[Event] Operation Arizona

[soul_mods]

Characters: Those who signed up for Mission 128: Operation Arizona. List of participants here.
Location: Horseshoe Bend, Grand Canyon, Arizona
Rating: PG or higher, for death, destruction and the like.
Time: November 25, late evening for the pre-mission posts, then November 26 at 00:00 hours all the way until the whee hours of the morning of the

Comments

[lionborn]

[Eyes fixed on the approaching mass of ...something, monsters that had been humans like him once, too, maybe; Leo picks up his pipe and shifts into a battle-ready pose. He can already feel the beast inside him stir as his blood is running hot through his veins and everything seems to get more clear and yet lose its meaning besides his intended prey and the danger it poses. Normally he would shy back of this sort of condition, forcing his mind to remain calm even when he is riding the waves of his own burning-hot blood and desires. But today there are no desires, no rage or joy that could fuel him, drive him to want to go until he can no more. Just exhaustion and a low burning kind of frustration in the pit of his stomach.

Closing his eyes, he whispers to himself, forcing himself to remember that night and that something like that must be happening again, somewhere in the city they are fighting to 'protect', and that again his best friend is sacrificing him for his desires from the start on. If he couldn't use hope or rage for this hunt, there was always still pain as an option that never fails left. Like in the compound. When he had started hitting others because their words had hurt too much and he couldn't take it more anymore. Remember. He just has to hit them until they stopp doing things that hurt him. Hit them instead of Ryoki whom he can't hit because he still loves that mad cow way too much for it to be sane.

It works.]

The only thing we can hope for is to die while we're not alone. [The words are as much a curse as they are a prayer.

Letting out a scream, he charges.]

[blue_wayfinder]

[Too reckless.

That was the first thing that came to mind when Leo made his charge.

Aqua had never been the sort of fighter who relied on brute strength or speed. She was agile, but she put her agility to use keeping herself at a good distance for attacking. To charge headlong into battle the way he was doing right now was something she wouldn't even consider.

And what he said before he moved...it had been unsettling to say the least.

She gave Crona a quick nod before moving in as well. Leaving him to charge into a mass of Kishin Eggs alone wasn't an option.]

[callmecrona]

[Of course, Crona wasn't one to say about sane people and all that, so as far as the kid was concerned things were rather alright. Still, the way Leo was throwing himself into the fight was worrying, if only because Crona wasn't sure if s/he could keep Leo safe.]

B-Be careful...! [An attempt to warn nevertheless comes from Crona, and the kid quickens his/her pace to catch up with Leo the best the kid can, Ragnarok ready to go in his/her hand.]

[lionborn]

[Leo had no clue whether the others were following his lead or not as he kept running and then he was there, facing off with the first now-nameless monster. Mind switching on autopilot, he blocked the blow from an malformed paw just to twist around and smash the thing's knees with the length of his pipe. Following it up with a blow from his fists into the kishin egg's face that could have broken a normal man's neck, the Half didn't even wait as he already pressed ahead, charging the next monster and leaving the temporarily downed one to Crona.]

[blue_wayfinder]

[Aqua ran into a different Kishin Egg shortly after Leo engaged his. She dodged the claws aiming to rake over her sides. The momentum made it stumbled, and she took that moment to strike back.

If it bothered her at all that these used to be people, it didn't show. People who were consumed by their darkness, by their greed and hate and anger, those had always been her enemies. She had been taught to eliminate the darkness. To her, these creatures were no different than the Unversed she had destroyed before.

Right after she managed to down the Kishin she caught sight of Leo moving off. The last thing they needed was to get separated.]

Leo! Don't--

[But she broke off when another Kishin made a swipe at her. She dropped into a roll.]

be glad Crona is still sane here, the manga just made the kid go to impossible levels >_>

[callmecrona]

[With the one behind, Crona tries to hurry up more, seeing the duo both trapped in their respective battles. More kishins were coming towards them too, and it would be bad if they got overpowered... it would be bad if the Guests were overwhelmed by the kishins.]

G-G-Go down! [A cry from Crona, the stutter slowly disappearing now as the kid shifts into the mindset for battle - or rather, the mindset for killing as much as s/he was able to. Old memories dredge up that picture book - ways of having to kill something. Stabbing, pressure, striking--]

[Gritting his/her teeth, Crona swings Ragnarok around, shooting out a projectile at the kid's command.] Screech Alpha!

true xD though I doubt s/he really killed who s/he thought s/he killed in it

[lionborn]

[Leo barely hears what the others are shouting, his mind registering the sounds as words that mean something, but not caring enough to also wonder what that something is. He has managed to get engaged with two kishin eggs at once and even while one manages to land a painful blow to his hip that sends him crouching down to the ground he still laughs, evading follow-up blows that are meant to smash his skull - no different than human bullies trying to kick you when you're down, really.

