World War Burst S2: Part 6

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[18:07:58] * Oxford changes topic to 'Today's Assignment: Summarize the Events of the Cimbrian Disturbances '28-present'
[18:17:37] <~Oxford> Friday comes once more, but the mood in Mr. Furtaw's classroom is far from the excited anticipation of last week. News of Cremmwale's evacuation - vaguely attributed to 'military neccessity' - has cast a pall over the assembly in the way that only a bad war report can. That, coupled with Henriette's sudden absence, has made for a quiet week.
[18:20:49] <Cloral> Loewin scribbles sketches of planes directly on her desk, not even realizing there isn't any paper. They're pretty terrible sketches, all things considered.
[18:21:18] <~Oxford> The assignment is on the board, but with Mr. Furtaw's attentions turned to the underclassmen, the girls have a moment to discuss recent events. In the desks to their left, Angie is speculating on the cause of Henriette's absence in terms that are hardly flattering.
[18:23:10] <Marina> It's surprisingly not hard to keep quiet about being the cause of the event when it's tied to something that's kept secret anyway, so after a few days of being active and determined to become a master of pendantless magic Marina had slipped back into her usual stoicness and noncommunication, perhaps weighed on by the guilt of Stranahan's resignation. On Henri she's kept to herself, occasionally chuckling softly out of earshot whenever the Gaulian was mentioned.
[18:24:29] <Cloral> She continues her lazy sketching without even looking in Angie's direction but speaks so she can just barely be heard by the girl. "Angela, it is not fitting for one as in-bred as you to denounce your superiors."
[18:26:13] <Lily> Lily is working on whatever assignment is on the desk, or if there is none and it was just lecture, she's dreamily staring out the nearest window~
[18:29:24] <~Oxford> The long-haired girl turns sharply, a haughty expression on her face. "I'd be more convinced of your so-called 'superiority' if you weren't a half-bred runt. You should ask that foreign girl for some fashion tips, darling: your beret is on backwards."
[18:31:13] <Cloral> "Hm. Not clever enough to come up with your own retort, so you echo mine? Is that one of your many insecurities?" The beret is actually on backwards, but Loewin hardly cares. "I suppose you gossip like a commoner because of jealousy then? Perhaps you find her prettier than you? Or more sociable?"
[18:31:59] <Cloral> "Or perhaps you see the way YOUR boyfriend pines after her?"
[18:32:47] <Lily> Lily quits her window daydreaming to turn around to the two girls. "Could you two be mad at each other some other time I'd rather not have to listen to you two unleash your mad at each other could you keep it private okay?" She makes sure to whisper.
[18:35:37] <Marina> Scribble scribble scribble assignment.
[18:35:57] <~Oxford> Angela ignores Lily as if she wasn't there. "You misheard me, sweetheart. You said 'in-bred', which just goes to show what you must think of people from small towns. What I said was 'half-bred', as in 'you mother might've been a lady, but your so-called father was cuckolded by his serving-boy and couldn't bear the shame to disown you.'"
[18:36:24] <Lily> Pout.
[18:36:48] <Cloral> Pencil-tip breaks. "…Darling, would you care to meet me outside after class?"
[18:36:50] <Lily> She goes to looking out the window, covering her ears, her face all pouty.
[18:37:01] <~Oxford> "You think I'm jealous? I used to think you rich girls had class and dignity, but now I know that no matter what social station you're born into, you can still be a pouty, petty, meddling bitch."
[18:37:51] <Marina> Marina, at the window seat behind Lily (unless Lily is in THE very back), lightly taps the girl with a pencil, shaking her head, and gives her own whisper, "Think of it like a radio show."
[18:37:54] <~Oxford> "Meet you outside? Why, so you can have Daddy's hired goons come defend you?"
[18:39:21] <Cloral> "Nono, dear, I'll show you what real effort looks like. The old-fashioned type. The kind you'd rather avoid by working street-corners."
[18:39:49] <Lily> "It's a really terrible radio show!"
[18:39:58] <Marina> "Most of them are."
[18:40:15] <Lily> Sign.
[18:40:37] <Marina> "So, it's just background noise." Without another sign of emotion, she goes back to doin' schoolwork.
[18:43:05] <~Oxford> Mr. Fortaw has picked up on the rising tone of the conversation, and he approaches at a brisk walk. Seated on the other side of Loewin, Angela sees him coming first, and flashes a smirk as she returns to her work. Her opponent is a step behind, and her last comment is made in easy hearing-range of the teacher.
[18:44:30] <~Oxford> "Cloral! That kind of comment is unacceptable!" he says, sharply enough to raise goosebumps on the back of her neck as she turns around.
[18:45:05] <Cloral> "O-Oh?" She looks guilty. "Then…how should I have insulted her?"
[18:45:53] <Marina> "See?" Marina continues calmly writing her paper. "Even terrible shows have their moments."
[18:46:02] <Lily> Still pouting.
[18:48:14] <~Oxford> "You shouldn't have said it at all," Mr. Fortaw says, sounding more exasperated than angry. "You'll apologize for what you said, right now."
