D.I.C.E(Game Thread/PM to Join)

[Nouw]

Danny blinked; what Isabelle just told him was profound yet exciting. He was now part of a secret organization waged in a secret war against secret demons. Demons, why does that ring a bell?

"Nice to meet you Isabelle, nice to meet you Vayle. Could you give me a second to take that at all in? It's quite a reveal you see," Danny said before going into a thinking pose. To his knowledge, Danny had never faced any kind of demonic forces. Detroit was hell but the most hellish thing he had faced was mafiosi; taking them down was a nightmare. He browsed through the criminals he had faced in his life; druggies, thieves, gangsters, thugs, rapists, arsonists.

Isabelle had said that some demons could possess or manipulate people, maybe Detroit really was demon-city. Demons, mafiosi... He knew there was a link between the two but he wasn't sure what it was. He thought back to his last memory. He was in a warehouse, but why? A drug-ring? A mafia safehouse? A base? A base for gangsters? Demonic gangsters?

"The Detroit Demons!" Danny said in triumph. "I know why I'm here now! You see, I'm a detective from Detroit of Michigan. I was on a hush-hush operation to investigate some strange occurances and to put it simply, we were ragged. I'm assuming it was D.I.C.E. that saved my ass. Thanks for helping me again Isabelle. You've been the most helpful person I've met so far." Danny offered a high-five.

 

[DarkRawen]

Richard was the first to board the jet, but as soon as he got a seat, a window one, the woman with the hat that actually seemed to know that there were a difference between biology and machine-stuff asked:

"Take it you've got all the gear you'll be needing then?"

However, before he got the time to answer, one of the guys who had arrived during the briefing, -was it Dan or Dean, or whatever- asked her some questions, so he decided against answering. Eliezer also entered, and took a seat in the front, looking thoughtful and not very eager to socialize. "I should probably let him be," Richard thought, and closed his eyes. He had fallen asleep in front of the pc today, hoping the genome sequencing of the newest sample, some kind of dog-like demon, would get done. Even if he was excited, he hated waiting, it made him even more tired.

In his half-sleep steps could be heard as some entered the jet, until suddenly a voice rang out.
"Hello!" God, he knew that voice! It was... that crazy science guy who went around, touching everything and yelling "science!" While his interest was good, Richard still couldn't relax with that guy close to his stuff. "Who are you people?"
Richard pretended to sleep, and hid his suitcase underneath his seat, just to be safe.

 

[Malyc]

Ghost leaned up against the corner in the briefing room, learning what he could about the people he'd be working with by the questions they asked. Most were to be expected: what was the situation, what's the objective, that kind of thing. The answers were also expected: we don't know the situation, it's your job to figure it out. Just once I'd like to know what I'm getting dropped into. He thought as the meeting adjourned. Gonna have to grab some extra mags... there's always a rookie who forgets how to aim when the shit hits the fan...

He made a quick stop at the armory on the way to Jet 12, taking the stairs as he usually did. Once there, Ghost grabbed 10 mags for his M4, as well as 2 for his handgun. That was half again what he usually brought with him into the field, but when dealing with Demons, it doesn't do to be stingy with the ammo. The rest of his equipment was pretty standard: first aid kit, some rations, all the useful equipment that could be easily carried in the field.

Despite the short time he took at the armory, he was still on of the last to arrive at the jet. "Don't matter to me which group I'm in." Ghost said, addressing the group. "All that does matter is when we arrive, I'll be point man. I do better alone." They may think I'm an anti-social bastard, but at least this way they'll be warned of whats coming...

 

[Azkar Almsivi]

Azkar had decided to be one of the last to exit the room due to her size. She reentered the service corridor and gazed at the cargo elevator that would take her to the hangar. Not bothered to wait, Azkar clambered directly into the open shaft and began to climb up to the hangar level.

