Exit

ᵀʰᵉ Spirits Within/Aeon

I slightly edited the start of the post leaving it open for Peter @Aeolian to say something. I realized they could have responded and maybe it was Christina who didn't get a chance to respond back. Mb mb! Also, did you want me to stick to a posting order, Prisk?

ᵀʰᵉ Spirits Within/Aeon

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_{DAY 1 《》 STEELWATER [Landing Zone - A] 《》 Late Morning 《》 @Exit}

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A third individual appeared over a row of trees assisted by what looked like a jump that was far from normal. They too were in military getup, but as they swung around the back of the tree and stood in its shadow, it was too difficult for Christina to identify any markings that could indicate who they belonged too. However, more than one Aeon in a single combat zone usually meant one thing, and the thing she'd run into earlier was directly connected to them. “You guys got here fast. Do you mind putting that weapon away or is this going to be one of those ugly encounters you hear the grunts complain about all the time?” There was a pause as Christina tossed the ask around in her head. She wanted to question back, but the more pressing matter of the other gun pointed at her pushed her to comply. From her perspective, she was outnumbered by military combatants and she knew upsetting trained individuals alone as she was now was a terrible idea not to mention bad for business. Running could have been an option, but she was under threat of taking a bullet and so instead, she simply lowered her rifle. "You UDF?" She asked, still trying to connect dots. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Summary

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Emilia @Prisk arrives at the scene and asks that Christina put away her weapon. Christina complies and inquires as to who they, or more specifically Emilia, is.

What shows/movies are you watching?

You pretty much just convinced me I need to see Inside Llewelyn Davis, Exit

@BangoSkank

Just in case, to clarify, that was in Moon Knight. I will say though that I'm interested in seeing Inside Llewelyn Davis too now.

What shows/movies are you watching?

Oscar Isaac switching from deeply emotionally distraught to someone that is entirely oblivious to what his previous alter was feeling and is physically lost is burned into my brain.

Goddam No Country was good.

@BangoSkank

Yes.

As for myself, pickings are surprisingly slim lately. I'm finishing up Tokyo Vice which has been great. I'm also watching Superman & Louis season 2 and although the CGI isn't always the best, despite it being a CW show, it's not running into too many of the usual issues with writing I've seen in their other properties. It's a nice change of pace. I also really, really appreciate the family dynamic. I was worried in the first season how they would handle the brothers' relationship after one got powers and the other didn't, but they did a fine job and the chemistry between both Jordan and Jonathan feels very natural rather than contrived. Also lectures from one parent, only to sit around and wait for a lecture from the second.

Not really a spoiler but cast change

Actor for Jonathan is being recast for the third season and I'm a little devastated. I think those two actors in their roles were perfect and their chemistry (again) was amazing.

Code Vein (Closed)

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__Farmhouse · [&.FunnyGuy] [&.PigeonOfAstora] [&.dreamingflowers] [&.Daxam]Farmhouse · @FunnyGuy @PigeonOfAstora @dreamingflowers @Daxam ______________________________________________________________________________..... . . . . . . . . . . Akaia was used to stares, and not just because of her being a Sidhe. The years before her time in the Commune saw her living a life far from normal. She lacked for real clothing and her mannerisms were more wild than they were now, her every interaction one built on instincts and what little of the world she'd taught herself. Her discovery did little to lessen the way the world saw her and even her time in between her first guardian and the family she had now was one where she was constantly reminded she didn't belong. She wasn't human and she wasn't a Revenant. The Sidhe were a rare people of which she still understood very little despite being born to them. And so, just like she did herself, others often regarded her with a curiosity they didn't know what to do with. Then there were her colorless eyes, her odd speak and Licorice, who had taken to the sky shortly after disembarking from the van. It was hard not to stare and Akaia understood why. However, after 19 years of it, she still didn't like the way it made her feel. Any other day, Akaia may have attempted to dissuade concerns or fears, as was her nature. Unfortunately for her, she was not herself today and her need to help had been reduced to a singular point of focus. Eric and Poppy. Ajax and Lysandra. She couldn't let them leave too and so she set about doing what she could to make sure they wouldn't. Inside the shed and with the map pulled out for all to see, Akaia eyed the area of interest as pointed out by Renee and read the name out loud. "Howling. Pit." She carefully said, turning to Renee to await further instructions.

