Fandom Welcome to the DWMA! (Year 2) (Closed)

[The Regal Rper]

Nik | London | The Tunnels

The moment the Bloodsucker had been knocked down by Nicho, Nik moved in with Cain, ready to bring his blade down on the beast's leg, right into the thigh.

The question Cain asked, the sense of disturbance that tickled Nik's senses through their link- he ignored them. This wasn't the first time one of his partners, in the first trial, had been astounded to see the contrast between the him he projected and the him he kept under a tight collar and leash. Nik didn't allow for the distraction to get to him, he was used to it-- what had him bubbling with such malice however was what they'd bypassed earlier.

How this thing, one of his own, had or could have been involved in the death of an innocent. It made his gut bubble with disgust and fed his beast the fuel it needed as he turned, crouched- and was about to launch himself towards the Bloodsucker as he was spouting off the proclaim of putting an end to all of them- but the guy was just a bit faster than Nik expected him to be in his current state.

Nik moved. He flared his wavelength, dashed forward- a single minded chase, a pursuit to catch him before he made it outside. The other lives he could snuff out, the continued stigma it'd bring- it wasn't just about stopping a monster that DWMA had sent them out to kill, in a way for Nik it was also making up for the actions of his own.

So when he sensed J's presence along with Rue in the distance, he stopped his chase and watched as their leader took the thing down.

There were a few things Nik took notice thanks to his soul perception in that moment. While J was taking his time to have his bit of fun, the sense of malice radiating off him like a furnace despite the jovial approach he took at it, Nik found something more troubling as he focused less on the cruel display J was putting up to instead turn his gaze more to Rue who was emitting the same sense of fury...and was that also a sense of pain? He was detecting.

It became noticeable to Nik in his heightened state, that there was specs of blood on J as well as he began freezing their bloodsucker adversary. He couldn't help but wonder if that was his but from the way he moved, from his own senses, he could not smell iron strongly from anywhere on J's personal body.

Everything only became clear when J addressed them at last. Rue fucked up? And then the pain he had detected off her soul suddenly made more sense. The pain and anger was tied to the possibility of her being hurt, maybe even injured.

Concern washed over Nik and replaced his focus on the Bloodsucker to her. J obviously had things covered, the fact he himself hadn't been hurt was, honestly impressive. It was just a testament of his strength and if the surprise attack he'd pulled on the bloodsucker before getting Rue's aid to freeze over wasn't a clear example of their teamwork, then he didn't know what was.

The question however that bounced in his head was: How did Rue mess up? If she had been injured that clearly meant she had been moving around in her natural form. Had she met one of the Bloodsucker's prior to with J? Had J been with her at all? The way J had said everything, it clearly implied that Rue had done something that put her in the current state she was in. Recklessness- certainly wasn't the bit of advice he'd given her the last time they'd talked at the park- even with J walking away with both cargo, he wondered if Rue would be getting a talking to after this.

Eyes perfect slits, expression intense but slowly calming, Nik sighed. "Nicho, wanna keep patrolling the area? Or would you prefer to head back with J?" He asked.

He was certain given the pang of disturbance he'd felt from Cain, that he'd have some explaining to do soon also. Walking towards the exit out of the tunnels, Nik waited for his Russian colleague and friend to join him outside. Stewing over everything that had happened. Wondering just what was going on in London, with Bloodsuckers running around- treating the place as its hunting ground.

Mentions: N/A

Interactions: Kyuubey Phayne Exanis Huntertabbysandshark3 Flintstone

 

[Huntertabbysandshark3]

Nicholai balakin
Interactions: Exanis Kyuubey The Regal Rper Phayne​

Nicho was pushed to the side by the bloodsucker when he’d turned to the other frankly he should have known to keep an eye on it, he’d let out a sigh but luckily it seemed J had things covered freezing the bloodsucker in place tho even with that now over with nicholai miss-coloured eyes stared at rue weapon form with worry… whatever happend in the tunnels wasn’t good, not at all.. they’d spit up and fucked up again once again, a grim expression on his face. “thiz, thiz wasn’t good… I think zat rue is not in best condition“ he commented toward nik as he watched j and rue walk away back to theirs accommodations. "but yes.. will accompany you.. eeh.. rather not leave partners alone.. proves point.." he'd let out a small sigh staring off into space his tails and ears all drooping "may be best not to carry katrina though.. do not think locals would appciate seeing fox man with monster like boodsucker around" nicholai thought, his worry about safty of everyone being rather high, many more had dealt with even worse.. but all he'd learn is splitting up had always lead to soemone getting killed or hurt badly.. he wasn't about to let his old friend wander off and end up injuried hell even he could just as easily fall victim to whatever was lurking out there.. their was a good reason they sent a team becuse it was obvious form their current situation.. a single pair couldn't fix this issue alone.. and it would be foolish to act that way. "lets keep looking ze.. no splitting up.. may make us more vunrable.."

 

[Mitchs98]

Ferra and Torr

​

Location: Japan Village - Team C
Interactions: The Elder AxElKiNgHeArT13 RageFactorXIII _Line 213 Britt-21 Kyuubey
Mentions:

Torr was admittedly worried that everyone would immediately bash his idea and call it, and possibly him, stupid, despite how friendly the group was. It was a small worry, a dumb one, but one he had nonetheless. He wasn't that used to coming up with plans or ideas, he typically went with the flow and did what was asked or needed of him in a situation. He did communicate with Ferra but that was just about it. He had expected Ferra to agree, it was the rest of them he wanted input from. Luckily, no harsh words came from anyone. And Torr could see the rather easily presented problem Yang brought up regarding grouping all the villagers together in one area. At-least in a building. Underground though...that did make more sense if they were able to access an area large enough. More defensible, less vulnerable. Torr nodded slowly and let out a low rumble of recognition towards Yang's modification to his suggestion. It would keep the villagers safe, rounding them up in time without alerting the people they were after would be the hard part.

Ferra grinned a little and pat Torr on the back. Though she herself had liked the idea as it was...Yang's suggestion was alright true! Truthfully she didn't really care as long as they managed to protect the people and everyone made it out alright. Those were her primary concerns. Attention turned to Kimberly as the white haired girl nervously spoke up chipping into the plan with a suggestion of her own. "Oooh....recon grenades sound really cool! We could definitely use those I think." She agreed. Torr nodded a bit. Any sort of information that could help in battle would be perfect in his and Ferra's eyes. Ferra admittedly wasn't certain how the grenades worked...but they sounded useful, so surely they were?

The blonde girl hummed softly as she tried to come up with more ideas that might help while also listening to everyone speak, namely Grace who chimed in shortly after Lacey suggested a lure. It sounded risky...especially if the villagers were involved as Grace soon mentioned. No, they couldn't endanger the villagers further...besides that she sincerely doubted that any of them would be willing to volunteer for such a thing. Not with everything that's already happened. With so many of them already fearing for their lives. Not only that, what if they weren't able to stop the rogue meisters in time? It was too big of a risk in her eyes, even if it would likely draw them out.

None of their options were the best though. They did need a plan, and quick. Everything in this instance would be risky one way or another. Towards the villagers, them, or just outright losing their target altogether. Ferra couldn't help but to whine a little in frustration. "I didn't expect this to be so harrrd..." The poor thing spoke with a heavy sigh. She...wasn't really the best suited for the planning phase, at all really. That much was evident. Though this was mostly due to the stakes that were at hand...she certainly didn't envy Grace having to lead them in this situation at all.

She perked up however as Kimiko spoke up, suggesting that Kou be the distraction and decoy that they needed. Her gaze flitted to the tall werewolf man as his partner spoke, Ferra giving small nods here and there agreeing with every word. He was big, tough, and very much an exotic soul with his being a werewolf. "Ooh...that's a great idea." Ferra grinned a little as Kou seemed more than eager and confident in the plan of using himself as bait. "Hiding nearby is probably just about the only thing that works. We can group up the villagers, at-least part of them, like Kou said and blend in for the most part. Unless they're looking closely they shouldn't be able to tell much, right?" Ferra reasoned. "The only other solution is if we can find an area underground near where we stick Kou at and sorta just...jump out at 'em. Splitting up would be too risky, especially if they don't all go for Kou at once...I'd think.." The blonde girl shrugged a little. "We're not in that good of a spot either way. And we have to be close to make sure that they don't overwhelm Kou."

