Fandom A Midnight Dance with Death(IC)

BuggaBoo said:

"Doctor Nocturne," yet again, her dual-voices spoke without contempt against the creator of Stinky-Vinci, "was this Zeke ever able to freeze the entire lake at any time during its 'stay' here? And just how close was the bond between those that escaped that day? Who out of them all did Zeke care for the most?"

Of course, Mileena knew that whatever intel she discovered would be outdated, but she was simply outmatched by a possible A-Ranked Gifted and so every little advantage she could muster would go miles to enable her survival. As the interaction between the clone-master and the ice-wielder came to a close, once more Mileena narrowed her eyes at the smaller teen boy and reflected upon its demeanor now. Four years later, how hardened and jaded would it become? She hoped it would at least tasted pain and suffering since and increased its power level; if slaying Gifted was anything like slaying DragonMarked, it would the be well worth it for her to steal its inborn Arcanna and replace her own.

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"Ah...."

As Mileena asked her question, Nocturne paused. As if to ruminate on the answer.

"Zeke certainly had the potential to freeze over the entire lake. If he wished. Beyond the boundaries of the lake were the fencing/guard posts we used to keep the children from wandering too far. If they were caught over there, it was treated with the utmost urgency. For if they saw themselves as content to walk where they wished? What would stop them from eventually deciding that nobody-not the security, myself, or Christof-could tell them what to do. Thus I always tried to intercede whenever I picked up signs of the lake being frozen over. A guard would keep a constant eye on it and inform me. I'd have the guards fire a warning shot, Zeke would usually stop. This day..."

Nocturne paused again.

"The day it all went to hell...." Nocturne chuckled softly. "He finally froze the lake over. I believe that's how the five of them left by walking across it."

As for the second half of Mileena's query, Nocturne 'tut-tutted'

"Zeke, Rostov, Butch....They came here as children and were already inching towards puberty by the time Multi arrived as an infant. Multi had been born unable to control his gift and his mother simply couldn't handle it and gave him up to us. In that way I suppose the three boys alongside the nursing staff on hand raised him. Nighthawk has been here the longest. He was here when I first started working here under Christof's predecessor back in the late 50s-early sixties. Nighthawk certainly had potential to leave this camp and for reasons I still to this day can't comprehend, he squandered it and remained at the campgrounds watching over the new children as they'd come in. Something of a gruff mother hen I suppose."

Mileena would have seen Zeke reach down and rustle Multi's hair.

"But I suppose you were looking for a definitive answer. I'd say Multi was always the one Zeke was most fond of. Whenever I or Christof would attempt to instill a sort of discipline into the boy, Zeke would always countermand us. Not wanting to upset him too much, we usually let it go. It's a massive shame really. Multi could have been such a great aid to us all...."



"As a child soldier."

Nocturne laughed. "Kekekekke, is...Is that a hint of contempt I sense in your voice, Hei? How amusing for the killer to point fingers. A change of heart?"

Hei didn't answer.



Existing only as fragments of memories long since past, there was nothing anyone gathered could have done to affect Zeke and Multi as they were here. They could only stand and watch as Zeke glanced out at the lake proper. "Multi. Don't you ever think about what might be beyond this lake? Beyond this camp's walls?" The French youth asked his younger compatriot/friend who simply seemed flustered by the question at all. "W-What do you mean, Zeke? The camp is the only home I've ever known! I don't think I'd ever wanna leave it"

Zeke nodded.

"I understand, Multi. I wouldn't ask you to do anything if it was something you'd struggle with. I used to be the same way. Thinking that all I ever needed was right here in this camp. I had food, shelter, a bed to sleep in. But as I got older I began realizing that there was a world beyond all of this that Christof and Nocturne want to keep us from." Zeke stepped off the dock and when it'd look as though he'd splash into the water, Multi watched with a look of growing horror as the water under Zeke's soles froze over allowing him even footing on the lake. "Zeke! Y-You know better than to freeze the lake!! Nocturne is gonna have one of the guards shoot at you again!!"

"That's exactly what I'm talking about, Multi. What is there to gain from keeping us from exploring? What is so dangerous about the world beyond the camp that they'd keep it from us? I've spent enough time here looking at the clouds and following along with the script. I want to walk to the beat of my own drum, Multi." Zeke looked back and held a hand out towards Multi.

