Match of the Millennium

Description: Driven from her hiding place, Dizzy finds shelter in the empty Dream Amusement Park. Shut down due to the war, the place is abandoned. But as the chaos of the cordon breech spreads, the Sacred Order closes in on the rogue Command Gear. With Necro whispering in her ear, begging her to do anything to protect herself, things are only growing more and more desperate for the Gear, as Noel, Testament, and Ky Kiske each begin to close in upon her.

[DIZZY]
Pure Terror.

The entire city was seized in pure terror. A weapon, a nuclear weapon, a gear was within the city. It had unleashed a nuclear blast outside the city, and now it was within. Southtown was locked down, with its people inside, to trap the creature within. The creature was a winged demon, reports said, naked in form, with a writhing tail and wings like deformed devils. The screaming creature was ripping through the city, leaping and flying to the southeast. And then the sightings disappeared. They ceased. And for a moment, the only hint was that it may be hiding amongst the fortifications of the harbor, the fortifications designed to stop any landfall from UN forces.

And then the train struck.

The Kanzuki Railway 7-Line train jumps its track. Pavement and sand alike churn underneath the derailed train cars as they slide eastward, ripping through the fortifications, and opening up the beach for amphibious landfall. So much is valuable for United Nation agents to finally infilitrate the city. But that wasn't what was caused it, that triggered it.

It was to flush out the monster.

There was a scream as the monster rose up, flying and fleeing as the the chaos is unleashed. She was flying, flying desperately away from the harbor, as anti-air missiles are unleashed after her. She flits to safety, to the lights and sounds of the amusement park, the boardwalk, anywhere, anywhere safe. The rogue Command Gear, hiding amongst the empty walkways, carnival rides, and shops along the Sound Beach.

That would be where they would find it.

[NOEL]
Dream Amusement Park - Night:
<<-Your inner child is never lost. It is abandoned.->>

Such tactics to find the Command Gear were unexpected. Night shrouded the view of the violence required to find this 'monster' they claimed. From the reports it was terrifying, yet more so in sight. Below, positioned specifically within Southtown to track the movements of the monster, Noel heard the train jump. Pavement and sand reminiscent of a monster she had seen, and stopped, before. Yet this time it was them inflicting it on themselves. The screeching, the impacts echoing through the city, made it seem like the entire world was ending. A stillness infected the air after - one that was eerie - as if a monster had monetarily paused its horrible assault. Noel expected it to be tilted over, eyes staring upon her form as she glanced upwards.

Nothing.

That changes. A screech echoes, Noel gasping - the black figure passing by her field of vision, her gaze skywards. Her heartbeat races. It went... that way. Towards the Park!? Her walk becomes a jog as she coordinates what she can. "This is Lieutenant Vermillion... I.. I've located the target! Requesting backup at the Carnival... Additional information as necessary. Ending transmission!" As the device is placed back to the coat, Noel's jog became a run. The almost comedic form of the coat and beret bobbing across the ground, slightly tilted, as it moved through debris and detritus alike.

Noel arrived, finally, at the Carnival. The bright lights that pierced the air, the sounds that deafened movement, and the element of surprise - all of these things contributed to the danger. Slow and steady steps would have Noel advance, hopefully with another, as she moved from the concrete ground to the wooden pier, steps echoing with the additional creaking of wood.

Her footsteps may not be the only pair, however. The monster, the beast, the threat to Southtown - all of the inhabitants. It would be around here. It was trapped. Even then, she was no predator. Not with the strength described of the Command Gear. Every step would bring her closer to the Carnival - a Merry Go Round in the center, surrounded by shops and stalls, empty. The sound of happiness cradled by the waves as they lapped against the wooden frame.

Her hair stood on end, green eyes wide, darting about. Where... was it?

[KY KISKE]
Since when were battles decided by Gears or armies of Gears, instead of human beings, the originators of war? Was there shame in that men and women were only mortal, imperfect, and vulnerable? Or did their conflicts grow beyond the clash of ideals, abandoning the sword and shield that once commanded a might that could cause the heavens to tremble? When abominable creations became sentient, nuclear warheads went the way of the dinosaur. Extinct. Obsolete. Thus, an age of surreptitious replacement, substitution with something they didn't yet understand, and old men playing games of chess on global scale. This isn't right.

Mt. Fuji is a cloudy show of smoke, crimson splutters, and cascades of rock. Mishima Zaibatsu scrambles to apprehend a Command Gear, currently cornered in Southtown. Ky Kiske, a French noble and second in command in the Sacred Order of Holy Knights... finds himself thrust amongst all these disagreeable, unpleasant variables. It is difficult to make plain where he firmly stands on the matter, because even if it is with the United Nations on paper, recent events subject his superiors to personal scrutiny. Why the heavy hand of Justice? As he disembarks from the amphibious assault submarine, the first of the vanguard spearheading landfall, should he be unwilling to lead as a steady figure, he does not expect to be followed.

Ky races along the sandy beach, touching upon the empty boardwalk strangely lit by lights that wrest power from the essential services in need. The boy scout doesn't approve. Electricity for maintaining peace and order, assisting the infirm. The list is as wide and exhaustive as the ocean, and he does not have time to capitulate to the pondering of lesser, unimportant details. Moving on, it is done grimacing, raking the area over with an aquamarine gaze.

At least, the street lamps provide him with as much advantage as the enemy. The tails of his impossibly white and pristine coat whipping in the wind, Ky rests his hand against the two-pronged pommel of the Thunderseal. Possessing energy not yet fully investigated, the sword is nonetheless comforting.

He is connected to others from the Holy Order, even subsection NOL operatives, via an extensive comlink network. It buzzes in his ear, alerting him to news involving a very unlucky soldier, and the elegant man is as quick as lightning. Responding before all others by touching a device on his wrist located beneath the blue guard, his voice is fluid and soothing like water, "Lieutenant Vermillion, this is Commander Ky Kiske. We are enroute to--"

The transmission ends abruptly and in static, the charismatic Frenchman forced to abandon his subordinate. Executing a precise cut that could cleave a tree in twain, the blade leaps from its scabbard. Two severed halves of a kunai land in the sand some distance behind him. His blonde head snaps up, eyes narrowed. Mere... teenagers? To his mounting horror, those are school uniforms that Ky spies.

Brainwashed opposition, utter COWARDICE!

His heart aches for these children, and their curious circumstances. "Is this what Japan has become? A nation that sends its youth to slaughter, uncaring for the future that must be guided by them? We will not spill a drop of innocent blood here, for my word is my bond!" Ky, the hilt of Thunderseal gripped tight in his right hand, the fuller of the blade parallel to his handsome face, salutes zombie-like masses. The honourable gesture is not returned.

Radio transmission resumes, briefly. "You are to engage the target, Lieutenant Vermillion. Retreat when in jeopardy, your life supersedes the mission. Others will arrive to assist you." Such as Testament. Curses. Dodging a wild swing from a baseball bat-wielding kid, Ky knocks him out cold in a movement smooth, practiced, and so graceful, it's hard to believe he's just as 'normal' as they are. Everything about him is elegant and agile. He sighs...

This is very, very wrong.

[DIZZY]
A flickering of the lights runs through the amusement park.

While Ky Kiske had to deal with his own opposition, Noel had no one here to stop her. But the lights of the amusement park was dimming, then brightening. Energy was running through them. The lines of lights trail along, the surge coming in waves. Not the Merry Go Round; certainly not the arcade. But should Noel let her eyes wander, she would see the direction she would have to go in. The center of the surges of energy.

A Haunted House.

Not too long ago, it was Halloween, wasn't it? Not really a Japanese holiday, but the Dream Amusement Park was close enough to Pacific High where it had a demand. The Haunted House was even meant to be the site of volunteers from the high school, where they would help out for the sheer fun of scaring others. The exterior had a kind of commercial feel to it; inauthentic. The metal spike fence around the border was plastic; the grass was astro turf. Even the tombstones weren't even stone, and the cobwebs were haphazardly tossed on the thankfully real shrugs. Even the exterior seemed to be plaster, a facade placed over an interior, painted grey and stained. It almost wouldn't be worth a gander, even with the lights trailing from it... except for what was inside.

There was a light within the Haunted House.

The presence was almost breathing around the Haunted House, a pulsing aura of incredible power. Not malicious, not benevolent, but just pure power. Ebbing and flowing like a tide. Red lights, a pair of them, peer out. Just part of the show? They pause, and then, wink out, a fresh surge of unseen energy rolling out. Clues, clues and directions. Noel was investigating a mystery, after all, wasn't she? Perhaps these clues were not enough.

Then the entry hole in the roof may be a greater clue.

[NOEL]
Every step was uncertain. For a trained member of NOL, one may expect better. Her barely passable scores, average at best, were not the reason that she was promoted however. Senses still dull, emotions still weak. Noel was not like Major Kisaragi. Even further from the man who answers her call, Commander Ky Kiske. Just the response to her communications earlier causes her to jump a bit, but the voice soon becomes a source of strength and soothes her, rather than one that adds to the tense moment.

"Y-You are.... to where?! C-Commander? Are you all right?"

There is a moment where her heart skips a beat, her breath catches. If even Command Ky Kiske can be taken out...! No, no, of course he hasn't! Both hands rest on the communicator as she takes a step forwards, glancing around. Power may exist there, but it is sporadic. Except for where it is all drawing from. A hole on the top of the building helps make it clear. Even Noel couldn't fully miss that.

Though it is not just because of that odd hole that Noel realizes the 'target' may be there. The immense presence that seems to be breathing touches a part of her unwittingly, a part that senses the presence, drawing Noel closer. The Azure rides atop her heated emotions. Uncertainty and fear mixing with the courage and resignation about what she must do. All of it is jumbled within Noel's chest, bouncing around inside of her. Enough to uncenter herself.

The commander speaks again. Her body freezes this time, but does not jump. "Commander, Y-yes sir! I'll report when I find it!"

Or so she believes.

Her strides across the wooden pier are slightly more steady, more focused, as she walks with a slightly hesitation across the atmosphere that tingles with life to celebrate a more frightening, death themed, event. Her eyes finally focus on the object her steps take her closer to. No, an object would just be a decoration, like the kind that litters the Amusement Park. This was a building. The Haunted House stands ominously, Noel staring as her feet bring her ever closer, almost in a trance. Metal spike fence, astro-turf grass, fake tomb-stones. All of it were for decoration, all of it showed a very fake attempt to scare those around.

For now, it did a very real job of doing that for Noel. Especially as a pair of red lights peer out - energy rolling out and subconsciously striking the part of her that recognizes what it could mean. Subconsciously, her feet move quicker.

Her novice ways are quite clear. "A-Attention, if you can understand or hear me, I'm coming in! This is Noel Vermillion of the Sacred Order... if you would... surrender?" It feels like a mistake, now that she thinks of it. Why would they? This was guaranteed to end this way. Even the Commander remarked 'Engage'. "By... By choice or by force!" Noel exclaims, a tinge of fear clear even as he tries to hold it together.

It would seem to be a normal woman. Seem to be normal, inconsequential. Yet there is a spark of power. Hands reach outwards, grasping for air - yet it does not end that way. Green runes burn to life before her hands, searing through the sky. What is left is the grip and handle of a gun, grasped immediately as it forms. The barrels, a foot long at least, finish forming afterwards, Noel twisting them around in her grip, clashing the barrels together.

Immediately, she feels calmer. In truth, Bolverk begins to slowly sap away emotions, thoughts, feelings.

Consciousness.

[DIZZY]
It was silence, at first.

Silence was all that comes with the lights winking out. There was a fluttering sound. Footsteps. And then, a gasp, a woman's gasp. Something falls over, landing with a crash. There is more muttering within, as another crash comes. And then, a sudden -spike- of energy, as the whole house begins to glow with a deep, inner flame. And then, it goes dark. A play of lights and shadows.

As it would be.

The creature that was escaping was terrified, though no one would realize it. A frightened animal, maybe, wounded by Heihachi in his attempt to subdue it. Before, humans were only a distant story outside the village. And now... there was nothing. Nothing but fear. Not simply of what they will do to it.

But what it would do to them.

The energy pulses again, the aura of awe rolling over. There is a groaning sound, a low, slow creak. The door hangs open to the Haunted House, swinging it open slowly. Feathers, some black, some white, blow through the opening, out of within the house. Maybe it was just the wind. Maybe there was a wind.

Maybe it was beckoning her to come into a trap.

[NOEL]
The lights fade, but the light teal from the runic circles still burns gently as the long barrels of Bolverk finish forcing themselves into existence. If one could possibly conceive of a weapon choosing to exist, one of many examples rests in the woman's hands, Noel holding them at her side now as the light fails.

Noel feels like she should run. A gasp. A crash. Muttering. Another crash. More lights, a spike of energy... all of this screams at Noel to leave. Yet, now, her trembling hands freeze and stop. The thoughts, jumbled as ever, are given less and less space. Terrified? Noel doesn't know, doesn't seem to read any such feelings. Especially now. As the energy pulses, the aura washing out of the cracks and holes in the fake house, one footstep follows another and another. She strides forth, despite the feathers. Or because of them? It doesn't matter, though Noel's interest pours over them. Even as she strides over them, it doesn't seem to catch in her mind more than that.

White and black. A parallel of sorts. It's comforting in a way.

"Please, show yourself." The voice is far calmer now, more controlled. Green eyes adorn her face yet as the more focused Lieutenant begins her search in ernest, footsteps causing additional creaking underneath her small frame. The coat is still atop her, hands jutting oddly out from the sides, as she makes her way within.

"This is Lieutenant Vermillion of the Sacred Order... Nothing to report so far." The woman transmits, killing the communicator shortly after.

Her heart stopped beating so quickly, her pulse following suit. Yet she does not wonder why she is not afraid.

[DIZZY]
The interior of the haunted house was just as artificial as the exterior.

In a proper scenario, there would be creaking sounds, moaning and groaning echoing through the halls. But with the place shutdown, the soundtrack was replaced with silence, making the whole of the haunted house seem even more empty. Noel's voice doesn't even echo in the enclosed interior, and there is no response to her. The doors were all heavy and wooden in appearance; mere plaster and balsa wood in substance. Right before the enclosed foyer, there was a set of worn stairs rising up... to what seems to be a body.

