[Event] The Independence Gala

Oh dear, the room exploded into conflict quicker than he had hoped. A bit unfortunate, for Leo noticed some others attempting to either physically pry the doors open or messing with control panels with the same intent in mind, though it ultimately was in vain. Perhaps with more time they would have a chance at being successful, but for now there was nothing that could be done. Laelynn's words, however, while he didn't necessarily disagree with them it was the public disdain when the president herself was just out of earshot that he shook his head at, sighing. “Laelynn, respect your elders,” Leo scolded. “Argall was a national hero before she retired from active duty. Her fighting days have long passed.”

Before he could say any more, however, the alien dodged a punch Blitz had thrown, clearly magically enhanced. Leo and Eris both took a few steps back, in the event that he failed to stop his own momentum. While normally he would have struck the alien in his retreat, Leo paused as his words caught his attention, the trace of a grin found on his visage. "You two might have gotten along, in another context," Eris muttered, in which he laughed, throwing his head back for a moment.

"That's exactly what I was thinking. It's a shame, really." Khix'eks, a strange but not entirely unpleasant sound to Leo's ear, and likely far less abhorrent to them both than the rest of the audience attending the alien's performance, of sorts. And yet, he was intent on getting to Argall, eliminating those in his way in the process. Khix'eks's powers - whether they be the likely magic or something a little more esoteric in nature - were not limited to telekinesis, it seemed, as four of the guards in decent physiological shape were reanimated. While two still appeared to be rather normal, at least as ordinary as revived aliens could look, the two that charged Leo and Eris fangs were extended, and nails turned into claws. It was apparent they had no other weapons on them, and perhaps their transformation was due to that fact, though he didn't have the time to make a proper hypothesis.

He swung Dualist upward in a full arc as one of the undead came within range, swiftly placing his left hand on the handle and slashing again from the other side. While normally such an action would have removed any un- or even lightly armored foe from the battlefield, it quickly became apparent that the guard simply did not care about its newest mortal injuries, continuing to lunge forward with tooth and nail. Both were embedding firmly into Leo's exposed arm, it at least being his left one, ripping apart his suit with ease previously unfounded. His jaw set and face contorted for a brief moment, though no audible cry escaped his lips, it soon turning into annoyance more than anything. Attempting to both wrench his limb from the alien's grasp and get them away from him, Leo threw a roundhouse kick at the side of their abdomen, soon following up with a cut again with his sword, this time aimed at the guard's neck. At last it connected truly, cutting into the spine in a manner that would disable the guard in the event that they were still functioning based on their brain's whims, and indeed did they fall to the ground. Almost immediately after did Leo reach for his arm, tugging his sports jacket off at the same time with a deep exhale.

Yes, simultaneously Eris had her own, almost identical opponent to deal with, at first attempting to bind them with floral tendrils which for the most part did little. The guard in her case went low, latching onto the seam of one of her pant legs, in which she kicked the guard in the head with her other, recoiling from the pain of the bite and scratches. However, such was only a gut reaction, and soon did she drive Benediction into the base of the undead's skull, like Leo's adversary them collapsing on the spot. Her hand was soon wet with her own blood as she attempt to conceal its hue, cursing. Leo tore off the less ripped sleeve of his coat and handed it to her, yet before she accepted it a small bundle of blue flowers attached to a single stem formed between her fingers, and she flung it like a dart at Khix'eks.

Blitz leapt from the crowds nearby and launched himself through the air at the alien leader, intending to crash him into the wall, but the fellow, despite being busy monologuing, apparently hadn't let it disrupt his focus, as he jumped backward to avoid Blitz's fist - and more concerning, left Blitz's new-found allies in its path, instead. Blitz made a 'tsk' sound and opened his fist to press the palm against the ground, launching himself upward and over his comrades and doing a somersault in the air, landing on the stairs behind them, then turning to look at the alien leader. "If you wanna play the name-calling game, I can think of a few, but you're missing the point a bit," Blitz said, descending the stairs. "Every race in this galaxy, I'd wager, has done some things they aren't proud of, but you're quite literally in the middle of crashing a celebration on a holiday so you could bust into the host's house and attempt to murder her in her own abode. Seems to me you just jumped to the top of the list of people that need dealing with."

