View source for 3145/Jack Slash

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2015/10/03
|Location=Brockton Bay
|Synopsis=Jack Slash has challenged Tomoyo Daidouji to a fight. 

The response is exactly what you'd expect.
|Thanks=
|Cast of Characters=19, 42, 73, 165, 172, 368, 391, 481, 554, 648, 707, 750, 807
|Tinyplot=
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|pretty=yes
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{{Poses
|Poses=:'''{{#var:554|Defiant (554)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;LOS ANGELES<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;HIGH NOON<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Somehow, despite the autumn breeze, the sun feels a touch more oppressive today. From afar, this particular version of Los Angeles doesn't seem too different to most. However, the city is in a state of emergency. Only an hour ago did the Slaughterhouse Nine appear, beginning a rampage across the city. It's not all of them, some have gone to other nearby towns to draw some defenders away, but the members of the Nine here are some of the stronger ones. Jack's elite guard, if such a thing is possible.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;There's no sign of the man himself though, not yet. Nor of his personal Siberian bodyguard, nor of the feared Gray Boy. Wherever Jack is, it's probably going to be known only to himself and Tomoyo. Throughout the city, however, capes and Elites clash with the Nine. It's a bloody, violent battle. The Nine that had been encountered a week ago were new to their powers, stretching their legs. These clones have had a week of high-intensity combat to learn the ins and outs of their abilities. For some of them, like the remaining Crawlers who have long since shed their humanity in an endless parade of adapting and regenerating, it has turned them from nuisances into super-heavies.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The situation isn't good and numerous crisis events are being reported:<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;CHEVALIER, head of the Protectorate, is engaged with a number of Slaughterhouse clones - apparently, it's all of the remaining Harbingers. He's holding his own - but not for long.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;A BUS is being menaced by a pair of CRAWLERS - they've just tipped the vehicle over and, if not quickly engaged, will set themselves amongst the passengers. An Azazel unit is holding them off, however, they appear to have just adapted its nanothorn disintegration weapons.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The remaining MANNEQUINS are assembling... something in the middle of an intersection.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The two remaining WINTER/CRIMSON pairs have been sighted around a residential street, apparently set on powering up the powers by feeding on whoever they can find.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;JACK SLASH has not been seen since the initial sighting. He's somewhere in the city, along with GRAY BOY and the SIBERIAN.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;SCION is closing in from the east - he can't be allowed to involve himself, his sheer power will only make the situation worse.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;It will be up to the various Elites responding to decide where to leverage their unique assets. But, with every minute that passes, the statistical chance of the end of the world is rising. And rising.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:481|Kirika (481)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;It's been a long, bloody week for Kirika since she got herself involved in this mess. Hunting down SLaughterhouse members is nasty work, but she's done her best to assist the PRT in clearing out assaults by these clones.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The Azazel unit will find themselves backed up by the kitsune, as she sprints towards the bus and sees those Crawlers.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Her blade leaves the sheath, and Kirika charges to battle, lunging towards one of the Crawlers and letting loose a torrent of slashing attacks, aiming to leave as many little pieces as possible in her wake, her blade roaring with flames as she puts herself between the Crawlers and the bus. "Get the civilians out of here, /now!/" She calls to the Azazel, before she focuses her attentions at the Crawlers.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:391|Reina Kinney (391)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The place has gone insane in the opinion of Reina Kinney. Unfortunately, there are no psychiatric specialists here, and even if they did, they wouldn't be much help here. Because those Mannequins are looking like they're gathering in order to cause trouble in a massive amount. And Reina just isn't going to allow that to happen on her watch!<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;With a snap of her fingers, her energy rifle appeared in her hands, and she began to engage them. Trying to keep her distance from the Mannequins as she opened fire, she silently hoped that there would be others to back her up, since even she, a member of GUARDIANS, couldn't handle all of these on her own.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Nevertheless, she's not showing any signs of backing down either. "You don't stand a chance against us!" Reina yells as she continues to fire upon the Mannequins. "Do your worst!"<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:707|Xiaomu (707)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>As before, Xiaomu is coming in fast on her lightcycle; the Winter/Crimson pairs in the residential area are the current focus of her attention, since as an agent of Shinra, 'protecting civilians' is a major priority for her. Even if the citizens in Brockton Bay are fully aware of parahumans already, that doesn't mean knowledge alone is enough to protect them.<br /><br />She spots her targets, twists the throttle, and pours on the speed ... actually trying not just to run them down, but to *separate* them by driving her lightcycle in between them and leave a trail-wall behind the lightcycle. To that end, she STARTS the wall several blocks away, wavering back and forth across the street a bit as she lines up for the hit ...<br /><br />Which one she focuses on first is going to depend heavily on whether they have weaknesses that she's already equipped to capitalize on. She's got her usual loadout of personal weapons and ammo, plus a supply of grenades she's been keeping handy for the big fight tonight.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:648|Tomoyo Daidouji (648)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Above the streets, Tomoyo is flying on a magic blanket ride. Normally, she might be a little more excited about the whole flying business, but this is no time for it. She peers down at the streets below with a pair of binoculars, looking for Jack.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;She's already nauseous from fear and anxiety, and seeing the horrors perpetrated by the Nine is not helping that at all. She so badly wants to descend, to do something to help... but she would only be in the way right now. Capes are already fighting and proper Elites are moving in to assist.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Right now, she can only do what she was called here to do.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;One more time, just to think on something else, she goes over her gear. She's wearing her aikidogi, made from spider silk. At the very least, it might slow down a stab thrown at her. Although, she's wearing some sturdy boots with thick soles with it, and her hands are clad in black gloves with enhanced grip.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Tucked into her belt on her right is her magical hand mirror, within hand's reach. Tucked in the left is the nanothorn blade on loan from Defiant. On the back is her rain-making gourd. Around her ankle is the one-time healing anklet. Around her neck is the Garment Grid, already attuned to the one sphere she has. Wrapped around her right wrist, hidden by her sleeve is one of Sakura's Hidden Blades, on loan from the girl. Also on loan is The Fight, the card spirit enhancing Tomoyo's meagre combat training.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"I can do it..." she whispers to herself, her words ringing hollow before they even pass her lips. She continues the search.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:73|Frederica (73)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;While her literal Fire power was quite handy in the pitched battle against the Slaughterhouse Over-nine-thousand, Frederica decided that this day she would approach matters somewhat differently. The enemy is spread out, meaning speed and maneuverability may well count for much more than artillery-style firepower. Besides with so many capes about, indiscriminate use of fire may be more dangerous to friends than to foes.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Thanks to that decision, she's here in her VRMMO avatar form. A Cait Sith might even fit in among local capes... well okay, perhaps not. But at least she's not likely to be mistaken for one of the Nine. With her cat-ears, tail and butterfly-style wings, she's still pretty likely to stand out.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Given the limitations of her melee-only form, Frika does NOT want to engage Crawlers. She could possibly 'speak' with Scion, but others have offered to do that. Crimson and Winter are soft enough targets, though difficult to fight due to their ranged power. Finally, she'd be all but useless against Harbingers without any AOE to speak of. No, her best bet is to seek out the Mannequins.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Swooping in out of the air, Frika leads with her spear in her favourite move - the face-first high-speed charge. Mannequin might be armored, but getting hit by a hundred pounds of fairy moving at extremely high speed behind a spearpoint is bound to do a lot of damage even to armor. She's coming to support Reina and Chevalier.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:172|Sakura Kinomoto (172)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Tomoyo isn't alone, although almost no one would be able to tell. Especially not Tomoyo herself. Veiled in the sense-deceiving magic of both the Illusion and the Silent cards, Sakura keeps a constant, silent vigil over her friend. Flying alongside, borne aloft on wings that don't even seem to disturb the air as they beat through them. She's dressed in full combat gear - light leather armour over which she wears a white cloak that, when drawn close, completely conceals her body. The hood of her cloak, when pulled down as it is now, throws her eyes into shadows and makes her face almost unrecognisable.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Clutched in her right hand is her wand, while strapped to her left wrist is her remaining Hidden Blade. In a bandolier she has three spare blades for her Hidden Blade, just in case the one she's using breaks. Thrust through her belt is a scabbard, although there's no SWORD in it for whatever reason.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Her face is set into a steely gaze. No one's hurting Tomoyo on her watch.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:368|Tesla Armadia (368)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;It's been a busy week, to say the least. GEAR has been on the constant move, sparing no resource in the efforts to hunt down and dispose of whatever Slaughterhouse Clones could be found. Fortunately Jack Slash was not the only one with a cloned army at his disposal and even now tactical units of cyborg commandos and assult drones were dispatching to the other towns to assist the Capes in conflict there.<br /><br />But where was their leader, that was the real question.<br /><br />A question that is Chevalier is the first to get the answer to when the ground just behind him breaks open, and none other than Tesla Armadia herself rises out of it just in time to block one of the Harbinger's attempts at jumping the PRT's new commanding officer from behind with her arm shields.<br /><br />"I just wanted you to know," Tesla comments over her shoulder to Chevalier, almost casually, even as sparks fly from the shield with the attack hitting it, "that nothing your predacessor had done is being held against you." She does have to pause for a moment as she pushes with the shield to shove the parahuman clone away again.<br /><br />"I may be evil but that doesn't mean I'm not fair. Don't squander the oppritunity to not make the same errors."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:42|Staren (42)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Staren has been here on and off. His ability to scout and maintain proper situational awareness is limited by the fact that a Shatterbird can destroy his drones at any moment. Still, he has advanced sensors in his body, too. He's preferred to engage the Nine from afar using overwhelming firepower, whether it's sniping with a laser or bombarding a small area with missiles. He's left several times to repair and resupply or even just take a break.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;This last time, he's brought a couple of large, stone humanoids with him. Golems. With missile launchers strapped to them. They head out into the city, ready to fire on any Nine they see, though a picture will be sent to Staren first to make sure there are no civilians nearby to get caught in the blast. He'll direct them to close in on a specific target once it's clear where all his allies are...