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<|description|>Tecumseh Kawacatoose
Element:Boron
Age: 42
Gender: Male
Appearance: A short, stout man with rounded shoulders and a shining, bald head, middle-aged and usually dressed for a day spent outdoors(button up cotton shirts and cargo pants usually in the summer his sleeves are rolled up just past the elbow). 1.6 meters tall and not quite over weight. Deep red-brown skin that is smooth and surprisingly tough. Often slips from memory, or at least into obscure memory shortly after leaving direct observation, he has worked to develop an "average" aura.
Powers: reflects heat and isn't burned by anything under 2300 K(~2050 *C), is immune electric shock(non-conductive), and can shift into a pile, or low, drifting cloud of brown dust. He also wasn't as affected by the gas during basic training as the other recruits, though his sergeant said there was usually one kid who wasn't bothered by the stuff.
Weapons: A Nosler M48 TGR, a boron carbide tomahawk with a polished cherry wood handle, and a K-bar usually worn on his belt. (only the K-bar is usually carried, the rest he keeps in his car trunk or in a locker at home.
Backstory: A Native American born on a reservation in North Carolina, his powers didn't manifest until his late teens. Tecum, as most called him, hid his powers as best he could, knowing the power of fear first hand already. He hated school and joined the military to avoid college, where he became a paratrooper. He worked with the airborne artillery in the 82nd for ten years before being honorably discharged. Now he runs a small tour service in the NC mountain;, where he meets many people and learns more from listening to their talk than they think. He's working on locating other "elementals" mostly out curiosity and knowing that they will be considered outcasts, and freaks, just as his people are in America.
He has inherited a large portion of a largely unpopulated mountain in NC and is buying up the rest as he can. He has built a modest but sturdy house there, and is considering building a dormitory style shelter for any elementals that he may find. He is very secretive, while being an outgoing and engaging person. He does this by saying a lot without ever actually saying anything of value. He's never broken any laws, but he's not very fond of the US government or Europeans in general, because of his people's history with both groups. He can live off the land if he needs to, but enjoys the modern accommodations in his home and car.
He currently lives alone, though he had hopes of marrying one day, those dreams seem out of reach now. In private, his few good friends now him to be kind and protective as well as tenacious and vicious in his defense of family or retaliation on their behalf. His parents are dead, having died early due drug and alcohol addictions. He has no siblings, but considers his squad to be family and keeps up with each member. He is often called "Uncle Tecum" by the children of his squad mates, a name he encourages and lives up to with pride.</s>
<|message|>Chloe Harper
For a moment all Chloe seemed capable of doing was stare dumbfounded at the man who was trying to climb into the window. She bristled with distrust and blew out one last breath of chlorine, which either went out the window or floated toward the ground. Deep breaths, deep breaths. If he turns out to be a bad guy...we'll handle it later. What a terrible plan! Still, she grabbed Chrome by an arm and pulled with all her might. He was so heavy she thought that her arms would pop from their sockets, and a frustrated look came across her face.
She hoped that Dan had been speaking sarcastically when he'd said that the situation was under control.</s>
<|message|>Chrome
Chrome came tumbling in, spilling all over the floor. All of a sudden it dawned on him how ridiculous he might look, and that his Chromium was showing.
"Son of a... I mean... uh... Where are my manners? Hello, I'm Chrome." He said, standing up in the middle of the car. He glanced around and saw a dent on his arm where he was pushed on heavily on the trains window. It didn't reach his nerves however and he was only vaguely aware that he could feel the depression
"Well... Isn't really a sight you see every day, eh? Bet ya never seen a walking talkin' kitchen utensil?" Chrome said, trying to lighten a mood that he appeared to have made. He looked around and saw his backpack on the floor, he gathered it into his hands and slung it over his back. Luckily, the contents were safely inside. Finally, after what seemed like ages, but was really only seconds, he said.
"I sure as hell hope you guy's are part of the table... because if not... well I've landed one hell of a situation"</s>
<|message|>Rad Dan (Daniel Radkowski)
Dan stared a moment, then began to laugh. "Ho-holy HELL, yoah like some kinda fuckin' Ultron-robot! Look, when I've calmed down, I'll try an'... Hahaholy shit, don't think I can..." Dan was doubled over, cackling like a buffoon. "Look, Chrome? Like, the google shit? I'm Rad--ito. Radito Danito." He caught himself before tripping. "If by table ya mean, ah we all freaks like-- I'm sorry, nobody could possibly be a freak like YOU--, but yeah. We'ah all freaks. Each of us represent an... Element. Mine is surprise." Dan's laughter was slower now but still constant. "So, uh... Welcome aboahd."</s>
<|message|>Chrome
"Somehow, I knew that." Chrome's mood darkened as Dan remarked about his freakishness. Regardless, Chrome knew that they were harmless to him and he had potentially found some allies. His judgement against Dan might have been unfair, but by god was he an asshole.
"Radito Danito, interesting. Regardless of who ever is made of whatever, be chromium or crap" His eyes seem to drill into Dan as he says this. "I think I might have made a good choice in coming here... I hope, that is to say." he glances around at everyone and takes it all in.
"Let me introduce myself formally, I'm Chrome... Was named that at birth... kinda ironic wouldn't yo- Back on topic. I represent Chromium. I can control Magnetic Waves and Conduct electricity and all that metal stuff... Kinda cool, right... I think it is" Chrome say's this last part rather sheepishly.
"But this is where I shine." He holds up his fist's showing off the metal spikes melded onto them, glaring at Dan again. "I can augment my body with other metals as long as they have a bit of Chromium. Neat-o." Chrome said, starting to sound really sheepish.
"So uh... let's get some conversation going... 'Ahem' anyone wanna... ya know? Share their element?" Chrome glances around, very unaware of how awkward the situation has just become</s>
<|message|>Rad Dan (Daniel Radkowski)
"Ya know what? Shoah. I'm Copernicium. You a fan a' canceah? Because, y'know, I can give ya a lotta that. An' let me tell ya, mistah big shiny metal fist man, all ya punchin' an' metal body an' what not ain't gonna stop a slow painful death with coughin' up blood. So fuck off with yoah intimidation shit. We already passed that stage about a day ago. Jigsaw ovah heah," Dan motioned to Jaden, "he tried ta kill me with a whip oah somethin'. He's iron, got powahs real similah to yoahs. That sweetheaht Chloe theyah," he blushed as he mentioned Chloe, "She's chlorine. Don't try nothin', she's taken. Soaht of. Also, she can kill ya with chlorine. Rust ya up oah whatevah. The sistahs theyah, Aria and Aura, they'ah Helium an' Hydrogen. Don't know which is which. Don't cayah too much, neithah." He crossed his arms. "So, what ah yoah thoughts on Skunk Apes?"</s>
<|message|>Chrome
Chrome's eyes widen at the mention of Copernicium. "T-That's a... Never mind. Seeing as I can't understand half of what you say because you sound like a redneck on a joint, I'll try to ignore that you just threatened me with death almost three times." Chrome was beginning to grow annoyed with Dan's accent, if it could be called that. He was still glad though that he found more frien- Non Hostile Elements. He glanced around and noticed that his skin was rather rough. It was most probably because of Dan being Radioactive. He cursed as he realized he was in for one hell of a welding some time in the future. He wished there was a way to protect his body without oxide. "So what's the deal. I'm not going anywhere, rejoice!" Chrome said. The awkwardness was not born from Chrome himself, but his situation. Regardless, he hoped that it was only Dan that appeared to be annoyed with him.</s>
<|message|>Chloe Harper
"Hey, I am not--! Whatever. Whatever," muttered Chloe, crossing her arms and looking the quite metallic-looking newcomer up and down. If this guy turned out to be hostile, she wasn't sure if her chlorine could do the job. She wondered if he even had proper lungs that were made of flesh. He had to, right? He was a living being...although he looked more like a moving sculpture or something.
"And he does not sound like a redneck on a joint! You just have to get used to it." Why was she defending him? "...Anyway, yeah. I can breathe out chlorine if I want to and that stuff isn't a fan of the human body. Pleasure to meet you, Chrome. I would never have guessed your element." She extended her hand for a handshake, although a bit timidly, hoping that this guy wouldn't give her some electric shock or something.</s>
<|message|>Alessandra Guillory
Alessandra Guillory
Alessandra told the waiter her order, a glass of sweet tea as Jason replied to Tecumseh's question.
"Jason Delaney, I'm one of the technicians." He spoke, immediately afterwards ordering a simple coke.
Alessandra had to giggle at the stark contrast between the two men; Jason was so plain and simple, while (at least now) Tecum was anything but plain, his clothes and choice of drink quite stood out significantly to her. He certainly had made her curious.
As Alessandra was sipping from her tea, she spoke up once again. "It really is nice around here. It's much differant than New York or Languedoc." She mused, thinking back to the urban world or the rough, dry hills of Southern France. If anything though, it was closer to Languedoc.
Jason commented how it wasn't that differant than Virginia.
Zaynab Rousani
"Ms Bhati" left her room, sipping from a bottle of Apple juice, dressed in a blue and black stripped hijab, a black cardigan, navy blue long sleaved shirt and black pants. Zaynab was hungry, a week of running had left her deprived of anything other than conveniance store snacks and fast foods, so an actual meal would be greatly appreciated.
Zaynab walked over to get food, greeted with a pleasant surprised. Free food for a week, courtesy of the resourt owner. She was caught off guard, but happy none the less. She would get something, an order of a steak and some steamed vegtables. Enough to staisfy her, which wasn't difficult at all.</s>
<|message|>Chrome
Chrome
The Chromium Element
Chrome grasped her hand firmly and shook it. "A redneck on a joint doesn''t work, eh, what about JFK with a mouth full of salt-water?" He chuckled to himself. He realized he was the only one laughing. (#NOTMETAGAMING)
"I must apologize if I appeared here at a bad time... or if I've been a bit rude. My... well... predicament has left me with very little socialization for a few years. I'm just glad for sure that I found friendly Elements. Not everyone just lets you hop into their train car for no apparent reason.." Chrome exclaimed. He looked over at Dan, then Chloe and a sly grin escaped his mouth. He was not very ignorant contrary to his behavior, and he noticed that Chloe perhaps had feelings, hate if not love, for Dan.
"You two make a nice couple" Chrome said with a well disguised poker face.</s>
<|message|>Jaden Thurston/Fe - The Guardian
"Uhuh....my name is Jaden - not Jigsaw! I am not a creepy doll from a horror movie!"
Jaden looked at the new person with questioning before listening to the other statements. At least Dan had gotten his element right - he half expected the guy to give him the wrong element, and still get his name wrong. He knew the radioactive basket case was going to keep poking fun at him, but he hoped that the other would eventually state his real name and maybe remember it. He sighed as the person known as Chrome stood there looking out of place in his opinion - at least Chloe was being nice to him. Aria and Aura? Well he still wasn't so sure.
"So...why did you jump into the train car with us?" he asked.</s>
| <|message|>Tecumseh Kawacatoose
The waiter arrived with Tecumseh's second glass, as he finished his first. Tecumseh smiled brightly at the impeccable timing of the young waiter, who announced that the first course would be out shortly. Which reminded Tecumseh that he should probably inform his guests that he had already ordered their dinner, and his, especially now that the cat was out of the bag anyway.
I hope you two don't mind, I took the liberty of ordering for all of us. On the plus side, sine neither of you ordered I can't expect you to pay for it, so this meal's entirely on me. Alessandra and Jason, I like to be frank, so forgive me if I'm a bit too forward. I invited you here so I could finish the little chat we started down the hill. I pause briefly to let that sink in, knowing it was going to cause some tension but really wanting to be certain of a few things before I got to far ahead of myself. Jason, you're up first. I want your professional opinion on what happened to that blower from the time you handed it to Alessandra to the time I handed it back to you.
The waiter returned with a tray holding three ceasar salads, and a variety of dressings. Tecumseh took one and poured some ranch dressing over the top, before offering the bottle to who ever wanted it next or returning it to the tray if the youngsters had other tastes.</s> |
<|description|>Tecumseh Kawacatoose
Element:Boron
Age: 42
Gender: Male
Appearance: A short, stout man with rounded shoulders and a shining, bald head, middle-aged and usually dressed for a day spent outdoors(button up cotton shirts and cargo pants usually in the summer his sleeves are rolled up just past the elbow). 1.6 meters tall and not quite over weight. Deep red-brown skin that is smooth and surprisingly tough. Often slips from memory, or at least into obscure memory shortly after leaving direct observation, he has worked to develop an "average" aura.
Powers: reflects heat and isn't burned by anything under 2300 K(~2050 *C), is immune electric shock(non-conductive), and can shift into a pile, or low, drifting cloud of brown dust. He also wasn't as affected by the gas during basic training as the other recruits, though his sergeant said there was usually one kid who wasn't bothered by the stuff.
Weapons: A Nosler M48 TGR, a boron carbide tomahawk with a polished cherry wood handle, and a K-bar usually worn on his belt. (only the K-bar is usually carried, the rest he keeps in his car trunk or in a locker at home.
Backstory: A Native American born on a reservation in North Carolina, his powers didn't manifest until his late teens. Tecum, as most called him, hid his powers as best he could, knowing the power of fear first hand already. He hated school and joined the military to avoid college, where he became a paratrooper. He worked with the airborne artillery in the 82nd for ten years before being honorably discharged. Now he runs a small tour service in the NC mountain;, where he meets many people and learns more from listening to their talk than they think. He's working on locating other "elementals" mostly out curiosity and knowing that they will be considered outcasts, and freaks, just as his people are in America.
He has inherited a large portion of a largely unpopulated mountain in NC and is buying up the rest as he can. He has built a modest but sturdy house there, and is considering building a dormitory style shelter for any elementals that he may find. He is very secretive, while being an outgoing and engaging person. He does this by saying a lot without ever actually saying anything of value. He's never broken any laws, but he's not very fond of the US government or Europeans in general, because of his people's history with both groups. He can live off the land if he needs to, but enjoys the modern accommodations in his home and car.
He currently lives alone, though he had hopes of marrying one day, those dreams seem out of reach now. In private, his few good friends now him to be kind and protective as well as tenacious and vicious in his defense of family or retaliation on their behalf. His parents are dead, having died early due drug and alcohol addictions. He has no siblings, but considers his squad to be family and keeps up with each member. He is often called "Uncle Tecum" by the children of his squad mates, a name he encourages and lives up to with pride.</s>
<|message|>Rad Dan (Daniel Radkowski)
Dan looked up to see what appeared to be a teenage girl in a Sailor Moon shirt asking him something in Italian. Dan did not speak Italian. Nor did he tend to jump out of trains, so he decided that this was the first time for both. Coughing a little bit, he started to speak. "Uh... Pizza, pasta, bongioahno, monsignioah, uh... Fuck it. I think you said somethin' that sounded like 'break', so I'll just assume ya asked if I broke somethin'. I didn't. I'm fine. And, uh, yeah. Please tell me you ain't anothah one of them supahfreaks. Oah the govahment. Oah one o' them secret Alien Lizahd Jews that runs the global economy. Don't be any a' those things. Please."</s>
<|message|>Tecumseh Kawacatoose
The ignorance of youth... Tecumseh sighed and wondered just what to tell Alessandra. He would tell her the truth, he knew that, but how much of it could she handle? She already seemed to be under a lot of stress and adding to that burden would accomplish nothing good. Start small then, Tecumseh glanced at his plate as he took another bite himself, almost swallowing the small bite whole.
I wanted to be certain that you were what I thought you might be. And if you were, to let you know you weren't the only one in the world and warn you that life would be difficult for you because you are not like most people. People fear what they do not understand, and they do not understand any of us. I've been on the path you've only just started to walk, all my life. It is a hard path, full of fear, hate, and pain. The broadcast from NY is going to escalate things rather quickly. It is neither wise nor safe to share your skills with anyone you don't trust with your life. So consider carefully what you will do now. What you do now is up to you. Choose your steps wisely.
Tecumseh returns to his food, letting Alessandra consider the information she'd just been given. He knew her life had been difficult and that it was about to get much harder, thanks to the nuts in NY. He hoped she'd escape the notice of those that were now inevitably looking for elementals, but knew it was a matter of time before she found herself surrounded by probes, wires and tubes.</s>
<|message|>Talia Molina
Alessandra Guillory
Alessa maintained her displeased expression for a minute, before softening up.
"Well...Thank you, I guess"
Alessa continued to eat, trying to clear her mind of the information placed before her. She remained silent for the most part, waiting for anyone else to speak up. Jason wanted to, but still wasn't sure just how to lighten up the situation. So he too, just sat in silence. Alessandra finally spoke up once more after her bout of speechlessness. "I think I should get back to the dig site, thank you for the meal." She said, standing up and pushing her chair back into place. Jason simply got up as well, no objection, barely any show of emotion from him.
Talia Molina
"Well, I'm not an alien lizard, but I am a Jew with a goverment job" Talia replied mockingly in English, "Hope that's okay". She spoke with a sardonic smile as she looked over Dan. "Here, let me help you with that," She said as she reached into her bag and pulled out a first aid kit. If Dan would let her, Talia was going to bandage up the cuts from the glass, maybe wash out the particularly bad ones with some alcohol and antibiotics, and run a blood test on some sample's she'd snag from him during that.
Then, it caught her attention that the train had suddenly come to a full stop, and then it was moving...backwards?
This just screams elemental activity, Talia thought to herself as she watched it.
"Hey, you mind telling me what's going on on that train?" she asked Dan, pointing to it as it rolled back past them.</s>
<|message|>Rad Dan (Daniel Radkowski)
Dan allowed himself to be cleaned up by the kind, though Jewish, young girl. "Allow me to describe foah you what's goin' on in that train. You got a man made outta metal who named himself aftah that Google Browsah fightin' with a man who breathes nitrogen oah somethin'. Theyah's also two sistahs, one who sweats balloon juice and one who sweats hydrogen, a balls a' steel fella named "Jerry", and a beautiful young woman who is completely flawless. They'ah all watchin' from the sidelines. Now then, if you'ah satisfied that I'm psychotic, I think ya can take yoah leave now. Oah not, if ya want to hang around to watch some moah pointless fights between supah powah'd freaks."</s>
<|message|>Jan Popov
While he was laying on the ground, Jan was able to pull his remaining glove off with his teeth as Chrome stopped throwing metal around the train. He continued to lay on the ground until the metal man grabbed him by the coat and pull him to his feet. It was at that moment that the Nitrogen element slipped out of his white coat and staggered away from his enemy to get some distance between them. He grabbed the metal lodged in his shoulder and gritted his teeth as it was pulled out and fresh pain shot through his body followed by a new pain of frostbite setting in to stop the bleeding and covered the wound with a thin layer of ice. "Now then, how about we have a fair fight like gentlemen." Jan told the man as he straightened his vest and moved into a boxer stance with both hands held up in front of his while bouncing on the balls of his feet ready for anything that Chrome would throw at him.
This wasn't Jan's first time in a fight and in his time he became skilled with some stand up fighting. He did enjoy his unfair advantage when it came to hand to hand combat with each time he hit his opponent with bare fists that spot if bare skin caused frostbite and if clothes, they became damp with cooled nitrogen molecules.</s>
<|message|>Tecumseh Kawacatoose
Tecumseh finished his shepherd's pie in silence and was about to call in dessert when the other two rose, announcing their intent to leave. That wouldn't bother him, he'd meant exactly what he said. He wasn't about to tell either of them how to live their lives, but he knew Alessandra needed to be warned that things were going to get worse. Having someone at the site to help smooth over any ruffles would be good for her as well. He knew it was a lot to dump on their shoulders, but they were young, they would find a way to survive, just as he had.
Dessert is on it's way if you want it. You know where to find me if you need me.</s>
<|message|>Chloe Harper
Chloe's eyes moved of their own accord to the gaping hole in the side of the train. It wasn't going too fast. She could probably find Dan and make sure he was alright if she managed to, well, not break anything on the way out. A pale green cloud hissed from her mouth as she watched the situation continue to escalate. Well, she'd sort of done what she could. Now or never. She didn't want to get a piece of metal stuck through her brain, or the effects of contact with supercooled nitrogen.
"Adios," she said, edging around Chrome carefully. She jumped out of the train and rolled gracefully(?!) along the ground while covering her head to prevent any smashing of her precious skull on impact. When she finally stopped, a dull ache groaned in her ribcage...but it could have been a lot worse than the bruises that Chloe knew would be coming around to haunt her soon. Stiffly, she got to her feet, dusted herself off, cast a worried glance at the train that was now speeding away, and sauntered along the side of the track toward Dan and a girl who had apparently seen far too much for one day.</s>
<|message|>Chrome
Chrome looked around, and felt a stinging on his torso. His oxide failed, the nitrogen was now wreaking havoc on his body. As the train moved back into the station and the conductor gained control again, he finally took note of where he was.
"Shit!" He cried out as he fell out the gash in the train, he landed on the train tracks with a thud. He tried to get up but was completely stuck on to the ground. He realized with yet another curse that this was one of the newer bullet trains and he hit himself mentally for not taking note of that when he was moving the train back up. His was enraged still and shot out his magnetic powers, breaking the track and freeing him. He frowned however when a dark skinned man looked down at him. The man's eyes widened and he screamed as Chrome looked back at him.
Crappity Crap! Chrome thought. He got up by climbing up the side of the train track, no powers, just the electromagnetic power of the track pulling him. He looked around and frowned. People were looking at him, and he took note of a crowd that were holding their phones up.
"God Damnit!" He shouted, pulling his arms over his head. The fight would have to wait, he needed to get out of here.</s>
| <|message|>Tecumseh Kawacatoose
Tecumseh finished his meal and excused himself to continue his work. He thanked them both for coming and apologized for the unsavory conversation. Putting on his coat, he moved back into the dinning room leaving the door open as he went. He returned to the front desk and buzzed Ms Bahti's room, asking if he might come up and pay his respects if it wasn't an inconvenience for her of course.
Tecumseh thought carefully over the dinner conversation, part of him said that he would regret having told Jason and Alessandra his secret, but it was done. He hoped his crew would be able to help with this, though he honestly didn't see anything more than yet another massacre as the world panicked when it realized just what some of the elementals were capable of. Or perhaps, even better, another Auschwitz where he would die relatively quickly(over several days), and Alessandra would suffer a very long, slow death. He shuddered, she wasn't his problem, but he knew she would be just as defenseless as his people had been at little big horn.</s> |
<|description|>Hannelore Buchholz
Element: Titanium
Age: 41
Gender: Female
Appearance: Hannelore is a tall Caucasian woman, tall and perhaps a little thicker in the middle than might be fashionable. She wears the latest business fashions. Her blonde hair is beginning to fade, but her blue eyes maintain their sparkle.
Powers: Hannelore Buchholz can, at will, turn her body into pure titanium. In this form, she has massive immunity from harm and possesses immense phyiscal strength, able to press up to 25 metric tonnes. However, she also had no feeling in this form, nor is she able to speak.
Weapons: Improvised from the environment.
Backstory: Hannelore Buchholz. College graduate, single, no children. Career woman. Broker at the Frankfurt Stock Exchange. Her ten-year plan has never included superpowers, though. That's a recent development, and as yet Hannelore is unsure what to make of it. Her life has been largely unremarkable up until now, it's time to decide whether or not it stays that way.</s>
<|message|>Mahmoud Nobakht
Mahmoud Nobakht
Mahmoud reclined in his chair, a puff of smoke from his cigar wafted in to the air as he awaited the reports from his informants. Mahmoud was a busy man, it took much time to maintain the secrecy and the fluidity of his organizations work. But these were not the reasons for his meeting today. There were other matter that Mahmoud had interest in. This informant was one of many who worked between the nations of the EU for Mamhoud, seeking out others that, like Mamoud himself, had certain powers. Powers that were of great interest to the crime lord.
"Mr. Nobakht, I belive I have some information that is of interest for you." said the informant, triumphantly reporting on his catch. "We have heard reports of a guy who hits up places in the EU, he robs places and when the cops come, place is frozen up. No one has been able to catch him, but I got someone tracking him and reporting back to me. If we're lucky we'll find him, but it might take a while; he never stays in one place understandably."
Mahmoud smiled and tossed some rubles at the Informant. "Do you have any idea where he might be at the moment?"
"Nowhere specific, but we suspect somewhere in Central Europe"
Mahmoud nodded his head, "You have done well"
Alessandra Guillory
Alessa's body shot up as she awoke, looking down to see she had fallen asleep studying again. She groaned before looking over to the clock and gasping. "Shit!" she screamed, grabbing for her backpack, only for her bags and homework to spill out all over the floor. Alessa groaned loudly before shambling to the floor to straighten out her papers. Once in order, Alessa bolted out the door, slamming it shut behind her as she sprinted out of the apartment complex and towards the campus halls. "Fuck, fuck, fucking fuck not again. He's going to kill me if I'm late again." she muttered to herself as she made her way thought the living wall of students and into the hall.
Archaeology class had already began, the professor in the middle of a lecture on the alchemical artifacts of Islamic Egypt. As the pointer made its way to a primitive distiller, Alessa tried to sneak in unnoticed in the back row. It didn't work.
"Ah, late again Miss Guillory?"
Alessa groaned as she hid her face behind her purple backpack in shame. Not again, not again. Maybe buying an alarm would be a good idea, assuming she didn't accidentally kill anyone when she tried to plug it in. Alessa tuned into the dissertation on the Muslim Chemists. Chemistry, ugh, how she hated chemistry. Too much math, too much dangerous chemicals. Archaeology was safe, and just her kind of thing.</s>
<|message|>Fa Marie
Ra lifted up her eyepatch, looking at the mass amounts of scarring around where here should be. It was an ugly area of her face. And her eye had been damaged without any hope of repair. Stabbed and mutilated beyond belief. But, this wouldn't stop Ra from living life as best as she could. And with that she walked out of her dorm room, heading to the first class of the day she had.
---
Fa sat on his bed. His first class wouldn't start for another twenty minuets. So Fa had a hood five minuets before he would have to leave for it. He thought about his sister. Her sweet blue eyes and lilac hair. How they had played as children. But that had been years ago. And Fa doubted that Ra looked the same as she had the last time he had seen her. But for now Fa had to prepare for chemistry class. An ironic class for someone like Fa. Francium.</s>
<|message|>Chloe Harper
The smell of chlorine wafted into Chloe's nostrils as she sat at the edge of the large, rec-center pool that she'd just spent the last two hours swimming in. She used to love the smell, but now she wasn't so sure. Chlorine had been the smell that hung in the air after she killed that poor guy, who had stalked her through the darkness after the party. Half of her wanted to run straight to the police station and turn herself in, but the other half doubted the police would quite believe that she had killed a man with her breath.
She took her feet out of the pool and halfheartedly dried herself. Sitting at the pool and thinking about that night wouldn't help her get over anything. It was an accident. Just an accident, she repeated to herself mentally, but she couldn't help the relief that washed over her when the smell of the swimming pool finally faded to nothing.</s>
<|message|>Jan Popov
Jan looked out at the New York sky line from his penthouse apartment enjoying his view as the sun reflected off the skyscrapers. He had enjoyed his time in Europe, but the banks were getting annoying with all the security measures that he had forced them to institute. Hopefully the American banks had not caught on yet to what had happened and were still easy enough to break into that he wouldn't need to reveal to much about himself to become rich.
He had been enjoying the currency exchange rate from Euros to the U.S. dollar which made him feel richer than he actually was, which meant that he had been blowing through his money faster then he probably should have. It was time for him to plan another heist which meant he needed a new crew as he had left his old one back in Germany. As he made his way from the living room back into his bedroom, he picked up his cell and shifted through his contacts until he found the number he was looking for.
"Yuri, listen I need you to put together a team for me in New York. I heard about someone that might be very interesting, I hear she is very flexible and can melt stuff. Track her down and recruit her along with maybe two more and of course don't forget to buy them all gas masks."</s>
<|message|>Tecumseh Kawacatoose
Tecumseh walked into his office and smiled as he saw that his intern had already made him a cup of coffee. It was black as pitch, and probably just as bitter though much less viscous, exactly the way he liked it. He sat down and started reading through his e-mails. He noticed one with the subject "Sweetest Teas" and glanced up to be sure his intern wasn't back yet from delivering the in-office mail for the day. He opened it and read it carefully, it was apparently a exactly what it was supposed to be, an advertisement for sweet tea, of various flavors, made by a popular tea brand. Few understood the cipher used due to it's reliance on highly personal events and experiences shared by exactly thirteen men, of which only eight were still alive. Even with the cipher, the information was vague at best, reports of a man in the EU that left his crime scenes frozen in place, hints of new leader in the middle east with a "fiery" disposition, a man found on the side of the street diagnosed with chlorine poisoning. He glanced up as he heard his intern coming back up the hall and erased the email. It confirmed his suspicions, he wasn't the only one with ... "elemental" qualities.
Tecumseh filed the information away for later and dived into the day's work with his usual vigor. The day looked to be another busy one judging by the width of Sarah's smile. She was an undergrad student working on a history degree, so she could get a masters in Forestry and Resource Management. She was a bit of an idealist, and a naive one at that, but she worked hard and was very good at keeping things organized, something Tecumseh needed. She laid out his schedule for the day as if he were some big shot CEO, and he laughed at her performance. Sarah ignored him and continued with the day's events and then the major to do list for the week. Tecumseh sipped his coffee as he listened and then officially started his day, with a call to his senator about a bill going through the state legislature that could make his life as a resort owner and vacation planner much more difficult, just so a few rich men could widen their proverbial girths. Thankfully his senator had a personal stake in the matter, since the senator's current free family pass to the resort would become worthless if the resort was closed. As the Senator's secretary picked up, Tecumseh put the call on speaker while Sarah pulled an iPad and stylus out of her carryall and got ready to take notes.</s>
| <|message|>Hannelore Buchholz
It was yet another day at the Stock Exchange, really. With a heritage dating back as early as 1585, the Frankfurt Stock Exchange was unquestionably one of the world's foremost financial institutions. Though the methods had changed over the centuries, the simple facts were the same- fortunes made and lost within moments, the financial word divided between the quick and the dead.
Outwardly it was the same for Hannelore Buchholz, a middle-aged woman married to her career. She was, as always, seated between Schumann and Nguyen, having orders barked to her by her boss Weisser. Billions of Euros she would never see or touch passed tantalizingly close before her, untouchable despite being only inches away on her computer screen. Pantsuit, earpiece, screen, it was all there, all comfortingly familiar.
But today things were a bit different.
Unnoticed beneath her desk, Hannelore was practicing with her free hand. It had been two months since she had figured out what she could do with her entire body, and she had spent a couple nights afterwards at the old railyard, cautiously lifting coaches when she was sure no one was around. But she was unsure of the extent to which she could control her transformation, and so here she was today. Her left hand out of sight under her desk, she tried to will it to turn into titanium- her left hand and nothing else. Her educated, orderly mind insisted on these tests, it was good to know her limits and capabilities as she searched for an actual use for this strange ability.
She concentrated, eyes squinting, brow sweating. Perhaps too much.
"Buchholz!" Weisser, her supervisor, snapped. Despite his dreamy expression and wooly cardigan, the old man always knew when someone's attention lapsed, even momentarily.
She automatically spun around, looking guilty and apologetic, as she had done a hundred times before. But this time was different, of course. She miscalculated her turn.
And her hand tore through the wooden desk without difficulty, simply the horrendous sound of wood splintering and tearing. Guiltily, she looked down to her left hand, only briefly taking in Schumann's open mouth or Nguyen's subtler arched eyebrow. She expected to see metal.
But instead, her hand was only flesh and blood.
"Frau Buchholz," Weisser said after a long moment, staring at the massive hole in the wooden desk. "Perhaps you might like to return home for the remainder of the day?" It was a rare display of charity from the unforgiving old man, doubtlessly brought on simply by confusion.
Nevertheless, Hannelore took it. It would be smarter for her to practice at home, anyways. "Yes, Herr Weisser, perhaps I should," she said humbly, gathering up her few items as Nguyen and Schumann stared at the torn desk in confusion. She left quickly, avoiding eye contact with anyone. The confused silence was soon overtaken by the sound of typing once more, though. The quick and the dead.</s> |
<|description|>Alessandra Guillory
Element: Silver
Age: 25
Gender: Female
Appearance: Alessa is a woman of about average height, with white blonde hair and very pale white skin, in addition to gray colored eyes. She's very sleek looking, very little curves and lean musculature as well. Others appear to find her slightly above average in terms of her attractiveness, but nothing too special.
Powers: Alessa's most noticable ability is her power to absorb, and then amplify electrical currents. By making contact with an source of current, Alessa can take in and boost the power of the electricity up to a perfect 100x. She also possesses a great heat conductivity as well, and can resist many hot enviroments, taking advantage of them to redirect the heat back as a weapon. Alessa is also very flexible, and able to bend and stretch herself with ease.
Weapons: None at the moment
Backstory: Alessa was born in the United States, within the city of New York. Alessa is a 2nd generation french immigrant, still adjusting to her new life. Having developed her powers at the age of 11, Alessa was forced to hide her new found abilities to try and live the most normal life she could. She tried her best to avoid anything electronic, as they had a habit of breaking or shorting out around her; but that is easier said than done. Books became her best friends, and it became a running joke amongst others that it would be impossible to see Alessandra without her face buried in a book. In college, Alessandra studies ancient history and archeology, hoping that digging up the bronze age will keep her as far away from the source of her problems. Still, it crosses her mind once in a while about using her powers like the other elementals she hears about so often.</s>
<|message|>Chloe Harper
For a moment all Chloe seemed capable of doing was stare dumbfounded at the man who was trying to climb into the window. She bristled with distrust and blew out one last breath of chlorine, which either went out the window or floated toward the ground. Deep breaths, deep breaths. If he turns out to be a bad guy...we'll handle it later. What a terrible plan! Still, she grabbed Chrome by an arm and pulled with all her might. He was so heavy she thought that her arms would pop from their sockets, and a frustrated look came across her face.
She hoped that Dan had been speaking sarcastically when he'd said that the situation was under control.</s>
<|message|>Chrome
Chrome came tumbling in, spilling all over the floor. All of a sudden it dawned on him how ridiculous he might look, and that his Chromium was showing.
"Son of a... I mean... uh... Where are my manners? Hello, I'm Chrome." He said, standing up in the middle of the car. He glanced around and saw a dent on his arm where he was pushed on heavily on the trains window. It didn't reach his nerves however and he was only vaguely aware that he could feel the depression
"Well... Isn't really a sight you see every day, eh? Bet ya never seen a walking talkin' kitchen utensil?" Chrome said, trying to lighten a mood that he appeared to have made. He looked around and saw his backpack on the floor, he gathered it into his hands and slung it over his back. Luckily, the contents were safely inside. Finally, after what seemed like ages, but was really only seconds, he said.
"I sure as hell hope you guy's are part of the table... because if not... well I've landed one hell of a situation"</s>
<|message|>Rad Dan (Daniel Radkowski)
Dan stared a moment, then began to laugh. "Ho-holy HELL, yoah like some kinda fuckin' Ultron-robot! Look, when I've calmed down, I'll try an'... Hahaholy shit, don't think I can..." Dan was doubled over, cackling like a buffoon. "Look, Chrome? Like, the google shit? I'm Rad--ito. Radito Danito." He caught himself before tripping. "If by table ya mean, ah we all freaks like-- I'm sorry, nobody could possibly be a freak like YOU--, but yeah. We'ah all freaks. Each of us represent an... Element. Mine is surprise." Dan's laughter was slower now but still constant. "So, uh... Welcome aboahd."</s>
<|message|>Chrome
"Somehow, I knew that." Chrome's mood darkened as Dan remarked about his freakishness. Regardless, Chrome knew that they were harmless to him and he had potentially found some allies. His judgement against Dan might have been unfair, but by god was he an asshole.
"Radito Danito, interesting. Regardless of who ever is made of whatever, be chromium or crap" His eyes seem to drill into Dan as he says this. "I think I might have made a good choice in coming here... I hope, that is to say." he glances around at everyone and takes it all in.
"Let me introduce myself formally, I'm Chrome... Was named that at birth... kinda ironic wouldn't yo- Back on topic. I represent Chromium. I can control Magnetic Waves and Conduct electricity and all that metal stuff... Kinda cool, right... I think it is" Chrome say's this last part rather sheepishly.
"But this is where I shine." He holds up his fist's showing off the metal spikes melded onto them, glaring at Dan again. "I can augment my body with other metals as long as they have a bit of Chromium. Neat-o." Chrome said, starting to sound really sheepish.
"So uh... let's get some conversation going... 'Ahem' anyone wanna... ya know? Share their element?" Chrome glances around, very unaware of how awkward the situation has just become</s>
<|message|>Rad Dan (Daniel Radkowski)
"Ya know what? Shoah. I'm Copernicium. You a fan a' canceah? Because, y'know, I can give ya a lotta that. An' let me tell ya, mistah big shiny metal fist man, all ya punchin' an' metal body an' what not ain't gonna stop a slow painful death with coughin' up blood. So fuck off with yoah intimidation shit. We already passed that stage about a day ago. Jigsaw ovah heah," Dan motioned to Jaden, "he tried ta kill me with a whip oah somethin'. He's iron, got powahs real similah to yoahs. That sweetheaht Chloe theyah," he blushed as he mentioned Chloe, "She's chlorine. Don't try nothin', she's taken. Soaht of. Also, she can kill ya with chlorine. Rust ya up oah whatevah. The sistahs theyah, Aria and Aura, they'ah Helium an' Hydrogen. Don't know which is which. Don't cayah too much, neithah." He crossed his arms. "So, what ah yoah thoughts on Skunk Apes?"</s>
<|message|>Chrome
Chrome's eyes widen at the mention of Copernicium. "T-That's a... Never mind. Seeing as I can't understand half of what you say because you sound like a redneck on a joint, I'll try to ignore that you just threatened me with death almost three times." Chrome was beginning to grow annoyed with Dan's accent, if it could be called that. He was still glad though that he found more frien- Non Hostile Elements. He glanced around and noticed that his skin was rather rough. It was most probably because of Dan being Radioactive. He cursed as he realized he was in for one hell of a welding some time in the future. He wished there was a way to protect his body without oxide. "So what's the deal. I'm not going anywhere, rejoice!" Chrome said. The awkwardness was not born from Chrome himself, but his situation. Regardless, he hoped that it was only Dan that appeared to be annoyed with him.</s>
<|message|>Chloe Harper
"Hey, I am not--! Whatever. Whatever," muttered Chloe, crossing her arms and looking the quite metallic-looking newcomer up and down. If this guy turned out to be hostile, she wasn't sure if her chlorine could do the job. She wondered if he even had proper lungs that were made of flesh. He had to, right? He was a living being...although he looked more like a moving sculpture or something.
"And he does not sound like a redneck on a joint! You just have to get used to it." Why was she defending him? "...Anyway, yeah. I can breathe out chlorine if I want to and that stuff isn't a fan of the human body. Pleasure to meet you, Chrome. I would never have guessed your element." She extended her hand for a handshake, although a bit timidly, hoping that this guy wouldn't give her some electric shock or something.</s>
<|message|>Alessandra Guillory
Alessandra Guillory
Alessandra told the waiter her order, a glass of sweet tea as Jason replied to Tecumseh's question.
"Jason Delaney, I'm one of the technicians." He spoke, immediately afterwards ordering a simple coke.
Alessandra had to giggle at the stark contrast between the two men; Jason was so plain and simple, while (at least now) Tecum was anything but plain, his clothes and choice of drink quite stood out significantly to her. He certainly had made her curious.
As Alessandra was sipping from her tea, she spoke up once again. "It really is nice around here. It's much differant than New York or Languedoc." She mused, thinking back to the urban world or the rough, dry hills of Southern France. If anything though, it was closer to Languedoc.
Jason commented how it wasn't that differant than Virginia.
Zaynab Rousani
"Ms Bhati" left her room, sipping from a bottle of Apple juice, dressed in a blue and black stripped hijab, a black cardigan, navy blue long sleaved shirt and black pants. Zaynab was hungry, a week of running had left her deprived of anything other than conveniance store snacks and fast foods, so an actual meal would be greatly appreciated.
Zaynab walked over to get food, greeted with a pleasant surprised. Free food for a week, courtesy of the resourt owner. She was caught off guard, but happy none the less. She would get something, an order of a steak and some steamed vegtables. Enough to staisfy her, which wasn't difficult at all.</s>
<|message|>Chrome
Chrome
The Chromium Element
Chrome grasped her hand firmly and shook it. "A redneck on a joint doesn''t work, eh, what about JFK with a mouth full of salt-water?" He chuckled to himself. He realized he was the only one laughing. (#NOTMETAGAMING)
"I must apologize if I appeared here at a bad time... or if I've been a bit rude. My... well... predicament has left me with very little socialization for a few years. I'm just glad for sure that I found friendly Elements. Not everyone just lets you hop into their train car for no apparent reason.." Chrome exclaimed. He looked over at Dan, then Chloe and a sly grin escaped his mouth. He was not very ignorant contrary to his behavior, and he noticed that Chloe perhaps had feelings, hate if not love, for Dan.
"You two make a nice couple" Chrome said with a well disguised poker face.</s>
<|message|>Jaden Thurston/Fe - The Guardian
"Uhuh....my name is Jaden - not Jigsaw! I am not a creepy doll from a horror movie!"
Jaden looked at the new person with questioning before listening to the other statements. At least Dan had gotten his element right - he half expected the guy to give him the wrong element, and still get his name wrong. He knew the radioactive basket case was going to keep poking fun at him, but he hoped that the other would eventually state his real name and maybe remember it. He sighed as the person known as Chrome stood there looking out of place in his opinion - at least Chloe was being nice to him. Aria and Aura? Well he still wasn't so sure.
"So...why did you jump into the train car with us?" he asked.</s>
<|message|>Tecumseh Kawacatoose
The waiter arrived with Tecumseh's second glass, as he finished his first. Tecumseh smiled brightly at the impeccable timing of the young waiter, who announced that the first course would be out shortly. Which reminded Tecumseh that he should probably inform his guests that he had already ordered their dinner, and his, especially now that the cat was out of the bag anyway.
I hope you two don't mind, I took the liberty of ordering for all of us. On the plus side, sine neither of you ordered I can't expect you to pay for it, so this meal's entirely on me. Alessandra and Jason, I like to be frank, so forgive me if I'm a bit too forward. I invited you here so I could finish the little chat we started down the hill. I pause briefly to let that sink in, knowing it was going to cause some tension but really wanting to be certain of a few things before I got to far ahead of myself. Jason, you're up first. I want your professional opinion on what happened to that blower from the time you handed it to Alessandra to the time I handed it back to you.
The waiter returned with a tray holding three ceasar salads, and a variety of dressings. Tecumseh took one and poured some ranch dressing over the top, before offering the bottle to who ever wanted it next or returning it to the tray if the youngsters had other tastes.</s>
| <|message|>Alessandra Guillory
Jason thought hard about what had happened to the blower. He couldn't think of anything that could have caused such damage to it. He had seen this before, when similar, plugged machines would short circut or when incompatable voltages where used.
"The blower looked like it had been overcharged with a high voltage source. I've seen very similar effects on plugged blowers when using incompatable power sources, but never as bad as this. Its as if something put a rediculously amount into the motor in a very short time., the technician replied. He tapped on the table, searching for some kind of explanation. "But that couldn't have happened, it was nowhere near any electrical sources at the time. It passed simply between my hands and into Alessa's"</s> |
<|description|>Jaden Thurston/Fe - The Guardian
Element:Iron
Age: 15
Gender: Male
Appearance: Jaden has pale skin due to a lack of sun exposure, messy chocolate brown hair that's straight and hits just slightly below his ears. His eyes are an Iron Gray color. He's slim due to his stays in the hospitals and medication due to an Iron Deficiency and is shorter than most people his age. he tends to wear dark colored clothes, boots, and hoodies on occasion. Jaden wears a slim chained necklace with a small Iron marble on it that he can remove for instant use.
Powers: Jaden can control Iron in all forms and draw it from any source around him that contains as much as .1% of the element. Which includes humans as well (Males 4 grams & 3.5 for females) Because Iron is very reactive its easily corroded - however, because its used to strengthen things Jaden can increase his own strength and occasionally his durability. But when he draws in to much he can become ill and gains severe headaches and dizziness. He can also sense magnetic fields due to the slight magnetic draw Iron can have.
Weapons: Iron Razor Wire (long, sharp on both sides and flexible), Sword, and Iron form whips that comes from the pendant he wears when it is added to by other sources of the element.
Backstory: Jaden was originally from America, but moved to Oxford, England after a run in with people who were against Elementals. He lives alone there and works in a small pub/cafe and keeps to himself. He's quiet most of the time and reads a lot. Despite not being in school he is incredibly intelligent, and clever - often outsmarting people who pick on him because of his height - Jaden also tends to be sarcastic and slightly sadistic on occasion due to his lack of human interaction as a young boy. His knack for having a "Sherlock Holms" vibe on occasion and is very wary of people. Occasionally he'll go on walks at night to keep an eye out for anything that can cause trouble but is classified as an "anti-hero" because of his dark side and his dislike of getting to close to people.</s>
<|message|>Saya Byakko
Saya frowned as her bangs fell into her eyes. She at current was sitting at a train station waiting on a group of very frustrating, annoying, and damn near sneaky brats. Saya knew it would be a bit hard to sort things out with the group but she had never thought that tailing a group of people would be this hard! She puffed out her cheeks and looked around her as people gossiped a bit at her appearance. She narrowed her eyes and leaned back against the bench.
"So....Jaden, the Iron Elemental....Aria and Aura Thomas - the Hydrogen and Helium users....and the other two....damn Toshiro! Why is it they were the only ones we could get the names of!" She tisked at the fact that the man seemed to be able to get so much, but at the same time - completely fail.
"Naze....watashi?" she glanced at the sky through the window she was near, her gold eyes catching the rays.
So far she had been half way to getting near Italy and then was called by Toshiro to head back towards the area of England - they would stop near Heathrow, get on a boat, and then be to Italy. How they were going to do that she had no idea, but she really hoped that they were able to avoid being detected.
"Ever since that broadcast in New York City went off....I've been getting a bad feeling...."
She sighed and looked at the large old clock on the wall and puffed out her cheeks.
"Naze....watashi...." she asked why she had to deal with all this insanity, but knew someone had to.
"I guess this is going to pay off but....WHY THE HELL DID I GET THE HARD HEADED SNEAKY ONES?!" Her face flushed in irritation and she took a deep breath.
This was going to be a long wait.</s>
<|message|>Chloe Harper
For a moment all Chloe seemed capable of doing was stare dumbfounded at the man who was trying to climb into the window. She bristled with distrust and blew out one last breath of chlorine, which either went out the window or floated toward the ground. Deep breaths, deep breaths. If he turns out to be a bad guy...we'll handle it later. What a terrible plan! Still, she grabbed Chrome by an arm and pulled with all her might. He was so heavy she thought that her arms would pop from their sockets, and a frustrated look came across her face.
She hoped that Dan had been speaking sarcastically when he'd said that the situation was under control.</s>
<|message|>Chrome
Chrome came tumbling in, spilling all over the floor. All of a sudden it dawned on him how ridiculous he might look, and that his Chromium was showing.
"Son of a... I mean... uh... Where are my manners? Hello, I'm Chrome." He said, standing up in the middle of the car. He glanced around and saw a dent on his arm where he was pushed on heavily on the trains window. It didn't reach his nerves however and he was only vaguely aware that he could feel the depression
"Well... Isn't really a sight you see every day, eh? Bet ya never seen a walking talkin' kitchen utensil?" Chrome said, trying to lighten a mood that he appeared to have made. He looked around and saw his backpack on the floor, he gathered it into his hands and slung it over his back. Luckily, the contents were safely inside. Finally, after what seemed like ages, but was really only seconds, he said.
"I sure as hell hope you guy's are part of the table... because if not... well I've landed one hell of a situation"</s>
<|message|>Rad Dan (Daniel Radkowski)
Dan stared a moment, then began to laugh. "Ho-holy HELL, yoah like some kinda fuckin' Ultron-robot! Look, when I've calmed down, I'll try an'... Hahaholy shit, don't think I can..." Dan was doubled over, cackling like a buffoon. "Look, Chrome? Like, the google shit? I'm Rad--ito. Radito Danito." He caught himself before tripping. "If by table ya mean, ah we all freaks like-- I'm sorry, nobody could possibly be a freak like YOU--, but yeah. We'ah all freaks. Each of us represent an... Element. Mine is surprise." Dan's laughter was slower now but still constant. "So, uh... Welcome aboahd."</s>
<|message|>Chrome
"Somehow, I knew that." Chrome's mood darkened as Dan remarked about his freakishness. Regardless, Chrome knew that they were harmless to him and he had potentially found some allies. His judgement against Dan might have been unfair, but by god was he an asshole.
"Radito Danito, interesting. Regardless of who ever is made of whatever, be chromium or crap" His eyes seem to drill into Dan as he says this. "I think I might have made a good choice in coming here... I hope, that is to say." he glances around at everyone and takes it all in.
"Let me introduce myself formally, I'm Chrome... Was named that at birth... kinda ironic wouldn't yo- Back on topic. I represent Chromium. I can control Magnetic Waves and Conduct electricity and all that metal stuff... Kinda cool, right... I think it is" Chrome say's this last part rather sheepishly.
"But this is where I shine." He holds up his fist's showing off the metal spikes melded onto them, glaring at Dan again. "I can augment my body with other metals as long as they have a bit of Chromium. Neat-o." Chrome said, starting to sound really sheepish.
"So uh... let's get some conversation going... 'Ahem' anyone wanna... ya know? Share their element?" Chrome glances around, very unaware of how awkward the situation has just become</s>
<|message|>Rad Dan (Daniel Radkowski)
"Ya know what? Shoah. I'm Copernicium. You a fan a' canceah? Because, y'know, I can give ya a lotta that. An' let me tell ya, mistah big shiny metal fist man, all ya punchin' an' metal body an' what not ain't gonna stop a slow painful death with coughin' up blood. So fuck off with yoah intimidation shit. We already passed that stage about a day ago. Jigsaw ovah heah," Dan motioned to Jaden, "he tried ta kill me with a whip oah somethin'. He's iron, got powahs real similah to yoahs. That sweetheaht Chloe theyah," he blushed as he mentioned Chloe, "She's chlorine. Don't try nothin', she's taken. Soaht of. Also, she can kill ya with chlorine. Rust ya up oah whatevah. The sistahs theyah, Aria and Aura, they'ah Helium an' Hydrogen. Don't know which is which. Don't cayah too much, neithah." He crossed his arms. "So, what ah yoah thoughts on Skunk Apes?"</s>
<|message|>Chrome
Chrome's eyes widen at the mention of Copernicium. "T-That's a... Never mind. Seeing as I can't understand half of what you say because you sound like a redneck on a joint, I'll try to ignore that you just threatened me with death almost three times." Chrome was beginning to grow annoyed with Dan's accent, if it could be called that. He was still glad though that he found more frien- Non Hostile Elements. He glanced around and noticed that his skin was rather rough. It was most probably because of Dan being Radioactive. He cursed as he realized he was in for one hell of a welding some time in the future. He wished there was a way to protect his body without oxide. "So what's the deal. I'm not going anywhere, rejoice!" Chrome said. The awkwardness was not born from Chrome himself, but his situation. Regardless, he hoped that it was only Dan that appeared to be annoyed with him.</s>
<|message|>Chloe Harper
"Hey, I am not--! Whatever. Whatever," muttered Chloe, crossing her arms and looking the quite metallic-looking newcomer up and down. If this guy turned out to be hostile, she wasn't sure if her chlorine could do the job. She wondered if he even had proper lungs that were made of flesh. He had to, right? He was a living being...although he looked more like a moving sculpture or something.
"And he does not sound like a redneck on a joint! You just have to get used to it." Why was she defending him? "...Anyway, yeah. I can breathe out chlorine if I want to and that stuff isn't a fan of the human body. Pleasure to meet you, Chrome. I would never have guessed your element." She extended her hand for a handshake, although a bit timidly, hoping that this guy wouldn't give her some electric shock or something.</s>
<|message|>Alessandra Guillory
Alessandra Guillory
Alessandra told the waiter her order, a glass of sweet tea as Jason replied to Tecumseh's question.
"Jason Delaney, I'm one of the technicians." He spoke, immediately afterwards ordering a simple coke.
Alessandra had to giggle at the stark contrast between the two men; Jason was so plain and simple, while (at least now) Tecum was anything but plain, his clothes and choice of drink quite stood out significantly to her. He certainly had made her curious.
As Alessandra was sipping from her tea, she spoke up once again. "It really is nice around here. It's much differant than New York or Languedoc." She mused, thinking back to the urban world or the rough, dry hills of Southern France. If anything though, it was closer to Languedoc.
Jason commented how it wasn't that differant than Virginia.
Zaynab Rousani
"Ms Bhati" left her room, sipping from a bottle of Apple juice, dressed in a blue and black stripped hijab, a black cardigan, navy blue long sleaved shirt and black pants. Zaynab was hungry, a week of running had left her deprived of anything other than conveniance store snacks and fast foods, so an actual meal would be greatly appreciated.
Zaynab walked over to get food, greeted with a pleasant surprised. Free food for a week, courtesy of the resourt owner. She was caught off guard, but happy none the less. She would get something, an order of a steak and some steamed vegtables. Enough to staisfy her, which wasn't difficult at all.</s>
<|message|>Chrome
Chrome
The Chromium Element
Chrome grasped her hand firmly and shook it. "A redneck on a joint doesn''t work, eh, what about JFK with a mouth full of salt-water?" He chuckled to himself. He realized he was the only one laughing. (#NOTMETAGAMING)
"I must apologize if I appeared here at a bad time... or if I've been a bit rude. My... well... predicament has left me with very little socialization for a few years. I'm just glad for sure that I found friendly Elements. Not everyone just lets you hop into their train car for no apparent reason.." Chrome exclaimed. He looked over at Dan, then Chloe and a sly grin escaped his mouth. He was not very ignorant contrary to his behavior, and he noticed that Chloe perhaps had feelings, hate if not love, for Dan.
"You two make a nice couple" Chrome said with a well disguised poker face.</s>
| <|message|>Jaden Thurston/Fe - The Guardian
"Uhuh....my name is Jaden - not Jigsaw! I am not a creepy doll from a horror movie!"
Jaden looked at the new person with questioning before listening to the other statements. At least Dan had gotten his element right - he half expected the guy to give him the wrong element, and still get his name wrong. He knew the radioactive basket case was going to keep poking fun at him, but he hoped that the other would eventually state his real name and maybe remember it. He sighed as the person known as Chrome stood there looking out of place in his opinion - at least Chloe was being nice to him. Aria and Aura? Well he still wasn't so sure.
"So...why did you jump into the train car with us?" he asked.</s> |
<|description|>Fargus Oberschmidt
Element: Strontium
Age: 32
Gender: Male
Appearance: With ashy-red hair, freckles, and an uncomfortable-looking scar across the sternum, Fargus is the very model of a modern Scot. Fargus tends to wear casual and breezy clothes, often wearing an unbuttoned Hawaiian shirt and jeans at all times. Fargus' face is described as 'craggy' at best, and bears numerous scars and calluses from his many life-threatening experiences. Fargus has an unpleasant tendency to suck on his teeth and crack his knuckles when irritated or bored.
Powers: Fargus is capable of blocking radiation, due to Strontium's naturally absorbent properties. In addition, Fargus can psychically promote bone growth, making healing significantly easier. Finally, Fargus can increase the intensity and magnitude of any combustion by generating Strontium within the explosion's igniting heart.
Weapons: One Springfield "Operator" .45 ACP handgun, purchased from a collector while staying in America. Acquiring ammunition for it is relatively difficult, but Fargus makes do through his shadier contacts. Fargus is a dab hand with his pocket multitool, but prefers to use any other weapons available.
Backstory: Born in Glasgow, Fargus Oberschmidt didn't have a very well-adjusted childhood. With a deadbeat dad and a drunkard of a mother, Fargus grew to rely on himself and himself alone. After just barely graduating from secondary school, Fargus promptly went into drugrunning and petty gangbanging for one of Glasgow's myriad criminal enterprises: The Smilies. In time, he grew to become the leader of the Smilies. Through ruthless practices and an innate sense for good business, Fargus and his boys beat out the competition, carving out a solid chunk out of the city for the Smilies. One ill-fated attempt at a major deal and a police-issue massacre later, Fargus was forced to flee to the states with only a handful of his mates. With little else other than the clothes on their backs and the chips on their shoulders, The Smilies are bound to rise again.</s>
<|message|>Chloe Harper
Chloe didn't know why she'd come back, but she really wished she hadn't. She'd thought her idea was a pretty damn good one, and now as she recognized Mahmoud from before, her heart sank. Great. She really really really wish she'd left. Now what were they going to do? She looked at no one but the stranger, staring him in the eyes. Her heart hammered and she struggled not to start breathing chlorine again (she'd just calmed down!), but she was determined not to look scared. Her stone-faced stare was something she took pride in. Hopefully that jackass waiter wouldn't escalate things again, or ask for life details. Maybe this fancily-dressed man wasn't meant to be scary as he came off as?
Try to be calm. Just be cool. Be cool.
"Um...nice tie," she said hesitantly. Unlike the possible elemental who'd started yelling on the street, she was too intimidated to flat-out ask what Mahmoud wanted. She wondered how long it would take everyone in the room to die if she just blew out some chlorine and left. What a shitty thing to think.</s>
<|message|>Fargus Oberschmidt
Central Park, New York
"So, I said to him... Oh, look who it is! Hey, brother! The boys and I are over here!"
"Fargus! I'm glad you and your friends are settling down well! So, how did the doctor's appointment go?" Fargus's brother, Leo, made his way over to the shaded knoll Fargus and the gang were staying on. Fargus gave his brother a warm hug and a hefty pat on the shoulder.
"Ah, it turns out one of my ribs is basically all of the hard outer stuff. Like, no marrow or anything." Fargus shrugged. He knew very little about bones, but Gunther's constant lecturing about health certainly put some information in his head.
"That sounds serious. Fargus, I want you to take it easy for the next few weeks. With your ribs like this, I'm certain they won't heal properly. Hey, listen... why don't we stop by my office later today? If what the doctor says is true, I'm sure I can figure out just what's wrong. So, how are your friends doing?"
Peaches and Gunther shrugged. "We've been settling down easy. Haven't had any worries, all things considered!"
Leo nodded, and settled down next to Peaches. "I'm glad to hear that. Hey, feel free to splurge a bit; I've got plenty of money to burn, and I'm sure you'll put it to good use. The clinic's always had its fair share of old money coming its way."
"That reminds me. Why couldn't Fargus have come to you for a check-up?"
"I run a geriatric clinic, Gunther. Unless Fargus is lying about his age, what I can offer wouldn't be of much use to him. I only deal with elderly patients."
Leo glanced down at the lakeside, and saw a familiar face: Herschel Orenstein. "Oh, speaking of which, there's one of my clients now! Old Herschel's kind of a soursop, but you'd be surprised at how much he warms up to you if you're Jewish! Come on, I'll introduce you to him."
Leo, Fargus, Peaches, and Gunther made their way down to where Herschel Orenstein was. Leo, being the one most familiar to Herschel, greeted him.
"Hello, Mister Orenstein! I'm glad to see that you're out and about, despite your condition! I'd like to introduce you to my brothers: Fargus, Peaches, and Gunther! They've just recently emigrated from Scotland, so I've been showing them around! So, how have you been doing?"</s>
<|message|>Jaden Thurston/Fe - The Guardian
Jaden watched the man as he refused to answer - only smiling at them in a way that should have been fatherly, but was simply making his skin crawl - He smelt a chemical and instantly knew this man was one of them, and it outright terrified him. The others were watching, Aria barely awake as she frightfully watched the man in the doorway. As this took place Jaden's mind began to fly into panic mode. There were four of them, perfectly capable of taking him down if they pounced all at once - but with all the back and forth on trust between him and the three girls there was no way that was going to happen - therefore, he felt some discontent with what they could possibly do to stave off this man.
Then he heard Chloe muttering to herself and he focused on that while keeping his eyes on the man and his options open. There was fireplace cleaners and pokers by his side all made entirely of pure iron - he could easily use that if he wanted but he knew there was only so much that would come of that. His eyes remained trained as he tried to hear what the Chlorine Elemental was saying.
"Chlorine....Iron...and...what else..."
His mind flew to his father's chemistry work, his work in Alchemical History and his memory fixed on a term used in his textbook in high school prior to him coming to Oxford. The combination reaction between Chlorine and his own element - a type of flamable gas that would very much come in handy - if they survived the colorful blast. He considered it and felt himself shake in tension as he reasoned it out. The man was still keeping his eyes on them and that meant talking was out of the question, but getting huddled close to one another wasn't. Therefore, Jaden made a slight motion towards Chloe who was near to Aura - the three of them on an arms length from each other. He got close to Chloe and the girl stared at him on shock while he kept his eyes on him and his mind settled on trying to figure out what he could possibly do.
"If I activate my element and she breathes out the gas....then...maybe we can make that light a match term literal....please Chloe, take the hint!"</s>
<|message|>Herschel Orenstein/ Greyhound
Hershel was napping. His head laid at the back of his wheel-chair and was slightly propped against his right shoulder. What with the weather at this time, truly it was the best time to sleep. For Herschel already fed the pigeons he wanted to feed. With a loud snore he suddenly woke back up, as he reached back for his respirator. He grabbed the mask attached to the apparatus and took a few deep breaths in.
He then placed the mask on his lap right next to his satchel. He turned to glance at the youngster, "See, didn't mind ya at all." He peered his eyes as he realized Dr Leo was there.
He gave a soft smile as he slowly moved his wheel-chair closer to Leo. "Doc, you Haimisher mensch, didn't expect you out here." Before he decided to answer Leo's question, he peered at the group next to him.
"Your brothers huh, so this is your Mishpocha? Scotland you say? That isn't the most kosher place." He peered at Fargus, Peaches, and Gunther for a few moments, judging them of their worth. He slowly lifted up his left hand and wagged his index finger, "You boys attending your Synagogue? The temples here are far better than, Scotland. I'd be surprised if there was even a single temple there. I hope you kids are doctors, you don't wanna disappoint your grandmotha do ya?"
He glanced at Leo as he spoke up, "How am I? Today seems to be going alright, but I know I'm gonna be disappointed by the end of it! Oh my grandkids will fail to leave a single message for me. I'm bound to run into some zhlubs with their pants down around their ankles, and playing on their skateboards on the sidewalks." Herschel shook his head, "Damn kids these days. Bit of a pain in my neck, but other than that, all seems relatively normal. You got me on the schedule now for my next appointment don'tcha? It seems to be the only time my kids seem to contact me. 'Oh Herschel, have you made sure you got your check-up?'. Feh, but they never seem to have the time to just go to a delicatessen and have some nice corned beef, or some soup."
Herschel frowned at the thought.</s>
<|message|>Mahmoud Nobakht
Mahmoud spoke up as the elementals seemed to be getting suspicious of his presence. "My apologies if I have upset you, I was merely responding to a phone call that my associate had made to me."
Mahmoud adjusted his tie, before opening his jacket to show he was not armed (as far as they could tell). "You see, I'm the leader of a group that is in need of people with special talents. Talents like yours. I assure you that my company pays well, and I am free with my money when it comes to my close companions." Mahmoud spoke confidently.
Outside, a group of 5 of Mahmoud's personal guardsmen, a hodgepodge of russian gansters, ex iranian soldiers, Afghans from tribal groups and even a few ex extremists now allied only to Mahmoud's fortune. Ready to raid in if their leader gave the signal.</s>
<|message|>Jaden Thurston/Fe - The Guardian
"And why should we trust you?" Jaden spoke up and kept a close eye on the man now that he'd talked at long last.
Offering to pay them for some kind of service while using their abilities - why did this scream criminal mastermind? Jaden didn't really need an answer from the man as he watched him and prayed Chloe and Aura caught onto what he was wanting to do. One good blast or a burst of toxic smoke would be their only chance to escape this man. And then something came to mind - what if this guy had people outside? What then? Jaden took in a deep breath and placed a hand at Chloe's back causing her to glance his way while he gave her a look - pleading with her to get what he was trying to do as she stared between himself and the man.
Aura was watching as well, Aria barely awake and watching them in fear as the man looked them over - meeting each of their eyes and lingering on himself and the two sisters. What was he planning? What was about to happen? Could they save themselves? Or would someone else have to save them? Jaden felt himself gulp at the other alternative - they weren't going to be saved, this man was going to get them, take them somewhere and they would potentially never be seen again. With a glance at Aria he took a deep breath and made a rather bold choice.
"Chloe...I'm sorry!" before she could say anything he slapped her and she turned a cold eye to him and she puffed out a small cloud of chlorine gas.
If he was lucky he could use his element and - though it made his stomach knot up at the idea - get Aria into a panic and if he did - they could escape in the confusion. A spark lit the air and he grinned as he felt the bangle around his wrist stretch and slither out to form the iron whip. With just the right amount of friction he could heat the iron, use the spark and gas and they could get out.
"We didn't come this far to just get caught!"</s>
| <|message|>Fargus Oberschmidt
Leo Oberschmidt gave a panicky little smile, one that has been trained and tempered through years of fast-paced Yiddish translation, blind-yet-calculated agreement, and nights spent poring over books on Hebrew culture in preparation for hideously vague philosophizing on today's kids and how they relate to the Chosen People. Leo did what he always does, and lied outright. Leo's eyes took on a glazed sheen as he spoke.
"Herschel, I've told you about my brother before. They're both devout Progressives. I know how you feel
about them, but I'm sure I've managed to bring them into the fold bit by bit. Since they just left, they haven't had a chance to practice mikvah just yet, but I've already given them the basics. Don't you worry about old Fargus and his friends, I've got them under control."
Peaches, himself a practicing Roman Catholic, attempted to complain, but was quietly but firmly shushed by Fargus. "Quiet," Fargus whispered, "this guy is, from what I've heard, one hell of a chatterbox. With him, it's gonna be 'yes, sir' only, got it?" Peaches's conspiratorial nod told Fargus all he needed to know.
Gunther played along, and grunted exaggeratedly in agreement with Herschel. "Tell me about it! I've always hated how these kids act like they're hot shit. They look like absolute idiots, and don't even know it!" Gunther always knew how to talk to elders, considering his upbringing. Living in a house with your whole extended family for company does wonders to your multi-tasking skills!
Leo sighed in relief, and grinned at Herschel. "Mister Orenstein, I'm glad your children are talking to you. You know, I know quite a few people whose children have abandoned them entirely! If you ever need someone to talk to, you know who to find!"</s> |
<|description|>Fargus Oberschmidt
Element: Strontium
Age: 32
Gender: Male
Appearance: With ashy-red hair, freckles, and an uncomfortable-looking scar across the sternum, Fargus is the very model of a modern Scot. Fargus tends to wear casual and breezy clothes, often wearing an unbuttoned Hawaiian shirt and jeans at all times. Fargus' face is described as 'craggy' at best, and bears numerous scars and calluses from his many life-threatening experiences. Fargus has an unpleasant tendency to suck on his teeth and crack his knuckles when irritated or bored.
Powers: Fargus is capable of blocking radiation, due to Strontium's naturally absorbent properties. In addition, Fargus can psychically promote bone growth, making healing significantly easier. Finally, Fargus can increase the intensity and magnitude of any combustion by generating Strontium within the explosion's igniting heart.
Weapons: One Springfield "Operator" .45 ACP handgun, purchased from a collector while staying in America. Acquiring ammunition for it is relatively difficult, but Fargus makes do through his shadier contacts. Fargus is a dab hand with his pocket multitool, but prefers to use any other weapons available.
Backstory: Born in Glasgow, Fargus Oberschmidt didn't have a very well-adjusted childhood. With a deadbeat dad and a drunkard of a mother, Fargus grew to rely on himself and himself alone. After just barely graduating from secondary school, Fargus promptly went into drugrunning and petty gangbanging for one of Glasgow's myriad criminal enterprises: The Smilies. In time, he grew to become the leader of the Smilies. Through ruthless practices and an innate sense for good business, Fargus and his boys beat out the competition, carving out a solid chunk out of the city for the Smilies. One ill-fated attempt at a major deal and a police-issue massacre later, Fargus was forced to flee to the states with only a handful of his mates. With little else other than the clothes on their backs and the chips on their shoulders, The Smilies are bound to rise again.</s>
<|message|>Fargus Oberschmidt
Peaches nodded sagely. "See? Life can't be that bad, if your family's doing well! You know, I should probably go back to medical school. Hey, old timer... do you happen to know if foreign credit hours can be transferred to American universities? Like, I heard about studying abroad, but I never did it."
Leo wheeled his skeleton model into Room 2, and gave it a brotherly pat on the shoulderblade. "Me and ol' Roger here, we go way back. I found him at a yard sale a while back, and he's been in the break room ever since. Okay, so..." Leo pointed at the skeleton's middle-right rib, "This is the rib that hurts, right? Now, if we replace all the marrow with the outer layer of bone, a few things are gonna happen. First, it's gonna get much harder to break. Sounds good, right? Well, after that, it won't be getting any more nutrition, since the marrow's gone. What's gonna happen is it's gonna degenerate until it gets brittle and eventually crumbles. Not a good thing. Of course, this is if your issue is relegated entirely to just this rib. We could have a bigger problem on our hands, like... bone cancer."
Instantly, Fargus' mind was filled with hideous imagery, of osseous tumors sprouting from ribcages like bulbous flowers, of bones withering and disintegrating as organs fall out of place. As his imagination ran wild, so did the model skeleton's bones!
"Now, if you've got bone cancer, it can either be degenerative or hyperactive. For the former, you'll get something much like what I just described, but throughout your skeletal system. The latter is much less common, but basically it FARGUSLOOKATROGER!"
Fargus's focus snapped away from his mind's eye as he directed his attention to the now rapidly-disintegrating Roger. Leo cried in alarm and backed away towards Fargus. "The hell's going on with Roger?!" "I don't know! Leo, make it STOP!"
Instantly, Roger's degeneration ceased. What was crumbling before now looked as sturdy as steel. The pile of bonemeal at the base of Roger's stand, however, didn't change. Leo gave Fargus a Look. A Look that said everything it needed to say, but still needed dialogue to be completed.
"Fargus, what'd you do?"
"Fucked if I know! I just was thinking about all that nasty shit you were talking about, and then your stupid skeleton broke apart!"
"Fargus... do something for me, would you? Imagine a femur."
"What? Why the hell do you want me to think about bones?"
"Just do this for me. Think hard about a nice cartoony dog bone."
Fargus stared heavily at Roger's desecrated remains, and thought. Summoning up decades of cultural osmosis regarding bones, he thought of humeruses and femurs. With a relatively-disappointing POP, an adult femur appeared in the mound of bonemeal at Roger's base. The mound of meal seemed to shrink, as well. There was a pregnant pause. It gave birth to many smaller pauses that only perished when Leo gave a nervous chuckle. It quickly segued into genuine laughter, but the tinge of confusion and fear hung in the air like a questing beetle.
"Fargus, you just turned Roger into a pile of dust, then turned some of that dust back into bones. Fargus, do you know what this means?!"
"What's it--"
"Fuckin' SUPERPOWERS, man! You can control bones! Hey, listen... I got an idea for how we can show the world superpowers exist. I gotta make a phone call to this one guy. In the mean-time, call Peaches and Gunther over here. This is some big news! Oh, and bring Herschel in here, too. I'm gonna expedite his check-up."
"Sure, whatever." Fargus left the room, glad to be free of Leo for just a moment. He called down the hall and into the lobby. "Yo, P an' G! Get over here, and bring the old man with you!"
Peaches shrugged, and diligently wheeled Herschel into Room 2. "Looks like your appointment's up, old-timer. Yo, Gunther!"
"I heard him! Hey, didja know Leo's got Twinkies in his vendors? S'been a while since I had one of those! So, Fargus, what'd you want us over here for?"
"We gotta wait for Leo to make a call first, then I'll explain it. In the mean-time, how's the old man been holding up?"
Further down the hall, in Leo's office, Leo was making a phone call.
"Hello? Is this the JREF? It's about the Challenge. Yeah, I got someone with actual powers! You'll send a rep over now? THOUSAND DOLLAR COVER CHA--fine, sure, just get them over here now! It's the Oberschmidt Geriatric Clinic down on 45th street. Okay, see you soon!"</s>
<|message|>Rad Dan (Daniel Radkowski)
"It's Radito Danito or nothin'. Ain't like that fuckah knows my real name anyway." something occured to Dan. "Othah than what we look like, this fuck knows next ta nothin' about us. Hell, maybe he think's we'ah actually named aftah the elements. Tell ya that much, my name ain't Chromium." Dan felt surprisingly proud of himself. His train of thought was actually good, for once. "Theyah's nothin' stoppin' us from jus' hoppin' on a boat ta the mainland. No need foah passpoahts oah anythin'." Man, the good ideas were just FLOWING from his magnificent brain today.</s>
<|message|>Tecumseh Kawacatoose
An observant person might notice, despite the new arrival, that some of the dust being blown across the dig site, wasn't quite moving with the wind as is passed Schultz's feet, though it was only slightly deviant. As the steady breeze blew the dust along, a piece of paper was left lying between Schultz's feet. It had four words in smugged block letters printed on one side, the top side.
Is that a fact?
Tecumseh let the wind blow him past the edge of the camp, and knew he shouldn't be tormenting the man, but well, he wanted to know just what he could and could not do while in his alternate form, and this was good practice, okay so it was barely decent practice but it was all he had to work with for the moment. Once out of sight of the camp, he changed back into his usual form, and slipped into the clothes he'd left nearby in preparation for his little blow by, the note had been a last minute addition to his little game. Once dressed, he moved towards the camp to see how work was going at the new dig site.</s>
<|message|>Herschel Orenstein/ Greyhound
"You should." Herschel gave a nod to Peaches. "Depends on the score, and the university in question. I'm sure you can transfer the credits over. Good idea to keep up your education, alongside mastering a trade." Herschel paused for a moment before removing his mask as he coughed violently again. "Euugh." He placed the respirator back on and took in a deep breath.
"Ah, my appointment." Herschel glanced back at Peaches, as he helped him to the room. "Ah, you're a good kid." Herschel glanced around in the interior of the room, "Alr-" He took his mask off as he began coughing some more into his left hand. He stared at the gooey substance of phlegm. He held it over the side of his wheel-chair as the viscous fluid slowly began dripping towards the floor.
"Euugh." Herschel made a loud snorting noise, as he tried to clear up his nasal passageway. "Alright, let's get to it."</s>
<|message|>Chloe Harper
"I don't know, man. He looked like the kind of guy who could have people finding shit out in a snap. But maybe as long as we all manage not to kill someone or otherwise make the front page, we can stay off the radar."
As for the idea of being stuck in a boat with Dan, Aura, Aria and Jaden, it gave her the urge, just for the moment, to run to the nearest bathroom and hurl. Not to mention the other issues in that plan. "We're in a world of shit," she muttered softly.</s>
<|message|>Fargus Oberschmidt
Leo came into Room 2 with a grin on his face.
"Okay, I'm done with my call. Fargus, would you care to give the news?"
"Uh, sure. So, apparently, I can... psychically control bones or something. See that pile of bones over there? I made that just by thinking about it."
"Are you kidding? How do you expect us to believe that, boss? It's absolutely fucking batshit"
"Just watch. Here, I'm gonna turn that femur there into a skull!"
Fargus concentrated heavily. He imagined the femur twisting and popping into a different shape entirely. As he thought, the femur condensed into a spherical form. A cloud of bonemeal rose up to enshroud it, before being sucked into the bone-ball itself. Eventually, familiar features began imprinting into the ball. A jawline was carved, then eye sockets and nostrils. At last, the skull dropped uneventfully into the mound of bonemeal. Fargus looked at the others with a smug grin, and shrugged his shoulders confidently.
"Holy shit."
"Boss, you've got superpowers!"
"You're damned right he does! I've got someone coming over to get this on the news!"
"Hey, that's a good idea! We can get some publicity out of this, and cash most of all!"
"Well, I was more thinking we could get you to a university and have you studied. See how this turned up, and if it can be spread. This is gonna be a major paradigm shift to phyics, biology, medicine... fucking every field!"
"You know, that sounds like a better idea. Hey, so... when's the representative come over?"
[color=skyblue]"Shouldn't be too long. I should have just enough time to give Mister Orenstein a check-up before they show up. If you would kindly leave the room, I can get started sooner." Leo gave Fargus and the gang a very implicative look.
Fargus, Peaches, and Gunther left the room, leaving only Herschel and Leo. Leo, knowing how Herschel felt about nurses, always tended to do the whole process himself. "So, mister Orenstein... how have you been? Any noteworthy events or emergencies, lately?"</s>
<|message|>Herschel Orenstein/ Greyhound
"Besides my lungs acting more meshugge than usual?" Herschel inquired as he stared at the doctor.
"The bones in my fingers ache. I've got this weird feeling between my right toes. I swear I've got a bunion on my left foot. My mouth feels drier than usual. My sinuses are stuffed up like who knows what. I've been feeling cold, but that's just because the air conditioner can't be left at a proper temperature." Herschel went on as he glanced back at Leo, "I've been producing more ear-wax than usual, at least it seems that way. And that's just to start with. Feh."
"The living assistance has been a paain. Oh how I wished I was young and spry again." Herschel rambled on, "Lapping, oh how I miss the craft." Herschel scowled, "My boy has this one little meeskait working for him. He was far from blessed, you wouldn't believe me if I told you he was never in the human sideshow. Because boy, this kid looked like it. When I saw him, oh jeez!" Herschel reached for his chest as he took a deep breath in.
"It gave my heart a startle I tell you. One that I didn't need. But boy, did that little fellow have nimble fingers for lapping jewels." Herschel chuckled a bit before scowling again, "Ugh, and he still hasn't given me a call in weeks. Feh, I've talked enough about this Bobbemeysh."
The old man glanced back at Leo, "But yeah, the lungs are acting more meshuggee than usual, for whatever reason."</s>
| <|message|>Fargus Oberschmidt
Leo scratched his chin thoughtfully.
"There might be something wrong with your respiratory system. I've noticed you've been coughing up a lot of phlegm recently. Is there anything unusual about this phlegm? Coloration, thickness, anything inside the phlegm, something like that?"
Leo briefly ran through his encyclopaedic knowledge of respiratory diseases.
"It might just be the flu, Mister Orestein. If anything new comes up, I'll have to give you a bronchoscopy. Of course, that's going to be only if something really bad comes up, so we shouldn't need to worry about having one, just yet. I'm sure things will turn out fine, Mister Orestein."</s> |
<|description|>Herschel Orenstein/ Greyhound
Element: Arsenic
Age: 77
Gender: M
Appearance: Herschel Orenstein is an old looking man with a withered and pruned skin. He has a clean-shaven face which was withered by time. Upon his hooked nose lay a pair of thick rimmed reading spectacles. He has dark grey hair which covers just the side of his head, leaving the top bald. He usually is dressed in a light brown tweed-suit and some black bowler shoes. He is constantly in a wheel-chair, with a breathing apparatus strapped to the back and a breathing device around his mouth. He usually has a satchel on his lap which contains a deck of playing cards, a book, three pens, and a yamaka.
When in hero mode, his skin is colored in a dusty grey.
Powers: He has the power of releasing concentrated doses of arsenic, in any form of matter. If it successfully gets to a target it leads to severe arsenic poisoning. This ability can also be used for agricultural purposes to make insecticides and poisons.
Weapons: Guilt-tripping youngsters, and old man rambling. No conventional weapons.
Backstory: Herschel Orenstein was born in a turbulent time period back in Germany. Needless to say, his ancestors when they were able left Europe and moved to newly founded state of Israel. Herschel had a fairly typical childhood, playing around with friends, and learning the family trade. Skip several years later, he felt the wanderlust and moved to New York City where he started his own jewel cutting business. It was a legitimate business, though a few employees were, in shadier areas, as such they would get fired. Cut several years later, he married his beloved wife, and had four children. Cut years later, his wife fell to cancer, and his children started their own families, some better than others. His oldest son manages the jewel cutting business as he hoped he would. Herschel's children, upon seeing how poorly he aged, considered putting him into a home. However, Herschel insisted that they let him stay in his apartment, and hired a nurse for living assistance. As it was, it seemed life would come to an end for old Herschel. But suddenly he got a new lease on life when he was given the powers of Arsenic. He plans on using the time he has left in this world to make it a better place.</s>
<|message|>Rad Dan (Daniel Radkowski)
"It's Radito Danito or nothin'. Ain't like that fuckah knows my real name anyway." something occured to Dan. "Othah than what we look like, this fuck knows next ta nothin' about us. Hell, maybe he think's we'ah actually named aftah the elements. Tell ya that much, my name ain't Chromium." Dan felt surprisingly proud of himself. His train of thought was actually good, for once. "Theyah's nothin' stoppin' us from jus' hoppin' on a boat ta the mainland. No need foah passpoahts oah anythin'." Man, the good ideas were just FLOWING from his magnificent brain today.</s>
<|message|>Tecumseh Kawacatoose
An observant person might notice, despite the new arrival, that some of the dust being blown across the dig site, wasn't quite moving with the wind as is passed Schultz's feet, though it was only slightly deviant. As the steady breeze blew the dust along, a piece of paper was left lying between Schultz's feet. It had four words in smugged block letters printed on one side, the top side.
Is that a fact?
Tecumseh let the wind blow him past the edge of the camp, and knew he shouldn't be tormenting the man, but well, he wanted to know just what he could and could not do while in his alternate form, and this was good practice, okay so it was barely decent practice but it was all he had to work with for the moment. Once out of sight of the camp, he changed back into his usual form, and slipped into the clothes he'd left nearby in preparation for his little blow by, the note had been a last minute addition to his little game. Once dressed, he moved towards the camp to see how work was going at the new dig site.</s>
<|message|>Herschel Orenstein/ Greyhound
"You should." Herschel gave a nod to Peaches. "Depends on the score, and the university in question. I'm sure you can transfer the credits over. Good idea to keep up your education, alongside mastering a trade." Herschel paused for a moment before removing his mask as he coughed violently again. "Euugh." He placed the respirator back on and took in a deep breath.
"Ah, my appointment." Herschel glanced back at Peaches, as he helped him to the room. "Ah, you're a good kid." Herschel glanced around in the interior of the room, "Alr-" He took his mask off as he began coughing some more into his left hand. He stared at the gooey substance of phlegm. He held it over the side of his wheel-chair as the viscous fluid slowly began dripping towards the floor.
"Euugh." Herschel made a loud snorting noise, as he tried to clear up his nasal passageway. "Alright, let's get to it."</s>
<|message|>Chloe Harper
"I don't know, man. He looked like the kind of guy who could have people finding shit out in a snap. But maybe as long as we all manage not to kill someone or otherwise make the front page, we can stay off the radar."
As for the idea of being stuck in a boat with Dan, Aura, Aria and Jaden, it gave her the urge, just for the moment, to run to the nearest bathroom and hurl. Not to mention the other issues in that plan. "We're in a world of shit," she muttered softly.</s>
<|message|>Fargus Oberschmidt
Leo came into Room 2 with a grin on his face.
"Okay, I'm done with my call. Fargus, would you care to give the news?"
"Uh, sure. So, apparently, I can... psychically control bones or something. See that pile of bones over there? I made that just by thinking about it."
"Are you kidding? How do you expect us to believe that, boss? It's absolutely fucking batshit"
"Just watch. Here, I'm gonna turn that femur there into a skull!"
Fargus concentrated heavily. He imagined the femur twisting and popping into a different shape entirely. As he thought, the femur condensed into a spherical form. A cloud of bonemeal rose up to enshroud it, before being sucked into the bone-ball itself. Eventually, familiar features began imprinting into the ball. A jawline was carved, then eye sockets and nostrils. At last, the skull dropped uneventfully into the mound of bonemeal. Fargus looked at the others with a smug grin, and shrugged his shoulders confidently.
"Holy shit."
"Boss, you've got superpowers!"
"You're damned right he does! I've got someone coming over to get this on the news!"
"Hey, that's a good idea! We can get some publicity out of this, and cash most of all!"
"Well, I was more thinking we could get you to a university and have you studied. See how this turned up, and if it can be spread. This is gonna be a major paradigm shift to phyics, biology, medicine... fucking every field!"
"You know, that sounds like a better idea. Hey, so... when's the representative come over?"
[color=skyblue]"Shouldn't be too long. I should have just enough time to give Mister Orenstein a check-up before they show up. If you would kindly leave the room, I can get started sooner." Leo gave Fargus and the gang a very implicative look.
Fargus, Peaches, and Gunther left the room, leaving only Herschel and Leo. Leo, knowing how Herschel felt about nurses, always tended to do the whole process himself. "So, mister Orenstein... how have you been? Any noteworthy events or emergencies, lately?"</s>
<|message|>Herschel Orenstein/ Greyhound
"Besides my lungs acting more meshugge than usual?" Herschel inquired as he stared at the doctor.
"The bones in my fingers ache. I've got this weird feeling between my right toes. I swear I've got a bunion on my left foot. My mouth feels drier than usual. My sinuses are stuffed up like who knows what. I've been feeling cold, but that's just because the air conditioner can't be left at a proper temperature." Herschel went on as he glanced back at Leo, "I've been producing more ear-wax than usual, at least it seems that way. And that's just to start with. Feh."
"The living assistance has been a paain. Oh how I wished I was young and spry again." Herschel rambled on, "Lapping, oh how I miss the craft." Herschel scowled, "My boy has this one little meeskait working for him. He was far from blessed, you wouldn't believe me if I told you he was never in the human sideshow. Because boy, this kid looked like it. When I saw him, oh jeez!" Herschel reached for his chest as he took a deep breath in.
"It gave my heart a startle I tell you. One that I didn't need. But boy, did that little fellow have nimble fingers for lapping jewels." Herschel chuckled a bit before scowling again, "Ugh, and he still hasn't given me a call in weeks. Feh, I've talked enough about this Bobbemeysh."
The old man glanced back at Leo, "But yeah, the lungs are acting more meshuggee than usual, for whatever reason."</s>
<|message|>Fargus Oberschmidt
Leo scratched his chin thoughtfully.
"There might be something wrong with your respiratory system. I've noticed you've been coughing up a lot of phlegm recently. Is there anything unusual about this phlegm? Coloration, thickness, anything inside the phlegm, something like that?"
Leo briefly ran through his encyclopaedic knowledge of respiratory diseases.
"It might just be the flu, Mister Orestein. If anything new comes up, I'll have to give you a bronchoscopy. Of course, that's going to be only if something really bad comes up, so we shouldn't need to worry about having one, just yet. I'm sure things will turn out fine, Mister Orestein."</s>
| <|message|>Herschel Orenstein/ Greyhound
Herschel listened to the doctor, as he paused for a moment. "Anyth-" He made another hacking cough. Herschel wracked with pain as his eyes watered up a bit, as a few discolored saline drops ran down his face. With a sudden movement his head jolted forward as he coughed once more. Another gooey orb of phlegm splatted into the palm of his left hand.
Herschel glanced at it carefully, as he gingerly moved his right index finger over. He poked the substance, as it slightly moved a bit. Herschel raised the phlegm towards his face as he glanced at it, while it slowly dripped through his fingers and onto his tweed pants.
"If only I had my jeweler's lens. And it was solid." Herschel paused for a moment as he left his mouth agape at a discovery he noticed. "I, there's no way there should be grey flakes in it." He peered at his phlegm as he did in fact notice, that within the ooze were scattered grey pieces within it. Oh the bits of arsenic.
Herschel's face contorted into a grimace as he began hacking some more. "S-eheee. Mu-shogge" This time some it wasn't phlegm that was released but rather, quite a bit of mucus smearing out from his nose. Herschel grumbled as he licked at his dentures, which had a bit of a black tint to the usual white condition they were supposed to be. "Ackhaaa-!" Again the fit came upon him, this time, he released a light and somewhat and strangely airy cloud of spit which was far from clear. It held a grey quality to it, much like the flakes that he found in the phlegm. It wafted a bit, before quickly descending to the floor.
Herschel took in a deep breath from the respirator as he stared at Leo. He continued breathing to maintain a calm and consistent breathing pattern instead of a coughing fit like he did before. "Doc, I think, I think something is up. Respirator may have finally gone fercockt. For sure somethin', something isn't right."</s> |
<|description|>Herschel Orenstein/ Greyhound
Element: Arsenic
Age: 77
Gender: M
Appearance: Herschel Orenstein is an old looking man with a withered and pruned skin. He has a clean-shaven face which was withered by time. Upon his hooked nose lay a pair of thick rimmed reading spectacles. He has dark grey hair which covers just the side of his head, leaving the top bald. He usually is dressed in a light brown tweed-suit and some black bowler shoes. He is constantly in a wheel-chair, with a breathing apparatus strapped to the back and a breathing device around his mouth. He usually has a satchel on his lap which contains a deck of playing cards, a book, three pens, and a yamaka.
When in hero mode, his skin is colored in a dusty grey.
Powers: He has the power of releasing concentrated doses of arsenic, in any form of matter. If it successfully gets to a target it leads to severe arsenic poisoning. This ability can also be used for agricultural purposes to make insecticides and poisons.
Weapons: Guilt-tripping youngsters, and old man rambling. No conventional weapons.
Backstory: Herschel Orenstein was born in a turbulent time period back in Germany. Needless to say, his ancestors when they were able left Europe and moved to newly founded state of Israel. Herschel had a fairly typical childhood, playing around with friends, and learning the family trade. Skip several years later, he felt the wanderlust and moved to New York City where he started his own jewel cutting business. It was a legitimate business, though a few employees were, in shadier areas, as such they would get fired. Cut several years later, he married his beloved wife, and had four children. Cut years later, his wife fell to cancer, and his children started their own families, some better than others. His oldest son manages the jewel cutting business as he hoped he would. Herschel's children, upon seeing how poorly he aged, considered putting him into a home. However, Herschel insisted that they let him stay in his apartment, and hired a nurse for living assistance. As it was, it seemed life would come to an end for old Herschel. But suddenly he got a new lease on life when he was given the powers of Arsenic. He plans on using the time he has left in this world to make it a better place.</s>
<|message|>Herschel Orenstein/ Greyhound
"Besides my lungs acting more meshugge than usual?" Herschel inquired as he stared at the doctor.
"The bones in my fingers ache. I've got this weird feeling between my right toes. I swear I've got a bunion on my left foot. My mouth feels drier than usual. My sinuses are stuffed up like who knows what. I've been feeling cold, but that's just because the air conditioner can't be left at a proper temperature." Herschel went on as he glanced back at Leo, "I've been producing more ear-wax than usual, at least it seems that way. And that's just to start with. Feh."
"The living assistance has been a paain. Oh how I wished I was young and spry again." Herschel rambled on, "Lapping, oh how I miss the craft." Herschel scowled, "My boy has this one little meeskait working for him. He was far from blessed, you wouldn't believe me if I told you he was never in the human sideshow. Because boy, this kid looked like it. When I saw him, oh jeez!" Herschel reached for his chest as he took a deep breath in.
"It gave my heart a startle I tell you. One that I didn't need. But boy, did that little fellow have nimble fingers for lapping jewels." Herschel chuckled a bit before scowling again, "Ugh, and he still hasn't given me a call in weeks. Feh, I've talked enough about this Bobbemeysh."
The old man glanced back at Leo, "But yeah, the lungs are acting more meshuggee than usual, for whatever reason."</s>
<|message|>Fargus Oberschmidt
Leo scratched his chin thoughtfully.
"There might be something wrong with your respiratory system. I've noticed you've been coughing up a lot of phlegm recently. Is there anything unusual about this phlegm? Coloration, thickness, anything inside the phlegm, something like that?"
Leo briefly ran through his encyclopaedic knowledge of respiratory diseases.
"It might just be the flu, Mister Orestein. If anything new comes up, I'll have to give you a bronchoscopy. Of course, that's going to be only if something really bad comes up, so we shouldn't need to worry about having one, just yet. I'm sure things will turn out fine, Mister Orestein."</s>
<|message|>Herschel Orenstein/ Greyhound
Herschel listened to the doctor, as he paused for a moment. "Anyth-" He made another hacking cough. Herschel wracked with pain as his eyes watered up a bit, as a few discolored saline drops ran down his face. With a sudden movement his head jolted forward as he coughed once more. Another gooey orb of phlegm splatted into the palm of his left hand.
Herschel glanced at it carefully, as he gingerly moved his right index finger over. He poked the substance, as it slightly moved a bit. Herschel raised the phlegm towards his face as he glanced at it, while it slowly dripped through his fingers and onto his tweed pants.
"If only I had my jeweler's lens. And it was solid." Herschel paused for a moment as he left his mouth agape at a discovery he noticed. "I, there's no way there should be grey flakes in it." He peered at his phlegm as he did in fact notice, that within the ooze were scattered grey pieces within it. Oh the bits of arsenic.
Herschel's face contorted into a grimace as he began hacking some more. "S-eheee. Mu-shogge" This time some it wasn't phlegm that was released but rather, quite a bit of mucus smearing out from his nose. Herschel grumbled as he licked at his dentures, which had a bit of a black tint to the usual white condition they were supposed to be. "Ackhaaa-!" Again the fit came upon him, this time, he released a light and somewhat and strangely airy cloud of spit which was far from clear. It held a grey quality to it, much like the flakes that he found in the phlegm. It wafted a bit, before quickly descending to the floor.
Herschel took in a deep breath from the respirator as he stared at Leo. He continued breathing to maintain a calm and consistent breathing pattern instead of a coughing fit like he did before. "Doc, I think, I think something is up. Respirator may have finally gone fercockt. For sure somethin', something isn't right."</s>
<|message|>Alessandra Guillory
Alessandra Guillory
Alessa sighed at the prospect of having to work under this uptight jackass for the next month.
"So, when will I start digging?"
Schultz sighed and uttered out, "Jason will run you through the equiptment and then you can begin digging. Just walk over to his section over there by the cave entrance."
As Alessa took her leave and walked over to the designated site, she could hear Schultz shouting to the nearby students about another note or something.
Alessa spoke with the technician, and Jason gave her an old, worn looking machine to blow away dust. It was not for small scale excavation, but more like blowing the sand off a particularly large fossil. Alessa was aprehensive to pick up the poorly insulated machine.
"Don't worry, as long as you don't touch the wire's you'll be fine."
That's exactly what Alessa did. And as the current hit her, her body instinctively sent the current right back into the machine, beginning to overload the power source and burn the outercasing from the now overheating motor. Alessa also instictively threw the buring blower away from her...and right towards where Schultz was standing and Tecumseh was walking in</s>
<|message|>Fargus Oberschmidt
Leo deftly dodged out of the way of Herschel's cloud of saliva and gray matter, and cleared his throat in sympathetic pain of the larynx. As he knew, hocking up clouds of metallic-gray bodily fluids was far from normal for anyone. Gray phlegm could mean only two things: severe metal poisoning or spores in the lungs. Both of these would have an immediate and clearly dangerous impact on their victim, but Herschel was as spry as he always was. Leo, understanding that his day just got a lot longer, slapped on a pair of latex gloves and selected a tongue depressor and a specimen cup. Dutifully, he scraped some of Herschel's phlegm into the cup, and placed it on the counter for examination.
"Mister Orestein, this is a very serious problem. To put it simply, no body fluid is supposed to be grey like that. I'll have to examine a sample of your discharge, so please hang on for a moment."
Leo scraped a small portion of phlegm into a slide, and put it under a microscope on the counter at the far end of the room. Leo carefully examined the phlegm sample, noting the formation of the metallic flakes stored within. Leo hummed and grunted, wracking his brain for a possible explanation. With one last frustrated grunt, he turned back to Herschel.
"Mister Orestein, you've been coughing up flakes of metal. Under any circumstances, this would be cause for alarm, especially considering just what metal this is. I don't want to alarm you, but there's a significant amount of arsenic in your phlegm. Normally, if you had arsenic in any part of your throat or lungs, you'd be dead by now. However, it seems that these flakes of arsenic aren't reacting to your cells at all. Mister Orestein, I must say that this is the first instance I've ever seen any cell whatsoever surviving prolonged contact with toxic metals, save for certain types of extremophile bacteria. Mister Orestein, you are a medical marvel! In fact... I've got someone coming soon that might want to know about you. Mister Orestein, how do you feel about being... televised?"</s>
<|message|>Tecumseh Kawacatoose
Tecumseh walked into camp, towards Schultz, who had his back to him as he fussed about Tecumseh's little present. As he approached though, the corner of his noticed an object headed his way, and his reflexes kicked in. He noticed it was a sparking blower, and relaxed marginally as he caught the machine, stepping back as he absorbed the blower's momentum, with a low "oof." He switched the machine off, then moved his hands so they weren't in contact with the warped motor casing or the motor itself. looking back along the trajectory of the object, Tecumseh noticed Alessandra and Jason standing not to far away and walked over to return the machine, holding it out to Jason, since the girl looked ... stressed.
You could lose an arm working with the wire exposed like that, though it looks like you need a new motor now. I got guy who's great with small motor repair, if you want some help salvaging that one.
---
Back at the office, the manager and marketing associate analyzed their marketing campaign, which currently focused on the use of pamphlets placed in visitor centers and in kiosks at several major international airports(mostly in the US, but a handful in Europe as well). They also utilized short videos put on youtube showing the various attractions, events and conferences being held, or being planned to be held, at the resort. They often sent emails to travel agencies updating their information and informing the agency of upcoming events. They had tried billboards but had little success with them. they were now discussing how they might expand DRR's image to reach other countries, focusing on Australia, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, and New Zealand. They decided to start with back lit signs, posted in airports and travel agencies and began searching for credible translators to help them expand their market.</s>
| <|message|>Herschel Orenstein/ Greyhound
Herschel Orenstein grumbled out as he placed his hands on the wheels of his wheelchair. "Alright, just gi-" He paused for a moment as he watched Leo scrape up some phlegm. "Oy." He tapped on the side of his wheelchair as he glanced at Leo as he did his work. Herschel cocked his head to the side over the left as he began coughing once more.
