Raiders Renewed - MO - Rising from the Ashes

[Resonance]

Reson nodded as Metzli spoke. When she’d finished she added, “it helps a lot having support around you when you learn you have abilities. And someone to keep you in check so you don’t go off the rails, mad with power or fear. But then weird shit can happen too, like having a connection to a deity you know nothing about getting forced onto you. So…” she shrugged and sighed. “That I chalk up to typical Raiders Law at work.”


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[Kyt]

Robyn nodded. "Wasn't disparaging nothing. Just not the particular type of weird that I grew up with. Just imagining what it would be like to just...." She mimed moving some of the rubble in a dramatic fashion with a grin. "At least you all have each other to support you through it."

[Uberwulf X]

"Through thick and then, y'know." Metzli heaved a great sigh. "And chica let me tell you, there's been plenty enough of both.

[Resonance]

“Remind me to tell you about when Mei and I discovered our powers sometime,” Reson said as she continued to look over the rubble. She saw traces that made her sure there was at least one or two souls here, but nothing sound yet.

Meanwhile, Gimbal had been nose to the rubble as she moved cautiously ahead of the group. She paused, then turned around with a firm woof. Mommy shouldn’t go this way, there was a bad smell. It’s dangerous.


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[Kyt]

Robyn's gaze glanced over Metzli even as they continued to work through the rubble, though she didn't speak directly to her. "I'm honestly impressed with how much you all have done together. None of you were trained for this."

[Uberwulf X]

"No, we weren't." Metzli paused to watch Gimbal, preparing to use her shadow to move or keep something from moving. She didn't speak Gimbal, so waited for Reson's word on what to do while responding to Robyn.

"Well, we were training for a lot, but you can't exactly train for being thrown into different versions of reality, y'know? Our teachers did well to make sure we could all get along well enough to work out tough issues, they made sure we had all of the fundamentals firmly planted in our heads, and the time to practice and experiment." She cocked her head and let out a short whistle. "Good thing, too: we definitely came up against problems that were magical, and had to figure out how a barrier worked. Heck, the whole Ascension Engine by itself, that was one huge final quiz, y'know? Aidan had to know his powers well enough to come up with a solution for the ship falling, and we had to be careful about how we attacked Demandred, so he didn't copy an OP attack."

[Resonance]

Reson paused for a moment, looking at Gimbal, then nodded after a couple little wuffles from the dog. “I think there’s a gas leak that way. Metz, is there a safe path around?” As Metzli did her thing she added, “it helps that we all tend to work well together. We learned about our abilities alongside one another. And we know when the heat is on, we all have each other’s backs.” She looked at Robyn and Celeste, with a smile and nod, “that goes for the friends we make along the way, too. Don’t have to have powers, don’t have to have always been on the same side, don’t have to always be in the thick of it with us.” She left the rest of it unsaid before getting too sentimental and awkward, and turned to look back out for spirit signatures. Res wasn’t too often a sentimental person, maybe it was the gravity of her mission today that was triggering it. Regardless, she felt like they were going in the right direction.


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[Kyt]

Robyn's brow furrowed as she glanced at Metzli, then Reson, in between picking their way through. She seemed almost puzzled. "Yeah, but..." She stopped herself, letting out a soft sigh and shaking her head with a wry grin. "Nevermind. Just be proud of what you've done, and don't lose that."

[Uberwulf X]

"Gotcha." Metzli paused for a few seconds, reading the shadows for a path around the pipes, and nodding to herself in the process. Now that Gimbal pointed it out, she could clearly "see" where the pipe was broken. "Good dog, Gimbal. Here, follow me, I've got a new route. We're gonna wanna mark that area though for the other crews, y'know?"

Celeste turned her head to Resonance, but it wasn't until after Metzli began charting a new path and Robyn spoke that she did, her eyes already back on the path.

"The Dolls were given extensive training with their individual abilities and specialized skills as they were sorted into their respective Sharpened Tonuges, Eyes, or Hands ranks. However, we often worked in duos, teams which persist even now in our post-TRIumph state. While any of us had the ability to pair with another, I was usually with Porcelain Doll, Avatar with Matryoshka, and Steel Angel with Clockwerk. There is much to be said of a team's ability to train together over the years, both in the classroom and on the field. Even when the uniform changes, our understanding of ourselves and each other has persisted. It has long been theorized that such synergy from the Raiders in all incarnations, from Sonic Raiders to Underground to its current structure, is why the organization has been able to persist for so long, and remain such a dangerous foe for those in opposition. I do not speak lightly when I say that for as long as the children of the Old Guard have been monitored, you have inspired jealousy among your now-former enemies. Had we no admiration for your teamwork, I and mine would have accepted dying when TRIumph did. I cannot speak heavily on current individual motivations, especially with a case like Avatar and her current dealings with Ender, but it is clear that she works well with him. Though she has the ability to be anywhere connected to the internet, she has remained here, and is returning."

She paused a second in thought, before continuing. "I apologize, I seem to have spoken off-subject."

Metzli, who had actually forgotten what Celeste's voice sounded like, blinked.

[Resonance]

Res turned her head back to give Celeste an appreciative smile, then looked back to the task at hand and the rubble ahead. “I do think we had the advantage of all of our parents knowing each other, and so we all grew up together. But we’re also pretty good about working well with folks outside of our bubble. Most of the time, anyway.” She was going to continue the thought, but suddenly paused and frowned in thought, her ears twitching as if she was trying to focus on where a sound was coming from. Her voice became more serious in tone, “hmm… I think we’re getting close to someone.”

Gimbal was satisfied that they’d changed direction and caught up and went on ahead a few paces.


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[Kyt]

Robyn nodded towards Celeste. "That's what I meant. Extensive, planned training. Formations. Practice missions." She waved a hand. "Regardless, yeah, I'm not surprised even your enemies admire you. Damn impressive."

Her focus sharpened as Reson spoke. "Hear something? Or see?"

Orion still hovered near the group, surprisingly unobtrusive for such a large dog. Much like his owner.

[Uberwulf X]

Celeste fell back into her comfortable silence as she turned her head first to Robyn, then to Resonance. Having been trained in field aid, she was ready to give what assistance she could.

"I'm not getting too much movement, but I don't have the ability to detect heartbeats. I'll follow your lead," she said more to Gimbal than to Reson, even if the message was for the kidajin.

[Resonance]

“Mm…” Res paused a moment, “try looking for organic shapes amongst very rigid and straight shapes.” She left out that there wasn’t going to be a heartbeat. “I’m hearing something that sounds like someone mumbling.”


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[Kyt]

Robyn eyed Reson for a moment, nodding minutely as she caught what the other girl wasn't saying. She stood and waited, scanning the surface area while they waited for Metzli to hopefully narrow their search. The moment they had a spot, she'd start working to clear rubble.

[Uberwulf X]

Robyn and the others wouldn't have to wait long. Metzli's eyes were quickly scanning back and forth, as if she could physically see the shadows beneath the rubble. The moment she caught a bead on a body and a safe way to extract it, she hurried over and narrowed her focus. She started using the shadows to help her, lessening the strain on her muscles-- and most importantly, whoever was trapped underneath.

"I think this is it," she announced, not that it needed to be done at this point.

Celeste was just behind Metzli, assisting her in removing the rubble over who Metzli and Resonance were searching for. "To confirm, you only detect one presence, Resonance?"