Purgatory: Come and See.

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Ringmaster

To defeat your enemy, you must know them.
Original poster
FOLKLORE MEMBER
Invitation Status
Posting Speed
  1. Multiple posts per day
  2. 1-3 posts per day
  3. 1-3 posts per week
Writing Levels
  1. Adaptable
Preferred Character Gender
  1. Male
Genres
Urban Fantasy, Scifi, Horror, Romance, Noir, Mystery, Fantasy. Crossovers are a particular favorite and specialty of mine.
It all ended the same way. A bang, a whimper. Either in an explosion of fire, nigh-instantaneous or with a whisper, cold and brittle. Either way, you knew one thing for sure.

This was how it ends.

Was there regret? Anger? Perhaps even love, surrounded by those you cared for as it came? I supposes it doesn't matter. At this point, even now to record all this... Ah, but I digress. I suppose I should begin where we all found ourselves.

The day we all saw our worlds destroyed around us.


_____________________________________


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When you woke up, the first thing you saw was darkness. The ground was hard and cold, jagged stone in the abyss you found yourselves in. As your eyes adjusted, you realized that it wasn't entirely dark after all. Glowing, luminiscent fungi provided scant, cold light. It was everywhere and yet, only seemed to enhance the shadows all the deeper.

The air was still and stuffy. No breeze came down to this dark underground alcove. A constant sound of dripping water pierced the eerie silence, other than your companions movements and speech. There was a foul stench that lingered with every breath, causing those to breath it with a sickening aftertaste.

All of which paled to the obvious problem now. Here you were.... Trapped underground. No supplies and surrounded by possible strangers, all a plethora of weird and strange figures.

What will you do I wonder?

Lets find out.

Chapter 1: Kingdom of the Rat-King.
@OrlandoBloomers @C.T. @TheSpringwoodSlasher @Schnee Corp Lawyer @BarrenThin @El Tigre! @Thuro The Potato Assassin @Kaykay @CrunchyCHEEZIT @Lissamel @Jeremi @Atomyk @Josh M

GM Note: Welcome one and all. This RP is now open. If you're playing a duo, pick one of the two to be used first. The second will appear over the course of the RP in.... Shall we say, varying circumstance. :D.

If you'd rather be removed from the RP, lemme know on the OOC and please be sure to tag me. Thanks everyone and have fun.

I know I will.

Players, post your intro as you will. Again, if you're playing a duo, choose only one of the two to begin this adventure.
 
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[Journal Entry #101:Desert]
[The Meta and I have been lead to what appears to be a desert with no sign of the Simulation Troopers or Epsilon At least as far as I can see. Found the remains of C.T's helmet, unsure of why she would have been here of all places. Somewhat saddened to see that she had apparently met her end here but I suppose it would have come sooner rather than later. In any case after Meta and I dealt with the aliens hanging around in the desert once they showed that they had no intentions of aiding us, things have been relatively quiet. With one notable exception.]


Pausing in the logging of his entry so as to better keep track of where this mission took him, Agent Washington let out a sigh filled to the brim with exasperation. This had been the third time he tried doing this and despite his efforts to put it to the side, the annoyance continued to pester him until he could take it no longer. Walking out from behind the pillar he'd been standing behind, the freelancer threw his hands up.

"What is it now, Doc? The heat getting to you? You need to take a restroom break and would prefer some privacy? You're not a fan of being kidnapped and would prefer Meta and I let you go? You've done nothing but complain since we've brought you here and I'm getting sick of it!"

"...I just wanted to know what you were doing." The medic admitted sheepishly as he glanced from side to side. Wasn't like he'd get very far if he tried to escape anyway, that guy Washington called 'The Meta' would have trekked him down and well, it didn't lend well to Doc's mental health if he lingered too long on what would have happened to him once he was re-captured.

"...This entire time we've been here. The desert which need I remind you that was your idea to bring up. You've made passive-aggressive remarks about us wanting to let you go and be friends and now you just want to know what I'm doing?!"

"...Well, excuse me! Your friend isn't much for conversation or well anything that doesn't involve beating things to a pulp! So, naturally when I see you go behind a rock and start talking to yourself I get a bit curious!" Doc cried out in an attempt to defend his nosiness which to be fair was quite justified. Any attempts to speak to Meta had only earned the medic an un-friendly growl in response. Or it could have been friendly but Doc didn't speak beast-like roars and growls. He didn't really understand how Wash did either but maybe him and Meta had some kind of connection or something.

"I was not talking to myself! Look, I told you not to psychoanalyze me and I'm not gonna ask it again. The next time you try it, I'm gonna have the Meta hit you again and you wouldn't like that would you?"

"..No. But I promise I won't if you just tell me what you were doing! It's not like I'm asking you to let me go or anything! Though, if you were willing to.."

"No."

"Well, figured I'd give it a shot."

"Right. In any case, if it'll shut you up and give me some quiet, I was making a journal entry. To better help keep track of what's happened and what might happen. Helps keeps things in perspective. There your curiosity is sated and I can go back to what I was doing." Before Doc could respond, Wash had already turned his back to him and was walking back only to pause. "Also, this doesn't make us friends either."

"Aww..Well,thanks for letting me know anyway!" Doc yelled after Wash who didn't seem to acknowledge the comment. Doc still wasn't a fan of either him or the Meta, the Meta probably had a lead due to leaving him indented in a chunk of wall for a note-worthy duration of time and then blasting him out of said wall. Which kind of balanced things out he guessed but still didn't seem like a very nice man. Speaking of the Meta however, Doc noticed that he was gone. Not like he was much of a conversationalist but it was kind of worrying that the brute who could speak only in growls and hisses was off wandering about, likely for Epsilon.

Well, he was going to be the model prisoner yes sir. He was not going to go look for what would almost certainly have been trouble. Nope, he was going to stay standing in this one spot until Wash and Meta decided it was time to move on.

[Picking back up where I had left off in this entry, I feel it's significant enough to note that Doc's tried numerous attempts to try and get close to me, perhaps trying to persuade me to let him go? I've let him walk about freely with the Meta and I, that's about as much freedom as I'm willing to offer. That and his continued insinuations that I must be 'crazy' for bringing up the eye-like ball that shot a laser at Meta and myself. Doc may not have been able to understand him but Meta saw that as clear as day! In any case, I think I'll have to leave this entry short. Can't seem to have a moment without Doc going on about something. Need to keep an eye on him as much as I imagine a parent would a child..]

"WASH! I THINK YOU'RE REQUIRED!"

[Something along those lines is what I mean.]

"What now, Doc?! Unless it relates to finding Epsilon then I don't want to hear it!" Wash snapped as he stepped out of his spot once more and noticed Doc standing to the side of the entrance of a cave further down the desert path. The hell was over there worth noting? Had Doc stumbled upon and angered some creature?

"I think the Meta found something!" Doc yelled to the Freelancer which caught Wash's attention right quick. Making his way over to the cave's entrance, Wash yelled down the way. "META! BRING OUT WHAT YOU FOUND!"

"Grrrrr..."

"...What do you mean you're not coming out? Look, just bring whatever you've found and we can look at it together-Jesus!" The Freelancer quickly leaped to the side-tackling Doc to the ground while doing so as a grenade was flung out of the entrance and soared past where Wash had been previously standing. Thankfully it seemed that after massacring the aliens, didn't seem like there was anybody else here who'd hear the ensuing explosion.

"I don't think he wants to come out."

Giving Doc as much of a deadpan look as one could through the helmet's visor, he pushed himself off the medic and stood near the mouth of the cave once more. "Meta, we're not gonna make any progress if you don't come out and you don't seem keen on us walking in. One of us is gonna have to give and I don't want to waste time deciding. So, either you make a decision or I will and you don't want that!"

"..Grr!"

After the last growl, silence seemed to reign over the desert and nobody made a move to disrupt it. For what felt like an eternity, both Wash and Doc stared down within the cave and could see no sign of the Meta or whatever it was that he had found and had no desire to bring out to show. Finally, Doc had enough and stood in front of the entrance.

"I'm not gonna act like I understood what your friend said but I think I can see something coming this way."

"...Is it coming really fast?"

"..Yeah, why?"

Before Wash gave any response to his cryptic query, the object smashed into Doc's helmet and sent him skidding across the sand as the object fell into the sand beside him. "Wanted to know how much time I had to warn you. Clearly wasn't enough." He snarked as he walked over and looked over the object that the Meta had thrown out. It was a storage unit? If this was modified then they'd at least have a means of holding Epsilon. Looking over at the Meta as he walked out of the cave, Wash gestured to the device. "Nice find, Meta. But it's no use to us as it currently is. I'll leave the modifying up to you."

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The Meta gave another growl in Wash's direction before walking over and slinging the device over his shoulder. He needed a moment or two to do the modifications to change it into a capture unit and he couldn't do it while it was buried half-way in the sand next to that purple idiot. Shaking some of the sand off the unit, the Meta glanced over at Doc who had rose up to his feet by this point and quickly raced off to Wash's side after realizing that he was just a bit too close to Meta for his liking.

"..So that thing that he clubbed me in the head with is gonna help you guys out?"