Something moves from the top of the stairs.

There is a thump sound, like foot steps, as a round shape begins to drop. Thump. Thump. Thump. Down the steps it tumbles, rolling wildly as it descends. And it bounces down the steps. It finally comes to a rest, landing with a sickening thump at Noel's feet, it's shape and form comes together.

A head.

A Frankstein monster's head, made of wax. It was green, with its face warped into a dull grimace. But it was not right, even for a campy halloween gimmick. The head was half-melted, deformed, and seems torn at the neck. If one cast their gaze back to the top of the steps, you could see it's body, slung over at the top. A great gash ripped over into it across it's chest. It seemed that the head merely dropped off, the body damage being too much. There is a rising smoke over it, where rows of the wax sculptures stand fast. Waiting to be placed in their proper spots for the Halloween that would never come. Whatever was in here.

This was it's most recent victim.

[NOEL]
Just as artificial as the exterior, just as artificial as those now left inside of it - in varying degrees.

The silence takes control quickly, Noel's brief attempt to fight the overlying layer of silence futile. No words return. Not even an echo escapes in the oppressive atmosphere, Noel treading through the Halloween house like another attraction. A ghost that now wanders these halls. It is possible that is what she would end as.

The thought vanishes within moments, Noel not even realizing she had thought of it.

Especially as the worn stairs come into view. The thumping of an object as it rolls and wildly bounces, Noel's gaze watching it as her body freezes, staring down at it as it rolls, back, then forth. Her mouth opens. Likely for a scream as the heartbeat threatens to rise once more, her nerves threaten to shatter. The scream does not come, her mouth closing oddly, her body shivering once. It's ... It's just a wax head." A statement, more than an expression. "O-Of course it would be here..." But /why/.

Eyes travel up the stairs before feet do, half-melted face, body shorn by what is expected to be an inhuman monster. Of course, it would have teeth that could tear off limbs, claws that would catch and shear even the toughest material. That is why it survived. That is why they needed to disarm it. That is why she is here. These thoughts bubble in her mind as her movement changes. The slow and steady pace is outstripped by her emotions once more, despite the suppressing nature of the weaponry in her arms. Feet strike the wooden staircase as she ascends, kicking up two or three at a time before leaping the final few.

Red tails trail after her, metallic rings striking wooden frames as she twirls towards the most likely path, dashing towards it.

She can't give them any more time to recover. Not after what she saw.

[DIZZY]
The wax sculptures line the hallway upstairs.

As part of the tour, it would be the last legs, right before the big scare at the end. But for now, it was being used as storage for crudely crafted wax sculptures, to be fitted and placed throughout the haunted house. On one end of the hall was doorways, leading to rooms where the spooks would be found. In the ceiling was a hole, smashed through by her quarry. On the other end, to her right?

The sculptures, all in various poses, leaning against the wall.

Some were clearly going for the classic style; white-faced vampires in black cloaks, a clear fish man, and even a werewolf. Others took a more modern approach; a Pennywise the Dancing Clown stands, looking somewhere between a Tim Curry and a Bill Skarsgard, lacking the detail or presence of either. A stringy haired ghost girl dangles, standing fast; and at the far end of the hall, dimly lit by the moonlight piercing in, was what looked like a blue-haired girl with red, glowing eyes was curled up in a ball, hiding poorly behind a red-skinned devil.

Unlike the other statues, this one was breathing.

Clouds of precipitation could be seen exhaling from her mouth. The girl looked to be an older teenager. She was not wearing many clothes; she seemed almost naked at first, short of black stockings, with her knees up against her chest, with the shadows almost concealing her. Only on closer observation could you see the straps of leather binding her chest, her pelvis, her neck, her upper arms and thighs. She was shivering; possibly from the cold, possibly from fear. She stares back with crimson eyes, breathing slowly, her eyes meeting with Noel's. And she exhales hard, her shape still indistinct. "Please." The girl whispers, shivering in the dim light. "Please stay away. Please just leave."

"I don't want to..."

[NOEL]
A hallway full of monsters, Noel isn't sure which one would be the fabled 'monster Command Gear' that was capable of burning, of slashing, of terrible damage that occurred all around them. Though the Haunted House is intact, the hallways are anything but pristine. The NOL Lieutenant dashes further up, then down the hall. Wax sculptures real enough with the lack of light to cause her to pay rapt attention to every shadow. It is not her own decisions that drive her down the right hallway.

There is a presence that she, unknown to herself, follows.

Frightening white faced vampires, redone clowns, and other forms. Her footfalls come to a stop, her eyes glossing over the immobile forms. The woman dares not to even breath, barrels of Bolverk pointed as if they were a second set of eyes, sweeping lower, following her own eyes as she looks across the room. A single step in - and there was the first sound that identified that she was no longer alone.

A breath.

The horrible monster, of tooth, fang, and claw. Of fire and of shadow... curled in a ball. A woman potentially no older than she was. "...Ah?" The green-haired girl speaks, a sound of surprise escaping her lips as she glanced upon the Command Gear. "Is this...?" The barrels lowered slowly - only to rise up once more, subconsciously, slowly. They were shivering. Shaking her head, Noel's instincts were to turn back. To turn away. To call it off.

Her duty came first, though. Eyes, red, meet her own. There are no thoughts then. "Please...?" Scared, Noel thinks. Frightened, even. This was a Gear? A step is taken back.

"I ....I ca..." Noel tries to respond, but the words don't come out. "....Commander." The communicator flips on. "I.. I've found the Command Gear... I-I think. Transmitting position..." Eyes meet with Dizzy's in response, the communicator muting, "I'm sorry but... I ..."

<< Hate. >>
<< I Hate This. >>

[DIZZY]
She was afraid.

She was so afraid of this new world she was forced into. She wanted to stop running. She just wanted to hide here, with familiar faces, with safe faces. These creatures, this sculptures, weren't too scary, except that one. She was sorry about that one. But it was... they were closing in on her. Maybe she could fly out into the water. Maybe she could keep flying, all the way. Maybe land wasn't too far away. She wanted her friends back. She wanted to go back to the villages. Because they killed them... she... she killed...

It was a harrowing thought, crawling over her.

And yet, this small, scared girl was the apocolypse. The cause of all this pain and suffering in the world right now, was all because of her. Because she existed. And now, this strange, young lady, who she saw outside was here. She was cornering her. And her wings... they could feel it. Undine and Necro could feel the trapped sensation, and the fear.

There wasn't much more time.

"Why..." Is all Dizzy can muster. "Why is all this happening?" She says as she releases her knees. "Why am I called a Command Gear? I'm Dizzy. That's all I am. I am just Dizzy. I've never hurt... I never meant to hurt anybody. Can't you tell them it's a misunderstanding? That I'm sorry? That I- That I just want to be left alone? Because..." And her black wing twitches.

And she spreads her wings.

A white wing, a black wing, spreading out as far as they can in the narrow hallway... which is not very far at all; the tips of the wings press against the walls on both side. Standing up, the girl's black, lizard-like tail could now be seen, twitching. "Pl-please leave! Or you will... or you will end up like... that things that scared me." Dizzy's eyes grow wide, as she becomes desperate. She moves towards Noel, reaching out for her. She just wanted to hold her hand, so she would understand. "I didn't mean to hurt the statue! It just scared me, and... I..."

She moves closer, moving too fast.

[NOEL]
Frozen. Noel cannot find the will in herself to move as Dizzy simply stared at her. Words failed to rise, failed to bubble to the surface. Something she was taught to do ... was she? Or that she had always knew from the beginning. It didn't matter. Her mouth no longer could produce such sounds, each word just out of reach as the woman faced her. Hands shook as Bolverk, held within them, stayed pointed towards the floor. Towards Dizzy's form, even as Noel continually moves the hands away.

Did she also lose control of her hands?

Yet the girl speaks. Noel almost gasping, eyes widening, mouth widening - without any words coming forth. A step backwards. "Ah ...B-b.."

<< Because this is a terrible world. >>

Her head hangs for a moment. Heart feeling as if it was about to burst. With a deep breath to control her nerves, she speaks. "C-Commander. There's more.. the Command Gear, they... s-she- Diz-" She's sorry. She's tired. "A-ah..!" It is only made worse. The communication dies to a gasp from Noel as the wing twitches, the black wing folding out, the white wing doing the same. It crashes to the ground, disabled, as Noel takes another step back. Green eyes widening as Noel watches the eyes rise, the tail twitching.

One of the more frightening aspects of the haunted house faces her, a creature that could not truly be. Yet it was. A monster, but one scared, more so than she was arguably.

Dizzy moves, reaching out. For her hand. The despair, the sadness. The threat before her, capable of such magnitudes of power, of destruction. It's too much. The ball of hatred in her chest, between duty and the kindness that she holds so dear. To live and keep her family at the expense of others? To deny others happiness, life, so she could prolong her by a minute, an hour, a day. "I ... I .. no.. no! You... I don't want to ... I don't ... want to do this...!" Her hands are shaking. Her body shivering, every inch of her in chaos and uncertainly, lost.

All of it suddenly vanishing in a moment. Green eyes that met Dizzy's fade to a deep Azure, wide as they stare, doll-like, at Dizzy. Dizzy's grasp lands on the coat, Noel twisting around as it is grasped, releasing it entirely - shoulders bare of the cloth that had been wrapped around it. Coming to a stop farther in the room, Noel faces Dizzy, Bolverk's barrels pointed towards the girl, no longer shaking. "Recommended action... disabling of Command Gear." Her voice cold and certain.

[DIZZY]
For a moment, there is hope.

Dizzy thought maybe... maybe she could make her understand. She smiles faintly, as she reaches out. And something changes. Dizzy grabs her coat, unaware of her strength. And now, the gun is trained on her, and Dizzy... and Dizzy remembers the village. Those Tekken Force soldiers, shooting those villagers. Her friends. All her friends. This girl was... was a soldier like them? But she was- she seemed so different. Fear seizes her again, the immediate terror for her life. She releases the coat, stumbling back. Dizzy doesn't understand.

But Necro does.

The familiar bursts from the black wing, the wing metamorphing into the shape of the grim reaper itself. Eyes burning red, the green flesh of the creature is sinewing and taut, the strength of the creature betraying the skeletal visage. The reaper screams silently as a scythe emerges from its hands. And teeth gritted, it draws back its burning weapon-

And it's blade connects with the werewolf.

Caught in the wax, the burning scythe is delayed, entangled. Dizzy covers her mouth, gasping, as Necro wrenches his whole body to free the blade. "Stop! Stop it! Don't you see you're frightening them! Don't you see how you're scaring them!" Necro stares at Dizzy, his expression... softening at her. He mimes saying something, and Dizzy nods. "I know you want to protect me! I- I understand! But people are so frightened of you! You have to be more- you have to be more gentle!" Dizzy was caught with trying to explain to the wing, focused on the reaper.

Distracted from the fact the gun was still trained on her.

COMBATSYS: Dizzy has started a fight here.

[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Dizzy            0/-------/-------|

[NOEL]
No.

No, please. Stop.

It's not just Dizzy that feels like this is wrong. Though Noel's vision blurs as the green eyes shift to blue. Her memory and sight grows fuzzy. Her control, consciousness, fades away. None of it seems to happen at once. Like you're drowning.<< Please... what is ... happ ... ? ? . >>

The barrels of Bolverk are the only additional words spoken to Dizzy, the message quite clear as she stands, facing down Dizzy in an emotionless gaze. Necro lashes out, coat and werewolf lost to the scythe of the Command Gear's wing. Noel does not seemingly find a fault in this. The space gained is quite clear to her. Dizzy speaks. It speaks to herself, to her wing. Noel would never hold the gun the way she does. Would never continue to keep it pointed towards Dizzy, especially not towards her as she tries to calm the wing.

Noel would never remember this situation at all. It simply does not exist to her.
%"Continuing mission, disabling Command Gear." Noel intones, helpfully, into the conversation between Dizzy and Necro.

Bolverk's twin barrels are swung around, twisting, as the barrels themselves begin to glow a bright Azure as well. It is no surprise that her eyes do the same as the triggers are depressed. Yet though the click may come, so burned into Dizzy's mind, the result would be ... surprising compared to how it was initially. The barrels, bright as they were, would point towards Dizzy. Yet no real bullets, in this case, would form.

Not for this. Noel dives outside of the room as she fires. The triggers clicking, vision breaking between the two, or four, depending on the understanding.

Guns don't work like this. Normally. Runic circles expand in empty space about Dizzy, intricate designs etched in chi. Swelling up and ... detonating. Erupting in an explosion of chi, localized in that point in time and space. Bolverk needs no direct line of sight to operate. A reason why Noel was identified as an 'assassin' to NOL. Azure eyes focusing entirely on what is necessary to ensure Noel continues her existence.

COMBATSYS: Noel has joined the fight here.

[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
Dizzy            0/-------/-------|-------\-------\0             Noel

COMBATSYS: Noel successfully hits Dizzy with Type XI - Optic Barrel.
Grazing Hit

[  \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////////////]
Dizzy            0/-------/-------|=------\-------\0             Noel

[DIZZY]
Dizzy was still in her argument with Necro, when the click comes.

She flinches, gasping. Necro, shifting his attention, swings his syche to connect with bullets... that aren't there. The skull-like visage looks... confused, tilting his head. "What was... that?" Dizzy asks, as the runes begin to form. Her other wing quivers, as Necro looks aggressively around for anything to attack, anything to fight off. The explosions detonate as Dizzy still looked dumbly around.

And Dizzy is slammed through the other wall.

Not into. Through it, as her other guardian -smashes- her into the other room as Noel. Board and plaster burst around as the explosions erupt around her. The main blast is shielded away, as the other wing manifests as well. In stark contrast to the grim reaper of Necro, the figure of Undine is a matronly spirit, garbed in what seemed like robes. Looking softly with piercing green eyes, she bears the brunt of the assault, as the three tumble before the hunter-seeker Noel. Necro, glaring now at Undine, suddenly speaks silently.

And Undine snaps back silently.

