Other Worlds: V 2.0

[initiates]

Date & Time: May 21st, beginning at 0900.
Location: The Initiative Hold and all throughout Elmer's world
Characters: Anyone participating in the fighting, anyone staying behind.
Summary: Elmer's world is fought for and lost.
Warnings: Violence, death.

They reopen the portal at 0900, May 21st. The first scientist who stepped through was killed within thirty seconds; the rest who followed made it back through to Exsilium, albeit not unscathed. The portal was shut again by a panicked operator, although a second operator knew to keep the coordinates locked.

Within ten minutes, the alert had been sent out. There's no time to wait for the Transports to gather en masse; as soon as they have a sizable enough force to stand a chance at fighting through and clearing their gateway's location, the door is opened again.

Immediately inside the door is a desolate, grim scene. What had previously been the coast of Japan is now scorched earth, blasted sand, and little else. As the first point of contact for this world, it has undoubtedly suffered the worst. Here, the UE didn't stop at governments, financial centers, and capitols — the UE destroyed everything in sight. There are enough UE soldiers remaining in the broken country to give the Transports a difficult battle, although by now the bulk of their forces have moved on.

The Initiative will soon realize the necessity of opening more gateways, just as the UE had done. Transports will be deployed to London, Berlin, Paris, DC Washington, Moscow, Beijing, New York City, Hong Kong, Madrid. Through each of these windows, the destruction is staggering. Buildings are more husks than structures, everything that can burn is alight, and the death toll is off the charts. Blackened bodies seem to line every street, while pieces litter the ground among the rubble. There's no doubt that the UE has no need of the people of this world. They're after resources only, and anything and anyone already here is to be removed.

You can find UE soldiers everywhere. They move in coordinated squadrons of 20, and each of them carries a small arsenal. Even without their incredibly advanced and destructive weaponry, they're fearfully formidable. Each soldier, while still only human, is a genetically perfect clone, further enhanced by technological implants. They're all highly trained in physical combat. Even if you can disarm one of them, don't count on close-range attacks being any easier to handle. They've brought along cannons, small flying craft, and lightweight tanks. Each of these is the top of the line in terms of technology, geared toward destroying as much as it can, as quickly as it can. The United Earth is here to destroy, and they won't stop to wonder why their targets go from being civilians and scrambling, off-guard, comparatively primitive militaries, to trained and powered Transports.

For anyone staying at home, they'll find that any Initiative presence has withdrawn fully to the Hold. All Initiative employees are needed, and most of them in the med bays. The majority of the Initiative focus is on recalling and resurrecting fallen Transports, but attention is still needed for the living-but-wounded. Any Transports who stay in Exsilium and offer their help will have it immediately accepted; they'll be put to work in the medical wings, runnings supplies, or simply set at a machine and told to keep an eye on the numbers: Transport vitals, UE movements, and maps upon maps of changing statistics and colors.

At 1500, the Initiative will recall all Transport soldiers back to Exsilium and seal shut the gateway. The UE numbers are too great, their soldiers too powerful, and Elmer's world is lost.

Comments

[OPEN TO ALL]

[galactically]

(OOC: The song in question. That part actually ends at 3:38.)

[Paris: 1300]

[Sheryl Nome doesn't belong in the battlefield. She'd be right at home with the headlights above her head, emitting a sharp glow around her as she sings, not in desolate ruins where scorched bodies litter the ground. Isn't Paris supposed to be a city of beauty and splendor? Just seeing the bodies drop down one by one, smelling the gas and blood, and hearing the depressing symphony of guns and bombs in the air altogether makes her feel anguished.

Anguished. Yes, not to mention afraid, but even so she doesn't let anyone see the fear in her expression. Calm and unyielding, for that's who Sheryl Nome should be. She may not be a fighter, but she can't stand by and do nothing. Which is why she stands firmly just several feet away, a safe distance from the skirmish, and she balls her fists to each side. Her lips part, and out come these sultry sounds of a soft ballad, filled with both passion, pain and unadulterated sorrow.

What she expects is for her voice to project loudly for the Transports to hear her, to enhance their strength and fight to live... but she doesn't expect the UE soldiers nearby to abruptly drop their weapons and clutch their chest in pain, falling down to their knees.