[18:49:30] <Cloral> She nods and stands before Angela, curtsying as she apologizes. "Angela, I'm dearly sorry that you are not paid more for your prostitution."
[18:50:43] <Lily> Head. Desk.
[18:51:03] <Marina> Not giggling is REALLY hard.
[18:51:06] <Marina> Still cracks a smile.
[18:51:51] <Marina> "It's a comedy show, Blevins."
[18:52:11] <Lily> "Uuuuuuu"
[18:55:08] <Bridget> "Nae, shae' bae tae' thin. Dae' aen' 'er faerst waentaer"
[18:55:20] <Bridget> …Goddamnit it, the Highlander can sneak!
[18:55:47] <Lily> Lily slumps, trying to focus on whatever assignment is in front of her, pouting all the while.
[18:56:50] <~Oxford> Angela's eyes widen like a camera's iris-shutter, and tears well up within them. With a sob, she throws her head into her arms, bawling. "Cloral!" Mr. Fortaw exclaims, "take your work and sit at that desk over there! I'll speak with you later." Behind his back, Angela turns her head up from the desk and flashes a killing smirk.
[18:58:00] <Marina> "What a bizarre thing to get upset over," the albino mutters under her breath, legitimately baffled. Then again she was always the one telling herself that Lily was the one person she'd never be able to understand.
[18:58:28] <Cloral> Loewin does as Fortaw bids, but not before slipping out a very audible counter. "My and quite the actress! She should certainly earn top-rate as one skilled at role-play!"
[19:00:37] <~Oxford> "Go!" Fortaw says stiffly, cutting in over the second part of her retort. "And the rest of you had better be making progress here. I'm collecting these at the end of class."
[19:01:56] <Cloral> She skips over to the desk with a wide grin she isn't even bothering to hide from her teacher and begins work on the assignment, though not without significantly sarcastic answers.
[19:01:57] <Bridget> "Aue aye~" Bridget's working! And has repaired the desk! What an industrious girl!
[19:03:30] <Marina> A certain somebody's assignment was already finished a while ago- she was satisfied just listening to the bickering and exercising the practiced motion of moving her pencil around.
[19:05:04] * Bridget has kept up her messy handwriting, but Marina's seen Bridget'ts letters perhaps, to family….with their neat and clipped writing. How could such a refined girl be so…crude most of the time.
[19:06:41] <Marina> Even if she knew, after all this time Marina's been too timid to ask Bridget why she's such a weirdo like that. Or maybe is just really insistent that it isn't her business.
[19:07:14] <Bridget> Lets go with weirdo. WEIRDO MARINA.
[19:08:01] <Lily> Lily rushes through her assignment haphazardly, sometimes erasing entire paragraphs and leaving big smudges that make things hard to read (although still legible)
[19:10:53] <~Oxford> Mr. Fortaw has returned to presenting his lesson for the underclassmen, giving Angie a chance to return to cheerfully discussing the shorter girl's manifold shortcomings.
[19:14:34] <~Oxford> Dirk has been unusually quite throughout the week. Maggie, recently re-seated in front of Marina, has likewise been quiet, though in her case the behavior is more typical. The glances she keeps directing at Dirk are…also typical.
[19:18:32] <Lily> Maggie is subject to also getting to hear Lily's GROANS
[19:19:01] <Lily> But they're juuuust quiet enough that only people right next to her can hear them.
[19:19:15] <Marina> Lilies gonna lil.
[19:19:37] <Cloral> The angriest midget continues shooting venomous looks at Angie, though not without guilted looks at Lily, mixed with a little fear.
[19:21:53] <~Oxford> Maggie is too preoccupied with her own silent groans. Their teacher is finished with his lecture, and is heading over to Loewin's temporary desk.
[19:22:44] * Bridget works, diligently. With her child-like handwriting among other things. Though when the teacher's not looking she'll flick an eraser as hard as she can at Angela.
[19:24:50] <Cloral> "Good of you to come to my office!" The cheekiest grin greets Fortaw.
[19:26:05] <~Oxford> "Cloral," Mr. Fortaw says, leaning over her desk, "what's going on with you?" His tone is stern but sympathetic, and his eyes are full of questions.
[19:27:28] <Cloral> "She…" Loewin grasps for a witty comment but finds nothing. "…she was making up rumors about Hen- Miss LeClair."
[19:27:59] <~Oxford> "So?" he asks.
[19:28:38] <Cloral> "I didn't like it. Like a rat in the larder."
[19:30:40] <~Oxford> "So?" he asks again. "What's the appropriate way to deal with that kind of situation?"
[19:31:08] <Cloral> "…exterminate the vermin?"
[19:31:37] <~Oxford> "Hire an exterminator," he corrects softly.
[19:32:45] <Cloral> "I…hmmm…" His words roll over in her head several times. "That…does make sense…but suppose I don't wish to rely on others?"
[19:33:47] <~Oxford> "You should've come to me," Mr. Fortaw replies, sternly. "Dealing with how you students cope with one another is part of my job. As is making sure your conversation stays civil."
