Masquerade: SotM exclusive battle

[Anomaly]

OOC (This is a Soldiers of the Moderate exclusive training thread. No uninvited party crashers allowed.

There is no post limit, but I would like to set a time limit of a maximum of two weeks starting from today. This will be flexable, if need be, but I'd prefer this not to reach the fullness of a month. Your character should be your usual RPB character as set down in the statistics, with only the modification of Soldiers of the Moderate uniform and a simple face mask of your own personal design. The setting shall be as follows.)

Tis a gala night in the loathsome latter years. There sits a grand mansion amidts expansive twilit grounds. Statues and fountains of various shape and contour abound amid the well trimmed maze of hedges that cradles the beautiful spreading edifice. Within all lights are ablaze and the sound of merriment can be heard plainly amid the tinkling of music and the fitful breathing of the music of the spheres.

The grand doors open to those whom arrive. The scene within is breathtaking...marvelous crystal configurations of chandelier, tapestries, and rich thick oriental carpeting adoring a an exampisive central chamber. The marble floor is cleared for the moment, a pause between dances, an intermission of sorts. The orchestra quiets at the raising of a black taloned hand.

There is an air of expectation that follows this gesture, and the silence that falls. The figure, whos hand is raised, is attired the same as those around him. His uniform is of military dress in design, grey in color, with silver cufflinks, buttons, and emroidery. His jacket vest is buttoned tight up to the throat. He, like the rest, wears a mask...though where the others are the latest style and fashion his appears tribal in design. Made of some strange metal and dyed the dark crimson of fouled blood, it is in the form of a beaked creature, somewhat reminicent of a crow or Tengu. The beak extends down the lenth of the face, concealing all perfectly save the chin and of course the eyes. Those eyes, infinitly dark but with white, star like pupils, are accompanied by a glittering red jewel set in the forehead and in the hoop of an ankh between the eyes.

This masks offers a great amount of distinct from the rest of the throng, but so too does his left arm, bound in thick black leather from the fingertips up to the elbow. It is this arm that he tucks into his chest as he bows, in seeming acknowledgement of everyones attention.

"Greetings all, on this grandest of nights. I do hope you have enjoyed yourselves thus far, this evening, but now I believe it is time for a spectacle. Do I have any volunteers here, who wish to engage in a friendly mock battle? Please, do not be shy, no harm shall befall any, we are all friends here..."

He turns, a black lipped smile can just barely be seen from the side of his mask. Long white hair moves gently as it cascades down his shoulders and back while he looks back and forth to the crowd. There are no familiar faces here, but he hopes to hear a few familiar voices, in time. The orchestra starts up a quick, Alegro tempo, in preparation for the demonstration of skill to come.

It seemed as though one night had lasted an entire eternity. Propped against a stone pillar was the grey silhouette of a man... he stood in the shadows watching as the tiresome events of the evening dwindled on by.
From the darkness two small flashing green lights could be seen... he stepped forward into the soft light of the evening to reveal his entirity.
He wore a grey Uniform like every other shoulder, except he adorned a grey cloak that draped behind him, barely kissing the floor as he walked on. The flashing lights were on the side of his head... signs of the modifications within that stripped away his humanity.

Decay snorted to himself... he hated this overblown grandure, and he especially hated having to wear a mask. His choice of mask was very simple... a black face cast that covered one half of his face save for his eye.

"Greetings all, on this grandest of nights. I do hope you have enjoyed yourselves thus far, this evening, but now I believe it is time for a spectacle. Do I have any volunteers here, who wish to engage in a friendly mock battle? Please, do not be shy, no harm shall befall any, we are all friends here..."


Decay: At last, something worth while this evening...

Decay stepped forward through the crowd and looks up to the podium that Anomaly stands expectant upon. All knew of his power... most it seemed would never question that power, and perhaps it was so that Anomaly expected no one to meet his call.
This mechanical man on the other hand, was bold... he had met no authority that he would not challenge. This was not out of a lack of respect... more a sense of needing to prove his own worth in this shell of a life.

Decay: I will meet with this call...

