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 Posted: Sun Sep 02, 2012 5:40 pm
Shadow Operatives Headquarters, aka "The Mist Wall" - Seaside, Port Island Located near the water on the man-made town of Port Island is a recently-completed building of white that reaches like a pyramid at the top into the sky. This building, only a few months open, has become infamous throughout Iwatodai for a waterfall fountain built on the upper levels of the 'pyramid' that flows into a pool outside a sky-borne restaurant. This fall creates a perpetual mist that seems to flow out into the night sky and surrounds the top of the white tower in a fog. ...This mist together with the towering white structure have earned this building the title 'Mist Wall', which was adopted post-construction by the Kirijo Group responsible for its creation. This building, on the front, is an office for members of the Kirijo Group and several researchers and developers with ties to the Kirijo; the highest levels contain several paid suites for VIPs and a restaurant which caters to people from all walks of life.
Beneath the surface, however, the building is the Headquarters for a newly-established, unofficial arm of the government with the sole purpose of handling situations beyond the ability of the average police and in some cases, even the military. Working with off-the-books backing from the Japanese Government and under the influence of the Kirijo, they are called the Shadow Operatives, both for their task...dealing with Shadow-related incidents...and their tendency to work in the dark, away from the public eye.
Operatives who have dealt with Shadow incidents in the past, of all different sorts, have been joined together in this group and now work together from this location to defend against one of the greatest supernatural threats the country has ever seen. [UPDATE (9/5): Repairs to the Mist Wall Headquarters are well underway; completion of the rebuilding efforts expected by the end of the month. Operations continue in the lower sectors of the Tower as usual.]
[Update (9/5): Shadow Operatives have been contacted by survivors of the Iwadate Massacre; Investigation Team, Okina Pursuers, and SEES-2 all deputized as official sub-ops in Inaba, Okina, and Iwatodai respectively.] Quote: Shadow Operatives Ranks
[Lower Numbers equate to higher authority. On any given mission, the lowest numbered member will be in control unless otherwise authorized by the Founder]
#000 - Minato Arisato - Founding Member, Operations Leader
#001 - Mitsuru Kirijo - Founding Member, Shadow Operatives Commander
#002 - Akihiko Sanada - Founding Member, Recruitment Specialist, Inaba Division Operations Commander
#003 - ???
#004 - ???
#005 - Aigis - Senior Member
#006 - Fuuka Yamagishi - Senior Member, Support Specialist
#007 - ???
#008 - ???
#009 - Junpei Iori - Senior Member, Site Coordinator
#010 - Victor Talbot, Investigations Division Head and 'Mist Wall' Supervisor
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Posted: Wed Sep 05, 2012 10:37 pm
Zazi Pazzia, Eccentric Sociopath It was a misty morning in Iwatodai, and although those working in the stunning structure might have mistaken it for the Mist Wall's own unique architecture, the vision obscuring moisture layered about the streets and through many alleys proved that it was no man made curtain, but a phenomenon unique to the sea-side city and it's warm, damp climate. Many people were just making it to work, but in the Mist Wall, the member of the Shadow Operatives were already hard at work despite the fact that their names would never be known. They worked before most people even woke up, and at the same time they were working in an organization that could be said to never exist. Even if they died, they would never receive any honorary mentions in the paper, and even if they saved the world they would receive neither medal nor ceremony to celebrate their great deeds. That was the fate of most of the people diligently working inside the tall, imposing structure, and yet they had come to accept this fate with a sense of magnanimous generosity that could rarely be found amongst their fellow man. It was perhaps that steadfast dedication to justice that had finally earned them the approval of the government, and now they were given missions and information from the national database to work wherever was necessary, although they tried to refrain from causing a commotion for the police all the same.
And at the head of all of these dedicated men and women was a liaison from the central government, intent on keeping a balanced peace...detective Victor Talbet. Explained by his friends, he was a short tempered, potty mouthed man who didn't mind stepping over the lines to make sure things got done, a way of life that his 'special power' made all the easier. But his subordinated and those he worked with knew another side of him, that of a man who believed that unhindered freedom led to anarchy, and who treated all criminals as trash, without concern for their own circumstances. Perhaps it was the way he balanced his personal and business beliefs that made him such a success at balancing the needs of an organization that didn't exist, and the rigid structure of the police, but somehow it had managed to work well enough for now. On today like all days this important man sat on the greeting desk of the Mist Wall, lazying about as his men made sure to complete their work in a timely fashion, a vocal individual here or there chastising him for not completing his own work himself. For all of his accomplishments, he was a childish and energetic individual at times, and it was that sense of ease he had that managed to put more than a few people off from liking him, especially those who considered themselves the intellectual type. But Victor Talbet was anything but dumb...in fact he'd managed to snag more than one or two 'masterminds' when they got soft from constantly outwitting the police who were after them.
