[center] [img]https://i.imgur.com/fv33Dxq.jpg?1[/img] [h3]Featuring the [color=#66b2b2]P[/color]rotecc and the [color=ff991c][b]A[/b][/color]tacc[/h3] [@BrokenPromise] [@Izurich] [@Mantou] [/center] The warehouse lacked any sort of character. It, like so many others, was old and abandoned. The crates were covered in rust, as was just about everything inside the warehouse. Though the metal shipping crates had been arranged to block line of sight to the magical circle in the center of the warehouse. It had been carved into the concrete floor, and was radiating a blue light. Some mobsters “escorted” some women out of the back of a van and helped them into wooden boxes. After they were securely inside, the lids were closed and hammered shut. The sound of hammers striking nails was enough to drown out the sounds of the whimpering woman. They didn’t dare scream, they had seen what happened to the ones that resisted. The boxes were being stacked inside the magical circle, one at a time. Eyes peered out of the breathing holes at their captors, who continued to work without stopping. Even when performing physical labor like this, none of them took off their suits. Perhaps with all the money they were going to make, it didn’t matter if their suits got a little dirty. High quality females fetched a fair price, and there were a few of those in this haul. There had to be at least ten mobsters, all working as fast as they could. Everyone just wanted to collect their money and get out. But tonight, tonight there could be difficulties. Despicable, deplorable, living [i]breathing[/i] waste of oxygen. These scum were [i]worse[/i] than the supposedly terrible monsters from another dimension, at least those monsters were born evil, being a murderous beast was all they knew, but these... "people", they had the choice to [i]not[/i] kidnap women, stick them in boxes, and sell them off as sex slaves, yet they went ahead and did it anyway. However, if one thought that Merry was shocked at the blatant disregard of human rights in front of her, one would be wrong. Mankind were always capable of the highest highs and the lowest lows, and it was her duty as the hammer of justice to give unto them what they [i]fuckin'[/i] deserve. Already clad in her esper form, Valkyrie turned at Protector, the esper whom she had arranged to meet via the Shimr app earlier. As it turned out, that Japanese 'civilian' was none other than the Freelancer's human self, a drastic transformation that rivaled even Silhouette. Guess it explained [i]why[/i] she was there in hindsight, huh? Regardless, they were here for a job and knowing they had worked with each other before could only mean good things. [color=ff991c][b]"You take the front so I can blast their heads off to kingdom come, then we'll free the girls, sounds good, ja?"[/b][/color] It was a no-brainer strategy with how their respective powers, but who knows if Protector had any bright ideas? [color=#66b2b2]"To kingdom come!"[/color] The Protector affirmed with a nod of its head. It looked determined, and somewhat giddy in its stance as it thought about the amount of good they'd be doing taking trash out for the city. According to what the esper had seen on the news, human trafficking began with women and extended later on to [i]children[/i] when left unchecked. Abducting and selling women was already one issue; so the possibility of anyone from the Rising Hope nursery being involved was a thought the Protector simply couldn't and wouldn't stomach in the name of justice-- an alignment it so heavily shared with Valkyrie. It was admirable just how fast they filled up these slots on Shimr. For the citizens of Pax Septimus, it was up to this pair now to dole out some punishment. That was why it was definitely nice to see a familiar face for the second time in a row. It was due to their combined efforts that their spit roast scheme managed to work during the last mission, after all. There truly was faith to be had in this mission, and even if there wasn't, at least they were there to try. Steadying its position, the titan's gruff voice spoke into the earpiece it borrowed from its teammate. [color=#66b2b2]"I'll be your shield, Valk. Ready on your mark."[/color] [color=ff991c][b]"Affirmative."[/b][/color] Valkyrie spoke via the earpiece that she had given to both Protector and herself, enabling real-time remote communication. Being under Gemini had its perks, this was one of them, taxpayer money used for good. The sniper esper then took vantage point on top of an abandoned shipping container, enabling her to look over Protector's massive frame and set her sights on the despicable gangsters, another day, another mobster to send to hell. [color=ff991c][b]"I spot... ten tangos, most likely more inside... ready when you are."[/b][/color] Then she waited, lying prone on her spot, barely moving as her breaths calmed down, she was a chameleon, her tongue ready to strike at the unsuspecting insects faster than the blink of an eye. [center]The Box is locked,[h3]God forgive us all[/h3][h2]First Engagement[/h2][h1]EVISCERATE[/h1][/center] Soon enough, the eight foot tall mech-esper got into position, the most visible target that these mobsters would immediately see once shit hit the fan, and oh boy, shit indeed hit the fan. [color=ff991c][b]"..."[/b][/color] Valkyrie's eyes focused into her signature coldblooded assassin look, her pupils shrinking as her index finger disengaged trigger discipline... then pulled said trigger. Teslic Gauss responded by working its inner mechanisms, accelerating a sabot along its coils before launching it at such a velocity, even the most agile of espers would have a hard time noticing until it was too late. She dedicated this particular bullet to the closest mobster’s dome, homed right to his forehead! As if on cue, the Protector raised its mana-brimming shield before issuing its stampeding charge amidst the oncoming rain of bullets. If these men would not listen to the law, then the law would manifest itself as a bullet in the night and a spear through the dark. Like a metal-suited rhino, it approached quickly and surely, stomping to the collective beat of their impending dooms. Silmeria lined up her shot perfectly, she fired, and she would not miss. Her only oversight was assuming that a bunch of mobsters gathered around a magic circle were totally mundane in nature. Her bullet hit the first target in the head, and they immediately underwent a freakish metamorphosis. His dress vest tore off of his body, orange and black stripes manifested across his torso. When he cried out in pain, it sounded like the roar of a tiger. These weren’t normal thugs, there were weretigers. Monsters capable of changing shape between humans, tigers, and some shape in between. The mundane damage from her anti-material rifle was enough to draw blood, but it was still in the fight. The weretiger was momentarily fazed by the shot, but was able to recover enough to stand upright. It looked in the direction of Silmeria and drew its paw across its neck, blood still oozing out of the side of its head. The Protector had charged towards the congregation of mobsters. While many drew their guns, one raised their hand to stop them from firing and walked towards the approaching Protector. What he lacked in speed they more than made up for by having the most grim scowl the Protector had ever seen. When she went to stab the mobster, he jumped over her spear and shifted into an eight-hundred pound tiger. Protector was pinned on her back, and the massive tiger held its mouth open, allowing drops of saliva to fall onto its helmet. The rest of the gunmen focused their aim in Silmeria’s direction. [b]”You dumbasses.”[/b] While all of the mobsters appeared to be on edge, the one who spoke didn’t look all that excited. His shoulders were relaxed, and his white suit made him stand out among his red and gray companions. He was also a bit shorter than the others, and was the only one with blonde hair. [b]”I knew it was only a matter of time before you showed up. Let me guess, you took that buffoon’s request on Shimr?”