Sutoratosu

"Rose, Wait!" Ethic called after the young woman in vane. "Great... just great." he turned around and picked up Enya's unconscious form from the ground along with her teddy bear, looking around the area. not a single other person was there, and it looked like Mr.Taylor and the Killer had gone off somewhere. "You know, rose..." he sighed. "You could've at least told me where the fuck everyone is before you stormed off!" But even as he said it, he was pushing aside his frustration and focusing on trying to take roll of those he had seen earlier. Alright... I know Enya, Mr.Taylor, Rose, Kenny, that Random Guy who helped me against the Keepers, Ellaria, and some other guy with a gun were all here when I looked over at the Cerberus fight earlier. He again looked around, taking note of just how messed up the place was now, stones broken and cracked and debris everywhere from the broken doors and what looked to be a stone wall. And of those 7, Mr.Taylor is...gone somewhere, Rose just headed off in a fury, Ellaria has apparently been kidnapped by the rat bastard, and Kenny blew up for some reason and is probably dead. I don't know what the hell happened to the guy with the large revolver, or the one that helped me and Kenny earlier... All that's left is Enya, and she was the only one still here when I arrived. She probably won't be able to answer any questions for a while though... He gazed up at the huge door way ahead of him, gaping open into the next circle. I'll have to just assume that either those two went ahead into the next circle already, or they both died fighting the three headed mut. As for Mr.Taylor... I could try finding him...no. no, he wouldn't want me to try that right now... and there's no way in hell I'm bringing Enya into that type of danger. I've got the hunch that the Psycho I torched earlier isn't above murdering innocent little girls. So with all these unknowns, I really only have one choice; wait for kenny to come back, if he is after that huge explosion, and then take Enya and him with me to the next circle... I don't think there's anyone else besides those two who I can possibly round up right now. Again he sighed, this time at his sheer lack of possible choices right now. He still cradled Enya in his arms as he called out into the area around him. "Hey, Kenny! If you're gonna come back from the dead after that big bang, then hurry up and do it already!" He again had completely forgot about the Giant though, and just now realized it for the second time. "And you," he said. "I don't know what's been going on or what's the story here, but if you're not going to try to kill any of us, then I'm fine with it. Are you going to be coming with us into the next Circle?"

Zephyr, you do realize what Zoroarks ability is, Right, soldier? OR maybe...hmmm....

"Rat?" Ethic asked, his face lighting up in surprise. "Hold on... That's...that should be impossible. After what I did to him back in the gardens..." The memory flashed through his mind of the grusome butcher's job he had performed, though he wasn't much bothered by it any longer. What he was truly bothered about was the fact that Quincy was obviously still running around down here. "Damn it," he growled. "That means I obviously failed... but fine, at least now I know that dismemberment won't prevent the whole revival effect down here." He stood from Enya's side and drew his weapon, looking at the doorway Cerberus had crashed through. "Rose..." he said, glaring off into the distance. He was going to find that damn rat, and he was going to make a pelt out of him this time. "Where are the others, we need to regroup quickly and get to the next circle... God help that Fucking rat when I spot him." Then he turned to look at the giant, almost forgetting he was even there. "And no," he said. "That rat is NOT our friend. He's a psychopath who's trying to kill us all one by one... But I'm going to find a way to ensure he can never touch anyone again...It's all just a matter of time."

Well, Soldier. It's here and now, Sink or Swim. not to late to beg for him to come back and give that sweet, sweet mercy deal... but as it currently stands, that kid's getting sent to the slammer... and damn, I love Galen's acting...