C O N C E P T S ᵇʸ ᴱˣᴵᵗ

Normal vs HD?

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LSF HQ · Early Morning · @EveryoneLSF HQ · Early Morning · @Everyone _ Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Eget aliquet nibh praesent tristique magna. Cursus vitae congue mauris rhoncus aenean vel. Integer vitae justo eget magna fermentum iaculis eu non. Nibh sit amet commodo nulla facilisi nullam. Iaculis urna id volutpat lacus laoreet non curabitur gravida. Viverra aliquet eget sit amet tellus. Egestas congue quisque egestas diam in arcu. Velit scelerisque in dictum non. Diam sollicitudin tempor id eu nisl nunc mi ipsum faucibus. Eu feugiat pretium nibh ipsum. Orci nulla pellentesque dignissim enim sit amet venenatis urna cursus. Ac turpis egestas maecenas pharetra. Nisl suscipit adipiscing bibendum est. Amet justo donec enim diam vulputate ut pharetra sit amet. Enim neque volutpat ac tincidunt. Libero volutpat sed cras ornare. Neque aliquam vestibulum morbi blandit cursus risus at ultrices mi. Elementum curabitur vitae nunc sed velit dignissim sodales. Ut tortor pretium viverra suspendisse potenti nullam ac tortor. Sed felis eget velit aliquet sagittis id consectetur purus ut. Semper viverra nam libero justo laoreet. Tristique senectus et netus et. Varius vel pharetra vel turpis. Nisl nisi scelerisque eu ultrices vitae auctor eu augue ut. Lacus sed turpis tincidunt id aliquet risus feugiat in. Sed viverra ipsum nunc aliquet bibendum enim facilisis gravida neque. Nisi porta lorem mollis aliquam ut porttitor leo a diam. Senectus et netus et malesuada fames ac turpis egestas. Id leo in vitae turpis. Eget gravida cum sociis natoque penatibus et. Turpis cursus in hac habitasse. Sit amet venenatis urna cursus eget nunc. Vulputate dignissim suspendisse in est ante in nibh mauris. Volutpat ac tincidunt vitae semper quis lectus nulla at volutpat. Felis eget velit aliquet sagittis id. Proin nibh nisl condimentum id venenatis a condimentum vitae. Phasellus faucibus scelerisque eleifend donec pretium vulputate. Sapien pellentesque habitant morbi tristique. Blandit cursus risus at ultrices mi tempus imperdiet. Nullam vehicula ipsum a arcu cursus vitae congue. Tortor pretium viverra suspendisse potenti nullam ac. Amet est placerat in egestas erat imperdiet sed. Eleifend donec pretium vulputate sapien nec sagittis aliquam malesuada. Tellus molestie nunc non blandit massa enim nec. Sed nisi lacus sed viverra tellus in hac. Mollis nunc sed id semper risus in hendrerit gravida rutrum. In fermentum et sollicitudin ac orci. Convallis convallis tellus id interdum velit laoreet.

