Mission Eleven: Sakidō

West
Forest

Katsu kept shooting at the Tar Monster, seeing that it had an effect on it and was able to hurt it. Out of the corner of his eyes he saw the two Nekos taking up position as he told them to do, and it seemed that her words were at least effective at calming one of them down. As the Tar Monsters set to move away though, he called back all of his drones and let them re-attach themselves to his armor. "Arete, Lauren, Nora. Come, we'll follow those things." he said as he activated his flight systems and started flying, looking back to see if the others were getting into movement as well before he looked forward again to fly safely. "Match my speed. If you have trouble keeping up, say so." Knowing that he had the wing upgrade for his armor, but not knowing how exactly the other's armor was configured, he made sure to not fly too fast.

Beach

After the flight through the forest, they emerged at a beach. Gravity was already there, getting into her armor, together with Alastair. Apparently Sacre, the snake medic, was also there, but teleported away. He flew up right to them, trying to not look directly at Gravity as he didn't want to see her naked now, this would only make his focus drift, and instead gave out some more orders. "Arete and Lauren, you two look towards the water, keep your weapons ready. Nora, you help me watch the forest." As he talked, he removed the battery pack from his aether submachine gun and replaced it with a fresh one, putting the already used one back in a pouch before he looked over towards the forest to watch it. At least, he and Nora would be able to pierce the darkness of the forest effortlessly with their natural nightvision. Ot at least in case Nora was doing as he told her.

Once Gravity was back in her armor and taking off to the sky, he turned towards the other low-ranking people here and said "Alright, let's follow our Wing Leader again. Arete, Lauren, Nora, time to fly." He himself started flying as well to move after Gravity. Of course he didn't tall Alastair what he should do, rank difference and such.
 
North

Even he flinched upon hearing her cry. He could feel his arms quaking. Luckily, his heartbeat would begin to settle. The mindy's antenna was carefully pulled from her maw. He didn't even notice Sacre. Well, he DID, but he didn't want to pay any attention until her question was thrown at him.

Next thing Darwin knew, he was laughing. His face contorted into a broad smile. Not one of mania, but of an odd serenity induced by coming to terms with the chance of everything going horribly wrong in this new world. Why that was the case, he was unsure. It wasn't so much 'clarity' as it was 'jumping to conclusions'. His headache came back and his belly was a furnace once more but he couldn't care less. "This is so ridic... rid... ridic... stupid. It's ridicstupid. Can we go home yet?" He looks up at the Minkan. "She flew off, dropped me onto the ground, crashed into the big wood right behind you, then she was knocked the fffuck out by the wood. Then she saw me, and was knocked out again, then this guy-" He turns around and points at Miles. "Oh heeeeyyy. How long have you been here?"

The adrenaline in his veins had run dry, and his mind was beginning to fog up once again. All of that sobriety in the heat of the moment, gone. "Anyways, I don't think there should be that much blood coming out of her head. Either of you have a bandaid?"
 
East

Walte Hyde can agree with his superior on that; Ayenee as a whole is just alien, even by Yamatai's standards. It's laws, the life that exists on it, basic logic, it all just turns head over heels in this place. As if culture shock isn't enough, you have moments like this that really make one question everything they knew. It's, to be blunt, as weird as it gets on Ayenee.

Walter patched in with Harris-Heito for a moment, while also checking on the Kaiyo crew status. He kept that tab minimized during the entire excursion, just stopped he can have it around without bit being annoying. "Yeah, really bizarre. Though I'd like to think of it as home, sir."

Of course, when he mentioned that, that encounter with the ogre was rather bizarre. Why was that tall fire-throwing man fighting a ogre this close to the city? And when, when, did that other man with the raven get there? Was he some kind of referee? If not, then why?

Walter Hyde turned around and flew black down, wondering if four months was all it takes for one to become jaded to Ayenee's many surprises.

"I'm sorry if I'm not getting something," Walter said as he landed once again, by the mystery man, "but what was going on here? Was it just a ogre attack?"
 
Alastair was too busy getting reports about Shasse being hurt in the north to care about the insubordination of Katsu. He would deal with this after the mission.

