Oh mai... This is new...

(Should I send someone on the rescue mission? I'm thinking of having Nex and Jonah go. Ya know since Zero got all shot up.

Zero: Fuck...you... *is struggling cause of his injuries* DX

Lance: You sound like a thirty year smoker...

Zero: Not...now... *coughing fit* )

(Evey: Lance! Be gentle on him... And Zee, if you don't take it easy I will put Libra on you while he's napping so you don't have the heart to move. *gently pets his hair*

She's really torn about going or not... Zee can't, so he'd stay behind with Libra, but still... o3o" Maybe if Jonah, LAnce and/or Nex went with her, she'd feel better.)

(Nah, Lillian just kind of has that look in her eye. She just doesn't want anything bad to happen to EJ. XP)

"Isaac, I know the security protocols so well because of you, I can practically recite them. You can stop now, before you bore us to death." Lillian sounded a little annoyed, but it was kind of necessary to go over it often, "I think your brother is very much capable of doing this." Especially since Raine has been with us for Aurora knows how long. And I've seen some of the stuff this kid made. We're good. 


---

Rachel had opened the door, almost expecting Ruth to be there, which she was. The mouse had been here countless times, keeping everyone updated about Laura... Roy was taking it better than Celeste, but he was still heartbroken about it. Anna practically forced him to eat and sleep to keep his strength up for practicing walking, and for the final battle, "W-what kind of news...? Whaht 'appened...?" Rachel was almost scared to hear what Ruth had to say.

(Raine: *pouting* .... I'll miss my Lilly...)

Isaac heaved a sigh... maybe he was trying to scare EJ off by describing all the things that could go wrong while they were in the air. It clearly wasn't working. The raccoon reached out to ruffle his baby brother's hair, watching the kid squirm a little, but not pull away. "Alright, alright, just... be ready, okay? Ruth told me we need to be ready to go on short notice. Said something's happened to make this a little more rushed than she hoped."

----

"Breathe, sweetie..." Ruth reached out to take one of Rachel's hands, assuring her, "Nobody has died. It's just that I think our little mission is going to take place sooner rather than later... Something came up." She wasn't sure how much detail she should offer, but knew she had to inform Roy and approve of the progress he made with his new leg before allowing him to go.

Lillian blinked, "I'm almost a little scared to ask what the hell came up. But for whatever happened, I'll be ready." She didn't really have that many people close to her here, so she didn't really have much of a distraction. "Did she tell you how soon we might go?" 

---

Rachel felt a little relieved, but still felt a sinking feeling in her stomach. It made her blood turn to ice, and seep through her body, "A-alright..." Rachel opened the door more so she could let Ruth inside. 

Roy's hazel eyes were on them as Ruth entered their little apartment. His meager lunch was only maybe about half-eaten, with his appetite just gone from when he heard Ruth's voice at the door. His stomach felt uneasy, especially since he just ate something... "Ruz... Whaht 'append?" His voice came out a little steadier than he thought it would.

(So, I fucking stepped on a sewing neddle, and my mom kind of pulled it out of my foot... I kind of freaked out. o7o' It really fucking hurts.)

(So I send Lance as well. Alright then I've got my three going.)

Jonah Lance and Nex arrived at the hanger where the Airship was a little later. Jonah had his reasons for going. He owed the Sect a lot, plus who better to get them in than someone whose credentials still were in the system. It beat the hell out of hacking or simply overloading anything...which would get them detected faster.

Lance, meanwhile, also had his motive. He was tired of Julianne's choke hold on his family trying to live semi-normal lives. That ended today.

Nex wanted clarity as well as payback for them scaring Toby. He figured the previous of those two lay within the Sect's interior but he wasn't sure.

"Yo," Lance greeted, "You guys need any help with the preparations?"

(Oh my. I've had a nail in my foot before. That hurts like a son of a bitch.)

(Kids, this is why you never go in your mom's old sewing room without shoes. o3o')

*claps* Arigato Blueh-sama! XDD)

(Try a felting needle... they have barbs on the end. o7o" I've bloodied my hands with them many times before. I don't really use felting needles anymore... got tired of the pain years ago, and I was never good at felting anyway. XD

Chasey, make it better!

Chase: I refuse to kiss her foot better, so.... *kisses the top of Blueh's head*

Close enough. XD)

"Nah, just to be on alert... said she didn't wanna wait any more than two days," Isaac replied, stuffing his hands into the large pockets of his cargo pants. Another similarity between the brothers; both wore loose-fitting pants, often with a ton of pockets. "Make sure you say goodbye to Raine before we have to go, though... she's upset enough about not coming. I gave her my own goodbyes as soon as I knew we would be launching an attack."

