*~::The Tower of Babel - Main Thread::~*

[Rednal]

[9/16 - Early Morning - Floor ???]



Yui Takahashi

As the fear - clearly some kind of artificial effect - left her body, one of Yui's hands curled into a fist. More than anything else at the moment, she just wanted to punch that silent figure in the face. Was she angry? Yes - their behavior was loathsome, and a far cry from what responsible seniors might do to help teach someone. "Don't ever try something like that on me again." she said flatly, addressing Slendy. "If we're going to accomplish our goals, we need to be able to trust each other, not worry that we're going to be stabbing each other in the back. Using some kind of mental voodoo on people supposedly on your team is not conducive to our goals, and all kinds of bullying are for losers." With that, she whirled around and walked off. At least that other guy had had some good advice - and she needed to go put it into practice.  

[Rednal]

[9/16 - Early Morning - Floor ???]



Yui Takahashi

The Shadow instructing Yui rose up from the ground as she moved away from the others, seeming more amused than anything else.

Not everyone here agrees on everything, of course... but there are a few things we can all acknowledge. Its dry voice chuckled slightly.

You've already learned about the newer members of your group, but they have an old guard as well. The leader of their team is Soji Seta - handsome, intelligent, and powerful. He is our enemy, but do NOT underestimate him - he's easily strong enough to take you down without so much as breaking a sweat, and even ganging up on him with your teammates wouldn't do a thing to change that.

Yui nodded as the two moved, walking straight past several Shadows without so much as turning to look at them. The one that did move towards her was splattered against the wall by her one wing - none of the others seemed interested in approaching.

But for all his strengths, he still relies on a group of insane teenagers to do his bidding. That is a fatal flaw, and proves how unfit for leadership he really is. No rational leader would trust a group like that, and he is the one who ought to be getting help from sensible adults. But he doesn't, of course. If you ask me, he's desperate to be special, to be important, someone others can rely on and who can always play the hero they need. It's disgusting.

You seek strength, and we will provide it - but we are not stupid. Your foes are veterans - well-armed, powerful, and with significantly more experience than you. But they all share the weakness of refusing to accept themselves for who they really are - a weakness I will ensure you do not have. Walk among the Shadows, Yui Takahashi - and know no fear.

The figure vanished as the girl continued forward... and it was right about then that she realized she was lost in the midst of an unknown location, with dozens of Shadows around.

Slowly, she clenched one fist, then started forward. Right... this was humanity's true nature. It wasn't something to be afraid of, it was something to be welcomed... and by walking among them, she would prove it. With her head held high, Yui moved forward, exploring this floor of Babel.  

[Rednal]

[9/16 - Early Morning - Floor ???]



Yui Takahashi

All right, she was starting to get the hang of all of this. Yui nodded and took a few more deep breaths before striding forward, bypassing a group of increasingly larger shadows. Those that got too out of line? Smashed into the wall without warning or second chances. They needed to understand the hierarchy here - and more to the point, it needed to be clear enough that it wouldn't be a problem in the future. She had exactly no intention of constantly needing to assert her dominance like some kind of... some kind of boy. Better to just get it over with and move on to the important matters. Namely, how she could get stronger, and prove to everyone that she not only deserved these powers, but would be able to change the world with them...  

[Rednal]

[9/16 - Early Morning - Floor ???]



Yui Takahashi

As Yui continued walking, the Shadows seemed like they were slowly getting larger and stronger... and less likely to be intimidated simply by her presence. With a bit of a scowl, she waved her hand, and a few more of them were smashed into the walls of the floor. She didn't give them any more attention than that, though, working to make it clear as crystal that any Shadows that DIDN'T step out of line would basically be ignored.

Finally, the girl found herself in front of a large set of stairs heading upward - and she nodded, beginning her slow ascent of the tower and trying to see what there was to see. Thank goodness it was Sunday, though - this wouldn't have been so convenient on a school day.  

[Rednal]

[9/16 - Early Morning - Floor ???]



Yui Takahashi

Your next step is learning to defend yourself without magic. The voice came back out of nowhere - and though it set her heart racing, Yui managed to avoid jumping like a nervous rabbit. Your powers won't work on everyone, and you'll need to learn how to deal with any opponent. Don't allow them to set the rules for your battle, don't limit yourself to their ideas of how things should be. We are the ones who will change the world - and WE make the definitions.

