Golden Gate Empire: Dreams of Grandeur [IC | PG-16]

[Admiral_Stalfos19]

 

Kai found herself placing a hand on her head and looking down towards the ground. Perhaps she needed more time to recover from the mental extraction than she thought she did. But in any case, she looked up and looked around again, keeping that hand where it was for the moment, while tightening her grip on her shotgun and raising it to about her chest level. It wasn't like she'd need the other hand to keep it steady for firing yet; after all, Rawal was still invisible this whole time, and he was yet to summon anything that was actually worth killing in his place. But then all of a sudden, he just did. And the monster he summoned was very garish looking, indeed.

 

"...yeah, that thing needs to die," Kai decided, already finding herself staring right at this weird... giant tadpole monster with legs, she guessed it was, having come in from the creature's left side, and standing inches away from the eyeball. She aimed high into it from below, angling the shotgun so that a there was a chance for a piece of shell to lodge itself into the creatures brain after recoil was taken into account, leaning her shoulder into the stock and bringing the other hand in to keep it steady, before finally pulling the trigger. With that, a very distinctive sound blasted forth from the shotgun, the force of the recoil pushing her light frame backwards a little bit.

 

'Did that do it?' wondered Kai, though she couldn't exactly stick around on the very likely event that it was still alive. As such, she preemptively propelled herself outwards, ensuring that she'd be out of range of any retaliation attack before she would try and inspect any damage that she'd done. Of course, Kai was expecting that the creature would just be blinded from that one side, but if she somehow managed a kill, then she'd take it. One less summon to worry about was nice, after all...

[Dad]

Sahill Cathedral

 

The concussive force unleashed by Lace smashed Lady Merl, and blew her into the ground.  Before she had time to recover, she was buried beneath the heavy stone of the walls she had nearly brought down.  To attempt to seal Lady Merl's fate, Lace threw Beowulf at the snake creature, just beneath the pile of stone.  However, between the stone and steel of Lady Merl's tail, Beowulf merely glanced off of Lady Merl, now tossed aside among the rubble.  Bethany's bullets smashed into the stone, but did not break or even pierce them, the shots going unanswered.  Lady Merl wriggled beneath the stone, a pale green aura surrounding each individual brick.  The stone was lifted from Lady Merl, floating above her as she tilted her three heads at Lace.  In unison, they hissed.  "Interesting.  What magic do you use?" they questioned.

 

Lady Merl threw the heavy stone through the air as if it was weightless.  Thirty solid, cobblestone bricks were headed directly for Bethany's face.  Whether they struck the human woman or not was irrelevant.  Lady Merl turned her eyes back to Lace, and slammed her tail down.  

 

"Your taste."

 

"It is truly divine."

 

"We smell it on you."

 

"But first."

 

"An hors d'oeuvre."   

 

Lady Merl slapped Lace away, tossing her backwards, as she scrambled for the remaining cultist's corpse.  She snatched it up quickly, and stretched forth one of her great mouths.  The man's body was soft, and easily digestible for her.  Her jaw snapped, stretching and widening to unimaginable lengths.  Before Lace and Bethany, she devoured the cultist's body whole, his lifeless, limp corpse still visible as it digested in her body.  The acids among Lady Merl shredded the cultist's body into large chunks of meat, before they were instantly turned into a slimy green goo in her belly.  The previously incomplete head on Lady Merl began to twitch, as its energy had been restored.  Now resembling the sister heads, her transformation had neared completion.

 

She needed but one more victory, here, in her own dungeon.

 

"Soon," they began, stretching their necks upwards, as they relaxed.  "We will leave the world in shadow."  Stretching forth an empty hand to Lace, a black, gaping mouth appearing where Lady Merl's palm should have been.  Inside of it, dozens of tiny teeth clicked and gashed, gnawing at the air.  The mouth on Lady Merl's hand was attracted to Lace, and not in a good way.  "Let us taste your soul!" Merl declared.  With her hand outstretched, Lady Merl dove at Lace, who had reached for her smaller blade.  

 

---

 

The A.W. Network

 

Jack would find her attack was answered quickly.  It pulled Jack in, ducking the remaining tethers, and now standing inches from Jack's face.  But the replica did not attack.  It did not act, it did not strike back, nor did it attempt to get away from Jack.  Instead, its coding had become scrambled.  The hologram sparked and crackled, as it seemed to shut down.  Between Angelica and Jack's multiple feedbacks into the Administrator's system, it seemed they had finally done enough damage.  It's technology had been rendered useless.  Opposite Jack, Angelica would find her opposing hologram had also ceased to operate and fight back.  The doors that the holograms were guarding were flicked open, a powerful, jarring slam as they slid aside to make way for the two opponents.

 

In the control room, the Administrator slammed their fist against the control panel.  They had no options left.  Stepping away from the command console, they ran their hand along a blank grey panel on the southern wall, where the entire wall trembled at their touch.  The wall sank into the ground in slow, small sections at a time.  Behind it, an illuminated blue-grey room, with the only alien technology more dangerous than what had been left on the alien craft.  It's own.

 

Through a series of quiet clicks, it sorted itself with gear and weapons.  Two battles remained now.  Placing a threatening helm over its head, its tongue clicked, before splitting into two, and the Administrator hissed.  "Earth. . . is a disgusting place," it said in a new tongue for the first time.

 

Sealing the room behind it, the Administrator exited the Control Room.  It ran a gloved hand over its wrist, an unidentifiable language appearing holographically on its wrist.  With a touch, the Administrator watched the world around it change in color, its eyes narrowing.  Fading from sight, it silently chose its position, and waited for the first of two unlucky persons to cross the threshold.

 

---

 

The Church of Jubilee

 

Choros watched his foe retreat beneath the ground.  "Coward!  Face me!" he demanded, as he stabbed his blade into the stone at his feet.  Before Choros could get an answer, there was a whirl of flames behind him, causing him to snap backwards.  He was now face to face with a creature who's own body and flesh were partly composed of his own holy flames.

 

"Defending your master?  Very well," Choros said, shoving the blade deeper into the stone ground.  "Let us see how quickly you act, beast.  Will you save your master, or will you be killed for your valor?"  Choros' blades began to emit flames once more, this time seeping into the ground below, stretching far and wide into the ground beneath the church of Jubilee.  "I've enough force in my own hands to close great craters, far and wide.  I will kill you with my bare hands!" Choros declared, just before a shotgun blast rang out very close to him.  

 

If not for the larger body of the flaming monster before him, Choros surely would have been struck by the bullets of Kai's weapon.  "Reckless," he said.  "Just like mother."

 

---

 

Xiang Battleground Pagoda

 

Yin and Yang.  Working in harmony.  How wonderful.  How unprecedented.  He was struck from various angles.  It's neck snapped at Louis punch, and it was scraped and scratched viciously by Mango.  After being countered, the Jiangshi turned its broken neck to examine Louis' shadows.  It righted its neck, and pulled Mango's many claws from its legs and face, nonchalantly dismissing their attacks.  "Intriguing," it said, now standing straight over Louis' shadow, and peering into the blackness.

 

"The world of shadow is not one I have seen for many a century," it said, its own shadow inches from Louis'.  It stomped a foot into the Pagoda's ground boards, pushing through into the soil as its leg stretched.  Pulling its leg back in, the Jiangshi placed a hand against the soil, a groaning from the Pagoda's every inch.

 

From beneath, dozens of bony hands punched through the wooden floorboards of the Pagoda, one of them latching onto Mango right away.  "Sew Yin into your circle of decay.  I must further delve into Yang's world," the Jiangshi said, as another dozen hands rose from the floor now.  Two dozen Kyonshi soldiers climbed out of the earth beneath the Pagoda, wielding crude, rusty weapons.  Their touch alone was toxic to any normal human being, but also drained victims of their life essence and Qi.  Enough hands would easily over whelm any creature.

