Session Start: Mon Feb 18 15:32:02 2008 Session Ident: #VCB [19:36:34] * Vice City Blues. [19:38:09] * A hopeless, desperate battle. [19:40:18] * ... a soul saved, bending the power of, for all intents and purposes, a god, against itself. [19:40:31] * And hope, again. [19:42:24] * The battle, resumed. One enforcer fallen, one converted, and two yet stand between you and the entity behind this place. [19:42:45] * Start. 06[19:50:32] * WomanInBlack pauses only a moment after her speech, before running, manically and fluidly, and jumps past the Green Enforcer, her now-golden blade passes through him, burning away some of his vital green. He gasps, and staggers. [19:50:42] (passing) [19:53:02] Good job, Petronella! *weakly picking himself up, grinning brightly* 06[19:53:41] * Navi vanishes, her voice appearing near Noah's ear. "Do what you must, I'll support you." 06[19:54:24] * Noah nods weakly, possibly just catching his breath. "Just don't get yourself hurt," he whispers to thin air. 02[20:02:08] * ManInChains (HeWhoHunts@68-118-60-90.dhcp.csby.or.charter.com) Quit (Quit: *crackle*) 06[20:02:28] * Tetsuko rushes up to the man in chains and brings her fist up for a lightning-fast blow. Her fist strikes his gut, cracking his chains there. She grabs a loose end, swings upward, and slams him back into the ground. Then she rushes the man in green, swinging the chained man in the air. 06[20:03:24] * Noah cheers! "Wooo! Go Tetsuko!" 06[20:09:04] * Tetsuko swings low. The man in Green presumably jumps right over that. Then she swings the chained man in a wider arc and higher, smashing into him in mid-air. The blade, unfortunatley, has fizzled out, but the chains bear a lot of weight. 06[20:10:37] * ManInGreen , still shaken from the golden blade, gets jarred pretty heavily by that. .... but not enough to try and return the favor. 06[20:22:29] * ManInGreen batters against Tetsuko, trying to get past the force field, mostly shrugging off the shocks, as the shocks shrug off his assault. Failing, he pauses a moment, to will away the charred, shocking marks left behind. 06[20:26:23] * ManInGreen backs up half-a-step from Tetsuko, not harmed at all. 03[20:30:09] * Dei is now known as sbpr 06[20:30:16] * Noah eyes the Man In Green. "...okay, two can play at that game." He holds his bracer in front of himself, and tries to bolster his flagging spirits. [20:30:52] * Even as the Core tries to stop him... 06[20:36:53] * Noah slumps a bit. "...maybe not." 06[20:38:09] * Noah glares at the green enforcer. "...Navi... if you can do it without hurting yourself, help Tetsuko, please. I... need some time." [20:44:17] * The air thickens, solidifies again. A series of sparkling, black points of energy, form, blinking in and out - they feel empty, and malovelent, and suddently, they're blinking and darting around, narrowly missing piercing Noah, and Navi, and Tetsuko. Petronella, however, is not so lucky - there's a patch of skin, flesh, and body, that's suddenly _gone_, blood already starting to drip out. 06[20:44:49] * Noah 's eyes widen. "Petronella!" 06[20:47:45] * WomanInBlack lets out a cry of pain, but doesn't stop. She wheels, bringing around the golden blade to bear down on the Green Enforcer - he blocks with his own, before she does _something_, and reality shifts to accomadate her wanting him to trip and fall back - which he does, leaving her blade free to slash through him. [20:48:23] HaHA! Woo! *jumps in the air, fist held high!* 06[20:48:23] * ManInGreen justs ... stares, blankly, as he ceases existing. And then he's gone. 02[20:48:39] * ManInGreen (HeWhoHunts@68-118-60-90.dhcp.csby.or.charter.com) Quit (Quit: I was never here!) [20:49:09] Now, ~MY CHAMPION,~ let's destroy the Core! 06[20:50:11] * Navi dashes over to Tetsuko, unseen and unheard. She's heard in the android's head. ~Assault the core, I will provide the weapon to destroy it.~ 01[20:50:49] ~What is this weapon?~ [20:50:56] * The area is suspiciously quiet, before Petronella says, softly, "He has been destroyed." [20:51:18] ...who? [20:51:34] Exactly. [20:51:56] ~You will see if it is needed.