Multiverse Crisis MUSH - User contributions [en]

3350/A Sword For A Marine

2015-11-08T03:13:21Z

Bratbern: Created page with "{{Log Header |Date of Scene=2015/11/08 |Location=Void - Deep Void (West) |Synopsis=Karian visits in regards to a blade |Thanks= |Cast of Characters=451, 530, 900 |Tinyplot= |T..."

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2015/11/08
|Location=Void - Deep Void (West)
|Synopsis=Karian visits in regards to a blade
|Thanks=
|Cast of Characters=451, 530, 900
|Tinyplot=
|Tinyplot2=
|pretty=yes
}}
{{Poses
|Poses=:'''{{#var:900|Yukihana Masamune (900)}} has posed:'''     Aboard the spelljammer vessel known as The One-Eyed Jack where Yukihana Masamune calls her home, she has turned her livingspace into an ever active chamber of heat and sound. The crackling simmer of coals, blazing and red, radiate a sweltering heat within the forge already, as she prepares the crucible to take and melt down whatever materials will be brought to her.     Yukihana, herself, is a small statured girl- looking to be in her teen years at most, silver hair tugged back in a loose ponytail and bound back with red ribbonns and bells, leaving vulpine fox-like ears free to twitch and swivel at every sizzle and pop of the coals, judging the heat by sound alone. She's dressed for work, a white forgemaster robe, and heavy leather smock, the short sleeves pinned back and her forearms wrapped in thick cloth for protection as she manages the large clay crucible in preparation. 

:'''{{#var:451|Karian Icefang (451)}} has posed:'''     Karian makes his way into the area slowly. More then often, he has to duck low in order to avoid banging his head into any low hanging objects. "Yukihana, I presume?" He asks of the kitsune, a bit surprised by her look. He then rummages into his bag, and pulls out lots of adamantium. 

:'''{{#var:900|Yukihana Masamune (900)}} has posed:'''     For a moment longer, the girl stokes the coals, making sure everything will be ready in time to start right away, and the sound of someone- someone very large- entering her chamber makes her turn about, wiping sweat from her brow on the back of her arm. "Yes, I am she, you must be..."     Be very large.     She trails right off, scarlet eyes widening, her jaw half dropped a the sheer herculean size of the space marine, before she catches herself with a small cough, and quickly does her best to regain her manners. "Y-yes. I am she. You are sir Karian then, I assume." Answered as she dips into a low and formal bow. But then it's down to business as her gaze turns upon the gleaming metal, running her hand along a hunk of the adamantine steel. "I take it this is what you would have me use?" Murmured before she motions for him to sit. "Will you take tea?" 

:'''{{#var:451|Karian Icefang (451)}} has posed:'''     Karian nods softly. "Aye, to both. We use adamantine for the teeth of some of our blades home...it seemed appropriate." He then takes a seat and watches the fire with his good eye. He had never seen a sword forged outside of the Imperiums methods, and was quite interested. 

:'''{{#var:900|Yukihana Masamune (900)}} has posed:'''     Aye to both, then, though before she even goes to do a thing with the metal, the kitsune retrieves a teapot from where it had been set to warm atop the lip of the crucible. Two cups are poured, though they are embarassingly nowhere near close to being sized for Karian. "Tell me. Of these horrors that you fight, and how you best wield a blade."     It is, best to know after all what the man wants before just throwing the metal into the fire. 

:'''{{#var:451|Karian Icefang (451)}} has posed:'''     "The best way I can explain them is as deamons. Horrors and monsters from nightmares made into reality. Each is from a different 'god' of an overall evil, Chaos. Some use disease, others flame." He pauses, staying vague for Yukihana's sake. But he soon speak on. "Beyond them, there are aliens who seek to destroy humanity, and traitors within. My role is the bulwark agaist them, the edge of the blade. As for how best I fight...hmm...Larger weapons are best for me. Greataxes, greatswords and the like. I'm no fancy sword user, but rely on my strength." 

:'''{{#var:900|Yukihana Masamune (900)}} has posed:'''     "Mmm. Mmm." It's a contemplative sound, ears flitting thoughtfully as she listens. A swish of her tail, and Yukihana is quick to refill teacups when necessary, but then seems to have reached her decision.     "I believe I understand." She finally murmurs. "I will begin. If you are not happy with the result, then I will reforge it until you are." Noted as she proceeds to load hunks of adamant into the crucible- the forge flames setting to the task of heating and melting the metal. 

:'''{{#var:451|Karian Icefang (451)}} has posed:'''     Karian nods, and sits tea carefully. "I look forward to your work. I have been told it is quite good." He says, a fair bit of excitement bleeding into his voice. 

:'''{{#var:900|Yukihana Masamune (900)}} has posed:'''     The red tint that takes to the fox-girl's face might not be from the heat alone. But she bows her head regardless. "This is a process that will take time, I warn you." And it is true. Adamantium doubtlessly takes longer to head and melt than steel, but she manages it. It's a process that would normally take three days. But she manages to smelt the metal in a matter of hours, using her hammer to shatter the crucible, a hook and heavy duty chains pull out the cooling bloom of adamantium, now laced with charcoal carbon and forming a new kind of steel all its own. A swift strike of her hammer shatters it, and she commences selecting the best pieces by eye. "I have an idea for a weapon that would suit you." 

:'''{{#var:451|Karian Icefang (451)}} has posed:'''     Karian arcs his eye at that. "Oh?" He asks, intruiged by the prospect. "I'm also impressed....you broke down the metal faster then most would do...at least 3 days at best. 

:'''{{#var:900|Yukihana Masamune (900)}} has posed:'''     "It is a matter of learning and knowing how the metal works." Murmured softly as she selects her preferred pieces. She withdraws the hammer held in the sash of her belt, striking in swift, powerful strokes that send sparks flying, beating out impurities. "Yes. A weapon that requires skill... But great strength as well." Answered vaguely.     Once she's sorted the massive metal chips, she pauses. Scarlet eyes look to the Space Wolf, darting from point to point on his heavy ceramite armor, gaze flitting over Purity Seals and their writings, before she produces a large sheaf of paper Laying it out. Dipping a brush into a nearby inkwell, she proceeds to write upon it, a poem.     To purge dread warp taint / Relying not solely on strength. / Faith is your power. 

:'''{{#var:451|Karian Icefang (451)}} has posed:'''     Karian watches what was written and nods at that. "Very fitting. Is that how you made your own?" He asks, watching. 

:'''{{#var:900|Yukihana Masamune (900)}} has posed:'''     With the poem thusly written, Yukihana wraps the adamantium shards within, coating the materials in clay and sliding them all into the forge once again to heat and weld. "Yes. And no. My blade is a traditional katana. Yours shall be somewhat different. However much of the process will be the same save for differences in style and final product." Replied with a bow of her head. "I will need three days from this point, before you may return." 

:'''{{#var:451|Karian Icefang (451)}} has posed:'''     Karian nods and finishes his tea. "I understand. I look forward to seeing the final result. My thanks, Yukihana." 

}}

3292/Eels, Bugs, and Foxes

2015-11-08T00:13:15Z

Bratbern: Created page with "{{Log Header |Date of Scene=2015/10/29 |Location=Void - Deep Void (East) |Synopsis=Hagane Town comes under attack, and it's pirates to the rescue. |Thanks= |Cast of Characters..."

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2015/10/29
|Location=Void - Deep Void (East)
|Synopsis=Hagane Town comes under attack, and it's pirates to the rescue.
|Thanks=
|Cast of Characters=7, 42, 320, 353, 492, 515, 571, 672, 673, 896, 900
|Tinyplot=
|Tinyplot2=
|pretty=yes
}}
{{Poses
|Poses=:'''{{#var:896|Nobeard (896)}} has posed:'''     Hagane town is, as mentioned, a bit quaint compared to some parts of the multiverse. It's located next to an icy mountain that is rumored to have an amazing swordsmith upon it, for anyone who bothers to look ahead or knows the area. It's also populated largely by, well, militia and villagers.     This means they aren't doing too well!     The invaders are few in number, but brutal in nature. Despite the film coverage, the town is largely fighting off a cluster of human and elf 'soldiers' right now. They're barely clothed, lean and wiry, and covered in scars. They also advance heedlessly, fearlessly, charging over barricades and advancing with a steady, almost monotonous manner. While they fight sluggishly, their absolute lack of fear is making them hard to drive off.     The larger beasts are behind them, massive plated creatures with large claws that tear into the defenders who manage to reach them. There look to be maybe a half dozen of these creatures, crashing through walls and gathering up bodies, while the humans are dragging some villagers toward the ship hovering just above the town. 

:'''{{#var:320|Flint Hawke (320)}} has posed:'''     This isn't a large enough battle to warrant the presence of the Black Sun battlecruiser itself, and honestly if the Flotilla's radio hadn't lit up about people responding to it, Flint probably wouldn't have actually cared it was happening. As it stands, he's here because he was bored and because the Pure in his chest was causing him more frequent medical problems due to the downtime he'd been taking of late and the general reductionin violence since the Wolkenritter joined the crew.     Really, so lazy was he about his arrival that he hadn't even brought a ship. Instead, a hollowed out space missile streaks down through orbit and towards the assailed village, fired from his ship some many distances away and deployed via a cross-system three-stage munitions deployment. As the hollowed out missile slams into the ground it... does NOT explode cataclysmically. Instead, it kicks up an intense cloud of dirt and dust, creating a crater upon impact as the metal remnants steam and hiss against the ground.     Out of the crater climbs Flint Hawke, adjusting the hat on his head and holding an opened Space MRE in his hands as he looks around. Pulling on the brim of the hat to set it in place, he digs around in the bag of MRE and pulls out a gel juice pouch, idly biting open the spout and sucking out the beverage inside.     "'s all this about, then?" 

:'''{{#var:672|Starbound Flotilla (672)}} has posed:'''     From out of the sky, six heavy, bright beams blast into Hagane town, or whatever is close enough to avoid the dangers of teleporting into such close proximity of another ship! The STARBOUND FLOTILLA are here, in their standard Durasteel exploration equipment! Moonfin, the fishman, is in elaborate full-body durasteel armor that looks like a powered cross between a diving suit and a samurai's armor, glowing cyan at the faceplate. Biteblade, the humanoid plant, is in durasteel plating with elaborately carved wood and bone ornaments over glowing powered components that glow an intense green. Pavo the bird-girl wears a pirate-aesthetic set of mesoamerican-style armor, with yellow bands of energized fabric linking the pieces and powering them. Albert the monkey-man is wearing elaborate dystopian commando armor reconstructed with a 'rebel spy' aesthetic: A sleeker faceplate, a slimmer form, and a more chaotic design that integrates thin, resilient plates of durasteel, and lines of bright white. George (just plain human) wears a set of futuristic EVA-combat and exploration armor in a suit that glows a gentle red at the faceplate. Seft, the robotic Flotilla member, is wearing full-on medieval knight armor with a soft energized blue glow below the plates on her body, and especially around the eyes. Each has a heavy industrial-yellow two-pronged plasma-cutter-like tool strapped to their side, a Matter Manipulator. "Berserker-type null-fear foes. No shock and awe." "Well I'm shocked, and here's me goin' 'awwww'." "Strike to cripple, rather than induce pain or exhaustion. Be as what you must to wreck any ship with a single wave." "Panicked. They are bringing the natives to their ship. We have to stop them." "We gotta get paid, lass, got no sense puttin' ye neck out for nothin'" "Quiet. Reach the defensive walls and barricades. Reinforce. "Right. Hunt now. Worry later."     The starbounders kick off, dashing in short bursts of energy. Each Starbounder draws their respective weapon: Power swords, power battleaxes, heavy power crowbars, gyro-hammers, power daggers, the works. They charge the incoming berserker-style enemies in formation, and go right for instant incapacitation or death: Dismemberments, broken bones, decapitations, things that a normal person should not be able to get up from. They work in perfect tandem, in crashing wave after crashing wave, a six-man blender of murder that tries to clear out the defenses area. Looks like they want to get ahold of the defenses; presumably if they can clear the area out, they have plans to reinforce the defenses! 

:'''{{#var:515|Wuyin Tsai (515)}} has posed:''' After months of fighting creatures from the mythology and nightmares of humankind, Wuyin Tsai, Defender of Gaia, Army of the Dragon and Bee to Buzz All Bees... decided he needed a new sword. Honestly, coming by a replacement on his homeworld is not terribly difficult. He could go to one of the equipment suppliers hidden in Seoul, cough up some hard-earned PAX, and come away with a serviceable weapon. He could just as easily go wrench one out of a corpse somewhere in the field and modify it with Anima circuitry on the fly, which would be nearly as good. However, when it comes to weapons, there's something to be said for quality and tradition. Wuyin wears a dark green buff coat over black nearly everything else. Some kind of kabuki mask, white and red, is affixed to his upper back while an effigy of a faceless man made in copper wire hangs from his belt. He's got a knife. It doesn't look terribly impressive. The 3D glasses are as present as ever and just as anachronistic for this part of the multiverse. A few of the villagers have commented about it, but he's been frustratingly cryptic with them. Currently, Wuyin is standing on a partially-overturned stack of crates near the crater that just got made. He waves at the man who climbs out of the crater, and gestures over his shoulder at the enormous spider-ship and the scarred raiders. "Some sort of raiding party," he calls, ignoring introductions and not bothering to ask who Flint is. "I was thinking of killing them before they slew all the swordsmiths in town. Care to join me?" 

:'''{{#var:353|Laer (353)}} has posed:'''     The alert draws attentions from all sides, naturally. Even sides that may not have what would technically be called a ship. Laer's not going to take action right away as she arrives, though; rather, she's going to float nearby, staying well away from both the beasts and the humans, tilting her head and watching as some of the villagers are tugged towards the ship.     She'll float further up, possibly risking being noticed if anyone actually looks up at something other than the ships or glowing things, trying to spot the people on the floating ship. They seem the most likely ones that she would want to deal with; the villagers are moderately meaningless, after all. 

:'''{{#var:571|Alexis Maaka (571)}} has posed:'''     The Crimson Spectre doesn't make a big show of its arrival to the world. That's not Alexis Maaka's style, no. She prefers subtle approaches herself, and she's aleady well prepared for the operation once she gets a look at the situation from up high.     Her vessel's topographical sensors draw up a map, giving her a bird's eye view as she arrives via shuttle and lands on an outcropping near the village.     She exits, armored up and clutching a large caliber sniper rifle and sporting an X95 assault rifle slung over her shoulder.     Given her internal neural computing software and ballistics computation programs, she doesn't need a spotter, so Maaka goes to work.     Laying out near the edge, she rests the rifle on a bipod and checks that her rifle's zeroed in, then takes aim at the invaders.     Maaka takes a breath, "Time to get paid." And then she exhales.     The .338 Arctic Warfare Magnum rifle lets off a thundering report, the round going across the land until it streaks towards the grape of an unsuspecting pirate. This ought to be a turkey shoot, today. 

:'''{{#var:673|Rory White (673)}} has posed:'''     It doesn't take too long for the COGNIZANT ODYSSEY to arrive. The fairly sizable craft - a large frigate that could probably have numerous fighters docked outside were it made for that - proves to be airworthy after exiting FTL. Its atmospheric descent is computer-controlled and executed with FAR more G-forces than any human body could withstand. Any plain humans aboard would probably black out.     Thankfully for Rory White, if there are any humans aboard, they are INCREDIBLY augmented ones.     The shining silvery-grey steel hull is plain and covered in sensors, but there's not really much in the way of weaponry. Particle and kinetic shielding's evident though by the telltale shimmer surrounding the frigate.     What evident weapons it does have are pretty TINY. Turrets that aren't much bigger than ordinary guns swivel about on its sides, emerging from hatches that didn't seem to EXIST until needed and seamlessly vanish after the weapons flip into place. None of them are bothered at all by the superheated hull. Exactly what these turrets are designed to fire though, that's hard to say... unless one is familiar with mass drivers and lasers.     The ENTIRE VILLAGE is bombarded with an active sensor sweep from the Cognizant Odyssey along with the Spider-ship.     Rory White's not using her typical body. Instead she is currently sleeved into the Cognizant Odyssey's cyberbrain. The motion of every turret and sensor, every thruster is as her hands and legs, fingers and eyes.     "Trying to convince you to flee would just be a waste of time, whoever you are." Her voice comes across the open band AND speakers... and she's surprisingly flat-toned. Not a sign of being calm, but instead highly focused. "Instead my decree is this. Cease hostilities and I will stop firing!"     Not the most diplomatic thing to say... but in a situation like this? Screw diplomacy.     Rory has railguns. A few of them, anyways.     And the weapons howl with hypersonic force, propelling tiny slivers of dense metal at the Spider-ship's obvious weaponry first.     On the ship's far side - away from the Spider-ship - a hatch opens, and a half-dozen Saucer drones float free, each equipped with personal-scale laser weaponry. The lasers aren't very powerful but they acquire targets precisely as Rory paints them in her sensor net and open fire with invisible beams on some of the marauders. The lasers aren't very powerful - they do not cut down marauders like blasters set to kill or anything. Instead they use pure heat on flesh, inflicting PAINFUL burns. Weapon hands and eyes are preferred points to aim at, and they fire with the machine precision only an optimized AI could manage! 

:'''{{#var:900|Yukihana Masamune (900)}} has posed:'''     As it just so happens, before the chaos and carnage had begun, two figures had been coming down the mountain at an unhurried pace. An older man, well on in years but hardened and fit enough to not let something as trivial as age slow him, and a young girl in a delicate pink kimono, decorated in snowflake patterns. Apparently a normal sight in the town, they had been paid no mind, and generally went about their business, going from stall to stall, perusing the mining town's latest diggings, in search of good iron. No one had even paid much mind to the fact that the two were armed- a right reserved mostly only by samurai.     And then... Hell broke loose.     Now the two are among the defenders, the man wielding a plain and well loved katana, and a worn blacksmith's hammer in each hand. In the girl's hand is a much more ornate blade, drawn from a red saya. The look eschanged between the two is one in silence, the girl's hesitant scarlet eyes meeting the man's heavy black gaze.     "If you cannot use your blade then put it away and go home." He says, voice rough.     "I-I I can- I will. ... I will try." She replies, voice quavering.     And then there truly is hell. Blood stains the snow as they enter the throng of defenders, joining the wild and desperate battle to stave off the thrall soldiers and plated beasts. 

:'''{{#var:42|Staren (42)}} has posed:'''     The town of... 'Steel', Staren's pretty sure that translates to, is under attack by bug aliens! That's not a good match, because it looks like they don't even have modern technology... and while there's a chance that it could be some kind of fantasy city full of mages who will hilariously blow up the aliens with overwhelming magical force, that doesn't seem to be what's happening. This fight not only isn't ending quickly, but the attackers have overrun the town and are... carrying people off? That's not a good sign. Curious that most of the attackers appear to be humans and elves. Wasn't this an alien attack...?     Staren doesn't have time to count bodies, but at a glance he can see there are 'many'. A small part of his heart sinks -- there will be no peaceful resolution today. The rest of his heart hardens. These are bad people. Each one dead will make the future for everyone else a little brighter...     Staren is in his armor, but is flying over the town on... a broom? He flies over the invaders, a slight distance towards the ships, and then energy wings appear on his back, like an insect's but stylized and of transparent orange energy. They flutter silently as he dismounts the broom and stuffs it in a bag far too small for it, then dives down, grabbing a small cylinder clipped to his belt.     Staren activates his plasma sword and lands with an overhead chop on the first raider who's carrying a prisoner. If that drops him, Staren dashes for the next one, seeing how many he can slice through before they have time to plan and counterattack. If that /doesn't/ drop him, Staren draws a second sword out of thin air and does his best to turn the first raider into charred chunks of flesh with a mix of brutal slashes, stabs, and unarmed attacks with elbows and feet to keep him off balance.     Staren doesn't bother saying anything. Words will only make more enemies pay attention to him and waste time. 

:'''{{#var:7|Kotone Yamakawa (7)}} has posed:''' Kotone Yamakawa had got the call for help and now is arriviung with the rest of the Flotilla as trhey come in mass she also gets it's not just the Flotilla howing up. She'd end up with Rory porting in and she has no idea that Rory's well coming in by Ship. She's still not had enough training to directly jack in and use a ship alone but she is coming in on the ground. <<Hooking into tac net now.>> She was wearing XCOM issued carapace armoure today and not her normal issued gear she was also carrying a full out MEK Minigun. Given her size that should be saying something. She also deploys her scout drones nd hooks them into the network. R <<We need to make it to the defenders! They are going to get overwhelemed.>> She's going to put the Chiangun to use as she attempts to cut herself a path to the defenders. 

:'''{{#var:320|Flint Hawke (320)}} has posed:'''     Flint is still drinking that gel-ish juice (fluids in space are messy any other way, duh), as Wuyin comes over to him. He quirks an eyebrow and watches the approaching man. He seems to consider the offer for a long few moments, weighing his options as he considers it, "I suppose I could get involved. I finished my juice anyway." He tosses the crumpled pouch to the ground and holds out the MRE bag, "You want the dessert out of it? Brownie, I believe. Bit of a delicious treat."     He shrugs, either way. If Wuyin doesn't accept it or if he does, the now-empty MRE bag is tossed to the ground. He wipes at his mouth with the back of one sleeve and then lets out a bit of a sigh, "I guess I can bill ya. Or bill someone. Who knows?" Another shrug is given and he reaches towards his belt, drawing a pair of heavy blaster pistols from his sides.     He eventually looks around the area for a good place to proceed. After a few moments, he waves at Wuyin with a blaster and then gestures vaguely in Yukihana's direction, along with her taller male friend, "Oi. Looks like a smith there, yeah? Go give em a bit of help, maybe get a discount or a reward."     He starts to stroll forward, casually opening fire at the attacking forces between himself and the fox/her master. 

:'''{{#var:896|Nobeard (896)}} has posed:'''     Those who are watching and engaging the 'berserkers' directly, like Laer(from above), Flint, Wuyin, and the Starbounders, can tell that they aren't exactly berserkers. They're advancing fearlessly, but it isn't because they are worked up into a frenzy. In fact, their attacks are a little stiff, jerky... almost lifeless. Even the one that Staren attacks, slicing off an arm, just looks dumbly at the stump before making a strangled cry and collapsing.     It's their eyes, mostly. The eyes are basically dead, like they don't /care/ if they live or die. They also fall pretty quickly, all told... yet somehow, it takes a lot to take them down. Even a sniper bullet needs to hit square in the head to drop them. It's not that they're undead or enchanged, they're just... very persistant. Alexis can get two or three at least.     It's the big ones that are a problem, stomping along and just casually swiping down anyone who approaches from the village. Buglike and plated, with huge mandibles, the biggest problem seems to be that when the town militia forms up against one of them... the militia suddenly starts fighting amongst themselves.     The smith and the girl with them end up facing one of these beasts, one which is roaring in pain as the minigun from Kotone saws into its plating and manages to penetrate it. Bleeding, the massive hulk stomps toward the first opponent it sees: the smith. Dangerously sharp claws make a vicious swipe toward him! The girl, at least, is dealing with a normal human.     As for the defenses, they don't seem to have anti-ship defenses, but there are high places that are somewhat fortified. The Starbounders can see right away why these were of little use: the foundations are stone, and those plated beasts tore right through the stone like it was made of soft, warm butter. 

:'''{{#var:896|Nobeard (896)}} has posed:'''     Rory decides to go after the ship, and the assault causes cracks to appear on the crystalline abdomen, and also manages to shatter the forward ballista. That's right, the ship is armed with... a ballista. Presumably there are other weapons, but they aren't quite visible yet. The massive ship is turning, creaking loudly, but it's a slow and ponderous thing. Yet there is a bit of a problem, as the four spiderlike 'arms' of the ship are widening. Apparently they're used to trap ships, and it's attempting to do just that to the Cognizant Odyssey.     At the same time, a fast-approaching object can be detected! It's another ship, but this one is, while large, not quite so massive... even if the back of it seems to be a chunk of rock with some trees on it, and the rest is a large boat-like shape, complete with sails and mast. It slows dramatically as it approaches, hitting the atmosphere... and the crackle of a lightning bolt lances out from the ship's bow, which is decrated with a single crystal 'eye' and the other side sealed up. The bolt lances toward the spider ship's side, but seems to be aiming /away/ from the deck, more toward the mechanism of the grappling arms. 