[19:35:35] <Cloral> "Well I won't have an adult to retreat to when I become one…so shouldn't I fight my own battles? …even if they're on someone else's be- oh…I suppose I see what you mean."
[19:36:58] <~Oxford> "So you'll be able to keep your interactions with Ms. Carraway in line from now on?"
[19:38:00] <Cloral> "I promise that should I believe her to have slighted someone in this class, I will come to you." She nods, hoping not to have stressed the important part of her promise too much.
[19:39:59] <~Oxford> "Good," he says, smilingly overlooking the carefully-worded promise. "Now, as for your punishment-"
[19:40:44] <Cloral> Loewin looks quite surprised. Punishment isn't a thing that happens to her. "But I've already learned my lesson!"
[19:43:29] <~Oxford> "Even so, you need to-" At that moment, the air raid siren that has sat silent for weeks blares to life. The keening wail pierces through the sleepy town of Ternwald like a funeral dirge at a wedding.
[19:44:21] <Lily> THE HIPPIE STRAIGHTENS HERSELF UP, SLAMMING HER HANDS DOWN ON HER DESK AS SHE DOES SO
[19:54:52] <Lily> "It's time to go!" She starts grabbing things.
[19:55:20] <Marina> Marina's pencil topples over, lying over the finished assignment. She doesn't even say a word before standing up.
[19:58:50] <Lily> She stops by Angie on the way out of the school. "By the way you're a huge bitch!" And then she starts walking out!
[19:59:20] <Cloral> Loewin nearly celebrates her good luck before remembering this is kind of a big deal and just…kind of…runs away from her teacher, off to save the country and all that. Or at least the town. Or possibly fuck it up further.
[20:00:05] <Marina> Albino nudges Bridget and nonchalantly follows the others our, giving Maggie a shrug as she goes too. Clearly it's obvious they won't have time to walk home together- THIS time.
[20:05:41] * Bridget follows!
[20:07:25] <BigTentacruel> Rather excitedly running from the front of Wightshead mansion is Henriette, her current reading material, "Commanding the Winds: Routine Naval Practices during Peacetime" by Sir R. Tyrwhitt, forgotten in the nook near the front door. Racing for road to the mansion and clutching four pendants in hand, she looks desperately for her companions. Her eagerness to fly already expresses itself
[20:07:25] <BigTentacruel> in broadly spread wings. Oh, and her hair is already blonde, even though she's dressed in a blouse and skirt typical of a lazy day reading.
[20:10:15] <Marina> Following cooly behind the others, Marina activates her own transformation sequence and transforms without aid…. in her head. In practice nothing actually happens, and she arrives grumbling after the others.
[20:11:25] <Oxford> For the amount of time that's passed since the last raid, the townsfolk spring to their tasks with weary familiarity. As shopkeepers shutter their windows, housewives and retirees head for the shelters gripping loaves of bread or half-finished crossword puzzles, remanents whatever they had been doing before the alarm sounded.
[20:12:06] <Lily> Lily tries to transform beforehand as well! …not like it does much, most likely! She keeps running as faaaast as she can until she reaches Henriette, then.
[20:13:10] * Henriette waves eagerly at the other girls, blonde-haired and bushy-err… winged. Shiny-winged. She's carrying four pendants, since one was lost to the ether, and the radio headset actually is attached to her head in the form of a tiara as always.
[20:13:10] <Cloral> Loewin is far too busy being generally mad to pull shenanigans!
[20:13:11] <Marina> "Sooner than I'd hoped," grumblegrumble.
[20:13:54] <Bridget> "Oi, Haenraei, yae' gaet mae paendaaent?"
[20:14:10] * Bridget grins at the girl, wrapping her up in a hug!
[20:15:14] <Marina> "I hoped I'd be more prepared by now, but…" Marina crosses her arms like a cool cat, shiftyeyed. "I don't feel anything. Is one of us going to have to stay behind?"
[20:15:34] <Lily> "I'm not a real fairy yet!"
[20:15:39] <Lily> Frooooown.
[20:16:11] <Marina> "Nngh."
[20:16:46] <Henriette> "I only have four, so…" Henriette replies. "Je ne sais pas what we shall do…" She's obviously not noticed her own change yet.
[20:16:46] <Cloral> "Yes, we're down a pendant. We leaving the cripple or the traitor?" The nicknames were supposed to be more playful but…uh…they weren't.
[20:17:23] <Bridget> "Caeld drae straes!"
[20:18:25] <Marina> "Are… you sure YOU'RE fit for combat, Cloral?" Mumble mumble something about being less fit for social combat.
[20:18:49] <Lily> "Ah…well…"
[20:18:51] <Lily> "…"
[20:18:55] <Lily> "…I'll stay behind."
[20:19:06] <Cloral> "Of course I am, why wouldn't I?" She huffs at Marina, not quite realizing the impact of what she said.
[20:19:21] <Henriette> "Mais non! Je ne suis pas estropié!" she replies indignantly. "Et Lily is not a traitor! Why would you say that?"
[20:19:45] <Lily> She shakes her head. "I'm…the reason the pendant is gone, remember? So I have to take responsibility!"
