Fantasy New Oasis: Four Heavenly Kings

[Sei Shonagon]

Julian Midgley

CS Link

SCENE:

Serpents Arc 3: Scene 1 [Thicker Than Water]

LOCATION:

Mysterious Black Site (hall 1), North District

PARTICIPANTS:

August, Peyton, Kisara, and Takaonna

Serpents Arc 3: Scene 1 [Thicker Than Water]

The blonde registered the few names that slipped between their interactions. Or rather, the single name that was revealed- August. It rang an equally single bell within his empty head and resonated into skin in crow's feet. They took to the air with a thud and an 'omph' as the horned assailant hurled him at the floor. His spirit was, in contrast to his physical body, anything but downfallen and he soon brandished his trademark smile once more. "That's fine!" He chirped back at the threat and crawled his way up to feet. "Heave-ho" Julian dusted off his tattered clothes, to no effect as the stains had been engrained onto the coarse fabric.

His offer pended unanswered in the air and eventually settled on his shoulders to the picture of a shawl- hundreds of fluttering webbed wings framing his delicate face. A single insect flew ahead.

Julian assessed his companions with a quick look up and down "Shall we?".

The motley crew ambled down the corridor under the blonde's lead, jaundice light flickering undecidedly over the intruders. Silence closed in on them as it pressed forth from deformed walls and stifled steps and breaths alike. Quiet, it was too quiet. Julian sucked in the pressed ambience and converted it into sound in his lungs. "So- sable serpents hmmm. Raph told me about you," The blonde wagged his finger and spun half a circle. He faced his followers and began to wager guesses at them. "You must be Kisara, his best friend-" The finger pointed at the horned girl whom none other could fit the description for.

Invisible strings pulled the piano fingers to play on. "You must be Peyton, hmm-" He tapped his lip in hummed wonder and shrugged "Looks can be deceiving, I suppose!". Julian kept the boy's label to himself as he rounded the verse up with the mint guy "-And you're August". The sentence was cut short by the vibrato of a smirk. Ambivalent as it was neither a positive sound, too taunting for that, nor a negative one with the modicum of delight that purred through it.

"Well~ what's better than the reunion of good old friends." The blonde whirled around, got caught on his own dragging foot, and tripped just in time for another discovery. His body hit the floor with knees and hands to the reaction of an "Ow!". The dull pain was quickly forgotten, however in favour of the change of surroundings- melted hotel hallways had filtered back to the dingy prison aesthetic. His chest puffed out and icy eyes twinkled. "Aha! I knew it," Julian felt up the familiar stone walls "There was no way the rest of this place was that fancy".

Spoiler: Tags + clothes + tldr

clothes x
Julian leads the group out of the illusion
Coyote Hart Doctor Llamabean AriAriAbabwa simj26

 

[Doctor Llamabean]

NAKAZAJO CHIKAGE

CS Link

SCENE:

New Oasis Arc 3: Scene 2 [The Dragon and the Phoenix]

LOCATION:

Driving, East District

PARTICIPANTS:

Chikage, Sebastian

THE DRAGON AND THE PHOENIX

Or so he thought.

Chikage followed the highway at a dangerous speed, granting the vehicles in his path little time to pull off the road before he was recklessly swerving around them.

There was no guarantee that something was wrong, but Chikage hardly neglected his intuition. His gut had served to be his most loyal companion over the years, so you wouldn’t catch him denying it yet.

He cut a right-hand turn, reaching a straight stretch that would eventually take him to the SEC bridge. Just then, blurring past his peripheral, the familiar form of a man holding out a hitchhiker’s thumb caught his attention.

Sebastian? Chikage glared into his rearview mirror, confirming that it was, in fact, Prosecutor Se. What… is that asshole doing?

Scoffing—at first, he ignored it and kept driving.

About a mile down the road, however, he hit the brakes, spun a U-turn, and headed back to pick the man up, for he could prove useful in the upcoming unknowns, whatever they may be. Another U-turn; pulling up to the curb, the Jeep lurched as it halted.

“Get in already,” Chikage spat through the downed passenger-window. When he did, Sebastian, Chikage slammed on the gas and returned on-way to CDPD HQ. “Can you call the precinct?”

CHIKAGE/POST NOTES​

— —The majority of the front, right half of Chikage's body is badly scarred from burns, stopping halfway up his neck. For this reason, he wears a black, leather glove always covering his right hand, and usually wears long-sleeved, concealing clothes. Reference (X)

— —What he's wearing: (Click) Formal suit with a red overcoat + Watch on his left wrist; Only the right hand is gloved

— —Chikage's Jeep: (Click)

— —POST RECAP: Chikage picks up Sebastian.

(Interacting w/ Sebastian)
(Mentioned no one)
Coyote Hart ​

 

[Coyote Hart]

SEBASTIAN SE

CS Link

SCENE:

New Oasis Arc 3: Scene 2 [The Dragon and the Phoenix]

LOCATION:

Chikage's Jeep, East District

PARTICIPANTS:

Chikage, Sebastian

The Dragon and the Phoenix

Chikage drove right by him, the sirens fading into the distance. What the fuck. The audacity. "Senpai, you prick..."

Sebastian's hand dejectedly fell down, and his posture slumped slightly. It made sense that Chikage couldn't pick him up though. He was responding to some sort of emergency after all. There had been no guarantee that Chikage was responding to the loss of communication with the police station. And even if he was, there was no reason to waste time by picking Sebastian up.

But then a miracle happened. The sirens that had been fading in the distance revitalized into a louder noise. Chikage was coming back to get him. All of a sudden, Sebastian perked right back up as the jeep returned to Sebastian's position so that he could get back in. Yup, that was it. Chikage was just playing hard to get. Giddily, he gladly took the passenger seat that was offered.

"Good afternoon to you too, captain," Sebastian said, cheery and nonchalant despite Chikage immediately cutting to the chase. For a moment, Sebastian was thrown back in his seat as Chikage dangerously accelerated forward, and only after the jerk had worn off, he continued "I've lost contact with the station. I could try again though."

Once again, Sebastian called up the police department, this time going for the front desk reception. It seemed the both of them had arrived at the same conclusion, that something had happened at the police station. It made Sebastian relieved that his logic was not too unsound. Once again, the call connected to shrill and dissonant static.

"No dice," Sebastian said, immediately ending the call. The sound hurt his ears, and he didn't want to hear it for any longer than necessary. The same thing happened when he called Eric's cell, even after texting him that he was on a gameshow and needed some obscure video game knowledge. Sebastian shuffled through ideas of what possibly had happened, "It could be that the communications system just fell apart. Or this is like a really bad faith prank. But that doesn't feel right..."

Sebastian let the conclusion that something related to the gangs was happening at the station hang in the air instead of speaking them aloud. The prosecutor fell silent, pondering the situation. On one hand, it had only been a few years since the police were able to reclaim Central, and potentially losing Central once again felt daunting. On the other hand, a bit of excitement was the perfect break from the dull paperwork. But was that kind of thought okay?

"If we lose Central, we might have to set up a 'police brothel' in the South's Nightlight district for our base of operations..." Sebastian mused aloud. But then with a jolt, he realized he said his thoughts right in front of his boss. He quickly backtracked with red ears and hands that waved around rapidly, as if to dispel his words, "Wait no, that's a joke! I swear that's a joke."

Doctor Llamabean

 

[BluEndings]

AZURE DRAGONS

SCENE:

Azure Dragons Arc 3: Scene 3 [Ripples of Stardust]

LOCATION:

Zhànzhēng Resort, East District

PARTICIPANTS:

Arisa, Hiram, Kazue, Omar, Ottilie, Mirza

RIPPLES OF STARDUST

Zhànzhēng Resort | ???​

The confidence in Ervin’s expressions were all but gone.

The depth of comprehension that the situations demanded was beginning to seem beyond him after all. It was almost humbling, but not enough to cause the man to close up shop just yet. The unknowns in front of him were likewise unknowns in turn. Each side had pieces to play, and wages to barter.

This was far from over.

“Forgive my farce.” He deterred, pulling a small coffer from his coat. “I was to run you around on a wild-goose chase, and plant this in any otherwise meaningless room. That key was just a means to an end.”

A shiver escaped his exterior.

“It turns out I’m clueless after all. I can only hope your aim benefits my employer in the end.”

He swiveled around, but offered one last guidance. “I’m not sure how these fiends did it, but that door leads to the owner's office. By all means it shouldn’t even be on the floor we currently occupy.” He cracked a smile, and set the coffer on the ground. “This trinket may be of no value to a man like you, but perhaps you can off-load it onto another.”

“For a boon of course.”

At this point, the growing commotion outside could be heard but in spite of it, the two masked individuals by the door continued their role and carefully pushed each side open until the breadth of the room beyond was laid bare. It was abnormally vacant with the walls and floors lacking any significant decorations compared to the hallways prior. A far too average looking room for what was meant to be the ‘owner’s office’, and the one who sat at its center was far too young.

A young man, and the second most important person in the building.

Mingze Sieh—the son.

Zhànzhēng Resort | Outside​

Hifumi’s face flashed a disagreeable expression at Arisa’s arrival.

