Karma Slave

Karma Slave
Date of Scene:	06 January 2013
Location:	Traverse Area - Bodhum - Train STation
Synopsis:	While the TDA goes after VitaTek, Umi reveals that the scientists are acting against their efforts. It's up to Will to defeat Cronus. He almost does.
Cast of Characters:	Will Sherman, Legion, Cronus
Tinyplot:	Time Is Ticking

---

Legion has posed:
It's starting to get dark. Soon, the Heartless may be about--but for the moment, it's a safe journey back to the TDA building. With luck, Will will be able to show up and help the later investigation provided that nothing happens to somehow disrupt Will's plans!

Something happens to disrupt Will's plans.

It comes in the form of a panicked-looking Umi, rushing away from the TDA building towards Will. "Will! Will! Willllllll!!!" She wails. "Will! There you aarrreeee I was looking for youuuuu!, The Network flails her arms up and down to get your attention!!"

She flails her arms up and down. "Something's happened...!" And then she bends over, panting for breath.

Will Sherman has posed:
Will is moving, he just had a talk with Brooklyn, and now he's been cute-sulted by Umi.

"What's wrong Umi? Did something go wrong with the investigation? Is everyone alright? Or did the Vitatek people get away? Will asks concerned for the well being of his subject." he says, giving her a grin, trying to lighten the situation and give her time to catch her breath.

"What's wrong, I'll do what I can to help."

Legion has posed:
Umi needs a few moments to catch her breath. She shakes her head sharply a few times, holds up a hand as if to say 'give me a moment' and then takes in a large lungful of air before straightening up again. "They changed the schedule--or maybe...they just lied to us all along. Emi's fight with Cronus... is starting any minute! She left for the train station... It--might already be too late." She frowns faintly. "...But maybe not!" She looks up sharply. "Everybody else is stopping the experiment...but if we don't stop that fight..."

Then six might become five once more.

Will Sherman has posed:
"...Right." Will says, and turns away from Legion. "Alright, here's what we do. You go tell Mercade and the rest of the TDA what is up, I'll go stop the fight. I think they are trying to throw a ploy to try and derail the TDA investigation.." Will grunts, "But the best person to deal with Cronus.." is himself. It's going to be dangerous, he might not win...

"Alright? You go tell them, tell them to stop Vitatek first, and come after me second. If they aren't stopped, then everything we been working for is for nothing." Will starts to break into a run, "DON'T FOLLOW ME THIS TIME!" he shouts, and runs right for the train station. Will doesn't even hesitate to abuse his luck, doing everything in his power to make his trip from here to there as fast as possible.

Legion has posed:
Will sends Umi off. Probably a good idea. Umi seems a bit hesitant to follow this order but eventually she nods a few times and says, "Okay." to Will. "...But be careful. He was trying something on you..." She bobs her head once, spins on her heel and runs off again. It might be a bit before she can even get to the TDA operation--it's pretty far from this location, but at least she'll be out of trouble. She's supposedly 'dead' after all--nothing SHOULD interrupt her progress.

Will runs. And he runs. And it seems Will interrupting again isn't anticipated for either as nothing tries to stop him. He can make it to the train station without much trouble. Strangely, the train station's tracks don't even seem to connect to anything--very bizarre, perhaps this used to belong to another world despite being dumped off in the Traverse Area? Hard to say.

Once he's inside...

It seems that the fight hasn't started yet. Emi of Legion is certainly present. She is resting a hand on the Akita dog statue, lowering her hand towards the plaque. She is looking up towards Cronus, who is sitting on top of a train.

"So they scheduled it earlier in an attempt to throw us off....THe Network asks for confirmation."
"Would you believe me if I said yeah? Hell if I know, I just go when they tell me to go." Cronus replies. "How's the one I hurt? I didn't feel 'er ... give ... just right, but I mean all that blood, she couldn't have made it right?" He shakes his head. "Maybe you really are getting tougher, that was a little bit dangerous, eheheh..."
"Can you answer me one thing before we go?, The Network inquires." Emi looks up, her expression as placcid as ever.
"Tch, getting nosy for a doll aren't ya?" He asks. "Shouldn't you be starting to run right now? Whatever, go ahead and ask."
"...Why do you desire more power...?" Emi asks. "Aren't you powerful enough?, The Network notes there are few who could defeat you--"

Cronus seems for a moment like he might actually respond, but then he notices Will dropping in. "Oi?" He asks. "What's this? I thought I told ya not to interfere. Man... what a useless bunch of scientists, can't even keep one guy from bargin' in..." He sighs, shaking his head faintly.

