The Alien Wars 6: Reality Strikers

Alternate Session 5

The Heart of Darkness

Session Start: Wed Jan 25 00:00:07 2023
Session Ident: #fumoffu
<DeathStar> 5
<DeathStar> 3
<DeathStar> 1
<DeathStar> -0-
<DeathStar> Date: 10-647.4.16 / 25XX
<DeathStar> Location: A Space Station over Classic Earth
<DeathStar> *Zeraphna has already pinned Seraphna to the wall with some sort of energy weapon. Taiga stares a moment, then turns to the others* <Taiga> .. Lets go further into this place
<DeathStar> <Ren> Wait.. what?
<Seraphna> Seraphna> S-Stubborn!
<Jackieness> <Noire> "Mmmmm... we are wasting time just standing here."
<Seraphna> Jaime> You mean leave them to fight?
<Alicia> <Charlotte> "Are they going to be okay?"
<DeathStar> <Taiga> Yeah. I feel like this is pointless to stand around. Unless you want to just shoot the other longer haired one in the head.
<DeathStar> <Ren> This kind feels wrong
<DeathStar> *she notes as the two begin to wreck the hanger*
<Seraphna> Jaime> Yeah, I guess let the siblings duke it out.
<Jackieness> <Noire> "Just this? This entire situation feels wrong, Ren."
<Alicia> * Charlotte hurries inside then
<DeathStar> *Taiga scoots past them*
<DeathStar> <Ren> Good luck!
<Seraphna> **Jaime follows**
<DeathStar> *Soma and Fuyu follow along*
<Seraphna> Seraphna> Hey not there!
<Jackieness> <Noire> *moves with the team*
<Alicia> <Charlotte> "I hope that wasn't directed at us, because I'm going anyway."
<DeathStar> *As they continue through the station, the team finds massive places for humans to be placed inside*
<DeathStar> *And monitoring systems*
<Seraphna> Jaime> This is kind of creepy.
<DeathStar> <Fuyu> I agree
<DeathStar> *Megumi runs around, price checking everything*
<Alicia> <Charlotte> "Should we sabotage it?"
<DeathStar> <Megumi> Great re-sell value
<Jackieness> <Noire> "...we have no idea to know what might happen if we do sabotage it."
<Seraphna> Jaime> I imagine the humans in here aren’t volunteers.
<Alicia> <Charlotte> "It's too far future for me to know either. We can at least free anyone inside."
<DeathStar> *Taiga finds a console and types into it* Hold on
<DeathStar> <Taiga> ... Interesting. I found a name for the station.
<Jackieness> <Noire> "Anything significant?"
<Alicia> <Charlotte> "If there are any greek letters, I want to wreck it."
<DeathStar> <Taiga> It's called Elsyium, named after something that X wanted to create.
<DeathStar> <Taiga> Probably to entice the population here.
<Alicia> <Charlotte> "I never thought the Giblins had it in them."
<DeathStar> <Taiga> Not that X
<Jackieness> <Noire> "Mmmmm... as in the Elysian Fields."
<DeathStar> <Taiga> I'm not even sure if that X was in this reality. *she nods to Noire*
<Jackieness> <Noire> "A suitable name actually... after all, he and his fellow sages killed the world, and this is the afterlife theybuilt for themselves."
<DeathStar> <Ren> So the Illiums gave Thomas the tech to try to jump start this place using X's dream? Oh, I'm sure XX will be happy to hear that
<Seraphna> Jaime> And I thought I had a god complex.
<Jackieness> <Noire> "Let's move on."
<DeathStar> <Taiga> *nods and uses the computer* This way. *As they talk, there's a commotion and she hits a button*
<DeathStar> *it showing on cameras that Zeraphna is coming for them, with no sign of Seraphna*
<DeathStar> <Soma> ... I'll slow her down
<Jackieness> <Noire> "Be careful."
<DeathStar> <Megumi> *joins Soma, to make sure the property value doesn't go down*
<DeathStar> *Taiga leads the group to an elevator and hits the botton, but it just gives them that error beep*
<DeathStar> <Ren> ... It no go up
<Alicia> <Charlotte> "Oh, this again." *removes the top of the elevator carriage with tendrils*
<Jackieness> <Noire> "Hang on to us."
<DeathStar> *it makes a hissy noise at being damaged, like a cat*
<Alicia> <Charlotte> "Shame we have to climb."
<DeathStar> *Ren presses into Noire while Taiga does the same with Charlotte*
<Jackieness> <Noire> *uses her tendrils to scale the elevator shaft*
<DeathStar> <Taiga> You want to reach the top floor.