EJ didn't really know Raine, or how close she and Lillian were... best friends? Possibly sisters? Who knew? He stayed out of the conversation, picking at the rubber-lined gloves he was wearing. He had been wearing a hell of a lot of rubber lately... It would be too dangerous if he accidentally messed with the electricity on the ship. He looked up when he heard someone call, and gave a little wave. "Hey. Not really, Isaac is just trying to scare me with all this safety protocol stuff."

"I wasn't-- Okay, I was..." Isaac sighed, scratching the back of his neck.

Evey had gone with Lance, Jonah, and Nex to the hangar... She was still on the fence about whether she was going or not. She had a one-year-old baby boy here, and didn't want to risk being cut out of his life, but also didn't want to risk the Sect surviving and coming back to get him later. The ermine sighed, walking along beside Lance with her eyes on the floor. War was so much more difficult when she had a little kit to mother.

---

"I'm concerned about Laura's condition..." Ruth said cautiously, trying to word things gently. "She's rather ill, either due to some chemical she's been given or maybe an infected wound. I don't want it to be too late if her condition deteriorates rapidly, so I'm thinking that the attack will have to take place in less than forty-eight hours. We've had enough time to prepare..." She couldn't fight the urge to walk over to Roy and hold onto his arm, wanting to comfort him in any way she could. She sighed quietly, "Your Auntie doesn't want anything to happen to the one you love, Roy... So I'm giving everyone a kick in the ass. How about you? How is your progress?"

(=7=...

Roy, carry me.

Roy: No. ene

Aaron, carry me.

Aaron: Fuck off.

Nick?

Nick: *picks Blueh up* omo?

ouo

Mom. MOM. I'm trying to bloody reply. Stop telling me to put ice on my foot. Jesus. >_>')

Lance laughed a little bit, "You obviously don't know EJ very well do you, Issac? Once that little cat's set his mind to something, it's made up. There's no changing that."

Jonah crossed his arms, his sword was strapped to his waist and sitting rather slack so it sometimes would sway when he moved. The look in his eyes said ever bit of his intentions, there was no need to say anything about them.

Nex looked confused. For whatever reason, being around Jonah made the tiger antsy, and with a Marshall as well as their caretaker here Nex felt anxious for some unknown reason.

A moment or so passed before his ear flicked, someone else was walking this way.

"Um...excuse me?" a female voice said.

The trio of males turned and found themselves facing Ali who'd just arrived as well.

"Are you EJ Wycliff?" she asked pointing out the cat in question.

Jonah didn't like this, his non-dominate hand already choking the scabbard of his katana...

Roy's ears visibly angled back at the mention of Laura suddenly falling ill. That was not good. That was not good at all. 2 days even seems a little much... The icy feeling in his veins lingered, and wouldn't go away, even as Ruth went over to him. He sighed a little, "I'm workeeng on eet... I zink I've gotten walkeeng down, buht runeeng ees a diffairent story. I know I'm kind of slow, buht I'm even slower now..."

Ruth rubbed Roy's back with one hand, trying to think of a less direct role he could play. "Well, maybe you shouldn't be in the first wave. I know you were personally challenged by the Sect leader, but that doesn't mean nothing will get done if you don't go in. We've got an army on our side now, Roy... You could wait in one of the ships and go down when Laura is being extracted, so you can be the one who gets her, but maybe not the one fighting all the soldiers to get there..." She really didn't want him to go at all. It was clear in the look on her face.

----

"Uh... me?" EJ pointed to himself, his hands still bandaged and adorned with fingerless rubber-lined gloves. "Yeah..." He didn't really know who this girl was, or why she was looking for him, or even that she was a former Sect employee. "Can I help you?"

Isaac grew tense as well, the muscles in his shoulders bunching up and fists nervously clenching and unclenching. If this woman so much as reached for her pocket, he was gonna slam a fist into her face... Sure, he was normally chivalrous and refused to fight women, but this was the little brother he had finally found, who also happened to be a huge target for a lot of people.

Evey was quiet, watching Alison with narrowed eyes. She didn't know her, either... Her telepathy didn't necessarily pick up anger or the need for violence, though. Maybe she had a genuine request of some kind.

