[Open] Earthquake

[thepull_mods]

Who: OPEN! It's an event log of seismic proportions!
When: Tuesday 16th, 9:45am onward.
Where: Citywide
(When starting up your own scenario, locations and dates go in subject line)
Summary: An 5.0 earthquake shakes things up, and the city hurries to get everything back in order before nightfall.
Warnings: Natural Disasters? Everything that needs a

Comments

Sector 4, Night - Roxas, Xigbar, Sora

[pullsheavendown]

[They got off lucky. No injuries, no extensive damage-nothing that's obvious upon a cursory examination, anyway. That doesn't mean everyone else will fare as well.

The earthquake has affected the monsters of the night as it has the denizens of the day. Roxas sees that as soon as he hears his first unearthly shriek from an agitated creature after night has fallen. They're stirred up, and people's homes are going to be in more danger than usual tonight. But that doesn't mean they're without defenses.

He's on a lonely stretch of block, but he knows others will be out tonight, protecting those that need protection. He doesn't particularly need the company, but it's good to know they're there. None of them are in this alone. He draws Oathkeeper and Oblivion and goes to work.]

[madannoshashu]

[ He's been busy all day, organizing relief measures and getting the corporation kicked into high gear. To say he foresaw an event like this might be a little of an exaggeration, but one never looks a gift horse in the mouth. This is the Organization's chance to shine, and he intends to make it so.

Briefly forsaking his patrol of Sectors 9 and 10, he pops over to Sector 4 for a change of pace. A very would-be heroes pulled out of harms way and delivered to Skye later he's above the streets again, hovering and walking on walls as the situation would have it. He just happens to look down and spot a familiar figure, surrounded by creatures of the night.

He does well, all things considered, right until the end when a misshapen thing rises up behind him, unnoticed. A tiny smirk slanting the corner of his mouth, he dives, opening fire just as it pounces. Seeing it reduced to sludge, he catches himself mid-descent and lands neatly on the ground.

He straightens, the hood obscuring his features. ]Better watch your back, kiddo! There's

[pullsheavendown]

[It's not that the thing escaped his notice completely-he sensed the change in the air just before it would have struck. He's fast and powerful in his own right, but there's no guarantee he could have escaped without serious injury.

There's no guarantee he couldn't have, either. He knows who assisted him from the familiar sight and sound of the projectiles; when Xigbar lands, Roxas is already frowning at him from beneath his own hood. Even if his former comrade can't see the expression, he probably knows it's there anyway.]

Thanks for the help. I'll keep that in mind.

[He turns back to face the night. The message is clear: get going.]

[madannoshashu]

[ Oh, he most certainly can. That doesn't mean he's about to leave, though. Or at least, not unless it's on his own terms. ]

What's your hurry, kiddo?

[ If Roxas bothers to look up, he'll see a certain Nobody walking on the walls. ]

Not enough critters around here for ya?

[ He gestures, and sure enough, there's more of them gathering as he speaks. ]

[pullsheavendown]

No hurry.

[The closest monster isn't as fast as he is.]

I just don't need your help.

[Even if they are rowdier than usual.]

[madannoshashu]

[ He chuckles lightly. ]

Who said anything about helping you, tiger?

[ A few more shots and inhuman shrieks. ]

I'm just along for the ride.

[pullsheavendown]

[Roxas sighs and starts to form a reply, but cuts it off when a particularly ugly-looking shambling mutation lumbers into view and lunges for him. Fighting these creatures isn't like fighting the Heartless, but they fall to the sharp edges of his Keyblades all the same.

There's another blast of familiar sniper fire, and he glances over to see that xigbar has shot down another monster that was going either for Roxas or the residential building he's in front of. It wasn't as near a thing as the last one, but it's nice to have the breathing room.]

This another way of serving the community?

[There's still an edge to his tone, but it's noticeably milder, even resigned.]

[madannoshashu]

[ He grins a little under the hood. ]

Very perceptive, Roxas.

