It had been quite a long time that Cerise had managed to dodge needing to power up. More than a little ridiculous since it was nearly a year ago that she had willingly taken it on. Many could begrudge the Negaverse agents for forcefully and brutally corrupting starseeds. That wasn't the case with Pie. When Buddy offered her an option during a fit of selfishness and vanity, she took him up on that offer. Balsy, brasen, and brash. Not a second thought did she flicker about whether that was wise or sane. The idea of whatever came after that was of little interest to her.
However, after some personal events last fall, she had left town for a while. A word she gave to noone. No notices to the HQ that she'd be going anywhere or for how long. Just a pretty little lightning bug that flew off somewhere unforeseen. Whether or not this was unacceptable was a non factor to her. Above all things, Cerise loved herself. Always serving her own interests above those of others. Above those of the Negaverse too.
Truly, she had no personal qualms with many of their dubious deeds. She wasn't overly disturbed by the things they did to people. She herself didn't like the idea of being a murderer. She was a lover. Moreover, in her time with them, she had noticed how for many; their life in the Negaverse became their whole life. She didn't want to give up Cerise. The person she turned back into before she went to sleep. The woman who had fallen in love unbelievably against all likelihood. She wanted to be that person.
Furthermore, since returning to town just after Christmas; she had been laying a low profile. The only Negaverse agent she even saw at all was Buddy, and that was a solitary meeting. It was in public in a safe and neutral setting. She had continued to skate along happily avoiding powering up or being bothered with that life.
Well.. it was... It was going great. Cerise blossomed like a rare petal after being reunited with the one person who had ever made her feel like she needed to better herself. The only person who made her feel new and different. Probably the only person she has ever truly cared about besides herself.
Life was so great... Only... now she stared at her phone with a message from Schorl to report to one location downtown a few blocks after the park and not quite as far as the school.
Cerise balled that phone into her hand. Apprehension poured over her face like a sudden flood. With its torrential downpour came a look of dread and agony. She flirted with the idea of just ignoring and staying home, but she knew better. Schorl knew where she lived. She was sure of it. Pie's participation in that tea house business gave away all her personal information. She regretted being a part of that at all for the first time just then.
With a long troubled sigh, she gripped part of the railing at the top of the stairs and looked down. Down at the main floor of her parent's house. She didn't want Schorl to come here. NO SIR.
Eventually mustering her pride and giving herself mental pep talks; she went down stairs. She hugged her parents. She told them she loved them. She wondered if she should send Xander a text to let him know that she might not be over tonight; or for a few days depending what went down with this. Then not wanting him to come find out why her voice sounded that way; she stashed her phone in her pocket.
What a walk.. a long walk. She felt the suspense building like a timebomb in the pit of her stomach. In an effort to comfort herself, she thought about that cherry cheesecake she had made. How amazing it was. How amazing she was. Yes. She was in fact pretty amazing wasn't she.
As her right foot touched onto the street where she was supposed to meet her; she powered up. Better to come ready for anything.
those of you quoted in here are quoted for notifiation purposes, but i plan to quote everyone as this goes on when you're characters are supposed to enter; or whoever has the last post before yours enters; i'll ask them to quote all of you!
Ivynian
Das Tor
Posted: Wed Aug 12, 2015 6:56 pm
Schörl waited, Barbary draped over her shoulders and mauling the human silhouette amorphous. The burn phone tapped idly on the arching shoulders of the dragon on the cane. Will you, won't you, will you, won't you, will you join the dance? We have want of cakes and cookies, Pączki and ...Pies. Sweet little shoo-fly, what rot did you fly off to? Buddingtonite was right, though. At least you've enough brains left in your head to answer a message to your personal phone. Not much luck with the communications crystals.
As the Lieutenant arrived, the General put the device into a breast pocket and turned, "Well rested, I hope? Tell me about your vacation."
"After absences its safer for all involved if readiness is reassessed before a return to full duty. If you need cobwebs dusted off. And I've a whisper in the back of my mind, an aura that I read. I know just the thing. You will hunt tonight. The first aura you feel, you find, is the one you will claim. Starseed." Schörl shifted weight, lifting cane and moving to begin a series of jumps and a loping trot that would allow the Lieutenant to keep up pace. There was a little aura not far, in the direction the General had chosen. Small and bright, and unless something else turned up, in a few blocks would be the first thing Piemonite would feel. It would be the aura she'd have to hunt.
