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 Posted: Tue Apr 05, 2011 11:46 pm
A-One rocked back slightly at the whack, but didn't lose his balance. He laughed; if there was a little strain in the laugh, well, they were all stressed. "I think we're all on the same page," he said. "Sounds pretty good to me."
He looked around the ring of masked faces again. "If anyone's not good with that, no hard feelings, you're free to go. I don't want anyone here who doesn't want to be here."
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Posted: Tue Apr 05, 2011 11:49 pm
When she'd been plucked unceremoniously up from the sand, her first reaction was not, in fact, to make him put her down, but to curl her thighs tighter over his hip, keeping herself steady as he headed down the beach, Alpha Ten and her in tow. It was an automatic reaction, and she barely realized there was something wrong with it at all, much less when it happened, her gas-mask tilting downward for a second then back towards where she had been standing on the beach, noticing Zeta Three following them briefly before looking back in front of them. With Alpha Seven's large strides, they'd covered the span of the beach within seconds, and what distance they hadn't was quickly crossed by the sound of the large, hulking man's voice, announcing their arrival.
And seemingly getting the attention of a familiar face.
"I'm fine, Four," she replied in a level tone, straightening as Alpha Seven set her down in the sand beside the protective Zeta. She didn't say that she was happy to see him, nor that she was glad he was alright, although she did seemingly look him up and down once, just to make sure. She also said nothing about the pact, Alpha Seven already knowing her stance on the situation -- she did, however, give him a flat response to the cheeky tease, blatantly ignoring about making him jealous.
"Don't call me Precious."
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Interesting Conversationalist
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Posted: Tue Apr 05, 2011 11:55 pm
Surveying the group with a more calculating eye, Z3 had to admit (albeit onto to himself); these people seemed at least marginally more competent than his former unit. Sure, there were several bodies left heavily to question, but he could pick out a few particulars of the lot who seemed to hold promise. A1 exhibited fair leadership ability that the others seemed to pay mind, which he could respect to some extent, and though A7 lacked a certain amount... something beyond his dreadful nicknames, he was steadfast enough. Perhaps, in time, he'd find something worth considering in each of the lot (... if he cared enough to bother).
... And if this proposed 'plan' actually worked, it just might succeed in boosting their chances of survival and, more importantly, keeping his own neck intact to the finish. He was all for that notion, though he kept it graciously to himself.
"I've no opposition to forging a new unit," he said simply, plainly, with little emotion to his voice. Maybe there was a glance back to Z8, some split second devoted to gauging her own assessment of the new alliance, but it stayed largely hidden under his expressionless mask. "... So long as they perform their roles capably, anyway."
And weren't rash fools or idiots about it.
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Posted: Tue Apr 05, 2011 11:59 pm
Z4 sagged a bit when it seemed she hadn't been in much danger... just... preoccupied. By a massive pillar of manly brute strength. Well... that... that was er. A bit better than the alternative?
A tiny part of him that he quickly crushed underfoot disagreed.
He just... needed to leave a better impression, he figured. She was being cold and detached but, well, with everything going on, it was understandable, right? Right. She liked him or she would have ignored him or killed him long ago, that much he was certain about.
"Oh. Er. Well. Um. Excellent. I'm a bit rocky myself but nothing too strenuous, and um-" He mumbled, glancing away. It wasn't as though she could see him flushed behind his mask anyway. He cleared his throat, pretending to listen to the rumble the mountain of meat was babbling to their leader.
Pheonix, hmm? So... had... A10 never really died? Perhaps only unconscious? But there wasn't even a dent in her mask from where he had- He quickly squelched the thought. It was just a good thing she was here and okay, that much was for certain. When things were less hectic, he owed her a huge apology.
No matter the circumstances, though, he was happy to be a part of a group. "Strength in numbers, I say!" He managed, trying to force his voice loud and confident, the forced optimism returning if only to give his whirring brain a direction.
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Posted: Wed Apr 06, 2011 12:13 am
W-Was she allowed to join? Realistically, A12 had nothing to offer. She knew she wasn't made of much, both inside and out. Should she leave? It wasn't as if she didn't want to be here .. But should she be here?
NO. Assertiveness was the key! A-1 had loads of it. Z-8 was the picture perfect model of cool. Even A-10, who had risen back from the seemingly-dead-underworld was speaking from the heart! They all spoke from the heart! It was time for A-12 to do so too!
