➤The ✭ Perfect ✫ World ➧➧➤

[Okami Ameras]

I smiled and bowed to Eva. Good luck out there. You are a good friend, and may we see eachother again.

Oy. A familair deep voice rumbled from the street below. Ye act lyke you're the only one with a part to play. Lukas stepped out of the shadows, into the glowing multicolored lights of the trees below. He looked up at the pair on the balcony. He wore just his kilt, a necklace big wooden beads, a gold vine armlet on his left arm, and four silver rings-- three on his right hand and one on his left. His big bare barrel chest had odd Y shaped patch of chest hair, and now that he was barefoot, is heels were visibly always about three inches off the ground.

He fell into a crouch and lept stright up, landing on the railing. He balanced there on the balls of is feet, not movig back an forth an inch. His dark red beard, as well as is blood red hair, had grown a lot-- his hair is now down to the small of his back. The very tip of his beard came down to his belly, a lot of gowth compared to the stubble he had before.

Scarlet here has a big task infront o' her tew. As de I. But fer the momen I'm free. But we need te make sure yew get where you're goin... The big man said, looking Eva stright in the eye with his sky blue eyes. Yet... they had green gold glow to them. He lifted a big hand and clapped his shoulder. He had his usual manaical smile. Soo... Hop on! You'll be ridin in style.

I looked on with amusement. I was trying not to crack up.  

[Hiddochi wolf]

Unlike Scarlet, Eva failed to mask her amusement as a shrill chuckle escaped her lips. A giant man with the appearance of a tribal warrior, clad only in a kilt, planned to carry her on his shoulder over a span of dozens of miles on foot in under four hours.
"You two never cease to amaze me," Eva remarked, shaking her head, smile still intact. They were absolutely nuts.
She gingerly climbed onto Lukas's massive shoulder, trying to make the whole ordeal the least awkward she could manage. Nothing seemed to be awkward to the Northwesterners.
She glanced out over the distant wall, taking in the vast expanse all around. She was an ant in size compared to the earth, yet now the weight of the planet rested on the backs of only a few of those ants. And she was nowhere near as scared as she should have been.  

[Okami Ameras]

Lukas smiled. Eva noticed that after she settled down, her butt seemed glued to his shoulder.

Ahl nice en' comfy? Got yer seatbelts all buckled? Right! JUMP ONE!

Lukas turned and... jumped. But there was the sound of rockets firing under his bare feet, and the city and buildings suddenly seemed to blur at the speed that he went as the world seemed to fall away from under Lukas and Eva. Soon they had rocketed far past the city, the world spinning under them, and a cloud was drifting past. Lukas lifted a big hand and ran his fingers through the fluffy cloudstuff before the world started to rise up again-- Lukas streched out his feet and braced himself, landing in a crouch so hard that Eva could feel the impact jar her bones... but yet Lukas stood, brushed himself off, perfectly fine.

