Fantasy Z O D I A C | Umbra [Currently CLOSED]

[Kiosk]

Nikky Viole
The woman had no idea what was going on, but she understood the emotional weight this meeting carried.
Nikky turned her head as they interacted solemnly staring out towards the lake. Distancing herself a bit, she was just a stranger.

"What...happened to her? The connection is...gone. It's like she's a completely isolated person..."

Nikky eyed Samantha, thinking how Sam had put it. Something changed, and she looked towards the girls with a nagging suspicion, especially as Camilla changed the subject.

"What sort of business did you have with my father? If you don't mind me asking, that is.."

The spotlight now on her, "Oh well... I wanna punch him for making me run around this much. Other than that, I just wanted to ask for forgiveness."
She grinned, "kinda funny when you think about it."
She paused for a moment on whether or not to explain further
"I left Brookfield a long time ago... for reasons, I didn't tell your dad. I was young and scared so I travelled for a while trying to run away from this town for the longest." Nikky scratched her head, "But uh, it's kinda hard to do that for long, it's like I was just meant to end up- uh, here."
"I came back to help out. But my plans are always changing, I'm also here hoping to find my neice. She disappeared during that hollow event." The chances she'd find her was so slim she almost didn't want to know. She fell silent, looking off at the lake again.
"How is it anyways, being in charge now?" The afro woman looked towards the girl.

Boss Randomfella TerraBooma
-----
Janaiya Wilkinson

"...your freedom is now within grasp. I would imagine such desire shall compel you towards success in your training."

"Kiss my ass." She mumbled. This plan was shitty and she felt shitty. She looked up to glare at the Dragon house, lucky her. They wanted her as much as she wanted to be there.
...
..
.
Everything had happened too fast and she had turned just enough to see the daggers fly by and hit something in front of Yue.

"Pay attention, you two. You're going to have to fend for yourselves."

Janaiya was already moving, she grabbed Yue by her dress and yanked her backwards just enough out of reach where Janaiya could ball her fist and swing down towards where she estimated the assassin's head was, it wasn't dead on but she hit something hard enough to slow them down. She followed where the blood was flying from and grabbed their hood and brought a knee to their face, the feeling of cartilage giving way on impact sent shivers up her spine. Her eyes widened as she backed up. More than a bit nauseous.

"We need to get out of here."

Azukai hwayi SidTheSkid

 

[Boss]

NJames Mac niadh Lane | Mason Mendella

​

Afternoon
Brookfield | The Mountain Shrine
Brookfield Branch | Briefing Room
​

The concern stemming from the tone James used for his questions were noticeable - and well-placed at that. Ben shifted his attention towards the former boxer who had already begun to ponder on the events he could potentially have to suffer through. No way of wording could mask the dreadfulness that the task carried with it. Regardless, Ben strived to give him an honest answer. "Concerns are to be voiced, especially when it involves a task of this magnitude. There are some side-effects from dispatching your secondary body, yes, but the most frequent report was that the Templars couldn't dream anymore. Removing that presence from Limbo means severing your connection with the supernatural in every way. It doesn't mean that you have to physically destroy the body, however."

Ben's eyes shot down in self-reflection for a moment before he made eye contact with James once more. "I'm a non-combatant and also not a Templar, yet I took this task myself. The means I used to rid my otherworldly body was with acceptance. Before, I mentioned that during my test I was locked in a deranged version of the now dismantled Armstrong High. Well, it so happened that the school was merely the grounds in which my bitter history resided. Back then, all I did was live in the shadow of Dominic. Like him, I wanted to be seen and acknowledged, just as he was. Gosh, even when he had obtained his Zodiac and went through the hardships that he did, he ended up becoming the star of his own scene. For a nerd like me, that just a fantasy, and well-... my secondary body was a manifestation of that jealousy and attacked me on a spiritual level, not physical." Having donned on the events of his past, Ben was visibly troubled, but in the end, he gave his small audience of new-bloods a smile. "So I can personally confirm that not every solution is to punch it until it stops twitching. Nonetheless, this task isn't training - it's the real deal. If you die in Limbo, that's it, so don't lose pride if you aren't ready to face your past."

From there, a brief silence befell the group as no-one else offered any other questions. With a sharp 'hup', Kasim rose up to his boots. "We appreciate your time, Peterson, but today's a big day and we have to move things along here. The Arch-Bishop should have just finished up his trial by now and is preparing to face the public." Reading the urgency in his tone, Ben agreed. "Right, okay-" Before he made his exit, he turned to address the group one last time. "When any of you have free time on your hands, your personalized weapons should be forged. Sometime-... 1700? See you all around then." With that, the man disappeared through the doors at the corner of the room.

Kasim waited until Ben had left before he took his place in front of them. "Right, so like I was just saying, we're on a tighter schedule than usual, so we're going to have to squash some things together. First things first, squad assignment." Pressing in an earpiece, he gave the green-light to a recipient on the other line. "Send her in."

No more than a minute later, the Dominion's rushed recruit Noda Hitomi ordered into the room to stand at attention before the group. "This here's Noda Hitomi. She's a pretty face but don't let that fool you; she's ex-SWAT, so she knows her shit. Mason Mendella, James Mac niadh Lane, Justine Kestler, meet your fourth squad member."

Almost immediately, Justine threw her arms up in a protest. "Wh-what?! I get stuck with roids and Mendella?! I thought I was going to be assigned to Jakob's team!"

"Sorry, but Trident's a specialized team of three, there is no room for a fourth member."

Justine sulked back into her seat in defeat.

"Besides, I've personally witnessed how the three of you treat one another, and while you aren't wrong in the fact that none of us has to be friends, we still need to hold a basic level of respect for our fellow man if you're all to coordinate well on the field when fortune calls for it. Some humbling will do the lot of you good." "No way-... Jakob-.."

"Now, is there any other objections? Or should we get to Omega's first task as a team?"

 

[Skaggon]

Mason was doing some personal reflection. He was not ready to go fight whatever demons he carried within him. Limbo seemed more dangerous then anything here. He had several theories about what he would be confronted with but he had a bad feeling it would concern his last mission before leaving the Army. He grew chills and felt a great deal of guilt when he thought about what his squad had to do. He ignored most of what James had said, although not internationally, and continued down his rabbit hole. His mind wondered to what weapons he should have made for him. He wanted at least a knife and a firearm. A pistol would do but a rifle would be ideal. He like the idea of a revolver but carrying it solo would be to dangerous considering the short amount of ammunition in the cylinder.

He snapped out of it however when the new person stepped in. She looked like she could hold her own but Mendella knew nothing about her or the way she fought. So far he had a general idea of his squad. James, the powerhouse, would be mostly front lining trading blows. Justine would use whatever weapons or gadgets she had to augment her battles making her fairly versatile. He of course was more of the defense ranged fighter who when back into a corner subdues and enemy and takes them down. They could pull off some serious synergy. Now Masom needed to find out where this new girl fit. He disregarded Justines temper and made a mental note that she might be difficult to handle. Mason decided it was time to speak up. "Sir I am opposed to receiving a new member. At least until we learn Ms. Hitomi's combat style. I would prefer to have that understanding before going into a mission. My team has the possibility of great synergy and I would like to know where she fits in before we risk any casualties." He looked at the female again trying to get a clue on her. He said ex-swat so at least she has knowledge on breaching building and clearing out rooms while maintaining a tactical advantage.
Boss Solemn Jester

 

[TerraBooma]

Sam Sarith
​

Sam was in a flustered state. This wasn't how things were supposed to be, but there was only so much he could compose himself with at a time. The Cetus company and him made some distance from the others and had a conversation in quiet whispers. It took a few minutes, and he was pulled away from the group, but they spoke quickly amongst themselves. They were basically a family at this point, and were able to discern conversation quickly. Eventually, Cetus, her crew, and the siblings nodded to Sam and moved away. Samantha waving to Lucy and Camilla but otherwise silently moving away from the group. As soon as they touched the water, a flash of seafoam covered the group, and they all vanished to somewhere safe for Samantha to recover. That left Sam to speak to the others.