The alien leader, calling himself Khix'eks, gestured outward, and his fallen comrades - who had definitely not been breathing a minute ago - rose up, staggering to their feet. "First breaking and entering, then attempted murder, now necromancy? As far as first impressions go, not exactly doing great on your batting average, gotta admit." Blitz said, glancing at one of the reanimated guards that were running at him - faster than the one before, Blitz noted. Either this guy was speedier than the previous one, or bringing them back from beyond the veil gave them some kind of augmentation to their physical abilities. Possibly both. "Aside from the part about 'acting as one' seeming to include forced animation, I certainly hope there are more of your kind who go against your ideals, because an entire race with the same mindset as you sounds pretty damn unfortunate."

Blitz was prepared to slug it out with the new arrival (or old, depending on perspective), but spared enough of a glance to see that the alien leader had taken an extra measure in the form of gathering various weapons from the hall and launching them in a shrapnel-like stream at Blitz. Blitz blocked the first attack by the reanimated guard, closing his metal fist around the guard's arm before doing the same to his legs. "You're already dead, but apologies in advance for this." Blitz said with a grunt as he hefted the guard up as a meat-shield from the incoming rain of weaponry.

The ball of conglomerated metal slammed into the reanimated alien, piercing its flesh easily. The percussive force would be transferred almost entirely to Blitz, and so too would he have to be careful for the multitude of metal protrusions that stuck out of the again-dead corpse. Meanwhile, Khix'eks attempted to hijack control of the dart-like flower flung at him, but it did not change its course unlike objects before due to its magical property. Making contact with his leg, he blinked for a few moments, then spoke, starting to move his hands in another pattern.

"Attempted murder, oh no, that was never our intent although perhaps a few shots may have been discharged in the wrong direction," Khix'eks said, smiling at the president cordially, or at least as possible as it was for him to do so given his mandibles. "A little scare, yes, a proclamation, most certainly. But it is clear your president has nothing to say, and with that I will take my leave." And as his voice curled around his last word so too did the alien vanish in a flash of limelight, leaving only a curl of dust behind. So too did the last corpse he had controlled fall to the ground, it crumbling into nothingness unlike the others.

Soon after, those who had been fiddling with the lockdown protocol managed to release the steel doors' mechanisms, drawing them back up to their previous resting place. ISC officers and members of the Fioran Military rushed into the Citadel, a few knights quickly surrounding Argall although the president soon dismissed them with a shaking of her head. She gestured toward those who had confronted the alien threat instead, holding eye contact with each for a few moments. "Thank you. Further damage could have been dealt had you brave souls not been here to defend Fiore." Her voice held a pang of regret to it, almost shame at her previous inability to act.

A man wearing a decorated uniform tapped the president's shoulder. "And the Gala, madam?"

Argall sighed. "I suppose there will have to be a rain check. It seems there may be a disaster unfolding right under our noses."

Vanished, as suddenly as the initial attack had descended upon the gala. He knew better than to assume Khix'eks had simply ceased to exist, of course, given his previous abilities he had in all likelihood transported himself to somewhere in the vicinity, taking a ship and absconding amidst the chaos. A clever escape, likely already executed. However, some of the alien's comrades had simply been incapacitated rather than silenced, and with that would come their inevitable interrogation. Then again, perhaps they were better trained at resistance techniques than combat, otherwise Leo saw little reason for such weak operatives to have been chosen in the first place. They knew nothing even close to the full story, however, so such assumptions were a bit premature. The thought of an utter unknown, it was so terribly exhilarating that he was tempted for a moment to clutch the nearest survivor by the throat, slam them against a wall, and forcibly extract every last drop of information they possessed, yet the trap that had been previously sprung soon unwound, law enforcement flooding the area.