~ [20:52:00] No, I mean, who? The green enforcer? The Core? [20:52:08] The green enforcer. [20:52:16] Oh. I'm sorry. [20:52:21] But...it was necessary. [20:53:52] ~Tetsuko, aid Noah.~ 06[20:55:28] * Noah tries again to recover his strength, but even with the aid of his friends, he is still too tired. "Thanks...just find the Core, and this will be over." 06[20:56:19] * Tetsuko focuses on Noah as she tries to perceive the area around her and understand where the COre is [20:58:18] * The Core... it's sensed everywhere, the void, the ground, the air, everywhere but in your own selves. And that same sense continues to assert it's dominance over the reality. [21:01:18] I feel you, you pathetic monster. Crawl back under a bed and scare little children, or come out and face us. Either way, so long as you make yourself our foe, we will destroy you. [21:01:43] Petronella, Tetsuko...shred this void with your blades of light. [21:10:59] ~ (indistinct YELL) ~ 06[21:11:31] * Navi takes a deep breath and concentrates, essence flowing from her into the bracer, powering a blade of light from Tetsuko's bracer. ~There. Finish this.~ [21:17:05] * The air is suddenly swarming with specks of roiling, angry energy, vibrating and leaping around, before the air itself explodes in a shower of directed micro-explosions, funneled at those still standing. Tetsuko and Petronella aren't fast enough to avoid the worst of it - they're both buffetted around by explosions. 06[21:21:38] * Tetsuko is caught in several of the blasts. Her subdermal armor protects from some of it, but she's leaking. A piece of armor plating is worn away, taking her artificial skin with it. 06[21:21:58] * WomanInBlack kneels down, wincing painfully, but nods, and stands. The blade glows a bit brighter, as she says, softly, "This is for making me destroy my grandson." With that she stabs... something, and there's an overwhelming psychic cry of pain. 06[21:23:22] * Tetsuko manifests a glowing green blade, about the size of a large knife. She swings it at Everything. 06[21:26:49] * Tetsuko performs three quick and precise slicing motions before her. [21:26:52] * The air, the void, it hardens, resists, trying to slow her down, but the blade blithely ignores the resistance, cutting again... and again... and again. The psychic wailing comes to an arubpt halt. The void fades away, leaving a giant hunk of flesh, bleeding, hurting, writhing - and then it doesn't exit. [21:26:59] (exist) 06[21:27:27] * Noah sighs, then smiles. "Is it done?" 06[21:27:53] * Navi pauses for a moment, then reappears. "I think so. Can we go home now?" [21:27:56] * There's an ominous quiet, as the unillusioned reality of the dirty, distended subway comes back. [21:28:31] A moment. 06[21:28:47] * Noah concentrates on the bracer, once more attempting to heal his fractured soul. 06[21:29:29] * WomanInBlack pauses. "The power of the Core." [21:29:33] .... it's gone. 06[21:29:38] * Noah stops after a moment. "It seems...these are now powerless. How-- how is everyone?" 06[21:29:42] * Tetsuko looks around. 06[21:30:01] * WomanInBlack 's blade is still glowing brightly, as is Tetsuko. 01[21:30:18] I am damaged. 06[21:30:40] * Noah laughs. "I wish I could fix you, but..." he holds up his useless bracer. 06[21:31:03] * Navi giggles. "*I*'m not powerless, though." [21:31:06] We'll get you...well, wherever we need to to repair you, Tetsuko. 06[21:31:10] * sbpr is bleeding pretty badly from the side, and looks pretty beat up, but she's standing. 06[21:31:20] * WomanInBlack (is.) [21:31:21] I can at least get her so she won't fall over. 06[21:31:56] * Noah eyes Petronella - the woman in black. "We need to bandage that wound," he says, taking off his torn, dirty shirt, and pulling out his pocket knife. [21:32:11] * The bodies of the two Enforcers, Red and Chained, lie there, still. [21:32:19] I'm...so sorry about your--*swallows* Well. Do you remember anything else? [21:32:25] Give me a moment, I'm gonna run a diagnostic on Tetsuko and fix her up. 06[21:32:39] * Noah was talking to Petronella, anyway. 