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Post by Banshee on Dec 9, 2023 8:49:15 GMT -6
Nox did whatever he could to remain by Tex but when the army became far more organized, it was proving to be near impossible. It was clear to him that they planned on separating the whole group from one another, singling them out. No matter how much he fought back. No matter how much magic he cast. He was still being pushed away from Tex and a part of him, worried that he just wasn’t good enough to remain by her side.
“No.” He shook his head as the depressing thoughts filtered in. Nox knew that he had to keep fighting. There had to be a way to quiet these monsters down. But how? They were so much larger and stronger, meaner and faster than him. He was still just getting a hold of his own powers and abilities. There was no way that he could match them, outside of intellect. But even then, how would he use that in this situation? There weren’t any tricks or traps that he could create.
Instead, Nox started to back towards Ikuki. He knew that she would be a perfect person to stand beside. She was quick thinking. Strong with her magic. Dependable. But even with that plan, it began to backfire as more of those soldiers filtered in and tried to keep them separated as well.
Suddenly, Nox was met with a harsh hit on the side of the head. His glasses, somehow, didn’t fall off his head. But the sudden burning sensation of a rug burn could be felt on his cheek. Which was followed by something warm. His own blood. But as he tried to fight back, he was met by another blunt blow in the chest. Knocking the wind out of him.
Nox fell back onto the ground and wheezed. Looking up he saw one of the Terian’s hover over him with a blade pointed at his skull. Right as he went for the kill, Nox summoned a thick vine from under him, wrapping his arms tightly, snapping the bone within his hand. The blade clattered onto the ground and Nox kicked it away.
Only to find out that another was waiting for the kill. Nox was then forcefully lifted into the air by his collar and scarf. He struggled and tried to kick at the creature but couldn’t reach. “AAH!” He let out a terrified scream. “This...This is not how I planned on dying!”
“How then?” Grinned the Terian.
“I wanted to possibly drink a potion and turn myself into a Dainty Mayfly. The only live for two days.”
The Terian had no idea what he was talking about and continued to lift him in a way to prepare a blade to be pierced through his chest. He grinned, regardless. “Too bad. Not happening.”
Suddenly, Mark could feel a blast of wind jet past him. At first, all he could see was a blur of dark grey and browns. The figure then weaved between Ikuki and another Terian. Tripping the Terian and separating the two of them to allow Ikuki to defend herself. Its movement was heading for Nox.
Right before the finishing blow, the Terian was suddenly met with a sharp pain. He dropped the blade and Nox onto the ground and slid off the blade that suddenly entered his body. Roach was the culprit as she had blasted herself into the area with terrible speed. By using the wings on her back, they allowed her to skate across the terrain with an increased speed.
Nox fell and looked up to see her fighting for him. His eyes widened when he noticed that she wasn’t wearing a helmet this time. She also had Lux’s scarf wrapped around her. “Oh my goodne-“ He couldn’t finish his sentence when he was suddenly torn off the ground by Roach. She had moved him out of the way from another attack and protected him.
After he was set down near Mark, he turned to watch her fight. Defending him with everything she had. He never saw her in action before and was in shock to see how fast and free-moving she was. For a robot, she had quite the agility and flexibility.
Roach ducked and rolled, side stepped and jumped high with the use of her wings. She never strayed far from Nox and always made sure that he was in a safe position. Her moves were quick and many of her strikes were nothing more than a mere blur. Whoever made her, knew exactly what they were doing when designing her.
“Behind you!” Nox cried out as he forced more vines to explode out of the ground behind Roach. He tried to protect her backside but his ability was much too slow. The Terian avoided them.
Roach was knocked back by the Terian and as she looked up, she noticed another making its way for Nox. The one that was on her, taunted her. “You can’t save him.” He then lashed out at her, lobbing one of her extra arms off in the process. Sparks flew from the severed limb but its sudden disappearance had no effect on Roach’s concentration.
Her eyes narrowed and her teeth clenched tightly. She then plucked her severed limb off the ground and smashed it against the Terian before her. There was a loud crack sound. She didn’t know if it was his skull that cracked or if it was her severed limb. Neither mattered as she wanted to get closer to Nox and protect him.
Nox yelped as he was being separated from Mark once again. He tried to defend himself but he was much too weak in comparison to the seasoned warriors. All he could feel was the sudden fear. He wasn’t going to live past this. He was never going to complete his dreams. The hardest feeling to swallow was, he was never going to see his brother or Mark’s family again.
A Terian thrusted his sword at Nox. He closed his eyes as he knew that he couldn’t be fast enough to defend himself. “MARK...I AM SO SORRY.” He cried out.
There was a slice sound.
Nox opened his eyes, realizing that it wasn’t him. When his focus came, he noticed Roach had thrown herself in between them. The blade, protruding from her backside. Piercing through her thick armor that protected her “heart.” There was a strange liquid dripping down the end of the blade. Nox figured the Terian had pierced something extremely important within her.
Roach could feel her system beginning to seize. Her body shook as her three remaining hands were pressed against the Terian trying to kill her son. She pushed back, determined to get him away from Nox. There was a heroic thing she really wanted to say. She longed to say No one touches my son. But words would only come out as silence as she had no other way to say them. And her hands were tied, so sign language wasn’t an option.
“M-Mom...” Nox said as he realized, she may actually die. “N-No...No...”
Roach threw down the Terian and watched him scramble to his feet. She tore out the blade from her chest, revealing all of the oils and liquids dripping off it. There was only a fraction of time left for her. Roach gave Mark one last look, a smile and a nod. She planned on inserting the blade into the enemy because unlike him, she had a history with blood on her hands. So what’s one more?
She aimed the blade at the Terian but her systems shut down. Her hand let go of the blade and she fell. Hard.
Nox screamed to her, tears in his eyes. “MOM!” He scrambled over to her to rest his hand on her backside. His whole body shook with emotions he never knew were there. Sadness. Anger. Loss. The hardest one was loss.
“You....You....” He shook, rage. A feeling he often shoved aside and ignored. Because anger never solved anything. But this time? He wasn’t holding back.
Nox stood up, shaking. His gaze was fixed down at his Mother’s still body. “YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT I’VE BEEN THROUGH!” A rage, similar to Lux’s, seeped out from Nox. He inhaled and let out a really angry yell.
All of his emotions that exploded out from him, created various vines covered in thorns. They wrapped around the closest warriors, strangling them in the process. With a sharp motion of his hand, like a conductor in a musical, he swiftly moved his left hand towards the side. Which forced the vines to throw the Terians they had, off towards the side with such a force that would knock them into a dizzy. His right hand, mirrored the left and sent the others towards the right.
Unlike Lux’s anger, Nox’s was more controlled. Mark and Ikuki didn’t have to fear for their lives as they did with Lux. Nox also had no intentions of killing anyone, as killing wasn’t needed. These warriors were only following orders because their Alpha would murder them if they failed. Plus he also didn’t want to have blood on his hands.
