Elfen High 2: Skin to Bone, Steel to Rust

[Metanih]

Rayne looked around. She hadn't known Sari-chan had been preparing the rabbits to fight! It was a horrific concept, even if the rabbits were technically "Killer rabbits." That didn't mean that they should be organized to actually fight. Rayne found it hard to believe Sari-chan even approved of this, let alone actually worked toward making it a reality.
"Why are you doing this? Just because they are intelligent, doesn't mean you should train them to fight!" Rayne said, her voice screaming horror and shock.

[Olthar]

Sari-chan grabbed Rayne's shoulders and looked straight into Rayne's eyes.

"I'm doing this because I have to, Raye-Raye-chan," she said with a determined expression that betrayed a hint of pain, "Queeny-Weeny Cuddly-Wuddly has been kidnapped and taken to Hell. We have to get her back; we just have to, and the rabbits want to do this. They want to help get their queen back, and they also want to help defend the school. I don't like war and fighting any more than you do. In fact, I hate it, and I wish it didn't exist, but it does. So, I have to. I hope you understand."

Sari-chan embraced Rayne, hugging her tightly while tears silently rolled down her cheeks.

[Metanih]

Rayne sighed, her decision on the morality of what her girlfriend was doing still not made. On one hand, the rabbits were willing, and this would be a help to the school as a whole. Their own Queen had been taken, who was to say that they couldn't help? Then again, what Sari-chan was doing was making the rabbits violent, or at least, more violent, as a race. At least, she was giving them the means to do that.

Rayne simply stood there, her voice seemingly lost to her, hugging her girlfriend. "Ok..." Rayne finally managed. She still thought that what Sari-chan was doing was wrong, but necessary. She definitely didn't approve, but she wasn't going to argue the point.

[Olthar]

After hugging Rayne for almost four minutes, Sari-chan finally let go, and wiped her tears on her sleeve.

"I...I should really be getting back to work," she said weakly, "I'll talk to you later then."

Giving Rayne a half-hearted smile, Sari-chan turned around and walked back over to the rabbits, taking over for Apple-chan and starting the army on a new training regimen, teaching them how to more effectively use their numbers to their advantage.

[Zarkenis Ultima]

Ciel listened to what the scarred rat said, and, at the end, nodded, and shook his hand, smiling. "I understand, Randan. My name is Ciel, and I hope for the same thing." She stated as she shook the rat's hand, and then looked around the room once more. The morning's light had crept into the abandoned place while she and Randan talked, and by now, more or less everything was visible. She could easily see all rats, great and small alike, massed there. Where she first saw angry telepathic vermin, however, now she saw allies and warriors that could be a deciding factor in the battle that was yet to come.

After that, she turned to Randan again. "I will heed your advice. I can think of a few people I can ask to come and assist me in recruiting other tribes of creatures that dwell down here, and it would certainly help if you spoke to someone who holds actual authority in the school." She stated. "So, lead the way."

[Nude East Ireland]

Damien jumped up, and landed onto the spear, trying to find his balance the entire time. However, he took his sword and plunged it down at Mountainfire's head, to, well, stab the fuck out of it.

[Hetland 2]

Maria was feeling a little woozy and light-headed after eating. She giggled crazily as she stumbled to the gym. She didn't know it but to Maria, Sari-chan's dish had been seriously intoxicating for little Maria. A huge grin spread across her face as along side a deep blush.
Hick!
"Eheheheheh. I jus thought offa funny idea."

[Hardened Pyrokinetics]

James continued cleaning up and moving around the gymnasium. He pushed in the bleachers and brought out some chairs, arranging them at one end in a 3x8 rectangle. Should be more than enough, even if NPCs end up being a part of the lesson.

At the other end he set up Crowley's podium, but that was going to just be for show. James wasn't going to lecture or give a speech, he was going to teach. On the front of the podium he painted a big red target, taping an expert artisan's drawing of Loki's face into the center. Then he unloaded his revolver, took out a chair, and waited beside the door, out of sight. It was time for Lesson Zero.

Maria stumbled in, and James was too taken with amusement to pull of his prank. He stood up and tapped her on the shoulder. "You look a little intoxicated there, dear." He said pleasantly. "James Callahan. What's your name?"

[AETEN II]

Malal grumbled as he showed up for the 'weapons training', firearms, he hated the blasted mortal weapons. His large, bony index finger rarely was able to fit into the 'trigger guard'- the existence of such a thing puzzled him. It was as if the designers of such weapons wanted to prevent him using them, as if the inventors specifically wanted to piss him off. During World War Two he had finally given up on the trigger guards and simply ripped them off. He still found difficulty using reloading most firearms however, during the war he had simply picked up a gun off a dead German and sprayed it about until the clip was drained. Then he pulled out his sword and resumed the bloodbath. Hopefully the human technology had advanced since then.