After emerging from the gaping shaft in the corner, Azkar saw the machine they were going to use to transport the team. She entered the rear of the plane and sat with the various cargo as everyone else seemed to be chatting about something. Azkar had been planning on quietly sitting in the back but felt the urge to interact with people.

"I can consume Human and Demonic flesh to force mutations and regenerate my body if it is under duress." She said this to nobody in particular as she didn't know any of them and hadn't been given clearance to read any profiles. At first Azkar thought it was a great idea and that someone would surely be interested. However she quickly recalled Humans look down on cannibalism and hung her head slightly. The psychiatrists and scientists had said she would probably regain Human desires and emotions over time, but it was still confusing and humiliating.

 

[DarkRawen]

Richard didn't open his eyes when a man arrived and pretty much told them that he worked alone, which Richard didn't mind. Besides, speaking would mean he would show he was awake.

"I can consume Human and Demonic flesh to force mutations and regenerate my body if it is under duress."

Richard heard a strange voice say. It sounded interesting, and he ended up looking towards the origin, which was the large, strange being he had heard once was a human. "Pretend to be be asleep," he told his curious mind, that was tempting him to catch a glance. If he could take a look on the DNA, it probably would teach him a lot about the differences and ties between human and demon.
"I should not..." he found himself glancing over at the being, before closing his eyes again. "I don't like testing live specimen, but... so interesting," he thought to himself.

 

[Ultraman950]

Sophie, however, was less selective about her attentions.

"I can consume Human and Demonic flesh to force mutations and regenerate my body if it is under duress."

"Uh..." she said, trying (and failing) to hide her alarm. It wasn't lost on her that she was technically both, which to a paranoid mind would equal being twice as likely to be a meal. And she was quite paranoid. "Good for you. Uh... You ate before we left, right? No reason, just... best to do that. Saves on MREs. Y'know."

 

[IFS]

"I can consume Human and Demonic flesh to force mutations and regenerate my body if it is under duress."

"Oh hey Akzar, hows it going," Garath replied, he'd seen her around D2 before and knew her name, but he'd never really had the chance to speak with her before. He wasn't terribly intimidated by her appearance, he was a skilled enough illusionist to know how little looks mattered.

 

[Azkar Almsivi]

Azkar was pleasantly when she realized she knew one of the people on the plane. A horrible cracking sound erupted from Azkar's chest. She reared up onto her rear legs and arched backwards, the large chitin plates shifted apart and the muscles retracted.

Inside the chest cavity was the upper body of an albino girl who looked to be in her late teens.
Blinking against the harsh light on her fragile eyes, Azkar searched the room for the voice and found him.
"Ah, I know you." Azkar said cheerfully "I look forward to working with you."
Azkar stepped forward as her chest closed back over. She face the female and declared "I don't think utilizing team members as fuel would help with unit effectiveness or moral."
Sensing she was being analysed, she also said. "Feel free to ask me any questions, I understand I'm... Unusual."

(I wanted to flesh that out better but IRL is being annoying.)

 

[IFS]

Garath nearly jumped out of his seat from the sound of Akzar's armor opening up, calming himself he leaned back in his seat, trying to regain his composure. Without taking his eyes off of Akzar he pulled out a deck of playing cards and began to shuffle them.

"Thats a nice suit you've got there," he said, then added "don't suppose you like magic tricks?" he continued shuffling, then sprayed the cards in an arc from one hand to the other, catching and straightening them back out he offered her the deck.

"Go on take a card, any card."

 

[Ultraman950]

Despite herself, even after seeing a white-haired girl spring from the chest cavity of a hulking monster, Sophie couldn't help but snicker at her dry humor. Or what she hoped was dry humor.

"Feel free to ask me any questions, I understand I'm... Unusual."

"Join the club," she replied. "Although, compared to..." She motioned to her chest, miming something popping out of it. "... that, I'm pretty dull. No offense."

Her red eyes rose up to meet Akzar's for the first time as she extended a hand. "Sophia."