"Alright then..." he said, placing his aviators back on. "But it's a damn shame, Ezekiel, that is your name, right? at least that's what your friends Brian and Lia told me when they accepted the exact same deal I just offered you. It's not so much the information itself, it's being able to corroborate and validify everyone's story so that we can paint an accurate picture... But alright, fine... I mean, your buddies had the good sense to cooperate with me, and so did some of the others I interrogated tonight. they'll be walking out of this situation as free young men and women... from what they told me earlier, you'd be willing to accept the deal too and help us out." He pushed himself up from the table, standing. "But I guess they were wrong about you kid," he continued. "If you love crime so much that you're willing to throw away everything, then... I've done all I can to help you then. I've tried to pay forward the deed that was given to me; no skin off my back, my debt to Police Sergeant Virginia Greensworth has already been paid over time and time again." He walked over to the heavy door, opening it before glancing back at the kid. "Just remember..." he said. "Don't blame anyone but yourself for whatever happens to you in the future. I gave you a way out. My partner here, Sergeant Wakefield, gave you a way out. But you refused what we were trying to do to help you turn things around." With that he walked out of the room, slamming the door shut behind him in what seemed like frustration at having failed to turn the teen's life for the better. "Alright boy..." Sergeant Wakefeild (The Zoroark) said. "You've had your shot. Your friends chose freedom over crime, and they'll be sad to hear you didn't do the same... and I'll be sure to tell them as soon as I can that their buddy is going away for a long time." he walked over to where the boy sat, taking a pair of handcuffs from his belt. "Rise and put your hands behind your back, facing away from me and towards the wall. You're under arrest."

Super "I am simply known as Yelaza," Yelaza said, nodding to him. Snap "You seem preferable enough..." Aurelis said. "And on top of that amoung the only women in your group... Yes, I will accept you as my Rider, Octavia." Eric and Cesealia "You there," Eric called to Black Jack and Whitehoove as he hauled Aaron's body over, dragging him through the dirt by the back of the shirt. the boy's hands and feet were fully restrained with the odd magic the Apothecary wielded. "You two seem to be without riders..." "No," Whitehoove said. "Absilutely not... I already told that other one, I don't take riders, I'm the lead of this pack..." "It's not really a choice, you see..." Eric said simply, holding his palm as a seal resembling a black eagle in flight burned there. Fire began to crackle a little at his fingers as he glared at the horse. "I've got people who need saving, and there's no way in hell I'm going to let them die because you're too prideful to let me and this prisoner ride you for a little while. Got me, Friend?" "Hmmm... well, seems your a bit gutsier than the other guy." Whitehoove looked him over for a few seconds, circling around the young man. "Alright... you interest me, little man. I think I'll make an exception just to see how this plays out. Get on." Erick did just that, tossing the prisoner onto whitehooves back and then climbing on himself. "You have a name?" he asked the horse. "Do you really need the name of someone you just threatened to burn?" "Fair point..." He said, turning his attention to the others as Cesealia managed to work out her own bargain with Blackjack... he seemed to be far more accepting of her than of Trystane. "It's time to head out and get some damn answers," he said. "Does everyone have a mount now? you've all had long enough..."

"Yes!" Anansi said in approval. "Yes! this is precisely what is needed! Fight for no God, none of you, but for your fellow man!" he nodded to Sinbad and Darius, noticeably skipping over Zoliver... his reply had worried the judge. "That is what must motivate at the end of the day, when Orphont is unable to help you and you must rely on the help and strength of those fighting alongside you instead!" he then turned to Gideon, looking at him expectantly. "And what of you, Gideon?" he inquired. "Will you accept this fight?"

"Good." Anansi said cryptically to Darius, his voice a perfect monotone again. "Fight for for your fellow man, Darius, that is all that is needed to win this. But I must correct you on one account; Rossephus had no hand in the evil that perverted the earth before the Nix War. That was entirely of mankind's doing, those who succumbed willfully chose to do so and give in; without the influence of any other being. Those who did not, they chose to resist of their own free will. People have choices in what they do, and that can't be taken from them. Which is exactly why I am asking what you all will do. And I'm not going to bother asking you to disregard any of the stigmas you have heard about the man tonight... Someday he'll prove to you that he is far different in actuality than what Stratos or anyone else has told you." He then turned to Zoliver, making a mental to keep an eye on him in the future... that smugness could end up posing a threat to his allies. "That makes two who have pledged out of you four..." he said. "What of you, Gideon, Sinbad?"

