Event || The Empire Strikes Back

[melodiesmods]

Characters: Everyone participating in the event
Where: Aqures Ixen
When: July 27th to August 02nd
Summary: The battle for Aqures Ixen is about to begin! The Heroes of Light are going to do their best to defend Aqures Ixen, but will this be enough? Feel free to participate and reply to appropriate threads. New top-level threads will be posted regularly as the battle progresses.
Warning: N/A, will be updated.

July 27th || Mingle
July 28th || Bomb Defusing / Imperial Assault
July 29th || Mingle / Attack on the 13th District / Aerial Battles / Imperial Camp
July 30th || 14th District on Fire / The Hospital / Mognet Office Attacked
July 31st || The Fire Spreads / Betrayals
August 01st || The Second Wave / Ultima Weapon
August 02nd || Final

Comments

July 30th || The Hospital / Mognet Office Attacked

[melodiesmods]

[The Red Scorpion will start its attack from the Hospital Entrance. Its resistance is its greatest strength and with the soldiers busy elsewhere, it risks being left free to go rampant freely for hours if not days. Besides, this one is a brand new model created specifically for the assault on Aqures Ixen. It will counter attack with its tail and is equipped with a special beam that can kill Heroes of Light for real.

Meanwhile, the 09th District is under the attack of Moogle Killers. While these machines won't target any species besides Moogles or people flying, if left alone they may reduce the Moogle population of Aqures Ixen to ashes in a matter of hours.]

Mognet Office - Mogglesguard Assemble!

[not_most_days]

'When the Imperials attacked the Mognet Office in Esdham, they at least had the decency to do it themselves, kupo.'

That was the thought going through the head of the hooded moogle as she watched one of the Moogle Killer drones flying around just outside the post office window. Inside the offices the moogles who had rushed inside cowered below desks and inside cabinets, hoping the gaze of the machines didn't fall on them.

Bonnie hated this. She knew they weren't as strong as the humans, let alone the Heroes, but there was no reason they couldn't fight. She could be a hero too!

The moogle stood from her perch on the roof of the building across from the post office. She wouldn't let this stand. Not without doing something about it herself. She checked the straps on her tiny leather chest protector one more time and then leaped from the roof with her knife held in both paws.

"KUPOOOOOOOOO!" And crashed down on top of the moogle killer, stabbing her blade as deep into it as she could.

((ooc: Feel free to tag in helping her. If you'd rather keep the thread limited in number of participants just say so in the subject line))

[umslay]

"Oh no. Oh no, oh no, oh nooo!"

Mimi ducked under her desk at the sight of the approaching Moogle Killers. Ales told her that she would be safe here; she hated fighting and all the blood and pain it entailed. She didn't want this!

Might as well hole herself up and resign to her fate, which she did - until she heard a voice outside.

"K-kupo?!" She thought she recognized that voice! Peeking from behind her chair to check on the Moogles panicking in the halls, she flew onto the windowsill and saw and incredibly brave Bonnie leap off the building onto the machine.

"Look out!" She covered her mouth immediately. Did she catch the attention of another Killer? Oh no, it was too late. In a desperate attempt to escape, she grabbed the nearest paperweight and flew over to Bonnie, ready to fight. It was better than hiding anyway.

She leaped on top of the same enemy and banged the paperweight against the frame repeatedly.

Re: Mognet Office - Limited, 3-4 people

[iknowtheconsequences]

As soon as he spotted the first of the odd drones, Kaji had to start shadowing them, from a distance. They seemed too out-of-place, and they weren't attacking any Heroes. Were they scouts?

But then when he saw their target? A deep rage that Kaji didn't know he could feel flowed through him. The Moogles!? Why? Kaji had said before that they were the perfect information network. But to attack them over it? Kaji draws his bow, and for once, he's got the perfect skill for the situation. The ranged shots will work efficiently on the flying drones.

He fires, just as he sees a tiny shape leap off the roof and onto another one! "You crazy fluff-head!" Kaji shouts after the moogle. Nope, he's got to go help her, as he repositions for his next shot.

Sorry to be late!

[ninjainviolet]

Corrine had no trouble convincing his Hero to go to the Mognet Offices, but having caught her tendency to rush in without thinking, the little Moogle was off and flying before she could stop him.

He wasn't a hero by any means, but these were his friends and he wasn't about to let them be taken down by any Moogle Killer. Tightening his bandana, he steeled himself and with a cry, charged ahead, swinging his satchel like a weapon--the rocks he had stashed inside giving it more weight and power as it hit the machine.

