10-08-2017, 09:28 PM
Franky and Stein hit it off pretty well during the long walk to the gate. Franky had explained a bit about how the Omniverse worked, namely with the Nexus being the center of several different “realms” that varied quite greatly. It was odd, but Stein was not too offset by this. This universe was just running on a different set of rules. It was its own type of reality… He was no scientist, but it would have been dim to assume that if there were other universes, they would be exactly like what he knew.
“… That means that if you travel from one area to the next, you could technically travel all the way around the nexus! At least, that’s what I’ve heard. I don’t know anyone who’s been able to make it all the way, but I’ve always wanted to go for it, you know? Try and make a map of the whole Omniverse!” Franky had a look in her eyes; the starry eyes of a dreamer. It was quite adorable.
She was distracted. Stein felt a crawling sensation up his spine. He reached out to grab her by the shoulder and immediately wrapped her up in his arms. With just enough time to turn, a sharp pain ignited his senses. The arrow in his back did not pierce too deep, but it was enough to lodge it into his flesh.
Stein had barely seen them. White sheets had camouflaged them to the wall of the Nexus. Quite ingenious really, it would have given them the element of surprise needed to drop Franky with only one arrow. “How did you…?” Franky was surprised, but after peering tentively over his shoulder she understood why – just not how. She was a trained soldier and she did not notice them.
“Stay behind me.” For now, Stein did what he would normally do. He tried to manifest his Grand Shield into existence. Nothing came. Instead, he felt another arrow sink into his back and heard the cackling of one of the archers. It was unusual that a simple arrow could cause him pain, much more unusual that it could actually pierce his flesh.
He turned, facing the roguish ambush. “Nice outfit, pretty boy!” They cackled at him. “Planning to get down and dirty with that cutie right there, huh?” Stein frowned, but did not respond immediately. Instead, his hands moved behind his back and he just stood there. His only reaction was a wince as Franky yanked out one of the arrows. “Oh, looks like we got one of them strong silent types! Drop ‘em boys! Leave the girl, she’ll fetch a nice price!”
Two archers took aim. With the distance between them they were in no rush, as if trying to taunt Stein with their notched arrows. Meanwhile, Stein was focusing on his palms. Two arrows… two shields… and it seemed they had no idea just what they were getting themselves into. “You have one chance to surrender.”
That earned a laugh from the three rangers. Franky was watching the glassy shields grow in the man’s palms. As realization hit, she turned her attention back to the archers, ready to see just what this new prime is capable of. A big grin found her lips. What an experience!
“Surrender? You’re out matched two to one! And we don’t take prisoners… Fire!” That sensation returned. Like a spider up his spine, he could feel the moment right before they released the arrows. His hands were in motion even before the bowstring. By the time the arrows were in flight, the shields were up.
T-ting!
The talkative man’s eyes widened as his comrades’ voices filled the air. They screamed bloody murder. Each arrow fired had been deflected right back at them, right to the knee. “Don’t worry guys,” Stein smiled as he approached. “I hear the town guard is always hiring.”
The Turtle Guard walked towards the gate. The apparent leader dropped his bow and drew a pair of daggers. “You think we’ll go down so easy?!” He charged. Ting! Twang! Two daggers deflected so easily – this man had no skill. The weight behind each strike was… pretty intense… but the strikes were so wild.
“Why yes,” Stein chimed, sweeping a foot out towards his attacker’s ankles. With a thud, the man is on his back. “Yes I do.” He seemed quite bored with the situation, even as his semi-sort-of-not-really captive drives a dagger straight through his shin. “Ouch. Quit it. You’re hurting me.” In truth, it hurt like a bitch but the fact he managed such a sarcastic deadpan put his point across.
The other dagger falls to the ungodly white of the Nexus floor. “N-now wait a minute! Let’s work something out, common! We weren’t REALLY gonna kill—“
“I want your clothes… your boots… and your phone.” Close enough, right?
“W… what’s a Phone?”
“… That means that if you travel from one area to the next, you could technically travel all the way around the nexus! At least, that’s what I’ve heard. I don’t know anyone who’s been able to make it all the way, but I’ve always wanted to go for it, you know? Try and make a map of the whole Omniverse!” Franky had a look in her eyes; the starry eyes of a dreamer. It was quite adorable.
She was distracted. Stein felt a crawling sensation up his spine. He reached out to grab her by the shoulder and immediately wrapped her up in his arms. With just enough time to turn, a sharp pain ignited his senses. The arrow in his back did not pierce too deep, but it was enough to lodge it into his flesh.
Stein had barely seen them. White sheets had camouflaged them to the wall of the Nexus. Quite ingenious really, it would have given them the element of surprise needed to drop Franky with only one arrow. “How did you…?” Franky was surprised, but after peering tentively over his shoulder she understood why – just not how. She was a trained soldier and she did not notice them.
“Stay behind me.” For now, Stein did what he would normally do. He tried to manifest his Grand Shield into existence. Nothing came. Instead, he felt another arrow sink into his back and heard the cackling of one of the archers. It was unusual that a simple arrow could cause him pain, much more unusual that it could actually pierce his flesh.
He turned, facing the roguish ambush. “Nice outfit, pretty boy!” They cackled at him. “Planning to get down and dirty with that cutie right there, huh?” Stein frowned, but did not respond immediately. Instead, his hands moved behind his back and he just stood there. His only reaction was a wince as Franky yanked out one of the arrows. “Oh, looks like we got one of them strong silent types! Drop ‘em boys! Leave the girl, she’ll fetch a nice price!”
Two archers took aim. With the distance between them they were in no rush, as if trying to taunt Stein with their notched arrows. Meanwhile, Stein was focusing on his palms. Two arrows… two shields… and it seemed they had no idea just what they were getting themselves into. “You have one chance to surrender.”
That earned a laugh from the three rangers. Franky was watching the glassy shields grow in the man’s palms. As realization hit, she turned her attention back to the archers, ready to see just what this new prime is capable of. A big grin found her lips. What an experience!
“Surrender? You’re out matched two to one! And we don’t take prisoners… Fire!” That sensation returned. Like a spider up his spine, he could feel the moment right before they released the arrows. His hands were in motion even before the bowstring. By the time the arrows were in flight, the shields were up.
T-ting!
The talkative man’s eyes widened as his comrades’ voices filled the air. They screamed bloody murder. Each arrow fired had been deflected right back at them, right to the knee. “Don’t worry guys,” Stein smiled as he approached. “I hear the town guard is always hiring.”
The Turtle Guard walked towards the gate. The apparent leader dropped his bow and drew a pair of daggers. “You think we’ll go down so easy?!” He charged. Ting! Twang! Two daggers deflected so easily – this man had no skill. The weight behind each strike was… pretty intense… but the strikes were so wild.
“Why yes,” Stein chimed, sweeping a foot out towards his attacker’s ankles. With a thud, the man is on his back. “Yes I do.” He seemed quite bored with the situation, even as his semi-sort-of-not-really captive drives a dagger straight through his shin. “Ouch. Quit it. You’re hurting me.” In truth, it hurt like a bitch but the fact he managed such a sarcastic deadpan put his point across.
The other dagger falls to the ungodly white of the Nexus floor. “N-now wait a minute! Let’s work something out, common! We weren’t REALLY gonna kill—“
“I want your clothes… your boots… and your phone.” Close enough, right?
“W… what’s a Phone?”