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Post by wildkuma on Oct 2, 2009 9:20:16 GMT -5
Several moments passed, and strangely, little had changed. The lone trainer had completed her message, and now stood rigid, still largely focused on the Tsivet before her. She was expecting more. She didn't know whether to be relieved or concerned by Rosso's declining intensity. Perhaps it was a calm before the storm. Naomi would do well to continue setting the environment to her advantage.
But what troubled her most was the lack of a reply on the account of the two visitors. Was it a rejection of her message, or a lack of understanding? By the time they encoded what she said, considering they didn't understand, the conflict would likely be well over...
The sudden reflection of her message back to her did bring some surprise however. She could focus in on the sender a little better now...his energy pattern quite interesting. It appeared to be that of a Pokemon...and she was quite sure Pokemon were rare on this continent. Perhaps the individual might have some connection with Starfall Academy? It would be odd if a wild Pokemon would trace her patterns in such a manner. New hope had been sparked in her, despite knowing she wasn't getting a response rather than confirmation that they'd heard. At least, she hoped such was the purpose behind the activity...
She had to make the message clearer before she got too involved with Rosso to be incapable of sending one. She might have decided on an odd means, but a written work would be better than anything for ensuring their comprehension. Naomi stomped once, then kicked her heel into the floor, loosening and flipping up a section of floorboard. While wielding Uriel in her left, she caught the board with her right, stepping back slowly with intent to catch the light filtering through the window in her staff. The beam was concentrated and projected into the wood, hastily used to etch out a message:
S.O.S. Building may fall soon, please keep distance. Any ground support will be appreciated. Medical, perimeter, excavation, likely. Can you assist?
Writing by dragging might be crude, but it would serve the purpose, provided she could get it to Breyen without Rosso interfering. Those two wouldn't respond poorly to another Pokemon if they weren't from Gaia right? Hopefully...she would simply have to cast the dragon Pokemon out again and hope he returned with the forces needed to get her out of here.
Gold and blue remained fixated on Rosso as the staff was pointed back to use Fira, enlarging a hole in in the wall to throw the board through. Breyen would understand...he could follow her code. Trying to use it while fighting would be tough, but she knew it could be accomplished. She would not have come if she couldn't do so. Though she was scared some, she still retained the knowledge within that she was capable of accomplishing this.
The board was thrown, and the trainer raised her barrier to come between Rosso and the walls, waiting for Breyen to move clear of activity before she could drop it. She had no energy to raise defenses around herself in the meantime, but it would only take a few seconds. She could keep pace for a few seconds...Uriel's gleam seemed to suggest this. Not very powerful, but quite resilient. Naomi's skill would accomplish the rest. Caging herself in with the Crimson Tsivet did not seem wise, but by this point, Naomi couldn't care less. She cast a Quake in Rosso's direction, growing a bit impatient to begin. Rosso might as well strike while she was partially compromised. Morse code relayed the message to Breyen while Naomi stood her ground. Knowing the Widow held the potential to explode at any moment. This was going to give her one monster of a headache by the time she was finished...
-/-/-/-/-
The gleaming eyes of the waiting Breyen seemed to only grow wider with each fluctuation of his trainer's energy. Sure, he understood what she was trying to do, but there was no denying the risk factor involved. He could've stamped his emerald hide with frustration, but decided to focus on the task at hand instead. No use trying to change Naomi's mind when she had a concrete standard in place.
The massive beast clamped his jaws down on the board as it flew from the opening, and took of with just as much impulsion. The wake of his crimson wingspan kicked up some of the dust from the building's old walls, but it seemed nothing would obstruct his objective at this point. Though it was probably odd to see a dragon Pokemon flying over Gaia in plain sight...and to think that sinking your teeth into etched wood would not disturb the message, Breyen continued without hesitation. It was not long before he had a clear visual of the message's intended recipients, and he began arcing down towards the ground to deliver. A single grumble was voiced to try to convey he was not aggressive, but approaching with such speed could likely be seen as otherwise. Of course, this was irrelevent to the great beast, and he dropped to the ground a short distance away from them, being sure to keep his head low and the floorboard in prominent view.
Now to hope that they didn't view the smoke beginning to rise from Shinra Manor as his doing and that they'd accept the message without a fight. The Salamence nodded his head once or twice as if invitation to take it, but he still wasn't sure. He'd never dealt with blue-maned youths before...he really didn't have any idea what to expect from this kid.
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Post by Aether on Oct 8, 2009 14:12:53 GMT -5
Too much focus and blood-lust kept Rosso retained from intercepting the board. At first she was expecting the board and the Fira to be directed towards herself, which she was ready to deflect with the dual-bladed weapon she carried. Obviously that was not the girl's intent, as the Fira was not even placed in her direction. It became clear that Naomi was intending to send out some kind of distress message to who knows who or what might be outside the wretched mansion, but it wasn't the Tsviet's concern. By the time the message was received and acted upon, Rosso's mission would be over. She knew what was coming, and had little time to make anything happen.
Instead of the board, Rosso focused on her target, raising her weapon to fire several rounds of gunfire while her opponent was busy sending out her futile SOS. By the time anyone would arrive, there would be nothing to save Naomi or Genesis from. Despite this fact, Rosso never let her sadistic smile drop.
**** There was the option of continuing towards the mansion, but they could also turn around or stop in their tracks. Either way, Vince and his crew were still unclear of what exactly was going on. All they knew is the trainer they were trailing was in Nibelheim, within the confines of the large haunted building, and she wasn't alone. There were signs of struggle, as made apparent by the rising smoke, miniature explosions and the ringing of gunfire.
"We could still give-" "Oh, shut up! We're not going back!" "Alright! But what are we gonna do when we get there? I don't do well with...that stuff!" "We just help out where we can. We didn't come all the way out here to do nothing." "Tch, we wouldn't even be out here if it wasn't for-Ohmygahit'sgonnaeatme!"