"You can too, Multi."

Multi seemed understandably hesitant. Zeke along with Butch and Rostov may as well have been like older brothers to him. They'd literally been there with him since he was brought to the camp as an infant. His mother apparently couldn't handle his gift [Mr. Lonely] which had been out of control in his infancy causing him to create clones that'd simply sit there and stare. It drove his mother to the breaking point. Approaching her local National Guard base, she turned Multi over to the authorities which eventually lead to him winding up in Nocturne's hands. But as much as he may have liked to imagine himself as the child's father, Nocturne preferred a hands off approach when it came to most of the children. They'd learn what they needed to and be shaped into the kind of soldiers that Christof and his superiors wanted. Coddling them would have done little good at helping reach that goal.

"I don't know, Multi....Nocturne will get really mad if he finds out what you're doing."

"So what?"

Zeke wouldn't be so egotistical as to suggest he was a genius. There were flaws in his thinking but the same could be said for any person. No one's thought pattern was without a few holes that needed stitching here and there. But he knew well enough how 'important' someone like him was to Christof and Nocturne's overall goals. He was an elemental-type gifted. Which meant that the 'Zeke' that everyone saw in day to day life was just a costume for him more or less. If you were to cut him, he'd bleed just like anyone else. But his blood would be white. Like that of fresh snow and if you were to peel back his skin? You'd find nothing but bright blue pupils on a ice-like humanoid staring back at you. It was only through expending his energy on a daily level that allowed Zeke and other elementals for that matter to walk around and look normal. It was also due to his status as a elemental that meant the camp had to more or less treat him with kidgloves. Nocturne knew the guard's bullets would only annoy Zeke at worst, barely slow him down at best. If he were to go on a rampage throughout the camp, it'd take most of the camp's resources just to try and stop him alone. By the time the dust settled, there would be dozens of casualties. That was even if they were able to bring Zeke down in the first place.

Which meant he had the camp's authority figures between a rock and a hard place. They could shout at him all they wanted, they could punch him, they could even shoot at him. It didn't matter one bit. They knew if they pushed too far and kicked Zeke over the edge, it'd be something they couldn't put back. No amount of apologizing and boot-licking would fix it.

"What can he really do to me, Multi? Shoot at me? I'll freeze the bullets before they even get near me. Shout at me? I'll ignore him. Send me to my room? Fine. I like it in there anyway." He gently took Multi's hand and the child seemed to silently acquiesce. If Zeke was sure they could do this, Multi wasn't going to argue. Besides, once Zeke had his mind set on something it'd taken moving heaven and hell itself to convince him otherwise. As Multi's shoes descended towards the lake's murky waters, Zeke flared his energy and a chunk of water froze over to allow somewhere for Multi to stand. Afraid of falling into the water/of drowning/of being eaten by a big fish, it wasn't until Zeke spoke up again that Multi opened his eyes but still kept a tight grip on Zeke's hand.

"Multi. It's okay. I'm not going to let anything happen to you." He rustled the boy's hair again. "Open your eyes."

"...O-Okay, Zeke...."

Multi opened them and was surprised at what he saw. He was literally standing on the lake! Well, a chunk of the lake that'd been frozen over solely for him to stand on but still! Zeke had even made it thick enough(given Multi's height and proportions that Zeke took into account when making the ice)for Multi to hop up and down on! Or so he said anyway, Multi wasn't about to test that out. "Doesn't it feel nice, Multi-" Zeke paused as he noticed something seemed to be missing from the boy's person. Something that Zeke had gone out of his way to grab for him. "Multi? Where is that ball I got you? The one you could use to play catch with your clones?"

Multi frowned. "...Oh. Clyde took it back. He said I had to train first."

Zeke narrowed his eyes. "He did what?"



This might have been the memories of a deadman but it felt all too real to Hei.

The chills from Zeke flaring his energy at anger at this revelation caused Hei to quietly cling to his jacket.

All the while keeping his eyes locked onto the two.

