:The scream was cut short by tooth and claw, a man some forty years devoured in his prime. The youma had pinned him to the ground in a quick, silent pounce, ravenous for a warmth in the pit of his stomach. The night shift was lively here in the warehouse district, overnight workers moving freight from overburdened semi-trucks carrying goods from nearby cities. The commercial stores of Destiny City would have plenty of new items to sell to its populace in the morning.
That is, unless Bazzite devoured most of the workers before dawn.
He was working in the darkness, a blue shadow with wings tucked close to his body. Luminous eyes would spot prey from a distance and he would scratch the ground or the side of a shipping container to draw one of the workers away from the rest to investigate. That is when the youma would strike. Soon, however, the managers would notice two or three of their men missing. He would have to keep moving.
But for now, under the cover of a clouded moon, Bazzite crept along the concrete ground, moving from one mountain of boxes to the next. Crawling beneath a semi being unloaded, he watched and waited.
Posted: Tue Jun 20, 2017 9:50 pm
Sabine had been indulging in the bad habit of taking point on the court's group patrols as of late. She knew - tactically - that she should remain in the the middle, ready to provide support with her magic as the flow of events dictated. However, since her doctor had declared her fully recovered - Sabine had felt an intense need to make up for lost time.
Still, she was never out of eyesight of more than one member of the group at any given time - and she always remained within earshot. The last thing she wanted to do was run into something in the darkness and have to deal with it alone. Not that she didn't think she could defend herself - but because there was an inherent power in numbers that she was loathe to give up.
That said, the darkness near this particular warehouse felt even darker than normal, and she felt that awful chill and slimy, awful feeling that heralded an agent of Chaos.
Raising her hand as she hugged the corner of the building, she gave the court the motion to halt, and flashed another sign for potential danger. She was on edge - but she couldn't verify anything except from what she felt on her mind's internal radar.
And it was telling her the night was dark and full of monsters.
She could feel it, the eerie, unclean feeling that Sabine did, and gave her court leader a stiff, tight lipped nod in response to the warning gesture, drawing to a stop so that she could, slowly and quietly, unsheathe her bat from the gym bag across her back, giving it an almost languid flick of the wrist as it came free.
It was a gesture that could have been taken as pretentious, an wrong-weapon style nod to old Samurai films, but Imperatrix had a reasonable idea of what she was doing with the thing, and she was sure she'd only improved since the court had formed. It was easier to improve when you had spotters and team mates to help, and she wasn't planning on surrendering the weapon any time soon, and woe be on anyone who stopped to snigger at the fact that the entire thing, save for the grip tape around the handle, glittered like a sugary pink disco ball thanks to her modifications. She might not be the magically strongest member of the group, but she'd come to the job with apparent intent to make up for it in every other way possible.
"Ready" She mouthed, glancing around her to be sure of Phact and Castra's position as well. Important to know, or have a rough idea, before you went in swinging.
Sirene Naiads
Rhinestone Cowboy ready to roll
Serpentsong
But now I'm wondering
Lucifer Force
Who they would be
Torvil
In Overwatch
Posted: Fri Jun 23, 2017 6:14 pm
Phact had not been all that comfortable with Sabine taking point when she had returned to active duty. The pair of them had had a long conversation about it but in the end, Phact had come to understand and very much respect Sabine's feelings and stepped back. The girl needed to do what she needed to do. After what had happened...
Phact shook her head to clear the mental image. They were all alright. Every single one of them had healed and they were moving forward as humans, senshi...as a court.
Her court.
She knew each one of them had their own demons to fight, their own goals to achieve. She was just like them in that aspect. Lord they needed to get their heads checked one day....
Today was not that day. Today they had to deal with the twisted sense they had all picked up while on patrol. Each one of them had gone into alert the moment they had gotten close to it. However Phact knew for as quiet and sly as they were being, the source of the aura would have picked them up as well.
That was why she moved from her place in the back, past Trix, who she had to notice was becoming a showwoman with that bat, and then up to Sabine's side. A hand reached out to Sabine's shoulder and Phact gave her the look that said it all I'm going in...follow slowly...
Without waiting for a reply, Phact moved around a corner. They were facing a warehouse clearly in use. It was a night crew so less people than a day but still enough that things could go south. Holding up two fingers for Sabine to see, she made the motion for them to pay attention to civilians. They did not need to put them in danger...
