The Marauders: Battle at Buckley's

[Starfire]

Buckley's - Stairwell

They continued upward. Without any sign of danger, they settled into conversation. Mostly about Brenthon. For someone so abrasive, he was a hot topic.

"Tongue lashing and head bashing aside...I have to say.. I kind of like the guy. Tall, dark, dashingly handsome...He just OOZES with power and intrigue. I'd like some of that to rub off on me..."

Asuna glanced back at Simon and raised her eyebrows.

“Somehow I think with your power set, you have a bit of that already. But I don’t think he is the role model you want to choose for yourself. Narcissism is a frequent trait of the powerful, but it tends to be a very lonely way to live.”

"As you said earlier, we need to have a bit of trust with each other. But what happens when you don't trust the leader AT ALL? It's a recipe for disaster. I KNOW I have your back, and Simon's back, and even Vivica's back. And I know you guys have mine. But our fearless leader's back? Hell no. I'd sooner let that bitch of a witch bleed him to death before I trust HIM. And that is not at all good."

Asuna laughed.

“Somehow I don’t see Brenthon as our ‘leader’. And he may get what is coming to him yet. The night is young.”

More climbing.

"You think we're screwed...I mean.. It's awfully quiet around here?"

Asuna smiled.

“Quiet is good. But if I thought we were screwed, I wouldn’t have come alone. Your friends are more powerful than you know.”

 

[Ruby]

Buckley's Auction House - Stairwell

Asuna laughed.
“Somehow I don’t see Brenthon as our ‘leader’. And he may get what is coming to him yet. The night is young.”

"Oh, I doubt it. He seems to revel in beating up on people. I didn't even do anything."

:: She sighed. What she DIDN'T say was that she didn’t just feel safe with him, but that she was terrified of him. She was fine…NOW, but what would happen when they all meet together again? Her body gave an involuntary shiver. Originally, when she said ‘thank you’ in Hungarian, she had hoped to form a tie or whatever with Brenthon. But now…now she was terrified of him. ::

And all because I had compared him to a Nazi. However…maybe HE has a beef with them as well?

:: Still, she didn’t feel safe with him AND she didn’t trust him. ::

“Quiet is good. But if I thought we were screwed, I wouldn’t have come alone. Your friends are more powerful than you know.”

“It could also mean it’s the calm before the storm, too.”

 

[Watchtower]

Let the Carnage Begin!

<< As Cassandra, Simon and Asuna made their slow ascend in the staircase, Brenthon and Vivica moved slowly down below to the basement levels. Each group was on edge, knowing that at ANY moment, something could happen. That even Witchfire HERSELF might show up and "play with the group" for a moment. >>

<< Asuna seemed strong and calm as opposed to Simon's seeming boy crush on Brenthon and Cassandra's downright mistrust of the Gypsy. As they made their way up to the FIFTH floor, halfway to their goal of reaching Vivica's office on the 10th floor, scratching could be heard from a few floors up, and from a few floors down below. >>

<< Simon, Cassandra and Asuna stopped dead in their tracks as the scratching soon accompanied BARKING, but not from your normal dog. This barking seemed to come from the darkest and deepest places in Hell. >>

<< Still, the group stood still...and THEN, all at once. Everything STOPPED. Deadly silence filled the stairwell as a multitude of doors could be heard opening all at once accompanied by the scrambling of what sounded like paws. >>

<< All at once above them and below them the staircases seemed to be FILLED with Witchfire's Hell Hounds began to STORM the group with ferocious and brutal verocity. These dogs were from the pits of HELL and were blessed with the power of the undead. They were bloodthirsty, HIGHLY durable and resistant creatures with the absolute need to DEVOUR anything that moved. They had impeccable instincts and reflexes, strength and they would work in tandem, with a group mentality, helping each other until EACH victim had been claimed. >>

<< The barking BURST out in a loud and deafening sound as from behind them, THREE Hounds LEAPED up and tackled Simon to the ground, tearing at his flesh with painfully sharp teeth and razor sharp talons, almost as if they KNEW he would need to be caught off guard in order to be attacked. As the hounds tackled Simon to the ground, three more jumped OVER the others and SLAMMED into Cassandra biting at her hair, and piercing through her protective bodysuit almost as if it didn't MATTER. Their bright red glowing eyes seemed to surround her. >>

<< Like clockwork, within a matter of seconds, Asuna was faced with a brutal onslaught of FOUR Hellhounds, two from behind and two from the front, as the two from behind TORE into her ankles and the others jumped STRAIGHT for her face, biting, barking and CLAWING. >>

<< The team would have to move FAST and perfect as MORE were on their way, and they had yet to see what a cohesive unit these beasts were compared to the sloppy herd of Hellions they faced in The Hawthorne Hotel. >>

<< The time to prove themselves to Brenthon was NOW. If they perished, the items could be stolen and their deaths would catalyze the MURDER of millions of people! >>

 

[Starfire]

The 5th Floor Stairwell

“Shh!”