As Pie moved closer, a hand traced the flap over her pouch that carried the paper she used with her straw. Her fingers traced it as she was quickly assessing the Schorl before her. The closer Pie approached; her eyes shrewdly taking in all the changes in outfit. She tried to recall how she looked before. While not able to fully recall, the promotion to General seemed reasonable. Apparently, they all got fairly glamorous at that level. Her finger that was tracing her pouch then moved up to feel her luscious locks.
A slightly wiser woman, she pushed the things and people important to her down far. She wasn't sure if anyone had an ability to read minds, but since she didn't spend enough time getting to know people as was once recommended to her. She wasn't sure.
Her million dollar smile grew across her lips. It was the face she wore at the bar when picking up a hot date. Her other hand going to her hips.
"Oh, I was in France. It was amazing. I almost didn't come back at all. It was awful tempting to marry some French man.. and have a garden of the most adorable babies you ever laid eyes on. Alas, all good things come to an end sometimes... You know my mom's side are all from France. I was learning some family secrets at their bakery. Learning some secrets to make indulgences so delicious; they are to die for."
The longer she spoke; the more she postured herself. Her narcissism and self love rising up and shining like the star it was. As she felt safely secure in her vanity like a life jacket, her face just smiled and nodded neutrally. I have to hunt. Ech. I'm a lover, not a fighter... If only I could .... Then she heard the word starseed.
While Pie hadn't looked twice or passed any judgement on anyone who had claimed them or ate them; she herself never felt comfortable actually taking anyone's starseeds out of their bodies. She had always just drained enough energy to let them go on. She felt like it was better to have a herd of cattle to regularly harvest from. Killing was so final. She disliked that immensely.
Nevertheless, she was here with a powerful Schorl. How could she say no? She quickly sprang into action moving and almost keeping up with her. Pie just carried on pretending to be in full agreement.
"Yeah. I actually never really got the hang of finding people by their auras before." Though even as she said it; she could start to feel it. That little aura. This discerning the differences in everyone's energy signatures had always been confusing; though admitting that just looked bad. She wasn't inclined to look entirely so inept.
Her eyes every so often looking up at the beast on Schorl's shoulders.
"What's the story on this lion you're wearing. Is that a cape? Is he.... alive?"
She began to try to drum up ideas. Maybe she could charm and smooth talk Schorl into not wanting to take someone's starseeds. Maybe they could go hit up a bar and something. Who knows. Pie knew that while she was amazing at many things; she was no good with fighting. She really didn't wanna do it. Not at all. Not in the least. Not even to make Schorl think better of her. She wanted all to hold her in high opinion; there were just some things she couldn't do for that.
Das Tor
Ivynian
Posted: Fri Aug 14, 2015 9:48 am
More and more, Subra was starting to gain confidence in herself, at least as a senshi. The moment that fuku materialized on her, all was right with the world, and she was the good guy fighting against the bad people and their monsters. And while she usually patrolled with others [Massy, Almary, and others still], she didn't let the times when she couldn't find someone to patrol with deter her. She needed to be out there. To be on duty, to be someone doing something. She had power, and with that came responsibility.
Which was why she was perched up on the fire escape of a building a few stories up, one she knew wasn't being used. It was a good spot to keep an eye on things while she took a short break in her rounds. No one that wasn't Negaverse bothered her, and it tended to give her the upper hand in getting away if the aura coming was too big. Hard to catch something little if it's already ahead of you.
At least, if they weren't exhausted from their 'normal' life earlier that day. She was an active little girl, and she'd done the water park with her family earlier in the day. She wasn't about to admit she was tired, though. Nope. Not her.
