Operator "Ari" Varleon - https://docs.google.com/document/d/17XIIPrpepEByGmcFwiwkC2kc7ecod4eAt-SEmRbj_DI/edit?tab=t.0
Drifter "Areia" V. - https://docs.google.com/document/d/1P4cTrOKhyjR-MlCUlAgmYJlX8sOwbtaslp9rO0kiEfg/edit?usp=sharing
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Heyyo, all! I'm Toko from the blog @musicalherbalistusicalHerbalist! Some people might've known me as the one who made the rp blogs "@embryon-heartbreakereartbreaker"(My Digital Devil Saga Oc, Zuki) and "@a-lonely-little-girl"(NieR Yonah rp blog), and after some stuff happened that resulted in me putting those blogs on an indefinite hiatus... Well... Now that it's been a few years, but I wanted to give this another go! I got into Warframe several months ago, and tbh, I'm really proud of my Operator and Drifter so far, and I'm ready to share them with all of you!
Gonna start off by poking at a new friend's event, and we'll see where things go from there!
That's absolutely okay! Answering this while here in the Refractory.(Don't ask, it's really complicated.)
🏃Did they escape Duviri with the same warframes offered in the quest? Or did they have a different choice in warframes?
Yes, and no. So, at first, I had a Mag. I think she was brought in from my connection to Ari, so it made sense she was my first exposure to Warframes as a whole. When I was trying to escape the Undercroft after being thrown into it, I had my Valkyr. She's not a Prime, but she's definitely not a regular frame. When I'm in transferrence with her, it feels like... She came into being from the 'me' I was back on the Zariman, brought to life in the closest way the Void could.
🏹Did they utilize different weapons than the ones that are shown in the quest? [With the exception of Nataruk, were the Sirocco/Rumblejack replaced with something else]
Not really? I used what I had access to. The only thing different was that I had my Edun from Duviri, since I could remake it using the Orbiter's Foundry. Other than that, I still had my Sirocco and Rumblejack.
✨How did it make them feel when they were sent back to 1999 as opposed to The Operator?
It felt...weird at first. At first, I thought it was just because I was the only other one available who could make it back there. But now... Kind of realizing I was the *only* choice, given the situation.
...I think...Entrati engineered the situation with my specific abilities in mind. The time loop, the Duviri stuff, being able to use transference like Ari... All of that.
Makes me wonder if his trip to Duviri was by chance, or on purpose. ...I don't remember back then well, but he *did* always creep me out.
💣What was it like for them at the start of the year-long timeloop before they were close enough to The Hex to save them?
Scary? Overwhelming? It was...awful. At first, at least.
The sight, smell, feeling of everything always boardered on too much, the hostility at first really got to me. Eleanor's always apologizing for how she rooted around through my brain at first, and I know Aoi's tried to make up for threatening to Mag Crunch every bone in mine and Umbra's body.
For that first stint of time in 1999, he'd come with me. Hated climbing in Helminth's mouth, but... I was glad he did. He cares a lot about Ari, and...that care stretched to me by proxy. He was able to help me figure out how to connect with some of the gang. *Especially* Arthur, and kind of Quincy. It's been this long, and I *still* don't understand a good chunk of their army lingo....
...Having to watch, and *experience* them dying...is something that will never leave me. No amount of dying in Duviri will ever make that any less painful. After that...I told them it'd never happen again, and been trying my best to live up to that.
🎶What is their taste in music? What bands would they enjoy most [doesn't need to be limited to 90s or older bands]
This is an interesting question, because living in 1999 helped me look for music from around that era in general! Even from the 2000s and 2010s! Not supposed to, but been burning some of those albums to cds and mp3s to share with the others. ;)
Recently, been listening to a lot of No Doubt, Blondie, Army of Lovers, Styx, Genesis, ABBA, Of Monsters and Men... I think the two that've come to like the most are Crane Wives and Florence + The Machine. A lot of their songs hit me the hardest in ways that're hard to describe. On-Lyne's good too, can't deny that.
🔪What Duviri weapon do they use the most?
EDUN, BAYBEEEE!!!!!! Can't go wrong with a sharp blade on a long stick! Besides, it always felt weird using Sun and Moon. I know Teshin's said it's okay for me to use them, but it's always felt wrong. They're *his* blades, after all, they likely work the best in his hands, and nothing's wrong with that.