Will Sherman has posed:
"Funny." Will says as he walks in, catching his breath a little. He looks towards Cronus, eyeing him for a moment, trying to see if his fate had changed any sense they last met. However, he does speak to the wold be god, "Nobody is going anywhere. Emi, get out of here. Nobody gets to kill anyone tonight." Will states firmly. He walks, slowly, to interpose himself between Emi and Cronus.

"However, Cronus, I want to hear the answer to the question. Why? You are plenty strong enough, I can't think of many people stronger than you, considering your powers." he says, calmly.

"Anyway, haven't you figured it out? The doctors changed the schedule, to save their own hides...they'd figure that we'd all be here trying to stop you...while they save their own skins." Will evenly says, "But they keep forgetting about me, and just how coordinated we are. Why do you even work for those scumbags? They ain't worth your time, so why do you let them try and trick you with these promises? Do you think they'll stop with you? They'll try to make something even beyond you...and then send it after you."

Legion has posed:
Emi looks over to Will. She doesn't budge. "Will Sherman." She smiles faintly. "Our probationary period was that of two weeks. As of today, two weeks have passed." she shakes her head slowly. "I cannot leave nor can you order me to leave." MAN IF THIS HAPPENED YESTERDAY SHE'D STILL BE ON PROBATION. Then again, she seems to just be using that as an excuse. She doesn't want to leave. Why not? Can she just--ignore orders given to her? Maybe she can't, not from them.

Or maybe she's unwilling to let Will Sherman fight Cronus alone. Still, looking into her eyes--there's a kind of determination there. She has no intention of dying.

No--she intends to win.

Cronus drums his fingers against his cheek. "Mm....but it's only just you here." He says. "Wait...haha! You can't be serious! They wouldn't forget about you, they keep talking about wanting to disect you..." He frowns. "But how did you know about this fight?" He scratches at his cheek. "There's no way..." His fingers dig in deep in frustration. "They wouldn't just tell you about that... And neither would Legion, they're good dolls, yeah? No..."

He pauses, letting his hand drop. "That one...that one's still alive isn't she?! Yes! That's wonderful!!" He hops to his feet and laughs heartily. "Man--it's no fun if it's unintentional, you know? Makes me look like I don't know what the hell I'm doin'. But man..it's the surprises that make life exciting you know...? Well.." He grins widely. "I'll tell ya!"

"Power... power's not enough.." He shakes his head. "No that's not it, being strong isn't enough. Not even being the strongest is enough! I gotta be so strong that these damned strings of fate snap off of me! I'll be beholden to no one. I'll be my own man. I'll be free! You said yer were free last time eh? But you're not. Those bonds are just as tight around you as anybody else. Maybe even tighter. Not just a seal is it, man? Nah, it's not just that is it? Nah... your friends tie you up as much as the seal don't it? Can't even do what you want. But what's worse is when they die isn't it? When they suffer? Then those strings take the lovely shape of a noose, don't it?"

He glances towards Emi. "You should listen to him...Heh....he's definitely more powerful than you. If defeating you buffs my level, imagine if I beat this guy eh? Heh, I wonder how much stronger I'd get then!" He laughs like a crazy person for a few moments before he calms down suddenly. "Someone ... more powerful than me? Heh... you think I'd be upset by something as little as that? You think they can control me??? Now it's your turn..." He looks towards the doll. "Tell me something, why do you keep running up to me to die, huh? You're getting a chance to run and you don't even take it? Pfeh, if you wanted to you could've gotten 'way plenty of times. It's just cause you're dolls right, huh? Huh?"

Emi considers this question, cupping her chin for a few moments and then, carefully, answers it. "Perhaps... we are a bit prideful. We believe we can defeat you, so we wish to try." She smiles faintly. "Of course, we have no intention of killing you..."

"What??"

Emi looks up. "You're a victim of yourself, Cronus. We will save you...and then perhaps, one day, you can forgive me." She shakes her head. "...I doubt we were the first people you had to kill...but even so, we've helped you become this killer. It is my failing, more than anyone else in the Network's. I could have prepared them better. I could have instructed them to avoid the battle... but such what ifs are irrelevent." She narrows her eyes at Cronus. "What's important is... to keep our eyes and ears open, to listen, and to think for ourselves. How can I...how can we ever do that--if we let someone else fight our battles? While we hid away, safe, despite being just as culpable as you. 'Do not blame me just for being stronger than them', you said, and I agree. Fight me, Cronus..." She reaches into her pocket, withdrawing a coin into her hands. "We'll save you."

