_Essex_

(('Kay.))

Akabane glanced at the others. Their words slipped into a language incomprehensible to the mages.

"Dou omoimasu."

"*snort* Ore? ...Ore ga Saakirutachi wa aho da to omou yo."

"Hontou da ne. Iro iro na chikara...mou sentai mitai wa ne."

"Hahahaha! Hontou deshou!"

"Demo chikara ga aru'n da."

"Haoxiang-sama wa tadashii mono o hanashiteru. Ano hitotachi wa hontou ni chikara ga aru'n desu. Soshite pakkuto o shiyou."

"Demo...nan no tame ni iru no? Chotto kiite hou ga ii to omou yo..."

Akabane listened to this, and nodded with a little frown. She turned back to the mages.

"...Tell us what you are here for first. Then we will make our decision."

((Aha, There's my in.))

Toshio was suddenly startled by a loud crashing sound as some gaijin in huge robot armor came down and started firing at an Oni, who had been harassing some civilians.

After a moment, he overheard him say something about...Paragon City?

Toshio's mind swam with memories. He had once run around Paragon City when he was younger. Younger and dumber.

There was no time to reminisce, though. Toshio's jagged grin cracked his face and he wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.

"Ikou ka...?"

With that, the drunken master took a swig of his flask, charging into one of the other two Oni headlong with a triumphantly defiant and drunken ki-ai. A flurry of blows dented its face in, and the man weaved, grinning, as the Oni screeched, infuriated, and tried its hardest to retaliate. As much as Toshio weaved haphazardly, though...he seemed to be effectively evading the blows. Leaning far back, he suddenly smacked his head forward and cracked it against the Oni before him, sending it to the ground.

There was one Oni left. Toshio turned to the foreigner and quirked an eyebrow, as though asking which of them should take it.

Laserblade could see something familiar about this man, however. His moves resonated in the hero's mind - twisted as they were by the alchohol, were they not...Tsoo?

Post deleted by Essex_ReploidS6

Wei-li and Na-li looked to each other, and then to the mages. Slowly, Wei-li's claws sshinked into place, and Na-li put her hand on the hilt of her sword. Hajime's hand went to his shuriken bag, when a quick word from Akabane caused them to glance back momentarily, and move aside.

The woman walked forward sternly, her eyes on Tarxus. "Why." It wasn't a question, as much as a statement. Dawei stood behind and to the left of her, watching the proceedings with folded arms.

Akabane glanced around at the mages. "You watched us take that beast down alone. You did not render assistance. You did not attack, and yet you watched as blood was spilled. What benefit would we have joining forces with you?"

The Tsoo stood at the ready.

((Apartments near the station are expensive - out on the stretches of tracks not near the station, they're cheap. XP It's where most of the nastier red light districts are.

And Usotsuki literally translates to "one with lies". Linguistically, it's calling someone a liar. :P ))

"Mendokuse- na-..." Toshio grumbled.

A slew of deceased Shriekers filled the street, the last bit of electricity dissapating from his fists. It seemed like every night, as he stumbled back to his small, dirty apartment, there were a load of those things waiting for him.

A few of his drinking buddies had pressed him to leave, but he'd shook his head stubbornly. He wouldn't leave - not now. Not when he was almost finished.

Climbing up the painfully narrow staircase to his nearly cubicle-sized apartment, Toshio sighed upon opening the door. Insects fled at the light, and his eyes fell on his latest project.

A statue of a woman.

Tiny statues were scattered about, abandoned projects. But this is one he could not abandon.

Toshio was a sculptor.

Eyeing the large statue carefully, inspecting every inch of it, he sighed in relief upon finding it unharmed. Shriekers had broken into his apartment not long ago and broken off an arm. The streets ran with their strange, bloodlike fluids that night.

Finishing examining the statue, Toshio sighed. He couldn't leave. He had to finish Natsuki's statue. If he didn't, she may never --

The beating of wings interrupted him. Glass shattered as demons flooded the room.

"Kisama...!" Toshio growled fiercely at one as it swooped in at him, shrieking madly. For some reason, they kept coming back to his apartment, breaking in every so often.

