The Machine [Open/Accepting]

[Ayame-Yuura]

The guards poked the gun at Zil's side as if to remind him to keep quiet or they could shoot him readily. Zil glared up at one of them before looking back to Frederico.

"It was well-deserved", Frederico commented, toasting to Shadow as well. He then cleared his throat and began after making himself comfortable. "This began I guess... Seven years ago. Tension between Montinagua and Verilla very troublesome. I guess to introduce first. Ze central character in the story. That who bring us all together. Commander Cyrene Azymus. Lovely, she was but not like other Montinaguan ladies. Blue hair and strength of brusco macho man. Scary to oppose, she was... But fair, supportif and kind also. And cheerful. That do not forget. She quit her job as first(?) lieutenant in Montinaguan army to set up Montinagua Resistance force against Verillan assault. Her husband, government employee. He find out Diethelm plans for our country before everyone and tells her. And bang! He dead. She use this information to get everyone out of Montinagua before Diethelm takoever."

Frederico continues after taking another sip of his drink. One can notice the excessively elaborate hand gestures he's using. "One day, she bring to the base red-haired runt from bombing area. No nurses. They all busy so she nurse him back to health herself. We all curious about boy. His family bombed was. He wake up two days later, stays unresponsive for... a week. And when out of the recovery tent he comes, he glare at everyone. It was hilarious! ...And scary. Commander Azymus smiles and ruffles his hair but he push her away. Took weeks it did before he came to ze training ground. But before then, we know he very sensitive and hot-headed. He prove himself very strong hand-to-hand fighter. Second only to her. But no name he give, even after Cyrene let himon missions. He cunning as the devil himself! Ruthless and merciless too. Full of revenge. Our weapon. He come to base every time covered in blood. So we nickname him Blood Fox. Then... Ze disastrous thing happen.", he shakes his head in displeasure. "We go on rescue mission but Diethelm army dressed as Verilla army attack us. Many comrades dead. Commander Cyrene wept. And Blood Fox, this is terrible, disgusting pessimist began show his true colors. He make comment for first time and piss her off. She take her rifle", he gestured, forming a rifle with his hands.

"Yes, this big. She bash him in the head with rifle... Repeatedly! We all shocked. She grab him by collar and tell him she hates his s**t and throw him on the floor. Luckily, he survive. Shows how hardheaded he is", Frederico said and the others laughed. "But after this, more helpful around base he become though no speaking he make. Closer to her he was and he even smile sometimes. We wish he didn't. Softer, he seemed to us. Even more so after Montinagua Resistance's final mission"

Zil was exasperated. He tried not being affected at first but he shook his head and called to Frederico, pleading in a still half-begrudging tone, "Don't. Frederico. No more. Don't you talk about that. You've punished me enough. Let me go" His eyebrows were scrounged together and he was shaking just a little, obviously doing his best to hide what emotion he had for that past.

"Hah!", Frederico said, eyeing Zil. "More than talk about it, I will!" He cleared his throat again and continued as the guards closed in on Zil. "You see, Zil fall in love with her. She was ze only one who bend zis incorruptible will Zil had. But to end, she call him Fox, not knowing his name. Diethelm army come to take over Montinagua and 'Day of Flight' was pushed early. Very ill preparation we had but make do, we must. We safety citizens, get them over the border to Helmshire while fight off Diethelm force. She was shot but not make obvious, she did not. In private time as Zil tell us long ago that he told her his name and she smile at him and that he had feeling she was dying. She make announcement and tell us all she hold them off and we all go. Zil stand up, challenge it. He want stay with her." Frederico made circles around his temple then pointed at Zil, impying he was crazy. "But we drag him away as ze soldiers came close. Like a sissy, he scream as we drag him off. I believe he saw her shot several times as run for Helmshire we did. Maybe why difficult to hear this is for him", Frederico looked at Zil again with an indifferent shrug.

"After zat, I set up zis merry band and plant bases everywhere. We have money and liquor. We happy people. We even invite Zil but he refuse. Instead, he set up self-righteous non-profitable organization they call 'the rebels'. He never talk to us again until today. And he smile and talk to people. We confounded! Seemed impossible. It's like her death was a joke! ...He's a joke!", his words were seething with rage. "And now...!" Frederico laughed maniacally as he struggled to get the words out, trying to contain his laughter. "And now, he join dangerous organization and also challenge the shadows to come out and show themselves. Death wish, I tell ya! DEATH WISH! ", he emphasized, shaking his head. "Yes, we glad Zil back to dangerous weapon and not softcore I'm trying to save everyone! persona", he looked a little angry at Zil again before shaking his head and putting a hand on Shadow's thigh so as to signal the end of the tale. "Zas all I know. But maybe we can... Squeeze some more out of this one", he turned to Zil with a malicious grin, licking his lips as he pulled out a gold-handled knife.

Zil was silent, looking down with his face covered by his bangs. He knew Frederico might want to kill him but it was worth a shot. In few quick movements though, he disarmed the guard to his side, easily grabbing the gun before flipping over the table in Frederico and Shadow's direction. He fired a few gunshot into the air before making haste to the door before everything else that didn't need to be known were revealed.
((OOC: It's pretty long. ENJOY~! ))  

[lil_lollypop1]

((So I was looking at the timeline, and I realized how screwed up our timeline is. xd Think about it. Damien couldn't have been in power during Diethelm's interference. According to the history on the front page, the empire is only 4 years old. Oh well. ))

Shadow said nothing as she listened, occasionally taking a sip of the foreign beer. She knew the war, and she already knew who Cyrene was. After all, it was the same war that Shadow's parents were killed in. The Montinagua soldiers were the same soldiers her sister sold herself too, but it was Diethelm's interference and man made disease that killed both her sister and those soldiers. Of course, that was a few years before Damien came into power, but to be honest, Damien's predecessors were not that much better. The main difference was that Damien was successful.

