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Post by Kuma on Apr 8, 2017 1:50:52 GMT
1 Week Ago - Kyoto, Japan
The Temple of Honnoji, the rebuilt one, was once again the chosen location for a meeting organized by Kuro-san. One could say he was a bit arrogant, making a meeting as secretive as this one happen right in the backyard of the JHWAB, which was looking non-stop for him after the events of last year. Yet he was confident that such tactic, hiding in plain sight, was more than enough to avoid detection for enough time. The Former Emperor of the Japaneses Criminal Underworld was expecting a very special guest, he had already contacted her through Ikari, who was standing, leaning against a tree, meters away from him, serving in this case not as his envoy, but as his bodyguard, plus he wanted to have him close after the incident he caused in Lazarus’ Lab. Now is was just a matter of waiting for the Sinister Seamstress while admiring the clear blue sky of this winter morning.
It wasn’t long before a small girl in a purple coat that appeared to weigh more than her whole body entered the temple. She was followed closely by a tall Japanese woman, hat down over eyes that literally smoldered, little lines of smoke drifting off when she saw Ikari. She waved them away quickly. This was a public location. It would do her no good to burst into flames. She still kept wary eyes on Ikari, mixed with a healthy respect, as she approached. She bowed shortly, keeping her head up. “Hello. I assume you are Kuro-san?” She extended a hand to the man seated on the shrine’s wooden steps. The small girl beside her just glared out of her fortress of a coat.
Kuro-san stood up with surprising agility for a man as old as he was and instead of extending his hand, he did a perfect bow, more like a office manager meeting a new employee than a Criminal Mastermind waiting for a new addition to his team. -Yes, is a pleasure to meet you Yuu Arachne, I’ve been told great things about your exploits and your Mistress feats.- Unlike Ikari, who was boiling under his skin, Kuro-san didn’t show any signs of hostility, he could even be called cordial, it was clear there was no real emotion behind his faint smile, but at the very least it was less taxing talking to him than trying to talk with the much more intense Ikari. -I should also thank you for the unknowing help you gave us a couple of years ago.- He finished that sentence with an enigmatic tone and then turned to Marika. -And you must be Arachne-dono, pleased to make your acquaintance.-
Marika lit up when she was complimented on her work. “Thank you… sir.” She tacked on the last word like an ammendment. “They are nothing to be proud of, sir.” The word came more readily to Yuu’s lips, but with just the slightest touch of acid. “If you don’t mind, we’d like to know exactly why we’re here. We’ve been… quite curious.” Yuu didn’t display any impatience with her words, just a deep discomfort with being there at all. This couldn’t possibly be any worse than Marika’s daily deeds, but surely it wasn’t good.
-You go straight to the point, I like that from prospective business partners Yuu-dono.- Even knowing he had all the cards, Kuro-san kept using the highest possible honorifics with his guests. -The reason I invited Arachne-dono here today is twofold.- Kuro-san stopped talking and slowly, without projecting any kind of ill intent he took a tablet from the inside pocket of his coat. -I have a business proposition and a commission for an artist of Arachne-dono’s particular skill set and I would love to explain both of them to you.- His faint smile grew a bit more noticeable, almost inviting, for a psychopath as Marika it would look fine, but surely Yuu, a bit more empathic might notice the absolute lack of feeling behind it. - If you have the time, of course, I assure you both offers will be of great interest and potential gains.-
Kuro-san’s smile made Yuu shudder, but as expected, Marika didn’t notice. “What are you offering? You’ve made the right choice of seamstress! You need a suit? Tie made of skin? Skull hat? Or are you looking for… a new friend?” Marika’s eyes narrowed a little. If he wanted a personal doll, she could certainly deliver, but would she want to? It was a strange idea, but she supposed it was just like any piece of clothing. Her perfect creation, but made to be bought by others.
-I like your enthusiasm, but I’m not looking for a new suit, nor friend, but I’m in the market for a pawn.- The Former Emperor of the Underworld extended his tablet, opened in the blueprints for something. -I think it would be better to call it a Tower, considering its size.- The tablet screen showcased a creature unlike anything on the world, it was an armored humanoid, but it had 4 extra arms and was around 13 mts. tall. -Most of the heavy lifting was done by my Science team, but after many discussions and failed attempts they investigates far and wide looking for the best way to animate it.- He turned the tablet around and gave a couple of touches on the screen.
-Three of the smartest Hidden Scientists in the world reached the conclusion that you, Arachne-dono, and your skills would be the ideal way to animate this being.- His smile grew larger, to Marika it might seem dashing, to Yuu it would most certainly look bone-chilling, as the more they were close to Kuro-san the more they could realize something, is not that he lacked any sinister aura, it was the opposite. The sinister intent of the Former Emperor was so large one could get lost inside it, as if floating in a ocean of shadows. - Are you up for it Arachne-dono?-
“Of course!” Marika cheered. Yuu grabbed her shoulder and pulled her back a bit. “Marika, I really don’t think this is a good idea. This man is even less trustworthy than Ikari, and something that big would require killing hundreds.” Yuu whispered in Marika’s ear, eyes shifting to Kuro-san and Ikari a few times as she spoke. “Shut up! You’re making us look bad!” Marika pulled forward. “She just wanted to make sure the compensation is worth it. What’s in it for me?” Marika folded her arms, trying to look half as businesslike as Yuu.
-That would be the second point in today’s agenda.- Kuro-san swiped the screen of his tablet a couple of times. As he did, without raising his eyes from it, he commented. -You don’t need to worry about raw materials, we can get more than enough for your work.- Finally he stopped upon reaching the file he wanted to show Marika. He turned the tablet around and a classified document in Russian, with photos attached to it, was on the screen. -This place is called Uzhastale, a forgotten Soviet Military Science Facility.- The Former Emperor scrolled down the document, reaching to a gallery of digitized photos. -I acquired these files taking advantage of certain unrest in the Russian Government.- The gallery showcased human-machine integration experiments, very rudimentary cyborgs, with machines grafted into their organic tissue, quite the horrible sight for any mundane person, but to others it would be quite the vintage beauty of bodily modification. -The Soviets were involved in some interesting experiments with the fusion of human bodies with machinery, not something I’m particularly interested on, but there is something I’ve been looking for in this facility.- Kuro-san turned off the screen. -I’m searching for a particular machine the scientist there called “Zvezdnoye Serdtse” or the Star Heart, if you don’t know Russian.- Kuro-san finally sat down on the steps of the temple.