"Mr. Talbet, security says there's someone at the entrance for you. This place is classified sir, I don't think you should be bringing friends here..." It was the voice of one of the ladies at the greeting desk that broke up his morning malaise in an unusual fashion, as Talbet turned his head at the unusual news. The fact that he didn't have anyone to stop by should have been evident by the way he never brought anyone to 'Bring your family to work at a company that doesn't technically exist Day', but before he could muster up his sarcastic voice the sound of a shout from the doorway interrupted the usual fervor of the morning, as the leeway agent and a dozen other people turned to see one of the guards fall through the door with a splash of blood, an unrecognized man stumbling over it (it looked like he'd had a lot of trouble with the guard) as the other guard gripped his wrist, attempting to wrangle the knife out of his hand. "Mr. Talbot! Mr. Talbot, I have a message for you!" An elbow planted itself square in the intruder's back and forced him to the ground as Talbot slid off the desk, realizing this was a much bigger situation than a random bum.
"What the hell are you guys doing letting him get in here? You're trained guards for crying out loud! Get him out of here!" Talbet commanded quickly, waving to drag the ruffian outside. It was true that this place was somewhat open to the public, but he could see now why the man was rejected at the door; his clothes were torn up and his skin seemed clammy and pale, like he'd just been through hell. He was still kicking even with a bigger, heavier man driving a painful elbow into his back, and his squirming must have made it clear he wasn't on a normal errand from the beginning. "N-no! Mister Talbet...Mister Talbet, please!" The guard squeezed on the wrist again and the knife fell out, but the man managed to twist around at the same time, despite the well kept grip, and a foot shot up to kick the guard square in the jaw only to be tackled back to the ground when he attempted to scramble up. "I have a message from Zazi! Zazi Pazzia!" The very name made the blood pumping through Talbet's veins go cold. Just as the guard flipped him over again, this time pinning his arms together and dragging him to his feet, finally managing to cuff his hands together while the inspector's mind rapidly jumped through a thousand possible reasons for someone who bore that name approaching his door. The most important thing of all was that he actually knew where to come...that he knew that this was the secret lair, and home of the Shadow Operatives. "Wait, don't throw him out! Everyone restrain him, quick!" The employees who didn't have anything to do with this situation had already backed away from the entrance to the lobby when the scramble broke out, but more and more onlookers were staring from the edges of the room, while a few more guards moved close to keep him in check as he threw his legs up and kicked wildly, the first guard holding him back thoroughly now. "What do you mean, you son of a b***h? Are you one of Zazi's puppets?" The moppy haired intruder stopped pulling against his restraint as Talbet began to speak, slowly raising his head. Finally, he locked eyes with Talbet...and the detective received a good look into his dual colored black and white eyes; not the corneas, but genuinely transforming eyes. The figure lunged forward and suddenly the guard behind him was thrown to the ground as if the homeless creature was three times his size, and the feet that had been kicking desperately a moment ago slammed into the reception desk, sending the furniture flying at Talbet with speed capable of knocking out a full blown adult. There was a crowd full of cries as the desk hit the ground again and slid back across the wide lobby, marks along the floor showing just how deeply it had dug into the otherwise spotless linoleum.
And there, standing on top of the desk, was the bespectacled inspector in his finely weaved suit, squeezing a trigger that sent a bullet straight through the attacker's white eyes, causing it to slump to the ground as the guards moved to capture him again, this time prepared for the worst. "Was that your best? If you think that's impressive, you'll never scratch me...doing something like that is the bare minimum requirement for working here." Talbet smirked as he pressed a finger to his glasses in a victorious pose. "Sir, you're the only one who can do that." One man chimed in suddenly. "Yeah, if that was the bare minimum requirement, then nobody but you would work here." Another chipped in, causing Talbet to sweatdrop. "Come on guys, I'm trying to look cool here! Though to be perfectly honest, I'm kind of surprised myself. I just intended to jump, landing on the desk was pure luck." Talbet said with a grin, breaking out into an embarrassed chuckle while the man being held down before him recovered. And his recovery was far quicker than they expected, especially for someone who just took a potentially fatal wound. His arm had turned black in the duration of Talbet's little stunt, and as he raised his head it seemed like shadows were moving underneath the wound, as if he were already repairing what should never have been capable of healing. "Zazi wanted me to tell you...you're invited to...the party of a lifetime!" The man said, finally delivering his message. Talbet drew his head back in disgust as the man let out a maniacal laugh, tilting his head back and glancing upwards as banner suddenly unfurled in the lobby covering the walls, the image of the mad scientist of Strega adorning every surface in the room. From the broadcasting system a piercing laugh suddenly erupted, one that very few people working in the Shadow Operatives had heard before, but that Talbet knew all too well from Akihiko's team's investigation; the voice of the mad man who had sent this rogue in their camp, now live amidst their own secret department.