I've always had my own style of doing things, and at least he seems to get that, and helped me build that style instead of forcing me to do it his way. ...Complete opposite of what he did for Ari, from what she told me. Glad he's had some character growth!
🚀 How much do they remember of their family and life on the Zariman?
🎭 What emotions ruled their Duviri prior to the executions starting?
🏃Did they escape Duviri with the same warframes offered in the quest? Or did they have a different choice in warframes?
⛅How often do they return to Duviri? Do they try to avoid it as much as they can? Do they go back frequently?
🪷How does your Drifter feel about The Lotus?
🧒How does your Drifter feel about their counterpart/The Operator?
🧑👦How does your Drifter view their counterpart? As an entirely separate person, the same person with a different experience, or just the same person?
🚪How did they feel on their arrival into the Operator's reality, in the situation of The New War?
⚔️How did they handle The New War as a whole?
🏹Did they utilize different weapons than the ones that are shown in the quest? [With the exception of Nataruk, were the Sirocco/Rumblejack replaced with something else]
✨How did it make them feel when they were sent back to 1999 as opposed to The Operator?
💣What was it like for them at the start of the year-long timeloop before they were close enough to The Hex to save them?
✉️How do they feel about each member of The Hex? How did those feelings change as they got closer?
⭕How do they feel about The Roundtable?
👥Out of the 1999 Protoframes, who are their closest friends?
💕Which 1999 Protoframe did they chose to date if any, and why?
🕛What was their reaction to being called back by Loid to handle the Devil's Triad Protoframes? How did they feel about the three of them?
🏊How do they feel about the Dark Refractory, do they make use of it for themselves as well?
🧑🤝🧑Who are they closest to in the Triad?
💗If they chose to romance any of them, who and why?
🎶What is their taste in music? What bands would they enjoy most [doesn't need to be limited to 90s or older bands]
🥼Do they have a developed sense of fashion or do they just throw on whatever?
1️⃣What warframe is their primary one? Do they have multiple?
🔪What Duviri weapon do they use the most?
🎮What kind of video games do they like if any? If they could play any video game from any time period, and not just 90s/older or the future, what would they play?
Account "Liminus_Star" Active.
to those who might see this, this is flare speaking. putting this out there to let anyone know that liz and i are available in case people have some questions. a lot's going on, and it might be hard for people to keep track of.
i don't quite get it, but somehow, the dark refractory keeps picking up on the video feed of what's going on with ari and areia, showing people glimpses of what's happening there. it doesn't seem to be hurting anything, so those of us here on the outside are using it as an opportunity to monitor things better.
second of all, the gist of what's happened is that when ari went under, she got...willingly stuck in her own memories. she'll get up to a certain point, and just...won't see what happens next. like a cd that skips on a certain point of a song and just keeps resetting. her sister, a couple other operators, and the newest group of protoframes have gone under to try and get her out. it...seems like things are going okay so far, but we're still watching over them and doing what we can from out here.
In other news...we've had some...incidents with a strange figure we've seen spotted around the sanctum. they always show up after a surge of murmur.
a dark, somewhat winged figure... it's not the indifference, and we don't know if it's a warframe either.
we'll keep anyone peeking in as up to date as we can, and in the meantime, if anyone's got any questions about what's going on, feel free to shoot them our way.
(pt 2) "Lua, yes!" His hands grasped hers in return, pulling them to his chest, and inadvertently pulling her closer. "Yes, yes, yes!"
Areia moved with the gentle tug, using the momentum to move closer. Close enough that their foreheads were practically touching. A bright grin broke out across her face, and while he was not quite as vibrantly expressive, his softer smile was more than enough for her.
"Lua on high... What- What now? You have mentioned your partners to me...-"
She leaned up to press a gentle kiss to his forehead. "Believe me, I would not have asked if Eleanor and Aoi weren't alright with this. Once we're back in reality, we can see about getting the four of us in a group chat. In the meantime, though..." Pulling back, her smile grew a bit playful. Not quite suggestive, but that bright, somewhat teasing smile he'd grown to appreciate. "Mentioned before that I've become a pretty good singer... How about we see if my voice can get stuck in your head on repeat?"
Sweet Lua, what had he gotten himself into?
