951/Fire In The Hole

Fire In The Hole
Date of Scene:	10 November 2014
Location:	Ala Mhigo, Mining Camp, Hydaelyn
Synopsis:	The Ala Mhigo Resistance has got their hands one some military grade explosives and they have a plan that could shake the very foundation of the once great city they all call home.
Cast of Characters:	27, 307, 487, 522, 560, 617

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Gaius Van Baelsar (522) has posed:
Ala Mhigo was once the proud militia nation. It was the strongest within the continent of Aldenard and though the Eorzean region and the Ala Mhigans had some shaky history in the past, it did not stop Eorzea from taking notice when then proud military nation surrendered itself without a fight to the Garlean Empire.

For it was now that the Garlean Empire has ruled over it and has been under the leadership of the Viceroy of this once proud nation. The leadership of the very man who gained control of it without a single drop of blood spilled that day-- Gaius Van Baelsar.. the Black Wolf.

It was only after they surrendered did blood come to be spilled, as the people rose up in anger for what they realized could be possible tyrant rule and though brought low quickly, many of these very people still remain within the walls of Ala Mhigo, they are the Resistance force. Fighting to free Ala Mhigo. Fighting the battle that their own that day would not fight. They are the people without a voice and they will be heard now. For they will not continue to be second class citizens to the Garlean Empire and they will not suffer another day as they had before the Calamity, before the fall of Dalamud when the Garlean Empire took away their sons and pillaged their daughters. Training their sons to be killers without mercy or care. Training them to be nothing but mere dogs of war and they will not see it happen again!%rIt is for this reason the Ala Mhigan Resistance has come together, hiring out those from the Outside who will hear their plea to aid in a very dangerous move, but worth the reward if they can pull it off. To make their way into the Mining area that the Garlean Empire uses to mine up the aether crystals and drain away the raw Ceruleum deposits. They know that they provide the war machine the fuel to strive and if they can help cut off even a portion of this fuel-- they can put a dagger into the Garleans side.

The plan was simply explained to the group who has come, they would sneak in under the disguise as the workers here, which the clothing may remind one of steam-era type clothing really. When the signal was given the Outsiders would then move out from their disguises or hiding places within the crates and barrels. They would distract the Garlean guards whom patrol and protect the area, while they, the Resistance, plants the bombs.

Once the bombs are planted, they would then leave and hope that the Garleans and possible allies of the Empire could not find these hidden bombs. Though that said, the allies of the Empire also may try to fight off their efforts, so they just need to hold them as well long enough.

So here we are now-- the very operation of this risky move.
Th sun is cast over in the moring sky, clouds hang over and the miners work their laboring toll. The ground is of rocky dirt and some metal plates have been laid down to help move the cart of aether crystals and heavy metal lines are stationed, some even being laid out to drain Ceruleum pools deep within some of the mine shafts themselves.

Some explosions ring off in the distance as new mines are being formed and machines can be seen there too helping to level the very land. It is easy to see how one could get around here and not be caught, but at the same time many of the Garlean troops that work here patrol the area with gunblades at ready and their machina walkers known Magitek Armors walk the very edges of the mines.

(( OOC: Those with the Resistance get to go first, those helping the Garlean Empire will need to wait for the clear to go. The first timer will be set when operation starts. Any questions, feel free to ask. ))

Allyn (307) has posed:
Allyn hadn't been seen for a while, but that doesn't mean that he had been missing. He'd been wandering the lands, in hopes to study some new creatures, so that he could learn to take on their forms. This world was a good plave for doing so, as he'd had plenty of luck. So his time of not being seen by those around who know him, has given him the chance to be able to take on new forms. He hasn't even had a chance to show Finna any of them and well, he most likely will at some point, or perhaps just surprise her.

This mission calls for a disguise? Not really his style, unless it's as a small furry animal such as a mouse or something, but no.. Today Allyn is all about distraction, and he's waited a ways off from those who actually are going in disguised, because well.

A HUGE beast comes running through the area, something like a bull, because of the long, sharp pointed horns and something like a large predatory feline. It's an odd creature and massive. A behemoth comes barreling from out of seemingly nowhere and gives a roar of challenge towards the Grlean folks

Is that distracting enough?

Chloe von Einzbern (617) has posed:
Chloe von Einzbern is not of these lands. She's not even aware of the goings on, nor the plight of the locals. Resistance? Garlean Empire? Don't mean a thing to the girl, not one lick of importance, nor significance. It JUST SO HAPPENS, that she is quite upset.

Being scolded by Shirou the night before has left the girl in a huff, and after fleeing Dun Realtai for the morning and heading off whereever her two feet could carry her, she finds herself here. It is an almost outlandish sight. The way that she just appears from nowhere, an unarmed, unarmored ten year old girl in casual clothes, looking extremely sulky, hands in her pockets as she just kind of... Turns up, by the members of the resistance.

"Huh...?"

Jonothon Starsmore (27) has posed:
Thankfully Jono found a disguise with a full face mask and a jacket to cover up the wrapping of his torso and face. It'd have been pretty pointless to get this far only to blow the whole thing because of his face being wrapped up.

Of course Allyn's running in like a pissed-off bull in a china shop rather negates the immediate need for a disguise. Then again it'll come in handy if he's discovered.

So for the time being Jono waits to see where the guards are going to go. Hopefully towards the 'behemoth'. Because if so Jono will sneak in another way. He's pretty good at this sneaking around stuff after all...

Gaius Van Baelsar (522) has posed:
Even the members of the resistance were not expecting Allyn to step in and take the form of a Behemoth. On the bright side it does a /few/ things very rapidly. It one turns the Magitek Armors right on his position and they open fire with there cannons which are rather explosive on impact.

The guard post stations then turn their automatic weaponry on Allyn as well and open fire as bullets go blasting right for the beast changer.

Troops themselves are on the move to get the area cleared out, though a few of them get knocked out by some of the Resistance members who quickly change out the clothing, in order to run up the guard posts to kill the defenses up high.

