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[Digimaster64]

 The Ravens, sworn protectors of the city of Arkhangelsk, had never faced a terror as large as this. The Shi'ar. They were information specialist, their training revolved around espionage and not actual combat. FATE had been their strong arm, but now that arm had been severed by this same force. The Ravens struggled valiantly under the weight of this force, and it was not going well.

 The various cells were dotted around the city fending off the large mounts that were the Shi'ar. There was no order to their fighting, no order to their tactics, the only thing in their mind was win. Survive. Live. And yet, those feelings were not enough to drive back these monsters. Those feelings only made the reality of the situation all the more painful. Everyone was drowning.

 But then it happened. A unseen light began to grow within the chests of the Ravens. At first it felt as though they were being ripped apart from deep within, and because of that fear they tried hard to push down the power. It wasn't till they felt the overwhelming abyss grow and pepper them with emotions that it became all too clear what was going on. They were being bound together. It was an ethereal bond that seemed to surge from deep within their chests and link them to every human fighting against the Shi'ar. They were no longer alone.

 The ideas that had held them back before, the overwhelming weight of their lives and the lives of others, were now washed away. Yes, they still fought to live but unlike before, they had weight behind the ideals that they felt. Before it felt as though they were a boat being tossed around at sea. Alone, desolate, fearful. But now, with the link a sense of unity and purpose overwhelmed them. They no longer were alone, they were now part of a larger force. They could fight, they would fight!

 The emotions that were felt were quickly translated into cognitive ideas., Instructions. And these instructions moved through them as freely as thought. It didn't take long for the army that fought to become organized under the banner of Daren Moon. Tactics were now employed. By grouping together and quickly moving through the narrow corridors they were able to maneuver the Shi'ar into unfavorable positions and rip into them like a hot knife to butter. The Shi'ar made a mistake, they invaded Arkhangelsk. If it had been any other force, then maybe they would have had the advantage with their numbers, but this city was theirs. The Ravens lived and worked in this very city. They new every inch of it like the back of their hands. They could not, and would not be out maneuvered in their own city.

 The tide was changing for the better. Their forces were pushing back the Shi'ar and when it was impossible to push them back, they diverted them into a bottleneck that would eventually lead to their demise. The troops were now working together and the effects were showing on the battlefield...but then...things changed so suddenly that no one was prepared for it.

 In one word: Chaos.

 The Shi'ar's patterns were now broken. A frenzied rage seemed to overtake them as they trashed around the area cleaving into anything and everything in their vicinity. This outward signs of frenzied rage was new to the Ravens. They were used to the uniformed fighting that these insects had shown before. Even though they were savage and brutal, the Shi'ar had maintained a set order. It had been difficult to find, but once found they saw that even though the Shi'ar were larger than most insects, they were still nothing more than insects. They fought the same. But now...something was wrong. They were...possessed.

 Several miles away on the artificial city of Exusiai, Daren Moon's knees buckled under the powerful wave of death that crashed through him. The sheer force of those new emotions brought him down to one knee as he struggled valiantly to maintain the link he had created throughout his men. His breath quickened as the hot searing agony of losing one's life swept through the very marrow of his bones. A single scream echoed through the chamber as the lives were now extinguished. His heart began to quicken as more and more people were met with the ferocity of the Shi'ar. Fear overcame those Ravens and It took everything Daren had to draw out A portion of those emotions from within the Ravens and disperse them throughout the citizens that were fleeing. Fear would serve them well. It would get them moving faster to the city. The Ravens needed fear, but they did not need to be overcome by it. He made sure of that fact.

 As Daren rose back to his full height, he felt a twinge of understanding followed by a sudden twist at the pit of his stomach. He knew why the Shi'ar changed their tactics. They stopped following their natural instinct and were beginning to take orders. Kiratine was now introducing his hand in this battle. It was one thing to fight artificially created monsters that were naturally designed to kill, but now they had the assistance of one of the most devious minds that Daren Moon had ever encountered. He wondered what the odds of winning were with that sinister hand now moving his pieces...

 When enraged, russell them like cattle. Keep your distance but put pressure to keep them together. If they charge, move aside. Make room and swarm around him. Whatever you do, keep your distance from those deadly appendages. Calm, Collected and smart. That's how we'll beat them.