"Ittô Hei Katsu!! I don't recall you being in charge here." Alastair said in a firm voice. "Against my better judgment I am going to promote you to squad leader to let you try on the big boy pants. I am going support a down teammate in the north." He paused for a moment. "I best come back to an intact squad or I will PT you till you wish you was dead." His words switched from being firm to an evil chuckle.

A moment later Alastair was in full flight blazing his way towards the north to the last known location of Shasse. He reported back to command that Katsu had been put in charge of the squid to the west to test his skills. He made another note how Katsu continued to ignore the chain of command and seemed to not respect the fact Alastair was in charge. He had not expected to find a rival this soon but could not help but smile looking forward to this new challenge.

He covered distance quickly heading north with the added help of his drones being attached to his mindy. The high speed did good to burn off the stinky tar which was a plus. He reached the team in no time and seen Sacre was already tending to them.

"Ah, I see this situation is already improving. Damn Miles, you look like hell." He walked over to him with a smile. "Been awhile brother, and seems you have still have not changed." He said with a chuckle.

Alastair sent a report to command that the situation was under control. He did nothing more than observe afterwards.
 
Miles had moved down towards his old friend who he had just condemned to more pain than she deserved and he hated himself for being the one to sit back and not do it himself. With the effects of the forest clouding his mind his anguish turned to rage and when approached by his adopted brother Alistair he snapped.

"You, you would joke at a time like this? What the fuck is wrong with you can't you see what just happened here, because of my utter incompetence she got hurt and you would joke about how I LOOK?" the minkan turned to Alistair and seethed within his own armour, he didn't hate him by any means but he was not in control of his thoughts and actions in this moment.

When he pictured Alistair all he saw was Miko, those two were so alike he'd confused them on more than one occasion but right now his mind focused on one thing they had in common, they both joked about him and pushed him around even if it was all in good fun. "Sometimes I wish I hadn't been born a Belmont, you two are so alike and its obvious to everyone here you should have been the blood brother not me."

Miles pushed past him and knelt next to Shasse his helmet in his hand and tears running down his face, turning to Darwin his face had an expression of utter rage mixed with confusion and fear, it was clear he was losing it emotionally. "Darwin... I, thank you for being here for her when I couldn't. I wish I hadn't had to ask you to do that." He straightened up and moved to a nearby tree where he sat and put his face in his arms and remained silent to let Sacre do the job he couldn't.

Through all of the commotion Shasse hadn't made another sound and remained still on the ground with a contorted face with her own blood mixing with the red imprints on her face and covering the whole side of her face. Her body had already begun to slightly heal itself thanks to the regenerative properties of the neko build.
 
West
Starlit Forest

Katsu's calm voice over the comms would break through the rest of the voices as he spoke, giving out orders even though most of us here were the same rank. But that didn't matter, orders were something she could take well when they made sense, no matter who it came from. There was order to them and they gave some semblance of order to situations such as these, which had a calming affect on the daur. She would ready herself, giving a nod in Katsu's direction even if he was looking away before she turned and kept eye on their back and top side.

The first blast to break through the earth made her flinch, her head turning around for a moment to see the rocks fly and the dirt churn before mud sucked down into the newly formed hole. This would continue as the drone blasted skywards as they were carried through the beast, the noice becoming steadily more distant as the drones were carried away. As the daur watched, she would see the drones had formed a clear path in one general direction. Her attention would be brought back to the others as Katsu gives out the order to fly.

With another silent nod from her, Nora would power up her mindy's flight assisting wings before blasting off of the forest floor after his lead, moving along with the group.

Beach

Coming out of the dark forest, the daur would squint her eyes as the projected image of outside suddenly brightened immensely. It was bright enough as is with the sun, but now there was fucking white sand reflecting it all back. Her mindy would slow and set down with the others, hovering over the loose, white particles of gypsum and quartz. It really was a gorgeous beach...unlike one she had every seen. "Maybe we can all come back here again and make a day of it?" she thought to herself.