Without hesitation, Vince proceeded to barrel roll behind the Garchomp as Breyen made his touchdown. His actions were rarely carried due to fright. Most of the time, you couldn't figure the reason why Vince did what he did. He was a strange boy. Kronos shook his head as he glanced back at Breyen.
"Please forgive my trainer. He can...well...Well, he can just be an idiot." The odd thing about Kronos is that when he spoke, actual words of English came from his mouth. Somehow, the Garchomp had learned to speak the human tongue, and did so quite fluently. "*jumps out on the offense* Hey! Rude! I'm right here...Hmm?"
The boy took notice of the board the Salamence held in it's mighty jaws of death. With a curious tilt of the head, he quickly made his way to the large dragon, suddenly forgetting his argument with his teammate, and the possibility of the other large dragon pokemon being any bit hostile. Vince had a habit of avoiding danger at all costs, but that habit was different when concerning pokemon, for one odd reason or another. Kronos followed behind him, looking over Vince's shoulder as the boy took the board. The two were quite accepting of Breyen's appearance, as if they could have been expecting a arrival of this manner.
"Well now, what's all this then?" "They appear to be words..." "Oh rly?! Brilliant deduction, Mr. Holmes!" "Elementary my dear Watson. Hmm...The word are eligible, but carved in a crude manner; definitely not the work of metal with those searing marks. Whoever sent this must have been in a hurry." "Soo desu ne (Let's see)...SOS...ladidadida...can you assist..."
Vince threw his hand in the air with his finger pointing upwards in a triumphant manner, throwing the board behind him and nearly taking our his own dragon. He gave Breyen one ridiculous grin, which was one of his specialties. "My good sir, you are in luck! We just happen to be in the assisting business!" "Oh, now you want to see the action?" "Well, now we have a young damsel in distress." "Oh whatever. You've wanted to help all along. Quit making excuses and do something about it." "Pffft. As if. I just know I'll get in trouble if I don't help. "
The boy actually smiled again, letting out a light-hearted huff before turning back to the Salamence, flipping a part of his hair from his eyes. He was a mysterious child, one filled with much oddness and laziness, but he gave off a light-hearted aura, as well as his Garchomp.
The Umbreon, however, wasn't nothing near as sociable as the other two he traveled with, but he didn't appear to mean any harm. He was just silent as he sat, seemingly uninterested in what was going on.
"Ok! Enough dally of the dillying! Let us make haste to the smoking mansion of peril and doom!...Hmmm...sounds kinda despairing and unpleasant-Could I get a ride?" Vince asked Breyen. Obviously Vince would have to put his pokemon back in their pokeballs, though he knew the likelihood of getting a ride at all was very...very low. But hey, it meant less walking for him if it worked, so the suggestion was worth the shot.
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Post by wildkuma on Oct 9, 2009 9:12:13 GMT -5
*Grawwrl?*
The wings of the emerald wyrm seemed to slowly droop to the ground as his eyebrows seemed to rise in contrast. What a reaction...was this kid really going to be of some help to them? He seemed rather enthusiastic considering just a minute ago, he'd been cowering in misery from his image alone. Breyen tilted his head in confusion at first from the boy's initial jumbled speech, but after hearing the Garchomp annunciate with such formality, now he really was concerned. He's a Garchomp...a lumbering, cold-blooded Garchomp. What kind of dragon formally apologizes for someone else's behavior? What dragon cares about anyone's behavior but the evasive maneuvers of prey or soon-to-be-toasted enemies? Who was the trainer here anyways? Breyen wasn't quite sure at this point who to give the message to, but he nodded his head and acted as though he understood the Garchomp's wording, though he was quite relieved that they both decided to look at the message of their own accord. Of course he wasn't going to give them a chance to realize he couldn't speak human himself.
He waited patiently as they analyzed her script...pseudo whiskers twitching as he tried to make a clearer picture of them. The boy spoke in a foreign tongue for a moment, revealing he was indeed as fluent in speech as the dragon before him. It brought some relief to the now hopeful Pokemon, but still...what was with the dramatic mannerisms? Didn't he know anything about conserving one's stamina? The dragon's maw seemed to slowly creak open in disbelief as the boy nearly clouted his own Pokemon with the board he'd acted so quickly to deliver. And the pointing finger didn't help much either...was he asking him to start flying again now or something? And that grin...plain eerie. Maybe flying off wouldn't be such a bad idea at this point...if it was physically possible for the dragon to produce an anti-gravity water droplet next to his red whiskers, nows the time he would've chosen to do it.
Still, these were the two Kamille instructed for him to take back. May as well do it and let her decide whether it was worth dropping them. Breyen gave a slight snort of acceptance; it turned out pretty well with Sir Silvermop last time. Maybe this boy who's hair spoke of sea cucumber entrails would be similarly capable. A bit eccentric, but he didn't give a bad vibe. Still, Breyen wouldn't be caught dead with a trainer so vivid riding on his back so soon. That bright blue and silver, along with the old-fashioned jacket didn't coordinate with his red and green in the least. Maybe he'd give him a reason to be scared now instead?
Breyen was quite pleased with this decision and his equally agreeable expression seemed to say so. At least he thought so...sharp beige fangs with a trace of sulfur scent were displayed proudly before plucking Vince up by his collar and readying for flight. He would give him a few moments to return his Pokemon, but once he did so, it would be smooth sailing at fifty miles an hour. Breyen would make sure to grip better with his claws upon rising...he'd leave it to the boy to decide whether he preferred the extra restraint or not. As for the boy...he was going to need a dubbance for this one too. Hmm...Duke Namako would be a sound title in return for his service to her highness. Now if he could only manage to keep hold of the slippery Japanese invertebrate the whole time...
