merry merry christmas, and I want you to know

[mansionstaff]

Who: YOU
What: KISSLETOES
When: December 14th - January 1st
Where: Everywhere
Warnings: Sloppy makeouts.

SUDDENLY, AND WITHOUT WARNING...



The entire school has become covered in mistletoe overnight. It grows out of the walls! The ceilings! Everywhere you least expect it? HOW CAN THIS BE??

It's probably best not to think about it. Attempts to uproot the plants or burn them away only makes the plants grow back faster. For the time being, it seems the school must live with it.

[OOC INSTRUCTIONS:
+ Post dudes, get kisses!
+ Some (NOT ALL) plants are cursed. If you manage to step under a cursed plant, you will exchange a memory when or if you exchange a kiss. The memories will be first-person and very vivid, and characters will feel like they are experiencing the memory in real time, though in reality the transfer is instantaneous. Memories can be as short, long, happy, sad, or traumatic as you like.
+ If you'd like to participate, we highly suggest making a list of a few memories (with accompanying links/descriptions) that are up for grabs, and linking or posting the list in your top-level comment. Memory exchange is COMPLETELY OPTIONAL. When in doubt, OOC communication!
+ PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE TAG YOUR CHARACTERS
+ That's it, we love you.]

Comments

[iamtheeggman]

"Not YET anyway," Eggman grumbled at Zero, arms crossed. But he did raise a hand first to get the Egg Pawns to stand down. He wasn't here to pick a fight. Yet.

"It's not like I've made a big SECRET of my methods," he added. "And if I had my robotisizer online, then you'd REALLY get a taste of what I'm capable of. But thanks to YOU punks, that's not the case!"

"Now, unless you intend to do something about it, I'm LEAVING," he said.

[inspirethefire]

Of course he made no secret of it. This wasn't the sort of man to worry about things like decency or image. "Then you readily invite the retaliation that will come."

His gaze flickered to the Egg Prawns as they put their weapons away. He didn't want to end this here. Not another second should pass with those things functioning, but even with Zero here, he didn't have the advantage to figure out how. His fingernails dug into his palms.

"Make no mistake. I will free them. You can suppress lives, but not Life."

[awakeningwill]

So what, they were just going to let him go? That didn't sit right with Zero. That man's actions were tantamount to war crimes, and he had no intention of giving up on his monstrous plans for the world.

For a split second, Zero scanned the two robots at Eggman's side. Likely they were just lackeys, with limited combat specs - not much of a threat. Hajime had been intent on freeing the animals within, and he hadn't been wrong to do so, he'd simply lacked the strength. But if he thought that Zero wouldn't be able to take on such minor enemies, then he was severely underestimating the reploid.

Not just the two Egg Pawns, either. He could easily eliminate the doctor, here and now... end his reign permanently.

Judge, jury and executioner. Even if he didn't have the authority, he did have the strength. It made him feel powerful - but in all the wrong ways. For all his good intentions, being able to pass such decisive judgment on people made him uncomfortably similar to X's copy. The school had to be protected from Eggman, but not like this. Not right now.

Still, that didn't mean he was just going to let him walk away.

"I'm not done with you."

Zero cracked the knuckles in his left hand, revealing a faint glow between the seams. "I intend to protect the innocent. That includes protecting the creatures enslaved in your machines - from you."

His grip tightened on his sword hilt, tense with the anticipation of battle as he ordered, "Give up your Pawns. Now."

[iamtheeggman]

"EXCUSE ME?" Eggman demanded, crossing his arms and giving the two a death glare. "If that's a joke, I am NOT LAUGHING. YOU do not get to give ME orders, robot!"

[awakeningwill]

"Do I look like I'm joking?"

Nope, Zero was deadly serious. Eggman may have taken the reploid out once, but he had been close to death to begin with, and even then it took a small army to capture him. What was he going to do with just two?

[inspirethefire]

Hajime said nothing; he was no longer able to take precedence in this conversation. He'd certainly hoped Zero would help, but he hadn't dared assume. Now, as he'd been about to back down due to his inability to fight, an overwhelming wave of gratitude for the reploid came over Hajime.

He merely kept his eyes on the Pawns. Could they feel hope, in there?

1/2

[iamtheeggman]

Eggman was silent for a moment. He stared down the shorter robot and the obnoxious cheerleader, until finally relenting. "Fine. You win."

He snapped his fingers. The two Egg Pawns holstered their guns, stepping up to join Hajime and Zero...

2/2

[iamtheeggman]

The Egg Pawns both looked up at their would-be saviors.

...And then with both arms each, they shoved Zero and Hajime back. Right underneath a sprig of mistletoe.

[inspirethefire]

Oh, for--it was a petty, dirty trick, but hardly the worst. There was no time to lose on waffling. Hajime regained his balance, cursed, and gave Zero a quick kiss on the cheek--

"Is it in Japan?" No, it's very far away. "Is it in America?" No, it's not really anywhere. "Do you have to take a plane? Are you going on a plane by yourself?" Kind of. It's hard to explain. "Why do you get to go?"

He looks up from packing to his youngest brother, glowering at the suitcase. Taizo isn't told "no" too often. He sighs and resumes folding his shirts.

It's not somewhere you want to be. "Then why do YOU want it?" People are in a lot of trouble. They need someone to help them. "Is your whole big dumb team going too?" No. They're staying here, to help you. "They're stupid." They are not.

