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Post by Rocton on Jan 23, 2012 5:04:00 GMT -5
It'd been weeks since the zoo event and some people were still rattled, scared to walk anywhere, worried about it happening again. Some were affected in ways they never thought possible. Rocton was one of those people. Ever since that event, he'd been having nightmares about that moment in time his life turned upside down. The zoo was in the same kind of chaos as that fateful day, minus the demonic beasts running a rampage The memories were faint after years of working on forgetting them, pretending they never happened but deep in the recesses of his mind he could still smell the gunpowder and burning gasoline. The zoo brought them back, in his dreams, his nightmares. He could see his father's bloodied face, emotionless, staring into him as his body went limp. Rocton simply sat there next to the burning SUV, injured staring at him, not moving, fear coursing through every blood cell in his body but he could not bring himself to cry. For that one horrible moment, he detached himself from it all. Understanding it, knowing what was happening, that's how people got hurt. So he sat there, like a stone as a shadow approached. he saw the gun barrel and in one fina- BZZZT ZZZT BZZZT It was a sudden snap. From hell to reality, in less than a second, he gasped for so much air that any random creature crawling around was probably unable to breathe for half a second. In complete darkness, he fumbled around his bed to find his cell on the ground. He never kept track of the thing so it usually ended up being lost for ages. "A text? from Theron? what's that rich boy doing at midnight?"[/tt][/ul] There's no clear cut response to this situation, and if there was, Rocton hadn't heard of it. Just from reading the first 4 words, the meister could tell something was wrong. Was it an abduction? Theron would have called the police...and why would Theron explain it later? Maybe it was no big deal...regardless he had promised Theron a favor and this sounded urgent. Jumping out of bed, he snatched up the closest pair of pants he could, a dusty pair of jeans fresh from a desert excursion and a long sleeved shirt and leather jacket with custom holster for Sally meant for the cold desert night. He searched around his room with his phone's dim light looking for his walled, also scattered around the mess. Getting to the airport in question would be hard at this time of night, even more so finding Theron. He grabbed a small knapsack on his way out of his bedroom, surprised he hadn't woken up Ashley yet. The bag was supposed to be used for a desert trip the next day but it would serve as good last minute supply of food and ammo, mostly the latter. On his way out the door, the meister looked back towards Ashley's room, thought for a quick second about leaving a note but couldn't figure what to say. He stood there in a rare moment of confusion, trying to think of a way to explain his absence in a way to keep Ashley from asking questions. The answer was clear and as he ran out towards the street, a sticky note fell to the floor in front of the door reading "Family troubles, be back soon as possible" ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Conning a cop wasn't something to be proud of. In most cases, it was in fact frowned upon in Shibusen to lie to law enforcement. Rocton didn't care however, the fastest way to the airport was by police escort since it meant not needing to obey traffic laws, and convincing a cop that this was a black ops Shibusen mission wasn't extremely hard. He'd even managed to convince the guy that he might get a reward for his cooperation after the whole thing was done. Rocton had no intention of following through with this, but maybe he could get Theron to arrange something for causing so much trouble or being in so much trouble. The sirens were turned off as they approached. The car slowed to a halt and before the cop,who had spent the entire trip ensuring Roc knew his name was Marshal Smith, could turn to ask the deceitful student if he needed anything else, he had already run out towards the doors in a blind dedication that rivaled the most stubborn of bulls. He had no plan on how to find Theron among the huge airport but by the lords he would try till death to find him.
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Post by nova on Jan 23, 2012 15:51:46 GMT -5
"Honestly, I should have you pull over. Drop me off and have me go back home. By the sounds of things, we don't have much hope. I'd rather live out the rest of my days in peace, yet..."
Nova sighed. She'd been doing a lot of that. Nothing really made sense and all of Aleks useless rambling didn't seem to help her mood but he wasn't looking at swinging her either way. Maybe he just didn't care all that much. Nothing new. Not when it involved Theron at any rate. The demon weapon didn't finish her sentence, she just paused abruptly, resting her arm by the window, head in her hand, watching the vast Nevada desert pass by as it spiralled in all directions.
The silence extended into minutes. The silence told all it needed to, though she'd already made it perfectly clear. She didn't know what she wanted to do, where her loyalties lay any more, where she wanted to be, and who with. Perfectly hereditary; her mother was exactly the same. Either way, what ever her choice had been, she would have regretted it. Of course, she'd regret staying with Alek and her 'partner', but, equally, she would have regret staying in Death City. Nova knew that, even if she had returned to Shibusen, she wouldn't have partnered with anyone else. The wounds hurt too much.
For a fleeting moment, she looked at the scar on her left hand, and remembered that night in Fall River, facing Lizzie Borden and her bloody axe. For a moment, she just looked at it. "Do you think he meant all this? Theron, I mean. Do you think he knew what he was doing, what it would cause, not telling me about this?" She paused, and looked out into the desert waste again. "Do you think he cares, or did he loose the ability to give a shit a while ago? You seem to know a bit about the d'Metreons, maybe you can put my mind to ease, if he won't."
Nova waited for her questions to be answered, if at all. No matter, it was forward to Las Vegas, and the fate that would await her in Europe, whether she liked it or not. Unknowing of the text sent, or the conscious Theron.
Or the fellow student who was currently chasing after them.
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Post by theron on Jan 24, 2012 22:15:55 GMT -5
After her question it seemed to be Alek's turn to be quiet and thoughtful, as if musing over exactly what to say. At some point they'd left the buildings and walls of Death City behind; all that remained was desert and the occasional sign. The emptiness and darkness seemed to fit the situation well -- a scene of a bleak, cold world where the only light shone directly ahead and from places they were leaving far behind. At length, the older man spoke... though, at first, it didn't seem like an answer at all. "Let me tell you a story."