-/-/-/-/-/-
So this would be the first challenge...the trainer's wall of light still stood in opposition, as did she. It appeared Rosso would make no attempt to stop Breyen, prefering to ensure that she would not be the only one to fall in this burning cave. The destruction from below was beginning to forge it's way through the woodwork, having passed through the relatively inflammable concrete labs. As soon as the Black Widow set off, the whole manor would be rendered to little more than dust over time. Naomi could feel the dormant energy of the structure soon to be released in spectacular towers of flame, and that of the open bonfires which were gradually beginning to overtake much of the surrounding furniture.
Still, there was no change in her demeanor. She noted Rosso's current technique, a hail of iron quite capable of surpassing her natural defense, though certainly not that of the barrier behind her. With Breyen out of the way, it would be safe to drop, but she would not be able to gather the distorted energy in time to ward off the attack before her. If she tried to dodge while holding up a barrier that large, she would just end up losing the energy to the enviornment due to loss of focus. She needed to draw her method from elsewhere, and with the assistence of Uriel, turned to the flames besider her. She might not be able to stop or dodge the bullets, but she could lessen the damage she took greatly by changing their form.
All of these thoughts occured within a matter of seconds after Rosso first discharged her weapon. A cloud of heat, distorting the air in a manner similar to a outdoor vent during summer, flew in from one of the stray flames, causing it to extinguish spontaneously. The compressed heat, far greater than what could be considered natural, seemed to severely blur the section of space it occupied, and placed in the path of the bullets, rendered the forms to flying liquid. Incredibly hot liquid iron, but at least it would not pierce her bones. She closed her eyes and winced as she felt the burning remnants of the bullets splash onto her skin...though she managed to keep her focus. The barrier behind her was soon dissolved and recycled into her, as the iron rendered quicksilver cascaded down and began to eat small holes into the ground. That was Rosso's main opportunity, and Naomi had made sure she lost it. Rosso wouldn't get a second one. Wiping any remnants of iron off and raising Uriel in turn, she thanked her brother for her prowess with fire, and decided she would never discredit paint guns as actual weapons again. A continued attempt at Quake was made behind the Crimson Tsivet, causing the earth spears to line up in a reinforced row. Naomi found herself needing to contantly remind herself to breathe, but at least she knew it wouldn't be long now before she'd have a chance to make her move. But not yet...Rosso was not winded enough yet.
There was no humor in Naomi's expression, and Rosso could keep smiling for all the waiting trainer cared. She didn't need rescue from Rosso, she would just need someone capable to clean up the mess she made. There was no way Rosso would manage to hold up against Naomi's resolve if this was all she had. None. It was Naomi's decision and she'd turn it into truth.
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Post by Aether on Oct 10, 2009 20:29:10 GMT -5
Manipulation of the elements was not in Rosso's repertoire of offensive maneuvers. She did not have the ability to control fire in the manner to deflect bullets or to engulf her enemies in flames, and this served her just fine. To someone with a mind as Rosso, battle and war was nothing but a simple means of pleasure, and that pleasure could only be obtained by the fresh slice into another flesh. She had to be close to see them writhe in pain, but watching several bouts of searing-hot liquid metal splash onto the skin of the young warrior. This of course was not what the Tsviet had in mind, but it was a different variety of pain which Rosso had yet to see experienced, so it was enjoyable, even if it was somewhat annoying. She could feel the Quakes beneath her, and those quakes were most likely taking a severe toll on the rugged, rusted mansion. Were the assaults directed at her, or were the intended targets beneath them? Rosso did not think much into the situation, focusing more on her opponent, but the thought did run past her that Naomi could be attempting to bring down the entirety of the mansion upon everyone unfortunate enough to be caught inside. A decent plan, but where was the fun? Naomi had yet to make any real attempts at close range combat, relying on her Materia and other light-element techniques for attacking. Perhaps a change of plans was in order. As the splashes of metal made their marks on the the girl, Rosso took the moment to close in. The guns have ceased fire and now the blades were calling out for their turn. The SOLDIER avoided whatever spikes erupted forth to skewer her and drew back her weapon, going forward to unleash her flurry and swipes and slashes. This was her last resort. Whatever she mustered into this assault was all she would have left, but even so she would not allow anyone to kill her, even if that meant taking her own life in a fiery blaze and cascading derbis.
**** "Ok, we're finally getting into this. You ready? You finally happy?!" "Yes. We're actually doing something instead of lounging around all day." "And what's wrong with that? We had a pretty good life going. Nothing serious and no trouble. A big house with plenty of food. We didn't have to work a day in our lives for nothing. We had it made, man!" "..." "...What? Why are you-OH DEAR MARMADUKE!!"
Vince didn't have enough time before he was scooped up into the jaws of the emerald-hide dragon. He simply hung for a moment, looking like a puppy if you picked it up by the scruff of the neck. Kronos chuckled, placing his claws on his chin. "Oh, this is wonderful." He smirked before a red beam engulfed his form and drew him into a pokeball Vince held in his hand. "Yeah, laugh it up Scales...Alright, your turn next Xerin." The boy called out as he held out anothe rpokeball. The Umbreon let out a slight huff, still seeming to be uninterested. "Try not to die..." He stated in his pokemon tongue before the beam called him back to the pokeball. Almost instantaneously, the two were on their way to the mansion, Vince staring down into the abyss his mind was creating for him at the insane heights he was subjected to, on top of the little security. However, their height and speed was not his main problem.