-In a normal situation I would send my right hand man, Ikari, to get it, but there is another crucial mission for him to perform.- Ikari grunted upon getting mentioned, but Kuro-san ignored him and kept going. -So I’m in desperate need of manpower to scour the facility, that as I’ve been led to believe is a No Man’s Land for the Russian Hidden World Organizations, as whatever was created inside not only roams the halls but also is highly territorial.- The Former Emperor smiled, a sinister glow behind his iris showing the intensity he was starting to unleash. -You might ask what does this facility has to do with you and your payment, well you see.- He turned on the screen again, showing the facility storage facility.
Rows and rows of tanks with bodies and body parts lied in perfect order, catalogued by race, age and gender, climbing up the walls like a never ending library of gore. -The Soviets didn’t want their scientist to run out of materials, so they stocked them with human and oddities body parts, I think you would consider it equal to an unsupervised candy store, right?-
Marika’s eyes widened when she saw the bonanza before her. “And I can take anything I want… yes! I accept!” She yelled at the top of her lungs. Yuu sighed deeply. She couldn’t stop Marika now. “So we’ll be working alone, our team only?” Yuu was honestly more worried about taking one of Kuro-san’s agents along than going it alone. The dolls were a serious threat as a team, even if the new ones were still integrating.
-I’m afraid that won’t be the case.- Kuro-san caught on Yuu’s concerns. -There is a small cell of individuals who are going to help you that are already in site setting up the camp outside the location, I don’t expect this to be an easy job, but with Arachne-dono skills and your brethren in toe I feel this would take little to no time.- The Former Emperor explained with confidence. -The team in-site is composed by a fighter, a scout and one of my scientific advisors, who is there in a purely advisory position, as he needs to properly prepare the Star Heart to be transported.- Kuro-san extended his hand with a small electronic device on it, handing it to Yuu. -Upon your arrival to Russia the instructions on the screen will guide you towards the location. Any questions?-
Yuu and Marika glanced at one another and both shook their heads. “I think we understand, sir.” Yuu sharply nodded her head and took the device. With that, they turned and entered nothing, vanishing from sight.
-So, you think they won’t stab you in the back, because I hate traitors.- Ikari finally talked once they left. -I trust their own self interest and their fear to you will be more than enough to keep them in line, clearly Yuu-dono is the actual brain of the operation, so I rest assured she will convince Arachne-dono to obey the terms.- Ikari scoffed. -You sure you don’t need me there?- The Former Emperor shrugged his head. -No, between Kurenai, Shikishima and Urmas I think we’re set, and your mission is equally or even more important.- The Renegade Agent nodded as deep purple flames surrounded him and he vanished. Kuro-san smile vanished as he stood up and walked away. Soon, the moment he had been waiting for so long was about to arrive and nobody would stop him.
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Post by HungryHunter on Apr 8, 2017 2:21:58 GMT
"Okay, remember everybody. Don't touch anything you don't have to touch. Don't antagonize anybody. And keep watch on each other's back, okay?" Yuu said to the large group of dolls. Before her were Martha, Jane, Josefina, Chelsea, and Sidney, all bundled tight in heated coats besides Josefina. She instead wore a massive sundress, all vibrant green and yellow, and a straw sunhat as big as a table umbrella. Having no real flesh was nice when it came to cold resistance.
This was all that she and Marika could gather. Haven was at the recording studio. Ash was watching and no doubt trying to compete in a bodybuilding competition. Raven and Robin had gone out together looking for jobs. They couldn't find Callie, no doubt hiding so she wouldn't be taken along. And Cadence had flown the coop months ago, during the raid on the ogre longhouse they later realized. They hadn't seen her since. Not that Yuu had really made an attempt to find her. She had purposefully cleared her tracks herself to prevent Marika from finding her. "Is everybody ready?" She asked. There were nods, some more reluctant than others, Marika's the most enthused at her side. "Let's go then."
They all filed through a green door, one of those that Cadence had left in Russia. They emerged there, not far from a giant construction site where ogres were building a brand new longhouse, this one with vastly increased ki resistance by the looks of the runes on its timbers. The party quietly (Martha was ordered silent for the duration of the trip by Marika)slipped off down the mountain, traveling until they found a small town. It was a thoroughly Hidden World town, ogres mingling freely among humans and barbegazi alike. They entered a small building, a teleportation shack. It was only a few more minutes before they were hundreds of miles away, at the designated meeting grounds.
"That took hours!" Martha immediately declared, orders to not speak on the trip invalid now that they arrived. Chelsea elbowed her hard in the ribs. "Hey!" Martha shouted, looking uncertain about how to retaliate against the younger doll. "Martha, Chelsea, don't make me separate you." Yuu scolded before looking around the campsite. It seemed entirely normal, just a few tents and a bonfire. The dolls eagerly crowded around it, greedily absorbing its heat while Yuu turned to whoever was closest. "Hello, I am Yuu Arachne. These are Marika, Martha, Josefina, Chelsea, Sidney, and Jane. I assume Kuro-san informed you we were coming?" She gestured at each of them in turn, rolling her eyes when she saw Sidney already sitting on the ground.
Simultaneously, the Yukon.
It was bitterly cold out here. Why did he have to keep picking the cold nowheres? Oh, right, because nobody wants to live in them. Ron thought as he desperately tried to get a fire going. He chewed absentmindedly on the mixed pine needles and tin in his mouth as he shielded a match from whipping winds that threatened to snatch away every twig he had. He inwardly cheered when it finally caught. Maybe he wouldn't freeze to death tonight!
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Post by Kuma on Apr 12, 2017 21:57:29 GMT
The campground the Dolls arrived at was quite large, built on a big patch of dry land in the middle of the Swamp. Quite the achievement to find such a place. When the group led by Yuu reached the location only a single person was outside. He was a young man, of asian ascent, most likely japanese. He had short and spiky white hair, his eyes were a dark shade of purple and almost seemed to be lacking any kind of light. He was wearing a tracksuit and was considerably lean. The Young Man looked at the Dolls with almost no interest. He faintly nodded when Yuu finished speaking and slowly jogged to the largest tent, a circular room made of reinforced fabrics. He vanished through the door and came out followed by an old man.