Ferra wasn't trying to downplay Kou's abilities or strength by any means. Yet they had no idea the strength of their opponents. It was a risky strategy all around, and Ferra was trying her best to think of something that minimalized the risk to them. At the very least if they were spotted among the villagers they could defend them from an attack. Probably.
​

 

[The Regal Rper]

Nik | London | The Streets

"I agree, it would be better to stick together than for us to further split apart." Nik commented once Nicho was also outside.

It was ultimately a fruitless effort. The search had lasted for at most half-an-hour before Nik himself suggested they return back to the hotel to see how J and Rue might be handling themselves given the new 'guest' they had with them. More importantly for Nik however, he was more concerned with Rue's current state of being. The Demon Weapon had clearly been injured, and the very thought that one of his own kind, albeit a rogue and savage representation of it, struck him with concern that maybe- just maybe- she might start approaching him with some degree of wariness now.

The thought cemented itself in Nik's head, like a tick within flesh, refusing to leave till it became a point that he lost any interest in continuing the search again.

Minutes later, Nicho by his side and their respective partners, Nik found himself thinking out loud as they approached the hotel.

"If I seemed a bit strange earlier" he said speaking in general to them, specifically to Katerina and Cain, as with Nicho he had at least seen how he could be in a fight at least a few times before he'd departed- "it is just, how do I say...a state of being, common for me. It is nothing to be alarmed over." He reassured.

Then again, bringing it up at all, made for an awkward conversation ahead, didn't it?

Mentions: N/A

Interactions: Kyuubey Phayne Exanis Huntertabbysandshark3 Flintstone

 

[Kyuubey]

Rue Sivogn
(next day, sundown)

" Please let me sleep, J. " Her voice sounded far away but she knew that was just the delirious state of hers causing that effect. Truthfully, Rue couldn't hold on much longer. She'd remained in weapon form, those hands clasping that thigh, trying with what strength remained to keep the blood from steadily seeping out. It was becoming harder with each pass second. The grasp of her fingers was loosening, body feeling sickly weak.

And then she felt it, the pouring of his wavelength that was fueling her abruptly stopping. Rue sighed in relief but that exhale of air was the last breath she took before she immediately fell unconscious. Every now and then a murmur would escape those slightly parted lips, eyelids fluttering only to confirm that she was indeed still alive and kicking, whatever loose definition of that one could muster up when taking a look at her.

Rue couldn't recall too vividly what occurred after she'd passed out but J had actually brought her to the nearest hospital, the damage being quite extensive and beyond 'first aid kit' repair. As she steadily came back to the waking world, those eyes were the first thing to show any sort of movement. Swirling but dull colors peeked out only to be assaulted by the setting sun that was in the perfect spot to blind her through the gap in the bland curtains. They weren't the same velvety and bright material of the ones that were back at the hotel room, Rue realized. Blinking sporadically to try to adjust that blurred vision, Rue brought her hands up to her face, allowing each finger to come into view, just to ensure that she could indeed fixate and hone in on something. A loud beep to the side caused her to tense up, head whipping around to face the culprit. Her gaze settled on the monitor, various numbers and a moving line stretched across it.

She flexed her fingers and shifted around, trying to thaw out the fatigued and weak feeling that was still encumbering her entire body. It was an unwelcome feeling but at least it wasn't as terrible as the helplessness she'd been forced to succumb to the previous night. Those hues lowered, trailing along every inch of her lithe frame that was within view. They stopped, staring at the heavily bandaged part of her leg. The leg she'd been forced to mutilate. A sour taste crept along her mouth, mixing with the saliva to only furtherly spread and make its way down her throat once she finally swallowed.

Seconds turned into minutes, eyes still hard-set on the crippled state of her leg. Rue could feel it without even needing to confirm it by attempting to walk. While Rue was unaware of the extent of the damage, the foreign and alien feeling that was her limb of a leg that wasn't responding like the other was alarming enough. This was going to be there for a while, hindering her for months to come, possibly perpetually. This was going to cause permanent damage. Her mistake may have cost her more than she was willing to pay. No. A bloodsucker had done this. The monitor was the first to realize the frenzied state she was about to enter, the beeping becoming rapid as it filled the once stagnantly quiet room. Rue let out a sudden shrill scream and lurched forward, frantically grabbing at the bandages and trying to rip them off, to tear them into pieces.

" I'll kill them! They're monsters! " She started shouting in a choked up and hoarse voice. Following the words came screams of frustrations and the tears flowing freely in tandem. The mix of anger and despair overriding everything else. " M-Monsters... " Rue sobbed, hands still pulling at the wrappings that were covering up the sight that she both desired and feared to see.

Team A; J Exanis Nik The Regal Rper Cain Phayne Nicho Huntertabbysandshark3 Kat Flintstone​

 

[_Line 213]

Grace Amadeus Fugue
Mountain Village
Interacting with: Team C ( RageFactorXIII , AxElKiNgHeArT13 , The Elder , Kyuubey , Britt-21 , Mitchs98 )​

Grace nodded as they received their decoy volunteers. It was only part of the puzzle, but a part nonetheless. Seeing as there was no direct objection from anyone else, it was time to figure out how everyone else was going to fit into it--and fast, if they were going to wind up using the plan at all.

Grace closed her eyes as Ferra offered additional ideas, though her mind for the most part mostly mulled over Torr's earlier suggestion; perhaps that could be the key to it all...

"...Rounding up the villagers will take time that we don't have, and fighting things out in a building isn't gonna do us any favors," she stated, hanging her thumbs on the edge of her pockets as she looked back to the group, "for better or worse, we're probably the most destructive team the EAT class has overall. We don't wanna be forced into the choice of holding back against a dangerous enemy or bringing the building we're in down on our heads, along with a few nearby blocks to spare." She raised a hand, jabbing her thumb toward Torr.

"...Which means we have to pull the entire fight out of the town. We don't need to group up with the villagers, just spread out near the edge of town and add our souls to the background noise. If they're focused on their decoy, then the rest of us might just slip by until it's too late, and that'll give us just enough space for what we need." She bit down on the pasta stick in her mouth, cutting it a little shorter with a mild click. If this didn't work, her status as a member of the EAT class would be on the line, but they were running out of time, and the team already had at least one blunder under their belt...

She sighed. "...Alright. Here's what I've got," she said, looking out toward the village, "this piece is gonna have four movements." She flicked a finger toward Kou. "One. Our decoy is gonna pull them toward the edge of the village. Two. Yang and I are gonna make an entrance in order to stall them out. Three. Lacey and Kimberly--" she flicked her finger toward the mentioned parties, "are gonna wait in the wings to get the initial drop on 'em before anyone else shows up in the killzone. Between the two of us we'll have enough control through Kimberly's explosives and Yang's rate of fire to keep them pinned. Four. Kouga falls back while Ferra and Torr--" once more, her finger switched, "escort Kimiko back to her partner, letting us all link up in time to take on the enemy team together." Her gaze turned to Ferra and Torr in particular, her finger still raised. "...You two have the most important job out of all of us. If they catch Kouga and Kimiko while they're separated, all of this falls apart."

That was it. Everyone with a part to play, everyone with a role. She fell silent for a time, letting that particular fact settle in. "...Now unless anyone has anything that they wanna add or change, we should get moving. Every second we spend standing here is more time that our targets get to reap innocent souls."

 

[Exanis]

J(eremy)
In a corner of the room not too far from the near-comatose princess slept, there sat J, his head propped up using one hand and his legs crossed. His gaze was locked onto the shallow breathing of his partner, signified by the steady rise and fall of her chest, and yet, contrary to what some might assume given the state of Rue, there across his face was a small, but still noticeable, dark and amused grin. This wasn't due to anything regarding his partner's condition, but more towards his recollection and rumination of the events of last night, specifically after he had left with Rue and the vampsicle.