With a heavy sigh, he returned to the group.

"They're going to take care of her. I don't know when I'll be able to call on them again, but if anyone has a chance on healing her, it's her own family. I don't know where they're going either, but they'll figure things out. In the interim...just got to keep on keeping on." He looks to Lucy, then camilla. "She'll get better. Trust me."

After that, he shook his head, trying to concentrate.

"Right then, where were we? I've been...really out of the loop, Camilla, why do you have your dad's sword?"

Boss Randomfella Kiosk

 

[H3LLJUMPER_177]

Noda Hitomi

Noda stood there as she was sorta treated poorly from this 'Justine' person. She had some opinions to spout off about her specifically, but she kept those to herself. Not letting the words get to her. She then listened to the person she assumes is squad lead, at least he's honest, and not showing to be a hot head who'd shoot anything that looks at them funny. "I carried heavy ballistic shields that were mad to stop high caliber rounds from rifles, I've also learned to shoot an M1014...my shield had a mount so no i never fired it without proper support.. I've also trained with Marine Force Recon guys who were in my SWAT unit. So I can shoot, fight hand to hand, and keep my temper in check..." she said, almost adding, 'You know there's a nice sweet spot in the throat that can render someone speechless for a week?' afterwards-mostly directed at Justine-but didn't.

She took a seat in a spot kind of away from everyone, she wasn't sure she'd be accepted because she was just a cop/SWAT officer and not some special operations milly bad ass. She's just a SWAT officer...who is kinda good at doing her job compared to the average officer, and also knows how to use other weapons.. Ok she's close, but that shouldn't be an issue! She's there, that's all that matters.

Boss
Solemn Jester Skaggon​

 

[Solemn Jester]

James Mac Niadh Lane


James wasn't sure if he should have felt relieved or worse from the man's response. Not having to fight might have been the thing that screwed him over. Fighting was all he was really good at! He certainly wasn't going to be able to talk his way out of the situation. The thought of facing his fears made goosebumps crawl down his thick canon like arms."Maybe it won't be so bad. I could always try a sneaky approach. Or maybe my other self will be some pushover...here's hoping." He said under his breath, thinking of how he'd take on this task ahead of him. Although if he was being honest he would have rather gone another round with that Len woman.


With the mention of a weapon, James couldn't help raising an eyebrow. He was never one to use a weapon. What exactly did they have for him? He was kind of excited to find out. He wasn't all that surprised to hear he was teamed up with the fire Nymph and Boy scout. But the new girl was unexpected, he also didn't understand why a team would have only three members. But he didn't care enough about this team Trident to inquire more. He placed a firm hand on Justine's shoulder giving her a big teasing smile."Aww, don't be that way. Am I not handsome enough for ya? If ya want a cuddle buddy I'm always open." He teased before pulling his hand away and giving a hearty laugh."To be honest, and nothing against the little lady. But I kind of like the dynamic of our little trio. A fourth member might dampen our style. So yeah I agree with the boy scout. Oh, and Omega? Is that us? Are we zero? If it didn't meant nothing it might sound cool...huh." James contemplated this before clapping his hands together so hard they left red marks on one another, and moving towards the exit."Can we move thing along I want to go check out this special weapon thingy O-mine. Bet it's a bazooka or something...hmm never been one for explosions....but I could learn to like em." He said more to himself than anyone around him. His mind already walking off towards his new toys location.

H3LLJUMPER_177 Skaggon Boss

 

[Azukai]

Jackaboi

ICE had expected an eccentric buffoon, but Lucius was on an entirely different level. She couldn't help but sigh, especially once be began defending his so called classified project. "No, Mr. Zebediah, I have little interest in your multi-million dollar pizza warmer. Rather, I am here with an offer that you and your ragtag group of researchers might be interested in." With a few quick taps on her surrounding screen, every monitor in the building was soon displaying the details of her offer; or rather the details of who the offer's target was. It was a rather grotesque figure, defined by a uniform body of grey, and an array of tentacles that were subsequently surrounded by numerous floating eyeballs. "This is known as the Gatekeeper, an advanced sentient AI that is not unlike your little pet who is currently hiding in the depths of your network." A smirk came to ICE's face as she mentioned CODEC. She had no intention of harming the active the program; however, she did send an intrusive packet of data--a simple hello that was more an assertion of dominance than it was a greeting. "It's...been giving my organization a bit of trouble, which is why we are looking to outsource the work required to dismantle it. You'd be working with another group that specializes in organic technology. Together, the two of you should be able to understand the underlying mechanisms that makes the creature tick. And of course, you'd be handsomely rewarded for your contributions..." Two more taps, and the screens were soon replaced with an enormous figure of trailing zeros--one that was nearly ten times the current budget that was offered by the Si Xiang. "I would assume this figure is more than enough to satisfy your whims?"

 

[Boss]

Tom B. Stone | Diana Young

​

Morning
Countryside
Old Barn
​

The beams of the morning rays pierced through the freshly open hole in the ceiling of the barn, creating a fine screen of dust and scattered strands of hay from Tom and Diana's spar. Unbeknownst to the two who threw compliments at one another, they were being watched by a third presence who made herself known with a childish snicker. Sitting cross-legged atop a tractor that hadn't been started for years, the girl would instantly be recognizable to Diana as the Maiden she and Axel fought in front of the mansion. However, there wasn't a single ounce of hostility radiating from the Count, but rather childlike curiosity as she witnessed the flirtatious transaction between Diana and Tom.

"The insolence..." voiced a very frustrated Spike within Tom's own psyche as the parasite was the first to realize the Maiden's presence. "Have I been found out?" joked the blood-eyed Zodiac, who feigned innocence the moment Tom and Diana were to notice her. While Tom may or may not have been hostile to the Count, she could feel the murderous intent from within his body that was directed towards her. "Oooh!" the Count squealed, leaning forward as her eyes locked onto Tom in amazement. "You've grown pretty big!" she shouted, referring to the hollow living inside of him. Suddenly, the girl's disappeared in a flicker as her unnatural speed brought her within a few feet of Tom. That was the exact point in time when his cellphone rang - a call from his old partner in crime, 'Clown'.

 

[SidTheSkid]

.

​

(Location: Eastern Asia, Kunlun Mountains. )
(Mood: Anger. )
(Interactions: Herald / The Watcher. )
(Mentions: )

Devan was pretty excited about his cleverly thought-out scheme, it might've been his anticipation for getting back at the Chinese Dominion for putting him and Herald in that prison of theirs but he was essentially bouncing around, teeter-tottering his body from left to right while perpetually floating in the spacious void they were in. Herald believed that it was a pretty decent idea even if it didn't exactly take in account of a few things, still, it was more than enough to keep someone alive in a desperate situation. Aside from that, most of his thoughts had deviated to figuring out Herald's name to which he became a bit bummed out when she completely disregarded his question, for whatever reason rather than answering it with a proper response she'd returned by hysterically blowing up in a fit of drunken laughter, surely it was something he said? He didn't really know what to expect, it could've been that he waited around two-months to have the gall to ask such a question, either that or she found the comparison between her nickname and an elderly fellow hysterical, nonetheless, he was all-together confused at the sight of her weird overreaction to his comment, seems that 'Herald' was gonna have to be a permanent moniker for drunken companion of his. Long before he had the opportunity to interject, Herald's comedic joy soon died off and was now devoured by a crushing feeling of horror that had wildly flared in her expression, that Cheshire resembling smirk exuded no more than ill-willed intentions in addition to the surge of harrowing fear underlining her voice. As intimidated as he was of seeing such a change, Devan's building thrill of being able to act out in reprisal against the biased court was more than enough to keep him in high-spirits, seeing such a ruthless demeanor from Herald was all but demotivating as he wholly believed that with the two of them acting together there was little room for failure, their set course for freedom from this damned mountain was in the bag! Except, how were they suppose to be getting out of here? It's not like he knew when they were going to bring them back to execute both of them. "Herald, what are you doing?" Immediately flipping his attention back to his imprisoned companion, he watched in bizarre amusement as she reached forward in his direction, she almost gave a hilarious impression as if she was trying to grab ahold of something that was floating in the air around them. "Just how drunk are..." Suddenly, just before he could get the last word out Herald had used her hand to literally 'claw' open a spacey fissure between them as if she'd tore into the dimension itself like it were a piece of loose fabric! Just a mere distance away, a sooty-colored aperture lazily suspended itself, from the looks of it, the strange phenomenon had contained nothing in it but lurking darkness that was similar to the abyss that they were currently held in.

