Expanding Borders (All Dragons)

[David B.]

Each Dragon "Leader" would be sought out by a Foot soldier, and summoned to the Airport, the Stronghold nearest the ocean.

Once they arrived, David would be waiting for them on the runway, facing west, hands behind his back. Hey was in full Dragon garb, over his regular clothing, only his back jacket and sword on the outside of his uniform, as well as his items. Anna and Youichi stood next to him, facing the gate. The time was six at night, the sun barely making it's way across the horizon, moving toward sunset, yet a few hours of daylight still remained.

[Kazuya Hikari]

Stepping out onto the airport runway, his Dragon insignia on the top of the right sleeve of his shirt, his armor, the right half of his Sky Force jacket hanging off to expose his shirt sleeve, and katana on his back, Kazuya would make his way over to where The Storm Dragon and two of his subordinates stood, his boots making dull thumps against the pavement with each step he took.

All his items equipped, including his scouter, worn on the left side of his head, he had easily formed the body outline of all three that were present before he had arrived in his mind, using his near constantly activated Qi. After receiving the message from the foot soldier at his base of operations, The Dragon Fang, dismissing the young man once the message was given, Kazuya placed Hiroshi in charge while he was gone and left Kaori in the capable hands of Kimiko. Leaving soon after, it seemed he was the first to arrive, as the body temperature of the two unfamiliar "faces" to Kazuya were steady and normal, meaning the they had been here for quite some time.

"Ryem Dra Cduns Tnykuh... How have you been, David?"

[Levi Kayamei]

"Thank you, I'll leave right away."

Levi dismissed the foot soldier as he closed the front door and walked briskly upstairs to grab his things. After quickly donning his equipment and Dragon armband, he left his home, flying towards the airport on wings of light that he propelled through the air like a jet. Once David and his soldiers were in sight, Levi descended slowly, landing softly in front of the trio. He would salute the elder before standing at ease. No words were needed until David revealed the purpose of his summons, though Levi certainly wanted to ask.

[Kyrie Blaze]

Perhaps the closest to the location, the petite woman was nevertheless not the first to arrive. The foot soldier that delivered the message to her was sent away with a gentle thanks for the missive. Of course, she read it over and while it would not do to make David wait, it was even less acceptable to leave a portion of her project undone. Being that she wasn't far away from LAX as it was, she afforded herself the time to wrap up her tests.

Stepping out onto the Tarmac, her back to the ocean and just-descending sun, Kyrie approached the initial trio from behind. She made little sound, but some all the same as she wasn't striving for silence at this point.

Upon reaching the front she clasped a hand over her heart and bowed to those present, collectively. Gone was the tense and stricken Kyrie of a few weeks ago. She was practically back to her normal self, all things considered.

Her time with Delilah...had been what she needed.

[Mr. Kaar]

Leon would show up shortly after receiving the message at the Tower. Wearing his combat suit, and his Lightning Dragon Coat he'd walk into the gathering place with Yun. This would be a rather interesting event as this would be the second time he was called away from the tower by another Dragon.

[Aryn Valcoph]

Aryn arrives on the scene! Jauntily. And, seeing Levi and Kyrie, thought it a shame she didn't drag Evalise on to stir up some delicious drama.

But oh well!

She didn't bother to bow, though she did incline her head in a nod towards the Dragons.

[Raikotsu Sudeki]

Rai would be very far behind Leon. He would be wearing his typical blue jeans and a sleeveless shirt, he was in the middle of a training session with one of his guests when he got the message. He nodded to those that made eye contact with him but otherwise would just stand off to the side quietly and respectably.

[Your Mom~]

Olesya left Maddie in the care of the Doctor, making her way to the ren dex vous point as instructed by the foot soldier. She was clad in David's white jacket, open, the hem fluttering around her knees in the slight breeze. Beneath it she wore her Skyforce jacket, a third of the way zipped, and a tank top. She had leggings that ended around her knees, the ribbons of her black ballet shoes lacing up her calves. Her fingerless gloves stretched over her knuckles as she flexed her hands.