"...*sniff*...What's that smell...*sniff sniff* Oh dear merciful Arceus!" He gagged, catching a sniff of the atrocious dragon breath. Now there was that smell on top of being man-handled by a dragon. "This isn't necessarily what I had in mind-Now, we're going to the mansion and not to a place where you'll eat me, correct?" He had to ask, since he felt more like dinner than a passenger. His trench coat was going to need some serious scrubbing by the time this was over, and Breyen's teeth was next on the list for scrubbing, and forget toothpaste; someone needed to break out the Mr. Clean. Well, at least the boy didn't have to deal with the accommodations for too long. at the speed they were going (which helped keep Vince in a nervous state of mind), the trip was somewhat short, as they were now close to the gates that lead to the mansion. "Ok now! Uhh...Hmm...anytime now would be good, I think?"
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Post by wildkuma on Oct 11, 2009 19:52:21 GMT -5
The air within the room seemed to be changing as the entirety of the building appeared to be catching into flames. As the foyer of the building was the highest concealed point, the smoke was beginning to be trapped in the chamber, the ash beginning to cloud vision and breathing becoming a danger in itself. Rosso looked as if she was ready to continue the next phase of the fight, Naomi was quite prepared to do so herself, increasing her grip on Uriel as Rosso's furor hurdled her way. Close range...this was what she was waiting for. Just a few seconds... let her move closer, don't fear the blades...
Naomi struck back with quite some furor of her own, the clash of their weapons only resulting in more sparks which showered the ground. The screech of the metal was deafening, occassionally interspaced with loud clangs from the combatants challenging each other, focusing their power against into their armaments to see who would give ground. Every bit of ground Naomi gave it appeared Rosso leapt to take it, a few occurances of this in turn angering Naomi, and causing her to strike back more forcibly. The exhange was exhausting, each near strike causing her heart to skip a beat, each connection threatening to make her knees give way as Uriel struggled to retain its form. But she knew her opening would come and she persisted, until finally she knew what she wished to create and locked Uriel into Rosso's blades, the gleam of one of her materia the final preparation necessary for Rosso's defeat to be imminent...
"...I'm sorry you didn't choose to leave."
Barely after she'd finished speaking, the Gravity materia of her right arm started flashing brightly, before the floorboards began to suddenly give way, and a great crashing sound began to rise up through the ground. The building walls were sound, but beneath the battling pair, a good portion of the ground had sunk in on itself. At the center of the calamity, a powerful Gravity Spell destroyed the necessary building foundations weakened by her Quake spells. Both Naomi and Rosso would be suspended in the tomb she'd created of her own will, the Black Widow soon to follow in as the ground could no longer support its massive weight.
Several of Rosso's strikes had struck home, leaving Naomi torn in her ribs, hip and shoulders. But that was nothing compared to the energy Rosso lost during her assualt...she had refused to raise a powerful offensive becuase all the energy necessary to defeat Rosso lay in the Widow. By the time the Widow hit the ground...it would likely trigger the explosion, and bury them both alive. It was this that would be the deciding factor, not only withstanding the close-range explosion, but being able to breathe long enough to be retrieved from the earth. Even of Rosso generated a barrier strong enough to withstand the explosion, she would need to free herself in less than two minutes if she wished to escape. As for Naomi, she would not be bound by this. Her Stop materia would arrest her metabolism long enough for Breyen to dig her out, and her Barrier would not be dispelled by loss of focus. The amount of energy required to accomplish the task would be sufficient to summon Jaeger and her residual spells. The rest would be left to fate. Hopefully she'd calculated the depth of the pit correctly...large enough to contain the explosion of the widow...but with enough weakpoints that the shock of her colliding with the walls would be lessened by breaking through several. She just had to hold it up long enough...and be lucky enough to hit the regions where the Quake spires exited the ground.
Naomi assured herself that this would be how the conflict ended, and looked to Rosso as the floor beneath her gave way, ebon strands flying up as she descended into the dark. The tottering figure of the widow would bring alarm, but was just another tool in achieving victory. Stop began to shine as did Gravity. The young trainer retreated to her barrier and stood her ground, waiting for her world to fade to black...
But at least the light would come back again. Beyond a bit of hardship, the light would certainly come again.
-/-/-/-/-/-
Beyond the range of the Mansion's struggle, the emerald scaled Breyen pierced through the skies with ruby wings, glancing down below as he searched for an appropriate place to land. He chuckled a bit, as much as a dragon could anyways, at Vince's brief remark, but he knew there was no time to fool around with naive humans. Lucky kid...if Breyen wasn't on a mission for Naomi, swooping off for an unexpected meal might have been a nice idea.
But Breyen wasn't a maneater, and the leathery looking hide of this hide didn't appeared as if it'd be particularly tasty anyways. Not to mention the intensity of the situation the dragon was beginning to notice. He could feel the struggle quite well through his whiskers...the intense crash of energy whenever the weapons collided. But honing in on the location of the combatants now, he could sense a far greater amount of energy being expent at once, both from Kamille and from Rosso. Though unnerving, he knew it must take place, and hastened to find a place to land. The gate Vince spoke of was easily surpassed, but it was finding a place to land Vince without crushing him that would be an issue. For some reason, the dragon seemed hesitant to touch down on the earth, hovering above the building with obvious concern.
Looking through the broken stained glass in the ceiling, the manor conflict was plainly in view, and the flashing widow with its evident warning did not improve his opinion any.
Taking a spot on one of the highest points of the manor, the dragon Pokemon waited silently, wondering if the aftermath would be great enough to force him further away. He released his hold of Duke Namako, deciding it best to leave him to his own devices, and remained alert for anything his disappearing trainer might require of him. He would serve Vince for now if needed, but he hoped that such an arrangement would not become an extended occupation.
