[center][h2][color=gold]Gil[/color][/h2][/center]

It seemed Makoto was an interesting individual. She was different from Gil, but not in an offensive way. He could just tell they looked at things differently. Even after she said her peace and departed with a smile, Gil couldn't help but chuckle to himself. [color=gold]"I guess you wouldn't understand how I feel about this,"[/color] he muttered to himself before continuing forward. [color=gold]"It doesn't matter how strong I seem if I'm not strong enough to get what I want."[/color] He made sure to keep her name in his memory, as not only was she getting into the Academy but she would certainly be a good ally later. Her speed with a sword, from the one time he saw her draw, was a good indicator of her skill. Even if she didn't believe herself to be strong she certainly has potential. That and she seems like nice company as it is.

The gunslinger couldn't make it very far before he heard some commotion coming from the direction Makato had gone. By the time he lazily turned to look over his shoulder Makoto had already approached him and grabbed him by the arm. He was surprised but he didn't resist as she dragged him along on her escape from several floating drones. [color=gold][i]I could break free from her grip and take care of the robots,[/i][/color] Gil thought, returning his attention forward to watch his new friend. [color=gold][i]Or I can get a glimpse of what Makoto can do.[/i][/color] After she finally released Gil and began dispatching the robots with her sheathed sword it seemed that she had some good strength as well as speed. She didn't just knock the drones out of the air but ruined them like they were just fruits. Gil just watched silently as she began to wind down, having dispatched the drones. But then she rummaged through the first one she destroyed and revealed a card.

[b]"Now we're pretty much even, right?"[/b]

A grin replaced Gil's stoic expression as he reached out and took the card. [color=gold]"Pretty much,"[/color] he repeated, examining the card in his hands. It was the [b]King of Swords[/b]. [color=gold][i]Not sure if that's fitting or not,[/i][/color] he wondered, placing it in his right pocket. Then he returned his attention to the girl that gave him the card. [color=gold]"You didn't have to come back to give me a card, but thanks. Now we can just head to the exit and get everything figured out with the Academy."[/color] Before Gil could start to lead the way he heard the explosions and cannonfire. It wasn't exactly close but it was close enough to see the explosions and debris. When the loud announcement echoed across the city like a declaration of war, Gil's smile faded away. And with it went his good mood. [color=gold]"Eh, is some lunatic blocking the exit? Sounds like they've got some firepower too."[/color] He looked back to Makoto before striding forward, approaching a nearby building that was mostly intact despite having a slight tilt. Coils of electricity wrapped around his entire body for a second before disappearing, vitalizing his muscles. In a single bound he jumped up to the rooftop. Sparks flew from his body when he slammed onto it and he continued sparking intermittently as he scanned over the ruined city.

A large, tankly robot that was more like a gunship was stomping around and firing missiles and cannons at various locations. Gil could also make out the figure of a white-haired girl standing atop the behemoth, likely the source of the feminine voice that gave the call-to-arms for the drones. [color=gold][i]What is that girl thinking? Is she actually crazy?[/i][/color] Gil's left hand rested on his Aerok hand cannon while he briefly contemplated a few things. He gripped it as if he was about to draw but then quickly released it with a sigh. With that he jumped back down, landing next to Makoto with a resounding thud and arcs of lightning coiling his legs. Of course it was gone by the time he stood up, but it didn't matter how close to Makoto he was because his control was too precise to let her get shocked. [color=gold]"There's a big one up ahead,"[/color] Gil remarked, before beckoning Makoto to follow him as he started walking towards it. [color=gold]"A girl seems to be in control of it. If she gets in our way I'll just knock her out with a small dose of electricity. The battle... tank thingy shouldn't be a problem either. I'll just shut it down like any other robot. And the missile shouldn't be a problem either."[/color]