He continued this hacking for a few more moments, before he took in a deep breath from his respirator. He glanced back at the Doctor as he finished his task and was explaining what went on. Herschel peered at him and gave a few nods of confirmation that he was listening. "Metal?" He said incredulously. His eyes widened a bit as he paused for a moment at the newest statement.
Arsenic. This statement wracked through his mind as Herschel's withered face contorted into a most somber expression. Thoughts rushed through the man's mind as he glanced down for a moment. His mind was filled with the thoughts of large crowds, and poor creatures which could only barely be called man. Herschel glanced back up after a few minutes of looking down before he shook his head. Herschel gave a slightly morose sigh.
Focusing his attention back to the Doctor his face contorted into a bit of a smile, "Not at all? Not even the slightest bit dangerous? Medical marvel you say?" Herschel began chuckling as he smirked, "He cares for his Chosen People I tell you. Hn, who's coming now? Televised?" He scowled, "This isn't one of those kids 'prank your elders' show is it?" He wagged his finger at Leo, "What is the nature of this programming? Is it something trustworthy like the News or PBS?"</s> |
<|description|>Lieutenant Commander Pharazon CXS (pronounced Chess)
Appearance: Pharazon is tall and thin, and in fact, doesn't actually look very strong. Pharazon has chosen a non-gendered, androgynous physical appearance, and prefers non-gendered pronouns such as 'they' and 'them', but is fine if people refer to them as 'he' or 'she'. They have short, green hair, and serious, green eyes. Their face is usually expressionless, with a touch of amused curiosity
Age: 20. Looks about 20
Race: Quantum
Citizenship: Horizon
Personality: Pharazon is one of those Quantums who has chosen to break away from supposed 'human limitations'. This is first most apparent in their choice of gender expression. It is also apparent in their choice to keep their emotions in check, despite still being subject to them. Pharazon idolizes the ideal of what a Quantum could become, the 'perfect machine'. Pharazon is all about performing tasks, and following orders. Therefore a few things bother Pharazon greatly: though Pharazon sees racism as something beneath them, they have difficulty dealing with things that they assume to be unpredictable and prone to irrationality, that is to say, humans. While Pharazon does not hate humans, Pharazon is afraid of working with them for fear of losing control of the task at hand. Pharazon also seeks new knowledge and information, yet processes information very slowly. They therefore consume information through very traditionally human means, for example, reading and looking stuff up, instead of downloading it into their mind directly. Part of this need for knowledge also manifests as a desire to interact with humans, despite Pharazon's reluctance. Pharazon can be a bit blunt and forward, especially when a task needs doing. They may occasionally falter when it comes to being tactful. Pharazon has the unfortunate penchant for not speaking their mind when they should, and for silently shouldering burdens unnecessarily
History: Pharazon was created with an adult mind, and given free reign to choose their own future. Living in a Horizon that was well into its recovery from the Race Wars decades and decades ago, things were relatively peaceful within the core star systems, some might even say luxurious. Pharazon was faced with the philosophical questions that so often accompanied comfort, luxury, security and opportunity. Pharazon didn't know what they wanted to do with themselves, until one day they came across the philosophy of the 'perfect machine'. Pharazon found their calling, and spent their time disciplining themselves in the ways of the 'perfect machine'. Part of the philosophy, however, stressed obedience and service to the collective Quantum society, which was Horizon, so Pharazon joined the military. A fellow follower of the 'perfect machine' philosophy who happened to be working on a secret government project found out about Pharazon and decided to recruit them as the first cog-scan candidate. When Pharazon's personalized cog, Phalanx, was created, Pharazon spent a few years demonstrating its capabilities and performing tests. Due to Pharazon's success with Phalanx during tests, the Cadmus project moved to the next stage, and Pharazon awaited the next few cog-pilots that would be joining their team.
Theme Song: (Tentative) The Deva - Rakuen Tsuihou OST
Cog: Phalanx
Physical Description: The Phalanx stands tall and broad. It is slow-moving, heavy-set, and well-armored, with two massive binders attached to its shoulders that transform into smaller, remote-controlled 'dummy cogs'. It's chest mounted shotguns and use of a spear means that it engages in close-to-medium range combat. It rushes headlong into battle, drawing attention, and making sure it can survive the punishment. The use of the Hoplites adds maneuverability, offensive power, area-control, versatility, and support.
Phalanx looks like the image above, except it's shoulder guards look like the following:
These shoulder guards are called 'Hoplons' in shield form, 'Hoplites' when transformed into mechs. They are remote controlled 'dummy cogs', or 'dolls'. They are supposed to be green, like the main cog.Tactical role: Short-to-medium range vanguard melee skirmisher
Evaluation:
* Cog Score: 6
* Pilot Skill: 7
* Mental Fortitude: 6
* Obedience: 10
Weapon/Equipment/Special Systems List:
* 2x Beam shotguns - Mounted in chest
* 1x Dorus - A retractable spear. The spearhead is solid, while a medium beam nozzle runs parallel to the shaft at the base of the blade, making it like a bayonet. The Dorus is stored on the back when not in use, and is wielded with either one or both hands.
* Thrusters - Enough to provide a decent (but low) amount of acceleration and propulsion. The Phalanx and detached Hoplites move faster when disconnected from each other
* 2x Hoplons/Hoplites - Mounted on shoulder when not transformed
+ 1x Dorus per Hoplite - The Dori can be deployed in Hoplon mode, giving the Phalanx two hidden spears/beams to attack with
Wishlist:
The two front shoulder binders remain as non-transforming guards, while the two rear shoulder binders are the same Hoplon/Hoplites* 4x Beam shotguns - Mounted in chest
* 3x Dori - 1 stored on back when not in use, 2 hidden in forward binders
* 2x Anti-beam field projectors - In forward binders
* 2 Hidden arms - In forward binders. Used for wielding the hidden Dori
* 20 Scatter missiles - 10 stored in each forward binder. They are imprecise, and often travel randomly
* Thrusters - Enough to provide a decent (but low) amount of acceleration and propulsion. The Phalanx and detached Hoplites move faster when disconnected from each other
* 2x Hoplons/Hoplites - Mounted on rear shoulder when not transformed
+ 1x Dorus per Hoplite
+ 1x Anti-beam field projector per Hoplite</s>
<|message|>Lieutenant Commander Pharazon CXS (pronounced Chess)
More than a year ago, the entire citizenry of Horizon underwent a mandatory, mysterious scan. A select few had been contacted, and asked to cooperate. In essence they were being drafted, though the assignment had to be voluntary to a certain degree. Once consent had been given however, there was no turning back. To pull out at this stage of a secret military project was treason. It wasn't mandatory, but the volunteers were encouraged to enlist for basic military training and discipline. However, training and discipline were not stressed as there was an unusual desire to preserve the volunteers 'as they are' as much as possible for reasons of compatibility. At any rate, some already came with military or pseudo-military background, and as far as team composition was concerned, the amount of training and discipline was considered, 'enough to get by'.
The day had finally come. Each volunteer, each prospective 'cog' pilot, was ordered to report to the space elevator on Pythagoras, the capital planet of Horizon. The space elevator was in essence, a space station in geosynchronous orbit that was tethered to the surface of the planet by massive cables. Large elevator trains ran up and down the cables, carrying freight and passengers to and from the surface to the orbital platform. The platform itself was organized like a massive airport, a spaceport to be precise. It included a 'residential district' that operated more or less like a hotel, as well as shopping centers, food courts, service kiosks, etc. The arrival and departure gates connected to short-range shuttles that carried freight and passengers to the actual starships that hovered in orbit in the vicinity of the spaceport. Each pilot was ordered to report to departure gate G3 at 0700 hours universal time to catch shuttle 1543, which will take them to the Horizon Defense Fleet Evolution, the carrier designed specifically for housing the products of this particular military project.</s>
<|message|>Arienne RHD (pronounced Rahad)
Upon receiving the Volunteer request, Arienne RHD calmly sat down, and calmly pondered.
Space warfare. It was one form of combat she had not done yet and the prospect seemed intriging.
But, she loved the feeling of the ground beneath her feet as she sprinted after a fleeing target...
Loved the intensity of staring down a group of armed mercenaries, waiting, daring someone to flinch first...
Loved the intimate feelings of a death fight with crazy yet skilled murderers...
These things and more are what she loved and did as a bounty hunter for the last 13 years in FAS territory.
She wouldn't have these things in a space fighter, or at least it wouldn't feel the same.
...
But she was Horizon. It was time to expand.
She spent the rest of the night camping next to a peaceful river, watching the embers of the first sculpture she made flying off into the sky...
Into space...
After tying up loose ends, responsibilities, and a few more bounties for old times sake, 6 months before the departure date, Arienne returned to her Horizon homeworld and reunited with her father. She spent the 6 months spending quality time with him, catching up with him and with old friends, and downloading general knowledge concerning military structure, procedure and protocol.
1 hour before departure time, Arienne arrives to an empty gate and mingles far away, but close enough to see when anyone shows up.
She probably didn't need to do this, but scoping out the location and the people involved was a habit she found useful as a bounty hunter, and wasn't about to drop anytime soon. She wanted study the people she would work with for the foreseeable future. To size them up.
She calmly pulls up her hood, calmly turns on some tehcno in her head, and calmly waits...</s>
<|message|>Corina Chun
A lone shot resonated through the enclosed firing range.
"Two inches high and three left," a male voice muttered, the owner of the voice peering at the paper target through a pair of binoculars.
Corina Chun adjusted her aim appropriately and took another shot.
"Stop hesitating with your trigger pulls, ma'am. You're three inches high this time," the male voice muttered.
"Screw you, Mitch. I don't need firing tips," Corina shot back, pulling her eye away from the scope of the rifle she held to glare at the man next to her.
"I think you meant, 'Thank you, Sergeant Mitchell, where would I be without you?'" he grinned, not moving away from the binoculars. "Take your damn shot."
Corina only grunted in response. She returned to the assault rifle's scope and took the shot without hesitation.
"There you go. Perfect headshot, right between the eyes. Let's see three more, loose grouping."
Corina took three rapid shots in succession, all landing on the paper target's head. "So I think I killed it."
"That you did, ma'am. You showed that piece of paper who owns this range," Mitch responded, setting the binoculars down on the tray table in front of the pair. "So Lieutenant, tomorrow's the big day. That secret scan and your extra training is finally gonna pull through or something."
Corina shifted nervously. Typically she was well composed and unmoving, but this project she had joined had kept her in the dark for more than a year. Her lines of questioning had all been stopped past two or three levels of authority, and that made Corina uncomfortable. The most she had been told about was that she had participated in a 'cog' scan, and that she'd be piloting one of her own along with a small team of other 'notable individuals.' The goals and motives of the project were unclear to Corina, and she did not like that.
Corina recollected herself quickly, straightening her posture and setting the rifle down on the tray table. "You could say that. All I know is that I'm to report to the elevator tomorrow morning. There's still a lot being kept secret about this project, and you know how I feel about military secrets," Corina responded, unloading the rifle and switching the safety on. Range safety was menial and boring, but it kept people alive.
"That I do, ma'am. In any case, good luck. Hopefully you don't need it, but it doesn't hurt." The sergeant smirked at Corina before excusing himself, leaving Corina alone in the firing range.
She checked the time; twelve hours until she was to report to gate G3. She reloaded the rifle before her; another half an hour in the range to destress, then she'd still be able to get a decent amount of sleep before she had to get ready to report.
--
Corina arrived at the space elevator exactly an hour before the report time. She had already been awake for three hours, giving her enough time to take a quick cold shower, eat a light breakfast, and take the elevator up to the platform.
As she neared the departure gate on the platform, Corina slowly began to put her guard up. Being military personnel, Corina was allowed to carry a small personal sidearm, but no extra ammunition other than the clip it was loaded with. Anything else she wanted to carry had to be checked into security, not that she packed anything further than her extra set of black and grey military fatigues and a dress uniform. Regardless, she kept her hand close to the holster on her thigh. Just in case.
Corina arrived at the gate, and she couldn't help but notice the hooded individual lurking a distance away from the gate. They were far enough to be unnoticeable to most, but Corina was trained to spot anything out of the ordinary. She stopped walking momentarily to stare at the hooded figure for several seconds, making clear that she knew of their presence. Corina then continued into the gate, taking a seat. She checked the time; twenty minutes until 0700.</s>
<|message|>Arienne RHD (pronounced Rahad)
Upon Corina's stare, Arienne gives a smirk and an informal salute, but otherwise does nothing.</s>
| <|message|>Lieutenant Commander Pharazon CXS (pronounced Chess)
Pharazon arrived at the gate 15 minutes before departure time and saw Corina. "Lieutenant Chun; Lieutenant Commander Pharazon CXS, pronounced 'Chess'," Pharazon introduced themself. Pharazon was promoted to lieutenant commander when they were appointed to lead the cog team, while all other cog pilots would start at the rank of ensign except those who had official Horizon military history. In Corina's case, since she served in the Planetary Defense Force instead of the Fleet, she was made lieutenant regardless of her prior PDF rank. Although Pharazon felt awkward around humans, Corina had received professional military training, and that was something Pharazon could trust in. Pharazon also failed to notice Arienne.</s> |
<|description|>Lieutenant Commander Pharazon CXS (pronounced Chess)
Appearance: Pharazon is tall and thin, and in fact, doesn't actually look very strong. Pharazon has chosen a non-gendered, androgynous physical appearance, and prefers non-gendered pronouns such as 'they' and 'them', but is fine if people refer to them as 'he' or 'she'. They have short, green hair, and serious, green eyes. Their face is usually expressionless, with a touch of amused curiosity
Age: 20. Looks about 20
Race: Quantum
Citizenship: Horizon
Personality: Pharazon is one of those Quantums who has chosen to break away from supposed 'human limitations'. This is first most apparent in their choice of gender expression. It is also apparent in their choice to keep their emotions in check, despite still being subject to them. Pharazon idolizes the ideal of what a Quantum could become, the 'perfect machine'. Pharazon is all about performing tasks, and following orders. Therefore a few things bother Pharazon greatly: though Pharazon sees racism as something beneath them, they have difficulty dealing with things that they assume to be unpredictable and prone to irrationality, that is to say, humans. While Pharazon does not hate humans, Pharazon is afraid of working with them for fear of losing control of the task at hand. Pharazon also seeks new knowledge and information, yet processes information very slowly. They therefore consume information through very traditionally human means, for example, reading and looking stuff up, instead of downloading it into their mind directly. Part of this need for knowledge also manifests as a desire to interact with humans, despite Pharazon's reluctance. Pharazon can be a bit blunt and forward, especially when a task needs doing. They may occasionally falter when it comes to being tactful. Pharazon has the unfortunate penchant for not speaking their mind when they should, and for silently shouldering burdens unnecessarily
History: Pharazon was created with an adult mind, and given free reign to choose their own future. Living in a Horizon that was well into its recovery from the Race Wars decades and decades ago, things were relatively peaceful within the core star systems, some might even say luxurious. Pharazon was faced with the philosophical questions that so often accompanied comfort, luxury, security and opportunity. Pharazon didn't know what they wanted to do with themselves, until one day they came across the philosophy of the 'perfect machine'. Pharazon found their calling, and spent their time disciplining themselves in the ways of the 'perfect machine'. Part of the philosophy, however, stressed obedience and service to the collective Quantum society, which was Horizon, so Pharazon joined the military. A fellow follower of the 'perfect machine' philosophy who happened to be working on a secret government project found out about Pharazon and decided to recruit them as the first cog-scan candidate. When Pharazon's personalized cog, Phalanx, was created, Pharazon spent a few years demonstrating its capabilities and performing tests. Due to Pharazon's success with Phalanx during tests, the Cadmus project moved to the next stage, and Pharazon awaited the next few cog-pilots that would be joining their team.
Theme Song: (Tentative) The Deva - Rakuen Tsuihou OST
Cog: Phalanx
Physical Description: The Phalanx stands tall and broad. It is slow-moving, heavy-set, and well-armored, with two massive binders attached to its shoulders that transform into smaller, remote-controlled 'dummy cogs'. It's chest mounted shotguns and use of a spear means that it engages in close-to-medium range combat. It rushes headlong into battle, drawing attention, and making sure it can survive the punishment. The use of the Hoplites adds maneuverability, offensive power, area-control, versatility, and support.
Phalanx looks like the image above, except it's shoulder guards look like the following:
These shoulder guards are called 'Hoplons' in shield form, 'Hoplites' when transformed into mechs. They are remote controlled 'dummy cogs', or 'dolls'. They are supposed to be green, like the main cog.Tactical role: Short-to-medium range vanguard melee skirmisher
Evaluation:
* Cog Score: 6
* Pilot Skill: 7
* Mental Fortitude: 6
* Obedience: 10
Weapon/Equipment/Special Systems List:
* 2x Beam shotguns - Mounted in chest
* 1x Dorus - A retractable spear. The spearhead is solid, while a medium beam nozzle runs parallel to the shaft at the base of the blade, making it like a bayonet. The Dorus is stored on the back when not in use, and is wielded with either one or both hands.
* Thrusters - Enough to provide a decent (but low) amount of acceleration and propulsion. The Phalanx and detached Hoplites move faster when disconnected from each other
* 2x Hoplons/Hoplites - Mounted on shoulder when not transformed
+ 1x Dorus per Hoplite - The Dori can be deployed in Hoplon mode, giving the Phalanx two hidden spears/beams to attack with
Wishlist:
The two front shoulder binders remain as non-transforming guards, while the two rear shoulder binders are the same Hoplon/Hoplites* 4x Beam shotguns - Mounted in chest
* 3x Dori - 1 stored on back when not in use, 2 hidden in forward binders
* 2x Anti-beam field projectors - In forward binders
* 2 Hidden arms - In forward binders. Used for wielding the hidden Dori
* 20 Scatter missiles - 10 stored in each forward binder. They are imprecise, and often travel randomly
* Thrusters - Enough to provide a decent (but low) amount of acceleration and propulsion. The Phalanx and detached Hoplites move faster when disconnected from each other
* 2x Hoplons/Hoplites - Mounted on rear shoulder when not transformed
+ 1x Dorus per Hoplite
+ 1x Anti-beam field projector per Hoplite</s>
<|message|>Lieutenant Commander Pharazon CXS (pronounced Chess)
Pharazon arrived at the gate 15 minutes before departure time and saw Corina. "Lieutenant Chun; Lieutenant Commander Pharazon CXS, pronounced 'Chess'," Pharazon introduced themself. Pharazon was promoted to lieutenant commander when they were appointed to lead the cog team, while all other cog pilots would start at the rank of ensign except those who had official Horizon military history. In Corina's case, since she served in the Planetary Defense Force instead of the Fleet, she was made lieutenant regardless of her prior PDF rank. Although Pharazon felt awkward around humans, Corina had received professional military training, and that was something Pharazon could trust in. Pharazon also failed to notice Arienne.</s>
<|message|>Corina Chun
Corina stood at attention and gave a short salute. She subtly straightened her posture; first impressions were key. "Lieutenant Commander. I assume that your knowledge of who I am means you're going to be the CO for this assignment, then?" Corina asked, hoping that she'd finally be able to get the answers she'd been waiting so long for. Like what exactly they'd be doing and what their purpose was. "Also, you know we're being watched? Hooded figure just outside the gate," Corina dropped her voice slightly, nodding towards Arienne's general direction. "I've been military long enough to know when someone's looking suspicious, and they fit the bill."</s>
<|message|>Lieutenant Commander Pharazon CXS (pronounced Chess)
"At ease," Pharazon replied appreciating Corina's formality, "And yes, I'll be leading the team of pilots." Pharazon looked to where Corina indicated. "Oh, that looks like one of the ensigns in our team," Pharazon said, giving no indication that they found Arienne's behavior or appearance unusual in any way. Many Quantums adopted unusual eccentricities, Pharazon was eccentric in their own right, one of which was having a poor grasp of what constituted 'normal' behavior. In an economic gesture, Pharazon waved Arienne to join them.</s>
<|message|>Arienne RHD (pronounced Rahad)
Arienne walks over and gives another informal salute in a loose and relaxed posture.
Looking at both Pharazon and Corina in turn, she says "Arienne RHD, pronounced 'Rahad', reporting for duty."
Then turning to Corina, "Glad to see a lance mate who is cautious and vigilant"</s>
<|message|>Chie Alberton
"Come on, Chie, you've got to meet the others," said her father, with a good-natured smile.
The tiny blonde girl huffed and folded her arms across her slight chest. Of course, she couldn't be allowed to go on her own. Of course. Her father had to escort her. It's not like that was embarrassing or anything... sure, she was ten years old, but she was going to pilot a mecha! A real mecha! Surely that meant she didn't need to go around with one of her parents guiding her, right? Her father sighed, and gently took her by the shoulder to guide her in. Chie could only resist so much, and she grumbled under her breath as she finally came in and started walking.
Chie entered the room first, her father nearly pushing her in by this point. "Hmph... are all these idiots the ones in the project, too? Do I have to talk to them?"
Her father let out another sigh. Chie had been in a sour mood ever since it turned out her father would be escorting her all the way there. She had complained and been threatened with the removal of her new simulator, and finally told that this kind of attitude would possibly make the people in charge reconsider her position as a pilot. That had definitely been enough to make her agree to be escorted by a parent, as annoyed about it as she was.
"You can't talk to them like that," her father admonished, straightening behind her. Chie didn't respond, instead simply turning to look away. If her father wanted to escort her so badly, he could introduce her, too.
"... Fine," he said. "My name is Doctor Richard Alberton, and this is my daughter, Chie. She'll be a part of this team as well."
Chie spoke up, at this point. "The best part."
Her father sighed, feeling like he had been doing so many times this day. "They're qualified for this, just because you're skilled for your age doesn't mean you're better than anyone else."
"Hmph."</s>
<|message|>Lieutenant Commander Pharazon CXS (pronounced Chess)
"Glad to have you here, Ensign RHD," Pharazon replied, then turned to Chie and her father, "and you as well, Ensign Alberton, Dr. Alberton." Then, to give Chie a sense of who she'll be answering to, Pharazon added, "I'm Lieutenant Commander Pharazon CXS, pronounced, 'Chess', I'll be your commanding officer." Pharazon had said this while placing their hands on their knees and bending forward to speak to Chie in an almost patronizing fashion. Pharazon wasn't really happy with what they considered Dr. Alberton's 'mistake', which Chie's enlistment was a direct result of. Pharazon hoped that this mistake wouldn't end up giving the entire team trouble, though first impressions certainly led Pharazon to believe that it would. What Pharazon was really trying to hide under their disgruntlement of the current situation was their fear of human children: human adults at least had to attempt to maintain a facade of being reasonable and professional, whereas children had no such restriction, making them unpredictable, uncontrollable, and chaotic.</s>
<|message|>Corina Chun
Corina had just begun to relax when Chie and Dr. Alberton showed up. The LC and Arienne seemed decent enough, but a child? Children would not be so easy to work with in any scenario, nonetheless in a military setting. It took everything she had to stifle a deep, exasperated breath. Hopefully this assignment wouldn't turn into a long babysitting job.
On that note, I wonder if I can get some more background info on these people, Corina thought, as she eyed this ragtag team of individuals. Based on first impressions, Corina began a mental assessment of the team members thus far. She knew that they'd all be piloting cogs together, so their physical attributes really wouldn't be a problem. Corina marked that off her list.
First off was the LC. If nothing else, Lieutenant Commander Pharazon CXS knew how to keep up the formalities. There had been no slip in their personality thus far, but at the same time, Pharazon was a Quantum. Who really knew what was going on in their heads? In any case, the LC seemed capable enough to lead a team as of this point. Of course it was impossible to come to a definitive conclusion without the stress of battle in front of them, but first impressions were good.
On to the second Quantum, Arienne RHD. The small Quantum had done her best to stay discreet, and in all fairness, she did a damn good job. To Corina, that simultaneously spoke volumes and posed many questions regarding Arienne's line of thinking. Clearly Arienne was one for the shadows, but for what reason? Corina was sure she'd find out soon.
And then there was Chie. Where did Corina even begin? Chie seemed like she could cause all sorts of problems unless somebody kept her in line. And no disrespect to the good Dr. Alberton, but he did not seem very capable of keeping the girl in check. At least, not to match Corina's standards of military discipline. At this point, however, Corina cut her analysis of the girl short. Just thinking about the mess Chie could cause gave Corina a headache. This was a problem for another time.
However, there was one question she wanted to ask, but she wasn't sure whether or not it was the time or place to ask it. She pursed her lip momentarily as she considered the options, and finally opened her mouth to speak. "With all due respect, what exactly are we doing here? Having just been reassigned from the PDF, it would be comforting to know that our mission here is, in fact, more important than my previous one."</s>
| <|message|>Lieutenant Commander Pharazon CXS (pronounced Chess)
"I'll have to answer that in the privacy of the shuttle," Pharazon replied to Corina's question. Taking a look around, Pharazon continued, "It looks like everyone's here, and it's time to board." The boarding gate opened and Pharazon walked through the corridor to the shuttle, expecting the others would follow. It was a small military shuttle about the size of a short bus, with an aisle down the middle and two columns of seats on either side of the aisle.
Once everyone was situated, Pharazon answered without showing sentiment, "Importance is relative, Lieutenant, and dependent on many factors including priority and immediacy. What you'll be doing here," Pharazon now addressed all pilots, "is, in essence, weapons testing. You may have heard the term 'cog' being used. One could think of a 'cog' as the next generation of strike craft. However, that is a very limited definition. The capabilities of a cog have already been demonstrated to be much more than a strikecraft, more than a team of strikecraft can do. Because cogs are still classified as strikecraft, the project is under Horizon Defense Fleet (HDF) jurisdiction, but in addition to being a space-based fighter, a cog is also quite capable as a surface-based mobile weapons platform, so if the project goes well, we may see cogs deployed in the Horizon Planetary Defense Forces (HPDF) as well in the foreseeable future. The development of these may give us an edge in defending Horizon from the scattered remnants of violence left from the wars and the instabilities that still plague our borders. I hope you can agree that this project has its due importance, Lieutenant."</s> |
<|description|>Lieutenant Commander Pharazon CXS (pronounced Chess)
Appearance: Pharazon is tall and thin, and in fact, doesn't actually look very strong. Pharazon has chosen a non-gendered, androgynous physical appearance, and prefers non-gendered pronouns such as 'they' and 'them', but is fine if people refer to them as 'he' or 'she'. They have short, green hair, and serious, green eyes. Their face is usually expressionless, with a touch of amused curiosity
Age: 20. Looks about 20
Race: Quantum
Citizenship: Horizon
Personality: Pharazon is one of those Quantums who has chosen to break away from supposed 'human limitations'. This is first most apparent in their choice of gender expression. It is also apparent in their choice to keep their emotions in check, despite still being subject to them. Pharazon idolizes the ideal of what a Quantum could become, the 'perfect machine'. Pharazon is all about performing tasks, and following orders. Therefore a few things bother Pharazon greatly: though Pharazon sees racism as something beneath them, they have difficulty dealing with things that they assume to be unpredictable and prone to irrationality, that is to say, humans. While Pharazon does not hate humans, Pharazon is afraid of working with them for fear of losing control of the task at hand. Pharazon also seeks new knowledge and information, yet processes information very slowly. They therefore consume information through very traditionally human means, for example, reading and looking stuff up, instead of downloading it into their mind directly. Part of this need for knowledge also manifests as a desire to interact with humans, despite Pharazon's reluctance. Pharazon can be a bit blunt and forward, especially when a task needs doing. They may occasionally falter when it comes to being tactful. Pharazon has the unfortunate penchant for not speaking their mind when they should, and for silently shouldering burdens unnecessarily
History: Pharazon was created with an adult mind, and given free reign to choose their own future. Living in a Horizon that was well into its recovery from the Race Wars decades and decades ago, things were relatively peaceful within the core star systems, some might even say luxurious. Pharazon was faced with the philosophical questions that so often accompanied comfort, luxury, security and opportunity. Pharazon didn't know what they wanted to do with themselves, until one day they came across the philosophy of the 'perfect machine'. Pharazon found their calling, and spent their time disciplining themselves in the ways of the 'perfect machine'. Part of the philosophy, however, stressed obedience and service to the collective Quantum society, which was Horizon, so Pharazon joined the military. A fellow follower of the 'perfect machine' philosophy who happened to be working on a secret government project found out about Pharazon and decided to recruit them as the first cog-scan candidate. When Pharazon's personalized cog, Phalanx, was created, Pharazon spent a few years demonstrating its capabilities and performing tests. Due to Pharazon's success with Phalanx during tests, the Cadmus project moved to the next stage, and Pharazon awaited the next few cog-pilots that would be joining their team.
Theme Song: (Tentative) The Deva - Rakuen Tsuihou OST
Cog: Phalanx
Physical Description: The Phalanx stands tall and broad. It is slow-moving, heavy-set, and well-armored, with two massive binders attached to its shoulders that transform into smaller, remote-controlled 'dummy cogs'. It's chest mounted shotguns and use of a spear means that it engages in close-to-medium range combat. It rushes headlong into battle, drawing attention, and making sure it can survive the punishment. The use of the Hoplites adds maneuverability, offensive power, area-control, versatility, and support.
Phalanx looks like the image above, except it's shoulder guards look like the following:
These shoulder guards are called 'Hoplons' in shield form, 'Hoplites' when transformed into mechs. They are remote controlled 'dummy cogs', or 'dolls'. They are supposed to be green, like the main cog.Tactical role: Short-to-medium range vanguard melee skirmisher
Evaluation:
* Cog Score: 6
* Pilot Skill: 7
* Mental Fortitude: 6
* Obedience: 10
Weapon/Equipment/Special Systems List:
* 2x Beam shotguns - Mounted in chest
* 1x Dorus - A retractable spear. The spearhead is solid, while a medium beam nozzle runs parallel to the shaft at the base of the blade, making it like a bayonet. The Dorus is stored on the back when not in use, and is wielded with either one or both hands.
* Thrusters - Enough to provide a decent (but low) amount of acceleration and propulsion. The Phalanx and detached Hoplites move faster when disconnected from each other
* 2x Hoplons/Hoplites - Mounted on shoulder when not transformed
+ 1x Dorus per Hoplite - The Dori can be deployed in Hoplon mode, giving the Phalanx two hidden spears/beams to attack with
Wishlist:
The two front shoulder binders remain as non-transforming guards, while the two rear shoulder binders are the same Hoplon/Hoplites* 4x Beam shotguns - Mounted in chest
* 3x Dori - 1 stored on back when not in use, 2 hidden in forward binders
* 2x Anti-beam field projectors - In forward binders
* 2 Hidden arms - In forward binders. Used for wielding the hidden Dori
* 20 Scatter missiles - 10 stored in each forward binder. They are imprecise, and often travel randomly
* Thrusters - Enough to provide a decent (but low) amount of acceleration and propulsion. The Phalanx and detached Hoplites move faster when disconnected from each other
* 2x Hoplons/Hoplites - Mounted on rear shoulder when not transformed
+ 1x Dorus per Hoplite
+ 1x Anti-beam field projector per Hoplite</s>
<|message|>Arienne RHD (pronounced Rahad)
Upon hearing Pharazon's answer to Corina, Arienne finally frowned.
At the mention of strike craft, she remembered her original misgivings about joining this project in the first place.
'I'm going to be piloting a fancy plane' she thought to herself. That just didn't feel right.
Her training and skill set are in close quarters and hand to hand combat. Sure she can aim a pistol really well, but she wanted something more... personal, more intimate.
With a sigh, she pushed her doubts away. Might as well give final judgement after she had seen these 'cogs'. She had other things to worry about right now.
In Arienne's eyes, Chie Alberton was an adorable girl. She liked children with attitude and thought the little bit she'd seen of Chie's was endearing. But Arienne had never had to work with such an attitude on a professional level. And even then, why was a child part of a military project? Arienne loathed the thought of a child getting put into dangerous situations, but this was assuaged by 2 things:
* They were gonna be test pilots, so shouldn't see actual combat (this fact also annoyed Arienne). Chie, for the most part, should be safe.
* Chie must have gone through the tests so she must be qualified for the job. She probably had the skills and aptitude needed so that the Horizon government would be even willing to recruit a young child in the first place. On this point, Arienne didn't know whether to be impressed or disturbed.
Having sat down in the row in front of Chie, she turned around with a small but sincere smile on her face, piercingly searching blue eyes, and asked Chie in a quiet voice,
"Ms. Chie Alberton, if you'd be so kind as to answer this question. I wanted to know, are you here by your own choice or are you in any way being forced into this?"</s>
<|message|>Chie Alberton
Chie narrowed her eyes at her 'commanding officer'. Folding her arms across her chest, she let out a huff and turned away, shutting her eyes as she did. Bending down like that... she was a pilot, so didn't she deserve to be treated just like all the others? She didn't need someone acting all... all... patronizing like that! She was irritable the whole way onto the shuttle. She sat with her arms still folded across her chest, looking firmly to the side and away from all her fellow team members... at least until one of them spoke to her. And she was talking to her normally! Hah!
... Even if the question was kind of weird. Still, given the chance to talk about how she was here, the blonde little girl couldn't help but give a cheerful and incredibly smug smile in response to the question that had been asked of her.
"Of course I'm here of my own choice!" she said, unfolding her arms to place her palms on either side of her hips where she sat, kicking her feet slightly. "Do you think I'd have to be forced to do something like this?"
Her smile shifted, becoming a rather sarcastic expression as she cast a sideways glance at the other team members. "Maybe they're dumb enough to think that..."</s>
<|message|>Arienne RHD (pronounced Rahad)
Arienne gives Chie a bigger, relieved smile. She says to Chie "That's good then. I look forward to flying with you lance mate." before turning back around.
Settling in her chair, Arienne decides to push the rest of her worries away for now. 'Wait. Watch. Act.' she told herself.
Arienne decided not to turn on her music and kept an ear out for whatever tidbit she could hear.</s>
<|message|>Corina Chun
Corina gave a short, affirmative nod. "Understood, sir. I look forward to this assignment," she added, as if to reinforce that she did, in fact, appreciate the gravity of this detail. After all, Corina didn't want to come off as if she felt she was above this kind of an assignment. She went where she was most needed, and it sounded like that that place was here.
However, she was not without her doubts. Corina was a foot soldier, after all; piloting ships was never her forte. Of course, Pharazon made clear that they weren't just piloting ships; whatever they would be piloting was just as effective as a surface weapon as it was a strikecraft. That was slightly reassuring, but still, there was a reason Corina was assigned to an infantry unit and not the cavalry.
If Chie's remarks had any effect on Corina, she didn't show it. She maintained her stoic, rigid composure - not out of any active desire to appear composed, but as a result of years of military training and discipline. This was going to be an interesting assignment. Out of the corner of her eye, Corina noticed Arienne getting notably more comfortable than herself; the woman seemed fairly relaxed and easy-going, and while Corina could not understand that kind of behavior, she certainly respected it.</s>
| <|message|>Lieutenant Commander Pharazon CXS (pronounced Chess)
Pharazon nodded to show that they understood that Corina's question was borne of inquisitiveness rather than criticism.
The shuttle zoomed through space, heading towards a group of four starships: two mid-sized carriers and two mid-sized destroyers. HDF ships had a smooth, silvery appearance broken by thin lines that emanated a blue glow. The carriers had a long central body with a hexagonal ring around it from which strike craft deployed in six directions, whereas the destroyers resembled umbrellas or mushrooms with short stalks, with the cap pointing forward. One of the carriers, the HDF-Evolution, had a slightly modified hexagonal deployment ring.
The shuttle headed for the Evolution and docked on a platform at a point where the ring connected to the main body. The platform descended and took the shuttle into the carrier's interior. As the elevator went down, it passed through an airlock, after which the hangar could be seen from inside the shuttle, and the pilots saw their cogs for the first time. The Hangar was a zero-gravity environment, and was also hexagonal, the cogs being mounted with their backs to the walls and their heads pointing towards the front of the ship. The hangar engineering crew could be seen going about performing maintenance on the cogs.
When the shuttle had finished docking, Pharazon stood up, "Alright, follow me. If you're not used to zero-g, make sure to hold on to the handrails. Once outside the shuttle, Pharazon turned to address the pilots again, "Welcome to the Evolution. Those are your cogs over there."
Each pilot should be able to identify their cog and, depending on their personality, will react to their cog differently, but the reaction should be positive. The shape, design and color of the cog should speak to each pilot on an aesthetic and personal level.
Dr. Alberton then took over, "So, a quick introduction to cogs. The term 'cog' was chosen as an abbreviation of 'cognition'. Though the cog is piloted with a classic stick- and pedal-based control system, the cog subtly collects your thoughts and mental commands, augmenting your ability to control your cog with greater precision and accuracy than you would be able to get with just clumsy physical controls. The cog is considered the next evolution of strikecraft. You may notice that they are humanoid. The reason for this is that the cog also subtly sends messages into your mind in addition to receiving signals. Most humans, and even most Quantums, feel most comfortable in a humanoid body, and a body, a cog that you are not comfortable with creates a dissonance that impedes the ability to send and receive mental signals essential to cog piloting. However, this problem extends beyond the shape of the body, as it turns out, individual minds can be very particular about tiny nuances, and personal combat preferences apparently have a very large impact on how a cog 'feels' to the pilot and an even larger impact on how the cog and pilot perform. You may remember a scan that was administered to the population a little more than a year ago. That scan determines each individual's 'ideal' cog. Since this individuality prevents the cogs from being mass produced, they are incredibly expensive, so all cog designs were then evaluated for their potential, and each potential pilot was also evaluated. And that's why you're all here, you've passed the selection process, your cogs have been manufactured, and now we will see if your piloting verifies previous data. Previously, only one cog had been manufactured, which is Lieutenant Commander Chess' cog, Phalanx, the green one over there. Are there any questions?" Dr. Alberton mused to himself how the concept behind the cogs was similar to random mutations and natural selection; different personalities gave rise to different cogs, each with their own unique way of adapting to combat. Multiple iterations and prolonged conflict could produce 'evolutionary pressure' and push cogs, and weapons development in general, into new, undiscovered territory; creating machines that adapt better and better to the combat environment.</s> |
<|description|>Lieutenant Commander Pharazon CXS (pronounced Chess)
Appearance: Pharazon is tall and thin, and in fact, doesn't actually look very strong. Pharazon has chosen a non-gendered, androgynous physical appearance, and prefers non-gendered pronouns such as 'they' and 'them', but is fine if people refer to them as 'he' or 'she'. They have short, green hair, and serious, green eyes. Their face is usually expressionless, with a touch of amused curiosity
Age: 20. Looks about 20
Race: Quantum
Citizenship: Horizon
Personality: Pharazon is one of those Quantums who has chosen to break away from supposed 'human limitations'. This is first most apparent in their choice of gender expression. It is also apparent in their choice to keep their emotions in check, despite still being subject to them. Pharazon idolizes the ideal of what a Quantum could become, the 'perfect machine'. Pharazon is all about performing tasks, and following orders. Therefore a few things bother Pharazon greatly: though Pharazon sees racism as something beneath them, they have difficulty dealing with things that they assume to be unpredictable and prone to irrationality, that is to say, humans. While Pharazon does not hate humans, Pharazon is afraid of working with them for fear of losing control of the task at hand. Pharazon also seeks new knowledge and information, yet processes information very slowly. They therefore consume information through very traditionally human means, for example, reading and looking stuff up, instead of downloading it into their mind directly. Part of this need for knowledge also manifests as a desire to interact with humans, despite Pharazon's reluctance. Pharazon can be a bit blunt and forward, especially when a task needs doing. They may occasionally falter when it comes to being tactful. Pharazon has the unfortunate penchant for not speaking their mind when they should, and for silently shouldering burdens unnecessarily
History: Pharazon was created with an adult mind, and given free reign to choose their own future. Living in a Horizon that was well into its recovery from the Race Wars decades and decades ago, things were relatively peaceful within the core star systems, some might even say luxurious. Pharazon was faced with the philosophical questions that so often accompanied comfort, luxury, security and opportunity. Pharazon didn't know what they wanted to do with themselves, until one day they came across the philosophy of the 'perfect machine'. Pharazon found their calling, and spent their time disciplining themselves in the ways of the 'perfect machine'. Part of the philosophy, however, stressed obedience and service to the collective Quantum society, which was Horizon, so Pharazon joined the military. A fellow follower of the 'perfect machine' philosophy who happened to be working on a secret government project found out about Pharazon and decided to recruit them as the first cog-scan candidate. When Pharazon's personalized cog, Phalanx, was created, Pharazon spent a few years demonstrating its capabilities and performing tests. Due to Pharazon's success with Phalanx during tests, the Cadmus project moved to the next stage, and Pharazon awaited the next few cog-pilots that would be joining their team.
Theme Song: (Tentative) The Deva - Rakuen Tsuihou OST
Cog: Phalanx
Physical Description: The Phalanx stands tall and broad. It is slow-moving, heavy-set, and well-armored, with two massive binders attached to its shoulders that transform into smaller, remote-controlled 'dummy cogs'. It's chest mounted shotguns and use of a spear means that it engages in close-to-medium range combat. It rushes headlong into battle, drawing attention, and making sure it can survive the punishment. The use of the Hoplites adds maneuverability, offensive power, area-control, versatility, and support.
Phalanx looks like the image above, except it's shoulder guards look like the following:
These shoulder guards are called 'Hoplons' in shield form, 'Hoplites' when transformed into mechs. They are remote controlled 'dummy cogs', or 'dolls'. They are supposed to be green, like the main cog.Tactical role: Short-to-medium range vanguard melee skirmisher
Evaluation:
* Cog Score: 6
* Pilot Skill: 7
* Mental Fortitude: 6
* Obedience: 10
Weapon/Equipment/Special Systems List:
* 2x Beam shotguns - Mounted in chest
* 1x Dorus - A retractable spear. The spearhead is solid, while a medium beam nozzle runs parallel to the shaft at the base of the blade, making it like a bayonet. The Dorus is stored on the back when not in use, and is wielded with either one or both hands.
* Thrusters - Enough to provide a decent (but low) amount of acceleration and propulsion. The Phalanx and detached Hoplites move faster when disconnected from each other
* 2x Hoplons/Hoplites - Mounted on shoulder when not transformed
+ 1x Dorus per Hoplite - The Dori can be deployed in Hoplon mode, giving the Phalanx two hidden spears/beams to attack with
Wishlist:
The two front shoulder binders remain as non-transforming guards, while the two rear shoulder binders are the same Hoplon/Hoplites* 4x Beam shotguns - Mounted in chest
* 3x Dori - 1 stored on back when not in use, 2 hidden in forward binders
* 2x Anti-beam field projectors - In forward binders
* 2 Hidden arms - In forward binders. Used for wielding the hidden Dori
* 20 Scatter missiles - 10 stored in each forward binder. They are imprecise, and often travel randomly
* Thrusters - Enough to provide a decent (but low) amount of acceleration and propulsion. The Phalanx and detached Hoplites move faster when disconnected from each other
* 2x Hoplons/Hoplites - Mounted on rear shoulder when not transformed
+ 1x Dorus per Hoplite
+ 1x Anti-beam field projector per Hoplite</s>
<|message|>Arienne RHD (pronounced Rahad)
Arienne didn't have time to marvel at the carrier. She saw the black cog and all her doubts went away. Her face broke into a silent and large snarl of a smile.
Before Dr. Alberton could speak, Arienne (having participated in plenty of zero-g hunts through asteroid fields and derelict spacecraft) kicked off towards her 'ideal' cog. She marveled at the sleekness, the stealthiness and speed that the cog seemed to exude.
She steadied herself against the face of the black cog, holding on with both hands and staring at the visor in rapt impatience.
...
"You and I... We are going to have some great hunts together!"</s>
<|message|>Corina Chun
Corina had had a little zero-g experience before, but not much. Being a foot soldier, Corina felt out of her element in space; it occurred to her that that was going to have to change quickly or else she would not have a very good time on this assignment. Within moments, she grasped the basics of zero-g movement and maneuvered relatively well.
She did her best to pay attention to Dr. Alberton's briefing, but lost focus as the well-intentioned scientist began to ramble. Her eyes wandered, making contact with the black and grey colossus that was her cog. Like Arienne, Corina moved away from Pharazon and Dr. Alberton, immediately lost in the titan's features; it didn't take her long to identify the various weapons systems and functions of the cog. At a glance, it spoke for itself; two big guns, high intensity shields, and heavy armor. It was a powerful, enduring soldier, just like Corina. And she already had a name for it: Farfalla. The Butterfly. The name exuded the elegance and grace Corina saw within the cog.
Corina managed to avert her gaze long enough to lock eyes with Pharazon and Dr. Alberton. She gave a slight affirmative nod, indicating her approval and commitment to the cog project, and to her own cog.</s>
<|message|>Arienne RHD (pronounced Rahad)
Arienne floats over and settles next to Corina with arms crossed, also staring up at Farfalla.
"Hmm... quite the tank this one."
Turning towards Corina, "I hope I can count on your protection from now on. If mine is as quick as it looks, then hopefully I wont need, but you never know."</s>
<|message|>Chie Alberton
Chie mostly tuned out her father's explanations. She had already heard them, read any materials they produced on piloting, and then read them again once more just to be sure. And then seen her COG multiple times by this point. However, as she watched all the other pilots look up at their machines in awe, she couldn't help but feel a bit smug. Not only had she seen the COGs time and time again, but she also had the best out of all of them. In the tiny girl's mind, there was no question that she was piloting the absolute greatest of all the machines. With a rather arrogant smile, she strolled over to take position in front of the large hulk of a machine that was 'Boom'.
"Your COGs are fine, and all," she began, folding her arms over her chest as she spoke in a rather haughty tone, "But there's no question that my Boom is the greatest out of them all. Whatever yours can do, anything she can do is just plain better! She might not be suited towards close combat, but it's not like she'll ever have to fight anyone up close! She's got cluster missile launchers located in her chest, six on each side, and that's not all! Her shoulders are also full of missiles, at a farther range too! And she can use a rocket rifle, or a laser rifle!"
Moving her hands from her chest to her hips, Chie let out a small laugh. The little blond girl was supremely confident in her COG, that was for sure. "Hu hu hu~ You might as well not have bothered showing up, Boom is the best COG here!"</s>
<|message|>Lieutenant Commander Pharazon CXS (pronounced Chess)
Pharazon saw Corina's nod of approval and returned an expressionless nod of acknowledgment. Pharazon also noticed Arienne's fascination with her cog, which relieved Pharazon who suspected that Corina and Arienne may have had misgivings about the project. Such misgivings no longer seemed to be a concern.
"Ah, Ch-Chie, e-even if your cog is great, p-please try to be more more respectful of your comrades," Dr. Alberton said in a deflated fashion.
Pharazon tried simply to ignore the Albertons altogether, "If you don't have any questions, then you have twelve hours of free time to unpack, explore the carrier, or catch up on sleep to get a head-start in aligning your biological clocks with Universal Space Time if you didn't get a chance to do so at the Space Elevator. A map of the ship has been sent to your personal drive accounts along with a fleet encyclopedia, which should be useful if you are confused about terminology or protocol. You have free access to all parts of the ship. For the time being, the Bridge and Engine Room are open as well so you may explore those locations if you wish. Usually, you shouldn't go to those places if you have no business being there, but..." Pharazon looked at Dr. Alberton, expecting him to explain why such protocol-breaching levels of freedom had been granted.
Dr. Alberton jumped in, "Ah yes, well since the cogs are based on your personalities, it is hypothesized that if any strong forces were present to change or alter your personality, way of thinking or decision-making processes, your ability to pilot optimally may be negatively impacted. A decision was made to give as much freedom and flexibility to the pilots as possible as long as it did not compromise the mission or jeopardize the safety of others. This is also why you were not subjected to professional military training."
Pharazon's eyes lingered on Chie for a fraction of a second too long when Dr. Alberton said his last remark. "And there you have it," Pharazon concluded, "If you would like to talk to me, I'll be in my office in the Barracks."</s>
<|message|>Arienne RHD (pronounced Rahad)
Arienne turns to Chie with a smile,
"Yes, Boom does look very strong indeed. I hope you will leave a few enemies for us to deal with or else I'll get bored on the battlefield."
Then she kicks off from Farfalla and lands near Pharazon and Dr. Alberton.
"Lieutenant Commander, when will we be debriefed on our cogs? Can I start now? I wont take it out for a run or anything, but may I sit in the cockpit and familiarize myself with the controls and systems?"</s>
| <|message|>Lieutenant Commander Pharazon CXS (pronounced Chess)
"Why, yes you can," Pharazon replied to Arienne's question. Pharazon came as close to 'beaming' as their generally expressionless demeanor would allow, pleased to see such professional enthusiasm. "You can see catwalks that lead right up to your cogs' cockpits. At the end of the catwalk is a diagnostics console. Consult it for more information on your cogs, and let the console scan your drives to gain entry into your cogs. Now each cog is unique from what I can tell, so what you find inside may differ from mine, but my cockpit lets me run practice simulations, so I'm assuming that yours' will also."</s> |
<|description|>Lieutenant Commander Pharazon CXS (pronounced Chess)
Appearance: Pharazon is tall and thin, and in fact, doesn't actually look very strong. Pharazon has chosen a non-gendered, androgynous physical appearance, and prefers non-gendered pronouns such as 'they' and 'them', but is fine if people refer to them as 'he' or 'she'. They have short, green hair, and serious, green eyes. Their face is usually expressionless, with a touch of amused curiosity
Age: 20. Looks about 20
Race: Quantum
Citizenship: Horizon
Personality: Pharazon is one of those Quantums who has chosen to break away from supposed 'human limitations'. This is first most apparent in their choice of gender expression. It is also apparent in their choice to keep their emotions in check, despite still being subject to them. Pharazon idolizes the ideal of what a Quantum could become, the 'perfect machine'. Pharazon is all about performing tasks, and following orders. Therefore a few things bother Pharazon greatly: though Pharazon sees racism as something beneath them, they have difficulty dealing with things that they assume to be unpredictable and prone to irrationality, that is to say, humans. While Pharazon does not hate humans, Pharazon is afraid of working with them for fear of losing control of the task at hand. Pharazon also seeks new knowledge and information, yet processes information very slowly. They therefore consume information through very traditionally human means, for example, reading and looking stuff up, instead of downloading it into their mind directly. Part of this need for knowledge also manifests as a desire to interact with humans, despite Pharazon's reluctance. Pharazon can be a bit blunt and forward, especially when a task needs doing. They may occasionally falter when it comes to being tactful. Pharazon has the unfortunate penchant for not speaking their mind when they should, and for silently shouldering burdens unnecessarily
History: Pharazon was created with an adult mind, and given free reign to choose their own future. Living in a Horizon that was well into its recovery from the Race Wars decades and decades ago, things were relatively peaceful within the core star systems, some might even say luxurious. Pharazon was faced with the philosophical questions that so often accompanied comfort, luxury, security and opportunity. Pharazon didn't know what they wanted to do with themselves, until one day they came across the philosophy of the 'perfect machine'. Pharazon found their calling, and spent their time disciplining themselves in the ways of the 'perfect machine'. Part of the philosophy, however, stressed obedience and service to the collective Quantum society, which was Horizon, so Pharazon joined the military. A fellow follower of the 'perfect machine' philosophy who happened to be working on a secret government project found out about Pharazon and decided to recruit them as the first cog-scan candidate. When Pharazon's personalized cog, Phalanx, was created, Pharazon spent a few years demonstrating its capabilities and performing tests. Due to Pharazon's success with Phalanx during tests, the Cadmus project moved to the next stage, and Pharazon awaited the next few cog-pilots that would be joining their team.
Theme Song: (Tentative) The Deva - Rakuen Tsuihou OST
Cog: Phalanx
Physical Description: The Phalanx stands tall and broad. It is slow-moving, heavy-set, and well-armored, with two massive binders attached to its shoulders that transform into smaller, remote-controlled 'dummy cogs'. It's chest mounted shotguns and use of a spear means that it engages in close-to-medium range combat. It rushes headlong into battle, drawing attention, and making sure it can survive the punishment. The use of the Hoplites adds maneuverability, offensive power, area-control, versatility, and support.
Phalanx looks like the image above, except it's shoulder guards look like the following:
These shoulder guards are called 'Hoplons' in shield form, 'Hoplites' when transformed into mechs. They are remote controlled 'dummy cogs', or 'dolls'. They are supposed to be green, like the main cog.Tactical role: Short-to-medium range vanguard melee skirmisher
Evaluation:
* Cog Score: 6
* Pilot Skill: 7
* Mental Fortitude: 6
* Obedience: 10
Weapon/Equipment/Special Systems List:
* 2x Beam shotguns - Mounted in chest
* 1x Dorus - A retractable spear. The spearhead is solid, while a medium beam nozzle runs parallel to the shaft at the base of the blade, making it like a bayonet. The Dorus is stored on the back when not in use, and is wielded with either one or both hands.
* Thrusters - Enough to provide a decent (but low) amount of acceleration and propulsion. The Phalanx and detached Hoplites move faster when disconnected from each other
* 2x Hoplons/Hoplites - Mounted on shoulder when not transformed
+ 1x Dorus per Hoplite - The Dori can be deployed in Hoplon mode, giving the Phalanx two hidden spears/beams to attack with
Wishlist:
The two front shoulder binders remain as non-transforming guards, while the two rear shoulder binders are the same Hoplon/Hoplites* 4x Beam shotguns - Mounted in chest
* 3x Dori - 1 stored on back when not in use, 2 hidden in forward binders
* 2x Anti-beam field projectors - In forward binders
* 2 Hidden arms - In forward binders. Used for wielding the hidden Dori
* 20 Scatter missiles - 10 stored in each forward binder. They are imprecise, and often travel randomly
* Thrusters - Enough to provide a decent (but low) amount of acceleration and propulsion. The Phalanx and detached Hoplites move faster when disconnected from each other
* 2x Hoplons/Hoplites - Mounted on rear shoulder when not transformed
+ 1x Dorus per Hoplite
+ 1x Anti-beam field projector per Hoplite</s>
<|message|>Arienne RHD (pronounced Rahad)
With Chie's new statement, Arienne's usual smile for her faltered and became a serious grin, eyes glazing over in an intense stare at some unseen opponent from the past.
"I don't know what these games are, but it sounds like you are practiced at them and good for you. I practice by pushing my body and mind to the limit, unifying them, making me highly tuned for combat. In my opinion, one has not truly fought, killed, or won without putting their life on the line to face down an opponent, eyes locked in a battle of willpower and skill. And for me, sparring is good enough practice for that."
Throughout her little speech, Arienne had been accidentally oozing out a creeping killing intent that got much stronger by the end. Realizing this, she immediately pulled it back and with a small shake of her head, Arienne comes back to herself and gives Chie a normal smile.
"You'll have to show me these games sometime. They sound interesting."
"Well, I'm off to sort my quarters, and maybe grab some dinner. I'll see you both later." Arienne kicks off, turns around and gives an informal salute before leaving the hanger.</s>
<|message|>Lieutenant Commander Pharazon CXS (pronounced Chess)
Leaving the hangar, Arienne had to travel through a short, air-lock-like hallway, a gravity reacclimation chamber, that was specially designed to allow those who passed through the opportunity to reorient themselves in accordance to the gravitational situation they would be entering; in this case, going from the zero-g hangar the the artificial gravity of the rest of the ship's interior.
The barracks were the living space for every single crew member, and was divided into quarters. The pilots' room was in the Officers' Quarter, and would be shared by all four cog pilots. Inside there were two bunk beds, one of the lower bunks having already been assigned to Pharazon, the other three being unassigned. Each of the new pilots' luggage stood in the middle of the room. At the foot of each bed was a steel basket just big enough to fit the regulation luggage cases each pilot was allowed to bring. This way, anyone could simply sit up in their bed and access all their belongings without needing a separate storage area. At the head of each bed was a pull down tray that operated more or less like a night stand for each pilot to place whatever bedside belongings they needed so long as they managed to secure such belongings to prevent them from flying around should the ship get hit, or artificial gravity be deactivated for whatever reason. The bathrooms however, were public and shared among the entire Officers' Quarter, with plenty of toilet stalls and shower stalls to accommodate a good percentage of people using it at the same time.
Within the Officers' Quarter were also office spaces, for various officers to attend to clerical duties. Next to the pilots' room was the Lance Leader's office, where Pharazon sat at their desk, busy with some minor work. The office was big enough to accommodate more desks if need be, as a typical carrier often had multiple lances of strikecraft and thus multiple lance leaders.</s>
<|message|>Corina Chun
Corina crossed her arms as Chie spoke, maintaining her composure in the face of the small girl's boasting. Corina had heard of the Steel Soldier Ryoko series and knew that Chie's accomplishments were, to be fair, no small task, but they were no substitute for real combat experience. That was a lesson that Arienne taught hard, Corina soon found.
As the smaller woman - Stop calling people small. This isn't the army any more. This is navy, technically. Almost everyone is going to be smaller than you, Corina reminded herself - lectured Chie, Corina caught Arienne slipping a little bit, allowing her true personality to bleed through the typically patient, kinder character Arienne had previously maintained with the young girl. Corina hoped that Chie didn't catch that slip as she had; while Chie was more than likely going to be exposed to the harshier realities of combat and military life, she felt it best to let the girl see her lancemates as much better examples to look up to.
Fortunately, it seemed that Arienne had also caught herself, and returned to the more benign version of Arienne she had maintained for Chie. As Arienne dismissed herself, Corina crouched down to speak to Chie. "I've heard of these games you play, and those are quite impressive accomplishments. Not many people have the balls to even try New Game plus, nevertheless plus eight. However," Corina adjusted her position, turning her crouch into a kneel on one knee, "our reason for sparring is not for combat training. Arienne and I are professionals; we know how to fight. Think of sparring as a sort of real life video game, one in which two opponents get to know each other.
"Now," Corina got up from her kneeling position, "I'm going to follow Arienne and rest my head for a bit before grabbing a bite. You should join us." Corina forced a small, awkward smile, before turning away from Chie and heading for the Officers' Quarter. That went fairly well, I think, Corina consoled herself, relaxing from the surprising stress she had attained from her small chat with Chie.</s>
<|message|>Chie Alberton
Chie blinked, and watched as Arienne went into an unexpected discussion of her own feelings on what it is to be a soldier. To be honest, Chie suddenly found herself reminded of Ryoko herself, when she had a monologue about what it is to be a real soldier before fighting Kaiser Donvald in the core of the Infinite Angel Machine. The OVA adaptation of that scene was pretty amazing, especially the part where Ryoko killed him by ramming him right through the reactor with her frame's Impact Arm. But that was beside the point, it was really kind of intense and for a few moments Chie couldn't help but fall silent. Well... then Arienne mentioned wanting to see the games... and showing off Ryoko was always awesome! Some people didn't get some of the more obscure gameplay features or the secrets, but that didn't change how amazing the games were!
... And Corina had heard about it too! Maybe these people weren't so dumb... of course, she was also saying something similar to Arienne, though less intensely.
"... Well... I still have an edge when it comes to piloting mecha!" she insisted, "But it sounds like you might have some idea of how to do it... I'm still the best, though!"
She gave a confident smile. For once it was not coupled with a sarcastic comment. "And I can show off Ryoko, too!"
With that she went to follow along. She had to admit she was hungry, still...</s>
<|message|>Arienne RHD (pronounced Rahad)
Inside the Officer's Quarters, Arienne chose the top bunk opposite the one already occupied by Pharazon, and began sorting through her sparse luggage. Stowing away her clothes and favorite laser handgun into her basket, she then fastened a couple of her smaller sculptures and some hanger hooks onto her tray nightstand using a wash-offable but durable sticky putty to securely fasten them all into place.
With the hooks in place, using some leather string, she tied a knife in it's scabbard with the handle facing the direction of the door. This way, she could pull out with a quick swing if need be. Her small sized retractable sword (kind of a mix between a combat baton and a tactical tanto blade) that she wore horizontally on her back, just above her hips was always with her. But she would keep it under her pillow at night.
Satisfied with her sleeping area, Arienne changes into her uniform (not caring if anyone sees), grumbling as she forces herself not to put on her hoodie and stow it in her basket. She gives her mechanical looking body a look over to make sure everything is well maintained before fully dressing herself. Fastening a holster for her gun on her right hip, her trusty sword behind her, and a few hidden throwing daggers here and there, Arienne makes ready to head for the Mess hall.</s>
| <|message|>Lieutenant Commander Pharazon CXS (pronounced Chess)
The four ships comprising the Destiny Squadron set a course to the edge of Horizon territory, a journey that would take about a day in hyperspace. The ships came together into formation and synchronized their Tachyon Harps. In a flash, the ships were gone, now traveling through hyperspace in a bubble of 'real' space. The bubble would exit hyperspace once they reached their destination. If anyone looked outside a window, they would see the iridescent boundary that encapsulated the four ships.
At the end of their 12 hours of free time, the cog pilots were all ordered to report to the hangar. Pharazon stood before the pilots. "The squadron is currently headed to the border between Horizon and the FAS. As you probably know, the region is very unstable, with militant groups, pirates and rebels, and the FAS is suspected of trying to destabilize the region for political and military gains. Our squadron will be patrolling the area, which should be a good test-bed for our cogs. Though our presence alone should be enough to deter some groups, armed military intervention will be required for others. This will be a great chance to train your skills as pilots, and test the capabilities of your cogs. But before we arrive, we should do some basic training before you see some real action. At the very least, you all should be comfortable with piloting your cogs, and be able to launch via catapult as well as returning to the carrier. We might even do some mock combat training if you all are up for it. Any questions?"</s> |
<|description|>Lieutenant Commander Pharazon CXS (pronounced Chess)
Appearance: Pharazon is tall and thin, and in fact, doesn't actually look very strong. Pharazon has chosen a non-gendered, androgynous physical appearance, and prefers non-gendered pronouns such as 'they' and 'them', but is fine if people refer to them as 'he' or 'she'. They have short, green hair, and serious, green eyes. Their face is usually expressionless, with a touch of amused curiosity
Age: 20. Looks about 20
Race: Quantum
Citizenship: Horizon
Personality: Pharazon is one of those Quantums who has chosen to break away from supposed 'human limitations'. This is first most apparent in their choice of gender expression. It is also apparent in their choice to keep their emotions in check, despite still being subject to them. Pharazon idolizes the ideal of what a Quantum could become, the 'perfect machine'. Pharazon is all about performing tasks, and following orders. Therefore a few things bother Pharazon greatly: though Pharazon sees racism as something beneath them, they have difficulty dealing with things that they assume to be unpredictable and prone to irrationality, that is to say, humans. While Pharazon does not hate humans, Pharazon is afraid of working with them for fear of losing control of the task at hand. Pharazon also seeks new knowledge and information, yet processes information very slowly. They therefore consume information through very traditionally human means, for example, reading and looking stuff up, instead of downloading it into their mind directly. Part of this need for knowledge also manifests as a desire to interact with humans, despite Pharazon's reluctance. Pharazon can be a bit blunt and forward, especially when a task needs doing. They may occasionally falter when it comes to being tactful. Pharazon has the unfortunate penchant for not speaking their mind when they should, and for silently shouldering burdens unnecessarily
History: Pharazon was created with an adult mind, and given free reign to choose their own future. Living in a Horizon that was well into its recovery from the Race Wars decades and decades ago, things were relatively peaceful within the core star systems, some might even say luxurious. Pharazon was faced with the philosophical questions that so often accompanied comfort, luxury, security and opportunity. Pharazon didn't know what they wanted to do with themselves, until one day they came across the philosophy of the 'perfect machine'. Pharazon found their calling, and spent their time disciplining themselves in the ways of the 'perfect machine'. Part of the philosophy, however, stressed obedience and service to the collective Quantum society, which was Horizon, so Pharazon joined the military. A fellow follower of the 'perfect machine' philosophy who happened to be working on a secret government project found out about Pharazon and decided to recruit them as the first cog-scan candidate. When Pharazon's personalized cog, Phalanx, was created, Pharazon spent a few years demonstrating its capabilities and performing tests. Due to Pharazon's success with Phalanx during tests, the Cadmus project moved to the next stage, and Pharazon awaited the next few cog-pilots that would be joining their team.
Theme Song: (Tentative) The Deva - Rakuen Tsuihou OST
Cog: Phalanx
Physical Description: The Phalanx stands tall and broad. It is slow-moving, heavy-set, and well-armored, with two massive binders attached to its shoulders that transform into smaller, remote-controlled 'dummy cogs'. It's chest mounted shotguns and use of a spear means that it engages in close-to-medium range combat. It rushes headlong into battle, drawing attention, and making sure it can survive the punishment. The use of the Hoplites adds maneuverability, offensive power, area-control, versatility, and support.
Phalanx looks like the image above, except it's shoulder guards look like the following:
These shoulder guards are called 'Hoplons' in shield form, 'Hoplites' when transformed into mechs. They are remote controlled 'dummy cogs', or 'dolls'. They are supposed to be green, like the main cog.Tactical role: Short-to-medium range vanguard melee skirmisher
Evaluation:
* Cog Score: 6
* Pilot Skill: 7
* Mental Fortitude: 6
* Obedience: 10
Weapon/Equipment/Special Systems List:
* 2x Beam shotguns - Mounted in chest
* 1x Dorus - A retractable spear. The spearhead is solid, while a medium beam nozzle runs parallel to the shaft at the base of the blade, making it like a bayonet. The Dorus is stored on the back when not in use, and is wielded with either one or both hands.
* Thrusters - Enough to provide a decent (but low) amount of acceleration and propulsion. The Phalanx and detached Hoplites move faster when disconnected from each other
* 2x Hoplons/Hoplites - Mounted on shoulder when not transformed
+ 1x Dorus per Hoplite - The Dori can be deployed in Hoplon mode, giving the Phalanx two hidden spears/beams to attack with
Wishlist:
The two front shoulder binders remain as non-transforming guards, while the two rear shoulder binders are the same Hoplon/Hoplites* 4x Beam shotguns - Mounted in chest
* 3x Dori - 1 stored on back when not in use, 2 hidden in forward binders
* 2x Anti-beam field projectors - In forward binders
* 2 Hidden arms - In forward binders. Used for wielding the hidden Dori
* 20 Scatter missiles - 10 stored in each forward binder. They are imprecise, and often travel randomly
* Thrusters - Enough to provide a decent (but low) amount of acceleration and propulsion. The Phalanx and detached Hoplites move faster when disconnected from each other
* 2x Hoplons/Hoplites - Mounted on rear shoulder when not transformed
+ 1x Dorus per Hoplite
+ 1x Anti-beam field projector per Hoplite</s>
<|message|>Lieutenant Commander Pharazon CXS (pronounced Chess)
Pharazon nodded at Corina, acknowledging her question, "The training will cover basic piloting and targeting. Theoretically, it shouldn't take long to get a 'feel' for piloting a cog. Once you can get the cog to move how you want, then we'll have the carrier send out some targets to practice on. As for rules of engagement," here Pharazon paused, they didn't sigh but looked like they wanted to, they did close their eyes for an unusually long time before opening them again and continuing, "due to the 'unconventional' nature of cogs, you will be granted a lot more autonomy than would be typically allowed for normal soldiers. The only things I can say are, 'we sortie when we are ordered to', 'communicate your intended actions to the lance before carrying them out', and 'unless I say, "Commander's orders"...you are allowed to rely on your best judgment'. For the most part, our lance should only be faced up against enemy units, we should never encounter hostage situations or anything of that sort, though fighting in populated urban areas is a high possibility. In such situations...trust your best judgment, but never intentionally endanger civilians." Pharazon concluded. They didn't like these 'rules' but on this ship, the research division's word was law. Pharazon added that last part about not harming civilians intentionally as the research division was ready to give the pilots full permission to do whatever they 'felt' was the 'right thing to do' in combat.
"If there are no other questions, then everyone get in your cogs and prepare to sortie."
once everyone had entered their cogs and initiated the Cog OS boot up, the frames holding the cogs in their places began moving the cogs, sliding them along their backs out towards the compartments that ringed the central body of the carrier. A comm link was established between each cog and the bridge's catapult operator, whose voice could be heard going through the launch sequence while the cogs got situated in the launch compartment and the blast doors opened. "This will be your maiden launch. While the carrier is designed for simultaneous launch of up to six craft, for this time, we will being doing it one at a time so the Lieutenant Commander can catch you if you have trouble braking. Phalanx, you are cleared for take off."
"Lieutenant Commander Pharazon CXS, sortieing." With that, the frame carrying Phalanx shot forward, releasing Phalanx when it reached the end of the launch rail, propelling Phalanx out into the hyperspace bubble.
"Alright," came Pharazon's voice over the comm link, "Send the next one out. Let me know if you're having trouble controlling your cog. Again, the way you control your cog should 'feel right' to you, if you think this lever, or this button, or this pedal brakes, then that's probably the one."</s>
<|message|>Corina Chun
Corina frowned. She didn't exactly like the lack of rules, but fortunately Pharazon didn't seem to either. They had done their best, but Corina could hear the restraint in their words. What they had said made sense, and Corina understood why there was a lack of restraint with the cogs, but at the end of the day she was a soldier, and soldiers liked orders. Short of orders, soldiers liked chemistry among their team in order for a proper dynamic to work itself out, but this lance had yet to develop chemistry. Their interaction since meeting had been limited, though Corina had to place some of that blame on herself. She wasn't exactly the most social of people and had isolated herself for much of the trip.
Corina could only offer a terse, "Understood, sir," before heading towards her cog to prepare. Climbing into the cockpit, Corina immediately understood what Pharazon meant by "feeling right." The interior was simple, organized, and disciplined. Everything was in a matte grey finish, matching the greyscale digital pattern that covered the cog. Corina smirked. This was definitely working for her.
As Phalanx was launched out into the bubble, Corina felt Farfalla being moved for launch. Shit. Shit shit shit shit shitshitshitshitshit, Corina began to panic slightly as the launch quickly became a reality. She was a foot soldier - any type of vehicular warfare was alien to her. That said, she found that she wasn't as nervous as she expected; the comfort and odd familiarity of Farfalla's cockpit was calming.
"Lieutenant Chun, piloting cog Farfalla. Let it be recorded that on this day, you've got a career foot soldier flying around in space," Corina announced nervously, feeling the acceleration of the launch shoot her out into the bubble. Corina braked with no problem, decelerating at a steady, even rate with the depression of the lower left pedal. She quickly asserted herself with Farfalla's movement controls: lower left was stop, lower right was go, upper left was strafe left, upper right was strafe right. Whatever direction she pulled the arm controls in, Farfalla moved to look. She could trigger a powerful burst of speed in any direction by pulling one of the many triggers on either side in combination with a directional control, though it was incredibly taxing on her physically. Corina would have to figure out a way to exercise in order to make the sudden directional changes easier.</s>
<|message|>Arienne RHD (pronounced Rahad)
yes yes yes Yes YES! That was all Arienne could think as she lowered herself into her cog's cockpit. Starting the startup sequence, she stands upright as latches twist around, securing her into place. Putting her head back, a helmet pops over her head, inserting plugs into the jacks behind Arienne's ears. The first time transfer and acclimation of her consciousness to the cog took a few minutes was an interesting experience, but would be faster from now on. It now very much felt like her body became that of the cog.
Finishing the transfer, Arienne did a systems check and then started moving her new arms around when she noticed her vision. The OS of the cog and her close interface with it allowed Arienne to have a very good view of All directions around her. She had read about it in the manual, but experiencing it now was more than she could have hoped for. Arienne knew she would miss this omniscient clarity when she left the cog. She also now knew what to call her cog. If the cog could have smiled, then it would, but insted, this revelation set the cog humming, almost like a purr...
"Askalaphos, heading out!"
As soon as Askalaphos lost contact with the catapult, Arienne gave another intense burst of speed. Flying straight towards the other 2 cogs, she would have collided if she didn't make an explosive 90 degree turn going up. Askalaphos spun and twirled as she flew around and about in complex and graceful maneuvers. She was an owl in the night, very much in control of her movement, and very aware of her surroundings. And Arienne felt a joy she had never experienced before.</s>
<|message|>Chie Alberton
Chie tuned out almost everything else. It was always the same dull, boring questions she had guessed they would ask. No, this was what she was waiting for. She had been in the pilot's seat before, but there was a big difference between simply seeing it and actually piloting the mecha. Excitement swelled up in the tiny girl's heart and she was practically quaking with how eager she was. Her flight suit, a powder blue, was correctly equipped, and she'd done everything properly. All that was left to do was to get going...
"Boom's heading out!"
And moments later... that speed. The sensation of escape as she was launched out into space... this was exactly as she knew it was going to be! She hadn't gotten to really try it yet, but...
"Wah... this is great! It's even better then I thought it would be!"
Boom gently glided through space as she went</s>
| <|message|>Lieutenant Commander Pharazon CXS (pronounced Chess)
"I'm glad to see you all got the hang of it," Pharazon said.
Out here, it was clear that the four ships were in some sort of astrophysical phenomenon. An iridescent, spherical border separated the 'real space' containing the ships, and the surrounding hyperspace. In the front, an image of the destination planet could be seen, as if the ships had already arrived, while behind, an image of the planet they had departed from, as if they had never left. It was as if the Destiny Squadron was the same proximity to both planets, and this was technically true according to space-fold physics. As both planets were visible to the ships in the space-fold, the ships were also visible to both planets. Light, "information", always got through the space-fold faster than matter, resulting in this strange phenomenon.
"Continue learning how to move your cogs. Test your limits to see what kinds of speeds and accelerations you can handle, though some cogs will inherently be slower than others," Pharazon coached, "After a while, I'll ask the Destiny to send out some targets."</s> |
<|description|>Arienne RHD (pronounced Rahad)
Appearance: Svelt gymnast body at 5'4". She only has synthetic hazelnut skin from the neck up and cornrows like this that only go down to the base of the neck. Everything below the base of her neck is segmented hard-plastic plating with soft plastic covered joints. She has bright aqua eyes that almost seem to glow. Oddly enough, she has the ability to transform her ears away to be replaced with bare skin (don't ask, something about being more streamlined an' shit).
Her bounty hunter outfit (not that she will have many chances to wear this while enlisted) is a mix of these pants and boots and the whole top portion of this sans skull mask. It still has the loose and floppy collar so she can bring it up to cover her face like in the first picture. In her off time she wears stuff like this and this with either stockings or pants. She always has gloves on except in private.
Age: 43. Looks around 25.
Race: Quantum
Citizenship: Horizon
Personality: Quiet, cautious/wary, and sometimes stern. Very observant of her surroundings and minor details. Can make conversation, but is usually not very talkative. In fact, she likes to keep awkward/oppressive silences and is amused by some people's discomfort. Doesn't laugh, but you can get her to smile.
Dislikes oppressive people, or those who try to steal/take/destroy the comfort, daily lives, honor, and rights of those without the means to defend and fight back for themselves. Has a great fondness for all forms of natural water and bodies of water and children except quantums who look like children, but have the voice and/or the mind of an adult. She will nope the hell away from that shit.
After a hard or challenging episode/decision in her life, she may burn/destroy one of her sculptures as a way to commemorate and support her progress.
History: Created with a raw Quantum AI by a 2nd-gen soldier who fought in the Race Wars, she was raised with a militaristic lifestyle for the first 30 years of her life. Then, seeking to expand her skills in wilder environments, she traveled to FAS territory and spent the next 13 years as a bounty hunter going after rapists, murderers, pirates, violent mobs/gangs, anyone with a bounty who disturbs the peaceful lives of civilians. It was during this time that she discovered a calming hobby of making sculptures and carvings using her myriad of blades, and the occasional chainsaw. She started doing this to practice and refine her precision and technique, but the act eventually began to take a life of it's own.
Theme Song: This song but she likes listening to techno and funky music. <-- She is quite amused by the ironic subject matter.
Cog: Askalaphos
Physical Description: Basically looks like this and this. Eventually upgrades to have a backpack.
Tactical role: Stealth assassin/scout, Frontline skirmisher/duelist
Evaluation:
* Cog Score: 8
* Pilot Skill: 9
* Mental Fortitude: 10
* Obedience: 7
Weapon/Equipment/Special Systems List:
* Beam Claymore: About as long as a cog is tall, this powerful beam saber has a containment field that can barely keep the energy in control. Thus, when the blade is swung, it leaves behind a beam trail that can block bullets and beams.
* Hidden twin Katars: located inside forearm casing.
* Complex and comprehensive camera system so the cog can see in ALL directions.
* Lots and lots of thrusters for high speed and maneuverability.
* ECM base Cloaking system: Physically, the Askalaphos is totally visible. But at long-medium to short range, it is completely invisible to cameras and sensors.
* Little to no armor and no long range weapons
Wishlist:
* Zulfiqar: Looks like this, but double sided and thinner with a modified handle and guard. The length of this blade is 1.5 times the height of a cog and the even more powerful energy is now better contained for a concentrated effect. The solid middle part of the sword is retractable for storage. The intelligent program of the sword will make it so that the beam part of it stays concentrated in the direction of the swing, but releases the energy on the other side for the beam trails to still happen. Downside, there is actually a flat of the blade, so thus if struck there, the blade can shatter.
* Tachyon Harp backpack with more thrusters: Allows for subspace hopping for limited range teleportation (BAMF!) and disappearing, and more maneuverability through Dark-Matter surfing.
* Large Shoulder pads that are actually hidden arms with normal beam blade nozzles.
* Beam boomerangs?? Either that or my cog will eventually get head mounted Vulcans, pesky missiles...</s>
<|message|>Lieutenant Commander Pharazon CXS (pronounced Chess)
More than a year ago, the entire citizenry of Horizon underwent a mandatory, mysterious scan. A select few had been contacted, and asked to cooperate. In essence they were being drafted, though the assignment had to be voluntary to a certain degree. Once consent had been given however, there was no turning back. To pull out at this stage of a secret military project was treason. It wasn't mandatory, but the volunteers were encouraged to enlist for basic military training and discipline. However, training and discipline were not stressed as there was an unusual desire to preserve the volunteers 'as they are' as much as possible for reasons of compatibility. At any rate, some already came with military or pseudo-military background, and as far as team composition was concerned, the amount of training and discipline was considered, 'enough to get by'.
The day had finally come. Each volunteer, each prospective 'cog' pilot, was ordered to report to the space elevator on Pythagoras, the capital planet of Horizon. The space elevator was in essence, a space station in geosynchronous orbit that was tethered to the surface of the planet by massive cables. Large elevator trains ran up and down the cables, carrying freight and passengers to and from the surface to the orbital platform. The platform itself was organized like a massive airport, a spaceport to be precise. It included a 'residential district' that operated more or less like a hotel, as well as shopping centers, food courts, service kiosks, etc. The arrival and departure gates connected to short-range shuttles that carried freight and passengers to the actual starships that hovered in orbit in the vicinity of the spaceport. Each pilot was ordered to report to departure gate G3 at 0700 hours universal time to catch shuttle 1543, which will take them to the Horizon Defense Fleet Evolution, the carrier designed specifically for housing the products of this particular military project.</s>
<|message|>Arienne RHD (pronounced Rahad)
Upon receiving the Volunteer request, Arienne RHD calmly sat down, and calmly pondered.
Space warfare. It was one form of combat she had not done yet and the prospect seemed intriging.
But, she loved the feeling of the ground beneath her feet as she sprinted after a fleeing target...
Loved the intensity of staring down a group of armed mercenaries, waiting, daring someone to flinch first...
Loved the intimate feelings of a death fight with crazy yet skilled murderers...
These things and more are what she loved and did as a bounty hunter for the last 13 years in FAS territory.
She wouldn't have these things in a space fighter, or at least it wouldn't feel the same.
...
But she was Horizon. It was time to expand.
She spent the rest of the night camping next to a peaceful river, watching the embers of the first sculpture she made flying off into the sky...
Into space...
After tying up loose ends, responsibilities, and a few more bounties for old times sake, 6 months before the departure date, Arienne returned to her Horizon homeworld and reunited with her father. She spent the 6 months spending quality time with him, catching up with him and with old friends, and downloading general knowledge concerning military structure, procedure and protocol.
1 hour before departure time, Arienne arrives to an empty gate and mingles far away, but close enough to see when anyone shows up.
She probably didn't need to do this, but scoping out the location and the people involved was a habit she found useful as a bounty hunter, and wasn't about to drop anytime soon. She wanted study the people she would work with for the foreseeable future. To size them up.
She calmly pulls up her hood, calmly turns on some tehcno in her head, and calmly waits...</s>
<|message|>Corina Chun
A lone shot resonated through the enclosed firing range.
"Two inches high and three left," a male voice muttered, the owner of the voice peering at the paper target through a pair of binoculars.
Corina Chun adjusted her aim appropriately and took another shot.
"Stop hesitating with your trigger pulls, ma'am. You're three inches high this time," the male voice muttered.
"Screw you, Mitch. I don't need firing tips," Corina shot back, pulling her eye away from the scope of the rifle she held to glare at the man next to her.
"I think you meant, 'Thank you, Sergeant Mitchell, where would I be without you?'" he grinned, not moving away from the binoculars. "Take your damn shot."
Corina only grunted in response. She returned to the assault rifle's scope and took the shot without hesitation.
"There you go. Perfect headshot, right between the eyes. Let's see three more, loose grouping."
Corina took three rapid shots in succession, all landing on the paper target's head. "So I think I killed it."
"That you did, ma'am. You showed that piece of paper who owns this range," Mitch responded, setting the binoculars down on the tray table in front of the pair. "So Lieutenant, tomorrow's the big day. That secret scan and your extra training is finally gonna pull through or something."
Corina shifted nervously. Typically she was well composed and unmoving, but this project she had joined had kept her in the dark for more than a year. Her lines of questioning had all been stopped past two or three levels of authority, and that made Corina uncomfortable. The most she had been told about was that she had participated in a 'cog' scan, and that she'd be piloting one of her own along with a small team of other 'notable individuals.' The goals and motives of the project were unclear to Corina, and she did not like that.
Corina recollected herself quickly, straightening her posture and setting the rifle down on the tray table. "You could say that. All I know is that I'm to report to the elevator tomorrow morning. There's still a lot being kept secret about this project, and you know how I feel about military secrets," Corina responded, unloading the rifle and switching the safety on. Range safety was menial and boring, but it kept people alive.
"That I do, ma'am. In any case, good luck. Hopefully you don't need it, but it doesn't hurt." The sergeant smirked at Corina before excusing himself, leaving Corina alone in the firing range.
She checked the time; twelve hours until she was to report to gate G3. She reloaded the rifle before her; another half an hour in the range to destress, then she'd still be able to get a decent amount of sleep before she had to get ready to report.
--
Corina arrived at the space elevator exactly an hour before the report time. She had already been awake for three hours, giving her enough time to take a quick cold shower, eat a light breakfast, and take the elevator up to the platform.
As she neared the departure gate on the platform, Corina slowly began to put her guard up. Being military personnel, Corina was allowed to carry a small personal sidearm, but no extra ammunition other than the clip it was loaded with. Anything else she wanted to carry had to be checked into security, not that she packed anything further than her extra set of black and grey military fatigues and a dress uniform. Regardless, she kept her hand close to the holster on her thigh. Just in case.
Corina arrived at the gate, and she couldn't help but notice the hooded individual lurking a distance away from the gate. They were far enough to be unnoticeable to most, but Corina was trained to spot anything out of the ordinary. She stopped walking momentarily to stare at the hooded figure for several seconds, making clear that she knew of their presence. Corina then continued into the gate, taking a seat. She checked the time; twenty minutes until 0700.</s>
<|message|>Arienne RHD (pronounced Rahad)
Upon Corina's stare, Arienne gives a smirk and an informal salute, but otherwise does nothing.</s>
<|message|>Lieutenant Commander Pharazon CXS (pronounced Chess)
Pharazon arrived at the gate 15 minutes before departure time and saw Corina. "Lieutenant Chun; Lieutenant Commander Pharazon CXS, pronounced 'Chess'," Pharazon introduced themself. Pharazon was promoted to lieutenant commander when they were appointed to lead the cog team, while all other cog pilots would start at the rank of ensign except those who had official Horizon military history. In Corina's case, since she served in the Planetary Defense Force instead of the Fleet, she was made lieutenant regardless of her prior PDF rank. Although Pharazon felt awkward around humans, Corina had received professional military training, and that was something Pharazon could trust in. Pharazon also failed to notice Arienne.</s>
<|message|>Corina Chun
Corina stood at attention and gave a short salute. She subtly straightened her posture; first impressions were key. "Lieutenant Commander. I assume that your knowledge of who I am means you're going to be the CO for this assignment, then?" Corina asked, hoping that she'd finally be able to get the answers she'd been waiting so long for. Like what exactly they'd be doing and what their purpose was. "Also, you know we're being watched? Hooded figure just outside the gate," Corina dropped her voice slightly, nodding towards Arienne's general direction. "I've been military long enough to know when someone's looking suspicious, and they fit the bill."</s>
<|message|>Lieutenant Commander Pharazon CXS (pronounced Chess)
"At ease," Pharazon replied appreciating Corina's formality, "And yes, I'll be leading the team of pilots." Pharazon looked to where Corina indicated. "Oh, that looks like one of the ensigns in our team," Pharazon said, giving no indication that they found Arienne's behavior or appearance unusual in any way. Many Quantums adopted unusual eccentricities, Pharazon was eccentric in their own right, one of which was having a poor grasp of what constituted 'normal' behavior. In an economic gesture, Pharazon waved Arienne to join them.</s>
| <|message|>Arienne RHD (pronounced Rahad)
Arienne walks over and gives another informal salute in a loose and relaxed posture.
Looking at both Pharazon and Corina in turn, she says "Arienne RHD, pronounced 'Rahad', reporting for duty."
Then turning to Corina, "Glad to see a lance mate who is cautious and vigilant"</s> |
<|description|>Arienne RHD (pronounced Rahad)
Appearance: Svelt gymnast body at 5'4". She only has synthetic hazelnut skin from the neck up and cornrows like this that only go down to the base of the neck. Everything below the base of her neck is segmented hard-plastic plating with soft plastic covered joints. She has bright aqua eyes that almost seem to glow. Oddly enough, she has the ability to transform her ears away to be replaced with bare skin (don't ask, something about being more streamlined an' shit).
Her bounty hunter outfit (not that she will have many chances to wear this while enlisted) is a mix of these pants and boots and the whole top portion of this sans skull mask. It still has the loose and floppy collar so she can bring it up to cover her face like in the first picture. In her off time she wears stuff like this and this with either stockings or pants. She always has gloves on except in private.
Age: 43. Looks around 25.
Race: Quantum
Citizenship: Horizon
Personality: Quiet, cautious/wary, and sometimes stern. Very observant of her surroundings and minor details. Can make conversation, but is usually not very talkative. In fact, she likes to keep awkward/oppressive silences and is amused by some people's discomfort. Doesn't laugh, but you can get her to smile.
Dislikes oppressive people, or those who try to steal/take/destroy the comfort, daily lives, honor, and rights of those without the means to defend and fight back for themselves. Has a great fondness for all forms of natural water and bodies of water and children except quantums who look like children, but have the voice and/or the mind of an adult. She will nope the hell away from that shit.
After a hard or challenging episode/decision in her life, she may burn/destroy one of her sculptures as a way to commemorate and support her progress.
History: Created with a raw Quantum AI by a 2nd-gen soldier who fought in the Race Wars, she was raised with a militaristic lifestyle for the first 30 years of her life. Then, seeking to expand her skills in wilder environments, she traveled to FAS territory and spent the next 13 years as a bounty hunter going after rapists, murderers, pirates, violent mobs/gangs, anyone with a bounty who disturbs the peaceful lives of civilians. It was during this time that she discovered a calming hobby of making sculptures and carvings using her myriad of blades, and the occasional chainsaw. She started doing this to practice and refine her precision and technique, but the act eventually began to take a life of it's own.
Theme Song: This song but she likes listening to techno and funky music. <-- She is quite amused by the ironic subject matter.
Cog: Askalaphos
Physical Description: Basically looks like this and this. Eventually upgrades to have a backpack.
Tactical role: Stealth assassin/scout, Frontline skirmisher/duelist
Evaluation:
* Cog Score: 8
* Pilot Skill: 9
* Mental Fortitude: 10
* Obedience: 7
Weapon/Equipment/Special Systems List:
* Beam Claymore: About as long as a cog is tall, this powerful beam saber has a containment field that can barely keep the energy in control. Thus, when the blade is swung, it leaves behind a beam trail that can block bullets and beams.
* Hidden twin Katars: located inside forearm casing.
* Complex and comprehensive camera system so the cog can see in ALL directions.
* Lots and lots of thrusters for high speed and maneuverability.
* ECM base Cloaking system: Physically, the Askalaphos is totally visible. But at long-medium to short range, it is completely invisible to cameras and sensors.
* Little to no armor and no long range weapons
Wishlist:
* Zulfiqar: Looks like this, but double sided and thinner with a modified handle and guard. The length of this blade is 1.5 times the height of a cog and the even more powerful energy is now better contained for a concentrated effect. The solid middle part of the sword is retractable for storage. The intelligent program of the sword will make it so that the beam part of it stays concentrated in the direction of the swing, but releases the energy on the other side for the beam trails to still happen. Downside, there is actually a flat of the blade, so thus if struck there, the blade can shatter.
* Tachyon Harp backpack with more thrusters: Allows for subspace hopping for limited range teleportation (BAMF!) and disappearing, and more maneuverability through Dark-Matter surfing.
* Large Shoulder pads that are actually hidden arms with normal beam blade nozzles.
* Beam boomerangs?? Either that or my cog will eventually get head mounted Vulcans, pesky missiles...</s>
<|message|>Arienne RHD (pronounced Rahad)
Upon hearing Pharazon's answer to Corina, Arienne finally frowned.
At the mention of strike craft, she remembered her original misgivings about joining this project in the first place.
'I'm going to be piloting a fancy plane' she thought to herself. That just didn't feel right.
Her training and skill set are in close quarters and hand to hand combat. Sure she can aim a pistol really well, but she wanted something more... personal, more intimate.
With a sigh, she pushed her doubts away. Might as well give final judgement after she had seen these 'cogs'. She had other things to worry about right now.
In Arienne's eyes, Chie Alberton was an adorable girl. She liked children with attitude and thought the little bit she'd seen of Chie's was endearing. But Arienne had never had to work with such an attitude on a professional level. And even then, why was a child part of a military project? Arienne loathed the thought of a child getting put into dangerous situations, but this was assuaged by 2 things:
* They were gonna be test pilots, so shouldn't see actual combat (this fact also annoyed Arienne). Chie, for the most part, should be safe.
* Chie must have gone through the tests so she must be qualified for the job. She probably had the skills and aptitude needed so that the Horizon government would be even willing to recruit a young child in the first place. On this point, Arienne didn't know whether to be impressed or disturbed.
Having sat down in the row in front of Chie, she turned around with a small but sincere smile on her face, piercingly searching blue eyes, and asked Chie in a quiet voice,
"Ms. Chie Alberton, if you'd be so kind as to answer this question. I wanted to know, are you here by your own choice or are you in any way being forced into this?"</s>
<|message|>Chie Alberton
Chie narrowed her eyes at her 'commanding officer'. Folding her arms across her chest, she let out a huff and turned away, shutting her eyes as she did. Bending down like that... she was a pilot, so didn't she deserve to be treated just like all the others? She didn't need someone acting all... all... patronizing like that! She was irritable the whole way onto the shuttle. She sat with her arms still folded across her chest, looking firmly to the side and away from all her fellow team members... at least until one of them spoke to her. And she was talking to her normally! Hah!
... Even if the question was kind of weird. Still, given the chance to talk about how she was here, the blonde little girl couldn't help but give a cheerful and incredibly smug smile in response to the question that had been asked of her.
"Of course I'm here of my own choice!" she said, unfolding her arms to place her palms on either side of her hips where she sat, kicking her feet slightly. "Do you think I'd have to be forced to do something like this?"
Her smile shifted, becoming a rather sarcastic expression as she cast a sideways glance at the other team members. "Maybe they're dumb enough to think that..."</s>
<|message|>Arienne RHD (pronounced Rahad)
Arienne gives Chie a bigger, relieved smile. She says to Chie "That's good then. I look forward to flying with you lance mate." before turning back around.
Settling in her chair, Arienne decides to push the rest of her worries away for now. 'Wait. Watch. Act.' she told herself.
Arienne decided not to turn on her music and kept an ear out for whatever tidbit she could hear.</s>
<|message|>Corina Chun
Corina gave a short, affirmative nod. "Understood, sir. I look forward to this assignment," she added, as if to reinforce that she did, in fact, appreciate the gravity of this detail. After all, Corina didn't want to come off as if she felt she was above this kind of an assignment. She went where she was most needed, and it sounded like that that place was here.
However, she was not without her doubts. Corina was a foot soldier, after all; piloting ships was never her forte. Of course, Pharazon made clear that they weren't just piloting ships; whatever they would be piloting was just as effective as a surface weapon as it was a strikecraft. That was slightly reassuring, but still, there was a reason Corina was assigned to an infantry unit and not the cavalry.
If Chie's remarks had any effect on Corina, she didn't show it. She maintained her stoic, rigid composure - not out of any active desire to appear composed, but as a result of years of military training and discipline. This was going to be an interesting assignment. Out of the corner of her eye, Corina noticed Arienne getting notably more comfortable than herself; the woman seemed fairly relaxed and easy-going, and while Corina could not understand that kind of behavior, she certainly respected it.</s>
<|message|>Lieutenant Commander Pharazon CXS (pronounced Chess)
Pharazon nodded to show that they understood that Corina's question was borne of inquisitiveness rather than criticism.
The shuttle zoomed through space, heading towards a group of four starships: two mid-sized carriers and two mid-sized destroyers. HDF ships had a smooth, silvery appearance broken by thin lines that emanated a blue glow. The carriers had a long central body with a hexagonal ring around it from which strike craft deployed in six directions, whereas the destroyers resembled umbrellas or mushrooms with short stalks, with the cap pointing forward. One of the carriers, the HDF-Evolution, had a slightly modified hexagonal deployment ring.
The shuttle headed for the Evolution and docked on a platform at a point where the ring connected to the main body. The platform descended and took the shuttle into the carrier's interior. As the elevator went down, it passed through an airlock, after which the hangar could be seen from inside the shuttle, and the pilots saw their cogs for the first time. The Hangar was a zero-gravity environment, and was also hexagonal, the cogs being mounted with their backs to the walls and their heads pointing towards the front of the ship. The hangar engineering crew could be seen going about performing maintenance on the cogs.
When the shuttle had finished docking, Pharazon stood up, "Alright, follow me. If you're not used to zero-g, make sure to hold on to the handrails. Once outside the shuttle, Pharazon turned to address the pilots again, "Welcome to the Evolution. Those are your cogs over there."
Each pilot should be able to identify their cog and, depending on their personality, will react to their cog differently, but the reaction should be positive. The shape, design and color of the cog should speak to each pilot on an aesthetic and personal level.
Dr. Alberton then took over, "So, a quick introduction to cogs. The term 'cog' was chosen as an abbreviation of 'cognition'. Though the cog is piloted with a classic stick- and pedal-based control system, the cog subtly collects your thoughts and mental commands, augmenting your ability to control your cog with greater precision and accuracy than you would be able to get with just clumsy physical controls. The cog is considered the next evolution of strikecraft. You may notice that they are humanoid. The reason for this is that the cog also subtly sends messages into your mind in addition to receiving signals. Most humans, and even most Quantums, feel most comfortable in a humanoid body, and a body, a cog that you are not comfortable with creates a dissonance that impedes the ability to send and receive mental signals essential to cog piloting. However, this problem extends beyond the shape of the body, as it turns out, individual minds can be very particular about tiny nuances, and personal combat preferences apparently have a very large impact on how a cog 'feels' to the pilot and an even larger impact on how the cog and pilot perform. You may remember a scan that was administered to the population a little more than a year ago. That scan determines each individual's 'ideal' cog. Since this individuality prevents the cogs from being mass produced, they are incredibly expensive, so all cog designs were then evaluated for their potential, and each potential pilot was also evaluated. And that's why you're all here, you've passed the selection process, your cogs have been manufactured, and now we will see if your piloting verifies previous data. Previously, only one cog had been manufactured, which is Lieutenant Commander Chess' cog, Phalanx, the green one over there. Are there any questions?" Dr. Alberton mused to himself how the concept behind the cogs was similar to random mutations and natural selection; different personalities gave rise to different cogs, each with their own unique way of adapting to combat. Multiple iterations and prolonged conflict could produce 'evolutionary pressure' and push cogs, and weapons development in general, into new, undiscovered territory; creating machines that adapt better and better to the combat environment.</s>
| <|message|>Arienne RHD (pronounced Rahad)
Arienne didn't have time to marvel at the carrier. She saw the black cog and all her doubts went away. Her face broke into a silent and large snarl of a smile.
Before Dr. Alberton could speak, Arienne (having participated in plenty of zero-g hunts through asteroid fields and derelict spacecraft) kicked off towards her 'ideal' cog. She marveled at the sleekness, the stealthiness and speed that the cog seemed to exude.
She steadied herself against the face of the black cog, holding on with both hands and staring at the visor in rapt impatience.
...
"You and I... We are going to have some great hunts together!"</s> |
<|description|>Arienne RHD (pronounced Rahad)
Appearance: Svelt gymnast body at 5'4". She only has synthetic hazelnut skin from the neck up and cornrows like this that only go down to the base of the neck. Everything below the base of her neck is segmented hard-plastic plating with soft plastic covered joints. She has bright aqua eyes that almost seem to glow. Oddly enough, she has the ability to transform her ears away to be replaced with bare skin (don't ask, something about being more streamlined an' shit).