What is going on?!]

[The Hold]

[Sheryl's been trying not to think too hard about what transpired hours ago, the sight of those soldiers in pain trapped in her mind. Is this the risk she's willing to take for the battlefield? The Vajra are one thing, but other humans? It's very troublesome to say the least, and she even looks conflicted, for once showing her true feelings.

Pushing the nagging thoughts for the moment, she's at the medical wing with a first-aid kit she borrowed from a nurse. Tending wounds and bandaging them carefully come more naturally her, and she eyes the way she wraps long cloth over a body part with careful fingers. There are bottles of rubbing alcohol, cotton balls, and extra bandages right next to the singer, just in case she needs them.]

Now hold still, I'm almost done with this!

[The person she's tending to? That could be you.]

The Hold

[redheadcarrier]

[Asuka's already been bandaged up once, but the dressing needs changing and fresh bandages applied to it, so she's not objecting all that much. She flinches slightly - the disinfectant stings - but at least the cuts and shrapnel wounds on the side of her face are getting cleaned out.

The gauze stays firmly taped in place over her eye, though. She's not letting anyone but a doctor touch that. Especially not someone she knows.

It's hard to get upset when the entire side of her face feels like it's been slammed into a door a few times (well, not really), but she's been back at the hold for a few hours by now. She's trying to avoid thinking about the ramifications of her wound by acting like everything's normal. Her head swings around so can give Sheryl a little glare with her good eye.]

Hey, that hurt!

[She's not really angry at Sheryl, but it's easier for her to pretend that she is. After a moment, she adds, in a rather surly mutter:]

...thanks.

[galactically]

Sorry!

[Did Sheryl accidentally wrap the bandage too tight? Oops, time to fix that with some quick adjusting to the grip, a lot gentler this time. She can't blame Asuka for being testy; battle wounds can make anyone upset, especially if they're disinfected prior to coverage. Still, there's a look of concern over the idol's face for her roommate.

She can only imagine how that eye got hurt in battle, but she'd rather not dwell on it so much — for Asuka's sake and her own. At any rate, there's a soft reply in return, along with a very faint smile:]

You're welcome. Just make sure to take it easy, okay?

[redheadcarrier]

[Asuka frowns, but the words seem to soothe her (just slightly) and her shoulders relax a bit. She doesn't like being injured. At all. Her fingers flex against the cot she's perched on and she finally shrugs.]

I'll try. I hate being stuck in bed, though....

[Not that this wound is likely to keep her in bed, but it's the thought that counts.]

That was a mess.

[She changes the subject. Well, sort of. Asuka glances up at Sheryl again, lips pursed into a scowl.]

What the Hell was the point of that? IF we couldn't save their stupid world, why'd they even send us?

The Hold

[wilder]

[Zelos was also in the Hold at this point, tending to the wounded. Or at least gathering supplies at the time, so he'll be passing by her and pausing]

Need any more supplies?

[galactically]

[Sheryl is stretching both arms over her head with a quick flex of her fingers when she hears the inquiry. Turning over, she flashes Zelos a quick smile.]

Just some juice for the patients and more bandages. That'll be all!

[wilder]

[He'll smile back. Wow, this medical area sure has some cute medics]

Juice and bandages? Heh heh, you got it!

[And he'll go to get some! It shouldn't take too long]

paris.

[limitstorm]

[ he's digging his hands through a soldier's chest with violet, dark aura claws before the soldier in question writhes and falls out of his grasp, especially when he hears sheryl's voice.

riku raises his eyes to her, surprised, concerned--and determined, as he sees soldiers outside of her area turn towards where she is. dismissing his claws and summoning small violet wings, he zooms to her position, stopping right before her and casting barrier to guard her against incoming gunshots. he breathes a little heavily, and does not look back at her before he speaks. ]

Sheryl, what-- [ the barrier fades, and he summons up a rudimentary, shimmering shield before him. ] What was that?

