(Twi) Twilight XI: School Days

[AnimeKid]

Kid, Liz, and Patti

Kid looks scandalized at what is happening before him. He clenches his fist in anger as he looks at his weapon partners. Liz is looking at him meanfully, as is Patti. Looks like they were in agreement.

Kid steps forward and speaks in a voice that trembles with authority, and a hint of other-worldlyness. "I'm going to have to ask you lot to let go of the girl you've currently go pinned. I'm also going to have to ask that you relinquish her possession. After all this situation looks rather bad for you. A group of young men pinning down a girl, all in states of undress? Doesn't paint a very pretty picture does it?"

It's then that Kid lowers his head, and somehow shadows appear on it, masking almost all features except for a lone golden eye. "Or if you prefer I could stop you by force and instill the fear of god into you, your choice."

Liz and Patti stood beside Kid with severe looks on their faces as well.

Maka and Soul

Soul has a sharp intake of breath before he breaths out, "Sh*t. It's that bad? Cause she seems to have a lot of people interested in protecting her. Including some soldier brat called Souske Sagara."

Maka nods her head in agreement as she says, "Apparently they think we're after her. Even though we never show the slightest interest in harming her. Though that Souske guy seems naive enough to swallow just about anything. Don't worry Lord Hades, we'll keep an eye on her, especially since Edward Cullen seems to have an interest in her."

[Cracklord]

Lelouch
Gary was following him, with something not unlike adoration. Apparently, he was a fan of Zero. That was going to be annoying, even if he couldn't tell anyone. Maybe he should have erased his mind, but it was too late now. "No." He says shortly.
How could he tell him? That Nunally was completely dependent on him? That she'd only recently taken to so much as leaving her room without supervision, given how incapable she was of looking after herself? That she was always...
"No, she doesn't have any easy way of getting into contact with." He says, a bit less stiffly, looking for the distinctive tracks of a wheelchair. "Normally, she has someone else looking out for her."

[Terry576]

Harry

Harry grins at Salem, bowing and holding out his hand mockingly. "O wonder! How many goodly creatures are there here? How beauteous mankind is?"

His eyes glimmer with mischievous intent, and he grins. "Shall we, Berserker?"

Shiki

Shiki was a tad surprised at Zero's outburst - the man sounded almost... human.

He sighed. He hated it when they seemed normal. Made them harder to kill.

"I don't suppose... You would like some help? I'm sure between the three of us we can locate her."

Touma

Touma groaned as he watched Shirou. Fukou da. Only he could be that unlucky.

"L-let's all just calm down, okay?!"

[Cracklord]

Lelouch
With a certain amount of difficulty, he quashes a barbed retort. They're both sincere, and there's no need to get snippy just because he's worried. He closes his eyes a moment, forces himself calm, then nods as gratefully as he can be. "Alright, if you want to help me, then that's alright. Thank you. There was a boy named Touga here with her. He's tall, good-looking, supremely self-confident, and probably lower nobility. See if you can find him, he should know what happened."

[doliest]

Stocking
Stocking pulls herself down, creaks coming out of her back. That...that was fun. Outside of that tail ghost monster, supernaturally fueled bondage was almost impossible to come by. It was a pity she'd probably end up killing Archer in the next few days...speaking of which...

I need to make a call to one of my superiors; give me a few minutes, and find some stockings- I'll go hunting nude, but I won't go unarmed.

Panty
Bored. Sooooo bored. Still bored. Borrrrrrrred. Boredddddd. B-O-R=ED.

So....wanna jump in the swirly portal?

Sebastian
Of course Mistress; merely call if you need me, and I shall appear. And with that, he's gone. Casually, he moves through what could almost be compared to a timeslip, moving himself to her room via the nearest hell based underpass. Start running a bubble bath. Rose petals, she'll like those. Scented candles. Hm. Perhaps Master Yagami should be contacted? Yes, but wolves first. Good.

He lets the bath simmer as he moves himself as close to the reservation as possible, his clothes altering themselves ever so slightly. Trench coat now. Never very fashionable, but rather good if one is attempting to 'blend in' by standing out like a sore thumb.

Head onto the reservation to start gathering information. He had roughly five minutes before Ms.Amani would need him back. More than enough time.

[Draxx]

Archer
He lowers his head in a nod at her instructions, unable to keep a small, self-satisfied smile off his face. He was completely unaware of Stocking's intentions, and didn't much care as long as she gave him an edge. If he had known her thoughts, he'd have laughed. In a few days, he'd be out of the picture, one way or another.

Then he vanishes, exactly like a ghost, and reappears in town, flashing into the middle of the street for a second, there and gone faster then human perception, then slips out of existence again to appear in the supermarket. He's still naked, and appeared out of thin air, but the clothing floor is all but deserted except for a few old women gossiping well away from the underwear isle, talking about their sons burgeoning homosexuality or their new pets annoying habits.

Neither of them notice him. Archer selects the requisite clothes from a rack, jeans and a black muscle t-shirt for himself, and just the underwear for his newest ally. Then he burns the store to the ground on general principle, rather than pay nine dollars for a pair of white cotton stockings. Besides, he doesn't actually have any money.