[20:20:39] <Bridget> "…faen, ae caeld stae baet…" Bridget shrugs
[20:20:42] <Marina> "Not directly. But…" Marina scratches her head, pondering. "Is there some way Blevins could support us from the ground?"
[20:21:44] <Henriette> "Maybe we could share?"
[20:21:56] <Cloral> "Why would…we'll talk about it later; planes first, pass out the pendants."
[20:24:46] <Marina> "Sharing would be…" She squints, "an experiment. And as interesting of an idea it is, I think we've learned experimentation isn't part of our job by now."
[20:25:01] * Henriette provides pendants for all save Lily, and the latter she attempts the sharing with.
[20:25:10] <Lily> "Um, well, okay!"
[20:25:53] <Bridget> "Aye! Waell kaek saem arse n' bae baeck saen!"
[20:26:28] * Marina dangles the pendant and glares at it, sighing, and then puts it on along with her radio. Poof stock footage.
[20:27:27] * Bridget does so too! Though sans glare! Also, suddenly SWORD
[20:28:32] <Lily> Lily wraps part of the pendant's necklace component around her hand and grabs onto it. "You grab too, Henriette!" She pushes on the Pendant, concentrating, as her hair turns green as lilies sprout from it, her dress changing into the minimalistic druidic dress she usually goes into!
[20:28:46] <Cloral> Clutching the pendant in her hands, Loewin is mobbed by a stampede of tiny spirit lions, which leap at her and become the parts of her armor. The accompanying roar seems considerably more bloodthirsty than normal and nearby clouds darken and roil post-transformation, the ever-present grin a mite twisted under these conditions.
[20:29:24] * Bridget looks rather eager honestly. She's been pretty useless for a bit and she wants to kick some ass!
[20:36:06] <Henriette> The chain on the pendant wrapped around Henriette's hand, light spills over her, the rest of her costume flares into being, albeit with a floral twist. The blue ribbon normally tying her hair instead is shaped and colored like a white rose bloom. Her dress is colored a light green not unlike a field of grass in summer, and about the waist is her weaponized ribbon, also decorated like a
[20:36:06] <Henriette> white rose.
[20:36:41] <Bridget> "Oi! Aet waerked! Naec!"
[20:38:22] <Lily> "Ooooh, I like what you did to your costume Henriette!"
[20:39:10] <Henriette> "Quoi? Ma tenue?" Peering down, she notices the alterations with a gasp. "Oh, I had not noticed! Perhaps it is because we are sharing, ma belle?"
[20:39:21] <Lily> She attaches her radio now, the radio transmitter looking clunky,a nd then with a little bit of focus it turns into a nice floral tiara! "Oh, there we go~!"
[20:40:10] <Lily> "Whiskey Bravo, requesting coordinates!"
[20:41:24] <Marina> "Did they…?" 11Albatross leaves her radio off and looks down as she spirals into the sky, doing a double-take.
[20:42:16] <Bridget> "Aye! Wae've gaet a flaeght!
[20:43:09] <Cloral> 6Alexandria ignores the ridiculous shenanigans and glances about the four winds for the enemy as she awaits instruction.
[20:47:58] <Oxford> "Roger," Stranahan's familiar voice answers from the radio. "Targets are four Nov fighters, two Nov ground-attack craft. Heading 1-0-5, bearing 0-0-0."
[20:50:25] <Henriette> "Perhaps nous pouvons combiner nos attaques, Lily?" Henriette says to Lily. Her words MIGHT carry some level of meaning despite the foreign language. Who knows how deep this connection is?
[20:50:43] <Lily> "Got it got it got it! We attack first before they do~!"
[20:51:00] <Oxford> "Expected target: Albaean staff car, east-bound on coastal highway." The Major pauses slightly. "Your new CO."
[20:51:42] <Marina> "Understood," the radio stoically crackers.
[20:52:05] <Cloral> "Has the CO got an escort of their own or are we the only line of defense?"
[20:52:11] <Bridget> "Aye!"
[20:58:36] <Bridget> "Hae waent evaen knae have aes under aettaeck!"
[20:58:59] <Oxford> "Negative, Alexandria. Do not anticipate ground support."
[20:59:19] * Marina sighs over the radio. "Clarification, please, 7Armstrong?"
[21:08:18] <Oxford> The targets come into view - six planes, coming in low toward the coast. Four of the aircraft are the familiar twintailed fighters, but the other two appear heavier, with large, exposed landing gear and squat bombs tucked under gull wings.
[21:09:21] <Henriette> "Lily! We should attack the ground attackers first!" Henriette says.
[21:11:24] <Lily> "Got it, they're going down to the ground!"
[21:13:16] * Oxford changes topic to '(Three Turns to Target) Bridget -> Cloral -> Lily -> SV-23s -> Volg. 7s -> Henriette -> Marina'
[21:14:28] * Bridget races forward and growls to herself. Alright, lets see how this works! KYAAAAAAA! Well, not really, but, she's flying from height, aimed at one of the ground attack aircraft, hoping to slice it into two!
[21:20:22] <~Oxford> As she swoops in, rear-facing machinegunners from planes' cockpits open fire, sending tracers streaming through the clear spring air.
