Prototype Life, A Magic/Techno Shadow World

June Fifteenth, 7:48 PM, 2014, Location Unknown

Golden irises looking down on those that gathered, a calm voice speaks. "I apologize for this rude summoning, but I noticed the Cult of Eldon has become more active lately. Given our organizations past history together, they're likely going to try an attack on us or public soon. Please inform your divisions-"

Haughty laughter coming from a man covered completely in armor, steam escaping from his mouth. "Oh please, the Cult of Eldon is nothing before us. Though if you truly must fear, then HUNTER will get rid of the scary bad men for you."

Rising from her chair, a mature woman with white hair and blue eyes spares a glance of pure annoyance at the armored man. Crossing her arms to her chest, she speaks disdainfully "While the Cult of Eldon is indeed a threat, some of the Darima we have at SHAMAN are starting to get... anxious, and so I fear they might escape. Capturing them once they escape will be near-impossible, and there's nothing the Eldon could do to stop them."

Sitting across from her was a brown haired man in his late thirties, having been silently listening until now. Looking from her to SERVE's head, his voice betrays a little fear "The real concern before us is Esther, as the latest examination of the first Eldritch Tento shows her psychic powers still won't stop growing. Eventually it'll be impossible to keep her from affecting the world."

Gently rising, a young silver haired woman with purple irises speaks almost without emotion. "It is foolish to ignore the Eldon. If Lord Cornelius is concerned, then we must obey as members of SERVE. After all, no fool would be elected as leader of this order."

Golden eyes looking each over, Cornelius speaks. "Thank you Sarah, and with the order to inform your divisions to prepare for an Eldon attack this meeting is now over."

***

Current Time: June Twenty-third, 6:21 AM, 2014

While the heads of SERVE's divisions did indeed listen to their master, SHAMAN and the Tento Project were focused much more on immediate problems instead.

Over at SHAMAN, containment measures were being redirected to the Darima meaning other experiments were getting loose. In particular, a brown haired man with blonde streaks was busy chasing after a purple slime that he created. While it wasn't malevolent, it has a horrible habit of latching onto people's heads.

Though, while nothing seemed to change at the Tento Project, some common items of personnel had been replaced. The Tento Project rarely deals with magic, and thus have no means to check for magical presences. This was a flaw they hoped their secrecy would render moot. The agonizing screams of people as their body imploded and reshaped into grotesque horrors truly caught them off guard.

He La E23 had spent perhaps more of her morning dawdling than she was entitled to, reading through a dog-eared pocket dictionary at the edge of her bunk. She had acquired it on a mission last month, pinching it from the desk of a run-down house during its search - considering the outcome, the owner would not likely be needing it now. Life as a Production Tento wasn't always the most mentally stimulating, especially for one as curious as E23 and 2 years of constant learning still left a few gaps in her vocabulary. With a sigh she tucked it under the mattress and tugged on her boots, stretching as she stood.

E23 swiftly made her way to a nearby training room; they had received information a few days prior that some kind of cultist attack - either at SERVE or more public premises - Was to be expected. Hence, it was important they were prepared to protect their personel and more valuable assets, their welbeing being secondary. E23 had a few... unfavorable opinions on this but it wasn't her place to express them - they had made her to fulfill her duty and could make her again.

Suddenly, distant screaming pierced through the walls accompanied by the faint tearing of flesh. She, the training personnel and a few other Tentos brought their movement to a halt, murmuring amongst themselves. E23 ran full speed towards the origin of the increasing noise, clutching a wooden training sword and stopping a corner away from it. She peered cautiously around the wall to assess the source of the ruckus.

Richter sighed as his contact informed him how the meeting went over telepathic contact, and he supposed this meant that his Eldon friends would continue to be obstructive little munchkins, and he could continue the elevation plan. Speaking of which, as he watched some people's bodies implode gruesomely and be reshaped into horror forms, he happily brought out a notebook and wrote down the specifics of what he was seeing.

