Vampire Hunter
Sypha, Meeting Room to Common Hallway
Sypha learned quickly, and understood why Lady seemed so devoted to this particular weapon. It was easy and effective compared to a bow. Easy enough that most of Lady's primer were focused on how to keep the wielder from being hurt, rather than how to effectively use the weapon. The easiness of learning the basics of the weapon unnerved Sypha somewhat since even the most trained fighter could be killed by a few shots of this simple to use weapon.
Sypha was broken out of her thoughts when she saw the severed head in the corner, and picked the head up to look at it. Sypha carried the head as she walked beside Lady to the DMC Room.
Trevor, DMC Room
When Dante seemed confident that Lady was not even going back to the DMC Room, Trevor decided to glance out of the door.
"Yeeeeah, Dante... Lady and Sypha are headed right this way," Trevor said to the demon hunter. "Also, they have the head."
Wizard Needs Food Badly
Dante just sighed and fell a little into his chair. "Of course she is. Figures." This was about all he had time to say before she walked in. "Lady, what's up, thought you had to go shoot that Margret woman. Needed more ammo?"
"No, I'm taking care of that tomorrow." She said as she glanced at Ramma and Rimyuel. "New friends?"
"Er, you could say that sure. Alright guys, meet Lady, trigger happy Devil Hunter and the last person you wanna be on the wrong side of among our little group."
"Guilty as charged." Lady said with a smirk as Trish slipped in behind her. "So who are you two?"
Huh, so this was that Lady named Lady that the buff he-men in the room seemed to be so afraid of. Blinking at their antics and stifling the tiniest of laughs, the teen got up from his seat to give a polite Japanese half-bow. After all, he was the guest and the people here didn't seem to be particularly bad so they were so far worthy of his respect. "I'm Ranma Saotome of the Satome School of Indiscriminate Grappling. Some vampire wished me on over to Battleworld and I came around here to try to hunt down that devil people were talkin' about, though now it seems the target's shifted to some crazy chick named Maggy Munlite?"
Having heard that the hunt wasn't till tomorrow, the serious mode disappeared for a better occasion to spring it forth, friendly curiosity replacing his previously hard features as he gave Lady a once over. "Lady seems like she's one of those serious sorts that don't take no jokes like Herb. Combat capable judging by stance and personality, looks like a fighter. Smells too much like a gun store though, so she's prolly loaded enough to supply all her stuff." Making quick conjectures within in his mind, the boy did a lazy salute upon straightening up before tipping his cap down in a gesture of respect.
East Ward
<Even if the one who held that power was more useful to you alive? I am not sure how things work where you are from, but when it comes to things like strength and energy I've found that returns are frequently exponential with multiple variables and powers. In other words, there can be cases where one is better off leaving another alive rather than cannibalizing on one's support structure - what happened here is evidence of that, believe it or not. Though I suppose in a way we do agree in that the ones who start out stronger tend to get stronger as time goes on, and I have seen that those who focus on their own survival are better off on average.> Kyubey's tail flicked back and forth a little bit. <I suppose then that I should expect you to turn on Minako Arisato when cooperation no longer becomes beneficial to you.> There was no change in his tone of (telepathic) voice, so it wouldn't be clear whether there was any sort of threat behind that statement.
Annoyed Mode: ON
Rimyuel (DMC) - Introductions
"Rimyuel," the short girl introduced herself, in the most concise and inexpressive way she could have ever done it. "I'm a devil."
She spent the following few seconds scanning Lady, then looking back at the weapons at the back of the store. By the way she had been described, and considering the amount of firearms and explosives she was carrying, it was safe to assume that she most likely owned pretty much everything on display. Thus, the question that had to be asked was obvious.
"Do you run a weapon factory?"
"I believe we will need to agree to disagree here. Mutual cooperation only weakens both parties. If you must rely on another to attain your power, then that is not true strength. Should they turn on you, or be killed, you will be weakened in turn. As for the girl....that remains to be seen." Vergil said in response to Kyubey's comment about Minako. "I am not some common thug that will attack at any time. Me and the girl came to an agreement, and I intend to honor it. Once the terms have been satisfied, I will leave her in peace. After that? Should I encounter her again, I will undoubtedly have learned a great deal about her and her power. She will not find round 2 quite as easy."
Lady turned first to Ramma, raising her eyebrow and lowering her sunglasses to reveal her multicolored eyes as she gave him a disbelieving look.
"School of Indiscriminate Grappling?"
"Don't ask. Trust me." Nero said
"If you say so." She then turned to Rimyuel. "Well....at least you're honest about it?"
