Run by the Moon// Michael&open

[VICTORIA]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=width,445,bTable][atrb=style, background-image: url(http://i417.photobucket.com/albums/pp256/doggydude24/misc/patternthinggg.jpg); border-top: 3px solid #181718; border-bottom: 3px solid #181718; border-bottom-right-radius: 10px; border-top-right-radius: 10px; border-top-left-radius: 50px; border-bottom-left-radius: 10px;][STYLE=margin-left: 10px; margin-top: 7px; height: 100px; width: 50px; border-bottom-left-radius: 10px; border-top-left-radius: 50px; border: 3px solid #181718; background-image: url(http://i50.tinypic.com/307x3zc.jpg);] [/style][STYLE=margin-left: 60px; margin-top: -106px; height: 100px; width: 60px; border: 3px solid #181718; background-image: url(http://i50.tinypic.com/307x3zc.jpg);] [/style] [STYLE=margin-left: 120px; margin-top: -106px; height: 100px; width: 100px; border-bottom-right-radius: 10px; border-top-right-radius: 10px; border: 3px solid #181718; background-image: url(http://i50.tinypic.com/307x3zc.jpg);] [/style][STYLE=margin-left: 226px; width: 222px; margin-top: -103px; text-transform: uppercase; font-family: georgia; color: #DFDFDF; text-align: center; font-size: 28px; letter-spacing: -1px;]L-O-V-E IS JUST[/style][STYLE=margin-left: 236px; width: 180px; background-color: #1F1D1F; text-transform: lowercase; font-family: arial; color: #DFDFDF; padding: 10px; padding-top: 5px; border-top: 4px solid #181718; text-align: justify; font-size: 9px; letter-spacing: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 20px; border-bottom-left-radius: 20px; line-height: 10px;]ANOTHER WORD I NEVER LEARNED TO PRONOUNCE. HOW DO I SAY I'M SORRY? 'CAUSE THE WORD IS JUST NEVER GONNA COME OUT. L-O-V-E'S JUST ANOTHER WORD I NEVER LEARNED TO PRONOUNCE. TIGHT JEANS, DOUBLE D'S, MAKING ME GO -- ![/style] [STYLE=float: right; background-color: #DFDFDF; padding: 12px; font-family: arial; font-size: 10px; color: #2D2014; border-top: 4px solid #181718; text-align: justify; margin-right: 12px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 10px; width: 267px; height: 320px; overflow: auto;]As they ran down the stairs, she could hear the clicks of guns coming from the bottom of the stairs. Dammit they could not catch a break today. Just as Vikki was readying the darkness, Michael pushed forward and she could feel the electricity sparking in the air. "Michael look out!" She shouted but he just pushed through all the guards. Their bullets seemed to bounce off him. Well looks like he can take care of himself. Pushing forward, Vikki stayed close at his heels. With a wave of her hand, a burst of telekinetic energy shot back and the guards behind them. It wasn't to hurt them, but to simply knock them off their feet and throw them around a little bit. "Michael keep going. I'm right behind you. I'll call in our pick up so we can get out of here." Vikki called to him as they turned down a long hallway. There were strings of offices and conference rooms that they passed. All of them empty. People having been evacuated and sent home early from work. Pulling out her phone, Vikki pushed a few buttons and made a quick phone call. Looks like their ride would be there in twenty minutes. That would give them plenty of time to get out of this building and get to the park not far from here. They would get their pick and be in the clear. "We got twenty minutes to make it out of here and get to the park two blocks over. Get some air into your lungs and just run like hell." The female let out a laugh as she pushed around to run beside him. Bullets ricocheted off the wall and doors behind them, but their numbers began to dwindle. Perhaps they were too fast for the guards. Especially the out of shape ones. Taking a deep breath, Vikki shifted so she was ahead of Michael. She led him through another long hallway before coming to the door they needed. From here on out they would use the buildings and the cover of night to get them where they needed to go. Thank god the Iustus were trying to keep the law enforcement out of this as long as possibly. Otherwise they would have a problem on their hands. Kicking open the door, the demoness headed out into the dead of night. It was eerily quiet in comparison to the loud noises of gun fire and soldiers in the building. They had less than twenty minutes now to get to where they needed to be. Could they do it walking? Now that she wasn't running she could feel the strain this day had caused her. Blood was dripping down her arm and she simply wiped it away. Just how long would this take to heal? At least it wasn't their suppressant drug. "Come on this way." Waving her hand, Vikki motioned for him to follow her around the back of the building. Taking a deep breath, she pushed herself into a sprint again. The faster they got to that park the faster they were out of here and she could kick her feet up. "Almost home free eh Michael?" She laughed glancing back to make sure he was following her. [/style][STYLE=float: left; margin-left: 12px; color: #DFDFDF; background-color: #171717; opacity: 0.8; border-bottom-left-radius: 10px; border-top: 4px solid #0C0C0C; padding: 12px; font-family: arial narrow; font-size: 12px; line-height: 11px; text-align: center; letter-spacing: 1px; width: 109px; height: 320px; overflow: auto; margin-top: 10px;]TAGS: michael & open WORDS: i dunno alot? NOTES: running? idk whats going on lol CREDIT: kiwii at btn and gs![/style]

[MICHAEL]

As the two burst out into the streets, Michael raised a hand to shield his face from the blistering winds and torrential rain. It was coming down with such force that little could be seen but the saturated reds and blues of the city. At first, he let this do little to slow his escape, and raised about his legs violent splashes as they came crashing down upon the ever-deepening puddles below. However, as the two neared the end of their desolate, cramped alleyway and the narrow walls of the neighboring buildings gave way to a street populated by hurried citizens, a thought crossed Michael's mind. With a firm yet gentle grip, he tugged at Victoria's arm, applying just enough pressure to get her attention. Cautiously, he scanned the alley, glancing first to the door to see if any security officers had followed them out, then to the rooftops, that he might catch any wayward snipers hoping to pick them off. Fortunately, the coast was clear.