"Not in it's current state. Meta will need to make some mods to turn it into a capture unit. So that we encounter Epsilon, it'll be easier to keep tabs on him."

Leaning up against one of the many pillars scattered around the desert, the Meta was quickly setting about working on the unit. He seemed aggressive to just about everybody due to his disability preventing him from doing much more than growling and the like but he was certainly getting fed up with being ordered around as if he was some kind of lackey. First, he had to do the digging which lead to them discovering C.T.'s helmet and now he was tasked with modding the storage unit. He just had to bide his time, however. For when they did find this A.I. who's to say what would happen then?

Suddenly, Meta felt the ground shake below him and he'd give a brief look around. Both Washington and the medic were still standing near the cave and seemed to be talking among themselves. Didn't interest him any but what had that shake been about? Turning his attention back to the unit, he was taken aback once more as the ground once more shook and the Meta barely stayed on his feet.

"Meta! Do you have any idea of what's happening?!" Wash would have normally written it off as an earthquake but this just seemed so sudden and without any prior provocation. Plus, the timing just seemed off. Just when things had been set back on the track for them and he was one step closer to the meal ticket that would keep him out of prison, the elements themselves were turning against him. Meta was just more annoyed at the fact that his work which would allow him to capture that AI was continually being interrupted by these tremors. But it would quickly become apparent that there was far more to it than just the earth shaking.

"WHAT'S THAT?!"

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Looking over in the direction that Doc was, Meta nearly dropped the storage unit. It seemed to be the mother of all explosions and it was heading their way. Without understanding how or why any of this was happening, Meta decided that he wasn't losing this unit even if it costed him his life. Attaching it to his back to be worked on later, he bolted as fast he could to try and escape the explosion with Wash and Doc following close behind. The pillars and sand were engulfed within massive clouds of dust and ash as the explosion kept on their trail.

Despite their efforts, the explosion was far too big to be outrun and Doc was the first to go as he stumbled to the ground and stared the explosion down as it closed on him. "...This really wasn't how I was planning to go!" He shrieked as he waited for imminent death. Looking back, Wash paused and after a moment's hesitation raced back to Doc's side. Maybe if he and the Meta worked together they'd be able to grab Doc and keep on moving. Despite his constant badgering and insistence on becoming friends, he still had some use. But as Wash looked to his partner for support, he'd see only the figure of the Meta looking back at him.

"Meta, I need your help! The explosion's gonna get all of us if you don't hurry up!"

But the Meta would not answer the call.

Turning his back to Wash for what he assumed would be the final time, he continued forward as the cries of 'NOOOOOO!' and 'META!' filled the air. He would not be shackled by Doc's weakness and Wash's request to aid him. But if Wash wanted to sacrifice himself then that was his decision, not the Metas. He still had a goal: To collect as many of the rogue AIs as he could and he wouldn't endanger said plan by sacrificing his life for someone too weak-willed to fend for their own life. But despite the Meta's choice to leave the two behind, the explosion did not falter in it's pursuit after claiming Doc and Wash. It continued to surge forward and as it was about to set upon him, the Meta turned and gave one defiant roar before the clouds overtook him.

For what he assumed would have been the last time as everything went to black. Was this what death looked like? Was this some kind of divine punishment for not going back and aiding Washington? Who's to say that they wouldn't have perished even if he had done so? But while death had claimed the lives of many men and women, the one known as the Meta would not be among them, at least not for now as he sat up and his vision slowly returned to him. The smell was a familiar one at least, the stench of decay. Many corpses on the battlefields the Meta had seen carried the same scent but he hadn't been on a battlefield. He'd been in a desert with Washington and that Medic and now here he was, seemingly surrounded by others who seemed to be in the same predicament as him.

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Slamming a fist on the ground, Meta pushed himself onto his feet and glanced around. All of the others here didn't seem like anybody he could have known, no armor signifying that they were a freelancer of any type which begged a question of who they were and why they were here, why he was here. There was also a far more important question that the Meta felt might need addressing at some point.

How many would he have to kill?


@OrlandoBloomers @C.T. @Saint Guillotine @Schnee Corp Lawyer @BarrenThin @El Tigre! @Thuro The Potato Assassin @Kaykay@CrunchyCHEEZIT @Lissamel @Jeremi @Atomyk @Josh M

 
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Sir Alonne sat at his window, staring out over the land near his home. His katana, resting on his lap, was a warm, calming presence. The world was falling. Everything was coming apart at the seams. Kingdoms dying. Hollows running rampant. Few nations still stood tall. Drangleic was one. For a while, Alonne had considered offering his blade to them, but they were no better than his former king. The Iron Kingdom, the place he'd left, still stood tall, as well. Just as he'd helped make it. Truly, that was unfortunate.

The Iron King had lost his way. Torturing and hunting the Undead before they even went Hollow... it wasn't right. It wasn't true to the ideals of the kingdom he'd built for the king. These actions left him no choice but to leave. Some soldiers followed, unfortunately. Loyalty didn't just die, after all, though Alonne would have rathered they'd stayed and protected the keep. Naturally, the disappearance of some soldiers angered the King, as well. Even then, Alonne could hear the sound of fighting as the Iron King himself made his way to Alonne. Any minute now, he'd come through the door. Once an ambitious boy, now a monster of Alonne's own making. The Knight didn't expect to win. He was ready to die.

He heard the sound of boots clanking as someone entered the room. Alonne slowly stood and turned around. "Ah. It's been too long, friend." The Iron King didn't answer. Alonne wasn't surprised by the hate in his former master's eyes- he was well aware he'd abandoned him. It didn't change that the knight didn't want to kill him, though. "We don't have to do this."

That almost seemed to spur the Iron King's hatred. Hurling himself at his former ally, he brought a huge mace down that Alonne barely managed to dodge. "You abandoned the kingdom! You abandoned me! Well... I don't need you!" Another frantic swing that Alonne sidestepped wordlessly. This went on for a good ten minutes before Alonne spoke again.

"I made you what you are, friend, and for that I am truly sorry. You were better off a lowly noble." The clang of steel colliding with steel. Alonne was on his back foot. This once foolish boy had learned a lot from Alonne, and become at least as powerful. Both of their Souls were huge, and they had the physical forms to match, Alonne standing at thirteen feet tall, and the Iron King at fifteen.

"I owe you nothing, whelp!" The next blow sent Alonne spinning as it collided with his shoulder, then sending him to the floor. The knight looked up from under his helmet at his former king, waiting for the finishing blow. None came. Not immediately, at least. Alonne figured he'd talk. Get him to end it.