On the question of a weapons factory, Lady could not hold back a chuckle. "Well I'm handy at a weapons bench, but no, I don't have a weapon factory. A couple of my guns are custom made, but otherwise are all bought with my own money."
East Ward
<Hmm, very well.> Kyubey looked down an alley. <I think I have held you up long enough. The portal you're looking for is down that way. The police haven't found it yet.>
Vergil nodded, but did not move yet. "One last question. What manner of being are you? You are no devil, that much I know already. But I would know with what I speak before I take my leave."
East Ward
<My name is Kyubey.> He nodded his head down as a surrogate greeting.
Vergil still in silence for a moment, waiting to see if he would elaborate. When no elaboration was forthcoming, he shook his head.
"So be it."
With that statement, he left the area.
Vergil then entered the portal and reentered the Common Room. He took a second to take in the scene before beginning toward the hallway, giving plenty of time for Akihiko and Junpei, should they still be in the room, to see him and stop him if they wished. If not stopped, he would continue onward to the blue door of the Velvet Room.
edited 27th Apr '16 10:40:35 PM by Meanken
Vampire Hunter
Trevor & Sypha, DMC Room
"Trevor Belmont, vampire hunter and ally of Sypha's," Trevor said to Trish, nodding to the fellow ally of Lady's. Meanwhile, Sypha seemed focused on Ranma and Rimyuel, scanning the two over and listening to them. Apparently, Ranma was brought here by Valvatorez. She still could not believe how strange the leader of Hades was for a vampire. Rimyuel admitted to being a devil.
"Let me guess... You are from New Hell, Rimyuel." Sypha said to the devil, but also glancing at Ranma. "I am Sypha Belnades, a witch who serves the Church as a vampire hunter."
"Sypha, might I borrow the head?" Trevor asked his fellow ally. "I need to have a... word with someone, you understand?"
"Ahh! Of course," Sypha nodded as she handed him the head, knowing that when Trevor says he wants a word, it means Trevor is going to verbally call out someone's stupidity. Sypha knew exactly whose stupidity, even.
"Thanks," Trevor said as he left with the head. Sypha had a knowing smile on her face.
Trevor, Common Room
Trevor took a glance over at the Battleworld map and who was the Leader of Santa Destroy, before he walked over to where Henry and Jeane, carrying the head the entire way and showing it to the two. "Are you Henry Cooldown?"
Once he got confirmation that Henry was the Cure-appointed leader of Santa Destroy, Trevor continued his rant.
"It appears your Assassin Number 4, Margaret Moonlight, has sent us a gift," Trevor said to Nathan through strained teeth. "It is not my place to tell you how to govern your land, but I am certain if your assassin did something like this in regards to a more violent land, it would be considered as a declaration of war... Actual war, not merely the sort of gladiatorial bloodlust that your assassins seem to have. It seems to me that you ought to reign in your assassins in regards to challenging people of other lands lest an actual war be declared inadvertently by one of those assassins... Consider this a warning about how actions may have unintended consequences."
After giving his warning, Trevor then left Henry, ready to return to the DMC Room with the head. That was about as polite as he could be to Santa Destroy for letting this challenge even occur.
edited 1st May '16 2:49:35 PM by GameGuruGG
Wizard Needs Food Badly
Did you know this section has a character limit?
Bond - Meeting Room 2
"If you need anything, go to my room and hit the buzzer. Ask for Q, tell him you're a friend of 007's. He'll equip you."
Bond didn't even acknowledge Homura's attempts at suggesting payment. If they were working together, he couldn't exactly let her go underequipped. He preferred his allies living to dead.
As for high-explosives and their unclandestine nature, well, the tube of "toothpaste" in his pocket suddenly felt heavier.
Emiya Kiritsugu and Maiya Hisau; Fuyuki City - Or, Through A Lady-King's Eyes
The man and woman, both black-clad, walked the pandemonium like ghosts. On the street crawled crippled cars, drivers cursing and pounding in a cacophony of horns. The pedestrians ran, or cried, or stood shell-shocked, staring into the distance.
The nearby power lines had all gone out, snapped like floss in a series of unfortunate collisions. The stores were like cracked anthills, their contents spilling out on a frantic stumbling stream of trolleys and bikes and laden backs. The twentieth century, in all its modernity, festered frozen in a little bubble.
All around were alien lands. The roads stopped at the highways, broke into jagged fresh asphalt. The Mion flowed into two new seas. Those were the reports, running like wildfire through a hundred thousand panicked mouths.
Emiya Kiritsugu paid the panic no attention. Quietly, he took a cigarette from his pocket and lit it.
"And the leylines are intact?" he asked the woman.