"Victoria," he pulled himself closer so that she could hear him, shrugging his jacket off his shoulders and holding it over her as a shield from the rain, "I think two people sprinting through the streets and pushing people out of the way might look a bit suspicious to law enforcement. And we totally do not want them on our tail. I'd suggest we take a shortcut through the bank across the street and head down to the park that way." Michael spoke still in a hushed whisper, though he doubted there were any around who much cared what he had to say. The passers-by were far too interested in seeking shelter from the sudden downpour, but he knew that any police officers patrolling the streets in their cruisers would not be so hasty. Worse yet, they looked to be in pretty bad shape, clearly having been involved in some sort of altercation. Indeed, both of them had been shot at least once, Victoria possibly more so, and it was not every day that a woman walked about with a high caliber, blessed round driven through her arm.

So, Michael led Victoria across the street, having long since relinquished his jacket to her without really giving a say in the matter. After all, it was his fault the two had slowed down; the least he could do would be to offer a reprieve from the weather. He walked with a very brisk pace, approximately matching those about the two who were struggling to escape to a dry restaurant or hotel lobby. With any luck, the downpour would obscure their injuries and help them to blend in with that crowd. As he had hoped, the two made it into the large, federal bank, and, once they had gotten inside, Michael was pleased to find that their drenched clothing had managed to do a nice job of hiding their wounds. It was, on reflection, most fortunate that Victoria had shared with him her exceptional healing properties.

[VICTORIA]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=width,445,bTable][atrb=style, background-image: url(http://i417.photobucket.com/albums/pp256/doggydude24/misc/patternthinggg.jpg); border-top: 3px solid #181718; border-bottom: 3px solid #181718; border-bottom-right-radius: 10px; border-top-right-radius: 10px; border-top-left-radius: 50px; border-bottom-left-radius: 10px;][STYLE=margin-left: 10px; margin-top: 7px; height: 100px; width: 50px; border-bottom-left-radius: 10px; border-top-left-radius: 50px; border: 3px solid #181718; background-image: url(http://i50.tinypic.com/307x3zc.jpg);] [/style][STYLE=margin-left: 60px; margin-top: -106px; height: 100px; width: 60px; border: 3px solid #181718; background-image: url(http://i50.tinypic.com/307x3zc.jpg);] [/style] [STYLE=margin-left: 120px; margin-top: -106px; height: 100px; width: 100px; border-bottom-right-radius: 10px; border-top-right-radius: 10px; border: 3px solid #181718; background-image: url(http://i50.tinypic.com/307x3zc.jpg);] [/style][STYLE=margin-left: 226px; width: 222px; margin-top: -103px; text-transform: uppercase; font-family: georgia; color: #DFDFDF; text-align: center; font-size: 28px; letter-spacing: -1px;]L-O-V-E IS JUST[/style][STYLE=margin-left: 236px; width: 180px; background-color: #1F1D1F; text-transform: lowercase; font-family: arial; color: #DFDFDF; padding: 10px; padding-top: 5px; border-top: 4px solid #181718; text-align: justify; font-size: 9px; letter-spacing: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 20px; border-bottom-left-radius: 20px; line-height: 10px;]ANOTHER WORD I NEVER LEARNED TO PRONOUNCE. HOW DO I SAY I'M SORRY? 'CAUSE THE WORD IS JUST NEVER GONNA COME OUT. L-O-V-E'S JUST ANOTHER WORD I NEVER LEARNED TO PRONOUNCE. TIGHT JEANS, DOUBLE D'S, MAKING ME GO -- ![/style] [STYLE=float: right; background-color: #DFDFDF; padding: 12px; font-family: arial; font-size: 10px; color: #2D2014; border-top: 4px solid #181718; text-align: justify; margin-right: 12px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 10px; width: 267px; height: 320px; overflow: auto;]The female had readied herself for the run. her body was tense and she was ready to take off in a sprint. But before she could make her body move, Michael grabbed her arm and pulled her back. It had completely taken her by surprise and she fell back into him. "Alright I guess running isn't an option but you want to go through a public building with more innocent people?" The words were soft as he lead her down the street. As they walked he had given her his jacket to keep her from getting any wetter. It was raining rather heavily, but that did work in their favor. It covered up her wounds and any blood. Not to mention it kept people from seeing their bloodied and torn clothing. If she wanted too she could have made them an umbrella, but they needed to be wet. With every step they took, Vikki could feel the exhaustion setting in. Usually she didn't get so tired but all the telekinesis she had done today on top of fighting and running had really worn her out. She was leaning on Michael a lot hard than she intended too. With his jacket over her shoulders, she kept on hand over her injury to try and stop it from bleeding. That was all they needed was to walk through a restaurant with a trail of blood behind her. Michael angled them towards what seemed to be a bank and she looked at him in surprise. "We are going to cut through a bank? Michael I don't exactly have a good feeling about this." She whispered to him as she twined her fingers through his. If they were going to look like a couple trying escape the rain then he could deal with her holding his hand. It was getting late and looked like the bank was starting to gather their employees to close. They probably closed down in an hour or so which gave the pair plenty of time. "Michael remember twenty minutes. We need to get to that park." The words were barely above a whisper as they walked through the bank. Her arm throbbed painfully and she squeezed Michael's hand. Damn was the bullet still in her arm? She didn't have the time to stop and check but she thought she had gotten all of it out. Could it be whatever that bullet was coated in? This was the first time she had experienced anything like this. One of the receptionists looked up at the pair and Vikki let out a soft laugh as if she was laughing at something Michael had said. The sooner they got to the park the better. Something about being in another building had put her on edge. [/style][STYLE=float: left; margin-left: 12px; color: #DFDFDF; background-color: #171717; opacity: 0.8; border-bottom-left-radius: 10px; border-top: 4px solid #0C0C0C; padding: 12px; font-family: arial narrow; font-size: 12px; line-height: 11px; text-align: center; letter-spacing: 1px; width: 109px; height: 320px; overflow: auto; margin-top: 10px;]TAGS: michael & open WORDS: i dunno alot? NOTES: rambly post CREDIT: kiwii at btn and gs![/style]

