[MISSION]

[daddyscythe]

Characters: Open to Mission Goers
Location: Norad, Colorado
Rating: R
Time: August 22
Description: It's time for the mission to rescue Marie.

Comments

PRE-MISSION AND FORMATION SHENANIGANS

[daddyscythe]

[Welcome to Norad!]

[kirikizamuyo]

[Bel had begrudgingly gotten out of his bed to head off with everyone else. Didn't help that a certain pain in the ass overachiever wanted him awake before three am. He mostly put himself on autopilot for a while, same thing he did when he had early morning missions back home.

It worked for a while. But then they got out to the camp, and he felt his mind go dizzy, his eyes becoming unfocused behind his bangs. He was almost reminded of the state his mind fell into when he saw his own blood. His entire body shuddered at the feelings as he started giggling to himself.]

[kirikizamuyo]

[Hearing the boy speak up was enough to snap Bel back to himself, though another shudder passed over his body and not from the cold either. He wasn't stupid, he had dressed in his Varia outfit once again knowing they'd be out in the cold weather like this. Despite his complaints when the design was first brought up, sometimes it was good to have a fur lined jacket.]

Maa~ There's something in the air in this place~ Ushishishi~ Can't you feel it?

[sandsworn]

Gaara stood near the edge of the encampment, his arms crossed over his chest and his shoulders tense. He hadn't gotten as much sleep as he'd wanted last night; he'd spent most of the night lying awake, thinking about the mission ahead. Of course, he was used to insomnia, but he'd hoped to be well-rested for this. And something about this place, about the very air, made it worse. His thoughts drifted down dark paths. He kept imagining all the ways in which this mission could go wrong, and every scenario ended with Lee being severely injured or killed...with Gaara failing to protect him.

He forced his mind back to the present. He had to stay focused.

He'd lost sight of Lee on the way there. Now, he scanned the group of assembled meisters and weapons, searching for his distinctive green jumpsuit and bowl-cut.

[verdant_lotus]

In contrast to the seeming majority of those gathered, Lee was fully awake and alert. It helped, of course, that he normally rose at four. It was important to get an early start on the day, and it'd become moreso when faced with the heat of Death City. Having the opportunity to get early training in before the sun rose and the city became near-intolerable had become important. Of course, it probably would've been easier if Lee hadn't been wearing spandex and legwarmers, but he had no intent to change his style of dress

[sandsworn]

As Lee approached, some of the tension eased out of his shoulders. Still, his heart beat faster than normal, and sweat dampened his palms. "Yes." He didn't feel ready, but admitting that would only make things worse. He hoped the training with Kuroro and Kurapika would pay off. He hadn't worn the gourd at all for the past few days, but still, his back and shoulders felt naked without it. "What about you?"

[verdant_lotus]

Lee was no more willing to admit to the nervous tension that plagued him. It was probably just the normal nerves before a big battle, he told himself. Nothing to be worried about. Nervousness was just anticipation, after all. He'd have been able to believe it more if it'd been Gai saying it, while Tenten rolled her eyes and Neji looked down his nose at their teacher despite Gai being taller. Lee put on a smile anyway, and nodded. "Have you seen Tassadar-san and his partner yet? It would be good to go over strategy more, while we still have time."

[GROUPS 1 TO 4] THE FIRST ASSAULT

[daddyscythe]

Five o'clock and everyone is in position. The feeling of madness is heavier now that you're closer to Norad, but still bearable. You notice, though, that your communicator refuses to work.

No time to complain about it -- if you stick with your group and keep an eye on everyone else, it shouldn't be a problem -- because now the signal has been given. It's time for the push.

The kishin eggs start descending upon the first groups of invaders. They look hungry, and you look delicious. They're deformed things, devoid of humanity in them even if you can still tell -- somehow, through the sagging skin and the feral, twisted expressions -- that these monsters used to be human.

Group 1

[aiursfavoredson]

Tassadar was on the move the moment that the order had been given. The Protoss were known for their strength and speed in battle, and that much was easily shown as the templar's long legs effortlessly took him over the terrain as if there were no problems at all.

He could see their foes beginning to home in on their location. The two creatures he saw coming into view reminded him well of the infested Terran he'd witnessed on the battlefield. It would not bode them well if they were of any relation, for they were, perhaps, the most dangerous strain of the Zerg just shy of the Queen of Blades herself.

"I will draw their attention to see if there are any that go unseen to us, and may Adun watch over you both," The templar communicated to the pair behind him. While he knew well that both Gaara and Lee were accomplished fighters, Tassadar couldn't help but take the lead

[sandsworn]

Gaara's success with the first kishin had made him eager to fight another. His skin still tingled with the electric excitement of battle. The fear was still there, in the background of his thoughts, but it was quickly receding. Lee's weapon form felt light in his hand, and he spun it easily as he approached Tassadar's towering form.

The two kishin drew nearer, their sharp teeth bared. Both were just as grotesque and unnatural-looking as the one he'd destroyed.

