Fantasy New Oasis: Four Heavenly Kings

[Sei Shonagon]

Kaede Shimokōbe

CS Link

SCENE:

New Oasis Arc 3: Scene 2 [The Dragon and the Phoenix]

LOCATION:

Eastern Edge of Upper Central District

PARTICIPANTS:

alabama family reunion

The dragon and the Phoenix

It had been brief, but a brief taste of something was sometimes enough to fan flames into existence. Light a spark where there had been none and wheedle 'what ifs' in little tinders. The King, she had been King for just long enough to blink twice. Once in disbelief and then twice in wonder. The power to do anything had been right there, right in her stolen palm. But what had she done with it? She had released her grip instead of clinging to it and relented to the pressure of whitening knuckles.

What a waste.

Inertia reeled her back into relaxed limbs and another set of open palms. Her consciousness clutched the walls of temples adorned by glasses and a gasp for breath escaped her newly awoken body as she sobered back into life.

The unfamiliar sensation of arms and the flesh that sunk into them, frame too different to be Yong-Yut, alerted her anew. Kaede tensed and prickled closed lids with worrisome wrinkles as she extended the act of being unconscious. Who was this? The pit in her stomach told her that she knew who it was, while weightlessness continued to deprive her of solid ground. The shadow board rocked above the ground and thus also rocked the bottomless discomfort that churned a silent curse to the forefront of her mind.

The now quiet one that harboured no other occupants to distract her from the world.

Damn. It was Spirit, was it not?

Well, this was awkward. Any power-hungry thoughts were smothered as quickly as they had come into existence under carefully procured breaths. What was she gonna do? It wasn't like she was able to provide any aid in the battle and talking to the person she had just chewed out-

Kaede remained still in her imitation of a lifeless husk and quietly counted the seconds for when Sommy would return. Or that her cover was blown. Whatever came first.

tldr: kaede is pretending to be unconscious to avoid awkward social interaction and confrontation

Peckinou interaction

 

[Doctor Llamabean]

"BANDY"

SCENE:

Phoenixes Arc 3: Scene 2 [Tactical Mayhem]

LOCATION:

Upper Central, CDPD HQ; Parking lot

PARTICIPANTS:

Boltius, Tatsuya, Ashley, Inigo, Jericho, Bandy, Callista, Eric, Gideon

TACTICAL MAYHEM

The world became washed in grid as Bandy started toward the black Sedan. A few steps, then he was running. A few more, and he was sprinting.

As he drew closer, a shock of orange hair caught his peripheral. Boltius stood with a walkie in hand and, beside him, an assumed Phoenix whom Bandy didn’t recognize.

What’s ‘e doin’?

He saw the Ace’s mouth move, but was, unfortunately, unequipped with a walkie of his own. Therefore, he didn’t get the message to retreat.

As the masked arrivals flooded the parking lot, and Phoenixes began to noticeably clump together, Bandy noted the lack of action on the Ace’s part and, walkie or not, skidded to a halt before quickly rerouting in the Ace’s direction.

“Ay, what’s the deals?” he asked, looking between Boltius and the Phoenix, he guessed, beside him.

More Phoenixes started to huddle around, all paying cautious mind to the three individuals by the Sedan, and they came with questions, all of them. However, some were there and gone, moving to aid nearby allies who became locked in battle with the Masks.

BANDY/POST NOTES​

— —POST RECAP: Bandy takes off running toward the black Sedan, Yelena and her goons, but notices Boltius in his peripheral doing nothing. He chooses to approach Boltius and Gideon and ask what's up.

— —EQUIPMENT: He's carrying a bo-staff.

(Interacting w/ Callista, Jericho, Boltius, Gideon)
(Mentioned no one)
Nobody Special Roda the Red Coyote Hart Lucem simj26 Damafaud Wxnter angel doe ​

 

[WhiskeyMarten]

RAQUEL VS TAURUS

CS Link

SCENE:

Phoenixes Arc 3: Scene 3 [Whole World Blind]

LOCATION:

Lucky Rabbit Casino - Floor 9, West District

PARTICIPANTS:

Charlie, Hector, Hide, Raquel, Yukito, Zachariah
Alicia, Dante

WHOLE WORLD BLIND

“Hmmm~ Hmmm~ Hmmmm~” A bloodstained girl walked around the empty halls of the ninth floor. The mostly consumed corpse of Lady Sonnen was dragged right behind her with the cannibal taking bites out of it. “Eeny, meeny, miny, moe,” a rhyme came out of her mouth. Her eyes flitted through the many doors.

“Catch a tiger by the toe…” These rooms were so boring. Despite being a casino, the color scheme of the damn place was dull. It didn’t have that certain vibrance. A nice color that attract the eye. That’s when she spotted it. A nice red luster of a ruby carved into words, ‘Ruby Room.’ In front of the door is a meal.

Snort.

Taurus remained at his post, but had now taken notice of the cannibal. His eyes, black and empty like two voids stared her down. He let out a sharp exhale through his nose. He remained clutching the wall for support against the quake, but made no move against the intruder.

“If he hollers, let him go,” A savage grin grew on her face. Lady Sonnen’s remains quickly disappeared into her mouth. Raquel licked her fingers and eyed the bodyguard. Pulling them out revealed a rather sharp bone. “Eeny, meeny, miny… Moe!” She kicked up in a sprint. With a bone as sharp as a dagger, she threw at the bodyguard as she ran at him.

One of the bull’s hands balled into a fist, the muscles in his arms tensed, showing his immense strength from that alone. He didn’t even flinch when the bone projectile was launched his way, and it hit him square in the chest.

Boink!

The pinprick of blood couldn’t even be seen through the bulls dark fur as the bone fell helplessly to the ground. Taurus glanced down, and back up at Raquel as she approached.

Snort.

His nose twitched.

Then, a loud roar echoed across the hallway. Without any notice, Taurus broke into a charge, gargantuan horns aimed forward like lances aimed to impale the Phoenix.

Taurus - Potential: Bull

Taurus’s potential is hard to hide, as it gives him the features of a bull, including enhanced strength and a near-invulnerable coat. Known for his sudden flips from stoic to crazed when attacked, which adds to his intimidation factor.

​

Raquel met the minotaur head on. “Gyahahahaha!” She screamed. If the bull wasn’t going to make any conversation, then she’d skip the appetizer and head to the main course. Raising both of her hands, she grabbed Taurus’s horns. “Gggggggh!” Raquel’s feet slid back after holding the minotaur still.

“If you want it nice and tender… You gotta beat the meat!” With around two HP’s lingering in her stomach, Raquel was strong but her hunger wanted more. Unleashing her full force, she attempted to lift Taurus by the horns and slam him repeatedly around the room.

Taurus felt himself be pushed back to a halt by the deceptively strong Phoenix, until they were so close that she would be able to feel his hot breath on her face. As she lifted, he immediately broke out into a series of loud bellows as he shifted his weight around. He felt his weight being lifted off of the ground a few times as he continued to struggle, but with a grunt, he leaned back, delivering a two legged kick at the cannibal as she held him up.

The kick left the Phoenix breathless. The force of two hooves directly into her stomach. However, she wasn’t going to let go without a little bit of resistance. After sustaining the attack, she immediately threw Taurus off to the side. Sending down crashing into the wall, she decided it was about time to stop playing around.

Raquel caught her breath. “As much as I’d like to keep playing around, I have someone to impress.” With a glare, she darted towards Taurus. “So do me a favor and please die.”

Taurus shook his head, bits of wall clinging to his fur. Despite the loud crash, it didn’t seem to slow the bull at all as he prepared for Raquel’s next approach, that is, until his ear pricked at the sound of creaking amid the rumbling of the building.

A door creaking. The door to the Ruby Room.

A suited man peered out of the doorway, clinging to the frame like a toddler would hold its mother. He looked positively terrified.

“Y-Y-You.”

The man was too stunned to speak.

Snort.

The man stood there.

Taurus yelled out with another bellow, turning away from Raquel and breaking into a sprint toward the door. The man fell back onto his ass before the bull slammed the door shut with force, shaking it.

“LOCK IT, NOW!!!”

His first words of the day. Taurus swiftly turned on his feet back to Raquel. Taurus felt a heavy weight on his shoulder as he did.

There were no words from the cannibal this time. She was serious this time. When the bovine turned his back to her, she jumped. Grabbing the bovine’s shoulder, she tucked her legs in.

Then she thrusted them at the bovine’s head. Blades of metal jutted out of her heels as she tried to skewer the man’s neck and head.

Taurus thrashed around in an attempt to shake off Raquel, in the struggle, he felt a blade against his neck. Lifting his arms up, he pulled the legs down with a strong tug, but it swiped down his fur in ther process, leaving two slim cuts from his neck to his chest that already begun to stain his fur in blood.

Snort.

That wasn’t going to be enough. Pushing herself off the minotaur, she landed behind the minotaur. Once more with a little more oomph, she jumped up. Wrapping her legs around the minotaur’s thick neck, she proceeded to use her legs to toss the Taurus into the Ruby Room. The bull slammed against the door, rattling the already shaking frame and wall.

 

[angel doe]

amari

CS Link

SCENE:

dragons arc 3: scene 1 [securing the future]

LOCATION:

east district, tech expo

PARTICIPANTS:

sophia, jesper, kasumi, “jane”, amari

securing the future

amari's head whipped around so fast when she heard guardian speak that her neck cracked, eyes wide and expecting a fight, but froze when she realized he was just thanking her, “oh, yeah. don't worry about it, kid," she willed her arms back to normal, clearing her throat and fixing her tie, “s'my job, after all." it was also her job to keep an eye on herself and make sure she didn't go overboard with her potential, something that had completely slipped her mind when anger clouded her thoughts.

“aight, now that we got all this-" amari started but silenced immediately as guardian spoke again, this time more urgently, “yeah, 'kay, let's get movin' then." she walked ahead, only pausing to look over her shoulder when she heard him cough, her mouth falling open with surprise.

amari watched as guardian, pixel by pixel, dissipated and left deafening silence in his wake. she stood there for another moment before rage completely clouded her vision for the second time, but this was far more intense. guardian was gone, which meant something had happened to jesper. i shoulda been there to protect HIM. that's my job an' i just left him... without another thought, amari took off back to the room they had just left, her heart hammering in her chest.

there were more than a couple of casualties in amari's sprint back, knocking down multiple civilians as she barreled past. she should have known better than to leave jesper like that, she KNEW something about that jane chick was off. why the hell didn't amari just trust her fuckin' gut?? with a frustrated yell, she burst through the doors of the main room... and was greeted with a bloodbath.

with a growl, amari's hands and feet morphed into massive wolf paws, though their hands were vaguely human-like, and took a second to flex their claws to get rid of some of the discomfort. leaping over the corpses, they took a sharp turn down the hallway, thick claws on their feet digging into the floor to avoid skidding into a wall; it took only moments for them to reach the door to the room jesper was in.

wasting no time, they slammed into the door and knocked it completely off its hinges, scanning the room once before their eyes locked on the red-haired woman that had been causing them so much grief, “i told ya what would happen if ya tried anythin' shifty." amari spoke, their voice low and gravelly, before launching themself directly at 'jane', knocking her to the ground. they wrapped one of their massive hands(?) around the woman's throat, holding her down, squeezing slightly, “ya remember that, dontcha?"

amari leaned so close their foreheads almost touched, eyes boring into 'jane's' as their claws pressed into her neck, not enough to break the skin, but more as a subtle warning.

tl dr: angey
AriAriAbabwa FabulousTrash azenva

 

[Coyote Hart]

Peyton Xiong ft. Yuto Nishimura

CS Link

SCENE:

Serpents Arc 3: Scene 1 [Thicker Than Water]

LOCATION:

Mysterious Black Site, North District

PARTICIPANTS:

August, Damian, Julian, Kinz, Kisara, Kyoden, Peyton, Raph, Sabrina, Shinko

THICKER THAN WATER

After the incident in a Central District hospital, Peyton found himself in the presence of a certain cannibalistic spider boy more and more often. When he wasn’t working at the ENP, the bookstore, or as a Dragon, Peyton often found himself on one of the couches that were freely available in other brothels, spooning in Yuto’s arms as they shared their personal space.

The gentle sound of Yuto’s breathing, his steady heartbeat, and the warmth of his lean body was very soothing for the oft-erratic Peyton. And to add to it, it felt good; the physical contact provided some much-needed serotonin.

They talked often when they did this. Small topics like each other’s days, their lives, and the fascinating topic of how people tasted.

In one of the conversations, they were talking about the Serpents. Peyton asked Yuto a small, innocuous question, but the conversation was one that Peyton often reflected upon whenever he wondered what his role in the Serpents was when he prepared to rescue Raph.