How ya feelin' lass? He asked, looking up at her.

~~~

I step into th palace and stride to the dining room. I had been busy for a while-- I hadn't been in this room since I had gotten my pin. I saw the servants direct their attention to me as I entered.

I am hungry! I declared loudly, settling into my chair at the head of the table. Bring me food-- lots of food! Meat! Lots of meat, of all types! Breads, milk and cream! Any kind of massivly sugary desserts you people can come up with! Nuts, bacon, fish, mashed potatoes, deep fried turkey, must be deep fried, two whole buckets of fried chicken! Deep fried peanut-butter, banana and bacon sandwiches! All kinds of stuff of that nature! Also, bring water. Lots of water!

I stopped, thinking, my eyes to the celing. Yaknow, this won't happen very often, but bring me some booze too! Make it hard. Whiskey, Burbon, Uuzo, Sake... Hillbilly XXX moonshine... Fermented Apple cider, Appletini's, this drink called Sex on the beach, Rum and coke, Vodka with orange juice.... Bloody mary, Kalooa Mud Slide, and 100 beers! Exactly 100. Exactly. Exactly 100. Thank you.

((So, what do you think of Scarlet's random and seeminly unhealthy eating and drinking binge?))

 

[Hiddochi wolf]

((Let's just hope all the fried foods and copious amounts of alcohol won't give Scarlet some massive indigestion in the morning. xd ))

Eva's eyes grew wide as Lukas jumped. It felt like she was riding in an elevator at hyper-speed, becoming weightless as they descended from the clouds. The air tore from her lungs, leaving her winded and gasping as he impacted with the ground. The force of their landing caused every cell in her body to tremor and shake.
She was as pale as the moon in the sky above them. Eva forced a shaky smile, "A-a little b-bit d-d-dead," She gestured with her index finger and thumb a small space, "J-just a bit."

• • •

The palace attendants jumped into action immediately without question, though shock and confusion lit their eyes as they scrambled to cook and serve. The monarch commanded them; therefore, they must. Whispers buzzed in the kitchen under the clatter of plates and the sizzling of the fryer: "Is she for real?" "Are all Northwesterners like this?" "Do we have to cook like this for every meal?" "We'll run out of food in a month if Lady Scarlet eats this much daily!"
Various dishes quickly filled the table ahead of Scarlet, lined by rows of beverages. Someone dragged a crystalline water dispenser from the kitchen and set it down near the monarch, a massive clear orb built onto a decorative stem carved in the shape of clashing waves, filled to the brim. The dispenser alone stood nearly six feet high and four in diameter, intended for usage at large parties and assemblies. Soon, additional tables had to be set up around the main one to hold all of Scarlet's feast.

• • •

Layla sat atop her mech amidst the Northwestern forest, Genesis right beside her with his arm draped protectively over her shoulders. She lazily dangled her legs over the edge, eyes cast toward the massive trees looming overhead.
"This place is magical," Layla remarked with awe, "A little paradise within purgatory. I've never seen trees so large before."
"The only trees I can recall were the small, decorative ones planted in Central Park." Aerilo responded through Genesis, "It's sad that so many generations lived and died in that metropolis without having known real trees."
They faded into silence. Layla gazed to the horizon, some sort of faraway movement catching her attention. They stood at the same time, Genesis steadying her when she was about to fall. To the south, a massive blur of activity slowly headed for the simulation tower.
The dreaminess drained from Genesis's eyes; he knew what this meant.
"Layla, we have to inform the rest of the faction. That's an army out there. The simulation is about to crash later tonight." The machine warned with urgency in his tone. He lightly tugged at her arm as he descended the mech, leading her into a full-on run toward the caverns. The android sent a transmission to Nova: Get everyone into the main cavern as soon as you can. Stay calm. I'll be there in a few minutes.  

[Okami Ameras]

I started eating slowly. I had my eyes closed as my hands went for the food infront of me, guiding my hands to the foods I should eat first. It was the deep fried turkey, which I started picking apart with my hands and eating the tender white flesh, which was soaked in oil and still blisteringly hot. Once I finished I grabbed one of the alcoholic coctails, and I slowly tilted my head back and drank in one long go; Hm. Bloody mary. I licked my lips as I felt the air temtpure rise by... one degree in the room. I grabbed some deep fried sandwiches and slowly ate them, but the next thing I ate I ate a little bit faster. I used the bloody mary glass to get myself some water, which I gulped down thirstily.

Ahhh... Delicious so far. My compliments!

As I ate and drank the tempture in the room started to slowly rise. My skin started to get slightly darker, and got a shiny, healthy sheen. Any rare blemishes vanished, and my hair got silky and luxurious. I was getting faster in my eating as I was picking up steam, as the air got warmer and drier and my skin got darker, lending a more exotic color to my skin then my normal pale ivory... my gullet seemed endless to the people around me, as my stomach didn't even expand to hold all of what I had eaten-- which was a mere quarter of the food infront of me so far.

~~~

Fantasic lass! He said, interuppting her in mid sentance. Glad to hear it! On we go then! JUMP TWO!

With that Lukas lept to the sky again, the world once again blurring and spunning underneith. This continued for two more jumps when Lukas landed making a small crater. The tower was not even a speck in the distance-- all there was was baren grey lifeless earth around.

Ya need a breather lass? This last one will be ah doozy.  

[Hiddochi wolf]

The attendants cleared away Scarlet's empty dishes just as more food was ready to be set out, until finally the last bunch was placed on the table before her. They felt the heat building up in the dining room, none of them quite sure on where it was originating from or how it was possible. Most of them retreated into the kitchen to clean up, only a few remaining to tend to Scarlet.