[21:22:18] * Bridget is hit!…well, less hit and more…she just ignores bullets, bouncing off of her as she lands on one of the planes and slices through its tail, catching quite a bit and maybe exposing one of the gunners to the air. "Yae shaeld baaaaael befaer Ae Kael YAE!" she laughs, scary, fangs showing as the pilot jukes and jerks, causing her to lose her grip without much instability to her.
[21:28:57] <Cloral> Loewin follows in Bridget's wake, striking in the wake of the Highlander's destruction. She grins as her sword bites into each with a fortitude-shattering roar, shredding the engine of the second as she returns from the attack with a nod to Bridget.
[21:29:41] * Bridget grins and returns that nod. FIRE FORGED FRIENDS!
[21:29:46] <Cloral> *first wake is path
[21:30:47] <Lily> Lily gives Henriette a nod. "On my count, let's go!"
[21:32:01] <~Oxford> The striken dive-bomber bucks and turns over into a death spiral, spinning laterally as it plummets toward the surf. The pilots have no time to bail; the aircraft impacts the water and breaks apart, sinking instantly.
[21:32:20] <Lily> Lily cringes a little.
[21:34:28] <Henriette> "Lily, ma belle, you mustn't be afraid of our purpose!" Henriette says, trying to look comfortingly at the other girl. "Those men have chosen their jobs, mon père used to say."
[21:36:24] <Bridget> "Aye! 's waer!"
[21:36:36] <~Oxford> The four fighters, finally realizing their targets are under attack, break from their box formation and engage Wighthead Flight. Each turns toward a different girl, with two streaking off after Bridget and Cloral while the other two rise to meet the back units.
[21:41:52] <Marina> An icy wind blows toward the pseudo-fusion of the two girls, slowing the fire heading in their direction or invalidating some of it entirely. There's not much the ice-witch can do with her hands full, however, and she grips two swords from her back to ready them for throwing.
[21:46:17] <Henriette> Moving with more than one person in tandem is clumsy, for sure. Henriette attempts to pull Lily from the fire, she zigs when Lily zags, and ultimately, bullets come piercing through the fringes of her dress. "Lily, we will have to show them nos forces combinées!"
[21:46:38] <Lily> Lily grimaces and nods. "I-it's either them or us…"
[21:46:58] <Marina> Preparing to counterattack leaves her tail exposed, which is her weak point much akin to a terribly-written JRPG boss. Or maybe she's just not used to having it, making it hurt worse to get struck at?
[21:47:22] <Cloral> Loewin puts her sword up in a defensive stance after quickly realizing she can't avoid the assault, and she takes a good hail of damage.
[21:47:49] * Bridget takes the bullets! And ignores them. Dodging! Pshah! She blocks them with her GIGANTIC SWORD!
[21:49:01] <Marina> "They're well-organized," she remarks over the radio, almost impressed.
[21:50:34] <Lily> "All right, go time!" Her hair elongates, stretching and encompassing all around them. Lily tosses up some dirt, the dirt miraculously going in a circle around them, landing on her hair, and her hair starts bulging, and razor-sunflowers burst out of her hair in all directions from Lily and Henriette!
[21:53:27] <Henriette> Seeing the shots ride outwards towards the airplanes, Henriette causes her waist flower to flare up with white light. Beyond the bomber, white portals appear and the shots ricochet towards the fighters as well! They bounce four to five times off Henriette's mirrors.
[22:01:49] <Lily> The razor sunflowers converge on three of the planes, one Volg. 7 and 2 SV-23s, shredding through the metal planes like a knife on a creamy cheese spread, leaving shattered debris raining down upon the ground below them. There's an audible SCREEEEEEEEEEEEECH as the metal in the planes is rended to pieces.
[22:05:04] <Henriette> "Lily, mon grand beauté! Fantastique! Je ne pense pas que nous étions capables d'une telle puissance! Nous devons travailler ensemble comme ça plus souvent!" Henriette says, her focus shaking as she almost falls from the sky. All the same, she floats there, in awe as she rants in her native tongue not unlike Lily might in Albaean.
[22:07:34] <Marina> "Two targets remain… 7Armstrong, willing to coordinate?" The icebino recovers in midair and the six ice-swords float around her in a ring, somehow keeping her afloat.
[22:07:46] <Lily> "Ah, Henriette, pay attention!" She tugs on the pendant and Henriette's arm to keep her from falling!
[22:08:06] <Bridget> "Aye! Lessae kaeck saem baett!"
[22:09:47] <Henriette> "I… I am bien," she replies, shaking her head. "It simply felt bon de voir les produits de l'industrie détruits."
[22:12:28] * Oxford changes topic to '(Two Turns to Target) Cloral -> SV-23s -> Marina -> Bridget ->Volg. 7s -> Henriette -> Lily'
[22:12:44] <Marina> "Understood- we'll engage both targets simultaneously. Aim… on second thought, just use as much power as you're able, I'll control any overflow."
[22:12:58] * Oxford changes topic to '(Two Turns to Target) Cloral -> SV-23s -> Marina -> Bridget -> Henriette -> Lily'
[22:14:02] <Bridget> "Aye!"