The pair break into an argument, as Dizzy becomes -much- more aware of Noel, and less towards her familiars. As Undine drags a finger down from her eye, sticking her tongue out at Necro, Dizzy stares in horror at Noel. "Pl- please- please!" She stammers, as she wraps her arms around herself. She too had programming. She didn't realize it. But as she brings her hands together, sometimes clicks between the wings. Necro fades back into the black feathers, while Undine, pulled by her strings, turns. Clasping her own hands around Dizzy so gently, the Command Gear cries out.

"Please leave me alone!"

The bubble forms around Dizzy, shimmering with ice magic as Undine empowers her. The translucent bubble, surging forward, drifts carefully as it flies towards Noel. Dizzy... Dizzy opens her eyes, and sees the bubble. Instinctively, she glides forward, chasing after the bubble. And gracefully, she touches on the bubble, eyes wide.

And the bubble explodes, coating the full interior of the room with a thin sheen of ice.

COMBATSYS: Dizzy knocks away Noel with Please Leave Me Alone.
- CRAZY Hit! -

[   \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////////////         ]
Dizzy            0/-------/-----==|=======\-------\0             Noel

[NOEL]
The room shatters. The form of Vermillion dashes behind the wall, intending to move straight past through - to continue her movements in order to prevent any future assaults. To allow her movements and Bolverk's strengths to exploit Dizzy's weaknesses. The truth of it all is that there may not be any weaknesses.

The shattering wall is a surprise. The board and plaster burst around, into the room, as the Azure eyes stare expressionless, simply accepting that this is how it is happening. There is no surprise. Nor is there any gasps. The woman's legs kick the ground and off of it, Noel rising away from the broken, shredded material as she escapes away from the shockwave, putting distance between herself and the familiars of Dizzy, between herself and the Command Gear.

Dizzy speaks towards Noel, pleads with her more. Stammering. Arms wrapped around herself twice, one by wing, one by flesh. The bubble that forms around Dizzy surges forwards - and the Gear does as well. Noel's wordless response is to slam the butts of the guns together, holding them up as she sees no other way to escape. There would be a brief flash of energy... compeltely nullified as the bubble explodes. The thin sheen of ice freezing Noel as sheshivers, bracing against the cold.

There are no words that leak from the Lieutenant, hands barely able to grasp the guns - numb.

"You can't be left alone." The words come from frozen lips. Eyes, overly focused on Dizzy, flare, unwavering. She does not even blink in the cold, pulling herself from the ice in an almost robotic manner. Her body hangs somewhat, entirely numb. Yet the woman isn't being controlled by herself - something different, "They always come." Hands begin to thaw, body shivering completely ignored, even as her voice wavers, "You can't be allowed to be caught."

Skin, neatly torn from the ice, trickles down her shoulder. "Recommended choice. Execution." The voice, cold as the area around it, continues. "Expected chance of success... improbable." Bolverk is finally raised again, blue eyes unwavering.

COMBATSYS: Noel calculates her next move.

[   \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////////        ]
Dizzy            0/-------/-----==|=======\-------\0             Noel

[DIZZY]
What was there to feel?

The frost shakes off her harmlessly, as she sees the damage her curiousity unfolded. "Are you... are you..." Are you all right? It did not matter. All that matter was that there was a killing machine before her. And even as she identifies chance of success improbable... Dizzy didn't want to kill her. She would not kill her. But as the flicker of fear for her life comes over again...

Necro emerges again, eyes burning.

Dizzy begins to understand, as Necro awaits her command. If she gave the orders, the direction, if she took lead, they would follow. And if there was anything that was outside her perception... they would be her eyes, her ears, her choice. Dizzy could not hesitate, as she balls up her fist.

"I will not die here!" She declares, as she swings her fist at Noel.

Dizzy was in fact trying to beat her, in the most literal sense. Her form was embarassing, her execution crude. There was more skill in even the most basic of acolytes. But the actual impact of the Gear herself was... surprisingly strong for her size and shape, revealing the hidden power within. But that would not be enough to describe. What would be more revealing was the staggering force of Necro's own burning fists, unleashing a duo of jabs alongside Dizzy to -pound- Noel out of the room, out into the hallway.

His skull jaw clenched in power.

COMBATSYS: Dizzy successfully hits Noel with Medium Punch.

[   \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////               ]
Dizzy            0/-------/----===|=======\=====--\1             Noel

[NOEL]
The yelling from Dizzy, the declaration, is clear. Necro and Undine awaited. It is like an ant, or worker bee, fighting to 'destroy' the invading colonies of Wasps or something greater. Except she was alone. Noel once more raised the combination of Bolverk, intending to use the metallic frames of the chi weaponry to lower the impact of the assault. Dizzy's fist, as strong as it might have been, clatters against the guns.

It is the burning, forceful impact from the massive fists of Necro that seemingly shatter the Lieutenant. The fist slams straight into Noel's form - the first slamming her flat against the wall, Azure eyes staring at Dizzy still. Even as the next sends her through the wall, the form of Noel among the debris that used to be a wall, littering the hallway. The debris that used to be whole. Including Noel.

It hurts. That is the only feeling that Noel registers. The pain that almost wakes her up. It is once more surpressed.

There would be more pain. Muscles screaming as a bloodied Lieutenant raises once more to her feet, mechanically. Arms swinging as legs and core muscles pull and raise her upwards. Azure eyes, unblinking, still focusing upon Dizzy. There is breathing, intermittent in coughing up blood. Burn marks staining slightly blueish skin from frozen flesh moments ago. A human would not, especially in her condition, or position, rise. The damage internal is not quite clear, save the streak of red from the corner of the girl's mouth, trailing downwards. hair, stained with red, as it had been in another world.

It's all lining up again, isn't it?

The moment her footing is steady, the NOL agent doesn't hesitate. Footfalls crash against the ground, tossing bits of debris behind her as she leaps forwards, skidding for a stop as she twsists around, jamming one of the barrels of Bolverk towards Dizzy's chest, twisting it upon impact - or an attempt on impact - before both are twisted to fire in close, the barrels expelling energy directly close to the target instead of runic circles, this time.

COMBATSYS: Dizzy dodges Noel's Type II - Bloom Trigger.

[   \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////                ]
Dizzy            0/-------/----===|=======\====---\1             Noel

[DIZZY]
How powerful was she really?

Outside of the terror of the village, the terror of being cornered like a rat was a little more slow paced. As Dizzy's heavy handed fist comes hurtling into the guns, she realizes that her hand doesn't hurt. And why would it hurt? The flesh and bone of the Gear was unnaturally tough, inspite of frail appearances. But the impression of the runic blasts as bruises on her skin proved she was mortal. Necro's power, however, hurtle through Noel's guard, and send the NOL agent flying. Dizzy's response is in an instant.

"Be careful!"

Dizzy cries out to Necro, as the Reaper rolls his eyes. Already, this relationship was straining. Necro metamorphs back into the wing, as Dizzy follows after Noel. He own lack of hesitations was markingly different than the assassin. "Are you... bleeding?" She says softly. And she sees the blood. Heihachi was... fighting Heihachi was different. She couldn't feel how strong, or weak, her opponent was. Only that she was being knocked hard, again and again. But her spirit wasn't waning; she was already surging back at Dizzy. The Command Gear focuses, as the girl closes in. As the gun comes at her chest, her white wing manifests. Sheltering Dizzy's bosom, the full form of the Command Gear is twisted away by Undine, assisting her in deflecting the gun. As the trigger is pulled, Dizzy is brought around, down the hall slightly as Undine glowers with an inner fury, her body singed by the energy blast. The matronly's wrath musters up.

"Gentle!"

Dizzy pleads, as Undine... softens. Dizzy reaches out to grab Noel, to seize her. And in tandem, Undine would be reaching out, she attempts to snatch the NOL agent, to grab her by the hair. And should she get a grip? She would turn her around, and give a blast of ice to send her down the stairs.

All with a sizable push from Dizzy herself.

COMBATSYS: Noel blocks Dizzy's Quick Throw.

[  \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /////////////                 ]
Dizzy            0/-------/----===|=======\=====--\1             Noel

[NOEL]
Be careful.

With all the power in the world, the woman wished to take care of it. To prevent 'hurting' others more than they needed to be. That's how it seemed, didn't it? Compared to Heihachi, Noel was a punching bag. While it seemed her threat to Dizzy was minimal, the strikes that wounded, bruised, and broke Noel left the woman almost like a doll forcibly drawn upwards from the tethers to it. It is a surprise for her to rise again. Bleeding. Yes. Wounds from her limbs, wounds from internal damage. Her steps were almost staggered, yet she found enough strength and energy to force herself forwards, single-minded as she was. The gun rises - the wing manifests.

The gun is driven to the side, discharging into the wall, only singing the wing.

Noel is already in motion as Dizzy moves, Bolverk twisting around in her hand as Dizzy moves to grasp her. For once, the woman is able to react. The hands grasp the woman, all of them may, but they do not get a solid grip. Twisting free, Noel would kick off the damaged bannister, leaping upwards instead of downwards - flipping as she kicks up and off. The cold energy burns into the friction wounds that she gains tearing herself free from the assault, preventing the worst - and numbs.

It is not something that seems to register on Noel. What may register to Dizzy is when Noel moves, every movement can be an assault. This one included.

Bolverk is discharged, seemingly randomly, as she flips out of the Haunted House, aiming for the roof of the location, firing down into the structure - chi blasts of Azure rapidly pelting the majority of the battlefield below.

If she would be allowed to land, it would be on the roof.

"My status is not relevant to share with the enemy Command Gear." Noel finally responds, helpfully.

COMBATSYS: Dizzy parries Noel's Type XIII - Revolver Blast!

[  \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////////                  ]
Dizzy            0/-------/---====|=======\======-\1             Noel

[DIZZY]
The ruthless assault was driving deep into Dizzy's heart.

Every attack was trying to strike the balance of subduing her, and not killing her. She wanted to hold back. And yet, every act of mercy was responded with escalating offense. This woman wanted to kill her. And Dizzy was growing... what was this feeling? It was like the feeling when she came across that fawn, and she wanted to pet it's coat. But the fawn kept running away from her, refusing to let her close. Noel was like this fawn.

Except she was trying to kill Dizzy.

"... Are all humans like this?" Dizzy asks aloud, her heart becoming heavy as Noel rushes in. As the woman bounds up to the roof, the Command Gear follows. "Violent, hateful, killing... things?" Dizzy couldn't believe it, as she rises with Noel. The gunfire blasts down below, as Dizzy flies with Noel, kiting her in tandem. "You destroyed my village! You made me into- made me into this! I wish humans would just..."

"Go away!"

Somewhere, across the annals of time, in the endless scape of existence, a docket turns into place, as an inevitiable outcome is set into motion.

For Noel's purpose, Dizzy was sweeping her arm, pointing at Noel. In close quarters, it was dangerous. But Undine, always loyal, always dedicated, raises up and points her own hand at Noel. Immediately, a barrage of ice crystals are unleashed, attempting to rip her across the roof of the haunted house. Tears were coming in Dizzy's eyes. She hated this. But...

A darkness was stirring in her heart.

COMBATSYS: Dizzy successfully hits Noel with I Used This To Pick Fruit EX.

[  \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////                        ]
Dizzy            0/-------/-======|>>>>>>>\>>>>>>>\2             Noel

[NOEL]
It was easy to assume that. That Noel was aiming to kill Dizzy. It would be the easiest, if possible. It is, in all sense of the word, not.

The true goal hides underneath the obvious, relentless assault. Proof of the Azure's success buds. The next words are not of questioning Noel's safety, but asking of humanities worst qualities. All of it is true. All of it. Far more violent than she knows. Far more hateful than she could comprehend. More murder and death than can be imagined.

Shots are deflected, kited, movements managing to avoid each and every assault. Noel flips backwards as Dizzy grows closer, the arm swept towards her - pointing towards her.

A barrage of ice crystals fired towards Noel's form, digging into exposed and covered flesh, turning the latter into the former. A particularly large shard causes blue eyes to stare. Twisting in the darkness, it would tear through fabric, rend through flesh, finally through the very hea-


A barrage of ice crystals fired towards Noel's form, digging into exposed and covered flesh, turning the latter into the former. A particularly large shard is of no relevance to these wide blue eyes, digging painfully, less harmfully, through fabric and flesh. It stands, the right side of her chest bearing such a burden right below the collar bone. It is clear it hurts. All of it does.

Trails of blood leak from newly formed holes. The woman lands before Dizzy, legs trying to fight to stay up before she falls to one knee. The flatfooted leg shakes and shivers as it forces itself up, the other finding just enough strength to rise.

"That's why... it has to be done." Noel claims, a shaky step forwards. "That's why it can't be forgiven." Yet another. "It all has to return."

Her lips move, but the words are lost. If by chance Dizzy read them, it would help her not at all.

-To the Blue-

It is likely more that Dizzy would hear first the sound of machinery revving, eyes drawn to it after. The weapon in Noel's hands is thrust towards Dizzy's form, the barrels of Bolverk combining to form the chain gun, Fenrir, before being thrust towards Dizzy's midsection.

If struck, Dizzy would learn more reasons to hate humanity. If not, the chain gun's fire would sheer through the sky, chi-bullets tearing across the banners and scenery that was unfortunate to be above the Haunted house, arced nearby.

COMBATSYS: Noel successfully hits Dizzy with #Zero Gun - Sleipnir#.

[          \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///                           ]
Dizzy            0/-------/---====|-------\-------\0             Noel

The two guns of Bolverk slam into Dizzy's soft spot between the leather bits in a surprisingly quick strike from Noel - just enough to make space. Fenrir is called forth shortly after, Bolverk merging, the chaingun roaring as noted. It's not set simply to blast Dizzy away, however. The massive weapon is very clear in it's purpose, swung by such a small woman, energy gunfire unloading into Dizzy at such a close distance, kicking her up and sligtly away from Noel.

Dizzy might tumble once as Noel leaps backwards to get into position, Bolverk reforming yet again - this time a Rocket launcher with a stylized rocket at the end, fired at such a close distance that it'd catch and carry Dizzy outwards, towards Southtown. It would, rather quickly, take Dizzy away. It would also likely give her a view. The haunted house has a light on it that it didn't previously. From Noel's vision, that light is a chi energy manifested rail-gun, twice as large as Noel, held in her arms. The light surges, all of Noel's built up chi energy released as the rail-gun sparks, spins, and unloads - a spear of light and energy aimed towards the rocket and Dizzy. All of it detonating at once.

