the kingdom of the night

[Helbaworshipper]

"It would be an honor to continue it." She spoke, beginning to walk again beside Vlad.

----

Mary cleaned a gun slowly with one hand. It was a gun she didn't use, but saw the use in owning despite that. To keep a gun oiled meant you could fire it, but for her it was keeping a memory alive. She waited like all good hunters did. If there were any missions to take, she'd wait for herself to be a suitable candidate.

[GamerKale]

Xander's report and debriefing only took about a minute, being able to simply transpose the important events into another's mind helped expedite matters. He picked up a couple of apples and sat down beside Mary. "Donnely, I'm told you still haven't been talking to people much. Personally I couldn't care less, but people are concerned that if it comes down to it you won't be a good team player. So, would you like to do this with a couch or do you want to just take the peace offering, we sit here saying nothing to each other for a few minutes, and I go tell my superiors you and I had a heart to heart?" He set one of the apples between them and began cutting into his with a metal knife.

[Helbaworshipper]

The image came into her mind. Seeing and being told not to speak of the thing she saw. She looked towards the apples, grasping a dagger she used just in case her guns didn't work. It was usually used for blood to summon a shikigami. She began to cut into it, closing her eyes as she began shaping a piece into a little lady bug. It had been one of her favorite insects. "I promised." She spoke, placing one down and beginning to work on another. "This is the only way I can. To honor his memory." She opened her eyes again, continuing to shape the apple ladybugs. She could talk softly when it was necessary, but she refused to talk about the incident with her family, even in a soft voice. A small smile appeared on her face as he shaped them.

[GamerKale]

He replied neutrally, "I see." Which he actually had. Even Xander knew some things were supposed to be kept personal and private, this was one of those things the IA simply didn't need to know, so he would keep it out of his report. "The ability and determination to keep a promise is a very important thing. Seems you are doing pretty well all things considered." He put a slice in his mouth and tried to carve a bunny, but carving wasn't one of his talents so it came out to be little more than an oddly shaped apple. "Not quite the bushy tailed creation I was going for." He set the apple "bunny" on his lap and cut himself another apple slice as a glowing blue orb appeared in front of him, as he tried to carve another rabbit it too was carved until it looked like a proper rabbit that hopped around in front of him. The apple rabbit was less impressive. "They should look the same. What did I do wrong?" He ate another slice contemplatively.

[Zorolo]

Name: Zorlo
Age: 19
Race: Human (technically. In reality, he's a bit more complex)
Side: Unknown
Class: Spirit Walker
Weapon: Ouroboros: A snake-like chain that is bound to Zorlo's soul. Normally, this weapon is fused to Zorlo's spirit, granting him the power of a spirit walker (the power to switch between the material and astral planes). Zorlo can, by clapping his hands together, summon this chain to himself. The chain is sentient and speaks to Zorlo when it is materialized and mentally speaks to him when it is bound to his spirit. The chain's head can bite and its tail acts as a knife blade. The chain has a maximum length of thirty feet and is, supposedly, unbreakable.

Sword form Ouroboros: Ouroboros can be transformed into a sword with a lightning bolt shaped blade. This sword possesses limited power over lightning, but only when it is swung. The snake head acts as a pommel and can still speak. This is Zorlo's more skilled, but less versatile, weapon.

Abilities: Spirit Walker: Zorlo possesses the power, when fused with OUroboros, to shift into the astral plane where he cannot be damaged by physical and magical attacks that affect the material realm. Although this power makes him immune to damage, he cannot inflict damage upon people in this form, and he cannot use this power when he is fighting.

Ouroboros Summoning: Zorlo possesses the power to summon Ouroboros at pretty much will, but this forces Zorlo into his physical form.

Lightning Force: Ouroboros' sword form gives Zorlo limited electrical magic. Mostly lightning bolts and balls of thunder thrown from the sword.

Appearance:

Bio: A man bound to the legendary serpent-chain Ouroboros. As such, he lacks too much of his own will. As of now, he and the serpent have been brought under the service of scientists who have created a humanoid battle android in order to keep an eye and report on her. As such, Zorlo is meant to avoid combat unless it is unavoidable.

[Helbaworshipper]

Mary took another slice, eating one of the apple Ladybug things she made. She began to move the dagger so that Xander could see the trick to making the apple bunny. She put the slice down and began to focus on putting the gun together again. She began to load the gun with bullets that had been left in the gun when she found it.

