[OPEN]

[soul_mods]

Characters: OPEN
Location: Witch Factory
Rating: R
Time: October 2019, at dawn.
Description: It’s time for war. This is the log set in the TYL timeline. Everything else following this will resume in the present timeline in November 15.

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[North Wing | CLOSED]

[blue_darkslayer]

The fighting had already been waxing steadily for the past few minutes when Vergil had slowly hacked his way towards the north wing of the factory. Initially he had settled for the middle, allowing enemies to come to him and proceeding to methodically cut through them one by one, but he had grown impatient. His climactic duel with Mifune had piqued his bloodlust rather than sate it, and he knew there were likely to be others amongst the enemy forces that he was fated to be reunited with. The north had been the original point of entry, so the battle was bound to be at its thickest here.

He had sent Adah away after the first few encounters. As much as the Weapon was effective at keeping him level-headed and within the realms of sanity... well, there was no need to be composed, here. Both within and without the proper presence of mind he was unconsciously seeking the same thing. One way or another, he intended to revel in the carnage with full abandon. Even so, Vergil had been schooling the use of his powers thus far. There was one fight he wished to be collected for, and for which he knew he would need the entirety of his strength.

[North Wing | CLOSED]

[getyourgunson]

The time had come.

Many years and after so many battles and fights, the time had finally come - Date could feel it in his senses, his nerves tingling with the anticipation of the battle that was to come. He was one of the leaders at the forefront of the charge into the factory, though unlike the usual naginata that he wielded today what he held was a different Weapon entirely - blazing with the power of a resonation almost lost but now returned, the burning broadsword he held in his hand was a nostalgic feeling... a reminder of times that were long past by now.

Carving through the ranks with a speed and velocity so rarely seen from him, the Meister pushed himself deeper into the ranks, making his way towards where his real opponent was. The one who he needed to face, who both him and the Weapon he wielded needed to face. Breaking from the front away from the majority of the crowd meant that Date had was exposing himself to the Madness Wavelength, but right now that wasn't important - he was too focused anyway to lose himself so easily, especially after all these years.

He's right ahead, Genesis, Date went mentally to the Weapon in his hand, narrowing his one lone eye as stray jolts of lightning started to crackle and coil around his arm. Are you ready for this? This was the showdown that they had been waiting for, and now was the time to finally cash in for their decade-long wait.

[North Wing | CLOSED]

[redpeacock]

The probability of being exposed to the Madness Wavelength didn't faze Genesis one bit. His time out in the desert had already toughened up his senses. And he had come to terms with all the guilt and inner demons that have haunted him endlessly since that day the Goddess decided to let him live. Now, charging past the crowd with Date, he blazed-- it was a resonation he thought he would have never felt since the day Vergil turned over to the Witches' side. It surprised him, seeing how easily they picked up the resonation once more, even after years of not working together as Meister and Weapon.

It wouldn't surprise him the least if they truly held enough power to stop this man who was once their comrade-- Genesis' own Meister. It was perhaps the least they could do for him-- have him fall under their hand rather than under the hands of others.

We've waited a long time for this party, Genesis replied, a little hint of nostalgic amusement as he borrowed that term Date was so fond of.

I'm more than ready to get it started.

The weapon glowed brighter then-- his aura a roaring blaze.

[North Wing | CLOSED]

[blue_darkslayer]

Vergil simply stood and admired the sight for a moment, his posture seemingly relaxed. It had been quite some time since he had encountered his old... friend... Date Masamune. It struck him as an odd relief to see that the samurai evidently meant business, but this was nothing beside his appreciation for seeing Genesis in his hands. He had to snort quietly to himself with amusement. The poetry to the situation certainly did not escape him, and there was no doubt in his mind that, poetic indeed, it had probably been the Weapon's idea. He'd have to properly express his gratitude in the battle to come.

There was no urgency to his stride as he proceeded forwards - he had every intention of enjoying this for as long as it lasted, after all - and a blue aura began to wreathe his form. Fortunately he had some measure of what to expect from these two in terms of ability, though he wasn't so certain that they had witnessed some of his own new techniques since he had undergone modification and become a Minor Kishin. Vergil could practically taste the Madness in the air, though, so this fight was bound to be unpredictable. The lightning that sparked from Date seemed something of mild concern.