Looking into the distance... I think I see something. Betwixt the base of this structure's legs. Of people I haven't met yet. A scene I've never witnessed.
Red hued blue feelings...wreathed in all that has become them... Encasing in a cocoon of agony, safe from all but what as already hurt them.
A story of a beast wrapping itself around it's treasure, terrified of loosing what it no longer has. What is no longer there.
It's...likely not real. Figments of a mind that is barely my own. A theater of memories that've never happened. Because why would it happen? There's no beast to lay their treasure upon a sheltered bed, encasing it in all that they are, raging out at the world in a whirlwind of so many emotions... Besides, I've never heard of this story before, despite it's similar elements to another.
It feels, though, like something I've heard...hearing...
"-hearing me? Areia?"
She blinked, shaking her head, looking back at the Harrow-ed Priest before turning back to the gaps she's been staring down. "Y-Yeah? What's up, Lyon?"
He walked up behind her, brow furrowed with clear concern. "What were you looking at so intently?"
Areia turned back to where she'd zoned out at, only to let out a breath of...relief? Dread? Honestly, she couldn't tell.
"...Nothing, apparently." She sighed, resting a hand on her hip before returning her attention back to her companion. "I'm okay. Considering the state of things, it could've been a glitch in the system, or a phantom from Ari's memory. If I can handle Roathe's brain, I can handle my sister's."
Now it was her turn to worry, especially considering he's being subjected to someone else's traumatic memories, when he's already had to deal with so much. "What about you? I mean, considering how close we are to her subconscious, and...well...everything." She motioned with her hand towards the environment as a whole. "It'd wear on anyone."
He offered a slight, reassuring smile as he shook his head. "Non. It is...eerie here, oui, but I am managing."
...An awkward silence befell the both of them, and honestly, Areia was absentmindedly shocked that the space around them wasn't warping. Put them in a small, quiet room, all alone and just standing there like this perpetually.
Or the text conversation where the other Drifters and Operators were teasing her about being stupid about her feelings, and Arakan daring her to, pretty much, just talk to Lyon.
By this point, she might as well talk about ANYTHING! Talk about the color of the sky, or even how much sand is in the Sanctum, or even a completely different topic!
Her gaze drifted off to the side, hands clasped behind her back and tapping the toe of her boot against alien soil. Even the DIRT could be an interesting topic!
But instead, what comes to mind, and what she doesn't see when she opens her mouth is Lyon doing the same, and ends up inadvertently interrupting him, ends up feeling like she just dropped a stone sun dial on his feet.
"So... Um... About...the last chat we had..." She scratches at the back of her head, taking a very deep breath. "If you're comfortable talking about it, and since...uh..." Another deep breath, steepling her hands together and pressing them to her mouth and nose. "I'm...very worried. And concerned. Because the tapping... It's...-"
A sigh, this time from Lyon. "The Indifference's calling card, oui. And I do not blame you for being likely being concerned. I did end that conversation...abruptly. You...deserve what I hope is even a semblance of an explanation for my behavior. And an apology."
Areia shook her head firmly, the awkwardness fading as sympathy crept in. "You don't have anything to apologize for. If things were reversed, I can't say I wouldn't have done something similar. It's a...rough topic, to say the least."
He huffed out a quiet, mirthless, weary chuckle, and nodded. "'Rough' is sorely underestimating it, but thank you. ...You know of my devotion to Lua, and my hope that some fragment of my suffering, pain, visions, have been in her name and service. For it all to have some purpose from her..." The priest let out a long breath, shoulders sagging as his gaze slipped from her's, finding it hard to keep eye contact through this topic. "But when "Cardinal Dimanche"... Albrecht Entrati revealed his true face to us, told mine sister and I of the horrors he witnessed in the void, of the thing that reached back out through the Void, only to have it's fingers severed for it's trouble..."
A sigh left him, and he closed his eye for a moment. "A terrible, and all-consuming god of nothingness, now both freed, yet still trapped."
Areia spoke up, crossing her arms as she took in all that he was saying. "Both is and isn't free... I think I get it. Both because how weird the flow of time seems to be, and his limited access to our plane of reality. Unless he has some kind of vessel or person he can inhabit, he can't quite affect things as directly as he wants."
"Oui, but that is just the short of it. How do I put this..." Lyon rubbed at his temple, feeling a bit of pressure building in his head. "My perception of time is...tangled, as I am now. It is hard to explain, and likely best to get into those details later."