(g2g)

"Whaht, and watch evairyone getteeng keelled?" Roy's hazel eyes narrowed a little bit as he looked at Ruth-- she didn't want him to go, but they both knew he wanted to. He kind of almost had to. "Zat ees a definite no." Stupid fucking leg... You just had to screw everything up, didn't you? The bat rubbed at his face, trying to wake himself up more. "Zhulianne asked for me only. I don't wahnt more people to die zen zere needs to be." 


---


Lillian watched Allison, along with everyone else. She never saw her before, and wondered where the hell she came from, and why she was looking for EJ. The skunk said nothing, though, waiting for her to explain herself.

(That awkward moment when Sil appears, only to say she must leave... XD)

(XD Yeah... 

By the way Chirpy, you still haven't sent me Pantheon... o7o" It's okay if you still can't.)

Ruth sighed, inwardly knowing that it was pointless to argue with him. "Alright, alright... Just be careful, okay? It's hard to accept the fact that you and Chasey are going, when I don't know if you'll be okay..." She used Chase's nickname. Ruth never used nicknames... but the idea of the canine going off into what could very well be his last battle broke her heart. She never realized how much like a son he had truly been to her.

(I'm actually poking at Pantheon now... I might just send you the half-edited mess I have instead of working on it tonight. I dun feel good, so... o3o")

(Okay... o7o" Don't push yourself with Pantheon while you're sick, Chirpy. Take your time on it.)

"...I 'ave nevair 'eard you call 'im zat before. Even I don't call 'im 'Chasey'." Roy looked at Ruth kind of weird, but then sighed a little, turning his gaze down to his prosthetic leg, "Buht I'll try to be careful... You 'ave no idea 'ow much I wahnt zis goddamn war to be ovair. And ze next two days."

"Yes." She said, "Do the Devas accept...um...how to put this...former enemies?"

Jonah's dominate hand was now clasping the pummel of his katana but he still hadn't drawn it, "Spill it, lady, who are you?"

"My name is Alison Knight. And yes I am a former member of the Sect just like you are Jonah."

The wolf girtted his teeth...but saw no reason to draw the sword anymore, instead his right hand fell to his side again, his left however stayed clasping the scabbard...just in case.

(Ok... I'll just send you what I have. When you get to the yellow highlighted sentence, that's where I stopped editing. I do that so I can find my place. o7o" I'll go back and revise littler errors later, but right now I'm doing all the big changes, like completely altering the conversation Roy and Laura have when he's sick, since I decided Jacques will not be a planned baby.)

Ruth smiled a bit weakly, explaining herself in a small voice, "I never wanted children, Roy, but I ended up with one that wasn't even mine... Chase is my baby. I resent him for making me love him and fear losing him..." She closed her eyes and sighed again. "I want this war to be over just as much as you do, so I don't have to be so scared. I've never called Chase my son, but... that is what he is to me. And the idea of losing him, or you, it just... It's too much."

EJ blinked; he knew a few former Sect people, and current ones, too. "Okay, so, you're a former Sect employee... yes, we accept some. If you're here, you clearly haven't tried maiming anyone. But what does this have to do with me?" He was confused about why this woman had sought him out instead of just asking anyone such a general question.

Isaac grew more uncomfortable when this lady admitted she was from the Sect... he still couldn't swallow the fact that his own older brother had joined them, nevermind that former employees now worked for the Devas. It just felt wrong.

(Okay. ouo The little comversation was cute, though. But I like the idea of him not being a planned baby, but still very much loved. ouo)

"Believe me, Ruz, I know... Ze idea zat I could lose Laura, or really anyone I care about een battle... I know. My parents already lost Rachel and I once... I don't plan on repeateeng zat again." Roy replied, looking up again. One of his fists was balled in his lap, "And zat's why I fight. Because nevair, een a million years, do I wahnt my future children to go zrough whaht I deed. Nevair."

Ali shrugged, "I figured since the commander was so interested in you that you were the one in charge. Merely seeking the person in charge."

"Hold on a second." Jonah cut in, "What made you leave..."

The German Shepard sighed, approached an empty box, put a hand on it, deconstructed it and reassembled it into a rather large hammer. Jonah's hand gripped his pummel again only to release it when she simply returned it to it's original shape.

"I acquired a Supernatural ability during one of my missions to hunt down a certain Raccoon. You probably know him as Axel Ryan." she explained, "Doesn't matter though I guess, once Shiloh found out she kicked me out."

That put Jonah at ease a little bit, "Oh...well that sucks...I guess..."

Lance however wasn't buying it, not that he mentioned anything about it though, the tension in the air was already thick.