He was a weird man to say the least, dressed in a fine suit, but underneath he was covered from head to toe with bandages. The very few patches of visible skin were more than enough to explain what the hell was wrong with him, as he seemed to be covered in burns and scars. -Oooooooh!- He exclaimed with disgusting delight. The Bandaged Man rushed, even with a limping leg he was quite fast, and started inspecting the Dolls from a safe distance, looking at the different body types and looks. -Ooooooh! This is really amazing handiwork, not even that two bit hack Dr. Kago could do something as refined as this.- Clearly this man was Dr. Shikishima, one of the scientific advisors of Kuro-san, his specialty was Weapon Making.
And of course he introduced himself. -Greetings, I’m Dr. Shikishima, leading this expedition, glad you could join our “expert”.- He glanced at Riku with frustration. -crew… Your help will be greatly appreciated.- Shikishima then pointed at a large rectangular tent that extended a lot more. -We set a tent exclusively for your use, it has every commodity the modern world has to offer, including hot showers and bathrooms, you will excuse the lack of wi-fi, but there is some kind of bothersome and fascinating interference in this swamp, worthy of scorn and study.- He snapped his fingers at the young man. -Bring the case Kurenai, hurry up.- Shikishima ordered Riku who simply nodded and lightly jogged inside the tent, coming out again with a military case.
Shikishima grabbed it from the young Boxer’s hands and opened it, extending it to the newcomers. -Here, grab one each.- Inside the case, protected by foaming, there were several earbuds with a microphone attached. -Luckily for us I managed to cobble up an alternative method of communication, even such feat comes with limitations thanks to this blasted swamp, so don’t overly rely on them, as they could malfunction at any second.- The Mad Scientist smiled with superiority. -I could explain to you the very rudimentary basics of the highly advanced techniques I used to develop them, but I’m afraid I cannot take the time to order this young man here to clean your brains from my boots after your heads explode.- If Shikishima was something, that was being arrogant.
He snapped his fingers again. -Now boy, help them with their bags, we have a lot to do before going into the compound.- And with that, as suddenly as he appeared he retreated back to the main tent. From inside Shikishima shouted. -Come here when you’re set up! We've much to discuss-
The whirling winds of Yukon could rob anybody from their senses, the whistling in the ears, the coldness numbing the skin, tongue and nose, with the blizzard raining down blocking the view. Yet in the middle of such desolation a single point of light fought of the oppressing whiteness and cold, that reigned over these lands. The warm radiance of a bonfire, the promise of heat and comfort, a flickering flame that seemed to laugh at the elements trying to kill it. But suddenly, said flame started changing, not growing or diminishing its size, but quite surprisingly changing its hue, from a warm orange blaze to a sinister deep purple one. -You must be the one who has it… I’ve been looking for you.- Ikari Fukushi, dressed in his accustomed worn out tuxedo, with a leather duster over it, walked towards the fire, the otherworldly flame illuminating his factions partially, with high contrast from the shadows.
-We need to talk…- Ikari clenched his fists. -And I would hate it if you refused this request.- The Renegade Agent eyes flickered with the same sinister glow as the altered bonfire.
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Post by HungryHunter on Apr 13, 2017 0:34:27 GMT
Marika swelled with pride when her work was complimented while the dolls themselves mostly squirmed. Yuu felt like Shikishima was stripping them with his hidden eyes, not just of clothes but skin, prying at where their bodies where strung together. Marika's thoughts on the matter weren't so nuanced. She just didn't like the way this condescending prick talked about her and wanted to punch him. All the dolls were thankful when he dismissed them. "Thank you! They're perfect, aren't they? They aren't even dressed up special today, you should see when they are!" Marika bragged while the others went straight for the tent. She noticed they were leaving and prodded Yuu to follow.
Chelsea paused on the lip to feel the strangely constructed tents. The hexagon pattern she had noticed all of them seemed to be some sort of skeletal structure, allowing them to shape the tents however they wanted. Well, at least if she was going to be camping it would be in relative comfort. The other dolls started pushing past and she joined them. There was a row of cots along each side of the long tent, more than enough for the dolls present. Of course none were big enough for Josefina, but they expected as much and she had packed a giant-sized bedroll. At least she could stand up straight in the middle, although she had to crawl through the opening and stoop near the edges.
A small scale kitchen complete with a fridge and a table was near the back. There was a small TV in the opposite corner, but if Shikishima was accurate about the interference, it probably didn't pick anything up out here. At the very back, past the table, was the bathroom. Jane opened the door to check it out, finding a more solid floor and two toilet stalls, with an open area with a few shower heads. Jane ran one for a second just to test and as advertised, the water quickly heated up. The dolls greedily eyed the warm water, but Yuu shook her head. "We'll have time for that later. Just pick bunks for now." The dolls jostled for positions, next to friends, near the showers, near the fridge, whatever they prioritized. Sidney just dropped her bag on the nearest cot and reluctantly walked back out of the tent before the others. Yuu quickly overtook her, followed by Marika and the other dolls, all filing into the main tent.
Ron entered a fighting pose before Ikari even appeared out of the blizzard. Something had just messed up his fire, but he didn't know what. He could guess though when Ikari entered his vision, so much venom in his eyes that it almost matched Ron's. "You're awfully polite as Flipside goons go! Most don't request me to come back!" Ron snarled, reasonably assuming Ikari was yet another Flipside agent out to take him in.
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Post by Kuma on Apr 13, 2017 4:04:22 GMT
As they moved from their dorm the Dolls and Marika could see that Riku was jumping a rope, classic boxing training. The main tent was big, even bigger than the dorm ones. Varied high tech equipment rested over the floor, which was raised from the floor, like the tents, by the same hexagonal structure, only that instead of being covered by fabric each panel was filled by a reinforced glass plate. The room had a large circular table with plenty of chairs in the middle with a couple of blackboards right besides it. One of them was covered in highly complicated equations while the other had tons of pictures and hand-drawn maps (with amazing accuracy and quite the artistic flair) surely the handiwork of the third team member. Shikishima was checking the information gathered by the scout when they came in.