"Did you MISS me, kiddos? Don't worry, because I'd never forget you. I hope you're ready for one WILD party! Uwahahahaaha!" Talbet felt his blood boiling but before he could react his men's screams from the front of the hall caused his cool to return, his eyes falling back onto the broken individual who's body was now begin to grow to larger proportions, his two eyes now spreading over his face in a mask colored in a yin yang symbol, the tell tale roman numeral of the arcana on it. 's**t!' Talbet thought, waving his men away from the guy as his voice erupted in a shout. "You idiots! Get the hell away from him! Shi-" Talbet's voice was drown out as the man's body suddenly imploded rapidly, and then expanded in a flash of red and yellow light, his entire body incinerated in an explosion that even the fleeing guards and the scared workers couldn't escape; and the doors leading outside were blown off their hinges as fire engulfed the entire bottom floor of the Mist Wall in a suicidal bombing that only Talbet, who had read the reports on Zazi Pazzia's own twisted experiments, could have foreseen. His words had been too late however, and the director, the people in the lobby, and everyone else became engulfed in a a deadly experiment of the enemy of mankind in a twist that had happened too quickly for them to see it coming.
From outside the Mist Wall, after the fire and the noise had died down, nothing could be seen except for a few figures walking inside. After that, the onlookers would have been left with no sign of the goings on except for the occasional flicker of power, and the enormous banners that were unfurled on the front of the building, bearing the symbol of a cult that had once been very prominent in Iwatodai for proclaiming The End had come. Strega's symbols would soon paint the walls all over the building, the only significant image that one could see through the ever present mist that had become the building's namesake. And anyone walking by or approaching, could hear a newly set up speaker system on the outside of the building turn on, as a macabre jingle filled the air and caused countless residents of the city to avoid the section of town, and the haunting building that now loomed in it's center, painted in red imagery that only hinted at the truth of the events that were taking place inside, and the horrors that awaited anyone who entered. Words intermingled with the sound before long, creating a song that loomed over the entrance way in order to chill the hearts of anyone who passed through these proverbial gates of hell...
'It's screwy...at Zazi's Playhouse~
It's a wonderful woooorld~
All full of slaughter~
Come and see what Zazi's planned~
Come and give your friends a hand~
Gin will choke and die of fright~
You can hear Riku's screams at night~
Rose'll wither from a blight~
Drench Hatsu in oil and give him a light~
If you come to my world you'll see~
It's all a game to meeee~
It's screwy...at Zazi's Playhouse~
It's a wonderful woooorld~
In the hereafter~
Weston'll be eating lead~
Can anyone find Seika's head?~
Toru can croak and die~
Oh Sylphie please don't cry!~
I'll shove your head in an oven to keep them dry~
It's a wonderful woooorld~
In Zazi's hooooome~
You'll all have loads of fun~
So don't you look so glum~
I'll paint smiles on your head~
When you're all just bled and dead~
It's a wonderful tiiiiime~
At Zazi's Plaaayyhouuusee~
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Posted: Mon Sep 17, 2012 7:27 pm
 "Hard Luck" Hatsu Harima, the Heartbreak Kid"Aa, I'll stand my ground...I'll help you."Gin handling the planning made the work of the university student who had taken the distress call a lot easier; he wasn't the type for plans to begin with, nor was he the type who spent a whole lot of time thinking his actions through before he simply did what he thought was right when trying to help someone. Sure, he could analyze a situation to some degree, and it had saved him from interrupting fights on the street that really weren't of the significantly dangerous variety (and making himself the problem), but that was about as far as his analysis went. He didn't know about nor have the resources many of the members of their team did. As far as fighting to help people, he was a tried and true veteran...but when it came to helping in the fight against the shadows and all of the significant social implications their work might entail on days like this one, he was still a newbie. In that respect, he was thankful for his teammates' ability to do more than he could. Their various strengths made them an effective team, he noticed quickly, and as they had sat on the train alongside one another he looked at the other members of the team with an admiration, knowing it couldn't be a coincidence that their transportation and everything had fallen into place so easily. Gin's connections as a celebrity were certainly useful, and Sylphie, for all her eccentricities, could really get ready to bring the hurt on the fly! Rose and Riku were straightforward and ready to help as always, not unlike him in that respect even if their reasons were different, and Seika...well, he was most thankful for her simply because she trusted him enough to follow him into such an obviously bad idea. They barely knew what was going on inside of this Mist Wall facility, only that it was bad news, and still they were going together to help the people there. He had always believed in his heart that she was a good person...even when she didn't. Now, he knew...nobody who didn't care for others would have come along on a mission like this one.
...And Weston was even coming along for the ride, too. He couldn't hide his innocent smile at that, since it was the first time he could remember Weston coming along on one of his bad ideas rather than the other way around. That guy really was a good person after all, he couldn't help but think. ...Thankfully, he didn't think about it too long before the train pulled into the Port Island Station more than an hour and a half after they had left Inaba behind them. Peering from the monorail out into the skyline, he could finally see the gleaming pyramid-topped tower with strange decorations off into the distance near the water. That building was...the Mist Wall? For others they might have guessed from context, but for Hatsu, all he really needed to see was the strange cloud of mist gathered near the top of the building to make his guess. Mist...and a wall. Mist Wall, right? It had to be! He nodded with a small vigor as he solidified his resolve. Just a little further now...his fist clenched tightly as they stepped out of the train and began the trek towards the tower, through the streets of the man-made island built by the Kirijo themselves...though that last part Hatsu really didn't know much about, personally. All he knew was that the tower growing ever-closer, glimmering white with those strange streamers and the awful music growing ever-louder, was where their true test was waiting for them.