“Is it fun being a Serpent?” Peyton asked. His head rested in the crevice of Yuto’s chest, so only his eyes moved up to look at the spider.

Yuto hummed, his mind only half present, the other half enjoying the comfortable buzz his body lay in. He rested his chin on Peyton’s head, his soft response amused, “It is.” he shrugged, though Peyton couldn’t necessarily see it, he was sure he felt it. “Most days there's an adventure, a thrill, like everyday is your last! Y’know? Other days- Mmmm.. I dunno... There's always downtimes- boring times if you ask me- in any job.”

He furrowed his brows in thought, a chuckle reverberating from his throat, ‘Though, I guess I would still be having fun without the Serpents.” He wrapped his spindly arms around Peyton’s torso, enjoying the warmth like a reptile would a heated rock. Nuzzling his nose into Peyton’s neck, he breathed deep, enjoying his scent. The three eyed boy mumbled, “I guess it does bring me some comfort knowing I belong somewhere…” He smiled with a kiss to his skin.

Peyton’s breath hitched in his throat. His neck tingled where Yuto’s lips touched, and he sank deeper into Yuto’s embrace to feel more of the bliss that came from their union.

Yuto’s words made Peyton reflect on his situation. Being in the Serpents had been really fun for Peyton. As Yuto had said, every day was like an adventure. Being in the Dragons had its own perks, but it was unequivocally more boring than being in the Serpents. And as to where he belonged, there was no doubt that at that moment, Peyton most definitely belonged in Yuto’s comforting arms. But he also belonged in the Eternal Night Palace and the bookstore where he worked at. On the same thought line though, Peyton could’ve just as well belonged at Uncle Tri’s lab. So what did that make Peyton? Cause at the very moment, he was laying in the arms of a Serpent.

“Should I join you then?” Peyton asked, “And return to being a Serpent?”

Yuto suddenly raised his head, obviously shocked. A pleased smile broke across his lips, his arms tightening possessively. It wasn’t often Yuto felt considerate of others, but he was aware it was wrong to push his selfish desires onto his friend. “Hmm.. I wouldn’t ask that of you… Dragon or Serpent- you're mine.” He bit into the edge of Peyton’s jaw hard enough to bruise. A gasp left Peyton’s lips, although he nuzzled closer to Yuto, allowing him access to the bite. Huffing a laugh, Yuto added, “But of course, it wouldn’t hurt not having to fight you as an enemy.~ It’s much more fun when it's rather a game than an obligation hm?” Yuto cackled.

Peyton realized Yuto was right. There was definitely a thrill in fighting friends, but there was a convenience factor when they weren’t an enemy.

“Yeah, but then what would your prize be if you win the fight?” Peyton asked, putting the thoughts out of his mind, “My body?”

Smiling, Yuto responded, sounding almost smug, “I think I’ve already won that, Don’t you?”. The three eyed man lightly traced a finger over the bite he had inflicted on Peyton in the hospital. Smirking, he licked a wet stripe up the side of Peyton’s neck. “I’d rather have something… sweeter~.”

---
​

Now that Peyton thought about it, even if Nai had been trying to convince him to return to the Serpents because that was where his old friend were, where was the harm in that? It was true. While he was in the Dragons for the money, most of his friends were in the Serpents. The congregation of Serpents were his friends, Yuto was his friend, and so was Raph, even if he insisted on seeing Peyton as his enemy. Even though Peyton simultaneously was sad about Raph hating him and liking their spiteful dynamic, it didn't mean that he would stop fighting with Raph if they were allies.

With Raph awakening from his slumber, Peyton was initially about to dive in between Raph and the other Serpents to redirect any of his attacks onto himself. But the bug-wielding man was able to calm Raph down before Peyton had to step in. So instead, Peyton was able to just stand next to the other Serpents and wave at Raph.

"Did you think nobody was going to come to save you?" Peyton cooed. A beaming grin was on his face, bright as sunshine despite the environment, "Caio got everyone together to save you when he realized where you were! And this isn't even everyone. Damian, Kinsley, a really tall monster, this goth lady, and this big guy with a katana are also here with us! Somewhere."

Peyton was happy. Super duper happy. It was a joy to see Raphael and know that he was alive, especially as frenemies.

"I had to come too!" Peyton said. A smug look entered his bright expression as he commented, "Only a bad Dragon would leave a friend in need!"

Proclaiming that he was a Dragon wasn't the right thing to say, but Peyton wasn't in the right state of mind either. He was sure that Kisara and August weren't going to hurt him if they realized he was a Dragon, and Julian seemed like he already knew and didn't mind. But in truth... if most of his friends were Serpents, didn't that mean that Peyton was really just a Serpent?

No matter how much Peyton debated in his mind, the truth had been set. He was no Dragon.

Collab with: Caffeine_Obsessed
Elenion Aura Doctor Llamabean Sei Shonagon simj26

 

[angel doe]

jericho s. madden

CS Link

SCENE:

phoenixes arc 3: scene 2 [tactical mayhem]

LOCATION:

upper central, CDPD HQ; parking lot

PARTICIPANTS:

bandy, boltius, callista, ashley, gideon, tatsuya, inigo, eric

CIRCLE OF HELL:

fraud [shapeshifting]

tactical mayhem

jericho sprinted after bandy, keeping an even pace while staying a foot or so behind him. he didn't want to go rushing into anything, especially when he had no idea who those people were or what was going on. he was still itching for a good fight, though.

suddenly, bandy skidded to a halt, the action startling jericho as he slowed himself down as quickly as he could, trying not to slam directly into the other man. he finally managed to stop himself without falling face-first into the ground, sliding past bandy and glancing at him, visibly confused, “what're ya...?" rico started to mumble but quieted himself instead, following his companion.

approaching the group and seeing bandy talking to the ace and another phoenix had jericho tilting his head slightly to one side. he would have said something, but his friend already voiced the same question he'd had; saying something now seemed unnecessary. rico just waited for a reply from the ace, resisting the urge to shove his bloody hands into his pockets out of habit, taking a step closer to bandy.

Wxnter Doctor Llamabean WhiskeyMarten Lucem Coyote Hart

 

[Wxnter]

Callista Reinhart

CS Link

SCENE:

Phoenixes Arc 3: Scene 2 [Tactical Mayhem]

LOCATION:

Chikage's Office, 3rd Floor, CDPD-HQ, Upper Central

PARTICIPANTS:

Bandy, Jericho, Ashley, Boltius, Eric, Gideon, Inigo, Tatsuya

Tactical Mayhem

Callista was no stranger to violence. Yet as she stood amidst the stage of blood and carnage, her insides churned. The macabre scene played out before her like a fever dream — the sight of scattered bodies everywhere, the smell of blood wafting through the air, the sound of dreadful screams coming from every direction — it was as if her skin would rise from her flesh. Every vestige of color had been driven from her face, and she swallowed hard as her eyes grazed over the mutilated corpse that lay on the ground.

“I want to go home,” she muttered quietly to herself as she absentmindedly watched Bandy and Jericho break into a sprint. The damsel could not will her legs to move. The arrival of the black sedan spelled out something ominous, and for the first time she felt that she had been thrown into a lion’s den. Callista was no fool, and her instincts knew even better. Against those masked figures, she was helpless prey. Every atom in her body screamed at her to escape. Had she grown soft and cowardly after a few peaceful years?

Nearby phoenixes reiterated Boltius’ calls for a retreat, and her ears pricked. Suddenly aware of how vulnerable she was away from the other two, she quickly made her way over to the group, tailing behind Jericho. Her eyes kept flitting around her as she did, a hint of worry and fear etched into them. It was unlike her to feel so unnerved, but she couldn’t ignore the dreadful feeling that suddenly pervaded her senses. Callista couldn’t scratch the feeling that something big was about to happen.

“W-We’re leaving now, right?” It sounded more like a plea than a question. The words were directed at Boltius, but her eyes had settled on Bandy’s.

Interactions: Bandy, Jericho, Boltius, Gideon
Doctor Llamabean angel doe Coyote Hart Lucem simj26 Nobody Special Roda the Red
​

 

[Sei Shonagon]

Julian Midgley

CS Link

SCENE:

Serpents Arc 3: Scene 1 [Thicker Than Water]

LOCATION:

Mysterious Black Site, North District

PARTICIPANTS:

August, Peyton, Kisara, and Takaonna

Serpents Arc 3: Scene 1 [Thicker Than Water]

Sewer water and hints of earth accompanied the emotional reunion, the earth slightly musty and reminiscent of mould. It stained the picture and ate away at the edges of it, corroded sweet feelings into anger that contorted the expression of his fellow prisoner. Sour, distraught, wrong. Did Raphy feel wronged? Wronged for being left to rot. Wronged for how long it had taken his 'supposed' friends to get there.

Wronged for still being.

He certainly looked the part, hair in disarray and mouth smeared with traces of liquified fear. Eyes unnervingly attentive and drawing tangents across their faces as if to reconfirm that they weren't just illusions; Hallucinations that were procured by frazzled nerves that knew what freedom from the restraints really entailed in this place. Oh, dear Ralphy. You're acting like a poor little stray dog. The blonde steeled his cheek muscles against the spasms that bristled through them. A hound even, he concluded to the subsequent collapse of the demon.

"Oh, dear." His ghastly form fell into a squat beside the horned body, a white sheet waiting to be draped over the remains of her cooling limbs. "Look at the mess you've made-" Murmured words skimmed over the outlines of her darkened midsection "And she even went through the effort of freeing and carrying you".

His pale lashes swept up to frame the raven between the heavenly blues of his eyes and the damp, murky ground. A grin sparked to life on marble features "It is like Peyton said, they're here to rescue you silly". The pearlescent shawl disentangled from his slender neck and bounced off the hand that reached out to peel bloodied clothes. The wound stared back with red vengeance in stead of the demon's anger. Flesh and strands of sinewy muscles peeked through the ripped edges that stretched across her midriff.

The abnormal bewinged insects clustered over it and made their way inside with tiny legs until they had piled up beneath the flesh. He squeezed the wound shut in a second lid over the plug and watched wordlessly how the remaining insects sealed the deal by stapling it.

Spoiler: Tags

Coyote Hart Doctor Llamabean simj26 Elenion Aura
TLDR: Julian scolds Raph and patches Kisara up

 

[Damafaud]

DYNE ENJYRE

CS Link

SCENE:

Phoenix Arc 3: Scene 2 [Tactical Mayhem]

LOCATION:

3rd Floor CDPD HQ, Upper Central District,

PARTICIPANTS:

Ashley, Oliver (NPC), Dyne, Boltius, Eric, Gideon, Inego, Roza, Tatsuya

TACTICAL MAYHEM

Jonathan, the more battle-experienced of the pair, slowed his flight.

"Something wrong, darling?" Dyne lowered her voice. The pair had dropped Roza to a scouting team of Phoenix and were flying back to the Eastern District far above the buildings. Now that they slowed over, Dyne noticed something wrong as well.

"Really, I didn't know we are on a fault line!" Dyne exclaimed. The skyscrapers below them showed a gentle sway she had never seen before.

"Never heard that, too, love. We should hurry home." Jonathan started again. This time, however, Dyne caught on his arm. She swayed in front of him before landing herself in a princess carry in front of him.

"Flying this long a distance is tiring after all that fighting." Dyne pouted and pulled out a phone from her purse. Speechless, Jonathan could only continue flying. With the repulsive force Dyne applied under her weight, light as a feather was not an exaggeration.

In his comfortable lap, Dyne started a text to Bolt. The fiery darling was probably still fighting his way out, but she had no doubt that he would escape. They had a misunderstanding to clear and some explanation to do.

Hi darling,
Why don't you come over to For Vacancy in the Eastern District? I'll answer your deepest, strongest desire. My treat~

XXX, Dyne

"Careful with fire, love." Jonathan's deep voice suddenly rumbled before he winced. Dyne had pinched his forearm.

"That's why I ask to meet at our place, darling." She curled her lips. "And that's for reading my text."

"Just for that?"

Silence fell. Their gaze met, one glaring, one presumptuous, a tension worthy of a drama.

"I admire your spirit, Miss Enjyre."

"And you are as arrogant as ever, Boss."

Jonathan broke into a smile. "So you still know that I run this ship? Running a bar is not easy."

"And it appears you forget who purchase it at the first place, hm?" Dyne pinched Jonathan again. On his chest, this time. Jonathan showed no response on his face but a change in smile. The smile Dyne mirrored.

"You think we have time before we go home, love?"

"I don't know, darling. Does it matter?"

And like the communication between Dyne and Bolt, Jonathan found his response. It didn't really matter.

