forum I summon thee @Young-Dusty

Started May 08, 2019 by @amber_is_in_a_loop

tune

(No worries about being away! I'm doing fine, just scatterbrained lol.)

ah ok lol sorry

(Now to address Axel. I'd just like to say first of all that I think he's fascinating, and very well-crafted! He's complex and layered (which I love in a villain) and I'll be sure to keep these notes close at hand when we get back into the rp.

ahh thank you!! honestly I made him when i was like 12 and I had to like bring in some new things to actually make him interesting ^^'

A couple questions:

Does his current attack force only consist of kids, and if so what's the age range?

Okay so I was thinking the youngest in his group are like 16-17, with the exception of Will since they already had history. There's probably a small group of 16-17 year olds still training, with the main age group being like 18-25 and already trained?

What's his general speaking style? Is he more professional and emotionless with bigger words and/or military jargon, or does he colour his speech with slang, casual grammar, swearing, fragmented sentences, etc.?

Okay so in my head I was thinking very much like Patrick Bateman. So, professional and conservative but not robotic, and definitely military jargon.

How does he address the kids? Full name, nickname, code name, rank…?

For everyone but Charlotte, probably last name. So Tessa be Ms. Volga and Will Mr. Volga. Charlotte would just be Charlotte, and Jessie Ms. Seyres I guess.

Does he currently know Charlotte and co. are in the building or did they actually get the jump on him? (We mighta already mentioned this in the rp, I forgot)

He knows, and has Will locked in a room somewhere I was thinking. But I'll leave his plan up to you :)

(Sorry for the wait! All righty, in that case I think I have all the info I need ^^ I'm ready to get back into it!)

Tessa was surprised, but didn't show it. She hadn't known Deorns were good for anything but fighting. "Well, Slash, anything that can get you some leverage. You'll be outnumbered."
Jessie looked in between Rick, Charlotte and Tessa and felt like she could cry. She didn't. "We can handle the soldiers. You guys should go, find Will, get him back."
Tessa gave Rick the directions to the room and Charlotte hovered, looking at the very rough-looking group they'd gathered. Let's do this, she told herself.
"Let's do this."

Rick listened carefully to the instructions, then nodded to Charlotte and turned his baseball cap around backwards so the brim would protect the back of his neck and wouldn't block his vision. "Okay, I'm ready."
(I, on the other hand, just realized I'm still confused about who's with who xD Which group is going after Will and Axel again?)

(mkay perfect!)
Tessa turned away from him towards Charlotte. The latter waved at Rick, Slash and Jessie in turn before letting herself be led out into the hallway. Tessa closed the door behind them and began leading them towards the staircase.
"The elevators ring on the top couple floors, so he'd be able to hear us coming." She glanced nervously at Charlotte. "Why did you come here? It's been years. I'm happy you're here, I swear I am, it's just been a while."
Charlotte set her jaw. "He sent me a letter. Told me he'd gotten you back into this," she said bitterly, waving her hand. "I didn't want you both to get involved in this all again."
Tessa stayed silent as they got to the top floor. "Okay. Thank you for coming, then." She stopped at the door. "So, Will won't come easy. I'll have to convince him. You have to try to keep Axel busy, maybe–"
"I'll buy you time. Once you get Will, start heading back down to the rest of them."
Tessa wrinkled her nose. "I won't just leave you with him. You won't be able to find your way out."
Charlotte turned a deadened stare onto the girl. "I'll find my way."
Tessa hovered, but nodded, and pushed the door open. They both walked out into the hallway, and let the door swing closed loudly behind them.

(cracks knuckles So sorry for the wait fam! Lets do this…. I'mma improvise with the setting and npcs a bit if that's ok)
The hall was empty, quiet, and more poorly-lit than the ones downstairs. Small skylights cast slanted illumination at regular intervals, but the doorways lining either wall were still perfectly dark.
At the sound of the staircase door closing, the door at the opposite end of the hall swung closed as well and locked audibly. It was a training room, which if one circled around, one could access through the honeycomb of other halls and rooms on this floor. But at the moment, the most straightforward way was barred.
A young woman holding a gun stepped from a closer doorway and faced them, her gaze stony. "Halt! State your names and business." When she realized one of the newcomers was Tessa, a hint of surprise flashed across her face, but she kept her cool. "Speak up quick, this area's in lockdown right now."