"It's the story of a boy and girl. Students. Friends. Partners... both in suffering that they felt and a purpose they felt called to. In some ways they were just like you and Theron, though some of the roles might sound a bit reversed. She was Italian, he was from down south. She had a smile that could light up a room; he was usually too serious and grumpy to even make friends. She was smart, played chess and violin. Everyone had high hopes for her. He was brash, picked a few fights here and there, and was generally considered a rebel. She was a Meister... and he was a Weapon. But for all their differences, for how different their worlds were, there was something that brought them together: a vision of a better world, of children who wouldn't have to grow up with the same grim tragedy that they had... a world where people could be safe and happy."He turned to look directly at Nova, the edges of his eyes seeming to glow faintly in the dark. "A world without witches."
"And so the two struck out on their own, ready and willing to face whatever danger awaited them. They had a few close calls, a few white-knuckle moments here and there. But they did what they'd set out to do: hunt and put down witches. And over the years they got good at it... damn good."
"But nothing lasts forever. Romania changed all that -- a man by the name of Dorak d'Metreon changed all that." And here he looked back to the road, a hint of rising anger in his expression at the memories he was putting into words. "He was a sly one, Dorak. Had them... had us believing every line he fed us. Took us on a witch hunt, believing she was blackmailing his family and cursing his lands with famine and monsters. Oh, he was convincing... he played it off so freaking well."
"Well, we killed the witch for him. And he showed his gratitude. Big feast. Money. Even asked to travel with us. He was damn good with a sword and seemed to hate witches just as much as Sly and me, so our team became a trio for a while..."The anger seemed to drop away, melancholy and regret taking its place and his voice dropped almost to a whisper. "... Before it became a duo again, only without me in the picture. It wasn't until I'd cut ties that I really realized what I'd lost... and by the time I came to my senses they were married... and she had a baby on the way. I was so sure... I was so right... hell, I was right, but what good did that do me? Maybe If I'd stuck with her..."
"Ah, sorry, got a bit side-tracked." His voice and expression returned mostly to normal, though something about the look on his face gave away how forced it was. "Point is, I found out the truth later on... and it was ugly. The witch? Dorak's first wife -- had all his kids except for sleepy-head back there with the old hag. The monsters and famine? Been there for centuries, partially because of the d'Metreon family's rule. Dorak had lied, manipulated, and deceived us both; played us for fools and came up with a winning hand at the end. I don't know if seducing Syl was part of his aim at first but he sunk his talons into her good and didn't let go."
"It took years before she and I were able to talk again; by the time we did she'd gotten a good look at just how sadistic and messed up the d'Metreons were. Some of the things she told me were simply inhuman: torture, beatings, rigorous and relentless training of the kids and servants alike to make them cold, calculating, tough, and power-hungry. She would've left, would've fought back... except she didn't know what they'd do to her son if she opposed Dorak. That's how much of an iron grip he had on her, on both of them."
"That is all Theron grew up knowing: hardship, pain, brutal demands, and the death of the only person who ever showed him real compassion."
"I won't make excuses for him -- kid's gotta speak for himself on the matter, since all I know is second-hand. But to answer your questions, there's an old saying: 'hurt people hurt people'." He looked over at Nova, catching her gaze and staring right into her eyes. "Tonight, Theron hurt you pretty damn bad. That much is obvious. And maybe what's happening to him really is just the end result of the choices he's made, nothing more than cause and effect. Maybe not; who knows? I can't read his mind and I'm not gonna try... but quite frankly, the kid didn't exactly have a great start. And you can't expect a chained bird to know how to fly."
"It's no business of mine whether you two kids decide to stay as partners or whatnot -- that's for you to figure out." His eyes returned to the road. "All's I'm saying is, if you or I got saddled with a family like that, we'd be pretty messed up too. I'm sure Syl tried her best with him, for whatever good that did, but Dorak's 'fatherly affections' didn't help. Whether he'll be stuck in a rut or grow into a decent, well-meaning human being, only time can tell."Almost as soon as he'd finished talking the sound of a phone going off was heard; Alek quickly reached into his pocket and pulled out the high-end device, taking a moment to glance at the screen before answering. "Yeah, what's up Caleb? ... Okay. Yeah, all good. I've got our two passengers and we're en route now. You still got that emergency kit onboard the plane? ...Yeah, I didn't get to him before Aleister. Kid's got a stab wound in the shoulder, straight through. Yeah, plenty of wrappings -- and one more thing. I know it's the middle of the night and all, but see if you can get two sets of clothes for the kids; they're both in their night stuff, and Theron doesn't have a shirt, shoes, or socks." A pause. "Yes, I know what time it is! Buy from the airport gift shops if you have to -- I'll pay you back when we arrive. Okay? Good. See you in thirty."Hanging up, he looked almost apologetically towards Nova. "Can't have you two walking around Greece looking like you just rolled out of bed, now can we? Even if it is true." Pausing for a moment, he reached over and offered her the phone. "I'm sure you've got people to call, let 'em know you're all right. Get someone to take care of your Fox and rent for you. Don't worry about the Academy; I've still got a friend or two there, so I'll make some calls and let them know what's going on."