"You owe me everything, fool. I made you what you are. I made you powerful. Trained your men. Without me, you would have stayed a nothing. Gone nowhere. Now end it, and go back to being the weakling you always were!" That did it. The mace came up. Went down towards his face. Alonne closed his eyes... and there was a flash of light, a deafening roar, and then complete darkness.

~~~

The huge warrior stood in the cave slowly. Dazed and confused, he lifted his katana and tried to get his bearings, but to no avail. His eyes scanned about. Several smaller figures were rising. Humans. Good. Alonne certainly liked humans more than his own kind. "Is everyone alright?" He called out to the others, stepping over to Meta first as he was the only up thus far. "You, little human? Are you hurt?" He, himself, had something of a cautious air about him, huge katana still in hand.



@OrlandoBloomers @C.T. @Saint Guillotine @Schnee Corp Lawyer @TheSpringwoodSlasher @El Tigre! @Thuro The Assassin Potato @Kaykay @CrunchyCHEEZIT @Lissamel @Jeremi @Atomyk @Josh M
 
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The Meta had still been adjusting to his surroundings when he noticed what seemed to be a towering figure rise up. Even standing at around eight feet while within his armor, this figure stood leagues above him and carried a weapon of his own. Not too surprising, it helped to have a means of defending yourself when in a place that smelled of the dead. Even if he still didn't know why he and the others were in the first place.

One of the Meta's hands slowly gripped onto where his Brute Shot had been strapped to his back. If this thing made a move then he'd pump it full of lead before it could swing that massive sword it seemed to wielding.

At the moment however it didn't seem to be hostile. He'd just have to keep an eye on it until the others woke up. In response to the question directed towards him, Meta shook his head 'no.' Wasn't any point in trying to speak with this thing when he knew he couldn't.

@BarrenThin
 
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The Meta had still been adjusting to his surroundings when he noticed what seemed to be a towering figure rise up. Even standing at around eight feet while within his armor, this figure stood leagues above him and carried a weapon of his own. Not too surprising, it helped to have a means of defending yourself when in a place that smelled of the dead. Even if he still didn't know why he and the others were in the first place.

One of the Meta's hands slowly gripped onto where his Brute Shot had been strapped to his back. If this thing made a move then he'd pump it full of lead before it could swing that massive sword it seemed to wielding.

At the moment however it didn't seem to be hostile. He'd just have to keep an eye on it until the others woke up. In response to the question directed towards him, Meta shook his head 'no.' Wasn't any point in trying to speak with this thing when he knew he couldn't.

@BarrenThin


Alonne nodded, taking in the smaller man's armor. It was of bizarre make, but it seemed sturdy. Thankfully, the man hadn't attacked yet, either. Maybe he'd have an at least somewhat trustworthy ally in this one. "Good." His faceless helmet looked about again. This place was strange, to say the least. How did he get here? The warrior went about and began checking on the others, though the sight of a person as large as him would certainly be a strange thing to wake up to. He glanced back over at Meta. "I am Alonne. Yourself?" Why lead with your title among strangers? The say Alonne saw it, he'd rather they respect him for his actions than his accolades.


@OrlandoBloomers @C.T. @Saint Guillotine @Schnee Corp Lawyer @TheSpringwoodSlasher @El Tigre! @Thuro The Assassin Potato @Kaykay @CrunchyCHEEZIT @Lissamel @Jeremi @Atomyk @Josh M
 
Alonne nodded, taking in the smaller man's armor. It was of bizarre make, but it seemed sturdy. Thankfully, the man hadn't attacked yet, either. Maybe he'd have an at least somewhat trustworthy ally in this one. "Good." His faceless helmet looked about again. This place was strange, to say the least. How did he get here? The warrior went about and began checking on the others, though the sight of a person as large as him would certainly be a strange thing to wake up to. He glanced back over at Meta. "I am Alonne. Yourself?" Why lead with your title among strangers? The say Alonne saw it, he'd rather they respect him for his actions than his accolades.


@OrlandoBloomers @C.T. @Saint Guillotine @Schnee Corp Lawyer @TheSpringwoodSlasher @El Tigre! @Thuro The Assassin Potato @Kaykay @CrunchyCHEEZIT @Lissamel @Jeremi @Atomyk @Josh M
"Grrr.." What was it with people and their constant need to be so inquisitive? Sure, the Meta wanted answers just like everyone else. But whereas the others assembled here may have been content to just constantly ask and receive answers, Meta was prone to simply hitting whoever had the answers he was looking for until said information was made available to him.

Pulling off his brute shot, he'd make his way towards a wall and using the blade attached to his firearm, he'd carve his name into the wall for the other to see. Once he was finished he stepped to the side and gestured to his handiwork.

THE META

@BarrenThin

 
"Grrr.." What was it with people and their constant need to be so inquisitive? Sure, the Meta wanted answers just like everyone else. But whereas the others assembled here may have been content to just constantly ask and receive answers, Meta was prone to simply hitting whoever had the answers he was looking for until said information was made available to him.

Pulling off his brute shot, he'd make his way towards a wall and using the blade attached to his firearm, he'd carve his name into the wall for the other to see. Once he was finished he stepped to the side and gestured to his handiwork.

THE META

@BarrenThin



"... A strange title." What's a Meta? At any rate, he bowed deeply to the Meta. "A pleasure." He then went back about his business. "Be cautious. We don't know that these individuals will be friendly."

@TheSpringwoodSlasher
 
"BEGIN!" The booming voice of Peter Port echoes throughout the arena, signaling the start of the match. Her entire team charges forward, meeting three of the opponent's team as the fourth one gets a sniper's perch in the treeline. A couple of close shots draws her team leader's attention, spotting the glint of a gun in the foliage and he snaps out a quick order to fall back, taking cover behind some rocks.

"What do we do?"

Jaune peeks over the edge of the rocks, catching sight of the three melee combatants rapidly closing in. "Spread out! Try to keep moving!" He yells, catching an attack on his shield from Brawnz, Pyrrha stepping in to duel with him. Nolan slowly advances on Ren as her bestest buddy slides into the prod-wielder's path. A quick nod back at his sniper ally and May smirks, firing off a few rounds at Ren's feet, just off-balance enough to get hit with the business end of the prod. Collapsing backwards onto the ground, electricity spasming through his body, Nora calls out his name.

"Ren!"

With a scowl, Nora lunges forward and takes a swing at Nolan, who ducks under it, letting it sweep overhead and catching the hammer wielder with the prod as well. Rather than fall back however, the ginger just raises her head and smiles mischievously with a low chuckle.

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"Oh-ho! Looks like one of my favorite students, Nora Valkyrie, is charging up to use her Semblance!"

Nolan's teeth grit together, annoyed that she hasn't fallen...until that commentary draws his attention, staring up at the screen. "What?"

"Yes, Ms. Valkyrie's Semblance lets her produce, as well as channel, electrical energy straight to her muscles! This allows her to jump explosively into the air, wield her mighty hammer, or in this case, absorb Nolan's attacks and send the young man flying!" Oobleck explains as Nolan returns his attention back to his opponent with a look of panic.

"WHAT?"

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Nolan, still as panicked as ever, raises his arms in surrender before Nora smacks him back through a rocky formation and Jaune orders her to get to the mountain.

"YOU GOT IT!" She shouts, saluting before zipping off in that direction.

"Ren, try and distract the sniper!" Jaune adds, turning to him. Ren's shoulders slump after another sniper round ricochets nearby. "Sure. Why not." Ren remarks, gloriously deadpan. The assorted teammates battle, Ren managing to hold Nolan down and dissuade the sniper from shooting him. May's eyes flicker instead to Nora on the mountain, preparing to take aim...and only succeeds in landing a shot on Pyrrha's shield, thanks to some on the spot thinking from Jaune. Now undeterred, Nora grins and fires off a hearty barrage of grenades, flushing the sniper out of the trees.

The other members of Team BRNZ are only able to turn around before Nora descends like a meteor, smashing the ground and sending all 3 of them flying to the sniper's feet.

"This is it, guys! Let's finish 'em with team attacks! Ren! Nora! Flower Power!"

"Wait, what?"

"F-Flower Power. That's your team attack name!" He explains to their shrugs.

"Since when?"

"Guys, we've been over this! Flower Power is Ren and Nora! Ren brings a flower, Nora brings the power!"

"How do I bring a flower?" Ren asks, scratching the back of his head.

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"No, silly, not a flower! Flour, like in baking!"

"Why would I bring that?"

"I- Uh- No, it's your symbol!"

"Sooo, what are we?"

"Pyrrha!"

"Sorry! I just want to make sure it's clearly defined."

"Pyrrha, you and I are Arkos. It's that thing, where we take our shields? Remember?"

"Arkos"?

"Yeah! It's our names put together!"

"Right, no, I get it..."

"What, you don't like it?"

"No, no! It's... good?"

"Mmm, I sense hesitation."

"Hey! What do you think you're doing!?"

"Trying to have a team meeting, thank you very little!"

"Yeah! Team ears only!" She jams a finger in one of her ears to demonstrate.

"WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF A FIGHT!"

"AND WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF A CONVERSATION! WHAT DON'T YOU GET ABOUT THAT!?"

"Um, Jaune?"

"Yes, Pyrrha?"

"I think that he means that we're all in the middle of a fight.

"Ugh...Nora, just...hit them with the hammer."

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"Got it."

"Wait, what?!"

Before anyone else could react, Nora hopped over, landing right in front of Team BRNZ, hammer swinging across to smack all four of them into the arena's forcefield and out of bounds...but before Magnhild struck home, there was a blinding light. An intense wave of heat...and then nothing. Until she awoke. She blinked, sitting up. A cold and dank cave from the looks of it. "Huh?" She stood up, breathing in...and gagging almost immediately, the foul stench wafting through her nose. "What is that smell?" She rubbed the bottom of her nose, looking around. There were no Grimm in sight as far as she could tell, ruling that out. However...​




Slamming a fist on the ground, Meta pushed himself onto his feet and glanced around. All of the others here didn't seem like anybody he could have known, no armor signifying that they were a freelancer of any type which begged a question of who they were and why they were here, why he was here. There was also a far more important question that the Meta felt might need addressing at some point.



The huge warrior stood in the cave slowly. Dazed and confused, he lifted his katana and tried to get his bearings, but to no avail. His eyes scanned about. Several smaller figures were rising. Humans. Good. Alonne certainly liked humans more than his own kind. "Is everyone alright?" He called out to the others, stepping over to Meta first as he was the only up thus far. "You, little human? Are you hurt?" He, himself, had something of a cautious air about him, huge katana still in hand.




The Meta had still been adjusting to his surroundings when he noticed what seemed to be a towering figure rise up. Even standing at around eight feet while within his armor, this figure stood leagues above him and carried a weapon of his own. Not too surprising, it helped to have a means of defending yourself when in a place that smelled of the dead. Even if he still didn't know why he and the others were in the first place.

One of the Meta's hands slowly gripped onto where his Brute Shot had been strapped to his back. If this thing made a move then he'd pump it full of lead before it could swing that massive sword it seemed to wielding.

At the moment however it didn't seem to be hostile. He'd just have to keep an eye on it until the others woke up. In response to the question directed towards him, Meta shook his head 'no.' Wasn't any point in trying to speak with this thing when he knew he couldn't.


Alonne nodded, taking in the smaller man's armor. It was of bizarre make, but it seemed sturdy. Thankfully, the man hadn't attacked yet, either. Maybe he'd have an at least somewhat trustworthy ally in this one. "Good." His faceless helmet looked about again. This place was strange, to say the least. How did he get here? The warrior went about and began checking on the others, though the sight of a person as large as him would certainly be a strange thing to wake up to. He glanced back over at Meta. "I am Alonne. Yourself?" Why lead with your title among strangers? The say Alonne saw it, he'd rather they respect him for his actions than his accolades.


"Grrr.." What was it with people and their constant need to be so inquisitive? Sure, the Meta wanted answers just like everyone else. But whereas the others assembled here may have been content to just constantly ask and receive answers, Meta was prone to simply hitting whoever had the answers he was looking for until said information was made available to him.

Pulling off his brute shot, he'd make his way towards a wall and using the blade attached to his firearm, he'd carve his name into the wall for the other to see. Once he was finished he stepped to the side and gestured to his handiwork.

THE META

"... A strange title." What's a Meta? At any rate, he bowed deeply to the Meta. "A pleasure." He then went back about his business. "Be cautious. We don't know that these individuals will be friendly."

She looked at the back and forth with plentiful of curious interest until that last and she spoke up, popping up right behind this Alonne fellow, pressing down on his shoulders to push herself up. "On the contrary! There's nothing I am more, than friendly!" She leaned over until she was staring upside down into Alonne's eyes. "That is, if you're friendly. Are you?"

@BarrenThin @TheSpringwoodSlasher @Saint Guillotine @Schnee Corp Lawyer @OrlandoBloomers @El Tigre! @Jeremi @Thuro The Assassin Potato @Kaykay @Atomyk @Lissamel @CrunchyCHEEZIT @Josh M
 

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For all that Jennifer Tate had been through, she knew it was over now. Oblivion was saved, Mortalis was safe, and Order prevailed, all at the cost of the last of the people she loved. She sat in a chair reading to her beloved Lewis in the faint possibility that maybe, wherever his soul was, he could hear her. Every day she came here it was the same thing, the simple hope that he'd wake up, that the steady beeping of the monitor would change and that he'd open his eyes, rise up out of his hospital bed say, "I forgive you Jen."

That he'd say say he understood why she'd been forced to kill him in the duel. To put his life second to this new found duty as Arella's champion. To just say that he'd have done the same thing if she'd been the one corrupted by chaos, and that he didn't hate her.

He didn't say any of those things, and instead kept sleeping.

Jen went back to her reading.


As she made her way from line to line, the pages on the book got lighter and lighter, blaring, painful, like staring into a sun. That's when she heard the rumbling. Like a crack of thunder. She looked up and around, standing up so fast she knocked her chair over as everything faded into white with a crashing roaring noise.

When the Lamb opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature say, “Come!” I looked, and there before me was a pale horse! Its rider was named Death, and Hades was following close behind him.



And then was replaced with a familiar spinning ring as her old companion Abdizur marched forward out of the Rift Gate, his warm face now devoid of any of the caring that was normally so richly enveloped by it, instead replaced by a look of worry and pained anguish. In his arms he had her vambraces, one clasped in each hand. It was clear what he meant to do. Oh no he didn't. She knew what he was planning, and she wasn't having aaaaaannnnnnnnny part of it. Jen backed up, arms held up defensively.

Literally the worst thing possible to do with her arms.

Abdizur reached out with his massive grip and clasped onto her arms, the vambraces doing the rest, permanently securing themselves onto her arms barring demonic assistance in removing them.

They didn't burn this time as they were put on though, probably cause he'd woken her powers up inside her already. Not that that was really what was on Jen's mind right now. She tried to yank her arms out of his grip, to no avail. He was making her very pissed off right now. Maybe the damage was done, but she didn't have to like that he'd done it. He better have a hell of an explanation.

"You can let go of me Rockstar."

"Jen," He said in his gravelly, wise voice. "There isn't much time at all. You're being taken from the realms of Oblivion by a force unknown. I am giving you the means to survive, but you must listen. Mortalis is being destroyed as we speak." Releasing her arm, Abdizur raised his hand above her, his hand glowing and bathing her in golden Primal energy. It felt pretty darn good admittedly. Guess she'd lost her juice when she'd been kicked out of the Nexus. "Wherever you are going, there is a chance you can save your world. You must go alone now."

Abdizur lowered his hand, her energy reserves topped off. "You're ready Jen." He wasn't talking about her powers.

"Good luck. Please, make it back to us."

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As he raised a hand to deport her back to her body, Jen had had enough. "Now hold right there mister. You're not shooing me away that fast-..."

"There is no time. Go now." He insisted. Jen then felt a heavy weight in her stomach and a lurching sensation, and then she was off down the rabbit hole.

"Screeeeeeeeeee...." She complained as she went.