(It’s all good, let’s do this. Also no problem looks good)
Charlotte was on edge, disliking the dimness around them. The area felt trapped.
Tessa, however, showed no fear, despite the pounding of her heart. She took a few more steps and stopped, holding her empty hands out in front of her. Charlotte followed suit.
Tessa spoke loudly, her voice echoing confidently around them. Once and for all, Charlotte took in the steadiness and control of that voice— Tessa was no longer a child. Not even a little bit. “Axel asked to see us. My badge has clearance for this floor, if you let me get it out.”

The guard shifted impatiently. "I know you have clearance, Tessa, but what about this woman? Don't you know we've had a security breach? And why didn't Axel tell me he wanted you to—"
But then a different voice broke her off, from the room she'd stepped out of.
"Did you say Tessa, Ms. Atayo?"
The woman went stiff and half-turned, just as the owner of the voice came into view. "I—yes sir. She's here in front of me."
Axel stopped just outside the doorway and stared at them. Unlike the guard, he looked like he'd been in the middle of a training session: his outer shirt was tied around his waist, leaving him in a faded tee, and his only weapon appeared to be the handgun at his side. He showed no signs of tiredness though. In fact he was totally alert, his pale eyes locked on Charlotte. For a long minute his didn't move a muscle, except to twitch a single eyebrow restlessly as he tried to understand what he was seeing.
"Ms. Atayo," he said finally. "Stand down. Good work, Ms. Volga. I see you caught the intruder already. You can go now, Charlotte and I have a lot to talk about." He gave Tessa a nod of dismissal, barely glancing at her.

The second he had spoken Charlotte's vision blurred– she had underestimated the intensity of her reaction. Memories fought to resurface, of late nights and secrets and laughing. And however amazing the years they had had as a family were, the memories of him screaming, of cleaning ten year old Jessie's cuts and bruises, of begging him to let her take Will to the infirmary and for him to put down whatever weapon he was holding– those memories were stronger.
She inhaled, held her breath, exhaled. She blinked twice and balled her hands into fists, letting the sharp feeling of her nails in her palm clear her head. She felt like her chest should burst open under the pounding of her heart. Tears were very close to the surface and her ears were buzzing. But this was too important to let herself slip up.
Without any awareness of what expression her face held, she faced Axel head on. "If you want to talk to me, Tessa stays," she said simply.

(No worries fam! I'm working all day today so if I've disappeared that's why lol)
Axel paused again, as if Charlotte's words took a minute to sink in. "She doesn't need to stay," he replied, still in a tone that expected total and immediate obedience. "This is between you and I, Charlotte. I want to talk to you and therefore I will. You do not have the freedom to add terms and conditions. Besides…..I think you'll find that Ms. Volga isn't the girl you left behind, not anymore. She's so much stronger and smarter, and she doesn't owe any of that to you." His eyes were a jarring mix of ice and warmth as he glanced at Tessa. "Do you have something to report, Ms. Volga? I don't see why else you would ignore my orders just now."

Charlotte considered him, her stomach heavy and knotted.
Tessa flinched under his glare but took a step forward, letting her hand graze Charlotte's. "I'll go, Axel." Hopefully, she thought, he would send Will out, if he truly intended for his and Charlotte's conversation to be private; and Tessa would be here waiting for him.
Charlotte pointedly avoided looking at Tessa. "Let's talk, then, Axel, if you promise not to murder me," she deadpanned, not able to look him in the eye and staring at his chest instead.
Tessa backed away halfway down the hall, turned the corner and stopped to wait.

