Oblitus Magia: Verse 1 - Fateful Encounter in the City of Fools

[KingofPie]

Omu crawls from the elevator shaft, just moments before the elevator proper reaches there.....and with a ding the door slides open and releases its contents.

The old lady walks out....looks around and mutters about being on the wrong floor before waking back into the elevator.

Omu, slightly surprised at the sight of the old woman, only watched as she hobbled back to the elevator...

Ah, right. She sniffing to confirm... something, the Dragon put the elderly woman quickly to use; her tail snaking itself around her waist. "You'll suffice," came the analytical response as the woman was brought to the Chimera's eye-level. Plucking a glowing scale from her tail, her hand blurred, a single claw slicing into the woman's shoulder to create a "pocket" for the Lamellar Battery to be thrust into... along with one of the opened cartridges. "Your pain will be temporary, old mage. It is a wonder you were allowed your freedom, considering that moldering strength of yours."

The old woman was in too much pain to respond...

Without another word to the woman- or Xia who was surely nearby- the Dragon began to close on the visible mage... gift offering hidden in the tangle of her coiled tail.

And right into the hands of Little Miss Bad News over there. That girl was increasingly worrisome. But maybe he could avoid trouble by making a quick exit.

Looking up, he saw the girl he met earlier in the prison. The one who nabbed the sword out of the storage room and killed the guard. She coukd, fly, eh? Omu pondered for a moment. He hasn't considered it at first but mayhap it was time for a little fresh recruitment drive.

It had been a while since the Omukade Ninja had an influx of new members.

Kinu started bolting with the chair at her side as she leapt onto the railing, stopping short when she noted the sheer speed at which Owen had been launched.

Guess that concludes negotiations on one front. Shame, she was just starting to like the Gumshoe. If Meryl wasn't willing to talk that'd pretty much be the end of him.

And with her strange, weightless movement defying gravity, it seemed it was going to be quite the task to reach the height. And the people-



With the bang of a gun, they were off to the races. It seemed Owen was playing the long game from a far enough range. It won't do to go in hard, not while Vivienne can mind-move in an instant.

But the people of A-9 had given her two things, and what kind of performer doesn't give back to the audience?



Still afoot atop the railing, steel chair hanging over the walkway, Kinu's masked face leaned over to those who spilled out of the elevator. A centipede. A gargantuan woman covered in scales. The centipede. An addled old woman who wandered out. The centipe- ...that's a very long land-lobster...

It seemed they'd left well enough alone for the rest of the ordinary ones in the elevator, which meant with this procession of monsters and magical things, the Witches might be persuaded to leave well enough alone.

"..haah?"

Suddenly from her perch on the turnbuckle, a new challenger entered the fray, and - whoa! She hadn't seen someone with that level of hangtime before. Not since...

"Slick landing, there," she must have come back up when Rosie had gone down to fetch Mulvric...but the more important thing was she seemed eager to fight a witch.

"Blue is a big talker, all she has to do is sight you like Gumshoe Poppins up there and you might as well be gone. Which means we've got to keep moving. Unfortunately, she's got backup." Kinu explained, pointing to Meryl standing upside down under the shattered glass pane.

"Fortunately, we've rigged up things a little," she said, pointing to the maintenance ladders hanging from the rafters on the roof and the numerous tables and chairs stacked at strange angles. "You can reach them...if you can keep up.

She then stood up on the railing and raised her hands to get the attention of the crowd of refugees as she shouted

"Because, even though they're from the Administratum," she shouted "This is our house now. Pack it in, A-9, and leave this one to us! Welcome to Skyport Smackdown."

Omu listened intently to the conversation between Attitude and this new woman who turned out to be quite the human loudspeaker. This....wasn't a situation he should stick around for. Two witches? Not something he's wanna deal with. Though maybe he could....nah. Weren't worth it.

Recruitment could wait, Omu wanted outta here.

[MrSandman]

“A moment.”

His psychokinesis, having carefully been used to manipulate his revolver up and away slyly, pulls the trigger three times.

Right at the back of the Ice Queen’s head and torso.

Below them, the gun fire three times......three times....

....and three times it struck the back of an invisible field surrounding the witch.

While she had some inkling of the intention of the Detective, the trajectory managed to elude her.....and was surprised(a little, definitely not enough to show.....reputation and all) enough to glance away.