-Take a seat with utmost haste, as there is no time to waste.- The Bandaged Doctor invited them with a gesture and waited until they took their places on the table to start explaining. -We’ve been here for a couple of weeks laying the foundations for this expedition.- He pointed at the photos behind him. -Our scout has been exploring the surroundings of the compound where we’ll go to fulfill our mission.- The photos (similar to the ones in the first post) show the complex entrance and the parts that manage to overcome the overgrowth that seems to be covering most of the complex. -We’ve a good idea of what we could find inside, as the documents our boss obtained were quite enlightening.- His bandages contorted under the strain of the concerned grimace he was making. -I must admit that is quite frightening.-
The images he pointed at showed quite the gruesome show. Bears with turrets grafted to their back, half mechanical lions, shambling remains of humans barely being held by rudimentary bionic enhancements keeping them in action far beyond their death, same for the animals. -Yes I know is messed up, I wouldn’t be caught using those shitty excuses for guns even if there wasn’t any other gun in the world… But I digress.- He aimed to a second set of images, a detailed, yet incomplete map of the interior. -Our scout was able to make a partial map of the current state of the installation, many roads have been blocked by collapsed ceilings, but is still quite passable and both our goals are accessible, with certain problems, as everything in life.- Shikishima stood up and pointed at several points in the map. -Using a partial original blueprint we more or less located our targets, yet most of the direct roads are blocked, forcing us to take longer and more dangerous roads.-
The Mad Scientist pointed at 3 locations marked with an X. -These are the hotspots, most of them used to be the storage for finished creations now they are densely occupied by the creatures.- Shikishima returned to his seat. -This is all the info that we got, we don’t have an exact number of creatures we might face inside but I’m sure you are your magnificent creations will be more than enough to deal with these relics.- The Bandaged Weaponsmith used the same word to describe the godless abominations inside Uzhastale and the Dolls, “creations”. -Any questions?-
-I think you’re mistaken and I hate being mistaken by somebody else.- Ikari smiled, the smile of a predator with utmost confidence of his superiority in relation to its prey. -I’m not with Flipside, whoever they are, I’ve come here for another reason.- Ikari opened one of his hands, revealing his Gainen Medal, grasping it between two fingers. -You have one of these and I would very much like getting it.- The Renegade Agent closed his hand one finger at a time, popping each knuckle as he did. -You can be smart and give it to me, or you can be dumb and force me to take it from your bloody corpse and would hate having to do that, so let’s avoid unnecessary conflict.- Ikari was trying to avoid a direct confrontation, as if this turned into a fight there would be a possibility that his powers might awaken the Gainen inside the Medal in Ron’s possession.
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Post by HungryHunter on Apr 13, 2017 5:08:22 GMT
Sidney lazily waved at Riku as they passed him. Jane waved as well, a little more enthusiastically. Martha glowered at him just like she had everything else today. They entered the tent and took seats around the table, Josefina just gently lowering herself to the floor, where she was still taller even than Yuu. The group paid varying degrees of attention to the briefing, from Yuu taking notes to Chelsea watching intently to Martha and Sidney utterly blanking. When the mutilated cyborgs were shown, even Marika sneered in distaste. Jane covered her mouth, Chelsea reeled and smoke came from her fingers. "So the people who do this are the ones who my flames were made to burn." She murmured.
"Yes I know is messed up, I wouldn’t be caught using those shitty excuses for guns even if there wasn’t any other gun in the world…" Martha was halfway out of her seat before Yuu's hand on her chest thrust her back down. "You can't beat empathy into somebody." Yuu growled in Martha's ear. It barely seemed to take any effort for her to restrain her, but the sweat drops on her forehead told the true story. Martha gave up after a few seconds and hunched in her seat, avoiding the mad scientist's view. "You would know." She turned her glare on Yuu for just a second and Yuu winced. She focused on the task at hand, but her discomfort was clear. All of this was too much like Marika for her tastes, from the inhumane experiments to the sick doctor they counted as an ally.
It grew when she saw the final image. Three targets. "We're going to split up, aren't we?" Yuu felt a pit in her chest forming. The other dolls looked at her with some worry, but Marika just seemed slightly annoyed she was reacting so badly to the idea. So what if they were? It would be faster! Her creations could handle this just fine! She was just thinking of what teams they would form. So many options.
Ron cocked his head when Ikari stated he wasn't from Flipside. No reason for him to be lying here, so great. He had another piece of shit faction on his ass now over something else totally unrelated. Ron was almost tempted to just hand the medal over. What good was it to him? He had spent hours fiddling with it, examining it from every angle. For a magic disk that fell from the sky, it wasn't actually all that interesting. But if a mysterious stranger was willing to trek a hundred miles from civilization into a freezing wilderness for it, it stood to reason this thing was a lot more valuable than he had given it credit for.
Ikari couldn't see it under Ron's head to toe clothing, but Ron's carapace was spreading. It would make him a good deal harder to stab, although not as much as he'd like. His full armor was better for that, but he'd have to shed all his heavy clothing to summon it. "If it means that much to you, you can try taking it. But I'll warn you, I'm made of sterner stuff than you might realize." Ron pulled off his woolly mittens, revealing bright orange gloves with a strange, glossy texture underneath.
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Post by Kuma on Apr 15, 2017 3:40:26 GMT
Riku didn’t care about the Dolls and he didn’t reply to Sidney or Jane’s greetings. The Young Spirit Boxer kept working on his training routine with the emotionless efficiency of a man driven by revenge. Inside the tent Shikishima heard the dolls questions and quickly replied to Yuu’s. -No, we’re going to stay together, splitting up is counter productive and the areas marked on the maps aren’t the targets, we have 2, not 3.- The Mad Scientist wasn’t a fool, he didn’t want to allow the Dolls to have free range on the complex without supervision, they could backstab them or worse, damage their prize. -The zones marked are danger zones, weren’t you paying attention? Those are the worse places to be and we might have to cross one so please get your artificial head on the game.- If something was clear it was that Shikishima was awed by the craftsmanship behind the Dolls creation, but couldn’t give a rat's ass about them individually.
-Now, anybody has an actual question or require any kind of equipment before starting preparations to leave tonight? The locals are quieter by night and our guide is more effective on that period.- Shikishima talked with clear frustration.
-Most people in our "World "are made of a sterner stuff.- Ikari spewed venom with each syllable, talking about the Hidden World. As he did Deep Purple flames surrounded his body solidifying into that armor pieces covering his body. - But some of us, like me, are harder to crack than others.- His armor finally formed completely, his body covered in dark purple reinforced and jagged pieces, like a gothic armor becoming almost organic. His helmet was a fearsome wolf head with three eyes and a single horn, the whole suit of armor was decorated with gleaming amethysts. -Your lack of common sense by choosing to face me, something I hate, will be your undoing.- His voice was deeper and had sinister metallic undertones now.