 

[Azkar Almsivi]

Azkar left her chest partially open and leaned against the opening with her arms folded, she stretched a slender, pale arm out and caressed Sophia's hand gently, holding it delicately.
"Azkar, I see our circumstances are vaguely similar at first glance." Azkar gives a grin and then pokes her little head out and looks at Garath. A long, whip like tentacle with cruel barbs explodes from the abominations back and flicks a card out of the deck, then curls around it just enough so it doesn't bend.
"I choose this one! She gives Garath a slightly sadistic grin. As the large armored head bares it's terrifying jaws in a mocking grimace, mimicking the girl inside it.
"I'm not wearing anything. Glad you think I look nice though." Her red eyes turn back to Sophia, Azkar is bristling with excitement.

"I'm just glad they let me on a mission with others. People who want to talk to me too!"
Azkar's fragile little hands clap together and she giggles.
"This will be so much more interesting than getting dropped into cultist hide outs. Cultists taste terrible and provide almost no biomass..."

 

[DarkRawen]

Richard listened to the conversation of the interesting being, the freckled half demon, Sophia, and the guy Eliezer had fooled to open his door, Garath, not knowing if he was interested enough to risk his stuff. However, when he heard the being say:

"This will be so much more interesting than being dropped into cultist hide-outs. Cultists taste terrible and provides almost no biomass..."

Richard jolted up, approached them and asked: "How come?" That was probably to vague, even he could see that. "How come cultists provides little biomass? And what do you compare it towards, Lucy?" The being had another name, but it had just come out, most likely due to the fact that it was the closest link to demons biologically. Not like a half demon, but as a human having turned partly demon.

 

[Azkar Almsivi]

Azkar smiled sweetly as she turned to Richard "Cultists tend to be malnourished, mind, body and soul." She then blushed "I never consume Human souls though, but they're always small and full of negativity. Possessed and mutated cultists are different though! They're rich in already severely chaotic material that is very easy to work with." She then tilted her head to the side and asked quietly "Is Lucy my real name? Or are you confused?"

Azkar glanced around the plane, awing at it, taking in the sounds, sights and smells. She rarely revealed the remains of her humanity and had to rely on her latent psychic abilities to take in information and communicate.

 

[DarkRawen]

"Is Lucy my real name? Or are you confused?"

Richard tilted his head, and then shrugged. At least it, or she, hadn't gotten offended. "Probably the second. I'm Richard Johnson, by the way. Oh, and how exactly does one consume a soul? Is it like smoke? Liquid? A part of the brain?"

To some, what Azkar said must sound quite weird, he realized that now. However, to him it just gave way to more questions.

 

[Azkar Almsivi]

The thing's chest open wide, revealing Azkar's feminine body, which ended a few inches below the navel as it disapeared into the abomination. She used the added space to stretch her thin arms a little and sighed. "Greetings Richard" Azkar grinned then put a finger tip to her chin as she gazed upward in thought.
"Well, if I swallow an entity while it is alive, due to my eldritch nature, it is impossible for the soul to simply do whatever it is they normally do, it becomes trapped within my essence. I then can either let it go or grind it into nothing and feast on the... energy I guess you would say..." She gave a smile and quickly added "I've never eaten a Human soul, even if they were evil beyond redemption."

Azkar leaned toward Richard and began running her fingers through his hair and caressing his face, lightly patting him on the cheek. "Your consciousnesses, thoughts, memories and such are all based on psychic energy." Azkar prods Richard's forehead with a finger.
"However if you think real hard, you can feel something that governs everything else, like you're looking out onto your mind when you are thinking. I guess you could say you're looking out from your soul. If your mind is destroyed you might not remember anything. But you will still be you... It's hard to explain."

Azkar was running her hands along Richard's uniform and marveling at all the textures to her touch when she remembered Humans had a thing about personal space.
"Sorry if I have been bothering you." Azkar giggles as her massive limbs move her back to where she was standing.