Also acting as a signal to the rest.

"ALRIGHT BOYS! RIP INTO EM!" Mercer screamed as the rebels threw themsleves up and opened concentrated fire down on vivianne. Her barrier lit up as hundred of rounds slammed into it....creating a spectacular light show......albeit, an ineffective one. In response, Vivianne seemed so resist a sigh....or maybe it was a yawn......and moved to cast something....

.,..but stopped, tilted her head, and shook her head.

".......of course...." she muttered to nobody in particular and simply held her ground.

Ah, right. She sniffing to confirm... something, the Dragon put the elderly woman quickly to use; her tail snaking itself around her waist. "You'll suffice," came the analytical response as the woman was brought to the Chimera's eye-level. Plucking a glowing scale from her tail, her hand blurred, a single claw slicing into the woman's shoulder to create a "pocket" for the Lamellar Battery to be thrust into... along with one of the opened cartridges. "Your pain will be temporary, old mage. It is a wonder you were allowed your freedom, considering that moldering strength of yours."

The old woman was in too much pain to respond...

Without another word to the woman- or Xia who was surely nearby- the Dragon began to close on the visible mage... gift offering hidden in the tangle of her coiled tail.

...and then someone much bigger....but equally as ineffectually emerged from the elevator and charged in her direction.

Vivianne allowed the dragon to close in.....and then Arx felt something seize her tail. Immediately her forward momentum stopped....as if a dozen powerful hands had seized her mid rush.

"What a brute.....just like the report said. Your the "witch killer" aren't you." Vivianne raised a brow "I'm honored......never before have I been in the presence of such a....a....coward? Yes, coward will suffice." She folded her hands and simply smiled. "What was it......stabbed her in the back I think? I only glanced the report....I'm sure it was something equally brutal and unnecessary."

[MrSandman]

OT: How sincere does she seem, and what does he read from her via his abilities?

She's 100% sincere in what she's saying.

As for what he can see....She's not as "magic" fueled as Vivianne....her power seems to have manifested as an super human body with some more subtle skills tucked away.

[MrSandman]

Morgen was not a medic by any means, but she bid her time tending to the wounds of some of the civilians gathered on level three. The bridge explosion was not without some collateral human damage, and she had rudimentary knowledge of first-aid. She loathed to touch strangers, but she kept it largely to herself as she set a makeshift splint on a man's injured leg. It would seem some of them were rather unlucky, she'd thought, though the unlucky ones were likely dead as opposed to merely hurt. Her gaze turned to the elevator, which reached its destination judging by the lights.

They were still waiting on more civilians, and topside would certainly be in a state of chaos, if it wasn't already. She held her breath. It wasn't like her to hesitate... she'd been beaming with confidence not long ago, but a swift strike to the torso had left her humbled. Sighing once more, she leaned over and looked to the rebels' quarry.

"Mulvric... say they don't make it back down--" Morgen stopped herself, then shook her head. "I apologize, never mind. I'm just not sure what I should do right now, I must be in over my head..."

"Being in over your head is fine.....as long as you can keep kicking." Mulvric answered. "Your a mighty fine medic miss.....I'm sure these men and women appreciate it.......ya...ya remind me of my youngin...." he glanced away. "All spunk and spry, always tackling things that's way over her head.....Ye'd get along."

[MrSandman]

Selma's first instinct at the woman's actions was to deem what Vivianne had done an act of war and that she should take aim and fire at her. However, the blonde managed to still her arms and keep the gun at a low-ready position, keeping her eyes trained on whom was logically the bigger threat at the moment, leaving the other as secondary until she proved otherwise.

Instead, Selma decided to ask a question that was tickling her mind, so she called out loudly to Vivianne "Hey witch! I know you're gonna likely kill the rebels, but what exactly are you and your pal planning on doing to everyone else here?"

"Assuming they haven't done anything to assist subversive elements.....let them go, of course." Vivianne answered as if it were the most natural and obvious answer to the question. "What foolish thoughts did EN drudge up in your feeble head......perhaps you should take the words of terrorists with a grain of salt, yes?"

Despite being thoroughly insulting, its not like she was wrong....was she?

[Cthulhu_of_R'lyeh]

...and then someone much bigger....but equally as ineffectually emerged from the elevator and charged in her direction.

