It was a dismal mess of paper and glowing computer screens. In the largely blacked out space, the only objects clearly visible were coloured lightly by the soft rays of the monitors. A sunny halo waits underneath the curtains underneath surrounding a swamped desk. The dimness gave little definition to the flowers, pictures or furniture, blurring them away into the walls for all the impact they offer in competition with the powerfully bored figure in the middle of the screens. He gives a low grunt that catalyzes into a echoing chuckle. "Where in all the worlds do they find these freaks?" He leans back in his tall chair, a quiet creak from the wood as the weight shifts. A few more sound out as he stretches his arms wide, sharp teeth flashing with the accompanying grimace. Suddenly, a high pitched chirpy tone rings out, flashing something across the screens. With a button press, it's replaced with the voice of a woman. "Hello?" "Darling!" The figure replies, leaning forwards. "What do I owe this pleasure?" "I was eager to hear about the new recruits before I got to meet them in person." He smirks: "None of them have arrived yet. I still have no idea what I will have to learn to work with. Of the three that are arriving, I can already feel my fingers gripping his neck." "Oh? Please tell!" She seemed oddly excited over this. "According to the intel I have, this guy sounds like he has the intellect to go with the 7 foot tall mad butcher frame." He continues. "He's a model soldier in many ways with a clean record but I'm currently looking at a thug with white hair and gets called 'Blade Runner'." The voice from the screens gives a loud giggles: "Oh, he sounds like a dork!" He chuckles back: "He has a ridiculously high body count to his juvenile name so I believe no one has been brave enough to pound some sense into him." "OK, but what about the others?" The voice asks. "Well, we have a cactus and the only one I imagine to have some intelligence about him: a Mr Vice." "Wait...A cactus is arriving to try out for the Generals?" She asks, worriedly. "Yes. A few months back, a world was found to be littered with an entire genus of creature known by the natives as 'Pokemon'. They used them for glorified dogfights so they seem ideal for infantry support. We found this one on a forest world a few weeks ago. It's the only of these Pokemon found that could stand up and ask for the chance. The lab boys assure me he or she...It will perform fantastically." "Hmm...Are any of them cute?" She asks. "I wouldn't know or care." He stands up, shunting the chair backwards. "I should go and great the new arrivals. I'll speak to you when I'm done." "All right, I hope to hear all about them!" "Of course. Hopefully, they'll last longer than a week." He said, his finger hovering over a button on the screen. "Try not to let them get to you, OK? It's better that they get killed while working rather than being strangled." "Mmm..." He replies."No where near as satisfying." [size=+1]You're Invited[/size] The gardens were vibrant and lively. Rows and rows of flower beds and neat bushes dividing the place between the lines of blooms and cordoning off a few deck chairs on a patio. It was otherwise a bright sunny day before the tall, ornate manor house sitting in the middle of the lush, bright colours. A black fox steps out, looking out over the plants. Five white-tipped tails sway gently behind him as he strides through the greenery. His fine black and purple suit keeping him permanently stuck out from the brightness here. He was looking for new arrivals. (Please, feel free to just turn up.)
Blade Runner sat in the transport, waiting to be dropped off before his commanding officer. It wasn't easy being a super-soldier, fighting the Covenant and so on so forth. He was loyal, but when the UNSC took off, he was left behind and had joined this military. The scientists who had checked Blade out told him about only good things about this military. He was excited to back on the battlefield, but something wasn't right, something seemed insidious about it all. The pilot driving the Pelican looked back at Blade, "Hey, we're almost to the objective sir, you all right back there?" Blade still had his Spartan power armor on, it became a habit, "Yeah, how far?" "Three minutes, and hey, it was an honor fighting by your side." The pilot said. "The honors mine," Blade said grabbing the weapons he needed. It wasn't easy, being taller, stronger and faster. He got his name when he only used swords during combat, Blade was the only one beside the Sanghelli who and used melee weapons. The aircraft landed, and the door opened into a catwalk. Blade stepped out putting his helmet on, "Hey Petty Chief!" Blade turned only to see the pilot holding his most valued weapon, the great sword. The pilot threw it over to the large man, "Have fun!" And like that, the door closed and the Pelican flew off. Blade Runner was in a whole different world now, this was a whole other ball game, hell, maybe he can meet another Spartan that had joined this military. But above all else, he would have to through hell in ranks once more.