[MICHAEL]

The wandering soldier, standing tall and proud even after the disastrous ordeal, felt his partner leaning on his shoulder for support. After the brutal massacre of the upper echelon's militia, he could hardly blame her, for she had slain many with nothing more than her bare hands. Though the shadows, deep and dark, had served as her trusted ally, still she had to evade all manner of automatic gunfire from arms most advanced. Meanwhile, he had struck them down from afar with heavenly bolts, moving only to seek cover and slip cleanly from one hallway to the next. Though her stamina far exceeded his own in the best of times, it was all but inevitable that she would be feeling the physical exhaustion to a higher degree. So, as her fingers laced about his, he held on to her hand with great care to remain gentle as always. An arm wrapped softly about her shoulder, offering an extra bit of support to the weary fighter.

"I know it's not ideal, but the park is a straight shot through that bank. Remember, there's lots of innocent people on the streets, too, and it might be tougher to aim a shot around them in all that rain." He whispered into her ear, leading her through the bank with due haste. Their feet made little noise even as they stepped on to the pristine, white floor; such was their grace even in the throes of exhaustion. Water dripped from their clothing, but they were hardly in the minority in that department. Indeed, the maintenance staff was toiling endlessly in a vain effort to clean up after those who had wandered in from the pouring rain. Their only concern was catching the attention of security, but they were hardly the most diligent sort, at least compared to what they had just faced. They, too, were men looking only to complete their shift, the only difference being that they likely had their finger on an alarm which would call more competent men to their aid.

Michael, however, felt no fear as he passed them by. The Iustus, after all, wished not for the secrets held within that dark monolith to be let out, and intelligence had told them that all security in the building answered directly to them, whether they knew it or not. As expected, the bank's security raised not a single eyebrow in suspicion as the two made for the back door. Michael did, however, keep from making sustained eye contact by facing Victoria, acting as one engaged in pleasant conversation. However, the grip she held on his hand, which had since increased in strength, worried him enough to make note of it. "Victoria, are you alright?" He spoke once more in hushed tones. "Maybe I should take a closer look at that wound when we get to the park." Michael let out a concerned sigh, biting his lower lip for a moment as they stepped back out into the rain.

Sure enough, there was the park, just across the street. They had approximately ten minutes until their escort would arrive, though Michael fully intended to tell him to arrive post-haste once they were situated at the bench. The less time they spent idling about and twiddling their thumbs, the better. His partner needed her wounds tended to, and he had neither the experience nor the tools to examine it on his own. Further, the Iustus would most certainly not be happy with what had just been allowed to slip from their grasp. The information Victoria held, itself a hard-fought victory, would be invaluable to the Resistance, and the highest authorities of the Iustus would soon hear of its escape, no doubt. So, as sidewalk turned to wet, slippery grass, Michael intensified the pace ever-so-slightly, making a beeline for their pickup point.