Ikari clenched his fists, but unlike other fights he wasn’t covered in Hatred Flames or wielding a weapon made of them, he wanted to keep his usage of Gainen powers to a minimum, just relying on the physical aspects of his Armored Host to defeat Ron. -I’m going to ask you one more time…- The whole armor tensed up with a bone chilling metallic screeching. -Relinquish the Medal or face the consequences.-
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Post by HungryHunter on Apr 15, 2017 4:57:13 GMT
"I merely misunderstood. There's no need to be rude. We are people you know." Yuu locked steady eyes with Shikishima. Marika gave her a slightly confused look. Yuu was a person and her mother, but the others were just dolls. She dressed them up and they did what she wanted. "Don't be rude to Yuu." She grumbled, vaguely backing her up. Yuu just nodded and continued. "Anyway, we brought most of our own equipment. We have ropes, a sewing kit, flashlights, and some food. Is there anything else you were going to offer?" She asked, eyes still locked with those of the mad scientist.
Ron's eyes widened a little when Ikari summoned his own armor. If he wasn't from Flipside, he was certainly ripping them off. Ron dropped his snow pants and removed his heavy coat, only covering now apparent his bright white and orange carapace. It wasn't for very long, as the next moment his white armor materialized across his body, more exoskeletal than knightly, with a mask whose only features were antennae that hooked sharply forward and large compound eyes. As he finished this transformation, he slid the precious little disk into a closing gap in his armor, hiding it against his carapace.
"How about I take yours instead? Maybe when I have a working one I'll be able to figure out how this thing works." He suddenly threw his coat over the fire, smothering the tiny thing and leaving them in total darkness. With a distorted hiss like a snake through a static-garbled radio, the armor's eyes lit up red and his night vision activating, letting him rush forward and attempt to plant a fist in Ikari's stomach.
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Post by Kuma on Apr 18, 2017 2:35:37 GMT
-Oh well, you have rope, flashlights and food you’re sooooooo ready to enter a deadly den of demonic dangers…- Shikishima was clearly not taking the Dolls as seriously as he should, but as he talked he was moving towards a large storage container. -Are you sure you don’t anything else to deal with deranged…- He opened one of the security locks of the container. - Undead…- He opened another lock. -Soviet…- Shikishima raised the container top with a deliberate, and almost theatrical, slow pace. -CYBORGS!?- He proclaimed the last part as he slammed the container open revealing a large assortment of weapons, high tech death dealing machines.
The container walls opened revealing even more guns, reconfiguring itself into a large wall with support for the myriad of weapons being displayed. Among them some of the pieces that popped out were:
* A massive shotgun with a circular reloading mechanism and seemingly burning ammunition * An hybrid Crossbow/Railgun with quiver full of bolts * A set of dual pistols with curved handles and red plating that seemed to shoot plasma * A small blaster than seemed to be able of changing into different modes * Something that seemed like a souped up hair dryer with makeshift improvements * A pair of gauntlets with a “Tesla-esque” aesthetic.
-You can grab anything you like, these are mass produced versions of some prototypes I sold a couple of years ago.- Shikishima was lying, he sold the good versions and this were the prototypes, some might have bugs or mechanical problems unforeseen by him, but not considering the Dolls actual human beings he reached the conclusion that they would be the best test subjects for the weapon usage, so he could improve on this designs and actually make Mass Produced versions. - Come on don’t be shy, there is more than enough for everyone.-
Ikari didn’t flinch when Ron killed the fire. The White Carpass User rushed him and attempted a haymaker aimed at his gut, but the Renegade Agent reacted, thanks to inmensurable hours of training. He performed an orthodox Gedan Barai block, his arm sweeping the attack while moving in a 45 degree angle from his body. Without even thinking it he moved to the next step in the kata, doing a short step-in to break Ron’s balance, placing his leading foot in between Ron’s legs and aimed a short yet powerful Tate-zuki at the former Flipside member’s gut.
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Post by HungryHunter on Apr 18, 2017 4:17:23 GMT
"We're not exactly trained in the use of these..." Yuu weakly protested as the other dolls shuffled through the weapons with interest. Martha took the gauntlets, glad to have something to empower her weaker upper limbs. Josefina looked down at the weapons but found nothing nearly large enough for her massive fingers. Jane took the hair dryer weapon. It looked like a ray gun! Comic book as hell! Sidney grabbed the pistols. They seemed like the simplest to use out of what was left. You didn't have to reload plasma.
Chelsea nabbed the huge shotgun, size not seeming to bother her. Yuu reluctantly took the crossbow. She got the basic gist she thought. Didn't mean she was happy, but she could use it. "I want one..." Marika grumbled. Sidney tossed her the plasma pistols and she grabbed them out of the air. "We will learn how to use these with at least basic proficiency before tonight." Yuu promised. Sidney chuckled, glad she had given up her weapons. "Will this be all, sir?" Yuu asked, fiddling uncomfortably with her crossbow.
Ron felt a familiar clash of metal on metal (well, pseudo-metal on what he assumed was also pseudo-metal) when Ikari blocked his attack. At least now he knew he wasn't Flipside for sure. Way too orthodox. The punch to the guy just confirmed it. Ron flew backwards to lessen the impact and gain distance, but he still felt the sting even through this armor. His heart began to really beat, pushing nanobots through his blood stream, ready for repair work. This guy could actually back up his threats apparently. Ron began strafing back and forth while slowly closing in. The side to side movement was meant to disguise his distance until he was in range to lunge forward, trying to plant his knee in Ikari's chest. "Don't get cocky just because you can land one hit!" He yelled with the strike.
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Post by Kuma on Apr 18, 2017 21:09:39 GMT
-Yes, that would be all.- Shikishima walked past them towards the exit. Outside he pointed behind their tent. -We built a small training range there, you should be careful as the ground isn’t as stable there as it is here, so there might be potholes.- His smile was always sinister, coming from behind the shadows casted by his bandages, but the gleaming of his eyes made it even worse. -Nobody wants valuable hardware being ruined before the mission, right?- It wasn’t clear he was talking about his weapon or the Dolls, but something was quite obvious, Shikishima was quite the unpleasant man. After talking he retired to the male dorm tent. Riku was still training, this time around crouching under a tight rope and swaying from side to side, practicing his step-in, he was clearly not spending an ounce of attention on the Dolls or Shikishima.