[/b] He lit a cigar and turned towards Silmeria’s direction. [b]”Is that the Gemini patch on your shoulder?”[/b] He chuckled. [b]”Just who do you work for?”[/b] Valkyrie predicted that shit would hit the fan, and indeed it did, but her one grievous mistake was believing that the spray was directed at the mobsters, not herself. As things turned out, it was the exact opposite as the 'mobster' she shot turned out to be a mo[i]n[/i]ster instead, a werewo-... tiger, weretiger, half-humanoid half-tiger, full evil. The brunette blinked in genuine bewilderment, as she saw one of them transformed into a gigantic striped beast, with enough bulk and weight to pin even the mighty Protector down. Now this was definitely an undesirable situation. Her eyes half-closed, Silmeria fished out her phone as she subtly sent an SOS signal to Gemini HQ, along with her GPS location. [i]Hopefully[/i] someone would respond. That done, she stood up, got down from her vantage point, and approached the only blonde "person" in the group, listening to him gloat over his superiority. As much as she hated to admit it, he was kinda right, what with that giant tiger and all, who knew if there were more of them around. [color=ff991c][b]"You thought right, I mean, this is Pax Septimus, having a bounty on your head is a sure sign someone will come sooner or later, even the Iron Queen wasn't immune to that."[/b][/color] She made a little shrug, looking perfectly composed. ..or not, in actuality, Merry's heart was beating fast and cold sweats were threatening to drip from her pores, her charade held together only by two things: her Gemini agent training and her weariness to life in general. Hey, maybe she could meet Helena in heaven sooner than later. Although... if that should happen, she must at least be responsible for one thing. In a surge of orange sparks, Valkyrie dispelled her instrument and esper form, her rifle and jacket vanishing into thin air, [color=ff991c][b]"I work for Gemini, but my big buddy here is a freelancer, let it go, and you'll have me,"[/b][/color] She paused for a moment, [color=ff991c][b]"Better than us fighting to the death and you getting nothing, right?"[/b][/color] Let's hope her little Loki gambit worked... if not, ah well, see you soon, lil' sis. [b]”Conceptually, your offer makes sense.”[/b] The blonde mobster looked Silmeria over from a distance. [b]”But if you’re serious about it, why don’t you set everything on your person aside so that you don’t just transform back?”[/b] However, it seemed the Protector had no mind to comply. It was either these scum or them that made it out tonight, and with its morning shift at the nursery coming up in a little more than several hours, it surely would put in some effort for the latter option to come through. From underneath the giant heaps-worth of the beast, a blue pulse of light radiated from the Protector’s body, enveloping itself in a humming luminosity, and then passing on directly to the oversized animal. Protector: [Bronze Touch][Weightless] = -32 [color=#66b2b2]“Hup!”[/color] With a kick, the gigantic suit of armor attempted to force the hulking weretiger in the air. Then, it heaved the strength of its entire body weight into the floating creature– aiming to send it straight towards the group locked on Valkyrie as a means of distraction while the Protector made a run for it to stand guard before the gunner. The melody made the tiger light enough that Protector could easily move it with a running tackle. It flipped through the air, clawing every which way in a desperate attempt to get itself back on the ground. The mobsters backed up as their companion hurdled towards them, but one of them transformed into a weretiger and caught their airborn companion before he flattened the lot of them. The blonde rolled his neck until it cracked. [b]”The shipment is large enough, just wipe them out.”[/b] The six mobsters fanned out while returning fire on the esper’s position. The tiger and weretiger shifted back into mobsters so that they could raise their weapons as well. The wounded weretiger from earlier slipped behind some metal storage crates, and the blonde mobster just watched it all unfold with two mobsters at either of his flanks. The number of bullets flying in Protector and Silmeria’s direction increased every second, and it was only going to get worse the longer they stood out in the open. Oh, it's... working? To be honest, Silmeria was a bit surprised since she never had much confidence about her looks, sure, she was [i]not[/i] butt-fucking ugly, but she wasn't a head-turner either, unlike let's say Klava with her exotic silver hair and sapphire eyes or even Aria with her oriental beauty. Although, she supposed that these monsters didn't want to look at a gift horse in the mouth. [color=ff991c][b]"Can't say I'll like it, but you twisted my arm."[/b][/color] That primal instinct to save her own skin was so strong that in this very moment, Merry didn't care that she'd be stripping buck naked in front of these men. However, before she could undo even a single button, either through a misguided sense of heroism or just being a dense motherfucker or both, Merry's gambit completely went over the sentient mech's head - even though it's fucking 8 feet tall - and Protector decided to reengage hostilities by manhandling the giant tiger. [color=ff991c][b]"..."[/b][/color] Merry made a barely-audible sigh with pursed lips, mostly frustrated, but a tiny bit relieved that she wouldn't have to strip. [color=ff991c][b]"Death it is.[/b][/color] Valkyrie instantly reformed, her jacket and signature railgun spawning through a coalescence of orange sparks, but said sparks continued surging as they seemed to overcharge her rifle, its coils brimming with melodious power. [b]Valkyrie[/b]: [Bronze Beam] [Damage X] [Piercing] = -112 Mana Even while the beam was charging, she already took aim at one of the mobsters' head. [color=ff991c][b][i]BOOM!![/i][/b][/color] A literal thunderclap as she fired an orange lightning bolt, aimed straight at his forehead, hoping it'd shatter his skull, fry his brain, and continue to hit whoever poor sod was behind him, if any. There was no target behind the mobster, as the group had spread out in the express interest of denying the espers double kills. But Silmeria’s melody did manage to fry the mobster’s head this time. As the case was with monsters, they often had minimal resistance to physical attacks. That was one tiger down, nine to go. [color=ff991c][b]"Thanks for the [i]cooperation[/i], you big bitch!"[/b][/color] That done, Silmeria immediately ran to the nearest cover, but not before venting her frustrations out at the tallest SoB in the vicinity. [i]Krrrng.[/i] [color=#66b2b2]“Thank you as well!”[/color] From where it stood, the Protector happily responded with a thumbs-up, immune to the sarcastic jest that too went over its head as it was still unaware of how tones really work with sarcasm in English. With Valkyrie in a safer position and the titan in a much better mood, it went on to charge straight for the gunners, raising its shield against their hail of bullets as it willingly aimed to dive into the fray. A few feet traveled later and the stomping of the Protector’s rush all of a sudden ceased as its body simply vanished, only to have reappeared and switched positions with the closest mobster in proximity to the blond man issuing orders. Upon arrival, the Protector kept its shield raised as it forced guided stabs towards the man’s vital areas with the advantage of its long-reaching spear. [b]Protector:[/b] [Bronze Projectile][Transplace] = -80 Protector’s shield had the ability to draw smaller projectiles into it, but it was still too small to offer adequate protection from an onslaught of bullets like this. Fortunately she would not be in the hail of bullets for very long. When she switched places with one of the blonde’s henchmen, they were now the ones getting shot at. This triggered his transformation into a weartiger, but it only did minimal damage before the mobsters stopped firing. The blonde was in trouble. Protector was getting pretty close to stabbing him. He shifted his hips forward just before her thrust connected with his thigh. Before they could get off another thrust, his remaining henchman transformed into a tiger and clamped onto Protector’s spear with it’s claws. It gave the weapon a tug before attempting to jump onto the person holding it. The blonde used the opportunity to slip away from Protector and give an order. [b]”Use the shipment as cover.”