Her bounty hunter outfit (not that she will have many chances to wear this while enlisted) is a mix of these pants and boots and the whole top portion of this sans skull mask. It still has the loose and floppy collar so she can bring it up to cover her face like in the first picture. In her off time she wears stuff like this and this with either stockings or pants. She always has gloves on except in private.
Age: 43. Looks around 25.
Race: Quantum
Citizenship: Horizon
Personality: Quiet, cautious/wary, and sometimes stern. Very observant of her surroundings and minor details. Can make conversation, but is usually not very talkative. In fact, she likes to keep awkward/oppressive silences and is amused by some people's discomfort. Doesn't laugh, but you can get her to smile.
Dislikes oppressive people, or those who try to steal/take/destroy the comfort, daily lives, honor, and rights of those without the means to defend and fight back for themselves. Has a great fondness for all forms of natural water and bodies of water and children except quantums who look like children, but have the voice and/or the mind of an adult. She will nope the hell away from that shit.
After a hard or challenging episode/decision in her life, she may burn/destroy one of her sculptures as a way to commemorate and support her progress.
History: Created with a raw Quantum AI by a 2nd-gen soldier who fought in the Race Wars, she was raised with a militaristic lifestyle for the first 30 years of her life. Then, seeking to expand her skills in wilder environments, she traveled to FAS territory and spent the next 13 years as a bounty hunter going after rapists, murderers, pirates, violent mobs/gangs, anyone with a bounty who disturbs the peaceful lives of civilians. It was during this time that she discovered a calming hobby of making sculptures and carvings using her myriad of blades, and the occasional chainsaw. She started doing this to practice and refine her precision and technique, but the act eventually began to take a life of it's own.
Theme Song: This song but she likes listening to techno and funky music. <-- She is quite amused by the ironic subject matter.
Cog: Askalaphos
Physical Description: Basically looks like this and this. Eventually upgrades to have a backpack.
Tactical role: Stealth assassin/scout, Frontline skirmisher/duelist
Evaluation:
* Cog Score: 8
* Pilot Skill: 9
* Mental Fortitude: 10
* Obedience: 7
Weapon/Equipment/Special Systems List:
* Beam Claymore: About as long as a cog is tall, this powerful beam saber has a containment field that can barely keep the energy in control. Thus, when the blade is swung, it leaves behind a beam trail that can block bullets and beams.
* Hidden twin Katars: located inside forearm casing.
* Complex and comprehensive camera system so the cog can see in ALL directions.
* Lots and lots of thrusters for high speed and maneuverability.
* ECM base Cloaking system: Physically, the Askalaphos is totally visible. But at long-medium to short range, it is completely invisible to cameras and sensors.
* Little to no armor and no long range weapons
Wishlist:
* Zulfiqar: Looks like this, but double sided and thinner with a modified handle and guard. The length of this blade is 1.5 times the height of a cog and the even more powerful energy is now better contained for a concentrated effect. The solid middle part of the sword is retractable for storage. The intelligent program of the sword will make it so that the beam part of it stays concentrated in the direction of the swing, but releases the energy on the other side for the beam trails to still happen. Downside, there is actually a flat of the blade, so thus if struck there, the blade can shatter.
* Tachyon Harp backpack with more thrusters: Allows for subspace hopping for limited range teleportation (BAMF!) and disappearing, and more maneuverability through Dark-Matter surfing.
* Large Shoulder pads that are actually hidden arms with normal beam blade nozzles.
* Beam boomerangs?? Either that or my cog will eventually get head mounted Vulcans, pesky missiles...</s>
<|message|>Arienne RHD (pronounced Rahad)
Arienne didn't have time to marvel at the carrier. She saw the black cog and all her doubts went away. Her face broke into a silent and large snarl of a smile.
Before Dr. Alberton could speak, Arienne (having participated in plenty of zero-g hunts through asteroid fields and derelict spacecraft) kicked off towards her 'ideal' cog. She marveled at the sleekness, the stealthiness and speed that the cog seemed to exude.
She steadied herself against the face of the black cog, holding on with both hands and staring at the visor in rapt impatience.
...
"You and I... We are going to have some great hunts together!"</s>
<|message|>Corina Chun
Corina had had a little zero-g experience before, but not much. Being a foot soldier, Corina felt out of her element in space; it occurred to her that that was going to have to change quickly or else she would not have a very good time on this assignment. Within moments, she grasped the basics of zero-g movement and maneuvered relatively well.
She did her best to pay attention to Dr. Alberton's briefing, but lost focus as the well-intentioned scientist began to ramble. Her eyes wandered, making contact with the black and grey colossus that was her cog. Like Arienne, Corina moved away from Pharazon and Dr. Alberton, immediately lost in the titan's features; it didn't take her long to identify the various weapons systems and functions of the cog. At a glance, it spoke for itself; two big guns, high intensity shields, and heavy armor. It was a powerful, enduring soldier, just like Corina. And she already had a name for it: Farfalla. The Butterfly. The name exuded the elegance and grace Corina saw within the cog.
Corina managed to avert her gaze long enough to lock eyes with Pharazon and Dr. Alberton. She gave a slight affirmative nod, indicating her approval and commitment to the cog project, and to her own cog.</s>
<|message|>Arienne RHD (pronounced Rahad)
Arienne floats over and settles next to Corina with arms crossed, also staring up at Farfalla.
"Hmm... quite the tank this one."
Turning towards Corina, "I hope I can count on your protection from now on. If mine is as quick as it looks, then hopefully I wont need, but you never know."</s>
<|message|>Chie Alberton
Chie mostly tuned out her father's explanations. She had already heard them, read any materials they produced on piloting, and then read them again once more just to be sure. And then seen her COG multiple times by this point. However, as she watched all the other pilots look up at their machines in awe, she couldn't help but feel a bit smug. Not only had she seen the COGs time and time again, but she also had the best out of all of them. In the tiny girl's mind, there was no question that she was piloting the absolute greatest of all the machines. With a rather arrogant smile, she strolled over to take position in front of the large hulk of a machine that was 'Boom'.
"Your COGs are fine, and all," she began, folding her arms over her chest as she spoke in a rather haughty tone, "But there's no question that my Boom is the greatest out of them all. Whatever yours can do, anything she can do is just plain better! She might not be suited towards close combat, but it's not like she'll ever have to fight anyone up close! She's got cluster missile launchers located in her chest, six on each side, and that's not all! Her shoulders are also full of missiles, at a farther range too! And she can use a rocket rifle, or a laser rifle!"
Moving her hands from her chest to her hips, Chie let out a small laugh. The little blond girl was supremely confident in her COG, that was for sure. "Hu hu hu~ You might as well not have bothered showing up, Boom is the best COG here!"</s>
<|message|>Lieutenant Commander Pharazon CXS (pronounced Chess)
Pharazon saw Corina's nod of approval and returned an expressionless nod of acknowledgment. Pharazon also noticed Arienne's fascination with her cog, which relieved Pharazon who suspected that Corina and Arienne may have had misgivings about the project. Such misgivings no longer seemed to be a concern.
"Ah, Ch-Chie, e-even if your cog is great, p-please try to be more more respectful of your comrades," Dr. Alberton said in a deflated fashion.
Pharazon tried simply to ignore the Albertons altogether, "If you don't have any questions, then you have twelve hours of free time to unpack, explore the carrier, or catch up on sleep to get a head-start in aligning your biological clocks with Universal Space Time if you didn't get a chance to do so at the Space Elevator. A map of the ship has been sent to your personal drive accounts along with a fleet encyclopedia, which should be useful if you are confused about terminology or protocol. You have free access to all parts of the ship. For the time being, the Bridge and Engine Room are open as well so you may explore those locations if you wish. Usually, you shouldn't go to those places if you have no business being there, but..." Pharazon looked at Dr. Alberton, expecting him to explain why such protocol-breaching levels of freedom had been granted.
Dr. Alberton jumped in, "Ah yes, well since the cogs are based on your personalities, it is hypothesized that if any strong forces were present to change or alter your personality, way of thinking or decision-making processes, your ability to pilot optimally may be negatively impacted. A decision was made to give as much freedom and flexibility to the pilots as possible as long as it did not compromise the mission or jeopardize the safety of others. This is also why you were not subjected to professional military training."
Pharazon's eyes lingered on Chie for a fraction of a second too long when Dr. Alberton said his last remark. "And there you have it," Pharazon concluded, "If you would like to talk to me, I'll be in my office in the Barracks."</s>
<|message|>Arienne RHD (pronounced Rahad)
Arienne turns to Chie with a smile,
"Yes, Boom does look very strong indeed. I hope you will leave a few enemies for us to deal with or else I'll get bored on the battlefield."
Then she kicks off from Farfalla and lands near Pharazon and Dr. Alberton.
"Lieutenant Commander, when will we be debriefed on our cogs? Can I start now? I wont take it out for a run or anything, but may I sit in the cockpit and familiarize myself with the controls and systems?"</s>
<|message|>Lieutenant Commander Pharazon CXS (pronounced Chess)
"Why, yes you can," Pharazon replied to Arienne's question. Pharazon came as close to 'beaming' as their generally expressionless demeanor would allow, pleased to see such professional enthusiasm. "You can see catwalks that lead right up to your cogs' cockpits. At the end of the catwalk is a diagnostics console. Consult it for more information on your cogs, and let the console scan your drives to gain entry into your cogs. Now each cog is unique from what I can tell, so what you find inside may differ from mine, but my cockpit lets me run practice simulations, so I'm assuming that yours' will also."</s>
<|message|>Corina Chun
Corina folded her arms, nodding at Arienne. "That's what I do best. Just keep me from being outmaneuvered and I'll keep you from being outgunned," she replied with a slight smirk. She had good feelings about this project, her cog, and even about Arienne. Everything seemed to be falling into place perfectly, and Corina fit right in.
She restrained a wince as Chie rambled on about how she had the best cog. Unfortunately, Corina may have jumped the gun on that one: almost everything fell into place perfectly. The girl was still proving to be a handful, and at some point somebody was going to have to start babysitting her. Pharazon didn't seem remotely interested in the task, and it was Corina's opinion that Dr. Alberton was astoundingly underqualified. Arienne seemed to be handling the girl well enough, but too often Arienne's attempt at light chat with Chie was taken as patronization.
Corina sighed quietly. She had often been an anchor for squads and units she had been assigned to, be it mentally or emotionally. Her mental fortitude and unwavering nature saw to that. More often than not, teammates relied on the consistency of Corina's mechanical personality that allowed her to deliver so well in battle. But how did that combat dynamic play out when a child was involved? There was a lot of work to be done before these four could even begin to call themselves a functioning Lance.
With Pharazon's dismissal, Corina decided she would follow Arienne in the familiarization of her cog. She made her way up to the catwalk leading to Farfalla and began to analyze the various information detailed on the diagnostics console, taking in the information and beginning to turn Farfalla's strengths and weaknesses into tactical strategies in her head.</s>
| <|message|>Arienne RHD (pronounced Rahad)
Arienne thought about getting into her cog, but decided that she would save it for her maiden test flight; to make it all the more special. Instead she spent a few minutes downloading the information from the diagnostics console. Over the next 12 hours, she will parse through and learn all there was to know about her new cog.
Before heading back to her quarters to sort through her luggage and settle in, Arienne floats over to Corina at her own diagnostics console.
"Lieutenant, do you spar? If so, it would be great to have a sparring partner and work out sometime."</s> |
<|description|>Arienne RHD (pronounced Rahad)
Appearance: Svelt gymnast body at 5'4". She only has synthetic hazelnut skin from the neck up and cornrows like this that only go down to the base of the neck. Everything below the base of her neck is segmented hard-plastic plating with soft plastic covered joints. She has bright aqua eyes that almost seem to glow. Oddly enough, she has the ability to transform her ears away to be replaced with bare skin (don't ask, something about being more streamlined an' shit).
Her bounty hunter outfit (not that she will have many chances to wear this while enlisted) is a mix of these pants and boots and the whole top portion of this sans skull mask. It still has the loose and floppy collar so she can bring it up to cover her face like in the first picture. In her off time she wears stuff like this and this with either stockings or pants. She always has gloves on except in private.
Age: 43. Looks around 25.
Race: Quantum
Citizenship: Horizon
Personality: Quiet, cautious/wary, and sometimes stern. Very observant of her surroundings and minor details. Can make conversation, but is usually not very talkative. In fact, she likes to keep awkward/oppressive silences and is amused by some people's discomfort. Doesn't laugh, but you can get her to smile.
Dislikes oppressive people, or those who try to steal/take/destroy the comfort, daily lives, honor, and rights of those without the means to defend and fight back for themselves. Has a great fondness for all forms of natural water and bodies of water and children except quantums who look like children, but have the voice and/or the mind of an adult. She will nope the hell away from that shit.
After a hard or challenging episode/decision in her life, she may burn/destroy one of her sculptures as a way to commemorate and support her progress.
History: Created with a raw Quantum AI by a 2nd-gen soldier who fought in the Race Wars, she was raised with a militaristic lifestyle for the first 30 years of her life. Then, seeking to expand her skills in wilder environments, she traveled to FAS territory and spent the next 13 years as a bounty hunter going after rapists, murderers, pirates, violent mobs/gangs, anyone with a bounty who disturbs the peaceful lives of civilians. It was during this time that she discovered a calming hobby of making sculptures and carvings using her myriad of blades, and the occasional chainsaw. She started doing this to practice and refine her precision and technique, but the act eventually began to take a life of it's own.
Theme Song: This song but she likes listening to techno and funky music. <-- She is quite amused by the ironic subject matter.
Cog: Askalaphos
Physical Description: Basically looks like this and this. Eventually upgrades to have a backpack.
Tactical role: Stealth assassin/scout, Frontline skirmisher/duelist
Evaluation:
* Cog Score: 8
* Pilot Skill: 9
* Mental Fortitude: 10
* Obedience: 7
Weapon/Equipment/Special Systems List:
* Beam Claymore: About as long as a cog is tall, this powerful beam saber has a containment field that can barely keep the energy in control. Thus, when the blade is swung, it leaves behind a beam trail that can block bullets and beams.
* Hidden twin Katars: located inside forearm casing.
* Complex and comprehensive camera system so the cog can see in ALL directions.
* Lots and lots of thrusters for high speed and maneuverability.
* ECM base Cloaking system: Physically, the Askalaphos is totally visible. But at long-medium to short range, it is completely invisible to cameras and sensors.
* Little to no armor and no long range weapons
Wishlist:
* Zulfiqar: Looks like this, but double sided and thinner with a modified handle and guard. The length of this blade is 1.5 times the height of a cog and the even more powerful energy is now better contained for a concentrated effect. The solid middle part of the sword is retractable for storage. The intelligent program of the sword will make it so that the beam part of it stays concentrated in the direction of the swing, but releases the energy on the other side for the beam trails to still happen. Downside, there is actually a flat of the blade, so thus if struck there, the blade can shatter.
* Tachyon Harp backpack with more thrusters: Allows for subspace hopping for limited range teleportation (BAMF!) and disappearing, and more maneuverability through Dark-Matter surfing.
* Large Shoulder pads that are actually hidden arms with normal beam blade nozzles.
* Beam boomerangs?? Either that or my cog will eventually get head mounted Vulcans, pesky missiles...</s>
<|message|>Arienne RHD (pronounced Rahad)
Arienne thought about getting into her cog, but decided that she would save it for her maiden test flight; to make it all the more special. Instead she spent a few minutes downloading the information from the diagnostics console. Over the next 12 hours, she will parse through and learn all there was to know about her new cog.
Before heading back to her quarters to sort through her luggage and settle in, Arienne floats over to Corina at her own diagnostics console.
"Lieutenant, do you spar? If so, it would be great to have a sparring partner and work out sometime."</s>
<|message|>Corina Chun
Corina looked up from the console. She mentally shelved Farfalla and the relevant data she had been going over to focus on the conversation. She turned to Arienne, "I'm no stranger to the sparring ring. If what they say about cogs reflecting our personalities is really true, then it's clear to see that you and I have very different styles, so it'd be an interesting match." Corina caught her tone sounding dismissive; she straightened herself out slightly before apologizing, "Sorry if I seem disinterested. I'm a little distracted right now with everything this console is telling me." Corina motioned awkwardly at the console. "In any case, I could use a sparring partner. People in the PDF were sick of sparring with me. Something about being a wall of muscle."</s>
<|message|>Chie Alberton
At least one of them acknowledged how great her COG was the best out of all of them! The other ones didn't look too bad, sure... but compared to boom there was a pretty big difference in quality. If their COGs were great, then Boom was super awesome the best! She glanced at her father for a moment. Hmph, asking her to be more respectful... why should she? If anything, they should be respecting her! She knew way more than they did, that was for sure. ... Then again... if she really did have to work with them... maybe she should be a bit less harsh on the COGs? Chie thought on this for a moment, then dismissed it. Nope. She was certain that she had the best, and that she was the best pilot here. In the tiny blonde girl's mind there was absolutely no way it could be any other situation then that.
As she listened to the two other pilots discuss sparing, she couldn't help herself. Likely to her father's dismay, she approached them confidently.
"Oh, yes, sparring will totally make you as good as me," she declared, the sarcasm dripping from her tone as she did. "Huhuhu~ You'll never match how good I am. I've beaten all the Steel Soldier Ryoko games all the way up to New Game plus eight! Even the near-impossible extra boss in Steel Soldier Ryoko: Steppin' On Sunshine!"</s>
<|message|>Arienne RHD (pronounced Rahad)
With Chie's new statement, Arienne's usual smile for her faltered and became a serious grin, eyes glazing over in an intense stare at some unseen opponent from the past.
"I don't know what these games are, but it sounds like you are practiced at them and good for you. I practice by pushing my body and mind to the limit, unifying them, making me highly tuned for combat. In my opinion, one has not truly fought, killed, or won without putting their life on the line to face down an opponent, eyes locked in a battle of willpower and skill. And for me, sparring is good enough practice for that."
Throughout her little speech, Arienne had been accidentally oozing out a creeping killing intent that got much stronger by the end. Realizing this, she immediately pulled it back and with a small shake of her head, Arienne comes back to herself and gives Chie a normal smile.
"You'll have to show me these games sometime. They sound interesting."
"Well, I'm off to sort my quarters, and maybe grab some dinner. I'll see you both later." Arienne kicks off, turns around and gives an informal salute before leaving the hanger.</s>
<|message|>Lieutenant Commander Pharazon CXS (pronounced Chess)
Leaving the hangar, Arienne had to travel through a short, air-lock-like hallway, a gravity reacclimation chamber, that was specially designed to allow those who passed through the opportunity to reorient themselves in accordance to the gravitational situation they would be entering; in this case, going from the zero-g hangar the the artificial gravity of the rest of the ship's interior.
The barracks were the living space for every single crew member, and was divided into quarters. The pilots' room was in the Officers' Quarter, and would be shared by all four cog pilots. Inside there were two bunk beds, one of the lower bunks having already been assigned to Pharazon, the other three being unassigned. Each of the new pilots' luggage stood in the middle of the room. At the foot of each bed was a steel basket just big enough to fit the regulation luggage cases each pilot was allowed to bring. This way, anyone could simply sit up in their bed and access all their belongings without needing a separate storage area. At the head of each bed was a pull down tray that operated more or less like a night stand for each pilot to place whatever bedside belongings they needed so long as they managed to secure such belongings to prevent them from flying around should the ship get hit, or artificial gravity be deactivated for whatever reason. The bathrooms however, were public and shared among the entire Officers' Quarter, with plenty of toilet stalls and shower stalls to accommodate a good percentage of people using it at the same time.
Within the Officers' Quarter were also office spaces, for various officers to attend to clerical duties. Next to the pilots' room was the Lance Leader's office, where Pharazon sat at their desk, busy with some minor work. The office was big enough to accommodate more desks if need be, as a typical carrier often had multiple lances of strikecraft and thus multiple lance leaders.</s>
<|message|>Corina Chun
Corina crossed her arms as Chie spoke, maintaining her composure in the face of the small girl's boasting. Corina had heard of the Steel Soldier Ryoko series and knew that Chie's accomplishments were, to be fair, no small task, but they were no substitute for real combat experience. That was a lesson that Arienne taught hard, Corina soon found.
As the smaller woman - Stop calling people small. This isn't the army any more. This is navy, technically. Almost everyone is going to be smaller than you, Corina reminded herself - lectured Chie, Corina caught Arienne slipping a little bit, allowing her true personality to bleed through the typically patient, kinder character Arienne had previously maintained with the young girl. Corina hoped that Chie didn't catch that slip as she had; while Chie was more than likely going to be exposed to the harshier realities of combat and military life, she felt it best to let the girl see her lancemates as much better examples to look up to.
Fortunately, it seemed that Arienne had also caught herself, and returned to the more benign version of Arienne she had maintained for Chie. As Arienne dismissed herself, Corina crouched down to speak to Chie. "I've heard of these games you play, and those are quite impressive accomplishments. Not many people have the balls to even try New Game plus, nevertheless plus eight. However," Corina adjusted her position, turning her crouch into a kneel on one knee, "our reason for sparring is not for combat training. Arienne and I are professionals; we know how to fight. Think of sparring as a sort of real life video game, one in which two opponents get to know each other.
"Now," Corina got up from her kneeling position, "I'm going to follow Arienne and rest my head for a bit before grabbing a bite. You should join us." Corina forced a small, awkward smile, before turning away from Chie and heading for the Officers' Quarter. That went fairly well, I think, Corina consoled herself, relaxing from the surprising stress she had attained from her small chat with Chie.</s>
<|message|>Chie Alberton
Chie blinked, and watched as Arienne went into an unexpected discussion of her own feelings on what it is to be a soldier. To be honest, Chie suddenly found herself reminded of Ryoko herself, when she had a monologue about what it is to be a real soldier before fighting Kaiser Donvald in the core of the Infinite Angel Machine. The OVA adaptation of that scene was pretty amazing, especially the part where Ryoko killed him by ramming him right through the reactor with her frame's Impact Arm. But that was beside the point, it was really kind of intense and for a few moments Chie couldn't help but fall silent. Well... then Arienne mentioned wanting to see the games... and showing off Ryoko was always awesome! Some people didn't get some of the more obscure gameplay features or the secrets, but that didn't change how amazing the games were!
... And Corina had heard about it too! Maybe these people weren't so dumb... of course, she was also saying something similar to Arienne, though less intensely.
"... Well... I still have an edge when it comes to piloting mecha!" she insisted, "But it sounds like you might have some idea of how to do it... I'm still the best, though!"
She gave a confident smile. For once it was not coupled with a sarcastic comment. "And I can show off Ryoko, too!"
With that she went to follow along. She had to admit she was hungry, still...</s>
| <|message|>Arienne RHD (pronounced Rahad)
Inside the Officer's Quarters, Arienne chose the top bunk opposite the one already occupied by Pharazon, and began sorting through her sparse luggage. Stowing away her clothes and favorite laser handgun into her basket, she then fastened a couple of her smaller sculptures and some hanger hooks onto her tray nightstand using a wash-offable but durable sticky putty to securely fasten them all into place.
With the hooks in place, using some leather string, she tied a knife in it's scabbard with the handle facing the direction of the door. This way, she could pull out with a quick swing if need be. Her small sized retractable sword (kind of a mix between a combat baton and a tactical tanto blade) that she wore horizontally on her back, just above her hips was always with her. But she would keep it under her pillow at night.
Satisfied with her sleeping area, Arienne changes into her uniform (not caring if anyone sees), grumbling as she forces herself not to put on her hoodie and stow it in her basket. She gives her mechanical looking body a look over to make sure everything is well maintained before fully dressing herself. Fastening a holster for her gun on her right hip, her trusty sword behind her, and a few hidden throwing daggers here and there, Arienne makes ready to head for the Mess hall.</s> |
<|description|>Arienne RHD (pronounced Rahad)
Appearance: Svelt gymnast body at 5'4". She only has synthetic hazelnut skin from the neck up and cornrows like this that only go down to the base of the neck. Everything below the base of her neck is segmented hard-plastic plating with soft plastic covered joints. She has bright aqua eyes that almost seem to glow. Oddly enough, she has the ability to transform her ears away to be replaced with bare skin (don't ask, something about being more streamlined an' shit).
Her bounty hunter outfit (not that she will have many chances to wear this while enlisted) is a mix of these pants and boots and the whole top portion of this sans skull mask. It still has the loose and floppy collar so she can bring it up to cover her face like in the first picture. In her off time she wears stuff like this and this with either stockings or pants. She always has gloves on except in private.
Age: 43. Looks around 25.
Race: Quantum
Citizenship: Horizon
Personality: Quiet, cautious/wary, and sometimes stern. Very observant of her surroundings and minor details. Can make conversation, but is usually not very talkative. In fact, she likes to keep awkward/oppressive silences and is amused by some people's discomfort. Doesn't laugh, but you can get her to smile.
Dislikes oppressive people, or those who try to steal/take/destroy the comfort, daily lives, honor, and rights of those without the means to defend and fight back for themselves. Has a great fondness for all forms of natural water and bodies of water and children except quantums who look like children, but have the voice and/or the mind of an adult. She will nope the hell away from that shit.
After a hard or challenging episode/decision in her life, she may burn/destroy one of her sculptures as a way to commemorate and support her progress.
History: Created with a raw Quantum AI by a 2nd-gen soldier who fought in the Race Wars, she was raised with a militaristic lifestyle for the first 30 years of her life. Then, seeking to expand her skills in wilder environments, she traveled to FAS territory and spent the next 13 years as a bounty hunter going after rapists, murderers, pirates, violent mobs/gangs, anyone with a bounty who disturbs the peaceful lives of civilians. It was during this time that she discovered a calming hobby of making sculptures and carvings using her myriad of blades, and the occasional chainsaw. She started doing this to practice and refine her precision and technique, but the act eventually began to take a life of it's own.
Theme Song: This song but she likes listening to techno and funky music. <-- She is quite amused by the ironic subject matter.
Cog: Askalaphos
Physical Description: Basically looks like this and this. Eventually upgrades to have a backpack.
Tactical role: Stealth assassin/scout, Frontline skirmisher/duelist
Evaluation:
* Cog Score: 8
* Pilot Skill: 9
* Mental Fortitude: 10
* Obedience: 7
Weapon/Equipment/Special Systems List:
* Beam Claymore: About as long as a cog is tall, this powerful beam saber has a containment field that can barely keep the energy in control. Thus, when the blade is swung, it leaves behind a beam trail that can block bullets and beams.
* Hidden twin Katars: located inside forearm casing.
* Complex and comprehensive camera system so the cog can see in ALL directions.
* Lots and lots of thrusters for high speed and maneuverability.
* ECM base Cloaking system: Physically, the Askalaphos is totally visible. But at long-medium to short range, it is completely invisible to cameras and sensors.
* Little to no armor and no long range weapons
Wishlist:
* Zulfiqar: Looks like this, but double sided and thinner with a modified handle and guard. The length of this blade is 1.5 times the height of a cog and the even more powerful energy is now better contained for a concentrated effect. The solid middle part of the sword is retractable for storage. The intelligent program of the sword will make it so that the beam part of it stays concentrated in the direction of the swing, but releases the energy on the other side for the beam trails to still happen. Downside, there is actually a flat of the blade, so thus if struck there, the blade can shatter.
* Tachyon Harp backpack with more thrusters: Allows for subspace hopping for limited range teleportation (BAMF!) and disappearing, and more maneuverability through Dark-Matter surfing.
* Large Shoulder pads that are actually hidden arms with normal beam blade nozzles.
* Beam boomerangs?? Either that or my cog will eventually get head mounted Vulcans, pesky missiles...</s>
<|message|>Arienne RHD (pronounced Rahad)
Arienne was excited. She had spent the last 12 hours running her cog's information through her head and doing some rough simulations. Her cog's cockpit was barely such. I was a interface free, neural link cockpit, and it was just enough room for her to stand in, hook up and have her consciousness and senses upload and take control of the cog. She would literally become one with it! She just couldn't wait to try the actual machine out!
But then, Corina's questions brought Arienne back out of her eager daydreams to reality. Hmm, good on Corina to get to the matter at hand. Knowing about Rules of Engagement would be good since Arienne had never had to deal with such before. She had always done covert or very blatant, in your face operations. Her jobs were always really simple. Save this person, get this info, kill this group. Well, it's always good to expand one's horizons. Learning and getting used to this should be helpful in the long run.</s>
<|message|>Lieutenant Commander Pharazon CXS (pronounced Chess)
Pharazon nodded at Corina, acknowledging her question, "The training will cover basic piloting and targeting. Theoretically, it shouldn't take long to get a 'feel' for piloting a cog. Once you can get the cog to move how you want, then we'll have the carrier send out some targets to practice on. As for rules of engagement," here Pharazon paused, they didn't sigh but looked like they wanted to, they did close their eyes for an unusually long time before opening them again and continuing, "due to the 'unconventional' nature of cogs, you will be granted a lot more autonomy than would be typically allowed for normal soldiers. The only things I can say are, 'we sortie when we are ordered to', 'communicate your intended actions to the lance before carrying them out', and 'unless I say, "Commander's orders"...you are allowed to rely on your best judgment'. For the most part, our lance should only be faced up against enemy units, we should never encounter hostage situations or anything of that sort, though fighting in populated urban areas is a high possibility. In such situations...trust your best judgment, but never intentionally endanger civilians." Pharazon concluded. They didn't like these 'rules' but on this ship, the research division's word was law. Pharazon added that last part about not harming civilians intentionally as the research division was ready to give the pilots full permission to do whatever they 'felt' was the 'right thing to do' in combat.
"If there are no other questions, then everyone get in your cogs and prepare to sortie."
once everyone had entered their cogs and initiated the Cog OS boot up, the frames holding the cogs in their places began moving the cogs, sliding them along their backs out towards the compartments that ringed the central body of the carrier. A comm link was established between each cog and the bridge's catapult operator, whose voice could be heard going through the launch sequence while the cogs got situated in the launch compartment and the blast doors opened. "This will be your maiden launch. While the carrier is designed for simultaneous launch of up to six craft, for this time, we will being doing it one at a time so the Lieutenant Commander can catch you if you have trouble braking. Phalanx, you are cleared for take off."
"Lieutenant Commander Pharazon CXS, sortieing." With that, the frame carrying Phalanx shot forward, releasing Phalanx when it reached the end of the launch rail, propelling Phalanx out into the hyperspace bubble.
"Alright," came Pharazon's voice over the comm link, "Send the next one out. Let me know if you're having trouble controlling your cog. Again, the way you control your cog should 'feel right' to you, if you think this lever, or this button, or this pedal brakes, then that's probably the one."</s>
<|message|>Corina Chun
Corina frowned. She didn't exactly like the lack of rules, but fortunately Pharazon didn't seem to either. They had done their best, but Corina could hear the restraint in their words. What they had said made sense, and Corina understood why there was a lack of restraint with the cogs, but at the end of the day she was a soldier, and soldiers liked orders. Short of orders, soldiers liked chemistry among their team in order for a proper dynamic to work itself out, but this lance had yet to develop chemistry. Their interaction since meeting had been limited, though Corina had to place some of that blame on herself. She wasn't exactly the most social of people and had isolated herself for much of the trip.
Corina could only offer a terse, "Understood, sir," before heading towards her cog to prepare. Climbing into the cockpit, Corina immediately understood what Pharazon meant by "feeling right." The interior was simple, organized, and disciplined. Everything was in a matte grey finish, matching the greyscale digital pattern that covered the cog. Corina smirked. This was definitely working for her.
As Phalanx was launched out into the bubble, Corina felt Farfalla being moved for launch. Shit. Shit shit shit shit shitshitshitshitshit, Corina began to panic slightly as the launch quickly became a reality. She was a foot soldier - any type of vehicular warfare was alien to her. That said, she found that she wasn't as nervous as she expected; the comfort and odd familiarity of Farfalla's cockpit was calming.
"Lieutenant Chun, piloting cog Farfalla. Let it be recorded that on this day, you've got a career foot soldier flying around in space," Corina announced nervously, feeling the acceleration of the launch shoot her out into the bubble. Corina braked with no problem, decelerating at a steady, even rate with the depression of the lower left pedal. She quickly asserted herself with Farfalla's movement controls: lower left was stop, lower right was go, upper left was strafe left, upper right was strafe right. Whatever direction she pulled the arm controls in, Farfalla moved to look. She could trigger a powerful burst of speed in any direction by pulling one of the many triggers on either side in combination with a directional control, though it was incredibly taxing on her physically. Corina would have to figure out a way to exercise in order to make the sudden directional changes easier.</s>
<|message|>Arienne RHD (pronounced Rahad)
yes yes yes Yes YES! That was all Arienne could think as she lowered herself into her cog's cockpit. Starting the startup sequence, she stands upright as latches twist around, securing her into place. Putting her head back, a helmet pops over her head, inserting plugs into the jacks behind Arienne's ears. The first time transfer and acclimation of her consciousness to the cog took a few minutes was an interesting experience, but would be faster from now on. It now very much felt like her body became that of the cog.
Finishing the transfer, Arienne did a systems check and then started moving her new arms around when she noticed her vision. The OS of the cog and her close interface with it allowed Arienne to have a very good view of All directions around her. She had read about it in the manual, but experiencing it now was more than she could have hoped for. Arienne knew she would miss this omniscient clarity when she left the cog. She also now knew what to call her cog. If the cog could have smiled, then it would, but insted, this revelation set the cog humming, almost like a purr...
"Askalaphos, heading out!"
As soon as Askalaphos lost contact with the catapult, Arienne gave another intense burst of speed. Flying straight towards the other 2 cogs, she would have collided if she didn't make an explosive 90 degree turn going up. Askalaphos spun and twirled as she flew around and about in complex and graceful maneuvers. She was an owl in the night, very much in control of her movement, and very aware of her surroundings. And Arienne felt a joy she had never experienced before.</s>
<|message|>Chie Alberton
Chie tuned out almost everything else. It was always the same dull, boring questions she had guessed they would ask. No, this was what she was waiting for. She had been in the pilot's seat before, but there was a big difference between simply seeing it and actually piloting the mecha. Excitement swelled up in the tiny girl's heart and she was practically quaking with how eager she was. Her flight suit, a powder blue, was correctly equipped, and she'd done everything properly. All that was left to do was to get going...
"Boom's heading out!"
And moments later... that speed. The sensation of escape as she was launched out into space... this was exactly as she knew it was going to be! She hadn't gotten to really try it yet, but...
"Wah... this is great! It's even better then I thought it would be!"
Boom gently glided through space as she went</s>
<|message|>Lieutenant Commander Pharazon CXS (pronounced Chess)
"I'm glad to see you all got the hang of it," Pharazon said.
Out here, it was clear that the four ships were in some sort of astrophysical phenomenon. An iridescent, spherical border separated the 'real space' containing the ships, and the surrounding hyperspace. In the front, an image of the destination planet could be seen, as if the ships had already arrived, while behind, an image of the planet they had departed from, as if they had never left. It was as if the Destiny Squadron was the same proximity to both planets, and this was technically true according to space-fold physics. As both planets were visible to the ships in the space-fold, the ships were also visible to both planets. Light, "information", always got through the space-fold faster than matter, resulting in this strange phenomenon.
"Continue learning how to move your cogs. Test your limits to see what kinds of speeds and accelerations you can handle, though some cogs will inherently be slower than others," Pharazon coached, "After a while, I'll ask the Destiny to send out some targets."</s>
| <|message|>Arienne RHD (pronounced Rahad)
Arienne mentally went through Askalaphos' capabilities and reviewed the information on her Beam Claymore and ECM Cloaking system. Only one of them could be active at once and Arienne was fine with this.
Activating her claymore, she did a few practice swings before going through her forms, testing the flexibility and range of motion Askalaphos had. After that, listening to Pharazon, she started flying around at top speed, making sudden and harsh turns and stops, all the while swinging her weapon in practice for rapid disarming and executions.
Switching over to her cloaking (thus turning off the claymore), Arienne flew about equidistant between Boom and Farfalla.
"Hey Corina, Chie. I'm testing Askalaphos' cloaking system right now. Do you still see me? I'm right between the two of you."</s> |
<|description|>Corina Chun
Appearance: A powerfully built muscular woman at 5'10. She has pale white skin and dark black, military cut hair. Corina has hard, jagged facial features, and is often confused to be scowling when she isn't. Overall, a quite intimidating appearance.
Rarely found wearing anything other than military wear.
Age: 28
Race: Wildtype
Citizenship: Horizon
Personality: A strong willed career soldier that rarely lets her emotions get the best of her. Corina has a great respect for authority and power, and is obedient to a fault. When given a command by a superior, her only thoughts are of the strategic and tactical ramifications of the order. Orders in a morally grey area tend to haunt her, though Corina will carry them out anyways. Over the years she's developed a reputation as one of the best soldiers around.
Away from the battlefield, Corina is not much different. She is often viewed as cold and mechanical. Many find her difficult to talk to, as she rarely lets personal sentiments get in the way of her role as a soldier. However, those that have been by her side in battle typically find that she is somewhat friendlier towards them, and will occasionally go out of her way to help them if they need help.
History: Corina's grandfather and great-grandfather fought in the Race Wars for the Federation, starting large military family that has served both the Federation and Horizon. Her mother, a soldier following in Corina's grandfather's footsteps, and her father, once a small-time politician within the Federation, defected to Horizon once the Quantums ended their period of slavery, along with other members of her family. Corina's nuclear family was raised entirely in Horizon.
The youngest of four, Corina was the only sibling to follow the family military tradition. The military life suited her, and Corina quickly became an excellent foot soldier. During her time on the ground, Corina was often stationed in unstable areas within Horizon and tasked with containing those rare racially-charged violent conflicts in the nation.
Theme Song:
This.
Cog: Farfalla
Physical Description:
More or less what you see here, except painted in a black and grey digital camo pattern and minus the "wings" on the back. Maybe they could be thrown on later?
Tactical role: All-around Support
Evaluation:
* Cog Score: 7
* Pilot Skill: 8
* Mental Fortitude: 9
* Obedience: 10
Weapon/Equipment/Special Systems List:
* Arm-Mounted Multi-Purpose Weapon System, or the AMMP for short. The AMMP has two parts: the left arm, which deals in Mass Weaponry, and the right arm, which utilizes beam technology.
* AMMP-L: The left arm has three firing modes. The first is a high caliber, medium ranged heavy rifle that deals a high damage output. A single round could destroy a moderately armored target, but the drawback of the rifle firing mode is that it has an incredibly slow rate of fire, at just 10 rounds per minute. The second firing mode is a small caliber, extremely high rate of fire machine gun, limited by its short range, relatively weak stopping power, and tendency to overheat if fired continuously. The machine gun fires at almost 2500 rounds per minute, achieved by utilizing four separate barrels firing in tandem. The final firing mode is a grenade launcher that operates at medium range. The travel time of the grenade launcher is very long, so enemy movement must be predictable in order to be used effectively. The grenade launcher can fire standard high explosive grenades, smoke grenades, or incendiary grenades.
* AMMP-R: The right arm has only two fire modes, similar to the first two of AMMP-L. The first fire mode is a high caliber cannon, similar to the rifle on AMMP-L, except it fires at 15 rounds per minute. The second is a machine gun similar to that on the AMMP-L as well, firing at 1500 rounds per minute and utilizing three different barrels.
* Anti-beam Multi-Mech Field: An anti-beam field that can effectively shield up to two mechs in addition to Farfalla, but they must remain at close range. At full power it has negative effects on Farfalla's firepower and movement speed, but not much.
* Missile defense sytem: Launches high intensity flares in an attempt to redirect missiles.
* Heavily armored in order to sustain large amounts of damage. Makes Farfalla somewhat slow moving, but used in tandem with the thrusters allows Farfalla to take hits for allies.
* High intensity thrusters that can be used in very short bursts.
Wishlist:
* AMMP shield attachment: AMMP-L would be able to lay down a front-facing wall of armor, while AMMP-L would be able to deploy a front-facing anti-beam shield that can be used for additional cover.
* Farfalla's wings: While not strictly "wings," they would be vertical thrusters that allow Farfalla to take to the air and hover for a period of time.
* A reaaaally long list of various upgrades made to AMMP and the thrusters and such.</s>
<|message|>Lieutenant Commander Pharazon CXS (pronounced Chess)
More than a year ago, the entire citizenry of Horizon underwent a mandatory, mysterious scan. A select few had been contacted, and asked to cooperate. In essence they were being drafted, though the assignment had to be voluntary to a certain degree. Once consent had been given however, there was no turning back. To pull out at this stage of a secret military project was treason. It wasn't mandatory, but the volunteers were encouraged to enlist for basic military training and discipline. However, training and discipline were not stressed as there was an unusual desire to preserve the volunteers 'as they are' as much as possible for reasons of compatibility. At any rate, some already came with military or pseudo-military background, and as far as team composition was concerned, the amount of training and discipline was considered, 'enough to get by'.
The day had finally come. Each volunteer, each prospective 'cog' pilot, was ordered to report to the space elevator on Pythagoras, the capital planet of Horizon. The space elevator was in essence, a space station in geosynchronous orbit that was tethered to the surface of the planet by massive cables. Large elevator trains ran up and down the cables, carrying freight and passengers to and from the surface to the orbital platform. The platform itself was organized like a massive airport, a spaceport to be precise. It included a 'residential district' that operated more or less like a hotel, as well as shopping centers, food courts, service kiosks, etc. The arrival and departure gates connected to short-range shuttles that carried freight and passengers to the actual starships that hovered in orbit in the vicinity of the spaceport. Each pilot was ordered to report to departure gate G3 at 0700 hours universal time to catch shuttle 1543, which will take them to the Horizon Defense Fleet Evolution, the carrier designed specifically for housing the products of this particular military project.</s>
<|message|>Arienne RHD (pronounced Rahad)
Upon receiving the Volunteer request, Arienne RHD calmly sat down, and calmly pondered.
Space warfare. It was one form of combat she had not done yet and the prospect seemed intriging.
But, she loved the feeling of the ground beneath her feet as she sprinted after a fleeing target...
Loved the intensity of staring down a group of armed mercenaries, waiting, daring someone to flinch first...
Loved the intimate feelings of a death fight with crazy yet skilled murderers...
These things and more are what she loved and did as a bounty hunter for the last 13 years in FAS territory.
She wouldn't have these things in a space fighter, or at least it wouldn't feel the same.
...
But she was Horizon. It was time to expand.
She spent the rest of the night camping next to a peaceful river, watching the embers of the first sculpture she made flying off into the sky...
Into space...
After tying up loose ends, responsibilities, and a few more bounties for old times sake, 6 months before the departure date, Arienne returned to her Horizon homeworld and reunited with her father. She spent the 6 months spending quality time with him, catching up with him and with old friends, and downloading general knowledge concerning military structure, procedure and protocol.
1 hour before departure time, Arienne arrives to an empty gate and mingles far away, but close enough to see when anyone shows up.
She probably didn't need to do this, but scoping out the location and the people involved was a habit she found useful as a bounty hunter, and wasn't about to drop anytime soon. She wanted study the people she would work with for the foreseeable future. To size them up.
She calmly pulls up her hood, calmly turns on some tehcno in her head, and calmly waits...</s>
<|message|>Corina Chun
A lone shot resonated through the enclosed firing range.
"Two inches high and three left," a male voice muttered, the owner of the voice peering at the paper target through a pair of binoculars.
Corina Chun adjusted her aim appropriately and took another shot.
"Stop hesitating with your trigger pulls, ma'am. You're three inches high this time," the male voice muttered.
"Screw you, Mitch. I don't need firing tips," Corina shot back, pulling her eye away from the scope of the rifle she held to glare at the man next to her.
"I think you meant, 'Thank you, Sergeant Mitchell, where would I be without you?'" he grinned, not moving away from the binoculars. "Take your damn shot."
Corina only grunted in response. She returned to the assault rifle's scope and took the shot without hesitation.
"There you go. Perfect headshot, right between the eyes. Let's see three more, loose grouping."
Corina took three rapid shots in succession, all landing on the paper target's head. "So I think I killed it."
"That you did, ma'am. You showed that piece of paper who owns this range," Mitch responded, setting the binoculars down on the tray table in front of the pair. "So Lieutenant, tomorrow's the big day. That secret scan and your extra training is finally gonna pull through or something."
Corina shifted nervously. Typically she was well composed and unmoving, but this project she had joined had kept her in the dark for more than a year. Her lines of questioning had all been stopped past two or three levels of authority, and that made Corina uncomfortable. The most she had been told about was that she had participated in a 'cog' scan, and that she'd be piloting one of her own along with a small team of other 'notable individuals.' The goals and motives of the project were unclear to Corina, and she did not like that.
Corina recollected herself quickly, straightening her posture and setting the rifle down on the tray table. "You could say that. All I know is that I'm to report to the elevator tomorrow morning. There's still a lot being kept secret about this project, and you know how I feel about military secrets," Corina responded, unloading the rifle and switching the safety on. Range safety was menial and boring, but it kept people alive.
"That I do, ma'am. In any case, good luck. Hopefully you don't need it, but it doesn't hurt." The sergeant smirked at Corina before excusing himself, leaving Corina alone in the firing range.
She checked the time; twelve hours until she was to report to gate G3. She reloaded the rifle before her; another half an hour in the range to destress, then she'd still be able to get a decent amount of sleep before she had to get ready to report.
--
Corina arrived at the space elevator exactly an hour before the report time. She had already been awake for three hours, giving her enough time to take a quick cold shower, eat a light breakfast, and take the elevator up to the platform.
As she neared the departure gate on the platform, Corina slowly began to put her guard up. Being military personnel, Corina was allowed to carry a small personal sidearm, but no extra ammunition other than the clip it was loaded with. Anything else she wanted to carry had to be checked into security, not that she packed anything further than her extra set of black and grey military fatigues and a dress uniform. Regardless, she kept her hand close to the holster on her thigh. Just in case.
Corina arrived at the gate, and she couldn't help but notice the hooded individual lurking a distance away from the gate. They were far enough to be unnoticeable to most, but Corina was trained to spot anything out of the ordinary. She stopped walking momentarily to stare at the hooded figure for several seconds, making clear that she knew of their presence. Corina then continued into the gate, taking a seat. She checked the time; twenty minutes until 0700.</s>
<|message|>Arienne RHD (pronounced Rahad)
Upon Corina's stare, Arienne gives a smirk and an informal salute, but otherwise does nothing.</s>
<|message|>Lieutenant Commander Pharazon CXS (pronounced Chess)
Pharazon arrived at the gate 15 minutes before departure time and saw Corina. "Lieutenant Chun; Lieutenant Commander Pharazon CXS, pronounced 'Chess'," Pharazon introduced themself. Pharazon was promoted to lieutenant commander when they were appointed to lead the cog team, while all other cog pilots would start at the rank of ensign except those who had official Horizon military history. In Corina's case, since she served in the Planetary Defense Force instead of the Fleet, she was made lieutenant regardless of her prior PDF rank. Although Pharazon felt awkward around humans, Corina had received professional military training, and that was something Pharazon could trust in. Pharazon also failed to notice Arienne.</s>
| <|message|>Corina Chun
Corina stood at attention and gave a short salute. She subtly straightened her posture; first impressions were key. "Lieutenant Commander. I assume that your knowledge of who I am means you're going to be the CO for this assignment, then?" Corina asked, hoping that she'd finally be able to get the answers she'd been waiting so long for. Like what exactly they'd be doing and what their purpose was. "Also, you know we're being watched? Hooded figure just outside the gate," Corina dropped her voice slightly, nodding towards Arienne's general direction. "I've been military long enough to know when someone's looking suspicious, and they fit the bill."</s> |
<|description|>Corina Chun
Appearance: A powerfully built muscular woman at 5'10. She has pale white skin and dark black, military cut hair. Corina has hard, jagged facial features, and is often confused to be scowling when she isn't. Overall, a quite intimidating appearance.
Rarely found wearing anything other than military wear.
Age: 28
Race: Wildtype
Citizenship: Horizon
Personality: A strong willed career soldier that rarely lets her emotions get the best of her. Corina has a great respect for authority and power, and is obedient to a fault. When given a command by a superior, her only thoughts are of the strategic and tactical ramifications of the order. Orders in a morally grey area tend to haunt her, though Corina will carry them out anyways. Over the years she's developed a reputation as one of the best soldiers around.
Away from the battlefield, Corina is not much different. She is often viewed as cold and mechanical. Many find her difficult to talk to, as she rarely lets personal sentiments get in the way of her role as a soldier. However, those that have been by her side in battle typically find that she is somewhat friendlier towards them, and will occasionally go out of her way to help them if they need help.
History: Corina's grandfather and great-grandfather fought in the Race Wars for the Federation, starting large military family that has served both the Federation and Horizon. Her mother, a soldier following in Corina's grandfather's footsteps, and her father, once a small-time politician within the Federation, defected to Horizon once the Quantums ended their period of slavery, along with other members of her family. Corina's nuclear family was raised entirely in Horizon.
The youngest of four, Corina was the only sibling to follow the family military tradition. The military life suited her, and Corina quickly became an excellent foot soldier. During her time on the ground, Corina was often stationed in unstable areas within Horizon and tasked with containing those rare racially-charged violent conflicts in the nation.
Theme Song:
This.
Cog: Farfalla
Physical Description:
More or less what you see here, except painted in a black and grey digital camo pattern and minus the "wings" on the back. Maybe they could be thrown on later?
Tactical role: All-around Support
Evaluation:
* Cog Score: 7
* Pilot Skill: 8
* Mental Fortitude: 9
* Obedience: 10
Weapon/Equipment/Special Systems List:
* Arm-Mounted Multi-Purpose Weapon System, or the AMMP for short. The AMMP has two parts: the left arm, which deals in Mass Weaponry, and the right arm, which utilizes beam technology.
* AMMP-L: The left arm has three firing modes. The first is a high caliber, medium ranged heavy rifle that deals a high damage output. A single round could destroy a moderately armored target, but the drawback of the rifle firing mode is that it has an incredibly slow rate of fire, at just 10 rounds per minute. The second firing mode is a small caliber, extremely high rate of fire machine gun, limited by its short range, relatively weak stopping power, and tendency to overheat if fired continuously. The machine gun fires at almost 2500 rounds per minute, achieved by utilizing four separate barrels firing in tandem. The final firing mode is a grenade launcher that operates at medium range. The travel time of the grenade launcher is very long, so enemy movement must be predictable in order to be used effectively. The grenade launcher can fire standard high explosive grenades, smoke grenades, or incendiary grenades.
* AMMP-R: The right arm has only two fire modes, similar to the first two of AMMP-L. The first fire mode is a high caliber cannon, similar to the rifle on AMMP-L, except it fires at 15 rounds per minute. The second is a machine gun similar to that on the AMMP-L as well, firing at 1500 rounds per minute and utilizing three different barrels.
* Anti-beam Multi-Mech Field: An anti-beam field that can effectively shield up to two mechs in addition to Farfalla, but they must remain at close range. At full power it has negative effects on Farfalla's firepower and movement speed, but not much.
* Missile defense sytem: Launches high intensity flares in an attempt to redirect missiles.
* Heavily armored in order to sustain large amounts of damage. Makes Farfalla somewhat slow moving, but used in tandem with the thrusters allows Farfalla to take hits for allies.
* High intensity thrusters that can be used in very short bursts.
Wishlist:
* AMMP shield attachment: AMMP-L would be able to lay down a front-facing wall of armor, while AMMP-L would be able to deploy a front-facing anti-beam shield that can be used for additional cover.
* Farfalla's wings: While not strictly "wings," they would be vertical thrusters that allow Farfalla to take to the air and hover for a period of time.
* A reaaaally long list of various upgrades made to AMMP and the thrusters and such.</s>
<|message|>Lieutenant Commander Pharazon CXS (pronounced Chess)
"Glad to have you here, Ensign RHD," Pharazon replied, then turned to Chie and her father, "and you as well, Ensign Alberton, Dr. Alberton." Then, to give Chie a sense of who she'll be answering to, Pharazon added, "I'm Lieutenant Commander Pharazon CXS, pronounced, 'Chess', I'll be your commanding officer." Pharazon had said this while placing their hands on their knees and bending forward to speak to Chie in an almost patronizing fashion. Pharazon wasn't really happy with what they considered Dr. Alberton's 'mistake', which Chie's enlistment was a direct result of. Pharazon hoped that this mistake wouldn't end up giving the entire team trouble, though first impressions certainly led Pharazon to believe that it would. What Pharazon was really trying to hide under their disgruntlement of the current situation was their fear of human children: human adults at least had to attempt to maintain a facade of being reasonable and professional, whereas children had no such restriction, making them unpredictable, uncontrollable, and chaotic.</s>
<|message|>Corina Chun
Corina had just begun to relax when Chie and Dr. Alberton showed up. The LC and Arienne seemed decent enough, but a child? Children would not be so easy to work with in any scenario, nonetheless in a military setting. It took everything she had to stifle a deep, exasperated breath. Hopefully this assignment wouldn't turn into a long babysitting job.
On that note, I wonder if I can get some more background info on these people, Corina thought, as she eyed this ragtag team of individuals. Based on first impressions, Corina began a mental assessment of the team members thus far. She knew that they'd all be piloting cogs together, so their physical attributes really wouldn't be a problem. Corina marked that off her list.
First off was the LC. If nothing else, Lieutenant Commander Pharazon CXS knew how to keep up the formalities. There had been no slip in their personality thus far, but at the same time, Pharazon was a Quantum. Who really knew what was going on in their heads? In any case, the LC seemed capable enough to lead a team as of this point. Of course it was impossible to come to a definitive conclusion without the stress of battle in front of them, but first impressions were good.
On to the second Quantum, Arienne RHD. The small Quantum had done her best to stay discreet, and in all fairness, she did a damn good job. To Corina, that simultaneously spoke volumes and posed many questions regarding Arienne's line of thinking. Clearly Arienne was one for the shadows, but for what reason? Corina was sure she'd find out soon.
And then there was Chie. Where did Corina even begin? Chie seemed like she could cause all sorts of problems unless somebody kept her in line. And no disrespect to the good Dr. Alberton, but he did not seem very capable of keeping the girl in check. At least, not to match Corina's standards of military discipline. At this point, however, Corina cut her analysis of the girl short. Just thinking about the mess Chie could cause gave Corina a headache. This was a problem for another time.
However, there was one question she wanted to ask, but she wasn't sure whether or not it was the time or place to ask it. She pursed her lip momentarily as she considered the options, and finally opened her mouth to speak. "With all due respect, what exactly are we doing here? Having just been reassigned from the PDF, it would be comforting to know that our mission here is, in fact, more important than my previous one."</s>
<|message|>Lieutenant Commander Pharazon CXS (pronounced Chess)
"I'll have to answer that in the privacy of the shuttle," Pharazon replied to Corina's question. Taking a look around, Pharazon continued, "It looks like everyone's here, and it's time to board." The boarding gate opened and Pharazon walked through the corridor to the shuttle, expecting the others would follow. It was a small military shuttle about the size of a short bus, with an aisle down the middle and two columns of seats on either side of the aisle.
Once everyone was situated, Pharazon answered without showing sentiment, "Importance is relative, Lieutenant, and dependent on many factors including priority and immediacy. What you'll be doing here," Pharazon now addressed all pilots, "is, in essence, weapons testing. You may have heard the term 'cog' being used. One could think of a 'cog' as the next generation of strike craft. However, that is a very limited definition. The capabilities of a cog have already been demonstrated to be much more than a strikecraft, more than a team of strikecraft can do. Because cogs are still classified as strikecraft, the project is under Horizon Defense Fleet (HDF) jurisdiction, but in addition to being a space-based fighter, a cog is also quite capable as a surface-based mobile weapons platform, so if the project goes well, we may see cogs deployed in the Horizon Planetary Defense Forces (HPDF) as well in the foreseeable future. The development of these may give us an edge in defending Horizon from the scattered remnants of violence left from the wars and the instabilities that still plague our borders. I hope you can agree that this project has its due importance, Lieutenant."</s>
<|message|>Arienne RHD (pronounced Rahad)
Upon hearing Pharazon's answer to Corina, Arienne finally frowned.
At the mention of strike craft, she remembered her original misgivings about joining this project in the first place.
'I'm going to be piloting a fancy plane' she thought to herself. That just didn't feel right.
Her training and skill set are in close quarters and hand to hand combat. Sure she can aim a pistol really well, but she wanted something more... personal, more intimate.
With a sigh, she pushed her doubts away. Might as well give final judgement after she had seen these 'cogs'. She had other things to worry about right now.
In Arienne's eyes, Chie Alberton was an adorable girl. She liked children with attitude and thought the little bit she'd seen of Chie's was endearing. But Arienne had never had to work with such an attitude on a professional level. And even then, why was a child part of a military project? Arienne loathed the thought of a child getting put into dangerous situations, but this was assuaged by 2 things:
* They were gonna be test pilots, so shouldn't see actual combat (this fact also annoyed Arienne). Chie, for the most part, should be safe.
* Chie must have gone through the tests so she must be qualified for the job. She probably had the skills and aptitude needed so that the Horizon government would be even willing to recruit a young child in the first place. On this point, Arienne didn't know whether to be impressed or disturbed.
Having sat down in the row in front of Chie, she turned around with a small but sincere smile on her face, piercingly searching blue eyes, and asked Chie in a quiet voice,
"Ms. Chie Alberton, if you'd be so kind as to answer this question. I wanted to know, are you here by your own choice or are you in any way being forced into this?"</s>
<|message|>Chie Alberton
Chie narrowed her eyes at her 'commanding officer'. Folding her arms across her chest, she let out a huff and turned away, shutting her eyes as she did. Bending down like that... she was a pilot, so didn't she deserve to be treated just like all the others? She didn't need someone acting all... all... patronizing like that! She was irritable the whole way onto the shuttle. She sat with her arms still folded across her chest, looking firmly to the side and away from all her fellow team members... at least until one of them spoke to her. And she was talking to her normally! Hah!
... Even if the question was kind of weird. Still, given the chance to talk about how she was here, the blonde little girl couldn't help but give a cheerful and incredibly smug smile in response to the question that had been asked of her.
"Of course I'm here of my own choice!" she said, unfolding her arms to place her palms on either side of her hips where she sat, kicking her feet slightly. "Do you think I'd have to be forced to do something like this?"
Her smile shifted, becoming a rather sarcastic expression as she cast a sideways glance at the other team members. "Maybe they're dumb enough to think that..."</s>
<|message|>Arienne RHD (pronounced Rahad)
Arienne gives Chie a bigger, relieved smile. She says to Chie "That's good then. I look forward to flying with you lance mate." before turning back around.
Settling in her chair, Arienne decides to push the rest of her worries away for now. 'Wait. Watch. Act.' she told herself.
Arienne decided not to turn on her music and kept an ear out for whatever tidbit she could hear.</s>
| <|message|>Corina Chun
Corina gave a short, affirmative nod. "Understood, sir. I look forward to this assignment," she added, as if to reinforce that she did, in fact, appreciate the gravity of this detail. After all, Corina didn't want to come off as if she felt she was above this kind of an assignment. She went where she was most needed, and it sounded like that that place was here.
However, she was not without her doubts. Corina was a foot soldier, after all; piloting ships was never her forte. Of course, Pharazon made clear that they weren't just piloting ships; whatever they would be piloting was just as effective as a surface weapon as it was a strikecraft. That was slightly reassuring, but still, there was a reason Corina was assigned to an infantry unit and not the cavalry.
If Chie's remarks had any effect on Corina, she didn't show it. She maintained her stoic, rigid composure - not out of any active desire to appear composed, but as a result of years of military training and discipline. This was going to be an interesting assignment. Out of the corner of her eye, Corina noticed Arienne getting notably more comfortable than herself; the woman seemed fairly relaxed and easy-going, and while Corina could not understand that kind of behavior, she certainly respected it.</s> |
<|description|>Corina Chun
Appearance: A powerfully built muscular woman at 5'10. She has pale white skin and dark black, military cut hair. Corina has hard, jagged facial features, and is often confused to be scowling when she isn't. Overall, a quite intimidating appearance.
Rarely found wearing anything other than military wear.
Age: 28
Race: Wildtype
Citizenship: Horizon
Personality: A strong willed career soldier that rarely lets her emotions get the best of her. Corina has a great respect for authority and power, and is obedient to a fault. When given a command by a superior, her only thoughts are of the strategic and tactical ramifications of the order. Orders in a morally grey area tend to haunt her, though Corina will carry them out anyways. Over the years she's developed a reputation as one of the best soldiers around.
Away from the battlefield, Corina is not much different. She is often viewed as cold and mechanical. Many find her difficult to talk to, as she rarely lets personal sentiments get in the way of her role as a soldier. However, those that have been by her side in battle typically find that she is somewhat friendlier towards them, and will occasionally go out of her way to help them if they need help.
History: Corina's grandfather and great-grandfather fought in the Race Wars for the Federation, starting large military family that has served both the Federation and Horizon. Her mother, a soldier following in Corina's grandfather's footsteps, and her father, once a small-time politician within the Federation, defected to Horizon once the Quantums ended their period of slavery, along with other members of her family. Corina's nuclear family was raised entirely in Horizon.
The youngest of four, Corina was the only sibling to follow the family military tradition. The military life suited her, and Corina quickly became an excellent foot soldier. During her time on the ground, Corina was often stationed in unstable areas within Horizon and tasked with containing those rare racially-charged violent conflicts in the nation.
Theme Song:
This.
Cog: Farfalla
Physical Description:
More or less what you see here, except painted in a black and grey digital camo pattern and minus the "wings" on the back. Maybe they could be thrown on later?
Tactical role: All-around Support
Evaluation:
* Cog Score: 7
* Pilot Skill: 8
* Mental Fortitude: 9
* Obedience: 10
Weapon/Equipment/Special Systems List:
* Arm-Mounted Multi-Purpose Weapon System, or the AMMP for short. The AMMP has two parts: the left arm, which deals in Mass Weaponry, and the right arm, which utilizes beam technology.
* AMMP-L: The left arm has three firing modes. The first is a high caliber, medium ranged heavy rifle that deals a high damage output. A single round could destroy a moderately armored target, but the drawback of the rifle firing mode is that it has an incredibly slow rate of fire, at just 10 rounds per minute. The second firing mode is a small caliber, extremely high rate of fire machine gun, limited by its short range, relatively weak stopping power, and tendency to overheat if fired continuously. The machine gun fires at almost 2500 rounds per minute, achieved by utilizing four separate barrels firing in tandem. The final firing mode is a grenade launcher that operates at medium range. The travel time of the grenade launcher is very long, so enemy movement must be predictable in order to be used effectively. The grenade launcher can fire standard high explosive grenades, smoke grenades, or incendiary grenades.
* AMMP-R: The right arm has only two fire modes, similar to the first two of AMMP-L. The first fire mode is a high caliber cannon, similar to the rifle on AMMP-L, except it fires at 15 rounds per minute. The second is a machine gun similar to that on the AMMP-L as well, firing at 1500 rounds per minute and utilizing three different barrels.
* Anti-beam Multi-Mech Field: An anti-beam field that can effectively shield up to two mechs in addition to Farfalla, but they must remain at close range. At full power it has negative effects on Farfalla's firepower and movement speed, but not much.
* Missile defense sytem: Launches high intensity flares in an attempt to redirect missiles.
* Heavily armored in order to sustain large amounts of damage. Makes Farfalla somewhat slow moving, but used in tandem with the thrusters allows Farfalla to take hits for allies.
* High intensity thrusters that can be used in very short bursts.
Wishlist:
* AMMP shield attachment: AMMP-L would be able to lay down a front-facing wall of armor, while AMMP-L would be able to deploy a front-facing anti-beam shield that can be used for additional cover.
* Farfalla's wings: While not strictly "wings," they would be vertical thrusters that allow Farfalla to take to the air and hover for a period of time.
* A reaaaally long list of various upgrades made to AMMP and the thrusters and such.</s>
<|message|>Arienne RHD (pronounced Rahad)
Arienne didn't have time to marvel at the carrier. She saw the black cog and all her doubts went away. Her face broke into a silent and large snarl of a smile.
Before Dr. Alberton could speak, Arienne (having participated in plenty of zero-g hunts through asteroid fields and derelict spacecraft) kicked off towards her 'ideal' cog. She marveled at the sleekness, the stealthiness and speed that the cog seemed to exude.
She steadied herself against the face of the black cog, holding on with both hands and staring at the visor in rapt impatience.
...
"You and I... We are going to have some great hunts together!"</s>
<|message|>Corina Chun
Corina had had a little zero-g experience before, but not much. Being a foot soldier, Corina felt out of her element in space; it occurred to her that that was going to have to change quickly or else she would not have a very good time on this assignment. Within moments, she grasped the basics of zero-g movement and maneuvered relatively well.
She did her best to pay attention to Dr. Alberton's briefing, but lost focus as the well-intentioned scientist began to ramble. Her eyes wandered, making contact with the black and grey colossus that was her cog. Like Arienne, Corina moved away from Pharazon and Dr. Alberton, immediately lost in the titan's features; it didn't take her long to identify the various weapons systems and functions of the cog. At a glance, it spoke for itself; two big guns, high intensity shields, and heavy armor. It was a powerful, enduring soldier, just like Corina. And she already had a name for it: Farfalla. The Butterfly. The name exuded the elegance and grace Corina saw within the cog.
Corina managed to avert her gaze long enough to lock eyes with Pharazon and Dr. Alberton. She gave a slight affirmative nod, indicating her approval and commitment to the cog project, and to her own cog.</s>
<|message|>Arienne RHD (pronounced Rahad)
Arienne floats over and settles next to Corina with arms crossed, also staring up at Farfalla.
"Hmm... quite the tank this one."
Turning towards Corina, "I hope I can count on your protection from now on. If mine is as quick as it looks, then hopefully I wont need, but you never know."</s>
<|message|>Chie Alberton
Chie mostly tuned out her father's explanations. She had already heard them, read any materials they produced on piloting, and then read them again once more just to be sure. And then seen her COG multiple times by this point. However, as she watched all the other pilots look up at their machines in awe, she couldn't help but feel a bit smug. Not only had she seen the COGs time and time again, but she also had the best out of all of them. In the tiny girl's mind, there was no question that she was piloting the absolute greatest of all the machines. With a rather arrogant smile, she strolled over to take position in front of the large hulk of a machine that was 'Boom'.
"Your COGs are fine, and all," she began, folding her arms over her chest as she spoke in a rather haughty tone, "But there's no question that my Boom is the greatest out of them all. Whatever yours can do, anything she can do is just plain better! She might not be suited towards close combat, but it's not like she'll ever have to fight anyone up close! She's got cluster missile launchers located in her chest, six on each side, and that's not all! Her shoulders are also full of missiles, at a farther range too! And she can use a rocket rifle, or a laser rifle!"
Moving her hands from her chest to her hips, Chie let out a small laugh. The little blond girl was supremely confident in her COG, that was for sure. "Hu hu hu~ You might as well not have bothered showing up, Boom is the best COG here!"</s>
<|message|>Lieutenant Commander Pharazon CXS (pronounced Chess)
Pharazon saw Corina's nod of approval and returned an expressionless nod of acknowledgment. Pharazon also noticed Arienne's fascination with her cog, which relieved Pharazon who suspected that Corina and Arienne may have had misgivings about the project. Such misgivings no longer seemed to be a concern.
"Ah, Ch-Chie, e-even if your cog is great, p-please try to be more more respectful of your comrades," Dr. Alberton said in a deflated fashion.
Pharazon tried simply to ignore the Albertons altogether, "If you don't have any questions, then you have twelve hours of free time to unpack, explore the carrier, or catch up on sleep to get a head-start in aligning your biological clocks with Universal Space Time if you didn't get a chance to do so at the Space Elevator. A map of the ship has been sent to your personal drive accounts along with a fleet encyclopedia, which should be useful if you are confused about terminology or protocol. You have free access to all parts of the ship. For the time being, the Bridge and Engine Room are open as well so you may explore those locations if you wish. Usually, you shouldn't go to those places if you have no business being there, but..." Pharazon looked at Dr. Alberton, expecting him to explain why such protocol-breaching levels of freedom had been granted.
Dr. Alberton jumped in, "Ah yes, well since the cogs are based on your personalities, it is hypothesized that if any strong forces were present to change or alter your personality, way of thinking or decision-making processes, your ability to pilot optimally may be negatively impacted. A decision was made to give as much freedom and flexibility to the pilots as possible as long as it did not compromise the mission or jeopardize the safety of others. This is also why you were not subjected to professional military training."
Pharazon's eyes lingered on Chie for a fraction of a second too long when Dr. Alberton said his last remark. "And there you have it," Pharazon concluded, "If you would like to talk to me, I'll be in my office in the Barracks."</s>
<|message|>Arienne RHD (pronounced Rahad)
Arienne turns to Chie with a smile,
"Yes, Boom does look very strong indeed. I hope you will leave a few enemies for us to deal with or else I'll get bored on the battlefield."
Then she kicks off from Farfalla and lands near Pharazon and Dr. Alberton.
"Lieutenant Commander, when will we be debriefed on our cogs? Can I start now? I wont take it out for a run or anything, but may I sit in the cockpit and familiarize myself with the controls and systems?"</s>
<|message|>Lieutenant Commander Pharazon CXS (pronounced Chess)
"Why, yes you can," Pharazon replied to Arienne's question. Pharazon came as close to 'beaming' as their generally expressionless demeanor would allow, pleased to see such professional enthusiasm. "You can see catwalks that lead right up to your cogs' cockpits. At the end of the catwalk is a diagnostics console. Consult it for more information on your cogs, and let the console scan your drives to gain entry into your cogs. Now each cog is unique from what I can tell, so what you find inside may differ from mine, but my cockpit lets me run practice simulations, so I'm assuming that yours' will also."</s>
<|message|>Corina Chun
Corina folded her arms, nodding at Arienne. "That's what I do best. Just keep me from being outmaneuvered and I'll keep you from being outgunned," she replied with a slight smirk. She had good feelings about this project, her cog, and even about Arienne. Everything seemed to be falling into place perfectly, and Corina fit right in.
She restrained a wince as Chie rambled on about how she had the best cog. Unfortunately, Corina may have jumped the gun on that one: almost everything fell into place perfectly. The girl was still proving to be a handful, and at some point somebody was going to have to start babysitting her. Pharazon didn't seem remotely interested in the task, and it was Corina's opinion that Dr. Alberton was astoundingly underqualified. Arienne seemed to be handling the girl well enough, but too often Arienne's attempt at light chat with Chie was taken as patronization.
Corina sighed quietly. She had often been an anchor for squads and units she had been assigned to, be it mentally or emotionally. Her mental fortitude and unwavering nature saw to that. More often than not, teammates relied on the consistency of Corina's mechanical personality that allowed her to deliver so well in battle. But how did that combat dynamic play out when a child was involved? There was a lot of work to be done before these four could even begin to call themselves a functioning Lance.
With Pharazon's dismissal, Corina decided she would follow Arienne in the familiarization of her cog. She made her way up to the catwalk leading to Farfalla and began to analyze the various information detailed on the diagnostics console, taking in the information and beginning to turn Farfalla's strengths and weaknesses into tactical strategies in her head.</s>
<|message|>Arienne RHD (pronounced Rahad)
Arienne thought about getting into her cog, but decided that she would save it for her maiden test flight; to make it all the more special. Instead she spent a few minutes downloading the information from the diagnostics console. Over the next 12 hours, she will parse through and learn all there was to know about her new cog.
Before heading back to her quarters to sort through her luggage and settle in, Arienne floats over to Corina at her own diagnostics console.
"Lieutenant, do you spar? If so, it would be great to have a sparring partner and work out sometime."</s>
| <|message|>Corina Chun
Corina looked up from the console. She mentally shelved Farfalla and the relevant data she had been going over to focus on the conversation. She turned to Arienne, "I'm no stranger to the sparring ring. If what they say about cogs reflecting our personalities is really true, then it's clear to see that you and I have very different styles, so it'd be an interesting match." Corina caught her tone sounding dismissive; she straightened herself out slightly before apologizing, "Sorry if I seem disinterested. I'm a little distracted right now with everything this console is telling me." Corina motioned awkwardly at the console. "In any case, I could use a sparring partner. People in the PDF were sick of sparring with me. Something about being a wall of muscle."</s> |
<|description|>Corina Chun
Appearance: A powerfully built muscular woman at 5'10. She has pale white skin and dark black, military cut hair. Corina has hard, jagged facial features, and is often confused to be scowling when she isn't. Overall, a quite intimidating appearance.
Rarely found wearing anything other than military wear.
Age: 28
Race: Wildtype
Citizenship: Horizon
Personality: A strong willed career soldier that rarely lets her emotions get the best of her. Corina has a great respect for authority and power, and is obedient to a fault. When given a command by a superior, her only thoughts are of the strategic and tactical ramifications of the order. Orders in a morally grey area tend to haunt her, though Corina will carry them out anyways. Over the years she's developed a reputation as one of the best soldiers around.
Away from the battlefield, Corina is not much different. She is often viewed as cold and mechanical. Many find her difficult to talk to, as she rarely lets personal sentiments get in the way of her role as a soldier. However, those that have been by her side in battle typically find that she is somewhat friendlier towards them, and will occasionally go out of her way to help them if they need help.
History: Corina's grandfather and great-grandfather fought in the Race Wars for the Federation, starting large military family that has served both the Federation and Horizon. Her mother, a soldier following in Corina's grandfather's footsteps, and her father, once a small-time politician within the Federation, defected to Horizon once the Quantums ended their period of slavery, along with other members of her family. Corina's nuclear family was raised entirely in Horizon.
The youngest of four, Corina was the only sibling to follow the family military tradition. The military life suited her, and Corina quickly became an excellent foot soldier. During her time on the ground, Corina was often stationed in unstable areas within Horizon and tasked with containing those rare racially-charged violent conflicts in the nation.
Theme Song:
This.
Cog: Farfalla
Physical Description:
More or less what you see here, except painted in a black and grey digital camo pattern and minus the "wings" on the back. Maybe they could be thrown on later?
Tactical role: All-around Support
Evaluation:
* Cog Score: 7
* Pilot Skill: 8
* Mental Fortitude: 9
* Obedience: 10
Weapon/Equipment/Special Systems List:
* Arm-Mounted Multi-Purpose Weapon System, or the AMMP for short. The AMMP has two parts: the left arm, which deals in Mass Weaponry, and the right arm, which utilizes beam technology.
* AMMP-L: The left arm has three firing modes. The first is a high caliber, medium ranged heavy rifle that deals a high damage output. A single round could destroy a moderately armored target, but the drawback of the rifle firing mode is that it has an incredibly slow rate of fire, at just 10 rounds per minute. The second firing mode is a small caliber, extremely high rate of fire machine gun, limited by its short range, relatively weak stopping power, and tendency to overheat if fired continuously. The machine gun fires at almost 2500 rounds per minute, achieved by utilizing four separate barrels firing in tandem. The final firing mode is a grenade launcher that operates at medium range. The travel time of the grenade launcher is very long, so enemy movement must be predictable in order to be used effectively. The grenade launcher can fire standard high explosive grenades, smoke grenades, or incendiary grenades.
* AMMP-R: The right arm has only two fire modes, similar to the first two of AMMP-L. The first fire mode is a high caliber cannon, similar to the rifle on AMMP-L, except it fires at 15 rounds per minute. The second is a machine gun similar to that on the AMMP-L as well, firing at 1500 rounds per minute and utilizing three different barrels.
* Anti-beam Multi-Mech Field: An anti-beam field that can effectively shield up to two mechs in addition to Farfalla, but they must remain at close range. At full power it has negative effects on Farfalla's firepower and movement speed, but not much.
* Missile defense sytem: Launches high intensity flares in an attempt to redirect missiles.
* Heavily armored in order to sustain large amounts of damage. Makes Farfalla somewhat slow moving, but used in tandem with the thrusters allows Farfalla to take hits for allies.
* High intensity thrusters that can be used in very short bursts.
Wishlist:
* AMMP shield attachment: AMMP-L would be able to lay down a front-facing wall of armor, while AMMP-L would be able to deploy a front-facing anti-beam shield that can be used for additional cover.
* Farfalla's wings: While not strictly "wings," they would be vertical thrusters that allow Farfalla to take to the air and hover for a period of time.
* A reaaaally long list of various upgrades made to AMMP and the thrusters and such.</s>
<|message|>Lieutenant Commander Pharazon CXS (pronounced Chess)
Leaving the hangar, Arienne had to travel through a short, air-lock-like hallway, a gravity reacclimation chamber, that was specially designed to allow those who passed through the opportunity to reorient themselves in accordance to the gravitational situation they would be entering; in this case, going from the zero-g hangar the the artificial gravity of the rest of the ship's interior.
The barracks were the living space for every single crew member, and was divided into quarters. The pilots' room was in the Officers' Quarter, and would be shared by all four cog pilots. Inside there were two bunk beds, one of the lower bunks having already been assigned to Pharazon, the other three being unassigned. Each of the new pilots' luggage stood in the middle of the room. At the foot of each bed was a steel basket just big enough to fit the regulation luggage cases each pilot was allowed to bring. This way, anyone could simply sit up in their bed and access all their belongings without needing a separate storage area. At the head of each bed was a pull down tray that operated more or less like a night stand for each pilot to place whatever bedside belongings they needed so long as they managed to secure such belongings to prevent them from flying around should the ship get hit, or artificial gravity be deactivated for whatever reason. The bathrooms however, were public and shared among the entire Officers' Quarter, with plenty of toilet stalls and shower stalls to accommodate a good percentage of people using it at the same time.
Within the Officers' Quarter were also office spaces, for various officers to attend to clerical duties. Next to the pilots' room was the Lance Leader's office, where Pharazon sat at their desk, busy with some minor work. The office was big enough to accommodate more desks if need be, as a typical carrier often had multiple lances of strikecraft and thus multiple lance leaders.</s>
<|message|>Corina Chun
Corina crossed her arms as Chie spoke, maintaining her composure in the face of the small girl's boasting. Corina had heard of the Steel Soldier Ryoko series and knew that Chie's accomplishments were, to be fair, no small task, but they were no substitute for real combat experience. That was a lesson that Arienne taught hard, Corina soon found.
As the smaller woman - Stop calling people small. This isn't the army any more. This is navy, technically. Almost everyone is going to be smaller than you, Corina reminded herself - lectured Chie, Corina caught Arienne slipping a little bit, allowing her true personality to bleed through the typically patient, kinder character Arienne had previously maintained with the young girl. Corina hoped that Chie didn't catch that slip as she had; while Chie was more than likely going to be exposed to the harshier realities of combat and military life, she felt it best to let the girl see her lancemates as much better examples to look up to.
Fortunately, it seemed that Arienne had also caught herself, and returned to the more benign version of Arienne she had maintained for Chie. As Arienne dismissed herself, Corina crouched down to speak to Chie. "I've heard of these games you play, and those are quite impressive accomplishments. Not many people have the balls to even try New Game plus, nevertheless plus eight. However," Corina adjusted her position, turning her crouch into a kneel on one knee, "our reason for sparring is not for combat training. Arienne and I are professionals; we know how to fight. Think of sparring as a sort of real life video game, one in which two opponents get to know each other.
"Now," Corina got up from her kneeling position, "I'm going to follow Arienne and rest my head for a bit before grabbing a bite. You should join us." Corina forced a small, awkward smile, before turning away from Chie and heading for the Officers' Quarter. That went fairly well, I think, Corina consoled herself, relaxing from the surprising stress she had attained from her small chat with Chie.</s>
<|message|>Chie Alberton
Chie blinked, and watched as Arienne went into an unexpected discussion of her own feelings on what it is to be a soldier. To be honest, Chie suddenly found herself reminded of Ryoko herself, when she had a monologue about what it is to be a real soldier before fighting Kaiser Donvald in the core of the Infinite Angel Machine. The OVA adaptation of that scene was pretty amazing, especially the part where Ryoko killed him by ramming him right through the reactor with her frame's Impact Arm. But that was beside the point, it was really kind of intense and for a few moments Chie couldn't help but fall silent. Well... then Arienne mentioned wanting to see the games... and showing off Ryoko was always awesome! Some people didn't get some of the more obscure gameplay features or the secrets, but that didn't change how amazing the games were!
... And Corina had heard about it too! Maybe these people weren't so dumb... of course, she was also saying something similar to Arienne, though less intensely.
"... Well... I still have an edge when it comes to piloting mecha!" she insisted, "But it sounds like you might have some idea of how to do it... I'm still the best, though!"
She gave a confident smile. For once it was not coupled with a sarcastic comment. "And I can show off Ryoko, too!"
With that she went to follow along. She had to admit she was hungry, still...</s>
<|message|>Arienne RHD (pronounced Rahad)
Inside the Officer's Quarters, Arienne chose the top bunk opposite the one already occupied by Pharazon, and began sorting through her sparse luggage. Stowing away her clothes and favorite laser handgun into her basket, she then fastened a couple of her smaller sculptures and some hanger hooks onto her tray nightstand using a wash-offable but durable sticky putty to securely fasten them all into place.
With the hooks in place, using some leather string, she tied a knife in it's scabbard with the handle facing the direction of the door. This way, she could pull out with a quick swing if need be. Her small sized retractable sword (kind of a mix between a combat baton and a tactical tanto blade) that she wore horizontally on her back, just above her hips was always with her. But she would keep it under her pillow at night.
Satisfied with her sleeping area, Arienne changes into her uniform (not caring if anyone sees), grumbling as she forces herself not to put on her hoodie and stow it in her basket. She gives her mechanical looking body a look over to make sure everything is well maintained before fully dressing herself. Fastening a holster for her gun on her right hip, her trusty sword behind her, and a few hidden throwing daggers here and there, Arienne makes ready to head for the Mess hall.</s>
<|message|>Lieutenant Commander Pharazon CXS (pronounced Chess)
The four ships comprising the Destiny Squadron set a course to the edge of Horizon territory, a journey that would take about a day in hyperspace. The ships came together into formation and synchronized their Tachyon Harps. In a flash, the ships were gone, now traveling through hyperspace in a bubble of 'real' space. The bubble would exit hyperspace once they reached their destination. If anyone looked outside a window, they would see the iridescent boundary that encapsulated the four ships.
At the end of their 12 hours of free time, the cog pilots were all ordered to report to the hangar. Pharazon stood before the pilots. "The squadron is currently headed to the border between Horizon and the FAS. As you probably know, the region is very unstable, with militant groups, pirates and rebels, and the FAS is suspected of trying to destabilize the region for political and military gains. Our squadron will be patrolling the area, which should be a good test-bed for our cogs. Though our presence alone should be enough to deter some groups, armed military intervention will be required for others. This will be a great chance to train your skills as pilots, and test the capabilities of your cogs. But before we arrive, we should do some basic training before you see some real action. At the very least, you all should be comfortable with piloting your cogs, and be able to launch via catapult as well as returning to the carrier. We might even do some mock combat training if you all are up for it. Any questions?"</s>
| <|message|>Corina Chun
Corina raised a hand. "Two questions, sir. What kind of basic training are we looking at? Movement, weaponry, the like? Tactical training? And for our patrol, what's our ROE?" It was a simple, straightforward question, but rules of engagement were important. In her much younger days, she had commonly made the mistake of not knowing her ROE beforehand, often putting the mission in jeopardy or even blowing it entirely. She had since straightened herself out, making sure she knew the ROE back and forth in order to ensure mission success.
One story she recalled with clarity was a hostage situation, one of her first missions. The directive had clearly stated to use force only as a last resort, but Corina had jumped the gun and taken fire prematurely. Ultimately, the mission had been a success and no hostages were harmed, but she had put all the hostages at risk simply because she ignored the ROE. Rookie mistakes, Corina mused, subconsciously glancing at Chie.
Teaching her to follow an order seemed like it would be a large enough task, but teaching her to operate within a set rules of engagement seemed even larger. To Corina, orders were simple: you're told to do something, you do it. Rules of engagement were less clear - they were set directives, but often came without orders. You had free will to act, but had to do so within your ROE. Chie didn't seem like she would like that very much; she was much more likely to be a loose cannon than to maintain her composure. Corina made it a personal objective to keep an eye on Chie when out in their cogs.</s> |
<|description|>Corina Chun
Appearance: A powerfully built muscular woman at 5'10. She has pale white skin and dark black, military cut hair. Corina has hard, jagged facial features, and is often confused to be scowling when she isn't. Overall, a quite intimidating appearance.
Rarely found wearing anything other than military wear.
Age: 28
Race: Wildtype
Citizenship: Horizon
Personality: A strong willed career soldier that rarely lets her emotions get the best of her. Corina has a great respect for authority and power, and is obedient to a fault. When given a command by a superior, her only thoughts are of the strategic and tactical ramifications of the order. Orders in a morally grey area tend to haunt her, though Corina will carry them out anyways. Over the years she's developed a reputation as one of the best soldiers around.
Away from the battlefield, Corina is not much different. She is often viewed as cold and mechanical. Many find her difficult to talk to, as she rarely lets personal sentiments get in the way of her role as a soldier. However, those that have been by her side in battle typically find that she is somewhat friendlier towards them, and will occasionally go out of her way to help them if they need help.
History: Corina's grandfather and great-grandfather fought in the Race Wars for the Federation, starting large military family that has served both the Federation and Horizon. Her mother, a soldier following in Corina's grandfather's footsteps, and her father, once a small-time politician within the Federation, defected to Horizon once the Quantums ended their period of slavery, along with other members of her family. Corina's nuclear family was raised entirely in Horizon.
The youngest of four, Corina was the only sibling to follow the family military tradition. The military life suited her, and Corina quickly became an excellent foot soldier. During her time on the ground, Corina was often stationed in unstable areas within Horizon and tasked with containing those rare racially-charged violent conflicts in the nation.
Theme Song:
This.
Cog: Farfalla
Physical Description:
More or less what you see here, except painted in a black and grey digital camo pattern and minus the "wings" on the back. Maybe they could be thrown on later?
Tactical role: All-around Support
Evaluation:
* Cog Score: 7
* Pilot Skill: 8
* Mental Fortitude: 9
* Obedience: 10
Weapon/Equipment/Special Systems List:
* Arm-Mounted Multi-Purpose Weapon System, or the AMMP for short. The AMMP has two parts: the left arm, which deals in Mass Weaponry, and the right arm, which utilizes beam technology.
* AMMP-L: The left arm has three firing modes. The first is a high caliber, medium ranged heavy rifle that deals a high damage output. A single round could destroy a moderately armored target, but the drawback of the rifle firing mode is that it has an incredibly slow rate of fire, at just 10 rounds per minute. The second firing mode is a small caliber, extremely high rate of fire machine gun, limited by its short range, relatively weak stopping power, and tendency to overheat if fired continuously. The machine gun fires at almost 2500 rounds per minute, achieved by utilizing four separate barrels firing in tandem. The final firing mode is a grenade launcher that operates at medium range. The travel time of the grenade launcher is very long, so enemy movement must be predictable in order to be used effectively. The grenade launcher can fire standard high explosive grenades, smoke grenades, or incendiary grenades.
* AMMP-R: The right arm has only two fire modes, similar to the first two of AMMP-L. The first fire mode is a high caliber cannon, similar to the rifle on AMMP-L, except it fires at 15 rounds per minute. The second is a machine gun similar to that on the AMMP-L as well, firing at 1500 rounds per minute and utilizing three different barrels.
* Anti-beam Multi-Mech Field: An anti-beam field that can effectively shield up to two mechs in addition to Farfalla, but they must remain at close range. At full power it has negative effects on Farfalla's firepower and movement speed, but not much.
* Missile defense sytem: Launches high intensity flares in an attempt to redirect missiles.
* Heavily armored in order to sustain large amounts of damage. Makes Farfalla somewhat slow moving, but used in tandem with the thrusters allows Farfalla to take hits for allies.
* High intensity thrusters that can be used in very short bursts.
Wishlist:
* AMMP shield attachment: AMMP-L would be able to lay down a front-facing wall of armor, while AMMP-L would be able to deploy a front-facing anti-beam shield that can be used for additional cover.
* Farfalla's wings: While not strictly "wings," they would be vertical thrusters that allow Farfalla to take to the air and hover for a period of time.
* A reaaaally long list of various upgrades made to AMMP and the thrusters and such.</s>
<|message|>Arienne RHD (pronounced Rahad)
Inside the Officer's Quarters, Arienne chose the top bunk opposite the one already occupied by Pharazon, and began sorting through her sparse luggage. Stowing away her clothes and favorite laser handgun into her basket, she then fastened a couple of her smaller sculptures and some hanger hooks onto her tray nightstand using a wash-offable but durable sticky putty to securely fasten them all into place.
With the hooks in place, using some leather string, she tied a knife in it's scabbard with the handle facing the direction of the door. This way, she could pull out with a quick swing if need be. Her small sized retractable sword (kind of a mix between a combat baton and a tactical tanto blade) that she wore horizontally on her back, just above her hips was always with her. But she would keep it under her pillow at night.
Satisfied with her sleeping area, Arienne changes into her uniform (not caring if anyone sees), grumbling as she forces herself not to put on her hoodie and stow it in her basket. She gives her mechanical looking body a look over to make sure everything is well maintained before fully dressing herself. Fastening a holster for her gun on her right hip, her trusty sword behind her, and a few hidden throwing daggers here and there, Arienne makes ready to head for the Mess hall.</s>
<|message|>Lieutenant Commander Pharazon CXS (pronounced Chess)
The four ships comprising the Destiny Squadron set a course to the edge of Horizon territory, a journey that would take about a day in hyperspace. The ships came together into formation and synchronized their Tachyon Harps. In a flash, the ships were gone, now traveling through hyperspace in a bubble of 'real' space. The bubble would exit hyperspace once they reached their destination. If anyone looked outside a window, they would see the iridescent boundary that encapsulated the four ships.
At the end of their 12 hours of free time, the cog pilots were all ordered to report to the hangar. Pharazon stood before the pilots. "The squadron is currently headed to the border between Horizon and the FAS. As you probably know, the region is very unstable, with militant groups, pirates and rebels, and the FAS is suspected of trying to destabilize the region for political and military gains. Our squadron will be patrolling the area, which should be a good test-bed for our cogs. Though our presence alone should be enough to deter some groups, armed military intervention will be required for others. This will be a great chance to train your skills as pilots, and test the capabilities of your cogs. But before we arrive, we should do some basic training before you see some real action. At the very least, you all should be comfortable with piloting your cogs, and be able to launch via catapult as well as returning to the carrier. We might even do some mock combat training if you all are up for it. Any questions?"</s>
<|message|>Corina Chun
Corina raised a hand. "Two questions, sir. What kind of basic training are we looking at? Movement, weaponry, the like? Tactical training? And for our patrol, what's our ROE?" It was a simple, straightforward question, but rules of engagement were important. In her much younger days, she had commonly made the mistake of not knowing her ROE beforehand, often putting the mission in jeopardy or even blowing it entirely. She had since straightened herself out, making sure she knew the ROE back and forth in order to ensure mission success.
One story she recalled with clarity was a hostage situation, one of her first missions. The directive had clearly stated to use force only as a last resort, but Corina had jumped the gun and taken fire prematurely. Ultimately, the mission had been a success and no hostages were harmed, but she had put all the hostages at risk simply because she ignored the ROE. Rookie mistakes, Corina mused, subconsciously glancing at Chie.
Teaching her to follow an order seemed like it would be a large enough task, but teaching her to operate within a set rules of engagement seemed even larger. To Corina, orders were simple: you're told to do something, you do it. Rules of engagement were less clear - they were set directives, but often came without orders. You had free will to act, but had to do so within your ROE. Chie didn't seem like she would like that very much; she was much more likely to be a loose cannon than to maintain her composure. Corina made it a personal objective to keep an eye on Chie when out in their cogs.</s>
<|message|>Arienne RHD (pronounced Rahad)
Arienne was excited. She had spent the last 12 hours running her cog's information through her head and doing some rough simulations. Her cog's cockpit was barely such. I was a interface free, neural link cockpit, and it was just enough room for her to stand in, hook up and have her consciousness and senses upload and take control of the cog. She would literally become one with it! She just couldn't wait to try the actual machine out!
But then, Corina's questions brought Arienne back out of her eager daydreams to reality. Hmm, good on Corina to get to the matter at hand. Knowing about Rules of Engagement would be good since Arienne had never had to deal with such before. She had always done covert or very blatant, in your face operations. Her jobs were always really simple. Save this person, get this info, kill this group. Well, it's always good to expand one's horizons. Learning and getting used to this should be helpful in the long run.</s>
<|message|>Lieutenant Commander Pharazon CXS (pronounced Chess)
Pharazon nodded at Corina, acknowledging her question, "The training will cover basic piloting and targeting. Theoretically, it shouldn't take long to get a 'feel' for piloting a cog. Once you can get the cog to move how you want, then we'll have the carrier send out some targets to practice on. As for rules of engagement," here Pharazon paused, they didn't sigh but looked like they wanted to, they did close their eyes for an unusually long time before opening them again and continuing, "due to the 'unconventional' nature of cogs, you will be granted a lot more autonomy than would be typically allowed for normal soldiers. The only things I can say are, 'we sortie when we are ordered to', 'communicate your intended actions to the lance before carrying them out', and 'unless I say, "Commander's orders"...you are allowed to rely on your best judgment'. For the most part, our lance should only be faced up against enemy units, we should never encounter hostage situations or anything of that sort, though fighting in populated urban areas is a high possibility. In such situations...trust your best judgment, but never intentionally endanger civilians." Pharazon concluded. They didn't like these 'rules' but on this ship, the research division's word was law. Pharazon added that last part about not harming civilians intentionally as the research division was ready to give the pilots full permission to do whatever they 'felt' was the 'right thing to do' in combat.
"If there are no other questions, then everyone get in your cogs and prepare to sortie."
once everyone had entered their cogs and initiated the Cog OS boot up, the frames holding the cogs in their places began moving the cogs, sliding them along their backs out towards the compartments that ringed the central body of the carrier. A comm link was established between each cog and the bridge's catapult operator, whose voice could be heard going through the launch sequence while the cogs got situated in the launch compartment and the blast doors opened. "This will be your maiden launch. While the carrier is designed for simultaneous launch of up to six craft, for this time, we will being doing it one at a time so the Lieutenant Commander can catch you if you have trouble braking. Phalanx, you are cleared for take off."
"Lieutenant Commander Pharazon CXS, sortieing." With that, the frame carrying Phalanx shot forward, releasing Phalanx when it reached the end of the launch rail, propelling Phalanx out into the hyperspace bubble.
"Alright," came Pharazon's voice over the comm link, "Send the next one out. Let me know if you're having trouble controlling your cog. Again, the way you control your cog should 'feel right' to you, if you think this lever, or this button, or this pedal brakes, then that's probably the one."</s>
| <|message|>Corina Chun
Corina frowned. She didn't exactly like the lack of rules, but fortunately Pharazon didn't seem to either. They had done their best, but Corina could hear the restraint in their words. What they had said made sense, and Corina understood why there was a lack of restraint with the cogs, but at the end of the day she was a soldier, and soldiers liked orders. Short of orders, soldiers liked chemistry among their team in order for a proper dynamic to work itself out, but this lance had yet to develop chemistry. Their interaction since meeting had been limited, though Corina had to place some of that blame on herself. She wasn't exactly the most social of people and had isolated herself for much of the trip.
Corina could only offer a terse, "Understood, sir," before heading towards her cog to prepare. Climbing into the cockpit, Corina immediately understood what Pharazon meant by "feeling right." The interior was simple, organized, and disciplined. Everything was in a matte grey finish, matching the greyscale digital pattern that covered the cog. Corina smirked. This was definitely working for her.
As Phalanx was launched out into the bubble, Corina felt Farfalla being moved for launch. Shit. Shit shit shit shit shitshitshitshitshit, Corina began to panic slightly as the launch quickly became a reality. She was a foot soldier - any type of vehicular warfare was alien to her. That said, she found that she wasn't as nervous as she expected; the comfort and odd familiarity of Farfalla's cockpit was calming.
"Lieutenant Chun, piloting cog Farfalla. Let it be recorded that on this day, you've got a career foot soldier flying around in space," Corina announced nervously, feeling the acceleration of the launch shoot her out into the bubble. Corina braked with no problem, decelerating at a steady, even rate with the depression of the lower left pedal. She quickly asserted herself with Farfalla's movement controls: lower left was stop, lower right was go, upper left was strafe left, upper right was strafe right. Whatever direction she pulled the arm controls in, Farfalla moved to look. She could trigger a powerful burst of speed in any direction by pulling one of the many triggers on either side in combination with a directional control, though it was incredibly taxing on her physically. Corina would have to figure out a way to exercise in order to make the sudden directional changes easier.</s> |
<|description|>Chie Alberton
Appearance: "I don't have time for you, I'm drawing."
Age: 10
Race: Wildtype
Citizenship: Horizon
Personality: Chie has a personality that greatly contrasts her small, childish body. She has a tendency to be deeply sarcastic towards others if she decides they deserve to be treated with sarcasm, and she often quietly teases others. She enjoys greatly drawing, and has a deep interest in various kinds of media, including the current equivalent of interactive entertainment(whatever the video games of the future are) and various visual mediums, which she pursues whenever she is able to. Chie often draws or writes about these things, though her writing is significantly more childish then her art. In spite of her thick layer of sarcasm, she does still have the personality of a child and is surprisingly easily frightened and quite fond of sweets. She retains an absolute fascination with Cogs, in fact it could be called an outright adoration for the massive machines.
History: Chie's family has been present in Horizon for a long time at this point, her family being composed of two nationalities originally from Earth. Prior to learning about Cogs, she was fascinated with extremely old(and new) media featuring gigantic fighting robots, both realistic and less so, as well as various advents in technology. Her father, a scientist working on the Cogs, made a rather large breach in protocol and brought her along with him, where she learned about the Cogs and swiftly became obsessed. While he was reprimanded for this, he was able to push for Chie to become one of the pilots, specifically for a heavy, long-ranged Cog.
