|
|
Post by ShadesofGrey18 on Jun 3, 2012 17:51:55 GMT -5
Michael gave Shining Armor's shoulder a friendly pat. "...Yeah. You get used to it after a while."
Shining Armor seemed rather unnerved. "...I'm a little frightened..."
Marisa put Shining in a friendly headlock. "Bah, don't be! You and me are gonna be beeeest buddies, Shiner." She grinned widely as Michael sweatdropped.
|
|
|
|
Post by DM: Dersite Merchant on Jun 3, 2012 22:54:15 GMT -5
Spike could only give his big brother figure an awkward shrug as if to say, sorry but that's how it is. Took awhile, but he managed to get used to Marisa's personality eventually.
Meanwhile in the library, the young man at the desk had just finished filling out his application and handed it to the librarian. She pulled a blank card from her drawer, scanned it into the computer, and filled out the information in the database while the card's applicant stood patiently with his hand folded behind his back.
"There you go, Mr..." she said nonchalantly, sliding the new card his way while checking his name. "...Criminy. Just have to sign your name in the back."
Criminy nodded, responding politely, "Of course. Thank you, ma'am."
After signing his card and sliding it safely into his wallet, Criminy stepped onward and made a visual sweep of the rows and rows of bookshelves filling the library. It was certainly bigger in there than one might expect upon hearing the library was in a section of a mall. The boy looked almost beside himself and had the expression of a kid in a candy store.
"Gosh... Where do I start?" he wondered aloud in awe.
|
|
|
|
Post by gantzgun74 on Jun 27, 2012 18:26:54 GMT -5
As this went on, Twilight re-entered the library, guided by a force unknown to her. She looked around cautiously at all of the library goers, trying to pinpoint this odd feeling she had... "Where are you taking me?"
BOOOOOOOOM!!!!!!!!
-----------------------------------
Outside, Cynder jumped. "What the-?!? What was that???"
------------------------------------
Back inside the library, the smoke cleared after a long hard moment of silence. During the kaboom, the young man sitting at the reading desk had quickly gotten out of his chair and was in a defensive position. "Man..! Can I even go to the LIBRARY anymore and not worry about an attack?!"
No sooner that he said this then a sword jetted through the smoke cloud and directly at the young man. With a flash, an oddly shaped blade appeared in the man's hand and he quickly blocked the blade, parrying and pushing it back at given opportunities.
Twilight meanwhile was on the floor as all of this happened trying her best to stay away from the fighting, hooves over her head in the vain hope it would make her appear smaller. What was going on here?!? "FEEL THE VOID!!!" The answer she got made her regret that question.
At that moment, a SOMETHING, appeared, seemingly out of thin air, and grabbed the sword that had been fighting the young man. BAAAM!!!!!!! The man crashed into the wall behind him as the smoke cleared. When Twilight got a good look at the Library's attacker she felt absolute terror crawl up her spine. It was a man that towered over even the young warrior that had been fighting him earlier, every inch of him covered by an intimidating sky bkue and white armor... And his energy readings were of a terrible and frightful sort. It was as if it was there and horrible in one instance.... But in another?
It was like the armor was not truly there at all.
"HAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA...... So you are the current bearer of the grimiore are thee?" he let out a small scoff. "Humph... I had expected much more from you young man. I had expected your magic to rival even a warrior of light. I know of your reputation after all... Gantz van Drake."
The person he appeared to be talking to pushed himself to his feet, grinning. "Don'txha worry, Exdoof... I'm just getting started..."
|
|
|
|
Post by ShadesofGrey18 on Jun 28, 2012 11:04:29 GMT -5
At the explosion, Michael yelped from outside. "What the hell?!"
Then, upon listening inside, he heard the deep... and somewhat hammy voice... and his blood ran cold. "...N-No..." He ran towards the library, then inside. He saw the light blue armor and his heart nearly stopped. "...Shit. And here I thought Kefka was the only FF villain I'd run into... just my luck..."
He ran back outside. "Marisa, I need your help! The rest of you need to get the hell out of here."
Shining Armor replied back to Michael, "What's going on?!"
He responded, "Remember that guy who I said killed me a while back? Well, we've got another one just about as powerful as him... if a little more mentally sound... in there."
The unicorn stallion looked around, then said, with a panicky voice, "Where's Twily?!"
Michael swore again. "I think she's in the library..."