<Alicia> * Charlotte climbs
<DeathStar> *As they go upward, they seem to rapidly pass the same floor twice*
<Alicia> * Charlotte makes a mark on the wall of one of the floors as she goes
<DeathStar> *They reach the top*
<DeathStar> <Taiga> Okay, someone open the door
<Alicia> <Charlotte> "For a second, I thought there was going to be some space loop."
<DeathStar> <Ren> I think they improperly labeled the floors
<Jackieness> <Noire> "Mmmmm... they just reused the same materials multiple times. Jaime, cna you handle the door?"
<DeathStar> <Ren> I guess this is up to me!
<DeathStar> <Ren> *leaps onto the door*
<DeathStar> *Ren begins to strain with her strength*
<DeathStar> *slowly pulling the door open*
<Alicia> * Charlotte assists
<DeathStar> <Ren> Thanks~
<DeathStar> *The door opens up*
<Jackieness> <Noire> *moves to get everyone through the door*
<Alicia> * Charlotte hurries through
<Jackieness> <Noire> *pulls herself through last*
<DeathStar> *They appear in a high tech bridge area with the Earth below being moniored. Thomas is there with Pandora and Prometheus in some sort of fields keeping them from moving* <Master Thomas> So you all discovered this place. What will you do now?
<Jackieness> <Noire> "Mmmmm...that depends on how cliche you wish to be."
<DeathStar> <Thomas> *He sits down* And what cliche might that be?
<Alicia> <Charlotte> "You're obviously the villain here."
<DeathStar> <Thomas> I'm seeking an evolution for both the reploids and the humans of Earth. They have reached a dead-end
<Alicia> <Charlotte> "You can't honestly believe that."
<Jackieness> <Noire> "Mmmmm... do you intend to terminate your own existence once you have restarted everything?"
<DeathStar> <Thomas> I do. I am seeking to work on making artifical humans to replace the current reploids and humans
<DeathStar> <Thomas> *Rises* I am part of the old world as well
<Jackieness> <Noire> "And how do you plan to protect your new creation from yourown imperfection?"
<DeathStar> <Thomas> ... *leans forward* With Wind no longer in this world to foil me, all that is left is to have this place run do everything. *Ren creeps forward slowly in fox form*
<Alicia> <Charlotte> *with a voice dripping with sarcasm* "And of course, the place has no flaws whatsoever."
<Jackieness> <Noire> "A place that you created, and must therefore be imperfect."
<DeathStar> <Thomas> Nitpick everything and bide yourselves time. *he reaches out, lifting up Megumi, who has somehow found herself under the controls, examining them, and Ren*
<DeathStar> <Thomas> I see what you are doing
<Alicia> <Charlotte> "These are a little more than nitpicks."
<Jackieness> <Noire> "Mmmmm... in other words, he doesn't have an answer. How boring..."
<Alicia> <Charlotte> "I think his 'answer' is that he doesn't care."
<DeathStar> *Taiga seems to be working on her datapad with someone*
<DeathStar> <Thomas> And did you really want to learn how this place works? It would take time
<Jackieness> <Noire> "All he can do is posture, then 300 years from now, 'll be asking the next Thomas these exact same questions about why he is going to wipe out this Thoams' creation for his new, improved version."
<Jackieness> 3000
<DeathStar> <Ren> I actually didn't want to learn. *She flails, floating from some power*
<DeathStar> *Taiga moves over to Noire*
<DeathStar> <Taiga> *low voice* Alouette has reported that something strange is going on outside.
<Jackieness> <Noire> *whisper* "Mmmmm? What?"
<DeathStar> <Taiga> The weather has gotten worse - it might be nothing, but she said that a major rain storm is forming unnaturally fast
<DeathStar> <Taiga> In the dessert region
<Jackieness> <Noire> "...is this station emitting anything?"
<Alicia> <Charlotte> "Does this place have some sort of climate control system?"
<DeathStar> <Taiga> I'd need to access his controls
<DeathStar> *Ren strains and breaks free finally with MEgumi*
<Jackieness> <Noire> "...of course..."
<DeathStar> <Thomas> You all ask a lot of questions for ones who enjoy being rather insulting
<Alicia> <Charlotte> "I find this whole plan insulting, to be honest."
<Jackieness> <Noire> "I have a certain conceit."
<DeathStar> <Thomas> Yes, There is a climate control system
<Alicia> <Charlotte> "...have you checked it for errors?"
<DeathStar> <Thomas> Oh no, it is working as intended
<DeathStar> <Ren> Ah?
<Alicia> <Charlotte> "So, the rains are your idea then."
<DeathStar> <Fuyu> I say we shoot this guy
<DeathStar> <Fuyu> Who is with me?
<Jackieness> <Noire> "Mmmm... are you sure he won't use his obvious mind powers to just block the shot?"
<DeathStar> <Ren> Mind powers?
<Jackieness> <Noire> "That he sued to telekinetically lift uyou into the air."