A few of the others go to slide down some rock faces to open up a crate and start to bring out the explosives, which look a far more hightech then one would expect the resistance to have. Why? Because these Ala Mhigans stole some of Garlemalds own explosives just for this use. Irony-- isn't it?

Seven of them scatter to different locations of the mine. The Resistance who are ready, quickly go to charge at the troopers, some of them being shot down, others using make-shift shields to rush in and using their picks as bashing, swinging weapons.

The place is quickly becoming a mad house actually, and for poor Chloe who happen to find herself in the wrong place at the wrong time-- One of the Garlean Centurions, who is armored head to toe takes aim with her with his gunblade, two of the guards at ready with rifles. Would they really shoot a child? No-- but the Centurion does take aim at one of the miners /not/ follow proper procedure to get out of here.

Then on her side a female Garlean trooper comes up to her, "Child, what are you doing here?! This is no place for you!"

"Get her out of here!" The Centurion barks toward the woman, before he places his hand up to the side of his helm. "Get ready to close the east and south gates! I don't want these damn resistance trying to escape! And someone call in for the bloody aid!"

Some of the miners who quickly throw up their hands and get on their knees are quickly escorted out of here by the Garleans to make sure they don't get caught up in this crazy mess. A few start to make their way to Jonothon, "Get on your knees!" One of them barks out, ready to open fire if he doesn't comply, only to have to suddenly turn around quickly and block an axe that was about to slam down on his backside...

(( Feds get ready to enter, you will be dropped off by Airship ))

Allyn (307) has posed:
The behemoth roars and does his best to dodge most of the shots of canons and gunfire that are aimed his way. Well, that's not to say that he isn't going to get hit by some, because he's not qutie that agile, but the form is strong and can take it. Of course, he's not exactly helpless in this form either. He roars out again at the empire's forces.

"The wilds are tired of you Garlean's destroying it! it's time for the land to get a little bit of payback." the beast bellows out.%r
He stops a moment and then paws at the ground and snorts and draws on some of the natural abilities of his form, it's easy to do in this world, since most creatuers here eat, live and breathe this 'Aether' stuff."

Around the behemoth, though far enough away not to hidnr the resistence or cause harm to allies, Allyn uses the behemoth's Charybdis and several tornadoes that remain stationary pop up in different positions nearby. Now for the Magictech armor, he also releases a Phantom Orb in their direction hoping to freeze them up.

Jonothon Starsmore (27) has posed:
Jono freezes when he's ordered to his knees. ('Bollocks!') Well, the rest of the resistance have abandoned their disguises. Maybe it's okay. Thankfully he has a moment to breathe when the guard has to turn to block something. Jono makes his decision.

He doesn't quite abandon the disguise. Maybe some scare tactics will work here. He reaches under his face mask to pull at the wrappings around his face. And the flames start finding their way out around the mask! All he does is push the mask up enough that he can fire a blast out from under it at the guard who tried to get him onto the ground.

Hit or miss... it's probably going to look damn creepy-- and maybe damn SCARY-- to see one of his miners with FIRE coming out from behind his mask!

Chloe von Einzbern (617) has posed:
It's really a case of bad timing. Bad location, too, that her pouty wandering would carry her to the middle of what's about to become a warzone. Though where most children her age would cower and cringe at the sight of armored soldiers suddenly pointing a weapon at them, golden eyes remain quite level in the face of the Garlean soldiers taking aim at her. She's not exactly pleased by the time the female centurion wheels on her.

"Get those out of my face." Her tone is calm. A little too calm, as she curls her fingers into balled fists. Belligerent little thing, this one seems to be, as she sighs, shifting one foot behind the other and folding hands behind her head. "Because if you don't..."

"Then this is going to end badly for you."

Gaius Van Baelsar (522) has posed:
The Behemoth goes to make a stand and the Magitek Armors continue to open fire as they march ever in. Even as the orb hits them, the machina do not slow down much, though a few have to be reset in order to get them working again.

Though the Garleans know Behemoths are not something to take lightly, given the beasts can eat several grown men whole and easily can even terrorize some other high end predators. Though given the beasts are not local to here anymore, it makes fighting one rather tricky due to lack of practice.

The fact it talks is even-- more alarming to a few more native Ala Mhigans gone Garlean. Only cause creatures like that shouldn't talk and that is a bit weird to them. Thankfully they are not super superstitious like those from the Black Shroud.

So when Jono then decides to attack, the fire blast slams into the back of the Garlean and this allows the Resistant members to swing that pick axe around to knock the man over. He gives Jono a thumbs up, already aware thanks to them all meeting up of his special ability.

Though some Garleans take notice of this and one of them yells, "Bloody resistance is now turning to the damn void beasts!" Before they open fire at him from a distance.

As for the young girl, the Centurion cants his head, "...Really..?" Is all he gets out, though for the woman trooper she sighs and actually goes to pick up Chloe, "We don't have time for children heroics!" Yeah-- they don't get it.

Though it isn't to much longer does two airships come in, one off loading some Vanguards which come online and start to make their way, others with more Garlean troops and possible Federation assistance. Seems the welcome wagon has arrived!

TURN TO RETREAT: 4

Vi'Sharra (487) has posed:
    Vi'Sharra is one of the people on top of the oncoming airships, and unlike her normal garb, she's dressed in head to toe in Garlean power armor... ...Which makes her extremely hard to recognize. ...That and underneath she's shaped a lot like the prior owner of the armor was.

    That said, she has a gunblade in each hand, and begins her strike by leaping off the airship and from a hundred feet in the air she drops like a homesick rock right at the top of Allyn's, the Behemoth's head. Nothing says hello like Plummeting bootfirst onto someone's head like a homesick rock.

    "...This is absurd. If this place..." She glances at the Centurion, and then over at the kid, and finally off at Jono, "...We're going to lose this one, and a whole lot of people are going to die."

