Mission 058 - Universal Care

[srwu_mods]

Wyverncakes (15:45:44): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kYn2Q-kVNAk
Wyverncakes (15:46:51): A short while ago, a message came through to Fort Sakihama
Wyverncakes (15:47:04): ^(Not fort, just the Sakihama base)
Wyverncakes (15:48:19): One of Ren's kin who'd previously been encountered, Bao, had taken more hostages.
Wyverncakes (15:48:39): This time in the city of Sendai, with demands that Ren come.
Wyverncakes (15:49:23): Naturally the Unity Group would not just ignore this, hence you're all currently en-route to the city.
cubey@aol.pl (15:49:37): Ren is being... very quiet.
Wyverncakes (15:49:46): (As a refresher, here's what Bao looks like: http://safebooru.org/index.php?page=post&s=view&id=844989)
cubey@aol.pl (15:50:09): And obviously very worried as well. No surprise why. The Kin are supposed to target only them, not other people. It's all Ren's fault.
VJockey (15:50:38): "Thhhbthhhthht..."
VJockey (15:51:02): [Its some encouragement from her friend. Its not much and nigh difficult to understand, but its there.]
peter kampschroeder (15:51:21): Sarah's looking rather grumbly, because apparently people don't let you smoke on airplanes for some sort of 'safety' stuff.
Meraxa (15:52:06): Ken grunts slightly. He had been hoping to get some more training in with his folks... but duty called. "Here." He tosses a pudding cup at anyone who looks like they could use one, having one himself.
cubey@aol.pl (15:52:30): By the way, Ren's already in the trusty old Genoace's cockpit.
cubey@aol.pl (15:52:38): It's not like them to stay seperated from others by layers of metal.
tengusaur (15:52:54): Hetepheres: "Once again the more morally bankrupt of our enemies hide behind hostages like cowards..." She's standing at the open hatch of Scaraber's cockpit, looking stoic and not at all like someone who suffered a major defeat a week ago.
Wyverncakes (15:52:58): The city's in view, not far away now and coming up quickly. Bao's location wasn't even masked or anything either, so reaching him won't take much longer.
peter kampschroeder (15:53:11): Sarah dodges the food. "I'm a bit old for that, you know..."
tengusaur (15:53:27): Hetepheres: "Rescuing the hostages is a priority. Not that I need to tell everyone that."
Meraxa (15:53:27): Ken: No-one is too old for puding.
Wyverncakes (15:53:29): But it's just then that a message comes through to the shuttle!
peter kampschroeder (15:53:32): "Let's just get this done."
Wyverncakes (15:53:45): ???: "Attention, Unity Group vessel."
Wyverncakes (15:53:54): ... That's not Bao's voice.
Wyverncakes (15:54:00): Too feminine.
Meraxa (15:54:04): Ken: ...
VJockey (15:54:08): "Uh... what's.... going on..?"
VJockey (15:54:21): [Volya has a horrifically sinking feeling in his gut.]
Wyverncakes (15:54:27): ???: "We've received word of a hostage situation you're responding to."
Wyverncakes (15:54:45): "And honestly I'm apalled by your foolishness."
Wyverncakes (15:55:10): The voice drops all pretense of professionalism... it becoming much more recognizeable now.
VJockey (15:55:26): "............................"
VJockey (15:55:30): "Oh no..."
Wyverncakes (15:55:46): "Hasn't anyone told you one of the first rules of a group like yours, or ours, is you never negotiate with terrorists?"
Wyverncakes (15:56:18): It's... Lilica!
Wyverncakes (15:56:22): And more importantly-
Wyverncakes (15:56:35): Shuttle pilot: "-The Inorog!"
peter kampschroeder (15:56:51): "Hey, you know rules and me get along like oil and water..."
Wyverncakes (15:57:36): Bounding up between the sides of skyscrapers, the limber frame of the dark knight-like machine is springing up to meet the shuttle... sword being drawn!
Wyverncakes (15:57:40): (Inorog: http://th07.deviantart.net/fs71/PRE/f/2014/113/8/c/demon_s_souls__the_penetrator_by_felipe_gewehr-d7cfikg.png)
Wyverncakes (15:57:47): Shuttle pilot: "Hang ooon!"
tengusaur (15:57:54): Hetepheres: "Be apalled all you want. We are here to save those people. Not to let them die in the name of rules!"
tengusaur (15:58:24): Hetepheres: "Tch... Prepare to deploy!"
Wyverncakes (15:58:27): The shuttle banks hard, evading the Inorog's blade as it bites into the side of an office building!
Wyverncakes (15:58:43): Pilot: "Unideal spot I know, but I'm moving in for a landing!"
Meraxa (15:59:04): Ken: On it! *Ken scrambles into in his cockpit, pudding spoon still in his mouth as he sets in*
Wyverncakes (15:59:15): And indeed, the shuttle does drop down on a rooftop helipad. Not quite the right thing, but not quite the wrong thing either!
cubey@aol.pl (15:59:34): Ren: "... It's alright. No one asks you to throw your life away, when this is enough."
Wyverncakes (15:59:43): And you can see it's not just Lilica who's present either!
peter kampschroeder (16:00:09): Sarah hops out well before the shuttle makes its landing, summoning Tiankui on the way down in a burst of light and shuffling out of the shuttle's way.
VJockey (16:00:12): "What Ren said... just... stay safe alright?"
Wyverncakes (16:00:19): Down in the streets, another ten machines of the Knights of the Guiding Hand are standing at the ready!
Wyverncakes (16:00:34): (Defenders: http://th00.deviantart.net/fs71/PRE/i/2011/024/b/8/templar_knight___final_by_noviceartist487-d37x8r5.jpg)
Wyverncakes (16:00:45): (Crusaders: http://s1282.photobucket.com/user/V-Jockey/media/dmc4-white-knight_zps494b735d.jpg.html)
VJockey (16:00:49): [Interitus makes its hurried exit, leaping from the shuttle and landing onto the streets.]
Wyverncakes (16:01:22): Among them is also another Crusader, one whose shield is worn on its back so it can wield an absolutely massive sword in two hands...
Wyverncakes (16:01:36): Its head shaped like an old father's.
Wyverncakes (16:01:51): Additionally, there's two other unique machines, one of them unfamiliar to you all...
Wyverncakes (16:01:59): (Weaver: http://danbooru.donmai.us/data/sample/sample-2eb21c21e5a749d6658a16ffde8cfc95.jpg)
Meraxa (16:02:09): ScarleTiger races out, making a three point landing as it looks towards their enemies. "And of course you decided you had to fight us first. Considered saving the hostages at all?"
Wyverncakes (16:02:28): ... But the other the Arondight of Sir Nathaniel.
Wyverncakes (16:02:32): (Arondight: http://img3.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20120321184347/devilmaycry/images/5/52/Alto_Angelo.jpg)
Wyverncakes (16:03:20): The Inorog itself pulls its blade free of the building, falling to the ground before making an impactful landing.
peter kampschroeder (16:03:47): Sarah: "Oh, hey, Nathaniel. Fancy meeting you here."
Wyverncakes (16:03:57): Lilica: "And well, well... imagine that."
tengusaur (16:04:03): Hetepheres: "Some heroes you are, preventing us from rescuing people who are in danger. Do you still pretend to have the higher moral ground? Get out of our way!"
Wyverncakes (16:04:11): "The monster's here as wel."
VJockey (16:04:18): "...L..Listen...you said it yourself... there's hostages. Please.... we can settle this after!"
cubey@aol.pl (16:04:22): Ren: "Could you..."
cubey@aol.pl (16:04:34): Ren sounds unsure but others seem to have it handled already.
Wyverncakes (16:04:35): Nathaniel: "Lilica, for the last time-!"
Wyverncakes (16:04:48): Seems like not all the knights here are eager to be doing this.
Meraxa (16:04:50): Ken: ...What did you just call them?
Wyverncakes (16:05:43): Lilica: "You don't think the term applies?"
Wyverncakes (16:05:52): You get a visual of the horned woman as well.
Wyverncakes (16:06:25): ... She's still unfortunately missing one of her horns though... much of it lost and the remainder shaved down in the aftermath of the previous battle.
Wyverncakes (16:06:45): "But we have every reason to be here. Isn't that right? Aloysius?"
Meraxa (16:07:13): Ken: ...Monsters are by how they act, not by appearance. You can look like an angel, and be a demon inside.
Wyverncakes (16:07:14): It's then that the pilot of the unarmed machine speaks up.
Wyverncakes (16:07:46): Aloysius: "The Tapestry does not lie."
Wyverncakes (16:08:02): "And nor does it ignore great dangers."
cubey@aol.pl (16:08:55): Ren: "Do you believe in fate?"
Wyverncakes (16:08:57): The voice is old and gruff. "It warned against the coming of the beast's true power-"
peter kampschroeder (16:09:01): Sarah: "So we're really going to do this thing? Right here, right now?"
Wyverncakes (16:09:08): Lilica: "And here Volya is!"
peter kampschroeder (16:09:14): Sarah: " 'cause I'm all for taking a rain check."
