Zone C -- Megacity One

[The Future Warrior]

Her newfound resolution, grim as it was in its inspiration, gave the majin a moment of clarity. The route she'd traveled since leaving company with God Enel and Batman stuck out in her mind. She recalled how to get back there clearly enough, and was making a beeline back for that location now. Much as she wanted to do something more productive or definite, like go out and hunt down more items or people who had items...it just didn't feel right. Seeing Zedd get killed in such a way, even if it wasn't permanent thanks to the Omniverse's rules, was jarring and had soured this entire game. To have someone go out like that, just....poof in a shower of blood and confusion, didn't leave her wanting to treat this like a game anymore. Clearly it wasn't just going to be confined to the Colosseum, and death could just hop out and grab you. She'd known that from the beginning, but it hadn't really sunk int. Not until just recently.

Both hands curled into fists, her teeth grinding against each other. A dull gleam of red sparked in her normally pink eyes. When next she saw someone not on her side, not among her group of allies, she was going to tear them limb from limb. Hunt down the last of the items to win this game and get it over with already. So she could be done, and less people would have to risk getting clown up by stupid exploding collars. It was stupid!

Trailing in her wake, Cell and Archer just watched her with a mixed set of feelings.

"So...not that I'm complaining about the quiet or anything," the secret agent muttered. "But I was just starting to get used to her energetic attitude. Seeing her take such a sudden turn is giving me whiplash."

"Yeah. I guesss she wasn't prepared for ssuch a ssudden death. It'ss got her motivated, but..." Cell just shrugged, not continuing.

Archer just ran a hand over his eyes, tiredly. "This is gonna get messy."

Graowr, Cell and Archer moving from C16 to C17

[Dawnika Snow]

The stupid Vita Compass had turned off once, signifying that Graowr was close, but she never showed herself. It took twenty minutes of searching, but finally she found the blue abomination and raised her fist.

There were teo other figures with her though. A tall, green, bug like alien that looked akin to whatever Graowr was and a simple looking man in a suit. Rather bland but Erika wasn't going to judge the man. He had made it this far in Dante's Abyss and that meant he was either really strong, or really fucking lucky. Needless to say, she wasn't going to attack them outright. All three of them could really prove troublesome. She would have to follow them for now and wait for her moment to strike.

The blonde put all her strength into her legs and jumped to a nearby rooftop where she could easily follow the group of three. The mist made them slightly difficult to see but their shapes were still there. They were about a dozen yards ahead of the blonde stalker, not to far down. She watched them walk, Graowr talking all their heads off with her annoyingly chirper voice. She couldn't here the girl speaking from here, but she could imagine it and that itself annoyed her. Everything on this island annoyed her.

The houses grew further apart as they got further away from the safe house. It was becoming a bit difficult to leap between buildings to follow the group. She would need to get ahead of them and block their path in order to challenge Graowr to a fight. It looks like she would need to challenge the other two as well, but hopefully they would back down if they knew she was only there for the cyan-colored alien.

Following Groawr and friends into C17.

[Gildarts]

Lulu began to whimper below him, perhaps she'd run out of moisture and hydration, essential sustenance for a creature like her, "What's t-the matter girl? N-need a pitt stop?"

Lulu just kept gurgling and rumbling like a vibrating chair, frothing at the mouth, and otherwise looking quite sickly… For a slime-covered alien creature. They'd been riding for a long time, Gil wasn't even sure what time it was, flaking in his eyes was the drying mud mask he'd picked up from his earlier antics when he'd arrived from his fight in the arena.

Sliding off once again, though this time resembling an only damp water slide now, Gil slipped himself down from his perch in the enlarged jellyfish and pat her on her side. She could go for now, likely below ground where she seemed to maneuver better. Gildarts didn't know if she'd be back, but he did have her tentacle blade. Also hitched to his backpack he also had kept the chainsaw, but the engine was likely flooded, he could throw it at someone... Or maybe he could revamp her engine with his magic. Well... It was worth a shot. Husky deserved to be alive and well, magic could be just the thing to do the trick, he'd have to be careful for technologies were intricate and you had to treat them juuuuust right to make their engines fill up and purr.

“Mr-mrr-mmmmmrrrrr,” the creature hummed and Gildarts pat the creature’s side, still careful of those slicing tentacles still on its being.

“Yeah, you d-did really good Lulu, t-thanks for t-the ride, come visit whenever you can… But.. I won’t be able to come see you again, Karl closes t-this place off when it-t is all said and done,” he stumbled on his words and they had a moment, their bonding through fighting -the only thing that had ever come naturally to each of them- and then through travels. You learn a lot about a creature with tons of tentacles when you are riding it.

Then, it submerged itself into the ground by first digging a hole with its serrated arms before quickly sliding in like a snake, only this lump was a lot less graceful. Gildarts stared at the hole for a little while and then heard a faint beeping, almost like a censor before turning around and finding himself flanked.

One had white hair. The other black. Nealaphh had come for him yet again. Gods, what is with this guy? He must have a crush on you Gildarts, hahaha. Malefactor prodded, forgetting the God-mind could hear her in this case.

