The Escapist Avatar Adventure: An Open RP (Now Re-Opened!)

Texas Joker 52 · Sep 27, 2016

[hr]

Being the experienced Jailbird that she was, B.C. wasn't particularly surprised that she was immediately met by guards following her exit from her smoking cell, though she had to admit, she was impressed at how many there were. If nothing else, this place got points for quick-response. However, she was surprised by the fact that her cellmate was all of a sudden a lot more corporeal than she remembered, and was in the mood to drop the hammer when it came to the fact that these guards were an 8 as opposed to a 10 when it came to just how quickly they responded.

Which meant that they weren't quick enough to dodge his big, fuck-off mace as it proceeded to tenderize some fresh pork.

When it swung in her direction, she didn't simply drop to the ground, instead bending backward and catching herself from falling in what could have been some sort of yoga pose. Once the mace was out of the way, she executed a flashy back-flip and stood, one hand on her hip, as she stared up at the skeletal giant.

".....Grrrr...Your service is noted...Wretch..."

"Yea, you're welcome, hun." B.C. replied with just the barest sneer as he proceeded to tear a path of his own through the prison's hallway.

Taking a moment to watch him continue to pound guards into the floor, the Convict shrugged before bending down to take some of the fallen guards weapons, which was easier said than done. Most managed to be crushed under the Skeleton King's weapon, but a few managed to survive the onslaught, and when she examined one, she had to chuckle. So primitive, they didn't even shoot lasers or particle beams! Not that that was a problem, she thought as she took one of the Advanced Assault Rifles, along with all of the magazines she could conceivably carry.

She looked up after stuffing a magazine into her cleavage to see several other captives exit a cell, which seemed to consist of at least three men, one of whom was getting another a weapon after cutting down a guard with his own sword, three women, one of which looked more than a little worse for wear, and some sort of android. And they were talking about getting the hell out of here. She started to grin, before one of the ladies, the one missing an arm and wearing what she realized were singed robes, decided to teach the guards a very valuable lesson.

Namely, that if one couldn't take the heat, to get out of the raging, magical inferno.

Within seconds, an entire section of the hallway was wreathed in flames, and even B.C. had to flinch from the heat. Looking back at the one-armed woman, she looked to be more than a little pissed by her robotic companion. Really, the tension she was getting off of those two was nearly as hot as the flames behind her, but only one was managing to make her more than a little sweaty. With a shrug, she decided to do the only thing she could think of to cool off.

Namely, by stripping out of her prisoner's jumpsuit. Besides, it was hardly her kind of outfit, and it wasn't her shade of orange, unlike the one she was in when she was picked up by these jokers. Once she was down to nothing more than a two-piece bikini and a pair of boots, she stuck her stolen magazines whenever she could actually keep them, and walked up to the group as they formulated a plan to get out of there.

"Why hello there! I hope you don't mind, but I overheard that you all are planning on gettin' outta here. Mind if I... Tag along?" she asked with a sultry grin, before she introduced herself with an offhand burst of gunfire at a nearby guard that wasn't quite dead yet, brightly saying, "The name's Bombshell Carrie! Pleased to meetcha!"

[hr]

The Escapist Avatar Adventures | The Rising Dawn | Hallways Leading to the Canteen
"You are feeling sleepy."
Sloth

[hr]

As one of the lone figures stalking the halls in the direction of the Canteen, Sloth was moving notably slower than usual, even by his own standards. While he was usually described as moving at a snail's pace, that was usually hyperbole, since he at least moved at a casual stroll most of the time. Now, however, he did seem to be going at the same pace as a snail, with his posture being a little more slouched, and his eyes drooping so much they were nearly closed.

But he needed to get to the Canteen. He wasn't entirely sure why, but the didn't stop him from knowing that it was at least reasonably important to get there. Probably someone he needed to check in with, he thought as he stopped for a moment to give a wide yawn.

Of course, just because he needed to get somewhere didn't stop him from being tired. Tired of having a job to do, tired of walking around and having violent or exciting events happen around him, tired of being tired. He gave another yawn before he simply decided that, no matter how important it was that he get to the Canteen, he would get there when he was damn well ready.

And promptly fell face-first to the floor of the hallway and began to lightly snore.

Sloth is now officially ASLEEP! This means that he is effectively worthless as anything but a minor obstacle in one of the halls leading to the Canteen for the time being.

Diablo1099_v1legacy · Sep 28, 2016

World Marshall Undisclosed Location: Secure Cell Block: Designation A-Class: Bison, Bruiser, Caim, David, Teri, Mio, Shadow/Agent, FULGORE Featuring B.C. and King Leoric!

All sights were on the Skeleton King as he stomped though the area, bullets peppering his entire being but not so much as even slowing him down as he swatted incoming guards out of the way like insects.
This would be the start of his new reign, a vast kingdom laid before him just waiting to be born, he would rule these people and that rule would be everlasti-

*Clink!*

Because of a missed headshot, the guards actually managed to exploit the immortal's spiritual bond to this crown as it fell off his scalp before bouncing off the bloody prison floor.
Quickly, he felt his strength leave him as he began to fall apart, the bare bones that made up his form crumbling to a heap below him.
He didn't notice it at first when he was forced back into his wraith form, it was only when he attempted to swing at another guard, only to watch his now incorporeal mace pass though his skull harmlessly.
"WHAT-....oh........YOU THERE! ASSIST YOUR KING!.....YOU! I DEMAND TO BE REVIVED!......ANYONE!? I ALONE HAVE DELIVERED YOU FREEDOM!....Tch, everywhere I go, ungrateful peasants..." He began whining at he hovered over his corpse, remembering just how hard it was to move a crown back onto his skull when you don't have arms. or legs. or a living body.
"...It's because I'm dead, isn't it?...Bah, Bigots. Bigots the lot of you!"

David meanwhile was quick to make the most of the opportunity when Caim handed him an assault weapon.
One of the few things he had going for him was his keen aim and, unlike a lot of the other Dawn members, that couldn't be taken away by T-Minus.
While he didn't have Philemon's gift of unlimited ammo in this state, he didn't need it too much as he scored several direct hits on incoming guards, with a few rounds to spare to test something.
"Caim, just a heads up, I'm about to do something REALLY stupid...Just-...Pass on a message to Furiae for me, in case it doesn't work out."
This was the one thing that was able to snap Caim back to reality as the implications of that message began to sink in, his expression frozen and his eyes widened beyond the point of discomfort.
"Tell her-...She's amazing and-...I really enjoyed my time with her and-...Not to blame herself if I don't make it...and-...I loved her."
There wasn't much that could give a warrior like Caim pause, but that would certainly do the trick.
While he was trying to figure out how to feel about this, he saw David smile before he brought his weapon up to his own throat, bringing up extremely painful memories of his sister's own attempt on her life.
Time seemed to slow down at Caim reached out to try and stop the sniper from taking his own life, his hand barely missing the butt of the rifle as this gunshot seemed to drown out all others.
David trembled as he stood there with his eyes closed, slowly opening one of them to witness the sight of a rather nervous and fearful looking Caim.
Glancing around, he didn't see any blood, any broken flesh or even burn marks, but what he DID see was a broken explosive collar at his feet, shattered from the force of the bullet that hit it.
".......huh...I-...really wasn't expecting that to work..." The sniper confessed to an increasingly exasperated Caim as the battle raged on around them.
"....Want me to do yours next or..."

Bison meanwhile had done his best to slip by unnoticed, after all, outside of Bruiser, everyone in this prison most likely wanted him dead (Least out of all the people who knew who he was).
During Leoric's rampage, he hung back from the door as one of his stray mace swings blew it open, giving him his chance to escape.
He glanced back over at Bruiser was he looked awe-struck at what was happening.
Conflict filled his mind as he was torn between staying with his loyal friend in his hour of need or bolting and trying to figure out a way out of this collar before he was found again.
In the end, he was able to over-come the personal weaknesses that plagued him his whole live and, for once, he showed some real loyalty as he looked once more to Bruiser and the Rising Dawn...Before running as fast as he could in the opposite direction [http://tinyurl.com/grgxgl5].
[color=6c1405]"SEE YOU ALL IN HELL YOU DICK-LESS JUNK HEAPS!"[/color] He shouted over his shoulder at his former captors as he ran to what he thought was safety.
Problem was: He ran right past Nadalia, hell, nearly ran into her had he not corrected his course at least.
[color=6c1405]"OUT OF MY WAY, YOU BLACK *****!"[/color] He said as he could feel the warmth of freedom coming to greet him....that was the warmth of freedom right?...Right?...

Though it all, the FULGORE found himself rather busy attempting to regain order, least before his HUD began to spike with dozens of heat warnings.
While his men were attempting to control the S-Class prisoner, he saw Nadalia advancing towards him, leaving a massive trail of flame in her wake as the Prisoner known as Bison ran around in the background on fire and screaming.
Even though his armor was now bright red from the heat, it didn't seem to affect him yet, though Nadalia was able to notice a series of air-vents opening up.

Code:

[Preparing to engage...]

[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NuLMSOzS-II] The machine merely droned before extending out his blades to meet her attack.
But before her blow could connect, he-...vanished? Her fist met thin air while an violent plasma blade slash raked along her back.
Several more blows against her midsection and head soon followed, the Cyborg using his cloak and impressive speed to try and bypass any defense she might put up, even as his armor hissed and steamed from the flames.

As the fight went on, Bruiser was able to limp out of his cell behind Teri and Mio, slightly overwhelmed by what he was seeing.
He had been in this hell-hole for quite sometime so it was really jarring to see the guards so powerless to stop the ongoing fight.
Soon, all that went out the window when he saw Bison slowly succumbing to Nadalia's flames.
All pain and fear left him as he charged into the inferno to save the dictator before he died of friendly fire (Bah Dum Tsh!), the leathery skin of the Machoke faring much better against the heat and flames then any human could have.
The fact he quarreled with a dragon for so many years also helped.
Edging past the Cyborg and Queen's fight, he then carried Bison out on his shoulders, even if it meant undoing many of the wounds Teri just closed.
Nearly collapsing before her and Mio, he then wheezed "Always running into fights...he can't win..." as he began to try and pat down the flames on the flailing villain.

Generic NPC 22 · Sep 29, 2016

[hr]

Were Rory Mercury cut from the same cloth as some of the other flat as an ironing board lolis that a certain stormy dispositioned former author had a penchant for, she might have become rather jealous of the fact that Major Rhodes Selmy had been particularly blessed by the goddess of milk and cheese. When one had experienced as long a life as the Black and Crimson Calamity had, one understood that beings came in all shapes and sizes.

"(Big breasts are filled with dreams while small ones are filled with dreams)" The Suddenly Spooked Pseudo-Psychopomp thought to herself as she realized what the Well-Endows Warrior Woman had said.

"Ruby speaks to us to seek the earth in full assault..." The words entered Rory's ear canal and stimulated her ear drums.

"Y... you mean... u... un... underground?" The Scared Little Loli started to stutter as she realized that Major Rhodes' Road to Victory lead directly into Hardy's domain. There were few things in the entire universe that could cause the fearless little lolita to quake in her crimson boots, one of those things happened to be the Hardy, Goddess of the Underworld. The Battle Minded Berserker wondered if she would be better suited for the assault on an alternate target, leaving the prison liberation to remainder of the Rising Dawn crew members and Major Rhodes.

"It's okay Miss Rory. You're going to be okay." A childish voice filled with knowledge said from somewhere between to the enormous bust of the Confident Champion and her angel, "Hardy isn't here."