Marisa, face very serious, gripped her broomstick. "Shiner can come with us. The rest of you, get away from here. There's no telling what'll happen."
The two humans and the unicorn ran inside, Marisa with her Hakkero in her free hand, Michael with his danmaku pistols, and Shining in a lowered stance, searching for his sister.
|
|
|
|
Post by DM: Dersite Merchant on Jun 28, 2012 23:35:46 GMT -5
Spike shook his head in shock as he ran to keep up. Even a few weeks later, Kefla's attack on the home was still fresh in his mind. "You mean, this guy's just as bad as psycho clown?!?" he cried incredulously.
Criminy was knocked off his feet when that explosion rocked the floor. To is shock, a rather dangerous armored man suddenly appeared and attacked the other library patron. He thought the library was supposed to be a sanctuary of knowledge away from this kind of chaos! It was then that his eyes wandered far enough to land on the purple equine--female, it appeared--who he happened to glance outside the library earlier.
Cautiously approaching, Criminy motioned an offer to help the equine up, asking, "Are you OK, miss?" Mmm...yes. She was most definitely female.
|
|
|
|
Post by gantzgun74 on Jul 1, 2012 17:27:46 GMT -5
Twilight took Criminy's offer and crawled over to him; whatever got her further away from the fighting. "I'm okay, thank you-"
"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!"
The two turned to find Exdeath standing tall despite his new opposition. "Why not spare yourself the pain boy?" He held out his hand, void energy coursing through it. "All you need to do is give me that book and our business will be done." Exdeath's sword floated by his side as he finished with, "Refusal in doing so will result in me cutting you down to size."
Gantz looked at Exdeath with a n unequaled glare. Staring into that glare Twilight could see who that man was; a hardened warrior. Briefly his eyes traveled to the the book on the floor, sitting there as if it was some foreign arcane object of great power. Twilight saw the book too her eyes widening at the obscene amount of power she could feel in it. "Oh so THAT'S why your here are you?" He chuckled. "Now Exdoof, I thought we talked about this. The Gran Grimiore isn't for sale, and nothing you can do or say can convince me otherwise."
'The Gran Grimiore?'
There was a long hard moment as Twilight took in the book on the floor, her energy senses going crazy ever still.
So THAT'S what it was called...
"You either are a very brave or very stupid child... but very well..."
Exdeath's sword tensed.
"SUIT YOURSELF." the sword launched at Gantz. The man was fast to roll out of the way causing the sword to embed itself in the wall. Seeing his oppurtunity, Gantz charged forward and unleashed a powerful combo Exdeath which sent him backward. With a growl the monster separated from the wall and fired out a mini blackhole which proceeded to suck in anyone too close.
From the doorway, Cynder watched the insanity go down as the fight began. "By the Elders..."
|
|
|
|
Post by ShadesofGrey18 on Jul 1, 2012 21:18:28 GMT -5
Shining Armor frantically looked around for Twilight, not seeing her amidst the chaos in the library. He created a barrier around the mini-black hole as the two humans stepped up.
Michael shook his head. "...Shit. I can't decide whether it was worse fortune to run into Kefka... or you..." He sighed a bit, danmaku pistols in hand as he looked at Exdeath.
Marisa said, "I didn't think baby blue was in vogue, especially for armor. ...Cripes, you do not have the figure to pull that color off; Yuyu's the only one I can think of that really can." The tomboy laughed a bit, her Hakkero still in her hand.
Shining Armor's heart was racing as he looked at Exdeath; he could feel the power practically roiling off of the armor.
|
|
|
|
Post by DM: Dersite Merchant on Jul 5, 2012 0:44:40 GMT -5
Criminy braced himself as the black hole threatened to pull everyone in. Fortunately, the force of the black hole was blocked by a convenient force field. Now that he could properly hold his ground again, he stared in wonder between this so-called Gran Grimiore and the two men duking it out over it. "Gosh... That must be some book if they both want possession of it that badly..."
Spike, meanwhile, managed to sneak his way around the commotion while Exdeath was distracted. Slipping next to Twilight, he remarked quietly aside to her, "Uh, Twi, we should probably get outta here soon. This could get ugly..."
His appearance caught Criminy's attention, and the young man looked him over with interest. "Hmm... Are you a baby dragon?" he asked.
