[IC] Of Shadow and Flame EP3: Rising Tension

[Hiss13]

Nagi grabbed at the case and immediately jumped back behind the couch she was sitting on at the sound of the windows shattering. In the end, she knew the sniper rifle was not going to be of much help, but she opened it up, pulled out the canister and strapped it to her waist, underneath her trench coat before shutting the case again.

But, as she watched Hikaru matching the blows of the assailants, she could not help but whistle. Hikaru was a lieutenant so it was only natural that this person was strong.

The one odd thing, though, was that the German lightning user from before was attacking. She wondered what affiliation he had but she was likely not going to find out until he was subdued.

So, as the room shifted in appearance and as two of the gunmen were pulled down to the ground, Nagi pulled off her trench coat in one motion and transformed. The air danced around her as it formed a dense, compressed armor.

Hikaru had left the two gunmen unattended, even if they were still on the ground, before going after the German. So, Nagi knew that it was best to knock the gunmen out before heading over to assist Hikaru.

With that, Nagi sprung forth, jumping quickly to a few meters above one of the gunmen before forcing a fall downwards with her leg extended out, ready to dropkick the man.

[Raindrop Valkyrie]

Vixen and the Mediators.

Vixen's eyes had been shut the entire time time up until directly asked that question. She didn't really care who was hear nor what they needed to discuss. She had lives and people to save not mediators to worry about.

"Well... if it's not to much of a bother for you and your friends here. After all your business seems very important. Not like mine has anything to do with saving lives, though you could argue that yours does as well. No matter. I have lives to save now Ihdrelic You very well know what my question is and why it's a waste of time to ask me directly. I've told you about the draconian beast that descended the other day and how powerful it is. More powerful than any beast I have known until this point. Despite knowing that which you say has awakened... it can;t pose a threat to something that's already dead and if this first beast is not dealt with there would be no need to deal with what comes after it. One cannot track a beast that flies easily from the ground. Therefor I once again ask if this beast has been seen, where it was last seen, who it was seen with, and anything other information that can help me to find it. Unless you want this whole city to be a burning pile of ash. You won't have very many left to help against the Terrasque if this Dragon's rampage continues. It's something that can easily fell the strongest of magi if not taken care of. So, I suggest any one with information come forward with it unless they want more than half of this city to burn in the coming weeks."

Clearly, not the happiest of speeches. However the words would've rung true, at least to anyone with common sense. Whatever the Terrasque was there was going to need to be manpower out there to destroy it, and this powerful of a beast depleting he numbers of magi would not be good for a coming battle with an even more powerful force. It needed to be dealt with as swiftly as possible that way a proper and real force could be maintained in the event that the Terrasque was a very very real threat. Vixen herself still wasn't sure of the Terrasque's existence however... she did know that i there was even a grain of truth in it other monster needed to be dealt with to limit the amount of fronts they needed to fight on and focus on. Simple strategy that any person should be able to grasp. After all, it was one of the basics, don't spread yourself thin. The more thin the resources the easier it was for things to start crumbling down around you. Even these Mediators had to know that, ever if they weren't tacticians or fighters. Some wore business suits, they clearly fought on the battle field of business, a very similar field. Some would clearly understand her point, at least... she believed so. Finite resources were precious and couldn't just be squandered. People weren't easy to replace in short amount of time so in the short term they were finite. It took nearly 18 years for a human to even be usable... and it was no guarantee that'd they'd become a magus. While she didn't like thinking about people like resources... weapons... objects, she had to in this scenario. People were a commodity that would be needed in the future, in this battle.

[Shamitako]

"Ahbwawhowha..." Was the only reply Kindle could muster too the sudden insanity. Without any idea of how to protect herself she did the most logical thing she could manage: Scurry to a corner. Once there she held up her hand and extended her middle finger, igniting it. Cowered behind her puny defense she waited for everything to be over. She wished she could help, but she was nowhere near strong enough, she'd just get in the way.

[Chevaleresse]

Nagi and Kindle

The temporarily disoriented gunman had only an instant of realization that he was under attack before Nagi's kick connected solidly, sending his body into the ground, which seemed to distort slightly before returning to its featureless state and launching him in a slide that ended behind where Faust and Hikaru clashed. His partner saw this and fired a rapid three shots, the last of which seemed to trail a chain made of a dark metallic substance, harshly contrasting the background of pure white.

Hikaru, meanwhile, was seemingly driven backward by a sweeping counterstroke from the one-winged magus they were engaged with, a blow that would have struck countless opponents down with the blade's enormous length. However, an astute observer would have noticed Faust reeling from the impact of Hikaru's feet, as they launched themselves with their body perfectly horizontal, darting forward only to kick backward and come to a sliding halt with both feet and one hand on the ground after a partial flip. They threw the other arm outward, causing the room - if the space they were in could still be called that - to explode into light. It hurt the eyes of Nagi and Kindle, but it was directed toward Faust and the currently standing gunman, who both recoiled in startlement and pain from the searing flash.

Quickly, they turned to Kindle and spoke in a low, rapid tone. "I know you're terrified right now but I need your help. Please do as I say: try your very hardest to grab onto the power within you, with your mind, and pull it out. Get the image of yourself ready to fight, whatever that means, in your mind, and force it to be real." A grimace showed on their face, and not entirely from effort or the situation they were in. It would have been much preferred to take this much slower - a lesson like this should be taken much slower and tailored to the individual, and someone who wasn't suited to the method narrated (like Hikaru themselves) would feel pain, and possibly a great deal of it, from using it.