She held up a hand and cocked her head sideways, listening. Almost as if on cue, just as Cassandra stopped speaking, Asuna had heard something. Scratching. It sounded like the dogs that had roamed her father’s estate when she was a child. Then came barking, and then…nothing. Silence.

“MOVE!”

But it was too late. She heard doors opening and MANY paws scurrying, getting louder and louder. Coming for them.

The hounds were on them in seconds. Asuna lost sight of her teammates as FOUR of them bore down on her from two sides.

The blue energy that had been lighting her sword spread throughout her body as Asuna leapt into the air. Reaching out in front of her with her free hand, she grabbed the hell hound that was now inches from her face by its throat and squeezed. Feeding her absorbed ultraviolet energy into her hand, she crushed the creature’s windpipe and hurled it at its companion.

Turning midair, she landed facing the other two hounds. They charged at her, but being on a higher step, she had the advantage. Raising her sword, she swept it diagonally downward, releasing a “starbolt” of blue energy, cutting through the hounds.

Smiling she turned, but having forgotten the fourth hound, who had only been slightly slowed by the impact of its pack-mate, she was in for a shock. The hound sank its teeth painfully into her shoulder. She cried out. Gritting her teeth, she clenched her fists, and a blast of blue starburst radiated from her body, dislodging the hound’s grip.

She called to her companions in the darkness.

“Simon, Cassandra! Are you alright?”

 

[Ruby]

The 5th Floor Stairwell - Buckley's

“Shh!”

:: At her words, both Cass and Simon stopped and listened. She heard something that sounded like scratching and then...barking? ::

Why would there be DOGS here?

:: Before she could voice her thoughts, she was in the midst of a dog free-for-all and she and her companions were the CATS. ::

"OOF!"

:: Cass tumbled down when one jumped onto her back and started biting her hair. ::

Not the BEST food...

"Ack!"

:: Two more actually PIERCED her bodysuit! ::

Dammit!

"Nice PUPPIES!"

:: She LEVITATED upwards and noticed a couple mutts tackling Simon. She focused on his sword and watched as the weapon WRAPPED around one of the dogs' legs, cutting it OFF, sending the dog down to the ground. SHe then let go of the sword and it 'bounced' back to its proper state. She then focused on creating energy bubbles and threw them carefully at the dogs hounding Asuna. The bubbles, on Cass' command, met the marks: the dog's mouths. They then bubbled up - courtesy of Cass - then SNAPPED the dogs' jawbones. ::

:: Nodding in triumph, Cass settled back down on the ground. ::

Why should Simon and Asuna have all the fun?

:: She raised her leg and kicked at one of the hounds, driving her foot through its side. ::

Ewwwwwwww!

“Simon, Cassandra! Are you alright?”

"I'm doing just fine, how are you?"

:: She had a few seconds to herself and gathered her strength...before she swung her arms towards TWO hounds and her arm connected underneath both of their front legs sending them FLYING down the hallway. ::

"Here puppy, puppy, puppy!"

:: She gathered some more energy and made energy 'leashes'. She then lassoed them around two of the dogs' necks and then pulled tighter and tighter until...their heads popped off like Barbie heads. Cass couldn't help but stare in sick fascination. ::

"Whoa..."

 

[Longshot]

Buckley's Auction House - Stairwell

< Simon listened to Cassandra and Asuna discuss Brenthon. He had to admit, he admired Asuna's quiet confidence...it was not the confidence that he lacked but a certain 'humility' about that confidence that really seemed to give her an edge. He wished Cassandra would just brush off what happened and move on. He knew that Brenthon was merely trying to scare her and to give her a little perspective into his own life...which from what Simon could tell..didn't come easily. So maybe he had an interest in Cassandra that he didn't admit. >

< Still the group trudged up the steps, not knowing what lied ahead. Thanks to Simon's inherent abilities, he usually walked a little more comfortably than others. As they headed up towards the fifth floor the group was stopped dead in their tracks at the sounds of furious scratching could be heard from above. >

"Jesus Christ.. that sounds promising..."

< Then came the barking. Simon was hoping that maybe there were some scared and friendly, fluffy security puppies who were just looking for some hugs or treats up there...but considering what had happened at the hotel just a few hours ago, he definitely couldn't trust it. >

"Maybe we should ju--"

< Asuna silenced him, mid sentnce. >

Asuna: MOVE!