He smiled slightly... through the mask it became only half a smile. One of the lights on the side of his head changed and locked to a brilliant red colour. His eyes flushed quickly with a crymson glow that illuminated the shadow that he stood in.

[Lover Boy]

(You guys get to see me post in non-Plum!)



Kaleb was enjoying this night more than any night worth remembering, but the fun had come to its end when Anamoly extended his challenge. Kaleb had known this was coming for the past three days, when a friend in The Moderate extended a wager of his own. Anamoly and this unknown inside man had talked about the upcoming gala, the night Anamoly spilled the proverbial beans on his plans for a friendly spar.

Always up for a gamble, this inside man organized a secret pool revolving around this night's extra festivities. One would be suprised how many people want action on a fight between an elder member of The Moderate and anyone, but our inside man wasn't. He convinced Kaleb to accept Anamoly's open challenge, thinking that another pawn would only help his chances of making it rich.

Kaleb was no fool. He knew our friend here was counting on Anamoly to wipe the floor with any opponents he got. So Kaleb scrounged up some cash, even borrowed some from anyone who wasn't pouring all their funds into the pool, and bet it on Anamoly to win. If he wasn't going to win, he was going to make sure his pony would.

Kaleb stepped forward in his special issue (He won the uniform from the equipment manager in a game of high stakes Rock Paper Scissors) brown Moderate uniform, his black boots clicking loudly on the marble floor. Through his wooden mask, Kaleb's muffled voice resounds through the crowd:

"I'm in."

Simple and sweet, no fancy talk, no waiting. Kaleb grabbed a tray from a nearby table of hors d'oeurves and flings it at Anamoly, expecting nothing other than to get this brawl underway. Deciding that it would be a better idea to take out other opponents to ensure Anamoly's (and therefore Kaleb's) victory, Kaleb charges straight at the one called Decay.

Hit him head on, eat the pain, let your fists do the rest.

(OOC:EDIT: I'm rusty, excuse my warm-up posts )

[Lucid]

(OOC: Someone sure isn't taking this very seriously... >.> )

A young girl boldy, yet silently entered through the grand doors of the central chamber of the mansion, stopping momentarily to gaze around the room that was filled with many elegant tapestries, carpets and other items. As she continued to look around the room, she saw people wearing gray military uniforms and face masks of every shape, color and style imaginable. She too wore a gray military type uniform, but had modified it to look more like a short jacket dress, which easily showed off her slender legs which were covered by black thigh-high stockings and black knee-high boots. Her mask, though simple, was odd, but gave an insight to her soul. The full-face mask was solid white, but covered with red slashes marks, and a single red teardrop falling from one eyehole of the mask.

The room suddenly became quiet as a figure raised his taloned hand then bowed as he acknowledged everyone's attention. Shira gave a small nod of her head in to Anomaly in return, noticing the great detail in his mask. She then listened to what he had to say.

"Greetings all, on this grandest of nights. I do hope you have enjoyed yourselves thus far, this evening, but now I believe it is time for a spectacle. Do I have any volunteers here, who wish to engage in a friendly mock battle? Please, do not be shy, no harm shall befall any, we are all friends here..." Anomaly said to his guests.

Shira noticed one man step forward to take the challenge, then stepped forward herself to take her place in the battle.
"I wish to join as well," she announced, smiling behind the mask as she looked up towards Anomaly.

[Atma-Noah]

His cigarette moved to the orchestra's soothing melody. Swaying to and fro like a conductor's wand. Secretly leading them, like sheep to play their music for everyone. Then silence. Flinn opened his eyes to see the black talon which silenced his orchestra. Nonchalantly bringing the cigarette to his mouth. The man clad in an unbuttoned grey uniform inhaled the tiny bit of ecstasy he had come to know over the years while the crow spoke his challenge.

His fingers tightened around the tublar taste of heaven and made their way to the ash tray. Passing over his glasses that rested on the table. Gently he smuthered the ashes into extiction and exhaled. The fumes escaped through the frown of his mask into the open and drifted towards the ceiling. It was a simple mask, a frowning baboon face from the theater he lives. The curled eye holes give the expression of saddness.