Interesting forms...intestines have become multiple headed serpent...yes, it looks like an elevation is in the works. We might be able to see the creation of a new level in the next month. Magic may be an unknown variable to the rest of the employees here, but its not to me.

That was when some person intruded. The odd salmon-color haired mercenary-scientist looked over at the Production Class Tento looking in at what was going on. Nope, despite his wishes, she had not seen too much. He just had to prevent her from seeing what was in his notebook. That did not preclude him, however, from acting snappy with her. "Now you're a naughty little thing, what are you doing looking in here? Go on, get get, you're being bad. Do not make Uncle Richter break out the newspaper."

And by Newspaper, he meant laser sword.

He La E23 found herself more happy to meet the contorted, eviscerated remains turned monsters than the man there watching them. At least she could do something productive, albeit destructive, with the horror creatures. She had seen him a few times in passing and had been somehow even more dismissive than the other natural lifeforms who worked here. E23 shot a cold, slightly perplexed look at Richter as she moved away from the wall, "I was just bringing you your slippers - The pink ones with fluffy bunnies on the fronts, right?" She replied in a pseudo-friendly tone, taking a step or two forward, "Kick me out and you're cleaning-up... whatever that is by yourself."

"So, are you going to explain to me what those things are and why they are here?" She crossed her arms, eying the horrors and the notebook cautiously. She wasn't stupid, E23 knew Richter was up to something fishy and that those things weren't typical Tento fodder... At least not lying around on the floor. The things were now starting to move in a more deliberate fashion, making her reflexively raise her improvised weapon to a semi-guard position.

edited 23rd Jun '14 1:09:07 AM by Lt.BGob

In his room, lying on a bunk, deep within the confines of SHAMAN, John Bernard Maclintock was learning more about the art of alchemy. The book clutched lazily, a pen and paper close by, he sighed and ran a hand through greying hair, "I'm too old for this crap." He finally stated, idly sketching a rune on a sheet of paper. SHAMAN was preparing, for what he didn't really know, he hoped he'd be in on it.

• Sighing, he got up, leaving the half done rune on a desk. He shouldered his coat on, and left for a walk, it didn't long for that to get ruined, some weirdo was doing something with a slime, "can't this place be normal for one day?" he asked himself aloud, pausing in his walk to get a better picture of the story.

edited 23rd Jun '14 4:27:20 PM by jashinsapostle

Richter ignored her earlier snappier statements about slippers and such.

He then looked back at the creatures and happily walked over to a creature that was evidently formerly a liver, which now had a number of snapping mouths, though as soon as Richter picked it up, the creature whined and shivered in his hand as if not daring to bite him. He happily thrust his hand forward, the creature now level with the Production Tento's eyes.

He asked in a sing song voice, a small smirk settling on to his face, "Here, why don't you carry out this lovely little puppy?"

JB's enthusiastic walk had brought him to some sort of lab, he wasn't sure if it was one or not. A deranged man stood with a slimey creature in his hands, he couldn't really see who or what the man was talking to. So, deciding that it was better to learn what was going on than be ignorant, JB started the process of introducing himself, all he had to do first was walk closer.

To understand what this odd man was doing, one would have to go back several minutes. Catching the rogue slime in a projected sphere, he lets loose a short laugh for winning this battle. Condensing its gel body just slightly before the sphere became the same size as its core, the man poked a finger at the it. The slime's body shivering and rippling, he coos sweetly "You were a very naughty girl for getting out of your pen, I was worried something bad would happen to you." With that said, he began rubbing his cheek against it like a cat affectionately marking something as theirs.

Hearing approaching footsteps, the man turns from the slime towards someone he hadn't seen before. Eyes looking between his creation and the man, he nervously laughs as he hides it behind him. Clearing his throut as he straightened his spine, he attempts to look the newcomer in the eyes. Trying for a calm voice, his embarrassment ends seeping though. "Hello, I'm Frederick Freud and I'm an experienced mage who works here. I specialize in making magical life, which you probably saw me holding in my hands." Slowly bringing the slime back to his front, his vocal embarrassment increases. "Please don't tell anyone she got loose, I don't want the Director worrying..."