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Post by Aether on Oct 20, 2009 13:36:02 GMT -5
"Leave? ....Hahahaha! Leaving is a commodity unknown to Deepground..." The fire, the rubble, the sound of crashing wood, stone and steel...Rosso knew the building was coming down. So this was the girl's plan. She intended to bury them all in the debris of the mansion and killing the Tsviet in the process. It was a wreckless endeavor, though one that would probably work. Nothing was going to be left standing, all the combatants, the Widow: All of it was going down into the pit. Yet, the Tsviet still couldn't help but smile, as if that's all she knew how to do. The stone collapsed around her as the ground, and she couldn't help but laugh at the face of death. Rosso vowed that she would not let herself fall to this girl, and she intended to keep that promise. The earth consumed them all, Naomi, Rosso and the Widow, yet Rosso went down with a smile.
Genesis watch the building fall to pieces. He had stood by silent, letting Naomi finish her business with the Tsviet, and now looked to be a great time to make his leave, or at least escape the havoc of the destructive manor. As both Naomi and Rosso fell out of site, Genesis quickly wrapped himself in a black wing that suddenly appeared from his left side. And with that action, just as his wing mysteriously appeared, the wing and Genesis disappeared in the same manner.
He appeared within the confines of the gate that lead into the mansion grounds, keeping close to the manor but not close enough to be hit with the debris. The only phenomenon that drew his attention away from the chaos was a passing shadow that come from above. The SOLDIER glanced upwards to find a large-emerald-hued creature flying close to the mansion, and it appeared to have a guest with it: A human guest.
**** "Holy shnikes...What on earth is going on in there?!"
Vince watch the destruction from his lofty view, praying to Arceus that the Salamence did not lose his grip at this height and over this particular area. Needless to say, he was ever so thankful once they touched down: No more dragon breath! However, now Vince was stumped. There was no way anyone could have survived that, right? What about the trainer of this pokemon? She wasn't still in there when this building went down, was she? No, she had to be smarter than that, unless she had something else in mind...like dying, but that seemed improbable. Having no idea concerning what action to take, the boy turned to Breyen with a puzzled look. "Ok Scales...what now?"
At that time Vince noticed movement out of the corner of his eye. He turned his head to catch the sight of someone walking towards them. He wore a red leather long coat and a glow that was clearly visible in his eyes. The man looked somewhat relaxed, and didn't come towards them in a intimidating manner, despite the long red rapier he carried in his right hand. Despite his somewhat friendly approach, that did not stop Vince from squinting his eyes and crossing his fingers. "Pleasedon'tbeabadguyPleasedon'tbeabadguy, ohPleasedon'tbeabadguy..."
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Post by wildkuma on Nov 12, 2009 20:53:18 GMT -5
"It's strange...despite all that's happened...fire and blades and monsters and death stalking the land...I would end up afraid of the dark...
Breyen, you can't get me out of this hole soon enough."
The impact of the massive Widow crashing into the earth gave Naomi a greater shock than she'd anticipated. But the majority of her concern was not caused by the image of the figure blotting out the scant sunlight filtering in from above, nor the strain of holding up that tiny spherical barrier as she was shot through the walls of the underground like an armor piercing bullet. It wasn't even the impact when she'd finally collided with earth dense enough to absorb the energy of the explosion, and sending her flying to the opposite side of the barrier. No, it was the sheer jubilance in Rosso's smile as she tumbled to her death that shook Naomi's core the most. Was she going to revel in the pursuit of bloodshed until the end of her life? Would she brandish that crimson swallowtail with the same furor even in death? It appeared she would never get the chance to see what happened to Rosso, as the inferno carried her away in a decisive, final flare. But she was not going to forget that chaotic battle, nor her purpose for striving to win.
The area around her was dark now, and the pressure building against the barrier was easily making her head quake. The loosened soil gradually slid over the barrier, eventually concealing her in total darkness. But she had to finish activating the latent spells within Aiden and Caden if she wished to consider this mission a success. She had to bring her brother here...she had to make sure this data could be delivered to the Aura Unit.
"Lord Jager...on the behalf of Rex-Vritra, I rise to exact your punishment. I rise to confirm your subjugation. Accept my challenge, or face seven suns unbound..."
As she voiced this, a thin wave of energy shot through the earth, hurdling toward the distant conflict as fast as light itself. It seemed to have a more of a restorative basis than anything destructive. A second wavelength seemed to have more of a negative pattern, as if designed to disrupt or burn. Though their presence would be felt only momentarily, their effect would be critical.
"I guess that's all I can do for now then. If that doesn't summon him, nothing will...
Aiden...I hope you will not have to suffer too much because of this..."
As the air within the protective barrier began to draw thin, the Stop technique was finally enacted, leaving the golden eyed Raiken frozen in place. She lay quietly on the earth until all respiration and bodily procesess came to a halt, shutting her eyes for when the dirt likely was to spill from above. Things seemed to be safe for the time being...at least she was able to feel bitter cold grip her rather than the heat of warfare...
Now only time would tell if the message would reach its target.
-/-/-/-/-
With the approach of the red figure, Breyen could only sigh at Vince's reaction, the blue boy wonder that Naomi had intended to come to the rescue apparently looking like a foreigner lost in the crossfire at this point. Still, he had to trust her judgement. The hefty dragon Pokemon looked over to the figure of Genesis, releasing a low warning hiss after noting the presence of the rapier. Attention was turned to Vince's question shortly afterward, though the dragon was wary about the approach of the stranger still.
The Pokemon's whiskers twitched momentarily as he locked onto a particular location in he ground, immediately after taking Vince into his claws and descending upon the noted spot. He deposited him a considerable distance to the side, as he clawed an "x" into the earth. The move did bring them a little closer to the strange swordsman, but the Salamence was ready to put up a fight if it was necessary.
The Pokemon seemed to grumble something a moment as it leapt into the skies, revealing an odd syringe tied to its neck in the process. It seemed to be preparing to use a Hyper Beam on the earth, but bided its time, as if waiting to determine what the figure would do. It had to be swift about excavating Naomi, but if this man got in the way...