Vivianne allowed the dragon to close in.....and then Arx felt something seize her tail. Immediately her forward momentum stopped....as if a dozen powerful hands had seized her mid rush.

"What a brute.....just like the report said. Your the "witch killer" aren't you." Vivianne raised a brow "I'm honored......never before have I been in the presence of such a....a....coward? Yes, coward will suffice." She folded her hands and simply smiled. "What was it......stabbed her in the back I think? I only glanced the report....I'm sure it was something equally brutal and unnecessary."

The Dragon grinned, despite the situation she now found herself in. "More of a blowhard than the last one..."

Unseen hands gripping her tail, the Dragon didn't bother to struggle. She simply uncoiled it, allowing the elderly woman to slump to the floor. "Clearly can't read, either. Ah well, the Orphanage never did you lot any favors." Just seasoned the meat. "Ah..." the Dragon backed up a step. Then two. "Though it seems you've got me by the tail. Clearly a step above the norm."

There she is.

In one smooth motion, the elderly woman was booted at Vivienne.

[The Dog]

"Assuming they haven't done anything to assist subversive elements.....let them go, of course." Vivianne answered as if it were the most natural and obvious answer to the question. "What foolish thoughts did EN drudge up in your feeble head......perhaps you should take the words of terrorists with a grain of salt, yes?"

Despite being thoroughly insulting, its not like she was wrong....was she?

'Now I kind of want to shoot her just because she's being a bitch.' Selma thought irritably.

Clearing her throat, Selma spoke up "I don't know who EN is and I've certainly never talked to him... or her. Don't want to make any assumptions in that regard. Now, I don't know if the people you're after are terrorists, and I don't care. I know I should, but today is on the short list of worst days of my life, so at the moment I'm in no mood to care about you or your Government bullshit. What I am in the mood to care about is the scared, hurt, innocent people whose lives have been ripped asunder by the Ruin and not wanting them to needlessly die at the hands of an Administratum witch."

"Now, I don't really want to deal with you and your 'condescending with a splash of bitch' attitude right now, so if you could move along and leave the innocent people alone, I'd be happy."

[bruceleegreyhulk]

Jacob has his sniper rifle ready and pointing at Vivianne." Damn witch, I really want to put a bullet through you damn head," Jacob said as he tenses on the trigger.

" Your thinking about your family, aren't you, Jacob? wait, do witches having something to do with your wife and kids' deaths?

" Shut the hell up you damn hallucination that is none of your damn business. I have my reasons for hating witches," Jacob said.

" I'm sorry it seems like a hit a nerve there. **** with what's going on here, The boss woman, the Overlord of Reikai ( The Spirit Realm.), is mostly likely in a serious bad mood right now. My time in this realm with you Jacob might be cut short depending on the boss woman's mood," Rhea said.

" Heh, if this Reikai is real, why don't you take me there one day, you damn hallucination," Jacob said.

" Absolutely not. It is strictly forbidden for the living to enter Reikai. I do not want to get on The boss woman's bad side," Rhea said.

[The Chou Lives]

"Of course they deserved it." Meryl tilted her head to an obscene angle. "They were evil....and evil people get punished."

"But enough of the obvious.....what abo.."



Meryl causally backhands the ball of energy, exploding it within arms reach and pulling back a barely singed arm.

"What about you? Mister Detective!" She put a particular embellishment on saying his title, giving the burn on her hand a lick. "....are you a bad person? Or are you just a sad man who could save a childdd...." In the blink of an eye she had him by the throat, lifting him skyward like a cloth hand puppet and waving him in the air. "That's the difference between us now, detective....I have the power to save people....I can kill the bad guys. I'm the GOD DAMN HERO!" She pinned him up against a raised wall....letting him hang there a moment, then released her grip. "......Oh...Oh I'm soo sorry.....Your not a bad person....what was I thinking..." Meryl suddenly seemed flustered. "....y....you can hit me if it makes you feel better....I won't mind...."

“ Oh really?! Bitch you do not know me do you... I thought I was a hero, but I am so much... Less.”

The mana ball did not work, felt tendon damage and such from the shaking as his bio feed back told him. He uttered one last word.

“ Bang.”

