damned_institute | Nightshift 25: Courtyard

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Nightshift 25: Courtyard

[From Here]

It was almost a relief to find his bare feet landing on dirt again, and Cloud stopped as he allowed the door to swing shut at his back. He found a gentle sigh leaving his lips as he felt the coolness of night press down on him, so natural that he could not help but take a moment to enjoy himself. This was familiar, even in its foreignness.

He slowly moved over until he was walking across the grass, his gaze moving around the courtyard with a sudden renewed sense of determination. He took a little more time than he had in the previous locations to just explore the new surroundings, finding the trees and benches something of a novelty from compared to what he normally saw.

Sighting the pond, he approached and stared out over the silent waters. It reminded him of Aeris, but he told himself instantly that she had forgiving him for his past sins. It still reflexively brought a pain to his chest, even if his expression failed to alter with the feeling. The pond felt like both a blessing and a curse to look over.

“I never said thank you for what you did for me,” he murmured softly. “I have forgiven myself too... you would be proud of me for it, I am certain.”

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Lyta barely heard the projected thought from Envy. Her mental attack had weakened her considerably, but she got enough of it. Enough to understand what he wanted her to do. Trusting him, and gathering up the last vestiges of her strength, Lyta broke into a run, heading for the injured man and the pretty blond woman who already had her hands on the blade. God, her legs were burning already and her head pounded and this was almost as bad as having a Shadow screaming in her head. And someone else had their hands on the sword!

Maybe if Lyta was lucky, she could charm the weapon away.

Yeah, right.

"Planning to use my own weapon against me. Hm." Gilgamesh clucked his tongue, a hand on one hip. He didn't try to stop Lyta from running, even though he could have if he wanted, standing across the pond as he was. He did not doubt his speed or strength; he was too assured in his abilities to be scared over how the woman had touched his mind, of a Servant no less! In the other hand, he held the short sword, loose and unbothered.

Without shifting out of his relaxed stance, mana began to glow and crackle around him, shifting from gold to red, highlighting the inhuman cast of his eyes. Once he spoke the name of his Noble Phantasm, it would activate and be at the ready for his whims. As an Archer class, the Gate was his favourite way of humiliating his opponents. Only he - as the rightful King of Heroes - could gain access to the vault of Uruk, and to all the weapons it held.

Gilgamesh addressed Envy, his voice rising, loud and imperious, his chin lifting high so he could look down on Envy. "Now, if you plan on getting in my way, you'd best do so with everything you have! Come at me, mongrel!"

Rage was what made Envy powerful. No... it wasn't quite the case. Rage was what shook him out of his complacency and compelled him to employ the strength he always posessed but rarely even needed to use. Emotional warfare had always been his foremost art, and he had always addressed rivals calmly with the knowledge of how he could hurt them, body and spirit- all too wonderfully often had he skillfully, (even tenderly) snapped a person's neck while wearing the face of a loved one. Outside of the cold-blooded sadism, lay a hot-blooded monster, unlike his counterpart, prone to mistakes and unwitting manipulations. Few roused this side of him, and when they did, it was an unfortunate case for both parties involved- the certain victim cast from potential mercy, and Envy himself shaken of dignity.

The seething anger that came with Envy's situation- his current hopeless position both here and in general, powerless form, all feuds built up tenfold with the frustration of this damned hospital, and now the fucking nerve of this overly powerful prick insulting him- it didn't do the same for Envy quite as it would have had he been fully powered, but it did set his mind and body in a similar state. His muscles all tensed, his logic consumed by killing instinct, the bare untapped hint of what remained of his former prowess (For, after all, hadn't Lyta kept some telepathy, Greed a small sheild, and weren't the alchemists still off on their own transmuting shit?) surging forth just enough to re-align his nerves and muscles for an extra push of agility and power; he didn't feel the capacity to ponder the hopelessness of his situation now, or worry for himself, of whether he would die here before killing his father.

He simply gripped the metal rod he'd salvaged and with a heavy stomp of a first step, rushed forward again. Whatever Gilgamesh was, Envy wasn't going to be his victim, at least not without giving him a surprise or two first.