< Her words came too late as from behind, Simon was THROTTLED to the floor by the brutal and fast Hell Hounds. He was swarmed all at once, the dogs biting into his bodysuit, leaving dents and small holes. If he didn't move quickly, these dogs would make a meal out of him. He closed his eyes for a moment, and when he opened them, tiny flickers of an electric black, sparkling looking energy swirled around them. With ALL of his might, he threw his hand out and delivered a powerful blast with the full force of his ability, igniting his ability to alter probability fields. As the blast ran into the Hell Hounds they were hit with a stroke of "bad luck". >

"Take THAT!"

< The dogs began to trip over themselves, bite through their own tongues, slip on the stairs and roll back, tripping over each other, randomly breaking their bones, things of that nature. Simon rose to his feet and grabbed hold of his sword, lifting it HIGH in the air with perfect form before swinging it hard to the left, decapitating three of the hounds as he went. Now in control of his surroundings, three more hounds lunged at him, but as he went for his sword, he noticed that it was...."moving". Obviously under the control of Cassandra he watched as she warped it, using it do cut off the feet of one of the dogs before it turned back to it's normal state. He looked at Cassandra. >

"Nice!"

Asuna: Simon, Cassandra! Are you alright?

"I'm alright...These things however...They aren't stopping! I can see MORE coming at us from both sides!!"

 

[Watchtower]

Buckley's Auction House - Stairwell

<< Simon was right. The Hell Hounds didn't start coming. Just as they were taking the moment to savor their victory. The NEXT round came. >>

<< BAM! SEVEN more Hell Hounds rounded the corner, more from upstairs and from downstairs. As the hounds lashed at the group, they began to notice something strange...The dogs who had simply had limbs cut from them, or been stabbed or attacked in other ways began...reanimating. The only dogs that remained "dead" were the ones who had been decapitated. The dogs began to prop themselves up and LASH at the group with the same ferocity, as if they hadn't sustained any injuries at all. >>

<< The dogs jumped over one another as FIVE Hell Hounds lunged for Simon, jumping HIGH in the air and over other hounds in the stairwell, attempting to tackle him to the ground, and as FOUR hounds were able to CHARGE past Asuna, due to the fact that as she was taking a fighting stance, TWO hounds that had once been though dead from Cassandra's attacks, were suddenly reanimated and biting HARD at her achilles, sending excruciating pain to charge through her body, and for a moment....drop her sword. As the hounds blast through Asuna, they begin to savely paw, claw, bite and attack Cassandra in a number of different ways, as one catches her off balance, and tackles her to the ground. >>

<< From down below, even MORE barking could be heard as Hell Hounds began to start their ascent up to the Fifth floor stairwell, looking for their "prey". The team would have to move QUICKLY and more importantly, they would have to be SMART. They needed to get OUT of that stairwell, but with so much onslaught, would they be able to get out and UP to the 10th floor? Only time would tell. >>

<< And so we watch. >>

 

[Ruby]

Buckley's Auction House - Stairwell

:: Cass screamed as one of the hounds JUMPED on her and tackled her to the ground, to the already waiting four hounds who were biting and attacking her. ::

"NOOOO!"

:: She shut her eyes as one of the hounds stepped on her face. She tried to beat them off, but there were so many...and they seemed angrier than before. She yelped as one of them bit her arm. ::

Oh my gosh...what the heck?!

:: She managed to wrestle her arms away from the hounds and shot her arms out, sending a psychic energy blast into the hounds, making them fly backwards. She gasped for breath and jumped to her feet. In a split second she noticed that the dogs with no heads are the ones who stayed...dead. ::

"Cut off their heads! It's the only way to kill them again!"

:: She LEVITATED and focused on creating energy 'discs' and sent them high over the hordes of hounds. She also created discs that hovered over the floor. ::

"Simon, Asuna! Climb aboard those discs and see if you can decapitate these things with your swords!"

:: She then created MORE energy 'leashes' and lassoed them around seven hounds and pulled TIGHT until their heads, too, popped off as well. She nodded in satisfaction and then floated down to the ground. She was starting to feel weak. ::

I NEED some psychic energies! I wonder...