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Post by Aether on Nov 17, 2009 15:58:08 GMT -5
Vince kept an eye on both the crimson swordsman and the emerald dragon, doing his best to remain vigilant of both entities. Needless to say most of his attention was diverted to Breyen when the the beast again took the boy up with the use of his claws and set him down on the ground where the dragon placed an "X" on the dirt.
Genesis heard the warning hiss, expecting as much due to his appearance and location, not to mention the weapon he was carrying. Not wanting to find a fight, however, the man stopped his approach, though he was close enough to speak and be heard. "I think he wants you to dig. You do not need to worry; I mean you no harm."
Grant it, the man's calm reply was a bit relieving, however their guard should not be dropped so quickly. Vince shot Genesis a fairly awkward look; one filled with suspicion and somehow humor. The look appeared serious at first, but after a moment of examination the look was actually more on the ridiculous side. "Well...ok. But just in case, Scales is gonna have to look after ya for a moment." Vince glanced towards said dragon for a moment, placing his open palm in the air in a "stop" like fashion, though that is not what he meant necessarily. "We got this covered." He added as he pulled out a pokeball, releasing a familiar face. "Well, that wasn't very long now was it?" "Let's cut to the chase Kronnie-" "You know how I despise that nickname." "Hehe...I know. But that's besides the point! See this X? I need you to start digging. Not sure if we're looking for treasure or what, but do be careful in case we have a guest waiting for us." "Ah, I see. No problem; this should only take a minute."
Kronos was a skilled digger and excavator; being part ground-type contributed to this fact. Using Dig the pokemon began the process, using his claws to break away any rubble and ground that came in contact. The Garchomp proved to be as skilled as his boasting claimed to be, having gathered a couple feet within a few short moments until he caught eye of what was likely to be their intended target. As this was not buried gold, the Garchomp had to be careful with the extraction, making sure to make shorter but more precise and gentle clawing motinos to move the dirt and rubble to gain access to Naomi. Soon, the pokemon came out of his hole, handing over the girl to Vince. "Well, give or take a couple seconds, the job is done...right?" He asked, looking upward at Breyen for confirmation. Vince in the meantime held Naomi, brushing off the dirt from her face and shoulders. He held her like a Prince Charming would hold a Sleeping Beauty, and the joke did not cease to come out of his mouth.
"Only a true love's kiss can break the curse..." He stated softly, not even getting a chance to pretend as if he was going to kiss the girl before getting smacked rather heavily over the head by Kronos. The boy doubled-over, hold Naomi with one arm and placing his free hand on the sweltering bumb on the back of his cranium, wincing and mumbling in pain.
"I WAS JOKING!!! *sniffle* No need for violence, you brute!" "No need for stupidity you twit. I know you were joking, but now's not the best time if you haven't noticed. Hmmm...some of the wounds appear fresh. She must have been one of the combatants from earlier." "She was. Both of us were fighting against one of the Tsviets. She must have protected herself somehow before the collapse." "Well, that's all fine and dandy, but what do we do now? ...Hey Scales! Have any ideas...Hmm? What's that on you neck?"
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Post by wildkuma on Nov 22, 2009 22:42:31 GMT -5
"Mmhmm.....wha..t? Broth..er?"
"....Grroorruu? *Drip*"
The bright light of of the outdoors seemed to reach Naomi with quite some shock as her senses gradually began to kick back into existence. Had the strange traveler carrying her been paying any attention when she was first dragged out, he might've noticed that she was truthfully in a death state, albeit only temporarily. In truth, she wasn't entirely sure how the use of Stop would affect her, considering she'd never really used the materia on herself before today. But it seemed the extra syringe of respiratory stimulants she'd bound to Breyen just in case might not be necessary. Perhaps they could prove useful later. Whatever happened, she had to shake off this stupor quickly.
"T...th...ank you....don't take...it. I'll...be up..."
She could already feel the bruises from getting tossed around in the barrier sphere welling up on her back and arms...but those really weren't the biggest concerns she held. Not quite in tune with where she was, she struggled a bit trying to regain control of her nervous system. Standing up seemed like a realistic goal for the moment, but it appeared it was going to take a few minutes to be completely back in condition. Regardless, speech seemed to be working a bit better, and her attention shortly turned back to Vince.
"...I'm sorry...if I caused any trouble. It was just a bit odd...a minute there. You're the one...that I sent that message to, right? Thank you for...getting me out of there...though I'm a bit unsure how it happened...
Um...if you could...put me down, I'll try to explain, but...(Genesis...)
...What is...your name?"
In truth, she wasn't sure how she'd managed to escape when she expected to wake up with the barrier intact. Maybe the ground had settled immediately after the explosion due to the heat? If her barrier had failed immediately due to brain function being halted, it would explain all the dirt that had managed to surround her. Other than the damage and bloodstains from fighting Rosso...she hoped she didn't get anything on the stranger; even if they were mere flesh wounds, they probably could've made a mess.
Breyen could only look on with relief as Kronos smacked Vince and saved him the trouble of becoming violent in front of Naomi. If she had witnessed it, she'd definitely be giving him a scolding later. He wasn't quite sure what to make of the red figure, but apparently, Naomi didn't become concerned upon viewing him, so he wouldn't be too nervous either. Rather, enjoying the show and being alert for any further repercussions he might suffer for his inherent oddness.
As for Naomi, she wasn't quite sure what to think from this first impression, having heard the exclamation of anguish following Krono's assault, and not much else. It was a bit too soon to figure out what to make of him, but she was already certain that it would be quite some time before she tried to use a tactic that risky again.
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Post by Aether on Nov 25, 2009 18:45:57 GMT -5
Paying attention was not one of Vince's strong points, tending to be oblivious to the small things and only examining the obvious. Of course he found it odd to have dug up a girl and how she could have been so perfectly preserved under all that had just tumbled onto her form mere moments ago. He had seen the bruises. He had noticed the blood. However, such things were not much of a concern to him, at least as far as his own looks were concerned. He set her down like he was asked, soon flowing into his usual manner like always.