“I take it as you are Kairong’s stand-in?” The scrutiny in his gaze solidified. “His departure from this mission is unfortunate, given the developments, but you will have to suffice.”

“We are currently trying to locate some instigators; they plan to reduce this building to rubble.”

He advanced over to Hiram’s side at their request, and his eyes finally softened.

“You arrived with Kairong and the other two, correct?” Air hissed between his teeth. “I began undertaking this task with the antlered one upon first arrival. Did you have any knowledge of anyone else bound to appear?”

His tone only continued to seethe at the sounding fox which showed no sign of stopping its insistent yipping. There was a moment when his focus snapped towards its direction, and his mouth gave way, but not long enough for words to form. The consequences of the emanating waves of duress had interrupted every previous intent and made themselves known to all. Shrieks and other upsetting resonations began to erupt throughout the resort. Sounds of pain and terror blending into a single undeniable sensation—dread.

“It’s too early.” Hifumi mumbled.

The incapacitated man on the ground began to seize, shudder, and mewl—but not due to any poison. This reaction was too intrinsic. A latent response to the natural horrors that the waking world birthed, but heightened to a freakish extent. A single motion from one of his flailing arms sent the mask by his side skidding towards the h-named duo. All the while, the aggrieved individual began to blabber illusory grievances.

“I-I’M SORRY—”

Hifumi turned towards the newly vocal individual.

“PLEASE Y-YOU HAVE TO FORGIVE ME.” They wept. “I-I LOST EVERYTHING—EVERYTHING! T-THAT BLASTED FAMILY! TOOK O-OUR PRIVACY! T-TOOK OUR FREEDOM! TOOK OUR J-J-JOBS!”

The pulling at their eyelids was uncomfortable to watch, but failed to draw blood.

“I-I HAD NOTHING”—their nails ran down their face but left no marks—”NOTHING LEFT. T-THEY—THEY—HE OFFERED ME A FUTURE. HE G—”

Stepping forward, Hifumi’s foot fell upon the mask with undiscerning countenance. Though it didn’t immediately give, the weight was enough for it to snap. As if on cue, the man’s mad rambling came to a sudden halt and the weighted block shifted slightly.

Once again the pale-haired dragon's mouth opened, and once more his words were interrupted.

Perhaps easily missed during the fresh chaos, the small fox had slipped from its place and bounded towards a new destination. Upon arriving it had dug its teeth into the heel of a very exasperated and appalled Hifumi. His response was immediate, and inept—a desperate and subconscious effort to remove the feral animal. Even if that effort meant kicking the damned thing.

“IS NO ONE SPARED FROM THIS DETESTABLE MADNESS??” Vexation in eyes and voice were clear for all to see. “WE...we need to”—he looked over to Kazue, to anyone—”what… what do we do?”

NAVIGATE

 

[joshuadim]

EMIEL

SCENE:

Phoenixes Arc 3: Scene 1 [Follow the Lightning]

LOCATION:

South District

PARTICIPANTS:

Hitoshi, Noa, Ryoma

FOLLOW THE LIGHTNING

As the fighting continued, a familiar buzz emanated from Emiel's pocket which caused him to bring his phone up. His eyes widened when he recognized the number before clicking to answer: "Ja?" he said, before a voice on the other end of the line spoke with words that made the Oranjese gangster's eyes widen in both surprise and glee. "Ja." was all he said before hanging up. He'd have a bit more fun before heading out...

Ryoma, having come across the truth behind the bat-man's potentiality, now had a new advantage to use as he continued to fight against the two goons assigned towards him. Taunting them proved effective as they both lost their cool to the man's arrogance on display and took the initiative. This would prove to be their mistake as Ryoma dodged a hook from the man who amplified his hits by going underneath, before advancing straight for the bat-man himself with a brutal diagonal uppercut/hook hybrid that, again, collided with the man at full force. But still he stood his ground as he took the impact, but Ryoma was not done as he brought another fist towards the man's chest with a powerful gut strike, then another towards the chest, until it became a flurry of coordinated strikes.

Being an experience fighter, Ryoma used his precision to aim at places the man couldn't block or guard in time to wail onto his body. More and more the man absorbed, but he began to waver until, at last, a final strike collided with his face and sent him flying back as two teeth were knocked out and he was promptly put unconscious as he crashed to the ground and did not stir. "Jij klootzak!" his other opponent yelled in rage as he swung another fist from up fight downwards. Ryoma managed to dodge, causing the man's fist to collide with the ground: the blow amplified twice, then three times to create visible shockwaves along the floor that sent up debris flying everywhere that pattered Ryoma like an annoying hailstorm. It would have been much worse for him had the hit landed.

Tyr on the other hand changed tactics as more projectiles continued to fly his way without reprieve, with the wind-thrower now abandoning all pretext of defense to try to overwhelm the bodyguard through numbers alone. Emiel watched this with more interest as he raised an eyebrow to observe what the bodyguard would do next against an overwhelming gale. To his surprise, Tyr had picked up the cloak he had before and used it as a shield as a temporary buffer against the attacks which collected needles of air that stabbed into and quickly dissipated. The cloak was going to be ruined, that's for sure, but this was a sacrifice that was well worth it as Tyr rebounded and pushed forward until he threw the cloak. It collided with the man, having failed to stop its momentum with his air attacks, and was taken aback by its misleading appearace as it was heavier than it looked. This was the opening Tyr needed as he rounded about and went for an attack from behind...

Emiel motioned a hand to the figure behind him, who had been also watching the entire time, which brought him into action immediately as he took a step forward and looked at Tyr's vicinity. Immediately, a black void opened up in between Tyr and his target which, in his current momentum, sent him careening towards it. Crossing through the border, Tyr was unharmed in his entirety. However, he quickly realized that he was on a collision course with Ryoma now he exited through another void that opened up right next to the man. The bodyguard managed to, just in time, pull his blade away from slicing at the fellow Phoenix, but crashed into him which sent them both stumbling back a few feet after impact.

The wounded Oranjese either scrambled back to their ranks, or were carried in the case of the bat-man, as they regrouped for an exit. "I'd love to stay and chat some more, but business calls." Emiel then spoke up with a smile, "We'll have that chat with your friend after all. Ciao!" He gave a mocking wave with his hand as a black void opened up around the as a sphere, swallowing them before it quickly dissapated to leave nothing but empty air where they once stood. The battle had ended, and the Phoenixes had greatly wounded two of the Oranjese while the other two were hurt and tired.

But there came the other issue: they had found Hitoshi. Or at least, that's what Emiel had made it sound like with his parting words.

Sajeem meekly looked out from the back of the establishment after the fighting had ended, before pushing out and giving a sigh of relief. "Finally those bastards are gone! My place is now *completely* fucked up!" he said as he looked around incredulously from the aftereffects of their fighting. He shook his head: "Bah... whatever. I, uh, overheard on the cameras... sounds like they have your man right?"

He motioned with his thumb over his shoulder to the back exit. "When those assholes came first, they left out the back like your pal did. Maybe you have a trail there...? I dunno. Thanks for teaching them a lesson anyway."

Interacting: Ryoma ( Stros ), Noa (@Peckinou )

 

[Chaos Gallant]

Jack

CS Link

SCENE:

New Oasis Arc 3: Scene 3 [Silence for the Damned]

LOCATION:

Dilapidated Clinic, North District

PARTICIPANTS:

Charmy, Dagger, Guinevere, Jack

Silence for the Damned

“It’s like a goddamn all-ya’-can-eat buffet with these guys!” Jack let out as he shot another sword towards the undead lurching into bite his arm. Barely able to set his attention aside to the trio with their incapacitated zombie king, Jack started to worry he might be here all day. ‘I shoulda’ packed more snacks.’ He thought as his stomach rumbled, letting a few more shots from his revolver fly straight through another zombie's head.

Jack fired the last shot in his chamber and holstered his gun. He reached into his coat pocket, pulling out his stash of jerky, and summoning blades around him in a defensive position. He glanced in the Charmy’s group’s direction in his spare moments trying to determine if their situation would be improving soon to no avail. Letting out a deep sigh, he stowed the jerky bag and unholstered his weapon once more, summoning a saber in his other hand as he began to swing and slash at the horde of undead once more.

Spoiler: Tags

The One Eyed Bandit BluEndings simj26 Elenion Aura

 

[simj26]

NPC POST - AVANT GARDE

SCENE:

Serpents Arc 3: Scene 1 [Thicker Than Water]

LOCATION:

Mysterious Black Site, North District

PARTICIPANTS:

August, Damian, Kinsley, Kisara, Kyo, Peyton, Raph, Sabrina, Shinko, Julian

THICKER THAN WATER

She never replied to either Damian's mimcry of her speech, or to Sabrina's query. She didn't seem interested in doing so in the first place. Her eyes were simply that of a killer's, and her targets were in front of her. Her introduction had been made, and she had run out of words to say after that. Now, it was only the actions that matter. The swordswoman pushed away from Sabrina’s sword just before the lightning ran up her own sword, using the force to flip backwards and away, landing daintily on Damian’s blade as it passed her last position. Using the inertia of the passing blade to tip herself over the edge of it, she landed neatly, crouched, right in between both of them. Her eyes darted across the arena, as if she were looking for something, before she swept her leg out around her, aiming to knock her two opponents to the ground.