HD

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LSF HQ · Early Morning · @EveryoneLSF HQ · Early Morning · @Everyone ____________________________________________________________________________. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Eget aliquet nibh praesent tristique magna. Cursus vitae congue mauris rhoncus aenean vel. Integer vitae justo eget magna fermentum iaculis eu non. Nibh sit amet commodo nulla facilisi nullam. Iaculis urna id volutpat lacus laoreet non curabitur gravida. Viverra aliquet eget sit amet tellus. Egestas congue quisque egestas diam in arcu. Velit scelerisque in dictum non. Diam sollicitudin tempor id eu nisl nunc mi ipsum faucibus. Eu feugiat pretium nibh ipsum. Orci nulla pellentesque dignissim enim sit amet venenatis urna cursus. Ac turpis egestas maecenas pharetra. Nisl suscipit adipiscing bibendum est. Amet justo donec enim diam vulputate ut pharetra sit amet. Enim neque volutpat ac tincidunt. Libero volutpat sed cras ornare. Neque aliquam vestibulum morbi blandit cursus risus at ultrices mi. Elementum curabitur vitae nunc sed velit dignissim sodales. Ut tortor pretium viverra suspendisse potenti nullam ac tortor. Sed felis eget velit aliquet sagittis id consectetur purus ut. Semper viverra nam libero justo laoreet. Tristique senectus et netus et. Varius vel pharetra vel turpis. Nisl nisi scelerisque eu ultrices vitae auctor eu augue ut. Lacus sed turpis tincidunt id aliquet risus feugiat in. Sed viverra ipsum nunc aliquet bibendum enim facilisis gravida neque. Nisi porta lorem mollis aliquam ut porttitor leo a diam. Senectus et netus et malesuada fames ac turpis egestas. Id leo in vitae turpis. Eget gravida cum sociis natoque penatibus et. Turpis cursus in hac habitasse. Sit amet venenatis urna cursus eget nunc. Vulputate dignissim suspendisse in est ante in nibh mauris. Volutpat ac tincidunt vitae semper quis lectus nulla at volutpat. Felis eget velit aliquet sagittis id. Proin nibh nisl condimentum id venenatis a condimentum vitae. Phasellus faucibus scelerisque eleifend donec pretium vulputate. Sapien pellentesque habitant morbi tristique. Blandit cursus risus at ultrices mi tempus imperdiet. Nullam vehicula ipsum a arcu cursus vitae congue. Tortor pretium viverra suspendisse potenti nullam ac. Amet est placerat in egestas erat imperdiet sed. Eleifend donec pretium vulputate sapien nec sagittis aliquam malesuada. Tellus molestie nunc non blandit massa enim nec. Sed nisi lacus sed viverra tellus in hac. Mollis nunc sed id semper risus in hendrerit gravida rutrum. In fermentum et sollicitudin ac orci. Convallis convallis tellus id interdum velit laoreet.

ᵀʰᵉ Last Avatar & ᵀʰᵉ Red Lotus.