Hansel
The second he opens his mouth, the man in black who was once Mr Garrison lets out a sort of growl, and swings at him with his improvised cudgel, trying to bludgeon him to the ground. It's not much of a swing, mad as he is his host isn't very co-ordinated or physically powerful, but anything it does contact with is going to suffer. The fact that Touma doesn't stink of it doesn't bother Hansel.

There were fifty students in his mob, against only three victims, and fifty men can't be wrong. No, it was time for a purge, and if you're not with them, then you're against them.

The Witch-Finder might be too far gone to recognize the newcomers, but a dozen or so of the students are not among them, and turn to glare at you. Outsiders were not welcome at a lynching, unless their was a surfeit of victims. But they're angry, and scared about the uncertainty rather then the real threats, and that makes them confident enough to menace you with nothing but their bare hands.

[darkblade]

Beast and Smedry

Hank sends Smedry flying towards the surface. Where he will find a small rowboat sitting in wait for him or anyone else who happens to voyage through the portal.

Hank though sinks to the bottom. While he can push himself up a fair ways it's not quite enough to reach the surface. He has enough air left to either make a second leap or head back to the portal.

***

Archer

You get some clothes and sockings. The local police are too busy to deal with some minor arson.

***

Light

"Something is going on in your school, Light." Charlie says casually as he pulls up to an evacuation area.

"I was looking at hiring some kids to do some looking around for me. I could probably pull an intern credit for you if you're interested."

***

Sebastian

There is a nice littler bar that is where the residents go, avoiding the corporate cash ins and tax havens so popular with Britannians wanting to feel dangerous. The attitude is quite quiet today, as if in mourning and they are none too happy to see an outsider.

One man in a wheelchair bitterly drunk looks up at you. "Braves is down the street, might be a little more your cup of tea."

***

Lelouch, Gary and Shinki

((Tygre's been inactive for a while so I'm going to just let you find her.))

Touga brought her safely to an evacuation zone where she waits quietly. Before a word is even said her face lights up as Lelouch approaches. "Brother!"

***

Riot

Things were going quite well until the moron who grabbed the wand decides to smash it over his knee. Hansel of course would have known better than to so casually break a focus, particularly one that looked like an heirloom but that is the problem with a mob, once they start they just cannot be stopped.

Three generations of stored Russo family magical energy is let loose in once sudden burst of brilliant light. The thug was incinerated instantly, and everyone nearby can expect horrific burns if they are not quick.

***

Harry

Embarrassing the puritan may have to wait as off in the distance there is a large magical explosion.

***

Maka and Soul

"Edward. Nah Edward is a pawn, a disposable peice played by bigger people." Hades says dismissively.

"Just keep your heads in the game. Death should be back tomorrow and she'll manage it from here." Hades says cutting off the mirror signal.

Behind you Atticuss smiles a little too intently. "So...this Bella girl is dangerous? Need any help?"

***

Zhung

Katniss laughs a little. "If you think a little hocus pocus is going to get me jumping to sign up with you, you are going to be disappointed."

She makes her way back out into the hall. "I'm not being anyone's pawn anymore."

***

Meanwhile off in a secluded section of hallway the shadows the of the girls fall upon unseen walls.

Did you know? Did you know? Have you heard the news?

The silhouettes sit at a table playing a rapid game of blitz chess. Being shadows it is a little hard to tell which piece belongs to which player. A fact not lost upon the girls themselves as the one on the left goes to move a pawn only to be slapped by the other.

That's clearly the white pawn. Not for you to move.

No it's black! A heart lying in the darkness fit only for evil deeds!

Um no it's white see? the rightmost girl says holding up the piece for the other to see.

Then why is so dark? Stained by it's sin.

Even the darkest shadow is cast by the light. Besides it's just a game. Tee-Hee

Oh right! Silly me!

[Corvond]

Kongming
One moment he's seated calmly at the table, the next he's standing in the doorway. And he crossed the space before she'd even finished turning around. "You misunderstand my intentions." He says, as calm and patient as ever. He seems faintly amused at your insinuation, although he's so stoic it's hard to be sure.

Chess. He learned how to play two hundred an sixty-nine years ago, when he was last summoned. He'd grasped the rules nearly instantly, and reckoned himself almost unbeatable, though go was more his game. "I myself am a servant, and am quite content with that role. Other men are heroes, who challenge fate and change the direction of the entire world, but I do not count myself among their number. I can offer advice, guidance, direction, but I would never presume to enslave you."

"Quite the contrary, I simply offer you the vehicle to fulfilling your own ambitions. I can show you how not only to be free yourself, but to free everyone."

Souske
Any officer without a sword is improperly dressed, but as an NCO, he could make do with a well honed trench warfare bayonet, two feet of sharp, menacing steel. He'd understandably given up on guns, hence giving them all away to Beast, but he still meant to be armed. Not to do so was suicide in a hostile environment.

