Unfeeling Numbers

The conclusion of Thirteen's saga.

THIS HAPPENS NEAR THE END OF BOOK II, SOMETIME AFTER MONSTERS.

 (So sayeth the Arbiter)  19:17, January 17, 2012 (UTC)

=Part 1=

''My greatest success... turned out to be a failure, after all... Time and time again... he's broken free of my control... even the Seal of Tsukinode couldn't hold him completely...''

An imposing figure donning a labcoat sat in a metallic chair. A great number of wires protruded from his body, and surrounding his throne was a glowing circle surrounded by complex runes that crackled with energy. The man's eyes were closed, and had not opened for a great many years.

''I should have known this would have been the outcome... ever since the boy created his own name... I should have been more careful... I made a mistake. An error. I won't make it twice.''

The figure's eyes snapped open. He curled his fingers, then pulled himself out of the chair, walking across the room. The glowing circle on the floor followed his steps. He reached a small station where stood a canister of silver fluid and a syringe. Filling the syringe with the silver fluid, he inserted the needle into the back of his neck, flushing the liquid into his body. Stepping back, he sat once more in the metal throne.

''The body is a weak container... my soul and conscious will have a far greater container, soon enough...''

The man's eyes shut once more. He could have been sleeping, but nothing was farther from the truth.

''Thirteen... you are an anomaly in the equation. An anomaly that must be removed...''

An explosion shook the skyscraper as Thirteen confronted the masked figure on it's roof. His assignment for the Vagabond Alliance was going poorly and his target had almost escaped numerous times.

"Give it up!" Thirteen demanded.

The masked figure glared at him and continued to back away. Then suddenly he slammed his fist down on the building. With an enormous crack, the structure began to sway and crumble.

"The HELL?!" Thirteen cried out in shock, stumbling back. Calling forth a rune circle to his palm, he proceeded to slam his own hand onto the building. The rune circle spread out, crackling with energy, and suddenly, the building began to repair itself; glass, concrete, and metal reshaped itself into place and the skyscraper was whole once more.

"So... it is you." the masked figure said.

"What?" Thirteen asked, confused.

He was not given an answer however; the masked figure turned tail and leapt off of the building.

"WAIT!" Thirteen cried out, leaping after him.

The figure landed on the pavement below, cracking the street, before standing up unharmed and fleeing, barreling through several civilians. Thirteen landed gently with assistance from another rune circle, before taking off after the figure.

(ooc: EDIT BELOW: Vagabond Alliance members or other characters welcome.)