<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;As for Staren? He's going to put Harbinger's ability to the test. After running up the stairs to the roof of a building, he settles in by the edge of the roof, and runs a wire from the bottom of the battery pack to plug into a port under a panel on his arm. Infinite ammo. He sights in on where Chevalier is fighting, switches to three-pulse burst mode, waiting for a clear shot on a Harbinger... as soon as he can catch one not moving for a second, or at least moving in a straight line, he pulls the trigger...<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:807|Alice Margatroid (807)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Thanks to a bit of help from the Syndicate networks: Hourai, Shanghai and Alice are in flight towards Tomoyo's transmission. "What is she even doing?!" Alice mutters low between her two dolls, Hourai and Shanghai shaking their heads a bit, "You didn't give her any of the remote dolls, did you?" a shake of Alice's head comes and all three sigh. "Let's see if we can't find her. HOpefully it's not too late."<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Flying close to the top of the buildings, Alice scans the horizon, looking for anything familiar at all. City life, however, isn't something she's normally used to. "Alice.." Shanghai perks up just slightly, pointing in a direction, "That figure looks familiar, don't you think?" As the three duck behind the buildings, an extra doll pops into view, her laser doll. She floats herself over the lip of the rooftop, eyeing the armored cat-person. Hourai floats over, giving a bit of an 'ahem', "Staren?"<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:19|Maya (19)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Maya had made ready for what she was going to face here as best she could she's also thought to bring somethign that's not too commonly seen in the multiverse with her. That would be? Runner the hulking mechanized creation of her adoptive brother, Grubb. She's now set and ready a she can be however but there's a heck of a lot of people to deal woth. A quick call over her comm gets that sorted out as she and Runner make with all due haste for the residental street where Winter and Crimson are.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:750|Rebound (750)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Los Angeles is a city that Rebound was intimately familiar with, at least back in her own home world. This was not the same one though. This was a different Los Angeles. And one that was in desperate need of her help.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;As she bounded from rooftop to rooftop she was scanning around to find somewhere she could help. When she spotted the overturned bus, she knew where she could stop and be a real help. She adjusted the angle of her next jump and powered off of the roof she was on, falling down and landing right on top of the side of the bus. A perfect position to kick one of those mutant monsters right in the face with a big kangaroo foot, "Back off, ugly! This ain't a game!"<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:554|Defiant (554)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; At the bus, Kirika and Rebound go on the offensive. Responding to Kirika's order, the giant Azazel dragoncraft extracts itself from combat and rights the bus, crouching to the ground and opening up hatches. The civilians, crying and injured, begin to hurry into the flying tank. <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The Crawlers, well in the midst of becoming monsters rather than the gangly human Ned that they had once been, immediately retaliate. As Kirika cuts them, their skin hardens. As Rebound hammers them with powerful strikes, they become /heavier/, thicker. They retaliate with claws and teeth, fangs and acid. And, going by the grey blue around their claws, those are Defiant's nanothorn weapons! <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; One of the Crawlers retorts something to Rebound, but his mouth is a distended mass of teeth and claws and acid and so it isn't comprehensible.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:554|Defiant (554)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Chevalier isn't doing so well. The Harbingers, with the gangly builds of teenagers, all with matching snarling masks, with hoods and flowing robes, evade his strikes like water. They bend around his huge cannonblade, even just stepping past the massive shells he fires. <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; And then Staren pops one with a three-shot burst. Whatever their power is, it isn't absolute precognition. One Harbinger falls, smoking holes torn through him. <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; As Tesla chats to Chevalier, the Harbinger she's shoved with her sheild /grabs/ the top of it and flips over the top of it effortlessly. In his hand, he holds a wicked, if improvised, blade - levelling it right for some chink in Tesla's armor! <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; As Frederica arrives, spear-lowered ready to take out a Harbinger, this one reacts. Much like with Chevalier, he simply steps /around/ the spear, putting himself where it isn't. This one throws a dagger at Frederica, aiming for her face! <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Chevalier readies his massive blade, swings at a Harbinger. The Harbinger steps in close, produces a knife from his sleeve, and slips it between the gap in Chevalier's knight's visor. Chevalier falls back, one hand flying to his face!<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:554|Defiant (554)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; It's cold. It's the first thing Xiaomu might note. It's not a normal kind of cold, but more of an existential freeze. What's the point in continuing? Doesn't that cold just seep right into your bones, into your essence? Frost begins to creep along the edges of surfaces near her and Xiaomu might be able to catch a glimpse of one of the Winters, her white hair in a huge mohawk, as she levels a sniper rifle towards her. <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; And, in front of her, a Crimson is busy setting his teeth into the throat of a civilian, ensnared by Winter's power. Before Xiaomu's very eyes, the Crimson begins to /swell/, his muscles engorging, his veins popping out against his skin. He begins turning quite, quite red. Hence the name. <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The other Winter sets a similar power on Maya. It's so cold. Wouldn't it be better to just lie down in the midday sun - surely that'd make you warm up, right? The chill cuts right to the bone.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:42|Staren (42)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Staren smiles. One Harbinger down. And then a doll is there. "Huh?" he sees her, then glances back, looking for Alice. "Get down, I'm trying to stay hidden. Yes, it's me. Hang on." He turns to look at the fight below again. Damn, Chevalier got stabbed? Staren aims at that Harbinger and fires. Hopefully, this will keep working.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:707|Xiaomu (707)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Xiaomu uses ice magic herself with some regularity, but the supernatural chill from the Winter is more reminiscent of a hostile yuki-onna than the clean water-elemental power of Suiren (or the simple ice elemental effect in her newest handgun). Still, the thought of curling up with a mug of cocoa and a nice fuzzy quilt is going to have to wait -<br /><br />Because the first thing she does after bringing her lightcycle to a halt is to twist around on its saddle, draw her regular handguns, and open up on the Crimson with a series of bullets aimed at his head. Aiming above the victim shouldn't be that hard, given the angle; she'll lob a grenade at the Winter momentarily.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:554|Defiant (554)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; At the intersection where the Mannequins are assembling some kind of device, Reina calls them out. Three of them turn in unison, and raise their fingers - they waggle them at her in unison. And then they turn, advancing in perfect step, deploying chains and knives and blades. Her energy rifle bites deep into their armored casings, the bifurcated organs of each Mannequin able to be glimpsed through the armor. <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; They break into a run, charging her! One falls as Reina manages to shoot him in the head, but the body just ends up scuttling across the ground like a mad spider! <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; On the other side of the street, something hits the ground in an explosion of sparks. Defiant, in full green and gold regalia, comes charging out of his aerial charge, spear ready. It seems that someone is set for one hell of a grudge match. There are three remaining Mannequins that aren't engaging Reina and Defiant dives into them, spear whirling. He cuts one down, hacks down a second with a gladius that's slipped into his hand as he turns on the second, and finds the third. Even at the other side of the intersection, Reina can hear Defiant roar, "And Mannequin - you /die/!"<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:807|Alice Margatroid (807)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Alice gives a brief nod and floats barely over the lip of the rooftop and floats barely off the roof's floor towards Staren as Hourai confirms it, who also hits the floor. "Alright, I don't know everything going on here, but someone I know is in danger here..." Hourai and Shanghai give a nod as Alice slips in a small earpeice with a microphone, tuned into two different things. Eight dolls suddenly appear beside her and with a nod they wait.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"These dolls should be able to help, just point them to the location and let the lasers do their work." The dolls file down behind the building where Alice was and duck around the corner, waiting for a command as Alice closes her eyes, her dolls now her vision as they wait for the order.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:481|Kirika (481)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Ice and fire, two very conflicting things. Kirika knows enough that Crawler isn't going to go down easily. Her sword strikes only grow harder, but it becomes clear she's not going anywhere with this, thus she evades the Crawlers' strikes before she reaches out with her hand. Her hands glow burning hot with holy flames, and she focuses her might before she fires off.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;A torrent of flame will blast at one of the Crawlers, enveloping it and perhaps the others. "REBOUND, GO!" She calls to her ally, "I don't know how much longer I can keep this up!"<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;She really has no idea, but hopefully Rebound's quick on her feet.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:391|Reina Kinney (391)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Her shots ring true, but they don't seem to be doing much good against her enemy. "Dammit, what is up with these things?" She asks herself, pausing briefly to let her rifle recharge. And then she sees how one of the Mannequins, specifically the one she decapitated, is crawling at her faster than ever. Even if it doesn't have a head, it can still do some massive injury to Reina. And then there are the other two coming at her.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Oh Falz no!" Reina swears loudly, finding herself in a bit of a situation as she's grabbed at the ankle of her boot by the decapitated Mannequin. Meanwhile, the other two are getting too close for comfort. "Dammit, get OFF me! Now!" She twists from side to side, trying to get the grappling Mannequins off of her, while she brings her rifle up and attempts to shoot at the torso of the headless mannequin trying to take her down.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:368|Tesla Armadia (368)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;As the Harbinger pulls his defiant acrobatic maneuver over the shield, his dagger doesn't have much trouble finding its mark and cutting into a seam between the shoulder pauldron and body armor of Tesla's suit, the most likely and logical place to find such a small opening, after all.<br /><br />What he may not of calculated on was finding additional resistance underneath as the blade digs into the portion of armadillo shell that covers her shoulders and neck.<br /><br />A lot of people presume she's just a villain in an armadillo themed suit of armor after all, not an actual armadillo mutant. That would be redundant after all.<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Also unfortunately for the Harbinger, flipping over the shield and going for Tesla's shoulder puts him right in the line of fire of the energy cannons on the armor's backside.<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Which is almost immeadiately followed by Tesla grabbing for the Harbinger should he try to avoid the cannons, and slam him into the ground. This was a mastermind known for her planning and preparation steps ahead of the game after all. Would Harbinger's prediction or calculation or whatever power it is be able to keep up?