[ He warps, just narrowly escaping a monster swooping down from above. Appearing on the far side of the opposing wall, he fires, picking it out of the air. ]

Stay sharp, now.

[ As more of the nasties comes out of the woodwork, he doesn't limit himself to one position, teleporting as needed to keep them at bay. ]

[pullsheavendown]

Uh-huh. Real sharp.

[He doesn't especially want to see Xigbar eaten by something disgusting, so he keeps an eye on his former comrade as they fight, even if they're not friends. Teleportation is faster than all but the very quickest beasts, but Roxas takes out a few when they get close to Xigbar. He might as well; it's what he's out here for, sort of.]

You too.

[The important thing is to keep them from going for the structures that have been weakened or outright damaged by the earthquake. He has his pride, but it's not so great that he can't deal with the two of them fighting side by side-sort of, considering Xigbar's habit of warping all over the place

[lockandkeyblade]

[A deep resounding howl pierces the night, and their attention just might be drawn further down the street where it's joined by a myriad of other noises: snarls, scrapes of claws against the pavement and the snapping of teeth.]

[In the near-darkness, Sora stands between three Battlesoul hounds and an apartment with a door splintered down its center. He lights up the night with streaks of light from his keyblade, hacking and slashing into anything that comes at him.]

[The first is easily dispatched with several swipes of his weapon and well placed fire spell to its muzzle. The second of them leaps, jaws snapping shut around the keyblade, attempting to wrench it from his hands. The other to his right charges, meaning to do the same to his forearm.]

[pullsheavendown]

[He snaps to attention when he spots another Keyblade in his peripheral vision, and his eyes go wide when he turns to see that Sora is the wielder. And he could use some help.]

[It's to his credit that Roxas doesn't think about the presence of who he's fighting beside before he summons a pillar of light and sends it streaking down the corroded road, aimed directly for the third hound. This potentially puts Sora in danger, too, but he has complete control of the light, and the bright column goes exactly where it's meant to-straight through the body of the monster, slicing it neatly in half. Sora might end up with a few singed arm hairs, but Roxas considers that an acceptable loss.]

[It's only then that he glances at Xigbar, who's still closer to him than Sora is, and time seems to stand still as he waits for his Somebody to see who else is on this street tonight.]

1/2

[lockandkeyblade]

[He's calm in the face of each threat, using that split second to react... only he doesn't have to. The pillar of light tears through the second monster, allowing Sora to free himself much easier.]

[And his next few series of attacks and movements are streamlined and fast with Roxas' intervention. He rolls out of striking distance, jerking his empty hand back to summon the keyblade from the hound's jaws. He makes easy work of the last target, launching a blizzard spell at the monster and then shattering it into a thousand pieces with hard strikes of the blade.]

[lockandkeyblade]

[An accomplished nod once they've dissipated into nothing. That's that. Sora feels comfortable enough to shift his attention back to Roxas. The pillar of light, and the keyblades are a dead giveaway to his helper's identity.]

[He jogs a few steps to meet Roxas when he spots that second cloak and telltale weapon, and comes to a wary stop. He almost drops into a stance right there, but Roxas is actually ... standing with them? That can't be right. His eyes move back and forth between them, brows furrowed and a bit confused.]

Roxas?

[madannoshashu]

[ It's funny, really, how life works. One minute, you're fighting alongside a former comrade, and then next you're looking at his Somebody.

Settling on the ground not too far from Roxas, he looks from one to the other, apparently at a loss. In reality, he's smirking. ]

Oh dear.

This does make an awkward picture, doesn't it?

[pullsheavendown]

[Roxas shoots Xigbar a Look-not that he can see it under his hood-but doesn't respond to the comment. There's no point in telling Xigbar to shut up.

Besides, it's true. He takes a couple steps closer to Sora and, more importantly, away from his non-teammate.]

Are you okay?

[lockandkeyblade]

I'm fine... [And a little more subdued:] Thanks.

[It's hard not to miss it. He may not see Roxas' expression, but the body language...]

What's he doing here?

[Following Roxas around? Trying to psyche him out, maybe?]