Saturday Morning

The work on his van took a hell of a lot longer than he had liked; Miguel and his crew were busy with an armored truck when the van was brought in.

Which killed much of the afternoon, so by the time he arrived at the place with the light show, to his utter shock and amazement, nothing was there.

It was pretty dumb to think they'd try something out in the open, when they went through the effort of opening up that alter... Still, something happened here; there was faint traces of an aura that was unfamiliar to him. but whatever it was is gone now...

It was starting to get dark, so it didn't leave him with enough time to go on a wild goose chase AND head into the ruins. Had to be one or the other, and these fuckers were already on his shitlist sooo...

The ruins it was!

Ryuusei hopped into the van and drove into Old Tokyo, it was around 9:30 when he arrived at an old parking garage a few blocks from the store as he didn't want to be spotted by them yet.

There was an apartment building near the store that'd make for a good vantage point, so he stealthily moved inside and to one of the upper floors for a better view. As he did so, he heard the sound of other people; at least two.

Shit!

Perhaps they were squatters; the place wasn't in terrible shape. But, this close to their meeting; they could be lookouts. he crept to the door and knocked, hoping to lure the mount and not just bust in.

He reached for the knob then stopped, deciding to try something else. "Pizza delivery! Who ordered the baby vomit and cock meat?"

The longer he had stared at the ruins off in the distance the more he felt the urge to head over there and take a look around "I never really could stay in one place for long.." Terrence mused to himself with a wry grin as he looked up at the night sky  before eyeing the building next to the apartment he was in with a thoughtful hum before shaking his head and turning away thinking to himself 'Nah better not tip my hand for no reason yet, it might be nighttime but with technology as advanced as it is here I wouldn't put it would be pretty likely I'd be seen if I just casually leapt out of my window to the rooftop across the street.

  As he gathered up the keys for the place he kept himself from saying anything out of he ordinary..almost "Suppose I'll take a walk, an enthusiastic walk." he joked to himself a bit as he left and locked up his apartment and came out the front entrance, he lazily stretched his arms and legs as best he could with how snug the clothes fit causing him to grumble before taking off  at a leisurely pace.

11:30

 Knowing he had a bit of a trek ahead to get to the old ruins Terrence had picked up the pace to a quick jog, nothing too fast that would draw needless attention, after all he did give his word that he'd not cause a scene. However that didn't stop him from going into a sprint whenever he didn't feel anything observing him as he really wanted to nose around Old Tokyo some with his ruins curiosity piqued. And it was nearing the dead of night when he finally slowed as he made his way into the ruins, he paused for a moment however "What I wouldn't give for a weapon right now, might be gangs or something that hole up in this place, doesn't seem like an area law enforcement would frequent.." he muttered glancing around for something he could use as a improvised weapon.

 As his gaze swept over a fallen street light an idea came to mind  with a mischievous grin on his lips "It'll be ugly but it'll do in a pinch..."

The stranger's response to Karasu's suggestion that the girl did not elicit a smile from the stern-faced man who held a gun levelly toward the door. "If you want then; let yourself in." Karasu's body was utterly relaxed-seeming in his seat, but the reality was that he was tense from head to toe in preparation of the conflict about to occur. It never even flitted across his mind that this might be a friendly sort of encounter. Too many coincidences.

He very slowly opened the door. Inside there were a man and a young woman; he was sitting with a gun aimed at the door. However, he didn't fire; even after the bait Ryuusei just laid out. The man probably figured the echo would be heard by the cultists, which probably meant they weren't with them.

But what was going on here? She seemed kinda freaked, and he had a gun. This a kidnapping or something else?

"I hear danger's quite the turn-on, but you and your girl miiiiight wana find another place to fuck."

What kind of response would that get?

The man entered the room and his words made Karasu wonder if he was some kind of idiot, or if he was playing one for some other purpose. The girl could see and hear him, which meant that he was human enough for that, which left only a few other options as to what he was doing in this area. Karasu's mind flipped through the various scenarios, and in the end he frowned at the man, a few second having passed. In a thick Japanese-accented voice he made a small motion with his gun. He'd said little enough that the accent should make him come off as a local not pleased to be interrupted.

"My business." He said gruffly, motioning for the man to leave. "You go."