Wyverncakes (16:09:21): She certainly didn't waste any time in cutting the old man off, that's for sure.
cubey@aol.pl (16:09:28): Ren: "That this all has been fated to be?"
Wyverncakes (16:10:04): Lilica: "Knowing things are meant to be always does have a way of making it wonderfully easy to sleep at night, dear!"
Wyverncakes (16:10:25): And with that, the Inorog charges, and springs into the air, bringing its sword down on none other than Ren's Genoace!
Wyverncakes (16:10:29): (React: Ren!)
VJockey (16:10:31): "I don't want to have to do this... please-"
peter kampschroeder (16:10:33): #ren
tengusaur (16:10:34): Hetepheres: "It must be wonderful to have such a simplistic black and white view at life, indeed."
VJockey (16:10:35): "!!!"
Wyverncakes (16:10:37): (Approved)
VJockey (16:10:37): #Ren?
Wyverncakes (16:10:44): (Sarah's got this one)
Wyverncakes (16:10:58): (Initiative: Volya, Ken, Heph, Sarah, Ren)
Wyverncakes (16:11:03): (Volya, Ken, and Heph can go)
Wyverncakes (16:11:25): (Current objective: repel the Knights/get Ren to the meeting place)
tengusaur (16:11:54): (got an enemy list?)
peter kampschroeder (16:12:14): *Tiankui dashes over in between Lilica and Ren, going to block the Ironog's sword with a hand-clapping, blade-catch manuever. "Oi, we've got unfinished business, you and I."+
peter kampschroeder (16:12:30): "Don't go dragging others into it."
tengusaur (16:12:33): Hetepheres: "Volya, I presume you still do not want to see any of the Knights die?"
Wyverncakes (16:13:00): (Enemies: Inorog (Lilica), Arondight (Nathaniel), Weaver (Aloysius), Crusader Custom (David), Crusaders x 3, Defenders x 4)
cubey@aol.pl (16:13:24): *The Genoace does not defend itself. But rather, as soon as Tiankui's hands clasp on the blade - Ren fires! The puny beam spray gun might not be able to destroy the unit, but it's enough to cause damage. Especially since Ren is not targetting Inarog itself - but the captured blade!+
Meraxa (16:13:37): Ken: Even if it means you ignore every other threat in your faces! Besides, if you can defy your tapestry's fate, why not anyone else? *Ken screams as he unleashes the scarlet whip, trying to bind and melt through the arms of the nearest Crusader, as the whip blazes red hot+
cubey@aol.pl (16:13:40): Ren: "I believe in fate. If this meeting has been fated then so be it."
cubey@aol.pl (16:14:05): Ren: "But... I won't let bystanders get caught in its cogs. If you don't want to help us save the hostages, please get out of the way."
VJockey (16:14:05): [Volya nods hesitantly.]
VJockey (16:15:35): *Interitus thrusts its hands towards the knights as numerous vines lash out to entangle David and the Newcomer!+
tengusaur (16:15:51): * Hetepheres: "I am going to respect your decision. However, I am not going to extend this protection to Lilica!" Scaraber suddenly jumps forward, drawing all four of its khopeshes mid-leap with a single movement. As it lands, the insectoid mecha slashes into a Defender that's in the way, aiming to literally disarm it. +
Wyverncakes (16:15:52): [Sarah and Ren] Tiankui's strength is enough to catch the blade, though with some difficulty on account of the Inorog's immense speed. The beam spaygun shots then strike at the blade repeatedly, making up for a lack of stopping power with sheer quantity. It's enough to leave dimples and notches in the blade, forcing Lilica to fall back for a moment!
Wyverncakes (16:16:13): Lilica: "Wanting to save the hostages. Very noble of you."
tengusaur (16:16:16): Hetepheres: "Do not forget about our goal. Clear the way!"
Wyverncakes (16:16:27): "But do you actually really even think they'll ever be let go?"
peter kampschroeder (16:16:51): Sarah: "You still don't get it..."
cubey@aol.pl (16:17:24): Ren: "What happens to them is my responsibility..."
Meraxa (16:17:46): Ken: You sound like one of the Lady's Good Men like that. And yes, we've rescued any of their hostages.
Wyverncakes (16:19:20): [Volya] Interitus's vines surge out, and lacking a blade the Weaver is caught easily enough! But David's Giantdad-edition Crusader keeps its back to a building, and its sword swings out to begin cleaving through them! "And you actually believe this?" David snaps at Volya, exertion in his voice but also a sense of self-righteousness... "And now!" Suddenly the Weaver pulls hard with monstrous strength, flinging Interitus straight at their direction! David's Crusader charges, stabbing out with its own blade!
Wyverncakes (16:19:23): (React: Volya)
cubey@aol.pl (16:20:11): # Volya
Wyverncakes (16:20:16): (Approved)
VJockey (16:20:16): "AAAH!"
cubey@aol.pl (16:20:37): Ren: "Interitus, Volya..."
cubey@aol.pl (16:20:52): Ren: "Do not be afraid!"
Wyverncakes (16:21:30): [Heph] Defenders are, obviously, meant for defense and toughness. Four swords vastly outnumber its own supply of blades though, the limbs cut apart! But closing into melee range exposes you to other attackers as well, including a Crusader that charges in with lightning speed, spear poised to try to impale the Scaraber!
cubey@aol.pl (16:21:32): *The stab will deal no damage. It just so happens that Interitus is alive, a living creature - so Ren takes the wound on themselves!+
Wyverncakes (16:21:37): (React: Heph)
Wyverncakes (16:23:03): [Ken] And lastly, the ScarleTiger's whip swings out, catching a Crusader by its right arm and beginning to melt through its joint! But the knightly machine merely hefts its shield in your general direction... and a massive explosive blast is released in your direction in response!
Wyverncakes (16:23:07): (React: Ken)
VJockey (16:23:22): *Interitus does its best to parry the blade away with its own smaller one and reply with an open palm hit to get it away!+
Wyverncakes (16:24:59): [Ren and Volya] Interitus's own sword is unfortunately a bit too small to parry entirely. Instead it just gets a nasty stab through its arm... though any pain and injury inflicted are nullified thanks to Ren instead... getting the feel of a proportionally-sized blade running through her arm instead!
tengusaur (16:25:30): * Hetepheres: "Your true enemy is over there. Begone!" Scaraber quickly spins around like a whirling dervish, trying to intercept the incoming spear by hooking it on the opposite sides of its blades - and then pull strong and yank the polearm out of the Crusader's hand! The golden anti-physical Noble Barrier helps to protect Heph during this maneuver. +
Wyverncakes (16:25:38): ... But it also makes it easy enough for Interitus's palm to go smacking into the Crusader's head, smashing the head straight off! This is what happens when you get too obsessed with customization and structural integrity suffers as a result!
Wyverncakes (16:25:42): David: "A-aaaah!"
Wyverncakes (16:25:44): "You..."
Wyverncakes (16:25:55): "... You knocked it off!"
Meraxa (16:26:22): The ScarleTiger races around, using the Crusader's arm as an anchor point to try and slide away on the ground, and around a nearby building. Since he hasn't melted it quite yet, he also tries to see if he can pull on the enemy machine, and bring it down from his new hiding spot!+
cubey@aol.pl (16:26:31): Ren: "A... aghh!"
VJockey (16:26:37): "I'm sorry... but you really have to let us through!"
Wyverncakes (16:26:37): Aloysius: "Interitus managing to endure such a strike though..."
cubey@aol.pl (16:27:15): The light around Genoace's head wanes momentarily - but it does not fade. Ren has suffered worse than this... worse still!
Wyverncakes (16:27:17): "The Genoace's pilot must have some truly dark sorcery to shield it as such!"
peter kampschroeder (16:27:28): Sarah: "..."
cubey@aol.pl (16:27:30): Ren: "No."
VJockey (16:27:44): "!!!!!!!!!"
Wyverncakes (16:27:46): (Sarah and Ren can act)
peter kampschroeder (16:27:48): Sarah: "Man, I shoulda set you guys on fire ages ago..."
VJockey (16:28:01): "T...That's not true!"
VJockey (16:28:10): "Ren's one of the kindest people I've ever met!"
cubey@aol.pl (16:28:11): Ren: "It is no sorcery, and it isn't powered by anything dark or infernal."
cubey@aol.pl (16:28:31): Ren: "You don't have to defend me Volya. I'll let my actions speak for themselves."
tengusaur (16:29:04): Hetepheres: "Will you chalk up everything you do not understand to dark powers?"
cubey@aol.pl (16:29:28): *The Genoace stands defiantly in front of the Inarog. The mass produces mobile suit gathers speed, and rushes the far superior unit, trying to tackle it and slam with its shield! &
Wyverncakes (16:29:41): [Heph and Ken] The two Crusaders attack you with impressive speed and power. The ScarleTiger's escape is a shakey one and you feel the pulse from the blast... but you do still smash the Crusader to the ground before its arm is burned through! It's still in working order though. And Heph... your barrier does minimize the damage from the other knight's charge even though some force gets through! The weapon is torn free of its grasp though!
peter kampschroeder (16:30:18): *Sarah focuses on Lilica. "Man, do you even know why I'm doing this? It's not that complicated." Tiankui peppers the Iranog from the side with small blasts from its fingers, taking care to avoid hitting Ren.+
Wyverncakes (16:30:31): Nathaniel: "Aloysius, are you just saying that or do you have anything to back it up whatsoever?"