[/b] As the blonde ran into the warehouse, the other gunman ran for the wooden crates filled with women and dragged them away from the pile. While they wouldn’t stop a piercing melody, Silmeria would be forfeiting her reward if she happened to shoot the one that contained the daughter of the request giver. The five mobsters took turns firing past the crates at Silmeria to make themselves harder to predict. Meanwhile, the blonde mobster’s other henchmen was running towards Protector with claws drawn. The weretiger was not too pleased with their trick, and was going to make them pay for it. If there was one silver lining in this course of events was that Merry wouldn't have to humor these depraved scum with her body, imagine being stripped and stuck into one of those boxes while waiting for backup to arrive. Furthermore, the only reason she did that was to save Protector's skin- errr... exoskeleton(?) anyway whereas she could've ditched the big bitch. If it didn't even need saving in the first place, then all the more power to them. Now within the relative safety behind the cover of a metal container, Valkyrie's marksman eyes quickly assessed the current situation. So Protector had closed in on the blonde bastard, about to skewer the asshole with its fuckoff giant spear, but missed and its second attempt was disrupted by an oversized tiger clamping its jaws on the weapon. On the other hand, the gunmen were now using those wooden crates as cover, fucking idiots, did they seriously bank on the goodness of her heart to not simply shoot through the hostages? Well, in this particular case, they were right, but it couldn't have been a decision based on logic. [color=ff991c][i]Is it because they know I'm with Gemini? Huh... honestly I'm flattered.[/i][/color] There were so many targets but only one railgun, so which one... hmmm, yes, she had made a decision. Again, orange sparks overcharged the coils of Teslic Gauss as she prepped another Melody. Zapping noises and brightly-glowing coils heralded the arrival of yet another clap, aimed directly at the giant tiger - the one that's currently clamping Protector's spear - and... [b]Valkyrie[/b]: [Bronze Beam] [Damage X] = -72 Mana [color=ff991c][b][i]BOOM!![/i][/b][/color] Thor struck down his hammer once more as an orange lightning traveled at ludicrous speed, virtually instantly arriving at its intended target. It had lower penetrating power than the previous one due to Valkyrie realizing that the mobsters had spread out in fear of being double-owned, so she dedicated this bolt to fuck [i]that[/i] tiger in particular. With the beast in question's grip weakened, the Protector made use of the opportunity right away, sliding its now-loosened spear out of the tiger's clutches and swinging it horizontally downward-- aiming for the ankles in an attempt to hobble it, while also kicking the tiger's dropped gun away out of its reach. Within the next couple of seconds, a flow of blue light flooded the space behind the boxes where the mobsters stood. The power of the sentinel's mana would urge them to be still-- perhaps for a moment of self-reflection or even thoughts of reconsidering their plan. Idealistic ventures aside, with the mobster's temporarily immobilised, the Protector only sought to make sure Valkyrie held the clear advantage from that point onwards. [b]Protector[/b]: [Bronze Projectile][Restrain][Powerful][AoE] = -84 While the tiger had a giant hole in its rear quarters, but it was still strong enough to move. It hopped backwards just in time for Protector’s swing to miss, but was unable to do anything as its gun skidded away. By this point the weretiger Protector had swapped places with had returned to aid the tiger. He delivered a trio of savage swings at the knight. The mobsters were too distracted with Silmeria to do anything about the incoming melody. While they were spread out, Protector was able to restrain two of them. Though they would transform into weretigers to break free from the melody’s effect on them. It did cause them to drop their guns, however. This might have been Silmeria’s chance to counter attack, but the weretiger she had shot earlier had returned to get its revenge. It waited on top of the crate she was hiding behind and pounced on her when she was taking cover. It attempted to rip her to pieces with its claws. Two of the remaining mobsters transformed, one into a weretiger, and the other into a tiger. The weretiger was holding a crate filled with women in front of himself while the tiger raced to Silmeria’s position. Oof, now [i]that's[/i] going to hurt alright, no one just ignores having their ass ripped open a new one, especially by a magical thunder. Now with Protector freed to act, that was a whole hundred percent boost to the good guy squad's fighting force... considering there were only two of them. Speaking of which, where in the goddamn hell is that backup?! Alas, Valkyrie had no time to check her phone as the enemies were hot on her trail. She was already thinking of scoring a double-dome, owner of the doublesdale doubledome, on that pair of restrained mobsters, even that brief period when they were transforming to break off Protector's restraint melody was enough to do it, [i]but[/i] that plan was made impossible thanks to a weretiger beelining over to her. Oh, this particular furry degenerate was the schmuck she shot earlier, huh? Time to finish that job! It's tiger hunting season, folks! [color=ff991c][b]"I was just wondering when you'd return, [i]fitte![/i]"[/b][/color] As the half-man half-beast creature pounced on her, she held Teslic Gauss as if the rifle had an underbarrel grenade launcher, then with a crisp zap, its tip lobbed off a projectile, a melody taking the form of a fist-sized orange thunderball, aimed at the creature's torso. [b]Valkyrie[/b]: [Bronze Projectile] [Paralysis]: -32 Mana If it hit its intended target, then it should cause a sudden shortness of breath as the electricity disrupted the target's muscles, buying an opportunity in which Silmeria would exploit by unloading multiple point-blank shots to the weretiger's forehead, fully intended to finish what she started. Obviously, as of the moment, she didn't have the chance to even worry about the approaching tiger. The Protector flinched in response to the beast’s claws, managing to muster the strength to grab hold onto its arm on the last swing. Upon doing so, a wave of blue light pulsed from the sentinel’s gauntlet into the weretiger’s body, absorbing all of its gravitational energy to the point it began to float. With both arms, it took hold of the weightless feline and spun it around to gain momentum, letting go in perfect aim of the tiger that dared approach its ally. [b]Protector:[/b] [Bronze Touch][Weightless] = -32 Simultaneously, as the beast caught some airtime before crashing into the tiger, the Protector would attempt to distract the group behind the crates with a series of spear jabs and thrusts to keep their focus off the gunner. The flying weretiger careened into the back of the tiger rider. Regardless of how fast they had been moving, their low mass meant that they weren’t going to do much harm to whatever they hit. However, the weretiger was bruised all over from being flung into one of his companions. He clammored to his feet and followed after the tiger rider. The firing line was a little