Noel following up afterwards, delayed, movements sluggish.

[DIZZY]
And the ice shard pierces her heart.

Slowly, Dizzy understands what has happened. The color on her face, the penetration. The light, for the briefest moment, leaving her eyes. Dizzy realizes what has happened. Tears build in her eyes, as everything moves in slow motion. She gasps.

"Wh-what... What have I done-"

******************************

And the ice shard pierces her chest.

The barrage comes, staggering and swiftly. Dizzy was restraining herself and her familiars. She didn't want to kill Noel, she wanted this to stop. She wanted this all to stop. She wanted all the humans to stop. Leave her alone. Everyone, everything in this city. Just leave her alone. As Noel rises up yet again, however, Dizzy shakes her head. "Please... Please just..."

And Dizzy hears the machinery.

She doesn't understand. But Undine can sense it, intuit it. The familiar wraps herself around Dizzy, as the winged gear looks around, dumbfounded. The chaingun blast comes, as Dizzy pulls away... and she manages to evade but one blast. The thing with barrages? They keep coming. She is caught into the blasting assault, stunned... as the guns is smashed into her thigh. Everything was madness, stretching over the full of the haunted house. She tries to pull away, but Undine holds her tight. She encompasses her, protecting her.

And keeping her in place for the cascading assault.

An icy shell wraps around Dizzy as the barrage comes. The chain gun roaring into her, chipping away the ice, the energy assault driving Dizzy further and further across the roof. She almost can break away... until the rocket blows away her icy shell. Exposed, she crawls across the shingles, still in a daze, Undine blown back into her white wing shape, as the rail gun lines up. Dizzy stares down the barrel, eyes wide. She tries to roll out of the way.

And the roof lights up.

The spear pierces Dizzy, as she screams. Sent jerking into the air, she jerks, before falling backwards... towards the edge of the roof. She almost falls off, nearly. Descending below the line, there is no thump, no crash. Only a single hand, gripping the edge. Slowly, it pulls back up... to an enraged Necro, his face twisted in rage. Fire boils from his jaw, as he pulls himself up, Dizzy limp and dazed behind him. The spirit, glowering, turns towards Dizzy, gripping her. Tapping her face, he trembles. Turning back towards Noel... he touches on Dizzy. The Command Gear jolts.

And her eyes open.

Her face was blank, as blank as Noels. Already, she was walking forward, possessed. Necro's expression turns from hate to a hungry grin. He whips around his scythe, his blade. Dizzy, staggering forward, is an automation, guided along by Necro. Moving faster, and faster, the fatigue and weakness pouring from her. Necro distends his jaw, as his ward takes him nearly upon Noel. He gives the wind up...

And she snaps out of it.

"... Huh?" Dizzy begins, as Necro, -swings- his scythe fiercely at Noel, attempting to rake it across her torso.

The timeline shudders again.

COMBATSYS: Noel parries Dizzy's Fierce Punch!

[         \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///                           ]
Dizzy            0/-------/--=====|>------\-------\0             Noel

[NOEL]
Steps after step, Noel pulled herself towards the edge. All of that ceased once Dizzy was raised upwards. The hand, however, was not the Command Gears. It was one of the wings. Dark and sickly, the face of Necro stared upon the form of Noel with a glower that was a threat to erase her from existence. To return her to the nothingness that she had once known, a timeline ago. Such power, manmade as it was, was not arguable.

The Azure eyed woman watches, Dizzy limp and dazed, is pulled up. Noel still slumbers, unaware of what she has done. Unaware of what she is doing. All of this will be a blur, the injuries a surprise. Yet Necro's glower is real against the almost puppet-like doll before him. Even as Dizzy is commanded in a way that had not been clear previously. The Command Gear, blank as she was, was met with Noel's own unblinking eyes. To the challenge that is seemingly provided, Noel relent. "Target still operational. Within expected bounds."

Necro's hungry grin, the scythe pulling back, the woman staggering forwards now more directly - all of it a threat together. Noel's form can barely stand, fatigued, exhausted. All of it clear - yet it does not seem as if she has a limit. Her body only pushed forwards. What, really, could be the end goal? What so great a purpose?

Dizzy's sight is that of a burning, shearing scythe, threatening to cleave Noel in twain. The woman, so close, dashes even closer, twisting around. The burning scythe does not rake as intended, does not even graze. The chi manifested flames burn brightly against Noel's frame, but lick just outside of range, the woman twisting her body up close in such a way that it passes around her in more of a carnival act than that of battle of life and death. In a way that would only be possible on the fly through infinite skill, or infinite time.

Yet somehow, it happens.

Ending with Noel landing atop of Dizzy's head - possibly - if not changed. Legs aim to wrap around Dizzy's neck and body, Noel twisting around and falling backwards to slam her and her compatriot wings into the roof after a single turn, allowing Noel to kick away afterwards, if at all possible.

COMBATSYS: Noel successfully hits Dizzy with Type IX - Muzzle Flitter EX.

[            \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///                           ]
Dizzy            0/-------/-======|==-----\-------\0             Noel

[DIZZY]
Necro couldn't believe it.

His eyes follow Noel as she nimbly evades, his eyes widening. Dizzy's own pupils shrink to pinpricks, as she tracks as well. She could feel Noel touching her. She didn't know how she felt. She didn't like being touched by humans. They hurt, they were like soft snakes. She pulls away, trying to escape. But Noel was up her, moving too fast. The legs wrap around her neck, as Necro tries to grab her. The reaper just manages to touch Noel... before the gear is twisted and slammed.

And she nearly goes through the roof.

Still dazed, still reeling, Necro looks apologetic to Dizzy. And the command gear... pats the reaper gently. "It's alright." She sighs, as she turns back over towards Noel. She was surging back with energy, her flesh bruised and battered, but not bleeding. She breathes hard, getting up on her feet. She was focusing, focusing hard. Extending her hand, she reaches for Noel. The roof begin to coat with frost, as it congeals around Noel. Undine manifests behind her, hands outreached. With a burst, a pillar of ice erupts up, attempting to knock Noel back-

Not off the roof though!

COMBATSYS: Noel blocks Dizzy's I Used This To Catch Fish.

[            \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  /                             ]
Dizzy            1/-------/=======|====---\-------\0             Noel

[NOEL]
The woman glances towards Dizzy as she nearly slams through, bruised and battered - but not like Noel. Almost a walking corpse, Noel staggers forwards, back into position. Just in a position to move if necessary. If need be. The woman's muscles are tense, even though every ounce of strength threatens to leave her. She doesn't move. Not yet. That is until Undine manifests. A burst - a pillar - of ice erupts from the ground before her. The guns slam together once more, a brilliant Azure light flashing momentarily - holding in intensity. Even as the spike impales itself in her midsection, breaking the guard. It ... was just enough that Noel is able to pull herself from it.

Sickeningly, Noel leaves her mark on the spike, crimson red compared to the Azure eyes that do not even glance at her wounds. Her next step takes her forwards, towards Dizzy once more. Each movement a shadow as it had been previously, far slower - far more obvious to the Command Gear. Her foot hits the ground... and Noel flickers for a moment.

There's a pause. A very obvious one, where Noel appears besides Dizzy almost as a blur, shoulder thrown towards her from the opposite side of the Command Gear. With how winded she is, it's amazing that her movement, at any point, was that fast. With all her might, the shoulder impacts towards Dizzy - thrust outwards. It twists into a kick which causes Noel to falter, a few steps taken backwards, the woman falling to a knee in finality. Her body writhes. It tries, once more to rise. It tries, once more to move. With all its strength, it finds, for a moment, the ability to stand again. It may be moments before she crashes down once more.

Most notably, bright Azure eyes, staring to Dizzy, blink.

Green eyes stare, wild, flickering. What ...?

What's going on? Everything hurts so much. Why? Questions come from all angles - and if her feet manage to stay standing, a threat still from one.

COMBATSYS: Noel can no longer fight.

[            \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Dizzy            1/-------/=======|

COMBATSYS: Dizzy dodges Noel's Type V - Assault Through.

[            \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Dizzy            1/-------/=======|

[DIZZY]
Blood.

Dizzy remembered the first time she discovered blood. It happened when she was in the grove by the village. A single bird had wandered too close to the village, and one of the villagers threw a rock at it, hurting it. When Dizzy looked at the bird closely, she saw blood for the first time. The little bird was bleeding, broken from the rock. Dizzy held the small creature. She sang to it, tried to help it. She rocked it to sleep, and she remembered that the blood stopped coming out. She was happy, for a moment. But it didn't wake up. It wouldn't wake up. She went to the elder, for help to wake it up.

Dizzy learned what death was that day, too.

She remembers when she buried the bird, as she slips around the blur. Undine was gone again. Weaving side to side, a flap of her wings. She moves around the shoulder check, giving Noel nothing but feathers to smash past. And then, Noel was throwing out a kick. Another flap, and Dizzy is above the kick. As Noel falls to a knee, Dizzy lands slowly. She remembered. As Noel rises, Dizzy moves forward, arms extended. As Noel falls forward, the strength leaving her, Dizzy embraces Noel, to catch her, to hold her up. She places a hand on the blood, and holds it up to her eye level. "You're... dying." Dizzy says, understanding. She stares out from the roof, at the amusement park around her. She remembers.

"Your commander... your friends would be coming here soon."

They would all come. She knows what she must do. She never wanted to bury another bird. Undine and Necro both burst out, glaring -daggers- at Dizzy. They babble wordlessly, silently. Enraged. But Dizzy shakes her head at them. "No. We need to make sure she's safe. We can't let her die." Necro throws his arms in the air, as Undine bites her lip. Necro just goes back into being a black wing. Dizzy looks at Undine, her eyes wide. "... Please. Maybe they won't be afraid of me anymore.... Maybe?" Undine smiles, and adjusts one of the yellow ribbons in Dizzy's hair, before transforming back into a white wing. Dizzy lifts Noel up, bridal style, looking at her with crimson eyes. "I'm sorry I hurt you." She says softly, as she walks to the edge of the roof. She descends, her wings letting her glide to the ground outside the haunted house. She would walk into the amusement park, in the open. She would wait for them to come. She would find them. And she would give them Noel, so they will save her. She lets the tear roll down her cheek.

"Please forgive me."

COMBATSYS: Dizzy awaits the next challenger.

[      \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  <
Dizzy            1/------=/=======|

[NOEL]
It's a staggering movement, as Noel fails to connect. The kick was swung almost haphazardly, and Dizzy reacts as expected. Noel's movements were slow. The burst of speed gone. The fight nearly out. For some reason, the woman fights as if it was her life on the line... yet as the aggressor. A trail of blood is left as she moves, marking her movements across the top of the roof. Marking every step and movement. It's not much, but it is not insignificant. Eyes, from Azure to green, fall as she does. The woman never hits the ground. The power to stand is just out of her reach, though Noel doesn't know the journey of what brought her there. A bit of ice in her chest, bruise marks from being thrown through walls, a piercing in her torso. The pain is immense.

A string of dried blood from her mouth, as Noel looks up Dizzy, green eyes wavering. There are no words. She's dying... that's what the Command Gear said. That ... was the Command Gear? Of course it was. Of course. The memories are erratic. Something... she was here to fight them? To locate them? She must have done both. Why can't she remember? Pupils dart back and forth erratically. Is this death? Is this how she dies?

It's not frightening, though. The numbness still wears from Bolverk, though with the wounds from the fight, the threat is lowered. Unfortunately, Bolverk can sense it as well. Fear, emotion, is allowed back in. Physically... she may not be awake much longer. It's not quite a risk. "I... I-" There's a round of coughing, hacking. Fresh blood on her already damaged coat, hair leaking out of the beret - barely still attached. "W..N you ... you... you did this... to me?" Of course, it's obvious why. "N-No you... I s... I should be apolo..gizing. If... if I didn't ... I don't know... what ..." Her words swim in her head, the lightheadedness setting in. Limbs dangle, the woman carried without any fight.

"I'm... Sorry... for everyth...i ..." For a moment, or for a while, Noel dips under. Tears staining her eyes in the brief moment she stayed awake, joining Dizzy's. Frustration. Fear. Sadness. That it came to this, though, one emotion stands above others. Hatred. If she could have only said no. If she only didn't hurt anyone. If she, herself, did not need to know such pain. The slowly eroding tendrils to the waking world left with such a bitter taste.

The eyes of Azure close. Content, for now, with the path traveled.

[TERUMI]
The air fills for a moment with an immense threat, like the blade of a knife. Necro is likely the only one who will realize it, and the sheer depth of possible depravity it represents. After a few moments, the gentle clapping of half-gloved hands on the edge of the arena, behind where Dizzy cradles the broken form of Noel Vermillion. A tall and slender man stands there, wearing most of his face shrouded in shadow and by the stout brim of a short hat. All except his smile, and the shock of green hair that peeks like a tarantua's legs from beside.

"What a beautiful scene." Hazama says, sighing deeply. He begins to stride forward, careless, settling one hand within his pocket as the other moves to rest atop his hat. "You don't want to hurt anyone, do you...? No. You just wanted to be left alone. To live in peace and happiness. And now you can feel the warmth leaving her body, forced by your own hand. Again and again..."

Slowly Hazama lifts his head, showing his slit yellow eyes. His grin grows wider. "What a terrible life of despair... Ah. Apologies. My name is Captain Hazama. I'm an associate of her colleagues." He reaches up to grasp the base of his glove and slowly yank it tight, leather creaking like a noose drawn taut. "Why don't you let me take care of her...?"

Monster. A woman who grew up with Darkstalkers, who bore the rage of Heihachi Mishima, who bears twin protective souls in a malformed body, might be seeing a new experience today as well. A true monster. This is some being with no hope. No goodness. Nothing but pain, darkness, and depravity. Giving Noel to him... would be the same as squeezing the very life out of the bird in her hands.

[DIZZY]
Dizzy senses the presence before she sees it.

