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Gestalt Effect Vice Captain
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 Posted: Fri Dec 04, 2009 5:11 pm
Nick had never been able to hear Kagi actually speak before, but she had always been able to understand him. Especially since the... incident. More so after the incident in face. But there was one who could talk. One who spoke any language it wished. At least Nick thought there was one.
"Kagi, had to stay behind... He is protecting Titus." Nick looked away from Kai to the shards of the mask after finishing the last finger. The event again playing in her mind. The anger, the deal, the look Titus gave her before she left. Every memory was another stab. She winced for a moment. "It can't be allowed to use him either." Nick growled.
"Stay away from the Judge... be safe." Nick's gaze shot back to Kai. Her right eye glowing bright."I don't want anything to happen to you, again... please." Nick could only imagine what the Judge would do to Kai if she ever got a hold of her.
"It only takes-" Her eyes widened as she paused in mid word. That was it.
"-...Black fog." The words mindlessly rolled off her tongue. Her eye narrowed again as she grabbed the right side of her head. The glow still bright. A subtle headache begun to creep up behind her eyes. "Voices... in... the fog... millions of them... but one... goal..."
The last words were spoken mindlessly as well. The tone in Nick's voice changed a little, not completely sounding her own. A little twisted, a little darker. It was as if she were staring out into nothing, though her glare pointed still at Kai. Behind her biological eye there was nothing, no spark of life, ambition, compassion, rage, nothing.
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Posted: Fri Dec 04, 2009 5:29 pm
In most circumstances, understanding Edge was not a problem. Their thoughts were almost instantly the same, and arguement happened as if they both spoke the same language. But there was this one gap in their connection, their bond. She had no idea what he was trying to tell her, trying to show her. It was like Nick- that there were certain things he simply could not say. And it was beyond frustrating the wholes that she had to fill, that her brain simply refused to wrap around.
"Titus?" Kai had never met her, but if Kagi was protecting the girl, that was pretty significant. "But with all these.. problems, shouldn't you have Kagi with you?" At her words, Kai's face fell into that stubborn setting it tended to have when she had already set her mind to something, "I will find a way- the way- to free you from this. If Edge is the key, then we won't miss that chance." The organoid moved closer at the statement, rumbling a distinct agreement- as annoyingly unmoving as the pilot herself.
"Only takes what?" The trailing off of words bit at her like a cold sting. Every important statement lately was getting cut off right at the most pointed moment. "What does it take? What.. what black fog?" Immediate reaction was a turning of her now-bandaged head to look around the room, seeking this non-existant fog.
"Voices?" Her angry voice gained an edge of desperation. "What..what's the goal? Nick, talk to me!"
The mindlessness was picked up on within an instant, and she rocked forward, sitting up on her knees- partially kneeling. The pain, the soreness of her body was secondary to reactions that were honed so deeply into her. "Nick.. come back to me. Focus. I'm right here."
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Gestalt Effect Vice Captain
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Posted: Fri Dec 04, 2009 6:14 pm
"...Judgment... for the ...world... punishment... revenge" The metallic hand trembled as it slid from her face and lowered to her side. The hand rest palm up on the floor. The words were hesitantly spoken as Nick struggled to regain her mind.
A demonic grin rolled across Nick's face revealing those sharp fangs once again. The voice sounding less and less like Nick with each spoken word. "Genocide..." She hissed, eye flashing.
The more the voice changed the more Edge would be able to hear murmurs and whispers, but nothing clear. The voice, the sound of those murmurs were incredibly familiar. It was her-
Once Kai requested Nick's focus the murmurs come to an abrupt halt. The emotion and mind returned to Nick once again.
"K-kai?" Nick shook her head and groaned. The room was slowly coming back into focus with each moment. For now the headache subsided.
-no... no!- Another black out meant something terrible could have happened. She could have attacked Kai, or worse! Immediately her eyes scanned her friend for any sign of a fresh burn or cut. Worry covered her expression, breathing increased as her mind went over the things she might have done.
"I didn't h-hurt you did I?" Nick spoke desperately, it didn't seem as though she did, but after black outs Nick was left slightly disoriented.
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Posted: Sat Dec 05, 2009 10:14 am
Genocide?....
Kai hesitated, fighting the urge to recoil at the truly evil grin which replaced the expression upon her friend's face. "Judgement of what? What is it that this.. thing.. wants gone?" Was it everything? Everyone? Did it want to purge the world and make it its own?
