|
|
Post by Atticus Batman on Jun 11, 2015 4:59:30 GMT
As I watch Volo leave I say, "The headless guy is a known fence and it is known he keeps a ledger. You and Belle already checked him before I got to his body. So whoever has the ledger, may have the killer's name."
Then I look at Belle. "You are mad at him for keeping his word? Aren't you the one that says giving and keeping your word is an honorable thing? Hell from what I understand,even you have given your word to criminals and let them go! He is just being a straight arrow and following what he believes is honorable, like you do. Honor seems to be everything to both of you. So why make him betray his own honor, if it really is so dakking important? Fortunately I have no such issue. On the other hand, I doen't see an issue either. You want all crime stopped, well these criminals are stopped. Besides you said, yourself, we are family. Does a family really threaten each other like that? If so then how is having a family, a good thing, like all of you keep telling me that it is?! Damn confussing shtako! And then you wonder why I prefered to avoid communities and society for so dakking long?! Whatever, I am part of this family now as long as all of you accept it, so it doesn't matter. Now look at the blade wounds. It is quite obvious what kind of blade could do so. Or atleast obvious to me."
I reach into an armored pocket, and pull out a couple of straightblade razors. "it was something like this. Don't worry, I didn't do it. I was with you. Besides the blood on the black one is mine. I knicked myself trimming my beard and haven't had time to clean the blade."
I send an EGO to EGO message. "Damn it. I am tired of chasing you. So go if you must go. Look I don't give a shtako if you keep your word. That is your malfunction, not mine. However Belle wants a name. So give her one. Then get back here and quit running if you really want to be part of our family. I thought family was supposed to stick together and not always run from each other? Give her a different criminal's name for all I care. Does it really matter if they are the right criminal as long as a criminal pays?"
Lexy says, "So not my fault, that peeples keeps leaving me? Goody! Of course I will helps you! I likes you lots! Will you really be my friend?! Yay! I gots a friend!...Wait your EGO thingy said you is preggers?! Is it the Harbinger Giant Atticus's baby? So he is still your boyfriend?......
Wait my sensor shows a ringythingy on your hand! My logs say it resembles an engagement ringythingy? So he is your..um what's the word? Fee-on-say? Is that right? Did I said it right? Anyway, him or a different guy? So Harbinger Giant..um..I mean Atticus is an ok guy even though he is mean and scary, then?! Or is I right and is a different NOT scary guy? Sorry I is not sure about any of this. So is hard to understand but will try. Guess you isn't the only girl who doesn't knows what she is doing. I will try to help you better understand my ship stuffs, if you helps me understand peeples stuffs. Dealio? So Daiden is daddy and gone. You says Commander uncle Taffer is gone. How's bout uncle Vo? Haven't sensed him since all of you left for the Naw'lins/floriday trippy. I liked him. He helped the hurt in my engine room go away near the moon! So if They was uncles, that would mean the Belle girl is my aunty since she was with Uncle Vo? So does that make you my aunty or my big sister? My logs say aunties are nice but big sisters are great and will always be there for yous! Or are just my friend? Either way, you seem very nice and is a nice pilot to mes. So I will be happy to listen to and helps you."
|
|
|
|
Post by Volodja Uljanov on Jun 11, 2015 5:20:30 GMT
"Atticus," replied Volodja using his name instead of calling him Giant. "I believe that it's the only way to maintain Belle's innocence when I go and put myself to a test in that Ark fall, because in a way we are both responsible about this massacre, but it's more my fault than anyone else's, so you can call this mindless act, I am about to perform, the court of God. I just follow ancient rules by letting someone else to decide about my innocence. If I am guilty, I will fall in that battle. If I am not, then I will survive. In case I won't make it, I will tell you, who are responsible for that massacre of mobsters and junkies. Marcel Lestrange and Lena Marr. You aren't exactly a good guy...yet, so I didn't break my word of honour by telling you in a hope that you will use it against them, to keep them away from killing really innocent people. I am responsible for releasing both of them. Perhaps it would not happened, if I broke my word back then, but it's too late to find that out, isn't it?"