Seeing his interest in him, Spike grinned, putting a hand proudly to his chest and replying, "Why, yes I am."
"Fascinating..." Criminy knelt down so he was at eye-level with Spike. "I've read books about dragons, but I've never met one in person."
|
|
|
|
Post by gantzgun74 on Jul 15, 2012 12:46:47 GMT -5
There was a wide smile on Gantz's face as he took in his new battle partners. "Hey thanks for the help!"
Exdeath wasn't near as friendly, as he took in his new opposition with a glare that could likely kill a man if any worse. How dare they interfere? This was no business of theirs, and they had no right to interrupt in his grand work. With a scoff he took in each one. It mattered not to him who they were. They would pay dearly.
Still when had Exdeath ever turned down the opportunity for theatrics?
"Your prattle may be saved wench. What I choose as my physical form is no concern of yours." He said this with a fair amount of animosity. His eyes then wandered to Michael and Shining, a grin appearing under his armor. "Do you fear me, mortal? Equine? You reserve the right. Compared to the likes of me you are not but insignificant worms, trembling at the opening of the yawning abyss." The arrogance in his tone was unmistakable but Gantz knew he had the power to back up his claim. "But enough of this meaningless exchange. We have reached an impasse the likes of which words alone cannot cross."
"Awwww, and I was starting to like hearing you talk." The sarcasm in Gantz's voice was not lost on Exdeath.
The energy he had flashing around him spiked a bit as the armored goliath prepared for a fight. "Let us just see where that sassy tongue gets you in your future... A future in the deepest pits of the Void!!!"
After that, no more words was spared. The Master of the Void had none to give.
"Almagest!!!" At that moment a powerful sphere of void surrounded Exdeath and expanded a bit.
"BRACE YOURSELVES!!!" Gantz further illustrated this with a barrier surrounding him and his new friends.
Just in time for the sphere of void to explode outward with great force. The barrier didn't outlast the force of the attack, but did block the full brunt of it. Which obviously suited Gantz just fine. He tossed his sword at Exdeath, causing the tree to block simply... Imagine his surprise when Gantz was right on him, a new sword drawn and baring down on him with a downward swing. Exdeath was quick to block the new sword with his own, which dislodged from the wall in a hurry.
The collision seemed to awaken an odd energy that piqued the spectating Twilight's curiosity. "Using me again are you? I must say it has been a while." The female voice was lax as her blade easily grinded into Exdeath's. "Let me guess... The usual?"
"Yep. Moron with a side of self-righteousness."
"Oh comfort and Joy..."
There was a powerful grunt as Exdeath forced the man and sword back. His response to the appearance of the Soul Caliber was to fire off his sword, controlling it via telepathy. As he controlled the sword with one hand, his other motioned to Marissa, Michael and Shining. "GRAND CROSS!"
At that command, spheres of nothing appeared around the three, threatening to converge on them.
In the midst of this chaos, Twilight watched in wide eyes as it all happened, frozen om the spot. This new warrior had a talking sword... Exdeath's power was so odd yet so powerful. She was truly at a loss. "WATCH OUT!!!" She managed enough to shout out the warning however.
All the while Cynder watched on, eyes just as wide. The Gran Grimmoore remained on the floor, it's energy nonchanging and waiting for the first command given to it..........
|
|
|
|
Post by ShadesofGrey18 on Jul 15, 2012 13:42:20 GMT -5
As the orbs of Grand Cross flashed, the three found themselves changed in a way.
"GRRRRRRAAAAAAH!" Michael's face was crimson and he began rapidly firing his danmaku pistols at Exdeath, not caring what else he might have hit with his wild firing. The young man had been Berserked by the spell.
Marisa, on the other hand, was about to make a snarky comment to Exdeath but found she couldn't. As she mouthed various obscenities at Exdeath, shaking her fist, she tried to activate a Spellcard, though to no avail. Firing more danmaku at Exdeath, one would note that the witch had been Silenced. The grey tones in her hair and wrinkles would also note that she'd been Aged by Grand Cross.
