EVENT ★ THE BATTLE FOR OSKA

[futurologists]

THE BATTLE FOR OSKA A message is sent to teams Audentes, Unicorn, and Ambrosia via magitek early in the morning, alerting all users to expect to be rifted back to Oska in three hours. Shortly after that comes a message from the Queen of Terra Felis, requesting that recruits stop by the palace briefly to receive her blessing. Any recruits who oblige her will find that her blessing is actually a very physical gift: a feeling of peace that washes over each person as soon as they step into the palace. This feeling will persist for the next 12 hours, and comes with a boost to either strength or speed for the duration of it. It's the Queen's way of wishing her departing guests good luck. Then comes the rift, and finally, Oska. ARRIVAL Oska isn't doing well. The devastation is immediately apparent in the blistered and blackened stone of the castle, completely blasted apart in some areas. Plantlife about the castle has been completely shredded, entire trees reduced to splintered stumps. The area recruits are rifted into is temporarily safe, guarded by team Mariposa, all of them of a large, fiercely warlike species, each heavily armed. There are only five of them, but that's enough to defend the little corner of Oska set up to receive the incoming teams. The largest, most battle-scarred member of Mariposa issues no orders, but fills arrivals in on the situation: there are several models of robots focusing on the destruction of the castle. Hear that distant, repetitive thud? The largest robots, the 15-foot (457cm) models, area busy hammering at an interior wall, trying to break into the Mechanical Room. They're the main priority -- but don't lose track of the flanking and defensive models, they're there to cause whatever carnage they can while the largest ones tear down the castle itself. Basically, take out every robot you see, as fast as you can. Those who can't fight have another, even more important job. There are defense nodes scattered throughout Oska, some inside the castle, some outside, even some in the village. These are small panels that blend in with the scenery. They each need to be opened up and rebooted with an access code put in via number pad. When every single node has been rebooted, the cloaking device will fully activate throughout this entire dimension, getting it permanently off of Zymandis's radar once more. Any recruit who volunteers for this job will have a map of each node location sent to their magitek. The robots don't seem to realize the importance of these nodes and usually ignore them, but will attack anyone they see working at one. OPPONENTS The biggest models are the PW15s; with sledgehammers at the end of their arms, they're programmed just to break down and tear apart foundation. They're currently working on busting their way into the Mechanical Room, where the TIMELINE.exe is kept. They must be stopped. Without the TIMELINE.exe, ALASTAIR is left aimless and adrift. These machines work ceaselessly at their task, and can only be distracted by focusing temporarily on a target right in front of them. Otherwise, they will ignore any attacks on them and keep working on the wall in front of them until they are torn apart themselves. PW15s are guarded by the Shielders. These are the basic eight-foot (245cm) models, but each comes with a large light shield it will use to defend itself and the PW15s. They stay behind these impenetrable shields and fire lasers from safety, but don't have very advanced programming. They will swivel around to face their target, leaving themselves open to attacks from behind. Tag teaming these robots is very effective. Airbombers can be tricky to navigate, as these robots fly. They're light and fast, but shots from their canons don't do much more than issue small but severe burns. The real danger is in letting one get directly overhead, as once it has done so it will release two to six bombs, which do great damage to people and property upon impact. The last model to look out for is the T15, which is small but tenacious. These are no bigger than a large dog, and will scuttle quickly forward until they've spotted a target. At that point they plant themselves and begin to fire a concentrated beam of laser at whatever they've spotted until it has stopped moving. These models have very simple programming and few defenses, but are impossible to dissuade from firing while their target is still in sight. They have no sense of object permanence, though, and even ducking behind scenery will confuse one into thinking it's eliminated its target. THE FIGHT The arrival of the three teams from Terra Felis do a lot to tip the scales in Oska's favor, but the fight still rages for a full day after their arrival. Team Kittypaw can be seen engaging throughout the grounds -- Uruz and Dagny fiercely defend the stables and the squidge garden, and are tired but nowhere near ready to give up. Cassie leads attacks into robot-heavy areas with gun-blazing gusto and seems to be having the time of her life, but even her energy isn't unlimited. Cherenkov and Crowley are on defense node duty, and can be spotted as a black or white streak on their way to activate the next node, avoiding the bulk of the fighting. Anyone who needs a break will be instructed to visit the library. Not even the robots are a match for the librarians, who have made it their utmost priority to ensure that nothing unauthorized sets foot among the books. Food and pillows have been brought in, and the area can be used as a base for resting and refueling between fights. Between fending off robots, the librarians will still warily scrutinize anyone eating or drinking too close to a book. They've allowed it, but don't push your luck and get messy. The fight drags on for almost a full, exhausting 24 hours, but just as dawn begins to come to the little scrap of Oska's dimension, a shimmering races briefly through the sky as the last defense node is rebooted and the shield is reactivated. Any remaining robots jolt and then go still, permanently offline. (Friendly robots might also feel a jolt, but are spared any damage thanks to careful programming.) The collective teams of ALASTAIR finally have a moment to breathe and relax. The fight is over. AFTERMATH There is a lot to rebuild and, unfortunately, some mourning to do. Services for those fallen in the fight will be held the following day. They are quick but heartfelt affairs, with friends of the downed recruits speaking a few words about what will be most remembered and missed about their comrades. Overall, though, the mood is grimly triumphant -- they've just managed to fend off Zymandis, after all. Or at least, a fraction of Zymandis. There are quite a few murmurs of gratitude for the shields being restored in time to stop anything bigger from finding them. The castle begins to slowly rebuild itself, rocks teetering their way back into place and tapestries slowly restitching themselves. Left to its own devices, it would probably take several years of this for the castle to fully restore itself. It very obviously appreciates recruits lending a hand to rebuilding, though. Suits of armor will bring workers little trinkets of gratitude, or food from the kitchen, which produces it in generous heaps. The castle's rebuilding efforts will even focus a little more strongly on the rooms of anyone helping out, down to any personal effects that were damaged in the fight or otherwise. Welcome home, Audentes. Rebuilding will last for the full three weeks given until their next mission, and still won't be complete by the time they ship out. But still, try to relax before your next trip out. OOC NOTES This log will last ICly and OOCly for three weeks (with the initial battle lasting one day), with the next mission beginning on 21 May. Please use this post to plot amongst yourselves! The other ALASTAIR teams in Oska at the moment are Unicorn and Ambrosia, who were with Audentes in Terra Felis, Kittypaw, Mariposa, who greeted the new arrivals, and Kraken, a 10-recruit team made of various aquatic and amphibious species who use the lake as their home base during the fight. More teams will be rifting in to help with reconstruction, after the battle is over. Questions about this log can be directed here. Questions about the game in general should be directed to the FAQ. You may also submit mission ideas or player plots at any time.

Comments

the huntsman ➳ ota

[dishearten]

I NEED HEALING

---

( Graham is far from the most gifted healer among the ranks of Audentes — as long as he refuses to look into magic, he is like to stay that way. he has to pick his battles well, as far as what he can and can't do. still, the battle leaves enough injured that the more capable take over the most grievous injuries, and the huntsman can pick up the slack with less serious need.

there's a wolf lingering not too far away from him, too, who provides great bedside manner for anyone that might need it. it's a good chance Brother will be sweeter on a stranger right about now — he may or may not have been instructed to stay in the library for the battle, no matter what, and he's not very happy about it. )

You there, ( he says, spotting someone lingering in wait and certainly in need of help, and help he can provide at that. ) Over here. I can help you. Don't mind him,
he's friendly.

GROUP UP WITH ME

---

( it's only so long that Graham manages to stay locked away in the library. yes, there will always be injuries in need of tending, however, he's capable of more than mending cuts and wrapping bandages. when the lull seems to hit the medical camp he moves out to try and focus on defense node map on his magitek.

though, thankfully, he's not working alone. his companion is not the trusty wolf that it he usually can't be seen without, surprisingly enough, but a teammate he's enlisted for the fight. Graham is getting better and better at this whole trusting his teammates thing. )

If we move quietly, we shouldn't take on too much trouble. ( his accent might be a little harder to understand when he whispers, but surely his teammate understands him all the same. he nods, before glancing toward their first objective. ) Are you ready?

RANDOMLY EMOTES

---

( once the worst of it is over, it's a matter of getting things back to normal. Graham managed to get through the battle without any severe injury, and that means he's more than capable of dedicating himself to the rebuild, once it starts. he finds he rather likes the quiet work of helping the castle find its way back together, and has a few trinkets in his pockets from the armor that occasionally stumbles by to show a spot of gratitude.

however, rebuilding needs a bit of teamwork, too, especially when some parts of the castle are so massive. a suit of armor is crouched low to try and help him with a particularly large bolt of stone, yet Graham spots an able body and waves them over. ) Over here, we need a hand. ( yup, we, him and this suit of armor, it's totally normal to work with animated armor, right??? )

WILDCARD

---

do these prompts not work for you? wanna do something else with the huntsman? throw me a prompt, or feel free to ask for one at misandry!

I NEED HEALING

[catphishing]

[Oliver has, all in all, been doing pretty well. Or at least he thinks so. He's disabled a few defense nodes and is on his way to find another, but his combat skills are far from up to the level they need to be and he hasn't gone through the fight unscathed.

The wound above his eye is largely superficial, but it does hurt and blood drips from it into his eye making it hard to see properly. He startles at the sight of the wolf, and it does take him a moment to register that it doesn't look like a threat. Even with the words of reassurance his approach is slow and cautious.]