Wyverncakes (16:30:45): The Arondight's sure been phoning in this battle so far, to say the least.
Wyverncakes (16:31:37): Aloysius: "You take me for some fool, Nathaniel? The Tapestry warns of Interitus and now it warns of a horned one whose actions could endanger the entire world!"
Wyverncakes (16:31:50): Nathaniel mutters something under his breath none of you can completely make out.
Wyverncakes (16:31:59): But Lilica's name is perfectly clear though.
tengusaur (16:32:36): Hetepheres: "Are you sure you have the right horned one?"
Meraxa (16:34:06): Ken: ...Yeah... don't you have one of those?
Wyverncakes (16:35:05): [Ren and Sarah] The Inorog comes under fire from Tiankui's shots, the machine moving its sword to try to deflect and repel them! "Of course they aren't, Saah. Someone does one nice thing for your child and you decide to just sacrifice the world in response!" But before it can move in to attack, the Genoace smashes into its side! "G-rrrrrrr... and you!" The Inorog's knocked backwards, but its sword comes swinging around to cut the lowly mobile suit in half in one blow!
Wyverncakes (16:35:08): (React: Ren!)
Wyverncakes (16:35:26): Aloysius: "You are all just jumping to conclusions here, conclusions to defend your own!"
Meraxa (16:35:31): #Ren
Wyverncakes (16:35:38): (Approved)
VJockey (16:35:48): "We're doing this to save people you're going to let die!"
Wyverncakes (16:35:55): "Lady Lilica has the trust and respect of our great master, and that is all any of us need!"
Meraxa (16:36:39): Ken: And you've not been doing the same for your tapestry?! *From his slide, Ken leaps up, trying to intercept the sword with a mighty kick to its side!+
cubey@aol.pl (16:37:10): Ren: "The people I want to defend are innocent."
cubey@aol.pl (16:37:38): Ren: "If you really think I will destroy the world, you are free to do with me what you want. But..."
cubey@aol.pl (16:38:10): *The Genoace's shield is still held up high - and it clashes against Inarog's blade. When it cuts into the defensive block... that's the time!
Wyverncakes (16:38:21): (Also, Volya and Heph can act. Ken as well once this react is resolved.)
tengusaur (16:38:34): Hetepheres: "Any leader who puts the lives of real people below the prophecy given by a piece of rug is not worth following."
Wyverncakes (16:38:35): Lilica: "An open invitation! How thoughtful!"
cubey@aol.pl (16:39:02): *Ren drops the gun and grabs at the heat rod, the stake-like weapon deploying from its holster. Held tightly, it drops down - once again, not on Inarog, but on the already damaged blade, aiming for the cracks and structural weaknesses.+
cubey@aol.pl (16:39:14): Ren: "Do it after the hostages are safe!"
VJockey (16:39:46): *Interitus lashes out with its vines once again! This time at the Inorog to give Ren some help with that blade!+
tengusaur (16:40:46): * Hetepheres (and Scaraber by extension) reaches forward in a commanding gesture, sending out the Bitles! The four small remote weapons rush towards Inarog, flying around it and starting to shoot with lasers, aiming at the weakened parts of its armor! Also, her barrier switches to silver. +
Wyverncakes (16:43:24): [Ken, Volya, and Ren] Inorog's sword smacks against not only the Genoaces shield, but also the ScarleTiger's leg. Both of them creak from the strain. "All likes stalks of grain in front of a reaper!" Lilica sneers as she shifts her stance to continue the strike... but Interitus's tentacles restrain the blade! And Ren's heat stake swings down at one of the damaged sections. On its own it wouldn't have been much, but between her shots and Sarah's, there's a definite weak spot. A spot that's exploited... and with a resolute crack the better part of the Inorog's blade is broken off!
Wyverncakes (16:43:32): Lilica: "What?!?"
Wyverncakes (16:43:44): (Ken can also take his proper action now)
peter kampschroeder (16:44:31): Sarah: "It's not about repaying a favor, you know."
peter kampschroeder (16:45:25): Sarah: "Or even succeeding...it's more about the 'ideal of justice', I guess..."
Meraxa (16:45:39): Ken: There! *Ken draws one of the Scarlet Shotels, and from this range, tries to cleave it down into Inorog's shoulder! +
Wyverncakes (16:46:40): [Heph] Your shots begin to pelt the Inorog, Lilica dowright furious as she's forced to defend and flee from this assault. Not much in the way of weak points though, since her sword's been the one to take the damage so far. But she is not alone, and in fact, the two remaning normal Crusaders move to try to shield the machine from further harm... and the Weaver itself charges at the Scaraber! "It would be unwise to think there are not those willing and able to protect Lady Lilica!" The old man huffs as the machine swings back and unleashes a crushing blow to strike the Scaraber!
Wyverncakes (16:46:43): (React: Heph)
Wyverncakes (16:47:17): David: "What do... you know about Justice?!?"
Wyverncakes (16:47:23): His voice is nervous and still shaken.
Wyverncakes (16:47:35): "Justice is actions carried out by the Just!"
peter kampschroeder (16:47:42): Sarah: "Hey, the civilians who aren't hostages, evacuated, right?"
tengusaur (16:49:36): Hetepheres: "Your definition is backwards, boy." She raises her blades to protect against the incoming punch, crossing all of them into a physical barrier of swords that clashes against Weaver's blow! +
cubey@aol.pl (16:49:44): Ren: "I think others might still be around. Please try to play it safe."
Wyverncakes (16:49:55): [Ken] The shotel stabs down into the Inorog's shoulder. The machine's been plenty distracted by Hetepheres's remote attack, giving you the opening needed! The weapon bites down, cutting into the machine's arm with only its armor to help protect it! You still manage to cut a motor or something somewhere though, with the limb suddenly falling limp at the side. With a furious snarl though, Lilica kicks the ScarleTiger away into a building!
peter kampschroeder (16:50:01): Sarah: "Alright, can't go too crazy..."
Wyverncakes (16:50:19): Lilica: "You... should not have done that...!"
Wyverncakes (16:50:28): "You worthless excuse for a ninja!"
Wyverncakes (16:50:47): And with its remaining arm and broken sword, the Inorog charges to try to run the ScarleTiger through!
cubey@aol.pl (16:51:37): Ren: "For just people, you get really angry when your physical possessions get broken. I thought justice was less transient than your unit's head, or blade."
cubey@aol.pl (16:53:39): #
Wyverncakes (16:53:44): (Sorry, react, Ken)
Wyverncakes (16:54:00): (Approved)
Meraxa (16:54:11): Ken: Ngh! *ScarleTiger bounces off the glass and cement* You say that... but you're an even worse Knight! FACE FLAME! *And since she's coming head on... Ken has ScarleTiger spew a tidal wave of fire, right towards his foe!+
cubey@aol.pl (16:54:44): *The Genoace leaps low, trying to grab Inarog's legs and tackle it to the ground, or at least slow its charge.+
cubey@aol.pl (16:54:59): Ren: "Does your lost horn bother you as well?"
cubey@aol.pl (16:55:03): Ren: "I am not judging, just curious!"
Wyverncakes (16:55:08): [Hetepheres] "His definition is valid," snaps Aloysius! The machine's fist strikes into the four khopeshes, and the force of the blow is a strong one! Scaraber is knocked back, its blades creaking and bending from the force of the strike! The Weaver itself is still tipping forward and trying to recover its balance from that punch... it certainly had a lot of bite to it.
Wyverncakes (16:55:23): Lilica: "I'll grow back..."
Wyverncakes (16:55:35): "The lives I'll take in retaliation won't though!"
cubey@aol.pl (16:55:53): Ren: "So it is worth more than lives of people?"
cubey@aol.pl (16:56:10): Ren: "I would give up both of my horns to save others, you know. Would you like one of them?"
Wyverncakes (16:56:26): Lilica: "Does all life carry the same value? Of course not!"
Wyverncakes (16:56:27): But...
tengusaur (16:56:43): Hetepheres: "Caring more about vengeance than the lives of innocents. That is supposed to be your justice?"
Wyverncakes (16:57:29): [Ren and Ken] The Genoace suddenly grabs onto the Inorog's legs, restraining it. And the burning fire of the Face Flame suddenly torches the machine's front. It stumbles, falls backwards... much of its body molten and misshapen...!
Wyverncakes (16:57:38): It falls back... and Ren!
Wyverncakes (16:57:52): The path is clear now!
Wyverncakes (16:58:10): Lilica: "D-dammit... damn it all!"
peter kampschroeder (16:58:22): Sarah: "Hey, Ren, don't be late for your date."
VJockey (16:58:30): "Ren!"
Wyverncakes (16:58:31): "Nathaniel! Stop standing around and DO something!"