[RurouniH]

Although hard to do, but one way or another Ira managed to launch himself forward escaping the monster's line of sight. At least till he looked down when he actually felt something of an itch on his front. Ira never expected for this monster of a shi'ar's shell to be so strong as if it belonged to one of those beetle shi'ar he fought before... and that was with everyone's working together to bring down! As only a small but visible scratch was on the surface of the behemoth's skin, and his arm felt numb from the what can be a sword's recoil as Opal cracked from delivering the blow.

Ira moved with the swing of the Cercus's weapon to the point where he could gain footing on its fist and kick off that to gain distance up the road he came from. But on landing Ira was struggling to maintain a balance as he slid and was trying to brace both his and Racula's body weight from tipping over. "Damn and I'm still tired from before..." Ira muttered under his breath to as much Racula could understand... Ira is still wounded from a previous fight.

OOC: Agent K, I'm referencing to the post from when cercus fought those soldiers and when he fought scrap and the other androids... if there are any problems let me know...

[KoH]

"I have analysed your vocal pattern, 62, and after processing the data, I've come to believe myself that you were not acting in the interests of the team, but, just to assert your authority. It is alright, though. I don't - and I have never - respected anyone. I do not demand that people respect me unless they act disrespectful towards me." Centurion took a seat near Scrap and looked out at the horizon.

"B326 Scrap, is there anything I could do the help? I am willingly at your service for the time being, and at the moment I am being idle. I have calculated that this is not a useful task for me to be doing, so, if I could perhaps man the gunner pods or if there is anything suspicious, I could have a look."

((Short post, I know. Timeskip?))

[K3]

“Thanks, but there won’t be any need,” Scrap murmured. “The Shi’ar are scarce out here, away from civilization. Last attack they all camped out in the wilderness before attacking. I guess this time their really concentrating their efforts on destroying Earth’s cities as quickly as possible.”

He paused he think. “Kiratine must be on some kind of schedule with a third phase operation,” He looked out through the cockpit. Snow was starting to disappear beneath them. They were drawing nearer to the ocean.

“We’ll be coming up on Japan pretty quickly anyways”

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Not long after, the Pegasus hovered over the city of Osaka. As Scrap had predicted, the place, along with most of the surrounding areas was swarmed with Shi’ar. Scrap swerved out of the pilot’s seat and into a better position to maintain the main weapons systems.

“62, pilot. Now. Pyre I want you out on our left side, make sure nothing rams us from that side,” The two units obliged wordlessly and began moving to their positions.

“Centurion,” he continued. “Main turret. It’s got full 360-degree range. Watch our flank. We’re surrounded as it is.

“Alright, let’s see if we can land this sucker…”   

------------------------------------

((Sorry Rouni, this was all I had time for this morning, you can bunny Cercus as much as you want.)))

The blade bounced off the general with a clanging noise. Cercus cackled madly. Without warning he attacked with his own weapon, hacking and slashing furiously. His opponent was fast though, sidestepping or dodging his every attempt to land a hit.

“Stop moving!” he growled, still assaulting Ira with his blade.

[KoH]

Without a single word, Centurion hopped onto the gun turret and began to blast away at the numerous amounts of Shi'ar that littered the ground around her. Insect blood flew as heads and limbs exploded, splattering and burning through, causing a massive cacophony of high-pitched insect shrieks to ring out throughout Osaka.

Centurion smiled. She was going to enjoy this.

[K3]

The Pegasus descended lower and lower into the hell that had once been known as Osaka. As the chopper continued to fall, the Shi’ar only grew thicker in density. As almost a cyclone of organic material, they swerved throughout the air over the city. It was hardly bearable to imagine the streets.

“Whatever happens do not let them near the rotors!” Scrap shouted over the screeching. “We may or may not survive a collision to the body, but if one of them manages to lodge themselves in between the rotors we’ll hit the ground like a rock.”

The servos in his arms and hands working at maximum efficiency, he madly keyed in commands to the weapons system. Rockets and a torrent of machine gun bullets sprayed almost ceaselessly, yet he was barely making a dent in the mass of hive-minded creatures. All he could do was keep them away from the Pegasus as it continued it’s downward journey.

He fired off another burst of rocket fire, and took a half second to feel satisfied as a miraculous three Shi’ar dropped from the sky at once.

“This had better be worth the trip,” he murmured to himself.

