Match of the Millennium

Description: Wracked by horrible nightmares, Dizzy senses Darkstalkers in danger within the city of Rome. Leaving the safety of the sanctum, she flies to discover Zach Glenn apprehending dangerous criminals... who happen to be Darkstalkers. A matter of justice and righteous comes down, between the innocent Command Gear and the noble Monster Hunter.

[DIZZY]
Dizzy couldn't sleep.

Unlike the others of the Sacred Order, she didn't like sleeping indoors. She felt too confined under the covers, in the bunks. Even at the village, she liked to sleep outside, feeling the grass on her skin. Of course, there was a compromise on sleeping outdoors in the courtyard gardens. Thus, she was laying on the grass, dressed in a long, grey conservative sleep-gown. But she was tossing and turning, whimpering.

The nightmares were worse than they ever were before.

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

<"WHY DID YOU DO THAT!"> Hisses the rat-faced humanoid, as he slips through the cracks and crevices in the back alleys of Rome. Behind him was two more cloaked and garbed creatures, one bearing a beastily feline face, the other much more wolflike. The three beasts. The Rat dips down into the catacombs, as the Cat silently glowers. The Wolf pauses at the entrance, looking back, as he grips the entrance.

Blood on his clawed hands.

<"She was fighting back! I told her if she kept struggling, she would get cut! So she got cut!"> The Wolf argues as he trails the other two. The catacombs wind and twist, turning through the darkness. And then, at the end, gasping for air,The trio comes to a rest in the catacombs an crypt from the middle ages, dressed up in rags and banners. It was a rat hole, yes. But it was their safehouse. The Rat rocks back and forth, tossing the wallet into his heap, as he paces in terror. <"You were just supposed to scare her!"> The wolf snarls, grabbing the rat and pressing him against the wall. <"Well she looked pretty scared to me! So how about you BACK OFF!"> The wolf snarls. The cat stares silently towards the corridor.

They weren't out of trouble yet.

[ZACH GLENN]
They were in far more trouble than they knew, in reality.

Zach Glenn had taken a job to track down and deal with a rash of thefts and muggings in, of all places, the Vatican. One would think better of doing such a thing in such a place. The psion had thought that the place would be a bit more... secure against the kind of things Zach was sent in to deal with, but a job's a job. And if he were honest with himself, this had a certain appeal to the lapsed Catholic.

Zach had spent a day or two roaming Holy City, taking in the sights and getting a feel for the place. Then he got a little lucky, or perhaps led. He had been there when the young woman had been attacked. He had stayed his hand for a moment; starting a fight right then and there would not have helped.

Instead, the hunter had studied the trio. Got a feel for /them/. He was confident that he'd be able to track them down now. Then he dropped into the alley to help the victim, giving basic first aid and alerting medical services. He was gone before the paramedics had arrived. Zach was not even sure if the woman was still alive or not; he had a job to finish. He descended into the catacombs, Dyrnwyn and pistol in hand, stalking the threesome unerringly.

The wolf gives him a good entrance line, really. It's just too bad Zach does not speak a lick of Italian. He walks in, levelling the white-hilted claymore at the wolf and the pistol at the rat.

"Hi," Zach says in level English. "I think we need to talk about that young woman you attacked."

[DIZZY]
The Rat and the Wolf stare wide-eyed at the intruder.

Like Zach, they didn't stay to dwell on what had happened, what they had done. The Wolf already planned on charging him. But with a sword on him, even his bloodlust was staying. Releasing the RAt, he puts his claws in the air, much slower than his companion. And the Cat....

where was the Cat?

Fortunately for Zach, there was at least one of them who spoke at least a tourist level of English. After all, they preyed on tourists! "Don't worry! Don't worry! We cool! We cool! Speak Americano!" The Rat babbles to Zach, looking over at the Wolf. <"Don't do it! We are gonna calm this down!" <"I'm not going to prison again! I won't be caged again!"> The Wolf snarls, as the Rat gives a high pitched nervous squeal. "He not doing anything! We cool! we cool!" He babbles. The Wolf tilts his head a moment, giving a single split-second of telegraph as he looks past Zach.

The Cat drops on Zach, attempting to smash him in the back of the head with a club-

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

"Stop!" Dizzy cries out, as she jolts awake.