Are you sure?

Sans | OTA

[skelepun]

outside the queen's chambers | after the message; ota

[The message came through just over an hour ago. Of course, Sans was there almost immediately upon the queen's invitation, standing a nonchalant post outside the palace gates. Not going in, of course. Not yet.

There were magitek teleporters that could get people to her throne room without ever passing this point, but Sans figures at least a few people might take the scenic route on their way in or (more specifically) out. And when they do, they'll find a skeleton with a wide smile and a friendly outstretched hand. A gesture followed quickly by a casual once over.]

Good visit with purr royal highness, bud?

the library | five hours into the fight; ota

[Upon their collective transfer home (if Sans could even call it that; Woodhurst and Terra Felis were more home than this strange castle), the rattle in his bones was disquieting. Battle torn land, the twist of gears and cries of pain or hate or defiance or something... the differences could get muddy from a distance. It was a grim scene, and one Sans wanted no part in. The old Sans was a part of Audentes, which meant he would be too for as long as it took to find his bearings here, but actually fighting for it? That wasn't his scene.

As it happens, Sans' scene turns out to be the library. Ignoring the hardship and fighting just outside their walls was easy when you had a plate of food, stacks of pillows, and more books than a guy knew what to do with -- ones that didn't even smell like sewage! A younger, more bright socketed version of himself from the past would've been over the moon and showing it. The older, duller man he was now settles for plucking the thickest, most intimidating book on quantum physics along with the corniest, most colorful joke book and making himself a cozy nest on the floor.

Unfortunately, all good things came to an end. His womb away from the fighting was eventually pierced by ALASTAIR warriors spilling in for rest and reprieve from the fighting. Some were bleeding, some unharmed; several loud and vibrating with adreneline, others withdrawn and staring at nothing at all. It was an uncomfortable portrait of something Sans didn't like to think about, but one that he couldn't avoid. Not when he was actively benefiting from the safety they were winning. If they were winning. He honestly didn't know.

So when someone -- be they fighter, node scout, or anyone -- gets close enough to his campsite, Sans sits up and nods towards them with a quick smile.]

If you're lookin' for a place to kick it for a bit, I warmed it up for ya. [He gestures to the large heap of pillows; which Sans goes from sitting in to standing alongside in a blink of magic.] Looks like you could use a break.

the library | twenty hours into the fight; ota

[How someone convinced him to do this, Sans is never gonna figure out. Magic, arrows, bullets, projectiles of all sorts flew overhead. Flames licked at a tree nearby, and Sans is sure the fire would be a little too close for comfort. Y'know. If he could feel the heat.

More than anything, Sans wants to be back in his library nest. Instead, he's here, squinting at a map and doing mental math while his partner pries open the latest node plate.]

So whaddya think ALASTAIR tech support is like? [He asks, to nobody in particular, while measuring out the distance between this node and the next on the map.] 'Have you tried turning all you gazillion defense nodes off then on again?'

That's gotta be tedious. Not that we'd know, right? [Sarcasm isn't funny. And for all Sans delivers it with a grin, he isn't feeling very funny, either.]

the village | aftermath; ota

[The battle seemed both endless and over in an instant. The large robots, reduced to empty shells, feel more like status erected in memorial to the fighting than anything that was once alive and functional. Maybe it was his own inexperience with war, but it surprised Sans, how quickly an expanse of territory could morph from battlefield to just a plain old field.

In the relative calm of the aftermath, Sans is also forced to confront just how little he knows of Oska. As others put their mind towards restoring the castle they knew and remembered, Sans finds himself flicking at burned tapestries and watching the building reconstruct itself. It was incredible to see, but even the wonder of impressive magic got boring after a while.

Or maybe the suits of armors caught-wise to his abuse of the food rations and stopped coming around.

Either way, Sans was outtie.

Walking around the grounds wasn't much more reassuring. If anything, things looked worse this far out. Still, even grass torn and scattered was still grass. Sans wasn't quite over that yet. Part of him hopes he never would be.

The abandoned village is something Sans comes upon almost by accident. Unlike the castle, it doesn't seem to be self-repairing. Running a bony hand along one of the walls, Sans squints up at the freshly singed roof and wonders aloud to himself.]

No rebuilding committee for you, huh pal?

wildcard; ota!

(( Hit me with anything you can think of! And if you have an idea/thought/hope/wish hit me up at safelybeds and I'll write you a starter! ))

Village!

[catphishing]

[Oliver hadn't thought anyone else would be around the abandoned village. In truth, it's not his favorite place. It's sad and lonely, but after the intensity of the battle he needs some quiet.

He had seen the skeleton at Mettaton's slumber party, though he hadn't spoken to him, so his appearance isn't entirely unexpected. It is still unnerving though.]

It's been this way for a long time. Since before Audentes was based here.

kung jin | closed

[pummelling]

((easing back from hiatus with closed prompts-- please feel free to hit my plotting comment, pm me, or pp me at smithsyndicate if you would like a starter!!))

for lucina;

[pummelling]

[The Shielder's laser, white-hot, cuts through the air and sears the whole length of a Team Ambrosia satyr's arm. With a sharp yelp of pain, they go down, and in moments one of their teammates hoists them up and hustles them off to the medical teams. They'll be fine, with Ambrosia's magicians at the ready, but as for their Audentes partner... he's left to face the towering robot all alone.

Unfortunately, taking an eight-foot robot on solo is just outside of Kung Jin's skillset.

He casts a glance over the ruined castle wall he's crouched behind. The thing's dangerous enough to fry someone to a crisp, bearing an shield that's impossible to penetrate... and yet, swiveling around to fire on the escaping Ambrosia members in pursuit, it's too stupid to protect its back.]

If you'll just stay put for a sec... [Worth another shot. Jin draws back his bow, aims for the vulnerable back, and moves to fire... to no avail, as the Shielder's whirled back to fire on him instead.] --shit!

[Move, move, move-- Jin narrowly avoids being singed, lunging and ducking behind a bigger source of cover, right into Lucina's path. He doesn't know her all too well yet, sure, but hey, he'll take an ally where he can get one, right?]

Hi. [He nods at her in acknowledgement, then inclining his head in the direction of the Shielder.] Y'know, we've gotta stop meeting like this.

[Kung Jin notches another arrow and raises his bow to attention. Something tells him this won't be as easy as faking an infection in the hospital was all those weeks ago.]

reika kagura | ota + closed

[p66]

[ I've got a plotting comment on the ooc comm if you'd like to hash out plans, or feel free to pm me/contact me on plurk! ]

open!

[p66]

out and about;

[ It feels much more natural now that she's in a battlefield, despite how strange it sounds. The fires, the chaos, it's not that different from what greets the Blood unit every time they venture out of the Anti-Aragami walls. Sure, they're fighting robots instead of giant monsters, but once they've established that these are only automatons - then the two are fundamentally the same. Large monsters to be taken care of. After three months of away from duty, the rhythm of battle is almost... familiar.

Reika weaves through the empty hallways seeking out signs of battle. If you're facing off against a robot alone, there's a good chance that she'll be there as soon as she can, a sword her height in one hand. You're a good distraction, so that gives her enough time to dart behind the opponent -

- and a jet-black maw emerges from the base of the blade, biting down on the robot with the distinct crunch of metal. ]

Coming through!

[ The jaws of her God Arc manage to rip out a good chunk of circuitry before swallowing (!!!) and vanishing back into her sword. At least that bought you a few seconds, right? ]

rest and reprieve

[ Reika hasn't forgotten her promise to Sieglinde and the other healers. If she sees anyone roughed up or tired, her priority would be to escort them back to the library. She's long since exhausted her own supply of bandages, so she can only hope that her speed would be enough. However, even with her determination, there's no ignoring that being out of duty takes its toll on her. She might be walking by your side, or you might have caught sight of her in the fray - suddenly, black smoke billows out of her armlet, forcing her knees to buckle. ]

Oh goodness.

[ Said through gritted teeth, as she sucks in a slow breath and stands up shakily. ]

Don't fail on me this time, okay?

[ Is she talking to you, or to the sword in her hand? ]

rebuilding

[ At long last, the battle is over. Rebuilding was constancy back home, given how Aragami chewed at the walls and practically everything that was not protected by them. It's easier to focus on putting bricks back into place rather than battle. Reika's right arm is wrapped in bandages, but that doesn't stop her from trying to help out. That certainly is a large plate of snacks that she's holding with her left hand. ]

Hello! Would you like one?

[ They're small tidbits that can be eaten with just one bite, skewered on a toothpick and handy for those still at work. Seems like a suit of armour passed them to her earlier. ]

wildcard

[ Hit me with anything and I'll roll with it! ]

Oliver Hampton | OTA

[catphishing]

A - DEFENSE NODES

[Oliver is quick to volunteer to help deactivate the defense nodes. He can be more useful here than in the fights, he's certain of it, even in the time the strength boon he's been granted will last for. It does take time for him to find some of them even with the help of the map. There are times an extra set of eyes to spot where the node is hidden would be useful.

Once the nodes are found, though, Oliver has no problem rebooting them. He has a confidence he usually seems to lack as he keys in the defense code to fix the panel.

Although some of the panels are hard to find, they aren't all well sheltered. There are a few close calls where he finds himself under attack. In the first 12 hours he finds he can hold his own enough to take on the shielders and get away from the PW15s, but the T15 robots make him wish he'd opted for speed instead. After the first twelve hours have passed he is getting fatigued and with the boon gone he is in dire need of help against his attackers.]

