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[img]http://i1339.photobucket.com/albums/o719/EthereanFire/Fox_zpsterb1uck.png[/img]


[color=cyan]Level:[/color] 1
[color=cyan]Day/Time:[/color] Day One; Evening
[color=cyan]Location:[/color] Demon Lord’s Castle - Exterior
[color=cyan]Tags:[/color] [color=4be2a3]Naija[/color] [@DracoLunaris], [color=7ea7d8]Garrett[/color] [@Simple Unicycle], [color=ed1c24]Mario[/color] [@Holy Soldier]
[color=cyan]Engaging:[/color] Valkyries
[color=cyan]Word Count:[/color] 888[/center]



Naija had opted to put Fox’s so-called plan on the backburner for the sake of remaining within vocal proximity of one another, which was a fair point since they didn’t have an established remote communication channel like he was used to. Though, it felt to him as if there was some level of miscommunication on his part for failing to specify that he intended on everyone mostly sticking together to cover the same area anyways. Just as well seeing as strategy wasn’t something he had much of a keen sense for. His think/do ratio has always been somewhat lopsided in favor of action over thought, preferring to roll with the punches and improvise rather than painstakingly mapping out a plan of attack and [i]hoping[/i] that it would work, so naturally, whatever decision their leader made wouldn’t bother him either way. He merely gave her what she asked for - an idea - so if nothing else, everyone at least knew what role they would be playing in the battle to come.

On that matter, Garrett seemed a little too openly enthusiastic about his assigned role for his own good, to which Mario and Naija promptly grilled the thief for… well… being a thief. Of course, they were right in that the team couldn’t afford to have him running off on them to lift every item of value from a place that very obviously had them, but while Fox didn’t encourage the rogue’s occupational proclivities, he didn’t exactly feel inclined or entitled to judge him for it either. After all, he went to war at the behest of others for a living; a line of work that some may question to be even less ethical, in which one is sometimes forced to make difficult decisions. Yet, here he was, summoned as the “hero” he’s been repeatedly praised as by people who are counting on him to do it all again. Sure, he would only take on missions that he believed to serve a just cause, much like the one he was presently undertaking, but even he’s been known to have his own reasons (though, not necessarily wrong) for doing so… like avenging his father. Mostly, he only acted like it didn’t matter to him; as if he had no personal investment in what he did. Maybe that’s something him and Garrett had in common.

The thought quickly came and went as Mario began rambling about [color=0072bc]“legends”[/color] and the like, expectedly referring to himself as he did. He offered similarly complimentary acknowledgement to Fox and Garrett, who [i]wouldn’t[/i] brag about the fact that they happened to share such an otherwise trivial title, but at the very least he seemed to genuinely appreciate the company to some extent. It was certainly more than those who didn’t know better would have come to expect of him. Though, why he referred to Fox in the third person as if the two were unfamiliar was anyone’s guess. It was still more credit than Naija got, bless her heart. It was hard not to sympathize with her having been freshly thrust into such an awkwardly overwhelming situation that was already on its way to rapidly escalating.

Fox redirected his attention back to the castle when the red plumber motioned behind him to what he rightly thought to be Odin himself. The pilot watched in astonishment as the Demon Lord and his plentiful force of Valkyries ascended from the westmost side of the castle, ready to make their way to the other one, and with these odds, stopping them from doing that just became much more difficult.

[color=cyan]“So much for keeping him confined,”[/color] Fox said disappointedly as he drew his sidearm. That’s what he got for planning his approach - and why he normally didn’t. The part that involved keeping Odin indoors wasn’t happening, so they would have to adjust their positioning according to the terrain, narrowing it down the [color=4be2a3]“basics”[/color] of his already basic set of instructions. Regardless, it was time to go to work.

As an affirmative gesture to Naija, Fox cocked his head to the side as the eyepiece of his headset flipped out into position, signalling his eagerness to answer her call for a lure. He promptly took off running along the longest branch and leaped sideways from the end of it, opening fire on the dark-winged maidens as he fell. He rolled seamlessly back into a light sprint as he touched down and resumed fire. Despite wielding a semi-automatic weapon, Fox put out each shot at a rate that could rival most full-auto submachine guns, and he didn’t do so indiscriminately either. He aimed with intent, placing 3-5 shots per target (approximately 7 of them) roughly anywhere between the head and chest (however much of it was unarmored).

The vulpine then doubled back and hastily pivoted to cover so as not to reveal himself to the entire detachment of airborne warriors, hoping to use the dense vegetation to his advantage. If Naija’s singing didn’t already alert them then [i]that[/i] certainly would. He would try to keep a line of sight and maintain a manageable distance to the aqua nymph, as per her request. He would likely be unable to keep track of Garrett, however, but so long as he had their backs when it counted, it was all the same to him.