He snaps his fingers right in her eyes, cue a hellish torrent of flames right into her as the nspalm fury erupted her. His scars are precious burns so was used to it.:

[Sub-Zero MKA]

Still afoot atop the railing, steel chair hanging over the walkway, Kinu's masked face leaned over to those who spilled out of the elevator. A centipede. A gargantuan woman covered in scales. The centipede. An addled old woman who wandered out. The centipe- ...that's a very long land-lobster...

It seemed they'd left well enough alone for the rest of the ordinary ones in the elevator, which meant with this procession of monsters and magical things, the Witches might be persuaded to leave well enough alone.

"..haah?"

Suddenly from her perch on the turnbuckle, a new challenger entered the fray, and - whoa! She hadn't seen someone with that level of hangtime before. Not since...

"Slick landing, there," she must have come back up when Rosie had gone down to fetch Mulvric...but the more important thing was she seemed eager to fight a witch.

"Blue is a big talker, all she has to do is sight you like Gumshoe Poppins up there and you might as well be gone. Which means we've got to keep moving. Unfortunately, she's got backup." Kinu explained, pointing to Meryl standing upside down under the shattered glass pane.

"Fortunately, we've rigged up things a little," she said, pointing to the maintenance ladders hanging from the rafters on the roof and the numerous tables and chairs stacked at strange angles. "You can reach them...if you can keep up.

She then stood up on the railing and raised her hands to get the attention of the crowd of refugees as she shouted

"Because, even though they're from the Administratum," she shouted "This is our house now. Pack it in, A-9, and leave this one to us! Welcome to Skyport Smackdown."

This woman was strange. Xia was used to eccentric people in strange clothing. Perhaps that was why she felt a tiny smile tugging on the edges of her otherwise grim glower.

Blue, she assumed, was the Witch in white and blue. It sounded like she could teleport people against their will, or some kind of force push thing. She wasn't sure; she hadn't studied mental powers all that extensively. What she did know was that those with mental powers were usually weaklings, could barely throw a punch, and could be overwhelmed if faced with too many angles to compensate for. Down below, "Blue" was facing one-on-one with the Dragon, and seemed to have the advantage. That was until the Dragon...kicked...the old woman from the elevator at her.

?

She started to speak when Mask stood on the rail and started screaming at the people down below. There were still civilians down there. The situation was precarious, especially with the Dragon having shown no regard for the innocent lives that happened to be standing between herself and her prey. "Those people need to leave. The Dragon doesn't give two shits about them and will kill them if they get between her and that Witch." She looked over the rail at Blue, then up at where her help was up above. "If we fight together, I think we can take the Blue one down below. If I can get close, I can give you a window. Only for a few seconds, but that should be enough if you're ready."

[Cleric of Hell’s Brigade]

Before Owen can reply, with his Odin’s Eye he sees the napalm user’s intent before it explodes in Meryl’s face.

Desperately, Owen tries to reach out with part of psychokinesis and pull Meryl out of the way. There has to still be a chance to save her.

“Meryl! You can be a hero, but this isn’t the way! The Administration let you suffer before they saved you. They knew what was happening and let you be hurt. I have the evidence! Please, you can be so much more than their puppet! A true hero!”

He also makes sure his revolver floats back up to a hidden location while forming the rest of his power into a wedge before him in case she goes for his throat again.

[Noldere]

Somewhere, at an altitude higher than the floating Vivianne but below Meryl on the top of the terminal's roof, an invisible Lucifer observed the two Witches and those currently opposing them with his Radiant Sight- certain that while there was possibly no future in aiding the latter there was ultimately absolutely no future in aiding the former, and no future worth mentioning in leaving both to their fates. Which meant the only real option was to aid in those opposing the Witches- and hope it didn't come around to ruin him in the end. How, though? One has a barrier or force field strong enough to block gunfire and whatever , while the other just backhanded a ball of fire as though it it were a toy.

So...

It wasn't as if things were completely hopeless; the barrier, while proving to be good against bullets, was obviously unable to block everything- else no one would be able to actually see the Witch in question. And though the latter dealt with the attack on herself with contempt, it still had an effect- however minor it may have been; continuous output of that magnitude or better may very well cause lasting harm.

...who's first?