Letting her arms hang at her sides, she bit her lip...before deciding to speak up on the penultimate subject. "But...that phrase... That "Rap, tap, tap"... The first person either she or I ever heard it from was... Rell. A boy we both knew from the Zariman. He...He was...-" She rubbed at her arm, nails lightly picking at some of the void scarring as she remembered how she earned some of them. Before she could continue, though, Lyon held up his hand to stop her, his other covering his remaining eye, voice growing strained. "I know. And... I have been egregiously avoiding the topic. His name, it... It threatens to... It brings images of-"
"-a man in chains."
"Cast in blood."
"Hewn of sinew and flesh."
...please...make it stop...
Their faces
Countless and thousands
Empty and broken
Locked in silence
Forever in shattered prayer
What I shall become
A touch, careful and shaking, upon his hands... Their owner having an idea of what to do, but not being sure how exactly she should handle this.
"L-Lyon, I'm so sorry... Focus ahead. I'm here."
-Tearing at my flesh
Peeling it from my bones
Why? To what end?
Whose hunger does this feed?
"I know. I know it hurts. I-I'm sorry. I'm so sorry..."
Fingers grasp at those that had tangles in his hair,- yanking and wrenching to just feel something other than this-, coaxing him to let go. One hand gently held his wrists while the other carefully pulled the mitre from atop his head.
"Walk out of the room... The one in your mind."
Yes
They will be there another time
This chamber of blood and chains
Of waiting
Forever waiting
Those arms... One is wrapped around his shoulders. The other held gingerly onto the back of his head. As he came back to...well...not 'reality', but his own 'body', a couple of questions sprang to mind.
....When did they decide to kneel on the ground, and... Was she crying?
Lyon slowly moved to pull away, shaking his head to try and somewhat clear it. "I-I must beg your forgiveness. There are times when my lucidity fails me, and-" Her hands pulling back to cup at his cheeks stopped his thoughts in their track, and he looked upon her tear-soaked, but determined visage.
"Stop. Don't you ever apologize for what just happened. It's on me for bringing him up, and I'm so sorry for that."
It's now or never, Varleon.
"I care about you, Lyon. I want to be there for you through moments like this... Or be at your side when life is at it's kindest with you... Or any other moments, for that matter. Happy, sad, painful, frightful, frustrating... All of it." She smiled at him, wholeheartedly while a few fresh tears spilled.
No... No, this had to be a joke, right? "Surely, you mean that in jest?" His expression was one of pure befuddlement. After all, why would want to stay by his side. "After what you just witnessed... You cannot mean your words." He would have fully pulled away, if it weren't for Areia firmly holding him in place.
She shook her head, scooting a bit closer on her knees. ...Like this, with her wings arched...it was like a curtain, shielding him from all else in this world born from memories. A certainty amidst figments.
"I would never lie about this." Her thumb stroked along the edge of his eye patch, her gaze resting firmly on his remaining eye. "Lyon, you mean the world to me, and I would rearrange the stars to write that out for every world to see if I could."
....What?
"I. I am without words..."
"W-Which I know is not entirely uncommon for me, however, I feel I should reply to this in some-"
Those gentle hands went about fixing his hair, combing it back with her fingers and neatening it into it's usual style while she listened to him.
"-in some cleaver fashion or at least in some manner that would be fitting for the situation and not-"
More patient waiting, this time with her reaching back down to hold his shaking hands.
"-and not give you the impression that is not requited when that very much is not the case-"
A single finger pressed the tip of his nose, making him pause for a moment. "Lyon?"
"Yes?"
"Would... Well, you'd probably call it 'courting', but in the future it's called something different. ...Father Lyon Allard, would you like to go out with me?" (pt 2 incoming)
Dark Refractory Video Feed
>>WARNING!! Corrupted Footage!!<<
[Static fuzzes across the screen, making it difficult to see the environment as a whole. Although, Operator Ari is clearly visible.]
[It's chaos. Gunshots ringing out across a barely familiar battleground. Screams echo back and forth, though it's hard to see the sources.]
<<"Hello?! Lotus?! Areia?! Encore!! Loid!!! Ven!!! Cass!!! Anyone!!!!">>
<<"Please, I don't know where I am!! Something's wrong!!">>
[The massive canon fires towards unseen foes, shaking the air and rocking the very...Earth?]