Theme Song: WIP
Cog: Chie calls it "Boom".
Physical Description: "Weapons systems online..."
Tactical role: Heavy Weapons
Evaluation:
* Cog Score: 10
* Pilot Skill: 7(Chie is a prodigy who has done far, far too much research into the subject for her age)
* Mental Fortitude: 4
* Obedience: 5
Weapon/Equipment/Special Systems List: I'll need to work on this.
* "Boom" has a basic folding knife stored in one chest panel. The mecha itself is generally unsuited to close-range combat, but it will do in a pinch.
* "Boom" sports a series of cluster missile launchers, contained all along its upper chest section. These missiles can deal a fairly heavy payload, but shields or thick armor can mitigate the damage.
* "Boom" has two long-range missile launchers attached to its shoulders, capable of firing highly damaging explosives, more dangerous then the cluster missiles in its chest.
* Finally, "Boom" can be equipped with a point-laser rifle or a rocket rifle.
* Basic thrusters.
* Heavy armor, to make up for fairly light shielding.
Wishlist: This too.
* Improved thrusters for rapid movement?
* Incorporating heavy laser systems into the built-in weaponry.
* Shielding improvements.</s>
<|message|>Lieutenant Commander Pharazon CXS (pronounced Chess)
Pharazon arrived at the gate 15 minutes before departure time and saw Corina. "Lieutenant Chun; Lieutenant Commander Pharazon CXS, pronounced 'Chess'," Pharazon introduced themself. Pharazon was promoted to lieutenant commander when they were appointed to lead the cog team, while all other cog pilots would start at the rank of ensign except those who had official Horizon military history. In Corina's case, since she served in the Planetary Defense Force instead of the Fleet, she was made lieutenant regardless of her prior PDF rank. Although Pharazon felt awkward around humans, Corina had received professional military training, and that was something Pharazon could trust in. Pharazon also failed to notice Arienne.</s>
<|message|>Corina Chun
Corina stood at attention and gave a short salute. She subtly straightened her posture; first impressions were key. "Lieutenant Commander. I assume that your knowledge of who I am means you're going to be the CO for this assignment, then?" Corina asked, hoping that she'd finally be able to get the answers she'd been waiting so long for. Like what exactly they'd be doing and what their purpose was. "Also, you know we're being watched? Hooded figure just outside the gate," Corina dropped her voice slightly, nodding towards Arienne's general direction. "I've been military long enough to know when someone's looking suspicious, and they fit the bill."</s>
<|message|>Lieutenant Commander Pharazon CXS (pronounced Chess)
"At ease," Pharazon replied appreciating Corina's formality, "And yes, I'll be leading the team of pilots." Pharazon looked to where Corina indicated. "Oh, that looks like one of the ensigns in our team," Pharazon said, giving no indication that they found Arienne's behavior or appearance unusual in any way. Many Quantums adopted unusual eccentricities, Pharazon was eccentric in their own right, one of which was having a poor grasp of what constituted 'normal' behavior. In an economic gesture, Pharazon waved Arienne to join them.</s>
<|message|>Arienne RHD (pronounced Rahad)
Arienne walks over and gives another informal salute in a loose and relaxed posture.
Looking at both Pharazon and Corina in turn, she says "Arienne RHD, pronounced 'Rahad', reporting for duty."
Then turning to Corina, "Glad to see a lance mate who is cautious and vigilant"</s>
<|message|>Chie Alberton
"Come on, Chie, you've got to meet the others," said her father, with a good-natured smile.
The tiny blonde girl huffed and folded her arms across her slight chest. Of course, she couldn't be allowed to go on her own. Of course. Her father had to escort her. It's not like that was embarrassing or anything... sure, she was ten years old, but she was going to pilot a mecha! A real mecha! Surely that meant she didn't need to go around with one of her parents guiding her, right? Her father sighed, and gently took her by the shoulder to guide her in. Chie could only resist so much, and she grumbled under her breath as she finally came in and started walking.
Chie entered the room first, her father nearly pushing her in by this point. "Hmph... are all these idiots the ones in the project, too? Do I have to talk to them?"
Her father let out another sigh. Chie had been in a sour mood ever since it turned out her father would be escorting her all the way there. She had complained and been threatened with the removal of her new simulator, and finally told that this kind of attitude would possibly make the people in charge reconsider her position as a pilot. That had definitely been enough to make her agree to be escorted by a parent, as annoyed about it as she was.
"You can't talk to them like that," her father admonished, straightening behind her. Chie didn't respond, instead simply turning to look away. If her father wanted to escort her so badly, he could introduce her, too.
"... Fine," he said. "My name is Doctor Richard Alberton, and this is my daughter, Chie. She'll be a part of this team as well."
Chie spoke up, at this point. "The best part."
Her father sighed, feeling like he had been doing so many times this day. "They're qualified for this, just because you're skilled for your age doesn't mean you're better than anyone else."
"Hmph."</s>
<|message|>Lieutenant Commander Pharazon CXS (pronounced Chess)
"Glad to have you here, Ensign RHD," Pharazon replied, then turned to Chie and her father, "and you as well, Ensign Alberton, Dr. Alberton." Then, to give Chie a sense of who she'll be answering to, Pharazon added, "I'm Lieutenant Commander Pharazon CXS, pronounced, 'Chess', I'll be your commanding officer." Pharazon had said this while placing their hands on their knees and bending forward to speak to Chie in an almost patronizing fashion. Pharazon wasn't really happy with what they considered Dr. Alberton's 'mistake', which Chie's enlistment was a direct result of. Pharazon hoped that this mistake wouldn't end up giving the entire team trouble, though first impressions certainly led Pharazon to believe that it would. What Pharazon was really trying to hide under their disgruntlement of the current situation was their fear of human children: human adults at least had to attempt to maintain a facade of being reasonable and professional, whereas children had no such restriction, making them unpredictable, uncontrollable, and chaotic.</s>
<|message|>Corina Chun
Corina had just begun to relax when Chie and Dr. Alberton showed up. The LC and Arienne seemed decent enough, but a child? Children would not be so easy to work with in any scenario, nonetheless in a military setting. It took everything she had to stifle a deep, exasperated breath. Hopefully this assignment wouldn't turn into a long babysitting job.
On that note, I wonder if I can get some more background info on these people, Corina thought, as she eyed this ragtag team of individuals. Based on first impressions, Corina began a mental assessment of the team members thus far. She knew that they'd all be piloting cogs together, so their physical attributes really wouldn't be a problem. Corina marked that off her list.
First off was the LC. If nothing else, Lieutenant Commander Pharazon CXS knew how to keep up the formalities. There had been no slip in their personality thus far, but at the same time, Pharazon was a Quantum. Who really knew what was going on in their heads? In any case, the LC seemed capable enough to lead a team as of this point. Of course it was impossible to come to a definitive conclusion without the stress of battle in front of them, but first impressions were good.
On to the second Quantum, Arienne RHD. The small Quantum had done her best to stay discreet, and in all fairness, she did a damn good job. To Corina, that simultaneously spoke volumes and posed many questions regarding Arienne's line of thinking. Clearly Arienne was one for the shadows, but for what reason? Corina was sure she'd find out soon.
And then there was Chie. Where did Corina even begin? Chie seemed like she could cause all sorts of problems unless somebody kept her in line. And no disrespect to the good Dr. Alberton, but he did not seem very capable of keeping the girl in check. At least, not to match Corina's standards of military discipline. At this point, however, Corina cut her analysis of the girl short. Just thinking about the mess Chie could cause gave Corina a headache. This was a problem for another time.
However, there was one question she wanted to ask, but she wasn't sure whether or not it was the time or place to ask it. She pursed her lip momentarily as she considered the options, and finally opened her mouth to speak. "With all due respect, what exactly are we doing here? Having just been reassigned from the PDF, it would be comforting to know that our mission here is, in fact, more important than my previous one."</s>
<|message|>Lieutenant Commander Pharazon CXS (pronounced Chess)
"I'll have to answer that in the privacy of the shuttle," Pharazon replied to Corina's question. Taking a look around, Pharazon continued, "It looks like everyone's here, and it's time to board." The boarding gate opened and Pharazon walked through the corridor to the shuttle, expecting the others would follow. It was a small military shuttle about the size of a short bus, with an aisle down the middle and two columns of seats on either side of the aisle.
Once everyone was situated, Pharazon answered without showing sentiment, "Importance is relative, Lieutenant, and dependent on many factors including priority and immediacy. What you'll be doing here," Pharazon now addressed all pilots, "is, in essence, weapons testing. You may have heard the term 'cog' being used. One could think of a 'cog' as the next generation of strike craft. However, that is a very limited definition. The capabilities of a cog have already been demonstrated to be much more than a strikecraft, more than a team of strikecraft can do. Because cogs are still classified as strikecraft, the project is under Horizon Defense Fleet (HDF) jurisdiction, but in addition to being a space-based fighter, a cog is also quite capable as a surface-based mobile weapons platform, so if the project goes well, we may see cogs deployed in the Horizon Planetary Defense Forces (HPDF) as well in the foreseeable future. The development of these may give us an edge in defending Horizon from the scattered remnants of violence left from the wars and the instabilities that still plague our borders. I hope you can agree that this project has its due importance, Lieutenant."</s>
<|message|>Arienne RHD (pronounced Rahad)
Upon hearing Pharazon's answer to Corina, Arienne finally frowned.
At the mention of strike craft, she remembered her original misgivings about joining this project in the first place.
'I'm going to be piloting a fancy plane' she thought to herself. That just didn't feel right.
Her training and skill set are in close quarters and hand to hand combat. Sure she can aim a pistol really well, but she wanted something more... personal, more intimate.
With a sigh, she pushed her doubts away. Might as well give final judgement after she had seen these 'cogs'. She had other things to worry about right now.
In Arienne's eyes, Chie Alberton was an adorable girl. She liked children with attitude and thought the little bit she'd seen of Chie's was endearing. But Arienne had never had to work with such an attitude on a professional level. And even then, why was a child part of a military project? Arienne loathed the thought of a child getting put into dangerous situations, but this was assuaged by 2 things:
* They were gonna be test pilots, so shouldn't see actual combat (this fact also annoyed Arienne). Chie, for the most part, should be safe.
* Chie must have gone through the tests so she must be qualified for the job. She probably had the skills and aptitude needed so that the Horizon government would be even willing to recruit a young child in the first place. On this point, Arienne didn't know whether to be impressed or disturbed.
Having sat down in the row in front of Chie, she turned around with a small but sincere smile on her face, piercingly searching blue eyes, and asked Chie in a quiet voice,
"Ms. Chie Alberton, if you'd be so kind as to answer this question. I wanted to know, are you here by your own choice or are you in any way being forced into this?"</s>
| <|message|>Chie Alberton
Chie narrowed her eyes at her 'commanding officer'. Folding her arms across her chest, she let out a huff and turned away, shutting her eyes as she did. Bending down like that... she was a pilot, so didn't she deserve to be treated just like all the others? She didn't need someone acting all... all... patronizing like that! She was irritable the whole way onto the shuttle. She sat with her arms still folded across her chest, looking firmly to the side and away from all her fellow team members... at least until one of them spoke to her. And she was talking to her normally! Hah!
... Even if the question was kind of weird. Still, given the chance to talk about how she was here, the blonde little girl couldn't help but give a cheerful and incredibly smug smile in response to the question that had been asked of her.
"Of course I'm here of my own choice!" she said, unfolding her arms to place her palms on either side of her hips where she sat, kicking her feet slightly. "Do you think I'd have to be forced to do something like this?"
Her smile shifted, becoming a rather sarcastic expression as she cast a sideways glance at the other team members. "Maybe they're dumb enough to think that..."</s> |
<|description|>Chie Alberton
Appearance: "I don't have time for you, I'm drawing."
Age: 10
Race: Wildtype
Citizenship: Horizon
Personality: Chie has a personality that greatly contrasts her small, childish body. She has a tendency to be deeply sarcastic towards others if she decides they deserve to be treated with sarcasm, and she often quietly teases others. She enjoys greatly drawing, and has a deep interest in various kinds of media, including the current equivalent of interactive entertainment(whatever the video games of the future are) and various visual mediums, which she pursues whenever she is able to. Chie often draws or writes about these things, though her writing is significantly more childish then her art. In spite of her thick layer of sarcasm, she does still have the personality of a child and is surprisingly easily frightened and quite fond of sweets. She retains an absolute fascination with Cogs, in fact it could be called an outright adoration for the massive machines.
History: Chie's family has been present in Horizon for a long time at this point, her family being composed of two nationalities originally from Earth. Prior to learning about Cogs, she was fascinated with extremely old(and new) media featuring gigantic fighting robots, both realistic and less so, as well as various advents in technology. Her father, a scientist working on the Cogs, made a rather large breach in protocol and brought her along with him, where she learned about the Cogs and swiftly became obsessed. While he was reprimanded for this, he was able to push for Chie to become one of the pilots, specifically for a heavy, long-ranged Cog.
Theme Song: WIP
Cog: Chie calls it "Boom".
Physical Description: "Weapons systems online..."
Tactical role: Heavy Weapons
Evaluation:
* Cog Score: 10
* Pilot Skill: 7(Chie is a prodigy who has done far, far too much research into the subject for her age)
* Mental Fortitude: 4
* Obedience: 5
Weapon/Equipment/Special Systems List: I'll need to work on this.
* "Boom" has a basic folding knife stored in one chest panel. The mecha itself is generally unsuited to close-range combat, but it will do in a pinch.
* "Boom" sports a series of cluster missile launchers, contained all along its upper chest section. These missiles can deal a fairly heavy payload, but shields or thick armor can mitigate the damage.
* "Boom" has two long-range missile launchers attached to its shoulders, capable of firing highly damaging explosives, more dangerous then the cluster missiles in its chest.
* Finally, "Boom" can be equipped with a point-laser rifle or a rocket rifle.
* Basic thrusters.
* Heavy armor, to make up for fairly light shielding.
Wishlist: This too.
* Improved thrusters for rapid movement?
* Incorporating heavy laser systems into the built-in weaponry.
* Shielding improvements.</s>
<|message|>Arienne RHD (pronounced Rahad)
Arienne didn't have time to marvel at the carrier. She saw the black cog and all her doubts went away. Her face broke into a silent and large snarl of a smile.
Before Dr. Alberton could speak, Arienne (having participated in plenty of zero-g hunts through asteroid fields and derelict spacecraft) kicked off towards her 'ideal' cog. She marveled at the sleekness, the stealthiness and speed that the cog seemed to exude.
She steadied herself against the face of the black cog, holding on with both hands and staring at the visor in rapt impatience.
...
"You and I... We are going to have some great hunts together!"</s>
<|message|>Corina Chun
Corina had had a little zero-g experience before, but not much. Being a foot soldier, Corina felt out of her element in space; it occurred to her that that was going to have to change quickly or else she would not have a very good time on this assignment. Within moments, she grasped the basics of zero-g movement and maneuvered relatively well.
She did her best to pay attention to Dr. Alberton's briefing, but lost focus as the well-intentioned scientist began to ramble. Her eyes wandered, making contact with the black and grey colossus that was her cog. Like Arienne, Corina moved away from Pharazon and Dr. Alberton, immediately lost in the titan's features; it didn't take her long to identify the various weapons systems and functions of the cog. At a glance, it spoke for itself; two big guns, high intensity shields, and heavy armor. It was a powerful, enduring soldier, just like Corina. And she already had a name for it: Farfalla. The Butterfly. The name exuded the elegance and grace Corina saw within the cog.
Corina managed to avert her gaze long enough to lock eyes with Pharazon and Dr. Alberton. She gave a slight affirmative nod, indicating her approval and commitment to the cog project, and to her own cog.</s>
<|message|>Arienne RHD (pronounced Rahad)
Arienne floats over and settles next to Corina with arms crossed, also staring up at Farfalla.
"Hmm... quite the tank this one."
Turning towards Corina, "I hope I can count on your protection from now on. If mine is as quick as it looks, then hopefully I wont need, but you never know."</s>
<|message|>Chie Alberton
Chie mostly tuned out her father's explanations. She had already heard them, read any materials they produced on piloting, and then read them again once more just to be sure. And then seen her COG multiple times by this point. However, as she watched all the other pilots look up at their machines in awe, she couldn't help but feel a bit smug. Not only had she seen the COGs time and time again, but she also had the best out of all of them. In the tiny girl's mind, there was no question that she was piloting the absolute greatest of all the machines. With a rather arrogant smile, she strolled over to take position in front of the large hulk of a machine that was 'Boom'.
"Your COGs are fine, and all," she began, folding her arms over her chest as she spoke in a rather haughty tone, "But there's no question that my Boom is the greatest out of them all. Whatever yours can do, anything she can do is just plain better! She might not be suited towards close combat, but it's not like she'll ever have to fight anyone up close! She's got cluster missile launchers located in her chest, six on each side, and that's not all! Her shoulders are also full of missiles, at a farther range too! And she can use a rocket rifle, or a laser rifle!"
Moving her hands from her chest to her hips, Chie let out a small laugh. The little blond girl was supremely confident in her COG, that was for sure. "Hu hu hu~ You might as well not have bothered showing up, Boom is the best COG here!"</s>
<|message|>Lieutenant Commander Pharazon CXS (pronounced Chess)
Pharazon saw Corina's nod of approval and returned an expressionless nod of acknowledgment. Pharazon also noticed Arienne's fascination with her cog, which relieved Pharazon who suspected that Corina and Arienne may have had misgivings about the project. Such misgivings no longer seemed to be a concern.
"Ah, Ch-Chie, e-even if your cog is great, p-please try to be more more respectful of your comrades," Dr. Alberton said in a deflated fashion.
Pharazon tried simply to ignore the Albertons altogether, "If you don't have any questions, then you have twelve hours of free time to unpack, explore the carrier, or catch up on sleep to get a head-start in aligning your biological clocks with Universal Space Time if you didn't get a chance to do so at the Space Elevator. A map of the ship has been sent to your personal drive accounts along with a fleet encyclopedia, which should be useful if you are confused about terminology or protocol. You have free access to all parts of the ship. For the time being, the Bridge and Engine Room are open as well so you may explore those locations if you wish. Usually, you shouldn't go to those places if you have no business being there, but..." Pharazon looked at Dr. Alberton, expecting him to explain why such protocol-breaching levels of freedom had been granted.
Dr. Alberton jumped in, "Ah yes, well since the cogs are based on your personalities, it is hypothesized that if any strong forces were present to change or alter your personality, way of thinking or decision-making processes, your ability to pilot optimally may be negatively impacted. A decision was made to give as much freedom and flexibility to the pilots as possible as long as it did not compromise the mission or jeopardize the safety of others. This is also why you were not subjected to professional military training."
Pharazon's eyes lingered on Chie for a fraction of a second too long when Dr. Alberton said his last remark. "And there you have it," Pharazon concluded, "If you would like to talk to me, I'll be in my office in the Barracks."</s>
<|message|>Arienne RHD (pronounced Rahad)
Arienne turns to Chie with a smile,
"Yes, Boom does look very strong indeed. I hope you will leave a few enemies for us to deal with or else I'll get bored on the battlefield."
Then she kicks off from Farfalla and lands near Pharazon and Dr. Alberton.
"Lieutenant Commander, when will we be debriefed on our cogs? Can I start now? I wont take it out for a run or anything, but may I sit in the cockpit and familiarize myself with the controls and systems?"</s>
<|message|>Lieutenant Commander Pharazon CXS (pronounced Chess)
"Why, yes you can," Pharazon replied to Arienne's question. Pharazon came as close to 'beaming' as their generally expressionless demeanor would allow, pleased to see such professional enthusiasm. "You can see catwalks that lead right up to your cogs' cockpits. At the end of the catwalk is a diagnostics console. Consult it for more information on your cogs, and let the console scan your drives to gain entry into your cogs. Now each cog is unique from what I can tell, so what you find inside may differ from mine, but my cockpit lets me run practice simulations, so I'm assuming that yours' will also."</s>
<|message|>Corina Chun
Corina folded her arms, nodding at Arienne. "That's what I do best. Just keep me from being outmaneuvered and I'll keep you from being outgunned," she replied with a slight smirk. She had good feelings about this project, her cog, and even about Arienne. Everything seemed to be falling into place perfectly, and Corina fit right in.
She restrained a wince as Chie rambled on about how she had the best cog. Unfortunately, Corina may have jumped the gun on that one: almost everything fell into place perfectly. The girl was still proving to be a handful, and at some point somebody was going to have to start babysitting her. Pharazon didn't seem remotely interested in the task, and it was Corina's opinion that Dr. Alberton was astoundingly underqualified. Arienne seemed to be handling the girl well enough, but too often Arienne's attempt at light chat with Chie was taken as patronization.
Corina sighed quietly. She had often been an anchor for squads and units she had been assigned to, be it mentally or emotionally. Her mental fortitude and unwavering nature saw to that. More often than not, teammates relied on the consistency of Corina's mechanical personality that allowed her to deliver so well in battle. But how did that combat dynamic play out when a child was involved? There was a lot of work to be done before these four could even begin to call themselves a functioning Lance.
With Pharazon's dismissal, Corina decided she would follow Arienne in the familiarization of her cog. She made her way up to the catwalk leading to Farfalla and began to analyze the various information detailed on the diagnostics console, taking in the information and beginning to turn Farfalla's strengths and weaknesses into tactical strategies in her head.</s>
<|message|>Arienne RHD (pronounced Rahad)
Arienne thought about getting into her cog, but decided that she would save it for her maiden test flight; to make it all the more special. Instead she spent a few minutes downloading the information from the diagnostics console. Over the next 12 hours, she will parse through and learn all there was to know about her new cog.
Before heading back to her quarters to sort through her luggage and settle in, Arienne floats over to Corina at her own diagnostics console.
"Lieutenant, do you spar? If so, it would be great to have a sparring partner and work out sometime."</s>
<|message|>Corina Chun
Corina looked up from the console. She mentally shelved Farfalla and the relevant data she had been going over to focus on the conversation. She turned to Arienne, "I'm no stranger to the sparring ring. If what they say about cogs reflecting our personalities is really true, then it's clear to see that you and I have very different styles, so it'd be an interesting match." Corina caught her tone sounding dismissive; she straightened herself out slightly before apologizing, "Sorry if I seem disinterested. I'm a little distracted right now with everything this console is telling me." Corina motioned awkwardly at the console. "In any case, I could use a sparring partner. People in the PDF were sick of sparring with me. Something about being a wall of muscle."</s>
| <|message|>Chie Alberton
At least one of them acknowledged how great her COG was the best out of all of them! The other ones didn't look too bad, sure... but compared to boom there was a pretty big difference in quality. If their COGs were great, then Boom was super awesome the best! She glanced at her father for a moment. Hmph, asking her to be more respectful... why should she? If anything, they should be respecting her! She knew way more than they did, that was for sure. ... Then again... if she really did have to work with them... maybe she should be a bit less harsh on the COGs? Chie thought on this for a moment, then dismissed it. Nope. She was certain that she had the best, and that she was the best pilot here. In the tiny blonde girl's mind there was absolutely no way it could be any other situation then that.
As she listened to the two other pilots discuss sparing, she couldn't help herself. Likely to her father's dismay, she approached them confidently.
"Oh, yes, sparring will totally make you as good as me," she declared, the sarcasm dripping from her tone as she did. "Huhuhu~ You'll never match how good I am. I've beaten all the Steel Soldier Ryoko games all the way up to New Game plus eight! Even the near-impossible extra boss in Steel Soldier Ryoko: Steppin' On Sunshine!"</s> |
<|description|>Chie Alberton
Appearance: "I don't have time for you, I'm drawing."
Age: 10
Race: Wildtype
Citizenship: Horizon
Personality: Chie has a personality that greatly contrasts her small, childish body. She has a tendency to be deeply sarcastic towards others if she decides they deserve to be treated with sarcasm, and she often quietly teases others. She enjoys greatly drawing, and has a deep interest in various kinds of media, including the current equivalent of interactive entertainment(whatever the video games of the future are) and various visual mediums, which she pursues whenever she is able to. Chie often draws or writes about these things, though her writing is significantly more childish then her art. In spite of her thick layer of sarcasm, she does still have the personality of a child and is surprisingly easily frightened and quite fond of sweets. She retains an absolute fascination with Cogs, in fact it could be called an outright adoration for the massive machines.
History: Chie's family has been present in Horizon for a long time at this point, her family being composed of two nationalities originally from Earth. Prior to learning about Cogs, she was fascinated with extremely old(and new) media featuring gigantic fighting robots, both realistic and less so, as well as various advents in technology. Her father, a scientist working on the Cogs, made a rather large breach in protocol and brought her along with him, where she learned about the Cogs and swiftly became obsessed. While he was reprimanded for this, he was able to push for Chie to become one of the pilots, specifically for a heavy, long-ranged Cog.
Theme Song: WIP
Cog: Chie calls it "Boom".
Physical Description: "Weapons systems online..."
Tactical role: Heavy Weapons
Evaluation:
* Cog Score: 10
* Pilot Skill: 7(Chie is a prodigy who has done far, far too much research into the subject for her age)
* Mental Fortitude: 4
* Obedience: 5
Weapon/Equipment/Special Systems List: I'll need to work on this.
* "Boom" has a basic folding knife stored in one chest panel. The mecha itself is generally unsuited to close-range combat, but it will do in a pinch.
* "Boom" sports a series of cluster missile launchers, contained all along its upper chest section. These missiles can deal a fairly heavy payload, but shields or thick armor can mitigate the damage.
* "Boom" has two long-range missile launchers attached to its shoulders, capable of firing highly damaging explosives, more dangerous then the cluster missiles in its chest.
* Finally, "Boom" can be equipped with a point-laser rifle or a rocket rifle.
* Basic thrusters.
* Heavy armor, to make up for fairly light shielding.
Wishlist: This too.
* Improved thrusters for rapid movement?
* Incorporating heavy laser systems into the built-in weaponry.
* Shielding improvements.</s>
<|message|>Arienne RHD (pronounced Rahad)
Arienne turns to Chie with a smile,
"Yes, Boom does look very strong indeed. I hope you will leave a few enemies for us to deal with or else I'll get bored on the battlefield."
Then she kicks off from Farfalla and lands near Pharazon and Dr. Alberton.
"Lieutenant Commander, when will we be debriefed on our cogs? Can I start now? I wont take it out for a run or anything, but may I sit in the cockpit and familiarize myself with the controls and systems?"</s>
<|message|>Lieutenant Commander Pharazon CXS (pronounced Chess)
"Why, yes you can," Pharazon replied to Arienne's question. Pharazon came as close to 'beaming' as their generally expressionless demeanor would allow, pleased to see such professional enthusiasm. "You can see catwalks that lead right up to your cogs' cockpits. At the end of the catwalk is a diagnostics console. Consult it for more information on your cogs, and let the console scan your drives to gain entry into your cogs. Now each cog is unique from what I can tell, so what you find inside may differ from mine, but my cockpit lets me run practice simulations, so I'm assuming that yours' will also."</s>
<|message|>Corina Chun
Corina folded her arms, nodding at Arienne. "That's what I do best. Just keep me from being outmaneuvered and I'll keep you from being outgunned," she replied with a slight smirk. She had good feelings about this project, her cog, and even about Arienne. Everything seemed to be falling into place perfectly, and Corina fit right in.
She restrained a wince as Chie rambled on about how she had the best cog. Unfortunately, Corina may have jumped the gun on that one: almost everything fell into place perfectly. The girl was still proving to be a handful, and at some point somebody was going to have to start babysitting her. Pharazon didn't seem remotely interested in the task, and it was Corina's opinion that Dr. Alberton was astoundingly underqualified. Arienne seemed to be handling the girl well enough, but too often Arienne's attempt at light chat with Chie was taken as patronization.
Corina sighed quietly. She had often been an anchor for squads and units she had been assigned to, be it mentally or emotionally. Her mental fortitude and unwavering nature saw to that. More often than not, teammates relied on the consistency of Corina's mechanical personality that allowed her to deliver so well in battle. But how did that combat dynamic play out when a child was involved? There was a lot of work to be done before these four could even begin to call themselves a functioning Lance.
With Pharazon's dismissal, Corina decided she would follow Arienne in the familiarization of her cog. She made her way up to the catwalk leading to Farfalla and began to analyze the various information detailed on the diagnostics console, taking in the information and beginning to turn Farfalla's strengths and weaknesses into tactical strategies in her head.</s>
<|message|>Arienne RHD (pronounced Rahad)
Arienne thought about getting into her cog, but decided that she would save it for her maiden test flight; to make it all the more special. Instead she spent a few minutes downloading the information from the diagnostics console. Over the next 12 hours, she will parse through and learn all there was to know about her new cog.
Before heading back to her quarters to sort through her luggage and settle in, Arienne floats over to Corina at her own diagnostics console.
"Lieutenant, do you spar? If so, it would be great to have a sparring partner and work out sometime."</s>
<|message|>Corina Chun
Corina looked up from the console. She mentally shelved Farfalla and the relevant data she had been going over to focus on the conversation. She turned to Arienne, "I'm no stranger to the sparring ring. If what they say about cogs reflecting our personalities is really true, then it's clear to see that you and I have very different styles, so it'd be an interesting match." Corina caught her tone sounding dismissive; she straightened herself out slightly before apologizing, "Sorry if I seem disinterested. I'm a little distracted right now with everything this console is telling me." Corina motioned awkwardly at the console. "In any case, I could use a sparring partner. People in the PDF were sick of sparring with me. Something about being a wall of muscle."</s>
<|message|>Chie Alberton
At least one of them acknowledged how great her COG was the best out of all of them! The other ones didn't look too bad, sure... but compared to boom there was a pretty big difference in quality. If their COGs were great, then Boom was super awesome the best! She glanced at her father for a moment. Hmph, asking her to be more respectful... why should she? If anything, they should be respecting her! She knew way more than they did, that was for sure. ... Then again... if she really did have to work with them... maybe she should be a bit less harsh on the COGs? Chie thought on this for a moment, then dismissed it. Nope. She was certain that she had the best, and that she was the best pilot here. In the tiny blonde girl's mind there was absolutely no way it could be any other situation then that.
As she listened to the two other pilots discuss sparing, she couldn't help herself. Likely to her father's dismay, she approached them confidently.
"Oh, yes, sparring will totally make you as good as me," she declared, the sarcasm dripping from her tone as she did. "Huhuhu~ You'll never match how good I am. I've beaten all the Steel Soldier Ryoko games all the way up to New Game plus eight! Even the near-impossible extra boss in Steel Soldier Ryoko: Steppin' On Sunshine!"</s>
<|message|>Arienne RHD (pronounced Rahad)
With Chie's new statement, Arienne's usual smile for her faltered and became a serious grin, eyes glazing over in an intense stare at some unseen opponent from the past.
"I don't know what these games are, but it sounds like you are practiced at them and good for you. I practice by pushing my body and mind to the limit, unifying them, making me highly tuned for combat. In my opinion, one has not truly fought, killed, or won without putting their life on the line to face down an opponent, eyes locked in a battle of willpower and skill. And for me, sparring is good enough practice for that."
Throughout her little speech, Arienne had been accidentally oozing out a creeping killing intent that got much stronger by the end. Realizing this, she immediately pulled it back and with a small shake of her head, Arienne comes back to herself and gives Chie a normal smile.
"You'll have to show me these games sometime. They sound interesting."
"Well, I'm off to sort my quarters, and maybe grab some dinner. I'll see you both later." Arienne kicks off, turns around and gives an informal salute before leaving the hanger.</s>
<|message|>Lieutenant Commander Pharazon CXS (pronounced Chess)
Leaving the hangar, Arienne had to travel through a short, air-lock-like hallway, a gravity reacclimation chamber, that was specially designed to allow those who passed through the opportunity to reorient themselves in accordance to the gravitational situation they would be entering; in this case, going from the zero-g hangar the the artificial gravity of the rest of the ship's interior.
The barracks were the living space for every single crew member, and was divided into quarters. The pilots' room was in the Officers' Quarter, and would be shared by all four cog pilots. Inside there were two bunk beds, one of the lower bunks having already been assigned to Pharazon, the other three being unassigned. Each of the new pilots' luggage stood in the middle of the room. At the foot of each bed was a steel basket just big enough to fit the regulation luggage cases each pilot was allowed to bring. This way, anyone could simply sit up in their bed and access all their belongings without needing a separate storage area. At the head of each bed was a pull down tray that operated more or less like a night stand for each pilot to place whatever bedside belongings they needed so long as they managed to secure such belongings to prevent them from flying around should the ship get hit, or artificial gravity be deactivated for whatever reason. The bathrooms however, were public and shared among the entire Officers' Quarter, with plenty of toilet stalls and shower stalls to accommodate a good percentage of people using it at the same time.
Within the Officers' Quarter were also office spaces, for various officers to attend to clerical duties. Next to the pilots' room was the Lance Leader's office, where Pharazon sat at their desk, busy with some minor work. The office was big enough to accommodate more desks if need be, as a typical carrier often had multiple lances of strikecraft and thus multiple lance leaders.</s>
<|message|>Corina Chun
Corina crossed her arms as Chie spoke, maintaining her composure in the face of the small girl's boasting. Corina had heard of the Steel Soldier Ryoko series and knew that Chie's accomplishments were, to be fair, no small task, but they were no substitute for real combat experience. That was a lesson that Arienne taught hard, Corina soon found.
As the smaller woman - Stop calling people small. This isn't the army any more. This is navy, technically. Almost everyone is going to be smaller than you, Corina reminded herself - lectured Chie, Corina caught Arienne slipping a little bit, allowing her true personality to bleed through the typically patient, kinder character Arienne had previously maintained with the young girl. Corina hoped that Chie didn't catch that slip as she had; while Chie was more than likely going to be exposed to the harshier realities of combat and military life, she felt it best to let the girl see her lancemates as much better examples to look up to.
Fortunately, it seemed that Arienne had also caught herself, and returned to the more benign version of Arienne she had maintained for Chie. As Arienne dismissed herself, Corina crouched down to speak to Chie. "I've heard of these games you play, and those are quite impressive accomplishments. Not many people have the balls to even try New Game plus, nevertheless plus eight. However," Corina adjusted her position, turning her crouch into a kneel on one knee, "our reason for sparring is not for combat training. Arienne and I are professionals; we know how to fight. Think of sparring as a sort of real life video game, one in which two opponents get to know each other.
"Now," Corina got up from her kneeling position, "I'm going to follow Arienne and rest my head for a bit before grabbing a bite. You should join us." Corina forced a small, awkward smile, before turning away from Chie and heading for the Officers' Quarter. That went fairly well, I think, Corina consoled herself, relaxing from the surprising stress she had attained from her small chat with Chie.</s>
| <|message|>Chie Alberton
Chie blinked, and watched as Arienne went into an unexpected discussion of her own feelings on what it is to be a soldier. To be honest, Chie suddenly found herself reminded of Ryoko herself, when she had a monologue about what it is to be a real soldier before fighting Kaiser Donvald in the core of the Infinite Angel Machine. The OVA adaptation of that scene was pretty amazing, especially the part where Ryoko killed him by ramming him right through the reactor with her frame's Impact Arm. But that was beside the point, it was really kind of intense and for a few moments Chie couldn't help but fall silent. Well... then Arienne mentioned wanting to see the games... and showing off Ryoko was always awesome! Some people didn't get some of the more obscure gameplay features or the secrets, but that didn't change how amazing the games were!
... And Corina had heard about it too! Maybe these people weren't so dumb... of course, she was also saying something similar to Arienne, though less intensely.
"... Well... I still have an edge when it comes to piloting mecha!" she insisted, "But it sounds like you might have some idea of how to do it... I'm still the best, though!"
She gave a confident smile. For once it was not coupled with a sarcastic comment. "And I can show off Ryoko, too!"
With that she went to follow along. She had to admit she was hungry, still...</s> |
<|description|>Ryan Davis
Age:33
Gender:Male
Rank:E-7 / Sergeant First Class
Ethnicity/Nationality:Scotch-Irish American
Physical Description:SFC Davis stands at roughly average height, and weighs in at 190lbs. His dark brown hair is kept in a neat medium-fade, per Army uniform regulations, and when time allows he ensures that his jaw is clean-shaven in compliance with accepted military standards. Despite his rigid adherence to military uniform protocols, his blue eyes often sparkle with good humor. His has two tattoos; the 17th Infantry buffalo on his left shoulder, and his "meat tags" on the right side of his ribcage. Shrapnel scars mar his right thigh and shoulder, courtesy of his trip to Korea.
Skillset:This is Ryan's third tour to Vietnam and his fourth combat tour in all, so he has a wealth of experience and practical knowledge to draw upon. The various leadership courses he's attended give him a solid grasp of tactics, and his 15 years in the grunts have made him a solid marksman. His most valuable "skills" are his ability to keep a cool head under fire, and to appear confident and collected even when he isn't sure of himself.
History:Born in 1934, Ryan was raised in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado, hiking and hunting as soon as he could hold a rifle. High school was uneventful (thanks to a veteran father who kept him under a tight but fair rein), and he spent most of his free time in the mountain trails or riding his Harley with his dad and uncles. There was never any doubt that he'd end up in the military. His father had fought the Nazis in World War II, and when Ryan enlisted in 1952 he threw himself eagerly into the Army life. He served in the final days of Korea as a young soldier in 1953, and was involved in the hellish campaign for Pork Chop Hill with Kilo Company, 17th Infantry, where he was awarded the Purple Heart and Bronze Star for his actions during the battle. His first 'Nam deployment came in 1963, his second in 1965. Now, as a Platoon Sergeant for the 1st Cav, he's four months into his third tour. Ryan's personal leadership method of "loving aggression" with his troops has led him to success so far; he treats his men fairly but accepts no half-assing, preferring to lead with a firm hand rather than the iron fist often employed by Staff NCOs.
Equipment:
* M16A1 with spare magazines
* Colt M1911 .45 pistol, often issued to machine gunners and medics, and standard issue for Staff NCOs and Officers.
* US Army Gerber Mark II fighting knife
* Standard troop fair (rations, towel, canteens, etc.) and his helmet (unadorned, per Army regulation
* 3 M26 Fragmentation Grenades
* Map and compass with map pens, and a notebook containing his "Platoon Sgt Cheat Sheets" for calling artillery, air support, and the like.
* A picture of his wife and two daughters, carried inside his helmet.
* One of his younger brother's spare dog tags, worn on the tag chain next to his own. His brother is a Marine, currently deployed near Da Nang.
* A piece of shrapnel about 2 inches across, kept as a good-luck charm from Korea.
* Several cans of Copenhagen. Sometimes he thinks it's the only thing keeping him from choking out his more unruly men.</s>
<|message|>Anthony "Buck" Barnes
He twisted, shotgun in line with his eyes, shouldered, to where Bobby said to swivel and he cut loose with the shotgun; basso boom, hard recoil, and a fast rack, but he kept it smooth. The man in black pajamas crumpled with a cry, though it wasn't as if the buck went right through the man he could see the flesh and blood from the messy wound the shotgun blast created. Army-issue #4 put a lot of pellets out, but it didn't have much penetrating power, which was sometimes frustrating. Some of the country boys could probably get more powerful ammo shipped out, like double ought buck, but what the fuck did his family, back in the Bronx, know about buckshot? Hell, he didn't know anything about shotguns until he got into this bitch.
"Black power!" It just sounded right, and it let Bobby know the threat was off his ass.
But he'd learned. By God, he'd fuckin' learned. Just like he learned to pop one more shell into the magazine while he had a moment to do that, even as he resumed his watch over the field so he could call the targets to Bobby.</s>
<|message|>Wyatt Parker
Wyatt jumped out of the helicopter, which was going to make a crash landing nearby the jungle. There were only two parachutes on the helicopter and Wyatt grabbed one, as he was the most important person in the helicopter- besides the guy with the radio. He didn't know what happened next as he jumped out of the helicopter and soon opened his parachute up. Soon, he was stuck on top of the jungle trees as it got caught in the tree branches. He got used to the jungle by now, as he had been in this hellhole since the start of the war.
He soon grabbed his knife from his pocket and started to cut the ropes for the parachute. He got done cutting as soon as he fell towards the ground, of course he landed on his sides and breathed heavily as he felt the heat of the jungle. He put his knife back in his pocket as he tried to remember where the helicopter was going to land. He began to walk northward, thinking that was the way that the helicopter was going to land on. He kept on a moment until he almost stepped on one of those punji stakes, which he had weekly soldiers that had landed in the stakes. The stake wasn't camouflaged, which meant that the threat is nearby.
Before he could react to the trap, he was hit in the behind and soon landed on the ground near the stake. He began to walk around as he heard footsteps, not his own footsteps, and soon grabbed his pistol. Before he could get a grip on it, he was tackled by someone and soon they were on the ground. Wyatt punched the guy as many times as he could; but, he could just get the guy to let go as he soon was on top of Wyatt. He began to get punched as he tried to reach for his gun on the ground next to him. He got a hold of the gun and aimed the guy, which he fired and the bullet went right pass his arm.
The Charlie soon fell to the ground and began to shout something at Wyatt as he grabbed his pistol and rushed away from the guy. He soon was lost as more shouting was heard and then he decided to stop, thinking that it was pointless to run for them. He aimed his pistol and shout out loud, "You will never get me!". As soon as Wyatt saw a Huey rushing towards him, he fired and saw the guy dropped to the ground. Dead or not, he wasn't going to move anytime soon, as Wyatt began to shoot at the Charlies. Most of the time he would miss and sometimes he would hit him near the chest area. He wasn't waiting his time to aim at the head; but, he wanted them to get away from him. That didn't happened as Wyatt was tacked by two guys. His pistol was now gone within the darkness of the jungle, he was ready to surrender and accept his defeat.
"I surrender." Wyatt said shamefully and in an upset tone as he was kicked in the chest about eight times before the other Charlies made him stop. Wyatt knew that he got it coming from shooting at their 'friends' and he soon was punched in the face. They One of the Charlies was on top of Wyatt as he kept punching and punching until he lost sight in one of his eyes. The Charlies was clearly shouting and laughing as they beat Wyatt up. He decided to make a shout for help, thinking that the guys in the helicopter would in the jungle by now.
"I said I surrender, you slope eyed mo-" he tried to shout before he was punched in the face once more. They were laughing and one of them shoved the other in a joking matter. They made Wyatt sit on his knees and they were about to kick him once more; but, they began to drop dead as gunshots rang out. With one eye, he saw Tommy walking towards him and Wyatt gave him a bloody smile as he was helped up by Tommy. He walked over and grabbed his things as Tommy handed him a M16 replacement. It wasn't the same; but, it was a good gun to use in the jungle.
When Tommy tried to talk to Wyatt about the rest of the Charlie's occupants, he just shook his head. He was just trying to take in the damaged eye, which caused him to not speak for that second. And when it was all too peaceful, gunshots were heard once more. Before he could react, Tommy quickly grabbed him and ran for them. He didn't know what to do about him being dragged; but, a least his life was being saved again.
They were running for the Charlies, their bullets, and the shouting for what seem to be hours until they crashed into another person. Thankfully, he was an American. Then he was grabbed and pushed into cover by someone. It was too much it take in and he had been in Vietnam since the war started.
He dropped his M16 to try to breath for a bit until he turned his head to see the other Americans, fighting back against the Charlies. He had to fight aside them, so he got up and grabbed his M16. He walked towards Ryan and began to fire at the enemy with his damaged eye. He said to Chris as he was firing, "I want to help you guys kick their asses.".</s>
<|message|>Thomas "Tommy" Sullivan
Thomas nearly ran into Sergeant Ryan and his men, nearly shouting out loud before he stopped, throwing himself into the undergrowth.
There was crossfire going everywhere, with the Americans firing at all directions towards the Charlies. Tommy loaded up his rifle, taking the safety off, and began to shot carefully at the men in conical hats.
"Sarge!" he shouted in his Irish accent, "What do you want me to do!?"
Thomas had to cover himself from all angles, and missed quite a few shots. This didn't deter him from attacking the VC, though.</s>
<|message|>Elijah Dodgers
"Hooah," Dodgers said, peering through the haze of humidity underbrush and all the visual garbage. He could make out the black pajamas and conical coolie hats. Raising Thumper he sighted in the approximate range. One of the VC raised up and had began to charge out there on the left side. -You-. It was his only thought as Dodgers triggered the grenade launcher. It bucked slightly with it's customary th00mp! A forty millimeter grenade shot across the distance so fast that it was nigh invisible. Being directly behind it's flight path Dodge could see it though. It arced gently, rising a little, and then coming down to hit the VC in the chest. A bright orange-white flash of the explosion threw human hamburger in all directions, adding to the shrapnel with human bone fragments and teeth.
Two other VC went down, one of them with a spurt of blood from the neck, the next one over... blood leaking from his ears, a side effect of the pressure wave and concussion. Dead or dying? Dodge wasn't sure, maybe just got his eardrums ruptured, but still... The firing stopped for a few moments in surprise and shock, at least from the VC boys. The poor Cong had exploded like he'd been hit by an angry god.
Dodge simply slipped another grenade from his bandolier and put it in Thumper. "Ya want another Sarge, I only have four left, one in the tube," he said in between ripples of gunfire.
At the moment he was crouched down by a tree that was almost three feet thick. Had he had time to really marvel at it he would have. For the moment it was his shelter in the rain of metal death, but most of the fire hadn't been directed his way. Now though, bark began to explode off the sides of the tree, while the dirt rippled around, and the bush was torn up, some of it beginning to fall.</s>
| <|message|>Ryan Davis
"Ya want another Sarge, I only have four left, one in the tube,"
Ryan scanned the enemy. The fire was slackening, Viet Cong diving for cover under the effective suppressing fire from Derricks and his beloved Jack Johnson. The grenade had done its work as well, shredding one Charlie and putting two others out of commission.
"Negative," he called to Dodgers. "Save 'em. Switch to your rifle, help Derricks pin 'em down!"
He quickly evaluated the situation. The left flank had been decimated, most of the enemies near the grenade blast having scuttled towards the right side of the line. The Cong there were effectively pinned down. If he had more men and more ammunition, he'd have kept the squad in place and continued whittling away at the enemy, but he didn't have that luxury. Their guns would run dry sooner rather than later, the M60 in particular, and that would spell disaster. It was time for a calculated risk.
Fire-and-maneuver was a mainstay of the US Army infantry, and something they drilled constantly in training. If they were to have any hope of seeing the World again, risk had to be weighed against reward. It would be dangerous, but if they were quick and vicious and used the trees as cover, they'd have a clear shot at the enemy from their unprotected right flank. Executed properly, it would be a close-range slaughter.
Ryan took a breath, fighting down the flutter of fear that twisted his gut, then quickly bear-crawled to his right. He hauled himself upright behind a thick, solid tree, then began calling commands.
"Hoffman! Stay put, keep picking targets! You, Doc!" he pointed at the tall medic, easily identifiable by the med-bag on his back. "Stay in cover, but start putting rounds down range. Help suppress them."
He scanned his remaining men, then pointed at the other tall newcomer, the one with the Irish lilt.
"You, you're with me. Pope, you too! Get over here to my position, we're gonna flank these motherfuckers. Derricks, once we head off give us a five-count, then hit Charlie with a 40-round spray; I want full suppression! Then slow down and pick your targets, start spraying at individuals who poke their heads out. Barnes, you come with the flanking team. Let's put that shotty to use. Move it out, gents, we need to end this now!"</s> |
<|description|>Elijah Dodgers
Nicknames: Dodge
Age: 22
Gender: Male
Rank: Cpl
Ethnicity/Nationality: Caucasian/American
Physical Description:
Standing 5'9" with brown hair and green eyes, Eli is of average but sturdy build. With outdoor life in the semi-arid desert of the Texas Panhandle being the norm until the Nam, he is well tanned, and in good shape. Basic has hardened his frame.
Skillset:
Eli has a couple tours under his belt at least, giving him some familiarity with the VC, the jungle, and operation of his weapon systems. He as proven to be capable under fire, and has demonstrated leadership capabilities among his peers. As such he has recently been minted as a Corporal and given charge of a few others.
With a youth spent outdoors, a gun in hand, hunting, exploring, and being in dangerous country sometimes, has attributed to his survival in the jungles of Viet Nam.
M16 Expert
M203 Qualified
Land Navigation Qualified
Army hand to hand
History:
Elijah was born in Borger Texas in 1945. His father was Dale Dodgers, a WWII vet. His mother was Helen who was the daughter of a displaced farmer from the dust bowl. Dale spent most of his time working the oilfield and carbon black after returning home from military to provide for his wife and son. Eli attended public schooling in Borger. He gained a few friends, and even had a girlfriend, Regina Warren. For a time, Regina was all he was about, and intended to marry the girl until the Draft came along.
His dad taught him to shoot and Elijah took to hunting and fishing with his grandfather and father (When he had the time). During his school years, he was a typical kid of the day, when he wasn't parked next to the radio or TV, he would sometimes venture down to Electric City, the small township that had sprung up around the steam-based powerplant that had been erected to power the Phillips-Chevron Refinery as well as the oilfield drilling locations in the area when his dad was a boy. By the time he was old enough to go to Electric City, it had been all but abandoned. Exploring old houses and structures was a fun activity, and occasionally he found something nifty while he was there. More than once he'd found a rattlesnake there, but he'd learned how to handle them, and was always careful about such things.
Something of a loner because of this, as mentioned before he had only a few friends, maybe enough to count on one hand. But those that he had were good ones. Occasionally he would spend time with his cousins, of whom he had several, which between his friends and family allowed him to be decently well-rounded and instilled the value of family. He still maintains a sense of independence and self-reliance.
It was during the last year or so of high school he took an interest in Regina Warren, a dark-haired girl with blue eyes who'd grown up in the same town. At first she turned him down, but with charm and persistence she finally decided he was serious, or at least seriously interested in her. The two started seeing each other outside of school, a little at first, but then more so, even going out on dates.
By this time, Eli's mother had become a working woman at the local J.C. Penny's. Better that than the alternative, as inflation soared. Being well old enough to take care of himself, Eli was left to his own devices much of the time, especially with his father becoming increasingly absent from his life, spending more time at the local watering holes after work, and often stumbling home drunk. This meant it was much harder for his parental unit to wrangle in his 'extracurricular' activities. This gave him something of a badboy vibe, which Gina was drown to, and Eli probably didn't do much to dispel it.
Just before graduation, his father wound up running his car off the bridge of the Canadian River on Highway 136, after traveling down it the opposite way in a drunken stupor. The car dropped a couple stories below and crashed into the river. Unable to free himself, his father drowned, leaving his mother a widow. A month later the Draft came through, and pulled him away from his mom and Gina.
At first Eli resented the military and the draft pulling him away from his little life in Borger, sometimes it was the thought of home that kept him going, as well as the letters back and forth. Basic training kept him pretty busy, and was a distraction needed. After that he attended training at Fort Benning for training regarding the new 11th Air Assault Division. Serving with the 11th, he gained several tours, but wasn't entirely happy about the 11th being rolled over into 1st Cavalry Divsion (Air Mobile) but since then not a whole lot has changed
Equipment: * M79 grenade launcher - "Thumper" - 5 grenades, 3 smoke
* M16A1 (w/ brass deflecter, newer model), "Rebecca" - 3 extra magazines (1 mag empty)
* Colt 1911, 4 extra mags (one loaded in weapon)
* M1942 machete, scout carry (small of back)
* Gerber Mk II fighting knife
* Jungle fatigues, boots, boonie hat, OD Bandana,
* Canteen, e-tool, poncho, 50' 550 paracord, FAK, other soldier sunderies
* pictures of mom and Regina
* couple cans of "dip", pack of cigs, zippo lighter, pack of playing cards</s>
<|message|>Ryan Davis
Ryan flicked his rifle back to safe, cursing as the flare arced overhead. He hadn't had a chance to shoot more than two rounds; the grenade had shredded the first three VC, and his boys had laid out enough disciplined fire to put down the charging line quickly and efficiently. When the echoing gunfire ceased he wasted no time, dropping to a knee and digging his map out of his map and compass out of his cargo pocket.
"Hey, Sarge? Wanna make a phone call and maybe arrange for a ride?"
"No time," he said shortly, waving off his radioman. Instead he quickly oriented the map with the compass, using the locations of a few known landmarks he'd seen on the flight in to triangulate their position as best he could. It wouldn't be perfect, but it would give him an idea of where they were, and where they needed to go.
After a moment or two he pointed one finger at the map.
"Okay, we're about here, give or take some milage. The Cong came from the West...So...Over here. Maybe this village." He indicated the spot.
"There's a river out here to the East...Got some clearings, might make for a good LZ. Couple villages, too…"
He stared at the map for a brief moment, then folded it up and crammed it back into his cargo pocket.
"Alright. First thing's first. We've gotta clear this LZ most ricky-tick. Charlie and his boys will be here any time, following that flare. We need to move East, towards that river. If we can find some open ground, I'll try and call back for an extract, but our main goal is finding somewhere to hide ourselves so I can get a better grip on our pos. If we can spot a village I can figure the rest out from there, but I can't get a solid fix from fuckin' trees."
He pointed at Sgt Pope.
"Pope, you're on point. Eyes peeled, head on a swivel, and watch the fuckin' ground. I don't think there'll be a random trip-wire this far out in the boonies, but there's no sense not playing safe. Everyone else, give me a staggered column behind him. Six meters dispersion, watching your footing. We need to move quick but careful."
Ryan looked to Buck. "Barnes, you're next in line. Derricks, behind him. I want that gun where we can deploy it forward or back. Then it's Hoffman, me, and Dodgers. Dodgers, you'll be at the rear. You'll be able to hear Charlie coming before the rest of us, and if he starts catching up you bust out Thumper and drop a forty-mike down his throat. Shit goes dinky dau, pop some smoke. We don't have the numbers for a stand-up fight."
He stood and hefted his rifle, adjusting his helmet on his head.
"Okay boys. Move 'em out. We're gonna show these motherfuckers why Uncle Sam sends Cav to do the hard shit."</s>
<|message|>Daniel "Danny/Danno" Pope
As the firefight settled, Daniel scanned the environment in front of him just to make sure that there were no survivors. If there was one thing American forces liked to know, it was knowing that there was nothing but dead Charlie. A dead tango was the only tango they liked, and with this particular kind, they tended to be nasty and killing them was the best way to make sure they wouldn't do much damage. Those sons of bitches knew what they were doing against the Americans, and boy, did it work. The helicopter right in front of Daniel acted a testament to that. And that was only one out of a hundred instances just like that. As soon as the environment was deemed clear, Daniel put his M16A1 on safe. Right now, bullets were the most important thing someone could have in an environment like this. All but one bullet would go to Charlie, the last one, on the other hand, would go straight back to sender.
Daniel backed up to First Sergeant Davis's position, crouching down and peering at the map from time to time as he got settled. He did figure out their current location pretty well, which was a good thing considering the nature of the situation they were right now. At least they had their bearings, and that was a valuable piece of information. As First Sergeant Davis dictated his instructions and where exactly they were, Sgt. Pope was put on point. Perfect, at least then he would be able to put his skills to use, finding out whatever booby trap they had. As everyone got lined up, Daniel switched his fire selector to semi-automatic, knowing that having firepower at an immediate notice was a very valuable asset.
Daniel took out his compass and pointed himself due east, signaling for everyone to line up on him as he commenced the traversing towards the river. "Alright guys, on me! We're going to take this nice and easy." He said, pointing his gun and walking forward, careful to maintain his proper footing. He had to be on high alert constantly, never knew when there could be one of those damned traps. It was unlikely this close to here, but it was better safe than sorry.</s>
| <|message|>Elijah Dodgers
The marching orders were a little odd, Eli thought, but this was a seriously SNAFU anyway. The selection gave a relatively decent dispersal of fire, a balance of assault and overwatch, and kept their ass-end covered. A good tracker though could figure out how many survivors, and with a staggered unit, they doubled the chances of catching a mine or tripwire, but this deep in, it wasn't likely to set one off. Charlie didn't boobytrap his own back yard where one of their kids might catch a tin-can trap instead.
Normally Dodgers had his own fireteam to lead, but it looked like they hadn't made it out of the crash. Already he missed the reliability of those guys. They were much more vulnerable, but at least this situation wasn't their problem anymore. Hefting Becca, his M16, he positioned himself to take a sector of fire different from the rest while they got their orders, but now, he was bringing up the rear as they formed up to move out to the east. Not only would he have to watch where he stepped, but where everybody else did as well, and keep an eye out behind.
Once they were moving out of the clearing, he maintained a steady pace gained from years of walking in the rocky terrain around Borger, with it's red clay and red dirt hills, the sand bars around the Canadian River with the occasional patch of quicksand and more frequent slow sand (yes that's a thing), and then a couple years stomping around in the jungles here, he found the travel to be easier for him than a lot of the new guys. He could move without disturbing the vegetation as much, his eyes had learned how to sort out the visual junk of all the vines, bushes, twigs, branches, and trees. The humidity sucked, it made you hot, made you sweat, but you could never get dry, and so you never realized how much water you really lost. With the area he was from, it was a semi-arid region. Desert survival and water conservation he knew about as well.
With the adrenaline crash that came after a fire fight, a sudden emergency... those kinds of things, he knew people were going to get dull soon. Stress, especially combat stress, was the greatest thing for causing mental and even physical fatigue, and with the guys starting to come down, it could lead to some bad mistakes. They were going to be heading into some mean bush too. Besides just VC there were snakes, tigers, wild boar (he thought), and a few other things that could make life... interesting. Not to mention the traps and mines and all they could possibly run into. It was one reason Eli tried to stay emotionally detached... using his head for something besides a hat rack.
Who knew how many miles they were going to have to hump it before they could get extracted? He knew that ounces were going to turn into pounds, in their gear, before the end of the day. Pounds would turn into tons. "Welcome to the suck," he muttered to borrow from a couple Marine buddies. Part of him hoped they wouldn't have to walk the whole way back. Maybe a friendly river patrol boat or huey could pick them up or something.
Elijah paused once in a while to listen to the jungle around them, as well as for signs of pursuit, looking for movement behind them as well. His steps were designed to fall into the footfalls of the others to help at least partially conceal their numbers, and still he kept paying attention for signs of traps and mines, even though others had traveled in front of him, through the same space. Most of all though, he paid attention to his gut instincts, the hairs on the back of his neck, the kind of thing developed with a long time in the bush, and in country.</s> |
<|description|>Elijah Dodgers
Nicknames: Dodge
Age: 22
Gender: Male
Rank: Cpl
Ethnicity/Nationality: Caucasian/American
Physical Description:
Standing 5'9" with brown hair and green eyes, Eli is of average but sturdy build. With outdoor life in the semi-arid desert of the Texas Panhandle being the norm until the Nam, he is well tanned, and in good shape. Basic has hardened his frame.
Skillset:
Eli has a couple tours under his belt at least, giving him some familiarity with the VC, the jungle, and operation of his weapon systems. He as proven to be capable under fire, and has demonstrated leadership capabilities among his peers. As such he has recently been minted as a Corporal and given charge of a few others.
With a youth spent outdoors, a gun in hand, hunting, exploring, and being in dangerous country sometimes, has attributed to his survival in the jungles of Viet Nam.
M16 Expert
M203 Qualified
Land Navigation Qualified
Army hand to hand
History:
Elijah was born in Borger Texas in 1945. His father was Dale Dodgers, a WWII vet. His mother was Helen who was the daughter of a displaced farmer from the dust bowl. Dale spent most of his time working the oilfield and carbon black after returning home from military to provide for his wife and son. Eli attended public schooling in Borger. He gained a few friends, and even had a girlfriend, Regina Warren. For a time, Regina was all he was about, and intended to marry the girl until the Draft came along.
His dad taught him to shoot and Elijah took to hunting and fishing with his grandfather and father (When he had the time). During his school years, he was a typical kid of the day, when he wasn't parked next to the radio or TV, he would sometimes venture down to Electric City, the small township that had sprung up around the steam-based powerplant that had been erected to power the Phillips-Chevron Refinery as well as the oilfield drilling locations in the area when his dad was a boy. By the time he was old enough to go to Electric City, it had been all but abandoned. Exploring old houses and structures was a fun activity, and occasionally he found something nifty while he was there. More than once he'd found a rattlesnake there, but he'd learned how to handle them, and was always careful about such things.
Something of a loner because of this, as mentioned before he had only a few friends, maybe enough to count on one hand. But those that he had were good ones. Occasionally he would spend time with his cousins, of whom he had several, which between his friends and family allowed him to be decently well-rounded and instilled the value of family. He still maintains a sense of independence and self-reliance.
It was during the last year or so of high school he took an interest in Regina Warren, a dark-haired girl with blue eyes who'd grown up in the same town. At first she turned him down, but with charm and persistence she finally decided he was serious, or at least seriously interested in her. The two started seeing each other outside of school, a little at first, but then more so, even going out on dates.
By this time, Eli's mother had become a working woman at the local J.C. Penny's. Better that than the alternative, as inflation soared. Being well old enough to take care of himself, Eli was left to his own devices much of the time, especially with his father becoming increasingly absent from his life, spending more time at the local watering holes after work, and often stumbling home drunk. This meant it was much harder for his parental unit to wrangle in his 'extracurricular' activities. This gave him something of a badboy vibe, which Gina was drown to, and Eli probably didn't do much to dispel it.
Just before graduation, his father wound up running his car off the bridge of the Canadian River on Highway 136, after traveling down it the opposite way in a drunken stupor. The car dropped a couple stories below and crashed into the river. Unable to free himself, his father drowned, leaving his mother a widow. A month later the Draft came through, and pulled him away from his mom and Gina.
At first Eli resented the military and the draft pulling him away from his little life in Borger, sometimes it was the thought of home that kept him going, as well as the letters back and forth. Basic training kept him pretty busy, and was a distraction needed. After that he attended training at Fort Benning for training regarding the new 11th Air Assault Division. Serving with the 11th, he gained several tours, but wasn't entirely happy about the 11th being rolled over into 1st Cavalry Divsion (Air Mobile) but since then not a whole lot has changed
Equipment: * M79 grenade launcher - "Thumper" - 5 grenades, 3 smoke
* M16A1 (w/ brass deflecter, newer model), "Rebecca" - 3 extra magazines (1 mag empty)
* Colt 1911, 4 extra mags (one loaded in weapon)
* M1942 machete, scout carry (small of back)
* Gerber Mk II fighting knife
* Jungle fatigues, boots, boonie hat, OD Bandana,
* Canteen, e-tool, poncho, 50' 550 paracord, FAK, other soldier sunderies
* pictures of mom and Regina
* couple cans of "dip", pack of cigs, zippo lighter, pack of playing cards</s>
<|message|>Anthony "Buck" Barnes
The new SMG had some sort of green finish on it, and a dead simple safety; you pulled the bolt back and snugged it up into a slot for it. The whole thing was a damn tube, everything real simple. Light and handy.
He had plenty of magazines for it via the supply services of zapped Charlie, and that's what counted. When the Sarge announced that one of their own was zapped and to share out the guy's equipment, he just watched with impassive eyes -- seen a motherfucker wasted in the bush once, and he'd probably see it again before he damn well died. He wanted a Newport, but this was Charlie's bad bush, and he'd heard legends about how the Cong could smell that smoke from a long way off. It probably didn't matter with the gunpowder going, but Barnes found that he was fuckin' well quitting here. All around was Charlie's bush, and he could feel the eyes on the back of his neck. Green everywhere, big ass hills and Charlie. If he weren't fighting for his life, he could grow to appreciate the scenery-- this was something you couldn't get in the goddamn Bronx. It was just too bad that it was Uncle Sam's tour and the guides had AK-47's.
When the Sarge said to trap a Cong, he got the feeling that he was speaking directly to Buck, who had learned how to do that. He didn't waste his own grenades, and used the Russian type the Cong carried instead. There wasn't all the time in the world, but he carefully set it up so the men with the most gear still on them were trapped, making recovering the equipment perilous.
Even so, there was a moment to make an observation to Bobby, quietly, "Yo man, all these VC man, it's only a matter of time before they get wise to us and really start to pile on the numbers."
Buck didn't have to like their chances in this situation, he just had to keep doing whatever he could to try and make it out alive. Life was sweet, and he didn't want to die in Charlie's fuckin' bush in goddamn Vietnam with boom-boom time on R&R in Subic so close he could taste it.</s>
<|message|>Thomas "Tommy" Sullivan
Tommy stood up, having collected enough magazines to last for a while. As he turned around, he saw the Sergeant down near a body, he looked over, and then the sergeant stood back up, "Doc's dead," he told everybody.
Thomas couldn't believe what he had been told, "Shit," he said, "How did we not..." Tommy didn't finish his sentence, he couldn't continue speaking. He got out a cigarette from his pack and put it up to his lips, lighting it up and taking a deep breath.
After people had gone through the doc's stuff, Tommy followed his cigarette, throwing it down to the ground, trying to focus on getting out alive.</s>
<|message|>Chris Hoffman
"Good. Nice shootin' there, Private."
Chris jerked his head in a nod at the Sergeant's praise. For a moment he thought that Davis meant his execution of the wounded VC but he realized he meant in the firefight. Breathing out, he relaxed slightly, the young private watching the others gather the goods. God, he wanted a cigarette, even better one of the joints he had secreted among the menthol Kools. Mellowing out sounded good after the mad rush of adrenaline but they still had a long way to go. As he took a drink from his canteen he heard the Sarge's announcement of the Doc's death.
He sighed, putting away his water to resist drinking it all. Chris looked at the body of the big man, it seemed so much more real than the scattered corpses of the enemy. Poor dude bought it. Chris felt a moment of relief, that it had not been him. No bullet had his name on it during that fight. Taking off his helmet, he rubbed a hand through his sweaty hair. Glancing at the others he could see the strain in their faces but he was glad to be with them. Everyone seemed to have their shit wired tight and he was the most cherry of them all. With Davis leading them, they could make it out of this green hell, maybe even by the end of the day.
At the orders, he fell in line behind Davis, grateful to finally be allowed to use the radio. With a grin, he set his helmet back in place, hooking the M-16 over his shoulder as he began to check frequencies. Static hissed and clicked but nothing was caught, it could be the jungle. Chris fussed with the antenna while he walked, but none of the presets worked.
"Bummer," he said, hearing nothing he could zero in on as he checked the channels. "Might be outta range, Sarge. Or too low."
Chris had a long range antenna and could attach it though it would make him a nice target. It had a range of 18 miles and could deal with the elevation better than the standard short range. His battery was still good and he kept spares in an ammo can. The handset always worried him though, the surfer kept it wrapped in plastic, rubberbanded at the bottom to keep the moisture out of the sensitive microphone. Listening to the squeaks and white noise, Chris reached back to get the long antenna out.</s>
| <|message|>Elijah Dodgers
Dodge grimaced for a moment. Hearing that the Doc was dead. Awful shit. It had been a good day, until they'd been shot down. It was one thing being on a search and destroy mission, but this was just survival and evasion. The Congs were everywhere, like white on rice. It was worse than the wild west out here. And the heat... sure they were in the shade but there was no air, and the jungle was like a thick, hot sauna that they probably weren't getting out of anytime soon.
As traps were laid and the Doc's things were shared out, Dodge stayed on security detail, watching the jungle, serving as vanguard, ready for another attack. As the Sergeant called for them to get on the move, he formed back up at the ass-end again. Staying silent... Everybody else wanted to talk, make noise, smoke a cigarette. Dodgers kept his mouth shut, listening for the Cong he knew would be coming. That firefight could have been heard for miles, and they were already hunted.
As they moved out, he pulled his magazine out, checking it over, then put it back in. They had a long way to go, he was pretty sure, and there would be more shooting. More killing. He'd already put down six by his estimation for the day, since they'd crashed. Probably not as high as some, but he wasn't about to push his luck too much, otherwise it would run out.
He could feel sweat trickling down his back now. Under the rotors of the choppers, a hundred feet in the air there had been plenty of wind to help cool him off. Even back home in the semi-arid desert of the Texas Panhandle, there was enough air most days, a breeze most of the time, to cut off the sweat, and the humidity was low enough in thie hottest months to make it bearable. Here it was the same kind of temperatures, but there was no evaporation, so no cooling... no wind. The jungle was suffocatingly hot. At least he had it better than some of the boys in the unit, being used to hot.
As they walked, he continued to follow the footsteps of the others, walking where they walked as best he could, keeping an eye out for Two Step snakes and cobras, tripwires and pitfalls while keeping one eye and one ear out for signs of pursuit, listening for the telltale sounds of one of their parting gifts being set off. He kept a watchful eye for ghostly figures moving in the hazy sunbeams of light and mist when he could.</s> |
<|description|>Robert "Bobby D." Derricks
Age: 19
Gender: Male
Rank: Private First Class
Ethnicity/Nationality: African-American
Physical Description:
Bobby D. is nineteen but looks fourteen with his baby smooth face and pimply complexion. His skin is a rich, coffee-colored with a smattering of freckles around his eyes. Bobby's very skinny, just barely above the Army's minimum weight requirement. He has put on weight since carrying the Pig around has improved his upper body strength. He has gap teeth that he shows whenever he smiles or grins.
Skillset:
Bobby has a sharp intellect but that is often hidden by his constant joking
As a trained gunner Bobby is a expert at maintaining high rates of fire at the cost of accuracy
History:
Bobby D. grew up in St. Louis as the youngest of three children. His father, Bob Sr., served in World War II. Despite his parent's attempts to keep him straight Bobby ran around with a local gang of toughs. Bobby chose to be rebellious instead of use his natural intelligence to try and make something of himself. He skipped school, drank, smoked, and did drugs. He was in and out of juvie for petty offenses until he turned seventeen. Six months before his eighteenth birthday he was caught trying to hot-wire a car. Brought in front of a judge he was given a choice: ten years in state prison as an adult, or six months in juvie until he turned eighteen. After that he would be released into the Army's recognizance. He traded prison gray for army green. After a rough stint in basic, Bobby learned to keep his mouth shut and shipped out to 'Nam as a machine gunner.
Bobby D. has a reputation as a class clown among the men and often speaks in the third person.
Equipment:
M60 Machine gun he calls Jack Johnson because "It's big, black, and knocks motherfuckers out."
Aviator sunglasses
Combat helmet with "B.A.M.F" stenciled on one side, and "El BJ" stenciled on the other.
Two days worth of C-rations</s>
<|message|>Ryan Davis
The sound of distant gunfire reached Ryan's ears and he paused, turning. Someone was in the shit, and it sounded like it was heading their way. He snapped his rifle to semi, raising it and orienting towards the sound of the gunfire.
"Gunfire to the rear, stand by. It sounds like they're closing."
No sooner had he spoken than things went hairy. Two men, clearly friendlies given their height, crashed through the undergrowth and barreled through his formation. Only his recognition of their sheer mass kept him from lighting them up. Ryan's eyes went wide at the sight of the charging Viet Cong, and he responded with kind of immediacy that comes from 15 years and two theaters worth of experience, reaching out and snagging Hoffman by the radio and dragging him to the ground.
"Contact rear!" he bellowed, his parade-ground voice carrying over the nearing gunfire. Belly-crawling rapidly to a nearby log, he braced his rifle and let loose a 10-round burst of initial suppressing fire from his 20-round magazine, sweeping across the approaching enemy from left to right. He'd loaded with 18 to save the weak spring, and spent two on the initial attack at the Huey. That left one in the chamber, five in the mag. He switched to semi.
"Derricks, get that pig up! Suppressing fire on the right side, rapid rate! Dodgers, put a forty-mike just in front of them on the left flank!"
He saw two VC stagger and fall to his carefully-aimed rounds, then ejected his empty magazine and loaded a fresh one with practiced finesse. He worked methodically, remembering the old adage from grunt school so many years ago. Slow is smooth, smooth is fast, fumble and die.
He slapped out for Hoffman, dragging him bodily by the scruff of his fatigues up beside him at the log.
"I want controlled, aimed rounds on the center. Pick your targets and drop 'em."
Then he leaned over the log and grabbed the (slightly) smaller of the two by the sleeve, urging him to crawl over into cover.
"Get over here and engage!" he bellowed, pressing himself hurriedly back down into the dubious safety of the fallen log.
Ryan sighted back in himself, filled with the cold rage of combat that he was so familiar with. These troops were his boys, and as far as he knew were the last of the survivors. These VC were trying to kill them. They'd pay. He resumed firing, trusting to his men to follow his orders and do what they'd been trained to do.</s>
<|message|>Chris Hoffman
Chris waved away hungry mosquitos and hummed softly to himself as they walked along, keeping his eyes on the landscape around him, dropping every few steps to check the ground. The popping sounds in the distance caught his attention, it might have been AKs but there was other gunfire mixed in.
"Shit," he said, looking towards the tall figures scrambling towards them. Americans, obviously. He did not have time to react to what was chasing the men when he was yanked to the ground by Davis. The young man got his rifle up and ready, feeling the panic kick him in gut as the grass obscured the enemy but he could see the bursts of fire from their rifles among the vegetation. The two men looked beat up but were still able bodied as they crashed into their position. Chris raised his rifle as the M-60 started firing off to one side. The adrenaline kick started his heart, it felt like it wanted to punch through his chest, the thrill of fear racing down his spine. These were not the VC they were worried about coming to the crash site, that was another direction, these were even more. Fuck the hills around them were crawling with Charlie who obviously had nothing better to do than track down a handful of lost soldiers. Didn't they have fucking water buffalo to take for a walk? Assholes.
Looking up sharply when Sergeant Davis grabbed his jacket and hauled him towards the log, Chris scrabbled forward, "Yeah, Sarge."
He followed instruction, the habit ingrained in boot camp that was still fresh in his memory. Chris aimed at a conical hat bobbing and lowered it slightly, sighting the chest and fired. The urge to go full auto was strong but if the VC didn't kill him, Davis would surely strangle him for wasting ammo. Instead, he took a deep breath, picking another man who was raising what looked like an American made Garand rifle and Chris shot at him, leading in as the man dashed towards the cover of a thorn bush.
Pop, pop, pop!
Closing his eyes instinctively as the bark flew up and hit him in the face, he was glad for once for the birth control glasses the Army forced him to wear. Turning his head, he spotted Charlie with the offending AK-47, shooting rapidly as the Cong ducked back down.
"Fuck!" he swore as the man returned fire, Chris could hear the snap of the bullet as it whizzed by his ear. Charlie was aiming right for him, personally trying to kill him. And it pissed the laid back surfer off. "Fuck that asshole!"
Squirming down, he fired over the log, risking Davis' wrath by spraying the area he saw the shooter duck down in. It worked as he saw the flash of the AK stop and never start back up, he must have hit him. "Yeah, man, got him, Sarge."
He had to pause and reload, glancing over at Bobby D as he pounded his position with the machine gun, Buck right there to feed the hungry pig. Chris rolled back over and took another few shots before the M-16 jammed.
"Damnit!"
A new rise of panic hit him, with his gun he was a god, without it he might as well have been a rabbit cowering. Chris fumbled with it, putting the safety on and yanking out the magazine as his hands shook while he tried to unjam it. He banged the mag against his helmet and slapped it back in, unclicked the safety and turned back to fire once more. It worked, his gun jumped back to life as he pulled the trigger.</s>
<|message|>Anthony "Buck" Barnes
"Muthafucka." There wasn't much time to pick a spot and get ready to hand Bobby more belts, but he made sure to find themselves a nice little mound in the ground to work from, because the one thing you wanted in combat was something to put your head behind if you had to. There were targets there, but nothing quite in range for his shotgun, and they were cut off, so wasting ammo wouldn't get him chewed out, it'd get him in deep shit if he wasn't careful.
The Sarge called for rapid suppressive fire, and the way the two of them worked was that Buck would spot them and call out how far to adjust the MG fire, because he was generally keeping eyes out for any threat to their actual position, as well as blowing away anything that got too close.
The AK had a distinctive sound compared to an M-16; a slower rattle of fire that you knew instantly as AK-47 fire once you'd heard it a couple of times. That shit was firing in their direction, followed by the impact of rounds nearby, "Ten-thirty left!" Barnes howled as they dropped behind the cover for a second, listening to the rounds thwack into the dirt berm they were making themselves small behind.
He was waiting now, his shotgun clutched in hand and him rolled over onto his side, ready to jump up and zap any Charlie that got too close when Bobby poked the pig out and started firing again.</s>
| <|message|>Robert "Bobby D." Derricks
Hiding behind cover, Bobby checked that the pig was still good. He checked the barrel for any signs of overheating. He'd heard stories about other MGs getting their sights warped from heat. So far Jack Johnson never had that problem. Motherfucker was as cool as James Brown sipping a milkshake in a snowstorm. Bobby heard the AK gunfire slow and looked at Buck. He gave him a cautious nod and Bobby checked that Jack Johnson's feed way was still loaded and the belt had enough ammo to last another round of fire. Locked and loaded, Bobby turned and aimed for where Charlie had been seconds before.
"Got something for your ass," Bobby said as he fired in three and four round bursts. "Got something for all you motherfuckers!"
He saw movement out the corner of his eye, black pajamas. He cursed and tried to turn Jack Johnson in time. But the fucker was in too close for him to properly turn and let into him.
"Nine o'clock," he yelled at Buck. "Get the motherfucker!"</s> |
<|description|>Robert "Bobby D." Derricks
Age: 19
Gender: Male
Rank: Private First Class
Ethnicity/Nationality: African-American
Physical Description:
Bobby D. is nineteen but looks fourteen with his baby smooth face and pimply complexion. His skin is a rich, coffee-colored with a smattering of freckles around his eyes. Bobby's very skinny, just barely above the Army's minimum weight requirement. He has put on weight since carrying the Pig around has improved his upper body strength. He has gap teeth that he shows whenever he smiles or grins.
Skillset:
Bobby has a sharp intellect but that is often hidden by his constant joking
As a trained gunner Bobby is a expert at maintaining high rates of fire at the cost of accuracy
History:
Bobby D. grew up in St. Louis as the youngest of three children. His father, Bob Sr., served in World War II. Despite his parent's attempts to keep him straight Bobby ran around with a local gang of toughs. Bobby chose to be rebellious instead of use his natural intelligence to try and make something of himself. He skipped school, drank, smoked, and did drugs. He was in and out of juvie for petty offenses until he turned seventeen. Six months before his eighteenth birthday he was caught trying to hot-wire a car. Brought in front of a judge he was given a choice: ten years in state prison as an adult, or six months in juvie until he turned eighteen. After that he would be released into the Army's recognizance. He traded prison gray for army green. After a rough stint in basic, Bobby learned to keep his mouth shut and shipped out to 'Nam as a machine gunner.
Bobby D. has a reputation as a class clown among the men and often speaks in the third person.
Equipment:
M60 Machine gun he calls Jack Johnson because "It's big, black, and knocks motherfuckers out."
Aviator sunglasses
Combat helmet with "B.A.M.F" stenciled on one side, and "El BJ" stenciled on the other.
Two days worth of C-rations</s>
<|message|>Thomas "Tommy" Sullivan
Tommy was moving his gun all around, making sure not to waste too much ammo wherever he could. The number of Charlies was beginning to dwindle, and just as he shot another, Sergeant Ryan called out, "Cease fire, cease fire!"
Tommy stopped firing, looking around for any movement. He was breathing heavily, sweat dripping from his hair. He was running low on ammo, so he started go to around to all of the VC and pick up their AKs and some magazines. As he picked the fist one up, he noticed how red his skin was getting, "Shit," he sighed, "I don't wanna get burned this early."</s>
<|message|>Ryan Davis
SFC Davis watched his men gather the guns and ammunition with quiet pride as he idly snapped at a can of Cope. They'd performed perfectly, from Derricks and his suppressing fire up to the new guy who'd jumped onto the flanking team without complaint. He smiled to himself, the gesture not quite reaching his eyes, then dug a generous pinch of tobacco from the can and shoved it unceremoniously into his lower lip.
"Good work, killers," he said, maneuvering the tobacco into position with his tongue and tucking the can away before joining them in their work. Moments later he'd collected an AK and several magazines for himself, tucking the mags into his cargo pockets. He still had a few magazines for his M16, but more rounds was a burden he was happy to carry.
"Good to go, Sarge. Prick didn't get touched."
Ryan looked over at Hoffman and nodded, reaching out to slap him on the shoulder.
"Good. Nice shootin' there, Private." He gestured to the rest of his men. "That goes for all of you. Well done. Keep fightin' like this and we'll get home just fine. Saw worse shit in Korea; these Cong ain't got shit on Chinese troops. We can handle 'em."
As he stooped to check another body Ryan caught a flash of Army-issue green, peeking from behind a tree, and he swore as he recognized the second of the new arrivals to his little band of survivors. The big medic lay face down. Ryan grimaced as he turned the body over; a bullet had pierced the front of the big man's helmet, deforming before it entered his skull. There was a fist-sized hole in the back of his head.
"Son of a bitch…" Ryan sighed, hanging his head, then reached into the man's fatigues and fished out his dogtags, snapping the chain and tucking them into his breast pocket. He wished they could recover the body, but that simply wasn't feasible. A dead man was heavy, especially one as big as this, and it would slow them down. He quickly gathered the man's ammunition and grenades, and paused for a moment looking at his rifle. Everyone already had weapons, and bringing another one would just mean one more thing to carry. At the same time, he was loathe to leave it behind where it would help the enemy. Ryan settled for removing the bolt, shoving it into his pack, then picked up the doc's med bag and looped it over one shoulder.
He stood and turned to his men.
"Doc's dead," he said simply, his voice subdued. He tossed his gear on the ground in front of the men, keeping a magazine and grenade for himself. "Share this out. I'll carry his bag. Trap a Cong or two, if you like, but leave the doc's body alone. I won't blow apart one of our dead, not even to kill a few Vietnamese."
Ryan spit a thick stream of tobacco juice onto the ground and turned away, leaving his men to it. He let them work for a few moments more, brooding in silence, then waved them over.
"Alright. We need to get a move on." He nodded at the other tall newcomer, the Irishman. "I'm Sergeant First Class Davis. Welcome to the shit show. The others you can get acquainted with on the move, we ain't got time for introductions. Good work pitching in when the shit was hot, though. The rest of you; we're heading the same direction we were before. Gotta find that river, and try to locate a village or something else we can pinpoint our location off of. I'll take point this round. Barnes, Derricks, Hoffman, put yourselves in the middle like last time. Pope, you take the rear with the new cat and Dodgers. Hoffman, I want you making calls every few minutes. Scan through the frequencies, try and get us in touch with anyone American. Then sound off to me if somebody picks up. Fall in, and let's move 'em out."
Without another word, Ryan set off into the jungle. He moved quickly but carefully, eyes sweeping for hidden dangers.</s>
<|message|>Anthony "Buck" Barnes
The new SMG had some sort of green finish on it, and a dead simple safety; you pulled the bolt back and snugged it up into a slot for it. The whole thing was a damn tube, everything real simple. Light and handy.
He had plenty of magazines for it via the supply services of zapped Charlie, and that's what counted. When the Sarge announced that one of their own was zapped and to share out the guy's equipment, he just watched with impassive eyes -- seen a motherfucker wasted in the bush once, and he'd probably see it again before he damn well died. He wanted a Newport, but this was Charlie's bad bush, and he'd heard legends about how the Cong could smell that smoke from a long way off. It probably didn't matter with the gunpowder going, but Barnes found that he was fuckin' well quitting here. All around was Charlie's bush, and he could feel the eyes on the back of his neck. Green everywhere, big ass hills and Charlie. If he weren't fighting for his life, he could grow to appreciate the scenery-- this was something you couldn't get in the goddamn Bronx. It was just too bad that it was Uncle Sam's tour and the guides had AK-47's.
When the Sarge said to trap a Cong, he got the feeling that he was speaking directly to Buck, who had learned how to do that. He didn't waste his own grenades, and used the Russian type the Cong carried instead. There wasn't all the time in the world, but he carefully set it up so the men with the most gear still on them were trapped, making recovering the equipment perilous.
Even so, there was a moment to make an observation to Bobby, quietly, "Yo man, all these VC man, it's only a matter of time before they get wise to us and really start to pile on the numbers."
Buck didn't have to like their chances in this situation, he just had to keep doing whatever he could to try and make it out alive. Life was sweet, and he didn't want to die in Charlie's fuckin' bush in goddamn Vietnam with boom-boom time on R&R in Subic so close he could taste it.</s>
<|message|>Thomas "Tommy" Sullivan
Tommy stood up, having collected enough magazines to last for a while. As he turned around, he saw the Sergeant down near a body, he looked over, and then the sergeant stood back up, "Doc's dead," he told everybody.
Thomas couldn't believe what he had been told, "Shit," he said, "How did we not..." Tommy didn't finish his sentence, he couldn't continue speaking. He got out a cigarette from his pack and put it up to his lips, lighting it up and taking a deep breath.
After people had gone through the doc's stuff, Tommy followed his cigarette, throwing it down to the ground, trying to focus on getting out alive.</s>
<|message|>Chris Hoffman
"Good. Nice shootin' there, Private."
Chris jerked his head in a nod at the Sergeant's praise. For a moment he thought that Davis meant his execution of the wounded VC but he realized he meant in the firefight. Breathing out, he relaxed slightly, the young private watching the others gather the goods. God, he wanted a cigarette, even better one of the joints he had secreted among the menthol Kools. Mellowing out sounded good after the mad rush of adrenaline but they still had a long way to go. As he took a drink from his canteen he heard the Sarge's announcement of the Doc's death.
He sighed, putting away his water to resist drinking it all. Chris looked at the body of the big man, it seemed so much more real than the scattered corpses of the enemy. Poor dude bought it. Chris felt a moment of relief, that it had not been him. No bullet had his name on it during that fight. Taking off his helmet, he rubbed a hand through his sweaty hair. Glancing at the others he could see the strain in their faces but he was glad to be with them. Everyone seemed to have their shit wired tight and he was the most cherry of them all. With Davis leading them, they could make it out of this green hell, maybe even by the end of the day.
At the orders, he fell in line behind Davis, grateful to finally be allowed to use the radio. With a grin, he set his helmet back in place, hooking the M-16 over his shoulder as he began to check frequencies. Static hissed and clicked but nothing was caught, it could be the jungle. Chris fussed with the antenna while he walked, but none of the presets worked.
"Bummer," he said, hearing nothing he could zero in on as he checked the channels. "Might be outta range, Sarge. Or too low."
Chris had a long range antenna and could attach it though it would make him a nice target. It had a range of 18 miles and could deal with the elevation better than the standard short range. His battery was still good and he kept spares in an ammo can. The handset always worried him though, the surfer kept it wrapped in plastic, rubberbanded at the bottom to keep the moisture out of the sensitive microphone. Listening to the squeaks and white noise, Chris reached back to get the long antenna out.</s>
<|message|>Elijah Dodgers
Dodge grimaced for a moment. Hearing that the Doc was dead. Awful shit. It had been a good day, until they'd been shot down. It was one thing being on a search and destroy mission, but this was just survival and evasion. The Congs were everywhere, like white on rice. It was worse than the wild west out here. And the heat... sure they were in the shade but there was no air, and the jungle was like a thick, hot sauna that they probably weren't getting out of anytime soon.
As traps were laid and the Doc's things were shared out, Dodge stayed on security detail, watching the jungle, serving as vanguard, ready for another attack. As the Sergeant called for them to get on the move, he formed back up at the ass-end again. Staying silent... Everybody else wanted to talk, make noise, smoke a cigarette. Dodgers kept his mouth shut, listening for the Cong he knew would be coming. That firefight could have been heard for miles, and they were already hunted.
As they moved out, he pulled his magazine out, checking it over, then put it back in. They had a long way to go, he was pretty sure, and there would be more shooting. More killing. He'd already put down six by his estimation for the day, since they'd crashed. Probably not as high as some, but he wasn't about to push his luck too much, otherwise it would run out.
He could feel sweat trickling down his back now. Under the rotors of the choppers, a hundred feet in the air there had been plenty of wind to help cool him off. Even back home in the semi-arid desert of the Texas Panhandle, there was enough air most days, a breeze most of the time, to cut off the sweat, and the humidity was low enough in thie hottest months to make it bearable. Here it was the same kind of temperatures, but there was no evaporation, so no cooling... no wind. The jungle was suffocatingly hot. At least he had it better than some of the boys in the unit, being used to hot.
As they walked, he continued to follow the footsteps of the others, walking where they walked as best he could, keeping an eye out for Two Step snakes and cobras, tripwires and pitfalls while keeping one eye and one ear out for signs of pursuit, listening for the telltale sounds of one of their parting gifts being set off. He kept a watchful eye for ghostly figures moving in the hazy sunbeams of light and mist when he could.</s>
| <|message|>Robert "Bobby D." Derricks
"-- I swear to god, man, mamma-san had a dick bigger than mine. When I saw that shit, I got out there ricky fucking tick. First and last time I'll go into a Saigon whorehouse."
Bobby finished his story and exhaled cigarette smoke as they humped it through the jungle in formation with the rest of the squad. He'd bummed a Newport off Buck on the promise he'd pay him back when they got to camp. Even though he lost his sidearm during the crash, Bobby had managed to keep his aviators and wore them on his face as they walked. The revolver tucked in his waistband was purely from hunger, but it'd do. He did a quick rundown of the ammo left for the pig and wasn't too optimistic about what might happen if they stayed in the bush through tonight and tomorrow.</s> |
<|description|>Daniel "Danny/Danno" Pope
Age: 28
Gender: Male
Rank: Sergeant
Ethnicity/Nationality: Caucasian-American
Physical Description:
Daniel stands 6'2" and weighs in at about 195 lbs. His time in the military has given him quite a hard and toned frame as a result, which can be seen here. As a result of the sun that constantly beats down on Vietnam, Daniel has tanned slightly despite his ethnicity's stereotype of not tanning very easily.
Skillset: Danny is capable of keeping a cool head in times of extreme stress, able to dictate orders rationally if needed to. He also has experience in recognizing NVA/VC strategies and being able to figure out a way to counter them if he needs to. He is trained as a rifleman.
History:
Daniel Pope was born in San Francisco, California on April 17th, 1939 to a nurse and a soon-to-be World War 2 veteran, who would be fighting against the Japanese during the Allied Powers' island-hopping stint. He had one older sister, and a younger brother that would come along within some time. After his dad came home from the war, he had a relatively normal upbringing, definitely filled with stories about his time in the war. As a result, Danny had been really particular towards the military. His dad was his hero growing up, and pretty much inspired his conscription into the military.
As soon as he graduated high school, he immediately enlisted into the Army, where he was sent to boot camp. His enlistment allowed him some time in between for him to get acquainted with the military setting, base life and whatnot. Being on a base was also where he would meet his wife, Marie Thompson in 1960. With her, he would have a daughter born in 1961. However, in 1963 he received a letter that pretty much told him he would be going to Vietnam. The timing of the letter was rather unfortunate, as he had a second daughter along the way, but he knew his duty as a soldier. He had served two tours previously before coming to the 1st Cavalry, bringing along his expertise and familiarity with the operation of the Vietcong and NVA.
Equipment:
* M16A1 Assault Rifle
* Colt M1911A1
* M1942 Machete
* Gerber MkII Combat Knife
* Standard-Issue Army Fatigues, Boots, Load Bearer, and Helmet
* Backpack with god knows what inside.
* Picture of his wife and two daughters as a personal effect
* Fingerless gloves just in case he sweat too much for him to hold his gun properly</s>
<|message|>Anthony "Buck" Barnes
The smoke cleared after that; brief and intense firefight that left Buck soaked in sweat, shaking and sucking down the air, fouled with powder and gasoline fumes, as he quickly loaded three rounds into the shotgun to replace the ones he'd expended, and then another, because he had a round racked in the old shotgun anyway. He watched those flares go up with impassive eyes knowing what that shit meant -- his eyes shifted over to Bobby, to see if he needed another belt. They were in some deep shit in this place, with a crashed helicopter and a flare going up. The shakes always happened and, strangely enough, they never went to his hands. It was like his knees had to rattle a bit, just to vent off some of the extra tension. Barnes didn't care -- some guy made a comment about it when they'd just gotten in-country, another new guy like him, and then the dude got blown up when he grabbed an ammo can full of papers on a village search. Click, boom went the trap that he'd stepped on.
And Barnes was still here, still shaking.
The thing was, Barnes was a fairly tall guy, but skinny and the 'Nam was taking that off him, leaving him wiry and tough, but he humped extra ammo with no complaint, because he knew that the pig was one of the great advantages in the jungle.
He used his towel to swab off the sweat from his brow, then stuffed it back along his neck, but it didn't really help -- they were on foot in the jungle, cut off, at least until An Khe realized they were gone, maybe the chopper pilot got a radio call out, and search and rescue started up.
That wasn't gonna help them now, though and this place wasn't safe at all. "Man, this place is about to be crawlin' with beaucoup VC in a hot fuckin' minute," he observed quietly to Bobby, keeping his eyes toward the tree line, scanning the area for movement. He'd managed to stay alive three and a months in Vietnam. It was one thing to get wasted a couple days in, but the idea of getting zapped after you've been in, this close to in country R&R, was far more horrific. He couldn't imagine what it would be like a couple weeks out from returning to the World. He didn't think about the World very much right now, because it was just excessively painful to do so.</s>
<|message|>Robert "Bobby D." Derricks
"Let 'em come, baby," Bobby said with a wink towards Buck. "Bobby D. got something for their asses."
He was glad he was working the pig. It was heavy enough that it acted as an anchor for his body. He knew Buck got the shakes when the shit got heavy and who the fuck wouldn't? If not for the pig Bobby would look like he had epilepsy he would shake so bad. Jack Johnson helped hide his fear. The skinny guy with the big gun and even bigger mouth who told everyone that his first act back home would be to do Lynda Bird Johnson in the Oval Office, right in front of her daddy. LBJ fucked all of us, he told them, so Imma fuck his daughter. The truth was that as soon as he got home he would kiss the ground and never ever fucking leave St. Louis again.
"I'm good," he told Buck after he made sure the ammo belt still had plenty of rounds. "Jack's ready to chew up the next round of Dinks."</s>
<|message|>Chris Hoffman
After the second explosion and the grunting Pig, there was little left of the VC that had charged toward them. Chris had shot another, he had watched the red blossom on the man's chest before he fell. When the distinctive popping of the AKs died down, he felt a thrill that they had won and he smiled a toothy grin.
"Hey, man, I got one!" he exclaimed just as the flare exploded in the sky. His laughter died and he huffed a breath, even dying Charlie was an asshole.
If the grenades and gunfire did not zero in their position then the flare certainly would, it was likely a known signal and soon the trees around them would be full of the enemy. Chris rubbed the sweat from his brow, cleaning his glasses on his t-shirt before glancing at the two black men next to him. He felt that slight trembling in the limbs and the pounding of his heart. It was a rush to be in combat, to be at the edge of death and look right at it and spit in it's face. Not this time, bro. It was like shredding a heavy and coming out the other side and Chris had come to realize not long after getting over just being shit scared was that he was starting to enjoy the shot of adrenaline that came with a gunfight. It was ass puckering for sure but what fun things in life weren't? In the quiet moments it bothered him that he might like it too much, but his dad had told him not to be a coward and disgrace him anymore than he already had. Well, fuck it, Dad. Chalk another body up for you, he thought. It was only when he thought of Diana that he felt a little bad. Touching the silver ring around his finger, he tried not to remember her and concentrate on the job they would have when more VC showed up to the party.
"Chuck's gonna choke on that pork," he said, with a small chuckle at his own joke before reaching for his radio and shooting a look towards Davis. "Hey, Sarge? Wanna make a phone call and maybe arrange for a ride?"</s>
<|message|>Elijah Dodgers
As the echoes died down from the report of gunfire and grenades, one of which he was guilty of, Elijah made sure he was reloaded, then glanced around. Seeing no more movement, he shuddered a bit. Scooting around, he peered into the gory mess that was the cockpit then sighed. "Guess we don't have to scuttle the chopper. The radio is down, and nothing else looks like it's salvageable," he reported. Gingerly he searched the bodies and pulled a couple pistol mags from them, slipping them into a pocket.
Pulling off his ALICE pack, he opened the top flap and pulled out his boonie hat and put it on. With his pack ratcheted back down he squinted a little. For the moment, he wasn't giving much thought to the situation. It was just another day in Charlie's outhouse. The whole thing was a shit sandwich as far as he was concerned. His hands were shaking a bit, but he felt exhilarated, alive and ready for more. "What's the play, Sergeant. Think we got time to scavenge or we just gonna book it?"
The jungle would be crawling with VC. That much was certain, but he also knew if they just picked a direction and ran for it, they wouldn't get very far. If they stayed at the crash site playing with their dicks for too long, the VC would swarm them like ants, and then it wouldn't matter how many grenades and ammo they had. Right now they had a fair bit of gear strapped to them, but it wouldn't last. The dead, of course, had more. That was why he'd taken a couple mags from the pilots for his pistol. Already he was thinking about putting a grenade in his pocket... just in case it looked like he might wind up in Charlie's hands. One last present from Uncle Sam, right? Not right now though. Thing's weren't nearly that bad.</s>
<|message|>Ryan Davis
Ryan flicked his rifle back to safe, cursing as the flare arced overhead. He hadn't had a chance to shoot more than two rounds; the grenade had shredded the first three VC, and his boys had laid out enough disciplined fire to put down the charging line quickly and efficiently. When the echoing gunfire ceased he wasted no time, dropping to a knee and digging his map out of his map and compass out of his cargo pocket.
"Hey, Sarge? Wanna make a phone call and maybe arrange for a ride?"
"No time," he said shortly, waving off his radioman. Instead he quickly oriented the map with the compass, using the locations of a few known landmarks he'd seen on the flight in to triangulate their position as best he could. It wouldn't be perfect, but it would give him an idea of where they were, and where they needed to go.
After a moment or two he pointed one finger at the map.
"Okay, we're about here, give or take some milage. The Cong came from the West...So...Over here. Maybe this village." He indicated the spot.