He had initially planned on patching up Rue himself in the hotel, before getting to the vampire-turned-sculpture, but given how Rue kept gradually getting weaker and fainter as time went on, not to mention needing more and more of his attention to keep her in weapon form, he had to bite the bullet and take her to the hospital first, and wasn't that a doozy in the first place. Walking into the ER, covered in blood, and carrying a limp, injured girl, all while wearing a hockey mask that was iconic for a very specific horror movie serial killer? Well, at least three hospital personnel thought that an even bigger tragedy was about to occur, much to J's continued delight. However, even he had to reign in his desires for chaos, or at least redirect them, sometimes, and he was able to, with some work, get them to take Rue after revealing their identities as students of the DWMA. After all, being part of a global peacekeeping organization focused on dealing with the very much bloodthirsty and horror-inducing supernatural creatures in this world did have it's perks, such as making sure people stopped asking questions in the first place!

After making sure Rue had safely been transferred over, he of course had to drag not only himself but the hostage back to the hotel for two very, very different reasons. He needed to get a change of clothes, whilst also 'kindly persuading' his new friend into giving him the information he wanted, and not necessarily in that exact order. Maybe he had gone a bit overboard, just a teensy bit overzealous, and just a smidge overeager in his methods, but really, the results spoke for themselves. Or well, no longer spoke after singing like a canary. J snickered quietly to himself at the reminder. But still, after that brief detour, which took much less time than he had honestly expected, he had rushed back to the hospital, and had been here ever since. Every once in a while a doctor or nurse may have tried to get him to leave but well, he did happen to still have the mask, and a bloodied figure with messy yet bright rainbow colored hair was hard to forget.

Still, he'd been waiting for a while now, but as usual, as Rue approached closer and closer to wakefulness, he was able to tell, especially from this proximity. Soon enough, she had awoken, and J continued to hold his silence as his partner examined herself and her surroundings, seemingly missing him, or perhaps just glossing over his presence in favor of the more pressing matters, such as her own state. He was keenly aware when her examination stopped at her injured leg and stayed there for minutes on end. He had been told by the doctor earlier the degree of the damage, and how it would potentially be permanent, and even if it wasn't Rue would struggle with high intensity physical activities. As he continued to watch her, J could feel her bubbling, turbulent emotions, and briefly to himself he acknowledge mild surprise at the sheer intensity of them. And then, the screaming came.

The only indication of J's surprise at the outburst was a single blink, and his shoulders shaking silently in repressed giggles. And yet, as Rue began to frantically scramble at her bandages, J finally stood from his seat and, with noiseless steps, approached her side. Without even a how-do-you-do, or any other sign of his presence, he reached forward and grabbed her wrists, stopping her from tearing off the bandages to her wound. Shifting slightly so that he could sit besides her on the bed, he let go of her wrists in favor of wrapping an arm around her shoulder and shaking her slightly to get her attention, grinning down at her as he did so. "Hey, hey, you're fine, it's all fine. Ain't no monsters around 'sides the one in front of you, ya hear? You're a just a little bit banged up, a little bit sore, and in need of a whole lot of good news, but you're fine. I gotcha, so don't you worry, ain't nothin' and nobody gettin' to ya with me around, 'kay?" Even if the way he spoke seemed relatively normal, there was an uncharacteristically soothing tone in his voice as he addressed his partner. "Both those wastes of flesh can't and won't hurt ya anymore, and if ya really want, we can go on a hunting trip and get rid of 'em all, but first ya gotta get better, aight? It'll all be okay, everything is gonna be fine, an' ya know that's true cause I'm the one sayin' it, yeah?"

As he spoke, J reached down to pull the blanket over Rue's injured leg once more with his free hand. Nodding to himself as if that action righted every wrong in the world, J began patting her head with the arm wrapped around her shoulders as he continued to address her. "So, so, so? Talk to me Ruey, ain't nothin' good about stickin' inside yer own head. If ya wanna scream, an' shout, an' let it out, I happen to be a veeeeeery convienent target right now. Let loose to yer heart's content and I'll deal with the aftermath, m'kay?"

Kyuubey Huntertabbysandshark3 Flintstone Phayne The Regal Rper

 

[Britt-21]

This reminded her of the times she would sit in the "Throne" room with her father, discussing battle plans that were followed up with backup plans. After all, they had always been head to head with the Kigetsu Clan and needed to have any plan they could come up with if they had ever gotten ambushed or more. Being a child only allowed her to absorb the information that was being conversed in her presence and hold it for the next time she would need it. This situation alone would usually be one of those moments, but Grace's plan felt pretty solid and she trusted in that. The one thing that worried her was the fact that Kou would be without her and she was in the care of Ferra and Torr. There was nothing wrong with them protecting her, but the thing was they were going in with assumptions. What if they were being watched as they were planning? Catching something moving within her vision, her eyes darted and she noticed a Crow that cawed before flying away. "I think it's a great idea Grace." she complimented, though her worries still lingered in the back of her mind They could very well be watching us and decide to avoid Kou due to his werewolf soul and go after one of the groups we have. I'm going to have to think...

"I can see why you were put as the leader of us all. You're quite well at it." Kimiko had been planning her own things in the background, had they need to make a change of plans last minute. She then looked at both Ferra and Torr "I trust that you both can escort me without any issues. If they do arise, you still have me as a third to assist." a smile tugged the edges of her lips and gave them a gentle nod Mitchs98 . Then she glanced at Kou "You, don't do anything stupid till I'm there, okay?" she balled her hand into a fist but gently bopped him on his chest with the side of it before dropping her hand and moving towards her escorts. Kyuubey "Good luck to all of you." standing beside Ferra and Torr We're going to need all the luck in the world for this one. We're going in almost blinded with no in depth detail about our enemy. Granted, this could be said to any situation, but this one is against our own kind who went rouge. There was not much she could say till the time came to face them. "Be on your guard. Look over your shoulder. This is still a village with its own issues aside from these students."

RageFactorXIII AxElKiNgHeArT13 The Elder

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[Britt-21]

Ares began to listen to everyone's suggestions and he couldn't help but release his usual "Tch." While he crossed his arms and looked away from the team towards the window. It was daylight, and they were burning it by sitting around asking the same general line of questions or suggesting the same thing. Not everyone had to go out and ask the locals what they've seen. After all, they were a large group to divide and do different things to make this mission move. "Listen, while you guys decide if you want to talk with the locals, go for it. I'm going to take a look around. We're wasting time if we sit in here. This Kishin could very well be hiding until dark and we have til then before it starts moving and makes it even more difficult to track down." dropping his arms, he strolled up to the door "If you feel like tagging along, be my fucking guest." his golden eyes shifted to his partner "Céles, lets go." it was bossy, it was mean, and from the outside perspective, it was definitely a red flag. Though, the relationship between himself and his partner were on a level where they understood each other. Ares pulled the door open and stepped out, waiting for his partner outside.

Thing was, he was a team player, he didn't mind going on a group mission. But how everyone was agreeing on the same thing but no one else was doing anything to step forward started to irk him. You volunteer for what you're going to do dammit. That's how it goes. The blonde was taking initiative to get the hell out and go with his partner to find the right trail. The faster the ball rolled, the better. As students of the DWMA -if something did happen to break out in the streets- they all knew how to take care of themselves and one another. After all, most Kishins were loud, they didn't like to go down quietly. He released a huff as he lifted his gaze to the sky We need to see if there's any good hiding places within the area. Woods, tombs, anything that could be a good hiding spot. Fuck. he thought If only we had a radius to go off of. The only thing we have right now is bodies in the water and people being taken from the land. bringing a hand to his face, he cupped his chin in thought while waiting for his partner.

