|
Post by Genesis on Sept 6, 2020 21:50:18 GMT -8
*And that was checkmate. There were some deviations, but too many. Was it intentionally done like this, or otherwise? He'd worry about it later as he launched out of the abyss to land back not too far from what would soon be the last known resting ground for Regal's foolish program, the back of both of his hands glowing as he held them out, the abyssal being that was to be terminated and return to its usual coil upon elimination to rise again instead flowing into his hands. Simply destroying it would only leave it to rise again or be consumed by those who had destroyed the others up until now. This one was for him to consume instead despite their original plans. If things simmered down he'd revert back to those plans, but as it stood and given the proof already, he couldn't entrust this to the Tectonic Terror. And he'd have to see if his gambit paid off here for Slypner as well, otherwise this was still a loss in its own way. If he went out of his way to go about it this way, he should at least be able to drive off that pesky obedience that make the water clone an issue to begin with in their relationship.*
"Rest and never rise again, Nebula Grey. The human who created you had lofty, foolish goals, but that's no fault of your own. That agenda won't become a problem by your hands ever again."
*He would mutate what this power was like the others to obtain a better, more appropriate use of what this program could have accomplished. There was the acclimation period for it all too. He had a lot of learning to do with everything, but that was that. Now there was still a lot to take care of, but for now he would do what he had said to the others. He still needed to investigate Gigamerica for Jax and hear Hollow out, getting to work on his end of seeing the others off to Gigamerica at least as he held out a hand, turning it sideways as if twisting a doorknob as a gateway opened that revealed Gigamerica on the other end. One of his ways of getting past its isolation was by coming in through a place they couldn't get a read on thanks to Vinyl, this very Dark Colony itself.*
"There's a lot to deliberate on still, but for now you guys need to go and make sure that Gigamerica isn't on fire. Just look around for any signs of a fight if you want to know if they were there before. They don't always work large-scale, so they could be operating more quietly to put things together for whatever they need there. Use your analytics to get a read on it, Joker, and then save them in case there's some details you don't know. Also could save me the trip of looking for Jax that way."
*If Jax was there and taken down, either he was gone for good or taken prisoner. If the latter the matter of where they would put him came to mind. Odds were likely he was where they left him at last time, but that was a trap if he ever knew one from what he felt just when he left. He'd have to discuss the fact that if they followed him there they were walking into the jaws of a beast that even with the lack of presence felt much larger than the threat of the relatively unscathed Rosso he kept butting heads with. Until then he knew that the business he and Hollow had were separate from that and what he would need to see to next, otherwise the wizard would just go off on his own as he was sure to do, heading over to address him next. That next destination wouldn't be where the others shared at the time, but just losing the two of them shouldn't impact their ability to obtain results overly much. They were all capable in their own right. He'd give the soldiers parting orders when he was about to head on as well, letting them bask in the victory of defeating what they likely saw as an invader to their home not unlike that other guy who became some variant of a living plant as he met a grisly end here.*
"So what's up? If it should stay between us, we can talk on the move."
|
|
|
Post by Gaia on Sept 6, 2020 22:40:29 GMT -8
Joker.DB
Joker watched the abyssal being go down, and then saw that Xion once again absorbed its power, his own might growing stronger with each being he consumed.
That was how he did it, then. He absorbed their essences and instilled them within his own being. He had sworn he would do the same to Aeon, and, yet, the only power he amassed through it was to gain an unwelcome carry-on with a separate agenda. Why, then, did Xion keep seeing results where he had failed?
He would not understand. He did at least know what would come next, of course. He turned to look at the portal that Xion had created, even as Xion and the unknown wizard began moving about on their own agenda, and glanced through at Gigamerica beyond. That was where their next course of action was.
"Let us be on our way, then. No time to waste, yes?"
Hollow.___
Hollow lowered his hands down and dismissed the golden power that radiated from him, returning to his usual state. Holding aloft some of the dark energy he held from his own efforts against Nebula Grey, Hollow first handled business by offering it to Xion.
"Of first concern, I have no interest in this, and do believe it is of better use in your hands, anyways."
[Hollow gives Xion has CMD]
"As for what comes next -"
Hollow reached forward with one hand, an eye appearing across his palm as the familiar black void opened in the ground before them. The destination on the other side was quite unlike any place Hollow had ever taken Xion before, an area with green fog surrounding it and what looked like a simple purple platform. Just barely, two individuals could be seen, standing on the purple platform, overlooking what looked to be some sort of destroyed design on the platform.