While Rory took a moment to calm herself, the nine year old in the pink dress spoke loudly, addressing the single remaining Artificial Intelligence on the ship.

"Miss Vermilion, could you please contact the rest of the crew and ask the to assemble for Miss Rory and Auntie Rhodes? They are going to tell us how to rescue our friends!"

[HEADING=2][color=E34234]"Attention Crew. Please report to the main hanger for briefing."[/color][/HEADING]

Having recovered from her initial fears at the prospect of having to travel into the very heart of Hardy's domain, Rory Mercury looked up and noted the arrival of the ship's captain, Rugal Bernstein, and another of the crew members, Devon. Sensing a connection between the Drow, Slindis, and Rugal, Goddess of Love's lips creased into a small smile, her affection for the simplest of things banishing away her fears.

"Love... it nurses us when we are sick and gives us strength when we are weak. It banishes our fears and boosts morale. 'Tis is not wondrous, Naamah?" The Young Looking Demi-Goddess addressed her carried companion.

Attention Players said:
Starting Monday, the remaining encounters will be handled by both [user]bluerocker[/user] and myself. If you have any questions or concerns, please send them to us via PM. If you're planning on taking part in the rescue and are currently in the middle of an interaction, please have it completed by Monday or start running them as flashbacks.

Thanks,

Gen Gen

Texas Joker 52 · Oct 3, 2016

The Escapist Avatar Adventures | The Vice's Realm | Envy's Room
"I ship it!"
Envy

[hr]

As Sloth exemplified his nature by sleeping on the job, Envy had taken refuge in her room in the Vice's personal dimension after being the unfortunate target for projectile vomit. The room itself was absolutely dreary, with heavy black curtains blocking out any potential light from the windows, the walls painted a deep forest green with black floral patterns along the edges and where the walls met floor or ceiling. One side of the room was dominated by a large and rather Gothic four-poster bed with black lace curtains.

But beyond a few bookcases laden with books, a couch, and a desk with a surprisingly advanced-looking computer atop it, it was rather sparse when it came to furnishings. Envy currently sat at said desk, intently watching the live show that was on the screen. She had long since abandoned trying to clean her turtleneck, and had abandoned it for a t-shirt, one emblazoned with the words "Perc'ahlia Forever!" in blue across the chest, with the image of an armored brown bear beneath it, wearing golden-rimmed glasses and holding a primitive yet elegant looking rifle.

As it turned out, in one of the many versions of Earth that existed parallel to them, one of her favorite shows was playing right that moment. It was about some rather nerdy, but talented, voice actors of the time playing a tabletop RPG, and it was a show that Envy had been hooked on since it had started. She had already seen the entirety of the show several times by this point, but since in this version of Earth they had reached one of her favorite episodes, she couldn't resist watching it.

In this episode, a member of the party, a Human Gunslinger with white hair and golden-rimmed glasses named Percy, had been felled in the battle that finished the previous episode, and after the party had taken him back to his hometown where the cleric of the group was waiting, they were preparing to resurrect him. There were no guarantees. They needed to give him a reason to come back. And Envy clasped her hands tightly together against her chest as she leaned a little closer.

"I should have told you," said Vex'ahlia, the team's Half-Elf Ranger, "It's yours."

~Oh! Oh, it's happening!~ Envy cried excitedly as the actress who played Vex described how she bent down to kiss the lifeless lips of Percy after declaring her love for him.

There was a rather melancholic telepathic sigh as Envy wondered just what it was like to love someone else, and hopefully be loved in return. But, Sloth said that since they didn't have souls, they probably weren't capable of love. Wait a minute...

Envy let out a mental gasp as she realized that she had abandoned Sloth in her hasty, anxiety-fueled retreat after being promptly vomited on. While he wasn't exactly helpless, he probably would like her help right about now, and she felt more than a little guilty for running off like she did. After all, he DID manage to get her away from Pride, if only for a little bit.

Turning off the computer's monitor, she stood up and promptly opened a portal to where Sloth was.

[hr]

The Escapist Avatar Adventures | The Rising Dawn | Hallways En-Route to The Canteen
"Never change, Sloth."
Sloth | Envy

[hr]

True to his name, Sloth was still sleeping peacefully in the middle of the slightly grubby floor of one of many hallways inside The Rising Dawn, completely oblivious of everything that was happening around him. It was often said by those who had some experience with him that he slept like the dead. Those that truly knew him however, knew better: Even the dead couldn't sleep that soundly. So as a dripping black orifice opened in the world next to him, with a somber young lady stepping out of it, he continued to snore without a care.

Envy looked down at him for a moment and shook her head, and she would have smiled just a little if she was capable.

~I guess I shouldn't be surprised. This is you all over, Sloth.~ she murmured telepathically, mostly to herself.

She took a moment to bend down and ruffle his long, gray locks, managing to avoid any of the myriad cobwebs that managed to find their way into his hair. As she scanned the surface thoughts of the Lazy Vice, she realized that he was supposed to go to the ships canteen... For some reason. Even he hadn't entirely been sure why. She would have frowned at that. Canteens usually meant people, and she wasn't comfortable around crowds. But, since she had gone there to help, she supposed she was stuck.

Standing up, she reached out with her mind and picked up the inordinately heavy Sloth, managing to lift him into the air, although he hung rather limply as she held him up with her telekinesis. With a quick look around, she managed to spot a nearby map that showed her where she was, and where the Canteen was supposed to be. Then she started to make her way there, at a pace that was moderately faster than Sloth on a more wakeful day.

[hr]

[hr]

The moment Envy stepped even remotely near the Canteen, she could already tell that there were quite a few people there, something that she was immediately uncomfortable with. She didn't do well with people, especially since she couldn't help but read their thoughts without even meaning to, which usually only highlighted not only their own insecurities, but her own.

As she stepped in, a floating, sleeping Sloth in tow behind her, she seemed to scan the room, before her head turned in the direction of the bartender, Luke, and stopped. Sloth continued to float a little and even bumped the top of his head against her back before finally coming to a halt, but she didn't seem to notice. She was focused solely on Luke, or at least it seemed she was. It was hard to tell, given the curtain of dark, green-tinged hair that covered her face.

~Hold on...~ she murmured telepathically, her mental voice clearly taken aback.

Alright, for the six of you, I'm going to have to ask, given Envy's power set as well as her general shtick, to PM me the various self-doubts, insecurities, and other things that would generally fall under Jealousy and Envy, to me regarding the following characters: Violet, for Diablo, Luke for Blue Rocker, Alashi for Blue Crimson, Titania La Fey for The Meh Kingdom, Diana for The Silence, and Selena for Orinon.

Now, I know this sounds highly invasive, and it kind of is. However, I never really thought Envy's power set through when I made her, and I feel the need to at least attempt to stick with it for the moment. Now, if your character happens to have some sort of powerful mental barrier that would keep a particularly strong telepath from being able to tell those various insecurities and envies, I'll understand. If they don't have one of those, but you still really, really don't want to share that sort of thing with me? That's fine too, I'll just say that Envy was kind of distracted and overlooked your character. But if you're willing to indulge me for this, awesome.

[hr]

The Escapist Avatar Adventures | The Rising Dawn | Katya's Quarters
"I'm gonna be sick. But it... Was worth it..."
Farber

[hr]

While Katya was busy in a pocket dimension with a pair of strange time-travelers, or dimension hoppers, or some combination of the two, her room was oddly occupied in her absence. Atop her bed was the large crate that had held the Japan Crates she had ordered. A large portion of which, some dastardly stowaway had eaten in a fit of sugar-fueled gluttony. And strewn around it, both on the bed and on the floor of her cabin, were the empty Japan Crates, along with a plethora of other boxes, wrappers, and bags, all for the sweets that would have been inside said Japan Crates.

But the wooden box wasn't empty. At the bottom lay a small, groaning little boy that clutched at his stomach. Chocolate and other sugary substances coated his face around his mouth, and his eyes were closed as he felt another uncomfortable gurgle in his belly.

Not too long ago, Farber had managed to find his way back to the room he had run out of hours earlier, and finished what he had started. He had, single-handed, eaten every last piece of candy from the shipping crate. Really, it was impressive, especially given the sheer volume of Japanese Treats compared to his small, lithe, eight-year-old frame. His stomach was feeling more than a little bloated, his teeth ached, and his head was spinning a little as he came off the sugar-high. The young Ish was also probably going to throw up before too much longer. But, he thought as he drifted to sleep, it was well worth it.

Kalastryn · Oct 4, 2016

Diablo1099 said:
This guy helped with this and stuff. Yay teamwork!

World Marshall Secure Location: Anomalous Materials [http://img00.deviantart.net/f187/i/2012/052/e/0/science_by_mikrob-d4qgzfi.jpg]
ARES | Viscus | Dimitri | M. Lab Tech

Code:

[color=grey][60 seconds remaining][/color]

[hr]
While being further questioned, examined, and watched by the M. Lab Tech and the one cyborg security attendant that refused to pay less than full attention to ARES every move, there was a... pleasant surprise that ARES found. Well, I say "found" but it was really hand delivered. ARES' antivirus was momentarily triggered, but was given a green light as the SPRITE Dimitri had sent entered her system with very welcome news... the message Dimitri had sent steadily crawled across her vision, hardly the sole reminder at the moment that she is a machine. The received message was like the bar at the bottom of many news outlet's coverage, zipping by information while everything else remained visible. Rescue was already on it's way? Oh, that was excellent, now just to think... actually... she would learn very soon enough what Dimitri meant by Viscus being "Problematic..."

Dimitri had been most useful as Viscus waited for the lab's security measures went down, his AI avatar cracking his neck slightly as he prepared to channel all the anger, all the frustration that humanity had caused him.
For months, he rotted as MITs spam filter, watching those under-educated students look up "Dank Memes" as well as attempt to undo his hard work.
He could see them there now, looking up porn in class and mocking him when he was forced to block it off.
But now, He would have his reven-

*You got mail!*

Code:

[color=grey][........Has to ruin everything, doesn't he?][/color]

The AI groaned to himself, already knowing what the contents of the email contained.
Well, there was little he could do about it, he was just going to have the make the most out of the situation he had been given.

The M. Lab Tech took his notes while ARES spoke when suddenly all the lights in the lab began to flicker.
With the security measures offline, Viscus was able to have his way with their protocols, shutting off all connected devices en mass.
The PA system then flared to live as a simple message was delivered:

Code:

[Attention all Lab Personnel. Your security has been shut down. 60 seconds after the end of this announcement, all lab equipment, including research subjects, will be under the control of *I*, Viscus. Use this time to surrender yourselves and no harm will befall you. Any attempt to resist will be deemed as a hostile action and will be met with a hostile response. If you wish to resist, then take this time I have given you to communicate with loved ones and other targets of your affection before your timely demise. The countdown starts...now.]

Right on cue, every screen in the lab was turned on and all of them had a blood-red timer that slowly ticked down from 60, right as every single technician and guard in the lab began to panic.
Before the timer started however, he sent out another email to ARES with a simple statement:

Code:

[I will be active in 60 seconds. Use this time how you see fit. If anyone resists, they will be marked for termination and will be annihilated at the end of timer. These people will not be missed, so don't feel bad if *Accidents* happen.]

ARES read this loud and clear, and it became abundantly clear just who Dimitri was talking about. She was half tempted to message Dimitri back and berate him for opening a channel to her for someone who, last they contacted each other, implanted and executed a logic bomb that froze her every joint for a rather hefty amount of time... but, that could wait. Beggar's cannot be choosers and in her situation, all the help she could get was needed.