"There's a river out here to the East...Got some clearings, might make for a good LZ. Couple villages, too…"
He stared at the map for a brief moment, then folded it up and crammed it back into his cargo pocket.
"Alright. First thing's first. We've gotta clear this LZ most ricky-tick. Charlie and his boys will be here any time, following that flare. We need to move East, towards that river. If we can find some open ground, I'll try and call back for an extract, but our main goal is finding somewhere to hide ourselves so I can get a better grip on our pos. If we can spot a village I can figure the rest out from there, but I can't get a solid fix from fuckin' trees."
He pointed at Sgt Pope.
"Pope, you're on point. Eyes peeled, head on a swivel, and watch the fuckin' ground. I don't think there'll be a random trip-wire this far out in the boonies, but there's no sense not playing safe. Everyone else, give me a staggered column behind him. Six meters dispersion, watching your footing. We need to move quick but careful."
Ryan looked to Buck. "Barnes, you're next in line. Derricks, behind him. I want that gun where we can deploy it forward or back. Then it's Hoffman, me, and Dodgers. Dodgers, you'll be at the rear. You'll be able to hear Charlie coming before the rest of us, and if he starts catching up you bust out Thumper and drop a forty-mike down his throat. Shit goes dinky dau, pop some smoke. We don't have the numbers for a stand-up fight."
He stood and hefted his rifle, adjusting his helmet on his head.
"Okay boys. Move 'em out. We're gonna show these motherfuckers why Uncle Sam sends Cav to do the hard shit."</s>
| <|message|>Daniel "Danny/Danno" Pope
As the firefight settled, Daniel scanned the environment in front of him just to make sure that there were no survivors. If there was one thing American forces liked to know, it was knowing that there was nothing but dead Charlie. A dead tango was the only tango they liked, and with this particular kind, they tended to be nasty and killing them was the best way to make sure they wouldn't do much damage. Those sons of bitches knew what they were doing against the Americans, and boy, did it work. The helicopter right in front of Daniel acted a testament to that. And that was only one out of a hundred instances just like that. As soon as the environment was deemed clear, Daniel put his M16A1 on safe. Right now, bullets were the most important thing someone could have in an environment like this. All but one bullet would go to Charlie, the last one, on the other hand, would go straight back to sender.
Daniel backed up to First Sergeant Davis's position, crouching down and peering at the map from time to time as he got settled. He did figure out their current location pretty well, which was a good thing considering the nature of the situation they were right now. At least they had their bearings, and that was a valuable piece of information. As First Sergeant Davis dictated his instructions and where exactly they were, Sgt. Pope was put on point. Perfect, at least then he would be able to put his skills to use, finding out whatever booby trap they had. As everyone got lined up, Daniel switched his fire selector to semi-automatic, knowing that having firepower at an immediate notice was a very valuable asset.
Daniel took out his compass and pointed himself due east, signaling for everyone to line up on him as he commenced the traversing towards the river. "Alright guys, on me! We're going to take this nice and easy." He said, pointing his gun and walking forward, careful to maintain his proper footing. He had to be on high alert constantly, never knew when there could be one of those damned traps. It was unlikely this close to here, but it was better safe than sorry.</s> |
<|description|>Daniel "Danny/Danno" Pope
Age: 28
Gender: Male
Rank: Sergeant
Ethnicity/Nationality: Caucasian-American
Physical Description:
Daniel stands 6'2" and weighs in at about 195 lbs. His time in the military has given him quite a hard and toned frame as a result, which can be seen here. As a result of the sun that constantly beats down on Vietnam, Daniel has tanned slightly despite his ethnicity's stereotype of not tanning very easily.
Skillset: Danny is capable of keeping a cool head in times of extreme stress, able to dictate orders rationally if needed to. He also has experience in recognizing NVA/VC strategies and being able to figure out a way to counter them if he needs to. He is trained as a rifleman.
History:
Daniel Pope was born in San Francisco, California on April 17th, 1939 to a nurse and a soon-to-be World War 2 veteran, who would be fighting against the Japanese during the Allied Powers' island-hopping stint. He had one older sister, and a younger brother that would come along within some time. After his dad came home from the war, he had a relatively normal upbringing, definitely filled with stories about his time in the war. As a result, Danny had been really particular towards the military. His dad was his hero growing up, and pretty much inspired his conscription into the military.
As soon as he graduated high school, he immediately enlisted into the Army, where he was sent to boot camp. His enlistment allowed him some time in between for him to get acquainted with the military setting, base life and whatnot. Being on a base was also where he would meet his wife, Marie Thompson in 1960. With her, he would have a daughter born in 1961. However, in 1963 he received a letter that pretty much told him he would be going to Vietnam. The timing of the letter was rather unfortunate, as he had a second daughter along the way, but he knew his duty as a soldier. He had served two tours previously before coming to the 1st Cavalry, bringing along his expertise and familiarity with the operation of the Vietcong and NVA.
Equipment:
* M16A1 Assault Rifle
* Colt M1911A1
* M1942 Machete
* Gerber MkII Combat Knife
* Standard-Issue Army Fatigues, Boots, Load Bearer, and Helmet
* Backpack with god knows what inside.
* Picture of his wife and two daughters as a personal effect
* Fingerless gloves just in case he sweat too much for him to hold his gun properly</s>
<|message|>Wyatt Parker
Wyatt jumped out of the helicopter, which was going to make a crash landing nearby the jungle. There were only two parachutes on the helicopter and Wyatt grabbed one, as he was the most important person in the helicopter- besides the guy with the radio. He didn't know what happened next as he jumped out of the helicopter and soon opened his parachute up. Soon, he was stuck on top of the jungle trees as it got caught in the tree branches. He got used to the jungle by now, as he had been in this hellhole since the start of the war.
He soon grabbed his knife from his pocket and started to cut the ropes for the parachute. He got done cutting as soon as he fell towards the ground, of course he landed on his sides and breathed heavily as he felt the heat of the jungle. He put his knife back in his pocket as he tried to remember where the helicopter was going to land. He began to walk northward, thinking that was the way that the helicopter was going to land on. He kept on a moment until he almost stepped on one of those punji stakes, which he had weekly soldiers that had landed in the stakes. The stake wasn't camouflaged, which meant that the threat is nearby.
Before he could react to the trap, he was hit in the behind and soon landed on the ground near the stake. He began to walk around as he heard footsteps, not his own footsteps, and soon grabbed his pistol. Before he could get a grip on it, he was tackled by someone and soon they were on the ground. Wyatt punched the guy as many times as he could; but, he could just get the guy to let go as he soon was on top of Wyatt. He began to get punched as he tried to reach for his gun on the ground next to him. He got a hold of the gun and aimed the guy, which he fired and the bullet went right pass his arm.
The Charlie soon fell to the ground and began to shout something at Wyatt as he grabbed his pistol and rushed away from the guy. He soon was lost as more shouting was heard and then he decided to stop, thinking that it was pointless to run for them. He aimed his pistol and shout out loud, "You will never get me!". As soon as Wyatt saw a Huey rushing towards him, he fired and saw the guy dropped to the ground. Dead or not, he wasn't going to move anytime soon, as Wyatt began to shoot at the Charlies. Most of the time he would miss and sometimes he would hit him near the chest area. He wasn't waiting his time to aim at the head; but, he wanted them to get away from him. That didn't happened as Wyatt was tacked by two guys. His pistol was now gone within the darkness of the jungle, he was ready to surrender and accept his defeat.
"I surrender." Wyatt said shamefully and in an upset tone as he was kicked in the chest about eight times before the other Charlies made him stop. Wyatt knew that he got it coming from shooting at their 'friends' and he soon was punched in the face. They One of the Charlies was on top of Wyatt as he kept punching and punching until he lost sight in one of his eyes. The Charlies was clearly shouting and laughing as they beat Wyatt up. He decided to make a shout for help, thinking that the guys in the helicopter would in the jungle by now.
"I said I surrender, you slope eyed mo-" he tried to shout before he was punched in the face once more. They were laughing and one of them shoved the other in a joking matter. They made Wyatt sit on his knees and they were about to kick him once more; but, they began to drop dead as gunshots rang out. With one eye, he saw Tommy walking towards him and Wyatt gave him a bloody smile as he was helped up by Tommy. He walked over and grabbed his things as Tommy handed him a M16 replacement. It wasn't the same; but, it was a good gun to use in the jungle.
When Tommy tried to talk to Wyatt about the rest of the Charlie's occupants, he just shook his head. He was just trying to take in the damaged eye, which caused him to not speak for that second. And when it was all too peaceful, gunshots were heard once more. Before he could react, Tommy quickly grabbed him and ran for them. He didn't know what to do about him being dragged; but, a least his life was being saved again.
They were running for the Charlies, their bullets, and the shouting for what seem to be hours until they crashed into another person. Thankfully, he was an American. Then he was grabbed and pushed into cover by someone. It was too much it take in and he had been in Vietnam since the war started.
He dropped his M16 to try to breath for a bit until he turned his head to see the other Americans, fighting back against the Charlies. He had to fight aside them, so he got up and grabbed his M16. He walked towards Ryan and began to fire at the enemy with his damaged eye. He said to Chris as he was firing, "I want to help you guys kick their asses.".</s>
<|message|>Thomas "Tommy" Sullivan
Thomas nearly ran into Sergeant Ryan and his men, nearly shouting out loud before he stopped, throwing himself into the undergrowth.
There was crossfire going everywhere, with the Americans firing at all directions towards the Charlies. Tommy loaded up his rifle, taking the safety off, and began to shot carefully at the men in conical hats.
"Sarge!" he shouted in his Irish accent, "What do you want me to do!?"
Thomas had to cover himself from all angles, and missed quite a few shots. This didn't deter him from attacking the VC, though.</s>
<|message|>Elijah Dodgers
"Hooah," Dodgers said, peering through the haze of humidity underbrush and all the visual garbage. He could make out the black pajamas and conical coolie hats. Raising Thumper he sighted in the approximate range. One of the VC raised up and had began to charge out there on the left side. -You-. It was his only thought as Dodgers triggered the grenade launcher. It bucked slightly with it's customary th00mp! A forty millimeter grenade shot across the distance so fast that it was nigh invisible. Being directly behind it's flight path Dodge could see it though. It arced gently, rising a little, and then coming down to hit the VC in the chest. A bright orange-white flash of the explosion threw human hamburger in all directions, adding to the shrapnel with human bone fragments and teeth.
Two other VC went down, one of them with a spurt of blood from the neck, the next one over... blood leaking from his ears, a side effect of the pressure wave and concussion. Dead or dying? Dodge wasn't sure, maybe just got his eardrums ruptured, but still... The firing stopped for a few moments in surprise and shock, at least from the VC boys. The poor Cong had exploded like he'd been hit by an angry god.
Dodge simply slipped another grenade from his bandolier and put it in Thumper. "Ya want another Sarge, I only have four left, one in the tube," he said in between ripples of gunfire.
At the moment he was crouched down by a tree that was almost three feet thick. Had he had time to really marvel at it he would have. For the moment it was his shelter in the rain of metal death, but most of the fire hadn't been directed his way. Now though, bark began to explode off the sides of the tree, while the dirt rippled around, and the bush was torn up, some of it beginning to fall.</s>
<|message|>Ryan Davis
"Ya want another Sarge, I only have four left, one in the tube,"
Ryan scanned the enemy. The fire was slackening, Viet Cong diving for cover under the effective suppressing fire from Derricks and his beloved Jack Johnson. The grenade had done its work as well, shredding one Charlie and putting two others out of commission.
"Negative," he called to Dodgers. "Save 'em. Switch to your rifle, help Derricks pin 'em down!"
He quickly evaluated the situation. The left flank had been decimated, most of the enemies near the grenade blast having scuttled towards the right side of the line. The Cong there were effectively pinned down. If he had more men and more ammunition, he'd have kept the squad in place and continued whittling away at the enemy, but he didn't have that luxury. Their guns would run dry sooner rather than later, the M60 in particular, and that would spell disaster. It was time for a calculated risk.
Fire-and-maneuver was a mainstay of the US Army infantry, and something they drilled constantly in training. If they were to have any hope of seeing the World again, risk had to be weighed against reward. It would be dangerous, but if they were quick and vicious and used the trees as cover, they'd have a clear shot at the enemy from their unprotected right flank. Executed properly, it would be a close-range slaughter.
Ryan took a breath, fighting down the flutter of fear that twisted his gut, then quickly bear-crawled to his right. He hauled himself upright behind a thick, solid tree, then began calling commands.
"Hoffman! Stay put, keep picking targets! You, Doc!" he pointed at the tall medic, easily identifiable by the med-bag on his back. "Stay in cover, but start putting rounds down range. Help suppress them."
He scanned his remaining men, then pointed at the other tall newcomer, the one with the Irish lilt.
"You, you're with me. Pope, you too! Get over here to my position, we're gonna flank these motherfuckers. Derricks, once we head off give us a five-count, then hit Charlie with a 40-round spray; I want full suppression! Then slow down and pick your targets, start spraying at individuals who poke their heads out. Barnes, you come with the flanking team. Let's put that shotty to use. Move it out, gents, we need to end this now!"</s>
<|message|>Elijah Dodgers
Thumper was loaded, but Dodge transitioned to his M16. Selector was set to semi auto with the flick of a thumb and he sighted up, getting his sight picture. Edging around the right of his tree, he poked his barrel out and waited for Charlie to pop his head out. One did, the coolie hat popping up just enough for eyes to peer over the log. Giving a partial exhale, and feeling his pulse he waited just long enough to catch the space and squeezed on the trigger. The gun barked and bucked once, but not nearly as bad as some of the hunting rifles he'd shot back home.
His aim was for the brim of the hat. Aim small, miss small. Least that was what he had been taught. A dark spot appeared on the straw hat just above the brim, centerline just before it disappeared below the log. "Come on," he said quietly, his voice low, barely above a whisper. "Step out and meet Jesus..." he challenged Charlie across the wya though mostly he was talking to himself.
Just as he suspected another was bout to pop up for a pop shot, he squeezed the trigger again. Becca bucked against his shoulder, spitting a little bit of brass off to the side. Air was the only thing in the immediate vicinity tha he hit, but it might well make them keep their heads down.</s>
| <|message|>Daniel "Danny/Danno" Pope
Daniel maintained his position, squeezing off shots wherever he could at any Charlie he could see. These sons of bitches sure were everywhere, but they were going down faster than one could blink. The M60 definitely did a good job at suppressing these guys, which took a load of pressure off of everyone else squeezing off shots one-by-one from their M16s. It also definitely did people favors, if one of them jammed (which they inevitably will), they had time to clear the issue. The Sergeant had already situated himself behind a log, which was plenty good cover, considering it was about 3 feet thick. While everyone else was busy firing away, Daniel was simply popping controlled shots at anyone he could see. With every few shots he could see some Charlie fall. However, he didn't know if that was him, but he was damn sure he was at least contributing. The steady popping from his M16 allowed him to get into a rhythm, being able to recognize a target and firing on them almost immediately. It was pretty nice, knowing that they actually were holding off this swarm of Vietcong.
Before long though, he could hear First Sergeant Davis dishing out orders. As he dictated who did what, Daniel maintained a mental list and keeping track of who went where. As he heard his name called out, he looked over to where Davis was. He turned back to the firefight going on in front of him. He squeezed off a few more shots before backing away from his spot, moving over to where their leader was. He was ready to execute a flanking maneuver, eager to end this firefight as soon as possible.</s> |
<|description|>Daniel "Danny/Danno" Pope
Age: 28
Gender: Male
Rank: Sergeant
Ethnicity/Nationality: Caucasian-American
Physical Description:
Daniel stands 6'2" and weighs in at about 195 lbs. His time in the military has given him quite a hard and toned frame as a result, which can be seen here. As a result of the sun that constantly beats down on Vietnam, Daniel has tanned slightly despite his ethnicity's stereotype of not tanning very easily.
Skillset: Danny is capable of keeping a cool head in times of extreme stress, able to dictate orders rationally if needed to. He also has experience in recognizing NVA/VC strategies and being able to figure out a way to counter them if he needs to. He is trained as a rifleman.
History:
Daniel Pope was born in San Francisco, California on April 17th, 1939 to a nurse and a soon-to-be World War 2 veteran, who would be fighting against the Japanese during the Allied Powers' island-hopping stint. He had one older sister, and a younger brother that would come along within some time. After his dad came home from the war, he had a relatively normal upbringing, definitely filled with stories about his time in the war. As a result, Danny had been really particular towards the military. His dad was his hero growing up, and pretty much inspired his conscription into the military.
As soon as he graduated high school, he immediately enlisted into the Army, where he was sent to boot camp. His enlistment allowed him some time in between for him to get acquainted with the military setting, base life and whatnot. Being on a base was also where he would meet his wife, Marie Thompson in 1960. With her, he would have a daughter born in 1961. However, in 1963 he received a letter that pretty much told him he would be going to Vietnam. The timing of the letter was rather unfortunate, as he had a second daughter along the way, but he knew his duty as a soldier. He had served two tours previously before coming to the 1st Cavalry, bringing along his expertise and familiarity with the operation of the Vietcong and NVA.
Equipment:
* M16A1 Assault Rifle
* Colt M1911A1
* M1942 Machete
* Gerber MkII Combat Knife
* Standard-Issue Army Fatigues, Boots, Load Bearer, and Helmet
* Backpack with god knows what inside.
* Picture of his wife and two daughters as a personal effect
* Fingerless gloves just in case he sweat too much for him to hold his gun properly</s>
<|message|>Robert "Bobby D." Derricks
Bobby laid off the pig while the rest of the squad rooted through the dead dink's shit. He heard the sarge say something about AK's and ammo and looked at his own supplies.
"Shit," he said when he saw what was left.
He wasn't down to nothing, but he couldn't be as free with the fire as he liked since there was no telling how many VC fucks lay between here and the next outpost of civilization. He and Buck would have to economize what was left and he would have to aim really carefully.
"Don't fire until you see the whites of their motherfucking eyes," he said to himself before yelling to the others gathered around the dinks. "Hey, somebody get me one of their weapons. I lost my goddamn pistol when the Huey went down."</s>
<|message|>Elijah Dodgers
Dodge only spent a few more rounds, really only taking shots at confirmed targets. He knew ammo was going to be a premium, and it always went wayyyy too fast... especially in the bush... especially with Charlie sniffing around.
When the element Sergeant Ryan had punched out to the side with opened up he doubled his rate of fire but only long enough to keep things nailed down. Finally, he clicked down on an empty chamber, the bolt kicked back and open. He'd known it was coming up. The last three shots had been tracers, sending golden rays of light over the heads of the dinks behind their cover.
The cease fire order had come through just in time, and he took the moment to reload. "Reloading," he called to his buddies from behind the tree he'd been using for a shield. A press of a button ejected the mag and a new one was slapped in place. The old one was put back. Leave nothing behind, avoid leaving sign if he could, that was the thought.
Standing up, he began to advance on the position of the downed VC fighters, watching the jungle floor for shine off of lines, matted places, and where he couldn't generally see the dirt. Besides tiger traps, there were punji traps and other dangers. Last thing he needed was for a cobra to latch onto his foot the minute he got cocky.
Once the distance had been crossed safely he began checking over the bodies. He came up with 7.62 ammo in several mags, as well as picking up an AK which he function-checked quickly. Seeing as it was in good order, he took the heavier rifle and slung it, then stashed two extra mags.
Soon after he began searching them for anything else that would be of use or would tell them anything. Intelligence they could use. Most of them had nothing but beans and rice, and extra bullets in the storage cord rolls. Reaching down he picked up another AK, pulling a hand grenade out, only to pull the pin, then working carefully, put the grenade under the rifle with the weapon holding the spoon in place. If it were disturbed or picked up, the VC would have another surprise.</s>
<|message|>Anthony "Buck" Barnes
Barnes was following orders, but he always took that extra second to place his shots. Sure, you could blast away in close quarters, but this was at a bit of range, and accuracy counted even with a shotgun. It wasn't sawed off and it had a limited spread. But he was there on the assault, the adrenaline surging through him; when he saw a Cong move, he swiveled and fired.
Fire, rack, fire, rack, fire, rack. There was something solid and reassuring about the way the shotgun chambered shells. He wasn't sure if he killed anything, he wasn't looking to see if the rounds hit, because he was too busy avoiding enemy fire after letting a round off.
That close, the Cong were taken off their feet, rattled by the intense sound of so many weapons firing at them, a withering amount of fire scything through the jungle foliage. Even if 5.56 and #4 buck weren't the most powerful of rounds, the volume of fire, and the accumulated noise were enough to put them off their movement; they'd caught them as they were trying to move and that was when any group was most vulnerable, as they tried to move to attack in one direction, only to be caught on the flank. They'd committed and were caught on the wrong foot.
There was a momentary lull in the fighting, or maybe it was just plain over that damn fast, but Barnes was already in cover behind a tree stump and putting rounds into the magazine; he knew his supply was becoming limited, and that was a concern -- he didn't have a backup weapon.
The yell for cease fire couldn't come soon enough, but then they moved forward to check the bodies. "Sarge, maybe we take the hats, blend in a bit. We can always get rid of them if friendlies get in the area, but right now it's our asses hangin' out in the goddamn breeze here." For his part, Barnes was grabbing a couple Cong grenades, and...
"Well, I'll be a sonofabitch." Some of the Cong were armed with AK and SKS's, but one of them were carrying what sort of looked like a grease gun, but wasn't. Still, it was light and handy enough to carry with his shotgun, and there were a couple ammo pouches for it. Buck wasn't looking to be carrying a huge pack of looted equipment through the jungle.
Mindful of Bobby's need, he stripped a revolver and a canteen off another dead Cong and found his way back, "Charlie's gun and charlie's water. Drink up, brotha," he told Bobby after he popped the cork and got some down his own throat.
He was tempted to light a newport, but there probably wouldn't be time to smoke it anyway.</s>
<|message|>Chris Hoffman
The shout for ceasefire sounded far away, even in the barking voice of the Sarge, the sounds muffled in Chris' ringing ears. Giving his head a shake, he slowly rose, rifle still held tight in his hands. It was unreal, they had been unscathed in that hailstorm of bullets. He got to his feet, he had used up an entire magazine and half of another. That left three spares and hell of a lot of jungle between now and whenever they would reach the river and a possible LZ. He watched a few of the others strip weapons and ammo from the cluster of dead so he moved to join them. As he stepped over the log that had saved his ass, he heard a slight rustle and he snapped his head around. Among the underbrush he saw the sandaled foot of a VC pushing away, belly crawling from the scene. Chris glanced over but the Sarge was busy policing the bodies for ammo so he followed.
Chris pointed his weapon at the wounded man, he could see the leg of the Cong's black pajamas were soaked in blood as the man rolled over. He was well fucked, the white glisten of bone protruding from the man's shin and the odd twist of the lower leg proved that.
"Shit," the surfer muttered, pissed that he was still alive. They stared at each other, bright green eyes and dark slanted ones and Chris realized the man was more of a kid, probably about his age but it was hard to tell with the Vietnamese. He fingered the trigger of his M-16, thinking about Davis' orders to kill any wounded. This dude had to die, he thought, though it's not like he could run away with his leg broken in two. His hands trembled when he saw the guy reach up with his free hand toward his chest. Chris raised his gun but the VC shook his head and took out a chain that hung on his neck.
"What?" he asked when the dying man jabbered at him in his sing song language. "Shut up, come on, man. I don't want to see that."
Chris held the muzzle of the gun near the man's head as he held up a locket with a faded picture of a pretty girl, likely the dude's girlfriend and he thought of his girlfriend waiting back home. So this Chuck had a sweetheart, didn't they all? Gritting his teeth, he shook his head again, taking a deep breath as he put the muzzle of the rifle close. The wounded Cong reached up feebly as if his hand would stop the bullet. He could not leave him alive, broken leg or no. He could tell his backup where they went or maybe shoot at them. Who knew? Maybe he was the one that shot their chopper down and killed the pilots and crew, killed his buddies Jefferson and Anders. Chris had not allowed himself to think of them and he felt tears sting his eyes. Now was not the time. Glancing over the long grass he could hear the others getting ready to leave. He knew if he asked, the Sarge would do it for him but it was a coward's way out. And his dad at told him not to be a coward. For once he would do what his dad told him.
"Fuck it," he breathed out, "Sorry, Charlie."
Chris fired a single bullet into the man's forehead and he fell back, still clutching the photo. He left him there, picking up an AK 47 and two extra mags he found on another body. Rubbing his eyes under his glasses, he realized he had been crying and he flushed red with embarrassment. No one of the others seemed that upset. Chris covered it up, muttering about bark flying in his eyes as he rejoined them.
Spotting Davis, he ducked his head, watching where he stepped, "Good to go, Sarge. Prick didn't get touched."</s>
| <|message|>Daniel "Danny/Danno" Pope
Daniel stuck close behind his local first sergeant, making sure he was close to cover and not out in the open where Charlie could easily tear him apart. They had to be quick, without attracting attention towards them. The element of surprise is what really drove the dagger into Charlie - no matter the firepower they had, nobody could prepare for the sudden onslaught of bullets. Nobody had the reaction time to react to such a thing, which was why it was practically shock and awe. The Charlie had it coming to them - and Daniel was eager to squeeze a magazine into a bunch of Charlie.
After they moved close to the enemy, their sergeant took a moment to dictate what exactly the plan. The good thing was that the full-auto feature could finally be used on the M16A1 - the bad thing was that they couldn't really go willy-nilly. Now that he thought about the situation, it wasn't really that bad of a thing. Ammo was important, so being reckless was frowned upon. As soon as the gunner let loose and ripped apart a bunch of tangos with his machine gun, Daniel rose up from his position and proceeded to put 3-5 rounds of 5.56mm into every enemy he saw. The ensuing gunfire was deafening, but all he could see were Charlie dying and nobody around him falling. This was definitely a well executed tactic.
As the order to cease fire was given, Daniel put down his rifle, and all he could see were a bunch of dead soldiers. Daniel exhaled as he proceeded toward them, reloading his M16A1 in the process. He was running low on magazines for the weapon, which meant he had to find a replacement weapon, fast. An AK would've done very well, and thus he stripped one from a fallen soldier, taking as many magazines as he could from them and stuffing them into his pouches. "Load up, guys! These AKs will last us a while!" He shouted, gesturing to a couple near his location.</s> |
<|description|>Daniel "Danny/Danno" Pope
Age: 28
Gender: Male
Rank: Sergeant
Ethnicity/Nationality: Caucasian-American
Physical Description:
Daniel stands 6'2" and weighs in at about 195 lbs. His time in the military has given him quite a hard and toned frame as a result, which can be seen here. As a result of the sun that constantly beats down on Vietnam, Daniel has tanned slightly despite his ethnicity's stereotype of not tanning very easily.
Skillset: Danny is capable of keeping a cool head in times of extreme stress, able to dictate orders rationally if needed to. He also has experience in recognizing NVA/VC strategies and being able to figure out a way to counter them if he needs to. He is trained as a rifleman.
History:
Daniel Pope was born in San Francisco, California on April 17th, 1939 to a nurse and a soon-to-be World War 2 veteran, who would be fighting against the Japanese during the Allied Powers' island-hopping stint. He had one older sister, and a younger brother that would come along within some time. After his dad came home from the war, he had a relatively normal upbringing, definitely filled with stories about his time in the war. As a result, Danny had been really particular towards the military. His dad was his hero growing up, and pretty much inspired his conscription into the military.
As soon as he graduated high school, he immediately enlisted into the Army, where he was sent to boot camp. His enlistment allowed him some time in between for him to get acquainted with the military setting, base life and whatnot. Being on a base was also where he would meet his wife, Marie Thompson in 1960. With her, he would have a daughter born in 1961. However, in 1963 he received a letter that pretty much told him he would be going to Vietnam. The timing of the letter was rather unfortunate, as he had a second daughter along the way, but he knew his duty as a soldier. He had served two tours previously before coming to the 1st Cavalry, bringing along his expertise and familiarity with the operation of the Vietcong and NVA.
Equipment:
* M16A1 Assault Rifle
* Colt M1911A1
* M1942 Machete
* Gerber MkII Combat Knife
* Standard-Issue Army Fatigues, Boots, Load Bearer, and Helmet
* Backpack with god knows what inside.
* Picture of his wife and two daughters as a personal effect
* Fingerless gloves just in case he sweat too much for him to hold his gun properly</s>
<|message|>Anthony "Buck" Barnes
The new SMG had some sort of green finish on it, and a dead simple safety; you pulled the bolt back and snugged it up into a slot for it. The whole thing was a damn tube, everything real simple. Light and handy.
He had plenty of magazines for it via the supply services of zapped Charlie, and that's what counted. When the Sarge announced that one of their own was zapped and to share out the guy's equipment, he just watched with impassive eyes -- seen a motherfucker wasted in the bush once, and he'd probably see it again before he damn well died. He wanted a Newport, but this was Charlie's bad bush, and he'd heard legends about how the Cong could smell that smoke from a long way off. It probably didn't matter with the gunpowder going, but Barnes found that he was fuckin' well quitting here. All around was Charlie's bush, and he could feel the eyes on the back of his neck. Green everywhere, big ass hills and Charlie. If he weren't fighting for his life, he could grow to appreciate the scenery-- this was something you couldn't get in the goddamn Bronx. It was just too bad that it was Uncle Sam's tour and the guides had AK-47's.
When the Sarge said to trap a Cong, he got the feeling that he was speaking directly to Buck, who had learned how to do that. He didn't waste his own grenades, and used the Russian type the Cong carried instead. There wasn't all the time in the world, but he carefully set it up so the men with the most gear still on them were trapped, making recovering the equipment perilous.
Even so, there was a moment to make an observation to Bobby, quietly, "Yo man, all these VC man, it's only a matter of time before they get wise to us and really start to pile on the numbers."
Buck didn't have to like their chances in this situation, he just had to keep doing whatever he could to try and make it out alive. Life was sweet, and he didn't want to die in Charlie's fuckin' bush in goddamn Vietnam with boom-boom time on R&R in Subic so close he could taste it.</s>
<|message|>Thomas "Tommy" Sullivan
Tommy stood up, having collected enough magazines to last for a while. As he turned around, he saw the Sergeant down near a body, he looked over, and then the sergeant stood back up, "Doc's dead," he told everybody.
Thomas couldn't believe what he had been told, "Shit," he said, "How did we not..." Tommy didn't finish his sentence, he couldn't continue speaking. He got out a cigarette from his pack and put it up to his lips, lighting it up and taking a deep breath.
After people had gone through the doc's stuff, Tommy followed his cigarette, throwing it down to the ground, trying to focus on getting out alive.</s>
<|message|>Chris Hoffman
"Good. Nice shootin' there, Private."
Chris jerked his head in a nod at the Sergeant's praise. For a moment he thought that Davis meant his execution of the wounded VC but he realized he meant in the firefight. Breathing out, he relaxed slightly, the young private watching the others gather the goods. God, he wanted a cigarette, even better one of the joints he had secreted among the menthol Kools. Mellowing out sounded good after the mad rush of adrenaline but they still had a long way to go. As he took a drink from his canteen he heard the Sarge's announcement of the Doc's death.
He sighed, putting away his water to resist drinking it all. Chris looked at the body of the big man, it seemed so much more real than the scattered corpses of the enemy. Poor dude bought it. Chris felt a moment of relief, that it had not been him. No bullet had his name on it during that fight. Taking off his helmet, he rubbed a hand through his sweaty hair. Glancing at the others he could see the strain in their faces but he was glad to be with them. Everyone seemed to have their shit wired tight and he was the most cherry of them all. With Davis leading them, they could make it out of this green hell, maybe even by the end of the day.
At the orders, he fell in line behind Davis, grateful to finally be allowed to use the radio. With a grin, he set his helmet back in place, hooking the M-16 over his shoulder as he began to check frequencies. Static hissed and clicked but nothing was caught, it could be the jungle. Chris fussed with the antenna while he walked, but none of the presets worked.
"Bummer," he said, hearing nothing he could zero in on as he checked the channels. "Might be outta range, Sarge. Or too low."
Chris had a long range antenna and could attach it though it would make him a nice target. It had a range of 18 miles and could deal with the elevation better than the standard short range. His battery was still good and he kept spares in an ammo can. The handset always worried him though, the surfer kept it wrapped in plastic, rubberbanded at the bottom to keep the moisture out of the sensitive microphone. Listening to the squeaks and white noise, Chris reached back to get the long antenna out.</s>
<|message|>Elijah Dodgers
Dodge grimaced for a moment. Hearing that the Doc was dead. Awful shit. It had been a good day, until they'd been shot down. It was one thing being on a search and destroy mission, but this was just survival and evasion. The Congs were everywhere, like white on rice. It was worse than the wild west out here. And the heat... sure they were in the shade but there was no air, and the jungle was like a thick, hot sauna that they probably weren't getting out of anytime soon.
As traps were laid and the Doc's things were shared out, Dodge stayed on security detail, watching the jungle, serving as vanguard, ready for another attack. As the Sergeant called for them to get on the move, he formed back up at the ass-end again. Staying silent... Everybody else wanted to talk, make noise, smoke a cigarette. Dodgers kept his mouth shut, listening for the Cong he knew would be coming. That firefight could have been heard for miles, and they were already hunted.
As they moved out, he pulled his magazine out, checking it over, then put it back in. They had a long way to go, he was pretty sure, and there would be more shooting. More killing. He'd already put down six by his estimation for the day, since they'd crashed. Probably not as high as some, but he wasn't about to push his luck too much, otherwise it would run out.
He could feel sweat trickling down his back now. Under the rotors of the choppers, a hundred feet in the air there had been plenty of wind to help cool him off. Even back home in the semi-arid desert of the Texas Panhandle, there was enough air most days, a breeze most of the time, to cut off the sweat, and the humidity was low enough in thie hottest months to make it bearable. Here it was the same kind of temperatures, but there was no evaporation, so no cooling... no wind. The jungle was suffocatingly hot. At least he had it better than some of the boys in the unit, being used to hot.
As they walked, he continued to follow the footsteps of the others, walking where they walked as best he could, keeping an eye out for Two Step snakes and cobras, tripwires and pitfalls while keeping one eye and one ear out for signs of pursuit, listening for the telltale sounds of one of their parting gifts being set off. He kept a watchful eye for ghostly figures moving in the hazy sunbeams of light and mist when he could.</s>
<|message|>Robert "Bobby D." Derricks
"-- I swear to god, man, mamma-san had a dick bigger than mine. When I saw that shit, I got out there ricky fucking tick. First and last time I'll go into a Saigon whorehouse."
Bobby finished his story and exhaled cigarette smoke as they humped it through the jungle in formation with the rest of the squad. He'd bummed a Newport off Buck on the promise he'd pay him back when they got to camp. Even though he lost his sidearm during the crash, Bobby had managed to keep his aviators and wore them on his face as they walked. The revolver tucked in his waistband was purely from hunger, but it'd do. He did a quick rundown of the ammo left for the pig and wasn't too optimistic about what might happen if they stayed in the bush through tonight and tomorrow.</s>
<|message|>Chris Hoffman
Chris glanced over his shoulder at the machine gunner regaling them with his tale of near debauchery. He chuckled and shook his head, "Dude, I heard some of those girls are Charlie's bitches. Anders told me some of them stick a razor blade up their snatch. No thanks, between that and surprise dick, I'll pass. Gotta girl back home anyway."
He tried the buttons again but there as nothing, even when he tweaked the knobs. The RTO tried speaking into the mic, maybe someone could hear him, but there was no response. "Hey, Sarge, I got nothing."
It was frustrating and frightening to think they had no contact with the base. One of the benefits of humping the 25 pound radio was that it felt like a comfort, it was a life line and he could work it. Now it wasn't working. Taking a deep breath, he calmed himself and went through the troubleshooting once more. Chris was fairly sure if they got to higher ground, they could get something. They could not be that far away from any friendlies.</s>
<|message|>Anthony "Buck" Barnes
"Yeah, if they don't charge, they're VC, if they charge, wear a goddamn rubber unless you want to catch a dose." He found that out the hard way on some boom-boom at a steam and cream; pissing needles until he went to the doc and got a shot of antibiotic. "But man, they say the best pussy is Subic. Save your pay and get the gold plated muthafuckin' snatch there, god-damn!"
He was humping his shotgun, down on ammo but not too bad, yet, and the new SMG. It was light and handy enough, and it was something he could throw to Bobby when the Pig went up. He didn't have ammo belts anymore, so he still felt like he was humping a light load.
"Best of all, the Filipina senoritas won't slit your throat. Best boom-boom in the entire Pacific, can't even get that kind of groove going with round-eye nurses." That was a 'Nam fantasy, but not a reality -- the roundeye nurses were officers only, and that's only if you got lucky.</s>
| <|message|>Daniel "Danny/Danno" Pope
Daniel eventually finished scrounging through for supplies and ammo, having enough to kill a good amount of Charlie but not enough for him to be slow enough to be consumed by them. He considered it to be a good balance - and he figured he would give the sons-of-bitches a taste of their own weapons. A 7.62 round meant to kill Americans now turning against him? That was poetic justice, if you asked him. Charlie deserved no rest, no relent. Every single one of these people deserved to die. Ten Charlie for every American killed by their hands, it was a pretty good tradeoff for him.
It looked like Daniel had some shooting to do, as his heart sank to his feet upon hearing about Doc's death. He turned around and saw an American body. A clean shot through the head, instant death. He didn't bother scrounging through his body, he had a lot and decided to leave Doc for the others. Before long though, they had to get back into formation, with him taking the rear with Dodge and the new guy. He started walking with the others, making sure he had the rear secure and no Charlie could get a jump on him. Nobody would want that sort of thing at all, absolutely not. The story about the women here in Vietnam was rather humorous, Daniel had heard about stories like that all the time, but he didn't want any of that for himself. Absolutely not. He had a wife he was committed to, and not an entire ocean could break his commitment to his wife.</s> |
<|description|>Thomas "Tommy" Sullivan
Age: 28
Gender:Male
Rank:Corporal
Ethnicity/Nationality: White Irish-American
Physical Description:
Thomas stands at six foot seven, with some muscle mass that he has kept from his previous days in the army. He also has pale skin due to his Irish heriatage, and from living Ireland, which has caused him to get burned, but get a slight tan that can be comparable to the regular skin tone of some other soldiers. He has short hair, in order to keep with army rules, which is ginger, and also has ginger chest, arm, and leg hair.
Skillset:
Thomas is naturally a fighter, but had some training as a teenager as he always knew that he wanted to go into the army. He easily loses his temper, which can cause him to get violent, but usually keeps it under control.
History:
Thomas was born in New Hampshire to Irish American parents. He has two older brothers and an older sister, and a younger brother and sister. His family are all Catholic, and all of them, including Thomas, take their religion very seriously. Their father was abusive to their mother and them as children, and as a result, Thomas and most of his brothers became very violent and short tempered. When Thomas was 19, his family moved back to Ireland, but Thomas and one of his older brothers, Fionn, decided to stay in the US. They both moved to New York together, and Thomas joined the army. After a few years, after gaining the rank of Corporal, Thomas decided to join his family in Ireland, where he met a woman, Alice, and now has a child, Rory, of eight months. Thomas has been in Vietnam for a few months, as he was conscripted into the Army.
Equipment:
* M16A1 assault rife
* Colt M1911A1
* M1942 Machete
* A rosary
* Ka-Bar knife
* Standard combat dress, boots, helmet
* A picture of his wife and son, and a picture of him, his parents, and his brothers and sisters
* Backpack to hold everything
* A pack of cigarettes, some rolling papers, some tobacco, and a lighter
* A canteen of water, a hip flask of whiskey, and standard army rations
Other: Thomas talks in a medium to strong Irish accent due to his family and return to Ireland, but sometimes sounds a bit American, due to his youth, although this is rare.</s>
<|message|>Thomas "Tommy" Sullivan
Thomas nearly ran into Sergeant Ryan and his men, nearly shouting out loud before he stopped, throwing himself into the undergrowth.
There was crossfire going everywhere, with the Americans firing at all directions towards the Charlies. Tommy loaded up his rifle, taking the safety off, and began to shot carefully at the men in conical hats.
"Sarge!" he shouted in his Irish accent, "What do you want me to do!?"
Thomas had to cover himself from all angles, and missed quite a few shots. This didn't deter him from attacking the VC, though.</s>
<|message|>Elijah Dodgers
"Hooah," Dodgers said, peering through the haze of humidity underbrush and all the visual garbage. He could make out the black pajamas and conical coolie hats. Raising Thumper he sighted in the approximate range. One of the VC raised up and had began to charge out there on the left side. -You-. It was his only thought as Dodgers triggered the grenade launcher. It bucked slightly with it's customary th00mp! A forty millimeter grenade shot across the distance so fast that it was nigh invisible. Being directly behind it's flight path Dodge could see it though. It arced gently, rising a little, and then coming down to hit the VC in the chest. A bright orange-white flash of the explosion threw human hamburger in all directions, adding to the shrapnel with human bone fragments and teeth.
Two other VC went down, one of them with a spurt of blood from the neck, the next one over... blood leaking from his ears, a side effect of the pressure wave and concussion. Dead or dying? Dodge wasn't sure, maybe just got his eardrums ruptured, but still... The firing stopped for a few moments in surprise and shock, at least from the VC boys. The poor Cong had exploded like he'd been hit by an angry god.
Dodge simply slipped another grenade from his bandolier and put it in Thumper. "Ya want another Sarge, I only have four left, one in the tube," he said in between ripples of gunfire.
At the moment he was crouched down by a tree that was almost three feet thick. Had he had time to really marvel at it he would have. For the moment it was his shelter in the rain of metal death, but most of the fire hadn't been directed his way. Now though, bark began to explode off the sides of the tree, while the dirt rippled around, and the bush was torn up, some of it beginning to fall.</s>
<|message|>Ryan Davis
"Ya want another Sarge, I only have four left, one in the tube,"
Ryan scanned the enemy. The fire was slackening, Viet Cong diving for cover under the effective suppressing fire from Derricks and his beloved Jack Johnson. The grenade had done its work as well, shredding one Charlie and putting two others out of commission.
"Negative," he called to Dodgers. "Save 'em. Switch to your rifle, help Derricks pin 'em down!"
He quickly evaluated the situation. The left flank had been decimated, most of the enemies near the grenade blast having scuttled towards the right side of the line. The Cong there were effectively pinned down. If he had more men and more ammunition, he'd have kept the squad in place and continued whittling away at the enemy, but he didn't have that luxury. Their guns would run dry sooner rather than later, the M60 in particular, and that would spell disaster. It was time for a calculated risk.
Fire-and-maneuver was a mainstay of the US Army infantry, and something they drilled constantly in training. If they were to have any hope of seeing the World again, risk had to be weighed against reward. It would be dangerous, but if they were quick and vicious and used the trees as cover, they'd have a clear shot at the enemy from their unprotected right flank. Executed properly, it would be a close-range slaughter.
Ryan took a breath, fighting down the flutter of fear that twisted his gut, then quickly bear-crawled to his right. He hauled himself upright behind a thick, solid tree, then began calling commands.
"Hoffman! Stay put, keep picking targets! You, Doc!" he pointed at the tall medic, easily identifiable by the med-bag on his back. "Stay in cover, but start putting rounds down range. Help suppress them."
He scanned his remaining men, then pointed at the other tall newcomer, the one with the Irish lilt.
"You, you're with me. Pope, you too! Get over here to my position, we're gonna flank these motherfuckers. Derricks, once we head off give us a five-count, then hit Charlie with a 40-round spray; I want full suppression! Then slow down and pick your targets, start spraying at individuals who poke their heads out. Barnes, you come with the flanking team. Let's put that shotty to use. Move it out, gents, we need to end this now!"</s>
<|message|>Elijah Dodgers
Thumper was loaded, but Dodge transitioned to his M16. Selector was set to semi auto with the flick of a thumb and he sighted up, getting his sight picture. Edging around the right of his tree, he poked his barrel out and waited for Charlie to pop his head out. One did, the coolie hat popping up just enough for eyes to peer over the log. Giving a partial exhale, and feeling his pulse he waited just long enough to catch the space and squeezed on the trigger. The gun barked and bucked once, but not nearly as bad as some of the hunting rifles he'd shot back home.
His aim was for the brim of the hat. Aim small, miss small. Least that was what he had been taught. A dark spot appeared on the straw hat just above the brim, centerline just before it disappeared below the log. "Come on," he said quietly, his voice low, barely above a whisper. "Step out and meet Jesus..." he challenged Charlie across the wya though mostly he was talking to himself.
Just as he suspected another was bout to pop up for a pop shot, he squeezed the trigger again. Becca bucked against his shoulder, spitting a little bit of brass off to the side. Air was the only thing in the immediate vicinity tha he hit, but it might well make them keep their heads down.</s>
<|message|>Daniel "Danny/Danno" Pope
Daniel maintained his position, squeezing off shots wherever he could at any Charlie he could see. These sons of bitches sure were everywhere, but they were going down faster than one could blink. The M60 definitely did a good job at suppressing these guys, which took a load of pressure off of everyone else squeezing off shots one-by-one from their M16s. It also definitely did people favors, if one of them jammed (which they inevitably will), they had time to clear the issue. The Sergeant had already situated himself behind a log, which was plenty good cover, considering it was about 3 feet thick. While everyone else was busy firing away, Daniel was simply popping controlled shots at anyone he could see. With every few shots he could see some Charlie fall. However, he didn't know if that was him, but he was damn sure he was at least contributing. The steady popping from his M16 allowed him to get into a rhythm, being able to recognize a target and firing on them almost immediately. It was pretty nice, knowing that they actually were holding off this swarm of Vietcong.
Before long though, he could hear First Sergeant Davis dishing out orders. As he dictated who did what, Daniel maintained a mental list and keeping track of who went where. As he heard his name called out, he looked over to where Davis was. He turned back to the firefight going on in front of him. He squeezed off a few more shots before backing away from his spot, moving over to where their leader was. He was ready to execute a flanking maneuver, eager to end this firefight as soon as possible.</s>
<|message|>Chris Hoffman
Chris did as he was told, staying against the log and picking his targets. A hat bobbing up or a muzzle flash, a glimpse of black pajamas as one of the VC made a dash. He fired steadily, trying to make every shot count. He was not unaware that the amount of enemy in the jungle versus the time they might be out there was not in their favor, conserving ammo was going to be crucial.
As he searched the long grass he saw one man pop up with something clutched in his hand. "Fuckin' grenade!" he centered on the man's chest as he stood to throw it and fired of several shots, hitting him in the center mass, the grenade dropping a few feet away with the limp throw. He ducked his head down as it blew up harmlessly, the only victim was the Chuck already dying from the M-16 rounds.
Chris licked the sweat from his lip and squinted, his glasses slipping down a little. He could hear Davis start his count and he focused on any movement in front of him. Once they moved, he laid down the fire to keep any VC ahead of them distracted and concerned with the barrage of bullets. He emptied the rest of the clip, snatching up another and slapped in place, raising his rifle in time to fire at Charlie taking shots at Derricks manning the machine gun.</s>
<|message|>Anthony "Buck" Barnes
He didn't like leaving Bobby back there and him up with the white boys, but that was the sergeant's orders, and sometimes you just had to hold your nose and follow orders. He off-loaded the belts for the pig, though, because Bobby was gonna need them, onto a GI towel to keep them from getting fouled and it was bad news to take the pig's ammo into a close assault type situation. He was tempted to take a drink of the canteen, but nixed the idea -- if he survived, he'd take down an entire canteen, giving Bobby half so they could both get some down without taking too much and cramping, because leaving it half-full meant it would slosh around, and the little shit...that's what counted. It was optimistic planning, figuring to survive the close assault, but he had to think positive out in this muthafucka. A canteen of water was something to look forward to.
He moved toward Ryan's position carefully, keeping his eyes peeled as he moved with one of the others, feeling strangely exposed without Bobby D nearby. He tried to pick out the cover ahead of time, figuring out where he could get on his belly in the dirt if the whole thing got bad and they had to advance under fire, all while his knees started doing their knock routine. In a normal situation, hitting like this made sense, but the problem in the back of Buck's skull was that they were cut off. There was no other squad. It was just them in this bad bush with black pajamas everywhere all around them. He knew that as soon as the fighting was done, down to the second, they'd have to di-di out of there and play cat and mouse with Charlie. Usually, US Army was doing the hunting, but this time, they were the meat and this was Charlie's back yard.</s>
| <|message|>Thomas "Tommy" Sullivan
Tommy saw the Sergeant point at him, "You, you're with me." and began to ran over to him, ducking his head to avoid getting shot by the VC, or even his own side's crossfire. Halfway to him, Tommy tripped on the undergrowth, shouting out, "Shit!" as he scrambled to get back onto his feet.
Just as he got up, he saw a couple of Charlies, and aimed his gun at them. He aimed his sights right at one of their heads, and shot a couple of times, but missed. He lowered his aim to the chest, where he hit. He aimed at the other Charlie's chest, and got it after a couple of shots. He continued his journey over to the Sergeant, and ducked nearby. "What do you want?" he asked, breathing heavily from getting tripped up.</s> |
<|description|>Dorisma Rockskull
Gender: Female
Race: Ogre
Class: Monk
Strength - 12(base) + 4(rolls/bonus) = 16
Endurance - 12 + 4 = 16
Stamina - 13 + 4 = 17
Agility - 4 + 4 = 8
Dexterity - 2 + 2 = 4
Magic - 6 + 3 = 9
Wisdom - 3 + 3 = 6
Spirit - 7 + 3 = 10
Intelligence - 4 + 1 = 5
Luck - 6 + 1 = 7
Dorisma was born into the noble tribe of ogres known as Rockskulls that only had one tragic role in life. To be culled by the humans every year to keep their numbers low in case they became a danger. The humans were too many and to well armed, retreating on horses and running away while firing arrows leaving the powerful ogres unable to fight back. Slowly her tribe was pushed further and further away from their ancestral lands, born the sole daughter of the chieftain Dorisma was trained in the ancient ways of her people until she was a full adult.
The reason for the innocent ogre tribe's knowledge of martial artist was simply because they had no weapons of their own. The tribe was forced every year to leave the weakest behind to satisfy the human's cruel desires. Year after year Dorisma watched those she had grown up with deemed not strong enough and left to the mercy of the humans. Her tears fell in silence, just as her anger grew quietly festering.
Of course as the chief's daughter, and a strong daughter at that, Dorisma was exempt from this horrendous tradition. Although the tribe had a shaman of sorts and Dorisma did briefly study under her Dorisma found that she wasn't suited for the magical arts regardless of how the shaman said Dorisma had a talent for it.
Eventually Dorisma came of the age where she was considered an adult and her father asked her to go on a very important mission for him, to find allies to protect themselves from the humans and finally be safe. Dorisma solemnly agreed to the mission but she had something different in mind. She would indeed find allies, but not to protect themselves, rather to eliminate all the humans. Her father may have simply wanted safety but she knew that would only work for a time, more and more humans would come until even whatever allies she could retrieve were overwhelmed. The only way to deal with this problem was to deal with it at the source.
Racial
-Brute Force : When active, increases the power of physical attacks by 50%, reduces physical damage by 50% for a short time.
Skill : Inner Strength - Fists deal a lot more damage than other weaponry. Additionally deals more damage to armored enemies.
Ability 1 : Kick - Deals damage to enemies with flying roundhouse kick. Weaker than normal attack, damages all enemies in line.
Ability 2 : Retaliate - Similar to defend command. Counterattacks when struck.
Wields : Knuckles, Claws
EXP: 6/100
Relevant Stats
HP: 21
Shield blocks 1d6 damage.
Damage is 9-14(8 + 1d6)
+ to dodge = 3
+ to hit = 4
Defense= 17/2(8) + 1(Makeshift Plate Armour) = 9</s>
<|message|>Dorisma Rockskull
Dorisma returned to the back of the caravan after turning in her slip for a small wooden shield. It wasn't much to speak of but she strapped it onto her left arm and silently walked at the rear watching for any threats. She heard idle conversations start up here and there but had no desire to join in. Ugh, the sweltering heat was oppressive, she could only imagine what the fish man felt like.</s>
<|message|>Robert Morris
I was enjoying the general peace of this trip so far when Miles interrupted my thoughts, and asked me my name. I simply answered "Name's Robert... and trust me, there's a reason for that name," I then continued on my way, enjoying the heat, the fact that we weren't under attack, as well as the sound of the music some of the villagers were singing behind us, almost as if they knew nothing was going to bother us right now. Seriously, where are the humans? Don't they usually use these paths as trade routes? I ask myself as I look over to the princess who was writing something in some sort of journal. Well, that's odd... I didn't know we had intelligence to steal. I thought as I notice her put it away quickly, as if I didn't already see the thing. The path ahead was just the simply dirt road that humans liked to make between their cities, separating one grassy field from the other. I smelled some alcohol, as apparently some of the villagers saw it fit to be drunk during this trip, and somehow, I knew that wasn't going to end well, at all. As expected, the trolls and ogres drank far more than any kobold, but, of course that could have to do with the differences in height and weight between the species. Some shouting replaced the sound of whatever few instruments the villagers brought with them, as well as actual singing, much to my displeasure. Unfortunately, we it started to get dark before we could get to the mountains, and as such, the mayor looks at our group and says "Alright, you guys... town heroes, or whatever, go make the tents for this camp," he didn't phrase it as a question, so it didn't seem like we had much of a choice.</s>
<|message|>Miles Hall
Sure enough, we just kept walking through the lowly plains, minding nothing but the lone sun. Several birds circled the sky, curiously watching us as we travelled through to a new place to settle. Spots of vegetation struggled to grow as remains trees remained dry and parched. It was clear this place wasn't friendly. It was if as someone left a plant by itself in the windowsill, forgetting to water it as it began receding and wilting. The plains were essentially that, long given up on any sustained rain and fair weather. This was near-barren, not much activity going on aside from the occasional wolf sitting and yawning at us. We could definitely feel the heat from the sun, waving air into our faces and a few even taking moments to sit before catching up with the rest of us. I wanted to sit, but considering that I was now a part of this it would be quite odd for me not to assist others. As if I wanted to.
No one seemed to mind walking through such a deserted and arid land, as if they had been through worse (which we have). Though, I couldn't say that everyone was content on leaving a supposedly permanent village. We left behind frames of our buildings and our dreams of settlement. That grey dust was supposedly getting to us sooner or later, but I really didn't think we'd have to move... right? I was pretty disappointed with the way that turned out. Robert and everyone else in our party seemed to look as grim, unable to fully rest and relax like so many others in our village. I already felt tired from fighting a guard, who was likely in a stretcher and further ahead of us - hopefully I didn't get recognised by him.
Anyway, the only reason why I've joined Robert's party is to avoid capture (by being credible and... 'reformed'), while also seeking some revenge for our old home. Too bad it'll be in vain considering we'll just keep moving and moving, until of course we happen to meet... bandits? War tribes? Grey dust at the other end of the world once everything else has been taken?
Robert wasn't very happy when he told me his name, and I could certainly feel his disdain for something. Regardless, I didn't think too much of it and decided not to press on it, preferring to get along with others for my own safety. Sure, I was annoyed when the damned mayor told us to make tents for the entire village, calling us 'heroes' as if I'VE done anything remotely good. I haven't of course, it's just that you shouldn't expect me to look out for you.
"Ok. Anyone know how to unfold a tarpaulin, let alone some temporary shelter?" I said, looking around and rather tired.</s>
<|message|>Gobu Rou
Soon after my rude encounter with the brown bear I found myself thinking straighter, my tongue stopped stumbling in my teeth. The reason was clear, acquiring a class seemed to enhance my capabilities. Testing my new found prowess towards bows, I found that my accuracy and damage would drastically fall beyond 20 feet even against my immobile targets, trees. After a series of tests I came to understand my basic strengths and weaknesses, but lost several arrows in the process.
As I didn't want to end up as my unknowing benefactor, I decided against hunting into the forest. Looking in the vicinity of the perished hunter I managed to find a small path. Hoping it would lead me outside of the forest , and lead me it did. Some twenty minutes later though music could be heard and a few minutes later the smell of alcohol and food filled the air.
At the cover conferred by the dwindling light of dusk I drew nearer to the camp. Keeping his bow in hand he peered from a bush at the people gathered, multiple races, most if not all of them considered nothing but monsters by humans. In the camp I could distinguish mostly civilians, there were but a few that were armed somewhat better than novice adventurers.
Taking a leap of faith I carefully backed away from the bush and after a brief detour I made it seem that I came from the same direction as they. Making sure to make my self visible and not seen as a threat. Thus I hung my bow over my shoulder and looked for someone I could ask about the caravan. A yellow scaled Kobolt seemed to be in charge of this whole transmigration. He was dishing out orders about setting camp.
Thinking it would be best not to disturb people at work I decided to talk to him as soon he was less busy. Until that moment arrives I sat down at the edge of the camp.</s>
<|message|>Dorisma Rockskull
Dorisma simply grunted and began getting to work. Though her tribe did not use tents she herself had used them several times while traveling and was rather experienced with the whole process. She grabbed a pile of them from one of the carts and set them down on the ground. Them she grabbed one and began the rather admittedly slow, process of setting them up. Dorisma had little in mind for plans of organization instead simply planning to set them up next to each other until there were no more tents.
She did not ask for help nor did she require it. Dorisma sniffed her nose disdainfully at those getting drunk and singing, and they wondered why the humans found and killed them... "One watch humans and one watch girl." Dorisma said bluntly to no one in particular while setting up the tents. She gave an inward sigh, she really did sound stupid when she talked, perhaps she should practice tonight by herself.</s>
<|message|>Deravan Silverfur
Deravan looked at the group and sighed softly. He looked at the mayor and shaked his head.
"Asking us to work to make tents as well as guarding you guys... and the smell of alchool... now you wonder why humans find you and kill you easy..." he says in a low tone, looking at the mayor with a annoyed look before starting to work on the tents, helping the others out, getting the materials needed for this. He shakes his head. He looked at Robert.
"I know we are suppose to save them, but with what little we received and how we are threated..." he says, shaking his head.
"They need to learn to have a bit more respect and be able to work for themselves a bit more." he then says. continuing to place the tents up. He hoped they would arrive soon and that there won't be lots of trouble.</s>
<|message|>Trey
Most of the civilians were getting drunk and singing, which posed a problem for the group. It could easily attract some unwanted attention, which, considering their limited defenses, wouldn't end well. Unfortunately, shutting them up wouldn't be an easy task. It had to be done, though, otherwise they might not make it to the stronghold in one piece.
It was starting to get dark, and the mayor ordered them to set up the tents. As much as he didn't want to take orders from the mayor, Trey obliged, since most of the townsfolk were too drunk to do it themselves.
"I hope you all realize how much danger we're in." He said to the rest of the group as they set up the tents. "Just listen to them. Anyone who comes anywhere near our camp will know exactly where we are. As soon as we're done with this, I'm going to try to quiet them down. I probably won't be able to do it alone, though."</s>
<|message|>Robert Morris
I was about to volunteer to watch out for humans, but before I did, the mayor called out for the some of the guards to take the first watch, I then tried to help Dorisma, but by the time I got there, the tents were already set up, albeit somewhat haphazardly placed. After that, I looked for the princess, who was already being watched by two more guards. I then finally take notice of a new goblin in the camp, an archer, apparently, and I introduce myself "Oh, hey there, new guy, my name's Robert, and apparently everyone around here thinks I'm some sort of hero because I helped save the town from a human knight, or something," I then ask "So... who are you?" after that, I start looking around for yet another party member, R'lyeh, who I couldn't locate. I stop one of the citizens who followed us, a drunken ogre who was complaining about something in his native tongue, and ask him "Uh, sir? Do you know where the fish man went?" he laughs and says "Fish man leave while ago. Said something about 'swelt-ring heat', and 'drunken nin...something or other'. Probably back at sea," unfortunately, that seemed like something he would have done, especially if the drunkards were picking on him for not wanting to or not being able to drink with them... as well as being what he was.
The mayor seemed to actually listen to Trey, and he called out for everyone to be quiet, and oddly enough, most of the civilians did... well, sort of, they seemed to be mumbling and whispering to one another like younglings whose mother told them to shut their mouth. Of course, that was still preferable to the loud singing (if you could even call it that) and shouting that happened earlier. I then wondered exactly WHY there weren't already humans around here, after all, this seemed like one of their paths, and we weren't too far away from it, as unfortunate as that is. The ogre from earlier started stumbling towards Dorisma, and he started mumbling something in their native tongue again, of course, even I could tell from the tone of his voice that what he was saying was probably some sort of pickup line. I already knew that she wouldn't do anything with him, after all, I could smell his beer breath from here, and it wasn't what I would call 'pleasant', or even 'bearable', considering how much closer she was to him right now than I was.</s>
| <|message|>Dorisma Rockskull
Dorisma sighed, not this again. Just because you were an ogre didn't mean you had to act stupid and be drunk all the time. Smiling she sauntered towards him and hugged him somewhat roughly with one arm. Then proceeded to sharply rap on his temple with her other fist, probably harder than she should have. Assuming that the orge was knocked out, after all she was rather confident in her own strength, Dorisma pushed him to the ground lightly and grabbed one of the tents, lifting the whole thing off the ground and moving it further away from the group of tents and placed her stuff inside. She checked outside briefly before going inside and setting up her bedding, then laying down. Doubtless the majority would go to sleep in a couple of hours without setting a watch and then she would go outside and make sure they stayed safe during the night.</s> |
<|description|>Dorisma Rockskull
Gender: Female
Race: Ogre
Class: Monk
Strength - 12(base) + 4(rolls/bonus) = 16
Endurance - 12 + 4 = 16
Stamina - 13 + 4 = 17
Agility - 4 + 4 = 8
Dexterity - 2 + 2 = 4
Magic - 6 + 3 = 9
Wisdom - 3 + 3 = 6
Spirit - 7 + 3 = 10
Intelligence - 4 + 1 = 5
Luck - 6 + 1 = 7
Dorisma was born into the noble tribe of ogres known as Rockskulls that only had one tragic role in life. To be culled by the humans every year to keep their numbers low in case they became a danger. The humans were too many and to well armed, retreating on horses and running away while firing arrows leaving the powerful ogres unable to fight back. Slowly her tribe was pushed further and further away from their ancestral lands, born the sole daughter of the chieftain Dorisma was trained in the ancient ways of her people until she was a full adult.
The reason for the innocent ogre tribe's knowledge of martial artist was simply because they had no weapons of their own. The tribe was forced every year to leave the weakest behind to satisfy the human's cruel desires. Year after year Dorisma watched those she had grown up with deemed not strong enough and left to the mercy of the humans. Her tears fell in silence, just as her anger grew quietly festering.
Of course as the chief's daughter, and a strong daughter at that, Dorisma was exempt from this horrendous tradition. Although the tribe had a shaman of sorts and Dorisma did briefly study under her Dorisma found that she wasn't suited for the magical arts regardless of how the shaman said Dorisma had a talent for it.
Eventually Dorisma came of the age where she was considered an adult and her father asked her to go on a very important mission for him, to find allies to protect themselves from the humans and finally be safe. Dorisma solemnly agreed to the mission but she had something different in mind. She would indeed find allies, but not to protect themselves, rather to eliminate all the humans. Her father may have simply wanted safety but she knew that would only work for a time, more and more humans would come until even whatever allies she could retrieve were overwhelmed. The only way to deal with this problem was to deal with it at the source.
Racial
-Brute Force : When active, increases the power of physical attacks by 50%, reduces physical damage by 50% for a short time.
Skill : Inner Strength - Fists deal a lot more damage than other weaponry. Additionally deals more damage to armored enemies.
Ability 1 : Kick - Deals damage to enemies with flying roundhouse kick. Weaker than normal attack, damages all enemies in line.
Ability 2 : Retaliate - Similar to defend command. Counterattacks when struck.
Wields : Knuckles, Claws
EXP: 6/100
Relevant Stats
HP: 21
Shield blocks 1d6 damage.
Damage is 9-14(8 + 1d6)
+ to dodge = 3
+ to hit = 4
Defense= 17/2(8) + 1(Makeshift Plate Armour) = 9</s>
<|message|>Dorisma Rockskull
Dorisma woke up to loud noises and the distinctive sentence, "he stole Dorisma's stuff". That was all that was needed for her to wake up with fiery blood and instinctively launch a brutal swing at someone she could barely see, the first hit landing with a satisfying thud into his flesh and the second easily evaded by the thief now thoroughly aware of her presence. Deveran was on the ground for some reason and Miles was awkwardly touching him. Whatever, Dorisma was more concerned with crushing this thief into paste. Which was why she had ended up on the side of him that led away from her companions, meaning that he had no choice but to fight, or allow her to attack him freely as he tried to escape.</s>
<|message|>Deravan Silverfur
Deravan looked at Miles as he went to heal his wounds. He looked at him, giving a small smile.
"Thank....you..." he said before getting up, and then going towards the thief.... who was busy getting knocked away by Dorisma. What happen next was rather gruesome. Deravan moved forwards, his blade up.
"No one will save you now from your judgement.... thief..." he then said, before the thief yelled something out. "This isn't fair OR balanced! I WAS SUPPOSED TO WIN!" he said before the blade plunged straight into the heart of the thief, killing him instantly from the strike, blood spewing around the place a bit as the thief fell on the floor as Deravan took his blade out, dead, a pool of blood forming bellow him.
"That.... is what they get for attacking us at night...." he said, annoyed right now, shivering.
"And that pain I got.... god.... that... that felt awful." he said, shivering from all this.</s>
<|message|>Dorisma Rockskull
Dousman sniffed disdainfully at the corpse. "Stupid human." Then she snatched her purse from the body and turned to Derevan "Next time be better lookout. You take care of body now, your watch, your kill, your problem." She said commandingly ignoring his somewhat cowardly trembling and moved to the edge of camp to start her shift. She'd had plenty of sleep anyway, more than she usually did.</s>
<|message|>Rudavegas "Rudy" Vegatini
Rudy had been busy with his usual shtick, as he always had - traveling, hunting, smelling the flowers... occasionally killing someone. Yet on a fine night such as this one, he had no desire to get into conflict. Maybe his travels turned him cynical, and his hot blood had finally frozen? Who knew wandering aimlessly lacked so much purpose and ambition?
Maybe it's time I found somewhere to rest, he thought, following up with a soul-crushing sigh.
That's when his nose filled with the scent of flame. Someone was setting up camp, perhaps?
If it's a group of humans I could be eating good tonight...
The thought was cut short when, as he grew closer, he heard the sound of a human begging for their lives before being silenced.
Oh? Monsters, then, or perhaps a dispute between the humans?
He grew closer, sneaking through bushes and hiding behind trees to the best of his ability - which, all things considered, was actually piss-poor. By the time he could see the flicker of flame maybe about 40 feet or so away from his current position, the curious goblin had committed one of the ultimate sins of stealth: making noise.
Indeed. His body shook once over and his heart sank to his stomach at the snapping sound he had just made, definitely loud enough that at least someone camping over there could make out. Looking down at his feet, he saw the source of the loud noise: a pile of twigs just sitting there, perfectly laid out for his demise.
"Fuck," he whispered to himself before trying his best to crouch behind some bushes in hopes that no one would see him.</s>
<|message|>Dorisma Rockskull
Dorisma's ears twitched and she glanced at the direction of the sound for a moment. Then, with remarkable stealth, Dorisma crept into the woods and got close enough see the source of the sound. To her dissapointment it wasn't a human but it was someone trying to be sneaky, which meant they were up to no good. So Dorisma closed the remaining distance between them in one limb cracking, stick snapping, leaf crushing rush and grabbed the goblin by his neck. Not enough to choke him, but enough for him to take his breaths carefully and hope it didn't get any closer. Feeling rather pleased with herself at this point Dorisma let out a small grunt of laughter at the unfortunate goblin and promptly trotted into camp again, somewhat roughly dropping her prize at the campfire. "Found a sneak." Was all she said, waiting to pounce on him again if he tried to escape. The others could decide what to do with him. She didn't paticularly care as long as the goblin didn't cause any trouble. If he did though she'd heard about this interesting stew...</s>
<|message|>Miles Hall
So, the thief tried to run away with a bunch of our belongings, but his poor of judgement ended up gimping him. I had to look away when Dorisma and Deravan finished off the thief, somewhat taken back over the excessive brutality. Hell, it was savage, and Dorisma seemed to take it out on Deravan as well. "Don't be that cold Dorisma, someone nearly died. Whether at fault or not that's pretty brutal." I spoke out, hand still on Deravan's shoulder as the glow faded away from my palms. This journey wasn't really what I had in mind, what with only about 5 people (princess excluded because she seems to fade in and out now) expected to stop some wave of horror whilst having to fend for ourselves in the wilderness. I just sighed and looked into the darkness, biting my tongue and hoping we'd actually get to the place before dying. Even then, what do we do to stop it all? It's not like we're gonna have a deus ex machina like every damned fairy tale.
And then, Dorisma left the camp. I was about to ask what she was doing, but it seemed like she was going out for a late-night hunt. She plopped a goblin by the campfire, and I only noticed when I heard a loud thud against the ground. "Was that thief alone or what?" I commented, alarmed at a potential accomplice and raising an eyebrow, hand patting against the knives in my pockets.</s>
<|message|>Trey
Now that the thief had been dealt with, Trey returned to the campfire to get a little more rest before the sun came up. Just as he was starting to drift off to sleep, though, he was awoken by the sound of Dorisma dropping something next to the campfire. She'd managed to catch someone else lurking around the campsite, though this time it wasn't a human, but a goblin. There was still a good chance that he was planning to steal from or attack them, but he may have simply heard the fight with the human and came over to investigate.
There was a lot more questions that Trey wanted to ask him, but he decided to start with something simple. "Who are you?"</s>
<|message|>Rudavegas "Rudy" Vegatini
"Hey! HEY! Let me go, dammit!"
He was plopped right on his chest near the campfire, and quickly scrambled to his feet as he noticed that he was surrounded by other monsters. He didn't know what to think - after all, he despised humans but he had no strong opinion one way or the other on fellow monsters. After all, the only one who had done anything for Rudy was Rudy.
Gesturing with a hand to his mouth, he coughed and let out a loud "ahem!" noise.
"Rudavegas Vegatini here. Proud adventurer, prouder magical apprentice, prouderer human slayer, and proudererer Vegatini tribe leader!"
He held his arms out to the sky in a stretching motion before returning to a neutral stance.
"...Uhh, and if you guys could just not kill me, that'd be great. Iunno about the groofus doofus you guys killed over yonder, but I don't want any part of whatever that guy had going, alright? Humans are scumbags, I'm sure we can all agree."
Looking around, Rudy gauged the reactions of the people gathered at the campfire before continuing.
"So what say, uhhh, you help me and I help you? You choose NOT to kill me, and I choose to help you in whatever way I can until the time comes where I'm confident my new sanctum of research and hunting where I, to put it bluntly, may just ditch you all. On the lightest of terms, of course; I don't like hard feelings."
Rudy shrugged his shoulders and leaned on his staff to relieve the minor pain he had received from being dropped without hesitation, awaiting response from his potential friends or enemies.</s>
<|message|>Robert Morris
Quite a bit happened in almost no time, for some reason, as if someone was just completely impatient and couldn't wait... just as well, we finished off the thief, however, all I could really find was his knife, which wasn't even enchanted, and four silver coins with a weird brand on them. The brand most likely represented whatever town he lived in, or, whichever place he recently stole from, and despite it looking interesting, it wasn't important enough for me to actually care about. What I did care about was the odd, robed goblin that Dorisma just plopped down in front of everyone. Apparently, said goblin was sneaking around the place, or, at least, that was according to Dorisma. He seemed to almost cower as he spoke about how he disliked humanity, and the princess just chuckled at that. "Yeah... if you're wondering why one of them's following us, well... we've honestly tried everything. She's clingy, and we can't hurt her because of some weird magic," I explained to the goblin before adding "By the way, welcome to the group, but uh... let's have someone just make absolute sure you aren't going to betray us at the first chance you get... I think Dorisma would do a good job of that," I then looked over to Dorisma to sort of give the new guy, apparently called Rudavegas, an idea of who that was. I then decided to sort of introduce the group "The drake's name is Miles... I dunno how, but he always knows where someone's weak point is... the other goblin is Backstabs, and, as her name might imply, she prefers to attack people from behind, the aves is Trey, he can use magic to burn stuff, the one you probably can't see is a troll by the name of Deravan... he's a ninja, so get used to not knowing where he is, and last but not least is Dorisma... I think you know who she is and what she can do," I then almost forgot to introduce myself, and I chuckled before adding "And I'm Robert... I dunno what I do, honestly. I guess... a little bit of everything?"</s>
| <|message|>Dorisma Rockskull
Dorisma shrugged, "No care. Just don't do anything stupid." The last part of her statement was directed at Rudavegas who would from now on be refereed to as Rud. She sat down and stared at him, making her intention of fulfilling her role as the 'anti-betrayal' system obvious. By watching him. Constantly.</s> |
<|description|>Robert Morris
Just doing this to keep track of everything where others can see it.
Gender: Male
Species: Kobold
Class: Red Mage
Level: 2
EXP: 26/100
HP: 19/19
MP: 8/8
Attack: 9-18 (+1-3) (figured from dex, str, and weapon damage)
Defense: 8 (7 from Sta, 1 from armor)
M.Defense: 6
Strength - 13 [+1]
Endurance - 14 [+1]
Stamina - 13 [+1]
Agility - 14 [+1]
Dexterity - 13 [+1]
Magic - 10 [+1]
Wisdom - 11 [+1]
Spirit - 11 [+1]
Intelligence - 11 [+1]
Luck - 13 [+1]
Bio: It all started with an adventurer, a knight by the name of Robert Morris who by some odd chance spotted a pack of wolves attacking what appeared to him as a couple of unfortunate peasants. The man warded off the wolves, saving the lives of two kobolds who decided to join the man on his journey, at least until they could find a kobold village that wasn't burned to the ground or otherwise destroyed. The two carried only one very important item with them on their journey... an egg. Their egg. On one particularly cold November night, the egg finally hatched, and the couple ran off, having found evidence of a kobold village nearby. They named the child after the man who saved them all those months ago, and who essentially saved their child before he was even alive. The family made it to the village safely, and while it was breaking apart here and there, with several bricks often missing from the buildings, but it was livable. That was where they planned to live for the rest of their lives, with their child, however, the adventurer eventually returned. The two came out to greet the adventurer, and welcome him to the village, but he didn't listen... all he did after being greeted was draw his blade. The two already knew what was happening, so they took their young son, and fled the village to find yet another one as that one fell into chaos.
They now had a son with what they believed to be a cursed name... and he was already too old for them to change his name. Thankfully the village they found was relatively hidden, and out of the way, with even fewer signs of it being raided and destroyed recently. The two settled here, and raised their son here, teaching him to never trust humans, as even when they seem like they're helping you, they'll stab you in the back. Of course, as if contradicting themselves, they'd also tell the story of how their son got his name... which included the entire family getting their lives saved by a human. Unfortunately, this home wasn't going to actually last, as soon enough some robed human entered the town, and proceeded to set the entire place on fire, with Robert's family just barely escaping the blaze. They had to move... again. The next few villages seemed to meet the same fate, and none of them really lasted very long, with either what Robert learned was a knight, a mage, or an archer destroying the village and or killing every kobold that dared to defend their village. As his family moved him around, Robert tried to learn some sort of fighting techniques from whoever was pillaging the village at the time, be them a knight or a mage. He tried his hand at archery while on the move, once, but he quickly learned that he was a horrible shot. He had to learn how to be ready for anything... to be balanced, capable of magic, or swordplay, rather than simply one or the other.
It eventually got to the point where he was ready to go on his own adventure, one of peace... one to perhaps let the humans allow kobolds to have some sort of steady village that isn't constantly threatened by attacks... but more importantly, he was done running. If the humans were going to attack, then he was going to fight back. Taking his old leather armor that is unreliable to the point where it's basically just slightly tough clothing, as well as a red, white-feathered cap, and a similarly red cloak, and a rusted rapier he managed to salvage from a kobold killed in one of the many now-destroyed villages, the blue-scaled kobold set off from his port-side village to hopefully put an end to this. Robert would run no longer. He was ready to fight.
Abilities:
Dirty Fighting : 25% chance of applying either Cripple, Bleeding, Slow, or Poison when attacking. There is a small chance of applying two at once.
Skill : Infuser - Upon hitting with any attack or spell there is 15% chance to fire off basic elemental spell at the enemy. (if that hit's a crit, a mid-level elemental spell will be fired, instead). The spell fired off as a result of this will not trigger the skill.
Ability 1: Magic - Can cast both healing and destructive spells at equal proficiency.
Ability 2: Agile Attacker - Sacrifices some Stamina, but allows the user to more easily evade and or block enemy attacks.
Hidden Ability: Dualcast - May cast two spells at the cost and speed of one.
Unique Trait: ??? - (No information known!)
Wields: Rapiers, Maces, Swords, Daggers.
Spells:
Thunder: A basic lightning spell that sends sparks at your enemy's location, can cast it up to 30 feet away, but must be able to see an opponent you're casting the spell at. Cost: 2MP. level 1/1. Damage: 1d6 + (stat modifiers)
Fire: A basic fire spell that starts a fire underneath your opponent's feet, can cast it up to 30 feet away, but must be able to see an opponent you're casting the spell at. Cost: 2MP. level: 1/1. Damage: 1d6 + (stat modifiers)
Cure: A basic healing spell that will cause the body to regenerate a little bit. It won't heal injuries, but it will being back HP. It can be cast up to 20 feet away, and requires you to see who or what you're healing. Cost: 2MP. level 1/1. Healing: 1d6 + (stat modifiers)
Flame Mote: Produces a small magical ball of flame at one's finger tips, generating the same heat and light as a single candle. Cost: 1MP. level 0. Damage: 0
+Dragonsteel Rapier: A well-made, well-forged rapier made out of the mystical dragon steel. It's a cut above simple steel, but it's usually more expensive, and takes more time to make. Damage: 1d10 + (DEXmod/2 + STRmod/2) + 1d3 fire damage.
2 loaves of suspicious bread: A few loaves of bread from a cave that was infected by some sort of horrible rot… they LOOK clean, and don't smell too weird, but… are they safe? (Food items, no in-battle use.)
+Used leather armor: Leather armor that has been, well… used. It's stained with blood, among other things, and has a hole in it, but it's at least tough enough to withstand some form of attack. DEF +1
+Old leather armor: Leather armor that has been worn down to the point where it's basically just clothing. This piece of armor won't be stopping anything any time soon. DEF + 0
Bag of minor holding (MAX 5 items)
* Rusted Rapier: An old, rusty iron rapier that has no place being used to attack anything. As a rapier, it is both Dex and Str based. It's not very powerful due to just how unkind time was to this thing. Damage: 1d3 + (Dexmod/2 + Strmod/2)
* Steel Rapier: A simple, mass produced, and practical weapon made from steel. Its slim blade allows users of the weapon to utilize their dexterity in battle. Damage: 1d6 + (Dexmod/2 + Strmod/2)
*
*
*
*Given to someone else
+Equipped.
-Dropped, or otherwise not in my inventory</s>
<|message|>Gobu Rou
Soon after my rude encounter with the brown bear I found myself thinking straighter, my tongue stopped stumbling in my teeth. The reason was clear, acquiring a class seemed to enhance my capabilities. Testing my new found prowess towards bows, I found that my accuracy and damage would drastically fall beyond 20 feet even against my immobile targets, trees. After a series of tests I came to understand my basic strengths and weaknesses, but lost several arrows in the process.
As I didn't want to end up as my unknowing benefactor, I decided against hunting into the forest. Looking in the vicinity of the perished hunter I managed to find a small path. Hoping it would lead me outside of the forest , and lead me it did. Some twenty minutes later though music could be heard and a few minutes later the smell of alcohol and food filled the air.
At the cover conferred by the dwindling light of dusk I drew nearer to the camp. Keeping his bow in hand he peered from a bush at the people gathered, multiple races, most if not all of them considered nothing but monsters by humans. In the camp I could distinguish mostly civilians, there were but a few that were armed somewhat better than novice adventurers.
Taking a leap of faith I carefully backed away from the bush and after a brief detour I made it seem that I came from the same direction as they. Making sure to make my self visible and not seen as a threat. Thus I hung my bow over my shoulder and looked for someone I could ask about the caravan. A yellow scaled Kobolt seemed to be in charge of this whole transmigration. He was dishing out orders about setting camp.
Thinking it would be best not to disturb people at work I decided to talk to him as soon he was less busy. Until that moment arrives I sat down at the edge of the camp.</s>
<|message|>Dorisma Rockskull
Dorisma simply grunted and began getting to work. Though her tribe did not use tents she herself had used them several times while traveling and was rather experienced with the whole process. She grabbed a pile of them from one of the carts and set them down on the ground. Them she grabbed one and began the rather admittedly slow, process of setting them up. Dorisma had little in mind for plans of organization instead simply planning to set them up next to each other until there were no more tents.
She did not ask for help nor did she require it. Dorisma sniffed her nose disdainfully at those getting drunk and singing, and they wondered why the humans found and killed them... "One watch humans and one watch girl." Dorisma said bluntly to no one in particular while setting up the tents. She gave an inward sigh, she really did sound stupid when she talked, perhaps she should practice tonight by herself.</s>
<|message|>Deravan Silverfur
Deravan looked at the group and sighed softly. He looked at the mayor and shaked his head.
"Asking us to work to make tents as well as guarding you guys... and the smell of alchool... now you wonder why humans find you and kill you easy..." he says in a low tone, looking at the mayor with a annoyed look before starting to work on the tents, helping the others out, getting the materials needed for this. He shakes his head. He looked at Robert.
"I know we are suppose to save them, but with what little we received and how we are threated..." he says, shaking his head.
"They need to learn to have a bit more respect and be able to work for themselves a bit more." he then says. continuing to place the tents up. He hoped they would arrive soon and that there won't be lots of trouble.</s>
<|message|>Trey
Most of the civilians were getting drunk and singing, which posed a problem for the group. It could easily attract some unwanted attention, which, considering their limited defenses, wouldn't end well. Unfortunately, shutting them up wouldn't be an easy task. It had to be done, though, otherwise they might not make it to the stronghold in one piece.
It was starting to get dark, and the mayor ordered them to set up the tents. As much as he didn't want to take orders from the mayor, Trey obliged, since most of the townsfolk were too drunk to do it themselves.
"I hope you all realize how much danger we're in." He said to the rest of the group as they set up the tents. "Just listen to them. Anyone who comes anywhere near our camp will know exactly where we are. As soon as we're done with this, I'm going to try to quiet them down. I probably won't be able to do it alone, though."</s>
| <|message|>Robert Morris
I was about to volunteer to watch out for humans, but before I did, the mayor called out for the some of the guards to take the first watch, I then tried to help Dorisma, but by the time I got there, the tents were already set up, albeit somewhat haphazardly placed. After that, I looked for the princess, who was already being watched by two more guards. I then finally take notice of a new goblin in the camp, an archer, apparently, and I introduce myself "Oh, hey there, new guy, my name's Robert, and apparently everyone around here thinks I'm some sort of hero because I helped save the town from a human knight, or something," I then ask "So... who are you?" after that, I start looking around for yet another party member, R'lyeh, who I couldn't locate. I stop one of the citizens who followed us, a drunken ogre who was complaining about something in his native tongue, and ask him "Uh, sir? Do you know where the fish man went?" he laughs and says "Fish man leave while ago. Said something about 'swelt-ring heat', and 'drunken nin...something or other'. Probably back at sea," unfortunately, that seemed like something he would have done, especially if the drunkards were picking on him for not wanting to or not being able to drink with them... as well as being what he was.
The mayor seemed to actually listen to Trey, and he called out for everyone to be quiet, and oddly enough, most of the civilians did... well, sort of, they seemed to be mumbling and whispering to one another like younglings whose mother told them to shut their mouth. Of course, that was still preferable to the loud singing (if you could even call it that) and shouting that happened earlier. I then wondered exactly WHY there weren't already humans around here, after all, this seemed like one of their paths, and we weren't too far away from it, as unfortunate as that is. The ogre from earlier started stumbling towards Dorisma, and he started mumbling something in their native tongue again, of course, even I could tell from the tone of his voice that what he was saying was probably some sort of pickup line. I already knew that she wouldn't do anything with him, after all, I could smell his beer breath from here, and it wasn't what I would call 'pleasant', or even 'bearable', considering how much closer she was to him right now than I was.</s> |
<|description|>Trey
Dragon Steel Wand
Enchanted Steel Magic Wand (+5 MP)
Steel Dagger (1d6 + DEXmod)
Leather Armour (+1 DEF)
Ragged Black Robes
Moldy Wooden Staff
Gender: Male
Species: Aves
Class: Black Mage
Level: 2
EXP: 0
Stats:
HP: 8
MP: 10
Defense: 3 (+1 from Leather Armour)
M. Defense: 7
Strength - 10 [(6)3-1 + 2]
Endurance - 3 [(1)2-1 + 1]
Stamina - 4 [(3)1-2 + 2]
Agility - 15 [(5)5+2 + 3]
Dexterity - 12 [(5)4+1 + 2]
Magic - 14 [(4)3+3 + 4]
Wisdom - 13 [(3)4+3 + 3]
Spirit - 13 [(6)3+1 + 3]
Intelligence - 17 [(6)3+3 + 5]
Luck - 13 [(6)2+1 + 4]
Bio: Trey was born and raised in a village up in the mountains. It was built at the top of one of the highest peaks. This, of course, made it almost impossible to reach for those incapable of flight. Because of this, most of the residents were Aves. Any other species would probably fall to their death trying to get there, including humans. For years, the village remained untouched, and was almost completely safe from human attacks.
Eventually, the village elders started to get wary of the humans passing by below them. If one of them found a way to scale the mountain, it would spell disaster for every single one of them. They decided that they would have to be prepared for these attacks. They began training the young Aves in the village, so one day they would be able to fight back against the humans.
Trey hatched shortly after the elders made this decision. He was taught the basics of black magic at an early age, and as he grew older he began to improve. He was far from a master, but he could hold his own in a fight. He eagerly waited for the day his training would be put to use, thinking he could handle whatever the humans threw at him.
One day, his training was interrupted by the sound of a horn echoing through the village. He instantly stopped, knowing what it meant. Humans were attacking the village. He flew out to the outskirts of the village, along with several others that had been trained to fight humans. It was a small group, so he thought it would be an easy fight.
He severely underestimated how strong they really were. One by one, the humans picked off the Aves that were attacking them, until only a few remained. As soon as Trey realized that the humans were winning, he tried to fly back up to the village to get everyone to evacuate, but it was too late. A human archer spotted him, and shot him out of the sky before he could get there.
He lied on the ground for what felt like hours, barely alive. He only survived because he happened to get lucky. The humans didn't notice that one of the Aves lying at the base of the mountain was still alive. Then, a little while after they left, a group of trolls that were passing by decided to examine the wreckage. Luckily, one of them noticed that Trey was still breathing, and rushed him back to their camp.
As far as he knew, he was the only one who survived the attack. After thanking the trolls who saved his life, he headed for the nearest village. It wasn't nearly as secure than his original home, though. The humans tore it apart within a few months, forcing Trey and many others to re-locate. This cycle was repeated many times. He never tried to fight the humans, since he knew he wouldn't be able to do it on his own. Before he could even think about fighting back, he needed a group.
Abilities:
Phoenix: When at 0hp or less (though, must have more than -10hp), has a 5% chance of revival every three turns. Once revived, remaining health is determined by a d20 roll, with 20 = 20hp. Can be used once every long rest.
Skill : Focus - May randomly increase INT for duration of combat.
Ability 1 : Magic - Cast Medium to High level Back Magic. Cannot cast ultimate magic.
Ability 2 : Bluff - Lower all enemies defense by 5% and Increase Intelligence by 2%. Stacks up to 5 times in battle. Can be used twice per turn.
Wields: Wands, Daggers, Bows/Arrows.
Spells:
Fire: A basic fire spell that starts a fire underneath your opponent's feet, can cast it up to 30 feet away, but must be able to see an opponent you're casting the spell at. Cost: 2MP. level: 1/1. Damage: 1d6 + (stat modifiers)
Thunder: A basic lightning spell that sends sparks at your enemy's location, can cast it up to 30 feet away, but must be able to see an opponent you're casting the spell at. Cost: 2MP. level 1/1. Damage: 1d6 + (stat modifiers)
Fira: An improved fire-based spell that causes a fire within a 10-foot radius from the point where it was cast. Can be cast up to 30 feet away, and doesn't require you to see who or what you're casting the spell at. Cost: 6MP. level 2/4. Damage: 2d6 + (stat modifiers)
Helper Mote: produces a small magical ball of floating energy to assist in fetching or sending objects up to 10 feet away from the caster. Mote lifts up to an object weighing up to 2lbs at maximum range, with up to 5lbs at close distance (1 foot away). Cost: 1MP. level 0. Damage: 0</s>
<|message|>Gobu Rou
Soon after my rude encounter with the brown bear I found myself thinking straighter, my tongue stopped stumbling in my teeth. The reason was clear, acquiring a class seemed to enhance my capabilities. Testing my new found prowess towards bows, I found that my accuracy and damage would drastically fall beyond 20 feet even against my immobile targets, trees. After a series of tests I came to understand my basic strengths and weaknesses, but lost several arrows in the process.
As I didn't want to end up as my unknowing benefactor, I decided against hunting into the forest. Looking in the vicinity of the perished hunter I managed to find a small path. Hoping it would lead me outside of the forest , and lead me it did. Some twenty minutes later though music could be heard and a few minutes later the smell of alcohol and food filled the air.
At the cover conferred by the dwindling light of dusk I drew nearer to the camp. Keeping his bow in hand he peered from a bush at the people gathered, multiple races, most if not all of them considered nothing but monsters by humans. In the camp I could distinguish mostly civilians, there were but a few that were armed somewhat better than novice adventurers.
Taking a leap of faith I carefully backed away from the bush and after a brief detour I made it seem that I came from the same direction as they. Making sure to make my self visible and not seen as a threat. Thus I hung my bow over my shoulder and looked for someone I could ask about the caravan. A yellow scaled Kobolt seemed to be in charge of this whole transmigration. He was dishing out orders about setting camp.
Thinking it would be best not to disturb people at work I decided to talk to him as soon he was less busy. Until that moment arrives I sat down at the edge of the camp.</s>
<|message|>Dorisma Rockskull
Dorisma simply grunted and began getting to work. Though her tribe did not use tents she herself had used them several times while traveling and was rather experienced with the whole process. She grabbed a pile of them from one of the carts and set them down on the ground. Them she grabbed one and began the rather admittedly slow, process of setting them up. Dorisma had little in mind for plans of organization instead simply planning to set them up next to each other until there were no more tents.
She did not ask for help nor did she require it. Dorisma sniffed her nose disdainfully at those getting drunk and singing, and they wondered why the humans found and killed them... "One watch humans and one watch girl." Dorisma said bluntly to no one in particular while setting up the tents. She gave an inward sigh, she really did sound stupid when she talked, perhaps she should practice tonight by herself.</s>
<|message|>Deravan Silverfur
Deravan looked at the group and sighed softly. He looked at the mayor and shaked his head.
"Asking us to work to make tents as well as guarding you guys... and the smell of alchool... now you wonder why humans find you and kill you easy..." he says in a low tone, looking at the mayor with a annoyed look before starting to work on the tents, helping the others out, getting the materials needed for this. He shakes his head. He looked at Robert.
"I know we are suppose to save them, but with what little we received and how we are threated..." he says, shaking his head.
"They need to learn to have a bit more respect and be able to work for themselves a bit more." he then says. continuing to place the tents up. He hoped they would arrive soon and that there won't be lots of trouble.</s>
<|message|>Trey
Most of the civilians were getting drunk and singing, which posed a problem for the group. It could easily attract some unwanted attention, which, considering their limited defenses, wouldn't end well. Unfortunately, shutting them up wouldn't be an easy task. It had to be done, though, otherwise they might not make it to the stronghold in one piece.
It was starting to get dark, and the mayor ordered them to set up the tents. As much as he didn't want to take orders from the mayor, Trey obliged, since most of the townsfolk were too drunk to do it themselves.
"I hope you all realize how much danger we're in." He said to the rest of the group as they set up the tents. "Just listen to them. Anyone who comes anywhere near our camp will know exactly where we are. As soon as we're done with this, I'm going to try to quiet them down. I probably won't be able to do it alone, though."</s>
<|message|>Robert Morris
I was about to volunteer to watch out for humans, but before I did, the mayor called out for the some of the guards to take the first watch, I then tried to help Dorisma, but by the time I got there, the tents were already set up, albeit somewhat haphazardly placed. After that, I looked for the princess, who was already being watched by two more guards. I then finally take notice of a new goblin in the camp, an archer, apparently, and I introduce myself "Oh, hey there, new guy, my name's Robert, and apparently everyone around here thinks I'm some sort of hero because I helped save the town from a human knight, or something," I then ask "So... who are you?" after that, I start looking around for yet another party member, R'lyeh, who I couldn't locate. I stop one of the citizens who followed us, a drunken ogre who was complaining about something in his native tongue, and ask him "Uh, sir? Do you know where the fish man went?" he laughs and says "Fish man leave while ago. Said something about 'swelt-ring heat', and 'drunken nin...something or other'. Probably back at sea," unfortunately, that seemed like something he would have done, especially if the drunkards were picking on him for not wanting to or not being able to drink with them... as well as being what he was.
The mayor seemed to actually listen to Trey, and he called out for everyone to be quiet, and oddly enough, most of the civilians did... well, sort of, they seemed to be mumbling and whispering to one another like younglings whose mother told them to shut their mouth. Of course, that was still preferable to the loud singing (if you could even call it that) and shouting that happened earlier. I then wondered exactly WHY there weren't already humans around here, after all, this seemed like one of their paths, and we weren't too far away from it, as unfortunate as that is. The ogre from earlier started stumbling towards Dorisma, and he started mumbling something in their native tongue again, of course, even I could tell from the tone of his voice that what he was saying was probably some sort of pickup line. I already knew that she wouldn't do anything with him, after all, I could smell his beer breath from here, and it wasn't what I would call 'pleasant', or even 'bearable', considering how much closer she was to him right now than I was.</s>
<|message|>Dorisma Rockskull
Dorisma sighed, not this again. Just because you were an ogre didn't mean you had to act stupid and be drunk all the time. Smiling she sauntered towards him and hugged him somewhat roughly with one arm. Then proceeded to sharply rap on his temple with her other fist, probably harder than she should have. Assuming that the orge was knocked out, after all she was rather confident in her own strength, Dorisma pushed him to the ground lightly and grabbed one of the tents, lifting the whole thing off the ground and moving it further away from the group of tents and placed her stuff inside. She checked outside briefly before going inside and setting up her bedding, then laying down. Doubtless the majority would go to sleep in a couple of hours without setting a watch and then she would go outside and make sure they stayed safe during the night.</s>
<|message|>Gobu Rou
As I was waiting for a chance to talk with someone in charge, a kobold donning red armour took it the chance to greet me instead. Not sure what to take from his phrasing, since he seemed to have great disdain towards the title. "Sorry, to have bothered you with my humble presence," I retorted to his self introduction with just a hint of sarcasm. "Name's Rou and as you've probably guessed I'm a Ranger..." as he turned his eyes from me and started speaking to someone else I could feel I was being ignored. Thus I as well turned away from him, in order to walk away.
'That went pretty well' I retorted to myself. I don't think highly of my capabilities but the way he acted really got on my nerves. Wandering where I could find the kobold that was ordering the red mage around earlier.</s>
| <|message|>Trey
Thankfully, the mayor heard Trey, and got the townsfolk to quit down.
"That honestly was easier than I expected." He said. "Anyway, we've got a long journey ahead of us tomorrow. Don't hesitate to wake me up if you need someone to watch the camp."
Trey went into one of the tents they'd just set up. He tucked his head under his wing and began to drift off to sleep. After a rather eventful day, it felt good to finally get some rest.</s> |
<|description|>Trey
Dragon Steel Wand
Enchanted Steel Magic Wand (+5 MP)
Steel Dagger (1d6 + DEXmod)
Leather Armour (+1 DEF)
Ragged Black Robes
Moldy Wooden Staff
Gender: Male
Species: Aves
Class: Black Mage
Level: 2
EXP: 0
Stats:
HP: 8
MP: 10
Defense: 3 (+1 from Leather Armour)
M. Defense: 7
Strength - 10 [(6)3-1 + 2]
Endurance - 3 [(1)2-1 + 1]
Stamina - 4 [(3)1-2 + 2]
Agility - 15 [(5)5+2 + 3]
Dexterity - 12 [(5)4+1 + 2]
Magic - 14 [(4)3+3 + 4]
Wisdom - 13 [(3)4+3 + 3]
Spirit - 13 [(6)3+1 + 3]
Intelligence - 17 [(6)3+3 + 5]
Luck - 13 [(6)2+1 + 4]
Bio: Trey was born and raised in a village up in the mountains. It was built at the top of one of the highest peaks. This, of course, made it almost impossible to reach for those incapable of flight. Because of this, most of the residents were Aves. Any other species would probably fall to their death trying to get there, including humans. For years, the village remained untouched, and was almost completely safe from human attacks.
Eventually, the village elders started to get wary of the humans passing by below them. If one of them found a way to scale the mountain, it would spell disaster for every single one of them. They decided that they would have to be prepared for these attacks. They began training the young Aves in the village, so one day they would be able to fight back against the humans.
Trey hatched shortly after the elders made this decision. He was taught the basics of black magic at an early age, and as he grew older he began to improve. He was far from a master, but he could hold his own in a fight. He eagerly waited for the day his training would be put to use, thinking he could handle whatever the humans threw at him.