His job was to guard Bella, and to do that, he needed order. Unfortunately, Order was in short supply here, and there was only so much he could do alone, even with all his experience and training. It was time to call in some professionals. He picked up his laptop, and began typing requisition orders in a language he spoke fluently but wasn't English or Japanese.

Before the great European revolutions that had almost destroyed the empire, the first lead by a French canon man, the second by a German statesman*, back in the golden era of occupation of the eastern states, the Gurkhas had come to the attention of the Brittanian Empire, and managed to impress them with their ferocity. They had liked the Gurkhas so much as enemies that they couldn't wait to have them as allies. It was the beginning of a highly profitable partnership.

While when recruiting of the mother soil, the empire tended to separate troops to decentralize them, and dissuade rebellion, but an exception was made for the Nepalese, allowing them to form their own regiments (commanded by white officers). But despite that, relations have usually been fairly good between them and Gurkhas, arguably better than they could have said to have deserved.

Souske requests the deployment of all one hundred of the (9th Kshatriya rifles as a peace-keeping force within the boundaries of Ashford Academy. If he wasn't enough alone, he'd see if he was more convincing with a hundred of the best soldiers he'd served with at his back. He was not an infantry sergeant, but he was in the process of a highly dangerous mission, and he had the authority if not the formal position in the chain of command.

Only after that, does he turn to Panty. "Negative. Orders were explicate, do not follow, or attempt to support." He finishes typing, then snaps the computer closed. "Besides, I have a primary objective. I had best go and resume protecting Miss Bella."

*Napoleon and Bismark.

[Colesign]

Gary Bell

Gary hangs back and waves his hand in greeting.

He whispers in Shiki's ear.

"What do you think?"

[Colesign]

Leavenworth Smedry

Smedry gasps as he surfaces, and treads water slowly and deliberately.

"Ah! Ah...Ah, I survived. Good, Good: love it when I do that. Ally-Doop!"

He hoists himself onboard the boat...and looks for anything that could help. Scuba tank, rope, floatation aids, buckets, stray submarines...anything to help the Professor.

[AnimeKid]

Kid, Liz, Patti

Kid's eyes widen at the sheer stupidity about to happen. taking his stance Kid calls out his move as the moron with the wand raises it above his knee, "Shadow Skull Arms!" What appear to be skulls made of black energy with three claw like fingers replacing their teeth shoot forward at his speeds to try and snatch the wand from the mobster connected to Kid by thin energy tendrils.

"Patti! Show our friend the error of their ways." Patti salutes Kid before charging forward at the mob, first and foremost taking out the one that had held the wand. Seeing her move and feeling the force of the fist that would plant itself in his gut, the mobster would incorrectly think that this girl had to be a demon of some kind.

Maka and Soul

Soul grins toothily at Atticus as he says, "Nah, its cool man. We just need to make sure no one harms her. We can do that easy. Besides it wouldn't be very cool if we went and involved to many people with our mission."

Maka sends an annoyed glance at Soul as she says, "What my partner is trying to say is that we can't guarantee your safety. As it is also our duty to protect humans from supernatural threats you helping us kind of goes against the job description."

[Draxx]

Beast
Beast clawed desperately above his head as he lost momentum and began to sink. A few bubbles of air escaped his mouth, and his eyes widened in horror as he came to the end of his trajectory and began to sink down again, almost no air left in his lungs.

He doesn't even seriously consider about the portal. It wasn't letting water slip through, so it most likely only goes one way, and besides, after all this he doesn't like the idea of giving up so soon. Hitting the bottom, his feet sinking into the silt, he sinks to his hands and knees, then pushes again, and hopes he manages to get clear, if only to gasp another breath before he sinks once more.

Hansel
He turns away from Touma and advances on the newcomers, his eyeless face fixing on Kid. It's he has no soul, no mind, no body but what he's given, but his mere existence turned people into exactly the sort of thing you make it your business to destroy.

Shirou
Seeing them take the wand, he breaks off his charge, and takes what cover he can.

[Cracklord]

Lelouch
The world went soft, and Lelouch reached down and pulled her into his arms, holding her against his chest. For a moment, all the hardness, all the cunning ran off his face, and he just looked relieved. He was handsome indeed like that, and it was almost a shame when he put her back down, and regained his composure.
Poor Nunally was shaking like a leaf, helpless and confused by the situation, which he couldn't blame her for. Without being able to see what was happening, it must be much worse.
"Thank you." He tells Touga, sounding emotionally raw, then takes a deep breath, and rubs the corners of his forehead. "If there is ever anything I can do for you, anything at all, let me know."

Light
"Do I get a badge?" He asks a little eagerly, because that is the response an average young man in his position would make. Then he grins, to conceal the lipless smile he made with something more natural. "I'd be honored, sir. And I think I know a few more people who'd be ideal."

[darkblade]

Light

"We'll see." Charlie says starring off into the distance.

"Don't get too excited. I could be wrong it might just be a series of unlikely coincidences."

***

Riot

Kid's quick actions stops the wand from exploding, aside from several minor sparks from a tiny crack made in it.