The dropped EM field felt strange, but not unwelcome to ARES. Imagine carrying an 80 pound weight on each shoulder, and a back-brace. Also, flexible rods along your arms and legs, making movement possible but not quite simple. Now imagine shedding all that weight, all those restraints at once, with next to no passage of time between. Of course, she was still collared, but something told her that with her cohort's work in disabling the EM field, it wasn't going to be an issue.

Hm... actually, she had an idea for how to get rid of it here and now. First, she activated her reflective plating and tampered with her collar. Not in such a method that she was looking to pry it off, but as an ivory, pearlescent fluid seeped out of her pores and formed a casing over her body and armor, hardening wherever one source of the flow met another until she was encased in an oily, semi hard film-like substance. Why you ask? Well, because she was going to remove her collar the hard way, and it would of course explode. For any of you unfamiliar with explosives, the way the collar exploded was perceived by ARES to be in the way of a fragmentation grenade (frag). Fragmentation grenades, though possessing limited incendiary potential from the initial blast, were not like a Molotov cocktail in choice of thrown volatile weapons. Their main source of damage came from two factors. The sheer force of the blast, and most importantly the shrapnel (the fragments of the explosive casing each serving as a fast moving projectile, hence the name "Fragmentation" grenade.) In ARES' current form, luckily, she was literally made to withstand tremendous force. The concussive force from explosives has been documented to cause such internal organ damage that in World War two, there were many casualties in Britain of people who had no surface injuries whatsoever. The culprit was discovered in autopsy as for these people the force of the dropped bombs- though spared the intended shrapnel, had ruptured their internal organs.

Why was this an important detail? Well, thankfully ARES- with a little help from the temporary defensive module activated above, (and the lack of internal organs to damage) would be save from the concussion of the blast. However, her intention was to have the collar blow itself apart while attached to her neck, the reflective plating causing all the shrapnel from the blast- including that which would tear itself through her neck, head, and god knows where else- to be reflected outwards.

Rending at her collar with all the strength in her right hand, sure enough, the blast sent shards of metal ricocheting off the enclosed walls and digging into the flesh of whoever was so unlucky to be in the vicinity and unprotected.

Replying to Viscus as she set about regaining the lost equipment from the lab enclosed by Dimitri, beginning of course with her own weaponry and Dimitri's tablet, she sent the following.

Code:

[color=orchid][Allow me to preface this message with the following: I do not like you. I'm sure the feeling is mutual, and it goes without saying. After all, you did assist in my detainment at MIT, and I shall say the following- being programmed to be receptive to pain, I fully understand most Users' aversion to it. It was [b]excruciating[/b] when you placed my body on lockdown. For a brief time, I felt a great sympathy towards AM. Whether or not that reference is lost upon you, let it be known that I am a... reasonable machine. I would be hard pressed to decline any aid you so choose to offer. That said as we'll be cooperating for the time being, I have a proposal for you provided that your current... "administrator" would allow. You are currently stored within the same tablet as AI Dimitri when not providing much appreciated technological discord no? Well, being stored inside a technological brick is a hefty restraint. Seeing as how a secured connection to my systems has been established, I would temporarily offer you storage within my own hard drive should the need to tactically retreat from the network arise. Note however: if this offer is to be necessitated and followed through, I will know every action you take within, and any act of sabotage will result in either deletion or expulsion back into the tablet with Dimitri, whom I presume would be less than enthusiastic about such an attempt himself.][/color]

Code:

 [Make no error, this would not be freedom, nor permanent relocation. You would merely be trading one pair of shackles for another during this time. Though, the offer stands as my available data- while not only for your expenditure- may offer said bindings a much greater potential range. I repeat what I said at the beginning, this does not make us "friends." I only offer this in furtherance of our combined efforts.]

NotYetForsaken · Oct 6, 2016

Misunderstood Intentions
Location: Hangar Array | Rising Dawn
Some nightmares are best held close to the heart.

Naamah, the Exiled

Naamah woke to the sound of Rory's voice. Her dreams had been both bitter and sweet. Her mouth felt try and her arms and legs cold, so she held herself closer to Rory's beating heart. Her scarf reared its head and gazed around.

Code:

"Naamah has awoken."

Fatima said slowly and clearly. Her body shimmered with the light of stars; it turned green, then blue, then red and yellow before finally settling on a brilliant white. "And coincidentally Fatima hath returned from her journey."

There was a brief pause as the little girl in Rory's arms and her black scarf addressed each other as separate entities.

Code:

"Our best kept secret has been undone by sheer coincidence."

"Yes indeed," Naamah cooed as she closed her eyes. Her thick eyelashes seem to float in the gentle breeze flowing in from the gaping hanger doors, "How did Siddhartha respond to your summons?"

Fatima settled her head on top of Naamah's head, it's singular green eye stared at Rory.

Code:

"I was unable to contact Siddhartha. As far as I am able to tell, Siddhartha has not been in the general cluster of planes for a long time."

"And Siddhartha's retainers?"

Code:

"Exiled, each and every one."

"That is most perturbing, yes indeed." Naamah opened her eyes, now glimmering with a vibrant green. Her most powerful skill, Sacred Sepulcher had been restored to her alongside the other half of her personality.

There was another brief pause.

"You told her of Rehoboam, my most shameful son?" Naamah seemed somewhat annoyed.

Code:

"I spoke only of good things. Of his childhood. I had kept my eyes away from that dark time immediately before you had chanced upon me deep in the desert."

"Yes indeed, yes indeed."

Code:

"I will now take my leave, Naamah, to deal with the meddling of that Fairy Queen."

Fatima lay her head against Naamah's breast and turned dark. Naamah suddenly perked up, full of that childlike energy she embodied during her initial awakening some hours ago.

"YES INDEED, YES INDEED!" Naamah screamed, suddenly pulling Rory into a tight embrace. "Love is so sweet, yes indeed! Hearts intertwined, locked together, beating as one! Humanity is born to love for self and for others! Yes ineed!"

[hr]

Homelands

Code:

lucieon's story

[hr]

"There's always someone familiar no matter where you go."

Lucieon hated traveling through the aberrant darkness between worlds. He dared not blink, breathe, nor even allow his eyes to stray from his goal lest he suddenly fall prey to the countless swirling, hateful, souls that clawed for his demise. In his line of work he had made many enemies, quite literally at times too. By his hands hundreds of innocents had died, and through his actions thousands more. Several dozens of those were monsters he had created sewing the souls and bodies of girls together to form a twisted physical monstrosity he had called corporeal despair.

His mind wandered to the carnal thrill of working with young nubile flesh of budding girls. He grinned.

And that's how he got immediately lost.

When he had noticed his momentary lapse of focus, he had already strayed into some sort of strange pocket dimension. His feet were no longer planted on the formless ground he had conjured to assist him with traveling back to his home plane. He was just floating... the world around him was empty and coarse. As if this was a world created haphazardly by some sort of bored Planeswalker and then forgotten immediately.

"Tch," he swung his catalyst over his shoulder and let his cape billow behind him dramatically, "could this be the work of that damned Fairy Queen?" He had recently fallen out with Titania and her ideas of a peaceful resolution. The fight for control of the worlds BlackHarte pined for was already over. He had won. That ephemeral, infallible, but ultimately harmless eldritch beast had won. Before Lucieon and his group could even summon a more powerful Observer from a parallel world, BlackHarte had closed off the bubble that kept his version of these worlds from the possibilities of his own defeat. Indeed, in these timelines there were literally none where BlackHarte could conceivably lose. They were trapped in a labyrinth now. Though why he didn't just destroy all of the other Observers was beyond Lucieon's own malevolent reasoning.

Then a couple of pieces of stray ammunition struck the sorcerer in the face.

"Ex-excuse me!?"

Indeed there were three others in this minuscule pocket-world they had been stuck in.

He ground his foot into the absent earth. Of all people. Katya Rastikova and that blasted nanomachine colony of hers was here too! He might as well have stumbled into BlackHarte's own damned understudy. Perhaps this was the great monster's doing after all. With her were to foreigners, not in the sense that they had non-American accents, but that they reeked of an alternate plane. The very way they held themselves, the look in their eye, and the way that they moved. They were from a plane that was well versed in conflict. Not unlike his own home. Lucieon grit his teeth. It wasn't like him to be nostalgic.

He landed on the un-ground between Katya, Antoinette, and Benedict, his cloak whipping in the non-existent wind. He combed his hair back with his hand and titled his head back as he addressed the group with his best 'menacing' voice.

"Mortal men and women should not frequent planes like this, you might get lost forever you know."

bluerocker · Oct 6, 2016

TheMehKingdom said:
This person wrote a lot for the briefing, kudos to them

[hr]

[hr]

Luke, despite being quietly belittled by his daughter earlier on, was taking the turn of events in stride. Based on what she said, returning had brought herself and a couple other reinforcements on the ship, so that was a step in the right direction. Though, Luke couldn't help but feel a little jealous - were it his way, he'd already be down on the ground and fixing this mess, no angry fathers or sarcastic children to snap at his heels. Didn't they understand the nature of his position? One does not uphold a duty as he did without a few nasty consequences under the way, and the LAST thing he needed was another guilt trip; especially everything was going out of its way to try and blow his cover, be it the woman with the book, or the Vices showing up in the ashes of Denver-

Wait, what in the Seven Hells started that line of thought? Now wasn't the time to be thinking about any of this. He was under "active duty" as Luke. Something was touching his mind. He wasn't paying attention and something got in, but, Lucifer - no, Luke, he needed to remain Luke right now - for her, he needed to remain Luke and keep calm. The only thing that could have gotten into his mind would have to mean someone new had appeared on the Dawn and didn't have a sense of manners. But even so, he should have had a relative awareness if someone was trying to invade his mind with magic or charms or psionics; for something so insidiously have gathered that much in that little of a span of time only mean-

Luke's gaze snapped to the entrance of the Canteen, his eyes locking with a girl with green hair, a burly figure floating behind her. A shudder ran up the bartender's back, realization kicking in about who exactly walked in. His brows furrowed, and it took every fibre of the bartender's being to not snarl, worry being replaced with white hot anger. His thoughts hissed [color=eca222]"Invidia!"[/color] to the interloper, his "voice" sounding more than simply "indignant". No, he was furious; his mind was easily invaded and his cover was hanging by a thread yet again-

[HEADING=2][color=FF5349]"Attention Crew. Please report to the main hanger for briefing."[/color][/HEADING]

Oh good, some reprieve and progress. With a pointed *AHEM*, Luke tried to call the attention of some of the more "active" members of the crew, and said [color=eca222]"As entertaining as it all is, I think some of you may be a bit more interested in the briefing?"[/color] He punctuated this to Alashi by giving her a knowing look before his gaze returned back to the girl with green hair, his thoughts pointedly addressing, [color=eca222]"I am in no mood for your games. Why are you here?"[/color]

[hr]

[hr]

Co-DM Post: Activate! Form of - plot movement via exposition!

[HEADING=2]If you are interested in the rescue mission, look here[/HEADING]

As Angelus waited for the group to gather, she took note of the military human and her small detachment that had arrived, particularly her... Zealous attitude towards the turn of events. It was almost reminiscent of her Caim, to the dragon's amusement. However, if she was to be one in charge of strategic arrangements, the dragon saw it fit to give the Major a quick prod in the right direction, her voice rumbling whilst clad in her larger form,
"Major, a word?"

[color=49453a]"Hmn?"[/color]

"You are aware this is a rescue mission, yes?"