Silence! He blared in the strongest prime’s mind and Gildarts winced as the succubus wench was banished, how long it would last… That remained a mystery.

“Gildarts Clive, we meet again,” Tearen’s voice rasped. “This time, however, I brought an important friend. And how… Fitting it is that you’re the one who is outnumbered.”

The three move from D3 to C2

[Dawnika Snow]

The vigilante charged through the rooftops with adrenaline stacked onto of zealful rage. Waving through the rooftop structures, she looked down at the road constantly to ensure she would not lose her prey. If they were to flee now, it would only be more troublesome for her, as she would have to catch back up with Blue and friends.

The group took a turn into a park that the blonde was unable to follow on rooftop, which means she would have to get down and persue on the same level or meet them at the other side if she was fast enough. She almost assuredly was not. Erika quickly made her way down the fire escape of the building and jumped into the street from the second floor with a tuck and roll. The group had gotten a head of her just a bit and she was already out of breath but her anger held no bound. She would see herself dead before she allowed Graowr to escape from her fists. Only, she didn’t know that Graowr wouldn't know who Erika even was.

“You aren't getting away from me so easily Graowr.” The group was unaware of the blonde assailant until she was finally able to catch up to the three person group. Her voice grabbed their attention easily.

“Graowr! We have unfinished business!” She yelled out as the three turned around. Cell was the first to speak.

“What fressh inssolencce iss thiss?” He asked looking at the blonde who was attempting to regain her breath.

“Uh, who are you?” Graowr asked confused.

“The person who’s going to fucking kill you.” She growled. “You other two, I won't be afraid to destroy you if you get in my way but if you leave this fight to me and the blue one, I will not attack you!”

Erika challenging Graowr and possibly the other two if they choose to defend her. My movement post is in edit limbo, but it's there.

[Gildarts]

Why did Nealaphh always have to come off as a presumptuous villain? Yeah, the cards were stacked against Gildarts, but the crash mage wasn’t one to give up easily, he’d taken on more people, armies even, and defeated them when he’d given it everything in him. He also had fallen into a coma three days after in order to restore his magical power, but that is beside the point.

“B-back off-f,” Gildarts said, hoping his stutter wouldn’t taint how menacing the warmage really could be.

“Now, I’m afraid I can’t do that… You know how the game is…” Unfortunately Gildarts did know. B7. That was how the game had gone last time. It was looking the same way.

“T-tch,” Gildarts said.

And you’re damaged goods. I’m fairly certain this guy to my side could take you out with one arm tied behind his… Well, one arm. Who knew Nealaphh turned Tearen had gained a sense of humor?

His viridian eyes sliced around the mucky terrain, Where’s your… Pet elf? Did you happen to be… Separated?

Gildarts sighed. Nealaphh was triumphant, Gildarts, I won’t lie to you, I need your help. I promise it is for an entirely just cause, you don’t know who Diablo is, do you?

Gildarts stared at the monster-turned-man intently, though parts of his mind were ebbing away from this entire conversation. “No,” he stated reluctantly.

I’ll enlighten you, and then maybe you’ll think twice about who your real enemy is, the Omniverse is bigger than this island, Gildarts, and I am uncertain whether you think me a villain, or a redeemable man. You get to decide, you have the choice now… But don’t you think… Everyone deserves a second chance?

Playing on Gildarts’ own morality, what a villainous thing to do… And yet…

Volvalgia, the dragon, when it was attacking the people of the Ashen Steppes it was Nealaphh who had rallied an entire team to save the day. That was the hero thing to do, right? Even if he had his own reasons, he’d still opted to do the right thing and when Gil’s first strike hadn’t been enough to slay it, Nealaphh had come in and ended it with round two. Sure they’d fought in the Dunes, one side against the other, but had the tables been tilted just slightly, they could’ve been allies. Gil and crow-man.

Nealaphh watched with an insidious smile as the little information Gildarts knew about Nealaphh sprung through his thoughts. This was too easy, the God-mind knew what kind of man Gildarts was, the question wasn’t the other way around, but a matter of time.

The clever prime was still allied with the impatient one, “You fuckin’ done yet, man?”

The Three move from C2 to C16

[Jak Mar]

Jak and Deadpool ran into the safehouse like they had just dodged a explosion from a action movie. It would feature a red suited man and a long eared antihero looking awkward.

Jak checked his collar and it was on the verge of red and so was his ally’s when they made it in the safehouse and the metallic ticking stopped.

“Damn, that was too close.” The eco warrior muttered to deadpool.  The mercenary wiped the sweat off his head “Let’s never do that again.”

They noticed a blue naked man and a maid woman walk out of the area, as Jak eyed the blue man.

Quietly he whispered “That’s dust, i met him at the bar. I’m not sure what he’s capable of yet, but it shows from other screens on my tablet that he likes to kiss his enemies?”

The red suited man turned, trying on his new clothing style. “Hey Jak, how you like my new sense of style?”

Jak groaned “PAY ATTENTION.”

He remembered the last time as the man with a mouth dragged him into a clothes store to try new items on.