Z2010Deadmeat Huntertabbysandshark3 Mineczka JuniperBoi Jackaboi​

 

[Huntertabbysandshark3]

Nicholai balakin
Interactions:: Exanis Kyuubey The Regal Rper Phayne​

the group searching proved utterly fruitless that night seemed their fight and capture of the bloodsucker and sent the other copycat killers into hiding much to Nicholai chagrin. leaving him to mope back with Nik and his partner, the Bloodsucker still looking a little bit well grumpy and rather annoyed it made sense they'd have one of their team members possibly grievously injured or infected by something. "yes my friends Nik is fine he is just eeeh in a unique situation like myself not to worry about it" he'd say trying to brew up some confidence in the 2 weapons who didn't know Nik as well as himself though it might have not helped all that much. "best talk about it eeeh another time we have more important thing to get to yes?"
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it turns out rue was far worse for ware then he expected.. she'd taken a machete to the leg the wound was.. serious, it wouldn’t just be leaving physical scarring, as much freedom as the American’s gave their students…there was something to be said about the stricter policy’s back in Russia, they’d have remained as a group when searching and this never would have happened, did he feel guilty about it somewhat, but the Best thing he could really do right now was, just deal with these killer before anymore people got hurt or killed least Rue had j to keep her company…

 

[The Regal Rper]

Nik | London | Hospital

He'd been pacing. Up and down, down and up.

In his haste to make it to the meeting, he had left Cain behind- informing him he was going to see Rue's doctor, get some details and information since he wasn't being allowed to see Rue early since she was asleep at the time he'd wanted to visit- and J was with her, and according to the nurses at the time- was also asleep nearby.

It had moved Nik briefly, to know the two were so close- but would have soured him completely if he'd known the fact was the nurses had lied. That J had been awake, and the only reason they had suggested to him he come back later was out of some misguided hope the rainbow-haired colored boy, whom had been splattered in blood, wearing a mask from an infamous horror film, would hopefully be gone the next time Nik came around.

Hours had went by the day had moved on and Nik now found himself alone.

Just like back then.

Ever since he'd found out that J had taken Rue to the hospital- the reliable thing to do, he had been concerned. If it had been any of his other peers J, Nicho, Katerina- heavens forbid, Cain-- he would have been in the same state. But that was something that gnawed in the back of his head knowing or at least, deferring the source of what had caused Rue's injury, as well as the necessary surgery for it.

The doctor- Dr. Sofia Lorenzo, a surgeon, a plastic surgeon- to be precise- entered the very hall that Nik had been required to sit in waiting for, a sympathetic smile on her face as he turned and came to shake hand.

"Dr. Lorenzo" Nik replied. And she shook his hand upon the verbal greeting. "How is she doing?"

The spike in her soul said more than what her neutral sympathetic smile said. The Doctor went into detail- but only if it was because Nik had proven he was a DWMA Agent and associated teammate of J and Rue. The injury to her leg could have costed her the whole thing, but it hadn't- instead she'd lost a majority of motor function and mobility in that same injured leg.

Nik was silent, but stoically calm- this was a tragic thing for Rue. Not too long ago they'd been dancing together- now she'd be spending more time recuperating from her injuries. He had to wonder if this would mean J would get a replacement partner in the mean time- it's what they would do back home, he wasn't sure about procedures here. His thoughts after the doctor finished explaining Rue's situation, strayed into what he might be able to do to provide some support to both Meister and Weapon within that hospital room, at least till:

"However..." she went on. And his eyes focused back on to her. "I should warn you ahead since you will be the first official visitor she will see outside of J, whether she realizes it or not given her in and out states over the night, she will be jumpy."

It was no surprise she would be, her experience would make anyone 'jumpy'.

"Understood," he nodded with a polite smile. "Where was her room again?"

She pointed him in the direction- and he was on his way.

Yet for some reason, the word 'jumpy' made him think back to his own experience of when the Russian Branch had to deal with its first Monster altercations, much like they had the other day. Hunting down these kinds of creatures weren't common practice missions- but they still happened. Just not enough for anyone outside of Three Stars perhaps, to be more used to the experience. Or at least Two Stars more geared towards specific focuses.

He had to wonder if J and Rue ever dealt with missions related to Monsters regularly- but the thought of them having much experience was banished quite quickly. If they had, Rue wouldn't have, as J had put it- made such a blunder that had led to this hospitalization. She would have had the experience, caution and wariness to be more careful- it told at least that whatever his American colleagues had dealt with in the last year, did not mean they had dealt with monsters on the regular basis. At least, this was his assumption.

Which could only make him wonder as he approached the door to her room: Just how would she react seeing him?

Nik paused at the thought.

He realized for a moment everything he was seeing had become so very focused in his vision, which could only mean his pupils had contracted and were dilated slits of predatory focus. Exhaling slowly, inhaling deeply- he willed his eyes to return to a more humane state.

He didn't know about J- but if Rue really was as 'jumpy' from what she had gone through and was only just realizing the damages done to her body, there was a chance-- not a high one, but a small one, significantly so (he told himself) that she might redirect these feelings to him.

So he smiled. A empathetic one at least, one that mirrored the same smile he'd used on some of his injured allies before they'd demanded or politely begged he leave their room-- he smiled, opened the door and said in a quiet yet comforting voice as he knocked while opening: "Did somebody order company?"

A terrible joke, but it was all he had to offer for now.

Mentions: N/A

Interactions: Kyuubey Phayne Exanis Huntertabbysandshark3 Flintstone

 

[Z2010Deadmeat]

Gwen Wheeler

Team D
​

Gwen listened quietly nodding along as her teammates gave their suggestions on what they should do. This was going to be a serious task for them, they had a city and quite possibly the surrounding swamp to search. Time wasn't on their side either, if night was when this Kishin hunted they were working against the clock and had little time to figure out where their prey was lurking. The wheels in Gwen's brain spun as fast as the wheels on her beloved Dark Irina could at top speed. Everyone had good ideas on how to improve their search and Gwen knew how to formulate it.

Then Ares had to go all gung ho on them and off acting like he had a chip on his shoulder. He had a point they had to get to work, but Gwen needed him to here the plan! Only one thing to do in this situation!

"Excuse me real fast~" Gwen sung sweetly as she slowly slid away from the others and out the door. "Come here you!" The others would hear Gwen continuing to rant along with heavy shuffling and struggling. "Part of the ship, part of the crew Ares! I know the planning is boring and slow but if we don't have a clear idea what to do someone else is gonna die. So just give me two more minutes of your time and then you can go kick all the ass you want? Deal? Ok deal." It was a hilarious sight to bear witness too, Ares easily dwarfed Gwen, yet here she was forcefully pulling him back in by the back of his shirt. Using all the might she could muster to bring the taller Drake back to their briefing.

"Ok!" Gwen had a light pant to her voice after pulling a mountain of man. "Izuma JuniperBoi and Akron Huntertabbysandshark3 I want you to do more than just inspect the pictures for cause of death. Go to the local police station and speak with the coroner. The police called the DWMA so they can at least let us look at their records and the most recent victim. What ever little detail from the evidence you can get? Find it."

Gwen turned her eyes from the Akron and Izumi to the next pair of their motley crew.

"Ares Britt-21 and Celes Mineczka you have the right idea about the bayou. Which is why I want you to go check the dumping areas. Look for anything. Any kind of security camera or anything that could've caught the scene when a body fresh appeared. We need to fight this thing on our terms and not in its den where it could surprise us. For all we know it could move faster in the swamps." Gwen then turned her eyes to her own partner.

"While you and me are gonna go hit the entertainment district where all the bars and partying occurs. Our kishin is hunting college kids. Probably people who have been drinking all night, aren't able to focus and go home stumbling drunk. Perfect prey for a hungry predator." Jackaboi Gwen reasoned before turning her gaze back to everyone.

"We stay in contact, two hours before sunset we call and check in what we find. That gives us about five hours to look. Once we have an idea of the best place to find this bastard we all meet up and figure out a plan of attack!" Gwen said slamming her fist into her open palm with fiery determination in her eyes. They were going to catch this monster no matter what!

 

[Kyuubey]

Elvena Stein

To Elvena’s dismay they were forced to ride in a plane and transported via hired help to their destination. It may have drastically reduced the travel time and been more comfortable for most of the team but for Elvena it was lowkey only working to send the cogs in her brain clicking and turning in ways they shouldn’t. There was too much familiarity compared to back then, even the interior of the plane seeming too similar. The meister said little the entire time, instead opting to bask in the contentment and sanctuary that could be found from Takeshi along the way. It was more than enough, thankfully, as those white strands remained splayed out along the weapon’s body. The ever subtle whisper of Ryu caressing the occasional frantic state that her soul was plunged into due to the anxiety, working to soothe it.