The problem was as she moved in and around the back of the boxes, she was starting to get the feeling of being watched...
It had become a nightly routine, she sneaking out of the house and going on patrols with the rest of the council. She seemed to be doing a lot of sneaking out as of late. Either it was sneaking out after classes to go to lessons with Charles, or these patrols. She was beginning to wonder how soon it would be before her family started noticing she was gone?
She shrugged to herself, trying to focus her mind on the current mission. Everyone was on alert, and she was no different. She could feel that heavy power in the air. Feeling eyes on her as she walked.
Eyes of crimson flashed to Phact, she taking up the rear of the group, ready to calm the situation and disorient where she could. she had grown better with timing, the only thing she would need to work on is keeping the rest of them calm so that the magic had little effect on their thoughts.
As the signal went up, she gave a nod, she ready to flank to one side should the battle break out. It never did well to have all of your fighters in one line. So she would do what she knew, worked. She would move to the side and let the large guns do the work, while she took out those the straggled behind.
Sirene Naiads
Ryuthulhu
Lucifer Force
Torvil
Posted: Sun Jun 25, 2017 9:15 am
Sirene Naiads
If I read everything correctly...
Ryuthulhu
Trix and Sabine are in the front...
Torvil
So you guys can pick...
SerpentSong
Who he's jumping at...
The hunt was ruined as far as the youma was concerned. The night shift workers were growing concerned with some of their men disappearing, despite some of them having a reputation for doing such. Not everyone was willing to work long graveyard hours hauling boxes from truck to warehouse every night. Bazzite had kept his position relatively hidden beneath the last freight truck in the lot, flat against the ground, arms tucked in to keep his presence a secret from the civilians. He couldn't hide from Senshi, however.
Feeling their presence prickling, dazzling lights on his peripherals, he knew the gig was up. Two of them were but infant senshi and two were more powerful. Four total, however, could present a serious problem. No longer could the youma grab a passerby's ankles and drag them beneath the semi for devouring - the senshi would alert everyone in the building. Mealtime was over. The youma simply had to decide how to deal with the interlopers.
Stealth be damned.
With a monstrous and metallic grunt, Bazzite's blue clawed hands appeared from beneath the semi, dragging his full form out from under his hiding place. He crawled onto the hood of the truck, in full view of the worker who was attempting to get into the cab. Screaming started shortly after. Bazzite roared back at the man, the only thing keeping the youma from his chest was the thick pane of glass that made up the windshield. Well, that and the senshi poised to retaliate.
Panic set in through the night shift workers, some scrambling for tools or makeshift weapons with which to defend themselves. It wouldn't matter, ultimately, because starseeds of those with power were infinitely more delicious and satisfying than anything a mere civilian's body could provide.
Turning to the senshi, Bazzite stood to his full height on the hood of the truck. "You ruined my night!" he shrieked, wings extending to their full length in an attempt to make the youma look even bigger. "You'll pay for that!"
Long legs contracted and the youma sprung up like the demonic locust he resembled, intent on pinning the nearest senshi down on the room and quickly devouring their starseed before moving onto the others.
Lucifer Force
Sparkling Senshi
Offline
Sirene Naiads
Romantic Senshi
Offline
Posted: Fri Jun 30, 2017 5:36 pm
The grunt had stopped Phact cold in her tracks. She jerked her head to the side just in time to see something very much not human claw its way out from under the bottom of the semi truck.
Screams quickly replaced the sound of forklifts and groaning men as panic filled their veins. She couldn't see how many of them there were. The ones she could make out a few that had ground tools or other objects to protect themselves but her ears could make out the sound of several more making a run for it. At least she hoped they were...
"Oh God..." Phact felt the words come out of her mouth before she could even process what she was seeing. But what she heard...the youma spoke?!?!?!
It was that shock, more than its appearance that caused Phact to freeze in place as she watched the blue bug fly towards her. It was the impact of his arms on her shoulders from the quick move that woke the Super senshi up. Her body was falling back towards the ground but all she could picture was Mathias on the day he decided to teach them all how to deal with an attacker...