[No, this isn't Earth. No. This could only be Tau.]
[She darts into a trench, hiding beneath a roughly made bridge, wrapping her arms around herself for comfort.]
<<"How am I...?">>
<<"I was...brought here... To the school... I had a friend...">>
<<"I... I have to find him. Adis. Otherwise, he'll...!">>
<<"Wait...who's that...? Hello? Can you help me?">>
<<"Do I....know you...?">>
>>ERROR! ERROR! USER CONSCIOUSNESS DRIFTING BEYOND PERMISSABLE LIMITS! AUTOMATIC DISCONNECT ENGAGED!<<
>>WARNING! UNABLE TO DISCONNECT! USER DIVING BEYOND EMERGENCY EJECTION LIMITS!<<
[[WARNING: KANDEROS SYSTEM LOGS WARNS THAT THE FOLLOWING FILE IS CONSIDERED UNDER SECURITY LEVEL: LOTUS. IF NOT OF THIS SECURITY LEVEL, PLEASE DELETE THIS FILE.]]
[[CONTINUE VIEWING? Y/N?]]
[[SHOWING NOW]]
[[USER: VENAHN and USER: JACKSON walk into the Warframe labs. Venahn is carrying a limp WARFRAME: EXCALIBUR PRIME with WARFRAME: EXCALIBUR UMBRA following behind him. The two hounds are talking as they walk.]]
Jackson: “She going to be okay?”
Venahn: “I made sure she got what help I could give and told her Hex she needs to rest. Hopefully this’ll be an over and done with situation. With Ari? Stable, at least from what I was told.”
Jackson: “At least it’s something. I bloody hate this refractory business. We have like two dozen different reports of similar incidents since this began.”
Venahn: “How’s Jack?”
Jackson: “He’s…safe. We haven’t had any murmur breaches yet. The Operators are on guard duty like a Kubrow pack. So…you know.”
Venahn: “Yeah I get you.”
Jackson: “Aeria keeping Ven out of trouble?”
Venahn: “Yeah, barely. She caught him in the pool about to plug in.”
Jackson: “Damn. Close call.”
Venahn: “Very close. I owe her a debt.”
[[Umbra taps Venahn’s shoulder and points at himself.]]
Umbra: <<We owe her a debt.>>
Venahn: “Agreed. We do.”
[[The three of them cross the lab where three other drifters and their Warframes are currently idling around. WARFRAME: KULLERVO stands at the edge but lets out a chime as he walks over to greet the new comers. USER: MICHEAL and WARFRAME: WUKONG are fiddling with a blueprint laid across the table, clearly Micheal is talking to Wukong with the Warframe evidently listening. USER: REINER and WARFRAME: DANTE and doing similar though Reiner is holding a golden transference bolt similar to that of Umbra with Dante writing down the final notes on a nearby chalkboard. Then there is USER: LANIUS with his partner WARFRAME: ATLAS PRIME who are currently both leaned against one of the many desks around this space. Lanius turns to see Jackson and Venahn coming in. He stands and holds his hand out for Venahn. Both hands are clearly prosthetic.]]
Lanius: “Venahn!”
[[Venahn laughs, handing the limp Warframe to Umbra before grabbing Lanius’s outstretched hand and affectionately bumping his shoulder against Lanius’s.]]
Venahn: “Good to see you too! Fortuna don’t need their hero today?”
Lanius: “Not today, letting some of the new Tenno on the block try their hand at being hero. Tauron’s keeping an eye on them.”
Venahn: “Ah good to hear. Guess you’re here to see how this goes?”
Lanius: “Yep. I’m pulling security for your sorry ass today.”
[[Lanius lightly punches Venahn on the shoulder, more affectionate than trying to hurt. The two men laugh, Jackson joining in as well. Reiner turns to them, singular eye staring at them before rolling it with affectionate annoyance. His other eye hidden beneath an eyepatch.]]
Reiner: “Gentlemen. I presume we are not delaying this any longer?”
Venahn: “No brother.”
Lanius: “Nah boss, I wouldn’t cause you any trouble.”