As she looked over to check on the status of Gravity, she would see the azure neko, all suited up now, running her mindy into the coming waves before blasting off into the sky again. Nora gave a relieved sigh to see she was not in any bad condition before giving a shake of her head. That girl sure bounced back fast.

And with that, the daur would leap up into the air again and rocket skywards after Katsu and the others, all racing after Gravity's lead.
 
His eyes widened the moment he sees Miles' expression before slipping down to face the unconscious Shasse below him. His jaw went slack. His fists clenched. His body gives way as what was supposed to be an act of slipping to the side and sitting down becomes a flop on his back onto the leaf litter, just shy of Shasse. His gaze was locked on where the light crept through the leaves above, the clouds that circle around the center mountain turning what he expected to be blue a dull grey.

He laid spread eagle in his armor, shoulders propped up by the Mindy's wings. "It's okay..." His voice cracked. "She'll be okay." His eyes close. The world above him spun like a mobile. "Just gotta get her home. Let her rest a bit. Give her some food. Some water. Then her rain would be right."

His eyes slip closed. All of this excitement had left him exhausted, and it wasn't too uncomfortable in the armor. He felt a gentle breeze pass through the trees and disturb the leaves above, sending a couple shimmering downwards. One even landed on his forehead. "I'm just happy I found her... She seemed happy, too. Haven't made someone happy like that since I went to Fort Haj."Two amber pupils flicker between Alistair and Sacre. "You can help her, right?"
 
Over the Forest
Chlorate sensed where Mark was with her geist connection and directed herself to her location, quickly arriving at the area Mark was at, above the trees.

Forest, with Mark
"Father!" Chlorate called out, sounding like she was afraid. She descended to the ground, making a clank as she landed. She clanked towards him to see the damage. Her electric eyes widened, seeing the branch skewering him. "Father, you're injured," she stated. She examined the offending branch then said over the comms "Mark Oaklen is injured. He crash landed in the forest and was impaled in the abdominal region by a tree branch. Foreign object is still in abdomen. Medical assistance required immediately." She sent them her location and stayed by Mark. Her cold metal hand reached out to grab Mark's.
 
Alastair just stood there and let Miles vent to him. Alastair was just as shaken as he was, only he expressed it by throwing jokes. He and Miko for as long as he knew acted like this under very dire situations.

After a few minutes he went and took a seat next to Miles. He did not look at him and instead just looked up towards the sky. "You always was the heart of the family. Able to cry and show feelings so openly. Sadly Myself and Miko were never given this gift." He said in a calm voice.

"Brother, blood or not you are needed. I hope that some day I am able to love and care as freely as you do." His voice got more quiet.

"And stop being so hard on yourself damn it. Your not some all mighty and powerful being. I just watched one of my troops get eaten and got shown up. We all have bad days and today just happens to be the case." His voice had taken on a more serious tone.
 
"Love and care, what shallow terms for such simple chemical reactions. The phrase, "it's all in your head" has never been more accurate and whats more these chemicals control our decision making more than we'd like the admit." Miles had lifted his head but didn't look at his brother or any of the others and instead focused on the floor before him.

"You would hope for these to become more prominent in your thoughts, how stupid. If I could I'd rip out my own brain and cut out all the pieces responsible for the hell known as feelings, you call this a bad day and I call it an unnecessary failure." Again the Minkan's thoughts were blackened by anger boosted by the strange effects of the forest, he looked towards the mountains they were supposed to go to.

"And you know what Alastair, if you want to know why I'm so hard on myself it's because all my life I've been trying to do one job and that's helping people, and because I'm weak, because I care. That's why I can't do my job, I wouldn't expect you to understand how it feels to be looked at as though you don't belong, with black hair and a completely opposite personality I blend in like a Separa in a room full of nekos."

Miles stood and kept his gaze fixed on the mountains where Eden was last headed before slowly turning to face where he knew fort miller and the kaiyo were, he placed the helmet back on his head and sealed the suit rising slowly into the air. "And you know what the cherry on top of this whole bloody mess is, we are meant to be looking for a god damned fruit of all things, since it's clear there's no more I can do here now that people more trained have arrived. I'm going to look for the piece of innocent fruit if only to crush it beneath my boot, and don't even think of following me."