The trip from the aircraft to the truck and then the asylum was shorter than expected. A sigh of relief tumbled past those lips, dark crimson eyes lifting to peer at the worn and aged building they’d been sent to investigate. It was eerie, a dark undertone surrounding it, and most of the windows had been shattered. Maybe people had sifted through it, used it as a temporary home only to be chased away. Whatever or whomever had trekked through and ransacked the place clearly hadn’t stayed long.

A small murmur of thanks was ushered towards Marcus as the meister handed out a couple means of communication. As Elvena peered around the room those eyes shifted from the filthy walls with its torn wallpaper, the design upon it no longer recognizable from what it was meant to be to the destroyed remnants of furniture. Flowers, perhaps? Either way, the place was strange and an aura of unsettlement lingered about, hitting their souls from the moment they had stepped through the entrance of the place.

As Llewellyn spoke up, Elvena shifted her distant gaze to the weapon and nodded. “ Go ahead and take point, you’re the best person for that. Takeshi and I will split off. Since this is an investigative mission and there's no knowledge of an immediate threat, we’d cover more ground separately. Though Marcus should definitely remain with you and Roselia. Please keep them safe. And yes, we should try to keep ourselves out of combat unless it is absolutely necessary to engage. “ She both answered Llewellyn’s inquiry, accepted his request, and solidified the faith she had in him to be at the front of the group. Elvy then glanced at Marcus, face still appearing quite neutral despite the odd sense of comfort she found just from being in a place like this. Where it would put unease in most, or spook others, Elvena felt more at home inside its walls, given the nature of her state of mind.

“ Flair that soul of yours if you need me. We'll be by your side faster that way. “ Truthfully the walkie-talkie was less effective as Elvena would be constantly monitoring her teammate’s souls from afar while they traveled through the asylum. Even if she had been maintaining distance between herself and everybody else due to the events of the previous year, the meister was still a dependable ally. Reaching out to grab Takeshi’s hand, a touch of a smile tugged upwards at those lips that had once been drawn in a frown of sorts. It was no secret that her partner brought her the utmost comfort, especially when there was the danger of her mind fracturing. " Anything else to say before we part ways? " Elvena inquired with a tilt of her head, crimson eyes like beacons as they appeared staring at the group from over her shoulder, body already turned away from them. The meister was making an attempt to be more team oriented, even if it wasn't the duo's usual mission preference.

Interacted with Team B; Takeshi Exanis Marcus The Elder Llewellyn RageFactorXIII Lia BabyGirlRage​

 

[Kyuubey]

Rue Sivogn



Those hands had come to a cemented stop, now stark still as she felt J grasp both wrists. A panicked sense of turmoil was fluctuating within her soul, body reacting by shivering madly. Eventually that heaving chest of hers started to slow and become shallow, those breaths still ragged and recuperating from the screams and anxiety that was still clinging to her being, but definitely calmer than before. Rue stared at J’s face for a long time before leaning back against the pillow on the hospital bed. The princess couldn’t help but believe every word that was leaving the meister’s lips. After-all J might’ve been overbearing at times or come off as extremely eccentric with his methods or way of acting but he’d never tried to lead her astray. It was part of why she adored and loathed him. He could say anything and Rue would most likely eat up every word without any sort of hesitation. J's intentions were true even if Rue didn't always understand them.

The reality of everything happening was painful. What was probably hurting the girl more than the wound itself was the knowledge of what kind of struggles she’d be facing in the future. Rue bit her lip, noting that they were dry and chapped. A tongue slowly appeared to slide across them, trying to apply some moisture before she dared speak. “ How bad is it? “ She inquired in a hollow voice, trying not to fall back into a fit of hysterics. The blanket over her leg helped to at least shield her from staring at it. It wouldn’t do anything but continue to add more grievances to the situation.

Another realization hit suddenly and Rue’s hand shot out to J, fingers tense and squeezing that toned arm as if she was afraid he’d disappear at any moment. “ Please don’t let them take me away from you. I can still fight, I don’t want them to partner you with someone else while I recover. Please, J. “ Those eyes bore into his, serious, sorrowful, and scared. That other hand reached out and grabbed his other arm, refusing to release him. “ Promise me. “ She’d practically pulled him against her, uncaring what it would look like to anyone who might enter the room. Unconcerned of the bloodied state that he was in, knowing full well none of it was his. “ I can’t lose you too.. “ She admitted in a meek voice, grip loosening only the slightest, as if the gravity of this realization was only now hitting her. It was a selfish ask, one of the few that the princess had ever truly asked of J.

Maybe Rue could survive this. No, she had to survive this. But if they took J too? Rue just couldn’t fathom losing both this and her partner in one fell sweep. It would cripple her in more ways than just medically. That fearful expression was only amplified, spreading further, at the sound of the door opening and the voice that followed. Rue tried to mask it, the betrayal of the beating of her heart that was picking up speed, but to Nik, he’d hear it immediately. Those fingers curled tightly once more, fingers paling as they death gripped J’s arms with strength that was only possible due to anxiety feeding it. How had she not known what the other meister was truly capable of? What other things could his kind do? Rue didn’t want to think of him in a different light. Not the Nik she’d begun getting to know. He’s not a monster, not a monster, not a monster, not a monster. Not a…. M-Monster. Her thoughts repeated like a broken record, playing over and over again until she felt like she would shatter from the conflict wracking her mind.

Rue’s lips quivered but they slowly but surely spread into a small ghost of a smile, sent Nik’s way. “ Nik… “ Her voice sounded gentle and hushed but it was audible enough to be heard, not that Nik would have any issue hearing it. “ H-How did the rest of the patrol go…? Is everyone okay? “ Rue asked, not noticing that her fingernails were embedding themselves into J’s arms, daring to break skin. “ Speaking of… “ Rue didn’t bother looking towards the window to confirm, as the clock on the wall within view gave away the time of day it was. Sundown. “ Going to be time again soon. “ She shifted in the bed, attempting to slide off of it, using J for support, and found herself struggling, eyes squeezing shut from the pain that coursed through her leg. It was enough that the pain meds running through her system weren't sufficient to dull it. With an agitated exhale of air, Rue stopped trying, laying back in somber defeat." I.... " Those teeth were grit both from the agony she'd caused from her movements and the welling pool of frustration. " You should all go without me. Just... be safe... " Those eyes were filling to the brim when they finally opened. Rue didn't hesitate to turn her face to the side to look away, not wanting those tears to spill over in front of anyone.

Team A; J Exanis Nik The Regal Rper Cain Phayne Nicho Huntertabbysandshark3 Kat Flintstone
​

 

[Exanis]

J(eremy)
J stayed silent as Rue gradually used up the rest of her frantic energy, simply holding her, ignoring the gradually increasing pressure on his arm as she gripped onto it. Blinking down at his partner, J tilted his head from side to side, a purposefully lighthearted grin worked across his face as he stared at Rue. Even as she requested, though in truth it was more of desperate begging, for him not to leave her, J continued to stay silent, smiling down at her. He could tell that this was a turning point for his partner, and he was eager to see the end results of it. For now, however, she was fragile, and no matter how much he claimed that he wanted to twist and turn her into something immensely amusing for him, that plan never included her shattering into a million pieces, nor was he going to let such a thing happen. After giving Rue yet another moment to further compose herself, did he finally open his mouth and respond to her. "Now now, it ain't nearly as bad as ya may think it is. I betcha just one ol' sesh with Yin-Yang, an' she'll fix ya up, right as rain! 'Sides, yer made of tougher stuff, Ruey, this ain't gonna hold ya back fer long." And from the sheer lack of doubt in his voice, it was clear that J truly did believe that, given a few sessions with Elvena, the trauma that Rue had undergone just now could be completely wiped away. After all, the other girl had literally brought someone back from the dead, a bum leg didn't seem like anything hard for her to fix up.