B - RESTING UP

[He can't afford to take long breaks, but the intensity of the work is too much to go on constantly without taking any time to rest. Sweating and clearly tired Oliver sits on one of the pillows, eating as fast as he can make himself while he's this exhausted.]

C - AFTERMATH

[After the battle, Oliver attends the services for the fallen though he doesn't know them personally. It only seems right after all they put in, and he understands from Achilles that their loved ones may appreciate the sentiment even when it's a stranger attending.

He helps with rebuilding too, relieved for something he can do that's less life threatening than the fight had been. The suits of armor are clearly still a novelty to him, and the excited little smile any time they bring him food makes it very obvious.

He focuses more on the rebuilding of the structure or simple technology as these are what he's better at, though at times can be found fiddling with some of the more advanced equipment. He's not having much luck so far, but he'll never learn if he doesn't try and it's still interesting to experiment with.]

aftermath

[strictdiscipline]

[Rebuilding is tiring work, but a burden made easier by the camaraderie that swells through the castle. Riza's lost track of the number of different faces she's worked alongside over the past week, though some of them are more recognizable than others. Like the man next to her, whose face she's seen around Audentes often enough but never spoken to.

She watches him for a moment, his unabashed fascination with the mobile armor enough to bring a faint smile to her face. Then, regarding the suits of armor clunking about the hallways—]

I know someone like that, back home.

[As strange as that might sound.]

urahara kisuke ⚛ ota

[predomination]

ᴀ. ᴀʟʟ ʏᴏᴜʀ ꜱᴀᴅ ᴀɴᴅ ʟᴏꜱᴛ ᴀᴘᴏꜱᴛʟᴇꜱ ʜᴜᴍ ᴍʏ ɴᴀᴍᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ꜰʟᴀʀᴇ ᴛʜᴇɪʀ ɴᴏꜱᴛʀɪʟꜱ (ꜰɪɢʜᴛ)

[Urahara is not a man with a temper- at least not one that most people get to see. He has (seemingly) infinite patience and when he gets angry, he burns cold, not hot. Explosive tempers are for people with little control. Urahara always (barring the last few months) has control over himself- and, more often than not, over situations. It's when he loses that control that he gets well and truly pissed.

Zymandis crossed a line one too many times, and his even-keel temperament is shot. Oh, between fighting, he's as calm and cheerful as ever, but the second he enters combat, the light goes out of his eyes and he becomes a merciless killing machine, blocking laser fire with sweeps of Benihime's red energy lashes or shields. Binding the robots with kido to bring them down before slamming the sharp, slanted tip of Benihime's blade into their mechanical brains. There's been a lot of moral debates thrown around. Urahara has to admit he's been so self-assured about his own place here that he never really gave it much thought.

If this makes him cold, so be it. He's used to making the hard choices. Sometimes those hard choices are making sure mercy doesn't cost them again- he had his own hand in what happened. He can't permit that mistake to happen again- not when the only safe port in this damned storm has been compromised.

Not when Zymandis doesn't think they're a threat. They clearly haven't met Urahara Kisuke when he gets worked up.]


ʙ. ʏᴏᴜ ꜱᴀᴠᴏʀ ʏᴏᴜʀ ᴅʏɪɴɢ ʙʀᴇᴀᴛʜ- ᴡᴇʟʟ, ɪ ꜰᴏʀɢɪᴠᴇ ʙᴜᴛ ɪ ᴅᴏɴ'ᴛ ꜰᴏʀɢᴇᴛ (ᴅᴇꜰᴇɴꜱᴇ)

[Bloodlust may be Urahara's general MO for this fight, but he can take time from his robot murder spree to aide the people taking care of the nodes, since he doesn't really have the time (or the desire- he's a bit occupied) to work on that project himself. That doesn't stop him from providing (sort of) helpful commentary as he stands guard, calling forth Benihime's Blood Mist Shield to block the incoming fire.] Well, this is certainly getting intense. Ah... You might want to try a different keystroke command there...

[He says casually over his shoulder. How did he even see what's going on. It's a mystery. Stop backseat hacking, Kisuke.]

ᴄ. 'ᴄᴀᴜꜱᴇ ʟɪᴠɪɴɢ ᴡᴇʟʟꜱ ᴛʜᴇ ʙᴇꜱᴛ ʀᴇᴠᴇɴɢᴇ (ᴀꜰᴛᴇʀᴍᴀᴛʜ)

[WILDCARD option for all aftermath threads. Urahara will be found providing back up to the healers, helping with repairs, and probably doing weird sciencey things with the defeated robots.]

B

[catphishing]

[Oliver is an amazing hacker. Given that he's been given instructions on exactly what to do, this should be a breeze. The trouble is he's tired and on edge in the midst of all the danger, and the commentary from behind him isn't helping. His finger slips, and he can't help but snap as he starts over.]

I know what the command is.

stiles ◐ closed / wildcard

[figureitout]

( as i'm technically on hiatus there won't be open top levels, but if you want anything, hit up my plotting comment or poke me over at plurk @ celen and i'll be happy to write you a starter! or just wildcard me the yolo life is real )

▷ OLIVIA.

[figureitout]

[ it's a team-up that makes sense, for more reasons than him wanting to make sure nothing happens to Olivia, that she's safe (as safe as anyone can be, when there's a battle raging all around the castle) and alright. perhaps some of it is the desperate need to feel in control of something, that if nothing else, at least he can protect her...

... and for a while, he does. for a while, their teamwork is seamless, Olivia taking out the agents they come across, Stiles stopping their attacks before they have the chance to hit her. but there is nothing to do against the passing of time, the exhaustion that settles inside their bones like frost, turning their movements sluggish, their reaction times slower. it's been hours since they arrived (hours, plenty of them, Stiles thinks — they must be nearing a full twenty-four hours now, spent fighting and running and helping) and the battle takes its toll, even from those who have not been hit by the lasers. ]

Olivia —

[ his voice sounds almost too loud in the corridor, quiet and empty aside from the two of them and the robots lying in heaps of metal on the floor. Stiles looks around, tries to focus on the shield he keeps around them (around her, really, because she is what matters), but he can feel the cracks forming, the weight of it pulling him down.

and when he turns to Olivia, what he sees makes his blood run cold. ]

Olivia... we need to get to the library. [ he takes a step closer, reaches out — he can see her swaying on her feet, too, can hear her unsteady breaths. she isn't doing much better than he is... she won't last, she's been healing others before they met up on the battlefield; she must be just as exhausted as he is, if not more. but right as he gets to her, manages to place his hand on her arm, he feels his knees giving out from under him. feels his vision narrowing, a tide of black rising until he can barely see her.

the last thing he remembers is his shield falling into pieces as his concentration dies out with his consciousness. the last thing he thinks is if something happens to her because I wasn't strong enough, I'll never forgive myself. ]

scott mccall | ota unless otherwise noted!

[banded]

reunions | closed to stiles

[If it weren't for the fact that Stiles had been missing—so much that he had been utterly erased from Scott's memory, a fragment of existence that was just gone without explanation, without understanding, a thing that occurred without allowing Scott to completely understand why his footing in life felt so off—he might have thrown himself in the battle without looking for Stiles. There's no part of Scott that thinks he can fight robots. He knows his limits. But he's willing to do it if it means taking care of his friends. He'll throw himself into a thousand frays with robots if it means he can save their lives.

But the thing here is this: Scott misses Stiles so much that the moment he spots his name in the username directory, he doesn't hesitate. Losing that part of him had been like losing a limb, and seeing that name, knowing he's here—it means the world to him. The world.

Finding him isn't hard. The knowledge of him, combined with some practice in trying to find him under some pretty extreme conditions, leads him right to where he is immediately. Stiles looks exhausted, but more than that, there are these weird barriers set up that Scott can't really understand, but it looks like they're helping people out.]

Stiles—! [Relief floods his voice. After a moment, he drops in beside him, a comforting hand set on his shoulder. Scott wants to tell him that he looks like he's overdoing it, but with everything going on ... Well. Odds are that he's gonna be joining him sooner rather than later.] This is—this is pretty cool.

[More than anything, he wants to hug him, but even he can see that Stiles is preoccupied.]

defending the squidges

[All right, so if someone asked Scott what he was defending, he wouldn't have a clue. But most of the teams here fighting their asses off know what they're doing, or don't seem as defenseless. These little guys, however ... they seem like they could use the extra hand. Not that the people helping them aren't doing a good job, but an extra hand is never a bad thing, not in Scott's book.

At the exact moments that Scott probably draws a lot of attention, he's bearing his teeth, bright red eyes, and some wicked sideburns, all grown because he's doing his best to keep annoying robots away.]

Hey! [he'll call out to anyone who's passing.] Can you help? I'm doing my best, I am, but ... [Well, he looks up at the robot in front of him seriously. Claws can do a lot.

But maybe not enough.]

Well, these little guys could use some help.

during slowdown periods and in the aftermath

Hi. [Anyone who's sitting around trying to calmdown or even looks like they could use a hand in these moments might end up with a friendly face by their side. He greets someone easily before tucking his hands into his pockets, looking somewhat boyish in the process. Mostly, he's trying to seem disarming, because he knows the stress of the situation has been hard on everyone.

It should be harder on him, knowing how he's just arrived and how little he could do against robots, but he just got his best friend back. Things ... could be worse. Way worse.]