:: She noticed Asuna's sword laying on the ground and THREW herself at the hounds attacking the beauty, hoping to cause just enough of a distraction so Asuna could get her weapon back. She then wrapped her arms around one of the beasts and focused on draining it....surprisingly enough, it worked. Cass felt MUCH better, but she still felt weak and she NEEDED her strength. She attacked with more gusto, knowing now she could just drain them. Hound after hound she drained, looking and feeling younger and stronger by the second. ::

 

[Starfire]

Buckley's - Stairwell

They only got a moment’s respite, as they were under attack by MORE hell hounds – and some that they had thought they had killed already that RE-ANIMATED. She was made painfully aware of this fact when she felt an intense pain in her ankles. Two of the dogs Cassandra had killed were now back for more and snapping and snarling at her, and in her surprise, Asuna dropped her sword.

Cassandra offered her energy discs, but Asuna winked at her and shook her head.

“Thanks, dahling, but I have my own ride.”

Asuna used her stored energy to fly several feet up into the air. The dogs continued to come at her, jumping higher and closer to her each time. With a confident smile she flung both arms out to her side. A thick column of blue energy traveled outward from each hand, forming into the shape of two long sabres (but were composed entirely of energy).

Cassandra came to her aid, but the hell hounds would not give up their prey.

"Cut off their heads! It's the only way to kill them again!"

Asuna crossed her arms – each hand still holding a “blade” – over her chest. Biding her time, she lowered herself slightly as the dogs made a last desperate attempt to get to her. Slashing both arms outward to her side, the starfire blades sliced through the dogs like hot knives through butter. Asuna lowered herself to the ground as the two hell hounds’ heads rolled.

The blue energy seemed to bleed back into Asuna’s body and disappear as she knelt to pick up her sword. Returning to her feet, she held out her fist to Cassandra for a “pound”.

“Well done!”

Turning, she saw Simon dealing himself with five hell hounds…

 

[Longshot]

Buckley's Auction House - Stairwell

< Simon was completely focused now. During the minimal training he had gone through with Cameron, the telepath had shed a little more light on the way that his abilities worked. He was told that he could subliminally and psionically cause random telekinetic acts that affected the probability around him by making improbable things happen. Simon had learned that these things had to occur within his line of sight. The important part here is that his abilities were often triggered when he was in a stressful situation. Simon couldn't think of a more stressful situation than right now. >

< What made him such a deadly mutant was that his ability emanated from his body at all times and as long as he engaged in an action whose chance he can affect, he usually turned out okay... a double edged sword because essentially in order to protect himself the most, he had to bravely face a lot of things that scared him. >

< Taking a moment to breathe, he flexed his arms out, holding the sword in both hands. When the FIVE Hell Hounds lunged at him, ferociously snapping and attempting once more to take him to the ground and feast on his body, Simon flew into action, executing a brilliant and instinctive side step and backspin, allowing two of the dogs to fly past him and smash into the wall behind him, due to the force of their jumps. As he spun back to the front, he brought the sword with him, fully extending the blade out as he spun, resembling something almost like a helicopter blade as the sword sliced through the necks of the remaining three dogs. >

"Bad Dog! No treats for you!"

< Not missing a beat he turned around to face the remaining two dogs that had hit the wall, watching as they clamored to their feet, tripping over the bodies of their fallen pack. He lunged his foot out, executing a front kick that ripped into the side of one of the hounds as he lifted his blade UP and in the air and pointed down, both of his hands on the hilt as he SLAMMED it down, driving it right through the head of the hound before lifting it up and to the side, finishing the other one off. >

"Another one bites the dust!"

< Simon looked below him as he began to see even more hounds begin their ascent. >

"We gotta get out of here... Onward and upward, Asuna! You lead the way..."

 

[Watchtower]

<< The three unlikely allies had been successful in their attacks, using their unique abilities to fight back the second onslaught of the Hell Hounds. But their mission was to get to the 10th floor. With a break in the storm, Cassandra used her abilities to encase the group in a Psionic Shield as Asuna ignited a stellar blast of Starfire that OBLITERATED the hordes that were ascending up the stairs. >>

<< Slowly but surely the group made their way up to the 10th floor. As they opened the stairwell door they found the executive office halls in complete dissaray. The lights randomly flickered as they passed broken windows, completely destroyed offices and malfunctioning fax machines, computers and other electrical equipment. The air was cold and crisp and each of the team would notice that they could now see their breath in the air. >>

<< Vivica's office was at the end of the hall. All they had to do was make there, hopefully retrieve the objects and they could meet Brenthon and Vivica at the rendezvous point outside the auction house. However it would soon become clear that as they made their way to the office, they were definitely being watched, and soon...they would face.. yet ANOTHER attack. >>

 

[Starfire]

Buckley's Stairwell

If the situation had been different, watching the hell hounds attacking Simon would have been downright comical. It was as if the dogs were having some really really bad luck. She nodded approvingly at him.