"I can get us out of here. Give it back, I'll summon an IPP!" Alex calls out to Death. The more magically knowledgeable might recognize the acronym as a highly dangerous and illegal method of magical teleportation.

***

Smedry and Beast

There is a life preserver in the boat, perfect for grabbing a not very aquatic traveling companion. Beast's second upward thurst lets him briefly break the surface before starting to sink once more.

***

Souske and Panty

Souske receives back word that the units he requested are currently deployed on other assignments and are unavailable but reinforcements have been deployed they should reach the school within the next hour, be outside to meet them.

Deployed are the following: Commander Samuel Axe, Sergeant Major Melissa Mao, Sergeant Kurz Weber, and the mercenary company currently in Mithril's employ Reliable Excavation Demolition. Not the top of the line soldiers you requested but they would none the less be assets in this time of crisis.

Pictures of the all the male soldiers deployed are now available for Panty's ogling.

***

Kongming

A moment of hesitation shows in her eyes as she shakes her head. "I got work to do."

She forces her way out the door and down the hall but it's clear that the idea has taken root in her head.

[Terry576]

Harry

Beginning to open his mouth to tease, Harry suddenly whirls, his silk jacket twirling with him as he faces the school again.

"Berserker, it seems we have some uninvited... guests." He takes a breath of air. Its crisp, fresh, and clear. The eyes of his peers - looks of anger at his and her fully clothed forms - are because of ignorance; and Harry James Potter, the Magister of Fire and the Hero of the Wizarding World would not be subdued by such simple things.

Even if his friends thought him a monster, he would persevere. Even if the depraved nature of the War swallowed him, he would persevere. Not for himself, he was not a worthy candidate. He was weak, selfish, and prone to jealousy. He would have cut down the strings of the world to save his friends, but when her string of Fate was cut - he fell flat. Voldemort would not have fallen, he would have risen above all of the troubles, all of the pains and sorrows of humanity, and brought her back.

Harry could not do that. So, instead of saving everyone, he would save one - Lord Voldemort, the only equal in magic and might Harry would ever be allowed to know.

"Shall we Berserker? Their fate rests in our hands! Their souls, filled with loathsome intent and misery, are ours to play with! Their lives and their sorrows are our meal!"

He pulls out his wand, muttering. "Eleven inches, made of holly. Phoenix feather core."

The wand has been carved with runes to channel fire, which wands were never made to do. As he walks towards the school, phrases run through his mind - phrases he had long thought he forgot.

"I always did have a 'saving people thing'."

Touma

"Alex..." Touma's voice was low, almost furious. She would not be allowed to escape - not after what she had tricked him into doing. She did not deserve to be ripped apart by the crowd, but she did not deserve to escape, to live her life like nothing happened. "ALEX!!"

An IPP would not be allowed. She would not be allowed to flee like nothing happened.

A dragon in Touma's chest roared in indignation as Alex spoke. It refused to acknowledge her escape as possible. It refused to acknowledge her existence as viable.

It wanted her.

Touma charged, gripping his right arm as he sprinted through the crowd to grab the wand.

Shiki

Shiki thought as Gary spoke. There was always a plausible chance that Lelouch would lie - but the boy had no reason to. Particularly not to Shiki, whose eyes saw through almost everything. His eyes darted as Nunally was shown - a pale, pathetic girl, whose eyes were blind and whose legs were worthless.

"Lelouch, I think I'll take you up on your... offer. To join your club, I mean."

He smiled at the girl, who was such an antithesis of his own little sister that it was ridiculous; but she reminded him of her all the same.

"I think together we'll do some incredible things."

He held out his hand, and his eyes glinted dangerously as he looked at Lelouch.

[AnimeKid]

Kid, Liz, Patti

Kid shakes his head as he says, "It's too dangerous with the wand in this state. I'll just take care of this." Then came Touma's charge. Kid's eyes narrow as the boy comes in. His Soul was odd to say the least, but it provided insight as to what he was trying to do.

Kid jumped back from the boys charge as he says, Troublesome. Liz! Patti! Weapon form now!"

A simultaneous cry of, "Roger" "Roger" echoes from the sisters as the both transform both becoming pink flashes of light that shoot towards him.

Pocketing the wand Kid while in the air from his jump summoned his trusty fly skateboard Beelzebub under his feet and flew towards Hansel firing bullets of his compressed soul wavelength at Hansel.

[Cracklord]

Lelouch
He gently put his crippled sister back into her chair, and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. Then the care returned to his features, and he looked older and less alive all at once, flat and unemotional. Then he turned to Shiki, and nodded. "I'm grateful for your co-operation." He said smoothly, the brief insight into the man beneath the mask leaving to be replaced with his walls. Such a lonely man, who couldn't share himself with anybody, not his comrades, not his sister, nobody.
"We'll talk more later. Tonight?" He was here to start a revolution. That meant he needed loyal followers, of ambition and singularity of vision. All the help he could get, and Shiki was as good as any.
But his mind was still on Nunally. He had to get her somewhere sheltered and secure. Somewhere she'll be safe. He looks around, a tad desperately, then closes his eyes. Then he starts wheeling her off the grounds. He'll put her in a hotel overnight. She'll be safe and comfortable and away from all this craziness.