Very well then, Sergeant. I do beleive I'll take the "Placebo" route you proposed (It believes it makes it stronger) since that could prove quite interesting for me to do something with in the future

"Calm yourself, Darius," Anansi warned, his voice even and calm in response to the anger he sensed from the man. "Despite what you may be thinking right now, I am no enemy of yours." he turned and watched the old man in the distance begin to march forward along the field, gazing up into the sky, scanning for his foe. "And that 'Mindless Drone Routine You witnessed earlier? That was naught more than an act I put on to make it easier for you all to trust me. Tell me, how would you have reacted if right from the get-go, I had come out as some almighty spider being, proclaiming Prohpets and prophecies and saying you were all destined to help save this world? I know full well from your personas that not one of you would've believed it. So I had to take a subtle route, implaninting myself in an area where I knew you would soon arrive, and approaching you in a less grandiose and ridiculous sounding way. Forgive me for the deception, but I and Orphont see all the futures that can be... and this was the only path that would ensure you all would actually listen. But look at where you stand now, at what you are doing. It worked, did this path not? you all are listening to me council and not disregarding me as some figment of exhaustion." He turned to Darius now, gazing right into the man's eyes without emotion. "And do not Blame the Lord Orphont, or God, rather, for this, boy... He has done all that it is currently within his power to do to prevent this from ever occurring. Long he even passed his mantle onto two others in order to fully devote his efforts to halting and destroying the thing that is threatening this world. You have no idea how long and hard he's toiled, since before this version of "Time" even began. But the thing he fights to hold back is too powerful... for it draws power from the very worlds that have been created, and from the darkness and oblivion in the hearts of all sentient beings, be they men or other races." he broke off his stare, returning it to the geezer on the battle field. "The Alpha and the Omega are not enough..." he began, voice so serious is was damn near depressing. "God himself is not enough. Something older than time is encroaching upon us all." he cast a glance back to the group. "What we need are heroes...What we need are Saviors. And we need them now." he crept closer to Darius now, for the first time there was actual emotion on his face... it was anger, pure hot anger. "And as for the Nix War..." he snarled viciously, just inches from the man's face. the amount of pressure his body was exerting felt suffocating. "Do not go condemning the actions of myself and Orphont and the Conqueror in that war's orchestration when you've no idea the state that the world was in immediately prior to it. I did not want to resort to such actions that were, but it was the only way." He backed away from Darius a little just as the Pressure began to get unbearable on his body, obviously wishing to avoid accidentally killing the man by standing too close. The feeling of suffocation lifted immediately. "The souls of most men and women in the world had fallen, you see. They had given in to the darkness and the void, their hearts tainted by evil. Do you know how many nations there were, boy? how many empires, tribes, overlords and abusers of the black arts? The world had become a complete shit hole, completely run by the wicked, the dishonest, the traitorous and the immoral. Armies swarmed across lands, raping and pillaging and murdering with every mile. People starved in the streets as their Rulers sat obese and content in their lavish palicades!!!" He slamed a fist into the earth in his rising rage and man's past behavior, shattering the stone plateau like glass and threatening to destroy the whole rock formation. He composed himself a moment later, however, and the massive tremor stopped. "You have no idea how many individuals I damned straight to hell during that time!" he roared at the man. "They disgusted me, each and every one of them, each and every act! Men treated one another other worse than animals do! For every Virtuous and pure soul I judged, there were some fifty or sixty more befouled ones! An enemy was at the gates of this world, and myself and