nyc ♔ don't want your hand this time | i'll save myself

[savemyself]

♬ going under - evanescence

WHO || Rafael, Isabella, Kat, Gar, Mark, Buffy, Spike, Elena, Archer, Des, Keijen, Dumage, Nadia [closed]
WHAT || The Knights head to Keijen Blade's NYC club, after Isabella storms off into a trap alone
WHERE || New York City, NY
WHEN || Saturday, March 15th [back dated]
HOW || Actionspam

What has already been a long, eventful night promises to end with a bang. (Maybe a literal one, if Archer has anything to say about it). The Knights' 'night off' at Burt's club was crashed by not only an actual goddess, but also included a visit from Nadia, extending an invitation on Keijen Blade's behalf to come to his club across the city that night.

They smelled an obvious trap, but their debate over how smart it may or may not be to walk into was rendered moot when an emotionally distraught Isabella, having admitted her feelings to a bewildered Rafael to no avail, ran off to the club alone.

Knowing that Blade has a particular interest in Violet, everyone agreed it's for the best she keeps her distance, and she returned to Des' apartment with Finnick and Luthir while the others headed to the address Nadia provided.

Gar, Kat, Mark, and Elena are remaining in the car as back-up, while Rafael, Buffy, Spike, Des, and Archer will be heading inside.

Comments

[romanticidal]

[ yeah congrats des, you just

wandered off into a maze of mirrors all by your fucking self

because you and raf started in opposite directions and buffy decided to go with her kawaii not-boyfriend.

anyways, there's a shattering sound as bars come crashing up out of the floor, smashing through the mirrors as they extend all the way up to the ceilings. and... explode said mirrors. MAKE REFLEX SAVES. wow rafael only got a 15 that is so shitty for him, HE WAS NOT EXPECTING MIRROR EXPLOSIONS OK. i mean it's like a whole one damage, but w/e. GLASS RAINS DOWN. SO MUCH BAD LUCK. ]

[slay]

[ 23 reflex save. buffy dives out of the way more effectively than rafael. and she has evasion, so 0 damage presumably. she ducks, covering her head with her arms as the glass falls. ]

Des!

[ she didn't see where he went so she will now loudly panic for him. ]

[nothingsodivine]

[Des only managed a 12, so he's doing great, honestly. Especially considering he is now BARRED IN somewhere. Oh goody. He clambers back to his feet and tries to test the bars. (str 20 total)]

Buffy? Rafael?

[This is not turning out to be a good night for him.]

[savemyself]

[ ♬ controlling transmission - killer instinct

while des is trapped in one set of bars, the lights would flare up intensely red all around, allowing them to see each other fully. the floor covered in glass, they'd see a network of bars around them, effectively keeping buffy and rafael in one cage and des in another. on the far end of the duo's a figure is standing, who is at first not entirely recognizable because she's dressed completely differently. but when she raises her head, it'd be easy enough to identify isabella - in a skin-tight, half see-through black dress, with dark red lipstick and a sword in hand. the look in her eyes is frighteningly cold as she lifts the blade and points it right at them.

all around them, they hear echoing laughter, that seems more in their heads than anything. but it's most definitely blade's.

Now this is interesting, wouldn't you say? they hear him muse gleefully. I hope your friend doesn't have any pent up aggression to work out. ]

[slay]

Remember how I reserved that "I told you so"? I think I'll pass this time.

[ she immediately begins trying to pry the bars apart frantically, trying to free them in hopes they can at least move around while they're battling their friend (str 20 total). ]

[nothingsodivine]

[Oh.

Shit.

Des continues to pull at the bars a bit more frantically, but it might as well be the panicked gesture of a man who doesn't like the idea of being caged (str 6). He's managing to keep from completely panicking, however. (will save 28) In fact, that serenity allows him to get an idea. He whistles sharply in Isa's general direction.]

Hey! Isabella! Heeeere, princess. C'mon. You're gonna sprain something if you go all in on the first round. How 'bout a warm-up.

[savemyself]

[ isabella doesn't even LOOK at him twice. she's too busy glaring at buffael over there, as she begins advancing towards them. ] It is not you I'm interested in. [ in fact, with no further preamble than that, she's going to move to stab at buffy with nothing less than lethal intent. (atk 28, dmg 10) ]

[romanticidal]

[ rafael makes the rookie mistake of trying to grab isabella from behind with a grapple... and she whirls around with that sword so quickly that it takes him by surprise and manages to strike (atk 27, dmg 11). ] Bella!

[slay]

[ buffy tries to twist out of the way but isa still gets the stab in. still, buffy shakes it off with relative ease and tries to step in to knock the sword out of isabella's hand. her attempt to disarm fails, however, as isabella bats her back. ]

Are we sure this isn't something we could ... you know. Talk out?

[nothingsodivine]

[Des fires his gun at Isabella through the bars. Apparently, he is NOT FUCKING AROUND. (atk 28, dmg 9)]

Your funeral, princess.