"Certain things have been returning to me - seeds of memories sparked by whoever that one is," Hollow paused, pointing at the one clad in black, "suddenly beginning to travel about using the Undimension, and taking that woman from the NIA with him." Hollow turned to point his unflinching yellow gaze at Xion, the flames burning just beneath his cowl flickering ever so slightly in the darkness that now rested all around them. "We may not have as much to discuss as I first thought, of course, as it is possible that your connection to me and your access to my memories and understandings may not be hindered by my own allowance of recollection.
"What comes next may be better shared once we are within the Undimension, outside of prying eyes and ears, as you suggested." He paused, however, obviously leaving to Xion on whether or not to decide to come with him with all of this revealed.
|
|
|
Post by Warrior on Sept 6, 2020 23:08:06 GMT -8
#s://i~imgur~com/dk4CQm0~png Warrior let go of Lalonia after all was said and done -- somehow they'd all made it through that, which was nothing short of miraculous really. He nodded to her gratitude as they recovered their bearings, the disaster coming to an end at least.
A residual essence of Nebula Grey lingered with him, the Lord of Chaos' very crest, but he paid it no mind for now.
" ? "
The portal Xion had opened to Gigamerica was more or less according to expectations, it just seemed so simple and easy for what it actually was. This peculiar dimension had plenty of quirks though... he shouldn't have been too surprised by it, really. Though his understanding was that it was Xion's task to find Jax, not necessarily theirs -- they still weren't entirely certain what he even looked like.
Gigamerica in danger was a call for him to answer though.
" ... "
... until her overheard Hollow's conversation with Xion.
A "woman from the NIA" could very well have been Faith. It'd explain a lot as to why he couldn't reach her; she did have a history with them doing contracted work with Seth Pele. Considering everything going on right now with the New Forces, it'd be no surprise if NIA was wanting to keep tabs on them; Seth and Faith would very likely be coveted assets in their goals.
Warrior eyed Merrill, then the portal, as if he was non-verbally telling him to move through without him. This particular business would involve temporary splitting up, and there were few others that he trusted with the matters of his own homeland's security as he went about to deal with that business. Joker was already on his way to it, by this point.
Warrior approached Hollow and Xion, raising an eyebrow at the figures that he could barely make out on the other side of the void.
" She's not with NIA. But she is... mischievous. "
So it was Feint, not Faith. But still, her activity meant she was up to something. There was also a good chance she knew of Faith's whereabouts -- something he'd been chasing since he'd returned from Sharo.
" Apologies for the interruption, I've got business with her though. Have room for a third? "
|
|
|
Post by Genesis on Sept 6, 2020 23:23:34 GMT -8
*Xion took the data in hand, understanding what he meant on the matter. It wasn't a kind of instrument that just anyone could get any use out of it and was more up his alley. Folks had become a bit more acquainted to using it universally, but ideally you needed to pick the right one and be ready to the backlash should you do so. It was why most stopped at the ring and left it at that. More importantly was what he saw on the other side, knowing too that the woman was hilariously the one that avoided confrontation before... or rather, she was avoided instead. The other was a new face to say the least, but that was... what a strange feeling he got from looking at him even from here. He couldn't quite pin it yet and would need to see him closer up than from this distance to come to an answer on what this was. Not only that could the stranger travel with the Undimension and was carting her along, which meant she could have learned some things that dwelt about in Hollow's depths, left unsaid for many years to this day. Not to mention that he was able to tell from the green fog alone in the revealed location that this was exactly what he thought it was, wasn't it?*
"...Of course it's the NIA. What a lousy lot to have treading this close to the line."
*He knew that he needed to pay them a visit given his only lead with Rosso was that he was with them as well, but this wasn't a good look. The balance would be so easy to tip if one misstep was made. Hopefully the stranger remained silent on most of whatever he was aware of. He was already undoing the locks in Hollow by moving on without missing a beat as it was, which meant this absolutely wasn't something to discuss right here. Those complications could be taken care of quietly and without signaling every red flag possible for the situation at hand. He hated to say it, but Jax definitely was taking the back-burner then for him. This took precedence over that, holding out his hand as the flame in his own eyes flashed, a command sounding out to the soldiers nearby. "Take care of their guard duties and resume their regular duties". Hopefully she wasn't an official member, but given what she said last time, he was more inclined that Warrior may have just had outdated information on her. Assuming she was in the know about the situation, this would be easier to get through taking him along.*
"Looks like it's time the cat was let out of the bag. Fine, a third it is. I'm with you Hollow, let's go."
|
|
|
Post by Gaia on Sept 6, 2020 23:39:58 GMT -8
Hollow.___
Hollow turned to look at Warrior as he suddenly approached, only knowing him for his connection to Xion. Based on how Xion looked down at the swirling clouds of green fog, and his own answer to the situation, it answered Hollow's own theories - Xion did not have the same limitations to his information, even as Hollow's were still only slowly becoming undone.