Regardless, Shadow understood his pain, but was indifferent to the tale. Sob stories never really effected her. If anything, she was surprised Zil was making such a big deal about it now. She would have thought that by now he would have come to terms with it like she had, but apparently not. When Frederico laughed and touched her thigh, Shadow felt a little uncomfortable, but not enough to do anything sudden until he mentioned torturing Zil. But before she could move, Zil already disarmed the guards and flipped over the table to escape, Shadow said nothing. She simply sat and sipped her beer as she succeeded in getting away.

"Is security always that lax, or are you just giving him a false sense of security so that I could get a show with that tale?" She asked with a curious smirk.  

[Ayame-Yuura]

Frederico shook his head after aptly dodging the table flip although liquor got onto his fine pin-striped suit. He grit his teeth and shook his head at her thought of their crew being incompetent. "No. Impossible! The security outside this place is tight. Not even Zilaius could possibly escape unharmed. Plus, I see him limp a little, coming here"

Just then, one of Frederico's cronies came in, short of breath as he delivered a report. "Sir! All our guards... They're dead! And also... Our weapons locker has been wiped clean!"

Frederico shot up, banging his fist on the table. "WHAT?! Even my CL-300 pistol?!"

"Nothing was left, sir!" The man repeated.

Frederico realized then that the purpose of Zil wanting to meet with them again was not to have them join the organization Zil was a part of. Heck, Frederico did not even know the details about it and may have told a few mistruths. But that runt stealing from them... Now this. This is unforgivable. "FIND HIM!", Frederico yelled, grabbing his subordinate by the collar before getting everyone else to go after Zil. "Mademoiselle, thank you but that will be all", Frederico said before continuing, "Unless you can tell me where this guy lives. I'll give you $10,000 straight. So I can maim and kill him!" He was obviously full of rage.

Zil kept running. This was going to be a long chase and he'd need to steal a few cars on the way. But it was already obvious that there were people helping him as one man cannot have killed so many guards stealthily and stolen all the weapons of a notorious crime group while trying to negotiate with a mob boss. Zil still felt hurt about Cyrene's loss but he never did move on. He felt that he had wronged her by letting her die. Now, she was the only reason to live. To fulfill her legacy. It was just that Zil could not do this as she did. Not anymore.

((OOC: 4 years. Ikr~? But I added 1 year to mine since our present time is seeeeveeeral months after. So I assume it's the 5th year. =w= Originally, I'd have planned the Montinaguan Resistance to have been set up during the war but after looking at the timeline, I tweaked it a little~ xP ))  

[lil_lollypop1]

"He doesn't have one." Shadow answered bluntly. "Trust me, that's the easiest way to track a person, and I've been trying to track him for months. That organization of his constantly has their men on the move. And when he doesn't have a job, he's probably sleeping on the streets. I don't think he even has citizenship." She admitted. "Now if you'll excuse me, I'll be on my way. Have fun." She said with a small wave as she walked out the door.  

[Ayame-Yuura]

((OOC: Long chase and battle scene with badass 'nod at the bird and people die' action like in Assassin's Creed: Brotherhood video. Unfortunately blocked on our school comp. Timeskip to morning or not. Your choice~ FUUUU~!!! Anyway, I'm heading to class. BYE~! ))  

[lil_lollypop1]

((... ... ... Wait, what?... I suppose we could time skip? Whacha think Eternal or are you still caught up with school stuffs? ))  

[Eternal_PrinceOfFire]

((Sure. Damien will call Shadow later. Still got some stuff to do, but I've got time right now.))  

[Ayame-Yuura]

(( M'kay~ Chu can start, Lollykins... Cause well... I'm almost late for class xP ))  

[Ayame-Yuura]

The next morning, Monica knocked on Jian's door, conscious if anyone was following her except of course the secret police who held a certain distance away and pretending not to be on guard as was requested of them. "Guess who?", she said playfully with a few knocks on his door.

((OOC: No. Actually... You know what~? I'm here. xP Prof let us off early~ Just waiting for my next class~ ))  

[lil_lollypop1]

((Umm... ok. ))

Jian opened up the door, recognizing Monica's voice. "Good morning." Jian smiled. "Come in. Can I help you with anything?" He asked Monica, leading her inside.  

[Eternal_PrinceOfFire]

Damien was going to call Shadow, but something else had come up. He was now currently getting prepared to make a video announcement to foreign politicians about why the video was fake.


((Zeato and I have been posting in the Ir'as Academy RP if you want to, Aya.))  

[Ayame-Yuura]

"Nothing really. I just wanted to see how you're doing", Monica said, walking alongside Jian. "So how are you, Sleeping Beauty? Feeling better, I hope"

((OOC: ))  

[lil_lollypop1]

"Sleeping Beauty?" He asked. "So I'm the sleeper and you the beauty?" He said with slight jest. "But in all seriousness, I'm feeling much better. In fact, I feel younger. I still get occasional sleepy spells, but I'm able to work again. Sifting through what's relevant and what's old is a lot of work though." He replied with a smile as he stopped by his desk and turned towards her with a bright smile.  

[Ayame-Yuura]

"Makes sense. You do seem younger", Monica said, touching Jian's cheek. "I'm sure he doesn't want to lose you again. And neither do I"

((OOC: D'aww~ Eternal's so sweet! I just wanna stab him sometimes! >w< ))  

[lil_lollypop1]

Jian smiled as she touched his face and put his hand over her hand as if treasuring it. "I'm glad." Jian replied.