He looked at his clothing, they looked ripped and bloodied. Luckily the safehouse had a working bathroom and he slinked in there, placing some new clothing on. He still put his handkerchief and a necklace of importance on his neck.

At least the bloodstained clothes would come later, he had hoped.

“Don’t make me regret this, deadpool.”

He slipped his fingerless gloves on over his hands and smirked.

“I think we look pretty good. The Mercenary duo strike again.”

Deadpool eyed the eco warrior under his mask “Since when have you finally took my advice? Jak smirked “Since i realized my clothing is blood-covered?”

Team Jakpool made it to Safehouse C

[Gildarts]

“Come now, Gildarts has sustained a concussion, it will take him a little bit longer to compute than normal,” Tearen rasped.

“I lost my fuckin’ arm and I’m computin’ just fucking fine. Two is more than one, fucker,” Strazio said glaring at Gildarts, walked up to him boldly, “You’re either with us, or fuckin’ against us, and you choosin’ the latter means I can beat the shit out of you. Compute that.”

Strazio balled a fist and didn’t hesitate to launch his elbow forward, rocketing its way toward Gildarts’ cheek. Well, even though Gildarts’ eyelid was still covered in blood, the prime quickly dodged Strazio’s fist by backtracking, like a matador and a bull, Strazio was sent stumbling forward as though tugged or launched by magic yet there was only the slightest whiff of physical contact. “Hey, how’d you fuckin’ do that?”

Tearen braced for the explosion of the epic battle that it would be against the two wizards, quickly scheming a back-up plan to cool the enraged man’s mind the second another fist was thrown. Gildarts wasn’t the type to strike back in this case, thus his dodge. Tampering with a rage mage could be… Catastrophic, and Gildarts wouldn’t have even known it.

Strazio, to Tearen’s surprise was more excited by this concept than pissed, though it was a tad cowardly to miss a punch aiming straight for your face, the rage mage asked, “Can ya fuckin’ teach me?”

Gildarts still felt like he could hear a ringing in his ear, however now, the white haired weird guy was asking for genuine advice, and as everyone knows, the Benjamin Franklin Effect has always worked since the end of time.

The idea gnawed at Gildarts’ mind for a while before he reluctantly nodded first to Nealaphh, because Gildarts believed everyone deserved a second chance. And then to Strazio, because he believed in the power of the youth’s generation to shape the world.

The Three are moving from C16 to C21

Straz tried to punch gil who used parry to dodge.

[spoiler]Parry (requires Physical Strength prof, Area Attack Prof.) non variable 300 OM
This is a move to block a physical attack.

An oncoming foe launches himself at Gildarts and charges toward with their weapon raised, gaze maliciously infused with villainous intent as the strike is readied. Gildarts directs his focus to where the attack will hit him as his body lunges with a pivot to the side with a flicker of movement and his metallic arm goes up to block the attack and off balance it’s core. (A sword would grind against his arm and the aim would be deflected away from Gildarts torso.)

As Gildarts does this, a wave of energy is released at the opponent and they are projected backwards or forwards and past him (depending on where their momentum would have taken them) at least three feet.

The force hits them like a gale of gravity, as suddenly against the foe’s sword a wave of energy is felt before the wave hits the rest of the enemy’s body and sends him and his sword strike flying.

Gildarts can do this repeatedly, however each time he must sacrifice the immediate use of an offensive move. (Basically, the foe must attack him again before he can begin again with offensive moves. If this isn’t clear, here’s an example really quick.)

The foe’s sword grates against his metallic arm as Gildarts pivots on his foot and the foe is sent off his feet and collides into a nearby tree as the parry is struck. Gildarts grimaced but begin to look lighthearted as the foe gets back up and launches another attack at him. Gildarts, whom can either dodge the attack without the use of parry, or use a shield to block it. He is unable, however, to attack the person directly (this shall be incorporated mainly with ‘aim’)until their second deployed attack hits him or misses, or else if he does the move will miss and he will be unable to use parry for the rest of the ‘battle’.

The Drawback is that after parry he can’t attack (forfeits the right to aim at) the enemy physically or directly. [/spoiler]

[Karl Jak]

Face to Face

Enel vs Gamzee Makara

Now that was a motherfuckin explosion worth getting aroused over.

As the chaos subsided, audiences across the Omniverse leaned a little closer to their monitor/holographic projection/mystical orb/whatever to see the trembling figure of Gamzee Makara, his breaths hoarse and labored, standing on wobbly legs.  The clown-troll smiled faintly at the devastation he had wrought upon Mega City One.

Out in front of the seemingly victorious troll, the haze continued to settle.  After a few more moments, the form of Enel could be spotted amid the rubble.  The would-be god’s body lie very still, his flesh charred and ravaged.  Some blood bubbled from a laceration that traversed the length of his scalp.  One of his legs was half-buried beneath a chunk of concrete, and the other was torn up to the point where the underlying bone could be seen in a few locations.

“That’s right.”  Gamzee mumbled.  “False.”

Before he could turn to leave, the troll saw the little sparks of electricity trickle across Enel’s torso.  It seemed like nothing, perhaps a trick of the eye or just a little bit of leftover lightning dispersing into the surrounding terrain.