"Take that, kupo!"

[ Thanks for the links! ]

LAAATE i'm sorry. open to any! c:

[makingfriends]

Both Ven and Mograe had seen better days.

It couldn't have been more than a few hours since he'd been shot -- at least, he didn't think so, but fatigue and pain were making things like time hard to track, and it felt as though this battle had started days ago. He wasn't sure when he ended up in the ninth district, but the familiar sounds of battle caught his attention abruptly enough to startle him. This far south already? And those cries--

"K-Kupo--! The Mognet office!"

Rae was still draped over his shoulder, bruised and battered under her ruffled fur but otherwise only appearing exhausted. Ven looked much worse: his posture was tired, the limp in his left leg was bad enough that he had to use his halberd for support, and while Rae had changed him into his dayclothes to help wrap that wound previously, he was now back in his armor and old blood stained the leather and plates above his knee, already dry in the heat of the summer night.

For all that, though, he perked up at her comment, and a flash of anger momentarily dulled the pain. The moogles... even the moogles weren't safe. Despite Rae's belated protest, Ven pushed himself to hurry around the street corner -- just in time to see Bonnie slam into one of those machines with her knife.

The sight was strange enough that Ven visibly paused for a moment, unsure just what he was looking at, but the surprise quickly passed and he hurried forward as quickly as he was able. As much as he admired her courage, he wasn't about to risk letting her go at it alone. "H-Hey! Hang on!"

Mognet Office - Kopula the Hero has Arrived!

[goddessofthesky]

[Kopula's blade flashes in the light as he heads towards the Mognet offices. Vincent, his temporary hero, is far behind him unable to keep up with the speed of Kopula's flutter. It is a quick over heard conversation and the little moogle is off at a frantic pace.

He has family and friends at the Mognet office and while he might not be a Hero of Light, he is still a hero and he wants to protect those things close to him.

The small figure arrives, clad in green, his little chest heaving as he sees the Moogle Killers swarming the building. Two furry paws grab hold of his sword and slash down on the closest threat until it wobbles from the air. Anyone who's seen the Heroes of Light might recognize his clothing as something one of heroes also wears. It is a gift from Zelda, showing that he is a hero with a brave heart.

Kopula shouts fluttering into the chaos swiping at another Killer.]

HEYA!

Re: Mognet Office - Kopula the Hero has Arrived!

[nomorecowbell]

[Nanami has spent enough time around Zelda to recognize her moogle. She had told her own moogle, Hari, to stay home if he wasn't going to leave town, though she suspected Hari had been intending on it anyway.]

[She knew Zelda would be upset if the Moogle was hurt. Sure, he might know how to use a sword, but there were a lot of those robots around Mognet, and they weren't going after ground targets.]

[Nanami tossed off a lightning attack towards one that might be getting too close, hoping the robots would go after anything that targets them.]

There's too many of them to fight alone. Ugh, stupid robots.

[sizedoesntmatter]

[Yugi had been wanting to do his bit to help out where ever he was needed and he couldn't help but see that the office was under attack. With Buer to one side and Hikari, his moogle at the other, he looked at them both, giving a small and firm nod before they started to make there way, Hikari even more so since she wanted to prove to a lot of the moogles that just because she had come from the Empire when she was rescued didn't mean she was a bad moogle.

As Buer and Yugi each unleashed there level of thunder spells Hikari was quick to come on over.]

My friend wanted to know if you need any help, or healing, kupo?

Re: Mognet Office - Kopula the Hero has Arrived!

[bloodypast]

[It had taken Vincent a bit to catch-up, as moogles were fast and agile. Part of why they made such good messengers. Catching up, he noticed his companion flutter after another of the machines. Stopping on a nearby-roof-corner, Vincent took careful aim and fired. The crack of gunfire adding to the chaos around them, as he moved to further cripple, if not finish off, the moogle killer that Kopula had already damaged.]

July 30th || The Hospital

[zodiac_brave]

The Red Scorpion was a fearsome enemy, but thanks to Kurma, the Heroes of Light were forewarned and forearmed.

Ramza, for one, had spent the earliest days of the invasion at the hospital, watching and waiting for the attack. He had not had a chance to procure mirror mail to protect himself from the new weapons their enemies carried, but that would not stop him from standing against the machine to protect those inside the hospital.