Another argument in the back of her mind was that the reaper really did fulfill his promise. As he said, he found A-10 for them. That tiny part of her surged, knowing that if she kept herself alive, she'd meet him again.
*___*~
A12 took a step forward fro the shadows in which she buried herself, intending to speak too. Until some last minute thoughts hit her. What if they said no? What if they kicked A12 out into the ocean? What if she wasn't good enough? They were looking for capable people. Could she be capable? A-12 didn't know herself. She could be, right? .. Of what if she wasnt? Endless what-ifs ran through her mind, keeping the girl frozen in her steps.
But she was so close. But frozen.
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Posted: Wed Apr 06, 2011 12:37 am
Almost nothing could wipe that grin off of A7's face right now. You could hear it in every word he said. "Aww, but you're so precious, I can't help myself." He ducked out of the way before she decided to get physical about her discontent, and barely managed to set A10 on the ground before the glimmer of her new dagger in her backpack caught her eye. A crazy idea started forming in his head.
When you're in a sports team, how do you distinguish one player between another? Colors, sure - but that wouldn't work for us. So then.. what? A symbol? An icon. A mascot. What had he been saying before, something about phoenixes? Yeah.. he liked that. He liked it a lot.
Looking down at the girl in his arms, he was starting to like it even more as he thought about it.
"Can I borrow your knife for a second, kitten?" He asked, reaching into her backpack to snatch it away before she could even answer. He turned her around, and grabbed onto her helmet.
"All right now. Don't move, I'ma scratch something on you here. I think I can manage something simple, I ain't no artist.." Wings, a beak, a tail.. that's what a phoenix looked like, right? He bent his head back a bit, and tilted it to look at his handiwork. "Yeah.." He whispered proudly. "That'll d- oh s**t wait." He bent down and snatched up a red sandstone, smothering it all over the image. The color almost glowed in the dull, foggy air.
"Now that's what I'm talking about." He growled triumphantly. Soon enough, he'd gone over and done the same thing to A1's helmet, after asking the man to bend over.
Z4's cry, however, caught his attention. It turned out, there was something that could make A7's smile disappear. He took a few slow steps over to the man, holding A10's knife pointed against the breathing apparatus of the gas mask.
"Hang on a second. You can say that all you want, but you weren't on Z8's side when she joined the battle. Who says we're gonna let you join us now?"
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Interesting Conversationalist
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Posted: Wed Apr 06, 2011 1:00 am
Zeta Eight listened with what could have been construed as politeness as Zeta Four stumbled over his words, unresponsive to the sheepish sound to his voice, either because she could not fathom why he was reacting the way he was, or she didn't care. Perhaps she had been compassionate in another life -- it was hard to tell what any of them had been before this -- but now she was a picturesque statue, merely staring as he described his situation, of which he seemed at least moderately ok. Physically, at any rate. She did, however, seem to notice as he turned away, tilting her head in his direction before turning her mask towards Alpha One, listening to him, Alpha Seven and Alpha 10 talk about the group they were forming.
It was only then that she happened to see the little form that had crept forward, completely hidden before now by the shadows. Her uniform was red -- an Alpha then. Not that it mattered. At this point, the only differentiation between Alphas and Zetas, in her mind, was that the orange-tinted lenses glowed brighter than the orange of the Zeta, which blended more easily with the saffron tint she viewed the world. No, it was the numbers that mattered more, the individual more important than the collective in the data banks of her mind, keeping track of who to watch out for. This one was Alpha Twelve, the last Alpha, and from the looks of it she was a shy, terrified thing, the way she held her body leaving her looking smaller than the rest.
It was unclear what she was thinking, but there must have been something going on in Zeta Eight's brain, the cogs turning as she stared, taking a few slow steps to close the gap between them. Of course, she said nothing, as usual, eerily quiet as she stared her down thoughtfully, calculatingly.
That was, until she heard the seriousness in Alpha Seven's voice, jarring in the light mood that had resumed after the fallen Alpha Ten had returned. Reaching up to grab Alpha Twelve's wrist, she curled her fingers around her arm as she was looking over her shoulder at the commotion. It seemed she didn't want her escaping when her back was turned.