"Nice moves, cowboy."

They needed to get out of the stairwell.mit was not favorable grounds for battle and they didn't have all day to carve up hell hounds, as much fun as it was.

"Cassandra, can you shield all of us with your powers?"

That would certainly help them move more quickly, not having to worry about any stray hounds. Simon and Cassandra would be shielded from her starfire - she was about to make a path, and it was going to drain her for a few minutes.

Asuna flipped her sword into the air, catching it pommel-side up. She rested the blade on the ground, holding the hikt with both hands. She closed her eyes, and looked almost like she was praying. All at once, her eyes opened and her head flew back. A blue starfire "shockwave" radiated out from her body, moving in both directions up and down the stairs, obliterating any hound currently in there with them. She was breathing a little bit heavier than normal as she turned to her two companions and smiled.

"I'm really much more of a cat person."

Asuna took her cue from Simon and lead the way quickly up the stairs to the 10th floor. She did an initial sweep of the immediate area as she came through the door. The floor appeared to be deserted.

"What happened here?"

She said in wonder. Everything was a mess - the lights and other appliances were on the fritz, and it looked as if a tornado had come through. Breathing heavily out, she could see her breath in the cold.

"Heat must be out as well."

She pointed down the hallway.

"There. Vivica's office is down at the end. Let's get the items and get the hell out of this crazy place."

 

[Ruby]

Buckley's Auction House - Stairwell

:: Cass pounded her fist back with Asuna's and watched as Simon expertly finish off all five hell hounds. She whistled. ::

"Looking good, Si!"

:: Her good mood evaporated as she turned and watched MORE hounds climb UP the stairs towards them. ::

Great.

"Cassandra, can you shield all of us with your powers?"

"I sure can."

:: Cass stepped forward and threw up her hands, encasing all three in her psi-shield just as Asuna used her powers to obliterate the hounds. ::

*cheers*: "Fabulous!"

"I'm really much more of a cat person."

"Me too."

:: She and Simon both followed Asuna up the stairs to the tenth pretty quickly. Perhaps TOO quickly. They all made their way from the the stairwell to the tenth floor where they were greeted by...NOTHING. The heat was out, the appliances and things were on the fritz, and it looked as if a tornado or hurricane or even a monsoon hit it. ::

"Whoa..."

"What happened here?"

:: Cass began to get an uneasy feeling about all this. Her blue eyes followed Auna's pointed finger. ::

"There. Vivica's office is down at the end. Let's get the items and get the hell out of this crazy place."

:: It was quiet; almost TOO quiet. Cass started shivering from the...cold? anticipation of another attack? the eerie quietness? She didn't know. ::

*whispers*: "I...I have a bad feeling about this. It's almost TOO quiet here."

 

[Pathfinder]

She's Back....

< She watched them secretly as they made their way to the 10th floor, where she was. Witchfire had entrusted her to be a punisher of sorts for the group, and while she normally didn't work with demonic witches from the Underworld, long ago the witch had done her a favor, and now it was time to make good on that. >

< The scene on the 10th floor was incredibly eery and utterly destroyed, like something out of a horror movie and the group would soon find out how true to the movies this scene would turn out to be. >

< The temperature on the floor dropped to near freezing levels as a cold chill breezed through the area. Soon a stereophonic voice could be heard booming throughout the floor as it too added to the chilling effect they were already experiencing. >

"You may have fought off the Hell Hounds...but I am something else ALTOGETHER.... Bwhahahaha!"

< All at once, from behind them, the door to the stairwell burst open against the incredible force of RAGING WATER that FLOODED the floor, coming at the group like a Tidal Wave with INCREDIBLE foce. It SLAMMED into the group, separating them from each other and KNOCKING their bodies into walls, machinery and other hard surfaces. It was a strong onslaught as Simon, Asuna and Cassandra soon found themselves choking, struggling and DROWNING. Just as the group found themselves suffocating, the water dissappeared ALL at once, swirling through the room like quicksilver as it began to swirl in the center of cross shaped floor. After a few minutes, the water took the corporeal form of a tall, dark haired, light eyed beauty. >

"I'm so glad you all could make it...However, I wish you weren't so LATE! I've been here for what feels like hours...."

< Clapping her hands together, the mysterious woman ignited a serious water attack as it began to essentially RAIN torrentially inside. The rain was HURTFUL to the touch and just kept POURING, causing the visibility of the team to be blurry and the resistance against the water hard to MOVE against. >

"Let's PLAY a little bit, shall we? I didn't come here for NOTHING!"