:'''{{#var:42|Staren (42)}} has posed:'''     The man stares at his stump. Staren stares at the man for a second, then cuts through his torso and runs to the next one. Now that he knows how easy they are to take down, he picks off a couple further-away ones with the beam cannons on his arm, then runs and cuts down another one or two (just slicing right through necks or torsos) while the beam cannons cool down. With his smartlink and Rory's tacnet, hitting the raiders and not the people they're carrying is easy enough.     But now Staren has a bigger problem. Literally: Some kind of hulking, umber-colored insectoid with plate armor is approaching, and... the locals are fighting eachother? What the hell?     Staren holds out his arm, sword held horizontally with 'blade' pointing across his body, because he's not using the sword -- a small port on the forearm fires a little missile, the size of a magic marker, which burns futuristic high-tech propellant to abruptly accelerate to supersonic speeds -- this is an armor-piercing micromissile, designed to ram into a hardened target, pierce defenses, and explode inside.     Staren hopes it does its job. If not, he starts backing away and thinking of a new plan... 

:'''{{#var:515|Wuyin Tsai (515)}} has posed:''' Wuyin stares at Flint over the rim of his 3D glasses for a couple of seconds. Then, he reaches out and takes the brownie. "I don't know anyone I'd consider sane who would say no to that." It goes... somewhere. A pocket on him, maybe? Flint takes a stroll, and Wuyin follows after. He hops down from the boxes, stretching as he does. "Sounds reasonable. I've heard the workmanship here is quite good," he asides. Wuyin quickens his pace, getting a little bit ahead of Hawke and pointing at one of the berserkers -- or maybe zombies, though not quite the undead kind. An arc of lightning jumps from the effigy on his belt to his extended left hand and out to the armed man, and leaps to his allies from there, burning raiders and getting the attention of the ones who don't just drop. They close, and he does it again, following the second blast from his left with a swing of his right, grasping air -- until a chain made of green-tinted light coalesces, whipping forward and hacking into any who get through with the sickle spinning on the end. If one of the big bug-things come their way, he'll have to change his tactics a bit. While they fight their way towards the sword-wielding pair, Wuyin calls out to them: "Excuse me! I am looking for the smith on the mountain. Are you perhaps he?" He doesn't sound terribly harried, and he's making the very reasonable assumption that the man with the plain-looking sword is the expert of the pair. 

:'''{{#var:571|Alexis Maaka (571)}} has posed:'''     Alexis raises an eyebrow as she notes the invaders not going down from center mass shots. Headshots do the job fine, though. She wonders what happened to make them so sturdy; Are they zombies of some kind? Brainwashed or given a crapload of bath salts so they ignore all pain? It's a disturbing effect, and taking them down non-fatally would just result in more trouble for the guys down there, so she goes back to dropping targets like the finger of an angry god.     Her rifle barks again and again as she aims and fires, taking time to line up headshots that are assured to kill them quickly and cleanly. 

:'''{{#var:320|Flint Hawke (320)}} has posed:'''     Flint is... remarkably cheery despite the grim business of killing men. Then again, as a Freelance Space Enthusiast, he's had to come across some grim dealings indeed, so people being cut down or shot down around him is not a new sight for him. If, hypothetically, he were a Space Pirate of some sort, it would just be another day at the job for him.     And that's why he's able to sing himself a jaunty little shanty as he goes:     "Away down South where the cocks do crow,     Way down in Florida.     Them girls all dance to the old banjo.     And we'll roll the woodpile down."     "Rollin! Rollin! Rollin the whole world round,     That fine gal of mine's on the Georgia line! And we'll roll the woodpile down!"     He's actually quite a skillful fighter who seems almost completely at home in a chaotic battle instead of a duel or an honorable fight. His Freelancing Space Enthusiasm has given him a smooth sort of battle instinct that sees him ducking around and under swings of blades that come at him, weaving inside of weapon reaches to plant the barrel of a blaster against someone's chest or under their chin and blow them away.     Any time someone DOES strike him with a blade, it has a mixed result. Some crack and pop, bouncing off a shield that appears. Others slip past the shield and cut open his flesh, only to find it be like grinding against steel and their weapons coming away with black traces of blood.     "Really very rude of them to be doing this when you have business in town. I so dislike when armies attack with no forewarning. You would think they would have the courtesy to schedule ahead so men with pressing business can take care of it beforehand."     And to Yukihana and her Master, he gives a suitable Freelance Space Greeting, "Ahoy!" 

:'''{{#var:353|Laer (353)}} has posed:'''     The new arrival will get Laer's attention much more fully than the spider ship had had it, and the elf will start to drift vaguely in that direction. She's still keeping her distance, so as not to get caught in the crossfire of the inevitable shooting back and forth that the ships might get into, but she's trying to rise further upwards to look down at the new ship. This is going to actually make her rather more obvious, particularly as she's going to pull out some paper and start to trace a rough sketch of both ships.     She's actually not an exceptionally skilled artist of this sort, but she seems rather lost in thought as she works, fascinated particularly by the trees on the ship. This may actually make her a bit of a floating duck if someone decides to take a shot, but given her seeming neutrality in the actual conflict other than recording it it may be unlikely for anyone to expend the effort. 

:'''{{#var:900|Yukihana Masamune (900)}} has posed:'''     In the wild melee, the crack of more modern weapons fire is... New and unheard in this region. It is distracting0 it adds to the terror. Scarlet eyes are wide as the girl faces off with one of the more human attackers. She nearly loses her head, between her foe and the umber hulk, though; ducking just barely in time before replying by reaching for her blade. In one smooth motion she draws and cuts, a strike like lightning, audibly whistling through the air as she cleaves with all her might, resheathing it smoothly in the same instant to follow. But she's already panting, breathless and bloodied, she looks to Flint with an expression of utter bewilderment when he swoops in a-singin' and a-fightan'     "H-... Hello?"     Of course, the older man is of another caliber entirely. "And who would like to know?" He does reply to Wuyin, voice more gravelly than an old unpaved road, his form is smoother, deftly evading as the umber hulk focuses upon him, he darts in, his age not slowing him down in the least as he strikes, a smooth series of consecutive blows, hammer striking with tremendous force, blade biding through where hammer cracks chitin, his assault is almost over as soon as it begins, dealing out swift, unrestrained violence, before he backs away a pace with a grimace, his own clothes beginning to stain red very rapidly. 

:'''{{#var:896|Nobeard (896)}} has posed:'''     Staren cuts down a few more of the raiders, allowing the townspeople to stagger and flee toward the nearest buildings with some hurried thanks toward the 'armored knight.' The umber hulk eats a missile, blasting into the plating and making it screech in pain as it staggers, clutching the gaping hole in its chest. But... it looks like these plodding, plated beasts are little smarter than they look, as one of the others comes to the aid of his ally via erupting from the stone path under Staren's feet, claws grabbing and trying to tear into the armor. 

:'''{{#var:673|Rory White (673)}} has posed:'''     Unfortunately for Rory, the Cognizant Odyssey is a floating brick. In atmosphere, its design is... AERODYNAMIC ENOUGH... for flying STRAIGHT. But hovering and turning is another matter entirely. It takes it forever. The Spider Ship, more specialized in this role, would little trouble closing the distance or latching on. But Rory isn't about to let that happen without a fight.     SCREW TURNING. The main thrusters revv up. IN atmosphere, and especially THIS close to a village she can't put them anywhere CLOSE to maximum. Not even 20% would be safe - but the Cognizant Odyssey moves faster in a straight line than in a turn and it's trying to give the Spider ship the slip.     That probably won't work.     What WILL work is how the railguns all focus fire on the arms with spectacular precision, a hailstorm of metal shards becoming a stream of fragments aimed to try and simply CUT ONE OR TWO of the arms off by repeated strikes at the same joints.     TNot knowing what exactly that weird lightning is supposed to be, Rory diverts more power to her shields and just prays this manuever pays off. 

:'''{{#var:672|Starbound Flotilla (672)}} has posed:''' "Isss like dead on feet." "Make them dead off their feet." "Easy for you to say, dude, it's fucking /tough/." "Keep 'em away from them fortifications, ye dogs, all ye need!" "The living offer little progress; only the land shall be our victory." "Urgent. Provide cover immediately. Attempting to reinforce."     Seft darts in on the fortifications, focusing on stemming the tide. Stone? NO! We DURASTEEL now! Plates of heavy durasteel form fresh girders that spring up, making months of construction progress in seconds. Reinforced steel plating cover them and fill in the spaces, working along the guidelines of this area's original walls. Every so often, she even plants a heavy SECURITY TURRET. The group can do little but clear out the zombie-like super-enduring foes from their workspace, even all six of them can't stem the whole tide... but they have their own tactics. While Biteblade, George, and Moonfin handle the entities themselves with vicious daggers, punching and battering, and samurai slicing, Pavo starts setting up things like semi-obvious pitfall traps and Albert can start dispersing things like AoE chem grenades from his Grenade Launcher. If they're slogging through messes of burning chemicals with their lifeless movements and lacking fear of death, they can turn this tactic against the enemy!     Unfortunately, Moonfin is swiped heavily by one of the larger creatures, George only barely escapes a cluster of the smaller ones, and Biteblade is... Well, Biteblade is doing fine. In fact, Biteblade is going to try something: BITE DOWN on one of the zombie-like foes! Her CANNIBALISM BOOST should let her become even MORE powerful in the face of these difficulties. They note the incoming ship... But have no certainty about things until that one shows more of its intents! What does it want here? It's helping so far, though, so the Starbounders aren't calling in their own ship-to-ship combat solutions. 

:'''{{#var:896|Nobeard (896)}} has posed:'''     The umber hulk fighting the smith staggers, but its claws are bloody. With a grunt, it shakes its head and turns to glower at the incoming heroes that are helping... er, 'heroes' that are helping the smith. This isn't just a glower though. Those two large buglike eyes on either side look really... swirly... and disorienting... 

:'''{{#var:7|Kotone Yamakawa (7)}} has posed:''' Kotone Yamakawa grimaces and doesn't like where this is going but they have to focus on the Villiages and she knows it. She looks at the pair and pushes for them. She's going to have to watch her shots as it's gone into melee combat but the cyborg is pushing to catch up. She fires off another short burst but she can only carry so much ammo. She's going to put it to use though she turns pivods and fires off another burst on something coming from behind. She turns lets out a cry as she unloads into it but that's the last of heavy rounds she's got. She now drops the weapon to the ground she'll have to recover it later, if Shen or the Doc gets angry she'll deal with it then. For now she's moving to pull her smg and make sure it's ready. She's now makeing for the Wuyin , Flint and the girl. There's still more things around here to deal with and she does not want to be a lone fighter. "Damn it I need to find a way to carry more ammo." Wuyin is someone she's not seen in a very long time and she's not seen Flint often. She does start valunting towards the man and the monster and opens fire with a controlled burst form her SMG as she drops towards the ground. 

:'''{{#var:896|Nobeard (896)}} has posed:'''     The sniping of the humans and elves causes them to collapse pretty quickly, and after a few minutes the militia stop fighting one another. The bloody assault is being turned back... except that those plated creatures are still tearing through the ranks. They've had a few injured, though, and they can be beaten, that's clear. With support from the Elites, the remaining four umber hulks - two of which are badly injured anyway - are not going to last long. 

:'''{{#var:42|Staren (42)}} has posed:'''     Staren's reaction is mixed. The missile was a good hit, and one or two more like that will surely kill these things, but he doesn't have enough ammo to deal with /all/ of them.     The attack from below is /completely/ unexpected. Fortunately, Staren's armor is far tougher than the stone, though not invulnerable -- less 'like a hot knife through butter' and more 'like a saw through tough plastic'. It'll get through eventually, but Staren better think of something fast.     Staren looks down. "Oh COME ON! You gotta be kidding me!" He stayed away! He stayed a sensible distance away from the monster and /one is still grabbing him/! How do they /always/ know that grappling is his weakness?! He tries to pull free, but doesn't expect it to work -- he's already considering other options. Since its body is exposed, he blasts it with his beam cannons, while holding his other arm UP -- four more micromissiles sail into the air, then come down, aiming to blow a significant portion of the umber hulk to bits! (If it lets go and retreats underground, or pulls Staren into the ground, the targeting software is smart enough to not detonate and blow up Staren instead)     If that gets him free, he reactivates his wings and takes to the air. Seems he needs a new approach! 

:'''{{#var:896|Nobeard (896)}} has posed:'''     Laer gets to see what's going on with Rory, then! The targeting of the grapple ram is a good idea, and that's what the lightning bolt targeted as well. One of the arms creaks and starts to fall downward, sweeping the roof off of a house but otherwise doing no harm. Another cracks loudly, and when it tries to close down on the Odyssey, it snaps in two. The other two do close in, but they need at least three to get a solid grip, so they merely scrape along the hull for now.     And on the deck of the newcomer ship, several figures are gathering toward the bow. One of them, a pale woman, is chanting and pointing toward the 'eye' of the spider ship... which explodes outward after thin greenish beam erupts from her fingertip. The others are hurriedly clearing the way as something /very large/ and looking like a mixture of armor plates and adorable brown fur erupts from belowdecks, charges across the deck and over the ram portion, and LEAPS across the intervening gap to soar into the now-open eye. The tiny gnome atop the saddled giant space hamster squeals, "YAHOOOOOOO!!!!" 

:'''{{#var:492|Blurr (492)}} has posed:'''     Blurr had been searching a nearby planet for a fallen recon probe when the footage of the village being attacked popped up on the comms. Quickly finishing up the retrieval mission, he returns to his ship and heads for the disturbance--might as well since he happened to be in this sector of space anyway.     In a flash of blue light that lances down through the sky, the Autobot appears near the attack, scans the situation quickly, and targets the large plated creatures who appear to be the greatest threat. And they're also closer to his his size, anyway. Hey, they're just like the Swarm right except not as bad because they aren't as huge. Well anyway, he blasts at them with photon cannons, doing his best not to cause too much collatergy damage to the town. It's kind of hard though, when you're so much bigger than everything. 

:'''{{#var:896|Nobeard (896)}} has posed:'''     The Starbounders have erected some DURASTEEL shelter for the militia! This is a lot harder for the umber hulks to tear through, and they're rallying behind it with breathless panting. "Thanks," one of them says.     Another one is offering to look at Moonfin, while Biteblade... well, Biteblade finds that they're normal humans, but that just means that they're easier to chew through, doesn't it? 

:'''{{#var:571|Alexis Maaka (571)}} has posed:'''     Suddenly, Alexis gets up.     She slings the sniper rifle over her shoulder, taking the safety off her Tavor as she begins to slide her way down the mountainside, her boots providing traction as she descends. Once she's in sprinting distance of the village, Maaka makes her way towards it at top speed, managing a /frightening/ pace as she gets in close.     "Hey guys!" She greets the Flotilla cheerfully once she's in speaking distance, not sounding at the least winded as she takes aim and fires upon one of the big hulk guys. "Sorry I'm late, had to leg it all the way down here. I miss much?" 

:'''{{#var:320|Flint Hawke (320)}} has posed:'''     Flint is somewhat entranced by the massive eyes on the creature, shaking on his footing a bit and remaining distant and distracted for a few moments. He stands there, trying to figure out what he was just doing and make sense of precisely what he should be doing. Luckily, he's not the only one who rides his body. And while the other entity can't exactly speak to Flint in words, it CAN speak to him in instinct.     That thing is trying to impede your violence. KILL IT.     As a result of the conflicting influences on his actions, Flint's next move is somewhat sloppy. He holsters one of his pistols and takes out an ERCHIUS FLINTLOCK that he had confiscated during one of the Flotilla's many missions. A flintlock looking pistol, it uses Erchius-treated powder to launch a projectile with absurd force and power, not unlike a hand-held armor-piercing cannon.     Relying on instinct, he lifts the weapon and tries to land a gutshot on the being that is using a Confuse effect on him. Unfortunately, all the conflicting mental messages means that his shot is much, much sloppier than usual. And it may miss entirely if the giant creature reacts in time. 

:'''{{#var:515|Wuyin Tsai (515)}} has posed:''' "Quite rude," Wuyin asides. He drops the chain rather than drawing it back to him, letting it shatter into fragments of rapidly-disappearing emerald. "Scheduling that sort of thing in advance is the only civilized way to do it." Whereas Flint is moving with comfortable ease amidst the chaos of the battle and nimbly evading enemies' strikes, Wuyin is instead barreling right into them. His own fighting style goes from brutal elementalism to a helping of mystical chaos as the distance of engagement shrinks, wading into the midst of the enemy raiders apparently without fear. Wuyin draws enemy fire by being flashy and obvious. He leaves ripples of green light on the ground where he moves, and fading after-images follow his steps. The after-images break and run in different directions, drawing the eye and throwing enemies into confusion while he slips into the midst of them. Wuyin opens and closes his hands, new weapons created of the leashed chaos manifesting in his palms: hand crossbows, which he swings to aim at the heavens. He lets loose. Two bolts fly upwards with an audible 'click,' and a half-second later, dozens come back down. They fall like drops of rain onto the cluster of raiders, narrow green bolts of hardened light that do a decent job turning them into pincushions and a better one affixing them to the ground. Without wasting an instant, Wu dismisses the crossbows and crosses his arms, fighting claws growing from the viridian haze. "Do you know 'Captain Kidd,'" Wuyin asks the Freelance Space Enthusiast, calling to him over the clamor of the battle. "I kind of like that one." He looks back to the gruff man. "My name is," they're in at least something like Japan, he thinks, go with the other order, "Tsai Wuyin, and I am in the market for a new blade. I was led to believe you were the man to speak to about that sort of --" The Umber Hulk bears down on them. Wuyin catches its eye -- and pauses, suddenly struck with a sense of indescribable aimlessness. He thinks his vision is swimming. He thinks he can see all around him and nothing in front of him. He thinks he can see the notes and tones and weft and weave and the endless, endless beating of a thousand thousand insect wings and -- "How do the Oni demons exchange brotherly love?" Wuyin asks nobody in particular, his voice odd and faraway, words spoken as if unfamiliar. He's frozen in place, halfway into a defensive stance, the claws still an electric green wrapped around his hands and forearms. He hasn't looked anywhere but the monster. "Let us count the ways..." 

:'''{{#var:672|Starbound Flotilla (672)}} has posed:'''     A plant is at home in the dirt.     Now that Biteblade has meat, she doesn't need the sunlight. Now that she doesn't need the sunlight, she can go underground. In one hand, she holds her matter manipulator, which begins to rev, like a chainsaw, swapping to its drill fun "cxterm15">Staren has alerted us to an underground threat. Remove it." "Floran HUNTSSS!!"     And Biteblade is tearing her way off through the dirt, a heavy power dagger in her offhand, using her extensive mining experience and hunting skills to counter those horrible plated bugs when they burrow, and purge them from the underground by slamming into them as if through some terrible underground pounce. If there's none underground now, well... She'll simply pounce them from below! "Someone make sure I just saw what I saw and I'm not on the drugs here." "Ghhhh... Yes, that was some form of steed, resembling..." "Yeah, I'm not missin' this shit, I'mma get right in on this." "Tired. I will go make sure George survives. And investigate the newcomers."     Seft has completed most of her work. She and George link up quickly, and both of them are suddenly blasting off with rocket systems in their armor! Using that and a combination of grappling hooks, they're heading off to go follow the strange hamster and its violent boarding action. And apparently, Pavo came along too! "Ye scurvey dogs, ye best not be callin' dibs on me loot!"     Moonfin is always okay with people looking at him, even though this might mean medically. He'll need a quick bit of medical care -- those things are FUCKIN' VICIOUS -- but he'll probably be OK. Albert stays with him, keeping him safe and continuing to fire his grenade launcher in support of the others on the armored foes 

:'''{{#var:673|Rory White (673)}} has posed:'''     After detaching and damaging the arms, Rory's very pleased to find that this ship's not quite as capable of doing what it wants as she feared.     And with it she gets an idea.     lead this ship away, further and further away from the conflict, where if it were to fall it would land on open ground.     The thrusters continue at that pace but weaponfire slows. She'll just have to see if it will give chase. 

:'''{{#var:353|Laer (353)}} has posed:'''     Laer is going to keep watching, right up until the part where the gnome rides the hamster across. That's going to get her to drop her sketch, which will start to flutter downwards towards the battlefield, and mumble something to herself. It could be roughly translated to 'Really?' judging strictly by her body language.     She's going to head down, trying to land on the newcoming ship, hands raised in the universal sign of coming in something like peace as she tries to land next to the pale woman. "...Needing help?" She'll ask, having identified someone who clearly knows what they're doing and doesn't seem to need help, and is thus safe to offer it to. 

:'''{{#var:900|Yukihana Masamune (900)}} has posed:'''     One thing may immediately become apparent, up close, to Flint and Wuyin. Kotone too as she starts making her way in that direction.     "Father!"     That's what the girl cries out, instantly taking to the old man's side. Though he tries to shoo her support away, he's visibly weakening, the wound clearly taking its toll rapidly. Though despite calling him 'father' there is a noticeable difference between the pair. The fighting locals seem to pay it no mind, or perhaps cannot notice it. He is human. She is not.     A sharp yip of panic and she's dragging the blacksmith back, staggering and disoriented from the Umber Hulk's glower. It is the girl who gives Wuyin a true answer, hasty and shrill. "Yes, he is who you seek, just help us!" Apparently she need not ask, as the pirate captain and the member of Dragon set to their grim task. As the Umber hulk is peppered by Kotone's SMG, Wuyin plows through the humanoid raiders that haven't yet broken from the battle, the rainstorm of crossbow bolts maiming and piercing man, elf, and even the Umber Hulk as they descend, Flint's Erchius powered flintlock punching a hole through the chitinous plating of its gut, earning a screech of pain and rage, gnashing its massive mandibles and viciously swinging razor claws in its injured effort to fend them off, displaying immense strength even with its terrible wounds, not too keen on replying to such a poetic musing on the familial tendencies of mountain ogres. 

:'''{{#var:896|Nobeard (896)}} has posed:'''     Alexis joins the Starbounders! Biteblade burrows into the ground, but only finds one that is erupting FROM the ground, so will need to find another target. Fortunately, there's one nearby, which is starting to burrow down... but the giant plated beast instead gets a Floran to the face, which is not at all what it expected, and is left shrieking as it jerks back away from what SHOULD have been a safe haven.     Meanwhile, the one that erupted from the ground is the one defending the hulk that Blurr just shot. Blurr's shot blasts the arm off of the wounded hulk, but the companion one bursts from the ground and slashes viciously with claws that are... surprisingly tough and sharp, trying to basically tear out the giant robot's servos. They are not worried about the size difference, and also apparently not stupid. They're also pretty tough, because the one that Blurr shot STILL isn't dead, though it's groaning and in no condition to fight after having taken numerous wounds and a photon blast. 

:'''{{#var:896|Nobeard (896)}} has posed:'''     Staren shoots out some missiles and beam cannons! This is a good idea when an umber hulk is trying to SAW THROUGH ARMOR and such. The missiles streak around, then arrow down and blast into the... ground. Yeah, they're not stupid, the hulk retreated into the earth again at the last minute. Well, almost the last minute.     There's a lot of ichor around the hole that was left, so it's probably not going to get far. Especially with Biteblade down there ready to ambush it. 

:'''{{#var:571|Alexis Maaka (571)}} has posed:'''     Alexis is confused at what George means before she sees for herself the gnome calvaryman, and pauses mid-firefight. "...is that a frickin' hamster?" She has no idea what to make of it, but today's full of weird stuff so she puts a pin in it for now.     Going back to battle, she fires another burst of fire towards the Hulk that appears from bellow.     Helpfully she brought armor-piercing rounds for the X95, and the Tavor barks another onslaught of lead downrange before it clicks empty, and Alexis lowers it to reload. By the time she's chambered a fresh round into the pipe, she spies a Transformer arriving to help out as well.     She takes off after George, Seft, and Pavo, hitching a ride by snagging onto the human explorer with her grapple. "You gotta get me one of those jetpacks one day, mate!" she calls out, before she holds on for dear life during her trip. 