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Posted: Wed Apr 06, 2011 1:17 am
Z4 flinched back, eyes wide behind his goggles as the knife followed his movement, determined to stay exactly where he didn't want it to. "I... er... w-w-what? I haven't taken any sides! Oh- you mean that... that er... s-s-s-skirmish earlier? All I saw was v-violence and everything is a bit hazy, I just... w-w-went by instinct!" He managed, "It w-wasn't anything p-p-personal to the girl! I w-was going to apologize!" Now that she was alive, anyway. By the quaver to his frantic voice, it certainly had not sat well with him to begin with- or it might have been the threat to cut off his supply of breathable oxygen. "I n-never meant to harm anyone! I am all for gaining more allies, it's a very powerfulthingfriendshipitcankeepthingstogetherandmoralshigheranddon'tyouwanttobemyfriend?" His voice was practically a squeak as he ran out of oxygen and quickly inhaled again while he still could.
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Posted: Wed Apr 06, 2011 1:18 am
"Z-Zeta Eight?!" A-12's voice broke her previous silence with the startling realization of her arrival. Nonono, A-12 wasn't supposed to be noticed. She was .. What was she supposed to do? Creep out at the last minute or .. creep in?
A-12's hands flailed in the air, not the the point of a struggle but in a nervous panicking manner, her fingers clenched tightly into her palms. Her head darted left and right, looking for an escape, as Zeta Eight accurately predicted. Zeta Eight looked mad (or she always seemed to look mad, A-12 wasn't quite sure on how to tell the difference) but A-12 was positive in her head that Zeta Eight was angry. Angry at A-12? Possibly. Everything that ran through A-12's mind, the image of Zeta Eight saying those words, flashed quickly through the Alpha's mind with a fleeting precision.
Bending abruptly low, Alpha Twelve's eyes met the ground, her goggles falling forward. "I'm sorry! Don't tell me I'm useless. I-I know I am but .. I heard you guys talking and I didn't mean to intrude but ..Icouldn'thelpmyself, IreallywantedtocomeoutbutIcouldntbringmyselfto ohwhatamessgosh ----asfjashajsjs."
By the ending of her confession, she sort of sounded like a chipmunk. On crack. On serious crack.
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Posted: Wed Apr 06, 2011 1:24 am
A7 lifted the knife slowly, and banged Z4 on the head with it slightly, before straightening up. "If Z8 says you get in, then you're in." He resigned, voice low and careful. "But if I catch you anywhere near any team member with a weapon, I won't think twice about slitting your throat with this knife. Any team member should do the same to anyone attacking a team member. Period."
He flipped the knife in his hand, and moved over to A2, turning her around. "Aren't you a perfect height then?" He quipped to the girl as he carved her helmet, his amusement having returned. He wasn't a man who held grudges, just kept fierce loyalties.
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Interesting Conversationalist
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Posted: Wed Apr 06, 2011 1:54 am
Zeta Eight didn't miss a beat, Four's babble and Seven's threat passing over her, as always, like water over a smooth stone. In fact, with the situation having almost completely resolved herself anyway, she wasted no more time paying attention to the ending conversation, offering her two cents as she was turning back around.
"Alpha One is in charge."
And that was about as close to an emotional response as she would get. It was easy to say no. Denials were a detachment. But saying yes was an admittance, a vulnerability she would and could not afford. And part of her thought it was just... easier... not to. She did not want to get close to anyone -- she had seen Alpha Seven's reaction to Alpha Ten's death, and she did not want that to be her. It was already happening, regardless of whether she wanted it to or not. She had already had a taste of it, of the fear, the searing twist in her gut, and she had not like what she had felt. She'd almost hit Zeta Eleven for it. It was inexplicable, it was irrational, and it was causing her to do things, like tell Alpha Seven she trusted him. But there was nothing she could do about that, and for now, there was a flailing girl demanding her attention.
"I didn't say that." She waited until Alpha Twelve had calmed down before she even tried speaking, not letting go of her wrist until she had stopped flailing, her voice a little more flat than hollow. "If you want to, do it. We won't let you ride our coattails. If you can't speak up, you certainly don't have our backs. So do it."
It sounded almost like a... pep-talk.
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Posted: Wed Apr 06, 2011 10:58 am
Z4 was trembling and completely lost as to why A7 suddenly had it out for him. And was completely disappointed when no one seemed to care one bit that he had a knife to his throat. What happened to team work and looking after one another? And besides, hadn't A10 been the first one to start the blows to begin with? A7's warning only confused him further- it was just an excuse to not like him, wasn't it? But... how could you not like him? He was a very likable guy!