< All at once, each member of the team was assaulted by a furious water attack. From Asuna's blurry vision she would notice an incredibly FAST moving and large HYDRO Blast. This blast had the force of a freight train behind it and could drown a person from the inside out once hit. >

< As the inches of water accumulated on the floor below her, Cassandra would find herself with water up to just under her knees. The water begins to SWIRL and become incredibly chaotic as she soon realizes she is being pulled into a strong whirlpool, and the water around her warps, becoming almost like tentacles as it tries to grab her and pull her under the water. >

< Finally, Simon found himself in the midst of a large WATER cyclone, it manifested right next to him as it began to SUCK him into it's incredible power, THRASHING him from wall to wall, into furniture around the room. An all around onslaught. >

< The group would take notice that it appeared this Water Elemental could simultaneously control multiple manifestations at the same time, she had to be effectively focus and concentrate in order to this. Of course, there were many things that could counteract powerful water attacks, but that all depended on the ingenuity and quick thinking of the group. >

 

[Starfire]

Buckley's - Floor 10

The temperature in the hallway noticeably dropped, and a voice could be heard seemingly all around them.

"You may have fought off the Hell Hounds...but I am something else ALTOGETHER.... Bwhahahaha!"

Asuna clenched her fists, shouting to the air around her.

“Come out and face us, coward!”

She got her wish, as water rushed them. Asuna’s feet were swept out from under her and she landed hard at the base of the wall. Rain pelted down from nowhere. Well, not nowhere.

Luckily, their Z12 Model armor from Clandestine Intelligence protected them from the water AND the cold, but it didn’t do much to keep the water out of their eyes. She blinked to clear her vision, seeing a pretty brunette take shape out of the water. Asuna took a fighting stance.

“Don’t toy with us, witch! You have no idea who you are dealing with.”

The water elemental unleashed her attack, on all three of them simultaneously. It would have been impressive if Asuna had time to contemplate it. But she could hardly register that Simon and Cassandra were being attacked before a hydro blast barreled towards her.

She quickly unsheathed her sword and spun it like the paddles of a windmill. Blue energy formed into a shield in front of her, and she hoped it would be strong enough to hold back the blast of water.

 

[Longshot]

Buckley's Auction House - 10th Floor

Simon was definitely not feeling this situation, but he tried to remain as present and focused as he possibly could. Cameron had explained to him that his powers would offer him great protection as long as he clear in thought. His power actually happened to work better the more fearless he was, and that was something that Simon was struggling with. Picking up women from a bar, playing the piano, going on job interviews, that kind of thing he did with ease. Facing hordes of monsters and demons, well that shook his confidence a little bit.

"Alright, let's just get to that office, get those objects and get the hell out of here..This is like a scene right out of a scary movie..."

That's when the temperature began to drop significantly in the room as Simon realized he could now see his breath as they began to walk down the long hall.

"Great, why did I have to open my big mouth..."

"You may have fought off the Hell Hounds...but I am something else ALTOGETHER! Bwhahahaha!"

Immediately he saw Asuna go into a defensive stance and Simon called upon his fencing abilities to do the same. He flexed his left arm outright as his sword followed suit, reaching a starting fencing position.

Asuna: Come out and face us, coward!

All at once, they were bombarded with an incredible amount of water that began to RUSH into the room the from the door of the stairwell. They were rocked by the sheer force of the wave an thrown into walls, chairs, bookcases as the water tore through the room. Simon struggled to breathe and swim through the water as best he could, but he was fully submerged and he wasn't sure how much longer he could hold his breath. Just when he thought he was about to choke to death, the water was GONE and he found himself separated from his teammates, each in a different hall in the cross shaped floor.

The water swirled into the form of a tall attractive brunette woman. She was definitely gorgeous and it took a moment for Simon to stop thinking about what he might like to do her and snap back into a grim reality.

"Let's PLAY a little bit, shall we? I didn't come here for nothing!"

Soon a torrential downpour began to occur within the floor as the water slowly began to rise. The rain drops fell with incredible force and volume, making it nearly impossible to see. Thankfully, his protective suit was protecting him from the icy cold waters, but what came next was surprising to say the least. The water witch unleashed an incredible water attack on Simon as a giant water CYCLONE manifest right next to him, DRAGGING him into it's center as his body was THROTTLED once more, rocked around the room like a rag doll. He floundered for a moment, choking on the water, until he began to try and focus, remain clear and ACTIVELY face what was happening to him.

"Alright, Pratt. Get it together!"