This time, though, he was unprepared. His moves were crazily sure, drunken strength already augmenting his muscles as he pounded away.

The statue fell out the window, shoved by a group of demons. Toshio froze, eyes widening as he heard the crash of it breaking into thousands of pieces of rock on the cement far below.

A brilliant glow lit up the night - a tiny golden marble glowing amidst the rubble. The demons scooped it up, and as one, fled.

"No..." Toshio couldn't believe what had just happened. All his work....

Swallowing hard, he pulled a flask out of his pocket and took a hard swig.

He had to go to the temple. Now.

Natsuki's soul depended on it.

((*L...M...A...O*))

The Dragon and Tiger Enforcers continued their assault on the Repling as the being viciously clawed at them. Much blood flowed to the floor, but Dawei's calculating eyes saw every wound. When he wasn't restoring the siblings, the Sorcerer fired dark blasts at the beast.

Finally, Hajime got an opening. Stunning it again and following up with a pair of shuriken, he called over his shoulder to his commander. "Ima da yo!" Wei-li, Dawei and Na-li leapt to the sides.

Akabane needed no prompting. Instantly her body exploded in flame and she lashed her hand out as though backhanding the air. Flames assaulted the Repling and it roared in pained rage, flailing about as its thin fur caught fire. The smell of charred flesh ran thick through the hallway. But before it had a chance to counter, Wei-li had run back in, thrusting his claws into its throat. Na-li descended from above, plunging the sword up to its hilt into its back.

With a final groaning cry, it fell.

".....What...was that?" Hajime breathed, standing to his feet.

"It is like nothing I have ever seen before." Dawei murmured, healing some of the peripheral wounds of the Enforcers.

The beast looked up, slathering with venemous drool as it regarded the approaching Far Fire. Akabane's eyes narrowed as the beast let out a resounding growl.

Her hand flicked out to the side, a single flame blinking to life on it like the lighting of a match. She leapt into the air.

From behind, Hajime concentrated, sending a psychic blast at the creature. It roared in fury as it suddenly found itself momentarily stunned.

That was enough time for Wei-li and Na-li to move in. The two of them charged it, Na-li with sword drawn and Wei-li with claws extended. The creature was strong, however, and Hajime's stun wore off just as they were approaching. It lunged at Wei-li, jaws open to snap his arm clean off, but he changed direction suddenly, lashing his claws across its nose. Na-li plunged her sword into its side as he did, a ki-ai tearing from her throat.

One of its forearms lashed at the Dragon Enforcer as she slashed at him and lashed her backwards, bleeding. Gritting her teeth in annoyance, Na-li skidded to a halt and propelled herself back at it.

That brief moment was enough for Wei-li to get in way over his head, however. The boy against the huge demonic beast was a tad unmatched, and it soon had lodged its needle-like teeth around his mid-section, beginning to toss the boy around like a chew-toy.

Wei-li was no child, though he was young, and scowled in pain and anger, driving his claws into its face as it tossed him about. The loss of blood made him dizzy - that is until Dawei teleported behind him and with an arcane chant, restored his health. The Sorcerer's storm began to flow around him, disorienting the creature

Akabane just watched, flames at her fingertips. She saw no need to intervene as of yet.

Haoxiang did the same. He invisibly observed the Circle mages with a scowl.

(( ;_; ....Lucky, lucky me.... ))

The squad froze.

Hand motions flew in frantic sign language.

Haoxiang disappeared, moving silently to the opposite end of the corridor, and Dawei vanished as well.

That left the Yellow Ink Crane, the Far Fire, and the Dragon and Tiger Enforcers.

Na-li and Wei-li exchanged glances. The boy was worried, but his older sister wore a neutral frown, her hand on her sword hilt. She knew that if the beast was alerted to their presence, it was their job to draw him off their superior officers.

Akabane nodded briefly, tossing her black hair out of her red eyes.

She moved forward, silently, slipping through the shadows.

The Tsoo squad watched the security cameras silently.

Arachnos. The Malta. Rikti. Carnival. Wailers.

"Akabane..." Da-wei said warningly, "This will not do. So many have already found this place, it is unlikely we will be able to enact our plan."