With a wave of his hand, the portal expanded, until all three of them had the portal into the Undimension's depths, and into the point on the otherside, beneath them. In one fell motion, they fell through, passing through a realm of absolute oblivion on all sides, and then fell through again into the scene shown beyond. The portal immediately closed behind them.
[Hollow | Xion | Warrior: Granted Story Access to The Center of the Bermuda Maze]
|
|
|
Post by xoDeathy on Sept 7, 2020 7:34:47 GMT -8
Lalonia breathed deeply before dropping to her knees. Words couldn't begin to describe the feeling of that battle. A true nightmare it was. Yet, the fighters were incredibly strong. They took that thing out in such a short time, she couldn't even get one of her tricks out in time. She turned to Merrill at the end of her thought. He was just as impressive, being able to take on the onslaught of darkness without a scratch, the same with Joker. The rest seemed to split to their own vices, but she thought that they were only taking one detour.
"Merrill, they went off again. I thought Gigamerica was of uptmost importance?"
|
|
|
Post by Gaia on Sept 7, 2020 14:36:47 GMT -8
Joker.DB
The others did leave, apparently for their own desires, but Xion did at least provided them the easy access to Gigamerica that he had promised. Lalonia was right to be confused; from an objective standpoint, Joker was under the same impression. What became of those plans, however, took a back burner to whatever concerns Hollow had brought up. If nothing else, this at least made the trip to Gigamerica even more crucial - multiple things were happening at once, and if too many people were focused on one side, the other would be ignored.
"While true that we had planned to go to Gigamerica together, the three of us still present are capable enough. If another place needs our attention, it is alright that our collective attentions are divided - this way, we cover more ground. Assuming we all maintain caution, we will see them again.
"We need to move, one way or another. I can analyze the situation once we move over there, and see if I can point us in the right direction. From there, it's a simple matter of determining a vantage point and direction of response. We haven't any time to waste, as I said."
The situation, he felt, was pretty straight forward. Perhaps those were his data-based analyses speaking, however; the concern of them forgoing the plan was a little troublesome, but he could quickly readjust to their absence. He turned again towards the gate that Xion had opened for them, stepping towards it, but not quite stepping through, waiting to see if Merril and Lalonia would ultimately join him.
|
|
|
Post by Xypher on Sept 8, 2020 7:10:19 GMT -8
Xion's Strike did the trick, as the Darkness itself retreated. They had survived this battle.
Turning to Lalonia he walked over first, and offered her his hand to help her back to her feet.
"We made it through this battle. You did great."
He turned, facing Joker, Warrior, Xion, and Hollow. They all had valid points. While this was considered a win, it was only the first of many that this merry band of misfits needed.
Looking back at Lalonia, he nodded.
"Aye. We made our pit stop. We should head to Gigamerica."
However, as he looked back, he had heard about Xion, and Hollow heading on a side adventure. But then he saw Warrior.
And his own face's response was a scowl.
Agreeing to work as a team, and sticking together. And at the first sign of splitting up, already heading off in another direction.
He was pissed.
But, giving Warrior the doubt, he sighed, and nodded back.
"Fine. We have to trust each other."
Not that Warrior gave him a choice.
Turning back to Joker and Lalonia, he nodded, his face betraying nothing of his scowl moments before.
"Aye. To Gigamerica we go. Joker, while I agree we cover more ground, I worry that we split our forces thin as well. We need to be very cautious."
He looked towards the portal. Taking a deep breath, he steeled himself for their next adventure.
"But you are right, Joker. Let's go."
He offered his hand to Lalonia, taking a step into the portal...
Merrill >>> [wherever the portal leads]
|
|
|
Post by xoDeathy on Oct 12, 2020 6:24:09 GMT -8
Lalonia followed with no hesitation. Unsure of what lied ahead, she still proceeded with caution.
[Lalonia >> Portal]
|
|