[KoH]

Centurion was soon able to master the rotation and operation of the turret.Massive fifty-cal rounds flew out from the front of the gun and blew Shi'ar into pieces. Wasp, mantis, beetle, and spider alike all fell to the simple human-crafted weapon. The rhythmic thudding of the gun firing and pushing back satisfied Centurion, as did the blasting and cleaving of insect flesh and blood.

Centurion saw out of the corner of her optics unit there were two red joysticks - which had red buttons situated on the top - and began to scan them, whilst still firing at the Shi'ar mass.

Missile launchers.

Centurion grinned, and as the ship moved erratically around the sky, took time to line up her shot, and in a split-second, swapped, dropping the handles on the fifty-cal cannon for the two joysticks.

She aimed, and at exactly the right time, fired. Two missiles flew out and hit the ground around the Shi'ar, creating something which vaguely resembled a miniature mushroom cloud. The shrieks of Shi'ar satisfied Centurion's aural unit as they ran away from the site, frantically trying to douse the flames and get rid of the heat.

[chou. ♥]

OOC: Freaking out. Freaking out. Freaking out.

  Marynessa didn't realize that she was asleep after all that, she sat up from the small cozy bed and ran her fingers down her hair, then walked towards the bathroom. She looked slightly pale, due to the cold. And it took her a while to remember that she was in another person's house. "Right..." she was dazed, but despite that she decided she should jog outside for a bit. It wouldn't do her any harm.

  She walked down the stairs and heard the older woman talking to some man, the voice sounded tad bit familiar - just slightly deeper than how she remembered... Marynessa walked further down the stairs to see a man with white hair, seemingly exhausted and looked slightly younger than how she remembered him. "Aulden?" she asked, she ran towards him traced the forehead down to his chin. He smiled weakly at her and Marynessa chuckled. "Aulden!"

  "You know this young woman?" The old woman asked Aulden and he nodded, "Yes, I do; which means she has seen your daughter devour me, miss," he replied to the old woman. Marynessa was still unable to believe it. But then, he was right there. It seemed almost normal now that the dead comes back to life. Like Noman, but he said he will soon be gone.

  "Aulden, can we talk, outside while taking a walk?" Marynessa asked, her smile was wiped off by the thought. He nodded at her and they headed out, walking side-by-side like they used to back when Aulden was... Aulden.

  "What brought you back?" Marynessa asked, her eyes in fear that it wasn't him.
"For some reasons, the thing itself was weak and... I... Well, somewhere in there... It just felt like my life was undone... I think people devoured by them weren't really... Dead. They were just... Kept inside, in the emptiness of souls..."
  "It was... Terrifying?"
"Yes!" Aulden turned to Marynessa, they were already a few meters from the house. "Marynessa, we need to get out of here... Whoever created that thing is insane!"
  "Of course he is! Aulden, look; I need to tell you something."
"What is it?"


  "Back off!"

  Racula's eyes were ice blue, looking at Cercus sharp in the eyes which could have sent anyone to faint. She was standing then, not even her or Ira were sure when did she got to stand. No one know where she got the strength to, but Racula was sure not exactly Racula.

  "Now if you could do us a favor, please back off from Mister Kurosawa Ira," she said that, stressing on us. "If you don't, you'll see yourself being turned into meat."

  "Literally."


  "Aaaaah~ Isn't it nice to take a break from the war life?"

  Zero applied his palm his to his face. No, Raternalla wasn't as strict as she seemed, now they were all... In the mall. WHERE RATERNALLA IS FREAKING SHOPPING. Zero sighed at this as Kyro seemed puzzled by his expression, "But isn't it nice to take a break from the complicated wars?" Zero could only smile faintly at Kyro and answer, "Well, Raternalla is doing it wrong. We could have gotten to the beach. I'm a guy, I don't shop!"

  Kyro raised an eyebrow, and Hakumei chuckled. "What?" Zero blushed. He knew what they meant. The bags of gadgets and books he carried. Kyro chuckled, Zero sighed. "Fine, I do. Just not... clothes," he pointed at Raternalla, who was then looking through dresses. ... Like as if she was going to wear them to war. He could just imagine Raternalla wearing a dress, holding a sniper rifle... How comical.

  Not far from them, in the electrical store, a TV was showing news - informing the world of an attack in Osaka.