And before long they were there, standing before the front doors...a momentary pause allowed the magenta eyes of 'Hard Luck' Hatsu Harima to observe the impressive structure before them with a sense of wonder. Truly, this tower was impressive...and the simple teen was one who could appreciate it for the modern marvel that it was...for only that moment, however. Turning his eyes back to the door, he closed them and tried to drown out the taunting music, fists tight and ready for anything.
"Aa...we're here. Ready?" he asked the assembled team simply, not the sort for big speeches or rallying the crew. He believed in them enough to think they wouldn't need it in the first place. This was a fight they had to win, and so he knew they would. The good guys wouldn't lose at a time like this, after all. Right? "Let's go inside..."Quote: [SEES-2] has arrived at the [Mist Wall]!
Opening the door and stepping into the lobby, what horrors will they find within?!
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Posted: Tue Sep 18, 2012 8:04 am
  Rosealine Miina, and Rirouku Muramaro
Rose nodded quietly as Hatsu asked if they were ready, holding her shield with her evoker at her side. The music was....grating, for sure, but she'd get over it soon enough. It was a lot like last time....Though, she shuddered to think of how much like last time it was....And of course, what new things awaited her. They'd managed to save Ellen, but who were they there for this time? Would they be able to help the civilians?
I sure hope so..
Rirouku nodded as well, watching Hatsu's movements, though he seemed notably out of it. He'd subtly placed ear-plugs in his ears as the music came into earshot, and as such, had blocked out the music, all too well. He hung back a bit so he could make sure when someone was trying to talk to him, but he still preferred it to hearing....that grating noise.
"I'm ready." he called a bit louder than usual, moving along with his hands gripping his weapon firmly. Was he getting fired up? .....Or was he just unable to hear how much louder his tone was?
"Colm, be on your guard." Rose added quietly, holding up her shield as she walked forth, glancing around her. "This guy's....Unpredictable. With your powers being fresh.....He might target you...So, watch yourself."
She'd do her best to stop it, but if worse came to worse....Oh, she hoped that it wouldn't come to that.
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Hopeful Conversationalist
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Posted: Tue Sep 18, 2012 12:05 pm
 Weston Smith"I've got this." Worst. idea. ever. As flames rose out of the front of the Mist Wall, the rest of the team was left to ponder on the last sixty seconds or so in which a caution filled mission in which they were hoping to get the jump on a deadly criminal, turned into...well, lets just do an inventory check. One, a loose cannon reforming criminal on a mission. Two, a truck parked nearby with a crowbar. Three, a front door which may or may not have been booby trapped. Naturally, it must have crossed exactly zero people's minds that after Weston dropped his signature catch phrase he would go to this otherwise unremarkable truck, stick the throttle, and then jump out after flooring it to watch the truck drive straight into the front of the building, smashing through steel and glass doors before it's back axis was thrown into the air by the debris, causing it to smash back down and roll onto it's side in the middle of the lobby, having taken out a fire hydrant along the way. So now as broken glass, spraying water, and pure rubble littered the way Weston stood proudly with hands on his sides, smiling like a man who'd just won a gold medal alongside his brilliant partner Hatsu. The way he saw it, if Hatsu was having trouble taking the first step, then it just meant it was his job to lead the way like he always had; it was this unbreakable form of camaraderie that gave them the tightest of bonds, and made the two an inseparable pair of excellent idiots! W-wait, that didn't come out right. I mean...best. partners. ever! An undefeated duo! The Best Bros! Partners in crime who would remain unmatched throughout all time! Yes! Weston had more faith in Hatsu than Bonnie did in Clyde! Starsky for Hutch! Cheech for Chong! And certainly, Hatsu knew that Weston was just as dependable the other way around! Aaaand while those thoughts were going through his mind, Weston still remained there, laughing heartily next to his partner, oblivious to the actual mission except to beat up clown shoes, or something.
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Posted: Tue Sep 18, 2012 6:07 pm
"Hard Luck" Hatsu Harima, the Heartbreak Kid"Aa, I'll stand my ground...I'll help you."Though he was a simple person, Hatsu was aware of the concept of collateral damage; while they hadn't even checked the front door of the Mist Wall to see if it was open, Weston had already begun formulating his own plan of entry the moment that the university student had suggested they all go inside to investigate. Why were these two things...collateral damage and Weston's entry plan...connected, you ask? ...Did you even need to ask? Outlaw that he ever was, collateral damage was the least of the concerns of the white-haired, one-eyed gunman, and that was evidenced nowhere more clearly than his plan to send a truck ramming through the front of the tall tower that flipped and skidded towards the back of the lobby, an explosion sending flames burning throughout the entirety of the level. It surely left an open path for them to enter the skyscraper, no one could deny that. The wall of fire preventing them from getting beyond the center of the lobby towards the stairs and elevators, however, that was another story. Fortunately for everyone, particularly Weston, Hatsu Harima wasn't the straightforward type for nothing, and despite this obstacle standing before them, he couldn't help the sense that if there was something blocking the way they had only to go right through it! Going through a wall of flame isn't a good idea, you say? The magenta-eyed boy couldn't help but agree with that idea...after all, collateral damage was the worst when that collateral was yourself. But they had come this far, much too far, to be stopped by something so simple as a wall of flame!