And then it happened again.  This time, the electricity was clearer and more visible as it danced across the fallen warrior’s body.  After that second burst faded away, Enel’s body shuddered as electricity skittered across him once more, but this time, there was a clear center point.  A mass of blue electricity sparkling so brightly inside his broad chest that it could be seen shining through his skin.

The blue light faded and surged in a clear rhythm, each flash causing Enel’s form to tremble.

“Are you…” Gamzee muttered as he put the pieces together in his head.  “Motherfuckin kidding me.”

After a fifth jolt of electricity within his ravaged form, Enel shot up into an upright position—his bloodshot eyes snapping open just moments before a smirk spread across his charred features.

“Your tricks mean nothing to a god,” Enel rasped as he rose to his feet and grabbed a twisted piece of rebar from the debris.  Although he spoke with conviction, the warrior’s breathing was erratic.  While the electricity had scorched his open wounds, Enel still moved slowly as the two battered enemies closed for one final exchange.

Gamzee reached for a weapon and retrieved.

“Fool,” Enel scowled as the troll hoisted the bottle of Faygo like a cudgel.  The two adversaries closed.  

Gamzee swung.

Enel dropped and thrust.

The rebar punched through the other man’s chest—just below the right lung.  Gamzee’s eyes went wide as he stumbled back and fell to a knee.

“Bow to your god,” Enel rasped.  Gamzee, popping off the top of the bottle, took a long swig before going back for seconds.  Scowling, Enel grabbed the man by the neck and lifted him up.  “I said bow!.”

Instead, Gamzee Makara spewed a mouthful of Faygo into Enel’s face.  The would-be god let out a roar and stumbled back as his adversary reached for one final tool.  When Enel wiped the liquid from his face, he saw his opponent … smiling?

“That’s a nice look for you,” Gamzee muttered as he dropped the capsule in his palm.  In a flash, the troll was gone, leaving behind his possessions for the ‘victorious’ god.

[spoiler]

#28 Gamzee ELIMINATED

Enel takes 12 points of Accumulated Damage (includes Major Injury – Fractured skull/brain damage [may result in wooziness, blurred vision, incoherent thoughts])

Enel gets all of Gamzee’s loot (PM incoming).

Gamzee has used a Mercy Circle.  After 2 OOC days, he will wake up in a rejuvenation tube at the preshow facility and be permitted to exit to the verse of his choice.
[/spoiler]

[Gildarts]

Safehouse C. It brought ol’ Darts some memories when he and Illian had holed up here their first battle against the fog creatures. Now it felt as though so much had changed. Gildarts was held hostage by his mind, and by his morality, and Illidan was nowhere in sight and now Tearen and co were getting chummy with him. This wasn’t Gildarts’ ideal situation, but it could have been a lost worse. Yes, it could have been a lot, lot worse.

Of the monsters he’d encountered, the fog fist, the golem, and the squid he’d tamed, Gildarts wanted to know how they had come to be. He wanted to know this island’s mystery, and his thirst for this knowledge may well destroy him in the end. If they all put their minds together, or if Neal knew Gildarts wanted to know the island’s secrets, perhaps the God-mind could enlighten him.

Nealaphh was off in his own mind too, analyzing the information on the tablet and fixing up the stratagem. Things had changed in his superior mind, something about his heart and his mind. Perhaps it was regarding the girl who was no longer with him, Gildarts could only guess.

As for Gil’s new ‘buddy’ who seemed to exploit his desire for battle more frequently than fish swam, the white-haired prime had a bit of a smile on his face, Gildarts had nodded in response to his question, but now it was time to show the rage mage how it was done.

Gildarts widened his gait and the process began.

The king of destruction had never become a teacher despite his undying hope for their potential because his mind wasn’t likely to focus, and Gil wasn’t the type to enforce a hard-styled and ruthless schedule on something he loved. There were few people in Magnolia, let alone Earthland who could have managed any sort of ‘Gildarts bootcamp’ let alone attempted to survive.

Guilt had once wrecked him when he’d taken on an apprentice, for more than once Gildarts had lost his focus, ending the lives he meant to enhance. That would never happen again.

Now however, he was facing an immortal and there was no need to back down. Only thing was... Now they were in a safe house, with no fighting allowed.

The three move from C21 to SHC

The three disperse?

[Enel]

I underestimated him.

I’d wanted to save my egg for when it was needed, a real challenge. As the energy rain comes, I reach for the egg.

But everything’s already gone black.

I’m dead.

But it’s not the first time.

Something flashes back to me. Something that’s never happened, and yet … something that might have happened? I don’t know what I’m seeing. I can’t make sense of it.

I’ve died before. Before the Omniverse.

A pain that seemed to fill my chest and expand outwards, taking every cell in my body and vibrating it so hard as to stop my heart.

I remember. This thing that never happened.

And I remember, how I defied death.

Even as my blood slows, as the oxygen within my limbs fades to nothing, I still have my power.

I.

Will.

Not.

Die.

Here.

I jumpstart my heart with lightning.

One pump. Two.

And I feel death’s embrace loosen.