 

"Come, Yang," the Jiangshi called, into Louis' world of shadow.  It stepped forwards, merging its own shadow with Louis' purposely.  "I await the depths of your design."

[LordCowCowCowCowCowCowCowCow]

"And now even the rocks are bullet-blocking me." Bethany said.

She sounded calm but inside she was panicking. This thing could survive something like that? Not only survive but be strong enough to toss rocks around? Bethany dove to the ground and took cover best she could, tucking her head in so that any rocks that hit her didn't strike her there. After the rocks landed Bethany got, unsteadily, to her feet.

 

In time to see the snake eating someone again. She would never get used to that. The creature was already strong before but it seemed to be getting even stronger at that. What was she going to do? If she used her magic...no, she couldn't, she didn't believe she could handle that in such a stressful situation. She had to...

She had to leave. Now. Leaving the world in shadow sounded bad but Bethany didn't know what to do. She was just a human. She wasn't a superhero like Lace apparently was. She wasn't a demon snake freak from the 15th dimension. She was just human. And a really crappy one at that.

 

Bethany started inching her way towards the doorway. She would get out of here and let Lace deal with this thing. Cowardly, heck yeah, shameful, doubly so, but she didn't want to die here.

[Tesability Black]

~On the Surface~

"Defending your master?  Very well," Choros said, prompting a high-pitched echoing roar as the angel shoved the blade deeper into the stone ground.  "Let us see how quickly you act, beast.  Will you save your master, or will you be killed for your valor?"

"I've enough force in my own hands to close great craters, far and wide.  I will kill you with my bare hands!" Choros declared, just before a shotgun blast rang out very close to him.

(I made the roll...Choros' interferance lowered Kai's chances to hit the targetted area. A '6' was needed to blind, and a 17 was needed to insta-kill it. The Result Is...)

But, the bullet didn't hit anything vital.

Instead, it plinked off the Ur-Ghlaak's armoring around the head, which it ignored for the time being. It instead rushed forward towards Choros, the tail igniting into flame before swinging at the angel...

~Rawal's POV~

"Will you save your master, or will you be killed for your valor?"

Rawal let off a swear that had no actual translation into any earth language upon hearing this through the Ur-Glaahk's unseen ears as Talis-Eye did their best to translate for the elder. Dropping the connection between himself and the creation, he caught sight of the ground outside of the glassed tunnel beginning to light up at several points.

Rawal began to run and fast towards the entrance that he had dropped into this odd tunnel from, breathing easier upon being near the access to open air. Up ahead, he caught sight of another entrance alongside the tunnel, this one raised so that someone could easily walk up to the surface.

"Come, let---Talis-Eye?" Rawal looked around himself seeing that he was actually alone in the tunnel. Shaking his head, he dashed forward, wincing from the increasingly-suffocating heat within the tunnel but actually managing to get out.

~Talis-Eye's POV~

"I don't know whom has the worse high-and-mighty attitude, you or the damned Shapers," Talis-Eye practically roared towards both Choros and Kai upon exiting from the tunnel with effor, their face twisted into an angered position as Kai's gun suddenly feels like something is lightly pulling against it. You so much as think of using that against me, you will not have it anymore, Talis-Eye warned mentally towards only Kai.

...and several columns of marble floating in the air while surrounding the Eyebeast. "We're fighting for the right to live, and your selfish sister refuses to bow to allow all of us to leave. I'm starting to see why Lord Rawal despises beings like you two."

The ground began to quake upon certain words, an indicator to the creation's rage. Turning their central eye towards Kai's direction, the next message mental, they continued. You and I could have come to an agreement and you wouldn't have to put any further effort into this tournament. After Rawal had gotten what we both needed to survive on this planet...I wouldn't have had any issues with holding him in place while you put that...I would say 'Thorn Baton', but that doesn't look like one...whatever that projectile weapon you're wielding is to his forehead and fired away.

[Mr. Hyde]

 

His attack had landed, and Louis showed visible signs of victory all across his smug face.  However, when the dead dhalsim twisted it's neck in unearthly fashions, a look of pained annoyance was plastered over his smugness.  

 

"So more than just Dhalsim rules...great." 

 

"The world of shadow is not one I have seen for many a century."  The undead creature made it's own shadow inch closer and closer towards his own.  With each passing moment, Louis' heart beat with tension.  Was this thing a fool?  This thing had no idea what Louis was capable of, yet he made sure to stand right in the path of his power.  Mango was soon surrounded by minions from underneath the floorboards, while Louis himself was face to face with the stretchy zombie.  Soon enough, the undead's shadow had now overlapped into his.  

 

"Come, Yang, I await the depths of your design."

 

"Tch...underestimate me will you?  Well I don't know how long you've lived, but you've officially signed your death warrant...your undeath warrant...um...WHICHEVER!"  Louis' body emerged all the way from his shadow, and the inky hand that had uppercut the zombie prior, had now taken life again.  It shot towards it's torso, while from another shadow lingering from the fractured pillar, a large giant tendril appeared jutting out towards it's side, aiming to pierce and run the zombie through.  The plan was to pin this stretch armstrong ripoff against the wall, and then let his shadows rip him apart, sinew by sinew.  

[Yui]

---

"Intriguing. The world of shadow is not one I have seen for many a century."

 

World of shadow? ...that explains the kid's attacks. And while she was definitely relieved to know just what her opponent in this tournament did with his powers, Mango's relief was soon to be overwashed by panic. The one creepy dead guy kicked a hole in the floor, and as a groaning emanated through every inch of the pagoda, more creepy dead guys started coming out of the floor! There wasn't really any denying Mango's response was to briefly scream and jump back a bit. Why did it have to be creepy dead guys?

 

"Sew Yin into your circle of decay. I must further delve into Yang's world."

 

"Hey!" Mango exclaimed, turning her attention briefly to Creepy Guy Alpha. "My name's Mango, not Yin!" What was the point? Creepy Guy Alpha had been pretty bad at getting her point so far, and she couldn't take her attention off the team of Lesser Creepy Guys he'd summoned. At a glance, their weapons were crude and rusty. Nothing like the fine blades Mango was bred to have. Still, dead things weren't anything she was fond of, and she didn't want them to touch her. She couldn't let herself get cornered. Which meant it was best to put these guys back where they belonged.

 

Mango started by spitting up another ball of acid, aimed at the face of one of the Lesser Creepy Guys closest to her. She then brought her hands to her sides, finger-sabers facing in front of her so that she'd be ready to attack them right back if they moved in to attack. As a pre-emptive measure, Mango moved foward and shot her left hand forward, aiming to skewer another of the Lesser Creepy Guys. I'm going to need a nice long bath when I get back to the hotel. I've earned it right?

---

[Hälō]

 "Interesting.  What magic do you use?"

 

"Why don't you come here and find out?!" Lace responded quickly with her usual tone as she watched the monster toss a massive hunk of stone towards Bethany. Sure that Bethany would be able to handle her self, she kept her eyes trained on their foe. 

 

"Your taste."

 

"It is truly divine."

 

"We smell it on you."

 

"But first."

 

"An hors d'oeuvre."   

 

Lady Merl continued before devouring the second cultist. As the demon began to complete it's transformation, Lace scanned the room for her other blade, only locating the sword just as Lady Merl lunged forwards with her hand extended to reveal a mouth filled with razor sharp teeth. 

 

"Let us taste your soul!" The beast snarled.