Re: July 30th || The Hospital

[theendiswherewestartfrom]

Jack had said they had to find a way to move the crystalized heroes. He knew they had to be in danger. But Jessie's precious plan needed them here. Every one of them that dies? The blood's on their hands, so far as Jack is concerned. But he'll stand in the way, anyway, fight for the people who can't fight. For the people who would- should be standing here beside them.

He is unsurprised to see Ramza also there standing guard. He trades a grim look and nods, Jack's easy manner now gone in the face of this. There's no way anyone would know what he's thinking. The girl in crystal he's protecting now was the only one who understood what he used to be able to do. Jack stands in heavy armor with a giant sword at his side, waiting for a thing that he sees as their quarry, not just any enemy. He's made himself the biggest, most obvious target on the field in the face of something that could kill him for good...finally?

"Do you want to die, Jack?"

"I thought I did... But this lot, you see them out here surviving. And that's fantastic."

But if this is it? Well, Jack thinks he's lived long enough.

The Hospital - In the Hallways (Wave 2)

[whereishe]

[Yuna shows up late to the fight having had to run from where she was when the Red Scorpion fell. She runs into the Hospital skidding to a stop at the sight of the mechanical creature moving through the halls. She can't let it get further.

She brings her guns to her side realizing they probably weren't the best choice in weapons but she's been able to conserve ammo fairly well. She brings her guns together and charges her shot aiming at it's tail.]

Hey! Over here!

[Hopefully she'll be able to at least stop it's advance.]

[iscursednomore]

[Fai had chosen to stay in the building for just in case, but at the cost of not being able to bring in Big Yellow as she was kind of too big to ride down the hallways. he might try later if it called for it however when he spotted both Yuna and the Red Scorpion.]

Yuna-chan! [He was quick to grab his bow and an arrow and fired a show towards the thing before going over to stand next to her.]

They seem hell bent on destroying this place and them.

A passing Moogle // OTA

[wickedone]

Mogdelina refused to leave the city, not when it needed help the most! She was strong, she could fight, she had a strong hero... even if he was kind of a jerk. But that didn't matter right now! They were going to defend Aqures Ixen!

Or, well, she'd wanted to fight with him, but he told her she'd be better served running messages for the military. And that she'd slow him down. Hmph! Showed what he knew. Still, she'd be the best darn messenger there was, and if the imperials tried to mess with her? Bam! Pow! She'd show them! Yeah...

That's what she was thinking as she came upon the Mognet Office -- and saw that it was under attack! Surprised for only a second, she was determined to fight back and prove she was a hero too!

"KUPOOOO!" She withdrew her knife and charged at the nearest drone.

A passing Moogle // OTA

[goddessofthesky]

Kopula was fighting as well, his blade glinted off the light as he brought it down on the same drone that Mogdelina had charged. He smiled at her turning so that they could flank another Moogle Killer.

"HEYA!"

The moogle seemed skilled with his sword but it still took a few hits to take down any of the drones. They were fast and at times impossible to see.

"Behind you KUPO!"

[soldierofloveandbeauty]

Minako had been busy doing other things so left Artemis to fight crime in his little hero costume; much to his dismay. As he stood there cape flowing behind him, he wished others wouldn't see this, but sadly that was not to be.

With an small knife in his furry little paw; the knife that his Hero had given him that went with her ninja job he ran forward, seeing if the other needed any help.

"Fighting to help protect this place as well, kupo?" He spoke as he charged close to the drone adding to the strike that was already given.

Re: A passing Moogle // OTA

[not_most_days]

Knives were good weapons for moogles. They were compact, light, and if well made could withstand a great deal of use. Few of the moogles in the city had also made arrangements for armor as well though.

As Mogdelina charged at the drone, another moogle wearing a tiny leather chest protector and a cloth hood dropped down from above, stabbing her own knife into its mechanisms.

"Kupo!" Bonnie's own attack wasn't enough to break it, but she managed to throw it off balance and leave it open to a follow through!

Re: A passing Moogle // OTA

[bloodypast]

In between running messages, Vincent has been patrolling--and with the moogle killers now active, chasing after Kopula who was his temporary companion. Somehow he wasn't surprised that the Mognet office was attacked. He also recognized the moogle who had shouted.

Had Albel sent her away for protection, or because his ego wouldn't let her join him? It did not matter to Vincent, but it did matter that he help out. Kopula was likely nearby as well; he simply hoped Ophelia was remaining safe as she could be, with Zelda.