Edge did catch those murmurs and whispers, his growling that had grown in intensity when Nick's demeanor switched silencing completely. A shimmer ran down his evilly black shell, the pulse of light coming from some unknown depths and reviving into runes of some long forgotten language.
Stripes and dots, curves and rings, all circled his armor. The glowed, and glowed brighter as the whispers continued. Some markings, Kai had never even seen before, and still hasn't- since she was paying no heed to Edge's change during the demonic utterings. The draconic organoid nearly had his face touching Nick's shoulder, so close.. and listening. He wanted to hear more, to understand the words spoken. He knew that voice.
"Nick?" Kai gasped as her friend seemed to return, though return from what she wasn't entirely clear. "It's alright, I'm fine.. I'm fine. No.. no you didn't hurt me. You were just talking." She sat back herself, boots scuffing noisely across the rough floor. "It wasn't your voice. But you just spoke. You didn't do anything else. Are you alright? You act.. like this has happened plenty more than once.."
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Gestalt Effect Vice Captain
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Posted: Sat Dec 05, 2009 11:23 am
The closer Edge got to Nick the more clear the words and murmurs became. They spoke something about finishing a job. But they became no more clear than that before they stopped. Kai's questions fell to deaf ears.
Without even thinking about it Nick touched Edge's nose with her metallic hand. Kagi usually edged so close when Nick was upset. Just like Edge had done. Oddly, Kagi liked being pet by the 'iron' hand more than the other one when he was comforting Nick. The reason... Once, and if, Nick made contact with that hand Edge would be able to see things, memories of the black outs.
Nick standing in the middle of a dark room surrounded by this thick black fog glaring at one who wore a mask similar to the one Edge had just destroyed, only the face was different. Another distorted shadow loomed behind that one. Other flashes included burning villages buildings, all strewn with mangled persons. A good deal of them missing their heads. Some of Titus, the girl who slightly resembled Kai, asking Nick to come back. But the final vision was of a large shadowed figure with four sharp bony arms and long sharp claws on each of them. Its eyes were always changing color, it never settled on one color for more than two seconds. The shadow was present in all the visions, but this was the first time he would be able to see its eyes. Detail was still cloaked by shadow. But the presence and defiantly those eyes would be familiar to any ancient.
Realizing that it was Edge and -not- Kagi Nick retracted her hand.
"Usually, when I have a nightmare, I-" She hesitated a little. "-Wake up with blood splattered on my body, all over my hands. I have woken up to nearly killing those I care about. Most of the time I wake up surrounded by fire. Once, I still had someone screaming for life in my hand... just before I crushed his skull. His head was still burning as he pleaded." Nick winced as she spoke of that. The memory still vivid in her mind. She could not remember what happened as she was in the nightmare, but after, she could always remember what happened after waking up. "I blacked out before I found myself here..."
Nick could only imagine what had happened this last time.
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Posted: Sat Dec 05, 2009 3:52 pm
Edge's intense blue eyes watched Nick, his head remaining just a hair's breath from her shoulder. What words he could hear, he listened to intently, with more and more energy eminating from whatever ancient source flowed from what would be considered his 'soul'.
The black organoid let his human's old friend touch him, as if expecting to see something with the contact. His expectations would not go unanswered. Those eyes. That creature. Yes.. He knew it, and as soon as Nick retracted her hand, Edge withdrew his dragon-like snout. A very submissive but defiant hissing growl was uttered and he bent his head low, tail swaying slowly.
This particular change in her partner was noticed with concern, Kai glancing at him curiously. She'd never heard that noise from him before. But she could only focus on him for so long, even as he shifted over to her and grabbed- somewhat uncomfortably- her arm in his mechanical jaws. The teeth were piercing, but his unusual behavior overwrote the feeling.
"Quit.. What's going on with you?.." She snapped, but not with the normal ferocity she'd have behind it. She knew he wanted her to know something. He'd been trying for quite some time. But she needed to stay with Nick- both physically and mentally- right now, and Edge understood this. His impatience, however, was never fully set aside.
"This thing has been making you kill people? You didn't do anything this past time, and came to almost right away when I was speaking. Have you found nothing else that brings you out of it? Can you fight it?" Pointless questions, shet felt, but Kai was going to start grasping for something- anything- to either gain more information or keep Nick here.
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Gestalt Effect Vice Captain
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Posted: Sat Dec 05, 2009 5:31 pm
Nick watched Edge curiously. The runes on his body seemed familiar, but at the same time foreign. Perhaps it was something that she had seen during one of the nightmares.
