GambolMuse

Black Butler, Untold (Vena Sera x SilverRain)

Awww, danks ^^ I try to be as prompt as I can though.

Dragon Ball: Legacy (Mogtaki and Vena Sera)

From the ground to the air Takeshi never thought he'd be so reluctant to be flying. He was certain that T'charrl was trying to be as accommodating as he could, but the Prince jostled him a few times as they moved along. "I'm the only one that can fly out of the three of us..." he explained, his words a bit sluggish. "Shu forgot how, and Viral was never able to. So yeah, we had to walk." In hindsight he could probably have carried both his brother and the Beastman easily enough though. Had they been in the air it may have been more difficult to ambush them, and being more maneuverable then it would have been easier to avoid things. It was an oversight on his part, having gotten too complacent and not even thought to take any precautions. Now because of his folly Viral might die and Shu might have brain damage, he couldn't care less what was wrong with him right now. "When we get there... We've got to find Vegeta. He's as close to a doctor as we've got." Even then it would be a sorry excuse for some medical treatment. At most their wounds would be covered, but actual treatment was beyond them right now. They'd have to find a legitimate doctor to get themselves fixed, and having no idea where one was in town, save for the military base they might be out of luck.

"You moving pathetically? No, that was just pathetic." Katas retorted, smiling as if it were a joke. His expression then changed to a more sympathetic one as he kicked off of the ground, falling in behind Garesh and T'charrl. "In all honesty I can tell you are a man of great bravery. Even if you may not be the strongest of this group of yours bravery is just as valuable as raw strength. If you lack bravery then all the power in the world is useless to you, but you can be brave without power and still be a force to be reckoned with. A great warrior is one who is brave even in the face of danger and adversity, and it doesn't get much more dangerous than having a pit in your stomach." Speaking of the wound there was a distinct puddle of blood now soaking into Katas' robe. What a shame, he mused, that his favorite outfit was being soiled. He loved the garments he had on now, even if they were a touch flashy for someone in his line of work. Looking on he smiled thoughtfully, picking up the speed ever so slightly to keep in pace. "As for your failing, everyone fails. Even if its repeated time and time again it happens to everyone. What's more important is that you're still trying, even after failing. That's commendable, as any average person would give up by now I'd think. So you're brave and you persevere, and that my friend is what makes you an exceptional warrior."

Not having made it too terribly far from the house themselves it took two minutes at most to reach their residence again. As it came into view Eslaria ordered everyone to descend and they'd go in on foot from there. Thankfully the coast was clear between their landing and the home, as fighting with three injured people to care for would have been a nightmare. Their was a sense of anxiety no doubt in everyone as they approached the door, being vividly aware of just how deep they were in enemy territory at the moment. Whatever fear the Queen may have held wasn't allowed to manifest itself, and with head held high she walked right on up to the back door, giving it a good banging at. "Is anyone in there? Open up!" she demanded, scarcely hiding her voice.

It took a second, but finally Vegeta went to the door to investigate, followed closely by the remainder of the group. Upon opening it they were rather confused at first, and confusion then turned to surprise and shock at seeing the injured trio beyond Eslaria. Picking up on their concern she stepped aside, letting the others hurry past her to see to their friends. Vegeta went directly to Viral, in a bit of a panic gesturing for Katas to set the Beastman down. "Holy crap Viral..." he mumbled, kneeling down at his friend's side. They had only been gone for a short time and somehow they'd come back in deplorable condition. Eying the wound on his stomach the Saiyan rubbed at his forehead, understandably a bit flustered by what he was being given. "Okay... Okay... Uh... Did it pierce through? All the way?" he asked, looking up at the man who had carried Viral. Judging by his soaked shirt and how weak the Beastman looked to be by bloodloss he'd say it was a yes. That severely complicated things, as it was now a rather large wound as opposed to a gash. "Crap... Viral? Are you healing at all? Can you tell?"

