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 Posted: Mon Jun 08, 2015 1:18 pm
He knew it would have come to this, sooner or later, but Gale much preferred it to be sooner. There was no sense putting something off; just make it fast, like ripping off a bandaid, even if it stung.
Or, at least in Gale's case, even if it probably might kill him. His hand twitched as though recalling the last disciplinary action taken against him by their illustrious leader, the burn marks still etched across his skin in black spindles.
With a sigh, he knocked on the door to the office of one Caelius Innis, Death Division Leader, and prayed that somehow, magically, Mark was there instead.
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Posted: Mon Jun 08, 2015 1:32 pm
There was no response from the other side, though the door did open quite easily. It seemed like the Death lead had just been very recently preoccupied with whatever it was that was leaving a giant bloodstain on the ground. The walls were splattered in a fresh coat of red, the windows were smashed - again- and there was very noticeably someone's finger still twitching on the ground. Fingers.
While he didn't exactly say this was extremely bad timing, Caelius just stood there for a while longer, typed god knows what to his cell phone, and then began to gather each pile of paper off his desk and wipe off the offending blood splatters.
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Posted: Mon Jun 08, 2015 1:39 pm
Gale just eyed the bloodstain with a pathetically large amount of weariness instead of surprise. Disgust was added to this particular emotion at the still twitching finger, Gale wincing violently as he pressed a hand to his mouth, hovering between horror and nausea.
And of course, there was Caelius, standing in the middle of it all. Gale took a deep breath and then immediately regretted this act, because the room smelled sharply of the metallic taste of blood.
"Good morning," sir," he said quietly, hardly daring to take another step.
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Posted: Tue Jun 09, 2015 1:16 am
"If you are here to idle and engage in inane conversation, Mark will easily entertain your competence, or lack thereof." Regardless of conversation, the Death lead took out what was best explained as a hand-sized box edged with runes. "Place the fingers in the box. I will deal with the rest later."
The fingers that the Death lead was speaking of had begun to attempt to wiggle away, as if moved with a life of their own. If the fingers were acting that way, it was a great wonder what the rest of the body was up to.
Each finger struggled upon any form of contact, replicating human flesh perfectly as they squirmed and resisted.
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Posted: Tue Jun 09, 2015 2:13 pm
Gale didn't respond to this, mostly because he had a feeling it would be a Very Bad Idea to do so. Instead, he reached out and accepted the box before edging cautiously over to where the fingers were still on the ground.
He tried very hard not to throw up. Gale's hand closed around the fingers as they wriggled and squirmed, and it sent shivers of disgust rippling through him, trying to pry them away from his own so he could drop them into the little case. It took him a few moments - they were horrifyingly human-like - and he finally stuffed them away, slamming the lid shut.
Gale held the box back out to Caelius.
"Sir."
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Posted: Tue Jun 09, 2015 5:30 pm
He took the box, and placed it next to the desk, where it just shook awkwardly time to time, reminding everyone who every had a doubt once again that Hunters indeed fought things that really should never have existed in the first place.
And then the Death lead waited, with that half-expectant look that he had taken to adopting whenever Gale was around. It was the sort of expression where he was debating whether or not he really wanted to muster any type of effort to reprimand Gale for just existing.
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Posted: Tue Jun 09, 2015 5:43 pm
Gale's gaze kept being diverted by the still-moving box, which was succeeding in creeping him out, but he dragged his attention back to his Division Leader, taking a deep breath and steadying himself against that all-too-familiar expression.
"I'd like to ask about the virus," he said. "Everything that's happened in the past twenty-four hours - was it all caused by an artifact? The Grail that Charlotte - or whoever she is - was talking about, is that what caused this?"
He had a feeling he wasn't going to get a straight answer, and that Caelius would probably call him stupid yet again, but Gale was going to be straightforward about it anyway, especially since artifacts were supposed to be his specialty.
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Posted: Tue Jun 09, 2015 5:59 pm
"You can begin with research," the Death lead grabbed a pile of papers off his desk and placed them in front of Gale. Mission reports. Hundreds of mission reports. I'm sure even someone with your limited capabilities does not need me telling you exactly what you need to do with them."
The box almost shook off the desk. Caelius placed a runic stapler on it. It stopped shaking. "Have you made any successful teamwork progress in your specialization." It was meant to be a question, but always came out as statements.
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Posted: Tue Jun 09, 2015 7:37 pm
Well, he hadn't been entirely dismissed yet, which Gale took as, not a positive per say, but not entirely negative. Or maybe just less negative than it could have been. He stared at the mission reports with an expression of mingled suspicion and annoyance.
"Research is fine," said Gale, eying the box again. His gaze flickered back to Caelius and he felt himself redden.
"...not yet," he muttered. "Sir. I've been a little preoccupied with...other things. I have plans for future recon missions to Horseman lairs."
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Posted: Tue Jun 09, 2015 10:28 pm
"Everyone has ******** plans for things. I'm sure you had plans to ask me about what you call the virus as well." He took out a second stapler from the box - where were they coming from? "I want to know what exactly you have done with the lenience I have given you. If you cannot give me results, then I cannot give you any further clearance."
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Posted: Wed Jun 10, 2015 1:26 pm
Gale resisted the urge to scowl and instead just took a small breath, eying the stapler with a certain amount of wariness, just in case Caelius decided to use it as ammunition.
"Nothing yet," Gale said finally, with reluctance, because he hated admitting it, even to himself. It was a disappointment, a let down to his own sense of worth, and all he could see now was his failed attempts, his botched missions, his lack of sense in touching the Grail. All of his failures, come to light, all of his insecurities and mistakes suddenly in bright and obvious focus.
"But yes, sir, I would like to ask you about the virus," he continued flatly.
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Posted: Wed Jun 10, 2015 10:14 pm
The Death lead gave Gale a flat look and added a second stack of papers onto the existing first one.
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Posted: Thu Jun 11, 2015 11:52 am
He was silent for a moment, and then -
"The girl on the beach," said Gale, changing the subject entirely, back to what it had been before. "If I may, sir, I have experience in the matters of the Ouroboros group, as well as the figure known as 'Peter Pan.' I'd like to explore this and the Grail more deeply, if at all possible, and with some assistance from a select few."
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Posted: Fri Jun 12, 2015 10:15 pm
What Caelius was really thinking was probably something along the lines of why didn't you say exactly that five minutes ago and grievously waste my time so? What he actually said was absolutely nothing for a long moment.
"I will decide if you are capable for any missions. While I appreciate", he didn't, "your sentiment calling the legacy the Grail, do not adopt Mark's ******** terminology in my presence. In order to prove you are capable for any class S mission, I want you to bring your assistance here and explain to them exactly how you would debrief them on a mission involving neutralizing Peter Pan."
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Posted: Fri Jun 12, 2015 10:34 pm
In typical Caelius fashion, there was no beating around the bush. Gale stood there for a moment, face set, expression narrowed as his lips pressed together. He contemplated his boss for a moment, and then reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone.medigel Text to Stormy <3:Any chance you could meet me in Caelius' office?
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