:'''{{#var:320|Flint Hawke (320)}} has posed:'''     It takes Flint a few more moments to gather his senses after the gaze is broken upon him and Yukihana calls out for her father. He shakes his head several times and waves the spent flintlock, clearing the huge cloud of smoke that roils around him. He slips the pistol back into his jacket and instead takes out a glass jug. He pulls off a cork with his teeth and takes a heavy slug from it before corking it again and tossing it to Yukihana, "Give 'em this."     (It's not medicine, it's rum. Flint's pretty sure the guy is a goner, but he at least wants to give a dying man a drink. Pirate's Code.)     And then he turns back to the Umber Hulk, "Oi mate. Ya really put me in a bother there. Real annoying. Plus you hurt that nice man there, also rather rude of you. Rather rude, I think." Flint reaches into his jacket and pulls out a cylinder about the size of a soda can.     Of course, Wuyin also made a request of him. So as Flint charges in, he does cheerily sing: "O, my name was Captain Kidd, as I sailed, as I sailed, O, my name was Captain Kidd, as I sailed. My name was Captain Kidd And God's laws I did forbid, And so wickedly I did as I sailed, as I sailed. So wickedly I did as I sailed."     As he sings this chipperly, he darts forward and rams his hand into the wound in the thing's gut up to his forearm, taking some nasty gnashes and claw swipes as he does so that tear open his jacket and sizzle against his shield with a loud cracking noise. A massive wound opens in his chest that spills black-stained blood to the ground as it begins to bubble and heal.     As Flint pulls away, the white phosphorus grenade he embedded deep into the creature will hopefully detonate in a very 'internal organs searing' way, considering he has the pin for it hanging off his finger. 

:'''{{#var:896|Nobeard (896)}} has posed:'''     The deck is full of... uh. Creatures. Two lizard men, a couple kobolds, the pale woman from before, and also a veiled woman with a bow. The bow is drawn and pointed toward Laer as the elf lands, but given the gesture she isn't shot at. Instead, the pale woman speaks, "Help, hm? One of our crew, the first mate, is on that ship. We're just retrieving what is ours. We don't need-"     "Harr," rumbles another voice from belowdecks. "If the wench be wantin' ta help, let us hear her offer, eh? Not many be dealin' with pirates. I be curious."     "CAP'N ON DECK!" One of the kobolds yips, and everyone snaps to attention as the large, five foot wide sphere rises up from below. Several of the ten eyestalks weave and look toward Laer, looking her over, but the massive central eye is covered by a large black patch. "What have we here, then?" 

:'''{{#var:515|Wuyin Tsai (515)}} has posed:''' The Umber Hulk, though wounded, is a monster in a fight. It swings its massive razor-claws, and one catches Wuyin in the side, drawing a grunt as the wind is knocked out of him and he's swept from his feet. He leaves blood in the snow and dirt, hitting the ground on his good side... and then practically leaping back to his feet, focused wholly on the "c#eee8aa">One is for the House-in-Chains," Wuyin wheezes. He catches his breath and lowers his head, running back in at the monster. He speaks conversationally as he attacks it from below, sweeping his magically-formed fighting claws across one of its legs in a wild spin. He stops and comes back the other way, hacking through carapace and the meaty insides with reckless abandon. He speaks in a curious, almost thoughtful tone. "Every link is forged from a white-hot soul." Wuyin rises, jumping back and hopping to the side and away from another swipe of the huge mitt and its razor claws. "Two is for the House of the Unwritten Talisman," he calls, staring through the different-colored lenses of his glasses wide-eyed. "They know the true name of something even they fear to write down." He comes back at it again, jumping up and stepping onto the back of one of its clawed hands, jamming his own claws into the carapace at the shoulder and pulling downward. This could be unfortunate if it's still got its good foot pinned to the ground. "Three," Wuyin says, feet touching the ground for nary an instant before he's back in motion, "is for the House of Bloodied Silks." He takes off, jumping clear over the creature and flipping upside-down in mid-air. He rakes its head with both hands, ripping at the mandibles and catching with hooked claws of chaos-born metal as he goes right over it. He hits the ground to its right, its good side, and lets the claws fall away. The chains come back. He whips them at the mauled monster, a half-dozen individual chains lashing out, coiling tightly around its body. "Clotted stains," Wuyin exhales, swaying on his feet, "are the hieroglyphs of their history." He pulls, hard, clearly intending to tip the unbalanced thing over and make it fall on its face -- and to jam the grenade Flint so helpfully stuck into the hole in its chest between monster and hard-packed earth, giving it nowhere to go but 'off.' 

:'''{{#var:42|Staren (42)}} has posed:'''     Staren's in the air. He looks down at the battlefield.     Okay, he's not really out of ammo, just almost out of micromissiles built into his armor. He deactivates his beam saber and reaches into that bag of his. He pulls out a large magazine, passes it to his other hand. The launchers on his shoulders flip into position.     One missile, this one larger, flies towards the wounded umber hulk he first shot, exploding on contact or airbursting on a miss, superheating the air for about 15' around it into plasma. Let's see how well umber hulks cook! Maybe Biteblade will enjoy cooked umber hulk.     Staren pulls out a launcher in his right hand. It looks like a rifle, but the size of the barrel is absurd for a bullet. He slaps the magazine into place. There's no need to work the slide -- everything is electronic in /this/ gun.     Staren aims down at the hulk trying to grab Blurr and fires. It's like the micro-missile from before, only about four or five times as big! 

:'''{{#var:7|Kotone Yamakawa (7)}} has posed:''' Kotone Yamakawa gets she needs more firepower than she's using she does have a trump card as Staren reminded her. She's kept her pistol loaded with the resonace rounds for stuff like this. She shoulder sthe SMG as she keeps bouning baout with inhuman agility and now she's going to have to wait for her opening to attack. She isn't shocked Wuyin is looking for a new blade after all. Given what he's got to deal with she's be shocked if ht wasn't really. The Umber hulk is sitll moving and it's time for her to do what she can to bring this thing. She fights in a way that it's clear she knows how Wuyin fights she's shifts she moves and leaps bouncing up about buildings here never keeping still. Though she may do some damage from her body's weight as she bvounces about finallys he comes down for a landing as Flint finishes his song and he opens fire with the ressonance rounds hoping to breach the thing's shell some more before it can do any more damage. 

:'''{{#var:353|Laer (353)}} has posed:'''     Of course, this would be a strange enough meeting for most people. Laer, unfortunately for her, knows precisely what sort of creature it is she's meeting as the Captain. Which may be why even she's not quite able to hide the flinch and sudden glancing to see if her path to retreat is clear, at least before she gets past a surface look.     "...Ah." She'll start, before recovering her usual sensibilities. "I simply did not expect pirates to be interceding in a fight like this, until I heard of your first mate being lost to that ship. And your crew caught my eye. Eyes. I thought I might help out for a cut of whatever you take, in any case." 

:'''{{#var:672|Starbound Flotilla (672)}} has posed:'''     "Hahahahaha! SSSURPRISE FLORAN ISSS A SSSURPRISE!" Biteblade shouts. The two predators ram into each other vertically and Biteblade is slammed back into into the dirt with brutal cracking noises like bark splintering, crushing armor and damaging with blunt trauma, but with Biteblade boosted by the cannibalistic action, she regenerates to combat-capabe -- though not unharmed -- state instantly, leaping up with tremendous force. With her greatly increased energy and the help of strength-enhancing armor, it's intended to be force enough to launch the Umber Hulk up into the air, while viciously stabbing them repeatedly with a power dagger, until she can slam it into the ground with a heavy strike intended to pierce deep enough to finish the thing! 

:'''{{#var:896|Nobeard (896)}} has posed:'''     The ship turns and starts to retreat, but does the giant spidership follow? That's a good question! It... starts to! There seems to be a fire that's burst into being somewhere in the ship, and it lurches toward the Odyssey. It makes it a little ways, too... before it suddenly tilts downward, creaking as it plummets toward the main square and crashes down, 'head'-first with a splintering noise.     It appears that the ship just lost power... whatever was holding it up in the first place. It's come down not far from Yukihana and the others. 

:'''{{#var:492|Blurr (492)}} has posed:'''     Blurr isn't worried about the one that just lost an arm. It may not be dead, but it's pretty much down for the count. Besides, he has other things to concern himself with. Such as another one of those things trying to tear his servos out with surprisingly sharp and durable claws. They dig into the plating on his arms as he raises them to shield himself. "Gah! Getoffgetoff!" he protests, and attempts to throw it off as hard as he can. He grabs at its limbs, or whatever appendage he can get a hold of, and tries to fling it toward its own peers, if any happen to be within throwing range. 

:'''{{#var:900|Yukihana Masamune (900)}} has posed:'''     The girl has to fumble when the bottle is tossed her way, a small squeak as she nearly drops it at least twice, but she passes it to the master smith, as instructed, not noticing how he slides his forge hammer into her hand as he accepts it and drinks gratefully.     Still, the Umber Hulk may be injured, but it is no less dangerous if not approached properly, and the silver-haired girl draws a breath. When she exhales, she unleashes a plume of white fire, briefly blinding the beast and leaving it so terribly open and susceptible to Wuyin, Flint, and Kotone just going to town on it. Though its strength is enourmous, the pirate's hand suddenly just punching clean through its wounded gut takes a fair portion of the beast's wind and fight out of it.     Unfortunately the punishment simply does not end there. It can't keep up even with a wounded Wuyin, claws swiping clumsy with pain, comparing the two would be like comparing a shack trying to stand against a tempest as claws hack out its ability to stand, and from there the rest comes tumbling down in a series of terrible miseries wrought upon the beast. Rightly deserved as it is hacked, bloodied, beaten by chains and peppered with resonance bullets alike, ichor staining the snow as it topples.     Try as it might to fight the throes of death coming upon it... It is given a very explosive reminder of the white phosphorous grenade left in its stomach, the sudden eruption vaporising the hulk from the inside out.     This area of the village is beginning to calm- or at least was, before the ship crashed. But even with that happening, the girl seems oblivious. She's shaking her father. Gently at first. But more and more urgently, with soft, keening, whines. 

:'''{{#var:896|Nobeard (896)}} has posed:'''     George and Seft land into the 'head' of the ship right as it's coming down. There, they'll see a bit of what has caused it to come down! First, there are bodies! Several bodies, cut off or skeletonized by acid(?) are here. Some humanish, others... like a spider-eel of some sort. Eel head, spiderlike body.     And toward the back, there's a large wooden chair, somewhat ornate but with large shackles for the arms and legs. A dead man is in it, chest impaled with a piece of wood that serves as a makeshift spear. From the scratches on the chair arms, it looks like whomever is in that chair is not going to enjoy it. It also looks like the chair is split down the middle by the 'spear.' 

:'''{{#var:896|Nobeard (896)}} has posed:'''     Blurr finds the claws scraping over his armor and yes, biting into them. Not tearing as easily as stone, of course, but these things are vicious! Hurling it away does work though... and the missile blast from Staren blows it into chunks. SPLATTER!     Biteblade might be hurt, but umber hulks are kind of not... aerial combatants, and it's flailing and vulnerable. These are probably not long for this world. 

:'''{{#var:673|Rory White (673)}} has posed:'''     DOOOOWN goes the ship, much to Rory's surprise.     But by this point in time, one of her unseen drones has had no trouble securing a fallen human raider and beaming it aboard on a flash of light. Examination quickly commences.     Meanwhile, the ship's weaponry now turns to any remaining raiders, focusing on only ones where there's no chance of friendly fire. Railguns and lasers cut apart the ground with merciless machine precision! 

:'''{{#var:896|Nobeard (896)}} has posed:'''     Laer gets several eyes on her, but it's the veiled woman who speaks next. "For payment? Hm." A faint hissing is heard, and a snake peeks out from the veil before vanishing again.     The beholder grunts, "HAR! Bold! Very well! If ye help us get Jack back, we'll give ye a bit of the plunder. I like this elf!"     It also looks like Laer will have something to help with, soon! As the poor kitsune is struggling, and the Starbounders are checking out the bridge, there's a lurching creak and a very loud, very dangerous vocalization. It's a shrill, female voice of a gnome, and it says one single word: "Oops."     Then there's a loud crash, as from belowdecks, barging out the side and into the street. The massive armored hamster scrambles across the stone as the ship creaks, hurrying AWAY from it. The girl gnome atop it also has a man, bloodied and wearing scraps of clothing, sitting behind her.     The Starbounders and Alexis are both in a prime position to see something HUGE burst from underneath though, and see it from behind. The others see it from in front. It looks like a massive, bloated, wormlike entity. An eel-like head with sharp teeth hisses loudly, and the huge shape's barely-functional legs skitter at its side. Spiderlike claws are trying to find purchase, but it mostly just heaves its bulk forward.     From a bleeding, gaping cut along the side of its stomach, a few tiny larvae-like spider-eels tumble out, screeching and snapping at one another, then scrambling toward Flint and Wuyin and Kotone. 

:'''{{#var:320|Flint Hawke (320)}} has posed:'''     Flint is wiping his arm off with a towel that was in his coat, watching Wuyin as he cuts down the monster in front of him. Flint cleans ichorous monster guts off his arm and sleeve while the wound in his chest bubbles shut and vanishes, "You are a bit of an odd lad, you know that?" He may seem unphased by Wuyin's display, but rather he's simply gained the ability to hide his amazement as all good Freelance Space Enthusiasts should to protect their emotions.     "Bit creepy, too, I imagine." He muses.     He holsters the other gun he was holding and fishes out his flintlock, pouring more Erchius powder into it and loading another one of its ridiculously heavy slugs as he avoids the 'Foxaphaunt In The Room' that is happening nearby. Not because he doesn't care, but because he is bad at handling that sort of emotional situation.     Eventually, though, he elects to address it, "Oi." Flint begins, watching her awkwardly. Out of respect for the dead man, he does take off his Captain's Hat while he speaks, looking to Yukihana.     "Legacy of a man, so to speak... sum of his works. It's not the material works he does." Flint fishes around in his pocket and takes out a large gold coin, which he rolls across the back of his fingers and watches Yukihana with a slightly serious expression, "At least, to me." As the coin hits his thumb, he flicks it upwards in a heavy spiral.     "It's the people he leaves to remember him. The stories that get told." He watches the fox girl seriously, putting the hat back on his head, "He may be gone, but he never left you. Tell stories about him, keep him alive through what you do. That's the best advice I can give you."     Flint then swipes his hand across the air in front of him, aiming to catch his coin in a dramatic flourish to emphasize his point for Yuki. Only, when he opens his palm, the coin isn't there. In fact, he looks upwards and, for anyone who follows his gaze, there's no sign of the coin. It never landed, either.     "... the bloody hell?" He says aloud. This particularly weird turn of luck leaves him distracted, unprotected, and vulnerable as the spider-eels are skittering towards him. 

:'''{{#var:515|Wuyin Tsai (515)}} has posed:''' The beast dies in a conflagration. Wuyin stumbles a step backwards, and his head clears up of buzzing and of the monster's gaze all at once. He takes a second to take stock of the situation, glancing this way and that with minimal movement. His eyes are concealed behind the lenses of his glasses. Wuyin lowers his hands, and the chains slowly break apart. Now, away from the carnage, it's easy to see the mask on his back is alight with an amber glow. The eyes seem to track anyone who passes near it. At his waist, the effigy crackles and hums with electrical energy. Both gradually fade away. "I've been called both before," he says to Flint while he gets his breath back. "Good shot." It takes him a few seconds before he decides what to do next. With careful steps, Wu moves over to the body of the swordsmith and to the nonhuman girl mourning him. He looks down at them both. After a moment, he says, "I'm sorry. He had skill. But are /you/ injured?" It would be really bad luck if the two of them died when he'd come all this way and killed all those... well, people is cutting it close. The hairs on the back of his neck stand up. Wuyin turns, spotting the little things on the ground. He raises his foot slightly and stamps the ground, once, lightly. The air suddenly gets more frigid, and a wave of white mist and clear ice rolls outward and away from the group of them, freezing anything touching the ground to it... unless they're little spider-eel things, in which case they're probably just frozen solid instead. 

:'''{{#var:492|Blurr (492)}} has posed:'''     Blurr watches with satisfaction as the monstruous hulk thing that had been trying to rip him apart is flung away and then subsequently blown up by Staren. But almost as soon as that threat's gone, another even -bigger- one shows up. More specifically, a giant worm-like thing.     "Look out!" Noticing Flint caught off guard and the smaller ones coming at him, he just slaps at the spider things, attempting to squish them/sweep them away before they can get to the man, or at least delay their attacks long enough for him to gather his wits. 

:'''{{#var:7|Kotone Yamakawa (7)}} has posed:''' Kotone Yamakawa plays her part in bringing down the Umber Hulk. She wtches it drop but she unerstand she's too late she looks to see Yukihana embracing the smith trying to wake him up and. She closes her eyes for a moment. She's not sure what to say she looks over to Flint for a moment. "I'm sorry for your loss miss, keeping the memories alive is something you can do. Flint is correct in that it's a thing we can..." She's about to say more when one the coin vanishes into thin air and then the elees come form the body going after them. "Like bloody Crystalids! Look out! Incomming from the corpse!" She's already opening fire, she's also moving again as she shotos at them, Wuyin has asked abotu helping her but well there' the damn eels. 

:'''{{#var:42|Staren (42)}} has posed:'''     Staren is in the air. It looks like the fight is over, so he starts to fly down, but then--Suddenly, Staren gets a tacnet ping as Kotone identifies more enemies. He turns and OH DEAR THAT'S NOT GOOD. The whatever-they-ares are swarming! Could these be the puppet masters??     Well, not for long. Staren turns to look at them, and five more plasma minimissiles (the remaining armament of his shoulder racks) rain down on the giant Neogi and the young. They're like slightly smaller fireball spells! 

:'''{{#var:900|Yukihana Masamune (900)}} has posed:'''     Sniffling turns to sobbing for a moment before, Flint, Wuyin, and Kotone attempt to console the girl. Her shoulders tremble as tears roll down her eyes, fingers gripping the old worn hammer in her grasp. She seems to visibly -wilt- as she hunches over the fallen swordsmith. Were she not mourning her father, the disappearance of that coin would have drawb her attention, no doubt of it, but for the time being, she wobbles to her feet.     From all appearances, she is uninjured, yet she wavers as though physically reeling from the emotional trauma of losing a loved one.     "I... Have no one to tell stories of him to..." Whispered as she slowly draws her katana from its red saya once more. The blade darkens. It's not tarnish... But as though the sword itself were alive and of like mind and soul with wielder, a miasma of black fire flares to life along the edge, the very blade itself radiating misery, agony, and loneliness wafting off the sword in waves as she takes a step towards the Neogi, but falters, eyeing the beast and its spawn. Her gaze turns upon her own sword, and then there's a hesitant pause. Before she just backs away from it and slides the sword back into the sheath.     "And now this hammer is more of a weight than it ever was." 

:'''{{#var:672|Starbound Flotilla (672)}} has posed:''' "Yeah, Maaka, or maybe lose some weight." George jokes on the way up. Then he regards the interior. "I like this guy's class." "Disturbed. Such brutal tactics... This is terrible." "For once I agree with the tin-can. All the loot, /melted/!!"     Priorities.     The Starbounders all stumble when the vehicle crashes, and latch onto the ship with their grappling hooks when it crashes! All three suffer some damage from the heavy impact! They're knocked around by the crash. And then, something emerges below! It's pursuing the guy they went in after!! George leads the charge right back to where they entered, peeking over the edge. "Shit, they're messing with the guy on the thing." "Confused. With--" "Kill the damn eel, ye dogs, he's got the loot from inside! Ye need some /right/ t'be callin a share of it, savin' 'em's as good as any!"     Good enough. George, Seft, and Pavo leap down from above, taking advantage of their high ground. Seft's heavy powered battleaxe and Pavo's power-cutlass are intended to cleave THROUGH the horrible worm's eel head in a well-sync'd tandem surprise attack, while George intends to land on it with a tech-powered SLAM that is meant to stun with a strong shockwave that clear out some of those horrible spider-eels. 

:'''{{#var:353|Laer (353)}} has posed:'''     "Alright, then." Laer says, deciding to exit the negotiations as soon as they're remotely favorable. Also, because there seems to be explosions and such happening. The elf will give a glance downwards, and then make the decision to do her best impression of helping without actually getting out front. Every group of pirates can use a few extra helping hands, after all.     She'll stretch her hands up over her head while she considers, and start in on the pirateyest song she can think of that she can twist into the notes of a haste spell, hopefully helping all the people around her make the ship not explode or anything.     The exact lyrics are difficult to translate, as Laer's singing in abyssal, but the word for gold appears approximately fifty times in the first verse. 

:'''{{#var:571|Alexis Maaka (571)}} has posed:'''     Alexis just lets the joke go, before all joking goes away with the sight of gore. Unlike George, Alexis isn't so impressed by what she sees. "Jesus Christ..."     Disgust bleeds through her words, and she shakes her head before she's knocked around by the crash as well, but otherwise okay as she keeps pace with the others.     Leaping into the fray alongside the Starbounders, Alexis lets her Tavor hang over her shoulder as she draws dual SIG-Sauer pistols, the P229s blazing away at the spider-eel thing all the way down. SHe pauses after landing just to reload, sliding fresh mags into place with a deft motion thanks to her Matter Manipulator, then chambering the pistols in a manner akin to a John Woo action hero. That thing is much more handy than she expected it to be, and cyborg dexterity never hurts either.     "Alright, 'Lovely', come at get it." 

:'''{{#var:320|Flint Hawke (320)}} has posed:'''     Three separate people all helpfully intercept the worms coming at Flint. Which is a fortunate turn from a bad moment of luck for him. He lost the coin, but at least strange little eel monsters didn't attack him. He seems awkward about dealing with upset little girls, despite the fact that his named crew is comprised heavily of them lately.     "Perhaps right now you don't, but some day you will. If you ever find yourself in need of transportation or men to hear your story..." He fishes around in the pocket of his coat, holding out a business card towards her, "You feel free to look me up. Always one to lend help to the fair few friends I can find."     The card, if she takes it, is a fairly plain business card. Flint Danger Hawke Freelance Space Enthusiast Contact Frequency: 357.43.66.cEwQ241 "It's legitimate!     He gives her a bright smile as he extends his hand as if to shake hers. He's overtly neglecting the rampaging monster, but that's in his nature. He has a feeling making nice with Yukihana will be far more beneficial in the long term. 

:'''{{#var:896|Nobeard (896)}} has posed:'''     A wave of freezing ripples out, which also helps to save Flint, considering he's distracted. The first few of the little beasties are frozen solid, and the others are screeching and squirming as they obviously can't take the cold. Unfortunatley they just keep coming, more of them bursting from the dying, massive and gurgling body. They try to swarm, though they are fortunately easy to splatter via hands swatting or bullets firing, cutting down the little things without trouble.     The giant eel itself gets pretty badly-hit, too. First plasma slams into it, then a power-axe cracks its skull open. It's a pretty tough beast, but it's also horrendously slow, and it is badly hurt already. It's thrashing about as it's riddled with bullets, and its young are swatted and shot down.     The hamster skids to a halt, and the man on top groans, "Oh no..." The gnome squeeees and claps her hands, bounding off to stare at the guns AS they are firing. "It's an autoloading mechanism for a wheel lock pistol, loading through the breach! Ireallywanttohaveonecanihaveoneipromesitwillprobablycomebackinonepieceoratleasnomorethansevenand-"     The man slides off the grunting hamster, eying the people and glancing at Yukihana and Flint especially. "What's wrong with them?" Then he notices the dead smith, frowning.     Laer's singing bolsters the pirates, who call out an 'ARR!' loudly! The singing is joined by a flute, actually... and if she looks back, she'll see the medusa(with eyes still veiled) is playing it to back her up. The kobolds skitter down first, followed by the rest of the crew heading into the ship to secure any booty.     Well, mostly. A rain of mystical bolts do fly down to hammer into the Great Old Master from the mage on the ship above. 

:'''{{#var:42|Staren (42)}} has posed:'''     The Great Old Master isn't down yet and /someone's/ still shooting. Staren supplements magic missiles with nonmagic missiles and beam cannons until the spells stop coming. He assumes the other person, apparently being from flying magical ship world, knows what's up.     Then he flies down to the people around the fallen smith. Staren looks from the girl to her father, wordlessly. He puts his missile launcher away and pulls out a pair of glasses. His visor retracts, allowing him to peer through the glasses at the smith. He shakes his head grimly and puts them away again.     Finally Staren looks around. "Who was he?" 