"Aa...I'll take the lead!" his nod was the only preemptive warning before the boy was darting towards the fire without hesitation, taking Weston's invitation as all the more motivation necessary to proceed. His feet carried him headlong towards the flames, burning bright orange and hot from the gasoline that had spilled from the truck and lit up with the ignition of the room. Going through it would be troublesome, and probably burn, he knew...but he couldn't see any other way to go about it. So what were they to do?! ...Naturally, this would be the time someone a little more cautious might look around and check for a fire extinguisher or a blanket to douse or smother a path through the fire. Hatsu, however, was not that type of guy. Instead, he did what came most naturally...approaching the flames at their lowest point near the elevators themselves, kept his feet churning, and at the last moment dove straight into the heart of the burning embers...passing through just as the tail end of his jacket and the sides of his pant-legs were caught ablaze. His skin burned hotly, his cheek already bright red from a tongue of the fire that licked at it there, but as he landed on the hard floor he rolled and smothered the worst of the flames, discarding his jacket just quick enough for the fire to be extinguished before it caught his undershirt as well. ...A breath escaped him, a half-smile curling his lips as he placed the charred jacket back over his shoulders; glancing around from his position before the elevators, he spotted finally the fire extinguisher that he should have been looking for from the outset.
"Aa...a minute!" he called out over the fire, voice barely audible for the rest of the team as he shattered the glass and pulled out the red cylinder, spraying a white foam over a section of the flame to let the rest of the team through without incident, "We're through." From here, he wasn't sure where to go...none of them really knew the locations of the important layers of the Mist Wall, where their enemies were waiting for them, or anything. He supposed the best plan was just to go straight to the top! ...Not that this made any sense whatsoever, but that was simply his instinct from the outset. Head towards the top and the boss will be there, right? That's how it was in video games, at least. And, well...what was it people sometimes said about idiots like high places? Not that Hatsu was an idiot, mind you, but from the moment he had laid eyes on the Mist Wall he had wanted to see it...the top of the Tower, that restaurant with the waterfall cascading down into a pool just outside of its glass doors...the mist rising into the night sky. He wanted to stand there and look down, to look up at the top of that pyramid at the summit of the Mist Wall Tower. And if they didn't know where to go, why not there?
He waited for the others to cross and voice their own opinions before taking the lead for a second time, though. After all, he was still pretty new at all of this.
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Posted: Tue Sep 18, 2012 6:57 pm
Seika Murakami  Five minutes... no, it had been less than that. It was all it took for the mission to crash and burn right from the start. Hell, it hadn't even started yet! And still, this idiot decided it was a fantastic idea to crash a freaking truck against the glass doors of the building making enough noise to alert a deaf man at the other side of the city. Hands clenched into fists, and it took the girl three steps to reach the laughing young man, grabbing him by the front of his shirt, pushing him back harshly. "Announce our presence to everybody, why don't you!?" The redhead hissed, ready to throw a punch at that grinning face just to extinguish the rising exasperation inside of her, only to stop herself a second after, stepping back fuming. "Well... that clown is most likely expecting us anyway. Whatever. Let's get this over wi-" It had been then that she turned her slate colored eyes to Hatsu, the university student already moving forward. He wasn't thinking of- Oh, of course he was. Her gaze turned to one of the several fire extinguishers on the walls and then back to the guy crossing the fiery wall, and it took all her strength to stop herself from slapping her forehead with her palm. Then again... that courage and eagerness to get things done had their merit.
It wasn't long before the flames died down, Hatsu giving them a path to follow. Seika nodded inwardly, trying to push aside the unpleasant knot on her stomach and the annoying, drilling headache that background music made her feel. This guy... she had heard bits and pieces about the Strega member, and she couldn't help feeling unnerved. The way he attacked his enemies, or rather, his enemies' minds...his experiments... Yeah, she rather encounter whoever was coming here, in the open, than to go into whatever trap was set for them. But, things wouldn't be as easy, would they? The fiery redhead walked ahead, joining in with the magenta eyed university student, giving him a strong nod in what could have been taken as a thanks before her gaze shifted to the elevator and then to the stairs...How to act from here? "So...to the top?"
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Posted: Thu Sep 20, 2012 6:33 pm
 Sylphie
Well, there went any point of subtlety... so Sylphie coughed cutely a few times before her singing began to fill the area and strengthen all of her allies. They were here to kill Shadows, and in all honesty, that was about the only reason she needed to do basically anything... though she did seem rather distracted at the moment. Which... probably wasn't a good thing if the Clown was involved, really, but people were going to be people no matter what you tried to do to them. On the bright side, she was hardly the only one there, and being distracted didn't mean she wasn't paying any attention at all to what they were doing. There were possibly Shadows to be killed. It was kind of hard for anything to pry her away from that.