QuirkyAngel Lucem Elenion Aura Kyuubey

 

[EmperorsChosen]

Rin Chiyase

CS Link

SCENE:

The Dragon and the Phoenix

TIME:

New Oasis Arc 3: Scene 2

LOCATION:

Upper Central District

PARTICIPANTS:

Hou, Isaiah, Kanna, Meirin, Ra, Shen, Soren,
Helva, Maho, Rin, Vulken, Varoslav

The Dragon and the Phoenix

As the old man was replaced by a younger woman, this only served to confuse Rin further. However, the woman spoke plainly and was straight to the point, making things a bit easier to follow this day. Noticeably, the oni perked up, as if having an epiphany. However, it was really just that she had an idea of what was happening.

The woman pulled up her shirt to show a phoenix tattoo, a sign of an ally, though to be honest it looked as though the king was already a tad pissed off at the giant dragon girl and Yong-Yut, so Rin wasn't going to be picky.

The oni flashed her a confident grin. "Leave it to me! I'm sure between the giant gal 'n me, we can keep Lyric down for you to get close! ...Unless you want me to shotput you," Rin suggested, loosening up her neck and shoulders with a few rotations and clicks.

The fact their supposed leader had broken through that grip wasn't lost on Rin. Rather, it only made her more curious to try in order to see where she lined up. Tossing her jacket onto the side of the car, Rin began stepping forward towards the three facing off. As she grew closer, her musculature began to bulge and grow while skin tightened and shifted to a deep red. The horns on her head grew in size and increasingly jagged, and her overall mass seemed to increase as well, now towering above even her old height. Each further step carried increased weight and power, sounding an audible thud as the cement beneath her cracked.

As she drew closer, Rin broke into a sprint, the ground beneath her foot indenting from being used as a kick-off point. Then, she leaped, leaving a large depression in the ground as she did so. The red oni had leaped past the King before turning and making a mad dash towards Lyric. A wide, toothy grin was visible on her face and certainly didn't fit the visage of someone trying to help. Nonetheless, as she drew closer to Lyric, her arms widened to capture her in a bear hug.

@Peckinou @SilverFlight Lucem FabulousTrash @The Prophet Elenion Aura @LXI Nobody Special @L.Amour QuirkyAngel @The Suspicious Eye

 

[Lucem]

Fade (Isaiah Spade)

CS Link

SCENE:

New Oasis Arc 3: Scene 2 [The Dragon and the Phoenix]

LOCATION:

Central District

PARTICIPANTS:

Isaiah, Helva, Kaede, Kanna, Meirin, Rin, Shen, Vulken, Yong-Yut

THE DRAGON AND THE PHOENIX

The artificial entourage of Dragons and Phoenixes vanished. With the arrival of blood and steel, it became clear to Isaiah that whatever effect his illusions had on the Kings had ended. The small flashes of recognition were forgotten, and both rulers focused on their new opponents, paying no mind to their surroundings.

As Shen chased after the Phoenixs' Jack, fleeing the scene and taking away any hope of getting through to him, Isaiah watched with an unwavering expression. He was tempted to give chase and support his King, but he knew that trying to catch up would be wasted effort. Both Shen and Alex were too fast, and there was too much chaos to drive through. All he could do was have faith in the man's strength and pray that he'd prevail.

Despite failing, Isaiah kept his focus. There wasn't a single emotion that broke through his calm. Things hadn't gone the way he had hoped, but at the very least, he was able to confirm his suspicions. The Kings' unnatural behavior and reactions led him to believe that something truly did have power over their minds. Obtaining that knowledge was a step in the right direction, and it brought a ceasefire to the ongoing argument with his own thoughts. However, that alone wouldn't help with the current situation.

Even if he and the others gained a better understanding of what was happening, they didn't have the means to stop it. Shen was gone, and Lyric had set her sights on Meirin. Right now, it seemed like their only options were to run or stop the former Emperor. The first was unacceptable. If they left, Lyric would probably go straight for Shen, and he couldn't allow that. For his King's sake, he had to stall the hammer-wielding woman for as long as possible. If only that was as easy to do as it was to say.

As he prepared to create another illusion to aid Meirin, Isaiah noticed more people gathering near the car. Momo had left, but in his place stood two other Phoenixes. First, there was the horned woman from earlier. The second was a woman he'd never seen before, but many factors made him suspicious of her.

Shortly after Momo left, the bespectacled woman popped up in his place. Not only had she come straight to the car, but she was able to quickly explain the situation to the other Phoenix. While it was possible that Momo could've informed her of what was happening, the short amount of time that had gone by made it seem unlikely.

Ultimately, he decided to shelve his questions. Handling Lyric came first, and if the tattooed brunette spoke the truth, they had a chance at succeeding. For the sake of Shen, Meirin, and all the other people in the mindless King's path, everyone had to cooperate and work quickly.

The moment Yong-Yut placed their hands on the trunk of the car, Isaiah revealed himself. "If you need to get close, I can help. Just tell as much as you can about what you have in mind."

The brunette eyed the illusionist with pursed lips and ironed out the shirt with her palm. “I need to get close enough to touch her. After that it’s just a matter of what we do with her body- and mine. I will be passed out and she will be incapacitated if it works, if not-” Brown eyes averted furtively “-If it works we can focus on the Dragon King afterwards. Lyric will have to be restrained securely, though, my potential can only affect one person at a time”.

Yong-Yut gave a short nod after Kaede spoke, her eyes flickering to the Dragon fighting the Phoenix King. "I've told Meirin to lure Lyric over here. However, it's best to meet her, rather than wait." Patting the trunk, she continued. "I've brought the artificial darkness from the meeting point. It might help if things go wrong."

After hearing from both of the Phoenixes, Isaiah eyed the woman he now believed to be Momo. Taking everything into account, he suspected her Potential to somehow be related to possession, a very dangerous ability. Thankfully, it appeared as though Lyric would be the only one to fall victim to it. Assuming they were able to pull this off.

"Understood. I'll do what I can." As he spoke, Momo vanished, swallowed by a cloak that erased all traces of her footsteps and appearance. Only he could still see her, her form like that of a hazy silhouette in his eyes.

"I'll keep the others updated on your position as you move and help them keep your King distracted. You can focus on doing what you need to do."

With that, he turned his attention to the Phoenix King and the horned woman who ran to meet her. When all three were grouped together, he traced an imaginary line around them and erected massive walls that surrounded the trio. Only one opening remained, giving his two allies more visibility while limiting Lyric's. As mere illusions, they couldn't physically stop anyone, and their usefulness would largely depend on how perceptive the enemy was in her current state. At the very least, he could try to assist by moving the barriers, limiting the King's vision and movement.

"You can pass right through the walls. Choose your moment carefully."

Spoiler: Tags

Elenion Aura EmperorsChosen FabulousTrash @gxxberkit Nobody Special @Peckinou QuirkyAngel Sei Shonagon

 

[Doctor Llamabean]

NAKAZAJO CHIKAGE & SEBASTIAN SE

CS Link

SCENE:

New Oasis Arc 3: Scene 2 [The Dragon and the Phoenix]

LOCATION:

Driving, East District

PARTICIPANTS:

Chikage, Sebastian

THE DRAGON AND THE PHOENIX

“I've lost contact with the station. I could try again though,” Sebastian answered.

Chikage glanced at him briefly, sternly, and gave a directive nod— “Do that.” —before his eyes were quick on the road again.

Sebastian heeded the order. Then, “No dice.” And Chikage sighed a light but dissatisfied breath. The steering wheel’s leather squeaked under-palm beneath his tightening grip.

Sebastian went on about the communications system and pranks— Chikage shook his head wordlessly as if to disagree —then about the loss of Central, and that made the Captain’s brow twitch.

“Wait no, that's a joke! I swear that's a joke.”

“You regard this matter as an opportunity for jests?” His tone carried an edge of hostility.

They were crossing the SEC bridge by now.

Sebastian took from his pockets a packet of pocky, chomping on one of them to relieve the stress of the situation. Chikage really had a way of making you scared of him. The truth was that the words were just Sebastian running through possible scenarios that could happen.

“It’s just that I thought of a ridiculous possibility,” Sebastian confessed, trying to ignore the cold sweat that threatened to form on his back, “Sure, now’s not the time to laugh, but you’ll get worry lines if you’re always that serious, captain. The ladies wouldn’t be into that look.”

“Wh-!?” Chikage did a double-take at his passenger.

There were a few clicking noises as Sebastian broke off parts of his pocky stick with his teeth. The delightful taste of matcha perfused into his mouth.

“What in fuck’s sake are you doing!?” His jaw hung slack, expression twisted with a blend of annoyance and disbelief at the audacity of this asshole.

Back and forth from the road to Sebastian and to the road again, Chikage’s countenance grew more aggravated, and his voice adopted a throaty growl. “This is my personal vehicle- not some standard-issue cruiser for you to slob away in!... Put. The candy… Away.” That last part left the Captain through gritted teeth; a low, threatening utterance.