--------------------------------------------------------- [/i][/b][/ul] Las Vegas' own McCarran International Airport was used to dealing with unusual business. For one thing it was the closest airport to Death City, meaning that almost every Meister and Weapon who'd been trained at Shibusen in the last fifty-odd years had come through the airport at least once. In that regard airport security should have stopped Alek's black Hummer when he pulled up to the tarmac access gate... but the Demon Weapon had had almost fifteen years to prepare for this night. A combination of long-owed favors and a fake Shibusen ID got them through and out onto the smaller runways where private jets were refueling and preparing to take off. Somewhere during the ride Theron had "woken up", though he hadn't said anything or even made a sound the whole time. He contented himself to sit up in the back seat with his head hung, either sulking or deep in thought. As the Hummer pulled up alongside a small jet his eyes turned to leer out the window, taking in the vehicle they'd be using for the next leg of this journey. "Okay, everybody out." Alek announced, opening his door after attaching an anti-theft lock bar over the steering wheel. Theron didn't move, other than to cast a sulky but defiant glare at Alek. The older man sighed. "You're not gonna make this easy for me, are ya kid?""Like when you knocked me out back in the apartment? No, I'm not going to make this easy on you, because I don't trust you. Right now, I'm not sure I can trust anyone -- and I'm not sure I WANT TO." Theron was letting his temper show, but his next words, half muttered, deflated him somewhat. "Even myself.""I already told you --""I'm not getting on that plane," Theron interrupted. "Unless one condition is met. A neutral party, someone completely unrelated to this whole mess of insanity, should be on his way here now. We wait twenty minutes for him to arrive after I send this text." He held up the phone to display a message: [/tt][/ul] "You agree, I'll cooperate. I'll go where you tell me and do what you want, within reason. But he comes with us as an independent observer." He hit the send button, making sure Alek could see it. "Or you can deal with me fighting you every step of the way, ducking and running at every opportunity, kicking and screaming, relentless. Because right now I have nothing to gain... and nothing to lose. It's your call Alek.""Why you rotten little -- do you have any idea..." His ire seemed to rise, voice almost coming to a shout, but then just as suddenly it passed and Alek let out a long, irritated sigh. "Fine, fine. Not like Caleb's charging by the seat. But only ten minutes -- we've got a small window here before people start asking questions.""Seventeen.""Twelve.""Fifteen.""Done." Alek conceded with a huff. "Brat."
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Post by Rocton on Jan 26, 2012 1:42:08 GMT -5
(OCC:Sorry for the delay you two. I was truly trying to do something creative because I felt the typical Flash Shibusen badge and walk in wouldn't do this thread justice. Hopefully you enjoy what i have come up with) No sooner had Roc ran up from East Russell road and approached the entrance way to Gate D and was about to walk in that his phone started beeping again. Reaching into his pocket with one hand on the door, he thought "I hope this wasn't some wild goose chase." [/tt][/ul] "Godammit Theron, that's not specific enough for me find you"It was past midnight early morning and here was this Shibusen meister running around trying to find a friend with a bag full of ammo and food meant for a desert shooting practice trying to get into an airport. "Alright gotta think about this for a sec.... I could flash my ID at the guard and tell him to let me in...but they ask too many questions and would ask why I have a bag full of bullets...too much...Maybe set the something on fire...no that'd raise too much hell to maneuver..." He leaned onto the door, now more focused on weighing his options than his time restraints. His bag started to hurt his right shoulder so he let it drop down to the floor slowly. When it landed, it had a small opening where a portion of beef jerky stuck out. Now, Las Vegas was always noisy and well light. Wild animals weren't too common in the inner regions of the city but stray animals who had made their peace with humanity, those were the smart animals who knew how to get food, the pockets of gullible tourists. Some strays in Moscow had even learned how to use the subway system to get to better begging places. These animals weren't stupid by any means. So it was no surprise that a a large Bernard Shepard looking mutt quietly walked up to the exposed treasure and started munching on a small piece he managed to pull out silently. It took Rocton a hot second to notice the thief happily indulge in his spoils, clearly he had been trained by the utmost professional Russian spies, who had no good luck on this day was more than eager to try his hand at a snack left so freely available. To any regular person, they would have gotten mad, thrown a fit, chased it away, but these eyes that had seen the crudest of weapon become deadly weapons, such as corpses and hollowed out trees, only potential. Sinister potential that some people such as Ashley would be sickened by but Rocton needed some help and he was taking any he could get. "Ah who's a good boy? You're a good boy. Here have some moreRocton was quick snatch out a good measure of the food out of his bag and lay it out in front of the fluffy little thing while he made sure to ease his bag away from it until he could grab some of his magazines and look through them. There were many types of bullets, something that any gun user gets well acquainted with in war. There was one particular case in his younger days, where the former child soldier was given blanks/training rounds by his caretakers/officers. It didn't take long to discover why none of the enemies were dying when they ambushed an armored convoy. At first everyone thought that they were having a day of bad aim, but when one of the defenders got brazen enough to jump up from behind a car door and run out to save his friend lying on the street in pain, the problem was truly evident. Both of them survived, got some bruises, but survived. The lesson was taken to heart though, and after that Rocton tried to pack a bullet for each situation, in this one, he wanted a phosphorus one. He knew he had a mag of it somewhere, marked by a blue magazine to make sure it wasn't mistakenly used. They weren't easy to get, or cheap. Once the mag was set into Sally and ready, the dog finishing up his meal, most of the other magazines thrown into the thrash because Roc had already resolved he couldn't take them and the contents of the bag replaced by some other junk in the trashcan, the meister pulled out the last piece of food he had and called the dog towards him. "Here buddeh, have dessert"Having little reason not to trust the kid, the dog eagerly ran up to enjoy his treat. While he ate, the meister strapped the bag onto it's new owner and used it as a collar as he pulled the dog as close to the pilot's gate to the runway as he could around a corner outside of the security booth's view. There was only one guard on duty, a chubby looking guy probably near retirement, shame he'd be involved what was about to happen. "How about a belly rub?"With one hand on his pistol, a sinister plan together as the dog lay down to his side in