Walking across the grounds of the Amusement park, she hears the clapping. Turning towards the figure, her eyes are wide. Her wingtips twitch. The danger looming, bearing heavily over. It isn't just Necro; Undine senses it as well. Dizzy sputters, as begins to emerge from the shadows. "Please... Please don't hurt me. I have- I have to help her..." The face of evil reveals itself. The wings quiver, as Dizzy, eyes wide, stares at them. "No, no... He's not going to... to attack...." They could see it, they could sense it. The pure malevolence.

But Dizzy has no sensation of it.

Dizzy calms her wings, as the familiars shudder. THe woman's own aura was consuming, just as Hazama's own. But she didn't want to fight. She just had to make sure her victim would live. Even as Hazama twists the knife, she looks sadly into the broken girl in her arms. "Life... of despair...?" She asks, as she gently pulls at the hair of the NOL agent. "This is all my fault... but I can make it right. You can help her, right?" Dizzy says softly, looking up into the yellow eyes of the man. "She was talking to her commander, and.... Captain is a rank within the military. I remember people reporting to Captains..." Dizzy smiles, as hope fills her in the desolation. Her eyes sparkle, as a light comes over her. She stares into the pain, the darkness, the depravity... and she offers the dual spirits, raising Noel up to him, a face of innocence still in the roaring madness of the world around her... even as her wings flap on their own. "Yes! You can help her! You can save her life!"

"Please, before it's too late..."

[TERUMI]
"Oh, yes. She reports to Major Jin Kisaragi. And Colonel Mutsuki, if you wish to go further up the chain. I'm just a humble Captain, but I can certainly take her off your hands." The twin wings likely know precisely what is going on. With Dizzy wounded and pressured, countless opponents still thrumming all around, this man is a terrible opponent to face. Even if driven off, there may be no guarantee he does not retrieve Noel all the same. Letting some mundane women vanish into the hands of evil... that is an easy choice to make when it best protects Dizzy, right?

"I wouldn't exactly say fighting is what I'm best at. But I assure you, I never lie." His serpent's tongue all but dances, gloved hands reaching out gently to take the Eye of the Azure in his own arms, and cradle her with the utmost care. "And I can assure you..." His smile goes wider, peering his yellow eyes down towards the young woman.

"Her dying is the *last* thing I want right now...~"

[DIZZY]
Necro and Undine were fighting as they spoke.

The power levels were chaotic. They could tell that, if a fight was started, then Dizzy would die... was Undine's argument. Necro had a much more direct solution: Gamma Ray the entire city. Nothing could sustain enough Gamma Rays. But as Undine points out, Heihachi did. It was a chaotic, screaming argument over the best way to protect Dizzy. But for Dizzy, for the young Command Gear?

She smiles, as she places Noel into his arms.

"Thank you for understanding." She says softly, still smiling. She had a friend in the village who had a snake tongue like Hazama. He was dead now. Dead because of her. But she did not feel any fear or distrust at this kindly man anymore. "It's so hard... It's so hard to trust humans now. You... you probably were supposed to catch me, like she was." She looks around at the amusement park. "But... But I think that the lives of living things are more important than that. Her life." She clasps her hands together, and gives a small bow to Hazama. "Thank you so much, Captain Hazama." She says, unaware of the next wave of sheer, tragic misery she may have just unleashed upon the world. Instead, she looks back up, her eyes shining as her warmth and kindness radiates.

"You are the nicest human I've met so far."

[TERUMI]
"Catch you...? No. I don't want to catch you." Hazama says softly. His expression softens, and seems absolutely genuine. "If anything, I would like to thank you. If not for you and your relatives, the great Justice in the skies... then this world would be a much different place." The ritual of the Thunder God. The disruption from Dizzy, Justice, and the assembled hordes of Darkstalkers and gears. All of such allowed the fabric between realms to thin sufficiently for Terumi to draw near, to funnel his power to Hazama... and finally break free. Ah. Dizzy will never truly know the horrible benefit she offered the god of destruction.

"Well, don't give up. You're safe here. I scouted the area on my way over. Why don't you sit and rest?" He then dips his head, before turning to walk off with Noel in his arms, before the twin wings might decide to start something he has no interest in. Of course, he lied. He sensed Testament approaching. If Dizzy fled in a panic from the location, she could probably evade him and fully recover. But that wouldn't do any good. Relius would greatly like to dissect a Command Gear, and he'll wait until all the players are finished before making his move. So much like the Murakumo Units, these strange Gears...

"Shh, shh. Stay asleep, Ms. Vermillion." Hazama coos, as the cold shadows seem to draw him into a dark embrace and he vanishes from sight. "I'm taking you right to Colonel Relius Clover. We'll make everything better...!"

[DIZZY]
Dizzy doesn't understand.

Her relatives? She... well, she didn't know that she had family. Justice in the skies... all this didn't make sense to her. She didn't understand. Uncertainy weighs over her, as Necro twitches. She will never know what horrible offering she laid at the feet of the creature before her.

She couldn't even understand it.

As Hazama's words of false promise come to her, though, she brings her hands over her chest. "Thank you. I... I am so fortunate to have found you. Thank you again..." She backs up, reaching the edge of a merry go round, a bench by it. And she takes a seat, taking a moment of respite, of rest. She breathes hard. She wasn't escaped yet. They would be here soon, they would have to be. But for a moment, she felt safe. She felt Noel was safe. Everyone, everything, was safe.

Everything would be fine, right?

[KY KISKE]
"Lieutenant..." Ky speaks into his com, as he rushes down walkways that are lit up and cheerful despite the dreadful pall that had fallen upon the events that they now found themselves embroiled within. Behind him, he had left the three students who had barred his path beaten and bruised, but not bloodied. He mourns their circumstances, and those that places him in opposition to them, but they are not his enemy. Does he even know his enemy, anymore? He hadn't heard from Noel since the fight. He had commanded her to preserve her life above all else, but now... Now her com is silent. "Lieutenant, this is Commander Kiske. Do you read me?!"

The slender figure moves nearly as swift as the lightning that is his to command, trailing the white and blue ends of his raiment behind him, billowing in the wind with a rustling sound akin to distant thunder. If any under his command were... He didn't want to think of that. He wouldn't think of that. Lt. Vermillion may be injured, or unconscious, but she is not dead. He will not allow it. His fine, youthful features look wise beyond their age by the set of determination in his jaw, and the sheer ferocity that burns in his eyes, despite their icy hue. His boots tread the ground clacking across pavement and wood, propelling his desperate flight towards his subordinate's last known location.

But, ahead of him, seated on a bench, is the strangest sight. A woman in a costume? No. Blue hair. Wings of ebon and ivory. A tail. Is this the Command Gear itself? She looks... Nothing like he had imagined. Justice is what he had imagined. A thing of steel and death. A monster that levels mountains with nary a thought for the human lives it takes. A creature born from the depths of nightmares and science fiction. And this... this thing before him? It is decidedly not that.

Feet skid to a stop, bringing the Knight Commander's pursuit to a halt. Immediately, a gauntleted fist draws forth his sacred treasure, Thunderseal, and levels its pointed tip in the direction of the creature. When he speaks, his voice is lyrical and smooth, but carries with it a stern fierceness that demands obediance. "You! Where is my lieutenant! What have you done with her, creature?!"

[DIZZY]
Ky Kiske's arrival comes, with Dizzy in repose.

By the time he reached her, Dizzy was on her side, stretched out on the bench. She was embracing herself, not cold in spite of her exposed clothing, but simply overwhelmed by the stress. She couldn't sleep, in spite her endless fatigue, she couldn't truly sleep. But she felt safe, like there was hope. As Ky Kiske arrives, she even had a smile on lips. Casting her crimson eyes on him, her brow furrows. She was... she did not understand the depths of Hazama's lies yet.

But even she could see how angry this man was.

Standing, she clasps her hands before her. She didn't know who this strange, yellow-haired man was. But with Hazama's words, and the context... it had to be clear. "I... I gave her to Captain Hazama... She was wounded." She shuts her eyes, her wings twitching. Her own body seemed to have been bruised and battered; it is closer to a small brawl than the assassination assault Noel would have provided. She rubs her hands anxiously. "I wounded her; she fell asleep from her wounds. I had to save her; birds who fall asleep from being hurt, don't wake up again." She releases her hands, stretching them out to her side, as she steps forward, approaching Ky Kiske, her eyes innocent at the artifact drawn at her. "Are you Major Jin Kisaragi?" She asks, turning her head. "Or... Colonel Mutsuki? Captain Hazama said that those were her commanders." She flaps her wings, taking another step. "He also... he also said I was safe here." She stops advancing, a look of concern on her face, as she recoils slightly.

"Am... am I still safe?"

[KY KISKE]
"Captain Hazama?" Ky asks, his voice strained with both stress and confusion. His fine boned countenance twists with that expression, his fierce eyes juxtaposed against the cowl of his thin, light brows and the crinkle of his nose as he barely restrains the snarl that wants to be let out. Who the hell is Captain Hazama? He's not a part of this mission, that much is certain. "I don't know a Captain Hazama. You are lying!"

What is she talking about? Birds sleeping when hurt? Why is she advancing on him with his sword drawn. He takes one step closer towards her, lifting the tip of his blade so that it is aimed for the center of her throat. There is a shimmer along it's polished edge, before blue lightning begins to crackle and arc along the length of it. "Be quiet you damna--"

Jin Kisaragi? Mutsuki? That was, at least, something he could draw on and know. They were people he understood to be Lt. Vermillion's commanders within the NOL. Aquamarine eyes morph from fierce, sharp slivers of ice to wide saucers.

The lightning dies.

"I am Commander Ky Kiske of the Sacred Order of Holy Knights," he declares, as he lowers Thunderseal to his side, letting it hang loosely in his grip. Daring a chance, he steps forward and extends his other, palm up and fingers open. "You are the Command Gear that I was sent to retrieve. Surrender yourself to me and you will be safe."

[DIZZY]
The joy and hope escapes Dizzy's eyes.

It was all a lie. She was never safe. Worse, she... she made this man angry at her. His anger pours into Dizzy, and her shame fills her. She... she just made things worse. Just like the village. Just like... Noel.... Downcast, she takes a step back. "I... am sorry. I... I didn't mean to...." Didn't mean to what? She realizes that she might have just hurt Noel worse. What if it was all a lie? And now... now this man was not just angry at her.

He was going to take her away.

"I... can't surrender..." Her eyes dart around, from one wing to the other. Her crimson eyes were turning into pinpricks. She strokes her wings, knees knocking together. She could feel that lightning. Fear. The walking apocylypse was afraid of Ky. And yet... was she threatening him? "You need, Commmander Ky Kiske! Please! And take your Sacred Order of Holy Knights with you! I don't know who the Command Gear is. Please. Stay back!" She stumbles backwards, falling on her bottom. Keeping her knees together, she looks up at Ky Kiske. Her wings were spreading out wider and wider. There was a pulse in the air, a tension. A tremendous aura was building around her. Was this devil.... this angel pretending to be so weak? She looks at Ky Kiske, tears in the corner of her eyes. "Leave! Now! Please!"

"Or you will be hurt too!"

[KY KISKE]
"Huh?" Ky emotes as the Command Gear starts babbling apologies. It makes him pause in his slow advance on her, his footfalls coming to an abrupt end. He can't make heads nor tails of this creature. Her face, and her mannerisms are all so innocent. She SEEMS like an innocent. But then her body... Her Gear body.

She proclaims that she can't surrender, but Ky misses that. He's too preoccupied with how her knees were shaking, and how frightened she genuinely seemed to be. If a Gear felt this frightened of him, normally, Ky Kiske would take that as a mark of pride. Vile things as they are. But she makes it feel shameful. He feels like a bully. He feels disgust for himself.

"Surrender and no one needs to be hurt!" he proclaims, stepping forward after she falls, and even going so far as to reach out a hand in order to help her up to her feet. But then her spiritual power starts to rise, becoming a palpable thrum in the air around him, and he feels that strength down in the core of his bones and in the depths of his righteous soul. What does he do? Does he trust those tear filled eyes or does he trust the ominous aura that's building around them like an invisible avalanche?

"..." Ky is frozen, not quite reaching out to her, but not recoiling away, either. His sword is gripped tighter in his other hand, prepared, but not aggressive. His oceanic eyes search her ruby ones for any hint, any sign of betrayal or deceit and finding none. Still, she claims to not know who the Command Gear is, so she is capable of lying. Why does this have to be so difficult? Why does all of this have to be so difficult?

"If you don't wish me to be hurt, then don't hurt me. Come with me."

[DIZZY]
Surrender and no one needs to be hurt.

Dizzy was frightened. Her experience with humanity was... hate, fear, cruelty, and power. Lies and deceit. Death. The whole world descended on her, and she lashed out. She wanted it all to end. And... and this man was giving her the way out. Just surrender. Could she trust him? Why would she trust him? She was already betrayed once. She had no reason to trust him. And yet, she looks into his blue eyes... and felt a warmth.

Come with him.

Dizzy looks at Ky Kiske. Tears well up in her eyes. And gently, she rises, trembling like a wounded animal. "I want this to stop." She says softly. "I want... I want to go back to a village, and pretend this all never happened. I want.... I want to go to a place where there are trees again, and animals, and little birds..." She wanted it all to end. She reaches out to him. "Can you promise to take me... take me to a quiet grove..." She reaches out to take Ky's hand...

And the blue hand grasps her own by the wrist.

The white wing had transformed into a matronly figure of blue. Eyes golden, and face glowering at Ky Kiske, she draws Dizzy back. Dizzy might have decided to trust humans. But Undine knew better. Dizzy's safety was paramount. And this Ky Kiske was not the path for her safety. Her familiars knew better. ANd both were in agreement.

Both.

The other wing, the black one, transforms as well. Taking the shape of a green-skinned Reaper, garbed in robes, Necro reveals himself, eyes burning red, as he extends his hands at Ky, bellowing at him silently. Dizzy, staring at her familiars, sees it happening again. Dizzy realizes what was happening again. She wriggles out of Undine's grasps, seizing Necro by his robes. "No, please! I want to surrender! I don't want anymore violence!"

And Necro refuses his ward, as he draws out the scythe.

COMBATSYS: Ky Kiske has joined the fight here.