Affecting a casual pace was bothersome, and the fighting that was going on around them was bothersome. Two Kishin Eggs made as if to rush past him to join the battle; Cambion slid from its sheathe and cut the both of them down as they reached his sides, and the souls were left unheeded. Forget that they were supposedly on 'his' side - nobody had the right to intervene in this. As it was, the others had best move away or they would inevitably be caught in the destruction that both parties were capable of.

Vergil called out, his voice carrying amidst the cacophony of battle, "Long time no see." His black katana snaked back into its saya.

[North Wing | CLOSED]

[getyourgunson]

Hah. Alright then. Date was, of course, faintly amused himself at Genesis's choice of words, but the years had done much to temper the usual enthusiasm he carried around. A decade of constant wars and battle had shaped him even more than ever compared to back in Hi-No-Moto, and though the Meister had long accepted the fact that he would never see Koujurou again, he carried the elder's lessons in his heart and soul. Now was the time to apply them, in this battle for the future and the past alike.

Tightening the grip he had on the broadsword, the samurai grinned as he felt the power of their resonation spontaneously increasing. Looks like they hadn't lost their touch at all, even after all these years.

"Let's get serious!" Date exclaimed as he charged forth, cleaving through the last of the kishins blocking his path to Vergil. He didn't even bother returning the greeting that the other gave (though he did hear it, of course); the samurai moved to whip out the rest of the swords he had brought with him, lighting crackling from his arms and snaking to coil around all the blades - even Genesis.

Without another word, he swept the arm with all the normal swords forward, carving through the remaining beasts before leaping upwards into the sky and then falling right towards Vergil, power and electricity crackling in his arms and blades as he brought the swords right upon the other's head from above.

"Phantom Dive!" came the shout right before his attack came.

[North Wing | CLOSED]

[redpeacock]

As Date dove down, Genesis immediately called on his own weapon power to supplement the meister's electric energy. Simultaneously, the same burning aura he possessed was channeled to the other blades Date brought out, creating an almost explosive force bound to crash into Vergil with great intensity. In the heat of the battle, it was all to easy to absolutely ignore the presence of madness in the air in favor of this adrenaline which came with facing off against their once friend.

There was no hesitation-- there shouldn't be any hesitation-- but Genesis thought to himself that if his old partner couldn't survive this initial attack, he would be rather disappointed. He hoped for a party, after all.

[North Wing | CLOSED]

[blue_darkslayer]

Six blades? Vergil gazed upwards calmly as Date surged into action and took immediately to the sky. Granted, his Soul Boost granted the pair quite the lift when they lept, but the Kishin had hoped that the samurai might have worked on his fighting style a little in the years that had passed. Aerial attacks are so predictable. He momentarily considered hopping out of the way, or recklessly shifting beside them while they had no traction in which to change direction... until he saw the fires spread and the promise of a cataclysm descending upon him. And yet he couldn't suffer the indignity of desperately leaping out of the way.

Hmph. Without so much as adjusting his posture, the blue aura surrounding him pulsed briefly and his physical form dematerialized into an incorporeal haze, churning, flowing and then reappearing several meters back from where he had previously been standing, otherwise seemingly unmoving. He closed his eyes briefly as the attack collided with the ground with a monstrous explosion, still expressionless, but reopened them to address the pair.

"Not even so much as a greeting? I'd hoped to at least speak to Genesis." He had to milk this encounter as much as he could; it had admittedly been years since he could fight while retaining control of himself, yet he was determined to see this through as himself, not a mindless beast, for as long as possible. Still, he couldn't resist smirking slightly. Date's manner had always been infectious.

"Suit yourself. Falco Falcon Falconnen..." His right hand glowed momentarily purple until it gingerly touched the hilt of Cambion, at which point the aura spread to encase the sword and its scabbard. Vergil eased into a Battojutsu stance and paused a moment longer, then:

"Cut!" As the katana flashed, a long, translucent crescent blade of force scythed outward and rocketed towards Date and Genesis, causing a high-pitched keening to shrill throughout the halls of the factory floor. As it flew, Vergil had already begun maneuvering to his right, attempting to circle and approach Date from his off-side.

