EmptyArmor

Ink and Blood (Empty Armor vs. Doc Doctor)

Rage, blood, and ink, movement splattered across the battlefield like words on a page. Tanya had been able to avoid the demon's assault in the distance between her skin and her tattoos, and in what seemed like the same amount of space, she found an opening. That opening she needed-- she took her chance and her strike found its mark. As the monster was tipped back, she forged the Contract Will with the bite of the Rules Snake. She screamed her terms in her mind as she felt its claws scrape up a handful of her hair.

TOUCH MY RIGHT HAND.

She felt it wrench her head back and up, yet instants felt like eternities, all but biting her tongue to bleeding in waiting for her magic to take effect. As the beast pulled, she threw her right hand up in front of her face, the feathers from before still remaining to absorb further blows. At the same time, her left hand flew to the small of her back, her grasp finding the familiar shape of Quill, her magically attuned dagger. If another strike were still to come forward in the instant it would take Rules Snake to make its bid to its rampaging opponent, it would probably snap the bones of her forearm like twigs. Yet she would survive. Her terms would only take effect if the berserking vulture warrior could manage to form coherent counter-terms; if it couldn't muster the presence of mind at Tanya's contact, the Rules Snake would drain its soul from its body like letting blood from a wound. If somehow it was able to make itself understood in the mental covenant it would establish with the Rules Snake, the humanoid abomination might not be able to act based on information about Tanya's speed, her feathers, her combat style, that the demon had accrued while it was under the influence of whatever foul conditions allowed it to do so much reckless damage. After that, all it would take would be one more touch, a cut of the knife, anything she could use to deal the killing blow.

Storm of Blood

Haha never got a chance to congratulate you, Skally. Don't feel too bad when you get rekt : p

Ink and Blood (Empty Armor vs. Doc Doctor)

The killer had gone berserk and rapidly closed the distance, its insane instincts piloting its body more immediately than its mind. All the same, it wouldn't make life so easy as to attack without a backup plan. As it landed next to Tanya with a weighty thunk, it attempted the gambit of blinding her with its tar-like spit before throwing everything behind its weight in a vicious kick. Fortunately, Tanya's pact with her Snake hadn't dulled her reflexes at all, or it would have been a rather poor weapon of last resort.

She pivoted towards the monster as it landed, and threw up her left hand in reflex as the inky jet of blood spurted from between its shark-like jaws. The feathers wrapped around her left forearm burned and disappated at the blast of foul liquid, but there were yet enough about her back to propel her forward. All Tanya needed to do to avoid the incoming kick was duck down low, the ironshod boot swinging like a doorbuster overhead. At the same time, she pushed forward from underneath its guard, the solid magic of her wings flexing upward to push its center of gravity back and up. Its long leg would serve as an excellent lever to push it back in a splits. The surprise burst of momentum aided by her unfurling wings should be enough to dodge the incoming attack, a hair's breadth of distance between her and getting fucked up, but fast enough that she could end up surprising it. As Tanya followed through with her momentum, her left hand shot out underneath to tag the demon's right thigh, her touch able to forge the Contract Will of her Rules Snake.

With her wings extended, a direct strike down into her back from one of its wicked looking axes would be dampened, even if the beast managed to find its footing before her counterattack connected. Her positioning was aces, its leg was already in the way of a sweeping strike, stomping down would meet the same problems as a strike downward from the left axe, and both options were swiftly growing more inconvenient. It could possibly wheel its momentum upward and attempt to kick from under her chin with a backflip, but it had thrown its bodyweight forward, so a trick like that would be awkward and slow enough to be handled in the realm of mortal possibility. Even with all of these contingencies accounted for, Tanya was aware that these next few instants were the boundary between life and death. If she could pray, even with a demon in her hands, she would.

FRAMEs (Mech combat, political intrigue & corporate struggles)

Brilliant, thanks for the clarification!

FRAMEs (Mech combat, political intrigue & corporate struggles)

@Aristo

Yo boss, when Cecilia says wait until they get past the bridge, does she mean once they get on from their side? Or once they pass our side?

EDIT: Nother quick question, where would you say a pilot hatch is on a Drek? The FM wiki doesn't say for Wanzers.

Storm of Blood

@Stekkmen

Yeah actually, it takes me a couple hours to put a post up. Kahn had to move. Shit happens, can't really blame them for not posting on time. Sometimes people just get burnt out, it's hard to force yourself to get posts in when you could be playing Fallout or watching your kids or sleeping.

FRAMEs (Mech combat, political intrigue & corporate struggles)

Haha thank you, I promise you I'm having as much fun as you are

FRAMEs (Mech combat, political intrigue & corporate struggles)

"Gah!"

Maia's sharp surprise woke BFF up a little more completely, and he crumpled his expression in exaggerated irritation as she asked how his nap had gone. He was about to respond with a joke about his arthiritis when Avice interjected. He unfolded like the paper tiger he was, and was about to animatedly explain about his psychic powers, maybe tell the story about the Mantis that his kids used to like when a sharp rap at the side of his Handou distracted him further. To this he began to chuckle to himself-- not the first time he hadn't gotten a chance for a word when it came to the ladies in his life.