pure bliss as his belly was scratched. Then in one quick swoop, Rocton fired at the bag. The impact went through the weak fibers with ease, but quickly smashed against the cement on the other side, leaving phosphorus residue on the bag, and a scared as hell dog running as fast as his legs could take him towards the gate barking as loudly as he could with a flaming bag being dragged along and a sly evil sinister good willed meister in pursuit. "STOP THAT DOG!! HE"S GOT A BOMB STRAPPED TO HIM!"As predicted the guard jumped into a panic running out of his booth to try and stand in front of the dog waving his arms urgently to no effect. The dog ran through his side and the guard took chase. While this took place, someone may have so happened to sneak into the security booth and check the records for recent visitors, and they may or may not have discovered something about a black vehicle with a shibusen badge being granted entrance to a private hangar in what would be the south end. If something like this were to take place, said intruder might have also taken the liberty to swipe the keys to the security cart/vehicle for faster transpiration to aforementioned hangar and snuck away from the area before the guard caught up to the dog and discover the very TSA feared "stink bomb" instead. Pressing the gas and speeding as fast as the new ride could take him towards his destination with only a few magazines of ammo left to deal with anything he found, Rocton began to make a mental list of the things Theron was going to owe him after this whole thing was done. A good night's rest. A police bribe A new bag Several M1911 magazines and bullets Some delicious beef jerky and the companionship of a really nice stray dog ______________________________________________________________ Approximately 13 minutes after he received the text from Theron Rocton drove up to hangar door, stopped before he got close enough to see what was inside, jumped out pistol drawn, and peered around the corner to meet the eyes of some older looking distraught and seriously pissed looking older guy pacing around an SUV near the far end. He had the element of surprise, this guy looked to be mumbling to himself or talking to someone, regardless he didn't seem to be paying much attention until Roc yelled out "Tell me where Theron is before I pick a non essential limb and blast it"
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Post by nova on Jan 26, 2012 18:03:29 GMT -5
The rest of the journey was carried out, almost completely, in silence. She didn't know what to say. She knew practically nothing about Theron's history. His past. He'd hidden that from her as well but that was more personal, that, she could understand. But that didn't change anything. If he couldn't trust his partner, the one who she wished to be trusted by, the one who'd gone out into harms way to protect him, then what use was she? If he didn't trust her, what was the point of being partners with him?
To trust, and be trusted...
Her only will, broken, just like her heart. And the pain
[/b]...words escaped her. She just knew it hurt. Why couldn't she have just stayed? ------------------------------------------ Everything had gotten the better of her for the rest of the journey. She'd fallen asleep, tired with it all. A weird kind of tired, it was heavy and dull. Her system had crashed, she needed a clear head. When she woke, they were as the airport, the sound of Alek stirred her from sleep. She felt slow and lethargic, but she couldn't just stay here now. The plane was only a few paces. If she had ever wanted to turn back, it was too late now. She was here, whether she liked it or not. "I'm not getting on that plane,"Nova had blanked out, she wasn't listening. "Why you rotten little -- do you have any idea..."Just bits a pieces. "Seventeen.""Twelve.""Fifteen."Lord knew she was just stuck in the middle. She was just expected to suck it up, regardless of what it did to her. She'd been twisted and bent and broken and re-crafted enough in the last few hours alone. She almost didn't want to find out what she'd turn into. What she'd have to do. What she'd become after too much more of this. Yet, she just starred, straight into nothing. Said nothing, did nothing, it almost looked as if she wasn't even breathing but she was. Completely stiff, lifeless, almost, hollow looking and fed up. And even when Rocton turned up, not a sound. Her emotions couldn't decide what she felt. Was she sad, was she angry, was she prepared to give up, or carry on? Nova felt like she was going mad, completely insane. Everyone seemed against her, indifferent and uncaring. She was just a girl, what did anyone else care. Yet she felt, in the back of her mind, that she'd just broken the one person in her life who had meant so much to her. And she didn't know if she could live with herself for that. "Let me tell you a story, It's the story of a boy and girl. Students. Friends. Partners..."The girl? She died. And the boy? He carried on. [/blockquote]
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Post by theron on Jan 29, 2012 8:54:13 GMT -5
After finishing "negotiations" with the Romanian prince the older man had walked around to the other side of the car, phone in hand. This wasn't just about Theron, after all, and Alek knew from experience that the young girl who'd been put through so much already that night was probably feeling all tangled up inside. The years of traveling with Syl had taught him something about the way women think and he recognized that vacant, yet somehow conflicted, look on her face -- the look of someone who's just had the rug pulled out from under them. He reached out, offering his cell phone to her. "Here. I did promise you a few phone calls, after all." Then in a quieter, gentler voice he added "I know how crazy this all is -- hell, how wrong most of it is. I know I'm still pretty much a stranger and all... but if you've got any more questions, or just wanna talk, I'll gladly hear you out on the way to Greece. Okay?"------------------------------------------------------------------ "Tell me where Theron is before I pick a non essential limb and blast it."Alek, to his credit, didn't budge a muscle as the threat reached his ears, choosing instead to simply stand stock-still at first. His reaction was muted but his senses, as Rocton was about to learn, were hard at work. "...You move like someone who's seen a lot of fighting, who's walked in death's shadow. It's in your footsteps; subtle but strong, the walk of a soldier who's run across one too many ambushes. And your voice... that inflection. Africa?" He slowly turned around, keeping his hands where Rocton could see them. There was a slight bit of surprise on his face as he saw the gun-toting Meister for the first time. "Huh. You don't look African. Takes all types though, doesn't it?"