Volodja's brown eyes were sparkling and smile appeared to his handsome face when he stormed into a battle, swinging his sapper shovel, like a last knight left on Earth. Maybe Volodja was a reminiscent from the long dead past where chivalry mattered. If he was, then fighting in that Ark fall to save innocents, was his test indeed. And maybe even more was at stake than matter of life and death, innocence and guilt. Perhaps he had to fight for the right to be chivalrous in post apocalyptic world.
|
|
|
|
Post by Lady Christianna on Jun 11, 2015 6:47:13 GMT
Lady sighed, then explained the complex relationships among the team's members and their EGO psyches to Lexy, hoping she didn't forget anyone and using as few words as possible.  |
|
|
|
Post by Belle Starr on Jun 11, 2015 7:01:46 GMT
"God damn it!" Belle exclaimed, instantly hoping the Lord would not be too mad at her taking his name in vain, as she watched Volodja flee yet again before she turned to Atticus, "If we are family, we are the most dysfunctional of families! We can't even discuss things before one of us is headed for the hills, and it usually is Volo! I don't see how it is honorable to let the innocent go unavenged, or their murderers go unpunished, and the Atticus I fought the Volge incursion with would have felt the same! I don't understand either of you, but I DO love you like family, so I WILL be going after him!" Belle turned to Tomassino before blurring after Volodja, a red glare in her eyes, "I will be coming back for YOU, and you better tell me the truth when I get back!" Belle caught up with him just as he stormed into the ark fall, only armed with the shovel, and as she pulled her demon hunter pistol and Thorn Liro charge blade, she yelled, "Volo, if y'all are so darned determined to play Don Quixote, I guess I'll just have to be your Sancho Panza!"  |
|
|
|
Post by Atticus Batman on Jun 11, 2015 8:53:04 GMT
As I watch Belle run after Volo, I put my straightblade razors back in my armor pocket. Then I think in confussion, "Dak what the hell did I do wrong now?! She doesn't like my form of justice so I am trying to be passive and let them handle the justice. And I am still wrong?!"
Dinara responds calmly but caringly with, "Too passive Atty. She doesn't want you killing as a solution to all crimes you get involved in investigating. However she DOES want you to help solve the crimes and stop the villians! Just without maiming or killing them if possible. You told your son that everything is not black and white and you have told Belle that. However to you, punishment of criminals seems to be. You must learn to find the middle ground in your punishments! You see yourself as judge, jury and executioner! Except you either ignore crimes or judge pretty much all crimes as capital crimes so the only punishments you execute are Capital punishments! You may be gaining a soul and humanity, but you still need to learn compassion and emotional understanding!"
Sazri Kakusi says passively, "The law of the land says the criminals must be punished, so punish them however you want, but do not be so passive. It is not you and seems to have irritated Belle with the Blue Eyes! She has had enough bad things in her life without you adding to them. She may advocate genocide of my race, just because Grid as a whole can only get nutrients from Sentient organics, however she does not deserve the coldhearted passiveness you just showed her. Especially since that is the first time you acted that way to her, the whole time she has known you. So knock it off stupid Fleshling. Then go help the beautiful Belle with the Blue Eyes retrieve Meatbag. Afterall, it seems Meatbag retrieval has become one of your jobs since you met him and we all know you care about him, no matter what you say."
Kabule on the otherhand simply yells, "Either, kill all those that cross us or ignore them. and most importantly of all, leave me the fuck out of your petty family problems, Jackassicus!"
I think in a little anger, "Shut it, Kabullshit! Nobody asked you anyway! As for you other two! Give me a break. I am trying to learn to be part of a community, a family. However I do still prefer Kabule's suggestion! Even though I am trying not to do so anymore!"
I look at Tommassino as I ready my EXL LMG. Then I run after Belle and Volodja. As I catch up to them, Dinara shouts through their EGOs: All for One and One for All!