[North Wing | CLOSED]

[getyourgunson]

The samurai's eyes widened momentarily in surprise when he saw Vergil abruptly vanishing before his eyes, and his jaw clenched when he figured out what had happened. Shit. It was too late for him to redirect his attack as well, so the best Date could do was to realign his swords and strike so that he could quickly recover when he landed onto the ground. The resulting crash sent dust and debris up into the air, and the Meister swore mentally (in Engrish, like always) as he use his left hand to swipe his swords in order to blow the smoke and dust away, clearing his vision before he finally faced Vergil.

It was a moment unlike any other, to face the other again after all these years. A lot had changed since their last meeting - from the looks to the mere feel of what had once been Vergil, it was clear that he was beyond hope now. Just as Date had expected, the only thing he could do now was to end Vergil's life, and finally put an end to the decade-long party that had went out between them.

Raising his swords at the ready, the samurai's words carried a tone of strange calmness as he responded to Vergil after his greeting. "You lost your right to speak to Genesis after betraying your partnership for power." Power, as good as it was, was certainly not everything - that was something that Date knew well, something that he had learned right from the beginning when he decided to lead Oshu and take over Hi-No-Moto back where he came from. Power was still the same, no matter where it was - all that differed was by the individual that wielded it.

Words were useless though it seemed, as Vergil prepared to attack and Date readied himself once more, tightening the hold on all of his six swords as his lone eye narrowed once more. Energy surged though him, powered by both Genesis and the Madness Wave that hung in the air around them. It was easy to ignore, but Date knew it was only a matter of time before he started to lose it. Best to keep this battle as quick as he could while he could still withstand the strain.

He moved the moment the other unleashed his attack, his Soul Boost ability doing well to help him in moving quickly in order to avoid the worst of the attack. The wind whistled in his ears, senses flaring as he felt Vergil approaching him from his blind side and Date quickly responded by whirling around, blades flashing as electricity crackled across them once more when he darted forth towards Vergil with a swift but vicious cross-slash. "Jet-X!"

[North Wing | CLOSED]

[redpeacock]

In resonation, Genesis had enough strength to bolster Date's resistance against the madness wave, being too used to its effects. He couldn't keep a calming wavelength or have any special supporting ability save for his pyrokinetic abilities, but at the most, he could still speak into his mind and help him fight the madness that threatened to seep through. That was, perhaps, the most he could do for the samurai who had gone so far as to aid him.

You lost your right to speak to Genesis after betraying your partnership for power.

The words bit into Genesis' mind, though, returning memories of his past-- the way he continued to speak to his once comrades even when he had betrayed them and turned against the very institution that housed them for so long. But no-- his case was different. He left because he had the right to rebel. He left because he refused to be their puppet any longer-- to be their petty war machine or their ignored failure. With that conviction in his soul, he held his ground, summoning out blades of flame to accompany Date's attack, each homing after Vergil.

However, can you live in that kind of world?

He could still remember his own words to Angeal at that time of rebellion. The refusal of a world where pride was sacrificed for whatever ShinRa offered them as top-level SOLDIERs. That was why he fought. Here, against Vergil, he would prove it again-- that pride was far greater than any power promised by any side.

All at once, the blazing knives homed into the Kishin, timed well with Date's last strike.

[North Wing | CLOSED]

[blue_darkslayer]

Cambion slid home into its saya neatly as Vergil maneuvered in towards Date, awaiting the samurai's attack. The blade flashed out and the scabbard followed in a Double Dragon, however rather than as a form of offense, the movement was directed to intercept the vicious cross-slash. His own blue aura pulsed outward to repel the crackling electricity and a portion of the attack's force, but even as he managed to block he couldn't deny its overwhelming strength. Forget that their blades had locked intricately at the beginning of the cross before too much velocity could be generated - the Kishin knew that Date would inevitably overwhelm him if he continued to fight defensively.