After hearing what the crow had to say. Flinn smiled, it had been quite sometime since he had battled anyone. This would be the perfect oppertunity to sharpen his rusted technique.

Others had already meet the crow's challenge and had begun. Flinn rose from his chair a neatly pushed it back towards the table. As if suddenly chilled he pulled the collar of his uniform up.

"Well, I suppose..."

With his own words confirming his entry, and the orchestra's start Flinn followed the only other man to make a move. Drawing upon his new found opponent. Flinn clenched his left hand and brought it up to his chin. Shifting his weight to his right foot he stepped forward and swung with the step.

A quick hit to get their attention should be plenty.

[Anomaly]

With a swift gesture of his leather clad hand, a wave of gravitational energy ripples out and suspends the tray of delicacies in mid air. Gently each morsel of food floats back to the superior gravity of the larger platter and the platter itself drifts to the Anomalists waiting palm. Scewering a bit of raw fish on the end of a black talon, he lifts the food to his hidden mouth and eats, watching the fun.

"Excellent."

If this be a comment on the food, or the festivities, who could say? Setting the platter down gently, he motions the orchestra to play on. A few more people step away from the crowd, ensnared by the rythm of the players, and begin to dance in a circle (weaving circular motions themselves) around the gathered party of fighters. This was not what the Anomalist had intended, but it was suitable none the less.

Decending slowly, his floating aided by his command of gravity, he lands softly before the only lady to step forward. His eyes glow in the recesses of his mask, and the red jewel seems to wink as he bows again, this time to the lady.

"Shall we dance?"

He holds out his right hand as if to take hers...only for a crimson gash to form in the air. He pulls a massive kris bladed sword from that gash in the dimensions, the blade itself growling hungrily. The move is a swift and precise one, a slice aimed to slice open the young womans blouse if not her chest.

[Edward Elric]

"Tsk, Tsk." said Lance, in his little hiding spot in the next room. "His awareness is slipping. I've been here the whole party, and I have yet to have any guards confront me. I'm offended. Oh well. I guess I'll join in the festivites. And he didn't say what kind of weapon did he?"

Lance chuckled to himself as he said this, pulling out a .50 caliber sniper rifle, gleaming in the light. He unfolded the bipod, and let it rest on the ground, ready to fire.

"Oh dear, I do hope he dodges this. If he doesn't...this won't be very fun, will it? Now. Ready...aim...Fire!"

[Anomaly]

OOC: (to Elric, a few advisory statements regarding your style. It would be better if you fleshed out your posts a little more and added such details as to whom specifically you're launching your attack and a little more character description.

I noted a similar problem in Atma-Noah's post but you have excellent descriptive skill and in a one on one battle you would need not be quiet so specific so its not as bad.

Decay, Makoto, good introductions. Lover Boy, fantastic initative!

If anyone else wishes to post up constructive critisim, feel free, but try to keep it in battle posts. I apologise for this one as there will be no battle post to accompany it, but I am previously engaged)

Kaleb almost caught Decay off guard as he charged full pelt towards him. It was too late to run or jump out of the way by the time Decay noticed the oncoming attack... but it wasn't too late to do anything.
A purple aura quickly whipped up around Decays feet, and in the blink of an eye carried him upwards away from the attack, leaving Kaleb to hit nothing but thin air.

From the sky Decay watched the shambles below... who exactly was fighting who here? With a sigh Decay continued to watch on. "This is what happens when you offer a challenge to blood thirsty vultures" he thought to himself.

Paying no antention to the antics below Decay continued to ascend until he had a view over the the grand structure. He allowed his eyes to drift over the beautiful nights sky... it seemed perfect, every star shining and the moon fat to the north.
Something however caught his eye... something not quite right. The horizon appeared to be heaving with something... something that he couldn't quite make out.
He struggled to focus in on what was coming... it, appeared to be a large red cloud... spreading along the ground and moving rapidly towards them.

Decay: what the....?

[Lucid]

Shira watched in somewhat amusement as Kaleb threw a tray of hors d'oeurves at Anomaly, only to have it stop in mid-air and the contents re-assemble with a simple motion of his leather-clad hand, skrewing a piece of raw fish with one of his taloned fingers and eating it as if nothing had happened. Shira smirked behind her mask as if she had almost expected nothing less than that kind of action from him.