[ riku himself is bloody and his clothes are torn, but he's still standing, unlike the united earth soldiers. ]

[galactically]

[Sheryl's singing abruptly ends as soon as she hears the gunshots aiming at her direction, and she screams in horror at that, only to gawk in awe at Riku shielding her from the attacks. The UE are truly ruthless, aren't they? How dare they shoot at someone unarmed?!

There's now an incredibly worried look over her face at seeing how bloody Riku is and at the soldiers outside her range, unaffected by her song. With that, her voice has a shaky quality despite how she tries to gain her composure back in an instant. She can't afford to get distracted, even if it sickens her to see so much bloodshed.]

My song! I knew it'd evolve, but I never expect it to grow this strong.

[She stands behind Riku, balling her fists with tense brows.]

Please be careful!

[limitstorm]

Don't worry about me.

[ he takes a step forwards, bracing his hands to the side as a green glow washes over both of them--healing, and rejuvenating. riku is used to dark wisps, not blood, and he's used to people--or enemies--fading away, not staying dark as corpses. it doesn't stop him, as his wounds heal and he lifts his head, looking at her over his shoulder. ]

I mean it. I'm a Master, I can take care of myself and protect you at the same time. Sing, and I'll keep you safe.

[ he faces back to the soldiers approaching, crouches, and launches, his blade launched into the air and revolving around him in orbit, hitting multiple soldiers. ]

[The Hold]

[ultimate_coordinator]

[ Still wearing his heavy armor, Kira trudged into the Hold. His eyes glazed over, his breathing was heavy and judging from his injuries he was really nearing death.

He didn't even have energy to speak up. ]

H-help ...

[galactically]

[Sheryl is just about done patching up a random person, sending them away from the room, when she spots a critically injured Kira from the corner of her eye. Mouth agape with alarm, she quickly bolts up from her seat and runs over to grab his shoulders, making sure he doesn't fall down to the ground with blood all over. That's not good...]

Kira! Please hang in there!

[And this will be her attempt at trying to escort him towards a nearby bed, but with that heavy armor, it's slowing her down. Still, she's stubborn, and nudging him insistently is her way to go.]

Geez, you're such a mess!

[ultimate_coordinator]

[ He did realize that she was having a hard time helping him considering how heavy the armor is.

Heavy. The armor was too heavy for him at the moment ... and because of that he couldn't breathe. He couldn't think either, but he could vaguely hear the familiar voice that seemed to be talking to him. ]

Help me ... take ... [ Gasps and maybe a few shouts here and there. ] ... take this off ...

Please ...

[ He was trying to do it himself, but he was barely able to move without making the bleeding worse.

He still couldn't see properly the person helping him. But at the moment he was ready to assume that it was some kind of guardian angel maybe. ]

[The Hold]

[therealrisette]

[Rise's been antsy and nervous ever since that announcement. She wanted to help this time, but there's nothing she can do. The idea of fighting terrifies her - she can deal with analyzing Shadows, but what's she supposed to do in the real world? Against real people? It's too terrifying... too painful.

So instead, she decides to try and help out in the medical wing.

"Try" being the operative word. Looking around at all the injured, the poor girl is pale and wide-eyed in shock. She only just barely manages to snap out of it a little when she sees a familiar face tending to someone...]

Sh-Sheryl-san?

[She's trembling a bit, but determined to fight through it. There has to be something she can do!]

Can I... I mean, is there anything you need help with?

[She's looking at Sheryl's latest "patient" with obvious concern. She feels so useless right now... even just doing something small to help these people would be better than this...]

[galactically]

[To Sheryl, helping out in the medical bay is far preferable to participating against armed soldiers, even with her voice as evolved as it was a few hours ago. Still, she's willing to keep herself busy with this much.

Soon after she hears Rise calling her out, and she cranes her head for a quick glance, then right back at the patient with a shake.]

Not right now! I'm good with what I have. [Though if she even runs out of supplies...] But thank you.

[therealrisette]

Oh... okay...

[Rise sounds a bit dejected, but if Sheryl's doing okay, then she'd better go check on some of the others.

At least, that's the theory. She actually ends up wandering around aimlessly more often than not. Occasionally, she'd see a need for something and go to fetch it. But she can't shake the feeling that she should be doing more...