[GamerKale]

"Ah, so that's how it's supposed to be done." His next creation was at least recognizable as a rabbit. "Thanks Donnely. See you around." The bunny wagged an ear goodbye as he walked off before it decomposed. Xander finished his apple on his way back to report on Mary, taking the usual precautions.

[nekoryuuha]

"R-Blade!" Sparks flew as the young woman danced back and forth, tirelessly defended herself from the flashing, steel-like claws the pair of feral demons that had jumped her, thinking Yukari to be an easy meal. She wasn't either one. Indeed, even their minds were beginning to realize just this when she parried and slipped aside with inhuman speed, causing the two to slam together as she spun back. "Changing..." Light covered her sword and vanished it as she activated her S.A.S., coming around to point twin Handguns at the two. "Commencing." And she unloaded, the powerful bullets tearing through the Demon's skulls with ease to kill and Banish them. "Confirmed... Targets are summoned Familiars, Master is unknown. Continuing mission," she said to herself as she vanished her F*GSHOT and started walking. She paused and looked left, as her sensors scanned over an empty area near her. After a few moments of no answers, she simply ignored it as a possible sensor error. She made a note to have her Maintenance Bed check her over for malfunctions later as she continued through the forest toward a nearby town.

[Zorolo]

"Ay, ay, ay! That was close!" Zorlo said with a sigh as he looked at the battle robot. "STill, I can't believe a pretty girl like that is something like a battle android. It just doesn't seem to make sense," Zorlo said as he scratched the back of his head.

Remember it, human, because if you're not careful, those guns will turn on you, the serpent hissed in the back of his mind.

"Ay, ay, ay, I know. Don't be so worried. Plus, she won't attack me, I'm a human. Anyway, you know the orders. We just observe until the time comes when we need to help her out. I doubt she'll need it, but a little backup is never a bad idea.

So long as you don't forget our duty in this mission, it will be all right. Our fate is now chained not only together, but to this girl as well.

"I know, I know," Zorlo said as he rubbed the back of his head and continued on behind the female android. "Still, I can't believe our orders are to make sure she kills vampires. It seems so pointless. Why are we doing this again?" Zorlo whined in annoyance.

**** you, that's who, the snake responded as Zorlo sighed again. This was going to be another one of those annoying situations where, because Ouroboros and Zorlo hated having to be together, they would need to deal with that and these vampires and humans that would get in the way.

[nekoryuuha]

Though she walked on without slowing or stopping, it took a bit of time for her to reach the small city that was her destination for the moment. It really wasn't so much a need for supplies, but just a relatively 'safe' place to pause for routine maintenance and to check for orders. She never got any and it was unlikely to happen, but it was something she was programmed to do anyway. It was a bit busy in the streets as she walked, her sensors working to I.D. the race of everyone there, just in case a Vampire walked hidden amongst the people. It had happened two towns ago, but It had been a 'Newborn' Vampire, not yet accustomed to their abilities, and the fight resulted in minimal damage, both to the surroundings and to Yukari.

A sudden, minute shift in the people around her made Yukari focus toward a Human finishing off an Apple as he moved swiftly to his destination. She wouldn't have really noted it if the crowd hadn't subtly shifted to let him move along his path unhindered and closed behind him. It was something only a computer would probably have noticed and so Yukari followed him, her sensors scanning him over completely as she set a note on him.

Code: Select all

Target: Human {Male}
Age: late 20's
Potential threat level: unknown
Notes: Appears capable of Unnoticed movement.
Status: Tracking...

[GamerKale]

It wasn't until he noticed that Yukari seemed to be following him did Xander actively try to reach out and touch her mind, the act didn't slow him at least it didn't until he noticed the lack of a mind to touch. He ducked into a clothing store and used a mirror to look at her while he tried on several pairs of sunglasses. It was rare for there to be someone who could hide their mental presence from him and whenever he put effort into it he had always been able to locate it, especially when he knew exactly where they were. And it wasn't that she was shielding herself from him, there simply wasn't anything there. He tapped into nearby minds and borrowed their senses to confirm that he wasn't hallucinating. Who was this woman?

Xander settled on a pair of blue sunglasses with rhinestones and exited the store. She had to be following him for a reason, and he wanted to know what it was. If she was a fellow psion others would just become liabilities so he encouraged everyone in a restaurant a couple of blocks over to leave, went there and held open the door waiting for her. He shouted at her, "You coming in or what?" Xander blocked his voice from the minds of everybody else and waited for Yukari's response.

