[img]http://i.imgur.com/xQfN4de.png[/img] [b][u]Los Paraisos: The Grande Diamond: Ground Floor: Lobby[/u][/b] His feet quickly reached the centre of the Grande Diamond’s lobby, his head lifting up into the air and peering at the many floors and distant ceiling above. His eyes narrowed, scrutinising the distance, deliberating at how much magic was needed for his next task. On his way down falling from the tenth floor, he had spied [i]them[/i], and committed it to memory for his next destination after rescuing Estelle and Josette. He could only hope that they were still there, otherwise he have to resort to searching for them. And now, as those frantic, devastating battles continued… every minute counted. He needed them to end now. As if proving Marcus’ inner ruminations right, the building suddenly rumbled and shook. To his right, through the destroyed double doors that led to the casino beyond, Marcus could spy with disbelief the room itself [i]disappearing[/i]. Cracks ran across the floor from it, and the area was swept up in flames and screams. Marcus took a step towards it, beginning to run and assist whatever was occurring within that room, before suddenly stopping. He didn’t know what was happening… didn’t know how badly injured his friends could be. And he needed to help them. But rushing in like that wasn’t the answer. There was a quicker and easier way to solving all of this at once, and that was what he needed to pursue. He just hoped his friends could hold on a little bit longer! His knees bent, and his body crouched low, as emerald energy spiralled and swarmed around his body, concentrating around his feet. The next second, he was propelled upwards, dashing with incredible speed to the ceiling above. --- [img]http://i.imgur.com/Wzt5AsZ.png[/img] [img]http://i.imgur.com/4x7ExiI.png[/img] [b][u]Los Paraisos: The Grande Diamond: Sixth Floor: Restaurant[/u][/b] "The guy's dead, it's over! This guy was no match, you saw it! And for what? For you?" Neil hissed into her ear. His smile widened as he realized she was sobbing, and decided to twist the knife even further. "You might as well have stabbed him yourself." Selan didn’t seem to respond, her body becoming still after Neil’s last cutting remark. Even her struggle against his hands tugging on her hair seemed to soften, with Selan lost in disbelief at the horror that just occurred before her. Through the tears, her eyes were on him. He wouldn’t move. No. No. No! Neil meanwhile, cast another sinister grin towards the bloody costumed man. He still had no idea who or what the man was, but he had to admit he was impressed. He was no match for fighting against him, but his punches and kicks hurt, and that determination… well, it was something, even if it was ridiculous. And the fact that it was all for her, Miss Selan Leclair… well, it made her seem even more valuable to him now. Not only for her beauty, her singing and dancing prowess, or whatever hidden magics she might have. But to inspire someone to fight and die for her? She certainly helped justify Neil’s decisions today, all right. Even breaking out to actually get his hands dirty and fight, something he avoided doing for the most part, didn’t bother him like it otherwise might have. And then, the room rumbled. Chairs and tables rocked back and forth, before tumbling over, the contents of their plates, food and glasses full of drinks tumbling to the ground and shattering. Neil looked about himself, frowning, before turning back to look at the prize gripped within his fingers. He had spent enough time here already. Time to go. A purple vortex ripped open from beneath their feet, and the pair sunk into it, vanishing as the portal closed after them, leaving the restaurant, and Crimson Justice, behind. --- [img]http://i.imgur.com/UjHMtbq.png[/img] [img]http://i1111.photobucket.com/albums/h461/kathichan1/ariacastshot.png[/img] [img]http://i.imgur.com/k4gahzg.png[/img] [u][b]Los Paraisos : The Grande Diamond: 9th Floor: Lobby[/b][/u] Kenneth towered over Aria’s helpless body, his knife pressed towards her throat, preventing her with any means of retreat or escape. His chest rose and fell, haggard breaths leaving his body as he looked his opponent over, and at the multitude of cuts and injuries she had sustained to match his own. Neither one of them had came away from that fracas unscathed. But after breathing hard for a spell, and taking in deep lungfuls of air, Kenneth’s body began to calm down again, and a smile creep across his lips. He laughed. “You’re good, kid.” Kenneth grinned. “Real good. Ain’t never seen another illusionist that good, that young.” Aria’s expression in return was one of weariness and disgust. She was too tired for this. For the games and the witty repartee. Kenneth noticed this, she could only reply