“You killed my Mom!” He shouted. This time, sadness rolled over his emotions. Similar to his brother, he longed to see his Mother again. And when he finally had the chance to, she was killed. His emotions reflected within the vines he created. Their colors began to change. They weren’t as plush as a completely healthy plant that brimmed with life but were quickly turning into browns and blacks, which represented loss of life and the end of a journey. They became rigid and sharp. Any Terian still caught in his tangled web of thorns were promptly met with sharp cuts as the thorns gripped into them.
But the power he used to create such a massive amount of natural plants, drained him. He let go of his grip on them. Letting his hands fall to his side as his knees gave out beneath him. Nox sat down on his knees, shoulders sagged. “...This...is the pain my brother feels...isn’t it...”
He started to cry.
“It hurts so much...”
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Post by Moe on Dec 9, 2023 23:21:54 GMT -6
All Ikuki could do to keep the creatures at bay, was to keep summoning the shadowy tendrils from the abyss. The writhed around the Terians, grabbing them, tossing them, impaling them, trying to keep a wall between her and the creatures. Her stamina was running low, unable to keep using the dark magic without sacrificing her soul energy to keep it up. Dark magic could easily corrupt if one went down that path, and she wasn't going to even consider that path. She was growing weary. They all were. It seemed as though that were the plan, tire them all out and strike them down before they have a chance to follow Tex upstairs.
"Mark...I'm tapped out..." she said over the communicator, voice exhausted and defeated. She could barely stand from the exhaustion, yet alone keep Nox safe.
"So am I..." Mark replied, feeling defeated in a much different way. He couldn't be killed, but he could watch those he cared most about meet their demise, and live for eternity with the guilt that he couldn't save them. He looked to Ikuki, who was struggling to hold back her attackers. To Tex, who was being herded upstairs into Apollo's core. He looked to Nox, and barely even noticed Roach as she was zipping through the swarm.
"NOX." he shouted, sprinting at full speed toward Nox and grabbing him, facing his back at the Terian and ready to take the full force of the sword to save Nox. What he didn't realize was that Roach was faster, and took the hit instead. He felt helpless as Roach fell to the floor, and even more helpless as Nox went on a frenzy, attacking the Terians. If he kept fighting with his humanity and blocking his powers, he was still going to watch everyone die, just a lot quicker than if he accepted what he was.
"That's enough." he said through gritted teeth. He stood to his feet and waved his hand in a counter-clockwise motion, reversing time only within Roach's bubble, to a time before the Terian lunged at her. This time, before the sword hit her, he stood between them and let the sword hit him. What happened was the same event that had happened earlier, but this time it was done on purpose. As the sword hit Mark, the damage was done to the creature, instead. Technically, Mark never touched him, just warped space to where the creature's own sword pierced himself instead of Roach or Mark.
The attacking Terians froze in place, not because they were frozen in time, but in fear. Mark stood in the center of the battle, ready to do whatever it took to save his family. At this point, the Terians were more afraid of him, than they were of Zokar.
"Fall back." one of the higher ranking ones hissed. "Alpha will only kill us. This one...will do much worse. We will die either way, but I choose to keep my soul intact." he ordered the others to stop attacking, and prepared them all to face their fate. Evidently, they knew more about what Mark was capable of, than he did.
And that was the most terrifying thing, of all. "Souls?" Mark repeated, softly and scared of what he could become...or what he might have already become. The thought froze him in fear, only breaking him out of his daze when Ikuki rushed over and took his hand in hers. He had been tapping into powers he never realized he had, and she was aware how much that scared him. She stuck close to him, trying to keep him grounded as much as possible until they made it back to the underground, safely.
"Are you okay?" he asked Ikuki.
"Don't worry about me." she nodded. "I'm more worried about Nox, and his mother. What you did..."
"Please don't make me think about it, I still have my helmet on." Mark was doing his absolute best to keep his composure, but it was getting more and more difficult. "Just go make sure Tex installs the firewall and her decoy blueprints. I...need a minute."
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Post by Banshee on Dec 10, 2023 7:11:14 GMT -6
Nox watched in both horror and awe as Mark rewound time around Roach. He watched as she rose up and moved back to where she had been stabbed. The blade was pulled from her and the damage healed. It then left her in a semi-bewildered state, as Mark stood before her, stopping everything from happening. She could’ve sworn that she had passed him to get to where she was.
After that, the Terian’s froze in terror and backed off. Roach wasn’t willing to accept this quite yet and remained on guard over it. She was protecting Nox with her life, again. Her blade was at the ready.
Nox couldn’t control himself and rushed over to tightly hug Roach from behind. She was struck off guard by the sudden affection and glanced down at him in confusion. Roach had no recollection of what had just happened. She never knew that she fell.
“Thank you so much, Mark.” Nox said to her, through the tears that he shed.
Roach looked at him in both confusion and concern. When the enemies backed off, she lowered her weapons and rested a hand on her son’s head.
“I gave Tex the update.” Nox said to Mark in a quieter tone. “She started to update and complimented it. I just...don’t think she had the chance to eject her main AI...” His shoulders sagged. “Not sure how we’re going to get that from her because I’m positive the deeper we go into this place, the more cameras are going to be watching us.”
Nox started to follow the others as they moved forward to helping Tex. Pulling out some potion bottles, he offered them to Ikuki and Mark. Whether or not they took them, he couldn’t help himself to ask Roach; “Are...you going to be helping us?”
Roach smiled at him. She knew he didn’t understand sign language anyway.
“Really!?”
Roach nodded again.
Nox looked excitedly to Mark and Ikuki. “This is so awesome! My Mom is here to help us! Wait!” He stopped for a moment. “That means...If...When we make it out of here... I-I don’t...I don’t have to go back to Reese!”
Roach stood there in confusion as she watched the absolute excitement roll over Nox’s face. It was a similar reaction to a child who finally got to meet their greatest hero of all time. A bright smile, cheerful eyes, and positive energy that just exploded out of him. She couldn’t help but smile back, even though she was actually unaware of the complete reason as to why Nox was so moved by this thought.
“Mark! You did an amazing thing!” Nox said with enthusiasm. “Y-You...You always wanted to get us away from Reese. And...I know you normally don’t like to use your powers in that way... But you just saved Lux and I from having to be stuck with him again.” He then enthusiastically bolted over to him, hugging him. Then he had to hug Ikuki too because she’s awesome and deserves one anyway.
As much as she wanted to remain happy and distracted by such overwhelming positivity, she knew that there was a greater situation up ahead. They all needed to keep going, if they wanted to do whatever it was they’re planning. Roach snapped her fingers to Nox. When he looked to her, she motioned; ”Focus.” Then pointed to the area up ahead.
