Russia arc

[Dracos]

OOC: And briefing is off camera

IC:

They entered the car.  A route planned towards the second most congestious exit in order to hide among the crowd of those traveling east.  They would curve north as soon as possible in order to escape.  The mask done for Dr. Andonuts was top notch, completely disguising his facial figures.

Safely they exited the city, Black at the wheel...  Heading north they made their way to Arkhangel'sk, a port city on the artic.  The sea air permeated the city, largely unaffected yet by the change in government.  The streets were mainly empty, as in the early morning most the townsfolk were either walking, at the docks, or manning their own stores.  Into these calm streets, Cardinal Black drove...

Fearless Leader

[Asrana]

Laika nodded, her face serious. "It does impair our abilities to act very effectively."

She closed her eyes, "The snipers will get here soon. In the meantime we must simply wait, please make yourself comfortable, Oneesan."

[Rezantis]

Relm nodded slightly and returned to her thoughts... thoughts she'd had an awful lot of time for lately; and still proving fruitless in working through this whole mess...

OOC:  Will stay until something happens.  :)

[Dracos]

OOC: Sorry for the wait.  POWER POWER POWER

IC:

Before the spies scanners....

The small russian town bordering northern china burned....  smoke flew into the air in droves, darkening the sky as they had approached.  Near the horizon a bright glow filled the sky...  

The smell of ashes wafted on the winds...

Fearless Leader

[Shukuen]

Both scouts stared at the village's remains, the remnants of the massacre still floated heavily in the air.

"My god..." breathed Moani in shock and disbelief.

Urthman narrowed his eyes, studying the environment. "The ashes haven't settled yet," he noted. "Whoever did this might still be around."

Moani glanced at her partner, reminded that despite his flippant attitude, he was still the professional.

"Pity that we didn't bring more weapons." He added in a bored tone as he climbed down the rock cropping, leaving Moani to facefault at the sudden change.

As Urthman climbed down, he tapped his communicator, relaying what he saw. "Looks like we won't be going the rest of the way after all." He shrugged, walking back lazily as Moani followed.

Inside her Blade, Lo Xian recorded their current coordinates. Nodding to herself after finishing their current log, she called out to the group. "We have no choice but to turn back now. If this is correct, we have to warn the main group before they reach the border."

"Roger." Came the unanimous reply as the three vehicles raced back to the rendezvous point.

[Bean Bandit]

OOC: Showdown: Part Four

IC:
Inside the Subconcious Mind of Cardinal Black.

Bean stiffened in pain, but did not scream. He stared in shock at the other man.

Black seemed content to use the moment of weakness to hammer home his point.

"I LOVED her! We loved her! And you tossed Yohko's memory away for a pair of adolescent CHILDREN!" Black snarled, his voice seeming to boil over with fury even as all the rage and anger seeped out of Bean.

Bean was numb with pain and shock. "I...I don't remember." he whispered.

Black's fury seemed to galvanize at this. He lifted his katana, and the impaled Bean into the air.

"LIAR!!!" He roared, and swung the sword in a swift arc. Bean's body slid off the sword and sailed through the air in a spray of blood, landing in a heap several meters away. Black snapped his wrist, and the blood remaining on his sword slid off in a sheet of gore. He advanced on Bean, speechless with rage.

Bean struggled to his feet, his plasma sword forming in the hand of his uninjured arm. Black attacked in a blinding flurry of slashing, and Bean, somehow, managed to deflect the blows, one handed.

Why isn't the plasma cutting his sword...oh...wait. Astral forms... Bean thought dazedly through the assault.

Momentarily, assault ended. Black sprang back, recovering himself. Bean pleaded with his dark half.
"I SWEAR! I don't remember her at all! We shouldn't fight about this...we need each other to survive! Please, tell me about her...Help me remember what you do. Who IS Yohko??"

Black's demeanor turned icy. "The best thing to ever happen to us. She loved us...and we loved her. And I'm going to kill you for trying to replace her."

So saying, he raised his sword, and blurred to the attack.

<To be continued>

[Asrana]

Laika sat in quiet meditation for nearly forty-five minutes before a thin lieutenant coughed outside her tent.

Her eyes peeked open, the hazel irises shining slightly, "Yes?"

"Ma'm, all of the outlook snipers have returned and are with their units by now. We're in the final preparations." His silhouette visibly at attention outside.

Laika smiled, she had good troops, "Good, I'll be out in a moment. Tell the other officers to be ready to move out soonest. And make sure your unit is combat ready, we will NOT be caught unprepared again by COR."

"Yes, ma'm!" The lieutenant saluted before jogging deeper into the encampment, the message spreading quickly.

Standing quickly, Laika gestured for Relm to do as such. Her saya went into the sash at her waist almost before her friend could blink. She leaned down to the tatami mat, rolling it up in quick and efficient motions, tying it and shoving the roll to the side. Besides her the other tatami mat and a camp stove, Laika was apparently already packed, her personal pack in the corner she had put the mat in.

"My own squad will take the tent down while I oversee mobilization. Ready to go, Oneesan?"