Ikari looked at his fist, the face mask of his helmet hid the faint surprise on his eyes upon noticing a small crack on his gauntlet fingers, whatever that carpass was it was clearly high durable and he couldn’t risk pouring more energy to reinforce the armor. The Renegade Agent didn’t allow this minor setback to distract him, keeping his guard up and his eyes locked on the incoming Ron. With the ease of an expert Ikari side-stepped Ron’s rushing knee strike and with equal expertise he extended his arm in between the thigh and leg of the Iron Angel. This was meant to block his movements. His free hand shot forward directly aimed at Ron’s throat, looking to grab hold of him and perform a Chokeslam. -Don’t worry, you will get plenty hit before this ends.- Ikari cockily assured as he performed his step-in
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Post by HungryHunter on Apr 18, 2017 21:59:22 GMT
"We'll keep that in mind, sir." Yuu kept a straight face until Shikishima was gone. The moment he was out of sight, she let out a long sigh and let her facade drop just the tiniest bit. It was still only as much as a small twitch and the slightest frown, of course, but that was still something. "Let's test them on him." Martha suggested, hoping for some support for once. "Absolutely not. And don't suggest the boy over there either." Yuu gave Martha a warning look. "I wasn't gonna, he didn't do anything!"
Martha rolled her eyes and checked out the firing range. She rushed a target to pummel it with her gauntlets. Time to see what these could do. The others lined up to test out their weapons with curiosity, even Yuu reluctantly stepping up and aiming her crossbow. "Martha, could you test yours elsewhere? Somebody's going to shoot you over there." She warned and Martha stepped away, looking for something else to punch. "Hey! You look like a fighter! Anything around here to punch? Besides Shikishima of course." She yelled at Riku, approaching him with no aggression in her movements.
Ron's attack again fell to Ikari's greater skill and he felt a dawning regret at his course of actions when Ikari's hand found his neck. His hands instinctively went to his throat, but it didn't do him much good when he was pummeled into the ground. Ron's armor held up just fine, but his innards didn't appreciate the sudden stop. "Hit me all you want... but don't let go." Ron attempted to grab Ikari's arm as his engines purred to life. Within the second they all fired off and Ron flew backwards into the trees, hopefully taking Ikari with him. Ron dove around every trunk and branch he could find, attempting to slam Ikari into or even through them. He considered just dumping the guy here and taking off, but bags and coat were still here. That was all the food he had in the world.
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Post by Kuma on Apr 19, 2017 1:07:15 GMT
Riku looked at Martha with empty eyes. The Vengeful Boxer had taken this job on the promise of money and training by Ikari, who he witnessed defeating several Spirit Boxers on his own, months ago, after an event in London. Riku could keep ignoring her, but his Boxer’s Pride wouldn’t allow him to witness technical mistakes. -I…- He started replying but stopped midway, realizing that he wasn’t in any position to talk about technical mistakes, he had made a lot of mistakes in today’s training, missing the mark by a couple millimeters and over-extending his step-in for more or less the same amount. Still his inner fighter couldn’t stay silent upon such disregard of proper form.
-I think…- His low and raspy voice wasn’t nice, seemingly less like a person and more like something trying to pass for human. -I think you’re making a mistake about those gauntlets.- Riku moved closer to Martha. -Look here.- He pointed at the place where the Gauntlet knuckles should be. -There is no plating whatsoever for the knuckles, nor any kind of sharp or piercing implement attachment to them, so I don’t think they are meant to be uses as knuckle dusters.- Riku was quite correct, as those Gauntlets were made to absorb and re-direct electrical energy, specially Hidden World variants. -It would be quite incorrect to use them as weapons for a close combat encounter.- And with his piece said he returned to training, turning his back to Martha.
Ikari kept his cool and while he was being dragged behind Ron, who aimed to slam him against anything hard in their way, the Renegade Agent kept using his free hand and legs to utterly trash anything the Iron Angel was trying to slam him into. -I must admit I like seeing a fighter who for a change decides to uses the terrain to his advantage, I don’t hate that at all.- He calmly proclaimed as he torn asunder a tree with a chop of his armored hand. -But this is getting old quickly and I do hate that.- With that said Ikari stomped as hard as he could, sinking his feet underneath the cold ground of the tundra and from that position he twisted his arm, trying to redirect the jet propelled Ron into the ground.
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Post by HungryHunter on Apr 19, 2017 15:19:44 GMT
Martha looked at the gauntlets with confusion. Why would somebody make cool gloves you couldn't punch people with? What DID they do then? She shrugged and turned away. "Thanks. I guess I'll just practice until I figure things out." Martha wandered off, sticking close to the camp but a little off from anybody else. Martha walked to an unoccupied spot of camp and began darting around, invisible to the mundane eye with her sheer speed, dashing from spot to spot to throw a few kicks, then vanish again. She couldn't figure out these gauntlets, but she knew how to fight even without them!
The others were having a much easier time with their more straightforward weapons. "Why did we let that blockhead take the most complicated weapons?" Marika grumbled as she fired off her pistols, blasting holes in the swamp land next to the target. There were scorched marks all over, very few actually on her target. She was beginning to scowl in a way that made all the dolls move away from her. They weren't doing vastly better, all of them having never used firearms of any sort before. Chelsea had made scattered holes in her target, the fragmentary ammo no doubt helping. Jane had chopped the corners off her target with her weapon, which had turned out to fire cutting gusts of wind. Her aim was surprisingly the best of any of the dolls here, beating out even Yuu, who had only landed two arrows in her target, both of them going straight through.
Sidney occasionally fired off a lazy shot with her blaster, none of them seemingly even aimed at her target, apparently just to give the impression she was making an effort. She was more interested in tinkering with the gun, finding that it changed into an axe and a kunai, just like the ones Yuu used. She didn't know how to use either, but as a close range fighter, an axe was a nice to have. Still, she was thinking of what she could get out of Raven for this thing. She bet she'd do so many chores for it. With no weapon, Josefina sat behind the others, feeling this unfamiliar swamp earth. She could learn a lot by feeling the dirt of a location. Her whole hand was merged with the swamp, strings feeling the world around her.