[nekoryuuha]

Yukari really wasn't doing a great job of following the Psion unnoticed. Though she's never lose sight of him, some of her 'stiff' mannerisms drew attention to herself and by the time Xander had left the store, Yukari was 73.4% sure that Xander has probably noticed her. When he called out to her, and nobody else so much as glanced toward him, it jumped to 100%.

Code: Select all

Addition: Now meeting with target. 
Side note: Gross Lack of efficiency detected while tracking. Major updates to urban tracking protocols required.

She met his gaze and nodded as she dropped her meager pretense of stealth and moved directly toward him, pause to seeming look him over before entering and turning to wait for him at bit of a distance in case the empty restaurant was a trap for her. "I would like to ask. 'Who are you?' " she asked him rather flatly.

[GamerKale]

So she doesn't know who I am, then why was I being followed, more importantly how? "That's rather rude. It's common courtesy to introduce yourself first." He sighed quietly to himself, "Although I suppose I'm not really one to talk about that." Xander shrugged, "My name is Xander. Come on, you've followed me this long why not a little farther?"

He cleared a table and pulled a seat out for her, "Feel free to help yourself to anything. I'm afraid I sent all of the employees away so it's all self service." Xander poured himself some water and sat down."Now you know who I am, but who and more importantly what are you?"

[nekoryuuha]

Yukari merely watched and listened to Xander at first, applying a name and face to her 'target'. She was learning more and more as she listened and such to Xander. "Understood," she replied before taking a set across the table from him. "I am Yukari, prototype Battle Android. Model: 'T.A.V.B.A.-KPXX'. Purpose: The engagement and Destruction of all Hostile Vampiric forces in support of the Guild," Yukari answered in a single string, a testament to not needing to breathe, as she watched him. "I have determined that with 86.4537% certainty that you bear, at minimum, limited mental control of others and with 88.889% certainty that you are very familiar with this city. Is this true?" she asked.

[GamerKale]

Xander clasped his hands together and rested his chin on them. "Battle android, huh? That explains a few things." He raised the tablecloth and looked at her chair for a moment before returning to his previous posture. "Interesting. You're surprisingly light for a combat android. I'm guessing your armaments are stored elsewhere given the condition of your seat. You're correct, by the way, about me being familiar with the city. However, as a member of the guild's internal affairs I cannot confirm nor deny my abilities, at this time."

He took a sip of water and returned to studying Yukari from behind the sunglasses. "Wait, model T.A.V.B.A.-KPXX? That facility got destroyed. No survivors. I know, I was sent to investigate when they didn't report back. One moment, and please don't react to what I do in a second." Xander activated a memory enhancing ability and recalled back to that day. He had seen some images from a damaged drive of one of the prototypes. Xander tossed his glasses onto the table, walked over, took off Yukari's, and also pushed her hair back. "You've gotten...fleshier since those images were taken but yeah I guess that is you. Or a replica created by the vampires to infiltrate and destroy us." He let go of her hair and handed her glasses back to her.

"We should get going. IA will want to run a diagnostic to make sure you're not an infiltrator." Xander took out a camera and took a photo of Yukari. "While you're getting the third degree, I'll get you a bag and a phone so that you can contact me if you need to or want a tour of the city. Depending on what level of clearance they give you I might even be able to properly answer your previous question. And if you think you need to attack somebody, let me confirm that they're a threat first." He picked up the sunglasses and threw them into the garbage on his way out, they had served their purpose and he didn't actually like them.

[nekoryuuha]

"Both are Correct. My external weaponry is stored with special Vector Trap Containment units at this time. That facility was destroyed completely, however, as I was active during the test run, I, my Maintenance Bed, and the Storage Units survived the attack," Yukari replied as she careful replaced the Glasses on her face. They were really only cosmetic, to help blend her in with other Humans. After the photo, she stood up to follow him. "Acknowledged. I will accompany you to be scanned and to undergo Verification. Afterward, I require the use of the maintenance facilities in order to bring myself and the Maintenance Bed to proper basic functionality. Is this acceptable?"

[Zorolo]

Zorlo had been following Yukuri in secret. HIs power to hide himself in another plane had kept him from detection before, and today was no different. After all, mental waves functioned within the realm of physical nature, not spiritual generally. Still, her lack of finesse in hiding herself and her lack of tracking skills left something to be desired. "At least she's powerful and pretty," Zorlo stated with a chuckle. "Now if only she were more lively. Then she'd be almost perfect."

What are you babbling about, you moron? Ouroboros responded angrily as Zorlo seemed to merely continue floating along.