"Y-ou?" Concluding his baffled phrase, he was barely able to believe it, by God she'd opened up a freaking portal right before his very eyes! Devan was entirely aware that hosts like himself were capable of attaining many various powers but being able to actually create cross-dimensional gateways? "Did... I really just see that? You can open up portals?!" There'd been a lot of strange events that had happened ever since he'd nearly lost his life at the Night Owl. However, this was something that was far beyond his train of thought, it was something he simply couldn't comprehend, it kinda made him a tad skeptical when it came to zodiacs in general, regardless there'd been barely any time to think about such a thing as there was no time for delay. Devan had cautiously proceeded to stick himself through, first by testing it with a few of his fingers to make sure they wouldn't get torn off, thankfully they were still there. It would've been nice to just to be teleported out of the mountainous containment but rather than being zipped out of China and back into the 'lovely' city of Brookfield they were brought an 'image' of a corridor that was just parallel of their boundless chamber where two guards had stood vigilantly, until they'd been overcome with panic at seeing Herald comedically pop out from seemingly 'nowhere', by the time they tried to react it was too late as Herald snatched the two by the top of their head, yanking them up through the tears in space, somehow she managed to effortlessly slice the men in-half from the neck up resulting in their headless corpses dropping to the corridor floor in a messy pile of blood with the severed heads still being clutched in Herald's hands. Christ, it was definitely an interesting way to kill someone that's for sure, it gave him another reminder not to make this girl's 'shit list'. Of course, Devan couldn't help but feel a bit envious of Herald's powers as the feat she'd pulled off alone looked enough to dwarf his powers by a large margin, still, he did find her doing that pretty damn neat even. "Show-off." He teased, soon he'd snatched ahold of the two decapitated heads that spun through the zero gravity vacuum, shortly after snagging them he'd decided to place both of them onto his backside where he'd tightly secured the two around his belt-loops, only using their bloodied hair to knot them together. Grotesque was an understatement, by far this was the worst fashion accessory he's ever worn in his life but it sure as fuck was better than not having a 'meal' to help him regenerate, as much as he found the idea of digging into two human faces like a sandwich you'd get at your local deli disgusting, he was glad that he had a back up plan. "Er, thanks." Getting over the fact that he had two dead people 'stuck' to him, he was soon taken back by the unorthodox feeling of being plunged into another space, with everything that was happening, it felt so quick and surreal, especially when he was plummeting through an alternate reality.

His fascination abruptly ended as saw a faint object in the distance, it came as a surprise as it soon popped up at a moments notice! Now there had been a pair of sickly green claws, both of which were enormous! "Herald look out!" Before they were able to properly react, both of the mysterious claws had clutched ahold of their midsections, their tremendous grip proved unyielding as they were both brought back into reality, more specifically they'd been forcefully thrown to the ground in a spacious egg-white room that'd only housed the surrounding walls. Devan had but little time to prepare for the cruel embrace of the floor, as a result, he used his shoulder to break the fall of his landing. "Agh! Y-yup, that's a dislodged shoulder..." Groaning as managed to work his way up to his feet, an unfamiliar woman a good distance away from them had caught his eye, her turquoise glare had given off a sensation of disdain lurking within them as she demandingly questioned them. It didn't take long for him to piece two and two together as he popped his shoulder back into place "I'm guessing you're the one in charge of looking after the prisoners?" There was no mistaking it, a host that's capable of pulling people out from different realities? This person had to be some kind of warden, it was rather surprising though as she looked like a girl that was in her early teenage years, nevertheless Devan wasn't going to underestimate this opponent, despite the physical appearance this girl was clearly competent in her abilities. Regardless of her capability, Devan had no intentions of surrendering, these Chinese Dominion had ordered for his execution, even if he'd given up they would just kill him anyway! There was only one choice left, and that was to eliminate anyone who got in their way. "They wish to see a demon so bad...?" He mumbled, his former fury had begun rekindling itself into a raging fire as he lethargically bent at the knee. From a different perspective, it would've looked like he had given up, but that was far from it. Muscles had begun tightening themselves inside his legs, his back foot now was eagerly digging itself into the ground as he focused on the woman in front of him and by this time he was now in a crouched sprinting position. Certainly, this gave off warning signs of a preemptive attack but personally being able to understand his own speed, it still was enough to give him the advantage! Granted it was the first time he'd used his powers in a life or death situation, he didn't know what to expect but Devan fully understood that in order to survive and claim his revenge he was going to have it give it far beyond his normal efforts, he was going to have to break his limits. "So be it, They'll see a true demon when I scorch this entire place to ash!" In due course, Devan had built more than enough energy to rapidly propel himself forward at the girl at a breakneck pace. A considerable amount of the ground where his back foot had been planted were completely reduced to nothing but chunks of rubble that were promptly slingshotted backward from the violent momentum he had created, it'd been a breathtaking disclosure of his newfound speed! Waves of air had compressed against each other as his body vigorously drove through the atmosphere, a resounding boom had noisily sung through the room around them shortly after he'd caught up to the girl and closed his distance. "Now, get out of our way!" Using his knee as a battering ram, he was hoping to drive it into her gut, believing that the propulsion would be enough to create some serious damage.

Azukai
.

 

[Solemn Jester]

Tom B Stone.

Tom wasn't the least bit shocked or surprised when their uninvited guess arrived. Whether due to their symbiotic relationship, or the fact that Spikes growing hostility gave it away. By the time she had made herself known, Tom was already well aware. He smiled back at her, his mind filled with intrigue as to what she was doing here, and more importantly, "Oh a friend of yours Spike? How exactly do you know him?" He asked giving her a good look over. Scanning every inch of her in an attempt to analyze what she was. The obvious answer was a Zodiac. But Tom had been told by Diana about her little escapades in the other world know as Limbo. So he figured her identity almost immediately and suspected there was much more to her."The Count I presume? Are you here to tease Spike, or for some other reason? Maybe to see Diana and Axel? Wherever the furry may be. I do hope you have no ill intent that wouldn't end we-RING!" Suddenly Toms cell went off in his pocket. Causing him to rifle through it in an attempt to see who was calling him. Completely ignoring the rage of Spike, and the Count's sudden closeness to his person. Tom almost never got an unimportant phone call. There was almost always important news behind the ring of his phone. He lifted it to see the Callers name. His blood running as hot as Spikes rage towards the Count as he saw the name...or well...it would have run hot...if he had any blood. He answered the phone, all kindness, and amusement leaving his face, replaced with a silent inferno of rage. His voice was deep and demanding as he spoke to the person on the other end."This is Tom...Speak." He demanded raising a finger to halt any further conversation aimed towards himself.

Boss Depresso Espresso Sinny The Fool

 

[Jackaboi]

Lucius nearly scoffed upon hearing the intruder’s opinion on his lastest project. However upon mention of a so called “offer” from the mysterious adversary, he calmed himself down and allowed them to continue. “Go on...” Contrary to Lucius’ deadpan looks, his curiosity was unparalleled. The cloaked girl revealed a screen of an intriguing yet disgusting individual. It seemed to bear semblance to what one would describe as your everyday hollow. For a moment Lucius thought they wanted him to dissect the creature. Technically that fact was true but he would never have imagined that the method would be so much more different than your traditional scalpel. Upon mention that this creature was a sentient AI. The woman had successfully grabbed Lucius’ full and unbridled attention.