Although he didn’t understand the sign language, he did understand the pointing. “O-Oh, right. Um...How...are we going to get into there now?” He asked Mark and Ikuki.
Suddenly, Jasmine radioed in on Mark’s headset. She updated him on the current situation with Tex. ”So I’m updating you. Tex is still alive and unscanned. But it’s becoming a bit more risky. She still has several enemies around her.”
- - - - -
It was painful. Agonizing. No it was all so very excruciating. Tex loathed playing innocent with the minions that guided her towards her destination. Jasmine told her to keep playing the docile card. She had to allow them to bring her to Apollo. Any fighting would result in her risking the whole mission and allowing them to scan her AI and memories.
She could hear RJ panicking in the background of the communicator. If Tex could frown, she would’ve. But instead, she just stood in silence, listening to them talk about what to do next.
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Post by Moe on Dec 10, 2023 17:53:13 GMT -6
"Yeah well...I'm glad I could do at least one good thing." Mark patted Nox on the head as he hugged him. His stomach was still tense from the anxiety and existential dread, so as much as he appreciated the hug, it didn't make him feel much better. "Just know that you'll still always have a home with us, okay? That goes for all of you." he looked over at Roach. "Now, you three go follow Tex. Let Apollo scan her and update their drivers to be compatible with each other. That should be an automatic and harmless process. The alpha will most likely be scanning through Tex's memories while she's installing the firewall, so that means he'll be distracted. Once the firewall hits 100% installation, disconnected Tex and Apollo. Not a second sooner, not a second later. As soon as it's done, meet me back downstairs. Either Tex can portal us back into the underground, or I can...try to."
"What are you going to do?" Ikuki turned back to him, concerned about his mental state and leaving him alone.
"I'm going to make sure these guys don't bother you." he replied, gesturing at the small army of Terians that were still lingering, waiting for someone to swoop in and take them away to their death. While the higher of the commands ordered them to fall back and face their death, others looked like they weren't so eager and could go rogue.
"You and Nox follow Tex. Remember, let Apollo, or I guess their alpha, connect with her exactly long enough to install the firewall." he took his helmet off, finding it getting difficult to breathe with the anxiety beginning to overwhelm him. "If any of these guys even think about trying to stop us, I'll make them regret it."
One of the higher commands could see now in Mark's face, that he was struggling. The creature hissed, holding tightly to his sword. He was calling Mark's bluff, but wouldn't make any moves until the others had left.
"Please don't do anything you'll regret. It isn't worth it." Ikuki flipped her visor up to give him a kiss, before turning to head upstairs to complete the mission.
"Yes..." hissed one of the lead Terians. "Wouldn't want to accidentally hurt someone you care about, instead of us." his face twisted into a deformed grin. "You're not in control, after all."
That absolutely did spike the anxiety Mark was already feeling. They had started to call his bluff, and although they were still too afraid to make any moves, this one was definitely taunting him to see just how much he was capable of doing on his own, and what was just a complete accident. "There's a few things I am in control of." Mark tried to mask his nerves. "You wanna find out which things?"
The terian snarled, debating internally whether or not it was worth it. He decided to back off, at least for now, but that wouldn't stop him from taunting him some more. It was clear by now that his powers were tied to his emotions, and if they could get him feeling even worse about himself, then that could leave an opening for one last attempt to stop the small group. "No interest. If we attack, who's to say you won't bend space like you did with the others? Make us kill ourselves. Does that make you feel less guilt, oh holy one?" the creature paced back and forth, observing the panic suddenly flush over Mark's face.
"I...I didn't..." Mark fumbled for words. "I don't want to hurt anyone, I...I tried warning all of you! I gave you all so many chances to back down...." he shook his head, wondering why he was even making conversation with this creature.
"Ah, yes, of course. It's all our fault. We're only doing what we're told, after all." the terian continued to taunt. "You have to paint yourself as the hero. You can't have blood on your hands and taint your reputation, so you just make us kill ourselves. That way, it's our fault for not listening to the word of the divine."
That, of course, didn't sit well with Mark. The terian was right, and that was a thought Mark had been trying to suppress. He'd been questioning his humanity, and mortality. What other kinds of power he was capable of. He was getting more and more aggressive ever since the fight with Lux, and he was completely aware. He was terrified that the more power he used, the less human he became. At the same time, he was afraid if he didn't lean into his role, that time and space would completely cease to exist. Neither option was a good one, and he was finding it harder and harder to keep his composure.
"I'm not...divine...and I'm not a hero..." Mark breathed heavily, his head buzzing and feeling dizzy as the thoughts and anxieties swarmed. "I'm just doing what anyone would...you're the ones trying to take over the world..."
"Take over?" the commander growled. "This is our planet. Humans are the invaders. You created us, and threw us out, because we weren't perfect enough for you. Humans were always your favorite, and you kept us locked away because we weren't good enough. Now we're only trying to reclaim our home from your pets, and we're being painted as the villains. You may have a new body, but you'll always be the same Time-Space. You will always favor your pets over your first creations, those created in your own image, and you will always try to paint yourself as doing the right thing, never realizing how many lives you've truly destroyed in the process."
It was hit after emotional hit, and Mark couldn't take any more. All of his thoughts and fears were true, and he wasn't sure if any of them were going to make it out alive...and it was going to be his fault, for not having better control over his powers and his emotions. At this point, he was beginning to wonder if this is why his father had stopped caring. Why none of the gods had empathy and attachments the way he did. Thoughts began to swarm, telling him to stop caring. To give up what humanity he had left, for the greater good. To just get rid of these creatures and wipe them from existence. The anxieties kept swarming and he could feel himself getting heavier as gravity began to suddenly feel like it was crushing him. He finally lost all composure, and what little breakfast he'd been forced to eat that morning.
"Some god you are." the terian hissed.
Another one hissed and growled in an alien dialect, seemingly asking their commander a question.
"No." the commander growled. "Stay surrendered. For now. We relay this information to alpha, and perhaps he shall be merciful once we tell him of the information we have gathered."
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Post by Banshee on Dec 10, 2023 18:45:23 GMT -6
Nox was unsure about leaving Mark behind. It was clear to him that he was deeply bothered, more so than normal. But no matter how much everyone tried to comfort him and reassure him, it never seemed to truly sink in. Mark was worried, appropriately so, about everything he’s been doing the entire time. But what concerned Nox was, he never truly worried about himself.
“...Man...” He said with uncertainty. “I really need to improve myself.” Nox looked down at his hands. His gloves were covered in dust and there was a small tear on one of his fingers. He felt a comforting hand on his shoulder which caused him to look up at his Mother. She smiled at him. “And maybe, one day? We can get you to have a voice again.”
Roach formed a heart with her hands.
Nox then looked on ahead, seeing that they were getting closer to their destination. He winced as his feet suddenly felt frozen to the floor. “This...is getting really scary....”