Jonothon Starsmore (27) has posed:
Void beast? It takes Jono a few moments before he realizes they're talking about him. Unfortunately those few moments give the Garleans the time they need to fire. "Gyah!" The bullets rip through Jono's chest, tearing holes in the disguise. Though the fire doesn't come out-- the holes are too small for that-- there is light shining out from those holes. An orange-yellow light.

Better than that he's getting used to being shot. So though he stumbles he doesn't fall. Barely. He's about to attack again when... someone speaks. He turns prepared to defend himself. But then she talks about people dying? He pauses. "What do yer mean?" he asks.

Allyn (307) has posed:
The behemoth blinks and shakes its head and growls when boots land on its head. He snorts and tries to peer up at whoever it is that just landed on him, he doesn't know who it is at first really. "Then if you are going to lose, I would suggest you evacuate all of your people that you can." He tells Sharra, "It's obvious that they are not wanted around here." and since he doesn't know right off that it is Sharra, he tries to shake her loose from him.

"I'm not some deomesticated animal you can just ride around on." he then ponders a moment, a lot of people will die? "Are any of those who might die innocents? or all Garleans?"

Emiya Shirou (560) has posed:
    Perhaps Emiya Shirou could sympathize with people wanting freedom from oppressive empires. But he's utterly dedicated to events in other parts, and Union channels, and hasn't gotten the news of what's happening here this day.

    He wasn't likely to be here, all things considered.

    All until news reached him that Chloe was spotted leaving Dun Realtai, or in these dangerous parts. He hasn't even bothered checking what's happening in this area because...

    He was trailing after her. Clumsily, slowly, and madly, asking this person and that person, and making guesses.. SOMEHOW OR ANOTHER he has ended up where he should've been anyways.

    Kind of absurd, really.

    He skids up onto a mound of mined-out material, gasping and panting. He's not in any sort of local clothing and stands out awfully. He's been running and dashing and sprinting for who knows how long, but he's finally here, and finally out of breath. His lungs are burning and body feels like it's on fire.

    The boy stumbles to his knees, just struggling for breath...

    And instantly gets a view of UTTER CHAOS developing in the mine zone. "Wh-what in the..."

Chloe von Einzbern (617) has posed:
Yes, really. The pink-haired girl clearly must have some form of authority issue here or somesuch, considering how she's standing up to armed and armored centurions that are just trying to pull her off the field of battle. "You know, maybe if you didn't get so handsy and asked nicely." She spits off with a sneer. But up come her hands when Vi'Sharra descends.

Who is this child and why is she not looking for somewhere to hide amid all the fighting? "It's not exactly my problem." She does note to the armored, dual-gunblade-toting woman. ... And then Shirou arrives. Now see, it's as the centurian is reaching for her, that Chloe begins to utter somthing, the beginnings of a word that are cut off- "Tr--" Only when she sees the red-haired youth, that she halts abruptly. And gets scooped right up around the middle, duffel style. "Oop!" So she's now dangling in the woman's arm as she waves a little too happily to the breathless boy wonder.

"Shirouuuu. Hiiiii~."

Gaius Van Baelsar (522) has posed:
Several of the troopers go rushing right up for Jonothon, even though he seems to ask the Centurion who has arrived that is going after the Behemoth a question, the do not care and the try to swing their swords at him. Another even taking a shot of one of the other's shoulders-- which is a dangerous move to pull!

The Auto guns shut off when Vi'Sharra goes to leap for the Behemoth as they don't want to hurt her, not only that but the men up there now have to deal with the Resistance that is trying to storm up the very tower! This is going to end badly for someone up here.%rDown in one of the mines, two of the troopers catches up with one of the Resistance members who is trying to get deeper in, when they tackle him, he drops the explosive. Which rolls along a bit before coming to a halt against one of the metal support rods.

The other trooper stares at it, before walking over to, as the other tries to cuff him. As the trooper picks it up his eyes go wide. "By my forefathers..." He then looks over to the other. "...." Words do not escape him for what he holds. It is obvious enough and the other once he makes sure the Resistance member can't move quickly gets on the com, "Centurion! Legatus! They have our explosives!"

That-- does not bode well..

As for the woman holding the girl, the four then look at Shirou who she waves at. "I thought the gates were closed." The Centurion remarks, before he then starts to walk his way to Shirou with the gunblade being raised at the youth. "You are part of the--" That is when the comm comes in and the Centurion pauses, "What?!"

He then looks at Vi'Sharra as she calls toward his direction and points at her, "I know you heard it! They will leave here but under shackles!" He then turns to the other two, "Find those damn explosives!"

The Centurion then turns to the female trooper. "And get that kid to the airship! I'll deal with the boy."

The female attempts to put Chloe on her shoulder and then make a run for it, though the ten year old could easily escape!

Sound of sirens themselves are then kicked off. High waling that pierces the very air coming as one of the Garlean Troopers kicks off the best warning they have that can be heard from the towns near by and the side of the city near here...

And that signal was soon followed by added sirens from those very locations.

ROUNDS TO RETREAT: 3

Emiya Shirou (560) has posed:
    "Hold on, hold on!" Shirou yells down in a rough house. Not really the politest way to announce his presence. Having chloe being all cheerful despite being hoisted by the woman centurion. Though with attempts being made to haul Chloe off and now a soldier raising a weapon at him, Shirou's gulping downw orriedly. Just how crazy can this situation get?

    "That's my sister!" The redhead yells, hoping to be heard over the siren. "Damn, this place looks bad!" Well he's not speaking any local language if anyone's paying close enough attention. Translation Effect doesn't make him fit in, just be understood. But with explosions everywhere...

    "Trace, on." He mutters the phrase under his breath, activating his Magic Circuits and preparing a design in his head in case this turns into a nasty mess. "What's going on here?!"

    Yeah the place WAS gated off. He probably climbed over it. Or vaulted over it. Either or.

    But he scowls at the soldier who'se got a gunblade aimed at him.