:'''{{#var:353|Laer (353)}} has posed:'''     Laer manages to not miss a beat when she realizes just what kind of creature is playing backup for her, which is good because she'd rather not look foolish in front of this particular crew. Also, she's going to stop looking directly at them.     Just as a precaution, generally. Their feet are perfectly fine to watch, probably.     She'll continue to sing, even as she follows along several seconds after the kobolds, wanting to make certain that she gets a fair cut of the loot and as such 'helps' sufficiently. Of course, her spells really are quite effective and give the perfect excuse to not actually do anything like 'pick up heavy things' or 'get stabbed'. 

:'''{{#var:673|Rory White (673)}} has posed:'''     The air SCREAMS. Eerie crack noises and ripples scatter dirt and debris and probably chunks of Giant Eel.     Oddly, the noises happen AFTER the scattering dirt, but just infinitesimally delayed. Such is what happens when HYPERSONIC METAL SLUGS pelt the ground, strafing the remaining monsters.     The Cognizant Odyssey's still high overhead, although starting to settle in towards circling the village and scanning for anything too amiss.     As it passes overhead, Rory White's usual body teleports down in a beam of light near Staren and the others. Only now can she show much expression.     Sorrow mixed with rage. "So much pointless carnage... am I too late?" 

:'''{{#var:515|Wuyin Tsai (515)}} has posed:''' Wuyin watches for more of the things. He doesn't think he can repeat that so quickly, so he doesn't. He points at a spot on the ground, drawing anima from the earth and from within himself, a honey-colored glow surrounding his extended hand. He clenches it into a fist, turns it over, and then makes an upwards-sweeping gesture with two extended fingers. He needs something more long-lasting. A spike of ice rises out of the ground. On top of it, a crystal-clear globe forms, glittering wherever the light hits it. It rises off the spike and floats a couple inches above it, wobbling up and down... and, every few seconds, it touches the tip of the spike, releasing another wave of cold to keep any more of the thing's young off of them, should they be lurking nearby. "The swordsmith," Wuyin remarks to Staren, "from the top of the mountain. I believe that she," he inclines his head to Yukihana, "is his successor. He fell in the fighting." Wuyin winces. He touches his bloodied side, reaching into a pocket somewhere and withdrawing something small, square and dark. Without further preamble, Wuyin eats the brownie from earlier, finding it to be perhaps the best part of a Freelance Space Enthusiast's dinner /and/ an effective medical kit. For him, anyway. 

:'''{{#var:7|Kotone Yamakawa (7)}} has posed:''' Kotone Yamakawa does what she can to comfort Yukihana but there's still the raiders and the horrible eel things to worry about. She can not fault her for being broken up about this she lost what seems to be her father or something much like her. She lowers her weapon as things wind down she holsters her weapon and now heads over to Yukihana and looks at her ofr a moment. "I'd lkike to know who that mand was as well. He was a brave man a very brave man." <<I'm afraid you might be too late Rory...still do what you can.>> She lets out a deep breath and looks about. She now looks Wuyin for a moment as he gives some details and she nods looking sad. "It's a comfort to see your still alive Wuyin, we need to keep in better touch." She does want to catch up she looks at his wounds cringing. "Captain Flint, it was good to have your back up on this, we're fortuante to have you along for this." She now turns her attention to Yukihana and takes one step towards her. "I'm sorry for your loss..." 

:'''{{#var:42|Staren (42)}} has posed:'''     Staren blinks at Wuyin. Wondering what he's doing here... but is there any point in asking? "Ah." He looks to the young kitsune. "...I'm sorry for your loss." What more is there to say? 

:'''{{#var:571|Alexis Maaka (571)}} has posed:'''     Alexis holsters her pistols when the eel thing stops moving, and she frowns for a second. "Hold on a tick, let's check for a pulse." She reaches inside her matter manipulator, before pulling out a double-barreled shotgun sawed down to handcannon size. Loading double-ought buck, she braces it to the head of the monster.     ...and that's it. No point wasting buckshot on a carcass, it should've woken up by now anyways. "No pulse."     With that out of the way, she approaches Yukihana just as Kotone does the same, and drops to a knee.     Her deathmask of a helmet opens and unfolds to reveal Alexis' crimson hair and golden eyes, as well as a stoic but not unsympathetic. The poor girl lost her father, Alexis oughta say /something./     She rests a hand on Yukihana's shoulder, gently nudging her for a moment. "I'm sorry about your da, kid. And the rest of the dead." She says, and that's that. All that's left is respectful silence for the fallen. 

:'''{{#var:673|Rory White (673)}} has posed:'''     "I... am sorry, miss." Rory looks sadly upon Yukihana... but as if not realizing that this is kind of a weird thing to do while trying to show sympathy, idly slaps a Nanobandage on Wuyin Tsai's shoulder. The Little plum-sized glob has some really nice anesthetics and clotting agents. Because she has no idea there's any such thing as healing brownies, that's silly. 

:'''{{#var:896|Nobeard (896)}} has posed:'''     Heading into the hold WILL find a good supply of... 'treasure.' Okay, some of it is actual gold and such, but some is trade goods and the like. There are a few feeble slaves left, which are quickly put down(though not all are killed), and one cowering neogi left. One neogi isn't an issue for a full pirate crew!     "We leaving anything, Cap'n?" one of the crewmen asks. The beholder replies, "Yarr. Methinks the strangers out there would be a bit angry if we took all the booty. Choose yer enemies wisely, eh?" 

:'''{{#var:900|Yukihana Masamune (900)}} has posed:'''     Handed a card, scarlet eyes squint at the text blearily, as the girl wipes her eyes on the bloodied sleeve of her kimono. The sniffing dies down, but she seems in no better condition than she was in a moment ago. But she manages to get her quaking to a minimum, tail giving a half-hearted swish behind her. Flint doesn't get a handshake he gets something else entirely.     This is when the fox-girl sits herself properly, hands touching to the snowy ground in front of her heedless of the cold as her forehead then joins them in a very low and formal bow.     "I... I thank you deeply for your kindness. I thank you all." There's a long pause before she rights herself. "I will bury him and then... I am not quite sure, admittedly. I do not think I wish to return to the mountain anymore, now."     "I am Masamune. Yukihana." 

:'''{{#var:320|Flint Hawke (320)}} has posed:'''     Flint waves a hand at Kotone vaguely in response to her comment, "Hardly a bother to show up." He shrugs a bit, "A little bit less Space than I'm used to in my missions, but I'll make due."     He looks back to Yukihana as she bows to him, giving another awkward wave of his hand as he says, "Like it says on the card. Flint Danger Hawke. Freelance Space Enthusiast. I wish I had met you under better terms, lass, but it seems to be a rut of a situation, I'd say." He waits a few moments and then waves his hands at her in a fluster, "Stand up! Stand up! You don't bow at a Captain anyway. You salute. Like this." He snaps off a salute for her to demonstrate.     "That's how you greet a Captain."     He looks up at the sky again, still wondering where that coin went. It'll turn up. He sighs and runs his hand through that long blonde hair, "Try travellin'. See the world. 's what I did when I was your age. Signed on with a fine-" He realizes he's in mixed company and doesn't even miss a beat, "-salvage vessel and got to travellin'."     "Consider it, lass." 

:'''{{#var:353|Laer (353)}} has posed:'''     Laer will hmm as she looks over the treasure, picking over some bits of it. "Oh, you'd be surprised. I recognized a lot of the others who intervened. Some of them are more charitable sorts." She'll be taking her share in gold, given an absence of magical items, and won't even try to cheat. Mostly because she doesn't really want to have to fight off an entire pirate crew right this moment.     Also, money's slightly superfluous. A truly unique item might get her attention more.     "...You work in this area often?" 

:'''{{#var:492|Blurr (492)}} has posed:'''     With the giant worm-thing down for the count and the rest of the armored bugs mostly in pieces, it seems the immediate threat to the area has ceased. Blurr scans the perimeter just in case though, to make sure none of them so much as twitched before he lets his guard down to consider the grieving humanoid who appears to be a cross between a human and some other Earth animal that kind of reminds him of Corona?     Like the others, he also examines the man, and also finds he is definitely dead. Which must be why the girl is crying. "Er, sorry about that." he sighs. "I guess we've all been there before." The Autobot glances around at the others briefly. Well maybe they haven't, but he certainly has. 

:'''{{#var:672|Starbound Flotilla (672)}} has posed:'''     The worms are dealt with. The eel is killed. Biteblade has dealt with the Umber Hulk, and is wounded. Moonfin has mostly recovered from his wounds. Albert has finished his business. Seft, George, and Pavo are all knocked around and winded, but they'll be okay. Thankfully, it's Moonfin specifically who approaches Yukihana.     "Child. You are uprooted; what kept you here was family. What kept your family here is not something that holds you. But you respect it, regardless, I believe. Child, the greatest honor you could do for your father is to live in the way he thought best, and to honor what cause he had to treat this place as his home."     "I am a swordsmith, myself. Did he pass his craft to you? I am a member of the Starbound Flotilla. We have found many opportunities for such a craft to bring great profit. And we are purveyors of equipment that would arm the home that kept your family rooted, for whatever cause, against future assault." He bows in a mock-humble way. "If you can find a vessel upon which you might serve, your travels with us will be compensated through ensuring the defense of the home your father cared for. You need only find a vessel that will allow you to serve aboard, to accompany us. Do this, and follow, and you will ply such a trade far away from the source of your misery, while you still pay respect to the father you loved."     "However, first, I ask you allow me to assist. A swordsmith deserves a gravesite of good craftsmanship. As a Hylotl missionary, I possess such skills. There will be no charge, nor favor demanded for it." 

:'''{{#var:896|Nobeard (896)}} has posed:'''     The gnome is still tugging on any sleeve she can find. "Can I see? Canicanicanicaniohthislooksinteresting-"     The townspeople are slowly starting to come out from hiding and gather their own dead, by now, and eying all the travellers uncertainly.     The man in rags grunts, rubbing at his wounds. He gives Flint a respectful nod. "Cap'n, eh?" Then... he reaches out and shows an absolute lack of respect by /ruffling/ Yukihana's head. "Sorry about your dad, but the man has a point. A girl like you, I think the Cap'n would take you in. If only to the next port, if you don't want to stay. He's done it before."     The others don't get a smile or anything, just a nod. "That's one less Deathspider. The Neogi are a real plague, eh? That's... what those were, if'n you've never seen one before. Jack Patch, First Mate of the One-Eyed Jack." 

:'''{{#var:42|Staren (42)}} has posed:'''     "Can you see /what/?" Staren asks the gnome, at a whisper.     "Deathspider? Neogi? There's /more/ of them?" Staren holds his hand to his forehead and sighs. 

:'''{{#var:515|Wuyin Tsai (515)}} has posed:''' Wuyin gives Rorya weird look when she slaps a bandage on his shoulder -- or, rather, a glob that is apparently a bandage. If she's got the sensory equipment for it, she could probably tell he's healing at an already-alarming rate. Maybe it /is/ the brownie. Did Flint put something in it? Like a Hi-Potion or something? "What exactly is that," he asks her in a quiet aside, not wanting to interrupt the peple offering aid. All he's going to do is make her life more... ...interesting, let's say. They can do their thing in the meantime. 

:'''{{#var:673|Rory White (673)}} has posed:'''     "A nanobandage! ... And it's not supposed to work THAT quickly." Rory notices, alarmed. Did she do something wrong by applying that? The blue-haired young woman seems confused by this development. 

:'''{{#var:900|Yukihana Masamune (900)}} has posed:'''     Being taught how to salute earns an almost bewildered look from the fox-girl. And she shakily attempts it. It's near perfect, up until Jack Patch gives her a good ruffling, earning a sharp yip of surprise and mild embarassment, vilpine ears splaying. But on to the most serious and grave of offers. "... It need not be complex. A stone mound. With his sword standing from it will do. But I accept." She answers Moonfin softly. "But once that is done, I wish to be away from this place, yes."     That answer is to Jack. 

:'''{{#var:7|Kotone Yamakawa (7)}} has posed:''' Kotone Yamakawa replies back to Flint. "You'll be back between the stars soon enough, right?" She looks to Moonfin as he makes his offer to help with the tomb she's going to offer to help but then she hears the name. "I see Yukihana Masamune...." She goes wide eyed for a moment, it's clear she knows the name. She wonders if it's connected to that Masamune? She does not know and dares not ask now she does seem to calm down and shakes her head a little bit. She then hears the warning there's more of the things that they fought she pauses for a moment lookng back to the others. She looks to ROry for a moment. <<Wuyin does that, don't worry about it.>> "I think there's no shortage of where you might be able to go...and if you need help with the gravesite I will help if it's needed." 

:'''{{#var:896|Nobeard (896)}} has posed:'''     The gnome points. "Your gun!" Starry-eyed, she looks up hopefully... and then the armored giant hamster noses her back. "Not now, Mister Scribbles, can't you see I'm doing SCIENCE?!"     Jack shrugs, then winces. "Neogi. Guess this place is too far-off to know about them. Those things," he gestures at the spider-eels. "Everyone else is just slaves to them. They call them 'slave-meat' if that gives you an idea. Everyone hates them, even the mind flayers." 

:'''{{#var:896|Nobeard (896)}} has posed:'''     A blip of a dimension door brings someone else to the scene. "Arr, what be ye doing here, jim lad?" Yes, he really talks like that. 'He' being the large, floating orb with the eyepatch on the central eye, and the ten eyestalks looking over everyone else. "We should be going, before the navy starts looking this way."     Several eyes turn to the gathered group. "Captain Nobeard remembers his debts and is fair, let it not be said. My boys have left a bit of the booty in the Deathspider, if you're quick enough to grab it first." 

:'''{{#var:42|Staren (42)}} has posed:'''     Staren looks from the gnome to Jack, and back to the gnome. "...It's an Argonaut design anyway. Since you're using them to fight... /those/ things..." Staren reaches into his bag and pulls out the missile launcher. It weighs something like 35 pounds loaded. He hands it to the gnome. "The missiles are proprietary, my own design, but I'll sell them to you at a good price, and give you designs for free ones." He looks at Rory. "It's what they'd want, right?" When he sees the gnome struggling with the heavy weapon, he pulls his micromissile pistol and offers that. "Here. Four shots. Looks like two or three should kill one of those bug things." And then he reaches in to his bag and hands over a tablet computer full of seeker weaponry designs. Its battery should last about 500 hours, or until the gnome takes it apart, whichever comes first. "Good luck. Contact me, or any of us, if you get a lead on more of these slavers for us to hunt down."     And then: Beholder! Staren doesn't know what one is. He nods, and repeats the offer of help against the Neogi. 

:'''{{#var:353|Laer (353)}} has posed:'''     Laer will look away again at the dimension door, but she'll reach into her bag, tossing over a book. It's one of hers, naturally, describing vaguely some events in the multiverse, but most relevantly it's signed with all her contact information. "I know some people willing to pay for good work. Let me know some time if you're interested. Thanks for the gold."     With that, and still vaguely freaked out, she's going to open her own portal out; someone could follow behind her for a solid twenty or thirty seconds after, if for some reason they wanted to. 

:'''{{#var:515|Wuyin Tsai (515)}} has posed:''' "Ah." He stares at it for a moment, and then looks up at Rory again. Wuyin's expression is difficult to read at the very least from behind the 3D glasses. "I'm immortal, or as near to it as I'm aware. Thank you for the thought, though. I'll be fine." He looks to Yukihana, and bows low. "I am sorry we could not save him. I will be in touch once you have had time to grieve. Perhaps you possess the skill to make me something I can use, but discussing it now..." He shrugs. Wuyin starts to seperate from the gathering of people. Too many for his tastes. He pulls off his buff coat and draws a black garment from a pocket too small for it and starts to put it on. He's looking towards the horizon with a vague sort of frown, and checking his phone while he does it. Maybe he'll go somewhere else. 

:'''{{#var:320|Flint Hawke (320)}} has posed:'''     To the man in rags, Flint nods his head, "Cap'n Flint Hawke, of the Black Sun freelance vessel," He notes as he keeps his hands in the pockets of his billowing coat. He watches the man as he makes his own offer to Yuki. Probably better for that particular vessel, considering he's not sure what use he'd have for a swordsmith on his own ship, otherwise he would have offered to take her himself.     Flint lets Yuki make her decision at that point, giving Kotone something of a deferential sort of hand gesture as he says, "Eventually. I'm only here because I wanted to test something else and this happened to be close enough. I can do that... oh what is the term..." He snaps his fingers a few time, "Unshift to get back to my ship whenever I want, so there's no harm comin' out this far and they're not stupid enough to mutiny any more."     Flint cocks an eye and looks appraisingly at the flying sphere with an eyepatch that comes through a portal soon after, "Ahoy," He notes vaguely sizing up the other being and trying to figure it out, "Treasure's no concern for me today. Pays in its own right to help the Flotilla out where I can." He notes with a faint twittering of his fingers towards the sphere, "Never know when a good deed done turns into a good deed returned, or whatever the good type of person might say about all that."     He grins, "I just like people owin' me favors more'n owin' me treasure." 

:'''{{#var:672|Starbound Flotilla (672)}} has posed:''' "Oh, aye? DAMN!" Pavo shouts! She's off like a shot. Time for loot. "Concerned. I hope no living enemies were left in there too..." "Will be fine! Eye friend isss good captain probably." Moonfin sheathes his sword dramatically. "Your assistance was invaluable, and it would appear we have some overlap in our purposes. Remain in contact with us, Nobeard." He snaps dramatically, summoning a small radio device -- an earpiece, unfortunately -- from his Matter Manipulator that he hands off to Jack Patch because Nobeard doesn't seem to have any relevant parts to mount the earpie "cxterm50">Also, please have this, because your appearance is unacceptable." Another snap. Simple hylotl robes for Jack. Needs something better than rags, Jack! Something with pockets that aren't ripped forever. George is also here for some reason. "Wow, even for an alien you're really weird. Hey, Pavo's been salty that she's the only pirate-themed member we got that's actually straight-up about really being a pirate, come hang out sometime." Then he's turning to Yukihana. "Hey, kid, we'll let you have your space after Moony does his grave jam, alright? But we'll make good on that, you know. You do some work and we'll keep this place protected. You decide if that's an important thing to you or not, though, not dad." Seft has also managed to drag her dented body on over here. Her eye-visor turns to u_u and she emits a soft beep before speaking. "Kind. I have no interest in profits. If you require assistance within my reasonable abilities, of any kind, please ask it. Your father died as a hero and you do not deserve to have to bury him. But I respect your choice in doing so. Whether or not you decide to leave through the route of space, I'll be happy to provide you with anything you need." 

:'''{{#var:571|Alexis Maaka (571)}} has posed:'''     BEHOLDER     Alexis is about to pull a martian space marine and aim that shotgun right at the eyepatch wearing floating..eyeball thing, before better judgement has her holstering the weapon and just kinda inching away awkwardly instead. She nods to Yukihana, "Keep the money, I'll find something amid the wreckage before I go." She says, forcing a smile before she begins to head on over to rumage for LOOT.     Shiny bits, trade goods, gold, Alexis portals it all back to the ship once she gets a good pile going. It's just enough to satisfy her for today, and she leaves enough for the other pirates before nabbing a musket or two, a blunderbuss, a pair of cutlasses, and so forth.     Before she does portal out, she produces a rugged but servicable radio device able to be used while clipped to a belt, complete with earpiece. "Here, you might need this. It's a communications device, you'll need it soon." She says, handing it to the girl before she begins to rattle off how to operate it as carefully and clearly as she can. 

:'''{{#var:896|Nobeard (896)}} has posed:'''     Jack blinks as he's given a new outfit! "Oh, man, thanks! The ship's tailor Liefeld is going to be so jealous!" Pockets. Awesome.     The gnome, Merinella, squeals as she's handed a ton of stuff. "Great! Thankyousomuchyou'rethebest! Let me put this in a safe place! MISTER SCRIBBLES!" She calls out the name and the hamster lowers his head. Immediately, the little gnome shoves everything she was handed into the hamster's mouth, where its cheek pouches bulge from holding it.     Nobeard chuckles, "Really? That sounds like quite the interesting business transaction. We'll be in touch." Hey, what happened to his pirate speak?! 

:'''{{#var:673|Rory White (673)}} has posed:'''     "huh?" Rory's startled out of some of her own thoughts, her little blurt coming out shrill and unfocused. She narrows her gaze at Staren. A few seconds later... "Um... are you sure they'll know how to use those responsibly?" She's clearly been stressed to near the limit by this experience.     So much blood. So much carnage. So much death and ruin and needless loss of lives that cannot be restored, cannot be replaced.     It weighs on her, even though she's quite bad at expressing her feelings.     Oh... well...     "Rory White of the Argonauts, caretaker of the Cognizant Odyssey." Odd to identify herself as its caretaker and not captain, but again: oh well.     "Masamune Yukihana, you are welcome aboard at any time. For now though, I'm going to help with recovery and repairs. This... should NOT have happened." 

:'''{{#var:900|Yukihana Masamune (900)}} has posed:'''     And then there's Nobeard. Vulpine ears prick right up when the dimension door ports the Beholder captain over. And the kitsune's scarlet eyes blink slowly at the sight of him. Before she's inundated. There's that bow again, this time to the Flotilla crew, nodding in assent to their collective offer. But then she sits up, rubbing her eyes, looking even more worn than she had a moment ago. "Ah... Yes you came looking for my father." She is reminded by Wuyin. Before Maaka teaches her the arcane art of How to Radio. "... And now it seems you have a means to even reach me. "He taught me what little I know. If you still truly desire Masamune steel."     That said... This is about when she keels over, face down in the snow, over Jack Patch's feet. 

:'''{{#var:42|Staren (42)}} has posed:'''     Staren blinks at Rory. "There's a manual on the tablet." he looks from Rory, to Marinella. /Oh/. He does feel slightly sheepish. "Don't point them at anything you don't want dead. Even if it's empty. Never assume it's empty. Don't put your finger on the trigger until you're ready to fire." That might not quite be what Rory meant. 

:'''{{#var:320|Flint Hawke (320)}} has posed:'''     Flint grins at the man, "Sounds dandy. We'll talk some time soon. Here's my card if you ever want to look me up and you're in a jam with coin to spend," He holds out another card towards Nobeard: Flint Reliable Hawke Aggressive Venture Capitalist Contact Frequency: 357.43.66.cEwQ241 "Forceful Economics!"     He pauses, "Wrong card, sorry."     He then holds out another copy of the card he gave Yuki earlier: Flint Danger Hawke Freelance Space Enthusiast Contact Frequency: 357.43.66.cEwQ241 "It's legitimate!"     Whether the card gets taken or not, an odd effect happens a few moments later as he snaps off a salute, "Catch you another time, Cap'n."     There's a faint black shimmer around him and he seems to abruptly get pulled out of reality due to Unshift. 

:'''{{#var:7|Kotone Yamakawa (7)}} has posed:''' Kotone Yamakawa stares te the Beholder she's not sure what it is but he? It? Seems to not be hostil and did have their crew pitch in to help stop this madness. So what's she going to say though the eye stalks unsettle her a little bit. "I'm going to help where I can with clean up and anyone who might need help." sShe catchews what FLint has to say, and gets he needs to get going. "I'm not caring about money today, not when fighting things like that." <<Rory I'll do what I can to help with this clean up>>. "Nobeard my thanks to you and your crew as well for your help here and I'm Kotone Yamakawa." 

}}

2879/A World of Fading Light

2015-09-11T00:26:23Z

Bratbern: Created page with "{{Log Header |Date of Scene=2015/08/22 |Location=The Soul States |Synopsis=Just a jaunt to the old library of Ancient York |Thanks= |Cast of Characters=560, 598, 670, 804, 825..."

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2015/08/22
|Location=The Soul States
|Synopsis=Just a jaunt to the old library of Ancient York
|Thanks=
|Cast of Characters=560, 598, 670, 804, 825, 859
|Tinyplot=
|Tinyplot2=
|pretty=yes
}}
{{Poses
|Poses=:'''{{#var:859|Grimm Hardy (859)}} has posed:'''     Since the last incident to crop up on this dying world, back at the Undead Camp, people might notice the new addition of a gate. Far from the frigid mountain wastes of before, this new way opens into a park that is far too overgrown. Concrete and cobble walkways grown over with weeds and pushed up by roots, an old stone building encrusted with years of lichen nestled at the edge of a pool of stagnant water.     Oddly enough the gate is at the foot of a streetlight, flickering badly, but still casting a bright orange glow onto the path. It's the only street light on as far as the eye can see, and it's strangely warming, compared to the cold white light of the sun through the mists . 