Light Yagami
"Hope for the best, and prepare for the worst. That's the cliche isn't it?" He replied, a tad self-depreciatingly. "Well, in any way I can be of assistance I won't hesitate to be so, sheriff." Any way at all.

[Corvond]

Kongming
"Well, now that I've sorted that out..." He says, walking back to the center of the room, hands clasped behind his back. "We had best discuss our strategy. Our first step is to determine our enemies. Observation is the key, and you, an empath, have a considerable advantage in that regard. Now, traditionally the three founding families von Einzbern, Tohsaka and Grindelwald have a place reserved in the proceedings, so your first step would be to look for anyone with that name." He pauses.

"Of course, this war is highly irregular. Technically it hasn't even begun yet, and isn't due to for another fifty years, so experience will likely prove mostly irrelevant. Which is why we need more information before committing ourselves to any course of action."

Souske
Specialists, rather then soldiers. Well, he'd take what he could get. Amending the requisition, it suddenly occurs to him that Captain Tessa would therefore be taking command, if remotely, and he goes a little white. Giving them a rundown of the situation, he finishes his report, then stands up, not thinking to log out and leaving Panty with full access to military control.

"Well, I have a job to do." He says, and walks off to find Bella, and put a bayonet between her and anyone who dares so much as look at her wrong.

[Colesign]

Leavenworthy Smedry

"Alley-oop!"

That's Smedry, having tied the preserver to one of the slots of the boat, diving into the water, grabbing Professor McCoy, and slipping him into the preserver, kicking upward with all his spry old-man strength to keep him on the surface.

"Keep kicking your legs, Professor. Rather fortunate of those darkhunter chaps to provide proper safety equipment on their boat! You'd think they'd rely on their abilities to keep alive, but I suppose there's some sensible sorts still among them!"

[Draxx]

Beast
He weighs a lot, and budging him proves to be a (ha!) weighty task, but thanks to the rope, he pulls himself up hand over hand, the entire boat tipping alarmingly as he does. Pulling himself over the side, he slumps down, taking deep, gasping breaths of air. He looks a lot like a half-drowned cat, his fur all waterlogged and clinging to him, making him seem smaller.

"So, we've discovered a stable portal to another dimension, managed to cross over and almost drowned ourselves in the process, and we're now in the middle of a lake on a tiny boat. I don't know about you, but I don't think I want the next step to be 'we went home'. So lets keep at it. Now you've been here before. What's our next step?"

Shirou
Kidd has his hands full, and didn't pay enough attention to the red-haired student who stepped behind him, and picked his pocket. Shirou needed that until he could recharge on his own.

He closes his eyes, feeling the well of mana in the wand, then undertakes some elementary transmutation, mentally super-imposing a magical structure over the top of it's physical one. He's now holding a good replica of a sword in his hand, and looking to put it to use. Archer can replicate anything, but only because he's seen so many. Shirou has never seen a magical sword in his life.

"Back off." He says, holding the sword with a confidence he didn't entirely feel. "I have a sword." 'And what's that sword of yours going to do against an angry mob?' thought a mocking voice that sounded suspiciously like Archer's in the back of his head. 'You going to kill them all, with one little sword? Not on your best day. And even if you did, what then? They'll tear you apart if you're lucky.'

He gritted his teeth, then swung it, making a few modifications to the edge, and it cut through the wall like it wasn't there. "I'm warning you." He added, hoping they were all sane enough to be worried about themselves and not wanting to get any closer.

Hansel
Mr Garrison falls down, dead. A human can't survive long without his soul, and his was most thoroughly shredded. But Mr Garrison was not Hansel, who had no soul but the ones he borrows to twist to his unique brand of hatred, and there were always more men welcome to ideas like his.

Archer
"I hope that's enough for modesty's sake." He says, tossing Stocking the underwear.

[AnimeKid]

Kid, Liz, Patti

It's hard to steal from a Shinigami, but Kid sensing that Shirou at least does not wish to destroy the wand and isn't running on pure anger allows him to do so. The possessed body barely required a fraction of his power and concentration anyway. The actual person who had managed to devise such a technique would be much more difficult to stop.

He then turns to the rest of the mob as he says in an ice cold voice, "I suggest you listen to the boy. It is not your times to die though I'm sure I can forcibly accelerate your clocks if need be. This is all something that you can walk away from, so I suggest you do so." His tone, while cold, bleeds with a kind of unearthly authority.

[darkblade]

Riot

With Hansel dead the crowd starts to return to their senses and back away from the heavily armed kids (not recognizing the use of magic when they see it...typical).

Alex holds up her hands defensively to Touma and Shirou. "I'd thank you but really. You should have let them kill me. It's a small war after all."

***

Beast and Smedry

Idris is a land bathed in ancient magics. When the Arcangel first bestowed man with the ability to defend himself with his blood, spilled upon the Cup of the Mortal Christ it was here. It was here where a Chieftan named Arthur was bestowed guardianship of the Mortal Blade, Excalibur. It was in this very lake in fact. The lady responsible for giving him that weapon might actually still be here if you think to ask for her. She'd know how to get you home too.