Yumi meanwhile had made a beeline for Shu, seeing as he was the only one not moving or conscious for that matter. Her concern for Viral was evident too in her stare in his direction, but with Vegeta tending to him he should be okay. She tried to take him from the alien's arms, but he shook his head and kept a secure grip on him. Recognizing it to be the general Garesh she sighed, reluctant to leave Shu be but knowing he was in good hands. What in the world had happened to them? Viral had a huge hole in him, Takeshi was still imbedded with knives and Shu's head and neck were wrapped up to the point of concealment. Tentatively she reached out once more, just taking one of his hands in hers and giving it a gentle squeeze. "Shu...? Shu can you hear me? It's Yumi... Please wake up." If he was out completely then it was going to be a moot effort in trying to rouse him. Seeing someone you considered to be a baby brother almost be this badly hurt though really got to you, and Yumi was on the verge of tears hoping he'd come around. "Come on Shu... Say something..."

Shu and Viral were getting attention, as they should be. Aside from passing glances Takeshi was by large left on his own, again as he felt it should be. Save for the passing glances he was getting he was simply kept in T'charrl's grasp, doing naught but keeping a firm clasp on his one open wound. Hearing Vegeta becoming unnerved and Yumi nearly break down twisted the knife so to speak. He already blamed himself for what happened to them, and seeing his friend's react to his mistake only served to add fuel to the flames. Sighing somberly he looked away from them, down to himself and the knives in him. He might try to pull them out himself, but by doing so he'd reopen wounds. With care for the others being more on his mind than his own he didn't want to make anyone have to step away to see to his idiocy. Instead he looked right up at T'charrl, managing a weak smile. "Thanks... For patching Shu up. I appreciate it."

Black Butler, Untold (Vena Sera x SilverRain)

"Lustful...?" Ciel had figured that already, and the fact that Sebastian now confirmed it made him shudder. Why did he have to be the focus of a second-rate tailor of all people? If he was going to get into some sort of relationship it should be with a woman of his age, likely one of high standing and wealth. Instead he was being pursued by a former circus attraction who somehow got a job as a tailor's apprentice. Shaking his head the earl lifted his fork, beginning to pick away at his breakfast. He found himself wishing he was successful in his revenge already, then he'd not have to deal with this... Nonsense. "Good, see to it that you do. She had best have a very good explanation as to why I was sexually harassed by her apprentice." There were some serious discipline issues if Alex thought that kind of behavior was acceptable. And to suggest that Ciel had enjoyed it... The nerve of him. "I sincerely hope that for her sake she has a good explanation for this."

It wasn't until late in the afternoon that Ms. Baker would finally reach the Phantomhive estate. She must have traveled from somewhere a bit distant to take so long to reach the place, as Ciel knew the route from her store well, it was an hour or two by carriage at most. Rather than being brought to him no less it was Ciel who was taken to meet her in the guest room. Already not thrilled with the apprentice this minor annoyance bugged him more than it should have, and by the time he got upstairs his mood was rather sodden. Even a woman of her age, despite having seniority by a great deal bowed to the young earl, as was customary. All he could do in turn was give a curt nod of his head, trying his utmost not to say anything right off the bat. There was quite a lot to discuss, but simply delving into it and shouting his problems at the elderly woman was much too unbecoming of him.

"Yes well... Alex's behavior has demanded the meeting, I'm afraid." Ciel replied, taking a seat in the armchair in the room. Crossing one leg over the other he folded his hands across his lap, looking at the tailor sternly. "I appreciate your service and would recommend you to some of my associates without second thought. Your work, while not very renowned is every bit as good as the more prominent tailors. With that being said..." Taking a pause he lowered his leg, resting his elbows on his knees as he leaned forward. "With that being said... Your apprentice's behavior this morning was absolutely unacceptable. I will not go into details about what happened, but know that he was very close to being forcefully removed from my estate by Sebastian. Were he his own employer I'd simply cut off my business with him then and there. However... Because he is under your employ, his behavior in turn reflects on you. While normally I am pleased to use your service, today was a serious stain on your reputation." Ciel smiled slightly at Ms. Baker, lifting his head as he gave her a curious stare. "I do hope you've something to say for your apprentice's behavior. I will not do business with someone who cannot keep their employees in line."