The glow in Nick's eye brightened as she looked back Kai. She frowned at Edge's action with Kai's arm. Kagi had done the same thing several times, it meant he was eager for something. At least that was what Nick's guess was based on her own organoid. It would be best not to protest against his actions, however. Especially since it was for his own purpose.
"....yes." Nick admitted sheepishly. It wasn't something she was proud of. Something she wish she could take back. "I fight it every time... And the more I fight the more it punishes me. The worse the migraine gets. I struggle until if feels like my head would explode." She glanced back at the mask shards on the floor. "Titus was able to bring me out of a nightmare a few times, but sometimes I can't hear anything. Just the black fog... I was told Kagi wouldn't even get near me when I'm far gone." Her voice shook a bit as she spoke.
The night she had made a deal with the Judge was one of -those- nights. When Nick remained in the nightmare when Titus tried to calm her. Kagi did not approach the two until Nick had calmed down. Titus was able to bring her back, but it took some time. For some reason Titus would not speak of everything that had gone on when she got back that night. Nick had a feeling something bad mist have happened.
Kai was trying so hard, but there was nothing to be done... Nick was under a contract with the Judge. One she was forbidden to talk about lest it be forfeit and the ones she cared about would be in danger. Soon Nick would have to go again, back to the demon.
"I'm sorry Kai..." Her words were nearly whispered. Sorry for everything that had happened over the past year. The current state Kai was in, the monster Nick had become, she was sorry it was so.
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Posted: Mon Dec 07, 2009 7:23 pm
Edge knew this creature. His muffled growl continued, escalating as Kai refused his intentions to pull her towards him. He did not, however, let go of her. He simply stood there, watching her with blue eyes that whirled in a sense of urgency and absolution.
A sense of guilt blindsided her, and she sat back, ashamed eyes glancing down to her side. She curled her fingers, but the effort was given up on with the reminder of the bandages. Titus was there for her, but she never had been. She'd been, quite literally, under a rock for a year. Nowhere within reach and out of communication's breadth.
She didn't want this moment to be the last time she saw her friend.
She also didn't want to let her friend continue to suffer.
She should have been there a year ago.
"Edge isn't going to let you leave for long. Nor am I." Kai stated, still looking away. The pressure in her chest had grown. The one person she'd grown close to, she felt as if she let down- down hard. She knew Edge had a certain.. ability. He seemed to know the existance of most organoids, and find them over some time. The tracking didn't seem perfect, but he eventually would lead a path towards Kagi- and hopefully, in consequence, Nick, if she tried to vanish to 'protect' her.
"Maybe.. if Titus and I both.." Would there be a way to break this evil creature's hold, its contract? Certainly Nick hadn't said a word about the contract itself, but the ties that she was showing to it, the unwillingness to run. It was getting more and more obvious.
Kai wasn't one to sit back and watch. She was never the tactician out on the battlefields. When situations called for it, she'd act first and think about it later. The dread within her told her this might not be a good time for that- this was far more serious than a sanctioned battle with rules and limits. This had no limits, except perhaps those drawn by being mortal.
But who, in their most desperate time, can fight their true nature?
"You don't need to be sorry, Nick. I'm sorry, that I wasn't there. I'm sorry I wasn't there for you when this started." Pained eyes still couldn't manage to look up.
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Gestalt Effect Vice Captain
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Posted: Mon Dec 07, 2009 11:10 pm
Nick let out a sigh as she looked at Kai. From all their years knowing each other, they have never had such an emotional meeting. Nick had seen Kai upset, but not like this. It was heart breaking...
Carefully Nick embraced her friend. She was equally careful to avoid the arm Edge had a hold of. Nick was more focused on Kai's actions than Edge's, but she did not forget about his presence. That would be most unwise.
"Things happen for a reason, no matter how bad they may be. Whatever you saw this past year has to be important. What has happened to me could not be avoided, but I prey something good will come of it." For once since before the past night event Nick's mind was completely clear. Though she was too focused on cheering up her good friend to realize this.
"I have no intention of dying and I know it has no intention of killing me yet. I promise Kai, I promise you I will fight to see the end of this." Nick leaned back so she could look at Kai's face. Her left hand remained on Kai's shoulder while the right metallic one moved to Nick's lap. She smiled as best she could given the situation. Though small, it was genuine. She was not happy with what she had become or what she did to people, but she wished to ease Kai's pain at least a little. "You... just promise me that you'll fight and survive as well. Promise you will remain safe."