surprised to see one of their own thrown like a rag doll over their heads, so the remaining mobster and two weretigers turned around just in time to see Protector approach. Moments before it could thrust its spear through the nearest weretiger, it heard a gunshot. Then felt pain rip through its back. If Protector had eyes in the back of its head, they might have noticed the blonde mobster being momentarily illuminated in the dark warehouse by a muzzle flash. The two weretigers cast aside their guns and rushed the Protector head on. The remaining mobster raised their weapon at Protector, but did not fire at this time. The falling weretiger was not initially stopped by Silmeria’s melody. It managed to get on top of her and raked her arm with its razor sharp claws, then again across her thigh, But at this point, the weretiger was weakening from the sudden inability to breathe. Silmeria was able to unload her weapon into its head at this point. She was reminded of how ineffective physical weapons were on monsters. After a number of shots, the weretiger stopped moving. But there was no time to celebrate, as the tiger rider had arrived with the other, somewhat more bruised weretiger behind him. His majestic steed leaped forth, and he still refused to release the crate filled with hostages. And over by the warehouse, a wounded tiger dragged itself inside. It did not have the strength to keep up with Protector, given it was hit by an arcane rail shot just seconds ago. [color=ff991c][b]”Nnnnrgh!![/b][/color] The brunette gritted her teeth as sharp pains jolted up her spine, courtesy of the furry bastard’s claws raking her arm and thigh, wounding the esper as fresh blood dripped. Adrenaline kept her going as she rewarded the weretiger’s bravado with a few sabots right into its dome. May he continued scratching in hell! [color=ff991c][b]”Haah…”[/b][/color] Silmeria sighed harshly, her right eye twitched as she observed their current situation. This wasn’t ideal, they were severely outnumbered in what she thought would be a trivial engagement against a bunch of gangsters. Who knew that this was a goddamned furry convention?! She should have realized that the rewards are too good to be true. Well, the patron better be goddamned sure that those rewards would be worth it or she’d put a bullet into his brain herself! Sorry, girl, but it looked like you’re going to be an orphan. However, before she could plan her little premeditated murder, she had a - literally - bigger thing to worry about as one of those giant cats arrived at her location, not to mention its little furry friend tagging along. [color=ff991c][b]”Fucking pussycat…”[/b][/color] Merry cursed under her breath, wincing from her bleeding wounds. She took a deep breath as she charged her Instrument… [b]Valkyrie[/b]: [Bronze Beam] [Damage X] = -72 Mana Then aimed and fired the orange lightning at the tiger’s forehead, making really sure to nab it in one sure shot this time. Being pounced on by something that bulky wouldn’t be fun. Meanwhile, the Protector reeled from the sudden shot to its back. It acted as a wakeup call, as its helmeted eyes made contact with the back of the beast rider heading towards its ally. With the shooter too difficult to locate, and the firing line being less of a priority at the moment, it scanned for the nearest structure and uttered a single line of prayer. With its priorities refocused, a blue light trajectory followed after the suit of armor as it began to float, using the wall behind it as leverage to push itself off and into the air over the firing line of men and beast. As soon as it reaches over Silmeria and the beast rider, it will attempt to descend– possibly right atop the bruised weretiger. [b]Protector[/b]:[Bronze Self][Weightless] = -16 Silmeria’s melody pushed the tiger’s head into its stomach, which stopped it in its place. The only problem was that the rider and their cargo did not. Bengal tigers could sprint at about forty-miles per hour, and the weretiger’s momentum didn’t just stop because his ride did. Though Protector falling from the heavens did. They were able to spear the creature’s heart through their collar bone. This left the crate of damsels to the mercy of gravity and velocity. The crate was just strong enough to contain the damsels and wasn’t designed to hold together in the event of a [i]car crash[/i]. The crate soared over Silmeria’s head and slammed into the ground. It broke apart as the damsels were scattered from their wooden holding cell. The concrete road was not a forgiving surface to land on, as evident by how many of the damsels were bleeding. Those that were still conscious gasped for air as they clutched their sore and broken limbs. Protector would have little time to react, as a second round tore through her shoulder. So long as she stood out in the open, the sniper would have little difficulty picking her off. He was also getting closer to their head with every shot. [b]”Shit! They’re damaging the merchandise!”[/b] One of the weretigers looked at the only remaining mobster. [b]”Let’s send them off already!”[/b] The remaining three weretigers drew their weapons and fired on the espers. The remaining mobster drew a tome and traced runes in the air. The magic circle around the rest of the “cargo” started to glow, indicating that a teleportation spell would activate momentarily. The Power of Thor had always been a reliable boon to Valkyrie as it smote her enemies with extreme prejudice, its latest victim being a giant tiger, his head struck with such thunderous fury that his skull caved all the way into its belly, destroying any organs that might be in the way, the monster wouldn't be moving again anytime soon. However, he wasn't the last of Silmeria's worries as the dead tiger had a rider upon his back, one that was somehow carrying a hostage crate for some reason. [color=ff991c][b]"Tch...!"[/b][/color] As it stood, she wouldn't have enough time to fire again or dodge, so the brunette did the only thing she could, brace for impact and hope for the best. ...or at least that was the plan as Protector descended from the sky, like the Lance of Longinus thrown down from above as the eight-foot mech skewered the weretiger with impunity, its huge weapon impaling the creature's torso and heart, killing it instantly. Well, two problems down, one to go. And the last one was... [color=ff991c][b]"FAEN!"[/b][/color] The crate - inadvertently thrown due to its carrier being dead - flew through the air and crash-landed against concrete, its shoddy construction succumbing to the force as it broke into splinters. It did little in protecting its occupants as the women were scattered about, all of them sporting some kind of wound or another. [color=ff991c][b]"..."[/b][/color] The very sight of innocents being hurt [i]and[/i] the mobsters' audacity to blame the heroes for their cruelty seemed to snap something in the sniper esper. Her face relaxed into... nothing, a neutral expressionless gaze one would use for a passport photo, but just like those photos, her eyes remained staring, unblinking and cold. Monsters... and everyone who acted like them deserve no less than death, a blight upon the world that must be cleansed. As these monsters defiled our homes, we clutched tightly hallowed tomes and swear our oaths we'd cull their herds. [color=ff991c][b]"Let's hunt them all."[/b][/color] Valkyrie declared to her gigantic comrade with a tone so casual, she might as well be inviting Aria to hang out if not for her choice of words. As the trio of weretigers drew their weapons, Silmeria returned to a more proper cover position, her marksman eyes quickly scanning the battlefield. [color=ff991c][b]"..."[/b][/color] Silently, she picked a target, charged Teslic Gauss, and aimed at the casting mobster. A split-second later, Thor struck his hammer down once more as thunder raged in the complex, but before the sound even finished traveling, the lightning would've reached its intended target. [b]Valkyrie[/b]: [Bronze Beam] [Damage X] = -72 Mana [color=#66b2b2]“Chikushō!”