Lexy responds to Lady with, "Hmm, Soooooo, Vo and Belle were a couple. Vo is now dead. Bummer I really liked uncle Vo...Oh already said that. Taffer was just everyone's friend and left. Volodja is dating your EGO Sandy? Weird! A human and a ghost turneded EGO! You are engaged to Atticus. So he is your fee-on-say, and you is preggers with his twins! So he IS a nice guy, even though he seems mean and scary most times!!! Erika Widowmaker is with nobody. Chloe Mac Guyver tries to be with everybody, and everybody is alrighty wiff sharing her? Also weird! Chris only has time for his yucky buggies. Atticus considers his EGO a little sister. Your EGO, Sandy is Belle Starr's real life aunt and Belle's EGO, MOM's real life sister. MOM is Belle's real life mother and Belle also has her real life father as an EGO. Atticus' EGO, Dinara, considers Sandy and Volodja's EGO, Sophie, sisters. Dinara is dating Erika's EGO, Amber. Amber considers Erika her mother. You and atticus both consider Belle as a sister. Atticus considers Volodja a brother?
Wow! You organic peeples is confusing! So is I a friend, cousin, niece, little sister or just that ship AI that you will forget between missions like almost everyone else does?"
Lexy now sounds like she is sobbing gently as she says, "S...s..sorry I am makin you talk so much but, I is soooo lonely by myselfs and don't wan-ta-be forgetted all the time! I hates being alone! It is scary in here, when nobody is around or all the lights in the hangar is off OR BOTH!! I is afraid all of you will leaves me and never ever comeback forevers! It is soooo scary and lonelysome when I am by myselfs, which is most times! So I don't wan-ta-be by myselfs ALL TIMES!!!"
|
|
|
|
Post by Volodja Uljanov on Jun 11, 2015 12:30:48 GMT
Tommasino looked after storming Volodja and whispered: "Ha tutto il mio rispetto, Volodja. You are man of honour, even if you are not a Sicilian. You'd rather die than betray your friends." After that he grabbed gun from the holster of somewhat pale and indecisive looking deputy Dash and said to him: "You better stay away from a fight and let real men handle serious things." After that he run towards an Ark fall, with intention to help Volodja, because it was not a Family business but something more personal for him now - saving his friend. Tommasino chose himself safe position, enabling him control all Ark fall area and started to cover Volodja with well aimed single shots.
Volodja fought like he was in a dream - part of him observed his actions from aside, telling what to do next, leading his hand with shovel, while he replied to Belle. "I gave up being voice of reason for this team long time ago, because every time I do something, it turns out to be bad. So if I die here as a last foolishly noble knight then it won't be a great loss. I have lost my purpose and all I have left is to fight or bury myself into pile of papers. I hate fighting and I hate paperwork, but that's all I have left. And I rather go fighting than succumb under papers. World gets rid of a troublemaker when I am gone. That's not a big loss. Especially when this Fool can save couple of obviously unprepared Ark hunters so they can learn from their and his mistakes and have a freaking future."
After saying that Volodja grabbed wounded Ark hunter to his arms and carried away from battlefield, putting him down to a safe place and letting his EGO unit take care of the healing. After that he rushed back into a battle and used his shovel in most impressive way to slice and dice incoming hellbugs, keeping them away from hurt Ark hunters scattered here and there and practically everywhere.
"Bloody amateurs," Volodja muttered. "Getting into fight without any preparation." He was forgetting that he had thrown away his firearm before fight and armed himself only with his shovel. That was not a smartest thing to do, but he was the Fool, not the Jiminy Cricket, so he could afford being eccentric whenever he wanted. So he kept dancing around, showing great skill and every hit he made with his sapper shovel, counted.
|
|
|
|
Post by Lady Christianna on Jun 11, 2015 13:19:24 GMT
Lady Christianna frowned, then her pink eyes grew wide as she had an idea, regaining her Mona Lisa smile as she replied to Lexy, "Little sister. Lexy - little sister."
Sandy, Lady's EGO Psyche, chimed in, "And you'll have plenty of big sisters once we rescue Sophie and Amber! And this mission to Defiance is to get the man who can do just that. Once we are underway, I'll introduce you to Dinara. She's going to love you too death I just bet! Oh wait... no Lexy, that's just a figure of speech, and it's a good thing, believe me and Lady and I will visit regularly now that we know you are lonesome, won't we Lady?"