What Nick had failed to realize with Kagi was that he could track here no matter where she was. The black fog distorted the trail a little, but not enough. The bond Kagi shared with Nick was strong. It helped much more that Nick was partially machine and this strengthened his homing. Edge too would possibly be able to track Nick down because of this mechanical side. Dr. Fox repaired her heart using almost the same technology he used to re-create organoids and ZOIDs.
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Posted: Tue Dec 08, 2009 4:14 pm
Edges bright eyes seemed to glow brighter, and his teeth sunk into her arm. For a moment, Kai's gaze went blank.
Rolling blackness. The thickness of the fog was suffocating, and for a moment, she couldn't see. As it cleared, though only slightly, a shadowy figure was apparent with four boney arms and eyes of ever-changing hue. The fog rolled back through and flashes of images passed quickly before her; Bodies, mangled and bloody. A girl she didn't recognize. And Kagi.
Kai blinked, and the blackness was gone. She looked immediately at Edge. He'd given her a fast-forward version of what he'd seen at contact from Nick, though of course she didn't know that. At this look, Edge released her arm, still glaring at her impatiently.
As Nick hugged her, she came back to the present, blinking again. Was that.. it? Was that the creature? Her sore arms rose to return the embrace gently, not sure if something else, or something stronger, might cause a return of the possession on her that the Judge seemed to have.
"You'll never be alone. Never in your fights will you be alone. Remember that." When Kai finally spoke, her voice was slightly shakey, though resolute as if either spooked by something or emotional about the embrace - though the latter is unlikely.
"I promise to fight to survive, but I won't let you suffer alone. I'll be safe." Sort of reversing the point of that statement, but meaningful nonetheless.
Eventually, Kai sighed deeply and winced as she moved to stand. "Nick, let's get out of here." She'd hold down a hand to take her friend's hand if she would take the summons to stand too, "Maybe you can't run from this, but the least we can do is leave this place. I never believed in ancient powers and other things, until lately. And Edge has pointed out more than once that whatever goes on down here is strong. If Edge is a part of this place, maybe that.. thing.. has a connection to it too."
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Gestalt Effect Vice Captain
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Posted: Tue Dec 08, 2009 5:29 pm
Nick gladly accepted the hand and got to her feet as well. Kai's promise was reassuring, though she knew that she would have to part from Kai soon. She had already taken her farther into this whole Judge thing than she would have hoped. Titus was not even taken this far.
"Alright...-" Nick sighed. She wouldn't be able to follow Kai once they were out of the Temple, but she wished to spend as much time with Kai before than.
She would wait for Kai before venturing into the halls once again. Nick wanted to make sure she was slightly in front of Kai, so if there were any issues Kai would be able to strike quickly... Edge as well. Though she did not voice her opinion on this. Nick had no intention of being killed here, but they would not be ambushed.
Deep melted gashes lined the halls leading out of the temple. They were fairly recent. And the closer to the exit the deeper the melted gashes were. The heat used in the gashes seemed to cool down the deeper they got into the temple.
"I've never really belied it either... but now I believe they did crazy things in the past." Nick sighed, than winced as another wave of pain struck at her mind. She grabbed Kai's shoulder and came to a stop. "...w-wait... it's out there... it... its waiting... don't go out. Let me leave and wait... until we are gone."
Nick trembled as she spoke. Once again the mental struggle began. She was not going to loose it just yet, though the more she fought the more the pain escalated. Nick's expression mirrored this.
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Posted: Tue Dec 08, 2009 6:53 pm
The last thing the un-aged Republic pilot wanted was to part from her old team-mate. Internally, she knew well that the time would come- and soon- but she kept that thought away, pushing to value the precious moments and believe as though they wouldn't end. Just like the old days. The knowledge that they wouldn't be able to stay together beyond the temple walls went unknown. Naively, she believed that leaving the temple would buy more time.
Kai knew two of the vast corridors well, but it was a web.. a maze of corridors which passed deeper underground. Everytime she returned here, she was taken deeper by Edge. She hadn't yet figured out the true meaning of this place, and she didn't entirely want to- the closer she got to it, the more injuries she seemed to receive.