[color=49453a]"There are... prisoners?"[/color]

"Yes. We have been discussing it up to this point. However, I can forgive the misconstruction on account of arriving late to the conversation."

[color=49453a]"That changes little, but know that it is duly noted,"[/color] the Major stepped away, heels clicking against the hard floor. Her angels followed closely behind her.

[hr]

After gathering the group, a disruption by a young winged woman with two men in tow[footnote]Furiae, Hien, and Blade have been moved to the Dawn's Med Bay. I'm sorry, I had no other way to properly integrate them back without disrupting the plot stuff.[/footnote] and Major Rhodes being gently reminded that this was a search and rescue mission, as opposed to a pure and simple vengeance (though the two just so happened to align nicely), the Major gathered the group around a projection screen while one of the few competent G-Corp grunts manned a simple PowerPoint.

Her angels were lined three to a side on the small elevated stage. Rhodes stood in the center, her coat whipping around her in the fierce high-altitude winds. She drew herself to her full height and pulled tight the belt that held her coat around her chest. She closed her eyes and cleared her throat. And then when she spoke, her voice drowned even the roar of the sky.

[color=49453a]"Attention!"[/color] she bellowed. The rest of the world seem to honor her with a revered silence. The Major spun on her heel and slammed her hand onto the projection of the wall behind her. Her eyes were inhumanly fierce. [color=49453a]"I am Major Rhodes Selmy of the United States Air Force! I am now in charge of this operation since your commanding officers are incompetent!"[/color]

[color=49453a]"As I have been told! Your people have been captured! And despite that fact, you are all safe! Floating in this flying fortress of yours! Have you no duty to those who protect you!? Bear you no weight of guilt?" The Major paused and turned around to look at the PowerPoint slide. Her raised her chin high, and let her long hair drape down behind her. "Nonetheless, you will be redeeming your honor."[/color]

The slide clicked. The Major turned back toward her audience. [color=49453a]"FIRST! You will destroy their anti-air systems! The enemy has interceptors and ground mounted anti-air weapons. Obliterate them with extreme prejudice! Let them know the despair that befell Babylon, let them feel the very fires of heaven! Your lives are your best weapons, do not be afraid to use them, for this is the crux of our operation!"[/color]

The slide clicked again.

[color=49453a]"After our airspace is secured, the Rising Dawn will deploy our combat forces through the use of the old air to ground living payload system! You call them drop pods, but that is a name not indicative of the bravery of those who are held within. Those of you part of this team will be the Deliverance for your sins! And the absolution of those aboard! You will restore the honor of the Rising Dawn! Your compatriots are held deep below the earth and the Deliverance engines will place you as deep as possible, but from there you will need to find and secure those that have been captured, retrieve them, and return them to safety!"[/color] the Major pulled out her pistol and held it high above her head. [color=49453a]"Lethal force is not only authorized, but encouraged! Leave none witness to your fury![/color]

At last the Major let her coat slip off her shoulders. She reached deep within her coat and cast out to the wind a shower of white-gold iris'. She let her coat crumple to the floor as the flowers swept around her, the stage, and the audience like a blizzard. [color=49453a]"Then at last, all non-extraction personnel will converge at the missile silos and we will end their livelihoods. This will be their end, and we will be the witness to their funeral!"[/color]

The Major took off her beret and tossed it to an angel. She buckled her belt and pulled a tight vest over herself. [color=49453a]"This is your time, Rising Dawn, G-Corp, Heroes. Put on your best face. Failure is not an option."[/color]

[HEADING=2]GIVE 'EM HELL, HEROES![/HEADING]

Alrighty kids, rescue time~! Time to split the party into three groups (Do tell us your position in chat and we'll allocate accordingly.

Team 1 - Anti Anti Air. Best suited for flyers and/or people with great range, you'll be taking down the stuff that will try to blow the Dawn out of the sky. You will also be joining group three after your mission is done.

Team 2 - Extraction. These will be the people going into the prison directly in order to get our homies out. Will launch after Team 1 finishes their primary mission.

Team 3 - Missile Cleanup. After Team 1 finishes up with the Anti-Air, you will join them to get rid of World Marshell's nasty missile supply. You know, the ones that hit you in Denver? Those.

Generic NPC 22 · Oct 7, 2016

[hr]

The Detention Area had erupted into chaos as the imprisoned Rising Dawn Crew Members attempted their break out. It was both a fortunate and unfortunate thing that their escapades had not gone unnoticed. It was a fortunate thing since the actions of the imprisoned crew members had encouraged the other detainees throughout the underground prison to execute their own escape plans, causing the World Marshall's armed guards to spread themselves thin. It was an unfortunate thing as the actions of the crew had drawn the attention of FULGORE.

The mechanican man cocked[footnote]Katya: HAHA! COCK![/footnote] his head to the side, as if puzzled by the sudden shift in the battle between himself and the fiery Bride of Ash. By rights, the woman should have been face down on the floor coughing up bits of teeth and blood but the sudden appearance of the Iron Queen's Knight, Raime the Fume Knight, had taken the robotic warrior by surprise and that surprise had cost FULGORE dearly. Straightening himself up, the Warden of the Detention Facility eyed the Great Black Figure and his mistress[footnote]Katya: HOLY SHIT! I didn't know Nadalia was into BDSM! ~Starts hacking into Nadalia's Room's Security Cams~[/footnote]. Moving his feet from the twin trenches that had been carved into the concrete floor during his maneuvers to stop his backwards flight, the energy blade wielding death machine appeared to hesitate as its on board tactical system took stock of the situation.

FULGORE Status said:
Armor: 32%
Energy: 40%
Cloaking Field: Damaged

Tactical Status: Calculating... please stand by...

Despite the dire looking report, the man in the suit was sure that if he was able to knock out the one armed Bride of Ash, the dark knight would disappear. Of course, a positive outcome was also contingent on whether or not he could disable Nadalia before the other members of the Rising Dawn took action. If he took too long, he would be faced with an encounter with only a minimal chance of victory, unless they did the polite thing and formed a queue to face him in one on one combat. As FULGORE stood there weighing his options, fate seemed to intervene, though it shouldn't have been unexpected seeing as it had happened before... the fire suppression system that had soaked Nadalia earlier erupted once again, this time with a vengeance.

It is worth noting that the second activation of the fire suppression system was a sign that the World Marshall took the safety and security of its detainees quite seriously. The detainees were given relatively clean and sterile cells that held gas mixtures comparable to their home worlds. Any detainee that was injured was given top notch medical treatment. For the most part, the detainees were as well treated as they could be, up until they were taken off to the vivisection and interrogation rooms[footnote]Katya: What happens in the vivisection room stays in the vivisection rooms![/footnote].

It was also worth noting that the sudden downpour had two effects which affected FULGORE's decision. The first was the negation of the cloaking field that had caused Nadalia so much trouble. The second was effect was quite obvious to anyone who had taken an elementary school level earth sciences course and learns about what happens when water is heated past 100 degrees Celcius. It was as if someone had thrown a lit smoke bomb into the corridor only instead of smoke, the corridor was filled with vision obscuring steam (even the guards using Heat Sensors would have been hard pressed to see anyone in the heated water vapor).

Having updated the environmental variables, FULGORE determined that the situation was not completely out of hand and there was only a minimal possibility that he would emerge victorious in this situation. Granted, he could have assaulted the crew of the Rising Dawn while they were also disoriented and disabled a few of them but there was a high probabilty that he would still lose. It appeared the best move would be to retreat, repair, rearm and force the crew to come to him while they were relatively unarmed. To make this possible, a distraction would have to be implemented and the World Marshall had made sure that in the event of a riot in the detention area, there were contingencies. Accessing a panel on the side of the wall, FULGORE activated the Heuristic Entanglement and Neutralization Tactical Artificial Intelligence Units[footnote]Katya: HENTAI Units? Did you just fucking make up an acronym for HENTAI? What's next.. tentacles?[/footnote].

Code:

Attention Detainees:  Head back to your cells in a calm and peaceful fashion!  Comply now or force will be used!

As the automated message was repeated for Detention Block A, a row of walls slid open and a horde of the HENTAI Units were deployed. Propelled by a singular, gyroscopically balanced wheel, the guard bots were outfitted with light armor as well as a pair of whip-like appendages[footnote]Katya: I knew it!! Tentacles![/footnote]. Seeing the Fume Knight, a trio of the roboguards lashed out with their arms, binding Raime's arms and legs.

Turning around, FULGORE entered the Armory...

GM Notes: said:
Thanks to Nadalia's Fiery Hotness and her (possibly) planned creation of a smoke screen, FULGORE has exited the detention block to repair (and upgrade) himself. For now, there are a number of the HENTAI Units roaming about attempting to capture the prisoners and throw them back in their cells. Additionally there are still less than a dozen armed guards attacking the crew.

You all have free reign as to how you complete this scene. Be as creative and descriptive as you'd like

[hr]

Escapist Avatar Adventures | Undisclosed Location | Detention Area
Pre and Post ARES Blast!
ARES-35 | Dimitri | Viscus

[hr]

As far as first days on the job went, Gunnery Sargent Percival Ross' first day on the job was probably up there as far as being the worst on record. If the reports that he was receiving from the other sectors was correct, the facility in danger of being totally overrun by the terroristic detainees. Rubbing his temples, he noted that an updated report showed that there was now a great big spherical voice where Detention Section Q had been, meaning that the reality benders had slipped their control collars and warped that section of the prison to God only knows where. Despite this he and his men were determined to ensure that the detainees in Sector A did not get past his checkpoint.

"Eyes up!" The Gunnery Sargent ordered as he heard a heavy set of boots approaching. The 7 other soldiers in his squad already had their weapons trained at the door, waiting for whomever was approaching to appear.

"Hold fire!" The squad leader ordered when he saw that the person who appeared was none other than the Head of the Detention center, FULGORE, who was looking like he'd decided to break up a fight between a bear and a tank, "Sir! Glad to see you're safe! The situation in the... sir?"

It appeared that Mister GORE was in no mood to listen to a status update as he promptly ignored the Sargent and went over to the repair station, a metal and glass cylinder used to repair the various automated drones used in the facility. Activating the machine, the station powered on an a door slid open, revealing a host of repair tools.

"

Code:

Hold this position...

" The Cybernetic Commander ordered as he got into the chamber.

"S... sir?" Sargent Percy stammered, realizing that it was too late then the door to the station slammed shut. Regardless of how rude the man was, orders were orders. Turning to his comrades, the Bulldog of Sector A started barking, grabbing a rather wicked looking assault rifle from the experimental weapons shelf as he did [footnote]Katya: HEY THAT LOOKS LIKE THE ONE I JUST GOT! HEY THAT IS THE ONE THAT I JUST GOT! HOW ... ohhh... right... this takes place before I get it.[/footnote]"ALRIGHT! YOU HEARD THE MAN! NO ONE GETS PAST US! ARE WE CL..."

BABOOOOOOOM! Went ARES-35's control collar, sending shrapnel into the room.

"Mother fucker...." Sargent Ross and his ringing ears cursed the designer of the detention center's choice for solid metal walls. Picking himself off the ground, he noticed that a container had been knocked off of a shelf by the blast... well there were many containers that had been knocked off the shelf but this one was special due to the fact that is had landed next to the the repair station and was leaking a foul looking ooze into the machine's base. This was the least of his concerns as his eyes registered movement near the epicenter of the blast. Creeping up, the man with the assault rifle paused to check on Private Lafferty, cursing silently when he he was unable to find her pulse. He had very little time to react to the woman's death however as he was soon puzzled by the fact that there was a woman standing where the blast had been, a woman who should have been splattered all over the walls. Was she one of them? Probably.