Miles lowered back down to the ground and made to walk into the forest, "Because I say this with as much respect as I can, but I will take a trip through the ST tube to avoid you for a week Alastair."
 
North

"I'm here to patch you kittens up when you do something stupid as usual." Sacre said as she knelt beside Shasse. She didn't know how much time she had before the effects started to overtake her. She could feel a slight fogging, but shook it off to focus. Head wound first. She quickly ran over it with a scanner. There was a lot of bleeding, but that was normal for a headwound. There was a small depression in the skull that meant this was very serious. That she was unconscious was worrying. Sacre strapped her head into something to keep it still so that moving her wouldn't make things worse. Then she quickly bandaged the arm to stop the bleeding. Then she used the armor to help splint her arm into place. Using the last remaining drops of power in the suit, she locked it into position to make her easier to carry.

"Ok, I'm going to need help carrying her. We have to get her back to the..." The word failed her for a moment. "uh... back to a place with the right tools. The base." She said trying to cover her sudden inability to remember precisely where it was that they were going. Normally, she would just teleport there, but she had to clear the interference of the forest.
 
West
High Above the Ocean
♪I Got Mine♪

Gravity was back at full throttle, this time cutting through the clouds at nearly the speed of sound. She would have loved to go lower and run her hand through the waves, but after the events of the last few minutes, she figured that there would be a leviathan in the water somewhere. She didn't know how high leviathans could jump out of the water, so she couldn't be too careful. That, and from this height, Nora wouldn't be able to see the leviathans and try to go poke them with a stick.

"Okay, so! We know pomegranates grow in arid climates, so everyone stay on the lookout for a desert! Or a city!" she instructed the rest of her team. Then, a thought struck her, and she face-palmed. "Oh my god, why didn't we just go to the city market and ask if they sold pomegranates?!"
 
West

"Wait, we're looking for pomegranates out here?" The Sagely Soldier was floating behind the rest of the little squadron, moving at pace with them still. "YES, they're sold in the city! I just hope that there's still some left for us, it's getting a bit late... But we should still check! It would certainly be a better option than wandering around in the wilderness where things try to eat us." As she finished her little talk, the winged woman turned around, but kept moving in the same direction of the rest of the group, flying backwards until they decided to change direction.
 
West

Katsu could honestly just stare at Alastair as he talked about being in charge and similar. How he named him the squad leader, threatened him with PT, and chuckled evily. Especially, now that the danger was averted, Alastair was talking in a clear and firm voice, other than before where he was screaming.

As Alastair flew away, Katsu raised a hand and placed it against his forehead, letting out a sigh as he kept flying, before he shaked his head and looked at Gravity, Arete, Nora, and Lauren. He could clearly understand Arete's reaction to hearing about their mission. Making sure that just the five of them were in the communication channel as he started talking. "Yes, Arete... we have been sent out in flying power armor to look for Chi'lerious-damned Pomegranates. Everyone, change course, we're flying towards the next city. Let's get that thing and return to base."

As they flew, he continued talking. "Gravity, you've nearly been eaten. Do you still feel fit for duty, or do you want to return to base and get checked up in the medbay?"
 
North

Eden had come to assist the situation.

"Shasse," she said quickly. "You're going to be okay. Let's get you to the base. Miles Belmont-hei, please accompany Nitô Hei Sacre Ven Sanssinia and myself there. Alastair Belmont-Shoi, you can accompany the rest of the team to the city where it seems many of the crew are congregating. Let's go."

She flew them the distance they needed to go until teleporting and were back at the fort soon enough. She looked to the medics that had accompanied Shasse and said, "Get her into a hemosynth tube, now!" She had nearly growled the last word and moved to jump into the air and thrusted to Mark's last known location. She took out her science scanner as she approached it.

"Mark-hei, do you read? Chlorate, do you have contact with Mark-hei?" she asked over comms.

East
Outside of Bar

"Standard bar fight," replied the stranger to the inquisitive Walter Hyde. "Run of the mill thing, really."