06[21:33:43] * WomanInBlack wills the blade away. The glow about her subsides, somewhat, but doesn't vanish. [21:34:10] .... I .. remember who I was? My name.. I cannot tell. 06[21:34:23] * WomanInBlack pauses, then adds, softly, "Yet." 06[21:34:26] * Navi walks into Tetsuko, some of her parts mending together seemingly of their own accord and other warning signals going off. Cosmetically she doesn't look too much better, but otherwise all systems are go. [21:34:58] ... the reason why I ... 06[21:34:58] * Navi jumps out of Tetsuko after a couple minutes. "Yet, huh?" 06[21:35:01] * WomanInBlack pauses again. 06[21:35:04] * Noah cuts a strip from the bottom of his shirt. A thick one. "Give it time, then. Do you want us to keep calling you 'Petronella' until you remember your real name?" [21:35:27] My grandson. He was here before you. His... name? *frowns* [21:35:43] He recognized me, called to me, even as I destroyed him... 01[21:35:57] Thank you, Navi 06[21:36:07] * WomanInBlack drops to one knee, quiet. 06[21:36:19] * Noah nods, cutting another strip. He's actually kind of cute, bare-chested like this. He didn't take a single wound, and has an athletic build. [21:36:29] And then... then I went after the Core. [21:37:34] Tetsuko, do you have a GPS system installed? [21:37:41] (err, remove system.) 06[21:38:01] * Noah kneels next to the woman after he cuts a third strip out of his shirt. "Alright. Hold still; I'm going to try to stop the bleeding," he says as he begins - highly inexpertly - bandaging the hole that goes straight through her body. 01[21:39:18] Yes. [21:40:21] Where are we? 06[21:40:35] * Tetsuko pauses to check [21:40:36] In the subway. [21:40:39] ... [21:40:40] Underground. 06[21:42:42] * WomanInBlack chokes back a sob, before standing again. 06[21:43:32] * Noah pulls back, not wanting to pull the bandages off. "We... should get to the surface. And back to civilization." [21:43:39] Tetsuko, Navi...you ready to go? 06[21:43:54] * Navi nods. "Born ready. And believe you me, we're gonna party when we get back." 01[21:43:59] Yes. 01[21:44:13] Party? 06[21:44:31] * Navi grins at Petronella. "If you need a new ID, papers, what have you, let me know. It'll seem like you've always been around." [21:45:01] ... 06[21:45:38] * WomanInBlack looks at Navi, her gaze filled with sadness. "Let us... get away from this accursed place, first." [21:46:12] Yeah. Come on! *moves to help the Woman in Black, if she needs it or even just wants it* 01[21:46:33] What do we do with the bodies of our enemies? [21:46:44] I'm sorry, Navi. I can't make the fairy-me anymore. --er? Oh, um, yeah... [21:46:52] Check to see if they're really dead, first? 06[21:46:56] * Tetsuko checks [21:47:16] * They're quite still, and quite lacking in life, or vitality. 01[21:47:30] They are dead. 06[21:47:42] * WomanInBlack glances at them, then shakes her head, sadly. [21:47:49] If you wish, I can destroy them. [21:47:57] Then, we shall deal with the living, first. 01[21:48:36] It would be difficult to bury them, and I understnad that humans have problems with leaving the dead to rot where they lie. 06[21:48:38] * WomanInBlack starts walking to the tram waiting nearby. [21:49:00] I wonder, if I shock them in just the right way, could I make'em dance to Thriller? 06[21:49:22] * Noah takes a moment to lay them, as if for burial, and then takes out his cell phone to snap a picture of each of them. [21:49:26] That's not funny, Navi. [21:49:42] ...please, destroy them. It's as close to cremation as we've got. [21:49:54] Very well. [21:49:59] Hopefully, we can at least find out enough about them to do a proper memorial service, when we get back. 06[21:50:07] * Navi cracks her knuckles. "Stand back. Really far back." 06[21:50:28] * Tetsuko steps back 06[21:50:32] * Noah heads for the tram, and watches from there. 