One day, his training was interrupted by the sound of a horn echoing through the village. He instantly stopped, knowing what it meant. Humans were attacking the village. He flew out to the outskirts of the village, along with several others that had been trained to fight humans. It was a small group, so he thought it would be an easy fight.
He severely underestimated how strong they really were. One by one, the humans picked off the Aves that were attacking them, until only a few remained. As soon as Trey realized that the humans were winning, he tried to fly back up to the village to get everyone to evacuate, but it was too late. A human archer spotted him, and shot him out of the sky before he could get there.
He lied on the ground for what felt like hours, barely alive. He only survived because he happened to get lucky. The humans didn't notice that one of the Aves lying at the base of the mountain was still alive. Then, a little while after they left, a group of trolls that were passing by decided to examine the wreckage. Luckily, one of them noticed that Trey was still breathing, and rushed him back to their camp.
As far as he knew, he was the only one who survived the attack. After thanking the trolls who saved his life, he headed for the nearest village. It wasn't nearly as secure than his original home, though. The humans tore it apart within a few months, forcing Trey and many others to re-locate. This cycle was repeated many times. He never tried to fight the humans, since he knew he wouldn't be able to do it on his own. Before he could even think about fighting back, he needed a group.
Abilities:
Phoenix: When at 0hp or less (though, must have more than -10hp), has a 5% chance of revival every three turns. Once revived, remaining health is determined by a d20 roll, with 20 = 20hp. Can be used once every long rest.
Skill : Focus - May randomly increase INT for duration of combat.
Ability 1 : Magic - Cast Medium to High level Back Magic. Cannot cast ultimate magic.
Ability 2 : Bluff - Lower all enemies defense by 5% and Increase Intelligence by 2%. Stacks up to 5 times in battle. Can be used twice per turn.
Wields: Wands, Daggers, Bows/Arrows.
Spells:
Fire: A basic fire spell that starts a fire underneath your opponent's feet, can cast it up to 30 feet away, but must be able to see an opponent you're casting the spell at. Cost: 2MP. level: 1/1. Damage: 1d6 + (stat modifiers)
Thunder: A basic lightning spell that sends sparks at your enemy's location, can cast it up to 30 feet away, but must be able to see an opponent you're casting the spell at. Cost: 2MP. level 1/1. Damage: 1d6 + (stat modifiers)
Fira: An improved fire-based spell that causes a fire within a 10-foot radius from the point where it was cast. Can be cast up to 30 feet away, and doesn't require you to see who or what you're casting the spell at. Cost: 6MP. level 2/4. Damage: 2d6 + (stat modifiers)
Helper Mote: produces a small magical ball of floating energy to assist in fetching or sending objects up to 10 feet away from the caster. Mote lifts up to an object weighing up to 2lbs at maximum range, with up to 5lbs at close distance (1 foot away). Cost: 1MP. level 0. Damage: 0</s>
<|message|>Trey
Robert agreed that they should get some rest before going back out, but also pointed out that they could ditch the princess.
"If it makes you feel any better, Robert, we might have another opportunity to leave her behind later on." Trey said. "If we're lucky, we might be able to do so right after we're finished our next mission."
Once again, Robert tried to lead the way, and only ended up going in a circle.
"I think I saw an inn at one point while I was flying between the two groups." Trey said, flying into the air to get a better view of the stronghold. It didn't take him long to spot it, since it wasn't too far away. "It's over here!" He shouted down to the rest of the group as he began to lead the way.</s>
<|message|>Dorisma Rockskull
Dorisma examined the jewel. Shiny. She'd probably pawn it off later. A good enough reward since she'd really done nothing but carry that fat egg. A night of sleep would do them well before dealing with the rest of the dust issue. Though there was the small matter of payment. The jewel would doubtless do, though perhaps they should see if they could weasel a night of rest out of the dragon. However Dorisma for one, had no intent on leading the effort to mooch off of someone. It seemed the flying one, Trey, had found the inn. Without a word Dorisma began walking towards the yelling, gesturing, bird. It had been a rather long day after all.</s>
<|message|>Deravan Silverfur
Deravan looked at the jewel that was given to them. At least that might actually give a couple of coins to the group, enough for a night at an inn at least. He moved as he then saw Trey point towards an inn. Rest... that would be really good for the group.
"Lets go sleep then. With how this day went... the sooner we rest, the better." he says before moving towards the inn that Trey had pointed out. Saving the egg from that dragon, seeing Robert actually take on a dragon one on one.... And possibly also being able to ditch the princess? Well, this day did go quite well at least.</s>
<|message|>Miles Hall
I looked around my party members but it seemed as if we could always do with more healers. Min-max, no one dying 'cause healing everywhere, that sort of thing. "Alright lady, I guess that works for me." I told her, stepping closer and feeling somewhat intimidated by her size. She chucked a sparkling ruby across to Dorisma in the meantime as I stood in front of the dragon, off-side as to avoid being strangely formal. "While my friends walk off, I guess you could teach me a trick about dragon magic or two." I watched as Robert somehow walked in a circle back towards us, as if he was missing peripheral vision and thought he was in a desert. I smirked and chuckled, joking about Robert's lack of bearings before turning back towards the dragon lady. She seemed nice enough, assuming the fewer horns meant less hostile stance and reptilians didn't always look hungry.</s>
<|message|>Robert Morris
[Robert]
I followed Trey all the way to the inn, trying to make sure I didn't stumble over anything on my way. Backstabs, as quiet as ever, followed for a moment before heading back for some odd reason. Maybe she was going to try to talk the dragon out of more of her treasure as payment for her egg. I didn't see too much of the city on my way to the inn, mainly because I was focused on following my teammate, so it all just sort of looked blurry to me. Soon enough, we finally made it back to the inn. I opened the door, and the first thing I saw was the princess... who unfortunately saw me, and the rest of my team almost as quickly. "THERE you are. So, took you all day to find that egg, huh? Guess hide and seek isn't your strong suit, is it?" It hasn't even been two minutes, and she's already criticizing the group. If we're not even heading to the kingdom of Torrentia, her home, then WHY is she still following us around? I asked myself as I just nodded at her continued criticism towards... probably everyone at this point. I then stumbled my way over to the barkeeper, and asked "How much for a room, good sir... and do you take payment in the form of giant ruby?" He was about to answer that, however, Backstabs interrupted and handed him some coins, which... was just enough for five rooms at this place. The perfect amount, considering the following: We didn't care whether or not the princess had a place to sleep, and she could probably pay for herself, as she's been shown to have a lot of money that... she only likes to spend on herself for some reason.
---
[Backstabs]
Robert wandered around in a circle, and the dragon gave us payment... or, at least a giant gem that's probably worth more money than I've ever had in my life. Dorisma caught it as the dragon just sort of chucked it at her, and the group was off to find an inn... this time with Trey following. I then got an idea... maybe I could convince the dragon to pay us enough for one night at the inn, so, after blindly following for a moment, I decided to sneak away from the group, and back to the dragon, who seemed to be teaching Miles something. "Very well... I suppose I could teach you the dragon's prayer. Many a drake before you has learned this, though, they usually learn it from a priest... say... do you speak draconic, young one? The prayer, itself is in that language," I listened in as the dragon started speaking in its own language... a language I couldn't ever hope to understand, let alone speak properly. I nearly fell asleep waiting until they were finished, but, once they were, I finally asked "So... miss dragon, would you mind also paying for our stay at your inn? I feel like we deserve it after saving your child from certain doom," she looked between myself and Miles, and seemed oddly nervous, but, thankfully, complied by handing us a bag of coins... probably just enough for our party to stay at the inn. "Thanks... I assume this will be enough, right?" she nodded, and I headed off towards the inn that Trey spotted. It wasn't a very long walk, and it was easy enough to tell where it was from here, so I made it there in what might be record time for our kobold leader... speaking of whom, he seemed to be talking to the innkeeper, and trying to negotiate some sort of price involving the giant ruby that Dorisma had. I simply walked up to the innkeeper, and handed him all the coins from that bag, and he handed me five keys, which I passed around to everyone before heading to my room, and passing out.</s>
<|message|>Dorisma Rockskull
Dorisma snorted and grabbed the key, heading upstairs to where the rooms where, and somehow finding her room on the first go. Which was rather lucky considering she'd guessed randomly. Tomorrow they could deal with the rest of the gray stuff and whatever else these dragons wanted. Probably would ask them to do the cooking and cleaning if they thought they could get away with it. Somehow the princess had managed to find them again on top of it all. If she kept them awake Dorisma would find a way to shut her up. In the meantime she lay on the slightly oversized bed and tried to get some sleep. Dorisma had a feeling she would need all the sleep she could get in the upcoming days.</s>
<|message|>Deravan Silverfur
Derevan was surprised a bit when Backstab arrived and then gave the money for all the group. She probably got that dragon to give them money... or she stole from someone and they didn't notice. Anyway, he was happy to actually have a room to go sleep now. He smiled at Backstab.
"Thanks." he says to her before heading to his room and then getting into his own bed, going to sleep right there and now. Tomorrow was probably going to be a big day, and for once the group didn't need to have guards for their room.... Unless some dang bandits arrive in their room and bust in, but that would probably alert everyone in the building and have some reactions. He just went to sleep peacefully for once... It felt good</s>
| <|message|>Trey
Trey sighed loudly when the princess showed up. He was starting to think that she'd gotten lost somewhere in the stronghold, but unfortunately that wasn't the case. Hopefully she wouldn't be going with them on their mission tomorrow. The dust was already dangerous enough when they weren't being distracted by the princess' constant complaining.
Backstabs seemed to have gotten money from somewhere. Trey wasn't sure where she got it, and frankly, he didn't care, as long as they had the money to pay for their rooms. Trey took one of the keys that were given to them, and headed up to his room. He would have to get a good night's sleep in order to be prepared for tomorrow.</s> |
<|description|>Trey
Dragon Steel Wand
Enchanted Steel Magic Wand (+5 MP)
Steel Dagger (1d6 + DEXmod)
Leather Armour (+1 DEF)
Ragged Black Robes
Moldy Wooden Staff
Gender: Male
Species: Aves
Class: Black Mage
Level: 2
EXP: 0
Stats:
HP: 8
MP: 10
Defense: 3 (+1 from Leather Armour)
M. Defense: 7
Strength - 10 [(6)3-1 + 2]
Endurance - 3 [(1)2-1 + 1]
Stamina - 4 [(3)1-2 + 2]
Agility - 15 [(5)5+2 + 3]
Dexterity - 12 [(5)4+1 + 2]
Magic - 14 [(4)3+3 + 4]
Wisdom - 13 [(3)4+3 + 3]
Spirit - 13 [(6)3+1 + 3]
Intelligence - 17 [(6)3+3 + 5]
Luck - 13 [(6)2+1 + 4]
Bio: Trey was born and raised in a village up in the mountains. It was built at the top of one of the highest peaks. This, of course, made it almost impossible to reach for those incapable of flight. Because of this, most of the residents were Aves. Any other species would probably fall to their death trying to get there, including humans. For years, the village remained untouched, and was almost completely safe from human attacks.
Eventually, the village elders started to get wary of the humans passing by below them. If one of them found a way to scale the mountain, it would spell disaster for every single one of them. They decided that they would have to be prepared for these attacks. They began training the young Aves in the village, so one day they would be able to fight back against the humans.
Trey hatched shortly after the elders made this decision. He was taught the basics of black magic at an early age, and as he grew older he began to improve. He was far from a master, but he could hold his own in a fight. He eagerly waited for the day his training would be put to use, thinking he could handle whatever the humans threw at him.
One day, his training was interrupted by the sound of a horn echoing through the village. He instantly stopped, knowing what it meant. Humans were attacking the village. He flew out to the outskirts of the village, along with several others that had been trained to fight humans. It was a small group, so he thought it would be an easy fight.
He severely underestimated how strong they really were. One by one, the humans picked off the Aves that were attacking them, until only a few remained. As soon as Trey realized that the humans were winning, he tried to fly back up to the village to get everyone to evacuate, but it was too late. A human archer spotted him, and shot him out of the sky before he could get there.
He lied on the ground for what felt like hours, barely alive. He only survived because he happened to get lucky. The humans didn't notice that one of the Aves lying at the base of the mountain was still alive. Then, a little while after they left, a group of trolls that were passing by decided to examine the wreckage. Luckily, one of them noticed that Trey was still breathing, and rushed him back to their camp.
As far as he knew, he was the only one who survived the attack. After thanking the trolls who saved his life, he headed for the nearest village. It wasn't nearly as secure than his original home, though. The humans tore it apart within a few months, forcing Trey and many others to re-locate. This cycle was repeated many times. He never tried to fight the humans, since he knew he wouldn't be able to do it on his own. Before he could even think about fighting back, he needed a group.
Abilities:
Phoenix: When at 0hp or less (though, must have more than -10hp), has a 5% chance of revival every three turns. Once revived, remaining health is determined by a d20 roll, with 20 = 20hp. Can be used once every long rest.
Skill : Focus - May randomly increase INT for duration of combat.
Ability 1 : Magic - Cast Medium to High level Back Magic. Cannot cast ultimate magic.
Ability 2 : Bluff - Lower all enemies defense by 5% and Increase Intelligence by 2%. Stacks up to 5 times in battle. Can be used twice per turn.
Wields: Wands, Daggers, Bows/Arrows.
Spells:
Fire: A basic fire spell that starts a fire underneath your opponent's feet, can cast it up to 30 feet away, but must be able to see an opponent you're casting the spell at. Cost: 2MP. level: 1/1. Damage: 1d6 + (stat modifiers)
Thunder: A basic lightning spell that sends sparks at your enemy's location, can cast it up to 30 feet away, but must be able to see an opponent you're casting the spell at. Cost: 2MP. level 1/1. Damage: 1d6 + (stat modifiers)
Fira: An improved fire-based spell that causes a fire within a 10-foot radius from the point where it was cast. Can be cast up to 30 feet away, and doesn't require you to see who or what you're casting the spell at. Cost: 6MP. level 2/4. Damage: 2d6 + (stat modifiers)
Helper Mote: produces a small magical ball of floating energy to assist in fetching or sending objects up to 10 feet away from the caster. Mote lifts up to an object weighing up to 2lbs at maximum range, with up to 5lbs at close distance (1 foot away). Cost: 1MP. level 0. Damage: 0</s>
<|message|>Dorisma Rockskull
Dorisma's ears twitched and she glanced at the direction of the sound for a moment. Then, with remarkable stealth, Dorisma crept into the woods and got close enough see the source of the sound. To her dissapointment it wasn't a human but it was someone trying to be sneaky, which meant they were up to no good. So Dorisma closed the remaining distance between them in one limb cracking, stick snapping, leaf crushing rush and grabbed the goblin by his neck. Not enough to choke him, but enough for him to take his breaths carefully and hope it didn't get any closer. Feeling rather pleased with herself at this point Dorisma let out a small grunt of laughter at the unfortunate goblin and promptly trotted into camp again, somewhat roughly dropping her prize at the campfire. "Found a sneak." Was all she said, waiting to pounce on him again if he tried to escape. The others could decide what to do with him. She didn't paticularly care as long as the goblin didn't cause any trouble. If he did though she'd heard about this interesting stew...</s>
<|message|>Miles Hall
So, the thief tried to run away with a bunch of our belongings, but his poor of judgement ended up gimping him. I had to look away when Dorisma and Deravan finished off the thief, somewhat taken back over the excessive brutality. Hell, it was savage, and Dorisma seemed to take it out on Deravan as well. "Don't be that cold Dorisma, someone nearly died. Whether at fault or not that's pretty brutal." I spoke out, hand still on Deravan's shoulder as the glow faded away from my palms. This journey wasn't really what I had in mind, what with only about 5 people (princess excluded because she seems to fade in and out now) expected to stop some wave of horror whilst having to fend for ourselves in the wilderness. I just sighed and looked into the darkness, biting my tongue and hoping we'd actually get to the place before dying. Even then, what do we do to stop it all? It's not like we're gonna have a deus ex machina like every damned fairy tale.
And then, Dorisma left the camp. I was about to ask what she was doing, but it seemed like she was going out for a late-night hunt. She plopped a goblin by the campfire, and I only noticed when I heard a loud thud against the ground. "Was that thief alone or what?" I commented, alarmed at a potential accomplice and raising an eyebrow, hand patting against the knives in my pockets.</s>
<|message|>Trey
Now that the thief had been dealt with, Trey returned to the campfire to get a little more rest before the sun came up. Just as he was starting to drift off to sleep, though, he was awoken by the sound of Dorisma dropping something next to the campfire. She'd managed to catch someone else lurking around the campsite, though this time it wasn't a human, but a goblin. There was still a good chance that he was planning to steal from or attack them, but he may have simply heard the fight with the human and came over to investigate.
There was a lot more questions that Trey wanted to ask him, but he decided to start with something simple. "Who are you?"</s>
<|message|>Rudavegas "Rudy" Vegatini
"Hey! HEY! Let me go, dammit!"
He was plopped right on his chest near the campfire, and quickly scrambled to his feet as he noticed that he was surrounded by other monsters. He didn't know what to think - after all, he despised humans but he had no strong opinion one way or the other on fellow monsters. After all, the only one who had done anything for Rudy was Rudy.
Gesturing with a hand to his mouth, he coughed and let out a loud "ahem!" noise.
"Rudavegas Vegatini here. Proud adventurer, prouder magical apprentice, prouderer human slayer, and proudererer Vegatini tribe leader!"
He held his arms out to the sky in a stretching motion before returning to a neutral stance.
"...Uhh, and if you guys could just not kill me, that'd be great. Iunno about the groofus doofus you guys killed over yonder, but I don't want any part of whatever that guy had going, alright? Humans are scumbags, I'm sure we can all agree."
Looking around, Rudy gauged the reactions of the people gathered at the campfire before continuing.
"So what say, uhhh, you help me and I help you? You choose NOT to kill me, and I choose to help you in whatever way I can until the time comes where I'm confident my new sanctum of research and hunting where I, to put it bluntly, may just ditch you all. On the lightest of terms, of course; I don't like hard feelings."
Rudy shrugged his shoulders and leaned on his staff to relieve the minor pain he had received from being dropped without hesitation, awaiting response from his potential friends or enemies.</s>
<|message|>Robert Morris
Quite a bit happened in almost no time, for some reason, as if someone was just completely impatient and couldn't wait... just as well, we finished off the thief, however, all I could really find was his knife, which wasn't even enchanted, and four silver coins with a weird brand on them. The brand most likely represented whatever town he lived in, or, whichever place he recently stole from, and despite it looking interesting, it wasn't important enough for me to actually care about. What I did care about was the odd, robed goblin that Dorisma just plopped down in front of everyone. Apparently, said goblin was sneaking around the place, or, at least, that was according to Dorisma. He seemed to almost cower as he spoke about how he disliked humanity, and the princess just chuckled at that. "Yeah... if you're wondering why one of them's following us, well... we've honestly tried everything. She's clingy, and we can't hurt her because of some weird magic," I explained to the goblin before adding "By the way, welcome to the group, but uh... let's have someone just make absolute sure you aren't going to betray us at the first chance you get... I think Dorisma would do a good job of that," I then looked over to Dorisma to sort of give the new guy, apparently called Rudavegas, an idea of who that was. I then decided to sort of introduce the group "The drake's name is Miles... I dunno how, but he always knows where someone's weak point is... the other goblin is Backstabs, and, as her name might imply, she prefers to attack people from behind, the aves is Trey, he can use magic to burn stuff, the one you probably can't see is a troll by the name of Deravan... he's a ninja, so get used to not knowing where he is, and last but not least is Dorisma... I think you know who she is and what she can do," I then almost forgot to introduce myself, and I chuckled before adding "And I'm Robert... I dunno what I do, honestly. I guess... a little bit of everything?"</s>
<|message|>Dorisma Rockskull
Dorisma shrugged, "No care. Just don't do anything stupid." The last part of her statement was directed at Rudavegas who would from now on be refereed to as Rud. She sat down and stared at him, making her intention of fulfilling her role as the 'anti-betrayal' system obvious. By watching him. Constantly.</s>
<|message|>Deravan Silverfur
Deravan sighed as the thief was defeated, before lot of things suddenly happened. Great... no going back to sleep soon he guessed. He looked at the new goblin that Dorisma had caught, and looked at him unsure. He then heard what Robert said... He shake his head as he moves forwards to the group.
"Not knowing where I am.... Kinda annoying to be always in the shadows sometimes." he says bluntly as he moves to the group.
"But ya... it seems sometimes the group just loses sight of where I am." he adds at this, shaking his head.
"Well, nice to meet you Rudavegas. And any help we can get against those humans that keep hunting us will be appreciated." he says</s>
| <|message|>Trey
The goblin, apparently named Rudavegas, seemed to be friendly, and even asked to join their group. Nobody seemed to have a problem with keeping him around, though Dorisma was still keeping an eye on him. He was just caught sneaking around their camp, after all.
"Now, if you all don't mind, I'd like to get at least a little rest before the sun rises." Trey said, hoping that his sleep wouldn't be interrupted again.</s> |
<|description|>Miles Hall
My old heirloom card; it seemed a lot different from when I first got it. It some had a few dried speckles and drop of blood on the corner, superimposed over the pattern of the Kobold Ace of Spades. The card itself was somewhat munted, folded asymmetrically and the fold giving the bottom more side than the top.
"Steal from the rich, give to myself
Steal from the rich, give to myself
Steal from the rich, give to myself
Steal from the rich..."
"Steal from the rich, give to myself
Steal from the rich, give to myself
Steal from the rich, give to myself
Steal from the rich..."
EXP: 026/100
LVL: 51/100
Gender: Male
Age: 25
Species: Kobold (NA), Drake
Class: Gambler
Appearance: There's nothing much to differentiate him between his species and himself. He does notably have scars cutting across his stomach, from beatings from his father to those whom he scammed. He has green scales which cover him from head to claw, and yellow scales which covers his belly and chin. He wears clothing that don't seem to fit a homeless person, yet do pass as gentlemanly (just barely). If anything, he looks like a noble that has just lost their land and is down on their luck.
(Lvl 2 - Drake) Current Stats:
Strength - 6
Endurance - 7
Stamina - 6
Agility - 12
Dexterity - 13
Magic - 8
Wisdom - 14
Spirit - 13
Intelligence - 13
Luck - 20
(Lvl 2) Stats:
Strength - 8
Endurance - 8
Stamina - 7
Agility - 12
Dexterity - 13
Magic - 7
Wisdom - 14
Spirit - 12
Intelligence - 12
Luck - 19
(Lvl 1) Starting Stats:
Strength - 6
Endurance - 6
Stamina - 6
Agility - 10
Dexterity - 9
Magic - 6
Wisdom - 10
Spirit - 9
Intelligence - 8
Luck - 13
Bio: Miles was born poor, right onto an alley with parents who's livelihoods were taken away by the monarchy. They wouldn't get very much, with both parents working and one abusive to his family. More often than not, they would have to go without food for days, or luxuries for their entire lives. They were thankful for the fact that this village wasn't yet known to 'humans,' but otherwise their lives were rather miserable.
Miles' father never really did much, apart from gambling away money and the family's heirlooms, dying on the inside every time he did so. He was so convinced that he'd be able to score the jackpot that he ended up betting his own son Miles to pay off debts. Even though he knew it was wrong, he did it regardless, since at that point he had nothing else to lose but his soul.
Tragically, Miles' father lost again, giving up everything at that point and wasting his life away. Miles ended up being a kid lost to gambling, never to see his family again. He ended up being taken away to another village, knowing that his father was a deadbeat and that life had nothing much to offer to him.
Miles grew up in a small yet busy village of Birchvale, away from the village where so much had been lost. He wasn't supposed to go there, but destiny had other ideas; the cart's axle he was riding in broke mysteriously, and the horses pulling the cart broke all their hooves. Miles was able to escape his captors sneakily, running through a dense forest for two days until he ended up at the gates of Birchvale.
Miles wasn't accepted, however. No adults took care of him and he was seen as just another orphan. Yet, he was still able to survive without any sort of income nor housing. His father wasn't a complete deadbeat; he did teach Miles a couple of tricks as a compulsive gambler, enough so that he knew blackjack and many other ways of gambling. His father just wasn't a dealer, nor had his own gambling equipment to successfully con people.
Miles started his life by joining a band of other orphans, living off the street and developing a sense of danger. He knew who would backstab him, how to backstab them, but more importantly he was able to scam people with just a single card - something his father had given to him. He didn't like his gang, however; he had an unusual penchant against violence. He always insisted on threatening people rather than mugging them if they didn't pay up, though his gang wouldn't always listen considering that they could get arrested any time.
Eventually, the gang started shrinking. Most of them grew up to become apprentices and take up jobs, while others pursued an education. The remaining few in his gang ended up being arrested or killed from unfortunate circumstances (such as a known psychotic in his gang being slammed to the floor by a broken sign, while behind Miles). Miles didn't really care, and he was already smarter than most of the other kids; he just wanted to continue scamming people and make a living. He thoroughly enjoyed it, yet at the back of mind, he knew it would eventually kill him one day.
Abilities:
-Dirty Fighting (NA)
-Dark Breath
-Dragon Healing (scales by level, which is 1d6 + SPI-based)
-Lucky Dice
Items:
-'Return' Dragonsteel Throwing Knives (1d10 + 1d3 FIRE, DEX-based): A well-made, well-forged weapon made out of the mystical dragon steel. It's a cut above simple steel, but it's usually more expensive, and takes more time to make. Damage: 1d10 + STATmod + 1d3 fire damage
-'Return' Throwing Knives (1d6, DEX-based)
-'Return' Worn-Darts (1d3, DEX-based)
-Guard's Sword (1d6, STR-based)
-Base clothing
-5 bronze coins
-Bag of Holding
-Pack of cards
-Special heirloom card</s>
<|message|>Dorisma Rockskull
Dorisma silently watched as the general populace ran around like headless chickens from fear of the bats. Silly things really, bats were about as dangerous as rabbits, and they were both good for eating. She idly snatched one of the air and broke its neck, then decided to have a morning snack. After everything finally calmed they made their way out of the cave and found the dragon sanctuary they were looking for. Robert lead the group in what seemed to be an attempt at negotiation. The dragon was scornful of their request but would acknowledge them if they could beat one of their kind. That seemed a little ridiculous, obviously they wouldn't be seeking protection if they were strong enough to not need it. Never the less Dorisma followed the dragon to an arena place. Dorisma waited in the fighter area impatiently for the fight to start, she'd always wondered how strong a dragon was. Guess she would get a chance to find out.</s>
<|message|>Deravan Silverfur
Deravan woke up slowly the next day, only to see that Backstab was back on her feet and better now. Thank god. If she would have died during the night for whatever reason, he would have probably hated himself for all this for not being able to do more. Then the group started to move forwards, towards the fort with dragon's flying around. He frowned a bit. Dragon's... great grandfather was killed by one. This made Deravan have a bad impression about all this. As the group continued to move, he stayed silent, his dagger's close to his hands. Just when the dragon said something about not wanting the kobolds in his village cause of how they were supposed to be dragon's, Deravan shook his head, before hearing what Robert said, and then staring at him. Him against a dragon by himself? Was he crazy? He hoped that he would not end up being dragon food after all this. He walked near Robert, seeing some dragon's eying him.
"Good luck... I hope you know what you are doing." he then says before moving backwards, staying in the shadows to go and look at the fight.</s>
<|message|>Trey
Shortly after everyone had woken up and began moving again, they came to the end of the tunnel. The dragon stronghold was now in sight. If they were lucky, the civilians would be able to stay here while the rest of them tried to solve the corruption problem. This wasn't very likely, though, since dragons tended to not get along with goblins or trolls. If the dragons did end up letting them in, there would probably be some sort of catch.
After some negotiating was done by Robert, the dragon agreed to let them in, if Robert could defeat one of them in combat. It was implied that he would be fighting alone, so once they got to the arena, Trey flew up and perched in a spot where he'd be able to see the fight clearly. If he were to lose, then they would have to find another place for the civilians, which would leave them much less protected.</s>
| <|message|>Miles Hall
Today, I woke up with a bit of a cloudy head. I still wasn't used to having the body of a drake, which were infamously weak and feeble. It didn't help that the rock-hard floor was separated by a single bed-sheet, leaving my back aching and my neck arched for a brief minute. I took a deep breath before gathering my belongings, my small infinity bag hanging off my coat and my knives still in my pocket. That's right, I slept in my clothes; this whole cave system was cold and damp, something we evidently forgot about during our fight. I rose off my 'bed' as if I had just lied down, slipping my head through the canvas of my olive tent and looking left to right. It seemed as if I was an early bird as barely anyone was wide awake, leaving a constant dripping of water from darkened sections of the cave. The sun still hadn't rose, but there was definitely a lighter shade of night for the time being.
We'll dismiss that though. Within minutes, everyone seemed to have gotten up at the peak of dawn, the sun edging its way into the cave and awakening anyone's tent it shone. I grumbled somewhat at the sudden drinking and banter being exchanged from opposite sides of the camp, as if this place wasn't already full of drinkers and cowards. Considering the current attitude of everyone around here, I knocked down my tent by (with lots of effort) kicking a pin from a pole, too tired to bother when everyone else was only willing to leave when a certain cart passed a threshold point. I began to work my way through the camp to my team-mates, noting their tents were empty or gone - they already seemed to be guarding a cart that was almost passing that point, leaving everyone else scrambling to their feet as I chuckled somewhat.
It was only about 10 minutes until we ran into our first threat. I must emphasise how everyone's a coward around here, too afraid to be swatting away bats for crying out loud. "Bugger off, damn it!" Some twat decided yelling out the name of his deity was a good idea in the abyss of the cave, leaving us with more trouble and a chain-reaction that only seemed to quill when the human spoke. She had a fair point when it came to those damn things, noting how everyone was really a coward at that point, waving their arms in the air and treating it like humans weren't the worst thing to befall us. I swatted away a few bats away there and here, leaving a few to twirl in the air and claw the walls while I began jogging and catching up to the others.
And here we were. Before us stood old marble structures that supposedly ancient humans built. Well, I'd like to imagine dragons built those before the ancient humans chased them out. Most of them looked like someone tried to prop up large pillars of rock and stuck a roof on top, not bothering with walls until they got inside the perimeters of the pillars. That's not mentioning how most of them seemed to be dangerously close to collapsing or having large sections overgrown and dug out. We seemed to be in a valley, a dark one at that. Despite the sun being higher than it was an hour ago, there was... the edges and cliff faces seemed to be charred or melted, possibly to reduce the chances of landslides. Everything didn't seem to shine and reflect light properly, possibly attributed to dragons being so mysterious. Either way, we didn't come here to describe the setting, did we? Anyway, there was quite a bit of dragon roaring and a constant presence of flapping noises, some quite fast-paced and others that could not possibly be attributed to the dragons due to the sheer pitch and volume.
Eventually, after snaking around boulders and remains of human civilisation, we came across a giant iron gate. How the dragons managed to forge this even with the help of other species was unknown, considering the sheer size and flawlessness of it. The gate seemed to be rusting and a bit dull, but that's just how iron is when exposed to the open. The atmosphere could be described as tense, with large dragons who probably never even seen the outside world engaging in staring contests against slurring drunkards. I just brushed passed an orc and made my way up front, mingling with the crowd and not with my party in fear of being spotted by... everyone. Let's just say a bunch of nationalists and a drake do not mix well. I had to hide my face under my coat for goodness sake. However, I had to ultimately break that disguise and move on forwards, realising Robert was being a jackass and risking his life for the sake of everyone around here. Just how the hell would he be able to beat a damned dragon? I ended up standing by our resident ninja and thief, almost making a joke about how similar our roles were but deciding to stifle myself. Things were quite serious here.</s> |
<|description|>Rudavegas "Rudy" Vegatini
Gender: Male
Species: Goblin
Class: Apprentice
Level 2
HP: 13/13
MP: 10/10
EXP: 0/100
Attack (Str): +4
Attack (Dex): +5
Hit Chance: +2
Defense: 4 (+1)
M.Def: 7 (+2)
Evasion: +6
Healing: +12
M.Atk: +13
Stats:
Strength - 7
Endurance - 8
Stamina - 8
Agility - 4
Dexterity - 11
Magic - 15
Wisdom - 13
Spirit - 12
Intelligence - 13
Luck - 12
---
Bio: Most goblins are considered weak throw-away fodder. Grinded out to near extinction for EXP and then left to repopulate so that more amateur adventurers can repeat the accursed cycle generations later. However, in the distant village of the Vegatini tribe, there is a legend of a magically gifted goblin who would bring ruin to humanity and glory to the goblin race. One who is wise and benevolent, yet chaotic and bloodthirsty. The destined hero-king of all goblins, branded by a large circular birthmark on the forehead. By now you've probably clued in...
That it is in fact, not Rudavegas who took up this role. In a family with 9 siblings, him being the 10th, he was the youngest runt of the litter. When he heard that his mother was having an 11th child, he jumped at the idea of finally being an older brother and not the youngest.
Months passed, and when the baby was finally born, those gathered to see the baby went silent: for the baby that was born was branded with a circular birthmark on the forehead.
The village partied for days and nights, hailing the child as a savior. There was one disappointed, however. Rudavegas was not taking the news as well. Sure it was good for the village, but by virtue of just being born the way he was, this baby child was already much more important than he was.
Years passed. The village's population was on the decline due to humans becoming increasingly brave. Some of the older siblings had already fought and died for their village's protection. The young baby who came to be known by the name Carrovegas had been growing as a prodigy child in the art of magic, having already learned the abilities of a Time Mage. Rudavegas, jealous and yet not to be outdone, tried his best to study magic alongside his younger brother; at best he could only summon a carrier pigeon one time and that was about it. He still kept at it, however, taking an interest in stories of magical villains and monsters that fought in attempts to destroy the world; only to be stopped by the "heroic" humans.
His brother began to seem more and more disturbed, however, as years went on. He began to cower away from forested areas and from leaving his home. Rudavegas overheard Carrovegas whispering one time about how he "had to make sure he didn't die again". When questioned, Carrovegas let it slip that he had "died" to human hunters on multiple occasions as they prowled the outskirts of the village, only to be brought back to right before it happened. It had apparently happened enough times to scar the child. It was the first time that Rudavegas saw his brother as more than an obstacle - like someone he had to ensure the survival of, for whatever reason.
Rudavegas began to study more vigorously, and while not able to master any summoning magic above that of a carrier pigeon, he began to develop an affinity for more common magic. Despite this, he was still treated as something of the underachiever of the village due to not being particularly great at either physical or magical related tasks.
One day, the village was invaded by humans. There wasn't much more to say - it was expected eventually, given the prior cycle of death related to goblins. A group consisting of a white-clad Paladin, a dark-robed Black Mage, a scantily clad Ranger and a muscular Monk invaded the village. Their powers surpassed anything the village had defended before, and the strongest fighters of the village were killed very quickly.
As goblins began to flee, Rudavegas and Carrovegas were left behind by their family in the panic. As the Paladin approached the two outside of their burning home, Rudavegas charged in reckless anger with a jagged knife. The Paladin chose to stand their, and the dagger shattered upon contact with his holy armor. With one effortless movement, the tower shield of the Paladin pushed the goblin over... only for him to appear in time to right back before he charged the Paladin with his knife, his little brother tearing up to dissuade him from attacking.
At that moment, an arrow came from behind and pierced through Carrovegas' skull. In his last breath, he bestowed Haste on Rudavegas. Still in shock, Rudavegas forced himself to madly dash out of the village, narrowly dodging arrows left and right.
It's unknown what became of the rest of the Vegatini tribe, but Rudavegas has since been living in the wilds, prowling on the outskirts of human settlements. Biding his time to strike, while studying up on whatever magical books he could find by picking off weaker travelers as they pass by the deeper edges of the woods.
Even if he's not destined for it via some branded mark, Rudavegas is determined to make the goblin king legend a reality by one day summoning all of the world's greatest threats to unite against the tyranny of humanity.
---
Abilities:
Skill: Beginner's luck. Increase the chance of getting a crit with a spell by 2 points.
Ability: Magic - has a random array of magical spells that they can use... spells may be of either the black or white magic type.
Ability 2: Rest: Can restore anywhere from 25% to 50% of max MP, but uses a turn.
Wields: Wands, Staves, Daggers.
---
Silk Robes: Basic, but comfy robes meant for mages... they don't provide much in the way of defense, but they also don't make it any harder to cast magic. DEF: +1, MDEF: +2
Steel Staff: A basic steel rod that was probably not actually meant to be a staff... steel RODS are mass produced for their reliability, and ease of gathering materials, but steel STAVES are a bit harder to come by. Damage: 1d6 + STRmod
---
Summon Carrier Pidgeon: Summons a small bird that can be used to deliver scrolls, or other paper, as well as anything weighing less than 1lb. These small, magically made birds are often used to deliver invitations to various magical events between humans, and can deliver whatever needs to be delivered to... well, pretty much anywhere within reason. Cost: 1MP. level 0. Damage: 0. Restriction: Must be either a summoner, or an apprentice who will take up summoning to use this spell.
Fire: A basic fire spell that starts a fire underneath your opponent's feet, can cast it up to 30 feet away, but must be able to see an opponent you're casting the spell at. Cost: 2MP. level: 1/1. Damage: 1d6 + (stat modifiers)
Thunder: A basic lightning spell that sends sparks at your enemy's location, can cast it up to 30 feet away, but must be able to see an opponent you're casting the spell at. Cost: 2MP. level 1/1. Damage: 1d6 + (stat modifiers)
Cure: A basic healing spell that will cause the body to regenerate a little bit. It won't heal injuries, but it will being back HP. It can be cast up to 20 feet away, and requires you to see who or what you're healing. Cost: 2MP. level 1/1. Healing: 1d6 + (stat modifiers)</s>
<|message|>Dorisma Rockskull
Dousman sniffed disdainfully at the corpse. "Stupid human." Then she snatched her purse from the body and turned to Derevan "Next time be better lookout. You take care of body now, your watch, your kill, your problem." She said commandingly ignoring his somewhat cowardly trembling and moved to the edge of camp to start her shift. She'd had plenty of sleep anyway, more than she usually did.</s>
<|message|>Rudavegas "Rudy" Vegatini
Rudy had been busy with his usual shtick, as he always had - traveling, hunting, smelling the flowers... occasionally killing someone. Yet on a fine night such as this one, he had no desire to get into conflict. Maybe his travels turned him cynical, and his hot blood had finally frozen? Who knew wandering aimlessly lacked so much purpose and ambition?
Maybe it's time I found somewhere to rest, he thought, following up with a soul-crushing sigh.
That's when his nose filled with the scent of flame. Someone was setting up camp, perhaps?
If it's a group of humans I could be eating good tonight...
The thought was cut short when, as he grew closer, he heard the sound of a human begging for their lives before being silenced.
Oh? Monsters, then, or perhaps a dispute between the humans?
He grew closer, sneaking through bushes and hiding behind trees to the best of his ability - which, all things considered, was actually piss-poor. By the time he could see the flicker of flame maybe about 40 feet or so away from his current position, the curious goblin had committed one of the ultimate sins of stealth: making noise.
Indeed. His body shook once over and his heart sank to his stomach at the snapping sound he had just made, definitely loud enough that at least someone camping over there could make out. Looking down at his feet, he saw the source of the loud noise: a pile of twigs just sitting there, perfectly laid out for his demise.
"Fuck," he whispered to himself before trying his best to crouch behind some bushes in hopes that no one would see him.</s>
<|message|>Dorisma Rockskull
Dorisma's ears twitched and she glanced at the direction of the sound for a moment. Then, with remarkable stealth, Dorisma crept into the woods and got close enough see the source of the sound. To her dissapointment it wasn't a human but it was someone trying to be sneaky, which meant they were up to no good. So Dorisma closed the remaining distance between them in one limb cracking, stick snapping, leaf crushing rush and grabbed the goblin by his neck. Not enough to choke him, but enough for him to take his breaths carefully and hope it didn't get any closer. Feeling rather pleased with herself at this point Dorisma let out a small grunt of laughter at the unfortunate goblin and promptly trotted into camp again, somewhat roughly dropping her prize at the campfire. "Found a sneak." Was all she said, waiting to pounce on him again if he tried to escape. The others could decide what to do with him. She didn't paticularly care as long as the goblin didn't cause any trouble. If he did though she'd heard about this interesting stew...</s>
<|message|>Miles Hall
So, the thief tried to run away with a bunch of our belongings, but his poor of judgement ended up gimping him. I had to look away when Dorisma and Deravan finished off the thief, somewhat taken back over the excessive brutality. Hell, it was savage, and Dorisma seemed to take it out on Deravan as well. "Don't be that cold Dorisma, someone nearly died. Whether at fault or not that's pretty brutal." I spoke out, hand still on Deravan's shoulder as the glow faded away from my palms. This journey wasn't really what I had in mind, what with only about 5 people (princess excluded because she seems to fade in and out now) expected to stop some wave of horror whilst having to fend for ourselves in the wilderness. I just sighed and looked into the darkness, biting my tongue and hoping we'd actually get to the place before dying. Even then, what do we do to stop it all? It's not like we're gonna have a deus ex machina like every damned fairy tale.
And then, Dorisma left the camp. I was about to ask what she was doing, but it seemed like she was going out for a late-night hunt. She plopped a goblin by the campfire, and I only noticed when I heard a loud thud against the ground. "Was that thief alone or what?" I commented, alarmed at a potential accomplice and raising an eyebrow, hand patting against the knives in my pockets.</s>
<|message|>Trey
Now that the thief had been dealt with, Trey returned to the campfire to get a little more rest before the sun came up. Just as he was starting to drift off to sleep, though, he was awoken by the sound of Dorisma dropping something next to the campfire. She'd managed to catch someone else lurking around the campsite, though this time it wasn't a human, but a goblin. There was still a good chance that he was planning to steal from or attack them, but he may have simply heard the fight with the human and came over to investigate.
There was a lot more questions that Trey wanted to ask him, but he decided to start with something simple. "Who are you?"</s>
| <|message|>Rudavegas "Rudy" Vegatini
"Hey! HEY! Let me go, dammit!"
He was plopped right on his chest near the campfire, and quickly scrambled to his feet as he noticed that he was surrounded by other monsters. He didn't know what to think - after all, he despised humans but he had no strong opinion one way or the other on fellow monsters. After all, the only one who had done anything for Rudy was Rudy.
Gesturing with a hand to his mouth, he coughed and let out a loud "ahem!" noise.
"Rudavegas Vegatini here. Proud adventurer, prouder magical apprentice, prouderer human slayer, and proudererer Vegatini tribe leader!"
He held his arms out to the sky in a stretching motion before returning to a neutral stance.
"...Uhh, and if you guys could just not kill me, that'd be great. Iunno about the groofus doofus you guys killed over yonder, but I don't want any part of whatever that guy had going, alright? Humans are scumbags, I'm sure we can all agree."
Looking around, Rudy gauged the reactions of the people gathered at the campfire before continuing.
"So what say, uhhh, you help me and I help you? You choose NOT to kill me, and I choose to help you in whatever way I can until the time comes where I'm confident my new sanctum of research and hunting where I, to put it bluntly, may just ditch you all. On the lightest of terms, of course; I don't like hard feelings."
Rudy shrugged his shoulders and leaned on his staff to relieve the minor pain he had received from being dropped without hesitation, awaiting response from his potential friends or enemies.</s> |
<|description|>Rudavegas "Rudy" Vegatini
Gender: Male
Species: Goblin
Class: Apprentice
Level 2
HP: 13/13
MP: 10/10
EXP: 0/100
Attack (Str): +4
Attack (Dex): +5
Hit Chance: +2
Defense: 4 (+1)
M.Def: 7 (+2)
Evasion: +6
Healing: +12
M.Atk: +13
Stats:
Strength - 7
Endurance - 8
Stamina - 8
Agility - 4
Dexterity - 11
Magic - 15
Wisdom - 13
Spirit - 12
Intelligence - 13
Luck - 12
---
Bio: Most goblins are considered weak throw-away fodder. Grinded out to near extinction for EXP and then left to repopulate so that more amateur adventurers can repeat the accursed cycle generations later. However, in the distant village of the Vegatini tribe, there is a legend of a magically gifted goblin who would bring ruin to humanity and glory to the goblin race. One who is wise and benevolent, yet chaotic and bloodthirsty. The destined hero-king of all goblins, branded by a large circular birthmark on the forehead. By now you've probably clued in...
That it is in fact, not Rudavegas who took up this role. In a family with 9 siblings, him being the 10th, he was the youngest runt of the litter. When he heard that his mother was having an 11th child, he jumped at the idea of finally being an older brother and not the youngest.
Months passed, and when the baby was finally born, those gathered to see the baby went silent: for the baby that was born was branded with a circular birthmark on the forehead.
The village partied for days and nights, hailing the child as a savior. There was one disappointed, however. Rudavegas was not taking the news as well. Sure it was good for the village, but by virtue of just being born the way he was, this baby child was already much more important than he was.
Years passed. The village's population was on the decline due to humans becoming increasingly brave. Some of the older siblings had already fought and died for their village's protection. The young baby who came to be known by the name Carrovegas had been growing as a prodigy child in the art of magic, having already learned the abilities of a Time Mage. Rudavegas, jealous and yet not to be outdone, tried his best to study magic alongside his younger brother; at best he could only summon a carrier pigeon one time and that was about it. He still kept at it, however, taking an interest in stories of magical villains and monsters that fought in attempts to destroy the world; only to be stopped by the "heroic" humans.
His brother began to seem more and more disturbed, however, as years went on. He began to cower away from forested areas and from leaving his home. Rudavegas overheard Carrovegas whispering one time about how he "had to make sure he didn't die again". When questioned, Carrovegas let it slip that he had "died" to human hunters on multiple occasions as they prowled the outskirts of the village, only to be brought back to right before it happened. It had apparently happened enough times to scar the child. It was the first time that Rudavegas saw his brother as more than an obstacle - like someone he had to ensure the survival of, for whatever reason.
Rudavegas began to study more vigorously, and while not able to master any summoning magic above that of a carrier pigeon, he began to develop an affinity for more common magic. Despite this, he was still treated as something of the underachiever of the village due to not being particularly great at either physical or magical related tasks.
One day, the village was invaded by humans. There wasn't much more to say - it was expected eventually, given the prior cycle of death related to goblins. A group consisting of a white-clad Paladin, a dark-robed Black Mage, a scantily clad Ranger and a muscular Monk invaded the village. Their powers surpassed anything the village had defended before, and the strongest fighters of the village were killed very quickly.
As goblins began to flee, Rudavegas and Carrovegas were left behind by their family in the panic. As the Paladin approached the two outside of their burning home, Rudavegas charged in reckless anger with a jagged knife. The Paladin chose to stand their, and the dagger shattered upon contact with his holy armor. With one effortless movement, the tower shield of the Paladin pushed the goblin over... only for him to appear in time to right back before he charged the Paladin with his knife, his little brother tearing up to dissuade him from attacking.
At that moment, an arrow came from behind and pierced through Carrovegas' skull. In his last breath, he bestowed Haste on Rudavegas. Still in shock, Rudavegas forced himself to madly dash out of the village, narrowly dodging arrows left and right.
It's unknown what became of the rest of the Vegatini tribe, but Rudavegas has since been living in the wilds, prowling on the outskirts of human settlements. Biding his time to strike, while studying up on whatever magical books he could find by picking off weaker travelers as they pass by the deeper edges of the woods.
Even if he's not destined for it via some branded mark, Rudavegas is determined to make the goblin king legend a reality by one day summoning all of the world's greatest threats to unite against the tyranny of humanity.
---
Abilities:
Skill: Beginner's luck. Increase the chance of getting a crit with a spell by 2 points.
Ability: Magic - has a random array of magical spells that they can use... spells may be of either the black or white magic type.
Ability 2: Rest: Can restore anywhere from 25% to 50% of max MP, but uses a turn.
Wields: Wands, Staves, Daggers.
---
Silk Robes: Basic, but comfy robes meant for mages... they don't provide much in the way of defense, but they also don't make it any harder to cast magic. DEF: +1, MDEF: +2
Steel Staff: A basic steel rod that was probably not actually meant to be a staff... steel RODS are mass produced for their reliability, and ease of gathering materials, but steel STAVES are a bit harder to come by. Damage: 1d6 + STRmod
---
Summon Carrier Pidgeon: Summons a small bird that can be used to deliver scrolls, or other paper, as well as anything weighing less than 1lb. These small, magically made birds are often used to deliver invitations to various magical events between humans, and can deliver whatever needs to be delivered to... well, pretty much anywhere within reason. Cost: 1MP. level 0. Damage: 0. Restriction: Must be either a summoner, or an apprentice who will take up summoning to use this spell.
Fire: A basic fire spell that starts a fire underneath your opponent's feet, can cast it up to 30 feet away, but must be able to see an opponent you're casting the spell at. Cost: 2MP. level: 1/1. Damage: 1d6 + (stat modifiers)
Thunder: A basic lightning spell that sends sparks at your enemy's location, can cast it up to 30 feet away, but must be able to see an opponent you're casting the spell at. Cost: 2MP. level 1/1. Damage: 1d6 + (stat modifiers)
Cure: A basic healing spell that will cause the body to regenerate a little bit. It won't heal injuries, but it will being back HP. It can be cast up to 20 feet away, and requires you to see who or what you're healing. Cost: 2MP. level 1/1. Healing: 1d6 + (stat modifiers)</s>
<|message|>Trey
Now that the thief had been dealt with, Trey returned to the campfire to get a little more rest before the sun came up. Just as he was starting to drift off to sleep, though, he was awoken by the sound of Dorisma dropping something next to the campfire. She'd managed to catch someone else lurking around the campsite, though this time it wasn't a human, but a goblin. There was still a good chance that he was planning to steal from or attack them, but he may have simply heard the fight with the human and came over to investigate.
There was a lot more questions that Trey wanted to ask him, but he decided to start with something simple. "Who are you?"</s>
<|message|>Rudavegas "Rudy" Vegatini
"Hey! HEY! Let me go, dammit!"
He was plopped right on his chest near the campfire, and quickly scrambled to his feet as he noticed that he was surrounded by other monsters. He didn't know what to think - after all, he despised humans but he had no strong opinion one way or the other on fellow monsters. After all, the only one who had done anything for Rudy was Rudy.
Gesturing with a hand to his mouth, he coughed and let out a loud "ahem!" noise.
"Rudavegas Vegatini here. Proud adventurer, prouder magical apprentice, prouderer human slayer, and proudererer Vegatini tribe leader!"
He held his arms out to the sky in a stretching motion before returning to a neutral stance.
"...Uhh, and if you guys could just not kill me, that'd be great. Iunno about the groofus doofus you guys killed over yonder, but I don't want any part of whatever that guy had going, alright? Humans are scumbags, I'm sure we can all agree."
Looking around, Rudy gauged the reactions of the people gathered at the campfire before continuing.
"So what say, uhhh, you help me and I help you? You choose NOT to kill me, and I choose to help you in whatever way I can until the time comes where I'm confident my new sanctum of research and hunting where I, to put it bluntly, may just ditch you all. On the lightest of terms, of course; I don't like hard feelings."
Rudy shrugged his shoulders and leaned on his staff to relieve the minor pain he had received from being dropped without hesitation, awaiting response from his potential friends or enemies.</s>
<|message|>Robert Morris
Quite a bit happened in almost no time, for some reason, as if someone was just completely impatient and couldn't wait... just as well, we finished off the thief, however, all I could really find was his knife, which wasn't even enchanted, and four silver coins with a weird brand on them. The brand most likely represented whatever town he lived in, or, whichever place he recently stole from, and despite it looking interesting, it wasn't important enough for me to actually care about. What I did care about was the odd, robed goblin that Dorisma just plopped down in front of everyone. Apparently, said goblin was sneaking around the place, or, at least, that was according to Dorisma. He seemed to almost cower as he spoke about how he disliked humanity, and the princess just chuckled at that. "Yeah... if you're wondering why one of them's following us, well... we've honestly tried everything. She's clingy, and we can't hurt her because of some weird magic," I explained to the goblin before adding "By the way, welcome to the group, but uh... let's have someone just make absolute sure you aren't going to betray us at the first chance you get... I think Dorisma would do a good job of that," I then looked over to Dorisma to sort of give the new guy, apparently called Rudavegas, an idea of who that was. I then decided to sort of introduce the group "The drake's name is Miles... I dunno how, but he always knows where someone's weak point is... the other goblin is Backstabs, and, as her name might imply, she prefers to attack people from behind, the aves is Trey, he can use magic to burn stuff, the one you probably can't see is a troll by the name of Deravan... he's a ninja, so get used to not knowing where he is, and last but not least is Dorisma... I think you know who she is and what she can do," I then almost forgot to introduce myself, and I chuckled before adding "And I'm Robert... I dunno what I do, honestly. I guess... a little bit of everything?"</s>
<|message|>Dorisma Rockskull
Dorisma shrugged, "No care. Just don't do anything stupid." The last part of her statement was directed at Rudavegas who would from now on be refereed to as Rud. She sat down and stared at him, making her intention of fulfilling her role as the 'anti-betrayal' system obvious. By watching him. Constantly.</s>
<|message|>Deravan Silverfur
Deravan sighed as the thief was defeated, before lot of things suddenly happened. Great... no going back to sleep soon he guessed. He looked at the new goblin that Dorisma had caught, and looked at him unsure. He then heard what Robert said... He shake his head as he moves forwards to the group.
"Not knowing where I am.... Kinda annoying to be always in the shadows sometimes." he says bluntly as he moves to the group.
"But ya... it seems sometimes the group just loses sight of where I am." he adds at this, shaking his head.
"Well, nice to meet you Rudavegas. And any help we can get against those humans that keep hunting us will be appreciated." he says</s>
<|message|>Trey
The goblin, apparently named Rudavegas, seemed to be friendly, and even asked to join their group. Nobody seemed to have a problem with keeping him around, though Dorisma was still keeping an eye on him. He was just caught sneaking around their camp, after all.
"Now, if you all don't mind, I'd like to get at least a little rest before the sun rises." Trey said, hoping that his sleep wouldn't be interrupted again.</s>
| <|message|>Rudavegas "Rudy" Vegatini
Rudavegas just nodded his head, taking in whatever information his little goblin brain could soak up in this state of confusion and worry that he might be a few steps from death any time now. When people began to move to go to sleep and do whatever else, not intent on doing anything negative to him for the moment at least, he took a seat exactly where he was dropped.
Sighing, he leaned on his staff as he sat, eyeing the campfire for a moment before his gaze drifted over to Dorisma.
"That, uhh, won't be necessary. I'm smart enough to know when not to screw with someone. Attacking one of y'all would open up one hell of a hornet's nest on my ass."
With that, he leaned up against a nearby log and continued.
"But enough about me... you lot don't seem much for conversation, huh? Why is that, exactly?"</s> |
<|description|>Crimson
~My Characters~
Age: 21
Sex: Female
Mate: Open
Vampire or Werewolf: Vampire/Werewolf
Coven or Mav's Pack: Coven
Position in the Coven or Pack: Knight
Power : Healing, Ability to shift into a wolf, and Black Fire
Bio: Crimson is quiet around anyone who isn't her sister. She decided to live with the vampires because she thought it would be best and they would teach her how to be strong. Well the only thing she's learned since joining the Coven is that she can't control her Cursed Werewolf side.
Picture:
Wolf Picture:
Name: Shadow
Age: 25
Sex: Male
Mate: Open
Vampire or Werewolf: Werewolf
Coven or Shadow's Pack: Shadow's Pack
Position in the Coven or Pack: Alpha Male
Bio: Shadow grew up without a family. He was originally born in a different pack, but when his mother died from having her second born litter his father blamed him and his siblings. Well his siblings didn't make it, but Mav was too strong willed to die. Which is when the Alpha of Silverstone found him and took him in. When the war happened the Alpha's that took him in and treated him like family were killed. He is confused when it comes to Vampires, but he keeps the peace with the current vampires.
Picture:
Wolf Picture:</s>
<|message|>Crimson
Vampires and Werewolves once lived together in peace on one condition werewolves do not mate with vampires and vampires do not mate with werewolves. One day a vampire fell in love with a werewolf. Despite the law in secreatcy they had two hybrid children. After 21 years the vampire and werewolf were found and killed. The children however were forced to leave by their parents. Now both girls return to their parents hometown only to find a war brewing between the two species. The girls must now try to stop this pointless war. So one claims to be a vampire while the other sister claims to be a werewolf, but can they fool everyone and stop this war before it starts or will they be caught and never stop the war?
Sitting inside the Coven's Kingdom Library as the rain began to softly fall outside. Looking outside for a moment then darting her crimson red eyes away and turning back to her book as she finished looking at what she was working on. As lightning flashed she jumped pushing her chair against the book shelf behind her. Holding her chest she panted heavily then shook her head, "Get it out of your mind, Crimson. It's outside and your inside." Closing her eyes for a moment her cat Ban jumped into her lap and curled up purring softly. Gently she began to pet him as she closed her eyes and leaned her head back against the book shelf as she hummed softly.
Shadow walked in the woods surrounding the village that was his home. Rain began to fall and then it was followed by lightning and thunder. "Well this is going to be one hell of a storm." Shaking his head he continued to walk his patrol. As he walked through the woods the rain began to fall harder. So stopping under a tree he shifted into his wolf form. Shaking out his fur he began to run finishing his patrol early. Once he got to his front porch he shifted back to his human form and walked inside grabbing a towel he had hanging by the door from when he had taken a shower before he went out, "Mmmm it's a down pour out there."</s>
<|message|>Iris
Iris was outside doing a patrol when the rain started to fall. Normally there were a few people who were out patrolling at the same time, so she wasn't surprised to see a few wolves run from the woods and shift to humans and dart into the cluster of houses that contained their pack. Most people shared a house with a few other, other than the Alpha male. Since he had yet to choose a mate, he was alone in his house, the largest of the grouping.
Iris lived with two other women, both of whom were notorious for not being home. Not that Iris minded... She just didn't understand why they hadn't moved out to live with their mates. That's how their little town had begun after all. As the wolves picked their mates they moved out and into an empty house to make a family. When their children grew up, they were given roommates and moved into whatever house was vacant and appropriate until they found their mate. Of course, Iris didn't mind it much though either. She'd get pretty bored if the girl's didn't live there, that was for sure.
She shifted back to a human and walked back to her house as the rain came down, enjoying the storm. She'd never been frightened of lightning or thunder, maybe it was because Crimson was so frightened of it... Even though, Iris was years younger in those hours of storms, it was almost like she became the big sister. She sighed and pushed the thought of her sister aside as it just made her miss her more and walked up the steps to her front door. She went to open it, only to find it locked and when she went to get her key... "Shit."
She groaned and leaned her head against the door, "Locked out..."
She sighed and turned around as she ran her hands through her short blonde hair that was sufficiently soaked and started to think about how she was going to break into her own house. She sighed and started to walk around the building looking for an unlocked or open window.
Leopold sat in his study with his feet on his desk as he flicked through a few papers. Business... It was all really quite boring but it came with the title and the power. He removed his feet from the desk and sat forward before he signed off on the paper and moved it to the side of his bed. He stood and ran a hand through his hair as he exited his office and locked the door behind him. It was unlikely that anyone would go in there, since he had forbidden it and his word was not one easily crossed, but he liked to take precautions.
He made his way down the steps and to the library, there had been something he wanted to have prepared for what he needed to get done tomorrow. When he entered the large room, he found he was not alone. He quickly noticed Crimson, a rather new recruit to the coven sitting at a table. He walked in and looked out the window, "Seems like it is going to be quite the storm... It's going to smell like wet dog in the morning if the mutts got caught in it," He joked before walked over to one of the bookcases. He took a moment to search before he took a book off the shelf. He looked at Crimson again before he walked over to her and sat down on the corner of the table. He leaned over a little, leaning his hands in his lap, "And what it is that you are reading?" He asked politely.</s>
<|message|>Crimson
Shadow finally dried himself off and began to cook some bacon. As the bacon cooked he changed out of his wet clothes right fast in his bedroom. However before he could put on his muscle shirt he seen someone outside in the ran walking around on of the houses, "Damn those vamps. Don't they know not to break the treaty? Fuck." Draping the shirt over his shoulder he walked into his kitchen and turned off the stove and took the pan with the bacon off the hot iron. Opening his door he stepped out onto his porch growling deeply in his chest. By now the rain was really heavy, but still looking at the figure as the wind blew he caught the scent and realized it wasn't a vamp. It was one of his newbies, Iris. Blinking for a few minutes as he puzzled out why she was walking around her house. Then it clicked to him. The girls she lived with always complained about her scent. Shaking his head as he sighed heavily, "They must have locked the poor girl out."
Running his fingers through his raven hair he shook his head again then called out to her, "Hey, Iris! You get locked out? Come on over and dry off." Saying that he turned around and walked back into his home leaving his door opened for her to come inside. Going back to the stove he turned it back on and flipped the bacon. Once that side was cooked he added more in case if Iris was hungry too. As he cooked his shirt got in the way, so he tossed it over into one of the near by stools around his islander. "How many eggs do you want, Iris?"
Crimson hadn't heard any movement in the Castle for some time, but as Leopold entered her eyes flew opened and she watched him carefully. As he made his joke she looked out the window and nodded in agreement. Again as he moved she watched him, but Ban jumped up onto the table as Leopold sat down. Looking at the book on the table she shrugged her shoulders, "Nothing really. Just a book on codes. Nothing fancy really." Grabbing the book before he could she closed it and put it away. As the lightning flashed she froze and closed her eyes tightly. Gently her body began to shake as Ban stood up and meowed softly at her. Turning her eyes to Ban she nodded and softly began to breath again, "Thank you, Ban. I have to constantly remind myself." Shaking her head she sat back down again gently picking up Ban and holding him close to her, "Why are you here, My Lord?"</s>
<|message|>Iris
Iris jumped when a voice suddenly joined the sound of rain pounding against the ground. She looked toward the Alpha's house and turned a little red, embarrassed about being caught locked out of her own house. However, the windows all seemed to be locked so unless she planned on breaking and entering into her own house, she didn't have much choice. Taking a deep breath, she ran to the Alpha's house. When she stepped inside she closed the door behind her. She was completely drenched as she stood there, dripping on his floor. She didn't move from the entrance way, not wanting to soak anymore of the Alpha's floor. She bit her lip when he asked about eggs, "One..." She said quietly deciding the taking the offer was more polite than refusing it.
She ran her hand through her hair again, pulling off of her cheeks where it was practically glued to thanks to the rain. Iris glanced at the Alpha male once more, "Thanks.... for letting me stay. The girls... They must have left and I forgot my keys... again...."
She ran her hand over her naked thigh as she stood there in shorts and a loose fitting shirt. The summer storm had disturb a nice day and left Iris in the predicament that she was wet to the bone and absolutely freezing. She seemed to be the only one though as Shadow stood at his oven without his shirt. Iris stared a little at his back, watching how the muscles moved before she quickly moved her eyes away. She moved her eyes else where and allowed them to drift to his head. His hair was wet which made her wonder if that was from a shower or the rain. She wrapped her arms around herself and shifted a little at her spot at the door, her shoes squishing as she moved, "Sorry for being such an inconvenience," She said quietly.
Leopold couldn't lie, the fact that Crimson quickly stole it away before he looked at the book made him more curious about the contents. However, he dropped it when he noticed her react to the lightning outside. He glanced over his shoulder out the window and hummed slightly, ah the things he was learning. He brought his attention back to Crimson when she asked why he was here. He smiled, "Merely doing as one does when they go to a library," He rose the book in his hand, "I have to write to a few nearby coven leaders who don't think I am capable of my job. I figured it was best that I brush up on them all a little before I dive into that kind of work."
He stood and was about to leave the room when a thought struck him, "You should go to a windowless room if lightning scares you, Miss Crimson. Maybe not seeing it will help with your fear of it," He looked at her before he gave a curt nod and turned to leave.</s>
| <|message|>Crimson
Shadow chuckled softly and shook his head as he fixed two eggs for her. As the eggs cooked he walked into his bathroom and grabbed a towel off the rack. Walking out he tossed it to her, "Dry off, so you can sit by the fire and warm up a bit." Hearing of how she was locked out he chuckled again and tended to the food, "Seems you may need to tie them to you, so you won't stay locked out."
After fixing her eggs he put them on a plate for her and sat the plate on the table then began to fix his own eggs. Letting his eggs cook he grabbed his shirt and put it on. Having fixed his eggs the way he likes them he sat down and began to eat. Looking her over as his coal eyes looked her over, "I might have some clothes you can borrow while yours dry by the fire. After all I pick up different things when on patrol. Check in the Guest Bedroom." He pointed to the door to the right of the Kitchen. "Your not a inconvenience. After all it's my job to take care of my pack. If I can't take care of my pack in every way then what kind of leader am I?"
Crimson rolled her eyes as Leopold told her why he was there, "They should see it with their own eyes. After all from my point of view you seem to handle things well. Then again what do I know I'm not a leader I'm just a Guard here." Hearing his idea she closed her eyes and sighed heavily, "Don't call me 'Miss'. How many times do I have to tell you? As for a windowless room... The only place like that is my room and that's in the dungeons." Saying that she turned from the book shelf and headed for the door only to stop, "Ban, let's go." Meowing softly Ban followed after Crimson as she left the library and headed down to the Knight room.
Entering the Knight room most of the knights stopped in their tracks. Crimson looked around and growled low, "Don't stop just because I'm here." Walking over and grabbing her swords she walked into the training area with Ban hot on her heels.</s> |
<|description|>Crimson
~My Characters~
Age: 21
Sex: Female
Mate: Open
Vampire or Werewolf: Vampire/Werewolf
Coven or Mav's Pack: Coven
Position in the Coven or Pack: Knight
Power : Healing, Ability to shift into a wolf, and Black Fire
Bio: Crimson is quiet around anyone who isn't her sister. She decided to live with the vampires because she thought it would be best and they would teach her how to be strong. Well the only thing she's learned since joining the Coven is that she can't control her Cursed Werewolf side.
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Wolf Picture:
Name: Shadow
Age: 25
Sex: Male
Mate: Open
Vampire or Werewolf: Werewolf
Coven or Shadow's Pack: Shadow's Pack
Position in the Coven or Pack: Alpha Male
Bio: Shadow grew up without a family. He was originally born in a different pack, but when his mother died from having her second born litter his father blamed him and his siblings. Well his siblings didn't make it, but Mav was too strong willed to die. Which is when the Alpha of Silverstone found him and took him in. When the war happened the Alpha's that took him in and treated him like family were killed. He is confused when it comes to Vampires, but he keeps the peace with the current vampires.
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Wolf Picture:</s>
<|message|>Iris
Iris watched him as he poured his coffee down the drain and bid her goodnight, "Good night, Alpha," She said quietly before was began to walk toward the guest room. She was a little surprised to hear that Shadow had been suffering from nightmares although that seemed to be a come thing with the loss of a loved one... She still had nightmares about her parents' death. She was just at the door when she heard Shadow speak. It was soft and had she been human, she probably wouldn't have heard it at all. When he finished, feeling as though she had eavesdropped on a private conversation, she slipped into the guest room. She ran her hand through her damp hair and sighed. Changing into a t-shirt and pajama pants, both that were much to large for her she grabbed a blanket.
Pulling it from the bed, she walked out of the guest room and over to Shadow's bedroom door. She was in her head thinking about what it was that she was about to do and couldn't hear him quietly talking to himself on the other side. She rapped quietly on the door before she pushed it open a little. She bit her lip as she stood in the doorway, holding the blanket to her chest, "I... don't know if I'm overstepping but... You're right. My sister... she used to keep the nightmares away and without her..." She took a deep breath, "Would you mind if I slept in here tonight? I can sleep on top of your blankets..." She rose the one that she carried with her up a little, "I brought my own."
She cleared her throat, "Of course... I understand that it's absurd for me to even ask but... It seems like you might need someone to ward off the dreams..." she brushed her hair behind her head, "Although, I suppose the both of us could just make dream catchers and avoid this whole thing. I mean... People might find out and say things... things that aren't true and I," She looked at him and for the first moment realized he wasn't wearing a shirt. Her face turned red, making her silently thank the night for hiding her in the darkness, "should probably just go back to the guest room..."
Leopold fell back into his chair and sighed. He wouldn't admit it to her but his insistence that she leave was not only for his people... He looked up at her, "No one can know what you are. Tamed or not, they would kill you and I would have no way of stopping them. If you leave now, it is simple enough to say that you couldn't handle being in the coven... That you were banished for one reason or another. If I were to tell anyone that you lied to me and hid the true nature of who you are... They would kill you... Which is why it is best for everyone that you leave. My people are safe and you keep your life and freedom."
He stood once more and walked over to the door, "I suggest that you leave before anyone else finds out and you become prey rather than predator."</s>
<|message|>Crimson
Shadow heard a knock at his door and before he could answer Iris stepped into his room and started to speak. After listening to her he smiled softly, but as she turned to leave he shook his head, "I don't mind at all. Though my bed is big enough for two as long as their cuddling, so if you don't mind I don't mind." Looking at himself he sat up, " Ummm would you like for me to put a shirt on or do you not mind if I'm comfortable?"
"So you still insist that I leave? You call it freedom and my life, but really I have no life outside and I am never free until this war is over." Shaking her head Crimson walked to the door and looked out of it, but stopped and looked at him, "You really wish for me to leave then the only way to make me leave here is to make me obey you. In order to do that all you have to do is drink my blood." Looking at Ban she nodded to him, "Stay here... You'll be safer and you..." Her eyes now turned to Leopold, "I will give you time to think about what I said. Goodnight, M'lord." Bowing to him Crimson left shutting the door softly behind her.
Leaning against his door a moment she released a heavy sigh then walked to the dungeons. Once inside she walked to the cage and closed the door then she chained herself up as she waited for the moon.
Feeling the Rays of the moon run over her skin she felt the change begin. After the change happened in place of the vampire Crimson stood a black Lycan with Crimson's Crimson eyes.</s>
<|message|>Iris
Iris bit her lip a little before shaking her head, "No... if you are comfortable.... I don't mind."
It was more of a blanket statement than a specific answer for either question. She wrapped her blanket around her shoulders and walked over to him before she climbed onto the bed, facing him. She was a lot closer to him now than she had been in the kitchen and found herself blushing again, "I don't think there is enough room for a nightmare in this bed now," She joked before adjusting her head on the pillow. She moved herself in a bit closer to avoid falling off the bed, "Good night, Alpha," She said quietly before closing her eyes.
Leopold sighed when Crimson left and ran his hand through his hair. He looked over to Ban and huffed, "Don't look at me like that."
He walked over to his desk and cleaned up his things before he walked to the door and headed out of his study to head to bed, "Well, come on," he said to the cat that was still staring at him.
He closed his eyes, "Will you stop looking at me like that?... I'm talking to a cat..."
He shook his head and walked out of the room.</s>
<|message|>Crimson
Shadow smirked softly then moved a little, so she could lay in the bed more. Looking over the blanket she had wrapped herself in he seen it had holes and some were pretty big. As she made a comment about a nightmare he chuckled softly and grabbed another blanket to lay over them, "Yes I agree. A nightmare can not slip between us now." When she moved to adjust herself he removed the blanket from her and laid another on them both, "I don't mind sharing and that has holes in it. I just hope you don't mind my arm drapping over your body." Gently he smiled as he laid his arm over her body then closed his eyes. Hearing her speak one more time he nodded, "Good night, Iris." Pulling her closer to his body as he held her tightly and smelled her hair. It smelt like damp flowers and he enjoyed it for it lulled him into a peaceful sleep.
Ban hopped off the desk and followed behind him. As Leopold walked into his chambers Ban jumped onto the bed and sat down on it watching him. Finally he spoke, "You have feelings for her don't you, M'lord? I watch you both and I notice things that neither of you will admit, but you can tell me. I am not going to tell a soul." Looking away Ban licked his paw then rubbed it over his ear as he kind of gave himself a bath then looked at Leopold again, "Yes I am a talking cat. I am Crimson's 'Guardian' so to speak. You know what she said is true. Every word."</s>
<|message|>Iris
Iris's eyes popped open when she felt Shadow's arm wrap around her and pull her close. Her heart pounded in her chest as she looked at Shadow as he started to fall asleep. She had never lain with a man before... Before this moment the closest she had been to a man was cuddling with her father as a child and that hardly counted... Now, here she was, lying in bed with the Alpha of her pack... if the pack was going to spread rumors about their relations behind closed doors when they were informed of her moving in, they might not be all that wrong. She rolled over to face away from him, thinking that it might be better but all she found was that now she was pressed right up against him. She lay there with him for sometime, until his breathing slowed and he was properly asleep... Then her anxiety snuck into her head and Iris snuck out of the bed. Slowly lifting his arm off of her, she grabbed the blanket that he had discarded and wrapped it around herself. She moved to sit on the couch. At the time, she had every intention to go back to the bedroom... She promised to lie there with him, to keep away both of their nightmares and lying there with him was nice until her brain started over thinking it all... The main thought being how she was lying to him... How she wasn't his mate.
Iris didn't get much sleep that night. In fact, she didn't get any as she sat at the dining room table going through all of the files that Shadow had until she got up the nerves to go back into the room and go to sleep. She made sure to keep a ear out for any sounds of nightmares but beyond her pen on paper, there were no sounds in the house. Soon, the morning sun crept into the room and she looked up, realizing that she had not only gone through the files from the last two years but also completely worked through the night.
Whoops.
Leopold jumped when the cat spoke in his room. He looked at him as he explained a little then shook his head, "It doesn't matter what I have or don't have for, Miss Crimson..." He said, finding it awkward to explain himself to the cat, "What matters is that she lied to me and that makes me look bad to the council of Lord and Ladies... And that if anyone of them found out about her..." He shook his head. He pulled his blankets back and stripped off his shirt and pants before climbing into bed, "You know, I don't have to explain myself to a cat... talking or not. Good night."
With that Leopold lay back and allowed for sleep to take him.</s>
<|message|>Crimson
Shadow had slept peacefully for once in what felt like forever to him. As he opened his eyes he seen Iris wasn't there. Jumping up he looked around his bedroom, "Iris? Iris, where are you?" Quickly he moved from his bed to his bedroom door only to see her at the dining table. Sighing heavily in relief he hung his head, "You ok, Iris? I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable... Thank you though. I finally got a good nights rest in a long time."
As he spoke he walked to the coffee pot and fixed a fresh pot. Once it finished he poured himself a cup of coffee and began to sip it sighing softly.
Ban rolled his cat eyes then moved to curl up on the pillow beside Leopold's head. Yawning and streatching for a moment before laying his head beside his, "We'll talk more in the morning about it all. For now sleep would be wise, plus do you think if she came out and told you who and what she was and why she is here that you would welcome her with open arms? No you wouldn't have. You and anyone and everyone else would have killed her on the spot and stop calling her that." Finally Ban closed his yellow eyes and softly began to purr.</s>
<|message|>Iris
Iris looked over her shoulder when Shadow called her name. Before she could answer the man was at the door of his bedroom looking at her. She watched him as he apologized if he made her uncomfortable before saying that he had managed to sleep fully through the night with no nightmares. She gave him a soft smile and nodded her head, "Yes... well... Um," Her cheeks turned red and unfortunately, the sun did little to hide it like the night had, "I've... Before coming here, I lived only with my family.... We weren't around many men and... That was the closest... I've ever been to a man and... I felt as though it might be inappropriate with me not being your mate..."
She yawned a little and started to gather all the papers, "I managed to go over all of these... From the last two years."
She picked them all up before carefully putting them back away into the filing cabinet. She rubbed her eye and pulled her blanket close around her before she walked over to him and poured herself a couple of coffee. She yawned once more before she took a sip, "I suppose I'll go grab my things after patrol..."</s>
| <|message|>Crimson
Shadow listened and watched Iris as she spoke. When she told him she finished the files for the past two years he almost choked on his coffee, "You what? That must have taken you all night." As she grabbed herself a cup of coffee and talked about patrol he shook his head, "No you will stay here and sleep. I will arrange for you to take the night patrol. In a few hours I will go talk to your 'room mates'. Not of you, but to make them move in with their mates." Being careful he took a sip of his coffee to finish it off then he pushed from the counter and washed his cup as he started to think of what she said before.
Once he washed his cup he put it to the side to dry and walked toward his room, but he stopped then looked over his shoulder at her, "I'm sorry... I should have thought about that and should have refused, but... I thought we were helping each other. Really if you don't want to stay here then you can leave... I won't force you to stay though... It would remove the loneliness and chase the nightmares away." Nodding he went into his room and got dressed for his morning patrol.
Dawn broke in the dungeon below and Crimson had already changed back into her vampiric form, but she was still asleep with burns from the iron chains on her skin. See what many didn't know is in her lycan form metal of any kind burned Crimson, but in her vampiric form it didn't hurt her. Even Crimson didn't understand, but as she laid there slowly healing she slept.
Ban yawned and streatched out for a moment then he curled up closer to Leopold's head thinking it was Crimson, but as he blinked his eyes a few times he realized who it was and stood up. Streatching out again he yawned and jumped off of the bed. Moving to the unlit fireplace he began to clean himself as he purred softly and waited for Leopold to wake.</s> |
<|description|>Iris
Age: 19
Sex: Female
Mate: N/A
Vampire or Werewolf: Half blood
Coven or Shadow's Pack: Pack
Position in the Coven or Pack: Warrior
Powers : Iris has elemental powers. She can control earth and water. Through this is also has the ability to assist with healing.
Bio: Iris went to the Pack after her sister chose to go to the Coven. She figured that it might be best that they separate. This way, she can inform her sister about what is happening in the pack and the two of them might be able to prevent needless deaths.
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Wolf Picture :
Name: Leopold Sonin
Age: 23
Sex: Male
Mate: N/A
Vampire or Werewolf: Vampire
Coven or Shadow's Pack: Coven
Position in the Coven or Pack: Leader
Power : Leopold is a silver tongue. His words are magic that can cause people to do whatever it is that he wants.
Bio: It has never been hard for Leo to get what he wants, merely having to speak to achieve his desires. This was how he rose to power at such a young age. He merely informed the last leader that it was his time to step down. No one questioned it either, those who did were quickly convinced that this was for the best. Despite this, Leo has been a wise, kind, and strong ruler of his people.
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<|message|>Iris
Iris was outside doing a patrol when the rain started to fall. Normally there were a few people who were out patrolling at the same time, so she wasn't surprised to see a few wolves run from the woods and shift to humans and dart into the cluster of houses that contained their pack. Most people shared a house with a few other, other than the Alpha male. Since he had yet to choose a mate, he was alone in his house, the largest of the grouping.
Iris lived with two other women, both of whom were notorious for not being home. Not that Iris minded... She just didn't understand why they hadn't moved out to live with their mates. That's how their little town had begun after all. As the wolves picked their mates they moved out and into an empty house to make a family. When their children grew up, they were given roommates and moved into whatever house was vacant and appropriate until they found their mate. Of course, Iris didn't mind it much though either. She'd get pretty bored if the girl's didn't live there, that was for sure.
She shifted back to a human and walked back to her house as the rain came down, enjoying the storm. She'd never been frightened of lightning or thunder, maybe it was because Crimson was so frightened of it... Even though, Iris was years younger in those hours of storms, it was almost like she became the big sister. She sighed and pushed the thought of her sister aside as it just made her miss her more and walked up the steps to her front door. She went to open it, only to find it locked and when she went to get her key... "Shit."
She groaned and leaned her head against the door, "Locked out..."
She sighed and turned around as she ran her hands through her short blonde hair that was sufficiently soaked and started to think about how she was going to break into her own house. She sighed and started to walk around the building looking for an unlocked or open window.
Leopold sat in his study with his feet on his desk as he flicked through a few papers. Business... It was all really quite boring but it came with the title and the power. He removed his feet from the desk and sat forward before he signed off on the paper and moved it to the side of his bed. He stood and ran a hand through his hair as he exited his office and locked the door behind him. It was unlikely that anyone would go in there, since he had forbidden it and his word was not one easily crossed, but he liked to take precautions.
He made his way down the steps and to the library, there had been something he wanted to have prepared for what he needed to get done tomorrow. When he entered the large room, he found he was not alone. He quickly noticed Crimson, a rather new recruit to the coven sitting at a table. He walked in and looked out the window, "Seems like it is going to be quite the storm... It's going to smell like wet dog in the morning if the mutts got caught in it," He joked before walked over to one of the bookcases. He took a moment to search before he took a book off the shelf. He looked at Crimson again before he walked over to her and sat down on the corner of the table. He leaned over a little, leaning his hands in his lap, "And what it is that you are reading?" He asked politely.</s>
<|message|>Crimson
Shadow finally dried himself off and began to cook some bacon. As the bacon cooked he changed out of his wet clothes right fast in his bedroom. However before he could put on his muscle shirt he seen someone outside in the ran walking around on of the houses, "Damn those vamps. Don't they know not to break the treaty? Fuck." Draping the shirt over his shoulder he walked into his kitchen and turned off the stove and took the pan with the bacon off the hot iron. Opening his door he stepped out onto his porch growling deeply in his chest. By now the rain was really heavy, but still looking at the figure as the wind blew he caught the scent and realized it wasn't a vamp. It was one of his newbies, Iris. Blinking for a few minutes as he puzzled out why she was walking around her house. Then it clicked to him. The girls she lived with always complained about her scent. Shaking his head as he sighed heavily, "They must have locked the poor girl out."
Running his fingers through his raven hair he shook his head again then called out to her, "Hey, Iris! You get locked out? Come on over and dry off." Saying that he turned around and walked back into his home leaving his door opened for her to come inside. Going back to the stove he turned it back on and flipped the bacon. Once that side was cooked he added more in case if Iris was hungry too. As he cooked his shirt got in the way, so he tossed it over into one of the near by stools around his islander. "How many eggs do you want, Iris?"
Crimson hadn't heard any movement in the Castle for some time, but as Leopold entered her eyes flew opened and she watched him carefully. As he made his joke she looked out the window and nodded in agreement. Again as he moved she watched him, but Ban jumped up onto the table as Leopold sat down. Looking at the book on the table she shrugged her shoulders, "Nothing really. Just a book on codes. Nothing fancy really." Grabbing the book before he could she closed it and put it away. As the lightning flashed she froze and closed her eyes tightly. Gently her body began to shake as Ban stood up and meowed softly at her. Turning her eyes to Ban she nodded and softly began to breath again, "Thank you, Ban. I have to constantly remind myself." Shaking her head she sat back down again gently picking up Ban and holding him close to her, "Why are you here, My Lord?"</s>
<|message|>Iris
Iris jumped when a voice suddenly joined the sound of rain pounding against the ground. She looked toward the Alpha's house and turned a little red, embarrassed about being caught locked out of her own house. However, the windows all seemed to be locked so unless she planned on breaking and entering into her own house, she didn't have much choice. Taking a deep breath, she ran to the Alpha's house. When she stepped inside she closed the door behind her. She was completely drenched as she stood there, dripping on his floor. She didn't move from the entrance way, not wanting to soak anymore of the Alpha's floor. She bit her lip when he asked about eggs, "One..." She said quietly deciding the taking the offer was more polite than refusing it.
She ran her hand through her hair again, pulling off of her cheeks where it was practically glued to thanks to the rain. Iris glanced at the Alpha male once more, "Thanks.... for letting me stay. The girls... They must have left and I forgot my keys... again...."
She ran her hand over her naked thigh as she stood there in shorts and a loose fitting shirt. The summer storm had disturb a nice day and left Iris in the predicament that she was wet to the bone and absolutely freezing. She seemed to be the only one though as Shadow stood at his oven without his shirt. Iris stared a little at his back, watching how the muscles moved before she quickly moved her eyes away. She moved her eyes else where and allowed them to drift to his head. His hair was wet which made her wonder if that was from a shower or the rain. She wrapped her arms around herself and shifted a little at her spot at the door, her shoes squishing as she moved, "Sorry for being such an inconvenience," She said quietly.
Leopold couldn't lie, the fact that Crimson quickly stole it away before he looked at the book made him more curious about the contents. However, he dropped it when he noticed her react to the lightning outside. He glanced over his shoulder out the window and hummed slightly, ah the things he was learning. He brought his attention back to Crimson when she asked why he was here. He smiled, "Merely doing as one does when they go to a library," He rose the book in his hand, "I have to write to a few nearby coven leaders who don't think I am capable of my job. I figured it was best that I brush up on them all a little before I dive into that kind of work."
He stood and was about to leave the room when a thought struck him, "You should go to a windowless room if lightning scares you, Miss Crimson. Maybe not seeing it will help with your fear of it," He looked at her before he gave a curt nod and turned to leave.</s>
<|message|>Crimson
Shadow chuckled softly and shook his head as he fixed two eggs for her. As the eggs cooked he walked into his bathroom and grabbed a towel off the rack. Walking out he tossed it to her, "Dry off, so you can sit by the fire and warm up a bit." Hearing of how she was locked out he chuckled again and tended to the food, "Seems you may need to tie them to you, so you won't stay locked out."
After fixing her eggs he put them on a plate for her and sat the plate on the table then began to fix his own eggs. Letting his eggs cook he grabbed his shirt and put it on. Having fixed his eggs the way he likes them he sat down and began to eat. Looking her over as his coal eyes looked her over, "I might have some clothes you can borrow while yours dry by the fire. After all I pick up different things when on patrol. Check in the Guest Bedroom." He pointed to the door to the right of the Kitchen. "Your not a inconvenience. After all it's my job to take care of my pack. If I can't take care of my pack in every way then what kind of leader am I?"
Crimson rolled her eyes as Leopold told her why he was there, "They should see it with their own eyes. After all from my point of view you seem to handle things well. Then again what do I know I'm not a leader I'm just a Guard here." Hearing his idea she closed her eyes and sighed heavily, "Don't call me 'Miss'. How many times do I have to tell you? As for a windowless room... The only place like that is my room and that's in the dungeons." Saying that she turned from the book shelf and headed for the door only to stop, "Ban, let's go." Meowing softly Ban followed after Crimson as she left the library and headed down to the Knight room.
Entering the Knight room most of the knights stopped in their tracks. Crimson looked around and growled low, "Don't stop just because I'm here." Walking over and grabbing her swords she walked into the training area with Ban hot on her heels.</s>
| <|message|>Iris
Iris watched him as he walked into the bathroom before tossing her a towel. Catching it she gave him a grateful look and slipped out of her shoes to allowed herself to dry off a little. When it was just her clothes and hair that held most of the water she moved to the fire and closed her eyes as she felt the warmth lick against her body. She turned her back to it and held out her hands as Shadow spoke about the possibility of extra dry clothing that might fit her. She nodded her head and disappeared to find the guest room. When she reemerged she was wearing another pair of shorts as they were the only bottom that fit and a extremely large sweater that hid them. She pulled the sleeves up so that her hands could peak out before she laid is wet clothes all out. She slipped her bra under one of her shirts, she remained in her wet underwear though.
She walked over to the table and looked at the plate to see two eggs and laughed a little as she ran her hand through her still wet hair, "I said one," She teased before she sat and picked up her fork, "Thank you... You... really didn't have to do any of this... You shouldn't have had to do any of this... I shouldn't have forgotten my eyes," She sighed a little, "I swore they were in my pocket though..."
She shook her head before she looked up at the Alpha again, "Sorry... I'm rambling... You probably don't care..."
Leopold smirked and laughed slightly as she complained about him calling her miss, "Quite a few more times, Miss Crimson. I do love watching how it makes you squirm."
He bowed his head to her before taking his leave from her and headed to his own rooms, and they were rooms. His quarters was more of an apartment than a bedroom. He ran his hand through his hair and walked over to the couch that sat in the middle of the room and took a seat on his. He kicked his legs up onto the arm over the couch and lounged as he started to flip through the book that he had gotten from the library. He hoped that it wasn't too dull...</s> |
<|description|>Iris
Age: 19
Sex: Female
Mate: N/A
Vampire or Werewolf: Half blood
Coven or Shadow's Pack: Pack
Position in the Coven or Pack: Warrior
Powers : Iris has elemental powers. She can control earth and water. Through this is also has the ability to assist with healing.
Bio: Iris went to the Pack after her sister chose to go to the Coven. She figured that it might be best that they separate. This way, she can inform her sister about what is happening in the pack and the two of them might be able to prevent needless deaths.
Picture:
Wolf Picture :
Name: Leopold Sonin
Age: 23
Sex: Male
Mate: N/A
Vampire or Werewolf: Vampire
Coven or Shadow's Pack: Coven
Position in the Coven or Pack: Leader
Power : Leopold is a silver tongue. His words are magic that can cause people to do whatever it is that he wants.
Bio: It has never been hard for Leo to get what he wants, merely having to speak to achieve his desires. This was how he rose to power at such a young age. He merely informed the last leader that it was his time to step down. No one questioned it either, those who did were quickly convinced that this was for the best. Despite this, Leo has been a wise, kind, and strong ruler of his people.
Picture:</s>
<|message|>Iris
Iris couldn't hold back the blood that rushed to her cheeks when Shadow mentioned asking her to move it. It would probably fix a lot of her problems, such as not getting locked out of her house on a continual basis... But moving into a mateless man's house and not just any man but the Alpha... rumors would spread very quickly about their relationship, not that Shadow would hear any of it. She laughed a little all the same, trying her best to brush it off as a joke. Her eyes widened when he asked her to look over the papers that he had been working on over the last year... That was a lot of things to go through but it would help and it was something that she did enjoy.
Iris smiled at him when he quickly retracted the request, suggesting that it was too much to ask of her. She shook her head and placed her hand on his, "I really don't mind. I don't do much with my free time anyways," She stood and walked over to the cabinet that she had seen him grab the papers from. Bending at the waist, she leaned down and looked for the file from that month before pulling it out and straightening. She turned and walked back to the table. She smiled at him, "No time like the present," She opened it and tucked a piece of hair behind her ear as she started to scan the numbers, doing rough calculations in her head, "Besides, I think the girls' would be happy with me out of the house more... I can come over most nights after patrol and spend a couple hours going through the files before I go home, if you'd like."
Leopold continued to write as Crimson spoke about his lineage, "Hm," He said in comment to her question before Ban came and laid upon his letter. He sighed and put his quill away before lifting the cat off the papers, not wanting any of his hairs in the ink, "Yes, I did. All of those in Dracula's lineage have a special ability to compulse people, make people do as the user chooses... Which happens to be my ability."
He placed the cat on the ground and turned his chair to face Crimson, "Not to mention, my family has taken great pride in our ancestral line. Due to my mother not having any siblings that leaves me to be the only one who carries the Dark Lord's blood," He ran his hand through his hair, "Although, I don't particularly enjoy throwing that around as people tend to treat me as though I were Dracula himself. Heir or not, I will never take up the man's name."
He tapped his finger on the arm of his chair and looked at her, "Is there a reason beyond curiosity that you bring this up?"</s>
<|message|>Crimson
Watching her Shadow smirked softly then stood up and walked into the kitchen to pour him a cup of coffee. Heating it in the microwave he turned back to her, "Would you like a cup? As for you coming over at nights that's fine, but I think you'd be better of just staying the night or just moving in. It'll be easier than you coming over and leaving, but the choice is yours." Sipping his cup after pulling it out of the microwave.
Seeing her grab more of the papers he shook his head smirking softly to himself, but he really did need the help and he was grateful for her help, "You know I really do appreciate the help. If ever you need anything let me know ok?"
'Yet he doesn't use it?' Crimson thought that as she listened sighing heavily she closed her eyes. Ban laid in Leo's lap as he watched Crimson, "Crimson, you sure you want to do that?" Turning to look at Ban she nodded, "I have to, Ban." Her crimson eyes locked onto Leo's eyes, "M'lord... I have to tell you something and I don't mean to hurt you." Taking a deep and heavy breath before she continued, "Do you remember the story and rumor of the forbidden love?"</s>
<|message|>Iris
Iris looked over to him when he offered her a pot of coffee and shook her head, "No thank you... if I have a cup now I'll never get to sleep."
She ran her hand through her hair and put the paper she held down and grabbed a pen before she started scribbling away on it. However, she stopped when he mentioned her moving in yet again, "But... wouldn't be strange... for me to move in since I'm not your mate..." She bit her lip before she turned back to the paper than she was making a few corrections on, "I mean... we could tell everyone why but would there not still be rumors about what is happening between closed doors?" She took a deep breath, letting the math distract her slightly, "I mean... Moving in with you would have benefits... like not getting locked out of my house and not having to trek across the way to come to and from here... I just don't want to put you into a bad position."
She finished with the paper she had and placed it aside before she started on the next, "As for helping... Isn't that what we are supposed to do in a pack? Help each other... You really don't owe me anything."
Leopold sighed as Crimson asked him yet another question about his knowledge of the world. He nodded his head, "Yes, I do... Now, Crimson... Is there a point you are getting to? I was in the midst of work and your cat seems to be content keeping from that so long as you are here. Would you mind hurrying to the point and stop beating around the bush?"
His words were a little harsh but Leopold was a busy man. He hardly had any free time due to the amount of work he needed to put into making the castle run and making those around him see that he was good at it. Although he had used it power to gain the title of Lord, he had never used it on his people to make them content. He wanted to know that he was doing a good job not running this place to the ground and convincing people otherwise. It was due to this was Leopold worked himself to the ground to achieve it. He rose his eyebrows, "Well?"</s>
<|message|>Crimson
"You just let me worry about the pack. Besides I buy enough for two and it does get lonely in here from time to time, so I do my best to keep myself busy." Chuckling softly Shadow nodded, "Yes there would be those benefits. There would also be the benefit of hunting and going on patrols with me."
Listening to her as the clouds moved in the sky to reveal the full moon he stood at his living room window looking up at it. Sighing softly he nodded, "Yes that is true, but there are some within the pack that wouldn't really agree. However I am trying to make them change to our ways. Instead of them thinking that they only have to take care of themselves and don't relie on others."
"What I have to say is more important, M'lord." Never moving her gaze Crimson sat on one of the chairs, "I am one of the children that was made from the forbidden love. The story is real and I don't want to hurt you, but I want to know more about who and what started this stupid ass war of the Vampires and the Lycans."
As she spoke the clouds moved and revealed the moon. Quickly Ban jumped up hissing and said, "Crimson! The moon!" Turning her head she quickly stood up and moved to the darkest corner of his room, "Unlike my Sister... If I change in the full moon light I lose control and I will kill anything and everything... It's the Beast within, but listen to me please?" The look in her eyes was one of plead as she hoped and prayed he wouldn't try to hurt her or use his ability on her.</s>
<|message|>Iris
Iris pursed her lips when he mentioned that there were a few people within the pack who would disagree with the ways that a pack was usually run. She pursed her lips a little, "Strange... Maybe a community garden will do them good, since you have to put the work in to take the food out."
She finished with the paper she had and switched it out for another. Most of the calculations were pretty simple math and rather easy to do in her head and with larger numbers, she had cheats, which allowed her to continue to work without pausing to search for a calculator. Although, a few times as she worked she did need to jot out the equation and took a moment to actually figure it out rather than the usual number just coming to her head. As she worked, she looked over at him again, "So... In living with you, I'd go on hunts and patrol with you as well?" She held his gaze, her pen stilling against the paper, "Won't you get sick of me?"
Leopold stood as Crimson retreated to the dark corner of his room and walked over to the window, closing the curtains that often kept out the sunlight for himself. He stood there a moment with his back to her as he tried to gather together all the information. Slowly, he turned to face her, "You mean to tell me... That since your arrival... You have been endangering my people because you want to know who started the war," He looked at her, anger behind his eyes, "Is that really worth risks all these lives? This feud is thousands and thousands of years old. Older than any living vampire. No one knows who started it... it is just a fact of life. Besides, we are better off not getting along," He held her gaze for a moment before he moved back to his desk, "Yes, we might not need to kill each other as some less civilized clans are doing but even the Alpha and I don't get along."
He grabbed his quill again and looked at his paper, "I want you gone as soon as you can leave... I will not have you continuing to endanger my people."</s>
<|message|>Crimson
Shadow nodded in agreement to her idea, "Perhapes, but only time could tell." Finishing off his cup of coffee he walked back to the kitchen and got himself another cup.
Turning to look at her as his coffee heated up he admired how committed she was. Tilting his head curiously as she wrote down something, but when she stopped writing and looked at him talking he raised a brow curiously. Nodding to what she said before she asked if he'd get sick of her. When she asked that he chuckled softly and pulled out his cup of coffee, "I might from time to time, but I doubt it would be often since I have not had a mate for many years and..." Looking around his home he nodded, "This place could use a woman's touch." His blue eyes looked at her curiously, "Besides eventually you'd get sick of me I'm sure."
"Why does it have to be a fact of life? I am half vampire and half lycan. I have been in your care for how long now? You got along just fine with me thinking that turning into a wolf is one of my vampire powers. Why can't you two get along? You both get along good enough to keep the village at peace." Crimson wasn't backing down now, but she had to start some where and where best than the only heir to the purebloods. Though they themselves were so very rare as it was. "Your people have not been endangered. NO ONE knows who or what I am... You are the only one. Besides on full moon nights I chain myself up in the dungeons. That's why I made the dungeons my bedroom." Knowing he was angry she sighed heavily as the flames in the room began to turn black. "If I wanted to hurt you and your people it would be all too easy for me to. My power over black fire and my damned formed would be more than enough to take care of your entire coven, but yet none have died by my hands and I have helped heal and save so many from other battles that happened away from these lands."
Standing beside the fireplace now as she looked at the flames, "You don't know why I want to stop it. What is so wrong with Vampires and Lycans? I drink blood just like you do. I eat raw meat where you don't. I could touch sunlight if I choose to, but really I prefer the darkness just like you do. I bleed just like you do. I have a heart where you don't, but..." Turning toward him as she showed no fear in her eyes now, "We both have a soul. There are few differences between you and I. They are the same differences between a vampire and a lycan. I want to... No I have to end this war. You want to protect your people and the Alpha wants to protect his people. Two leaders who want the same thing. Is that not why you both made a agreement?"</s>
| <|message|>Iris
Iris smiled at him, she liked how honest he was... although it made it all the worst as she sat there and lied to him. Which made it all the better that he was letting her help like this. Doing the book keeping, cleaning up his house, starting his community garden. Her palms itched just to go out and grow what it was that he wanted but he'd catch on... He'd know.