Maiya Hisau nodded.
"From what I gathered, the flow of mana is unimpeded."
"I see," he said. "The other Masters?"
"Vanished, most likely," she said. "Even the Kotomine church is empty."
A crying girl ran towards him. He sidestepped. She brushed past his trenchcoat and ran off wailing through the crowd. She was not Illya, he told himself. Illya was safe. His daughter was safe, and alone, but -
Maiya looked straight at him and his thoughts crumbled away. He turned back to her as if nothing had happened, which was of course what she wanted.
"We should approach the mayor," he said. "The municipal authority has the best chance of containing the populace."
Maiya nodded. He stopped in mid-stride, breathed - then his brow creased in a dark scowl. Maiya turned.
"What is it?" she asked.
He breathed again, trying to force his chagrin down. But it welled back and out in a dark clotted mass.
"Saber," he said slowly, "has managed to turn a recon mission into a full-blown tournament. And she's won first prize."
Maiya looked at him, as calm as a sheet of steel.
"Which is?" It was a mechanical prompt, devoid of any real interest.
"We'll see."
Kiritsugu's eyes filmed over, filled with his Servant's sight. Her senses clouded his, spreading like milk through ink, and her singing emerald glare prickled through his skull.
You won, he remarked. Well done. Now that you have your token victory, did you learn anything?
He tossed the cold thought through their linked psyches, like a sop to a hunting hound or a cheap flower to a corpse. The white room was packed, filled with beings of all shapes and sizes. He tried to measure them up, then realised that at her eye-level the task was futile.
Saber bristled.
You speak, Master, of what you know not. Of the strength and mettle of our enemies I have gathered much. Most are dastard knaves, but there are worthies among them. I brought against three the strength of my sword-
I asked you for an answer, Saber, not an antiquated speech. Brief me in modern Japanese, nothing else. What did you learn?
A furious glower. He felt, vaguely, the weight of creased brows on his impassive forehead, and blew out an unhurried plume of smoke.
I see, he sent after several moments. Nothing of use, then.
No. Not for a fiend who lets a woman fight his battles, and knows not honour. Her thought-tone was pinched.
I didn't ask you to fight any battles. I didn't make you a woman, either. I asked you to introduce yourself as the King-Regent of the Autonomous City of Fuyuki, find out what our kidnapper wants, and leave. That's all there was to it. You got yourself into this mess.
In their shared sight loomed a vast iron throne, and on it towered a cruel red figure. The Cure. From the snippets Kiritsugu had already gleaned, their captor, and now Saber's leering benefactor. Their eyes narrowed in tandem. He didn't trust the Cure; not that he trusted anyone, but in this case the wariness was worlds greater. She, on her part, lit up his mind with splashes of molten outrage, hissing high from her mental cauldron of dross and royal delusions. And it showed on her, too, in her proud jutting jaw and staff-stiff back. For a girl whose entire adult life had been a ludicrous charade, Saber was hopeless at actually pretending.
The prize, he sent swiftly. I won't ask again.
A wish.
Stipulations, limitations, assumed conditions?
None.
That stopped him short. His hands knotted. His breath caught. After what seemed forever he became aware of a pulling sensation between his lips, back where his real eyes were. Maiya, no doubt, rescuing the cigarette before it crumbled down his shirt.
"Have you no decency, girls? For shame, cover yourselves and get thee hence!"
It was Saber's actual voice, as she scolded and jostled what seemed to be a large crowd of cheerleaders. Slivers of confetti spiralled through the air. Miniskirts rustled in oppressive cheeriness.
"Would your aged mothers countenance this lewdness?"
Kiritsugu peeled his lips apart, then remembered he was supposed to think.
Saber.
Forgive me, Master, she flashed back in clear annoyance, but I am currently embroiled in a matter of great moral import. I -
Postpone the wish.
Her gloved hands, which up until then had been throttling a large pink pom-pom, dropped with force. The hapless cheerleader hit the ground head-first. She silenced the whining throng with a sweeping glare, then stepped over the dazed girl. One step closer to the Cure.
The wish is mine, not yours, she sent. I earned it with my own blood. And I see no reason to delay it.
You will delay, sent Kiritsugu coldly, because I command it.
Why? she asked. And then, as if seeing the point, as if noticing the one spot of pink on his frost-reamed flesh -
I see, she sent. You want to test your wish for the Grail. Is not one omnipotence enough for you, fiend? Must you use two to exact your impossible dream?
Anger gripped his heart like a red-hot hand.
"You… you have no right to…"
He breathed it half out-loud.