His meeting with Lars Albrecht of Albrecht Industries had set his nerves incredibly fragile. Every little thing sent a heat rushing through him. The watch on his wrist beeped twice to indicate his rising blood pressure, and he promptly clamped his mouth shut, jaw creaking beneath the strain of a harsh bite. Suppress. Restrain. Smother the anger. Swallow the rage.

. . . Chikage repeated himself, calmer this time, “Put the candy away,” whether Prosecutor Se had already done so or not.

They’d successfully reached Central by now.

“Fine, fine,” Sebastian said, stuffing the rest of the pocky stick into his mouth before with a rustle, returned the packet of ‘candy’ into his pockets. To him, Chikage was the asshole here, immediately blowing up over a joke and then, when Sebastian looked for something to calm his nerves other than cigarettes, yelling at him. The pocky wasn’t candy, it was his version of a nicotine patch!

It didn’t bother Sebastian too much though, and he simply scoured the ground to make sure he didn’t drop any crumbs. With a confused look, Sebastian pulled himself out of the passenger floor with what seemed to be Chikage’s phone, and he put it into the cupholder of the jeep. Diplomatically, Sebastian said, “I’ll help vaccum your car if I dropped something.”

Suddenly, Sebastian realized that it was quite weird that they were in Chikage’s personal car. Sure, the battery powered siren at the top made it a ‘police vehicle,’ but it was still weird. “Say, why aren’t you in a cruiser? Wouldn’t it be more of a headache if your personal car broke down if you had to…”

Sebastian struggled to find a situation other than the one he was in two hours ago and failed. With no other choice, he finished his sentence, “...run over like four gangsters and got blood on it?” Hopefully Chikage didn’t think the example was too oddly specific.

Except he did.

Flashing Sebastian a strange look—a curl of the upper lip and wrinkle of the nose—he opened his mouth to speak, only to close it again to rethink his response. Then, “I would buy a new one,” he said, matter-of-factly.

That’s when it became apparent to Chikage that the long-stretch of road ahead was now barren, and the only traffic to note flowed opposite of them in the left-hand lane.

Just then, the sight of a woman proportionately growing to an enormous height—that her crown crested slightly above the surrounding medium-rise buildings—gave pause to the Captain. He blinked to assure himself, then his eyes went down to the road where their path had been blocked by a multiple-car pileup.

Without hesitation, Chikage’s foot slammed the brake to the floor. The Jeep whipped sideways with squealing enthusiasm and rerouted onto a different road. In just a glimpse, he had discerned that the wreck happened some time ago; there were no civilians on the scene, nor did it appear to be serious.

“Ahh!” Sebastian shouted as he was thrown around by the sudden breaking. His head slammed against the dashboard, and if not for his HP durability, it would’ve done some serious damage.

“What was that for?” Sebastian asked as he recovered, “Now we’re going the wro– Oh.”

That was when the giant woman came into his sights. Sebastian had enough of a presence at the Eternal Night Palace to know who this person was. And if she had decided to transform into such a monstrous size, it could only spell really bad trouble.

The officers at the precinct could hold their own for now. There were more pressing matters for the prosecutor and the police chief.

CHIKAGE/POST NOTES​

— —The majority of the front, right half of Chikage's body is badly scarred from burns, stopping halfway up his neck. For this reason, he wears a black, leather glove always covering his right hand, and usually wears long-sleeved, concealing clothes. Reference (X)

— —What he's wearing: (Click) Formal suit with a red overcoat + Watch on his left wrist; Only the right hand is gloved

— —Chikage's Jeep: (Click)

— —POST RECAP: Chikage and Sebastian see Meirin and reroute.

(Interacting w/ Sebastian)
(Mentioned Meirin)
Coyote Hart ​

 

[Saturn_moon]

Collab

SCENE:

Tigers Arc 3: Scene 1 [Where Giants Sleep]

LOCATION:

Heavenly Beast Plaza, Lower Central District

PARTICIPANTS:

Elias, Ezra, Isobel, Kenji, Passeri, Wren

Where Giants Sleep

Ezra was quite pleased with the way things had turned out. Getting rid of the eyesore that was the Priestess's mask was plenty satisfying, but being recognized by Beatrice Grant of all people was a nice cherry on top. Finally, someone knew excellence when they saw it. Although, in a situation like this, the experience was a touch less gratifying than it normally would have been .

"Well, I am the black sheep." He responded with the same tone and expression that had been sticking with him since his sudden drastic change in demeanor, unshaken by the woman's threats and the charge of her mindless peons. He didn't even flinch at the sound of gunfire, calmly taking in his surroundings as the withered entertainer threw up her rose-colored barrier.

Wren and Kenji were currently preoccupied with something else, so them providing assistance didn't seem likely. At the very least, they could keep a few of the cultists busy while he handled things on his end. As for Yumin...he'd probably be fine. If he decided to stay up there, then the man must have been quite confident in his abilities. He could probably handle things alone, and it wasn't as if Ezra was in a position to worry about anyone besides himself or the other person he was currently playing caregiver for.

Keeping pace with his patient, he placed a hand on Passeri once again, forcing the fresh bullet wounds to close. He'd wait a bit longer before trying to reverse the effects of the poison again, as he wasn't too keen on exhausting himself at the moment. Especially not for someone else's benefit.

"I suggest you take your own advice. You can't reason with fanatics." The thought of trying to negotiate with people hell-bent on awakening some supernatural force was comical at best and suicidal at worst.

Would anyone so devoted to a cause change their minds simply because someone they have no connection to talked them into it? Would that result change the fates of people killed or the lives ruined in the process? He wasn't sure how genuine Passeri's desire for a civil resolution was, but entertaining the notion that this could end without one side killing the other made her just as insane as the Sleeper fanclub.

Faces had been exposed, and the command to kill had been given. The only course of action left was to make sure the hardworking city officials didn't live long enough to make him and the other Tigers pay for having interrupted their clandestine group's little ritual. Of course, Ezra and the others still needed to gather information, so killing enemies right away didn't seem like the best approach. It was highly unlikely any of the cultists would willingly answer questions, but fortunately, they had someone who specialized in pulling secrets out of people.

Before they could get answers, they still had to deal with the immediate threats, such as the sacrificial lambs following their owner's commands. Two of them climbed on top of the third in order to get over the glowing wall, causing the poor footstool to be knocked into the waters below. They weren't the most agile bunch. Considering how easily they were able to slit their own throats, it was likely that none of them had that classic HP toughness either. That would make things a lot easier.

"They seemed eager to off themselves in front of that tomb, so lethal force may not be the smartest option right now. Anyone we kill may end up as a valuable sacrifice for this Sleeper they adore."

He gave the idol some food for thought as he sped up, now walking in front of her as he raised his weapon. He kept to the side so she'd have a bit more room to work with, but he was prepared to strike at anything that came too close to the weakened singer as both of them advanced. He truly was a paragon of kindness, but his good deed probably wouldn't be necessary. The lambs seemed far more enamored with him than Passeri. Flattering for him, and probably a rare experience for a celebrity.

“Obviously.” Passeri did not spare Ezra a glance, nor more than a word. She was already sick of this version of him. She’d seen his type before, the sort that couldn’t keep their mouths shut, that were always intent to turn their words to knives. She knew how to deal with it. Offer as little as possible, and only as much as needed. Her mind might have been muddied by the poison, but she could still tell that this was not the place to bicker.

Jacob Webber watched with mild amusement as the two Tigers below squabbled away, not noticing his presence. Somewhere along the balcony he heard five shots fired, mirroring his own, but all it took was a mere glance for them to change trajectory mid-air, before striking the wall like loose change. When it came to firearms, there wasn’t any one as proficient as he. Sure, part of it was due to his potentiality but you can’t really fault someone for the gifts they were born with.

Swinging himself over the railing, Jacob Webber landed on his feet, a couple of meters behind Ezra and Passeri. Sweeping a lock of ash white hair from his face, he removed his mask and tossed it to the side. There really wasn’t any point left in keeping up the disguise considering the Tigers weren’t going to be leaving here alive any way. He always thought the masks were a rather cowardly and feeble attempt at protection. Why hide when the those who dared to oppose them should be the ones cowering?

“My, my, my. What do we owe the pleasure. A Knight and…” He squints his eyes in Passeri’s direction. “If it isn’t New Oasis’ shining star herself.”

Webber shoots both of them a wide smile. He holds what looks to be two submachine guns, one in each hand. “What do you think of our newest import?” He asks, raising them up to eye level. “Bullets don’t do much to HPs, but they’ll still hurt a mighty bit. Let’s test them out, shall we?”

Without waiting for an answer, he released a volley of bullets.

Passeri’s barrier had already started to move. Before, she’d been caught off guard, and before, the bullets hadn’t been slowed by a monologue. Jacob’s volley fell flat, plinking merrily to the ground as the barrage of bullets turned to a rain of crumpled metal.

“Of course.” Passeri met Jacob’s squint with a glare. Resent bubbled within her eyes. It was almost frustrating just how well he fit in with the menagerie. “This is a proper gathering of leeches now, isn’t it? Is that was this is? You’ve taken an interest in bleeding people dry literally now too?” Now that she’d been exposed in proper, her lips moved unburdened.

Her Potential did, too.