Ron gagged with pure shock when Ikari chopped a tree in half. Did this guy have no limits!? Ron couldn't stop the knight of hatred from pummeling him into the ground, and the force of Ikari's efforts and Ron's own wings cracked something inside like a dry twig. Ron's hand went for his snapped collarbone, but stopped himself. First aid could come later. He'd heal quickly, but only if he didn't die. He could feel his armor was intact at least, just a little strained across his torso. It was a whole lot tougher than the rest of him, which was nice but it wouldn't stop all this blunt force from smashing up his insides.
His wings were still intact, that much at least was good news. He didn't know how much good it would do him, but it was certainly nicer than being grounded. He could try slashing him with them, but with that armor, he almost certainly wouldn't do any harm. An idea came to mind from Ikari's own actions. Ron couldn't chop a tree in half like that, but he could certainly topple one. He blasted off backwards, slicing into a massive trunk with two wings. A roundhouse kick finished the job, tilting a tree down towards Ikari. He didn't expect this to work on its own, but he did expect it to be a distraction. He rushed around behind Ikari and shot full force foot first for his knee just as the tree was coming down.
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Post by Kuma on Apr 20, 2017 2:29:56 GMT
The Young Boxer barely cared about the Dolls and their less than successful weapon practice, but he was still taking glimpses from time to time just to check they didn’t accidentally shoot in his general direction, he couldn’t die here, he had a man to kill. Riku wasn’t going to pick a weapon, but he was quite interested, not that it show, on Martha’s peculiar kick centric fighting style. He was almost tempted to ask her for a spar, but he quickly realized that fighting a kicking enthusiast wouldn’t be of any use for him when it came to Spirit Boxing.
Shikishima was nowhere to be found, surely napping or doing whatever Mad Scientist do on their free time. The Dolls could practice until dusk.
Ikari, now grounded and without the need to actually destroy incoming debris just side-stepped the falling tree, taking his feet out of the ground as he did, raising a cloud of dust as he did. -Once again…- Without turning around, doing it with his off-hand, he blocked Ron’s kick. -I commend you for your use of the environment.- The Renegade Agent attempted to clutch the foot, tightening his armored claws against the White Carpass. -But you can’t win.- If he was successful Ikari would left Ron and slam him against the floor, passing the Iron Angel over his head before pushing him down. If not he would just turn around.
-You must know that by now.- He sentenced with a tetric voice. The palm of his gauntlet was cracked by the kick, but he didn't give any signs of it, neither on his posture or tone, regenerating the cracks in a split second as he spoke.
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Post by HungryHunter on Apr 20, 2017 3:35:12 GMT
The dolls and Marika kept practicing as the sun crept towards the horizon. Their aim improved steadily. They were by no means experts when Yuu called for a break, but they were less of a danger to themselves than the targets. With a few hours left till they had to go, it was a good time for dinner. The dolls relaxed while Yuu looked at what was available in the fridge. Jane read her comic in Josefina's gentle hands, Josefina looking down at the tiny paper thing without much comprehension. The words were much too small for her to read. Marika and Chelsea began arguing about a planned outfit, Chelsea demanding more blood splatter designs. Sidney lay flat on her back, still fiddling with her weapon. She was pretty sure she had found all the functions, but she was still interested in how it switched between them. Martha was still outside, unaware the others moved.
Within an hour Yuu had cooked something quick up and they all gathered around the fold out table as best they could. Marika and Chelsea were still arguing, drawing their differing designs on the napkins. "Like this!" Chlelsea yelled, showing off a 90% red hoodie. Yuu snatched her away and moved her to another place before Marika stabbed her with a fork. "Somebody get Martha and tell her-" "Food!" Martha gave a delighted yell as she rushed into the tent, strong scent of mint following from her workout.
"Never mind. Eat up everybody, we'll be leaving soon." The dolls didn't need to be told twice, digging into the beans and peas Yuu had found in the fridge and cabinets. It wasn't Yuu's best work, but she did what she could with what they had. When they had finished, Yuu stood and lead them again to the front of the tent. "Shouldn't be long now." Yuu looked at the sky, nearing the horizon now. She picked up her weapon and went to the targets for a few more practice shots, followed by most of the dolls. Martha stayed and Jane curiously followed. "Where are you going?" The tiny doll asked. "Hm? Oh, nowhere. I'm just resting. I've been running around all day!" Martha sat on an ammo crate to avoid the damp ground. Jane sat next to her, brandishing her new weapon with uncommon confidence. "It's great! I can actually fight with this! Honestly, I think I was just brought here to open doors." Jane admitted. She was well aware she wasn't a fighter. "Probably!" Martha was as blunt as ever, leaning back on the tent.
"FUCK! GET FUCKING HIT YOU FUCKING-" Ron was lifted and slammed "FUCKER!" Ron's collarbone screamed and a rib or two now joined it, but he was too pissed to care. He instantly leaned up and started throwing wild punches at Ikari's helmet. "I'll compact this stupid snout of yours until your head is caved and then EAT it!" He screamed at the top of his lungs, throwing a series of jabs followed by a fierce right hook right at the wolfen snout of Ikari's helmet.
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Post by Kuma on Apr 20, 2017 4:43:44 GMT
As the sun set on the camp, the last rays dying out behind the immensurable line of trees, something got closer to the camp. Hoping from shadow to shadow, maybe being a shadow itself, something was moving towards the middle of the camp. Finally the shapeless being splashed right in-between all the tents, nearby Riku, who kept ignoring it while training. The bundle of shadows swiftly gathered in one point, accompanied with what seemed the flapping of wings. Finally it gained form, a freakishly tall and thin figure clad in light black leather armor with round silver reinforcements. His head was covered by a helmet with a mask covering the middle of his face stopping on his upper lip. The mask was molded to fit his nose. The lower part of his face was obscured by a chainmail skirt falling from mask and tucked into a red scarf he was carrying around his neck, with a long tail waving behind him.