Until the End (Scout and Vena Sera)

Ren wasn't too sure what to make of what they had just learned. They had been having a happy enough conversation enough a moment ago just to be abruptly shifted to the city and told their grim fates. Like the other players he was having a difficult time believing it, thinking it was just a joke. There was no way someone would do this, he reasoned, it had to be a prank. Why then had they been changed into their 'real' selves? When he looked down into the mirror at hand Ren couldn't believe it, seeing his boyish face looking right back at him. So he was really in the game now, or as close to being so as one could. What was going to become of them if they were trapped? Moreover, what would happen should their gear be removed? They just might live if they could somehow scrape through the game, but how pointless was that effort if their equipment were to be removed and they die that way? In a split second it felt as though the world around them was crumbling, and this game was now the absolute worst thing to happen to them. Struggling with the numbness that overtook his body he looked around himself, seeing the panic that was setting in over the rest of the community. It was a normal reaction, so why couldn't he do that? There wasn't the same panic in him, only a dull numbness one might describe as hopelessness. If they were trapped in this game and essentially sentenced to die why go on?

Falling into a pit of despair Ren was readying himself for a moot and miserable existence. If not for a familiar voice calling his name then he would have just sat there and let what come may. Looking at Komada sadly as she sought solace in him. What words could he possibly offer to console her over something like this? Who was he to be able to console anyone right now? Her friend, he supposed, perhaps the only one in here with her. Possibly the only person she knew at all in the entire game, and the one person she could turn to. Still, without anything really good to say at the moment all Ren could do was put an arm around her, pulling his friend to his chest in a hug. It might be hell now, but as long as they stayed together then they should be okay. Strength in numbers, right? "Come on, we should get going," he muttered, voice devoid of really any emotion.Taking his arm back he sighed, turning himself and beginning to walk through the crowd. Realistically he was now faced with a nasty dilemma, namely that they now needed to clear the entire game just to survive. The chances of their being the ones to do so were incredibly slim, but if it meant getting Komada out then he'd do his best.

The big question now was where in the world were they supposed to go? By what they had been told they had to ascend the floors to be free, but that was a tall order to fill. Running out to try it now was only going to get them killed too, so that was no good. For now their only real option was to just find a place to sit down and get their thoughts together. Looking over his shoulder to make certain Komada was following he reached back, snatching up her hand wordlessly. With everyone around them in hysterics he wasn't going to get separated from her, not when she needed him... And him her. "We're going to be all right... We're going to make it through this." It was almost mechanical the way he spoke, but he was trying his best to keep her calm. Smiling faintly he kept going, trying to think of some topic to get her in better spirits. "Kind of glad those ears are gone... They looked silly on you. What were you thinking getting those?" he teased, trying to get her mind off this even if for a moment.

Far From Home

For very little reason Kenshin decided to have an episode right then and there. In reality it was probably a stress that they were all feeling, Suto knew he was. The rest of them however looked to be fairing far better than their friend was. Sympathizing then with his concerns Suto opened his mouth to speak, instead being cut off by Fitch. Their style in calming someone down showed itself when Fitch figured it best to punch Kenshin to 'knock some sense' into him. Cringing at the blow Suto shook his head, chuckling uneasily under his breath. "Jeez Fitch... Was that really necessary?" Rather quickly the conversation between the two boys escalated, or exploded might be a better word for it. In a surprising fit of anger Fitch was giving the more timid boy a proper chewing out, perhaps taking things a touch too far with his rebuttal. There was concern he might strike Kenshin again if not for Yari pulling him back much to Suto's relief. Hoping not to step on any toes he then walked over to Kenshin's side, putting a hand on his shoulder and offering a kind smile. "Seriously though, no reason to freak out dude. We're all together most of the time, and we've got each others backs. No one is going to die while we're like this, I can promise you that much." Simplistic as it might be he hoped that his few words did some good in calming Kenshin's nerves. In an abstract way it was Suto's own nerves too that were settled, taking solace in strength in numbers. They were all capable and all also had weaknesses, and it was in their group they were the most likely to survive. As the topic changed Suto looked to Fitch, flashing a grin at his friend. "Oh right, because you've done that so many times before," he teased back, putting his hands on his hips. "Come on Fitch, the only one you're kidding is yourself. But hey, it's cool. You two work well together, we won't ruin that."