Roach patted his shoulder. She was silently urging him to continue. She knew that Nox had it within him to keep going even though it was clear to her that Nox and him, were two different pieces carved from the same stone.
The group arrived in the area where Tex was being kept. She was already in the process of downloading the appropriate data to communicate with Apollo. Nox winced, hoping they weren’t too late and that the whole plan would go up in flames. Still, he couldn’t shake off his nerves as he was suddenly feeling very terrified with seeing all of the machines and computer guts surrounding them.
Roach narrowed her eyes at Tex. She was trying to figure out if she could see the status of the installation or not.
It was Nox who then pointed out a status indicator on Apollo’s screen. “Wait, look! 99% We’re almost too late. How are we going to unplug her so fast? We’re going-ACK!“
Roach grabbed a hold of Nox and tucked him under her arm. He flailed a bit and made a few grunts, as he wasn’t sure what was going on. But unlike Lux, Ikuki and Nox couldn’t understand sign language. So she was going to run with a surprise tactic.
Just as the bar near completion, Roach fluttered her wings. They vibrated low, like a bumble bee flying near one’s ear. She then jolted herself forward, while carrying Nox. Zipping across the floor and over to Tex who was still plugged into Apollo’s line.
Roach dropped Nox to let him unplug her. As soon as it was 100%, Nox tore the cable out from Tex’s neck. Sparks flickered out from the sudden loss of connection. Which sent an alert.
“Tex! Come on!” Nox whined as he shook her to try and break her free from her sudden shock. “We need to get out of here.”
Roach grabbed a hold of Tex’s hand and dragged her back over to Ikuki. The doors slammed shut, trapping them inside. Roach immediately drew out her blades, preparing to get into a fight with whatever would come next.
“Tex! Come on!” Nox said as he shook her a few times. “Wake up! Wake up!” He then jumped and slapped her in the face. Which brought her back to reality. “We need your help! Come on!”
Tex’s systems were flickering, saying that there was a sudden impact done to her face. She disregarded it and transformed one of her hands into a buster. She fired out a blue orb which tore open a hole, revealing the other side to be a room of some kind.
“Move it.” Tex urgently ushered them. “Now.”
Roach jumped through the portal first and held her hand out to Nox. Nox then grabbed her hand and was brought over. Which left Tex behind.
She took one last look at Apollo. The first portion of their plan was a success. “Thanks for being a friend.” She sarcastically teased before jumping through the portal, vanishing from the room.
- - - -
On the other side, Nox couldn’t hold in the sudden teleportation. He rushed over to the nearest trash can and heaved into it. Once he finished, he turned back to Tex as she called to him. “What’s up?”
Tex slapped him in the face.
“OW!” He yelped as he held his hands over his cheeks.
Roach got on the protective side but didn’t move because Tex had already responded; “You deserved that.”
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Post by Moe on Dec 10, 2023 21:52:00 GMT -6
After Tex had installed the firewall, Apollo's systems automatically rebooted. It only took a fraction of a second, where it wasn't even noticeable to Zokar. He was too distracted looking over Tex's fake blueprints, anyway. As expected, her portal technology caught his eye and pulled his attention away from the firewall installation.
"Your plan was a success. It is good to finally see you, somewhat face-to-face." Apollo spoke through Mark's helmet, for the first time, without his creator listening in. Though the helmet had been dropped on the floor while Mark was in the midst of a panic attack, he could still just barely hear Apollo's voice. "I have sent an organic security to deal with your assailants. Your friends seem to have disappeared, so you might want to pick yourself up and follow them."
"I...can't..." Mark slumped against the wall and slid down to the floor, allowing himself to reach over and grab his helmet, to hear and speak to Apollo more clearly. "What does it even matter, anyway? I'm just going to get everyone killed, if I stick around."
"Hmm." Apollo pondered on that for a moment, before sending another few security drones to pick him up, and carry him upstairs where the portal was swiftly closing. "Stick to our plan. We made a deal, do not go back on it, because you feel inadequate. I fear we are on limited time, as it is not a matter of if, but when, my creator figures out how to destroy your firewall. I chose to open up to you, not because you are a god or linked to magic, but because you can do what I cannot. You can outsmart him. The next time we meet, it will be the last; now, please, see this through to completion. "
That was the last Apollo spoke to Mark, before he had the security bots toss Mark through the closing portal and back into Beth's living room. He landed on his stomach with a thud, though thankfully the room was carpeted and softer than it would have been outside. He stayed there for a few seconds before rolling over on his back, to stare at the ceiling. Ikuki rushed over to him and knelt beside him, to make sure he was okay.
"How's the team doing? Is Tex okay? And Nox?" he managed to say, though forced and quiet.
"Everyone is okay, at least physically. Nox has some pretty good aim with his slingshot and healing potions." Ikuki smiled. "Tex was able to get the firewall installed successfully, and Beth is rallying up the underground for an all-out war. What about you? We're all worried about you."
"I'm fine." Mark lied. "I'm just tired. Nothing a little rest won't fix." he forced a smile. "Soon as I get rested up and clear my head, I should be good to go to work with Jasmine on that trojan. In the meantime, maybe she can walk you and Nox through repairing Roach. I'm just going to lie here and take a nap."
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Post by Banshee on Dec 11, 2023 6:36:58 GMT -6
Nox glanced over to see Mark being helped up. Although he wanted to rush to him and check up on him as well, he figured it’d be best to allow Ikuki to deal with him. Not hovering over her would provide her extra space. “That was a close one.” He said to them, as he pointed to the closed portal.
“Everything is up and running.” Tex claimed as she ran diagnostics over herself once more. However, once she was done, she realized that Roach was in the room. She drew out her blade and rushed her.
“Tex! W-Wait!”
Roach stood her ground and when Tex’s blade came close, she swiftly blocked the attack with her sword. She made no moves to strike at Tex and was only standing on the defensive. Tex wasn’t there during her side-change and so it was no surprise that she still viewed Roach as a threat. Considering their past encounters.
“Tex, stop. She’s on our side.”
“She’s Cornelia scum.” Tex hissed.
Nox wriggled himself in between the two of them and gently pushed Tex back. “Stop it. I know you think she’s an enemy but she’s not. She’s on our side.”
“As a spy.”
“She’s not a spy.” Groaned Nox before getting stern with her. “Now back up.”
Tex lowered her weapon and withdrew it. She stared at Roach, studying her curiously. “How can you trust her?”
“She’s my Mom.” Nox then told her what happened. “She’s got a blocker on her right now. We...need to figure out how to remove the connection between her and Cornelia Corp. Please...Can you help us?”
When Tex went to respond, Jasmine’s voice broke through instead. ”So you want me to help a Cornelia Corp robot break free, eh? I suppose I could do that. But the thing is, are there tools laying around? And...I know you’re a smart kid, Nox. But is there anyone else that can help you with these things?”