He blinked, the black blending into his gaze as his eyes reopened. Thick rivulets dripped down his arm, staining the linen that was not yet soiled in deep crimson and spilling onto the marble beneath him. It pooled there, tinged jet, and with a grimace was Dualist and his pistol replaced with a spool of gauze, in which he gripped one end between his teeth and wrapped it around the punctures in his flesh with his right hand, struggling little as if it were something he had done many times before. Indeed, he at last balanced it in his other palm, reaching toward his side before giving out an exasperated sigh. "Right, I forgot. They didn't even allow pocket knives," Leo complained, then attempting to rip the elastic fabric with his hands. Eris shook her head for a moment and brought her blade down upon the bandage, just barely missing one of his fingers as the threads separated. "Oh, well that works. Trade?"

She rolled her eyes, tossing him Benediction as he handed her the remaining gauze and she replaced the temporary solution of his coat sleeve with a more hygienic one. Both objects were soon sent away, just in time for the president to say her little spiel. Eris nodded, saying nothing else, while Leo shrugged. "It was quite the party, I must say," he stated plainly. Yes, he cared little for the rampant nationalism often displayed throughout the Federation nowadays, certainly it had been far less prominent when it was the Kingdom instead. Democracy was the better system, even he could agree with that as it allowed for more flexibility, yet it had a few undesired side effects that left a sour taste in his mouth. Most prominent, of course, was the idea of defending freedom, as if it truly existed within the doctrine in the first place.

"I do hope they manage to interrogate the remaining terrorists properly," Eris commented, loud enough that Argall or one of her executives was likely within earshot. "Unfortunately, I don't forsee them handing one over to the Intelligence Branch any time soon."

They moved toward the Citadel's exit, not wishing to draw any further prying eyes as several soldiers had indeed started to stare. "Yes, I would have loved to have a chat with our new alien neighbors. I suppose it'll be for another time," he replied, a genuine although perhaps misplaced smile crossing his visage.

She smirked, glancing up at him for a moment as their fingers intertwined. "Another time would be positively delightful."

Blitz held the meat-shield up as the hail of shrapnel came whistling down toward him. Never thought about it back when I had the old Shrapnel Storm technique, but it's a bit different seeing something faintly similar from the other side of things, he thought. He grunted slightly as the blades his his shield, but the force of the hit wasn't the problem - his shield was more blade resistant that blade proof. The weapons sticking into the meat-shield began to poke out of the back of the dead guardsman, Blitz making a 'tsk' sound and hurling the shield to the side - with the weapons embedded completely through the body, it should move them as well, he reasoned. Though just to be safe, after he hurled the porcupine cadaver against the stairs, he gave it a hearty slug with one giant metal fist, just for good measure - he was reasonably sure that barrage of weapons would ensure the reanimated guardsman wouldn't be a problem anymore, but he didn't want the weapons pursuing him further.

Turning back to the leader as he heard him start up his monologue again, Blitz leapt over the railing when he realized that the leader was about to bow out and make his escape. Blitz brought a giant metal fist crashing down onto the leader just as there was a brief flash of light from the leader's body. Blitz's fist crashed into the floor, cratering several tiles, and as Blitz suspected, when he opened his fist, there was no captured leader inside it, nor any messy remains on the floor under it. Blitz cursed under his breath. "Bastard got away....though I guess we know how we got inside now. The event was fairly open-invite, but checking for weapons would have let the guards close enough to spot some with transparent skin. Must have teleported through the walls."

The guards who were left - those that weren't either traitors or reanimated and crumbling into dust as the spells wore off, that is - managed to finally get the gates open, and surged into the center of the chamber, checking on the President, who assured them they were alright, before thanking the ones who had fought. "Thankfully, it seems your uninvited guest was more fascinated with intimidation and dramatics than inflicting actual harm." Blitz pointed out.

The gala itself was officially put on hold for a few days - no surprise there, Blitz thought - and people began moving. Time to make an exit of my own, Blitz thought. Been quite the welcome party back into the world, but I can't say it wasn't interesting, at least.