<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:554|Defiant (554)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Above it all, Tomoyo watches it for Jack. She gets a good view of the various crises - the menaced bus, Chevalier falling, blinded. The Mannequins' advance, Defiant's charge. The cat and mouse with Crimson and Winter. And Scion, the golden man, floating above it all. <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; She catches sight of Jack deep within one of the Bohu effected city blocks. All features of the buildings erased beyond cuts, endless cuts. Thousand times a thousand cuts. <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Down there, Jack Slash waits, one knee up on something that might have once been a bench. His shirt is unbuttoned, showing a body without a trace of fat. His beard had been meticulously trimmed a day ago and so, now, the leader of the Nine has a bit of scruff. Strands of dark hair fall across his eyes and even in the air, Tomoyo gets the feeling that he /knows/ where she is. <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; He's not holding a knife, however. In one hand, he balances a wicked claymore made of some odd white material. Mannequin-made, probably. Other than that, he appears to be alone. <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; This is it.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:73|Frederica (73)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Frika really isn't very good as a melee fighter, not compared to the elites currently on the field. Her primary tactic is the charge, her primary defense is moving at Sonic speed. Mannequin's awareness letting him sidestep her charge really screws up any chance she has at being effective. And when he throws a dagger into her face, well... she has little defense for that either.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Fortunately she's not human. Not in this form at least. The dagger ends up doing pretty massive damage, but that's only health points. That, and a large red bitmap wound, are the only signs she's actually been hurt. She reels back in surprise and momentary pain, then beats her wings, darting skyward. She'll leave the Mannequins to those better able to handle the threat, and she'll try to intercept Scion and somehow convince him to leave.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;As she flies towards Scion, Frika downs a health potion, making the red injury-mark fade. She's not at full health, but neither is she almost at the point of VR death. She sadly doesn't have the time to completely heal herself, either by spell or by potion. Fortunately, or unfortunately, her health level's unlikely to matter. If Scion should get upset at her, she wouldn't stand a chance of tanking his attack even at full health.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:750|Rebound (750)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Each kick and punch is making her opponents harder to deal with. She has an idea, but she'll have to abandon Kirika. She saw something as she was hopping in. It's just crazy enough to work.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;She gives one last kick and uses the hardness of her opponent to propel herself off of them, sailing off into the air as she takes off. She's gone, sailing off into the distance, clearly running from the fight.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:19|Maya (19)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Maya has gone to get the attention of these two elemental powers she klnows about cold, and she's already throwing up an ele,ental barrier but sh was a bit on the slow part she's been more than a bit nipped by the cold yet she's dressed pretty well to start with. She's also got a few lovely little ranged attacks that might make Winter very unhappy, however gfot now she's also casting the elemental ward on Xiaomu as well to aid her.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:648|Tomoyo Daidouji (648)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Tomoyo finally spots jack, and is so startled that the blanket starts to fall before she wills it to hover. Peering down at him through the binoculars, a pit of dread opens up in her stomach. Already, it's going wrong. He's supposed to use knives, why does he have a sword? Aikido has techniques for disarming swords, but she's less practiced at those...<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;There's no time to worry about it now. Hopefully, The Fight will make up the difference. First, she speaks over the radio, "I've found Jack." Then, she wills the carpet to descend, her panic making it a bit of a wobbly trip, but she dismounts safely, willing it to roll up. Her eyes are downcast at first, too scared to meet the murderer's gaze, but she manages it.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Somehow, she's found a way to go even more pale than usual, her pupils dilated like those of a cornered animal. She offers no words, but simply draws the mirror from her cloth belt, and pops the cork of the gourd behind her. She slips into a combat stance as a column of cloud rises up behind her.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:554|Defiant (554)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Kirika sets the Crawler alight. His skin turns to some kind of metal scales and metal doesn't burn. The Crawler makes a show of weathering the flames as his body adjusts and a half a dozen mouths say in unison, "I'll outlive anything you can do to me. You can't keep this up longer than I can, little girl!"<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;He's not acting though, just showing off. So, that's good.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Of course, the second Crawler chases after Rebound, galloping on four limbs like some kind of nightmarish animal. "Do you think you can hide from me, kangaroo!? I can SMELL you! I can TASTE your FEAR!"<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:554|Defiant (554)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Staren's laser drops another one and, this time, the Harbingers seem to know where the shots are coming from. It's got to be some kind of thinker power, maybe? two of them break off from the melee, heading for Staren's location. They don't seem to care it's the roof because /somehow/ the pair begin vaulting and climbing up the side of the building. Without climbing gear. Hell, without proper handholds!<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Tesla's Harbinger is already moving out of the line of fire of those cannons, leaving the blade where it was snared in her armor, which puts him in prime position to be grabbed and slammed into the ground. Somehow, the figure manages to position himself in just such a way that the blow doesn't debiliatate him. However, he's still quite caught! <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Chevalier's gauntlet comes back bloody. He's blind.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:554|Defiant (554)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Mannequin's grip is /strong/, like a vice. The other two still move at a slow inevitable pace while the decapitated one grips and pulls, trying to yank Reina to the ground. She manages to blast a hole through the headless Mannequin, managing to strike whatever bit of gruesome tech is keeping it active, and the Mannequin stops. <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; But there's still two left, advancing with measured steps, dragging chains and blades along the ground, and Defiant is busy slashing the Mannequin's grand work into pieces with his spear! "Kinney!" Defiant calls, "Hold on!"<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:172|Sakura Kinomoto (172)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Sakura follows Tomoyo, keeping the cloak of her sense-defying magic around her form as she drops. She lands on the ground directly next to Tomoyo, glancing at Jack to make sure that he hasn't noticed she's standing there. You never know, with Elites...<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;A card is produced from her pocket. An observer would see her mouth the word "Libra", if someone could even see her - the Silent muffles the sound. A jeweled, gold set of scales appears before Sakura, shrouded in the same illusion as the rest of her. On one scale sits a sun, while on the other a moon. She glowers at Jack, -daring- him to speak. ... Not that he can see her. Probably.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:391|Reina Kinney (391)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"One down, two to--" Reina's comment is cut off as she realizes that the two Mannequins are getting closer, and her rifle is out of charge. Looking around quickly, she backs away, trying to give herself as much space as possible while her rifle recharges. "I should've used melee instead," Reina comments to herself as she fires at one of the Mannequins.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;When Defiant calls out to Reina, she smiles and gives a thumbs up. "I'll try to hold my line for now." Still it's not looking good.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:554|Defiant (554)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Before Tomoyo, Jack regard her evenly. He stares. <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; "Tomoyo," he says at last. <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; "All on your lonesome." He lets the claymore just kind of waver, and the blade tears great gouges in the asphalt as he casually swings it to the ground. "Alone." <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; "And quiet, too." He smiles, slowly. "And I was thinking that, after all this time, we could have some witty banter. You could scream your fury at me, or maybe your despair, curse me for everything I've done. Then do your best to tear me apart." <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Another pause. "Or maybe you'll show me mercy? Walk away from the fight, show me you're the better person? I've been waiting for someone to pull that ever since I saw it in a movie. But this isn't a movie - it's very, very real." <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; He spreads his arms, the shirt opening as if to show his vulnerability, the sword pointed to one side. "Do your worst, Tomoyo. Because if you don't, /I will./"<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:554|Defiant (554)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Above it all, <span style="color:xterm11">Scion</span> is looking from point to point, turning his head this way and that. He still feels so sad, the very force of the single emotion almost overpowering in its intensity. He doesn't appear to have noticed Frederica.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:807|Alice Margatroid (807)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;With a bit of direction, and worry for Tomoyo, Alice gives a bit of a nod and leaves her remote dolls with Staren before taking off around the corner, the remote dolls moving to guard him. "Don't worry if you use them as bombs, I can make more." and she leaves it at that. With this, she ducks between buildings to keep a low profile. Hourai and Shanghai encircle the dollmaker to make sure nothing happens there.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Another voice enters the radio and she gives a nod, making her way to find this Winter and Crimson pair that she was requested to go help with, ducking between buildings and sending Hourai and Shanghai to the rooftops. "I should have asked what they looked like." she turns a corner to meet up with the fox-tailed hair woman, Hourai and Shanghai returning to the dollmaker's side, "Need help dispatching some youkai?"<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:750|Rebound (750)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;This thing is being very persistant. Rebound is going to have to be quick about what she has planned. <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;She has gotten the Impact Drivers charged, and she turns around in mid-jump to unleash the blast of energy down at the creature. She is hoping to knock it out long enough to get where she's trying to go. It was stopped at a police roadblock. She lands on the hood of the tanker truck and pulls the driver out, "No time to explain probably won't bring it back bye!" She yells at him, as she stomps on the gas pedal and races back towards where Kirika and the other Crawler are.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:648|Tomoyo Daidouji (648)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Tomoyo swallows hard, the hand clutching the mirror trembling as Jack so easily slashes deep gouges into the earth. Her clothes woven with spider silk suddenly feel very silly, there's no way they can stop that. He's trying to get a rise out of her, but her words stick in her throat... until he mentions movies.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"This isn't a movie. It's real, and I've come to..." To what? Kill him? Arrest him? Even now, she's not sure. "To stop you." A long pregnant pause follows his challenge, as the clouds from the gourd settle a few feet above Tomoyo's head, finally letting out some gentle rain.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;And with that, she moves.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;She charges, watching that massive sword carefully, ready to move or duck an extended swing. As she gets close, The Fight spurs her to do something she never did in training. He drops, sliding forward on in her side to try and entangle her legs with Jack.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;And then, she lifts herself up, trying to make him trip backwards!<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:368|Tesla Armadia (368)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;He's down, and while it may not of been Staren's intention the other two running off to deal with him keeps them from assiting their fellow clone from the position Tesla has him in. The moments are few but should be all the opening she needs.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Not that she does anything like put her foot on his back and shoot the Habringer in the back of the head. Too obvious, too predictable. Too easy for someone to predict or calculate on and avoid.<br />Shoot his heart through the back... almost just as predictable. Nope, that isn't it eather.