Rising into a curl-up, she seizes her head, tears in her eyes. "Stop! It's not- you are wrong! Stop it!" Her wings spread, as she gives an instinctive flap. She could feel it. She could feel their pain, their fear, their.... what were they? What happened? What was the blood, how did it... she couldn't control herself, but it wasn't Necro, it wasn't Undine now. She takes to the sky, flapping her wings as she grips the side of her hair. She needed to find them. She needed to find them, and...

And she needed to end this nightmare.

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

[ZACH GLENN]
"I speak English," Zach corrects the Rat mildly. He had not, despite the aim of his weapons, lost track of the Cat. The Wolf simply gave hm better directions than he already had. A quick glance, an effort of will, and an amber hand projected from Zach's back to slam the Cat back first into a wall to pin them in place.

"Not a bad try," Zach acknowledges to the Cat before looking back at the Rat and the Wolf. "Now," Zach says evenly, slowly. Language is obviously going to be an issue here. "Why all this," Zach asks, jerking his head toward the pile. "Especially here in the Vatican? Seems like a really /bad/ idea for /anyone/ to do your kind of work where the Sacred Order sets up base, let alone people like you."

He looks directly at the Wolf, confident that his display of ability mixed with situational awareness will keep the other two at bay. "You went too far," Zach says. "/Why?/" he demands as Dyrnwyn flares to life, gaining a sheath of gold-white soul-fire.

[DIZZY]
The cat is cut short, smashed against the wall.

The three gangsters are all pinned down by one man. The cat silently writhes, trying to wriggle out of the psionic grips. The Rat? The Rat was terrified, trying very hard to keep everyone calm. And the Wolf? He looked like he was trying to figure out if a full frontal assault would work. "It was not so bad idea! We keep low profile, good work. We don't know Sacred Order! We do not want trouble!" The wolf growls <"What is he saying"> The Rat asides. <"He wants to know why you stabbed her, I TOLD IT WAS TROUBLE!"> The Wolf snarls, as he adjusts his footing. <"You tell him because it's so easy! What he gonna do about it?!"> The Wolf snarls and snaps.... as fear ceases his heart as well. Terror.

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

"Here. Okay."

Dizzy hovers a moment over the empty street, as people peer and point out their windows. A shadowy angel, flying through the night? She glides down over the street, standing over the old paved backstreet, as people peer out. She touches the cobblestones, running her hands over it. She could feel it, she could hear their cries, their fears. Creatures like her, Darkstalkers like her... were suffering. In terror. In terror again. She hits the cobblestone with her fists, knocking a stone free. "I can't... they are under there! I can't... "

And she feels the black wing change.

Necro leans in to her ear, and whispers. Dizzy looks down, eyes wide as she feels the waves of terror boiling up. She.... she didn't sense any people there. It was an empty street. Nobody was... nobody would be hurt. It was safe. The people stare as... death speaks to the angel? It wasn't clear. But what was clear was the small nod... and the giant, burning scythe that rises up. Screams rips over the bystanders as they -flee- in terror, as the scythe comes hurtling down, as impossibly hot flames burst downwards and-

And the roof of the catacombs rips apart.

The Rat -squeals- in terror as he hits the ground, the debris from overhead scattering loosely. The wolf freezes in terror, his rage ceasing as he stares upwards at the hole, jaw slack. And the cat... doesn't change his expression. The opening carries the moonlight, as the figure from above drops down. There is the shape of a reaper, a burning scythe that -stares- with glowing eyes.... before fading away. And what comes next is words.

"Stop it!"

The winged figure cries out, as she rises into a stand. She... she looks at the three kin, and the human that was intimidating them. Balling her hands into fists, she shuts her eyes a moment, as the tears come out. She didn't want violence. She didn't want to fight. But there was something she wanted more of. "Stop scaring them!" She says, accusingly.... pointing at Zach?

"Why are you doing this?"

[ZACH GLENN]
Zach has a second's warning, leaping back to avoid the falling debris. The hand holding the cat vanishes as Zach reorients on the interloper. His eyes go wide as he realizes what... or /who/ he might be looking at. The gun shifts to the Wolf, Zach knowing that this one would fight if given a chance. The sword still burns as its tip shifts from the wolf to Dizzy.

"These three attacked a young woman in an alley about three blocks from here, for money," Zach says the pace of his English picking up a little as he realizes that Dizzy is at least fluent. "That one," Zach gestures with the gun towards the Wolf, "Wounded her. Possibly killed her." Zach frowns. "It's my job to step in when something like that happens."