A burst of light pulsed around Passeri, the birth scream of an innumerable swarm of smaller constructs, round and the size of a fingernail. They moved in a swarm, pouring around the edges of Passeri’s barrier like streams of white-streaked rapids. Left, right, up, down, they twisted through the air unbidden by the earth’s ominous rumblings, surging towards not Jacob, but his weapons instead. She’d turn them to scrap, then see how the man-shaped parasite fared without his toys.

That was three targets now. Her mind strained against its own edges. She was used to operating on a far broader stage than this, but not whilst her thoughts were trying to fold in on themselves like this. She was starting to spread herself thin.

Ezra looked over his shoulder, watching Passeri retaliate as he tightened his chokehold on one of the flailing cultists. Even in her current condition, the idol managed to pull out another move from her large bag of tricks. Fairly impressive, in its own way, but would that be enough to deal with her current opponent?

After finding out that Mrs. Grant liked to moonlight as a cult leader, he wasn't the least bit shocked by the appearance of the Webber patriach. However, the gun-toting man's arrival did complicate things. Unlike a bunch of drones with the combined strength of a malnourished child, Jacob could potentially pose an actual threat.

In the mood to get a bit more serious, Ezra loosened his grip around the man's discolored neck, allowing a moment of freedom before grabbing him by the collar and throwing him into the rushing water below. The fall itself wouldn't be enough to kill, but there was no telling what would happen once the body was out at sea. Well, as long they weren't around to become the Sleeper's morning snack, there wouldn't be an issue.

With one cultist gone, Ezra turned his attention to the other, looking down as the remaining foe squirmed underneath his shoe. His heel dug deeper into the robe-covered back as the room shook, but he took care not to crush the man's spine. Once he regained his footing, he then gave a swift kick to the sacrificial lamb's ribs, sending him after his friend as he rolled over the edge of the bridge and sank like a heavy stone.

Now that all three of the grunts had been dealt with, Ezra spun on his heels, giving his full attention to the remaining issue. He raised his blade, but he held back from charging in for now. He wasn't keen on getting caught in the idol's attack or forcing her to make adjustments, so he decided it was best to wait for a proper opening in Webber's defense.

When the sounds of gun shots finally came to a stop, the sudden quiet weighed on everyone with heavy ominosity. Hovering around Jacob Webber were at least a hundred of his fired bullets all halted in the air as if time had come to a stop, drawing a line between him and the two tigers. With a snap, the bullets all converged with rapid speed and met Passeri’s pink streaks straight on. Explosions of pink and metal lit up like fireworks around them.

That was when Ezra chose to make his move. As the explosion rang in his ears, he reached for the pommel of his sword and pulled at the very end, removing a small section of the flat bottom. He then threw the separated piece through the flurry of pink sparks and waited for the moment it flew behind the white-haired gunman. Once it had gone far enough, he followed in the footsteps of the unfortunate cultists that came before him and jumped from the edge of the bridge.

Soon after he took the plunge, he channeled his Potential into his weapon once again and felt a strong pull as it tried to connect with its missing piece. It pulled him up and then around, allowing him to circle behind Webber as the dust between the two ranged fighters settled. After the quick maneuver, the pommel became whole again with a satisfying click, and Ezra landed on the stone path.

The moment his feet touched the ground, he pounced, charging in from the rear with blade in hand. He extended his arms, lunging at Jacob as the sharpened steel threatened to pierce through him. It was a genuine attempt at wounding the enemy, but the true purpose behind Ezra's attack was creating an opportunity to disable the annoying guns in front of him. A single touch would be enough to dismantle them. Hopefully, Jacob would value his life over metal scraps, giving Ezra the opportunity he was looking for.

Collab with Lucem The One Eyed Bandit
Stros Kyuubey QuirkyAngel Uasal ​

 

[Elenion Aura]

MILO NAGISA

CS Link

SCENE:

New Oasis Arc 3: Scene 1 [PASSERI PARK'S ULTRA PASSIONATE MELODY ONSLAUGHT]

LOCATION:

Central District

PARTICIPANTS:

Pascal, Gavril, Milo, Jackson

THE HOTEL BETWIX

Milo had been running for... Well, he hadn't been running for very long before his next obstacle presented itself.

"Fuck," He exhaled without meaning to, irritation bulging up the veins in his neck. He thought he'd already grown tired of this little charade, but with each new fork in the road he further plumbed the depths of his own exasperation. "What now?" He asked of no one as he slowed his jog to a brisk walk, his head now on a swivel. If he could anticipate Miles' next move, at least the rough shape of it, then maybe he could take this next curveball in stride without losing the precious momentum he'd bought with that suckerpunch...

If only this self-indulgent bastard would get to the damn point!

Milo's heartbeat was a machine gun in his chest. He hadn't felt bad about punching that girl, mostly because he'd imagined it had been Miles' face, instead. Still, he was starting to wish he could get a crack at the genuine article once all this was done and dusted...

One more step was one step closer to the end. To hell with Miles and his one-sided love affair with the sound of his own voice. One more step and— the hallway fell apart around him. He was suddenly not alone. He was very, very not alone. He heard the sound of his own name being spoken over the intercom system. A sheet of cold sweat beaded his brow. His eyes flicked to the nearest screen—one of many—to find he was looking at himself. Specifically, he was looking at the moment he'd decided to put chivalry aside for what he assumed would've been a straight shot to the goal. He really should've known better. He wondered if that woman was okay?

As Miles' speech reached its crescendo, Milo watched as the televisions flickered away from the still-frame. He watched the pixels melt away with the aid of some cheap, middle school AV project transition software, until he was once again staring at himself. Only this time he found that he was staring back. All at once becoming keenly aware of what this all meant, he shot a few wary glances at the sudden crowd that had materialized. He wondered if any of them would take the bait..? That was foolish. Of course they would. They were desperate. He could see it in their eyes. Still, if he could pick out the over-eager ones, he'd at least know which to look out for most immediately, so as not to be caught unawares when they pounced. His grip on the metal key in his pocket instinctively tightened.

Still, if Miles thought he'd trapped him with this, if he thought he wasn't prepared to do what he had to do to get through this, then the gamemaster hadn't been properly paying attention. He reached for the sketchpad tucked in his waistband. In one fluid motion, he withdrew it and flipped the pages until they landed on the one he had in mind: a detailed sketch of a white-and-blue sports bike tearing up some country road far away. He knew what to do, had done it a thousand times before.

Ten thousand.

He concentrated on the bike, imagined what it would feel like to ride, what it might smell like. Smoking metal and gasoline. He imagined it peeling out of the page and onto the open hallway before him. He'd blast all of these pretenders away, leave them eating his dust. Every fibre of Milo's being was alive with the thrill of creation. Everything was electric.

Only... There was no release. Instead, the familiar sensation trickled and died, and Milo was left holding a useless scrap of paper. His heart skipped a beat.

"Huh..?"

Recalling Miles' last words of advice, Milo started off at a sprint, his sneakers thundering down the hall toward the first platform. He had a thirty seconds' head start. He'd already blown ten of them on a wasted conjuration—something that would've been much more alarming if he was not so preoccupied with the task at hand—and he doubted some of those hungry eyes would blanch at the idea of cutting his headstart short.

And so he moved.

Spoiler: Tags

The One Eyed Bandit

@The Regal Rper
@Anne Boolean

BriiAngelic

 

[Saturn_moon]

Wither

SCENE:

Tigers Arc 3: Scene 1 [Where Giants Sleep]

LOCATION:

???

PARTICIPANTS:

Elias, Ezra, Isobel, Kenji, Passeri, Wren

Where Giants Sleep

With every swing, Atlas only became more invigorated. He pressed forward, each step bringing Elias closer to the edge of the balcony until he had nowhere left to run. Peering into the minds of Araminta's "children", rather than memories Elias instead heard the tiny voices as if they were speaking in his head. "Mother saysssssssssss help. Trussssssst." Around Elias' feet, the insects continued to swarm until movement no longer felt like his; The insects had become an extension of him and taken control.

With the railing against Elias' back, Atlas' eyes glinted smugly as electricity crackled all around them. His game plan was playing out exactly as predicted. He only needed to deal the final blow. Rallying all his strength, Atlas charged forward, scythes swinging powerfully down from overhead. He was sure to hit. Not to mention, he had Araminta's help. There was no way he could miss.

Anticipation of metal meeting flesh built up within. This was it...

The movement was small. Almost imperceptible. In the very last second of his attack, Elias shifted. Just enough to miss his blades by a hair's width. Atlas eyes widened with surprise. All the power he had put into his attack coupled with inertia caused the large man to lose his balance. Atlas felt his weight fall over the balcony and carry him over to the other side.

The insects dispersed, scuttling back to Araminta who was now standing in one of the alcoves, amber eyes staring intently at Elias. Before she could speak, a violent tremor wrecked the room. In the background, one of the towering pillars came crashing down on the platform below. The tremor relented as Araminta quickly tapped a pattern into the stone. The alcove opened up to reveal a pitch black tunnel. "This will lead you to the central bank. The insects will guide you." Her tone was cold but something lurked beneath the words.

Turning her back on Elias, Araminta rushed off in the opposite direction. "You owe me one, Yumin."