Ivynian
Graceangel
Das Tor
Romantic Enabler
Offline
Ivynian
Cat
Offline
Posted: Fri Aug 14, 2015 4:34 pm
In service for how long and 'never got the hang of it'. Your superior officers have been remiss, or they realized their folly in bringing in someone with so pronounced a lack of personal drive to make anything more compelling than a sock for-
Schörl chortled at the woman's question. These were basic training questions provided in the very least to every officer in the manual, in the case that their commanders showed as marked a lack of leadership as most teenagers. It went along with all the rest of the impression so far that Lieutenant Piemonite was providing. "Barbary is very much alive. A personal Youma, I chose and tamed him from the Rift as any officer can do so for themselves once they've achieved the clout of captain. A goal for you once you've gotten your sea legs back. You have some gaps, Piemonite, more than months overseas that we will address. "
The General paused, holding up a hand to indicate the other officer do so likewise. They were nearing the aura enough that visual confirmation of the target was possible, pending elevations. Hard hazel eyes scanned the surrounding trees, streets, rooftops and windows from their vantage on an apartment highrise. A handful of buildings away, a minute on, Schörl pointed out the whites, tans, purple bow and pink ombre hair of a small form on the fire escape. The general spoke low and soft so that voices couldn't betray more than aura's already did. "When you are this close, you should always make visual confirmation- if they are speaking with civilians, those may prove to be enemies that haven't transformed yet. This one looks to be alone. That is your target, officer. Bring me the starseed."
Graceangel
Das Tor
Posted: Fri Aug 14, 2015 5:03 pm
Schorl's every observation landed dead on accurate. Much and more would be true. What time spent in the Rift by Piemontite had little to do with actual training or learning about what people there did. She cared little for any of it. Her selfishness often spurned her to indulge herself in exploration of the Rift itself. Looking around. Youma fascinated her. They seemed the most to her of a wake up call of just how this sort of magic was in fact real.
As they had been moving, her eyes watching that lion. She found it incentivizing that youmas could be obtained at the Captain level. Seemed like that shouldn't be so hard to get to. Really it probably wouldn't. Only a lot of things that needed to be done; Pie refused to comply with. She had no interest in getting her hands dirty. She valued life, and she avoided being present for its end at every opportunity.
As she stalled at the gesture of her General, her eyes roamed focusing in on that aura. As her blue eyes stared, her stomach squirmed into knots. Her heartbeats raced. She felt like she might vomit. Someone so small...
Without a word in response, Pie went and jumped up to a ledge on the side of a building opposite that ladder. Then, she jumped again up to the side rail next to her. She pulled out her straw. Not like that would do much good. Also, slipped a piece of paper into her mouth where she could wet and separate it into balls.
She looked down at this senshi. She should have just struck. And put her hands in that girl's chest? Gawds, she closed her eyes fighting that terrible feeling. She took a deep breath. As she opened her eyes, she looked hard and serious at that girl. This was what she hated of what she had seen of this war so far. Why were children being involved like this??? Childhood is so short and fleeting. It is over in the blink of an eye. Why waste it playing these cloak and dagger games on rooftops and alley ways.
She was told to just go siege that starseed, but she just couldn't. She stood and stepped onto that platform. She tried to whisper as to not be heard by anyone else. "You should get out of here. Why are you here? What if you died right now? Have you thought about what your parents would feel? I will give you till a count of 10 to go.. Please... Please don't be here when that time is up..."
Inwardly, she cringed. She had no doubt in her mind the General meant business. Fear ate at her over whether every word she had just said had been heard. Whether or not she heard at all made a difference. Would she be in big trouble for not doing it? She extremely disliked the idea of anything happening to mar her pretty face.
Still.. this baby... such a young person... If she had to poach on someone weak; it couldn't be a child. She just.... Her eyes stared pleading at the chibi senshi.
She didn't feel the auras until they were close. And when they were close...Subra felt a little overwhelmed. She'd never really dealt with anything larger than the youma, or a Lieutenant. But there was a big Chaos aura down there, and...
She was trying to move, to get away as fast as possible, but the owner of the smaller Chaos aura got to her before she could move far. And...they wanted her to leave. Okay, that confused her. With all the stories Massy told her, and the strange memories from that dark future, and the way Lenka had talked...she didn't think a Negaverse agent would try and shoo her away. "I...I can try." Because she didn't have backup, and the other aura was so much bigger than her. Because even though she did have a responsibility, she didn't want to picture her parents crying over her. But...
