School House Rumbles 3: Act 3. Warriors and Liberators.

[KingofPie]

"You finished 'em?" Sloane asked skeptically.

Boss must have done it when he wasn't paying attention, so he wanted to see if they really were ready.

"I finished three!" Boss muttered. "I dunno, if I'm gonna get to all eleven..." He added somewhat disappointed. "Though, if I can at least manage to finish the fourth one, I think I'll be satisfied. The first one is technically with me now," Boss said, pointing over towards the napping P.H.A.N.T.O.M in the corner. "But it's Dreadnought phase has yet to be activated."

[Cthulhu_of_R'yleh]

Rivia wanted to refute, what he said about himself, but she agonized over the words so much that she ended up choosing to be silent, just looking down once.

Casimir just smiled. "Don't worry about it... this change may even be for the better. All I'm worried about is making sure you're okay, and not beating yourself up over nothing."

The way Cas made it sound, Rivia still couldn't understand why Sloane was hurt so badly by it. But if he was, that was enough to give her reason to act on controlling it. "Maybe it was tied to my subconscious? Maybe I wanted people to pay attention to me? If so, then I think I know how to stop it from happening again."

"Well, I don't blame you. Everyone's beend getting so wrapsed up in their own little circles to be paying much attention to anyone... myself included." He paused, "and I'm sorry. But honestly, Sloane overreacted. Sure it might not have been pleasant, for him.." He looked down slightly. "But I doubt it'll be too hard to control once you understand it..."

"It won't be like that forever. We'll figure something out." Sloane said, clenching his fists.

The Old Gods twisted Cas, and it was going to get worse if they didn't stop it.

"Possibly..." Casimir replied. Already what feelings he'd had began to fade. Despite the fear that he'd lose his humanity the thought that this change, and the ones to come would be for the better began to circle lazily in his mind.

"Cas, Robert," Rivia stood up, "I'm going to need some time alone." She took another deep breath as if a little nervous, then gave them a slight smile, "I'll be back by the time we land." She then headed towards the back of the barge transport.

"If you need anything, I'm here." Casimir replied.

[Eternal Torment]

"I finished three!: Boss muttered. "I dunno, if I'm gonna get to all eleven..." He added somewhat disappointed. "Though, if I can at least manage to finish the fourth one, I think I'll be satisfied. The first one is technically with me now," Boss said, pointing over towards the napping P.H.A.N.T.O.M in the corner. "But it's Dreadnought phase has yet to be activated."

"Huh. What do the other two look like?" Sloane raised an eyebrow curiously. Were they all going to be animal-like?

[Guy Smiley]

Elewa raised an enormous fist and point it at Mack in the universal symbol of a fistbump.

"I hear that bro," he said, "Motherfucker been killing kids and picking on the weak and poor. Makes me fuckin' angry to hear that. Lil sonofabitch has got it comin' far as I'm concerned,"

Mack met Elewa's fist with his own, the sensation almost certainly completely imperceptible to the giant. It felt... considerably more noticable to Mack. These were hands that just minutes ago just pulled chunks out of the atmosphere. It had been a strange sensation to Mack when it occured - one he recognized as having felt at a lower grade from Elewa since the man's return from the desert. Could it have been coloring Mack's perception of the engineer and his plans? Mack suspected it had: He'd have to reevaluate his opinions of the man and see where they took him now that he realized what he'd been doing. For now, he felt a sense of solidarity with the Twelve native. They might have disagreed about methods at times but it was mostly inconsequential compared to their agreements in other matters against a much greater foe.

"Yeah, the bastard's goin' down. We'll break through whatever barriers the guy tries to put in our way. There ain't gonna be no escape fer him, y'know?"

[KingofPie]

"Huh. What do the other two look like?" Sloane raised an eyebrow curiously. Were they all going to be animal-like?

"Well, they're not gonna look like this thing..." Boss said, nodding at the P.H.A.N.T.O.M. "See they all look fairly different from eachother. This one in it's Dreadnought state is, uh, technically an animal. Lot more intelligent though. The second one is something of an animal as well," he explained.

"And then there's the third one..." Boss muttered with a withering sigh. "It's a bit different from the other two, though I think I'm gonna regret that decision..." Boss muttered, scratching the back of his head.

[Cleric of Hell's Brigade]

"Wait...Father your leavin' for other..." Bai Han. " And by that you mean...Woah, i can't believe this!"

"So I tell you all the stuff we went through to get here...and this is what surprisea you, Dad?!" Boss shakes his head, before turning to father Jacob. "Anyway, see you around, Father."

He nods.

"Take care."

[Eternal Torment]

"Well, they're not gonna look like this thing..." Boss said, nodding at the P.H.A.N.T.O.M. "See they all look fairly different from eachother. This one in it's Dreadnought state is, uh, technically an animal. Lot more intelligent though. The second one is something of an animal as well," he explained.

"And then there's the third one..." Boss muttered with a withering sigh. "It's a bit different from the other two, though I think I'm gonna regret that decision..." Boss muttered, scratching the back of his head.

"Huh. Okay, do you have any pictures?"

Given Boss' unusual designs, maybe it was worth checking out what they looked like first.

[Cleric of Hell's Brigade]

With a last smile, Jacob vanished, leaving them all.

As Marko listens to everything they are all saying, he shakes his head.

'Idiots.'

[KingofPie]

"Huh. Okay, do you have any pictures?"