"As much as I can't believe I'm saying this, he's right. You two are a good team, it'd only hurt us overall if we made you change partners." Therein lied a problem in of itself though. Luna wasn't too proud to admit that, while she had some skill she was certainly far from the best. That honor she figured went to Fitch and Yari respectively. In a manner of speaking they were the 'A' team, and she, Suto and Kenshin the 'B' team. How ironic that while she was reluctant to be a partner to Suto she should fall in the same category of him. Not without heart she looked over to Kenshin, smiling gently. "And the others are right too, nothing is going to happen as long as we stick together. We all make up for the others faults, and in turn make a great team." In the same mentality with Fitch she was sincerely determined to prevent the demise of any of her friends, even if she didn't show it. In some regards it was the group around her that helped her retain some sense of sanity in all of this chaos. Now that they were done with that little outburst it was finally time to get back to the matter at hand; training. "I thought you'd never ask..." Luna mused, smiling as she withdrew a few throwing knives. "It's not a worthwhile session if we don't improve at least a little."

Training was rather par for the course, nothing of significance really to mention. Loot and money aside the group would return to Caldwell much in the same state as they had left, though with one or two levels higher. Some would likely go off to the nearest store to sell what they didn't need to bring in a little extra cash, while others were bound to go relax. In the safe zones it was much more common for them all to split up, as there was no express reason to be quite as cautious. Taking the same route out of the jungle they found themselves crossing the field once more, making their way back to the city. Suto bore a wide grin as he walked, scrolling through his inventory and taking in his now slightly more impressive wallet. There was a fair bit he could do with that, and though common sense told him to save it for gear he was inkling to have a little fun. It was how nearly every excursion ended up for him; fight monsters and get loot, return to town to sell said loot, and spend upwards of 90% of his earned Col on nonsensical fun. Being so early in the game and for the most part surrounded by reliable friends there was little reason, he mused, to worry so much about what he wore and carried into combat. Chuckling happily to himself he materialized a satchel of Col, tossing it up and catching it in an open palm. "Oh man, what should I buy? Food? Some drinks? Maybe I'll find a bard and do some dancing!"

Conversely, Luna was meticulously planning out precisely what she'd use her money for. Her gear was acceptable for now, but there was always room to improve. A quick look at her funds and a little metal math told her she was shy of any real big pieces of gear, save for perhaps some new gloves or boots. If they had good bonuses though then it would be a worthwhile investment. In addition she made a mental note to set aside at least 100 Col for food, and hopefully then she would have enough for the room at the inn as well. "How about a new dagger Suto?" she suggested, closing her own menu. "Honestly, you've had that for a while, purchasing a new one might be a good idea. Or some new clothes, if you can afford it. I can't imagine a basic Gi uniform is very effective armor." What was the point of suggesting anything when they all knew Suto was going to indulge in his games rather than take things seriously. Giving an exasperated roll of her eyes Luna looked on ahead and kept walking, lifting a hand to brush some hair out of her eyes and behind her ear. "Or at least save it... You might need it."

Black Butler, Untold (Vena Sera x SilverRain)

All right :D As a fair notice I've got class and work tomorrow, so if I do squeeze a reply in it may not come until roughly this time, ie nearly 1:00 AM here.