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Posted: Fri Sep 21, 2012 12:29 pm
Eiji "Gin" Mishima  "You idiot, if Zazi Pazzia didn't hear us then the whole neighborhood must have!" Gin yelled at Weston, not showing as much restraint as the rest. The whole area had been covertly cleared out, but the sound of a mess like that could carry for more than a few blocks. If people started calling the police, it was only a matter of time before a lot of people who couldn't do anything started getting involved even though they would actually just be putting themselves in danger. For all they knew, Weston had essentially just cut their time in half. "Look, lets hurry before things get worse. And no matter what, if things look bad just fall back. Staying alive is way more important than beating the enemy. If any of us fall, it just increases the workload for the rest of us." Gin followed behind Seika and Hatsu, nodding to the others as he reminded everyone that there was no need for all the daredevil actions. A loose cannon like Weston was the obvious concern, but someone like Hatsu who'd jump through fire was the real concern. They could have easily worked their way around, so if he kept throwing himself through every fire they came across to get to the other side, he wasn't going to last long. "Just relax and focus. We're not just some ordinary kids, if danger presents itself like that again, we can work around it. And most importantly, we should stick together as a team." Gin waved for Sylphie and the others to hurry it up, since there was a chance anything could go wrong. Daydreaming at the doorway was only giving the clown an opportunity to attack them while they were distracted again, and he wasn't nearly as forgiving as they hoped he'd be. The fact that these new members hadn't heard about the Amusement Park yet worried him all the more, because they probably had no idea just how depraved the so-called "Mad Mime" could really be. "I'm not sure we should take the elevator. If Zazi's had control of this building for a while now, then the first thing he would do is set a trap for us. There are no shortcuts on this ride." Gin remarked, raising a hand to his chin as he tried to think of just how that psycho's mind might have worked this time.
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Posted: Sat Sep 22, 2012 7:07 pm
Zazi Pazzia, Eccentric Sociopath
'It's screwy, wuaha! At Zazi's Playhouse! It's a wonderful world kiddos! All full of LAUGHTER!" The music slowly died as the voice that had filled the room became much less repetitive and all the more vocal, bursting into laughter instead of song. "Welcome, welcome Akihiko's rodents! Now that you're here, the fun can finally begin! Oh, and be a dear and wake up Mr. Talbet would you? He's been playing dead for a while now...but I'm sure he wouldn't die even if you KILLED him! Wuahaha!" The rubble in the middle of the room shifted as an arm raised from the dirt, pushing a piece of debris to the side as the man who'd sent the message glared up at the PA System. "s**t, so he knew about me the whole time..." A loud clang from above echoed throughout the room as eyes shot upwards to see a human-sized creature leap out onto the Chandelier above, a decorative fixture meant only to emphasize the size of the room. What looked like a blade for an arm smashed against the chain holding it up, and with a cacophony of glass shattering noises the Chandelier began to fall towards the center of the room and all the other wreckage, as well as the team who might easily be caught up in the glass shards thrown out from the impact. "s**t, get out of the lobby! Everyone move, NOW!"
The man who'd sent the alert dashed towards the side of the room, waving for Sylphie, Weston and the other two who weren't up near the elevators yet to follow as he dove inside of the door leading into the first floor hallways, those in the elevator likely taking the queue to flee as well as the fixture smashed into the ground and sent shards flying everywhere, including into the exposed underside of the truck and it's gas tank as a fireball filled the room. From the mess of a lobby figures began to stand and move, scarecrowesque Shadows that seemed poised to die at any time, but who lurched after the elevator door as fast as their inexperienced legs could move them, threatening to embroil the group that had proceeded fearlessly in battle if they hesitated. Some even walked through the fire without hesitation, their straw-like appendages catching as they did so, showing their ignorance of their own safety as they pursued the newcomers. "I'll see you at the top! It's quite a view up here, I assure you! Wuahahaha!"
Meanwhile, as Talbet slid through the door behind the rest of the group that had been separated, he hurried to turn and kick the door shut, holding his foot against it as the sound of the chandelier shattering filled their ears, followed by the disorienting shaking caused by the explosion they'd just narrowly avoided. A few seconds to recover were necessary, but Talbet slowly moved to his feet, fixing his glasses while the cobwebs slowly cleared. "Son of a b***h. I thought if I waited I could get the drop on him, but it looks like he fooled me all along." Talbet looked at the others in the hall, examining the kids who were with him for a minute as if he were deciding whether they were even worth wasting his time on. After a few seconds though he sighed, clearly relaxing just enough to accept the situation, his glance fading to show that it wasn't that he thought they were unacceptable or such, after all. "I take it you're Akihiko's kids...? I guess you got the message. Things really turned to s**t around here in one go though. Look, going back there and getting to the elevators is probably impossible for now, but there are some stairs at the end of the hall. We'll have to pass through the offices as we go to higher levels, but maybe the clown hasn't set traps up along the long route yet. Lucky us, hm...?" A rapping on the door behind him alerted the group to the presence of the Shadows outside, and a second later a crack appeared in it, a wisp of fire breathing through to show things would only get more chaotic if that door fell. Without hesitation Talbet headed for the end of the hall, opening the stairwell door and looking up, before looking back at the others. "I hate to say it, but you kids might be all that's left for me to count on right now. Well then...welcome to the Mist Wall." And with that Talbet started to ascend the stairs, assuming once again that the members of SEES-2 would follow without hesitation. This was after all what Akihiko had been training them for...wasn't it?