The small Castithan girl shook her head vigorously in assent, as she thought about how their family had just added another little sister,and that warmed her heart, so she answered, "Sweeeeeeeet!"
|
|
|
|
Post by Belle Starr on Jun 11, 2015 14:21:21 GMT
"Golly, Volo, do all Europeans have such volatile emotions?" Asked Belle Starr, as she shot with her demon hunter pistol yet another hellbug warrior as she guarded Volodja's back while he rescued another ill prepared ark hunter, then she laughed and added "Europe must be much safer than hereabouts, for you're always taking a walk and getting into trouble! Must be a habit with y'all, the walking I mean - not the getting in trouble!"
Belle would much rather maneuver and shoot the hellbugs in the rear, where they were most vulnerable, but Volodja's determined movements meant she had to attack them head on, so she quickly ran out of ammunition as it took more to kill them shooting them in the head, unless you got skilled or lucky enough to hit them directly in the mouth. Belle was skilled with the pistol, so many of the warriors did explode as she targeted their maws, but the ammunition went fast as the skitterings swarmed over them. Furthermore, now Archers loomed over them all slowing them down with the bio-ooze they shot.
As she holstered her now empty Demon Hunter pistol, energized her charge blade, beginning her ballet of death among the hellbugs that threatened to overrun them all, saying to Volodja as she danced and sliced into them, "You are important to this family, and to me, and to the team! What you do is important, but if this is about a bigger job with us - well, just tell us what you want! You are the voice of calm and give us good counsel, when you aren't doing stuff like this, but if you want more, just tell us! Talk to us, darn it! You give such good advice to all of us, particularly me, but when it's something for yourself, your mouth is shut tighter than a clam at an oyster bar!"
Belle had a choice to make, as to what most important to her, Justice or her friendship with her good friend, and for her, it wasn't the easiest of choices as maybe it should have been. Justice had been her sole goal after her rape in the arkfall, and she had pursued it single mindedly when she made the conscious decision to patrol the roads of Paradise to make them safe for the innocents of the Bay Area. She was alone then, and Justice gave her life purpose and that helped her keep her sanity and her life. Belle had contemplated and even attempted suicide after the violent act of three men almost destroyed her as a person. Belle was alone and clan-less then, with no friends or family in the area. She was without hope, until Justice gave her a goal to keep her going forward.
Belle had to admit things were better now though, for she had family and friends. Now they were the most important things in her life, and preserving them gave her life meaning and purpose. Perhaps it was time to give Justice a rest, not abandon it but pursue it in a less single minded manner. However, the immediate problem was Volodja and how to convince him he was important to the family in general and to her in particular.
As Volodja saw the last wounded ark hunter to the relative safety of the outskirts of the ark fall, Belle put away her charge blade and put her back against the blue ark fall stone in the middle. She contacted him and Atticus EGO to EGO as tears began to trickle down her pretty freckled cheeks from her blue diamond eyes, "I love you both so much sometimes it hurts! I don't know how to prove it to you, other than to put my life totally into both your hands! Do what you must, but always remember, no matter what happens, you are my blood brothers that I truly love!"
With that said, Belle closed her eyes in concentration, and when she reopened them they glowed red. Blue scales and spikes quickly sprouted from all over her body, but the newly created expandable armor held, as Belle's body took on ten times its mass, essentially becoming a creature resembling a small War Master. The monster roared, as it tore into the hellbugs, ripping them to pieces, then stood shaking with rage as explosives shot from its back destroying the archers surround them. At that point, the giant Monarch hell bug made it's appearance, rearing up and slamming the ground, knocking the Volged-out Belle down.
|
|
|
|
Post by Volodja Uljanov on Jun 11, 2015 14:23:05 GMT
Volodja jumped quickly behind the Monarch and shouted to Tommasino: "Couple of shots here, please!" before slamming his shovel into rear of the Monarch, stopping his yellow glowing backside weak spot from closing and pulling out a bio grenade, showed it into Monarchs body from it's back door. After that he quickly jumped away and heard the muffled explosion.