Any chance I can get something for you? I'm not sure where the food is, but I'm sure I can find it. [Noses help.] Or ... anything else. Just let me know, okay?

anything else

[Scott will be eager to take away pain and help with rebuilding, so these are other potential open-ended things, but hard to tailor a one-size-fits-all prompt for! If you have a scenario you'd like under the pain-taking arena, drop me a line here or in my PM inbox and I can write up the starter.

Thanks!]

squidges

[fintastic]

Oh!

[ As it were, Feferi was one her way to make sure that squidges were still safe, but what she encounters when she gets there isn't par for the course. She's not hesitant in the least to take the stranger's side, raising her double-ended trident menacingly. From far away, she'd taken him for human, but once up close... perhaps she was wrong.

She gives the squidges a look over, but fending off the robot first takes priority. ]

What do you need me to do?

keith

[secondnature]

double-wielding battle engage | ota

[The truth of the matter here is that Keith is torn. Going into knowing that he'd be going back to Oska, he hadn't given "stop his enemies at any cost" much thought, at least in this instance. Like with the Beasts that the Galra Empire tended to send out, he had thought that whatever was attacking Oska had been something like that—something that he hadn't really had to think about. But his relationships with his lion and with Zenyatta have changed him. The problem is, this fight is fierce and he does want to win—as much as possible.

After all, he can't really argue that they didn't make a mistake and not do that.

To the best of his ability, his goal is to disable the robots, to cut them off at the knee or fight them to a degree that they can be fixed, but he's aware of the fact that whatever is left behind might be a ticking time bomb. He's willing to learn from what people are calling mistakes, even if he doesn't altogether see them as mistakes himself.

Most importantly, the fight itself requires him to give his all. From time to time, he's using two swords—one being his bayard, and his other being the purple-lit sword from the Blade of Marmora. Wielding them at once is hard, but it's clear that he wants to have as much of an edge as he can get. Dropping one to whip out his shield to protect himself happens more than once, with him desperately grabbing the lost sword when needed.

More than once, Keith is found dropping to both knees to use the swords to keep himself stable so he doesn't collapse against the ground.]

Huh ... tired ... just hold on a sec. I'll keep going. [He may look ragged in these moments and about to take another hit, but he does intend to keep going.

In other moments, he'll be less the guy who looks like he needs the assist and more the guy read to leap in to help:]

Take a breather and jump back in! I'll handle this for a moment.

[Or he'll help even if it's just a matter of teamwork.

Teamwork is really Keith's goal here.]

downtime in the aftermath | closed to Lance

[Thankfully, Keith and Lance are no strangers to the aftermath of battles like these, even if they've largely been fortunate in their battles taking place away from where anyone can really get hurt. Here, it's obvious that that's not the case, but thankfully Oska is able to partly take care of itself. That does help, at least somewhat.

Right now, the two of them have been working on clearing up debris in areas where it looks like the castle can right itself more quickly. When the next round of food and refreshments comes around, Keith motions to Lance to come and take a break.

What ensues (or will ensue) is the closest thing the two of them have had to a picnic: sitting in an area with a basket full of food and drinks until they get back to work.]

Did you miss Blue while you were fighting? [The question does come out of nowhere, but it's stated like Keith had been thinking about it. His eyes don't meet Lance's when he asks, like he's almost ashamed to say how much he misses his lion right now. But he does. Instead, he's more focused on tugging out a bottle of water to get it open.]

wildcard stuff

[I am down for other stuff with Keith with fighting and the first prompt is meant to be all purpose. He'll also look worn out and determined to Still Help in His Way in the aftermath stuff.]

[competing]

[ lance still feels a little sore from all the exertion, but he's mindful of the fact he definitely fared way better than some of their own had. still, that doesn't prevent him from groaning as his bones and muscles creak and throb in protest, all from the simple act of setting down that piece of wall and settling down on the ground beside keith. don't mind him just leaning back against you, by the way. you are surprisingly sturdy for your size.

he's in the process of helping himself to a juice box right when keith speaks up, nabbing the rest of his attention. he has to twist a little to peer at keith over his shoulder, and he definitely takes note of those averted eyes. ]

...Yeah. All the time. [ he's never felt quite as confident in himself or his abilities than when he's flying with his best girl. the way they just get each other... the way she never loses faith in him... that's hard to beat.

he stabs his straw into the box. lightly, ] I bet if Red were here, this fight would've been over ten minutes in. No way would any of those robots been a match for her fire.

[ not to mention her extreme over-protectiveness............... ]

Arima Kishou | ota!

[prodigism]

I) The Fight

[ As the battles commence and the fighting grows heavier by the second Arima's taken to the front ranks with his speed. Thanks to the Queen of Terra Felis his strength is also boosted so he's even stronger than normal. and that's a bad sign for any robots in his way. The owl quinque is shredding through shielders like they're made of paper as Arima slices through their legs so that their basically immobile. A larger group of them will make a beeline towards him but remote activation and owl's trap mode take care of a good majority of them as multiple scaled looking spikes shoot up out of the ground and impale a half a dozen robots on them. They're suspended in the air for a few seconds before they fall to the ground destroyed.

Arima, however, keeps moving and actually summons another weapon out of thin air. He'll summon Narukami into the fray to shoot a bolt of lightning at the airbombers above whoever he's fighting alongside with. The blast of electrical energy scatters many of them and destroys even more, before the weapon itself disappears and Arima continues to fight. He'll turn towards anyone who happens to be near him and nods his head at the PW15. ]

It should be easier now to take that one out. We can bring it down easier if we combine our efforts.

II) The Library

[ After fighting so much and draining a good amount of his stamina Arima will set down his quinque with a heavy thud. He doesn't look too worse for wear right now but he definitely needs a rest. The new magic he's received is both a blessing and, of course, a detriment. But he isn't too exhausted that he's unable to move. So if any of the healers or people preforming the more conventional means of first aid need help with administering first aid he can sort of act as an errand boy. ] If you need any supplies...just ask.

[ Just ask and he'll go get them he means. He's not that well informed about first aid to really pitch in too much. Arima on the other hand doesn't have too many scratches or bruises at least. But he is bleeding from his arm and there's some blood staining his left side. But, naturally, he doesn't make much of it. Please tell him to sit down before he collapses or just punch him out and make him rest that way. ]

III) Wildcard!

[ ooc; If any of these prompts don't work for you, either PM me on this journal or on pathogenic to hash something out! ]

1

[viscontree]

You're right. I can try to flank it from behind as a distraction.

What will you do? I'll try to assist in any way possible.

[They need to stay sharp during combat. Maybe Arima's got a combat strategy in mind? Julius isn't comfortable rushing ahead so recklessly.]

LOKI. OPEN.

[selfimage]

the battle.

[ Loki's no stranger to battle, he's an Asgardian, and he's seen plenty. being thrust into the midst of it doesn't seem to rattle him. in fact, he takes it like he takes everything else: with a confident swagger. everything is chaos, as true battle always is, the castle being torn apart at the arms of robots. he darts here and there, keeping his distance from most of the fighting unless someone seems in dire need of him. (he can't find it in himself to pass it up. he blames it on a shadow of an innocent self, and then puts it in the back of his mind, yet he still feels satisfied every time he helps.) there's a rush that takes him to be in battle again, watching the flames leave ashen frames against a dark sky.

sometimes he blinks in and out of sight, cloaking himself in his invisible jacket and darting around corners. it's not long before he begins to detect a pattern—all the robots are heading toward the same area: the Mechanical Room. he counts them lucky by the Norns (the damned Norns) that there are no real agents here, only artificial intelligence. they're easy to trick. actual Zymandis agents themselves might be more troublesome. he hisses under his breath. ]

i. [ he stops to watch a close battle, pulling on the lapels of his jacket as his teammates gather together to fight for Oska. the castle's already in flames, and the billows of smoke flow freely from the crumble that the robots leave behind. there's a sword grasped in his hand, dark nails folded neatly around the hilt. ] Oh, hello! No time to chat, I see?

ii. [ the trail of destruction is easy to follow for those that have eyes for it. he manages to keep out of the way of the robots, ducking and following their movements as they slink closer toward the Mechanical Room. his feet move silently against the stone floors, slipping around the corner like he was born to thieving. it's not until his jewelcomm starts beeping frantically that he jerks upright with a start, and the robots all turn their attention toward him. ] Whoopsie—this is rude, isn't it?

CLOSED. ANAKIN.

[selfimage]

You know—[ Loki begins, talking directly to his jewelcomm (yes too, not at). ]—you almost fried my bacon back there. Being pummeled by machines is not something that I wanted to have done to me today.

[ he's had a chance to escape (or, you know, run) his robot adversaries and head down the nearest hallway in the castle. the jewelcomm has detected something, and beeps incessantly like a dead battery in a fire alarm. it's brain numbing above the shrieks of destruction, urging Loki toward the center of the castle. the coordinates take him directly to the Mechanical Room, and the pathway that he's so used to following during times of distress (hoping, vainly, that the door may open for him). the walls thrum with energy and heat as if they were alive, thin wafts of smoke filling up rooms as they collapse in debris under the stress of metal hammers.

Loki zigs here and zags there, tapping a fingernail on his jewelcomm. he almost sounds annoyed. ] Yes, yes, I'm coming.