Go on, fiend. Waste a Command Spell. Compel me. You said it well: I am King-Regent of the Autonomous City of Fuyuki. On my land you are nothing but a guest, Master though you may be. I have a mind to take my honest prize, and I shall do so post-haste.
His stoic mask was cracking. Peeling away and blood was spurting and -
"Kiritsugu. Think." Maiya's voice came sharp, digging into him like a knife. "Don't soften."
His shoulders slumped. When he drew himself up again it was in wan aridity.
You trust the Cure more than me, then.
His thought-tone was level again, but only just.
Not at all. I count the both of you birds of a most execrable feather. But do you not know?
The memory welled up before him, vast and hellish. A mountain of twisted armored corpses, swarming with flies, and she with her sword at the top of the hill.
The place of my failure. Where all my kingdom reeled back into the beast, and was no more. And after every War it sends me back.
Camlann. The name buzzed unbidden at the edges of his ears.
For more than a lifetime I languished, hurt to the death, nothing on my mind save a foolish, fleeting wish.
Camlann, Camlann. A body on the ground before her, just like her own, but speared through, Arturia-face split in an agonized laughing rictus.
Tell me, Emiya Kiritsugu.
And her thought-tone quavered, as if caught between anger and clawing fear.
Do you think me a virgin to despair?
Camlann Camlann Camlann -
Kiritsugu pulled out of her with a gasp, cutting their link as if with a knife. He touched his brow and breathed, heavily, almost expecting to find blood. But there was only sweat, cold as dew on the pallid dead.
"I couldn't stop her," he said at last. "But she overreached herself. She showed me a memory. Her dying one. I can... I can use it."
He fumbled for his cigarette box, but it wasn't there. Without undue fuss, Maiya slid a stick into his mouth and lit it. He sucked deep, then blew out. His breathing stilled.
"I can use it," he said again.
Saber; Common Room - Or, A Wish, In the Grand Style of Kinoko Nasu
She had lost everything on that hill.
No, she had already lost everything. Her kingdom, her knights, her crown.
The hill was where she noticed, that's all.
She couldn't wish for what she really wanted. Only incarnated Servants, real flesh-and-blood Servants, could do that. Only they could truly live. She still needed the Grail to go back.
(Her Sangreal.)
She wanted to do it all again. How could she start? How could she begin to save her kingdom?
(It had all rotted away, like a tree dead from the inside-out.)
It had started with a man who loved the Queen.
Him.
She had loved him.
(Which she? Which love?)
She wanted to save him. So he could save her. So she could save the kingdom.
(Who? Who? Who?)
She stopped thinking. She closed her eyes and made her wish.
"Give me the strength of my right arm, my sword and shield; hale, and untouched by madness. O Cure, restore to me Lancelot du Lac."
edited 28th Apr '16 5:02:05 AM by troydenite
Mancunian Candidate
Common Room: Skull Face
"Yes, I'd imagine you do. Follow me."
As it turns out, a private spot is easy to come by. The Common Room has no corners, no understandable geometry, and no visible limit. Nothing bustles, not here. Thirty men and monsters cluster in a space meant for several thousand, and all you really have to do is step around them.
So they do, Third Child following like a novelty balloon, and keep stepping until they meet an inexplicable wall. Here lie the private rooms - inside is a table, featureless, and an assortment of nondescript chairs. The murmurs and merriments fade away to nothing, not even an echo. That's the cue. Skull Face removes his hat and places it on the table, a gesture inexplicably sincere, and the Third Child makes another round on Mokou's ribbon before being gently waved away.
"He likes you, you know. You want to know why? Hrm. I'll show you mine if you show me yours. Information for information. Agreed?"
There's a pause, a head cocked amicably. Thwarted, the Third Child resumes his absent circles.
"Good. I'll start. The boy isn't ours. We came into him by chance - there was an accident, a few documents scattered here and there, and we scooped away what little we could. The Soviets, the Russians, but not the ones you know, they called him Tretij Rebenok - 'the third child'. Or rather. child number three. Whatever name he had, they took that from him. They took his face, and left him with that mask. They took his mind, and left him empty. How old would you say he is? Ten? Eleven? Not old enough to understand, let alone to heal. But he possesses a rare gift. He fills himself with the will of others, the minds of others, so that he won't have to face the shell they made him. A boy in constant symbiosis, if you will, or perhaps a parasite. A boy like that, what sort of mind do you think he finds most comforting?"
"So, you see, Fujiware no Mokou," he says, closing, a man a natural born talent for looming, "when the boy finds a person he likes, it falls to me to make assessments. Tell me. Such a lust for revenge. Who?"
edited 28th Apr '16 10:29:36 AM by OG-Sama
Decepticon Monitoring Zone Tertium
Thunderwing leaned forward slightly, slapping the PDA into a thigh compartment with a widening smile. Thundercracker appeared less sanguine and more wary. His posture tensed, but he did not quite sink into a stance, arms lank at his sides.
