bravenewworld | Attack on Sanctuary

Attack on Sanctuary

It’s just after midnight when the column arrives outside of Sanctuary, shrouded in darkness under the pitch black of a new moon. Bordered by mountains to the north, the city has two primary gates to the West and the East, both of which are shut tight with massive oaken doors, centuries old and further secured with an antique portcullis. The city itself is surrounded by walls of stone, easily one-fourth the height of those found in Union and about twice the height of many of the homes, sturdy stone buildings with triangular roofs, about the same size as Calderan homes. Like Union, there are many towers within the city, but unlike Union, the towers are cold, aloof structures that stand alone with no connection to the other towers. The city itself is stone, cold, gray, and unfeeling, with small drops of light from streetlamps which line the streets, emitting an eerie blue-white glow. This is Sanctuary. Home of the Magi, conquered by Gigas for forty years. This is the city that must be reclaimed.

[OOC: If you did not choose to take the Pokeballs (you don’t have to have affirmed in an NPC thread, it’s entirely up to the character), they may have either 1 large Pokemon or 2 small Pokemon. A large Pokemon is classified as any Pokemon that is 4’ tall or long per the official Pokedex guidelines, anything smaller is considered a small Pokemon. Without the aid of Pokeballs the Pokemon will be required to be out and active throughout the log, and will not be able to be recalled or sent away if they are injured and must be carried if knocked out. As always, please limit yourself to 2 major actions in the log, and declare all Pokemon accompanying you in your first tag to a log. As always, to keep the logs moving, we will be responding every 24 hours.]

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"Tch, I've little patience for mewling brats. Very well. Say your piece."

This is mainly addressed at Ami, she more or less ignores Usagi and Rin, save for a roll of the eyes.

Valeria was quite possibly Pamela's least favourite person in the world as she knew it. She should have known Valeria would be the person they would be meeting with. She would have been able to warn her younger and more excitable travel companions of just what they were up against in advance.

Pamela looked quite different from her last encounter with Valeria, having gone through two evolutions. The facial features and red hair were still the same, but her colouring and even her build was different. She took a step forward. Of the Pokemon Pamela brought with her, only Poppy, her Froslass, was visible. Despite her distaste for the Pokeballs, she talked to her Pokemon and promised she wouldn't keep them in there for long. For now, it was best not to make too forceful of a show on a diplomatic mission. The remaining four Pokemon waiting on standby in the Pokeballs included Athyrium the Metagross, Thistle the Hydreigon, Lichen the Scolipede, and Hydrangea the Azumarill.

She took a step forward before speaking. "The fact is that the allied forces of Union, Caldera and Citadel are prepared to fight if necessary. Prepared, but we would still prefer to resolve things peacefully and avoid needless casualties on all sides. What we want is for the people of Sanctuary to be granted independence from Gigas."

Ami was ever more grateful to have Pamela with her and she glanced at the older woman but gave no sign of thanks. Now was not the time for such a thing. Now was the time to present a unified, collected, and controlled front.

"I have calculated the economical growth and output of Sanctuary, I have even calculated your own resources and economics. The loss of Sanctuary will cause a minor dent, at the worst. In truth, trying to maintain Sanctuary is a strain on your resources when you include guards, food, transportation, and many other factors. I can provide you the documents."

Ami pulled out the folder she had been working on for the trip. It was a thick folder that had the data of both Sanctuary and Gigas in her neat print.

Valeria's hand slams furiously down on the table, although not necessarily directed at the Union contingent.

"Damn it you don't think we realize that!? If it were up to me we'd leave these wretched blood mages and corpse raisers to their own dirty business! Do you have ANY idea what they've done to us? To our soldiers? To my husband!? No, there is no peaceful withdrawal. Gigas will abide here because Sanctuary's research is a blight on this world that must be controlled!"

Even if that wasn't directed towards her and the group, Rin couldn't help but to flinch a little at Valeria's outburst. Blood mages? Corpse raisers? That does sound terrifying, but she really doubts everyone from Sanctuary is like that unless proven otherwise. Personally, she thinks Sanctuary is full of scholarly magic-like folks and every city has it's bad guys, right?

She waits in silence a bit before speaking up, holding the ghost in her arms a little tighter.

"Hey! Miss? Can you tell us what Sanctuary has done to Gigas-nya? Did they attack you first or what? We honestly don't have any idea on your side of this mess."

She nods. Is she getting better at this, who knows, but talking is a start.

"And I bet a peaceful withdrawal is possible! We just gotta talk it out and that's why we are here!"

Blood mages? Corpse raisers? What was really going on here! Ami's eyes widened, for only a moment, but she reigned in her thoughts and panic. She proceeded to go over the new information and her laced fingers tightened. Those sitting closest to her would notice it got colder.

Ami watched carefully as she tried to take in Valeria's face, her actions. She glanced at the guards and the way they seemed to show no surprise themselves.

She tilted her head. Valeria must have lost her husband in all this. She was far too close to this emotionally, perhaps bent on anger and revenge.

"There is no need to yell, Valeria-san." She offered in her calm tone. "Please tell us about these blood mages and corpse raisers."