Well. He drew in a deep breath, watching as the bully moved along to the next before glancing to Z8 hopefully, "Y-you know I never meant it... I'd... be a useful member of a team..." His voice trailed off when the woman turned away, much more interested in the crying child at her side.
His head was spinning. So... did he really have no allies left? All dead, he supposed. And he would be dead too if this kept up.
His voice quiet now, dipped down to murmur under his breath, the compulsive singing picked up again in a wobbly, weak voice, as though trying to convince himself of their words more than anything, "Gray skies are gonna clear up... Put on a happy face; Brush off the clouds and cheer up, Put on a happy face... Take off the gloomy mask of tragedy, It's not your style; You'll look so good that you'll be glad Ya' decide to smile..."
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Posted: Wed Apr 06, 2011 11:16 am
[Alpha Eight is Entering the thread]
Out of character, Alpha Eight had taken his time making up the hill. He usually would have ran after Alpha One and the other meat shields, but this time around he choose to keep a close eye on those who deemed Alpha One head honcho. Most were familiar Alphas and even some faintly recognizable Zetas changing sides it seemed. Though it seemed the lines between the two teams had quickly become blurred to only be recognizable by their bright orange uniforms. Still, he had hopes that Zeta Eight wouldn't choose this path since she had seen far too much of his true intent. That wasn't something particularly beneficial to a boy who was solely interested in his own survival, regardless of the price. His only option now was to keep a positive demeanor around them in hopes they would misjudge his intent. Making his way over to her, he gave a slight wave and tried to smooth out his obvious deficiencies.
"Guess we are still a rag-tag bunch, huh? Nothing like a few scraggly patches to make a quilt. Hahaha."
He needed practice. Friendships and close relations were a weak point for him and he was going to have an even harder time faking it.
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Posted: Wed Apr 06, 2011 1:20 pm
Nnnnnn. T___T A10 flailed around a little, trying her best to keep still as A7 scratched something into her helmet.. then A1's.
Phoenix? Well.. that sounded cool, she supposed, but she didn't appreciate being manhandled, however kindly the gesture was. "I bet it looks more like a chicken," she retorted, running her hand over the carving.
"But thank you." He was already doing the same to A1, and then Z4 said something that A7 didn't quite seem to agree with- the man was storming over, looking more aggressive than a bull shown some red cloth.
Well, whatever it was, he could probably handle it on his own. She shifted her attention to Z8- and the squeaky girl whose hand Z8 was holding. A girl she recognised...
"A12?" Walking over, she took the girl's other hand. This was the first person who'd protected her, since they'd all woken up. A10 hadn't seen her around much since then, but for some reason, the memory was particularly strong. "You're with us, for sure." A7 carving the phoenix (that still looked more like a chicken) into her helmet just served as further proof of the fact.
She couldn't wipe the grin off her face, though.. she supposed she didn't need to, no one could see it anyway. But this surge of pride.. at being part of a group, or rather, watching the formation of a group.. nothing could get rid of it.
All for one, she thought, and all for one. Idealistic? Probably. But she would trust all of Team Phoenix, and.. trust them to trust her, too.
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Posted: Wed Apr 06, 2011 2:03 pm
Zeta Eight's flat tone of voice was just as moving as Alpha One's speech or anything passionate as any other member of this group had said. But Zeta Eight's speech brought ALpha Twelve from her shell, the one she had encased herself so closely in.
But now, it was almost as if she was peeking out.
It hit her like a brick. With her .. lack of assertiveness, all she would end up doing was ride their "coattails." She certainly didn't have their back if she didn't make an effort to. Like they said, if she wanted her back covered, she'd have to make an effort to cover theirs.
Did she want to do it? Yes. The realization hit her when Alpha 10 took Alpha Twelve's hand in her own, wide eyes staring from behind the tinted goggle to reveal a surging sense of emotional relief and gratitude. Her gaze followed everyone who appeared, Alpha Eight over there, Zeta Four confronting Alpha Seven who was busily marking another member.. Zeta Three standing there, rather aloof.. onto everyone until her eyes landed on Alpha One. The others.. didn't seem to reject her presence. In fact, Zeta Eight almost seemed .. supportive. Alpha Ten? Alpha Twelve couldn't thank her enough.
But Alpha One was boss, right?
"B-Boss?" She tipped her head in confirmation, her tone stronger than before. More resolute than before. It seemed, she had made up her mind.
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