[\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////////////////////      ]
Ky Kiske         0/-------/-------|=======\=------\1            Dizzy

[KY KISKE]
Ky puts off an air of kindness and compassion, despite the tension of the scenario this pair finds themselves in. Those deep, soulful eyes of crystaline blue-green are open, free of guile and hatred. It's clear by the look on his face that Ky is trying to bring all of this pain and misery to an end, once and for all, no matter the cost. He doesn't know anymore who might be right or wrong. He sees the hand of justice being brought to bear like a boot on the throat of a nation, while before him, he sees a monster with tears in her eyes, speaking of groves and birds and peace. All he knows is that he wants to bring an end to suffering. There has been too much.

She reaches out, and he leans in. They almost touch, their fingertips a hair's breadth from one another. "I will take you somewhere where there will be no more suffering..."

But then, that blue hand interrupts. Ky's eyes dart from the girl to Undine, confusion and wariness overtaking his stare. That glowering face is met with nothing but a question, at first. "Wha--Why?"

He barely has time to release the words from his lips before that demon of jade and onyx arises with it's ruby eyes. A vile and unholy creature, if ever Ky had seen one. As Dizzy pries herself from Undine's grasp and tries to reason with the reaper, Thunderseal hums, and then crackles to life.

"Stay still!" the Holy Order knight commands Dizzy. "I will free you from these wretched beasts!"

With that, in a single, fluid movement, Ky Kiske's once youthful and warm features become the stuff of steel and ice. Determination settles in, as his blade is lifted overhead and poised, tip forward, following the guidance of his free hand that now extends outward before him. He bursts forth in a blur of white and blue, his speed uncanny. His blade is brought to bear, electrical arcs blazing through the air in an arc behind it as he brings it down in an overhead slash aimed at the side of Necro that connects the damned thing to Dizzy, attempting to sever it completely, and following through with an upward slash, just to be certain.

COMBATSYS: Dizzy dodges Ky Kiske's Lightning Edge.

[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ////////////////////////      ]
Ky Kiske         0/-------/-------|=======\=------\1            Dizzy

[DIZZY]
Dizzy did not want this handsome, gentle man hurt.

But Necro was not one to be stopped. As the scythe finishes manifesting, he screams again, as Undine reaches to grip Dizzy again, to shield her away. Ky intuitively concludes that it wasn't Dizzy driving these attacks, but her spirits within the wings. A good conclusion; though the relationship was a little more complicated. As Ky Kiske rides the Lightning, bringing the full power of the sacred relic forward, Necro actually widens its eyes. Berserker rage overwhelms it as he gets ready to hurl himself into the fray.

Fortunately for the reaper, Dizzy pulls him out of the way.

Pulling her own wing clear of the blade, she jerks free of Undine again to seize Necro by the hem of his robe. Pulling back hard, the whole form slips around the tip of the blade, just short of the reaper. The Gear moves with equal parts of speed and grace, black and white feathers molting off her as they whirl around. "No! Stop!" Dizzy cries out, as she brings all her weight to pull Necro out of the path of the upward swipe. "They are my wings! They are part of me!" Dizzy tries to think, tries to understand how to stop it from happening again. And... and she pleads to reason. "I- they become Undine and Necro sometimes! They are my friends!" Dizzy tries to explain. "They protect me, and keep me safe! Th-they think you're dangerous! They think everything is dangerous right now! Because that awful man attacked my village!" And then, Necro shrugs out of Dizzy's grip, nearly knocking her over. -That- gets a glare from Undine, whose attention is now at the other wing. Necro ignores the judgement, as he releases his scythe. Cradling his hands before him, the scythe begins to float in midair, spinning faster and faster in place. Igniting in flames, the wheel of fire is finally unleashed at Ky... as Dizzy stares, recoiled in horror. Not at humanity, not at Ky Kiske.

But at herself.

COMBATSYS: Ky Kiske dodges Dizzy's What Happens When I'm TOO Alone.

[ \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////////       ]
Ky Kiske         0/-------/-------|=======\==-----\1            Dizzy

[KY KISKE]
Dizzy manages to pull Necro out of the way of his swing, and Ky's determined face actually flashes with a snarl of anger for a brief moment. Is she trying to help this monster attached to her in its task of killing him? This. All of this. It's all so confusing! The Lord has tested his faith and his honor, but never has he been tasked as strongly as he has been in these recent weeks. The stress of it all has started to cloud his judgement, making him uncertain of everything he encounters, and everything he sees. Gears are evil. And yet, the UN is harnessing these monsters for their own personal attacks. The UN is part of the world's order, and the Holy Order assists the UN as an ally, to preserve peace, and enforce order and justice throughout the world. And yet, they would set Justice out to tear down mountains against a relatively helpless island nation, without a true effort to negotiate.

"Just stop it!" He cries out, in part to Dizzy, as a command for her to rein in her wings, and in part to his own mind for sending all of these conflicting thoughts and emotions. "If it is a part of you then make i-!!"

He leaps, his knightly vestments billowing about him, to avoid the flaming wheel that is sent hurtling in his direction. He tumbles, rolling head over heels, and sliding to a halt on one knee, with his sword raised horizontally at his side.

"If you cannot control it, then I have no choice!" There is desperation in his voice, despite the commanding presence that still rings true. From one knee, Ky rises up, just to hop, slipping more forward than up, and lands into a sliding kick, intended to take Dizzy's legs out from under her so that she will be ill equipped to defend Necro from the swift, lightning imbued slash of his sword that follows.

COMBATSYS: Ky Kiske successfully hits Dizzy with Stun Dipper.

[  \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  ///////////////////           ]
Ky Kiske         0/-------/-----==|=======\====---\1            Dizzy

[DIZZY]
'If you cannot control it, then I have no choice.'

Dizzy sees the path of fear around her. Was it really humans? Because now, she could have been free. She could have surrendered, she could have walked away. She could have been safe, and forgiven. She felt like Commander Ky Kiske wanted to protect her, to protect the people of this city. And Dizzy... Dizzy didn't want to hurt them. Just surrender. And the violence ends. But she couldn't, could she.

Because she couldn't control it.

Necro unleashes his assault, as Dizzy... Dizzy tries. "Please! Necro! Undine! I beg of you both, please! I want the violence to end! I want this all to end!" But Necro refuses. He refuses even as Ky Kiske swiftly tumbles under the flaming wheel. He refuses even as Ky gives his ultimatum, and the reaper draws out another flaming scythe. He refuses even before that sliding kick that comes -under- Necro. He refuses as his eyes burn with violet energy as the slide goes straight for -Dizzy-. The Command Gear rises up in time to realize that she was being targeted. She tries to flap her wings to escape, but...

Necro continues to refuse.

The slide goes to knock Dizzy down. As the rising blade comes, however, Undine twists herself in the path, taking a brunt of the blow. It was now a mingling of Undine, Dizzy, Ky, and Necro now, a chaotic circle of four. Dizzy stares back at Ky Kiske. She was being attacked. Undine was... bleeding? No, it was Dizzy. Where did the blade come? But the Commander Gear looks at Ky. "I... I understand... I will try though-"

"Watch out!"

Dizzy points, as Necro, gripping his scythe tightly, -hurls- the full force of his weight and momentum at Ky. Swinging the scythe hard and brutal, fires explode over him as his jaw locks in a silent scream. And as the fires build... Dizzy looks more and more pale. The energy. Necro's power was drawing from Dizzy's own life force.

What was the purpose of these guardians, again?

COMBATSYS: Dizzy knocks away Ky Kiske with Fierce Punch.

[           \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////            ]
Ky Kiske         0/-------/=======|=======\=====--\1            Dizzy

[KY KISKE]
Seeing Dizzy struggle and plead with her animated, self-possessed wings, Ky's heart is naturally disposed towards feeling the pangs of sympathy for her. Some part of him is reminded of himself as a child, clutching at his father as he took his final stand in some war torn past. Memories of begging, pleading with this imposing, larger than life figure to not fight, to run with him because he's so frightened. To protect him and keep him safe. Little did he know then that that is exactly what that figure was giving his life for.

Ky rises from his attack, having his intended target protected by his secondary. No matter. If Dizzy cannot stop them, he truly has no choice but to clip her wings, literally and metaphorically. He's convinced, now, that they are the source of violence surrounding her. Without those cursed wings, she might be able to...

To what, Ky? Be happy? Have a normal life? Even if he cuts off her wings, she is still a Command Gear. She is still the same breed of weapon as that which leveled the distant mountain that now smolders and is lost in a cloud of smoke and ruin. She will still possess those red Gear eyes, and that serpentine tail. She will never have a normal life among humanity. They will never allow her to be happy. So what can he do? What purpose does it serve to rend her from the only companions she has?

Ky ruminates on these things, in the heat of battle, as his body moves on autopilot. It's only when Dizzy shouts out that warning that it cuts through his haze of thought, and brings him to his senses. He has a solution. It's a gamble, but if it will end this cycle, he will chance it.

As Necro hurls his might at Ky, Ky advances swiftly. He tries to avoid the blow, sidestepping in his dash, though he's too slow for the unexpected ferocity. The scythe bites deep into Ky's shoulder, piercing the reinforced armor of his coat. Immediately, red begins to soak through the fabric, staining that pristine, priestly white, before the fire burns. Ky's advance is halted, just long enough for him to drop the artifact sword in his hand, letting it clatter to the floor as the arcing electrical nimbus surrounding it fizzles and dies. With both hands, he reaches up, prying Necro's blade from him, and pushing it aside. He steps in, past it, closing the gap between him and the conjoined trio of Necro, Dizzy and Undine.

"Stop this at once!" Ky shouts, bringing the full weight of his imperious nature to bear in his voice. He sounds unwavering and authoritive. He sounds like a commander. Even as he does so, he wraps Dizzy up in his arms, embracing her tightly, with his cheek pressed to hers. "Look at what you're doing to her! You are the ones hurting her. You are the ones causing all of this! You want to protect her? You're killing her!"

COMBATSYS: Ky Kiske takes no action.

[           \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////            ]
Ky Kiske         0/-------/=======|=======\=====--\1            Dizzy

[DIZZY]
There were many things that the trio had expected.

After Necro sends Ky hurtling, he was prepared for the counter attack. Ky would slip in, trying to slip past him and attack Dizzy, just like before. He was focused on -her-. As Ky rips the scythe from his chest, he already was charging. Collapsing the scythe into his palm, he begins to charge up a fierce attack, drawing from Dizzy's life force. Undine, in turn, was very concerned with both Necro and Ky tearing apart Dizzy, and she already was moving to intercede herself between the Sacred Order knight and her ward. ANd Dizzy... Dizzy expected that Necro was going to kill Ky no matter what. All three expected the same; Ky would come to attack. Already, he rushes in, lunging in, moving to attack. It all comes in slow motion.

But then the Sacred Order commander embraces Dizzy.

And they all lock up.

Dizzy goes stiff, eyes wide, her face turning red. Necro's jaw drops, the mystic fire dropping from his finger tips. Undine gasps, bringing a hand to her mouth. Up close, Dizzy feels... soft. Like how a young girl should feel. Tightly held by Dizzy, the command gear was tense, mouthing silently. All three were mouthing silently. Dizzy can't say anything, shocked at... what was this warm feeling? It is Necro that recovers first.

And Necro peers around Ky.

He was looking, observing, trying to find just the right angle to attack. The Reaper draws back a fist... and puts it away. He comes around at the other side... and Undine doesn't let him around, still staring in outrageous shock at the blonde-haired man. Necro rubs his head, trying to figure out how he can -kill- Ky. And yet... there was no more scythe. The furious offense had stopped, and the draw upon the Command Gear stopped.

For a moment, both were safe.

And Dizzy... face flush in embarrassment, stammers out an answer. "He... he is trying to find the best place to hit you, without hurting me. To kill you. But because you're holding on so tight." She swallows hard. "He... can't. I don't know how- I don't know if this will work, but... because it will keep you safe... You can... hold on as long as you like..." She says, burying her face into Ky's chest.

Undine's furrows her brow, as shock fades away to protective anger.

COMBATSYS: Dizzy takes no action.

[           \\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\  < >  //////////////////            ]
Ky Kiske         0/-------/=======|=======\=====--\1            Dizzy

[KY KISKE]
Ky's sharp, narrowed aquamarine eyes follow the reaper like figure of Necro as it dances around, looking for a way to strike at him without hurting his... self? Host? Ky doesn't understand. But then, how could he ever understand Gears? They are... They are what, exactly? Inhuman. Yes. Inhuman. Monsters. Or so he thought. But right now, this Gear... no, this girl... this girl is also willing to allow Ky to hold on to her in order to protect him from a piece of herself. The Knight Commander does not understand any of this.

"It's not my life that I am worried about," Ky offers, his voice softening, since he's right at her ear. He then lifts his face, turning his head to stare Necro in the eyes with a set jaw and icy cold fierceness in his gaze. He speaks up, addressing that errant wing, "If you are nothing more than a monster that wishes to shed blood and spread death, then so be it. But if that is the case, and you love this girl, then you should quietly accept death. You're draining her. Can you not see that? Every attack you made draws on her. It is because of your bloodlust that chaos surrounds her. So if you care for her at all, be at peace, or kill yourself to save her!"

Turning his attention then, to Undine, the blonde haired paladin's glare is... well it's lessened. But it still remains as a scowl. "And you. You seem to have more sense for a demon than this other thing. Can you not help her to suppress that wicked thing's bloodlust?"

[DIZZY]
NEcro was at a loss of words.

As Ky Kiske calls -him- out on mistreating Dizzy, he wanted to take his time to -murder everything- out of the sheer outrage. And yet, he could do nothing. For this -human- to talk to him like this... he was beginning to build fire in his hands. Maybe he could risk it. Maybe Dizzy could survive a little roughness... and Undine -screams- silently, as she pushes her counterpart.

Now the two wings were arguing with each -other-.

There words were muffled, silent things, almost pantomimed between each other. Dizzy was holding on tight, looking back and forth between them. Necro looks apologetic as Undine is apparently -screaming- at him silently. Dizzy tilts her head. "Necro seems to be getting less and less angry at you." She translates between them to Ky. "But Undine.... she's sounding angrier and angrier. And she's blaming Necro for this... which I think is, well, not wrong." But Dizzy tilts her head the other way, as Undine starts beating on Necro's shoulder, pointing at the pair of Ky and Dizzy. "Especially... you?" Before she can explain, Necro just... throws his arms in the air.