[ glancing over his shoulder, Loki slides around the next corner, hands on the lapels of his jackets as if he were about to make a getaway. he couldn't take on an entire army of robots without any resources, but when he looks up, he finds that he's in luck. ] Anakin! [ locked between robots, he spots him.

then proceeds to make a frantic hand gesture to his jewelcomm as if it were a watch and he wanted to leave the party. sorry he's probably got you in a rough spot here, buddy. ]

Ban | OTA

[perma_banned]

The Fox's Sin
-
[War was usually something difficult to jump into right away and survive--except when one was immortal. Ban fell into things with the sort of humdrum disposition one took on when they were shopping for groceries on a Sunday afternoon. He browsed around for interesting targets the moment he was transported in and pursued them with a casual stride.

The first PW-15 that stepped in his path began to level its hammer on him. Ban was impeding its path, giving it enough incentive to swing its hammer down to be rid of an obstacle on its way to destroy more of ALASTAIR's citadel. With listless eyes, Ban threw a straight punch through the hammer, shattering it. His fist shot through the shattered head of the hammer and through the machine's torso before he ripped his hand free and took part of its exoskeleton with his hand.]

Sorry if I don't hold back, today~. Your pals really pissed me off.

[Smaller robots rounded on him in darting packs, flanking him from a number of directions the moment he established himself as a target. Ban drew a golden, four-sectioned staff from his hip in one fluid gesture and in the next instant, the several dozen of them all fell into clean-cut pieces. Ban rolled the staff behind his head, leaning the sectioned parts of it over his shoulders as he sauntered in the direction of the next fight.

Ban looked to a nearby comrade, pausing. He had stopped thinking about the allies around him for a short time and finally came to notice them in the middle of his anger. A little bit of the fury evaporated as he brought himself up to speak.]

You ready? We can't hang around in the open too long and get anythin' practical done.

-
A Favor
-
[Whether or not someone's guard was done, there were enough robots swarming Oska to make for poor formation and placements on the battlefield. There was no good angle to fight from once the walls came down and the horde of metal that fought autonomously clearly didn't feel fear in its numbers dropping at all. Nothing slowed them down from their objective.

Even so, it was clear that Ban acted much the same that they did. No matter what injury he took, he didn't slow down or show signs that he was in pain. Catching sight of someone surrounded and outgunned, Ban jumped in and battered one shielded robot from behind, sending it careening into a wall before crumbling into a heap from the impacted crater it helped make.]

Wa-CHOWWWW!

[With a battle-cry reminiscent of a certain action movie star, Ban held nunchaku in each of his hands, both stylized like his golden staff. He grinned, looking to his ally with ash and blood in his hair and all over him. Ban looked like he had taken a dip in hell but healthy color kept coming back to him.]

Hey. I got your back~.

-
Last Call
-
[Though some of the rubble was moving on its own, Ban seemed eager to move plenty of it, himself. He moved it along in the direction it had to go a little quicker, lifting pillars when they were struggling to move upright, again. While initially it may have seemed like an effort to show a little respect and help clear the rubble, the cause of it became quickly apparent as he kicked open a buried trunk and removed two bottles of bourbon from a dug-out hiding hole. He stopped participating in his community service when he found his quarry.

Despite the fact that he had found what he wanted, he didn't seem to take any satisfaction in it. Guzzling down a quarter of the bottle with an incredible thirst, Ban refrained from speaking when he heard more wailing and sobbing. There were other people sifting through the rubble and wreckage looking for friends and comrades. While he had a bit of fun letting some of his anger out on the robots before, he knew what cost that excitement came with and he knew he wasn't the one to pay the price that this time.

None of it made him feel good. That was what the liquor was for. Ban wandered, looking for familiar faces--anyone to keep his mind off of the mourning and the atmosphere that came from the end of a battle. He approached, somberly tapping them on the shoulder from behind with some hesitation in his voice, deciding to interrupt them in what they were doing.]

Hey.

[OOC: Any desires for a wildcard? Let me know via PM :D]

A Sin a day...

[araigneedusoir]

[There were very few times -- in the short time she'd known him -- that she felt as though Ban really needed back up. At least, beyond her being able to hit things he might not have necessarily been able to...So she was left to stand by, watching while he so casually demolished a bot he was at least half the size of. It was an impressive display at least, her arms crossing over her chest as she sidestepped a shard of...whatever that was.

She notes that he's not the only one this lot's pissed off, an eyebrow quirking with a thought to warn him immediately dying. He'd noticed. So she continued to observe, leaning against a splintered wall as Ban simply demolished their newest additions.

Her eyes are on a pile of scrap when he realizes she's been standing there, attention flicking up when she feels his eyes on her. Her shoulders rise and she pushes off the wall with her elbow, gun pulled off her back.]

I'm always ready. [She smirks faintly though, laughter hinted in her next words.] Though do you really even need my assistance?

riza hawkeye | ota

[strictdiscipline]

I - THE OBLIGATORY FIGHT PROMPT

A - [Nothing quite prepares her for the wreckage of Oska castle as soon as they receive their instructions and scatter from the safe room. But there's only two heartbeats of time for sadness to wash over her before the sound of metal clashing together rings through her ears and yells echo out across the grounds.

She heads directly for the first node on her map, the fastest route there blessedly unblocked by debris or marching robot—right until she rounds the corner to see a robot, several feet taller than her, sitting fatly some feet away from her desintation. Thankfully, she isn't alone.]

Do you think you can distract them?

[Otherwise they can do swapsies.]

B - [The castle grounds, however, are vast, and Riza's only human, and eventually her senses fail her. She fails to notice.the small platoon of robots scuttling up behind her as she picks at the node, all readying their laser beams straight for her.

Do her a favor and save her from dying a painful laser-y death in Oska.]

II - REBUILDING

[Rebuilding's where the vast majority of Riza's efforts are placed once the initial battle is over, and of that the most time is spent in the area that was previously her room, reduced now to nothing more than broken bedposts and half-standing walls.

It's steady work though, mind-numbing if nothing else, and all thoughts of Woodhurst and Tevemkya slowly drain away, though her mind ends up traveling elsewhere as she slowly uncovers bits and pieces of her room.

Something peeks out from one corner, bright against the dull grey rubble that once was the northeastern wall of her room. Unfortunately, the rubble covering it happens to be awfully large, too hefty for a single (normal powered) human to move. (If only ALASTAIR had given her super strength instead of fire powers...)]

Can you help me lift this up?

[ooc note: feel free to pick something off my inventory list if you're doing this prompt!]

III - R&R

A - [The kitchen's bustling, bursting near to the brim with food and ravenous recruits all needing a break from rebuilding. Riza's one of them, though her attention less focused on the still-warm food on the plate in front of her and more on a small pocketwatch sitting atop the counter and glinting brightly in the light. One finger reaches out, resting lightly on the watch's surface for a few heartbeats before retracting again.

The expression on her face as she looks away from the table and towards the suits of armor milling about is wistful.]

B - [Eventually, as with all things, her weeks of non-stop activity catch up to her, and the dim lighting of the library and low hubbub between ALASTAIR recruits and in-house librarians are enough to lull her to sleep while curled up in one of the library chairs, a small notebook left open and forgotten on her lap.

Do you:
> read her notes (there's a stick figured neatly penned in one thin margin)
> take her pen and draw elaborate curlicues all over her face (rude af)
> get her a blanket (it is a bit chilly in the library)
> other? ]

WILDCARD

[Hit me up on my plotting comment or just drop a quick comment with any guidelines/prefs and I'll be happy to write you a custom starter!]

I-B

[araigneedusoir]

[She spots Riza on her first search of the area, leaping or grappling from what little remains of buildings and parts of the castle -- at least those she believes could hold her weight safely without collapsing -- to find appropriate perches to pick off or herd their robotic problems.

Widowmaker hasn't really slowed down for too long, taking down a few bots before she was off again. However, seeing this -- and the potential for a not very kind way out -- makes her rethink her original plan. She readies her rifle before anything else, aiming down at the oncoming bunch -- she can't take them all out fast enough and she knows it, as good as she is they're too close.]

Hawkeye, move!

[The sound of her voice gives her away, a few of the bots swiveling to her before the first goes down in a shower of sparks.]

Sakura Kinomoto l Cardcaptor Sakura

[keystaff]

Arrival & Team Ups/Opponents:

[Initially, Sakura is focusing on helping deal with the robots. Once there were less of them and thus more likely safer to figure a particular area in somewhere to set up for anyone who might be injured, then she could help Sieglinde heal people there, help defend it. But for now, she can be found, as usual, right in the middle of things. No longer nervous on using her cards, showing her magic in using them as she was trying to be more careful at Woodhurst.

She uses Fly in giving herself a better vantage point, granting herself those angelic appearing white, feathered wings at her shoulder blades as she gains height in better seeing and thus dealing with the situation. More often, she'll use Windy or Wood in helping restrain the robots while this allows others to get more offensive attacks in.]

Healing:

[Once the medics and healers were gathered and set up, Sakura joins them in doing her part to help. Whether giving basic (very basic) first aid, helping Sieglinde with her potions or using her own healing magic from ALASTAIR. She's going between patients pretty quickly and easily able to retrieve supplies given her increased speed, if they need anything. But that doesn't stop her taking her time and caring for each, particularly if it's a closer friend that has shown up injured in all of this.]

How do you feel?

[It isn't meant to seem like a psychiatrist's question. She just genuinely wants to know if the person she was treating is feeling any better now.]

Do we need anything else?