[/color] The Protector rarely ever cursed, if at all. However, upon seeing the women land as roughly as they did, it couldn’t help but grit its teeth at its own misplanning. Wounded victims were definitely not part of the plan, but the armored nursery teacher made sure to promptly note down their hospital bills and the need for written apology letters after the mission, perhaps even fruit baskets and vitamin capsules because everyone knew that money didn’t heal broken bones, only prayers and good nutrition did– unfortunately, this long train of apologetic thought halted immediately following the titan’s bullet to the shoulder. Immediately it turned around in an attempt to follow the shot’s origin, before feeling its shield arm limping slightly in its posture. The titan clutched at its wound and grumbled, seeming to be familiar with the pain yet still so very new to it. Upon Valkyrie’s call to action, the suit of armor issued a hard, motivated nod in response. Once the gunner took cover, the Protector followed, but not before looking back at the injured women in guilt and bowing its head, inwardly promising to return them all at the end of the day. After reaching relative safety, it raised its gauntleted palm in between itself and Valkyrie and uttered a prayer, this time causing a blue cast of light to envelope the pair of espers’ bodies– a melody to grant protection for both itself and its ally amidst the weretigers’ stream of bullets that threatened to erode the safety of their cover. [b]Protector[/b]: [Bronze Projectile][Shield][Aoe]= -72 The spray of bullets were mostly absorbed by Protector’s shield, which beat like a drum as a hail of bullets bounced off of its polished surface. Meanwhile, the hammer of the gods crushed the mobster’s head before he could finish his cantation. The remaining weretigers only roared at the realization that their shipment wasn’t going to make it today. One of them threw down their gun, picked up a crate filled with damsels, and hurled it through the air. The woman inside screamed as the box was on a crash course directly with the espers. It transformed into a tiger and ran into the warehouse. The two remaining weretigers continued to back up while firing. Once their magazines ran dry, they also turned into tigers and ran for the warehouse. The tigers may have been fleeing, but the espers knew at least one foe still had their crosshairs on them. And they announced as such with the tiger’s retreat. [url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1t0Kyd98EJc][b]”I’ve got you in my sights!”[/b][/url] With the crate of damsels still flying through the air, the enemy sniper fired three shots in quick succession. Due to his higher, unknown vantage point, he was able to fire directly over Protector’s shield. The first shot hit Silmeria in the shoulder, then again in the cheek. Both of these attacks were absorbed by the protective melody But not the third shot, which sunk into her collar bone. There was a brief reprieve from the firing, but he would fire again once he changed positions. They were sure of it. Fully giving her implicit trust in the Protector's namesake role, Valkyrie focused on her aim even as bullets bounced futilely off the mech's greatshield. The lightning struck true as it utterly pulverized the casting mobster's head, disrupting the teleportation spell while also sending another scum to [i]hell.[/i] Furthermore, this last casualty in their ranks seemed to be the last straw that broke the tiger's back as the remaining monsters decided to turn tail and run. However, one of them was petty enough to make sure that if they couldn't get the hostages, then neither should anyone as he threw an intact crate toward the agent and freelancer esper duo. Fortunately, Silmeria was ready this time as she took notice of the soaring box. Unfortunately, her esper form wasn't built to safely catch such a fragile package, but there was someone here who could. [color=ff991c][b]"Protector, catch it."[/b][/color] The sniper spoke calmly, still in her 'monster hunter' mode. On the battlefield, hesitation meant defeat after all. After trusting Protector to handle the damsels, she turned her attention to the retreating tiger-mobsters. Adrenaline still running high, she took aim and fired potshots at the fleeing tigers, even if she couldn't kill them right now, she'd at the very least make her statement, come to our world and you'd get hurt. Whatever the results, Silmeria heard and felt a sniper bullet whizzing past her ear and striking her shielded shoulder. [color=ff991c][b]"...?!"[/b][/color] By the time she widened her eyes, another struck her cheek, Protector's shield still neutralizing the impact, but the third one was the charm as it scored a direct hit against her collarbone, drawing blood and puncturing flesh. [color=ff991c][b]"Nnngh... tch..."[/b][/color] Valkyrie winced her unblinking right eye as her wounds were getting to her, but calm... stay calm, you are an instrument of the Aesir, you are the divine judge to give evil their verdict, [i]death.[/i] Powering through her wounds via unbridled thirst for vengeance and sheer fucking will, she spoke to Protector, [color=ff991c][b]"The enemy is somewhere above us. Shield me, turn me weightless, and then throw me up in that specific order, I'll give that subhuman scum a taste of his own medicine."[/b][/color] The titan responded with a nod, its arms spread wide open as it welcomed the falling crate of women into a briefly cold and metallic, yet safe hug before setting it down behind cover as gently as it could manage. Which would be a bit rougher than Protector initially anticipated. A crate filled with several adult women was not light, contrary to what the woman inside would like you to believe. After catching it, Protector stumbled backwards and fell onto their back. The woman inside rocked around, some groaned in pain, but they fared far better than the last crate. But the Protector didn’t stop moving. Like a well-oiled machine, it moved in accordance with the marksman’s orders, its confidence fueled highly by its own similar thirst for justice. In one swift motion, it then picked up its ally with little effort and cradled her for a moment in a princess carry. [color=#66b2b2]“Fly high, Valkyrie.”[/color] The Protector gave a prayer, efficiently imbuing the GEMINI agent with a radiant blue protective aura that also made it seem as though she weighed nothing. With one full spin-around, the armored suit expended its energy to allow its ally to soar through the sky, its blue trail of light resembling a graceful, justice-bringing comet aiming straight for the head of this gods-awful operation. [b]Protector:[/b][Bronze Touch][Shield][Weightless] = -80 [color=#66b2b2]“May your bullet find its mark.”[/color] A low, gentle voice of tin speaks to itself from within the armor, before rushing off to find the injured women and ensure that they’re all safe. In any case, it would be ready to offer support from the ground where possible. Valkyrie kept her scope concentrated in the dark warehouse, but the enemy sniper did not reveal himself. Silmeria could make out the silhouette of some shipping containers inside the warehouse, but nothing that looked like an enemy. Even after Protector’s melody wore off, there was no attempt from the enemy to return fire. If the two were in any other situation, the sight of a giant mech cradling a brunette damsel in a princess carry would be quite adorable, perhaps romantic even, but they weren't here to enact a scene from Beauty & The [s]Beast[/s] Machine, for they were the hands of justice delivering retribution for those who couldn't do it themselves. Valkyrie didn't verbally reply to Protector, but her silent crisp nod was all the answer she needed. Her body was enveloped in an azure protective aura as she was then tossed to the sky, Protector's melody giving her 'wings' in lieu of her lack of one. Well, it was more like an elegant glide as the Valkyrie's weightless form arced through the air, her lightning-spewing lance at the ready, aimed and one trigger away from sending that smug blonde bastard to Hel's embrace. [color=ff991c][b]"..."