As her back hit the ground, Phact's arms moved quickly to wrap around the bugman's left shoulder. Her left leg slipped out to the outside of his left ankle and Phact shoved with all her force to roll him...it....youma...off her and onto its back.
It was mid-spin, Phact's voice screamed out "Cover blown! Could use some help!"
Lucifer Force
Ryuthulhu
Torvil
SerpentSong
Posted: Fri Jun 30, 2017 8:21 pm
Sabine had seen a few things in her time as a Senshi. Things that she wished she had not, if she were going to be honest. But, in that moment, very few of them compared to the horror that had just tackled her friend. More over, the thing had actually spoken.
They make people into monsters.. She heard the voice in her head say. Her mind flashed back to the glowing woman with the three eyes and the shocking touch. But she had at least had some semblance of humanity. She had at least felt somewhat like an agent.
The feeling she got from the blue-insect-man-thing was pure youma. Like Mr. Bitey (who was still in a coma and who she sent flowers to every week.)
They make people into monsters... The voice in her head repeated. Someone who would know - who had been a member of the Negaverse once. The stalwart Flaming Red Bull.
Her blood ran cold, but she steeled herself, and was off like a shot, bearing down upon Phact's toppled form as she wrestled with the youma.
"'TRIX, SWING AWAY!" She called out, pointing to the youma as she ran sidelong of Phact, jumping up a bit to jump on the youma's back with her boots and over to the other side of the two struggling, before quickly pivoting back to try and kick it in the head.
"Kastra - fence it in! We can't let it run!" She called, her hand moving to point to the bottom of the two of them. If they could get it surrounded...
"ON IT!" The Senshi of Tattoos charged the Youma the moment Sabine shouted. Ignorance might not be bliss but in this case it was at least the ability to not stop and question that a youma could speak, having only met a few, more animal like ones, which left this creature strange, but never the less just another target. "Buddy it's gonna get a HELL OF A LOT WORSE!" She roared as she closed the gap between them, swinging for it's huge gripping arms, the better to miss Sabine and her personal Rodeo and to test the structural integrity of those strangely jointed limbs.
Sirene Naiads
Serpentsong
Lucifer Force
Torvil
Sa-wing Battah Battah
Posted: Sun Jul 02, 2017 9:34 pm
It was the screaming and the sudden sounds of workers scurrying about, that had Kastra on her guard. Humans did not scream without a reason, and given the signature they had felt, a reason was most certainly nearby.
She gasped at the sound of the shrieking youma. Had it actually talked? She had only a moment to think one this before she was called into action.
She had already been flanking the group before she heard Sabine's orders. She had done her share of support by this point, she knew where she needed to be. As Imperatrix swung with her bat, Kastra did the same with her fists. She leaning into the thrust as she attempted to make contact with the creature's abdomen.
"Sabine! Just get Phact out of harms way!" She knew that she and 'trix could hold out at least long enough for Phact to get her bearings.
Ryuthulhu
Sirene Naiads
Lucifer Force
Torvil
serpentsong
Aged Survivor
Offline
Lucifer Force
Sparkling Senshi
Offline
Posted: Mon Jul 03, 2017 10:41 am
The youma was downright enraged.
It wasn't the bat to the head, which he caught mid-swing and attempted to rip from Imperatrix's grip.
It wasn't Phact, who had wrapped herself around his shoulder and shoved, causing the youma to roll to the side and away from a precious starseed.
It wasn't Kastra, who punched him in the ribs.
It wasn't being interrupted during his hunt by dirty senshi intent on dusting him.
What enraged the youma beyond comprehension was the damned senshi in red. The one who had called him an it.
A metallic shriek erupted from the youma's throat, using his long claws to dig into the steel roof and right himself again. Both Phact and Kastra's efforts had nearly thrown the youma from top of the building, which would normally cause them to be the targets of his hunger. Instead, luminescent blue eyes were trained on Sabine, who had so brazenly used such derogatory language. Nothing enraged him like being called an it, or being treated as though he were stupid.
"I AM NOT AN IT!!" came the roar, and the youma lunged through anyone in his way in an attempt to rend Sabine's starseed from her chest, devouring her right then and there. How dare she!