~~~~


She awoke to the sound of dripping and a stench that assaulted even her veteran nose. There were others here, but they weren't from Oblivion, though a few did look human. Some of them looked like they could have been from Oblivion though. The giant was pretty up her alley in that regard, but why was there a dude in a spacesuit over there.

Feeling a sudden need to protect herself, she shifted into a Ferai, the familiar stretching, itching, and popping sensation as she transformed her entire being into a forgotten race uncomfortable, but barely noticeable in the face of what had just happened.

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So, that was what the little guy had been talking about when she'd said she was being dragged off, huh? Time to get some answers.

Well. Might as well make herself known. Start this little party.

"If one of you boys dragged me here you're about to have a real bad time.

@Saint Guillotine @TheSpringwoodSlasher @BarrenThin
 
"You got it, Kanbaru!" And with that, Karen Araragi hung up the phone. "Hey, Tsukihi-chan, could you look for a 'Numachi Rouka?' Thanks!" Karen's younger sister replied with a nod and an affirmative "Mm!" and Karen decided to get out of the house and see what she could find alone.

"I guess Tsubasa-san can't really help us anymore since she graduated...can't hurt to give her a call though!" She brought up the phone to her ear, for whatever reason doing a handstand as she called.

Ring ring ring

No answer.

"Oh well, guess I'll have to do it with my own power!" She set herself back on her feet and then put herself in a runner's start. The girl ran around from house to house, asking about a Numachi Rouka. There wasn't much information, or really any from the people she asked. A few hours passed like this. No calls from Tsukihi, no callback from Tsubasa. "Hmm..." Karen crossed her arms, thinking to herself. Clearly blinding poking around wasn't working, but that was all she really knew how to do. All the research stuff she usually left to Tsukihi, or Tsubasa if she was around.

Well, maybe there was one more person to try.

Ring ring

"Ah? Karen-chan, what's up?"

"Nii-chan, you picked up! I knew I could count on you!"

Of course she could.

"Hm? Count on me? Did something come up?"

"Ah, no, not really, I was just wondering if you've ever heard of a 'Numachi Rouka?'"

"Hey, the way you say that makes it sound like an object or quest item rather than a person. That's supposed to be someone's name, isn't it?"

"Hehe, sharp as always, Nii-chan!"

No, one didn't have to be sharp to figure out that was a name.

"But anyway, yeah, it's a person. Have you ever heard of her? Kanbaru wanted me to find her."

"Huh? Kanbaru did?"

What's she doing, making my sisters go and do her dirty work?

"Sorry, but, I've never heard of her. I could try cal-"

"Ah, no, no, don't worry about it then Nii-chan, I already tried to call Tsubasa-san but she didn't pick up."

How'd she know who I was trying to call? Guess it's cause she thinks Hanekawa knows everything.

"I see. Sorry I couldn't be if more help, Karen-chan."

"No problem, I'm sure Tsukihi-chan will have more information any minute now. See you Nii-chan!"

And with that she hung up, and went back to her house in one of the most inefficient manners possible.

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"Ugh, I spent all day running around. I'm gonna go take a shower."

"Ah, Karen-chan? You're back?"

It was Tsukihi.

"Oh, yeah, I'm here. Did you find something?"

"Yeah...Numachi Rouka is dead."

"...Huh?"

"According to her family and friends, she committed suicide three years ago. She got in an accident and couldn't play basketball anymore, so she killed herself it seems."

"..." Karen stayed silent for a while before speaking up again. "I see. Thanks, Tsukihi-chan!" The younger sister nodded and headed back to her room.

Karen called Kanbaru and relayed the information back. Kanbaru mentioned something about meeting Rouka, which was clearly impossible, but Karen didn't pry further. Hanging up on the phone, the girl went out on a run to clear her head of such dreary thoughts.

But some sort of humanoid cat was watching. And before Karen knew it, there was a grip on her and her energy started to fade away...



Karen awoke, surrounded by weird people.

...

Wait, what?

"Uwah!" Karen cried, hopping to her feet. Looking around there seemed to be a knight, some guy in power armor or something, and...

Ah. It was obvious. She'd ran, ended up at a convention, and collapsed from exhaustion.

"There's a lot of cool cosplays, huh?"

@Saint Guillotine @BarrenThin @C.T. @TheSpringwoodSlasher @Thuro The Assassin Potato @everyone


 
"... A strange title." What's a Meta? At any rate, he bowed deeply to the Meta. "A pleasure." He then went back about his business. "Be cautious. We don't know that these individuals will be friendly."

@TheSpringwoodSlasher
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The Meta let out a low hiss of disdain at the mention of his title being referred to as 'strange.' After the AIs had been destroyed, it was all that remained within the broken shell of a man that used to be Agent Maine. However strange it may have sounded it's what kept him going, what kept him motivated. It's what would make him crush anyone who tried to get in the way of his goals. As for the others here not being friendly? The Meta had a simple enough solution to that. Gun down all of them before they awoke or break their necks. Either one would get them out of the way and avoid any potential issues from cropping up later. Before he could proceed with this plan however while the majority were still slumbering, a new entity awoke and appeared behind Alonne.