[VICTORIA]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=width,445,bTable][atrb=style, background-image: url(http://i417.photobucket.com/albums/pp256/doggydude24/misc/patternthinggg.jpg); border-top: 3px solid #181718; border-bottom: 3px solid #181718; border-bottom-right-radius: 10px; border-top-right-radius: 10px; border-top-left-radius: 50px; border-bottom-left-radius: 10px;][STYLE=margin-left: 10px; margin-top: 7px; height: 100px; width: 50px; border-bottom-left-radius: 10px; border-top-left-radius: 50px; border: 3px solid #181718; background-image: url(http://i50.tinypic.com/307x3zc.jpg);] [/style][STYLE=margin-left: 60px; margin-top: -106px; height: 100px; width: 60px; border: 3px solid #181718; background-image: url(http://i50.tinypic.com/307x3zc.jpg);] [/style] [STYLE=margin-left: 120px; margin-top: -106px; height: 100px; width: 100px; border-bottom-right-radius: 10px; border-top-right-radius: 10px; border: 3px solid #181718; background-image: url(http://i50.tinypic.com/307x3zc.jpg);] [/style][STYLE=margin-left: 226px; width: 222px; margin-top: -103px; text-transform: uppercase; font-family: georgia; color: #DFDFDF; text-align: center; font-size: 28px; letter-spacing: -1px;]L-O-V-E IS JUST[/style][STYLE=margin-left: 236px; width: 180px; background-color: #1F1D1F; text-transform: lowercase; font-family: arial; color: #DFDFDF; padding: 10px; padding-top: 5px; border-top: 4px solid #181718; text-align: justify; font-size: 9px; letter-spacing: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 20px; border-bottom-left-radius: 20px; line-height: 10px;]ANOTHER WORD I NEVER LEARNED TO PRONOUNCE. HOW DO I SAY I'M SORRY? 'CAUSE THE WORD IS JUST NEVER GONNA COME OUT. L-O-V-E'S JUST ANOTHER WORD I NEVER LEARNED TO PRONOUNCE. TIGHT JEANS, DOUBLE D'S, MAKING ME GO -- ![/style] [STYLE=float: right; background-color: #DFDFDF; padding: 12px; font-family: arial; font-size: 10px; color: #2D2014; border-top: 4px solid #181718; text-align: justify; margin-right: 12px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 10px; width: 267px; height: 320px; overflow: auto;]It seemed that her body didn't want to work well any more. The pain was steaming from that bullet wound in her arm. This was growing rather annoying. As soon as she got to the park she would take another look at it. As they walked through the bank, she tried not to make eye contact with the people that were in there. Instead she kept her attention on Michael making it look like they were in deep conversation. When he spoke about keeping innocents out of the line of fire, she just gave him a soft smile. "I know I was just worried about raising suspicion is all but if we can get in and out quickly we should be fine." The concern on his face made her look away for a brief moment. She was fine it was just whatever had been in that bullet that was affecting her. It wasn't their suppression drug because then she wouldn't have been able to use her powers at all. "It's fine Michael. I'll look at it when we get to the park. I don't think I got all of the bullet out. We have some time to sit in the park anyways." Vikki whispered as they stepped out into the rain once again. This time she let the darkness form over them and into her hand like an umbrella. No need for them to get anymore wet than they already were. The grip she held on her arm tightened ever so slightly as they headed for the park. Her companion seemed anxious about getting out of here and picked up the pace as they headed into the park. "I need to sit down for a second so I can take a look at this. Then you can call and tell them we are here so they can get here sooner." The demoness whispered as she angled them towards a park bench. Thankfully the night and the rain kept the park completely clear. There wasn't a soul in sight, which might make it odd that the pair was out there. As soon as they reached the bench, Vikki pulled away from him and sat down. The darkness umbrella grew to keep both of them dry. Removing her hand from the wound she wiped away the blood and bit her lip. This was going to hurt. Taking a deep breath, she let a bit of darkness seep into the wound. Within a few seconds, the darkness came back out with a small fragment of the bullet. As soon as it was dropped into her hand, she hissed and let it fall to the ground. "Damn they have these kinds of bullets. They fragment when they hit the skin. This particular bullet was designed with holy metal and was even coated with some kind of blessed liquid." No wonder she felt so tired. Her body was trying to heal but was being poisoned by the metal fragment. Just what kind of bullets and technology did they have? The darkness wrapped around her arm to keep it from bleeding anymore. It would heal but it would take her a few hours to get back to normal. [/style][STYLE=float: left; margin-left: 12px; color: #DFDFDF; background-color: #171717; opacity: 0.8; border-bottom-left-radius: 10px; border-top: 4px solid #0C0C0C; padding: 12px; font-family: arial narrow; font-size: 12px; line-height: 11px; text-align: center; letter-spacing: 1px; width: 109px; height: 320px; overflow: auto; margin-top: 10px;]TAGS: michael & open WORDS: i dunno alot? NOTES: she's been poisoned! CREDIT: kiwii at btn and gs![/style]

[MICHAEL]

Michael, too, was curious about the technology held at the fingertips of the Iustus. For a single bullet to deal such grievous wounds on a demon of Victoria's species was strange, indeed, as though they had smashed a mighty slab of concrete with little more than a pebble. winced and bit his lower lip as she let the shadowy tendrils worm their way into the bullet's point of entry. Eternally empathetic, the young man could almost feel the ethereal wisps slithering through her arteries in search of the fragmented bullet, and the thought of it sent a slight chill down his spine. The rain was mere background noise- ambient pattering to underscore the sight of his partner operating on herself. She moved her spectral limb with the precision of one walking the edge of a sharpened blade; even if for only a short time, the pain surely wore on her focus. Yet, sure as the rising sun, the bullet slipped from her wound and fell to the wet grass below.

He knew of the strange agent which coated the rounds of the more prestigious Iustus foot soldiers. They were neither cheap to produce nor entirely common, yet to procure such ammunition was no problem for those who knew where to look. Mundane arms in the hands of a mere mortal did little to stave off the attack of a hostile Yajuu, but a round bathed in this allegedly blessed tonic worked like a charm. Michael knelt down and picked up the shell's remnants, rolling it about between his thumb and forefinger. There seemed a small bit of solution left on its casing, stuck tenaciously to the outer jacket. The wanderer slipped it carefully into his inside pocket, hoping to preserve the sample for further experiment. If he could figure out the method behind this divine madness, then perhaps he could develop a defense against it; or, failing that, a cure for its more disastrous effects. After all, modern medicine had not yet tread the dangerous battleground of the Yajuu.