Aftermath:

[Sakura does what she can in helping. Using Watery to wash some of the dirt and such away, the blood. Using Windy to gather items together quicker in a more controlled manner. Using Wood to help at least partially help initially keeping some of the draft from getting through while the castle rebuilds itself.

Has she actually stopped to rest during this? Probably not, given how determined as always that she is in helping, in doing her part to contribute.]

Wildcard:

[ooc: Basically, if you have another idea. Hit me up on plurk or the plotting post for this, or just throw me a starter and I'll likely roll with it if you want something else.]

after

[p66]

[ Julius basically forced Reika to take a rest after the battle, especially since using her God Arc had taken a heavy toll on her. Instead of moving things, she's taken up the task of going around looking after those who are building. ]

Hello, Sakura-chan! You're working hard.

[ Her right arm is wrapped in bandages, but she carries some snacks in her left hand. ]

Do you want one?

fiona / closed

[cachemoney]

[ i'm not doing OTAs this time because i suck but yell at me here if you want something ]

for rhys: aftermath

[cachemoney]

[The castle is a mess and Fiona herself is a little banged up too, but she still clambers over rubble and robo parts (and people cleaning up, sorry) to get to Rhys's room, where she assumes he is holing up, afeared of the battle and hiding in the bathtub or something. Not that she's judging. Much. But it's for this reason that she's asked something of Personnel Resources, since Rhys's strong point isn't punching robots and she wants to be supportive, even if she doesn't really... get... his strong point.

So hopefully this will actually be helpful. She put very little research into it.

At the door, she takes a second to dust herself off, then tucks one hand behind her back, clutching the gift, and knocks.] Atlas. Are you decent?

naruto uzumaki | ota

[thinhammer]

01. network - text, un: ramenkage

hey if anyone needs any kinda help
someone to watch their back or team up with them then just say the word and ill be there
whatever it is and whatever it takes well do it together

i know theres been some difficult stuff happening lately and theres been fall outs
but were a team yknow
each and every one of us
and we cant let anyone tear that apart
or tear down our home

02. the start of something

[ Naruto has never even seen a robot before, so fighting one is entirely new to him. Despite that, Naruto has of course made a beeline for the biggest one. As soon as he heard the words 'main priority' he was sold on exactly where he'd be focusing his efforts.

Two of him come screaming out of the fray. His double quickly disappears to leave a freshly formed ball of loud, vicious chakra spinning in his palm. He drives it -- without much thought or time to breathe -- into the back of the fifteen foot robot's knee, splitting the casing so that it curls outwards while Naruto's jutsu chops through the surface and interior of it's limb until his hand comes through the other side. Quickly darting backwards he assesses his handiwork - the robot doesn't seem to notice and Naruto hasn't figured out that they can't feel pain and also have more focus on their work than they do their situation, and so scowls a little deeper when his efforts are met with little to no reaction. His anger falls to shock, though, when the joint he's just obliterated gives a dangerous sounding creak and starts to cave in on itself, meaning the whole robot starts to lean rather dangerously to one side. ]

03. bubbling over

[ Teaming up comes easy to Naruto. He's just as good at support as he is attacking alone and making friends is practically second nature to him what with his infectious enthusiasm, so it's no surprise that he's quickly bonded with a fellow recruit. Once Naruto has been filled in on exactly what a robot is and has the gist of how they operate, he and his new teammate work together in clearing out a few of the smaller robots from the ground.

It's all leaning well in their favour till a mechanical figure swoops through the sky above them. Naruto doesn't have enough exposure to the technology involved to figure out what it might be doing when it slows down, so finds himself caught staring at it. He's pushed out of the way by his new friend at the last possible moment before the strike lands. The sound the explosion makes is nothing compared to the roar that tears from Naruto once the dust clears and he realises what's happened. His whisker marks start to lengthen, to deepen and darken, but it's only when his eyes go a burning red that a haze of orange chakra starts to flood across his skin to form four tails behind him and two large ears either side of his head. The noise he makes as he lunges forward to attack the nearest lumbering hunk of metal doesn't sound at all human. ]

04. bring it back

[ Back home he'd heard from the toads of Mount Myoboku that his village had been destroyed by Pein moments before he'd been pulled into this world, so the state of this place in the aftermath of the battle cuts him deep. He hasn't seen his village in ruins, can't quite bare the thought that he let another home get destroyed, so he's got ten of himself hard at work trying to fix what's happened. He doesn't know the first thing about rebuilding anything, but for once he's patient and focused and as eager as ever to learn. He'll take whatever advice he can get, and probably needs it if the look on his face while he tries to figure out how to assist in piecing a shattered pillar back together is anything to go by. ]

wiiiildcard

[ my plotting comment is here with a little more info about his transformation stuff if you're interested! but otherwise, feel free to wildcard me! find me at mirobug ]

wildcard

[competing]

[ it's quiet in the library by the time naruto comes to. the lights are dim, indicating a time past sunset, but indeterminable exactly how close to sunrise. outside, the battle still rages on, but within, the walls have muted most of the sounds, casting over all taking brief refuge an eerie, untouchable sort of silence.

beside naruto, lance sits, his back against the wall and his knees drawn up. still in his paladin armor, but his helmet is off and his bayard is nowhere in sight. he is clearly there for naruto, sitting so closeby as he is, and yet he does not even seem to notice when the other boy stirs, instead staring straight down into the space on the ground between his feet, clearly lost in thought. ]

Mettaton | OTA

[ex_mettacrusher33]

A - +500 violence
[If there's ever something very rare for Mettaton, it's enacting actual (non-scripted) violence. It isn't something he's unfamiliar with, despite how much he wishes otherwise if only for the sake of his PR. Zenyatta, Kagari, and especially poor Frisk can all attest to how much his temper can make him lash out, but those moments are few and far between!! He's a good person! He's a stellar example of being calm and collected!

...but, in those times, the reasoning behind said lashing-out had always been anger or a feeling of being unappreciated. Powerful emotions, yes!! But they have nothing on what is currently demolishing his poor, beautiful heart in an ice-cold grip and invoking this current whirlwind of destruction.

Desire.

He has a form that can touch things. He has a form that can feel. That can kiss and hold and dance and exist like every other creature on this planet and he can't be in it because he has to stop these rude hunks of non-sentient metal instead of smooching the horrible nerd-man puppet-mastering his heart!!

...

Alright, he reflects, having crushed in the chest of another robot with a swift, powerful kick, maybe anger is still a part of it.

...oh god please say his heel isn't stuck.]

B - did you say "nerd?"
[Okay. Okay. He can focus on the task at hand. For the sake of the team! For the sake of Oska!! For the sake of that magic wardrobe in his beautiful, comfortable room!

Having tired of offense, Mettaton has switched toward defense and helping his more... fleshy-bodied co-workers do their jobs. While they work on plugging in commands, he has the honor of keeping them cover - the robots they're fighting seem far enough from sentient that they're fooled by Mettaton's endless amounts of distraction. His clones take the brunt of the robots' attacks while the robots take the brunt of Mettaton's bombs for their trouble. It's a fine system.]

You're going to have to work much faster than that, darling!!

[Not because they're losing ground, or anything. At least, not at the moment.

...he still just really wants this to be over with, is all.]

C - i feel the cosmos
[The fighting has stopped. It's hours into the next day, now. Repair work has begun to patch over the damage the castle has taken. It's time to heal. Time to move on and revel in brief victory.]

Heeheeeheehahaahahahaa!!

[It's time for Mettaton to sit in a hot-spring, sunglasses perched onto his face, and an ill-gotten glass of whatever those armor-men were handing out at his side.

This is... this is indescribable! Everything is warm and overwhelming - unlike the pull of the earth when he walks, sitting in water is almost completely weightless. The feeling of it surrounding his body is like a warm, bubbly hug and he doesn't want to leave its embrace.

...so he hasn't. He's been sitting here for the past 3 hours, occasionally bursting into disbelieving giggles and examining his body, his legs, the synthetic skin of his fingers pruning in the water, as if they'll stop being there if he doesn't appreciate them. He's flawless. He's...

He's complete.

...he's also completely nude, but so what? Classical art doesn't need to be clothed, it just needs to be admired. Besides, he's not ruining his custom-made outfit. He's already censoring himself under the water with a projected gray bar. It's fine.]

w-w-w-wildcaaard!!

C

[fintastic]

[ Feferi hears the laughing before she actually comes into sight of the spring. Having a proper wetsuit as part of her uniform makes it way easier to go for a quick dip in the hot springs, or the lake.

Gray bar or not, as she comes into sight of the spring and its inhabitant, she puts a hand over her eyes, as soon as it all processes. She's already made her presence known so she can't exactly turn around and walk away. Or, well, she can, but she's a little surprised is all. ]

Uhm. Hello! ...Again?

Giovanni Rammsteiner | OTA

[ofobedience]

i. fight!

[No sooner have they been filled in on the situation at hand then Giovanni is flashing a razorblade smile and sparking into inimical life-- there's an animate joy in his face that's unlike his usual hollowed-out mask of false emotion, awake and alert and ready.]

Show time.

[And on finding the enemy-- well. It's carnage.

He reaches his targets with swift predatory movements and it's in him now, the rattle and shake and the fast ascending animal joy as every nerve in him screams riptearmaim and he clears the last stretch of distance between them in one graceful leap--

--before slamming down into his first robotic opponent, pulls his hand back, smashes it through, his already-enhanced strength made all the more terrible by the Queen's blessing. Tearing into robotic parts (or down through flesh and muscle and bone when encountering the few fleshy agents who've managed to get through), yanks it free with a crunch and twist of metal and the tangle of wires and he's laughing, high and sharp and piercing. Shots are fired, lasers thudding into his shoulder and side but he barely takes any notice as the smoke begins to rise from him, as the wounds heal over with a sizzle and fizz of fierce kinetic energy and he's on his feet again then, whirling, tearing through them with inimical glee.