Needle walked through the garden staring painfully at the bright flowers. Every now and then, she would pick one of the flowers and fire a needle at it, crushing it. Eventually she saw the man she had been told to look for, and she started toward him, not changing her pace from a gentle stride. As she got within range of him, she bowed, but quickly straightened back up.
Blade Runner walked until spotting an anamorphic fox with five tails from the looks of it. That had to have been the person in charge. Blade made his way to the Black Fox, and when he got to him, he saluted, "Spartan 0Z97, Petty Chief Desmond Irich reporting for duty, sir." Blade was hoping that he wasn't scaring guy, after all, his body was still in the power armor as well as the head inside the helmet.
Stanford drove to the edge of the garden and exited his presidential looking automobile. Prehistoric as it may be to most others, he still had fondness of the older lifestyle. He walked over to his truck, putting on his spectacles and fedora before pulling out his favorite carbine and pistol, slinging the carbine of his shoulder and placing the pistol in its holster. As he closed the truck, he looked over at the garden taking in all the colors and smells before making his way to the patio of the house. As he got close enough, he noticed the two others standing there next to the 5-tailed fox. He put on his politic smile as he hurried up the group. "Stanford Vice, former mayor of the Republic of Pillington, at your service. You must be Mister Kyrios?" He extended a hand out to the purple-clad fox.
The Fox simply stares into Blade's visor with a serious, almost disappointed expression. It took him a full ten seconds of uncomfortable looking up and down the Spartan's armour before the Fox said a word. "Take that off and put some proper clothes on. You look like an action figure." He snaps. He strides past Blade through the flower beds and looks to Needle's bow. This actually gets a small smile. "Welcome." He said simply to her. "Feel free to make yourself at home." He liked that. There was an early show of respect. Of some sense of willingness to fall in line and appreciate being nearly at the top in his ever expanding world. Perhaps the Pokemon would fair better than expected. His attention slides over to the approaching footsteps of the rapidly approaching man. He beheld the walking anachronism that the photo intel didn't seem to do any justice. It was impressive how much he seemed to have stepped out of a book somewhere. Seemed tragic to know that was his chosen attire. He held out his hand. This was a good move but he had said: "Stanford Vice, former mayor of the Republic of Pillington, at your service. You must be Mister Kyrios?" "You will all address me as 'My Lord'." Kyrios frostily replies with a vicious snap to how fast he replies. "I will let this indiscretion go this once, Mr Vice, but I will not be so charitable again." Satisfied with his warning, he clears his throat: "You have all been recommended to me because your talents have marked you out as the best of what my Empire has to offer. You are considered intimidating leaders by any means necessary and formidable creatures of death. From tomorrow, this is where you will be taught and tested to become what this Empire needs: a rigid grip on the reigns. You will be rulers and defenders. Tonight is your last night of freedom. Spend it wisely." He looks from one to the other in turn, never changing that cold scowl. "You are dismissed. You will be shown to your rooms if you enter the front door."
Blade took mental note. He was going to have some form of fun, and yet his freedom will be taken away, again. He wasn't surprised at Kyrios attitude, he's had worse. Blade entered the house and wasn't surprised at the interior, nothings nor no one is going to impress him unless its great. A maid walked up quickly, greeting the Spartan and explaining to him the "rules" of this house. He didn't care much. The maid took Blade to his room, 'Mental note #97, this room is too large and too crowded. Too many clothing and too much furniture, and there is no armor station, meaning that it will be a lot of "fun" taking the armor off.'