 

[DarkRawen]

Richard did indeed have a thing for personal space, but he hadn't realized what Azkar had done before she mentioned it. Her explanation had been in the field of what yet could not be explained through DNA, though he didn't doubt the answer lay in the so-called "trash" genes most of the DNA consisted of. Because of this, he had been listening to her explanation carefully. When he came to, he began fixing his hair, some of which had fallen down in his face.

"Ehm... yeah, we do. Don't worry about it, but... ehm... please don't do it again. People touching me is... not very interesting."
He cleared his throat, somewhat nervously. "Anyway... you've not eaten a human soul? How about demon souls, how are they?"

 

[Evrant-Knight]

"I know why I'm here now! You see, I'm a detective from Detroit of Michigan. I was on a hush-hush operation to investigate some strange occurrences and to put it simply, we were ragged. I'm assuming it was D.I.C.E. that saved my ass. Thanks for helping me again Isabelle. You've been the most helpful person I've met so far." Dan said, offering a high five to Isabelle

"Must of been, chances are they uncovered the gang you yourself was investigating, and sent in a team to eradicate them. Finding you there as well, they simply couldn't leave, and I mean no offence when I say this, evidence lying around. D.I.C.E must have also seen how you were able to survive so long against the demons, and figured that you would be a valued edition to the organization; but I'm not one to question their recruiting methods at times. And, I am glad to have helped you figure some things out. Whilst I don't normally do high fives, I'll make an exception." Isabelle responded with, following up on the gesture. She then noticed the unusual being that had briefly shown what was inside its armoured form to be a woman, who was talking to Richard

"I must say, whoever you are; in all my years, I have never encountered a being such as you before. You certainly are unique."

"I'm scared." Vayle said quietly, quivering behind Isabelle as she looked upon it.

"Vayle, you don't have to be; she isn't going to hurt you." Isabelle responded to the spirit with in a caring tone.

 

[Azkar Almsivi]

Azkar blushed "I thought so... I'll restrain myself in future. As for Demon souls, it depends on the size. But usually I drain some of the power and let it go, then it probably returns back to the deep and waits until it gets enough strength to regenerate a new body." Azkar places her hands on her pale, bare chest and mutters "To consume the soul completely and force the demon to cease it's existence all together means I would have to risk my own soul and even if I win, I would need to take on all of their evil and corruption. I usually just take some energy and dump it unless the Demon is particularly dangerous." Azkar was finding it difficult to explain the concept of souls and energy to a mundane person.

Azkar turned and smiled at the comment she had just received "The theory is I was alive and dragged into Hell, chosen to be ascended to Demon hood. However my ritual began but never ended. Azkar is the beginning of my Demonic name. I began my transformation into a greater evil but never finished it. Thus I am not Human, Demon or a half breed."

As the albino girl portion of her was talking, the eyeless head was scanning the area. She sensed fear and was greatly excited by it. Only to find it was some form of spiritual entity somewhere in the room upon amplifying her psychic senses, a pity.

 

[Nouw]

"And, I am glad to have helped you figure some things out. Whilst I don't normally do high fives, I'll make an exception." Isabelle said.

"And I am glad to be that exception!" Danny said. He looked around the plane to investigate the rest of the 'team' in more detail but was abruptly stopped by the thing. He reached for his gun, once again, only to realize this time he had no ammo.

"Erm anyone know where to get some S&W 500 ammo?" he asked, hoping that someone, anyone, would reply.

 

[DarkRawen]

Richard looked at Isabella as she approached and spoke to Azkar. Isabella was a human, but she seemed okay, being able to know the difference between the sciences. Then, when Azkar answered her, Richard smiled. "Losing your soul certainly won't help anyone, and neither does corruption."

"I wonder what kind of ritual that was, but it probably wasn't pleasant, so I won't pry into it," he added silently in his mind.