Malal entered the gym and glared at James- if the mortal made but the slightest insult upon his 'skill' with firearms...
"A pleasant visit to one of my greatest friends who I am certainly not scheming to make his afterlife most miserable. Indeed dear ally, how are you?" The question towards James was laced with malice and hatred, which he didn't initially have. For Malal knew (and it wasn't too great of a stretch), Nyarla had been playing brainwashing recordings of James-hate she had taped whenever he slept. He certainly wouldn't have put it past that evil mind of her's, but in truth, he didn't care how his hatred of James resulted. It was almost like a trope to hate James in fact. Everybody did.

"Firearms and me do not exactly mix. What weapons do you have that lack a 'finger guard' or whatever the hell it's called, or one that can be easily removed? I'd really prefer an energy weapon anyway. Something I don't have to reload."

[Erinkita]

Ellywick hurried after Crowley in the skipping, scurrying gait she had developed for keeping up with people twice her height. She wondered if he really knew where he was going.
As they passed a wide, sturdy-looking tree, the gnome swumg her hammer at it as hard as she could. As she'd predicted, the signals were all cluttered up. Too much plantlife, too many insects, too much moisture. It was like trying to hear a triangle in a sousaphone orchestra. However, there did seem to be something ahead of them. Some metal and worked stone construction. Crowley did seem to be going the right way.

[Nationstatelandsville]

Damien jumped up, and landed onto the spear, trying to find his balance the entire time. However, he took his sword and plunged it down at Mountainfire's head, to, well, stab the fuck out of it.

Mountainfire jumped backwards and onto the ground, flinging Damien onto a tree. He landed roughly on his side and grunted, rolling over slowly and struggled to his feet. Bears will not built for such aerobatics - they were heavy juggernauts, meant to barrel into a foe and tear it down while it struggled in vain to fight back. A limber foe was not expected, nor very easy to defeat. Bears were quick, but not flexible.

"Come forward and fight like a bear!" Mountainfire demanded.

---

While Minh attempted to talk to Lewis, the other bear rolled onto his side. When Minh finished speaking, he noticed... well, nothing, really, it was the absence of notice that he noticed. In other words, Lewis was gone.

He was also being pounced on by a giant armored bear, but whatever.

"Treachery and deceit are a valid battle tactic, foolish human," the bear laughed as it attacked, "We bears are too noble to side with the daemon, but not noble enough for honesty."

[Nude East Ireland]

Damien stood up, and spat a little blood onto the ground. "Bears and men are nothing. Demons, Angels, Gods - they're all nothing as well. Everything dies. You'll die. Your clan will die. Your species will die. And I will die. And there will be nothing left. No one will remember you or your people, or me or my people. No one will remember the Egyptian Gods, no one will remember Heaven, and no one will remember Hell. Everything moves, and everything dies. Why don't you save what lives you can, and what small time you and your entire species has left, and let me pass. I am helping to save everything and everyone. If you are not going to let me do that, then you will be the cause of the death of all things. And would you enjoy that? Tell me, Mountainfire, would you enjoy killing everything that ever existed?"

Damien sheathed his sword, and walked forward. "If you are, then kill me now. But if you have honor - not for me, or Lewis Jameson, or Minh, or any of humanity - but for life and its beauty and teachings, then you will let me and my companions pass and help save all things from death."

[Nationstatelandsville]

Damien stood up, and spat a little blood onto the ground. "Bears and men are nothing. Demons, Angels, Gods - they're all nothing as well. Everything dies. You'll die. Your clan will die. Your species will die. And I will die. And there will be nothing left. No one will remember you or your people, or me or my people. No one will remember the Egyptian Gods, no one will remember Heaven, and no one will remember Hell. Everything moves, and everything dies. Why don't you save what lives you can, and what small time you and your entire species has left, and let me pass. I am helping to save everything and everyone. If you are not going to let me do that, then you will be the cause of the death of all things. And would you enjoy that? Tell me, Mountainfire, would you enjoy killing everything that ever existed?"

Damien sheathed his sword, and walked forward. "If you are, then kill me now. But if you have honor - not for me, or Lewis Jameson, or Minh, or any of humanity - but for life and its beauty and teachings, then you will let me and my companions pass and help save all things from death."