The extreme emotional distress and rage the youma was experiencing seemed to be enough to activate the small blue necklace around his neck. A soft, calming snowy light pulsed once from the pendant, a sense of quiet overcoming they youma. As quickly as claws were so intent on cracking open Sabine's chest, the overwhelming rage had drained from his body. Shoulders relaxed, wings were folded, face returned to a resting state. Something about his demeanor indicated the youma was aware now of the position he was in - surrounded by senshi who were intent on his demise. And why wouldn't they be?
He was a monster.
Shoulders slumped, Bazzite seemed to know his time was nigh. The youma knelt, knees touching the steel roof. His voice was calmer, almost dejected."....alright... I... I know what you're here for... just... don't call me an it, please..."
serpentsong
Ryuthulhu
I spoke with Sirene and rolled a d4 in the main thread, odd for catching the bat and even for getting smacked upside the mug. I rolled a 1, just wanted to let you know it's all legit and not some power-play. ILU Trix!
Sirene Naiads
Torvil
Posted: Mon Jul 03, 2017 8:31 pm
Sabine felt the terror well up inside her. The thing could TALK - not only talk, but it could bellow with a rage she'd never seen before. But in the face face of such hellish adversity she stood tall - knowing that deep down, she was in the right. Their cause was noble and just and they had to protect the city against the monsters. She had no time to defend herself - she could see that as the creature prepared it's lunge. But she'd be willing to go out if the girls could take it with her.
She'd miss her parents, she'd miss her siblings, her cousin, her uncle, and her friends...
She'd miss Nick, most of all, she knew, even if she'd only known him for a short period of time - she knew that she cared deeply for him... You could probably call it love in a fashion, she was sure - not that she'd admit that to him. Well, maybe in that moment, knowing that she was going to die. But, thank God he wasn't there to witness what she was sure was going to be a messy, horrific death at the hands of some freakish monster.
A death that never came.
Instead, the creature... deflated. Something glowed on it's body and it just... slumped in place. Killing intent gone. Her eyes immediately shot to Kastra - she hadn't heard her call upon her power... So that wasn't it... Her eyes shot back to the Youma. To, the creature as it spoke in a small, sad little voice.
To say that Sabine was shocked would have been the understatement of the year. She stood there, mouth agape as she actively STARED at the youma, as it willingly offered itself up for the slaughter. She felt her heart jump up into her throat at how easy this had become, only to sink down somewhere below her stomach at the fact she'd just - THOUGHT - that. This wasn't just some mindless beast. It was capable of thought.
It had FEELINGS. Or at least the ability to emulate them. This could all be a clever ruse - a mimicry trick to lower their guard. But, at the same time - it could be feeling real remorse. The change in its behavior had been... sudden - like a switch being flipped.
Cautiously, Sabine stepped forward, raising her hands up to show she had no aggressive intent. She looked to each of the girls in turn - her eyes falling on Phact as she gave them all the sign for stop, then the sign to watch her back.
This was - incredibly risky - but Sabine had discovered lately that risk was its own reward and she had told herself that she was going to become a tactician if it killed her. And sometimes tactics required a bit of risk. A vain hope that your plan would trump the enemies - even when the chaos of battle took hold.
"Uhm," Sabine said, looking up at the youma. It had masculine features, she supposed, if she squinted hard enough. "I'm terribly sorry for calling you an it... sir."
She brought her hands down, dipping into a bit of a curtsy. She let her eyes glance up at the roof-kneeling youma and bit her bottom lip. "My name is Sabine, Super Senshi of Tactics... Please forgive my rudeness - I was unaware that Youma had gender, I meant no... No, I won't lie - I had no respect to give you."
She looked to the others again and forged ahead. "You have to understand, I've never met a Youma - a... true Youma - that can talk as you do. I have met your cousins, the ones that still maintain some semblance of humanity. So forgive me, for my rudeness. I did not realize that the light of humanity still flickered on inside you." She continued.
They turn people into Monsters... The voice rang in her head again - and she finally understood the true depths of the depravity of the Negaverse.
Sabine dropped to a knee, lowering her head, but spoke loudly to that the Youma could hear her clearly. "I'm sorrry, sir, my rudeness knows no bounds. May I ask you your name?"
Lucifer Force
Sabine has put on her lady hat - enjoy Bazzite
serpentsong
Lady Sabine, quietly wondering if Kastra can use her magic without words 2k17
Ryuthulhu
First kids, now youma - is there anyone Sabine won't play princess with?