[KoH]

((Have permission to bunny Randolph. I might be controlling him permanently from now on :/))

Noman eyed Randolph's shotgun, then saw Sergei lying on the ground. Noman sprinted over to him and laid a hand on the bullet wounds... he saw that, clearly, Randolph had tried to end his misery with his own weapons. Noman laid his fingers on his eyes and pulled them down, before turning and getting ready to go.

A hand brushed his leg. Noman spun round, to see Sergei coughing up blood onto the road. Noman crouched and tapped Sergei's chest; kevlar armour. Randolph's shot had simply knocked him out from the force. However, the minigun and jumping off the roof had made him very close to death. He beckoned Noman closer.

"T-t-take m-my w-weapons..." Sergei said.
"But, Sergei, soldier's-"
"F-f-forget it! T-take them to r-re-member m-me." Sergei coughed up another spurt of blood and shrugged off his coat. Noman drew out the three weapons Sergei had taken with him - he'd left both Glocks and one of the three shotguns back in the motel room. The first was a massive .408 caliber CheyTac Intervention, with a beautiful urban camouflage painted across in red and black. Along the side in bright gold lettering were the words 'Divine Intervention'.

The second and third weapons were identical. Two Mossberg short-barreled 'Cruisers'. One was a bright, pearlescent white, and the other a dark matte black. Both had gold writing - the same as Divine Intervention. The black one was named Anarchy, and the white one was named Law. Law, and Anarchy. Fitting names for the job Sergei carried out. Noman bundled them up and turned back to his dying comrade.

"We're gonna get you out of here alive, Sergei."
"This is no time for your heroics, Commander. I'm a dead man. Just... remember me..."
"Sergei, it'll be fine... S-Sergei?" Noman looked down at Sergei as the old Russian fell limp. He smiled fondly at the old man and set him down on the stone, pulling his eyelids down.

"What are we gonna do about the body, Commander?" Randolph said from behind him. "I don't wanna rush you, but we need to get out of here pretty soon. We've already knocked down a building... and I was trying to stay inconspicuous."

Noman didn't answer, and pulled an incendiary grenade from his pocket. He gently pulled open the dead man's mouth, and pushed the grenade in, pulled the pin, and walked away, back to where he landed MGN-L03. Randolph followed as behind them their former friend disappeared into the consuming flames.


THREE HOURS LATER


Optics - 97%
Aural Receptors - 74%
Speech Processing Unit & Oral Controls - 98%
Navigation Systems - 46%
Weapons Systems - 43% (Minigun offline and three of four grenade launchers offline)
Targeting Systems - 32%
Body Composition - 39%
Central Processing Unit - 69%
Secondary Processing Unit 01 - 13%
Secondary Processing Unit 02 - 34%
Secondary Processing Unit 03 - 27%
HUD - 93%
Movement Processing Unit - 19%

In the middle of St Petersburg, a robot laying on the floor shuffled.

STARTUP INITIATION - 36%

The various Russian police officers assigned to the case, and to guarding the forensics - one murder, many injured in a collapsed tavern - crowded around the shuffling robot, ignoring the taped crime scene and their investigation.

STARTUP INITIATION - 72%

As the robot began to buzz and thrum, the forensics joined the police officers. One thin, gloved forensic agent reached out to touch it.

STARTUP INITIATION - 96%

Heat was starting to build up. Some of the civilians who had joined the crowd backed away, but the men and police officers were still intrigued.


STARTUP INITIATION - 100%
ALL SYSTEMS PARTIALLY FUNCTIONAL

The robot flipped onto its back, and as the optics systems scanned the area, and his personality loaded. He instinctively rubbed his eyes and grinned maliciously. He looked towards the forensic - frozen in movement - who was reaching out towards him. With the hiss of hydraulics, X03 lifted up his clawed foot and speared through the man's hand. The man screamed in pain as X03 withdrawed his foot, and flipped up to full height. He tensed his legs, and in a single great leap, he was at the top of a massive St Petersburg skyscraper.

With a dull clunk, X03 tested out his single remaining grenade launcher. The corkscrew grenade dug itself into the ground next to the forensic. X03 turned around, and began to walk off towards where he presumed Noman was going.