:'''{{#var:670|Lyria Mason (670)}} has posed:''' Lyria Mason has once again come to this dying world and is far more made ready for this place. She's also got her drone remora slinking along behind her like a massive metal snake of some sort. She had her goggles down at the moment, but that one light catches her attention. She wraps her cloak about herself and presses onwards towards it. 

:'''{{#var:804|Project MORDRED (804)}} has posed:''' In this dying world, a new menace has appeared. Through the warpgate comes a fifteen foot tall metal warmachine. MORDRED is exploring inside his Armour, and this path is new to him, so he's checking it out. He reports internally, over comms that lead to his mother and can vaguely be heard outside if someone has good ears. "This area looks to me to be dead, invested with a malady that goes beyond mere abandonment of the area." 

:'''{{#var:825|Ezio Auditore (825)}} has posed:'''     "I've seen something like this before," comments Ezio, adjusting the fedora on his head as he emerges from the gate himself. "Sir MORDRED? I do not believe we have been acquainted personally, a pleasure." He greets the AI mecha as if none of that is weird to him at all, drawing a Gunsword from his belt and a double-barreled sawn-off shotgun in his other hand, concealed beneath his coat. It's all he needs for this enviroment, and he keeps his eyes peeled. "I advise caution, friend, if I know this land like the other, then we will be going into a land of constant danger." 

:'''{{#var:560|Emiya Shirou (560)}} has posed:'''     Shirou did say he wanted to investigate further. If it helped Priscilla at all, then what's a detour into zombie land? Not much, by his standards. As usual, Shirou's not considering himself at all when he does these things!     After all, he lives his life purely for others.     The same clunky motorcycle - likely scavenged from a junkyard at some point and restored cheaply - putters out of the warpgate soon after MORDRED's own entrance, but beelines around towards the strange streetlight. Shirou comes to a halt under the light, gazing up at the bulb... "I've felt that warmth before..." 

:'''{{#var:598|Lezard Valeth (598)}} has posed:''' Black spreads within the pool of light, the sound of leather boots treading on the path heard as Lezard Valeth arrives. He looks up into the warm light of the streetlamp, the gleaming reflection from his glasses making his expression unreadable for several moments. "... Some things never change, Magus Shirou." Lezard states. "The affliction of this land has some... strong resemblances. The manifestation is very different, however. We will have to be cautious. If we assume everything will be as it was, we will make critical errors." Advice dispensed, the Necromancer of Midgard remains near the light, examining it intently 

:'''{{#var:560|Emiya Shirou (560)}} has posed:'''     "That's a good point. The Multiverse is just weird." Shirou finds himself answering before he realizes who he's talking. Then he looks and stiffens CONSIDERABLY. It's THAT GUY AGAIN.     Consternation and choked down feelings clearly war within the redhead, but he swallows them pretty hard and fast. "You... what were you DOING the other day?!" 

:'''{{#var:859|Grimm Hardy (859)}} has posed:'''     An assassin, a magus, a necromancer, a pirate, and a mecha walk into a park.     It's not the beginning of some joke, though, the group left to bask in the warm glow of the street light amid the eerie stone silence. Barely more than even the breeze passing through the leaves can be heard. At least before there's a chuckle. Low and mirthless from the stone steps of the battered old building. It's a man in a military uniform, black BDU, with a kevlar vest over top. There's a gun clasped lazily in his hand, but it's lazily held to the ground, chin perched on the palm of his free hand.     "Oh... More today, I see. Were you with that exceptionally dour guy that just passed here?" 

:'''{{#var:804|Project MORDRED (804)}} has posed:''' "That would be my name, yes. Who do I have the pleasure of dealing with?" MORDRED's voice is now broadcasted at a regular conversational level, perhaps slightly louder, but by no means loud enough to count as yelling. He goes towards the lamp post, clearly studying it from inside his armour. "And Shirou, right? I believe we've spoken, but I don't recall us having met." 

:'''{{#var:598|Lezard Valeth (598)}} has posed:''' Lezard seems to keep to himself, generally. Even the inquisition from Shirou causes Lezard to simply smile. "Everything happens in its own time, Magus Shirou." Yeah, he's doing that. He's being that guy. The question from the man in the uniform, however, causes Lezard to nod. "That does seem to be the case. Can you tell us where he went?" 

:'''{{#var:825|Ezio Auditore (825)}} has posed:'''     Ezio sighs as Lezard and Shirou be all frown and smiley at each other, before he nods to Mordred. "Ezio Auditore. I'm a problem solver of sorts, and let it be left at that." He doffs his hat, a gentleman at heart, and he approaches the campfire. "And who might be be?" He asks after Lezard, raising an eyebrow at the modernly dressed man. He's reminded to thank himself for bringing a vest himself, worn underneath his suit. 

:'''{{#var:560|Emiya Shirou (560)}} has posed:'''     Shirou FROWNS SOURLY at Lezard's reply but he's apparently not of a mind to push harder. Yet. Instead he addresses the TOWERING MECHA that Mordred's using... after a blink. "Yeah. Emiya Shirou. Magus and... squire, I suppose. Not that great at either. What brings you out here? Mordred, wasn't it?"     Finally he gets a good look at the newcomer... and blinks. "I'm not sure. But chances are pretty high. Did you get his name? ... Also, are you okay out here? There's got to be a better place to live than this..." 

:'''{{#var:670|Lyria Mason (670)}} has posed:''' Lyria Mason is keping with Shirou now and Ezio, she doesn't know mordred but right now she'll group up with anyone, whose not openly coming after her head. On a world like this? She's going to keep with them. "Let's keep together shall we?" S he notices someone else she looks at the man for a moment, she sees he's not hostile and nods to him. "Not persay but he sounds like smeone we ran into before." 

:'''{{#var:859|Grimm Hardy (859)}} has posed:'''     "And here I thought no one would ever care." The dispirited soldier drones wryly when Shirou asks of his wellbeing. For a moment half-lidded eyes flit from figure to figure, to massive armor suit, and he chuckles again. "He was rather surly. Not the most personable fellow... Pretty grim if you ask me, but then again who isn't around these parts?" Clucked in a lazy tone, waving his pistol airily as though it were little more than a harmless twig.     It's not, the safety is off.     "Well I can see you're not here to keep me company. If you're really so interested in someone with the social skills of a prickle-pear, by all means, he grunted something about the library and headed west." Sighed exaggeratedly as he points in a direction. Now it might be obvious, the squat stone building in the park isn't the only one. There are others, just beyond the trees- taller than the trees. MASSIVELY taller than the trees. Crumbling skyscrapers of steel and glass. They must have once been impressive in their prime, now all that's left is crumbling concrete, rust, and shattered glass even from a distance. "Oh I would be careful, if I were you though. Past this point, it's all crawling with Hollows." 

:'''{{#var:825|Ezio Auditore (825)}} has posed:'''     "Hollows are no trouble, except in numbers." Ezio says confidently, a grin under the brim of his hat. He holsters his weapons, before he looks westward with eyes narrowed. "I will scout ahead, call out anything if I see it." He says, before suddenly the assassin takes off with speed befitting a man half his age. He is /nimble/ for a man in his mid-forties. It's almost ridiculous how much ground he can cover while he evades the ruins of shattered buildings, only slowing down whenever he detects hostiles, and to keep his hat firmly on his head. 

:'''{{#var:804|Project MORDRED (804)}} has posed:''' Glare-NT nods, while MORDRED runs a quick check in his systems to see if the Confederate databases have anything useful on Hollow. He also reaches for his sword, a six foot long razor-sharp weapon made out of superdense compounds. It's a heavy weapon, but nothing fancy beyond its dimensions and mass. "So, where are we going?" 

:'''{{#var:560|Emiya Shirou (560)}} has posed:'''     "Sorry. You're right, we can't stay long--" Off goes Ezio. SHirou boggles at his display of prowess. If only his careful experiments with reinforcement were half as polished!     "But you're welcome to return with us when we return!" Shirou at least won't let this dismal atmosphere get him down. Even if they're about to go shred some Hollows, most likely.     Instead he focuses hard on a weapon image...     "Trace on..."     The high-quality black bow he traced from Chloe's own version appears in a rush of magic, along with a quiver full of... swords? Well, bladed arrows. Something like that. He slings this over his side and just starts marching, sticking close to Lyria.     "That way, apparently!" He answers Mordred, gesturing after Ezio. 

:'''{{#var:859|Grimm Hardy (859)}} has posed:'''     West, the group seems to be going west, if that's the way Ezio is already scouting towards, Shirou hot on his tails. For those beginning to make their way out of the park, there is the distinct feeling of being watched. Though where it's coming from is hard to tell, by the time the group breaks throug hthe trees and into the city proper.     It was once a metropolis. A sprawling, urban, region of high towers and metropolitan buildings in varied art styles, some older than the others, some newer. All still in terrible condition. But there's the library just as stated. Two statues dominating the short flight of stairs up to the entrance. Some kind of animal perhaps, both worn over by weather, time, and the steady crusting of plants and grime covering them from top to base.     The doors are left ajar, and aside from the occasional unarmed Hollow in the streets, the group will have no real obstacles getting there. 

:'''{{#var:670|Lyria Mason (670)}} has posed:''' Lyria Mason nods to the man and is thankful. "Thanks for the warning but we should go. Still take care of your self, all right?" She listens about the mention of Hallows. "I came ready to fight hordes I should be all right working with the rest of you if we keep out wits about us." she's got one pitol out and in her other hand is her cutlass as she's pressing forward with the group. She looks at once was. "Even the world it self seems to be undead, what kind of place is this?" She'll cut down the Hollows that get too close with gun fire or by cutless if needed. 

:'''{{#var:825|Ezio Auditore (825)}} has posed:'''     Undead are small potatoes for Ezio, as he casually draws a silenced Beretta 92FS. Thwip thwip, and he draws his gunsword. He chops and hacks with deft evasion keeping him unharmed, and he doesn't waste time further as he enters the library proper. It's not even worth getting worried about, given the haphazad movements and lurching speed of the Hollows. Ezio feels sorry for them, almost anyways.     He enters through the open door, pistol out and pointed as he begins to clear the inside of the building. 

:'''{{#var:598|Lezard Valeth (598)}} has posed:''' Lezard nods to the man. "Thank you for the information, sir. We will be careful to watch for the Hollows." He pauses. "I will likely return to speak with you at a later time. Do be careful, sir." He smiles as he turns away, heading towards the library with the others. As they break from the park to the library proper, LEzard looks upon the random Hollow, and basically ignores it, instead turning an intense gaze to the entrance of the library. He says nothing, looking away and allowing the others to take the lead. As Ezio assassins towards the entrance, Lezard smiles. 

:'''{{#var:804|Project MORDRED (804)}} has posed:''' One problem with buildings like these is, well... they're not designed for fifteen foot tall warmachines. MORDRED is keenly aware of that, and stands outside for a while to contemplate his options. Eventually, a sigh comes from inside the machine before its chest opens. MORDRED unclasps some buckles and hops out, the chest closing behind him. He's got a traditional European onehander in his right hand, something medieval looking, though thinner sharper and heavier, based on the same materials as his Armour's blade. "Let's see if I can avoid causing unnecessary collateral damage, shall we?" 

:'''{{#var:560|Emiya Shirou (560)}} has posed:'''     Onwards and inwards to the west! Shirou's walking with his bow constantly at the ready. Just in case he needs to defend himself - or someone else - from a Hollow. Despite that creepy feeling of being watched though, he meets little worth mentioning. He only has to use a handful of easily replaced 'arrows' on some Hollows.     And through the door he goes with the others... "Did he come this way?"     Now that they're indoors, he banishes the bow. It dissipates swiftly. Instead he murmurs his favored words again... and Kanshou and bakuya form from prana in his grasp. They're far more suited to closed quarters and narrow passages. 

:'''{{#var:859|Grimm Hardy (859)}} has posed:'''     In through the doors, and it becomes immediately obvious how immense the library is inside, compared to the outside. Rows upon rows and rows of books, right from the foyer, a balcony above containing even more, all visible beyond the musty old rusted out turnstyles.     Someone's been here, rifling through the card catalogues, the DA section missing from the catalogue wholly.     Footprints in the otherwise undisturbed dust head off in one direction, but there's also a fairly recent streak of something else... A line dragged in the dust, a sickly trail of sticky, glossy, red pulled in another direction. It's empty save for a Dead hollow at the desk, a combat knife embedded in its skull.     It would seem, he did come this way, as Ezio moves to clear the library, the party will find it mostly cleared out already. The Italian stallion will also find the edge of a katana, point first, drawn against his throat menacingly.     The wielder it belongs to is a young-ish looking man, with dark hair, hard dark eyes and an even harder expression. Lezard, Lyria, and Shirou will most certainly recognize Grimm, and he seems to recognize them.     "Mnh. You people again... You're not Undead what the hell is it you want?" His voice is hushed and gravelly, but then another question springs to mind. "Were you followed? Who knows you're here?" 

:'''{{#var:825|Ezio Auditore (825)}} has posed:'''     Ezio makes a low, uncomfortable sound as he feels something following them besides the hollows maybe. He switches to the shotgun and a Spectre M4 as he begins room clearing, and as soon as he feels a sharp edge at his throat, Ezio notes the wielder. "The one the man at the fire mentioned, I assume?" He says calmly, SMG pointed at Grimm's stomach in a Mexican standoff almost on instinct.     "No, we are not undead. We are here to investigate this place." He says, still keeping the weapon trained on Grimm until he lowers his katana. His tone is very cool, calm, and he sounds like he knows what he's doing with those guns of his right now. 

:'''{{#var:804|Project MORDRED (804)}} has posed:''' MORDRED frowns when people decide to initiate conversation with clear threats, and raises his own blade in a clearly hostile stance. "Both of you, lower your weapons. I will not hesitate to kill whichever one of you dishonourable curs decides to kill the other." Yeah he's clearly including Ezio in that, not just for formality's sake apparently he doesn't think the response is appropriate. "Let's settle this like people, not beasts." He then bows, briefly, eyes still on both of them, and introduces himself to Grimm "I am Sir MORDRED, Knight Errant. Eldest son of the High King of Earth." 

:'''{{#var:560|Emiya Shirou (560)}} has posed:'''     "...Grimm?!" Shirou DOES recognize him. The young man perks up, but seems uncertain as hell about Grimm's dark demeanor. And there's, well the issue about that katana. Shirou gently waves a hand. "Take it easy. We're just trying to figure out what's happening in this world. All the Undead." 

:'''{{#var:598|Lezard Valeth (598)}} has posed:''' Lezard looks mildly surprised as Ezio is not assaulted by what he expected to be assaulted by. "Hmm." He says, as he enters the library. The stain on the floor is noted, as is the lack of traffic in the dust on the floor. He hums. "It seems Undead generally hunger for souls more than knowledge." He comments. He doesn't seem to care that Grimm has a blade to Ezio's throat. Maybe Grimm will slip. "The question is less 'what do we want' but 'what do you want', Mr. Grimm." Lezard states. "I am simply curious as to the nature of the affliction that pervades this land. This knowledge can benefit you, whatever your purpose may be." 

:'''{{#var:670|Lyria Mason (670)}} has posed:''' Lyria Mason does notice Grim and she pauses for a moment at him. She lowers her weapons and tells her snake like drone to stand down. "We're trying to figure out more about this place to be honest. I'm still alive so far as I know, it's good to see your still shio shape from the looks of thing. Yes what are you trying to do??" 

:'''{{#var:859|Grimm Hardy (859)}} has posed:'''     For a moment. For a long, long, moment, Grimm holds his blade in place. And there's no missing Ezio has him by gun point, but he doesn't lower just yet, firing a sour look to MORDRED. "... What is this the fucking dark ages? No one talks like that anymore." There's a moment longer of hesitance, gaze hard. "I can die and I'll be just fine. How about you?" Asked, as though actually weighing the option. But eventually ee retracts the blade by a fraction. If Ezio indicates he'll do the same, then Awesome is slowly pulled back and slid back into its saya without so much a downward glance.     "I'm guessing that mopey tool told you I came this way. Well? What does it look like happened. Humans afflicted with the Darksign died and died, and died again, and eventually went Hollow." Sneered as he turns back to the table where he was working before the group arrived. It's heaped with books. Most of them are old, some crumbling and wholly useless. He was researching, clearly from how he just tosses an old text on the table, half open. It's all terribly basic information on the Curse of Undeath, nothing the more informed wouldn't already know.     "What do you think I want?" He pauses. "I want to not lose myself anymore than I already have." 

:'''{{#var:825|Ezio Auditore (825)}} has posed:'''     Shit. He does have a point there, Ezio thinks to himself. He also grumbles under his breath for having missed the kid in the first place, but that can't be helped now. No point doing what Bartemelo would do either, as he lowers the SMG. "He's a knight, it cannot be helped." He shrugs a shoulder to Grimm, "I however am too busy to let death take me just yet." The assassin definitely knows the basic story by now, but the refresher is appreciated. As he glances around the room, Ezio begins to search some of the books for anything useful to read up on. 

:'''{{#var:804|Project MORDRED (804)}} has posed:''' MORDRED lowers his blade when the others do. "If you have issues with my manner of speaking, ser. I would appreciate it you kept them to yourself. Honour matters to a true Knight, whether they were born in the fifth century or the fiftieth." He listens to the others talk, but otherwise makes no comment on anything that doesn't directly matter to him, content to listen. 

:'''{{#var:560|Emiya Shirou (560)}} has posed:'''     Things finally calm down, and Shirou's able to relax a bit. His own blades stay lowered.     "We've seen this curse before. Some of us have. That's why we're follwing. But it wasn't on Earth." Yeah he'll have to let Grimm figure that one out.     "I'm Emiya Shirou. It was Grimm, right?" 

:'''{{#var:598|Lezard Valeth (598)}} has posed:''' "Of course that happened. But why? The source of the curse can, perhaps, guide you to a way to resolve it." Lezard replies. He looks over the rotting and crumbling books with a frown. "Is there any lore remaining in this place? Surely not all of the documents are so poorly maintained." 

:'''{{#var:859|Grimm Hardy (859)}} has posed:'''     For a moment. For a long, teeth-grinding, moment, Grimm looks as though he's been slammed with the mother of migraines. One hand reaching to cradle the side of his skull, upon mentions of knights and honor. Expression curling into a rictus grin before it stills and he takes a slow breath.     "... Of course. Of course. ... A knight. I don't know where my manners went, sorry, but I'm not in much of a roleplay mood at the moment. I guess I can respect that, though." and then he answers Shirou, "Yeah. Grimm. Hardy. ... I think."     Another breath and he's back to his prior surly self, motioning at the collected heap. "This was everything on the Darksign. Myths, legends, folk tales about Fire and dragons, and gods that are long gone, are all I can find here. No one's been here to take care of this place except Hollows, so you're looking at everything that hasn't fallen apart." 

:'''{{#var:560|Emiya Shirou (560)}} has posed:'''     "My experience with the Darksign comes from a completely world. The situation might be different. But there it's caused by the dimming of a great flame that keeps humanity's dark side in check." An oversimplification on several levels, but who expects tons of magical intricacy from Shirou?     "But it's way too early to say if the situation's the same here." 

:'''{{#var:598|Lezard Valeth (598)}} has posed:''' Lezard goes quiet as he hears about the efforts of Grimm's search. "This city seems to be quite large, Grimm. Perhaps there is a better-maintained store of information elsewhere? Did you gain any insights out of these scraps? The important thing is that we must locate some direction to take next, even if this place is no longer useful to us." Lezard, at least, tries to keep people on task. 

:'''{{#var:670|Lyria Mason (670)}} has posed:''' Lyria Mason now gets an idea of what's up but how cxould she help wit that it might be better to seek out others she thinks for a moment. She gets the ide of the curse eveyr time they go? They come back but the price is a part of who they are, which means eventually they become mindless husks. She ponders on this and she pauses looking to Emiyra. "Wait you seen this curse before?" She muses a bit on what he's said. "If you have experiance then we might want to tap any resources you have from that it might help." She listens and gets the idea there ain't much left here to dig in to which leaves her wonder and several small spider drones break off the snake like one and go skittering into the libary to see what they might be able to find. Maybe somehow there's an intact terminal like that jet they found which was mostly intact. 

:'''{{#var:560|Emiya Shirou (560)}} has posed:'''     Shirou looks quickly at Lyria, balks a bit... then turns his gaze towards Lezard Valeth. "I don't understand half of it, but I bet the necromancer here does." 

:'''{{#var:859|Grimm Hardy (859)}} has posed:'''     Insights. Insights insights... The Undead rubs at an eye with the heel of his palm as he turns to the book on the desk and flips a few pages. "Never held much belief in gods. If they existed they were gone way, way, back. But this says they tried to keep humans down, to keep the fire burning." Grunted as he staps the page. "But the location of the Flame was lost, and the Soul States fell completely to the Dark Sign. Everywhere else closed off the borders. ... That Flame is probably here on this continent somewhere. If it's even a thing."     But then he shrugs. "This city is huge. There's probably somewhere that hasn't had Hollows tramping around making a mess and ripping pages apart because they feel like pretending to read." 

:'''{{#var:670|Lyria Mason (670)}} has posed:''' Lyria Mason Says "STrange the gods of my world? Have of them died to make the world and ... us." she notes saldky ane she woners the flame? Wait she'd seen something in the union's reports about osmething like this. "I see Well we can make a search of it my dronesmight get lucky and find something." 

:'''{{#var:598|Lezard Valeth (598)}} has posed:''' Lezard Valeth says, "As far as I can tell, we are safe... From the curse, at least." Lezard says. "Let me know if you develop a sudden insatiable hunger for the energies released by living beings upon death." Smarmy jerk. He looks back to Grimm then, and nods. "There is no point in providing such reverence. If there is a god responsible, it has abandoned its purpose and deserves no such consideration. If we must locate the Flame in these Soul States to discover the nature of the curse that afflicts this land, then so be it." He draws himself up. "I concur, Grimm. We will need to continue exploring so we can gain a lead."" 

:'''{{#var:804|Project MORDRED (804)}} has posed:''' MORDRED stares at Grimm for a good long while before saying coldly. "You are beneath contempt." The degree of distaste coming from him drips through every word, and he turns around with no apparent regard for Grimm beyond this, heading towards the library exit. 

:'''{{#var:560|Emiya Shirou (560)}} has posed:'''     With MORDRED stomping out, Shirou scratches the side of his head. "That guy... he's got no sympathy at all..." The amber-eyed youth just shakes his head and sighs a bit. But finds himself agreeing with Lezard Valeth. "Yeah. We'll have to look for this flame, see if the problem is the same one. or not." 

:'''{{#var:859|Grimm Hardy (859)}} has posed:'''     Off goes MORDRED and Grimm is holding his head again for a moment. Before the Undead just casually shrugs. He did apologize, he can't be faulted there. "Some knight you are." Hissed through teeth before he just moves right along rather than dwell on his contemptibility. "Whatever. The gods are gone and I have a flame to find." Grunted before wryly replying, "I need souls just as much as the next Undead. But I don't think I need to worry about getting fat. They're kind of insubstantial." 

:'''{{#var:825|Ezio Auditore (825)}} has posed:'''     Well that was /beyond rude./ Guess chivalry doesn't count as much as the history books made it seem like after all. "Chivalry." Tsh. Ezio rolls his eyes before he glances to Grimm. "Then we must find this flame, then. I suppose now, the studying begins." He says, before he begins to palm through the books available to read, the legible ones anyways. 

}}

2864/Escape From The Undead Camp

2015-09-11T00:22:13Z

Bratbern: Created page with "{{Log Header |Date of Scene=2015/08/20 |Location=The Soul States |Synopsis=*MOD*TheGrim says: that demon was some kind of overly obese slovenly tool with an m60. Like some kin..."