Stanford withdrew his hand, breaking eye contact with him but keeping his smile on his face. "Fair enough, my lord. Please pardon my poor manners." He turned on his heel away from him and went inside, taking off his hat for courtesy while being escorted to his room. As he walked, continually fed the maid escorting him paranoia inducing thoughts subconsciously, watching her slowly grow uncomfortable around everything. When they reached his room, she sprinted away after giving a very abridged version of the house rules. He simply smiled and walked in, noting the interior, grabbing a book off the shelf, and began to plot his plans of dominance as he read.
Blade took off the armor and had put it in tactical hard cases, they will be safe there for now. He got dressed in a pair of jeans and a tight UNSC shirt, its what he wore when he had days off, which were new but that didn't matter. He had lay down on the bed and grabbed out a book and began reading, waiting to talk or something to happen.
Needle walked into the building, and one of the assistants awkwardly walked over to her. "I will show you to your room." Needle tilted her head to the side and her smile extended largely to disturbing proportions. The maid led her nervously to the room, saying the rules, and awkwardly tried avoiding several points regarding food and clothing. Once at the room, the maid opened the door for her and turned to start away, but Needle grabbed her, turned her around, and hugged her. The maid's face contorted in pain as Needle's spikes poked her. Needle pulled away and the maid fell backwards groaning in pain from the bruises. The maid stood up slowly and started walking away, hunched over in pain, leaving Needle waving goodbye to her from the door. Needle entered the room, quickly looked around, and then tossed seeds everywhere. The seeds latched onto anything made of wood, such as the bed-posts, and a lone dresser. The seeds that successfully attached quickly grew into small pink flowers. She walked to the center of her room, scanned around counting the flowers, then closed her eyes, standing motionless in place as she fell asleep.
That, as they say, had gone very well. He had raised the curtain. They knew he was expected to be taken as a dangerous individual. And they definitely knew he was expecting them to know their place. This was crucial. They had to know to follow him. Especially, if they were to attempt what he wanted out of them. The kind of cuddly toys he was looking for could bite back pretty hard. He found, whenever a training period of his elite took place, that he would gravitate to their rooms and observe until they noticed. The Pokemon seemed to be giving no indication of that. It appeared to have taken to rest for the evening. It seemed wise but the flowers were a touch intriguing. Security measure? Home comfort? He would have to ask at some point. These supposed Elite soldiers would be attempting to storm The Sprite tomorrow, perhaps rest was a good idea. He slinks back into the hallway silently, leaving the sleeping the Caryophyllale alone. Instead, he drops in on Blade just as he packs the last of his armour away for now. The Fox only really stood at around the Spartan's chest, however, there never seemed to be any indication that this was affecting his cool as he casually steps inside. On the contrary, it was almost like he was on the warpath. Kyrios takes another full scan of Blade from the floor to his head. "My info tells me that your body has been extensively altered. Signs of heavy growth hormones, exotic steroids and the like to produce hulking super soldiers such as yourself." Kyrios pulls back his jacket and shirt sleeves to reveal shining plates of armour on his forearms. They seemed relatively heavy duty but there wasn't anything particularly distinctive about them. He was tightening the straps underneath as he spoke. "I don't know what Generation of these hyped up thugs you might be but I only want to know why you signed up for it. Why did you allow them to make a weapon out of you?"
Blade smirked a little but it quickly faded, this question was bound to be asked. He put the book away and sat up, trying to remember what type of answer he would have, "Spartans. The front line elites of the UNSC," Blade got to where he was comfortable standing, "We are taken as children, no option, and we are put though heavy training, horrible surgeries, and not lastly we are given injection to accelerate our growth." "I am a Spartan 2, one of the last of my kind, there are plenty of Spartan 4's, barely any 3's, and the original Spartans or whats left of them are cryo frozen until called upon. The UNSC are not thugs, My Lord, they are Earths main defense and because of the Didect half of the humans were destroyed. I didn't let them make a weapon out of me, there was no other option, My Lord."