Their bond....Almost felt sibling-like.

jump. Fuyou-Kay

~~~
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BuggaBoo said:

Mileena had just missed the interaction between the fire-wielder Gifted and Nocturne, but judging by the state of the cabin and the expressions upon their faces, things seemed to have literally become heated between the two. Another player in the game? A weapon to use or a spanner in the gears, it mattered not at this moment, but it did not hurt to ask about such a fiery beast.

The assassin maintained her composure yet continued to speak through gritted teeth not once looking up in the direction of yesteryear's Nocturne, "What was the end goal for this female that rivalled Zeke? And did it ever ally itself with any other here? And if it did survive the insurrection where would such a thing be located 4 years later?"

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Despite her best efforts to mask her bloodlust, it still earned something of a quirked eyebrow from the doctor.

Fortunate for him that Mileena could not see it at the moment.

"Ash? I must admit I wrote her off as something of a lost cause. Insubordinate, constantly fretting about this or that. Causing fights around the camp. Bothering Zeke's little band of friends. I think it was all just a ploy for attention on her part to get Zeke to acknowledge her and her power but....As far as I know, he never did. The interest in speaking to a fellow elemental just because of what they were seemed to irk him. For whatever reason I couldn't begin to tell you. Christof was the opposite however. He encouraged her less than savory behavior. Which ranged from starting fires in the woods to test her ability to master her gift, getting rid of the less 'developed' children. All to build her up as something of a failsafe if we ever lost control over Zeke. A sound plan in theory..."

Nocturne sighed.

"....But alas that's all it was. Just a theory. For when night came to pass on this day and Zeke began his attack? Ash was right there. Not on his side mind you, she despised him and those he'd come to call his friends. She indirectly aided in his little rebellion by attacking the camp's guards/security forces of her own volition. Just adding more fuel onto the fire. As for what became of her? I believe you'll find that out once this flashback begins winding down. It appears she confronted Zeke and his friends as they were escaping. How that went I couldn't begin to tell you. I ordered Clyde to stop recording by that point. If she were still alive? I'm sure she's still out there, seeking to pursue Zeke in her own way. If you might meet her on your travels as it were, feel free to ask for her aid. I'm certain she'd give it if she knew who you were after...."

BuggaBoo

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nocchi said:

"Of course I'm a real vampire." She had lulled in response, wings flapping as though with intent of emphasizing her point. "You'd be correct." She answered in response to his assumption. "My physical feats are far superior to you lousy humans."

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nocchi said:

"My good side?" She repeated in a coo, eyes drifting towards the floor with momentary deep thoughtfulness. "I suppose the answer is simply not to get in my way,"

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nocchi said:

"And you are to listen to me." It was evident there was some sort of hierarchy structure between vampires and humans, and she saw herself as being superior and entitled to the latter's subservience.

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nocchi said:

"But of course." She'd confirm with perhaps appalling lack of humility, emphasizing her confidence in this matter with a firm nod. "I dare to say I was the strongest in all of Gensokyo," She continued with a very soft smile, hardly noticeable. "....That was, until I was taken from it." T

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Nagant didn't have any idea of how old Remilia was.

How could she? But despite the vampire's haughty attitude/sheer confidence in herself, she still just....Looked like a kid to Nagant.

It was just a nice feeling to see that kind of optimism coming from someone like that. Helped mend the sort of darkness that was brewing since all this started.

"You'll get back there. We'll all get back to where we belong."

She spared another glance at where Nighthawk stood by himself staring up at the clouds. Alone.

"....Once we do what needs to be done." The smile quickly faded.
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nocchi said:

Her head turned at an angle, an impish but arrogant smirk etching itself onto the length of her lips. Her eyes were still half-opened in her usual lethargic manner. When she spoke, the points of her fangs were visible: "Of course I'm a real vampire." She had lulled in response, wings flapping as though with intent of emphasizing her point. "You'd be correct." She answered in response to his assumption. "My physical feats are far superior to you lousy humans."

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Well, Nagant couldn't say she approved of everything that came out of the little one's mouth.

"Never met a REAL vampire before...." Quirks were as varied as there were stars in the moonlit sky. "But I wouldn't call us 'lousy'"

Some PEOPLE were definitely 'lousy' and that was putting it lightly.

The human race as a whole though?

Nagant leaned towards....no.

Herself though, she definitely was.
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nocchi said:

"I suppose the answer is simply not to get in my way," Even now, she spoke through her small simper which was as arrogant as her demeanor and body language. "And you are to listen to me." It was evident there was some sort of hierarchy structure between vampires and humans, and she saw herself as being superior and entitled to the latter's subservience.

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]"He's free to do whatever he'd like." So long as it didn't involve her getting put in any further potential for harm. The collar that had enough explosive power behind it to turn her entire body into a fine red mist was enough of an incentive. Taking care of Nocturne and Christof would have been very nice but at the end of the day? This wasn't even her world. The heroes or whatever you could call 'heroes' in this world where she and the others were being tasked with murdering a child in Multi and an old man in Nighthawk would have to deal with Nocturne/Christof themselves. If the government was going to close their eyes and act as though Zeke and the others didn't exist just to save face, change would have come elsewhere.