Having said that, he rested his head against hers, hummed a little tune for a moment, and then continued. "An' I ain't goin' nowhere anytime soon, ya dig? Ignorin' tha fact that there ain't no weapons layin' about fer me ta just pick up 'round her, I ain't much in the business a' lookin' fer someone else, yeah?" Raising his head to grin down cheekily at her for a moment, J returned to his resting position as he kept addressing her, his tone continuously and purposefully light. "If I gotta rumble with anyone, I got two perfectly good fists right here, don't I? Anyhoo, I ain't plannin' on much leavin' yer side for at least a night or two, gotta keep ya company else yer gonna think me an ingrate, y'know?"

It was at this moment that the door began to open, and the grip Rue had on his arm began to intensify. J could almost taste the fear and anxiety tinging Rue's actions and thoughts, and though he still had his carefree smile in place, his eyes gained a strange glint that disappeared as soon as it appeared. Nevertheless, given the downward spiral that Rue could find herself in, J simply gave her another squeeze around the shoulders to properly remind her of his presence, though he stayed silent as Nik introduced his presence. He stayed silent as Rue questioned the half-bloodsucker, and when she tried to get up, he simply waited for her to realize the folly of the action and eased her back down onto the bed. It was only when she turned away after saying that they should just leace and patrol for the night did he finally speak up once again, this time addressing Nik. "I already told Ruey here, but I ain't gonna join tha merry band a' misfits fer a couple a' nights, gotta keep the princess company an' all that, ya see? Ah, though I suppose I should tell the troops tha info I got outta well... Y'know. If tha rest a' tha goons show up, I'll tell y'all together, otherwise I guess I'll drop a message in tha chat, or ya can pass it on, yeah?" J shrugs carelessly with one shoulder at this point. Turning to Rue, he shook her gently once again. "Ruey~ Ruuuuueeeey~ C'mon, this ain't no way ta treat a guest~ Mope later, ya need food an' socialization things now, yeah? Chin up, chin up~"

Glancing back at Nik, he blinked at him twice, and tilted his head to the side quizzically. "Speakin' of, where's tha rest a' tha motely crew? They figure anythin' out yet, or are all a' ya just too worried 'bout tha Ruester, hm? Eh, it don't really matter now, I'm sure y'all got everythin' under control. Though..." He pauses and hums in contemplation. "I told y'all ta call me if anythin' outta yer control happened, an' although I'd loooooove ta keep ta that promise, well... Can't really make any promises on executin' that specific promise. Still, it's an option if hell an' high water comes 'round, yeah?" It was then that J's phone, which had been put on vibrate for the sake of Rue's sleep, shook in his pocket, causing him to pull it out and glance at the screen for a moment, then began tapping on the screen rapidly. "If y'all can't find nothin' on yer routes, I got a couple a' people that I made some connections with yesterday, yeah? Got a list a' popular spots an' parties, an' I already have a map a' tha' less used routes to an' from tha' locations in the ol' noggin'. Might ask y'all ta drop by a few a' 'em just ta be safe, seein' as I can't do it myself." J then punctuated his statement by pressing one last button on the screen, which would result in the remainder of the team getting a message containing a series of locations, times, and host names for a variety of parties throughout the city of London.

Kyuubey Huntertabbysandshark3 Flintstone Phayne The Regal Rper

 

[Flintstone]

Katerina was incredibly shaken when she finally found out what happened to Rue. The rest of the team felt the same way, she was sure. Kat had found out that Rue was a fellow dancer sometime during their first few weeks at the DWMA, and the fact that the blue-haired weapon might not ever dance again felt like a slap in the face. It just wasn't fair! While Kat would have loved to help support her teammate, there was still a mission that needed to be done and considering Rue and J were essentially out of the fight, for the time being, the rest of them would have to step up to the plate. At least she thought so, but Nik insisted on staying at the hospital for when the third meister-weapon duo woke up. So it was Nicho, Cain, and herself that were searching for clues to the locations of the rest of the serial killer knock-offs.

It was quickly approaching nighttime when both of her companions' phones went off, along with hers, with a message from J. The message was a list of parties going on accompanied by a map of less trafficked routes leading to and from each that would be likely candidates for the remaining killers to stalk. After the three of them had read the message, Kat turned to her partner and her fellow weapon with a mischievous glint in her eyes."So fellas, which one of you would like to have the honor of escorting me to and from parties along serial killer-infested routes?" She asked, "It'll be fun. I promise."


Mentions: Kyuubey (Rue), Exanis (J), The Regal Rper (Nik)
Interactions: Huntertabbysandshark3 (Nicho) & Phayne (Cain)

 

[BabyGirlRage]

Roselia Rae Rain

​

Interactions: RageFactorXIII

Mentions: The Elder , Kyuubey , Exanis

​

Lia didn't understand how she got here, or more accurately, on the plane. It was a pressurized container meant to take human sardines from one area to the next in the hope that nothing would puncture the can. And to be honest, this scared her more than any monster she would face would. There was no way to stabilize herself if it were to spin out of control.

Honestly, Lia wasn't even sure how she made it to the airport, much less onto the plane. Her memory was a bit blurry, distantly recalling that she was going to be sent somewhere with Markus, his sisters, along with Elvena and her partner (Takeshi?) and the only saving grace was that Llewellyn was on the plane next to her otherwise she would be expressing her panic externally. One hand was gripping tightly onto the edge of the arm rest while the other violently slammed the window shade down so hard the recoil jammed one of her fingers.

Why did I sit here? Was I sat here or did I choose to sit here? Is it hot in here? Is it cold? Or is it just me? I should get off the plane, but then what? I might be forced onto another damn plane or worse, be shoved onto a boat! A firm pressure roused her from her cluster of thoughts and she slowly turned her orchid orbs over to the intruder. Relief flooded her system as she realized that it was just Llewellyn. Either he was trying to offer comfort or he was requesting comfort, regardless Lia was going to take advantage of the opportunity. She swiftly laced their fingers together and held onto his hand with unintentional strength to attempt to break it as she tried to remain calm. "Please lie to me. Tell me we are on a bus and not a flying sardine can that could explode or crash into unknown or unexplored territories."

 

[Phayne]

​

[Interacts: Flintstone Huntertabbysandshark3 ][Mentions: The Regal Rper Kyuubey Exanis

"It would probably be wise for us to split up" replied Cain, pocketing his mobile phone as he read the same message that everyone else had received. "This isn't to say that we go our separate ways and investigate separate locations" he added, sighing and glancing skyward; both hands now pocketed. With Nik presently at the hospital worrying over Rue, Cain was undoubtedly in a bit of a pickle himself. Despite not being a stranger to autonomous combat, he was still put into quite the precarious position, considering how vastly inferior he was power wise without his meister here to utilize him. That being said, these were the cards they were dealth with and they simply had to make do with what they had. A sigh escaped his mouth; the frosty exhale visible against the darkening skies.

"If we plan on getting close enough to these parties in order to investigate, then it seems more practical as well as believable that the two of you remain close together" he continued, now turning to face Nicholai and Katerina. "A couple arriving to a party seems more feasible and believable if we want to get right into the mix without drawing too much suspicion... on top of that; it would be far too reckless to have the pair of you split up. That would only weaken our current strength, should we run into trouble" he continued. Taking a moment to pause once again.

"I'll remain our eyes on the outside... close enough to offer support, yet far enough to not draw too much attention... at least until Nik arrives... If he arrives. Not even I know what is going through his head now that Rue is in that state. I'd assume J would be the fundamental decider as to whether Nik comes or not... if he can convince him to leave Rue's side or not" he sighed. He wouldn't have been all too surprised if Nik had remain caught up at the hospital.

"If you guys have any other idea's or suggestions... I'm all ears"

 

[The Regal Rper]

Nik | London | Hospital

Hearing was a Bloodsucker's greatest strength- and his was on par of that of a werewolf's.

Before he even reached the door he'd heard bits and pieces of the conversation- heard bits and pieces of multiple- but with his wavelength control, he'd learned to tune certain sounds out to adjust his hearing slightly like a radio- focusing on specific soundwaves while his brain filtered out the excess. A regular human couldn't do that- not without a special wavelength, but that was just the boon of being something more than normal.

So when he'd pushed on the door-- for a fraction of a second, he'd sensed something as he'd started speaking his greeting- he'd noticed it instantly before his Soul Perception even detected it.

