{ MISSION ORP } TIMES SQUARE END PART 1 P.27

[Zoobey]

12.31.1999 3:30 pm

Word of the mission had spread like wildfire. This would be the first time, in centuries, that every single Hunter capable of being dispatched had gathered together at a single point in time: not just a team of five or twenty, but over two hundred Hunters. And yet, compared to the thousands, tens of thousands of people dressed in fancy glittering hats and costumes littered all over New York on New Years Eve, it was nothing. Noone paid any of them any attention, no more than one would notice with a sort of glancing dismissal a tour group or school organization.

It was chilly that afternoon, the sun all but faded, street lights casting an orange hue against the sea of cloaked bodies. Each of figures gathered at the stairs of a bank building marked 'CLOSED' was a Hunter. Not a single one of them talked, and as the last filed in through the established portal, they simply sat there on the steps, waiting, waiting for some sort of signal from any one of the five figures standing on the top of the steps. A silent hierarchy.

The Death Division lead, Liam spoke first, tapping on his headset to make sure that everyone could hear him: even then his monotone was as notorious as ever, tone low, mumbling. "Debriefing shall begin then. As established by the Council, exactly thirty days prior, we have discovered that the Four Clans, as many of you know, a extremist Halloween faction known as the Horsemen, were planning what they call the end of the world, the Apocalypse." It was no time however, for anyone to nod off: skipping a single word in a mission debriefing could cover the difference between life or death.

"Unfortunately, we were set back due to several complications, including losing the information on the plans of the Four Clans. The answer is now ours, though our loss of numbers acquiring it is..." He trailed off for a second. Everyone knew the answer by now: the Death Division had suddenly drastically dropped in numbers. "It is a catalyst, a countdown timer Artifact of sorts. They have planted it in Halloween, in the center island of the Four Clans isles, known as The Labyrinth, where it will detonate and tear a permanent portal wide-scale portal into our world, where their army will begin the rest of the work." Silence again. "If we don't stop this, we are looking at an open war, and I am afraid numbers are not in our favour."

This was for many not news. They knew what they were up against, the Four Clans spoke louder in actions than words. The recent plague of creatures invading their world was not a coincidence. Everything lead up to this one point, and the Hunters were tired. Even the Council was ready to take one final gamble to conclude this struggle, there was only so much one could do with limited numbers and resources against an army of what seemed like infinite Fear-based creatures that could easily regenerate when defeated. The few grim faces, the murmurs of unease could not be avoided.

"There is a difference between sacrifice and suicide. This is what we do, as Hunters, and why we exist. We will not die in vain, we will each live and fulfill our purpose as Hunters." It was the speech that many had been given prior to a suicide mission. Most did not live to hear this speech twice. "We are very close to the temporary opening the Four Clans created that ties our world to theirs, when the Runic Weapons are charged, we will begin our first assault. All Hunters with Fear-based weapons will be part of this team, including all five faction leaders. Once inside, we will split up to look for the Artifact. None of us will risk over thirty minutes inside: once you have hit the thirty minute mark you will return back to rendezvous point, back here at this portal entrance, where the Runic-based Hunters will be waiting for us. It is the responsibility for the Runic Hunters watch over the temporary portal as well."

Fifty people in, one-hundred fifty people camped out side, awaiting further orders. Two hundred people waiting on the right moment. Each of them separated into groups, dispatched squads to await further orders.

"Everyone has thirty minutes to get everything set up. Good luck, Hunters." Liam tapped twice on his headset, and the rest of the words were muted as he leaned over to say something to the Sun Faction lead, a grizzled man known as Ferdinand, who simply nodded. Everyone else dissolved into the crowd to get ready and prepare.

OOC

- The next stage (30 IC minutes later) will commence approx OOC 24 hours from this post. This is still the PREPARATION phase.
- Make sure to ALWAYS QUOTE YOUR TARGET/ people you are talking to!

 

[Zoobey]

PREPARATION: THE CAGES

Scattered a little next to the First Aid Center and the Runic Weapon Charging Station were four rather impressive cages. Fear Hunters and Runic Hunters knew the drill: these were specimens captured specifically to charge Fear weapons. It was time to get down to work.