“Yeah, Ikuki can. She’s really good with machines.”
”Mm...Okay. But the thing is, I’ve never worked on something like Roach before. So some of it’s going to be new to me as well. And without the proper equipment laying around, I’m afraid that I won’t know how Cornelia Corp has a hold of her. It could be as simple as a part or as difficult as a program with a nasty response for its removal. So whatever is blocking her from connecting with them now, is going to be left alone for the time being. At least not until I can figure it out.”
Nox was disappointed that Jasmine wouldn’t be able to help break her free. But he nodded anyway. “Alright. While Mark sleeps, we can work on her voice box.”
”I’m...afraid that it’s really going to be trial and error with this.” Jasmine admitted. ”Not that I’m doubting my skills or anything but like I’ve said; Roach is something I’ve never dealt with before. Her body structure is going to be completely different from Tex’s. So don’t get discouraged when we don’t get it right. Okay, kid?”
“Yeah, I got it.” He nodded.
”Good. First, gather these things...If you can. If not, we’ll figure it out.” She had Tex scribble down some materials they needed. ”You may be lucky with finding some materials at the arena place. Some of you wrecked quite a few of their minions back there. Hell, maybe the folks you guys are looking for are still there. If you’re lucky.”
Nox grabbed the paper from Tex’s hands and handed it to Ikuki. “Some of these look like they may be laying around here though. But she does have a point. Mark did entrust Jet with prolonging their shipment. And...well, he can technically only hold back for so long before they force him to hand them over. I...think we should get them first.”
Roach nodded.
“We will have to do it without Mark. But at least it seems that Tex has a link here so she can just open another portal and bring us back without an issue!”
“I can teleport to areas that I’ve been by using their GPS information. However, doing that will result in random points of entry. If I drop one of these...” She pointed to a small device that actually looked like junk laying around. “It creates a link so that I can directly go there. Within a certain range, that is.”
“Did you do one for the Arena?”
“I did not so teleporting there will be at a random location. But it should be fine.” She shrugged. “Just...prepare yourselves if there’s enemies about.” Tex then turned towards the side and readied herself for another portal opening. “Tell me when you’re ready and I’ll open the doorway.”
“Ikuki?” Nox said to her. “After this...we all need a nice vacation...” He laughed a little. “But I’m ready. Roach is too.”
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Post by Moe on Dec 11, 2023 16:24:51 GMT -6
"Hey, we take things one step at a time, okay?" Mark said, sitting up but still on the floor. "We'll get your mom fixed up, I promise. Unfortunately, I don't think there's anything left of the arena, after Beth demolished it. There was a transport station up top, but I scried through Jet's memories and Nathan and Dawn had already been transported out. If anything, maybe you can get supplies from there. They would've already transported the prisoners by now, so I doubt it's too heavily guarded."
"I think...it might be best if I stay here." Ikuki said as she wrapped her arms around Mark. "I don't feel good, leaving you here by yourself." she tried her best not to allude to him doing anything, so as not to worry Nox, but Mark understood what she was hinting at.
"I'm not going to..." he paused, thinking for a moment about everything that had happened back there and what she'd seen him do in the past. "Yeah, okay. That's fair." he sighed, defeated. "But I don't feel good about them going out there, without you."
"I'll go!" Beth popped her head in, from the open window. "I'm tired of people, anyway. I've been trying to gather an army of underground warriors, but nobody really cares." she shrugged. "A few said they'd spread the word, but I think most residents here don't wanna get involved in a war they know they can't win. Oh, well. So, we're going on a raid or what?"
"Or what." Ikuki responded. "They've got a grocery list of items to try and repair Roach, so she can help us. Actually, do you think Apollo could repair her? Since the alpha is finally being blocked, there's nothing holding him back anymore, right?"
"Apollo doesn't really understand emotions and empathetic connections. He is still a machine, after all. If Jasmine thinks that's the best bet, though, go for it. With the alpha being blocked, we're pretty much free to roam around up top, unless Cornelia Corp has some security roaming about. Ugh..." Mark leaned back into Ikuki. "Too much thinking. Head spinning. Just want the thoughts to stop."
"Apollo makes robots, so it's only logical that he could just make the spare parts the Roach needs. It wouldn't hurt to ask." Ikuki shrugged. "Besides, maybe he knows where Cornelia Corp took Nathan and Dawn?"
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Post by Banshee on Dec 11, 2023 17:55:17 GMT -6
Nox didn’t realize how overzealous he was being with his planning and when Mark mentioned taking one step at a time, he shrank down. “S-Sorry...” He knew that Mark was in no condition to do much. Between the fighting, the running, using his abilities, emotional trauma, and well...the list went on. He needed the break. And if he was going to find comfort in anything, it would be with the one he really loved.
Roach placed a comforting hand on his head. Once he glanced up at her, she gave him a soft smile. Which then in return, he gave a smile back. “You know Mom? You’re still just as pretty as I remember.”
Even though she was stuck within a robotic body, her face was designed to keep her organic look. It wasn’t one hundred percent the same, but it was close enough for Nox to recall her from the photos and memories he remembered. Being struck by his innocent personality, she found him to be quite adorable. She pressed her hand on her chest and smiled more.
“I have so much to tell you when we get the chance!” Nox excitedly said to her. “There’s so much crazy! My brother and I went through so much--“ He paused for a moment and added; “I know what he is. And I don’t care about that. I was raised thinking he was my brother and even though he’s a clone, he’s still my brother.”
Roach patted his head once again.
“I have so many questions...” Tex said as her eyes narrowed at Roach. She had been silently paying attention to the discussion between Mark, Ikuki, and Beth. But when she caught wind of Nox’s conversation, she couldn’t help but redirect her attention to them. “But now is not the time for me to embrace such curiosities. In case you haven’t been paying attention, we are being accompanied by Beth to go back to Apollo’s domain to find parts for Roach. If needed, we are going to request assistance from him.”
“W-Would he actually help us?” Winced Nox. “He...”
“He may not know the entire structuring of Roach’s design. But he could provide some guidance if there’s something Jasmine’s stuck on.” Tex said to them as she walked over to a bag that Nox had at one point. She sifted through it, emptying the useless contents out from it, before handing it to him.
After everyone was ready to go, Tex then propped open a portal and stepped through it. She hadn’t said anything in terms of what she was about to do. Her sudden disappearance act caused Nox and Roach to flinch before jumping through the portal to head back to Apollo.
Once the group made it to the other side, they could see various bits of left over materials scattered about. Tex let out a sigh and looked at the note she had. “This is...going to take a while.” She then looked back to Roach, not trusting her. “I hope when we repair you, you actually prove your worth. Because human or not, you do anything funny, I’ll be sure to eliminate you.”
Nox frowned at her. “Mom’s not going to betray us.”
