. Do you...do you need a hospital...or...?" there was no answer, and it dawned on Mara that she couldn't hear any breathing except her own. Oh god...oh god, what if it's a dead body?

When Mara got closer, she knelt down in front of the body/thing, and shone her phone light on it. There was no need, though, since a light above her flickered on. She put her phone away and there, right in front of her, was a metal suit. It didn't seem to be alive; but it wasn't an average robot either. She tilted her head, wondering why it seemed familiar. "Hello...?" she tried, wondering if she'd get a response. There was silence at first, then the creature spoke, making it's 'mouth' light up blue. "D...D..." it's voice was broken and mechanical, and it seemed to be slowly recovering. "Come on, take your time." Mara encouraged.

"D...Del..." the robot moved ever so slightly. "You...will...be...del...eted." it said. After the words were out, it seemed to become easier for it to talk. "You will be deleted! suddenly the robot moved, it's arm lashing out and causing Mara to scramble backwards. She got up, backing away slowly, as a blue glow surrounded the robot and it got up. "What...what are you?!" Mara asked, and despite the fear running through her she was feeling the familiar thrill she'd felt oh so many years ago. An alien. "I am a Cyberman! And you will be deleted!" the Cyberman stretched out it's arm and started walking fast towards Mara. The alleyway exit was a long way back, and Mara began backing towards it quickly.

Outfit (couldn't resist making one)

[Ben Cross]

Fiddling with his phone, Ben was enjoying his day off. If it could be called that anyway, he thought as he continued to write a text message to his boss. The man didn't like him having days off, apparently because he was one of their best, but he'd been allowed it anyway. Sometimes he just needed to either chill or work on the TARDIS some more. One day he would get the blasted thing working and go home, but for now all he could do was keep trying.

Finally finishing the reply to the message his boss had sent, he smiled to himself as he then started a text to one of his friends. Apparently though, he was going to meet him a speedos cafe, as opposed to Speedy's, but where was that delete key? The phone was new, and a fairly new model for that matter, so it was taking some getting used to!

As he hit the right key, the sound of a mechanical 'delete' filled the air around him. Either these smart phone things were getting smarter or...his eyes widened as he shoved the thing back in his pocket and ran in the direction of the sound. This took him to an alley, where upon entering he became rooted to the spot and stared agape at something he had expected but hoped hadn't just appeared on the streets of London. A Cyberman!

Staying still for only a matter of seconds, he came back to his senses and pulled his sonic pen from his jacket pocket. Holding out and activating somehow managed to confuse the barely functioning Cyberman long enough for him to run forward and grab the girl it had been heading for by the wrist.

"Come on!", he implored her urgently as he attempted to drag her from the alley. What was this thing doing here anyway, and why attack someone rather than threaten to convert them? Probably lack of resources on the latter, but that didn't really explain the former.

[Guest]

Mara had stopped backing away by this point and she bit her lip nervously, bracing herself. However, someone came to her rescue as there was a sonic-like whirr and the metal thing looked confused. Then, she felt her rescuer grab her by the wrist and start pulling her away. After a few seconds, she came to her senses and ran towards the exit, although she faltered, looking back at the metal creature, which had come back to it's own senses and was now heading towards them, seemingly getting faster with every step.

"Right...what the hell is that thing and how do we stop it? Because this is obviously not good and I'm honestly really hoping you have a plan, because I sure don't." plus, he seemed to know more about this thing than she did. Cyberman, had it called itself? But what was a Cyberman exactly? Mara had no time to ponder on it, though, as the thing lunged for her and she jumped back, her eyes scanning around desperately for something she could use. Her eyes fell on a piece of nearby wood. It wouldn't help that much, but it was a start. She picked up the bit of wood and, stepping forward to make sure she didn't hit the man who was currently helping her escape, she began swinging it at the metal thing.

It only connected with the target once, but it was enough. The Cyberman stumbled back, confused, and Mara threw the wood at it, causing it to go back another couple of steps. It shot at the bit of wood, and it caused a rather big bang. Uh oh... Mara thought to herself. She ran towards her rescuer and grabbed him by the hand, dragging him completely from the alleyway. "What do we do now? I'm all out of ideas and that was just to distract it...but I may have made it even angrier." she said, biting her lip and removing her hand from his. Her eyes moved to the alleyway; and her eyes widened; the Cyberman was coming after them again...her heart was hammering in her chest and her eyes met with the other man's eyes.

[Ben Cross]

The young Time Lords head was spinning as the woman began to sprint away on her own. A cyberman, in London, what was a cyberman doing in London, he asked himself as he resisted the urge to look back. Why was it here, and were there more of them? Was this another invasion attempt on Earth, like the ones the Doctor had apparently stopped in the past? Did that mean he would be here? So many thoughts ran through his head as he ran that he hardly noticed that the woman had stopped. When he did, he whirled around as she asked if he had a plan. Not sure how to answer, he almost thankfully didn't get a chance as their metal foe caught up, lunging toward them both with a speed unbecoming of such a creature. Before he could react though, she had grabbed a wooden plank of some sort.

"I wouldn't-", he tried to warn her, but too late as she used it then collided with the cyberman. It worked better than he had expected at least, but as predicted the wood was quickly incinerated. Shielding his eyes from the flash as charred splinter of wood scattered around him, he squinted in order to see if the dark haired woman was alright. Her keen observation of the obvious seemed to confirm that in their favour.

"Oh you think?", he commented sarcastically as she then made a grab for him, dragging him away as he had attempted on her just a few moments ago.

"Hey!", he cried out in protest as the metallic boot steps could be heard closing in on them. At what point had their roles reversed, he wondered as he was then forced to duck a shot in their direction. By now his hearts were racing as he thought quickly.

"I might have something, but you've got to trust me. Turn left", he requested urgently as he remembered that his TARDIS wasn't too far from here. He then also remembered an old trick that supposedly scrambled the circuits of cybermen. Whether or not that still worked though...

"By the way, got any gold?" A random question, but failing all else it could just save their lives, as well as those of others who could come blundering along at any moment.

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