Vixen

"Why you insolent little-" The "businessman" from before -Izalym, his name seemed to be - stood from his seat, rage evident on his countenance. Idhrelic cut him off with a simple raised hand, however; there seemed to be some sort of hierarchy in place here, with the former's immediate silence being evidence of thus.

"Magus, our business is far more important than you may realize. Maintaining our guises is critical to the continued protection of humanity. But, I will not delay you further with unnecessary detail. To answer your question, as I said before, I do not know of this beast. However, the others gathered here may."

"Human nonsense. I've not seen head nor tail of it." A younger-sounding male voice sounded from somewhere of the gathering.

"I would be inclined to agree," another voice chimed, this one sounding young as well, though it was difficult to assign a gender to this one.

The female Mediator from before - the one who looked homeless and skinny - stood. "If I may speak further?" Idhrelic nodded. "I have had a few of my magi tell me of a strange beast that may match your description. Dark, with wings of midnight and scales of despair, unnaturally canny and tough. An elder of some kind, having a form that the experienced ones have said is truly physical. However, as our companion has said, none of us have seen nor sensed a trace of it - unusual, as beasts seek out and hunt down our kind. You will not be served by asking us. There is one magus in particular that might know, though she has proven exceedingly difficult to track down as of late. Seek out Mihra. I can give you a list of magi that can aid you in such, as well as helping you track this beast. Some are . . . a bit eccentric, but all of them skilled and reliable."

She took a step or two toward Vixen. "If you'll allow me to place a hand on your head for a moment. This method will be far more infallible than me reciting their locations to you verbally or giving you a map. I assure you, I am only able to impart information via this method."

Adero, Lucia, and Stefan

The three foreigners found themselves on a bus passing through one of the poorer sections of the city. It seemed even poorer in comparison to the district neighboring it to the north and east - full of upscale apartments and wealthy business offices, everything gleaming and pristine and opposed to the worn down and fatigued scenes presented to the ones currently aboard the vehicle. It was up to the observer whether the steady rain added to the impression of tiredness or softened the edges of the environment. Still, the area had it's own sort of appeal; despite the poverty, it still seemed that the citizens took care; here a garden peeked over a balcony, or a family business treaded water on a corner.

The bus slid slowly to another halt, as one might expect. However, the riders used to the route picked their heads up out of their transit-induced stupors and small diversions; this wasn't the usual stop. In fact, the bus had stopped moving in the middle of the street, no signs to indicate any reason for doing so. The driver peered down an alleyway, something very strange having clearly caught his eye. After a moment, he seemed to give up, and shrugged, turning back to face forward and shifting the vehicle into gear once more.

Then the bus rocked, almost as if it had hit a speed bump. The riders looking out toward the alley had a moment to be shocked thoroughly before the entire vehicle was hurled sideways and overturned, sending the passengers tumbling throughout it. One of the three foreigners might have caught a flash of a silvery-gray. . . something, before their view was similarly disrupted.

The bus came screeching to a halt after sliding across the asphalt on surfaces never intended to contact it. The contents were in various states of disarray and injury - some seemed to be unconscious, or worse.

[Shamitako]

(OOC: Welp, guess it's time for me to take control of the music~)

Help? Is he crazy?

Kindle was completely new to all of this, even if she did somehow have magical powers she had no idea how to use them to fight. Still, Hikaru seemed like a nice person, and Kindle didn't want to disappoint him. She'd never been one to shy away from a challenge, no matter how crazy it might seem. Maybe that was the first step into becoming a proper mage type person, accepting that it was crazy. besides, what better time to go crazy than when your life might depend on it? She concentrated, reaching inside herself to find her inner badass fighter mage person. She felt a tinge of something, she couldn't tell if it was magic or just hunger, either way she couldn't stop now. An outside observer would be able see a faint blue-white glow from behind her eyepatch. It took what seemed like eternity, but finally she managed to find that faint feeling again, and this time she latched onto it and pulled. A scream of agony erupted from her as her eye began to glow brighter and brighter, it felt like it was boring into her mind, shredding and burning as it went. The blue-white light had soon engulfed the entire room, although strangely it didn't pain anyone but Kindle.

When the light cleared Kindle stood silent in a short reddish-orange dress with transparent blue layering. Her feet were adorned by light blue sandals with straps that ran up to her knees. Her arms were bare outside some light blue ribbons that intertwined themselves up to her elbows. she felt the pressure of a collar around her neck and the weight of earrings adorning her ears. Her finger and toenails were painted, the left ones blue and the right ones red. Her head felt heavy, as though her hair had grown significantly. She no longer felt the pressure of her eyepatch wrapping itself around her head and her vision was tinted with white, but instead of obstructing her in any way it actually seemed to outline things more clearly; at least people. Instinctively, as though she had done it a thousand times before, she reached down to her left and dislodged the cherry-red scythe that had materialized beside her from the ground. Deftly, she spun it around in front of her, ending in a two-handed grip with her left hand near to the head and her right hand balancing the handle. She was about to express her surprise at her own ability when suddenly her stomach growled extremely loudly, causing her face to turn red to match her scythe.

[Pyon Pyon Kyuu!~]

Lucia woke up as if she had been dreaming. A pleasant dream actually! But when she tried to get up, she was immediately greeted with an overwhelming pain.

"Oww my head..." She rubbed her forehead, as she made a second attempt at getting up. This time she succeeded. Looking around, the sight made her wish that she never had woken up. Blood and glass everywhere, people on the floor...

"Hello is anyone here!?" Lucia called out. "Someone answer me!" She pleaded. "Please!"