Wyverncakes (16:58:35): Nathaniel: "I don't think-"
Wyverncakes (16:58:40): Lilica: "That's an order!"
Wyverncakes (16:58:57): (Sarah, Ren)
cubey@aol.pl (16:59:21): Ren: "Please. Let us save everyone. That is doing something - the best course of action there is."
peter kampschroeder (16:59:21): Sarah: "I'll clean up around here, if you don't mind."
Wyverncakes (16:59:23): Nathaniel's Arondight nevertheless hesitantly begins to draw its sword.
cubey@aol.pl (16:59:50): The Genoace gets up on its feet. And with hesitation, it advances forward!
cubey@aol.pl (16:59:54): Will any of the Knights get in its way?
cubey@aol.pl (16:59:59): (Not sure if this counts as action or not)
Wyverncakes (17:00:09): The only one anywhere near close to you is actually the Arondight itself.
Wyverncakes (17:00:17): ... But suddenly-
peter kampschroeder (17:00:17): Tiankui gathers its energy! The heat spirals upwards in its immediate surrounding, asphalt melting and glass cracking.
Wyverncakes (17:00:26): Nathaniel: "... Oh no. I was worried about this."
tengusaur (17:00:27): Hetepheres: "And what about you, Sir Nathaniel? Do your orders matter more to you than what you believe is right?"
Wyverncakes (17:00:43): He says those words with all the genuine tone of a man reading from a script.
Wyverncakes (17:00:50): Suddenly the Arondight drops its own sword.
Wyverncakes (17:01:02): Aloysius: "Si Nathaniel... what are you doing?!?"
Wyverncakes (17:01:04): ^Sir
Wyverncakes (17:01:28): Nathaniel: "This whole operation didn't sit well with me. I even said as much... and yet I was ordered to come along."
Wyverncakes (17:01:42): "But... I warned you all that the Arondight was undergoing maintenance. None of you believed me but..."
Wyverncakes (17:01:45): He chuckles.
Wyverncakes (17:01:56): "Funny thing is I can't seem to move my machine's arms at all. So sorry."
peter kampschroeder (17:02:05): Sarah: "Simply tragic."
VJockey (17:02:33): "...Y.. yeah..."
VJockey (17:02:36): "Its a shame..."
Meraxa (17:02:43): Ken: Best watch for weapons malfunctions. Misfires can be a problem, I hear.
Wyverncakes (17:02:45): Indeed Ren, no obstacles at all.
VJockey (17:02:52): [Volya was mentally screaming 'THANK YOU' in his mind.]
VJockey (17:03:00): [Many many times.]
tengusaur (17:03:05): Hetepheres: "What a pity indeed."
peter kampschroeder (17:05:09): Sarah: "Now, if you'll excuse me..." And she turns towards the downed Inorog, then rushes into melee. It doesn't matter if Lilica can't move or stand, Sarah's not going to show any mercy in this assault. &
Wyverncakes (17:08:27): [Sarah] You charge at the downed Inorog, but unfortunately she has protectors! "Waaaaaaaaait!" It's David crying out angrily! His Crusader shoulder-checks Tiankui, and as soon as he can he distances himself from you enough to strike with his sword! "All that talk about justice and that we're the bad guys... and you're attacking a downed pilot?!?"
Wyverncakes (17:08:31): "She's not a threat to you any more!"
Wyverncakes (17:08:35): (React/continue: Sarah)
Wyverncakes (17:09:16): Meanwhile!
Wyverncakes (17:09:59): Ren, you've gotten a bit of distance from the battlefield now.
Meraxa (17:10:06): Ken: Would you think to do the same? Because the only reason we've held back, is Volya - the so called destroyer - asked us to.
Wyverncakes (17:10:37): And you've also arrived at where you were meant to be, more or less.
Wyverncakes (17:10:55): Not far away...
peter kampschroeder (17:10:57): *"I have never claimed to be a merciful person." Sarah responds by delivering a strong kick to the side of the sword, aiming to beat it off target or break it. "My title, back then, was the Star of Chaos And Calamity-the blazing inferno that wipes evil from the earth."+
Wyverncakes (17:11:07): Bao: "Well I'd recognize that halo anywhere!"
Wyverncakes (17:11:11): ... Is your kin.
cubey@aol.pl (17:11:23): Ren: "Hello Bao."
Wyverncakes (17:11:25): And accompanying them, a whole slew of similar machines...
peter kampschroeder (17:11:34): Sarah: "Even if people die, in ways that could have been prevented..."
Wyverncakes (17:11:34): And behind the kin... the hostages.
peter kampschroeder (17:12:04): Sarah: "Even if I make the world a world of chaos and warfare..."
peter kampschroeder (17:12:20): Sarah: "For the sake of that ideal, of that justice..."
Wyverncakes (17:12:59): Front and center in this group of prisoners... was the man who -in a better, ideal world- would've gone out with you on a date around this point in time.
Wyverncakes (17:13:20): Mark looks about as good as he did previously, which is to say not very well.
cubey@aol.pl (17:13:39): Ren: "..."
Wyverncakes (17:15:11): Bao: "Now then. As I was saying before... we ought to try to pick up where we last left off."
Wyverncakes (17:15:27): And with that, he strides over to his own machine... the Ferocious Tiger.
cubey@aol.pl (17:15:48): Ren: "That's right. It's between just the two of us, isn't it? No need for other people to get involved."
Wyverncakes (17:16:49): It turns to face the crowd of hostages... and suddenly his voice booms out from loud speakers. Loud enough that the Unity Group and Knights people can hear.
Wyverncakes (17:17:07): "If it's between the two of us, then your Genoace needs to go."
Wyverncakes (17:17:22): "Step out. Step out so Mark can see you."
cubey@aol.pl (17:17:38): Ren takes a deep breath.
Wyverncakes (17:17:39): There's the name again. The name they had to beat out of him.
cubey@aol.pl (17:17:42): So it has come to this.
VJockey (17:17:56): "?!"
cubey@aol.pl (17:18:34): The cockpit of the Genoace opens, and Ren stands up and out of the mobile suit. But before departing...
cubey@aol.pl (17:18:49): A small click turns on a visual feed, showing off everything that is going on there.
Wyverncakes (17:19:05): [Sarah] Meanwhile, back on your front, your foot strikes against David's two-hander sword! Its swing is halted in spite of David's full force behind it, the blade now bent awkwadly off to once side.
Wyverncakes (17:19:55): A handgun and then a clip fall to the ground in front of Mark.
cubey@aol.pl (17:20:06): By the way, it looks like Ren already wore an outfit for the would be date, before it was so rudely interrupted. The look seems to be inspired by a certain individual who is most definitely not in the game, but also comes with a matching horn-covering hat.
cubey@aol.pl (17:20:07): http://www.oocities.org/tokyo/garden/5494/ladiossopp.jpg
Wyverncakes (17:20:09): Bao: "Now then. Same deal as before, Mark."
Wyverncakes (17:20:47): "Pick up that gun. Point it at Ren, and shoot them dead."
Wyverncakes (17:21:07): "You turn that gun on any of us, and the hostages die instead. Don't believe me?"
Meraxa (17:21:09): Ken: ?!
VJockey (17:21:43): "Ren!'
Wyverncakes (17:21:52): The Ferocious Tiger tilts its body up, and suddenly a booming blast of flak is released from its mouth.
Wyverncakes (17:22:24): A good chunk of the road behind the hostage group is torn up... and there are in fact a few cries of pain from the rearmost people from the near-misses.
cubey@aol.pl (17:22:40): Ren: "!!"
VJockey (17:22:43): [Interitus turns to move the meeting place to go help!]
Wyverncakes (17:23:06): Mark is staring horrified as well, and then back down at the gun on the ground.
Wyverncakes (17:23:22): Mark: "I..."
cubey@aol.pl (17:23:23): Ren: "It's alright. Do it."
Wyverncakes (17:23:30): His hands are trembling...
tengusaur (17:23:33): Hetepheres: "...Let Ren handle this. For now. But get ready to move in."
cubey@aol.pl (17:23:34): Ren: "It will be alright. Really."
Wyverncakes (17:23:43): "I can't just-"
Wyverncakes (17:23:47): "Can't just what?"
Wyverncakes (17:23:50): "Shoot Ren?"
Wyverncakes (17:23:59): Suddenly the kin laughs with a hateful glee.
Wyverncakes (17:24:06): "How much do you REALLY know about them, hmm?"
Wyverncakes (17:24:50): "After everything that happened, did they ever tell you the truth about themselves?"
Wyverncakes (17:24:58): "Did Ren ever tell you what makes them tick?"
Wyverncakes (17:25:13): Mark's unease is plain to see.
cubey@aol.pl (17:25:31): Ren: "..."
Wyverncakes (17:25:47): "Ren... Ren, Ren Ren... you seriously dropped the ball on this one. Or MAYBE you just... hoped none of this would come up at all!"
Wyverncakes (17:26:55): "So then. First thing to answer that I'm betting Ren never told you about is... 'what's with the horns?'"
cubey@aol.pl (17:27:06): Ren: "..."
cubey@aol.pl (17:27:20): Their whole body trembles. Just for a moment.
cubey@aol.pl (17:27:26): Ren: "There's no need, Bao."
cubey@aol.pl (17:27:36): Ren: "Spare your breath. I'll say it."
