The adventure: New Beginnings

Who is the most tragic figure?

Vash	25.8%	[ 17 ]
Spike	10.6%	[ 7 ]
Homura	28.8%	[ 19 ]
Other	34.8%	[ 23 ]
Total Votes:			[ 66 ]

[ShadowKitty Crescent]

*Terra, despite everything, tries to give a smile to Ruby. It looks strange as she's covered in Spinel's blood along with her garb. It comes off as a dark, humorous smile. In this moment, she looks strikingly like her father; but not in a malevolent manner. She's simply trying to calm Ruby and see the humor covered in the tragedy.*

Terra: You're alive....we're alive. We did it, Ruby.

*Kat tackles Shade into an embrace, hugging him close as she cries, relieved.*

[Dr.Dilbert]

(Alright. I will work on a post as soon as I can. If anyone's tried to call me I'm sorry but it looks like I have to chew out my phone company. I was told I would receive a bill in the mail but now my phone is acting up and not sending out messages. So I'm gonna be making a little trip and if you here on the news that a Verizon store was burned to the ground with the employees still inside I told you guys I was vacuuming the house that day.)

[Dr.Dilbert]

(Got everything sorted out)

When Judas touches Ruby she drops her right and shakes her head rubbing her forehead against his. Her eyes are closed as she does so. Terra speaks and after a moment Ruby puts a hand on Judas's should and steps away

Ruby: No, you all did it. I wasn't able to fight her. I'm... sorry for... so many things.

When she opens her eyes the red of her iris's is very faint. I tinge on the rim at best. She gives a tight lipped smile to Terra trying to do something for her. She looks at the girl and Judas's arms and once again she seems puzzled, her eyes flick around the other gems in their tubes. The tension in her body comes back but she sighs as she looks back to Judas.

Ruby: Judas, why do you hold so tightly to a still form?

-The other room-

Ninja had recovered enough to limp over to Susano'o.

Ninja: Glad you survived man. Close call there though.

Susano'o nods

Susano'o: How are you holding up?

Ninja: Everything hurts, I'm seeing double, and it'll take forever to cleanse my palate of blood. So just peachy compared to some of us.

Susano'o: Opal.

Ninja nods

Ninja: Let's go man.

Oliver had managed to roll over and sit up. He grimaces as his body complains. After moment he waves a hand and suddenly the team sees they each had a camera or two focused on them and a few scattered around the room, their illusion being broken. He calls one to him and begins looking at the footage. His brows knit together at times and he winces at others.

Oliver: Brutal stuff.

Rose has a brief talk with Joan and gets the warrior to calm down. Rose allows Joan to sit up but keeps her from attempting to stand for fear she'll hurt herself. Joan looks at the hilt of her sword.

Joan: All that power and I didn't even scratch her.

Geo plunks down the thin rapier soul gem blade beside her.

Geo: Nearly tripped on it. It belong to you yes?

Joan traces her fingers over the blade not knowing what to make of it.

Joan: How?

Cassiel: Divine intervention maybe.

Sakura begins trembling as she begins to come around.

[Evil Wisdom]

*Judas looks at Ruby, his eyes puffy and filling with red tears*

Judas: This...is Hope, this is our "Daughter". I've only known her for a few hours, but...I'm already proud to Call her Bloodgrave. Even if her mind was corrupted by Spinel, she fought to her last just to prove she could.

*Judas cant fight back his sorrow any longer, he drops to one knee, clutching the girl close to him. He had never thought he could care for someone he'd never met.*


*Cain makes his way to his brother and places a hand on his back*

[Dr.Dilbert]

Ruby is struck dumb for a moment before she places one hand on her lower abdomen. She grits her teeth as she rubs the heel of her hand against one eye. She places a hand on Judas's shoulder.

Ruby: I'm sorry I dragged you into this Judas. Though there are few I'd rather have at my side I am sorry to have exposed you to such trauma. Lay her down Judas and rest yourself. We'll take her with us and give her the burial she earned once we leave.

If Judas relaxes at little she kisses his forehead to help sooth him a little more.