[22:17:09] <Cloral> Loewin is fueled by the latent hubris of the amount of destruction the girls dealt last turn and lashes out toward the cockpits of one of the SV-23s with little worry.
[22:21:56] <~Oxford> The Novgoraadi pilot makes her pay for her carelessness. As she turns in to make her attack, he throttles back hard and snaps the nose high. Fierce eddies of turbulence form behind the plane's wings as aerodynamic pressure stops it cold, and Loewin hurtles through empty space, swinging wildly.
[22:23:15] <Marina> "6Alexandria!" Marina snaps back, more surprised than usual, and then smashes her fists together, sending all her ice swords outward. Once she gets over the hit the radio turns back on. "We're engaging now- Ready?"
[22:23:25] <~Oxford> From there, a light tap to the aileron is all it takes to drop the nose onto her tail and send a long stream of bullets chasing after her. They hit square in her back, four solid impacts that flip her end over end.
[22:23:40] <Bridget> "Aye! Raedae!"
[22:28:04] <Marina> All the ice swords split off into trails attached to Marina's body, forming large tunnels that contain the planes' paths. The ice acts as 'walls' of sorts, as she expects Bridget to just unleash all the power she has. Icicles drop down on the enemy just to add insult to injury.
[22:28:27] <Marina> Also, her eyes flare redder than normal, causing the ice to briefly glow red as well.
[22:28:59] * Cloral recoils in angerhorror from the combined attacks but manages to remain aloft, feeling pretty woozy.
[22:34:40] <~Oxford> The other fighter pilot sees an open target and takes full advantage. As Cloral struggles to regain control, the aircraft swoops past, bursts of gunfire barking from the muzzles in its nose. He mistimes the run, but as he passes the fighter's wing clips Cloral in the stomach. Vomit rushes to her mouth as she struggles to free herself from the wing.
[22:41:19] <Marina> Marina's ice tunnels keep up with the planes' positions and follow them, walling them in and pelting them with shards of ice as they go. As soon as the attack begins and separates from her body, she forms a couple new 'wings' to dive for Cloral's position and ascertain whether she's going to fall or not.
[22:43:10] <Bridget> And then….Bridget is just….present. Over both aircraft. There's no hesitation as the two pilots are suddenly little more than red smears over the twin cockpits, cockpits that shatter as the planes themselves explode, Bridget sudden back to where she was, roaring in triumph and pain as a familiar pair of horns work themselves out from her head…big enough to be obvious but small enough to be concealed, potentially, with cunni use of hair ribbons.
[22:44:54] <Bridget> "HA HA HA HA HA! FOOK YEAH! THAET WAES AWAESAEM!"
[22:44:57] <Marina> While swooping down she surveys the carnage and radios in. "Targets eliminated."
[22:44:58] <Cloral> Loewin wipes the mix of blood and vomit from her mouth in disbelief as she struggles to maintain altitude.
[22:45:17] <Marina> "Good work, 7Armstrong."
[22:45:33] <Bridget> "Thaenks!"
[22:45:47] <Bridget> She's beaming, not caring about the splitting pain from her new horns
[22:45:49] <Lily> "9Amazon reporting in, we're done, heading back."
[22:46:00] * Bridget flies back, humming something.
[22:46:20] <Henriette> "Clor- ah… 6Alexandria, ma belle, are vous feeling alright?" Henriette calls, trying to pull on Lily towards the injured girl.
[22:46:20] <Marina> "This is 11Albatross. Wightshead Flight, RTB."
[22:46:21] <~Oxford> "All targets down!" Stranahan calls triumphantly over the radio. "Staff car secure."
[22:47:22] <Marina> By now Marina's flown down to Cloral's level, talking to her non-radio. "Can you fly on your own?"
[22:47:44] <Bridget> "Aye! Yae' naed help?" her head is a crown of blood and she's beaming.
[22:52:19] <~Oxford> Below them, behind a line of trees, a long black sedan makes its way along the coastal highway toward Wightshead. From this distance, it seems like an ant, crawling along the forest floor.
[22:54:51] * Bridget goes and flies over the convoy, a flyby for the brass, giving a salute once she cleans the blood off.
[22:56:17] <Lily> Lily drags Henriette through the air, straight on to the Wightshead estate!
[22:56:50] <Henriette> "Aaah!" Henriette calls out, still focused on Cloral's wellbeing. "Lily! S-slow down, ma belle!"
[22:57:01] <Cloral> Loewin shakes her head and reaches to tear off her helmet, suffering an unbearable burning around her scalp. Upon removal, the hair that leaks out is confusing white color, breaking into all manner of colors when the light catches it. Her fall slows considerably as she looks to Marina with confusion.
[22:57:01] <~Oxford> The tinted windows of the car exhibit no outward change as Bridget passes.
[22:57:27] * Bridget grins and waves and rockets as best she can back to the estate. Time to survey the damage~
[22:57:30] <Lily> "I think 11Albatross has her covered, no worries!"
[22:58:06] <Marina> "… I… see." Her stare looks more vivid than it normally does. "Let's go, then."