[Raindrop Valkyrie]

Vixen and the Mediators

((lemme know if this is too powerplayish... however she has studied pretty much most of the factions and would've learned quite a bit about them in the time she did. After all, one must know their prey to hunt it if necessary. Any problems just lemme know.))

Vixen nodded. "I know of this technique and it's limitations. I've studied Mediators before. So I don't fear it. And I don't doubt your business is important, but your business is not my current errand. I assume you're equipped to deal with it now, so let me deal with my problems and I'll leave you to deal with yours." She said an icy stare mostly directed towards the uppity "businessman". A look that could freeze over hell, though it lasted but a second on the woman's pretty face. That made it that much more horrifying... a smile that wasn't one. Creepy.

Either way she turned her attention back to the Woman. Vixen bowed her head slightly so that she could easily reach without straining herself. Knowing Mediators... the woman wasn't as frail and sickly as she appeared. However, Vixen couldn't help but feel a little bad for her in such a state of being... even if it was possibly a false one. After all, mediators choose their appearance for one reason or another, as far as Vixen knew anyway. Vixen pushed those thoughts back down with a deep breathe. "Go ahead." she said in her semi-bow. She looked a bit like a bird outstretching it's wings due to the cloth poncho overtop of her equipment and that her arms were under. It would probably seem a bit flashy to the mediators that didn't understand the purpose of such a garment. Normally it was for breaking up the form when not moving within the wilderness to more easily hide in plain sight. It wasn't as heavy or quite as good as military grade equipment but it was the best she could create or procure on her own.

Now she waited for the transfer of information. While she had heard of this technique, she never had experienced it before. Would it hurt? Would the Mediator get information back even if it wasn't intentionally given? It was the second question that worried Vixen more. Physical pain was nothing anymore, it was nothing compared to the emotional ones she had gone through. She didn't know if the mediator would see those things, if she'd understand them. Or if the sorrow would be overwhelming. She silently feared what could happen, not sure if this was the right decision anymore, but it was too late to turn back now. She just hoped her ugly past stayed that, the past. That the mediator would not misinterpret anything she saw if she even did. Was this even something worth being afraid of? After all, it could only transfer information... at least as far as she knew.

[Hiss13]

She had successfully dropkicked the man and it looked like she knocked him unconscious as far as she could tell. With that, he feet touched the ground. However, she had not even a moment's reprieve as the partner had immediately aimed and fired at her.

Nagi was confident she could take a couple of bullets without a problem but the chain on the third one was tugging at her instincts so she definitely did not want to take the risk. Perhaps the chain was the only dangerous part. Perhaps it was actually safe. Whatever it was, there was no point in taking unnecessary damage. So, she poised to dodge. By manipulating the air around the back of her head, she created a wind that forced her head down.

In that instant, she lunged. She was grateful for her height (or lack thereof) as it made dodging attacks from larger opponents far easier as they would generally fly over her. The armor of nitrogen began to spin and shear around her, creating a deadly air chainsaw that disrupted the flow of air around her while she ran straight towards the man's legs, nitrogen blade at the ready in her right arm. She would break past, disrupt the bullet's flight path through messing with the air flow around it, and attack the man's legs with her spear, armor, or fist. At least, that was the plan.

[Noir]

Adero, Lucia, and Stefan

Stefan recovered from a daze, as he slowly got up to his feet against the inclined seat of the bus. Within the damaged parts of the bus around him, people were injured, unconscious, slight moans of pain heard within from people who were still alive, and could speak. Shattered pieces of glass and the sickening scent of sanguine mixed with the smell of the rain added to the tragedy of the accident, though thankfully Stefan only sustained a bump on the shoulder as it collided towards the wall during the impact. As he slowly recovered from the aching sensation that hammered his right shoulder near the neck, he allowed himself a moment to examine the passengers within the bus; many stood unconscious, but some were awake, though in slight shock, such as a young girl in her early teens, an exceptionally towering man with dark brown facial hair. Beneath the sound of the rain that hammered on the steel of the bus like a drum, he could hear the little girl's cries for help.

What happened? He thought, convinced that this occurrence was no accident. Looking outside the shattered windows that allowed the cold air of the night and the fall of the rain to enter, he discovered that the bus had completely overturned, the floor of the bus now above them and the alleyway with buildings vagued by the drizzle. Looking back, the bore of the journey meant Stefan had paid little attention before the accident occurred; looking at raindrops racing on the windows was his only entertainment. He then remembered the bus stopping momentarily, and a flash of silver or gray that shone before the accident ensued....did someone decide it would be a good idea to flash white lights directly to a driver's vision at night in the rain? The very thought of it seemed absurd.

The girl's cries for help grasped his attention again as he got up from his position, keeping his guns hidden within his ripped clothes so as not to intimidate her, and approached the girl, asking sheepishly: "....You alright?"

Edited November 20, 2015 by YagamiNoir4896

[Grizzlybrand]

The faintest glimmers of sunlight flickered through the thick foliage and snow of the trees above him, cold white snowflakes fell in different rhythms; some gentle, deterred from their original path by the brisk wind that howled like banshees, others coaxed into a frenzy by the same force. It was nostalgic, and brought further argument for Adero to not open his eyes. Eventually he did, finding himself in all too familiar woods, bleeding from all too familiar wounds. All was silent, save for the crunching beneath his feet as he wandered aimlessly. At the time he didn't remember what had led him back to this place, or even waking up this morning, the last thing he could truly remember was awkwardly cramped in a small metal box, surrounded by uncomfortable stares.