"Hm...remind me to tell the Resistance we need to get more labs set up." Michael said to his partner, though he made a mental note to contact his higher ups about it. The Iustus, after all, had made an ally of Research and Development, however twisted their definition of it may have been, and in his pocket sat the fruits of their sadistic labor. Hopefully, he would one day return to the scattered remains of that terrible, gray monolith backed by a squad of warriors just as interested in its downfall as Michael himself. For the time being, however, he could only sit back in the shade of Victoria's supernatural umbrella, crossing his arms behind his head and musing about missions to come. "You sure you're alright?" He asked, cocking an eye in his partner's direction. "I guess there's not much I could do that you haven't already done, but -- well, you look kinda drained."

[VICTORIA]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=width,445,bTable][atrb=style, background-image: url(http://i417.photobucket.com/albums/pp256/doggydude24/misc/patternthinggg.jpg); border-top: 3px solid #181718; border-bottom: 3px solid #181718; border-bottom-right-radius: 10px; border-top-right-radius: 10px; border-top-left-radius: 50px; border-bottom-left-radius: 10px;][STYLE=margin-left: 10px; margin-top: 7px; height: 100px; width: 50px; border-bottom-left-radius: 10px; border-top-left-radius: 50px; border: 3px solid #181718; background-image: url(http://i50.tinypic.com/307x3zc.jpg);] [/style][STYLE=margin-left: 60px; margin-top: -106px; height: 100px; width: 60px; border: 3px solid #181718; background-image: url(http://i50.tinypic.com/307x3zc.jpg);] [/style] [STYLE=margin-left: 120px; margin-top: -106px; height: 100px; width: 100px; border-bottom-right-radius: 10px; border-top-right-radius: 10px; border: 3px solid #181718; background-image: url(http://i50.tinypic.com/307x3zc.jpg);] [/style][STYLE=margin-left: 226px; width: 222px; margin-top: -103px; text-transform: uppercase; font-family: georgia; color: #DFDFDF; text-align: center; font-size: 28px; letter-spacing: -1px;]L-O-V-E IS JUST[/style][STYLE=margin-left: 236px; width: 180px; background-color: #1F1D1F; text-transform: lowercase; font-family: arial; color: #DFDFDF; padding: 10px; padding-top: 5px; border-top: 4px solid #181718; text-align: justify; font-size: 9px; letter-spacing: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 20px; border-bottom-left-radius: 20px; line-height: 10px;]ANOTHER WORD I NEVER LEARNED TO PRONOUNCE. HOW DO I SAY I'M SORRY? 'CAUSE THE WORD IS JUST NEVER GONNA COME OUT. L-O-V-E'S JUST ANOTHER WORD I NEVER LEARNED TO PRONOUNCE. TIGHT JEANS, DOUBLE D'S, MAKING ME GO -- ![/style] [STYLE=float: right; background-color: #DFDFDF; padding: 12px; font-family: arial; font-size: 10px; color: #2D2014; border-top: 4px solid #181718; text-align: justify; margin-right: 12px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 10px; width: 267px; height: 320px; overflow: auto;]The female sat back on the bench and rested her arms along the back. She leaned her head back and simply closed her eyes. The darkness shifted a bit and wormed its way back into her nails. Flexing her fingers, she sighed as the rain washed over her. This was almost over. Almost done then she could go home and take a long shower. God that sounded so good. When he asked if she was alright, the demoness cracked an eye to look at him. "I'm fine honest. That bullet was just poisoning me and it wore me down. That and telekinesis is not my strongest ability. Granted I'm good at it, but it still drains me a lot. I should be alright in a few minutes. At least once this wound heals up anyways I should be fine. Their bullets really suck. At least we didn't get hit with the suppressant. That stuff really sucks." Vikki took a deep breath as she sat up on the bench and ran a hand through her damp hair. A little ball of darkness came out of her shirt and landed in her hand. The darkness thinned a little bit revealing the flash drive she had the data on. Hand curling around it, she shook her head. They were willing to kill for this information? Just what did they have on Ancients in here. Not to mention all the other data she had gathered. This little piece of plastic was like gold for the Resistance. Looking up, electric blue eyes landed on a person walking through the park. In fact there were a couple of people walking around the park. They were dressed in black and she wouldn't have thought anything of it if it hadn't been pouring. The rain was coming down so heavily that it was hard to even see twenty feet away from them. It was bad enough her senses were dulled from the rain, but she did have darkness moving around the area. Something with the sudden appearance of the people didn't sit well. Placing her hand in his, she gave him the flash drive. Something definitely didn't feel right. Everything in her body was telling her there was danger all around. "Michael do me a favor and hold on to this. The darkness will remain around it and keep it dry but just hold on to it." Pushing off the bench, Vikki stood up and let her gaze roam around the park. Closing her eyes tightly, she let the darkness travel through the park. It snaked its way around the trees and people. It made its way up the buildings until it touched something that made her eyes snap open. Hand flying passed her face, she just barely managed to push away a bullet with her telekinesis. It was shot directly into a tree and she clenched her fists. "Don't look now but it seems we have some company. I can't tell how many but it seems this park isn't as empty as I thought." The words were low and soft as she took a step closer to him but kept her eyes out on the rain. People were just barely making themselves visible in the rain. All she could see where bits of black moving until suddenly they all vanished. Damn this rain and fucking up her senses. Another bullet whizzed passed her face catching her cheek this time. Blood welled and she hissed as it dripped down her face. Damn it all to hell and back. More bullets began to fly passed the pair and Vikki moved and danced away from them. Men began appearing out of the rain. She was soon going hand to hand with three men head to toe in black battle suits. Shit. "Hunters!" She called to Michael blocking blows from the men. With a swift kick, she knocked them back with darkness. This was bad. These guys were the Iustus' hunting group. The one thing they are good at is taking down Yajuu. Well fuck. [/style][STYLE=float: left; margin-left: 12px; color: #DFDFDF; background-color: #171717; opacity: 0.8; border-bottom-left-radius: 10px; border-top: 4px solid #0C0C0C; padding: 12px; font-family: arial narrow; font-size: 12px; line-height: 11px; text-align: center; letter-spacing: 1px; width: 109px; height: 320px; overflow: auto; margin-top: 10px;]TAGS: michael & open WORDS: i dunno alot? NOTES: *gasp!* CREDIT: kiwii at btn and gs![/style]