... What? Someone wanted to help him? Kadaj eyes flew open, confusion plain on his features as he stared up at the blond woman. Was she stupid? Not that he was complaining, but for someone who wasn't one of his brothers to offer him help was unheard of. He almost didn't know how to react to it, but after a few more seconds, he quickly nodded. Mother couldn't fault him for receiving help in this situation, could she? He was just... using available resources, that was all.

Letting his hand drop from the sword, he tried to relax as he waited for her to remove it, focusing instead on the ongoing battle. Maybe if he pretended the blade wasn't there, it wouldn't hurt anymore.

That also gave him the excuse to mutter a soft "thank you" without having to look at her, which he did after only a moment's pause. See, he could be polite sometimes.

"You're welcome," came an equally quiet reply. She didn't even give him a chance to react to the coming pain.

Celes nodded her count, and with all the finesse of a battle-ready soldier, pulled the sword out with both hands quickly (easing it out only caused more pain, an early lesson in her education), feeling the heft and weight and balance as even-keeled. A lovely, two-handed blade, just like the one of the first she'd trained with.

But no time now to admire the craftmanship. Celes gathered her energy, and murmured the soft incantation into her fingers. She turned to defend him, and tossed the white, healing light behind her ~~no materia needed, folks!~~, after it wound around her body it tiny, pure sparks.

It left her a little more tired, complications, she supposed, from the ice spell before.

"CURE." The word seemed to ring around them. Celes waited, sword at ready, and cast a single look behind him. Not completely, but a vast improvement. Her stomach lurched and she stumbled a bit, then tightened her fingers on the hilt. "If you think you can make it, retreat."

"I take it you know how to use that thing," was the first thing out of Lyta's mouth when she stumbled to a halt near the other two patients. She glanced over her shoulder, watching as Envy seemed to get his second wind. She just hoped to god he could do something - she was ready to pass out.

"Look, that thing over there? Doesn't seem to have any weakness. Nothing we've done has made a difference. If you're smart, you'll both get the hell out of here." Assuming the guy on the ground could get out of there.

And if she was smart, she'd get out of there, too. But she wasn't going to leave Envy - she didn't think she physically could at this point. Besides, she had a feeling if she up and left him, it'd cause problems.

Cure? Cure? He hadn't misheard, he wasn't mistaken. A healing spell cast by some kind of magus on that silver-haired rodent - and the woman had taken his own weapon in her hands. Only those with magic circuits were capable of interfering in a Servant's flow of mana, and Gilgamesh's weaponry were all tied directly to his. If she had not proven herself to be a magician with her weak magics, then the fact that she could touch his blade made it clear.

As if predicting each swing before they occurred, sword after sword materialized in the air, taking whatever blows Envy dealt with his makeshift weapon. Until Envy made it further under Gilgamesh's guard, it was all too easy to block and ignore.

Although he countered with all the grace of a hunting cat and made a strong, vicious jab at Envy, Gilgamesh's attention was aimed elsewhere; it was an insult among insults to ignore an opponent in the midst of a battle, but Gilgamesh obviously did not consider Envy's fury worthy of his full concern. Although the inhuman speed and strength were more interesting than those of a normal human, it was not a fair match for those of a Servant. With the looming threat of his Noble Phantasm ever near, Gilgamesh's mana output was great enough that getting too near to him would be like walking into the mouth of the sun. Envy wasn't a challenge.

And he enjoyed creating a show when he thought there might be a small challenge.

It would be impossible for Celes to miss, the way Gilgamesh's gaze stayed rooted on her.

Dante had mastered a keen art of controlling alchemized matter from a long distance, but the appearance of swords in mid-air was beyond any skill Envy had ever encountered, and although his entire being was still dead focused on the task of attacking full force and smashing the arrogant bastard's head in, a part of his mind was still registering faintly that this fight would see him dead or in horrid shape by the end of the it. Already, the remaining glass knives he had bandaged to his thigh and arms had shattered and pierced his skin, bleeding through his uniform and stinging like hell. The adrenaline of battle numbed the wounds for the time being, but he didn't want to risk hitting a crucial spot and dying of blood loss from his own weapon.