Caught in his own confusion he had barely registered he was not alone, as a shadow soon engulfed Adero's own. It was close, just arm's length away from each other and staring holes into the back of his skull. Adero turned and it was much taller than he anticipated. The beast was all black, like shadows itself dripped off of it's large frame contrasting with the white skull that masked it's face. It tilted it's head quizzically, as if trying to judge just what the young man was doing there. Adero backed up slowly, trying to gain distance before slipping on the cold ice. And darkness had taken him again.

Suddenly he heard a child, and maybe another suppressed by the ringing in his ears. It felt like he was hit by a bus.

Bus. Bus.

He was on a bus, something had hit it and the bus went flying. As the bus started moving he fell back against the window, his large frame cushioning anyone else who fell against him. The giant silently thanked god for making him so sturdy.

Adero's eyes had shot open as he shifted onto broken glass, uncomfortably poking into his chest. With a groan he began the slow rise to getting up to his feet, somehow still bumping his head on the low ceiling. "Ow, fu-" He cut himself short, the sixth sense that comes with years of parenting had stopped him in his tracks when he saw that there were children around him "-silli." It seems only two had made it out relatively unscathed, a man that looks like he came straight out of one of those sci-fi RPG's his younger sister likes, and a small, panicked child.

Being so close to the wall it wasn't that hard to find the emergency exit, reaching over he undid the latch and popped open the door. "Anyone that's able through here, come on!"

[Chevaleresse]

Vixen

The woman nodded. "Thank you. This should only take a moment." She placed the outstretched hand on the side of Vixen's head, the base of her palm resting over the mage's temple. Vixen would have felt a strange sensation; if she remembered it, it would have felt almost like when she gained her powers without any of the pain that was often associated with such. A rush of information entered her mind; it was difficult to actually process what it was as it happened, not to mention the difficulty of parsing the thoughts and memories of a member of an entirely different species.

After it was over - it really only took about a second, though it felt like longer - the Mediator gasped and recoiled almost as if struck from Vixen. "I-I'm sorry. Sometimes surface thoughts leak through." She didn't say it out loud, but it didn't take much to figure out: everything that had flashed through Vixen's mind in the moments before the transfer had crossed over back toward the Mediator. It was the mental and emotional equivalent of being punched in the gut and it showed. "I. . . won't ask you any questions." She took a few steps backward, then sat back down. Clearing her throat, she continued.

"I do not know if the magi will have the information you need, but they will know more than any of us. If any of them refuse to cooperate - and there are one or two that might - tell them the Diviners sent you."

Dexter

"I've never seen such a beast before. In fact, I've been unable to catch a glimpse of this one, though what it has left behind is unmistakable." The mediator fell silent for a moment. I cannot in good conscience let that beast go unhindered. But, do I consign this boy to a task that would most certainly mean his death? He shook his head at his own thoughts, the human gesture looking rather queer on Astros's feline form. A magus dead - especially dead this young - does no good. Perhaps... "How much did Takeshi tell you of the factions, anyway? The Protectors, who hunt beasts for the benefit of man, the Preservers that seek to keep both alive, and the Peacekeepers who protect mages from themselves."

Nagi and Kindle

Nagi's maneuver worked; the normal projectiles headed toward her were deflected, though the chain seemed to simply stop moving and instead simply hung in the air, attached to nothing. This time, however, her opponent was prepared for an attack; he leapt straight upward, aiming his weapon downward and firing another chain directly into Nagi's path. It appeared that Hikaru's flash hadn't affected him, though the means that had been used to negate it weren't apparent. The other gunman seemed to be recovering from the blow dealt to him, as the black-coated mage was slowly rising to his feet. The one-winged magus was also recovering from his blinding, though he did not launch another assault just yet.

Meanwhile, Hikaru spoke to Kindle in a rapid fashion once more. "I'm sorry for the pain I might have just caused you but I need your help. If all three of us work together we can handle this easily, so I need you to attack with me." She ignored the girl's embarrassment at her stomach; transformation burned through a fair amount energy, after all.

Five minutes. That should be enough to end this fight. Can I maintain the field for that long?

Stefan, Lucia, and Adero

It might have been ill-advised for Adero to make such a suggestion without first looking around to assess the situation outside the overturned vehicle. Several strange sights assaulted his vision at once, not the least of which was the beast currently surrounded by a number of people wielding weapons of various types, all shouting back and forth. It looked like a scorpion, if a scorpion was bus-sized, made of metal, and had two stingers (that looked like they would be more effective at simply crushing a victim. The beast's silvery-gray carapace faintly reflected the scene around it, the images almost making its surface seem to dance wildly as it struck out and struggled against the people around it.

One in particular among their number caught the eye - a veritable knight in shining armor, heavy shield in one hand and lance in the other, that appeared to have stepped straight out of Arthurian legend. A long, red scarf wound its way around his neck and trailed off behind him, keeping a brief history of his motions as he fended the beast backward toward his compatriots. He stood in an alleyway that was just big enough to accomodate the scorpion, framed by the buildings around him.

One of them - a girl in an absurdly frilly and elaborate pink dress that seemed to somehow leave her entirely free to move - looked away from the beast for a moment and gestured right at Adero, causing another one of them - this one looking almost like a Roman soldier with no helmet - to nod and take a few steps backward, moving him closer to the bus.

Fortunately or unfortunately, nobody in the bus seemed quite ready to move yet. They were either too injured or too shocked - or both - to even consider doing anything but waiting for help to arrive.