His eyes began to twinkle as he manifested his power, letting the bio-electric current that constantly pulsed down his spine instinctively guide his movements, as he began to charge THROUGH the cyclone with nearly superhuman strength and agility. He pushed further and FURTHER until he had passed THROUGH the rage of the Cyclone and managed to come out behind it.

"Okay, Step One..."

He referred back to Cameron's training. He COULD consciously effect probability if he engaged in an action who chance he could effect. He faced the cyclone, but lost his sword in the clammer, so he began to channel the psionic energy of his powers into his hands. A swirling silver energy began to crackle in a halo effect around his hands as he shot them out with great speed aimed directly at the cyclone.

"Now, let's see what we can DO!"

The energy barrelled into the cyclone, seeming to meld with it when before long it began to weave WILDLY around the room, seeming to have lost it's original course. It blasted through walls that led to offices and kept going on a collision course with a large wall size window, promptly CRASHING through it and dissipating in a flurry of water.

"Not bad"

Simon had blasted it with the psionic manifestation of his power, and his ability to create energy composed of "good luck" and "bad luck" and when the energy was SILVER, that meant BAD luck for whatever became enveloped in it. He had miraculously stopped the mental control that the water witch had on the cyclone and caused it to wildly off course. He was a little proud of himself. Now he face the water witch. With the subconscious aspect of his power in full effect, he was able to move through the rain with ease, even though the water level was quickly rising. Then floating at his knees, he looked down to see his sword, which he promptly picked up.

"Thank God, I changed into this battle suit before hand...I'd hate to have ruined a perfectly good and EXPENSIVE suit..."

The water witch seemed lost in controlling her attacks on the other too as he began to run FULL force and jump HIGH in the air, his years as an award winning athlete paying off. He brought the SWORD high over his head as he began to bridge the gap between himself and the mysterious woman, intending to slice right through her head!

"SURPRISE!"

 

[Ruby]

Buckley's Auction House - 10th Floor

"You may have fought off the Hell Hounds...but I am something else ALTOGETHER.... Bwhahahaha!"

:: Before Cass could say something snarky to the disembodied voice, she was AMBUSHED by what could only be described as a TSUNAMI! Cass fought against the current but as soon as it started, it ended and Cass found herself flat on her back staring up at a gorgeous young woman. ::

"I'm so glad you all could make it...However, I wish you weren't so LATE! I've been here for what feels like hours...."

"Let's PLAY a little bit, shall we? I didn't come here for NOTHING!"

:: …And now it was pouring INSIDE. Cass struggled to get up but with the sudden DOWNPOUR it was no easy feat but the lovely succubus managed to get up. However, she found the water had collected just underneath her knees and it was gently tugging at her, making her go with the flow a little bit. It just got rougher from there and Cass soon found herself in the beginnig stages of a whirlpool! Not just your regular whirlpool, but THIS kind had a mind of its own and it felt as if the water itself had become tentacles and tried to pull her down. ::

“I don’t mind going with the flow, Bitch, but this is just ridiculous!”

:: The rain got into her eyes, making things blurry but she DID manage to notice a window at the end of the hallway. She then unleashed a psionic energy blast on the water, creating a WALL. She then PUSHED with both hands at the wall of water, driving it backwards towards the window. Will her tactics work? ::

 

[Pathfinder]

Round Two!

Erika watched with joy at the chaos being created around her. Standing in the center of the cross shaped hallway, she was rather pleased to be the epicenter, the virtual eye of the storm. She first turned her attention to Asuna.

As the powerful HYDRO blast PUMMELED towards her, Asuna lifted her sword and stood tall, ready to brace for impact. An electric blue energy surrounded the sword as the blast and the energy of the sword COLLIDED with incredible IMPACT. Asuna was seen being forced back, sliding backwards at GREAT speed as the blast pushed harder and harder at her.

Asuna: "Don't toy with us, witch! You have no idea who you are dealing with."

Erika laughed as she turned her full attention to the tall and beautiful blonde.

"It seems YOU are the one with no idea of who you are dealing with! You think that pretty little SWORD of yours can handle the endless PRESSURE of WATER?! Think again, sprite!"

Squinting her eyes, Erika exerted her force, increasing the PRESSURE of the Hydro Blast to incredible lengths. The weight behind the blast would make Asuna feel as if she were fighting against a TSUNAMI as she was BLASTED back by the overwhelming force and SLAMMED back, blasting THROUGH the window as she managed to hold on to the ledge of the building as water continued to barrel down on her from a few inches above her head. Erika now turned her attention to Cassandra.

Cassandra was fighting against the whirlpool and swirling tendrils of the water as she created a shield of Psionic force and attempted to PUSH the water out of the building.