"Any other opinions?" Akabane turned to her squad neutrally, a grim frown on her face.

"It is likely that some of them may not have the same aims as us." Na-li mused. "Perhaps we can forge a truce with one."

"Regardless, we must not stay here." Haoxiang growled as the Ancestor Spirt phased through a wall. "They will be approaching soon."

Hajime shook his head. "This will not be a problem." he murmured as he knelt beside the mainframe. He already had acquired much of the data...but now he rerouted the wireless connection of the cameras to a small PDA unit he carried. The mainframe hummed to shutdown and the PDA flipped through the various cameras in the building. "This way, we may take our advantage with us - and not compromise our mission."

The Far Fire nodded approvingly. "Good work, Hajime. Wei-li, Na-li, take up flanking scout positions. We must move on. Further in."

"Hai."

With that, the Tsoo moved out, like silent shadows.

Hajime chuckled to himself. Simple. He would not allow himself to lose his guard, however. Even monkeys sometimes fell from trees, as Akabane was always quick to remind him.

"Kono hito...Dare kana...?" he muttered to himself, wondering as to the identity of this 'Agent Rachel Strum.' Nevertheless, he found what was most important - the security cameras.

"Pin-pon..." the Japanese boy said with a smirk. Closing his eyes, he sent a psychic message to the others.

This would be their hub.

((And to be honest - everyone's doing a good job actually taking damage in this thread. XD;;;; ))

(( ;_;

Dui bu qi, dui bu qi... *bows profusely* We await your instruction! ))

((They are in the building - but in the underground floors. <.< I suppose the Longbow would have the access codes to get all the way down there...))

"Candy canes." Wei-li muttered to himself. "I hate candy canes."

The Tiger Enforcer was well-hidden in a corner of the ceiling, perfectly still atop a large piece of machinery, just barely peeking out at the Longbow far below. He knew not where his sister was.

Da-wei and Akabane remained farther up the hall, but at the loud entrance of the hallway, Wei-li was sure that everyone was in hiding by now. The time to strike would be soon, yes...very soon indeed.

Hajime had recovered much of the data from the mainframe when the Longbow had passed by. His heart skipped a beat as he remained low to the ground, taking shelter in the shadow of the massive computer.

((Wha-huh? Do you mean my squad? We're way underground. =/ ))

Toshio stumbled with a practiced lilt through the backstreets of Akihabara. They were open and dirty, bright flashing lights adorning the several-storied buildings. Electric Town's main street was just a few blocks away, and the streets Toshio walked near his favored bar were littered with small electronics stores of varying degrees of legitimacy.

Akihabara's temple was a little walk from the train station, but he would usually make it every once in a while. As it was, the man had a tiny apartment not far from the tracks of the Yamanote-sen - the rent was cheapest there, because of the constant running of the trains.

It was murder on hangovers, but it was as Toshio said - "Itsumo yopparai ni nareba, zutsuu mou dekinai'n da zo." If you're always drunk, you can't very well get too hung over.

The Shriekers on the other hand, cut through his haze annoyingly. They were attracted to the bright lights of Akihabara towering into the sky, but luckily the temple wards kept them somewhat at bay.

(OOC: I know that, he's just -drunk- and doesn't really care. 10,000 yen = 100 bucks. It's easy to spend 100 dollars in Japanese bars. I've done it. *L* XD; And since he's a drunk, he really only goes to one bar. I've been to Tokyo too, y'know. <.< I taught English classes for two months in Chiba-ken, Hanamigawa and Katsutadai to be specific.

EDIT: Also I screwed up and put 10-man instead of 1-man. XD;; stupid alternate numbering system.)

((Murr...*sneaks in*))

Sitting hunched over at the bar at Akihabara was a man. Tall and strong, shaggy brownish-black hair and deep eyes, he wore a simple combat gi. It was tattered and torn, however, and his muscles bulged from beneath it. He had a likeable, jagged smile and a bit of stubble; he didn't find time to shave lately.

He listened not to the hushed whispers of fear.

He listened not to the explosions outside.

He listened not to the wailings of demons and screechings of the dead.

He heard nothing.

This man was plastered.