***

Lelouch, Shinki and Gary

Nunnally looks in the general direction of the three of you. "Aren't you going to introduce me to your new friends Lelouch? It's not often you spend time with anyone not on the Council."

In the air Gary can no doubt see the deployment orders issued by Mithril. Two Nightmare pilots, a team of cuthtroat mercenaries and a Navy Seal are being dispatched to the school under the authorization of one Sgt. Souke Sagara. Gary's cellphone starts to ring it's Dr. Rosen.

***

Sosuke

Bella is sitting quietly in an evacuation zone. She visibly groans as you arrive. "Do you really have nothing better to do than chase me around like this?"

***

Maka and Soul

"I see..." Atticus says to himself slightly disappointed. "Well you better get out of my Office then. Get back to whatever it is you Grim Reaper kids do."

***

Archer and Stocking

As Archer returns with the leg ware a demonic looking book floats up towards Stocking. Carved in twisted flesh the cover portrays a clawed human hand making devil horns in the middle of a pentagram. Stocking will reconize it as the book held by the Guidance Counselor Atticus Murphy. Archer may well recognize it as the unholy artifact it is, the Book of Pure Evil.

Millenniums past the half-crazed Arab, Adul Alhazred wrote many scrolls regarding the nature and power of Dark Magic. It wasn't until one of his many descendants in 14 AD (he mostly used black magic to get one night stands) took those scrolls, translated them to Latin and bound them in a book. A book inked in the blood of Christ and bound in the foreskin of Judas that they took the form they now enjoy as a direct channel to just about every major player in Hell. There is more mana in a single page of that book than in a hundred Grail Wars, that is why this war is different. It has taken a page from (so to speak) from it's Grail cousin and thrown it's own power into this war.

***

Light

"Off you go then. I got to head into the school to talk with the Principal. Just keep your eyes open." Charlie says as he leaves you in the evacuation zone with Souske and Bella.

Floating above you is a strange bald man. At first you don't recognize him but the odd nature of his clothes and the fact that he is eating an apple give him away.

"About time you got back. Something stinks about this school Light." The now human looking (but still invisible to most) Ryuk sighs.

[doliest]

Stocking
By her nature, Stocking served many masters.

One could call Garterbelt a 'master' in that she took assignments from him. But he was an intermediary to her true angelic 'master.' But, well, she dared not contact him these days. One good look, and it was unlikely even her numerous protections could hide what she was.

One could call Corset her master. He was a powerful demon, with whom she shared a common goal. But that would be a lie, one Corset no doubt told himself as a comforting story at night. Stocking did not serve him. She did things, and they furthered his plans. If those plans should ever interrupt hers? He would die. Yes, he was stronger than her. But he would die none the less.

Lucifer was a master of sorts, but then, no one Stocking knew had spoken to him recently enough to put her in contact. Besides, her game was not his game- she followed his path, but she did not bow to him.

So, in turn, that left but one soul. Who's ambitions furthered her own? Who was someone even she could call an equal, perhaps for the moment a superior? Who had played the game long enough, but could have use of a renegade angel?

Who wielded enough power to aid her in her cause?

She starts flipping through the pages of the book as she attempts to contact Atticus- the man had many faults, but for the moment, he was the only 'master' she would bow to. The only equal amongst fools.

Mr.Murphy? I need to speak to you.

As Archer returns, she catches the offered clothing, ...You appear to have mistaken my taste for my sisters. But, a deal is a deal.

Sebastian
Sebastian looks at the man, gauging a proper response. As an outsider, he couldn't engender the admiration he usually played with. Better then, to be inoffensive,

He smiles apologetically, No, I'm sorry but I was actually looking for a Mr.Jacob Black He makes sure to stutter the name slightly-act like it's something he doesn't recognize. I'm sorry, but do you know him?

Panty
Hmmm... Hot soldier boy too stupid to touch her? Old man and big blue monster in lost kingdom? Kingdom that drank angel blood...long shot at sex or sure-fire violence? Well, this day, even when naked, was horrid for her sex life, so time to improve it.

She attempts to jump into the portal to a likely very hostile city, nude. Just another day for Panty.

[Corvond]

Souske
"No." He says with simple and complete honesty. "But don't worry. I've put in the requisition orders. Tomorrow, you'll have an escort, round-the-clock surveillance from a series of decorated and highly experienced soldiers, and nobody will be able to approach you."

Souske's orders were to keep Bella safe. Which meant healthy, not comfortable. If the only way to do that was to lock her in a chest and toss her into the sea, he wouldn't even hesitate.

"Now, I request that you don't move." WIth that, he sits down, andwaits patiently, watching her like a hawk.