[/b][/color] However, it never came to be as their enemy was either too cowardly or smart enough to not risk firing back while Valkyrie was in the air, which was precisely what she wanted so he would reveal his position, enabling her to pinpoint where she should fire her bolt. Without the return fire, the brunette esper floated back down onto the ground as Protector's melody expired, [color=ff991c][b]"Nothing..."[/b][/color] She made a little frustrated shrug at her tall comrade before sighing, then decided what she'd do next after a cursory glance at the groaning and screaming wounded women. [color=#66b2b2]“No worries. That was quite fun.”[/color] The Protector looked up at its ally and waved off the little obstacle. [color=ff991c][b]"I'm going to call medics for the hostages real quick, also backup."[/b][/color] She fished out her phone again, still transmitting that GEMINI-specific SOS Beacon signal from when she activated it at the beginning of the altercation. Now, she made an actual call to the organization’s local HQ. The titanic suit of armor gave the gunner a thumbs-up before turning back to the hostage women, being careful while tying their clothes around areas that bled the most heavily. [color=#66b2b2]”Gomen– Ah, sorry. I’m very sorry, miss.”[/color] The sentinel would apologize to each of them, bowing its head repeatedly as the sincerity in its voice echoed together with the tinniness of its sizable helmet. A deep sigh came from it as it did so, both in frustration at how it could’ve come to this but also half in gratitude that they managed to see all these women live another day. Even for now, at the very least– that was what mattered to the Protector. [color=ff991c][b]”Hello, Valkyrie here.”[/b][/color] Oh neat, the person answering on the other end was none other than Binky, Dr. Fritz’s favorite punching bag, [color=ff991c][b]”Yeah, so, we got a situation over here with the weretiger gang, their ringleader, and... lots of civilian hostages, a few of them wounded with various degrees of blunt force trauma. Do you think you can send medics over to take care of them? Oh, it’d be great if you’ll come too. We culled more than half of the gang, but around five still remained, including the ringleader.”[/b][/color] [color=baddab]”Do you have any idea how much [i]shit[/i] you’re in?!.”[/color] Binky sounded panicked. This was probably the first time Silmeria had heard her cuss. [color=baddab]”Breacher has already been dispatched. And-”[/color] There was some yelling on the other end. It was hard to tell who it was, but there were a lot of different voices. [color=baddab]”We’ll be there.”[/color] The line went dead as soon as Binky finished speaking. [color=ff991c][b]"Yes, that's why I called for backup."[/b][/color] Valkyrie answered the cabbage-haired esper matter-of-factly, still in her unnervingly tranquil tone with the calmness of a meditating monk and a serial killer combined. Silmeria right now would listen to a cornered criminal begging for his life... then still shoot him in the head, the only reason she'd hear them out first was just in case they had any useful information, such as their cohorts' whereabouts for example. Good doesn't always mean 'Nice' after all. [color=ff991c][b]"Affirmative. Valkyrie, out."[/b][/color] She ended the call after Binky's confirmation that backup and medics would be arriving soon. For the moment, she watched over the warehouse; sights trained on the vicinity, eyes unblinking, and trigger finger at the ready. In the background, after performing the most basic first aid it could manage with its metally gauntlets and lack of medkits, the Protector simply made sure to place crates before the women to keep them safe behind cover along with the busy Valkyrie. During this time of short respite, it’d be no good if the sniper and the beasts regained their confidence and decided to rejoin the fray. For now, it would simply do what it needed to while the GEMINI agent attempted to salvage the most out of the situation. [hr] The two espers would have to wait a bit for their requested backup. Silmeria knew that Breaker lived in the suburbs and it would probably be a ten to fifteen minute wait before she arrived. At this hour, it wasn’t hard to picture her playing a board game with her kid. The medics were closer, but they needed to be assembled so that they could roll out with all the necessary equipment. It was hard to tell who was going to arrive first. As short as the wait was, it felt like hours. Though it did seem that Breacher was here first. Given her timely arrival of six minutes, she was either already driving somewhere or had broken various traffic laws to get here in time. She certainly wasn’t in a company vehicle, as the old minivan was anything but a government issue vehicle. Her teenage daughter peaked out of the passenger side window before Breacher threw the vehicle into park and leaped out of the vehicle. She had been steering with one hand so that she could arrive at the scene in the esper state. She reached across her seat and picked up her gun. [color=peachpuff]”Hide now.”[/color] She instructed her daughter. Once her daughter climbed into the back seat, Su reached for her gun in the door of the van and blazed a trail straight for the warehouse. [color=peachpuff]”I briefed,”[/color] She called out to Silmeria as she ran past her. [color=peachpuff]”Secure area!”[/color] Her shield was held up in front of herself as she plunged into the depths of the warehouse. But that was when Su slowed her charge and became more cautious. She looked around for anything that might serve to light the place up, but was unable to find anything obvious. She continued to creep around the warehouse with caution, making little sound and keeping her body behind her protective shield. The brunette heard the engines of an old car arriving at the location, but she didn't pause her aim to look away because she's confident that if it was trouble, Protector would've warned her. Fortunately, it was Breacher as evident by her voice. [color=ff991c][b]"Copy that."[/b][/color] In favor of keeping up her overwatch, she kept her response terse as she switched protocol to provide Breacher with covering fire now instead of actively searching for targets. Valkyrie would relocate as necessary to always maintain visual contact with the shield-wielding Gemini esper as she went into the warehouse to turn on the lights. After a gradual trek to the back of the warehouse, Su saw an open breaker box. Several breakers had been switched to the “open” position, which was keeping the lights off. She kept her guard up, suspecting that this might be a trap. But she was able to get to the box without incident, and used the barrel of her pistol to flip the breakers back on. One by one, rows and rows of lights turned on. Su and Silmeria waited for the remaining weretigers to spring from cover, but they never did. It wasn’t until the last of the lights were turned on that they understood why. There at the back of the warehouse was a second magic circle, traced in the blood of a tiger. It wasn’t as big as the one outside, but it had all of the same markings. If one of them knew how to cast the teleportation ritual like they tried to do outside, then it was possible all five of the remaining weretigers had escaped. With their cargo damaged or compromised, there was no reason for them to stick around. Along the way, there were no signs of the tiger scum, and the answer became apparent once the lights were on. There was a magic circle there, similar to the one outside, albeit smaller [i]and[/i] drawn with blood instead, this was obviously done in an emergency. Heh, bunch of cowards, where was their bravado from before? Sigh, Valkyrie could only wish that the gang had more bravado than brain, now she'd have to play whack-a-mole with the stragglers. Oh yes, did you think that she's letting them go just like that? How cute. No, Tony the Tiger and his subhuman ilk would never sleep soundly ever again. With or without rewards, she'd put a bolt through his head and nothing short of death would stop her. Once the Gemini agents stepped outside, they could see that the medic unit had arrived. Government medical personnel were quick to spring into action, pulling out stretchers for the wounded and inspecting the ones with smaller injuries. Protector had been moved aside as the trained medics did their work. There by a single black government van was Binky. She stood by the vehicle with her arms crossed, shaking her head as she watched Breacher and Valkyrie leave the warehouse. [color=baddab]”What a mess.”