Gaara glanced at Tassadar, then back at the pair of kishin. "Lee and I can take one of them."

[verdant_lotus]

The confidence from making their first kill helped ease Lee's own tension, replacing it with the familiar excitement and anticipation of battle. It wasn't the same as fighting alone, but his natural urge to test himself was starting to translate over into a desire to prove what they could do as a pair. There wasn't time to talk, and Lee waited for Tassadar's consent. The staff was nearly humming in Gaara's hands with restrained excitement and energy.

[GROUPS 5 TO 8] TO INFINITY, AND BEYOND!

[daddyscythe]

You've done it, you've managed to fight your way in to the Norad base. Now it's just up to you to make your way around and eliminate more kishin eggs, keep on the lookout for witches, and search for signs of BJ and his company. Keep distracting the kishin eggs, it'll help keep the sneak teams do their job.

Given the size of the base, you split up by groups to cover more areas. The sneak teams, led by those guys from Shibusen, also break away from you guys to start the search for Marie. You'd keep in contact, but that might be difficult with your communicator out of whack and the massively confusing layout of the area.

It's not any easier compared to the outside. The Norad base is gloomy, dimly-lit, and still very much occupied by kishin eggs. They can smell you just as easily as you can hear them coming. Be sure to watch your backs!

Group 6

[maplezen]

So, maybe this was a lot harder than he'd anticipated, but he kept that worry belted down. He and Rise had gone through enough training over the last three months that he was mostly confident in wielding this form. It was the other form he was more iffy on, so he'd refrain from switching if he could.

Not like the Kishin Egg's had given him much choice.

Now that he'd made it inside, Matt had gotten with his assigned group and broken away from the others. He was passingly familiar with the base but he never really had the chance to go inside. It put an odd perspective on his situation.

He'd be more curious if it wasn't for the fact that the comms had stopped working on him. Of course things couldn't move smoothly. "Dammit."

Re: Group 6

[mock_me_vermin]

Raenef was not at all pleased with the situation. He was wary, and on-edge enough as it was, without the communicators apparently failing. "W-what happened? Why isn't it working? This place is creepy!" He exclaimed, hands to his head and all but flailing. Yes, Demon Lords were not supposed to be afraid of anything, but Raenef was a general exception to most Demon Lord conduct, as it were.

But, given a few moments, he seemed to calm down a little more, turning to Matt and Eclipse. "Should I teleport ahead to get a better look?" While he was nervous as heck, he wanted to help, and his teleportation was pretty useful after all. He wanted to do his best to help with this mission, to rescue Marie.

He couldn't refrain the slight shudder at the sight of the kishin eggs either, it was rather eerie, and he couldn't help but grab at Eclipse's sleeve.

[forthecamera]

Given that she was in her whip form, Rise couldn't appear in the surface as she usually did, given how little surface there was. Thankfully she could still speak and be heard clearly.

"If you think you can do so without being seen by anything, then that wouldn't be a bad idea. The sooner we can ascertain what's ahead the better we can plan for it."

[ARTILLERY GROUPS 1 AND 2] BAM! BAM BAM!

[daddyscythe]

You'd think that it would be easy for the artillery unit, right? Who knew these kishin eggs could move so fast on their feet! Unit 1 barely manages to start doing their job when a handful of kishin eggs start making their way to them. Unit 2 doesn't fare much better. Heads up, guys, you're being attacked.

UNIT 1

[thebestandwurst]

He'd been counting for the artillery units to remain safe. As far as he could tell, only Mustang and Elric were in any way fighters among the people holding the guns, and joining the mess below wasn't efficient.

Perhaps it was a miscalculation on his part to think that their position in relation to the more attractive guests below would keep the attack from them.

"Italien, you must shoot them before they reach us!" he commanded, already a rifle in his meister's hands.

pffffft synchronicity, we has it /reposts

[smokeeasy]

Murphy's Law of Combat No. 1: No battle plan ever survives contact with the enemy.

They're supposed to be providing the cover fire, right? Keeping the path clear for the teams rushing the entrance? Pity no one remembered to tell the enemy that's how it was supposed to work.

Hence, Murphy's Law of Combat No. 2: The only time suppressive fire works is when it is used on abandoned positions.

Which it wasn't. Ergo them being attacked now.

From within his weapon form, Badou caught sight of a kishin egg dashing towards them up the slope and closing fast, already too close for comfort. He was a pretty cool head in a firefight though, and he trusted Al--hell, if it came right down to it, Al could probably swing him around like a big old battering ram right into an enemy's chest. But he's still giving a warning shout for the whole group just in case.

Coming on our left!

u-u-u-unit 1???

[miarrendo]

Italy trembled as he heard the noise on all sides. But he tried his best to stay focused and do what Germany asked him. His first instinct was to run, of course. But so many people were counting on them. He shot blindly in the direction of the monsters, wailing the entire time.