Dragon Ball: Legacy (Mogtaki and Vena Sera)

"My son is right, don't you dare talk like that. It's accepting defeat." Eslaria chastised gently, standing up herself. "You have more honor by not succumbing to your wound, friend. A coward dies when struck down, a true warrior continues to fight because they refuse death. The fact you're still with us is a testament to your strength and worth as a warrior, and never forget that." How odd that he would be so defeatist. Unfamiliar with the situation surrounding Viral she almost would say that he was overplaying his wound. Grievous as it may be if they covered it now there was a distinct possibility of saving him. The man's anatomy was a mystery to her, but she could assume it had missed all major organs, considering he was still alive. "Keep talking, you must remain awake. We will get you all home, don't you worry." T'charrl readily agreed to it, and Takeshi reaffirmed the idea with his request. They'd be taking him as well, as the stipulation of leaving no ally behind fell to him as well. While admirable that her son wished to help the Queen wasn't certain who he could carry. Both Shu and the man were in critical, leaving only Takeshi. Looking to the Saiyan she wondered how heavy he might be, also taking into account the injuries he had sustained. "My son can carry you, Takeshi, if you'll allow him. Will you be okay to fly?"

Takeshi lamented a moment longer as he watched Viral, the Beastman's lack of hope reflecting on his self blame. He'd been improving and now this had to happen, which probably had erased all progress. What would the others say when they found out what happened to Shu and Viral because of him? Already he could imagine being cursed and yelled at, possibly even made distant from them as a result. Having a heavy heart he looked up at the Queen when spoken to, nodding his head slowly. "This isn't going to kill me..." he mumbled, referring to his wounds. Looking down at the knives again he debated on removing them then and there, wanting to be rid of it. Knowing the bleeding would start once more and there were limited medical supplies however he opted against it, keeping his hands both on the ground and over his shoulder wound. "I can direct you where to go, if you take me." Takeshi explained to T'charrl. "Just be careful, yeah? We've got a place on the edge of town... But they might be there too. I don't want anyone else getting hurt if it can be helped..."

"Admirable, but you don't need to worry about us." Eslaria responded, smiling. "The three of us have been doing this longer than you've been alive, and T'charrl is no pushover. There is a reason after all we hold the ranks that we do. It is not like people in the city who buy their prestige, ours is earned in blood and battle." Proud as that fact may be once this matter was over it would have ultimately very little significance. Merit would still influence who held a position of power, sure, but a lot of it too would be based on popular choice as well. Eslaria removed both of her swords once more, holding them fairly loosely as she turned to her husband. "Take Shu, Garesh, and be gentle. Support his head with your arm and fly slowly, you don't want to jostle him. And you Katas..." she paused, looking over at the captain. "Take their friend. I'll fly behind you all and keep an eye out for anyone else, are we understood?"

"Of course dear." Taking his duty very seriously Garesh walked to the fallen boy, looking at him sadly. He'd seemed like such a cheerful and bright child, perfect for his son to befriend. Now seeing him like this was depressing. "You poor boy..." he sighed, shaking his head. Kneeling down the Kaesstrian carefully slid one arm under the monkey boy's head first, another under his upper torso. The third went to his waist, and the final supported his legs to keep his entire form as straight and supported as possible. Stretching out his wings he looked to the others, waiting for the cue to move along.

Katas nodded his head, smiling politely as he approached Viral. "But of course, Your Majesty. I'll be as gentle as a I would with a newborn." With a severe wound and size rivaling his own the Kaesstrian had his work cut out for him, trying to think of a suitable way to move the Beastman. Eventually he took an approach similar to Garesh's once his wounds had been temporarily covered by the prince, cradling his passenger to his chest in spite of being soaked in blood. "If I may be so bold, I agree with our Queen. I recognize a great warrior when I see one, and you fit the bill," Katas said, chuckling cheerfully. "When you are back to full health you must come back here with the others! I would be delighted to fight you and see just what it is you're capable of!"