'This isn't worth it! No matter what an ass, this bastard isn't worth it!' Envy registered the others that Gilgamesh was focusing on. He could push them in his wake, grab Lyta and make a run for it.

'Coward,' said a voice in his head. It sounded like himself; sounded like Greed; sounded even like Gilgamesh, prideful and jeering, 'You would just run away in the middle of a fight like this?'

Gilgamesh lunged, the floating swords disappearing, leaving just the sword in his hands to be met with Envy's own makeshift weapon.

'Failure' said another voice. It sounded like Dante, like the Gate, like HIM, 'You would let yourself die in an inconsequential battle without even facing your creator?'

No, he couldn't stay with this. It was a lost cause, and Envy wasn't going to let anything get in the way of finding Hohenheim.

Just a split second, Envy could spot an opening- hopeless as it was to suppose it might do anything, he swung to kick in the follow-through of their weapons meeting. Gilgamesh's back was open, a jump and a launched kick was aimed squarely at his shoulder- just enough force to push him off balance if he had the mass Envy assumed he had; just enough to make him trip.

'Run-' he told himself, visualizing it all in an instant, 'Fuck this guy, fuck the sword, fuck your stupid pride, just get Lyta and fucking run!'

"I have more important blood to spill."

He sprung.

Kadaj very nearly screamed again when the sword finally came out, but he wasn't about to let her hear that. Gasping for air again, he gave her a glare that lasted just long enough for her to start casting her spell, his expression changing almost immediately to one of surprise. How had she done that?! He knew there were other magic-users in the institute that, like Alex, had been able to cast healing spells without materia, but if this woman was casting the same Cure he knew, that might mean--

As excited as he was at the prospect of finding more materia, he wasn't stupid enough to ignore his chance at escape. Giving her a short nod and resolving to track her down again sometime next dayshift, he struggled to his feet and turned away, clutching at his shoulder. He wasn't back at full strength by any means, but he should at least be able to get to the door he'd arrived from in one piece-- unless Gilgamesh did his vanishing trick again.

That decided him. Swallowing his pride and sheathing his sword, he broke into a run for the door, hoping to get out of there as quickly as possible. With any luck, the woman would too, but if she didn't, at least she'd have accomplished something useful before dying.

[~~Running like a pansy~~ To here (http://community.livejournal.com/damned/156364.html?thread=10792140#t10792140)]

Celes felt him run behind her - good, she wasn't afraid to act as a shield. She wasn't afraid, period. She could feel the stare the man was sending in her direction, and met it with the cold set of determination all through her bones.

"I have quite an idea of how to use it," she answered Lyta. "You should follow the boy, and I believe your friend is also retreating," she spoke quickly, quietly, her language cultivated and authoritarian. "He seems interested in me now. Hurry and go." Celes took a breath, and stilled her nerves.

Lyta knew when she was beat. She wasn't stupid. She had nothing left. Her vision was swimming, black spots blurring her vision. Her head pounded ferociously, she could hear the throbs. She didn't know if she could get out of there, at least not without help. She was swaying on her feet, stomach clenching...

"Right," she said, wheeling away and struggling to keep her balance. As long as Envy was running too, she'd get out of there. She wouldn't leave him.

(Coming from here. (http://community.livejournal.com/damned/165784.html?thread=10517144#t10517144))

Finding the door outside slightly ajar put Max instantly on alert, and she threw a murmur of caution over her shoulder at Excel to remain silent as she slipped outside. She could hear the sound of voices, could hear movement - a fight?

It was easier for her to see out here, whatever had made the interior of the cafeteria and lounge so dim wasn't affecting her hear and she wondered if it had just been the room or the strange laughing girl within. Either way, her night vision was once again coming in useful, and she paused to scan her surrounding intently.

There were two women and two men. Two already looked as if they were weakened, and Max immediately pegged the larger of the two males as the reason why. The remaining female had a sword, and Max blinked a moment at that. There were swords to be found in this place??

Well, wasn't that useful to know.