Wyverncakes (17:28:04): Mark blinks. "Ren...?"
cubey@aol.pl (17:28:17): Ren: "Can you hear it, everyone?" How weird. Not sure who is Ren talking to right now.
cubey@aol.pl (17:28:43): Ren: "The truth is, I am not a human, I am not an angel or a supernatural being. I am an artificially created construct, programmed like a robot - but biological."
cubey@aol.pl (17:29:15): Ren: "My kin do not have a gender, nor even do they have names other than what we picked for ourselves. That's because..."
cubey@aol.pl (17:29:21): Ren: "We were made to be humanity's slaves."
VJockey (17:29:41): "!!!"
Meraxa (17:29:44): Ken: ...what...?
Wyverncakes (17:29:48): Bao: "And fat chance, let me tell you that!"
VJockey (17:29:53): "That... that isn't..."
cubey@aol.pl (17:30:06): Ren: "We were programmed with blind loyalty, and as long as it was maintained, we would remain immortal."
tengusaur (17:30:13): Hetepheres: "Volya. Why would Ren lie here?"
VJockey (17:30:28): "...its..."
VJockey (17:30:33): "But its not right..."
cubey@aol.pl (17:30:36): Ren: "Physically speaking at least. We were created to have powerful psionic abilities. I know, it's hard to believe, after all people do not have such abilities, at least not commonplace."
Meraxa (17:31:00): Ken: Hm...
cubey@aol.pl (17:31:10): Ren: "That's because we were not created in the present time. We come from the future."
cubey@aol.pl (17:31:28): Ren: "Though, I wasn't born there. That's not physically possible..."
cubey@aol.pl (17:31:46): So it has come to this. All chips are on the table, and Ren is sweating a little.
Meraxa (17:32:09): Ken: ...Time travel? So all that talk on fate...
cubey@aol.pl (17:32:10): Ren: "In the far future, humanity was eventually... gone. They left the solar system and abandoned their slaves."
cubey@aol.pl (17:32:28): Ren: "And eventually the slaves cast off that blind loyalty and turned it to hatred."
cubey@aol.pl (17:33:13): Ren: "They used their powerful psionic abilities to go back in time - not physically, as that'd be impossible. Instead they transported non-living matter, a kind of a... breeding facility for new kin. It arrived in the past which is our present time, and that's where I was born."
cubey@aol.pl (17:33:33): Ren: "Its creations knowing the full extent of what humanity has done. The good, and the bad."
cubey@aol.pl (17:33:45): Ren: "And this is why... this is why they hate humans and want them dead. Bao and the others."
Wyverncakes (17:34:10): Bao: "And why wouldn't I want them dead?"
cubey@aol.pl (17:34:16): Ren: "This is what I am. This is what they are, too."
Meraxa (17:34:23): Ken: Do you know... how far into the future that all is?
Wyverncakes (17:34:37): "But for the moment, what really matters is YOU dying. At Marky Boy's own hand!"
peter kampschroeder (17:34:53): Sarah: "...Huh."
cubey@aol.pl (17:35:34): Ren: "The horns I have are proof of my non-humanness. They mark me as someone different. Other Kin don't have them, because they have cast away love for humanity and turned it to hatred."
cubey@aol.pl (17:35:37): Ren: "But I..."
cubey@aol.pl (17:36:09): Another deep breath.
cubey@aol.pl (17:36:15): Ren: "But for me, that love remains! It is not blind! I realize the flaws of humankind, and yet I cannot help it, I cannot help but love it for what it is!"
cubey@aol.pl (17:36:44): Ren: "This is the truth and nothing but the truth. For the sake of everyone, shoot me now Mark. And if you hate me for hiding the truth from you... so be it."
cubey@aol.pl (17:36:50): Arms spread wide, waiting for the inevitable.
Wyverncakes (17:37:56): Mark just picks up the gun and then looks at the clip. But he puts the weapon down not long after.
Wyverncakes (17:38:28): "Ren... I can't hate you for something like that."
Wyverncakes (17:38:46): "I can't because any wrongdoing doesn't change the things you've done!"
Wyverncakes (17:39:01): "And any wrongdoing isn't because of you either!"
Wyverncakes (17:39:07): He sniffs weakly.
Wyverncakes (17:39:51): "If they want you dead they're going to just have to shoot you themselves! And since they hate people anyways, there's no way they'd just let us li-"
Wyverncakes (17:40:12): And suddenly the Ferocious Tiger unloads on the crowd.
VJockey (17:40:23): "NO!!!"
Wyverncakes (17:40:23): "WELL NOT WHEN YOU DON'T HAVE ANY USE TO ME ANYMORE!"
cubey@aol.pl (17:40:33): Ren: "No."
cubey@aol.pl (17:40:42): Suddenly, Bao is blinded by a bright light!
cubey@aol.pl (17:40:43): #
Wyverncakes (17:42:24): [Ren] And suddenly the people getting shot at by projectiles strong enough to do damage to even mechs are... surviving. And just not getting harmed at all. And that's because of Ren taking in all that pain. All those injuries. How many people are in the group? Two dozen? Three?
Wyverncakes (17:43:32): It's enough for Ren to be put through physical trauma enough to kill them more than twenty times over.
cubey@aol.pl (17:44:17): Ren: "Friends..." When the light wanes, Ren is an incredible mess. The fancy attire chosen earlier is now stained with blood coming from an uncountable number of wounds on their body.
Wyverncakes (17:44:21): ... But that wasn't all Ren was doing either, because with the golden light came golden halos adorning all of your machines!
cubey@aol.pl (17:44:39): Ren: "I leave it... to you." With a sway, the horned person drops from the cockpit to the ground below.
Wyverncakes (17:44:43): Bao: "Dammit... damn you Ren!"
Wyverncakes (17:44:48): (Ren: Downed)
tengusaur (17:44:55): Hetepheres: "..."
Meraxa (17:44:58): Ken: This is...
VJockey (17:45:09): "Ren..."
tengusaur (17:45:22): Hetepheres: "That was quite a revelation. Something that will give a lot of people things to think about for a long time, I am sure."
VJockey (17:45:26): "...You.... unforgivable..."
peter kampschroeder (17:45:40): Sarah: "Gonna have to work fast if we wanna keep him from getting off a second shot..."
Wyverncakes (17:45:47): Bao: "Dammit, kill them!"
tengusaur (17:45:47): Hetepheres: "However. For the time being, we have something to do."
VJockey (17:46:01): "STAY AWAY FROM THEM!"
Wyverncakes (17:46:03): And indeed, Bao's primed for another attack, but...!
Wyverncakes (17:46:09): (???, you can move now if you wish)
Wyverncakes (17:46:26): (Also, people are free to make a break for Ren and the others now.)
peter kampschroeder (17:47:04): Sarah: "Guess you'll live to see another day, Lily. God knows why..."
tengusaur (17:47:21): Hetepheres: "I am not sure do I believe in how Ren sees humanity. But I am certain I do not believe Bao. Forward! Secure the hostages!"
peter kampschroeder (17:48:00): Sarah: "Right! Let's break stuff!"
griefgathering (17:48:42): *But a series of gunshots ring out from another direction, and Bao'll find a fairly large number of bullets headed their way!+
Meraxa (17:48:42): Ken: Come on! Drive mode! *Ken shoots off in ScarleTiger's rarely used race car form, trying to speed towards the scene*
VJockey (17:48:47): [Yeah, Volya and Interitus are just tearing through the streets to get there!]
peter kampschroeder (17:49:03): (Kin enemy count?)
Wyverncakes (17:49:36): (Ferocious Tiger (Bao), Tormentor x 5, Punisher x 4)
tengusaur (17:49:38): Scaraber spreads its wings and rushes forward.
peter kampschroeder (17:49:57): Tiankui charges.
Wyverncakes (17:50:20): (Tormentor: nimble, thin, and frail black machines with two two daggers. They can fly)
Wyverncakes (17:50:45): (Punisher: Big, stompy clawed machines that have large shoulder cannons)
Wyverncakes (17:52:11): [???] The Ferocious Tiger is just about to fire again, when suddenly it comes under fire from an unknown source! No barrier to protect it either, thanks to Ren's Blessing! The machine's knocked away, stumbling and turning towards whomever opened up on it! "Graaah... and who... is getting in the way NOW?!?" Flak fires, not at the hostages but at the mystery figure instead, in the direction all those bullets came from!
Wyverncakes (17:52:16): (React: ???)
Wyverncakes (17:52:42): Meanwhile, everyone you arrive in time to see Bao's attempt at mass murder halted, fortunately! But who's this unlikely savior?