Spoiler: tag

Scene: Doctor Llamabean
Tag: Roda the Red Nobody Special Wxnter Coyote Hart Lucem

 

[Damafaud]

TRI

CS Link

SCENE:

Serpents Arc 3: Scene 2 [Hunks in the City]

LOCATION:

Ice Cream Parlor, Central District

PARTICIPANTS:

Celestine, Jozef, Nikolai, Tri, Markus, Toru

HUNKS IN THE CITY

After two dozen steps or so, Tri pulled his arms forward to a normal run. Less cool, but he needed his hands for what he wanted to do next.

One left turn, and they were right at the front of the small hotel where they had stayed for two days in a row. Tri could see his heart boxer stuck to the third window from the entrance on the second floor. As expected, it was a good idea to mark them.

“Hup.” Before the security guards could react, Tri jumped and pulled himself up the awning. Using the frame as footsholds, he leapt over to the window. There was barely any place to stand on the outside window-

CRASH

But not like Tri was planning to land outside, anyway.

Nikolai panted, hands on his knees as they finally arrived at the hotel. Only… where did Tri- his eyes snapped up, disbelief written in his features. He sighed. Of course, they couldn't just walk in normally now could they?

Unfortunately for him, Niko didn’t have his lance with him… Rolling his eyes, he jumped, reaching the awning with his fingers, then struggling up after Tri. He rolled in after after his superior, his coat protecting him from broken shards as he landed with an “Oomph!” On his ass.

“As expected of my Jack,” Tri said without looking back. He was busy assembling pink parts into Lovemaker 3000, but also it was cooler that way. Not only Lovemaker, the bottom of Tri’s suitcase was full of unusual guns and explosives. Sleeping gas, neurotoxin darts, Doping-and-Die serum…

“Nikola, want a weapon?” Looking at all his stash, it felt a pity not to use them all. Especially since he already had weapons inside his jackets, too.

Getting to his feet, he brushed himself off with a roll of his eyes. “I’d rather not… I’ll call up Akiva to drop off my lance here.” He paused, eyeing Tri’s stash. “… well, maybe a few explosives if you don’t mind…” he narrowed his eyes. Who knew if these were regular explosives or not... Definitely not. Sleeping gas, paralyzing gas, confetti, flashbang, basically anything but actual explosives.

Huffing, Nikolai pulled out his phone to text Akiva just that. Tri hummed.

"We're leaving now. Will be bad if Jozef and Celeste died." Runts or not, they were part of his friendship project. Death meant his effort went down the drain. Stashing several bombs haphazardly into his coat, Tri held Lovemaker 3000 tight and prepared to jump out.

Then, it happened.

Shaking. The whole building, the whole ground, concrete and all. People exclaimed and took shelter. Tri held onto the railing with, for once, surprise. An earthquake. He never had an earthquake before. He didn't know earthquakes even happened here. And maybe others didn't either.

Surprise done. Cracks slithered up their wall, but it wasn't important. His eyes light up with interest. Tri shouted, "Niko! We're running there and traumatizing victims of this natural disaster! This is a command!"

This was a once in a lifetime opportunity! You couldn't ask for an earthquake if you wanted to! No longer waiting, Tri jumped down and turned the corner.

Nikolai eyed Tri’s retreating form, still bearing his feet against the shaking of the building. He sucked his teeth in annoyance, knowing full well if he were to get angry now, he would lost sight of his superior. He sent Akiva his location, a green light beeping on his phone as he allowed the other to track him. Akiva would get to him eventually.

Meanwhile, Tri ran on the shaky street with a smile he never had before. With Lovemaker 3000 on his hand, he pointed around and POOF! POOF! Tennis balls exploded into pink smoke everywhere people were running.

Pink was love. People were in fear. But! He was here, he was here to say that love conquers all! Let no fear overwhelm you and feel the love!

"Because I… am Captain Love! DURURURU!" Amidst the panic, the chaos, Tri started singing his original theme song. It was not good.

"Saving the day, one couple at a time! Or a polycule if you are into that! Or self-love! Love from God and aboveeee durururu!"

Panic. Pink smoke obscured views and amplified carnal desire. Crowds that rushed out of buildings caused stampedes with visions turned red. Some fainted under the aphrodisiac strong enough to affect HPs. Tri, with his Lovemaker, continued singing and running. No one dared to block his path. Not with the gun he had.

Niko jumped down after tri, landing on his feet with a grunt, then sprinting after him with an arm over his mouth and nose. Though, he had to admit- seeing all this chaotic carnage was beginning to feel entertaining to him. With a smile behind his arm, his free hand’s fingers spread, a pink smoke emanating from them and spreading throughout the street. Just a little wouldn't hurt right? Just enough to get those wimps more work to do.

He could feel a low, simmering frustration pooling in his gut, though he ignored it- far more amused by the frantic flurries around him turning more desperate and heated. He cackled behind his arm, biting his sleeve to muffle it further. Lust and rage was such a delightful mixture.

Before he knew it, a drone flew beside him, his lance held atop it. It dropped it down, Nikolai catching it in the air without breaking his stride. The hefty gold felt at home in his palm.

No longer than later until they returned to the meeting of the kings, now all complete. The police were even there, too. Tri was planning to do something cool and awesome to draw attention his way, but Shen was there and he suddenly remembered Shen was scary, so he decided not to. Instead,

“Celeste, Jozef, good job saving the civilians!” Tri praised them with a thumbs up like he didn’t just kill a lot of people one block ago. He also threw a cleanse at Nikolai. This was not the time to get angry. “Now let’s go down and away. If this place collapses, it will be dangerous.”

From sheer power alone, Tri was the weakest of the Kings. In fact, the Serpent was quite special in that none of the higher ups had offensive Potentials. Still, Tri didn’t let that show. He met Chikage’s eyes with a cheeky wink. They couldn’t beat anyone in a fight, but with him, Nikolai, Jozef, and Celeste around, they could sure run.

Nikolai threw a suspicious glare at Tri, his lips thinning. Thankfully however, he felt calm again. He was sure that wouldn’t last.


WhiskeyMarten angel doe Caffeine_Obsessed Elenion Aura @Kneeto

 

[WhiskeyMarten]

HECTOR VS ALICE, DANTE & NICO

CS Link

SCENE:

Phoenixes Arc 3: Scene 3 [Whole World Blind]

LOCATION:

Lucky Rabbit Casino - 1st Floor, West District

PARTICIPANTS:

On the floor: Alice, Charlie, Dante, Hector, Nico, Yukito
Elsewhere: Hide, Raquel, Zachariah

WHOLE WORLD BLIND

In between the moments Nico was calling Alice and she responded- Dante got a message from Nilin.

“There’s a commotion, there’s been an attack on the 7th floor. Two of the others are going to investigate it. Watch yourself.”

So something was not right with this. Nico’s casual call to Alice told him instantly that something was wrong. That whoever the Tiger had brought to the doorstep, if it was him at all, was about to cause trouble.

So instead of letting Alice go forward, Dante’s hand shot out as he transformed into Jasper- his response to her despite the reassurance they would talk again later, was simple.

“Wait.” His hand rested on her shoulder. “Something tells me if you go with him I won’t see you again. Something is wrong Alice.”

And then his arm began glowing as he stepped past her.

The shift in tone was not lost to Alice. Her hands gripped each other tightly, clutched to her chest as though to ease the gnawing sense of unease that grew. Were they not amid the peaceful West? Her own home, nonetheless? It couldn’t have been happening again...

“What do you mean…?”

He didn’t respond.

---

Hector felt a brief touch before the wind of a punch flew behind him. He briefly looked behind him to see that Charlie was following his unspoken command perfectly. Without wasting a second of the precious opportunity, he turned back to follow Nico. With the fighting that was going on, the facade of a curious visitor was no longer required. Metal leaked through the skin on his hands, conforming around him, ready to be willed into whatever he wanted. To start, he generated some extra metal on one arm, fashioned into a sharp blade that jutted past his hand.

His strides quickened, the door that held his prize was before him, all he had to do was take it. He entered the doorway.

And there she was.

And there they were.

Could this be the one Zach warned them about, a Tiger with many forms? It didn’t matter, there were too many faces around for him to stop and ask for identification. He knew enough to identify the lady, the mistress of Wonderland. Alice.

Then the ground began to shake beneath him. This he was not prepared for as he almost fell. He could hear Hawk’s voice, but he was determined to stay focused on the target. Hector broke into a sprint across the precarious ground, heading straight to Alice, hoping the element of surprise was still there.

He wasn’t surprised in the slightest. Dante’s glowing arm formed a baseball sized pitch of energy and he threw it in Hector’s direction with a grimace, Hector obviously would have dodged it- or maybe he didn’t which ultimately didn’t matter. The second the orb got close- it exploded, expanding- slamming into anything like an HP charging athlete, and with Hector being the closest thing- he was exactly the person the force of that output slammed into.

“Hand please.” Dante said calmly as he offered his hand out to Alice without taking his eyes off Hector. “We are leaving now. The Phoenixes are after you.”

By this time, Nico had run out the door.

But Alice, thrown on her bottom by the tremor, she did not move. It was hot; the eyepatch felt damp. Her stomach curled. Though she breathed, it felt like no air entered. Breathe out, out, out… in, in… out… out, out… Alice burst into a coughing fit, lurching forward, barely catching Dante’s hand: her only defense against the stranger in her room. She held on so tightly, his hand would have stung. Try as she might to stand on her feet, she trembled under her own weight. This will end soon, this will end soon, this will—

She met Hector’s gaze, full of malice and intent, directed only at her. The Hare who struck her eye was there for a brief moment.

Her vision blurred. Like a pipe full of holes, she forced more and more breath through her throat. Then the pipe burst. “GO AWAY!” she screeched. “Just leave me alone! I don’t want to go! Please! Not again!”

Hector was grounded, having evaded the projectile initially but was slammed to the floor in the ensuing explosion. His head was up, remaining focused on Alice, but he noticed a pair of legs flee past him — clearly belonging to the pink-haired boy, who Hector already judged as a coward. Yeah, you better run.

As he regained his footing, he heard the girl's screams, but it didn’t even cause him to flinch. In fact, he was happy that she appeared so rattled by his presence, just sensing her fear brought some satisfaction. But it wasn’t enough. He wasn’t leaving without the prize.

“I only want the girl. You come with me now and nobody has to get hurt.” Untrustworthy words, considering the massive blade attached to his limb, and his bloodthirsty reputation, but spoken nonetheless as he stood tall. It seemed he had overestimated how well the direct approach would work, and so he hung back for a moment, looking up and down at Alice’s guardian.

“There’s no escaping it, so just cooperate.”

“Alice, you didn’t tell me you had friends coming over.” The scaled orc said with a cursory glance at his frantic companion. He smiled, eyeing Hector- not a hint of malice in his voice or in his eyes. The very opposite of the bloodlust the Phoenix Queen radiated from head to toe as he rose back up.

“Bit much to come starting a ruckus just for a visit, don’t you think. What do you want her for?” His body still glowing. The hand holding Alice’s giving it a gentle squeeze in her incredible grip.

"You took plenty from us, and now we're taking something back," Hector spoke in a low, growly tone. "Consider it a transaction, if it'll be easier on your Tiger brain. Now I ain't telling you again, so how are we doing this?"

“Start by telling me what exactly the Tigers have taken from you, so important to risk entering an active area where you could get you and your members captured or worse.” Dante countered. He didn’t expect this back and forth to last- but whether Hector noticed how he used the Tigers instead of ‘we’ was a subtle clue that Dante basically was rejecting the notion of having anything to do with whatever schemes had occurred outside his field of view.

”You should know well enough, but my business is with her anyway.” The ferocity in his voice was evident of his patience wearing thin. He began his approach again, carefully under the shaking floor. His blade grew in length in one hand, and in his other arm, a plate of metal formed like a riot shield, spikes forming on its outer side.

Dante hmmed. “Nope!” Then yanking Alice into his side tightly- literally, flickered, flashed- and then exploded- doing so as he turned so that when he did, his side and back were facing Hector as he went off.

Alice’s dress up room and the miniature walls that contained it, were thrown astray.

Walls were blessed apart, the very entrance that Hector had used went flying clean overhead, past Yukito, Charlie and the guards, clear into the air in an arc where it crashed noisily a distance away.

Then without giving a second for the smoke to settle, an eldritch green limb sank into the ceiling- and out shot Jasper the Bad Boy Orc, Alice held firmly under one arm, as they arced over the Phoenixes and their volley-- before the Tiger’s green stretched limb fizzled out of existence- and he landed a distance away from the tussle, catching Alice with a jump as he immediately took off with another green limb reeling them both away, Dante’s final words were:

“Later CHUMP!”

And then he was out of sight less than a second later.