SPOILER: Click to show

{Actions}
Blocked the incoming shrapnel by waiting until it was embedded in the meat-shield, then hurled the shield to the side and gave it a hefty metal punch for good measure
Tried to get a hit on the leader before he left with an overhead swing, but the leader warped away just before it connected.
Pointed out that the leader was more interested in message-sending than blood-letting.
Left the party, mulling over his experiences.

"I... I... I do not belong here."

Wide eyes and a clearly overwhelmed look on her face, the young mage hadn't even begun walking up the stairs to the Gala. Kassandra had never been to anything more formal than a wedding in her life so to be capable of joining in on something as grandiose and extravagant as this was clearly far out of her league. There were a ridiculous amount of various races, colors, languages, and just about everything else all joining in on one location at once. She would pick up on a trace of Fiorean, then several indistinguishable others, followed by tidbits of Elvish here and there. She didn't know who she should talk to and if there were any big shots here that she should avoid, out of respect or fear. While she was still outdoors, making her way up the steps, she began to somehow feel an uprising feeling of claustrophia rise as more and more people were arriving.

Quickly making her way into the open doors, she would immediately take a right and find a quiet spot near one of the windows, but not before being awestruck by the interior design and decoration. All of it looked as if it was created with a passion and specifically for this event, paying attention to the smallest of details so as to not reveal any flaws. It was quite overbearing to be honest, but Kassandra would soon take her mind off of it as she looked out of the windows towards where she arrived.

"They just don't stop coming."

Ships were constantly coming inbound and going right back outbound, dropping off guests from various other states and locations throughout the galaxy. While she didn't stand out in any way whatsoever, she felt as if she had certainly failed to meet the status quo of the event. She sported a simple, but favorable, black dress that was splattered with stars along the hem of the bottom to the waist, matched with black dress pumps and her hair in a ponytail with black bow. For once, she went against her desire to throw on a black choker with a metallic star pendant for the sake of representing her planet well.

Averting her eyes from the window, she spotted a series of islands of food not more than a couple of meters away from her. All kinds of delicious delicacies were nearly overflowing from their plating, even with the constant guests coming over for thirds and fourths. The servers were incredibly sober about ensuring they were always full and were consistently breaking a jogging pace hauling food back and forth from the kitchen. Curiosity tugging, she went over to investigate and spotted a container of raw, chilled shrimp garnished with a variety of exotic spices and herbs. It wasn't long before she grabbed a small plastic plate with half a dozen of them, before walking back over to her unoccupied window, enjoying the view of both indoors and outdoors in peace.

...

That is until her tummy felt a rumbling, one that felt like tidal waves attacking an unprepared and lost fisherman's boat hundreds of miles off the nearest shore. Ughhh... She knew she wasn't going to last too much longer before the boat collapsed beneath the unrelenting waves and bolted towards the nearest bathroom, gently pushing guests out of her way while struggling to excuse herself audibly. Luckily, it wouldn't be long before she found her newfound sanctuary and barely made it to the remaining empty stall to release the shrimp back to some fresh water. She hadn't been in this position before, but she was eternally grateful that those hosting the Gala ensured cleanliness as the toilet was spotless upon using it. While it had merely just begun, Kassie knew she was in for a wild ride.

...

After dozens of minutes had passed on and plenty of women of many background had asked if she was going to survive moved on, Kassandra finally had felt the willpower to stand up. She had cleared out her stomach some time ago, but just did not feel the will to move. However, having heard all kinds of yelling, screams, and various other questionable noises. Quickly and quietly peeking outside the restroom door, she could see the semblance of waning chaos as people were lowering makeshift weapons and putting out small fires going on. Kassie had absolutely no idea what had happened in the short time span of her losing her stomach's contents, but it seemed like the Gala itself had just gone through as much hell as she did. Making her way over to a faucet, she began to rinse her face and tried to recover from her fatigue.

"I don't think I'm ever going to accept an invite to a place like this again..."