" Excellent! I'm afraid that our outpost is small for the role pressed on it, but I'd be delighted to hear what you suggest."
Meeting Room 2
It took Homura a second to register what Bond told her. "Oh. That's...very generous of you, Mr. Bond," she said finally. She did her best to hide how off-guard she was by Bond's sudden offer. "Double-oh-seven - I take it that is a code name." She straightened up again to look back at him. "Alright then. Was there anything else you wanted to discuss? I wasn't lying before - I do have a prior appointment at 10:00."
"It's a school that emphasizes doing whatever it takes to win through the most effective or unexpected means. Take what works from other martial arts and blend it all together into a single ultimate style that can adapt to any given situation." Ranma Saotome stated matter-of-fact tone to Lady's somewhat intrigued questioning.. If it weren't for the fact that he described earlier exactly WHICH deranged martial arts he took inspiration from, the statement would sound far more credulous.
The more Lady talked though, the more the boy would feel his hair stand on end. Quite literally in fact considering his pigtail was standing straight on end while fluffing up in alarm like a furry feline demon's tail when they were surprised. "Oh kami, we got a crazy rich lady here. She buys all her guns with her own money and walks around way too comfortably with them..." Luckily this was one of those times where his face didn't betray him, still being set in that same old friendly and genteel look as before.
If anything, her appearance plus mannerisms as a no-nonsense woman along the others' fear of her already started to influence the boy's thoughts. Shivering as though a big cosmic joke was played upon the boy for being introduced with someone like Lady, Ranma Saotome did his best to look as innocent as possible while keeping his mouth tightly shut. Luckily he had a baby face and an easy to get along with attitude as long as one weren't dealing with crazy jerks, so the harmless looking appearance fit like a glove on the boy. Hands were clasped together, face turned cherubic, and the overall look of "good boy" was projected to the point where it looked like butter wouldn't melt in his mouth.
edited 28th Apr '16 7:38:55 PM by Makaioh
"Oh. Well that's not so weird. What's wrong with...." She cut herself off as Nero continuously made a "Cut it out" motion with his hand behind Ramma. She then shrugged. "Whatever. You boys keep doing whatever it is you're doing, I have things to do. Come on Sypha, we'll do this in the back, I have a room there." Lady then walked over to a door and opened it, motioning for Sypha to enter.
Inside the room, she would find that on the east wall was many, many large racks of boxes of ammo of various shapes, sizes, and colors. Next to the rack was a reloading bench that had clearly seen heavy use. In the back was a desk setup that looked out of place, as if it had been yanked from a different room completely. On the west wall was the guns, with many smaller guns in another rack and bigger ones on the wall, with a paticular empty spot that Sypha would be able to see was clearly for the missile launcher Lady currently had on her. On the sides next to the door was two targets in the shape of demons from her world, one a strange scarecrow looking thing
. the other a thing Sypha might notice looked like Death.
"As you wish." As before, he waved his hand, using his dark magic to summon the requested person with little fanfare as he appeared somewhere in the relevant city.
"He has been summoned. You will find him back in your own land."
edited 29th Apr '16 4:56:33 AM by Meanken
Stigma Bar: The Guests of Honor
Maki lurched away from the incoming pinch like a cat avoiding water. The boy tried turning to his elders for support, but if anyone acknowledged him they did so with just a shrug or an eye-roll. Maki had this coming.
"And do you think we've tried to kill every human, or every human tried to kill us?" the shrine maiden replied to Shizuo. "Most of our world is blind to our existence. We are at once neighbors and shadows to humanity, semi-dependent on their supremacy. What we seek is preservation, the right to exist and plant our posterity. Violence is—and always has been—an undesirable means to that end. Thankfully, it seems Amber has discovered an alternate route to our goal."
The Contractors paused after Shinra's question, long enough for a new voice by the entrance to answer.
"Genosha is a city inhabited by Contractor-like beings called Homo Superior, an evolutionary branch off of modern-day humans."
Two figures waded through the crowd towards the lounge: what appeared to be a tall lanky teen and a shorter boy. Both figures wore hats and baggy clothing, casually hiding their faces and other distinctive features.
It was the younger stranger who spoke, with a familiar song-like voice that fixed everyone's attention on "him".