Zach, wisely, does not add that he was about to do more than simply scare these three if the Wolf had continued his antics.

[DIZZY]
Dizzy's instincts compel her to do the right thing.

She remembers the village. The feelings of her villagers, the cruelty of the humans against them. When the fear filled her, their fear, it was her fear. And she pinpoint it down with the same precision as depth perception. She didn't understand why, but... her heart told her to come here. Her wings guided her. And when the time came, they helped her. And now, she was in this dirty hole, with four strangers, trying to do the right thing. She wanted to protect those who called for her help.

But they were... hurting people?

The Rat... trembles, looking at Dizzy wordlessly. The Wolf was equally terrified now, recoiled under the gun, unsure what comes next. The Cat? The Cat was missing again. Was he around? Was he gone? The only thing for certain was that the fear was only worse now. And As the sword transfixes against Dizzy, the -waves- of pressure erupt from her. The stifling presence builds in the narrow catacombs, as the sensation of danger builds. The wings twitch, as feathers fall from them. Dizzy stares at the sword, looking... nervous. Afraid. And yet, in her fear, she only resolves stronger at what was right. "Put away those things!" Dizzy says firmly. "Please... don't- don't make this dangerous. I don't want to fight, I just- I just need to know.... I just need to protect them." Dizzy's eyes water, as she looks at Zach pleadingly. She brings her hands together, as in prayer.

"Please put away your weapons."

[ZACH GLENN]
Zach does not look away from Dizzy, but he /does/ holster the pistol. His eyes narrow, but the sword stays aimed at Dizzy; Zach's senses tell him that it'd be dangerous to let his guard down completely just yet. HIs experience comfirms that suspicion. The flames go out of the blade. The sword glints dangerously in the light, but not more so than any other really sharp piece of metal.


Zach Glenn says, "They also need to answer for what they were doing," Zach says. "And for what they have done. Your... entrance does not give me a good reason to stand down, especially since I'm out-numbered at this point." His eyes shift from Dizzy, to the wolf, then back to Dizzy. The cat is gone, and has shown a propensity for ambush before. He stays on alert, hoping that he can pick the Cat's presence out amidst the absolute danger Dizzy represents.

[DIZZY]
The pistol is holstered, and the presence softens a hair.

There was still that foreboding aura of doom that boiled from Dizzy; the heightened sense of danger. The -gangsters- felt it too; unlike Zach, they were almost crushed in awe by it. Zach can, at least, pick out the presence of the Cat, somewhere amongst the rags and debris. It seems he was waiting another opportunity for something. Zach was in danger, especially with the arrival of this unknown force. And as the sword remains high... and as Zach explains that he too was afraid of her...

Dizzy shuts her eyes again.

Her grip in her clasped hands tighten. The blue-haired Gear felt like she understood. Her body felt... tense. Angry, frustrated. But it was wrong to lash out. She needed to do the right thing. "They only need to answer to the will of the Kamui Kanna, to God, to the Goddess to... to a higher power. Not to a human." Dizzy draws in a heaving breath. "Please don't pass judgement on them. Please don't- please don't kill them. I- I understand if they hurt someone, you- you feel like you need to do the right thing. But this isn't right. It can't be right." She opens her eyes.

"I... let me speak to them, please."

Dizzy looks at them, her gaze so intense. She doesn't look angry, or wrathful. But just... so disappointed. She looks at the Rat, steps towards him with light footsteps. "Is this true? Did you hurt a... hurt a human? It's wrong to hurt humans, unless they are bad. And to take their money... why would you do such a thing?!" It seems that Dizzy's attention was on them. And yet... the Rat can only sputter. "I... I.. Americano..." Dizzy shakes her head, looking at Zach.

"Why don't they understand me?"

[ZACH GLENN]
Zach watches for a moment. Listens. He throws a glance toward where he thinks the Cat is lurking, to let him know that Zach was still aware of them. Dizzy's not going to throw down right now. The Wolf might, but Zach feels confident that that is a fight he can handle. Then Dizzy gets confused as to why the Rat does not understand him.

He lowers the sword. Still keeps it in hand, but at least it's not pointing at someone.

He smiles a bit ruefully as he answers Dizzy's question, looking at the Rat with something between pity and amusement. "His English is not very good," Zach supplies. "I don't think the other two speak it at all." Then he looks back to Dizzy.