The shield Hector had formed had come in handy, held up with fast reflexes to protect himself from the energy explosion, though he still struggled to keep his footing against it. As soon the explosion subsided, and Hector could hear the walls crumbling around him, he lowered the shield to see them make their escape. Without hesitation, he jumped over what remained of the crumbling doorway, and sprinted after them, past his subordinates' fight.

“TEMPERER! PLUTO!”

He yelled after them without stopping to offer further instruction, though it should’ve been clear anyway.

 

[Stros]

KENJI & WREN

Collab Post

SCENE:

Tigers Arc 3: Scene 1 [Where Giants Sleep]

LOCATION:

???

PARTICIPANTS:

Ezra, Elias, Isobel, Kenji, Passeri, Wren

WHERE GIANTS SLEEP

As the image of Mirage, reflected from within the mirror faded, the mirror in question abruptly shattered. Relenting to the force from another one of Kenji's nimble kicks, his leg swept through the crumbling glass before contacting the ground below. Taking a moment to collect himself, there was little time to waste in continuing his pursuit after the Mirror Man. Kenji's amber eyes darted from mirror to mirror as they began to materialize all around them in sporadic fashion, contrary to the close knit order prior.

Cocking his head to the side at this small detail, nevertheless his eyes relentlessly scanned the new reflective arena, intent on finding the next route of attack. It wasn't long before Kenji's body sprang into action, again relenting under the firm grip of Wren's influence. Darting toward a nearby mirror, Kenji seemed content to continue his onslaught against reflective surfaces, before he took a sharp right and began running between the constructs instead.

___________________________________________________________________________​

Following the uneven loop that the mirrors maintained around Wren. Kenji shifted his tunneled focus left and right at each approaching mirror. With the switch in formation, it could be assumed there would be an accompanying switch in tactics. Mirage had been able to move between mirrors more rapidly prior, so it was likely that his movements would now be somewhat slowed by distance. Additionally, with close quarters fighting clearly not having worked in his favor, one could assume a ranged battle was about to commence.

Sparing a gaze in Wren's direction at this consideration, Kenji could only hope that his close proximity would bait the man's attack in her place. In the case he didn't, Kenji would take full advantage of any opening the illusory man unwillingly offered. However, much to the disappointment of his heightened anticipation, the man ultimately would never reappear.

...

Running several loops round Wren, Kenji soon stopped in his tracks when he noticed her guard completely drop. A few moments later, a blood curdling scream cut the silent tension of the battle somewhere further ahead of the pair. Reminded of the unfolding events they had been isolated from prior, the vicious tremors from before returned. Threatening to collapse the entire cavern this time around, the surrounding columns began to collapse one after the other around the pair. Shattering a few nearby mirrors in their path, it became more clear now than before that despite the man's words, Mirage had merely left the pair with a diversion.

___________________________________________________________________________​

Figures.

Stumbling in an attempt to keep his footing, an annoyed expression crossed Kenji's face before he abruptly clapped his hands. At the sudden movement, the violent tremors seemed to cease in the immediate area surrounding the two. Kenji's Potential offered them a buffer from wrestling with the rough vibrations in addition to a surreal experience as the cavern around them began silently collapsing under its own weight.

Turning to stare toward an adjacent mirror that had remained standing, naked and empty. Kenji imagined the mocking smile of Mirage creeping across the face of his dejected reflection, before sharply turning away and returning to Wren's side. Looking at the bloodied and disheveled shape of his partner, as she stared around them with a distant stare, he cracked a laugh.

"Haha! Well, looks like we got left out to dry. … A waste of time. Just like I said…"

Letting the words sink in, Kenji averted his eyes from Wren's slovenly appearance and turned to inspect the battles unfolding above them as he could spot far off, the pink glow of Passeri's ability flickering about. When the glow of the Potential eventually disappeared from his view under a heap of rubble, he turned back to Wren expectantly, before shifting his gaze to the stream that had nearly managed to carry them away earlier. In spite of the threat of the cavern crumbling to pieces all around them, Kenji patiently waited for his partner's words in response.

___________________________________________________________________________​

Wren stood still for quite some time, those arctic eyes of her staring at her own reflection. Even with the chaos ensuing around her, she remained like this. Kenji was throwing kick after kick. People were screaming. The entire cavern seemed to be falling apart. Rubble fell from the sky and the very pillars that held the foundation up were toppling over in what seemed to be slow motion.

A breath tumbled past her lips. One meant to steady and ready herself for whatever needed to come next. And then she was met by silence. Utter quiet. It was eerily beautiful and just the kick she needed to pry her once fixated gaze from the mirror to stare at the crumbling world all around them. A bit of panic danced across her eyes as she tried to find any remaining members of the group they’d descended into this hellhole with. There wasn’t much to be seen, just glimmers. A bit of Passeri’s potential, one she could pick out without issue in a crowd, but as for the others? Wren didn’t know. The reassurance that her friend was alive and well offered her the ability to quell that small bit of anxiety until it no longer remained.

___________________________________________________________________________​

As for them? What he said wasn’t wrong… and the truth behind it irritated her.

A frustrated noise was the only thing to be heard in response or acknowledgment as she turned and stared up to meet Kenji’s inquisitive gaze. There was a whole lot of scrutiny there and judging, she knew. Oh, he’d have a blast rubbing this disaster of a job in her face later. Later… if there even would be a later. They needed to escape first. It was clear the way the others may have run off towards was not going to be an option to them. Everything was blocked off except directly behind them which was the way they’d come.

“ Don’t look at me like that. I didn’t do this… “ She signed quickly. “ …This time. “ She tacked on to beat him to the punch, eyes narrowing as if she already knew what he was thinking in response.

___________________________________________________________________________​

Following his wandering gaze once it shifted from her face, Wren groaned in protest. Right as she had begun to not look like a drowned cat, there was the best answer to not being crushed staring them both in the face. The pull of the waters below appeared to be more turbulent than before, as if the tremors were somehow adding to quicken its speed.

Her nose wrinkled in characteristic distaste as she grabbed his free hand, fingers curling tautly about his palm, and pulled him towards the edge of the platform.

“ Do I have to tell you to jump or will you go with me? I’m not leaving you behind. “

I never would.

The last bit was just a thought, one she’d keep to herself lest he start to think she was going soft on him.

___________________________________________________________________________​

"Gee… I dunno." Came Kenji's reply, as saturated in deadpan snark as the rocks beneath them. Looking up into the corner of the cavern, as if seriously considering his options, he soon added.

"Being crushed to death sounds like a lot of fun."

His amber eyes soon shifted focus to meet hers, as his typical exhausted expression stared firmly back at Wren. The artificial alertness in his eyes had begun to fade some time ago, and now his typical demeanor had fully resurfaced from underneath her influence. Another uncharacteristic laugh soon shattered his rugged demeanor, which was rendered mute to the torrent below them.

From a distance, Kenji's silhouette joined Wren's side on the platform. Sharing a few glances to one another, and close words that only the two of them could hear, on an unperceived count of three the two Tigers jumped from their artificial pier into the raging rapids below. With a splash their forms disappeared beneath the waters and continued to be dragged under, until their profiles all but vanished from view as the ceiling of the cavern continued to come apart in pieces. Chunks the size of SUVs dropped towards the platform where the two had once stood, destroying it piecemeal.

___________________________________________________________________________​

It would be anyone's guess where the chaotic waters would inevitably drag the ill-fated duo and doubtful if they would even survive the journey. But, at the very least they would have each other for company whether pushed out to sea or in the afterlife thereafter.

Spoiler: Tags

Kyuubey QuirkyAngel Saturn_moon Stros The One Eyed Bandit

 

[Doctor Llamabean]

NAKAZAJO CHIKAGE

CS Link

SCENE:

New Oasis Arc 3: Scene 2 [The Dragon and the Phoenix]

LOCATION:

Upper Central

PARTICIPANTS:

Chikage, Sebastian, Markus, Isaiah, Meirin, Rin, YY, Kaede, Libla, Celeste, Jozef

THE DRAGON AND THE PHOENIX vs. HUNKS IN THE CITY

Before Sebastian was off to the Jeep, Chikage drew his leg back in a wide, two-point stance to sprint, hunkering low.

Across the way, the crack of a smile upon the Tiger King’s face told him that they were mutual in their readiness to clash, but Chikage still wondered of the Phoenix Draken.

Nonetheless, when the Tiger King’s palm hit the ground, Chikage braced himself, preparing to leap, and to cover the distance between himself and his opponent in a single breath. However, the world abruptly lost form beneath him, and Prosecutor Se retreated over the undulating landscape.

Eyebrows pinched together above crimson hues that heeded the falter of Markus Weiss. Likewise, by the ground’s unruly paroxysm, Chikage’s balance denied him. He stumbled and dropped to a knee.

Down the street from whence he’d come, his Jeep was fast approaching, Prosecutor Se behind the wheel, which earned from him a release of sharply whispered curses as he fought for steadiness on the intervally shifting plane.

“What is this!?” he asked aloud. “One of yours?” A sharp glare shot toward the Tiger King, seeking answer, but by said King’s behavior, Chikage could see that he was just as lost for understanding and probed no further.

As Sebastian drew nearer, Chikage bounded high to avoid being run over, and that’s when he locked sights with the Serpent King, whose promotion Chikage-himself had more-or-less guaranteed.

The Serpent King winked.

Chikage landed gently nearby a panicked car that see-sawed back and forth before the earth pried apart like the maw of a beast and swallowed it halfway, crushing it when the wave rolled back and clamped the maw shut.

Shit.

“This entire level will plummet-... if this keeps up!” Even if that was the case, Chikage didn’t imagine the devastation would be the end of his chapter. If the world fell, and he with it, he would rise from the aftermath.

Central be damned. . .

. . . if not for knowing there were innocent civilians below.

I am only one,
But still I am one.
I cannot do everything,
But still I can do something;
And because I cannot do everything,
I will not refuse to do the something that I can do.​

What can I do?

On that thought, Chikage moved before he knew what he was doing.

The earth exploded behind him on takeoff, and he reached Markus Weiss before Prosecutor Se behind the wheel of his Jeep could. The two of them, Markus locked in Chikage’s arms, tumbled and rolled together, passing through the enormous wall to the revelation that it was only an illusion.

When their momentum ceased, Chikage was atop of the Tiger King, pressing him down by the shoulders with a desperate grimace. Fierce reds locked with icy blues.

“HOW MANY CAN YOU SAVE!?” Chikage rattled Markus, shoving him harder into the pavement. “BELOW! BENEATH US- HOW MANY?! WHAT CAN YOU DO?!”

CHIKAGE/POST NOTES​

— —The majority of the front, right half of Chikage's body is badly scarred from burns, stopping halfway up his neck, covering his arm's entirety, ending at his shin. For this reason, he wears a black, leather glove always covering his right hand, and usually wears long-sleeved, concealing clothes. Reference (X)

— —What he's wearing: (Click) Formal suit with a red overcoat + Watch on his left wrist; Only the right hand is gloved

— —Chikage's Jeep: (Click)

— —POST RECAP: Chikage tryna force Marky-warky to be a hero~ hnnng

(Interacting w/ Sebastian, Markus, Rin, Jozef, Celeste, Vulken)
(Mentioned no one)
Coyote Hart Elenion Aura Lucem QuirkyAngel @EmperorsChosen @gxxberkit Sei Shonagon Peckinou WhiskeyMarten angel doe ​

 

[Uasal]

Jennifer Weber

CS Link

SCENE:

Heist

LOCATION:

West District

PARTICIPANTS:

Camila, Jennifer, Maria, Ryutaro, Samira, Sylvie

Heist

The sudden explosion had sent the already recoiling Jennifer falling back, further adding to the pain inflicted upon her leg. The sudden impact had left her disorientated and concussed, even as the smoke and van came to settle once more, the woman's world was shakey at best. Any attempt to get back on her feet was met with severe vertigo and failure. For all intents and purposes, Jennifer was out of the fight. Which was all the more concerning given she was specifically being targeted by one of the two creeps that had pursued them. Though luckily for her, help came in the form of Sylvie, who offered his aid without hesitation. Something Jennifer hadn't the energy or ability to deny at this point.

Scooped up with relative ease, the woman weighed surprisingly little, though upon closer inspecting it became very clear with how her leg was twisted just how badly broken it was. Trying her best not to hurl, the woman gave into the situation and gave Silvie no issues while he moved. Though at the mention of contacts, Jennifer mentally blanked. Still very much disorientated by the whole situation. "I... ugh". Even talking spurred her closer to hurling up her lunch. Tossing her head back, Jennifer gazed toward the skyline and after a few moments of intense nausea she mustered enough strength to talk "A roof, get me to a roof".

