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

Elliot | Half-open

[nobleminded]

[Paris - Closed to Gil]

[After the whole incident with Break and Oz, Elliot had decided to go in search of survivors. He obviously couldn't leave innocents in this place if even the great Xerxes Break had been defeated. And, while he hadn't witnessed it here, judging from the circumstances of his own arrival, he wasn't so sure that was the last he had seen of the swordsman.

As he passes a partially ruined building, he hears a voice crying out in a strange language. Despite not understanding it, the tone sounds as though the person is in pain. Elliot heads for the building.]

Are you all right?!

[Unfortunately, there was a good reason for the person to still be calling out. As Elliot passes a window, shots fire out in his direction, and one catches him in the upper arm. The shock and the seering pain send him falling to the ground, griping the wound with his other hand. He's starting to feel that familiar sensation of blood soaking into his clothes.]

D-Damn...


[The Hold - Open]

[Really, Elliot didn't think his injuries were that bad. The bullet had been removed and his arm was bandaged, and the rest were just simple cuts and bruises. He really didn't see much of a point to have to stick around, especially with people coming in who were recovering from worse.

So, once he thinks he sees an opening where none of the staff is looking in his direction, he's going to slip out of his bed and try to make his way to the door.

That doesn't mean he won't stop and look at the other patients or bump into someone, though.]

[retraced]

[Gilbert is long since aware that this has all been a lost cause. The pain in his hand is finally gone, though. Whatever power Oz had been using before has been suppressed again, but it still does little to calm his heart. He hasn't had to use Raven yet, but at this point he isn't sure that his body could take the strain. They need to get out, so he's rushing through the streets to search out Oz, Break and Elliot to tell them to get out before this escalates even worse.

The sound of gunshots draws his attention to this street, running as fast as his legs will carry him. Just as he turns a corner, he sees Elliot drop. Only a few seconds earlier and...

Gritting his teeth together angrily, he takes aim and shoots the man who just fired on his little brother right in the throat, just under the edge of the mask. He goes down immediately, and Gilbert wastes no more time in rushing to Elliot's side.]

Elliot! [He drops to his knees and puts a hand on the boy's shoulder.]

Let me see -

[nobleminded]

[For a moment he wonders if another soldier had just rounded the corner and was firing on him, but the sound of a familiar voice somewhat relieves his worries. Not that he'd admit it due to the source of that voice.

So his brother had decided to join this fight, too. Maybe he wasn't quite as cowardly as Elliot believed. Not that this is enough for him to just forgive him for leaving the family like that, but once he can focus on something other than the pain in his arm, he'd keep it in mind.]

G-Gilbert?

[He slides his now bloodstained hand down with a wince. If any of them was going to know about gunshot wounds, it should be the one who used one, right?

...Yeah, you'd better not mess this up.]

[retraced]

[Gil only takes a second away from his brother to look behind himself and make sure that no one else was following him. When he's sure that the street is clear, he turns back to Elliot and leans in to get a better look at the wound. It's tough to tell without removing the shirt if the bullet went through or if it was still inside his arm, but either way there's no chance that he's about to let Elliot just walk something like this off.

He reaches up and tugs off his cravat, folding it in half so that he can tie it around Elliot's arm.]

Stay still. Are you hurt anywhere else?

[nobleminded]

[If Elliot wasn't smart enough to know something like this required medical attention, he would be far more mortified by this situation. As it stands though, he'll just begrudgingly accept the details.]

Nothing...serious.

[Which is true, before this he had managed to get away with just a few scrapes and bruises as he dodged gunfire. This is the first wound that immobilized him for any amount of time today.]

[retraced]

Obviously it's serious!

[His words come out more angry than flustered, and his hands work quickly to tie the cloth around the wound. He straightens it to make sure that it's putting correct pressure on it before tightening it and tying off a simple knot.]

Don't just brush it off like it's not a big deal!

[nobleminded]

[Elliot starts trying to sit up. He can't yell with his usual gusto thanks to needing to cringe in pain, but that's not going to stop him from trying.]

Do...Do you even listen to yourself?! This is...the only one that needed to be looked at!

[retraced]

Elliot -

[He reaches out to try and keep his brother from sitting up too fast, face collapsing into a scowl.]

I'm taking you back to the Hold.

[nobleminded]

[And that comment is enough to earn you one of those lovely scowls you're so used to from your little brother.]

What?! I can't just leave these people to be killed!

[ The Hold ]

[maddeninghatter]

[ Break is sitting cross-legged on a clinic bed (one of the ones set aside for the recently resurrected). It might not be immediately obvious who he is, as there's a sheet swaddled around him and over his head.

However, there are some super obnoxious straw sucking noises emanating from this Break-shaped object. ]

[nobleminded]

[And Elliot really isn't sure who it is at this point, but the sounds catch his attention. Despite wanting to sneak out of here, he really can't put up with that behavior.]

You realize people are trying to heal here, don't you? You're being disruptive!

[maddeninghatter]

[ A skinny arm shoots out of the improvised blanketfort. ]

Then fetch me another one of these!