A pause, before Taizo flops onto the bed. He ignores him and keeps packing.

"When are you coming home?"

The question sounds different, not only from being mumbled into the sheets. Even in a whine, the words are weighed down. Twelve is a hard age.

He can come back when things are better, there.

[awakeningwill]

Of all the stupid, cheap moves...

"HALT. YOU ARE UNDER ARREST BY ORDER OF THE EGGMAN EMPIRE. DROP YOUR WEAPON AND SURRENDER."

Damn. A small patrol had found him. Some kind of mechaniloid, but not of Neo Arcadia's design. Likely no stronger than any of their grunts either, but Zero's body is already failing. Every passing second is a strain to stay functional despite the destroyed armour, shattered joints, burned circuitry. Reroute all remaining energy, squeeze as much power from his struggling processors as possible. Override emergency shut down. He could not fall here.

Not before he made it back. They... she was waiting for him.

Surrender not an option. Zero didn't recognize the name of this regime, but if it had such a force patrolling civilian streets, he had to assume they didn't employ peaceful arrest. A dozen hostiles.

No time to charge. Shoot, run. Mechanical precision, sharp like a blade despite his ruined body. Their bodies burst, cheap metal, shrapnel - from the core of each one, a bird escapes...?

Contemplate absurd logistics later. Survive. Focus only on the fight. Reinforcements pour in, surrounding Zero by land and air, everywhere. Shield Boomerang up and charging, but shots still pelted him from all around. Warnings flash in his head, almost too overwhelming to drown out anymore. Leg gives out completely. Throw the weapon before collapsing onto knees - like a buzzsaw, it cuts through a wide berth of enemies (more animals flee from their prisons), but they're still unending.

Systems critical. Warning. The mechaniloids throw themselves at Zero, pinning him down in a dogpile. The rest of his limbs are knocked offline, he feels the circuitry dislodge and die. Burning out, his systems power off.

Not like this. It couldn't end like this.

Zero had to hand it to Hajime, he really wasted no time freeing him from the mistletoe. It was thanks to that quick thinking and pragmatism that had him back on his feet in an instant.

He lunged forward with one clean slash of his sword and cut through both the Egg Pawn's legs with a single stroke. If they couldn't stand, then they couldn't escape. And no doubt Eggman would be all too willing to leave them behind if they were of no more use to him.

[iamtheeggman]

And where was Eggman in all this?

He had already taken off, leaving his minions behind to take their beating. He had plenty more where they came from.

[inspirethefire]

Eggman could run as far as he liked; he wasn't what mattered, right now. With the Pawns incapacitated and their captor out of the scene, he again started prying at the unyielding metal. Finaly, he could take the time to find the gap in their armor. Or... well, or he could be efficient about it.

"Zero... could you please...?"

Pragmatism beat out heroic metal bending attempts.

[awakeningwill]

Hajime didn't even need to ask. Without a word, Zero held out his hand. The metal plates of his palm shifted and opened up to reveal a shining Z-shaped chip inside.

With one quick strike, the reploid grabbed the Egg Pawn and utterly crushed the outer shell in his grip. It crumpled like tin foil in his hand, and he effortlessly peeled it off to reveal its vulnerable core - a small, shivering squirrel.

Tossing the scrap metal to the side, he did the same to the second Pawn. Hajime was probably better equipped to take care of these creatures once they were freed, though. The sum total of Zero's experience with animals amounted to killing robot versions of them.

[inspirethefire]

Animals had tricky spirits: nuance tended to be lost on them in favor of the base desires rooted in instinct. Hajime didn't have the most experience handling them, but with these two trembling creatures it was clear to see, they were in the state of cornered prey.

"Here, I've got you. It's all right now." He did his best to exude the will of not a predator as he reached in to scoop out the animals, one frightened squirrel and one terrified rabbit. He himself was shaking as well, from relief and adrenaline and anger. "He's not going to hurt you again. You're okay."

Huddling the creatures close for perhaps their first feeling of warmth in ages, Hajime was immediately bitten and contracted rabies turned to rush them outside, where food and fresh air and nature could welcome them back. For a second though, he paused.

"Zero." He looked back to the reploid. Without him there, Eggman would have walked away, with the two trembling beings still trapped instead of curled in Hajime's arms. Zero had just been doing his job, in looking after a student, hadn't he? That memory had played a part as well, too, probably. The fact remained, though, that Hajime couldn't have done it alone.

"I... if you could..." Hajime swallowed, his throat sore. "If you could make sure those things got fully dismantled, I'd really... really appreciate it."

[awakeningwill]

Zero watched him go, fully expecting Hajime to run outside without delay so these animals could be returned to their rightful homes. The fact that he had pause at all was a small surprise.

In the same way that Zero knew he wouldn't have to ask the cheerleader to take care of those animals, Hajime's request went without saying. They both had roles to play to ensure the well-being of others at the school, and regardless of what they thought of each other, Zero knew he could trust him to attend to those duties with the full limit of his abilities.

That he went from giving up because of his own helplessness to relying on the machine to aid him was, in a way, reassuring. By himself, there was very little Hajime could accomplish against a force like Eggman. But even if there was nothing his cheer powers could do for Zero, he would still lend his sword to help the student do what was right, of his own volition.

With a firm nod of understanding, the reploid simply said, "Leave it to me."