[22:59:29] <Cloral> "I…could…" Loewin's eyes linger on Marina's, trying to discern the reasoning for her past rage directed at the albino. "I mean…a hand would be nice…if you could…"
[23:00:18] <Henriette> "O-okay! I suppose we have to meet notre nouveau commandant, non?" As the two return to base, Henriette repeatedly glances back at the changes in her own costume and wonders if they will stay if they transform again.
[23:00:41] <Marina> Without another word she reaches forward and grabs Cloral's, pulling the midget with her as she blazes a frost-trail in the sky.
[23:00:52] <~Oxford> The five girls set down on the Wightshead estate's front drive. Maj. Stranahan meets them on the patio, waving to them as they come in. "Heyo! Good intercept, girls!"
[23:01:30] <Cloral> Marina would be afflicted by a rather uncomfortable feeling deep in her gut upon grabbing Loewin, though she'd be unable to identify the cause.
[23:01:32] <Bridget> "Oi!" Bridget beams and detransforms…the horns staying.
[23:03:19] <Marina> "It seems like it went mostly well," while touching down, "which is a relief. Though, there may be a few minor injuries.," she says and lets Cloral go, clearly concerned about her state after being planed so many times. Additionally every few seconds she rubs her eyes, like something's there.
[23:03:47] <Bridget> "Sae…ae gaet haerns, daen't ae?"
[23:03:59] <Marina> Oh! And when Marina grabs her her hand is ridiculously cold, like sticking your hand in an icebox, but it's been that way for a while.
[23:04:02] <Lily> She lands alongside Henriette, detransforming, holding her right arm with her left hand, looking off to the side. "We won."
[23:05:32] <Marina> "Haerns." By now she's dismissing the gut feeling as 'Cloral got really injured and something something magic.'
[23:05:43] <Marina> "Clarity, please?"
[23:06:07] <Cloral> Loewin's hand pulls away immediately upon landing, attempting to warm her hand and eyeing Marina with a blend of weary and possible hatred. But it might not be hatred. Not with a smile like that! She's weary to detransform in the case of frostbite and turns to inspect her teammates. "…she has horns."
[23:06:27] <Bridget> "Mmmhmmm~"
[23:06:31] <Marina> "… Ah. Horns."
[23:06:36] <Marina> "Yes, you have horns."
[23:07:01] <Cloral> "Find a hat or you're not going out anymore."
[23:07:33] <Marina> "I'd be more alarmed if not for cases like LeClair's wings," she says matter-of-factly while making the mistake(?) of walking over and poking the tips of Bridget's horns with an index finger.
[23:07:39] <Marina> Or one horn at least.
[23:07:56] <Bridget> Well, they're kind of pointy! And caked with Bridget-blood!
[23:08:06] <Henriette> Despite their tiring fight and the strangest feeling she can see something out of the corner of her eye the whole way back, Henriette is in a wonderful mood. "Je pense que they are most becoming of royauté like Bridget."
[23:08:44] <Lily> Lily stares off into space.
[23:09:12] <Marina> "Roy…" She quirks a brow at what Henri could POSSIBLY be saying but shakes it off, dismissively. Back to Bridget, "They're covered in blood. You may want to clean them off."
[23:10:01] <Bridget> A moment. A grin. "We are well aware~" brightly. "We are hoping that these mean that We shall not be required to go to Court as much."
[23:10:15] <Henriette> "Err… Lily, ma fleur, are you okay?" Henriette says, her eyes turning towards the other girl. Though, suddenly, she whirls around. "Who is there?"
[23:10:43] <Marina> "To court. … To trial?"
[23:10:50] <Marina> "That sounds a bit extreme."
[23:10:53] <Cloral> "No, court as in that of royalty."
[23:11:04] <Marina> "Right, court as in that of what."
[23:11:04] <Lily> Lily doesn't respond.
[23:11:13] <Bridget> "Court. Ah…you were not there." a laugh. "Of Albaea."
[23:11:31] <Cloral> "Oh yes, meet the…seventh, was it? In line to the throne."
[23:12:15] <Bridget> "Mmmhmmm. That is quite accurate." a curtsey, as best one can in her "outfit"
[23:12:17] <Marina> "Is…. This is a prank, isn't it?" Marina rubs her temples, closing her eyes. When she opens them a little red stream leaks from one of the corners.
[23:12:39] <Cloral> "Marina you're…are you feeling okay?"
[23:13:06] <Marina> She blinks, and now there're bloody tears pouring from the other one too. Castlevania music plays in the players' heads.
[23:13:29] <Bridget> "We are curious, are you okay Marina? It would not please Us for you to be hurt."
[23:14:00] * Cloral detransforms and pulls out a handkerchief to hand to Marina. "You've red on you…you're…crying it."
[23:15:02] <Marina> "I… I'm not injured. Not that I know of, at least…" She takes it, confused and somehow nervous. A quick wipe of the face and she realizes there's something to be concerned about, but seems focused elsewhere.
[23:15:43] <Marina> Also she's detransformed already. "I do. Don't worry, it's not painful."