"For most of its history, Homo Superior faced abuse and oppression everywhere it turned, not unlike Dolls and Contractors. Humanity feared it would be replaced as the dominant species, so the fledgling species was hunted down almost to extinction. That's when one man united the pockets of Homo Superior under one banner, and together with human allies they created a kingdom where the two species could live in peace. They called that kingdom Genosha, and its founder, King Magnus, still governs here on Battleworld."
The herald lifted "his" wide-brimmed baseball cap up to reveal a familiar grin on an almost-familiar face.
Amagiri smirked, "Welcome back, Amber."
The infamous leader of The Evening Primrose had changed her appearance more than just wearing baggy clothes; her hair was dyed chestnut brown and trimmed barely longer than a crew cut, and blue contact lenses disguised her golden eyes.
Amber's attention turned to the two faces she didn't know. "I take it he's our little troublemaker?" she playfully pointed to Shizuo.
"He and Amagiri wrecked half the safe house." Brita chuckled.
"Not to mention the parking lot!" chimed Luca.
Amber side-saddled the back of Maki's chair, ruffling the youngster's hair before turning back to Shizuo.
"If that's the case, then I should thank you for sparing Amagiri. It can be hard to end a fight like that with mercy."
"We've offered him a place in our organization." the big man said, his subtle frown creaking closer to his chin.
"Really?" Amber's reaction was more like finding a surprise gift than a breach in protocol. "Fantastic! I spoke to King Magnus just a few hours ago, and he's happy to accept us into Genosha as refugees. My new friend Kurt here's one of the Royal Guards; he'll transport us safely inside the city's borders."
Stigma Roof: Trust Falls With Sociopaths
"So what, we'll hang around psychos like some fuckin' Jiminey Crickets?"
Huang chuckled at the thought and flicked his filter off the roof, watching its descent as far as the roof lip allowed.
"I don't get how you're so sure they're tellin' ya the truth. 'Join our freakshow, ain't no way we'll backstab ya when we're home free!' Kid, these guys kill folks for a livin'. And I ain't talkin' about mob debtors or street punks—I'm talkin' about folks in high places: politicians, businessmen, guys that make more cash in a minute than we'll make in a year. Ya can't muscle you're way to somebody like that, ya need to catch 'em off-guard; let 'em invite ya inside instead've breakin' in, y'know? And Contractors're damn good at lyin', Dreadlocks; the bastards can lie their way outta anythin', if ya let 'em."
Huang sighed, releasing whatever tobacco smoke (and angry steam) remained in his lungs.
"You're too stubborn for your own good, y'know that? Kinda reminds me of another asshole I deal with. But the problem is you're tryin' to play for both teams; ya can't convince me to work with the enemy, even when they're givin' us that pearly crocodile grin. I've worked with their kind for years, kid. Think this is the first sob story I've heard? Ya think I'm only worried about what's happenin' now? Try makin' your point when they've left ya to rot in a ditch tomorrow, or next week, or ten fuckin' years from now! Cuz I promise ya, that'll happen the minute you've outlasted your usefulness!"
The angry steam was building up again, but just when it seemed Huang would revert to his beet red rage, the older man turned away from Tom towards the roof's exit.
"Dolls, Contractors, they just ain't like us. Back in the garage, I didn't want to hurt ya. But that decision wasn't up to me; y'know that, right? I was warned back in Ikebukuro that if we contacted the EPR, The Syndicate would consider us traitors and kill us all. I couldn't risk it. I didn't like it, but I couldn't dodge pullin' that trigger."
Another funny thought crossed his mind and he chuckled. "Guess I'm closer to Contractors than I thought. Least ya followed your conscience and didn't leave me to get whacked."
Youkai/Ike Border: Lee Shengshun—Super Sleuth!
"I was...searching for answers."
Well, there was no turning back now; might as well run with it.
The Chinese man stepped back and crossed his arms, resting his chin between his index finger and thumb like a certain hack-detective he knew.
"I couldn't sit around waiting for the answers to come to me, y'know? So I snuck into that other Tokyo to find out what's going on. Turns out there's a whole buncha places that got clumped together here, and they're not all Japanese—American deserts, East European castles, you name it; they've all been glued together like some freaky collage!
"So I started wondering: who—no, what—could've done this? And judging from what you guys said, it looks like you reached the same conclusion I did..."
The stranger stared intently at Horada and his gang, bracing himself like he was going to reveal the meaning of life itself.
"...it was alien demons! They're only creatures that could travel through dimensions and abduct everyone without anyone noticing! And while I was wandering that other Tokyo, I caught sight of one."
He studiously crossed his arms again, nodding every now and then with eyes closed. "It looked human alright, but it was doing this weird ritual in an alleyway where nobody was looking. Kinda like it was trying to summon something, y'know? Well whatever happened, it walked out onto the sidewalk like an average guy. I kept following it till it reached that mountain behind me, then I must've lost it in the forest on it's way here...!"