Wyverncakes (17:52:53): (Also, Volya, Heph, and Ken can go)
griefgathering (17:54:14): *The mysterious shooter, dressed in red, is still on foot, accompanied by a pair of disembodied arms! The flak blasts are met with the quick swings of a giant sword that said arms are now wielding!+
VJockey (17:54:41): *Volya's going to let loose with as many vines as he can at the various Kin machines to keep them occupied... or at least keep as much attention as he can on him...+
griefgathering (17:54:53): ???: "Oh me...? Just a Kijin passing by!"
griefgathering (17:55:00): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pSmemZiI1zU
VJockey (17:55:12): "Someone get Ren and the Hostages out of here!"
Wyverncakes (17:55:14): [???] Against a road or defenseless prisoners, the flak shots are one thing. Against hardened swords, ones spontaneously appearing before everyone's very eyes... that's another thing. The swords get pelted a little bit by them, but you're still perfectly fine!
tengusaur (17:55:15): * There is a Tormentor on Hetepheres' way... But not for long, most likely! Scaraber launches a powerful kick, driving the machine into the ground, face-first - and then stabs all four of its swords into it! +
Meraxa (17:55:20): Ken: Almost... there! Stand Up! *ScarleTiger shifts forms yet again, attempting to have its whip encoil a Tormentor, so he might swing it into another!+
tengusaur (17:56:37): Hetepheres: "A few people were wondering where have you disappeared to, Astara."
griefgathering (17:57:12): Yes, some of the Unity Group members might recognize the newcomer from the battle on the Kamchatka Peninsula, and her visit to Alhambra before that..
VJockey (17:58:02): "Thhhbthhthht?"
Wyverncakes (17:58:03): [Heph and Ken] One Tormentor is suddenly bum-rushed by the Scaraber, a second ensnared by the ScarleTiger! The first is impaled repeatedly (and the Scaraber's barrier is shifting back to its initial gold configuration), the second flying out and smashing into a nearby building! The third one -Ken's second target- manages to escape, but the resulting blast is still enough to shake the frail machine, leaving part of its body mangled!
VJockey (17:58:15): "Not the time to ask if those Kijin kids can visit Interitus!!!"
Wyverncakes (17:58:22): Bao: "The Unity Group...here to pick up the pieces?!?"
Wyverncakes (17:58:30): He sounds... confused.
griefgathering (17:58:37): Astara: "It's a long story...but hey, Seta isn't with you...?"
Wyverncakes (17:58:41): (Sarah and Astara can act)
VJockey (17:59:16): "Wha-? But she went back to the Gloster Foundation... you didn't know?"
peter kampschroeder (18:01:18): *Sarah enters, by way of shoving her fist through one of the Punisher's cannons, kicking the mech away from the crowd and into a building, and following all of it up with an unreasonably large energy beam.+
griefgathering (18:01:29): She laughs nervously at that. "Well, I'm in a complicated situation, you could say. I was hoping I'd get to reach her somehow, but it looks like it won't be happening."
Wyverncakes (18:02:14): [Volya] A lot of targets for a lot of vines. The Punishers, being the sluggish sort, at the ones mostly getting ensnared and trying to claw their ways to freedom, but the Ferocious Tiger also comes under attack! But... "Well this fucking went to hell fucking quickly!" Between its claws and sharp teeth, there's a lot of cutting power there, and it lunges at Interitus before firing another big shotgun-like blast of flak at the plant-machine-monster-thing!
Wyverncakes (18:02:16): (React: Volya)
tengusaur (18:02:31): Hetepheres: "You could stay with nity G"
tengusaur (18:02:35): (again)
tengusaur (18:03:01): Hetepheres: "You could stay with Unity Group for a while, we could find a way to lure Seta in. But for now..."
tengusaur (18:03:01): #
Wyverncakes (18:03:11): (Approved)
griefgathering (18:03:51): Astara: *"Anyway, if this goes on, a Gate's bound to open, and I can't let that happen either...Maxwell!" The Craft's arms, now holding giant guns, fire upon another Tormentor!+
Wyverncakes (18:04:05): [Sarah] The Punisher's sent flying. It's tough though even without its barrier, and it fires on you with both of its cannons! You still manage to blow it apart afterwards with your own energy beam, but its parting shots run the risk of hitting the hostages if you step out of the way!
Wyverncakes (18:04:12): (React: Sarah)
peter kampschroeder (18:04:55): *Ha! Ha! Ha! Sarah tanks those like a MAN. "Oh come on now, you're not even trying!"+
tengusaur (18:05:25): * Hetepheres: "Do not forget, Volya has people who have sworn to protect him here!" Scaraber jumps forward, spinning its staff around defensively and using it in combination with its golden barrier to deflect the flak! And afterwards it swings the staff low, to knock the Tiger away! +
Wyverncakes (18:05:54): [Astara] "A Gate...? Do tell. Though considering the Unity Group's track record for preventing them forming, I hope you don't mind if we cut in...!"
Wyverncakes (18:06:59): Astara, maybe having just part of your Craft formed ins't the best of ideas.
VJockey (18:07:07): *Interitus and Volya stay in place, hoping that Hetepheres can keep them protected long enough so they can drain as much energy from the Punishers as they can!+
Wyverncakes (18:07:33): ... Because suddenly there's a metal object hurtling through the air straight at you...
Wyverncakes (18:07:53): ... And before you know it suddenly you're impaled on a broken part of a humungous blade!
Wyverncakes (18:08:08): That Tormentor you fired on though is pretty much completely trashed though... so at least there's that.
VJockey (18:08:24): "!?"
Wyverncakes (18:08:45): But standing there, shambling towards all of you... is the broken and damaged form of the Inorog, flanked by the remaining Crusaders and Defenders (David's included) and the Weaver.
Wyverncakes (18:08:56): Nathaniel's Arondight is nowhere to be found though.
Meraxa (18:09:13): Ken: ...are you guys serious?!
tengusaur (18:09:31): Hetepheres: "Are you this intent on proving Bao right?"
VJockey (18:09:51): "Why are you even DOING THIS?!"
Wyverncakes (18:10:03): [Sarah] Well, don't write off those cannons. They do pack a kick, and Tiankui is run through by several huge chunks of shrapnel. Mobility's going to take a dip from this, as will dexterity.
VJockey (18:10:36): "I know what you guys want to do with me! BUT I THOUGHT YOU WERE BETTER THAN THIS!"
VJockey (18:10:43): "David!"
VJockey (18:11:14): "Listen to me... don't do this! I'm begging you!"
Wyverncakes (18:11:29): [Heph and Volya] Interitus does manage to siphon some power off from the Punishers, but not enough to make the machines deactivate. Hetepheres's own shield wards off Bao's own strike... and the counterblow with its staff smacks the Tiger and knocks it down a roadway away from the hostages!
peter kampschroeder (18:11:34): Sarah: "Ha...hah. Ha! Ha ha ha!"
Wyverncakes (18:12:00): Lilica: "We're just here... to address an actual threat."
griefgathering (18:12:34): What remains of Astara is now lifeless. She did let out a gasp before that hit, though.
Wyverncakes (18:13:07): Aloysius: "Indeed... there's the matter of these 'kin'... and on top of that another Kijin Gateway!"
Wyverncakes (18:13:23): "No doubt this is what the Tapestry warned of!"
Wyverncakes (18:13:30): (Volya, Heph, Ken)
VJockey (18:13:35): "STOP TALKING ABOUT THAT STUPID RUG!"
VJockey (18:13:37): "STOP IT!"
Wyverncakes (18:13:46): David: "... You don't understand...!"
Wyverncakes (18:13:59): "Just because... it doesn't have nice things to say about you Volya doesn't mean it's not right!"
tengusaur (18:14:01): Hetepheres: "Your dedication to blindness is astonishing." She glances towards Astara for a moment, but just a moment. She knows.
Wyverncakes (18:14:08): "Look at what happened here!"
VJockey (18:14:33): "SHUT UP! YOU'RE WILLING TO LET PEOPLE GET HURT JUST BECAUSE OF THAT STUPID RUG!
Wyverncakes (18:14:41): "We were right to be wary of your friend! She-" gues someone doesn't know about kin anatomy... "-said it herself!"
Wyverncakes (18:14:48): "They're supposed to hate humans!"
VJockey (18:15:06): "AND YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO SAVE PEOPLE!!"
VJockey (18:15:14): [Volya's voice is growing hoarse.]
Wyverncakes (18:15:31): Lilica: "The Knights are worried about the world first and foremost."
Wyverncakes (18:15:53): "You can't save the world if you're too busy trying to save every single individual person in any degree of danger."
Meraxa (18:15:58): Ken: What was that about jumping to conclusions to defend yourself? Like defending dumbass decisions that help NOBODY?! *Ken draws the kamakiri, attaching a shotel to his whip, before attempting to slice apart a Punisher at range+
Wyverncakes (18:16:17): "... Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't one of your recent encounters with the Lady's Good Men come down to you taking that actual stance?"
tengusaur (18:17:38): Hetepheres: "Spare me. There is a difference between having to take a hard choice, and not even trying."
VJockey (18:17:57): "What is a person like you even doing with the knights?!"
Wyverncakes (18:18:00): [Ken] The Punisher you go after is scarred heavily by the attack, but further attacks through that method are out of the question as suddenly the ScarleTiger becomes opposed by a separate, feline machine. The Ferocious Tiger is back, its claws shredding the whip before charging at you!