FEAR WEAPON CHARGES MECHANICS

Rules:
- This is a TWO PART exercise. You will need Runic Hunters (to hold down the cages/creatures) as Fear Hunters charge their weapons. Fear Hunters need to get in two successful hits (that is, doing damage of more than 0) in order to gain a charge, which they can use when it is time for battle.
- This round ICLY lasts 30 minutes (duration of preparation time), you have however unlimited reaction posts

Runic Hunters:

FIRST OF ALL, SELECT A TARGET. POST AT THE TOP OF YOUR POST IN BOLD YOUR TARGET (ie: Cage 1, 2, 3, OR 4). If the cage has no HP/the creature is dead, you need to select another target.
- Next, you'll need to snag the creature. Use a Runic grappling gun (icly there are plenty available to use), and when the cage is unlocked, roll a 6-sided dice. If odd, you miss. If even, you are doing fine. You can only attempt to snag each creature once. That means if you failed to snag the monster in Cage 3, you can move to the monster in Cage 2, try, then Cage 1 try, then Cage 4, try, and then you're outta luck.
- Each creature will require four successful rolls
- Once there are four successful rolls, that means four different Runic Hunters have snagged the SAME CREATURE to hold it down, Fear Hunters can now start their turn.
- MAKE SURE TO POST AT THE BOTTOM OF YOUR POST:
Your target (which cage), if your snag was successful, and what number person you are who who was successful out of four. If four people have already snagged a monster, move to the next one!
- Roleplay out your character's actions.

EXAMPLE POST

** ROLL A 6-sided dice YOU CAN ONLY DO THIS ONCE PER ROUND PER PAGE @ SNAGGING**
[[ STEVE IS TARGETING CAGE 3 ]]

STEVE PICKS UP A GRAPPLING GUN and shoots it at the monster in cage 3. He is successful (even roll)/unsuccessful (odd roll)! He yells as it tries to set itself free.
((OOC: Success: Y/N
Person to successfully target Cage 1: 1/4 ))

Fear Hunters:

- You can only target cages/monsters who have 4/4 Runic Hunters snagging them.
- Roll 2 12-sided dice, and subtract 6 from the final tally. Every time you successfully do damage over 0, you gain one charge. You will need TWO SUCCESSFUL CHARGES ON ANY MONSTER in order to finish. Roleplay out each battle result.
- At the top of your post, please post your target. AT the bottom of your post, please post your target (again), how much damage you did, and how many charges you have left, AS WELL AS the total cumulative HP of that monster. Simply read the last person who had the same target's post and subtract that HP they tallied by your damage. If a monster has 0 HP or less it is dead/gone. You need to select another target.
- You are saving these charges for the next IC "battle" so please don't use them on the experimental monsters. Once your Hunter has enough charges, give others a turn!

EXAMPLE FEAR HUNTER POST

** Roll 2-12 sided dice**
[[ SUSAN IS TARGETING CAGE 1, make sure that monster has been snagged by 4/4 Runic Hunters ]]

Alania attacked the monster with her awesome sword, CannonCatia. She sucked badly.

((OOC: Total damage done::
Target: Which cage they are targeting:
Total charges accumulated:
Total HP of that monster targeted so far: ))

MONSTER CAGES

CAGE 2:
HP: 50/50



CAGE 4:
HP: 50/50



CAGE 5:
HP: 250/250

 

[Miliardo Kason]

It was time to work. Their phones had buzzed at the same time as they rested in bed. It was the warning, six hours from then what little happiness they had shared would come to an end and the mission would begin.

He was still thinking about it, the kiss as he sat on those steps. He shook his head clearing away the fuzzy memories as Liam began to speak. Slowly he stood up as everyone started to move, he didn't look for her. Not now, he had work to do.

He paused just long enough to check Caine and Abel, both loaded before moving towards the grapple guns. "Time for work boys." He muttered as he slid both revolvers away hefting a grapple gun before moving to the 4th cage. He wasn't fond of the grapple guns, they where unweildy and big. Not at all easy to use.

His shot of course missed.

"Hey! Someone get over here and pin this thing! You heard the boss we have to get the things pinned and I hate using these damned things!" He clicked the lever on the side and started to reel, dragging the claw back in for another shot.

Target Cage 4: FAILED
Runics On Cage 4: 0/4  

[its me debz]

Selena was glad she didn't have to go IN. It was petty and selfish, but honestly, it was in her best interest to be outside. She always was all about things being in her best interest.