<DeathStar> <Thomas> I can't say that, but I can threaten you by withholding this piece of information - one of your friends was taken. *Taiga frowns, eyeing the watch, which was earlier was showing problems but then cleared itself*
<Alicia> <Charlotte> "I'm assuming that someone was taken was not the information, but who or where."
<Jackieness> <Noire> "Mmmmmm? What friend?"
<DeathStar> <Thomas> Your station was overriden by the Illiums - someone called Hess and a few others. I might know where the Hess girl might be. If you go
<Jackieness> <Noire> "Mmmmm... Taiga, please correct that when we get back."
<Seraphna> Jaime> Rrrr…
<DeathStar> <Taiga> How are the Illium's technology doing that?
<DeathStar> <Taiga> It'sl ike their technology is adapting to mine
<Alicia> <Charlotte> "That... I don't know whether to be impressed or very, very angry."
<Jackieness> <Noire> "...I wonder..." *looks over at Jaime* "Adapting like a certain someone?"
<Seraphna> Jaime> Aya. Totally.
<Jackieness> <Noire> "Jaime... to defeat these Illium... we may just need to learn how to defeat you."
<DeathStar> <Ren> So what do we do?
<DeathStar> <Ren> Do we take his offer? OR beat the location out of him
<Alicia> <Charlotte> "Depends. Just a location seems a bit meagre... but if he can give us clues on how to defeat the Illium, that would be worth a truce..."
<Jackieness> <Noire> "Location can change too. They may move her before we cna act. Besides... if the Illium have Asteroid C, then we are stranded here."
<Alicia> <Charlotte> "Right."
<DeathStar> <Thomas> So what will it be?
<Jackieness> <Noire> "Mmmmm? Don't tell me that you are bored by our squirming already."
<DeathStar> <Thomas> *shrugs, turning back to monitor the weather*
<DeathStar> *taking samples from Pandor and Prometheus*
<DeathStar> <Ren> I kind of hate him
<Alicia> <Charlotte> "I understand that."
<DeathStar> <Taiga> *taps the watch* Anyone there?
<Jackieness> <Noire> "Mmmmm... anythign, Taiga?"
<DeathStar> <Yuki on comms> Thank goodness.
<Jackieness> <Noire> "Oh, I assume this isn't an Illium."
<DeathStar> <Yuki> They been dealt with. We're trying to clean up the mess
<Jackieness> <Noire> "Have you recovered Hess?"
<DeathStar> <Yuki> Yes, we have recovered Asche and Hess. But strangely, neither seem to have awoken.
<Seraphna> Jaime> So then we don’t need this creep?
<Jackieness> <Noire> "Say no more."
<Alicia> * Charlotte just listens, waiting for some kind of response from Thomas... even if the response is no response.
<DeathStar> *Thomas speaks up* You need the word to wake them.
<DeathStar> *working on his world project*
<Jackieness> <Noire> "Oh, of course."
<Alicia> <Charlotte> "There we go."
<DeathStar> <Thomas> Well, if they refuse to wake up, then it is on you
<DeathStar> *He says with his Master voice*
<DeathStar> <Ren> Can't we get Kaori to like strip or something?
<Jackieness> <Noire> "Mmmm... if he wins, I think we'll just come back later and contaminate his enw creation."
<Alicia> <Charlotte> "So, what do you think? Should we agree to leave him alone for now in exchange for the words to wake them up?"
<DeathStar> <Alouette on comms> Oh, we might have another weird problem
<Jackieness> <Noire> "Well... it keeps getting better. Alouette?"
<Seraphna> Jaime> No way he’s doing this unless he thinks he has won already. **muses**
<DeathStar> <Alouette> A small meteor fell from the sky. ... It was Seraphna
<Jackieness> <Noire> "...and where is she neading?"
<DeathStar> *as they talk, Zeraphna arrives from the elevator*
<Jackieness> heading
<DeathStar> *eyeing the group,*
<DeathStar> <Fuyu> I think Soma fell
<Seraphna> Jaime> Cold, wasn’t that your sister?
<DeathStar> <Zeraphna> *pulls her weapon back and leaps for the tema*
<DeathStar> -SHIFT-
<DeathStar> Location: Alternate Reality
<DeathStar> *Cheryl walks along, Hisame trailing behind them as they head for the resistance*
<DeathStar> <John> *Waves at people starring at him*
<Seraphna> Tabetha> They sure seem interested in Johnny.
<Seraphna> Angela> Maybe he’s famous here.
<Alicia> <Hotaru> "... I wonder how...?" *sounds a little worried*
<DeathStar> *As they arrive, they find Alternate Cheryl sitting there with the few Arcana Dragoons remaining. Unmei looks up at them, reminding to herself that these are counter parts*
<DeathStar> *Haru looks patched up, but seems frazzled these days. <Hisame> You look like crap
<Seraphna> Angela> Is this the one where me and Chii got it on? Or was that another one?