Ruby: Rest now, you have earned it. There are things I must do now.

She nods at Cain to stay near his brother before heading to the center console. After a brief chat with Terra Ruby comes up with an idea.

Ruby: The last thought anyone has is that of a war zone. If we can give them a moment to pause it should make waking them less hostile and less likely to hurt themselves or us. Good call Terra, this place would have been chaos had you unlocked us all at once.

Ruby goes to add roughly 10 seconds to the gems memory of her appearing in front of them and telling them to halt. She clutches her head but than chuckles to herself, the team senses that Ruby's mental power has increased somehow. She wakes up Opal and Onyx 1st to see how it worked.

The two gems pause to look at Ruby and their surroundings. They are brought up to speed with no explosive results. Slowly but surely the rest of the gems receive the same treatment. Those that begin to show resistance back down under Ruby's glare. With Spinel dead the other gems have little reason to continue her cause.

When all the gems are awake and of one mind not to fight the team a voice comes from the speakers.

Lab speakers: Project head Spinel is deceased. Authorizing new project head. GEM Ruby ranked as highest quality GEM. GEM Ruby is now project head. Awaiting command.

Ruby goes so pale it would seam her hair has more blood in it than her face.

[Dr.Dilbert]

Ember quickly finds her way to Ruby's side. She places her hands on Ruby's shoulders and speaks softly to her.

Ember: It's just a program designed to single out the best gem if the current head dies. It isn't some all knowing thing that thinks you're most likely to continue this horrid work. Don't let it rattle you.

Undine (water chosen) pulls Terra away from the console.

Undine: Blood is not a good look for you. Hold your breath for a moment.

When Terra takes her breath Undine wraps her up in a torrent of water that washes the blood from her body and clothes. Undine pulls the water away and makes it disappear leaving Terra completely dry.

Oliver and Joan make their way into the other room aided by some of the chosen.

Oliver: If Big Red's the new head thas works out better than I'd hoped.

Ruby and Ember look at him confused.

Oliver: Can you bring up anything for this place? Staff, lab reports, stuff like that.

Ruby looks at the monitor and after a few attempts gets to a screen that shows the staff for the lab as well as their location and condition. All people except the team are listed as deceased with their time of death being within the last hour or so.

Ninja: Damn chosen. You guys work fast.

Chione: We didn't do that.

Oliver: My guess is suicide. They knew their data was in the system, so no one would think of turning traitor and knowing that their side lost ended themselves rather than surrendering to us.

Opal: You mean Ruby. If you'd done what these people did would you want to face her or her team?

Oliver winces at the thought.

Oliver: You have a point.

With a few commands Ruby gets the system to acknowledge Oliver and Joan as admins. They look through some files. The labs had used their underground nature to advance various fields by years with inventions and formulas. Oliver notes a few of the files pertain to recent break throughs and theorizes that the labs used black market connections as well as puppet companies to fund themselves. He also says that the data from the labs could be used for great good.

Ruby sighs as she shakes her head.

Ruby: Take the data but this lab disappears. If you'll excuse me a moment there are things I need to see. Things I need to do.

Ruby walks into the arena and finds Spinel and Mystics bodies, she stands there looking at them for a little while.

Ruby: A part of me wants to bring them back so I can kill them myself while another part thinks that the mission is done so let it go.

Ruby crosses her wrists above her head.

Ruby: Let's split the difference. RUBY FLARE!

The building protests the damage Ruby does to it in her effort to destroy Spinel and Mystic. In one blast the space where Spinel and Mystic had been is now a port hole into the earths depths. She looks at the vacant space a little while longer before going back to everyone.

Ruby: Anyone have any business with this place before we blow it sky high?

[Evil Wisdom]

*Judas gets to his feet, and hands hope to Cain*

Judas: I have a promise to keep...

*Judas Draws the Crimson Memorium, it twists into a scythe made of bone, its blade jagged and gruesome, cloaked in darkness. his eyes burn red as he stares at the bloody spot where Spinel had died. His entire mood shifts, he grins with malevolent pleasure. and pulls the scythe back, readying for a swing*

Judas: I Haven't forgotten...