Out of a semi collapsed garage Terrence emerged carrying on his shoulder a mass of metal folded and and battered roughly into the shape of a wide sword as large as he was the blade was not terribly sharp and looked like it had hundreds of knuckle marks almost like it was folded hammered into its rough shape by human hands. The handle was little more than a mass of metal crushed down into a usable state. He glanced down to his free hand idly shaking it as he studied his reddened knuckles "Never doing that again, that was obnoxious but I do need somethin as a weapon while not in town..." he muttered as he looked up at the night sky briefly.

  "What time is it even? ..its gotta be almost midnight considering what time I left and this took a little while to fold up into shape" he muttered glancing at the blade on his shoulder..still unsure of what possessed him to collapse a metal street light into a blade. Bringing his free hand up to scratch his head he let out a light sigh of annoyance "Making a club would have been way easier and practical but eh..club's never really been my thing" he mumbled with a shake of his head as his eyes roamed the ruin's of old Tokyo wondering just what it must have been like back when this place was trashed. "Not the first ruins I've seen, kinda wish I waited till tomorrow to come explore but I highly doubt i'd have gotten this far without someone tryin to stop me during the day" he monologue to no one in general as he moved further into the city keeping his chi sense extended and on high alert for any living thing.

He wasn't intimidated by the gun; there was plenty of room between himself and the man if he fired. "Why doncha make me? Or you afraid of tippin' off those cloaked fuckers outside?"

---

As the Order collectively chanted, their leader's gaze homed in on one member in the back. With some hand motions, two of the Enforcers who had carried the box nodded their heads and then slithered around from opposite sides. One stepped behind the imposter and drew a handgun from beneath his robe.

"Don't move." The Enforcer whispered to the imposter, now flanked to the right by the second.

With the two in position, the leader spoke up. "Brother James, will you please unveil yourself?"

---

The real 'Brother James' was coming around after being attacked by cop bitch. He stumbled around the side of the store and were his eyes deceiving him? Some guy roaming the streets with a makeshift greatsword?! His robe was gone, and with it, the gun concealed in the inside pocket, but he wasn't entirely unarmed. "Halt!" He called to the man, now brandishing a dagger. "This is the Sacred Temple of the Order of the Obsidian Serpent! Leave if you value your life!"

Having felt a familiar presence underground Terrence had started making his way towards what seems to be a convenience store where he spotted a man getting up off of the ground which prompted him to slow his pace moreso to a halt as a dagger was brandished in his direction. He tilted his head to the side briefly as the man used the statement 'Sacred Temple' and sighed as he idly loosened his collar some even as he gave the most deadpan stare. "..well at least Obsidian Serpent isn't the worst name for a cult.."

 He looked at the man then past him towards the convenience store "Sacred Temple of convenient food maybe, I'd ask what exactly is in there but ..I think I'll go in and check it out myself but not before I teach you why you shouldn't wave a toothpick at certain people.." as he spoke he narrowed his eyes and strode aggressively towards the cultist while the back of his mind was preoccupied trying to figure out why Rayne would be where he could feel all the other life sources 'she can't be a cultist she seem's too much of a straight shooter to me.'

-Moments Later-

The cultist's body came flying in through the window of the convenience store followed by Terrence following the unconscious body in moments afterwards ducking his head and crouching slightly to get the giant blade through the now busted window without clipping anything he paused briefly to bend down and grab the dagger to carry with him as he started peering around the store "There has gotta be a secret entrance around here..no cult worth their salt does this sorta thing without  one.." he mused with a slight smirk as he headed to the back then down into the basement  where he'd find the secret entrance soon enough.

The man's reply to Karasu was not the expected reply of a man with a weapon pointed at him. He had a certain confidence to him. No, cockiness. His words were brash and rude, his assumptions that whatever he said would have no consequence for him. It was the sort of attitude that one developed when they didn't face many if any obstacles in their life. Karasu's dark eyes never wavered. 

Downstairs there was the breaking of a window, but Karasu didn't flinch. Something was certainly going on down there, but it was no business of his. Not yet. "Could make you, but you right. Make noise. Do not want those downstairs to notice." He kept up with the thick accent. It'd served him well in the past to have people underestimate him. "If you move though... Toward me or girl... I shoot."