And Necro transforms back into a black wing.

"He's... hiding." Dizzy says cautiously. "He's given up? He doesn't think you are a threat anymore!" Dizzy straightens up, pushing against Ky as hope fills her chest. And yet, in tandem, Undine seems to look even -more- fierce at Ky Kiske. She gets up into his face, and babbles wordlessly at him, glaring back with the fierocity that even Necro could not muster. Dizzy tilts her head. "She... wants you to let go of me! Because she thinks you are... not clean? A dirty..." And Dizzy tilts her head.

"What's a playboy?"

[KY KISKE]
For his part, Ky watches the interaction between the miming wing-demons with a wary eye. When the fire begins to form in Necro's skeletal hands, Ky shifts his position. Keeping his embrace, he still shifts to the side, so that his body creates a solid barrier between himself and Dizzy. Looking back over his shoulder, Ky merely glares at the hooded reaper with naked defiance. That is, until Undine enters the fray.

Ky remains silent and still during the exchange, content to watch it for now, as he tries to sort out the thoughts and emotions that are running through him in a jumbled mess. What is his endgoal here? What does he really plan to do once he's managed to defuse this situation? He can't just let the Gear go. He can't just turn her over so that these demons are leashed to the whims of an organization that would use them to enforce their will on the world as they did with Justice.

"Especially me?" Ky asks, when Dizzy pulls him out of his head again, and he cranes his neck so that he can turn his attention from the bickering wing-things doing their thing, and turns it on to Dizzy. His brows knot together in a scowl of confusion, and before he can say anything else, the feminine blue demon is in his face mouthing words at him. The suddenness of it has him instinctively recoiling, and one arm slipping away from Dizzy to reach down at his side. To the empty scabbard. Right.

"What did she say?" He asks, and for all the world that French accent that spills from his tongue only serves to make those words seem even more haughty and impudent. He does unentangle himself from the form of Dizzy, and he stands proud and tall. This demon dares to call him such things? His face turns red, both with the embarrassment, as well as from the insult. He lifts one finger, putting it square in Undine's face, and starts speaking, his accent growing thicker and thicker with each rushed, emotional syllable. "I am a Holy Knight of the Sacred Order! I am a devout man of God, and my intentions are noble and pure! I do not care how soft and warm she feels or how sweet she smells! How dare you impugn my honor so? Had I a taste for more bloodshed this evening, I would see that insult repaid!"

[DIZZY]
In most cases, Ky Kiske's retort would have been enough.

Even Dizzy was averting her eyes, flinching at the harsh words the knight was using. She looks down at the scabbard, tilting her head again. What was that for? Maybe it could be used to hold leaves. As He releases on hand, she gradually releases as well.

For Undine's sake, as she was -livid-.

Undine continues to rant in pantomime silence, looking even -more- furious at Ky Kiske. As -his- finger gets in -her- face? She starts putting -her- finger in his face. She looks past Ky Kiske, and motions to the black wing. The black wing metamorphs into a single, middle finger, before going back into a wing into a burst of black feathers. Undine thrusts both of her arms down ONCE, before ultimately crossing her arms, looking away from -both- of them. She says something.

And Dizzy starts turning a even brighter shade of red.

"I've... never heard her said say these things. But... I think... I think she's okay with me coming with you? As long as you promise I am safe? And nobody hurts me? As long as you don't hug me anymore? And don't touch my, um, my upper body or lower body?" Undine nods, not even looking at the duo. She gives a silent -hmph-, without even looking at them. Dizzy looks at Ky Kiske, her face hopeful.

"Can you promise that, Commander Ky Kiske?"

[KY KISKE]
When Undine's finger gets in Ky's face, his neck cranes back and his eyes widen to the size of saucers, pointed down at that finger. This only infuriates him further, and he jabs his finger in the air in front of HER face, and starts spewing off a string of rapid fire words in French. Something something mother was a hamster something something smelt of elderberries something something in your general direction. When Undine finally throws her fists down, Ky does the same, and turns his back. Scowling.

"Hrmph!" Ky responds to Dizzy when she reports Undine's terms. He folds his arms across his chest and closes his eyes, his chin rising just the slightest bit. Indignant. Ignoring the pain in his shoulder from where it's literally punctured through and still bleeding, leaving half of his white coat now a deep, dark shade of red. His accent is miles and miles thick, punctuating every syllable with its unique aspect, clipping th's into t's and altogether removing any semblance of an H in a word. "You can tell that... that demon... that I have no intention to make untoward advances towards those of the fairer sex. And ESPECIALLY not towards an inhuman Gear!"

He regretted those words as soon as they left his mouth. He's not angry with Dizzy. She deserves none of his ire at being insulted and insinuated. His eyes open, and he turns and looks at the blue haired girl with a look of mortified remorse. "Sacré bleu... I apologise. I did not mean that. I mean, I did mean that I would not make untoward advances! I just did not mean the other thing!"

He lifts his hand to his wounded shoulder, applying pressure and wincing as his chin lowers ever so slightly, casting his face in the warm shadows cast by his blonde hair. His gaze drifts down, and to one side, as he mutters, "D'accord... I promise that you will be safe with me."

[DIZZY]
For the moment, Undine was satisfied.

Of course, it would only take a moment to lose her temper, and -both- wings to unleash the full wrath of the Command Gear. But as Ky Kiske quickly backtracks... Undine fades back into her white wing form. The Gear looks at Ky... and takes in a deep breath. She exhales.

She was still frightened, deep down.

With the chaos, with Hazama's lies, with the world descending on her... instead of the world facing Dizzy, it would be the world facing Ky, wouldn't. And now, he was declare she was an inhuman gear? She didn't even know what a gear was, really. Other than what she was being called by others. She was just Dizzy. And yet... she felt like this knight treated her just as that. As Dizzy. He... he was still taking her away. But everything would be alright, she felt, with this knight. And her wings felt the same, ultimately. And in spite of the shadows, the shame, the embarassment from the man... Dizzy finally giggles, covering her mouth.

And Dizzy touches on Ky's arm softly.

Her wing twitches. So she leaves just enough room for 'Undine' between them, just in case. She smiles warmly. "I forgive you. I think being inhuman is a good thing." She says hopefully. "I just want this nightmare to end... and I want to get away." She allows her knight to escort her away... with only a single thought to pass her along. She sniffs herself.

"Do I really smell that sweet?"

[LEO WHITEFANG]
"Another day. Another round of searching. Another failure.. I'm certainly not looking forward to the reports that need to be filed around this..."

Indeed, Leo Whitefang is not accustomed to failure but the search for the missing Command Gear has been far from fruitful and with tensions rising toward an increasingly apocalyptic boiling point, some success needs to be had else the doomsday clock finally tick on over to midnight and all efforts are for naught.

But that doesn't mean he can't take a few minutes to gripe about it all as he stands on the boardwalk leading towards the harbor where the Sacred Order ships await. His expressive features are furrowed in concentration as he taps his forehead in thought and occasionally taps his foot impatiently. "Soldier!" he says, addressing a particularly massive sacred order foot soldier dressed in heavy armor and there as extra security for the commander, "Our mission did not include room for failure! THEREFORE, we have no need to -report- on our failure. CORECT?"

The logic catches the large man off guard and he stammers, "S-Sir..I do not think that' appropriate!"

"Probably not, sighs Leo who turns..and then blinks as he sees the approach of Ky Kiske and Dizzy. "SOLDIER!" he demands, "...Am I dreaming? I do believe that I see Commander Ky Kiske approaching us with a beautiful winged woman who I sense is of some great importance. But that would mean..I'm dreaming about Ky!"

The soldier turns as well and stammers out, "No sir! You are not dreaming!"

"oh, good.." breathes Leo in relief. "Wait here.." He begins approaching the duo, waving the large guard to stay back and muttering to himself, "What has that 'bambino' gotten into this time.." He makes quite sure that the nickname is muttered under his breath but the confusion is evident on his face.

[KY KISKE]
Ky Kiske descends from inland towards the boats, and the safety that they represent. He's still uncertain of what his plan is beyond this. He, for once in his life, doesn't have a full plan of attack. There is no brilliant strategy here. He's improvising, because his entire world is kind of turning end on end. To the boats, and then what? Is he just going to abscond with one of his own resources to go rogue and protect the Gear? Does he try to explain the scenario to the rest of the Holy Order and hope that they'll side with him? Does he just command them as the leader of this operation, and expect them to follow, like it or not?

He doesn't know. And not knowing is half of losing the battle.

So, when Leo sees him, Ky might not look as put together as he should. His eyes are a bit wide, shellshocked. Saucer like pools of aquamarine, lost in shadows, and darting about from side to side, wary. But also glassy. There is a deep, dark gouge in one shoulder of his overcoat, and the rest of that half of his outfit is now thoroughly stained red. It looks serious. It also looks like he's completely ignoring it. He's using that arm to guide Dizzy, hand in hand, along with him while clutching Thunderseal tightly in his other fist.

Then, he sees Leo's approach. His footsteps halt. This is it. This is the moment where everything comes together or falls apart. His future and Dizzy's safety hinges on this moment.

"Whitefang!" Ky calls out, as Leo draws near the pair. What does he say now? Where does he even start? His distress, if anything, is noticeable by the thickness of his French accent. It's like Ky has never heard of the letter H, clipping it off of words altogether, and any th sounds only coming as shortened t sounds. "We need to get the boats prepped for shove off. We do not have much time. We must make haste!"

[DIZZY]
Dizzy was, for the moment, obedient.

As she follows after Ky, she doesn't even flap her wings. Holding on to Ky's hand, she was so gentle. She liked walking sometimes. She was flying too much, and besides, she was a little frustrated with her wings. But as the pair rushes down the boardwalk, towards the harbor, they are intercepted. Dizzy, frightened at first, tries to hide behind Ky as the loud stranger comes... or rather, they come to him. And what's worse?

There were more humans with him.

"Whitefang?" She repeats back softly. As Ky tries to... open up the ice breaker, Dizzy tries very hard to keep close. But as she comes closer... her white wing suddenly flutters, a burst of feathers coming out. "Oh!" She cries out, falling backwards. Instinctively, she very gently holds on to Ky's arm again, not keeping too close. She is very much not restrained, or anything. In fact, it's almost like she was wandering around freely. Clinging on to Ky, she peers around him, as the very furry man. "Oh, he's very handsome. He is a beast man? We had someone like that in the village. He looked like a lion..." She draws out. She edges a little closer to Ky.

"Are they... friends?"

[LEO WHITEFANG]
"Kiske..." begins Leo, face stern and unyielding at first and then he finally takes in Ky's condition. Not just his physical condition, though to be certain that is a wreck, but his mental state. The aura of shock that threatens to destabilize the steadfast holy knight. Just what has he seen?

"What is going on?? What happened?!" Leo's baritone voice reverberates thunderously as he rushes forward quickly, "Summon the medics!" he yells back at the large guard who immediately salutes and steps off to do just that.

Oh. Wings! Feathers! Dizzy's actions cause Leo to draw up and come to a sudden stop, lifting one of his arms up infront of him in surprise before slowly lowering it to stare at Dizzy, blinking a few times at her inquiries. "..I..handsome..? Yes, well.. " he shakes his head, as if clearing the cobwebs from it, his lion like mane of hair rustling around, "No, miss, I am no beast man.."

He blinks again and suddenly shakes his head and gestures animatedly, "What is going on here?? Who are you? Who is she, Kiske? What is the meaning of this?" As he speaks, he takes a few steps closer, looking more fully at Dizzy and beginning to now see the details of her markings for what they are. Leo has never been quick on the uptake but a slow cold realization is beginning to dawn on him. His eyes widen bit by bit but there is still time for Ky to explain himself.

[KY KISKE]
"He's... a human," Ky responds to Dizzy, after she recounts her tale of lion men in this village she was in before. He's very curious to know more about this village. He's very curious to learn more about this Gea--this girl. He has to remind himself that she's not "just" a Gear. She's earned that much, hasn't she? But now is not the time, nor the place for either questions of her or of himself. He has to bring forth his certainty. So, he puts on his best, affected smile, as if nothing in the world was wrong, and he leans a bit closer to Dizzy to mutter quietly, "Mostly."

As Ky turns to address his friend and rival, his smile fades. There's a darkness that settles into his eyes. A steely stare that often comes out only in the thick of battle. He gives a dismissive gesture to the suggestion of the medics. He certainly needs the help, though, Ky is Ky. He'd rather save the supplies to help those more needy than he. "If you want the medics to be useful, there are some school children up the way, a bit. They tried to stop me, and I had no choice. I only used the flat of my blade, but..."

Moving on to the topic at hand, Ky steps closer to Leo, though his positioning, too, is strategic. In so doing, he also places himself more squarely between the blue haired girl and the lion maned man. "This is Dizzy. And she is a lost soul in need of the Lord's help. It is of the utmost importance that we remove her from this place as swiftly as possible. When we are far from here, we might concoct a plan about where we might deposit her."

A pause and he adds his voice becoming a far more conspiratorial whisper, "I fear I cannot, in good conscience, deliver her to the hands of our allies in the UN, my friend. Look at what they have done with the monster Justice. Can we, men of faith, and men of honor, truly be content with aiding such?"

It's a pointed question. One designed to ply to not only Whitefang's honor, but to his good nature, as well as their bond as friends and rivals. It might be a gambit, but it's one he's willing to take.

[DIZZY]
Dizzy's comfort was waning.

As she looks into Leo with her glowing red eyes, she begins to pick up how... uncomfortable she was making him. She hope she didn't offend him by calling him a beast man. Quailing in the face of such presence, this was the Command Gear, the very monster that they were sent to retrieve. To contain, to stop, to destroy. And all it was, at first glance, was a frightened young girl, exposed and almost naked. It almost would be easy to dismiss.

Except it nearly killed Noel.

And yet, there it was again. The glimmer of fear. She was hiding behind Ky again, her tail twitching, her eyes averted. That damnable presence was building again, that oppressive aura. Fear was now running inside Dizzy. She tried to contain it. But so close to these soldiers, these guards... she was growing afraid. And her wings, her familiars knew it. As Ky Kiske defends her, she... she is able to suppress the aura briefly. Peering around again, she nods her head at Ky's words... and.... parses what he was saying. "Your allies, Ky?"