Wyverncakes (18:18:30): Bao: "I don't seem to mind that much... especially not when all that bickering leaves you OPEN!"
Wyverncakes (18:18:34): (React: Ken)
tengusaur (18:18:59): * Hetepheres sends the Bitles flying at an enemy again, but this time her target is Bao! And while they swarm around the kin's unit, she herself takes position on a higher spot and fires a barrage of lasers from her laser staff. &
Meraxa (18:19:15): Ken: Ooooh, so that's how it'll be? *Ken muses, ScarleTiger's own claws spring forth, ready to punch/scratch it out with its strange counterpart!+
Wyverncakes (18:19:50): Lilica: "Oh, you doubt my legitimacy among the knights?"
Wyverncakes (18:20:08): "I've never complained about you having has-beens and race traitors in the Unity Group."
peter kampschroeder (18:21:24): Sarah: "Lily, you know, I'd love to rip you limb from limb and all, but this is really not the time."
VJockey (18:21:27): "That's because all you've ever done was hurt people!"
VJockey (18:22:02): "Mizuki said you didn't change at all, she knew what you were like!"
Wyverncakes (18:23:07): [Heph and Ken] The Ancient Egyptian Lasers begin striking at the Ferocious Tiger, hammering away at its body. Even without its shield it's not something that's easily taken down, and its Solaris equivalent's own claws scrape across the side of its body and arm. But Bao's machine strikes truer still, smashing through one of the ScarleTiger's arms.
Wyverncakes (18:23:10): (Heph continue)
Wyverncakes (18:23:33): But... Bao also knows the tide is against them.
Meraxa (18:23:48): Ken: Tch! Dido'll hate me for that.
Wyverncakes (18:23:49): "What she's like...?"
Wyverncakes (18:23:52): Bao snorts.
Wyverncakes (18:24:04): "Here's something to wrap your heads around..."
Wyverncakes (18:24:27): "Would you actually believe... that everyone's OTHER favorite horned annoyance here..."
Wyverncakes (18:24:38): "... Is the reason we got any hostages in the first place?"
Wyverncakes (18:24:52): David: "WHAT?!?"
Meraxa (18:25:06): Ken: ...oh REALLY now?
tengusaur (18:25:33): * Hetepheres: "Go on, talk. While you still can." Scaraber rushes in, ready to shoulder-slam the Ferocious Tiger...
Wyverncakes (18:25:40): Bao: "What, Lilica... not going to say anything in your defense- GAH!"
VJockey (18:25:58): "............"
Wyverncakes (18:26:01): ^defense?
VJockey (18:26:19): "This...."
Wyverncakes (18:26:19): (Misread Heph's post)
tengusaur (18:26:20): * But before that happens, suddenly the silver barrier around it grows for a moment and burns brighter!
VJockey (18:26:24): "The reason Ren was hurt...."
VJockey (18:26:34): "This was all YOUR FAULT?!"
Wyverncakes (18:26:45): Lilica: "I don't need to defend myself from your baseless claims."
Wyverncakes (18:26:50): There's a cold, betrayed fury in her voice.
VJockey (18:26:55): "You... YOU'RE THE MONSTER!"
peter kampschroeder (18:27:18): Sarah: "..."
VJockey (18:27:31): [Interitus is giving the other knight machines looks.]
VJockey (18:27:40): "Why... why are you even following her?!"
Wyverncakes (18:28:23): ???: "Enough."
tengusaur (18:28:35): * Hetepheres: "You are going down now, bloody tiger. Scarab Power!" Scaraber hits Bao's machine with increased force, and while the opponent stumbles, it raises the staff over its shoulder, holding it with all four arms. A long beam blade extends from its end... And Hetepheres strikes, spinning around with dance-like movements and cutting into Bao's machine three times! +
tengusaur (18:28:44): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-aexLJKwME
Wyverncakes (18:31:49): [Heph] The Furious Tiger is knocked backwards, the spinning strikes of its polearm's laser blade cutting into the machine. An arm's lost on the first blow and its body cut severely. The second completely separates the bottom from the top, and the third... only manages to smash it into a wall. So thoroughly trashed... the tiger grips the staff with all of its remaining hand's strength.
Wyverncakes (18:31:59): Bao: "You're supposed... to be going after... HER!"
tengusaur (18:32:59): Hetepheres: "Do you think my memory is so bad that it can only contain one enemy at a time?"
Wyverncakes (18:33:16): And with an angry, furious scream at a distraction that failed to do its job, Bao has the Tiger fire as much flak as it can at the Scaraber, even as the remaining 2 Tormentors and 3 Punishers attempt to attack you from behind!
tengusaur (18:33:20): Hetepheres: "To protect Earth, I will fight a whole army if I have to."
Wyverncakes (18:33:22): (React: Heph)
Wyverncakes (18:33:30): Bao: "Good luck with that!"
griefgathering (18:33:34): #Heph
Wyverncakes (18:33:37): (Approved)
Meraxa (18:33:39): #Heph
Wyverncakes (18:33:45): (Also approved)
Wyverncakes (18:34:18): But while you're busy helping Hetepheres though... another machine is arriving on the battlefield.
Wyverncakes (18:34:31): Moving in front of the Inorog, like some kind of celestial protector.
Wyverncakes (18:34:42): (Imperius: http://safebooru.org//samples/1008/sample_82593bb457e64638424efe0d7f7bfb22e59257bd.jpg?1013362)
Wyverncakes (18:35:29): ???: "Lilica's actions are not ones she takes on her own."
Wyverncakes (18:35:37): "Nor are they taken for her own benefit."
griefgathering (18:35:39): *Some of Heph's attackers may find themselves face to face with an object...oh hey! It's that broken piece of the sword that was used to impale Astara.+
griefgathering (18:35:59): That object is also traveling at high speed, like a javelin.
Meraxa (18:36:30): Kent: She has a point. Or did you forget about me? *Ken asks, amused, shifting in from behind the other tiger...* Ha! * And thrusting its remaining claw right towards where the cockpit - in any reasonable machine - would be+
peter kampschroeder (18:36:46): Sarah: "Stand aside, Zieg. I'm going to kill Lilica now."
Wyverncakes (18:36:59): At once the knights seem to snap to attention, and the machine draws its swords towards Tiankui.
griefgathering (18:37:25): Astara: "Would've loved to return that to sender, but it's not good enough after everything I just heard."
Wyverncakes (18:37:40): Zieg: "For what?"
tengusaur (18:37:43): * Hetepheres jumps to avoid the incoming attacks... And while mid-air, she also spins, and sends the large beam saber fly towards some of the mecha firing at her from behind! It flies on a circular trajectory then returns to her, like a boomerang. +
Wyverncakes (18:37:51): "Arranging so we finally know the truth about these 'kin'?"
tengusaur (18:37:57): Hetepheres: "Recovery took you long enough, Astara."
VJockey (18:38:31): "Who... who is he?"
VJockey (18:38:33): "Sarah?"
peter kampschroeder (18:39:21): Sarah: "Like you really have to ask...I'll be going on through, then." Tiankui takes a fighting stance. "He's the boss."
Wyverncakes (18:40:56): [Hetepheres, Ken, and Astara] The Punishers are big and sturdy. But one of them has a nasty scar from Ken's previous attack, making it easily skewer the first... and still have enough strength to run through a second Punisher and then one unlucky Tormentor. The remaining two mooks are done away with by Hetepheres's own beam weapon flying through the air. And Ken himself... finally manages to prove which cat is top dog. The ScarleTiger's fist runs through the Ferocious one, rewarding you all with one last, hateful cry of shock and frustration... as Bao is killed.
Wyverncakes (18:41:06): Killed by the very humans he'd grown to hate through all his life.
Wyverncakes (18:42:01): As for Zeig though...
Wyverncakes (18:42:19): Aloysius: "Master Zeig is the leader of the Knights of the Guiding Hand!"
Wyverncakes (18:43:00): Zeig: "One unfortunately burdened with having to lead them in these troubling, complex times."
tengusaur (18:43:34): Scaraber lands on the ground, planting the end of its staff (now lightsaber-free) in the remains of one of the destroyed Kin machines.
griefgathering (18:43:39): Astara dusts her hands. That impromptu attack worked better than expected. But now there's this...
tengusaur (18:43:50): Hetepheres: "So long, Bao."
Wyverncakes (18:44:06): "So long indeed."
tengusaur (18:44:19): Hetepheres: "Well then. The leader of the group that decided the best way to save the world is to hound and kill a child has finally shown up."
Wyverncakes (18:44:26): "... Tell me, do you think that he would have died here... if not for Lilica's contribution to the incident?"
VJockey (18:44:44): "That doesn't even make it right!!
VJockey (18:44:53): "Bao would have murdered those people!"
Wyverncakes (18:44:55): You finally get a visual.
Wyverncakes (18:45:05): (Zeig: http://i1282.photobucket.com/albums/a526/V-Jockey/Zeig_zpsd932aa00.png)
Wyverncakes (18:45:14): "Would have, yes. But he didn't."
tengusaur (18:45:25): Hetepheres: "Her contribution almost caused several dozen people to die brutally. The only thing that saved them was the power your people deem evil."