"Damn it, Tinkerbelle! Don't you ever pull stunts like that any more. I am the Fool, but you don't have an excuse like that!" he yelled while Tommasino shot down another attacking Archer, making it whirl in the air before it's heavy body smashed to the ground, so Volodja could end it's misery with couple of strong shovel strikes.
Then he muttered: "And Europe is much dangerous place - scrappers, Dark Matter, Volge, maniacal warlords, frozen tundra and rain forrests with man eating plants and such. Compared with Europe, being in States is like having a walk in the park. And now for something completely different. Volge problem in our weak hands. And as long as I remember, I am the one who can't handle that problem. Great! But since I didn't planned to live forever anyway, I can start with calming her down."
|
|
|
|
Post by Belle Starr on Jun 11, 2015 15:40:54 GMT
Volge-Belle stared at Volodja, then at the dead Monarch, then back at Volodja, trying to make sense of Volodja's words. Suddenly, with a speed belying its size, the Were-Volge grabbed Volodja with both blue taloned hands, cradling him like mother does a baby as it blurred away from the ark fall, not stopping until the EGO power reached it's time duration. There was a single ruined house in the gray wasteland, and the Were-Volge, still cradling Volodja tightly, carried him up a ramp to the second story, placing him in a corner than squatting in front of him, blocking his only escape route. The Were-Volge narrowed it's red glowing eyes, watching Volodja intently, as a hologram of a smiling woman dressed reminiscent of a sit com mother of the 1960s, her hair in a bun and wearing an apron and pearls, appeared next to the creature. "I'm MOM, Belle's EGO psyche, Mr. Uljanov," Said the pretty hologram woman, who looked very much like an older version of Belle, "But I'm afraid I'm having no luck calming her down. As soon as I release chemicals in her body to do so, she counters them with adrenaline surges, so you are on your own, I fear, for EGOs can't really affect their host's emotions directly. However, I can tell you that Belle does consider you her Jiminy Cricket, her conscience, trusts you implicitly, and deep down, she will listen to you. Therefore so will her inner monster, but please consider your words carefully! The creature is pure rage and pent up frustrations that Belle herself feels towards a world not as idyllic as she would wish. Part of her would rather destroy that world and herself rather than go through the pain of loss and failure that she has felt of late. So please choose your words carefully, or the consequences will be dire indeed." With that MOM disappeared, leaving Volodja alone trapped with the Were-Volge.  |
|
|
|
Post by Volodja Uljanov on Jun 11, 2015 15:47:48 GMT
"Tinkerbelle. I would try to stroke you to calm you down, but last time I tried to touch you, I managed to pierce my hand, so we better just talk. Mind if I sit down? Hopefully not, because I will do it anyway. Sitting human being isn't usually very dangerous, so I am not a threat to you and even if I could be, then I would not attack you, because you are really important to me."
As MOM warned him, Volodja had to be careful with his choice of words, so this time his brain worked step ahead from his tongue, when he continued: "We managed to do quite good work with saving those poor Ark hunters, who were unprepared for surviving, so we made our world into a better place together. And since you carried me here instead of instant kill, it gives me hope that you can be reasoned with, Volge-girl. Attacking me now is pointless, because you had lot of trouble carrying me away from the battle. That shows that you are not all about bloodbath, but you could use some company instead. You know - I though earlier that you might feel lonely and perhaps I was not that wrong after all. You are not alone, Volge. And you are not alone, Belle. There is always somebody who cares about you two, like you care about the world's well being. There is always someone who will love you two, no matter in which form you are and wants to be a friend. I accepted you both when I came aboard and was an effective Jiminy Cricket. Now I am more like a fool, so I am going to do a really foolish thing, Tinkerbelle. I am going to try and see if Volge girl turns into a beautiful princess."