If Jennifer could overcome her nausea enough to get off one precise shot, one that wasn't expected. Perhaps she could still help. If she was up high enough and out of sight, her leg wouldn't be all that much of a hindrance. If she could just somehow get to a roof while remaining out of sight, just maybe a well-placed shot could turn the battle in their favour. But then again, that was a lot of maybes.

@Beann joshuadim Roda the Red WhiskeyMarten @Shoya

 

[WhiskeyMarten]

CHARLIE & YUKITO VS LUCKY RABBIT CASINO

CS Link

SCENE:

Phoenixes Arc 3: Scene 3 [Whole World Blind]

LOCATION:

Lucky Rabbit Casino - Floor 1, West District

PARTICIPANTS:

Charlie, Hector, Hide, Raquel, Yukito, Zachariah
Alicia, Dante

WHOLE WORLD BLIND

One second his hand was on Hector’s shoulder, the next, he was watching a fist fly.

Hidemi crashed, slumped, passing out from the pain.

The others immediately responded.

Wilst’s body shimmered- hardening into steel as he turned his attention fully to Charlie, backed up by Jillet, whose hands pulled taut a tether made of purple energy.

Kalligra however turned her attention to Hector with a snarl- shifting in less than even a blink- her fingers growing claws, muscles magnifying with her size- eyes gaining predatory slits, teeth sharpening- and lines akin to stripes decorating her face a skin.

“Big mistake.” The man of steel stated.

And then Jillet threw her hand back, the tether of purple energy striking the ground like a whip behind her and slashing the floor with a hiss of burning red.

Wilst attacked immediately throwing a punch with his metal form.

As the chromed guard closed in on him, Charlie’s body tensed up, his muscles hardening and empowering as gravity pulled him down with higher intensity. He raised his fists, blocking the punch. The blow was no joke whatsoever, as the guard’s arm felt like it was a solid slab of steel, the stinging pain reverberated throughout the length of Charlie’s arms. He immediately switched to the offensive, grabbing a hold of Wilst’s arm, and pulling him closer for a punch on the stomach.

However, he wasn’t able to put his all on his counterattack, as his body flinched by a burning sensation to his side, Jillet’s attack having connected successfully with the Phoenix. He grit his teeth, pushing the metallic man away with a front kick, as well as giving a short leap back on his own.

Just as he believed that this fight would be a bit unfair on his end, Charlie heard the metallic sound of a metal grate being moved aside, and so from the ceiling fell none other than Pluto, now sporting a different version of his ice ability.

“Hey, great timing! We’ll take these guys ou-”

Charlie stopped talking as he felt the floor vibrating wildly, a sensation that only got stronger with every passing second. He had heard of earthquakes, but he had never experienced one himself, given that there hasn’t been one in Amestria in over a century. His footing wavered due to the trembling, almost tripping for a second, even.

---

The frightened guests clustered near each other to where they thought was a safe area—underneath a dazzling chandelier. As the quake continued, a chain snapped. Clouds of glass flew up after a crash, emanating from where the few guests once stood.

---

Ice crystals shattered on the ground as it began to tremble underneath Yukito’s feet, though he was careful to keep his footing.

“If the ground doesn’t collapse first...”

It was a relief that the newbie had a chance to escape the ventilation system first, as rattling around in there like a bouncy ball wasn’t Yukito’s idea of fun. He almost wished he had held off on the form change, if he’d known the ground would become unstable, his winged gargoyle form would’ve done him better. On the other hand, the opposing guards looked formidable enough that he was grateful for the icy armour. He didn’t have all day, or even a minute to ponder strategy though, as his ally was already fighting.

”Let’s finish this.

He noticed that Hector was not with Charlie, but he knew the Queen well enough, even from their short time together, to know he was likely pursuing their goal right now. He ran at the steel guard, eager to make the most of his strongest form, gaining momentum from the ice under his feet. He swung his club at them, hoping to knock them off balance so he could envelop them in an icy embrace.

And like a fool Wilst charged at Yukito, only to grab something hanging in the air-- the whip-- and get yanked upwards at a surprising speed over the ice user before metal man was tossed as he curled into a cannonball, rolling in the air right at charlie at an alarming speed as the whip literally whiplashed him.

Yukito however wasn’t given the chance to turn his attention because while Jillet had her whip carry Wilst away, she brought down three telekinetically glowing blades down in Yukito’s direction that sliced the air with a deadly hiss.

The rookie managed to roll away from the attack, thankful for his small and agile build despite the armour, though he was too late to strike Wilst as he was propelled away.

Charlie was barely able to avoid the sudden cannonball drop, as the tremors continued to compromise his footwork considerably, the shaking becoming briefly stronger as the heavy guard landed on the floor. In one swift motion, he unzipped his jacket and reached for his knuckle dusters hidden inside of the article of clothing, then went towards Wilst once again, attempting to close in for an attack.

Only Wilst didn’t stop rolling when he hit the ground, so there was a distance by the time Charlie went for a strike.

Which only gave Jillet the chance to follow through with an energy knife flying straight for Charlie’s shoulder past Yukito.

During the knife throw, Yukito had brought his attention to Jillet, and though he couldn’t stop their attack on Charlie, he swung his club at their leg with all his might. She went crashing and then in a display of agility she turned that spin into a handstanding twister with her legs gaining purple armored ends that struck with stinging force as she brought every spin to a rotating leg kick.

Charlie was completely unaware of the projectile sent towards him, and thus it hit bullseye, sinking into his shoulder, fortunately not reaching deep thanks to his hardened body, but still able to draw blood from him. He staggered and winced in pain, stopping him on his tracks. He attempted to reach for the “blade”, but it had already disappeared.

Hmmph. Yukito was getting annoyed. He had hoped Hector had prepared more for this, seeing as they were currently outnumbered, and couldn’t help but wonder how he was getting on at the moment. He assumed Hide was still busy with Raquel, hoping he hadn’t cracked under the pressure.

His icy armour, though fortified against his body, chipped as the kick connected with his torso. As they remained in contact, the air went dry as Yukito channelled the moisture around him to blast ice at Jillet, hoping to make a human popsicle out of them.

The wind itself blocked by a small dome of energy that only wrapped around her front- barely holding back the blast.

“You okay there?” He called back at Charlie.

Charlie spared a short moment to shift his gaze towards Pluto, the boy’s face shifting from neutral to a confident grin, adrenaline having started to pump through his body for a bit now.

“Just a scratch, I’ll deal with this metal man in no ti-”

---

It was then that a beat of instrumentals boomed over the battle. At some point, a pair of speakers were dragged and hooked up. The culprit, standing in between the devices with his back turned, tapped his foot to the rhythm.

“It's close to midnight
And something evil's lurking in the dark
Under the moonlight
You see a sight that almost stops your heart…”

The corpses of the guests from the ruins of the chandelier twitched. They twitched and brought a foot out. Like stringed puppets, their bodies rose up to match. Nico spun to look at the fight, mic to his mouth.

“You try to scream
But terror takes the sound before you make it
You start to freeze
As horror looks you right between the eyes
You're paralyzed!”

The dead charged blindly at the Phoenixes.

The Blue-haired rookie stared in shock as he watched the recently deceased customers now walking once again. His eyes then locked onto Nico, and was easily able to make the connection between the two. He felt revolted by the idea of disrespecting the dead like that. Even if now outnumbered, Charlie raised his fists, bracing for the approaching enemies.

That was where both Tinman and Jillet slipped back to Hidemi regrouping with Kalligra as the shifter turned towards the sound of the explosion and watched as Dante shot down the path over them, the board and Charlie and Pluto, soon out of sight. He was quickly followed by the Pharaoh himself, who called to his teammates before disappearing from the room also. Yukito raised his club menacingly at the guards as they regrouped, determined to play his part as his sponsor expected.

 

[Lucem]

Ashley Hart & Eric Evensen

SCENE:

Phoenixes Arc 3: Scene 2 [Tactical Mayhem]

LOCATION:

CDPD-HQ, Upper Central District

PARTICIPANTS:

Ashley, Bandy, Boltius, Callista, Dyne, Eric, Gideon, Inigo, Jericho, Tatsuya

TACTICAL MAYHEM

Before Ashley could take a single step, he heard the whizz of something approaching from behind. The second he turned around, he was confronted by a flash of blinding light. With no time to think, he acted on instinct, stepping to the side and narrowly avoiding a speeding bolt of energy.

As the projectile flew by, continuing on its path until smashing against a fallen chunk of the shredded building, Ashley took notice of the man who presumably fired it. Finally registering the officer's words, he briefly looked back at the fruits of his labor before focusing on the black-and-blond head once again. "Yeah..."

There was no aggression left in Ashley's voice, his words accompanied by a low breath that said he was done. However, it was not a tone of submission. Just by looking at the HQ, he knew that it would come crumbling down eventually. It didn't matter if he kept up the assault. There was no point, and he didn't want to do more than what was necessary. Besides, there were plenty of other things that demanded his attention. The other Phoenixes were still fighting.

Eric stared at the Phoenix in front of him. It was a little bit harder than normal to properly analyze his facial expression, as he was wearing a facemask. But still, the detective was able to tell by merely looking in his eyes, that surprisingly the Phoenix was not showing signs of aggression, not exactly what he thought he’d see from a demolition enthusiast.

“So, this is what you Phoenixes were after all? To destroy our base? What else then, to thin out our ranks, to get a hold of our data?” Light started to emerge from his hand once again, yet it was too faint for it to be an actual attack just yet, his body language not showing any signs of hostility either.

A beat of silence followed the series of questions. Ashley knew better than to give out answers, and he had exchanged very few words with the enemy during the assault. However, his refusal to share information didn't mean he would stay quiet.

Looking into the officer's eyes, Ashley mulled over his options. "Pretty sure I already know how this is gonna go, but..." Even though he could predict the result, he would have regretted not offering an alternative. "This don't gotta be a fight."

Regrouping with the others wasn't his only motivation for offering the officer a way out. He could feel his Potential hitting its limit. He was going to run out of gas soon, and with his current injuries, it would take him a while to recover. Aside from that, he had to consider everything else going on. If he and the man across from him started duking it out, people could die during the time they wasted.

"From what I could see up there, your folks are in trouble. Lot of 'em injured. You can get 'em help, and the fightin' will be over." He knew how low the chances of the officer accepting were. The guy had a job to do, and he couldn't just let a criminal go, even if his coworkers were bleeding out nearby. However, he really wanted to believe he'd accept and try to lessen the death toll.

"It don't have to be any worse than it already is..."

Eric’s eyes squinted. Truth is, he wasn’t deaf, he’d heard all the commotion going on, the fighting that ensued all throughout the headquarters, the Phoenix had a point really, but even then…

“You think you’re in a position to be believed right now? You guys were the ones to attack us, even if you were telling me the truth, your comrades will continue their assault, that is all you gangsters know to do”

His expression was the same as always, relaxed and unchanged, but Ashley might have caught a glimpse of the detective balling his fist with a lot of force.

“You may not have thought about it much back in the day…But I will never forget those years we lived under the tyrannical rule of the Scarlet Phoenixes, that leader of yours having enough delusions of grandeur as to call herself the Emperor. We could barely do anything to help the people, criminals taking over the streets and doing whatever they pleased. They didn’t want to say it, but they were afraid of you.”

He closed his eyes, taking a moment to recall those days, the frustration and indignation that came from being under the thumb of Phoenix ruling. He opened them once again, the faintest hint of anger now painted on his face.

“And now, you’re here again, not content with the atrocities you did in the past, now you want to attack us once again, maybe destroy us entirely, and completely unprovoked at that…I will say, I knew you were violent, I knew that taking things by force is your way of living…But for a group that claims to have high regards for pride and honor, I did not expect you to be so petty and pathetic.”

Ashley remained silent throughout the entirety of the officer's tirade. He felt no need to interject or correct anything the man said, deciding to just watch and search for an opening as his wounds healed. However, the lack of a retort wasn't purely strategic.

Ashley didn't disagree with the criticisms. He may not have been part of the Phoenixes for very long before they lost their throne in Central, but he wasn't blind. He knew what the gang was about. Even if he didn't murder for money, the fact remained that contract killing kept the gang going, and many people suffered as a direct result of their actions. He never liked it. He never approved of this mission either, having his own reasons for joining. However, he chose to stay.

Despite all his objections to what the Phoenixes did, he came to them to satisfy his selfish desires for safety, purpose, and bonds. It was true that he had nowhere else to go, but in the end, he still compromised his ideals by joining up with a group that ultimately hurt people and the image of HPs. Not all Phoenixes were like that, but they were part of the minority.

There was no point in trying to change the officer's mind, especially when he found what he said hard to deny. It would have been no different if he decided to spit out how he felt about the police. He knew all of them weren't bad, but he could never let go of his grudge, always forced to remember those who hurt innocent people. There were cops who were no better than thugs, never caring about who they hurt as they hid behind guns and authority. However, the one in front of him didn't give him that impression.