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;It may come to a bit of confusion to the clone when Tesla grabs his back and picks him up, only to seemingly push him away again. Instead she turns towards Chevalier. Pff. Hero or villain doesn't matter right now, they need every capable fighter they can. Which would be why she pulls off the visor piece of her helmet and goes to put it over Chevalier's, using her technopathy to modify it's connections to sync directly with one's nervous system. "Here, the tactical sensors will make up for the loss of sight. Unfortunately I'm not much of a -medical- doctor."<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;But while she's getting Chevalier back in the fight it's a prime opening for the Harbinger. Or so it would seem. Because it's after those few passing moments that the device she stuck in that one annoying spot on your back you can't reach yourself when she picked him up activates, releasing an escalating series of hyperkinetic waves to violently shake apart the sucker it's stuck to.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:481|Kirika (481)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Kirika, in the face of this armored giant, just smiles despite herself. "Tell me, Crawler," the vixen says, brandishing her katana confidently when she hears the sound of a track coming in hot.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Are your scales resistant to oni steel? You better pray they are." She says, before she suddenly throws a handful of ice in the Crawler's face, then immediately moves to lop that monster's head off when she has an opening, her blade blazing hot as she puts all her strength in that slice.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Before she can finish Crawler off, she notes the truck's impending arrival, before she teleports in a shower of light and petals, reforming a few yards away and running like hell for cover.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:73|Frederica (73)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Frika is a rather small presence, not much worth noticing for someone like Scion. She's not herself after all, not a living vibrant human. She's a virtual projection only, but some part of Frederica herself is present as well. Arguably the most important part... her will.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;She feels the sadness radiating from Scion. Whatever else Frika is, she's still a skilled psychicer. Instinctually she walls herself from the radiating sadness, isolating her mind and will. If she can't communicate verbally she might have to risk opening her mind to this near-divine being, but there's no need to take that risk just yet.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Instead she flies up right in front of Scion. "Hello? Anyone there?" she asks. "Helloooo? Scion... Zion... you have to leave here for now. Please. This is a threat humans need to face. If you let us try, we'll finish it here."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:42|Staren (42)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Staren doesn't see what's up with Chevalier and Tesla, because he now has problems of his own. He fires a shot down at one of the approaching Harbingers, then decides getting out of dodge is a better plan. He drops a couple of plasma grenades where he was and runs for the other side. 'Stay here, and explode when they come up.' he tells the dolls, unsure if they'll follow commands or not. Either way, he manifests his wings and flies to the next building, looking back, watching for the Harbingers so he can detonate the grenades just as they come over the roof, if the dolls don't go off...<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:554|Defiant (554)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Kirika's Crawler just... tanks the ice. He laughs, the sound grating like stone on stone. "I remember this trick," he says, "You used it on me on Boston! It won't work again!" He opens his maw and a serrated tongue lashes out, hissing as the acid bites through ice - only for his head to come off at the neck, and for Rebound's truck to only be seconds away. The second Crawler is hot on her heels, however! <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The former driver of the truck wisely decides to get out of dodge.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:554|Defiant (554)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;'If you let us try, we'll finish it here.' <span style="color:xterm11">Scion</span> watches the woman - peculiar, she doesn't have a shard yet she has some measure of powers - and accepts that as a given. He decides to remain where he is. <span style="color:xterm11">Scion</span> remains patient. Patient then, patient now. He stares down towards the city, intrigued.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:554|Defiant (554)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;One of the Mannequins advancing on Reina suddenly gets a two-pronged spear put through it from behind. The nanothorn field disintegrates as Defiant twists the polearm to one side. "Two down," he clarifies. And then the third, as Reina puts the final Mannequin down. That's one crisis solved.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Until Defiant growls out, "Siberian!"<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;A Siberian walks down the street, slow and measured. Defiant readies his spear, preparing for her advance. "Find the Manton," he tells Reina, "I'll hold off the Siberian for as long as I can."<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;They trade blows. Defiant's spear /slides/ off her, and the first blow from the Siberian - as lazy as it is - rips his helmet from his head and sends him flying.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:554|Defiant (554)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"My thanks," Chevalier states, pulling himself back to a standing position. The Harbinger with Tesla's device shakes apart into a gorey mess, very little of him left - well, that's identifiable at any rate. The Harbingers on the ground, the four or so that remain, have seemed to decide that they can't win - and they fall back as one group. Pursuit? <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; On the roof, though, the pair advance through Staren's fire. They leap onto the roof proper, ready for anything - and promptly vanish in a fireball of dolls and explosives. Boom! <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; "Come," Chevalier says, reloading his cannonblade with unsteady hands, "There are more of the Nine to stop. Dragon, I need an update. Ninety-seven percent chance of cataclysmic event? Understood." Chevalier turns to Tesla, "We need to stop Jack now. The number is rising with every minute. I have his location." <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Of course, Dragon said that they need to minimise contact with Jack, especially from parahumans!<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:391|Reina Kinney (391)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;As soon as Defiant arrives to provide her with support, Reina finally breathes a sigh of relief. She pauses a moment to recharge her rifle fully, then looks to Defiant and nods. "All right, I'll find the Manton!" She takes out her binoculars and scans the area briefly before realizing that it might not work. She relies upon the information given to her by Defiant, and attempts to locate the target.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Balding guy," Reina repeats to herself, scanning again with her binoculars. This time she tries to check inside cars and alleyways, among other things, to try to find the Manton. From the sound of things, Manton doesn't want to be found...<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:73|Frederica (73)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Frika growls as she seems to get no response from the Golden Man. Given her catgirl appearance, the growl might even seem appropriate. Her hackles might well be raising too, but it's hard to tell since she doesn't actually HAVE hackles.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;It doesn't help that she's pretty terrified. Scion can't HURT her, not really. Her body's not here after all. But she wouldn't be able to wander out of Alfheim Online if she weren't as protective of this body as of her own, and besides he can probably affect her mind. That's even more dangerous to her than a purely physical power.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Since he's not responding, she'll have to try something else. Something that terrifies her... but she HAS to succeed. With a shudder, she lowers her psychic defenses, willing Scion to understand. She's got no real ability to project thoughts or emotions, but then she probably doesn't need to. Likely Scion knows exactly what she's thinking and feeling right now, and she has as much chance of changing his mind against his will than a fly has in a hurricane.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"I SAID," Frika bristles, getting in Scion's face, "We don't want you here right now. Leave! You're blocking our ability to deal with the problem!" she shouts, as terror rolls off her in waves. Surely not as much terror as to overwhelm his inhuman sadness, but perhaps enough for him to sense it through his own misery.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:554|Defiant (554)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Xiaomu opens up with her handguns - blam, blam, blam! - and her Crimson staggers back. He laughs, the sound off due to the bullethole functioning as a second mouth, and glances at Xiaomu with his one remaining eye. He reaches to the left and yanks a stop sign out of the concrete. With his weapon in hand, Crimson /charges/ Xiaomu, roaring incoherently! <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The first Winter ducks back from the thrown grenade, the energy-sapping chill letting off for a moment. The ice ward seems to help somewhat though, because the second Winter is still out there. As is the second Crimson, who charges Maya from behind - and he is far bigger and far redder than the one Xiaomu is facing. How many people did he drain dry? <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Hourai and Shanghai get a good look at the Winters, operating on the rooftops, each of them toting a big rifle. One of them leans over and scopes in, intent on shooting Xiaomu in the back!<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:554|Defiant (554)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; "Oh, you've come to /stop/ me!" Jack says, a wide smile splitting his face. "So /tough/! So /brave/!" <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Tomoyo charges him, goes to entangle him, and Jack does trip. He stumbles and then hops, like he intended it all along, and takes up his blade in both hands. <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; He whirls the massive weapon, parting concrete and asphalt and metal and wood where the blade, extended to some infinite length, intersects it. Gripping it in both hands, Jack swings in Tomoyo's direction! <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; He laughs. "Clever girl."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:807|Alice Margatroid (807)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The eight dolls give Staren a curious look then a look at the plasma grenades. They all proceed to nod and fan out into a half circle, waiting for what is to come. They don't speak but they know what's going on and what to do and, since Alice placed them into Staren's care, they will follow that order only to explode when the things meet up with them. Meanwhile, Alice preps herself, looking at the pair before her.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"I don't know what you are... I don't know what you're doing but you're in the way." The laser doll in front of her. Shanghai and Hourai quickly move in front of Xiaomu, Hourai's shield raised and Shanghai's sword pointed forth, a laser blasting out from it towards the charging Crimson. Alice, herself, looks up towards the roof and points her doll up. A thin laser firing off from the doll towards the Winter there, "Shanghai, Hourai. Ready spellcards. Do not let them get past this point."<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Alice turns to look towards Xiaomu, "I'm on your side, if you're wondering..."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:368|Tesla Armadia (368)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The Harbingers are dangerous, but not compared to the possible cataclysm that could come from worse events. If they're withdrawing she can dispatch units to track them down and finish it later. Probably a horde of Gremlynx. Those things are made to be the embodiment of eccentric, should make them harder to predict.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;A mental pin in a note to pursue later, and Tesla turns back to Chevalier as she slips her glasses out of a compartment and puts them on. They have a HUD system built into them as well, just not some of the more systems the visor does. She'll make due.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Then our best course of action would be to locate his bodyguards. Particularly the Grey Boy, as he seems to be his usual means of escape." Even as she answers she's mechamorphing a substitute scanner device into one of her bracers and programming it to sweep for some kind of chronotonic emissions that she's usually seen involved in temporal manipulators.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:554|Defiant (554)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"I SAID-!" <span style="color:xterm11">Scion</span> stares. The female keeps talking as the memories stir.