"Grr..." He hadn't even been in this girl's general vicinity for more than a couple of seconds at the most. Yet her seemingly exuberant personality already felt like it was going to grate on him the longer they stuck together.

However, Nora wouldn't be the only one who the Meta had less than positive feelings towards as a woman threatened them after transforming into some kind of hideous beast-like form. Not one to take threats lightly, even if they were simply implicit ones he turned his Brute Shot on the woman and gave out a menacing growl. If only to serve as a warning to her/give her a chance to back off before she followed through with any thoughts of attacking.

@C.T. @BarrenThin @Kaykay @Thuro The Assassin Potato
 
500px-Meta_HD.png


The Meta let out a low hiss of disdain at the mention of his title being referred to as 'strange.' After the AIs had been destroyed, it was all that remained within the broken shell of a man that used to be Agent Maine. However strange it may have sounded it's what kept him going, what kept him motivated. It's what would make him crush anyone who tried to get in the way of his goals. As for the others here not being friendly? The Meta had a simple enough solution to that. Gun down all of them before they awoke or break their necks. Either one would get them out of the way and avoid any potential issues from cropping up later. Before he could proceed with this plan however while the majority were still slumbering, a new entity awoke and appeared behind Alonne.

"Grr..." He hadn't even been in this girl's general vicinity for more than a couple of seconds at the most. Yet her seemingly exuberant personality already felt like it was going to grate on him the longer they stuck together.

However, Nora wouldn't be the only one who the Meta had less than positive feelings towards as a woman threatened them after transforming into some kind of hideous beast-like form. Not one to take threats lightly, even if they were simply implicit ones he turned his Brute Shot on the woman and gave out a menacing growl. If only to serve as a warning to her/give her a chance to back off before she followed through with any thoughts of attacking.

@C.T. @BarrenThin @Kaykay @Thuro The Assassin Potato

Annnnnd okay. He had a gun. With a blade on it. He had a blade with a gun on it. Why did he have a gun with a blade on it?

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Well, she had a trick or two up her sleeve too. Cricking her neck, she put her body through another change, Wraith this time. Fast. Gotta Go Fast. She'd never tried to dodge a modern gun with her abilities before, but this looked like it'd be her chance.

Ugh. Being in these forms, she could feel the race traits bleeding through into her own personality. Aggression a moment ago, arrogance now. She'd have to watch that.

"So I'm guessing you're not big on talking then. Death glare at me for yes, angrily shake your gun for no. That work for you?"

Well, she was sassing the clearly angry homicidal madman. Guess she had failed that check.

@SpringWoodSlasher​
 
"BEGIN!" The booming voice of Peter Port echoes throughout the arena, signaling the start of the match. Her entire team charges forward, meeting three of the opponent's team as the fourth one gets a sniper's perch in the treeline. A couple of close shots draws her team leader's attention, spotting the glint of a gun in the foliage and he snaps out a quick order to fall back, taking cover behind some rocks.

"What do we do?"

Jaune peeks over the edge of the rocks, catching sight of the three melee combatants rapidly closing in. "Spread out! Try to keep moving!" He yells, catching an attack on his shield from Brawnz, Pyrrha stepping in to duel with him. Nolan slowly advances on Ren as her bestest buddy slides into the prod-wielder's path. A quick nod back at his sniper ally and May smirks, firing off a few rounds at Ren's feet, just off-balance enough to get hit with the business end of the prod. Collapsing backwards onto the ground, electricity spasming through his body, Nora calls out his name.

"Ren!"

With a scowl, Nora lunges forward and takes a swing at Nolan, who ducks under it, letting it sweep overhead and catching the hammer wielder with the prod as well. Rather than fall back however, the ginger just raises her head and smiles mischievously with a low chuckle.

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"Oh-ho! Looks like one of my favorite students, Nora Valkyrie, is charging up to use her Semblance!"

Nolan's teeth grit together, annoyed that she hasn't fallen...until that commentary draws his attention, staring up at the screen. "What?"

"Yes, Ms. Valkyrie's Semblance lets her produce, as well as channel, electrical energy straight to her muscles! This allows her to jump explosively into the air, wield her mighty hammer, or in this case, absorb Nolan's attacks and send the young man flying!" Oobleck explains as Nolan returns his attention back to his opponent with a look of panic.

"WHAT?"

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Nolan, still as panicked as ever, raises his arms in surrender before Nora smacks him back through a rocky formation and Jaune orders her to get to the mountain.

"YOU GOT IT!" She shouts, saluting before zipping off in that direction.

"Ren, try and distract the sniper!" Jaune adds, turning to him. Ren's shoulders slump after another sniper round ricochets nearby. "Sure. Why not." Ren remarks, gloriously deadpan. The assorted teammates battle, Ren managing to hold Nolan down and dissuade the sniper from shooting him. May's eyes flicker instead to Nora on the mountain, preparing to take aim...and only succeeds in landing a shot on Pyrrha's shield, thanks to some on the spot thinking from Jaune. Now undeterred, Nora grins and fires off a hearty barrage of grenades, flushing the sniper out of the trees.

The other members of Team BRNZ are only able to turn around before Nora descends like a meteor, smashing the ground and sending all 3 of them flying to the sniper's feet.

"This is it, guys! Let's finish 'em with team attacks! Ren! Nora! Flower Power!"

"Wait, what?"

"F-Flower Power. That's your team attack name!" He explains to their shrugs.

"Since when?"

"Guys, we've been over this! Flower Power is Ren and Nora! Ren brings a flower, Nora brings the power!"

"How do I bring a flower?" Ren asks, scratching the back of his head.

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"No, silly, not a flower! Flour, like in baking!"

"Why would I bring that?"

"I- Uh- No, it's your symbol!"

"Sooo, what are we?"

"Pyrrha!"

"Sorry! I just want to make sure it's clearly defined."

"Pyrrha, you and I are Arkos. It's that thing, where we take our shields? Remember?"

"Arkos"?

"Yeah! It's our names put together!"

"Right, no, I get it..."

"What, you don't like it?"

"No, no! It's... good?"

"Mmm, I sense hesitation."

"Hey! What do you think you're doing!?"

"Trying to have a team meeting, thank you very little!"

"Yeah! Team ears only!" She jams a finger in one of her ears to demonstrate.

"WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF A FIGHT!"

"AND WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF A CONVERSATION! WHAT DON'T YOU GET ABOUT THAT!?"

"Um, Jaune?"

"Yes, Pyrrha?"

"I think that he means that we're all in the middle of a fight.

"Ugh...Nora, just...hit them with the hammer."

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"Got it."

"Wait, what?!"

Before anyone else could react, Nora hopped over, landing right in front of Team BRNZ, hammer swinging across to smack all four of them into the arena's forcefield and out of bounds...but before Magnhild struck home, there was a blinding light. An intense wave of heat...and then nothing. Until she awoke. She blinked, sitting up. A cold and dank cave from the looks of it. "Huh?" She stood up, breathing in...and gagging almost immediately, the foul stench wafting through her nose. "What is that smell?" She rubbed the bottom of her nose, looking around. There were no Grimm in sight as far as she could tell, ruling that out. However...​












She looked at the back and forth with plentiful of curious interest until that last and she spoke up, popping up right behind this Alonne fellow, pressing down on his shoulders to push herself up. "On the contrary! There's nothing I am more, than friendly!" She leaned over until she was staring upside down into Alonne's eyes. "That is, if you're friendly. Are you?"

@BarrenThin @TheSpringwoodSlasher @Saint Guillotine @Schnee Corp Lawyer @OrlandoBloomers @El Tigre! @Jeremi @Thuro The Assassin Potato @Kaykay @Atomyk @Lissamel @CrunchyCHEEZIT @Josh M


Alonne's eyes were a dark brown under his helmet, they were wide with surprise. At what she said, though, they were replaced with a more friendly expression. "I'm glad, for I would have hated to hurt you, little one! I'd like to think of myself as friendly, at least."

...

"Please get off of me, though."

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For all that Jennifer Tate had been through, she knew it was over now. Oblivion was saved, Mortalis was safe, and Order prevailed, all at the cost of the last of the people she loved. She sat in a chair reading to her beloved Lewis in the faint possibility that maybe, wherever his soul was, he could hear her. Every day she came here it was the same thing, the simple hope that he'd wake up, that the steady beeping of the monitor would change and that he'd open his eyes, rise up out of his hospital bed say, "I forgive you Jen."

That he'd say say he understood why she'd been forced to kill him in the duel. To put his life second to this new found duty as Arella's champion. To just say that he'd have done the same thing if she'd been the one corrupted by chaos, and that he didn't hate her.

He didn't say any of those things, and instead kept sleeping.

Jen went back to her reading.


As she made her way from line to line, the pages on the book got lighter and lighter, blaring, painful, like staring into a sun. That's when she heard the rumbling. Like a crack of thunder. She looked up and around, standing up so fast she knocked her chair over as everything faded into white with a crashing roaring noise.