"You little TWIT! Did you NOT see what just happened to your FRIEND? Witchfire will SURELY feast on your bones! That is...IF you can survive ME!"

Erika GESTURED with her hand as the water that had been rising from the floor swirled in front of her as a giant wave began to SWELL up and CREST. As she CAST both of her hands out the wave seemed to FOLLOW her command as it began to make it's way CRASHING into Cass and throwing her AGAINST her shield and the water she was holding back. Assuming that the creation of PSIONIC energy required MENTAL concentration, she knew that Cass's wall would DROP and she would find herself COMPLETELY submerged in ICY cold water that began to swirl much like a RIPTIDE barrelling her BACK and FORTH and UP and DOWN like a rag doll.

"Let's see you GO with the flow NOW!"

She hadn't forgotten about Simon and while his tactics had WORKED to send the cyclone adrift and off course. Her mystical senses alerting her to danger she turned around JUST in time to see Simon in the air about to bring his SWORD onto her head.

"You want to DANCE pretty boy? Let's DANCE..."

She lifted her hand in the air, palms facing up as she began to close her grasp, almost forming a fist as a giant PILLAR or water ROSE from the shallow waters and completely ENCASED Simon, rendering him unable to move or breathe. As she finally CLENCHED his fist she began to effect the water in his BODY as she began to completely drain it from his body. She churned water in and out of his body, effectively leaving him in a waterboarded state...feeling the PAIN of drowning without actually doing so.

"Come on children...SURELY you can do better than THIS!"

 

[Starfire]

Buckey's, 10th Floor

"It seems YOU are the one with no idea of who you are dealing with! You think that pretty little SWORD of yours can handle the endless PRESSURE of WATER?! Think again, sprite!"

The water hit her so hard that she was flung backwards and THROUGH window. Catching the window ledge with both hands, she held on for dear life as gallons upon gallons of water were dumped down on her. She could hold her breath, but not forever, and she couldn’t afford to use up all her strength just holding on. She decided on the path of least resistance.

She let go of the ledge. The water pushed her down and then she was falling…

She brought her legs together and her knees up and KICKED off the wall of the building, corkscrewing as she took flight and moved out of harm’s path. Levitating, her soaked skin shivered in the cold night air, cuts from the broken glass stinging. She had to get back in there, but she also had to keep from getting hit with another of those hydro blasts. With a deep breath she flew upwards and back through the broken window, arms outstretched in front of her. With a slicing motion, Asuna fired at the ceiling above Erika, sending chunks of building and debris falling down on top of her, hoping to bury the witch. Asuna was banking on Erika not being able to use her powers without being able to see them or move her hands.

 

[Ruby]

Buckley's Auction House - 10th Floor

"You little TWIT! Did you NOT see what just happened to your FRIEND? Witchfire will SURELY feast on your bones! That is...IF you can survive ME!"

:: Cass didn’t have time to shoot off a snarky comment as the bitch turned the water against HER. ::

Oh shit! Shit, shit, SHIT!

:: Cass SLAMMED against the side of the shield as well of the water with such FORCE that it broke her CONCENTRATION and she was engulfed in icy cold water…again. She flailed around for a bit, managing to come up for air and SCREAMED before shooting back down under the water again. ::

"Let's see you GO with the flow NOW!"

*panicked*: Riptide! Riptide! What do I know about riptides?

:: She had to think QUICKLY. The water was like a child with a doll. It was forcing her to go back and forth, and up and down, ROUGHLY. ::

Okay, okay! Don’t fight it, relax. You need to conserve energy. This isn’t a whirlpool, after all. Just relax and see what happens…

:: She slowly let herself relax, no mean feat considering the situation she was in, and soon enough…she allowed herself to float in the water. No longer was she being ‘attacked’ by the water, but rather she was being rocked side to side by the water…ROUGHLY. Still, it allowed herself to get her bearings straight and get her mind back on track. ::

Now what?!

:: Once she was sure she was relatively in a good spot, she threw out both hands to the ceiling…and LEVITATED. She had noticed that squares of the ceiling were gone and so she floated on over to the nearest empty square. She took hold of the narrow steel bar, separating the squares, and was now hanging from it, hoping it wouldn’t collapse. She swung and made her way to another empty ‘square’. She kept this up, without making a sound, until she was near the witch bitch and swung from the bar, her feet pointed DIRECTLY at the back of her HEAD...only she spotted ASUNA sending down chunks of ceiling and tile ON TOP of the witch bitch after she had already LET GO of the bar! ::

*screams*: “OH NO!”

:: In a split second she managed to levitate herself to the ceiling... ::