She only hoped it came before she had to pull the trigger.

"But...I think I'm okay with one leash for now, personally."
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JTR said:

He bowed respectfully to his new boss. "I am at your service, Lady Remilia." It was a Japanese custom and not an American one, but Travis figured she would appreciate that, being the haughty and proud woman she seemed to be. "I may not look like it, but I have slain many powerful human warriors.. so when the time comes, please put me to work as you see fit." Christof may have thought they would all be working for him, but with this arrangement, he had sworn loyalty to another, at least until they got out of here.

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Huh.

That was.....pretty quick.

Ringrose nocchi
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darkred said:

"If one President of the United States is here from another time, no telling what would happen should something go wrong for either of us."

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Stricken Steel said:

"President Valentine is it? I made an oath to serve under the US President at ANY time and place, I may be from the year 2035, but I still have a sense of respect. So this would be appropriate to say I will serve under your command, Yes? As the President has COMPLETE authority over all the US Branches. The Navy, Army, Air Force, Space Force, and The Marines."

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Guzma had been...ignored.

Whatever! Not like he cared about whether or not these schmucks acknowledged him! He had his Pokemon! He just had to figure out the best way to take care of these bozos that jerkoff Nocturne wanted 86'ed and he'd be on his way. Right after he got rid of this collar and made that walking bag of staples and pus pay for what it'd done to his companion.

"I don't even know what a 'United States' is....."

Before Guzma could totally not care any harder, everyone gathered around him-Guzma included-felt a sharp chill overtake them. It'd been as though they'd stepped outside on a snowy day without a jacket. Although they couldn't be harmed while going through Clyde's Gift, there were certain things they could feel and the aftereffects of Zeke's gift/his very presence was one of them. For by the docks where some of the others had gone, Clyde had made the mistake of approaching Multi and Zeke....

But it wasn't the only sight they'd to worry about. While in the group was a president of the United States, a certain target of those assembled seemed to have parentage from another country across the sea.. Shivering though they were, two men in black and white suits were ushered towards the camp's entrance by none other than a younger looking Christof-lacking the horrific scarring that Zeke's gift had left him with in the present-with the former general holding the hand of a youth beside him. The hair was messy, there were bags under the teenager's eyes. As though they hadn't slept in days. The shirt across their chest was an obnoxiously bright 'USA #1!' across it in big bold lettering. Their hair had been spiked up and slung over the boy's shoulders was a torn up denim jacket. Clearly they were going for an 80s punk vibe.

"You're standing on the trigger to an international incident here, Christof!" One of the suited men shouted. "Nikolai is right! DNA tests show that our beloved president is young Rostov's father-" Christof held up his free hand to quiet the men while holding Rostov's hand with the other. "I cannot claim to speak as the end-all-be all- representative of my adoptive country but the story I was told when my establishment gained custody over Rostov was that your president-who's fatherhood may or may not be true-had given him over to us in exchange for an American gifted. This is of course something I doubt he'd like to admit aloud....." The two men grumbled. Whether or not this alleged 'trade off' was true, all three adults in the matter knew that it'd only be a bad look to announce that the president of Russia had indeed done a trade off with what may have very well been a bastard of his with the US.

"Until you can bring proper paperwork or the like, I'm afraid Rostov stays here with me as his legal guardian."

Curses were shouted in Russian by the men before they turned and left in a huff.

It was only once they were gone that Rostov spoke.

"They say you're not my father."

"I'm not. In a biological sense."

"But you are in another sense?"

"Legally, the camp 'owns' you. I AM the camp's representative so I am technically your father."

"Makes sense to Rostov."

"Good. Now hurry on along to the cafeteria, won't you?"

"Yes. Not-Father." Rostov exclaimed as he turned and walked towards the designated meeting area.



"....Hey, uh, I know this ain't my world and and all, yo. But if that kid's really some bigshot's kid. Wouldn't y'know....going after him I dunno cause some kinda trouble??"

"Ah, a good question if from an unlikely source."

"Hey!"

"Rostov-the name Christof chose for him-was part of a 'project' done by the Russian government in an attempt to outpace our own country's efforts to militarize the gifted. Certain tests showed that Rostov carried more than a fair share of the president's DNA. Not wanting this to turn into something of a scandal that he'd fathered one of the Gifted he'd be throwing to the figurative wolves, he 'traded' Rostov with us for another gifted. He'd wanted Zeke but Christof and I refused to budge on that. I can't quite remember who we traded for Rostov but up until the Incident that you'll see transpire, the president would send men every now and again to try and strong arm us into giving Rostov back in a discreet manner. To have his cake and eat it too I suppose. I would have done it just to get them out of our hair but again..."

Nocturne sighed.

"Christof wouldn't budge. Quite stubborn in that manner, I suppose."

darkred Stricken Steel FactionParadox