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"You don't- you don't deserve this! This power! Damn you, fucking perfect golden man! Fuck you! Just bleed- just fucking feel this! They keep saying you're fucking sad!? What do you have to be sad about?! No! You get to be untouchable! You don't deserve to be miserable and useless. Fucking burden on society. Fuck you - go do something! If you're going to be miserable without a damn excuse, go to Africa and help those damn kids who were orphaned in wars! Do some goddamn good and maybe you'll stop being so fucking miserable."<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;While he pays no mind to the feeling of terror, although it's an interesting power, familiar, he attempts to avoid overwhelming her in turn. The other one had been too fragile, too. So, instead, he turns to follow each and every confrontation in the city. Interesting.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Suddenly, a grey bubble of distorted time encapsulates <span style="color:xterm11">Scion</span>. He reaches out to touch the barrier and, over and over again, his hand repeats the motion. Gray Boy. A trap.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:750|Rebound (750)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;As Rebound nears where the first Crawler is, she hops out of the truck after cranking the wheel over. The truck starts to tip, and as it does, she hops off onto the tanker itself, looking at the Crawler behind her, "Hey asshole, catch!" She yells, as she slams a gauntlet into the tanker and triggers the Impact Driver, piercing the tanker. The truck finishes tipping, and it's revealed the truck is full of liquid nitrogen. Rebound leaps away from the now spewing sub-zero substance, trying to get clear.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;She's hopeful that Kirika got out of the way as well, because once this stuff spreads out, it's going to freeze everything it comes into contact with.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:19|Maya (19)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Maya has not made a direft attack just yet, she doesn't want to think about how many people have died to these Crimsons but she knows it's going to stop here. She hears something moving and runner bolts into action the 9 feet of mechanized mayhem will attempt to slam into the one coming at Maya from behind and clamp down with it's jaws that can rip through armor plate. Maya's alos on the ball turning about and opening fire not with bullets, but with a canister of napalm.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:648|Tomoyo Daidouji (648)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;A rush of relief surges through Tomoyo as she makes Jack stumble. It's working! Well, sort of, he manages to find his footing. But she had him, for a moment. All she has to do is press on, and she could actually win this.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;She thought, up until the point where his swing starts making the whole place come down.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;She freezes for a moment, but The Fight forces her to move on instinct. She moves, ducking to the side and under the swing... but The Fight can only do so much. The edge of the infinitely lengthening blade nicks her scalp, making it bleed and freeing her hair from the braid. It rapidly frees itself from the bindings, hanging totally loose.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Tomoyo grits her teeth, trying not to freak out at the pain, and the feel of blood dripping through her hair. Clutching the mirror, she wills it to crackle with electricity before jabbing with it, aiming at Jack's shoulder! With a blade that big, paralyzing one of his arms would really slow him down!<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:554|Defiant (554)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Jack stumbles back, one arm seizing up. He backs away from Tomoyo, keeping the blade pointed at her - but he's not swinging it, so, it's not dangerous. En guarde. <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; "I'm sorry, Tomoyo," Jack says suddenly, as something massive moves in the shadows behind him. "I'm just not sensing it! Your killer instinct! You could have taken my arm off then, ended this - but you decided to be merciful. I told you to do your worst." <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Hookwolf emerges, in full bladed metal form, a whirling mass of blades. A tornado of knives. <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; And Jack's power... <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; "I suppose we'll kill you now." <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; It allows him to extend the range of any blade he touches. <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Jack sets one hand on Hookwolf, using his power in conjunction with his bestial subordinate's own. The pavement is struck by a thousand slashes in a matter of seconds, whittled down to nothing - and then the storm will hit Tomoyo.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:481|Kirika (481)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Kirika is quick to get /the hell/ out of dodge as the tanker makes its arrival. She has to admit, Rebound is good at thinking on her feet. Narrowing her eyes, she notes the other Cralwer approaching Bound, before she sprints her way towards the beast. "Mind if we change dance partners?" She asks before sprinting past Rebound.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Her sword blazes with fire, and she lunges at the second Crawler, her sword aiming to slice its head right off before she stops in her tracks. Her blade begins to fourish repeatedly after Kirika makes an about-face, slashing the head repeatedly to dice and slice like a butcher with a meat slicer, alternating between fire and ice repeatedly until something sticks, and nothing remains of the Crawler's head. Decapitation slowed the other guy down, Kirika might as well be thorough.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:554|Defiant (554)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; "Don't take too long," Defiant says, as he hurls his spear at the Siberian - it literally bounces off, clattering away somewhere. "I can't maintain this for much longer." Suddenly, the Siberian is in front of him, gripping his arm - his cybernetic arm - in her grip. Defiant grunts, trying to twist out of it, but the Siberian takes it off at the elbow. <br /><br />t And, to Reina's eyes, there's a shape moving in one of the shadowed alleyways. A man, balding, glasses, who appears to be mimicking the Siberian's movements. William Manton, although his power doesn't seem to be as powerful as some of the other Siberian variations. Not all clones are created equally, apparently.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:73|Frederica (73)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;This... this is bad. Frika doesn't know HOW this is disastrous, but all signs point to this being a horribly bad thing. Jack Slash isn't being guarded by Gray Boy. There's only one Gray Boy when there's ten of everything else. Gray Boy is fundamental, somehow, to Jack Slash's plan. Jack Slash intends to end the world, and predictions say he could succeed. Gray Boy, rather than guarding Jack Slash... just trapped Scion. Scion has the power to end the world.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;It doesn't take long to follow the train of logic. There's a few leaps, but it all points to 'bad'. And there's nothing she can do, apparently. Or... is there?<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Mehve!" Frika calls out, summoning her trained eagle from her inventory. A simple creature, optimized to scout rather than for combat. To scout. If Gray Boy has to be close, then he's flying. If he's flying, he must have some sort of invisibility power. She directs the eagle familiar with a few quick gestures. Circle around, strike any hostile target in range. If the bird can sense anything defined as 'hostile' within its range, it will strike. There's nothing in its range that Frika knows besides Scion, so the command should do no harm.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;At the same time Frika uses one final power of her own. She forces her energies through her eyes, sharpening her own vision. Arguably her vision should be almost as good as the eagle's, and perhaps better at short range. She scans the skies, looking for anything that could indicate the Gray Boy. A disturbance in the air, a shimmering, a cloud out of place, anything. If the Gray Boy is around, hopefully she can find and kill him. Or if not kill, at least she might draw him off Scion.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:648|Tomoyo Daidouji (648)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Tomoyo gasps as she feels the mirror make contact! She hit him, she can do this! And once again, her sense of confidence is punctured as Jack just seems to shrug it off.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"I'm not a killer..." she mutters, the rain from her gourd making her hair plaster to her scalp. She shifts back into her stance, ready to go again... when suddenly, Hookwolf. "What? This isn't fa-"<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;And then a storm of invisible cuts flies towards her. She can do nothing but raise her hands to protect her face.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:165|Ren Tanaka (165)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>(OOC: You don't have to read this part if you don't want to! It is optional.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;So where has Ren been so far in this scene? Well, he's... been here. It's just been impossible for Jack to notice him. His powers have been constantly in a tete-a-tete with Jack's. Solar stealth constantly... well, why not read this link?<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Now, that conflict ends.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; http://pastebin.com/gxB9KNFC <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;To avoid spam.)<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:165|Ren Tanaka (165)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;It looks like this could be it. The overwhelming storm of metal is concentrated into one infinite burst of slashing power. There's no way Tomoyo could defend against something like that, as that ultimate killing attack, the storm of slash, pulverises the ground and concentrates itself in one perfect spot, crushing directly into-- <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;an open palm-<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;And almost nothing... happens... at all.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VBYnZqyWjLg&t=33s<br /><br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"I'm here."<br /><br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Ren Tanaka has stopped it. Ren is there, holding Jack back, protecting her from the fatal hit-<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; There from the beginning, always shadowing Jack, defying his parahuman power- <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Ren was ALWAYS -- by her side, this entire fight, ready. He did this once before- blocked a blade without a scratch- and he's clearly decided to make it a habit. Hands around the weapon, unharmed, he is absolutely fearless as he glares Jack down with shining eyes.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"You made me remember what it means... to be a hero, to stand up for what's right. To believe in someone."<br /><br />"I believe in Tomoyo. And <span class=" bold_fg_y bg_n ++ hy">everything I have ever believed in, I will protect</span>."<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;He twists and turns Jack Slash away- smashes Jack back with a physical blow that should be impossible for that man's strength- then in the same movement- <br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;he's ready with an open hand to help her up, ready to stand next to her. In fact, he's standing strong, as agile as an acrobat- as large as a king, as cool as a welcome breeze. <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;He is her escort, her explorer, her friend named Ren. And everything will surely be alright now.<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; "You wanna come along?"<br /><br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"I want you to remember, this was your idea, Jack Slash." <br /><br />When he turns to Jack, he just looks like a shark. "Whether you think you're the most horrible part of an awful world, a world-breaker or a trigger on some awful gun, it doesn't matter because at the end of the day, you are really just one thing. Your slaughterhouse is a house of cards, and the man inside of it..."<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"You've spent years killing and terrorizing and twisting people. You wanted to make a playshow, a performance... out of <span class=" bold_fg_r bg_n ++ hr">murdering an innocent girl.</span> To the bone, Jack Slash, you've made yourself a monster." <br /><br />"And if that's what you decided to be...! We are... <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;I've decided that I am... <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;the ones who <span class=" bold_fg_y bg_n ++ hy">stop</span> the monsters."<br /><br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;This is a martial arts stance. On his forehead, a golden ring. He's ready to be by her side, to block every blow, to parry every cut, to secure her win, to <span class=" bold_fg_w bg_n ++ hw">protect her life</span>.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Let's fight together, Tomoyo."<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Let's win, Union. Jack Slash was predicted to be the one who ends the world, but I'm here to declare-"<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <span class=" bold_fg_y bg_n ++ hy">"We're the people who will save it!"