Suddenly disrupting his movement, he pounded his fist on the bar, speech slurring. "Mama-san! Bii-ru o mo ippon ya! Bring me another beer, and make it snappy! Asahi! Move it, woman!"

The middle-aged Mama-san eyed the man neutrally, polishing a glass in her kimono. "Toshio-kun, I am afraid I'm going to have to say no. After all, we have limited supply of alchohol now. It wouldn't be fair to the other customers."

"Aaah..." Toshio grumbled, but resignedly nodded. "Mm..." He lifted himself off his stool, slamming a 1-man-en bill on the counter. As he moved to go out, he accidentally tripped on another man's foot.

"Watch where I'm goin', ya big lug...!" the other man screamed in anger, holding his foot. Toshio just eyed him and moved to go out the door, but the other man blocked him.

"I know who you are." he taunted. "You're Pygma--"

Toshio's eyes hardened in that moment and a fist suddenly was embedded in the other man's gut. As he doubled over, Toshio elbowed him in the back of the head, sending him down cleanly in two blows.

"Oyasumi, oyasumi." Toshio muttered to the man, dusting his hands off before exiting the bar.

Toshio Fujii was a drunken master, and he had work to do.

(*bites lip, forces self not to enter conflict*)

The Tsoo quietly wandered down the hallway. Lights fluttered along the walls. It was dark and silent.

"This must be an information hub." Hajime stated neutrally. Quickening his step, he approached a door, that slid open at his footsteps. A huge mainframe loomed before him, spattered with blood.

"Egh..." Wei-li frowned. A sharp glare from Akabane silenced him, though.

"Hajime." the stoic woman pointed into the room. "You will acquire as much data as is possible from that. Peng kyodai, you two will scout ahead and search for another way down. Da-wei, you come with me. Lord Haoxiang, if you would do us the honor of guarding the elevator shaft, we would be most appreciative."

With that, they scattered off to their respective tasks...except for Da-wei and Akabane.

"Rikti, ka..." the commander murmured softly.

"Tamen jun de shi Rikti le." Da-wei confirmed with a nod.

"Rikti no naka ni wa kontakkuto ga inai ka?"

"....Wo bu dong."

"....."

Silence reigned in the hallway.

((*subtitles* D:

A: Rikti, huh...
D: Yes. Those were really Rikti.
A: Do we have a contact among them?
D: I don't know.
A: ...... ))

"Useless." Akabane scowled as Hajime continued to fiddle with controls.

"I swear I know what I'm doing." the Yellow Ink Man muttered. "It's just more complicated. As you go farther down, the security gets tighter."

Na-li looked up unsurely. The Dragon Enforcer knew that the only thing standing between their small squad and the huge fight up above was the no-doubt already heavily abused elevator door. There was no room to fight in the elevator shaft, either.

Wei-li noticed her tension and grinned. "Jie-jie, you should not worry so." he teased. "You'll become an old woman."

"An old woman with a sword." Na-li grumbled. Wei-li knew when to be quiet.

Finally, a soft mechanical hum heralded the opening of the door. Hajime sighed in relief as Da-wei icily stared him down.

"That took far too long." the Sorcerer said with an edge of menace. "You are lucky it did not take one more minute." With that, the squad advanced through the dark hallway...remaining silent.

"Ima da yo."

All six of them leapt down the decimated elevator shaft at that moment, Haoxiang charging down fists first. They could hear the sounds of battle on the other side of the door quickly melt away above them as they slammed into the freight platform.

As intended, it unjammed and continued downward. The six Tsoo streamlined their fall, the Ancestor Spirit keeping hold of the less durable Sorcerer and Yellow Ink Man as they hit the bottom. The Enforcers and Akabane tapped down gently, and Haoxiang lowered the other two down.

"Now take care of that door." Akabane commanded.

Haoxiang punched at it, but frowned. This one was much, much more durable. Hajime stepped forward. "Allow me." he said, beginning to fiddle with the device from its opposite side.

Haoxiang frowned grimly, invisibly. He shot up through the floors again, roaring in Akabane's face as Dawei stood beside her. The Sorcerer recoiled, startled, but the Far Fire didn't budge.

"DOA O SHIMARE!"