She recognized David straight away, then Kazuya and the blonde girl...Kirie, Kee....Kiyr. That was it. The Lightning Dragon was in attendance, though that didn't surprise Les, she'd heard he was back. There was a dark haired boy, a dark haired girl, and a white haired boy she didn't recognize. The third had hair much like hers, her own snow white locks slightly disheveled, framing her face. She had a bandana in her pocket in case they were leaving the territory to hide her tell-tale signs of an Experiment. She didn't want to attract unwanted attention.

All business, Les simply nodded as she reached the group, waiting for orders.

[Date Masamune™]

Wasn't everyday that a Dragon envoy came to the Manor. I'm not much of a team player. But I figured I'd go ahead and hear them out. I donned my battle gear, clasping the metal latch that secured the feather cloak around my shoulders, I wondered what this meeting would be like as Valo and I prepared. We would arrive to the gathering and cut the engines on our armored motorcycles as we approached the group.

"Well then. What's this about?"

[David B.]

OOC: If anyone still wants/needs to show up, feel free. Just wanna get moving.

He would nod to each individual who said hello, Stating a "I'm good, thanks for coming" or a grin to questions, having turned around to greet them before they had even presented themselves. As they all gathered in front of him, he was glad that so many had shown themselves. It was important they still showed unity, despite the lack of leadership. It gave him faith in their chances- they were loyal, respectful, and strong. He would run his fingers through his hair and take a deep breath.

"Alright. What I'm about to say will start the next shift in expanding our borders, so listen close."

He took a page from Anna, speaking as he looked at it a moment before turning his eyes to them.

"Over a period of several months, our borders expanded. We've become known for our tenacity in combat and our ability to handle Barkers rabble. Our civilian population has swelled, and we even have surpluses in food, weaponry, medicine and gas. I'm proud of our accomplishments here, and so should you guys be."

He wanted to first let them know of his pride in them and how they had opperated before he pressed on.

"However, over the last several weeks I've noticed a few problems. Number one, we've had several Dragon Core members turn traitor and attempt killing some of our key fighters, strategists and officers. Several of you have had attempts made on your lives, as have myself, Leon and Amtrum. This stops, now."

He turned his eyes to Kiyr.

"Over the next few days, I'll be working with Ms.Barrial on setting up an internal security task force designed to combat espionage and assassination attempts. Her work with food production is important and will continue, but having food does nothing to show our people that we can protect their lives from harm. If they lose faith in our ability to safeguard them, we'll begin losing them to other gangs who have had no trouble. These attempts are made because we are the strongest- While I say that with a hint of satisfaction, I don't intend to give them opportunities they shouldn't have in the first place."

His eyes came to Kaz.

He handed the paper to the man, which indicated several targets to the south of their borders. At the top, in quotes, was the word "DRAGONMARCH"

"Another problem has been a lack of leadership in certain areas. So, You'll be taking command of the next phase of attacks. I'll be putting one hundred fifty men under your direct control- the largest attack force we have used to date. You'll be the General on the field, second only to myself or Leon, if we are present, and equal to The Elder Dragons 'voices', Like Les, in a combat-oriented field. Within our borders, and not during battle, you'll be third under our voices, and from here on out the Dragons will follow your command so long as we aren't present."

Anna would hand him a purple sash, which indicate his promotion. She spoke with a small smile.

"Congradulations, General."

David looked the man in the eye.

"Of our forces, and not including the elders, you are the strongest, and we reward strength, among Loyalty, honor and respect. Bear your strength in mind, as it will be on your shoulders to protect everyone under your command in the missions I'll be giving you."

His eyes came to Levi.

"Levi. You'll be working, from here on out, to direct border security and enhance it. You'll be handing out scouting missions, as well as going on several yourself, which you will recieve from us. You'll hand in reports to myself or Leon, whichever is closer, or if need be Olesya. Train our men hard, so they can do their missions well and with minimum loss of life."