"Trouble? Why none at all! We just happened to be in the neighborhood at the right time I suppose!
As for my name, I go by many things; some call me the Wanderer, the lone traveler, that guy, what's-his-face..." "We just call him Vince...or any synonym for idiot." "...Yeah, that about sums it up."
The boy had no idea how much Naomi could have heard from their previous conversation while in her slumber, seeing as she happened to start awakening near the end of the ruckus. But for a moment, it seemed everyone could take a small breather without worry...
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Post by wildkuma on Dec 1, 2009 2:18:58 GMT -5
It was only too unfortunate that their hopes were poorly placed. Whether enemy forces were involved or not, Kamille knew she had baited something that could be a far greater obstruction to her path than even the Tsievets of Deepground could be. She knew it would be foolish to constantly press onward without a rest here or there, but it would be equally foolish to dawdle in place. It meant conversation would probably be an acceptable occupation or the time being, but she'd have to be concise about it.
"...Vincent? Ah, alright...well met then. I suppose the circumstances...could be a little less sudden, but I'm just glad enough to be able to make your aquaintence..."
She smiled as she voiced this, but she couldn't help but feel off as her legs finally came into contact with the ground again. It wasn't long before she regained her balance however, and swapped out the massive Salamence with the blue-maned Arcanine, making sure to collect the syringe from Breyen's neck beforehand. Hefting herself onto Orion's back, she shortly returned her attention to Vince, though interest was piqued by the Garchomp's presence as well. Not to mention Genesis...what were his intentions in the first place?
At least she didn't feel as if she had to be worried at this point. If he had any business with her, he probably would've completed it by now.
"...To be honest, there is a lot to explain, but I don't think I can without telling you you could get in trouble hearing it. There's a possibility something big and aggressive is heading in this direction, and it might be safer for you to be on your way...
But if I you could tell me here your from, I'd be very grateful. I know you're just passing by, but I was surprised by the fact you have Pokemon with you; I just wasn't expecting there to be any trainers on this continent. Perhaps...you're affiliated with an Academy?"
She didn't want to force them to get too involved with the situation, knowing it was inevitable that more trouble would lie ahead. Perhaps even greater a threat than the Tsievets could be, at least to her. To drag a mere passerby in was strongly against her ideals, so she'd have to cut this somewhere, even if they did deserve an explanation. But she probably wouldn't be able to get any more in-depth information if she didn't offer any of her own.
"The chaos you see is the result of a independent research operation that kind of went bad...but I can assure you it wasn't my intention to disturb the town. Just a consequence of poor judgement..."
She'd save the rest until she'd heard more; no point wasting time chatting if they held no interest in her objective. In fact, it could be detrimental to say too much. It was enough to have been pulled out of the ground regardless...at least now, she could take her fate into her hands again.
Just....where to go from here? Perhaps she should review the information she'd gathered from the underground archives...
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Post by Aether on Dec 6, 2009 6:09:24 GMT -5
"Oh no, the pleasure is all ours! As to the circumstances, they could be worse, but at least it'll make for an interesting story, right?"
Vince appeared to be taking a bright outlook on the situation, and why not? From what he could tell, the trouble had passed, and he didn't have to fight. All in all, no one was hurt...except for the bad guys, but that wasn't important at the moment. But the possibility of trouble heading their way certainly was not relieving.
"Hey, nice Arcanine. Never seen one like that before.
Anyways, though I'd very much like to avoid trouble, I doubt that's even possible now..."
He replied with a sigh of disappointment, slouching over in the same mood. Genesis moved closer to add his own input.
"He's right. No doubt Weiss and the rest of Deepground have already caught word of what has transpired here. Though I doubt there are any units nearby, so we should have time to rest for a moment or two." "That's good, cause rest is sounding pretty great right now." "What are you talking about? You didn't do anything!"
Kronos and Vince glared at each other for a moment before the boy shook his head and returned his focus back to Naomi.
"Aaaaaanyways! Here's the deal. If I was to affiliate myself with a Academy, it'd be Starfall. I even saw you around the campus a couple times! Though I'm relatively new to the scene. I come from Cameroon in the Kanto region. As to why on earth we're doing here, we have to deal with some issues. That big, nasty aggressiveness? We know about it, believe it or not. We weren't expecting to meet anyone until we got to Midgar."
"You seem to be informed. So you are heading to Midgar as well?"
"Yep! Tis our mission! Kinda have to though, since it's not really our choice. Otherwise, I'd be sleeping around now."
Vince paused for a moment to look off into the distance. His goofy expression died down slightly, taking on a bit more serious face.
"There's more trouble afoot than Deepground...something much darker and ancient. Can't ignore it for long, even if you want to...!"
His expression suddenly brightened up again as he turned to Naomi with a enormous grin.
"Hey! We're heading to Midgar, and I'm guessing that's where you're heading. I mean, what other reason would you be here? We should just go together! We'll form our own party! I call back row!"
Kronos and Genesis glanced over at the blue-haired oddity, oblivious to the vague RPG reference.
"Although traveling with the two of you would be...interesting...I'm afraid I cannot. The goddess calls me elsewhere. It was she who brought me here in the first place...the goddess of the planet. I'm glad I came; you don't need to worry about things here. Rosso is gone, which means one less threat to worry about. I must be leaving, but before I go..."
Genesis walked over to Naomi and reached into his pocket, pulling out a small bag which gave the sound of marbles cracking together when moved.
"These...belonged to Aiden. He left them at Midgar when he made his escape. Such powerful materia shouldn't be left for the enemy to utilize. Can I trust you to return them?"
Genesis did not appear as if he was going to reveal how he knew the girl's connection to the boy.