Or perhaps you'll find him letting rip with his borrowed AK-47, his laughter as bright and clattering as the bullets (or perhaps even a grenade) that rip through metal and flesh alike.

His focus, for the moment, is largely on the Shielders and the T15s or any flesh-and-blood Zymandis agents who happen to get in the way, intent on the more volatile targets whilst he clears a path or creates a diversion for others to slip through to the PW15s. Don't be shy now, he's a good shot, he won't mistake you for the enemy....probably. As if to demonstrate, he'll call over his shoulder as he moves in with fluid and terrible grace--]

Come on, now. Let's have some fun, shall we?

ii. defense nodes.

[He's far from a perfect team player, still struggles to comprehend the motivations and morals of this motley crew of misfits, and recent discussions have him feeling less aligned with the other Audentes than ever before-- he sees himself as something quite other, created only to kill, existing outside of their capacity for understanding. But he has some notion of the meaning of pack, has worked within a tight-structured 'organisation' before, and when he spots someone hurriedly working on a defense node as a small clutch of robots begin to descend on them, he's there in a matter of moments regardless of his reservations with an AK-47 held in both hands and a smile that spreads wide and gleaming.

Never fear, friend! He has your back.]

Get a move on, will you?

iii. aftermath.

[When all is said and done the bright flare of euphoria in him is quick to fade, leaves him battle-sated and bloody yes, but also strangely hollowed-out, already beginning to return to a state of subdued ambivalence. Even something like him - fast-healing as he is, wounds mending in a matter of moments with the startling hiss of smoke - will eventually succumb to fatigue and the effects of blood-loss, left lethargic and dampened by the damage he's taken during the fight. There's not a mark on him now, of course, but that doesn't mean his body isn't in need of some downtime, a moment of reprieve.

He's leaning against a pile of rubble a little way off from where the worst of the battle had raged, tongue clicking sharp against pointed teeth as his hands smooth over the rips and tears in his suit, the disconcerting holes, parts torn away entirely despite the unscathed skin underneath. With each fussy movement of his hands, however, the suit begins to mend itself, coming up neat and good as new.

Yes, he really did request a spell from ALASTAIR for precisely this purpose. Get close enough and you might hear him mutter--]

Ah...what a terrible mess. A good fight does wreak havoc on one's clothes.

iv. wildcard!

[Hit me!]

iii, i'm assuming some stuff, lmk if any of it's not okay!

[strictdiscipline]

[Giovanni's not the only one in need of a rest - Riza takes her own reprieve to lean against a still-standing wall, doing little more than breathing in and out. Her hair falls tangled around her shoulders and there's yet another set of clothes that'll need to be tossed in the nearest dumpster afterwards, too smeared with grime and dirt and streaks of blood to salvage, but her attention's on the man in the corner, fabric between his hands knitting itself cleanly back together.

(Much like the way his flesh had regrown around him. She'd thought it to be a trick played by her senses in the heat of battle, but she can see now it'd been as real as the crumbled walls he sits atop.)

He speaks to himself but she answers all the same, voice only loud enough to carry to him and not much more.]

On one's clothes and one's body. [She motions towards him, free of cuts and bruises as far as she can see.] You appear to be doing better than the rest of us.

[There's a silence at the end of it, waiting to be filled.]

Sieglinde Sullivan ⚝ OTA

[grunehexe]

01 ⚝ ARRIVAL ⚝ EXPOSED

[Robots. It had to be robots. Not that Sieglinde dislikes them personally, but they were so very resistant to quite a few of the spells she has studied. And Isengrim's sharp teeth. It seemed there was a location they could head to that was both centralized and secure, but getting to the library...

Mentally, Sieglinde tries to calculate the shortest and most secure route from the location Audentes had warped to the library, arms crossed where she stands next to her familiar, who was laden with heavy saddlebags containing her loot from Woodhurst and Terra Felis.

It would be an alright time to formulate a stragey... if an Airbomber wasn't incoming from behind.]

02 ⚝ MID-BATTLE ⚝ LIBRARY HEALING

[Once she makes it to the Library, Sieglinde is quick to set up. Thanks to the Librarians at least there's supplies in addition to her own, and she has an area cleared soon enough, as far from the books as possible. (No need to bloody precious things despite their circumstances.)

Next comes the message, sent out via the network about their strategy.]

from: sieglindesullivan
I have secured a position in the Library. If healers would join me there. The location is safe, so those who are capable of defending may be released from the responsibility of guarding this position. However, a few positioned near the Library in case of emergencies would be welcome.

If you become injured, please make your way here. If you need assistance to do so, send word.

[Once that is sent, it's just a matter of waiting for the unfortunately inevitable. Injuries.]

03 ⚝ POST-BATTLE ⚝ LIBRARY

[Like all their battles, this one eventually ends. At some point, Sieglinde forgot how many hours it had been, taking naps between patients propped up against the bookshelves or curled up against her familiar.

Until it does end, and she's left just sitting there on the floor, surrounded by books, blood stains, bandages, used potion bottles... the usual.

Tired, dull-eyed, Sieglinde turns her head and looks idly at the books along the shelf she's propped against, not actually intending on doing anything... until a title catches her eye. Weakly, she reaches for it... then gives up.]

Could you hand me that book?

[She points... vaguely...]

04 ⚝ WILDCARD

[i welcome these!!!! bring it on!!!! hit me on plurk or just comment idk!!!]

02

[banded]

username: scottmccall

Hey.

This might be a weird question, but I don't know if anyone else would know.

I can tell that there are a lot of animals around. Do we know how they're doing? Do you think we can use the library as a headquarters for helping them right now? That's what I specialize in.

I can help some people who aren't animals, too. But not in the same way.

[If he's going to be here, he might as well use what abilities he has. Being a vet tech is one of those things.]

peridot → closed prompts

[slapfight]

[closed prompts only, because I'm focusing on tagging out. if you don't intend to make a top level and want Peri things, hit me up at my plotting comment here, and I'll get you something.]

→ Feferi & Lance

[slapfight]

[at some point in the ensuing scuffle, Peridot finds two of her favorite people and immediately latches onto them, because they are squishy and easily injured by the laser fire and assorted bombs from the robots. she's been showing off quite a bit with her metal powers, though it's difficult to work with moving targets- the best she can usually do is knock them over or throw them off-course, but she's doing that with gusto as she, Feferi, and Lance move to one of the defense nodes.]

There's one over here! I see it! [she chuckles victoriously] We shouldn't have many more to go. Those Zymandis clods don't know who they're up against.

sonia nevermind | closed prompts

[assent]

[ May is a very busy month for me so I'll be tagging out and doing closed prompts. If you want to do something, you can hit me up on my plotting comment or at serves and we can work something out. ]

lance

[assent]

[ Despite the preparations, the plans, and the mindset she's forced herself into for this whole battle, something isn't quite clicking. She manages, for the first few hours, to get by. The speed boosts from her spell help to avoid fire from lasers, the blood art she somehow got from Reika has helped a lot in that it's much easier to rip off limbs from the robots where the hinges are weaker, but she's still tired. Her concentration is slipping a lot more as time goes on.

She activates the last of her speed allowances, the last of three for another hour where she might have to find refuge until she can regain some energy after. For now though, she has five minutes with a clock ticking and no time to lose.

Her feet carry her faster than her mind can really think of right now, just letting it shut down and let her training from Reika and Arima take the forefront in the battle. She's quick enough when the shield type robot she's faced with has to try and swivel around, someone on the other side having given her the opening.

It's all madness anyway, difficult to tell who is helping who anymore. The castle walls are becoming more and more damaged with every hit, the sooner they get this done the better.

With that one missing an arm, she's quick at having her dark magic spell crash into its insides through the gap left where it's arm was. She leaves herself open, long enough for one of those airbombers to almost get the drop on her.

At least, that "almost" will only be the case should help come her way. ]

vaughn | ota

[moneyman]

01: cover me (or don't)
[ so. robots. not a new thing for him by any means, but this is a little excessive, isn't it? he knew Oska was gonna be a hot mess when they got back. that wasn't a surprise. honestly, if it weren't for the fact that these things were trying to destroy their base, he'd probably think it was kinda awesome. I mean, it's a robot fight. what's not awesome about that?

maybe the fact that they're all trying to kill him.

okay, that's an exaggeration—they're not all trying to kill him. only a few have tried so far. the speed boost he received from the cat queen has already saved his ass a few times by this point. but since he doesn't have a weapon on him, he's been zipping around trying to activate defense nodes. so far, so good.

...except for this one, that is. after a few increasingly alarmed attempts at inputting the access code, he's beginning to suspect that he's found a faulty panel. he glances around anxiously between tries, and then it's back to jamming buttons. ]

Come on, come on, don't do this to me right now...