"Your human morality is so very strange," the bear replied, sighing heavily (which was oddly adorable), "So twisted. Man shall not man, you say. So very useless. What if a man is eating your fish, leaving you hungry? A bear would kill that man. What if you are hungry due to a lack of fish and another man walks by? A bear would eat that man. What if that man kills many other men? Does he deserve death? Yes, many say. But, then, what is the point of saying he should not have killed those people? Were they not sinners too, through sheer life? Would you not steal to eat? And you say not to meddle in the affairs of others, but you ignore this the moment someone seems suspect. You say not to judge others, but you have obviously judged me as some kind of genocidal beast because of one attack. Did you consider that you stand on a point of reverance? Did you consider that you just landed an airplane on the Temple Mount and demanded we sacrifice many of our soldiers for your cause?

We bears are noble. Consistent. Our morality, our code of honor, is the same for all. Be you a simple fawn or a saint, we shall challenge you if you wish to speak to us. Such is the way of the bears. It has always been so, since the elder days when man knew its place in the African wild, hunted and devoured by stronger creatures who did not dwell on silly tools and fire."

Mountainfire stepped towards Damien slowly, preparing to stab him through his throat. He was quite clearly off-balance, however, and tired. He walked with a slight limp in his leg and breathed heavily, as though he was injured severely. A small trickle of blood fell from beneath his armor.

[Hardened Pyrokinetics]

James turned away from Maria and looked at Malal. "Most firearms come with a trigger guard. It's meant to prevent the weapon being accidentally discharged. That said, I should be able to find you a weapon with either a larger trigger guard to accommodate your biology. Most modern weaponry is designed to be modified to fit the user's preference." He waved towards the chairs. "Take a seat. It'll be another 45 minutes before I start with whoever is here." He turned back to Maria. "That goes for you, too."

[Nude East Ireland]

Damien stood up, and spat a little blood onto the ground. "Bears and men are nothing. Demons, Angels, Gods - they're all nothing as well. Everything dies. You'll die. Your clan will die. Your species will die. And I will die. And there will be nothing left. No one will remember you or your people, or me or my people. No one will remember the Egyptian Gods, no one will remember Heaven, and no one will remember Hell. Everything moves, and everything dies. Why don't you save what lives you can, and what small time you and your entire species has left, and let me pass. I am helping to save everything and everyone. If you are not going to let me do that, then you will be the cause of the death of all things. And would you enjoy that? Tell me, Mountainfire, would you enjoy killing everything that ever existed?"

Damien sheathed his sword, and walked forward. "If you are, then kill me now. But if you have honor - not for me, or Lewis Jameson, or Minh, or any of humanity - but for life and its beauty and teachings, then you will let me and my companions pass and help save all things from death."

"Your human morality is so very strange," the bear replied, sighing heavily (which was oddly adorable), "So twisted. Man shall not man, you say. So very useless. What if a man is eating your fish, leaving you hungry? A bear would kill that man. What if you are hungry due to a lack of fish and another man walks by? A bear would eat that man. What if that man kills many other men? Does he deserve death? Yes, many say. But, then, what is the point of saying he should not have killed those people? Were they not sinners too, through sheer life? Would you not steal to eat? And you say not to meddle in the affairs of others, but you ignore this the moment someone seems suspect. You say not to judge others, but you have obviously judged me as some kind of genocidal beast because of one attack. Did you consider that you stand on a point of reverance? Did you consider that you just landed an airplane on the Temple Mount and demanded we sacrifice many of our soldiers for your cause?

We bears are noble. Consistent. Our morality, our code of honor, is the same for all. Be you a simple fawn or a saint, we shall challenge you if you wish to speak to us. Such is the way of the bears. It has always been so, since the elder days when man knew its place in the African wild, hunted and devoured by stronger creatures who did not dwell on silly tools and fire."

Mountainfire stepped towards Damien slowly, preparing to stab him through his throat. He was quite clearly off-balance, however, and tired.

Damien nodded. He then ducked, and move forward, grabbing Mountainfire's spear and standing up, still gripping the spear tightly. He pulled the spear back, and then kicked Mountainfire in the stomach, ripping the spear from the bear's hand and twirling it into his own hands. He held it into the air, the tip aimed at Mountainfire. He stood still for a moment, his eyes still on the bear, and then he thrusted down, as hard as he could.

And the spear stuck out of the ground, beside Mountainfire's head, and he sighed. He let go, and looked down into Mountainfire's eyes. "I'm not going to kill you. You have caused me no true harm, and I wish to cause none to you."