When the Lamb opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature say, “Come!” I looked, and there before me was a pale horse! Its rider was named Death, and Hades was following close behind him.



And then was replaced with a familiar spinning ring as her old companion Abdizur marched forward out of the Rift Gate, his warm face now devoid of any of the caring that was normally so richly enveloped by it, instead replaced by a look of worry and pained anguish. In his arms he had her vambraces, one clasped in each hand. It was clear what he meant to do. Oh no he didn't. She knew what he was planning, and she wasn't having aaaaaannnnnnnnny part of it. Jen backed up, arms held up defensively.

Literally the worst thing possible to do with her arms.

Abdizur reached out with his massive grip and clasped onto her arms, the vambraces doing the rest, permanently securing themselves onto her arms barring demonic assistance in removing them.

They didn't burn this time as they were put on though, probably cause he'd woken her powers up inside her already. Not that that was really what was on Jen's mind right now. She tried to yank her arms out of his grip, to no avail. He was making her very pissed off right now. Maybe the damage was done, but she didn't have to like that he'd done it. He better have a hell of an explanation.

"You can let go of me Rockstar."

"Jen," He said in his gravelly, wise voice. "There isn't much time at all. You're being taken from the realms of Oblivion by a force unknown. I am giving you the means to survive, but you must listen. Mortalis is being destroyed as we speak." Releasing her arm, Abdizur raised his hand above her, his hand glowing and bathing her in golden Primal energy. It felt pretty darn good admittedly. Guess she'd lost her juice when she'd been kicked out of the Nexus. "Wherever you are going, there is a chance you can save your world. You must go alone now."

Abdizur lowered his hand, her energy reserves topped off. "You're ready Jen." He wasn't talking about her powers.

"Good luck. Please, make it back to us."

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As he raised a hand to deport her back to her body, Jen had had enough. "Now hold right there mister. You're not shooing me away that fast-..."

"There is no time. Go now." He insisted. Jen then felt a heavy weight in her stomach and a lurching sensation, and then she was off down the rabbit hole.

"Screeeeeeeeeee...." She complained as she went.

~~~~


She awoke to the sound of dripping and a stench that assaulted even her veteran nose. There were others here, but they weren't from Oblivion, though a few did look human. Some of them looked like they could have been from Oblivion though. The giant was pretty up her alley in that regard, but why was there a dude in a spacesuit over there.

Feeling a sudden need to protect herself, she shifted into a Ferai, the familiar stretching, itching, and popping sensation as she transformed her entire being into a forgotten race uncomfortable, but barely noticeable in the face of what had just happened.

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So, that was what the little guy had been talking about when she'd said she was being dragged off, huh? Time to get some answers.

Well. Might as well make herself known. Start this little party.

"If one of you boys dragged me here you're about to have a real bad time.

@Saint Guillotine @TheSpringwoodSlasher @BarrenThin


"I'm fairly confident, miss, that none of our present company is responsible. Why would they knock themselves out and leave themselves at our mercy?"​

"You got it, Kanbaru!" And with that, Karen Araragi hung up the phone. "Hey, Tsukihi-chan, could you look for a 'Numachi Rouka?' Thanks!" Karen's younger sister replied with a nod and an affirmative "Mm!" and Karen decided to get out of the house and see what she could find alone.

"I guess Tsubasa-san can't really help us anymore since she graduated...can't hurt to give her a call though!" She brought up the phone to her ear, for whatever reason doing a handstand as she called.

Ring ring ring

No answer.

"Oh well, guess I'll have to do it with my own power!" She set herself back on her feet and then put herself in a runner's start. The girl ran around from house to house, asking about a Numachi Rouka. There wasn't much information, or really any from the people she asked. A few hours passed like this. No calls from Tsukihi, no callback from Tsubasa. "Hmm..." Karen crossed her arms, thinking to herself. Clearly blinding poking around wasn't working, but that was all she really knew how to do. All the research stuff she usually left to Tsukihi, or Tsubasa if she was around.

Well, maybe there was one more person to try.

Ring ring

"Ah? Karen-chan, what's up?"

"Nii-chan, you picked up! I knew I could count on you!"

Of course she could.

"Hm? Count on me? Did something come up?"

"Ah, no, not really, I was just wondering if you've ever heard of a 'Numachi Rouka?'"

"Hey, the way you say that makes it sound like an object or quest item rather than a person. That's supposed to be someone's name, isn't it?"

"Hehe, sharp as always, Nii-chan!"

No, one didn't have to be sharp to figure out that was a name.

"But anyway, yeah, it's a person. Have you ever heard of her? Kanbaru wanted me to find her."

"Huh? Kanbaru did?"

What's she doing, making my sisters go and do her dirty work?

"Sorry, but, I've never heard of her. I could try cal-"

"Ah, no, no, don't worry about it then Nii-chan, I already tried to call Tsubasa-san but she didn't pick up."

How'd she know who I was trying to call? Guess it's cause she thinks Hanekawa knows everything.

"I see. Sorry I couldn't be if more help, Karen-chan."

"No problem, I'm sure Tsukihi-chan will have more information any minute now. See you Nii-chan!"

And with that she hung up, and went back to her house in one of the most inefficient manners possible.

quEhTIS.gif


"Ugh, I spent all day running around. I'm gonna go take a shower."

"Ah, Karen-chan? You're back?"

It was Tsukihi.

"Oh, yeah, I'm here. Did you find something?"

"Yeah...Numachi Rouka is dead."

"...Huh?"

"According to her family and friends, she committed suicide three years ago. She got in an accident and couldn't play basketball anymore, so she killed herself it seems."

"..." Karen stayed silent for a while before speaking up again. "I see. Thanks, Tsukihi-chan!" The younger sister nodded and headed back to her room.

Karen called Kanbaru and relayed the information back. Kanbaru mentioned something about meeting Rouka, which was clearly impossible, but Karen didn't pry further. Hanging up on the phone, the girl went out on a run to clear her head of such dreary thoughts.

But some sort of humanoid cat was watching. And before Karen knew it, there was a grip on her and her energy started to fade away...



Karen awoke, surrounded by weird people.

...

Wait, what?

"Uwah!" Karen cried, hopping to her feet. Looking around there seemed to be a knight, some guy in power armor or something, and...

Ah. It was obvious. She'd ran, ended up at a convention, and collapsed from exhaustion.

"There's a lot of cool cosplays, huh?"

@Saint Guillotine @BarrenThin @C.T. @TheSpringwoodSlasher @Thuro The Assassin Potato @everyone


Alonne blinked down at her. His deep voice held a hint of confusion as he moved his blade about. "What is a cosplayer? Are you alright, little one? Were you struck on the head?"​

Annnnnd okay. He had a gun. With a blade on it. He had a blade with a gun on it. Why did he have a gun with a blade on it?

tumblr_nj5mbz6Zl61tpnrh0o4_r1_400.gif


Well, she had a trick or two up her sleeve too. Cricking her neck, she put her body through another change, Wraith this time. Fast. Gotta Go Fast. She'd never tried to dodge a modern gun with her abilities before, but this looked like it'd be her chance.

Ugh. Being in these forms, she could feel the race traits bleeding through into her own personality. Aggression a moment ago, arrogance now. She'd have to watch that.

"So I'm guessing you're not big on talking then. Death glare at me for yes, angrily shake your gun for no. That work for you?"

Well, she was sassing the clearly angry homicidal madman. Guess she had failed that check.

@SpringWoodSlasher​
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The Meta let out a low hiss of disdain at the mention of his title being referred to as 'strange.' After the AIs had been destroyed, it was all that remained within the broken shell of a man that used to be Agent Maine. However strange it may have sounded it's what kept him going, what kept him motivated. It's what would make him crush anyone who tried to get in the way of his goals. As for the others here not being friendly? The Meta had a simple enough solution to that. Gun down all of them before they awoke or break their necks. Either one would get them out of the way and avoid any potential issues from cropping up later. Before he could proceed with this plan however while the majority were still slumbering, a new entity awoke and appeared behind Alonne.

"Grr..." He hadn't even been in this girl's general vicinity for more than a couple of seconds at the most. Yet her seemingly exuberant personality already felt like it was going to grate on him the longer they stuck together.

However, Nora wouldn't be the only one who the Meta had less than positive feelings towards as a woman threatened them after transforming into some kind of hideous beast-like form. Not one to take threats lightly, even if they were simply implicit ones he turned his Brute Shot on the woman and gave out a menacing growl. If only to serve as a warning to her/give her a chance to back off before she followed through with any thoughts of attacking.

@C.T. @BarrenThin @Kaykay @Thuro The Assassin Potato


Alonne stepped between them, his voice assuming an air of authority, his voice's volume matching the size of his lungs in a deafening roar. "That's enough! Now is not the time for such pursuits! Right now, allies may be all we have for help, and, if you start killing each other, we'll likely all be doomed!"


@OrlandoBloomers @C.T. @Saint Guillotine @Schnee Corp Lawyer @TheSpringwoodSlasher @El Tigre! @Thuro The Assassin Potato @Kaykay @CrunchyCHEEZIT @Lissamel @Jeremi @Atomyk @Josh M
 
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Fire and death was the only thing that was surrounding him now. Even the very seas were boiling.

Clutched in his hand a skull, whose it had belonged to he couldn't say but from the size of it no doubt a child's.

Kaku dropped it unceremoniously to the ground. Everything had turned to ash. His Cipher Pol 9 associates lost to the winds with him alone the final survivor. "So this is it huh? Heh...Not what I expected." A defeated smile was on his face as his head turned towards the blood red sky.

The world was dead and he was next. With a flash it was over.

Or was it...?


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For all that Jennifer Tate had been through, she knew it was over now. Oblivion was saved, Mortalis was safe, and Order prevailed, all at the cost of the last of the people she loved. She sat in a chair reading to her beloved Lewis in the faint possibility that maybe, wherever his soul was, he could hear her. Every day she came here it was the same thing, the simple hope that he'd wake up, that the steady beeping of the monitor would change and that he'd open his eyes, rise up out of his hospital bed say, "I forgive you Jen."

That he'd say say he understood why she'd been forced to kill him in the duel. To put his life second to this new found duty as Arella's champion. To just say that he'd have done the same thing if she'd been the one corrupted by chaos, and that he didn't hate her.

He didn't say any of those things, and instead kept sleeping.

Jen went back to her reading.


As she made her way from line to line, the pages on the book got lighter and lighter, blaring, painful, like staring into a sun. That's when she heard the rumbling. Like a crack of thunder. She looked up and around, standing up so fast she knocked her chair over as everything faded into white with a crashing roaring noise.

When the Lamb opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature say, “Come!” I looked, and there before me was a pale horse! Its rider was named Death, and Hades was following close behind him.



And then was replaced with a familiar spinning ring as her old companion Abdizur marched forward out of the Rift Gate, his warm face now devoid of any of the caring that was normally so richly enveloped by it, instead replaced by a look of worry and pained anguish. In his arms he had her vambraces, one clasped in each hand. It was clear what he meant to do. Oh no he didn't. She knew what he was planning, and she wasn't having aaaaaannnnnnnnny part of it. Jen backed up, arms held up defensively.

Literally the worst thing possible to do with her arms.

Abdizur reached out with his massive grip and clasped onto her arms, the vambraces doing the rest, permanently securing themselves onto her arms barring demonic assistance in removing them.

They didn't burn this time as they were put on though, probably cause he'd woken her powers up inside her already. Not that that was really what was on Jen's mind right now. She tried to yank her arms out of his grip, to no avail. He was making her very pissed off right now. Maybe the damage was done, but she didn't have to like that he'd done it. He better have a hell of an explanation.

"You can let go of me Rockstar."

"Jen," He said in his gravelly, wise voice. "There isn't much time at all. You're being taken from the realms of Oblivion by a force unknown. I am giving you the means to survive, but you must listen. Mortalis is being destroyed as we speak." Releasing her arm, Abdizur raised his hand above her, his hand glowing and bathing her in golden Primal energy. It felt pretty darn good admittedly. Guess she'd lost her juice when she'd been kicked out of the Nexus. "Wherever you are going, there is a chance you can save your world. You must go alone now."

Abdizur lowered his hand, her energy reserves topped off. "You're ready Jen." He wasn't talking about her powers.

"Good luck. Please, make it back to us."

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As he raised a hand to deport her back to her body, Jen had had enough. "Now hold right there mister. You're not shooing me away that fast-..."

"There is no time. Go now." He insisted. Jen then felt a heavy weight in her stomach and a lurching sensation, and then she was off down the rabbit hole.

"Screeeeeeeeeee...." She complained as she went.