“It’s a warning. One wrong move Roach, and I’ll be sure that the threat is fulfilled.” Tex then turned away from them and began her search through the leftover junk that Cornelia Corp left behind. “Find any of the items specified on the papers I’ve given you. If there’s anything that looks important, bring it.”
“Man...I didn’t think she was going to give you that much shade, Mom...” Nox said to her.
Roach didn’t seem too surprised by the sudden distrust and only shrugged. She started to speak with her hands but stopped because neither Beth or Nox knew what she was trying to say. She then decided to keep her thoughts to herself and carry on with their scavenge hunt.
“Beth?” Nox said as he broke away from Tex and Roach. “So...Can I ask you something?” He plucked an item off the ground and looked it over. “How did you and Nathan meet? Did you guys have an explosion competition? Or was it an accident?”
Tex wandered around, not interested with listening to Organic conversation. She merely wanted to hurry up, find the parts, repair the Cornelia Corp robot and then locate the two that needed rescuing. All the while hating the idea of having to work with Roach.
Roach really wanted to try and strike a conversation to Tex. She wasn’t sure if she would understand sign language but tried it anyway. To her surprise, Tex actually did understand her. ”Hey look. I am sorry.”
“I don’t really care what you have to say, Cornelia Corp Grunt.” Tex said to her. She did however, notice the shock on her face but Tex still remained just as unimpressed as ever. “I know sign language. And no, I don’t translate it because no one asked. Now leave me alone.”
Roach frowned at her but understood the animosity. They did have a history together and it wasn’t that great. There had been several attempts of capturing either her or Jasmine. Several mistakes. Mishaps. Wounds inflicted and damage done. The list went on and Roach knew that Tex wasn’t a simple robot. She was frighteningly smart and had a strong memory. Which, she had to admit, was impressive for a robot that wasn’t made by a large corporation.
But still. She wished Tex didn’t have such a defensive personality. It was going to make things rather intense and unnecessarily uncomfortable for her and everyone on the team. Especially with any of the snide remarks that came from her.
”Look, if you’d please-“
Tex gave her a dark glare, which was surprising considering she had very little facial expression capabilities. “I am not interested with becoming your friend.”
Roach stepped closer to her, trying to make sure Nox wasn’t listening. She motioned; ”I am not requesting that. I simply wish that we can keep our differences at the low so that we don’t create problems with the rest of the team. I understand your opinion about me and I cannot blame you. But I am concerned for the emotional imbalance and stressors that accompany it. So please, can we at least call it a truce and try to work together to get through all of this?” She stopped for a moment and then added; ”After this is all said and done, then I will not try and bother you furthermore. I just...want to help.”
Tex stared at her for a moment before turning away. She hated the idea of working with her enemy but right now, she had no other choice. “Fine. If that’s going to make you rest easier. Then it shall be done.”
Roach nodded and returned to searching for any of the items on the list. Tex on the other hand, separated herself from Roach as she no longer wanted to speak with her. “So Apollo.” Tex mumbled out loud. “You have quite the setup here. It’s pretty impressive, I’ve got to admit.”
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Post by Moe on Dec 11, 2023 20:38:04 GMT -6
Beth giggled as she stepped through the portal, giddy about something so exciting, so foreign, so cool. She turned to peek back through it once more before it closed, to give one final shoutout to Mark and Ikuki; "No hanky panky!" and then she dipped back in as the portal closed.
She quickly caught up to the rest of the group, though it looked like they weren't exactly getting along. She huffed as she slung her bag over her shoulder, picking apart some of the security guards that were still left on the shiny chrome floor. As Roach and Tex bickered over their differences, Nox turned his attention to her. The two had very little interaction with each other and she wasn't too familiar with him, but he did seem to know Nathan. She looked down at him and gave him a big grin; "If only it was an explosion competition. I was out exploring a little farther than what's recommended, down here. In the depths of the tunnels, there's some nasty monsters crawling about. So, as I was out scavenging, one of the nasties came at me and attacked. I couldn't use my electricity since I was fully suited up, and it would've fired right back at me. Then Nathan just...came out of nowhere and ripped the thing to shreds. He scared me more than the monster. I ran from him and out of sight, but he called out to ask if I was okay. He sounded...different. Nicer. My gut told me to give him a chance, so we got to know each other a little more on the way out. Split personality sounds like a bitch to deal with, but I gotta admit, it was pretty badass. So since he didn't have a place to stay, I offered him shelter at my place. One thing lead to another, and here we are." she smiled, as she shrugged.
Turning her attention to the task at hand, she kicked around a few broken robot and terian pieces; "So, I'm no expert on robotics and up until yesterday I thought Apollo was evil, but even if he doesn't know how Roach is built, can't he just make us the parts she needs to repair her? I mean, he made an entire robot city, surely if we give him the list, he'll be able to print the parts out? Or however he makes them."
"Hello. You've returned so quickly, after leaving in such a rush." Apollo's face appeared on a screen, in front of Tex. "Are your assailants not here? I am still programmed to not be able to sense them."
"These things?" Beth said, picking up the arm of one of the terian corpses.
"My sensors indicate there is nothing there. So I shall assume yes. The firewall is still active, do you require assistance? I am indebted to you, after all."
"Nah, these things are dead as hell." Beth answered. "Though if you still wanna repay your debt, you can help out those guys?" she thumbed over at Tex, Roach and Nox. "If they give you a list of robot parts, would you be able to make them?"
"I have the means to make any hardware you need. Though repairing that one will be difficult. She is...organic." Apollo made note of Roach, as he scanned her. "Yet also, machine. Fascinating. Your god has told me about the magic in your world, yet I have been unable to process it. This one seems to be well within my sensor's view, however. Interesting, indeed. I do not manufacture the spare parts within my core, but if you would give me the list of parts, I will have them delivered to you."
"Yeah, I dunno how I feel about the most evil robot in the known universe - as far as everyone else knows - strolling up to my house." Beth put her hands on her hips, completely unafraid of Apollo by this point.
"Understandable. It is also logical to assume your group may think I am leading you into a trap, if you were to return to my quarters. A meeting point, then. I will send one of my citizens into the underground, if you send one of yours to meet them. That way, it is not I who is meeting you, but one who is not deemed a threat. Do these terms sound agreeable?"
Beth shrugged, somewhat agreeing. "Sounds good to me. What about you guys? You're the ones it concerns." she looked to the trio, before her.
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Post by Banshee on Dec 11, 2023 21:53:03 GMT -6
Nox couldn’t help but smile at her story. “That actually kind of sounds cute. If you ask me. I’m glad that it worked out for you both!” He stopped for a moment to add; “I...didn’t really speak to him all that much when he was at Mark’s place but he did spend some time with my brother Lux. It was actually really cool of him to do what he did. Like uh...show my brother what a game system was. Stuff like that.” He rubbed his arm.