He turned his gaze to Shugo.

"Shugo- I know we haven't spoken much since you joined with us, and for that, I Apologize. I would love to work with you and your men more directly, and if possible, ask to incorporate you into Levi's Scouting missions, as well as stelth operations. Any battles Kazuya may ask to integrate you into as well, you are welcome to join in on. We could use those fists."

He grinned, having felt those fists himself on a few occassions.

His eyes came to Rai.

"Rai- you've been working alot with Leon, as well as training others. You're definitely welcome to continue doing so, however, you're to be officially brought under the wing of the combat team. You'll be serving with Kazuya and helping to stretch our borders beyond what they are currently. Bring your... trainees, so they can get some trophies scarred into their skin. After all, all the training in the world won't prepare you for real battle."

He would address them all collectively.

"I'm laying out the groundwork, here, by giving all of you new designations, promotions, and goals. You are the Elite of the Dragon-core, and have proven yourselves in battle as well as in heart."

He put his hands behind his back.

"As I said, over several months we grew and fought and grew and fought. Every free resistance group looked to us to lead. Over the past few weeks, everyone and everything has slowed down. We rebuilt our strength, secured our borders and brought everyone within the Dragonland food, shelter and medicine. We've rebuilt homes and highways, and set a course of prosperity we won't divert from. Now it's time we remind Barkers men why they fear us. Why their trying to take our lives. Why, when they see and hear the Dragons marching, they grow afraid."

He smirked. Perhaps it was cheesy, or not the best "go get'em speech ever, but he didn't give a damn. He knew it was the reality.

"Starting tomorrow, Kazuya will begin to select those he wishes to take, and the one hundred fifty man army will March south in three days. We're going to cut a line clean through Barkers territory, all the way south to The Crows borders, and then west to the sea. All the land west of the path he makes we will claim. Once he cuts west, he'll move north. At the same time, I'll be taking One hundred men south, and we're going to crush them in the middle. During this Lightning Offensive-" He grinned at Leon."-Olesya will be coordinating with Levi and, if he wishes, Leon to strengthen our borders. I want that land within a day, so that by the time Barker hears of it, a week will have passed, our men will be healthy, our borders strong. So if he tries to get us back... He'll realize the price is too steep, and perhaps decide it's not worth the blood and bodies."

He looked to each of them.

"Questions?"

He realized that one or two of them had not been addressed- that he did on purpose, as he planned to speak to a few of them privately.

[Kazuya Hikari]

Locking eyes with David and taking the paper handed to him that he had taken from Anna before addressing the entire group as a collective first then the work he would be doing with Kiyr, addressing her very formally as Ms. Barrial next, during this time, Kazuya was taking a long, close look at the paper, noting "DRAGONMARCH" in quotations at the top and the several targets indicated that were located south of their borders, before looking back up at David.

Giving a small nod to David, he would take the purple sash from Anna and return her small smile with one of his own, lifting his right fist up and clasp it over his heart, showing her not only respect, but silent thanks as well, before looking back over at David.

"... You honor me with your words David. I will protect those under my command with my life, until my last dying breathe. I will not let you down."

Listening to David address the others, save for a couple, Kazuya would look over at Shugo first, his fellow ex-Paladin, and clasp his right fist over his heart at him, before turning his attention to Raikotsu, giving the young Sudeki a nod. His trainees would earn their keep and their battle scars, no doubt about that. Definitely not to the degree of scars Kazuya had, but no one fights Barker and comes out unscathed. After addressing them collectively once more, Kazuya would give David a small smirk while lightly slamming his left fist into his right hand.

Barker wouldn't know what hit him.

[Kyrie Blaze]

Leon, Aryn, Rai, Kyrie's eyes flickered between them, and then to Olesya as she moved up. Something was different--her keen blue eyes took note immediately: Sky Force. Curiosity glinted in her eyes even as there was a very slight pang of envy before they quickly ebbed back to quiet observance once more, turning to Shugo just a second later. Even with him taking her own jacket so many months ago, he hadn't been able to keep flight from her. Those wide blue orbs veered back to David once again as he started to address them all.