"Looks like the game's begun...uwahaha." Meanwhile, Zazi watched the movements of the heroes with a jovial smile, flipping a coin in his hand. As the piece came down he shielded his eyes for a moment, letting the tension set in before peaking between his fingers, and spotting the wicked smile of himself staring back..."Yeeahaha! Yes, heads! I win again! Sometimes I just want to kiss myself I'm so lucky! Whoops~" As Zazi playfully rolled the coin between his fingers it slipped, falling onto the board in front of him and flipping upside down, revealing another smiling face. Before anyone could spot it the clown slammed his fist onto the coin and button below, the elevator door slamming shut and rocketing upwards suddenly with Hatsu and his friends in tow...a sight that Zazi enjoyed watching on the monitor in front of him. The machine lurched to a stop suddenly after innumerable floors, freezing in place as the PA system came on once again, Zazi grabbing the microphone between thin, vicelike fingers. "Hey there kids! Guess what! I just thought of the happiest, most tragic story! It's a sad sad tale, with a wrenching ending! Sad for you, but happy for myself of course." The elevator suddenly lurched again, a grinding sound filling their ears...and then it fell an inch, a sign of the imminent plummeting about to come. "Please fasten your seatbelts, and make sure all trays are in an upright position. Now please enjoy the ride! WUAHAHAHA!" And with that, the elevator began to plummet again, the chain separating from the winch as the metal box of death fell back towards the earth, tilting and lurching side to side to smash again and again as it headed for the final, abrupt ending. Oh yes! And there may have been spikes at the bottom of the elevator shaft. Zazi did enjoy himself some overkill, after all...
Quote: Team A went to the elevator! (Hatsu, Seika, Gin, Weston) Which upon ascending so far, started to fall! =D The hatch above is open, but who is willing to go first? Team B must take the stairs. What awaits on the floors above? (Rose, Rirouku, Sylphie, Colm)
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Hopeful Conversationalist
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Posted: Sat Sep 22, 2012 11:18 pm
Rosealine Miina, and Rirouku Muramaro
Rose had been awestruck by Weston's...Flashy entrance, and all around reckless way to get them entrance. She cringed at the mad-mime's words, watching as the others went into the Elevator...and then the figure 'Tablet' went to the stairs.
"Ah! Mr Tab.." she called, before realizing that he'd already been moving out of their range. "Guys, come on!" she called out to the remaining members, gesturing for them to follow her, following Tablet, following..Jeez..
Rirouku nodded quietly as things happened, his eyes widening in worry for a quick moment at Weston's actions. Not that he could hear what was going on..or anyone with his earplugs still in. Something important was going on....Yeah. He could tell...
But the way everyone was starting to split....Maybe he should tune in and listen....?
He went to reach for them, before watching Rose bounce I mean Start off to follow after a newcomer. He'd have to work to keep on her..Her Trail! Damn. Why was everything sounding so wrong when he thought about it? Either way, he was going to follow her to the ends of the earth!....Sorta.
Quote: Rose is following up the stairs. Rirouku is doing the same!
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Posted: Mon Sep 24, 2012 10:17 am
Eiji "Gin" Mishima "Hatsu, above!" Gin looked up to see the creatures starting to cause chaos, and shoved Hatsu and Seika in the elevator despite possible pleas to wait for the others. "That crazy son of a...is he alright bringing the whole house down on us?" As the door closed Gin prayed that the others had gotten out of the way, but now he, Hatsu and Seika were along for the ride whether they wanted to be, or not. And as the Strega maniac's voice on the loud speakers hinted at moments later, they definitely didn't want to be on the ride. Gin lost his footing as the elevator shot upwards without him pressing a button suddenly, but he managed to keep himself from hitting the floor with a tight grip on the railing. When it stopped with an abrupt halt strong enough to throw him off his feet again though, Gin knew that things were about to go from bad to worse...they were about to get cliche`. "Hatsu, Seika, move!" Gin put palm in palm as he moved under the hatch, making room for them to step and climb out as quickly as they could. There were probably only a few seconds until this thing went, and he wanted to make sure that he wasn't on board when the Mad Mime decided he was done with the little transport. He wasn't going to book it until each of them got a step ahead though, because he wanted to make sure Hatsu and Seika could reach before he got out himself. He'd already left one teammate behind...he was damn sure going to save everyone this time.