Cronus is stunned for a moment, and then angrily screams, "YOU <GOOSEHONK!>" And she dives off the train, falling for her, intending to tear her apart with his bare hands!

Will Sherman has posed:
Will runs forward as Cronus comes down at Emi. Will leaps, grabbing onto a sign directly above him using it to swing himself full force towards the powerful man, and litterally leap from one end of the train station to the other. This time, his foot leads the way, aiming to not just kick the man, but try and once more mess with his fate. The foot, like his hands, can tear through the strings, trying to weaken his own destiny, efore bouncing back and landing beside Emi.

"Alright, Emi. Then I'll have to fight with you." He says, giving her a grin, "There is something about my powers I haven't told you..." he says, looking towards Cronus.

"My powers, don't just come from what is inside me. By themselves, they are fairly impressive...but they grow when exposed to a different element. That is others. When I am in a group...big or small, my powers grow...I not only increase their chances of success...they add to my own." He pauses, moving into a fighting stance, the first stance he was taught by the grandfather of Han.

"You say it is a noose, bad times happen, Cronus, but it is during those moments that you really understand humanity...you understand friends. It is not just the good times, but the bad times as well. Without good, you can not have bad...without pain, joy loses meaning. You see them as a noose, but I see them as bonds I have formed, bonds that help me when I am at my lowest...that force me to keep on when I can't go anymore. It is not only that, but I know my friends will act on my behalf when I can not...and I will on theirs."

"You want to seperate yourself from attachment...but is it because you are too afraid of becoming attached? I am sorry you have lived a life like this, Cronus. But this path...it will only lead you to one end. That of a heartless. The heartless are the only thing without attachment. Even those seperated from faith have bonds, only the heartless are completely devoid of such things."

"If you don't believe me, then let me show you a power. The power of my friends, because they are my power, and I am theres!" he gives Emi a nod.

Legion has posed:
CRonus sees Will rushing towards him and he does something perhaps ab it surprising--he slows his own personal time down--and he flies through the air slowly, messing up Will's trajectory. OF course, this means that he doesn't get tagged-but Will also remains safe from any counterattack. Shortly after, normal speed returns and he drops down for Emi--

--who fires electricity down at the ground, pushing herself away with electromagnetic force, leaping back towards the other train, landing on its side feet first--the magnetic force fixing her there. "Nh..." She grunts, calling the coin to her--it travels an electrical arc back to her hand.

"Words, words, words!" Cronus shouts, punching the ground with enough force that it shatters beneath his hand. A flashy pointless show of power--it's like he's trying to scare Will.

"Your power comes from your friends?" He asks. "Where are they now? Tch..."

Will mentions the Heartless and indeed, deep in the corners, a darkness starts to stir. It's still subtle, but it won't be forever.

"Shuddup shuddup shudduuuuuppp!!" He yells. "YER TALKIN' LIKE A SHARD SEEKER!"

Oh snap it's on now.

Will Sherman has posed:
Will narrows his eyes. "The difference betwee my words and that of the Shard Seekers, is that I am willing to own up to my part of friendship, the good with the bad. They don't understand the bad, they only seem things in the light.." he narrows his eyes. Fists coming up as the two face each other down, his fists smash into the ground, but Will jumps through the attack, rolling through it while his luck field allows him to just narrowly avoid the blow, taking advantage in the small window of oppertunity.

He gets, or tries to get, into Cronus' face. His fists swing, aiming to strike repeatedly into the chest of the power house. The strikes aim to tear strings, to try and hinder the fate of the time manpulator...

But Umi told him something. He uses time to mess with his strings, to make him slicker. Will does not aim his strikes...he simply allows his luck to guide him. Each strike seemingly blind, but would start homing in on where they /need/ to be. This will, hopefully, give Emi the time she needs to set up another shot.

Legion has posed:
it seems the two still have a hard time actually connecting but in a fight like this, getting a good hit in could be the end of it. Cronus slides backwards. Fists lash out at his chest but as before that slowing field just seems to make Will's strikes slow enough that he can evade them. He's not as good as a fighter in terms of skill as Will but his power helps make up for that. The strings, however--Will's fist lashes into one and, as before, it's slippery even slippier htan before, Cronus has been getting better as well--but Will's blind strikes manages to rip into one a bit--the string seems like it's ripping across his fist, a burn rippling where he was hit the string--but Cronus fairs worse off. He is flung back, crashing along the ground. He starts to get up--

--when a 'railgun' shot slams into him from Emi's position, sending him crashing back through one of the train's walls--and out the other. He hits the ground roughly.

"What the hell...was that????"