[/color] She groaned under her breath. Valkyrie returned outside, following after Breacher to see professional EMTs hard at work, tending and escorting the hostages while Protector watched nearby. Well, it looked like the operation went well, not perfect, but acceptable, especially considering how she and Protector grossly underestimated their targets. [color=ff991c][b]"Sigh..."[/b][/color] With the civilians safe and no more hostiles in the area, Valkyrie finally relaxed as her railgun and jacket vanished into orange sparks, there was no further need to maintain esper form and the wounds she sustained in said form were getting annoyingly painful too. Now human again, Merry figuratively dropped her 'coldblooded marksman' persona, allowing herself to be more expressive and 'vulnerable'. She took a few slow breaths to calm herself as her adrenaline winded down, gradually dissipating all the emotions she had been suppressing. The brunette shivered for a moment as she rendezvoused with her fellow espers. [color=ff991c][b]"Great work, Protector. I'd have already been in Sovngarde without you."[/b][/color] Merry curled a genuinely proud smile at the tallest esper around, giving her a little friendly soft jab at its armor plate, then turned at Breacher and Binky, [color=#66b2b2]”Don’t mention it, Valkyrie. I fear I might have caused more trouble than I intended, but I’m happy we took this on together.”[/color] The Protector’s sheepish smile went unnoticed under its helmet, but its gratitude was clear in its tincan voice. [color=ff991c][b]"Thanks for the quick response, girls. In hindsight, we should've brought more manpower, but I didn't know Tony had a whole weretiger pack as his cronies, that's on me."[/b][/color] [color=#66b2b2]”I will also take responsibility. I am sorry– it was not in my place to hastily take them on.”[/color] The Protector took its spot next to Valkyrie and executed a natural 90° bow towards agents Binky and Su. It remained in that position for a long moment before rising to look at the EMTs tending to the hostages. [color=#66b2b2]”Many of them were injured due to my carelessness. I will do my best to make amends.”[/color] Su waved her hands at Protector. [color=peachpuff]”No, no, that not good!”[/color] She smiled at the esper like a mother might at their child. [color=peachpuff]”You do nothing, they all get eat by a monster. Broken bone heal, not if dead though.”[/color] She folded her arms. [color=peachpuff]”You left before I get picture! I get camera now!”[/color] Su turned around and ran for her car. If one were to listen very carefully, they would have been able to hear a little sniffle from the armored titan after Su’s words of comfort. The Protector habitually rubbed at its eyes before looking confused— seemingly realizing it was still in its esper form. Binky looked between Protector and Silmeria, but her eyes eventually fell on the G.E.M.I.N.I. agent. [color=baddab]”When you’re done here, Valkyrie, Fritzi is waiting for you in the van. She wants to see you before you leave.”[/color] The green haired operative walked around the van and hopped in the driver’s seat without saying another word. Su waved her Camera in the air before handing it to Silmeria. [color=peachpuff]”Take picture of us!”[/color] She holstered her pistol and wrapped an arm around the giant suit of armor. She then forced the biggest, cheesiest smile she could muster for the photo op. In turn, the Protector raised its heavy gauntlet behind the GEMINI agent’s head to form with its two fingers what looked to be a pair of bunny ears, and with its other hand, it waved excitedly at the camera. [color=ff991c][b]"Ahaha, you and me both then."[/b][/color] She giggled sheepishly at Protector's reply and its apology to the two recently-arrived agents. She almost forgot that the human behind this gigantic esper was a dainty Japanese lady, well to be fair, an eight-foot tall mechanical Japanese person was a rarity. It seemed the stereotype of Nipponese being overly-apologetic was true or at least true in the case of Aria. Well, at least Su provided a more realistic view on the matter. Indeed, had Valkyrie and Protector delayed, all of these women would become monster food, broken bones and bruises were worth it if the alternative was literally dying painfully. [color=ff991c][b]"Hmm...?"[/b][/color] Merry turned her head at Binky while Su fished out her camera, blinking a couple times as she took in the green-haired esper's words. [color=ff991c][b]"Sure."[/b][/color] Maybe the good doctor wanted to experiment on her, who knows, but for the moment, [color=ff991c][b]"Sure thing."[/b][/color] She took Su's camera, walked back a few steps to get Protector’s towering bulk in full frame, then took a couple pictures. [color=ff991c][b]"There we go. See you around, folks."[/b][/color] She returned the camera then made her way to the van, entering through the back, expecting to see the violet-haired [s]mad[/s] scientist.[color=ff991c][b]"You called, Ma'am?"[/b][/color] The Protector joined its hands together, half pleased and half shy, after its photo with the Breacher. [color=#66b2b2]”Thank you for taking a picture with me!”[/color] It gave the agent a bow, despite being the one asked to take the photo in the first place. Evidently, the esper was not used to the attention, but was grateful all the same. As it saw Valkyrie leave, it gave Agent Su a second bow of farewell before deciding to transform behind the nearest cover. Waves of blue light pulsed in intervals, stripping away the components of armor one by one, and leaving behind a smaller, more dainty figure in its place. The woman peeked out from behind the crate before making her way to Silmeria to say a few last words. [color=#66b2b2]”Silmeria, before you leave… thank you, once again.”[/color] Aria stood before her mission partner with a grateful smile. [color=#66b2b2]”I hope that we’ll meet again– and next time, let’s get rid of those beasts once and for all.”[/color] Su nodded towards all the other involved parties. Though as they all split up, her cheery exterior faded. [color=peachpuff]”Maybe something else play?”[/color] Su pondered on her way to her van. When Silmeria entered the van, Fritzi was sitting in an office chair. Well, at least it was very similar to an office chair. There was the addition of it being bolted to the floor, having a locking mechanism to prevent spinning, and a safety harness. She was surrounded by readouts and digital maps, likely tools that she made better use of during an operation. She had a soda can in one hand, which had to be empty based on how she was slowly turning it over in her hand. [color=#bd71e8]”I’m going to assume you have no life threatening injuries.”[/color] Fritzi’s jovial tone that she used during the last operation was not present here. [color=#bd71e8]”I don’t really care that you sent out an SoS signal, I don’t care that you requested medics, I don’t even care that you managed to let some of the weretigers escape.”[/color] She stopped spinning the can. [color=#bd71e8]”What I care about is that you used government resources on an operation G.E.M.I.N.I. has nothing to do with. What were you thinking? Do you really think it’s okay to risk Breacher or any other operative’s life for more money?”