• • •

Eva was glad when Lukas decided to take a small break. She was getting used to the feel of it, but that didn't make it any easier to breath when no oxygen was to be had in the great rush of the fall. She inhaled deeply a few times, steadying her heart rate to a manageable beat.
"Okay, I'm ready." Eva declared, thinking of anything that could distract her from the tremendous leap ahead of them. She replayed Rey's theatre production in her mind.  

[Okami Ameras]

Finally I finished, after building up enough steam with my eating, I finished off the food. I had eaten a whole fried food buffet by myself, and I did not look one ounce the worse for it. My skin was now a medium caramel tan, lending an... exotic flair to my appearance, as opposed to my usual pale ivory. My crimson hair was super shiny and silky, the way most supermodels in previous ages would dream of having their hair. And my eyes were glowing-- I could see myself the way they were casting light upon the table and the few remaining attendants.

I was leaning back in my chair, my feet propped up, and my last drink in hand-- the fruity cocktail known as sex on the beach. I sipped from the tiny straw slowly, as my skin got a tiny shade darker and the air got warmer. I finished it off and rose to my feet swiftly, licking my lips.

My compliments to the chefs who prepared that wonderful meal. I did my traditional bow to them. And to you, who had enough courage to stick with me on my eating binge. And since I know you were wondering... --I said with a wink-- No, I don't eat that much normally, and no, most Northwesteners are not like that.

I gave a loud burp, before closing my eyes for a moment. I then opened them. Call the warriors. Prepare them for battle-- our territory as well as Northwest's will be under attack soon. I will go to my Mech now-- I need to prepare for battle myself. If anyone needs to talk to me, that's where they'll find me.

I stopped to fill the glass in my hand with what was left of the water in the crystalline dispenser, before sweeping out of the hot and dry dining hall.

~~~

Lukas nodded.

Right! Jump 4!

With that, Lukas jumped again. With the world spinning underneith, the two soared through the clouds again, and were on the way down. There was the tower now, in the distance as they decended...

Prepare for Warp 9 Sulu! #1! Make it so! JUMP 5!!

With that Lukas reached out as if to grab something in the direction of the tower-- and suddenly they were jetting off in that direction, as the world spun and twirled underneith, yet the tower was still infront of them, still ahead. An army seemed to appear out of nowhere, under them, streaching out in the direction of Northwest and North. It looked like they were already marching in the direction of the two factions.

Lukas twisted in the air and braced, and they landed hard on the top of the tower hard enough to leave a dent in the roof under the now flickering glowing orb that was the digital projection of the simulation's world. He rose to his feet and dusted himself off, then set Eva down next to him.

We're here.

~~~

I reached my Mech, which was now in the garage. I stood before it, and I started my flickering fire-like, catlike, movement again. This time I also vocalized-- a deep sound that resonated in my entire body and with the walls and the floor and the air with the sounds of my voices.

I was meditating, beginning with the Path of the Firecat.  

[Hiddochi wolf]

The attendants were finishing up cleaning the dining hall just as Scarlet gave the command to prepare for war. They halted where they stood, curiosity and fear in their silent eyes. Some of the older Northerners clenched their jaws in remembrance of the last war this faction had fought — the battle which severed all relations with East, and rendered Layla so incapacitated with personal grief that her presence became concealed behind locked doors for weeks thereafter. They could see it behind closed eyes, they could hear the carnage through the din of dead silence; hidden behind the splendor of vibrant banners and artistic expression were scars yet unhealed.
They moved as a united faction, bustling with sudden yet organized activity. Soldiers dressed in battle garments, faces painted by fearsome facades; man and machine revved to life as one, massive mecha filling the streets and surrounding the city's outer barrier. The trill of electronic announcements danced across the awakening town. It did not take long for the entirety of North to know of oncoming conflict, or for it be ready.