The world around us has faded. We’re back in the city, and it’s shattered. Was that the condition to break the device’s shield? That one of us should die?

I look at the demon before me.

* * * * *

He escapes.

Rage fills my form. Pure, unabashed hatred.

My rightful kill has been stolen from me. Fate denied.

Omni, once again, has stolen what is not his.

I rage. Loose lightning in every direction. Wrecking the ground upon which I stand, shattering windows, destroying everything.

I jump to the sky, make to fly – but find myself brought downwards, with a painful reminder.

Then the pain comes. It feels like my head has been shattered. Blood drips from my mouth, and my teeth – my teeth are broken, jagged. I spit free chunks of bloody enamel and look around.

Where is Batman? Where is Graowr? They should have been done with that white-haired fool by now.

Did they?

Did they run?

I reach out with my senses, as far as they can go. And within the radius of that circle, I feel something. Fresh life.

I go there as fast as my legs can manage.

No movement, still in C17, just wanted to do a post-fight before I join up with Graowr, Cell and Archer to fight Dawn.

[The Future Warrior]

Who was this crazy lady? Just barging in out of nowhere and challenging her to a fight? She knew her by name, so...

Didn't matter! Graowr clenched her fists, ready for a fight. More than ready for a fight! But before she could make good with accepting the challenge, something happened. God Enel! He was back, done with his fight! And he was...not looking so good. "God Enel! What—"

She was cut off as the lightning-man stormed up, shoving past her to point an accusing finger at Eirika. "And just who the FUCK are you, threatening my disciples like that?!" He briefly cast a glance back at Cell and Archer. "...AND her two lackeys!"

Eirika took half a step back, gritting her teeth. "Tch...this got too fucking crowded. Later, losers!" And she turned and ran, making an absolutely monumental leap onto a nearby building and rushing away.

Everyone in the group of four down below offered some sort of curse or indignant snarl, and all who were able unleashed a swift volley of fire at the fleeing girl. The building she leaped over was soundly pummeled and ruined, but no damage was done to the deranged blonde.

Enel, his breathing still heavy, rounded on the group, turning his pointing finger to Graowr. "You! Graowr! What of Rockwell?! You destroyed him, yes?" he demanded.

The majin flinched, looking away. "I...I tried to, but he...he was too fast. He got away." She practically felt it coming before it actually hit. A bolt of electricity, followed by a harsh, blunt impact along the side of her face, knocking her sprawling. She tumbled end over end, into the dirt. She didn't make a sound of pain, just slowly got back up to her feet. "I'm sorry, God Enel..." she mumbled again.

"Enough! Let's just fucking go. We can find Rockwell again later. I can finish him off myself, as I planned to!" the lightning-man growled, clenched fist sparking with electricity. He wobbled, taking an unsteady few steps before catching himself with his staff. Looking back at the others, he snarled. "Let's GO!"

The blue girl fell in line right away, looking imploringly back at Cell and Archer, who followed along more reluctantly. Strength in numbers, even if those numbers were crazy.

God and Pals moving from C17 to C16

[Gildarts]

Their stroll through the safe grounds was ample enough to see that not too much was going on there, Gildarts didn’t even see anyone around, it was just dark and kind of like an office that had been abandoned for Christmas. They left as swiftly as they came, Gildarts, still tied up in Strazio’s desire to fight or learn, maybe keeping up his rage on a higher, more enlightened level. Poised for fighting, poised for winning.

How do you know you didn’t hallucinate Lulu? his own thoughts reminded him that now with the Malefactor’s voice presently ‘gone’ he had to recollect his own sanity, the fragments and bits of it that were left. There was a lot he didn’t know, a lot of things that happened that he had no explanation for.

Gildarts felt like he’d been taken hostage with no one around to help him. Illidan was off doing who know’s what with Dust while Nealaphh had lassoed a leash around his neck, whether he’d allowed it to be chained there or not. Still, Gildarts would rather work with someone who was redeemable than be against someone trying to better the Omniworld.

They left the gateway of the safehouse and Strazio was ready to both learn and rumble.

The rage mage swatted Gildarts every time he moved, yet he began to get tired, his lungs filling and pouring out air. Nealaphh was not so easily fooled, he saw the spellcast wasn’t cast but initiated when Strazio took the first step into the plunge. The God-mind knew but kept the peace, he opted for sweet bliss for the time being, letting the dogs fight and play was a fine way to waste time.

Now outside of the safehouse, Gildarts had even unknowingly passed his allies Dust who was leaving with another and Illidan who slept like a baby, Nealaphh’s telepathy had picked up on an extension of a stray thought, but unfortunately for the out of the loop Gildarts, he’d likely never know the light of the truth.

“When ready your punch the magic deploys, I just use my body and stance as a connector for the magic to move through me, and into my enemy’s momentum,” Gildarts informed.

The three are making their way out of the SH and onto C21

[Sterling Archer]

“So, we’re just not going to talk about this at all?”

Graw, having been thoroughly distracted by the arrival of a bloodied beanpole, had taken to leading our little squadron. Normally I wouldn’t stand for a little gumdrop person and her shirtless buddy acting as our leaders, but with my bum knee I didn’t really have a leg to stand on either literally or metaphorically.