"Imagine if you will, little girls, the love of your life, after five short years of marriage vanishing into the wilderness after a scouting mission in this wretched city. Imagine him returning, not as a man but as a monster fettered by black sorcery. Imagine pulling the trigger and placing a bullet through his skull to free him from the monstrosity this city inflicted on him."

Valeria is snarling, her expression and tone fierce and impassioned and her eyes blazing with rage and fervor.

"This city isn't another ally for your little games, people of Union. It is a wicked city of forbidden research that has no qualms harnessing living humans and corpses to bend to their will. Have you any idea how many of our soldiers have been abducted and turned into monsters? If you ask me, we should eradicate this city to a man and cleanse the ground with salt and fire, but so long as the Gigas high command disagrees we stay here, losing more of our brave soldiers by the day. Unlike this city, we of Gigas are not monsters. Don't think you're any different, people of Union. Just human fuel for Sanctuary's magic research. Living vessels for their Homunculi project. If I were you, I would turn and leave this place. Gigas will find and eradicate the last of their facilities and we will put an end to this abomination once and for all."

The angry passion in Valeria's voice was a stark contrast to the cool contempt Pamela had come to typically associate with the Gigas representative. As she listened to Valeria's story, Pamela couldn't help but feel a pang of sympathy for the woman. She'd had to kill her own husband?

"I'm very sorry for your loss, Valeria. Both your personal loss, and the loss of soldiers' lives within Gigas."

That part came naturally - both because it was polite, and because it was horrific, no matter who it was happening to.

"Please tell us as much as you can about their forbidden research and Homunculi project. I'd like to arrange for a second meeting with you after we've reported to Union's council."

Minako had stayed quiet. Her place wasn't really great as a negotiator, and she'd really come along on this mission to help Usagi and Ami, and now the others who came along with them, Pamela and Rin.

But now, with these revelations, she couldn't help but wonder if they'd been tricked into this mission, if Union's good nature and dislike of Gigas had been used against them. She agreed that Gigas had questionable practices, but now they were finding out that so did Sanctuary. It was a hard pill to swallow, to say the least.

"What is it that they've been doing to people?"

"Mutation and control. A homunculus is a being created by magic. It's difficult, or so I understand, but having a catalyst... a live human..."

She shudders.

"Twisted but still recognizable. Powerful, as strong as one of your Enlightened, easily. Bodies transformed into living weapons. And wills bent to the whim of their creators."

She sighs and checks a small device in her pocket with a glowing screen.

"I see your forces are causing quite the stir in the streets, as I suspected. You want me to withdraw? Here are my terms. You will surrender all Homunculi to us so that they may be destroyed and their bodies returned to Gigas for a proper burial. Union will then take control of Sanctuary, and will put an end to Sanctuary's research. I will not tolerate leadership being handed back to Sanctuary or them to have their autonomy restored. If Union will not allow us to contain this darkness, then we will require Union do it in our stead."

Ami was a medic, to hear that someone was using corpses for something like that? She took a deep breath and her fingers clenched, she started to calm herself. Now was not the time to let her emotions get the best of her. She glanced at the other girls. How were they supposed to speak for the council regarding taking control of Sanctuary? This was not the intended plan and not something Ami could have accounted for.

Homunculi and blood magic...

"We agree to the terms of returning the Homunculi on the condition that you are escorted by Union members," she was going to ensure that Gigas didn't suddenly decide it would be a good idea to start using Sanctuary research. "The people of Union will select the escort and they will be returned safely and promptly after the burials. We also agree to ending the research, Union will not abide by their actions. As for taking control of Sanctuary, we cannot suddenly agree to such terms, this is something we must discuss with the council. We are willing to contact them and then return to this discussion. But as you yourself have noted, some of our forces are already causing a stir."

"We will contact the council and emphasize the importance of coming to a decision as soon as possible," promised Pamela. "But Ami is right. This is something that must be discussed with them first."

Everything Valeria said about a homunculus was deeply disturbing, so she was in total agreement about putting an end to that research. Even being a researcher herself, Pamela believed in having some ethics about it. Progress needed to be balanced with a sense of responsibility to other living beings and the environment they all lived in.

"May we come back in a few hours' time, Valeria?"

Valeria checks the device in her hands again.

"It appears we don't have a few hours. I have received a signal from the Omega Squadron that your forces have succeeded in breaking our own. I suppose we have no choice but to withdraw... and some of your own forces attacked the Homunculi. Interesting."

She stands and clears her throat.

"I expect the homunculi to be returned to us. Gigas refuses to leave soldiers behind, we make every effort to recover the bodies of our fallen. I will prepare a message for your council and deliver it through Team Evolution. You may have won this day, Union, but know that you have made a grave mistake."

Minako bit her lip.

"We'll do what we can," she said. "We're here as representatives, but decisions are made on a consensus, not just with a few of us. Please understand."

She didn't want to leave this with a sour feeling, but tensions were high, and satisfying all parties was going to be impossible.

"Yeah nya..."

There is just so much to take in that Rin has been silent and she held back a lot from saying anything that could tick Valeria off.

"We will figure it out like always."

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Attack on Sanctuary

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