~~~~


She awoke to the sound of dripping and a stench that assaulted even her veteran nose. There were others here, but they weren't from Oblivion, though a few did look human. Some of them looked like they could have been from Oblivion though. The giant was pretty up her alley in that regard, but why was there a dude in a spacesuit over there.

Feeling a sudden need to protect herself, she shifted into a Ferai, the familiar stretching, itching, and popping sensation as she transformed her entire being into a forgotten race uncomfortable, but barely noticeable in the face of what had just happened.

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So, that was what the little guy had been talking about when she'd said she was being dragged off, huh? Time to get some answers.

Well. Might as well make herself known. Start this little party.

"If one of you boys dragged me here you're about to have a real bad time.

@Saint Guillotine @TheSpringwoodSlasher @BarrenThin

As he woke Kaku felt his body laying on something hard, damp and voices all around him. Is this what death felt like? Getting up to his feet he'd find a group of random individuals more weirder then the next.

Suddenly a girl changed shaped and threatened bodily harm.

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"I think we're already having a pretty bad time."

He replied to the girl. Then some exchanges of words and someone stepping in to quell it.



Alonne's eyes were a dark brown under his helmet, they were wide with surprise. At what she said, though, they were replaced with a more friendly expression. "I'm glad, for I would have hated to hurt you, little one! I'd like to think of myself as friendly, at least."

...

"Please get off of me, though."



"I'm fairly confident, miss, that none of our present company is responsible. Why would they knock themselves out and leave themselves at our mercy?"​




Alonne blinked down at her. His deep voice held a hint of confusion as he moved his blade about. "What is a cosplayer? Are you alright, little one? Were you struck on the head?"​





Alonne stepped between them, his voice assuming an air of authority, his voice's volume matching the size of his lungs in a deafening roar. "That's enough! Now is not the time for such pursuits! Right now, allies may be all we have for help, and, if you start killing each other, we'll likely all be doomed!"


@OrlandoBloomers @C.T. @Saint Guillotine @Schnee Corp Lawyer @TheSpringwoodSlasher @El Tigre! @Thuro The Assassin Potato @Kaykay @CrunchyCHEEZIT @Lissamel @Jeremi @Atomyk @Josh M

"He's right, the first thing we should do is get our wits about us and we're not going to do that at each others throats."

@OrlandoBloomers @C.T. @TheSpringwoodSlasher @Schnee Corp Lawyer @BarrenThin @El Tigre! @Thuro The Assassin Potato @Kaykay @CrunchyCHEEZIT @Lissamel @Atomyk @Josh M
 
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Alonne's eyes were a dark brown under his helmet, they were wide with surprise. At what she said, though, they were replaced with a more friendly expression. "I'm glad, for I would have hated to hurt you, little one! I'd like to think of myself as friendly, at least."

...

"Please get off of me, though."
"Oh yes of course, as you wish!" She nodded, hopping off without further ado, turning to the one in bright white armor.​



"Grr..." He hadn't even been in this girl's general vicinity for more than a couple of seconds at the most. Yet her seemingly exuberant personality already felt like it was going to grate on him the longer they stuck together.

"I heard that, you know. And don't think I didn't, not even for a second. How rude, telling somebody to pipe down just after meeting them. And then you point the knife gun at somebody!"

@BarrenThin @TheSpringwoodSlasher
 
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Annnnnd okay. He had a gun. With a blade on it. He had a blade with a gun on it. Why did he have a gun with a blade on it?

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Well, she had a trick or two up her sleeve too. Cricking her neck, she put her body through another change, Wraith this time. Fast. Gotta Go Fast. She'd never tried to dodge a modern gun with her abilities before, but this looked like it'd be her chance.

Ugh. Being in these forms, she could feel the race traits bleeding through into her own personality. Aggression a moment ago, arrogance now. She'd have to watch that.

"So I'm guessing you're not big on talking then. Death glare at me for yes, angrily shake your gun for no. That work for you?"

Well, she was sassing the clearly angry homicidal madman. Guess she had failed that check.

@SpringWoodSlasher​
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The transformation didn't really seem to make much difference to the brute in any case. This woman had made a clear-cut threat to him and that was all the reason Meta needed to put her out of his misery. His finger reached towards the trigger of his gun as she asked the question of him and all she received was an aggravated growl. Who was she to ask anything of him? She might not have been the one who brought them all here but she certainly didn't seem keen on calming the situation and making threats was only going to get her a nice spot on the 'who does he brutally beat when the opportunity arises' list.

That and she didn't seem keen on standing down either. So who was he to not oblige her? He raised the Brute Shot and prepared to fire..


Alonne's eyes were a dark brown under his helmet, they were wide with surprise. At what she said, though, they were replaced with a more friendly expression. "I'm glad, for I would have hated to hurt you, little one! I'd like to think of myself as friendly, at least."

...

"Please get off of me, though."



"I'm fairly confident, miss, that none of our present company is responsible. Why would they knock themselves out and leave themselves at our mercy?"​




Alonne blinked down at her. His deep voice held a hint of confusion as he moved his blade about. "What is a cosplayer? Are you alright, little one? Were you struck on the head?"​





Alonne stepped between them, his voice assuming an air of authority, his voice's volume matching the size of his lungs in a deafening roar. "That's enough! Now is not the time for such pursuits! Right now, allies may be all we have for help, and, if you start killing each other, we'll likely all be doomed!"


@OrlandoBloomers @C.T. @Saint Guillotine @Schnee Corp Lawyer @TheSpringwoodSlasher @El Tigre! @Thuro The Assassin Potato @Kaykay @CrunchyCHEEZIT @Lissamel @Jeremi @Atomyk @Josh M
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Alonne's voice didn't intimidate the freelancer but it did make him pause. If he were to open fire and otherwise engage in combat with this girl, it'd get the others on his case no doubt. Not that he didn't think he could take them, specially since some of them were still waking up. But it was avoidable for the moment at least. So with no audible response, he lowered the gun and turned away from Jen.