 

"If you insist..." Lace growled back towards the incoming threat as she drew her straight sword and allowed it's blade to be consumed in a hazy blue aura. Waiting until she was only inches from Lady Merl's grasp, Lace stepped to the right at the last moment, channeling energy form her artificial soul through her sword to empower her technique and increase the blade's already impressive cutting potential. 

 

"Iron Lotus!" Lace whispered the name of her technique as she swiped her blade across Lady Merl's open palm. In the same instant, three streaks of light flashed across the snake demon's wrist, causing the creature's massive hand to slide off her arm, unable to withstand the three impossibly fast sword strikes.

 

Allowing Lady Merl to fall past her, Lace used her unrestrained speed to dash across the room and pluck Beowulf up from atop the pile of rubble in a blur of movement. Bringing herself to a skidding halt by driving her straight sword into the ground, she found herself near Bethany, who seemed to be edging towards the door. Though it should have been shocking that her temporary ally was preparing to leave her for dead, Lace knew all to well that this was just human nature. Bethany had no reason to risk her life here, and it was foolish to thinking that this girl would just selflessly lend her aid in the first place...

 

If this girl wasn't prepared to fight this kind of foe, then she'd only be a liability. "If you're going to run, do it already." Lace addressed Bethany whilst watching Lady Merl. What was she thinking? XIII found herself amused by the fact that she had actually considered relying on someone else in the first place, and allowed a small smirk to form on her perfect lips as she glanced back at Bethany a final time. "Wouldn't want the kids back home to see you eaten alive, right?" A fire had been ignited in her chest. Lace was getting excited...

 

Shifting her attention back to Merl, XIII ripped her straight blade free from the floor and began dashing towards her target with both weapons drawn. 

 

 

 

[Maeriberii Haan]

---

 

The turrets were soon down for the count, being turned off both after she was done firing at them and after they were seemingly shut down, leaving Angelica free to do what she please. By that being moving forward to the control room. She prepared herself for whatever would she face beyond, preparing several tassels and her wires to hook to anything she could nearby with the assumption that Jack or any sort of guardian of the Control Room was just over there. Yet, as she passed through the threshold, there was...simply nothing. Only the control room was beyond. Jack should be nearby, yes, but nothing was actually on the Control System. That made no sense. That made no sense. That made no sense! Angelica cursed aloud in an incoherent language as she went forward. There should be someone here. The system didn't seem to be automated. It was definitely someone that changed the Network's layout earlier. It was someone that summoned those turrets over and over against her. It was definitely someone that shut down those mirages even when she didn't blow them up yet. Someone should be here, but where? Where? She knew they were here. She could feel that there should be someone here. Her logic dictates that there should be someone here...

 

Her processor board almost overloaded, and Angelica decided to cease thinking about it for now for her own safety despite how much it actually frustrated her, and she ran towards the Control room, passing the threshold set and finally reached its insides. She attempted to utilize it for her own use, especially with Jack nearby...yet it didn't respond. It refused to respond. 

 

This was a trap.

 

---

[VCR_CAT]

Jack

 

As Jack had gotten close for her attack, the holographic clone had stopped. It seemed to be stuck mid-animation as its body seemed frozen, yet kept twitching, before finally it disappeared entire. Jack retracted her tethers and walked up to the door in front of her, slamming an arrow into the frame and unlocking it. Something was going down, and she didn't like it.

 

Jack opened the door just wide enough for Hack and Slash to slip in; both drones moving towards the ceiling as fast as they could to scope out what was going on. Jack paid attention to the feed from Hack and saw a girl inside the room already; Jack's opponent, as she assumed. The girl, Angelica was it? Was trying to use the control room's consoles but was having no such luck. Jack smiled, opening the door slowly and slipping into the control room. Giving herself some distance, Jack unslung her bow again and knocked an arrow, pointing it right at Angelica.

 

"End of the line, kid." Jack spoke allowed through her voice filter.

[Maeriberii Haan]

---

 

"End of the line, kid."

 

"...Oh, it's just you."

 

Angelica was a bit frantic about the fact that she was walking right into a set-up by whoever was in control of the place earlier, but hearing the voice coming from behind her was a little bit of a reassurance. It was unlikely that this was her opponent's doing, the fact that she wasn't able to access the controls here. It seemed that Jack was unaware about the possibility of someone else being in control of this room right now. Withdrawing one of her eyes, she pushed it deep inside to appear from behind her head, staring at Jack from the back of her head. The short distance between the two was an issue, but it also makes Jack's movements quite clear. As long as she didn't hit her vitals with the arrow, she would be able to survive with ease. But right now, the best course of action would be...

 

"See you later."

 

Opening up the thrusters to her side, she blasted off towards the opening where she came from at fast speed, before rocketing into the skies. Opening up her palm, she then started to rain blasts of energy beam downwards, while looking for anywhere she could plug herself in on the ceiling to launch a decisive hit onto the control room.

 

---

[VCR_CAT]

Jack

 

"...Oh, it's just you."

 

Jack's arms lowered slightly. What the hell did she mean? Of course it was her, and this "her" was going to ruin her ass. Jack growled under her breath as she took aim at the smaller girl.

 

"Yeah, it's me. Make one move and I'll--" Jack was interrupted as the girl started to move.

 

"See you later."

 

What looked like thrusters opened up on the sides of the girl, and Jack took no second to see what she was going to do, loosing the arrow at the center of Angelica's back the moment she looked like she was going to do anything. The arrow flew in Angelica's direction, and Jack was right in assuming thrusters. Who-- or rather, what was this girl? Either way, whatever her opponent was, this had good implications for what Jack's arrow could do if it found its mark.

 

If the arrow hit Angelica, she would feel a sensation more significant than an arrow simply impacting into her; the nanites would phase into her body and start attempting to take over whatever amount of tech they could get into.

 

"What did you think was going to happen, you idiot," Jack scoffed as she began to make more arrows and hold them in her hand. "That I was gonna take it easy on you?" Regardless, Jack's opponent flew into the air and started to rain energy blasts below, forcing Jack to duck out of the way. On her HUD, two lights blinked, signifying that Hack and Slash's electrical charges were back up and ready to go.

[Dad]

Sergei's Personal Lounge

 

It was late into the evening on the first round's day.  Sergei, Bradley, Theodore, and Geno sat around a simple, rounded wooden table in luxurious leather recliners.  The room was filled with smoke from fine, and now rare Cuban cigars.  On the table, tall, frothy glass mugs were filled with beer.  And at the center of the table, a deck of playing cards and chips were scattered among adults.  In fair view between the four men, a ninety inch high definition television was securely mounted to steel brackets, placed high on a concrete wall of the lounge.  The room resembled an old time World War Two bunker, with memorabilia from the United States, Russia, Japan, and Germany scattered throughout.

 

On the television, multiple screens displayed varying fights among contestants, as Sergei and his staff enjoyed the events.  

 

"I'm still unsure about Rachel's monster selection," Sergei said, taking a careful puff of his cigar.  "These creatures are very dangerous.  And magic is something I still question.  It's not been introduced to the world for very long."  He placed his hand down on the table, his cards unable to be seen.  "I fold."

 

Bradley let out a sigh.  "Well, I did speak to RC.  She was very careful with her arena studies.  You know how meticulous she can be.  She's sure of every decision she's made.  And if necessary, I'll put a stop to whatever may come this way."  Bradley pushed in a small pile of chips to the center of the table.  "I raise."

 

Theo folded his cards down.  "Too rich for my blood," he said, downing his large mug of beer.  "Ace, I know what you can do.  But I agree with Sergei.  We can't test magic.  Not securely."

 

Bradley shook his head.  "There's a contingency plan for everything, my friend.  From the three headed snake lady, to the invisible thing that the android and the archer are fighting."