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2015/08/20
|Location=The Soul States
|Synopsis=*MOD*TheGrim says: that demon was some kind of overly obese slovenly tool with an m60. Like some kind of reflection on our former society.
|Thanks=
|Cast of Characters=235, 560, 598, 670, 859
|Tinyplot=
|Tinyplot2=
|pretty=yes
}}
{{Poses
|Poses=:'''{{#var:859|Grimm Hardy (859)}} has posed:'''     In the Multiverse, where worlds unify every day in a jumble all around one another, where massive tracts of land are addied, shuffled about, and even lost at times, the quiet emergence of one world is apt to go unnoticed sometimes.     This fusty, bleak land of grey and mist, where the light dies down arrived not with a bang, but with barely a whisper. Little more than the quiet, incessant peep, of a beacon far to the northern reaches of the world in a mountainous region dusted by snow. To those sensitive, despite the chronic feeling of a gradual, inexorable, fading, the world is rife with a dying power. And that beacon going off. No words. Just an insistent twitter, calling attention to a small base of grey stone and concrete, built atop the craggy peaks. It is by no means a good defensible position, surrounded by deadly cliffs on almost all sides, nor does it seem to be a place of any strategic imporance at all... So why build it at all?     Unless it was meant to keep something inside, rather outsiders from getting it. 

:'''{{#var:598|Lezard Valeth (598)}} has posed:''' A gray, nondescript building. fortified against the elements. It is such places that are designed not to shelter those within... But to cast them into the oblivion of forgetfulness. It has a familiar sensation. There is something there that calls out, a spark on the verge of the Abyss. And it is such things that set the Wheels of Fate in motion. A figure in black stands atop one of the seemingly impassable cliffs, a twisted staff in one hand as a cape flares in the cruel winds. He looks down upon the building, as if searching for something... And the figure smiles. From a distance, there is a whisper, dark words rippling through the air to seek out the one who might respond, the potential that lies there, waiting... "What is it that you desire?" 

:'''{{#var:235|Karima (235)}} has posed:''' Karima was a little bored, to be honest. Missing the tournament again this year had left her with alot of extra free time she hadn't considered what to do with. However, during some basic readings of various signals for help, she came across a small one that looked like it might be a little unusual compared to the others, and maybe even perfect for a solo adventure. The dragon arrives on the scene, closing her wings and landing with a slight thump on the ground just in front of grey stones. She looks around at the frankly eerie landscape and grumbles, shaking her head in annoyance. "What a dump. What in the world could anything out here need a beacon for? It feels...dead." 

:'''{{#var:560|Emiya Shirou (560)}} has posed:'''     Shirou's motorcycle putters and vrooms over the snowy roads. It's beat up and dirty and every time he brings it out seems to be showing different scavenged parts from here and there, but at least it runs well. He WAS investigating a newly unified world to see if it might have clues leading him home, but it hasn't.     It just lead him to a snowy hellhole mountainous region. The rider gets off to stretch, but Shirou soon finds himself staring long and hard at that nondescript building.     Something about it just BOTHERS him, like another WORLD lay inside it.     Lezard Valeth might be surprised if he looks down there to what passes for a drivable path in these parts. Far below, Emiya Shirou is looking straight up at him. By all logic, with the distances involved Lezard Valeth should be no more than a speck to Shirou BUT SOMEHOW the young magus seems to be looking STRAIGHT at him. 

:'''{{#var:670|Lyria Mason (670)}} has posed:''' Lyria Mason had picked up the becon and it caught her interest. This place wasn't right to her as she mad e her way through the snowy landscape. She was not only intune with magic she was also a geomancer and nothing felt right here. Lyria thusly was on her guard, and had for once been wearing some sort of winter gear rather than her tradtional levitaini sense of fashion. She made for the location of the becon and checked her own tracking unit. She would be easy enough to spot as she closed in. 

:'''{{#var:859|Grimm Hardy (859)}} has posed:'''     From deep behind the crumbling walls and far beneath the concrete bunkers... There is a twinge. A response from deep beneath the brick and mortar, little more than someone... Or something stirring on hearing Lezard's words of dark promise.     The winds blow ice chill like knives to the bone, flakes of snow howling in flurried swarms, beginning to bury the long frozen corpses of men in military vests left to rot by the half open gates- large doors of rusted steel, showing as much time and lack of care as the rusted rifles in rotting fingers.     Just beyond these gates is a wide open parade ground, the run down forms of several jeeps laid out, perfectly parked. A spotlight- long shot out- swings uselessly from the top of a rattling tower, no signs of life visible save for the shuffle of motion from the window of a nearby bunker. 

:'''{{#var:598|Lezard Valeth (598)}} has posed:''' Shirou might be looking straight at Lezard... But he turns to look back at Shirou, the only bright things in that dark shape looking back the reflection of gray from those glasses and a grin that speaks volumes: Lezard believes he knows exactly what he's dealing with. And he thinks you don't. Lezard did not, however, expect a verbal response. He does not need one. He desires action. A shaft of light extends into the gray heavens for several moments as a teleportation circle forms beneath Lezard, and he vanishes from his dramatically-chosen spot. It's time to get to work. "Is it freedom?" "Is it vengeance?" "Is it comfort?" "Perhaps... You do not even know what it is you are missing... But you will." Lezard appears on top of the building, that dark staff in hand as he closes his eyes, holding it in both hands, bringing it up with terrible purpose. "Animate Earth." He calls out, slamming the butt of the staff into the roof of the building. The shockwave spreads outwards, surging into the earth as it heaves and distorts, a microquake striking the building, twisting the walls, perhaps causing some minor collapses. More importantly, it just might pop open a locked door and set the guards into an upheaval. "Get up. It is time to find your way." 

:'''{{#var:670|Lyria Mason (670)}} has posed:''' Lyria Mason is even more on edge as she nears the ruined place. The wind cuts her to the bone, the snow comes down. This is like some twisted version of Shiva, she muses Yet soon she finds the bodies of dead combat personel, what were they fighting? Not a mortal foe, or someone would have taken the weapons when they over whelemed them, or the enemy was pushed back. She's soon on the parade ground and eyes the ruins here, less and less she thinks there's anything of use here save as scrap and even then she's cautious as she push for the bunker. Then Lezard makes an apperance up on the bunker and well then comes the spell and she's sent flying off her feet. "Hey what are you doing! I have ways to pop a door!" This place was a ruin, earth magic like that might cause everything to collapse! She's also now flat on her butt trying to get up now before something else happens. 

:'''{{#var:235|Karima (235)}} has posed:'''      The dragon looks around herself as it seemed a few other folks had picked up on the signal and arrived of their own accord. But before she could speak with her fellow unionites, the ground itself seems to churn to life, prompting her to take to the skies. She hovers a few dozen feet from the ground and immediately catches sight of Lezard, frowning in his general direction. "..Magic..and there's it's caster, a human. Why am I not surprised?" 

:'''{{#var:560|Emiya Shirou (560)}} has posed:'''     Well Shirou's not goingg to just wait around for Lezard to finish this... whatever it is he's doing. The impulsive boy does the exact OPPOSITE of what a sensible person woudl do, as usual. He goes charging towards the situation. For this he has to abandon the bike, and he's faced with some cliff walls that just don't look friendly or easily navigated.     "What's that guy up to now?" Dark wizards will be dark wizards, it seems. "... Trace, on..."     The well-used words flow from him like second nature, and so does a gentle breeze of magical power from his palm. It materialies swiftly into a weird-looking pole... a spear? A spear with a rocket engine. And what looks like a tazer attachment... what?     A spear that Shirou decides to SIT ON much like a flying broomstick, and ACTIVATES!     FWOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOSH! "WHuuuuuuaaaaaaghhhh!"     ... off he goes... up, up and away!     ... SHirou's wild ride proceeds this way for a good twenty seconds or so before he gains a good degree of control over his flight and zips straight up towards the building's roof. After a few loop-de-loops and lopsided manuevers he swoops over the roof and dismisses his weapon... dropping in for a landing SLIGHTLY too fast.     "HUUUUUAGHK!" So he goes bouncing and tumbling over the slippery rooftop only to slam hard into a some protruding masonry. All in all it's a noisy, inelegant, and laughable entry that leaves him too dazed to actually confront Lezard about whatever it is he's doing. 

:'''{{#var:859|Grimm Hardy (859)}} has posed:'''     Lyria may have ways to pop a door. But Lezard Valeth has ways to pop a whole facility. Old though the place clearly is, the concrete is sturdy and would probably last for a few more decades. If the wizard had not brought the force of an earthquake upon them. The building Lezard perches upon crumbles, as the epicenter of the chaos it takes the most of the seismic force unleashed. But it serves his purpose...     Almost every door, cell, and locked room in the camp come open, some more violent than others. And with this freedom, he might feel more distinct responses...     A desire for bloodshed.     A bolstered resolve brought on by newfound freedom.     And a quiet, grim, determination.     The place was a ruin before. Now it's in shambles. By more worryingly might be the shuffling sound of feet, the low groans, and hissing scrabbles now that the camp has been unlocked in every way possible.     And the sudden POP! POP! of gunfire coming from inside a large hangar-like structure that starts going off in just a scant handful of moments once the facility is, literally, busted in.     That's when they come. Slow and shambling. Men and women in prison uniforms. Or at least they were men and women. Now little more than shambling dessicated figures, horrifyingly mummified, hair long fallen out, eyes aglow as they shuffle out into the dim light, staring upwards as though confused at their newfound freedom.     Lezard and Shirou will recognize these for what they are. They know what Hollows look like, after all. 

:'''{{#var:598|Lezard Valeth (598)}} has posed:''' Lezard looks unimpressed by the draconian whom addresses him. "Oh, look, a dragon-man, talking down to me. Why would /anyone/ be surprised?" He smiles thinly at Karima. "My business is my own affair, dragonling. Perhaps you should pay more attention to the events around you than my part in them, hmm?" He looks to Shirou then as he arrives, and his cool demeanor almost is overtaken by irritation. Almost. You can see the eyebrow twitching. "Magus Shirou, so nice to see you again. Perhaps you should pay more attention to the front door and what is within... Or if nothing else, perhaps you should practice your flight." And that's about when the roof caves in. Lezard drops into the building, hitting hard but tucking into a roll and coming to a halt within the aged corridors. He looks up, staring forward at the dessicated figures... And Lezard Valeth smiles. "Some things never change." He says, simply, as he quickly ducks backwards into a shadowed area, his form wavering and vanishing. Should someone check that corner, all they'll see is an old steel barrel. Weird. Where did he go? 

:'''{{#var:670|Lyria Mason (670)}} has posed:''' Lyria Mason is about to say more to Lezard but she pays attention his warning. She's already truing about with and opening fire on the shambling undead. "By the Gods! Undead?! This world...." This world is dead, no it's undead the shambles of what was come towards her. She pulls her second pistol and starts firing off magitech shots at the hordes. She's also getting on the move now not wanting to sit still the dragon. She hears their snark and she calls out. "Worry about the unquiet dead! Least you become dinner for them!" She goes back to shooting and soon a bomb arm grenade. A fine product of Mursame inc goes flying into the horde where it will detonate in a powerful explosion. "Shirou! We got a problem I think this entire world's undead!" She has no idea about the horrible truth about this place, it's far worse than what she thinks it is right now. "I need some cover if I get a moment I might be able to hold the tide off with some geomancy!" 

:'''{{#var:235|Karima (235)}} has posed:''' Karima raises her brows as she listens to Lezard speak directly to her...and crosses her arms conservatively. Her wings beat to keep her properly hovering, though she bwllows back towards him. "Dragon man? Dragon MAN? Are you blind and stupid? On second thought, don't answer that, because I already know. If you didn't have a beatdown coming your way before, you sure as hell have one...now?" Rocket kid makes his entrance right around that point, forcing her to stop...witness his bailed landing sigh a sigh. The wizard seemingly disappars from sight after that, silently cursing that kid for allowing herself to take an eye off of him. The sudden appearance of deceased humans catches her eye immediately after that, a brow crease of worry defining her facial features. "Fantastic. I stop a day of training and relaxation to come out here to deal with dead people and stupid, cowardly wizards. Why do I do things?" 

:'''{{#var:560|Emiya Shirou (560)}} has posed:'''     SUDDENLY ZOMBIES is a crisis enough to get Shirou to his senses. The young magus begrudgingly stands up. "You always just say... whatever you want..." He grunts out and groans while trying to breathe. While he definitely sounds UNHAPPY about Lezard's presence, it's hard to say that he sounds HOSTILE. If anything he's resigned to the fact that this is just how Lezard is.     Until the ROOF CAVES in, forcing him to fumble and flail all over again. He's forced to dig himself out of all the wreckage and debris, dirtied and bloodied... but he rises in time to see the undead clambering around.     A few brief moments pass in which Shirou's simply frozen there. This DOES NOT COMPUTE AT ALL. What.     Where are there HOLLOWS here?!     "Trace on!" Instead of his favored twin weapons, Shirou fabricates something else. Something more suited for the situation. A wooden pole materializes, ending in a gleaming scythe head. Contrasting the restless Hollows, this ordinary-seeming weapon all but radiates the peace of final rest. A proper ending. It is Thanatos, Scythe of the Grim Reaper.     A glance at Karima and Lyra tells him all he needs to know. "Why did you two get caught up in this?!" Now he has people to PROTECT!     So he sets about doing that. The hotblooded youth dashes forth, scythe twirling into the grisly work of cutting down Hollows! 

:'''{{#var:859|Grimm Hardy (859)}} has posed:'''     Dazed by the light of the setting sun, the Hollows are literally as dangerous as dessicated corpses. Unarved save for maybe the occasional one holding a brick, the Undead are easily cut down in a flurry of Shirou's hot blooded violence. Some showing enough semblance of barely there self-preservation left over to shuffle away from the sword wielding boy, others- now rendered hostile- swing feeble attacks at the living, with about as much effect as being slapped by an elderly human.     These poor souls have been left here to rot in squalor for too long.     But the chaos, a man in police blues comes staggering out, one hand clutched over a bloody gunshot wound as he slumps to the ground gasping and panting in pain, the collapsed roof apparently not stopping the brawl going on inside the building. Two other men are duelling. One in tattered red prison uniform, cackling wildly with rusted blades in hand.     The other, a younger man in black, with a razor edged katana, the two are exchanging blows, blades ringing off blades, sparks flying, cloth tearing, flesh ripping and blood splattering everytwhere.     Until the youth in black takes a hop back, drawing a gun from his belt in a snap of motion and plants a single bullet in the red-man's face, ending the fight rather pragmatically. 

:'''{{#var:235|Karima (235)}} has posed:''' Karima blinks as she's squawked at by the kid, just before he seems to immediately take off and start cleaving through the undead. Despite their appearance, they seem to be much less of a challenge and alot more of a civic duty. She continues hovering in her position in the sky, sighing a little bit. "...Because it's my job? Jeez, is everyone here dumb? It looks like you've got...whatever you want to call this under control. I'll look around." She turns away from him and picks up on the sounds of blades and bullets, and soars over towards the safest part of the roof to look down upon the recently finished battle, landing just as the bullet rips through the red guy's face. She stays quiet for now. 

:'''{{#var:560|Emiya Shirou (560)}} has posed:'''     Shirou can offer Hollows no help whatsoever... save for release. They cannot be saved, cannot be restored.     But his cleanup here's a pretty minor thing. He groans a bit at Karima flying the coop over him showing her some concern, but what's he going to do?     Gawk a bit at the fight that's just sort of strolling past him. Who is the good guy, who's the bad guy here?     Shirou's gaze locks first on the weapons. Perhaps he instinctively can tell based on just that, but he flinches away from the red-clad man and his opponent and instead dashes to the police officer.     "Hey! What's happening?!" Because he's also not a jerk, Shirou looks around for anything he could use to maybe staunch that wound's bleeding and give the guy a chance!     But he's having a hard time looking away from that katana. It's SO out of place... 

:'''{{#var:598|Lezard Valeth (598)}} has posed:''' "You functionally exemplify why I have no respect for dragons. You make so much noise and yet have a fundamental lack of understanding of your actual place in the multiverse." Where did that come from? There is a warping of space as the illusion of a barrel falls away behind Karima and Lezard steps forward, looking down at the battlefield next to the dragon-woman. The chaff that Shirou mowed through were of no consequence to Lezard. Those were too far gone. But this one... This person below them... The sound of applause rings out over the field as Lezard claps for the man. "Well done. You appear to have enough of yourself together to function properly." He watches Grimm carefully for a moment. "What is your name?" 

:'''{{#var:859|Grimm Hardy (859)}} has posed:'''     With a hiss, the body seems to start to dissolve, turning to ashes and dust, carried off on the snowy wind. And this just leaves the gunshot man, and the youth in black.     With a flourish, a single swipe at the air clears the blood off his blade, and the katana is sheathed without so much as looking at the saya. Now he turns, Lazard's clapping stealing his attention.     With waxen and pale skin, clammy and the color of a corpse, there's no doubting, the man is an Undead, as well, and for a moment there's a flickering look of consternated confusion on his face.     "Name... Name..." Muttered with a shake of his head, one hand clutching at the side of his skull with a frown. His voice is raspy and harsh, like it hasn't been used in a while. But then it comes back to him. "... Grimm." Given in a grunt.     "Mngh... He's not the most talkative type, isn't he?" That's the man in blue, still holding his gut. "You're all not undead. What are you doing in this frozen hellhole?" 

:'''{{#var:670|Lyria Mason (670)}} has posed:''' She did hear gunfire, wait someone left? That seems to be the case from the looks of things. There's someone still alive or at least with a mind but they are fighitng. She has no idea why but the fight ends brutally and she's up to her eyeballs in undead, or she was this doesn't seem to be the case. She lowers her pistols now and makes for the suriving man wondering about him. AS she gets closer she can see that he too is undead yet there's clearly still someone home. She'll move to pass Shirou at potion or two. "here but if they are undead it might do them more harm than good. Or it may do nothing." she looks to the man as she replies. "Following a signal from this complex." She's going to help Shirou with the wounded guy at this point while talking to these two. Lezard has made her also oh so very nervous what is he up to? 

:'''{{#var:235|Karima (235)}} has posed:''' Karima turns to look up towards Lezard as he seemingly appears from behind. She's crouching at the moment, her arms pressing down on the edge of the collapsed roof to keep her balance. She turns back to listen to the man snap at her, to which she mocks him, even going so far as to push up an invisible pair of glasses on her snout and mimicing the sound of his voice. "You functionally exemplify why I have no respect for humans. You hide like a coward and have no respect for the dead. Clearly your free time is spent on stupid monologues, cleaning my overly reflective glasses and practicing your evil laugh." She rolls her eyes at him and drops the nasaly tone. "Give me a break. Might as well have 'I'm a huge jerk who thinks he's smarter than everyone else' written on your forehead." After all of that though, she turns down to regard the dead guy and raises a brow towards him in a somewhat loud tone. "I can't speak for this...guy...here but I got a signal that something was up over here. I get here and dead guys killing dead guys, kids on rocket spears (fantastic misuse of a weapon by the way), and now this. So you wanna do me a solid and tell me what the heck is going on here?" 

:'''{{#var:560|Emiya Shirou (560)}} has posed:'''     Shirou looks up once the man in blue starts talking. Apparently the wound's not going to put him down just yet, so the youth instead asks a few more questions. And answers a few.     "That's a good question. I was looking for my home... and picked up a signal." He nods quickly to Lyria and Karima, who seem to be in a similar situation... at least he begins to, but then Lezard Valeth makes his appearance. Re-appearance.     Glare.     "anyways, how's that wound? I can get you guys out of here... a proper Undead? Not a Hollow?" His eyes swerve over to Grimm for another good looking.     Shirou's face turns wildly bewildered. "Just what's happening in this world?" 

:'''{{#var:598|Lezard Valeth (598)}} has posed:''' "Considering my current companions, I believe I am not incorrect in that assessment." Lezard replies with an infuriatingly smarmy smile towards Karima. "No one is impressed with your bravado, child. You are simply obnoxious. Now behave yourself and you might get to learn something yet." Lezard looks to Grimm, and nods as he seems to remember his name. Another checkmark. "Good. You seem to remember who you are. If I am not mistaken, your world is suffering from the Curse of the Undead, is it not?" He glances over to Shirou. "As you can see, we have seen this before." 

:'''{{#var:859|Grimm Hardy (859)}} has posed:'''     Promptly ignoring everyone completely, Grimm's dark eyes glance around the wrecked hangar for a moment before they linger on a tall light pole, and makes his way right towards it.     The man in blue is already waving a hand at any offers for help though, with a wet cough. "Don't worry about me. I'm done for." He sighs. "I'll die again, soon. And then lose myself and turn into a Hollow, just like the rest. I can't believe I'm putting all last hope on that sour bastard, but..."     But that sour bastard is kneeling by the light, popping the panel at the base open with a knife and fiddling around inside it- before it suddenly flickers to life, a warming, but dull dying light pouring down from up above--         Bonfire Lit?     "Mnh. Wallowing away. Then the doors busted open. Fuck if I know who sent any beacon." Grimm snorts, before glancing over his shoulder.     "If you're going to bitch about them... Stop. Fucking. Monologuing and be fucking useful." Given derisively to Karima.     Nevertheless, the man in blue smirls mirthlessly. "See what I mean about him? ... This is an Undead Camp... Where the likes of us are shipped off to rot away from people not afflicted by the Dark Sign. Rumors said there's a way to the Soul States from here... Place had a lot of names in the past, and they say it's full of souls. But I won't be going now..."     No he won't when the chatter of fully automatic fire rings out. In an instant, he's torn to shreds, killed in a messy display as something monstrous huge drops down from the shattered ceiling above. Corpulent and wearing a full suit of IMMENSE kevlar, it wields a gigantic machinegun, which it starts unleading right into the room. 

:'''{{#var:235|Karima (235)}} has posed:''' Karima snorts derisively. At Grimm. At the mage guy. At everything. She shrugs towards Grimm's plight and stands up from her crouching position. "Okay...wow. Rude. Also, you didn't answer the question so you know what, I'm not terribly inclined to step off and help you out down there." She crosses her arms, watching just as some sort of guy just seemingly shows up from out of the blue, blows away the other guy and...welp...there you go I suppose. "Like against that for instance. Case in point." 

:'''{{#var:598|Lezard Valeth (598)}} has posed:''' Lezard simply laughs at Karima's indignant response as he looks over the massive Camp Demon. "Well then. They certainly have not skimped on their internal defenses." He looks to Grimm, weighing something for a moment. With a surge of power, Lezard raises his staff, and there is an explosion of Dark energies that surge outwards... Around the massive Camp Demon, piles of corpses aredrawn together, piling up and fusing into twisted masses of bone. "Use them for defense." Lezard advises. "If you do not have enough weaponry to fight the beast, seek an exit. We will assist as necessary." 

:'''{{#var:560|Emiya Shirou (560)}} has posed:'''     Very quickly Shirou regrets moving away from the battered officer. Had he only been closer! He can only grimace at the vicious end the man comes to. Instead Shirou leaps back, using the scythe to steady himself.     THEN he sees the Machine Gun. Oh SH--     "RHO AIAS!" Hurried and helter-skelter it might be, but Shirou's hastily-projected legendary shield blossoms into existence as a frayed-looking and tattered pinkish barrier with only two of the seven layers it SHOULD have.     The GOOD thing is that he's hunkering down behind it quite successfully. The bullets sizzle and pop against the barrier but most of them simply disintegrate on impact, slowly cracking the outermost layer.     "WHERE DID THAT GUY COME FROM?!" The boy blurts out in almost comical panic! 

:'''{{#var:598|Lezard Valeth (598)}} has posed:''' "Worry not where it has come from, Magus Shirou!" Lezard calls. "Worry more where it will send you if you do not pull yourself together!" 

:'''{{#var:235|Karima (235)}} has posed:''' Karima blinks between Lezard, the dead rude guy, and the kid with seemingly magical powers with nothing but complete befuddlement betwene the three of them. "Does annnnyone care to explain just what the heck...you know...any of this is? Anyone at all?" 

:'''{{#var:560|Emiya Shirou (560)}} has posed:'''     "HOW ABOUT AFTER WE'RE DONE BEING SHOT AT?!" Shirou yells back, still panicking. 