"You can put the gun away -- I'm not the enemy. Theron's in the car; he'll fill you in. Though," He spared a glance towards the Romanian. "You might regret answering that text once you know the truth."Hearing the exchange, Theron had already begun to slide out of the Hummer's side door, very clearly minding his shoulder as he did so. This would be the first time Rocton had seen the scars on his body, as the young man was still shirtless and barefoot. He tried to keep his expression totally neutral... but something about Theron was definitely off -- a slight tremor shook his hands and his eyes seemed weary beyond all possible reason... and ever so slightly terrified. Rocton's Soul Perception would've picked up on it in a second -- something had shaken the once poker-faced warrior to the level of his soul. "... I'm glad you came, Rocton."
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Post by Rocton on Jan 30, 2012 2:05:29 GMT -5
"...You move like someone who's seen a lot of fighting, who's walked in death's shadow. It's in your footsteps; subtle but strong, the walk of a soldier who's run across one too many ambushes. And your voice... that inflection. Africa?"
"Huh. You don't look African. Takes all types though, doesn't it?"
Throughout the entire exchange, the meister kept his gun sight trained on a leg, until the man turned around and got a good look at him.
This guy was no joke, his senses were strong, something about him spooked Rocton, not a simple task. Here was a guy though, who without the slightest acknowledgement had nailed a crucial part of his past. It wasn't something Rocton advertised, and certainly not something he expected.
"You can put the gun away -- I'm not the enemy. Theron's in the car; he'll fill you in. Though,you might regret answering that text once you know the truth."
And for one quick second, the meister believed this stranger. Already he had been put through a small amount of time trial hell just to get here, and meeting this guy....didn't help.
With subtle quiet steps, he moved up, now keeping his sight trained on the chest in case this guy tried to jump and fight back, until he could catch a glance at Theron.
I'm glad you came, Rocton.
Theron seemed much different now. Broken, a shell, not unlike Roc imagined himself to be and not to different from what Alek seemed to hide well from those ignorant to its presence. His shoulder had been patched up, not too well, and all of sudden, Theron was flashing some mean scars, some of them made Rocton's look like they were from a kitty cat while Theron's were from a full fledged lioness guarding her young.
"This better be good, I'm gonna need some compensation...and a police bribe"
Rocton peered around to look for any other threats, when he noticed Nova. Her presence here was even more puzzling as Rocton anticipated that she was Theron's go to partner when shit hit the ceiling.
"You've got her, what'd you drag me outta bed for? he said in a very clear and ignorant tone.
Deep in his head with the new revelation, this firearms meister starting to realize how right Alek was.
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Post by nova on Jan 30, 2012 16:05:20 GMT -5
After stuck it a coma like state of quiet contemplation, the Demon Chakram was woke from her hazy mode of thoughts by a voice ripping through her. Alek stood next to her, a phone held out for her. She looked as it wishfully for a few moments.
"Here. I did promise you a few phone calls, after all."
She almost seemed hesitant for a few seconds, before slowing taking it from his hand.
"I know how crazy this all is -- hell, how wrong most of it is. I know I'm still pretty much a stranger and all... but if you've got any more questions, or just wanna talk, I'll gladly hear you out on the way to Greece. Okay?"
Her eyes looked back into his, but showed no definite emotion.
"Thank you."
Was all she whispered back, all her voice could manage, before he walked off again. It was only spare for the few moments of interaction, Nova didn't feel completely isolated and alone. The phone in her hand yet unused while she tried to think of what it was she was going to say. Her parents would need to know. Otherwise she couldn't think of anyone else she needed to call, or leave a message to, Nova just had to remember the number...
Knowing she couldn't just sit in the car all too much longer, she climbed back out of the car...
"You've got her, what'd you drag me outta bed for? "
Nova felt a stake drive itself into her heart, and in reaction, she slammed the door closed behind her, before sending a passing glance to Rocton, then carrying on her business. The glance was one full of enough pain to probably give him an idea if Theron was going to chuck up a load more lies to him. Considering what she'd seen a heard tonight, Nova wouldn't pass it off of him to keep lying his way out of explaining the truth.
No matter how critical it might be.
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Post by theron on Jan 31, 2012 23:58:25 GMT -5
The slam of the door was violent enough to make Theron cringe for a second -- or at least that's what he thought. Even he knew he'd never been the jumpy type and the reaction felt... wrong somehow, less like a startled reflex and more like someone had just spat on his grave. One thing the young Romanian would be learning the hard way on this trip is that a bond between souls, once forged, is not easily broken... but can be turned into a stream for spiritual backlash. And unluckily for him, his once iron-clad soul now had a chink in its armor, into which Nova's pain and fury could stab like a knife.
One way or another, tonight Theron was learning a hard lesson: empathy.
Watching her walk away with a confused and pained expression, the broken Meister slowly turned back to Rocton. " . . . Look, I won't waste either of our time with lies or half-truths; there's no point anymore, anyhow. I... I messed up Rocton. She trusted me, but everything I made myself out to be was just a... a mask, to hide who I am and why I came to Shibusen."
"I'll make this short. My father is dead; in one year's time all my brothers and sisters will be climbing over each other to kill me and every other rival to the throne. I came to Shibusen hoping I'd get strong enough to not die when that happened... but my time ran out tonight. One year and I'm dead, no matter what I do or where I go. Nothing short of a miracle could change that now."