QuirkyAngel ​

 

[Damafaud]

DYNE ENJYRE

CS Link

SCENE:

Phoenix Arc 3: Scene 2 [Tactical Mayhem]

LOCATION:

3rd Floor CDPD HQ, Upper Central District,

PARTICIPANTS:

Ashley, Oliver (NPC), Dyne, Boltius, Eric, Gideon, Inego, Roza, Tatsuya

TACTICAL MAYHEM

“Thanks, but no thanks, chick. I can still move, so I’mma keep goin’."

Dyne nodded in response. Then, that was the end of it. Dyne flung Roza's unconscious body toward Jonathan. "Take her over, darling. I owe them for saving me here."

"Ah, I have told you," Jonathan held a helpless look.

"It's my rashness this time." Dyne conceded. With an explosive jump, she leapt off the edge, leaving Boltius and Ashley behind. Jonathan flew next to her with Roza over his shoulder. A loud crash rumbled through the building left behind.

The fight was larger than she imagined. She dared to rush in before because she thought everything was a distraction to steal secret files and weapons. But now, it didn't seem like it is the case.

"Should we get guns?" She had a feeling the future wouldn't be so peaceful.

Jonathan shook his head. "Small ones are useless, but too big won't be easy to carry around."

"How about Anti-HP rounds?" Dyne glanced down. Even while speaking, she was maintaining a large barrier below her and Jonathan. Shooting them down wouldn't be easy.

"Regulated. Draw too much attention."

"Then, what if they are unregulated?"

Dyne curled her lips upward. "The Serpent King started the trend. Sleeping gas, paralyzing agent... I hear some squads up north are getting geared with them."

Jonathan held a complicated look. "I got friends in west, but north is a violent one, love."

"You have to protect me well later, darling." Dyne laughed. If Yuudai was still there, she wouldn't dare to go over with his previous threats, but now? Not only could she visit a few old faces, but there was also Peyton Xiong. Traitor or not, the young man would know more than she did, no?

The pair zoomed through the sky, leaving the CPDP headquarter westward.

Spoiler: tag

Scene: Doctor Llamabean
Tag: Roda the Red Nobody Special Wxnter Coyote Hart Lucem

 

[Wxnter]

Callista Reinhart

CS Link

SCENE:

Phoenixes Arc 3: Scene 2 [Tactical Mayhem]

LOCATION:

Chikage's Office, 3rd Floor, CDPD-HQ, Upper Central

PARTICIPANTS:

Ashley, Bolt, Eric, Gideon, Inigo, Tatsuya, Bandy, Jericho, Dyne

Tactical Mayhem

Alerted to a presence outside the door, Callista dropped the notes she was reading. The crimson butterfly flew away from the devilish man, only perching back on the door once he had entered the room. The damsel stuffed the notes in her pocket before turning, eyes flitting toward his horns and tail, then toward Bandy who hadn't noticed his arrival yet. She noted the resemblance between the two, then observed the way he affectionately curled his tail around Bandy's wrist. It was a gesture that prompted her to raise an eyebrow.

His son? She wondered. He reminded her of an anxious child clinging to his parent after getting separated in the mall. The two didn't look too far apart in age, but this man had a more youthful air about him despite his taller build and more intimidating looks. It wouldn’t be too strange if he had just developed early due to his potential; she only had to take one look at him to know he wasn't an ordinary man even for an HP.

Perhaps he was forced into a loveless marriage after knocking up his flavor of the day, she mused, her eyes settling on Bandy. For the first time, she noticed how soft his silver hair looked in the afternoon light, and she quelled the urge to reach out and ruffle his hair. What was she thinking? It merely reminded Callista of her favorite dog’s fur, and the memory of the mutt’s tragic passing cast a forlorn shadow on her face.

“I’m —” Callista began, but her introductions were cut short by Mr. Not-A-One-Woman-Type, who had been the bane of her existence since their meeting half an hour ago. If Callista was a rose, Bandy was the thorn in her side. He had a knack for getting on a person's nerves — a talent which, had it not been directed at her, she would have found amusing. She glared daggers at him, inwardly cursing the new nickname. The gears in her mind turned, plotting different ways she would get back at him after all of this was over.

"I was looking up files on the recent criminal arrests, one of which I gave to you," she hissed in response to Bandy, before turning her attention to his horned counterpart. Her lips took on a beguiled smile, a complete change in her demeanor as she spoke to the newcomer. "My name is Callista, your father's hostage. And you are?” She realized at this point that she hadn’t even learned the chili-pepper bastard’s name yet. “I sure hope you are more of a gentleman than he." Her tone was playful and polite, yet her gaze kept darting toward Bandy contemptuously.

What was it about Bandy that made her want to strangle him?

"Ah, I also found some strange notes about — " She paused mid-sentence, her eyes widening slightly as she watched the chaos that unfolded outside. Callista snickered, her findings on the captain's cult research forgotten. "It looks like reinforcements have arrived. We should probably wrap up here soon." She pulled a phone out of her coat's pocket, then began to take a folder out of the pile she had set aside moments ago. They couldn't carry all of these on their way out, so she could only think of one other way.

"Do you have your phone with you?" Callista called out to Jericho as she started to snap photos of the files. "Help me take pictures of these, hmm? The old man can make himself useful by letting us work in silence… or perhaps he should sing us a song? Does your father have other talents aside from making a pretty woman cry?"

ʚɞ ʚɞ ʚɞ​

Seeing Gideon leave, the butterflies in the breakroom flew up into the hole in the ceiling. They began to hover above Bolt and Ashley, waiting for their next move.

"Take it all down."

Upon hearing Bolt's words, the butterflies multiplied in numbers, splitting into threes, then fives. They dispersed in groups, flying away to different areas of the second floor. Moments later, a loud explosion resounded, followed by another, and another.

The explosions happened in quick succession, the butterflies wreaking havoc where they went. They blasted holes through walls, weakening the structure. A low vibration could be felt by those nearby, including the three, who were standing on the floor right above.

Outside, the butterflies also began to make their move. Red butterflies perched themselves on police officers and exploded, taking one down after another, while blue ones released pollen that sent some officers into the land of dreams. The butterflies seemed to have complete disregard for nearby Phoenixes, who almost got caught in their line of fire. Oh well, they were in the way.

Finally, the butterfly monarch's potential had been fully expended, and the remaining butterflies vanished at the same time she took a picture of the last file. Now, they must make their escape.

Interactions: Jericho & Bandy Doctor Llamabean angel doe
Mentions: Bolt, Ashley, Gideon Lucem Coyote Hart
Roda the Red simj26 Damafaud Nobody Special ​

 

[FabulousTrash]

Kanna Katsura - Azure Dragons - Jack [CS LINK]
Scene - Arc 3, Scene 2 | The Dragon and the Phoenix
Location - Eastern Edge of Central District, overlooking the SEC Bridge
Mentions/Interactions - Helva, Hou, Isaiah, Maho, Meirin, Ra, Rin, Shen, Vulken, Yong-Yut

Kanna had to give Helva credit. She was persistent and didn't go down easily.

The Jack maintained their grip on the spear as they two continued to float through the air. Helva then shouted out something, and behind them, Kanna could see a dark orb floating towards them. Suddenly, the same darkness that covered the battlefield earlier returned, but Kanna could tell this darkness was somehow... darker.

She felt a tug on the spear and suddenly, Kanna realized that she wasn't influencing anyone's gravity. She raised the spear up towards her, using her free hand to feel around until she found the spot where the spear had broke. Helva had broken the weapon, freeing them from being suspended in the air. But whether or not she was still nearby was unknown as Kanna once again couldn't see.

Kanna continued to rise up in the air in an effort to break out of the darkness. She didn't want to go down in case Helva was waiting to strike as soon as she appeared. But it seemed her opponent was one step ahead. A sharp pain ran through Kanna's leg as she let out a gasp of pain, causing her to slow down her ascent. Her hands felt around until wrapping around something wooden. If Kanna had to guess, it was another stake like the one that was thrown at Ra earlier.

Without a second thought, Kanna pulled it out and tossed it to the side along with the now-broken spear. She could feel some of the blood staining her clothing, but that was the least of her concerns. Almost immediately after, Helva was suddenly in front of Kanna once more, colliding into and grappling the Jack.

Kanna grabbed onto Helva in response. Disorientated, she didnt know which direction they were moving it, and it seemed like this time, the darkness was moving with her. All Kanna knew was that she couldn't go down. So instead, she balanced her own and Helva's gravity. The momentum of Helva's tackle sent both of them flying sideways into a nearby office building along the street, crashing through the glass window.

With any luck, the impact caused Helva to release her grip on Kanna as both tumbled through cubical walls, desks and other objects. Kanna quickly scrambled to her feet, but faltered for a moment as the pain her leg was still present. Pushing through the pain, she increased her gravity and anchored herself to the ground, making herself hard to displace. Her hands rose up in a ready position. Cuts and scrapes were all over her arms, some on her face.

Through all that, the darkness persisted. The chances of Kanna even seeing an attack before having a chance to block it was slim. All she could do for now was survive and wait for an opening.

She hoped Isaiah and the others were having better luck with the Kings in Central.