The Chinese man turned pale, words unuttered quivering on his lips. Without warning he nearly fell forward, but he reached for Horada's shoulders with both hands to support himself.
"Tell me..." he shuddered, "...tell me you stopped a man with white hair at this border!"
Toto Bunny: Battleworld 102 With "Professor" Havoc
"I barely know what an 'Overlord' is." Havoc grunted, "Don't know how you'd stand against Outworld, or anybody else. Wouldn't count on that pretty face of yours though; Big Red has a thing against unfair fights, so he's probably cut that 'True Brionic Gaze' down to size. It's one thing to use it on a rabbit-thing, but using it on fucking Dracula is something else. Might get killed if that's all you've got up your sleeve."
Havoc refrained from mentioning that most men proooooooooobably wouldn't be looking at Sera's face so long as she wore that outfit. Maybe she'd drop the hint after she got the super-guns.
And speaking of which, the group had reached the promised land! Those shiny weapons immediately caught Havoc's full attention, so much so that she didn't bother answering Sera's questions about her "leader" or the possibility of a treaty.
The Contractor dashed inside to inspect Rosen Queen's light firearms, eager to cash in on some submachine guns or at the very least some handguns. If you could move freely and shoot at a target indefinitely, firepower was a distant third.
Havoc continued to keep an eye out for the Overlords, even as she scurried around the shop for weapons. Should they approach her, she'd continue her debriefing.
"Now there's some groups that didn't come here with any land. Not sure what that means about their strength, but they've got to get pretty creative to stay in the fight. Engaging the enemy without an escape route is dangerously close to suicide, and it's not like there's an army to back them up. Not unless they ally themselves with one, but those tend to come along with chunks.
"There's one group—a Japanese one, I think—that's trying to play mediator for everyone else. Not really sure what they look like, but one's got really light hair and wears a preppy-ass school uniform. Whatever they're up to, sounds pretty damn boring to me. But if you're looking to ally with somebody you don't know, they're probably you're best bet."
Ike/Mita Border: Rule #1 in Hostage Management—Keep All Restraints in Sight
Misaki struck Namie with a glare, the only weapon she had for now, but she complied and cuffed herself behind her back, out of her captor's line of sight.
"What the hell does that mean?" Misaki muttered, "And why the laptop?"
The questions weren't meant to be answered; they were to cover the fact those handcuffs only clicked into place once—the loosest setting reserved for criminals with thick wrists. While Misaki feigned the restraints well by keeping the chains taught and her wrists bent up, she could slip them off her hands anytime she chose.
But that time wasn't now. She had to get Namie distracted enough to turn that gun away.
"Uuuh...Mikado?" the Section Chief asked, her voice at a slightly louder-than-normal tone. "Could you come down here, please? I...want to see what footage you caught on your laptop."
edited 28th Apr '16 9:43:21 PM by TheodoreHastings
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Bond - Meeting Room 2
"No, there's nothing else. Here's to a long and fruitful partnership, eh?"
Not having a drink to toast it with, Bond settled with sticking his hand out once more.
He really needed another drink. He'd get one as soon as he collected his winnings from Million Gunman.
That was quite a stupid name, Million Gunman. And Bond had met a woman named Pussy Galore, so he was an expert on stupid names.
Decepticon Monitoring Zone Tertium
Minna was all smiles as she continued.
"Then, I would very much like to extend the offer to Kaon that we also have offered to other neighbouring territories to place an ambassador from Folkestone here on DK Island. I am afraid they will have to be military personnel, as we at present have no diplomatical staff based at Folkestone, but their purpose and duties will be solely diplomatical."
And Minna knew just who to post here as well.
"Of course, we do not expect them to be housed at Brushfire Outpost, because as you said this is a scientific outpost and we would not dream of having our personnel get in the way of your scientific operations on the island."
Though if she could, she would give much to know exactly what they were up to.
"Therefore I would have to ask your permission to set up a temporary residence somewhere on the island, in a location that you deem acceptable. This diplomatical residence would not in any way impugn on the Kaonian sovereignity over the island, nor would it be equipped to conduct any activities that would in any way come into conflict with Kaonian interests or activities in the area. And while the residence would be staffed with military personnel, a situation created by necessity, we can promise that under no circumstances will the residence be used for military operations or any other purpose than purely diplomatical."
Minna hoped that was not playing the hand too strongly. But hopefully being forthcoming with this information and limitations would help assuage any immediate negative reactions. Even if the Director did not object on these grounds, his superiors or security officers might. Mechanical or no, Minna was not blind to Thundercracker's body language.