As the orchestra played on, the people began to sway in a circular motion around those who had stepped forward. Anomaly then floated down and landed in front of Shira, bowing to her. She gave a small bow in return, the looked at him with her shining amethyst colored eyes.

"Shall we dance?" he asked her as he held out his right hand to her, and as Shira made a move with her hand as if she was going to raise it to take his, Anomaly suddenly pulled a massive kris blade from a dimensional gash that had formed in the air and swung it swiftly towards her chest. With equal swiftness, Shira threw the ornate jeweled dagger, which she had hidden in her sleeve, towards his chest as she spun to the side just in time to avoid the blade and protect her modesty.

"Yes, lets," Shira answered him sweetly and enticingly as she raised a hand to him, her red lips forming into a wicked smile behind her mask.

[Lover Boy]

I hate when people can god-damned fly. How is that a trick I missed out on? Oh well, best to just use what I have.

A table to Kaleb's backside was begging his name. Kaleb surveyed his surroundings in hopes to have a few moments of safety, and flipped the table over. A hard kick to the leg instantly ruins this table worth who knows how much.

People flying around, using swords and what not.... Gotta even some odds.

Equipped with a sturdy table leg, Kaleb looked for his next target.

I am not dealing with some wanna-be Superman, and Anamoly can handle the brat by himself. Oooh.... Who is this?

He knew the man as Flinn, he had met him once before. The two had spoken briefly, until Kaleb was stolen away by a very scintillating plate of shrimp cocktail. Perhaps he could make up for his rudeness by letting Flinn take out a little agression on him. He could take it.

"Flinn! My new friend here wants to have a word with you."

[Anomaly]

A disatisfied snarl escapes from the Reaver as it passes through thin air, where it had expected a warm, beating heart. A loud clang and shower of sparks follows the daggers climb into the air. It would seem the Anomalist was lucky, as the dagger merely skimmed off the metal of his mask. A tendril of black lightning snakes out from the astromancer and ensnares the blade, brining it down for Anomaly's examination. He eyes the blade without touching it.

"Excellent craftsmenship...been awhile since I battled an owner of such a blade. This may prove VERY entertaining..."

The blades point re-orients, back to its origin, and screeches through the air back at its owner. Following swiftly behind, comes the Anomalist himself. His blade kicks up sparks as he slices through the marble floor. He intends to bring the sweep of the blade up. To slice open the womans flesh or merely the lower portion of her military dress is anyones guess.

OOC: (Good use of the enviroment Lover Boy. Excellent counter Makoto, though I'm not sure we need the re-cap of my post. Still, it shows events through your characters eyes, so thats acceptable.

Hmm...What are you planning Decay?)

ooc: (You know me... dramatics and all that shizzle)

Decays eyes continued to dance over the horizon as the playful chaos ensued below. Closer and closer the red heaving cloud approached, roaring forward like some uncontroled beast after the blood of innocence.

::Accessing memory file 02548367892481:: The words rang through Decays cybornetic circuitry... images came, images from his life as a human soldiers, fighting some long forgotten war...

He looked down to his hands to see a riffle... blood covering the baonet fixed to the end. His eyes dashed around to see nothing but death and chaos as bodies began to fall around him amidst a shower of fire and bullets.
The man standing next to him screamed out in pain as bullets ripped through his torso... surely this was the end? No one could survive this kind of onslaught.
Suddenly silence... the fire stopped for a second, only to be replaced by screams of the injured and cries of fear from the living. In astonishment Decay looked towards the enemy lines... there was nothing there... just a red mist that sat on the horizon. The air hung eerilly in those few seconds... it seemed peaceful, yet chaos was all around.
Suddenly the mist surged... angrily it powered its way towards the allie lines, and just before it hit Decay could hear the screams of tortured souls... and then nothing...

The file terminated and once again Decay found himself glaring at the horizon... he still didn't know what this was, but he knew it was bad news... yet he could not bring himself to decend into the grandious complex below.