“I guesss not,” Cell answered, shrugging. “Seemss to be a friend of herss, and the dude issn’t trying to kill uss on ssight, sso why rock the boat?”

I eyed the barechested muscleman and his weird...drum things with contempt before speaking. “Yeah, I guess so. But for the record I’m not happy about it. He’s kinda being a dick to little Graw.”

“Aw, you care about the little hellsspawn,” Cell chuckled, punching my shoulder. “Adorable, but keep it in your pantss.”

“Try to keep up, lackeys,” ‘God Enel’ boomed before I could respond, casting a pompous gaze over his shoulder. “Quickly now.”

“Lackeys?” I asked, my blood pressure rising. “Who the fuck do you think you are?”

Graw spun around, gazing pleadingly into my eyes. “That’s God Enel, he’s an actual God who controls lightning! Please try to be nice.”

I furrowed my brow. “So this shirtless guy with 3-foot earlobes is some kind of Thor wannabe?”

Not-so-little Drummer Boy seemed to be either ignoring me or not bothering to pay any attention, his loping stride continuing, spurring us forward faster than my knee could comfortably match. Something told me this wasn’t an accident, else he just genuinely couldn’t be bothered to notice my injury. I leaned on our recently departed comrade’s chrome baton, the support providing me a modicum of relief.

“Just shut the f-UUUCK up,” Cell replied warily. “I don’t like him either but if we get jumped by Eldritch Papa and his sservant girl, we’re going to need the back up.”

I sighed in resignation, popping open my waterskin and dumping some of the clean tap water over my bloody hands. “Fine, whatever.”

Team CAGE (God and Pals) moving from C16 to C2.

[Tamsin Suzaku]

Daylight had returned to the misty metropolis as the tall man and his new female companion hit the pavement. Their footsteps echoing in the streets, the sound was exacerbated by the awkward silence that had claimed both of them. Without a word, they navigated the city streets in search of the Contractor's acquaintances.

Out of curiosity, the maid examined the display panels flanking their path. She had thought the logging camp in the now defunct Zone B was an elaborate prop, but it paled in comparison to Syntech's urban playground. Beauty saloons, massage parlours, supermarkets, restaurants — Megacity One, as it was called, had all the amenities that one would expect from a genuine settlement of this size, their signs and neon lights flashing and blinking invitingly. It served to make passing the empty buildings, venues and attractions even more unnerving. It left the maid to ponder whether Syntech had genuine occupants on this island when it wasn't used as a battleground.

The muscular soldier beside her evaded her gaze, appearing either nervous or embarrassed. As the reasons for this eluded her, it only served to make the silver-haired girl feel the same way. Uncertain as to the best way to break the proverbial ice, the servant instead relented to the quiet and opted to focus on the map on her tablet instead. Still, part of her felt relieved — for the first time since arriving in this accursed place, she had an ally, even if only temporarily.

'U-um...I believe we need to head this way,' Tamsin finally spoke up, pointing out a southern direction as they reached an intersection, greeted by the flashing of the traffic lights.

'Wha-? Oh...' Dust turned his head at this, fully exposing his handsome visage for the first time since they had departed from the secure office building lobby. 'Yes, um...let us proceed there, then.'

The maid nodded as both she and the man adjusted their course. But then the silence between them resumed as normal.

Tamsin and Dust moving from C21 to C16.

[Gildarts]

“Hey, what’s your fuckin’ name anyway?” Strazio asked the man, they were continuing their bonding sesh on the road as Gildarts tried to teach him.

“Gildarts Clive,” at least those words didn’t stutter, his name was familiar on his tongue, before everything else turned into a jumble, “I-I’m a F-Fairy Tail mage, and in the Omniverse I hail f-from Ambrosia, but I’m on the road a l-lot, more f-frequently than I’d like to admit,” Gildarts tried not to think too hard on his forever-homeless status.

“And you?” he added to the rage mage, glad he didn't stutter again in his quick quip.

“Strazio Rockwell, and you talk fuckin’ funny, man,” the Avatar of Rage observed he’d heard Nealaphh mention Gildarts’ name before, he hadn’t however realized that this was him in the flesh.

“T-this doesn’t-t usually happen t-to me, I’ve suf-ffered an injury,” Gildarts spoke slurring his words. He considered somehow getting around the slurs, but it was also his brain and thoughts that were jittering a bit too.

It was like Tearen had warned Strazio just prior, he was bound to be a little slow, the reason was likely he got bashed around a lot. Strazio looked at the blood and mixture of mud across the auburn-haired mage’s skull. There was a great scrape mixed with blood along the side of his cranium, blood dribbled in his eye but hadn’t caused it to seal shut from swelling.

Strazio was glad he was feeling revitalized, based on the condition of the mage in front of him. The two men shared an appraising look as their eyes glided over their appearances, and then delved deeper through their skin.

Gildarts felt Strazio had an inner strength, one that couldn’t be quantified if the mage even attempted to read him. Strazio noted that despite Gildarts’ fucked up demeanor and lack of most attire, seeing how his current clothes were splattered in blood and shit, that the man was no one to underestimate. This made the rage mage want to challenge him, however, he had other people higher on his shit list.