    "Chloe! Why do you keep running straight into trouble?!" Shirou's not even sure what kind of trouble this IS but it seems bad. REALLY BAD.

Vi'Sharra (487) has posed:
    Vi'Sharra sniffs from inside her armor, "Says the fools involved in the terrorist activity." She gestures at the city, "In case you haven't realized the citizenry outnumbers us considerably. The majority of the people here want us to be here."

    She gestures at the miners retreating towards safety, "And you're the ones wrecking their lives, and putting them in danger, just because you followed the lunatic fringe." She gestures to Shirou and Chloe, before yelling at Allyn and Jono, "And you're FOOLS putting children at risk."
    She leaps off of Allyn's back, and just freezes for a moment...

    Before she bursts out into a tirade, "ALLYN AND JONOTHAN. YOU FUCKING RETARDS. YOU HELPED THE GODDAMN LUNATIC FRINGE RESISTANCE BRING MILITARY GRADE EXPLOSIVES TO A MINE THAT'S PRACTICALLY A GIANT AIR-FUEL BOMB WAITING TO HAPPEN?" She throws the other gunblade to the side, "THE DAMN CITY IS RIGHT OVER THERE! DO YOU KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE YOU'RE GOING TO KILL?"

    Vi'Sharra gestures to the side, and a group of frost-wreathed wolves flicker into existence inside of a halo of lavendar fire, "...Drag the miners out of the mine and herd them onto the airship by force."

Jonothon Starsmore (27) has posed:
Jono's not stupid enough to completely take his eyes off the soldiers. And it's a good thing too since they seem to want to cut him up! Jono turns just in time to see the swords swinging at him and stumbles back. He takes one in the chest though. It rips the disguise farther and allows more of that fire to escape. There's no blood though. Yet.

But instead of attacking he does two things. First he gets closer to the yelling woman since they don't seem to want to attack her. Then he listens to the yelling. And winces behind the face mask. Since it appears useless he removes the thing and drops it. "...Bollocks." Looking quickly to Vi'Sharra, "Any way ter defuse 'em?"

Emiya Shirou (560) has posed:
    "HUH?!" Shirou isn't here on anyone's paycheck or ideals save his own. And right now that means getting Chloe out of a dangerous place. So he can't help but genuinely answer Vi'Sharra's accusations with a besildered blink or two. What's HE being blamed for?

    "Never mind that, explain what we've got to stop!" He shouts back MUCH MORE QUICKLY. this whole place was going to go OFF LIKE A BOMB?!

    "Where? I'll help stop it!"

Allyn (307) has posed:
Allyn growls at Vi'Sharra, "You are the bad guys here, trying to take over and stripping the land of everything here." he ponders for a few moments, though he doesn't look like he's going to attack her, though he does keep those tornadoes active around the area as long as he can. "Do you have any say or power?" the behemoth tilts his head at Vi'Sharra, "Have all Garlean forces leave the city, abandon your mining operations and swear to never return here. I am sure they will get rid of the explosives if you give that command."

Chloe von Einzbern (617) has posed:
Whelp, now things make a sudden whole world more of sense. Chloe wandered into the middle of some kind of terrorist attack. The dots are easier to connect thanks to Vi'Sharra's shouting. "Ohhhhhh..." She's just dangling, not doing a thing, by the time Shirou arrives. This is when she gives the centurion giving her a ride a pat-pat on the shoulder. "Hey, you can let me down, you know."

Doesn't give migh more warning than that as she wriggles free and flips out of the centurion's grasp, landing on her feet and dusting herself off. "Well I guess we're defusing bombs huh."

'We'?

It would seem she's counting herself among the number now trying to stop this in an odd turn of events. Sure she said it wasn't her problem, but that doesn't mean she can't be helpful as she reaches up, plucking two long silvery-pink strands of hair from her head. In an instant they twirl and twist, and re-form into pink-glowing birds, hollow as if made from wire frames... They're gonna flut off in search of the explosives.

Jonothon Starsmore (27) has posed:
Jono shakes his head. Why didn't the Resistance do more research on the power of their explosives?! This... it's not worth it. Not that many innocent lives, just to make a point. He looks to Vi'Sharra. Nods. "Call your dogs offa me." Looking to the guards who had been trying to attack him. "An' I'll go in an' find what 'o the explosives I can."

Gaius Van Baelsar (522) has posed:
The wolves will find some miners that have yet to get out and including at least two who have yet to set the explosives. That is three down out of the seven. Which means that only four left.

With it seeming as if Jonothon has stood down one of the Troopers glares directly at him, his brown eyes meeting the mutants. "Get a move on, void. Your actions best now speaker louder than yours words, or we will see how many bullets your burning form can handle." Yeah-- they were pissed and only standing down by the orders going over the comms.

Shirou was let go, by the same orders and the Centurion looking at him. "We will take your sister to the airship. Assist in location the explosives and Lord Van Baelsar's judgment shall be far more /kind/ then what shall be of the Resistance we capture.." Then suddenly birds. "..what the.."

The female Centurion looks at the girl as she escapes then summons forth birds. "Huh. A mage." Is all the woman has to say to all this. Centurions are trained to keep their heads kinda cool, though they can get a bit snippity and both are-- probably trying to not run around like chickens with their heads cut off as the sirens wail.

The female then looks to Chloe, "I hope your tricks indeed work, young lady. Thankfully for you and your brother, seems you both picked a /bad/ time to visit our country."

One of the Resistance members being dragged off yells at the female about then, "It was never your country to begin with, you hogs! You deceived us all! Taking everything as your own! Even my daughter! You monsters scarred my daughter for life!!"

ROUNDS REMAINING: 2

Vi'Sharra (487) has posed:
    Vi'Sharra gestures to the guards attacking Jonothan, "Priorities change... Help him as best you can, and get a bomb disposal unit in there with you if possible." Her gaze turns back to Allyn, "If that's how you feel about it... ...Then I'm afraid we're going to have to disagree with you."