Rey bounded up the side of her machine and into the cockpit with the precision and grace of an acrobat; she knew her creation's anatomy better than her own. The chest plate slid into place ahead of her with a muted whir, clicking audibly as it locked. Screens flicked to life all around the young mechanic, each displaying some variant of the mech's internal conditions and structural reliability. The machine conformed flawlessly to her body, forming a complex network of pressure sensors that webbed across her every muscle. Rey settled back into her mechanical cocoon, resting her head against the padded supports, allowing her mind to waver from focus. A cheerful chirp intoned just inside her eardrums, notifying her of the suit's connection status with the microchip she had implanted in her own brain. Her vision faded, morphing into a broader horizon of that which the mech's innumerable cameras and sensors saw. She stepped from the garage of her small home and into the street, hulking above the many civilians rushing to prepare for the war.
The mech was tall and slender, seeming to balance only on its tip-toes with every stride. Long slits occupied the machine's legs on both the front and back, extending from its knees to the point where it contacted the ground; closer inspection would reveal that these slits were actually hover units. The mech's armor was smooth and streamlined, featuring winglike extrusions upon its back which housed components for a number of different weapons assemblies. Its head was shaped like an ornate warrior's helmet, with a black visor shielding a nonexistent face and glowing golden eyes. The paint job was by far the most characteristic trait, however: The color shifted depending on mode and status. At the time it set foot in the city, Rey's machine was the most gaudy, retina-burning neon shade of pink that man had ever created. During battle, the color would shift to an aggressive red, or during times of emergency it would change into a bright chartreuse. Every neon equivalent of the colors of the rainbow somehow configured into a status-indicator of that machine.
Rey took a few tentative steps into the civilization, then launched upward into a high jump, adjusting the position of the mech's legs to allow it to continue the flight just over the great wall. She landed with a thud, standing at the head of a ring of other mecha already guarding the grand city.

• • •

Eva was overwhelmed by the final jump, a breathless shriek tearing from her throat as the tower vaulted toward them. Then she saw the army — easily triple the number of inhabitants at Northwest, a wide variety of robots and humans. There were even children mixed within the ranks of soldiers, mindlessly proceeding to a battle they did not want to fight. The troops were spreading out around the tower, forming layer after layer of robots and men, children and war machines. The simulation occupants blended in, further contributing to the confused mass of bodies below. If only they knew what surrounded them in the real world.
She gratefully contacted the tower's roof, sinking to her knees in relief. The massive projector was cracked from Lukas's impact, the glassy plastic dome encased by the circular metal frame of the building's exterior structure. A portion of the roof toward the rear was segmented, as if to fold away into a trapdoor entrance to the tower's inner workings. Eva settled on the outermost edge of the dome, shutting her eyes in concentration. The countdown ticked away at the back of her mind.  

[Okami Ameras]

((This music fits what's going on here Two Steps From Hell - Am I Not Human?))

Meanwhile, in the halls of Northwest, Layla and Genesis found that Northwest was already in in the process of gearing up. They all wore armor, or were in the process of putting on armor. Smiths were still at their forges, still pounting out weapons of all types. Cooks were preparing and handing out meals which people were qickly devouring.

Nova had even been granted her own armor-- she was not wearing her cape. She was looking it over, tigneneing straps here and loosing them here. It was the first time the young robotic entity had a serious look on her face. She adjusted her gloves, and held out two fingers. They lit up with plasma, forming two bright burning white arcs to form there. The crackled and zapped, and she held up her hand, and from it came longer blades as long as her arm.

((Nova's new armor and look ))

She saw Gensis and Layla come in, and expression grim, she strode forward, the plasma dieing in her hand. She had a package under her arm.

Genesis! I have done as you instructed. Everyone is below, preparing for the battle that will commense!

She slid a golden eye to Layla, and presented the woman with the package.

Your armor had been repaired and improved by the Northwest smiths. Here, Lady Layla.

Once that was done, she looked around, at the preparing humans around her.

I like them, Genesis. These people... I... won't let the people out there hurt them! She had her fists clenched. Layla would see a unusal expression on the androids face and eyes as she looked on, clearly troubled by the preprations taking place.

I love them... It was quiet... Only Genesis and Layla could hear.

~~~

Lukas looked on at the army around the tower, but kept a safe distance away from the edge not to make himself a target. He stayed close to Eva, keeping an eye on her-- in her current state she was vulnerable. He reached up and scratched his chin and he kept himself aware, his fingers running through his long red beard.

~~~

After a while of catlike movments and medtatiing I starte to jumpe around playfully, doing backflips and forward flips and cartwheels, and general playful carefree play... now my garage was full of the sound of much much laughter...  

[Hiddochi wolf]

((I've always associated this song as something you'd hear Northerners listening to before combat.))