"Heartbreaking..." He said with little conviction or remorse. It's was far to quick for something quite so heavily loaded. "Consider this the beginning of the end. As for now, raise your fists." Kyrios turns his paw and slides it back across the old carpet on the floor that covered a good deal of the free space within the room. The rest was more carpet, plushier and probably far, far newer. Kyrios body drops a little lower into a fighting stance, his hands rising up to create a guard for his face and body. He appeared to favour open hands. He leans forwards, bending his front knee, his tails swaying behind him in the focused anticipation. His eyes meet Blade's. "Attack me. Hand to hand. Touch the newer carpet and I win. Understand?" The hand closer to his chest curls into a fist. There was a smirk playing with the corners of his mouth. "No holding back."
Blade Runner fighting a fox? He's lost to others but this? Blade raised his fists up with a small smirk, "Yes, 'My Lord.'" He took the first swing, it was very fast but not enough strength to break a limb.
The Fox slides forwards, raising his hands up to strike hard and hold Blade's arm by the elbow joint and the second snaps for his thoat. Two knuckles slam for his throat while the strangest and unpleasant sensation practically numbing his muscles. It was harsh. Where Kyrios' finger tips were touching his skin, a frosty lack of strength was spreading as the fox's touch robs him of energy like static discharging from a generator. Kyrios doesn't stop the barrage. With the surprise in the attack, he shunts with his shoulder and pushes hard and quickly for the other end of the carpet towards the bed.
Blade was pouched back to the bed, he could barely breath but luckily got the hit on the fox. He got back up and as the fox tried to hit again, Blade pushed the arm to the side and he punched the fox in the stomach.
The blow lands. Kyrios gives a wheeze as he's struck in the stomach, folding as he bares his sharp teeth. His fists are clenched while he deals with the pain. The wheeze suddenly gains bite. It becomes a snarl. A vicious noise to go with the sudden sharp dash to the side. He slides around Blade and then jumps for the bed. One paw connects with the mattress and he springs up towards Blade's head. One arm wraps around the Spartan's neck while the other presses against Blade's temple. The sensation of frost across his head was almost instant. "Surrender."
Blade knew he was beat, "I surrender My lord." He simply said. Blade was hoping that wouldn't go any further, if this were a real fight the Spartan would won already, plus he could easily counter this headlock, but if he did, it would consist of him breaking his Commanding Officers neck.
Kyrios quietly let him go. The feeling of lethargy would linger for a long while. After all, he's just attempted to drain Blade's muscles of energy. The fox rolls down his sleeves and stands up, brushing down his jacket. Without so much as a further word, he simply leaves the room briskly, hands held behind his back as he saunters down the corridor. Perhaps, he had let himself get more heated than expected... (Shall we continue to the next day or did somepony have something planned?)
(I'm not done.) Needle stalked slowly in a darkened hallway towards the quarters where the maids stayed. She had left an illusion copy of herself in her room to avoid being caught, and had spread seeds from her home to hide the image's lack of a life-force from any who would be able to detect otherwise. She snuck into the room, finding exactly what she had hoped. The maid that had escorted her was alone. It is in cacturne's nature to find enjoyment in the stalking of humans. While more often they stalk lost humans in the desert, often causing madness through paranoia, this was the closest Needle could get. The maid looked around nervously, not seeing the well hidden pokemon in the corner of the room. The maid went about her buisness for the rest of the night, constantly looking over her shoulder, with the sense of being followed. Needle was never in sight, but always watching the poor maid. As the maid cried herself to sleep in her bed when she finally went to rest, Needle smiled evilly at her from a hidden corner, in complete shadow. Once the maid was finally out, Needle approached the terrified woman, and left a small white flower picked from the garden next to her. She then quickly headed back to her room, and took the illusion's place. (now I'm done)