</span> <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ax-RieQ5SrE&t=5m30s<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Murray Gold - Doctor Who<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The Day of the Doctor - This Time There's Three of Us<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:391|Reina Kinney (391)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;As she sweeps the area, Reina passes by the alleyway where Manton is, and does a double-take as she spots the target. If an exclamation point could appear over her head, it would right now! "There he is!" Reina calls out as she rushes towards the alley where Manton is. Her boots hit the ground hard as she rushes towards him, hoping he doesn't put up any sort of a fight, since she's definitely not in the mood for that.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Mr. Manton, I suggest you come with us peacefully! I've already been through one fight and I don't need another one!" She scowls deeply, panting slightly.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:172|Sakura Kinomoto (172)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Sakura has been standing still all this time. Just watching the fight between Tomoyo and Jack. As long as Jack 'plays fair', she's certain that Tomoyo can beat him! Especially considering Tomoyo isn't, erm, entirely playing fair.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;But then, Jack cheats. Sakura's eyes widen as the pieces click into place - Jack's power, combined with that... thing...!<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;She only has a split second to decide what to do. A card is produced from a pocket, tossed up into the air. A silent cry of "SWORD!" heralds the arrival of her weapon, her wand transforming into a European fencing sword, with an ornate wing-shaped guard and a red diamond at the tip.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Sakura's body is propelled forward. Her Illusion vanishes as she channels all of her willpower into the weapon, mentally screaming at it to cut as hard as it can. Appearing right next to Jack, she brings the sword around in a slicing arc, directly aimed for the murderer's neck and shoulder.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Jack may not have sensed any killing intent from Tomoyo... but from Sakura? Loud and clear.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:554|Defiant (554)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Kirika and Rebound have found an effective tactic. Rebound blasts the Crawler with liquid nitrogen and, as powerful as the Crawler is, it takes him time to adapt. He freezes where he stands, the Crawler still trying to move as his limbs seize up. For a moment, he pauses entirely - and then he begins to glow from the inside out. He's heating up! <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; They'll need to finish him while he's vulnerable! The second Crawler, in the middle of regrowing his head, also begins a similar process. They'll only have seconds to finish them!<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:707|Xiaomu (707)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"Aw c'mon," groans Xiaomu, holstering her handguns and using her staff to vault away from the incoming stop-sign-battleaxe - although if Crimson's fast enough, he'll just knock the staff away from where she braced it and throw her vault WAY off-kilter. "Aren't ANY of you vulnerable to bullets?!"<br /><br />She's still in mid-air (controlled or not) when she draws Suiren, and tries to find an opening to stab Crimson through the chest and try to freeze him into a solid block of ice. Winter's attempts to chill her out may actually *help* with that. However, Xiaomu is completely unaware of anyone getting ready to shoot her in the back - and with Crimson bearing down on her, ready to execute mayhem on the sage fox, she's similarly unaware of the reinforcements Alice has sent her way, or she'd show some appreciation for them. She STILL needs to do something about that Winter character, that's one thing Xiaomu hasn't forgotten yet.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:750|Rebound (750)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;As the crawler freezes, but then begins to glow, Rebound drops down to the ground and lands in front of him, "Hey." She says, as she leans in close to the Crawler. She knows he can still hear her, somewhere in there. She taps him on the forehead with a gauntleted finger, "You lose. No hard feelings."<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The Pulsarium energy in the gauntlets lights up, and Rebound hauls backwards. There's no way this guy will have the time to adapt to what she's about to do. Pure, charged kinetic energy that has been stored in the pulsarium is unleashed at point blank into the frozen Crawler as she throws the massive haymaker. This shouldn't just take his head off, but may well vaporize him entirely.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:481|Kirika (481)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Remember when Kirika did that thing to slice Crawler's head /clean off?/<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;She followed it up, although it seems like the kitsune only dished out one slash.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;There is a technique called the <span class=" bold_fg_y bg_n ++ hy">LIGHTNING BOLT - CUT OF A THOUSAND STRIKES</span>, a technique that has been passed down the ages from father to son in the Toh Clan, which Akai has proudly professed to bearing lineage to. It is a technique that has felled countless foes, destroyed stone and metal, flesh and bone, all without a second thought.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;It is a messy attack, one that Kirika has been instructed to use only in the more dire of circumstances.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;This is a creature able to adapt and regenerate from anything in God's domain as far as killing goes, almost anything that is. However, Kirika knows very little else that can fell this creature.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Her blade makes a high pitched whine for a moment, and she slashes with her sword.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;A split-second's gaze can reveal several /hundred/ cuts inflicted within the span of nanoseconds, far too fast for any being in creation to possibly respond to in time.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Immediately afterwards, Kirika's sword is sheathed, and the kitsune turns her back to Crawler.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Her voice like the clap of thunder, and she feels her power flow through her. <span class=" bold_fg_y bg_n ++ hy">"RAIJIN!"</span><br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;And she taps the pommel of her sword, like an afterthought.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:554|Defiant (554)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Maya's armored jaws rip the second, larger Crimson apart. He's resistant, but not super tough! She hurls a canister of napalm at one of the Winters and sets her alight, setting her screaming as she burns. <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The first Crimson, wounded and shot, is bleeding - and as his blood leaves him, he loses his power. He staggers forwards, just in time for Xiaomu to stab him in the chest and freeze him solid, and to eat a precise laser from Alice's doll. Much like his Winter companion, who collapses from that laser finding its mark.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:554|Defiant (554)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; From the sky, Frederica can only see Scion endlessly reaching out to touch the barrier, again and again. As powerful as he is, it seems that even he is caught by a time loop. <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; But she catches a glimpse of a Siberian, black and white stripes easy to spot - with a small monochrome figure in her arms. Gray Boy, and he's going to be landing right by Jack. <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Inside the loop, <span style="color:xterm11">Scion</span> is aware of his physical body continuing to loop. It doesn't matter. He remains where he is - it seems like it is what the shardless female would want<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:368|Tesla Armadia (368)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;And now all the interesting parts are coming together. Mmm. Jack Slash still has a lot of options at his disposal... But she's still got an unplayed card or two in that regard.<br /><br />"Chevalier," Tesla assides calmly towards the knight-like hero. "My visor should still have the readings stored in it from my previous tracking of a Manton. Try to find the one projecting the second Siberian." She turns her head in the direction all the commentary about Siberian and Gray Boy are coming from.<br /><br />"I have a present to go deliver."<br /><br />The scientist's armor briefly expands and then contracts around her, mimicing the way armadillos curl up in forming an armored ball around her. As soon as the kinetic amplifiers build into the panels light up the Tesla-ball takes off, right to the side of a building and shooting up it, the fastest way to get to where the others are going to be convening on the incoming threats.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:42|Staren (42)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Well, /that/ worked. After dealing with the Harbingers, Staren's been searching. Scion frozen in time means Gray Boy is nearby somewhere. He searches... he's a bit worried for Tomoyo, but she has friends ready. She's no fool.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;And then it turns out Gray Boy is /headed/ for Tomoyo. /That/ could be bad.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Staren doesn't have time to find a perfect position. He flies, taking to the air, flying over the battle below. He aims the sniper rifle down. He doesn't need to sight it -- The smart link, along with targeting programs, calculate where the rifle is pointed and show a reticle in his vision. Staren points it at Gray Boy, as best he can with only a split second before... whatever comes next...<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;and he fires.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:554|Defiant (554)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Tomoyo raises her hands. <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Jack smiles. <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The attack stops in Ren's hand, a thousand cuts rendered into nothing. When Ren talks to him, Jack's face becomes twisted and terrible. He readies his claymore, swinging it while keeping his numbed hand on Hookwolf's form. Another bladestorm readies, dark and terrible. <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; And three things happen at once. Sakura slices outward with her sword, the Siberian lands, and the Gray Boy... <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; ...turns his power on Jack, at the exact point that Sakura's sword parts head from neck, a thin red line the only sign that anything had happened. And Jack's eyes go wide, forever caught in that exact moment of failure - of knowing that he had gambled and lost, of being outplayed, of feeling the sharp pain of a blade ending him. His lips work over and over, as if saying something in disbelief. <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The Gray Boy eyes Jack, and then the gathered heroes. "Pathetic! Stupid! Useless! If you're going to be prey, then you're going to be my prey - forever!" <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The Grey Boy turns to face them. He's young, barely a teenager, and entirely monochrome - hence the name. "But I won't let you be alone, Jack. No, I'll be sure to get you more time with these wonderful peo-" <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Staren shoots him in the head. The Gray Boy flickers out of existence and reappears. <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; "As I was /saying/, these wonderful people. I'm going to walk out of here, and if any of you try to stop me, I'll bubble you too!" A child with godlike powers, enough to stop Scion.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:73|Frederica (73)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Casting one last look at Scion, Frika growls. She shouts a warning into her communicator and then breaks into a dive. She can't do a thing for Scion from up here, but there's Siberian and Grey Boy. That means two things... one, Grey Boy's currently invulnerable and in position to save Jack. Two, there's a nearby Manton. Kill him, then kill Grey Boy, Scion's saved and Jack's ended.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;First things first... find Manton and deal with him. Frika's not the fastest flier in Alfheim Online, but she can make better than average speed. In a flat-out dive, wings swept fully back, that's faster than 300 kilometers per hour.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The whole time she's streaking to the ground like a yellow shooting star, Frika's desperately scanning the area around the Siberian for a sheltered spot the Manton could be hiding. Likely he'd be hiding from those around Jack, so they can't catch sight of him. It's possible he MIGHT be visible from the air. If so... Frika's going spear-fishing at halfway to mach one.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:648|Tomoyo Daidouji (648)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Tomoyo waits, hoping it won't hurt too much. But... nothing happens. And then, a familiar voice. Her arms lower, and she sees a familiar back before her. "Ren? I thought..." Her voice is all choked up, her face revealed to have tears finally running down it.