Dragon Ball: Legacy (Mogtaki and Vena Sera)

Eslaria was grateful that fight had gone as well as it did. If she had to be frank she'd expected a fair bit more difficulty considering who they were up against, though it seemed all the talk behind the general's elite forces was just that. It would have been nice if they hadn't had to take so many lives today, it was a shame when someone on either side of this war had to pay the ultimate price. Then again these men were likely amongst the most unwaveringly loyal to their cause, any chance of talking it out would have been moot. No longer being attacked it was finally time to assess what had happened, and see to their fallen heroes. It astonished the Queen that they'd been taken down so brutally, being vaguely familiar with the strength of Saiyans by what she had heard. It certainly had to have been an ambush to do this much damage, the damned cowards. Eslaria glanced at Takeshi for a moment, essentially the only one still coherent and conscious at this point, though even that seemed questionable as medicine began to work its magic. Dishearteningly Shu looked to be out cold, goodness knows what damage had been caused to put him in that situation. Lastly there was the curious man with them, someone she hadn't seen before. In his brief exchange T'charrl had been frightened by a sudden lashing out, retreating instead to his friend's aid. The man looked to be running on instinct, probably not quite all there from bloodloss.

Against her son's warning the Queen approached Viral, going so far as to check his wound as he lay there. Unlike when T'charrl checked him he did not lash out at her, though in a hazy state he did question her. "I'm saying you're brave, and you have my admiration." Eslaria explained, smiling gently. There were times to be hard, as she normally was, and then there were times for sympathy; this was one of such times. A man as wounded as this had still tried to help his friend, clearly having dragged himself through the dirt towards Shu. That garnered a great deal of respect and deserved recognition. "I am Eslaria, I'm the queen of Kaesstria. Or rather, my sect of it. The men behind me are my husband, Garesh, and our captain Katas. And this..." she paused, reaching over to put an arm around T'charrl to pull him close. "Is my son, Prince T'charrl. We're friends of Shu and Takeshi." By association, she hoped, they were allied with this man as well. She couldn't feel any energy like her son, but there was enough power from Viral's presence alone to recognize he was a strong warrior. Fierce too, judging by how easily he'd frightened the prince. Eying the hasty bandages wrapped around Viral's waist the Queen released her son, looking at the Beastman carefully. "Will you allow us to treat your wound? We can clean it and bandage it. I'll be fair to warn you though, it'll sting."

"Katas...? Help me over there will you?" Takeshi asked, looking up to the man. He'd wanted help walking really, and being picked up and cradled instead made him flush indignantly. Not quite in the state to protest he let himself be moved over, gesturing groggily to be set down with his friend and brother. It felt a little better to be on the ground, and whatever T'charrl had given him had made the wounds stop bleeding quite so bad. There was still the matter of five knives sticking out of him like a pin cushion. Once removed, he reflected grimly, he was liable to bleed again. Gritting his teeth slightly as he fought to sit up he looked over at Shu's still unmoving form, feeling a lump forming in his throat. He was alive, that much was apparent, but what damage had been done to him? Feeling tears prickling at his eyes the Saiyan turned his head away, instead facing Viral somberly. "Thank you Viral... For trying to help him..." he whispered, sniffling slightly. He'd been such an idiot, not paying attention. That ambush should have been obvious, and why had he stepped again after setting off a trap? At the moment it felt like this outcome was his fault. They all may be alive, but they were most certainly worse for wear. "Seriously... Thanks." He may not have made it to Shu, but as far as Takeshi was concerned the effort to do so was just as valuable. It might embarrass or annoy the Beastman to hear it, but right now the boy was indebted to him. "T'charrl...? When you're done with that... Can we get these two home? I need to get to the general... He's going to pay for this."