She flew through the last few pages of the month, it seemed as though he had done most of the maths correctly. She gathered up all the paper and put it back into the folder and stood. The sweater dropped around her top of her thighs again, hiding her shorts once more until she bent over at the waist and put the file away. She remained there for a moment, looking through the other files before she decided that she would do the papers at night and then a file, that way it would only take her twelve days to go through the year. She straightened and looked at him before yawning, "Well... I should probably get to bed," She walked over to him and stole his mug away and reached around him to place it on the counter, "And you should probably stop drinking caffeine before you up all night," She joked before she realized how close she was to him and took a step back, "Good night, Alpha..."
Leopold did not like not being listened to. In fact, he hated it always enjoyed having the last word. He slammed his hands against his desk and stood when Crimson finished, his anger present his face, "Yes, I made a deal with the mutt and I have been writing practical books," He picked up the papers and waved them a little, "To convince the other Lords and Ladies that I'm sound enough for my position as Lord here. What do you think they would say if they found out that I had a... half mutt locked up in my dungeons on full moons?"
He held her gaze, "They would toss me from my position and no matter how much I talk, no one would listen. They would break the treaty I have with the Alpha and we would be at war. You being here are a danger to my people in more than one way, Miss Crimson. How long do you think those chains will hold you? What happens if you escape? No matter how many precautions you take you are a danger that I can't control. You will not fight me on this, Crimson. NOW LEAVE."</s> |
<|description|>Iris
Age: 19
Sex: Female
Mate: N/A
Vampire or Werewolf: Half blood
Coven or Shadow's Pack: Pack
Position in the Coven or Pack: Warrior
Powers : Iris has elemental powers. She can control earth and water. Through this is also has the ability to assist with healing.
Bio: Iris went to the Pack after her sister chose to go to the Coven. She figured that it might be best that they separate. This way, she can inform her sister about what is happening in the pack and the two of them might be able to prevent needless deaths.
Picture:
Wolf Picture :
Name: Leopold Sonin
Age: 23
Sex: Male
Mate: N/A
Vampire or Werewolf: Vampire
Coven or Shadow's Pack: Coven
Position in the Coven or Pack: Leader
Power : Leopold is a silver tongue. His words are magic that can cause people to do whatever it is that he wants.
Bio: It has never been hard for Leo to get what he wants, merely having to speak to achieve his desires. This was how he rose to power at such a young age. He merely informed the last leader that it was his time to step down. No one questioned it either, those who did were quickly convinced that this was for the best. Despite this, Leo has been a wise, kind, and strong ruler of his people.
Picture:</s>
<|message|>Crimson
Shadow heard a knock at his door and before he could answer Iris stepped into his room and started to speak. After listening to her he smiled softly, but as she turned to leave he shook his head, "I don't mind at all. Though my bed is big enough for two as long as their cuddling, so if you don't mind I don't mind." Looking at himself he sat up, " Ummm would you like for me to put a shirt on or do you not mind if I'm comfortable?"
"So you still insist that I leave? You call it freedom and my life, but really I have no life outside and I am never free until this war is over." Shaking her head Crimson walked to the door and looked out of it, but stopped and looked at him, "You really wish for me to leave then the only way to make me leave here is to make me obey you. In order to do that all you have to do is drink my blood." Looking at Ban she nodded to him, "Stay here... You'll be safer and you..." Her eyes now turned to Leopold, "I will give you time to think about what I said. Goodnight, M'lord." Bowing to him Crimson left shutting the door softly behind her.
Leaning against his door a moment she released a heavy sigh then walked to the dungeons. Once inside she walked to the cage and closed the door then she chained herself up as she waited for the moon.
Feeling the Rays of the moon run over her skin she felt the change begin. After the change happened in place of the vampire Crimson stood a black Lycan with Crimson's Crimson eyes.</s>
<|message|>Iris
Iris bit her lip a little before shaking her head, "No... if you are comfortable.... I don't mind."
It was more of a blanket statement than a specific answer for either question. She wrapped her blanket around her shoulders and walked over to him before she climbed onto the bed, facing him. She was a lot closer to him now than she had been in the kitchen and found herself blushing again, "I don't think there is enough room for a nightmare in this bed now," She joked before adjusting her head on the pillow. She moved herself in a bit closer to avoid falling off the bed, "Good night, Alpha," She said quietly before closing her eyes.
Leopold sighed when Crimson left and ran his hand through his hair. He looked over to Ban and huffed, "Don't look at me like that."
He walked over to his desk and cleaned up his things before he walked to the door and headed out of his study to head to bed, "Well, come on," he said to the cat that was still staring at him.
He closed his eyes, "Will you stop looking at me like that?... I'm talking to a cat..."
He shook his head and walked out of the room.</s>
<|message|>Crimson
Shadow smirked softly then moved a little, so she could lay in the bed more. Looking over the blanket she had wrapped herself in he seen it had holes and some were pretty big. As she made a comment about a nightmare he chuckled softly and grabbed another blanket to lay over them, "Yes I agree. A nightmare can not slip between us now." When she moved to adjust herself he removed the blanket from her and laid another on them both, "I don't mind sharing and that has holes in it. I just hope you don't mind my arm drapping over your body." Gently he smiled as he laid his arm over her body then closed his eyes. Hearing her speak one more time he nodded, "Good night, Iris." Pulling her closer to his body as he held her tightly and smelled her hair. It smelt like damp flowers and he enjoyed it for it lulled him into a peaceful sleep.
Ban hopped off the desk and followed behind him. As Leopold walked into his chambers Ban jumped onto the bed and sat down on it watching him. Finally he spoke, "You have feelings for her don't you, M'lord? I watch you both and I notice things that neither of you will admit, but you can tell me. I am not going to tell a soul." Looking away Ban licked his paw then rubbed it over his ear as he kind of gave himself a bath then looked at Leopold again, "Yes I am a talking cat. I am Crimson's 'Guardian' so to speak. You know what she said is true. Every word."</s>
<|message|>Iris
Iris's eyes popped open when she felt Shadow's arm wrap around her and pull her close. Her heart pounded in her chest as she looked at Shadow as he started to fall asleep. She had never lain with a man before... Before this moment the closest she had been to a man was cuddling with her father as a child and that hardly counted... Now, here she was, lying in bed with the Alpha of her pack... if the pack was going to spread rumors about their relations behind closed doors when they were informed of her moving in, they might not be all that wrong. She rolled over to face away from him, thinking that it might be better but all she found was that now she was pressed right up against him. She lay there with him for sometime, until his breathing slowed and he was properly asleep... Then her anxiety snuck into her head and Iris snuck out of the bed. Slowly lifting his arm off of her, she grabbed the blanket that he had discarded and wrapped it around herself. She moved to sit on the couch. At the time, she had every intention to go back to the bedroom... She promised to lie there with him, to keep away both of their nightmares and lying there with him was nice until her brain started over thinking it all... The main thought being how she was lying to him... How she wasn't his mate.
Iris didn't get much sleep that night. In fact, she didn't get any as she sat at the dining room table going through all of the files that Shadow had until she got up the nerves to go back into the room and go to sleep. She made sure to keep a ear out for any sounds of nightmares but beyond her pen on paper, there were no sounds in the house. Soon, the morning sun crept into the room and she looked up, realizing that she had not only gone through the files from the last two years but also completely worked through the night.
Whoops.
Leopold jumped when the cat spoke in his room. He looked at him as he explained a little then shook his head, "It doesn't matter what I have or don't have for, Miss Crimson..." He said, finding it awkward to explain himself to the cat, "What matters is that she lied to me and that makes me look bad to the council of Lord and Ladies... And that if anyone of them found out about her..." He shook his head. He pulled his blankets back and stripped off his shirt and pants before climbing into bed, "You know, I don't have to explain myself to a cat... talking or not. Good night."
With that Leopold lay back and allowed for sleep to take him.</s>
<|message|>Crimson
Shadow had slept peacefully for once in what felt like forever to him. As he opened his eyes he seen Iris wasn't there. Jumping up he looked around his bedroom, "Iris? Iris, where are you?" Quickly he moved from his bed to his bedroom door only to see her at the dining table. Sighing heavily in relief he hung his head, "You ok, Iris? I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable... Thank you though. I finally got a good nights rest in a long time."
As he spoke he walked to the coffee pot and fixed a fresh pot. Once it finished he poured himself a cup of coffee and began to sip it sighing softly.
Ban rolled his cat eyes then moved to curl up on the pillow beside Leopold's head. Yawning and streatching for a moment before laying his head beside his, "We'll talk more in the morning about it all. For now sleep would be wise, plus do you think if she came out and told you who and what she was and why she is here that you would welcome her with open arms? No you wouldn't have. You and anyone and everyone else would have killed her on the spot and stop calling her that." Finally Ban closed his yellow eyes and softly began to purr.</s>
<|message|>Iris
Iris looked over her shoulder when Shadow called her name. Before she could answer the man was at the door of his bedroom looking at her. She watched him as he apologized if he made her uncomfortable before saying that he had managed to sleep fully through the night with no nightmares. She gave him a soft smile and nodded her head, "Yes... well... Um," Her cheeks turned red and unfortunately, the sun did little to hide it like the night had, "I've... Before coming here, I lived only with my family.... We weren't around many men and... That was the closest... I've ever been to a man and... I felt as though it might be inappropriate with me not being your mate..."
She yawned a little and started to gather all the papers, "I managed to go over all of these... From the last two years."
She picked them all up before carefully putting them back away into the filing cabinet. She rubbed her eye and pulled her blanket close around her before she walked over to him and poured herself a couple of coffee. She yawned once more before she took a sip, "I suppose I'll go grab my things after patrol..."</s>
<|message|>Crimson
Shadow listened and watched Iris as she spoke. When she told him she finished the files for the past two years he almost choked on his coffee, "You what? That must have taken you all night." As she grabbed herself a cup of coffee and talked about patrol he shook his head, "No you will stay here and sleep. I will arrange for you to take the night patrol. In a few hours I will go talk to your 'room mates'. Not of you, but to make them move in with their mates." Being careful he took a sip of his coffee to finish it off then he pushed from the counter and washed his cup as he started to think of what she said before.
Once he washed his cup he put it to the side to dry and walked toward his room, but he stopped then looked over his shoulder at her, "I'm sorry... I should have thought about that and should have refused, but... I thought we were helping each other. Really if you don't want to stay here then you can leave... I won't force you to stay though... It would remove the loneliness and chase the nightmares away." Nodding he went into his room and got dressed for his morning patrol.
Dawn broke in the dungeon below and Crimson had already changed back into her vampiric form, but she was still asleep with burns from the iron chains on her skin. See what many didn't know is in her lycan form metal of any kind burned Crimson, but in her vampiric form it didn't hurt her. Even Crimson didn't understand, but as she laid there slowly healing she slept.
Ban yawned and streatched out for a moment then he curled up closer to Leopold's head thinking it was Crimson, but as he blinked his eyes a few times he realized who it was and stood up. Streatching out again he yawned and jumped off of the bed. Moving to the unlit fireplace he began to clean himself as he purred softly and waited for Leopold to wake.</s>
| <|message|>Iris
Iris opened her mouth to explain to him that she was fine only to have a yawn escape. She quickly covered her mouth and laughed a little, "Sleep... Sleep might be a good idea," She looked at him, "Thank you..."
When he apologized for putting her in the position she shook her head, "No... It's fine... I mean, I offered. I thought I'd be okay with it... I guess I just didn't realize how small you bed is..." She thought about it, "My bed is a little bigger I think... Maybe if we switch them out there will be a little more space and I can get a blanket without holes," She was trying, she was to make it work. Hearing that she had helped him so much by just lying in bed for a few moments, she wanted to continue that. She took another sip of her coffee, "I want to help but I... I just don't want to put you in a position where you could end up looking bad to the pack."
She tucked her hair behind her ear as he left the room. She leaned against the counter and closed her eyes as she sighed. Feeling herself nodding off just standing there, she poured out her coffee and cleaned her cup before she headed to the guest room and went to sleep.
Leopold woke to find Ban sitting in front of the fire place and sighed, "You're still here."
He rubbed his face, "Does this mean I have to keep my promise and talk to her?"
He rolled out of bed and sighed before he walked over to his closet and changed into a pair of dress pants and a white button down. He turned and looked at Ban as he buttoned his cuffs, "You're a real pain, you know that?" Grabbing his suit jacket he pulled it on and ran his hand through his hair, "Run and fetch her... I'm going to feed."</s> |
<|description|>Richard "Ricky" Cline
Appearance:
His lower arms and hands bear a collection of linear scars earned from practice with live blades. His left arm also shows off a nasty bite from a crocodile that had been a little too enthusiastic about getting an easy meal. His boots and his belt were made from just that beast's skin. He likes to keep his hair slicked back neatly, but has taken to neglecting it since the fall of civilization. Since his employment as a gaff hand he has taken to wearing a simple, but fairly heavy leather jacket, having discovered that it helped a great deal, though he wished he might have known that before a crocodile tried to have lunch at the expense of his arm.
A more recent development is his decision to wear his knives strapped to his hips, making them much easier to access. A Bowie knife rests on his right hip, and an Arkansas toothpick sits on his left. He keeps his Colt Cobra in an ambidextrous holster that he carries inside his waistband. He will shift it around depending on what he is doing, but he prefers to carry it either against the small of his back, or right side, next to his appendix.
Age:
27
Skill:
Cooking, animal processing, knife-fighting
Preferred Weapons:
Knives, snub-nosed revolvers
Stuff:
In addition to his clothes and weapons, Ricky has recently picked up a backpack for himself, one he'd found while scavenging in an airport. It was plain, black, and had seen far better days, but it continued to serve him well. Into he'd stuffed a change of clothes, some canned food, a can opener, a box of powderless blue nitrile gloves, size large, and a box of fifty .38 special rounds he'd found in someone's house. It wasn't quite full, but he still had plenty left, in his opinion. His most important possession, however, is the waterproof tackle box he has stuffed full of the medication he requires to maintain his more rational thoughts. On the outside of the bag are strapped his one-litre water bottle, and his Tim Hortons mug, the latter of which is large enough to hold an entire pot of coffee, with a little room left over for cream and sugar.
Personality:
While seemingly friendly and cooperative, he has a slight tendency toward sociopathy, most notably he has a hard time understanding the value of life. Medication has helped in the past, increasing his impulse control and aiding in rational thought.
Brief Bio:
Ricky was born in the Great White North, but moved to the United States when he was just barely over a year old. His parents had wanted to try out life in Canada, but a family emergency drew them to the southern United States. That didn't stop them from visiting friends they had made in the Maritimes, however, and Ricky soon found himself holding dual citizenship and drifting from the eastern-most parts of Canada, down the coast to Louisiana. Most of his family settled in and around New Orleans around the time he finished high school. Around that time, he was also diagnosed with a mental disorder that doctors claimed was easily curable with medication. They made the mistake of thinking that the future stabilization of his hormones could result in his brain sorting itself out while also being affected by the medication. This would not be the case, and he found himself looking at a lifetime on medication.
He moved back to Canada for a few years after high school to attend a community college where he earned a diploma toward getting his Chef's Red Seal. From there he moved back to New Orleans, where he was told there was an apprenticeship open for him. What followed was a great deal of confusion and a struggle to find himself a job. Work wasn't terribly difficult to find, however there seemed to be no apprenticeships available by the time he arrived to look into them. Eventually Ricky settled for a job on a crawfish boat, where he was given the exciting job of making sure nothing untoward got into the boat. That included anyone who thought they could go around stealing other people's crawfish traps. To that effect he began carrying a pair of very large knives into the swamps with him, having realized that people were barely phased by the sight of a shotgun, but the idea of a man with a knife seemed to strike fear into the hearts of most bayou pirates. His captain was even kind enough to gift him a snub-nosed Colt Cobra in .38 special, and while he appreciated the thought, and carried it everywhere, he spent more time honing his abilities with the knives he chose to carry, thinking it would take more practice to get good with close combat, than it would with a firearm. Unconcerned by his mistaken belief, the man was quite successful in deterring both thieves and small crocodiles, and found himself becoming an expert at more than just cooking animals. It wasn't the sort of work he'd been looking for, but the physical nature of the job appealed to him, and he found he didn't mind it as much as he'd thought he might.
By the time he finally found an apprenticeship, he was confident in his ability to dress any kind of wild game, something that helped him immensely as he worked toward his red seal. His time on a crawfish boat had been inspiring, however, and he didn't let his fighting skills lapse just because he didn't necessarily need them any more. Of course he still did little in the way of practice with his revolver, managing only to keep it maintained in case he did need it. Instead he focused on maintaining his own physical shape and his abilities with a knife. Unfortunately, he'd find zombies overthrowing the world before he ever earned his red seal. The worst part, he thought at the time, was the fact that it happened in the middle of his vacation. He'd been visiting friends across the border when he heard about the initial stages of the disaster. He thought he could wait out this sort of thing, but it didn't take long to realize that the airport wasn't going to be running when it came time for his return flight. With gas stations out of fuel and nothing to do about it, he started a long walk to Louisiana, hitching or stealing rides when he could, but finding he spent more time on his feet than behind a wheel. When he came to terms with the idea that these were zombies, and not people, he stopped feeling anything about ending their unlives. Not even medication could give him any sort of feeling toward the things. That didn't stop him from raiding every pharmacy he could find on the way toward his home, however, as he was reluctant to lose more touch with reality.
The trip south took far longer than he liked, and even after so long in transit, the hordes of undead seemed unshrinking when he witnessed the streets of New Orleans. He gave up on trying to get home, and instead focused on surviving once more, like he had for the last ten months. Unfortunately, at this point he was lost, unsure where exactly he was. Nearly a year without civilization to maintain the area left it in tatters, and the chef took to wandering aimlessly, and considering drifting his way back to Canada...</s>
<|message|>Alex Clark
Alex Clark - Cells - Danny & Co
Suddenly looking up as a reference to a famous show he used to binge-watch was named, Alex couldn't hide a crooked grin. Looking at himself from a distance, he realized he looked kind of crazy. Mostly crazy in fact. His previous self, the one living an ordinary life, would have been terrified of himself. Having hidden the arrowtip in his sleeve, his hands sticky from Richard's drying blood, and his face still covered in patches of his own dried blood from his broken nose... He really looked like some insane murderer. He was really frustrated about his nose though. It really did hurt a lot, and it was crooked. For some reason, that really bothered him. Nevertheless, as he inspected the guy, he realized that he was from Enrique's group of the Scouts. He didn't exactly know this guy by name, but he had seen him around a few times. Probably the same counted for the other guy.
"Yes of course. My idea is to rest and wait untill an opportunity presents itself to learn more about what's going on, and how to get away from this shithole." He replied on a faked knowledgeable tone. "In other words, I don't have a plan at all. How'd you end up here anyways? Weren't you with Enrique?" He was mostly suspicious of the guy since he was with Enrique, but he reckoned that if he was here, in a cell, it probably meant that both Enrique and their group ran into a bigger fish. Because of their situation, he could probably trust what the guy was saying. They were not enemies, for now. Nevertheless, given their original goal, saving that girl, Emma, it certainly complicated matters.</s>
<|message|>Chae Ji Ryeŏn
Chae, Miguel, Moksha - Old Jefferson, Suburbs - Ricky
"Plan...?" Chae mumbled, peering out through the ajar door to view the infected, shambling closer in their mini-horde by the second. Actions never happened in void. Saving this man from dog, using most of her bullets to do so, in fact, left them all vulnerable to a greater threat. The world had always been this way. She imagined her Halmonee would probably say something along those lines-- that the world was naught but a sea of ebb and flows in the mental, physical, and spiritual realms. That the only difference was that things were more extreme now, life and death danced more intimately and that the world required more of yourself to receive more of it now.
Chae's grandma was weird like that.
"Well those guys," She pointed to the groups of infected, clustered around the fence, shambling and pushing on their decomposing forms to squeeze at the potential meal that stood in the backdoor hallway of the suburban home, "we can probably hold them off for a few seconds by just, like, closing the door." She shrugged, "Not much of a plan, I know-- but they might get distracted by the dead bitches," This time gesturing to the few dogs she managed to shot during her daring rescue, "I think they're getting hungrier, less, you know, picky. I actually saw a couple eating a cat earlier... this little guy's mom, I think."
Closing the back doors, screen and all, she continued, "So I say we charge, now, before they can get to the front door. We push through in the streets, and then just, like, outmaneuver them." Already beginning to head to the front doors of the suburban home, she addressed both men, new found focus on their survival. "If we're going we gotta go now though." She tossed Miguel her gun, "You stay behind us, guns are security-- not for... zumba... or... whatever you call 'em... killing."
"Ummm..." She had to look up to address Ricky, the man had a good few inches on the woman, "That'd put you out front." cracking a smirk, she added, "I mean, I'm kind of assuming you're better at stabbing infected than rabid dogs, though..."</s>
| <|message|>Richard "Ricky" Cline
Ricky - Old Jefferson, Suburbs - Chae, Miguel, Moksha
It was clear, after only a second, that there was no plan. Chae, which seemed to be the woman's name, suggested they close the door, and that was accomplished easily enough. Then she suggested they charge out the front before the house got surrounded. Thinking that was better than anything he would come up with at this point, Ricky joined in happily. He shoved a chain under the door handle to make it harder for the zombies to get through before he followed his new friends toward the front. There he was instructed to lead the way. "Honestly, I'm better at stabbing gators than anything..." he offered with a shrug. "She'll do a good job, though..." he trailed off as he gripped his knife tighter. The smaller bowie knife on his hip stayed where it was. He wasn't used to fighting it with, so he decided he would be safest with his much larger toothpick.
And since no one seemed to have anything else to say, he opened the front door. There didn't seem to be as many undead out front, so he got himself as psyched up as possible and then nodded. "I'm going to lead, but you've got to navigate, eh?" he told the woman who'd be tucked in the middle of their little escape train. "If you don't, well... We'll get somewhere I guess..." he chuckled, thinking that "somewhere" might end up being the headwaters of a creek of faeces, where paddles were prohibited. Right now, though, that might be a better place to be than in the middle of a zombie swarm, so before second thoughts could grab anyone, he led the way, hoping someone one was following.
A solid overhand swing of his knife, on a sufficient angle, wouldn't take the head clean off a zombie, but it would sever the spinal cord, and that was all that mattered. The heavy blade of his knife seemed to bite cheerfully into the rotting flesh of the predators that tried to surround the trio. The chef focused on routes that took them past the fewest number of zombies, and the ones they did encounter he met head on, hacking into their spines and paralysing their reanimated bodies, causing them to collapse and gnash their teeth uselessly at the air, hoping to get a bite of the fleeing humans. Escape was tiring, at least for Ricky, but he knew the alternative was a horrid death, being bitten to pieces by monsters with hardly any teeth. That was motivating enough to give him unlimited energy...</s> |
<|description|>Tyler Salem / "Thomas Zuchowski"
---
Appearance:
Gender: Male
Age: 36
Bio: Tyler's life was wholly unremarkable before the apocalypse. He'd married his girlfriend, Helen, at 28 and came to live a middle-class existence with her and his two eventual children. He was a contract worker working in construction and his wife was an aspiring nurse with a small growing hobby as an author. Tyler didn't have the closest relationship with his parents, but the death of his mother when he was only 35 inspired Tyler to work toward a greater relationship with his father.
The apocalypse a year later put a stop to all that, where Tyler's father was one of the many initial victims of the outbreak. Tyler managed to get his family to a refugee camp, where he believed they would be safe. The situation around them quickly deteriorated and the refugee camp became smaller and smaller. A giant horde finally finished the camp off for good and took the lives of Tyler's wife and son. Tyler and his little girl, Katie, fell in with the other survivors. Tyler swore to protect his daughter from the horror surrounding her.
Their group were a disorganized mess at first, losing and gaining members haphazardly. Leadership of the group fell on many different individual's shoulders. When it finally landed on Tyler's shoulders, it was his status as one of the original members and a family man that put him there. He didn't desire to lead at first, and the few deaths the group suffered under his care only made Tyler dislike the position more. Eventually, Tyler saw his role as more of a protector and a leader, and he wanted to protect his people like they were family. It was around this time that a man named Brad joined the group, who quickly fell in awe with Tyler. Unfortunately, further death put the group at odds. They suffered bandit attacks and suffering at the hands of other humans.
Around the time a woman named Lynn joined the group, Tyler suffered betrayal by one of his group members, who stole supplies and ran off on his own. Tyler became depressed and vulnerable within his position as leader. He bonded with Lynn and eventually started a relationship with her. Still, his people were displeased, so after a large chunk of them went off on their own, Tyler decided he had to lead the group with a heavier hand. The group grew upset with Tyler getting harder on them and they lashed out, making him turn further into a dictator. Eventually, the kinds of people that tolerated Tyler's behaviour were mostly men with shady morality. Tyler came to believe this was the only way for his group to survive, but he was still upset with the world around him. Tyler wondered if he could change it all.
Tyler was initially encouraged by Lynn to work toward a better future, but Tyler came to believe that future was unobtainable with the rotten people all around him. Betrayal eventually was met with death, and Tyler thought of a plan to ensure the survival of the next generation-- his daughter's generation. His group came to clear the catacombs underneath New Orleans, where Tyler eventually began to bring girls so that he could get them pregnant and raise their child in the manner he felt was best for the future. Tyler kept his daughter Katie locked away in the catacombs to shield her from what he had to do. Eventually, Tyler realised that the men working for him were restless and unpredictable. When even threats of execution didn't keep them in line, Tyler was forced to construct an arena for them to entertain themselves with. Even more, Tyler let the men have sex with his pregnant women. It was necessary, he believed, for the future he envisioned.
Lynn, already disgusted by Tyler's actions, felt that this was the final straw. She left the group and Tyler grew furious. He killed anyone that supported Lynn and sent a group after her, though they were unsuccessful in their search.
Tyler continued this way of life until he came across a man named Bruce Levi, the mayor of a community called Haywood. The two struck a deal where Levi would secretly give his women away to Tyler in exchange for supplies. This deal continued uninterrupted until the people of Haywood discovered Levi's secret and overthrew him. They sought to eliminate Tyler and planned an assault on his catacombs. Just before the attack, Tyler managed to capture Lynn, though he was ultimately unsure what to do with her. He hated her for leaving, but he still cared about her in some way. Still, he put her into his arena to entertain his men, believing Lynn was ultimately strong enough to survive. During Haywood's attack, Lynn escaped from her prison and revealed to Tyler she had been infected in the arena. She attacked him as she turned and began to overpower him. Brad saved Tyler's life and killed Lynn, but was bitten by her as a result. Tyler was then forced to kill Brad.
The attack resulted in many of Tyler's men being killed and the walkers in the arena being let loose. The walkers ended up killing his women, ending Tyler's hope for the future. One of Tyler's raiders, Lauren, had grown upset with Tyler and escaped with his daughter during the assault. She and her boyfriend Bull managed to survive with Katie in tow. Tyler, on the other hand, found an injured man, Enrique. Tyler told the man that his name was Thomas and that he was a prisoner. The pair then escaped the catacombs with one of Tyler's men, Bex, who went along with the charade.
A few weeks later, Tyler and his trio sought to enter a community called Outpost. Tyler now called himself "Thomas Zuchowski". Eventually, the three were let in and Tyler became a member of the community's scouts. He met a man named Matt who was tired with the leadership of Outpost and wanted more power. Tyler worked with him to frame the leader of the scouts, Reggie, for murder and mutiny. Matt became known as the man to take down Reggie and Tyler became the new leader of scouts due to his work in taking down Reggie and the friendships he had made.
Tyler then wanted the scouts to attack Haywood, where he believed his daughter had been taken. Matt convinced Outpost's council to approve of the idea and the plan was in motion. The stand-off between the scouts and the people of Haywood resulted in Lauren being murdered under Tyler's orders and Tyler's duplicity soon after coming to light. Still, Tyler managed to escape with his daughter, the person that mattered the most to him. He realised his mistake in hurting countless people to attain some hope for the future when his hope for the future had always been his little girl. Tyler then left New Orleans with Katie and travelled North, where they eventually came to Baton Rouge.</s>
<|message|>Ellis Sprit
Ellis - Dilapidated House - Emma/Monica
Ellis agreed to watch the little bit of supplies that the two had, he needed somewhere safe to rest, and this was the best he could do for now. He sat against a crumbling wall with his knees to his chest, and thoughts dancing through out him. He now had plenty of time to think about everything wrong that has happened to him, but as his forehead begun to sweat, his eyes began to blur, and he could feel the sense of another blackout.</s>
<|message|>Tyler Salem / "Thomas Zuchowski"
Tremblay - Plaza - Floyd/Jess/Tremblay Community
The man's mood visibly fell at the sight of his community's reaction. They were looking at this scene with derision, though Tremblay had expected that kind of behaviour. He needed them to be stronger to do what needed to be done, but he needed this affair to end in a certain matter for that to be possible. Jon was at his side, telling him to back down, but Tremblay ignored him. "Will no one speak?" Tremblay asked, his eyes looking pointedly toward Jess and Floyd. Perhaps they were less vindictive than he assumed.
Becca stepped forward to distinguish herself from the crowd. Her arms jutted out to point at Scarlett and Tyler as if she couldn't believe the scene before her. "Mike, what the hell is this?" she asked, her voice dripping with outrage. Becca always called him Mike when she was annoyed, which was something Tremblay didn't much appreciate in front of others.
With a heavy sigh, Tremblay stepped up to Scarlett and Tyler, looking down on them dismissively. "Tyler Salem once controlled a group of people that hurt and murdered others to get what they wanted." Tremblay watched as Tyler leaned forward to grab at Scarlett, pulling her into a hug. The two guards Tremblay had on them moved to intervene, but Tremblay simply held a hand out to stop them. He doubted the girl would want anything to do with Tyler after she learned the truth. "But that's not all. This sick man kidnapped women and raped them. Every single one of them were with child after he was done with them! He let the men that worked under him take advantage of them as well! He would tell you it was necessary, but we all know that is just an excuse of an evil and deranged individual."
The crowd's dissent grew louder at this news. Some weren't sure if it was true, but if it were... none of them really had any reason not to believe Tremblay. His eyes shining red from the surrounding fires, Tremblay continued, "He had a fighting pit where men fought like animals. The catacombs where he lived will be forever stained with the blood he spilt." Tremblay looked at Matt and nodded. "And even when Tyler's group fell apart around him, he continued his violent ways. He joined a new community, only to devise a plan to send it into chaos and kill one of its leaders. This man is simply rotten. He wants to kill me right now. He wants to kill all of you."</s>
<|message|>Scarlett Watson
Scarlett - Plaza - Tyler/Floyd/Jess/Tremblay Community
Tears came rushing down Scarlett's face as Tyler pulled her in for a hug. She wanted to keep the man in that embrace and disappear so that no one could hurt him anymore. She sobbed quietly as she buried her face into his neck, listening to the barely audible words that he whispered in her ear. 'Sympathize?' The word circled in Scarlett's mind as she tried to make sense of what it meant. What could Tremblay say that was so bad?
As if on cue, the man himself began to list the crimes that Tyler had committed. Scarlett's sobs ceased but the tears still streamed down her face as she began to look up at Tremblay, shaking her head at after every word the man spoke. "No.... No." She merely mouthed the words, too appalled and in shock to speak any louder. 'Why is he saying this about Tyler? This is too detailed to be made up..... What if he's lying?' Scarlett acted as if she had just asked the question out loud, backing away from Tyler before turning to look at him. "Is it true?" She lifted her hand to hold the man's face up and once she spoke, her tone had changed completely. "Tyler..... Is what this man is saying true?" She couldn't hide the sound of disgust and slight anger in voice. She spoke louder now, a bit of confidence in her words. If what Tremblay said was the truth, Scarlett wouldn't bare to look at the man in eye anymore. The same people that abducted her and her sister might have been the same people working for him..... but if Tremblay was lying, what could she do? What about the community that he apparently try to send to chaos? Scarlett looked up to see Tremblay looking at Matt, an old rage forming inside of her that had formed when Katie's rib was broken. "You want your people to believe you, yet you have your men go around and hurt innocent children? You go out and send your pretty little Matt to go out and break little girls' ribs?" She had no real purpose for making the statement, but it served well to shut him up and the rest of the people that had now formed their own little side conversations about Tyler. Now she could have the floor to herself. She wanted the truth.
The woman had many questions that needed answering but she managed to not let her rage get in the way and stuck to the main point, "Did you rape all of those women?" Scarlett was now on her feet, glaring at anyone who tried to make a move towards her. She wished people would speak up and say it was all a lie. That these people Tremblay said that were in the crowd denied the accusations and riot against the absurdity.</s>
| <|message|>Tyler Salem / "Thomas Zuchowski"
Tyler - Plaza - Floyd/Jess/Tremblay Community
His throat had been burned raw, his face feeling like someone was pressing down on it hard. He'd tried not to, but Tyler had done his fair share of yelling in the face of the beating Tremblay had given him. The man had wanted to know everything, and Tyler had given it all up eventually. He couldn't understand why this man hated him so much-- no, that wasn't true, Tyler could very well understand why anyone could hate him. He just didn't get why Tremblay would go so far to get here.
Now, he understood. Whoever this Richard Treis was, Tremblay wanted him gone. He sought to use this mess as a means of spurning his group into doing it. The whole thing made Tyler sick. It reminded him of Haywood. It reminded him of himself. As Scarlett began to back away in disgust, Tyler fell forward, his hands catching himself before he fell on his face. He felt as if bile was rising from his stomach, threatening to make him sick all over the pavement. The light from the fires nearby were hurting his eyes.
Scarlett asked the million dollar question: was this man lying? Though Tyler was staring at the ground, he knew she was asking him. He expected someone to speak up and say it was all true, as Tremblay seemed to have gathered people to do just that, but no one said anything. A distressing silence fell over everybody, only the crackling of the fires and Tyler's ragged breathing being heard throughout the plaza. Tyler had to answer her, but he had no idea what to say. Yes. This isn't where Tyler expected to die, but could he have expected anything less? Yes. He knew he deserved this, but it had never been in Tyler's nature to give up. Yes. "Scarlett," he croaked, looking up at her. "What this man is saying... the truth is..." Yes.
"No. He's lying. This bastard is lying!" Tyler looked up at Tremblay, a fierceness in his eyes. Tremblay only stared back impassively.
The woman who had spoken before was talking once again. "This isn't how we should be going about this, Michael. There's a better way."
Tremblay could only look around at the crowd before him. Tyler could see that his cool demeanour had vanished, replaced by a noticeable worry. "Will no one say anything?" After Scarlett's declaration, Tyler knew that no one would take Matt's words for true either. No one wanted this.</s> |
<|description|>Alex Clark
Appearance: Alex is a tall young man of 1.87m or 6'1 who is rather thin. He has unkempt but rather short light brown hairs and stubble all over his face. He has a large nose complemented by two dull green to brown eyes, all finished by a strong jawline. He wears a ragged and dirty t-shirt over a sweater and another t-shirt along with a pair of dirty jeans. He is neither extraordinarily strong nor weak and has pretty average physical abilities, except that he can run quite fast due to his lenght.
Age : 23
Skill : Alex has no outstanding survival skills except random bouts of knowledge from his history studies and personal interests. He is a good and practical leader, but bad with people. He has never even seen a gun before except in movies or in the hands of the police or the military, nevermind even touched one. He doesn't have lots of skills, but he does have a lot of knowledge that can help him.
Weapons: He carries a well-used survival knife that he picked up from a corpse, but he also carries a pitchfork he took from a shed.
Personality : Alex is a practical but rather fearful person. He does what he has to do to get the job done, seeming courageous and resilient, but in fact the situation will really be grinding down on him. He is friendly and open to those that he deems worthy of his trust, but can be rather paranoid to strangers. He has remnants of an idealistic view on the world, but that could be subject to change. He has suffered in these 7 months since the outbreak and as a result has developped the habit of always having to focus on something. He cannot sit still because then he starts thinking, and that's the last thing he wants. This has resulted in him developping the urge to take initiative to do things, simply to keep himself busy.
Brief Bio : Robin was a student at the university of Derby, UK, trying to learn more about the interesting subject of history when he went on a vacation to the US with his girlfriend and the outbreak occured in May. He was caught off-guard by the walkers but managed to escape the town with a random bunch of survivors along with his girlfriend. Back in the UK he hailed from a rather small town about in between Derby and Nottingham.</s>
<|message|>Matt Shard
Matt - Motel - Scarlett/Tyler/Liam/Psycho Katie/Jon/Jackel
"Oh that's harsh" Matt moved his head to George. "You're just nominating him. You're cold...." Matt snickered as he pretended to shiver.
Matt began to move to the truck, but quickly turned around as Katie screamed. Matt just stood there as he saw something he thought he'd never see. A little girl was trying to kill them. He cocked his head to the side as the situation played itself out. With it ending with two men being stabbed and the girl's head nearly blown off.
"Well...." Matt shrugged. "Like Father like daughter....it seems she has picked up the monster inside...that's a shame" Matt mumbled grimly as he walked around the Father-Daughter duo on the floor...a bloody mess.
"Well, now that we're done with the batshit insane here I think we'll be off...Though whoever decided to give that girl a knife has some great parenting skills" Matt laughed mischievously.
"Now we'll really be keeping an eye out now....great effort though....for an eight year old.....why any of you guys had any trouble with a little whiny brat I wouldn't know..." Matt led the group to the trucks. "You're gonna love it...it's full of candy!" Matt taunted before he entered one of the trucks.
Liam - All Alone
Liam raised his hand to Scarlett as she was leaving "Please.....don't go" Liam cried out as Scarlett left with Katie. The men dragged Tyler along and Liam dropped to his knee's. "No!" Liam screamed out. His eyes were red with tears and he crawled into a ball.
Sure, George was someone he knew. But barely....
He had people he trusted and once again they were torn away from him. Liam was silent aside from the few sobs that seeped out every now and again.
He tried to remember his mother...they could still be alive. It hurt like a knife in his stomach to try and remember but he had to. Somewhere out there perhaps his mother was still alive. He should of stayed where he was....he shouldn't of looked oh god he shouldn't of looked. If he had just stayed where he was-
His tear soaked eyes opened as he heard someone shout Scarlett's name. He looked around to see a woman and a man. The woman looked distressed and very familiar looking. The gears in bis brain spun and it clicked that somehow Liam knew this women's name. Without even meeting her.
"Are-" Liam voice was bleak and hard to understand but he stood up. "A-Are you sam?"
Rob- Cell - Shannon/Damian
Rob's face turned to confusing to a wary look. "No way..." Rob twisted his head to the side. "You're the guy with the swords on the rooftop!" Rob eyes glanced to Shannon. Giving her a look to tell her to just be a little nervous around this guy.
"We got separated by the hoard...well....Its good to know that you're alive I guess." Rob looked down gloomily.
"Do you know where holly is?" Rob responded. "She was nice...wanted to clear the whole city out....heh" Rob laughed wistfully before turning back to Damien. "Well...I can't really be the strange one when you're the one with swords- look nevermind..." Rob pondered for a second to what he should ask. But the questioned came out of his mouth when he remembered where exactly they were.
"How long have you been here?...and why do they want us?" Rob's could hear "Magnus" close enough but he spoke in a whisper. "What do they actually want"
Magnus - Cell - Danny/Luke/Richard/Trey and co
Magnus let them talk and in Richard's case...lashing out.
Magnus soul-searching eyes turned to Luke. "Yes...I am Magnus. You may call me the leader of the men and women here" Magnus spoke clearly, His face showing nothing but a smirk. His voice giving a sense of a doctor speaking to children. But with a hint of directness.
"As for your wounded friend...He is....getting treatment. Don't worry, he is fine. But you will most likely not see him for quite a while....and-" Magnus eyes drifted to Richard. "If you are talking about the deaf man, then he is an other cell. Do not worry, he will come to no harm as long as he cooperates. Which I'm sure he will. We have people who can sign, including me in fact" Magnus said proudly before his face turned back to Luke.
"Ah, you ask the right questions. You are all here to help us. To fix things...Every one of you is pivotal to this journey...I do hope you all understand"
Kerry - Cells - Aubrey
Kerry's face snarled as Aubrey winked at him, he followed Aubrey. Passing Magnus. He made sure to gently move Aubrey slightly away from Magnus.
"We have people here locked up, I'm kinda the one who did that. I can't exactly ask them to calm down!" Kerry hissed quietly. His eyes looked directly into Aubrey before he took a step back.
"Sorry...It's..." Kerry moved his head to signal out Magnus. "We need to convince him to get him and tremblay to get their total forces to completely wipe out Richard's group..." Kerry's expression turned sour. "They're monsters Aubrey...They killed my friends and family. Jesus christ they're neo-nazis! Did you hear what happened!? They executed two of the people they were gonna trade just because they could. For fuck sake we could destroy them if we wanted to and yet we idle by and do nothing!" Kerry voice was extremely quiet yet you could still hear the urgency in his voice.
"After this...we need to do something..."</s>
<|message|>Aubrey Diaz
Samantha - Hotel - Abram/Leah/Liam/George
"I lost her..." Samantha repeated the words over and over to herself like a chant as she began to sob, her hands balled into fists on her lap. She wasn't quite expecting it, but at the feel of Abram's large hand on her shoulder, Samantha lost it, letting all of her frustration and grief out in tears. The young woman turned instinctively towards the man and curled up close to him, her hands covering her face as she cried uncontrollably on his shoulder.
She wasn't aware of how long the moment had taken, or when they had stood up, all she knew was that there was the quiet voice of a young boy stating her name. Sam looked up from Abram and nodded towards the boy, wiping her tears away. "Yes... That's me... Was Scarlett looking for me?!" Sam walked over a bit attentively towards the young boy and crouched down to make eye contact with him. "What's your name sweetie? Are you hurt?" Sam waited until he answered her and she confirmed that he wasn't suffering from any physical injuries. She sighed of relief and turned to the man that was standing next to him. A grown man. Not a scratch on him. He didn't even look phased. Anger exploded in Samantha's body and spread like wildfire as she looked at the man. "Why didn't you stop them!? Why didn't you try to stop them!? They took my sister! They took a little girl! Why didn't you!!"
In the moment of her fury, Sam had barely noticed that her own hand was balled up and that she was stalking over towards him, preparing to lunge the fist and punch him dead in the face. If it weren't for a set of hands that had held her arm down and pulled her back, she would have gone for it. She wouldn't have felt bad for it either.
After taking a deep breath to calm herself, she turned to Abram and frowned, "We should go back to Tina's.... It's the safest place.. I need time for myself too." The young woman really did need time to think everything through. Probably cry herself to sleep. That was sometimes helpful.
Sam turned back to the young boy and bit her lip, wondering what he even thought of them. "You.... You were at Tina's before right? I think I saw your name... or heard your name there before.... Do you want to go back there with us? It's the only safe place we know of."
_____________________________________________________________
Aubrey - Cells - Kerry
Aubrey was having a bit of fun making Kerry exasperated. It was her own personal hobby to make him annoyed.
The girl looked up at Kerry and gave him a rather smug and sarcastic smile as he hissed at her. She sighed and nodded in acknowledgement as Kerry began to actually explain what he was trying to do. Aubrey saw nothing wrong with his goals so she agreed to help him. "Okay... After this though."
The girl couldn't leave Magnus' side at the moment. The people in the cell, mainly a few of the men were becoming a little agitated as Magnus spoke to them. By now, Aubrey had grabbed her bow once again and brought out an arrow, setting it and bringing it up to aim at someone when she thought they'd get too angry or become a threat to anyone around them.</s>
<|message|>Ellis Sprit
Ellieneighborhood streetAnyone
Ellie walked for hours, and hours, looking through house after house. All seemed to be empty, and every single one had at least one walker inside them. Lucky enough for the young 15 year old, he managed to sneak up to most of them, sliding a blade into their skull, dropping them. It was only this last house he had trouble with, he checked the windows, all but the second bedroom could be seen through, suggesting nothing to be inside besides a walker in the kitchen, but the young teen knew better then to believe his eyes. He slowly walked to the back door, opening the white paint peeling door, and peeked his head inside. Three walkers sat inside by a large sofa in the living room, while the same walker that Ellie seen was in the kitchen, all four staring blankly at the air above or in front of them. Ellie managed to open to the door just enough to slip inside, and slowly and quietly sneak into the kitchen. As he did so, the walker was looking out the kitchen window, his back turned to Ellis. Ellis quickly walked behind him, he was no longer crouching, but instead stood as he drove his survival knife through the skull of the walker. He then returned his survival knife to his pocket.
"I'm sorry." mumbled Ellis as he heard the walker drop to the hard floor, causing a thud! to ego through the house. Moans and groans were heard as the three walkers in the living room drew closer, the sound of their shuffling feet hitting his eyes like poison to Romeo. Ellis quickly drew his nail baseball bat from his tent bag strapped to his back, and readied a swig at the corner of the kitchen. As a female walker turned the corner, Ellis's swig priced her skull with such force the bat be came stick in the skull of the walker as she fell dead. With two more walkers turning the corner, Ellis took four steps back, grabbing his survival knife from his pocket, lunging it into the bottom of jaw of the male walker as he neared, the weight of the undead being pushed the semi heavy boy back, as he struggled to push the knife deeper, so it could reach the undead's skull, he kicked his knees, not only breaking his legs, but causing him to fall to ground, but not before Ellis grabbed him be his hair, forcing the blade fully through the jaw and into the brain, killing him. As the battle was over, the final walker grabbed his arm, snapping his jaw as he was a mere inch away from biting him. Thinking quick, Ellis did what he had just done, and kicked the undead man's knee's, breaking them like he did to the previous walker. Only as the undead man fell, Ellis ran, slamming the back door behind him. He walked for another hour, only a small bag of cheezits and half a bottle of water left for his supplies. He was about to enter another house before he saw movement inside, expecting it to be another walker, he hid behind a tree, peeking out just in time to catch a glimpse of two women. Their people, more human beings... thought Ellis as he hid behind the tree for a moment, until deciding to take a chance and approach the two. He slowly walked towards the house, hoping for the best.</s>
| <|message|>Alex Clark
Alex Clark - Cell - People
As soon as he saw the girl standibg behind Magnus draw her bow and nock an arrow, he pulled Richard away from the cell's bars. He sent the woman a sincerely pissed-off glare as he managed to get Richard to back away. He heard Luke step forwards and calmly ask the questions everyone wanted to but noone dared, fearing the answers to come. Looking at this Magnus person he felt that whatever would happen, he would not trust the man. It was the entire belittling, all-knowing, calm and fatherly act the man pulled on them that only made him feel more disgusted and distressed. He didn't show it though. They had been taken by force, together with many others judging at the people inside with them. They were willing to go great lengths to gather people, judging by the amount of force they used on them, explosives and all. Whatever this Magnus dude meant with 'helping us', Alex knew it was not going to be pleasant.</s> |
<|description|>Scarlett Watson
**Appearance**
Identical twins, both have the same hair color and skin tone, but Scarlett sports a pixie cut while Samantha has long hair. Both standing at 5'3". Samantha is a bit more curvy than Scarlett. Sam weights about 125 while Scarlett weighs 115 lbs.
**Samantha:** Sam has long, wavy, blonde hair that falls to the small of her back. Her eyes are a blue color and she has plenty of tan freckles around her small nose and cheeks, her skin tan. Having played soccer, mainly being the goalie for many years, she is definitely the more "tom boyish" type, and typically wears tan combat boots, light blue skinny jeans and a white long sleeve blouse with a leather jacket over it. She also has a full sleeve of tattoos on her right arm.
**Scarlett:** She has short, blonde hair styled in a pixie cut. Her eyes a more green than hazel but she has the same freckles that her twin sister has, the same tan skin. Unlike her sister, Scarlett is a bit more graceful, having spent her years in gymnastics and ballet. She has no tattoos and the only piercings that she has are the two on her ears. She prefers to wear clothing that will help her remain free and flexible. She's usually wearing some sort of running pants or leggings, a loose long sleeved black shirt and a black hoodie over it; she wears this along with running shoes.
Age : 25
Skill : A gymnast, is a people person, book smart and can cook.
Preferred Weapons (up to three) : 9mm beretta, gator machete pro, and whatever else she can find whenever she faces trouble.
Personality : While Sam is a somewhat difficult to approach, Scarlett will welcome almost anyone with open arms and a smile on her face. Scarlett is a complete sweetheart from the moment she meets someone. Don't let it fool you though, everyone has their secrets. Once Scarlett is pissed, she has no mercy, but she will rather leave people to die by the walkers than actually kill them.
Name: Samantha (Sam) Watson
Age:25
Skill: Being a soccer player, Sam is a fast runner, being able to sprint and keep her speed for a good distance. She can take a hit and knows how to fight. She might not be as book smart as her sister but she is street smart.
Preferred Weapon: 9mm beretta and whatever she can find useful.
Personality: Samantha is a very blunt girl. She takes a while to open up and only cares about her survival as well as her sister's. If she likes you, she's a complete sweetheart and will do whatever she can to make sure you're safe.She might seem like a smartass, a jerk at times, but she does cry easily.
Brief Bio : They are originally from Pheonix, Arizona but ended up in the city when they both received full ride scholarships for two different reasons. They were the eldest of their siblings. Having a younger sister and a baby brother that were killed when the outbreak happened, along with their parents. Scarlett would volunteer at a nearby gym to help kids with gymnastics while Sam worked as a part-time store manager at the local mall.</s>
<|message|>Liam Cross
Liam - Apartment - Samantha - Pondering Life
Liam sat there somberly, they were going to take him away to somewhere "safe" He didn't want to go there. They were never safe places, especially with the people he was going with. He did hope he was wrong and they were good people, but as his first stay with them were...it wasn't a great impression.
Turning his head to see Samantha, he remained silent as she first spoke, he gave a soft nod as she talked about how Scarlett and the others were taken. His gaze was faint, it looked like he wasn't actually looking at Samantha but rather his eyes just happened to be in her direction.
He focused slightly more on Samantha as she mentioned going back to get the things that they left before they came.
Liam bit his tongue as he thought...before nodding. "Yeah...we should..."
Cricin - Grocery Store - Anastasia,Mandy,June
Cricin stared blankly at Anastasia, "Note to self: Be glad you don't only speak an other language" Cricin stood there for a second. He glanced at the whiteboard, and while June wrote down the name of Anastasia, she had taken the board and Cricin didn't frankly care enough right now to go ask for the whiteboard to write down his name. Or say his name at all in fact.
All he wanted right now was the food that was apparently very close by. So, he followed June as she started to head to wherever this was.
As he walked up, he spoke up "New Orleans? That's where we're heading...." Cricin paused, hoping that she would take "we're" as Him and Anastasia and not as him and some mysterious person. Who was Clyde...Which he kinda needed to get back to eventually. He hoped they wouldn't mind another one coming along.</s>
<|message|>Richard "Ricky" Cline
Ricky - Main Street, Walker, LA - Chae, Moksha
Ricky turned when he heard Chae start breaking down again. She was taking the loss of her old friend hard. Indeed, he'd lost count of the number of times she'd collapsed in the street now. He'd given up on consoling her, but still refused to leave her behind. So like before, as she fell to her knees, he moved to defend her until she got herself back together. There weren't many zombies around, and the three that had thought to make a meal of this incredibly sad woman quickly discovered that the man in the way was not so easily defeated. He hacked the heads from the undead almost effortlessly, the heavy blade of his knife cleaving through their necks like a butcher hacked through joints on a carcass.
No more ghouls showed up this time, thankfully, and the chef began to wonder if he'd killed them all yet. He had certainly tried, with the number of times his new friend was giving up continuing. Of course, she always found more strength to carry on eventually, and this time they had little to worry about when the pair managed to keep going. Another zombie hove into view ahead, and Ricky sped up to kill it before it could really become a problem. His friend recited some poetry while he executed the monster with a stab through the eye socket, and a twist of his toothpick.
He paused to look around while his companion caught up, and when she did, he regretted it a little. The woman was going mad from grief. She laughed and cried and went on about whatever strange poem she was distracted by. And he began to wonder if it might be a mercy to just kill her. Of course, he knew he wouldn't be able to. She was the first person he'd met in a very long time that wasn't trying to kill him. He couldn't kill her, because he wasn't sure what he'd do if he wound up all alone again. Finally she stopped leaning on him, only to ask if they might find a liquor store or something. "I'm sure we can find something." he offered in reply, thinking it might not be so terrible to get quietly fucked up for once. Sure, it was terrible for his health, and worse now that they had to hide from zombies. That wasn't going to stop him, a drunken stupor was probably the only release he'd get from this fucked up world.
"Let's go get sloshed, eh?" he suggested, leading the way once more. He was pretty sure it wouldn't be too difficult to locate a liquor store even without a competent navigator. If he was honest, he'd only given Chae the job because he was hoping it would distract her enough to have her not collapsing in the street every ten minutes or so. Obviously that hadn't worked out, so he would just have to find them something to drink, and make sure no one got eaten in the process...</s>
<|message|>Victor Dawson
Mandy - Grocery Store. Walker, LA - June, Anastasia, & Cricin
Mandy read the note from June about Anastasia and nodded understanding why there was such a problem for the pair of them to understand each other. She turned to Anastasia and smiled brightly at her, held out her hand for a shake, hoping that gesture was understood by the girl.
Victor - Roof of the Grocery Store. Walker, LA - Augusta, & Malcolm
Victor thanked Augusta and Malcolm for their help, then started setting up for making dinner. Out of his bag he pulled a nice set of knives, that were not used to kill zombies ever thank you very much.
"Mind bringing the food up with you?" He called down to June.</s>
| <|message|>Scarlett Watson
Samantha - Baton Rouge Streets - Liam
Samantha had little to no hesitation as soon as Liam agreed to go back to the hotel. They had left a while back and luckily remained unseen with no followers.
"Can you.... Can you tell me exactly what happened? If you don't want to, could you tell me how you guys found Scarlett? Did she say anything about what had happened to her before?" Sam looked down at the young boy as they walked back tot he hotel. The streets had a little more movement than normal. Undead shuffling around here and there. Something must had happened to draw their attention. Fortunately, the two were able to go either around to another street or through some back alleyway. Samantha wanted to keep hidden, leaving no trail behind them, which meant they had to keep the killing of undead to a minimum.
"We'll just be going in for the stuff. We'll be back at the apartment before Abram even notices." She looked over at the boy and smiled, placing a hand on his shoulder. She wondered what Scarlett's relationship was to this boy. Was she close to him or distant? It didn't really matter. Samantha told herself that she'd look after him until they got her sister back, but just him. She made no promises for the man named George.</s> |
<|description|>Victor Dawson
Appearance:
Age: 30
Skill:
-Cooking. Victor knows some obscure stuff, and at one point worked in a butcher shop (was training to be a michelin chef)
-Small first aid (burns, cuts, stuff you'd expect in a busy kitchen)
Preferred Weapons (up to three):
-Butcher knife
-Shotgun
-Flare gun
Personality: Victor is a brilliant cook and knows it.
Good - Generous
Good - Bit of a boy scout
Bad - Ego
Bad - Overconfident "Yeah I can do that"
Brief Bio: Victor had been working in a restaurant in New York for Mandy's mom when everything went wrong. They had been at the restaurant when it all started. Somehow they got out of the city. After they had their falling out Victor joined up with a small group of people, they're all dead now and Victor blames himself. He won't talk about what happened, not even to Mandy, but she thinks he had gotten separated from the rest of the group only to find them three days later.
Since reuniting with Mandy he has developed some feelings for her, but knows she would never love him. He has not told her, and thankfully Mandy hasn't picked up on it.
Appearance:</s>
<|message|>Liam Cross
Liam - Apartment - Samantha - Pondering Life
Liam sat there somberly, they were going to take him away to somewhere "safe" He didn't want to go there. They were never safe places, especially with the people he was going with. He did hope he was wrong and they were good people, but as his first stay with them were...it wasn't a great impression.
Turning his head to see Samantha, he remained silent as she first spoke, he gave a soft nod as she talked about how Scarlett and the others were taken. His gaze was faint, it looked like he wasn't actually looking at Samantha but rather his eyes just happened to be in her direction.
He focused slightly more on Samantha as she mentioned going back to get the things that they left before they came.
Liam bit his tongue as he thought...before nodding. "Yeah...we should..."
Cricin - Grocery Store - Anastasia,Mandy,June
Cricin stared blankly at Anastasia, "Note to self: Be glad you don't only speak an other language" Cricin stood there for a second. He glanced at the whiteboard, and while June wrote down the name of Anastasia, she had taken the board and Cricin didn't frankly care enough right now to go ask for the whiteboard to write down his name. Or say his name at all in fact.
All he wanted right now was the food that was apparently very close by. So, he followed June as she started to head to wherever this was.
As he walked up, he spoke up "New Orleans? That's where we're heading...." Cricin paused, hoping that she would take "we're" as Him and Anastasia and not as him and some mysterious person. Who was Clyde...Which he kinda needed to get back to eventually. He hoped they wouldn't mind another one coming along.</s>
<|message|>Richard "Ricky" Cline
Ricky - Main Street, Walker, LA - Chae, Moksha
Ricky turned when he heard Chae start breaking down again. She was taking the loss of her old friend hard. Indeed, he'd lost count of the number of times she'd collapsed in the street now. He'd given up on consoling her, but still refused to leave her behind. So like before, as she fell to her knees, he moved to defend her until she got herself back together. There weren't many zombies around, and the three that had thought to make a meal of this incredibly sad woman quickly discovered that the man in the way was not so easily defeated. He hacked the heads from the undead almost effortlessly, the heavy blade of his knife cleaving through their necks like a butcher hacked through joints on a carcass.
No more ghouls showed up this time, thankfully, and the chef began to wonder if he'd killed them all yet. He had certainly tried, with the number of times his new friend was giving up continuing. Of course, she always found more strength to carry on eventually, and this time they had little to worry about when the pair managed to keep going. Another zombie hove into view ahead, and Ricky sped up to kill it before it could really become a problem. His friend recited some poetry while he executed the monster with a stab through the eye socket, and a twist of his toothpick.
He paused to look around while his companion caught up, and when she did, he regretted it a little. The woman was going mad from grief. She laughed and cried and went on about whatever strange poem she was distracted by. And he began to wonder if it might be a mercy to just kill her. Of course, he knew he wouldn't be able to. She was the first person he'd met in a very long time that wasn't trying to kill him. He couldn't kill her, because he wasn't sure what he'd do if he wound up all alone again. Finally she stopped leaning on him, only to ask if they might find a liquor store or something. "I'm sure we can find something." he offered in reply, thinking it might not be so terrible to get quietly fucked up for once. Sure, it was terrible for his health, and worse now that they had to hide from zombies. That wasn't going to stop him, a drunken stupor was probably the only release he'd get from this fucked up world.
"Let's go get sloshed, eh?" he suggested, leading the way once more. He was pretty sure it wouldn't be too difficult to locate a liquor store even without a competent navigator. If he was honest, he'd only given Chae the job because he was hoping it would distract her enough to have her not collapsing in the street every ten minutes or so. Obviously that hadn't worked out, so he would just have to find them something to drink, and make sure no one got eaten in the process...</s>
| <|message|>Victor Dawson
Mandy - Grocery Store. Walker, LA - June, Anastasia, & Cricin
Mandy read the note from June about Anastasia and nodded understanding why there was such a problem for the pair of them to understand each other. She turned to Anastasia and smiled brightly at her, held out her hand for a shake, hoping that gesture was understood by the girl.
Victor - Roof of the Grocery Store. Walker, LA - Augusta, & Malcolm
Victor thanked Augusta and Malcolm for their help, then started setting up for making dinner. Out of his bag he pulled a nice set of knives, that were not used to kill zombies ever thank you very much.
"Mind bringing the food up with you?" He called down to June.</s> |
<|description|>Delia Blakenship
Age: 25
Gender: Female
Race: Human
Appearance:
Physical Description: Delia is five foot five. She has medium length hair that is subject to change on any given whim. Currently it is brown and blonde. She has brown eyes and a fair complexion. She really has no shape in her figure, but is still quite good looking.
Personality: Delia is happy go lucky. She likes hanging out with friends and the occasional party. She needs her morning cup of coffee to function and gets really cranky without it. She's rarely seen without her phone and constantly checks facebook (just in case). She's not the best worker, but hey, she only works in an office so it's not like it matters.
History: Delia is an only child. Her parents were upper-middle class so she had whatever she wanted growing up. She was the spoiled brat in your classes that cheated her way through school and only got off when caught because a) her parents or b)she pulled off the innocent puppy dog look. She had a constant stream of boyfriends since she became old enough to date so they'd buy her pretty things.
Delia never went to college but her parents secured her a job as a secretary in a (minor) law firm. She isn't the best worker but the boss keeps her around because she's pretty and she's stringing him along.
Skills: Being a player. Getting out of trouble. Relaxing. Partying.</s>
<|message|>Delia Blakenship
The sound of an alarm drove spikes into Delia's brain. Her reached out her hand and fumbled around.
God. What did I drink last night? She wondered as she continued searching for her alarm. Except it seemed to have moved during the night.
Tentatively Delia cracked open one brown eye and groaned. Light streamed into her room. She cursed as she closed the blinded eye and threw and arm over her face. She swore again as the noise made her head hurt even worse. It must have been a hell of a party. She hadn't been this smashed in ages. She didn't even remember the party.
Delia moved and suddenly found no more bed under her. She squeaked as she hit the floor with a thud and another curse. The movement made her clutch her head and groan again, more hamming it up at this point to see if anyone would come and pity her. Of course the alarm had the obnoxious gal to continue to beep at her. The annoying machine. Once she got to her feet she was going to rip it out of the wall and mangle it beyond repair.
Dax would be proud of her violent thoughts. Delia was a non-violent sort of person. She was passive aggressive sort of person. And when that failed she was usually pretty good at manipulating someone to be her benefactor. Usually Dax. He was the most violent of all her friends. He had no problem scaring people. Of course that was why he hung around her. Said he felt less violent when she was around. It didn't hurt that he bought her shinny baubles to make her happy.
Just be quiet. Delia begged the infernal machine mentalli. Please. Aren't you supposed to shut off after a few minutes anyways?
Delia knew it wasn't listening to her. Or else it would have shut up. She wiggled around to push herself up and stopped. This wasn't her carpet. She forced her eyes open and stared at a horendous seventies orange.
"Gods Above." Delia whispered. This wasn't her room. She whipped her head about and saw, much to her horror, she was in a tacky hotel, probably motel, room.</s>
<|message|>Elise Marlowe
The first thing Elise was aware of when she started to rouse was how much her head was throbbing. It reminded her of the first and only time she'd agreed to doing some tequila shots with some of her coworkers one night after work and the hangover she'd experienced the next morning.
But that almost paled in comparison to this pain. It was like someone had driven an ice pick through her temple.
Then Elise became aware of the loud and shrill beeps that were sounding less foggy by the moment as she woke. They did nothing to help her aching head. What time is it? she wondered, God, what DAY is it? I feed so...what did I do last night? She tried to think about the previous night, tried to think about the last thing she remembered doing, but she couldn't. Her mind was swimming, her thoughts and memories were cloudy, and her head continued to pound painfully.
She wanted to throw up.
But first she needed to turn off that freaking alarm.
Eyes still closed, Elise reached her left arm out to hit the button on her alarm clock. But where her alarm clock should have been there was only open air. Her hand didn't even touch her bedside table. Something was wrong...something other than this hangover. A hangover she shouldn't have because she hardly ever drank that much. Elise became aware that she was lying on a lumpy mattress, a mattress she didn't recognize.
Then she heard a thump and a noise of surprise that she had not made. Oh God, I'm not alone...
Almost instinctively at the realization of another presence Elise tried opening her eyes and sitting u[p. Both proved to be mistakes. Light hit her eyes, almost blinding her and sending another stab of pain through her temple, and sitting up just made her head spin. After several moments of nursing her head, Elise finally managed to push herself slowly into a sitting position and eased her eyelids open.
She was greeted with a jarring color of orange. It was so bright it made her eyes hurt, but she hardly thought about that. What she thought about was how she recognized nothing surrounding her, not the walls, or the bed, or the rest of the furniture. She wasn't in her room. Her heart thumped and she felt panic creeping through her.
Then her brown eyes fell on the opposite side of the bed she was sitting on and the girl on the floor. The girl who had obviously fallen to the floor from the bed where she had been lying next to Elise. A girl that was as much a stranger to Elise as this room was.
Elise could only stare at her for a moment, her eyes wide as she tried to process what was happening. It made her head hurt again. "Who...who are you?" she asked, her voice sounding strangely slurred to her ears.</s>
<|message|>Delia Blakenship
Who...who are you?
Delia whipped her head back so hard she gave herself whiplash. She grabbed her neck and groaned even as she scooted away from the bed. The young woman stared with eyes wide open. There was a rather attractive woman on her bed. Delia tried to remember the brown headed woman, but came up blank. She looked down and saw much to her relief she was clothed. Maybe that was a good sign they hadn't...
Delia looked back up at the woman quickly. She hadn't moved in those few heartbeats. She squinted her eyes to make her headache less. Sunglasses would have been nice.
"Who am I?" Delia squeaked. Her voice was thin and reedy, on the edge of panic. "Did we sleep together?" She hit the wall with a small smack.
"Oh God. Dax is going to kill me if I cheated on him." She groaned again. Delia was fond of being overly dramatic. "But maybe he'll forgive me since it was a woman." She clutched her head in woe. Then turned her doe eyes onto the strange woman.
By now her headache was beginning to recede. Or was it because she had something else to focus on it was no longer as noticeable? Still, she wasn't enjoying the fact she was in a slum motel with a strange woman. "Did you drug me?" She kept talking, once sentence after another, not giving the other girl a chance to respond.
"Is that why I can't remember?" She swore. "I can't even remember what day it is. I'm probably late for work." Another dramatic groan. "I don't want to be fired." Yet as she continued to talk her voice stabilized, even if at the end she added a little hiccup as if she was about to cry.</s>
<|message|>Elise Marlowe
Did we sleep together?
Elise had been watching the woman as she all but scurried across the floor, away from the bed. The girl's wide eyes and panicked expression must have mirrored her own, and it took a few moments for her words to process. Sleep together...Elise's eyes widened, if it was possible. She didn't know...she had no memory of it, or anything that had happened to her in...she didn't even know how long. Elise's eyes flickered down and she saw, with relief that she was still fully clothed, and her hand clutched the soft material of the sundress she was wearing. What kind of people spent the night together and woke up still in their clothes? Sure that meant that they...that they hadn't...
"I, uh, I don't think we did," Elise started to say, but the other woman had already speaking again. Some of what she said made little sense to Elise, but she did understand when the woman asked if she had drugged her. "What? No...no, I would never." She knew she couldn't remember, but Else also knew herself, and she knew that she would never do that sort of thing, not even if she had gotten drunk.
She wasn't entirely sure if the other woman had heard her though. She was still speaking, and by the time she was finished she seemed almost in danger of crying. Elise looked at her, her lips parted slightly as she tried to think of what to say. What could she say in a situation like this? Two people, strangers, waking up in the same bed with no memory of how they met or how they had got there or of anything that had happened to them in... How long had it been? One night? One week? Elise had no idea.
"I can't remember anything, either," Elise confessed to the woman. She was still on the bed, hugging her knees to her chest and trying to make herself small as possible. "I don't know who you are, or how we met, or where we are, or how we got here. I don't know how long we've been here, or what day it is, or if I still even have a job. I can't even really remember the last thing I was doing before waking up here. So...if you were drugged...I must have been drugged, too." That was a terrifying thought. If someone had drugged the two of them...what had they done to them? And were they coming back?"
"My name's Elise." Perhaps knowing each other's names might jog some memories. "What's yours?"</s>
| <|message|>Delia Blakenship
Delia didn't really listen as the other girl spoke. Her mind latched onto the idea of her cellphone. Surely her purse was somewhere. She mentally prayed that she hadn't been so drunk she left it at the party. She shoved her brown hair out of her face, only turning her attention back to the other occupant when she began to sound more afraid again.
"Delia." She said.
She tugged at her top and sniffed it. It didn't smell like alcohol. Which was strange because she always spilled some or was spilled upon. Then again, it could reek of alcohol and she was just desensitized to it. "Lets not jump to conclusions." She pushed the thought of drugs away. They had just gotten really drunk. A few hours from Delia would be laughing with Dax about it. He would probably tease her about going home with a girl and not even scoring.
"I need my phone." Delia attempted to get to her feet, but the world spun so badly she just sat back down. "Or not." She whimpered as her head protested. She doubled over and waited for the pounding in her head to pass. She tried not to think about how dissimilar her symptoms were to her other hang overs. Delia wasn't listening if the other girl, who's name she had forgot, said something.
"Do you see my purse?" Delia asked, her voice slightly muffled because she was still bent over. "It's black and pink."</s> |
<|description|>Elise Marlowe
Age: 25
Gender: Female
Race: Human
Physical Description: Elise is of average height (around 5'6") and slender build, with fair skin that doesn't tan very much in the sun. Her dark brunette hair is long, naturally wavy, and typically worn down and loose, but she can be seen wearing back in a messy ponytail when she's working or just needs it out of the way. Elise's eyes are also a dark brown color.
Personality: An introverted individual, Elise has always been rather quiet and as a child was unbearably shy and slow to make friends. She has since outgrown her shyness and is more comfortable around new people, but she still doesn't like large crowds. She's not the sort who attends parties frequently and prefers smaller, quieter gatherings, but will occasionally allow herself to be dragged to one by her friends. Elise is very cautious, sometimes a bit too much, and rarely acts impulsively and does something unexpected. She's also diligent and dedicated when it comes to work, and she's worked for everything she has.
History: The youngest of three daughters, Elise's mother died when she was young. Her father struggled to support his family and often worked long hours and double shifts. The sisters learned to take care of one another, and as they grew older did more and more to help their father. Elise understood from an early age that if she wanted to go to college to pursue her dream of journalism and writing she would have to make a lot of it happen herself. So she studied hard in school t get the grades for a scholarship and managed to work as a waitress through both high school and college to help her father pay for it.
After college and earning a journalism degree she got a job as an assistant in the office for an online news company, and Elise is determined to work her way up the ranks.
Skills: Writing. Reading. Research. Staying out of trouble.</s>
<|message|>Delia Blakenship
The sound of an alarm drove spikes into Delia's brain. Her reached out her hand and fumbled around.
God. What did I drink last night? She wondered as she continued searching for her alarm. Except it seemed to have moved during the night.
Tentatively Delia cracked open one brown eye and groaned. Light streamed into her room. She cursed as she closed the blinded eye and threw and arm over her face. She swore again as the noise made her head hurt even worse. It must have been a hell of a party. She hadn't been this smashed in ages. She didn't even remember the party.
Delia moved and suddenly found no more bed under her. She squeaked as she hit the floor with a thud and another curse. The movement made her clutch her head and groan again, more hamming it up at this point to see if anyone would come and pity her. Of course the alarm had the obnoxious gal to continue to beep at her. The annoying machine. Once she got to her feet she was going to rip it out of the wall and mangle it beyond repair.
Dax would be proud of her violent thoughts. Delia was a non-violent sort of person. She was passive aggressive sort of person. And when that failed she was usually pretty good at manipulating someone to be her benefactor. Usually Dax. He was the most violent of all her friends. He had no problem scaring people. Of course that was why he hung around her. Said he felt less violent when she was around. It didn't hurt that he bought her shinny baubles to make her happy.
Just be quiet. Delia begged the infernal machine mentalli. Please. Aren't you supposed to shut off after a few minutes anyways?
Delia knew it wasn't listening to her. Or else it would have shut up. She wiggled around to push herself up and stopped. This wasn't her carpet. She forced her eyes open and stared at a horendous seventies orange.
"Gods Above." Delia whispered. This wasn't her room. She whipped her head about and saw, much to her horror, she was in a tacky hotel, probably motel, room.</s>
<|message|>Elise Marlowe
The first thing Elise was aware of when she started to rouse was how much her head was throbbing. It reminded her of the first and only time she'd agreed to doing some tequila shots with some of her coworkers one night after work and the hangover she'd experienced the next morning.
But that almost paled in comparison to this pain. It was like someone had driven an ice pick through her temple.
Then Elise became aware of the loud and shrill beeps that were sounding less foggy by the moment as she woke. They did nothing to help her aching head. What time is it? she wondered, God, what DAY is it? I feed so...what did I do last night? She tried to think about the previous night, tried to think about the last thing she remembered doing, but she couldn't. Her mind was swimming, her thoughts and memories were cloudy, and her head continued to pound painfully.
She wanted to throw up.
But first she needed to turn off that freaking alarm.
Eyes still closed, Elise reached her left arm out to hit the button on her alarm clock. But where her alarm clock should have been there was only open air. Her hand didn't even touch her bedside table. Something was wrong...something other than this hangover. A hangover she shouldn't have because she hardly ever drank that much. Elise became aware that she was lying on a lumpy mattress, a mattress she didn't recognize.
Then she heard a thump and a noise of surprise that she had not made. Oh God, I'm not alone...
Almost instinctively at the realization of another presence Elise tried opening her eyes and sitting u[p. Both proved to be mistakes. Light hit her eyes, almost blinding her and sending another stab of pain through her temple, and sitting up just made her head spin. After several moments of nursing her head, Elise finally managed to push herself slowly into a sitting position and eased her eyelids open.
She was greeted with a jarring color of orange. It was so bright it made her eyes hurt, but she hardly thought about that. What she thought about was how she recognized nothing surrounding her, not the walls, or the bed, or the rest of the furniture. She wasn't in her room. Her heart thumped and she felt panic creeping through her.
Then her brown eyes fell on the opposite side of the bed she was sitting on and the girl on the floor. The girl who had obviously fallen to the floor from the bed where she had been lying next to Elise. A girl that was as much a stranger to Elise as this room was.
Elise could only stare at her for a moment, her eyes wide as she tried to process what was happening. It made her head hurt again. "Who...who are you?" she asked, her voice sounding strangely slurred to her ears.</s>
<|message|>Delia Blakenship
Who...who are you?
Delia whipped her head back so hard she gave herself whiplash. She grabbed her neck and groaned even as she scooted away from the bed. The young woman stared with eyes wide open. There was a rather attractive woman on her bed. Delia tried to remember the brown headed woman, but came up blank. She looked down and saw much to her relief she was clothed. Maybe that was a good sign they hadn't...
Delia looked back up at the woman quickly. She hadn't moved in those few heartbeats. She squinted her eyes to make her headache less. Sunglasses would have been nice.
"Who am I?" Delia squeaked. Her voice was thin and reedy, on the edge of panic. "Did we sleep together?" She hit the wall with a small smack.
"Oh God. Dax is going to kill me if I cheated on him." She groaned again. Delia was fond of being overly dramatic. "But maybe he'll forgive me since it was a woman." She clutched her head in woe. Then turned her doe eyes onto the strange woman.
By now her headache was beginning to recede. Or was it because she had something else to focus on it was no longer as noticeable? Still, she wasn't enjoying the fact she was in a slum motel with a strange woman. "Did you drug me?" She kept talking, once sentence after another, not giving the other girl a chance to respond.
"Is that why I can't remember?" She swore. "I can't even remember what day it is. I'm probably late for work." Another dramatic groan. "I don't want to be fired." Yet as she continued to talk her voice stabilized, even if at the end she added a little hiccup as if she was about to cry.</s>
<|message|>Elise Marlowe
Did we sleep together?
Elise had been watching the woman as she all but scurried across the floor, away from the bed. The girl's wide eyes and panicked expression must have mirrored her own, and it took a few moments for her words to process. Sleep together...Elise's eyes widened, if it was possible. She didn't know...she had no memory of it, or anything that had happened to her in...she didn't even know how long. Elise's eyes flickered down and she saw, with relief that she was still fully clothed, and her hand clutched the soft material of the sundress she was wearing. What kind of people spent the night together and woke up still in their clothes? Sure that meant that they...that they hadn't...
"I, uh, I don't think we did," Elise started to say, but the other woman had already speaking again. Some of what she said made little sense to Elise, but she did understand when the woman asked if she had drugged her. "What? No...no, I would never." She knew she couldn't remember, but Else also knew herself, and she knew that she would never do that sort of thing, not even if she had gotten drunk.
She wasn't entirely sure if the other woman had heard her though. She was still speaking, and by the time she was finished she seemed almost in danger of crying. Elise looked at her, her lips parted slightly as she tried to think of what to say. What could she say in a situation like this? Two people, strangers, waking up in the same bed with no memory of how they met or how they had got there or of anything that had happened to them in... How long had it been? One night? One week? Elise had no idea.
"I can't remember anything, either," Elise confessed to the woman. She was still on the bed, hugging her knees to her chest and trying to make herself small as possible. "I don't know who you are, or how we met, or where we are, or how we got here. I don't know how long we've been here, or what day it is, or if I still even have a job. I can't even really remember the last thing I was doing before waking up here. So...if you were drugged...I must have been drugged, too." That was a terrifying thought. If someone had drugged the two of them...what had they done to them? And were they coming back?"
"My name's Elise." Perhaps knowing each other's names might jog some memories. "What's yours?"</s>
<|message|>Delia Blakenship
Delia didn't really listen as the other girl spoke. Her mind latched onto the idea of her cellphone. Surely her purse was somewhere. She mentally prayed that she hadn't been so drunk she left it at the party. She shoved her brown hair out of her face, only turning her attention back to the other occupant when she began to sound more afraid again.
"Delia." She said.
She tugged at her top and sniffed it. It didn't smell like alcohol. Which was strange because she always spilled some or was spilled upon. Then again, it could reek of alcohol and she was just desensitized to it. "Lets not jump to conclusions." She pushed the thought of drugs away. They had just gotten really drunk. A few hours from Delia would be laughing with Dax about it. He would probably tease her about going home with a girl and not even scoring.
"I need my phone." Delia attempted to get to her feet, but the world spun so badly she just sat back down. "Or not." She whimpered as her head protested. She doubled over and waited for the pounding in her head to pass. She tried not to think about how dissimilar her symptoms were to her other hang overs. Delia wasn't listening if the other girl, who's name she had forgot, said something.
"Do you see my purse?" Delia asked, her voice slightly muffled because she was still bent over. "It's black and pink."</s>
| <|message|>Elise Marlowe
Elise just nodded her head slightly when the other woman said her name. What was she supposed to say? It's nice to meet you? Not under these circumstances, it wasn't. Elise turned her head, slowly since stabs of pain still shot through her forehead, and her eyes took in the rest of the room. Aside from the nasty shade of orange everywhere it looked like a standard motel room.
Maybe there were some matchbooks in the drawer, or pens and pads of paper that had the place's name on them. She had to figure out where she was.
She edged slowly towards the bedside table and finally put an end to the wailing alarm. It was a huge relief when the beeping stopped, and Elise closed her eyes briefly and exhaled slowly. According to the clock it was pretty late in the morning, almost ten, but there wasn't a date. She wrenched open the top drawer and found a Bible, but nothing else with the motel name on it.
Closing the drawer, Elise let out a small groan as she rubbed her head gently, massaging her temple. She needed an aspirin. And a huge glace of ice water. And a shower.
She heard the other woman, Delia, speak again, and Elise's eyes opened to see her against the wall, head bowed. Maybe to relieve her own splitting head ache. She wanted her purse... Her purse...where was Elise's purse? Was she even carrying a purse or a bag before she got here? She tried not to think about what might have happened to it if it wasn't here. If she was lucky she had forgotten it at home, but if she wasn't... What if it had been stolen? Her wallet, her keys, her phone...how would she track it down?"
Her head turned again as she scanned the room once more, and her eyes settled on a slightly darker but still hideous sofa across from the bed, near the window. Two items had been seemingly tossed onto it. One was a black and pink purse, the other a familiar brown leather messenger bag.
For the first time since waking up in that room, Elise felt relief. "It's over there, on the sofa," she told Delia.
Standing proved to be one heck of a challenge. Her head protested, her arms and legs felt wobbly, and she almost lost her balance. But Elise managed to brace herself against the wall and slowly edged around the room until she reached the sofa. She lowered herself onto it, and took Delia's purse and set it on the floor in front of her so she could crawl over to it. "Here," she said to alert the other woman. Then she took the messenger bag in her hands and pulled it open, fearing the worst.
Everything was still in there, her keys, her wallet with her ID and money and credit cards, her phone, her laptop computer (which looked undamaged). Nothing was missing. She let out an exhalation of relief and hugged the leather bag to her chest, leaning back against the sofa and closing her eyes briefly. This bag...this was the bag she took to work, and the dress and jacket she was wearing were typically items she'd wear on an average day of work. So...she could assume that the last thing she remembered doing was leaving work for the day. Unless she had gone out with coworkers after? It was still difficult to remember.</s> |
<|description|>Diana
Body Character
"What the...the hell's with these sleeves? What sort of fashion genius designed this trash?"
Gender: Female
Alignment: Neutral Evil
Race: Homunculus
Equipment:
Light Armor: "I'm not some kind of barbarian, thank you."
Short Sword+Scabbard: "...a-at least I can lift it."
"I'm not carrying this junk separately in my hands or something. Use your head, clod."
Granola+Fruit: "A healthy snack on the go!"
Torch: "Look, special eyes don't give you night vision, okay? What if there's a cave or something? Dammit."
Well-Insulated Blanket: "No, you're not allowed to share it. This is mine, you pig."
Cloak: "...I don't want to get wet if I don't have to. Stop giggling."
Combat Skills: Nil.
Non-Combat Skills:
Eyesight: Has never and will never need glasses. Short and long-distance vision is exquisite. She has special eyes.
Homunculus: Traits innate to homunculi of her make and model. As a magic-centric design, magical and mental aptitude is immense but physical specs are abysmal. Can consume food and drink, however requires them in far smaller amounts than a natural living being to continue standard functions, to the point that sustenance can largely be ignored; breathing operates similarly. Consumption of food/drink can be used to restore mana, though.
Rhythm: Highly conducive to feeling and picking up "patterns and flows" around her. Basically just a high aptitude for patterns and cohesion; like this, disruptions in established patterns are easier noticed. Would also make her a decent singer, if she could carry a tune. Ah well, there's always percussion instruments.
Mana: An existence built around use of magic; as a homunculus, her mana is appropriately high.
Magical Schools: Elemental- Wind
Magical Abilities:
Wind Magic: Standard wind magic. Not much else to say about this. As a sole specialization of magic, level of understanding and aptitude for use naturally excel.
Techniques: Nada.
Artificial Spirit
Personality: Abrasive, brash, and a bit of a bully on the whole. Has a propensity to slang in casual conversation. When acting nice, it's generally a sickly sweet chiding mockery that will fade away once she gets bored with it. Is a pure maiden regardless.
Talents:
Truths of Velocity: Base inclination towards an ability to induce effects of "Fast" and "Slow" upon motions, processes, and the like. In theory, can be meshed with magical abilities for amplification, though at its current state its use is primarily as a simple "amplifier".
Business Tycoon: Propensity for "capitalism, ho!". Stepping over the corpses of others, making money from nothing, manipulating others, spending money to make money, and so on. Even if not explicitly applied to running a business, business sense is nonetheless valuable.
APPROVED</s>
<|message|>Verena Von Reinhard
With her eyes now open, Verena looked around at the figures who were in here with her. They varied in shapes and sizes, but that wasn't anything surprising. Two things shouldn't look the same, right? Of course not, that would be weird and impractical. There would be no way to tell who was who, and everything would be confusing. There were a few interesting figures, but the majority seemed rather boring. It was a shame, these people probably couldn't keep her entertained for long.
Oh well, they uninteresting seem to die anyway.
Once Verena was done inspecting her peers, she looked at the statue. As beautiful as the statue was, Verena couldn't stand it. No, that wouldn't be accurate. The statue itself was gorgeous, and something she would want personally. It isn't the statue she hated, but what time had done to the precious thing. It had to have had no rival when it was first created, but now time has taken its toll.
Is this the power of time? Does time truly destroy all eventually? Will everybody else in this room be given the same fate as the statue? She was a vampire, but even she feared that one day time might truly be enough.
No matter how far she ran, time was going to catch up with her one day, no matter how far into the future that is.
And this was a thought that bothered her, and one she would rather do without.</s>
<|message|>Airan Vasilly
Everyone else should have been able to talk; why didn't they? Why did no one say anything, greet each other? How long would they stay in awkward silence before one would take the initiative to address the broader group? How much longer would everyone else be content to remain in this strange silence that Airan felt was unbearable? His own attempts to speak had all failed; it did not understand - other than the fact it simply just couldn't talk. Had this slime lost its ability to speak before its body was granted to him? Was this intentional?
Even as he approached the statue with everyone else, he could not help but feel agonized. The silence was dangerous. It was a sign they did not wish to communicate. That meant mistrust. The occupants of this room mistrusted each other, and that, Airan felt, was dangerous. Mistrust led to paranoia, paranoia led to recklessness and recklessness led to mistakes. Fatal ones. Killings in the name of self defence; any hope for teamwork and cooperation destroyed by the idea that each other was out to get everyone else.
...Come to think about it, maybe it was he who was just paranoid.
As he walked, one step at a time, his helmet's movement the only indication that his gaze was switching between all of the occupants in the room, the silent knight only wanted one thing.
Speak. Make conversation. Do anything to end this unbearable silence.</s>
<|message|>Diana
As if a benevolent goddess had deigned to answer the prayers of the metal-encased slime, the silence was broken moments later.
Though considering the means by which this occurred, perhaps it would be better to say that this goddess was less "benevolent" and more "bored". Who could really know what goddesses were thinking?
"Yo. Yo. Yo."
The homunculus who had been among the first to awaken emanated the sound three times, each time in a different pitch, as if she were deciding on which one felt most natural.
Loosing a brief cough afterwards, she then began speaking again, electing to go with the second pitch.
"Hiya, how is everyone~? You all look kinda confused too, so I'm guessing none of you remember anything before this point in time either, riiiight? Those wonderfully dumb, slack-jawed expressions of yours are just screaming the truth~!"
"...well, except for mister armor over there, but I'm sure he's the same way."
Diana immediately launched into a stream of dialogue, as if needing to warm up her vocal chords by alternating the speed of her speech from slow to fast in a mad cascade.
"Well, if you do remember stuff and I'm the odd duck out then that'd probably be for the better. Bunch of people all waking up in a room with amnesia or something, like, really? Way too coincidental to be normal, which'd mean there'd be a cause for it, which means it wouldn't be standard, which means we probably have some shared factor or situation, and that'd all be really annoying."
"Bleh, whatever, we can get to discussing what we know and don't know after we're all nice and acquainted, right? I'm Diana, but you can call me Diana. Or Miss Diana, I guess, but just Diana works too. Let's all get along~"</s>
<|message|>Isa Nicolai
Isa had just been about to say something, to break the silence between the other creatures, when one of them launched herself into a strange and somewhat annoying monolouge. Her pitch and tone and tempo changed constantly as she spoke, and Isa didn't like it.
"I find myself in a similar situation to you, Diana." Isa spoke slowly, calmly, not wanting to seem threatening to anyone, but not wanting to seem bubbly or immature as the girl, as Diana, had seemed to her. Isa walked closer to the statue that was in the center of the group, more so that they could see her than for her to see them.
Taking a breath, Isa made her tone lighter and tried to add a touch of kindness to her words. "I am Isa, by the way. I don't know who any of you are, but I suppose I should say that for some reason, I don't feel on edge around you. I may not remember the events that brought us together, but I trust my intuition. I dont think that any of us are meant to be enemies here."</s>
<|message|>Victor
While 2 others talked, Victor stared at the statue. It was likely that the others who were also staring at it had similar thoughts to each other, though their thoughts probably weren't the same as his own.
I wonder how much this is worth.
It was quite brilliant statue, actually. It was glowing and it was well made. It was probably magical, but there was no way he was taking it out of the cave by himself. With that said, he couldn't help but think about what he would get if he sold it, which was strange to a newly reformed body.
It was weird how the statue was surrounded by corpses, but it was weirder how he wanted to get a lot of gold. He wasn't sure why, but he really felt like he wanted a lot of money, like he couldn't live without it. The lust for gold nagged at his mind, and he couldn't hold explain it. It didn't feel like him to coop up his feelings, so he tried saying something.
His jaw fell open clumsily and a squeeky weeze emerged, somewhat reminiscent of human speech but intelligible. Something was stuck in his throat. He put his hand into his mouth and tried to clear his airway. When he pulled his hand out, it was covered in cobwebs.
Ew. Victor thought, coughing to clear out the remaining cobwebs.
"Ugh..." A voice said.
It was Victor's voice. His body's voice. It reminded him of a bad flute player's music. Probably what he should expect from a skeleton, really. But there was only one reason he tried to speak, one reason alone.
"Hey, anyone got some gold on them?" He said, adjusting his jawbone to speak better.</s>
<|message|>Vaul
Vaul ran his tongue along the irregularities of his teeth, against the elastic resistance of his cheeks, and the unyielding quality of the roof of his mouth. Vigor was slowly returning to his body as he sat there on his comfy little rock, and finally he stood up after some time. Using his rather ornate staff as a walking stick, he stepped over the small underground stream in the dim light, managing not to wet the hem of his robes. It felt good to move, to relax and contract his muscles to construct a more or less steady gait. Eventually, he neared the figures clustered around the statue at the center of the temple.
His ears twitched as he caught the lamia whispering "Who is she? Why is it down here? Who am I and why am I here?" and at such a relatively far distance that he was surprised himself.
"Why indeed?" Vaul replied, as he came up behind her, more to catch her attention than to offer anything useful. His eyes had a strange glimmer about them as he eyed the scales of Alyona's serpentine tail, walking with close steps in a semicircle around her before stopping at her front.
"You're a snake down there..." he breathed out in genuine amazement, with a rather nonplussed expression on his face as the gravitas of the fact sunk in. "A snake starting from," he brought his eyes up to her midriff, "And then it's humanoid," then to her face, "Thereafter..."
The moment of silence hung thickly still in the air as he stared into her eyes, his face unreadable.
"Huh," concluded Vaul, failing to come up with anything more profound. "Isn't that something."</s>
<|message|>Alyona Moroz
Alyona decided immediately that the girl that had spoken first, Diana, was quite annoying already. Maybe it was her voice or the way she changed the tone and tempo of her speech as she spoke, but it was grating on Alyona's nerves, so she ignored the girl for the time being.
However, it seemed best to introduce herself with this name that she somehow knew was hers. However, as Alyona prepared to speak, she was startled by a voice behind her. She lost her balance and almost fell over again, however managed to right herself before she could actually fall. To say Alyona was surprised would have been an understatement.
Vaul's astonishment and rather anticlimactic statement left Alyona off balance, figuratively. There were no words. Instead she shook off the daze after a moment and decided to introduce herself instead of pick up from his rather broken verbal observations. "Errr, hello, you can call me Alyona, and you are?"</s>
<|message|>Vaul
"Vaul." He replied smoothly enough, tilting his chin up in an unnecessarily prissy manner, and living up to his body's elven nature. "I'd say it would be nice to meet you, but in such a dreary place," he gestured to a nearby skeleton, then to the other figures nearby, "And the fact that we all appear to be bewildered by the situation we're in, it would be rather inappropriate, don't you think?"
"I must say," he added, running his eyes down Alyona's half-serpentine figure again. "You have a very interesting physique."
He pursed his lips thereafter, and ran his tongue across their dry length to wet them.</s>
| <|message|>Diana
"Nice to meetcha, Isa! Oh, and Mister Bones, sorry, I don't have any gold. Does that make me poor? Aw, I don't wanna be poor~" Diana hummed airily in reply, her tone having stabilized now after getting a feel for how to speak. At the reactions, or rather lack thereof, of the others who were present though, the mud doll's expression soured slightly.
"...boring. Come on, if Isa's in the same situation as me, I'm guessing you guys will be too, right~? And nobody wants to talk about that? Really? That's just plain disap-"
Diana cut herself off as she paused for a moment, her eyes narrowing slightly.
'...that's what that must be, right? Even if I don't truly remember, this body remembers so I can still remember. And this body is telling me that...'
Her eyes shifted back to the statue as she took a step forward, looking at it with a focus completely antithetical to her prior demeanor. '...let's see, then.' She recited to herself mentally, before making use of an ability that came to the forefront as easily as breathing: Detect Magic, initiate.</s> |
<|description|>Diana
Body Character
"What the...the hell's with these sleeves? What sort of fashion genius designed this trash?"
Gender: Female
Alignment: Neutral Evil
Race: Homunculus
Equipment:
Light Armor: "I'm not some kind of barbarian, thank you."
Short Sword+Scabbard: "...a-at least I can lift it."
"I'm not carrying this junk separately in my hands or something. Use your head, clod."
Granola+Fruit: "A healthy snack on the go!"
Torch: "Look, special eyes don't give you night vision, okay? What if there's a cave or something? Dammit."
Well-Insulated Blanket: "No, you're not allowed to share it. This is mine, you pig."
Cloak: "...I don't want to get wet if I don't have to. Stop giggling."
Combat Skills: Nil.
Non-Combat Skills:
Eyesight: Has never and will never need glasses. Short and long-distance vision is exquisite. She has special eyes.
Homunculus: Traits innate to homunculi of her make and model. As a magic-centric design, magical and mental aptitude is immense but physical specs are abysmal. Can consume food and drink, however requires them in far smaller amounts than a natural living being to continue standard functions, to the point that sustenance can largely be ignored; breathing operates similarly. Consumption of food/drink can be used to restore mana, though.
Rhythm: Highly conducive to feeling and picking up "patterns and flows" around her. Basically just a high aptitude for patterns and cohesion; like this, disruptions in established patterns are easier noticed. Would also make her a decent singer, if she could carry a tune. Ah well, there's always percussion instruments.
Mana: An existence built around use of magic; as a homunculus, her mana is appropriately high.
Magical Schools: Elemental- Wind
Magical Abilities:
Wind Magic: Standard wind magic. Not much else to say about this. As a sole specialization of magic, level of understanding and aptitude for use naturally excel.
Techniques: Nada.
Artificial Spirit
Personality: Abrasive, brash, and a bit of a bully on the whole. Has a propensity to slang in casual conversation. When acting nice, it's generally a sickly sweet chiding mockery that will fade away once she gets bored with it. Is a pure maiden regardless.
Talents:
Truths of Velocity: Base inclination towards an ability to induce effects of "Fast" and "Slow" upon motions, processes, and the like. In theory, can be meshed with magical abilities for amplification, though at its current state its use is primarily as a simple "amplifier".
Business Tycoon: Propensity for "capitalism, ho!". Stepping over the corpses of others, making money from nothing, manipulating others, spending money to make money, and so on. Even if not explicitly applied to running a business, business sense is nonetheless valuable.
APPROVED</s>
<|message|>Diana
"Nice to meetcha, Isa! Oh, and Mister Bones, sorry, I don't have any gold. Does that make me poor? Aw, I don't wanna be poor~" Diana hummed airily in reply, her tone having stabilized now after getting a feel for how to speak. At the reactions, or rather lack thereof, of the others who were present though, the mud doll's expression soured slightly.
"...boring. Come on, if Isa's in the same situation as me, I'm guessing you guys will be too, right~? And nobody wants to talk about that? Really? That's just plain disap-"
Diana cut herself off as she paused for a moment, her eyes narrowing slightly.
'...that's what that must be, right? Even if I don't truly remember, this body remembers so I can still remember. And this body is telling me that...'
Her eyes shifted back to the statue as she took a step forward, looking at it with a focus completely antithetical to her prior demeanor. '...let's see, then.' She recited to herself mentally, before making use of an ability that came to the forefront as easily as breathing: Detect Magic, initiate.</s>
<|message|>Isa Nicolai
Isa had been listening to the various conversations, when the sudden stop of Diana's voice drew all of her attention back to the girl. She was simply standing there, looking at the statue. Isa followed her gaze up, to where the figure's face would have been, had it not been so weathered away. There doesn't seem to be any thing wring with-!
Isa's thought stopped as she saw a slight flicker over the statue's 'face', like the ripples of a pond after a stone has been skipped across the surface. Isa placed a hand on the base of the statue, and with the other she held the amulet around her neck. What am I doing... As soon as she asked herself the question, she knew the answer. That's right, I'm looking for the traces of magic in this statue. I might not be able to tell what type of magic, but I will sense it if there is any.</s>
<|message|>Alyona Moroz
Alyona was unsure of how to respond to Vaul's rather upfront behavior. However, before she could responded to Vaul, Alyona noticed a strange presence in the room, not that of a person, but more like an aura. Magic? It seemed a feasible enough answer, and if she could sense magic, that must mean she can use magic...right? Well, why not give it a try?
The entire time, she failed to realize that her face had been contorting to match her thoughts. Now, she closed her eyes and tried to focus...on what? The aura? Sure. That seemed right. As she focused, she opened herself to a new sensation, one similar to the aura she was feeling in the room. Deciding to just hazard a guess, she tried to detect whatever in the room was giving off this 'feeling.' Well, here goes something, she whispered under her breath, "Detect."</s>
<|message|>Vaul
When Alyona turned away and began to narrow her eyes at something, Vaul was compelled to follow her gaze. But before he could ask if there was something interesting with the statue, he felt a sensation: a buzz in the air, a prickle on his skin, and a mild heat within his chest as he stared at the sculpture. His lips parted mildly in realization at this strangely familiar yet unfamiliar feeling, and with an effortless motion, as if by instinct, he raised his staff a few inches, muttered a heavy whisper, and brought the pommel down to cast the spell.
"Detect Magic."</s>
<|message|>Victor
"No money? Bummer." Victor said, swinging his jaw back and forth.