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;She watches, eyes wide as Ren does things she never thought possible from the man. Knocking Jack around like it was nothing, displaying an actual halo. "Ren, what are you?" she asks softly. And then, Sakura appears too, rushing Jack with a look on her face that fills Tomoyo with more horror than Jack could ever muster.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;But then, something happens. A child from the heavens stops the fatal blow... and Tomoyo is both relieved and concerned all at once. A third complication. Now what will they do?... She takes a long, deep breath, calming that storm of emotions that the past few seconds caused.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Only now, does she listen.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;On the radio, she hears everyone, constant reports on what they're doing. Frederica, dealing with Scion and Gray Boy. Kirka and Rebound fighting the Crawlers. Tesla, Chevalier and Staren fighting the Harbringers. Xiaomu, Maya and Alice fighting Winter and Crimson. Everyone fighting so hard to save the world, to protect the people...<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;And she is with them. How can she ever let them down?<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Her hands come up to touch the Garment Grid around her neck, and a flash of light obscures her form. It fades, revealing Tomoyo clad in a purple kimono with traditional samurai armor on the shoulders, around the waist and protecting her legs. A black samurai helmet sits on her head, with a golden crescent moon on the crown. She still holds the mirror, but in her other hand is a naginata.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;She stares at Jack, eyes resolute now. "I thought this was to be a duel, and you bring along a friend? For all that bluster, are you /that/ scared of a 16-year-old girl?" And now she looks up at Gray Boy, wincing as he is shot and just undoes it. "I'm sorry but you'll be doing no such thing. You see, we're all going to stop you. And we'll do it our way. Without killing." She looks to Ren and Sakura, a small smile gracing her face. She doesn't seem to be demanding anything from them, More a request, an 'it-would-be-nice.' "I almost let everyone down there. Thank you both for being here with me." She clutches the naginata and mirror both, resolving not to use only the lethal weapon.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Let's end it."%<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:707|Xiaomu (707)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Winter down, Crimson down, she's still alive. Xiaomu extracts Suiren from the ice block, eyeing the laser through Crimson's head, then reloads Silver and Platinum before getting back on her lightcycle. Then she speeds off to join the others around the thousand-cuts building where Tomoyo and friends are facing off with Jack Slash and allies.<br /><br />She's hoping she'll get there in time to do some good.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:172|Sakura Kinomoto (172)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Sakura flicks her sword - an unconscious action, more brought on by the Sword's own desires that any conscious thought on her part. Blood is flung from the blade. She then turns to face the Gray Boy and the Siberian, not even looking at the bubbled Jack any more. "...Sorry, Tomoyo, but... I don't think that's really an option." She flicks the Sword again, reverting it to its Wand form - and pulling out a pair of cards from one of her many pockets. She doesn't actually do anything yet though.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;She seems oddly serene for someone who just tried to murder a guy.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:19|Maya (19)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>Maya calls out to Xiaomu. <br /><br /> "Do not let up!" <br /><br /> Runner doesn't stop on Crimon Runner's also backing other weapons it' lets go and makes sure he's down if it's not it will fire a beam blast from it's open maw at the Crimson while Maya focuses on the Winter as she stalks towards them. Maya's going to make sure Winter is done for if she happens to yeild she will spare her but she doesn't expect that to happen. Then again Maya's not sure if she's dealing with people today,. Then agian the only mercy she might have for Winter is a bullet to the heaqd to end it for her.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:391|Reina Kinney (391)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Having realized that Mr. Manton wasn't going to be cooperative at all, Reina had no choice but to take him out. "Hopefully they'll deal with his body soon because I hate the smell of decaying flesh!" Reina thinks to herself as she rushes towards where Jack Slash and the others are. "And now it's time to put an end to this... hopefully!" Her boots make an even faster clicking sound as she runs at a faster pace than normal. Even when she was in GUARDIANS training she rarely ever ran this fast.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;When she finally arrivse, she levels her rifle at the enemies. "There's no escape now! We're taking you down!"<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:165|Ren Tanaka (165)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>"What are you?", Tomoyo asks.<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"I am... I'm not a good man, but I'm not a bad man. I'm a wanderer in the fifth, sixth, ooh, I'm up to nineteen-thousand-and-ninety-two dimensions by now. I pass through, I help out, I make things better. All that I am... is Ren Tanaka, the Traveller."<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"And if you can hear me--!"<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Ren shouts, not to Jack, not to Sakura or Tomoyo, but to the twister, the blademaker- <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Endbringers!"<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;To Bohu. And if he's listening, maybe even Scion will benefit from hearing...<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"I understand! The reason you were created, it was a sham! It's a terrible thing, and I'm sorry! I'm so, so sorry!"<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"But if you can hear this, I want to tell you that there's still hope! You don't have to be the things you were meant to be any more! We can do something better! You can be more! You didn't choose to be this way, and we can help you if you're willing to change! We can save you if you want to be saved!"<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Unlike Jack, is the unspoken statement.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Unlike Jack, who only saw the awful things in the world--<br /><br />And so he does one more thing. The Night Caste can mute their anima, the swirling aura of essence around them that ignites into a totemic identification of their identity- if they wish. But on the other hand, they can also...<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Like Ren...<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Let it go.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;And the phantom kaleidoscope erupts, a tableau- a mind-manse of memories- a land of a million dreams.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Ren's memories, the places he's seen, the beauty he knows the world is full of. Every glimpse of nature, every happy person, everything he stands for-<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;How could one man /have/ so many memories?<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;An absolute denial of Jack's concept, a defiance, a statement that the world is beautiful.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;And you fight for it.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;He's not good at fighting, but when push comes to shove you do what you've got to.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Sakura. ...I've got your front."<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;And into the fray he launches. Float like a butterfly, punch like a gorilla. Jack? Hookwolf? Even Gray? He can fight them. He can do it. Grapple, swing, pounce- while swirling with the power of essence- all for the sake of Tomoyo and Sakura!<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:554|Defiant (554)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <span style="color:xterm11">Scion</span> watches. It would spend some time here, watching, thinking. It observes the ongoing conflict, looking at the things without shards and yet still have powers. Puzzling. <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <span style="color:xterm11">Scion</span> watches as the broadcaster is snared inside a time bubble, much like the one his physical form is looping through. Puzzling. Interesting. <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; High above, the entity listens. It could be more. If he was willing to change. Like Kevin Norton had said so long ago. <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <span style="color:xterm11">Scion</span> listens to each person in turn. Interesting.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:368|Tesla Armadia (368)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The rapid vertical ascent actually shoots Telsa just far enough past the edge of the rooftop and into the air, giving her the space to unroll from the armored spheroid and land on it, one over from were everyone else has gathered. She's got a plan and one shot at it, but she needs to not be obvious at first. Shouldn't be hard with all those heroes with their attacks demanding most of the attention after all. Who would expect one lone -Confederate- to be here, not to mention assisting the heroes?<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Precisely what she going for. It's another step in the plan, another move on the board.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Tesla stands at the edge of other rooftop, a weapon reconstructing itself in her hands with her technopathy as she activates it, the end opening up more in some kind of projector array than a barrel. The weapon? Modified from the same graviton manipulation technology she developed to help counteract Shu Shirakawa's portal spawning mech, and that was present in her own gravikinetic conductors. Weaponized, to capitalize on one thing she did know when dealing with time....<br /><br />Tesla aims the weapon, and fires. There's no beam, no visual cue, easy to do when you're dealing with a metaphysical concept at a subatomic level. Her aim is not directly at Gray Boy, but close to, behind him. In the crackle of an instant the weapon starts collapsing gravitons together at that point, creating a small gravity anomolty that should catch him without endangering those trying to fight him, that unlike a natural black hole is focusing it's increasing gravitational pull directly on its target.<br /><br />Certainly Gray Boy would feel it grab him, and use his powers to try and timeskip back and away from the 'attack'.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;But the thing to remember is that Gravity is one of the few universal forces that -can- directly affect Time. While it may not entirely stop his temporal power right away, Tesla is counting on the gravitational anomolaty having the same effect of slowing his time power down enough for others to get the oppritunity they need to deal with him before he can reset himself.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:554|Defiant (554)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The Gray Boy, the remaining Siberian and the last Hookwolf face the gathered heroes. And as Frederica impacts like a yellow comet, the Siberian abruptly vanishes. Hookwolf steps back, apparently worried, but Gray Boy doesn't seem to have a care in the world. "Manton was always so terribly boring," he says. When Ren jumps at him, the Gray Boy's face collapses under a heavy blow - but he just reappears a few inches to the side. A bubble of gray energy snares the area where Ren had /just been/. "Shoot! I'll need to be faster! How about... there!" <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; And time bends, under the relentless science of Tesla's weapon. The grey bubble ripples, and even Gray Boy pauses. He blinks rapidly, disappearing and reappearing - but gravity is stronger than time. <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; It's now or never!<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:172|Sakura Kinomoto (172)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Sakura twirls her wand. She can't help it. "Time! Return! Do... something! I'm sure you can disrupt his power somehow!" Yes, Sakura has no idea what she's trying to do here. But that doesn't matter. Her cards know what to do!<br /><br />Maybe.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Regardless, the two robed figures of the Time and the Return - one an old man with an hourglass, the other a young woman with a clock - rise up in front of Sakura, and raise their implements high. Time seems to 'ripple' slightly...<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:481|Kirika (481)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;GRAVITY!<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Isn't it grand when the time bullshit user is held down to stop jumping all over the place? Kirika certainly thinks so, as she closes in on Gray Boy. "You will join him in Hell!" She calls out, sword drawn as she lunges towards the downed supervillain while he tries to force himself out of the gravity trap.