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LSF HQ · Early Morning · @EveryoneLSF HQ · Early Morning · @Everyone ____________________________________________________________________________. Zhen was seated off center, staring at the map to comprehend the scale of the incident, filling her mind with all of the damage that had already been done, and all that would be needed in the aftermath of it. She raised her hand to ask a question. “Regarding our approach to this tower, are we going in quietly, or are we going loud?” ”Loud. They’re herded for the most part with nowhere to run so stealth won’t be an issue. Our approach will be by air. Yi already has the airship fueled and is standing by.” Zhen said “Excellent. Do we anticipate the need for anti-vehicle capabilities, or is this exclusively anti-personnel?” ”We are expecting there to be vehicles modified for crossing the desert…” As Nelu spoke, he began pressing another series of buttons. Katakuri was clothed from head to toe; he had been practicing concealing his identity from most in the L.S.F. The main two who spoke were Nelu and Zhen, and he was in no hurry to comment on this situation. Personally, Katakuri found it disturbing how quickly so many people became benders. What does this imply for the city? He thought. He could have been quiet because he was lost in his thoughts. The short, soft-faced person in the chair nearest Nelu spoke up. Their exhausted green eyes were also fixed on the map. “Yeah, I got a couple. How many fugitives we talkin here? Is it so many that it’s gonna take all of us to contain the situation? Or are we just being extra cautious?” As they spoke, they fiddled with something in their gloved hands. It looked like a small metallic ball, tarnished and worn with age. After a moment, the image above the table flickered and changed, displaying a fuzzy top down view of the area. There was a large leaning shadow that represented the position of the tower and numerous dots surrounding it representing the people who were gathering at its base. In a neat row nearby were slightly larger, rectangular shapes which were believed to be vehicles. Five in total. After a few seconds, the image changed and the number of dots on screen grew. It changed again and the dots multiplied once more. ”We’re looking at roughly fifty people, and given the large number of benders in one area and the assumption that they’re still empowered, we’re sending the entire team. It will take all of us. There’s no telling how much control they have over their bending and what kind of threat they might pose to us.” Jin’s eyes flicked from dot to dot, counting. Finally, they let out a low whistle. “That’s a shit ton of people. I gotta fix my requisition list.” They tossed the metal ball into the air, just a bit higher with each throw. “Got a feelin it’ll be less before we get out there, though.” Katakuri’s sense of humor had been tainted by years of service in the L.S.F., and hearing Jin’s remark caused him to chuckle, "You are right," his voice low and emotionless. “They can’t control themselves, so they are doing our job for us,” which was obvious. He doubted that they didn’t realize most of these people couldn’t control their powers during the major event that caused all of this. "If necessary, can this containment mission be a kill-on-sight mission?" he wanted to know. When Katakuri asked this question, he was looking directly at Nelu. He was concerned about Nelu’s current situation, but he wouldn’t dare vocalize his personal concerns at work. Nelu nodded. ”Like I said, we’ve captured enough Benders that we can replenish rank if necessary. There is no expectation to take anyone alive, so you are free to engage as you see fit.” Katakuri smirked under the fabric that covered his face, nodding to his superior, “I will not disappoint you then,” he turned his job into a game by seeing how many individuals he could take down. Handling his career in this secret service position in a sick and twisted manner. ”You never do, Kata.” Nelu said, giving the man another nod and a smile. ”Now, I want everyone to keep in mind that there is a sandstorm raging in the area which is currently blocking their route. Readings of the storm indicate that it is dying, so our window of opportunity to catch them before they’re all on the move is closing fast. Expect panic and attempts to escape into the desert on approach, but also keep in mind that due to the danger of these storms, we cannot enter them without accepting extreme risk. Losing any of you is not something I am willing to do. So, If they get into the storm, I am ordering you now to let them go. The desert will do the rest. No need to get yourself buried along with them. Other than that, you’re free to do as you please.” “Are there any other questions?” Zhen raised her hand again and spoke “Is it sufficient to describe knowledge as justified true belief? How can we account for true beliefs built on incorrect but logically sound justifications?” She paused and heard the silence around the room. “Oh, you meant about the mission. No further questions.” There was an even longer silence. “Don’t look like that, you aren’t going to get quizzed on this.” Zhen said, realizing that humor was something she still had to work on. When Zhen asked her question, Katakuri couldn’t stop himself from smiling. Her sense of humor was unique, but he appreciated her attempt to lighten the mood – if that was her intention. He approached her from behind, placing a single hand on her shoulder and gently squeezing it. "Not everyone is a professor of philosophy or has an astonishing amount of intelligence like you, Master Lun," he whispered, his face close to hers. Anyone could tell he was in a good mood and was probably smiling beneath the cloth mask. "I have a new question." Jin piped up. They were staring at Zhen. "What the fuck did you just say?" They looked utterly confused. "I mean, I understood the words, individually. Just not together." ”Zhen has a sense of humor this morning.” Nelu commented, smiling as he tapped invisible keys on the table once again. ”That’s a good sign and something you will get used to it, hopefully. You’ll also get used to this.” The image of the spire was replaced by another face now joining the other bending fugitives. Another stickball player. ”You may or may not recognize her but she is Kanna Wu. Daughter of the woman you recently took care of. I know that before, the directive was to leave her alive, but it looks like she went and got herself further involved in her mother’s world. She was last seen helping Chu Hua escape during their game and there’s a good chance she’s out there with the rest of them.”

Code Vein (Closed)

A K A I A

A K A I A

_{City Outskirts · Morning
@FunnyGuy & @Daxam & @PigeonOfAstora
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The passenger door of the van was opened without warning and shortly after, was closed just as suddenly. Akaia returned to her seat as a rather obvious depression in the worn leather rather than a body. Licorice too returned, diving in through the open window and madly fluttering its wings as it settle on the dash. It turned to Eric and clucked an "[Okay.]" signaling its intent to leave and Akaia's mild approval of their 'plus one'.

Over the course of the next few minutes, the pollen coating her clothing and saturating the surrounding air would fade or float away, revealing the overly serious visage of a Sidhe who was not having any of it.

ᵗʰᵉ Last Avatar.