 

Geno pushed a larger pile of chips into the middle of the table.  "Raise.  And if worse comes to worse, you can always call back your friends, boss."

 

Sergei raised an eyebrow.  He sat back and took a sip of his beer.  "You mean Jackson?  No, no.  I couldn't bother them to come all the way back across the country.  Or to travel out of it either.  Too much work.  They have their hands full."

 

Geno scoffed.  "You give 'em a check, and you better believe that kid will make Jackson answer the call."

 

Bradley sat up straight.  "I call.  Full house."

 

Sergei whistled.  Theo nodded satisfied.  And Geno frowned.  But his frown quickly flipped as he had successfully conned Bradley.  "Read 'em and weep, punk.  Royal Flush."

 

Bradley sighed, placing his cards on the table.  "Alright.  Whatdda I owe you?"

 

Geno leaned back in his chair, and puffed on his cigar.  Blowing a ring of smoke into the air, he sighed.  "No cash.  I want a favor."

 

Bradley questionably looked back at Geno.  "Okay.  I'll bite.  What is it?"

 

Geno whistled, and there came a scamper of footsteps.  Through the wall behind Geno, a large white and grey furred dog phased through the concrete wall, as if it did not exist.  "Take Ghost for a walk for the next week.  I'm gonna be taking time out to see the wife before round two starts."

 

Bradley obliged.  "Sure, that'll do.  Won't it boy!?" he said, extending arms to Ghost.  The large dog plopped into Bradley's lap, licking his face.  "Ack!  Too much!"

 

Sergei turned the television down a bit, and nodded to Geno.  "So what do you think, Ghost?  Who will make it to the next rounds?"

 

Geno rubbed his chin, for the first time in days.  It was good to have the mask off.  "It's like this boss.  Sword girl beats ice girl.  Steel cracks ice.  Plain and simple.  Shadow boy beats the poison blob.  Whatever the hell she is.  Old man dies of old age, and the flying broad with the shotgun walks away free.  And the Android beats the archer."

 

Theo hummed, intrigued at Geno's blunt, simple analysis.  "Care to make a wager on that, Ghost?"

 

Geno looked to the cards on the table, then up to Theo.  "I'd say I already won."

 

Bradley let out a laugh, still holding the dog who was also named Ghost.  

 

"Come on.  A simple bet.  I'll challenge your picks!  If you win, I'll let you take Shanti for a spin."

 

Geno leaned forwards in his chair.  "That's a hell of a bike.  I been wantin' to try it.  Whatdda ya want if you win?"

 

Theo thought carefully.  "I want you to publicly apologize to the persons you declared losers.  Simple."

 

Geno nodded, and stuck out his hand.  Theo's impossibly large hand collapsed atop Geno's.  "It's a God damn deal."

[Admiral_Stalfos19]

 
"Son of a jabroni, that did nothing!" Kai cursed under her breath as the creature continued to attack Choros undeterred. If only she could still fly, she could've easily have gotten a better shot. Speaking of which, she realized that she almost clipped Choros with a stray piece of shell or two as well.
 
"Reckless... just like mother..."
 
"Huh? Mom was a complete pacifist. How could she be con-...?" Kai was in the process of asking him, but then a possibility hit her, 'Could he be referring to Mom's encounter with my old man? I mean, it's the only thing I can think of right now but... Mom told me her old partner died. She wouldn't have gone through with...'
 
"I don't know whom has the worse high-and-mighty attitude, you or the damned Shapers,"
 
Kai immediately rolled her eyes; she did not approve of her thoughts being interrupted so callously. She turned around, half-expecting that Rawal had finally showed up and left himself wide open for an attack, but nope... that would be too easy. Instead, some weird ball of flesh was there with a singular eyeball.
 
"Waaaaiiiit a minute, you're not the geezer, you're..." Kai shook her head, and began to raise her shotgun, 'I don't even know what you're supposed to be, but you need to...'
 
'You so much as think of using that against me, you will not have it anymore,' Kai wanted to call that bluff so badly. She really did. But, with even her being able to think that it'd be better to be safe rather than to be sorry, she wrapped her halo around the hand that was holding the trigger side of the shotgun. She winced at the sudden tightness that she'd felt around that hand in particular, but at least this way, there was no way in hell the gun itself would be disarmed in any way, shape and form. Kai kept the other arm ready, her trigger finger inching towards pulling the trigger when....

'You and I could have come to an agreement, and you wouldn't have to put any further effort into this tournament,' the thing telepathically spoke, 'After Rawal had gotten what we both needed to survive on this planet...I wouldn't have had any issues with holding him in place while you put that...I would say 'Thorn Baton', but that doesn't look like one...whatever that projectile weapon you're wielding is to his forehead and fired away.'
 
'Oh yeah? If you were so willing to back-stab your own guy, then what makes me think you won't have done the same to me?' Kai made her skepticism very clear to the creature, but contemplated on what it was saying nonetheless... and after a few seconds, she reached her decision, 'Alright, fine, if you actually want to ally yourself with me, then you can start by dealing with that thing that's attacking Choros. Kill it, banish it, unsummon it, whatever I don't care. But I'm not lowering this - shotgun it's called, ya moron - until you make your move. And if you try anything funny, I'll call your bluff right now!'
 
Now that Kai thought of it, how the hell was that thing still floating? Gravity was supposed to have been turned up to eleven, which would explain why Kai couldn't just fly right up to the eyeball and shoot it that way... and probably actually accomplish something as a result. That thing had to be putting every telekinetic effort it had just stay afloat, surely. And even in that case, it surely couldn't afford to waste effort trying to disarm Kai despite her precaution.

[Maeriberii Haan]

---

 

"Tch...she got me."

 

The arrow hit near the left side of Angelica's torso, and she could feel the nanites inside of it starting to attempt taking over her body. It was a familiar sensation. Just like what happened on her fights with her sisters. Her body were practically composed with nanite-like technology anyway, however, much of her body were not suited for takeover purposes, and the opposing nanites would eat through hers faster than the reverse anyway. The solution was quite simple though. As her flight stabilized, Angelica opened her fingers to form smaller laser blades on their tip, and removed the currently affected area out of her torso with surgical precision, blasting any residues in the meantime. The action left a gaping hole there, which could end up being an issue later as she could not use any devices her to restore herself just yet, but it's nothing close to fatal for an Angel like her. For Jack's arrows to do more, she would need to know about where to aim, and no way Angelica would let her get in a clear shot.

 

"So you've been serious this whole time? I thought you're barely even trying with how little you mattered to my survival compared to this place's security system. Granted, I had other interests here, so I don't feel like pursuing you either."

 

Continuous flight was quite a pain to maintain for long, so Angelica decided to latch into the wall for the time being. Aiming for her opponent was hard with how they're still inside of the main control room, but keeping up the suppression fire while she located any plug points would be enough for now. She had energy to spare while Jack's arrows should be a limited resource unless Jack surprised her on that regard. Making her waste more arrows by putting her in a position that would make her arrows easy to read. However, Jack's drones were a concern too, especially since neither were visible so far. She hadn't destroyed those yet, so they're more likely than not still active, somewhere out there. She just needed to get herself ready for when those appear. Buuut, they're not really that big of a concern. Walking cameras and low-tech weapons aside, what could they do anyway? She just need to make sure those wouldn't allow Jack to snipe her from unexpected angles, and boom, everything would be fine.

 

"There is something a lot more concerning in this place than just your presence, Jack. I thought you had figured it out yet, but perhaps I shouldn't set myself for disappointment by thinking like that."

 

With her reserves returning to full again, Angelica let herself out from the wall, and flew around the area while continuously bombarding the control room with blasts of energy. Something about the control room still bugged her, and it was the main reason why she didn't just go inside and went for a melee onslaught against her opponent. The risk of that action wouldn't outweight  the benefit normally, but the Control Room was a comfounding variable that would screw up her calculations if she took that direct route.