She absently strokes her armlet - the "weapon" she'd been given when she arrived. Is it just her imagination, or does it feel a little strange right now...?]

... How did all of this happen?

[She's mostly just musing to herself, but it really does worry her. What if something like this happens on a mandatory mission? There are people she knows here - herself included - that wouldn't stand a chance!]

The Hold

[deathofempathy]

[Hisoka hated this. He didn't want to be a burden like this to Tsuzuki. But of course he had ended up injured in the fighting, trying to defend his partner and others from the United Earth forces. He was supposed to be able to help and protect Tsuzuki. Not have to be practically carried back to the Hold with his partner fretting over him.

He hates hospitals and such of any kind, after three years of illness from Muraki's curse back home. He can practically smell the antiseptic and it almost makes him want to gag. He was used to pain at least, but that didn't necessarily make it any easier. Hisoka was sure there were probably others with more serious injuries, but he knew his own also did need tending to, disinfected and bandaged at the least with his leg and arm.]

Just get it over with then. [He tells Sheryl, preparing for the sting of the disinfectant.]

[omnomcinnabon]

[Tsuzuki, predictably, didn't leave Hisoka's side while they waited for Sheryl's help. None of them were big fans of hospitals thanks to their pasts, but that only makes Tsuzuki's determination to stay that much stronger. He only hoped she wouldn't tell him to leave the room.

A worried look in his eyes, he touches Hisoka' shoulder.]

Does it still hurt?

[galactically]

[As Sheryl shifts the small bottle of disinfectant within her careful grip, she moves her gaze back and forth between Hisoka and Tsuzuki. Not knowing who these two men are, she can only guess that they are close friends, judging from their interactions. There's a faint pout towards Hisoka, before dabbing the cotton ball into the bottle and carefully pressing it onto the infected area.]

Yes, yes, I know.

[She regards Tsuzuki with a light smile, nodding her head towards her "patient".]

If it gets unbearable, you can hold his hand if you want.

C-C-C-Combo Breaker! AKA Paris

[kungfublackfrog]

[It was like clockwork: one went down and three more took its place. Adam was used to fighting monsters but other humans...it was horrifying. At first, he was only trying to knock them out but it got worse. The soldiers weren't holding anything back and...he had no other choice.

He was unsure and angry at the fact that innocent lives had to be cut short because of some pointless fighting. It was to put it simply: total bullshit. But then he heard something close by...]

Is that singing?

[He turned to get a good look at what is causing the music, and the United Earth soldiers to fall in pain. That's when he spotted her.]

Sheryl?!

[galactically]

[No, no, no. This isn't right at all, her songs shouldn't sending these soldiers crashing down to the ground, even if they don't care about the lives they're taking away, but really--

She hears an alarmed voice calling out to her which gains her attention, then turns sharply around to spot Adam from where she stands, stopping her singing.]

Adam!

[She quickly ducks behind a large boulder in case the UE soldiers try to aim their guns at her.]

[kungfublackfrog]

[There is one soldier ready to take aim at the singer but Adam is right behind him with a good blunt hit with the handle of his katana. Not like the swords he's handled before but he'd manage. Once the grunt was out like a light, he took the gun from his hands and slung it over his shoulder. Extra security measures.]

Are you hurt?

the hold!

[invocation]

[Kyouko scowls, irritated and bothered with the idea of being tended to. She's just fine (she thinks), but the various scrapes and bruises she has aren't healing as quickly as they should be.

Simple exhaustion, perhaps, limitless magic or not. There was only so much anyone could take, Puella Magi included.

Still, that doesn't stop her from shrinking away from Sheryl.] H-hey, back off! I don't need this stuff!

[galactically]

[Sheryl figures that as soon as this is over with, the faster Kyouko can leave and get some proper rest. She knows the girl is very stubborn, but she can't help but be taken a back a little. Sorry, but this idol is now pouting sternly, arms crossed in front of her chest.]

But you'll get infected if I don't clean it! Now let me finish!

[invocation]

[She glares up at Sheryl, defiant, but eventually, reluctantly acquiesces.]

...I can heal just fine on my own. [This is muttered though, and she doesn't try to move.] It's takin' so long just 'cause I used too much magic.