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Post by wildkuma on Dec 7, 2009 1:07:42 GMT -5
"It will make for some kind of story, that's to be certain. And thank you, I actually adopted him from the shelter as a Growlithe...he's a well trusted ally now..."
Naomi tipped her head to the side in curiosity, nodding as he went along. With Genesis' added input, the conversation seemed to unfold of its own will, her input not even necessary to gain the information she hoped to hear. A rather awkward smile seemed to rise upon her features as the pair of Vince and Kronos seemed ready to get into another bout of squabbling with each other, but she was relieved to see it was just another ritual. They must be really close. She almost forgot to remove the look when they finally refocused their attention, changing her thought from those of confusion to those of curiosity.
(So he is affiliated with Starfall...I don't actually recall seeing him myself...though someone with blue hair is bound to stand out. Cameroon of the Kanto region hmm? I'm relatively from Snowpoint City of the Sinnoh region, so I guess I'm justified with not knowing too well...)
"You...know about the current Midgar operation? ....I suppose that would make sense. Alright then, we'll have an easier time if we cope with our aggressors together. But unless you have a good amount of support or summon techs, you probably would accomplish much more staying on the front lines. It's elementary, right? Or at least a decent amount of MP..."
She smiled a bit as she said this, having caught on to the little abstract phrase she wasn't quite sure the other two had got. She could thank Silas and Farrah for that; if they couldn't smash each other up in reality, it seemed to become the next best way to handle their disputes. Yank out the Soul Caliber and lay down the law! The thoughts only seemed to make her more homesick as she returned to the subject of dealing with Midgar....and this ancient entity she was not quite sure if even Aiden knew about.
It was only too quickly that Genesis seemed to step forth with his own plans, which dd bring Naomi further intrigue, but no further reason to probe into his matters. He had helped her a great deal after all. It was going to be a big loss to think he couldn't accompany them, but she knew their paths had crossed for a reason, and if it was deemed necessary, it would happen again. She wouldn't argue if this was what the planet desired.
"Oh, these...used to be...but how did you...?
...."
His final act seemed to be the mystifying of all however, as the bundle of materia was deposited into her hands, his stoic features suggesting it was not to be questioned. As sorely as she wished to. Naomi was distraught; she wasn't sure how soon she was going to be encountering Aiden again, and if Genesis was aware of her connection to him, it might mean he knew far more background on her than she expected. But if Genesis was Aiden's ally, then there shouldn't be a reason to fear leaving him to his own devices; she wasn't sure she could be entirely content to let him go remaining a enigma. But considering the circumstances, perhaps there was no other choice.
"Even if relatively unversed in the use of materia, I'm well aware of the potential it can have in the wrong hands. I can assure you I will return them to him safely..."
She nodded slightly as she spoke, tucking the small pouch into the satchel, and looking to him with a bit of thought.
"...I would thank you for the help you've offered thus far Genesis...but I do hope that all of your decision is not based solely in her command alone. I am not one bearing a right to judge, but I must also state before anything further, if you are ever given a command to cause harm rather than aid others, I will be forced to forget what you've done for us.
...For some reason, I felt as if it were best for you to know now, even if I've reason to believe it would not be. Best wishes in your travels regardless.
Orion seemed to whine lowly for a moment causing Naomi to pat him on the head briefly, reminding him she was well aware of what was going on. Seeing as Genesis' position seemed secure as well, perhaps the Arcanine's intervention was intended as a signal to head off, the prospect a sound idea considering the multiple fronts that needed to be tended to. She looked to Vince a moment, a smile on her features, and Orion stepping forth with slight impatience.
"Maybe we could be on our way then, if you'd be so kind as to lead? I'm sure you're more familiar with the area than I am...and I'll do my best not to be a burden too.
Midgar as our destination...I suppose things are only to get more interesting from this point onward, hm?"
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Post by Aether on Mar 28, 2010 23:28:54 GMT -5
The remark of another vague reference could only bring a smile to the boy's face. It was a joy to find someone who not only understood his sense of humor, but also could find humor herself. The only way Vince figured any of them would be able to make it through this ordeal without giving into insanity was to be able to smile and laugh once in a while, even if the outlook on their mission was looking bleak.
"Oh I like you! So glad this won't be a boring trip, on top of dangerous. But yes, we know a bit about what all is happening."
Genesis had turned to make his exit, but slowed for a moment with a faint smile. "Deepground has much information on all of you...A little too much if you ask me. Weiss isn't the one who would concern himself with those like you from the beginning...Someone else might be pulling the strings. If you wish to know more about Deepground and Shinra, there is a little cottage outside of the city call Edge, which was built from the remains of the fallen Midgar. You'll find someone who was intricately tied to the company. You should find it on your way to Midgar, and your visit might help you infiltrate the ruins with more ease. The choice is yours."
He took several more steps away from the students before holding out his left arm. A single black wing suddenly unfurled before them, one that appeared identical to the wings Aiden carried. "Even if the morrow is barren of promises...Nothing shall forestall, my return..." With the final quote of LOVELESS for the time being, the SOLDIER took to the skies effortlessly, much to the confusion of Vince, who wondered how someone could fly with one wing. Yet, soon the man was gone, leaving only a few onyx feathers in his wake.
"Well...that was odd, but who am I to judge? Anyways, I happen to know my way to Midgar, and I might have seen that cottage he was talking about. If we move now, we should...Did you hear something?...!"
The light sounds of crumbling debris echoed through the momentary silence before a trembling hand emerged from the ground several yards away from their location. Needless to say, the sight of the broken Tsviet rising from the dirt and ashes was simply creepy, yet her sadistic smile died down, replaced by a more simple yet more eerie grin. One could see the black aura emanating from the battered body, giving shape to another entity that did not belong to Rosso.
"Persistent Guardians, aren't you?"
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