Feeling the frenzy of the battle for life and death makes him feel alive, so alive, and he doesn't think when he catches the unholy glow of the attack coming their way. Leaping slightly to the side and several times his size high from the stand, he doesn't mind if it will be enough to prevent being caught in it as well or not.]

That part in the manga was so creepy though. Cool, but still creepy.

[blue_wayfinder]

[A sideways swing made a Kishin scream and reel back. Still, she knew it wouldn't be long before it came back, but it gave her a chance to look around. Too far. There was too much distance between them...

Crona's words interrupted her thoughts, and she was moving to act on it, taking a quick glance backwards to make sure she wouldn't be in the way of whatever the kid was planning.]

/)_(\ why do I play such a creepy kid why

[callmecrona]

[Screech Alpha does it job well, hitting down a fair number of kishins who were in mid-lunge towards both Leo and Aqua. Still that was just the beginning, and only more kishins came to take the place of the ones Crona had threw back. The kid looks visibly worried, biting his/her lip as s/he tries to maintain his/her own composure - easier, really, now that they're in the heat of battle. Battle is the only thing Crona had been ever trained in, after all.

Seeing the number of kishins all coming for Leo - and how reckless the other is throwing himself in, Crona bits his/her lip, making a quick decision as s/he readies him/herself. With strength one would think a kid like her/him would never have, Crona makes a run and jumps towards the kishins after Leo, swinging Ragnarok with a cry.]

Screech Beta!

[A high-pitched scream cries out from Ragnarok as the sword is swung, a mouth appearing from the energy at the end of the blade as the Weapon practically chews right through the kishin, a primitive display of carnage and violence.]

because it's fun? :'>

[lionborn]

[Managing to get out of the way of the of the first Screech Leo finds himself immediately rushed again and he can't help but laugh at all those looming things out for his blood and how much like ordinary street-thugs they behaved. Spitting out on the ground, the Half grins.]

Che -! Just like killing humans!

[When the first kishin egg attacks he is ready and welcomes it with a hit in its ugly face and also the second monster he can still dodge and counter before more and more come down on him and he gets overwhelmed, temporarily vanishing beneath a mass of obscure bodies as inhuman shrieks (mostly from the kishin eggs, some with a more human note from Leo) fills the air.]

because they're awesome? Idk. Take your pick. ;3

[blue_wayfinder]

[There wasn't enough time to be surprised at Crona, not when she had to focus on the battle at hand. But she did feel a flicker of relief when s/he moved to help Leo.

Fighting cam naturally to her, and because she always moved away more often than she moved in when she dodged, she had managed to void any serious injuries. It was as the Kishin she'd just attacked fell that she caught sight of Leo disappear into a group of monsters.]

Leo!

[If it weren't for the years of training she had been put through, her moment of distraction would have cost her dearly, as it is, she only barely managed to dodge the Kishin that lunged for her, leaving three shallow gashes along her arm.]

maybe...

[callmecrona]

[It seemed to be getting bad - both Leo and Aqua were starting to get overpowered by the kishins, and Crona knew that s/he needed to drive them back. After all, these kishins were nothing to both him/her and Ragnarok; their purpose had been to destroy Ashura. A purpose that Crona had rejected in the end over friendship and bonds, but it was still there all the same.]

Cover your ears, both of you! [A warning, just one, and Crona holds Ragnarok upright, willing him/herself to stop trembling as the kid commands out to his/her Weapon.] Ragnarok, Scream Resonance!

[Ragnarok obeys instantly, the mouthpiece on the blade opening with saliva spitting everywhere as the most horrible, high-pitched scream sounds out across the entire area, loud enough to make everybody stop and cringe at the horrible sound.]

sorry for the delay, I blame an essay and my own scatterbrained-ness! ;;

[lionborn]

[When the scream comes its high pitch is enough to make Leo almost black out from it, but it also serves to distract the kishin eggs that were bearing down on him. Feeling as if his ears are bleeding, he curses before breaking into shrill laughter once more. Dragging one kishin egg close to him and in the way of a striking another, he kicks and claws his way past dark, disfigured bodies until there is air and he can stand again.

Yellow eyes darting around, he noted that Aqua hadn't fallen yet which meant that he didn't have to care about her and the kid was killing stuff right and left again. There is also something was warm and sticky against his skin and the smell of blood and dirt is filling the air, but that too is no reason for him to worry in his state.

...

Grinning like a maniac, he backs off, towards Crona, daring his would-be killers to follow his lure.]

Che! Makes you feel alive, doesn't it?! Fucking assholes!