exsiliumlogs | Cometh the Big Crying Wheel

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Cometh the Big Crying Wheel

Date & Time: Sept 15th
Location: A refurbished castle on the outskirts of Exsilium.
Characters: Anyone at the party!
Summary: Vanadi hosts a party that goes very poorly.
Warnings: Violence, probably! Let a mod know if we should update this.

It’s a lovely night for a party!

The venue at the outskirts of town is, unfortunately, a bit drafty — and actually rather sparsely furnished, as well. In fact, party goers are encouraged to mingle, drink, and enjoy themselves in the courtyard, as the castle itself wasn’t able to be renovated in time, and has proven to be a little bit architecturally unsound. Any explorative guests might find a small hail of dust and pebbles on their heads if they venture too far in — and who knows what else, if they continue on.

But the drinks and snacks both are plentiful and delicious, and the large canvas set up from castle wall to castle wall keeps off the sprinkling rain. The weather could even be described as warmish and pleasant, if one were feeling generous. A group of Exiles plays classic instruments in one corner of the courtyard, having been paid enough to even smile at any Transports that wander near.

All in all, it’s shaping up to be a good night. Until about 10 PM, that is. Come 10 PM, the Misery rolls into town, tearing down the canvas, nullifying powers, and crying corrosive blood everywhere. That’s the cue for all hell to break loose, as the final wave of mind-controlled characters snag their victims and make for the hills — or at least for the UE. The mind-controlled characters will also have the backup of a squadron of 20 of the Masked, the UE's special ops force. The Masked's main goal is to grab those on their list and get away, but they're certainly not above shooting to kill at anyone that gets in their way. They're also highly trained in hand-to-hand combat and physically enhanced by their suits, so they're a good bunch to try to avoid.

But do have a wonderful time until then, won’t you?

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[ This is a light even he can see. Everything seems to go quiet, as if there is nothing else in the world but this aura. ]

Nnngh...

[His wing! The man is going to see his wing. Good Heavens, is he trying to strangle him? Kevin lets out a frustrated cry. He cannot let Break see him, but he cannot let him die either.

He takes advantage of the man's momentary surprise to drag him under the table with him and then envelop him in his arms, his remaining wing moving forward like a cocoon around them. He might be powerless, but an angel's protection must still be worth something. Uriel's embrace is...exactly what one would expect it to be.]

Curse you, Mister Break! Why does it always have to be you?

[Glancing over Break's shoulder, he tries to find a way out of the party gone terribly wrong.]

[ He doesn't resist; he is amazed. He allows himself to be dragged under and embraced. Is this - what redemption feels like? Is it forgiveness? ]

Am I--?

[ Is this the peaceful embrace of death? ]

[ ...

...

... ]

[ ...okay, all things being equal, it's unlikely that Death would call him Mister Break. Or sound quite so agitated. ]

Mister Cecil?

[He holds him closer, his touch as gentle and protective as usual.]

DO NOT MISTER CECIL ME, SIR! WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU ARE---

Edited 2013-09-16 01:02 (UTC)

[But why is he not talking about the obvious? Why is he not reacting to---

He is suddenly reminded of Break's weird reaction when he let the tablet fall. That was not something one would...]

Oh God. Oh God, you fool! All this time you---

[His voice becomes tender as he grabs Break's hand.]

...Let's leave this blasted place, shall we?

Edited (I've just woke up. Magical grammar for all. ;;) 2013-09-16 01:07 (UTC)

[ Seriously. Seriously??? ]

Mister Cecil. Now is not the time. Kindly control yourself. Just - ugh!

[ He is going to set aside this whole business of your raging crush and bizarre aura, because he really can't cope with either of these right now. He shifts, trying to extricate himself from Kevin's apparently fond and inexplicably feathery (???) embrace. ]

I need to locate my companions, if you'll excuse me.

[Raging crush? Raging crush?!

He does, however, let go of his hand and moves as far as the space under the table will permit. The chances of someone like Break finding anyone in the middle of all this noise and chaos is very small. Most likely, he will get his head hit by the falling ceiling.

Time for half truths...perhaps?]

E-everybody has already left or are on their way out! You were the one who were left behind! S-standing with a fork in your mouth!

Edited 2013-09-16 01:21 (UTC)

[ Now that Kevin has released him, he scrambles out from under the table. From the sound of the noise, it sounds like the party is still very much going on. He entertains a number of strategies, the most attractive being:

1) Rush in
2) Kill everything
3) Same as #2 ]

[ Yes, right. This is a good plan. He starts to head off--right beneath the Misery, which spatters him with corrosive blood. ]

Gah!

[In his long life as the Angel of Repentance, Kevin has seen many, many terrible things, but corrosive blood is a first.

As much as he would never criticize God's design, he still doesn't know what the hell He was thinking when He came up with this whole free will business. Free will is and will always be a complete mystery. Honestly, you leave humans unattended for two seconds and they go about splattering themselves with corrosive blood. ]

[And yet, paradoxically, God also created Uriel and all his annoying instincts. Those have completely overridden the part of him that knows better as soon as the stupid man got hurt.

In a single, fluid and elegant motion, he stands up, covers his wing with the the cursed tablecloth and attempts to kick Break out of danger.]