"If you really believe that, then don't ever end up like that asshole with the sunglasses. Help people. Otherwise..."

Exhaling, Ashley focused his strength into his legs. Even if he would've liked to say more, there was no time for this. He needed to go. "You'll end up with more bastards like me."

He kicked off the ground, speeding ahead as each step left craters in the earth. He hoped that the officer was distracted enough by his sermon to give him a chance to slip by, but even if didn't, he wouldn't stop. He'd just keep pushing forward.

Eric already knew by now that Ashley was a physical juggernaut, the detective wasn’t sure if the Phoenix was trying to attack him, or get past him, but either way he knew what was the most proper way to react. Eric’s light on his palm grew brighter at an alarming rate. Once it reached a certain point he was satisfied with, he clapped his hands together, bursting the orb of light into a blinding flash.

Disoriented by the bright light, Ashley was forced to close his eyes. He could no longer see where he was going, but that didn't stop his feet from moving. He maintained his charge, blindly barreling into the human-shaped roadblock as his powerful strides carried both of them forward.


Ashley took deep breaths, feeling a new wave of exhaustion and the sting of fresh injuries. Burns littered his chest and arms, and bruises that would've ordinarily healed by now still stuck to his skin as purple patches. He was already pushing his Potential beyond its limit, and now that the weight of all his previous battles was catching up to him, he wasn't sure how much longer he could keep this up. He needed to regroup with the others before the last vestiges of his strength were sapped away by time, but the man across from him kept him from easily reaching that goal.

Eric had to catch his breath as well, in an attempt to stop and apprehend the brute, the Detective had now suffered from a myriad of blows, his clothes hiding a good amount of fresh bruises, fortunately though, it seemed like he was in a much better shape than the Phoenix in front of him, but not only that, the criminal was not like the others he had come across so far in this assault. Eric spat to the side, a mixture of blood and saliva landing on the ground.

“You…you’re not as bad as I originally thought, I can tell that you’re not trying to kill me…You really don’t want this battle to keep going, don’t you?”

No response, the Phoenix didn’t say a single word back as he attempted to recover from his fatigue, but his silence in of itself already gave away the answer. Eric noticed it, a lot of the attacks that the gangster delivered seemed to mainly have the intention of shoving the detective away, rather than outright harming him, naturally it didn’t quite work like that, as Eric continued to do everything in his power to stop the other man, forcing the Phoenix to deliver some more aggressive blows after all.

“...Look, I don’t know your situation, what kind of circumstance brought you to where you stand now…but I can tell that you’re a good kid, and truth is, I don’t want to fight someone like you.”

He reached for his belt, pulling out a pair of handcuffs, purely a formality considering the kind of adversary he was against, but still, it was only proper.

“Unfortunately, I can’t just let you go.”

Slowly, Eric started to take a few steps towards Ashley, the handcuffs on his palms now opened and ready to be wrapped around a pair of wrists.

“Look, just don’t resist, okay? I promise you that I’ll try my hardest so your sentence can be as light as possible, would hate to see you waste decades of your life behind bars, kid…please”

Ashley's eyes narrowed in response to the cop's approach, staying on high alert. The offer came as a shock to him, but he didn't sense any sort of deception in the man's words. Even though he wasn't the best at picking up on how people felt, he could tell that the officer was being genuine. That only made things harder for him. It would've been so much easier if this guy was just a piece of shit like all the others.

"I appreciate what you're doin'. Really, I do..." For the first time in a long time, he didn't feel any sort of resentment toward someone with a set of cuffs like those. Not just any cop would try to cut that kind of deal, especially in a situation like this. It was a golden opportunity a lot of people like him could've used, and it was a shame he was the one who got the offer instead. It was just wasted on him.

"But I can't can't do that. There's still things I gotta take care of." For a moment, all he could think about was the face of a friend he'd kept waiting for far too long. He quickly shook it away, knowing this wasn't the time to get lost in thought, but it still served to keep the fire in his chest alive. He couldn't afford to get locked away when there was still someone who needed him.

Once again, he took his stance and pushed ahead. The craters left in his wake were much smaller than before, but his determination hadn't dwindled. He had to keep moving.

For once, this sudden action took Eric off guard, he couldn’t quite tell why, but somehow he was quite certain that the Phoenix was going to take on the offer, was it because of his reluctance to harm? Or perhaps because of his disadvantageous situation?

No, in truth, the Detective simply committed a foolish mistake, he let his desire for the other person to yield make him lower his guard. Eric had no bolt of light prepared, so as a last-second resort, he took on a much simpler approach.

He strafed to the side, intercepting the Phoenix with his own body, wrapping his arms around him. In a test of strength, he was no match for the hulking criminal, and thus he was lifted off his feet and dragged along with very little effort. Eric felt a strong pain on his belly due to the impact of the unintentional tackle, but managed to tough it up just fine

“Bad choice, buddy.” Still holding onto the Phoenix, Eric raised his right hand, an orb of light emerging from it. The detective was fortunate that they were fighting under clear sunlight, as this gave him a virtually endless supply of energy for his ability. Eric sent his open hand down, delivering a strong light-infused chop on the corner between Ashley’s neck and left shoulder.

Ashley winced, but he refused to stop. The pain of the chop added a splash of fuel to his nearly empty tank, allowing him to push onward as the officer clung to him. He kept running, following the sounds of conflict until he reached the source of the mayhem. However, when he finally got there, what he saw made him regret how much time he'd wasted.

Skidding to a stop, Ash grabbed the cop by the collar and threw him to the ground. The toss put some good distance between them, but their unresolved fight seemed so small compared to the destruction around them.

He and the officer were surrounded by chaos. Back in their isolated area, there was only dust and rubble, but now everything was bathed in blood. Cops and Phoenixes alike fell, staining the cracked, trembling earth with pools of red. Some twitched and drew heavy breaths, showing signs of life that were desperately being held on to. Unfortunately, there were others who weren't as lucky, their bodies cold and motionless.

From the look of things, the Phoenixes clearly had the upper hand, but it brought Ashley no joy. Seeing the dead brought on a complex surge of negativity, along with selfish relief he only felt when he failed to recognize any of the color-drained faces. It was like being in that terrible place from the past.

Despite his original intentions, things still turned out this way. It almost made all of his actions feel pointless, but the one thing keeping him from falling into that pit of emotions was him knowing that two people who probably should have died made it out safely. He had to keep it up, even if the numerous losses made the effort seem insignificant at first glance.

Eric managed to maneuver himself mid-throw, landing on his feet and keeping a balance as the momentum continued to push him back, he squatted and placed his palm on the floor for further control. He stood up, ready to give another piece of his mind to the Phoenix…but then, from the corner of his eye, the horrifying scenery leaked into his view. His eyes went wide as his biggest dormant fear had now become a reality.

He knew these people, that one over there was Larry, he always scolded Eric for leaving empty snack bags around the cubicles. Not far from his remains was Juana, she asked the Detective out on a date once, he politely declined, and she was unsurprised by that. Over at the far end was Beldo…Beldo was five years away from retiring, he had mentioned many times about getting back to fishing, Eric could never quite get the appeal of such a boring hobby.

More people…too many to count at a single glance in fact, now amounted to nothing but lifeless corpses laying around the parking lot. Eric’s eyes grew wide as the realization started to truly reach him. The detective had underestimated the true magnitude of the attack, in his isolated ignorance he believed that he would get to see them another day without much issue. His heart sank and ached as a sensation of powerlessness overcame him.

Before Ashley could take another step, Boltius's static-filled voice rang out for both men to hear. For a moment, he was in disbelief, wondering why the Ace suddenly gave the order to retreat after he seemed so fired up about destroying every last precinct. However, when he looked ahead, trying to see if he could spot a familiar orange blur, he discovered something much worse. That's when he understood why Bolt gave that order.

Upon seeing those masks, Ash felt a wave of anger wash over him. It was like a hole had opened up in his stomach, and it widened as he thought back to another horrible day from years ago. He remembered the gaping hole in his wounded body and the destruction those people left behind. It was the day he was forced to remember the feeling of family and loss.

He wanted to rush ahead. He wanted to pay them back tenfold for everything they'd done. However, he held back, biting the inside of his cheek to keep himself from losing it. As much as he wanted to get revenge, he knew how that would turn out, and Bolt had given an order. It was just so damn frustrating.

Eric turned his head towards the Phoenix, his expression once again mostly unchanged, yet to the keen eye, an uncanny discomfort could be spotted.

“Just…leave already…” The last two words from the Detective leaked withheld emotion and pain, the like not even he could hide completely. He turned away, rushing headfirst towards the injured cops. He couldn’t bring the dead back, but perhaps he could still help avoid more casualties. His approach went by unnoticed by the people in the vicinity, veiled by the ongoing chaos.

Ashley said nothing as the cop ran, making no attempts to stop him. He had no time or desire to do so. Right now, even though they were on opposite sides, they had a shared goal. Like him, Ashley sprinted ahead, trying to prevent more bodies from being added to the mountain of corpses.

Spoiler: Tags

angel doe Coyote Hart Damafaud Doctor Llamabean Nobody Special Roda the Red simj26 Wxnter

 

[Lucem]

Ashley Hart

CS Link

SCENE:

Phoenixes Arc 3: Scene 2 [Tactical Mayhem]

LOCATION:

CDPD-HQ, Upper Central District

PARTICIPANTS:

Ashley, Bandy, Boltius, Callista, Dyne, Eric, Gideon, Inigo, Jericho, Tatsuya

TACTICAL MAYHEM

He was a mess. As he ran through the parking lot, Ashley could feel his body getting heavier as it was assaulted by dull pain that worsened with each hurried step. By some miracle, his Potential was still keeping him together, but now that its limited effects had stretched into overtime, he had no idea when it would suddenly fail. Before that happened, he had to accomplish his goal.

Bolt had given the order to retreat, but not everyone had evacuated. Many Phoenixes still struggled to escape the area surrounded by the concrete wall, including the Ace himself. The fiery ball of orange was huddled together with several familiar faces, not far from the black sedan that brought the threat of slaughter. Their safety was the only thing on Ashley's mind, and the motivation allowed him to ignore the flaring pain. He refused to experience this tragedy again.

Eventually, his gaze settled on what he'd been searching for. In the middle of all the chaos, he spotted a functional car, one that was big enough to fit the entire group. However, there were two small issues. The first was that he didn't have the keys. While he had an easy way to get around that, the solution brought him to the second problem. The car belonged to Bolt.

Right now, he couldn't afford to sweat the small stuff. Bolt could get as pissy as he wanted to about having a fucked up ride later, but the important thing was that he and the others got out safely. With that in mind, he ran to the front door of the denali and punched through the window with ease, showering the front seat in glass.

Reaching inside the car, Ashley quickly unlocked the door and went to work. He ripped away the panel on the steering column and began fiddling with the exposed wires, stripping and connecting them as needed. Finishing in record time, he pulled his hands away when the SUV roared with life.

He hopped inside and slammed the door closed, barely giving himself a second to breathe before he hit the gas. He struggled at first, gritting his teeth as he gripped the wheel with his charred limb, but he powered through it and drove around the chaos as his blood soaked into the seat. At that moment, he was almost grateful for the pain. The sharp discomfort and agonizing burns kept him alert as he scanned the area for the medium-sized group.

When he finally found Boltius and the crew at his side, he sped up, ignoring anything that tried to get in his way. When he was close enough, he hit the brakes, drifting in front of the group. Looking through the shattered window, he yelled out as the dim, red glow in his eyes slowly faded away.

"Everyone get the fuck in!"

Spoiler: Tags

angel doe Doctor Llamabean Coyote Hart Damafaud Nobody Special Roda the Red simj26 Wxnter

 

[QuirkyAngel]

Elias Yumin

CS Link

SCENE:

Tigers Arc 3: Scene 1 [Where Giants Sleep]

LOCATION:

Central Bank, Upper Central District

PARTICIPANTS:

Wren, Elias, Kenji, Passeri, Isobel, Ezra

Where Giants Sleep

Messages. A lot of messages.

As he exited the fault in the wall where a hidden door should’ve been, Elias already had his phone in front of while he read the many messages that loaded on his device upon finally returning to civilization . Messages from friends and family warning him about the dangers in Central District, asking if he was okay, informing of the earthquake, etc. Even a couple of work-related messages, despite the fact that he’d taken a day off to spend time with a couple of “friends”/Tigers in Heavenly Beast Plaza. Elias sighed.

Phone to his ear, violet eyes roamed the remains of Atlas’s office in Central Bank, wondering if the city’s financial officer was even alive to worry about the state of his workplace. Probably not; A fall might only leave HPs with a broken bone or two, but drowning or being buried under tons of rock certainly wouldn't. Homo Potentialis were still human.