Sirene Naiads
Forgive her Phact - but she's gotta stick her neck out or she'll never forgive herself.
Imperatrix, to wrest her weapon free, was no less startled than the others when he let go and knelt, swinging her bat back over her shoulder, knuckles white as it wavered there, unswung, eyes flicking between the pendant the pulse of light had come from, and her teammates, particularly Sabine.
"...Sabine?" She asked, warily, and through tightly gritted teeth. If this were a trap... well at least one of them should be prepared for the youma to change it... his? mind? Her mind? Their mind. It was like a giant lizard grasshopper person, probably fair to try and avoid making assumptions on how it identified past 'hungry'. "Phact?" She added, hoping for some information from the others.
Before they'd had the wand, this had never happened. The giant snowman critter had just blindly attacked, so had the dog-creature. Only Snappy, poor damn Snappy, had stopped to look to them and their wand for help.
"Don't leave me hangin' here, Ladies."
Serpentsong
Torvil
Sirene Naiads
Lucifer Force
It's cool. Ginger is going to have to open up a tab at the sport store with her bat demolition rate. wink
Posted: Wed Jul 12, 2017 7:05 pm
With the assistance of the others, Phact had managed to worm her way free of insect body parts. She had never been fond of spiders since literally rodeo riding a giant one as a basic senshi. Now that she saw Sabine take on the youma, Phact had to have a moment to wonder if that was how strange she had looked.
That moment soon passed as the sound of steel being stopped drew her attention upward. The grasshopper...locust...bug thing had caught Trix's bad. Impressive reflexes and strength. This wasn't just another standard youma battle...
As if she hadn't guessed that already. Screaming and talking were not on her known list of youma traits.
Nor was a youma being insulted by being mislabeled. The words shot Phact upright. She was moving towards her beloved friend hands outstretched as she felt her magic work within her very body. All it would take was the words and her doves would fly...
But her words never came.
Red eyes caught the flash of light that dropped the youma into a position she did not expect. The entire body language changed. He...she...was in a submissive pose that went even farther was he dropped to his knees.
Words could not describe what Phact saw and felt in that moment. Never in her years had she ever dreamed she would meet a youma like this...
Sabine's hand signal though shook her out of her surprise. One moment her tactical thinker was facing death and the next. Leave it to Sabine to be a youma whisper. Phact thought to herself as she let her hands relax, dismissing the magic she could feel building within.
The senshi of doves watched the exchange closely. She trusted Sabine. She didn't trust this being in blue...but when Trix called her name, Phact shot her a look and simply shook her head.
A quick glance at Kastra and she narrowed her eyes. "Be on your toes." She wanted her magic on the ready. Whatever had caused the youma to stop may only be temporary if it wasn't a full blown trick. With Sabine in reach...
She wouldn't take that chance.
Reaching her hand over her head, Phact felt her eyes close but a moment before the solid form of a wand appeared within it. A quick flick of her wrist and she stood holding it as the three of them stood guard.
It had worked against a youma before. Something about it brought comfort to her just having it then.
"Hold your ground Trix. Something is going on here and we need a better idea before we continue..."
serpentsong
Girl you are on point.
Lucifer Force
Hi youmi...good youmi...don't eat the senshi.
Ryuthulhu
Keep the guns loaded
Torvil
Phact's going to beat you later
Sirene Naiads
Romantic Senshi
Offline
serpentsong
Aged Survivor
Offline
Posted: Thu Jul 13, 2017 1:27 pm
Kastra had been more than ready to drop another punch on the youma. Despite her preparation, the need never arose. In fact, the one thing that Kastra had hardly expected, happened. The youma fell to its knees, it surrendered!
She cocked her head in the direction of the beast, she ever on the watch for the slightest shift of muscle, a change in breathing that would foretell of an attack. Her eyes caught Phact's motions from the corner, she nodding and taking a step back, before readying her stance and keeping the firmest of eyes upon Bazzi.
"Sabine...be careful.." She was already tensing. She could feel the muscles in her body tighten. She didn't like this. It was too sudden too magical to be a true shift, and shifts that were made from magic had the tendency to wear off.
Sorry this is so short, guys. There is so little that Kastra can do at this point..
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