Almost immediately after the girl brought up the topic of CODEC, Lucius received a warning message from the very AI notifying him on an intrusive packet of low danger infiltrating CODEC’s main server. The girl had clearly shown that she already has the team of scientists wrapped around her finger. She called this negotiation an offer but they didn't really have a choice did they? Regardless his tone remained as nonchalant as ever. "(sigh) Don't worry I get your point. But seriously you coulda just asked for me and we would've talked details over some coffee or somethin'. All this elaborate hacking and threats just seem a little over the top." Of course, it seems that the team would also be collaborating with another team dedicated to Organic Technology. "A biological engineering team? That's an interesting choice considering we're dealing with a sentient AI here."

Then came the reward for fulfilling the required tasks, the moment the screen displayed all the 0's, Lucius' jaw dropped and his eyes widened, finally breaking his deadpan act. "T-That's... A lot of money..." Were the only words that escaped his mouth. At last it seems Zeb finally realised just what kind of person he was dealing with. This is wierd. The threats alone would've been enough to get Lucius and the rest of the scientists to research this odd phenomenon. But why the reward too? Suddenly a smirk came to Zeb's face. "Hm... I admit I can be a bit eccentric at times... But I'm no idiot. Threatening us to come out then offering us the potential to research this unusual creature AND pay us a hefty amount of money for it? Call it paranoia if you want but I think there's more to this thing that you aren't telling us. Not to mention this organisation of yours clearly needs us to take the challenge." Zeb paused for a few moments giving the tension in the air time to die down. Sure his comment seemed a bit provokative but he still remembered that the girl can still cause a great deal of collateral damage. He calmly moved towards her and extended his hand. "Alrighty then! Dr Lucius Zebediah, inventor extroadanaire, at your service!" Perhaps even if he was given a choice he'd take the offer anyway. Researching on such a fine specimen and bringing such knowledge to his own employers, the Si Xiang, would certainly put him and his team in a good position with them. "Oh! If you don't mind me asking... Who are you? And who do you work for?"

Azukai​

 

[Depresso Espresso]

Diana Young
Boss Solemn Jester
Diana was a bit shocked and confused at the sight and voice of the count watching the interaction she stood back a bit before maneuvering her way around Tom to the count to look at her, "Uh, weren't you meant to be dead? I didn't mean anything by that by the way..." She said rubbing the back of her neck standing there a bit awkwardly, she was prepared at any moment to launch away though, she knew how this child acted and it was like she was toying with them. Still didn't ease the fact she had come back after she was turned into ash.

Axel. Explain. This isn't normal I'm assuming. Thinking that to Axel she kept a calm expression on as she watched the child with an intent glare, the words also resounding in her head not easing her worry about this "Spike" ever since she came back. I mean for Christ sake Tom was basically fucking dead and a Hollow of all things jumps up? None of this made any sense.​

 

[Boss]

Camilla Ferrari| Sam Sarith | Lucy Black | NIKKY VIOLE

​

Noon
Host Village
The Lake
​

Perhaps she had been overthinking it, but Camilla was willing to hold fate accountable for recent events, including but not limited to Nikky arriving at their village. Just the mention of Nikky feeling like she was 'meant' to be here only served to further instill the idea that something bigger was in motion. Predictably, she blamed herself for the hollow rampage two months ago ergo blaming herself for the disappearance of Nikky's niece. She owed it to the host to at least help her find her niece as sufficient compensation for indirectly screwing with their lives.

"How is it anyways, being in charge now?"

Was she really in charge? For what she could remember, Camilla spent the majority of the last two months either talking to a small selection of people - Lucy, Samantha, and a few others - or training her newfound abilities gifted by the spirit of Byakko. On the off chance that she wasn't doing either of those things, Camilla simply remained in her chambers, shutting herself off from the otherwise optimistic community in the valley. The idea of her being in charge felt silly at best. "Ah, no, I'm not-.. we don't have anyone in charge, really. I can still help you find your niece though!" It was the least she could do to remedy the aftermath of her screwups.

"Right then, where were we? I've been...really out of the loop, Camilla, why do you have your dad's sword?"

Turning back towards the others, Camilla caught the last glimpses of Samantha and Cetus as their forms disappeared into a thick collection of seafoam that dissipated over the lake. It seemed that Sam finally had the opportunity to focus on what little he knew of the past two months. Unfortunately, delving into the matters of her father required time they didn't have. "I'll explain later - promise."

Afternoon
Host Village
Inn | Lounge
​

Roughly an hour had passed since their return to the village and the fateful reunion between Samantha and her companions. In that time, the group wasted no time in retreating behind the safety and concealment of the walls. Inside the Inn's spacious lobby area, they were roughly thirty minutes into their conversion. In efforts to locate her niece, Camilla not only had a rough sketch made by one of the more artistically gifted among them but a retelling of the fateful day when the freakishly large hollow attacked the city from a different perspective. First off, it bothered Camilla to know that her father owned such a ratty night club and shuddered to fathom what its actual purpose was. Secondly, there was something concerning her with Nikky's description of the soldiers that filled the Night Owl. Typically, the Dominion was on a strict shoot-on-sight policy in Brookfield, but the fact that they not only refrained from shooting the entire club up but even arrived alongside Kaivant proved that there was a lot more going on than a simple 'hollow-extermination'.

Camilla leaned back into her chair with heir eyes closed and her arms crossed. In the back of her mind, she knew there was something off about Kaivant and his band of merry hosts. They were clearly connected to the supernatural yet were openly employed to the Dominion without the need of slave bindings. "I'm sorry for interrupting," spoke the bartender, who had suddenly appeared beside the table without so much of a footstep heard. "but I couldn't help but overhear the conversation." The bartender, whom the populace referred to as Argo, was a rugged senior who had volunteered to look after the Inn after the original owner - his wife - died. Camilla was nothing but a thorn in his side throughout her childhood, using her super speed to constantly prank the old man and trash the Inn out of sheer boredom. Camilla was around 11 when Argo utilized a fraction of his true power and caught her speeding with ease. The scars on his face indicated that bartending and management was but a detour from the life he used to live.

"The soldiers you mentioned belong to the Chinese Dominion." Camilla's eyes lit up with enlightenment - that's what she wasn't remembering! "Over there, hosts are free to exist so long as they don't cause trouble. That's also where Kaivant and his posse are from. Ms.Viole, if you're looking for Janaiya, there is a good chance that she's been taken to Asia."

 

[Boss]

James Mac niadh Lane | Mason Mendella | Noda Hitomi

​

Afternoon
Brookfield | The Mountain Shrine
Brookfield Branch | Briefing Room
​

It wasn't surprising that Noda's reception was ill-given, if not downright unfair. While the girl hadn't taken the same Templar trials like the rest of her teammates, Noda still retained her knowledge of peacekeeping, which spoke volumes compared to James' boxing background and Justine's mechanic work. Despite this, Kasim remained silent as to let the newly formed squad trade a few words. It wasn't 'till he saw the largest of the group eager to leave that he'd begun to speak up once more. "Now hold on a minute, you still have your briefing. For your sake, I'll make it quick." As he looked over the members of Omega, he couldn't hide the worry for their future on his face. He feared that many of Omega's moments of cooperation would only display when their lives truly counted on it. A passing concern, as he realized that he has his own people to worry about.

"We have twenty minutes before the Arch-Bishop gives his speech. While that in itself isn't terrible, he wants to do it in front of the public while on a podium. I can't stress how large of a security concern this imposes, so it's up to Omega and two other squads to watch the perimeter while Julius July speaks. Peterson's already formulated a strategy and relayed it to the others. Your job today is to watch over the crowd on 49th. They'll be congregating in the middle of a three-way junction, so your options for surveillance will be plentiful." "A three-way junction on 49th? Isn't that where the Dominion offices are?" "That's correct. As we speak, the roads are being blocked off. Trident and Trinity are already en-route to guard the two remaining roads. Your weapons will be transported to you once they're finished if the need arises. Mendella, you're team lead on this mission. Now, if there aren't any complaints, then move out!"