Nice and simple. "So you go. No want trouble."

One look and Rayne knew she was toast. Damn.

How they knew that she wasn't one of them she didn't know. Magic maybe. She noticed one of the congregation moving toward her and used the crowd to cover her motion of drawing her own weapon. Unless these guys had a hive mind they'd never know that she had a bead on the leader. A bad bead, but if things went the way she had a feeling they were about to go...

"Don't move."

She sighed. Yep. That's where she'd been worried that things were headed. Coolly, as the cult leader demanded that she 'Brother James' unveil herself, she lifted her free hand and revealed that she was not a man. Much less Brother James. She grinned toothily at the cultist in charge and pretended as hard as she could that there wasn't a gun pointed at her back. She wondered idly though, how good a shot he was. Risk assessment was secondary nature in these sorts of situations after all.

"I know, I know. I wasn't invited to your shindig, but that's no reason not to be friendly. Trust me this isn't the first cultist meeting I've ever been to, and this will go a lot smoother if nobody starts shooting anyone else." Who said she couldn't be diplomatic?

He was about to reply to Karasu, but paused when he heard the commotion outside...

It didn't sound ANYTHING like 140+ people were there, but just a couple. (It's about that time, must already be inside.)

He eyed the man, and specifically the gun carefully. "I'd love to stay and see who's is bigger, but I got shit to do, good luck shootin'!" Then made a wave of his hand forward as he turned to leave.

"Peace!"

And tossed a nigh invisible green air-blade, slicing the top half of the gun off, just above where the man's hand was.

He booked it to the floor below and jumped out a window a couple of stories above the street. Once on the ground, he darted into the store where Brother James ly and examined the body.

---

The one wearing Brother James' robe was a young woman, with just a hand motion, the Leader told the others to keep chanting. Some even moved out of her way to give her some space.

"Does one need an invitation for salvation?" Suggesting that she could join them. "Or perhaps you wish to aid Sister Angella, in bring about our Savior?" Now he motioned to the box with the woman inside.

But whatever she chose; even neither of the above, she was going to die with the rest of them...

Karasu watched the man turn to go, and reacted to the throw of the nearly-invisible blade by shifting his own body so that he would not be struck by it. The motion wasn't quick enough to save his weapon, but he counted it lucky that he hadn't been hit by something that could cut through metal like it was butter. It seemed that the man hadn't been bluffing. He'd had the weaponry to back up his cockiness. The question really was - why waste that weaponry on Karasu? Why come into this room? Why ask inane questions and then just leave? 

There was something going on here and he didn't like it. Thankfully, it seemed to have nothing to do with the girl. It did however seem to have something to do with the people that had been downstairs earlier. With a slight shifting of his lips he discarded the weapon that had been destroyed and motioned for the girl to remain still. She seemed to be in shock, or perhaps considering her options. He looked downstairs, catching a glimpse of movement, and noticing that there seemed to be someone laying on the ground near where everyone had been congregating before. A few moments later the man who had been in the room with them exited the building and checked out the body on the ground. 

Interesting.

It seemed less and less likely that his contact would show up now. It was simply too busy in this district tonight. Which left him with a variety of options. He glanced toward the girl.

"Come on." He said, the terrible accent vanishing without a trace. He motioned with his hand for the girl to follow him and made his way quickly downstairs.

"Does one need an invitation for salvation? Or perhaps you wish to aid Sister Angella, in bring about our Savior?"

Which was worse news? That the cult was trying to recruit her? Or that they were sacrificing one of their own members to... do whatever they were trying to accomplish? If these people were willing to kill themselves to accomplish their goals, her options were about to go from few to zero. There were simply too many of them for her to start shooting the place up and hope to escape. Rayne laughed nervously. 

"I've never been all that social you know? Never get invited to the parties - so I really wouldn't know what to do at this shindig. And as for playing the part of sacrifice? Well I doubt that I qualify. You know, seeing that I have all my facilities intact." She grinned unapologetically at her needling and wishing that she could risk backing up. Well. Time to do something stupid. 