Yui nodded a few times, then cracked her knuckles. "Right, then." she said. "Let's get started. You, get over here." she said, glancing towards one of the Shadows. It stared at her for five seconds... and got splattered against the wall by her wing. She turned to the next one. "You, get over here." she repeated in the exact same tone. This time, it complied.  

[Necromonium]

Emanda Katerine
Floor ???

A bit late in the morning....Or, what passed for it in Babel, a figure stretched out from a regal bed, fashioned from materials found. Ema opened her eyes, and rubbed them, looking mildly grumpy as usual when she was first waking up. Quickly gathering her clothes off the counter, she dressed herself, and fastened her gloves to her hand, a few sparks flickering to life.
Ema quickly strode from her bedside to the door out of her room, a hand running through her long hair, as she adopted her usual, confident smirk.
"Mmmmn...Time for a bit of morning exercise." she called, shadowy energy starting to flow to her already, as she opened the door, various formless shadows sitting outside...As if waiting for her.
"Awww...You all remembered." she called, as she brought up her hand. Lithe, delicate fingers smashed the card in her hand, various chunks of Ice impaling the shadows from the ground up...Hanging them by their masks for a few seconds, before they faded into nothing.
Krk...Kr-rk..Krk...
"Even if they're just low level shadows.." she called, as she finished popping her fingers. "There's just always this..something about being able to walk all over them that is just...immensely satisfying."
The flamboyant one, and the brat were probably off doing something else...And she didn't care much for the indecisive punk, even if he was her senior. She merely started along out of the floor she was on, and headed on up, looking for something..anything to catch her interest.

 

[Rednal]

[9/16 - Early Morning - Floor ???]



Yui Takahashi

Bit by bit, Yui began climbing the steps within the tower, getting a better sense for exactly how it was laid out as she continued to practice controlling the shadows.

We have little time for weakness and delays. Are you confident enough to take on a task? the voice guiding her ask. Yui considered for a moment.

"No." she answered. "I realize what we're doing is important, but I'm still trying to wrap my head around some of this, and you can only push people so quickly. I think I'll be ready a little later in the day, though." At that, the voice simply laughed.

Good. Too many are simply arrogant. It's not bad to reach high, but knowing your limits does help with good decision-making. All right, then, allow me to tell you what we're going to do... Yui listened intently, nodding every now and then as she flat-out ignored the Shadows. She had something more important to do... and was making it clear they were not worth her time.  

[Rednal]

[9/16 - Early Morning - Floor ???]



Yui Takahashi

"All right..." Yui said, deep in one of the rooms on the current floor. Quietly, she began sketching out the main points of her plan. "Now all of you, shut up and listen to me. Our goal is to win... and we will be the ones deciding what victory actually is. We don't have to play by their rules or do what we want, and we're not going to drop the initiative - I hope you all understand." she glared at the Shadows within the room. "Now here's what you'll be doing..."  

[Rednal]

[9/16 - Early Morning - Floor ???]



Yui Takahashi

Yui staggered slightly to the side, wincing and holding her head before she looked up at the shadows. One of her hands tightened into a fist a moment later. She was continuing to use the Shadows as the disposable things they were, but...

Master, I'm afraid that I'm still being too kind to the Shadows. Help me. Please.

An amused laugh sounded in her ear, then whispered directions to the girl. Yui exhaled softly, then pointed at one of the more aggressive Shadows coming her way, and Istasha lashed out at it. Instead of slicing it up normally, however, Istasha actually reached into it, and the beast screamed as Yui's persona physically withdrew its essence. Countless particles of luminescent black essence filtered into Yui's hands, and she stared down at it for a moment.

This... this wasn't just energy, or the body of her foe she was holding onto. It was the Shadow's existence, it's very life, power in an almost irrationally pure form. She inhaled, exhaled... and pitched it through the air, smashing the Shadow with its own life and blowing away the others that had dared to get too close. With a screeching cry, the Shadow's body vanished, and Yui stalked forward as a weapon clattered to the floor. She gently picked it up, looking at its edge.