Given Boss' unusual designs, maybe it was worth checking out what they looked like first.

"Uh, pictures...?" Boss mused."No, though maybe I should snap a few at some point. Only problem is my second.Dreadnought is, ah, shy," Boss shrugged. "The other one'd shove it's ugly mug in front of the camera at every opportunity..." Boss trailed off before laughing, "Man, I really hope I know what I'm doing with these things!"

[Eternal Torment]

"Uh, pictures...?" Boss mused."No, though maybe I should snap a few at some point. Only problem is my second.Dreadnought is, ah, shy," Boss shrugged. "The other one'd shove it's ugly mug in front of the camera at every opportunity..." Boss trailed off before laughing, "Man, I really hope I know what I'm doing with these things!"

"I hope you do too." Sloane looked at Boss dubiously.

[Chrosis]

"And everything the military does is right? No." She turns to Cammy. "This is the early stages of mind control. He's trying to make you subservient to him."

Turning back to Marceau, she says flatly, "Any pain you cause to her, I will return to you tenfold."

Durand glared daggers at Skye, "She needs discipline, and quickly. This is the best method, unless you'd rather her suffer at Volkov's hands."

Cammy, to her credit, stared at Marceau suspiciously. He turned to face her, "Camryn, my methods may seem extreme, but I'm doing the best I can with what time we have. You must be prepared if you want to face Volkov and his ilk! He'll stoop to any low to defeat you. I know his type."

[Cleric of Hell's Brigade]

The shuttle ride is long and tense with anticipation, fear, and nervousness. The shuttle has no windows, so there is no way to tell where they are or what is outside. It isn't until they feel it dip down and begin to slow that they know they are almost there.


And then, in a few seconds, they feel the shuttle set itself down, the engines cut there power, and knew they had arrived at the coordinates Jacob had set into the shuttle's computers.

[Tami]

The shuttle ride is long and tense with anticipation, fear, and nervousness. The shuttle has no windows, so there is no way to tell where they are or what is outside. It isn't until they feel it dip down and begin to slow that they know they are almost there.


And then, in a few seconds, they feel the shuttle set itself down, the engines cut there power, and knew they had arrived at the coordinates Jacob had set into the shuttle's computers.

About 5 minutes before landing, Rivia re-emerged from the shadows looking no different than before but seemingly much calmer and clear headed. She gave the others polite acknowledgements as she passed them, including a simple nod to Sloane and to Cas, but no smile. Taking her seat she prepared for landing, head up, eyes fearless and determined.

[FarBeyondC]

The shuttle ride is long and tense with anticipation, fear, and nervousness. The shuttle has no windows, so there is no way to tell where they are or what is outside. It isn't until they feel it dip down and begin to slow that they know they are almost there.


And then, in a few seconds, they feel the shuttle set itself down, the engines cut there power, and knew they had arrived at the coordinates Jacob had set into the shuttle's computers.

"Are you sure that's a good idea?"

Irie was just about to step outside to go find Takeshi and Mack when she felt a massive surge of heat behind her, its source a crazy amount of electricity coming from Rai's hands.

Rai looked at Irie, and thought for a moment; then, the electricity dissipated.

"Now that I'm thinking about it, it definitely wasn't," Rai replied. "The electricity might not wake her up." It was obvious that he was referring to Amare, who had thus far ignored any normal attempts to wake her from her slumber. "Perhaps a really loud and focused sound might do the trick..."

That wasn't what I meant...

"Well good luck with... whatever it is you're about to do. I'm going to go find a couple of people, so just meet me outside the ship."

She then pinpointed Takeshi out, and headed towards him.

[Cthulhu_of_R'yleh]

Since the change, Casimir's mind had been in conflict, the thoughts of his new self fighting for control against the old self... the human self. They had been, for a short while, on even terms, neither being able to overwhelm the other. Until he'd had the pleasure of being introduced to Marceau Durand.

An arrogant old fool, who thought himself clever enough to mask his true intentions with Camryn. His human self had lost ground then, being forced to recede into the recesses of his mind, allowing for thoughts of disdain and dark amusement to surface about the others, and about Marceau's plans for his granddaughter.

Then Sloane's outburst at Rivia had completed it. His human self had all but been forced out of his mind after that. When he looked at the others now, he felt nothing that he used to.

He was no longer human... and how was that a bad thing?

The shuttle ride is long and tense with anticipation, fear, and nervousness. The shuttle has no windows, so there is no way to tell where they are or what is outside. It isn't until they feel it dip down and begin to slow that they know they are almost there.


And then, in a few seconds, they feel the shuttle set itself down, the engines cut there power, and knew they had arrived at the coordinates Jacob had set into the shuttle's computers.

The rest of the shuttle ride passed in silence, with him like a statue. When the shuttle began it's descent he merely unfolded his hands, and glanced at the others.

The fools would be excited to be back.

About 5 minutes before landing, Rivia re-emerged from the shadows looking no different than before but seemingly much calmer and clear headed. She gave the others polite acknowledgements as she passed them, including a simple nod to Sloane and to Cas, but no smile. Taking her seat she prepared for landing, head up, eyes fearless and determined.

When she only nodded, Casimir looked away, flicking is gaze over to Sloane before staring at the floor.

Rivia had done what he'd hoped she wouldn't... All thanks to the weak human and his aggressive overreaction.

It didn't fill him with rage, only disgust. He considered the possibility of killing him, but decided against it. It would be a waste of time.