Without another word, Rayne dove forward, firing a shot at the leader of this little cult, and drawing her second weapon even as she tried to get far enough into the crowd that the guy behind her would have to shoot them to shoot her. For him it was already a little risky, any shot that missed her was pretty much guaranteed to hit someone else, but then... if she was right he might not care about mowing down his fellow cultists to get to her. Even if he managed to hit her, a single shot wasn't likely to kill her. She was wearing a bullet proof vest and anything else was... painful but survivable. Unless he was a really good shot.


What were the chances of that?

Intermittent rumbles could at first be heard through the subway tunnels with the noises gradually coming through to the summoning chambers, faint at first but over time grew louder as if something was approaching. The intensity continued to increase as the cultist leader was offering his oh so gracious invitation to Rayne with the final set or rumbling now very slightly shaking the room. However everything seemed to go silent outside as she gave her reply, and even as she enacted her desperate plan to take out the leader a somewhat familiar voice echo'd into the chamber...

"WELL SAID!" was all the warning the cultists closest to the back wall had before a giant slab of metal in the shape of a blunt battered sword cleaved through the wall with a blueish glow faintly surrounding it. As the section of wall collapsed Terrence stepped through the still falling rubble and over the bodies of the cultists that had been too close to the wall and had been to close and batted to the side instead of bisected like they might have been if he was using a proper sword. He'd cut an imposing figure if he didn't look like a glorified office worker in clothes that were now somewhat caked in concrete dust, but his expression was one of someone used to battle as he narrowed his eyes taking proper stock of the situation while setting his blade out infront of him to act as a shield for gunfire if it came in his direction.

The Leader lowered his head. "A pity," in response to Rayne's refusal. "We don't require anything else from you," And reached into his robe.

"except for your heart."

He pulled out a dagger, though, unlike the ones the regular members carried, the one's blade had runes, matching some on the walls. It also had the carving of a snake slithering down and around the hilt, for the personal touch.

With a quick flick of the wrist, he casually deflected the bullet Rayne had fired, before turning back to the alter.

Meanwhile, the Enforcer took careful aim as the woman dove into the crowd. He had a shot lined up, it would've been her left arm; nowhere fatal, but the only place not obstructed by another member of the congregation.

...That was until the rumble from the back wall. Suddenly it was sliced open!

A large chunk of debris struck the Enforcer in the back, thrusting him forward, and caused him to fire a shot way off his intended mark, and into the head of another cultist.

Meanwhile, a few members in the very back were buried by the collapsing wall as a man emerged carrying some deformed-looking greatsword. Regardless of HOW it looked, it could still cleave through concrete, so those in the back, scattered. However, they did not flee. Instead, they drew their guns and took aim at the man.

The second Enforcer in the back signaled some nearby cultists to follow him out of the actual entrance, to make sure no one else decided to interfere.

Two of the cultists near her grabbed Rayne's arms and picked her up to her feet. The ones in front parted to make a path to the alter.

The Leader repeated his previous offer. "I ask again, will you give yourself to our Savior? Or die with the rest of the Vermin?"

Ryuusei made it into the basement of the store and through the tunnel into the abandoned subway. Once in the larger tunnel, he heard the loud echo of the concrete wall being demolished. (They doin' it again?)

Not long after loud echo, came a much quieter one..or rather several in succession.

He heard a voice telling someone else to 'be alert', and then their pace slowed.

Ryuusei couldn't tell who they were or how many, but he knew they were moving in the direction of the tunnel. He ducked behind a support pillar and peeked around to find seven robed figures with the one in the lead in a more ornate robe.

They were still a ways away, and weren't racing towards him, so what were they doing?

The group reached the tunnel entrance and the Enforcer turned to the two directly behind him. I want you to check things out upstairs." They nodded and entered the tunnel and started up the staircase that led to the store. Once upstairs, they saw the wrecked storefront right away as well as Brother James' prone form. There was something next to him, one of the cultists bent down to pick up...

...An empty wallet?

Did that bitch take his robe AND pickpocket him? A lot of good that money would do her OR anyonelse when their Savior arrives...

Then they realized, they weren't alone, another man and woman seemed to be skulking around. The two cultists drew their guns. "Halt! You are trespassing on Sacred Ground..."

Rayne stumbled forward, the sound of the explosion behind her as rock and stone gave way to a greater strength, was not expected. She almost hit the ground from the concussive force herself, but the helpful members of the congregation moved forward to assist her in getting to her feet. As they helped her up she got a glance at the falling debris and the man who had caused it. 