Dragon Ball: Legacy (Mogtaki and Vena Sera)

Adamant about waiting to be helped Takeshi all but refused what T'charrl tried to give to him. "Them first... Ah... I can wait." Takeshi hissed, becoming frustrated with the young alien. Eventually T'charrl relented and agreed to the request, albeit leaving a small vial with the Saiyan. It was a painkiller, according to the Kaesstrian, which was admittedly rather welcome news. Opening the bottle he graciously gulped its entire contents down, grimacing as he finished it and dropped the empty container aside. It tasted absolutely foul, which as far as medicine was concerned that meant it worked very well. Making use of his one unaffected arm Takeshi pushed himself into a sitting position, trying his best to battle against the poison that was in his system. It didn't feel lethal as far as he could tell, his pulse wasn't racing. If anything it was a toxin that paralyzed, as his body was terribly sluggish now. With a minimal loss of blood from the wound he wasn't liable to pass out due to that, and the pain being numbed put him in a fair situation compared to the others. To his relief the Prince was seeing to Shu now, presumably having gone to Viral already. The Beastman looked to be passed out, but he was breathing and the blood pool beneath him didn't appear to be growing in size. Hopefully that meant he was beginning to heal and hadn't bled out or passed out as a result. Finding solace in the others being helped Takeshi looked to the fight going on still, watching the adults quickly take charge of the situation. For a relatively weak race, he mused, they were damn good warriors.

The number of offending soldiers was quickly dwindling under the assault of Eslaria, Garesh and Katas. It was expected that the two royalty could battle well, and their prowess shocked no one. Seeing Katas nimbly battling well trained soldiers and bringing down a few on his own was something else entirely though. The eccentric spy seemed to be a little more than just a false businessman, that was for sure. Still using range to his advantage Katas was constantly on the move, refusing to get close as his current weapons made him rather poor at doing so. He was fast to be sure, but the soldiers were just as much so, keeping pace with him. One thing that the strange man had to his advantage though were his seemingly random movements, as well as how he used his weapons. Dashing about aimlessly to avoid confrontation he narrowly dodged critical injury more than once, losing a few hairs in the process but otherwise coming out unscathed. With a bit of distance between himself and his pursuers the Kaesstrian reached into his coat, pulling out a knife with a small package attacked to it. After biting off a bit the package sparked, showing a small fuse beginning to burn on it. With haste and precision Katas threw it at a distant soldier, watching as it dug into his side. Seeing what was attached the man panicked, hastily trying to remove it to no avail. The small bomb went off, leaving only scraps of clothing and a smoldering black crater where the soldier had been standing.

"Damn it Katas! We said no explosives!" Garesh shouted, quickly getting back to the task at hand. Another man was trying to use brute strength to get at him, being a bit larger and stronger than the general. Wielding the earth equivalent of a mace he was pressing down hard on Garesh's sword, making the alien gradually lose his footing as he was driven back. Trying to use his free arms as a means of breaking free he cursed when his wrists were grabbed, unable to use really any of his four limbs now. Gritting his teeth as he found himself leaning back the general began to brace for taking a hit in order to break free. That scenario didn't come to be thankfully, as now it was his turn to have a knife soar past his head, landing in the eye of the brute of a man. That was more than enough to break free, and once able to move Garesh tackled the other Kaesstrian to the ground, impaling him on his sword quickly to end their struggle. The remaining troops did not last terribly long with momentum on their side. Eslaria was as proficient as ever with her swords, her gash scarcely slowing her down as she defeated two more soldiers on her own. Katas had only one man challenging him in the air by this time, and by using the trees to evade any attacks it was only a matter of time until an opening made itself known, and when it was the soldier was left with several sharp objects in his body, making Takeshi's case look trivial by comparison. Garesh felled the final man with a clean strike through his heart, and in just mere moments the detachment of near a dozen and a half soldiers had been beaten by a group less than a third of their size.

Takeshi sat by soundlessly, watching the battle come to a close with earnest surprise. The last soldier being felled brought about both a sense of relief and dread, the latter because they had just taken nearly two dozen lives. Whether they had been the general's men or not in his mind they had just been following orders, and that was no reason to die. The fact alone he'd personally taken six lives was making him feel worse than whatever foreign substance might be working its way through his body right now. Clamping a hand securely over the wound in his shoulder he grimaced at the feeling of the slick blood between his fingers. In an attempt to be of use he'd taken advantage of the pain killer, yanking free the blade to strike at Garesh's opponent. The painkiller had far from nullified everything, and right now his injury hurt like hell. At Katas' approach he looked up at the Kaesstrian, a clear sense of bewilderment on his face. "How did you know...?" Takeshi asked, utterly dumbfounded. "And since when can you fight...?" After having taken the medicine he was beginning to notice its effects, and not that it was necessarily a painkiller. His body chilled slightly, similar to the feeling one got as your body went numb and blood began to flow through it again. He also felt unusually heavy, nearly falling back as Katas knelt down to support him. "The hell's going on...?"