    Inside the armor her eyes narrow, "I'll Handle the Behemoth. You handle the resistence and look for the damned explosives." The remaining gunblade is leveled at Allyn, "If you let them blow this place up the environmental impact will be far, far worse." She gestures at the screaming resistence member ... and a cloak appears in a burst of lavendar fire, and a moment later a pair of eyes open on the cloak before it seems to smile, and wrap itself around the Ala'Mhigan's head. Smothering his words, but not really him. "...Make your choice now Allyn. We're running out time."

Emiya Shirou (560) has posed:
    Shirou makes an exasperated grunt, as if to say, 'lady, now's not the time!' to the Resistance member. "Blowing up the place doesn't solve everything!"

    He's not got too much TIME to stare at Chloe's sudden Familiar-creation, but he does anyways. "S-she's a magus...?!" This explains...

    A lot.

    Guess he should stop worrying about her quite as much, maybe. He vaults back up onto the mound he was on with considerable effort, scrambling for a good look around. His eyes sharpen with prana and suddenly... he's able to see across the whole darned mine.

    If there's anywhere that looks suspicious, then he can bound off that way and search!

Jonothon Starsmore (27) has posed:
Jono nods to Vi'Sharra. Then he looks at the guards narrowing his eyes. "Right then," he says flatly. "Yer 'eard th' lady. Let me past." He's not afraid no. He doesn't care if he dies. He IS concerned about the thousands of people that might die along with the environmental impact of the bombs. Even if they're lying what if they're not?

With the guards letting him past he won't argue further. He'll just go try to find the bombs. Being lighter than a normal person he might just be able to run a little faster than a normal person his size.

Allyn (307) has posed:
Allyn growls softly at Vi'Sharra even though he believes what she tells him and the behemoth shifts, returning to his usual dire wolf form. "Fine, I'll help stop the explosives, but that does not mean I will not try to help them find another way to be free of the tyrrany that they are under, or find a way to stop the Garleans from raping the land and it does not mean that you all have won eitther." the wolf narrows his eyes at Vi'Sharra, and then he darts off to help search for those with the explosives.

Chloe von Einzbern (617) has posed:
The Familiars are simplistic in design and function. The wire-frame birds have a single purpose given to them on creation. And Chloe proceeds to hang back, arms folded behind her head as she shifts her weight onto one foot. "Yeah. Surprised?" Commented idly at Shirou as if this were the most natural thing in the world.

Wings flapping, the wire-frame bird-familiars take off like a pair of bullets, scouting ahead in search of the explosives and their carriers. They're not exactly very powerful. Against an elite they'd probably be an annoyance at best, but they do have have magical powered laser blasts, to heckle, heckle, harry, and slow any of the carriers they do find.

To the centurion: "Relax~. I've got this~."

Gaius Van Baelsar (522) has posed:
The birds find one of the resistance members and him trying to set up an explosive. Though thanks to some of the troopers following the pink glowing birds, they find him and quickly tackle him away from the device. Probably with the help of the birds as well, given what they can do!

Shirou will see this probably in action and two more getting set up. Jonothon however will find some resistance as he goes down into the shaft as two of the Resistance members go to take a pickaxe swing at him. "You betrayed us!" One of them barks out!

The two airships that have come in earlier now take off with some of the people, another lands down and while some more troops off load, a few give a quick salute to a dark armored individual who makes his presence known.

Legatus Gaius Van Baelsar himself-- the viceroy of Ala Mhigo and the one even the Union has come to know as being rather trouble when it comes to the gathering of resource points given his record of less failures and more successes.%rWhile others quickly go to move to check some shafts and bring in more of the Resistance members, Gaius slowly walks across the ramp and down the steps, before he stops one of his Soliders dragging over a Resistance member struggling.

Gaius' hand then clamps around the young man's jaw. "How many explosives are there?"

"Bloody fuck off! The Destroyer will burn you all!"

Gaius's hand then clamps a bit tighter, "How. Many explosives. Boy."

"I..wont tell you.. a damn.. thing.."

The Legatus then pulls out his Gunblade and fires a bullet right into the youth's foot, which causes the young man to scream. "..Next it is your knee.. boy. Speak."

Chloe von Einzbern (617) has posed:
With her Familiars still flitting about, Chloe seems content at first to let them do their jobs and hang back. They're still searching even now, but it's something else that gets the girl herself moving into action. In an instant she's off like a bullet, legs carrying her at a dead on sprint as fast as she can.

And she is fast. Almost practically from out of nowhere, she's suddenly in the path between Jonothon and the pickaxe wielding resistance member. In her own hand is a pickaxe of her own. Where she got it from is anyone's guess as she swings it up. Small though she may be, her strength is almost inhuman as she intends to parry off the swing with enough force to do more than stagger a full grown man.

"Excuse you, we are busy." She snaps in a huff. "We get it, these guys are jerks, but is it really worth hurting other people who aren't involved?"

Emiya Shirou (560) has posed:
    Shirou sees them, alright... and now he's forced to make a choice. He wants to save as many people as possible. Here, there's people who are actively working to make a disaster - one they might not realize is as bad as it will be. If he stops them, they'll probably be tortured or executed. If he doesn't stop them, this whole place might go KABLOOEY and take down chunks of the town. He himself, Chloe down there, who knows how many people will die.

    Then... it's not a choice, is it?

    His bow appears in a hurry. it's a modern thing, with synthetic cord for a string and lots of pulleys to amplify the force and make drawing it easier. His prana flows through the illusion, strengthening it further. Those with a sense for such might feel it spreading through it in a circuit-like pattern and filling in the 'cracks' of its existence. That bow has just gained an ENORMOUS amount of extra power for launching projectiles.

    In his other hand... the somewhat elaborate, AILERON-EQUIPPED rocket shockspear of VRUASA TELASH's design appears... and distorts, shrinking and warping into a shape more akin to that of an arrow. Shirou grimaces... takes aim...

    FWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOSH!