The organoid was hesitant- unusual for the black draconic organoid. His markings had faded, but his anger had risen. Something was ahead, or outside. He hadn't noticed until now because of his focus on his human, but now.. now its presence was obvious. Just as the pair had begun walking, Kai walking beside Nick but slowly, not wanting to advance the likely short time together but not wanting to stay in this forsaken temple any longer, and just as the pain struck Nick, Edge erupted in a frightful roar. The sound reverberating down the hallways, down into some unknown depth. His metal claws scratching against the stone floor as he moved ahead of them both.
"It's out there? It's here?" Kai responded as soon as the temple ended its echoing tremble from the organoid's outburst. With Edge acting that way, and the pain so obvious on her friend's face, the question was an unnecessary one. The organoid poised himself in front of them, blocking the way down the corridor to the outside, hissing savagely at the unseen.
"I'm not going to let you go out alone, are you crazy!" She snapped. It was far less a question, and more of a statement. Her brick-hard determination wavered slightly when she noticed Nick's trembling. The pain.. she wanted so badly to stop it. How infuriating it is to be helpless! To have to watch a friend suffer, and feel so insignificant.
It was only then that Kai's dark-trained eyes noticed the gashes on the wall. A hand reached out to touch them- even this deep into the temple, warm. Sunlight would be hard on her eyes after a year in the dark. She'd be useless for a couple minutes when they stepped outside. Even if she could do something, she couldn't do it blind. But she wouldn't say that.
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Gestalt Effect Vice Captain
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Posted: Tue Dec 08, 2009 7:36 pm
"The Jury... is waiting." Nick growled as she backed away from Kai. Her knees buckled sending her to the ground before she could get to far. The ground under her hand hissed as the hand light up with a red flame. Nick's left hand still grasped at her head in a feeble attempt to stop the headache.
Edge would begin to hear the whispers. Clearly this time. 'return Iron Judge' and 'obey' were the clearest words being spoken. There were several other 'commands' it seemed, but they blended in too much with the noise.
In the room they had just left the mask shards spontaneously combusted into a blue than white flame, and than vanishing from existence.
On the opposite end of the deep all came the most terrible nose ever heard by man. The screech of the Jury. Its call worse than that of a banchi. Most who heard its call did not survive to talk about it.
Nick clenched her teeth and begun to grip the ground at the sound. Her hand easily breaking through the hard floor leaving a gash as she had in the walls earlier. The flame in the palm turned from red to blue and soon it would be white. Red begun to light the hallway as the eye brightened again.
"It... doesn't know... you are... here... It only... wants me..." Nick grunted again. Sweat beaded down her forehead as she struggled to remain in her own mind. "you... will... be... al...right... Kai... you will.. be... alright..."
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Posted: Tue Dec 08, 2009 8:28 pm
Kai faltered. Edge raged, fuming with energy and fury. Everything about him was poised to strike, blazing with a desire to kill whatever was waiting. Serpentine tail slashed, and the whispers turned the horrible, blood-curdling roaring into wicked hissing, quieted to listen closer.
The pilot flinched at the sound of the combustion, nerves slightly frayed from her last year of uncertainty and the current upset of everything she thought she knew. Eyes squinted at the horrible screech that followed in the combustion's wake as she fought the instinct to pull her hands to her ears. It was horrible.. No, worse. The sound burned.
However, her most intense focus remained, somehow, on Nick. The sound had put her down onto a knee. Her hand reached over to grasp her friend's shoulder.. to hold onto her physically in attempt to reach her mentally.
"Don't go Nick. Don't go to it!" Was her answer, her teeth gritted. "It can't have you. Nick, stay here! You don't have to go."
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Gestalt Effect Vice Captain
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Posted: Tue Dec 08, 2009 9:15 pm
Steam hissed from the vents in Nick's arm. The flame on the hand begun to cool again to red. Red glow in her eye dimmed as well, but she still winced and clenched her teeth.
"I... must... go..." Nick's left hand moved to Kai's shoulder and gripped it tightly. ""If not... willingly... it will by..." She huffed. "Force."
The screech again came from the other side of the hall. A metallic sound rattled from the halls followed by another roar from the Jury. Nick begun to gasp as the pain neared its peak. Her grip tightened on Kai's arm unknowingly trying to ease the pain.
"Get out of here when I am gone." Nick grunted between tightened teeth. Her voice wavering between the demonic and her own.
Her right hand balled into a tight fist. The metal scraped as the fist tightened. Small sparks crackled in her palm as the fiery ringers made contact with each other.
" Don't let it see you." She grunted again.
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