***

The alarms finally going off, anyone who hears it knows the only thing it can refer to: stop the invaders and get the Tentos out of danger. Footsteps, gunfire, roaring and screaming suddenly erupt in response.

edited 23rd Jun '14 5:46:13 PM by Kkutwar

Richter seemed perfectly comfortable around the monstrous constructs, E23 wasn't sure if this was of his design though the liver-thing feared him to the point of tameness. Nevertheless, it didn't seem like an authorized experiment even if he was superior to her. The maroon-eyed swordsman thrust the snapping thing towards her face smugly, but E23 simply raised an eyebrow as she examined it with curiosity - considering her own abnormalities, a toothy liver wasn't going to make her squeemish. It was almost cute... well, except for the fact that someone had to die gruesomely for it to come into existence.

"I'd love to but I don't think I'd have anything to feed it... Nothing I'm willing to give up, anyway." E23 returned with a smirk, gently pushing his hand back with the wooden sword and approaching the rest of the creatures. The remains of SERVE uniforms were buried in the mass of flesh. An alarm blared in the distance accompanied by the sounds of battle, "I need to get to the armory, and you need to take care of this." E23 stepped backwards slowly before sharply turning a making her way to the nearest armory.

edited 23rd Jun '14 6:05:24 PM by Lt.BGob

As she ran off, Richter looked down at the creature in his hand and simply tightened his grip a little once she was gone, splattering the creature with one last, tormented whine.

He then pirouetted on his feet and regarded the rest of the flesh golem creatures, "Now, I would hate to miss any battle going on. I'm a rather excitable sort, you see. This will need to be ended quickly."

He took out a small knife, prepared his shield, and a large, but extremely light laser sword generated off of the knife. "Now, lets begin." With that, Richter began his destruction of the "product". He supposed this was a sign the elevation experiment might be successful if this was caused by her, or a failure if these were creatures generated by someone else's experiment.

Thus were his thoughts as he butchered the creatures, bisecting a hydra-like creature made of intestines, while keeping the same bored expression one might have perusing the news late at night with nothing better to do.

He La E23 managed to arrive at a weapons room without incident, much to her relief - she didn't particularly feel like testing the tensile strength of the practice sword today. Unfortunately it appeared most of the more powerful armaments had been claimed but she didn't need much firepower in combat. E23 quickly strapped a pair of combat knives to her belt and a basic assault rifle, stuffing a couple of spare magazines in her pockets before exiting. She followed the screams.

A corridor away she found a guard firing desperately into the distance at some unseen target, evidently defending a door at his back. Probably full of Tentos, she reflected increasing her pace. The thing came with frightening speed, crudely humanoid in form and absorbing the bullets like they were b.b pellets. With a terrible claw-like appendage it impaled the guard, lifting him a few feet from the ground before tossing him aside like a toy.

"Bastard." E23 muttered, firing at what appeared to be vulnerable points but there wasn't really a clear point of reference, "Come on then, big-boy!" Best to keep its attention from the now unguarded door.

JB was hesitant to introduce himself, " I'm John Bernard Maclintock. A pleasure to make your acquaintance." he offered a hand. "Is that really female?" he asked about the slime.

edited 24th Jun '14 4:34:50 PM by jashinsapostle

SCREEEE! With that the defiled body launches at its attacker, ready to cripple her. The sudden flight of the unguarded door and subsequent wall impairment causes the creature to stop as if wondering what just happened. Letting loose another screech, this time in fear(?), as four mechanical tentacles skewers its body. Struggling to get free, it instead gets torn apart. Its torso and head dropping to the ground with a thud, part of its torn off mass gets slammed down onto it. CRUNCH! The organic masses sliding off the tentacles their owner, a scarred thirty something black haired male, directs his focus to E23. One milky white and one green eye looking her over, he speaks in a kind voice unfitting his physical appearance.