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Abandoned Rest Stop · Early Morning · @EveryoneAbandoned Rest Stop · Early Morning · @Everyone _ Sun scorched the air anywhere without shade. So hot was it that even the sand seemed to pour heat from the ground. Many were huddled together under trees and some in the shade of the one building still standing. A derelict structure from an age long past that had once been a herald of safety. Of a sign that the great walls of Ba Sing Se were within reach. Now, the thin black line drawn across the horizon in the distance was a sign of death. Of the life they were all forced to leave behind for the weak promise of safety somewhere beyond the desert at their feet. The place had long ago been abandoned despite an attempt to turn it into a small outpost for the city. Proximity to the desert and the storms that raged within it made any kind of permanent habitation impossible. Still, signs of their effort survived to today. Inside the hollowed out husk were tables and chairs nearly buried in sand. A counter that divided the dusty room in half and empty frames on the wall. Dated kitchen appliances. An old wire phone. An empty Cabbage Corp crate. Items from a different time and life frozen in time. Some found comfort in the strange world it was forever trapped in. Others only wanted to leave, unable to think of anything else but escape with their freedom so close. Every person had made the hard trek from the city walls to the rest stop in the middle of nowhere in hopes that they could be guided to safety. Now, the only thing standing between them and that rumored place beyond the sand sea was the raging storm in front of them. A wall of sand, impossibly wide and stretching into the dark clouds in the sky was rampaging, barring passage for anyone but those with the knowledge and the tools to cross, and even those individuals were hesitant. They'd ordered everyone to wait while they watched in trepidation, gawking at streaks of light that would burn a path through tumbling clouds of gnashing stone. A display of nature's fury. "We're liable to be buried." Informed Tikaani. A tall man dressed in brown and gray leathers from head to toe. Clothing made sturdy by scratchy fabrics and stiff layers that helped to keep invasive sand out and cooler hair trapped inside. His short black black hair was pinned back by a pair of goggles that had been pushed to his forehead to make room for the binoculars he was peering though. "It's not a strong storm but it's still dangerous." "Are you serious? Are we looking at the same thing?" Kanna asked. Nearby, several vehicles were parked and waiting. Each one fully gassed and modified in their own way to survive the unforgiving embrace of the desert. It was obvious that some had been cobbled together worse than others. Patch work frames of metal and twine that looked as though it could fall apart as soon as they hit the gas. All of them were older models of Satomobiles from decades past and none were modified the way a peculiar Kyoshi was. Already those more curious or those with no regard for boundaries were stepping up to the vehicle, eyeing it like a prize. However, more importantly, early on it was discovered that there were not enough seats to go around and already, some small conflict was brewing between those who would be departing first and those who would have to wait for a second convoy to arrive. Although nothing overly violent had yet occurred, tensions were already incredibly high and it was only a matter of time before someone became too impatient for everyone's good. To compound the issue, almost 24 hours later and many were still unable to control their bending, or worse, unwilling to accept that which they had become. Unwilling to accept the people they were forced to run with.

_Prompt:

You may place your character anywhere in this area. There is only the large central structure that is built like a spire, sticking out of the sand. Inside are the remains of an old rest stop that had at one point been made to look like an old diner. Outside are the vehicles waiting to leave and Takaani, who is the 'leader' of this caravan and the one paid to ferry people across the desert. There are a large number of other benders in the area who have also escaped. They are nameless but can be given a name and controlled by anyone. Nothing of note is happening save for a rather... rude looking gentleman who has been marching around the vehicle attempting to look inside. This man is one of the other drivers. Although not large, he is carrying a gun at his hip that is easily visible. The other drivers are also carrying weapons, a few of them being rifles. It has been decided that everyone in our group is going to be riding with Jin, out of pure coincidence. The passenger list is as follows: Weiyuan, Chae Wan, Chu Hua, Kanna, Reman, Vasra and one other named Jaakuna. There aren't enough seats but there is room in the bed of the jeep for the others to fit, although that is very much not preferred. Now is a good time to work with each other and establish relationships. It has been a day since the explosion and people have been waiting around at the rest stop for the last hour or so while more stragglers are still arriving. There has been plenty of time for our characters to have interacted off screen during the trek over or while sitting at the rest stop, or, they can take the opportunity now to introduce themselves in lieu of waiting.

ᵀʰᵉ Last Avatar & ᵀʰᵉ Red Lotus.