For a second she thought she might be hallucinating. Not the man. Somehow it made perfect sense that he was here instead of where he was supposed to be. No it was the twisted metal in his hands that looked all-too familiar and was wielded as effortlessly in his hands as she wielded her own custom weapons. This was all her partner's fault. She had known there was something fishy about the guy and here he was swatting down walls like they were made of paper. And what was he doing here anyways breaking into the lair of cults. 


She'd have dropped her face into her hand if she hadn't been held but she was firmly encumbered by the cultists now. They hadn't taken her weapons - yet - but she knew that they would the moment she brought attention to the fact that she was still armed. 

"I ask again, will you give yourself to our Savior? Or die with the rest of the Vermin?"

Rayne rolled her eyes at the guy. Talk about someone who didn't know the meaning of 'no'. Well, she'd have to enlighten him wouldn't she?


Stomping hard on her left heel she swiped out at the nearest cultist with a blade hidden in the bottom of her shoe. The moment that the grip on that arm loosened she pointed her weapon at the cultist leader again.  "No means no asshole." She fired at him for a second time in the space of a few seconds, and then headbutted the cultist on her right with everything she had. Instant regret was right there waiting for her, but she was running low on choices in this situation.

Not saying a word to Rayne as he didn't want to tip off that he was an acquaintance of hers to the cultists, Terrence instead opted to keep mental tabs on the men going around behind him to cover the entrance he just made. Not terribly keen on the idea of hostiles behind him but unable to divert his focus from aiding Rayne he opted to keep his back to him even as a faint blue glow came up in a wispy aura before pulling in and fading as he hardened his skin and muscles to prep for shots that would inevitable come from angles he couldn't defend against.

 He coordinated with Rayne's actions as he plucked the dagger he had in the belt of his pants and hurled it viciously at the other cultist holding her  when she headbutted the one hoping to give her an opening to back out "Get outta there!" he called to her as he kept his 'sword' between him and most of the cultists while he took one of the bodies at his feet and hurled it into the crowd to try and send them sprawling as he worked to draw more attention to himself through over exaggerated actions. 'Shit this is a aweful situation, not exactly what I envisioned my outing was going to be. Normally i'd be a bit more subtle but I gotta draw their attention as best I can..' he thought with a frown as he was unsure of how much more of his hand he should tip..

Karasu was decided on a path by the time they hit the ground floor. Sacrifices needed to be made for the greater good, and this it seemed was one of those times. The young man kept his drawn gun at his side where it was less likely to be seen. His plans, all of them slipped sideways when a small group of individuals popped up and pointed guns at him. He didn't more than hear the words 'sacred ground' when his own weapon fired off. It happened so fast it sounded almost like a single bullet had left the weapon. The group of cultists fell to the ground - all of them quite dead and Karasu quickly crossed the street to where they had fallen. 

A quick survey of their belongings gained him a few weapons he didn't know if he could trust, and a little extra cash. With that he turned his dark eyes on the girl. "This could be dangerous, but if I leave you alone... these fools will probably kill you before asking who you are." He pointed at the people on the ground without looking at them. "You could run."

A simple statement of truth. She could try while he was preoccupied, but she'd take a huge risk in the process. "Or you can stay close and you might live through this."

He didn't wait for a response, heading down the hole that so many others had passed through recently. Karasu made good time, his weapon held along his side to keep it from being seen immediately, and his dark eyes sharp on what was in front of him.

The exchange of gunfire from upstairs was heard at the tunnel's entrance followed by two pairs of feet descending the stairs. Not wanting to take any chances, the Enforcer ordered the remaining four to fan out.

While one cultist was taking his position, he saw...something move behind a pile of debris. Immediately his gun was pointed in that direction.

"Hey, you!" This drew the attention of the Enforcer and the nearest cultist, the other two were focused on the entrance.

(Fuck!)

He didn't care if it was some homeless person or not, NOTHING was going to interfere with their duty tonight!

"Come out and accept your fate!" The cultist approached slowly, gun drawn.

Meanwhile, one of the two in the tunnel came into view; it was a man, and not of their order.

"Shoot them!" The Enforcer ordered the others to fire into the tunnel. As they did, he reached into his robe and pulled out a grenade. He swiftly removed the pin and chucked it at the oncoming pair.