She'd charged her weapons at the charging stations back on the training field, but too bad for the FEAR hunters that needed slightly more work to get their babies juiced up.

Holstering Red Fish and Blue Fish, she selected a grappling gun off a nearby table, aiming it at the second cage... but missed.

She swore under her breath, stepping to the next cage. Stupid beasties.

[[Selena is targeting MONSTER TWO
FAILED to grapple the monster!
ZERO OF FOUR for monster two!]]  

[Blade Kuroda]

TARGETING CAGE 3

The debriefing was grim as anyone could expect. Julio now understood why so many of them were needed for this. Many of them were likely to die in the process of all of it, but he was willing to give it his all. While laid back he may be, he never slacked when it came to missions themselves. He just never became panicked or worried too much about what might happened. Instead he gave it his all and hoped for the best.

"Nothing like the threat of the end of the world to kick off a new year. Or millennium for that matter," he mused, though it wasn't to anyone really. Looking over towards the cages, he spun his bladed staff for a moment, then set it aside to grab one of the trap guns.

"Now.. how did that go again? Ah yes. Einee.. meenie.. minie... Moe!"

And thus he fired the trap gun, but missed.

"Aaah. Seems it is not so keen on staying still, hm?"

((Success: Nope ))  

[x_Nata_x]

Everything was so... somber. In the darkness, the lights cast an eerie glow over the crowd of hunters, their coats stained grey in the limited light. Some of them had their hoods up, the ones who did seemed particularly ghost-like, eyes hidden by the shadow cast -- an apt description, all things considered. From where he stood in the middle of the crowd, Cliff lifted his eyes a little to the dying light of the sun, watching as the red fingertips of light slowly retreated, leaving the black dark of night. His eyes, too, were shadowed, his cowboy hat acting as a hood would to any of the other hunters. As if it had crossed his mind, the older man tilted his head down again, further than it had been before, his fingers lifting to pull the brim of the hat over his eyes a little more.

It felt like a funeral. Even he didn't dare break the mood, not daring to even speak, much less crack a joke.

Waiting until the leaders had spoken until he turned towards the cages, Cliff glanced over at Isaac, giving him a small, half-hearted smile. Resting his hand on his shoulder, he gave the other ma a short nod, taking his lasso from where it hung on his belt.

"Don't worry, I'll get you a good one."

Target: 1
Status: FAIL
Person #: ---  

[Seussi]

(Targeting Cage 1)

Mya had been sitting near Julien as the debriefing began, a hand resting lightly on his leg as she gazed at Liam with rapt attention. The speech finally revealed what they were there for, and she was not surprised to hear indications that this might indeed be her last mission. No matter, she would do her duty and she would try her damndest to stay alive, as she would expect Julien to do as well.

When the debriefing was finished, she rose to her feet, giving Julien a small smile but then turning away and wasting no time in making her way closer to the cages and grabbing herself a nice grappling gun along the way.

"I'm ready.." she said to herself quietly. The cage had already been opened as another hunter had taken aim and fired, and missed. She herself didn't hesitate and let fly her own grapple shortly after that, and gritted her teeth as it hit. Her grip immediatly tightened on the gun and her stance changed as she held on for dear life, and prayed silently that the other hunters would not miss as well.

((Success: Yes!
Person to successfully target Cage 1: 1/4))  

[Nio Love]

Just another day, just another dollar. Except this was no ordinary day, and they were in no ordinary place. Em had never been to Times Square, let alone on New Years. She could feel the energy in the air - so much excitement, so much happiness! It made her glow with a warmth that the cold air tried to fight off, and failed.

The mission sounded simple enough, for now. Charge our weapons, okay. She reached under her skirt and touched a band of cloth that wrapped around her thigh, summoning her pole out, and held it against one shoulder. Even in the grimmest of times, Em was still smiling - and why wouldn't she! She had a great night, that had included absolutely not a single moment of sleep, and she was in the middle of Times Square on New Years. This was the perfect place. The perfect time. The perfect moment.

She hopped up to the cages, and waited for the Runic Hunters to snag a hold of one. "Go team go!" She cheered, catching a hint of melancholy beside her. Lowe looked.. less than happy about the mission, and she reached out to take his hand in hers.

"Hey." She whispered. "Hey you. Look around. This, right now, is the most beautiful, wonderful place on earth. Just remember that, when you're doing your job. We're really lucky people."  