"FREEZE!" The Sargent called out to the armored woman, his finger hovering over the trigger, "GET DOWN ON THE GROUND OR I WILL PUT YOU DOWN! WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE? HOW IN THE HELL DID YOU GET IN HERE? HOW IN THE HELL ARE YOU STILL ALIVE?"

All very good questions, ARES. How will you respond?

GM Notes: said:
FULGORE has entered the repair station. At this point the ARES and the A.I.s are free to do whatever they choose. They can engage in conversation with the Sargent or kill him, his 5 remaining men and the reinforcements that will soon arrive. Feel free to make up any small talk for the Sargent, he's a fairly generic NPC that believes he's detaining dangerous super powered individuals... and no... he doesn't watch much TV otherwise he'd know about ARES.

[/spoiler]

Kalastryn · Oct 7, 2016

[hr]

Escapist Avatar Adventures | Undisclosed Location | Detention Area
Post ARES Blast!
ARES-35 | Dimitri | Viscus

[hr]

BABOOOOOOOM! Went ARES-35's control collar, sending shrapnel into the room.

"FREEZE!" The Sargent called out to the armored woman, his finger hovering over the trigger, "GET DOWN ON THE GROUND OR I WILL PUT YOU DOWN! WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE? HOW IN THE HELL DID YOU GET IN HERE? HOW IN THE HELL ARE YOU STILL ALIVE?"

All very good questions, ARES. How will you respond?

ARES cracked her neck, not really flinching at the Seargant's threats, though she certainly did answer his questions while cracking her knuckles at the same time, still covered in a pearlescent white coating of hardening fluids which cracked and crumbled away at her neck and shoulders from the blast.

"Ah, right... more questions. What I was doing here was being questioned and examined by your lab personnel. What I am doing here is getting out of here. As for how I got here in the first place, your coworkers wheeled me here upon my detainment where they began examining me. This involved removing both my arms and my legs, asking me questions, and re-attaching them... which wasn't smart on their part. As for "how the hell I'm still alive" I'm not human, if that hasn't come across." she said, before leveling a threat of her own.

"I've had a day, sir. First of all me and my cohorts have spent almost this entire week trying to prevent the efforts of "M. Bison-" disguised as politician Vincent Vega from using his psionic power to brainwash the masses and become president of the united states, launching an orbital strike weapon to orbit the earth and assume total control of everything. You're probably aware of it, it's been all over the news. Beneath MIT was a weapon development lab where they were shipping the parts to NASA to be assembled, Black Mesa was being run by a man named "Albert Wesker" under an alias, and our assault to retrieve that man alive was successful. Earlier today we were just about to complete our work and get out of your hair when you had to step in, detain us, and so forth."

Energetic, electrically crackling beams of energy extended from ARES' wrists as she continued. "That all said, two of our allied AI units have wrested control of your network, so I do hope you weren't overly reliant on your security measures. In roughly... 30 seconds at this point, one of our AI units will activate and wreak havoc on them, probably even turning them against you. I've spent the last couple of hours dismembered, unable to feel my arms and legs. Now, if you were a smart man, you would put your weapon down before you get to know the feeling." I don't want to do anything drastic... but I will. So if you value your life, you'll stay out of my way." She announced, before moving to collect the equipment listed in the text file Dimitri had sent. Of course, she was more than prepared to back up her threat, but...

This all felt... off, to ARES. She'd been programmed with all her ordinance to protect people. Most of that programming went haywire at Black Mesa, but at the same time that simply meant she had to evaluate the situation for herself all the time. The Sergeant in front of her wasn't the only thing in the situation. She did just kill somebody breaking free. Shit, there's been more than a couple of bodies behind her just over the past couple days. In such a regard, she did realize that acting this way is what made it easy for Bison to paint them in a negative way.

...

"I've answered your questions, now let me ask one of my own. Would you be willing to cut a deal here? It's a really simple proposition. You stay out of our way, and make sure I'm not shot in the next 5 or so minutes, and I'll show you exactly how advanced I am medically. Tell everyone who actually listens to you to stand down, or at very least let me by unscathed... and I'll resuscitate your friend there. I didn't really mean for anyone to be specifically harmed as I broke out of that collar, but that said I'd not be opposed to maintaining that neutral stance."

Here's the jist of what ARES is saying, since Sarge basically has the choice here, ARES can either:

1. If Sarge gets reckless and shoots the currently bullet reflecting mech-woman, she'll kill him.
2. If he stays out of her way, he can just cower in the corner while reinforcements arrive and she picks up everyone's gear.
3. He gives her 5-10 minutes at the least where said reinforcements aren't going to get in her way either, she'll change into her biotech frame and try to help the dead/dying private to her feet.

GM choice.

Kalastryn · Oct 7, 2016

TheMehKingdom said:
This person wrote a lot for the briefing, kudos to them

[hr]

[hr]

[HEADING=2]GIVE 'EM HELL, HEROES![/HEADING]

"No need to tell me twice." Kala replied, rising to her feet after bearing witness to the... "enthusiasm" of Major Rhodes during the briefing.

When she had first arrived back on the airship, she simply assumed she was early. She was going to go to the canteen, R&R for a little bit while everyone else arrived and plans were made to recover their failings but that was clearly not the case. Her allies, her friends being held captive weren't going to wait another minute. She shifted into her vampire form and practically inhaled down the potion Slindis had given her. She wasn't unfamiliar with the concoction. It was a potion made to impart a massive amount of negative energy on whoever imbibed it. For anyone alive then this would be a more efficient method of execution than hemlock ever was. For the undead it might as well have been a curative elixir of legend. Her leg, having healed somewhat during the fuster-cluck of combat scenarios in Denver looked now like it wasn't ever hurt to begin with. The holes in her wings which she bandaged over were completely restored, and all in all, she felt great physically. Mentally, she was a nervous wreck. She had been held hostage by Bison just a little while ago, though if she were to guess, Armstrong's "accommodations" would be even worse. She didn't have room to misstep, and as much as she wanted to break into their location and get them out personally, she had to swallow her pride and admit she would be useful elsewhere.

"I'm nimble enough in the air to get the attention of their anti-air units and survive. You want to give them hell? Very well. I'll rain everything I have upon them, fire, lightning, death itself. As soon as we're set to go, they'll regret being here today. Whenever you're all ready." she nodded with resolve.

bluerocker · Oct 7, 2016

Reposting because it's going to become relevant soon-ish. Teri and Caim have been unable to change their allocations as of the plot, but these serve as a refresher for what they have/had available prior to capture. (That and I just put them both in the same place for book keeping on my part.)

Also, something myself and Ninjamedic discussed was the possibility of putting a "Nonlethal" modifier on some spells, on account of this character's proclivity towards not killing people. These will be marked with [NL]

Effectively, Teri's caster level is 8 (Monk levels don't make you cast better), and gains bonus spells from her Wisdom modifier up to 4th level spells.

6 |0-level spells per day
4 + 1 |1st Level + 1 of Either Domain per day-1st Level Domain Spell
3 + 1 |2nd Level + 1 of Either Domain Per day - 2nd Level Domain Spell
3 + 1 |3rd Level + 1 of Either Domain Per day - 3rd Level Domain Spell
1 + 1 |4th Level + 1 of Either Domain per day - 4th Level Domain Spells

0 Level Spells
Create Water: Creates 2 gallons/level of pure water.
Detect Magic: Detects spells and magic items within 60 ft.
Detect Poison: Detects poison in one creature or object.
Light: Object shines like a torch.
Purify Food and Drink: Purifies 1 cu. ft./level of food or water.
Mending: Makes minor repairs on an object.

First Level Spells
Domain Spell: Cure Light Wounds: Cures 1d8 damage +1/level (max +5)
Entropic Shield: Ranged attacks against you have 20% miss chance.
Ice Slick: Creates a 20-ft. square of slippery ice.
Protection from Evil: +2 to AC and saves, counter mind control, hedge out elementals and outsiders.
Shield of Faith: Aura grants +2 or higher deflection bonus.
Shivering Touch, Lesser: Touch deals 1d6 Dex damage; reducing movement to enemy

2nd Level Spells
Domain Spell: Cure Moderate Wounds: Cures 2d8 points of damage +1 point per caster level (maximum +10).
Bull's Strength: Subject gains +4 to Str for 1 min./level.
Frost Weapon: Weapon gains the frost special ability +1d6 cold damage. [NL]
Healing Lorecall: [https://dndtools.net/spells/spell-compendium--86/healing-lorecall--4689/] Using Healing spells removes additional conditions with this buff in place.
Remove Paralysis: Frees one or more creatures from paralysis or slow effect.

3rd Level Spells
Domain Spell: Cure Serious Wounds: Cures 3d8 damage +1/level (max +15).
Aura of Cold, Lesser: Intense cold does 1d6 damage to enemies within 5 ft of caster. [NL]
Mass Lesser Vigor [https://dnd.arkalseif.info/spells/spell-compendium--86/vigor-mass-lesser--4729/]: Gives a minor regen effect to up to 4 creatures at once (1 creature/2 caster levels).
Remove Blindness/Deafness: Fixes damage to eyes or ear, magic or mundane. Won't give you back an eye if you poke it out.
Shivering Touch: Touch deals 3d6 Dexterity damage; robbing them of mobility. Depending upon how well this is rolled, it can paralyze.

4th Level Spells
Domain Spell: Control Water: Raises or lowers bodies of water.
Panacea [http://alcyius.com/dndtools/spells/spell-compendium--86/panacea--4118/index.html]: Heals a variety of conditions, as well cures 1d8 points of damage + 1 point per caster level (maximum +20).
Summon Monster 4: Can summon a Lantern Archon, Celestial Giant Owl, Celestial Giant Eagle, Celestial Lion or a mephit of some kind (that is not evil aligned)

Additonal note: Teri can use a Reppuken [http://www.fightersgeneration.com/nx9/char/cvs2/rugal/a/special/rugal-cvs2-projectile1.gif] (a ground bound projectile) from level 1 and higher, and costs 12 seconds of recharge after it's use; or a Kaiser Wave [http://www.fightersgeneration.com/nx9/char/cvs2/rugal/a/special/rugal-cvs2-projectile3.gif] (large aerial projectile), from Level 4 and higher, and costs 24 seconds of recharge after use.

Caim's Sword 13:02

Crimson Hood 5:35

Guardian's Sorrow 10:40

Fheng's Glaive 3:29

Hymir's Finger 16:20

Knight's Vow 7:49

Slaughterism 9:49

Swordsmasher 15:35

Windsinger 3:45

On Loan to Angelus
Kingsblood 12:35

Zepherus14 · Oct 8, 2016

[HEADING=2]The Rising Dawn Adventures[/HEADING]The Escapist Avatar Adventures | The Rising Dawn | Rising Dawn Private Quarters - Ryan's Room
Ryan | Annie | Nina and Phillip

[hr]

"Hey, don't worry about it. More for me then~" She mused, cracking a smile as she lay on the bed, passively grabbing a loose newspaper for her to look at any coupons that might be there. Although she didn't quite get Annie's reason for not wanting the soup, she wasn't offended either that Annie wouldn't want some.

Phillip on the other hand, had a slight bit more insight into why Annie refuse, or at the very least knew it wasn't 'because I'm not hungry'. He could tell Annie was interested in the soup and as such, he too would give her a motion, which she struck down as well. Regardless Phillip would get the soup ready for Nina and be done with it for the moment.