Genesis nodded approvingly as he observed the activity all around them. Nova herself was certainly battle-ready; the young Caretaker was far from the usually childlike, playful machine she was. There was pain in her eyes. He couldn't help but wonder if Nova would have lived an easier life had she remained with her kin.
"I know this is hard for you, Nova," Genesis began with the utmost sincerity in his voice, "And I thank you for your dedication. It's never easy entering war. I regret every one of the battles I have fought, some...more than others. There will be loss, no matter how hard we may try to prevent it. But everything happens for a reason, and we must accept it for what it is and learn from the outcome what we may."
The robot gave a sidelong glance toward Layla, noticing as the solemnity of the situation sunk into her features. Her strong facade dissolved, revealing a compassionate humanity underneath which she seldom displayed even for herself. She reached out to the female Caretaker, resting a reassuring hand on the machine's hard shoulder, "We're with you, Nova. Neither of us will let harm come to these people if we can prevent it. Right, Genesis?"
He smiled and nodded; the very same peaceful, joy-filled expression which never truly seemed to leave Aerilo's immortal face now occupied his own. "That's right."
Layla headed off in the direction of her room, carefully unpacking the armor as she walked. Her gait was still stiff from weeks of prior injuries, her face was showing hints of aging from years of emotional turmoil, she was more vulnerable than ever before... Yet, never had Genesis seen her any stronger than she was now.

• • •

Eva slipped further into the haze of the simulation's layers, her unseeing eyes growing wider as she looked blankly onward. The timer always ticked at the back of her mind, everything else being overcome by the strange new world unfolding around her: It was a utopia, similar to the simulation's city. Endless skyscrapers filled the sky and blocked out the sun, drenched in the flashing colors of advertisements; people and domestic robots shuffled down crowded streets whilst hover-cars flew overhead; crime was a concept of the past, carefully controlled by the officers stationed at every other corner. She was seeing this world from thousands of different perspectives all at once, fitting together like puzzle pieces to form the entire experience of existing in this memory-realm.
Beneath the glamor were deeply-rooted flaws. People were getting deathly ill with bacteria immune to all antibiotics, especially the new generation of white-haired children. They were weak, unfit for life in this industrial civilization. Their numbers were rapidly growing, promising a sickly and frail generation to come. Parents feared the idea that their children may be born into this group. Others were intimidated by the oddity of their appearances and the enormous intellects those children possessed at such a young age. They did not belong.
Buy more things. Objects bring happiness, and happiness prevents fear. Consumerism was at an all-time high, industry struggling to keep up with the demand of the gargantuan population. There were frequent shortages of certain food products. People were too afraid of the legal consequences enacted by GAOSA than to resort to theft or hoarding. Fear... Buy more things. No money. Work harder...
Resources were dwindling. With the expansion of commercial and residential properties, there was not enough farmland to produce adequate amounts of food. Industrial waste was killing the environment, causing the soil to lose its fertility and the air to become mildly toxic. Machines were being developed to help boost production of artificial foods, but their creation was only further contributing to the death of the world...


Below, many of the machines and other soldiers had already taken notice of the two standing atop the tower. They encircled the building, training their weapons on Lukas and Eva... and waited. It wasn't time to strike yet. The majority of the army progressed onward toward the two remaining factions.  

[Okami Ameras]

((Layla must have grown and learned a lot-- or at least healed a great deal, for her to speak to Nova so compassionately. But then again, so much is happening at once... and it's hard not to learn, grow, and heal in a place such as Northwest.

Oh, and I found their general themesong! Two Steps From Hell - Protectors of the Earth))

Nova smiled and nodded. She was happy to see Layla such as she was. Nova remembered back to when she had first met Layla-- how dark and hurt she had seemed to be, by the world and by her kind. Now she seemed stronger, and more... healed maybe? In this moment she was not happy, but Nova knew that in this place, just maybe Layla had found happiness...

And Nova wanted to protect that too.