"You should run, too." Because someone nice like that didn't need to be with the bad guys. And because she remembered the bad guys didn't like when their people let senshi get away.
Ivynian
Graceangel
Posted: Mon Aug 17, 2015 12:07 pm
Suspicion began the moment Piemonite didn't lead off with an immediate attack. The lieutenant landed and then didn't really do anything, which meant there were words. Time to talk meant hesitation and not following orders. Time spent talking to the Senshi meant that Piemonite probably wasn't planning on following orders and was up to something like treason. Schörl moved, following the woman with more speed and less trouble. A word passed her lips as she leapt land hard by, a direction to Barbary, "Pincer. "
The Youma let go of the General's shoulders, gliding like a massive flying squirrel to lower on the fire escape before it scrambled its position with its paws and claws. It knew it should guard the secondary trajectory in case the Chibi tried to jump and escape.
Landing behind Piemonite, the General sucked her teeth, "Talking is no part of the process. "
Ripples of fear and apprehension began to roll off of Piemontite in waves. She felt the rush of the General's aura close in on her with that sudden swiftness. Her eyes gave the chibi senshi one last pleading look. Then, she closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and she braced her step. She knew this was a moment of truth. It was now or never.
Mustering all her courage knowing that in probably five seconds; she was going to turn into carpet lion food; she turned to face Schorl with as much resolution and determination as she could draw up within herself.
"No way. That is a little girl. Even if she looks like a senshi now; someone somewhere will grieve for her if I do that to her. I absolutely cannot do that. I refuse to have a child's blood on my hands. That's not right. Can noone see how unconscionable it is to involve them like this?"
Then, she took a step. It probably availed little, but she took a step to stand in between the Chibi and Schorl completely not seeing Barbary on the exit. She did feel slightly vexed this just had to be on something as precarious as a fire escape of all places.
With not many options left, Piemontite did the only thing she could think of. She stepped back, spun around, and grabbed that young lady in her arms. Soon as Chibi Sudra was secured; she took a big jump, and she rolled them onto the roof and tucked her behind one of the vents there. This really was no escape. Pie knew that.
Schorl would be right behind her. She was dead meat. Well at least if this got her killed, she gave her life for a good reason.
Das Tor
Ivynian
for you two: your players may enter the fray at any point now. how they are brought to the spot and how they respond at the moment is up to you <3
Kaori Luv
Silverah
Posted: Mon Aug 17, 2015 9:39 pm
Subra paled a bit at the General, eyes widening. That...was a big aura, and a scary person. A VERY SCARY PERSON. And...what was the other Nega agent doing, they needed to run, ohthiswasn'tgood. And then she was grabbed and the Nega agent was off with her, and somehow Subra knew the 'bigger' Nega wouldn't be far behind. WHY DID SHE PATROL WITHOUT MASSY? WHY DID SHE THINK IT WAS A GOOD IDEA?!
She was going to become youmabait, wasn't she? Or...or was she going to end up like some of the senshi she saw with holes in their chests from the dark future? Or was she going to end up worse...
Ivynian
Graceangel
Kaori Luv
Silverah
Das Tor
Romantic Enabler
Offline
Ivynian
Cat
Offline
Posted: Tue Aug 18, 2015 7:01 pm
"Dulce et decorum est pro infantibus mori. " What a pointless fool- as though no one ever grieved the adults. It was a holla to the stupidity earlier about babies and the lieutenant's intention to make her body a clown car. Breeder Instinct getting in the way of already dubious efficiency. Very well. We'll find some task fitting, maybe a youma brood factory. I wonder if that's possible... Stand before her, it makes no difference.
Schörl followed the jump and roll of the two to the roof. Barbary was hard by, taking the top of the vent so that the vertical was not an easy escape again. The General lifted her cane, stalking on the pair and brought it in a swung arc down towards the Lieutenant's thighs.
Graceangel
attacking
Das Tor
Posted: Tue Aug 18, 2015 9:02 pm
That move proved as futile as she suspected it might be. Well, she had to try, so she did. She then thought maybe she should have jumped away to the ground. Maybe it would have been better to put them close to the alley opening. At least there would be a route of escape for the little girl should she have a chance.