At his command, Na-li and Wei-li jammed their sword and claws respectively into each end of the door, slamming the elevator doors closed with a loud shriek of metal. They barely had time to get back before the doors dented outwards with a barely contained explosion, and the small hole made by Haoxiang's blows earlier emitted an impressive plume of fire.

Everyone but Akabane and Haoxiang loosened unconsciously with a sigh. That had been close.

"They know we're here." the Spirit grumbled. "It is only a matter of time before we meet them face-to-face. The time for stealth is over and the time for alliances has come."

Akabane spat on the floor. She had no time for alliances, but did not deny Haoxiang's words. Hajime glanced over to the Spirit. "What did you see down there? I know I heard Rikti."

"Rikti and Malta." Haoxiang answered, crossing his massive arms over his chest. "More are coming as well."

"...Well?" Akabane finally spoke, turning to her group. "What do you all suggest?"

"Well, first we need to find another way down." Na-li said quietly. "There should be a staircase somewhere if there's an elevator."

"There is no other way down." Da-wei stated matter-of-factly. "The stairwell doesn't have an outlet here, since all there is is a supply closet. It is also due to the security of the secret exit we came in."

"Then..." Wei-li said with a grin, "We'll just have to go back down the elevator shaft. The explosion's over, anyhow. Or it will be in a moment."

Akabane's squad had trained ruthlessly together for years. They needed no words to communicate as they listened to the words being said below. They had developed a complicated sign language between them and them alone, as factional violence occasionally placed them against other Tsoo.

Haoxiang silently sank through the floor, invisibly. He sought to find the ones who were speaking and observe. The Ancestor Spirit remained undetectable by targeting sensors...

...Nothing.

The Tsoo had overheard Marcus' enraged scream. Their mission was to secure the area via stealth - and thus, they all froze at the sound of the voice.

A single noise made its way down the shaft - the satisfying ssshink! of Na-li's sword being placed back into its sheath by Akabane. It was an unnerving sound, like someone sharpening a razor-sharp claw.

Da-wei and Hajime exchanged unnerved glances. The elevator had dropped from a few floors lower than them, so they hadn't seen the Rikti.

But they could hear them.

((Maybe he missed the memo? Nah, I edited.))

"Elevators." Dawei stated. They had gone all over the floor, making sure that no others hid in the shadows.

Upon reaching the elevators, Akabane stepped forward to inspect them. "There is no other way down?" she asked her second-in-command sternly.

"No."

"......Open it manually."

Haoxiang moved to the door, using his massive hands and strength to pound it in. Far below, they could hear the sounds of tools faintly...and cables reaching from far above to far below.

Na-li hesitated, glancing down. "...If someone else is trying to use these elevators, I doubt it will end well if we attempt to use the cables as our transportation."

Akabane glanced to Na-li, her eyes expressing disappointment. "I thought you incapable of such cowardice." In one step, she had cleared the distance to the door and grabbed one of Na-li's swords from the Dragon Enforcer's back. One swift motion and an uttered ki-ai saw the severing of the thick elevator cables. They whistled loudly as the elevator, whether above or below, suddenly found itself unsupported...

Wei-li and Na-li tumbled forward, each taking one end of the hallway. The building nextdoor had been mostly abandoned, and the Tsoo had found an emergency escape tunnel that linked directly in with the service basement of the abandoned building. Hajime had managed to decrypt the access codes and get past the traps, and now the squad hurried through the escape.

It let out into a small closet on one of the lower-security floors. Eerie silence lay beyond the door. Invisible, Haoxiang spirited through, confirming that it was clear, for the moment.

"Shizuka ni." Akabane warned, instructing her squad harshly in whispers to proceed quietly. The Tsoo were a Vietnamese group by and large, but their squad was composed of Japanese and Mandarin Chinese speakers (because that's all I know. D: ). Luckily they were well versed in each others' modes of communication, so nothing was lost...

...Except for the life of the unfortunate homeless man exiting the bathroom just in front of Wei-Li. Only a startled gasp escaped his throat before a shuriken reduced it to a dying gargle.

Wei-li withered under Akabane's narrowed glare. The silence had been broken.