"They broke into my apartment tonight, delivered the message. This guy," He cast a glance at Alek, who leaned back against the Hummer and listened with half-interest. "Claims to be my mother's Weapon partner, here to make sure I stay alive. Quite frankly I don't give a damn."
His voice dropped somewhat and his eyes flickered over to Nova, apparently judging the distance. What he said next was clearly not for her ears. "But... he says both our lives are in danger somehow, something separate from this business with my family."
"So you were awake. Little sneak."
"I don't care what happens to me right now; it's all pretty much over anyway. But... Nova, she doesn't deserve this. Doesn't deserve... what I put her through. Right now she wants nothing to do with me ever again, and I don't blame her, but..." He looked away, voice dropping almost to a whisper. "If she's in danger, I owe her this much."
"He says we need to fly to Greece right away; someone important there, someone with answers. Rocton, I know I'm already pushing the limits of what you owe me... but I have one last favor to ask -- a last request from a dead man, I suppose." He once more pulled out his cell phone and began typing in a frenzy, still talking as he did. "These are account numbers and pass codes for a handful of local and off-shore accounts that I own; the money in there should more than cover anything you'll need in the event that... well, you'll know. They're yours. All I ask in return is one thing."
He hit the 'send' button and looked Rocton right in the eyes, his expression both starkly serious and clearly desperate. "I didn't know the value of trust until tonight. I was always taught that it was a resource, no different from money and influence, a means to an end. Maybe I never really knew what it was at all. But I never intended to get her mixed up in the Reckoning... and now the only thing I can do... is trust you to do one thing for me."
"Keep her safe until she gets home. Please. I owe her that much, at least."
Alek, listening nearby, couldn't help but raise an eyebrow. "Well well... little brat's not entirely heartless after all." He turned to Rocton. "Whadd'ya say, soldier? Simple escort mission: fly halfway across the world, get in, get out, fly back. If we're lucky you might even get to shoot someone with that thing. Probably not, though. But it sounds like easy money, and unlike the rest of us you can walk away from it all afterwards. Time to decide; my pilot's probably getting restless by now."
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Post by Rocton on Feb 1, 2012 3:42:36 GMT -5
Nova's glance, the gaze of woman scorned with that "I'm gonna slap the shit outta you the second I get close to you", was enough to get a message across that something was wrong.
Theron seemed on edge as well, not only because he was injured, but the general atmosphere of whole hangar just yelled and screamed heavy drama. It didn't help that the meister with the gun still had it pointed at Alek as Theron started giving his explanation.
As Theron told his tale, the gun eased off it's target until Theron hit the send button on his cell and looked Rocton in the eyes to declare his favor, which at this point was no longer a favor and more of a pleading from the very bottom of what Rocton had thought to be a nonexistent heart.
"Keep her safe until she gets home. Please. I owe her that much, at least."
There was a sheer honesty in his plea. It was something money could buy from Rocton and up to that point he had almost considered walking away from this whole thing and punching Theron in the face for bringing him out here for something so important without even trying to let him know what was going on until after he had already committed so much.
No, he needed help right now, and this while this Alek guy seemed capable, trusting him with so much didn't seem like a smart option. So there he stood, devoid of sleep and proper provisions, staring back at the Romanian contemplating his options as Alek spoke up
Whadd'ya say, soldier? Simple escort mission: fly halfway across the world, get in, get out, fly back. If we're lucky you might even get to shoot someone with that thing. Probably not, though. But it sounds like easy money, and unlike the rest of us you can walk away from it all afterwards. Time to decide; my pilot's probably getting restless by now.
With time of the essence, Rocton spent little time speaking his mind.
"Theron, I'm not interested in your fucking money. I've lived off three grains of rice, one for each meal of the day before. Money means little to me. If I'm doing this it's because I'll be damned if I'll let you get yourself killed and her along with you."
Then Rocton turned swiftly to Alek to respond to him while unloading the blue magazine from his 1911 without looking, then pulling back on the slide quickly enough for the phosphorus bullet still in the chamber to fly out and be caught mid air by Roc's now free left hand which proceeded to toss it at Theron's good hand.
"Sounds like we're late and standing around isn't helping matters. I'm gonna need to buy some more ammo when we get there. I hope you've got some good contacts. Also, don't ever call me soldier or anything like that ever again.
He turned back around and started walking away from the two of them until he noticed they weren't following him so he turned back to yell
"Well Assholes? We going or not? It wont' be long till that security guard finds out it wasn't a bomb"
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Post by nova on Feb 1, 2012 15:23:14 GMT -5
After Nova had left a message to her parents, she mused at the phone, she didn't know why. Rocton and Theron seemed to be talking still; she wasn't paying attention. It wasn't like she had anything to say right now that hadn't already been said, or could even keep her mind on track long enough to find another question that needed answering. Her thoughts suddenly shot to Ashley. He'd be left alone, no doubt he'd be worried and nervous knowing his partner was gone and he wouldn't know where.
Maybe it was a good thing she'd been dragged along. What would Nova have been like if Alek had just taken Theron, and Nova couldn't find him? At least then she wouldn't hate him as she did, but she wasn't even sure if it was hatred. Could she really hate him, completely. After everything that had happened, and how they'd grown close friends.
It was only in knowing that the friend she'd gained wasn't the true Theron that switched her mind from contemplating her rage into it's justified confirmation.
But was she really going to close herself up in an iron cage?