[ Xerxes Break has nearly flawless instincts, enabling him to evade foes with bloodthirsty intent, despite not being able to see them. That said, he can be sucker-punched very readily by his friends.

("friend" is probably a bit of a stretch when it comes to Kevin, but hey)

Or in this case, sucker-kicked. He goes down again. ]

What the hell--

[ This is both in response to the burning liquid that just rained down on him, and the fact that somebody (likely Kevin) kicked him. Yes, all right fine. He gets it. Teamwork. Teamwork. That's what his sentient weapon has been all about, so he might as well make use of the lesson this world has been trying to teach him. He props up on his elbows and calls: ]

Mister Cecil, come here! Mister--

[ Goddammit ]

KEVIN!

[ Urgh. Even after so many years, he really really hates that name. ]

[Well, he was...is ready to drag Break out of this mess, but being called by his given (albeit fake) name, grabs his attention.

He does, indeed, draws closer, making sure no terrible things like corrosive blood reaches the man.]

[ Fortunately your aura shines out like a beacon, Kevin. Break doesn't know what it is, but it's straightforward enough for him to reach towards the light. ]

I've got to find Oz! Oz Vessalius! Can you--

[ He doesn't actually know that Kevin knows. The "Oh god you fool!" business was perfectly in line with "Sir, you're a complete idiot," so he didn't make too much of it at the time. Also, quite honestly, he'd been more distracted by Kevin's embrace and hand-holding and brilliant, other-worldly glow and the feathers...

Okay, no. He is still unable to cope with any of that. All he knows is that concealing his blindness isn't going to do anybody any good, and so: ]

Can you see him anywhere?

[Embracing and handholdings, Kevin would have told him, is what angels do.

So it happens that both must share their little secrets to get the job done. Kevin, of all people, knows the importance of Break's decision.

Without questioning Break's request for a single second, he turns around and searches the crowd, but there is no sign of Oz, or Collette, or most of those he knows, for that matter.]

I don't see any of them, sir. They are not here anymore.

[He moves to help Break back to his feet, the corrosive blood marks on the other man making him wince. He must take him away from here so he might heal him properly. Take him alive, that is.]

...I suggest we seek them somewhere else, preferably out of this...[He does not even know how to call it.] this monstrosity's cancelling range.

Edited (editing since part of Break's people is getting kidnapped. Lucky Xerxes. :') ) 2013-09-17 14:01 (UTC)

[ He allows himself to be helped up, although he is too full of adrenaline to notice his burns, or the way his intricately-embroidered Venetian finery is ruined and smoking.

He starts to protest; but if Oz can't be seen, that's a good thing. Perhaps he's hiding. Or else Gilbert was protecting him, surely. He probably picked Oz up and ran at the first sign of any trouble. Teamwork. He should trust that his friends are capable... ]

Yes, all right.

[ How easily he thinks of them as friends now. He's going soft. ]

...Lead the way.

[Kevin's aura flares at the very clear purpose. He looks abnormally peaceful, the last layer of humanity vanishing from his grave and blank expression. Holding Break's wrist, he carefully navigates the man through fallen debris and sprays of corroside blood, though he soon realizes Break's reflexes make the task much easier than it should be. Most of all, he wants to be away from the thing's influence. With his powers back, protection and counterattack must follow.]

We will find them, I promise.

[His voice is now flat and calm, devoid of the range of emotions and colors that have made him sound so much like Kevin. It is a beautiful and clear voice, but it is too bright to belong to this world.]

[ Kevin's aura is so preternaturally bright, it nearly overwhelms all of his senses. His calmness is contagious. He follows, as if in a trance - although at some point he does slip his wrist from Kevin's hand, instead latching onto his elbow, as it is far easier to follow than to be pulled along.

Finally, when they are out of immediate danger, though not quite outside of the unknown monstrosity's range, Break manages to murmur: ]

What are you?

---and if you say you're just a house steward, I'll punch you in the nose.

[As Break latches on his elbow, the angel blinks in honest surprise, which brings some humanity back to his features.]

I'd rather not have my nose punched, sir.

[Always the procrastinator.]

There's something about you that's....

[ He casts about, clearly reaching for the right words. He settles upon: ]

...awful. Terrible. Too much--muchness.

[ Still conscious of that sensation of being polluted in contrast to Kevin, he lets go and hangs back--to find that there is something brushing against his face. Something soft. Feathery. He reaches up, to touch it. ]

--nnngh!

[ It can't be! ]

[Yup, it is a true to God wing. It twitches and withdraws under Break's touch, the feathers smooth and beautiful.

Kevin gives him a puzzled look. Terrible and awful are not adjectives he ever sees applied to his angel form. Not by humans, at least. They do not offend him, but they confuse him quite a bit.]

You are a strange man, Xerxes Break.[He comments, with something close to fascination in his voice.]

I...I am an angel.

[ Break himself originates from a time that is a generation earlier than the (faux) Victorian, and he lapses into that vernacular from time to time. Terrible: inspiring terror. Awful: full of awe.

Thus he stands, sightlessly staring at this angel's light. It's complete madness, that he should be standing here, in the presence of an angel, but looking back on everything, it all makes a certain sort of sense... ]

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