The Nuclear Base/Power Plant.

[Mistress Guendolen]

Elise raised the sword. "Yes," she said, voice strill carrying that strange echo. It was a bit stronger, now. "Because I, unlike you, allow myself to see and feel sorrow, and to pull strength from that. I do not sacrifice my humanity for a twisted-up ideal of a uniform world!"

[Chibi MitchellTF]

The Boss still waits for Elise to attack. "Perhaps Humanity is exactly what needs to be sacrificed...In return for something far greater."

Scientia looks at Xiao, seemingly resigned. "Great. I just needed to set this up outside, and it was back to the blimp...I miss W.O.W."


Meanwhile, Doctor Black Jack approached Rose, who was nearly asleep in the forest, trying her best to ignore the pain in her ribs. She was doing a pretty good job, until the Good Doctor tapped her lightly on the forehead. Rose opened her eyes. "What the heck is some scarface doing? Wait, you're that criminal doctor...the devil who serves Mammon, who keeps the rich alive in return for enough money to buy a small country."

Black Jack smirks at the 'small country' line. "You have no idea how true that is. And you're my client now. You hurt your ribs?"

Rose nodded. "Broken. Tetsuo gave me CPR. Bit hard..."

Black Jack smiled. "Good girl. She did it right. You have to break the ribs to get enough pressure to restart the heart. You wouldn't be here if she hadn't. Now, can you take off your clothes?"

Rose barked out a laugh, then grimaced at the pain. "I ain't that kinda girl. We just met?"

Black Jack's smirk faded. "I have to examine you. And I need my sense of touch."

Rose nodded, and moved her arms. As she did, she screamed in pain, and her arms dropped back. She looked at Black Jack, tears in her eyes. "No can do. It hurts too much..."

Black Jack pulled out a scapel, wordlessly. "May I cut you out?"

She nodded, and he brought his scapel down to her shirt.

[Mistress Guendolen]

"Something greater? Like what? A world full of catgirls? How is that better? It- it makes every the same!" For a moment, it seemed like the tip of the sword glowed faintly....

[Chibi MitchellTF]

The Boss saw the glow, and braced herself. "Only the same species. Individaul catgirls are as different as individual humans. But with one difference. If we unlock the full extent of empathy, then no one could ever hurt anyone. They would feel anyone else's pain. Only a MASOCHIST would even dare INSULT anybody." The Boss growled, and shifted as if to pounce. "We just need to create it."

[Mistress Guendolen]

"How dare you? How dare you talk about empathy when you're being so completely and utterly selfish! So yeah, someone hurt you. We all get hurt! No matter what species we are, there's always going to be people out there who do mean and hurtful things! And- and- with this, forcing this change on people against their wills, you- you're one of them!" And the glow got even stronger, taking on a pale, blue-white tinge....

[Chibi MitchellTF]

The Boss shakes her head. "You don't understand. If the Neko-Jin can reach TRUE, BIOLOGICAL empathy, mean and selfish things would be IMPOSSIBLE...because emotional pain would be transferred throughout the Neko-Jin. Neko can unlock that ability, I know it. But if she can't, Tetsuo can. And if Tetsuo can't, then Scientia can make someone who can. But if you won't understand, then HAVE AT YOU!"

The Boss rushes at Elise, hand raised for a powerful punch.

[Mistress Guendolen]

"It's you who doesn't understand!" Elise ducked, spinning out of the way of the punch, just barely. The sword swung, the point going for a split in the panels on the chestplate, and as Elise yelled, her anger ever-mouinting, she gasped as a brilliant blue flash burst from the tip.... What did I- how did I-

[Mitera Nikkou]

(OOC: I am hoping that it pauses here until I know if MoS responds to my presence, or if he heard my whispering, so I can timely decide when my character enters the "action." :O)

[Chibi MitchellTF]

(Very well, that's enough for tonight. If MoS doesn't respond in 24 hours...assume he didn't hear.)

[Chibi MitchellTF]

(Genno officially did not hear. You gonna interrupt the head-to-head, Nikkou?)

[Mitera Nikkou]

Tetsuo closed her eyes, fighting back the deluge of emotions upon the realization that Genno, as far as she could tell, had been killed. Whether if she lived in reality or her fantasy world, she thought of murder as wrong... That the Boss would be willing to kill for a goal that didn't call for the consent of the people only solidified her belief that she was not only wrong, but she was evil as well.

