MsChimeric

Moonfiend

Hi guys I'm really sorry but (if you haven't guessed already by how quiet I've been) I'm going to have to bow out of this :( Thanks for all being wonderful <3 sorry I couldn't keep up with posting!

Moonfiend

Thanks all for your patience, I finally posted :3

On the pokemon question- if it's original 151, then definitely an Electabuzz. If we can go for newer pokemon, then maybe a Ampharos?

Moonfiend

Katrina Meyer

Kat wasn’t paying any attention to her surroundings, or the conversation that occurred after that devastating piece of news: The stone people can be returned to their former selves. That single statement left her mind in such a whirl that when she came to she realised she had sunk to the floor, the adrenaline which had been pushing her forwards suddenly dissipated. Of course, she had no way of proving her siblings had become stone like the others- there was still a myriad of ways in which they could be in trouble. However, she couldn’t help but feel that this was no longer hopeless.

The next thing she noticed when she came to was that Maria was midway through what appeared to be a friendship speech (which felt odd, given that they had known each other only a few hours, but sweet nonetheless) followed by a candy offering to the Queen. The Queen. Suddenly remembering where they were and who was before them, Kat stood up.

“Thank you… Ma’am.” She started, trying to recall what everyone had been discussing whilst she processed the new information. “I won’t lie; I am scared for my brothers and sister. I’d do anything to know they are safe.” Kat paused, thinking through what was best. See it like a mechanism- which pieces need to fall into place. “But if I just go straight to them now, can I protect them? Whilst the Grit ravage the city, seems to me that having stone skin is better than relying on my terrible marksmanship.”

Yes, that was it- they needed to solve the problems in the right order. Skip ahead to the first and you mess everything up. Kat had seen numerous mechanics fail but trying to address the most immediately obvious problem, and ignored the things which led to that in the first place.

“So I will go to the mine if that is where you would have us start to fix this. But can I ask one thing- can you send one of your robots to find my family? I just want to know they are safe.” Kat looked over to Liam. “Maybe she can do that for you, too.”

She gulped. It felt very strange to make demands of the monarch- surely the usual was that the monarch made demands on them?

“There’s just one other thing…” Her mind was still whirring- she was doing the math. “’Soul stones’, those are those little pink things, right? Everyone who got hit with lightning had one floating in front of them. So what happens when a grit absorbs them- can you get them back? Can you make new ones?”

If there was a finite amount, then she would need to start collecting the things as others had- but the thought of doing so made her stomach clench. Would they have to choose who to revive and who to pass over, if there weren’t enough stones?

Moonfiend

I'm so sorry for being v. quiet recently, things have been suddenly very hectic with me. I will write up a post this week :)

Moonfiend

Katrina Meyer

It was like she was watching a play at a great distance- the sounds were tinny, the claws and teeth of the grit charging through the door seemed far-away and fake, poor special effects from a low quality movie.

"C'mon, twerps, let's go!" the robot hollered in a very human voice. A rune was etched into its chest -- this robot was enchanted. "Is this everyone? Move it! Comin' through! Go down, go down down down! I'll take this guy, run faster!"

Lurched back into the present, Kat continued her descent down the stairs, looking behind her to make sure everyone was following. She'd barely had time to get a look at the robot but had picked up the sigil, and recognised the make as a high-quality royal servant. It was unlikely to last long against the oncoming grit, but it stood a hell of a lot of a better chance than any of them.

The robot shouted some directions at Vincent, who had just caught up with her as they fled down the stairs. She hadn't really seen much of the oncoming grit and battle upstairs, but looking up noted a hazy smoke which seemed to be flowing not up but out of the landing and back towards the hall.

He looked over at Kat, who he had just caught up with. "I'm with you."

@drewccapp

Hearing Vincent's words, Kat turned back towards him. She found herself smirking, without really having thought about it.

"Glad to hear it. Try to keep up!"

She increased her speed- half running, half sliding down the stairs, flinging herself round the banister as they rounded corners.

< "There should be a teleport sigil waiting for you on the other side of the armory," > the queen's voice said through the robot head in Kat's arms. < "It'll bring you directly to the palace." >

"Got it." Kat barked, and moments later they burst through the door into the armoury to see, for what felt like the first time in hours, an outer landing and beyond it, Periphery.

One step closer to finding you. Kat thought as she stopped, trying to catch her breath, reaching into her jacket pocket and squeezing her Tech-Specs. Please be safe.

There wasn't much time for rest- the royal guard bot had been pretty clear that they didn't have time to waste. Looking around, Kat disregarded the body armour pretty quickly- it was only going to weigh her down, and her bag with all the miscellaneous implants was already getting quite heavy- and went to the weapons rack. She wasn't much of a shot, but noticed that the rifle models had what looked assisted aiming modules installed. It was probably only going to upgrade her from an appalling shot to a poor one, but those were still odds she was willing to take. Grabbing a laser rifle off the shelf, she slung it over her back along with an extra battery pack which she stuffed into her bag.

Vincent was by the teleportation sigil, examining it and the city beyond. Stepping out beside him, Kat took in the damage that had been done. The city itself was eerily silent, with only the resounding crashes of the Grit's assault on the wall as background noise. The sky was split half night, half day- something out of a nightmare, something that made Kat's stomach clench into worried knots.