 

[H3LLJUMPER_177]

Noda Hitomi

Noda sat there listening to the brief, she was quite intrigued by her first mission, 'Well, kinda wish i was riot control. But If possible I could use a rifle..' she thought to herself. She was glad she trained with rifles and not just shotguns and close quarters weapons. She's itching to show her worth, as if she wasn't accepted into this, she'd have been enlisting into the marines. She was getting bored of just sitting around awaiting the call for a SWAT team to be taken to a house. Quite rare when she goes on patrol as a basic LEO. Anyways, she awaits for anyone to ask a question, if nobody answers she'd go get geared up proper and then meet them at the garage, hopefully that is where they'd be going when they were done... But she does sort of have a question, "Uh.. Do I get to pick what I'll be using on the mission? If we're on the roof, I'm gonna need something besides a shotgun.." she said shyly. Already knowing she was pissing some of her teammates off. But fuck'em, well not all of them, 'boy scout' seemed alright...
Solemn Jester Boss Skaggon​

 

[Skaggon]

Mason looked at his team. This mission was in less then a half hour and they had not train together at all. They had a new recruit who has no idea of our capabilities and visa versa. He had to trust her experience and knowledge from her past career. He turned to his team and took a deep breath. "James you will working the ground with Noda. You are going to be making your way through the crowd and watching out for any enemies. You are there to be the first response to any incidents. Do not get caught in traffic or lose yourself in the crowd. This is the most dangerous position but do to you strength and lack of weaponry this is the best spot for you. I trust you to watch your surrounding and keep a level head no matter what. Your focus is shutting down enemies before causalities build up. Noda you will on the outside of the crowd. You job is to watching them and guide James through them. Do to your past experiences I want you to focus on crow control and riot control. You goal os to handle the evacuation of the civilians any way you can. Their lives depend on your ability to guide them to safety. You will be in charge on the ground when I am not able to issue any orders or do not see something. Justine you will be on the rooftops overlooking the crowd. You will be in a position where if need be you can quickly join the other on the ground. You will focus on informing the ground team and myself of anything and everything that happens. It is vital that you pay the upmost attention. Bring whatever gadgets you think will help
Not only will you be in a position to support them but you will also be my backup in case things get hairy. I will be higher up in a birds eye view overlooking the street with a rifle in hand ready to shut down potential threats. The moment I do Noda will have to handle the crowd evacuations. Justine you have this position because you are the most versatile. I will also be able to get to you quickly in case if anything were to happen. Everyone here has a job to do and goal to fulfill. I expect you to put all personal matters aside and perform like the professionals we now are. We dont have much time so questions will be dealt with as we go. Do not complain and do as your told." Synergy and a strong chain of command is what Mason needs for this mission to work. A lot of responsibility is placed one each of their shoulders and they will be expected to use their own judgement to deal with situations. "If something were to happen do not hesitate to act. If your waiting for me to issue an order someone could die. Plan very carefully what you will do and communicate with the others of anything you see and do. Just because I give you a role does not mean that is your only job and no one else. I trust your judgement." He turned around. "Sir my team is ready. We just need equipment and we will be ready to go. Weapons protective gear and communication devices are all we need." He gathered his items and stood ready to go. Boss Solemn Jester H3LLJUMPER_177

 

[Kiosk]

NIKKY VIOLE
Host village > Inn > Lounge

"Ah, no, I'm not-.. we don't have anyone in charge, really. I can still help you find your niece though!"

The older woman had assumed Camila was like the princess turned queen of this messed up castle Dominic built. She grinned at the humble girl and somehow her help felt even more genuine. So they sat down in an inn and Nikky began recalling the events, until the bartender had approached.

"The soldiers you mentioned belong to the Chinese Dominion."

Her body grew tense.

"Over there, hosts are free to exist so long as they don't cause trouble. That's also where Kaivant and his posse are from. Ms.Viole, if you're looking for Janaiya, there is a good chance that she's been taken to Asia."

Nikky was rocked backwards, Asia? She was glad she was already sitting down.
She rubbed her temples, the absurdity made her head hurt,"That's not- my niece isn't a host, she's just a kid."
Janaiya wasn't a host, but the possibility troubled and comforted her. All this time she was picturing finding the body of a 19 yr old, or worst, nothing at all. But there was a chance, slim as it maybe... she really could be out there? She didn't know how to feel about her niece hiding a secret like that, not that she could talk, but as far as she was concerned, there was nothing good about being a host.

"... I really don't have any better ideas though." She sat back in her chair and sighed, running a hand through her curly mess of hair. She was frustrated and irritated, not knowing how else to feel and too stubborn to let herself fall into a depressive slump she decided to be angry. She leaned back on the table and looked over at the bartender
"So who the hell is Kaivant, anyways?" She juts a thumb over in Camila's direction, "I saw her dad with him in the club before but that's all I really know." She heard the name a handful of times while talking with informants but nothing really too descriptive about him, she never really cared to ask.
"If he's from there then maybe we could get him to take us there?" He may have seemed to be a friend of Dominic but that sure as hell didn't mean he was a friend of hers. Especially considering how Dominic didn't really look too pleased to see her after the years.

Boss

 

[Azukai]

Jackaboi ( Indirectly: Boss TerraBooma Kiosk )

Spoiler: Context for Fracture Technologies

Prior to the Great War, the Takumi Corporation was a long-standing conglomerate that dominated the pharmaceutical market with generic drugs that were offered at mere fractions of the market's standard prices. The company was originally founded in 1987; under the name of Rx Pharmaceuticals to which it maintained its status as a moderate pharmacy chain that spread throughout the Midwest of America. Its unprecedented growth wasn't until 2011, when the chain experienced a merge with an overseas company that brought it under the leadership of a man known as Daisuke Takumi. He was a shrewd Japanese businessmen who, with his family, immigrated to America, where he formed the headquarters for his new success in the growing city of Blue Springs, Minnesota. Good fortune shined upon him and his company; at least until everything came to a sudden end when he and his family were killed in a tragic fire that struck their mansion in the outskirts of town. The incident was deemed an accident, though it was the first domino to fall and trigger the chain of misfortune that followed soon after. By the time the dust of the war had settled, the Takumi Corporation was a husk of its former self--worth a pitiful sum that was quickly auctioned to the highest buyer, brave enough to undertake the baggage of its remains. This buyer turned out to be an eccentric man known as Doctor Magus Aldricht.

Doctor Aldricht was an elderly gentleman with a long-standing history in medicine and engineering. Up until this point, he had been an obscure figure in the research and development of biomedical implants--holding little fame or recognition across the world. What he saw in the remnants of the Takumi Corporation was an opportunity; one that he gladly took advantage of when he re-branded the company as Fracture Technologies and became a leading suppliers for the Dominion's (and other anti-Zodiac organizations') front line. In a time where the population was panicked and afraid, Fracture Technologies became a beacon of hope; the potential of humanity in their fight against the supernatural; and the ultimate diversion from the truth in the shadows.

ICE was an arrogant individual--one that very much hated when an inferior overstepped their bounds in talking with her. Lucius and his incessant questions were a prime example of such; hence, the wave of annoyance which flared underneath the veil of her mask. Nonetheless, she managed to remain patient with the scientist, up until he had finished asking everything that was brewing in his mind. ICE didn't give an immediate response. Rather, she became occupied with her surrounding display that began scrolling a seemingly infinite lines of code. Several seconds passed, before she lifted her eyes from the display and firmly jabbed her right index finger directly into Lucius' solar plexus. "Listen here, bud. You are nothing compared to me or my colleagues. Unlike you, we happen to be far more occupied than you and your ragtag group of scientists..." There was extra sarcastic emphasis on the word "scientist"--an obvious jest towards the recent lack of true accomplishments their branch had achieved. "Though I suppose it is because your situation is so pathetic that we noticed you...almost felt a little bad."