Between the two, Vivianne definitely felt like she was the greater threat and- ironically- the easiest to strike at, given her trust in her shield and aerial mobility to keep her from harm. Assuming that his light could go through the barrier, he'd have the best chance of dealing damage to her without ruining another's plans-

In one smooth motion, the elderly woman was booted at Vivienne.

-or catching other people in the crossfire, assuming of course that more people didn't somehow enter into said crossfire, that is.

You it is, then.

Moving to a lower position, preferably between the ground and Vivianne but not inbetween those firing and her, Lucifer waited for the thrown woman to clear the danger zone.

[Tami]

Edited out.

[grampagen]

This woman was strange. Xia was used to eccentric people in strange clothing. Perhaps that was why she felt a tiny smile tugging on the edges of her otherwise grim glower.

Blue, she assumed, was the Witch in white and blue. It sounded like she could teleport people against their will, or some kind of force push thing. She wasn't sure; she hadn't studied mental powers all that extensively. What she did know was that those with mental powers were usually weaklings, could barely throw a punch, and could be overwhelmed if faced with too many angles to compensate for. Down below, "Blue" was facing one-on-one with the Dragon, and seemed to have the advantage. That was until the Dragon...kicked...the old woman from the elevator at her.

?

She started to speak when Mask stood on the rail and started screaming at the people down below. There were still civilians down there. The situation was precarious, especially with the Dragon having shown no regard for the innocent lives that happened to be standing between herself and her prey. "Those people need to leave. The Dragon doesn't give two shits about them and will kill them if they get between her and that Witch.

Below them, the gun fire three times......three times....

....and three times it struck the back of an invisible field surrounding the witch.

While she had some inkling of the intention of the Detective, the trajectory managed to elude her.....and was surprised(a little, definitely not enough to show.....reputation and all) enough to glance away.


"ALRIGHT BOYS! RIP INTO EM!" Mercer screamed as the rebels threw themsleves up and opened concentrated fire down on vivianne. Her barrier lit up as hundred of rounds slammed into it....creating a spectacular light show......albeit, an ineffective one. In response, Vivianne seemed so resist a sigh....or maybe it was a yawn......and moved to cast something....

.,..but stopped, tilted her head, and shook her head.

".......of course...." she muttered to nobody in particular and simply held her ground.

With this stranger joining the fray, from her perch on the rail overlooking the huddled civilians Kinu began to slowly lift her hands to her sides. This was it, the very thing she had been searching fo-

BRAKKALAKKARAKKATATTAT---!!!

"...oy."

The guns at Mercer's command cracked through the open space of the Terminal as sharp as the shards of glass. For what it was worth, covering fire against a witch seemed to be pinning her down. It didn't seem to be doing any favours with morale though.

"oy, oy, OY, OY!!!"

Turning about face, Kinu's muffled volume somehow seemed to compete with the firefight before them, giving the civilians a raging, frothing reminder.

"ORRrrrRRAAA! YARRRrrrRROO-KA?!!?!??!!"

That as many parties seemed to rampage and converge around Vivianne, and the magically tempered grasp of her mind under the authority of a witch, there was a cadre that was going to fight for them. And don't they forget it. For the moment, it seemed Xia had the same idea, although she seemed a bit reserved about it. Heh, butterflies.

...and then someone much bigger....but equally as ineffectually emerged from the elevator and charged in her direction.

Vivianne allowed the dragon to close in.....and then Arx felt something seize her tail. Immediately her forward momentum stopped....as if a dozen powerful hands had seized her mid rush.

"What a brute.....just like the report said. Your the "witch killer" aren't you." Vivianne raised a brow "I'm honored......never before have I been in the presence of such a....a....coward? Yes, coward will suffice." She folded her hands and simply smiled. "What was it......stabbed her in the back I think? I only glanced the report....I'm sure it was something equally brutal and unnecessary."

She looked over the rail at Blue, then up at where her help was up above. "If we fight together, I think we can take the Blue one down below. If I can get close, I can give you a window. Only for a few seconds, but that should be enough if you're ready."

"The Witch may be strong and she may be fast, but she don't know how to take her chance, you know what I mean?!" Kinu replied to Xia, "She ain't hands-on with the mind-movement, which means it must take a great amount of focus."

She rapped her knuckled on the seat of the folded chair in a playful rhythm.

"You're light on your feet, Airwalk. Now tell me if you got something else. Can you bring the pain?!"