After saying that Volodja got up, slid his arms carefully around the Volge and did something no man hadn't tried before - he kissed the Volge. It was most absurd thing to do, but as long as Volodja remembered, then reasoning with Volge didn't helped him before, fighting her didn't help either and doing absolutely nothing was not very helpful too. At least he tried different approach to Volge this time. Make love, not war type approach was something he hadn't tried yet. Unfortunately he remembered too late that he promised to avoid having any crazy ideas, but as was mentioned before - it was too late to pull his head out from lioness's mouth, so now he had to wait for the final bite.
|
|
|
|
Post by Belle Starr on Jun 11, 2015 16:42:39 GMT
The creature stared at Voldja, tilting its head as it regarded him, a mannerism that reminded Volodja of the girl within the beast. Finally it sat back on the crumbling concrete, landing with a muffled crash, as it stared at him with glowing red eyes. After some minutes it reached its blue taloned hand our towards Volodja, palm up, and growled lowly. The growl slowly, painfully, became coherent as tears began to stream down the ragged features of the Were-Volge.
Volodja heard the creature ask in a gravelly voice, "Why bother?"
The Were-Volge changed quickly back to human form, as Belle fell crying into Volodja's arms, "I'm so sorry Volodja! I'm sorry I made you so unhappy you ran away! I try so hard but goof up everything I touch! I just want everybody I love to feel safe and happy, but they either die or are unhappy, and all because of me! My sister died! Nolan died! Vo died! And you and Atticus are unhappy! I try to do the right thing, but it always turns horribly wrong!"
Belle fell to the ground into a fetal position her head in his lap as she continued to weep, the words coming out between the sobs, "Everybody thinks of me as this strong-willed powerful woman, this VBI executive, this superhero, this mover and shaker, but I'm still that lanky teenage girl going into her first ark fall, only to be violated and almost beaten to death by three animals, and helpless to do anything about it! I just wanted to create a world where such things don't happen to the innocent - was that so bad? Maybe my Volge self is the best part of me after all!"
|
|
|
|
Post by Volodja Uljanov on Jun 11, 2015 17:09:46 GMT
"Dear Tinkerbelle," said Volodja soothingly, hugging weeping Belle as tenderly as he could. "I bother to try, because you are worth it. You are not the only one who feels messing everything up. I developed that habit lately and I still feel fragile about myself. But guess what - we are not gods. You are a heroic and unusual girl, while I am just an ordinary man with most ordinary skills which I dedicated to making wrongs right again. Everything in this world can't be your fault. And when to think about that - everything can't be my fault either. Everyone decides for themselves, except me, who tries to decide for you what will be the best at moment.
Maybe you should try to feel better about yourself, because you are not a teenage girl any more, but a really mature and beautiful woman who can change the world because she thinks that world is worth saving. And only reason for doing that is the world itself and hope that sun will rise tomorrow morning, like it did today. We all love you more than you will never know and care about you."
After saying that Volodja took Belle's pretty face gently between his palms and lowering his head, so his face was close to her's, looking deeply into her diamond blue eyes with his sparkling brown ones, said: "You are not alone, Belle. You will never be alone. Always remember that and be smarter than I am, because I keep forgetting this. Love and you will get love in return."
|
|
|
|
Post by Belle Starr on Jun 11, 2015 17:39:33 GMT
Belle would later look back, and not be sure why she did what she did at that moment, but at that moment it felt so right to her, that she didn't hesitate. Belle took his handsome face gently in both slender pale hands, pulling him to her and kissing him passionately. Maybe her inner monster had not receded, maybe she had been alone for too long without the intimacy of another, but as she kissed him hungrily, she pushed him back onto the cold concrete, unbuttoning his shirt as she did so.
|
|
|
|
Post by Volodja Uljanov on Jun 11, 2015 18:31:14 GMT
Volodja felt Belle's rose petal lips against his, when they kissed. He opened his mouth slightly, letting Belle's tender tongue touch his and felt her delicate hands stroking his firm chest when she unbuttoned his shirt and was not sure what they were doing and why they were doing it, but it felt really good and it did them both good. Maybe it was battle tension, maybe it was passion, maybe it was temporary madness, maybe it was...definitely not, because Belle would love nobody else than a Prince. Knight-errand Volodja just let her do whatever she wanted, because he knew that he wanted that too.
Suddenly Volodja heard footsteps and voice of Tommasino, who was looking for them, because he was worried about Volodja and even for Belle, because deep in his soul Tommasino considered her to be important to him, because she was really important to Volodja. Threatening didn't count at moment as long as everything was all right with them.
|
|