Her head started to move into a position to attempt to look from both sides. Her eye keeping an eye on Barbary especially. The chibi was quickly becoming her entire concern. She had already gone this far. It was too late to turn back.
Pie started to move to go put some safety between the chibi and that lion; but then the swift shooting pain. The brunt of the cane felt like it hurt more than it should, but that wasn't even horrible. Her feet were flying up, and her head hit the cement rooftop with a hard thump. Her back hitting it made her whole upper chest cringe with the impact. The pain and screaming in her legs, back, and skull raged hard.
Her eyes blurred so much. It was hard to see. As she went to push herself up, the impact to her head made her feel incredibly woozy and off track. She could only pull herself to her knees. Quickly, she scrambled towards the chibi. She had to protect her at all costs.
Surely someone else would be on patrol as things go in this town. Wouldn't anyone be able to get the girl out? She looked at Sudra with shameful eyes. In trying to save her, she might have set her in a worse trap that would get her killed.
Pie scorned inwards feeling this fighting stuff was just no good. She wasn't cut out for it at all. Then, she wondered if there were any hope the chibi herself had some ability to help them out.
Babylon was in the area. Leave it at that - this fight wasn't exactly quiet, and the signatures spoke for themselves. A lieutenant. A general. A youma. A chibi-senshi. If no one intervened, the Destiny City coroner would be presiding over a child-sized body bag tomorrow morning. Just to clarify for the folks following along at home: that would be bad.
Arriving on the scene, the knight very quickly looked the scene over. General. Youma. Chibi. Lieutenant. It wasn't clear what exactly was going on, but he could figure out well enough where he needed to put himself.
With a running leap, Babylon dove into the fray, effectively positioning himself between the little girl and the negaversers. "Stay behind me," he instructed the chibi, and brushed his fingers over the totem clasped close to his collarbone. His summons materialized beside him, bright eyes cutting through the dark. The snow leopard brushed close to the chibi, rubbing her flank against her skirt.
"What's going on?" he asked the girl. "Quick."
Lieutenant on the ground. General close by. Youma... somewhere. He'd hope Reut would deal with it. His eyes narrowed at the lieutenant - was she an aggressor? Or a victim?
Das Tor
Graceangel
Ivynian
Posted: Mon Aug 24, 2015 10:16 am
Shang was out chasing a rumor, so the gather signatures, though he noticed upon getting closer were not what he was looking for drew him in. He could feel several others, though he wasn't entirely sure what was what. He just knew the gather order and gathered chaos signatures in one place meant trouble.
The rumor would have to wait as urgent as it was, he headed for group jumping onto the roof top to a see a general, which made him groan. He didn't have the best experience with them, an lieutenant, a knight and a chibi.
He summoned his weapon and shuffled over to the night who had the chibi behind him. "I'm afraid," she said plainly, "that I'm going to have to ask you to leave."
His grip on his weapon was tight as he looked back and forth between the two negaverser, something like confusion flashing briefly in his eyes at the scene. Something didn't seem very wrong here.
The general laughed, as other signatures burned to life in awareness and flitted near just as soon. A knight, and a cat brough to bear just beyond Piemonite. "Prout multis ut faciant vobis homines, et vos facite illis similiter. "
A squire, oh ho ho, and this one she knew. Like as not as blasé this time as the last, but maybe he'd buck up with fur-boy at his back hot-dogging. And the littlest prat- let her see what war really was before losing that starseed and chance of growing into an actual problem. "Roddy-pigeon, I see you're snake's finally out of the bag. Are you going to hit me with your rhythm stick? Or a whole lot of 'No thank you,' still? Come now, boys. Don't just stand and stare. "
"I have no time voyeurs tonight. I have a insubordinate Pie to bake, " Schörl aimed a kick square at the lieutenant still on the ground, keeping dragon cane now raised in guarding fashion as though it were a jian. Will they come to her aid? Offer her succor from the frightening, awful expectation of doing anything other than being a sock? Better yet....will she accept if they do? That would be something noting. So we have an actual test on our hands, don't we, of fair weather loyalty.
Latin: "As you would that men should do to you, do you also to them in like manner."