[RurouniH]

Her thoughts on the orders from the start they were said was "Garbage." She said to herself as she positioned herself on the roof with the long rifle for what has been likely an hour up there, picking off the soldiers who were about to be eaten alive by Shi'ar if not the shi'ar themselves when they would approach fleeing citizens. But oddly at that time her thoughts went back to the little moment when she heard a voice that consoled her with "It's okay..." She repeated the short phrase through a whisper as she looks down the scope of the Barret (.50 cal) rifle, but the sight through it was suddenly blurry as she goes to wipe her eye.

"I miss you Aulden...I really honestly do," she lowered the gun to regain her composer to hear a dim buzzing. Ignoring it she takes a deep breath and looks down the scope of her rifle, to continue her mission...but she couldn't even pull the trigger. She let out a angry grunt as she places the rifle down firmly cursing Jikoku and his words of doubt. "Maybe I am not fit to be their Force, But I am fit for what Force was Originally side by side to WORLD," she let her own words sink in, for earlier on her Sister Sora split away from her as she could no longer take part in the "barbaric and selfish" deeds on the Kings and Surge. Giving one last deep sigh as she bends over onto the roof railing, "I quit..."

With that she picks up the rifle again to turn away, but she then looks down the scope to see Jikoku continuing his appointed mission as she debated whether or not if she should attempt to strike him down. Dora then felt disgusted that she would be doing what they do to their own allies, so she left that roof without him knowing.

Cercus didn't bother to care for her words or stare as he thought nothing of them, As he raised his sword over head and swings down to strike her only to hit and crush the ground where she once stood. "And let me say this..." Racula found her self in Ira's arms once again as he had taken her out of the sword's path, and letting her stand once more with his back to the Cercus who was already going to do so again. "Don't you ever TOUCH Racula." A fear gripped at Cercus when he saw Ira's eyes look at him for he used Daren's orginial empathy to impose a fear into the monster, but started again to attack wildly as if excited and was sending debris flying.

The craters weren't big, but the force Cercus put into it sent what little mass flying at great numbers and speed limiting the space of movement. Most of the stones were struck away with Opal but many of the smaller shards impaled into his skin. "This not going to end anytime soon...shall we Racula?"
Kruz found no one in the hotel though it was laid to waste with bullet holes and mutilated bodies of the staff and those unlucky enough to be there. "Tch, thought I could at least have more fun than these small fry..." As he says in obvious disappointment then notices one who somehow lives despite being torn at the waist. Stabbing his hand underneath into the open wound Kruz picks him up and asks "Where are they?" Images flashed into the bell boy's mind as he could feel something worming through his body. "Mall..." the moment he mouth those words blood ran down his nose as his body was dropped, Kruz stepped through the broken window from the lobby now know his next destination.

[K3]

Scrap keyed madly at the weapons controls. If the entry continued like this, they’d set down safely. But what then? Sure, it was easier for machines to evade the Shi’ar than organic life forms, but with a swarm like this it was hard to hide anywhere. He could only imagine the casualties that had mounted below at ground level by now.

“If I catch anyone conserving ammo when they could be cutting us a path, I will have them personally decommissioned!” Scrap half shouted half growled. “Empty your guns! We’re almost the-”

He fell silent. They now hovered a mere 30 feet above ground level, and the Shi’ar around them were seemingly disappearing. It was as if there was some unknown barrier preventing the insects from advancing to the streets of the city.

With a metallic thud, the Pegasus touched down. Confused, exhausted, and strangely relieved, Scrap leaned back slowly into his chair. “Everone outside ASAP,” he murmured.

-------------------------------------------------------

Cercus stopped for a fraction of a second mid swing at the girl’s last words. Until then he’d been ignoring her, continuing to launch attack after attack on this man Kurosawa. Now he was stunned. This feeble human was threatening him. Though his gleaming red eyes were incapable of displaying feelings, the monstrous insect general was awed by her bravery, and her stupidity. 

And now the male was trying to intimidate him as well. Strangely, it had worked. For a moment he’d actually felt some sort of fear within himself. He hissed. This was unforgivable. He would take pleasure in retrieving this man’s head and presenting it to his master.