    The moment that 'arrow' is released, its own ROCKET THRUSTERS kick in to propel it further in remarkably stable and accurate flight.

    It's aimed right at the workers setting up the bombs. He's not aiming at vitals, but at this range he can't even try to miss vital arteries and similar. The injuries will be gruesome, painful, and possibly lifethreatening.

    Particularly as he's aiming to literally PIN people to walls and the like, as though they were bugs, and simultaneously TAZE THEM into submission so they can't keep working on the bombs.

    Provided this goes well with the first attempt, he'll repeat it for any other he can see.

Vi'Sharra (487) has posed:
    Vi'Sharra nods slightly, "Thank you Allyn, please go help them find the explosives. For now, I'll be helping Lord van Baelsar ... Learn more about how many bombs and where they are." The second gunblade is discarded and she takes off towards the resistance member with the conjured cloaker around his face. "So. Lets talk cold hard facts. You have chose to honor your daughter's memory by dying."

    Inside her armor her eyes narrow, "I doubt that's what she'd want, but you're here anyway. Good for you, for honoring your daughter's memory." She pauses for a moment to let it sink in, "Now content with the idea of damaging your daughter's memory, you've come here with a bunch of military grade explosives, enough, If I understand correctly, to level this entire mine, ignite the cerrulium inside, destroy all of the surrounding villages, that house the miners and their dependants, the people that man the trading stations, and perhaps somewhere around a third of Ala'Mhigo."

    The next few words are hissed out at him, "Is this the legacy you want to leave your daughter? Daddy became a mass murderer, he killed a bunch of his former neighbors, and doomed the resistence in the process, but he did it for you."

    A moment later the cloaker unlatches from around the guys face, allowing him to speak.

Jonothon Starsmore (27) has posed:
Jono doesn't back down. He raises an arm to block aiming his forearm at the haft of the thing and tilting his head back so it doesn't get punctured. And then suddenly there's a little girl with a pickaxe swinging at the one trying to hit him. It should give him enough time to get out of the way. He nods to the girl in thanks and then moves to the side so the girl isn't in his firing line.

"An' yer didn't tell me yer lot were tryin' ter annhilate HALF A RUDDY CITY!" he growls right back at the resistance member who accused him of betraying them. Adding to Chloe's words, "None 'o those people did anythin' ter deserve death!"

And now that he's not in danger of being AXED a very hard question he blasts a beam at the people attacking him. Trying to avoid Chloe in the meantime. Hit or miss it should distract them long enough for him to try and find the explosive near here.

Allyn (307) has posed:
Allyn stalks through the mines as he goes about looking for the explosives, well, he did say he would help stop them now. He ponders as he does so and shifts back to his human form, it might help to blend in a bit and well, the empire's wolves are around, so he doesn't really want to get mistaken for oen.

Gaius Van Baelsar (522) has posed:
Gaius takes note of what Vi'Sharra is doing with another, though he does not stop his own interrogation. Though he does silently admit--- Nael Van Darnus was /far/ better at this when the man was alive...

When Shirou fires the arrow, the Resistance member tries to get out of the way. "Come on you damn thing!" however the next one impacts his arm tossing him away from the device and pinning him to the wall. The Troopers follow where Shirou is firing and go to tie up the man.

The other one however picks up on the sounds of the arrows and suddenly changes locations to go down the mine itself and getting out of sight!

Chloe is able to deflect away one, while the other is knocked back by Jono, though his own blasts knock them both aside to give access to the shaft, which soon the birds are making their way in that direction as well. Sadly, neither seem to desire to talk at this point.

Allyn finds one of the resistance members who activates the explosive. There is a grin on the man's face, before he takes notice of Allyn, "..Hmm?" Though about that time the birds find him and start to blast their annoying lasers at him, which he throws a rock at!

The man that Vi'Sharra is interrogating sneers at her. "Those /people/ up there. They are all coward! They have no right to call themselves Ala Mhigans. They roll over for the Garlean Empire, not even willing to fight! We know the truth!" Though as the man hears the gun shot and the boy scream in pain again, he winces a bit.

"...I will restore my daughters dignity.. even if it means I have to kill ten thousand.."

The boy then barks out, "I'll talk! STOP!"

The one Vi'Sharra has suddenly barks over, "Don't! They can't know!"

Vi'Sharra (487) has posed:
    Vi'sharra frowns, "So. For your daughter, you're going to kill everyone you ever cared about. Destroy every shred of sympathy anyone in the city ever had for your cause, and end any chance that your 'resistence' ever had of accomplishing anything." She hisses softly, and with a gesture raises up the faceplate of her helm.

    She gazes at him silently for a moment, and her eyes start to glow as she pours out the mesmeric powers, "Is this what your daughter would have wanted you to do? Slaughter thousands just to ... create a legacy for her? Do your child what little shred of honor you can. Tell us about the bombs."

Chloe von Einzbern (617) has posed:
No sooner than the pickaxe is batted aside, Chloe drops hers. Deeper in the mines her Familiars are locked in a sudden aerial battle. Their magical barrages can harass at best, but the flung rock smacks into one, causing it to lose shape. A bird no longer, the pink strand of hair slowly floats to the ground, normal once again and lost in all the tumult.

Jonothon can handle himself now, and once she has an idea of where her Familiar's are, the girl BLITZES again. Near olympian speed sustained sprinting barrels her through the mines.

Until she's upon the man. Hopefully Shirou isn't looking. Somehow- from somewhere- she picked something up... It's a gunblade. And where most small girls would hold such a weapon clumsily, she runs like she's trained with the thing her whole life, a vaulting leap carrying her at the resistance man, she twirls, both hands grasping upon the blade as she hurls herself in a swing that would surely lop head from shoulders. ... Only to stop it just short of actually doing so.

"Turn it off."

The implication is very simple here. She's asking nicely.

Jonothon Starsmore (27) has posed:
Trying to get the resistance fighters to talk would take too much time. Jono just heads down the shaft as the resistance fighters are knocked aside. Hopefully he can find one of those explosives before they go up.