Nova to Genesis with a small smile. She's healed a lot hasn't she... I remember when I first met her... she was willing to die... she hated me though I had just met her... And now she's strong and healed and everything!

~~~

Lukas kept an eye on the soldiers and machines that circled the tower. He took a protective step closer to Eva, his muscles flexing for just a moment. He wondered idly in his mind who they would send to investigate the two of them up there. One of those Angels Nemesis and Genesis had referred too, perhaps? Or perhaps even Nemesis herself?

And somewhere in the Northwestener's seemingly random mind he began to cave Jello. He seemed to pull a little cup of the stuff out from behind his back, peeled it open and slurped the entire thing down in one gulp.

~Some time later~

I found myself on the roof of the Royal Palace. It was far... far too early to get into my mech. I only had about a hour of pilot time and I did not want to force the government to fire off that nuke.

So I had to wait.

I looked down and fiddled with the Katars which were strapped to my outer thighs. Next to me was a large case. I eyed the thing with suspicion. I half expected it to be a prank from one of the Northwesteners. It was supposed to contain my new Rifle… But we never made rifles and put them in cases… we had gotten so good at making them we could handle them like handguns.

It was a large silver case with a note attached to it. I took off the note and flicked it open.

“Dear Fire Cat Scarlet Bast Ameras,

This gun… is awesome. I swear, it can shoot through three layers of tank armor at 40 MILES like it was tissue paper. But it’s so big and heavy… even with my smithing strength it broke my shoulder. A normal human would die from the recoil. I reckon only Lukas can use it. It’s my dream gun but I can’t use it.

But I don’t want it just sitting around collecting dust… Please put it up on a wall somewhere in the royal palace. I decorated it to match your armor! I even throw in Deadeye for good measure, so he stays with the gun… Don’t let him out unless you REALLY expect to fire it though. He has a little bit of an attitude.

Don’t shoot it. Seriously. Don’t shoot it. DON’T SHOOT IT…..

…

… I pity the poor b*****d you make shoot this thing.

Sincerely, Fire Squirrel Nuka Blaze Sissinnguaq" -------------------

Well... it was made by a Fire Squirrel... those guys make the best Longeyes of Northwest, our Snipers and Archers.

I clicked it upen and the case popped open. Mist flowed out from the case for a moment as I saw...

Was the biggest Sniper Rifle I had ever seen. I was five foot seven, and this rifle had to be at least 12 feet long from handle to barrel tip. It had 5 dozen shells for firing, and each one had a large casing. It was decorated in North royal colors, red, golds, and whites, with smaller handle parts decorated by pairs of small angel wings entwined togther.

I slowly pulled the rifle out of the case, putting together the heavy rifle. This thing... wow... This thing was huge.

I looked down at the case, and next to the shells it had a small booklet, with the words "How to make EPIC Rifle Bullets" on it. I nodded to myself. There was a scope there, a set of crosshairs, a stand for the barrel... and a can of roasted cashews?

I looked to the army that was now in sight, just now becoming a large threatening mass on the horison. There were bad robots in there... dub as dirt walking bots of mass destruction, that I wasn't sure my people could handle.

I picked up the crosshairs and inserted them into the slot, and I loaded a bullet shell into it. Before I investigated anything else...

I knelt onto one knee and steadied the massive gun. I put the sights up to my eye and lined up a shot. My vision seemed to blur for a moment, before I could see the army... I could make out each individual soldier, each of the murderus caretakers, each... damn those people are sick. There's children in that army!... each soldier whow's auras spoke of being from South or Southwest and being forced to be there, fighting for a cause that they hated with a deep passion...

I took aim on the largest of the Caretakers. They were huge, hulking machienes, heavily armored, slow as ********. Undeneith that all that armor was weapons of mass destruction, and the ability to punch through one of North's walls like a body builder punching through drywall.

Yeah. They have to go.

I took aim at one and squeezed the trigger.

BANG.

The sheer power of the shot echoed through the city as I found myself flying backwards, legs knocked out from under me and landing on my a**. I stared at the thing, dumbfounded for a split second before my face split into an almost sharktoothed deminic like smile.

The bulky robot who I had been unlucky enough to target found that it's chest now bore a hole the size of a tree trunk. It teetered for a second and forwards. I also found that a bunch of robots behind it had been taken out too, with larger chunks taken out of em then even the first robot!

Oh.... this isn't just epic. This gun is Nephilim worthy! Me of all people geting knocked on my a**... Fantastic.

I walked back to the case and put down the gun. I picked up the booklet and glanced over it, before picking up the can of Roasted cashews. It looked perfectly sealed, almost brand new. I peeled off the lid and put poured more mist.