“You are either WORLD or MBO agents,” he gurgled thoughtfully, halting his onslaught for a minute. “My master wants you out of his way most of all. His tremendous red eyes were met by those of the humans. “Racula and a ‘Mister Kurosawa Ira,’ I do not know of you, perhaps my master will”

[KoH]

Centurion fluidly got up from the seat and slid down Midnight and Sunrise, wary. She jumped out, and checked for signs of life, waiting for Scrap. She moved back at ease a little bit, and stuck one gun-wielding hand inside the chopper, gesturing for Scrap, 62, and Pyre to come out. The universal gesture for 'it's clear'.

---

On the way back, Noman had been looking for material to make straps from; and he found it. The bar cover from the tavern had been made of sturdy leather. Once the pair reached where Noman had left the MGN, Noman called ART back up, and disconnected his gauss laser.

"Sir, I could just as easily do this, my records show that your touch is unstable and shaky-"
"Shut up." Noman muttered. He knew he was no great craftsman, and ART was right, but, he wasn't about to let a robot take over.
"Even with that aside, the heat-"
"Shit!" Noman shouted and dropped the laser milliseconds after he started it, and lifted his thumb and fingers to his mouth. "The hell was that?"
"I tried to tell you." ART hovered down and picked up the laser, re-attatching it using magnets whilst Noman sucked his finger.

ART took a quick scan and started to run diagnostics on the piece of leather, before warming up the laser. An ear-splitting high-frequency shriek was emitted from the laser as it slowly moved downwards and carved through the leather (and half an inch of the concrete). Randolph stuck his hands over his ears and Noman ignored it, still rubbing his finger.

ART spent twenty minutes cutting, molding, and burning to fix up Noman some new gear. After the first two or so minutes, Noman and Randolph moved away and watched from afar in fear of the high-pitch resonance of the laser, which ART was obviously unaware of.

After those twenty minutes, however, ART approached the commander with three holsters - one smaller than the others - a strap, and two bandoliers. Noman strapped the smaller holster on, and picked out Bat from his pocket, pushing it in until it was neat and snug against his side. The two holsters fit around his back, and were for Law and Anarchy. The strap was for Divine Intervention, and the two bandoliers had sections for each of the three types of ammunition; .50 AE, .408, and 12 Gauge shells. Noman slotted in as much ammunition as was possible, and pulled his coat on, smiling and slinging his bag over one shoulder.

"Cheers, ART." The ex-commander smiled at the robot. "This feels better than carrying around a load of crap in my bag."
"I was built to serve, sir. I am sorry about the noise, and the burn on your finger."
"It's nothing. Let's get moving."

Noman turned and walked for around another two kilometres.

"So, Stixx..."
"Yes, Noman?"
"Now that X03's dead, what're we gonna do?"
"Don't you have stuff to do?"
"I'm an ex-commander now. Oh well. I better try the frequencies." Noman pulled a transmitter from his bag and flicked it on, fiddled with the frequency a bit, and started to speak.

"Calling all WORLD officers and trainees, this is Commander Noman Zachary Godslayer. I am suggesting a meeting ASAP at the ruins of the old base. Reply to me on this emergency frequency, I am always listening, over."

[chou. ♥]

  "That..."
"What Marynessa?"
  "We need to head to somewhere... It feels like danger is coming up..."

  Aulden was puzzled. Her eyes suddenly became blank, as if something bad was really going to happen. He wasn't sure at all, either. But he followed her when she kept on walking towards a store nearby, she decided to buy some food, for their journey. He wasn't so sure why people kept on staring at him, but it was most probably his hair, so he dismissed the thought of asking each and everyone who kept on looking.

  "You have any weaponry, Aulden?"

  The question was a little sudden, they were then at a park, where Marynessa was eating some of the beef jerky she bought earlier at the shop. but Aulden shrugged at her question. "I'm not even sure if I can still run fast or jump as high as I did.. But I'm amazed I haven't lost my memory yet," Marynessa nodded at him with a blank face and offered him a beef jerky and he nodded, both of them eating the chewy beef strips, or sticks.

  "So much happened lately..." Marynessa sighed and turned to Aulden. "You were dead, and came alive again.. You know that's just... Unbelievable, if it wasn't for Noman to revive again, did you?"
  "Hmm? He's alive?!" Aulden, shocked expression was funny, and Marynessa laughed, after a while.
  "Yeah... Look, he gave me this..." she handed him the key to WORLD. "I'm the new commander of WORLD..."