06[21:53:35] * Navi starts channeling electrical power, ozone easily smellable even by Noah back on the tram, as everyone's hair stands on end. A cage of electricity encompasses both of the still targets as Navi turns around. She snaps her finger and in a flash of light and a LOUD pop the two bodies practically disintegrate, the only things left being some melted chain and cloth that flew from the explosion. [21:54:17] (The mask is still there too.) 06[21:54:24] * Tetsuko collects whatever's left. Including the mask. 06[21:54:52] * Noah bows his head reverently for a moment. Then, with forced cheer, he looks up. "Alright! Let's get out of this dismal place!" 01[21:55:56] Understood. [21:58:16] * The trip back to the stairs to the surface is uneventful... compared to the earlier parts of the day, it almost goes by in barely-remembered seconds. [21:59:12] * The sky above is dark, speckled with tiny stars, and the crescent moon is waning. 06[21:59:17] * Noah has fallen asleep, probably with his head on a shoulder of one of the non-fairy-sized girls. [21:59:51] * The ground is not the black, oily surface you left it as... it's ruins of buildings, nary a thing left standing above a foot. [22:00:04] * Trash, debris, ancnient bodies, weapons.... 06[22:00:18] * Navi yawns and stretches. "Well, this is barren and blasted." [22:00:37] * .... and the Walls are gone. 01[22:00:41] Yes... 01[22:01:09] Did Noah bring a cell phone with him? 06[22:01:35] * Noah 's cell phone is in his right pocket. He's still shirtless, too. 01[22:02:45] There's still the matter of returning home. 06[22:02:56] * Noah 's cell phone is also occasionally doing the bleeeooop of a phone whose battery is almost dead. 06[22:04:53] * Tetsuko picks up the cell phone and looks it over. She dials a number. Then an extension. "This is Tetsuko. My self-sufficiency test has come to its conclusion. Requesting pickup." Then she gives her GPS coordinates. [22:05:24] * The cellphone dies prompty after. 06[22:05:30] * Noah blinks, starting awake as Tetsuko pulls out his cell. "Huh--? Wha? I fell asleep?" 01[22:05:53] Yes. I have requested a pickup from my manufacturers. [22:05:57] ...oh. [22:06:12] What...what's going to happen to you, after they pick us up? 01[22:07:06] They will run examinations on the effects of self-sufficiency and decide if I am ready for mass production. [22:07:23] What about...you? Personally? [22:07:44] Can you come visit? Or we visit you? 01[22:08:48] I'm a prototype. If I were any other product, I'd likely be put shut down, dismantled, and put in storage. [22:09:14] What company are you from? 06[22:09:28] * Tetsuko tells the company name. 06[22:09:38] * Noah grabs Tetsuko in a hug. "They're not allowed to do that to you. You're my friend, and we survived ... all of this. You're not dying now." 01[22:09:45] Dying? 01[22:10:35] I don't think tehy'd be so quick as to do that. They likely have a lot to learn. Navi said I was developing a personality. [22:10:51] Whatever. If you stop being the Tetsuko I know... Just...take care of yourself. 01[22:11:19] I will try my best. 06[22:11:24] * WomanInBlack flickers the golden blade into existence, staring at it a moment, before looking softly at Noah. 01[22:11:34] If you have enough money... it's possible that I might be purchasable. [22:11:37] I don't want to lose touch with any of you. *looks from Tetsuko, who he's still holding by the shoulders, to Navi, fluttering in the air, to the Woman in Black* [22:11:59] I ... know not what to do. 06[22:12:20] * Navi snaps her fingers. "Nothing's impossable with enough cash and a lack of morals." [22:12:28] Hey hey hey. [22:13:03] Come with Noah or myself. I'm sure we can get you on your feet, give you something to live for. 01[22:13:04] You got the book out. 06[22:13:30] * Noah finally releases Tetsuko, looking a bit embarassed, and edges barely enough away to not be touching her anymore. "We'll think of something. You saved all of us; we're not abandoning you, now." 06[22:13:31] * WomanInBlack blinks, and stare blankly for a moment. Then blinks again. [22:13:47] I... yes. [22:13:56] There are names that must be remembered. 