He spoke of it so casually but didn't even consider that Makoto might describe the situation a bit differently. Normal people would worry about things like missiles and gunships. Gil was strong but he knew he wasn't the strongest. But he also knew his capabilities and weaknesses. Things like this were fine for him. Man-made objects and enemies were naturally weak to him for they all required electrical signals to operate. Even the fancy new stuff that used FLUX still required a flow of electricity to function. And because of those natural requirements it was equally natural for Gil to sabotage these devices and take their power for himself. It didn't matter if it was a big, missile-bearing gunship or a small floating drone. As Gil walked closer and closer to the exit, and accordingly Eos and her gunship, he showed no signs of caution or concern. He would continue walking even if they stood directly in his path. Enemies like this were not a true test of his skill, strength, or ability. [color=gold]"No machine will stop me."[/color]

[@Jay Kalton]

[center][h2][color=gray]Erisa[/color][/h2][/center]

This ox-demon was a rather pleasant person to be with, in Erisa's mind. She could relate to her and they had a mutual understanding. It wasn't easy being a Youkai in the midst of humans. Surely Gyuuki had it worse being she had horns and hooves whereas Erisa was passably human. It was actually enjoyable to spend time with her despite the pressing situation at hand with the exam and the time limit and all. Something that became evident really fast when the two girls heard a [i]different[/i] explosion in the distance. Gyuuki's ears must've been better than Erisa's because the ox-demon had the sense to grab Erisa and take cover behind a car. The building complex they were in before bore the brunt of the bombing, being reduced to rubble in the resulting explosions. [color=gray]"Whoa,"[/color] Erisa remarked, looking over the car at the smoke and debris raining down. But what made it worse was the toxic cloud that was coming in from the blast site.

As the two girls began to run a voice rang out across the city, claiming that everyone needed to stop destroying robots and that they were all evil. [color=gray]"But they attacked us..."[/color] Erisa remarked mostly to herself. When Gyuuki suggested she hop onto her back, Erisa looked confused. What with her legs it seemed like she'd only weigh the ox-demon down and make it harder to get away from the ominous cloud. Then she realized that Gyuuki suggested she [i]jump off of[/i] her back to reach a floating card above the two. [color=gray]"Oh, okay."[/color] With a surprisingly rapid hop, the incredibly light Erisa leapt off of the demon's back and into the air rather effortlessly. It was a piece of cake to snatch the card, and due to her light weight the landing was rather soft and didn't hurt her in the least. In fact she was ahead of Gyuuki now after this daring catch. [color=gray]"I got it!"[/color] Erisa called back, holding the card up for her friend to see it. [color=gray]"Let's find another one then!"[/color]

Without any warning Erisa manifested her Twin Dragons from her back. Surely this might surprise Gyuuki, who had yet to see it up until this point, and it would surprise her even more so when this fibrous dragon-looking plant matter reached out to her and clamped its jaws on her. However she would realize that it gripped her firmly but gently, latching onto her without causing any harm. While one Dragon grabbed Gyuuki the other one extended forward and grabbed onto the wall of a building. With a mighty tug, the pulling motion of the Dragon provided enough momentum to fling Erisa (and thus Gyuuki as well) forward through the air at much greater speed. While the dangerous cloud was only several meters behind them before, it was now over a block away by the time Erisa touched back down on the ground and continued running on her own. She did, however, keep her Twin Dragons active for a brief while longer.

It wasn't until they she had managed to get several blocks away and the cloud seemed to stop following them did she set the ox-demon down. [color=gray]"Sorry about that,"[/color] Erisa apologized as the jaws released Gyuuki. She was perfectly unharmed, something unusual considering the track record of things that have ended up in the jaws of her Twin Dragons. [color=gray]"I just figured you were still hurt and all. But we have a card now."[/color] Without a second thought she simply handed over the card to her friend, not even considering holding onto it herself. Gyuuki had spotted it so she naturally felt it belonged to her. [color=gray]"We'll just find me one really quick. Hopefully before that voice finds us."[/color] This was an obvious reference to Eos, though Erisa had no idea where she was or what kind of weapons she was using. [color=gray]"Your card fell out of the sky, right? Maybe we'll get lucky and another one will fall from the sky as well."[/color]

[@Double Capybara]