Raven Roth
Raven is an empath. She feels everything, and at her full potential, well it's better not to think about what she might be capable of. Her entire life has been avoiding that. Back in Azarath, she didn't feel anything at all until she was seventeen, because to do so was to become unstable, and that would spell her end. Then she'd come here, as her fathers grasp widened and hell stirred, because her home was no longer safe and if he ever got his hands on her he'd use her as a vessel to rend the world apart. And she'd met Robin, and she'd had a family for a time, and started to come out of her shell. Then a marking had appeared on her hand, and she'd come here for what was in theory an honor.

Kongming's advice is good, and so she opens her mind, expanding to the entire confines of the school, and looks for those with the talent for magic, taking note of all she senses. Her touch is gentle, too gentle to be felt, but easy to shield if one knows what to look for.

Zhuge Liang
He's reading history, trying to get a feel for the modern era as his mistress levitates in the air, opening her mind. Occasionally, he stirs, considering something or another. It's clear this age needs someone like his lord more then he had guessed.

Tim Drake
(So what?)

[Draxx]

Riot
Moments ago, they'd been one organism, hearts beating perfectly in time, minds all focused on the same thing. But the spell, inasmuch as that inaccurate term applies, breaks off, and suddenly they're all nothing but lost and confused people again, sheep who've lost their shepherd.

And Hansel fades, and searches for someone else to use to think. He had no mind of his own, no body, no soul, nothing. Nothing except hate. He needed someone to use all those things for him.

Shirou
"All life is precious." He replies, like a total moron, handing her back her wand. "I'm not going to kill you. It's not right, even if you do probably deserve it."

He sighs. He was nearly just torn to pieces by an angry mob. Perhaps he's in shock, perhaps he's on the cusp of something important. he doesn't know.

"Look, we're in this war, and we don't have a choice, but I can't help but think that even if we do have to fight, a little solidarity goes a long way. You know? You nearly killed me, and we haven't even met. That's not on." He pauses a minute. Even shouting at girls plays against his normal grain. Indeed, he's holding back an urge to apologize.

"Anyway, that's what I wanted to say. We don't have to kill each other."

Archer
"I figured you could dress yourself. I'm all about function myself." he replies. He's lying, he did it just to remind her that he could. That this was an unequal partnership. Then he stops, and follows her gaze.

Well, this little altercation just got interesting." He says, his voice shaking a little as he looks at the book. He doesn't try to touch it. That would be suicide. But he does stare, something like lust in his eyes. "Could this be why you fell?"

[doliest]

Stocking
She slips on what only a reformed Scrooge could call clothing as she forgets her rage to chuckle, You're lucky you didn't interact with us longer. Say something like that and even Panty would She stops. Shakes her head, Okay, nevermind. Panty wouldn't recognize anything. But any real angel could figure out you're not one of them from that statement. Angels don't Fall from actions. We can't. That's something for mortals. We Fall from ideas. Questions, above all else, cause The Fall. This book? This book is power, and among its powers, it helps me hide that I have Fallen.

She stops her lecture(which she was clearly enjoying) to look at him. And no, no deal between us gets you this book.

[Colesign]

Gary Bell

Gary, despite being a bit socially inept, knows a dangerous portent when he sees one.

"Guys...I think we should start rounding up all the people we like and hide them somewhere."

Gary picks up the phone.

"What now? Someone's sending an army to attack the school and all our clothes are gone!"

Smedry

Smedry mulls over Darkblade's useful infodump.

"This is quite the messed up country...but there's still good magic in this land–hermits, friendly anthropomorphic personifications, spirits...talking rocks. There may be a sane person to talk to somewhere..."

He trails off. "Hold a moment."

He picks up one of the rows and moves the boat a bit closer to shore. He squints at the standing stones close by, nothing their carvings.

"Oh...so this is where we are. See those carvings? Celtic, Gaelic glyphs, even old Jurassic footscript. This was a place of oaths, a place where you would go to take up important duties and burdens. And there was only ever one such place in Idris that was ever revered so...before the Shadowhunters succumbed to pride and generally became a bunch of racists."

He looks around. "Whatever happens next, be polite, Professor McCoy."

He reaches out to the water, crouches, and taps the water thrice with his finger, leaving ripples.

"Viviene, Viviene, Viviene." He intones. "We would humbly request and audience, that we may converse on matters most fell...and some lighter conversation, if you feel like a nice chat."

[Cracklord]

Light Yagami
"And why does that surprise you?" Light replies, walking apart so they could talk in private. "Man is something to be overcome. Isn't that the saying? The best man could produce tried to destroy Kira, and I unmade them all. You saw my genesis, what follows is my destiny."
"A war is being fought. We know some of the players, while others are mysteries, but the specifics do not matter. Whoever wins shall define the future, Ryuk. And none of them will stop me. None even know I'm part of this war." Except mister Kidd, but he'd be nothing by the time he arrived for their meeting. "Don't fret. You wanted entertainment. What could be more interesting then this school?"

