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[notwhatiwas]

[There is a deep drawn in gasp and then...] OHMYGODIFORGOTTOBREATHEFORFIVEMINUTES.

[This, this is the sound Vincent would make if he ever panicked. There's a few thuds and what is probably someone falling over after standing up far faster than they're used to, head spinning. They seem to stumble in to another room before there's a hiss of pain.]

Comments

[commentlog] This icon PRETTY MUCH FOREVER

[notwhatiwas]

[They were headed for the stairs. He was too big for the stairs. Clever little things, going down a rabbit hole he was too large for. No matter he'd make himself fit to go after them. After all he'd never had a problem fitting places he shouldn't be before.]

[commentlog]

[messyturk]

[Running running running--having to worry about BREATHING when he did this was...not new at all, but very, very old. It had been a very long time since Vincent had been forced to bolt as a human.

Nonetheless, he sped up to hit the door, forcing it open, then turned with his back to the door and grabbed Veld by his arm to yank him into the narrow space. The younger Turk gave a hard shove against the former director's back, urging him down first without a word.]

[commentlog] WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN...

[invincibleyknow]

[Hey Turks, Asuka heard you needed a wrench in your works!

He's been pretty entertained watching all this crazy, and he's on his way downstairs. Why? Who even knows. But he's there, and he's going, whistling a bit as he meanders into the stairwell. There's the pounding of footsteps on the stairs nearing him, but he's not too bothered by all of this, that's nothing new.

But still--they're being -loud- about it! So Asuka pitches his voice up to shout over the sounds of people clattering down the stairs]

Hey, keep it down! What, are you trying to wake the Maiden's brother or something?

[commentlog] A challenger appears?

[consummateturk]

[Veld snarled at Vincent and was about to tell him to stop fucking jerking him about and just worry about himself when the other person showed up. Oh this was bad.]

Move. Now. [Veld ordered Vincent down the steps and hopefully out of his way he didn't stop to check if he was listening. Instead he looked at Asuka and informed him in as few words as possible.] Run, that way.

[commentlog] The real fight's above you. struggling with THAT DOORWAY

[notwhatiwas]

[Reno hit the doorway with a bang, snarling at the smallness of it and his bigness and not fitting until he twisted sideways a bit and forced his shoulders and one arm through. It was cramped and awkward and he wouldn't be able to get them as easily but once he got those wings through he'd be able to... He pulled out, wings folding down along his back before he twisted back through the doorway. That was better, easier to move by just enough that he hurled himself toward the first flight of stairs to make time. he shook off the minor pain of hitting the wall and his head on the stairs above as he began his own descent.]

[commentlog]

[invincibleyknow]

What? How come?

[Unfortunately Asuka is -stubborn-. And isn't going to move until he kno--ohhhhhh Maiden what IS THAT? It's huge and tattered and looks like it might have -once- been a man, but now it's obvious that it isn't human any longer. There's something moving behind it--the lighting isn't strong enough for Asuka to see they're wings--but he can most definitely see the glowing yellow eye and the long piece of metal that's sticking straight out of its chest.]

What the deuce is that thing?

[commentlog]

[messyturk]

[Vincent keeps running, turning to look back at Asuka--and further back, up further still, until he catches sight of Chaos.

He almost stops then, bright blue eyes catching that burning, almost sulfur-yellow, taking in as much of the monster as a stolen glance could afford. He's all spikes and bone and flesh as hard as marble, skin just barely glowing in the dark and--and what's that over his heart? A patch of soft, pulsing orb of light, vaguely reminiscent of Aerith's so-called "White Materia" when she'd activated it, in blue instead of green.

Vincent wrenches his eyes away and keeps running, his voice an emotion-strained bark as he and Veld race past Asuka, down deeper into this horrible ship.]

Just get out of here!

[But he doesn't look back again. He can't look back again, can't take it. He can't handle what he's seeing, can't take knowing that body is his and that it's Reno trapped in there, knows if he stops and thinks about it he won't be able to keep running

[commentlog]

[notwhatiwas]

[There was a thing. In his way. A little thing with pale hair and an inability to run. An insignificant little annoyance that was between him and what he wanted. It wasn't for him anyway, the two running away were.]

get out of my WAY.

[Reno reached out, the large clawed hand descending towards the pale hair. Fully intent on using it as a means to quicken his pursuit and knock it away.]