 

---

[VCR_CAT]

Jack

Warning: If you experience epileptic seizures in response to flashing lights or patterns, we recommend that you do not watch the next few minutes.

 

When the arrow made contact with Angelica's body, Jack noticed the flash of red light of the nanites entering her body, and signal that her suit began to receive as the nanites started work in trying to hijack the... android's energy distribution? Well wasn't that interesting. Jack started to laugh out loud; this robot had no idea what she walked into.

 

"So you've been serious this whole time? I thought you're barely even trying with how little you mattered to my survival compared to this place's security system. Granted, I had other interests here, so I don't feel like pursuing you either." Angelica scoffed at Jack, who was forced to retreat behind some cover of some rather roughed up consoles.

 

"Probably because you didn't even encounter me out there, you idiot," Jack retorted. She checked her HUD's feed for Hack and Slash's positions, both still hovering closer to the ceiling. This gave Jack a nasty idea, and sent the command for the robots to flank at either side of Angelica while she was pre-occupied with suppressing fire.

 

"There is something a lot more concerning in this place than just your presence, Jack. I thought you had figured it out yet, but perhaps I shouldn't set myself for disappointment by thinking like that."

 

"You know what I figured out? I figured out how dangerous this place is, and how much fun it's going to be once it's all mine. But really, I don't need any sheet-talking brats in my way, so please, step aside." As Jack said this, she sent the command to her two robots. Both Hack and Slash flew directly in front of Angelica's face and set their speakers and holo-projectors into max power. Both robots began to rapidly strobe bright lights directly into Angelica's face in alternating patterns. Meanwhile, both robots blared a sound that sounded like vuvuzela's directly from hell itself, at maximum volume. Both Hack and Slash had just unleashed sensory hell upon this poor, poor android girl, and it would (hopefully) leave her wide open.

 

If even all that happened was faltering in the hellish rain of lasers, Jack would take the opportunity to pop out and fire three more arrows in Angelica's direction before sprinting to find better cover in the room. The room they were in now was useless, but the moment Jack found whatever it was that controlled this installation, it would all be over.

[Dad]

Sahill Cathedral

 

Lady Merl had lost a hand, in an attack whose power she underestimated.  She shrieked in horror as her hand flopped to the floor in pieces.  But like most reptiles, this was a temporary problem.  What she did witness, was a type of "magic" she had never seen before.  There was something in Lace that made Lady Merl hungry.  Sealing her wound with a lick of her many tongues and acidic saliva, Lady Merl would have to patiently await her arm's growth again.  But for now, she had to make Lace pay for her transgressions.  

 

The girl attacked Lady Merl head on, and Lady Merl reacted in kind.  She was much more wary of Lace's power now, and it seemed that she used her swords to make use of her "magic".  Opening all six of her eyes wide, Lady Merl got in deathly close to Lace, until Lace could feel her hot, miserable breath.  And then, Lady Merl screamed.  An unholy, deafening wail that was sure to ruin the view for the audience back home.  But this scream was coupled with much more powerful magic.

 

Lady Merl's eyes twisted into cat-like irises, becoming a solid white, as she cast sealing magic on Lace.  Stone sealing magic.  Lace would find that her movements were drastically slowed.  Her body would grow heavy, and from the inside out, she would slowly be turned to stone.  Her skin would grey, her hair would wither, and the longer Lace remained in range of Lady Merl, the quicker she would succumb to the spell.

 

---

 

A.W. Underground Network

 

He watched carefully from a distance.  They were reckless.  They were dangerous.  They were ruining.  Everything!  These machines.  This obsolete technology.  This Android.  And this human.  He'd seen enough.  They could possibly set off the silo-bay and wipe out not only this entire network, but everything outside of it, within a thousand miles.  He didn't care much for human tragedy.  But he was not about to let the Network go up in flames.

 

As long as he lived and breathed, the console was safe.  But if it came down to it. . . .

 

He snarled beneath his helm, as he watched the Android engage the human once more.  Recklessly firing energy blasts at the floor below.  Enough was enough.

 

BGM:  The Grid

 

He hung from one hand in the rafters, and aimed his wrist at Hack.  There was a nearly undetectable pulse, as a dart whizzed through the air, and shattered the drone.  With another quick shot, Slash was taken down as well.  He swung his way over to the unsuspecting Android, and with the heel of his invisible foot, kicked her down to the ground with a thud.

 

She landed just outside of the Control Room's doorway, where Jack stood inside.  He dropped from the ceiling, de-cloaking as he fell.  Landing between Jack and Angelica, he brandished four lengthy, sharp knives on his wrists; two on either hand.  A solid black armor of an unearthly metal alloy protected him, as static electricity ran over the surface of his body.  His head was covered in the same alloy, but the helm was equipped with a far more advanced version of a gas mask.  This allowed him to breathe in multiple atmospheres without fear, until his body adapted.  Black lenses concealed his eyes, something sinister darted back and forth behind them.  

 

There was a solid black cylinder on his back, sealed and concealing a weapon inside of it.  His forearms and legs were spiked, allowing him an advantage in close-quarters combat.  On his hands, the gloves he wore responded directly to his DNA, preventing them from being placed on the hands of would be thieves, barring nasty results.  This also gave him direct access to the entire facility, without having the Control Room to be active. 

 

And now, with a growl, The Administrator kicked Angelica across the top floor, directly into the steel siding of its barrier.  His strength was enormous, allowing him to toss Angelica so far away.  And with a speedy right hook, he bore down on Jack, prepared to skewer her alive.  

 

And of course, direct contact with the Administrator would give either of the contestants a nasty shock.  There were no clones now.  It was just he, and them.

 

---

 

The Church of Jubilee

 

Choros ignored the floating eye's display, as he drove his fist into the fire construct's chest.  He kicked the beast away, and left it to its own vices.  

 

Finally, he gave the eye the attention it sought.  "Damned imp.  If you wish to leave, do so.  Take your creator with you.  And never breach these holy grounds again.  Or are you so daft that these words did not rest upon you, the first time?"  Choros looked to his blade, still feeding fire into the ground.  He pulled it from its stone, as he found himself staring at the scraggly older man who presented these creatures.  

 

"You, sir," he said, lowering his weapon.  "You do not belong in this place.  Withdraw.  I will not present you with a chance to do so, again."  Choros braced himself lazily against one of Jubilee's two still standing walls.  "If you refuse," he continued.  Choros pointed his weapon at Kai, and it hummed in response.  "She will slay you.  Of that, I assure you."

 

---

 

Xiang Battleground Pagoda

 

The Jiangshi watched carefully as shadows emerged to attack his torso.  There was another above him, and the Jiangshi was cornered.  He had very few options, and was presented with quite a dilemma.  It was as he analyzed Yang that he understood its purpose.  It sought Yin, valiantly.  Balance was being interfered with, by the Jiangshi.  This truly did cause an internal conflict for the creature.  It caught the shadow fist with its foot, and the other with its open palm, stretching its arm and bending it around the shadow, gripping it at its source.

 

"I too have dwelled in shadow, Yang."  He shoved the shadows away, forcing them back to their sources.  "You must find balance.  I have hindered you."  The Jiangshi stretched out its palm again, and held a hand at his summoned allies.  "Rest," he said simply.  Their corpses stopped in place, and fell to the ground in pieces.

 

He returned to the center of the Pagoda, and began to meditate.  "Leave this place.  You may find one another outside of the Pagoda.  Though I cannot promise that the dead will be at rest."