[MICHAEL]

It began first with subtle cues, barely noticeable against the torrential downpour -- broad, sturdy men skulking about in the shadows, some huddled in overcoats or hidden behind umbrellas that they pretended to struggle with against the blistering winds. Under trees, they would stop and make idle conversation while others watched from behind glass doors. However, there was much about them that betrayed their trained uniformity. They moved with utilitarian certainty, reaching their posts with staggered precision and just enough irregularity to avoid any obvious patterns. Even blurred by the angled sheets of precipitation and refracted city lights, Michael could tell that they were being watched. For some reason, though, they were given pause; they dare not strike the duo, as if they, themselves, awaited further instruction. Like clockwork, the young warrior's mind cycled through a thousand scenarios in the time it took a single raindrop to cross his line of sight, among them that the men surrounding the duo were little more than a backup.

It seemed his partner had been having similar concerns, for she was quick to pass the fruits of their labor to him for safe-keeping. To say the least, he hoped that she had nothing of great risk or bravado at the front of her mind, for such harrowing feats were his own territory. Still, when a bullet skimmed the surface of Victoria's cheek, Michael knew then that it was time for immediate action. With nary a second's delay, he dove for the sopping wet grass, narrowly avoiding a the sights of a keen sniper. His eyes darted about with controlled madness, traveling methodically from one glassy monolith to the next. When at last he discovered the looming specter of his crafty assailant, there arose a fierce tension which could come only from the locked eyes of dueling snipers. However, Michael was quick to demonstrate his hard-earned reputation, once more proving his mettle with a shot so swift that it could easily have been mistaken for a sleight of hand. There was a near-inaudible crackle, and the park was alight with the brutal glow of Stormstrider's heavenly bolt.

As expected, the sniper's death signaled the ground troops to move in. Michael, however, grew weary. His hands moved still with mechanical speed, but each barrier raised in his defense further weakened his mortal bones. Just as before, bullets came to a premature halt against the electrostatic force acting counter to them; even so, the Man in Black grit his teeth and flinched as the impacts wore on. He had been given hardly a moment's rest and was on his feet yet again, ducking and weaving amid silenced gunfire. The two had just fought through a militia's worth of soldiers singlehandedly, and the fatigue was emerging from the depths of their professional exteriors. Lightning shot forth from Michael's fingertips in bursts, launched as though they were the work of an automated rifle. His shots, though, were spaced generously and no longer bore the punch that they once had.

"Damn!" He cursed under his breath, his back held flush against the trunk of a thick oak tree. Michael peered from his cover for no more than a second at a time, and he stayed in one spot only until he could catch his breath. Suddenly, his communicator clicked on, and the familiar voice of a Resistance pilot was carried to his ears. "Michael! Victoria! The van's a no-go, the streets're crawling with Iustus goons." It said urgently. "One step ahead of ya. So what's the new plan?" Michael shouted back as he struck down an attacking trooper with a well-placed bolt. "We're landing a helicopter on the roof of the Crowne Plaza Hotel." The Resistance was nothing if not courteous; their new point of interest was a mere fifty feet away, albeit a few hundred feet above the ground. "You get that, Victoria?! We've gotta fall back; I'm running outta juice and I'm gonna guess you are, too."