06[22:14:16] * Navi taps her head and giggles. "All up here, too." 06[22:14:16] * WomanInBlack continues, sadly. ".... even if they are not present any longer." [22:14:22] And... what happened here has to be reported. Somehow. [22:14:37] Hah, I can get reporters here. Just... not the right kind. 01[22:15:06] What kind could you get here? [22:15:39] Tetsuko, if I may have the book back, please? 06[22:16:05] * Tetsuko hands the book over. 06[22:17:01] * WomanInBlack nods, and puts it in its bag. "I shall accompany you for a short while." [22:17:14] After that, I know not when I will return, merely when I am done. [22:17:23] As for you, Noah... 06[22:17:35] * Noah blinks, and looks at her. "Hm?" [22:17:48] ... I am bound irrevocably to you. If you have need of me, call, and I will be there. 06[22:18:49] * Noah looks stunned for a moment, before recovering, and nodding, once. "...thank you? I did not mean to...." 06[22:19:10] * WomanInBlack smiles, softly. "I am your champion, am I not?" 06[22:19:36] * Noah laughs quietly. "I did say that, didn't I. You are." 01[22:20:03] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UlExXZP9LKM 01[22:20:07] ( Dammit, mischan ) [22:20:38] (Yeah, that's the kind of thing *I* say IC.) [22:21:03] What...will you do? [22:21:17] There are names that must be remembered. [22:21:48] Tales, souls, to be placed back in the world from which they were erased. [22:22:12] If I can help, I will. Just ask. We all will, right? *looks to Navi and Tetsuko* 01[22:22:48] I will help as best I can. 01[22:22:57] By the way, Navi... what should I do with your backup? 06[22:23:08] * WomanInBlack nods. "I am grateful." 01[22:23:25] When I am examined, it will likely come up. 01[22:24:16] The only device that isn't property of the company that I see is Noah's phone. [22:24:47] Oh, hold on. I'll get that out of there. [22:25:07] Don't want an extra copy of my code floating around out there, after all. 06[22:25:22] * Tetsuko nods. 06[22:26:22] * Navi merges with Tetsuko again, this time for a 'bit longer as Navi does a solid job of eliminating any trace of her stored data while working around Tetsuko's programming. [22:27:40] How long until they get here, Tetsuko? 06[22:27:53] * Navi emerges and dusts her hands off. "So much work." [22:28:07] * It's very odd inside Tetsuko's head. Nothing matches up, but everything works. It's worse than it was before. [22:29:26] * The oddities, now that Navi has had more experience with the bracers... there's some similarites there, fron what she can discern of the bracers codes, and what Tetsuko's current state is. 01[22:30:26] Within the day. Eight to twenty-four hours. 01[22:31:04] We should find food and ways to pass the time until they arrive. 06[22:32:09] * Noah grins. "I have an idea," he says, pulling Tetsuko into his lap, and kissing her enthusiastically. 06[22:33:03] * Tetsuko returns the kiss, and pulls away for a moment. "You don't mind the damage to my skin?" [22:34:17] You're beautiful. 01[22:36:18] Thank you. What about navi and Petronella? 06[22:37:41] * Navi giggles. "If I want in I'll participate. I'll just watch for now, though." o/` [22:38:07] ...um. *blushes down to his chest* Whatever they want? 06[22:38:52] * WomanInBlack glances over, softly, then sits down, hugging her knees, staring off into the sky. 06[22:39:48] * Navi flies over and lands on WomanInBlack's shoulder, looking up at the sky too. 01[22:39:56] I think they are fine with it. 06[22:40:05] * Noah grins and pulls Tetsuko back into the kiss. 06[22:40:22] * Tetsuko returns the kiss. [22:42:49] * Five hours later... a small army of corporate helicopters swarm the island. Oddly, though, they're branded not with a company Tetsuko knows... but one that Noah knows. From the first one to land, an older man jumps out, crying out, in worry and relief, and some anger, "Noah!" [22:42:53] * End. 02[22:43:09] * WomanInBlack (HeWhoHunts@68-118-60-90.dhcp.csby.or.charter.com) Quit (Quit: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fjQ0DilngkE) 06[22:45:08] * Noah is in trouble. ._. Session Close: Tue Feb 19 00:00:00 2008