 

And that was their ticket.  The Jiangshi refused to interfere with balance.  Instead, he stretched forth two glowing palms, and ejected Mango and Louis out of the Pagoda, a magical barrier protecting its entrance ways.  And slowly, through its own meditation, the Pagoda was being rebuilt by the Jiangshi.  "We are in harmony," he spoke slowly.

 

And now, on the cursed battlegrounds, the dead did stir.  The moon hid beneath thick clouds, providing very little light onto the battlegrounds.  Mango and Louis would have their fight.  With an audience, too.

[Admiral_Stalfos19]

 

While she kept her shotgun aimed at the Talis-Eye, Kai looked over momentarily to where Choros was duking it out with that other monster, only to witness the former punch a hole straight through its chest and leave it for dead. There was still the possibility Rawal could heal it or summon another one, but in the meantime...

 

'So much for flesh-ball over there being able to keep his end of the bargain,' Kai thought to herself, 'I mean... it's not like one of those horror flicks where ya think the thing's dead and then just as you walk away it suddenly jumps you and eats you alive. The offer still stands, by the way, just in case something like that actually happens.'

 

Of course, Kai had added that last bit for in the event that the Talis-Eye had been reading her mind that whole time. But she quickly turned to face it again, concerned that it might've been waiting for her to distract herself. It only took one second as well.

[Tesability Black]

~Rawal's POV~

Ever since the angel appeared, Rawal had been listening as he did what he could to avoid death in this battle. And the more he listened, the more Talis-Eye translated for him, the more disgusted he became.

At first, he had seen a kindred soul, upholding the laws of the place and had felt a pang of sorrow for the fact that they had been forced into the role of enemies by the tournament. But now, now...

Now, he only saw a twisted soul no longer obeying his own laws. Shaper law demanded that all followed the law set forth, even other Shapers. They had to, for the sake of control, fairness, balance and the prevention of abuse of power. If a place was Barred, like this place seemed to be, anyone whom entered the location afterwards, even the one whom declared such a location as such, would be immediately put to death.

If a creation species was deemed Barred, all of that species would be destroyed on sight and anyone caught Shaping them would be instantly killed. He found himself gulping as his eyes fell upon Talis-Eye, an example of one such Barred creation. If he was back on Terrestria, he would be dead by now, despite being a member of the Shaper Council. Hell, Shaping as a whole had become Barred thanks to the actions of the Trakovites...and that damned canister addict he brought to the Foundary 5 years before. He would be more than dead for continuing to Shape now.

At first, this angel wished both him and his sister to go...but now, he seemed to have no issue with her staying, even going as far as saying that she would slay him. He had seen the Ur-Glaahk become heavily wounded upon a punch from Choros before leaving it for dead. Rawal uttered words under his breath, causing himself, Talis-Eye, and the white Ur-Glaahk to become surrounded with a faint glow...

...a glow that was causing the hole in the creation's belly to begin to close and heal, as if it was regenerating.

"To think I once viewed you as a kindred soul," Rawal started to say in his own language after hearing Talis-Eye's translation of Choros' words in his mind, but a translated version soon entered the air over it with a similar voice provided by Talis-Eye. "I know full well what it is like to uphold the law of the land all too well. However." A glow began to fill his eyes midway into his words, the Regeneration Aura he had cast having an unusual effect compared to back home.

It was also restoring lost Essence, though at a slow rate. Was it because of this world? This place? He wasn't sure.

It will also have to make due.

Prepare to make the debris fly.

Aren't you worried about destroying this place further?

Damn, the Eyebeast picked up on his guilt over the damage caused by the one supposedly here to protect it.

Considering how this character has fallen, I don't think there is any saving it...even if it's the only place like home.

"You have been disobeying your own 'laws', allowing your sister to remain here unchallenged despite the fact that she is just as much an 'trespasser'. You're destroying this beautiful place, despite being here to protect it, doing far more damage than I or my foe would have done. If you will not obey your own laws, then why should I follow them?"

As soon as those words were translated and heard in the air, the loose dust that had become available filled the area, making sight near impossible.

However, in the dust, Rawal made two Artila to traverse through the heavy duststorm. Due to the lack of eyes, they were unaffected by the sudden storm and could still let fire towards the angelic ones with multiple globules of acid spat out at them like small missiles by sensing their locations through even minor tremors in the ground as Rawal's voice became heard throughtout the enitre storm as he moved from where he once was, both his real and translated voice echoed at various points.

 

"If I have to, I will use my power to protect this place from you!"