<DeathStar> *Hisame eyes Angela, being Chii*
<Seraphna> Angela> **pets her ear**
<DeathStar> <Cheryl> I heard you have an Illium problem. <Alt Cheryl> Yes. *she stands up* Since Zao was revealed to be a puppet leader, they've been hunting for the heart
<DeathStar> <Alt Cheryl> Whatver that is
<Alicia> <Hotaru> "I keep hearing that term."
<DeathStar> *she points at the goverment building, where the Illium are patrolling with rather high number of ground forces and vehicles*
<DeathStar> <Haru> Same here. <Hisames> Hearts can be important
<DeathStar> *John glances at her* And that is? <Hisame> *blinks* You don't know? They can be the essense of a person. The soul.
<Seraphna> Angela> Hmmm.
<DeathStar> <Hisame> Locations, people, they all have these things
<DeathStar> <Cheryl> So they're taking - wha t - the essense - soul - of certain people?
<Seraphna> Angela> I thought stealing souls was exclusively the purview of cute foxes.
<DeathStar> <John> So Chii is the big bad?
<DeathStar> *Chii rises up behind John and hits him with a giant fan*
<DeathStar> *Hisame stomps him*
<Seraphna> Angela> I mean, Chii could totes pull it off.
<Seraphna> Angela> **as usual she’s complimenting**
<DeathStar> <Cheryl> Alright, lets see about wiping out this Illium force for Taiga. <Alt Cheryl> ... *Turns to face the Arcana, gathering what few of them remain*
<Alicia> <Hotaru> "I'm a little troubled by the idea that someone is taking over the world by stealing hearts."
<Seraphna> Tabetha> Sounds like an Idol.
<DeathStar> <Chii> I'll talk to Athena and Reikana
<DeathStar> -SHIFT-
<DeathStar> Location: Classic
<DeathStar> *the bridge has sparks in various places as Zegretta is strangling Ren and Charlotte*
<DeathStar> *Zeraphna
<Alicia> * Charlotte attempts to trap Zeraphna in her illusions, using the point blank range as a boost
<Jackieness> <Noire> *leaps at Zeraphna's back with her Dark edge*
<Seraphna> **Jaime warps to her side and attempts to knock her out with a telepathic assault**
<DeathStar> *Zeraphna stumbles and then falls into a console*
<DeathStar> *Taiga meanwhile is doing CPR on someone*
<Jackieness> <Noire> *raises both hands and then lobs dark matter balls at the consoels*
<Seraphna> **Jaime grumbles and binds her with vines, looking over** Taiga? How’re we doing?
<DeathStar> <Taiga> Do you have any medical kits on you? *she jerks as the console explodes on Zeraphna* <Classic Megumi> Not in the...budget. *She goes quiet as Fuyu kneels by her* <Fuyu> ... Where did Master Thomas go?
<Alicia> <Charlotte> "How could you let him escape?"
<DeathStar> *Ren eyes the bridge all wrecked*
<Seraphna> **Jaime drags Zera over and frowns**
<Jackieness> <Noire> "Mmm... we need to find him."
<DeathStar> <Ren> I think he ran during hre rampage. Along with Hess' code word
<DeathStar> *Taiga closes the classic Megumi's eyes*
<Seraphna> Jaime> **frowns and thinks, she reaches out to touch Megumi** I hope to everything she can Manifest.
<Jackieness> <Noire> "Taiga, cna use anything left here to track him down?"
<DeathStar> <Taiga> *works on a console that looks less damaged, sucking on fingers as it sparks on her* Hold on. .... Got it. He's headed this way. I'll alert Leviathan and XX and Soma.
<DeathStar> *she brings up the location on the massive station and heads off. Fuyu zooms ahead*
<Seraphna> **Jaime then tries to use manifestation to bring Megumi around**
<Jackieness> <Noire> "Come one." *heads after Taiga*
<Alicia> <Charlotte> "Now I definitely *am* angry."
<DeathStar> *The group arrives at a gate room, the Illium gate looking much more advance than Taiga's. The gate already swirling as if it was used recently*
<Jackieness> <Noire> "...that cowardly..."
<Alicia> * Charlotte moves towards the gate
<Jackieness> <Noire> "Taiga, analysis."
<DeathStar> <Ren> ... *studies it as Taiga moves over and studies it* It looks like it's ... headed toward the Alternate Reality.
<Jackieness> <Noire> "Contact Asteroid C and tell them what happened. Strikers, prepare to move through. Allies...well...save your future."
<DeathStar> <Fuyu> ... *leaps through*
<DeathStar> <Leviathan> Right
<DeathStar> <Soma> ... We understand... *He blinks at his sister* Dammit
<Jackieness> <XX> "This entire situation is annoying."