[[Dante puts a hand to his mouth and makes a chuffing noise, clearly hiding his laughter as best as he can. Wukong throws his head back and a jingle of bells can be heard-his version of laughter. Micheal sees them all and stands up straight from his work.]]
Reiner: “Good. Now Venahn, Umbra, put him here.”
[[Reiner gestures to an open cell before walking into it and placing the Transference bolt into the “hand” of a currently floating drone. Venahn follows after him and helps Umbra to put the Excalibur Prime into the standard Warframe kneeling position. Reiner gently holds the back of the Warframe’s neck and lets something slip his sleeve and inject itself into the Warframe which briefly jerks but remains inert. Then all three back out and the blue screen of the containment field comes on.]]
[[Atlas pushes himself off of the table and to Wukong’s side. The Monkey King unable to stay still as he taps his leg repeatedly.]]
Atlas: <<Something’s up. I can feel it.>> ehsjfbsjsbrOH HOW RIGHT YOU ARE BREAKER OF MOUNTIANS
Wukong: <<Being paranoid again?>>
Atlas: <<After our tenno went nuts the first time, can you blame me?>>
[[Umbra claps his hands, catching the two Warframes attention.]]
Umbra: <<Come on, pay attention now.>>
Atlas: <<Yes old man.>>
Wukong: <<Going to take out the fun in everything sir?>>
Umbra: <<Only to keep your sorry ass alive young man.>>
[[There is the grinding stone laughter of Atlas as Wukong lightly punches his shoulder in slight annoyance. But they obey all the same and stand at attention. Umbra moves in front of Venahn and puts a hand on his shoulder.]]
Umbra: <<You okay?>>
Venahn: <<Worried about Cass. And Ven.>>
Umbra: <<She is strong. She will survive. And Ven is as independent as they come. He will survive whatever fate presses him with.>>
Venahn: <<Still. Worried. No one is doing well. Ari’s out, Aeria’s looking for her, Cal’s in the tank, Asu’s dealing with Inlaf, Inlaf has protoed themselves, Imp’s losing it, I haven’t been back in Hollvania and->>
Umbra: <<Son.>>
[[Venahn stops immediately and looks at Umbra. He is scared, worried and without his chosen Warframe partner. For a Hound Drifter it practically confirms a panic spiral. The Drifters’ frames act as both partner and therapist-for transference works both ways. DOESN’T HE LOOK LIKE ISSAH OLD WOLF?]]
Umbra: <<You are doing the best you can. And that is the most anyone could ever ask of you.>>
Venahn: <<It doesn’t make me feel better.>>
Umbra: <<It rarely does. Life is filled with ups and downs. But the sun always rises again.>>
[[Venahn’s eyes look down at that, evidently he doesn’t really believe Umbra’s words. Reiner and Dante are setting up a Moab drone for recording the whole thing where Jackson and Micheal are talking. Likely another project that is in the works.]]
Umbra: <<You are a good brother. Doing the best you can with the hand you are given. They know that, they accept that.>>
Venahn: <<Still feels like I’m not doing enough.>>
Umbra: <<You cannot be everywhere at once. You and your brother both have gone above the line of duty to help them. Now it’s time to let you do your own thing.>>
[[Venahn nods at that and gives the old man a small smile BEST KEEP THAT IMAGE IN MIND OLD DAX IT MIGHT BE YOUR LAST Reiner and Dante start with the little drone beeping to life.]]
Reiner: “Alright, this is test one of the newest Transference Bolts. The aim behind these bolts is to give some of the more inert Warframes a chance to regain whom they were before the infestation took their personhood away. Before us in an Excalibur Prime that belongs to Operator Ven that was…”
[[Reiner trails off, eyes going to Venahn who speaks up.]]
Venahn: “Gifted to him to use in the final months of the old war. A gift for his loyalty to the Orokin and Dax heritage.”
Reiner: “That. Thank you Venahn.”
[[Reiner taps something on his arm and the drone inside of the containment cell draws close to the knelt prime Warframe. Lanius and Atlas Prime seem to stand at the ready-as if concerned about something or simply being on watch.]]
Reiner: “Alright, inserting the Transference bolt on the count of 3. 3…”
[[Micheal turns to Wukong, talking to him quietly but it’s not audible to the cameras. The Warframe tilts his head and shrugs, whatever they’re talking about is between the two of them.]]