:'''{{#var:670|Lyria Mason (670)}} has posed:''' Lyria Mason looks to the man in blue and nods sadly to him listening. "Sir what's your name, it should be remebered..." she's about to say more she can accept he's an undead and most of her healing would be useless to him sadly. She's not like Kyra, if Kyra was here they might be able to do something foir h8im but then a stark horror leaps down into their midists now she lets out a cry for a moment. She''s noe bringing her pistols up at this point and opens fire n the thing she doesn't questuion where she just acts and fights moving about almost seeming to dance to keep from getting hit. "We can talk later when an undead horror with chainguns isn't trying to make us join it!" 

:'''{{#var:859|Grimm Hardy (859)}} has posed:'''     As that machinegun chatters non-stop, Grimm is already on the move. Weaving and darting between gunshots, a sudden tumble-roll throws himself right into a pile of bodies to use for cover, already quick on the uptake about using them as a shield once Lezard makes them all cluster together, without having to be told. He's a quick one, this one- in both body and mind it would seem, as he hunkers down, not keen to get close with his katana, the look he gives to the handgun in his hand says he knows it's a peashooter by comparison.     "The roof, obviously." Grimm replies sourly, to Shirou. "Demon, by the way." Explained tersely as he whips something out from his pocket. It's a cellphone-- a smarphone in fact, and he's already plinking at the screen a mile a minute, ignoring the bullethole in his shoulder.     The demon, however is not keen on ignoring anything, chuckling in a hoarse, throaty, wet, gurgle of laughter behind its riot visor, finger jamming down the trigger until that big gun runs empty. It's already starting to reload, but it is open, grunting irritably as Lyra's gunfire hits through chinks in its armor and draw spatters of black blood. 

:'''{{#var:235|Karima (235)}} has posed:''' Karima sighs as her requests for clarifications on anything is pretty much ignored. She rolls her shoulder and stares over the edge at the horror that is currently attempting to murder the ground crew. "Huh. Right. Bullets. Let's fix that, shall we?" The dragon leans her head back and closes her mouth while a white-orange energy builds within it. The few cracks between her lips spill illuminataion and she holds onto it long enough to puff out her cheeks. Once it was strong enough, she quickly leands forward and spits out a medicine-ball sized fireball, aiming straight for the chaingun of the undead monstrosity to try to disarm the thing. Or at least make it hot enought to not be used. 

:'''{{#var:670|Lyria Mason (670)}} has posed:''' Lyria Mason has a few things in mind for this demon, she'll argue about things later as she, holsters one pistil and pulls her cutlass. With a push of a hidden studd the blade starts to hum along it's cutting edge and then she attemps to vlose with the demon. She keeps shooting as she closes, she's got a clearl intend to carve through the things weapon and leave it more open to the other's attacks. 

:'''{{#var:560|Emiya Shirou (560)}} has posed:'''     THERE! An opening! "OH NO YOU DON'T!" Shirou drops his shield, worse for wear from considerable backlash, but he still has a supply of prana to draw from.     The boy breaks into a swift yet reckless-looking dash... because it IS pretty reckless. He's nearly roasted by Karima's contributions but they buy him just enough time to project something. Something crimson!     The Cursed Spear of Barbaric impalement forms in Shirou's grasp. And although he takes a fairly rookie stance with the weapon his array of thrusts are swift and deadly, aimed to utterly mangle the supposed Demon's grasp on that weapon AND the weapon itself.     Sometime during the process Gae Bolg also begins to 'burn,' casting off a decidedly dangerous-looking aura of cursed flames. It's just sputters, but soon, perhaps... 

:'''{{#var:598|Lezard Valeth (598)}} has posed:''' As expected, the Camp Demon tried to kill Grimm first. It is bound to hunt the Undead. And no one else here is Undead. No, not even Lezard. Stop staring. The moment where the beast starts reloading is where it might be surprised as Lezard raises that staff of darkness... "DARK SAVIOR!" He calls out. A moment later, a dozen blades of half-resolved Darkness form in the air, their edges strangely cloudy... And a moment later, they rain down, cleaving with terrible force as the altered magic takes a slightly different form than that of its native Midgard, instead drawing its Darkness from the great Abyss of Lordran. It might not kill the demon, but it's clear that Lezard seems to be more interested in making Grimm do the work. All he is doing is trying to set up the dominoes. 

:'''{{#var:859|Grimm Hardy (859)}} has posed:'''     It happens fast. The Demon probably did not see this coming. Had it been just Grimm alone this fight would have likely been a gruelling test of attrition and misery. But when the Camp Demon's gun is melted in its grasp, it begins to swing it like a red hot club. It's still going for the Undead, but when it brings that barrel down, he's already rolled out of the way.     As Shirou rushes in recklessly, Gae Bolg in hand, the Demon is lacerated and pinned in place by those ebon blades of cruel Abyss fuelled magics. It gets a definite look from Grimm, dark eyes lingering on the wiazard a moment before he returns his attention to the phone in his grasp. One last tap of the button and he holds it up, screen facing outwards. There's a visible flicker of blue light at first, before a bolt of searing white-blue light erupts from it, lancing out in the shape of a spear and seeking the demon out, impacting with its corpulent gut just as Gae Bolg punches through its chest.     With a screech of despair it drops to knees, already beginning to dissolve as it topples into the nearby wall, smashing it down to reveal the battered, ancient black jet plane beyond. It still looks in working order...     And it has the insignia of a crow painted on the side. 

:'''{{#var:598|Lezard Valeth (598)}} has posed:''' Lezard smiles as the massive demon meets its fate. "Victory achieved." The mage pronounces simply, before looking to Grimm speculatively for several moments. "Well done, Grimm. It appears that you can use that vehicle to reach your desired destination. Good luck in your trip." He turns away. "Unless you wish to spend additional time scouring this gutted prison for resources, or choose another action entirely. The choice is yours. I am... interested to see how far you can go. Should you need additional assistance, I will be there if you wish it. My name is Lezard Valeth." 

:'''{{#var:235|Karima (235)}} has posed:''' Karima grins when the fireball not only hits it's target, but stops working well enough for the other two to damage and seemingly kill the thing. She flares her wings outwards and takes off into the air, hovering a few feet from the roof. "Well seeing as how you were kind of an ass, I'm going to be the better person and give you a freebie. So yeah. Your welcome. Good luck doing dead guy stuff or something." She takes to the sky properly after that, turning away from the admittedly weird situation at hand and gliding out of the area. 

:'''{{#var:560|Emiya Shirou (560)}} has posed:'''     The Demon goes down, And Shirou withdraws. Just enough to catch his breath. "Well... at least it went down. Not much we can do about the wall..." He heves a sigh of relief. WHY does stuff like this keep happening?     "Grimm, wasn't it? What are you going to do?" 

:'''{{#var:670|Lyria Mason (670)}} has posed:''' Lyria Mason sees the thing's weapon is finished, she pulls away from the demon now to let the others unleahs their fury upon the horrible thing.s he gets back watches the thing for a moment before the thing goes down she watches it dissolve and she keeps back and pauses looking at the aircraft. "It looks like it's intact...I can give it a look over now. "Is anyone ine need of aid....?" She looks to Grim and she doesn't pay the Dragon another thought, it would likely break into anotehr fight if she were to say something else. "So Grimm is there anything we can do for you, or even your friend at least to keep him from rising as one of those mindless ones...?" 

:'''{{#var:859|Grimm Hardy (859)}} has posed:'''     "Fuck off."     Right at Karima, and then that's the last Grimm so much as breathes in her direction as he stuffs his phone in his pocket. A slow breath and he rolls his shoulder out, tromping to the dead man in blue. He proceeds to rip the man's nametag off his uniform and toss it at Lyria. "He wasn't my friend." His name was also apparently Orwell of Britannia. But that's about as talkative as Grimm gets on the matter before rifling through pockets and pillaging the corpse. He finds something nice, it seems, holding up a jade-hued drinking canteen and... Something else. Something small, in the shape of a person.     He stares at it. He stares deeply at it, as though sucked into the strange human-shaped figurine, before crushing it in his palm. In an instant the waxy pale look of death is gone, blood flowing once again to return color to sallow dead skin as he dusts himself off. "Nothing left here. I'll be taking my ride." He grunts, before glancing to Lezard from the corner of one dark eye. "I'll keep that in mind." 

}}

1086/Sister Woes

2014-12-09T17:54:45Z

Bratbern: Created page with "{{Log Header |Date of Scene=2014/12/06 |Location=Dun Realtai |Synopsis=Chloe invades Shirou's room again for a much needed talk. |Thanks= |Cast of Characters=560, 617 |Tinyplo..."

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2014/12/06
|Location=Dun Realtai
|Synopsis=Chloe invades Shirou's room again for a much needed talk.
|Thanks=
|Cast of Characters=560, 617
|Tinyplot=
|Tinyplot2=
|pretty=yes
}}
{{Poses
|Poses=:'''{{#var:617|Chloe von Einzbern (617)}} has posed:''' Emiya Shirou, your room is being invaded again. Though this time Chloe is not taking up the bed, now that she has her own room. She's kept fairly quiet since the incident involving Gawain and the closet, but... That's a tenuous peace at best. Especially since Illyasviel's appearance. If anything... Chloe has been more and more distraught. Not that it would show. At least in the way most would expect. It's all been coming out in an almost palpable aggression towards the other girl, and if attacking Illya on sight was a sign of anything, it's probably something that will need addressing. Nevertheless, Chloe is seated at the desk in Shirou's room, feet propped up on the table so she can tip back in her chair dangerously in a few light, lazy, and bored, kicks. 

:'''{{#var:560|Emiya Shirou (560)}} has posed:'''     Shirou has been in the room too. He's been trying to think of what to do. Make a meal or two for the next few days, maybe. Practice Projection? Look over some documents the Union's given him on various things, check up on reports maybe. Work out? Clean up the keep? It's kind of in need of it...     But he hasn't been able to do any of that. He's been on his bed. He just came in, in fact, not too long ago. A look was exchanged with Chloe, Shirou made a consternated noise, and quickly he sat down. But now...     He grunts.     Becuse he knows why he can't figure out what he's going to do tonight. That problem in the chair over there... the amber-eyed redhead sighs, gestures with an open-hand as if to welcome her over, "You don't need to keep brooding. Sulking doesn't suit you. Come on. What's wrong?" of course, he knows.     It's not like he hasn't been paying attention.     But knowing what to say? That's another matter. 

:'''{{#var:617|Chloe von Einzbern (617)}} has posed:''' Tsk tsk. That chair creaks, tilting back and forth for a beat longer as one small hand waggles but a single finger at the youth. "I'm not brooding. Well not this second anyway. Just being with my big brother makes me feel better, you know~." Comes her reply at first. That little act doesn't last very long, because it's soon after that the homunculus is giving a grunt of her own. "Really Shirou, you're kind of bad at this aren't you?" She lightly jabs back. "We both know you know what the problem is." Oh it looks like she's just fine in that chair, huh. she doesn't scoot over when bidden. Not just yet anyway. "The question is how it's going to play out, isn't it?" 

:'''{{#var:560|Emiya Shirou (560)}} has posed:'''     The boy withdraws his hand, letting it rest on the bed instead. He shuffles about though, turning to face her with a gaze full of worry. "I do and don't. Yeah, I heard... the story after that crazy battle." And he didn't want to think about it one bit...     "There's nothing about this situation that isn't messed up as it could get..." 

:'''{{#var:617|Chloe von Einzbern (617)}} has posed:''' And still, Chloe doesn't turn, silver-pink hair swishing lightly as the back of that chair rocks towards-and-away from Shirou over and over and over. "Oh. You heard it huh? --Or did you just hear her side of it?" Chloe asks for clarification. She did sort of just up and leave after the Saber Class Card was re-sealed. "It's pretty messed up, you got that right! And it would have been easier if she stayed back in Fuyuki where I left her." 

:'''{{#var:560|Emiya Shirou (560)}} has posed:'''     Shirou rubs the side of his head. "Yeah, just her side. I don't think it was the full story..." Yup, this is messed up alright. The look on his face is all anyone needs to know for an idea of how he's feeling. Utterly lost and torn. 

:'''{{#var:617|Chloe von Einzbern (617)}} has posed:''' "Then did she tell you how she wished I'd go away?" Now THAT'S a shot. But there's a weight in Chloe's tone as she stops rocking the chair, slowly turning to peek one golden eye back over her shoulder. "She rejected me. She rejected being a magical girl, she turned, and she ran. It's funny. She says she wants a normal life, I want to live as a magus. So I leave-- and now here she is all over again. She can't even let me have that, huh?" 

:'''{{#var:560|Emiya Shirou (560)}} has posed:'''     "Anyone'd be scared of suddenly being thrown into the magical side of our world!" Shirou points out, injecting a hint of force into his tone. Just a bit. ".. To be honest, I'd rather not see either of you getting in trouble... but I don't get to say that when both of you are better off than mme." And there's no small amount of disgruntlement towards himself there.     "If she really said that apologies are definitely in order... but aren't you being just as fierce over this? She said you came after her with everything you had. My olod man said the same thing." He now looks away, thinking hard.     Yes, he knew Chloe was being vicious. All this time.     He hasn't stopped trying to be nice to her at all.     "... yeah. Neither of these things should've happened. Illya's not comfortable with what's happening and you.. probably feel like you have no place to really call home, right, and it's all her fault...?" 

:'''{{#var:617|Chloe von Einzbern (617)}} has posed:''' Fierce? Apologies? It is a much colder look that Shirou gets now from that golden eye. The kind of glower that says Chloe might drop the subject and refuse to talk further, when she looks away again. "Of course I don't have a place to go home." She answers. "And it's because of her." But this is no mere childish flinging of blame. Not when she rises from her seat, one hand quietly clenched into a white-knuckled fist. "Heh... A loving family. Friends. A school life. A big brother. I couldn't even have such basic things. As long as I was around her I was the Illya who had nothing. She wanted her normal life, so when I couldn't do anything about it I left. The Einzberns were gone so I couldn't even go back to them after that to live as a proper magus. So tell me, Shirou." "... Where am I supposed to go?" Barely a whisper, that last question is strangled out. 

:'''{{#var:560|Emiya Shirou (560)}} has posed:'''     Seeing Choe getting so worked up and angry - yet more as an adult would, not a child throwing a temper trantrum - Shirou blinks, looking on distraughtly while listening quietly. "Stupidly missing something really obvious!" The amateur magus explains. "The Illya with nothing? Yeah. You don't have the life Illya's grown up withAnd those years you missed while she grew up won't come back for anyone." The boy's tone turns serious now, very serious. It's no longer the light words he uses for kids. Chloe's definitely no simple-minded child!     "... But taking that out on Illya won't change that. It's completely meaningless. ... I'm sure you already know that..." Now he makes a grumbly noise in his throat, taking a moment to search for his next words.     "But that's only one way of looking at it. Your life just started, and lacking what she has doesn't leave you with nothing... you have a bed here, I'm here and Kiritsugu's also about. And it's not like Illya's mind won't ever change. There's plenty of things to do in the Multiverse too, though I can't follow why you'd stay interested in the Holy Grail War." Siiiiiiigh.     He rises, and does a few stretches... then walks over and plants a hand gently on her shoulder. "So don't forget you have things to look forward to of your own that aren't hers. I actually understand a lot of how that feels."     Wait, what?     The hand on her shoulder squeezes a bit. "I bet you didn't know. When I unified here, I just came tumbling off a roof. I was asleep at home when it happened, and I still don't even know where that Fuyuki is. So we're both displaced and not where we feel we belong.. but! If I find that home again, you're welcome to stay there. I can't offer much, though..." 

:'''{{#var:617|Chloe von Einzbern (617)}} has posed:'''     It's a long, long, moment before Chloe is able to respond. A brief flinch occurs on the contact, but the, in a slight shift of weight, the smaller girl is leaning herself back slightly, against her adoptive big brother. This Shirou isn't even the Shirou from her world. But that's something that matters so little when he's already been this accepting, it may as well be so. "I couldn't just sit back and abide by that. Everything that was meant for me was taken away and given to her, before I even had a chance to walk. Don't I have a right to be upset about that?" It explains the aggression. And earns one small hand rubbing at her own forehead. "If I didn't get lucky and find you- Kiritsugu- this place? Where would I be then." What a terrible hypothetical question that is. She's about to go on when the youth says something that stops her dead in her tracks. He understands? Now this gets gold eyes widening fractionally. "That's... That's different." Murmured weakly. But aside from that, she averts her gaze. "You'd let me stay with you?" 

:'''{{#var:560|Emiya Shirou (560)}} has posed:'''     "Of course! Didn't I say I'd look out for my little sister?" Shirou's almost sounding hurt that Chloe forgot this! He sits down again, now on the corner of the bed. "... Though.. to be honest, I don't know if that house will turn up anytime soon." Worse, he wonders if he'll only find the place if something crazy like this Holy Grail War draws a big target on it. Noooo, don't wanna think about that.     "... Yeah. You have a right to be mad! ... but Illya didn't know, right? ... did anyone else? ... There's nobody to really blame, and it's only some strange accident that lets you be here talking with me, right? Listen... the past can't be changed. We can only live with it and work for a better future. You're alive now. Shouldn't you be grateful? Because now you have a future." 

:'''{{#var:617|Chloe von Einzbern (617)}} has posed:''' Leave it to Emiya Shirou to in the same moment both reassure a small, hurt girl, and then infuriate her the instant afterwards. For an instant, it's as though Chloe's body releases all of that pent up tension. The girl practically goes slack when Shirou repeats his desire to look out for her, the beginnings of a ghost of a smile creeping along her face. But... In an instant her fingers are curling, tight enough to crack the chair where she grasps it. "-Of COURSE others knew. I didn't just spawn from inside her, I was *sealed away*. It was done on purpose!" She halts herself there, a slow breath drawn in and let back out to calm. Thankfully she's able to get those unstable emotions in check, but she doesn't say just who was responsible. "I'll be more grateful when that future comes true." 

}}

1049/Two Illyas

2014-11-29T17:50:46Z

Bratbern: Created page with "{{Log Header |Date of Scene=2014/11/29 |Location=Asian Plains |Synopsis=Chloe takes the Union to fix up Fuyuki's leylines and runs into an old acquaintance and an old enemy. P..."

{{Log Header
|Date of Scene=2014/11/29
|Location=Asian Plains
|Synopsis=Chloe takes the Union to fix up Fuyuki's leylines and runs into an old acquaintance and an old enemy. Poor Illya is left as confused as ever, and Shirou never catches a break.
|Thanks=
|Cast of Characters=19, 560, 591, 594, 617, 641
|Tinyplot=
|Tinyplot2=
|pretty=yes
}}
{{Poses
|Poses=:'''{{#var:617|Chloe von Einzbern (617)}} has posed:''' Fuyuki City by night. This clandestine gathering for the sake of Leyline repairs will be taking place in the Old Town section of the city. The metropolitan lights of the skyscrapers and towering newer city can be seen not too far off in the distance, as Chloe von Einzbern waits for her crack team of magical engineers on the edge of a large bridge of red steel. It's quiet tonight, owing to the late time, and most people already being home from work and school and just now starting to get ready for bed. Which might make a lone, foriegn-looking girl with dark skin seem so utterly out of place where she waits by the guard rail at the edge of the water, tapping her foot impatiently. 

:'''{{#var:591|Aoko Aozaki (591)}} has posed:'''     The network of leylines under Fuyuki is almost unmatched. It's might only be number two in Japan, but in terms of being interesting, it's number one. The Aozaki land might be spiritually superior but it can't be said a whole lot happens there as a result of the laylines. Meanwhile, Fuyuki City is... well.     That's why it doesn't take a whole lot of effort for Aoko to convince herself she needs to be here. The woman with the long, long crimson hair and contrasting blue eyes appears, in a white t-shirt and jeans. She's carrying a big briefcase in one hand, the sort you could fit a small person inside. That's a completely arbitrary unit of measurement but you get the idea.     She is smiling, but when is she ever not?     "Hi, hi! So! What are we doing besides watching?" 

:'''{{#var:19|Maya (19)}} has posed:''' Maya was dressed to more fit this world, a shirt, cargo pants, a strange wrist bit which was actually a computer kinda akin to a pip boy but not made to destroy one's wrists to use them. EIther way she looked far less noticable than she would hav coming in her leather armour. SO here she was she'd heard the call out and it would be easy enough to find their contact Chloe would catch sight of her. "Hey, sorry I took a bit to get here." She pauses at Aoko and gives the red headed woman a nod. 

:'''{{#var:560|Emiya Shirou (560)}} has posed:'''     Traveling through a Fuyuki that's not his own is unnerving to Emiya Shirou. He's utterly resisting the urge to traverse any of his normal haunts and takes a roundabout path to reach the given address. ONe day he'll find his Fuyuki, but in the meantime he doesn't want to confound anyone. If Taiga found a second Shirou, it could be really bad. He's not sure for who - him, or the other Shirou - but there would be all kinds of weirdness. That beast must be placated at all costs!     So he comes biking in wearing his jacket. Under it he's got a different set of modern armor ganked from the Union armory, since the last set got shredded by Odin...     It doesn't take him long to stroll up to Chloe after tucking his bike away off to the side. His dark-skinned little sister receives a friendly smile in greeting. "Yo. This is the spot?" He's just a BIIIIIIT confounded.     He wasn't imagining that a ley line ran through Fuyuki across the bridge... he turns to briefly wave at Aoko, too! "Does that make two people who are foreigners but aren't here tonight? This is weird...." 

:'''{{#var:617|Chloe von Einzbern (617)}} has posed:''' This looks like everyone then. So Chloe is about as non-chalant as can be when Aoko, Maya, and Shirou arrive, propped against a metal beam, drumming fingers on her arm to pass the time. "Oh good you're all here. So." So. About that thing she said was going on. "Just before I ditched out on this world there was kind of sort of a Grail War scale incident going on. Not exactly the same, but there were some problems involving Heroic Spirits. It was all pretty done and handled though, but the leylines have been a little screwy ever since. Last disturbance popped up around here, so we're just going to nose our way into the Mirror World to see if anything needs fixing, and then get out of dodge before anyone notices we were here." Easy enough, so Chloe motions for the crew to sidle up closer as she takes to a knee. What would normally be a complex and intricate thaumaturgical ritual is handled in... Seconds, without incantation, and not even bothering for any formality in the least as a shimmering circle of light spreads from her feet, opening a glowing portal. Reality and the world all around seems to get fuzzy, splitting as if a sudden bout of double vision overcame everything, and then levelling out again. The surroundings are the same. Except there are no lights from the skyscrapers in the distance. Light pollution is gone, but the sky is completely starless. There are craters on the ground. Pockmarcks and giant gouges in the earth and concrete. Like a battle was fought here. And a single figure stands in the middle of it all. Gold eyes widen significantly as Chloe spots her. "... Hoh... I remember you..." A figure in dark armor; as black as the night sky, a dark visor shrouding her face. She is short, but that does nothing to reduce the aura of menace that surrounds the woman; pale platinum hair bound up in a braid, she says nothing. Simply shifting her grip on the black and red blade in her hand. In an instant the woman is off like a bullet, a mighty swipe of that blade causes a ringing SHATTER of a wall of swords to break, cleaved in twain the blow is blunted just enough to not be fatal as Chloe is launched aside and put through a nearby wall. Because her attention shifts as she aims to bring that blade down upon Aoko, next. 

:'''{{#var:19|Maya (19)}} has posed:''' Maya humms as shelistens to Chloe and nods a little bit. "I see that can be a thing magic can be a fickle thing no matter the world one is on." She pauses for a moment as the magic gets going and suddnely things are strnge she holds her head and she looks about and stares at a place without the stars and light. She then looks at the fitgure in dark armour she stares there's an abaject look of horror on Maya's face. She seems to know this w woman ow what might be going on. She leaps back she's already summoning magic without even holding back there's gouts of blue fire leeching form Maya's body she's not screwing about. "Fight with everything you have, do not hold back. She will have no mercy for us." Maya's tone is utterly serious and sounding more than a little horrifed. Memories of the last Grail war she was involved in come back to her full force. Sakura, Saber, /all/ of it. Maya unleahes several cards sening a pillar of flame at the hostile attacker. Maya clearly has an idea of whom it is... 