"Are you alright? If you believe you cannot fight these creatures, I'll make sure the Director won't punish you for wanting to hide. I wouldn't want anyone else dying."

***

Coming upon the scene of Richter's attack on the monsters was a small group, two recognizable as human with the third being an Electric-Type Production Esper. The one that seemed to be the leader, a twenty-six year old redhead woman, looked at Richter as she spoke "If you're done bisecting corpses then listen. We just came from the sealed ward to inform everyone we come across that these creatures are focusing there. Since we can't afford to lose or have any of those flawed Tentos get loose, it would be in the Project's best interest if we can prevent that."

***

Looking from John's offered hand and the slime in his own, his eyes perk up upon hearing that question. Face becoming a touch grim, it soon disappears as he speaks "Well, not in the biological sense. However she does mentally resemble a girl, which is frankly adorable in my opinion. In fact I even have-" Before he could finish a shrill yell rang throughout the air, with its apparent owner being a quickly approaching young man. Topped with white hair and piercing blue eyes, he stops within three feet of the two.

Eyes looking from the man to John, he sighs as he speaks with a much calmer voice "I'm sorry about my uncle, frankly he's an idiot when it comes to socializing." His uncle giving a hurt look as he ignores him, the young man continues "Though, you seem to be a guard. Why aren't you watching over something dangerous, like the magma golem we captured only a few days ago? Your job isn't to wander around doing what you want."

((I just wrote about 2 paragraphs when I saw you had posted Ho hum.))

E23 watched as the metallic tentacles savaged the flesh golem, half crouched and poised to join the attack. It was an impressive display of power and as the man emerged she smiled a little, amused that the tento she was trying to defend had dispatched the horror so easily, "I'm fine... just, a little surprized - not in a bad way, though." She laughed a little, lowering her weapon and walking up to the scarred cybernetic man, "I'm not all that fragile and if I hid I'd miss all the fun, I suspect..." E23 grinned, "Thank you... Uh, what do I call you?"

edited 24th Jun '14 7:46:54 PM by Lt.BGob

JB grinned, "he's not a bother, and I'm not on duty. Not for another few hours anyway." He looked back at the man with the slime, " tell me more, this is actually pretty interesting."

"Good! After all, that would be a public relations nightmare, no?"

Richter's smile betrayed the seriousness of the situation, as if this was nothing unusual to him. Time to see if his mischievous little lady was responsible for this turn of events, and if that meant Elevation was close.

"Then I'll be on my way to the area." He strode off with that, this was going well so far. Competent notes taken, and now just to check...

Letting loose a soft sign, he casts a quick look to make sure nothing approaches. His mechanical tentacles sliding into his back, he replies with a faintly sad voice "I am Alexander Pierre, known as the Prototype Cybernetic Tento and the first Tento produced." Giving her a look over, he gently shakes his head upon recalling fond memories. Standing up straight and giving a glance back to the room he left Alexander speaks in a more even tone "Well if you must engage these things, there's another armory not far down the hall. I would assist you, though none of the Tentos that I guard are fighters."

***

Scratching the back of his head nervously, the man mutters as he tries to put together a sentence. However, the young man's eyes pointedly look at the guard as he speaks "Tell me, how long have you worked for this organisation? The things we do are so important we cannot afford to waste time dillydallying. The world would literally be cosmic dust without us, so you must have a really good excuse if you think you don't have to work until a few hours from now."

Finally speaking up, the owner of the slime looks from the young man to the guard. "Well, I could use someone's help in securing her. Your work would be too important Samson, and he would be furfilling his job by helping me. Plus it would be nice to have someone to talk to this early."