She rolled her eyes, just before reaching into one of the pouches on her belt. There, she retrieved a hand-drawn map and a collection of plane tickets that were set to depart in the next couple of hours. Outside, the sound of cars rolling up to the entrance was able to be heard--a testament to the fact that they were suddenly on a very tight schedule. "Pack light, where you're going, you won't be able to take much anyways. As for your...partner..." The sound of sudden commotion could be heard from deeper within the facility. Amidst the general mayhem of crashes and loud bangs, the familiar voice of a panicked AI was audible for Lucius to hear. First was the sounds of desperate pleas, followed by the absolute silence that came soon after. Without context or the ability to see what had occurred, it was easy to assume that the worst had occurred. However, there was a smile on ICE's face as she turned to depart from the facility--waving farewell as she spoke her closing remarks. "Consider it a down payment, and uh...try and keep it hidden, at least until later. Some of the villagers might not take too well to it."

And with that, she slipped through the entrance door and out into the night where she vanished almost as quickly as she had arrived. Immediately, the facility's system returned to its normal operations, without so much as a trace that she had accessed it at all. If anything, there wasn't a single mark of evidence that suggested she had been there; only the map and the tickets that were strewn across the floor, and the teddy bear plush that was convulsing on the floor of Lucius' private office, all while calling for its creator in an obvious state of fright.

------------

Each of the plane tickets were marked with the emblem of Fracture Technologies and were a direct, private flight from Seoul to Brookfield. Apart from the obvious weight of Lucius' sudden new investor, there was nothing more special or leading about the tickets. Peculiar, however, was their final destination that was depicted on the map. It wasn't a large facility within the grand metropolis of Brookfield--much less in one of the surrounding suburban districts. Instead, their destination was in the literal wilderness outside of the city--a red X that marked a seemingly open field which was surrounded by the thick of underbrush and forest.

 

[Boss]

​

Afternoon
Brookfield | Red Light District
The Pleasure Palace | Stadium
​

Whether or not there it was a coincidence that Lorenzo would visit during a display of twisted grandeur mattered not. When the sounds of torn flesh combined with the metallic scent of blood, nothing else took more of the audience's attention. As the pleas of Lorenzo's former subordinate devolved into a gurgled and incoherent mess, the crowd watched on with bloodlust in their eyes. Rich folk. Lorenzo didn't understand it; but he didn't have to, his expression remained steeled at the sight of an already punished male having his innards ripped out for all to see. With the obscurity of it all, one wouldn't be blamed to assume that everyone was under some sort of evil spell cast by Pelagius himself. Nonetheless, he proved more than an interesting individual to look out for as he made his first big move onto Brookfield.

If anything, the display did well to dispell Lorenzo's curiosity regarding protection. Aside from having wild animals at his beck and call, Lorenzo noticed the presence of a few supernaturally 'enhanced' people, including but not limited to the odd-eyed fellow who was serving the main floor just a while ago. Just then, Lorenzo's digital watch pinged with an alert - his daily lunch-time was almost over, and he would soon be expected back behind his desk sorting through stacks of cases to work. He affectionally gripped the hand of his host bodyguard and rose to his feet, guiding her up as well. "Sad, lunchtime is over yet I feel like I haven't eaten a thing now. Come, we leave now if I'm to get the smell of blood out of my clothes before time is up." Returning his words with a smile and nod, the two departed from the stadium seating whilst 'Brutus' continued to pick at the man's bones.

 

[Boss]

Tom B. Stone | Diana Young

​

Morning
Countryside
Old Barn
​

"Oh a friend of yours Spike? How exactly do you know him?"

The Count's crimson eyes floated from Tom's center to meet his suspicious stare before she shut them with an innocent smile in response to his question in a teasing manner. With her arms behind her form, The Count swayed in place like a child with something to hide.

"The Count I presume? Are you here to tease Spike, or for some other reason? Maybe to see Diana and Axel? Wherever the furry may be. I do hope you have no ill intent that wouldn't end we-RING!"

Suddenly, the Zodiac dropped the act in favor of her natural curiosity which knew no bounds. The incessant tone that echoed from Tom's pocket grabbed The Count's full attention to which was clearly obvious by how her eyes locked on the device Tom spoke into.

"This is Tom...Speak."

"Hey, who are yo-" The Count was quickly silenced by Tom's raised finger, causing her to pout in frustration of her denied curiosity. Her fire wasn't out for long, however, as Diana was quick to shoot a perfectly good question her way.

"Uh, weren't you meant to be dead? I didn't mean anything by that by the way..."

She blinked, expressionless towards Diana - then, exploded into a fit of laughter that took her down to the ground for a solid 15 seconds of gut-crushing laughter. It wasn't until she came from her high that she felt the need to explain. Wiping away a stray tear, she righted herself up on the dirt. "Mistress Diana, you're too much..!" She would've continued but there were still a few good chuckles left in her. Finally, she rose to her feet and brushed off her light-pink attire with a goofy expression upon her face. "I had no idea that was your intention back then-...! No, you didn't kill me. Us Maidens are tough to kill, isn't that right, big sis'?" She leaned around Diana as her question was aimed at the other Maiden behind her. "Yes, you especially." Axel returned begrudgingly, stepping out into clear view. Her neon green eyes focused on Diana as she hoped to give a more clear answer to her question. "The Count can take the form of blood or her butterflies, but remember, she's also a spirit who has already passed well before you were born. The loss of a head to a spirit is about as trivial as certain lizards losing their tails. It'll grow back. What doesn't grow back is the corruption that festered her soul, so what you really killed was that." The Count grinned gleefully in agreement as if she understood a word of what Axel said.

"That does bring me to wonder, why are you here?" Axel questioned the other Zodiac. "You knooow~! Everyone at the manor wants to meet the Mistress now! I just want to be the first to hang out with her before she gets super busy dealing with all those boring 'matuuuree' maids!" The Count shifted her gaze to Diana. "Tyrik found out that I met you and had me locked in the basement for AGES! Not to mention to took a while to regain my physical form..."

 

[Randomfella]

Lucy Black
Host Village Lake​

After she finished her short sentence, Lucy felt a strange, yet familiar feeling come over her. The girl's gaze moved over toward the general vicinity of which it emanated, her eyes bulging open in slight shock as the image of Umbra appeared in her mind. It was only for a split second, yet as she blinked, it was gone... It was likely her imagination. Lucy stared back to Camilla, whom almost seemed to be in a similar state to herself... Could she feel it too? As she began to speak, however, the girl looked down once more, what happened to Samantha bringing her back to reality.

As Nikky responded to Camilla's questions, the young woman's gaze glanced between the different strangers that surrounded Camilla, an unsure expression seemingly permanently painted across Lucy's face as she would avoid their notice to the best of her ability. They all seemed to know the girl through her father... Dominic. They were friends with th- that monster. That was all Lucy could know him as, after all, even his own daughter had the mind to turn against him. Still, the older woman only stated she wanted to punch him, and to ask for forgiveness, a confusing sentiment to Lucy.

Lucy could only give a weak wave to Samantha as she left with Cetus, clearly uncomfortable with the whole situation, even if she had only known her for what seemed like a small span of time in comparison to these hosts. As Sam looked toward her, a subtle nod followed his words, Lucy only hoped he was right, the feelings of her own uselessness toward the spirit continuing to flow through her. The mention of Camilla helping to find the older woman's niece also continued to echo through her mind, Lucy could only hope the girl meant to give information, and not her time.

Host Village Inn​

Lucy said nothing as they sat, her thumbs twiddling together nervously, simply listening in. The mention of the woman's daughter possibly being in Asia was of little concern at first. While she truly wished the best for them, Lucy had far too much rushing through her mind to dwell on it, and no real way to help. That was until Nikky responded... "We!?" The girl thought to herself drastically, the word repeating in her mind, a bead of sweat starting to form on her brow as she began to worry. What if Camilla accepted to go with her to help look? Lucy couldn't leave her side, and she still had to...

"W-Well if... Uh... She's not a m... You know, host, then she won't be there...! Why go so far, hehe..." The uncomfortable blurt escaped the previously silent girl's lips faster than she could enunciate them. A light, forced smile across her face as she looked up to the rest of the table, while her body sunk in distress, her words falling to faint whisper toward the end of her rambling.