 

~~~

 

~Talis-Eye's POV~

 

Oh yeah? If you were so willing to back-stab your own guy, then what makes me think you won't have done the same to me, Talis-Eye heard telepathically from Kai, which they admitted to themselves that such was a valid concern. However, they felt the churning of thoughts before another became more clear. Alright, fine, if you actually want to ally yourself with me, then you can start by dealing with that thing that's attacking Choros. Kill it, banish it, unsummon it, whatever I don't care. But I'm not lowering this - shotgun it's called, ya moron - until you make your move. And if you try anything funny, I'll call your bluff right now!

"Damned imp."

Talis-Eye did not hear a damned thing else from Choros after that, nor could project their own response to Kai's words. All of their eyes focused themselves on the aggravating full-blooded angel, anger seething as the main one narrowed. "I am no form of demon in any way, you insolent thing," Talis-Eye made heard near Choros' ears in the form of a clear, crisp and enraged whisper. "That would suggest that I have seen anything other than the surface of this @ss-backwards world."

I mean... it's not like one of those horror flicks where ya think the thing's dead and then just as you walk away it suddenly jumps you and eats you alive. The offer still stands, by the way, just in case something like that actually happens.

Getting more than fed up with the selfishness of the halfbreed, Talis-Eye finally snapped out of the rage of being called something it wasn't, of being compared to something that infernal, to finally respond to Kai.

There are several things wrong with that offer. One: It would involve the potential murder of myself, should things go wrong. Two: Your brother's far-inaccurate insult has left me unwilling to play nice with him in specific anymore. I am no degree of demon, thank you very much! The fact that the damnable things exist here as well makes me sick!

Prepare to make the debris fly.

Aren't you worried about destroying this place further?

They thought this request was odd, they had felt their creator's homesickness since arriving at this location.

Considering how this character has fallen, I don't think there is any saving it...even if it's the only place like home.

Well, then. In all honesty, they liked the appearance of this place as well. If the cards play out, maybe there's a way to restore it and take this place as their own in the future...

Waiting for the perfect moment, inwardly giggling at the theatrics taken by Rawal, with some of their telekinetic ability, they stirred up quite the duststorm within the area that could be seen before it started.

The beauty of telepathic communication? It was often insanely quick.

[LordCowCowCowCowCowCowCowCow]

She was at the door. All she had to do was leave right then and there and wait for Lace to take out the snake monster and knock her out before she could recover. She could deal with whatever creepy crawlies this place had but that snake thing? That was way above her level.

Just one more step and....

Suddenly the snake let out a horrible scream that paused Bethany in her tracks. With reluctance she looked over at the combatants to see what the deal was. Had Lace already taken her out?
 

That'd been too convenient wouldn't it?

 

The snake had caught Lace in...something. It didn't look like she had actually done much from what Bethany could tell. Maybe it was a dud? Or just a battle cry?
Wait no. Something was...different. Grey, no, stone grey. Thoughts whirled in Bethany's head. Myths and legends. Snakes. Stone.

"Freaking Medusa? Really?" Bethany said with a groan. She didn't know how strong Lace was all together but even she couldn't do anything if turned to stone.

Bethany didn't want Lace to die just be worn out or injured before she had to fight her.

 

But at this rate....

 

"You're no hero, Beth." She told herself as she turned in the doorway.

"Really quite the opposite honestly." She muttered as she took a few steps towards the pair.

"But darned if you're not an idiot." She took a stance and began to focus. She couldn't shoot her way out of this and no way a punch would do anything here. There was just one thing for it at this point.

---

"I can't do it brother." A younger Bethany said, speaking to a taller, male, figure.

"Yes you can Beth I know you have it in you. I can feel it. And so can you."
"There's nothing to feel though."

"Of course there isn't. You just have to grab something that isn't there."
"Bro stop making fun of me."

A laugh. "No I'm serious. Here, grab this." He held out an apple towards Bethany.

She reached out, confused but obedient, and grabbed the apple.

"Good, now, can you remember how that feels? Really keep it in your memory."

Bethany nodded.

"Alright now let go...good, close your eyes now and grab it again."
Bethany did as she was told, feeling the firmness of the apple in her grip. "I don't get it, what am I-"

"Open your eyes."
She did, and found the apple not in her grip, but on the table instead. "How...."
"That's what I'm talking about, Beth, the feeling. You have it in you, just focus, and grab what isn't there."

Bethany, in a state of wonder, did as she was told once more. Focusing on something deep within her. The chill. The cold. It was painful, at first, but then....A cooling mist left her hand, leaving twinkling snowflakes in its wake. "I did it! Look, look I did it!"

"You sure did Beth, I'm so proud of you. Now, try again, with more force."

---

Bethany took a deep breath and reached out, gripping what wasn't there like she had long ago, and reawakened what had been slumbering. Her magic, not used for a long time, came rushing to her as though it were yesterday. She felt the chill in her bones, painful and familiar, and began casting her magic.

A spear of ice, about a foot in length, formed in the air behind the snake woman's back, and with a simple thought Bethany launched it downward, with force, towards the creature's tail.

She knew the snake wouldn't just take it without any kind of counter so she prepared herself. As soon as the snake got closer she'd blast the thing with a cone of cold, hopefully slowing it so that she could avoid being killed.

 

She had no time to think of the consequences. To think about how this could go horribly wrong. To think about how the magic already was erupting from her at an accelerated rate. She didn't worry about what would happen if she kept this up. All that mattered right now was stopping this monster. And that's what she would do.

[Maeriberii Haan]

---

 

"Hey, what do you expect on doing, huh? Those things won't-"

 

Angelica noticed the two bots approaching her as she flew around the control room firing the blasts to suppress Jack, however, as she at first dismissed them as mere minor inconveniences, but the next thing she noticed was how the two drones unleashed a complete rain of chaos towards her sensors. Hellish noises and seizure-inducing imageries caused her overwhelmed sensors to be overwhelmed for a moment before she put an emergency restart on the system. However, that moment of distraction was used by Jack well, who had fired her arrows towards her. She noticed the arrows' presence just as her sensors rebooted, and she managed to dodge two of them in time, however the third one ended up hitting her arm. She detached the affected arm almost immediately before the opposing nanites on the arrow could affect her fully, and used some nanites from around her body (mostly from her torso and legs) to form a replacement arm. Without wasting any time after her short recovery, she

rocketed down towards the location where the arrows were fired.

 

"THAT'S IT! YOU'RE GOING DOWN, WENCH!"

 

How dare did that flesh doll even use that lowly tactics against her? How the hell didn't she pay more attention to the drones anyway? Angry at Jack and herself, she brandished her laser sword as she prepared to cut the facility apart-

 

Yet that wasn't happening for now. A powerful kick made Angelica hit the ground hard midway on her flight. An irritated Angelica then looked up at whoever dared to strike her down at that moment, and saw that a new challenger had appeared. Clad in full black and spikes...he looked quite hilarious. Reminded her of those comic book villains her oldest sister told her about before Angelica slammed her into a nuclear reactor during a fallout. She always found their overly imposing appearance to be silly in how much they attempted to look threatening, and so she let out a laugh as she thought about that.

 

That act was immediately rewarded by a speedy kick that sent her flying right into the metallic ceiling of the top floor so hard Angelica at first thought she would end up as a smear of liquid nanites at the end of it. Perhaps this guy wasn't a joke. He's probably the owner of this place. The android shook her head to get her out of the daze she was feeling. The battle was definitely going to be more interesting now. As she was far enough from the control room now, she was able to use some metal wreck from her hard reverse landing to recover her nanite stock. It was enough to close the gaping holes on her abdomen and hips before gravity took her in once more.

 

"Hey you, menacing-looking guy. I have no idea on who you might be trying to base your costume on, but if this is your personal nerd basement, I will politely ask you about whether it's fine to blow everything up here. It's an eyesore, and I want this round to end already. Or just give it to me. I have no idea what to use it for, but I'm a better owner than you anyway.

 

Also Jack, can you die with him while we're on that topic? That would be really nice."

 

Using her boosters to slow her descent, Angelica then amped the output as soon as she hit the ground, brandishing her laser blade as she attempted to try combatting the menacing entity in close combat. She was attempting this using her agility as her primary asset, although she wasn't sure yet about the entity's reaction time yet. With her focus purely on the battle now, she wouldn't let herself be hit by any cheap or sudden hits anymore...though perhaps she could fire some potshots towards Jack whenever she's in range.

 

---

[VCR_CAT]

Jack

 

As Jack's arrow made contact, it reacted in a manner she was not expecting. The arrow passed into Angelica's flesh in the same manner it did the dog-bots, and she could feel the connection between the nanites reaction to the technology in Angelica's body before the single went dead as she removed the infection. Jack was caught off guard for a moment, and began to laugh hard, watching with excitement as Angelica blew the hole in her own body. It was actually much less of a laugh and more like an insane cackle.

 

"Oh myyy~" Jack let out, gasping for breath. "Oh we are going to have so much fun, aren't we? I just can't wait to get inside you and see what else I can do~"

 

When her second arrow hit, Angelica immediately detached the affected arm and let it fall to the ground, reforming a new one with whatever nanites composed her body. The sight of Angelica's arm removed from her body and dropping to the ground caused Jack to let out a quiet, erotic gasp. Of course Angelica didn't seem terribly happy with the how events were unfolding.

 