 

[Lucem]

Ashley Hart

CS Link

SCENE:

Phoenixes Arc 3: Scene 2 [Tactical Mayhem]

LOCATION:

CDPD-HQ, Upper Central District

PARTICIPANTS:

Ashley, Bandy, Boltius, Callista, Dyne, Eric, Gideon, Inigo, Jericho, Tatsuya

TACTICAL MAYHEM

After Boltius gave the order, Ashley returned the Ace's stare, only nodding as the building trembled. He then turned his attention to the gaping hole, watching as chaos filled the streets below. The sounds of battle mixed with slightly muffled explosions, each adding to the series of small tremors. Even if he chose not to lift a finger, this place was going to end up destroyed.

He was plagued by conflicting feelings, his concern now contending with his loyalty. However, if he did things his way, he could at least mitigate some of the damage. Despite holding personal grudges, he didn't want anyone here to die if they didn't have to.

As dust fell from his arm, he reached for the walkie he took from Roza and ran his thumb over the button. He raised it to his mouth, and after taking a breath, raised his voice loud enough for all to hear. He wanted to be sure everyone understood the message, including any officers that may have still been inside.

"This whole building's about to collapse! Everyone get the fuck out! You see anyone still inside on the way out, drag their asses if ya have to!"

With a click, he shut it off again and looked back at Boltius. "You too. You get yourself killed after all that, I'm gonna be real pissed." A half-joke. He didn't want his friend getting buried underneath all the rubble. "I'll see ya at the bottom."

He waited for a few moments, looking down at the ledge in front of him as he contemplated his next move. Once he felt like he'd given people as much time as he could, he turned around and took a step backwards. Gravity took over, pulling him downward.

As he fell, his outstretched arms tore into the building, destroying everything that tried to obstruct their path. The more he ripped it apart, the more debris shredded his already damaged arms, enhancing his pain-fueled strength and slowing his descent. The large hole he created had grown much wider, continuing to stretch and expand through each floor until his feet eventually reached the bottom.

Once he touched the ground, he looked at the results of his work. Significant damage had been done, but the headquarters was still standing. For now. It was only a matter of time before gravity or the rest of those explosions finished the job. He still intended to continue, but he made sure to pay attention to the warzone behind him.

Spoiler: Tags

Doctor Llamabean Coyote Hart Damafaud Nobody Special Roda the Red simj26 Wxnter

 

[QuirkyAngel]

Sabrina Felton

CS Link

SCENE:

Serpents Arc 3: Scene 1 [Thicker Than Water]

LOCATION:

Hall A, Mysterious Black Site ( North District )

PARTICIPANTS:

August, Damian, Kinsley, Kisara, Kyo, Peyton, Raph, Sab, Julian

Thicker Than Water

“Nimble, aren't cha?”

Avant Garde’s leg hooked Sabrina’s left ankle, but with both feet magnetized to the ground, the leather-clad woman managed to remain upright with only a slight wince on her impassive face; Stopping the momentum of the leg sweep and catching her opponent off guard had been the important part. Electrical currents traveled down Sabrina's left leg and along the floor of the hallway as gray eyes, that had been tracking her opponent's movements, landed coldly on the masked girl crouched between herself and Damian. To be more precise, her gaze landed on the piece of metal Avant Garde clutched in her hand. Avant Garde would then feel the force of Sabrina’s potential as the Sable Serpent raised the attraction between the girl's sword and the electro-magnetized ground beneath their feet, fastening her opponent’s weapon in place.

“Pity I don’t fight fair.”

Cigarette dropping carelessly, Sabrina gripped the hilt of Kyoden’s sword with both hands and swung downward without hesitation. She didn’t wait to see whether or not the blade struck true. Given what she’d seen of the assassin’s speed, unless they were caught off guard, evasion was highly probable.

“Catch her, Kraken!”

With the large sword he stole.

In his tentacles.

Sabrina wasn't aware Kraken even knew how to use a sword, but it didn't really matter to how allies fought so long as they defeated the enemy. She wouldn't mind it if he broke a wall or two with a large swing either. Corridors didn’t give much room for maneuverability, especially if they weren't on your side.

Lucem Elenion Aura Kyuubey simj26

 

[Saturn_moon]

The High Priestess

SCENE:

Tigers Arc 3: Scene 1 [Where Giants Sleep]

LOCATION:

???

PARTICIPANTS:

Elias, Ezra, Isobel, Kenji, Passeri, Wren

Where Giants Sleep

Something wasn't right. That was the thought that ran through Beatrice's head when she felt the tremors begin.

Something wasn't right. That was the thought that ran through Beatrice's head as she watched Atlas tumble from the balcony.

Something wasn't right. That was the thought that ran through Beatrice's head as the stone column collapsed.

Something wasn't ri-

There wasn't time to finish the thought as a guttural scream cut through all the noise in the room. Her scream. Beatrice rushed forth, blind to everything else happening around her, towards the Sleeper's tomb which was now crushed under a rubble of stone. Without a second thought, she began pushing stone block after stone block aside until she could see the tomb once more.

Pressing her face against the stone, she peers in only to find... nothing.

The tomb was empty. Nothing but dust and bones.

"Impossible..." Beatrice mutters under her breath again and again. "This is impossible... no..." This wasn't how things were supposed to go. All her life she'd been told the Sleeper would one day awaken and that day would be today. But if the prophecies were indeed true, then where the fuck was he?

The shaking in the room grows more violent and everyone is now struggling to even stand as column after column comes crumbling down. "Priestess!" Crowe shouts as he extricates himself from combat with the incessant mute Jack to be by her side. "We have to go. This place is about to collapse!"

Lucem The One Eyed Bandit QuirkyAngel Stros Kyuubey
Elenion Aura ​

 

[WhiskeyMarten]

SYLVIE SLEZÁK

CS Link

SCENE:

Tigers Arc 3: Scene 2 [The Heist]

LOCATION:

Central District

PARTICIPANTS:

Camila, Jennifer, Maria, Ryutaro, Samira, Sylvie

THE HEIST

Sylvie’s throat felt tight. He wanted to speak but what else could he say to them? It wasn’t like they seemed to consider him any sort of threat, brushing off his remark like it was nothing. He already felt small enough among the veterans while they were finding success, but now when they were the ones in trouble… How could they be so careless. Of course it wasn’t that simple, but at least it wasn’t Sylvie’s fault — not that it mattered when he was in as much danger. From the corner of his eye, he saw the blade fall, and before he had time to react or realise the Queen’s ruse, the action began. He joined Ryutaro and Jennifer in firing bullets at the Twins as Jennifer escaped Vile’s grasp, backing further away while he could.

As the guards engaged the Tigers, Sylvie targetted them instead seeing that the Queen was handling the Twins, trying to break through any gaps in their defences and taking cover behind the van. It wasn’t long before Jennifer began to bark orders at the Rookie, leaving him feeling a bit lost. He did have reason to just take cover now, as it didn’t seem that much else was expected of him, and it was tempting to get in the van ready for a quick escape, but he didn’t. Turning back to the Queen to see how he was doing, he noticed that he was losing the upper hand. Though still unwilling to get close, Sylvie did what he could from his position, firing shots at the twins while they fought to try and tilt the scales in favour of the Tigers once more.

Soon, the gas rolling in — courtesy of Jennifer’s grenades — began to obscure Sylvie’s vision, forcing him to cease fire. The last thing he wanted to happen was to shoot Ryutaro, doubting he’d even live to tell the tale if that happened. What he did do was keep close to the van, waiting for Maria to get the truck ready for them.

 

[angel doe]

amari

CS Link

SCENE:

dragons arc 3: scene 1 [securing the future]

LOCATION:

east district, tech expo

PARTICIPANTS:

sophia, jesper, kasumi, “jane”, amari

securing the future

amari glared at jane, raising a brow, “o' course there were no guards there, that sure is convenient for ya, ain't it?" she laughed, though she didn't look or sound the slightest bit amused, “if you had explained why ya needed to be there, they probably woulda understood. it was a murder investigation, after all- surely they wouldn't have interfered."

this whole situation was incredibly suspicious to amari, but there wasn't much she could do with jane at the moment; there was still a murderer to arrest and that took priority. with a snarl, she stepped close to the red-headed stranger, “if ya try anythin' shifty while we're off apprehendin' the criminal, i will hunt you down myself." amari kept her voice low to avoid being heard by others, but that did little to mask the murderous expression she wore.

turning away, amari glanced at sophia, “ya comin' with to catch the killer?" they questioned before following guardian, falling a bit behind because of the time they wasted threatening jane.

amari walked into the room after guardian right as ariadne made a grab for an innocent bystander, if she gets one of those thas gonna make shit complicated again. gritting her teeth, amari lunged toward the soon-to-be hostage and shoved them out of the way.