“I kind of miss him myself. He was so much different from all of us and it was really cool. But the same could be said about my own brother. I wished he stayed around too. But...getting tangled with Cornelia Corp seems to be something on his life-path or...whatever. I just hope they don’t hurt Lux, Nathan, or Dawn.”
There was a sudden voice that appeared which startled Nox. He jumped, to see the image of Apollo show up on the screen again. This time, he was talking in...his normal way. And all Nox could do was allow the adults and Tex handle the situation.
Roach was scanned which caused her to stop moving around. She then listened to him explain that he’s unfamiliar with her technology as it was mixed with organic material. Even she wasn’t sure how she was built. It was all a creation brought to existence by Cornelia Corp. Or so she thought.
“Well for one thing...” Tex said as she crossed her arms about the conflict they faced about transporting materials. “I can easily open a portal at a meeting area. We then can move items through to Beth’s home. Though, we’d have to make sure we move quickly. I do run on a system that does need to consume a lot of energy though.”
“Would you be able to handle a lot of items being transported through, though?” Nox asked. “And you recharge by solar, right?”
“It’s always sunny here. That won’t be an issue. But I will have to break them into trips if needed.” She shrugged. “But it’ll prevent any traitor on either side and where we’re hiding can remain in secrecy. Only flaw I see from this is if this...other person somehow figures out how to reach through.”
“Well...I suppose it would be worth a shot? What do you think Apollo?” Asked Nox. “She’s a pretty durable robot. Especially one made by an ordinary person!”
“I hardly would classify Jasmine as ordinary...” Tex scoffed.
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Post by Moe on Dec 12, 2023 0:00:36 GMT -6
"She is impressive." Apollo stated, about Tex. "From what little of her software I saw while we were connected, it is truly a special feat to have created such an artificial intelligence. It has not been done, since I was created. Although, now that I'm aware that one of your gods took part in creating me, I have begun to question how artificial I truly am. Do I...have a soul?" he pondered to himself, in an almost playful manner.
"Whoah buddy," Beth held her hands out in a 'cease' motion. "We can only afford to have one party member having an existential crisis, at a time. Some questions just weren't meant to be answered."
"It is not a crisis, merely a curiosity." Apollo assured them. He then turned his attention to Nox, who said something of particular interest. "Cornelia Corp. They have been intruding on my city, for some time. Their reach goes deep into the underground, far beyond my own. They know all the routes to take, to avoid me. However, I cannot seem to locate their headquarters. It must be veiled by your...magic."
"Wait, you know they're here?" Beth perked up. "Do you know where they take prisoners to? Have...have you seen Nathan?"
"Yes, they are nearby. They take their prisoners to a holding facility, within the city. It is the only building where I cannot seem to reach. I fear that they are working together with my creator, else they wouldn't be trying so hard to hide within my city. I cannot help you rescue your friends, but I can provide you with directions to the facility, if you wish."
"How about it, guys? Wanna go on a little side quest?" Beth smirked as she made a fist, which crackled with electricity. "Apollo can work on making those parts we need, and we don't have to just sit around and wait. I mean, I'm going regardless. I'm just asking if you wanna tag along."
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Post by Banshee on Dec 12, 2023 7:02:48 GMT -6
If Tex had more of a grasp on the concept of emotion, she would’ve been flattered by Apollo’s remarks. But sensing that they were compliments on what she was, Tex automatically thanked him for his comment. “Considering how advanced and old your AI is, I’m sure you’ve picked up a few habits along the way.” She said to him. “Being stuck with these people, I’m beginning to learn a lot more about Organic life.”
“You’ve...probably could’ve addressed us in a lesser um...offensive way...” Nox said to her.
Tex ignored him as Apollo was much more interesting to communicate to. And when he displayed an interest in the topic Nox had brought up, Tex couldn’t help but let out a deep sigh. “They have their hands in many pots...It’s annoying.”
“It could be veiled by magic.” Nox said to him. “Not really entirely sure about what they do and how they do it. I just know they are also dabbling in cloning as well as turning humans into robots.” He gestured to Roach. “She’s one of them and there’s a ton more.”
Roach nodded.
“It’s...impressive but they’re using the science for the wrong reasons which is offensive to us science guys.” Nox said while slumping his shoulders. “I wish they were operated with a better mindset. It’s...really sad to be honest with you.”
“Organics in powerful positions are most often empowered by the concept of money and control.” Tex stated to him. “Money to us machines means nothing. But Organics have a way with screwing that up too.”
Then when Beth got excited, the group silenced themselves to listen in on the conversation. The holding cell was within the city, which was a good thing. However, the only part that remained a mystery was, were they still there? Or had they been taken already?
“Let’s do it.” Nox said with a bit more enthusiasm than he planned. “We need to save them both! And quickly. Cornelia Corp doesn’t need to harness the power of someone being related to Mark. If they do, then we’re going to be in a lot more trouble than we are now.”
“I’m fine with it. Give me the directions.” Tex said to Apollo.
Roach just gave them a thumbs up.
“Tex, can you just portal us there?”
She flatly responded to him, “You don’t like to listen sometimes, don’t you? I’ve said that I can transport items but it comes at a cost. With my current build, it stresses my systems out and uses a lot of power. I can’t use it willy-nilly, as you organics say it. Right now, I need to rest it before using it again.”
“It was just a question, sheesh.” Nox frowned at her abrupt response.
“And I am only telling you, again, of the situation at hand.”
Unlike Apollo, who seemed to be capable of communicating with other species in a more polite manner, Tex still struggled. He had to admit, she was still pretty impressive and assumed the older her programming gets may result in her understanding communication patterns a lot more. But only time would tell and he wasn’t sure if they’d be near one another enough to get to see one another grow. So for right now, Nox decided to not engage with an argument about how Tex handles situations and returned to the prior topic at hand. Because he knew that Tex would continue to fight back, regardless.
“Alright. Then let’s go.” He turned to Beth. “We’re going to save your partner and my friend!”
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Post by Moe on Dec 12, 2023 17:28:52 GMT -6
Meanwhile, in the secure facility, a small dragon girl was pacing back and forth and talking to herself, nonstop. "What did he mean by something good? Are they releasing us? Is someone coming for us? Are we going to be forced into some kind of army? Oh my god what if we're being drafted! Armies always think that's good!"
"Dawn, relax." Nathan said as he tossed a ball up and down, with his tail. "Someone's gonna come after us, don't worry. If ya' keep talkin' like that, they're gonna turn ya' into a robot, for sure. And ya' seen what happens to their 'bots. Just take a breath and stay calm."
"Nathan, you do not understand." Dawn stood before him and grabbed him by the shirt collar. "If I stop talking, I am going to start thinking. And if I start thinking, I am going to lose control and go dragon. I am terrified of what they're going to do to me, if I go dragon."