*Judas swings his scythe at the air above the blood patch the scythe makes a crisp "swish" as the blade erupts into black fire, the smell of Sulfur and ash fill the room and the screams of the damned ring out while burning cold fills the lab. Judas Swings the Scythe once more and the hellish sensations end abruptly. Judas stands and takes a deep inhale. the spits on the ground, and dismisses the scythe.*

[Dr.Dilbert]

So long...

11 Years. 11 years I have come here and posted. 11 years I have role played with quite a few people. And while many of those people have come and gone some have stuck around both in this thread and in my life.

I wish I knew of more ways to express the depth of gratitude and feeling I have for all of you. Though we have had our arguments and fights it hasn't changed what you mean to me. I'm sorry if I sound like a broken record every time this event comes around but you guys mean a lot to me and I shall strive to do right by you.

Oh I think I got the google doc working. I think we should each use a different font color for our posts. I obviously call blue, Kitty will call pink (unless she's become such a government worker she wants to be be Kitty in Black razz ) and CA will call purple maybe.
Anyway here's the link.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1kfz7Nsu4gIwgWhyvli35kwozIUV6S6zUS6gH0LOwvVM/edit?usp=sharing

[ShadowKitty Crescent]

We end as we opened. Happy Threadiversary, and let us try to enjoy our new story as it becomes alive!!

[Evil Wisdom]

(i'll save us))

[Dr.Dilbert]

(This saga is gonna be a @#$@ing nightmare to edit. I fully admit my handling of Ruby was not as grand as I wanted. I failed to show her conflict adequately and as a result she failed to express it appropriately. More nuance will be needed to handle her and Judas's relationships both past and present ones. Fun times ahead. At least I can get us to a saga ender for this thread.)

Ruby eyes what Judas had done and smiles, she turns to Oliver who is still working on the console.

Ruby: How long till you can copy all this data Oliver?

Oliver shakes his head.

Oliver: Bloody things a masterpiece of data storage, they must've been ready to blow anytime. Already got a main copy and a backup on me own personal storage devices. Gonna take me and the boys weeks if not months to go through it all.

Joan: Indeed. I hope it doesn't hinder other investigations to much. Can we warp out of here?

Oliver: Negative, whole place's still sealed. No way to shut it off, guess they didn't want people jumping ship.

Ruby: To Hell with that, Geo, Asuka, guard everyone for a second please.

Ruby unleashes her Unifier state and blows a clean hole through the ceiling, the blast continues till it hits the air outside of the facility. Once again the place shakes, warning sirens go off tell everyone about how the facility has been breached.

Ruby: There we go, everyone to the ship. Oh isn't that convenient?

The screen shows options for how to deal with the breach, one of which is "self destruct 5 minute delay" Ruby smiles and hammers the button. After seeing everyone else warp out she gathers the GEMS that can't warp to the ship and warps with them in tow.

After arriving on the deck the team sees a plume of fire erupt from the ground. The lab is no more.

Ruby goes over to Susano'o, Opal, and Ninja.

Ruby: Can you take care of the others while I take care of some personal business? Go with Oliver and Joan, I'll meet you at their base of operations.

Opal nods and takes the rest of the GEMS with her. They follow Joan and Oliver and warp away.

Ruby deals with the chosen next.

Ruby: Thank you everyone. Once things settle down I'll be sure to pay you back for what you've done.

Geo nods: Geo understands. Much work to be done, Take as much time as you need Ranger Red, the Geo Rangers will be waiting for you.

The rest of the chosen voice similar lines before warping away.

Ruby turns to the team. She looks tired but a weight has lifted from her shoulders. She begins to speak but her words catch and she shakes her head.

Ruby: Sorry for... everything. Words aren't good enough for all of this. I'm sorry everyone but I need some time. Judas...

She walks over to him and holds out her arms to take Hope from him.

Ruby: Hand her to me and let's take care of her. Lead the way.

[Evil Wisdom]

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