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Lower Ring · Late AfternoonLower Ring · Late Afternoon _ "What do I do?!" "Nothing stupid." Nelu pushed forward on the throttle, putting his cruiser into a nosedive, and watched as the dreary world around him began to tilt. Black spires encroached by thick clouds of smoke pitched toward him as the cruiser began to fall, and as his speed increased and the wind picked up and began battering his windshield, Nelu felt the familiar twisting in his gut as gravity left him. The cabin rattled, the engine roared and water in the air became long streaks drawn across glass. Eventually, the thicker upper layer of fog was pulled away like a veil revealing the world of chaos the Lower Ring had fallen into. Framed in a city of smoke were streets littered in debris and the people of Ba Sing Se running in every direction with no direction. They dove into buildings or under cars and sought shelter where they could. Peppered in with the panicked masses were Benders, true to countless radio reports that were still coming in. But more than that, among the crowds were also those who were not exhibiting bending abilities but were attacking others unprovoked. Reports of individuals who were ignoring warnings and lashing out violently at those around them and in some cases, murdering those they got their hands on. Despite the panic and confusion induced by Benders revealing themselves all at once and in such large numbers, the random attacks were even more unsettling and the idea of a violent Bender drove Nelu to haste. There were few who could handle them, especially in the Lower Ring. "Allen's location." A point of light appeared on the windshield highlighting a section of the road a few blocks ahead, close to where Nelu knew the soup kitchen was located. "Officer Gima is here. He is not moving." Came a female voice. "Status." "Unconscious. Stable." "Shit." He hissed, coaxing more power out of the engine. Gravity pushed him against his seat and the cruiser lurched forward, clearing several blocks of chaotic streets in less than a minute and putting Nelu above the entrance to the soup kitchen. There below him he could see a heavily damaged dumpster and the body of Allen slumped against it. Nearby was a man who seemed to have been half buried in the dirt and around the both of them were clear signs of earthbending. There were removed slabs of earth, drag marks and unexplained dirt spires protruding out of the street. His controlled panic and haste turned to anger. "Get a paramedic unit to this location now." "Yessir." "Vanguard?" Nelu half yelled, descending close enough to the ground to dispatch his AI. "Ready to deploy." "Deploy it." The cabin shook again as the undercarriage opened up and a payload was dropped. As soon as it had landed, Nelu moved to land his cruiser. Normal procedure was to wait for a clear landing area, typically provided by the AI, but Nelu wasn't going to wait. He found and made for a small clearing in the debris near the dumpster and put the cruiser down there. He was out before it'd even landed, exiting and dropping a few feet out of the air and into an angry swarm of dust kicked up by thrusters as he moved toward Allen with his weapon drawn. So focused was he on his downed friend that he didn't even notice the AI dispatch another Bender in the area, nor did he give any heed to the half buried, crazed man. The first thing Nelu noticed as he knelt beside Allen were the heavy injuries he'd sustained to his face. It was as if he'd been beaten repeatedly by a blunt object, or in this case, pummeled by rocks, Nelu assumed. What didn't make sense to him was the fact that Allen's weapon was sitting across his lap as if it'd been neatly placed there. That and it was obvious that effort had been put into subduing the individual in the ground rather than killing him. He obviously wasn't the bender in question and whoever was responsible for what happened was no longer here. Or at least that's what Nelu would have initially believed if he hadn't heard noise coming from the kitchen and noticed the Vanguard focus on the doorway. He looked too and could feel a number of individuals huddled inside. Perhaps what happened here wasn't an act of unprovoked violence and was instead one of defense. Maybe there had been a misunderstanding. Maybe the man in the ground, who was clearly unhinged, had been one of the crazed individuals running around and murdering people and had attacked Allen and the Earthbender was only trying to help. There was some obvious skill involved in the bending. Most were not capable of such feats, even when their powers were boosted as they were now. Everyone else was bending uncontrollably but this person was clearly making use of techniques they'd learned from somewhere, and that was more telling than anything else. That was dangerous. They needed to come in but Allen had to get out first. "Hold on, Allen." Nelu gingerly scooped his arm under the unconscious officer's body and carefully picked him up, supporting some of his weight with the man's arm over his shoulder. It was difficult but he managed to guide him to the front seat of his cruiser and place him inside. "Cancel the paramedic request and get him to the hospital, now." Nelu said once Allen was secure. "Yessir." There was a mechanical chime as the cabin door swung shut, hissing gas as it sealed. Thrusters under the cruiser flared to life, once again throwing Nelu into a cloud of dust, and steadily lifted the vehicle off the ground and into the air. Once it was high enough, it took off toward the pink haze canopy above where it was quickly swallowed up. Nelu turned to join the guard at the door but as he approached, the street was suddenly torn open and rolled like a rug. Dirt and rocks and slabs of asphalt spilled over the AI, burying it. But while the robot was rendered temporarily useless, the extreme display of Earthbending was all the sign he needed that his suspect was still here. Inside the room, he froze one of the individuals. A child. ...That can't be right... Another began bolting toward the back and Nelu immediately raised his gun and started putting rounds through the wall, refusing to release whoever it was he had. If it wasn't a bender, then they were in serious danger and he needed to keep them away from the others. If he could keep them where they were, he could avoid accidentally hurting them in the crossfire and given their position close to the door, getting to them himself wouldn't be a problem. Once removed, he could more easily deal with the Bender without injuring an innocent civilian. However, as he began moving toward the door, a large earthen wall suddenly burst from the ground and pushed into the front wall of the soup kitchen, destroying it but also sealing it completely off. "Damn it. Door." A muted jingle from under a pile of dirt answered the command and after some rumbling and shifting of debris, a large slab of concrete was lifted and thrown off the pinned robot. It recovered, found its footing, picked up its rifle, and hit a button on the side before shouldering the weapon again. When it fired next, instead of a bullet, a ball of spirit energy was thrown at the wall, evaporating a chunk of dirt the size of a basketball. It fired again... and then again... and then again, steadily chewing through layers of loose rock and stone and pieces of concrete as Nelu studied the movements of those inside. What surprised him the most was that despite the others retreating, one of them went for the kid. They dove for them, pushing the child out of the way and sacrificing themselves to Nelu's grasp, whether they knew it or not. A selfless act. A good Samaritan not unlike the one who was willing to defend an RSF officer and return their weapon to them. ...There you are... "aaAAAAHHHH!!" Nelu turned in time to see a man running toward him, screaming at the top of his lungs. By the time he'd dropped the boy on the other side of the wall and focused his attention on the stranger, he'd been grabbed around the waist and thrown to the ground. He hit his head rather hard.