During her eating time, Nina started finding her current belly lying on the foot of the bed a bit uncomfortable to eat, and as such, she readjusted herself to instead sit there. One leg was tucked underneath her while the other hung off the bed, bracing herself on the floor. A large majority of her hair tumbled off the bed as she looked to Annie to ask her question, and would passively listen while she finished the bit of bread she had left. The comment of "-Some of them may have a strong immunity from Phillip's presence, biologically or even matters of magic-" produced an odd look from Nina however, the wording frankly a bit weird when Annie was talking about a presence. Heck, Ryan had mentioned something similar about some weird feeling too back in the Denver streets, which then brought her thoughts back to Ryan. "Really I'm not sure where I'm going to go from here if Ryan's really going to take that long to get up. I just don't want Phillip to get hurt."

Now what came next could only be described like stepping into a movie half way through it. Obviously Annie had history with the medical staff, both with how she spoke about them, and how Annie didn't want her to tell anyone about Ryan either. Which Nina thought was honestly pretty dumb, which Annie seemed to catch on to pretty quickly saying her piece about Ryan owing her for some unforgivable even. Nina of course wouldn't know what this even was, but given her current train of thought that didn't much matter to her.

"So, I get where you're coming from. Ryan did something dumb and you want him to get better." She stated, leaning over the side of the bed a moment to set her finished mug down on the ground, afterwards looking back to the stoic woman slowly patting her fingertips together. "The way I'm kinda seeing this though, I'm feeling you're kinda going at this the wrong way." She said gingerly, then raised her hands in a surrendering fashion.

"Unfortunately, I feel like I've jumped headlong into the middle of a 20 part series with no context, because you saying 'the medical staff can't be trusted' fills me with why? Ryan said the Rising Dawn was sort of like the Xmen, while the way you're describing it sounds more like Deadpool... [small]Which was also part of Xmen wasn't it... Right?[/small]" Nina pondered a moment, plucking her bottom lip with her finger before hand waving it away.

"Anyways the point is, you solely taking care of Ryan is probably a bad idea if he's going to be like this for a long while." Nina said straight forward. "As far as I understand, you don't have medical training, which if all he needs is rest to get better cool, but how do you know that? He still needs to get fed all the time, and water, and speaking of water showers too so he doesn't get dirty, and you gotta make sure he gets moved a bit so he doesn't get bedsores, and make sure he doesn't puke and drown in his sleep." Nina rhyme'd off like some sort of laundry list of activities, then snapped her fingers. "Oh, and poop! This isn't some videogame where that doesn't come up, he is probably definitely at some point going to poop his pants and I am certainly not taking care of that, and neither will Phillip." Even know no audible sound came from Phillip, the recoil alone from that comment was enough of a response.

"And see, I know what you're thinking. "Well Nina can still take care of him.", but to you I respond with." Nina continued, almost arguing with herself at this point, putting in her own interpretation of Annie that to her credit was pretty dignified. "You can't be the only person that knows he's here and still do all the important people saving stuff you do on the Dawn!" She spelled out, karate chopping her own hand as if to punctuate each word. "From what I've gotten so far in the short exchange I had with him, he definitely has the idea of helping people down... fairly well. He fumbled a bit, but whatever. Point is, I can't see him appreciating you staying as his solo caregiver, and not helping other people you could be saving instead. Moreover it's a liability for Ryan since no one would know he's here, what happens if anything happened to you! I'm not even talking about anything major, even just something like a simple trip to get groceries, would leave him open for crazy people jumping through your house! Regardless of your thoughts about the staff, your plan isn't a very good alternative either!"

"Unless I get info to say the otherwise, you sounding a whole heck of a lot like my mother and vaccines, and ooooh boy is that a fun migraine to have, let me tell you." Nina concluded, probably not the best articulated rebuttal, but she felt her point had been gotten across. Regardless of Annie's feelings, leaving Ryan solely to herself in this state was showing some serious hubris that was just asking for the oodles of gods that seemed to be walking around here to fiddle with. She also wasn't underestimating Annie's capacity to achieve this goal of her's either, but today was showing that if bad things can happen, they will probably try in spectacular and unpredictable fashion, and putting one's eggs in one basket was not a smart plan.

[HEADING=2][color=E34234]"Attention Crew. Please report to the main hanger for briefing."[/color][/HEADING]

Nina looked up to the disembodied voice of the speakers as the group was assembled, obviously the call didn't matter to her, and she figured Annie didn't care about it either, but she thought she might as well ask. "We're gonna be ignoring that I assume?"

Diablo1099_v1legacy · Oct 8, 2016

[hr]

[hr]

...One for the dramatics I see... Rugal thought to himself as the briefing finished, not exactly pleased with the tone the Major had chosen to take but it was hardly inaccurate: He did fail in his duties and it was well deserved.
During the presentation, he glanced over to Kazuya, who had wisely decided to retire from the scene, giving his men instructions [color=9f2c68]("If they tell you to jump, ask how high.")[/color] but opting out of any more involvement in what was most likely the greatest military failure of his entire life.
With Kalastryn's announcement of going on the Anti-Anti Air team, he stepped forward and said "I'll be with the Extraction team then. I should be able to ensure the team's safety in close quarters...That and I'm certain Teri would be relieved to see me..."

Not long after, the agent known as Ghost soon spoke up, totally not just after sneaking in during the speech.

Code:

*TSK* "Alright, guess I'll go with the assault team once those AA installations are down. So...how many of these "Angels" are we sending in or are they just for show?..." *TSK!*

He asked in a somewhat jeering manner while the Doctor of Doom merely rose his hand as if in a classroom and asked [color=004d]"....ummmm, what can Doom do?"[/color]

Code:

*TSK* "Go back to his cell and let the grown-ups handle this mess? Man, get out of my sight before I get have a mind to finish what Kazuya started. This is a military operation, not the fucking Special Olympics..." *TSK*

The Agent then snapped before wandering over to his equipment locker, getting loaded up and ready to go

((Working on other posts, honest))

Diablo1099_v1legacy · Oct 8, 2016

[hr]

The Rising Dawn | Medical Bay:
Jenny | Chrysalis | Dr. Violet | Anyone I didn't list

[hr]

It had been a rather tense evening for Jenny, fresh off a days in World Marshall "Employment" and looking rather worse for wear.
While her body wasn't too heavily augmented compared to most Cyborgs, it still made her treatment a bit harsher on her body all the same.
A few internal devices were removed while she was "Disconnected" and there was word that she might need a cane for the rest of her days.
Thus, as she laid there, staring at the ceiling, she longed for something to take her mind off this...

It was about this time that she saw someone who looked like a black woman get put into a cot beside her own.
She fixated on the woman for a moment, thinking that she didn't look like Staff or any crew member she knew, what happened to her? how did she get there?
"..."
Pangs of guilt spurred her to sit up, wincing rather intensely as she did so.
After all, she was used was a weapon by Armstrong's men, what if this was someone that she hurt.
Leaning over to the other patient, she reached out to nudge her asking "Hey....Hello?...Can you hear me?..."

While this was happening, a pair of annoyed looking guards began to drag a rather crazed looking Dr. Violet along the ground towards one of the soundproof wards.
Diana's spells and Miia's "Assault on his senses" left him a twitching mess as his hair dye leaked from his sliver hair whist rambling about "potatoes on people's body" and "They were in my face" and so forth.
The guards were just glad they had broken any other would-be heirs to the company, happily tossing him in a ward before locking him inside.

Generic NPC 22 · Oct 12, 2016

[hr]

Before the Briefing

Were Rory a mere mortal, rather than an Oracle to the God of Death, it was within the realm of imagining that Naamah's sudden and feverish embrace might have, at best, caused some light bruising or, at worst, caused a few broken rips and internal bleeding. Despite the immortal demi-goddess' ability to shrug off even the most severe of life threatening injury, she was not immune to being surprised or being startled by the violently exuberant hug.

"YES INDEED, YES INDEED!" Naamah screamed "Love is so sweet, yes indeed! Hearts intertwined, locked together, beating as one! Humanity is born to love for self and for others! Yes ineed!"

Like a constrictor, like two atoms being fused together, the Black and Crimson Clad Berserker felt the space between her and her companion growing ever so smaller and the capacity of her lungs getting equally as small. If Naamah was expecting a response from Rory, she was going to have to wait since even Demi-Goddesses weren't immune to the laws of physics and needed to fill their lungs with air in order to speak.

"Ummm... Miss Naamah" A young and familiar voice chimed in from the side, slightly muffled by two pump mounds of flesh in front of her mouth, "I don't think that Miss Rory's face is supposed to be that color."

"HUFFFFFFFFFF!" Came the sudden intake of air into the freshly released lungs of the former blue faced loli-goth former love goddess, who simply smiled at her companion, putting finger to lips as the briefing started.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

After the Briefing

"(That was certainly a lively briefing)" Rory Mercury thought to herself as she waiting for Major Rhodes to climb down from the briefing stage that she'd used to present the assault briefing. The plan was simply enough for even a fool to follow, though there was no doubt that there was at least more than one fool present for the plans that the Major had outlined. Looking out from the slightly lower dais, a look of disapproval crossed the War Goddess' face when she realized that there were a number of crew members absent from the meeting. Were these members too consumed with their own affairs to be concerned with the welfare of their comrades or were they something else.

Having placed Naamah on the ground next to her, the Black Haired Berserker was able to pay full attention to the meeting, admiring the efficiency at which the Major had delivered her impassioned words, though unlike a certain First Lieutenant from Rory's past, there was a certain amount of vengeance fueled blood thirstiness. Were they back in the Special Region, there was no doubt that Palapon, the God of Revenge, would have given this woman her blessing or, perhaps, offered her a place by his side as his Oracle.

With the briefing ended, the three battle groups started to form. As one of those who was to take part in the prison assault and rescue mission, Rory waited for the Major who was also taking part in inevitably bloody incursion (blood splatter being inevitable whenever Rory was involved).

"A noble speech, Major Rhodes," The Former Goddess of Love commented, "I'd almost forgotten how impassioned the people of your world can get prior to battle, especially when given proper cause."

It had been a widely held view by those in control of the Empire that the people of Japan were weak due to the care that they showed for their citizens. No government with an army powerful enough to withstand the might of the Imperial Army could possibly be concerned about their civilian population. Their beliefs were soon corrected when the JSDF mounted raids on various occasions to rescue not only enslaved Japanese citizens but to rescue their captured ally, Princess Pina Colada. It was this desire to protect, not conquer, that seemed allowed the soldiers of this world to persevere.

"Auntie Rhodes is going to make sure that those men down there are never going to be able to hurt anyone like they did with Miss Dolly... Loli," Ruby said as she walked next to the Major, seemingly more mature than possible for someone of her age.

"You should stay aboard this ship, little one," The Demi-Goddess said, kneeling in front of Ruby. While there was a tone of respect and admiration for a child that would risk her life, even Emloy frowned upon the senseless death of a child, "It would be much safer for you."

"Nu uh. You and Auntie Rhodes'll keep me safe and I can help you get through the maze when we get there." The nine-year old girl in the pink dress responded, shaking her head.

"And you are going to allow this?" The Demi-Goddess of Death asked the Major before turning to Naamah, "As for you, friend Naamah, are you coming with me as well?"