City Outskirts

As the squad of them approached the city proper, Lauren spoke over comms, "Where is the nearest store, Arete-hei?"

South

Hoshi looked around her, "Okay, take up positions. Let's go in." She flew towards the cave nearest them showing life and enegy signals. Inside she continued to fly through the sparkling purple and blue stalactite and stalagmite formations, some of which connected and formed pillars.
 
Miles stopped when he heard Eden's command and turned to follow the group, he wasn't unhappy he wouldn't be going to finish the mission obscure as it may be but he was glad he didn't need to stay in company that was bound to end badly.

When Sacre had locked up the suit, the movement had disturbed Shasse slightly and she drifted in and out of consciousness. Looking around in a daze she saw everyone who was around her and formed a small smile. "Ha, looks like I really am popular with the guys and the ladies, ahah." When she heard that Darwin would be going to the city her smile wavered slightly but remained intact.

"Hey Schultz hei, try not to lose any more races from now on, I'll be counting on you to get me that fruit so I can win." She stopped talking and let herself be taken away by the medic, could she have moved her hands she would have given a thumbs up as she floated away. With Miles in tow they proceeded back to fort miller where Eden gave them their orders before zooming away to save more lost souls, the effects of the forest had mostly cleared from Miles' head and he set about preparing the tube for the injured neko.

"Guess it's a regular thing for you to come in and save my failed attempts at being a medic now huh" he said casually to Sacre as he worked referring to the incident with William during Mission 9 on the L'kor station, although being first on scene he had been able to do little more than stabilse the bleeding and oerform a field analysis. Sacre had come to the rescue and taken him back to the ship for proper treatment and although he hadn't really failed in anything Miles still blamed himself.
 
Heading to City

Alastair gave Miles a quick look before confirming the order. "Order received Eden, heading to the city." He walked over to Miles and put his hand on his shoulder. "Stay strong brother, things are different having come to this new universe. Your strength has never come from your power or ability. It has come from your heart. Do not forget this brother."

As his words finished he did not give him time to reply. His Mindy engines fired up and was off on his way to the city. His HUD lit up showing all the crew were in fact heading to the city. He looked over his notes and was curious what was special about this Pomegranate. He recalled Miko talking about a drink he had made ages ago and believed it used this. Either way the city seemed like a good place as any to look.

As he reached the city it clicked for him the drink Miko talk him about. Something about it being a great mixer. He figured this might be something you would find at a bar or club. He would meet up with the team and see what they think.
 
East
Outside of Bar

Walter Hyde, embarrassed, didn't need to think about the implications of lethal bar fights like this, he had already seen his fair share of ruthless fights back at home. The only thing different is that, with magic involved, you could use special powers alongside gun and fists.

While Walter did stop the fight, he did it forcefully. Damn, I fell back on my basic training again. I don't know if anyone in my crew will tolerate that blunder. Walter thought, which lead him to wonder if it could lead him to a tight spot in the future.

"Ah, thank you, sir. I will leave you all be and hunt for fruit." Walter walked away and continued his hunt for the darn pomegranate. They had to be selling the fruit here, it's not like they grow close by.

Checking on the crew status, it's apparent that handfuls were meeting up in the North, South is doing business as usual, and the West team is flying over to the East.

Walter, whom is currently in no chatroom, was free to react to this information. "... Yare yare daze, and I thought there will just be Harris and I. I don't know how if I can handle five people." The technician shook his head and sighed. "Only one way to find out."

The orange-eyed Minkan looked at his HUD, and initiated a scan for pomegranates. "This isn't as advanced as the stuff I used to use, but this suit has got to be powerful enough to find the fruit somewhere..."
 
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South

As Eden's transmitted to Mark and Chlorate's, something stirred deep within the forest, and it smiled as it probed those who had unwittingly disturbed it. It sensed a black root within one of these creatures of flesh and blood, bound by time and mortality. Just like the rest that inhabited this dimension, but not the same, and it wanted to know more. Grabbing ahold of the strings by which the fleshies passed words along, it cut into these before tieing in it's own.