[Constaniana]

William nodded and set off following Crowley through the steaming jungle. If I have to go into Auto-defence form, we're going to have a bad time Sheila said inside William's head. And why would that be? William asked. Don't you remember? When you go into survival mode, I scan every single life-form around you to asses its threat level and out it up on your HUD. So that means every tree, bug, snake, parrot, poop throwing chimp... Ok, Ok I get it, sheesh, William said, cutting off Sheila.

[Nationstatelandsville]

"Your human morality is so very strange," the bear replied, sighing heavily (which was oddly adorable), "So twisted. Man shall not man, you say. So very useless. What if a man is eating your fish, leaving you hungry? A bear would kill that man. What if you are hungry due to a lack of fish and another man walks by? A bear would eat that man. What if that man kills many other men? Does he deserve death? Yes, many say. But, then, what is the point of saying he should not have killed those people? Were they not sinners too, through sheer life? Would you not steal to eat? And you say not to meddle in the affairs of others, but you ignore this the moment someone seems suspect. You say not to judge others, but you have obviously judged me as some kind of genocidal beast because of one attack. Did you consider that you stand on a point of reverance? Did you consider that you just landed an airplane on the Temple Mount and demanded we sacrifice many of our soldiers for your cause?

We bears are noble. Consistent. Our morality, our code of honor, is the same for all. Be you a simple fawn or a saint, we shall challenge you if you wish to speak to us. Such is the way of the bears. It has always been so, since the elder days when man knew its place in the African wild, hunted and devoured by stronger creatures who did not dwell on silly tools and fire."

Mountainfire stepped towards Damien slowly, preparing to stab him through his throat. He was quite clearly off-balance, however, and tired.

Damien nodded. He then ducked, and move forward, grabbing Mountainfire's spear and standing up, still gripping the spear tightly. He pulled the spear back, and then kicked Mountainfire in the stomach, ripping the spear from the bear's hand and twirling it into his own hands. He held it into the air, the tip aimed at Mountainfire. He stood still for a moment, his eyes still on the bear, and then he thrusted down, as hard as he could.

And the spear stuck out of the ground, beside Mountainfire's head, and he sighed. He let go, and looked down into Mountainfire's eyes. "I'm not going to kill you. You have caused me no true harm, and I wish to cause none to you."

Mountainfire swung his paw at Damien's face, but it was a futile venture. He attempted to stand, but merely fell hard back down to the ground.

"I apologize for my weakness," he coughed, "I am wounded mortally, and were I not so, I would have gifted you with a greater fight. You are not the first to appear at the Forest of Night today, but you shall be the last, for the first was relentless, horrible, and knew no fear. She awaits any of courage in the Bear Court even as speak, licking her paws of our blood. I fear for the safety of the High Echelons, but I cannot venture into the catacombs, for I am honor-bound to my post. Tread cautiously, young man, for your only surviving predator dwells below the soil."

A loud whoosh and a jingle designed specifically to sound like the one from Legend of Zelda followed it, a door-like shape appearing in the center of the clearing, one which revealed stairs leading into the dark, which reeked of fish.

"A woman," Mountainfire finished, dying silently as no bear ever should. His partner suddenly relented.

"I left a message!" Lewis' panicked cries resonated from within.

[Nude East Ireland]

Damien knelt down over Mountainfire. He slid the warrior's eyes closed and stood to walk towards the entrance. He walked down the stairs, leading Minh along too. "Lewis!" he yelled. "Come on, stop fucking around. Some crazy bitch is down here, and she'll kill us."

[Nightkill the Emperor]

Minh sighed. "Well, I'm glad I'm not the only one who fucked up in romance. Then again, I have Callahan as a walking reminder of that." He gave a brief chuckle. "Now let's see what's going on down there." He kept his sword out and ready, looking around. "Now, let's hear some backstory. What the fuck is going on here? Lewis, we came here to get aid from the bears. If I die here because of our supposed allies, I'll kill you."
-------------------------------------------------------
Then the forest shook. And a hole ripped open in the ground. And Poison Ivy came out. Well, it wasn't Poison Ivy. But it was a tall statuesque woman with green skin and green hair and a two piece suit that didn't leave much to the imagination. A lot like Poison Ivy to me. Shut up, I grew up watching BTAS. But anyway.

Crowley nodded. "Demeter." he said warily, pulling his hands casually out of his pockets. But the goddess was angry. Not angry as in wrathful, but angry as in annoyed.

"For Zeus' sake, Crowley, what the fuck are you doing here? This is one of the few places I have left on this planet where I can still relax! At least the damn dwarfs asked permission before they came here. Why the hell are you here?"