Boss TerraBooma Kiosk

 

[Boss]

James Mac niadh Lane | Mason Mendella | Noda Hitomi

​

Afternoon
Brookfield | Downtown
Dominion Public Headquarters | Streets
​

The Dominion headquarters was located in the dead center of Brookfield, where the tallest buildings congregated over the rest of the city. most major roads met at that singular point in a star-like pattern if seen from above. On a normal day, this area was just like any other busy city center - but in just a few minutes, Julius July would take advantage of the block to convey his message. In every direction for a couple of blocks down, roads had been blocked, thus forcing cars to divert using alternative locations. Most if not every road was under the watchful gaze of Dominion troops with their weapons at the ready. What couldn't be handled with small arms had to answer to the retractable gun turret present at every major roadblock - which was also coated in deadlock-tech.

Hundreds, if not thousands of people stood in front of the Dominion's public headquarters, where a podium had been erected and was flanked on either side with highly trained personnel. Hundreds of feet above, the skies were well protected with the presence of numerous VTOLs that patrolled the area, reminding the populace of their existence with the whine of their twin engines. In the case of Omega squad, they had no issue getting into position for their task. Justine, who had been given the task of overwatch by their new squad leader, took the liberty of setting up on the 17th floor of an office building. She was not a people person, which made telling that floor's employees to leave, that much harder. "Omega 3's in position." Justine transmitted over her now unmuted earpiece as she set her rifle to lean against the wall.

In terms of gear, the Omega team wasn't wearing anything too fancy. Their armor stole the appearance and makeup of the Sentinel's gear, which held a sleek carbon mesh for a stealth look, but it also took the utility of a normalized soldier uniform with its many pocket and compartments that made getting to equipment that much easier. A word from the higher-ups promised the squad their own personalized armor to go with their weapons but also stressed that it took time to create Templar-tiered gear.

The crowd fell silent as there was finally moved from the podium. The soldiers tensed up, the eyes of the populace honed on the single stand on the elevated platform. Soon enough, Julius July stepped into the limelight and smiled at all the faces and cameras watching him. The nation - not simply Brookfield - watched on to see what the newly appointed Arch-Bishop had to say after the discovery and attack of a completely new enemy as well as the following silence of the Dominion as a frontline defense.

Deforming his smile, Julius glanced down at one of the many microphones that faced him and proceeded to tap a few. "Uhh, hello? Can-.. Is this working?" His question was immediately answered as he heard his own voice boom through the nearby streets. Letting out an innocent scoff, he cleared his throat and began. "Good afternoon, humanity. A lot of you know me as the new Arch-Bishop, but there are some of those out there that see me as my father's son. Now, I understand that you want to know what my intentions are, but first - I want to talk about my father, the previous Arch-Bishop: Gunthar July."

Nearly every national news headline had Julius's face on it.

"My father had the unfortunate job of directing the Dominion through a very crucial time. We titled that time 'the great war'. For lack of a better word; it was chaotic. The existence of an entirely new realm was revealed to us. The existence of otherworldly power and mythological beasts were only known in books and hit movies, but it was during the great war that we learned -- publically -- that the tales of monsters and magic wasn't so fake after all. My father didn't like the idea of another world. In fact, he detested it with every cell in his body. He knew the scale of change that would come about this discovery and worked to keep the world as ordinary as possible. Was he wrong for that? I don't know." Julius paused, eyeing the expressions of the many. "But what I do know is that I am not my father. The world he saw was very black and white, right or wrong. Human-.. or host. He chose to oppose any and everything supernatural, including that of hosts. Well, what would you do if you woke up the next morning and found out that you were a host? Suddenly, you've lost the right to live by any means. Forget not being able to go to school or work - your only options are to either hide or fight for your life, all because my father deems you a terror, not unlike Satan himself. Is that our idea of justice?"

"I'm not saying evil does not exist. Two months ago - as we are painfully aware - we were attacked by creatures from the supernatural world. We, as the DOMINION, failed the one principle that we swore to uphold: to protect humanity! We failed! Because we were busy with over HALF of our forces struggling to control hostkind! This may come as a shock to you all, but the only reason why the rest of Brookfield still stands is that we were aided by hosts. The people that we condemned as monsters." Voices of doubts began to erupt from the crowd. "The truth that I'm trying to convey to you all is that while hosts may not be entirely human, they do have compassion. They have emotion. Even the likes of Dominic Ferrari, who actively worked to restore the Combine with the help of Chinese forces. It's their home too, which is why I'm calling off the crusade against hosts."

The masses soon boiled into an uproar that easily overpowered the Arch-Bishop's presence. Objects were thrown at the podium, only to hit a dome-like invisible force field that repelled the projectiles. Leaning closer into the microphones, Julius spoke again. "Easy now, I didn't say supernatural." Calmly, he waited until the rage simmered so that they'd listen to what he had to say. "The war against the supernatural will continue ever forward, but if we as a species are to survive, we need to act as one. Surely we are not so blind as to mistake flesh and blood for an ooze-monster! And yes, I am aware of the capabilities that each and every host has, but I propose a solution." Reaching into his pockets and placing down a card onto the stand, it was scanned and recreated as a giant hologram in front of the building for all to see. "This is a blank host identification card. For the hosts that are undoubtedly observing among us, this will provide you the same rights as any American citizen, but there is a catch. For every supernaturally-related violation - depending on the severity - there will be a strike. At three strikes, you can expect to be hunted down as you were before, and the strikes cannot be removed under any circumstances." Leaving the card on the stand, Julius rounded the corner to stand in complete view. "I can't stress enough how important it is for us as humans to work together. The hosts that fought to protect this city two months ago have fantasies of peace between us, and I for one am not going to turn a deaf ear to it. If you're a host or know someone who is, tell them that they can come here to receive their card. I'll be answering questions coming from the press now."

Many hands along the forwardmost row waved for a microphone, and Julius was ready to receive the question of the first person who got one, however, it wasn't a question that was spoken from the press, but rather a request. "Yeah, uhh, you stepped away from the microphones right then and we couldn't hear you. The microphone stand over there? Could you uhh, repeat those words again?" "-..Seriously?-.."

He defintely wasn't a speaker like his father was.

 

[Boss]

Camilla Ferrari| Sam Sarith | Lucy Black | NIKKY VIOLE

​

Afternoon
Host Village
Inn | Lounge
​

Being one of the two people from the village who fought beside Kaivant, Camilla felt that she was just as qualified to offer a suggestion as Sam was. Her eyes locked onto the surface of the table as she fished for any sort of probable ideas. "He's wherever my dad is, I guess." It was a lazy answer. She talked to Kaivant herself the moment she turned her father over to the Dominion. If he was still causing rifts among the Dominion, chances were Kaivant was there too. She had half the mind to visit one of the Dominion lockups and ask around, but the anxiety radiating from Lucy suggested against it. Camilla flashed a worried smile toward the new host, who probably felt like a person lost at sea without some sort of guidance or person she could trust. Over the course of months that passed, Lucy hadn't changed much personality-wise. While she could decimate an entire hut with her abilities (and they tried this during practice), the girl's exterior was still as rigid as a leaf in autumn. Regardless, it was that purity in which Camilla vowed to protect - not just as host to host, but as true friends.

"With my speed, I should be able to search for him and get the information we need within ten minutes." Camilla's proposal came with a confidence-giving grin, but it was responded with even more worry for the girl. Argo sighed. "Young lady, you can't go poking the hornet's nest expecting not to get stung." To which Camilla scoffed arrogantly and said: "I'm not the same 'lady' you used to know, old man." Remembering that the affairs of Camilla were her own, Argo shook his head silently and gave Nikky a word before he walked off. "I hope what you say about your niece is correct. Being a host comes with its supernatural burdens."

"I will be right back." She assured everyone at the table, primarily Lucy. Rising to her feet, Camilla began her departure. "Don't go anywhere, seriously."

With a burst of electricity, Camilla zoomed out of the Inn faster than anyone could blink.