[Grizzlybrand]

"Uh....Nevermind!" Adero said, ducking his head back into the bus after catching sight of how dire the situation actually is. He looked back at those still awake and trapped in the bus. "Best thing to do right now is to stay here, keep calm." Adero noted, his head still rattling from the crash and the frankly bizarre sight that he just witnessed. The beast was nothing like any wild animal some textbook would show, and without any weapons bigger than a baseball bat on his person he wouldn't be able to help anyway. 'Even if I was strapped' Adero thought to himself, 'I don't think I would make a dent in that thing.'

The large man grumbled in an indeterminable language. Reaching for his backpack he pulled out one of the many snacks he had. Unwrapping a small pastry he took a bite into it. "There's some sorta conflict goin' on outside."

Edited November 21, 2015 by Grizzlybrand

[Raindrop Valkyrie]

Vixen and the Mediators:

Vixen felt anger bubble to the surface, but cut it off before it exploded out into the world. After all, it wasn't the mediators fault what happened... happened. However, the woman saw things that she'd been better off not seeing. The pain of the Vixen of the Forest realized within those memories. The greater moments of sorrow. The most vivid memory, a scene in a graveyard while pouring rain battered the scenery. She would've seen Vixen battered bloody from a fight with a figure cloaked entirely in shadows across the graveyard. The flashes of lightning only revealed it for mere seconds, it's features ugly and hideous. But, it wasn't a beast. It was another Mediator. If it wasn't certain at the glance it was certain by the conversation that came next.

The woman stared at the Mediator, a giant figure cloaked in a robe as dark as the rainy night around it. She looked down at the rifle in her hands. Around the end was tied a necklace, a club, one of the black suits on typical playing cards. Then back to the creature. The woman heard Vixen speak in the memory. The clear point of the perspective. She saw and heard it as if she was there. As if she was Vixen. All that could be felt was sorrow, pain, and anger. "Why!?" the only thing Vixen shouted. It was clearly cut from part of the conversation that had already happened. It was the middle.

A rough gravelly voice laughed, the figure. "Don't be silly girl you know the answer. He accepted the deal he got powers. And in exchange... his soul belongs to me. If I decided to throw him away that was law. He was my plaything, my toy. You humans are just too stupid to understand. Power comes with a price. His soul belonged to me."

No answer, only gunfire. Instead of a normal orange flash the light was a pale violet and the bullets split into many as they went directly for the Figure. In the purple flash, his face only a skull, a skull the same color as his robes, the black of the night sky. He didn't move however, only absorbing the blow. He laughed. "Don't make me laugh, you can't destroy me with those powers. I know how they work. You missed by the way. I thought you never miss. This world is my plaything, you can't possibly hurt me. But if you can;t, that means I'll own this world. Perhaps I find the rest of those you care about and force them into a deal to get you back. Then I'll have many soldiers. "

"I have no one else. You took the last person I cared about from me. I have nothing to lose anymore...nothing but my own life. I don't care if I die here. But I will hit you this time... and you'll be coming to hell with me. That's the only place that's left for the both of us. The damned." A blue flash this time. The memory ended there, but it ended with a distinct yell of anguish and pain. In the voice of the Mediator.

This memory was the clearest, this part. Everything else flashed by quick and hard to read, but nothing was really filled with happiness. Any shred of that emotion left in this woman... was buried to far down to be seen anymore. It was like walking chest high in ice cold water. That's what it felt like to wander through the shallow parts of her mind. It was bitter cold, just like the exterior. But, not because she hated the world or people... because she cared too much. She cared too much and only got pain in return. A life that was painful to live... but a path she couldn't stop walking.

***

"Good. You don't want to be a part of this sorrow... the tale of a damned Deviant. Don't feel sorry for me either. Those who even try to care about me... end up dead. So don't. I'm cursed." she said an icy chill in the air. The sorrow from those memories actually caused the air temperature to drop a few degrees in the room, like the ghost of the past was hanging over the room. "I'll take my leave. Thanks for the lead. It's clear I'm not wanted here. Not like that's any different from before, used to being on my own anyway." she said as she headed towards the door. She mostly looked down at the ground. as she walked towards the door in a haste.

[Pyon Pyon Kyuu!~]

"I'm fine... I think." She sniffed. This whole situation was alien, and scary. It was clear she was on the verge of tears. So she took a deep breath, and calmed herself. At least Lucia didn't feel alone anymore. "We need to get help, everyone here needs medical attention." She told the others, avoiding to look down. If she looked down she would probably cry.

However the older giant calmed her down a bit. "Why are you talking about pasta?" A small giggle escaped her lips. Lucia started to follow him, trying her best to avoid stepping on pieces of glass or people laying on the floor. When the man told her to stop she was already next to him. "Why shouldn't we leave? We need to find help." She managed a peek outside and was left open jawed at the scene. There was so much to question on what was going on. Who were those people? What was that creature? Did it knock the bus aside? What were those strange outfits? Why were they fighting the creature?

Why was that scorpion so big and cute?

Lucia shrugged the thought away. It was probably dangerous, she'd have to ignore it for now. She shut away her fascination and focused on the task. Cupping her hands around her mouth, she called out to the Roman-looking soldier. "Help! We've got wounded in here, we need help now! Uhm please!"

[Cyaloom]

"Takeshi did, in fact, tell me something about the factions, but didn't go much into detail as far as I remember..." Dexter answered, almost immediately. Astros didn't seem to know much about that Beast and, after stating that, he didn't talk for a while. Only after a moment of what seemed like a meditation, Astros asked the guy about Factions: probably because people from there could help Dexter doing his job better and they could know more on the subject.