[Nightkill the Emperor]

And Daisuke wheeled himself down to the basement to see the rabbits. He just opened his mouth and stared at the makeshift rabbit army that was being created by the catgirl. Whatever her name was. She used Japanese pronouns all the damn time. "Sari?" he asked, not using the pronoun deliberately. He had some dignity, dammit. "What the hell are you doing?" He wasn't angry, just amazed at the sight he was seeing.

[Olthar]

Sari-chan whirled around and saw someone in a wheelchair. For a brief moment, she looked confused before remembering that he was Minh's son. However this was the first time they had actually met. Giving Daisuke a smile, she spoke, ignoring his question.

"We haven't been introduced have we?" she asked, "Well then, let's fix that! Hello! My name is Sarina, but you can call me Sari-chan. Everyone does! What's your name?"

[Nightkill the Emperor]

Sari-chan whirled around and saw someone in a wheelchair. For a brief moment, she looked confused before remembering that he was Minh's son. However this was the first time they had actually met. Giving Daisuke a smile, she spoke, ignoring his question.

"We haven't been introduced have we?" she asked, "Well then, let's fix that! Hello! My name is Sarina, but you can call me Sari-chan. Everyone does! What's your name?"

"I'm Dais-" He stopped himself two seconds before he said "Daisy". "Daisuke. I'm Daisuke. Good to meet you, Sari." he said, extending out a hand. "So, you're training the rabbits?" Stupid question, what did it look like? "How well is that going? Do you think they'll be ready to save the queen rabbit and those sixty kids?" A bit of a guilty expression crossed his face. He shouldn't have put blind trust in EVE like that. Stupid, stupid.

[Olthar]

"Dais...? I know! I'll call you Daisy-chan!" she happily replied.

Sari-chan ignored Daisuke's hand and, instead, gave him a hug, picking up both him and his wheelchair in one swift motion. She then set him down and gave him a smile. However, her expression fell when she got to his question.

"I hope so..." she answered hesitantly, "I'm trying my best, but I just don't know if it'll be enough. We're apparently sending them to the meanest part of Hell, and there's apparently fairies there, too, or something, and they're supposed to be, like, really strong. I just don't know if we're all ready for that..."

She fell into silence and looked down at her feet. After several moments of silence, she finally looked up.

"But we have to try, anyways. We have to save Cuddly-Wuddly. We just have to!"

[Hetland 2]

James turned away from Maria and looked at Malal. "Most firearms come with a trigger guard. It's meant to prevent the weapon being accidentally discharged. That said, I should be able to find you a weapon with either a larger trigger guard to accommodate your biology. Most modern weaponry is designed to be modified to fit the user's preference." He waved towards the chairs. "Take a seat. It'll be another 45 minutes before I start with whoever is here." He turned back to Maria. "That goes for you, too."

Maria cackled drunkenly, patting James on the back lightly, which was significantly less light than she thought it would. She grinned wildly and cackled some more.
"But Jamesey!" There was a definite slur to her words. "I had a friggen' brilliant idea..."
She grabbed him by the shirt and leaned in, "A bazooka that shoots girders. Friggen' brilliant. I wannit. Get it for-" She stumbled back giggling, "Get it fer me..."

[Hardened Pyrokinetics]

James turned away from Maria and looked at Malal. "Most firearms come with a trigger guard. It's meant to prevent the weapon being accidentally discharged. That said, I should be able to find you a weapon with either a larger trigger guard to accommodate your biology. Most modern weaponry is designed to be modified to fit the user's preference." He waved towards the chairs. "Take a seat. It'll be another 45 minutes before I start with whoever is here." He turned back to Maria. "That goes for you, too."

Maria cackled drunkenly, patting James on the back lightly, which was significantly less light than she thought it would. She grinned wildly and cackled some more.
"But Jamesey!" There was a definite slur to her words. "I had a friggen' brilliant idea..."
She grabbed him by the shirt and leaned in, "A bazooka that shoots girders. Friggen' brilliant. I wannit. Get it for-" She stumbled back giggling, "Get it fer me..."

James very nearly faceplanted onto the floor from the force of Maria's "pat", and he definitely felt part of his spine bend inwards slightly before straightening. That was going to hurt like a bitch tomorrow. He managed to recover just in time for her to grab him. When she made her drunken request, he stood there silently for several seconds, holding back laughter. Finally, he spoke. "Uh... Listen..." He started, still holding back the urge to laugh in her face. "That... That is kind of impossible..."