those others in God's service did what needed to be done to cleanse the world of such evil! I scoured the earth, taking note of all those virtuous souls alive, while another went into the realm of Nix and tore the portal open the a rift from that world to this one! You have heard of him already, I am sure you were told before; his name is Rossephus!" the tremors began again, and a bit of fire began to spurt out of the fissures running all across the place, but he further calmed his growing temper and they subsided along with the flames. "I am the one responsible for the Nix War, Knight," he hissed. "But there is only one thing for you to know more about this; No good person was ever harmed during those one hundred years. I made sure of it, each and every nix that poured forth from the rift was programmed to overlook anyone whose heart was not engulfed in Evil. and even still, I watched over them all, guiding them to new homes and cities when theirs were ruined by the armies of the damned who had attempted fighting against the forces I unleashed to purge the earth. I ensured they lived... and then the day finally came when the earth was clean again... and I mourned...so long.... so much. By the time I had separated the righteous and good from the besmirched, barely any of the world's populace had passed judgement and survived. Do you understand, boy? God and myself nearly failed once, had we taken any longer to set about what we did... the Shadow would've won. Mankind would've fallen, and the end of all things would've occurred when he challenged my master and overthrew him and reset all things to zero; to nothingness... But I will not allow us to come that close to failure again." the determination in his voice was a bit contagious as he went on, passing out of his anger. "From that day forward, I plotted the endgame... the final conflict and resolution. The foe who seeks nothingness WILL be slain. Mankind WILL survive... but the future is written in sand, Darius, Sinbad, Gideon and Zoliver. It shifts and changes constantly, and so I shift my planning constantly, tucking and severing different parts of my intricate web... and in every outcome that is favorable that I have foreseen... you all always have a role in it." he turned to look at everyone. "But you must be willing to take up that role..." he said simply. "I can not, nor will not force it upon you... but from what I see, you make up four of the ten individuals who are needed to find and awaken those heroes who are slumbering across the planet." "what of us then," Absalom interjected, his face unreadable. "You are worthless in this conflict." Anansi sighed. "Please, forgive the harshness of that statement, but there is no simpler way to put it, Absalom. You and Lucian both, mere fodder... I am sorry, but it is what I have foreseen. their are ten who are capable, and no more besides the heroes themselves. any others enter the fray at their own risk, and their own fate is left to great chance. Far greater than them." he gestured to the warriors. Thats it? Absalom thought to himself. Worthless? Is that what I am? if that is it, if I honestly don't matter and can't do anything... then why should I bother fighting if they're the only ones who can do it? Then the memory of how his father died flashed through his mind... but even that wasn't going to shake his second thoughts now. From what this thing had just ranted on about...whatever they were facing was far more powerful than anything the world had yet seen... what chance did he stand? "Is that so then...?" he asked simply, his resolve slowly crumbling to pieces as he began to shake a little as he thought about how things could go if it came down to him and whatever these four men were going to be up against. the only thing that stopped his quaking from becoming noticeable was Lucian placing his hand on the boy's shoulder. "Fodder or no..." he said, "I will still fight beside them...to save my own soul if for nothing else. Being expendable isn't anywhere near as bad a fate as what you described to me earlier..." Absalom did not share the older boy's courage though, and did not feel any trickle back into him either. "Then my offer for you will remain in place, Lucian," Anansi said, turning his attention back to the group. "As for you all... I shall now ask the ultimate question... will you accept this fight? will you accept your roles in helping to end this war?"