[/color] Well, it looked like the purple doctor didn’t look too pleased. Silmeria might not be a genius or particularly smart, but considering the situation, even an average jane like her could get an inkling what this was about. Even if she didn’t, Fritz wasted no time in explaining anyway. Oh good, the mad scientist wasn’t concerned about “wasting resources” to save civilian lives, that was definitely a plus in Merry’s book. Honestly, after Fritz made her stance clear, the brunette’s disposition relaxed. [color=ff991c][b]”No, just some in my esper form, but that doesn’t matter right now.”[/b][/color] She made a little shrug, then answered the million dollar question, with a million dollar answer of her own, [color=ff991c][b]”No. The only reason I did was to save Protector’s life after my first shot revealed that those mobsters were monsters, not human. I don’t mind if you don’t believe me, but I tried to offer myself to them in exchange for Protector’s release, they accepted the deal,”[/b][/color] She paused for a moment, letting her words sink in, [color=ff991c][b]”But as you may deduce, Protector didn’t want anything to do with that plan and reengaged hostilities. Then it was either us or them.”[/b][/color] She exhaled once as her pupils dilated, eyes focusing on nothing in particular, starting into the figurative distance, [color=ff991c][b]”If she had accepted the deal, you wouldn’t have heard anything from me.”[/b][/color] She debated on adding “ever again” to her statement, but decided against it, Fritz was a Ph.D for a reason after all. [color=#bd71e8]”Then I’m glad at least one of you had their wits about them.”[/color] Fritzi groaned. [color=#bd71e8]”Again, the problem really isn’t that you called for backup. I have a big operation coming up and I’d just as soon you not be food for whatever those weretigers were going to feed you to. You can say that you did it for Protector, or those girls, but you were [i]really[/i] doing it for some extra cash. And [i]that[/i] is why I’m giving you a lecture right now.”[/color] She waved her hand towards the mess outside. [color=#bd71e8]”Just because we’re government funded doesn’t mean we can freely dispense reinforcements whenever we please. Our strength is very limited, and we need to retain it for the fights that matter. With cultist abductions, mafia activity, and.Justen Von Carnage creating vampire thralls left and right, it's hard for me to celebrate the deaths of a few weretigers. These girls may be safe, but what about the countless others that are getting turned into thralls or worse? Not that it matters, but did you even get their leader?”[/color] She crushed the can flat under her palm before folding her hands under her chin. [color=#bd71e8]”What you do on your own time is your business, but you understand why G.E.M.I.N.I. doesn’t approve of what you did?”[/color] Well, if both of them panicked, then they wouldn't be here right now, although the truth wasn't clear, Merry firmly believed that Fritz was referring to her as the one who still had her wits about her, not once did she lose her composure after all. [color=ff991c][b]"...?"[/b][/color] Now that was odd, didn't Fritz specifically mention that what she had a problem with was her calling for backup and thus causing Gemini to waste resources on an otherwise unnecessary issue? She even mentioned Breacher and the other, not Valkyrie, now the doctor cared about her specifically? That's kind of flattering. [color=ff991c][b]"Thanks,"[/b][/color] Show of gratitude first because she meant that, and now for clarification, [color=ff991c][b]"Well... yeah, if you really dig into it, I'm doing this for money... just as why I accepted Gemini employment in the first place, money, steady money to be specific in the form of salary. Dad's medications aren't cheap and mom's busy taking care of him."[/b][/color] It wasn't to garner Fritz's sympathy over some random family members of an employee, the doctor had bigger things to worry about, twas’ simply to explain specifically why she's so greedy about getting those shekels. [color=ff991c][b]"Yeah, you're right. It was an emotional decision made in the heat of the moment."[/b][/color] She paused, eyes half-closed, [color=ff991c][b]"I could've immediately abandoned ship after my first shot by using Protector as bait. It's just one Freelancer, right? No big deal, better for us in the long run in fact, one less wildcard to deal with in this blood-soaked city. I'll do that next time, no more wasted resources, win-win."[/b][/color] Well, except for the sacrificed freelancer, but who cares about them, right? [color=ff991c][b]"Nope, dude was a sniper like me and he abandoned ship with the remaining half-dead weretigers when we culled most of their ranks, can't say I blame him, I'd do the same if I was him."[/b][/color] Then the brunette then nodded once, [color=ff991c][b]"Yep, I understand."[/b][/color] [color=#bd71e8]”It really doesn’t sound like you do.”[/color] Fritzi sighed before tossing the flattened can into a nearby waste bin. This was not bolted to the floor, but it was wedged tightly between some of the desks. [color=#bd71e8]”When you’re doing freelance work, you can’t call on G.E.M.I.N.I. for help. There’s no reason to complicate it further.”[/color] She rubbed her forehead. [color=#bd71e8]”I’m going to assume this was all a misunderstanding and let you off with a warning. You’re dismissed.”[/color] [color=ff991c][b]”Well, not the first time that I failed in explaining myself.”[/b][/color] She expected this outcome, there might be a possibility that Fritz would say “It really doesn’t sound like you do” no matter what she said anyway, it kinda felt like being scolded by a convenient store manager, they’d be hearing but not listening to you out of standard procedure since accusing employees without letting them defend themself is constituted as abuse. Eh, whatever, it’s nothing new, Seven-Eleven, G.E.M.I.N.I., what’s the difference? Oh right, one paid a lot more than the other. [color=ff991c][b]”Affirmative, Doctor.”[/b][/color] With that, Merry left the van without another word. Hmmm... she should send her share of the rewards to her parents, and either convince Aria to sell that BMW or just give it to her if she wanted it. All in all, mission completed. Once Silmeria had left, Binky leaned in from the driver’s seat. [color=baddab]”Everything good, doctor?”[/color] [color=#bd71e8]”Do you ever feel like they lowered the required IQ score in order to enter G.E.M.I.N.I?”[/color] [color=baddab]”All the time.”[/color] Binky looked at the floor. [color=baddab]”Though I’m pretty sure you said that about me back in the day..”[/color] [color=#bd71e8]”Perhaps.”[/color] She grabbed her seat belt and pulled it across her chest. [color=#bd71e8]”I don’t care who it is, Binky. Next time, you are not to send out reinforcements to agents who aren’t working G.E.M.I.N.I. operations. I’m not going to let anyone endanger our future operations.”[/color] [color=baddab]”Affirmative.”[/color] [hr] Meanwhile, four weretigers; one with a sizable wound in his ass, and a blonde mobster appeared in a clearing. All in all, it was a regular night. Except they had no shipment. The blonde man lit a match on the end of a weretiger’s nose and held it up to a cigarette. [b]”Sorry lot of fucks aren’t you?”[/b] He placed the cigarette between his lips as his men groaned and tended to their wounds. So a G.E.M.I.N.I. sniper and a metal man had come to crash their party? It wouldn’t be too hard to figure out who they were. He already knew about the request for their elimination, and there were only so many espers with that description in Pax Septimus right now. They’d have their revenge in time. The blonde blasted smoke out of his nostrils before crushing out his cigarette under his boot. They walked into the shadows of the night with only the burning embers of a cigarette to indicate they were ever there.