Emiya Shirou (560) has posed:
    Shirou has no words to spare for the people he's striking and basically damning to whatever prison or punishment awaits - he wouldn't be surprised if that even means EXECUTION with this empire... oh well. Ugh.

    He slides back down off the mound he was on, ending up near Chloe... and just in time to see what she's up to. He winces... but this... is utterly dispelling his idea that he has to protect her.%R    "If these explosives go off, you're destroying the very thing you're here to protect, and nobody will ever follow your cause again!"

Gaius Van Baelsar (522) has posed:
Vi'Sharra puts on her skills and the man winces a little before he slumps a bit from where she holds him. The Resistance older man then speaks softly. "..there are seven explosives in total.. That is all we could bring.. that is all we were given.."

Gaius over hears this and then looks at the youth he holds. "You wish to add to that boy?"

The youth shakes his head gently. "What he says is true! There is only seven explosives! We were lead to them by a man in a hooded cloak! He said the aetheric power would.. would.."

Those black void eye slots of the helm continue to stare the youth down, "Would what?!"

The resistance member that Chloe faces is caught off guard by the young girls might and he freezes right where he is, "I.. I don't know how! We were only instructed on how to activate them! Not shut them off!"

Thankfully for Chloe she can hear some movement, as it seems some troopers are starting to make their way down there. Hopefully they will know what to do!

Jonothon has no luck in the maze of the mines, if anything he comes to a dead end, though a beautiful crystals of pure white hang around from the ceiling and from the very ground as well and there is a low fog over the ground itself.

When Shirou shows up down the other path, the Resistance member only gives him a look, but he notices the crack starting to form, "Kid! Move!" To late however as the ground gives under him. The hole isn't to far down though when he hits the floor under, he may find himself suddenly sliding down a sandy rock bank.

At least until he comes to a stop against a rail and standing there on that same level is another Resistance member in the dark staring at something in 'awe' or in total fear. His hands are barely holding the explosive.

The rail itself is over a massive hole that has been dug, digging machines can be seen offline due to the alarm sent here and something large still has massive shards of rocks around it. Metal in structure, but black.. the details hard to make out. But if Shirou was to follow the gaze of the scared man, he find himself looking up at the head of a machanized monster, with its maw slightly open.. and almost like the sound of 'breathing' could be heard-- or maybe-- that was just the wind.

Jonothon Starsmore (27) has posed:
Pretty scenery is not going to help him find those explosives. Cursing as he finds himself at a dead end Jono goes back the way he came. As he heads back, he asks over the radio, "Anybody know where the rest 'o those bleedin' bombs are?"

Emiya Shirou (560) has posed:
    "Whoah-what---AWUUUUGH!" With the ground itself giving way, Shirou goes sliding down a crevice. RUmble-tumble... he resists the whole way down, ending up with lots of bloody scrapes, but... he slams into the rail and just takes a moment to catch his breath. It's pretty dark down here, he's not quite able to see too well even with his Reinforced vision, but maybe it'll work in his favor? Maybe. Nightvision should be improved too after all!

    Though that still requires SOME LIGHT. "Trace, on."

    There's a sizzle of golden prana from his hands, and in a few seconds he's wielding a rather shitty version of EXCALIBUR GALATINE, holy blade of the sun. Which, coincidentally, can ignite with flames. So he invokes this easily enough, and hay, SWORD TORCH.

    "...... ANOTHER BOMB!" The only question is what ELSE is down here?!

Vi'Sharra (487) has posed:
    Vi'Sharra grunts softly and takes a step back from the man, before she lowers her faceplate. "A man in a black robe. A mystery man promising everything you wanted, and demanding nothing in return." There's probably the feeling that she's giving him a disgusted look from behind her armor, "...Seriously? You didn't think that he wasn't going to try and..." She closes her eyes and turns to look in Gaius' direction.

Chloe von Einzbern (617) has posed:
This man is entirely helpful. Chloe sighs as she scruffs him and proceeds to pin him to the nearest wall by the collar of his shirt, with the sword. He can stay there and sweat for a while. "Well then I guess we're both pretty hosed now aren't we?"

Hopefully all that movement is someone coming to help, right? ... Right? Because she's not moving to touch the bomb.

Gaius Van Baelsar (522) has posed:
Emiya Shirou lights up the area with his sword, the Resistant member holding the bomb is-- just not moving. Staring at whatever it was imprisoned within its rocky tomb. His hand at last lets go of the explosive which rolls to the ground, before the man just /screams/ and runs away.

Ok. That was weird.

Though Shirou's sword torch would light up for him to see /why/. The metallic machine-- if it can even be called that-- looms high above him. Its surface though metal, also almost looks bio-organic in some ways. The sound of its breathing does not pass, it is slow-- steady-- rhythmic. That is indeed no wind.

As he sword torch moves to give him a better look of its face way up, that seems to be looking down one may catch a glimmer for a moment of something red that glistened from where the eyes are, but its gone just as quickly as it almost showed itself.

As for Chloe, she will find the Resistance man gulping gently, but do not fear! A Centurion over hears the ordeal and including Shirou's very faint voice down the hole. His eyes narrow behind the eyeless slots in his helm. He then goes to display the explosive with a few button pressures. "We will get your brother out from there." He nods to one of the troops. "Take the resistance member back to the airship for imprisonment."

Once its disabled, the Centurion then stands looking at Chloe. "I will send one of the men to get your brother out. The area is-- unstable down there. Dangerous if you.. don't know what your doing."

Jonothon will soon find himself finding a path that has 'danger' on the walls and 'do not pass'. He also may hear Shirou's voice that echoed down there about the explosive he found and perhaps even hear the faint sounds of air moving.

The resistance member says nothing further to Vi'Sharra only to lower his head in shame. The Young boy is released by Gaius and given over to his men, before looking at her. "They are fools. They continue to hold onto their false gods in hopes of some retribution. It seems they not learn anything in the years due to Nael's handiwork."