:'''{{#var:591|Aoko Aozaki (591)}} has posed:'''     "Oh yeah. From what I know about the Grail business that stuff could seriously mess up the leylines, no wonder you're having problems here," Aoko popcorns, though she perks a brow at the Mirror World deal. First time she hears about THAT. Not that she minds. Surprises make everything more interesting. Her grin pretty much widens at the idea of the unknown!     But the unknown, eventually, just looks like a Saber clone.     "Huh? Hey, isn't that--"     Saber, sure is.     In an instant the Heroic Spirit puts Chloe out of the fight, and is upon Aoko. She sighs, the kind of heavy, 'I want to play around more :(' sigh. In the fraction of a second it takes for the darkened Excalibur to come down, the red-headed magus goes from idle, to a fist raised. The tiny handful of Magic Circuits in her body make a ruckus like a jet engine, and the impact of the blade craters the ground in a way indicative of a blow that'd reduce a man into slag.     But she's still standing, one hand holding the briefcase idly, the other up, having caught the blade. Her knees almost give in, but her hand sure isn't. "Ah, geez. I don't like showing off, I wanted to take a look at the leylines."     Her right foot smashes into the ground. A pillar of blue light erupts from under Saber, pure mana, and there's enough of it even that magic resistance won't do a thing. Aoko leaps several feet back, to land behind Shirou.     "Your turn, Shirou! I want to see what you can do~." 

:'''{{#var:560|Emiya Shirou (560)}} has posed:'''     What the heck is Chloe up to?! Shirou's initially confounded by the sudden shifting and weird Magecraft at work. He glances about with increasing alarm, hands coming out of his pockets again and tension hitting maximum the moment he sees the remains of a battlefield. What the heck happened here?!     "What is--..."     Then his attention falls across Saber Alter. It's hard to say whether he's looking more at her sword or her visored face, but he'd recognize that armor style and dress almost anywhere. He's seen it only a few times, but the figure's engraved in his soul by now. The figure he's been trying to approach, the ruler of the town he's been breaking his back to help...     But so, oh so very wrong. "S....Saber...?!"     It's not her, is it? It can't be her!     OH GOD HERE SHE COMES!     "Th-this is crazy! Saber, stop!!"     He doesn't even really want to admit that this strange aberration is her.     But it holds That Sword.     Even tainted black, even though he has never seen it before, something in Shirou instinctively recognizes That Sword.     The image that's tormented his dreams for a long time...     "TRACE ON!"     Just as Aoko's dealing with the slash, Shirou's running with every bit of speed he has to try and protect her. He's too late of course, but Kanshou and Bakuya are in his grasp within an instant!     And Shirou's not attacking. The magus instead takes a defensive posture in front of Aoko. "Are you kidding?! She's too much for us! What's wrong with Saber in this world?!"     He can't beat Sir Bedivere in swordsmanship. He's not even sure he could do it with Kanshou and Bakuya. How can he possibly take on Saber?!     Though he bites his tongue a moment later, glancing at Chloe and then Aoko. However Aoko parried Excalibur, he doubts she can do that again... and Chloe took a nasty blow. If HE doesn't step up, then is everyone toast?     He's not sure if Maya can keep her busy unless she's at range, either...     Gulp.     "Guess I've got no choice but to take her on head-on... great....!"     Not one bit of him isn't full of fear. But Shirou is no coward.     Considering himself isn't an option. If it was just him, he would run. But there are others who are much more important than he is here!     So he takes a step towards the mad Servant, and rushes in to launch a flurry with Kanshou and bakuya.     Knowing Saber though, only the first strike will be his own. The rest will be just trying to keep her from cutting him in two. 

:'''{{#var:641|Illya von Einzbern (641)}} has posed:''' "Illya! Pay attention!" Illya leaned over in an alleyway in her gym uniform, panting heavily as she looks up at the floating winged and circular talking emblem. The girls red eyes are wide. "Where's Rin-san?" She asks as she takes off again, getting out of sight from the actual normal people that live in Fuyuki City. "I don't know! We can do this without her though!" Magical Ruby takes to the skies for a brief moment. "It's safe!" "Right, let's go!" Cue one magical girl transformation. Surrounded by a field of bubbles and clothed in golden light, Illya floats through the sky as her pink outfit takes form, before she takes to the air as magical energy springs in two giant wings from her back as she leaps forward to grab Magical Ruby, before taking off into the air, heading for the not that far away bridge. "Huh." Magical Ruby says, then falls silent. Illya is instantly afraid. Ruby is never this quiet. "Huh?" "Focus, Illya! This is not time for you to be off chasing Miyu in your thoughts!" "Ehhhh, you perverted old stick!" Ruby performs the transformation into the Mirror World as normal, although Illya is surprised by the fact that Ruby twists himself in her grip, and even more surprised by the sight of Saber Alter going after-- wait, was that Chloe? Who are the rest of these people? Where's Rin and Luvia?! Why doesn't anything make sense anymore?! It's hard being a magical girl, it's hard and n-- well, a lot of people understand, actually, Illya is going to learn. Illya somehow gains speed for going as fast as she is - creativity, etc, etc, and spots the crowd. Ruby takes a breath at the sight of Aoko, while Illya takes in the fact that Chloe, Saber Alter, and Shirou are all the-- wait, back up five steps. Shirou?! "Onii-chan!" She hefts Magical Ruby, and there there is light, of the brightest, pinkest color from a figure in the air as Illya dives in towards Saber Alter without a second thought. 

:'''{{#var:617|Chloe von Einzbern (617)}} has posed:''' Things are already starting out pretty badly. Chloe is limp as she lurches out of the hole in the concrete, and looks to be utterly knocked out cold after that blow. She may have the endurance of a Heroic Spirit, but she was practically caught completely flat-footed there, and isn't going to be getting up. Which means Shirou, Aoko, and Maya are on their own. Fortunately Aoko and Maya are already adept magical POWERHOUSES. Though Saber has an immensely high level of magic resistance, the flames scorch her- and the sudden pillar of mana from below causes her to JINK aside. Rather than eat it head on, she relies on that inhuman speed to keep from being engulfed, jerking her head back. Not fast enough however, as that visor CRACKS, falling apart to undoubtedly reveal the face of Arturia Pendragon, the Once and Future King. And with Shirou on her path to Aoko, the blonde King SCOWLS. No words. She doesn't respond to the youth's please nor entreaties. More akin to a Berserker in mindset, yet with all the cunning grace and skill of the Saber she is, she rushes for Shirou, Excalibur swinging mightily. Before Illyasviel von Einzbern arrives. In an instant, Saber's blade is NOT stayed, but rather she seeks to cleave THROUGH Shirou, Aoko behind him, and then turn herself upon the silver-haired child with a snarled roar of unrestrained violence, meeting her rush head on with a vicious swing of one gauntlet-clad fist. 

:'''{{#var:19|Maya (19)}} has posed:''' Maya says "Stand fast..." Maya has an idea of what Saber can do, but she's also clearly not going to hold back here she's going to keep Saber after her hopefully for the other. "Come for for me!" Then comes something else something she did not expect /at all/ A magical girl?! From this world? What in Marduk and Kyra's name?! She has no idea now but she does know she has to fight or she's going to not die here. Then again against Saber this is no laughing matter, no the fallen one true king of England never has and never will be a joke or a cake walk. Maya does not stop the magic no, given Sabers in a whole lot of metal the lightning bolts from her finger tips comes up in short order. 

:'''{{#var:591|Aoko Aozaki (591)}} has posed:'''     To tip her hand, or not?     Even at the elevated stats of a Servant-tier entity, the very worst case scenario is that this is an even fight for Aoko. The more likely scenario is that she's a very slight nudge ahead. That, though, that involves actually breaking the (admittedly awful) facade of being just a third-rate magus.     That little reinforcement stunt, catching Excalibur, will have to be the most of it she shows for today. No, really, she'd rather see what this magical girl can do now, and the old man's stick with her.     The red-head uses her briefcase like a shield-- if Saber swings fast, Aoko brings that thing up just as easily. The wooden and leather trunk shouldn't be able to withstand repeated sword strikes, much less from someone that strong, but it seems to be nigh-impervious to harm. Doesn't stop the fact it's Aoko's arms that tank the impacts instead of the briefcase being damaged, but the magus doesn't seem to be having the slightest bit of trouble keeping up.     "Shirou~! You should assist Illya, I think her presence is making the Servant angry." Stating the obvious there, but might as well stop Shirou from trying to protect Aoko too much. 

:'''{{#var:560|Emiya Shirou (560)}} has posed:'''     That face is jarring and hard on Shirou's heart. He easily recognizes that this is not Saber, but it still is. He doesn't want to take her on, and he doubts he can win. But if he can just hold out... maybe Chloe can wake up, maybe Aoko can do something. Or maya!     Shirou's got few options. He is mighty strong - stronger even than Saber, if she wasn't using magic. But she is, and each blow against Kanshou and Bakuya shaves away the starmetal blades while threatening to tear his arms up. Each blow he parries is by the skin of his teeth and increasingly riskier and weaker. After a dozen exchanges Kanshou explodes into fragments and Shirou barely turns Black Excalibur aside using Bakuya. But the sword cracks even as he rolls away... jsut as Saber's attention turns.     Oh no.     Shirou looks up from the ground, spotting... that's not Chloe?! Same face, same size, same world... which means...     "I-.... Illya...?!" more wondering than shocked.     She's flying.     She's flying, and Saber Alter is STILL TAKING HER ON!     Shirou's not sure which of the two is crazier. But he just pushes up to his feet despite how much his arm muscles protest being pushed into action again.     Losing an arm is nothing to losing his fellows. In the Multiverse, he might even be able to have it replaced!     Focus. Focus. Gritting his teeth, closing his eyes briefly, Shirou once again brings the images of the paired swords to mind... and instantly Kanshou and Bakuya are back in his hands. But he doesn't close in this time. Instead he HURLS them straight at Saber's back!     Then a THIRD set appear in his hands and he throws them out to the side. TWO PAIRS close in on the Saber manifestation... can she block all four blades from cleaving into her?!     Then a FOURTH pair appears in Shirou's hands, and he goes defensive to see if he can expose an opening... before Saber cuts Illya apart! 

:'''{{#var:641|Illya von Einzbern (641)}} has posed:''' Illya wasn't expecting a fist. It takes her in the side, sending the pink clad magical girl reeling across the battlefield as she reorients herself onto her feet, skidding backwards. "That hurt!" She cries, briefly childish for a moment. Sorry, Chloe. On the flip side, Illya has no idea what kind of chaos she just threw Chloe, Shirou, and Aoko into. She immediately catapults back into the air again, flying on invisible wings without an issue. Let's see... she's fought and beaten Saber Alter once. She remembers that. That requires a card she does not have. Chloe, unconcious, currently holds that. She puts a hand to her leg, pulling a small card out from the brown packet. She pulls out a gold striped card and holds it forward - it holds the symbol of a Lancer. She starts flying towards Saber Alter, holding the card to Magical Ruby. "Class Card Lancer... Install!" There's a flare of magical aura, and when it stops, Illya is standing there in a skintight blue, black, and white suit, her long hair done up to the left side of her head in a holder. She is now armed with a intricate long red spear - one that anyone who spent enough time researching the Grail War as Gae Bolg. She lands neatly on her feet, then darts forward, running slowly then gaining speed. She then skids to a stop, thrusting the spear forward. "Gae!" She shouts. A sudden beam of red light emanates from the spear, thrusting through the air, heading irrevocably towards Saber Alter - darting around Maya, Aoko, and Shirou to go straight for the Servants' heart. "BOLG!" 

:'''{{#var:617|Chloe von Einzbern (617)}} has posed:''' With Aoko weathering her assault and Maya flooding her body with lightning, Saber is slowed. Yet still, as Shirou struggles to keep up in the onslaught melee, when the Servant's attention is turned fully upon the magical girl, it presents a perfect opening. Kanshou and Bakuya strike true, and score rending gouges in dark armor. Servant she may be, Saber bleeds, and what bleeds can be killed. As her gauntlet reels back from striking Illya, she steps forward, singlemindedly pressing her mindless assault, raising her sword high, it begins to glow with a vibrant, golden, light. As bright as the sun... "Ex..." Aiming to cur all EVERYONE DOWN with her Noble Phantasm as she floods it with power. "CALIB-- HRK?" Yet it doesn't happen. The spear is thrown. The heart is pierced. The red light of Gae Bolg slams her dead in the chest. And with a clatter The Sword of Promised Victory falls to the ground- followed by its wielder. But what lands is not an armored body. It's a single card, inscribed with the word Saber, and a stylized image of an armor clad knight. This however does not stop the STREAK of red lancing from out of nowhere. The sudden CLASH of white and black swords on Illya's spear as... Chloe flings herself in an attack, eyes clouded with murderous intent. "And here I thought I had gotten away from you... I can't even take a nap without some rookie eating a body blow that wakes me up." 

:'''{{#var:19|Maya (19)}} has posed:''' Maya is now bracing for it she's getting ready and now wait there's a little girl Lancer?! Cu she is not but wait that weapon looks totally legit and down goes Saber. Which turns into card? Wait what?! Maya just /stares/. She holds a card of her own in hand just /staring at it/. "Did...that just happen...?!" 

:'''{{#var:591|Aoko Aozaki (591)}} has posed:'''     "Ooooh. A reverse of causality~. Fancy!"     Aoko, over there in the back row now, has an eye for things like that. Well, magic in general. It's a thing every good magus learns to do eventually admittedly. Pity she still hasn't figured out how to look at Servant stats. She really needs to ask a real master how the hell THAT works.     "No, wait, that's not what I should be gawking about! Aww, where would I even start?" With the battle winding down, she walks past Shirou, pats him on the shoulder, and then staaaaaaares at Illya, still smiling. "Hello hello! Aozaki Aoko, I love magical girls. Can I have an autograph?" She produces a pen and notepad, on cue. It's legit! "Hiiii Ruby. How's the old man treating you? I'm gonna guess awful since you're with an actual person instead of him now!" 

:'''{{#var:641|Illya von Einzbern (641)}} has posed:''' Aaaand there's Chloe. It's almost like this is Illya's life n-- wait a second. Gae Bolg is brought up, the red spear meeting the twin swords with a crash as Illya stares at her own self, her sister, her own red eyes sparkling. "What is going on, anyways? Big brother? Who are these people? What was Saber doing out of the Class Card?" These are important questions. Rin will praise her later. "Chloe, I don't want to figh--" Her head snaps to Aoko. "You know Ruby?" The winged wand flits about in delight. "It's not too bad, once they learn. This one, of course, impossible." He says, floating around Illya's head. "Heeeey..." Illya whines as she backs away from Chloe. She doesn't want a fight. 

:'''{{#var:591|Aoko Aozaki (591)}} has posed:'''     "I wouldn't say know! I would say I talk with Ruby's creator every once in a while. The last time I saw them they were confined to a chest in the Clock Tower! Ah, well... you know, normally I'd preface that with 'the one in my world' but the old man and his toys happen to like jumping dimensions, so there's no way to be sure, ha ha ha~."     Aoko, for that matter, has no idea if there is only one Zelretch, or tons of him.     You know, one per world.     She finds the prospect hilarious, though.     "Ah, sorry, sorry. I'm nobody, don't worry! Chloe asked us for help to check out what was making the leylines act weird. I guess you didn't need our help at all! I just want to ask you a dozen questions but this is an awful time and place, maybe another time over tea. So! Is everything fixed now?"     Kinda FEELS like it, but she hasn't adjusted enough yet to tell. 

:'''{{#var:560|Emiya Shirou (560)}} has posed:'''     Shirou recognizes Gae Bolg's cursed properties very quickly, even if he can't consciously put words to them. That weapon is ominous, and the transformation that made it appear on such a young girl - supposedly, his sister?! - is astounding.     "Don't get near her, she's--"     Shirou's heroic concern for Illya is apparently misplaced.     His breath catches in his throat. A Noble Phantasm's thrown.     A mockery of the Once and Future King is slain.     And a Card falls to the ground.     "... get hurt..."     The boy's now just staring, amber-eyes wide and full of disbelief. His jaw's gaping a little...     Even more so with Chloe making a recovery and bringing up the sword of promised victory. "A-ahhh!" Even though the weapon's true power is not unleashed, Shirou sees Chloe going for... Illya. the pat from Aoko is disregarded except for a sheepish, brief grunt and--     "Stop! Stop fighting! ... I don't get what's going on here but are you two sisters or something?! ... Sisters shouldn't be fighting! We just beat the.... enemy..." He's hesitant to apply that word to that face... 

:'''{{#var:617|Chloe von Einzbern (617)}} has posed:''' Teeth grit. Kanshou and Bakuya rattle against Gae Bolg, hard enough to frighteningly crack the star metal blades. It takes a moment before Chloe grunts and disengages herself from Illya with a "Tch..." The reason might become more readily apparent when she holds her side; wincing with pain, grasping the same place Illya got hurt, rather than her own injuries. Maya is trapped in disbelief. Aoko is chatting with Ruby like old friends. And Shirou is interjecting himself into Chloe's business now. The whole situation turns sour in Chloe von Einzbern's mouth very fast. "I leave for a little bit and you lose the Saber Card again. You really are hopeless." She grunts before tossing her swords aside and simply beginning to walk away. "I'm not in the mood to deal with this anymore." Announced simply as she gets walking. "Have little miss goody goody over there take you back or something." Muttered before Chloe simply just... Leaves. 

:'''{{#var:641|Illya von Einzbern (641)}} has posed:''' Chloe runs off and Illya makes a childish exasperated noise. "Ruby--" She doesn't finish her sentence before they're all transported out of the Mirror World, Illya sliding the Saber card into her little pouch. There's a long pause then she abruptly detransforms back into her normal gym uniform, looking up at the dark sky. "Thank you for your assistance!" She finally remembers to say, belatedly. She glances at Shirou. "You're not /my/ onii-chan, are you?" She sounds heartbroken. Ruby continues chattering with Aoko. "Yes, they seemt ob e fixed for now. But... yes, he's..." The emblem makes a noise. It's a strange one. 

:'''{{#var:560|Emiya Shirou (560)}} has posed:'''     Shirou's wincing and rubbing at an arm. That. REALLY. HURT. He didn't expect Saber's blows to be so overwhelmingly powerful. Had he had to fend offf three more, he'd've probably lost an arm... that's a chilling thought.     Saber is some kind of monster! How's anyone supposed to beat them?!     Regardless, he's left with Chloe huffing off, Aoko being her usual self, Maya seemingly overwhelmed...     ... And a Heartbroken Illya. The last catches him the most. The pain in his arms doesn't matter at all next to that. So he speaks in a softer voice more appropriate for children. And oh, he is ever the kind-hearted boy Illya knows here. "Sorry... for me, this is our first meeting. Illyasviel, right...?" Then he realies that the weird winged pentagram is TALKING. He stares at it in wonder. Peer. He even leans in a little to peer more. "A... talking... huuuuuh?!" Now it's to Aoko he looks. SHE knows this? Of course. Why wouldn't madness know more madness. Hrmngh!     Oh well. he faces Illya with warmth in his eyes and puts a hand on his hip. "Emiya Shirou. I guess things are a bit different in this world. Or maybe they're not too different. My old man told me about you, a little bit... although it's another world's version of him from my perspective and... probably yours..." He sighs, only able to shrug a little.     But he's genuinely apologetic when he goes on to say, "Sorry. But if you need help with anything like this I don't mind. A little sister who's this brave and talented has my stamp of approval! .... except for getting into something like this in the first place!" And it quickly turns to concerned.     "Are you alright?!" 

:'''{{#var:591|Aoko Aozaki (591)}} has posed:'''     "That's the old man! He's... blank. Nobody seems to have identical opinions of him. I like him! He's refreshing, and hip, and not young at all in body but in spirit he sure is!" That's probably not very accurate at all, but Aoko has a weird perspective and idealizes him a bit. Probably because as the only other living Magician she's kind of STUCK with him when she needs advice and such.     So, might as well learn to enjoy him.     "Now now, don't look so sad! You two might be from different worlds but you can still do stuff together, sheesh! You're frowning like it's the end of the world. C'mon, enjoy it! You don't get to meet people from alternates of your world every day. Not unless you travel with the old man anyway," Aoko muses, and then turns her back to the scene.     "Well! Iiiii am going to peep around this place and check out the leylines to make sure everything's in order, you guys catch up on your brother-sister bonding! You'll be a lot happier if you can learn to enjoy the pretend, you know?"     Happy go lucky magus, awaaaaay! 

:'''{{#var:641|Illya von Einzbern (641)}} has posed:''' "... Okay, so... that's Chloe. I'm Illya, yes." Illya sighs. "In my world, I was created to become the vessel for the Holy Grail War... according to my mama, Irisviel. However, they decided to seal my power away, so I grew up normally with ... well, you, as my adoptive big brother and papa, Emiya Kiritsugu." Illya falls into rote explaining. "I was introduced to Magical Ruby there because Rin-san was collecting the cards you saw... 'Class Cards', embodiments of heroic spirits, from what my understanding is. When I contracted with Ruby, I turn into a magical girl." This sounds a lot easier than it is. "However, due to my seals and the magical girl power, my seal ended up breaking, creating a second... a second part of me, I think, is how it was explained? I don't know! I'm ten years old! That's Chloe. She is me, and she's not me." She tries to explain. "Chloe and I have a blood bond... if I get injured, she gets injured, so she'll stop trying to kill me." 

:'''{{#var:19|Maya (19)}} has posed:''' Maya snaps out of it for the most part she looks to Ruby for a moment and tilts her head shaking her head a little bit. This is the sad part of hte multivese she could meet people she thought were long gone. It would be them but not ... the ones she knew it's sad like that, but there's not much she can do about it she smiles faintly at Ruby. "Thank you for your help as well." 

:'''{{#var:560|Emiya Shirou (560)}} has posed:'''     The way Illya suddenly goes into explainin things so simply gets Shirou's lips twitching a bit frownily, but only a little! This... is not the kind of story he wants to hear. It's also pretty damned weird. "Seal? ... and Chloe is..." Boggle. Shirou rubs at his head. This is headache-worthy! "... is this the reason she's so mad at you?! .. I don't get it... sisters... you're practically sisters if that's right, why would she want to--" He bites down on that question. He really doesn't have a CLUE here and it's very frustrating.     How can he solve it?     Ugh.     Shirou siiighs, showing some aggrvation, then... "Guess it can't be helped. I'll just hae to ask her. She's been dropping by the place where I live and being a brat, but I think she just wants attention for most of it.." Nope, he had no clue.     "Wait a moment..."     Then he looks up, and asks, hesitantly, "Rin.... Tohsaka... Rin?" 

:'''{{#var:641|Illya von Einzbern (641)}} has posed:''' "Yes." Illya confirms. "She was Ruby's partner before, um, stuff happened and he contracted with me." Poor Shirou. Illya also finds herself giving him a tight hug. Her Shirou or not, he's still a Shirou, and thus her big brother. It is a rather affectionate squeeze. "You're welcome, miss! I'm Magical Ruby~!" The winged emblem practically bows to Maya. 

:'''{{#var:19|Maya (19)}} has posed:''' Maya :Says "Twins if you get down to it and wait... Rin Toshaka?!" Seh pauses and stare for a moment and looks at Illya for a moment nodding a little bit and saying. "My name is Maya." 

:'''{{#var:560|Emiya Shirou (560)}} has posed:'''     Shirou's a bit startled to find someone hugging him! He blinks once, but ends up returning it pretty quicky, squeezing back! It also gets him right out of the funk. "I don't get what's going on anymore!" He complains with some humor. It's crazy. His strange abilities, the Multiverse, the Holy Grail War, suddenly sprouting a family including his dead adopted father, and.... well, working alongside the Knights of the Round Table and a girl King Arthur can't be much wirder than finding out Tohsaka Rin's prooooobably a magus.     So he can only laugh a tad to let off some stress. OH WELL, he's all but saying.     It really can'tbe helped. "Thanks, Illya."     Yup, Shirou's Shirou. 

:'''{{#var:641|Illya von Einzbern (641)}} has posed:''' Too bad Chloe walked off. Here's where Illya would stick her tongue out at her. "Okay! I should probably get introduced to some people, huh...?" She suggests as she grabs Shirous' hand, aiming to drag him off. Poor Shirou. Poor Union. 

:'''{{#var:560|Emiya Shirou (560)}} has posed:'''     "-Eh......EH?!" Shirou finds himself being lead off without much of an explanation. "H-hey, what people... you mean these people--" wait a moment, Maya knows Rin too? Shirou blinks at her, but he's a bit too distracted by being dragged off by Illya! "where are we going?" 

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