She stood up on her shaky legs and looked down at her hands, hands that had spent so many of their years clicking remotes controlls, wielding video game controllers, and flipping pages. She clenched them into fists, wondering how she could have the strength to do anything. And yet, despite her self-doubt, she knew that doing nothing would be worse than trying and failing.

"Scientia, Rose, Catnip, Teacher's Pet... Neko..." She indirectly called out to them in her thoughts, afraid of going into danger despite her conviction to fight against Boss. "Give me the strength to do this..."

[Chibi MitchellTF]

The Boss flies backwards from the sheer force, and hits into one of the machines on top. She grabs onto the edge as she falls back down, and swings like a monkey away, landing a good distance from Elise and Tetsuo. She clutches her chest, obviously hurt. "Good move. Need to use that warrenty Scientia promised. But this isn't Elektra, or Ghost Rider. One good shot won't take me down."


Tetsuo can feel them all. She can feel Rose, who finds breathing painful, yet knows it is a small price to pay, since otherwise she would not be able to breathe. The doctor's light touch brushes over her, as he feels for broken bones. She likes Tetsuo, and doesn't want her to perish. She won't serve the Boss against her friend. She sides with Tetsuo.

She can feel Teacher's Pet, sitting, awaiting someone to come for her, so hurt, so fragile. She isn't even sure if the ideal she served was right, and feels so much pain in what was once her arm. She is consumed with the beginnings of guilt, for the lives she had taken, far more than just one. But she knows Tetsuo has something bright within her, and sides with her.

She can feel Scientia, unsure and scared. She's wondering what to do, if she can escape from Xiao, and go away. Far away. She is the type who does what she is told, and has never had friends before. She's like Tetsuo, but without that spark of courage. She just wants to play World of Warcraft, eat cheetoes, and be on CNN when she dies in front of her computer. She doesn't choose a side.

Catnip is strange, enjoying the battle despite the stakes. She has strength, and the will to use it, but does not have restraint. She's willing to fight someone she called a friend, because there is no hatred when she fights. She knows Tetsuo is her friend, and would never let her die, but still chooses to fight. And she fights for The Boss.

As for Neko, it is Catnip who reveals where she is. Neko was last scene amidst the flames of an exploded Tank, as the two Nekos fought, and Catnip won. They played out roles from long before, and Neko was the one who was consumed by fire. Catnip was basking in her victory, but there was one thing wrong. Tetsuo could still since Neko.

And from the flames, stepped the figure of Neko. She was unscathed, despite now being a little...naked. The flames licked at her, but she did not burn. Well, okay, she discreetly patted out the beginnings of fire on her fur, but she still did not burn. As she walked up to Catnip, she smiled brightly. "Did you even WATCH Jojo's Bizarre Adventure? Mr. Mudamudamudada ends up losing, with but one word. ORA!"

Catnip falls to the ground, seeing stars. Neko looks towards the building, and walks towards it. She is with Tetsuo, now and forever.

And Tetsuo can feel the strength from all of them fill her. Even if they were unsure, they were her friends. They loved her, and that love filled her. It gave her strength, as they shared the burden of pain between each other. They were seperate, but connected. And she had the strength to win. If there was a way to beat the unstoppable armored warrior she now had to face.

[Mitera Nikkou]

Tetsuo had been overwhelmed by the feedback for a moment, who hadn't expected it at all. She could feel and sense a lot about her new family, some things good and others bad, but at its center was a bond between them that promised great things to those who put in the effort. This intimate contact, which seemed to transcend body and mind, helped to solidify her position and helped her to better understand what she had already known: they could all find the happiness they desired together without needing to drag others in with them against their will.

Emboldened, wanting a day to come where they could all be a happy family, and especially a day where she could return to Neko and bask in that new yet wonderful feeling that came with requited love, she took a position beside Elise.

"Sorry for the delay..." She told her, her voice tense and the eyes regarding the Boss weighed down by her furrowed brow.

[Mistress Guendolen]

Elise figured this wasn't a good time to mention that she hadn't been consciously trying to do that.... She'd just known she was so angry, something had welled up inside, and that blast had come out.... Despite her confusion, though, she wasn't going to let that anger die down, if this was what it brought out. I have to keep going. For- Genno's sake. Someone has to- I'm so sorry, I couldn't protect you, but I'll fight in your stead- She took a deep breath. "Good. Because I wasn't finished yet."

[Xiao]

Xiao looked surprised towards Elise and Tetsuo, This is odd, he thought, She just cast what I think was a spell... but by the look of things she didn't have any control of it... I have heard of accidental spells but not from a non-mage.