<Seraphna> **Jaime trails after, looking out if it after failing to help Meg**
<Jackieness> <Noire> "Jaime, he escaped to the Alt reality."
<DeathStar> <Soma> ... Get her back, please. *He sighs, heading back to get Megumi*
<DeathStar> *Taiga steps through*
<Seraphna> **Jaime nods weakly** Okay. **she heads through**
<Jackieness> <Noire> "Two missions. Capture Thomas and rescue Fuyu. Move out!" *steps through*
<DeathStar> <Ren> Lets hope this gate doesn't take us somewhere deadly. *She follows*
<DeathStar> *As they pick up Megumi and return to the shuttle, they find Kaori, who the team left there for her protection, is MIA*
<DeathStar> <Leviathan> Where is that fox girl?
<Jackieness> <XX> "So annoying!" *checks the shuttle for any record of Kaori leaving*
<DeathStar> *the shuttle records shows Kaori stepping out at one point when some Illium agents warp in, having had back door access since they built the place and injecting something into her while grabbing her. As they ick her up, they warp out*
<DeathStar> <Soma> *smacks the shuttle roof*
<Jackieness> <XX> "And she got grabbed. Now what?"
<DeathStar> <Soma> Should we try to find her using this place?
<DeathStar> <Levithan> Give me a bit, I might can find their backdoor
<DeathStar> *meanwhile, back on the planet*
<DeathStar> *Alouette waddles through the water that is filling up in the dessert over to Seraphna, who is stuck in the ground upside down*
<DeathStar> <Alouette> *Tugs on her to free her*
<Seraphna> Sera> Eep! Where’d everyone go!?
<DeathStar> <Alouette> ..... I dunno. I think I was forgotten and stranded.
<DeathStar> *she stits in the water, sad*
<Seraphna> Sera> Nah, I can get you back home.
<DeathStar> <Alouette> Yay. *she eyes the sky* It won't stop raining
<Seraphna> Sera> Yeah… the world is reforming.
<DeathStar> <Alouette> ... Oh
<Seraphna> Sera> You’re a Reploid still though. You can survive it with me while I get you home… then I have a job to do.
<DeathStar> -SHIFT-
<DeathStar> Location: Asteroid C
<DeathStar> *Yuki hovers over Hess and Aschae*
<DeathStar> <Yuki> Hm. *shakes them both rapidly*
<DeathStar> <Yuki> No repsonse
<DeathStar> *Yuki holds up a picture of Kaori*
<Seraphna> Si> Maybe it’s a kiss wake-up?
<Jackieness> <Airym> "We should perform an aanalysis rather than attempting random actions."
<DeathStar> *Yuki scans Hess* Hm. It seems to be a type of chemical in her
<DeathStar> <Yuki> Alright - Si kiss her!
<Jackieness> <Airym> "What sort of chemical?"
<Seraphna> **Si kisses Hess**
<DeathStar> *Yuki shows it to her when Si is suddenly heard being crunched
<Seraphna> Si> Aieeeee!!!
<DeathStar> <Adeline on comms> Jikuu, that is not how you wake up someone
<Jackieness> <Airym> *attempts to extract Si from crunch time*
<DeathStar> *Si is slowly untangled, almost like she suffered bad luck*
<Seraphna> Si> Never again! Exclusively my lips belong to Taiga.
<Jackieness> <Airym> "At least you ellicited a response."
<DeathStar> *While Hess wakes up, Yuki studies how the Illium broke Taiga's firewall* .. .strange
<Seraphna> Cookie> What’s up?
<DeathStar> <Yuki> Well that just can't be correct
<Jackieness> <Airym> "What have you found?"
<DeathStar> *turns the results toward them*
<Seraphna> Si> What the FUCK?
<Alicia> <Jikuu> *listens*
<Seraphna> **Si looks over confused**
<Seraphna> Si> That’s Gor’s coding.
<DeathStar> <Yuki> It looks like it's been expanded upon but yeah
<Jackieness> <Airym> "Contact Taiga and inform her of this discovery."
<Seraphna> Si> But he’s gone. I felt the bond go away.
<DeathStar> <Yuki> During one of his slumps?
<Seraphna> Si> All we found was part of his tail….
<DeathStar> <Yuki> Ah. Ahhh. A lot of buns was lost during the planet being destroyed
<Alicia> <Jikuu> "Gor?"
<DeathStar> *Yuki looks down* But if the code is here, then maybe Gor is alive
<Jackieness> <Airym> "Or a version of Gor cotnributed to the Illium's development."