Her hearing easily tuned in, and her gaze remained direct, though a few in her peripheral vision were somewhat watched to gauge their reactions to The Storm Dragon's words. A slight incline of her head was given to the first stretch. Indeed, they had a lot to be proud of, to endure to protect. Her gaze sharpened, and she blinked quickly as he mentioned the assassinations. She did not flinch away from his gaze when he turned to her, but met it unflinchingly.

But something was off in his words.

'...Miss Barrial..? Qu'est-ce que..?'

David earned himself a slow, bewildered, calculated, and owlish blink. Her head tipped to the side, just a miniscule amount. Were they not friends? Were they not close enough to warrant use of first names within a group? Perhaps it was because she looked like she couldn't hurt a fly with her petite and seemingly vulnerable frame, or that because of her appearance she looked like she couldn't stand toe-to-toe with those gathered here...for now, she let the uncomfortable feeling she gained with his addressing her in such a formal manner settle into the pit of her stomach. She nodded, for all the world seeming to take things in stride, unless those that knew her best caught on.

Of which, there were two within this group.

But she could not, all the same, jump to conclusions, so she continued her vigilant observance, building a profile of potential reasons as David continued on. Curiously, he addressed those he called by name by their first name. Her mind began to tick things off, keeping track of who was promoted and to what, and what their new duties were. And there was something else. Nestled in his address to Kazuya was a key word.

Les.

Her mind hit a burst of speed, her gaze flicking over towards Olesya as a memory was quickly drawn up to the surface. From when she had not been entirely her own person, but driven by fear and self-preservation. And even then, her mind had been sharp, her memory excellent.

"This is Maddie, she's my ward. And David's too, it seems."

Her gaze passed over those remaining, after, while her mind continued to poke and turn words around to examine them. Though she felt more bewildered than before, and certainly felt a hint of a painful sting that wouldn't fully develop until she found out whether it was true, Kyrie's gaze was clear. This wasn't the time nor the place. This was business, and so she would set business first.

With that, she pulled a quiescent veil over her internal conflict, listening as David segued into his motivational speech and plan of attack. He asked for questions, and so she raised her voice, clear and yet, soft. Curious, only, and brought from concern for her Dragonkin. If they were to succeed at all, they would need every warrior they had. Losing too many in this push would set moral back, and make everyone's odds all the more difficult.

"What is the plan should Barker and his forces, instead of seeming to run, decide to use a pincer upon us as we cut through the middle of his territory? We still have our predicament with inserted Barker spies, David. If word were to get out of our attack, of any hint of your plan..." She trailed off. The blonde didn't need to speak of the consequences, as it was all too clear. They were, after all, a grain of sand compared to Barker's numbers.

He wanted preventative measures, and Kyrie was already working, using a general profile of all the spies and would-be assassins they had already encountered. There was no real, feasible way they could weed out all the malignant, planted spies within the territory. And though she trusted everyone as a Dragon, she didn't trust to hope that it would be so easy that there may not have been a spy even in this group's midst. She'd had the thought of Olesya potentially being one such spy; just because she was connected to David did not mean she got a free pass. Same with anyone here she was personally unfamiliar with. She was not outright suspicious of any of them, but it definitely bore weight enough for her consideration.

[Raikotsu Sudeki]

Rai nodded as David gave him his orders and put a fist to his heart when Kaz looked at him.

"I do think its about time for the young ones to get their hands dirty a bit."

When Kiyr began to speak Rai looked at her. What she said was true, a rush attack with a large force was a good idea if planned in a small time frame but that was if you had the element of surprise, which right now, because of the spies, Barker had. Though Kiyr was a clever one, Rai figured she had some sort of plan already brewing, and if not Rai would be surprised. But either way this issue needed to be addressed so Rai would turn his head back to David to see what he would say.