"Nobody's going to murder anyone, Charlotte. I think it's….telling, that you would be the one to assume otherwise." Axel gestured for the guard to leave them, and with a salute, she walked to the far end of the hall and stood squarely blocking the final door, just out of earshot.
Once she was gone, Axel directed his full attention towards Charlotte. "I sent you that letter because I thought you might be interested in my setup here. I know you've been disconnected from the country's militant-political scene for the last few years, but I doubt you can ignore the situation entirely. We're by no means at peace, although the war officially ended a decade ago. Between the outlaws, the ruined remnants of the state, and the Deorn infestation….it's a dangerous world out there. What I'm doing now is establishing roots, for the safety of my group." He spoke with a hint of impatience, as if he'd planned their reunion differently and wanted to move forward. "That's why I contacted you. I know we've had some…..conflicts in the past. Mistakes were made. But I'd like to forget all that, aright? Start fresh." Now he was watching her carefully. "…You're quiet, Charlotte. What's the matter, do you still expect me to kill you?"

Charlotte's eyes flashed with some untold pain and she met his eyes. "Could you blame me?" she asked him with a tight smile. "I'm happy you've settled on minimizing our past to mistakes. Happy you feel detached enough to have," she paused, with a look around them, "moved on. But I fear you haven't been part of the real world for a long time, Axel, and I think you may have missed the possible consequences of deploying armed soldiers into the world again." You may have missed how completely uninterested I am in assisting you in your work, she thought bitterly.
She paused again. Would antagonising him really be the best idea? Then again, when would she next get the chance to talk to him like this? "I don't know exactly what you intend to do with the children I've seen here, and I don't know what roots you're referring to. What I do know is that you're smart enough not to make the same… mistakes you may have made in the past." She tried very hard to hold his gaze. Will's name hung on her lips, begging to be said, and she hoped Axel could see what she was implying. Was he really ready to traumatize an entire generation of children just for more conflict?

Just like that, Axel's anger flared like fire in dry grass. "I'm protecting these kids. I'm giving them everything they need to survive out there—hell, even thrive—and what would you give 'em? A coddle and a pack of lies, telling them the world isn't such a bad place?" He stepped closer, standing at his full height and putting pressure on her with his stare. "You know what? You're damn right, Charlotte. I don't make mistakes anymore. So if you think you can walk in here and stop me, think again. Either get in line, or get out of my way."

Her shoulders contracted reflexively and she had to consciously pull herself back to full height, still shorter than Axel. She pursed her lips, his words rattling around inside her head.
"Axel," she began quietly. "It seems you haven't learned anything. I had hoped that Tom– that past experiences would have brought you some reflexion. If nothing's changed in your method, you're not doing them any favours. They're going to end up like… well, like us. Carrying around the burden of our pasts and helpless to our regret and our failures." She narrowed her eyes sadly and lowered her voice even further. "You can't possibly want every child in this building to end feeling like you feel every day."

The muscles in Axel's face went taut. "You don't know how I feel," he replied in a low growl. "And you don't know anything about my 'method'." Without warning, he pushed her back and pulled a knife from his boot, leveling it at her. Despite the rage that was clearly seething in his voice, his movements were as precise as a surgeon's. Instead of attacking her, he spoke louder so the whole hall could hear. "Ms. Volga, I know you're still there. Come out."

She backed into the wall quickly and flattened her hands against it.
"Don't I know, though, Axel?" she tried to whisper aggressively, but the suddenness of his aggression left her voice shaking.
Then he called for Tessa and ice flooded her body. She looked back towards where they had come to see Tessa walking slowly towards them, eyes fixed on the knife pointing at Charlotte, her hands tucked behind her back.
"What can I do?" she asked the man clearly, who looked ready to pounce at any sign of complication. She stopped a few feet from them, her gaze held steadily on knife.