Reiner: “2…”
[[Jackson is obviously fidgeting with his HUD that is now held in two hands, Kullervo flips one of his knives across his fingers-similarly fidgeting. Venahn’s eyes remain on the inert Warframe, hand resting on his sword. Umbra keeps his hand on Venahn’s shoulder but steps a little in front of him.]]
Reiner: “1… and here we go.”
[[The drone inside the containment cell moves close and inserts the golden Transference bolt into the Warframe. The Warframe jerks, spasm then stills in the span of a couple seconds. Then it jerks forwards and drops forwards-catching itself before it falls fully.]]
Reiner: “There we go.”
Jackson: “Well I be damned.”
Micheal: “Everything is in working parameters right now.”
Lanius: “Fucking hell Reiner, it actually works.”
Venahn: “Congratulations brother. You performed a miracle.”
Kullvero: <<Why hello brother.>>
[[The Prime Excalibur lets out a groan of pain as it grips at its face-scratching and looking at unfamiliar hands. Trying to figure out what has happened to him. It growls but less out of aggressive rage and more out of panic and fear. It staggers to its feet, staring at shaking hands in an unfamiliar body. Kullvero steps forwards and starts with Dax sign.]]
Kullervo: <<Brother, you are going to be okay. But you need to calm down.>>
[[The Warframe’s head immediately jerks up to look at Kullvero. Then past him. It lets out a pained shriek not of confusion but of rage.]]
Reiner: “Oh fuck.”
Micheal: “Get the fucking taser ready-!”
[[Excalibur Prime roars again and uses 1ST ABILITY: SLASH DASH and instantly shatters the barrier in the charge. It knocks Kullervo off his feet and slams Wukong aside into the surprised Atlas Prime. It doesn’t bother fighting them. Instead the Prime Warframe makes a beeline right for the other Excalibur in the room. Umbra immediately pulls Venahn behind him and puts himself between him and the rampaging prime Warframe. Almost instantly Excalibur Prime is on top of him raising one hand up and 4TH ABILITY: EXALTED BLADE appears in its hand and swings directly into the side of Umbra’s head. It shatters part of his armoured head and exposes that infamous white milky eye.]]
[[Umbra recoils in pain at that and lets out 2ND ABILITY: RADIAL HOWL which sends the rogue Warframe stumbling backwards. Umbra quickly forces himself back into his two legs as the other Warframes catch themselves. Their Tenno have been sent scattering all over the lab, Venahn has been forced to the floor, Jackson slammed into a nearby table, Lanius has been dazed by the bright flash of light, Reiner has been thrown over his table and Micheal is currently partially crushed under Wukong. Umbra growls low as he summons his own 4TH ABILITY: EXALTED BLADE and immediately clashes with Excalibur Prime. The two dance for a brief moment, blades sparking with each contact. But the Excalibur Prime’s stance is pristine ISNT IT SO FAMILIAR DAX BLOOD and it’s sheer fury wins out. It slashes Umbra across the back of his right knee in four quick moves which forces even the mighty old wolf of Lua to one knee and raises its blade for a killing blow.]]
[[Umbra lets out a roar of rage and looks up at his assailant. His milky eye swims, searching where he can no longer truly see with his “real” eyes. He finds his target and reaches up to look it in its face-the stance so familiar it could be his own. He realises in the snap of a second and lets out a horrified mournful roar, calling out in a voice that will not speak WHAT IS IT LIKE TO HAVE YOUR VOICE STOLEN OLD WOLF? But something-or rather someone throws himself in front of Umbra just as the blow comes down.]]
[[There is a sickening noise of Exalted Blade cutting through both flesh and steel and then a ragged gurgling gasp of pain. The rampaging Warframe looks up and stills, almost horrified at what it has done. The Exalted Blade has slashed deep into Venahn’s neck, certainly past his wind pipe and deep into his spine. The only reason he has been fully decapitated yet is his hands practically holding the blade back, gripping around it desperately even as blood runs down its surface. Venahn staggers, shaking on two legs before he spits up blood and drops to the floor. ISN’T THIS FAMILIAR VENAHN? THIS TIME ITS YOU. The whole thing has happened in mere seconds.]]