Given the violent tremors that rocked the tunnels, which were deep beneath the earth, Elias thought it was a miracle he was still alive.

All the money in the world couldn’t buy back one’s life.

Ignoring the dust that painted his clothes, Elias finished his call before stepping over fallen books and files as he climbed the wreckage to the highest point in Central Bank. Along the way, he pulled out any surviving bank workers that seemed to be calling for help, not because he was especially altruistic–though he wasn’t heartless enough to completely ignore their pleas when danger wasn’t present– but because through them he was able to acquire memories of the events that led up to the current destruction.

The bank robbery.

The giant that ran through the streets of Central District, picking up the people she saw.

The gangsters.

Elias chuckled. Fortunately, he was insured by the Amestrian government and wasn’t the sort to put all of his holdings in one bank anyway. Perhaps he could pick up some spare change from the violated establishment, maybe even dig through the rubble for records of illegal allocation of city funds towards Cult activities, but none of that mattered at the end of day if the city itself collapsed. New Oasis. The city he grew up in and the city he couldn’t leave behind. Was it the people? The culture? His memories? Regardless, as his eyes scanned the smoking ruins of the island district from the roof of a half-standing bank, Elias felt something akin to irritation.

It was an ugly sight.

Five minutes later, the sounds of a helicopter arriving could be heard and a rope ladder dropped in front of him.

“The hell are you doing in Central Bank, Anamnesis!?”

“Tiger work for the Jack!” Elias called back up to Ronald. One hand grabbing onto the rope ladder, he held his other hand out to the woman he’d pulled out from one of the wreckages, but she resisted, perhaps fearful of the masked man's affiliations or distraught over her missing co-workers. Maybe she hoped to stay and find them. Whichever the case, Elias shrugged before tugging the rope, signaling Ronald to pull him up. Once his feet were safely planted on the chopper, the pilot–a Yumin Entertainment employee from the looks of it–flew them off. “It was more entertaining work than expected. How are things in the West District?”

He referred to the earthquake.

“Not as bad as it could have been. Many of the shiny buildings in our home district are well-fortified…” Ronald narrowed his eyes. “You didn’t have anything to do with this sudden quake that rocked New Oasis, did you?”

“What makes you say that?”

“Just’a hunch.” Ronald shrugged. “Earthquakes aren’t normal to New Oasis. We couldn’t contact you the entire time the disaster took place, then alluvasudden you appeared in Upper Central Bank when your last gps signal indicated you were working in lower Central, Heavenly Beast Plaza. Your clothes that look like you’ve been crawling through the dirt–god knows how much you care about your appearance–and there’s a fuckin’ mask on your face. The timing’s just too coincidental…did the Jack task you with planting bombs under Central?”

Elias smirked, shaking his head as he took off Bishop’s mask. “Astute observations, Ron, but no. I don’t have the potential to make earthquakes and do you really believe Mouse, of all the Tigers, would head such a violent operation?”

None of the gangs gained from the violent destruction of Central.

“Did you at least make a profit?”

“I gained something even better today.” Elias replied as he sorted through his memories of the day’s events. Beatrice Grant, the high priestess of the Stewards and wife of the city’s beloved mayor, talked quite a bit. He’d also peered through the memories of her daughter, Araminta Grant. “Information.”

A group that “embodied” potentiality.

A group that wished to eliminate potentiality from the world.

A group that wished to claim potentiality for themselves.

The first one referred to the Stewards, the so-called guardians of Potentiality and New Oasis, who worshiped the “Sleeper”. The last likely referred to the four major gangs of each District that gathered and monopolized the concentration of HPs in the city to power their criminal empire that continued to exist to this day. Or, perhaps, since she’d been looking at four tombs when she said this, she’d been referring to the First Four Kings, who were the first recorded users of potentiality, the first Homo Potentialis, in New Oasis–at least according to the textbooks. No one knows how they did it, though there were many, many theories. Powers they stole, perhaps? Regardless, if Beatrice Grant was to be believed, the “Sleeper” gave the gift of potentiality to the city and allowed it to thrive from the mining village it once was…but the “Sleeper”, that was supposed to wake today, was no longer in their tomb. The idea of a “god” even having a tomb was a little absurd to Elias and he couldn’t deny his faith lacking when it came to the high priestess’s supposed deity.

Still, he couldn’t deny Ron’s statement that the timing was a little too coincidental.

Could the ritual have succeeded after all? Was this the result?

Up high(er than before), Elias had a clearer overview of the damages a mere “natural” disaster caused Central District. His hand clenched. If this was the will of “God”, Elias wouldn’t have it, whether they were Satan, Sleeper, or something else.

“If you say so...where to now?”

“Back to the West District.” The sooner he regrouped with the other Tigers that were part of the Jack’s “reconnaissance” mission, the sooner he could get things organized in his head...assuming they all made it out safely of course. He also wanted to make sure his parents were still alive and assess any damages to Yumin Entertainment Headquarters. “If we spot anyone else trapped in the wreckage, we should help pull them out as well.”

“Feelin’ like being a hero today, Anamnesis?”

“No. I want more memories.”

The more pieces of the puzzle he had, the better.

“That sounds seriously creepy, Boss.”

Elias glanced towards the pilot. “Would you like to remember any of this, Tristan?”

“Nah, the less I know about your wild shenanigans, Mr. Yumin, the less I have to deal with.”

The One Eyed Bandit Lucem @ Saturn_moon Kyuubey Stros

 

[Elenion Aura]

Collab with Doctor Llamabean​

THE COUNTER-ATTACK

SCENE:

Phoenixes Arc 3: Scene 2 [Tactical Mayhem]

LOCATION:

CDPD-HQ, Upper Central — Parking Lot

PARTICIPANTS:

Ashley, Boltius, Eric, Gideon, Inigo, Tatsuya, Callista, Bandy, Jericho

TACTICAL MAYHEM

Silent and coordinated, the squad of masked wraiths swooped down upon the courtyard from above as if they were a singular entity—many bodies, one mind—dispatching wounded and disorganized gangsters at every turn...

Precise machines built for killing, they were. Their every step calculated, each action executed with an almost supernatural precision... Birds of prey.

Or a pack of wolves.

The masked hunters split the straggling Phoenixes apart from the safety of their numbers, goading them to overextend their reach and picking them off one by one.

One stabbed through the back of the neck.

Another's face staved in with the blunt end of a baton.

A third tripped up in wires fired from the wrist of a stealthy, cloaked assailant and crushed—to the sound of wet squelching, bones crunching—under the merciless heel of a hulking, masked bruiser. Any feeble resistance that the outlying ring Phoenixes attempted to mount was cut down...

Their eyes glowing coldly as they peered out of socketed masks, the silent force struck down each target with cruel efficiency, and herded those that remained standing toward the inner courtyard. With each new warm body left in their wake, the avian threat carved away at the bones of the Phoenixes' faltering resolve until it was all but picked clean.

This was no longer a battle. It was a cull.

Corraled like cattle, the wavering remnants of the attacking force flocked to the Ace of the Phoenixes, who had just called for a full retreat. Those that remained began to pile into a getaway vehicle that had just arrived.

Too late.

Within mere moments, the courtyard was littered with a fresh layer of fallen bodies left to rot with the rest.

“Oy-oy-oy… Zat vas fast. May be ve killed all ze strong vons last time, after all. Da?” Yelena mused casually, throwing an ear back to listen for commentary from either of her companions. Any words of wisdom or dismay, however, were swallowed by the sound of a roaring engine as a second, larger SUV burst onto the scene, tires screaming as it thundered toward the trio, threatening to bowl them and their vehicle over in its attempt to breach the only exit that remained open for the Phoenixes.

Witnessing this new, threatening development, the two un-masked men she had brought with her stepped even farther into the background. Just as she'd instructed them to. They weren't here to fight. They weren't here to do anything besides be her arm candy. Her twin shadows.

Besides... The real show was out front-and-center.

The Phoenixes had certainly done a number on this place, Yelena thought disapprovingly, clicking her tongue as she glanced around at the shoddy job that the CDPD had done of defending their keep; if Yelena was at all concerned by the rapidly approaching Hummer, she did not show it. When the Captain's away... She left the thought unfinished. Chikage would undoubtedly be devastated to learn what had transpired in his absence. Yelena could only look forward to witnessing the sight of his handsome face marred by ruin as he gazed upon the aftermath... Ah... But enough day-dreaming.

There was work still to be done.

— — —​

The rushing of breath into his lungs took Barbados by shock. He faltered in his charge, the horned officer’s fist digging deep into his jaw, which sent him winding, and he crashed to the shambled earth that had earlier given way to his destructive potential.

“Get up,” the officer demanded. “Get up and get out. Bring…bring her with you.”

On his hands and knees, Barbados rammed his forehead to the ground and slammed his fist, sucking a breath through gritted teeth that hiccuped in his throat. Rage from deep within blurred at the edges of his vision and dripped onto the pavement, puddling together in the shadow of his hunkered form.

“On my honor, I swear this was not my doing. You have my sympathy, and my anger. Trust me!”

Barbados lifted his head to find himself hoisted by the officer, then he was thrown. His body against the Hummer gave the vehicle a jolt, Gru waiting patiently behind the wheel with an air of apathy, then he roared. With grief, and with anger, Barbados bellowed as redness overcame the white of his eyes, tears unbridled in their release.

Trembling arms scooped Boo’s headless corpse, still warm, from its place and cradled it gently before he was gone, and the Hummer’s wheels squealed as they spun in place.

There was no going back the way they’d come, for the crumbled remnants of the gaping yawn that Barbados had previously opened up in the 100-ft barrier now blocked their exit.

The Hummer peeled out, leaving the horned officer behind.

Gru jerked the wheel and turned a full 180, taking them toward the front lot with the hope of finding them another escape.

He thought he'd found one. The only thing in their way was a woman. She was no Phoenix. That much was clear. It was unlucky for her, but their escape, their survival—most of them, anyway—had to take precedence. He pressed the gas pedal to the floor, hoping beyond hope that the Phoenixes who remained in the courtyard would take this as a sign to get the Hell out of dodge—

Crunch!

—was the sound that the Hummer made as all of its momentum was stolen in a blink, its back side raising up off of the pavement before coming crashing down, wheels still spinning as truck and driver attempted to muscle their way beyond this current obstacle.

— — —​

“Going somevhere, rebyonok?”

The Hummer's engine thrashed, its tires squealed, spinning furiously but in vain. Yelena leaned forward nonchalantly and peered through the dusty windshield, as the hood of the SUV began to crumple further beneath the exponentially compounding weight of her heel. Her eyes flicked from the sight of the diminutive driver to the burgeoning rabble of Phoenixes attempting to make an escape in a second vehicle. Then her mind hatched an idea.

In that moment, the world seemed to coalesce, as if the purest manifestation of the word power had somehow accumulated into the sole of the unassuming kitten heel pressed up against the rapidly deforming hood.

There was a sound like a point-blank thunderclap, and the next thing anyone saw was an SUV being thrown with such force that it sent shockwaves through the ground and left every ear within range ringing from the 'boom'. The Hummer rolled over and over like a child's toy tossed carelessly aside, the sound of crunching metal and shattering glass filling the air as it careened end over end across the courtyard. The passengers inside were thrown about like rag dolls, their screams muffled by the sound of twisting metal, as the hurtling Hummer and the stationary SUV collided.

Through the silence that followed, Yelena strode forward, her eyes fixed on the wreckage as she prepared to deal with any survivors. Until, that is, a figure caught her eye.

Smirking self-satisfactorily, she called out to the man, whose tattered uniform was almost entirely obscured by the blood and crystalline ichor that coated both him and his surroundings. “Stand down, ofiser. Vе vill take it from here.”

(Interacting w/ Everyone)
(Mentioned Everyone)
Doctor Llamabean simj26 angel doe Roda the Red Coyote Hart Lucem Nobody Special Wxnter ​

 

[WhiskeyMarten]

MIRZA KARTAL

CS Link

SCENE:

Dragons Arc 3: Scene 3 [Ripples of Stardust]

LOCATION:

Zhànzhēng Bay, East District

PARTICIPANTS:

Nearby: Mirza, ???
In Scene: Arisa, Hifumi, Hiram, Kazue, Omar, Ottilie

RIPPLES OF STARDUST

Mirza didn’t have to be told twice, following the frantic woman without hesitation. A horrible gut feeling emerged, the veteran now more worried than ever about the safety of those at the resort.

“You must come find me when this ordeal ends, our paths will cross again regardless.”

He took relief in the fact that he could see the shore in the distance as they reached the deck. Maybe he wasn’t too late after all. Then, he was led further, and when he saw the figure on the ground, he felt sick.