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LSF HQ · Morning · In collaboration with [&.Exit]LSF HQ · Morning · In collaboration with @Exit _ “Good morning, 141.” There was a tap against the capsule and from the other side of the frosted glass pane, a number of concealed faces could be seen. After a few moments of muted voices and a series of electronic beeps and chimes, there was a hiss of gas and the lid on the pod popped free from a latch. Another button press and it slowly began to rise, giving 141 an unobstructed view of a familiar room. It stood in the center of a cold, steel and gray box, its walls interrupted at regular intervals by piping and wiring tucked too closely together. They seemed like veins as they wrapped around the room, slipping in between and underneath machines, monitors and the metal shapes that made up the shell of the holding chamber. On every surface and tucked into every corner was a bulb or blinking LED, and in the dimly lit space, these could almost be mistaken for the night sky. 141 was currently secured by a number of straps and platinum bands around his arms, wrists, legs and ankles, all of them holding him in place and strong enough not to fail in case there was an attempt to escape. Across his chest was a large rig, the back of which was connected to a series of tubes and wires. As the pod opened up, the small monitor just above 141’s breast blinked to life and a man nearby began tapping the surface of a tablet in his hands. He was in a white, full-body suit that covered him from head to toe. His face was obscured behind a dark pane of reinforced plastic. “We’ve got your usual breakfast…” He said to the backdrop of a series of mechanical clicks. From somewhere in the ceiling, hydraulic pumps could be heard. “How are you feeling today?” Dead silence accompanied the question - not a single word spoken. The usual response from 141. Twisting his head towards his “caretaker,” 141 awaits for the man to finish up the regular checkup. In the meanwhile, 141 “entertains'' himself - calculating a general kill-time frame for the local vicinity. Seven seconds for the man in front. Thirty seconds to breach the hardened entry and exit ways and about five seconds for everyone else. Course, being utterly bonded by a complex series of interlocked restraints does not help. The only thing now is to wait and see what awaits for the day - usually decided by his overseers. With no humanity left, there is not much to ponder on but the efficiency of extermination. The man nodded as if he were listening to the thing talk, even as no words were being exchanged. “How’s he looking?” Another called from the other side of the room. A female voice. “Good. All good. Vitals are green. Readings on brain functions all indicate green. He’s good to go.” “Good. They want him prepped.” “Already?” The man in front turned around. “Whatever is going on out there is apparently serious enough to activate the rest of the team, including 141. A joint operation from what I’ve been told.” “Do they have a package?” The female individual tapped a screen in front of her and paneling in the ceiling above 141 began to move. They slid to the side, making space for a number of large panels. Before they’d moved into place in front of the subject, they began populating with information. Lines of text and images depicting the destruction of the city were being flashed at 141 in quick succession. There was just enough time between each ‘slide’ for it to understand what he was seeing; Ba Sing Se was tearing itself apart in the presence of a sudden spike in Bender sightings. Then, the images changed to a series of faces. These were shuffled through a little slower than those previous with enough time for 141 to absorb the features of each face. At this time, the female individual walked around to stand opposite the male in the room. “They’ve made it outside the walls and need to be handled before they escape past the desert.” 141 quickly absorbs the information given to him. - eyes twitching heavily as he processes each panel in a blink of an eye. A nightmarish flood of mission data consumed and understood in mere seconds. Once done, 141’s eyes return to their normal position. The thing now awaits to be released from his restraints, quietly and perfectly not moving an inch of muscle. “Vitals are still reading good. Looks like he’s absorbed everything.” The man nodded before placing the tablet down and walking around behind the pod holding 141. The female stepped back as he began pressing a series of buttons elicitings more hissing as hydraulics were released and latches on the metal bands and straps fell away. The rig across his chest remained in place but the tubing and wiring in the back popped free, allowing 141 full movement once again. “Chip is still receiving.” On the ground were two green lines painted parallel to each other. A path laid out before 141 for it to follow to the opposite end of the room. There, a panel slid open allowing access to its combat gear, mask and weapons. “Go ahead, 141. They’re letting you out today. You get to be with the rest of the team. They’re waiting for you.”