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;It's not going to avail him too terribly much, as Kirika's hands light up with flames as the kitsune unleashes gout after gout of flame towards Gray Boy, roaring like a mighty dragon in fury as she aims to finish this /immediately./ Flamethrowers WISH they could make this much fire with the rage Kirika is producing, it's blistering in how furious the torrent is.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;There's no fancy sword techniques here, she's not exactly picky in how she ends this fight.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:391|Reina Kinney (391)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Drawing her rifle, Reina scowls even deeper. "It's all over now!" She exclaims, steadying her aim. "You're going to regret messing with all of us! I hope you enjoy heat, because where you're going, it's going to be an eternal sauna!" Sneering a little, Reina fires upon Gray Boy, aiming carefully as she does so. She doesn't want to hit any allies with her shots.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:42|Staren (42)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;GRAVITY SCIENCE!<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Tesla may be an enemy, but she seems to be fighting on their side today. He's not sure what Tesla's doing, but if she thinks it might nullify Gray Boy's power, it's worth a shot.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Staren aims and fires again.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Maybe a laser is too instantaneous. Staren follows up with his plasma missiles, making a wide fireball to burn everything within.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Just to be sure.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:807|Alice Margatroid (807)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Alice produces a doll from thin air and a card from her sleeve, a nod coming to her as she follows along. With the command to "get him" being delivered, she looks between her dolls and gives a light smile. "Spellcard." she starts, the doll glowing a soft blue as she readies herself. "This is for getting in the way..." she comments towards Gray Boy as she leans back, winding up for a pitch it looks like. "Demonic Possession - Return Inanimate." <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Alice rockets the doll forward and, regardless of where it lands, the doll explodes in a pillar of blue flame and smoke. She's hoping the doll lands on the Gray Boy's head as instructed, only to follow up with another card out of her sleeve, pulling Shanghai in front of her. "Curse Sign - Shanghai Doll." Shanghai thrusts her sword forward and with a loud declaration of her own name in the happiest voice possible comes a thick red laser aimed straight for Gray Boy.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;ONe last card she pulls out... "Magic Pot." and she's enveloped in a blue glow, "If that doesn't work, I've got my danmaku ready..."<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:73|Frederica (73)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The charge. It's a fine attack, and when done right can tear a normal opponent in half. When done from the air at a significant fraction of mach one, a spear charge would give even an elite cape cause for concern.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Of course, in Frika's mind everything depended on the Manton dying. The Siberian, the Grey Boy, Jack. If they didn't all go, starting with Manton, then this world would end. This world with Defiant and Dragon, and all the kind people who welcomed her as FireFox. All the jerks too of course... like Defiant. But even jerks can be good people. Frika didn't know that Jack was already dead, but it changed nothing. Without Manton's death, Grey Boy would have been invulnerable due to Siberian's touch. No, for all she knew she HAD to commit to the attack fully. Any flinching would mean the death of a world, and she for DAMN sure wouldn't be responsible for causing that by holding back. Not again.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Of course she had no thought for actually STOPPING. It would have slowed her charge too much. She tries to stop, or at least swerve. She's not nearly successful enough. A great cloud of dust and debris fountains up from the impact, not far from where the battle's fought. When the dust clears, there's a new crater. No sign of the Cait Sith speargirl, except for a glowing Remain Light.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;She can only hope her best is enough. She can only trust in her friends to do what needs doing. Nothing less will do.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:750|Rebound (750)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;You know there's one thing that you need to learn about Rebound. She's smart, and she can think outside of the box. But when you get right down to it, she's a fighter. And she loves to fight. And when she fights, she fights to win.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;So that's why, seemingly out of nowhere, sailing through the air. The Impact Drivers are burning brightly with the Pulsarium energy as she flies through the air. Well, okay, flying is probably not the right word. She's plummeting through the air.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;She hauls back with the fully charged gauntlet based weapon, the intent being to hit Gray Boy with a massive haymaker as she sails past him, and unleash the full force of the weapons system into him as she sails past, adding her own momentum and power to the impact from the Drivers. It should make for a nice explosion either way.<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:648|Tomoyo Daidouji (648)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The fact is, for all her newfound bravado, Tomoyo can't do much about a time-warping monochrome child. Even Hookwolf would be punching above her weight class. And Jack is stuck in a loop of being decapitated, over and over.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Everyone is pouring it on Grey Boy right now, and there's not much she can do... wait. She looks up, and notices that the clouds are still gushing from her gourd, floating up, around him... it's a long shot, but every bit counts right?<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;The mirror crackles with electricity once more, and she... tosses it straight up, so it flies through the light rainclouds. Though not much, the electrical charge conducts along them, potentially zapping Grey Boy! Likely doing little more than taser would, but...<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:554|Defiant (554)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; How do you stop someone who alters time? Apparently, but manipulating time more forcefully. With the Gray Boy caught on the edge of an artificial singularity, entirely focused on him, even his power is affected. Gray Boy blinks, over and over again, but he can't get clear - at least not enough to allow him freedom. His power reacts, blinking him away from the danger, but the sheer manipulation of time-space just traps him again. The magic of Sakura's cards, Time and Return, counteract anything he might try. Even so, he is the master of time and space and as he gets just about out - Rebound blasts him with a punch, resetting him away from the blow and into the singularity. <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; He's bound there, trapped. The closest thing to being a victim of his own power. Almost... poetic. <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Kirika and Reina open fire. Literally, in the former's case. Bullets rip through Gray Boy, but his blinks back and forth stop them - but the continuous firepower ensures that he's just getting hit over and over again. And he burns. He burns as Staren adds his firepower to the conflageration. He burns as Tomoyo brings the rain, driving electricity through him to disrupt his concentration - as Alice's laser, bright red and thick, neatly drills a hole through Gray Boy's skull, through his brain, and destroys the corona pollentia responsible for maintaining his power. He can't evade and, therefore, can't reset. <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; And just like that, the Gray Boy vanishes. <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The loops end, at least in the local area. Jack falls to one side, his head sliding from his shoulders. It's over. <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Isn't it?<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:165|Ren Tanaka (165)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Everyone else ... uh, well, they probably have Grey Boy handled. Ren just managed to swing out of that timebubble in time! Timebubbles are something he's not really accustomed to, for sure, although that close brush with it may explain why certain library explorations ended up happening when they did.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Or not and we're just making meta jokes.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;At Alice's advisement, he takes a step back or twelve, always making sure to keep himself within cover distance of his two young friends- although he doesn't know if they'll need it now, he still has to be sure...<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;But everyone else has Gray Boy handled. Hookwolf isn't a problem any more, and Jack...<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Well, Tomoyo just did that thing, to be sure.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Ren looks at her considerately. <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;He half-pulls something out of his pocket.<br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;That's a pair of handcuffs, in a blue... cardboard rectangle...<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"I don't know if we could really use them on him any more."<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Yep. Idiot with a box-<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;And then something quite possibly goes terribly wrong. <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;He stutters, and his head whips around- from Jack, to the others, then up to Scion, then back to them-<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"...Scion? Scion, no. Wait..."<br /><br />He remembers what he knows about this Entity from the PRT databases. His heart twists inside. No. He won't accept this. He won't-<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:368|Tesla Armadia (368)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;On the other rooftop the gravity weaponizer starts to rattle in Tesla's grip. In her mind the device hiss and snarls in pain, but insists she doesn't let up. This has to be done. This is what she made it to do, and whatever essense the machine has, it has accepted that. All the same her teeth clench as she holds on, both physically and metaphorically with her technopathic abilities.<br /><br />Sparks crackle up and down the weapon as it's graviton projection struggles each time the anomalty has to pull back Gray Boy's time skip, every time he tries to jump only to be injured again, and again, and again. At this point the arcs occasionally snapping about are hard to miss. It wasn't meant to have to keep up a continuous fire, but its the only way to ensure the effect is strong enough to keep reeling in Gray Boy, slowing him down until someone can finishing it...<br /><br />A shot to the brain disables Gray Boy fully. Jack Slash's head topples off as the loop affecting him ends. As soon as there is no longer a temporal force to keep drawing back the minature singularity can complete its own cycle, and much like it's victim is gone once his powers no longer exist to make him keep existing the projection ends by collapsing in on itself and ceasing to be as well.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;It's task completed the weapon lets itself explode, knocking it from Tesla's grasp and throwing her back out of the way as it collapses into the end of the singularity it had created.<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"URF!" Instead of bothering to get up the scientist just lays there for the moment, groaning as she lefts one gauntlet hand to her forehead. "I am going to have such a fucking migrane in the morning..."<br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;But it was all worth it.... hopefully....<br> <br>

:'''{{#var:554|Defiant (554)}} has posed:'''<br><span></span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Above it all, <span style="color:xterm11">Scion</span> listens and <span style="color:xterm11">Scion</span> thinks. It can't imagine what Frederica is telling it, about boredom being solvable, or rest and ease being preferable. Why rest? He had been resting ever since he had met Kevin Norton. <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; He looks down at Jack's body. That shard wasn't a violent one. What had driven the man to such terrible extremes? <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; A life of servitude hadn't given him clarity, or purpose. <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; He doesn't respond. He leaves. It won't return to the task of saving lives. For now, <span style="color:xterm11">Scion</span> will only fly. After all, wasn't his very essence to fight, to destroy? He could experiment. <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Floating above the sea, Scion raises his hand, gathers his golden light, and lets out a spear of energy towards the first place he thinks of. Kevin Norton's birthplace. <br /><br />% The islands shatter and break. They crumple like paper in his fist. Simple. He feels... something. An interesting experience. <br /><br />&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; And then he turns his hand, and lets fly with another golden blast - this one, on the other side of the ocean.<br> <br>


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