You could almost convince yourself everyone was sleeping. She mused. Except for the knowledge that Periphery never sleeps.

Vincent turned to her. "Everyone else go first, I'll make sure that the sigil stays operating."

Kat looked at him sideways, biting back the obvious question- she'd used teleportation sigils before, and as far as she was aware they didn't tend to be that unstable. Then again, magic was hardly her area of expertise. She'd noticed Vincent seemed to be reacting to this in a way completely alien to her own reaction- not that that was a reason to distrust him, he'd been nothing but helpful to the rest of them. However, it was undoubtable that something was going on with him that she had failed to understand, maybe couldn't understand. It was a sad thought, and made her feel suddenly quite alone.

"Ah, you're giving me a head start then? Well, thanks for that."

She started towards the portal but before going through hesitated and looked over her shoulder back at Vincent. She was still holding onto the robot head, but it was rapidly losing power and unlikely to last much longer. Part of her wanted to leave it on this side in case Vincent needed to get in contact with them. However, given his discussion with the Queen earlier it was unlikely he would use it.

"Make sure you stay safe, Vincent. I'll see you later."

Giving Moth an encouraging smile, Kat stepped through into the liquid metal of the portal.

Moonfiend

Guys, I am so sorry I wasn't able to post last weekend... I'm free on saturday so will definitely write up a post tomorrow!

Moonfiend

Sorry, I intend to put up a post either tomorrow or this weekend! :)

Moonfiend

Hi all- apologies for not having posted, work's been pretty intense lately and I wasn't sure what I could add. Kat was already heading down the stairs so I guess she'll keep doing that!

Moonfiend

Katrina Meyer

Meanwhile, Kat was rushing down the stairs with Vincent not far behind, a robot-head heavy in his arms.

< Oh, it's such a relief to hear a human voice, > the queen's voice said through a speaker in the robot head. < I hear a commotion, are you under attack? What sector of the Wall are you in? I can send you an escort. >

The boy glanced over to where Kat and Vincent approached; alarmed, he flung the coat over Maria's head and shoved her into Flor. While they were occupied he launched himself at Liam, throwing him to the ground, and bounded through a door into the next room -- beyond which was the outside of the wall, where the masses of Grit were howling.

@Mokley

The first thing that struck Kat was how human the Grit seemed, especially compared to the ones that had attacked them on the wall. So human did the Grit seem that the fight at the base of this section of the staircase appeared almost comical; a kid going up against a group of adults. However, the strength of the boy (and here, again, she couldn’t help but think of the Grit as a boy, he reminded her a little of one of her brothers when they were children) was clearly something extra-ordinary. Not to mention whatever magic he had performed earlier. Kat didn’t really trust magic much at the best of times. Magic was something she felt refused to play by the rules her machines understood; hence why the runes she had tattooed on her person were so basic.
Such thoughts were immediately thrust out of her mind, however, when the boy charged towards the exit to the outside of the wall, and the howling Grit beyond. Almost in response to that howl, Kat swore loudly and profusely.

We need to get out of here!

Vincent opened his mouth to respond, but the Grit came to a locked door it let loose another howl which the others outside responded to. That thing was an enemy, but was the Queen actually a friend? He didn't trust her especially since this particular incident. "How exactly do you expect to protect us with most of the city's population turned to stone and the city overrun with the very enemy you strove so hard to keep out? Can you afford to spare the men to escort us from the Wall to wherever you are? I bet this entire incident is your fault anyways."
…
He put the robot head on the floor and glanced over towards where the Grit went. "Better not chase after a cornered animal." He then looked back at Moth and prepared to write his Sigil over the wound with the stylus that Father made him.

@drewccapp

Although Vincent being so frank to the Queen was quite entertaining it was perhaps, felt Kat, not a great way to convince someone to help you. Especially given that they seemed likely to be overrun by Grit at any second. After Vincent put the head down, Kat walked over and picked it back up.

“Erm, your majesty, if you can help us then any help you can give in the next five minutes or so would be very much appreciated! Out location is…”

From her jacket she pulled out her tech-specs and switched them to GPS mode. Looking at their co-ordinates, she read their location out to the robot head (thinking of it as talking to a robot head was a lot less nervewracking than accepting she was talking to the queen).

Having finished, she folded her tech-specs and put them back in her jacket, turning to the others.

He turned around and looked through the door to the cafeteria. He saw the boy struggling with the lock to a door that led outside. The other side of the door showed the outlines of many more Grit. Their shadows being cast through the distorted glass in the door. Flor decided that area was better off closed and he began to shut the doors.

When he finished he returned to Maria. "Are you ok? We may need to start moving much faster than we are. It looks like the Grit may be catching up to us."

@rechonq

“I’m doubt that’s a may.” Kat stated, frowning. “We need to get out of here right now. Those stars-” She pointed over at the stairs leaning downwards, “-seem like the only way.”

She looked over at Vincent, who held a collapsed Moth in his arms. “Can you carry him? Say if he gets too heavy, we’ll take turns till he wakes up.”

With the robot head in her arms, Kat started heading towards the stairs.

“Let’s go!”

Moonfiend

Happy birthday Mokley! :D I'm halfway through a post at the moment, probably won't have a chance to post it up before Friday though!