"I don't want to kill them if I don't have to," he says finally. "If I can stop them from committing crimes by placing them in confinement, so that they have a chance to reflect on what they have done and change the path they are taking, I'm fine with that outcome as well." He looks back at the Rat. "His friend hurt someone though. I cannot just walk away from this situation."

[DIZZY]
As the sword lowers, the presence is almost all but gone.

It was apprehensive. But as Zach reduces his hosility, the hostile presence still reduces. The Cat relocates; and the presence flickers from Dizzy a bit. But now, Dizzy did not want to fight. Well, she didn't want to fight before. But now, she was -less- likely to fight. As Zach explains why they did not understand, she tilts her head. "English... Oh! He speaks a different human language!" Dizzy's additude suddenly changes. From disappointed, to youthful curiousity. Peering at the trembling Rat, she half-listens to Zach's justification. And mulling, she decides to try something. And then, she stumbles out stilted... Italian.

<"Good evening. My Name is Dizzy. Can I help you?">

The Rat freezes. He glances at The Wolf.... and then, he throws himself at Dizzy's feet. Falling to his knees, he pleads and kisses her boots, babbling. <"Oh Saint Maria! Oh blessed angel! Please spare my life, please forgive my sins! I have a wife and six children! I cannot be killed, I can't go to jail! Please have mercy on me! I am a victim of circumstance ! Please! Please!"> Dizzy looks taken aback, as the Wolf looks nervously at Zach. Dizzy, somewhat embarrassed, responds slowly.

<"Please speak slowly. I do not speak Italian. Please repeat.">

The Rat, calming down, thinks hard. <"I have wife and children. I am in trouble. Please help me. Don't let me be arrested by police."> Dizzy gasps. "I have never spoken Italian before with a person! I am very happy!" She looks at Zach. "This man has a family! He shouldn't be punished too hard. I, uh.." She looks at The Wolf. <"Good evening. My Name is Dizzy. Can I help you?"> The Wolf stares. And then, slowly, he falls to his knees, and brings his hands together. <"Help me. I am a sinner. I need forgiveness." Dizzy nods firmly. "And he is apologizing and needs forgiveness! These people need help!" Dizzy considers at the gangsters, her eyes gentle. "But... I think you are right." The Rat starts sweating again. "They need to

"Let me take them."

Dizzy says with conviction. She steps towards Zach, moving... moving actually a little too close. Personal boundaries seem to be a suggestion for the Gear. "Let me take them away, to a special place. I am currently a prisoner at a place where they are very nice and honorable, I'm not supposed to tell you what though! They even have non-humans working there! It is a private place, but I think it will be safer than a prison. I..." She looks away from Zach, at the two men. She lifts her black, reptilian tail, clinging to it softly.

"I don't trust other humans holding them."

[ZACH GLENN]
Zach watches this unfold, the reaction of the Rat and the Wolf. He frowns a bit. Things... well, it's not like his job can be called any kind of "normal," but this is not how the script tends to go. He takes a deep breath, considering some things.

"Forgiveness," he says after a moment, and a half step back to get Dizzy outside of his personal space, "Is not mine to give. And you'll need to understand if I am a bit.. skeptical about your being a prisoner." He looks between Dizzy and the people he was after just a moment before, putting bits of information together. Then he swears, faintly and in Scottish Gaelic, as cognition happens. He turns to face Dizzy squarely.

They /are/ in Rome, after all. The only people with the ability to possibly detain someone like Dizzy are based somewhere in this very city. "For what it's worth," Zach says firmly, "They kind of can't, and it's sad to say that they probably would not receive anything like fair treatment anyway." He takes a deep breath before continuing. "But I'm betting that the Sacred Order of Holy Knights can at least offer them a chance at rehabilitation."

Then the gambit. Zach glances up at the hole in the ceiling. "We all should probably leave before emergency services arrive. I'd... like to go with you, if I could. My grandfather spoke highly of the Order."

[DIZZY]
"Oh!"

Dizzy was actually quite glad at Zach's reaction, as she peers closer at him. "You know about them?" Dizzy says aloud. "Then it's not a secret if we both know it! Oh, the Sacred Order is very nice. This is very good! I like to help people!" She states brightly. "And if you want to come along..."

"I think we can all come along!"