The spell could rip life out. This... this could reduce life, stop it from being regained for a time. Perhaps this was a sign, then, of what her course was going to be. To take down the enemy's life, was it...? To cut to the heart of what they held so dear...

[Yui has learned 'Life Bomb'.]
[Yui has acquired 'Unheard Agony (Part Deux)']  

[Zorc James]

Sentaku Toriyama
Floor ???

The wind was nonexistent in the tower that existed between dimensions and time, but at this current moment, Sentaku was running up and down several floors just so that he could feel a faux wind within it. It was nice, really, because it was a great way to get a morning exercise while staying in the familiar territory. Once he could feel the sweat glistening down his neck, he decided to return so that he could get fully ready for the morning in Babel. While he was traversing, however, he had noticed a blonde haired streak that he was quite familiar with. "Oh hi there, Kat-kat! I am happy to see that you are awake too. Did you just get here, or have you been here for a while?" Sentaku said to her as he then stretched his limbs out. Leaving almost no chance for a response, he asked her another question. "You up for a short training battle? I think it would be good for waking up."  

[Necromonium]

Emanda Katerine
Floor ???

Beat..
"Anything, but you." she snapped, a scowl forming on her face. "I just woke up, and I am not in the mood to deal with you, Motormouth."
The guy was grinning, tall, and never shut up.
So, he was basically everything she hated in a person.
Before the boy could add anything to his remark, several surges of Ice jutted from the ground, aiming to impale him upon their edges. Even if she didn't say she was up for a battle, with a gesture like that, it was all too evident how she felt.

Quote:

Emanda: Mabufula. [Sentaku]

 

[Zorc James]

Sentaku Toriyama
Floor ???

As Sentaku heard Kat's reaction and feeling on his greetings, he noticed that it had quickly gotten a bit chilly. Looking around, he had noticed that there were shards of ice that were prodding him everywhere. "Nice to see that you are up and at 'em too. If your ready, then I won't hold back." Immediately afterwards, a gust of wind started blowing around his legs and feet, and he stretched out, ready for their morning bout. "And I hope you won't hold back either.

Quote:

Sentaku: Wind Sword
Auto-Sukukaja 1/3

 

[Necromonium]

Emanda Katerine
Floor ???

Emanda's scowl turned into a small grin as Sentaku remarked. She spun on her heels to face the tall, lanky guy at this...
So, magic surged into her hands, and worked to debilitate Sentaku's powers, if just for a bit.
"I guess I can play with you for a little while." she mused, sliding on her gloves as she pointed her fingers.
"Just don't bore me."

Quote:

Emanda: Debilitate [Sentaku]
Fists of the Lion King. [Weapon equip]

 

[Zorc James]

Sentaku Toriyama
Floor ???

With the debilitating energy weighing down on Sentaku, he shrugged it off as he didn't feel himself loosing too much speed. As an idea came to his head, however, he pulled from his pocket what looked to be both a pair of blonde cat ears and a blonde long cat tail. "Man, I forgot that I had these! I had bought them for you, cause when I looked at them, I quite easily thought 'Man, those look like they could really fit Kat quite well.' So, I picked them up, and they said that if you got the tail free if you got the ears. So lemmie help them on you." With a swift motion, Sentaku quickly moved around Ema and placed the cat ears on her head and the tail on the skirt. Smirking, and running off before she could immediately backhand him, he admired how it looked. "Amazing~ They look better on you than I thought that they would. Aw dang it, I knew I should have gotten you those Neko Neko Powers Magical Gloves and Crafty Slippers. Maybe next time, when I have enough money to put as tip."

Quote:

Sentaku: gives "Neko Neko Power Uppu~!" to Ema

Wind Sword: 1/2
Auto-Sukukaja: 2/3

 

[Necromonium]

Emanda Katerine
Floor ???

There wasn't quite a response from Ema. However, the glare she shot towards Sentaku was almost palpable, the ears twitching, and the tail standing on end.
"You...Stupid....." she started, energy focusing. "Freaking...Zooming....Crazy...Loser..!"
A snap of her fingers echoed out...As Sentaku's resistance to Ice was shattered....And she flexed her hands.
"They'll be lucky to find the body.."

Quote:

Emanda: Ice Break [Sentaku]
Fists of the Lion King. [Weapon equip]
Sentaku's Debilitate-d [1/3]