Like Astros did before, now Dexter remained silent for a moment. Joining a faction... was it really a good thing? The other people he met the day he accepted the contract came to mind. There were, undeniably, some bad aspects too.

"Are you planning to let me join a faction? Do you think it'd be helpful? And... what about yourself?" Dexter finally asked, showing all of his concerns to the Mediator.

[Grizzlybrand]

"Ah, you're right." downing the rest of the tiny snack in a single bite he closed one section of his pack to open another. He didn't like this, he was cramped, they were all on this overturned bus with a giant metal deathbug on the otherside. If he jumps in he'll just get in the way, the least he could do is help where he can. Pulling out his first aid kit he turned to the two conscious people. "Hey, uh, you." He referred to the hooded man, somewhat awkwardly because he didn't know the man's name. "I'm gonna need your help with this." Realizing rushing ahead here without looking could very much easily get him and others hurt, he tried to slow down. He took count of the number of people here, and his stomach churned. He has a decent enough grasp of basic first aid, enough to help some people until someone more suited can do the job.

Edited November 21, 2015 by Grizzlybrand

[Shamitako]

Pain? What was that? The concept barely registered in Kindle's mind anymore. It was a feeling she remembered disliking, something she wanted to go away. And now it seemed to be completely gone. She stared at her hands, like the other people they seemed to be outlined more clearly than they used to. But unlike the black outlines of the rest, her hands seemed to be outlined in blue. The scythe that they grasped felt felt so heavy, but she moved it with ease. She was still herself, her embarrassment was proof enough of that, and yet something was different. She felt disconnected from the world, the white lens she saw it through separated her from reality. She shut her eyes tightly, trying to stop seeing the white, but no matter how tightly she closed them, she could still see clear as day. Feeling lost, she shifted to Hikaru, who was somehow still speaking. Has he been talking this whole time? It feels like so long. Before she could ask him what she was supposed to do, a single word cut through the white and gave her the answer. Attack.

Hikaru's outline suddenly turned red, and when Kindle shifted her eyes to see the others in the room, the same had happened to them. She looked back at Hikaru, red didn't suit him, and just as she thought so, he shifted to blue. Blue felt right, she liked him in blue. But the other four were definitely red. Without another thought she shot forward towards two of the red outlines. They seemed to be fighting each other, but they were moving so slowly. Her scythe whirled in front of her, although she did not consciously remember moving it. It was moving at a normal speed, but it felt so fast on the slow white background. As she neared her targets the spinning arc of death shot out, reaching to cleave them both in half.

(OOC: In case you might not have caught on, Kindle's perception of time and speed is a little screwy. Basically she's moving really fucking fast, but to her she's moving normally and everyone else is super slow)

[Noir]

Adero, Lucia, and Stefan

The towering man inquired Stefan's help. Despite knowing that it would be rude to do so, Stefan knew his hands weren't suited to aiding the needy through recuperation. He simply watched the unusual outside as he pretended he couldn't hear him, inside feeling sheepish of himself. His was a being that knew only how to make wounds, not tend to them. Unlike this surprisingly kind man before him who had a first aid kit with him, all he held in his pockets were guns with real bullets that knew only to wound and, in desperate times, kill, not to heal.

And what was with all this sudden nonsense outside the bus that you wouldn't see every day on the street after an accident just ensued? Instead of police or an ambulance, there was this silvery-gray arachnid with an absurd size of the very bus they were trapped in, along with figures like a girl in an excessively frilly but free dress, a knight with spear and shield in hand, a Roman soldier whose head was empty of a helmet, multiple others armed and shouting repetitively....all this was too much for the young adult to comprehend.

All he knew was that a careless step and things would be as well as over. What was before them was inevitably, dangerous. Eyeing the young girl calling out to one of the figures outside for help, Stefan merely tightened his grip on his gun concealed within his right pocket, maintaining a phlegmatic composure as he stared at the unusual things outside the damaged bus, knowing that he would likely be the first to react if something went wrong.

Edited November 23, 2015 by YagamiNoir4896

[Hiss13]

The chain hung. Many questions raced through Nagi's head as she had no idea what the chain's purpose was and at the moment, it did not matter. The man had anticipated a slash and jumped. Not only did he do that, but he was also shooting another one of those chain bullets.

Again, the questions raced through her mind. What was the chain's purpose? What would be the effect of making contact with it? Were their purposes meant to restrict Nagi's movements? Were they meant to create some sort of magic array? Nagi had no idea. As much as she would have loved to gain information, the risks were far too great. Plus, there was the problem of the incoming scythe from another direction.

Wait…scythe? IS THAT GIRL AN IDIOT?! DOES SHE NOT REALIZE THAT SHE'S DOING FRIENDLY FIRE?! Nagi suppressed the urge to scream and took the best possible action to evade both. She jumped up and slightly backwards with a simple kick off the floor. Her small body flew up at tremendous speed until her altitude was slightly greater than her enemy's.

Using the air currents around her to keep her body in place, Nagi held both hands in front of her and immediately extended two air lances towards her target.

[Grizzlybrand]

Adero looked at the man pretend he wasn't even here, his expression stayed neutral. "You know, friend." He said turning his attention to tending to the people on the bus, There wasn't many people on with them, probably the reason why he was allowed to squeeze on on the first place. It was so cramped in here. There was a specific story on his mind, an example of the point he was originally trying to get across, but it was lost on him while he worked. It was a young man, couldn't have been older than 16 if his gut had been right, though it's hard to tell, everyone from here seemed to be so...small. "The people that have all the answers aren't always there when you need them, which leaves it down to the people who can try."