"Rise and shine gramps!", oh shit it's the boss lady, "Really, Bernard - you're setting a bad example for the newbies!"

A pad and paper landed in his lap as she stalked off like the angry kitten
Bernard had come to respect her as, hissing all the way at all the other chickadees. He would follow the kitten's orders with his life, the resolve of a diamond dog; Bernard caught that as his cue to start meaning business. With an amicable shrug, he stood and stole an apologetic look at Maia and Avice before he started to batten down the hatches. As he began to pull, he saw-- Elaine.

He gave her a nod. Morgan's girl. Elaine. Smoke and dust had hardened his voice, his face, but she knew that Old Snake could understand what a hard life was. He closed the hatch with a metallic clang, and shook his head. His systems were already up and grumbling of course-- BFF was more like his machine's heartbeat than anything. Yeah, he needed to he there, but the Snake Eater? It was his body. He sat back into his seat, comfy as Satan as he snuffed his cigarette into it's metallic case. He turned on the coms with a link to everyone, turned on his smile. He felt more comfortable talking from here anyhow. His words were for the ones he'd seen so far. Faces that he wanted to see smiling again.

"Sorry to keep you waiting!" Bernard's voice was a jovial rasp, like sandpaper would sound if it liked you and wanted to buy you a drink. "Wish I was this popular when I was a younger man! Don't hesitate rookies! Make sure that when you see your path in front of you, make it yours!"

It seemed he was in good company, and the team grandpa was in fine spirits as he spoke to his family. His smile made comfortable wrinkles in his face like familiar leather, and he addressed each of his teammates with a little laugh in his voice. It would be just as well, maybe he could put some spirits more at ease before they had to pick up their guns. Yeah. That would be enough for him. A crackle of static, and he was online with the kitten.

"Emmerich reporting in, Snake Eater is ready for battle!"

Ink and Blood (Empty Armor vs. Doc Doctor)

A surprise attack! The lighting advance of raging beast beneath her made Tanya's breath catch in her throat, and she was forced to abort her careful preparations. This thing was just too goddamn fast, and it was charging straight at her! It took a fraction of a second to process the sparks hitting the floor, the crash of it's unblinded rage. This was one of the most fight or flight situations she'd ever encountered, and it looked like it was time for flight.

It was too much of a risk to try getting above it, in its path, anywhere near it with anything less than the set up for a killing blow. For all she knew this monster could snatch her out of the air, tear her completely to shreds as soon as she moved-- since it moved with all the unpredictability of a raging bull, now was the time to take some aggressive precautions. This wasn't something she wanted to do, but she was desperate. It would be easy. It would be done at the speed of thought. And it had to be done. Tanya was used to making deals. Yet.

She felt her sins crawling on her back.

As one demon charged, she beckoned another one into this world. It was in her mind, slithering among her worst thoughts, her fears and grudges hiding it like tall grass. It spoke to her, asked her what she wanted. She told it that she wanted the same thing she did every time. She told it she wanted power. It rattled its laughter, and offered the apple. She stepped forward in her soul, and forged her side of the pact.

Tanya's mind returned to the moment, her senses overloaded but still functioning. She slammed her hand onto the chest hard, inking a Binding Contract into her skin, no time to make a second layer of the Feather of Innocence like she intended. The monster was all but upon her; she'd have to let the creature attacking her dangerously close, and she could only hope that the paralysis of the Binding Contract would give her the opening she needed to let the Rules Snake take its bite...

Knight and Dragon: A Clash of Wills (EmptyArmor vs. Takashi)

The wind blew rank. The stench of decay, ash, evil heavy on the breeze. Daniel of Columbia savored it. It smelled just like home. If there were any higher powers watching this, he supposed it was a small kindness, a little favor in the face of the incredible bloodlust radiating from up ahead. He adjusted his grip on the sword in his right, hefted close the shield in his left, and turned to face the source of it-- a miasma of hatred that washed over him like heat.

"It really is! A f***ing knight, walking around in this day and age." He called out to Daniel, "Hey, Sir Shitsalot, you get lost looking for the Jabberwocky or something? Don't tell me you came to slay the big mean dragon!"

Daniel waited, silently.

"Tell you what, I'll let you live if you get down on your knees and sacrifice a virgin. Unless, of course, you are one, in which case, DIE!"

It literally unsheathed a pair of wicked looking blades from its back, and stood as menace incarnate. It's scales were the color of gore, it's expression crazed like a warlord who'd gotten too old for his skin. Daniel smiled beneath his helm as it babbled meaningless insults. This was truly perfect. The reason that Daniel had become a knight. He gathered his thoughts and primed his muscles in preparation for battle.

"Verily, a dragon yonder," he spoke, almost to himself, "By Washington, may my blade strike true. And make thee pay for thy sins."

Daniel charged at full speed with the shield Destiny at the ready, closing the gap between him and his foe in the time it takes to gasp.