with a agitated 'you win', and from it his eyes glimmered. “Aww, now don’t you fret none, young’un.” Kenneth spoke apologetically. “You gave it your all. It’s just a known fact that the better man won, is all. Don’t look that way. You’re gonna break ol’Kenny’s heartaaagh!” The conman’s body was suddenly ripped off and away from Aria by a powerful gust of wind, his back slammed into the nearest wall, his knives clattering harmlessly to the ground. As Aria watched with disbelief, her eyes following Kenneth, and then spinning to the source of such an assault, Kenneth’s own eyes flared up with fiery indignation. His hands reached for the two golden switchknifes, but before he could grasp them they were ripped into the air and away from him, straight into the hands of- “Well, well, well. Lookie who it is,” Another foxish grin started, the rugged blonde rising to his feet, straightening his tie and dusting down his suit. A wary eye fell upon the silver haired woman standing across him. “Now how did you manage to get out here, little one? And what on Ddaear was-” [img]http://i.imgur.com/xQfN4de.png[/img] Meanwhile, however, Marcus had walked towards Aria, bending down and offering her a kind hand, back up to her feet. “Are you okay, Aria? You look like you were in a tremendous fight… sorry it took so long for me to help… but you did good now. You can rest. It’s over. Is Thunderhawk…?” Marcus’s concerned eyes switched from the illusionist to the groaning ranger, and back up again. Aria was silent, before nodding. “He’s… okay. He’s D Rank, isn’t he? He’d better be!” Marcus chuckled. “Over?” Kenneth interrupted, lighting up another cigarette and take a hearty lungful, blowing it into the air and looking down his eyes towards the crossdressing man. “And what, may I ask, makes you say that?” “Because it’s over.” Marcus explained, one hand resting on Aria’s shoulder, the other holding the conman’s knives. “The fighting’s done. There’s no need for it anymore.” Kenneth frowned, scrutinising the woman over. But for the first time this day, he was confused, and lacked control of the scene. He didn’t like it. “Explain yourself.” “Go back up, and take a look at Dumont’s room. You’ll see what I mean. There’s no more need for fighting today.” Marcus responded cryptically. One of Kenneth’s eyebrows arched in curiosity, and he took another puff of his cigarette. He wasn’t one to believe the first thing someone said, but the fact that this woman was here instead of that room… that she could even be talking to him like this. Saying these words… an ominous feeling of dread started to rain over him. Before Marcus even asked for Aria’s help next, he already knew that what he said was true. But it didn’t stop his eyes from bugging out in startled amazement at Marcus’ revelation. “Aria,” Marcus asked with a gentle smile to the illusionist. “I’d hate to ask considering how tired you look already… but could you make a small illusion, to show Mr. Lay what I really look like?” She nodded, if albeit a little confused. And Kenneth, he made no attempts to resist and see through her illusions. He saw it… and his cigarette tumbled out of his lips. The woman was not a woman at all, but a man. And not only that, but Kenneth recognised the man. The same man who was attracting all of the ladies’ attention when he battled him in the Pellagio Hotel’s casino at Poker. The man with the soft, gentle face, and the incredible- “Hmph. Okay.” Kenneth craned and cricked his neck. “I’ll let you two on out of here. I reckon you’re probably right… I’ll still need to check, but…” “This is no bluff.” Marcus answered. As Kenneth walked towards them, with the stairs to the tenth, and final floor behind them, Marcus made no effort to act out of turn. Instead, he just calmly handed Kenneth back his knives, as Aria watched in disbelief. “Heh. Well, if it isn’t… then good game, Mister…?” “Wiseman.” “Good game, Mr. Wiseman. Naturally, I’ll still check, and if I find you’re lying then… well, we’ll have to continue this song and dance, but… you’re not, are you? Hmph.” Kenneth shook his head, smiling again. He reached into his jacket pocket, pulling a neat and spotless pair of cards. On the one hand, a symbol of a ♠. On the other, a string of numbers. He handed one each to Marcus and Aria. “If you ever need a job doing, and have the money for it, well… give me a call.” Kenneth grinned. Aria’s jaw dropped, ready to say something, but Kenneth caught her before she could, a finger on her lips keeping them closed, a charming shake of his head from side to side to inform her ‘no.’ “Now, now, darling. This wasn’t personal. This was just business. A job. Doesn’t mean that next time, we can’t be friends. Heh.” Kenneth placed his hands in his pockets, and walked away, up the stairs towards the Grande Suite. Marcus turned to look to Aria, and bent down, lifting Thunderhawk up and shouldering him. “C’mon,” Marcus smiled. “It’s a long way down.” --- [img]http://i.imgur.com/Pu73RDa.png[/img] [b][u]Los Paraisos: The Grande Diamond: Fourth Floor: Pool Room[/u][/b] Amidst the swirling tension gripping the leisure room, where the beautiful charmer Mordie Locklear laughingly toyed with and played with the heartstrings of Lucien, Dylan, Lisette and the three bros Tom, Cid and Jerry, their battle was upset the moment the building quaked and the room shook from side to side. Water from the pool sloshed over the sides, with some almost splashing onto Mordie and her sultry dress, before things started to calm down and quieten. Her head shifted and looked around, searching for any sign of the source of the tremor, but found nothing. Another quick, dirty glance towards the Guilders showed no change from their current hesitation. Annoyingly enough, Lucien wouldn’t deliver the blow which she asked for… but he still seemed to be enamoured and caught under her spell. That was good. But quakes like that… they wouldn’t help. And the others. Were they alright? “Kenny? Bart? Heather? Any o’you gorgeous guys and gals know what that just was… ?!” From the ceiling, a purple swirling vortex appeared, crushing in size before reaching a peak. And then, seconds later, a man and woman dropped to the ground, the man landing on his feet by the side of the pool. He glanced up, looking with confusion and surprise at Mordie, the Guilders, and the bros. Mordie’s eyes started on him, and then to the woman he was clutching. Selan! “Hey! Ain’tchoo that-” “Whoops, this isn’t my stop.” Neil laughed, another vortex forming beneath his feet that he and Selan dropped through. With the purple portal’s subsequent quick disappearance, it was like they weren’t ever there. Mordie was stopped in her tracks. Between fighting the Guilders and Bros, that was the man Kenny had said to keep an eye on and apprehend! Neil Hunter! What should she do next? What should- And then a voice rung out into her ear’s inner communicator, bequeathing her, Heather and Bart new orders. The voice was unmistakable. [i]“Mordie, Heather, Bart… time to pack up, folks. We’re done here.”[/i] “Kenneth?” [i]“Huh? Done? Are you fucking kidding? Some fat fucking bitch just dropped the floor out from under me and now I’m going to drop her and-”[/i] [i]“It’s done, Bart.”[/i] Kenneth’s calm and collected voice commanded. The voice’s owner sucked on his latest cigarette, before removing it to exhale a thin new trail of smoke to wisp into the air. He shuffled his body from side to side, dusting down his suit, and tapping his shoes more comfortably, sidestepping the pooling blood that trickled into the floor. He turned, walking towards the Grande Suite’s exit. [i]“Job’s officially over everyone. Let’s go home.”[/i] --- [img]http://i.imgur.com/Wzt5AsZ.png[/img] [img]http://i.imgur.com/4x7ExiI.png[/img] [b][u]Los Paraisos: The Grande Diamond: Ground Floor: Storage Room[/u][/b] Once more, the surface of the room’s ceiling bristled with violet energy. From its center, a swirling mass, a vortex, grew into being, pulsing and throbbing. From it, two figures fell, landing on the ground, besides the storage room’s sole vehicle inside, Neil Hunter’s truck. The cocky grey haired man rose to his feet, that wolfish grin stretched from ear to ear, elated at the success of his mission, and the prize gripped tightly in his hand. Selan Leclair, the other women in the back of his truck… this had been a job well done. His azure eyes first focused on the truck, and then they turned, scanning the room from one wall to the last. His head and body turning, his jaw… slowly… dropping… “What… the hell…?” His men, dropped and lying unconscious across the room. Unmoving and unresponsive. What in the world had just? [b]BAM[/b] For the umpteenth time today, Neil felt the sharp smack of pain grip his cheek, sending him flying backwards and crashing into the metal chassis of his vehicle. At the same time, his grip softened and released on Selan’s hair, and once more the songstress was taken from him. His eyes snapped open immediately, wild anger gripping the bandit at the audacity of him being attacked. Again. Who the fu- [img]http://i.imgur.com/SRQefYG.png[/img] [b]“WHO THE FUCK DO YOU THINK YOU ARE?!”[/b] Josette shouted, her right leg still aloft in the air after colliding with Neil. Behind her, Estelle had rescued Selan, crouching beside her and gripping her arms with worry and concern. [img]http://i.imgur.com/2uDBgEK.png[/img] “Selan?” Estelle softly spoke. Selan resembling none of the cool, confident woman who Estelle called her friend, her role model. “Are you okay?” “I’M GOING TO KICK THE SHIT OUT OF YOU!” Josette burst forwards.