"Hey, can you move?" he asked, cautiously looking over him. He felt a bit stupid as he looked down right after saying that, a leg shouldn't bend that way.

Looking over to Lucia he saw that she was trying to call for help, which left it down to hoodie. "His leg's dislocated, I need to reset it."

Edited November 30, 2015 by Grizzlybrand

[Raindrop Valkyrie]

Vixen

Vixen focused inward as she left the Building full of mediators, a strange sensation it was to have the memories of another floating in ones head. Views of building and places she had not seen before, but recognized like she'd been there in person. It made wondering the new sections of the city feel like a walk down memory lane. She got a strange sense of nostalgia from it... nostalgia from a place one had actually never been yet remembered... it was frankly the strangest feeling she ever felt in her life. Weirder was that she could picture the faces of the ones she was looking for. While they were much more vague then the locations, they were still somewhat useful and Vixen wondered if they'd fill out when she saw the person. Weirdly, their names sprung to mind. Able to pin them to the face, down to the last. It was weird having the memories of another as if they were your own. It felt so... strange. It honestly made her forget about the feelings of having those surface memories read. Gone were the thoughts about the woman and what she would've thought of seeing those sorrow drenched memories, those encased with the ice of a heart and soul broken so many times that it froze itself solid to prevent being broken anymore piece by piece, taking solace in that if it broke now, it'll be all at once and the pain would be over.

She sighed following the leads, quiet the Vixen of the Forest did not want to be seen this day while her mission was under way. It was an important task, and she couldn't have further delays. She used this time to make certain she was not seen or followed, and that she wouldn't be anytime soon.

SHe had minor impressions of all these leads, and now was the time she needed to seek them out. One... the one with the most chance of pertinent info was also the riskiest. She new a fight would ensue. One she'd probably not have much trouble winning but would draw unwanted attention. Even then she wondered if he'd even be clear on that information. The memories didn't paint a pretty picture of this one and made him seem more trouble then it was worth. A last Resort, but somehow Vixen felt she'd have to eventually meet with this man... the one that probably was the only one to have any useful information. However, due to how she operated, risks later, sure things sooner. The others most likely wouldn't have much reason to attack her. Unless of course they knew who she was. Most of them however Loners... Loners typically were her least hunted group as they tended to be more harmless as a lot had no way to really develop their powers into anything more than an amateur at best. She'd know, she was once pretty useless like them but her determination carried her much further than them. After all, she once had a motivation. Sadly most of those were gone for her save one. She didn't want any one to go through the pain of losing a loved one to this horrid magical world ever again if she could help it. She knew she couldn't save them all, that part hurt the most, but as many as possible that was her goal. Many hunted the Beasts as did she, but few hunted the corrupt, those that wished to abuse their powers and turn them on the world of humanity. Those were the fiends she hunted most. The Magi and Mediators that threatened the mundane world. Hence why she was a Deviant. There was no place for one like her, a Magi Hunter, in the factions that barely clung together in the world of magic. She was often the subject of tales used to scare new recruits about the danger of Deviants and why they were the vilest of evil by many of the factions. Needless to say, the Vixen of the Forest was hardly popular. A Mantle that could really be held by any female Magi Hunter a this point it was such a broad title, after all no one had ever seen her before. But it got harder and harder to hide and remain a secret from the Magi World. After all, many a had a grudge against the Vixen. Many others thought she just a myth. Some thought she a protector of things that really mattered, many varying opinions cropped up over the years. Vixen knew why she did it, so she didn't care even if they got the wrong idea. It wasn't for recognition.

"I hope I can rid of this beast quickly, It's probably done enough damage to undo most of what I've done to protect this city." she spit under her breath. The thoughts of anger of it slipping away resurfaced. She didn't have time to get angry though. She had a job to do. So she went forth in her search for the Magi. She went of course for those she didn't have the impression she'd have to clash with right away to get easy information if there was any to had. She could save the final fight to fill in the picture later if it was needed.

[Chevaleresse]

Nagi and Kindle

Both attacks connected solidly, their victim letting out a cry of pain as he was thrown forcefully backward, hitting the ground hard enough to bounce. One of their strikes - it was tough to say which - must have hit exceptionally hard, as the pristine floor beneath him was slowly stained with red. The chains he had loosed dissipated as the magus tried to regain the energy shunted to maintaining them. Faust saw this and gritted his teeth; it was time to end this, one way or another. He folded his one wing about him, then made a motion almost as if he was tearing the feathers out as he flung the opposite arm out to his side, scattering buzzing, arcing plumes in a horizontal plane at perilous speeds. The other gunman was wise - or cowardly - enough to see his ally go down and begin to retreat, attempting to draw away from the other combatants despite the strange properties of the space that contained them.

Hikaru brought up a wall of solid light, a white matching the surroundings, that shielded them from the incoming strike. The pinions struck with enough force to send cracks spiderwebbing throughout the construction. "Kindle, Nagi is a friend!" they managed to shout in the process. Transformation was emotionally powered; evidently this had gotten the better of Kindle.

Adero, Lucia, and Stefan

It was difficult to tell through the din the beast made whenever it moved, but the group seemed to have counted down to something. There was a flash of light around the beast - rendering it quite difficult to look at for the moment - and it collapsed to the ground. The postures of the people around it started to relax, only for it to stand up once more, dazed but apparently quite perturbed at whatever had just happened. The lancer shouted a few orders as it prepared to strike at him, and everyone else started to take up elevated positions to the best of their ability - except for the Roman, who turned around to face the exit of the bus where Lucia had called out from.