"Well Assholes? We going or not? It wont' be long till that security guard finds out it wasn't a bomb"
Nova turned to see Rocton making his way towards the plane. No doubt the pilot was getting fussy now. She took a breath. She didn't want to be here. She didn't want to get on that plane, she didn't want to have to go to Greece, she didn't want to know what might happen to her, she didn't want to feel so messed up, confused and hurt. How she didn't want to assume Theron was blanking her because he didn't care, but that's all she could assume. Knowing that made her heart sink lower.
The weapon followed Roc in complete silence. Yet again she had no choice, not that she knew what she wanted. Though the plane hadn't start, she could already hear the screeching turbines in the jets of it's wings.
(OOC- i don't know if they're near the actual plane or not, but fuck it. WHY. WHY MUST I ONLY GET THESE SPEECHLESS ANGST POSTS)
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Post by theron on Feb 2, 2012 19:23:54 GMT -5
Rocton's vitriol wasn't wasted on Theron -- the harsh rebuke left him with a stunned expression for several seconds before he silently nodded his understanding. This, it seemed, was going to be a night full of hard lessons for the deceptive prince, chief amongst them that there were people who really truly valued principle above all else. Such a thing... he'd once thought it naivete or posturing, at most an exaggerated code of honor... But in Rocton's judgmental gaze he saw none of those things. And it shook him in a way he hadn't expected. The plane was a modified Beechcraft 1900, painted an unassuming light gray on the outside with the name 'Cloud Breaker' emblazoned in black-outlined white lettering along the sides of its body. Even from the outside it was clear that whoever owned the craft had invested a lot of personal attention: the propeller engines had been swapped out for large jet ones and a pair of recessed water landing skids could be seen pulled in tight up against the craft's under-body. As everyone entered the plane the true extent of the modifications came into view. What had at one time been a plane made to seat nineteen had been reworked to accommodate half that number in relative luxury -- the seats were plush, the hand rests set with various control buttons, and a small plat-panel screen had been worked into most of the seat backs with plug-ins for personal media devices. The cabin also had a dividing wall with a sturdy-looking door that created private front and back sections for passengers and, as a bit of exploring would reveal, each side had a small private bathroom and miniature fridge/freezer loaded with in-flight provisions. Caleb, decked out in a slightly eccentric looking pilot's uniform with, of all things, a faux navy captain's coat flung over it, was waiting inside to greet them. He flashed a warm smile... before reading the somber mood and losing most of his enthusiasm. "Welcome aboard the Cloud Breaker! You must, erm, be the one's Alek told me about. Though," He shot the southerner a glance. "I thought you said there were just two?" "Slight change of plans, last minute. Problem?""...No, not really. I'll just have to adjust the fuel usage a bit, but it'll be fine." He gestured towards two nearby seats, each of which had a full outfit folded up on them. Considering that both sets were grayish-silver and blue and had the Nevada Wolf Pack logo on the shirt it didn't take much guesswork to figure out where Caleb had been forced to purchase them from. "Best I could do on short notice; hope you like football. Anyways, Alek says the less I know about this mess the better, and after how he saved me a few years back I'm not about to question it. Now then, take a seat and strap in -- we hit the skies in five." --------------------------------------------------------------- [/b][/i][/ul] "Attention, this is your captain speaking," Caleb's voice echoed over the plane's intercom. "We have reached cruising altitude and are on course. Destination? The ironically named Athens International Airport which -- fun fact -- is actually a heckova lot closer to Sparta. We'll be making a refueling stop in Newark New Jersey before crossing the ocean; as your captain I'd advise against stepping out to stretch your legs in NJ: the bagels there aren't nearly as good as they'd have you believe and, hey, it's Jersey, need I say more?" His voice definitely sounded more like what one would expect from a radio host than a private pilot, dry punchlines and all. "The seat belt signs will turn off momentarily and you'll be free to walk around the cabin, grab a drink, change your bandages and slip into some travel-wear. Thank you for choosing Cloud Breaker and lemme tell ya, I just love flying into unknown dangers! Back to you Alek!" "Mouthy little fly-boy." The Demon Weapons scoffed with half a smirk showing he wasn't wholly serious. He stood from where he'd been seated near the back of the front cabin and headed for the 'private area' dividing door before casting a glance Nova's way. "...When you want to talk I'll be back here. I expect Theron will want to fill in our new friend with all the night's grim details anyways; I dunno about you, but I hate re-runs."With that he stepped out of the front half of the cabin and closed the door behind him, leaving the Shibusen students to talk amongst themselves.
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Post by Rocton on Feb 3, 2012 16:30:59 GMT -5
Rocton didn't say much as they got on board the fancied plane. He was admittedly out of place while he stumbled on board. Flying wasn't a method of travel he was familiar with, even though he faintly remembered the feeling of taking of, as if it was a portion of a long lost memory.
While the plane ascended, the meister occupied himself by looking out the mirror at the shrinking landscape. He was being careful not to look towards his fellow passengers, Alek in particular, he still didn't know the guy's name or anything about him but somehow this guy could afford all of this. His overall presence just made him feel uneasy to even move.
He was starting to dwell back into thoughts of sleep, slumping over until forehead leaned against the window, when Alek walked out of the room and the closing door snapped him back awake.
"Why with the no sleep" he thought to himself as his face went to a slightly annoyed appearance.
He waited for awhile to make sure Alek was gone before he spoke up.
"Well? What now? You two play the cold shoulder game while I awkardly sit here."
He sighed heavily as he explained himself while looking down "I'm not the best relationship expert but from the sound of things we're in for some serious shit and you two hating each other or whatever it is your doing isn't gonna help."