[Your Mom~]

Internal security, offense, and defense...David appeared to be splitting up the Dragon core according to their strengths and abilities. Levi, Rai, Shugo, those were names she didn't recognize, though she was certain she'd be working with moving forward. Especially Levi, as it seemed they were to collaborate to strengthen the territories current borders, and then swoop in and stabilize the new borders once the army cut through Barker's territory.

The white haired woman kept her lips pressed together thoughtfully, not picking up on the subtle nuances of emotions and reactions around her. The experiment's chemicals had damaged certain parts of her brain, and her isolation hadn't helped her social skills either. She used to be an empath, but now she felt like a kid trying to learn to ride a bike all over again. That's why she liked being part of the core, though. Strictly business. All intelligence, skill, and stretegy. There was no room for excessive emotion here.

When David asked if there were any questions, the corners of Olesya's mouth pulled inward, pursing slightly as she thought for a moment. Certainly questions would present themselves before they put the plan in action, but for now her priority was to get acquainted with Levi to see where they could start in strengthening the borders.

"What is the plan should Barker and his forces, instead of seeming to run, decide to use a pincer upon us as we cut through the middle of his territory? We still have our predicament with inserted Barker spies, David. If word were to get out of our attack, of any hint of your plan..."

It was that little blonde again...fuck, what was her name? K...Kee...Kiyr. Whew, that was a close one. Olesya was horrible with names, but great with faces. That was the majority of the reason why she made up nicknames for people. The younger woman looked like a little kitten with her big blue eyes and gentle voice...that's it! Kitten Kiyr. Now she'd remember the damned girl's name for sure!

"I agree. If we cut down through Barker's territory and things go wrong, we're going to need an auxilary plan to get us out of there as quickly and safely as possible. We can't afford to lose the resources we have if the mission fails."

Not that she planned on failing, mind you. Just in this day and age, you had to hope for the best but prepare for the worst. This mentality left her sounding a bit pessimistic, but that wasn't even remotely the case. She was just incredibly cautious.

[David B.]

OOC: Gonna post as questions come up, rather than wait for everyone individually.

IC:

David turned his eyes to Kiyr, watching her ask the question he was sure was to pop up. He smiled and nodded after Olesya agreed.

"Fair question. I'll start by asking another question. Why do you think it is Barker hasn't wiped us out already? I mean, after all, his territory is surrounding ours, in much larger quantities, i might add. The pincer is all around us, yet the trap hasn't closed. If he has the men here, present, why have his commanders not made the decision to put an end to little old us?"

He had maps, back at the new facility he planned on showing a few of them, but he would have to continue verbally for now.

"Truth is, Barker killed billions when he dropped bombs. Some were his own men, I'm sure. There are likely hundreds if not thousands of resistance groups across the world. Many, im sure, are much larger and more threatening that a couple groups who own barely a third of los angeles. His troops are stationed only at main bases and facilities. Only scouting parties and small, twenty to thirty man deployments are used at a time, and even those are used rarely. Wiping them out shouldn't be a problem, if we encounter them. As for spies- their purpose isn't just to report where we are so they can kill us as individuals. They want us to be afraid to act. Afraid to attack and move and make war. Barker won't have to deal with us if we're afraid to deal with ourselves."

He had been on plenty of missions, scouting, etc, and major troop movements haven't been a problem for them since the Crows Nest was attacked, and even that was merely fun for Barker. Truth was, there weren't all that many men in California. There couldn't be. If there was, Barker would have stepped up to the plate, or his commanders would have. Besides, the territory they planned to claim was not much bigger than that which they claimed before. The only reason he wanted so many men in on it, was because there were a few facilities and bases he wanted to take out as well.

"Still, a contingency plan is safe. And I have one. But I'll share it within the next day or two, before we take off, once I'm able to confirm a thing or two."

He eyed Kiyr, waiting for her to continue if she had the intent to do so.