The Dragon grinned, despite the situation she now found herself in. "More of a blowhard than the last one..."

Unseen hands gripping her tail, the Dragon didn't bother to struggle. She simply uncoiled it, allowing the elderly woman to slump to the floor. "Clearly can't read, either. Ah well, the Orphanage never did you lot any favors." Just seasoned the meat. "Ah..." the Dragon backed up a step. Then two. "Though it seems you've got me by the tail. Clearly a step above the norm."

There she is.

In one smooth motion, the elderly woman was booted at Vivienne.

Of course, it seemed the Dragon Xia had mentioned earlier had charged ahead and got ahead of them...and a member of the crowd got caught up in it?!

How. Dare. "Attacking some fool who wanted to step up to swing, that's one thing, but this won't fly, dammit."

But this was the way things were, spiraling into chaos. All she could do now was ride the wave and try to improvise with it. Beating the back of the chair to those horrified spectators still waiting for their lift out, she tried to coax them into a rhythm.

"If you're good to open a can of whoopass on these Admin-Tools, Airwalk," she said to Xia, "then LET'S GO!!!"

And with a great leap, the rigid catwalk railing surged with some subtle power and...distorted, and with a great leap Kinu exploded up off the top rope of the Squared Circle, leaping forward to put the people's stage into action.

[Sub-Zero MKA]

"The Witch may be strong and she may be fast, but she don't know how to take her chance, you know what I mean?!" Kinu replied to Xia, "She ain't hands-on with the mind-movement, which means it must take a great amount of focus."

She rapped her knuckled on the seat of the folded chair in a playful rhythm.

"You're light on your feet, Airwalk. Now tell me if you got something else. Can you bring the pain?!"

The woman sounded just like one of those pretend fighters she watched on Chan Li's TV at one point. The ones who threw fake punches and pretended their armbars hurt each other. It was disgraceful, but the way they hyped up the crowd was always entertaining. Easily the best part.

This was a real fight. There was barely any room for hyping up the crowd, and certainly none for standing around talking. "I have a few tricks still up my sleeve." The battle with the guards had drained a lot of her energy to the point that she felt she only airwalk once more, and had only one more sneak attack in her. She knew what she needed to do, and felt that she could create an opening for herself if she did it. As per usual, timing was everything. The Witches were powerful; she didn't know much about mental powers, but she knew they were annoying for people like her.

Of course, it seemed the Dragon Xia had mentioned earlier had charged ahead and got ahead of them...and a member of the crowd got caught up in it?!

How. Dare. "Attacking some fool who wanted to step up to swing, that's one thing, but this won't fly, dammit."

But this was the way things were, spiraling into chaos. All she could do now was ride the wave and try to improvise with it. Beating the back of the chair to those horrified spectators still waiting for their lift out, she tried to coax them into a rhythm.

"If you're good to open a can of whoopass on these Admin-Tools, Airwalk," she said to Xia, "then LET'S GO!!!"

And with a great leap, the rigid catwalk railing surged with some subtle power and...distorted, and with a great leap Kinu exploded up off the top rope of the Squared Circle, leaping forward to put the people's stage into action.

It was time. Xia stopped the struggle and let the smile she had been fighting blossom across her face. Somehow, the railing buckled and snapped back into place under Kinu's weight like some kind of elastic rope when she leaped into the fray. Xia felt she couldn't reciprocate, so she instead leaped off the railing with a series of graceful leaps. Every rotation just before she caught a glimpse of the quickly approaching concrete ground, she caught sight of the Witch. She didn't appear to have any kind of protection around her, which was both perfect and misleading.

She learned a long time ago never to assume anything about an enemy, especially a Witch. Time to start with the can-opener. A pair of golden-tinged fingers appeared near Vivienne's face, and promptly proceed to jam themselves directly into her eyes as far as they could go.

Lion Ambushes the Wildebeest

3

She landed, rolling with the drop and skidding to a stop some distance away. Time to give them an opening. She wanted to avoid whatever fate was about to befall the old woman - which undoubtedly was going to be messy - before going ahead with the next step of the plan. Whatever it was, she hoped it happened soon. In the meantime, she darted from cover to cover, gradually getting into hand-to-hand range. Her spirit and body were unified. She was about as ready as she would ever be.