One last note, was that Gildarts seemed to be in a good state of mind despite getting ambushed and out-numbered and his entire shit going to shit. He wasn’t frowning, just kind of sauntering on into the fuckin’ sunset.

Nealaphh remained mysteriously quiet as the two mages attempted to figure each other out.

The three move from C21 to C20

[Dawnika Snow]

Dammit! How terribly she wanted to smash Graowr into the pavement! If it wasn't for her whole band of idiots and stupid fake god her blood would have painted the grass! Her fist drove through the concrete of the building. Her hand tore the rock out of of the roof and tossed the chunk out into the road below.

“Fuuuuck! Fuck fuck fuck!” She screamed like the angry little hyena she was. “Fuck your stupid face Graowr! Fuck your stupid fake God! Fuck this stupid goddamn fucking island!”

The blonde let her fury out with heavy breathing. A trained assassin running away with her tail between her legs, but hell, even a trained assassin knew when she was outmatched. She would brood her anger for another day and unleashed her highest fury upon anyone who got in her way. For now though, she needed to visit a safe house.

Erika took a leap of the building landing next to the pile of concrete she tore from the building. After regaining her posture, she pulled her tablet from her pack and tried to find the direction of the safe house in the city. She was just there but the heat of the moment in her chase had made her lose her sense of direction. Not to mention the anger built up inside her made it hard to focus on anything but punching things.

South.

As much as she wanted to turn around and just fight, she knew she’d just end up dead. This is not the time to be wasting her life on a grudge. She’d get the quest pieces in time. She began to head south gnawing her teeth. With another growl of anger, she drove her fist into a broken street lamp, breaking the metal and causing to come crashing down in the road.

“Fuck this island.”

Erika is moving C17 > C21

[Clownpiece]

“Come on you coward, we can take them!” Clownpiece yelled, beating ineffectual on Dane’s back as he booked it away from the mugging quartet. His feet beat ceaselessly against the cobbled ground, carrying them down random alleys and through random yards of the resort town.

“There’s... four... of... them!” The swordsman shouted back, carefully taking breaths between each word so he wouldn’t run out of energy. 

“We’re not... beating them!”

“Then at least leave me behind!” she squirmed in his grasp, not making his mad dash any easier on him. “I’ll take them all on!”

“Not... in the shape... you’re in!” At some point, the cobbled streets had turned into asphalt, and the buildings began to tower even higher. 

With a swift and rather graceful movement, Dane ducked into an alleyway and skidded to a halt, chest heaving with heavy breaths. “You’ve got a broken foot... and you’re half blind. What are you gonna do?”

“I!” she started to yell as her ally lifted her off his shoulder and set her back onto the ground. “I’d... make them fight each other or something!” She stated, standing proud, arms crossed in front of her chest. “You’ve seen what my torch can do!”

“I have, and I don’t think it’s enough,” he responded, straightening up, breathing starting to level out again. “Clownpiece, we can’t pick fights at every opportunity, we’ve gotta choose our battles. A two on four isn’t worth it.”

“Well how are we supposed to win this then!?” The fairy leaned heavily on her good foot and attempted to get up in Dane’s face. “No more items are dropping, so all that’s left is to fight for them!”

“Yes, but not a two on four.” he emphasized. “We would have thrown away our lives and our chances of winning for nothing.”

“Hmph,” she dropped back down, a disappointed look on her face. “I guess you have a point... Why’d you throw away the item then?”

“They would have chased us down for it,” he answered, turning away from the child and stepping over to the corner. “That blue girl caught me before, and that was even when I was stealthed and not carrying someone. It was the only thing that would have gotten us out of there in one piece.”

Clownpiece simply hummed in response, not entirely satisfied.

“Come on,” Dane said, peeking around the corner. “There’ll be other battles we can win.”
 

Danepiece moving from D3 to C2

[Tearen Wover]

Tearen looked over the faces of the Primes that had assembled around him. Not a single one of them was smiling, but at the same time, he could feel a warm sense of camaraderie. Everyone here knew what the others were here for, even Tearen. He had taken great pains to ensure that anyone who walked with him these past days were intimately familiar with the Underverse and the threat that it posed. But, as with all missions, there came a time when it was time to focus on the endgame.

Still, as they stalked the hollow streets of the Megacity, Tearen pulled Gildarts aside for a moment. The fairy tail wizard looked warily at the eldritch human, but relented.

"Gildarts, we need to talk after all of this is over. That presence in your head...it cannot be ignored. If left to its own devices, it will consume that which is good inside of you." Tearen said ina hushed tone. Gildarts' expression became dark.

"...and what would you know about it?" he said slowly. Tearen swallowed hard, but steadied himself with a cool breath.

"...because I have done the same thing to people in the past. I know how it works. I know how to remove it." Tearen said, with a more than noticeable amount of pain in his voice. The wizard growled softly. So. Here it was. The dark reality of Tearen's past that he had been running from since Death Mountain. But...then again, Gildarts himself was not totally innocent of atrocity, witting or no. The Strongest Prime looked up into the bruised orange darkness of the city's night sky, and breathed.