[[ X_Bleeding Roses_X ]]

Lee listened with pinched lips to the debriefing. Gone was any light heartedness from yesterday, now was the time focus and work. Perhaps the last work she'd ever do. She liked to complain sometimes about the Fear Hunters having it easier with their shield, epically when she'd broken her ankle again, but today she had nothing but pity for the poor buggers. She had a chance of surviving this, but all those going in? She was sceptical of even 1/10th of them coming out. The Clans. Christ.

As soon as the signal to get to work was given she was up with her grappling gun towards the cages, briefly flicking her eyes between them to make her choice before seeing two familiar faces from the yesterday and veering towards that cage. She gave Cliff and Isaac a nod before taking her shot, frowning at the creature held within when it just missed her hook.

Target: Cage 1
Status: Fail
Person #: --  

[Molten Tigrex]

Mark picked up one of the guns and took a shot, once he noticed another huntress seemed to have things under control. The creature writhed and squirmed and the grapple bounced off of it.

"Oh come on," he mumbled to himself. He hoped nobody else was watching, and slinked toward a different cage.

(( Success: Nope
# Successes: 1/4 ))  

[Blade Kuroda]

Targeting Cage 1

"If at first you don't succeed, try and try again," hummed Julio as he looked around. Oh! One of the other runic hunters had managed to catch a hold of a beastie. With a grin he took aim.

"Nice shot, senorita!" he called out to his comrade before managing to snag the creature with his borrowed trap gun as well.

"Ah! We need two more on this one!" he called out.

((Success: Yes!
Number of successes: 2/4 ))  

[Zoobey]

[[ Targeting Cage 1 ]]

News of the Four Clans really should not have surprised him, though there was a strange unsettling, if not absolutely incredulous feel to the word Apocalypse. The end of the world on New Years Eve of 1999, who knew these Halloween creatures had such a horrible sense of humour.

Liam all but signing everyone off to their deaths did not help assuage fears one bit, but busy work and preparation if anything, at least help keep his mind off things. Caelius grabbed the closest available Runic grappling gun - which happened to be under some Hunter's foot - and went for the creature closest towards him just as the cages swung open. The hook buried itself into the Fear creature, three lines now pulling the thing down. The hard part was of course, staying focused enough to keep the creature down, as it strained against the ropes and buckled.

Maybe if Fear Hunters tried this exercise for themselves, there might actually be a consensus to stop treating Runic Hunters like expendable conveniences.

((Success: Yes
Target: Cage 1
Number of successes: 3/4))  

[Nothing Yet]

Targeting Cage 1

It hurt C's heart to know what she was missing, the sounds of the excited revelers teasing at her ears. Goddamned Horsemen and their terrible timing. These people didn't know what she was sacrificing for them.

She seemed far more antsy than usual, occasionally fidgeting and picking at her nails. A beaded feather - a gift from Velda - was strung in her hair, and she'd obviously tried to dress up her outfit within the lines of practicality.

Exhaling through her teeth, she walked towards one of the monsters. Ugly things, shrouded in darkness and FEAR. Yuck.

The creature seemed to sense her distaste, fighting to avoid her shot as it was held by the other weapons.  

[Rown]

Lowe's face was pale, his hands cold. He knew what was coming the moment Liam announced everything, but he. . . .was he really going to just accept this? He had to, for they were gearing up to charge their weapons and he would need to be strong and brave.

If he was going to die, which was certain, it would not be because of cowardice. He took the hand that Em offered and squeezed it, a think and soft smile spreading on his face. "Thank you. I will not forget you."

Nio Love

 

[ramenli]

Targeting cage 3

Lucas' blood ran cold as he heard the speech. He had heard it once before, and had hoped to never experience it again. The first time he had had a team. There had been other survivor when it was done, but the loss of both of his legs had slowly driven him insane. Not to mention the nightmares.

Still, a man's gotta do what a man's gotta do. It seemed destiny ended with him fighting to save the world. So he grabbed a grappling gun and glowered at it. These things were nigh on useless, why he couldn't just use a good old shotgun was beyond him. He lifted it, sighted, and fired. A miss. Of course it was a miss.

That did not bode well for the rest of the mission. Then again it was good to use up bad luck early.

Target: Cage 3
Success: N
Person to successfully target Cage 3: 0/4