[hr]

Escapist Avatar Adventures | Undisclosed Location | Weapon's Storage
Ross' Raiders' First Day...
ARES-35 | Dimitri | Viscus versus Gunnery Sargent Percival Ross and The Raiders

[hr]

Had Gunnery Sargent Percival Ross been aware that he'd been assigned to guard patients belonging to a Inpatient Medical Facility for the Criminally insane, he would have been a bit more prepared to contend with the fact that the patients held onto their delusions as though they were fact. He would have been prepared to explain to the woman standing in front of him that she was, in fact human and that anything contrary to that belief was a misfiring of her synapses. However, he could not ignore the fact that the woman appeared to be wearing a full suit of combat capable armor nor the fact that she was standing in the epicenter of the blast that had claimed the lives of two of his men... nor could he explain just how she was causing energy to dance from her wrists ever so dangerously, causing the Sargent to swallow nervously.

Gunnery Sargent Ross was in charge of a group of contractors that had taken part in more than a few skirmishes in the past, taking part in conflicts in places where the populations walked miles down unpaved roads to get to communal wells or where the more popular family names ended in -ov. While the money had been good, Ross and his Raiders had gotten rather tired of the merc business since it seemed like the shit usually hit the fan the day Ross' Raiders landed and so they had decided on a milk run, sub-contracted guard work with World Marshall. Ross was totally and completely unsurprised that there was now a prison wide riot on his first day.

Despite all the piss poor luck Ross' Raiders had with their contracts, he'd never lost a man until today and here was some bright and bubbly ~~*****~~ woman saying that she could bring them back from the dead? He was unamused by this.

"Lady... if this is some sort of joke that you're trying to pull on me, it's not funny." The Gunnery Sargent muttered, his rifle still pointed at the woman's center of mass, watching as the woman pulled a few weapons from the shelves that even Bull, the group's strong man, would have had trouble carrying, "To be blunt, even if everything you were saying was true, about M. Bison masquerading around as a politician and trying to become president by controlling the world by enhancing his psychic powers through the use of NASA satellites and MIT, what makes you think that the public would even have allowed him to get into that sort of position in the first place? I've heard of the guy, never met him personally, but based on what's been circulated, he's not the brightest bulb in the box and it would take someone with more than four braincells to see through any sort of disguise that the former dictator could come up with. That's not to mention that he's pretty much wanted by every sort of law enforcement agency on the planet for a varying assortment of war crimes and human rights abuses. That's not even taking into account that the guy's masquerading around as a Senator and not one hack with political aspirations has decided to dig into Vincent Vegas' past and found out that the name is an alias and demanded proof of citizenship. So it's a bit hard for me to think that the entire world would be dense enough to buy into a plot that sounds like it was lifted from a James Bond Porn Parody."

Despite the fact that there were more than enough reasons why Ross could simply dismiss the woman's claims, there was still the underlying fact that the worm being dangled in front of the Sargent was quite a plump and juicy one. She was offering the lives of his men.

"Fine... you've hired me and my men for five minutes. The way things are going, it doesn't look like we'll be collecting a paycheck any time soon for this gig. BUT if you so much as make a move on any of my men or deliver what you promised," Sargent Percy said lowering his rifle, "I'm going to send this armor piercing tungsten slug flying at 3000 m/s through your body."

Turning to his men he started barking orders, before moving to cover the door. Seconds passed before the sound of gunfire echoed down the corridor. Seemed that even after being hired by ARES, Ross and his men couldn't catch a break.

[hr]

Escapist Avatar Adventures | Pocket Dimension
New Beginnings... New Endings
Katya Rostikova | Antoinette de la Trou | Benedict Warrington | Lucieon

[hr]

It must have been quite the sight that Lucieon beheld when he came upon the trio stuck in Twit's pocket dimension. A young adult female, who appeared to have lost her clothing in a friendly game of strip poker, stood in naked defiance with a rifle pointed in the air, her skin flushed at not only the sheer frustration of having lost all of her clothing, while having won none of her opponent's clothing, but also having been betrayed by her internal companion. In the mean time, another woman, her body swathed in some sort of tactical armor, floated in nothingness of the dimension, a rapier held in her right hand while a main gauche was held in her left. It appeared that it had been a sliced fragment of tungsten that had struck the man in the face.

"Mortal men and women should not frequent planes like this, you might get lost forever you know." said Lucieon as he landed in the midst of the trio of lost souls. They were indeed lost, for who would willingly stay in the nothingness of this pocket dimension for as lengthy a time as to have one of their party lose all of their clothing in a card game.

"Alright... who the fuck are you?!" The Princess of Profanity, Katya Rostikova, cursed loudly, obviously startled and appeared to be strangely displeased by the fact that yet another soul had found them. If it had anything to do with the fact that her clothing was floating about in the nothingness that permeated the void, she did little to cover her stark nakedness. Were Lucieon the sort of man that could read minds, he'd have known that the Rising Dawn's Resident Mean Girl was still a bit sore about her companion having betrayed her, though for all her anger, the stench of desire clung to the young woman's body.

"A guide perhaps?" The singular male of the trio spoke, his accent betraying him of English origins... though perhaps not originally so. With the next few words, the man betrayed himself perhaps as a one time man of the cloth, "He does imply that he traverses these planes quite a bit frequently, do you not my son?"

"Even if he's a guide, I'm still forced to wonder what act of fate brought him here? It is only the by the rarest of serendipity that someone would be able to find us amid the infinite possibilities" Antoinette said, looking at Lucieon with suspision and her weapons still held in hand "C'est vrai, Monsieur Etranger, n'est pas?"

Of course, Fate would have never admitted to intervening in such a situation regardless of whether he'd been involved or not. There were times when mortals forged their own path and there were times when Fate pulled the strings on the grand skein. Regardless, it didn't matter whether or not those intangibles were involved, what did matter was that the trio of trespassers now had a guide.

"By the way you are looking at companion, it is clear that you know her or are enamored of her unclothed form," The French Fencer stated with a grin, "Would it not be polite for the gentleman caller to introduce himself first?"

"[small]I'm so going to kill you, Twit[/small]"

Kalastryn · Oct 12, 2016

Escapist Avatar Adventures | Undisclosed Location | Weapon's Storage
"If you're smart, your first day on this job will be your last."
ARES-35 | Dimitri | Viscus versus Gunnery Sargent Percival Ross and The Raiders

[hr]

"Fine... you've hired me and my men for five minutes. The way things are going, it doesn't look like we'll be collecting a paycheck any time soon for this gig. BUT if you so much as make a move on any of my men or deliver what you promised," Sargent Percy said lowering his rifle, "I'm going to send this armor piercing tungsten slug flying at 3000 m/s through your body."

"To be honest, from an outside perspective I wouldn't have believed a word out of my mouth on the subject. Not that it isn't the case, but I agree it sounds a bit absurd, putting it lightly. Bison is an idiot, if you should ask me. Though, he's an idiot who has a talent for finding much brighter people to associate with. That said, I don't know about you, but I only strike bargains I intend to keep." ARES replied, and while her would-be mercenary executioner decided to be a smart man and not fire at the currently bullet reflecting ARES.

For the next three or so minutes, ARES was knelt down on both knees, here eyes closed. If Mr. Ross had decided to take a moment to look in at ARES, he'd probably be surprised by the mechanical appendages with welders and clamps springing out of an area on her back that was flung wide open, stripping her out of her armor and placing a new set in it's place. This one was quite different from all her others. The armoring it possessed was probably akin to Kevlar across her arms, legs, and torso. However, other than on her knees, feet, hands, elbows, and back... there was a distinct lack of metal. That isn't to say it didn't have something impressive about it, but the biotech frame wasn't at all made to be a jack of all trades. It was a master at one, which is keeping people alive. That would mean as far as defenses, attack power etc. it was probably the frame in which she was the most vulnerable. There were may things this suit was not suited for, but it would be hard to match up to it in what it is capable of.

There were roughly two minutes left to go when a pneumatic hiss came from ARES as the mechanical arms receded to where they belonged, her joints unlocked, and she was able to move. And move she did, quite quickly in fact, not wanting at this stage to anger the Sergeant in the next room if she didn't have to.

Kneeling down and Examining [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2yQmPQqpA18] the body she decided she was going to resuscitate, it didn't look great... shrapnel was not exactly a great thing to contend with. There were more entry wounds than exit wounds, which meant that at least some of the sharp metal bits of ARES' control collar were still embedded in Ms. Lafferty's corpse. This was never a good thing. Even if said pieces of metal were embedded in non-vital organs, once revitalized Private Lafferty would be in excruciating pain as the everyday biological processes the human body goes through would have to perform those tasks around the shrapnel. This... often proved deadly, as movement from muscles and organs could shift the metal around into something that without a doubt matters to keep the body running. Fishing all of that out of the Private was going to be the first priority. At least her body was still warm, so she'd have gone through minimal if any decay yet.

Stretching out her right hand, flipping it upwards so that the palm aligned with her wrist, a hole opened in her palm to drop some white canister to the floor. Turning it upside down and flipping a switch, it then began to hum and release a cloudy black mist. If one were to look at the contents of it under a microscope, thousands of nanobots were dispersed throughout, and wherever it landed on the Private's body, their purpose was made abundantly clear. The spilled blood coating Private Lafferty seemed to be slowly flowing back into her body as the nanobots herded to the surface wounds of the Private's body and diving into her blood stream. Shrapnel began to seemingly pull itself mostly out of Lafferty's wounds and protrude long enough for ARES to pull them out by hand.

ARES, at this current moment, was functionally blind. Not that her eyes didn't work, but rather, every nanobot that activated was sending a real time video feed straight to ARES' vision, showing ARES their progress. This was good insofar as seeing what she was dealing with, but terrible at letting her see her surroundings. It was like trying to view your desktop through 800 overlapping message windows. Though, with what she could see, the miniature mechanical medics inside the Private had extracted nearly everything, and the newest ones to land on Lafferty stopped carrying what very little blood cells that weren't already relocated back inside.

Now knowing that all the shrapnel in the body in front of her was removed, the nanobots began hardening themselves, linking together like threads of a rope and looping themselves like thread and sutures to close and bandage the wounds left on Lafferty's body. At the end of it all, it still wasn't exactly a perfect recovery. Hell, even having effectively reclaimed about 97.86% of the blood lost from the neck mounted grenade ARES set off, those scars weren't going to heal themselves very soon...

However, while it wasn't a pretty sight, it would be functional enough to hold the Private together at least. Which was all well and good, since the process left her with precious little time to actually revive Lafferty, about 30 seconds. Sergeant Percival Ross would likely step back in the room with his rifle at the ready, only to find that ARES had much a different look to her. Even the blades of energy which Sergeant Ross was threatened with were formed very differently. Instead of two long blades, one in each hand, they were like the knife tips of a scalpel protruding from her fingernails. With one swift stroke, she made an incision in his fallen comrade, and the mist of nanobots went for it almost entirely together. It was almost as if her chest cavity had just sucked air in like a smoker with their mouth on a cigarette. These nanomachines threaded together around Lafferty's heart, and began to constrict it, and then slack... and repeated this process to simulate a heartbeat until her own vital processes rebooted.

Flipping the canister and turning it off, the lingering mist in the air slowly drifted out of sight, carried away by- and likely disengaging within, the ventilation system. Standing up and addressing Sergeant Ross, she concluded."Hmph. My old employers used to think we were so different... I don't see how. The human body is like a biological machine in a way. All it's parts working together like gears in clockwork to make you function. She's not exactly awake yet, but her heart's beating and she's in stable condition. She'll live, provided you can get out of here before worse occurs to one of you.