"Mark-Hei, we have one possible KIA and i am in need of aid. Please proceed.to marked coordinates." Eden would hear over a static filled comm line.

Eden did not hesitate to proceed, hopping into the air further as she began to fly up and away from where Mark had blinked away from. She went over the tree line with her science scanner in her cargo pocket and her body ready for danger to strike, though she felt ill at ease and if that danger was lurking near.

"On my way, Santô Hei," Eden said out.

The entity slithered out from it's hole and moved out into the woods, a fog following in its wake as it moved to a small area of craggy rocks and shallow fissures. It stopped and concealed the area and surrounding wood as it sensed the female creature approach from afar. The waypoint was marked there, and a false cry of help was echoed from.within using the voice of it's interest.

"Mark-hei, come in! I am at your position!" Eden called out when she was deep within the misty terrain.

"Eden, HELP! CHLO IS DOWN! I need help, please!" Could be heard from somewhere close, the cries tremolous and full of despair and fear.

Eden searched feverishly, scanning and said, "I'm not reading your location, Santô Hei, please confirm nearby landmarks!"

The sound of scraping metal could be heard approaching followed by sobs with every foreboding sound. A prone figure holding something could be silhouetted further in ahead.

A whisper passed by the XO's ears as if from no where and everywhere, "hurry if you want to save your precious crew."

Eden stopped moving, feeling the chill of the whisper's voice pass by her large ears.

"Who are you? Who is speaking to me?" Eden asked over speakers and comms.

The figure drew ever closer, until a mindy clad hand dragged forward the form of mark. His body was broken and trailing blood, the wrecked bot known as Chlorate held tightly in one arm. "Eden, Chlorate won't answer me, I..I..can't fix her, help.me please. I cant..can't lose my baby girl. Heeelllppp?!" Mark said as he dragged forward.

Seeing that something was very wrong, Eden asked, "Mark... She will be alright. She can find a new body. You and I can't, let's go! Bring her with you in an electronic!"

Mark continued to drag forward, pulling himself the rest of the way out of the mist, his legs were mangled and unable to work. "Eden, why did you send us here to die?" Mark sobbed.

"This is the time to question how to live," Eden said as she rushed forward to hold Mark's frail body.

Chlorate's head would turn with a jerky tick before it and Mark began to speak in unison, "you sent us to die. You sent us to die. You sent us to die. You sent us to die. You sent us to die." Their voices dropping in pitch by octaves until it was unnaturally deep. The two slowly dissolved into black sand and mist, but the voices did not stop.

Eden soon realized she was without her crew and she shouted into comms, "Mark, Chlorate, respond! The-there seem to be magical representations of you in the forest!"

There would be no answer, and she would feel something that left chills brush by. Child like giggles echoed from nearby, as child like whispers began to come from everywhere.

"He's coming for him."
"You cannot save him."
"ORIAS rises again."
"Darkness falls."
"Mark Oaklen shall perish."

The deep voice returned as the whispers ceased, and it was if the source stood only an inch away behind her to speak directly in her ear, "Go to him little mortal, his soul will be mine, and you cannot save him. Soon I will claim it."

Eden would find the mist retreat and the world rush away in a blurred as she then found herself standing amongst trees. Mark leaning against a tree with Chlorate kneeling by his side.

She rushed towards him, remembering all that she had heard the children giggling.

"Mark, Mark! Can you hear me?" She began first aid for the man, doing what she could.
 
East
City Perimeter

"Let's see..." Arete's voice floated about just like she did, the fun-sized soldier looking from above at the twisting, busy streets below. Her Heads-Up-Display showed at least two other SAoY personnel in the area, She continued, "I know there's a whole bunch of markets down at Ruven Square, so that'll be our best shot to start at!" With that, Miss Surinus descended down, down to the ground, floating like a feather with her wings wrapped about her like an armored cocoon until she hit the ground. From there, she took an ambling tour of the square, trying her best to not intimidate anybody by accident. Which was... Arguably pretty hard when you looked like you could cut someone to shreds by poking them a few times.
 
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