Shining Armor was on his knees, coughing, a purple tinge in his face. The unicorn stallion felt really tired, feeling his strength sapping a bit. "M...Makarakarn..." He cast the spell, a magic-reflecting shield now protecting himself and the humans as he collapsed onto the ground; the stallion had been afflicted with poison. It was fortunate that none of them had been petrified or confused.
|
|
|
|
Post by DM: Dersite Merchant on Jul 16, 2012 14:49:02 GMT -5
"Shining!" cried Spike as the stallion collapsed. He stared in shock and concern from his unofficial big brother to the young flying man--"Michael...?"--who was now kinda nutso and to his witch friend--"Marisa...?"--who seemed to had been muted...and looked older. "Wh-What did he do to them???" he wondered incredulously.
Despite the chaos, Criminy let his mind wander to the many mythological stories he read during his hours spent in the library or in his little forest book fort. Many stories of brave knights, fierce dragons, powerful wizards... As he mused on the many legends, one little name suddenly stuck out in his mind... Gran Grimi... The realization hit him like a 10-ton weight. Of course!
"I've read a lot of fantasy and mythological books before, he said in an urgent but hushed tone, just loud enough for Twilight and Spike to hear. "There were a few times I've seen reference to a powerful tome called the Grand Grimoire that supposedly claims to date back to 1522. According to the legends, it's an extremely powerful book containing all kinds of black magic and summoning spells, and it was published in Cairo by a person known as Alibek the Egyptian..."
|
|
|
|
Post by gantzgun74 on Jul 19, 2012 20:59:54 GMT -5
The silence Twilight used to respond to Criminy was almost deafening. Her eyes were wide at the possibilities that lay there on the ground, cover to cover magic spells of an arcane sort. From Summons to black magic it was all there...
And Exdeath wanted to get his hands on it..... What for? What could he possibly want with that kind of power?
She didn't know. All she knew was something had to be done... And FAST. Shining, Michael, Marissa... Spike... Exdeath was not after them, he was after the book.....
Twilight suddenly broke away from Spike and Criming, running across the library floor with a look of fear and determination. Exdeath at first didn't seem to realize she was there, being too busy shielding himself from the two Danmaku stream barrage with a barrier while fighting Gantz telepathically with his sword. When Twilight's magic sparked fiercely, Exdeath's attention was quickly caught. "What?!"
Brave little Twiley managed to scoop up the book in her magical telepathy, her smile bright and wide. "Got it!!" A second later she felt the book getting nearly getting yanked out of her telepathic grip. "H-HEY-!!"
As it had turned out, in the time it had taken Twilight to grab the Gran Grimiore, Exdeath had plowed Gantz aside with his sword and, taking his focus off of the young warrior, turned to Twilight and quickly grabbed the book with an unfamiliar power. Twilight tried to pull the book back closer to her, but Exdeath's power never faltered so much as an inch. "Trying to sneak away with the book are you, little Equine?"
The grin hidden behind his helmet was almost relevant as he prepared another magic burst.
"Oh... SO UNWISE."
At that moment, Twilight felt herself being dragged behind the book as it hovered over to Exdeath's waiting, magic covered hand. Sensing her immediate future would be unpleasant and short, Twilight closed her eyes as she drew closer.
CHOMP!!!! "?!?!? GAGH!!!!"
Twilight quickly opened her eyes when she heard this and beheld her savior. "GRAAAGH!!!! SCALED LITTLE WRETCH!!!!" As it turned out, Cynder had quickly charged in and took a chomp out of Exdeath's arm.
It took only a few moments for the armored goliath to send the dragon flying off. However in growing annoyance, Exdeath grabbed Cynder mid flight and tossed her clean at Marrisa or Michael; it was hard to tell since the two danmaku streams merged into each other. Twilight quickly took the hint, and took off running, slipping the Gran Grimiore into her saddlebag.
Gantz meanwhile was quick to get back up. "Man... this dude just won't quit..."
"And this surprises you?"
"HEY!!!!"
Exdeath and the others turned to find Twilight at the door of the Library waving the Gran Grimiore out of her saddlebag real fast to show she had it. "It's... It's this you want!!! S-SO LEAVE MY FRIENDS ALONE AND COME GET ME!!!"
(Exdeath's response to come on my next turn.)
|
|
|
|
Post by ShadesofGrey18 on Jul 20, 2012 8:16:50 GMT -5
"T...Twiley! N-No!" Shining Armor had seen his little sister's actions; the stallion's heart iced over in fear. He had to do something, but he was too weak... the poison was overtaking him. The stallion's eye caught the book he'd been reading earlier which had been knocked down in the melee, turned to a page that read a spell called "Charmdi". He weakly glanced at it, seeing that it cured a condition called "Charm", then flipped the page, his eyes widening. He weakly enunciated the spell listed on the page. "...P...Posumudi..." A glow enveloped his body and he retched a bit, the poison being purged from his body. "Nngh..." He slowly stood up, getting his bearings.