<Seraphna> Si> **she sits hard**
<DeathStar> *Yuki pats Si* Lets see if we can learn more
<DeathStar> *As she hands Jikuu files*
<DeathStar> -SHIFT-
<DeathStar> Location: Alternate Reality
<DeathStar> *John kneels, eyeing the government building and all the security*
<DeathStar> <Cheryl> It's going to be hard to get in there. <Alt Cheryl> It'd be easier to get in from the roof.
<Seraphna> Angela> I’ve got two smaller betas in subspace, but they can’t get more than one of us up at a time.
<DeathStar> *Chii touches Cheryl and forms a dragon*
<DeathStar> <John> I can do that with one of my girls
<Seraphna> Angela> **hops on**
<Seraphna> **Tabetha offers to form up**
<DeathStar> *he pulls Hotaru and Tabetha to him by the chest*
<DeathStar> <Hisame> ...yuck
<DeathStar> *The Arcana judge*
<Seraphna> Angela> Come sit with me Hisame.
<DeathStar> *Hisame complies for now*
<DeathStar> *As people get ready. After everyone is ready, the dragons take off to the air and head for the roof; alarms begin to go off as the anti-air weapons begin to target them*
<DeathStar> *when one of them blows up from a massive beam weapon from the ground*
<Seraphna> **Angela smirks, and blasts at another with a holy beam**
<DeathStar> *John tosses rocks*
<DeathStar> *another beam weapon is charged as the enemy charges their position*
<Seraphna> **Tabethw crushes things with TK**
<DeathStar> *The group manages to land as Angela, Tabetha and John provide cover along with their sniper*
<DeathStar> *inside the building there's sounds of commotion*
<DeathStar> <John> What is that? *Cheryl transforming back to human, nude*
<Seraphna> Angela> **hops down tossing a cloak over her**
<Alicia> <Hotaru> "Not sure."
<DeathStar> *Unmei leads them down to the office levels where a powerfil Illium Prime is talking to MAster Thomas. Below they have hordes of Illiums dealing with some force below*
<DeathStar> *below, familiar voices like Noire's can be heard yelling at the Illiums as their sheer numbers are overpowering them*
<Alicia> <Hotaru> "The kids sound mad. Maybe we should help."
<DeathStar> <John> Yeah, I agree
<Seraphna> Tabetha> We can at least draw some of their fight away by fighting here.
<DeathStar> <Cheryl> Especially before black holes are used
<DeathStar> *Hisame sneas toward the Illium Prime*
<Seraphna> Angela> Or Jaime starts using the building to fight.
<DeathStar> *on his desk is a container of strange glowing light*
<DeathStar> *the Arcana begin to do their thing, Haru moving to join the fight below, while Alt Cheryl heads for the Prime and Thomas*
<DeathStar> *John grabs his girls and leaps downstairs to help the Strikers*
<DeathStar> *While Cheryl and Chii remain upstairs with Alt Cheryl and Hisame*
<Seraphna> **Angela sticks by Cheryl and her foxes**
<DeathStar> *Downstairs, the Strikers have found themselves surrounded by a literal army*
<DeathStar> <Ren> This is bad! Baaad!
<Jackieness> <Noire> "...not a great day..."
<DeathStar> <Taiga> ... *Eyes all the Illium weapons firing around then, bleeding and clothes torn hissing, as Fuyu is zooming around hyperspacing people*
<DeathStar> <Ren> We might have to bring this entire place down
<Seraphna> **Jaime blocks attacks for people, starting to use the building to trap and crush some Illium**
<Jackieness> <Noire> "Agreed!"
<Alicia> <CHarlotte> "I guess it's time to show Thomas what happens when you run out on a deal like that..." *prepares to gather dark energy to try to create a black hole*
<Jackieness> <Noire> *moves to charlotte and combines her power with Charlotte's*
<DeathStar> *The blackhole begins to form, more effective on the building since it was built with EArthGov and Illium tech instead of just pure Illium tech. As the place shakes, one can almost swear they see the Illium adapt in real time as some are destroyed, manifesting clamps into the floors and walls to give themselves more resist power when suddenly John's group comes flying down*
<DeathStar> *John swings with the blackhole, riding Hotaru and Tabetha to knock people into the blackhole*
<Alicia> <Hotaru> "I knew it."
<Seraphna> **Tabetha fires well calculated, or precognitive shots to knock more**
<DeathStar> *a massive energy blast fires through the wall to knock more into it*
<Alicia> <Charlotte> "How about you all adapt to being dead!"
<Jackieness> <Noire> "Jaime, the Illium are trying to lifeline themselves to the building! Use your powers to cut the lines!"
<Seraphna> **Jaime breaks up the slots they try to clamp down on**
<Seraphna> **spots**
<DeathStar> *Taiga's eyes go golden and touches the ground, giving everyone higher luck*
<DeathStar> *the army begins to weed out some as the blackhole takes more of them when suddenly they begin to touch each other and form an Illium Prime, who grabs the blackhole and begins to crystalize it over*
<DeathStar> <Ren> No ... no fair!