AriAriAbabwa azenva FabulousTrash

 

[simj26]

Inigo Han

CS Link

SCENE:

Phoenixes Arc 3: Scene 2 [Tactical Mayhem]

LOCATION:

CDPD-HQ, Upper Central

PARTICIPANTS:

Ashley, Boltius, Eric, Gideon, Inigo, Roza, Tatsuya

TACTICAL MAYHEM

“ERIC!” Inigo was up on his feet at a surprising amount of speed the moment he caught sight of the pipe bomb. Springing to his feet, he dived forwards, landing on the discarded explosive, and formed a shield around his abdomen, and waited for the impending impact on his body. A second passed. None came. He blinked. Two more seconds. Then four passed. Then ten. He rose up from his prone position, and picked up the bomb in crystallised hands. “What.” He glanced at Eric, then at the bomb, before he crushed and grinded it to dust in between his fingers. He stood up and flicked the remnants of it off him. “Pathetic.”

He rolled his shoulders, flexing his fingers. The feeling was beginning to return to his limbs and his extremities. He turned to Eric, his face set in its usual indifferent, neutral line, but the golden glow in his amber eyes was anything but serene. Pure, boiling, unsettling fury and rage rolled within. He touched his wound, letting the crystals form over the bloodied hole, sealing it for the time being. The Phoenixes may call this day a victory, but he would be dead in a ditch before they will ever reconsider this approach again. His hands gripped onto the windowsill, peering out into the commotion outside. “Eric,” he started, looking back at his partner, “I–” he paused, then shook his head. “They’ll regret this,” he said simply instead. Without further warning, he swung himself over the ledge, and plummeted down into the fray.

He landed on the ground, dust and debris scattering away from his impact, the ground underneath him cracking and cratering. He straightened up, and drew his hands out, grim scythes already forming upon his arms. Crystal spires, spread forth with every slow, ominous footfall as he made his way towards the newly gathered Phoenixes. Behind his battleworn body, blood-spattered skin melted and charred, his HQ threatened to crumble under its own weight, its own body having been gouged by the Phoenixes, but they still stood.

He was defending a lost cause, this much he knew. They’d have to rebuild. He lowered his blades to the ground. “Remember.” He lowered his pose. “You chose this.”

Five Phoenixes for now. A woman with blue highlights, and a man with a pompadour, followed by three other mooks stood in front of him. There would be more. There would always be more. For now, he’d kill these ones first. The rest can meet their 'family' in hell.

Interacting with: Doctor Llamabean Roda the Red

Nobody Special Lucem Coyote Hart

 

[Roda the Red]

ERIC EVENSEN

CS Link

SCENE:

Phoenixes Arc 3: Scene 2 [Tactical Mayhem]

LOCATION:

CDPD HQ, Upper Central Disctrict

PARTICIPANTS:

Ashley, Boltius, Eric, Gideon, Inigo, Roza, Tatsuya

TACTICAL MAYHEM

"Oh, just another troublemaker, don't worry our relationship is strictly professional- There, whatever he said" Said Eric to his resting partner with his typical monotone voice as Gideon spoke over him, but quickly shifted his focus to the gangster in front of them.

"Okay, so, where were w-" He did not expect, however, that the man would go for a sudden sprint towards the entrance, he was quick enough for Eric to not be able to intercept him in time- He even took the coffee machine, which left Eric dumbfounded for a solid second, enough for Gideon to chuck the explosive at them. Before he knew it, Inigo has used his own body to shield the explosion.

"Ini, get away from it already, you can't risk it like that with your injuries" Said Eric, the sergeant ignoring his words. But then...The explosion never happened

Eric sighed, staring at his partner once again. Without needing to exchange words, the detective was able to tell what was on his partner's mind, he nonchalantly patted away some dust off his shirt. "They will, can't let them trample our place like that". Inigo took off, and part of Eric wanted to stop him, to tell him to rest and take care of himself. But he knew better, that the fearsome Highwater still had plenty of fighting in him.

Suddenly, within the same floor, Eric heard a loud crash, followed by another, and then one more. Despite his worries about his partner, Eric decided to follow the signs of most destruction, he had to put a stop to it already. He ran out the breakroom, sprinting through the halls until he caught a glimpse of the perpetrator, a man with black hair and red stripes, incessantly trying to cause as much collateral damage as possible. The detective raised his hand, pointing his middle and inder fingers towards the man, a bright light formed and grew from them, casting a bolt of energy at rapid velocity towards the gangster.

"I'd appreciate if you stopped that" said Eric as he approached towards the phoenix.

Direct Interaction: Coyote Hart simj26 Lucem
In Scene: Nobody Special Damafaud angel doe Wxnter Doctor Llamabean

 

[Roda the Red]

CAMILA GASPARI

CS Link

SCENE:

Tigers Arc 3: Scene 2 [The Heist]

LOCATION:

Central District

PARTICIPANTS:

Camila, Ryutaro, Maria, Jennifer, Sylvie, Samira

THE HEIST

It seems like the mysterious twins had little interest in negotiation, not like Camila would judge their priorities, self-preservation was always top priority, no matter the situation, but still this only spelled further trouble for the tigers. As the reinforcements showed up, Camila joined the others behind the temporary safety of the armored van. She silently nodded at Jenniger's command as she took one of the new firearms she had placed inside of her bag, taking a few seconds longer to load the magazine than a regular gun practicioner. She fired a clean shot towards one of the guards, meeting similar results to Samira, she clicked her tongue as she could confirm on her own just how sturdy their opponents really were. She spared a moment to focus on the Queen, who was in the middle of an intense battle with the twins, she prepared to help him out, but Sylvie proved to have the initiative this time around.

An idea sparked in her head as Jennifer threw the grenades. It was going to be painful and annoying, but above all, dangerous, yet still...Fuck it, if she could do something, she'd have to do it.

"Hold on, I'm taking care of their firepower, I'll be right back" Said the girl as she sprinted past the armored van into the thick curtain of tear gas. Even as she closed her eyes, Camila could already feel the painful irritation building up, still, there was no going back now, she could use this chance to use her one advantage to her favor: She did not need her eyes to attack. Once she calculated to be within range of the disoriented guards, her slender silver tail around her waist uncoiled, stretching and extending unnaturally until it reached its full length of about six meters. She thrusted the appendage forward and let it go limp on the ground, then she slid it horizontally until she finally felt the hard impact of boot soles. Her tail wrapped around the guard's leg, suddenly pulling it back much to his surprise, causing the man to fall on his rear, following up, her tail quickly unwrapped and moved around his torso and lap, until she could recognize that her tip made contact with his gun, wrapping itself around the weapon and flinging it all the way to the opposite end of the room. The girl coughed as more of the gas invaded her mostly unprotected orifices, yet she still continued to repeat this process with the rest of the guards as quickly as she could, solely relying on the sense of touch on her tail. She had to make sure to get the job done before the gas completely overpowered her.

She hated having to take such extreme risks, that's what other people in her field served for, but selfishness was a luxury she simply couldn't take this time around.

joshuadim @Beann Uasal @Shoya WhiskeyMarten

 

[Elenion Aura]

ROLAND DREYER

SCENE:

New Oasis Arc 3: Scene 3 [Silence for the Damned]

LOCATION:

Dilapidated Clinic, North District

PARTICIPANTS:

Charmy, Dagger, Guinevere, Jack

SILENCE FOR THE DAMNED

The song... The call. Though dead—once more truly dead, now, thanks to one Ms. Guinevere Blank—Roland could still hear it. No... That wasn't right. He could still feel it. Like a phantom limb, that part of him which still called itself King raged against the four walls of his soul.

Until all of a sudden it stopped.

The ground beneath their feet shook, the tremor sending bodies of the dead, and undead, sprawling in tangled heaps along the floor. The old building's foundation groaned and bucked as the quake rumbled up from below...

It was so quiet.

Slowly, he felt like himself again, albeit still temporarily... Disincorporated.

"Excuse me, miss." Roland's spirit cleared his throat in the hopes of capturing Guinevere's attention. "Thank you for sparing me that anguish, but if you wouldn't mind, I'd like to step back into my body, now."

When she agreed to oblige him his request, the spirit of Roland shut his eyes. When he opened them again, he was staring up at the crumbling ceiling, drywall and dust flaking and falling around him like an indoor flurry of snow. With some effort, as though his undead body could not easily shake the memory of its prior torment, Roland pushed himself to his feet. With a casual gesture, he bid the remaining horde stand down.

With regret in his eyes, Roland gazed at the mass of corpses, doubly made, strewn about the abandoned hospital wing. "..." Such a waste.

Without speaking the prayer for their peace, Roland bowed his head for a moment's silence before he addressed the small crowd of warm bodies that remained. "Well... That didn't go as I'd hoped," he said with a wry twinkle in his eye. Death, it seemed, hadn't improved his humor. "And while I'm sure you have questions, I'm afraid I can't answer them right now, as I have somewhere else to be."

As Roland said this, he started as if to make for the exit at a leisurely pace. He didn't know if one, or all of them, would try to stop him. He hoped they wouldn't. He really did have somewhere he needed to get to, and he couldn't get there in time unless he was alone, and unimpeded. It is happening.

"And I think you all should get a move on, too. This place probably won't survive another tremor like that, and we're far from the epicenter. It'll be worse in the city proper. If you have loved ones there, you may want to get them out... Maybe we'll meet again, sometime." At this, he nodded especially to Charmy. But now he was just wasting time. He had to go, had to get a move on, or else this might all have been for naught.

It is happening again.