"Something I had saved for you." Emi says. "We apologize for keeping it a secret, The Network is not very sincere about that."

"Tch..." Cronus says. "I'll ... grab Youuuuuuuuuuuuuuuur strings!!!"

He swings back his fist and slams it into the train he just flew through, intending to send it spinning through the air and landing--dangerously--towards Will Sherman's position!

Will Sherman has posed:
Will sweats as the two collide....the fight was intense, time once more colliding against fate. Time was slippery, but fate was persistant...both were always there...one could not exist without the other, but when they fought...things happened. Will's skill, honed over hundreds of years, helps him to counter the overwhelming power that was Cronus. Will's powers, while formindable, were best used in a situation like this...with another ready to take advantage of his opening.

However, the burn causes him to yelp in surprise, and fall backwards...what the hell? That was...new.

Will narrowed his eyes, trying to see what happened...what WAS that? Whatever it was, it was the first time it had ever happened...the fact that he could even do that was both terrifying and exciting... he was impressed with his resourcefulness. However, with his lucky blow, and Legion's shot, which seems to have taken the wind out his his sails, it looks like fate has turned in their favor. Will, however, does not say that it has...that is the best way for fate to twist back on itself. It was fickle, even he could never fully control it.

"Fate is a river Cronus." he says, as he starts moving forward. "A single river that all thing flow and feed from. The fate of one may never see the fate of another, BUT fates can interlock and affect others...and vise versa. However, fate isn't a set destiny...nothing is set in stone, one can always change their destiny...one only needs to wish, to be determined...and be willing to get help." he looks towards Emi, with a grin.

Oh and Cronus is angry...

Will closes his eyes...then he opens them once more. He extends his sight...strings everywhere....thousands of possibilities...he knows Legion will move...but he still does this. Reaching to grab her string, and then his own...power courses through them, solidifying their destinies...and the choices laid before them become simpler. Will walks forward, towards the rolling train...

And it seems to roll over him...

Until it continues on behind him, Will simply stood right in the hole that Cronus made going into it. Will dives forward, once more trying to get into Cronus' grill, letting himself become the leaf in the wind, allowing himself to punch where he was needed to punch...relying completely on instict.

"Do you not see it, Cronus. Their fate was to die, by your hands. And here they are, alive, fighting to /save/ you. This is their will. They are living, breathing, people...And they are changing their fate, without destroying themselves."

Legion has posed:
Cronus grins. "..Did you think I just stood still waiting for ya? Change it faster, faster, faster--even if you tear it apart through teeth--heh, well, move any string fast enough and it'll cause burns. That doll is kinda annoying... but she's a little more fun than the ones so far. Did ya do it with that one you liked? Bet even a doll's gotta get a bit warm when they've gotta savior. I dunno." He is trying to piss Will off. Make him sloppier.

The fact that Cronus can tighten and refine strategies as well as he does--this is probably the true danger from him. Time manipulation is one thing, but his method of adaptation is quick. No wonder they thought he could grow stronger through repeated battles.

Emi remains cautious. She was able to strike Cronus, only Umi has managed that before and he was a lot more distracted then. Even if she fell here, she'd be happy, knowing that she was able to improve. But she has no intention of giving up either.

"Thank you, Will." She murmurs.

"Tch--what they do is immaterial, they're all still dead aren't they?" Cronus asks. "I felt them crumble beneath my hands. Call me a monster if you want...But how can weak little dolls like that change MY fate? IF I COULDN'T?" He swings his fist back--

--but it's sloppy Will clobbers him in the face again. Cronus stumbles back. "Naahhh...??" His eyes widen as he flails his arms back. Electricity from Emi crashes down on his position but he is able to hop out of the way in time.

"Nhh..." He says, lashing out at the thread ... between HIM and Will, twisting it--

--and all of a sudden he's in front of Will, face slamming in for his forehead in a vicious headbutt! His aura shreds like a knife around him. "Lets see if I can't fish you outta that river...!"

Will Sherman has posed:
Will doesn't look too offended by the foul mouth Cronus. He narrows his eyes, which seems to be the only indication of anything...but he could also be looking at something else...there are lots to see. "Hundreds of years old, did you think Haven't already been married? Sorry, to disappoint, but I am still faithful." Marriage didn't stop because she was dead...perhaps one day he'd be there to see her...but until then...

"Your welcome, Emi." he responds back to her.

"You can keep saying that, but you know it's not true. In your heart, you just try and deny it, to try and power through what you want to do. In the end, you're no better than those scientists. You're just like them, you say you want to break your fate...but in the end you subject yourself to the fate of others. You want others to do all the work for you. To change ones fate, you need a strong will, and unfailing determination. These 'dolls' as you call them, show more of that than you ever will."