<Seraphna> Jaime> Oh fuck you giant crystal fuckface. **she holds out her hand and spikes the crystals they are form out at the Prime**
<Alicia> * Charlotte tries to strengthen the blackhole to remove the crystals
<Jackieness> <Noire> *adds more power*
<DeathStar> *The Prime resists and Ren leaps forward and adds all her power to club it in the face*
<DeathStar> *Taiga adding better luck to them all*
<DeathStar> **The combined power seems to work and the Prime falls into the blackhole*
<DeathStar> <Ren> We won.... *She pants*
<Alicia> <Charlotte> "... I will not let them just 'adapt' to something like that."
<Seraphna> Jaime> Now we hand Thomas his ass.
<Jackieness> <Noire> "...has anyone...seen that Dage Thomas...?"
<Jackieness> Sage
<DeathStar> *As they ask, the top floor with the others explodes with crystals*
<DeathStar> *And the floor breaks, falling downward*
<DeathStar> *Hisame and Chii come tumbling down with Angela*
<DeathStar> *The two Chiis land violently on the crystals* <Taiga> ... Momma.....
<DeathStar> *Taiga slides over to them*
<Seraphna> Angela> **lands and puts a hand on each, healing them**
<DeathStar> <Chii> Fuck
<Seraphna> Angela> Go help Cheryl.
<DeathStar> <Hisame> This place is...worse than I remember.
<DeathStar> *Taiga examines the two* I think they broke a few ribs and and a leg.
<Seraphna> **Jaime frowns and warps people upstairs as Angela heals up the foxes**
<DeathStar> *upstairs, Haru has been impaled aainst a wall with crystals, but seems alive*
<Seraphna> Jaime> Hold on.
<Jackieness> <Noire> *looks around*
<DeathStar> *there's a room next ot them that looks extremely unstable and damaged, with sounds of something happening*
<Seraphna> Jaime> Where… **she starts heading for it**
<Alicia> * Charlotte does likewise
<Jackieness> <Noire> *heads to that room*
<DeathStar> *The Illium Prime seems to be gone with the container as John swings in, glancing and Ren does a pose. Thomas limps for an escape as Unmei is struggling to stop him, the small Arcana being beaten silly*
<DeathStar> *she finally collapses*
<Seraphna> **Jaime warps to her and Hyper-Punches at Thomas**
<Alicia> * Charlotte grabs Thomas with tendrils, not actually stopping the punch. "You do not just run off like that."
<DeathStar> *He goes goes flying then bounes back via tendrils*
<Seraphna> Tabetha> Where are the Cheryls?
<Jackieness> <Noire> "Mmmmmm... these Illium are annoying me."
<Alicia> <Charlotte> "And how do we wake Hess?"
<DeathStar> <Thomas> .. The Illium took them. All the Hearts hae been gathered
<DeathStar> *he slumps a bit as Taiga's watch beeps*
<DeathStar> <Taiga> ... Yes?
<DeathStar> <Yuki on comms> Hess is awake. *she shows Hess' chest*
<Seraphna> **Angela joins them with her foxes**
<Jackieness> <Noire> "We still don't know what their endgame is."
<Alicia> <Charlotte> "So, you don't actually have anything left to offer us, do you Thomas?"
<DeathStar> <Yuki on comms> But we have bad news. We learned how the Illium are getting past your code. Gor's code is part of their adapting code
<DeathStar> *Suddenly the lower part of the government building shakes*
<Seraphna> **Si noises in the background**
<DeathStar> <John> That sounds like someone is blowing the place up
<Seraphna> Jaime> I may have taken out too many load bearing walls?
<DeathStar> *he leans over to see Fuyu flying upward, blowing Illium up and destroying the place*
<Alicia> <Charlotte> "Secure this guy, and lets go. I refuse to let him escape again."
<DeathStar> *the area tilting*
<Jackieness> <Noire> "How disappointingly cliche."
<Seraphna> Jaime> Oh, it’s just Fuyu therapy.
<DeathStar> *Fuyu up and aims at Thomas*
<DeathStar> *charging up*
<Jackieness> <Noire> "Mmmm.... we do have to send her home."
<DeathStar> <Fuyu> Die
<Alicia> <Charlotte> "...unorthodox, but I'll allow it."
<DeathStar> <Thomas> Wait, you'll never learn where Wind and the others are if you shoot me
<Seraphna> Jaime> …Where is her Dad. Speak now.
<Jackieness> <Noire> "Fuyu, hold off..."
<DeathStar> *The building tilts more*
<DeathStar> <Fuyu> ... ... ...
<Alicia> <Charlotte> "If you won't tell us, I won't let you live."
<DeathStar> <Ren> Agreed.