Still, she was going to have to go through this group before they could check what security measures the edge of the courtyard had. Unless he was the security measures, and then they had to take him down anyway. Either way, Max was fairly certain with Excel along, there'd be no way to successfully sneak past him.

Which left the option of trying her hand at one of these dangerous night mutants herself, she surmised. "Excel," she murmured to the girl behind her. "I know you're well-weaponed now and all, but we don't know how strong these people are yet. I'd advise sticking back while I test him out and you looking for the best opportunity, rather than both of us rushing in headfirst."

That and she didn't want to see the teen hurt by trying to take on an actual trained fighter with only a saucepan and a pillow. While Max might be able to pull it off, Excel was another matter.

Instructions given - and hoping they'd be followed - Max didn't hesitate as she crouched low and darted much closer to the group gathered in the center of the courtyard, hoping she'd have a better chance to assess the situation before diving headfirst herself.

Excel nodded and she began to pace back and forth, watching the dark blob fighting the other three smaller blobs. "Ah, Excel has been given the most dangerous of jobs," she whispered to herself, brandishing the saucepan in a series of mad looking poses. "Lord IlPalazzo has seen fit to give Excel an underling who understands the importance of Excel's position. Excel is the mastermind. Excel is better equipped at waiting, stealthily before it is time to attack. The evil monster will be no match for Excel! And once the monster is conquered then the building will fall! And all will bow down to the great will of ACROSS! YES! THE IGNORANT MASSES WILL KNOW THE WRATH AND MIGHT OF THEIR NEW LEADER!"

Excel had worked herself up into a large, loud monolouge, shouting and waving her fists as she jumped around. She didn't notice if she caused any unwanted attention. In fact, she didn't even realize she was speaking out loud.

"Trying to run away, huh?" Gilgamesh scoffed. Letting the blade in his hand drop, he bade it disappear. It was a most useless weapon in comparison to what lay inside his vault, anyway. "Then I will give you a real reason to scurry like mice."

The Servant murmured, finally invocating the name of his Noble Phantasm: "Gate of Babylon." The smirk he wore was a cruel one.

With that, the sky was split open. A stream of crimson energy extended to the stars, and began to expand outward like the drawing back of curtains, a gaping red maw in space and time. The world behind Gilgamesh - the sky, the trees, the courtyard, the wall of the Institute - was blocked from view as the dimensional gate opened in front of it, and when it finally stopped, shifted colors from red, to orange, to gold, to yellow.

If one had been paying attention to Gilgamesh throughout, they would have noticed the small, archaic spacial key coming into his hand. As the Gate's mouth opened to completion, he brought the key in a sweeping motion across his chest, sending a wave of icy cold air barrelling towards Celes and her group, as it was them he was still facing. It was the final unlocking.

Gilgamesh, smiling, put his hands back into the pockets of his jacket once again. With the Gate complete, it reminded him how long a time it'd been since he'd fought in the Holy Grail Wars. Too long, really. He glanced at the screaming girl and her companion, acknowledged their presence, then flicked his gaze back to the others, bathed in the glow of the Gate behind him. He smiled wider. That was when the soft yellow glow of the Gate darkened into reds and oranges once again; small, circular ripples (http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a129/shirasyndrome/ScreenShot076.jpg?t=1186086415) began to appear on its surface, making it seem liquid.

All manner of hilts and handles then began to protract from the center of the ripples. All manner of weapon, from all manner of eras. Fortunately for them, Gilgamesh decided having his weapons come out blade first and simply skewering them all in a shower of projectiles was simply too easy. With an open Gate of Babylon (http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a129/shirasyndrome/ScreenShot001.jpg?t=1186084630) that could disappear and reappear from sight at his slightest whim, for now he decided to let them all gaze upon it.

And realize it was futile to run.

_{[And I'm sorry for this huge, clunky post. :O]}

Lyta seemed to be swaying as she attempted to run; Envy siezed her roughly by the arm and pulled her tripping along as he fled. The sheer energy and brightness of the spectacle that took place behind him. Gilgamesh's contempt stabbed him somewhere in his psyche, but at this point he was still locked in the self-preserving mindset that there was only one man bastard worth dying to kill. And he sure as hell wasn't here.