"Incoming Friendly." He wasn't sure if any in Avalanche had ever seen him raise his voice. It was still deep and low tones, but pitched to be heard over the chaos as he warned Mogdelina she now had back-up. Carefully taking aim as he tried to track the moogle-killers, to give her a clear-path. The crack of gun-fire, this time from an ally, added a staccato beat to the noises around them.

HOSPITAL: THIRD WAVE, NEAR THE CRYSTAL STASIS WING.

[grandsummon]

She could still hear it, and now it was coming even closer. This was the first time Yuna had combined her two newest jobs, and stood tall in her new Psychic gear. While she'd heard about the advanced jobs -- this was her first time making use of it. She looked down through her visor at her hand as it crackled with the energy at her fingertips.

Please... trust me again... she voiced in her own mind, the power of the aeons being one that she hadn't dared call upon since that day in the lab with Kalki. I never want to hurt you again, any of you, so please...

A loud bang! bang! crash! lifted her attention to the hallway ahead, her heart starting to beat faster. "It's coming!"

[victorix]

She hated staying back as the sounds of battle raged ahead, and is grateful for the gloves that separated her hands from her daggers. They soak up the sweat as Rikku clenches them ever tighter.

The guardian had always avoided this wing when visiting Yuna at the hospital, it was so hollow - sad. Now, standing before it --she felt as though she could sense everyone at her back. So helpless. The last line of defense.

She hunches down into a fighting stance when the metallic creature appears around the bend - scorched and battered, the rhythmic clanking of its steps off kilter from the damage of the previous teams - but still intent to destroy.

An Al Bhed expletive escapes through clenched teeth as the assassin dashes forwards. Placing herself directly in the path of the charging machina, she holds her breath and her arm out. Unleashing Magic Burst in its direction. Some things were more important than fear.

Hospital | Crystal Room

[no_dreams_for_you]

They were completely helpless. For that reason, Gaara decided to defend them.

Outside the room, countless battles raged on. He could hear terrified and pain-filled screams, as well as random sounds of destruction. In here, lied numerous bodies, all frozen in crystal. On occasion, his gaze would linger over the forms of certain people that mattered more to him than others. If push came to shove… yes, he would prioritize who to save. Better to rescue some than allow all of them to die.

His hand lingered near the hilt of his sword, body tense in anticipation of an attack. It wasn’t nighttime yet, unfortunately… Therefore, he would need to take blood from someone, in order to increase his strength. None of these bodies were suitable, of course. Based on intel, Gaara knew that the main foe attacking this hospital was very dangerous. They were advised not to receive a direct hit… or they would die, permanently. He couldn’t allow that monster to succeed…

Hospital | Crystal Room

[wings_of_steel]

Selen came here out of curiosity to see if she could find anything. She was currently equipped with her most advance class, so that she could ensure her safety and the safety of others if this place was also attacked. She stepped into the premise and immediately recognized a familiar face. The former general walked towards him with a small smile on her face

"Hello Gaara," she mused, a hand raised to greet him.

Selen had another reason for being her, and that was helping people escape if there was an attack.

Hospital - Military Arrival, Final Wave

[wickedone]

Albel's eyes went wide to see the carnage that awaited the team from Echo 2 at the hospital. Bits of machinery and twisted metal littered the way, along with structural damage, blood, and the injured. And from what he'd heard, this... Red Scorpion was a true force to be reckoned with.

These people were lucky.

He shook as his grip on his katana tightened, knuckles going white. Nel was in there... Fayt was in there! This thing could not be allowed to destroy the crystal wing and those who slept within!

Roaring with murderous rage, he charged through the battered halls at the war machine, taking it on from behind.

Hospital - Military Arrival, Final Wave

[shinrasfinest]

Given the geographical position of Echo 2, it's quadrant being the south-east of Aqures Ixen, by the time that runners had gotten through from Command it was feared that it might already be too late for the hospital by the time that they were able to charge north and assist.

The squadron that Albel arrived with wasn't sizable; indeed that defined all of the squads that Sephiroth would deploy at any one time, but it was made up of fresh fighters. Echo 2 hadn't seen much action thus far and so the troops were well prepared and rested by the time that the order to deploy had come in.

Still, well trained to stay within their assigned squads of six all three squads stay back as Albel charges in first. Their training taught them quickly that recklessness was a sure way to get themselves killed. However they did follow in formation closely behind, fanning out around the Red Scorpion to take available cover behind the debris as well. Most Esdham troops held the standard Warrior, Mage or Gunner jobs but wouldn't take the risk that a Hero of Light might.