[savemyself]

[ ♬ k.i. feeling - killer instinct

with a reflex save of 32, isabella's rapier flashes up - and deflects des' bullet.

let's all just take a moment. to appreciate that.

oh wait, we don't have one. she's back to trying to murder buffy. with a NAT 20, dmg 32. she swipes at her again, but the rapier comes dangerously close to her ear and misses (atk 22). ]

We have had enough talk.

[romanticidal]

[ rafael cuts des the biggest WE'LL DEAL WITH THAT LATER look ] Bella! You must get a hold of yourself! This is not you! [ he's gonna make one attempt to disarm her too, b/c omg he can't hurt isabella wtf. but she's on that shit with a 29 attk of oppt. for 7 dmg) ]

[slay]

[ buffy goes at bella when she stabs at rafael, unintentionally throwing a hit too wide and getting sliced for it (8 dmg). the next hit, an elbow to bella's face with the express intent of knocking her out, lands perfectly, however (nat 20, dmg 30). ] I tried nice. Nice didn't work. [ it's more for rafael's benefit than bella's, since buffy doesn't expect her to see reason. ] We're bringing her back unconscious.

[nothingsodivine]

[Yeah, Des's back to trying to yank the bars apart again, because Isa's A BITCH WHO DEFLECTS BULLETS and Rafael is being prissy about shooting her. (str 17)]

Well, she deflects bullets, so I'm out of ideas. [Grunt.]

[savemyself]

[ despite tifa's insistence that punching someone in the face helps break domination, isa's will save was especially shitty now, implying it JUST PISSED HER OFF MORE. and she gets a 27 attack (16 dmg), followed by a too-wild 16 to prove it. ]

[romanticidal]

[ desperate to do anything other than harm her, and horrified at watching her slicing up buffy, rafael shoves his way in between them, right in the way of isabella's sword, and lowers his guns. ] Isa, I am sorry to have hurt you, to have made you feel... whatever it is you are feeling. But this is not who you are. If you have ever cared for me, Bella, you will not do this. Fight with us. Stop those who would turn us against each other. [ full round diplomacy of 27... means that she hesitates, the murderous cold look in her eyes flickering into something else as her blade stills in front of him. ]

[slay]

[ okay well buffy has her wits about her enough not to scramble over rafael just to get a hit in on isabella (also because wow that woman can use a sword). even if she's not on team character growth and using feelings over violence with rafael. she's firmly in camp violence.

but he seems to have gotten her to slow down at least, so buffy will steadily lower her hands to her sides, warily looking on and trying to measure what will happen. ]

[narcosynthesis]

[ keijen walks in from above on another balcony that extends over this room, taking in all this with a slight smile. ] Now, why do you hesitate, my dear? Haven't they both hurt you enough? Wouldn't it feel right to put an end to it?

You could drive that sword through both of them. Put an end to this nightmare. Isn't that what you really want? [ his tone is seductively calm, strangely hypnotic, and isabella's resolve looks ready to waver for another second as he focuses his attention down on her. ]

[nothingsodivine]

[Hey, Keijen. How do you like being SHOT AT. Des lifts his gun and fires off a shot (nat 20 atk, dmg 18)]

Gettin' real tired of your lip, you pasty little bitch.

[savemyself]

[ isabella struggles internally against keijen's compulsion, the blade shaking as her hand trembles against the force of her conflict.

but finally, as if with great effort, she lowers it, and then her face crumples, tears half-springing to her eyes as she looks at them with horror. ] Rafael?

[slay]

Yeah. Good. You two tearfully reunite, and I'll, uh. [ she gulps, as if worried that drawing attention to herself will send isa back into the rage-thrall. she turns to start prying at the bars again. ] Work on this. [ str 29 ]

[bigbad]

[IN COMES SPIKE TO... probably lead Archer right to them oops whatever. The cage door opens as he comes closer and he skids to a halt right before entering, getting it to stay open (wis nat 20). He looks around and.... ok, Rafael and Buffy cage fighting Isabella. He really should have known better than to leave them alone. He looks over at Des.]

Want out?

[isisagent]

[Archer breaks through the crowd with a NAT 20 Strength check, and surges down the stairs after Spike.]

Hey! Isn't this a private club, anyway? Don't you have to be like, invited in? Or something?

I am not going to be happy if you jump out at me... Aha! Caught you Nosferatu! [Archer catches a glimpse of Spike, and dives into a headlong tackle. Bull Rush Strength check of 21. Take a swing at him Spike.]

[bigbad]

[Spike like barely moves he just puts his fist out and lets Archer run into it (atk 30 dmg 24). Which is definitely too close to attacking a human for his mysterious headaches to be particularly happy with him. After smashing his fist into Archer's face, he has to duck and cringe, letting out a shout and grabbing his head (dmg 6)]

[savemyself]

[ as buffy rips those fucking bars open, isabella stares past rafael, and then sees keijen up above. she shakes her head. ] His power... I have seen nothing like it. [ she brandishes her sword ] We must get out of here, before he sets us all on each other.