Lelouch
"I made a resolution to broaden my horizons a bit more this year." He replies. "This is Shiki Tohno. The other boy I don't really know." He says both with total honesty, if creative misinterpretation. Well, Gary hadn't said anything about joining, and given his attitude it would probably be best to avoid him, as he'd almost certainly let something slip.
A safe distance away from the crowd, it occurs to him that he can hardly book a hotel dressed as he is (i.e not at all), and considers matters a bit further. Then he sits down, cross-legged, and turns to Shiki. "Now, you were telling me about your early life?" He takes Nunally's hand in his own while he does. She's good at sensing lies, and will squeeze his every time Shiki bends the truth.

[darkblade]

Tim Drake

Stephanie looks around awkwardly avoiding eye contact with her ex-boyfriend but sighs deeply. Cass looks at her sadly not fully understanding the tension between her friends. General relationships were often too complicated for her, failed romantic ones were well beyond her understanding.

"Just this once Tim. If only to stay on Bruce's good side." Steph says crossing her arms.

***

Light

"Easy for you to say? You aren't being morphed into this..." Ryuk grumbles as he moves his hands up and down to indicate his new form.

***

Gary

"Yes, Gary I know. It's about that..." Dr. Rosen says darkly.

"Your command has been transferred to Commander Samuel Axe, the man in charge of all military presence in the school now."

***

Panty, Smedry and Beast

Smedry's invoking of the Lady's true name calls her just as Panty crosses through the portal.

Panty will find herself dragged up from the bottom of the lake by her hair. Held firm by a scalene hand.

The Lady rises from the lake holding the naked Angel. Her skin is marred by thousands of deep cuts in the shape of angelic runes. The rune based magic of the shadow hunter is powerful but to effect a living individual the runes must be carved into their flesh with a thin knife. Many have wondered about just how angelic their runes are to have such a twisted method of application but all evidence points to them truly coming from Heaven. She places Panty on the boat alongside the others.

While Beast and Smedry can only guess at the nature of the runes Panty can read them as easily as she can English/Japanese (I'm not sure what human language to consider her fluent in. It's a weird show that doesn't seem to know what country it took place in). The Lady has been not only bound to the Lake but to the life force of someone named Valentine Morgenstern.

"I know it is your gift to be late Levanworth but this is a little much don't you think?"

***

Stocking and Archer

Atticuss left Stocking a note in one of the pages. 'Ditch the Servant as soon as you can. Corset has a new job for the both of us.'

As soon as she has time to read the note the book develops a mouth and eats the sticky note before anyone else can see it.

***

Shriou, Touma and Kidd

"I didn't kill you. I just took your magic, you don't need it to live." Alex snaps.

"I know. My brothers both have to now." She is of course referring to the rule placed upon Number magi by the Council. In non noble magic families only one child may inherit the family gift. All others must forfeit their magic on their eighteenth birthday to give the Council's mana reserves.

"I need that wish and solidarity with a Princling like you isn't going to get it for me."

***

Sosuke

On the outer edges of the Evacuation zone you can see Charlie Swan, Bella's Father drop Light Yagami off. Considering how he shot you last time he saw you and one of your weapons was just used in what could be called an act of domestic terrorism you may want to make sure he doesn't see you.

Bella doesn't even seem to notice you though as she stares off in a trance.

***

Raven

You realize that at least on in every ten students in this school has some magical capacity even if it is very minor. Many of them may not even know it. An usually high percentage of the population.

You sense three others powerful enough to be participants in this Grail War all in various states of agitation. They don't seem to be actively fighting but they are uncomfortably close to it. Then you sense her.

Her mind isn't so much a mind in the traditional sense as it is a magical computer. A series of runes Angelic, Demonic and countless other varieties flood into your soul the moment contact is even close to occuring. You recognize many of them as charms and hexes meant to contain and redirect mana. This is far too dangerous to leave unexplored but if you don't break the connection soon the runes will break your mental defenses.

***

Sebastian

The whole bar goes silent as you say that name. The man in the wheelchair though just laughs. "Bull****! Ain't a soul on this reservation that don't know he's dead. The first Two to be killed by Kira is pretty big news."

Several of the more burly natives reach into their coats for handguns. The man in the wheelchair just tosses you a bottle of scotch. "If you want to live sit down and have a drink. We'll talk my boy Jacob."

[Draxx]

Shirou
"I'm adopted!" He shouts back. "Do I look Brittanian to you?" Which was true. Emiya had been an unconventional freelancer, dangerous by any measure, and infamously known as the Magus Killer, but he still followed the rules, and Shirou knew how it worked.

Then he sighed. This really was getting nobody nowhere. "Look, how about we leave the fighting to our servants, the way we're supposed to. Or at least keep things honest. I mean, there's been wars where unscrupulous masters have gone after their enemies families or whatever, and that's not on."

Archer
"Indeed? Well, I'll keep that in mind. Anyway, it's about time I had another go at this. I've wasted too much time already. Don't forget our deal." With that he vanishes.

Beast
For now, he's content to follow Smedry's lead. So he walks over to the runes, and attempts to asses them. He doesn't speak the language, and doesn't have much of a way to translate them, but regardless...

He spots Panty, and narrows his eyes. He twists his head, and his neck cracks. Dr Henry 'Hank' McCoy is not happy. Not one bit.