[[Almost instantly, the Warframes respond. Wukong is the first to respond and leaps from where he was knocked down and connects a flying knee directly into Excalibur Prime’s face-causing it to stagger aside and let go of the blade. Staggering straight into the connecting punch of Atlas Prime. The Meteor Breaker hits the interloper with a sickening 1-2 combo as Lanius shadow boxes beside him, the two moving in perfect sync. Kullervo seems to appear 1ST ABILITY: WRATHFUL ADVANCE in the moment it take to blink and slams his great Garum into Excalibur Prime’s Chest. It lets out a discordant chime before immediately teleporting back beside a now clearly aggregated Dante who raises Noctua.]]
Dante: “BEGONE FROM MY HOUSE!”
[[The void cursed words sends the beast careening into the cage with a slam as it impacts the back wall. It tries to push itself back onto its feet but the fields quickly reactive as Micheal staggers away from the control panel, his leg bent at the wrong angle.]]
[[Umbra hasn’t seen any of this, now desperately clutching at Venahn’s bleeding throat THEROLEHASSWITCHED ONCESAVIOURNOWVICTIM and roaring out in panic. Crimson blood splutters out from between his fingers and Venahn’s eyes meet with Umbra’s milky one. Venahn clutches at Umbra’s hand as he weakly squeezes it, trying to reassure the old man. Jackson and Reiner are immediately at Venahn’s side ATLEASTYOUHAVEHELPLITTLEFAILURESHEDIDNT.]]
Jackson: “Fucking shit-Rein-!”
Reiner: “I know! I know! Get ready to reset him back a bit this isn’t going to be nice.”
Jackson: “I can’t reset something as bad as this!”
Reiner: “Then fucking TRY! Buy him some time! He’ll bleed out otherwise!”
Jackson: “Shit-shit shit. Lan get Oberon!”
[[Lanius immediately vaults over the tables and snatches Jackson’s fallen HUD and starts speaking down the line. Wukong has immediately leapt over to the two Tenno and untied his great ribbons to start binding Venahn’s injuries. Meanwhile Kullervo turns to the locked up Warframe who has sunk to its knees with its hands streaked in crimson. He looks more like executioner then sinner with Garum in one hand.]]
Kullvero: <<What have you done?>>
[[The Warframe looks up at Kullervo startled, tilting its head in horror even as its hands tremble. If Warframes could cry, this one would.]]
Excalibur Prime: <<How do you know Dax Battle Sign?>>
Kullervo: <<Taught. Taught by the same man you may have just killed.>>
[[Excalibur Prime buries his head into his hands. If Warframes could cry and weep as mortal men do, he’d probably be doing so now. But Warframes cannot cry so instead he shakes uncontrollably.]]
Excalibur Prime: <<I have killed my son. Oh Executors, I’ve murdered my own son!>> OH HOW THE CYCLE REPEATS ON AND ON INTO ETERNITY
Kullervo: <<What?>>
[[Kullervo looks like he’s about to start swinging. Atlas walks over, cracking his knuckles as the Excalibur Prime shakily signs-but it makes no sense. Dante is quickly behind them as well, closing his book.]]
Atlas: <<Spit it out!>>
Dante: <<Write it out.>>
[[Excalibur Prime shakily stands, even with a limp and scorch marks on his chest. He writes out a short phrase on the cracked back wall.]]
So far so good! Cass is doing better, everything's winding down... Soon we'll go back to our respective timelines. There's...some stuff going on.
I got a message from Loid, back in Sanctum Anatomica, about him and the Cavia unearthing a "reservoir", that Lotus and I can use to...*uncover* things. Been talking to a new Operator who went through it in their timeline, and... I'm scared. Genuinely.
But... I *need this*. We need this. Lotus...*Mom*, and I. We need to find out what happened. Before... In the gap I can't remember.
I can almost remember a -story told that took place ages past. Of a little bird who thought she had found a home to roost in, with someone she cared for so, so very deeply... For you see, the little bird fought long and hard, being pulled from place to place, ripped from places that she thought *could be* her home.-
-A place where she learned like a normal child...was taught...could explore, play, *be loved*... Have somewhere she could rest growing wings...-
-After all, was she not bound to fly for uncharted skies? What better place was there for a new beginning? To let her heart soar as high as she? To sing in harmony with someone else?-
-But that's not how the story went? Was it, kiddo? All that's left is for you to rap, tap, tap on the walls of your own mind...and *burn them down*.-