"Perhaps."

That was good enough for Tearen.

"Hey LADIES!" came an abrasive shout from up the street. Strazio stood impatiently by a street corner, staring at the two legends.

Nothing more needed to be said. They kept moving.

Team Vengeance (Tearen, Gildarts, Strazio) moved from C20 to C2

[Clownpiece]

“Hm...” A grumpy sigh rose up from Clownpiece, sounding right in Dane’s ear as she caught a ride on his back. It was an intentional noise, meant to hopefully grab his attention, so he could ask her what’s wrong.

“What is it?” the swordsman asked somewhat harshly, not wanting to play games with the fairy, but not wanting that to go on either.

“I’m just thinking,” she started off. “With just the two of us, and no items to our name. How are we gonna win this? We’re not getting anything without taking any risks.”

“We’re not taking horribly one-sided fights either,” he responded, voice echoing down the barren streets of the city.

“Well we can’t just wait around and hope that everyone kills each other first!” She petulantly kicked her legs out, careful not to hit Dane while she was at it. “That’d be boring! Plus I didn’t even come here to win! I came to fight! I want to prove my strength as a fairy of hell!”

“And look how well that’s been turning out.”

“Hmph...” It was the day for disgruntled noises. “You know what, how many people are left?”

“Hand me my tablet and I’ll check.” At Dane’s request, Clownpiece slid his bag off of her shoulder and dug around it in, pulling out the device.
“Here,” she reached over his shoulder and dangled it in front of his face.

“Let’s see here...” he grabbed it out of her hands and fiddled with it, ducking down another alley. The fairy tried watching fruitlessly, the screen melding together in unseeable blurs. “Oh, that’s... quite a bit more than I was expecting.”

“That’s all I need to know!” The fairy child cheered, taking the tablet back from Dane and slipping it back into his bag. “Come on, let’s go out with a bang! We’re doing to poorly to survive much longer, so let’s find someone and give them hell on earth!”

“You know what, sure,” Dane metaphorically threw his hands up. “I’m gonna regret this later, but screw it.”

“Yay!” Clownpiece lifted higher on Dane’s back, pumping her fist into the air. The duo emerged from the alley, only to be met with three vague figures staring at them from the middle of the street. Everyone paused for a moment, and the two groups squared each other up, before the impulsive fairy of hell leapt off her ally’s back, torch back in hand. She stuck the landing, favoring her blue and white starred leg, and jammed a finger at the trio.

“Drop your items or face the wrath of hell!”
 

Team Danepiece challenges Team Vengeance.

[Dust]

There was a headache forming in the center of Dust's head as he pre-occupied his mind with other things. He was thinking about Dawn, thinking about Takezo. He wished he knew where they were at this moment, it would be far easier to kiss someone who understood than have to explain the situation to someone new. Admittedly, it all sounded like a clever pickup line. 'Kiss me, I need to power up.'

Actually, that was pretty good. Too bad his guts were only strong in terms of battle. The idea of hitting on a girl made his stomach flip and tied up his tongue. Between no experience, the fear of rejection that would rival a pre-teen's, and the lack of self-confidence in this sort of thing, Dust was hopeless. It made him all the more aware of the fact that the was able to feel things he hadn't before coming here to the omniverse, upon invitation no less. It was interesting to slowly discover himself, he bet anyone else would laugh at the fact that he didn't know nearly anything about his own likes and dislikes.

The two of them were just taking a step into a street, completely ignoring the flashing red hand that told them not to despite there being no traffic, when a feeling ran up Dust's spine. He turned around abruptly to look back at the tower that rose above everything else in the city and just stared for a moment. Tamsin was about to ask, but he explained all on his own.

"I think we need to go back. I'd recognize that power anywhere." Hokori, without thinking, grabbed her hand and began to pull Tamsin towards the center of the city again. The grin curled back up on his face as he thought about meeting back up with Gildarts. "He looks pretty scary up close, but he's the best. I'll be sure to introduce you to him!" He called back at her, smiling like a kid that was about to meet his hero. While his bare feet slapped the cool concrete her shoes tapped excitedly as he towed her back into the center of the city.

Lycan came to a slow stop in the center of the main road, looking about excitedly. Even the fog that wisped closer to them couldn't stop him. He could feel it, Gildarts was so close he could taste it. He stopped when he saw a figure emerging from the shadows, his eyes taking on a more serious tone. "We have company.." He explained, letting for of her hand and preparing himself for an attack. If he was anything it was patient, and level-headed if not a little eccentric. He moved to guard Tamsin against the approaching figure, the sound of combat boots stomping the ground echoed through the open space and made him tense up a little more.

To his great surprise, however, he saw something familiar. A girl with red eyes and long blond hair. She looked in about as good of a mood as she had been a moment before the last time he saw her. When she threatened to skin him. But that didn't stop him from feeling relieved and excited all the same. "Yuki!!" He called out to her, his muscles relaxing when he saw someone he considered a friend instead of someone who was his enemy.

Crimson Wolf and Silver Fox from C16 to C21. Staying neutral towards Erika, not attacking.