"Katas can fight because he's Garesh's captain of our armed forces," Eslaria explained matter-of-factly. Shaking excess blood from her blades the Queen slipped them into the sheathes on her hips, looking over at Takeshi slightly amused. "You didn't honestly think I would send a helpless civilian into harm's way, did you? As for how we found you, Katas caught wind of a planned attack. It seems that the general had caught on to your plan early on. Katas' secretary turned out to be loyal to the man." Perhaps the boy wasn't nearly as bright as she had pinned him to be. Or rather he was as every bit as slow as she initially thought. Shaking her head the Queen cut across the now strewn forest floor of bodies, making her way to where T'charrl was tending to Shu. The boy looked to be knocked out, and his injures shockingly had not been fatal despite what damage had been done. "He's going to be fine, T'charrl. You've done a good job," she said gently, trying to ease any nerves he may have at his friend's state. She'd seen plenty in her time to know that if someone could take a hit like Shu had, or sustain these injures and not die from them then chances were they'd pull through. Having seen to her son and his friend she finally went to Viral, not nearly as apprehensive as her son had been. Squatting down before the Beastman she looked him over carefully, taking note of the wound on his stomach. "You're a strong man, to try to save someone with a wound like that..." Eslaria smiled as she reached down, ever so lightly drawing back Viral's shirt to see to the wound. "A warrior like yourself deserves a better death than this, don't you agree? Stay with us, let me see the tenacity of you Earth fighters."

Black Butler, Untold (Vena Sera x SilverRain)

The strangeness of that encounter left Ciel rather uneasy, doing his utmost not to show that however. Alex had been much too friendly just then, certainly more so than a tailor should be to their client. What's more he was another boy, making what looked to be obvious advances on the earl. For what reason then did Ciel not hate the other young man? He felt confused, uneasy and on edge, but angry was not a word he would have used. Bothered rather by his own thoughts he went to the door once Alex had left, secretly glad for Sebastian's presence. "If he's already got my measurements Sebastian then it would be wasteful to not allow him to make my clothes," he stated simply, sighing to himself. "When he does return later though I demand that you are in my presence at the time. He... Is different, and I don't like it." Whatever game Alex may have been playing at it was to stop here and now. If what he thought was going on turned out to be true, as much as he dreaded that possibility, he'd have to stop it before this could get out of had. He'd had enough girls, and yes even some boys try to win their way into his favor. Almost positive that was the case here Ciel looked to Alex with a renewed sense of vindictiveness and skepticism.

"I'm going to have to eat in my nightie... This is ridiculous..." Ciel grumbled, stepping out of his room. How embarrassing, walking around like a child in his pajamas. Hopefully none of the servants saw him in such a strange state, as it was terribly unbecoming of someone of his position to be dressed like this. They likely would not care, but should their loose lips speak word that their master waltzed about in his nightie he'd be the subject of jokes for some time. Taking the familiar route down the corridor and descending the flight of stairs to the common room the earl then went to the dining room. It was as it should be, neat and orderly with a hot meal awaiting him, courtesy of Sebastian. As it always would be, he reflected, smiling smugly as he sat himself in the chair at the head of the table. Crossing one leg over the other Ciel looked at the food before him curiously, his fingers drumming on the hard table top idly. "Something about that boy bothers me, Sebastian..." he said randomly, frowning. "He's too friendly and casual, he acts as though we're friends. As soon as she is available I wish to have Ms. Baker here to speak to her about him. I'd like to know why she employed someone as... Unusual as him."