Then he grabs the thread between them. Will blinks...

But something odd happens. Will's fate, as Cronus' soon realizes...does not bend. No matter how much force he puts into it...refuses to bend or twist, it is unyeilding...but he can pull himself into range.

Will doesn't move, as the headbutt comes, he instead slams his own head forward. Aiming to smash his head into Cronus, but the knife like aura cuts and shreds, causing his clothing to become ripped, blood to flow down his body...

But he's now in close.

His hands were glowing red. Will sends them up, aiming to drive both of them up into Cronus, as his aura continued to cut. Aiming to hit him hard...so hard, to wither every string at once. He can feel it, litterally, the power to completely sever someone, even briefly, from the world. It is a pain, a excruciating pain of almost being completely errased...no fate is safe from the power that is used like this, before the force pushes Will back out of the field, falling back..and he looks pretty hurt.

But he has a feeling Cronus would come out of that worse, and sets up Emi for another blow.

"NOW EMI!"

Legion has posed:
"Seriously?" Cronus says, eyes wide. "Geeze."

Hey he may be a psycho killer but it's not like he actually expected Will to be married.

The headbutt collides against Will, and for a moment Cronus cackles, this is his ideal range. He reaches forward but Will is faster. Both his hands slam into Cronus's body. Cronus's strings shriek in agony as they're shredded, nearly to the point of breaking. At this close range even slippery as they may be, Will can get a good grip and tear, and tear, and tear.

He is flung far away from Will and slams into the tracks, bouncing up once before collapsing to the ground again--on his back. He starts to get up again.

"Not yet!!" She shouts, firing another projectile for Cronus--slamming him into the Hachiko statue which, mysteriously,takes no damage from being hit by Cronus at high speeds like that.

He slides down it, a streek of blood remaining on the statue before--

--The Heartless, Cronus thinks, they're here. They're here... they're after...him? No. No that can't be right. Why is he sinking down like this? Why did he want to break free of fate anywyay? What's going on?

"nah....." He manages, shaking his head quickly. "Not...giving in...yes.... this has gotten dangerous, eheh... you've gotten...you've gotten closer than anyone else... but... I'm gonna... finish this fight... haha...HAha...HAHahahAHahahaHahAHa!!"

His eyes widen with desperation as he swings both his hands forward, the remains of his strings solidifying as he attempts to surround Will with the strings of time. He can't change Will's destiny, perhaps not--

--however it becomes readily apparent what he IS trying to do. Use that lack of flexibility against Will.

"I'll trap you in time!! STOP!!!!" This is what he had been trying to do before--

--the strings are invisible to any but Will, but his very own bonds are being used against him. Trying to move out of the timelock--his own bonds will resist the attempts, refusing to be broken, or shaken, or stirred.

Will Sherman has posed:
Will sighs...

He was brought down, and with the heartless near...

He is sure that would have finished the fight, as injured as he was, he hoped that Cronus was going to accept defeat. That laugh though, Will shifted back to his stance, and stared back at Cronus, he starts talking. Chatting at him as he looks so close to death, and Will actually sighs, "Give it up, Cronus. The heartless are here, our fight is over, and you need to get o-"

Damn it!

Will oves to try and get back, but it was too late. Will is infact static, the stop happens to be extremely effecitve, as the field envelops him, freezing him in time...what might be a brief moment, but will be an eternity to the one trapped in the field.

Will is stuck in time, even though time seems to be forever for him, he concentraits...he has to break this...

The timestop reveals...something.

Faint strands of strings, start to materialize...

Legion has posed:
Cronus pants faintly. At first, he seems surprised it even worked!

He looks at Will. He approaches him and snaps his fingers once as if to make sure. "Aheh... heheh... oh man, it's really true!! Fight someone strong and you become more powerful! Hahahaha, waste of time going after those girls," wait...girls? Well, he doesn't seem to realize he changed words. "Well Will... I don't know if I can kill ya, but I can sure mess you up!"

He reaches forward and at that point--

Another coin is launched at Cronus at high speeds. He deflects this one, however, sending it crashing into the train, blowing another hole into it. "Ehh?? You're still here? How many times I gotta tell ya to run? If you wanna die that badly... FINE!!!" He throws himself after Emi.

Emi looks once at Will and says, "...Thank you. Please take care of Umi. This node will delay him long enough."

And then she leaps away herself. Cronus is still beaten, she could last longer than normal...

...hopefully the others will be here soon. The true power behind those bonds...