"THAT'S IT! YOU'RE GOING DOWN, WENCH!" The android screamed, flying in Jack's direction with a beam sword in hand.

 

Jack took a stance at the ready, prepared for whatever this angry doll could toss at her. "That's it, we can't be together if you're so far away!" Jack taunted, the traces of an uncontrollable giggle still on her breath. The thought of causing pain was enough to get Jack excited, but the thought of tearing someone up inside and out was a completely different feeling, and the anticipation to do so elated her.

 

Of course, this feeling wasn't to last very long. Jack's anticipation was cut short when she noticed the feeds from Hack and then Slash cut out completely. She felt a rush of jumbled sensory input throughout her body and her mind, like a digital, mental scream, as the robots were shattered into a million pieces. Jack's body visibly twitched as each was destroyed, and the feelings of excitement turned to overwhelming anger and annoyance. Angelica's rush was cut short as she tossed around like a ragdoll. Between them both was an armored... well, thing. Its shape didn't look alien, but the equipment it wore was intimidating. And if it was all electronic, then it was something for Jack to turn into a personal plaything.

 

BGM: https://benprunty.bandcamp.com/track/bonus-horror

 

Then there was the fourth individual in the room, a man wearing a labcoat and holding a clipboard, standing directly beside Angelica. "Run the test again, reactions were too slow. Subject became too emotionally involved. If this keeps up we'll need to administer another session in Plug Room; she needs to be on the top of her game mentally more than physically if she ever hopes to-" The individual was speaking, words familiar to Jack. She held a gloved hand to her helmet and her breathing intensified, squeezing her eyes shut. When she opened them, the individual was gone.

 

On the ground, near Angelica, her severed arm twitched and flexed, experiencing several sporadic spasms. It relaxed finally, and then began to drag itself towards Jack. Jack knelt down and picked up the hand.

 

"Those two were hard to get, I hope you know," Jack spoke, her voice a little more quiet than usual. "The lives that were lost, the blood that was spilled, the bones that were broken." Jack held Angelica's severed arm in one hand, controlling it to stroke the cheek of her helmet as she said this, without a hint of regret in her voice. In fact, Jack sounded more like some reminding herself of good times.

 

"Hey you, menacing-looking guy. I have no idea on who you might be trying to base your costume on, but if this is your personal nerd basement, I will politely ask you about whether it's fine to blow everything up here. It's an eyesore, and I want this round to end already. Or just give it to me. I have no idea what to use it for, but I'm a better owner than you anyway. Also Jack, can you die with him while we're on that topic? That would be really nice." Angelica seemed to mouth off, and her severed arm paused stroking Jack's cheek.

 

"Oh but if I die, how are we going to have any fun?" Jack laughed. "But don't worry, maybe I'll give you a hand in fighting off this fellow, just so long as I get to have some fun with him too." Nobody else could see it, but underneath her helmet Jack licked her lips, tossing the severed arm at Angelica and watching it impact against her harmlessly, dropping to the floor with the back of the hand facing up and the fingers manipulated into presenting the middle on very prominently. 

 

Angelica sprung into combat, and Jack readied her bow, putting three more arrows into her palm and firing each in rapid succession at the new opponent.

 

Whether they hit the black tin man or Angelica was no concern to Jack.

BGM: https://benprunty.bandcamp.com/track/bonus-horror

[Dad]

Somewhere Near the California and Oregon State Borders

 

Her stiletto heels were loud against the cold tile floors, as she strutted through the mostly empty office building.  It was plain; white walls, black and white tile floors, and completely blackened windows.  Excluding a few scientists, some guards, and selected magical "experts", the building was empty.  As she reached the end of a lengthy corridor, she ran her slender fingers over a keypad, and input a sequence of numbers that were fifteen digits long.  A soft beep told her that the code was correct, and silently, two steel panels separated themselves in a wall to let her through.

 

After passing through two more security measures, she had reached the board room, where four figures waited around a round table for her to make her statements.

 

She was ushered in by two security guards, though she wasn't sure why they bothered.  They couldn't contain her if they tried.

 

Casually, she walked in front of the round table, a nail file in her hands.  She brightened up her nails, commenting nonchalantly on the decorum of the building.  "I like what you've done with the place," she remarked.

 

"What have you to report?" the first asked.

 

"Things should be coming to an end soon.  But I believe the old man could jeopardize everything."  She put her file away, folding her arms.

 

"And?" asked the second.

 

"We have measures in place for this," said the third.

 

"You're one of them," the fourth affirmed.

 

She smiled.  "I know.  But as rowdy as you all get when things don't go your way, I didn't want to. .  .act without 'permission'," she said, using her fingers to form air quotes.

 

The first sat back in their seat.  "Do what you must.  As protocol dictates, of course."

 

The second and third looked to each other.  The fourth remained silent.

 

She nodded.  "Oh, and, before I go," she said opening her palm, and suddenly projecting a holographic image from her hand.  "What do you want to do about them?"

 

The second sat up straight.  "Leave them be.  We have foreseen their actions.  They will interfere.  They will die."

 

She nodded again.  "Okay then.  I'll start preparing.  In the extremely unlikely event that things go south--"

 

"That won't happen."  The fourth leaned forward onto his hands, placing them under his chin.  "Everything is in place.  All we need you to do, is your part.  Let Project Firehawk begin."

 

She shrugged.  "As you wish."  Snapping her fingers, she attempted to teleport away.  Her spell was blocked by a powerful interference barrier.  "Ugh.  I forgot you put up those damn blocks.  Guess I'm walking," she said, waving the four away.

 

They silently watched her walk away, and began to prepare the next item on their agenda.

 

As she reached her car, she opened her palm again, and a crackling black orb appeared in her hands from thin air.  It hissed with dark energies, and she gripped it tightly.  Her veins pulsed and her eyes bulged, as she fed on its strength.  With a wave of her hand, an almost invisible wave of force originated at her location, and began to spread outwards across the entirety of the United States.

 

She could pin point every one with just this relic.  At any place, at any time.

 

 She grinned, slipping back into the black sports car, and peeling away from the mountainside.  

[Mr. Hyde]

 

As soon as the two had entered the pagoda, they were mysteriously whisked out of it by some sort of force that wasn't unlike Louis' shadow.  The last thing that zombie dhalsim said was that balance would be restored if he were to stop the intervention.  Louis rolled his head a bit, as his shadow retracted from it's previous location inside the pagoda, reeling in like measuring tape.  But now he was face to face with the blob, no stretch armstrong zombie would stop him from shredding this thing limb from limb.  

 

"Well then," he smirked, "Shall we continue?"  Just as he spoke, the shadow of a tree behind Mango shifted into a inky replica of the creatures arm and hand, blade fingers and all.  It slashed at the blob as Louis flipped his hair, a a different tree's shadow came under his control, aiming an inky arrow at Mango's head.  The arrow sprung from the shadow, still attached as if a rope trailed behind the butt.  While both attacks sprung out at the thing from different angles, Louis grabbed a flash grenade from his pocket and released the trigger.  He threw it directly at the blob, as his own shadow sprang to life and created a semi sphere in front of them.  

 

"No one can survive the Louis Triple Play."  He snickered from behind his shadowy shield.  

[Hälō]

What was this? Some kind of spell? Lace's eyes narrowed her body began to grow heavy and her movements were slowly brought to a halt. Just then, a blast of cold air overtook the room, and from from the corner of her eyes XIII watched a spear of ice form behind the snake demon that was now shrieking in her face. "Now!" Using the ice magic as a distraction, Lace swung her broadsword downwards with all her strength, releasing a shockwave between her and the monster. 

 

The impact was fierce, shattering the ground and and sending Lace reeling backwards into the far wall with a massive crash of stone on stone. With a layer of rock encasing random patches of her body, Lace found herself struggling to remove tiny form from the large crater she had created, and could do nothing but watch as Bethany was left in Lady Merl's sights. 

 

"Dammit, I was careless..." Her doll like features contorted with effort as she began smashing at the rock shell with the hilt of her straight sword to free herself. 

[Yui]

---

"Leave this place."

 

You don't have to tell me twice.

 

"You may find one another outside of the Pagoda. Though I cannot promise that the dead will be at rest."

 

And with that, Mango and her opponent were pushed out of the pagoda by a force Mango couldn't identify. To be totally honest, she was glad to be rid of that guy; he gave her the creeps, though her opponent was also proving to be quite the spooky one himself what with those powers he'd demonstrated against Creepy Guy Alpha. However, now she was left out here alone with her foe, and a lack of promise that the dead here would stay dead.

 

"Well then. Shall we continue?"

 

"Let's," Mango replied, dashing forward intending to close the distance between her and the opponent. From what little she'd seen, there was no beating him at a distance, at least with her lack of power at a range. She had to get in close, and running was traditionally the best way to go about that. Plus the sudden start came with the benefit of not taking any real damage from the shadow behind her, bar it grazing her sludge layer a bit. Out the corner of her eye, Mango spotted an arrow, but it was too late to be precise and cut it to stop its attack. She moved the back of her hand between the arrow and her head, notably wincing as the arrow went through...which left her attention too focused on other things to notice the flash grenade. It went off, and the world around Mango seemed to disappear. Everything was white, and she couldn't hear anything.

 

Where is he?

---