[Rezantis]

Relm stood up and stepped off the mat in a smooth motion, giving Laika a nod before turning towards the entrance of the tent to leave.

"I'll go and find Kale."

[Asrana]

Laika nodded as she quickly and efficiently tied up the last tatami, setting it aside before walking out of her tent and into the Siberian Autumn.

She shivered slightly as a cold breeze brushed her skin. Shaking her head as she pulled the winter fatigues up around her cheeks, leaving her distinct teal hair in the open for easy identification by her troops.

She jogged between command vehicles, giving orders and nodding to the few that were ready. It wouldn't be long before they could get going...

She finally came to Lt. Gihei's unit, the last on her trip before going back to her command vehicle.

Smiling, she called out, "Lieutenant?"

[Bean Bandit]

OOC: Showdown: Part Five

IC:
Inside the Subconcious Mind of Cardinal Black.

Bean jerked to the side, narrowly evading the missile-like charge of Cardinal Black. Blood began to seep into his clothes as the wound slowly began to overcome him, however, slowing his actions.

A faint, ghostly image of Ryder appeared beside him

"He's the personification of your dark side, Imouto-chan. You can't afford to lose this fight. If you die here...the 'you' in the real world will become a raging, murderous animal, killing everyone in your path, without the morals and conscience that you carry within you. You MUST not lose..."

Black closed again in a flurry of blurring, deadly slashes. Bean weaved, drunk with pain, dodging and deflecting what he could. Thin tears began to appear in his clothing, and the assualt suddenly ceased, as Black sprang away and prepared to renew his attack.

A ghostly image of Washu replaced Ryder. "You can't kill him, either...he contains your passion, and decisiveness...without him, you'd die as well..."

Bean wiped away a trickle of blood that had drained into his eye, breathing raggedly. He could feel his strength ebbing, and resisted the urge to scream in frustration.

I can't kill him...or die? What the hell am I supposed to do then???

Ryoko took Washu's place, her transparent form tense.
"Whatever you're going to do...do it quickly. That looks like he's preparing for a killing blow!"

Black was, indeed charging, his sword upraised. Frustration and desperation overwhelmed Bean. A roar erupted from his throat, and he raised his own sword, meeting the rush.

In a flash of light and sound, the plasma sword collided with the katana, knocking it from the startled Black's hand. As the sword flew away, Bean released his own sword and charged the masked man.

It was luck as much as skill that allowed Bean's outstretched hands to encircle Black's throat. It was an act of irrational desperation, and Bean was no longer cognizant of the consquences, and a desperate strength filled him, and he squeezed, resisting the struggles of the man beneath him.

Bean was unsure how long he was there, only aware of the gradual decrease and halting of Black's struggle.

The only witnesses to the scene were the ghostly figures of Ryder, Washu and Ryoko. The watched in dismay as Bean himself vanished from view, leaving only the limp body of Cardinal Black.

The three spectres approached.

"Does this mean he's dead?" Ryoko asked curiously

"Well...we're still here..." Ryder began...but thenthe body on the ground stirred.

"What? I thought he was dead!!?" Washu squeaked in surprise. Cardinal Black slowly sat up and looked to her.

"No, I'm not." the masked figure said calmly. He slowly pulled the death's head mask from his face...revealing an intense, green gaze.

"In fact....I'm whole again."

The astral cityscape dissolved in a flash of white, Bean's words echoing into the void.

****

In the car heading away from St. Petersburg...Cardinal Black tensed arbruptly...and suddenly let out a long, shuddering sigh.

[Shukuen]

Gihei turned around from where he was talking to one of the snipers in his unit. Both of them saluted Laika, while Gihei asked, "Is there something you needed, ma'am?"

[Asrana]

Laika saluted back, "Just making sure you have everything you need before we start to move out. I can't leave one of my best units without the support they need."

[Bean Bandit]

OOC: Arkhangel'sk.

IC:
Bean drove slowly through the streets, trying not to think about the mental block that had just broken. He wore his cloak and mask still, but he was now more...and, at the same time, less than Cardinal Black.

He rememberered everything that he hadn't previously. Two sets of memories flowed together, filling some gaps, leaving others untouched.

He remembered everything.

Including the face of a beautiful girl, her lustrous dark brown hair in looped braids that had a smile that could light up a room...

And that she would never smile that way for him again.

His knuckles whitened on the steering wheel, and the plastic began to crack as he tried to maintain his composure....

[Dracos]

"Cardinal?" Spy asked questioningly.

Fearless Leader

[Shukuen]

"Of course, Captain. I was just making final checks about our current supplies when you showed up," answered Gihei. "In fact, some of my specials told me that in a few days, we'll be able to completely repair our apc and juggernaut unit."

The sniper nodded slightly, adding, "We can handle ourselves for the time being, ma'am. Once our transports are fully operational, we'll be able to catch up with the main group. The rest of the unit has already planned out a defense perimeter while awaiting the scouts."

"The supplies we have remaining will be adequate for the wait, ma'am," affirmed Gihei. "We doubt we'll see much trouble."