[ It's holding the Exsilium version of a juice box. ]

[nobleminded]

Do I look like an orderly?!

[...Wait. That voice. It couldn't be, could it? Elliot takes a step forward and tries to peer into the blanketfort.]

[maddeninghatter]

If you aren't, you should be.

[ It won't be difficult for Elliot to catch a glimpse of who it is underneath the sheet, though his features are scrunched up into a pronounced sulk. ]

'Twould be something useful for you to do.

[nobleminded]

[Yes, he does catch sight of him, which stops him in his tracks. Suddenly he understands why the others have been treating him so awkwardly. It's a bit hard to know how to act.

Not that it's going to stop him, because he hates how everyone tries to dance around him.]

Xerxes Break?! Those soldiers really did get the better of even you...

[It's starting to set in how impossible that fight was now.]

[maddeninghatter]

Don't be ridiculous.

[ He twitches. The blanket falls down, around his shoulders. He'd like to stay curled up in it all day, but he's not going to wallow in front of Elliot, of all people. ]

I simply got bored and went back. Don't care for Paris...

[ He sniffs. ]

Too noisy.

[nobleminded]

CUT THE CRAP! I saw you fall after they shot you! It's not going to help anybody if you pretend it didn't happen!

the hold

[flecks]

[ Even if it weren't for the fact he's been ushered to the medical bay by an Initiative member due to his bloody and bullet hole-riddled appearance, he'd still have gone there because it's the first place he thinks to look for Elliot. He hadn't been able to find him in Paris so there's no way of knowing what happened to his friend. His wounds have long healed, but his body aches all over. Far worse than that is the worry that's been eating away at him since he first learned Elliot went to Paris though.

When he finally catches sight of Elliot in the med bay, it comes as both relief and dread (because what if he died again), but both feelings are quickly overwhelmed by the anger that wells up in him. With a few brisk strides, he purposely moves into Elliot's way while he's looking away so Elliot bumps into him. It gets him in perfect range for Leo to grab him by the collar with both hands, looking absolutely furious.

Actually, furious is probably an understatement. ]

ARE YOU INSANE!?

[nobleminded]

[Elliot was about to yell at Leo for that appearance, but he doesn't get a chance when the other boy attacks. Which Elliot knows means he must be really upset, but that doesn't mean he has to put up with it.]

LOOK WHO'S TALKING! WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING, LEO?!

[flecks]

[ They're causing a scene, but it's beyond Leo's capacity to care or even notice at this point. The yelling, although expected, only serves to aggravate him more and after a moment of clenching the fabric even tighter, Leo suddenly pushes Elliot back with all the strength his aching body can muster, as if disgusted. ]

WHAT WERE YOU THINKING!? Do you want to die again that badly!?

[ Because that's a wish Leo can grant right now and— is that a beaker? Actually he doesn't care what it is, he's grabbing it and raising it above his head like he's about to throw it at Elliot's. Which he is. ]

[nobleminded]

[Elliot stumbles back a few steps, but catches his balance. He cares even less about making a scene than Leo.

He cares even less after that beaker hits him in the head. It breaks and a tiny trickle of blood slowly begins making its way down Elliot's forehead. Which he is totally ignoring.]

OF COURSE I DON'T! BUT I COULDN'T LET ALL THOSE PEOPLE DIE JUST BECAUSE THESE GUYS DIDN'T CARE!

[flecks]

[ Leo's already reaching for the next item to be thrown, but the sight of blood stops him. It makes him falter briefly in his anger with a flicker of guilt and he ends up dropping his hand back to his side where it curls into a fist instead. It's not long before his rage is back though. ]

IT'S NOT YOUR FIGHT! What could you do anyway!? You're useless!

[ It's a low hit, but Leo doesn't care. Elliot isn't an excellent a swordsman as Break or Asch nor does he have a Chain to protect him. It does, essentially, make him useless. ]

[nobleminded]

[Wow, way to get him in a sore spot Leo. Especially for a guy who was never a huge fan of Chains even before he found out he had one.]

THE INITIATIVE BROUGHT US HERE TO FIGHT, AND THEY CAUSED THIS! THAT MAKES IT OUR FIGHT! DOING ANYTHING WAS BETTER THAN CHOOSING TO DO NOTHING LIKE A COWARD!

[flecks]

SO YOU'RE SAYING DYING AGAIN WOULD HAVE BEEN BETTER!? HOW ABOUT YOU PRACTICE WHAT YOU PREACH!

[ He pauses suddenly, both fists and teeth clenched painfully tight. ]

Think of others before you do something stupid . . . !

[nobleminded]

I DID! I'M SAYING KEEPING MORE PEOPLE FROM DYING IN THE FIRST PLACE WOULD BE BETTER! DON'T YOU THINK IF I WAS SEEKING ANOTHER DEATH, I COULD HAVE FOUND IT IN THAT PLACE?!

[Yeah, now would really be a good time for him to have one of his flashbacks to his own speeches, huh? Too bad one hasn't kicked in yet.]