[ don't worry; he's a nerd. he's totally got this. there are probably no killer robots or random Zymandis agents in his immediate vicinity.

you know, unless there are. in which case, perhaps you'd like to save a life? ]


02: whining in the library
[ somehow, he's alive. how many times has this happened now? even before the whole ALASTAIR thing, he'd escaped death more times than he can even recall anymore. hard to believe it's been less than two years since he was a simple desk-jockey, crunching numbers for the worst company in the universe.

eventually, the running around thing got exhausting. even with the speed boost, he knew if he kept it up he'd collapse and probably get stepped on by a giant robot and die. so he's retreated to the relative comfort of the library for now, where he promptly grabs some water, chugs it, and then flops over unceremoniously on a pile of pillows. ]

Oh, my god, this sucks. Why couldn't we get the badass robot army?

[ who is he even talking to? it's a mystery. ]


03: the taste of victory
[ the robots are dead, the robots are deeeead... yay. some other people are dead, too, though, which is a bummer, to say the least. but the fact that Audentes seems to have survived is encouraging, and there's a lot of work to do. he often catches himself just watching the castle slowly put itself back together. he'll place a chunk of rock back into the wall and stare as it seems to fuse right back in, the cracks between gradually disappearing until it looks just as seamless as it was before the attack.

as if that isn't cool enough, an especially kind suit of armor approaches him with a donut from the kitchens—a token for his hard work, no doubt. it's not actually that hard, but like hell he's not going to take it anyway. his face lights up in a grin as he reaches for the donut, sketching a gracious bow once he's plucked it out of the armored hand. ]

Thank you, sir. [ as the suit takes its leave, he wastes no time taking a bite, blissful, like he hasn't eaten a donut in years. ] Man, it's good to be back.

[ mostly. ]


04: wildcard
[ whatever you want, dude. alternatively, hmu @ clickboom if you want me to write you something! ]

01

[selfimage]

[ it's easy to pass by all the members of Audentes that don't need much in the way of aid. Loki's on his own mission (with a little, beeping jewelcomm under the cuff of his sleeve), and those who are juggling a few robots in battle are the situations that he manages to slip so easily away from.

Vaughn is a different story. while beardo fiddles with the nodes, he's being surrounded by T15s, and for a moment Loki pauses. the situation is weighted in his mind.

he could stop, or he could go. no one would know that he was here if he did decide to slip away and further into the castle. ]

...

Damn the Norns.

[ he mutters the words beneath his breath, and twists Gram about his wrist before darting toward him, whistling high enough that the T15s look up at him. ]

Hello there. Don't you have other places to be? [ he holds up dark nailed fingers. ]

closed

[keeper]

individual starters (very) slowly incoming...!

EIGHT

[keeper]

[ She isn't a careless fighter by any means, but having a boost of speed does give her a rather unfair advantage. However, she hasn't quite yet tapped the full potential of her temporary blessing, still trying to get a grasp of her newfound momentum so she doesn't accidentally pancake herself into one of the castle pillars.

That said, the first batch of enemies—two PW15s and their accompanying Shielders—end up being more trouble than they ought to. She miscalculates a turn and nearly skids directly into enemy fire, a laser singeing the corner of her ALASTAIR jacket as she hastily cartwheels away.

She tries rushing forward to catch a Shielder from behind, but another intercepts with a clunky arm, batting her heftily away.

Fortunately her magic helps her land on her feet, but not without a grimace. (That hurt...)

—From the corner of her eye, she sees a familiar recruit rush in to contest one of the robots, and she quickly flings a Barrier spell his way to ward off a barrage of bombs from an airbomber above... ]

maya fey | ota

[feytality]

gotta go fast ; battle

[rolling at the speed of sound, quickest Maya around, got ourselves a situation, etc, etc]

[In other words, Maya's out here and she's gotten blessed with super speed thanks to a kitty queen. She's taking the opportunity to zip around with her codes and maps to help activate the nodes. If you want to team up or do an escort mission, now's the time, since there's only so much (and so long) enhanced speed will last, and let's be real, she's definitely going to need a bodyguard or twenty]

[Alternatively, see Maya awkwardly flee an airbomber, only to end up hanging off of it and continuously trying to kick it to get it to go down. It's absolutely not working, but the thing is being slowed down by her weight and attempting to get rid of her-- both with the canons and also by swerving wildly. Don't get caught under it]

Woaaaaah, watch out! Where are the breaks on this thing?!

[this is definitely ending well]

we been to the liberry ; r & r

[So, you might be trying to sleep, or eat, or anything. You might be lost in your own thoughts and sombre as the war for Oska wages on. You might just be kicking back and hoping to get some alone time.]

Hey!! Pstt!

[It's not happening.]

[Maya nudges you, in the midst of minding your own business, and points to a bookfort she's made already. Luckily for her, the librarians haven't noticed it yet, but once they do, she's dead meat]

Pretty cool, huh? Wanna make one with me?

[She says, while in the middle of a literal war for Oska....]

tekflex & no chill ; aftermath

[everyone else might be worn down from the battle, but Maya's enthusiasm doesn't seem to be affected the slightest bit. She's been helping with the rebuilding efforts as much as a noodle-armed teenage girl can (and encouraging others loudly), but there's one thing that's been on her mind since Woodhurst. Something.... truly important.]

[As such, she's settled down in the kitchen, loading up on snacks, and booted up her magic jewelry]

Alright! Time to binge you from start to finish!

[A cheesy samurai show for kids starts up in the background... she's watching the Steel Samurai, yep. Maya's loud enough about the show to attract anyone's attention, and if she sees you lingering she waves you over with zero hesitation]

Heeeeey, wanna see something awesome?

wildcard ;

[hit me with anything!!! or hit me up for a special prompt of your own]

tekflex & no chilling

[armigers]

[ Noctis happened to be passing by, still recovering from the battle and also mostly trying to recuperate all the sleep he's lost since he arrived. His eyes look a bit heavy as he yawns, carrying his body like it's a giant sac of flesh he has to lug around before he blinks at the familiar face. Ah yes, his favorite fangirl. His only fangirl.

Even more importantly is the sounds of a TV show booting up in the background, not having thought for some reason this place had anything like a TV in it -which seems absurd considering all the other kinds of tech ALASTAIR totes around. TV would be a no-brainer, and after spending weeks on the road and without this sort of luxury, he can't help but stare a little dumbly as the theme music for Steel Samurai plays. ]

...Sure. What's this one called? Never heard of it.

[ His heavy legs drag him even closer, already consumed by rapt fascination as this seems like something he would have watched back in his own world. Now, he's got to hope that this place also has video-games or something like an arcade in it. ]

Noctis Lucis Caelum | OTA + Log-starters

[armigers]

I. Skynet Takeover

[ Whether or not these robots are any weaker than the MTs from his world is difficult to ascertain while Noctis is warping about and trying to airdance so he can take out the airbombers quickly. Rather than let the other Audentes be surprised by an attack from above, he's making quick work of the fewest close to him, slashing with his Engine Blade and whacking them down to the ground where they splinter into parts.

His armiger is starting to power up quickly from the fight, feeling the surge of energy rush through him until it bursts right through him. That's when the Royal Arms finally appear around him in their blue, translucent form, circling his body until Noctis starts using each one to swing down fast at this assailants. From there, it becomes an explosion of lights and sparks dancing until Noctis manages to completely take out a few before his body drops to the ground.

His legs tuck in and roll, and he props himself up on his knees after and summons his shield to guard himself and anyone nearby while catching his breath. ]

Pretty cool, right? Maybe I should get some of these on my phone. You know how to take pics?

[ Someone's got to document all of this, otherwise the guys aren't going to believe him when he tells him that he was in this giant robot war, and he kicked ass (the most important part). ]


II. After the show, it's the After Party

[ Who'd have thought he'd actually miss camping? Well, mostly he misses the company and the food but, he ends up dragging himself around the castle after the battle in search of sustenance. A growing boy's got to eat and all that, and he didn't get to spend much time in here upon arrival to learn where the kitchens are. As it is, he's just wandering around aimlessly before pausing at one of the suits of armors, blinking at it quizzically.

It almost looks like one of the knights from King's Knight except kind of old and rusted. His finger extends to poke its helmet curiously, unsure what he'd been expecting -definitely not for it to twitch, a feat which makes Noctis jump up in the air about three feet and let out an indignant noise. ]

...Is someone- ...

[ He pauses, eyes squinting a bit to scrutinize the suit more closely, but he doesn't see a face through the helmet. It's definitely empty. ]

Must be seeing things. Man, I need sleep.

[ Because there's no way that statue of armor just moved on its own, but he hears the rustling of its limbs, which makes him scuttle back once more and crash into anyone wandering by. ]

...Sorry, I just- ...the suit-

[ -was moving again, he wants to say, but how crazy would he sound? ]


III. Choose the form of your destructor.

[ Also tacking on individual starters, but if you want to wildcard, please feel free or hit me up at sakichi for any plotting. ]

( closed for Sonia )

[armigers]

[ True to his promise, he's there to burn robots in a blinding display of fire and more fire. Lots of fire. Maybe he overdid it on the fire because his shoes are kind of burning, and he's pretty sure he singed off the ends of his hair. On the plus side, at least most of the robots have been incinerated, and he glances back to check on Sonia worriedly, hoping she didn't get caught in the flames.

His eyes widen a bit as he crosses the distance to her when he finally does spot her, using his sword to cut through the path in a quick warp before he pushes her further from where the fire is eating up the terrain. He then starts wildly patting at the flames clinging to his own clothes as he hisses. ]

You okay? Ow-! Ugh! Maybe should have used a lighter spell there...

[ But he did want to show off at least a little after talking himself up. ]

'least I got most of them down.

[ So, not a complete failure. Go him. ]