~~~~



Zeke didn't care for any of the staff here.

He reserved most of his hatred for Nocturne. The Doctor and Christof had been the only 'parental figures' in Zeke's life-after his own mother had an unfortunate incident which in turn ended up with the elemental in the government's hands. Nocturne wanted Zeke to stop being so 'overly generous' with his peers like Multi/Butch/Rostov. To be as cold as his body. Christof wanted Zeke to give up any hopes or desires of 'the world outside the camp.' All he needed to worry about was perfecting his gift enough to the degree that when the day for recruitment came, Zeke would be a shining example of what gifted could really do for the armed forces of the country.

Zeke couldn't do it no matter how hard he tried. Being an elemental wasn't something he'd asked for. Until he could get a good enough grip on his gift, he was given horrified looks by the other children in the camp. His natural 'skin' resembled and felt like ice cut straight from an iceburg. The 'tufts' of ice that were present in his hair were real icicles that poked through the 'normal' skin that Zeke created using his energy. He-in his own eyes-looked like something that simply shouldn't have been. No better than a monster from a horror movie.

But his friends at camp never saw him like that. To them he was the one they'd always turn to for guidance/help. If a scuffle was had, he'd always step in to care for his friends. Which meant that to hear that Clyde-Nocturne's lapdog-had gone out of his way to bully Multi by taking the ball that Zeke had stolen from the storage room. Something that in the grand scheme of things wasn't a huge deal worth making a fuss over but Clyde did it anyway. One of the few things he could do to the only child that didn't scare the crap out of him. He knew that Multi wouldn't fight back or complain.

"Hey! There you guys are, Multi. I thought I told you to-"

Clyde's eyes widened to the point you might have confused them for dinner plates. He could see the cold wind blowing past Zeke's fingers on his right hand as he pulled his arm back. "Zeke no!" Clyde held up his hands and shook his head in a terrified manner. "W-Wait, Zeke!!! Don't do this!!! Please!!!" He'd even beg if he had to!

"[Icy Wind]!"

Zeke thrust his hand forward and for the briefest of moments, those near the docks could have seen a crack appear in the air where Zeke had put his fist. The crack spread along until it seemed to resemble a snowflake as a cold stream of wind blasted forward, freezing over a good chunk of the lake and the entirety of the dock. It was only through quick enough reflexes and knowing what Zeke could do that saved Clyde from having his feet frozen over/shattered by Zeke. Landing atop the frozen boards, Clyde shivered. Not just because of the cold but staring down that teenager who nearly mutilated him just now.

Hei could only watch in silence as his jacket billowed in the massive gust of freezing wind that Zeke had launched this way.

He wasn't going to hesitate to do what was needed to get out of here alive.

But the cold from just that swipe alone....Felt cold enough to hit the bone.

~~~

Fuyou-Kay BuggaBoo jump. (if you'd prefer not to be tagged anymore, Jump! Lemme know in the OOC thread! I just didn't want you to fall behind incase you ever rejoined!)[/FONT]​