OH...nevermind then soldier, forget about that twenty then. I'm still going to wait for Sergeant's verdict on the matter before going further though.

Soldier...that in no way answers the question I posed to Sergeant Chimchain. Now drop and give me twenty for lack of relevancy!

Thank you, Cadet... And Sergeant Chimchain... I just know thought to ask this: what's going to be the deal with how the Thick Club on the Cubone is going to be handled? As you can plainly see in it's right hand, sir, it;s the sole weapon it uses and It pretty much always carries it and is always found with one in the wild (Not in the games necessarily, but from a common sense perspective, as well as in the anime appearances). It apparently doubles the things attack stat when held...so... how you are you going to call this in terms of in battle scenarios? would Mareek have to take it away (which would probably be rather hard physically for him and emotionally for the Cubone) before a fight as in accordance with the no items policy, or are you just gonna go the Nerf Route and remove it's held effect or something?

Oh, you were talking about Bagon. Nevermind then, Soldiers.

What, you wanted one too, Cadet? go ahead. Mareek's is just going to be intended to be used for some serious character development for the rest of the foreseeable story.

Beautiful... simply beautiful. 10/10 on the speech Galen. would definitely listen again, soldier.

"Fine then," Galen said simply upon hearing the teen's refusal. "You don't have to go home, you're almost a legal adult, afterall. You could go and find a job somewhere. find a nice girl, or boy, if that's your fancy, to get to know. or get an advanced education and start a career... it really doesn't matter kid, just so long as it's legal and it's something to make more of yourself than the criminal that you technically are now, and are going to be even more of in the future. It doesn't even matter if you don't have alot of information about RoG, your the low, low man on the totem, I get that. Just go through what happened to you during the time you spent in their ranks, and I can get the Prosecutor to come around to dropping the charges." he sat down in the chair behind him, tired of standing during all of this talking. "I'm gonna be honest, kid," he continued. "I used to be a lot like you, once upon a time. Leaving my family behind, acting out, getting into the wrong crowds and hanging with the wrong people. and you know what? I got in trouble, too. I was once in the same position you are right now; sitting across an Interrogation table from an Officer. and it was a serious crime too, I served as the unknowing look out while my supposed 'buddies', whom I thought I could trust so much, knocked off a convenience store and ended up crippling the clerk. I was an accessory to the crime kid, whether I knew it or not at the time it happened. But you know what happened? that officer sitting across from me... she gave me mercy instead of just booking me and sending me off to wait trial and sentencing... My 'buddies' all ditched me at the scene the moment the sirens stared coming down the road, and I was left standing there, going 'What the fuck is going on?'. I made a bad choice, and it got me into that situation. I had no one else to blame but myself, not my psuedo friends, I should've known to not hang around with them in the first place. But that officer...that one officer didn't think that my one mistake should cost me the rest of my life; the clerk was hurt bad, real bad, let me tell ya... poor man never walked again... but that Officer did one thing to me as I sat where you sit right now. She gave me an offer; Cooperate and she'd make it so that I could get a chance to learn from my mistake and turn my life around. She gave me a second chance, boy... I was too stupid to give myself one back before it all hapened, when I could do it without having to go through being arrested... but she gave me another shot. And if wasn't for that Lady Officer, I wouldn't be sitting here across from you today, trying to talk you out of what you're thinking. I'd either be in jail, or dead in the gutter." He leaned forward on the table again, once more taking off his Aviators and making direct Eye contact with Zeke. The cold, intense color of his eyes was a bit unsettling..maybe even intimidating to a degree. "And now I'm paying the deed forward, son," he finally said, getting to his point. "I got a second chance despite my mistakes, and now I'm trying to give you the same thing. Just because you went and fucked up once doesn't mean you should be totally damned for it. It's honestly not my concern whether or not you choose to see you folks, what is my major concern is that I prevent a kid who just got a bit lost along the path of life from getting sent to prison for the rest of it. I'm going to ask you one last time, boy... Are you going to cooperate with me tonight? IT doesn't matter how much or how little information on RoG you have, just so long as your willing to share it and you share all of it. You do that, and I can promise you that you'll get another shot at life, because as the situation currently stands, yours is virtually over. So what's it going to be kid? You're up a rough stream without a paddel... are you going to be smart and accept the one I'm trying to give you?"

Alright, I've made my decision, Cadets. Cubone it is. (but Mareek is still going to be pursuing a Maril for the time being... I've got something planned.) Now, Sergeant Chimchain, where in these hills would one be able to find that?

You're accepted, Soldier

Mareek walked silently along the path behind the others, Java floating by his side. "Make sure to keep an eye out for any bodies of water," He said, keeping his attention on the untrustworthy trail ahead. It wasn't so difficult if he paid attention to what was in-front of him and had the Porygon do all the sight seeing and observing for him. meanwhile he could pick up snippets of the conversation from behind him going on between Lana and a few others. Good to see she's getting better at it... seems I've been able to help her out. He thought to himself, Smiling like an idiot and not even realizing it. but what he did notice was the stray rock he tripped on a few seconds later. Java saved him from face planting with a quick, low power psybeam though, pushing him back up into balance and staring at him, rolling it's eyes. "Thanks..." he said sheepishly, feeling like an idiot now rather than just smiling like one. Java simply turned and headed off again. I really need to stay focused... he scalded himself, resuming the walk. Get my head out of the clouds...

Sorry if Ethic didn't see Ellaria when he was looking over at the fight before, Captain Rose. She's somewhat of an invisible character at times.

"She wasn't here when I got over," Ethic said, casting a glance around the area. Actually, it seemed as though Enya was the only one besides Kenny who had even been around the area of the blast, if he went by the individuals he could currently see...or that he didn't see rather. "Was she here helping you guys fight Cerberus?"

I can neither confirm nor deny that, Cadet. You'll simply have to be left wondering whether it's the right deduction or not.

"Leonidas knows all those who need to be awakened, and the places of their rebirths," Anansi answered. "He will lead you to them. As for how to awaken them... you must first resolve their most pressing business in this life before they can realize who and what they truly are. It can be anything really... just know that whatever their greatest personal conflict occupying them is, it must be resolved." he returned his attention to the others. "And I suggest you ask me all your questions here and now."