"Where are you supposed to take me?!"

[LEO WHITEFANG]
"Ky.. Have you taken leave of your -senses-?!" breathes Leo, deep voice tight and rigid but also quiet and kept between the three of them lest his shout reach back to the soldiers nearby. His eyes are wide in shock at this turn of events. Time seems slow, everything hinging on what he decides to do next. He looks between the two and then lays eyes upon Dizzy again, holding her in his gaze. Seeing her ease turn to discomfort and that to fear and uncertainty. Seeing her shrink back from his presence seeking shelter behind Ky. And yet..this was a Command Gear. The Command Gear. The very embodiment of the fear and uncertainty they had come to quell. And she was afraid.

The pause passes and Leo acts. A heavy sigh leaving him as he rumbles, resigned sounding, "..Children eh? Only you'd do such a thing in the name of discipline..."

He clicks a button on his comm system, "Belay that request for a medic! Pull back towards the ships. Await orders for our next sweep of the area!"

He clicks off before any protests can come back in and then hisses, "Come with me.." at Ky and Dizzy while stepping infront of them both to use his vast physique and broad silhouette to add to efforts to shield them from easy sight. "This way.." A nearby abandoned shack that may have once sold fishing supplies stands just off the beaten path and a place where Dizzy can't be gawked at by any soldier that passes by.

[KY KISKE]
"We were sent to retrieve you and turn you over to the custody of the UN," Ky states to Dizzy, his voice strained, but he speaks as plainly as he can. He does turn, however, so that he can take Dizzy's hand within both of his, lifting it up and looking her in the eyes. "But we are not going to do that. We have seen what kind of monster they would make of you. So we are going to, instead, take you somewhere safe."

Where on earth would be safe for her? Or for any of them? Though, the Sacred Order could make an appeal to the Holy See. It could be in the best interests of the Sacred Order to hold this Gear for themselves. That is the logic he could present, at least. But will it suffice?

All of this is dependent on if they are going to make it out of here, and with his wounds, all of that is dependent on Leo.

"I... She..." Ky starts when Leo asks him if he's lost his mind. Maybe he has. He looks away, his fine boned features looking lost for a moment, though that quickly changes to a sullen, brooding stare off into the distance. He sighs, and lowers Dizzy's hand, though he keeps hold of it. Lowering his face, Ky's eyes fall closed and he says, "She is dangerous, but she is not a danger, Leo. She is just a girl, frightened and alone. I can't... I cannot permit my duty to turn such innocence into the holocaust that the UN would design her to be."

But, Leo changes the subject, and when he mentions the poor children, Ky almost looks ashamed. Almost. "Oh. Well, I tried not to hurt them too badly..."

And with that, Ky falls into step with Leo, keeping Dizzy close at his side, though his wary eyes do stay alert for any sign of danger. After all, the whole world, in some capacity, was out for this girl, be it for her blood, or for her strength. Even some otherworldly things had gotten involved. He was not excited with the prospect of testing his thunder versus that of the god Raiden. That much, he was certain.

[DIZZY]
But gawk at her?

Dizzy assumed that the eyes on her was because she's unnatural, or even dangerous. The fear these men must have could be equal to her fear. She didn't understand why the men we casting their eyes up and down her. She adjusts her stockings, eyes downcast. She wanted to run away. They were- they were going to catch her, she knew it, and throw her in a cage like a bird. But Ky... Ky was protecting her. She could feel it.
%She could always trust Ky.

As Leo makes his decision, the Gear lifts her head. "THank you..." She says meekly, as Ky takes her along. She didn't quite understand the children part, at least not yet. She couldn't understand how children would even be in this fighting. Hurt the, too badly. The fear kept fluttering in her heart, as Leo took them aside.

What were they actually going to do with her?

[LEO WHITEFANG]
As Ky begins to assure Dizzy of their intentions, Leo tightens up slightly, but he knows better than to try and interrupt him and make any adjustments to the statements of surety that the lightning wielder is giving to Dizzy. Instead, he secures their position and then looks around to be certain they have a moment to themselves. When Dizzy thanks him, he turns his attention back to her and then grumbles roughly, "Don't thank me just yet. This situation is complicated."

He turns his full attention to Ky once more, "Where, exactly, did you plan on taking her? Where can she go that the UN isn't going to over turn every stone, every tree, until they find her? The Security Council is clear on its mandate to bring her in! And for her to be walking around so free and unrestrained... This is preposterous!" Leo's voice is firm, but he manages to keep it from getting to loud. Somehow.

And of course the fact that Dizzy could have long ago turned this place into an atomized crater is not lost on him either. "..She's not -just- a girl, Ky." Leo admonishers, "And this impacts more than just her and your desire for her to be free. You ...me..all of our men. Their families." His voice trails off and then he asks again, "Where is she supposed to go and how would we get her there?"

[KY KISKE]
Ky starts to pull off his coat, to offer to drape it over Dizzy to keep the eyes from her. But he realizes, again, that it's completely soaked in blood on the left side. He thinks better of it. He just gives her a reassuring hand on the shoulder, his fingers giving a gentle squeeze, before he takes a few steps away to speak quietly with Leo.

"I don't know yet where to take her. It's.... coming. I'm working it out in my head as we go," he confesses, though there is a certainty to his voice that says that he might be uncertain now, but he does have the start of a plan, and he knows he'll have a solid one soon. "No. You're right she is not *just* a girl. And yet, that is just what she is. Look at her. She is not the monster we were led to believe. She is a scared girl."

A pause.

"Her wings, on the other hand, are pure demons. If I could, I'd rid her of them, but... they seem to be operating primarily out of a desire to protect her."

He turns his gaze back on Leo's and for a moment, he looks pained. Troubled. His brow knits together with a crinkle above his thin, straight nose. His lips quirk to one side. "As for you, and the men, and their families, there will be no repercussions. If any of this goes poorly, I will assume full responsibility. At this point, you are all receiving your orders from me, with no knowledge that I am doing anything other than what was intended."

[DIZZY]
Just a girl, but so much more.

Dizzy was almost a child; by age, she would be. And yet, her maturity and naivety was bipolar. There was an innocence to her. And yet, a building intelect. As Leo booms his voice, she listens now; the children being attacked already caught her attention. Why would they attack children. And she begins to understand. The man who helped her... wasn't supposed to. Ky wasn't supposed to help her. And neither was this man. All these men here were supposed to capture her.

And yet they would not.

Why, the question burns in her mind. Why would they not captured. And as Leo complains about her walking around free... there was something that stirs in her. And as Ky talks about taking away her wings... that finally lets it erupt out.

"Please don't!"

She straightens herself up, as she transfixes her eyes from Ky, to Leo. And suddenly, the burning red takes on a new intensity, a mortal power. "My wings are a part of me." Dizzy says with a spark of defiance. That suppressed aura suddenly blooms outward, as Dizzy spreads her wings. "Do not take them away, please. They just are looking out for me. If they were gone... I don't know what would happen." The wings lower, as she droops her head downwards. "I promise I will try not to hurt anyone, as long as they don't hurt me." She doesn't want to tell them the urges her fear takes her to, the frightening side of her that scared her more than the humans.

How much part of her wanted to destroy them all, so she could be left alone.

[LEO WHITEFANG]
The lion-knight shakes his head as Ky speaks and he looms forward, leaning into the personal space of the Holy Order commander, "You want us to just throw you under the bus?? And what happens if the Security Council then orders your pursuit and capture?? What then??"

The need for calm takes hold of him again and he takes a deep breath and moves to speak once more. Then - that pulse of power hits. It slams into his senses like a freight train barreling through a wall of wet tissue. He recoils from the force of her aura and snaps his attention fully onto her and onto her words.

"I.....thank you for your willingness to cooperate and to trust us but..the people we speak of are not the sort who will take you on your word alone." He manages to get out as he regains his own composure. "This is a world where deceit is the hand that many people play. They want assurances Proof. More then just a verbal promise."

He looks over his shoulder, glancing back at the boats before looking to Ky and Dizzzy again, "Is there any way she can be restrained? Limited? Something that implies we have control over the situation should she change her mind?"

[KY KISKE]
"Dizzy... no!" Ky says, immediately breaking away from Leo to approach her, his hands out and open to show her that he's not a threat. He inches closer... closer... "We're not going to take your wings away. I was simply explaining to Leo about your wings, and that if they weren't a part of you, I'd rather they not be around you. They've caused a lot more trouble for you than they've solved, so far. That's all. But we're not taking them. We won't take them. We won't hurt you. No one here is going to hurt you."

Even in the face of her defiance, and her proud display, and those glowering red eyes, Ky still inches forward. He dips one hand under her chin as she looks down, and lifts it so that she's forced to look at him. "I will protect you. My men will protect you."

He looks back over his shoulder at Leo, and looks lost in thought. He shakes his head. "I have nothing that we could use to indicate that she is subdued, or restrained. Maybe if we had some sort of collar and chain or something..."

He eyes Leo curiously. "You wouldn't happen to have something like that would you?"

[DIZZY]
Mere words weren't enough.

It steadily dawns on Dizzy what Leo was describing. Her wings tremble. Already, Undine and Necro were -screaming- within. The pulsing aura continues to pound around them, the heightened aggression. Dizzy takes a wary step back. Restrained? Limited? Suddenly, it didn't seem like having her guardians was such a bad idea. Already, these humans wanted to confine her, put her in a cage. Limit her. And yet, as she stares at Ky Kiske... he promises. And once again... once again Dizzy thinks. Her wings scream silently. But she thinks. Fear. The world was afraid of her.

"If... if it would keep me safe."

The words come out softly, so drifting, and yet, with building understanding. They were afraid of her. So what would they not be afraid of?"If the world needed... if the world needed to trust me, to believe me that... that I just want to be left a-a-alone..." Her tail comes around, with a small yellow ribbon on it. She grabs her tail, gripping it tensely as it writhes in her hands. "I could... accept myself to be restrained... like a puppy dog. To keep it from hurting others. I would... I would allow to have a collar put on, and a chain... even my wings to be bound tight..." She looks down at her tail, adjusting the ribbon. "If it would make the others feel safe. If it would make you trust me... if it would make the world trust me..." She clutches her tail warily, lifting her eyes to Ky Kiske. "... But only if he does it...."

"... And if no one stares at me when I am restrained..."

[LEO WHITEFANG]
Sir Whitefang simply..stares. He's at a loss for words.

Eventually he manages to snap out of his fugue state and he recovers after taking a few deep breaths. "I don't think binding you in chains like some sort of trussed up doll will be necessary. We can come up with something less demeaning."

There's a pause as Leo considers them both and then he shakes his head and rests both hands on his hips, "I think..you've convinced me at least. If you're willing to submit yourself willingly to that level of restraint and observation those in charge of your security..if the rest of the world came to realize that..we could possibly lobby to have sympathetic forces onto your side. The UN would have no choice but to acknowledge your right to exist. It's just a matter of finding a safe place for you..and perhaps helping you with what seems to be a lack of self control with your wings." Leo pauses though and then adds, "Though maybe not a true lack. You seem to be handling yourself just fine now."

[KY KISKE]
Ky is still looking at Leo, truly seeming to half expect that the man would just happen to have a collar and leash laying around or possibly even on his person. He seems set and determined to get an answer on this subject from the large, feral looking gent.

And then Dizzy starts talking. Ky's attention turns itself away from Leo, and on to the girl as those words start to come forth from her mouth so purely spoken. And part of him shatters.

The other part? The other part has him lamenting why God has placed so many tests to the purity of his noble spirit before him, and has now heaped such sinful and unclean thoughts to plague him so. That is, he is thinking this as the color starts to blanch from his face, turning fair skin to an ashen pallor. He had lost a lot of blood, after all. His eyes go glassy, and roll back in his head, and Ky Kiske just outright faints right there.

[DIZZY]
Dizzy didn't understand what was wrong with what she said.

She just wanted to help herself. Instead, looking at the two men, she becomes worried that she made things worse. And why was Undine screaming at her worse? At the very least, Leo seemed to have accepted her intentions, if not her offer. Dizzy smiles, tail switching back and forth. She was... she was surprised at how obedient her wings were being right now. Maybe they didn't sense the danger as being severe. Maybe they trusted them too. She turns towards Ky Kiske, pleased at the evolution of progress.

And then he faints.

"Oh no!" Dizzy says, gasping. "He's fallen asleep!" She remembers the bird... and Noel. Lowering down over Ky, she delicately looks over him. So pale... his blood! "Leo!" Dizzy turns and... moves so swiftly. Clasping Leo's massive hands, she looks up to him pleadingly. "Please... he needs help. I may have overexerted him before we came..." Her eyes shimmer innocently, looking up at Leo. "He seems so strong and firm... but I worry if he's much softer than he seems." She covers her mouth, brow furrowed in worry.

"Will he recover?"

[LEO WHITEFANG]
"...He might not ever be exactly the same again but, oh yes, he will recover." deadpans Leo as he clasps Dizzy's hand reassuringly. "But don't count him out just yet." Also: Hahahahaha. On the inside Leo Whitefang is a raucous roar of laughter. He can't wait for a chance to get that dictionary open and expand on Ky's entry. Oh yes. Days of torment await.

But for now - concluding this business and moving on to the next stage of this chaos is on the agenda. "Fear not. I've no intention of tying you up in chains. We'll think of something." he takes a deep breath and then reaches down to raise Ky to his feet, "Come on then. There's no sense in delaying this any more now. Stay behind me. Let's move."

[DIZZY]
No intention.

Dizzy sighs some relief, clutching her chest with one hand, eyes downcast. She didn't know how else she could prove her good intentions, though. But at least... at least these men understood. She was a threat, yes, she was a danger, and she was even a monster. But she was still a frightened girl. As Leo lifts Ky Kiske, the Command Gear looks back up. She smiles again, unaware of the dictionary... and what -her- entry would be.

"Thank you, Leo."

And she follows, as the others descend upon their location.

Log created on 16:04:45 11/10/2017 by Dizzy, and last modified on 14:34:53 12/12/2017.