When he approached, a shape that hadn't been clearly visible before took form. It looked like. . . a ferret? A rather large one, but still a ferret. "Don't worry, we're here to help. We'll call an ambulance after we finished here, but for now, you need to come with me." He glanced down at the furry animal, which nodded at him.

"Her, and the two men just inside too." The now clearly unnatural ferret spoke with a calm, almost soothing and deep voice. "Please, don't just sit there in shock; it is to the benefit of all of us that we move immediately. I will explain when we are in a safer location, but for now I must ask you to follow us."

Vixen

The first lead was actually fairly close. One of the younger mages on her list, a girl of around sixteen - though the list was populated with the upper portion of the age range. The list likely would have reminded the Vixen that her case was an exceptional one; among mages, she could be considered ancient. Magi often didn't live long - reaching two years was an achievement, three unusual, five almost unheard of. Inevitably, they'd burn out or meet a beast that surprised them. Or, another mage would do them in, whether due to clashing ideology, power struggles, or simple insanity.

Though the geographic distance was short, it seemed that Vixen travelled halfway across the city to reach her destination. It took her entirely out of the wealthy district - the building had been on the edge of this - and back into one of the poor residential areas. Her "target" lived in a dilapidated old apartment building, not dissimilar to the one that Takeshi occupied - though this one wasn't quite abandoned.

Any thoughts that Vixen might have had upon seeing the structure would have been cut off by two things - first, a sudden flare of magical energy above her, and second, the faintly glowing arrow that lodged itself in the pavement in front of her. It had a small, red ribbon tied to the end, which slowly fluttered and drooped down to the asphalt below, as if in slow motion. A cloaked silhouette was visible at the top of the building.

"Don't come any closer," a girl's voice rang out. Strange. Vixen's borrowed memories indicated a friendly disposition.

Dexter

"There's nothing in my contract that compels you to do what I say, beyond the agreement to protect Mediators. Whether you want to join a faction or not is up to you. As far as my own safety. . . I am unsure if Takeshi will come back soon. If he has not returned by nightfall, expect me to find you." The catlike being stretched for a moment and looked around, covering another pause for thought. He continued in a calm, yet somehow resigned-sounding tone. "I would recommend that you find a faction, however. The Peacekeepers likely wouldn't take you - they choose their candidates from those who have not been awakened, for the most part - but the Preservers or Protectors might take you. To be brief, the Preservers believe in, well, preserving magical beasts, due to each being a unique or, at the very least, highly unusual existence. Protectors believe the threat they pose to humanity outweighs the benefits of keeping them around. I am not sure which ideology suits you; you must choose that on your own."

[Pyon Pyon Kyuu!~]

"I'm not going anywhere these people need hel-" Lucia's reply stopped halfway. She noticed the ferret and stopped immediately. It looked so cute! So cute she could scream in glee, even in the current circumstance. Slowly, she got out of the bus and approached the Roman man. ".. Can I hug the talking ferret?" Lucia asked meekly, bring both of her hands up together as if praying to the soldier. It took her a moment to snap out of her cuteness induced trance. "I'll go with you, but you have to promise to call the ambulance as soon as you are done! The people need help." And speaking a bit lower she added "And you need to let me cuddle with the ferret." Lucia starred down at the creature as she said that.

[Grizzlybrand]

Adero sighed, and looked at the kid. "I'm gonna need you to be real brave for me Kid, and grit your teeth." As carefully as he could he helped the young man off of his back, and leaning on the wall. Then with the giant's large hand on his shoulder, holding him down, he reached over and gingerly gripped the dislocated leg. "Alright, on the count of three."

"One." he said, as he found the right angle to put his weight into.

"Two..."

"I-is..." The student said, somewhat weakly. "Is this gonna hurt?"

"Like a bitch, but don't worry. It'll pass like, getting a shot."

"Aw man I hate needles..."

"Tibia-honest, I think you'll do fine. Three." That got a chuckle out of the young man, which was interrupted with a harsh yelp as the bone was set back in place, accompanied by a distinct, uncomfortable pop. "Ahahha, see? I'm not a Fibia, over as quickly as it started. How do you feel?"

"I think...Those jokes were as bad as what you just did."

"See, you'll be just fine." Hearing distinct conversation, he turned to the emergency exit of the bus, where the young girl had slipped out, hopefully the fight had ended. "What's your name, kid?"

"Kurahara." Adero gave an earnest smile.

"Well Kurahara we're gonna get you some help, trust m-Ow!" He rose to his feet only to once again hit his head on the bus. He cursed in a language the boy couldn't understand. "...Trust me."

Exiting the bus for himself (a bit of a squeeze), he moved up to where the Roman soldier and the girl was. "I take it you're the person that handled the...thing that hit us. Thanks."

"We've uh, got a few people in there that needs medical attention and soon."

Edited December 1, 2015 by Grizzlybrand

[Cyaloom]

"Finding me tonight? Do I have to stay around here or..."

Dexter instinctively replied, then abruptly stopped speaking, as he was overthinking.

It was probably time for him to leave Takeshi behind and join a faction, but of course that wouldn't have been easy: he was an official Magical person only from about a week, most of what he had before was gone, and it was like what remained was taken care of by Takeshi and Astros... only to leave them behind that soon.

"Sorry if I'm asking you too many questions." Dexter whispered after a while.

Edited December 9, 2015 by Cyaloom