  Aulden looked at her, "Are you serious?" his face was happy, happy for his mentor. "I will be by your side to help you with paperworks!"
  He sounded far too childish to be Aulden. Sure, his face was younger than when she last saw him, but he looked exhausted, due to his white hair - which happened because of the shock of having his soul being drained. But ... Maybe she should confuse herself with any more theories.

  "Thanks... I'll do fine. We'll need to repair the whole building, Aulden."


  Racula was surprised when Ira held her once again, in fear she might get hurt. She wasn't so sure what this meant, but she knew it was special - back in MBO she was always practicing and getting herself hurt even during practice and would bandage herself alone - the rest would be helping themselves. It was the first time she felt as though someone was protecting her and she felt special.

  "We shall, then, Ira."


  Raternalla stopped in the middle of the tracks they were heading, Zero turned around to check if anything was happening behind them since nothing was happening in front. Raternalla then turned to them, "I think we need to head back..." was all she said, with her eyes glaring at the group. Zero feared the glare, not what was going to happen but something bad will obviously happen.

  That was when Hakumei accidently turned into a tiger, in the middle of the mall.

  "Hakumei!" Kyro went to hug Hakumei by the neck, hoping that the tiger won't howl... Or roar, or anything. Zero knew that something was going to wrong somehow. Raternalla was quick enough, she told the group to head for the center point - with a fountain in the middle so she could meet them there later. She then ran towards the closest elevator, to find the offices.

[KoH]

Noman pressed down the button on the key for the mech, and it instantly crouched down. The two ramps unfolded.

"This thing is a complete beast." Randolph stared in amazement.
"She's my baby. And I've got a feeling we'll be needing her sooner rather than later." Noman vaulted over the side and into the cockpit. He tapped some buttons, and just as ART flew in, the window shut. Randolph was still staring.

"Uh... Randolph..."
"Yeah? Oh... sorry... where do I go?"
"The back of the mecha. Gunner pod. You've got the railgun and the flamethrower."
"Whoa..."
"Just get in!"
"Sorry, Commander..." Randolph quickly filed in, and Noman pressed the ignition button. The mecha lurched to a start; the ramp pulled up and shut Randolph into the dimly-red lit gunner pod. The massive walking tank stood up to full height, in all its glory. Noman shurgged off his coat, bag, and his weapons - except the KABAR knife and Bat - and took out the transmitter, handing it to ART, who caught it with his traction beam.

"Yes, sir?"
"Try Marynessa. We're gonna need her to rebuild this place. Then I want you to try Ira, then Emilio." ART buzzed in acknowledgment and used his beam to operate the controller, before speaking clearly in his mechanized voice.
"Commander Gardaalne? This is Commander Godslayer-"
"Ex-Commander when you're speaking to her, ART."
"Sorry, sir. This is ex-Commander Godslayer's Artificial Reconnaissance Transmitter version five-point-zero calling to inform you that ex-Commander Godslayer is calling all WORLD officers and troops back to the remains of the old base. Based on statistical analysis, it is probably best for your health if you travel with one or more companions. Thank you, have a nice day, and please watch out for the Shi'ar."

Noman put his face in his hands as ART changed frequency to Ira, and then Emilio's personal radio.

[chou. ♥]

OOC: Sorry for the long wait, KoH, like I said, I was on a conference call on Skype. With Rouni. x)

  Something buzzed in her pocked and Marynessa picked it up, realizing that she forgot that she brought her mini-PDA, that she picked it up and heard ART over the phone. Yes, they had to go back. But this time, immediately. Well, almost. Since it was Noman who was calling them over to the old base... She turned to Aulden, whose eyes still looked faraway... Somewhat weird, but she decided to not mention anything about his expression. A minute ago he was being childish, now... He seemed far older.

  "Aulden.. We got a call from Noman," Marynessa patted him on the shoulder, "We have to head back to the old WORLD base... Probably to repair the building.
  Aulden turned to her and nodded, "Alright, now we head back to the house."

  Marynessa knew she almost forgot about him.

  Daren. Her Daren Moon.

  "He's in Exusiai!" Marynessa exclaimed that. Even though no one asked where he was. Aulden was taken aback by this reaction that Marynessa gave him, though it wasn't exactly directed to him but to herself. "Marynessa?"
  "Daren... He's in Exusiai. We need to get him before we head to WORLD."

  That was when a huge mantis stood in front of them.