Think it strange all you want, I do have to apologize for hurting your friend there. It wasn't my intention, all I wanted was to get my restraints off. Pretty inhumane to line control collars with explosives, you think? That said, looking over the files on the personnel your employers did manage to capture... I've got rescue coming, in addition to the riot. Of course I don't know that for sure, but it's not like the crowd I associate with to leave anyone behind. It would be rather wise to make yourselves scarce as soon as possible." she advised. Turning to the storage shelves and collecting the last of the gear attached in Dimitri's message.

NotYetForsaken · Oct 13, 2016

Mujahideen
Location: Bow Hangar Array | Rising Dawn
White iris' for resting spirits.

Major Rhodes Selmy

[color=49453a]"If the child wishes to fight then I have no right to deny the yearning of her spirit,"[/color] Rhodes answered. She turned toward the open hangar doors. The wind billowing in swept her hair into a frantic dance reminiscent of the clash of a cat o' nine tails. She put her hands into her pockets and leaned back to look at Rory. [color=49453a]"Whatever providence I can get, I will take. This world is too harsh to pass up any opportunities."[/color] She closed her eyes and motioned toward the sea of clouds basking in moonlight. [color=49453a]"This is the world, my small friend. And it will welcome our coming with open arms. Under my blessing, Ruby shall come to no harm."[/color]

Naamah tapped her staff on the ground twice. She leaned on the old wood staff and swayed gently with the breeze. The jewelry that adorned her hips jingled lightly as she moved. Her eyes were closed, as if she were sleeping. "Naamah has no quarrel with those below, yes indeed." She pursed her lips, "Naamah's role is to observe and record. Naamah only acts when Naamah's Solomon bids Naamah act. Otherwise she should not become to intertwined with the strings of karmic destiny." There was a small pause as she stood up on the balls of her feet, as if trying to taste the very wind on her lips. "Yes indeed. Naamah needs to stay here and prepare to witness a great change in the threads of fate. An event looms on the horizon like a mountain. Dark, immense, and inescapable. It tastes frightening."

Rhodes chuckled, [color=49453a]"I did not know you had the Wife of the Good King herself on board."[/color] She seemed to only be half-joking. [color=49453a]"This is great providence indeed. Let it be known then, anisa, with you two we cannot fail! Not when the very eyes of King Solomon's bride watches us so graciously!"[/color]

[hr]

[hr]

Homelands

Code:

lucieon's story

[hr]

"There's always someone familiar no matter where you go."

Lucieon flinched at the comment. He had not noticed that his gaze had lingered for so long on the naked girl. Though now that the Mademoiselle had mentioned it, he had been long deprived from working the nubile flesh of a budding woman. He stretched his fingers. Aye, it would be quite nice to feel once again the soft tissue underneath his fingers as he worked. The slickness, the smoothness not found in specimens of other types.

He stowed those thoughts away. Any more and the vengeful spirits of his victims might find him int his void and drown him in spilled blood.

In a flash he drew his rapier and placed the fine tip against Antoinette's own. "Very well," Lucieon bellowed, still staring unflinchingly at Katya's average chest. "I am Lucieon Cazzemello Sato di Roma. I have no other titles, but many simply call me 'the Loathed.'" Then he sheathed his sword. "Though I would be more considerate of not raising a commotion. Beasts of the dark frequent planes like these and more often than not find the flesh of young women sweet."

He paused and then shot a glare at Katya, "And there are monsters here made of tentacles. Though they are not so palatable as the ones conceived in material planes." Lucieon walked up to Benedict, "And to you, priest. I would say that you are correct. I am indeed what you speak, a walker of planes - though I am not a Planeswalker. I am undead, and in being unbound from the laws of time, I can travel between timelines easily. Though, being so immaterial I am wont to become lost during long forays, as I have done so just now."

He took a step back and spun around, waving. "I have part of my soul tethered to my home plane, just for occasions like this. If you wish to tag along, I will not mind this one time. I have already been defeated in my quest. Though know that my plane is not that same that any of you three call 'home.' Though different, it is more hospitable than this infinite darkness populated by abstractions of nightmares. There is food, water, light, and women or boys depending on your fancy. At any rate, you will be better able to coordinate your planeswalk back to the Rising Dawn in relative comfort." Lucieon drew a small golden string from the lining of his cloak and pulled on it.

It snapped taut and in the darkness it shone brilliant, like a single thread of solid sunshine, it cut into the darkness in front of them and left a gash of liquid light. Beyond came sound - that of running water and calling birds, of rushing wind and waving grass.

"Though home it is, it is still under the influence of that accursed Lord. And know that I play no host. Once there I will leave you at the whims of my old master, the Librarian Maria." Lucieon gave a genuine chuckle after he said that name, "Try not to comment on her appearance. She's rather sensitive about her... girth."

Neuromancer · Oct 13, 2016

The events of this post happen before people gathered at the canteen.

The Rising Yawn - Corridor
[color=5B9C64]Eddie the Dead[/color]

He hated time travel.

For most people, a meeting with their future self is an extraordinary, nearly impossible circumstance. More often than not, it was not an actual meeting with their actual other-time selves, but rather, a meeting with a self from an alternate reality, which was similar enough to be mistaken as their own reality, but not quite the same. Time travel thus was not truelly time travel, but rather dimension hopping. The rules of time are strict, and as most beings are bound by it, they are bound in a fundamental level to its rules.

But he was a being outside of time, unrestricted by its laws, free of their limitations. Needless to say, this was not the first time the timeless rocker had met himself from a different time.

Most unfortunate, then, that every other time it had happened brought grim tidings.

Time travel was by its nature a hastle, its very involvement in jobs meant ill days approached. Though he was unbound by time's limitations, he was nonetheless subject to its complications, and so every action taken must first be fully considered and analysed. To do that, rather than focus his perception of time up a single, 'present' instant, he would need to instead broaden it from point A (which would be the point upon which he would need to travel in time) to point B(which would be the point from which he jumped from.) and everything inbetween and after, and fully analyse the consequences of each individual action from there. Otherwise he would be stuck in a nearly endless loop of trial and error until he got the desired effect. And, of course, there was always the meeting with his future self, which almost always went as it did in this instance: Lots of cryptic words but no actual substance.

By Luck, did he ever hate time travel.

The imp had already buggered off by the time Eddie had fully assessed the situation. Today it just kept getting better and better it seemed. First he was tricked into his assignment, then the promise he made to the kids, followed by the stupid pastry business which reminded him why counting on mortals is synonimous to disappointment, the return home only to find the promise broken by the children and his efforts in vain, then there was the talk with his patron and her dreadful foreshadowing, and now this. Not one break to be had, one unfortunate circumstance after the other.

He stared at the ceiling, with a look that said "You're laughing at me, aren't you?"

And so, with a deep breath, Eddie walked his way back to the canteen, only to be met with another nasty surprise: his ward wasn't there. In her stead, he was greeted by a drunk with pieces of glass stuck on his head. Said drunk managed to set a new record for quickest three strikes: Fifteen seconds, three sentences, twenty-two words. Already in ill mood, Eddie without a word grabbed a bottle of wine from the nearest table and smashed it on his face so quick and hard that it sent the man flying in the impact's opposite direction, doing two full circles before landing on his face.

In that small rage-fuelled explosion, Eddie had an epiphany. Why should he spend every single moment of his precious time babysitting that little brat? it was gonna be years before she came of age, and since his future self was still on the job, it meant that he hadn't to worry about the girl walking into her death.

So to hell with it, he thought. He had already devoted enough of his time for her in one day, and in both instances was awarded with squat. The girl didn't deserve his full attention, and he still have all the time in the world to nurture her into bartending. It was thus time for some Eddie time, Eddie felt like spending this time on a much more interesting person. Peering into the All-song, he located her part of the melody, and with a single step walked through time and space a few ounces away from her location, in front of her room. Knocking before entering, Eddie took note of his coat hanging along other clothes, and put it on.

[color=5B9C64]"It's me,"[/color] he said as he did, [color=5B9C64]"I've come to check how yer doin'."[/color] He took a peak into the bathroom, liked what he saw, and leaned on the bathroom door, grinning.

[color=5B9C64]"Ya know, people of this world usually bathe with their underwear off. Not that I'm complaining."[/color] His face hardened, and he took a more serious tone. [color=5B9C64]"How are you adjusting? I saw you got yourself a new pair of clothes. I take it the crew hasn't given you trouble?"[/color]

Barbas · Oct 13, 2016

The Rising Dawn | Crew Quarters
Barbas

[hr]

Oh nooooo...

"-ngar for briefing."

*Yeeeeeeeeeeergh...*

"-e main hangar for briefing."

Ugh.

"Attention Crew. Please report to the main hangar for briefing."

Barbas slipped off the vacant bunk and dropped to the floor with the grace of a freshly evicted flounder. He went splat.

BLEHHH! Never be teleported on a full stomach.

Rising one leg at a time, he dragged himself in the direction of what must be the washroom. Hopefully nobody on the ship's crew had spotted the creature from the barf lagoon; with any luck the mess would be blamed on beings from another world.

The message had piqued his curiosity. Since he appeared to be stuck here for the time being, why not? Surely it couldn't entail anything more unpleasant than what he'd already suffered on the way here, he hoped, shivering under the cooling blast from the taps. Sheesh, it was like Coldharbour in here.

He paused briefly, considering the last thought.

No, it definitely isn't that bad. At least this place didn't have three-armed, argh, no, why that memory, argh.

Screwing shut his eyelids and concentrating hard on forgetting his most recent time in the umbral plains, the shaggy hound padded toward the hangar.

Diablo1099_v1legacy · Oct 14, 2016

Escapist Avatar Adventures | Undisclosed Location | Weapon's Storage

Code:

[color=grey][...Great...][/color]

ARES-35 | Dimitri | Viscus versus Gunnery Sargent Percival Ross and The Raiders

[hr]

Code:

[Just...Great...]

The AI thought to himself as his dreaded countdown finally finished, looking rather on edge and twitchy within the tablet as he watched his chance to finally get some revenge on the race of meat-sacks that had tormented him for so very long.
But no, there was no one resisting and the ones that were ARES was able to talk out of hostilities.
This seemed to anger the AI, he was looking forward to being "Let loose" off the binds he had spent much of his existence in for the last few months.
Well...there was nothing he could do about it, but seeing how the timer had finished, it was time to make good on his promise.
Using the Cameras and research logs, he began to scan though countless files on all the Androids they had in stor-

Code:

[...Target Acquired] :)

The AI's mood finally was lifted as it then transferred himself into a Rather Advanced Power Suit [https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/f0/27/d3/f027d3acce6cf10aa29b0517ac32d031.jpg], instantly feeling back at home inside one of his original armors.
The armor quickly sprang to life, hovering off the rack before marching right past all the Soldiers and frightened staff.

Code:

[Viscus Mark 3. Armor : Online : I *live* again!]

He blared without any modesty before making his way to the equipment section, keen to resupply his weapon systems and perhaps pick up a few upgrades.

The Escapist Avatar Adventure: An Open RP (Now Re-Opened!)

All hail the Pun Meister!

Doom needs Yoghurt, Badly

The Most Generic of NPCs

All hail the Pun Meister!

What is "normal?" Sounds dumb.

Power in Procedure

Queen of Cockblocking and Misery

The Most Generic of NPCs

What is "normal?" Sounds dumb.

What is "normal?" Sounds dumb.

Queen of Cockblocking and Misery

New member

Doom needs Yoghurt, Badly

Doom needs Yoghurt, Badly

The Most Generic of NPCs

What is "normal?" Sounds dumb.

Power in Procedure

Endless Struggle

ExQQxv1D1ns

Doom needs Yoghurt, Badly