"SOUHAJIN!" With his right hand, Ryuusei hurled the same attack he'd used to slice Karasu's gun in half. However, given how little time he had to prepare; the wind orb only managed to knock the weapon out of the cultist's hand...which was fine, as Ryuusei immediately rushed him!

"SHUNJINKEN!" Now with his left, he threw a straight punch so fast that it was practically invisible into the man's gut and blasting a stream of air through his back!

While he was still inside the guy, Ryuusei jerked him around, then shoved him into the line of fire of another cultist, before zipping around and punching a hole in him as well.

"Resistance is futile." One of the cultists told the woman as she took a swipe with her foot and missed him. Then suddenly he reeled back in pain, which caused him to loosen his grip on her. He looked down to find a large tear in his robe with the area around it wet and discolored.

"You little..." But in that brief moment of weakness, she'd squeezed off another shot, this time hitting the man in the chest, causing him to fall back.

"LEADER!" He and several other members of the congregation called out.

"Worry not, my children," The Leader rose to his feet, blood pouring from the bullet wound. " have the protection of our savior." Then shakily moved back to the box. he unsheathed his own dagger. The blade had a hook shape with runes engraved in it.

The other cultist holding Rayne reeled back from the headbutt, but before he could recapture her, he was pierced through the neck by one of their OWN daggers that man had thrown.

Seeing as their bullets could not pierce the man's skin, the cultists around him threw themselves at his body to try and pin him down.

Other members who weren't engaging the two broke from the chanting to position themselves in front of the alter then resumed.

The Leader gripped his dagger in both hands and held it above his head. "O Great Dragma! Please accept this invitation into our world!" Then he swiftly thrust it downward into Sister Angela's chest! He twisted the blade violently before pulling it out with the woman's heart attached. He held the heart high, its final beats causing the runes on the blade and the walls to glow red...

...and then the room trembled.

"Well shit." Rayne cursed as the rumbling began and she quickly realized that whatever they'd been trying to summon? Was on its way. Firing off another shot in the direction of the cultist's leader she didn't wait to see if the bullet connected or not. Instead she turned and -ran-. Heading for the exit as quickly as she could make her legs carry her. She pointed to the roof as she passed the man who'd come in weilding of all things a bent and smushed lampost. "Ceiling's commin down!"

Maybe he could handle that... he seemed to be taking the bullets just fine. But her? No thanks. She had no desire to be squished by debris. While she was at it she shot one of the cultists off of him though, making a short salute as she passed by and kept going.


Hopefully she'd make it to the exit in time.

---

Karasu could feel the buildup of magical energy beneath the city, and rather than keep heading in he shook his head. "This is unwise." He grabbed the hand of the woman following him and quickly turned the other way.

Not having time to really appreciate the fact his body hardening could shrug off small arms fire, something he assumed had a good chance to be after being proven against magical weaponry, he hadn't been entirely sure how he'd fare against modern weaponry but now he knew he could work with this and refine it further. Currently however his attention was directed to the cultist leader who succeeded in the sacrifice causing a low almost inhuman growl to escape his lips at his failure to save that victim, he didn't allow himself to dwell on that as there was more pressing concerns now.

 Like the instant the walls lighting up upon the sacrifice his instincts were blaring to fall back 'fuck me, this is going to be the real deal. I didn't sign up for this shit..is this why you dropped me off here?' he thought inwardly about the entity that dropped him off in this reality. As Rayne managed to break free and escape out of the room he instead focused on his own situation 'Good she's out time to follow suit, as she's right this place is going to come down on my head right away and I need a better vantage point to assess what's about to go down' he hissed internally.

  Turning thoughts into action he brutally threw off the men trying to pile on to stop him not really caring about the harm he did as he was fairly certain everyone here was going to die once whatever was coming arrived. "Fools your all going to die if you stay here!" he shouted as he used his 'sword' to cleave out a nearby support pillar hastening the collapse of the room even as he bolted out after Rayne, upon seeing other unknowns coming in from the direction of the store he pointed past them "Fall back! Something big is coming and you don't wanna be underground!" He didn't care who they were, given how there was down cultists near him he figured it was worth giving a warning.