[VICTORIA]

[atrb=border,0,true][atrb=width,445,bTable][atrb=style, background-image: url(http://i417.photobucket.com/albums/pp256/doggydude24/misc/patternthinggg.jpg); border-top: 3px solid #181718; border-bottom: 3px solid #181718; border-bottom-right-radius: 10px; border-top-right-radius: 10px; border-top-left-radius: 50px; border-bottom-left-radius: 10px;][STYLE=margin-left: 10px; margin-top: 7px; height: 100px; width: 50px; border-bottom-left-radius: 10px; border-top-left-radius: 50px; border: 3px solid #181718; background-image: url(http://i50.tinypic.com/307x3zc.jpg);] [/style][STYLE=margin-left: 60px; margin-top: -106px; height: 100px; width: 60px; border: 3px solid #181718; background-image: url(http://i50.tinypic.com/307x3zc.jpg);] [/style] [STYLE=margin-left: 120px; margin-top: -106px; height: 100px; width: 100px; border-bottom-right-radius: 10px; border-top-right-radius: 10px; border: 3px solid #181718; background-image: url(http://i50.tinypic.com/307x3zc.jpg);] [/style][STYLE=margin-left: 226px; width: 222px; margin-top: -103px; text-transform: uppercase; font-family: georgia; color: #DFDFDF; text-align: center; font-size: 28px; letter-spacing: -1px;]L-O-V-E IS JUST[/style][STYLE=margin-left: 236px; width: 180px; background-color: #1F1D1F; text-transform: lowercase; font-family: arial; color: #DFDFDF; padding: 10px; padding-top: 5px; border-top: 4px solid #181718; text-align: justify; font-size: 9px; letter-spacing: 0px; border-bottom-right-radius: 20px; border-bottom-left-radius: 20px; line-height: 10px;]ANOTHER WORD I NEVER LEARNED TO PRONOUNCE. HOW DO I SAY I'M SORRY? 'CAUSE THE WORD IS JUST NEVER GONNA COME OUT. L-O-V-E'S JUST ANOTHER WORD I NEVER LEARNED TO PRONOUNCE. TIGHT JEANS, DOUBLE D'S, MAKING ME GO -- ![/style] [STYLE=float: right; background-color: #DFDFDF; padding: 12px; font-family: arial; font-size: 10px; color: #2D2014; border-top: 4px solid #181718; text-align: justify; margin-right: 12px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 10px; width: 267px; height: 320px; overflow: auto;]This was getting really difficult. Sure she had faced these guys before and that was with Leon. She didn't even have her powers for that one. Why was this becoming harder and harder? More men seemed to surround her and she was barely managing to block their hits. Her arm was throbbing and her cheek was pulsing. Was it their drugs? Something hissed and sparked in her ear and that was when she realized it was their ride. The streets were crawling with Iustus? Just how many people did they send? For some reason she didn't think this was only about the data she stole. Were they still after her? The voice in her ear crackled and mentioned something about Crowne Plaza Hotel. Well that was going to be difficult. "Michael I'm right behind you. Move your ass!" Vikki shouted back to him as she punched a hunter in the face. They were coming in like flies. With a grand burst of telekinesis, she pushed all the men around her away. They stumbled back and she took advantage of that. Turning she took off towards the hotel. If she could get there then things would become much easier. With the rain that was coming down, it was getting harder and harder to see. Her darkness was no longer stretching out and giving her the information she needed. The control she now carried was limited and she needed to keep this for when she really needed it. A bullet whizzed passed her head and she ducked. Dammit this was getting really really annoying. A few men appeared in front of her and one had a gun trained at her. "Victoria the Umbra. We request that you cease running and surrender. We have orders to take you in alive." She could almost here the other sentence, 'but we'll take you dead if we have to.' By now she couldn't sense Michael anymore. Whether he had gone for the building or because they were so far apart, she couldn't exactly tell. But the way things stood now. There was no way she was going to be making it to that building. "You guys should remember I don't give in easily." The demoness laughed the words even as more men seemed to gather around her. The rain was coming down heavily and the winds whipped the blue hair around her violently. A flash of lightning followed by a crack of thunder made her smile. Darkness danced at her fingertips as the men moved on her. The female blocked and delivered blow after blow to the hunters. A bullet flew passed her slicing her arm and causing her to wince. If it hadn't been raining, the sweat would have been evident on her brow. Would Michael be able to make it to the hotel without her? That information needed to be given to Leon. He would know what to do with it. Her arm got snagged drawing her attention back to the present fight. A sharp twist of her arm had her doubled over. Within seconds the men were on her. Each one of them pushing her into the wet and muddy ground. A prick in her arm made a hiss escape from her and suddenly her abilities were gone. The darkness she controlled was completely gone and it would even disappear from around the flash drive. Cuffs snapped around her wrist and she flinched as they burned her skin. They were coated in whatever holy liquid the Iustsu used. Did Michael make it? Would he be able to get out of the park? The female was jerked up from the ground and had a gun pointed at her chest. The man behind it gave her a delighted smile. Well someone one is going to get a pay raise. Something else was injected into her and she suddenly felt numb. And then she couldn't hold herself up. Her body went slack as the men held her up. She no longer could sense Michael and she hoped that he had managed to get away. Jerking her forward, the men dragged her out of the park and towards a helicopter that she didn't even know he was there. They threw her into it and she looked out over the rain soaked park. Just get out of here Michael. [/style][STYLE=float: left; margin-left: 12px; color: #DFDFDF; background-color: #171717; opacity: 0.8; border-bottom-left-radius: 10px; border-top: 4px solid #0C0C0C; padding: 12px; font-family: arial narrow; font-size: 12px; line-height: 11px; text-align: center; letter-spacing: 1px; width: 109px; height: 320px; overflow: auto; margin-top: 10px;]TAGS: michael & open WORDS: i dunno alot? NOTES: idk whats going on lol CREDIT: kiwii at btn and gs![/style]

[MICHAEL]

When Michael first caught Victoria's urging call on the blistering tempest, he surrendered his position and broke into a sprint across the park's soft, muddy soil. With great dexterity, he moved to deflect the projectiles slicing wind and rain alike, summoning to his defense mighty walls visible to the naked eye as little more than a pulsing mass of static. However, an uncomfortable twist in the back of his mind saw to it that Michael whirled about-face and crouched low tin the grass to catch a glimpse of his partner. Sure enough, she gave no heed to her own wise words, though not for a lack of effort. Rather, Victoria had charged valiantly into a masterful trap and was swarmed with precious little strength left to her name. Even obscured by the angled sheets of rain, Michael saw that she moved with the barest fraction of her true speed, bogged down by the crushing weight of fatigue. The soldiers, make no mistake, preyed upon her weakness, but she did not yet die by their hand. Rather, she was restrained and tranquilized with due haste.