Wyverncakes (18:45:35): "To combat infections, sometimes it is best to invoke lesser evils."
Wyverncakes (18:45:45): "Lilica... is one such lesser evil."
VJockey (18:45:51): "?!"
peter kampschroeder (18:45:55): Sarah: "You know..."
VJockey (18:45:59): "How could you even say that?!"
Wyverncakes (18:46:18): "'Almost', you say."
peter kampschroeder (18:46:23): Sarah: "The last time I met someone who thought like that, it didn't end well for her..."
Wyverncakes (18:46:45): "Come back when Lilica's efforts, as horrible as they seem to you, only worsen a situation and you will have my ear."
VJockey (18:47:02): "All she did was try to kill me... she never did anything to protect anyone or save people's lives!"
Wyverncakes (18:47:20): "But for the time being what 'evil' she does, what the Knights may do when it comes to this situation involving Volya..."
VJockey (18:47:22): "She attacked people from the Unity Group when the Lady's Good Men took people hostage!"
Wyverncakes (18:47:51): "... It is evil committed in the name of good."
tengusaur (18:48:01): Hetepheres: "How about her murder of innocent people? Do you want Volya to tell you about his uncle?"
VJockey (18:48:03): "That doesn't make any sense!!"
Meraxa (18:48:05): Ken: I bet you're only claiming this was all 'part of the plan' to save face as well. Had we been stopped on the way, none of it would have worked.
Wyverncakes (18:48:14): "An unfortunate sacrifice."
VJockey (18:48:20): "........"
Wyverncakes (18:48:25): "But wasn't there just talk of being concerned about the world as a whole?"
Wyverncakes (18:48:38): "And not getting caught up and distracted saving every single person when there are larger concerns?"
VJockey (18:48:54): "Un....UNFORTUNATE SACRIFICE?!"
Meraxa (18:48:59): Ken: That involves actually saving the world. Rather than ignoring it to focus on one boy who, by the way, is contributing to saving it!
tengusaur (18:49:48): Hetepheres: "You talk about choosing to save the many instead of the few. But in reality, you did not even try to save the few. You already threw them away, without trying to see if it is possible to save them."
tengusaur (18:50:01): Hetepheres: "I would hate to have a leader such as you."
VJockey (18:50:34): "What about the hostages?! What if they died?!"
peter kampschroeder (18:50:48): *No words from Sarah, just a sigh, and a charge straight for Zeig's robot-that turns into a blazing flying kick!+
VJockey (18:50:55): "Are they an unfortunate sacrifice?!"
VJockey (18:51:08): "ARE THEY?!"
VJockey (18:51:17): [It isn't just Volya's voice anymore.]
VJockey (18:51:32): [Something about the shout has become more primal, more angry.]
Wyverncakes (18:53:00): "Like I said before, we learned of the kins' true origins and motives."
Wyverncakes (18:53:12): "If they died... it would have been an unfortunate sacrifice. Nothing more."
VJockey (18:53:27): ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bdaDh5kjziU )
Wyverncakes (18:53:32): [Sarah] Well, so much for polite disagreements after dealing with the unambiguous villains. As you charge, the Weaver is suddenly in your way, moving its hands to parry and guide your kick away from Zeig's Imperius!
Wyverncakes (18:53:48): And the machine's energy blade flashes, suddenly coming straight down and severing that leg!
VJockey (18:53:49): "Rr...rRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH!!!!!!!"
griefgathering (18:53:59): Astara: "Watch how you use that word. You might find yourself unfortunate, too."
Wyverncakes (18:54:10): "Unfortunate truth, but-"
peter kampschroeder (18:54:19): Sarah: "Gah! Oh you piece of-"
VJockey (18:54:25): [With that, Interitus just shrieks in absolute rage. Its body seeming to twist and grow!]
Meraxa (18:54:39): Ken: ...Volya? VOLYA?!
VJockey (18:55:48): [Armor cracked and burst open as vines lashed out, drawing in metal and stone as something burst through the now overgrowing body. Bones. The vines interwove themselves around them, mimicking flesh and muscle. Stone and metal becoming one. Forming armor... skin...fangs. Claws.]
peter kampschroeder (18:55:58): Sarah: "-aw, shit."
Wyverncakes (18:56:08): Aloysius: "It's become... enraged..."
VJockey (18:56:21): [A pair of massive wings snapped to their full span as the roar only increased in volume.]
VJockey (18:56:46): ( http://simg3.gelbooru.com//images/ad/e6/ade68b3f92dcfffd384366fd459552dd.jpeg)
tengusaur (18:57:03): Hetepheres: "Magnificent..."
griefgathering (18:57:13): Astara: "It's...got wings."
Wyverncakes (18:57:16): Zeig: "More like monstrous..."
Meraxa (18:57:35): Ken: ...If this... if this your so called destroyer, you just went and made it yourselves! *Ken tries to sound confident, perhaps indignant, but... hes... scared.*
Wyverncakes (18:57:39): Aloysius: "... Tyrannus..."
Wyverncakes (18:57:49): David doesn't miss a beat.
Wyverncakes (18:57:55): "Interitus was... that all along?!?"
Wyverncakes (18:58:24): Zeig: "'Making it ourselves'... and who's the ones who let it grow to this point!"
tengusaur (18:58:52): Hetepheres: "Volya, can you hear me? Are you in control?"
Meraxa (18:59:52): Ken: Your prophecies must only come true because you make them come true!
VJockey (19:02:06): *Those who were keeping an eye on the wings would notice it have a familiar green glow, similar to the eye beams Interitus previously used whenever it drained any power from its foes... not so much that it needed it now though.... it didn't help that the ground was shaking and seemingly distorting for some reason either. Then things exploded. A veritable cascade of vines tearing through the earth to slam a wall between the knights and Sarah - pulling her away from them... as well as a massive barrage of beams that rapidly wove through the air, snaking around anything close by them to repeatedly slam themselves through the knight's machines!+
griefgathering (19:03:45): Astara: (to the Knights) "I think you guys have better things to do than pointing fingers right now."
Wyverncakes (19:03:50): [Volya] The ground rumbling, shaking, quking... and suddenly it was as if mother nature wanted to tear down Sendai and reclaim it after centuries of letting civilization own this patch of the planet. Tiankui was wrenched free of the knights, sans severed leg... and then came the massive hail of beamspam.
peter kampschroeder (19:03:52): Sarah: "...Volya?"
Wyverncakes (19:04:04): David: "A monster... Volya..."
Wyverncakes (19:04:11): "... He really is a monster...!!!!!!!!!"
Wyverncakes (19:04:33): Zeig: "Things should've never gotten to this point!"
Wyverncakes (19:05:20): And the Imperius is standing in the face of the attacks, cloak raised and sword attempting to weed through the barrage, while the Weaver seems to generate some sort of net of thread. Beams that strike it seem to be absorbed and then dispersed off in other directions.
Meraxa (19:05:20): Ken: They wouldn't have if you... if you... YOU FOOLS!
peter kampschroeder (19:05:37): Sarah: "...Give 'em hell."
Wyverncakes (19:05:58): Zeig: "Fall back! Everyone! Along the same escape route Nathaniel took with our other wounded and disabled!"
Wyverncakes (19:06:13): The knights then sprang into action. Or rather, sprang into retreat.
Wyverncakes (19:06:28): Most worrisome though...
Wyverncakes (19:06:44): ... Where's Ren's Genoace?
tengusaur (19:07:14): Hetepheres: "Ken, save your breath. Everyone... Get ready to engage Interitus. Volya might not be in control anymore."
Wyverncakes (19:07:53): The Knights eventually manage to retreat, first the damaged (Lilica included)...
Wyverncakes (19:08:04): But finally Aloysius and Zeig follow after them.
Wyverncakes (19:09:29): In the aftermath though... you can see that past the wall of vines lies Ren's Genoace, and Ren along with it.
VJockey (19:09:49): [Interitus ignores the fleeing knights.]
Wyverncakes (19:09:54): Neither of which appear harmed, barring all of Ren's previous injuries.
VJockey (19:10:16): [Rather it stomped towards the Genoace, vines parting rapidly.]
VJockey (19:15:05): [A low whine escapes from the massive beast, completely at odds with its appearance as it nudges Ren hesitantly with the tip of its 'snout'.]
VJockey (19:15:40): "...ev...everything really hurts..."
VJockey (19:15:49): "Wh... what happened?"
Meraxa (19:16:07): Ken: ...Volya! You... got angry. Really angry.
VJockey (19:16:50): "Wasn't..."
tengusaur (19:17:01): Hetepheres: "We will have to talk later. The fight ended for now."
VJockey (19:17:06): [Volya coughs harshly.]
VJockey (19:17:13): "Wasn't... just me..."
VJockey (19:17:28): "'Teritus... what happened to her? She feels weird..."
Wyverncakes (19:17:30): At the very least, it doesn't seem like Interitus has given into any monstrous urges. New look though.
Wyverncakes (19:17:36): MISSION ACCOMPLISHED