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Posted: Mon Sep 24, 2012 10:48 pm
"Hard Luck" Hatsu Harima, the Heartbreak Kid"Aa, I'll stand my ground...I'll help you."Pandemonium, in a small measure, broke out the moment that the team had passed through the fire that Hatsu had managed to partially-extinguish from the side near the elevators; a chandelier fell and in before the magenta-eyed young man could even think their current 'leader' bumped him and his red-haired companion sturdily into the elevator which closed its doors behind them. He had nearly fallen into the elevator, but he caught himself just before the thing rocketed upwards, his knees threatening to give under the sudden, small force of the elevator thrusting into the sky. "Aa...it's going on its own?" his voice was slightly confused as he spoke aloud, looking at the buttons and wondering exactly where it was taking them if they hadn't hit any single one of them. Did it run on voice commands or something? Was this a new sort of technology that heard what you were talking about outside the elevator and took you to where you wanted to go without a command input? A few outlandish ideas ran through his mind before the elevator suddenly came to a stop...in the middle of nowhere, from what he could tell, the doors not about to open for them while the obnoxious voice of the clown continued to ramble on so loudly that the speakers crackled and for his own part, Hatsu could barely focus and tell what he was saying. ...All he knew at this point was that this wasn't good. His instincts told him that they were trapped, and the look on Gin's face was almost like desperation...except that he maintained a surprising level of composure in spite of it. Immediately he felt the need for an escape route, but he couldn't fit his fingers into the jam between the doors. Behind him, Gin called out for the two of them to move, and when he turned to look at him he could see the signal that was being given and what it meant.
"Aa...the hatch! I'll get it," he nodded immediately, taking one step back before stepping up sharply onto the 'boost' he was being given, drawing back his fist, and throwing it upward in a powerful strike against the hatch above him! ...And then reeling back, falling to the elevator floor with a shaking red hand.
"Aa...it won't open," the teen seemed surprised for a moment, looking at the bruise on his knuckle before back up at the hatch...and this time, noticing the handle on the side (and instantly feeling like a complete dingbat), "A...aa...one more time!"
Taking the boost again, he was up at the hatch in an instant, twisting the handle and pushing the hatch open up into the elevator shaft swiftly. Strong hands caught on either side of the opening and pulled him to the top, one hand finding a grip along the side of the shaft before he leaned down with the rest of his upper body and extended a hand down into the hole for the next of them. "...There's a ladder to the next floor," he noticed the rungs set into the groove along the side of the shaft, likely for repair men to work when the elevator wasn't working...and how they lead up to the elevator doors on the floor above them, which would have to open somehow once they got there. First order of business, however, was to escape the death trap alive. His fingers extended as stern, compassionate eyes stared down into the elevator compartment with a firm determination. He had always dreamed of being a hero, instinctively helping those who were in dire need no matter who or where they were. But now he was here, doing something that was important, something that was right. And with this hand he could save the lives of the people who were most important to him. His friends...his allies...and together, they would somehow climb to the top of this tower and save the day. He believed it. "Aa...Seika, take my hand," he called down, deciding to take Gin's cue and pull her out first...then him second. The latter would be the troublesome extraction, he knew, but this was what he had been training for all this time, wasn't it?
There wasn't any way in Hell he was going to let his strength fail him now.
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Posted: Tue Sep 25, 2012 5:44 pm
Seika Murakami The young woman stumbled into the elevator moments before the chandelier crashed to the ground, cursing under her breath at the sudden move from the enemy. Before she could even wonder about the rest of the team, if they had been able to avoid the chandelier and the creatures moving through the fire though, the doors shut without warning, giving Seika a terrible sense of foreboding. And sure enough, the elevator shot up, making the redhead to almost lose her balance, only avoiding hitting the floor when she pressed herself against the wall, clutching to the railing clumsily. It stopped as abruptly as it had started moving, and she knew they had to move quickly. Something was wrong...very wrong. And if this was anything like those horror movies and shows...they only had a few seconds before... "s**t-" Turning to the veteran member, Seika knew what needed to be done. There was no time for arguments or protests, and as Hatsu stepped forward to be the first to be up, the redhead didn't say a word. She knew he wouldn't let them behind...that they would all get out of here. She trusted him... And she only hoped time was with them.
Slate eyes gazed as the university student pulled himself up through the hole in the elevator's ceiling, and she wasn't sure they could hide the increasing agitation she felt inside her chest. Still she scowled, snapping at herself inwardly for the panic that threatened on taking over and trying to appear anything but frightened. When Hatsu reappeared through the hatch and extended his hand at her, she lost no time in taking the boost Gin was giving her to catch it, pulling herself up. And as quickly, she was leaning down to extend her hand along with Hatsu's for the last of them to take. "Come on... come on..."
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Posted: Tue Sep 25, 2012 6:24 pm
Sylphie
A large sweatdrop appeared on the back of Sylphie's head as awkward sounds came from the elevator shaft. Um... good luck, you guys. There really wasn't anything she could do, and they had Eiji with them. That guy was way too stubborn and serious to let something like that stop his team, especially so early on in the mission. Her hair swished from side to side for just a moment as she shook her head to clear her thoughts, and Sylphie began a relatively rapid ascent of the stairs, staying on her guard for any traps that might pop out. Though, unfortunately, she had quite an active imagination, which meant she could imagine all kinds of terrible things that could happen. The worst part was, the Clown was so crazy that he might actually do a few of them... argh.
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