<DeathStar> <Taiga> We need to get all the injured out of here
<Seraphna> Jaime> Actually, he tells us or I rip it out if his mind.
<DeathStar> <Taiga> This place is coming down
<DeathStar> *Thomas reaches into his vest*
<Seraphna> **Jaime starts to warp them all out, including Thomas**
<Alicia> <Charlotte> "Whatever you're grabbing, hand it over."
<DeathStar> <Thomas> Of course
<DeathStar> *Thoma pulls out a small round object, holding it out*
<Alicia> * Charlotte takes it, examining it.
<DeathStar> *it ahs a button on the top*
<Alicia> * Charlotte keeps futurevision on to avoid traps, pressing the button if that is not one.
<Seraphna> Jaime> Now, where are they?
<DeathStar> *it brings out a map, but the trick is that when it first comes on, it's rather bright*
<DeathStar> <Ren> Oof.
<Seraphna> **Jaime keeps her hand firmly on the scruff of his clothing**
<DeathStar> *the map showing a reality map*
<Alicia> * Charlotte looks at the map
<Alicia> * recording it if the device is one use
<DSTheMysterious> *the map shows a particular reality flashing, it looks to be off the beaten realtiy map, perhaps hidden*
<DSTheMysterious> *Taiga muses
<DSTheMysterious> <Taiga> Alright, --- *She turns, eyeing Jaime holding clothes*
<Seraphna> Jaime> **looks over**
<DSTheMysterious> *it looks like Thomas has made a duplicate*
<Seraphna> Jaime> …How!?
<Jackieness> <Noire> "...are you kidding me?!"
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<DSTheMysterious> *Master Sage Thomas can be seen in the distance driving off*
<DSTheMysterious> *Chii and Hasme rejoin with Angela*
<DSTheMysterious> *someone comms Angela*
<Jackieness> <Noire> "...can someone just go and get that idiot?"
<Seraphna> **Angela blinks and answers** Yes?
<Alicia> <Charlotte> "... well, at least we got our part of the deal."
<Seraphna> Angela> …Fuck yeah.
<DeathStar> *a dragoon bustah fires at the car*
<DeathStar> *A good roll occurs and the car explodes*
<DeathStar> <Ren> What happened?
<Jackieness> <Noire> "Well... that happened. Fuyu, are you happy now?"
<Seraphna> Angela> Sisterly blessings.
<DeathStar> <Fuyu> I'll return for now but I plan to return back to help deal with these jerks and get my dad back if he's in this reality
<DeathStar> *she moves off*
<Alicia> <Charlotte> "I don't mind too much either way now, but if he'd escaped without giving us the information, I'd have tracked him down to the ends of the earth."
<DeathStar> <Taiga> We should head back. If the Illium have all these Hearts, we need to regroup and figure out what they want them for
<DeathStar> <Taiga> And it looks like the barrier to Tareh is down
<Seraphna> Angela> Whatever we need to do to get my Cherry back safe…
<DeathStar> <Hisame> I'll stay here for the time being and help out
<Jackieness> <Noire> "Alright, let's go home."
<Jackieness> <Noire> "...though...aren't we forgetting something?"
<Seraphna> Angela> Yes, you are.
<DeathStar> *Taiga prepares the gate* <Ren> Like?
<DeathStar> <John> You're right
<Seraphna> Angela> Allouette.
<DeathStar> *he gropes Hotaru*
<DeathStar> <Taiga> Right. I'll detour and pick her up
<Jackieness> <Noire> "... ... ...let's go rescue Allouette."
<DeathStar> <Ren> i'm just afraid to face Hess when we get back
<Alicia> <Charlotte> "Why?"
<DeathStar> <Ren> *points* We lost Kaori at some point
<Jackieness> <Noire> "...the Illium must have grabbed her while we were fighting Zeraphna."
<Alicia> <CHarlotte> "...oh... right..."
<Alicia> <Charlotte> "I'd say 'at least we can stop them from enterring now' but it's a bit late."
<Jackieness> <Noire> "If they have all the hearts now, then they must have grabbed her at that time."
<DeathStar> *Taiga tchs* We'll just have to get ahead of them now
<DeathStar> -epilogue-
<DeathStar> *Alouette plays in the lake*
<DeathStar> <Alouette> Splish splash!
<Seraphna> Sera> Now water strike!
<DeathStar> <Alouette> *Splash*
<Seraphna> Sera> Good! **she eyes a machine made out of bot parts**
<DeathStar> <Alouette> What are you doooing?
<Seraphna> Sera> Hopefully getting a signal to the others.
<Seraphna> Sera> I put a homing beacon in XX’s boobs.
<DeathStar> <Alouette> Rescue! Yay!
<DeathStar> -TBC-
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Session Close: Thu Jan 26 00:00:00 2023