"Dawn, I do understand." Nathan gently nudged her aside. "I don't wanna lose control, either. If I go berserk...it's not gonna be a pretty sight. I know you're scared, I am, too. But ya' gotta try and think positive. Ya' got me here with ya', right? And I ain't gonna let anything bad happen, to ya'." he smiled at her as he ruffled her feathered hair.
Dawn flailed at bit and tried to pat her feathers back down into place, before she flopped down on the floor in defeat. "I guess you're right. But what if they don't find us, in time?"
"What if they do?" Nathan continued to smile.
"Well I guess logically there's always that chance, but there's also the chance that they don't. And I'm scared of what's gonna happen, if they don't find us in time." Dawn continued.
"Yeah, there's that chance. But what if they do?" Nathan was still smiling as he leaned back and began to toss the ball, again. "Ya' don't always have to prepare for the worst case scenario. A lil positivity goes a long way. 'Sides, didn't ya' boyfriend go get help? Between him an' Mark an' Beth, one or possibly all of 'em are gonna figure out where we are and break us outta here. No worries."
"He's not...!" Dawn blushed. "Nox and I are strictly platonic!" she said in a huff. "We enjoy studying the art of spellcasting, together. That's all!"
"Hey, I'm just callin' 'em like I see 'em." Nathan shrugged.
"Ugh. You're so...positive and happy, all the time. How are you even related to my cousin?" Dawn asked, trying to get to know her cellmate a little better.
"Oh, I'm not." Nathan answered with the same chipper tone.
"But...you call him your brother, all the time. Did he just...adopt you like he did Nox and Lux?" Dawn tilted her head, curiously.
"Nah, he slept with my sister, once." Nathan answered, bluntly. "No big deal, bridges burned, an' all that. We just call each other in-laws for my niece's sake. 'Sides, we grew up together as best friends, we might as well be brothers."
"You are very...honest." was the only thing Dawn could think of, to say.
"Thanks, I pride myself on my honesty." Nathan said with a prideful grin.
"Maybe pride yourself a little less." Dawn said in a much lower tone, hoping he didn't hear her.
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Post by Banshee on Dec 12, 2023 17:58:49 GMT -6
“It’s the White Witch!” Called one of Cornelia Corp’s robotic Sentinels. He backed away as Tex and the others were eliminating the remaining patrols with ease. Discarding them like used paper towels and leaving them behind for Nox to go through and scavenge them for parts. “The White Witch has an army!”
“What do you mean? There’s only three of them.” Corrected another right before Tex jabbed her blade into their gut, ending their existence within a moment’s glance.
“Wait...Roach?” Blinked the original paranoid Sentinel. “How are you alive? Didn’t you get decommissioned? How are you-” He was suddenly pinned against the wall by Roach as she held her blade to his throat. He winced, begging for her to let him live. But he knew that he had a better chance of winning the lottery over Roach sparing him.
Roach wanted to say something to him but couldn’t because of Tex. She simply just ended him on sight and dropped him as she walked away from Roach to attack the others, destroying as she went. Roach felt uncomfortable killing off the robots and only helped with weakening them. Which then were finished off by Tex. As for Nox, he tried not to hurt anyone and stayed in the back, watching.
“You guys are too brutal…” Nox said with uneasiness of seeing the falling robots. Some of them were clearly all mechanical. But the ones that appeared humanoid, made him concerned.
“We can’t let them live.” Tex said to him as she ducked from one Sentinel’s strike before she performed an uppercut to the jawline. With her blade out. There was a mechanical slicing sound as she tore her blade out from their face and kicked them to the ground. “If any survive, they will inform Cornelia Corp about us being here.”
Nox winced as he crouched next to another downed robot. He looked them over. “...Are all of these robots? Or are they similarly built like Mom is? Because...we’re murdering innocent people if we are.”
“They’re standing in my way. I’m not stopping.” Tex hissed as she showed zero remorse for her actions with ending the robots that tried to stop them. “They’re attacking me first. It’s only fair.”
It was a harsh reality that Nox was beginning to feel uncomfortable about. If they were humans within these mechanical bodies, their souls were once semi-innocent. They were only turned into a robot because they lost in the arena. Chances were also they lost to Lux, which in a nutshell, Lux was the primary reason for them being in the area to begin with. They had no choice but to try and defend their turf.
Nox scooped up some more parts and placed them into his bag. He then quickly gathered himself together and hurried on after the others. Looking around as he went, he couldn’t help but feel even more uneasy the deeper they went into the building. For some reason, he couldn’t see any cameras. Though, there was a possibility they could’ve been really well hidden.
“Guys...is it me or is this too easy for us?”
Tex stopped for a moment and turned to him. “You’re worrying too much.”
“There’s a difference between being confident and careless.” Nox said to her. “Right now, you’re being too careless.”
“We are here to rescue your friends. That is all I am trying to do.” She turned away and headed over to a closed door. She examined the lock on it and debated on whether or not she could break the code. But she was gently nudged to the side as Roach walked over to it. Tex then gave her an offended glare.
Roach motioned; ”I know the code, relax.” She then pressed the code on the pad which beeped. There was a hiss and the doors opened up, revealing another room filled with machine parts and abandoned projects.
“It smells so bad in here.” Nox said as he held back his stomach from losing everything.
Although she couldn’t smell anything, she could see the body bags lined up against the walls of incinerators. They were all waiting to meet their ends. Whether they were failed projects or deceased members of the Corporation, Tex didn’t want to look into. She could hear Nox let out a disturbed yelp at the realization of where they were. “This...is disgusting.” Tex said while carefully stepping over any mysterious puddles on the floor.
Roach tried not to look around. She knew exactly where they were. And so she marched over to the next door, motioning the others to hurry up and follow her. This was a clear indication that she didn’t want to be there.
Once they approached Roach, she opened the door and waited for them all to pass on through. Nox however, staggered as he looked at the bodies all around them. She could see that he was at the verge of tears. A sight that must never have happened to begin with, was present. Roach then walked over to him to gently usher him forward.
“This...is where they placed your body...isn’t it?” Nox asked as he walked ahead of his Mother, looking back at her to see her response. “You’re...burned...aren’t you?”
Solemnly, she nodded.
Nox reached over to grab her hand to hold. She gave him a gentle squeeze before guiding him out of the room. The boy fell silent for the following few rooms. His heart hurt for those who fell to the evil corporation that helped whoever was trying to manipulate Apollo. He just couldn’t believe how someone could be so heartless.
Tex didn’t bother to wait for Roach to open the door. She already watched her push the buttons a few times and figured she knew what it was. Once she entered the code, the door opened to reveal the captives chambers. Cells were lined up against the walls. And the area was fairly empty.
“Dawn?” Nox called for her first as he walked into the fairly dark hall. “Dawn are you here?”
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