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Post by nova on Feb 3, 2012 18:07:31 GMT -5
Though the pilot seemed out of the loop, she had no time for petty humour. The clothes he’d gotten just made her more irritable, whereas once upon a time, getting a shirt two sizes too big would have been a dream. There wasn’t a girl alive who didn’t look adorable in a shirt too big for them. However, any sense of the happy and chipper Nova that had been, was completely wiped from existence. The cabin of the plane was comfortable enough, but it still didn’t improve her mood.
15 minutes passed in almost complete silence. Nova could sense that Rocton wasn’t all too happy to be here, but was anyway. Any awkwardness in the air that had been, Nova quietly passed it off, not wanting to dwell on it for to long, keeping herself to herself. She was tired, but yet she wouldn’t sleep. At some point she would drift off into her own realm of nightmares and horror which was only inevitable after everything that had gone on. She was as content as she could possibly be here, sitting in silence. Until the Firearms Technician spoke.
"Well? What now? You two play the cold shoulder game while I awkwardly sit here. I'm not the best relationship expert but from the sound of things we're in for some serious shit and you two hating each other or whatever it is you’re doing isn't gonna help."
”Shut the fuck up."
"If you haven’t noticed, the silly little fucking girl isn’t here for shits and giggles. Right now, I’d rather hate him, because unlike you, I wasn’t offered anything for coming on this ride, and I sure ain’t here for the precious fucking memories. Do the maths, fuckwit. If I’m truly pissed off enough to hate that asshole of a Meister, me of all people, then it ain’t something I can just let go of. So don’t assume fuck all until you know exactly what’s going on, and just how much of an idiot my loyal fucking Meister made me feel.”
Her tone came harsh and cold, yet sounded on edge, breaking point. She rose from her chair and followed through to where Alek had gone. The weapon didn’t even make eye contact with either of them; she just got up and was gone. The last place she wanted to be was there now. She had been perfectly happy to just sit there, but she knew someone would have said something, and she wouldn’t like it. She was out of tolerance to hand out. It had gotten her nowhere thus far, and she was looking to change that.
Nova stood on the other side of the door, now shut, and took a deep breath. She needed to calm down before she did something she’d end up regretting. Alek sat across from her, looking as casual as always. She took a seat opposite him, putting her head in her hands. "Do you have any idea about why I'm involved in all this? Asides from being Theron's ever loyal partner? Or is that as far as this goes?" She sighed and leaned back, her head falling on her shoulders. "And do you have any pain killers? I've got the Hiroshima of all headaches." Nova paused, and she smirked. "I guess I do still have a little humour left..."
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Post by theron on Feb 3, 2012 22:56:38 GMT -5
Alek, as promised, had been waiting for her. The private back-section of the passenger area was fitted with a small circular table just big enough for corporate types to lay out papers or set up laptops; onto this table Alek placed a bottle of extra strength ibuprofen and a can of lemon-lime soda, almost like he'd been expecting her request ever since betting on board. He gave her a few minutes to down the pills before answering her question. "To be honest, I'm a bit in the dark regarding the details. My informant gets a bit cagey and obtuse around me, but her info's always been good. She insisted on only talking about it with you and him present -- dunno how she'll feel about that other guy, though I'm sure she won't be surprised."
"Best I've got for you is a vague guess, and this only because I've been hunting witches pretty much my whole life and have a pretty good idea what is and ain't magic. This, this whatever it is, is magical; it's dug its claws into both of you and it doesn't end well. Like I mentioned earlier, I was given a glimpse of the end result if this... whatever it is doesn't get dealt with."He paused, apparently contemplating his words, trying to work out a way to soften the blow... and coming up empty. With a sigh he announced, in no uncertain terms, "You both burn to death. From the inside out. And, somehow, it gets WORSE from there. As in endless nightmare worse."He let that sink in, let her digest that most unwelcome of tidings for several long minutes before he slowly stood and walked towards the back of the cabin, his back to her. "I know tonight's been... heavy. You've been through hell and back, and we're just getting started. So if anyone deserves something out of this, it's you. We're going to figure this out, and that's a promise..."
"But in the meantime, you've been holding a lot in. I can tell, without one bit of that Soul Perception craziness, that you're wound up in knots that're only getting tighter." He turned to face her, his expression oddly placid and resolved. "That wall is sound-proof; so's the door. Let it all out. All the anger. All the regret. Fear, hate, whatever you've got. Words, fists -- don't hold anything back, and I mean that. Just let it flow. Catharsis is good for the soul, after all."
"Don't hold anything back."------------------------------------------------- After Nova had stormed out Theron looked weakly over to Rocton, the face of a man twice-condemned turning fervorless eyes on his fellow student. "She hates me. And why shouldn't she?"
"Somehow we forged a bond of souls. Somehow. Her will was... was to trust and be trusted, and mine... ah, what's the use?" He hung his head it utter despair. "I never even knew what trust -- what friendship, what strength was before her... and now I've torn that link into a bloodied, ragged thread... just enough that I can feel her hate for me, deep down where I can't block it out. I... can't block it out. I can't."He buried his face in his hands, grabbing at fist-fulls of brown hair as though getting ready to tear it out. "... What would you have done, if you'd been me? Born condemned to die, the only reprieve in cutting down my own malevolent flesh and blood kin? Raised to fight on every level: physically, socially, psychologically, pathologically?? To not just kill and take and lie in cold blood but to... to think that's normal, simply 'the way of the strong', to have it beaten into you until it's as natural as breathing?"M U S I C A L . S H I F T Monster by Skillet " . . . How did I look in the mirror every day . . . and not see what's so damnably clear?!"
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