"Nothing, nothing. Anyway, looks like something is going on!" Zorlo said as he phased through the wall of the restaurant and floated over the two as they spoke. "REally? No survivors. I seem to recall surviving that incident," Zorlo stated plainly with a laugh. "I was a guest observer at that time, but still..." he said with a pause as he landed and phased into the real world.

"I can vouch for her and her authenticity. I'm Zorlo, member of the unit... sole remaining member I should add, to the unit that is monitoring Yukuri and her actions." Zorlo yawned. "I forgot how freaking exhausting materializing into the physical world is..." Zorlo said as he sat down and removed his hat. "And also, double check your information. One person was missing... call it fate or what-have you, but I'm technically a survivor, even though I was only a guest observer for when said incident occurred..." Zorlo stated flatly. He was tired and just wanted to rest. He hated smoozing anyway.

[GamerKale]

Xander seemed unphased by Zorlo's sudden appearance. "As you said, you were a guest. There were no survivors. And the credibility of the two of you is in just as much question as hers. So you and Ouroboros will have to be questioned as well. Why do they have to find me? So much paperwork for new people." He led to the IA building ignoring any of their questions or comments. This detour had put him behind schedule as it was, albeit it had been interesting at first, but he had found out everything he needed to about Zorlo already and the immediate mystery around Yukari was resolved.

A woman in a labcoat, a man in a grease stained labcoat, and a man with dark inset eyes wearing black robes met them at the front desk. "Yukari you will go with the good Heihachi Doctors and Zorlo, you and Ouroboros will go with my former mentor Majere. Go to the shop where I got the glasses to pick up your cell phones, they'll also have a purse for you Yukari. I'm afraid something has come up so I won't be able to meet you both down here when you're done. Good luck in there. Oh, and Zorlo. I would recommend not phase shifting while within these walls. Cheerio." The receptionist handed Xander a stack of paperwork a foot high before he headed for the elevators and his office.

[Zorolo]

Zorlo yawned. "Friggen hell... I'm just trying to validate what's going on and now I have to talk to these pricks and..." Zorlo continued to mumble incoherently as he headed towards the shop. The man next to him, Majere he believed the man's name was, had asked a few questions, but Zorlo had mostly shrugged them off. A sudden hand on his shoulders shook Zorlo back to what he was mumbling about as he glanced at the man and yawned. "What do you want?!" Zorlo asked angrily as the man paused.

"Well, sir, I need to know about you and... this... Ouroboros... thing..." the doctor said.

Zorlo sighed as he clapped his hands together and a powerful electrical pulse erupted from Zorlo's hands as he drew them apart and the serpent coiled around him. "Well, now you can talk to him!"

Ouroboros looked at Majere and slithered slightly towards him before backing off slightly. "Zorlo... who is this... human?" the snake asked in annoyance.

"His name is Majere, and he has questions for us."

Majere looked at Zorlo, and then the snake as the two paused and the man began to speak."I wish to know-"

"He stumbled upon me within the laboratory. I was being examined by the humans there. We had a soul-wavelength resonance when we accidentally made contact," the snake stated as Zorlo yawned.

"Yeah, he was trying to escape and ran into me... literally into me," Zorlo said as Ouroboros seemed to pass through his body as its chains went through him."

"I see," Majere said as he adjusted his glasses and sighed. "So..."

Zorlo paused and looked at him as Ouroboros uncoiled itself and simply seemed to coil loosely around Zorlo. "So... he's the reason I escaped from that incident you're talking about. When we merged, I ceased being alive... but I'm not technically dead. Not like a vampire, anyway. I'm able to walk the fine line of dimensions between the two worlds. I'm functionally trapped in purgatory for now," Zorlo stated with another yawn as he pulled his hat down. "Any more questions?"

[nekoryuuha]

"Acknowledged," Yukari replied as she walked off with the three Doctors without another word. Though the three of them looked eager to be able to finally get an in-depth look at the Battle Android, their hopes and dreams soon found themselves in more pieces then a Vampire in the desert sun. Although they were able to scan a good deal of her body, specs, and program entrys, over 95% of her core systems, 89% of her key components, and the entirety of her memory was Black box'ed under staggering protections, unreadable and inaccessible. In the end, All that they really got was that Yukari was what she stated herself to be, the Prototype T.A.V.B.A.-KPXX "Yukari", that she was running far below her intended Specs and capabilities, and that outwardly she bore a startlingly accurate female body. Even after allowing her the equipment to make the necessary improvements, repairs, and maintenance she'd needed to make to prevent herself or her Maintenance Bed from shutting down prematurely, they still hadn't really learned anything able her.