"This way, by having a representative of Folkestone on the island, we hope to eliminate the limits on diplomacy that come from being divided by the sea despite our proximity. As this meeting has indeed already demonstrated, I'm sure you'll agree that when it comes to diplomatic matters, it is much better to meet face to face. Being so close to each other, it's preferable to resolve misunderstandings in their early stages, and be open and approachable, don't you agree?"
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Meeting Room 2
Homura nodded slightly once and returned Bond's handshake. "Do you know if he will be in now? Since I am here I may as well see what I am able to do for...whatever is to happen tomorrow."
The kid looked up at Kaguya, as amazed as he was at just about everyone he'd met today. "I'm..." he gulped nervously, "Prince Asriel Dreemurr. It's nice to meet you, ma'am."
Asgore turned to his captain. "Undyne, I'd like you to meet the Princess of the Bamboo Forest. Princess Kaguya, this is my Captain of the Guard."
"Good to meet'cha!" said Undyne with a grin that took up half her face.
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'Bond - Meeting Room 2
Bond thought about it for a moment, before pulling a smartphone out of his pocket and sending a quick message off to Q.
"He'll meet you outside the chunkless room. He's the one who looks like he's only a few years ahead of you in school. Tell him to hurry though, he tends to babble and you have that appointment to keep. Hopefully whatever the Cure has decided to throw at us tomorrow, it won't be something that makes my help necessary."
Bond made his way to the door, and hit the button to unseal the meeting room, before making his way back out into the common room. He crossed the room purposefully, swaggering up to betting booth that Million Gunman resided behind.
"You know, when I made my bets, I was choosing the ones who looked out of place. I expected them to have something up their sleeves."
He glanced over at Saber, who was before the Cure.
"I wasn't expecting that, though. King Arthur, alive and in our presence. Now King-Regent of a Japanese city in a patchwork world floating in the void of a multiverse."
He quirked an eyebrow.
"Not exactly what I expected when I went to bed last night. Be sure to invite me to your duel, it's going to make for riveting entertainment. But for now... Seven thousand, five hundred pounds at twenty seven to one odds makes for... two hundred and ten thousand pounds, including the original bet back. Santa Destroy uses the Dollar, correct? I'll take my winnings in that."
Planted upon Bond's face was the mother of all shit-eating grins.
Q - Common Hallway
Once Homura arrived in the hallway, she'd easily make out the young man standing outside doors fit for an industrial elevator with a laptop under one arm.
If she was really quick, she would even catch him rushing to that position from the VIP section of the Common Room. Bond had obviously caught him off-guard. They do have medals for almost, and they're called silver!
"Very good. To a most memorable and long-lasting partnership, then." The handshake was firmly returned with the greatest of respect. "And to answer your questoin, Hades is indeed still a prison. It used to house a much higher criminal population, but the majority have been freed due to them being imprisoned on trumped up charges or false pretenses by a particularly incompetent Corrupternment." The vampire known as Valvatorez stated, going on his explanations.
"Though there are less prisoners, we are still definitely in the business, so if any upstart Demons deigned to raise unnecessary trouble that isn't so easily resolved, then they shall be dragged to Hades." The Prinny Instructor stated in a matter-of-fact tone, using his weakened-yet-still-great power to enforce the laws of the Netherworld. After all might made right in the Netherworlds, especially so for such a law-abiding citizen such as Valvatorez.
"Yeah, anything can be a martial arts in my world. Often times the weirder and more insular a practice, the more likely it is that some doofuses would get it in their head to create a specific martial arts for that thing." Such words were said with complete honesty and no time to even think about the question, as blunt and fast as a speeding dump truck.
And then fun times were over when something serious came into the discussion. A tale of fights to the death and the murder of innocence. Steel came into the eyes of the previously amiable lad as he heard what had happened, a most icy chill coming over his features as the Soul of Ice was used to repress the anger that was sure to come had he not used the technique to quench the flames of fury. "Ah, so things are like that." It was a quiet murmur, one of equal parts surprise and frustration that things could go this way as well as determination to survive the machinations of the place.
Though the martial artist was no spring chicken himself when it came to life-and-death situations, though the boy was thankful for the fact he and people he cared about actually survived all their showdowns. The Battleworld definitely lived up to what the pamphlet the vampire had given him stated. Taking a deep breath and clenching his knuckles so hard that they turned white whilst his arm muscles popped out to reveal a visible hardness that was more durable than that of a steel statue's.
edited 27th Apr '16 7:57:32 PM by Makaioh