She was still on his list however, just in case she ever wanted to pick up from where they'd left off here.
"Oh yes of course, as you wish!" She nodded, hopping off without further ado, turning to the one in bright white armor.​


"I heard that, you know. And don't think I didn't, not even for a second. How rude, telling somebody to pipe down just after meeting them. And then you point the knife gun at somebody!"

@BarrenThin @TheSpringwoodSlasher
Slinging the Brute Shot back upon his back, he clenched his hands into fists at Nora's statement. He hadn't expected her to understand him but now that it seemed that she could, no point in trying to sugarcoat things. Wasn't his way of doing things anyway.

"Grrrr.."


@OrlandoBloomers @C.T. @Saint Guillotine @Schnee Corp Lawyer @BarrenThin @El Tigre! @Thuro The Assassin Potato @Kaykay @CrunchyCHEEZIT @Lissamel @Jeremi@Atomyk @Josh M
 
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Move the knight to that square. The bridge is down, rebuild it. Maybe you can pull a reverse-carpenter gambit, and he'll be so impressed that you got a specific set of circumstances to work for you, and he will leave.

Fred felt woozy. When was the last time he didn't? His eyes felt stuck together and noises were swimming in his ears. Unrecognizable voices. Cannon fire. Shouts and sneers. His spy was killed. Try again, you coward. He was in a deadlock; no matter where he moved his pieces there would be no way to avoid the genetic memory of Napoleon Bonaparte from storming his fortress. Fred knew this. Napoleon knew this. The reverse-carpenter gambit would never come into fruition. The mental game of Waterloo-O needed to be reset, and this gave Fred a few moments of a break in order to regroup his nerves.

Napoleon noticed the darkness, his stuck eyes.

"Réveiller," The tall man mumbled aloud, and then suddenly Fred jerked up with a sharp gasp. His eyes went flying open and his hat went the slightest bit askew. He was sitting on the floor of an unfamiliar location, yet he couldn't remember leaving. What had happened? Fred remembered setting up another game, remembered Crispin (damn Crispin) saying to buck up and that he would totally win this next one. Like he trusted zat brainless invalid. Crispin had gone up to see Doctor Loboto, and Fred was convinced that it had to do with him, and the Doctor was going to pull his brain out, but would that be a bad thing at this point? And now he was here. Did he sneak off the island while the new orderly wasn't looking?

Who were these people? His eyes twitched between the group, their little fights, their hazy introductions. How deep was he in these delusions?

"Wh-who are you? A-Are you all prisoners of war? I, um," Fred carefully rose to his feet (he was very good at standing without his arms to assist him) and stood as proudly as he could, "I'm here to...Well, if you are prisoners of war, did I capture you? Was i captured? Th-they can't capture a general!" His stance suddenly changed to a more hunched look, the man shaking, head twitching back and forth. The game had restarted, Napoleon had the first move. "I'm not even a real general! Oh, let me out of here, I can't b-be with prisoners of war..."

Fred sounded terrified. And he was.

An' you will never be a real general. Nor will you ever be a real Bonaparte. Move, Fred.

[ @OrlandoBloomers @C.T. @Saint Guillotine @Schnee Corp Lawyer @BarrenThin @El Tigre! @Thuro The Assassin Potato @Kaykay@CrunchyCHEEZIT @TheSpringwoodSlasher @Jeremi @Atomyk @Josh M ]
 

"Grrrr.."
"Don't give me that, Mister..." She tilted her head to the side to look at what he had written in the cavern wall with his knife. "...Meta! You're under the same obligation as all the rest of us, because we just got here! Wherever and whenever here is and however we happened to get here. Unless you know anything about it or who's responsible or especially if you're responsible, then maybe you can claim that! But if none of that applies to you, then you should at least try to be nice, it won't kill you. It's not a disease." She waved her hand playfully, dismissing the very thought.

"However, you have a point. We don't need each other threatening one another! The next person to do so or imply it will have their legs broken." She smirked, a mad twinkle in her eye before she skipped along, approaching a more familiar face.

"Yang, is that you?!"

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This was bad.

This was really, really bad.

The personality core continued through the ruined facility, the transit rail creaking and shuddering as it crawls across the rusted and smoldered metal. It's shimmering blue eye frantically scanned through the test subject storage facilitities, each one looking like a kind family room. Except..wracked with destruction and chaos ever since "she" had done what she did. It was all very frightening, really. Wheatley was not a fan.

"This one? No, no-- Ah! Here we g-- Ah, no! Well, uh..maby...AH THERE Y-- NOO!"

Wheatley exasperated as he continued through the empty facility. That one living test subject, the one that managed to somehow survive this mess. He knew she was around here somewhere..somewhere, somewhere, somewhere. The perfect plan to escape the research center, avoid waking "her" up and go on to..well, actually, Wheatley never considered what he would do if he ever got out of this mess. Maby be a dentist? Human teeth are always filthy, he could clean it.

...Except, except he doesn't have arms. Would be pretty tough, wouldn't it? So many thoughts flooded his synthetic mind, all of them immediatly dropping the moment he found it. The right door, Wheatley had finally found it. The 5-step plan was now a-go. Activated. Operated. Abunch of other fancy word and the lot!

Step 1; Wake up!
Step 2; Find the girl!
Step 3; Find a way out of the research center!
Step 4...eh, erm..
Step 5; Become a dentist!

The perfect escape plan was ago. The transit real whined to a stop as Wheatley would be staring at the door. His small blue eye twitched as he examined it. Yep, looked like the right one. The personality core would ponder briefly before playing a sound..of a door knocking. A shame he lacked arms to actually knock with.

*knock, knock, knock*

"Hello? Is anyone in there?"

*knock, knock, knock*

"Hellooo? Are you..gonna open the do--" The door suddenly opens, Wheatley jumping. "AH! Oh, god, you look terri-- ah, eh, good! Looking good, actually. Now.."

Wheatley would pause his process when he notices..nothing. No one there. Zilch. Nada. Complete lack of life. "Wait, what..?" he quietly questions...when everything suddenly turns to white.

~~~~

A small, round white mechanical object would be lying in the snow. It isn't moving..

@EVERYONE
 

Alonne's eyes were a dark brown under his helmet, they were wide with surprise. At what she said, though, they were replaced with a more friendly expression. "I'm glad, for I would have hated to hurt you, little one! I'd like to think of myself as friendly, at least."

...

"Please get off of me, though."



"I'm fairly confident, miss, that none of our present company is responsible. Why would they knock themselves out and leave themselves at our mercy?"​




Alonne blinked down at her. His deep voice held a hint of confusion as he moved his blade about. "What is a cosplayer? Are you alright, little one? Were you struck on the head?"​





Alonne stepped between them, his voice assuming an air of authority, his voice's volume matching the size of his lungs in a deafening roar. "That's enough! Now is not the time for such pursuits! Right now, allies may be all we have for help, and, if you start killing each other, we'll likely all be doomed!"


@OrlandoBloomers @C.T. @Saint Guillotine @Schnee Corp Lawyer @TheSpringwoodSlasher @El Tigre! @Thuro The Assassin Potato @Kaykay @CrunchyCHEEZIT @Lissamel @Jeremi @Atomyk @Josh M
Karen just flashed the man a wide smile. "Wow, a cosplayer not just in looks but in spirit! That's pretty cool, you know. But..." she looked up at him. "Aren't you a little old for that?"​

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The transformation didn't really seem to make much difference to the brute in any case. This woman had made a clear-cut threat to him and that was all the reason Meta needed to put her out of his misery. His finger reached towards the trigger of his gun as she asked the question of him and all she received was an aggravated growl. Who was she to ask anything of him? She might not have been the one who brought them all here but she certainly didn't seem keen on calming the situation and making threats was only going to get her a nice spot on the 'who does he brutally beat when the opportunity arises' list.

That and she didn't seem keen on standing down either. So who was he to not oblige her? He raised the Brute Shot and prepared to fire..

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Alonne's voice didn't intimidate the freelancer but it did make him pause. If he were to open fire and otherwise engage in combat with this girl, it'd get the others on his case no doubt. Not that he didn't think he could take them, specially since some of them were still waking up. But it was avoidable for the moment at least. So with no audible response, he lowered the gun and turned away from Jen.

She was still on his list however, just in case she ever wanted to pick up from where they'd left off here.

Slinging the Brute Shot back upon his back, he clenched his hands into fists at Nora's statement. He hadn't expected her to understand him but now that it seemed that she could, no point in trying to sugarcoat things. Wasn't his way of doing things anyway.

"Grrrr.."


@OrlandoBloomers @C.T. @Saint Guillotine @Schnee Corp Lawyer @BarrenThin @El Tigre! @Thuro The Assassin Potato @Kaykay @CrunchyCHEEZIT @Lissamel @Jeremi@Atomyk @Josh M
Karen decided to poke the gun, seemingly ignoring the tension in the air. "Is that real? How'd you get a real gun?" Perhaps she felt it was just part of the show.​
 
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