"The first?" E23 repeated, somewhat impressed, "Very good to meet you indeed, then, Alexander. I'm E23, He La-line." She grinned, wondering just how much he had seen in that time. Not always the most pleasant things, if those scars were any indicator. But, currently there were more pressing matters than playing twenty questions, "I'm must, I'm afraid - but thanks, I guess I could use some bigger weaponry." She looked off in the direction Alexander had indicated and then into the room behind him, "Luckily, I am the fighting type and you lot should probably keep a distance from... uh, those." E23 kicked the apparently dead flesh golem lightly. "But if you need me, just scream." She chuckled.

E23 made a b-line for the armory and, once properly armed, to the next group of Tento quarters - or the first cluster of screams.

JB nodded, ignoring the younger man," I'll give you a hand with your slime...thing." His eyes narrowed, "but I don't wanna touch it."

Instinctively knowing where the sealed ward is, the depravities of former life were all gathering there. Confronting them were gun-troting humans, and while today would be acknowledged completely as a bad day... The Production-Type Tentos shined. Two metal blades cleanly bisecting a horror in half, the owner stands before the horde. The blades condensing into more spherical tentacles as they withdrew into his right forearm, a stream of electricity flies by his head as it strikes into another abomination. Not looking back to confirm their presence, he shoots out two more tentacles from his left to skewer yet another. Coming in from his left were swirling masses of metal, eating apart the monsters they hit. Bursting open the one his tentacles were sank in, the young man let out a demented cry "They're hardly worth the effort you know!"

However, as the Production-Types fight off the monsters, it must be noted. Before the outbreak, there were three employees considering working in the sealed ward being shown around. Since the most dangerous Tentos were contained in there, and needed extreme measures to be contained only a select few were allowed to view the footage. Thus as they fight three of the golems have been navigating their way through the ward. Having stumbled across the second Prototype Eldritch Tento, they removed her as they continued after others. Though, as she woke up to find three mutilated corpses carrying her off, and her fear of her own powers she began panicking.

To those outside the ward, the golems suddenly stop as if listening to the destruction coming from inside. However as the fused horror, vaguely resembling a wolf, bursts out on the side of battle the golems look on with what could be considered confusion. The creature attacking anything in its way, the remaining twenty golems there proceed to flee from the area.

***

The younger man gives the guard one last look before walking away. The older man looking back at Samson, he turns toward the guard. "That'll be alright, I'm keeping her contained anyways. Otherwise she'll just run off again... Anyways, just follow me." With that the man starts walking off, eventually arriving in a somewhat messy room filled with random materials.

JB stepped inside the room, letting out a whistle, "quite a collection of stuff you've got here." He said, walking around the room, "I thought I had a collection hidden away, but this takes the cake."

E23 found herself outside the sealed ward, where the most dangerous or important Tentos were housed. From the sounds she heard, and the excited yelling, she could tell some of the other Production Tentos had entered the fray - this was slightly reassuring. However dead ahead there were at least twenty of what she had decided must have been flesh golems. "Well, this ought to be bundles of fun..." She sighed with a wry smile, drawing two absurdly sharp looking swords. She noticed they were fleeing the scene, apparently due to whatever was going down in the ward and some kind of wolf-flesh-thing. Nevertheless E23 did her duty and pursued the golems, skillfully and viciously attacking any stragglers.

Meanwhile, inside of an hermetically-sealed, double-warded lab room, a most peculiar figure drew a rune on the ground, leaving about 5 feet of steel chains within the ruin. As he completed the rune, he watched intently as the chains anchored themselves around the perimeter of the circle.

"Ah, perhaps I can finally utilize this rune properly...", he said with a strange tone.

Of course, by saying this, he practically guaranteed the backfire. In this case, the backfire was for the chain-tentacles to smack him into the back wall and then disappear into the ground.

Sighing, the man blinked his four eyes, produced an experiment log, and wrote next to the current entry: "Failure. Re-examine the rune and base materials."

edited 15th Jul '14 8:46:34 AM by OmegaShadowcry