After a moment, out popped a sleepy looking squirrel with a roasted cashew in it's mouth. It chittered, blinking at me sleepily as it nibbled on the cashew for a moment. Then it reached down, and with it's tiny paws pulled out a tiny fez, on which was inscribed in tiny letters 'Deadeye'.

Deadeye huh?

It's tail twitched for a moment, and it chittered at me.

You're my new partner?

Chitter.

Well, Okay then. Let's see how good you are.

I reached over and attached the legs to the rifle, and I lay down on the roof as I took aim again. Okay then little guy-- Chitter! Tail twitch! --Deadeye, I'm aiming for those big hulking robots, the massivly slow ones that are armored like tanks.

Chitter. The Squirrel took up a spot in my field of vision and held up a tiny paw, waving it to the left a little. I shifted the angle of the barrel a tiny bit. Left. Left. Now.

BANG.

This next robot I had hot dead center, even more accuratly then the first. The hole was bigger and the robots behind it had been shattered to pieces.

I was still lying on the roof. My shoulder wasn't even sore from it, and I smiled again.

Next one! he one to the left of that one!

Chitter! Left. Left. Left. Right.

BANG.

This next one had hit it through a gun turret, making half of the robot explode flashily. It fell over.

You're good. You helped me aim in just the right way that the nukes didn't go off. Nice job.

Chitter chitter.

Yes, yes, I know you're good.

((Gotta wonder how the Northeners will react to seeing Scarlet talking with a squirrel.))

 

[Hiddochi wolf]

As the first few war machines were destroyed by Scarlet's blasts, there was a sudden shift in the army. The line of war machines stopped, standing close together to form a barricade. The second tier of machines opened up their chestplates, releasing hundreds of missiles hurdling toward the grand city.

• • •

Sweat poured down his forehead, the pounding of his headache getting worse with every moment. Chris gave one last futile burst of focus, shoving the suspended sofa a few feet in Kiros's direction before it rebounded and flew at him again. Lara caught the piece of furniture before it could impact with the apartment's wall, setting it down where it belonged. The young Westerner stumbled his way to the nearest chair, rubbing his temples sorely. Kiros displayed no signs of fatigue at all. They had been doing that training exercise for over an hour.
'You did well,' Lara tried to reassure him, sensing the boy's annoyance, 'Kiros is a tough opponent. He beats me every time at that game.'
'I wasn't good enough, though. I can barely budge the damn thing against his willpower, let alone throw it.' Chris growled mentally.
Kiros said something to him aloud, but the words garbled and faded as another vision filled his mind. He saw explosions; the very building they were in, crumbling and burning... The boy jumped to his feet, noticing as the two mutants were already at his side. Lara ran for the front door, but stopped as Kiros shouted, "No time for that!"
The male mutant exerted his will upon the nearest window, causing the entire glass pane to fly out of its frame without leaving any shards. Lara jumped first. Chris hesitated, but Kiros grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and tossed him head-first out the window, following immediately behind.
The fall seemed to move in slow-motion, the skyscrapers rising all around, the world becoming a whirl of red and gold banners rushing past. He saw the streaks of smoke descending from the dawn sky, the burst of light and sound and power as the missile tore through the building's upper floors above him. Debris cascaded downward, threatening to crush them the moment they landed. He felt as one of the others caught him in a telekinetic cushion, lowering him to the concrete on his back. The two mutants stood over him, shielding him and themselves from the falling slabs of buildings, erecting a force field to stop the larger pieces.
Chris heard the screams over the boom of explosions, the sounds of innocent civilians dying. The shriek of the grand wall as it fought to resist the machines' attacks. It all died away under the silence of the heavy wreckage encasing him. Kiros and Lara released the force field after several minutes, deciding that the debris was settled in its current position.
'We're safe enough here, for the moment,' Kiros declared, 'The wreckage will absorb any blasts, and they won't think to check a junk heap for survivors. We could even camp out here for the remainder of the conflict if necessary.'
"No!" Chris exclaimed, "I won't just sit around and wait as this faction gets slaughtered! They need us!"

• • •

Rey took to the skies as the other mecha charged forward, hovering above the city to scope out the size of the army ahead. It was enormous, spanning the entire breadth of her vision; captured soldiers from Southeast, South, Southwest and even some she did not recognize flooded the empty land, alongside hundreds of machines. The large robots were nearly half the size of a mech.
She raised one of her long arms ahead of her, and the curved frame of a bow extended from the top and bottom of her mechanical wrist. She reached for one of the wings mounted on her back, procuring from one of its side panels a large, metal arrow. The mech took aim, electricity dancing across the surface of the bow's string and pulsating through the arrow as she released. The arrow bounced off the armor of the intended target, and the war machine seemed to absorb the electricity without being affected. The other mecha, now engaging in physical combat with the war machines, found no greater success than she had. One of her comrades was destroyed by a retaliatory explosion, and others were backing away in some condition of damage...