The armor was sewn with inhuman dexterity, the pieces covering the being’s entire body while still being flexible, mimicking human musculature, with red threads used for the seams. The armor had a couple of pouches but they were clearly empty. He didn’t seem to carry any weapons, but he was packing natural defenses, as his fingerless gloves revealed thin, long and pale fingers that ended in sharp dark red claws. His eyes, covered by the shadow casted by his helmet shined in the dark with an eerie glow, with a very peculiar shade of red, like blood under the moonlight. His entrance was accompanied by a cloud of bats sprouting from his shadow and vanishing into the trees. Even with his strange body type his steps were graceful and poised, walking towards the male dorm tent, surely to inform Shikishima of his arrival, but before he reached the door of the tent he turned around, looking at Yuu, Martha and Jane.
As if a fire was lit behind his eyes, the glare he dedicated to the dolls, a truly hateful scowl, seemed to burn more than the forge of a blacksmith. Yet that only last for a moment before he entered the tent. Urnas, the scout of Kuro-san’s team had arrived.
The Renegade Agent didn’t even bother to block, swaying around the rage-driven attacks of Ron with the calm and temperance only a master martial artist achieves. As he dodged he kept talking. -The more you extend this fight the more you burn through my good graces.- The eyes of his face mask shone with a midnight glow as a metallic creaking signaled the closing of his fists. -I’m still giving you a chance to cooperate.- Ikari stepped in and took the offensive with a Yamazaki-zuki. He would do a overcut punch towards the head while his actual target as a body blow, he attacked with both hands at the same time with a shout of -CHESTO!-
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Post by HungryHunter on Apr 20, 2017 5:37:38 GMT
Jane and Martha saw the shadows as they formed into something resembling a human form. Yuu, further away with the other dolls, didn't notice the figure at all. Jane instinctively ducked behind Martha for defense. This thing's glare instantly set her on edge. Hell, even if he didn't glare she'd hide. What the hell was he? Martha instead tilted her head and glared. "What, you want some!?" She yelled as he entered the tent. Yuu turned and saw that she didn't appear to be yelling at Riku. It looked like somebody else had arrived, likely already inside the tent with the unpleasant scientist. She considered following, but if she wasn't invited in she wasn't wanted in yet. She went back to practice, one eye on the tent flap.
Martha just grumbled and stood, smiling when she noticed Jane looking at her. "Funny looking guy, huh? What's his deal?" She pondered out loud, stretching in preparation for the upcoming adventure. "No idea." Jane remained on the ammo box like it would protect her from the shadowy stranger. Martha looked after him, rubbing her chin. Bet she could take him, the weirdo. Even if he did have one of those distracting tails!
Ron managed to dodge the overcut, his first victory of the day. He didn't have time to gloat when he took Ikari's true blow to the chest and went flying backwards. More cracks spread in his ribs and he crashed hard into another tree, smashing halfway through. He lay there, gasping, for just a second before he began hearing the telltale snaps and pops of the tree collapsing. He rolled to the side and the tree toppled where he was, leaving him on the ground, unsmashed but hardly unharmed. He gurgled and began crawling. He wasn't sure where he was going, but it wasn't here, so that was nice.
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Post by Kuma on Apr 21, 2017 2:14:41 GMT
Shikishima came out alongside the strange man, who was clearly not walking, just sliding over the floor like a ghost. He did the same when he entered the tent before. The Mad Scientist had a triumphant smirk on his face, that even through the bandages reflected a sinister joy. -Well we’re moving out, Urnas left a trail for us to follow and avoid losing valuable hardware to the pestilent waters of these wretched swamps.- He might be a weaponsmith master, but anybody listening would guess he is rather a Literature major, rather than an engineer, because of his love of adjectivization. Urnas once again glared at Yuu, Jane and Martha, with the kind of hatred that only comes from facing those who wronged you in the past. And after throwing daggers with his eyes at them he vanished into shadowy wind following a path through the trees that lighted up as he passed.
The Mad Scientist invited them to walk through the path, Riku wiped his sweat and got a backpack on, as he was in charge of taking Shikishima’s equipment. -Arachne-dono, a word?.- The Maniac Weaponsmith moved closer to Marika and talked softly. -I don’t know why, but it seems Urnas has a dislike for your amazing creations, I would recommend you advice them to stay far away from him, as he is relatively new to the operation and God only knows what he might try.- Shikishima wasn’t concerned for the Dolls well-being in the least, but he was worried of his own well-being if he failed, he seen what happened to people who crossed Kuro-san, like those bastards who he granted a wet funeral, drowning them in Ryugu-jo. Shikishima shuddered for a second and then returned to the path, with Riku leading the way.
-Tsk… You really don’t want to give up? I hate your type, so…- Ikari lifted a large rock from the ground as he returned to an upright stance after the Yamazaki and he crushed it into dust with a quick clutch. -stubborn…- The Renegade Agent looked around and finally he stopped when he detected a large enough piece of the tree he splitted apart. Ikari sat down, still in armor and his tone changed. -Still I must say I’m impressed with your survival skills, and that I don’t hate.- The Knight of Hatred was more relaxed, but he was still alert to Ron’s movements. -I offer you an alternative… You seem like the kind of man who could use more power, if whoever is Flipside is chasing you…- The sinister glow came back to his eyes as he dramatically extended his hand. -So… do you desire power?-
Ikari knew he could totally destroy Ron if he actually put the effort, but considering his employer plan this alternative might be even more useful.
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Post by HungryHunter on Apr 21, 2017 5:07:55 GMT
The dolls who before hadn't noticed Urnas before now saw him, spotting his glare before anything else. "He's only looking at us and Yuu like that." Jane noticed. Martha tilted her head in confusion. "Weird. Why do you think that is?" She asked. Jane just shrugged. Marika had her own ideas when the mad scientist informed her of the problem. "Did he hate somebody I made them from? Or... like them? That would probably be worse." People could never just let her make her damn art. "Fine, we'll stay clear. Yuu, keep an eye on him." Yuu nodded and glanced off in the direction Urnas left. Her searching for reasons was deeper than the others. They had made many enemies over the years, but she never recalled fighting anything like him. Perhaps his issue was that they were undead? Or perhaps they really had killed someone he loved. Yuu's missing heart ached at the thought. So much pain left in their wake. But she couldn't let him hurt her family, deserved or not.
Ron paused his crawl when Ikari spoke of power. He didn't trust it, but why would Ikari talk when he could easily catch Ron? Ron rolled over to look at him. "Why... would you offer this after all that?" He gasped out. "Not much in a position to refuse I guess... I take it the power you're thinking of involves that medal you want? I already have armor. Didn't do me too much good though..." Blood dripped down his chin.
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