“Who?...” Mirza’s voice trailed off as he knelt down next to the featureless being. He was not asking who it was, the clothes answered that well enough. The rookie he had been working with. He had hoped that with Hifumi not being with him when he woke, it meant he was safe at the resort but now… Mirza couldn’t begin to understand what had happened. Maybe he was alright and this was simply- No, Mirza had no explanation.

“Who did this? Was it him? Tell me what happened here.”

Mirza lifted the thing in his arms. If all was indeed well, then it would simply be something to investigate on land, and if the worst had happened, at least he had something to bring back to the Bae family.

 

[simj26]

Inigo Han

CS Link

SCENE:

Phoenixes Arc 3: Scene 2 [Tactical Mayhem]

LOCATION:

CDPD-HQ, Upper Central

PARTICIPANTS:

Ashley, Boltius, Eric, Gideon, Inigo, Roza, Tatsuya

TACTICAL MAYHEM

In. Out. In. Out. Breathe in. Then out. Breathe in. To say that everything hurt was an understatement. He exhaled, a harsh hissing sound, and started to move, each step an effort. His blades remained, clumsily stapled to his arms, their slipshod construction a reflection of his physical state.

This was that woman. She looked different from the dossiers that Chikage had provided him, but he could still recognise her, even with the scars. He remembered being told about her circumstances. He remembered storming outside of the room, out of the precinct, and burning through half of his pack of cigarettes. A snake within their midst, leading them from up high, higher than Chikage. She was no less a fetid pile of shit as the rest of them, no matter who she was. Her methods were, clearly, as brutal as the dregs of New Oasis' society.

Perhaps he should be thankful she did his job for him. Perhaps he should be thankful she and her crew made this battle not a complete loss for their side.

Perhaps she shouldn't have attacked those who had their backs turned. Perhaps she should have followed proper police protocols. Perhaps she should have maintained the rules of engagement.

It seemed like, to Inigo, that the cons outweighed the pros. He had his own idea of violence, true, but he had his honor to uphold, even if it was to criminal scum like the Phoenixes.

He drew in one deep breath. He was going to regret this. Eric was going to yell at him, Chikage was going to chide him, and that Se fellow was going to be so gleeful at his reckless attitude. He didn't know what Guinevere would do. Maybe she could bring his ghost back or something for the others to yell at. Not a good outlook, all things considered. He exhaled sharply.

The time for thinking was done.

"I didn't ask you to."

To serve and protect. That was his vow when he joined the police force. Now, he was serving and protecting the very people he had also vowed, personally, to eradicate. The deep sorrow, the boundless anger in the man as he lost what Inigo had assumed to be his beau (or his closest friend, he mustn't judge) burned at his own heart. On his honor, he will carve a way for him. The rest were secondary.

And if he could stick it to the ones who 'ruled' New Oasis, all the better. If he survived, he'd have another vow to make.

To bring it all crashing down.

"Let them leave, and keep your lives. Resist, and die." He spoke, loud enough to be heard above the chaos that still burned around him.

Doctor Llamabean simj26 angel doe Roda the Red Coyote Hart Lucem Nobody Special Wxnter Elenion Aura

 

[joshuadim]

THE WAREHOUSE

SCENE:

Phoenixes Arc 3: Scene 1 [Follow the Lightning]

LOCATION:

South District

PARTICIPANTS:

Hitoshi, Noa, Ryoma

FOLLOW THE LIGHTNING

"Yeah man, you take care now!" Giles said to Ryoma with a friendly wave as the Phoenixes departed to follow Hitoshi's trail further into the underground of the South District. Like the way they had came in, this part of the sewer was also dry and stale, and also showing its advanced age from the mosses that grew into the bricks they passed by. The occasional bottle littered the way, which definitively indicated that they were on the right path considering the man's drinking problem. Beer, vodka, tequila... it seemed as though his poison was whatever he had on hand at any given moment.

After some time, once the Phoenixes rounded a corner, they found themselves with the end of the trail as an old ladder led back up to the surface. Sunlight beamed down into the depths from the opened manhole above, giving Ryoma, Noa and her bodyguard the indication that this was where to go. Climbing up, they would then be greeted by the sight of abandoned buildings; remnants of an industrial age past once all that capital fled elsewhere. It was positively a dead zone of any activity, unless someone *wanted* to be here. Not even the homeless of New Oasis seemed to have made any homes here, as the area was devoid of any ramshackle or cobbled together shelters.

It was an eerie atmosphere, save for the occasional breeze that blew dust and dirt, or creaked the rusting metals nearby. It was definitely on the outskirts of the district itself, given that they could see, in the distance, the rest of New Oasis as well as the chaos it was in now. Plumes of dust and smoke rose from various parts of the city as the earthquake took effect, and a slight rumble filled the area with a distant aftershock hitting this quiet place. However decrepit the buildings were in their current state, they still remained strong and stable. Many of the buildings were relics of the past that remained a monument to their sins, but the one that stuck out to the Phoenixes here was the one in front of them in the moment.

In the following silence after the latest rumble, they could hear yells of pain coming from the inside.

Peckinou Stros

 

[Coyote Hart]

GIDEON GRAY

CS Link

SCENE:

Phoenixes Arc 3: Scene 2 [Tactical Mayhem]

LOCATION:

NOPD, Courtyard

PARTICIPANTS:

Ashley, Bandy, Boltius, Callista, Eric, Gideon, Inigo, Tatsuya

TACTICAL MAYHEM

With Boltius's command to flee, Gideon began to look around to see if there was any way out. Nope. It was all covered by a thick wall that he would need to blast through. But did he have the time to make a contraption to blow it open? The answer was a resounding no.

A group of Phoenixes, some which Gideon recognized, others that he didn't, gathered around him and Boltius, clambering to ask what was going on. Evidently, they didn't have walkie-talkies on them, so Gideon succinctly summarized Boltius's order, "We leave. Now. We're not built to beat these people."

And just as he said that, case-in-point, the hunters began their descent onto the Phoenixes, slaughtering whoever was within their path. That was when Gideon understood why Bolt was so panic-stricken. They were no match for the monsters that threatened to down every one of the intruding Phoenixes.

For a moment, hope arrived in the form of Ashley driving Bolt's SUV to pick up the group. Gideon had never been so relieved to see the cute-looking, black haired Phoenix ever, although his relief was also tinged with worry as he saw the battered state that Ashley was in. But even that hope was crushed, literally, when a woman with a strong foreign accent sent a Hummer flying into the SUV. At that moment, Gideon was crawling into the back of the SUV, and so he was thrown up into the air, crashing his ribcage into the top of the seat and having his knees thrown out from underneath him by the bottom of the seat. It hurt quite a bit.

It took Gideon a few minutes to drag himself up and peer out the window at the woman. If she could effortlessly throw one of the heaviest consumer vehicles, then her strength would've been enough to be on par with a King, if not more. In order to escape her, Gideon would have to distract her for long enough. And that meant using his Potential.

The self-confident grin on her face indicated some level of arrogance, so Gideon decided to play into it. But just as he began to project the thought, he felt it. It was like a wall, large and looming, pitch black and smooth as onyx. The mental wall blocked Gideon's advance, and he instinctively knew-- the woman's mind was no longer her own. She had been tampered with.

Gideon scoffed and returned to the safety of the car. Despite being arguably the weakest of the Scarlet Phoenixes, Gideon didn't often feel absolutely terrified. But now he did. Without his Potential... he was nothing. He'd be lucky to beat an NP in a fist-fight. The only thing HP-like about him was his ability to flee.

He did have explosives in his satchel though. But even if he set all the pipe bombs to detonate at the same time to compound with the explosion of the sticks of dynamite he carried, was that enough to blast a hole in the wall? Likely not, but it had to at least damage it enough to allow for someone physically strong to break through. It had to be.

"Is everyone okay?" Gideon asked, looking around the area at his fellow Phoenixes. He introduced the idea that he had, "I think if we can get to the wall, I can weaken it enough for someone to punch through."

But how exactly were they supposed to get to the wall? With the hunters roaming around, there just simply wasn't a way to safely get to the wall without people getting cut down. But then, an officer proclaimed that the Phoenixes should go. But since he was unable to influence the woman, could the officer do so?

"I don't think they will be swayed by words," Gideon projected to the officer, "If I want to help the Phoenixes, they need a way to break down the wall to escape. The Phoenixes won't forget the debt they owe you. But don't go fighting with these people. If they can destroy an HP that quickly, I stand no chance. But I need to think..."

In the middle of his projection, Gideon suddenly stopped. Just what sort of instructions should he give the officer? There really was no way for the officer to help without throwing himself in harm's way. Overwhelmed and unprepared to make a plan on the spot, Gideon stared at the ground. Was this the end?

Doctor Llamabean Elenion Aura simj26 Wxnter Roda the Red Lucem Nobody Special angel doe

 

[Saturn_moon]

Isobel Pham

CS Link

SCENE:

Tigers Arc 3: Scene 1 [Where Giants Sleep]

LOCATION:

Heavenly Beast Plaza, Lower Central District

PARTICIPANTS:

Elias, Ezra, Isobel, Kenji, Passeri, Wren

Where Giants Sleep

The world comes back in pieces. The soft crackle of a fire burning. Silver moonlight cast across polished hardwood floors. The feeling of velvet against her cheek.

Isobel is lying on a sofa. Somewhere in the room, she hears a voice speak. It sounds both near and distant at the same time. She frowns, her thoughts are slow and sluggish. “A great tragedy has befallen our city today…” When she tries to sit up she finds her hands and legs bound together by lengths of cold iron chains. “For those mourning and grieving the loss of family, friends, and loved ones, I want to extend my deepest sympathy and condolences…”

She squirms in her bindings even though the movement makes her head ache and her vision swim. “You’re awake.” The voice that was speaking before has gone silent now and stepping into her line of sight from behind the sofa is Beatrice Grant. She has a long cream dressing gown wrapped around her and her hair falls in voluminous waves down to her chest. A stark contrast to how Isobel saw her last. If it weren’t for the fact that the woman had attempted to murder her and her team not so long ago, she would have found this visage almost angelic. With a small sense of smug satisfaction, she notes the blossoming purple bruise on Beatrice’s cheek.

Beatrice takes a seat in the armchair across and fixes her steely blue eyes on her. Isobel is being studied and it unnerves her. She doesn’t know whether to meet Beatrice’s gaze or look away. In her contemplation, Beatrice makes the decision for her.

“I was surprised when I found out who the new Jack of the Tigers was; The little mute girl that not even her own gang knew about.” Beatrice walks closer, kneeling down so she is almost eye to eye with Isobel who is still prone. A slender hand reaches out and cradles her face. “I might have been a little too quick to judge.” Her grip tightened and the tone of Beatrice’s voice grows venomous. “You and your little party have made quite a mess of things but we’re made of tougher stuff. The Stewards have diligently served our purpose for over a hundred years and will continue to do so for a hundred more. Rest assured we will fix this… and l know how you can help.”

Beatrice draws even closer and Isobel can smell the wine laced in her breath. “I would ask how it feels to not be heard or seen by everyone, trapped in your own insignificant little world, but it would seem you already know what that’s like.”

Isobel spits in Beatrice which is reciprocated by a hard slap across her face. “Stupid girl. You will learn respect soon enough.” As the door closed behind Beatrice, Isobel found herself left alone in dark, the silence deafening and her future uncertain.

The One Eyed Bandit Lucem Stros Kyuubey QuirkyAngel ​

 

[WhiskeyMarten]

SYLVIE SLEZÁK

CS Link

SCENE:

Tigers Arc 3: Scene 2 [The Heist]

LOCATION:

West District

PARTICIPANTS:

Camila, Jennifer, Maria, Ryutaro, Samira, Sylvie

THE HEIST

Sylvie was doubtful. Doubtful of the woman’s competence in forming a plan in her current state, doubtful that he’d receive any info on who to call, and doubtful that they could reach a rooftop with the way the ground was shaking.

“You are crazy! I- I’m sorry, but-”

Sylvie looked up at the buildings around them and began to feel a bit sick himself. If things were this dangerous down here, standing so many metres above ground felt like suicide. He wasn’t even sure what Jennifer’s intentions were if she had any. He remembered his place though after his bold reply, feeling suddenly ashamed. Thing is, he wasn’t sure if it was a greater death wish to scale the building or to defy a Tiger veteran.

“It’s just that this… this… It can’t be safe.”

Sylvie’s feeble protests fizzled away as he looked back to the twins and the fighting that was ongoing, He looked then to the closest door to them, adjusting his hold on Jennifer to have a better grip on her and her weapons. With a grimace, he carried her forward to the building, venturing through the door in the hopes they’d find a way to the rooftop before the earthquake could level the whole thing.