One of the Centurions then comes up to Gaius and salutes, "Sir! Six explosives reported.. the seventh found with the young man who was seeking his sister."

"Very well."

Jonothon Starsmore (27) has posed:
Huh. What's this? Jono looks at the sign. Tilts his head to hear that voice. He can't make out the words from this far but a human's voice down here is probably a good indicator of something going on. He doesn't hear the wind either; his hearing is only normal for a human being. Regardless he heads that way.

Emiya Shirou (560) has posed:
    Gulp. Shirou suddenly feels as though this sword of his is making him a TARGET, rather than helping him avoid danger. He takes a few steps back.... then forward to nab the explosive.

    And pretty quickly, he's thinking that renegade had the right idea. He joins him in a mad, gasping dash away from WHATEVER THE HECK THAT THING IS.

    Driven by a deep sense of foreboding and terror indeed, for Shirou's not usually one to run away from danger!

    Yet while he runs, he spares some time to use his Structural Grasp magecraft on the explosive to see if it's been activated, and what he could do to magically rip it apart to ruin the ignition if it is...!

Chloe von Einzbern (617) has posed:
    Chloe's left the man on the wall, what the Garleans do with him isn't much of her concern when they arrive and take him off to whatever terrible fate he has waiting for him in regards to imprisonment. So this leaves her turning towards the centurion, one hand on her hip as she flashes the cheekiest of cat-smiles. "Did good, didn't I?"

But moving on to the topic of Shirou- where is he anyway? He mentioned something about something big and malicious. Huh. "Mmmmm... I think you might want to be a little fast on that." And on the same note: "And how do I get out of here?"

Gaius Van Baelsar (522) has posed:
Shirou runs away, probably right past Jonothon and thankfully for them, nothing gives chase! Shirou also will be glad to know that this one was never armed. Which means all explosives have been found!

The Legatus however has been making his way slowly toward one of the mine entrances, seeming to know which one Shirou would be bolting out of and maybe Jonothon as well. The dark armored boots moving across the field with simple ease. His Gunblade though remaining in his hand, while his index finger though, far from the trigger.

His men knew---
--- He was not overly thrilled about something.

The Centurion looks to Chloe before he motions to her. "You did well. Held the sword like a proud legatus. Now come-- its this way." And he will take her out to safety.

Once Shirou and possibly Jonothon get out there, they will find Gaius Van Baelsar waiting for them. Those voidless eyes of his full face helm just /staring/ at them. "You have done well." He says with low calm to his voice. "Though as for you." He tilts his head slightly to look at Jonothon. "Along with the other whom shifts-- you two shall be aiding in cleaning up this mess you so sought to bring to my home. A fair price I believe for what you have wrought."

Then Gaius looks to Shirou, "..and I know whom you are-- as you know whom I am. I suggest you leave with your sister and do not return here. I shall ignore your presence for what you have done this day, but beyond that-- we are enemies by factional coils."

Vi'Sharra (487) has posed:
    Vi'Sharra, in her power armor, walks over to Shirou and Chloe, "You two helped when you didn't have to, and that may have made all of the difference in the world to our people here in the city, and surrounding the mine."

    She smiles, though you really really can't see it under her helmet, "Lets get the two of you somewhere safer and see about digging up a reward." She gestures to what looks an airbike nearby.

Emiya Shirou (560) has posed:
    Oh of course, Shirou runs almost smack-dab into Fantasy Vader. The boy stops dead in his tracks, tensing... then remembers the situation. "I don't care about factions when disaster's about to strike. Here, you dispose of this thing." He holds the explosive out - carefully. "It doesn't look armed to me, thankfully." Whew indeed. That's quite a relief. Though his manner's pretty clipped around Gaius. He's not sure what to MAKE of the guy.

    Though he does give the armored man a nod. "Sorry, I don't know why she came barreling out here. Guess I'd better go find out." Oh yeah. Here we go again.

Jonothon Starsmore (27) has posed:
Jonothon will probably come out of the mines not too long after Shirou. Considering that Jono took Shirou's quick running pace as a sign to GET THE HELL OUTTA THERE and had done so with only a short hesitation. And also following Shirou and hoping he knew the way out.

Once he's out his shoulders slump a little-- his version of a sigh of relief minus the 'sigh' part. Though he straightens quickly when Gaius looks his way and tenses as if he expects to be attacked. However the statement makes some of the tension leave him. Some... not all.

Still it's a reasonable request. He nods. "Yes sir," he answers. He doesn't have any factional reason to dislike Gaius. And really he's not part of the Resistance... they just hired him to help them stop the mine. They didn't tell him they were going to blow up the city. So yeah. He owes them at least that.

Chloe von Einzbern (617) has posed:
Thusly led outside by the Centurion and dusting her shorts off with a little pat, Chloe von Einzbern is looking fairly smug and self-satisfied with her handiwork. So when she's re-united with the others she- pointedly does no hug Shirou. In fact, much like a spurned cat, she wheels to turn to one side, nose upturned.

A reward sounds great, so she's already moving to go chill with Vi'Sharra, though Gaius' imposing demanda state she leave with Shirou. Why WAS she here in the first place?

"It's because you scolded me last night, big brother."

Gaius Van Baelsar (522) has posed:
All seems well. All seems good. Shirou and his little sister get take away by Vi'Sharra for gifts. Jonothon and Allyn get to clean up the mess with some of the Troopers, though they will be given cold shoulders-- understandably so.

But meals will at least be given!

As for Gaius Van Baelsar he leaves with a very easy heel turn and slow stride out of the area. His men giving his snap salutes and mostly staying clear, giving the Legatus a very wide birth when able, even as he places away his personal Gunblade.

Fantasy Vader indeed.

Yet the mystery will remain for poor Shirou-- just what was down there in those mines and were the Garleans really digging it out? Or was it some accidental finding even on their own part?