Marisa and Cynder tumbled through the library, the aged witch giving a soundless yelp when the purple dragoness was flung into her; her head slammed into the wall, Marisa getting knocked clean out.
Michael gave another enraged yell, still Berzerked; he dispelled his danmaku pistols and drew his sword, charging at Exdeath. Granted, that wouldn't normally be the best of ideas, but the young boy was too enraged to care; he swung his sword wildly at the armored behemoth.
|
|
|
|
Post by DM: Dersite Merchant on Jul 20, 2012 8:48:59 GMT -5
Spike shook his head as the human boy described the tome. "Man, no wonder a creep like that wants it do bad, huh, Twi...?" By the time he looked in her direction for a response, she wasn't there. Spike looked all around in surprise and confusion. "...Twi...?"
Criminy watched the unicorn with curiosity and concern. He knew what her motivation was and agreed: it was best this Exdeath figure not get his hands on such a potent spell book. Still, he couldn't help but worry this wouldn't end well.
His worries seemed to have been pretty sound so far... Exdeath nearly managed to snatch the book from her if not for the timely intervention of an older dragon. And that dragon was quickly tossed aside without much effort. All Criminy saw afterward was Michael's beserked attack on the monstrous intruder...
...when Twilight's call resonated from outside the library.
Spike nearly jumped ten feet in the air. "Twilight, what are you doing???"
|
|
|
|
Post by gantzgun74 on Jul 20, 2012 10:13:26 GMT -5
Twilight appeared not to have heard Spike or her BBBFF's cries; there was no blaming her there. Her attention was too busy focusing on Exdeath to take them into consideration. What she was about to do would take careful movements, and carefully thought out spells to keep her ahead. Exdeath was a powerful opponent...
All she needed was to buy the group time to get back on their feet.
As for Exdeath, the grimace hidden behind his helmet was one of undefined rage. It wasn't so much that Twilight had the UPTMOST GALL to challenge him, but, considering everything that had been everything that had been happening, this CERTAINLY didn't help. He heard Michael's roar of rage, and was back in action in a milisecond, casting a barrier around himself to easily block the attack to such a point that the attack bounced off of it. His counter attack was just as merciless, using a powerful Vacuum slice move to cut open much of Michael's mid-section, and send him crashing into a wall not too far off.
Twilight looked on in apparent fear, but quickly regained face when the armored behemoth looked back over to her, stomping her way, energy blasting out of him in a readily apparent manner. "GIVE... ME... THE BOOK... YOU NAIVE WEAKLING."
She didn't know where the courage came from, but it came before she had a chance to put a filter on it. "Make me."
Oh what a wrong thing to say.
"GRAAAAAAGH!!!!" Enraged even more by the Unicorn's blunt and insufferable request, he quickly obliged her by charging a thunder spell and setting it off after her.
Twilight's response?
POOF!!!
To, quite suddenly, vanish from where she once stood as the Thundaga spell blasted past where she once stood. Exdeath's frustration was beginning to show even more, when he felt that the mare had not traveled that far. She was still within the building. "TELEPORTATION WILL DO LITTLE IN SAVING YOUR HIDE MISERABLE BEAST OF BURDEN!!" He withdrew his sword and crossed his arms. "Reverse.... POLARITY!!" And with that, Exdeath vanished with a loud poof of energy.
.................................................
After waiting a moment, Gantz quickly swooped into action, rushing towards Michael. "Okay, quick! While Twilight distracts the big lummox!"
There were likely glares (Or confused stares) going around as Gantz started charging a spell. "Don't worry, if I know her like I think I do, she should be fine for a few minutes. I happen to know Twi is a very clever pony." He smiled as he said this; Spike and Shining could note a giddiness in his voice as he finished his spell. "Curaga!"
The healing spell did it's work, mending Michael's wounds so completely it was as if he never had them. With that handled, he turned his attention to Marissa and Cynder, rushing over to them to give them a similar healing treatment. "Lucky for her, I happen to know healing magic. This should cut the time she needs to distract the clumsy oaf into 1/5ths!"
|
|