[commentlog]

[invincibleyknow]

[It's like the thing is trying to jump a fence--only this fencepost isn't sturdy, isn't meant for those like Chaos. Asuka may be strong, but he's off-balance already and the creature is over two feet taller than him. His knees go out and Asuka falls -hard- to the stair, but Chaos is already past him with the motion and so he's free to swing around the moment his senses come back to him (there's something just outside of his vision that he just can't reach~).

He grabs the rail and hauls himself upright, and Asuka rushes down the stairs after Chaos, his fingers twitching for a fire spell. It gathers in his hand in an instant, weaker than he might have liked but he's no time to notice that as he hurls the handful at Chaos, the flame arcing from his palm out.

He's barely thinking, already switched over to instinct, but whatever that thing is, it's dangerous and it's after the two guys who'd rushed past him already. And he's not gonna let it after them that easily

[commentlog]

[notwhatiwas]

[There was an inhuman shriek as the fire burned in to Reno's back, melting away flesh and exposing black muscle and the white of bone. He twisted around on the landing, burning yellow eyes livid as the pale headed thing came in to his vision. To hell with the other two, he'd been attacked and it had hurt more than it should have.

The towel rod in his chest caught in the railing, jerking painfully sideways in his chest and causing another howl of pain. The sickly sweet stench of mako and sulfur invaded the air as he yanked it from it's temporary home nestled beside his spine. It would make a fine weapon to destroy the creature that had made him hurt so much.]

[commentlog]

[invincibleyknow]

[Okay, so -now- Asuka might actually feel a tinge of some foreign feeling of fear, prickling the back of his neck and working its way up into his head proper. He's had himself convinced that this is all a dream, that none of it's real, but the acrid smell in the air and the way it's making his stomach turn almost has him rethinking that conclusion.

But he's too far into it to back out now. Asuka raises both hands, palms up and open, gathering more water beneath his feet for the best impact--he'll deal with that weapon when he comes to it.

And if he manages to hit Chaos, it'll be feet first, the water flooding close behind.]

[commentlog]

[notwhatiwas]

[Reno felt feet and a lighter body hit his chest and then the rush of water. It hurt far more that just water should, he'd been in water hundreds of times at least but this was different. This was agony as the force of it twisted around him and stung at his skin, forcing him back even as he swung the towel rod towards Asuka. He wanted the little thing off of him so he could get away from the water, the water was bad and this thing had made it happen and needed to be crushed for doing it.]

[commentlog]

[invincibleyknow]

[Asuka sees the towel rod coming at him and he -tries- to block it, he really does. He actually gets a hand up, but the power behind the strike is way too much for him. The edge of it scratches hard over his face, catching him just below and outside his eye, cutting over his tattoo all the way down to his jaw, but it's his hand that takes the brunt of the damage: he -hears- it break, the pain shooting through a millisecond later, and he gasps in surprise because it hurts.

It hurts.

Asuka's a little more cautious now, wary as he holds his broken hand close to his chest, a few feet away. His other hand is at the ready, ready to cast at a moment's notice, but it's his left, his non-dominant, and he has no way of protecting himself should the beast attack him head-on.

But there's no way he's turning his back to it.]

[commentlog]

[notwhatiwas]

[Reno lashes out again, all pain and rage and loneliness and terror, towel rod swinging towards Asuka as soon as it can. Reno wasn't a neat fighter like Vincent or Rude, he hit fast and repeatedly because he'd never been terribly strong. Now he was though, and didn't quite realize it.

The other, larger clawed hand too came at the little annoyance. Seeking to rip and shred and crush whatever was left beyond recognition because that was what reno did. He destroyed things because it was his job. His job to create twisted nightmares of steel and concrete falling on hapless citizens as they sleeped. His job to listen to their screams and to laugh at it. His job not to care who he hurt along the way so long as the job got done.]

[commentlog]

[invincibleyknow]

[As soon as it's in motion, Asuka's reacting too, casting another fire spell and thrusting his hand forward to shield himself with it. But again he's too slow, he's not strong enough, -something- goes awry and the towel rod hits him again and he can't even tell if he hit it or not because he's falling and trying to twist so that he doesn't land on his hand.

But he never hits the ground--no, instead he's caught, caught by the claws that are ripping into him and he's cursing aloud finally, swearing at Chaos to keep from crying out in pain.]

Re: [commentlog]

[notwhatiwas]

[Reno laughed, this was far too easy now. There was no fight, no resistance really. He could feel the crunch of bone beneath his hand and the squelch of flesh falling apart with the force of his fingers. He could hear the smaller man's pulse as it tried to pump blood through broken veins, the wheeze of air in lungs.

It was delicious, this feeling of power.]