The gate of babylon caught him in a brief hesitation of confusion and awe. "Gate of Babylon"- so there was a kind of Gate here? Was this how it looked from the other side? The Gate he knew of certainly didn't function to produce weapons from its midst, but...

Think later; live now! He pulled the door open and escaped inside.

Fleeing to Here (http://community.livejournal.com/damned/156364.html)

Swords. Rows upon rows upon rows of swords. "Worse than that coward Kefka," she hissed and began to stride forward, closer to him. "Hiding behind weapons. Can't you fight me by yourself?"

Celes was no fool; she knew her harrying tactic might not be enough. But, as she'd already gained his attention by wielding the sword, the general prayed to all three Goddesses that it would be enough. "Are you afraid to be beaten by a woman?"

"Holy shit."

Max stared at the swords that seemed to have materialized out of nowhere. Unthinking, she stood, taking a cautious step forward as she tried to take in the sheer scope of whatever had happened. She'd seen a lot of insane and impossible things in her life, but this...

Not even Max had been prepared for scenarios like this. How the hell had he done that?

Either way, the remaining woman (all the others had fled, but it didn't seem to phase her much) still stalked towards him and while Max didn't know who she was or how powerful she was, it seemed rather foolish to go up against all those odds when you were just one person.

Sighing, Max stepped out into the open, also approaching the man who'd summoned the swords. "Considering the amount of phallic-ness he needed to summon in order to impress us, maybe he's overcompensating for something?"

She had no weapon, but Max wasn't too worried. She was quick - quicker than an average human - and she knew how to fight. If he wanted to play with swords, he could just try and land a blow.

Excel blinked in surprise at the appearance of the swords. So many. So pointy. "AH!" she screamed, dancing around in a panic. "Help! Medic! Call 911! The Army! The Navy! The Gestapo! Murder! Rape!"

That's when she remembered that she was an officer of ACROSS and ACROSS members do not run away (unless it was absolutely necessary or you had minions to do the fighting for you or you were using a gigantic robot panda that somehow turned maniacal and there wasn't much you could do about it anyway). "Evil doer!" she announced, striking a heroic pose. "Your time of terrorizing the city is at an end! I will defeat you!"

Excel sat down and quickly tore off her slipper. Out of her little sheet bag she pulled the pepper and the curry and dumped them into the slipper. With an evil sort of grin, Excel stood up and crept as close to the large man who was controlling the evil pointy rain of death. When she was close enough, she put the sauce pan on her head and flung the slipper towards the man's face. "SPICY BOMB!" she cried with a loud cackle as curry and pepper was puffed into the air.

Their antagonist's eyes narrowed in a sudden fury. Not a good sign for them.

Excel was soon forgotten for her idiotic screeching; a slipper filled with spice had no chance of striking a true Servant. How foolish. Starting from the top, the dozens upon dozens of weapons began to glow in response to his mana, then soon all of them were lit with an opaque, unholy gold.

"It's far too grand for you mortal trash," Gilgamesh spat, at both Celes and Max. The other two had fled with a stumble in their steps, and if three women wanted to surround him and refuse to follow suit, it was their own blood on their hands. He waved his hand casually, as though gesturing to the Institute on a whole. "But I must find my amusement where I can. Making you come to terms with your helplessness if somewhat of a favour."

Rather than use them by hand, his method of attack was to launch these glowing weapons as projectiles, raining them down upon his enemies. Laced with his mana, they could pierce through near anything, which was what made him of the Archer class. This instance was no different. Gilgamesh's sneer returned with a vengeance; now, with their ignorant words, it was a matter of dignity, not mere amusement - and he released the trigger on his mana -

- Only to pause, and toss his head toward the East. His expression of contempt slipped away, to be replaced with one of bland disinterest. Damn.

"Aren't you fortunate. Until next time, mongrels."

And the sun rose.

_{[If anyone minds that I wrapped it up, hit me with something. Don't be shy!]}

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Nightshift 25: Courtyard

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