 

[Solemn Jester]

James Mac Niadh Lane

Saying James was expecting a large crowd would have been a lie. He didn't know what to expect honestly. He was still amazed anyone was brave enough to wonder out of their homes. Let alone come to a big Dominion event such as this one. It seemed like a perfect opportunity for a host attack. He was in position, and while he probably stuck out enough that it was pointless. He still called in to the others, "Aye Omega 2 is in position. Fuck, lucky sobs. Glad you're all comfy in your positions. I hate crowds. It's like being stuck in the middle of the ocean, and all the fish suddenly decided they want to try and drown you." He said stretching out his collar in an attempt to free his throat so it could take in more air. He wasn't really claustrophobic. He just hated being surrounded by people. He always had, he wasn't even fond of being on a team. He was the exact opposite of a people person. This just reminded him of being surrounded by paparazzi trying to get exclusive interviews with him, or even just nosing into his personal life."Aye, fire Nymph. Wanna switch spots? You have much better people skills than me. This is much more suited to you don't ya think." He suggested this although it was clear he was somewhat joking about it. A light almost laugh to his tone. He continued on his mission however, scanning the waves of heads around him. Thankfully his height advantage was pretty useful when it came to this particular task. He still hated that he was more obvious than a mime in a car full of clowns.

With all his metaphors, and nervous thoughts going through his mind. He didn't realize that the show had begun. Frankly James didn't know anything about the new Bishop. Nor did he really care. Even when he was working in the church he didn't really keep up with all the news of the world. He cared little for the world, other than his own personal reality the rest could burn for all he cared. He was however, surprised to see a kid..or rather young man step up to speak. It was somewhat shocking that such a young person held a position of such importance. Surely the pressure was great. All the stress the situation came with must have had terrible affects on his mind. This thought was only confirmed as he immediately proposed a peace treaty between host and normal folk. It was a good thing that an uproar happened, otherwise everyone would have heard the beastial laugh that erupted from James in response. "Can you believe this kid? He thinks we can sweep everything under the rug and just be friends with the host like nothing ever happened. Man, if this is the top brass then maybe the Dominion ain't all its cut out to be. I didn't come here to make friends with host. I also seriously doubt anyone else, human or host would approve of this. I certainly wouldn't trust some sudden peace proposal from the organization that originally wanted my head. Almost feel bad for the fool." James mumbled into his earpiece, speaking to the rest of the Omega squad in order to ascertain their opinions. Although, this would open some doors for James. He wasn't sure they were doors he wanted to open. He searched the crowd once more checking for suspicious activity as he awaited his crews replies.

Boss Skaggon H3LLJUMPER_177

 

[Boss]

Camilla Ferrari| Sam Sarith | Lucy Black | NIKKY VIOLE

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Afternoon
Brookfield​

Camilla wasn’t simply idling around the village for two months. Since the attack, she took the time to develop her abilities to better fit multiple roles in various situations. The fight against Cerberus and Byakko served as eye-openers, telling her that raw speed wasn’t going to cut it if she planned to protect Lucy and the village from future harm. Among one of her newly learned skills was what she dubbed ‘water-walking’. It was as simple as it was self-explanatory - keep above a certain velocity and gain the ability to sprint across water without breaking through its surface. This ability alone took at least two weeks of practice to master, but in the end, she found it easy to skim across its surface.


This was the reason why a lone lightning trail could be seen blasting down the river leading up to Brookfield’s city. Camilla’s trail slipped under the bridge that carried most traffic in and out of the city, and she easily blew past a couple of container ships on their way out. As she ran, Camilla recalled her earlier words and truly wondered if she’d run into her father again. Was he even alive, two months later? What would she say to him? She pushed away those thoughts for now and focused on the objective.


By the time she reached the docks, Camilla had a basic plan in mind. Snaking through the city’s grid-like layout, she combed through every street and alley she came across in search for any kind of Dominion personnel. With her speed, her hunt didn’t take long. Two Dominion soldiers were tasked with patrolling the streets dozens of blocks away from the Arch-Bishop’s speech. The intention; find and eliminate any possibility of a long-range attack on the event. As the two armed patrolmen made their rounds on the sidewalk, their pathing was suddenly cut off when Camilla slid to a stop in front of them.


Naturally, being simple grunts who expected nothing to happen along their route, they panicked, fumbling for their weapons the moment they realized their day wasn’t going to be as uneventful as they thought. “H-hands up!” sounded one, while the duo aimed at Camilla. Nonchalantly, she raised the radio that she nabbed from one of the soldiers to her face. “Hello? Does anyone know where Kaivant is?” Dumbfounded, the soldiers switched the safeties of their weapons off while Camilla struggled to figure out which button she needed to press on the radio.


Click click click


Apparently, she had stolen the magazines from their guns too.


“Kaivant, if you can hear me, meet me where we first met, there’s something I want to ask you.” Camilla tossed the radio at the soldiers' feet before they could reload, and then she was off - bound towards the alley where Kaivant clotheslined Byakko.

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Brookfield | Alleyway​

That was where she waited. Looking down at the exact spot she laid many weeks ago, her mind began to wonder, though not for long. From one of the nearest walls, a portal began to form--one that was the signature style of Kaivant’s ex-technology from his Ravenwood Era. Sure enough, a familiar face stepped onto the street, yawning from the boredom that he was currently suffering from. Ever since the attack on Brookfield, he had been relegated to paperwork and witness interrogations--an unfortunate change of pace from his usual activities on the front line. He had originally planned to return to China following the conclusion of Dominic’s trial; however, those plans had been quickly shot by the sudden appearance of the twins. “You don’t know how to stay out of trouble do you, kiddo?” Another yawn escaped his lips. “To what do I have the honor of your presence? If I remember correctly, you wanted little to do with me after...recent events.” Throwing a glance over her shoulder, she replied: “I didn’t come here for me.”


Shoving her hands in her pockets, she turned around to face Kaivant fully. “I’m here on someone else’s behalf. A girl by the name of Janaiya Wilkinson, does it ring any bells?”


A smile formed on Kaivant’s face. “Well this is an improvement since the last time we talked. You were unable to even care for your own wellbeing, and look at you now...looking after the wellbeing of others.” Although his words might have come across as sarcastic, they were quite genuine, to the point that he began applauding the change. “But yes, the name does ring some bells. I imagine her aunt, Nikky was it, has wondered where she’s gone, no?” “Does the Dominion have her or not?” Camilla returned sharply.


In contrast, Kaivant remained relaxed in light of Camilla’s testiness. “Tch, I see that impatience of yours hasn’t changed in the slightest.” He rolled his eyes; though his former smile remained plastered across his face, obviously amused by Camilla’s recent actions. “And if I were to answer yes, what would that entail?” The girl fell silent as her eyes focused on the ground in front of her. It was a good question, what would happen? On one hand, Camilla could offer to rescue Janiaya, but in doing so, she would put the village back in the Dominion’s crosshairs. On the other, she could leave Nikky to do the rest, but taking on the Dominion alone - no matter the branch - would be suicide. “.. She’s not a host.” Camilla spoke up, meeting Kaivant’s stare. “She deserves to be with her family, not under Dominion custody.”


The smile faded from Kaivant’s face. He wasn’t against anything Camilla had said--Janaiya did deserve to be with her family. But if only things were that simple in this day and age. “Under normal circumstances, I would wholeheartedly agree with you; however, I’m afraid things aren’t so cut and dry--your father’s trial proved that, as did the battle.” “Trial..?” Camilla echoed, her brow furrowing in reaction to Kaivant’s answer. “How is that possible? Janaiya isn’t related to my father or the battle.”


“No, but she is involved with a certain individual whose has managed to remain under Dominion radar. I’ve had my suspicions for quite some, and it seems their capture confirmed everything for me.” Kaivant’s smile returned to his face, albeit with a hint of craft beneath it. “There is more to the world than you know, though perhaps this change of heart means you are ready to listen. Quite a bit can happen when the powers of the world remain blind, in some cases, literally.”

Collaboration Post 1/2
Azukai Boss​