Dizzy grips both the Rat and the Wolf by their collars. The Rat squeaks as Dizzy lifts him up as one would, well, an actual rat. The Wolf yelps at the same, as Dizzy effortlessly carries him up as well. Stretching her wings, she gives a flap, scattering her white and black feathers around. "I can fly us all back! And I can wake up Kliff, who is their leader, or perhaps Leo Whitefang or my favorite, Ky Kiske! They are all very kind! But... I do not have enough arms for you to hold on to." Dizzy furrows her brow, and she makes an 'oh'.

"You can hold on to my tail!"

She says that aloud, writhing the limb towards Zach. The tail seems to be poking through a crudely ripped hole in the thick nightgown. "But please don't lose my ribbon... I don't know your name, stranger." She peers over her shoulder, as the gangsters avoid eye contact with each other. <"This is stupid."> The Wolf growls. <"Look, it's better than prison. Trust me."> The Rat responds. Dizzy looks at Zach, and asks quite directly.

"What is your name?"

[ZACH GLENN]
Zach lets go of a breath he did not realize he was holding. He looks around for a moment. "My name is Zach Glenn," he says with a little relief at a gamble paid of. Then he frowns before regarding Dizzy again.

"Two questions," he finally says. "First, where's the third one? The catmorph." He looks around to try and find the Cat, who /seemed/ to have vanished. "Second, are you sure? I mean, most of the people I've encountered with tails don't care much for people grabbing them."

[DIZZY]
"The cat?"

Dizzy looks around. And with -both- gangsters in hand... the presence of the cat was fading. It seems that cats are fickle creatures, who hold little loyalty to wolves and rats. "I did not know there was a cat. I do not like cats very much. They eat mice, and I like mice, Zach Glenn!" Dizzy explains. "Also, I am Dizzy! They tell me I am a Gear; I was in Southtown when it was very scary, and the Sacred Order saved me! Now I am hiding here so the bad human won't take me away. But you are a good human... I think?"

She looks at little upset as she ponders the tail comment.

"Well." Dizzy says with a huff. "You must be grabbing them without permission. Tails can be very sensitive, especially if you pull them very hard without warning. But when you brace them, and ready them, it's just like an arm or a leg! My tail is very strong! I once accidentally uprooted a tree by pulling it hard. It scared the little chimpmunks very much, and I felt so bad that I got them peanuts to apologize." Dizzy opens her arms, as The Rat squeaks aloud again, as her wings spread. "If you like, you can hug on to me instead! That would be more secure, and easier for me to support you!"

"I might even be able to hug you back, if you don't mind being too close to these two troublemakers!"

[ZACH GLENN]
"I try to be," Zach says as he looks around for the third member of the trio. "There was one more," he explains. "They looked like a cat, like these two look like a rat and a wolf."

He looks a bit sheepish when she huffs. "Admittedly, I was fighting them at the time," Zach says by way of explanation. "So that might explain it." He considers for a moment, before deciding. "I think perhaps the hug will work a little better," he decides, "I don't know exactly where we are going. Better not to chance my grip on it."

Then he recognizes that he still has Dyrnwyn in hand. "Right, then," he finally says, letting go of the sword. Before it can hit the ground, however, it vanishes in a spray of light. "Ready when you are," he says as he holds his hands out to his sides.

[DIZZY]
Dizzy graciously gives Zach a bow.

"Well... if that's what you want... Thank you for putting your sword away! I don't think I would be comfortable with it out..." But Zach wasn't looking to have thanks or apologies. Arms out, he wanted his hug. Dizzy steps forward, utterly shameless. "Okay, I think I am ready." She says, eyes casting upwards. Already, there was chattering and sounds up ahead... and the flashing lights. And flashlight streams? She was feeling confined. The pressure builds around her again. "Please hold on tight..." She says warily.

"And no matter what, don't let go of me!"

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

The Cat emerges from the Catacombs, the same way he crept in. Abandoning his cohorts, well. It was a dog eat dog world, and he was a Cat.

And he hears the scream.

Catching his green eyes into the sky, he can see the winged monster taking to the air. The scream? That was specifically The Rat. But there was the scream of people, bystanders, as he spies the four figures take to the air. The winged monster was flying through the night sky as the Rat screams and screams.... "Dizzy, huh." He says in perfect English, flattening his ears as he strokes his whiskers

"I think this information might be very, very valuable to some people..."

Log created on 12:28:50 01/29/2018 by Dizzy, and last modified on 14:06:09 01/30/2018.