Her continued survival did little to comfort Michael. He had heard much of the Iustus's dealings with prisoners of war, especially those of uncommon blood. By all rights, he had witnessed first-hand their crimes against human decency whilst counted among their ranks, and what little he saw was enough to turn him quite fervently against their cause. Michael would not have wished such atrocities on his worst enemy, yet here, not fifty meters from where he stood, his partner could do nothing but watch as she was condemned to those horrid chambers. Though the ever-present hand of exhaustion pursued with redoubled efforts, there stirred within the Man in Black a reservoir of energy hidden at the bottom of all men's hearts. Born of compassion and boundless fear for the Demoness, adrenaline surged through his every artery and breathed fleeting life into his sinews.

Thus, Michael soared across the battlefield, moving with such powerful strides that he might have been mistaken for a Yajuu, himself. He gave no thought to his next step, letting his streaming consciousness take the reins and move his body on instinct alone. Those who took up arms against him were shot down with Michael's supercharged ammunition, dwindling though it was. Seeing their fruitless toils for what they were, one clever soldier, on emptying his magazine to no avail, cast aside his silenced rifle and rushed the young man, fingers tightly wrapped about the grip of his combat knife. Let it be said that there is very little on Earth that could have halted Michael's advance; however, the lunging body of a soldier was enough to slow it down. Hardly expecting an attack at such a close range, he tumbled to the mud and grass, narrowly twisting to avoid the keen edge of the assailant's blade.

His remaining brothers in arms, themselves left with scarcely a round left to their names, leaped eagerly into the fray, recognizing Michael for the vulnerable human he was. The Man in Black struggled and scrapped against the crushing blows of five trained warriors, left to fend off their assault with his own mortal strength. In matters of close combat, he was very much over-matched, and so he was caught on the receiving end of numerous gashes cut across his limbs and chest. Though they were shallow wounds, Michael's blood ran red down his forearms, further diluted by the mighty downpour. At the end of his wits, having reached his physical limit, the warrior managed, by a precise shift of his weight, to grab hold of a soldier's arm. Countless amperes of electrical current were sent through his body, frying him and his comrades to a crisp in short order.

"Victoria!" He let out an anguished call, his voice booming over even the mightiest crack of thunder. Though he had broken free of his would-be captors, Michael's body was no longer capable of such feats of speed. However, even in the face of bodily failure, against the moaning winds and freezing rain, he trudged forward through the mud. Michael clutched his arm and winced, forcing himself to stagger faster across the soaking grass. In his ceaseless effort, he lost his footing and fell to his knees, using every ounce of strength in his weary bones to drag himself back up to his feet. As the silhouettes moved to the edge of his fuzzy field of vision, Michael gave an agonizing heave of his shoulders, coldly raising his hand to eye level and trying desperately to let loose one final, last-ditch shot. Alas, not even the faintest static spewed from his fingertips; he was, for the time being, utterly drained of power. Of course, with the Iustus closing in on his position and his senses growing ever-darker, his lack of juice was the least of his concerns. Even as he slipped into unconsciousness, Michael gripped the soil in a vain attempt at dragging himself forward. "V-Victoria...sorry..."

The young man awoke with gauze wrapped tightly about his wounds, the blades of a chopper quite audible above his head. Michael's eyes opened sluggishly and were greeted by the relieved face of a combat medic. "Ya gave us quite a scare, kid." Said the familiar voice of Jack, a man to be counted among the Resistance's best pilots. "I took a big risk flying this old girl down to street level, but there was no way you would'a lasted down there, especially with the Iustus breathing down your neck." Michael was, at first, unresponsive; he stared idly at the helicopter's floor and wrapped his fingers around the flash drive he had been given. "Hey, kid, you did all that you could. For anyone but the two of you, this would'a been a suicide mission. And last I checked, neither of you are dead yet." The pilot could also be counted among the Resistance's friendliest men, but in the young man's own eyes, his failure was inexcusable.

"Here's the goods. Locations, codes, you name it -- everything vital to our effort in that building is on this flash drive." He said with a sigh, then immediately looked to his pilot. "Jack, we're going after her. With that information, we can easily figure out where they took her. Hell, you can drop me off there right now if -" Michael was interrupted by a searing pain in his shoulder. He clutched his wound and cringed. "Mike, with you in the shape you're in, they'd make Swiss cheese of you in ten seconds flat. We're getting this information back to HQ, getting you back up to speed, and then we'll get a rescue party together." Of course, Michael knew he was right. He let his shoulders slump against the wall of the helicopter, turning his head to look out the window. I swear I'll get you out.[/i]