With his free hand, Axel pulled his gun from its holster and crouched down, fluidly sliding the gun across the floor to Tessa. Throughout the action, his eyes and blade remained locked on Charlotte.
"Show this woman how powerful you've become, Ms. Volga. Shoot her. Hit her leg first, then her ribcage. I'll cover you." He straightened, still utterly confident in Tessa's loyalty. "Now."
((So I don't have a super-elaborate plan, but I was thinking Tessa shows she's switched sides, and Axel sends other people to fight them while running off with Will? Just to raise the stakes a little bit xD))

(yeah that sounds perfect!! to be perfectly honest I write very little action so feel free to take the reins a little)
Tessa bent down slowly to get the gun, chancing a quick glance at Charlotte whose bright eyes were fixed on Axel, terrified. She didn't look like she could move, let alone fight. Tessa wrapped her other hand around the gun and lifted it first at Charlotte, who didn't notice, then at Axel.
She stepped forward just enough to press the barrel of the gun against his temple. "Step away from her. Call for Atayo and I shoot. Make a move with that knife and I shoot." She paused to breathe. "Don't think I won't," she continued quietly and steadily. There was not a tremor in her voice.

(Cool beans! ^^)
Axel froze. Mostly by instinct, it seemed. Sheer shock almost made him turn to face Tessa, but at the last minute he stopped himself. The calculated anger dropped from his face, leaving it pale and blank as his emotions struggled to catch up.
"Tessa," he said thickly, forgetting to use her last name. "What are you doing."

Tessa's heart gave a twinge. "I won't bore you with the reasons," she told him quietly. "Now drop the knife."
She pressed the gun harder against his skin, emphasising how readily she would be able to pull the trigger. It was a lie– but he didn't need to know that.

Axel's bravado appeared to have utterly vanished. The look he gave Tessa, as the knife slipped from his loose fingers, was as if she'd already shot him. "No. No, you have to tell me why, Tessa. How can you do this? I….I took care of you, I taught you everything….I would never hurt you, and now you're just—" His voice rose unsteadily, and he took a step back, struggling to breathe right. "You're an idiot! What did she tell you, huh? What did she say about me? Don't you know she lies about everything? She's a monster, Tessa! She's incapable of love." He jabbed his finger at Charlotte, but he wouldn't look at her, spitting out the words like bullets of his own. "So say it, why the hell would you do this and not kill her while we have the chance? Say it!"

Charlotte appeared to have been revived by the shouting. She blinked slowly, her terrified expression loosening, and took in the knife on the floor and the scene before her.
Tessa tilted her head upwards in determination, taking a step forward to force Axel backwards. "Get Will."
Her heart was racing, throwing itself painfully against her chest, and her clothes seemed too tight. Her hands were begging to shake, her knees to buckle, but neither her eyes nor her voice betrayed the feeling. There was too much at stake– her family was at stake.

Finally, Axel realized that Tessa wasn't going to talk to him. And when he did, all his panic and confusion boiled into a single white-hot coal of pure hatred. As he was forced back, he turned to Charlotte, and he knew exactly where to direct all that hate.
Because underneath the adrenaline and shock and static, he was still thinking. The quiet tick of his mind—the part that always expected disaster—had never stopped in the first place. It pumped ice through his veins and calmly told him that if Tessa was a lost cause, he still had one more thing to protect.
Axel stared at Charlotte with wild eyes. "Oh, I'll get Will," he hissed. "But you won't."
He always carried the battered old tazer. Even in training, even at night. It was the one weapon he kept secret from everyone, including the kids. As he grabbed it, his other hand was already moving, deflecting the aim on Tessa's gun towards Charlotte with all his strength. Jabbing the tazer into her ribs, he flicked it on, and although his ticking brain told him to kill her, he couldn't. Instead, he simply held it long enough to stun her, then kicked her into Charlotte and bolted for the end of the hallway.
"Atayo!" he yelled. "Call backup and hold them off! They want Will!"
The guard jumped out of his way with wide eyes. "What about Ms. Volga?"
"She's a traitor." Axel yanked open the end door and flew threw it. "Kill her if you have to!"
Atayo's expression hardened and she whistled loudly. From her right, two more guards emerged, and the three of them started running towards the intruders with weapons drawn.

(Also, side note, who will rp as Will? You I assume, but I'm good either way ^^)