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LSF HQ · Morning · @EveryoneLSF HQ · Morning · @Everyone _ Nelu pulled at the bandages around his head as he tapped on the table in the center of the darkened room. Lights around the edge began to illuminate the space above it, drawing in the air a three dimensional rendering of the Ba Sing Se. All three rings and every building in between floated in the space between every person present in the room. As it lazily spun in the air, red dots began to illuminate across the entire city, each one representing the last known location of a confirmed Bender who was yet to be apprehended. "I'll make this quick so we can get on the road." Nelu began. "As you are all aware, a little over sixteen hours ago, the Synergy Storage Facility suffered a catastrophic accident, the cause of which is still under investigation. During the accident, an event was triggered across the city, similar to what occurred across the world during the Harmonic Convergence nearly two hundred years ago. Anyone who could bend was suddenly empowered. I'm sure you all felt it. More importantly, some who could not bend suddenly could." He hit another button and a number of faces began appearing on screen. Most of the individuals were unremarkable. Normal people pulled from their lives in a most violent and unexpected way. Some were more prominent, like a popular television host or a rising politician and others were icons known across all of Ba Sing Se. A particular stickball player's face was added to the lineup. "And these are just the ones we know about. We still need to look into missing persons and those who are knowingly aiding and abetting these fugitives. But that's an issue for another day. Right now, our focus will be on containment. Now, normally you are all activated separately and alone, specific to the needs of your target, but our objective today requires that everybody be present." Nelu traced the table, pulling the rendered map of the city along with his touch until, many 'miles' beyond the wall, a rendering of a small tower like structure could be seen half buried in the sand. "A large group of Benders managed to escape before we could seal off the city. It is believed the majority of them intend to cross the desert to attempt to get to a small settlement beyond it. As impossible as that trek may be, we cannot risk any of them getting free so... we will be meeting the group here." Nelu tapped the air, blowing up the image so the structure was more easily visible. It was A tall-ish tower leaning precariously at an angle that looked to have once been a rest stop of some kind. "A little failed outpost at the edge of the desert that is used as a jumping off point for a caravan that crosses the desert. This is kill or capture, although we've apprehended plenty of Benders. Enough to replenish rank. It's really up to you how you want to go about this." Nelu crossed his arms and then looked at each of his team members. "Any questions?" He adjusted the bandage again.