The scent of fear- the rush of adrenaline.

A flicker of something almost ominous in the air before it was gone in the same instant.

His eyes landed on J- then on Rue.

Had he intruded on something private? He searched but came up blank on their souls- whatever intimate moment he'd sensed- that intense longing and fear- it'd vanished now that he was here.

It was too late now, and he wasn't about to poke and prod when there were bigger things to address.

To say noticing that flinch- the way the heartbeat rose- was a pinch disheartening though.

Was it expected? Yes. He'd thought about it long and hard and it was clear to him, Rue didn't have a career hunting down Monsters of his kind or any other. Her blunder though tragic was to be expected. So he wasn't surprised- wasn't even offended in full- but that did not mean he could simply shake the phantom pains her reaction brought back to him.

It was one thing to expect and suspect something in the realm of possibility- it was entirely different thing to experience it personally. It was like back home, all over again- but a much more tame version than the greeting he'd been given when going in to check on a wounded comrade.

He supposed this was better than being shoved out of the room by the other person's partner or just being frankly barred from entering. Time however would tell more if this new development would have much more long lasting impacts.

At least he noted, she is trying to play it cool if the spiritual vibrations her soul gave and he could see was anything to detect.

"The...patrol went mostly well, we didn't experience any problems." Was all Nik found he could say. Now more aware of his fangs- but not ceasing his smile which revealed them. Changing his facial expression now would kill things quickly, and it was already dying the second he stepped in. So he said no more. He felt awkward- not because he felt like he was intruding because he honestly didn't care if he was. He felt awkward more in not knowing what to say- when it normally came to him like the waves did to a beach.

"The patrol was...short lived, I was more concerned about your condition- but everyone is fine" was the only thing he said when she asked about the search. And he did not elaborate further after. There'd been a lot of blood- her blood, and he wisely had the sense not to say those last parts either.

He was thankful for J speaking after Rue's questioning. it gave him something to turn his attention elsewhere to. So that he wasn't staring at Rue even as she tried not to look his way. Listening but overall saying nothing. At least till it came to the others- the others he'd left swiftly behind because he'd been worried about Rue- who didn't even want to look him in the eye, let alone glance his way.

The sensations: frustration, fear, pain- what a mixture of emotions.

His pupils started to dilate into slits- but before they could become the predatory form they naturally could be- he forced them to retain their humane shape- hardly even noticeable since he'd felt the pressure in his eyes- the tingle across his skin of prey before him. His face had the art of emotional masking down pat from years of intermingling among the upper brass back home in the Motherland, yet sensing all that stirred in Rue, and knowing now how easy he could trigger her- coupled by her pounding heart was what made his lips twitch down as his eyes flicked to J, who glanced at his phone to send them all the list of spots, the parties they could browse to gather more intel.

Intel-- the mission.

His chest rose with the intake of air and then he exhaled it out slowly from his nose.

It was probably for the best he leave, there was nothing much here for him anymore. With how Rue was now it was likely to continue triggering micro responses to his innate state- and that would only give both the two a reason to distance themselves from him- something he did not want since their conversation at the park was still very fresh in his mind. Staying would do nothing but make things tense however- if she couldn't look him in the eye or even look his way, then there was no point in trying to engage further for now. So instead of just leaving, Nik did something else.

"Thanks J" Nik replied, his eyes moving off Rue to him. There was sincerity in those words- genuine sincerity emanated from his soul- for a brief moment Nik couldn't help but forget about everything Rue had told him about her internal fears about J, and how he was the opportunist that would sink claws deep into a prey that he'd come to favor more alive than dead.

It was only for a moment though. He'd barely taken three steps away from the door- practically stood by it the whole time, far away from Rue and J in general from the second he'd sensed her heart beat pick up at the moment of his presence. It was telling, in some ways- that he was at least aware of the effect his presence had sparked- whether Rue or J knew it or not, he'd been paying attention to both their heartbeats- but it hardly mattered, it could have easily been misconstrued as him being nervous- especially when he'd been riddled with a hint of nerves up until the moment he'd opened the door and had the truth confirmed before his very eyes.

"I'll let the others know, in regards" Nik replied while turning towards the door. "Thanks for the pointers by the way" he stated as he pulled out his phone- tapped on the message app- opened and then skimmed the various locations. "If we hit a block, I shall be sure to call- hopefully it won't come to that so you can give Rue some support while she recovers."

His hand reached for the door knob, grabbed, twisted then pulled the door open. "Take care Rue." He said with a smile over his shoulder. "Thanks again J." His eyes moved back over to the Meister.

Then without a word more- Nik exited the room, shut the door- paused a few inches away... and pinched the bridge of his nose.

Well...suppose it is better than her screaming at the sight of me. He frowned darkly.

He couldn't help but think about how casually J addressed the issue of the injury while he'd been there. Though gentle, still, it rubbed him wrong on some level. Then again, DWMA had access to supernatural resources that could bring the dead back to life- Marcus was an example of that. Yet still...

He sighed, moving onwards.

Wasn't like staying in the room would do either of them any good. Seeing her reaction had brought back one to many memories that he didn't want to think deeply about.

Mentions: Huntertabbysandshark3 Flintstone Phayne

Interactions: Kyuubey Exanis

 

[Jackaboi]

Out of nowhere Ares decided to take action before anyone else, seemingly annoyed at all the sitting around. "H-huh? Shouldn't we settle on a plan first Ares!?" Too late. He was already on his way out. However Gwen wasn't having any of it. To Cami's surprise she managed to overpower him and drag him right back in by the back of his shirt. Then again this was only to be expected. When that girl demanded your attention she was certainly going to get it one way or another. Whether Ares liked it or not he was just going to have to get used to it. Finally Gwen took this chance to lay out the plan and give everyone their roles in this mission. Izuma and Akron were set on to looking into the victims while Ares and Celes were to check out the bayou proper and security footage. Which left her and Gwen to scout out the entertainment district. The so called hotbed for prowling Kishin.

This means the team was being split up into their respective pairs. A good move in this case as there is a lot of ground to cover... *And a good opportunity to fess up your lies to your partner in private~* Camilla clutched her head, seemingly in visible pain. Of course madness had to act up now, bringing up the one thing Cami was trying not to think about. Was it trying to put her off? *You know what will happen right? It doesn't matter if she forgives you or not. Your partner won't look at you the same ever again.* "Just shut up already..." Camilla couldn't afford to let madness control her. She had to take a stand and to do that she needed help. Even if it meant having to tell Gwen the whole truth. It's not like Camilla couldn't see the worry in Gwen's eyes from time to time. She knew something was wrong. How can Cami call herself Gwen's partner if she kept withholding her troubles. Camilla looked up to Gwen suddenly with a serious look on her face. "Gwen, while were out there. There's something we need to talk about... In private." That's it. No going back now.

Z2010Deadmeat Britt-21 Huntertabbysandshark3 JuniperBoi Mineczka​

 

[The Elder]

Game Plan​

Yang stood there as the planning phase was coming to a close end. She remained silent as the rain droplets peacefully collides onto her face and body as she listened to the rest of the plan. It was solid and risky all at the same time; however, it was something everyone seemed to agree upon. Her role was to blend in and stall once the enemy reveals themselves, but her concern was what if they don't take the bait and end up finding everyone instead? At that point things could go south real quick. The thought of that started to cause her to worry a bit more about this entire mission. This was her first real mission, and they are entering this battle basically blinded and a little inexperienced. Everyone on this team is fairly new within EAT accept Grace. The one who survived the events of last year and still carried on till today. Then it click, she too survived last year, aiding in helping the towns folks and keeping folks safe. If things were to go south here, then they will adapt and survived no matter what. Finding her resolve, she stopped worrying and started placing some faith in their plan. "I think we're all good Gracie. Looks let this show on the role!" She said confidently.