[23:16:01] <Cloral> "Erm…you can keep…the handkerchief…" The smile temporarily turns into a disgusted frown.
[23:16:05] <Bridget> "Ah, then that is good."
[23:16:27] <~Oxford> From the gate at the far end of the property, the sound of the metal grating swinging shut stands out harshly against the peaceful country atmosphere.
[23:16:32] <Marina> "… I'll clean it before returning it."
[23:16:57] <Cloral> "Nono…keep it…as an…apology?"
[23:17:01] <Marina> "MacDonald, you…"
[23:17:05] <Marina> "… Nevermind."
[23:17:28] <Bridget> "We are what? A Princess? Yes."
[23:17:55] <Bridget> "If you wish, We can have the flight at Our estate in the Highlands soon."
[23:18:13] <Henriette> Resolute in the idea that she is just seeing reflections in her mirror, Henriette reports with a salute to the newcomer, presumably their new commanding officer.
[23:18:15] <Marina> "Apology for…" She ponders a bit but still can't focus. "I can't see what's necessary to apologize for, but accepted either way, thank you," she says in an almost-teasing tone.
[23:18:58] * Marina closes her eyes again. "Princess."
[23:19:18] <Marina> "The Albaean throne."
[23:19:28] <Bridget> "Not directly in line."
[23:19:35] <Cloral> Loewin's head snaps up with excitement at Bridget's invitation which quickly devolves into complete disappointment. "Oh that would b-…I'm supposed to keep a low profile though…"
[23:20:21] * Marina listens closely. "Please don't tell me you're both princesses."
[23:20:35] <Marina> When her eyes open they're streaming red again, with a coppery smell.
[23:21:21] <Marina> With her expression it's impossible to tell if it's ~magic~ or genuine tears.
[23:21:33] <Cloral> "I would only be so l- er…not of royal lineage, no. But…it is…pretty up there?" She wasn't supposed to say that much but to hell with the rules.
[23:22:08] <Lily> Lily seems completely ignorant of anything, just staring off into the same direction, not even moving, breathing evenly, a serene smile on her face.
[23:22:25] <Bridget> "We can keep it quiet. Our lands are large and there is a great deal of room for anything that we might wish."
[23:22:56] <Marina> "'Up there.'" She ignores the rules herself and pushes her bare fingers into her eyelids, smearing them with red. "I can't believe this."
[23:23:40] <~Oxford> The black sedan rolls slowly towards the mansion along the brick driveway, where the girls continue to mill aimlessly. Stranahan watches silently from the patio.
[23:23:49] <Cloral> "Oh yeah? Well, I suppose that would be nice…" She curls her hair with a finger pondering happyfun times before noticing the color of her hair and being critical sad.
[23:25:44] * Henriette is composing herself for her best impression, thank you very much!
[23:27:16] <Marina> The handkerchief makes a few more rounds covering itself in red.
[23:27:19] * Bridget composes herself!
[23:27:49] <~Oxford> As the car comes to a halt in front of the mansion, the Major clears her throat and clicks her heels. "Flight, to attention!"
[23:28:26] <Lily> Lily doesn't respond in the least.
[23:29:17] <Lily> She's been staying still for several minutes
[23:29:34] <Henriette> "Lily!" Henriette whispers urgently, putting herself to attention in a fashion she has probably learned this week from reading military books alone.
[23:29:54] * Cloral clumsily slaps her hand into place, too exhausted to keep it there without shaking, turning a few times before finally getting the correct direction.
[23:29:55] <Marina> Still mind-full-of-fuck, Marina barely manages to compose herself enough to get a salute ready.
[23:29:58] <Lily> She jumps, looking around, then realizes she needs to be at attention and does so!
[23:30:09] * Bridget gets at attention!
[23:32:08] <Cloral> Loewin can't fight the power of the smile though. It's just so infectious.
[23:34:50] <~Oxford> Maj. Stranahan steps down to the curb and stands by the door to the parked automobile. She salutes with crisp percision, and waits for the door to open.
[23:44:45] <~Oxford> The door swings open with one smooth motion, and a man in an Air Force dress uniform, pressed and starched, steps out. Sunlight reflects off his bald head, freshly-shaved. He has a round face, and below his thick white mustache his mouth is curled in a tight, satisfied smile. Colonel Chester Vaughn clasps his hands behind his back and turns his gaze over the assembled line of girls.
[00:00:15] <~Oxford> His eyes scan over each in order, coolly cataloging every detail. Cloral's brilliantly prismatic hair, Henriette's mirror-bright wings, and Marina weeping crimson streaks down her pale white cheeks. He pauses on Bridget and her refreshly-erupted horns, and then on Lily staring blankly into space. Finally, they fall on Maj. Stranahan.
[00:00:20] <~Oxford> "At ease," the Colonel says, with a voice like cigars and scotch. "My name is Chester Vaughn, and as of this moment, I am assuming command of Wightshead flight." He smiles like a man looking over a new yacht. "Grand group of soldiers you have here, Erica."
[00:00:31] <~Oxford> /session

page revision: 1, last edited: 07 Sep 2013 18:06
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