• • •

Layla emerged from her cavern in the glory of her restored armor, her treasured blade strapped securely to her hip. For the first time in days, she was proud to bear the colors of her homeland. She sauntered into the main laboratory, rejoining the two robots where they stood.
"We should get out there if we hope to stop them."
"Will you be using your mech?" Genesis inquired passively.
Layla pondered. She felt the familiar heft of the sword hanging at her side, as if it were pulling at her for attention, "For a short while, yes. But it won't sustain a charge for very long — I'll have to resort to traditional combat at some point."
"Very well. Once you leave the suit, I'll act as your backup; I won't let you fight those beasts alone." Genesis insisted, leading the way out into the forest.  

[Okami Ameras]

Nova followed after them, smiling gently. She stopped to pick up a bag from a nearby table, an armored messenger bag, and pulled something out of it; what looked like a silver-grey cookie. She popped it into her mouth and chewed, before swallowing. She buckled the bag securely around her waist.

((And now the battle theme for Northwest! Disturbed - Indestructible))

As the trio left Northwest, the Northwesteners were just about finishing up. The smiths were the last to finish, and were now donning their armor and weapons. The children were hidden away safely with a few younger teens with the instructions that if things went south was to take the other children and their research and run into the wastelands.

From the top of the great Watcher Tree shots similar to the one coming from the top of the Palace starting ringing out of the forest. Less armored caretakers went down as black boxes were blown apart, power sources were decimated, and essential wiring destroyed.

Out of the trees rode out... vehicles. There were cars- fast ones, armored trucks, motorcycles, automated unicycles, all kinds of things. There were even a few jets, planes, and helicopters. Faster then one could blink they were on top of the enemy, running over robots and hostile enemies. More hands on fighters leapt off of the vehicles as they got close, landing onto robots and tearing off arms and legs, bashing in vital parts, or ripping them to pieces.

All of the Northwesteners had their colorful ceramic and metal plate armor, complete with clear visor helmets. The jets and helicopters rained down gunshots from above, and some were even firing off arrows, which proved to be no less effective then the guns!

When a northwestener came across an unwilling soldier of South or Southwest, they would slam them hard with one of their bare hand pushes—hard enough to send them flying, before continuing on with their fighting of the other more hostile enemies. The soldiers who had been under the influence of the serums found themselves suddenly free of the serum that forced their obedience, and now able to do as they wished!

The Northwsteners who fought on foot stayed in small clumps of three, each using their skills to help defend the other two while contributing to the fight. Some were using massive shields bigger than they were, others were using maces, mauls, massive broadswords, hammers, spears, rapiers, axes, pistols, revolvers, dual wielding big a** Desert eagles, scythes, Chain axes, specially made bone knives, fire and wind wheels, caestus, pickaxes, staves, clubs, halberds… Someone was even fighting with a paddle toy! Didn’t seem much of a toy when it was leaving dents in some robot’s armor hindering their movement, while the others finished off the impaired Caretakers. Some caretakers were even falling and shorting out just by being around them.

The Whole of Northwest was working as one, as if of one mind. Smaller groupe even aided eachother when needed to help take down larger robots.

Some Particulurly big and brawny unarmed Northwestenrs were even taking on the War Machienes, jumping onto them like jackrabbits and tearing at the heavy armor. One got pulled apart as one's interior was bound together by one wrapping his arm's around the chest plate, while the others burutally pulled off it's arms. This happned in what seemed to be under a second, and they beat the thing into a dented pile of scrap before splitting back to their own respective groups using the arms to brutalize other robots...

The quiet, peaceful faction to North and the others, and the engnmatic mystery to the Government turned out to be, in battle, a massive terrifying wave of destruction...

And all the while, one by one, the War Machines fell as more booming sniper blasts echoed from the Grand North City.

~~~

Isabella and Odessa had teamed up with a medium-large sized bright blue mech which was piloted by the young man with gold streaks in his hair. They had befriended him in their time in North, as he had known them from before. The young man who had seemed so timid before was battling like a berserker, brutally picking up enemies and ripping them apart, smashing them and beating them to a pulp as Odessa whipped around her Meteor hammer so hard it was glowing red. Isabella was, of all things, riding a bladed unicycle while swinging around a big a** wrench.