Some time has passed and everyone was in the positions that Grace laid out in their plan. As planned Yang and Grace was nearby the outskirts of the town blending in with some of the nearby villagers and buildings. That had a somewhat decent line of sight to Kou position. All that was needed was for Kou to drag out the enemy, hopefully they take the bait.
Kyuubey Britt-21 _Line 213 Mitchs98 RageFactorXIII AxElKiNgHeArT13

 

[Exanis]

Takeshi Mifune
Takeshi, as always, was silent, reminiscent of an expressionless statue placed as a guard and a warning, one with intent and will to destroy any that disturbed his treasure. That treasure was, of course, Elvena. He was acutely aware of her subtle panic and discontent with the initial plane ride over, and the most he could to to alleviate and fight back such thoughts was to constantly remind her in his own subtle way that he was there and that nothing and no one would get to her. Suffice it to say, he got no rest, spoke to no one, and didn't move at all during the plane ride, not that he would have in the first place. At the very least, he supposed, Elvena also had the company of Ryu's raspy whispering to further hammer in the point of their presence here.

Eventually, however, they were released from the confines of their air transport and shuttled off to the mission location, some sort of abandoned, eerie and quite potentially haunted asylum straight out of a B-list horror movie. Takeshi couldn't stop himself from blinking slowly in bemusement as he swept his gaze across the grounds, find a dark amusement at the similarity of the atmosphere to what he knew Elvena preferred at times. If it wasn't for the fact that they had the rest of their team here, he could almost fool himself into believing that Elvena decided to drag him along for a mini-vacation to some famous haunted asylum for the fun of it. Snorting quietly to himself, Takeshi's brief moment of self-indulged amusement never stopped him from keeping an eye out for any potential sneak attacks or ambushes, and thus made it so he wasn't paying much, if any, attention to the ongoing conversation between his teammates on strategy. Not that he truly minded, given that he was more than sure that Elvena would tell him everything he would need to know, as well as their own course of actions, so all he needed to do was ensure her safety, as was his duty.

Snapping his focus back onto the group when he felt Elvena reach out and grab his hand, he immediately understood that they'd agreed on what to do and, spotting the walkie talkies in everyone's hands, had ensured a way to keep in contact with each other. Humming lowly to Elvena to signify his own readiness, whilst adjusting his sword with his free hand, he allowed himself to start getting pulled away by his partner, nodding once at the rest of their team with the accompaniment of a low, "Don't die." as his only well wishes and advice to them.

Kyuubey The Elder RageFactorXIII BabyGirlRage

 

[Mitchs98]

Ferra and Torr

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Location: Mountain Village
Interactions: _Line 213 RageFactorXIII AxElKiNgHeArT13 The Elder Kyuubey Britt-21
Mentions:

Ferra and Torr both listened carefully as their leader thought up a plan, one that sounded pretty solid at that. Especially for something that had to be thought of quickly, as was mentioned time was against them even as they were planning. They had to get to work fast if they wanted to save what remained of the village along with keeping each other safe. ...Grace also wasn't wrong about them being the most destructive team out of the entire class. She couldn't help but giggle as Torr was indicated directly, the poor hooded weapon felt a little embarrassed...but once again Grace was right. His weapon form was incredibly destructive and not really fit to fight in a city setting without holding back quite a bit or destroying a good bit of the area around the pair. Unfortunately that's just the way things were! Hopefully they would be able to all safely go to the outskirts so they had a little more breathing room to fight. It was already likely to be a tough battle given they were going up against other Meister pairs, holding back wouldn't be an option in the slightest.

As everything was detailed nicely as far as who was going to do what the Meister and her Weapon were on-board and didn't have any problems with it. That was until they were chosen for escort duty. Ferra didn't seem bothered by it, she was excited even. She was given a really important part that would help her show off her worth! Torr on the other hand was certainly anxious and nervous. The big fella had been given such an important task. Sure he wasn't alone in the task...but still. It was quite a lot of pressure yet he tried not to dwell on it too much. He had to be alert and ready for whatever issues may arise, hopefully none did! "We got it, no sweat! You'll be safe and sound with us hehe." Ferra spoke cheerfully whereas Torr just slowly nodded.

There in truth wasn't much to worry about. They were all three capable fighters, even if himself and Ferra didn't have too much practical experience beyond their training. Kimiko even assured that she would be capable of helping should anything happen. So everything should go fine, right..? As they were dismissed and Kimiko got into position beside them they headed off to escort Kimiko a safe distance away from Kou while everyone else got into position. "Don't worry, from up here I can see pretty far." Ferra assured Kimiko. Naturally she wasn't going to hop down from atop her companion. It was a strategic position as good as any other. If they needed to Torr could easily and quickly transform and by the time Ferra hit the ground she'd be armed and ready!

"So, what's your home town like anyway?" Ferra asked glancing to Kimiko. A little conversation while they waited for things to get moving wouldn't hurt, right?
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[Britt-21]

While Ares began to hear footsteps, he turned slightly to take a look back and hope to see his partner. However, that wasn't the case as he spotted the Orange-Haired leader approaching him and suddenly bear fighting him. For a small fry, she was tough and really fought with him to get him right back into the room. "What the hell Gwen!?" he shouted. Though, before he knew it she was dragging him by the collar of his shirt while he struggled to free himself. What the hell does she do to practice such a fucking grip? I feel like if I tug any harder, my shirt is going to rip. the blonde thought to himself as he was forced back inside. ( Z2010Deadmeat ) She then began to bark orders, which pretty much pleased Ares. At least she got the hint he wanted to get a move on and stop fooling around if they wanted to move this faster. Let's hope we have luck on our side with security cameras. It all depends how close the buildings are to the bayou. after all, no one would have a camera even facing the water if they were made to keep the building safe.

"Glad we have that settled." at least this time he would be able to walk out without being dragged once again. Pulling out his phone, he opened up a map to get the direction to his destination: The Crime Scene. "Céles, we're gonna look around for some clues at the site. See what we're actually dealing with here." The meister glanced over at his partner, making sure she was following as well "I have a few ideas in mind on where the fuck this thing is. Though its a stretch with the lack of information we currently have. We're gonna have to wait on a report from the pair going to the station." he grumbled a bit with a mutter "It would be nice if we had more information on how long these bodies were dead for right about now." with a shake of his head, the journey began to the scene, his boots thumping gently onto the stone floor "If it's merely dropping bodies into the bayou, it has to be nearby in order to not be caught lugging around a dead body toward the water. Then again, its possible no one is even around to witness it happen in the first place depending what route is being taken." he paused for a moment before opening his mouth once again to ask a question.

"What do you think?"

Mineczka Huntertabbysandshark3 JuniperBoi Jackaboi

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[Britt-21]

Mitchs98

Ferra was very cheery and quite the sweetheart while her partner remained silent throughout the conversation. It was always interesting to see a pairing that were opposites but yet trusted eachother fully. It's almost like Kou and I. He's on the louder side, where as I am on the quieter side. with that thought of hers, Kimi had followed them to a safer location and once they were in position, she crouched down and remained quietly before Ferra had spoken up once again and the weapon replied "I wouldn't question your abilities unless they prompt some questioning. If it gives you the better advantage, I have no qualms about it." for a moment, she had paused before continuing "We need everything that we can get. We're at a disadvantage if we don't keep a sharp eye out." which is what she herself had been doing. Eyes scanning what they could, even through the rain that continued to fall. Kimiko did not miss this place in any way, shape, or form. It brought back so many memories and they weren't really on the positive side.

The young blonde had struck up another conversation, asking what her own hometown was like. That alone, had told her that the memories of home weren't going to be buried just yet. "Ferra, you'd rather want to be back home if you knew what my home was like." her golden eyes side-glanced her for a moment before back to scanning. "Think of it as being born into the Yakuza. Born and raised to fight battles and fight for territories. Except, well, it was one territory for my people." her jaw tightened as she could recall everything from back then. Even the time she had hurt Kou after he protected her from another attacker as children. Her clan, and Kou's were just two sides of the same coin that could never get along and wouldn't see that they could coexist and share. But because -in her mind- they are large manchildren, they're selfish and want things for themselves. If anything, Kimiko was happy to get away and head off with Kou. Cause one day, their families may finally accept that and move on.

However the chances of that may be slim with how stubborn they were. "Tell me about yours instead, Ferra. Surely it's far better and less dark than mine." it would be better for the three of them if the conversation was a bit more lighter with this gloomy day.​