He hadn't neglected the fiery blades, presumably projected by Genesis, as they shot towards him simultaneously. There was scarce freedom for mobility, but he leaned left in preparation for his next move and simply beared the damage as two seared into him, scoring his shoulder and side. He paid the injuries little heed as they were mostly shallow, and they would harden before long regardless due to his inhuman resilience. Even minor wounds gradually weakened an ordinary combatant over time, but with this body such things were a merely short-lived annoyance. It remained to be seen if Date's ordinary katanas could even harm him beyond superficial burning.

"Genesis was more than welcome to join me," Vergil spoke aloud suddenly. He couldn't resist the impulse, and it bought him time while the two of them maintained the blade-lock, "I only ever intended to turn from Shibusen and their losing battle." He would've mused on this, but it certainly wasn't the time. He needed to shift his tactics; Date's offense was clearly superior while he used all those swords, but how was his defense, and capability for precise manipulation?

He broke the lock suddenly and retreated a step, but immediately flowed left, favouring the samurai's blind side but remaining only just off-center and attempting to match step with him. Rather than sheathe his katana or prepare for a slash, it drew back in preparation for a thrust. Ironic, considering Vergil had mastered his fencing form in the process of fighting with Genesis. The obsidian blade lanced forward in an attempt to pierce the Meister's right shoulder, before springing back and rapidly surging forward again and again in a swift succession of stabs aiming between the fan of swords.

[North Wing | CLOSED]

[getyourgunson]

Date gritted his teeth when the blades clashed into a momentary deadlock, not at all pleased that his attack had failed - and Genesis's one didn't do much either, considering how easily Vergil had shrugged off that attack. Though perhaps in a way, it wasn't that all surprising - in spite of the now, Vergil still had been the other's Meister, once upon a time. Though of course now, Vergil had also long lost that right the moment he decided to desert Shibusen and join the Witches.

Eyes narrowed at the latter's response, hardly happy to hear such a response from the one who Date had once considered one of his closest friends in this place. "And how would you know that Shibusen would lose this battle? Ten long years, and we're still living!" And they were still surviving, even after everything they had been though - sure the future was bleak, but it was still there; that glimmer of hope that refused to fade even after all this time. That was why Date still pushed himself onward, making himself go on even after losing so much and having to sacrifice what had once been everything.

He attempted to push forward against the blades, but then Vergil retreated and Date barely had time to regain himself before the other attempted to attack his blind side. Instincts and senses flared, and the Meister just managed to avoid the worst of the thrust, though he was sure he saw the edge scraping across his shoulders - good thing he had been wearing those shoulder plates, then.

There was no chance to attack back even when Date wanted to, and all the samurai could do was to try and keep up with the swift stabs, six swords helping with this effort. Lightning started to crackle and coil around the blades once more as this happened, and the moment Vergil had an opening Date instantly went for the attack, the hand with Genesis thrusting out in a strong jab as electricity ran down the blades with his attack.

"Magnum Step!" came the exclamation this time.

[North Wing | CLOSED]

[redpeacock]

As the lightning surrounded the blades, creating a small ball of electricity as they spun, Genesis stepped up the resonation, creating a wheel of fire to accompany the attack. Granted, he was rather unused to the feeling of being wielded alongside other swords, but as a Deathscythe, he knew well how to resonate easily with most warriors now.

It didn't really stop him from being picky, though. He couldn't have imagined this battle against Vergil with anyone other than Date. When he realized that Vergil turned over to the Witches' side, he could clearly remember the disappointment he felt for him-- the way he easily did give up on BREW's purpose for them.

Yet he knew that at the same time, he succumbed, unable to will himself back into Shibusen without having brought back his Meister. It was only after the revelation that he headed back and firmed his resolve to stop him at all costs.

"Vergil-- what we're fighting isn't a losing battle. It isn't at all! And we'll prove it well to you."

Genesis had fought his losing battles in the past, but he never once turned back on it, having fought ShinRa until the very end. He would do the same now-- not for Shibusen, but for himself and for those he held dear within what was once Death City.