It was a little loose and fun to play with, but it probably wouldn't do well to lose it so he slotted it back into place.
"I wonder if can find some money..." Victor muttered.
His lust for gold was truly odd, but he had nothing else to go on. Acting on his instincts, his surveyed the equipment of the others around the statue. Some of it seemed to be extremely valuable and Victor would've liked to have it.
No stealing, though. Victor thought. Stealing is rude. Hmm....
He turned his attention to the various corpses that hadn't gotten up. Perhaps he would find something of worth among the cadavers.
"Alrighty then," Victor said, walking over to the nearest un-moving corpse and rifling through its pockets.</s>
<|message|>Boris Egon
Boris felt the energies move as the two other casters wove their spells, and decided that looking around in more than one way was a good idea, and reached for the currents with his small but rather sharp and strong mind, seeking the nature and sources of any magic in the nearby local. Fey magic didn't quite express itself in the same manner as the big-peoples magic did, but it served an identical function in many ways.
Oh dear... such clamorous beings, must they be so loud and obnoxious? Ooh... a greedy skeleton? This he had to mock. What could he possibly use gold for? Food and drink would be worthless to him, clothing pointless, and Boris was pretty sure the skeleton wasn't the vogue art collector type. He decided to play a trick on the old stack of bones, and pulled several small drops of water from the stream nearby, and used them to imitate flashes and glints of light, as the skeleton moved from corpse to corpse. After each flash of light, the drop of water would be dropped onto the floor where it slowly seeped into the ground and another was pulled from the stream to replace it. Boris chuckled to himself, disliking the high pitch of his voice, but expecting it from such a small frame. If the skeleton began following the trail of glints, he would wander in a around criss-crossing the same area though never returning to the same corpse twice.</s>
<|message|>Diana
"Oh?"
An airy smile crossed Diana's face as the result of her surveyance of the ambient magic in the room returned to her, information ingraining itself into her mind. Without another word, a pale hand of the homunculus reached out to pluck a small note off of the statue. After doing so, she emanated a slight giggle, as if awaiting the note to explode, or summon an eldritch abomination, or explode and then summon an eldritch abomination.
Well, you only live once. Or something. Derp charge ahoy.
"...what a joke. Someone here's got a sense of humor, that's nice~"
Speaking to herself but also speaking intentionally loudly as if to inform the others, she turned her eyes to the note with a raised eyebrow.
'Let's see what this has to say. I don't like being in the dark about this trash, not one bit.' She thought to herself as she trailed a finger along the note.
After a fraction of a second passed though, Diana raised an eyebrow. Even if she herself didn't recognize something of this nature, her body certainly did. '...huh, they really do have a sense of humor, leaving something completely useless like this here.' She thought to herself with a half-dissatisfied expression. "Bleh, that's disappointing."</s>
<|message|>Boris Egon
Boris lost his train of thought as one of the creatures surrounding him, and the statue, picked up a note he had over looked. He released the spell manipulating the water droplets, and watched as the note was read... waiting to hear what was said. He knew it held magic in it's frail form, but not what purpose the magic served. When the note was not commented on for some time, Boris's curiosity got the better of him, and he jumped from the statues shoulder and flew to the wrist of the hand holding the note. There he landed lightly and began reading it for himself. It didn't occur to him that his current position might not be smiled upon by the owner the wrist he stood on.</s>
<|message|>Diana
Diana raised an eyebrow as she turned to the fairy that had chosen to sit on her wrist, her hand not touching the note moving to lightly pluck him off. Of course, anything too rough could kill the poor thing, so she was naturally careful.
"What are you trying to do, Mr. Fairy~?" She asked. "Personal space is important, y'know."
Of course, upon looking at the note, he would have naturally noticed that it was completely blank.</s>
<|message|>Irmo Muskerra
Irmo stepped around the homonculi after getting a look at the scroll from his perspective.
"Sso the scroll was blank. Thiss is a pity. Perhaps we should investigate that orb, no? As far as clues in this place go, that idol is all we have to go by. Unlesss you want to dig through the corpses. Does anyone object?"
The kobold approached the statue, waiting a brief moment for anyone to interject.</s>
<|message|>Victor
"Hmm... There's not much on these bodies..." Victor said.
Disappointing, really. He expected more, somewhat. Some of them looked like pretty good adventurers.
"What's this?" Victor said, suddenly noticing the trail of shiny things.
He walked slowly to a shining point and found that it was actually a puddle of water.
"Neat." Victor said. "It's like, light or something."
He began to follow the light, wondering where it led. He remained oblivious to the fact that it led him in circles.</s>
<|message|>Boris Egon
Boris noted that the note appeared to be blank, and was about try and touch it to see if he could ind any hidden information when he plucked from his perch. Annoyed, Boris listened to the big people, they were always so touchy about space, as if the had made the space around them, or bought it for a high price, it confused Boris really, especially when the same beings had no problem crushing entire cities, sometimes even entire countries, of little people as if they didn't even exist in the first place.
How is it that personal space is worth more than forcibly moving an entire person? Or do I not count as a person for some reason? You either know good and well what I was doing or you're to stupid for me to bother attempting to explain it to you, with my luck it's the latter.
He mumbles the last phrase about his luck. He shifts focus as the kobold speaks up, asking about the orb. Kobolds were nice enough, they rarely messed with little folk. Granted that might be due to their affinity for living underground, and so were less likely to run into little folk, but Boris didn't care about that.
Be my guest Scaly; Skeley there is already digging through the dead.</s>
| <|message|>Diana
"If you wanted to know what the note was, you could've asked me, Mr. Fairy~" Diana hummed before looking back at the paper with a dissatisfied expression. "Either way, no harm in explaining, seeing as its equally useless for all of us. Even if I don't remember "me", I remember "this". This here is a magic little database. It's built to store information, like a better version of a book. It could hold arcane secrets, could hold a recipe for pie, could hold a compendium of erotica, who really knows? Maybe it's blank and we can use it as a diary." She explained, before letting out a slight huff.
"Problem is, this requires a magical password to access it, and seeing as nobody else seems to remember anything either, that means we won't be able to guess it. Brute forcing past the password is practically impossible, and on top of that I can't tell if this is even blank or not, so for now it's useless." She stated, reaching around with the hand holding the note to deposit it in her Bag of Miscellaneous Goodies, nestled firmly within the folds of her blanket. "I'll hold onto it on the offchance we figure out the password, but unless there's something in here that could be the password, the odds of that are just barely above zero, so don't get optimistic. Maybe it's the sort of thing we won't find a way to access until we're about to fight the Demon Lord, I don't know."
"Hey, Mr. Gold n' Bones, has your searching turned up anything that looks like a password?" She called out, releasing Boris from her fingers. "Sorry about the rough handling, Mr. Fairy~" She said with a slight giggle, "Didn't mean to be rude, let's get along!"</s> |
<|description|>Vaul
Vaul
Body
Gender: Male
Alignment: Lawful Neutral
Race: Elf
Appearance:
Long, partly braided platinum-blonde hair spills over his shoulders and covers most of his back, framing a face with sharp features, including an aquiline nose, bright green eyes that stare unwaveringly, and high, pronounced cheeks to give the slightly triangular facial shape so common to those of the Elven race. A respectable, lean musculature, with all its swells and curves, is consistent throughout his body, hidden almost at all times by a silken robe of white decorated at the chest area with golden filigree depicting a story of mortality, from an elf's birth to his inevitable passing. Comfortable leather sandals hug at his feet, and in his right hand is a long, golden staff topped with an ornate, stylized depiction of a horned skull. Reaching behind his lengthy ear, he pulls his hood down to shadow his face, giving an eerie darkness to everything above his lips. Hanging by a long strap from his shoulders is a large satchel containing traveling essentials and less important baubles.
Equipment: Ornate staff, steel dagger, 12ft. hempen rope, 2x quill, inkwell, 16x paper page, 9lbs. dried meat & smoked fish, handful of silver coins.
Combat Skills: An elf of books and letters, he may not be able to give that good of an account of himself with a sword, but if need be, he can whack someone with his staff as a last resort. Ultimately, he prefers to stay at range, abusing the enemy with gratuitous spellcraft, and letting his undead minions do the bloody work of melee.
Non-combat Skills: He is adept in alchemy and, surprisingly, the culinary arts. He is able to recite many Elven liturgies off the top of his head, and apparently knows a bit of midwifery. Well-read, he is knowledgeable on many topics, from theology, to history, to matters of the arcane and biology. He can also read the stars and skies to discern direction and navigate the world solely from that.
Mana: High.
Magical Schools: Necromancy, Pyromancy
Magical Abilities:
* Raise Dead: Breathing unlife into a corpse, it is animated and enthralled to the casting Necromancer to be at his beck and call.
* Preservation: This spell halts the decomposition process of the raised dead, should the Necromancer require such a thing for some reason.
* Decay: Culls the flesh from a raised dead till it's no more than a skeleton, should the Necromancer ever require it.
* Scroll of Holding: The Necromancer writes down glyphs of power on any writable surface, enabling them to store individual objects not heavier than a full-grown horse. While usable on anything where ink can be applied, he most often uses this spell on pieces of paper or parchment to store raised dead. Deactivating the spell will cause stored objects to be regurgitated and the container to be destroyed.
* Freeform Low-level Pyromancy: The Necromancer is able to use basic pyromancy with little casting involved, and thusly can create, shape and even fling at dangerous speeds fires no larger than a bear's paw at anything that may warrant it.
* Dispel: Dissipates and otherwise damages the targeted mana structure, eliminating a troublesome spell or stunning a magical construct.
Techniques:
* Vindication: When Lichdom is still so far away, how can he falter now? The spell of Vindication asks for but a little mana in exchange for painlessness and a burst of energy, leading to a stamina and strength enough to rival that of centaurs. But whether his body can keep up with this magically-imbued vigor is another matter entirely.
* Inspire the Dead: A variant of Vindication that applies only to the raised dead. He may grant the boons of the spell on one or more thralls, making them hit harder and faster. Maintaining this technique is done at the cost of the Necromancer's body, which tires and fatigues, and in prolonged use, hurts.
Spirit
Personality: The newborn, rather stoic Vaul knows of his ignorance of the world, and seeks to know more. Having a code of honor, he seems to excuse his liberal use of his host's arcane talents on the argument that what he's controlling now are but mere shells, and not souls. He thinks before he speaks.
Talents:
Life-giver: Vaul is perhaps the antithesis of his host as in his presence, plants seem to be a bit greener, complexions seem to be a bit fairer, and weary bodies tend to be relaxed and feel weariness being siphoned off from them. Vaul can use this healing energy into a more active form, channeling it to cure minor cuts and bruises, or aid however little in the treatment of more grievous injuries.
APPROVED</s>
<|message|>Diana
This is not a premise where you once stood in an endless void. This is not within a die to be rolled and decide an outcome. This is not something which needs to be wiped away before beginning.
Rather, this is something with an outcome determined ahead of time.
-Initiate.
The black fades into white.
The white melts into color.
The void is struck by sound.
From suspension in a world where all was obscured by a dense fog, a soul is pulled away from the naught just as quickly as it was placed within. The lights and sounds accelerate, whirling against one another in a mad cacophony as they compress like the collapse of a neutron star-
Let's begin, then. Wake up.
I can feel the air.
I can feel the light.
I can feel myself.
---
A groan emanated outwards from the body of a homunculus as she rose to her feet, a hand reaching up to rub her eyes. "Gah, what the hell? My head..."
After trailing off, a look of confusion crossed the artificial life form's face as she retracted her hand.
"...my head?"
A split second passed before realization set in, the retracted hand immediately shooting up to the sky in celebration, fist clenched.
"Yes! It actually happened! Diana, it's time to experience life!" She announced brightly. "Oh, old owner of this body, hope y'don't mind that I'll probably be desecrating whatever you did with this thing. Well, you probably don't exist anymore, so who really cares~?"
An instant later, the figure staggered slightly in a dizzy spell. "Kyaa, okay, okay, not used to this yet." She hastily murmured to herself, steadying her posture against a stone wall. Of course, it had already been noticed. With the soul placed into a body, "information" ingrained into the body was now the property of the soul. Their "everything" was now Diana's.
Well, save for things contained in the old soul, like memories. But really, Diana could care less about that.
'Alrighty, let's see. Some shoddy survival gear, kay. This armor's not bad, I guess. Better than something this body can't support, which from what I can tell covers most armors. Why the hell do I have a sword though? This body's weeeaaak. Doesn't help that I've got this headache and still don't have the hang of this crap yet. Ow.'
Going over the information received by virtue of now being the "owner" of the body, Diana's expression grew annoyed.
'Hey, this...this is a joke, right? No physical specs, no special equipment, no nothing. I mean, sure, it's magic-specced, so I could let it slide if it had some cool magic. But this...isn't this just normal elemental magic? There's literally nothing special about anything here, it's just something that's managed to max out its 'normalcy' stat! Seriously, what the hell, old owner?'
Letting out a huff, Diana crossed her free arm over her chest in annoyance. "I deserve some better inheritance than this. Fuckin' jeez." She muttered to herself.
'...well, nothing for it. If the body's a boring old rock, I'll just use myself to polish it up.'
After ruminating to herself, Diana's gaze finally drifted over to the weathered statue that lay in the center, her right eyebrow quirking up slightly. "...oh?"</s>
<|message|>Boris Egon
I stretch, and yawn, before looking at my surroundings. Where am I? I don't remember anything here, not the statue, the old worn walls, or the beings around me. Goodness, but they are huge, or perhaps I am small... I examine myself as carefully as I can, I have wings! I am small and I wear things made from nature itself, bark, some of it fur-lined. I have a blade at my side, it looks like a thorn. I draw it, but refrain from touching the blade, knowing somehow that it is poisoned. Can I fly with these wings? I re-sheath my thorn before attempting to fly, just in case, and then ... I'm zipping along, up and around the statue! Oh, what fun this is! Why would anyone walk if they could fly like this? And then I feel it, a dull aching, a sharp pain, I fall. Landing with, well to be honest a squeak. It's hard not to squeak when one's vocal chords are as small as mine, and the air pushed forcefully out ones lungs. The pain is gone, but the aching is not. It must have been a cramp, yes that's what it had been.
Where am I now? On the statue's left shoulder I see. I didn't like the aching, or the bruises forming on my chest and legs from having fallen on the statue. I can heal those! And I do, my skin turning a greenish hue for a moment as the bruises and aches fade. Then nothing, but I feel... less full. I don't think I can repeat my actions, at least not yet, so I sit up carefully on the smooth shoulder and watch the other beings quietly. Will they notice me? If they do how will they react to me? I am so small, I doubt I could hurt any of them even if I tried, but I wasn't about to be anyone's pet, and they'd better not call me cute. Oh no, several of them are female, I vaguely recall that females tend to associate cute with small things, in fact, a things cuteness seemed to grow as it shrank. I'm doomed, this is not going to end well, but ... I can't leave yet, where will I go? What will I find? ... Drat, I'll have to stick with at least one of these creatures... wonderful, ain't it great to be alive? I scowl as the others gather their wits, though my focus shifts from being to being.</s>
| <|message|>Vaul
A still silence dominated the underground expanse, with only the sounds of dripping water from overhead stalactites and the flow of a small stream being audible, though no-one was there to hear it. Ubiquitous darkness shrouded everything in shadow, the lumen globes already drained of mana and the torches burnt to uselessness. Chests had already been looted, and scientific apparati shattered into shards and bent metal; and from the temple entrance to the farthest wall, there was a trail of broken limbs and mutilated bodies, the rusting iron of weapons carelessly strewn about, and torn, heavy banners hanging from the ceiling, swaying to and fro as they peddled their now meaningless symbols to the mild breeze. Of course, in the oppressive shadow, he couldn't see any of this as he awoke.
"Urgh," he groaned, as his nostrils flared, hungrily sucking up the dank air and the life the came with it. Lying face-down on the floor, a small pain was incessant in his chest from a pebble he had been laying on, and he found his arms incredibly weary as he moved them from their place near his hip, winning the battle against rigor mortis.
He moved his hands further along, at the sides of his head, and pressed his palms against the damp cavern floor as hard as it was possible. Still weak, the effort it took to even sit on his knees was almost insufferable with its intensity, and Vaul succeeded only barely. A flash of instinct told him then that something important lay just towards his right, and he followed it, fingers alert, to feel a solid, deathly cold rod. His hand clenched with force, and he hefted the staff up by the rearward portions of its shaft, then steadied the pommel on the ground and grabbed it with his other hand to finally wrench himself away from the floor. And yet, no matter how many times he blinked, it was still dark where he was at.
And so he gestured thoughtlessly, his arm going from right to left in an aimless wave, and at that very instance glittered the underground stream as light, for the first time in forever, greeted its waters, coming from lumen globes held in sconces along the walls of the cavern. Vaul looked around, examining his new surroundings, unsure of what to make of it all, as after he swiveled his eyes horizontally, taking it all in, and looked down at his feet, there was the grinning face of a disembodied skull.
Mildly startled, he kicked it without a thought, the sudden effort jolting his muscles to spasm protectively as the calcium husk rolled away. A dull, but very noticeable pain was welling up in his left calf, as the gravitas of many dozens of armed corpses and opened, desecrated coffins extracted from their places within the walls began to sink in.
He found a smooth enough piece of rock towards the side, one that he made his way to and sat upon. He was surprised to feel something poking his hide, so he shifted a bit on his impromptu seat to get comfortable. He continued to breathe, his lungs admirably remembering how to, but his respiration lessened in vigor as his need for air decreased with time. Then he figured out the cause for the shadow hanging overhead, and pulled back his hood, and reached further back to feel the long tresses of his hair. Tiredly did he sigh.
"A Necromancer," he half-whispered, his voice not quite there, but the characteristic, moderate inflections that indicated a male were definitely noticeable. He cleared his throat, and tested his vocal cords again. "A Necromancer..."
Such was the breadth of the underground temple that wherever he looked, he could see the messy aftermath of whatever battle had occurred here. Though the air was putrid, he could find no more flesh on what had once been thralls to whoever once owned this body. It had all rotted away, and a dozen skulls grimaced silently his way as he just sat there, finding hints of pain as he experimentally flexed his limbs. He brought his hands to his eyes and rubbed away the earthly crust that had formed on them, as he began to think on the road ahead.
And when he took his hands away, he finally noticed the statue of the goddess, and other other, peculiar figures rising from the floor far away, in the center of the expanse.</s> |
<|description|>Vaul
Vaul
Body
Gender: Male
Alignment: Lawful Neutral
Race: Elf
Appearance:
Long, partly braided platinum-blonde hair spills over his shoulders and covers most of his back, framing a face with sharp features, including an aquiline nose, bright green eyes that stare unwaveringly, and high, pronounced cheeks to give the slightly triangular facial shape so common to those of the Elven race. A respectable, lean musculature, with all its swells and curves, is consistent throughout his body, hidden almost at all times by a silken robe of white decorated at the chest area with golden filigree depicting a story of mortality, from an elf's birth to his inevitable passing. Comfortable leather sandals hug at his feet, and in his right hand is a long, golden staff topped with an ornate, stylized depiction of a horned skull. Reaching behind his lengthy ear, he pulls his hood down to shadow his face, giving an eerie darkness to everything above his lips. Hanging by a long strap from his shoulders is a large satchel containing traveling essentials and less important baubles.
Equipment: Ornate staff, steel dagger, 12ft. hempen rope, 2x quill, inkwell, 16x paper page, 9lbs. dried meat & smoked fish, handful of silver coins.
Combat Skills: An elf of books and letters, he may not be able to give that good of an account of himself with a sword, but if need be, he can whack someone with his staff as a last resort. Ultimately, he prefers to stay at range, abusing the enemy with gratuitous spellcraft, and letting his undead minions do the bloody work of melee.
Non-combat Skills: He is adept in alchemy and, surprisingly, the culinary arts. He is able to recite many Elven liturgies off the top of his head, and apparently knows a bit of midwifery. Well-read, he is knowledgeable on many topics, from theology, to history, to matters of the arcane and biology. He can also read the stars and skies to discern direction and navigate the world solely from that.
Mana: High.
Magical Schools: Necromancy, Pyromancy
Magical Abilities:
* Raise Dead: Breathing unlife into a corpse, it is animated and enthralled to the casting Necromancer to be at his beck and call.
* Preservation: This spell halts the decomposition process of the raised dead, should the Necromancer require such a thing for some reason.
* Decay: Culls the flesh from a raised dead till it's no more than a skeleton, should the Necromancer ever require it.
* Scroll of Holding: The Necromancer writes down glyphs of power on any writable surface, enabling them to store individual objects not heavier than a full-grown horse. While usable on anything where ink can be applied, he most often uses this spell on pieces of paper or parchment to store raised dead. Deactivating the spell will cause stored objects to be regurgitated and the container to be destroyed.
* Freeform Low-level Pyromancy: The Necromancer is able to use basic pyromancy with little casting involved, and thusly can create, shape and even fling at dangerous speeds fires no larger than a bear's paw at anything that may warrant it.
* Dispel: Dissipates and otherwise damages the targeted mana structure, eliminating a troublesome spell or stunning a magical construct.
Techniques:
* Vindication: When Lichdom is still so far away, how can he falter now? The spell of Vindication asks for but a little mana in exchange for painlessness and a burst of energy, leading to a stamina and strength enough to rival that of centaurs. But whether his body can keep up with this magically-imbued vigor is another matter entirely.
* Inspire the Dead: A variant of Vindication that applies only to the raised dead. He may grant the boons of the spell on one or more thralls, making them hit harder and faster. Maintaining this technique is done at the cost of the Necromancer's body, which tires and fatigues, and in prolonged use, hurts.
Spirit
Personality: The newborn, rather stoic Vaul knows of his ignorance of the world, and seeks to know more. Having a code of honor, he seems to excuse his liberal use of his host's arcane talents on the argument that what he's controlling now are but mere shells, and not souls. He thinks before he speaks.
Talents:
Life-giver: Vaul is perhaps the antithesis of his host as in his presence, plants seem to be a bit greener, complexions seem to be a bit fairer, and weary bodies tend to be relaxed and feel weariness being siphoned off from them. Vaul can use this healing energy into a more active form, channeling it to cure minor cuts and bruises, or aid however little in the treatment of more grievous injuries.
APPROVED</s>
<|message|>Isa Nicolai
Isa had just been about to say something, to break the silence between the other creatures, when one of them launched herself into a strange and somewhat annoying monolouge. Her pitch and tone and tempo changed constantly as she spoke, and Isa didn't like it.
"I find myself in a similar situation to you, Diana." Isa spoke slowly, calmly, not wanting to seem threatening to anyone, but not wanting to seem bubbly or immature as the girl, as Diana, had seemed to her. Isa walked closer to the statue that was in the center of the group, more so that they could see her than for her to see them.
Taking a breath, Isa made her tone lighter and tried to add a touch of kindness to her words. "I am Isa, by the way. I don't know who any of you are, but I suppose I should say that for some reason, I don't feel on edge around you. I may not remember the events that brought us together, but I trust my intuition. I dont think that any of us are meant to be enemies here."</s>
<|message|>Victor
While 2 others talked, Victor stared at the statue. It was likely that the others who were also staring at it had similar thoughts to each other, though their thoughts probably weren't the same as his own.
I wonder how much this is worth.
It was quite brilliant statue, actually. It was glowing and it was well made. It was probably magical, but there was no way he was taking it out of the cave by himself. With that said, he couldn't help but think about what he would get if he sold it, which was strange to a newly reformed body.
It was weird how the statue was surrounded by corpses, but it was weirder how he wanted to get a lot of gold. He wasn't sure why, but he really felt like he wanted a lot of money, like he couldn't live without it. The lust for gold nagged at his mind, and he couldn't hold explain it. It didn't feel like him to coop up his feelings, so he tried saying something.
His jaw fell open clumsily and a squeeky weeze emerged, somewhat reminiscent of human speech but intelligible. Something was stuck in his throat. He put his hand into his mouth and tried to clear his airway. When he pulled his hand out, it was covered in cobwebs.
Ew. Victor thought, coughing to clear out the remaining cobwebs.
"Ugh..." A voice said.
It was Victor's voice. His body's voice. It reminded him of a bad flute player's music. Probably what he should expect from a skeleton, really. But there was only one reason he tried to speak, one reason alone.
"Hey, anyone got some gold on them?" He said, adjusting his jawbone to speak better.</s>
<|message|>Vaul
Vaul ran his tongue along the irregularities of his teeth, against the elastic resistance of his cheeks, and the unyielding quality of the roof of his mouth. Vigor was slowly returning to his body as he sat there on his comfy little rock, and finally he stood up after some time. Using his rather ornate staff as a walking stick, he stepped over the small underground stream in the dim light, managing not to wet the hem of his robes. It felt good to move, to relax and contract his muscles to construct a more or less steady gait. Eventually, he neared the figures clustered around the statue at the center of the temple.
His ears twitched as he caught the lamia whispering "Who is she? Why is it down here? Who am I and why am I here?" and at such a relatively far distance that he was surprised himself.
"Why indeed?" Vaul replied, as he came up behind her, more to catch her attention than to offer anything useful. His eyes had a strange glimmer about them as he eyed the scales of Alyona's serpentine tail, walking with close steps in a semicircle around her before stopping at her front.
"You're a snake down there..." he breathed out in genuine amazement, with a rather nonplussed expression on his face as the gravitas of the fact sunk in. "A snake starting from," he brought his eyes up to her midriff, "And then it's humanoid," then to her face, "Thereafter..."
The moment of silence hung thickly still in the air as he stared into her eyes, his face unreadable.
"Huh," concluded Vaul, failing to come up with anything more profound. "Isn't that something."</s>
<|message|>Alyona Moroz
Alyona decided immediately that the girl that had spoken first, Diana, was quite annoying already. Maybe it was her voice or the way she changed the tone and tempo of her speech as she spoke, but it was grating on Alyona's nerves, so she ignored the girl for the time being.
However, it seemed best to introduce herself with this name that she somehow knew was hers. However, as Alyona prepared to speak, she was startled by a voice behind her. She lost her balance and almost fell over again, however managed to right herself before she could actually fall. To say Alyona was surprised would have been an understatement.
Vaul's astonishment and rather anticlimactic statement left Alyona off balance, figuratively. There were no words. Instead she shook off the daze after a moment and decided to introduce herself instead of pick up from his rather broken verbal observations. "Errr, hello, you can call me Alyona, and you are?"</s>
<|message|>Vaul
"Vaul." He replied smoothly enough, tilting his chin up in an unnecessarily prissy manner, and living up to his body's elven nature. "I'd say it would be nice to meet you, but in such a dreary place," he gestured to a nearby skeleton, then to the other figures nearby, "And the fact that we all appear to be bewildered by the situation we're in, it would be rather inappropriate, don't you think?"
"I must say," he added, running his eyes down Alyona's half-serpentine figure again. "You have a very interesting physique."
He pursed his lips thereafter, and ran his tongue across their dry length to wet them.</s>
<|message|>Diana
"Nice to meetcha, Isa! Oh, and Mister Bones, sorry, I don't have any gold. Does that make me poor? Aw, I don't wanna be poor~" Diana hummed airily in reply, her tone having stabilized now after getting a feel for how to speak. At the reactions, or rather lack thereof, of the others who were present though, the mud doll's expression soured slightly.
"...boring. Come on, if Isa's in the same situation as me, I'm guessing you guys will be too, right~? And nobody wants to talk about that? Really? That's just plain disap-"
Diana cut herself off as she paused for a moment, her eyes narrowing slightly.
'...that's what that must be, right? Even if I don't truly remember, this body remembers so I can still remember. And this body is telling me that...'
Her eyes shifted back to the statue as she took a step forward, looking at it with a focus completely antithetical to her prior demeanor. '...let's see, then.' She recited to herself mentally, before making use of an ability that came to the forefront as easily as breathing: Detect Magic, initiate.</s>
<|message|>Isa Nicolai
Isa had been listening to the various conversations, when the sudden stop of Diana's voice drew all of her attention back to the girl. She was simply standing there, looking at the statue. Isa followed her gaze up, to where the figure's face would have been, had it not been so weathered away. There doesn't seem to be any thing wring with-!
Isa's thought stopped as she saw a slight flicker over the statue's 'face', like the ripples of a pond after a stone has been skipped across the surface. Isa placed a hand on the base of the statue, and with the other she held the amulet around her neck. What am I doing... As soon as she asked herself the question, she knew the answer. That's right, I'm looking for the traces of magic in this statue. I might not be able to tell what type of magic, but I will sense it if there is any.</s>
<|message|>Alyona Moroz
Alyona was unsure of how to respond to Vaul's rather upfront behavior. However, before she could responded to Vaul, Alyona noticed a strange presence in the room, not that of a person, but more like an aura. Magic? It seemed a feasible enough answer, and if she could sense magic, that must mean she can use magic...right? Well, why not give it a try?
The entire time, she failed to realize that her face had been contorting to match her thoughts. Now, she closed her eyes and tried to focus...on what? The aura? Sure. That seemed right. As she focused, she opened herself to a new sensation, one similar to the aura she was feeling in the room. Deciding to just hazard a guess, she tried to detect whatever in the room was giving off this 'feeling.' Well, here goes something, she whispered under her breath, "Detect."</s>
| <|message|>Vaul
When Alyona turned away and began to narrow her eyes at something, Vaul was compelled to follow her gaze. But before he could ask if there was something interesting with the statue, he felt a sensation: a buzz in the air, a prickle on his skin, and a mild heat within his chest as he stared at the sculpture. His lips parted mildly in realization at this strangely familiar yet unfamiliar feeling, and with an effortless motion, as if by instinct, he raised his staff a few inches, muttered a heavy whisper, and brought the pommel down to cast the spell.
"Detect Magic."</s> |
<|description|>Alyona Moroz
Gender: Female
Alignment: Chaotic Neutral
Race: Lamia
Equipment: Chainmail armor, a tunic, a non-descript steel short sword, a pound of cured venison, and some flint and steel to strike a fire without using her mana
Combat Skills:
Sword Fighting: No real style, mostly used to defend, rarely interspersed with a slash or thrust, more often she will block or parry, preferring to use her tail.
The Tail: Used to crush, constrict, or generally hit people, it also serves as a 360 defense in its own right capable of deflecting projectile weapons and whipping the swords from opponents' hands.
Biting: Being a lamia, she has the ability to crush armor and bones between her powerful jaws. Any enemy caught in her bind and unlucky enough to find her hungry or wounded will meet an unpleasant end.
Non-Combat Skills: Foraging, map reading, and cooking(its less cooking and more of actually just not burning things(most of the time))
Mana: Medium
Magical Schools: Elemental, Illusion
Magical Abilities:
Conjure Fire: Creates fire from mana, can be formed into a ball and tossed(holding it may burn the user), or projected in a direction indicated by the hand.
Conjure Lightning: Much like conjure fire, conjure lightning converts mana into an elemental attack, creating an arc of electricty jolting through the air from the caster into a nearby target.
Glamour: A magical ability that lets her hide her form beneath a spell, making her appear as a member of the other humanoid species, decided at casting, the spell slowly but steadily drains her mana.
Hypnotic Eyes: Though not actual hypnotism, this allows the user to damper the target's will and help enforce the will of the user, making it easier to ask questions of, demand from, or generally suggest to the target.
Techniques: None
Personality: Tries to do what seems right, dislikes overbearing authority.
Talents:
Venom Control: The ability to control the venom glands, allowing the use of venom like spit, to spray enemies, as well as the ability to control the potency of the venom extruded from the glands.
APPROVED</s>
<|message|>Diana
This is not a premise where you once stood in an endless void. This is not within a die to be rolled and decide an outcome. This is not something which needs to be wiped away before beginning.
Rather, this is something with an outcome determined ahead of time.
-Initiate.
The black fades into white.
The white melts into color.
The void is struck by sound.
From suspension in a world where all was obscured by a dense fog, a soul is pulled away from the naught just as quickly as it was placed within. The lights and sounds accelerate, whirling against one another in a mad cacophony as they compress like the collapse of a neutron star-
Let's begin, then. Wake up.
I can feel the air.
I can feel the light.
I can feel myself.
---
A groan emanated outwards from the body of a homunculus as she rose to her feet, a hand reaching up to rub her eyes. "Gah, what the hell? My head..."
After trailing off, a look of confusion crossed the artificial life form's face as she retracted her hand.
"...my head?"
A split second passed before realization set in, the retracted hand immediately shooting up to the sky in celebration, fist clenched.
"Yes! It actually happened! Diana, it's time to experience life!" She announced brightly. "Oh, old owner of this body, hope y'don't mind that I'll probably be desecrating whatever you did with this thing. Well, you probably don't exist anymore, so who really cares~?"
An instant later, the figure staggered slightly in a dizzy spell. "Kyaa, okay, okay, not used to this yet." She hastily murmured to herself, steadying her posture against a stone wall. Of course, it had already been noticed. With the soul placed into a body, "information" ingrained into the body was now the property of the soul. Their "everything" was now Diana's.
Well, save for things contained in the old soul, like memories. But really, Diana could care less about that.
'Alrighty, let's see. Some shoddy survival gear, kay. This armor's not bad, I guess. Better than something this body can't support, which from what I can tell covers most armors. Why the hell do I have a sword though? This body's weeeaaak. Doesn't help that I've got this headache and still don't have the hang of this crap yet. Ow.'
Going over the information received by virtue of now being the "owner" of the body, Diana's expression grew annoyed.
'Hey, this...this is a joke, right? No physical specs, no special equipment, no nothing. I mean, sure, it's magic-specced, so I could let it slide if it had some cool magic. But this...isn't this just normal elemental magic? There's literally nothing special about anything here, it's just something that's managed to max out its 'normalcy' stat! Seriously, what the hell, old owner?'
Letting out a huff, Diana crossed her free arm over her chest in annoyance. "I deserve some better inheritance than this. Fuckin' jeez." She muttered to herself.
'...well, nothing for it. If the body's a boring old rock, I'll just use myself to polish it up.'
After ruminating to herself, Diana's gaze finally drifted over to the weathered statue that lay in the center, her right eyebrow quirking up slightly. "...oh?"</s>
<|message|>Boris Egon
I stretch, and yawn, before looking at my surroundings. Where am I? I don't remember anything here, not the statue, the old worn walls, or the beings around me. Goodness, but they are huge, or perhaps I am small... I examine myself as carefully as I can, I have wings! I am small and I wear things made from nature itself, bark, some of it fur-lined. I have a blade at my side, it looks like a thorn. I draw it, but refrain from touching the blade, knowing somehow that it is poisoned. Can I fly with these wings? I re-sheath my thorn before attempting to fly, just in case, and then ... I'm zipping along, up and around the statue! Oh, what fun this is! Why would anyone walk if they could fly like this? And then I feel it, a dull aching, a sharp pain, I fall. Landing with, well to be honest a squeak. It's hard not to squeak when one's vocal chords are as small as mine, and the air pushed forcefully out ones lungs. The pain is gone, but the aching is not. It must have been a cramp, yes that's what it had been.
Where am I now? On the statue's left shoulder I see. I didn't like the aching, or the bruises forming on my chest and legs from having fallen on the statue. I can heal those! And I do, my skin turning a greenish hue for a moment as the bruises and aches fade. Then nothing, but I feel... less full. I don't think I can repeat my actions, at least not yet, so I sit up carefully on the smooth shoulder and watch the other beings quietly. Will they notice me? If they do how will they react to me? I am so small, I doubt I could hurt any of them even if I tried, but I wasn't about to be anyone's pet, and they'd better not call me cute. Oh no, several of them are female, I vaguely recall that females tend to associate cute with small things, in fact, a things cuteness seemed to grow as it shrank. I'm doomed, this is not going to end well, but ... I can't leave yet, where will I go? What will I find? ... Drat, I'll have to stick with at least one of these creatures... wonderful, ain't it great to be alive? I scowl as the others gather their wits, though my focus shifts from being to being.</s>
<|message|>Vaul
A still silence dominated the underground expanse, with only the sounds of dripping water from overhead stalactites and the flow of a small stream being audible, though no-one was there to hear it. Ubiquitous darkness shrouded everything in shadow, the lumen globes already drained of mana and the torches burnt to uselessness. Chests had already been looted, and scientific apparati shattered into shards and bent metal; and from the temple entrance to the farthest wall, there was a trail of broken limbs and mutilated bodies, the rusting iron of weapons carelessly strewn about, and torn, heavy banners hanging from the ceiling, swaying to and fro as they peddled their now meaningless symbols to the mild breeze. Of course, in the oppressive shadow, he couldn't see any of this as he awoke.
"Urgh," he groaned, as his nostrils flared, hungrily sucking up the dank air and the life the came with it. Lying face-down on the floor, a small pain was incessant in his chest from a pebble he had been laying on, and he found his arms incredibly weary as he moved them from their place near his hip, winning the battle against rigor mortis.
He moved his hands further along, at the sides of his head, and pressed his palms against the damp cavern floor as hard as it was possible. Still weak, the effort it took to even sit on his knees was almost insufferable with its intensity, and Vaul succeeded only barely. A flash of instinct told him then that something important lay just towards his right, and he followed it, fingers alert, to feel a solid, deathly cold rod. His hand clenched with force, and he hefted the staff up by the rearward portions of its shaft, then steadied the pommel on the ground and grabbed it with his other hand to finally wrench himself away from the floor. And yet, no matter how many times he blinked, it was still dark where he was at.
And so he gestured thoughtlessly, his arm going from right to left in an aimless wave, and at that very instance glittered the underground stream as light, for the first time in forever, greeted its waters, coming from lumen globes held in sconces along the walls of the cavern. Vaul looked around, examining his new surroundings, unsure of what to make of it all, as after he swiveled his eyes horizontally, taking it all in, and looked down at his feet, there was the grinning face of a disembodied skull.
Mildly startled, he kicked it without a thought, the sudden effort jolting his muscles to spasm protectively as the calcium husk rolled away. A dull, but very noticeable pain was welling up in his left calf, as the gravitas of many dozens of armed corpses and opened, desecrated coffins extracted from their places within the walls began to sink in.
He found a smooth enough piece of rock towards the side, one that he made his way to and sat upon. He was surprised to feel something poking his hide, so he shifted a bit on his impromptu seat to get comfortable. He continued to breathe, his lungs admirably remembering how to, but his respiration lessened in vigor as his need for air decreased with time. Then he figured out the cause for the shadow hanging overhead, and pulled back his hood, and reached further back to feel the long tresses of his hair. Tiredly did he sigh.
"A Necromancer," he half-whispered, his voice not quite there, but the characteristic, moderate inflections that indicated a male were definitely noticeable. He cleared his throat, and tested his vocal cords again. "A Necromancer..."
Such was the breadth of the underground temple that wherever he looked, he could see the messy aftermath of whatever battle had occurred here. Though the air was putrid, he could find no more flesh on what had once been thralls to whoever once owned this body. It had all rotted away, and a dozen skulls grimaced silently his way as he just sat there, finding hints of pain as he experimentally flexed his limbs. He brought his hands to his eyes and rubbed away the earthly crust that had formed on them, as he began to think on the road ahead.
And when he took his hands away, he finally noticed the statue of the goddess, and other other, peculiar figures rising from the floor far away, in the center of the expanse.</s>
| <|message|>Alyona Moroz
The sound of feet, the cold ground under her body, the groggy sensation of waking before one wishes too, the slowly fading darkness, all of these were things Alyona experienced as she opened her eyes, rather unwillingly to find new sensation to experience. She could move her arms and tai-wait, arms? TAIL? As her vision sharpened, she could look at her arms, skin as white as fresh plaster. Alyona forced herself up off the ground, to a standing(?) position so she could look at her tail easily, instead she wobbled and fell backwards.
There was a small pain in her back as the rings of the chainmail dug into her back from falling on it. This new position offered a way to view her tail more easily though, and so, she tried her best to control the tail managing to raise it so that she could partially view it, a snake's tail. Raising her head, she looked down, it seemed that at her waist, her human body turned into that of a serpent of some sort.
Letting her tail fall to the ground with a slapping sound, Alyona tried again to stand, rolling over and then raising her torso up again. Wobbly still, she put a hand on one of the mossy walls for support and attempted to steady herself.
She used this time to study her surroundings, other figures visible in the room. They, however, failed to garner Alyona's attention as she stared at the statue in the center of the room. Majestic in its own right, seemingly the only thing in this room that had not crumbled away or been reclaimed by moss. Tearing her attention from the statue, she viewed the others in the room, both humanoids, one seemed intent to hide his features while the other seemed to be a pale human, though nowhere near as pale as Alyona herself.
Finally, she returned her attention to herself, finding some kind of satchel, of course inside wasn't much, some meat and some flint and steel, obviously fire starting implements. On her other "hip" she found a short sword. Not much in the way of equipment, obviously she needed to buy some actual equipment first chance she got.</s> |
<|description|>Alyona Moroz
Gender: Female
Alignment: Chaotic Neutral
Race: Lamia
Equipment: Chainmail armor, a tunic, a non-descript steel short sword, a pound of cured venison, and some flint and steel to strike a fire without using her mana
Combat Skills:
Sword Fighting: No real style, mostly used to defend, rarely interspersed with a slash or thrust, more often she will block or parry, preferring to use her tail.
The Tail: Used to crush, constrict, or generally hit people, it also serves as a 360 defense in its own right capable of deflecting projectile weapons and whipping the swords from opponents' hands.
Biting: Being a lamia, she has the ability to crush armor and bones between her powerful jaws. Any enemy caught in her bind and unlucky enough to find her hungry or wounded will meet an unpleasant end.
Non-Combat Skills: Foraging, map reading, and cooking(its less cooking and more of actually just not burning things(most of the time))
Mana: Medium
Magical Schools: Elemental, Illusion
Magical Abilities:
Conjure Fire: Creates fire from mana, can be formed into a ball and tossed(holding it may burn the user), or projected in a direction indicated by the hand.
Conjure Lightning: Much like conjure fire, conjure lightning converts mana into an elemental attack, creating an arc of electricty jolting through the air from the caster into a nearby target.
Glamour: A magical ability that lets her hide her form beneath a spell, making her appear as a member of the other humanoid species, decided at casting, the spell slowly but steadily drains her mana.
Hypnotic Eyes: Though not actual hypnotism, this allows the user to damper the target's will and help enforce the will of the user, making it easier to ask questions of, demand from, or generally suggest to the target.
Techniques: None
Personality: Tries to do what seems right, dislikes overbearing authority.
Talents:
Venom Control: The ability to control the venom glands, allowing the use of venom like spit, to spray enemies, as well as the ability to control the potency of the venom extruded from the glands.
APPROVED</s>
<|message|>Airan Vasilly
Everyone else should have been able to talk; why didn't they? Why did no one say anything, greet each other? How long would they stay in awkward silence before one would take the initiative to address the broader group? How much longer would everyone else be content to remain in this strange silence that Airan felt was unbearable? His own attempts to speak had all failed; it did not understand - other than the fact it simply just couldn't talk. Had this slime lost its ability to speak before its body was granted to him? Was this intentional?
Even as he approached the statue with everyone else, he could not help but feel agonized. The silence was dangerous. It was a sign they did not wish to communicate. That meant mistrust. The occupants of this room mistrusted each other, and that, Airan felt, was dangerous. Mistrust led to paranoia, paranoia led to recklessness and recklessness led to mistakes. Fatal ones. Killings in the name of self defence; any hope for teamwork and cooperation destroyed by the idea that each other was out to get everyone else.
...Come to think about it, maybe it was he who was just paranoid.
As he walked, one step at a time, his helmet's movement the only indication that his gaze was switching between all of the occupants in the room, the silent knight only wanted one thing.
Speak. Make conversation. Do anything to end this unbearable silence.</s>
<|message|>Diana
As if a benevolent goddess had deigned to answer the prayers of the metal-encased slime, the silence was broken moments later.
Though considering the means by which this occurred, perhaps it would be better to say that this goddess was less "benevolent" and more "bored". Who could really know what goddesses were thinking?
"Yo. Yo. Yo."
The homunculus who had been among the first to awaken emanated the sound three times, each time in a different pitch, as if she were deciding on which one felt most natural.
Loosing a brief cough afterwards, she then began speaking again, electing to go with the second pitch.
"Hiya, how is everyone~? You all look kinda confused too, so I'm guessing none of you remember anything before this point in time either, riiiight? Those wonderfully dumb, slack-jawed expressions of yours are just screaming the truth~!"
"...well, except for mister armor over there, but I'm sure he's the same way."
Diana immediately launched into a stream of dialogue, as if needing to warm up her vocal chords by alternating the speed of her speech from slow to fast in a mad cascade.
"Well, if you do remember stuff and I'm the odd duck out then that'd probably be for the better. Bunch of people all waking up in a room with amnesia or something, like, really? Way too coincidental to be normal, which'd mean there'd be a cause for it, which means it wouldn't be standard, which means we probably have some shared factor or situation, and that'd all be really annoying."
"Bleh, whatever, we can get to discussing what we know and don't know after we're all nice and acquainted, right? I'm Diana, but you can call me Diana. Or Miss Diana, I guess, but just Diana works too. Let's all get along~"</s>
<|message|>Isa Nicolai
Isa had just been about to say something, to break the silence between the other creatures, when one of them launched herself into a strange and somewhat annoying monolouge. Her pitch and tone and tempo changed constantly as she spoke, and Isa didn't like it.
"I find myself in a similar situation to you, Diana." Isa spoke slowly, calmly, not wanting to seem threatening to anyone, but not wanting to seem bubbly or immature as the girl, as Diana, had seemed to her. Isa walked closer to the statue that was in the center of the group, more so that they could see her than for her to see them.
Taking a breath, Isa made her tone lighter and tried to add a touch of kindness to her words. "I am Isa, by the way. I don't know who any of you are, but I suppose I should say that for some reason, I don't feel on edge around you. I may not remember the events that brought us together, but I trust my intuition. I dont think that any of us are meant to be enemies here."</s>
<|message|>Victor
While 2 others talked, Victor stared at the statue. It was likely that the others who were also staring at it had similar thoughts to each other, though their thoughts probably weren't the same as his own.
I wonder how much this is worth.
It was quite brilliant statue, actually. It was glowing and it was well made. It was probably magical, but there was no way he was taking it out of the cave by himself. With that said, he couldn't help but think about what he would get if he sold it, which was strange to a newly reformed body.
It was weird how the statue was surrounded by corpses, but it was weirder how he wanted to get a lot of gold. He wasn't sure why, but he really felt like he wanted a lot of money, like he couldn't live without it. The lust for gold nagged at his mind, and he couldn't hold explain it. It didn't feel like him to coop up his feelings, so he tried saying something.
His jaw fell open clumsily and a squeeky weeze emerged, somewhat reminiscent of human speech but intelligible. Something was stuck in his throat. He put his hand into his mouth and tried to clear his airway. When he pulled his hand out, it was covered in cobwebs.
Ew. Victor thought, coughing to clear out the remaining cobwebs.
"Ugh..." A voice said.
It was Victor's voice. His body's voice. It reminded him of a bad flute player's music. Probably what he should expect from a skeleton, really. But there was only one reason he tried to speak, one reason alone.
"Hey, anyone got some gold on them?" He said, adjusting his jawbone to speak better.</s>
<|message|>Vaul
Vaul ran his tongue along the irregularities of his teeth, against the elastic resistance of his cheeks, and the unyielding quality of the roof of his mouth. Vigor was slowly returning to his body as he sat there on his comfy little rock, and finally he stood up after some time. Using his rather ornate staff as a walking stick, he stepped over the small underground stream in the dim light, managing not to wet the hem of his robes. It felt good to move, to relax and contract his muscles to construct a more or less steady gait. Eventually, he neared the figures clustered around the statue at the center of the temple.
His ears twitched as he caught the lamia whispering "Who is she? Why is it down here? Who am I and why am I here?" and at such a relatively far distance that he was surprised himself.
"Why indeed?" Vaul replied, as he came up behind her, more to catch her attention than to offer anything useful. His eyes had a strange glimmer about them as he eyed the scales of Alyona's serpentine tail, walking with close steps in a semicircle around her before stopping at her front.
"You're a snake down there..." he breathed out in genuine amazement, with a rather nonplussed expression on his face as the gravitas of the fact sunk in. "A snake starting from," he brought his eyes up to her midriff, "And then it's humanoid," then to her face, "Thereafter..."
The moment of silence hung thickly still in the air as he stared into her eyes, his face unreadable.
"Huh," concluded Vaul, failing to come up with anything more profound. "Isn't that something."</s>
<|message|>Alyona Moroz
Alyona decided immediately that the girl that had spoken first, Diana, was quite annoying already. Maybe it was her voice or the way she changed the tone and tempo of her speech as she spoke, but it was grating on Alyona's nerves, so she ignored the girl for the time being.
However, it seemed best to introduce herself with this name that she somehow knew was hers. However, as Alyona prepared to speak, she was startled by a voice behind her. She lost her balance and almost fell over again, however managed to right herself before she could actually fall. To say Alyona was surprised would have been an understatement.
Vaul's astonishment and rather anticlimactic statement left Alyona off balance, figuratively. There were no words. Instead she shook off the daze after a moment and decided to introduce herself instead of pick up from his rather broken verbal observations. "Errr, hello, you can call me Alyona, and you are?"</s>
<|message|>Vaul
"Vaul." He replied smoothly enough, tilting his chin up in an unnecessarily prissy manner, and living up to his body's elven nature. "I'd say it would be nice to meet you, but in such a dreary place," he gestured to a nearby skeleton, then to the other figures nearby, "And the fact that we all appear to be bewildered by the situation we're in, it would be rather inappropriate, don't you think?"
"I must say," he added, running his eyes down Alyona's half-serpentine figure again. "You have a very interesting physique."
He pursed his lips thereafter, and ran his tongue across their dry length to wet them.</s>
<|message|>Diana
"Nice to meetcha, Isa! Oh, and Mister Bones, sorry, I don't have any gold. Does that make me poor? Aw, I don't wanna be poor~" Diana hummed airily in reply, her tone having stabilized now after getting a feel for how to speak. At the reactions, or rather lack thereof, of the others who were present though, the mud doll's expression soured slightly.
"...boring. Come on, if Isa's in the same situation as me, I'm guessing you guys will be too, right~? And nobody wants to talk about that? Really? That's just plain disap-"
Diana cut herself off as she paused for a moment, her eyes narrowing slightly.
'...that's what that must be, right? Even if I don't truly remember, this body remembers so I can still remember. And this body is telling me that...'
Her eyes shifted back to the statue as she took a step forward, looking at it with a focus completely antithetical to her prior demeanor. '...let's see, then.' She recited to herself mentally, before making use of an ability that came to the forefront as easily as breathing: Detect Magic, initiate.</s>
<|message|>Isa Nicolai
Isa had been listening to the various conversations, when the sudden stop of Diana's voice drew all of her attention back to the girl. She was simply standing there, looking at the statue. Isa followed her gaze up, to where the figure's face would have been, had it not been so weathered away. There doesn't seem to be any thing wring with-!
Isa's thought stopped as she saw a slight flicker over the statue's 'face', like the ripples of a pond after a stone has been skipped across the surface. Isa placed a hand on the base of the statue, and with the other she held the amulet around her neck. What am I doing... As soon as she asked herself the question, she knew the answer. That's right, I'm looking for the traces of magic in this statue. I might not be able to tell what type of magic, but I will sense it if there is any.</s>
| <|message|>Alyona Moroz
Alyona was unsure of how to respond to Vaul's rather upfront behavior. However, before she could responded to Vaul, Alyona noticed a strange presence in the room, not that of a person, but more like an aura. Magic? It seemed a feasible enough answer, and if she could sense magic, that must mean she can use magic...right? Well, why not give it a try?
The entire time, she failed to realize that her face had been contorting to match her thoughts. Now, she closed her eyes and tried to focus...on what? The aura? Sure. That seemed right. As she focused, she opened herself to a new sensation, one similar to the aura she was feeling in the room. Deciding to just hazard a guess, she tried to detect whatever in the room was giving off this 'feeling.' Well, here goes something, she whispered under her breath, "Detect."</s> |
<|description|>Alyona Moroz
Gender: Female
Alignment: Chaotic Neutral
Race: Lamia
Equipment: Chainmail armor, a tunic, a non-descript steel short sword, a pound of cured venison, and some flint and steel to strike a fire without using her mana
Combat Skills:
Sword Fighting: No real style, mostly used to defend, rarely interspersed with a slash or thrust, more often she will block or parry, preferring to use her tail.
The Tail: Used to crush, constrict, or generally hit people, it also serves as a 360 defense in its own right capable of deflecting projectile weapons and whipping the swords from opponents' hands.
Biting: Being a lamia, she has the ability to crush armor and bones between her powerful jaws. Any enemy caught in her bind and unlucky enough to find her hungry or wounded will meet an unpleasant end.
Non-Combat Skills: Foraging, map reading, and cooking(its less cooking and more of actually just not burning things(most of the time))
Mana: Medium
Magical Schools: Elemental, Illusion
Magical Abilities:
Conjure Fire: Creates fire from mana, can be formed into a ball and tossed(holding it may burn the user), or projected in a direction indicated by the hand.
Conjure Lightning: Much like conjure fire, conjure lightning converts mana into an elemental attack, creating an arc of electricty jolting through the air from the caster into a nearby target.
Glamour: A magical ability that lets her hide her form beneath a spell, making her appear as a member of the other humanoid species, decided at casting, the spell slowly but steadily drains her mana.
Hypnotic Eyes: Though not actual hypnotism, this allows the user to damper the target's will and help enforce the will of the user, making it easier to ask questions of, demand from, or generally suggest to the target.
Techniques: None
Personality: Tries to do what seems right, dislikes overbearing authority.
Talents:
Venom Control: The ability to control the venom glands, allowing the use of venom like spit, to spray enemies, as well as the ability to control the potency of the venom extruded from the glands.
APPROVED</s>
<|message|>Vaul
When Alyona turned away and began to narrow her eyes at something, Vaul was compelled to follow her gaze. But before he could ask if there was something interesting with the statue, he felt a sensation: a buzz in the air, a prickle on his skin, and a mild heat within his chest as he stared at the sculpture. His lips parted mildly in realization at this strangely familiar yet unfamiliar feeling, and with an effortless motion, as if by instinct, he raised his staff a few inches, muttered a heavy whisper, and brought the pommel down to cast the spell.
"Detect Magic."</s>
<|message|>Victor
"No money? Bummer." Victor said, swinging his jaw back and forth.
It was a little loose and fun to play with, but it probably wouldn't do well to lose it so he slotted it back into place.
"I wonder if can find some money..." Victor muttered.
His lust for gold was truly odd, but he had nothing else to go on. Acting on his instincts, his surveyed the equipment of the others around the statue. Some of it seemed to be extremely valuable and Victor would've liked to have it.
No stealing, though. Victor thought. Stealing is rude. Hmm....
He turned his attention to the various corpses that hadn't gotten up. Perhaps he would find something of worth among the cadavers.
"Alrighty then," Victor said, walking over to the nearest un-moving corpse and rifling through its pockets.</s>
<|message|>Boris Egon
Boris felt the energies move as the two other casters wove their spells, and decided that looking around in more than one way was a good idea, and reached for the currents with his small but rather sharp and strong mind, seeking the nature and sources of any magic in the nearby local. Fey magic didn't quite express itself in the same manner as the big-peoples magic did, but it served an identical function in many ways.
Oh dear... such clamorous beings, must they be so loud and obnoxious? Ooh... a greedy skeleton? This he had to mock. What could he possibly use gold for? Food and drink would be worthless to him, clothing pointless, and Boris was pretty sure the skeleton wasn't the vogue art collector type. He decided to play a trick on the old stack of bones, and pulled several small drops of water from the stream nearby, and used them to imitate flashes and glints of light, as the skeleton moved from corpse to corpse. After each flash of light, the drop of water would be dropped onto the floor where it slowly seeped into the ground and another was pulled from the stream to replace it. Boris chuckled to himself, disliking the high pitch of his voice, but expecting it from such a small frame. If the skeleton began following the trail of glints, he would wander in a around criss-crossing the same area though never returning to the same corpse twice.</s>
<|message|>Diana
"Oh?"
An airy smile crossed Diana's face as the result of her surveyance of the ambient magic in the room returned to her, information ingraining itself into her mind. Without another word, a pale hand of the homunculus reached out to pluck a small note off of the statue. After doing so, she emanated a slight giggle, as if awaiting the note to explode, or summon an eldritch abomination, or explode and then summon an eldritch abomination.
Well, you only live once. Or something. Derp charge ahoy.
"...what a joke. Someone here's got a sense of humor, that's nice~"
Speaking to herself but also speaking intentionally loudly as if to inform the others, she turned her eyes to the note with a raised eyebrow.
'Let's see what this has to say. I don't like being in the dark about this trash, not one bit.' She thought to herself as she trailed a finger along the note.
After a fraction of a second passed though, Diana raised an eyebrow. Even if she herself didn't recognize something of this nature, her body certainly did. '...huh, they really do have a sense of humor, leaving something completely useless like this here.' She thought to herself with a half-dissatisfied expression. "Bleh, that's disappointing."</s>
<|message|>Boris Egon
Boris lost his train of thought as one of the creatures surrounding him, and the statue, picked up a note he had over looked. He released the spell manipulating the water droplets, and watched as the note was read... waiting to hear what was said. He knew it held magic in it's frail form, but not what purpose the magic served. When the note was not commented on for some time, Boris's curiosity got the better of him, and he jumped from the statues shoulder and flew to the wrist of the hand holding the note. There he landed lightly and began reading it for himself. It didn't occur to him that his current position might not be smiled upon by the owner the wrist he stood on.</s>
<|message|>Diana
Diana raised an eyebrow as she turned to the fairy that had chosen to sit on her wrist, her hand not touching the note moving to lightly pluck him off. Of course, anything too rough could kill the poor thing, so she was naturally careful.
"What are you trying to do, Mr. Fairy~?" She asked. "Personal space is important, y'know."
Of course, upon looking at the note, he would have naturally noticed that it was completely blank.</s>
<|message|>Irmo Muskerra
Irmo stepped around the homonculi after getting a look at the scroll from his perspective.
"Sso the scroll was blank. Thiss is a pity. Perhaps we should investigate that orb, no? As far as clues in this place go, that idol is all we have to go by. Unlesss you want to dig through the corpses. Does anyone object?"
The kobold approached the statue, waiting a brief moment for anyone to interject.</s>
<|message|>Victor
"Hmm... There's not much on these bodies..." Victor said.
Disappointing, really. He expected more, somewhat. Some of them looked like pretty good adventurers.
"What's this?" Victor said, suddenly noticing the trail of shiny things.
He walked slowly to a shining point and found that it was actually a puddle of water.
"Neat." Victor said. "It's like, light or something."
He began to follow the light, wondering where it led. He remained oblivious to the fact that it led him in circles.</s>
<|message|>Boris Egon
Boris noted that the note appeared to be blank, and was about try and touch it to see if he could ind any hidden information when he plucked from his perch. Annoyed, Boris listened to the big people, they were always so touchy about space, as if the had made the space around them, or bought it for a high price, it confused Boris really, especially when the same beings had no problem crushing entire cities, sometimes even entire countries, of little people as if they didn't even exist in the first place.
How is it that personal space is worth more than forcibly moving an entire person? Or do I not count as a person for some reason? You either know good and well what I was doing or you're to stupid for me to bother attempting to explain it to you, with my luck it's the latter.
He mumbles the last phrase about his luck. He shifts focus as the kobold speaks up, asking about the orb. Kobolds were nice enough, they rarely messed with little folk. Granted that might be due to their affinity for living underground, and so were less likely to run into little folk, but Boris didn't care about that.
Be my guest Scaly; Skeley there is already digging through the dead.</s>
<|message|>Diana
"If you wanted to know what the note was, you could've asked me, Mr. Fairy~" Diana hummed before looking back at the paper with a dissatisfied expression. "Either way, no harm in explaining, seeing as its equally useless for all of us. Even if I don't remember "me", I remember "this". This here is a magic little database. It's built to store information, like a better version of a book. It could hold arcane secrets, could hold a recipe for pie, could hold a compendium of erotica, who really knows? Maybe it's blank and we can use it as a diary." She explained, before letting out a slight huff.
"Problem is, this requires a magical password to access it, and seeing as nobody else seems to remember anything either, that means we won't be able to guess it. Brute forcing past the password is practically impossible, and on top of that I can't tell if this is even blank or not, so for now it's useless." She stated, reaching around with the hand holding the note to deposit it in her Bag of Miscellaneous Goodies, nestled firmly within the folds of her blanket. "I'll hold onto it on the offchance we figure out the password, but unless there's something in here that could be the password, the odds of that are just barely above zero, so don't get optimistic. Maybe it's the sort of thing we won't find a way to access until we're about to fight the Demon Lord, I don't know."
"Hey, Mr. Gold n' Bones, has your searching turned up anything that looks like a password?" She called out, releasing Boris from her fingers. "Sorry about the rough handling, Mr. Fairy~" She said with a slight giggle, "Didn't mean to be rude, let's get along!"</s>
<|message|>Boris Egon
Boris, glad to be free of the witch's claws, flew back to the statue, wondering if it held the password, whatever that was. Landing on the shoulder opposite his previous landing, and put one hand against the statues smooth face, trying to feel for anything magical from the weathered stone what kind of magic it held.
He hoped that being on the statue would prevent anyone else from grabbing him... He also noticed that the witch gave no reply to his question but still wanted be friends... She sounded rather like a fey herself, and he wondered if she had been made by one of the more powerful fey. They did such things occasionally, when they got bored, or wanted revenge on the big people for disturbing their smaller cousins. Boris wondered if any of the others even knew of the fey, the witch probably did, the skeleton and kobold might not though. The rest? hmmm, he wasn't sure yet about the others most of them hadn't said or done anything since waking up anyway, or at least he hadn't noticed them doing much of anything.</s>
<|message|>Isa Nicolai
It seems that when Isa started to look for magic within the statue, her focus narrowed so much that she didn't notice anything that happened until she took her hand from the base of the statue. She hadn't been able to find more than just a thread of magic, so she was slightly disappointed as she broke her search just in time to hear Diana's lecture on how useless something was. Isa looked around the room, trying to figure out what all had changed while she was... entranced? Isa looked back to the statue in surprise. Had I been entranced when I touched it? That could explain the fact that I had only been able to find a thread of magic, I wasn't focused anymore when I was pulled into the trance... That means there is definitely some magic here, but I'm not going to try to find what it is again. At least, not yet.
While Isa was thinking, she had semi-listened to Diana's tirade, and when she looked over at the girl she was surprised to see her holding a Fey in one hand and a scroll in the other. The useless thing must be that scroll... But where did the fairy come from? Isa thought as she watched the girl put the scroll into a bag of hers and drop the fairy. As she got over her shock at seeing the girl be so careless to the creature, she noticed that there was now a Kobold standing by the base of the statue also.
Isa stepped away from the statue as she spoke to the Kobold. "I wouldn't touch the statue. It just... I think I went into some kind of trance when I touched it."</s>
<|message|>Victor
"Hm? Oh, no." Victor said in response to the homunculus's question.
He temporarily snapped out of the looting trance as she asked him something.
"Didn't find too much stuff on them, they're not that rich..." Victor trailed off. "Wait, why do we need a password? For what?"
He was confused slightly, as a result of screwing around for a while. The gold water shut off and he'd been looting bodies, so what had happened in the few minutes he'd been looting bodies? Perplexing, really. What were the rest of them doing exactly?</s>
| <|message|>Alyona Moroz
Alyona could sense the magic from the statue, and she pondered, briefly, how to act upon it. In the end, however, she decided to leave it alone. What she really wanted was to leave, especially considering what a let down the note had been.
She decided that she was bored of sitting in this cave while the others just talked and generally wasted time, Alyona said, "I'm leaving. Sitting around here with the statue and bones isn't helping us get our memories back."
With that she began to slither, awkwardly, sometimes a bit wobbly, towards what appeared to be an exit...at least it left the room, so maybe it led to an exit?</s> |
<|description|>Victor
Gender: Male
Alignment: Chaotic neutral
Race: Undead (skeleton)
Appearance: He looks like a skeleton. He wears an eyepatch and pirate captain clothes, sporting a cred and gold pirate coat and a swag-as-hell pirate captain hat.
Equipment: Old cutlass, hand crossbow, 5 old bombs that sometimes work, old pistol that works, old telescope that works pretty well. 5 bits of old gold which needs to be converted to normal gold. Flint and steel to light his bombs, but he should replace them soon as they're pretty worn. A box of crossbow bolts (12 old ones which can't really be trusted) and a box of bullets (6 of them which are fine), along with a pouch of powder (which he needs more of and is likely mostly inert). Gun holster, hand-mounted crossbow holster, scabbard. Worn pants and a belt.
Combat Skills: Pirate fighting. Somewhat skilled offensive swordplay, honed to fight multiple enemies at once. It employs 'dirty tricks' like sucker punches and kicks, but hey – anything goes. Able to use pretty much any one handed weapon to a certain degree of skill. He's also pretty good at parrying and using a one handed ranged weapon in either hand.
Non-Combat Skills: Excellent sense of direction, adept at climbing ship rigging. Good at navigation, able to use the stars for direction. Good leadership skills. Good at jumping high because he has no flesh, also good at going fast. Quite good at free running. Ambidextrous as a result of necessity but his preferred hand is his right hand.
Mana: Not a lot. Less than a standard human.
Magical Schools: None
Magical spells:
Blade of avarice
Blade of avarice is a move that draws on the user's monetary possessions and worth of their belongings to increase damage. What the user is considered to 'own' varies on the user, and the worth of their belongings is rounded to a standard market price. Basically, the richer you are, the more blade of Avarice does. It takes a bit of mana and is only applicable for a single strike. It is unknown how the ability knows how much your stuff is worth relative to the modern market.
Counter stance
Counter stance is a move that drains mana the longer one is in it. It allows the user to react to single-target attacks with inhuman reflexes, deflecting bullets, arrows and swords with ease. If the attacker is attacking with a melee weapon, counter stance allows the user to land a free riposte. Counter stance counters every attack launched at the user within its time frame but drains mana really fast. Also, the user can't counter area of effect attacks and they can only counter targeted spells if their weapon allows them to do so. The user can move while using counter stance and even use it in the air, but it takes a lot of mana still.
Mana steal
With the ungodly power of the undead, the user can suck the life force of things that live. It's a technique that buffs the user's attack with the power of stealing-people's-mana, so this particular ghost pirate can add mana to the list of stuff he pillages. The mana stolen is converted to mana usable by the user, but bleeds out slowly.
Artificial Spirit
Personality: Victor likes shiny stuff and is curious. Is a realist to a point. That said, he's a free spirit and likes to joke around. He likes to explore all the options before working out the solution, and he's rather mischievous at times. He likes trolling people, but he's pretty laid-back at times. He's the kind of person that gets into trouble because he's bored.
Talents: Minor telekinesis, also has a talent for stealth.
Approved</s>
<|message|>Boris Egon
I stretch, and yawn, before looking at my surroundings. Where am I? I don't remember anything here, not the statue, the old worn walls, or the beings around me. Goodness, but they are huge, or perhaps I am small... I examine myself as carefully as I can, I have wings! I am small and I wear things made from nature itself, bark, some of it fur-lined. I have a blade at my side, it looks like a thorn. I draw it, but refrain from touching the blade, knowing somehow that it is poisoned. Can I fly with these wings? I re-sheath my thorn before attempting to fly, just in case, and then ... I'm zipping along, up and around the statue! Oh, what fun this is! Why would anyone walk if they could fly like this? And then I feel it, a dull aching, a sharp pain, I fall. Landing with, well to be honest a squeak. It's hard not to squeak when one's vocal chords are as small as mine, and the air pushed forcefully out ones lungs. The pain is gone, but the aching is not. It must have been a cramp, yes that's what it had been.
Where am I now? On the statue's left shoulder I see. I didn't like the aching, or the bruises forming on my chest and legs from having fallen on the statue. I can heal those! And I do, my skin turning a greenish hue for a moment as the bruises and aches fade. Then nothing, but I feel... less full. I don't think I can repeat my actions, at least not yet, so I sit up carefully on the smooth shoulder and watch the other beings quietly. Will they notice me? If they do how will they react to me? I am so small, I doubt I could hurt any of them even if I tried, but I wasn't about to be anyone's pet, and they'd better not call me cute. Oh no, several of them are female, I vaguely recall that females tend to associate cute with small things, in fact, a things cuteness seemed to grow as it shrank. I'm doomed, this is not going to end well, but ... I can't leave yet, where will I go? What will I find? ... Drat, I'll have to stick with at least one of these creatures... wonderful, ain't it great to be alive? I scowl as the others gather their wits, though my focus shifts from being to being.</s>
<|message|>Vaul
A still silence dominated the underground expanse, with only the sounds of dripping water from overhead stalactites and the flow of a small stream being audible, though no-one was there to hear it. Ubiquitous darkness shrouded everything in shadow, the lumen globes already drained of mana and the torches burnt to uselessness. Chests had already been looted, and scientific apparati shattered into shards and bent metal; and from the temple entrance to the farthest wall, there was a trail of broken limbs and mutilated bodies, the rusting iron of weapons carelessly strewn about, and torn, heavy banners hanging from the ceiling, swaying to and fro as they peddled their now meaningless symbols to the mild breeze. Of course, in the oppressive shadow, he couldn't see any of this as he awoke.
"Urgh," he groaned, as his nostrils flared, hungrily sucking up the dank air and the life the came with it. Lying face-down on the floor, a small pain was incessant in his chest from a pebble he had been laying on, and he found his arms incredibly weary as he moved them from their place near his hip, winning the battle against rigor mortis.
He moved his hands further along, at the sides of his head, and pressed his palms against the damp cavern floor as hard as it was possible. Still weak, the effort it took to even sit on his knees was almost insufferable with its intensity, and Vaul succeeded only barely. A flash of instinct told him then that something important lay just towards his right, and he followed it, fingers alert, to feel a solid, deathly cold rod. His hand clenched with force, and he hefted the staff up by the rearward portions of its shaft, then steadied the pommel on the ground and grabbed it with his other hand to finally wrench himself away from the floor. And yet, no matter how many times he blinked, it was still dark where he was at.
And so he gestured thoughtlessly, his arm going from right to left in an aimless wave, and at that very instance glittered the underground stream as light, for the first time in forever, greeted its waters, coming from lumen globes held in sconces along the walls of the cavern. Vaul looked around, examining his new surroundings, unsure of what to make of it all, as after he swiveled his eyes horizontally, taking it all in, and looked down at his feet, there was the grinning face of a disembodied skull.
Mildly startled, he kicked it without a thought, the sudden effort jolting his muscles to spasm protectively as the calcium husk rolled away. A dull, but very noticeable pain was welling up in his left calf, as the gravitas of many dozens of armed corpses and opened, desecrated coffins extracted from their places within the walls began to sink in.
He found a smooth enough piece of rock towards the side, one that he made his way to and sat upon. He was surprised to feel something poking his hide, so he shifted a bit on his impromptu seat to get comfortable. He continued to breathe, his lungs admirably remembering how to, but his respiration lessened in vigor as his need for air decreased with time. Then he figured out the cause for the shadow hanging overhead, and pulled back his hood, and reached further back to feel the long tresses of his hair. Tiredly did he sigh.
"A Necromancer," he half-whispered, his voice not quite there, but the characteristic, moderate inflections that indicated a male were definitely noticeable. He cleared his throat, and tested his vocal cords again. "A Necromancer..."
Such was the breadth of the underground temple that wherever he looked, he could see the messy aftermath of whatever battle had occurred here. Though the air was putrid, he could find no more flesh on what had once been thralls to whoever once owned this body. It had all rotted away, and a dozen skulls grimaced silently his way as he just sat there, finding hints of pain as he experimentally flexed his limbs. He brought his hands to his eyes and rubbed away the earthly crust that had formed on them, as he began to think on the road ahead.
And when he took his hands away, he finally noticed the statue of the goddess, and other other, peculiar figures rising from the floor far away, in the center of the expanse.</s>
<|message|>Alyona Moroz
The sound of feet, the cold ground under her body, the groggy sensation of waking before one wishes too, the slowly fading darkness, all of these were things Alyona experienced as she opened her eyes, rather unwillingly to find new sensation to experience. She could move her arms and tai-wait, arms? TAIL? As her vision sharpened, she could look at her arms, skin as white as fresh plaster. Alyona forced herself up off the ground, to a standing(?) position so she could look at her tail easily, instead she wobbled and fell backwards.
There was a small pain in her back as the rings of the chainmail dug into her back from falling on it. This new position offered a way to view her tail more easily though, and so, she tried her best to control the tail managing to raise it so that she could partially view it, a snake's tail. Raising her head, she looked down, it seemed that at her waist, her human body turned into that of a serpent of some sort.
Letting her tail fall to the ground with a slapping sound, Alyona tried again to stand, rolling over and then raising her torso up again. Wobbly still, she put a hand on one of the mossy walls for support and attempted to steady herself.
She used this time to study her surroundings, other figures visible in the room. They, however, failed to garner Alyona's attention as she stared at the statue in the center of the room. Majestic in its own right, seemingly the only thing in this room that had not crumbled away or been reclaimed by moss. Tearing her attention from the statue, she viewed the others in the room, both humanoids, one seemed intent to hide his features while the other seemed to be a pale human, though nowhere near as pale as Alyona herself.
Finally, she returned her attention to herself, finding some kind of satchel, of course inside wasn't much, some meat and some flint and steel, obviously fire starting implements. On her other "hip" she found a short sword. Not much in the way of equipment, obviously she needed to buy some actual equipment first chance she got.</s>
| <|message|>Victor
A pile of rags and bone in the corner shifted. A fleshless scarecrow of a man, once strong; now dead. A lifeless husk of what it once was. Or was it? The skeleton shifted once again and went back to being still. The Skeleton rolled over and curled into the foetal position.
Five more minutes... Victor thought.
He shifted once again and tried going back to sleep, but he realised that it was strangely uncomfortable now, and something was poking him in the ribs.
Wait... Ribs... I'm alive? Victor thought.
He got up to a sitting position suddenly. A pirate hat fell off his head and onto his lap. Victor reached over to pick it up, but noticed that his hand was missing something. Namely flesh. He got up quickly and ran to a nearby puddle to check his reflection and a leering skull met his view. He reached up to touch his face and the reflection mirrored the action.
Nope, doesn't look like I'm alive. Victor thought.
He shrugged and walked away from the puddle. He was moving, at least. He could think. That was something. So maybe he was technically alive, but also not alive?
Victor scanned the room. Maybe there was something around that could explain why he was a Skeleton. He spotted a large, glowing statue in the middle of it.
Well, that looks pretty. Victor noted.
He decided to walk over and investigate it. Maybe it would have the answers he wanted.
(If you're wondering, the ground was poking at his ribs)</s> |
<|description|>Victor
Gender: Male
Alignment: Chaotic neutral
Race: Undead (skeleton)
Appearance: He looks like a skeleton. He wears an eyepatch and pirate captain clothes, sporting a cred and gold pirate coat and a swag-as-hell pirate captain hat.
Equipment: Old cutlass, hand crossbow, 5 old bombs that sometimes work, old pistol that works, old telescope that works pretty well. 5 bits of old gold which needs to be converted to normal gold. Flint and steel to light his bombs, but he should replace them soon as they're pretty worn. A box of crossbow bolts (12 old ones which can't really be trusted) and a box of bullets (6 of them which are fine), along with a pouch of powder (which he needs more of and is likely mostly inert). Gun holster, hand-mounted crossbow holster, scabbard. Worn pants and a belt.
Combat Skills: Pirate fighting. Somewhat skilled offensive swordplay, honed to fight multiple enemies at once. It employs 'dirty tricks' like sucker punches and kicks, but hey – anything goes. Able to use pretty much any one handed weapon to a certain degree of skill. He's also pretty good at parrying and using a one handed ranged weapon in either hand.
Non-Combat Skills: Excellent sense of direction, adept at climbing ship rigging. Good at navigation, able to use the stars for direction. Good leadership skills. Good at jumping high because he has no flesh, also good at going fast. Quite good at free running. Ambidextrous as a result of necessity but his preferred hand is his right hand.
Mana: Not a lot. Less than a standard human.
Magical Schools: None
Magical spells:
Blade of avarice
Blade of avarice is a move that draws on the user's monetary possessions and worth of their belongings to increase damage. What the user is considered to 'own' varies on the user, and the worth of their belongings is rounded to a standard market price. Basically, the richer you are, the more blade of Avarice does. It takes a bit of mana and is only applicable for a single strike. It is unknown how the ability knows how much your stuff is worth relative to the modern market.
Counter stance
Counter stance is a move that drains mana the longer one is in it. It allows the user to react to single-target attacks with inhuman reflexes, deflecting bullets, arrows and swords with ease. If the attacker is attacking with a melee weapon, counter stance allows the user to land a free riposte. Counter stance counters every attack launched at the user within its time frame but drains mana really fast. Also, the user can't counter area of effect attacks and they can only counter targeted spells if their weapon allows them to do so. The user can move while using counter stance and even use it in the air, but it takes a lot of mana still.
Mana steal
With the ungodly power of the undead, the user can suck the life force of things that live. It's a technique that buffs the user's attack with the power of stealing-people's-mana, so this particular ghost pirate can add mana to the list of stuff he pillages. The mana stolen is converted to mana usable by the user, but bleeds out slowly.
Artificial Spirit
Personality: Victor likes shiny stuff and is curious. Is a realist to a point. That said, he's a free spirit and likes to joke around. He likes to explore all the options before working out the solution, and he's rather mischievous at times. He likes trolling people, but he's pretty laid-back at times. He's the kind of person that gets into trouble because he's bored.
Talents: Minor telekinesis, also has a talent for stealth.
Approved</s>
<|message|>Isa Nicolai
Isa had just been about to say something, to break the silence between the other creatures, when one of them launched herself into a strange and somewhat annoying monolouge. Her pitch and tone and tempo changed constantly as she spoke, and Isa didn't like it.
"I find myself in a similar situation to you, Diana." Isa spoke slowly, calmly, not wanting to seem threatening to anyone, but not wanting to seem bubbly or immature as the girl, as Diana, had seemed to her. Isa walked closer to the statue that was in the center of the group, more so that they could see her than for her to see them.
Taking a breath, Isa made her tone lighter and tried to add a touch of kindness to her words. "I am Isa, by the way. I don't know who any of you are, but I suppose I should say that for some reason, I don't feel on edge around you. I may not remember the events that brought us together, but I trust my intuition. I dont think that any of us are meant to be enemies here."</s>
<|message|>Victor
While 2 others talked, Victor stared at the statue. It was likely that the others who were also staring at it had similar thoughts to each other, though their thoughts probably weren't the same as his own.
I wonder how much this is worth.
It was quite brilliant statue, actually. It was glowing and it was well made. It was probably magical, but there was no way he was taking it out of the cave by himself. With that said, he couldn't help but think about what he would get if he sold it, which was strange to a newly reformed body.
It was weird how the statue was surrounded by corpses, but it was weirder how he wanted to get a lot of gold. He wasn't sure why, but he really felt like he wanted a lot of money, like he couldn't live without it. The lust for gold nagged at his mind, and he couldn't hold explain it. It didn't feel like him to coop up his feelings, so he tried saying something.
His jaw fell open clumsily and a squeeky weeze emerged, somewhat reminiscent of human speech but intelligible. Something was stuck in his throat. He put his hand into his mouth and tried to clear his airway. When he pulled his hand out, it was covered in cobwebs.
Ew. Victor thought, coughing to clear out the remaining cobwebs.
"Ugh..." A voice said.
It was Victor's voice. His body's voice. It reminded him of a bad flute player's music. Probably what he should expect from a skeleton, really. But there was only one reason he tried to speak, one reason alone.
"Hey, anyone got some gold on them?" He said, adjusting his jawbone to speak better.</s>
<|message|>Vaul
Vaul ran his tongue along the irregularities of his teeth, against the elastic resistance of his cheeks, and the unyielding quality of the roof of his mouth. Vigor was slowly returning to his body as he sat there on his comfy little rock, and finally he stood up after some time. Using his rather ornate staff as a walking stick, he stepped over the small underground stream in the dim light, managing not to wet the hem of his robes. It felt good to move, to relax and contract his muscles to construct a more or less steady gait. Eventually, he neared the figures clustered around the statue at the center of the temple.
His ears twitched as he caught the lamia whispering "Who is she? Why is it down here? Who am I and why am I here?" and at such a relatively far distance that he was surprised himself.
"Why indeed?" Vaul replied, as he came up behind her, more to catch her attention than to offer anything useful. His eyes had a strange glimmer about them as he eyed the scales of Alyona's serpentine tail, walking with close steps in a semicircle around her before stopping at her front.
"You're a snake down there..." he breathed out in genuine amazement, with a rather nonplussed expression on his face as the gravitas of the fact sunk in. "A snake starting from," he brought his eyes up to her midriff, "And then it's humanoid," then to her face, "Thereafter..."
The moment of silence hung thickly still in the air as he stared into her eyes, his face unreadable.
"Huh," concluded Vaul, failing to come up with anything more profound. "Isn't that something."</s>
<|message|>Alyona Moroz
Alyona decided immediately that the girl that had spoken first, Diana, was quite annoying already. Maybe it was her voice or the way she changed the tone and tempo of her speech as she spoke, but it was grating on Alyona's nerves, so she ignored the girl for the time being.
However, it seemed best to introduce herself with this name that she somehow knew was hers. However, as Alyona prepared to speak, she was startled by a voice behind her. She lost her balance and almost fell over again, however managed to right herself before she could actually fall. To say Alyona was surprised would have been an understatement.
Vaul's astonishment and rather anticlimactic statement left Alyona off balance, figuratively. There were no words. Instead she shook off the daze after a moment and decided to introduce herself instead of pick up from his rather broken verbal observations. "Errr, hello, you can call me Alyona, and you are?"</s>
<|message|>Vaul
"Vaul." He replied smoothly enough, tilting his chin up in an unnecessarily prissy manner, and living up to his body's elven nature. "I'd say it would be nice to meet you, but in such a dreary place," he gestured to a nearby skeleton, then to the other figures nearby, "And the fact that we all appear to be bewildered by the situation we're in, it would be rather inappropriate, don't you think?"
"I must say," he added, running his eyes down Alyona's half-serpentine figure again. "You have a very interesting physique."
He pursed his lips thereafter, and ran his tongue across their dry length to wet them.</s>
<|message|>Diana
"Nice to meetcha, Isa! Oh, and Mister Bones, sorry, I don't have any gold. Does that make me poor? Aw, I don't wanna be poor~" Diana hummed airily in reply, her tone having stabilized now after getting a feel for how to speak. At the reactions, or rather lack thereof, of the others who were present though, the mud doll's expression soured slightly.
"...boring. Come on, if Isa's in the same situation as me, I'm guessing you guys will be too, right~? And nobody wants to talk about that? Really? That's just plain disap-"
Diana cut herself off as she paused for a moment, her eyes narrowing slightly.
'...that's what that must be, right? Even if I don't truly remember, this body remembers so I can still remember. And this body is telling me that...'
Her eyes shifted back to the statue as she took a step forward, looking at it with a focus completely antithetical to her prior demeanor. '...let's see, then.' She recited to herself mentally, before making use of an ability that came to the forefront as easily as breathing: Detect Magic, initiate.</s>
<|message|>Isa Nicolai
Isa had been listening to the various conversations, when the sudden stop of Diana's voice drew all of her attention back to the girl. She was simply standing there, looking at the statue. Isa followed her gaze up, to where the figure's face would have been, had it not been so weathered away. There doesn't seem to be any thing wring with-!
Isa's thought stopped as she saw a slight flicker over the statue's 'face', like the ripples of a pond after a stone has been skipped across the surface. Isa placed a hand on the base of the statue, and with the other she held the amulet around her neck. What am I doing... As soon as she asked herself the question, she knew the answer. That's right, I'm looking for the traces of magic in this statue. I might not be able to tell what type of magic, but I will sense it if there is any.</s>
<|message|>Alyona Moroz
Alyona was unsure of how to respond to Vaul's rather upfront behavior. However, before she could responded to Vaul, Alyona noticed a strange presence in the room, not that of a person, but more like an aura. Magic? It seemed a feasible enough answer, and if she could sense magic, that must mean she can use magic...right? Well, why not give it a try?
The entire time, she failed to realize that her face had been contorting to match her thoughts. Now, she closed her eyes and tried to focus...on what? The aura? Sure. That seemed right. As she focused, she opened herself to a new sensation, one similar to the aura she was feeling in the room. Deciding to just hazard a guess, she tried to detect whatever in the room was giving off this 'feeling.' Well, here goes something, she whispered under her breath, "Detect."</s>
<|message|>Vaul
When Alyona turned away and began to narrow her eyes at something, Vaul was compelled to follow her gaze. But before he could ask if there was something interesting with the statue, he felt a sensation: a buzz in the air, a prickle on his skin, and a mild heat within his chest as he stared at the sculpture. His lips parted mildly in realization at this strangely familiar yet unfamiliar feeling, and with an effortless motion, as if by instinct, he raised his staff a few inches, muttered a heavy whisper, and brought the pommel down to cast the spell.
"Detect Magic."</s>
| <|message|>Victor
"No money? Bummer." Victor said, swinging his jaw back and forth.
It was a little loose and fun to play with, but it probably wouldn't do well to lose it so he slotted it back into place.
"I wonder if can find some money..." Victor muttered.
His lust for gold was truly odd, but he had nothing else to go on. Acting on his instincts, his surveyed the equipment of the others around the statue. Some of it seemed to be extremely valuable and Victor would've liked to have it.
No stealing, though. Victor thought. Stealing is rude. Hmm....
He turned his attention to the various corpses that hadn't gotten up. Perhaps he would find something of worth among the cadavers.
"Alrighty then," Victor said, walking over to the nearest un-moving corpse and rifling through its pockets.</s> |
<|description|>Victor
Gender: Male
Alignment: Chaotic neutral
Race: Undead (skeleton)
Appearance: He looks like a skeleton. He wears an eyepatch and pirate captain clothes, sporting a cred and gold pirate coat and a swag-as-hell pirate captain hat.
Equipment: Old cutlass, hand crossbow, 5 old bombs that sometimes work, old pistol that works, old telescope that works pretty well. 5 bits of old gold which needs to be converted to normal gold. Flint and steel to light his bombs, but he should replace them soon as they're pretty worn. A box of crossbow bolts (12 old ones which can't really be trusted) and a box of bullets (6 of them which are fine), along with a pouch of powder (which he needs more of and is likely mostly inert). Gun holster, hand-mounted crossbow holster, scabbard. Worn pants and a belt.
Combat Skills: Pirate fighting. Somewhat skilled offensive swordplay, honed to fight multiple enemies at once. It employs 'dirty tricks' like sucker punches and kicks, but hey – anything goes. Able to use pretty much any one handed weapon to a certain degree of skill. He's also pretty good at parrying and using a one handed ranged weapon in either hand.
Non-Combat Skills: Excellent sense of direction, adept at climbing ship rigging. Good at navigation, able to use the stars for direction. Good leadership skills. Good at jumping high because he has no flesh, also good at going fast. Quite good at free running. Ambidextrous as a result of necessity but his preferred hand is his right hand.
Mana: Not a lot. Less than a standard human.
Magical Schools: None
Magical spells:
Blade of avarice
Blade of avarice is a move that draws on the user's monetary possessions and worth of their belongings to increase damage. What the user is considered to 'own' varies on the user, and the worth of their belongings is rounded to a standard market price. Basically, the richer you are, the more blade of Avarice does. It takes a bit of mana and is only applicable for a single strike. It is unknown how the ability knows how much your stuff is worth relative to the modern market.
Counter stance
Counter stance is a move that drains mana the longer one is in it. It allows the user to react to single-target attacks with inhuman reflexes, deflecting bullets, arrows and swords with ease. If the attacker is attacking with a melee weapon, counter stance allows the user to land a free riposte. Counter stance counters every attack launched at the user within its time frame but drains mana really fast. Also, the user can't counter area of effect attacks and they can only counter targeted spells if their weapon allows them to do so. The user can move while using counter stance and even use it in the air, but it takes a lot of mana still.
Mana steal
With the ungodly power of the undead, the user can suck the life force of things that live. It's a technique that buffs the user's attack with the power of stealing-people's-mana, so this particular ghost pirate can add mana to the list of stuff he pillages. The mana stolen is converted to mana usable by the user, but bleeds out slowly.
Artificial Spirit
Personality: Victor likes shiny stuff and is curious. Is a realist to a point. That said, he's a free spirit and likes to joke around. He likes to explore all the options before working out the solution, and he's rather mischievous at times. He likes trolling people, but he's pretty laid-back at times. He's the kind of person that gets into trouble because he's bored.
Talents: Minor telekinesis, also has a talent for stealth.
Approved</s>
<|message|>Boris Egon
Boris felt the energies move as the two other casters wove their spells, and decided that looking around in more than one way was a good idea, and reached for the currents with his small but rather sharp and strong mind, seeking the nature and sources of any magic in the nearby local. Fey magic didn't quite express itself in the same manner as the big-peoples magic did, but it served an identical function in many ways.
Oh dear... such clamorous beings, must they be so loud and obnoxious? Ooh... a greedy skeleton? This he had to mock. What could he possibly use gold for? Food and drink would be worthless to him, clothing pointless, and Boris was pretty sure the skeleton wasn't the vogue art collector type. He decided to play a trick on the old stack of bones, and pulled several small drops of water from the stream nearby, and used them to imitate flashes and glints of light, as the skeleton moved from corpse to corpse. After each flash of light, the drop of water would be dropped onto the floor where it slowly seeped into the ground and another was pulled from the stream to replace it. Boris chuckled to himself, disliking the high pitch of his voice, but expecting it from such a small frame. If the skeleton began following the trail of glints, he would wander in a around criss-crossing the same area though never returning to the same corpse twice.</s>
<|message|>Diana
"Oh?"
An airy smile crossed Diana's face as the result of her surveyance of the ambient magic in the room returned to her, information ingraining itself into her mind. Without another word, a pale hand of the homunculus reached out to pluck a small note off of the statue. After doing so, she emanated a slight giggle, as if awaiting the note to explode, or summon an eldritch abomination, or explode and then summon an eldritch abomination.
Well, you only live once. Or something. Derp charge ahoy.
"...what a joke. Someone here's got a sense of humor, that's nice~"
Speaking to herself but also speaking intentionally loudly as if to inform the others, she turned her eyes to the note with a raised eyebrow.
'Let's see what this has to say. I don't like being in the dark about this trash, not one bit.' She thought to herself as she trailed a finger along the note.
After a fraction of a second passed though, Diana raised an eyebrow. Even if she herself didn't recognize something of this nature, her body certainly did. '...huh, they really do have a sense of humor, leaving something completely useless like this here.' She thought to herself with a half-dissatisfied expression. "Bleh, that's disappointing."</s>
<|message|>Boris Egon
Boris lost his train of thought as one of the creatures surrounding him, and the statue, picked up a note he had over looked. He released the spell manipulating the water droplets, and watched as the note was read... waiting to hear what was said. He knew it held magic in it's frail form, but not what purpose the magic served. When the note was not commented on for some time, Boris's curiosity got the better of him, and he jumped from the statues shoulder and flew to the wrist of the hand holding the note. There he landed lightly and began reading it for himself. It didn't occur to him that his current position might not be smiled upon by the owner the wrist he stood on.</s>
<|message|>Diana
Diana raised an eyebrow as she turned to the fairy that had chosen to sit on her wrist, her hand not touching the note moving to lightly pluck him off. Of course, anything too rough could kill the poor thing, so she was naturally careful.
"What are you trying to do, Mr. Fairy~?" She asked. "Personal space is important, y'know."
Of course, upon looking at the note, he would have naturally noticed that it was completely blank.</s>
<|message|>Irmo Muskerra
Irmo stepped around the homonculi after getting a look at the scroll from his perspective.
"Sso the scroll was blank. Thiss is a pity. Perhaps we should investigate that orb, no? As far as clues in this place go, that idol is all we have to go by. Unlesss you want to dig through the corpses. Does anyone object?"
The kobold approached the statue, waiting a brief moment for anyone to interject.</s>
<|message|>Victor
"Hmm... There's not much on these bodies..." Victor said.
Disappointing, really. He expected more, somewhat. Some of them looked like pretty good adventurers.
"What's this?" Victor said, suddenly noticing the trail of shiny things.
He walked slowly to a shining point and found that it was actually a puddle of water.
"Neat." Victor said. "It's like, light or something."
He began to follow the light, wondering where it led. He remained oblivious to the fact that it led him in circles.</s>
<|message|>Boris Egon
Boris noted that the note appeared to be blank, and was about try and touch it to see if he could ind any hidden information when he plucked from his perch. Annoyed, Boris listened to the big people, they were always so touchy about space, as if the had made the space around them, or bought it for a high price, it confused Boris really, especially when the same beings had no problem crushing entire cities, sometimes even entire countries, of little people as if they didn't even exist in the first place.
How is it that personal space is worth more than forcibly moving an entire person? Or do I not count as a person for some reason? You either know good and well what I was doing or you're to stupid for me to bother attempting to explain it to you, with my luck it's the latter.
He mumbles the last phrase about his luck. He shifts focus as the kobold speaks up, asking about the orb. Kobolds were nice enough, they rarely messed with little folk. Granted that might be due to their affinity for living underground, and so were less likely to run into little folk, but Boris didn't care about that.
Be my guest Scaly; Skeley there is already digging through the dead.</s>
<|message|>Diana
"If you wanted to know what the note was, you could've asked me, Mr. Fairy~" Diana hummed before looking back at the paper with a dissatisfied expression. "Either way, no harm in explaining, seeing as its equally useless for all of us. Even if I don't remember "me", I remember "this". This here is a magic little database. It's built to store information, like a better version of a book. It could hold arcane secrets, could hold a recipe for pie, could hold a compendium of erotica, who really knows? Maybe it's blank and we can use it as a diary." She explained, before letting out a slight huff.
"Problem is, this requires a magical password to access it, and seeing as nobody else seems to remember anything either, that means we won't be able to guess it. Brute forcing past the password is practically impossible, and on top of that I can't tell if this is even blank or not, so for now it's useless." She stated, reaching around with the hand holding the note to deposit it in her Bag of Miscellaneous Goodies, nestled firmly within the folds of her blanket. "I'll hold onto it on the offchance we figure out the password, but unless there's something in here that could be the password, the odds of that are just barely above zero, so don't get optimistic. Maybe it's the sort of thing we won't find a way to access until we're about to fight the Demon Lord, I don't know."
"Hey, Mr. Gold n' Bones, has your searching turned up anything that looks like a password?" She called out, releasing Boris from her fingers. "Sorry about the rough handling, Mr. Fairy~" She said with a slight giggle, "Didn't mean to be rude, let's get along!"</s>
<|message|>Boris Egon
Boris, glad to be free of the witch's claws, flew back to the statue, wondering if it held the password, whatever that was. Landing on the shoulder opposite his previous landing, and put one hand against the statues smooth face, trying to feel for anything magical from the weathered stone what kind of magic it held.
He hoped that being on the statue would prevent anyone else from grabbing him... He also noticed that the witch gave no reply to his question but still wanted be friends... She sounded rather like a fey herself, and he wondered if she had been made by one of the more powerful fey. They did such things occasionally, when they got bored, or wanted revenge on the big people for disturbing their smaller cousins. Boris wondered if any of the others even knew of the fey, the witch probably did, the skeleton and kobold might not though. The rest? hmmm, he wasn't sure yet about the others most of them hadn't said or done anything since waking up anyway, or at least he hadn't noticed them doing much of anything.</s>
<|message|>Isa Nicolai
It seems that when Isa started to look for magic within the statue, her focus narrowed so much that she didn't notice anything that happened until she took her hand from the base of the statue. She hadn't been able to find more than just a thread of magic, so she was slightly disappointed as she broke her search just in time to hear Diana's lecture on how useless something was. Isa looked around the room, trying to figure out what all had changed while she was... entranced? Isa looked back to the statue in surprise. Had I been entranced when I touched it? That could explain the fact that I had only been able to find a thread of magic, I wasn't focused anymore when I was pulled into the trance... That means there is definitely some magic here, but I'm not going to try to find what it is again. At least, not yet.
While Isa was thinking, she had semi-listened to Diana's tirade, and when she looked over at the girl she was surprised to see her holding a Fey in one hand and a scroll in the other. The useless thing must be that scroll... But where did the fairy come from? Isa thought as she watched the girl put the scroll into a bag of hers and drop the fairy. As she got over her shock at seeing the girl be so careless to the creature, she noticed that there was now a Kobold standing by the base of the statue also.
Isa stepped away from the statue as she spoke to the Kobold. "I wouldn't touch the statue. It just... I think I went into some kind of trance when I touched it."</s>
| <|message|>Victor
"Hm? Oh, no." Victor said in response to the homunculus's question.
He temporarily snapped out of the looting trance as she asked him something.
"Didn't find too much stuff on them, they're not that rich..." Victor trailed off. "Wait, why do we need a password? For what?"
He was confused slightly, as a result of screwing around for a while. The gold water shut off and he'd been looting bodies, so what had happened in the few minutes he'd been looting bodies? Perplexing, really. What were the rest of them doing exactly?</s> |
<|description|>Irmo Muskerra
Gender: Male
Alignment: Chaotic Neutral
Race: Kobold
Appearance: As pictured, though he will dress down depending on the occasion, as well as generally toting around a hooded cloak.
Equipment: Two large iron daggers, ten black powder bombs, quite ornate brass compass (not entirely his), rope w/ grappling hook, cloak, pipe, flint and stone, twist of tobacco, kobold food rations
Combat Skills: Dual-wielded (offensive, assassination oriented) dagger fighting (High), throwing (Medium), explosives use (High), crossbow archery (Medium), hand to hand (Medium)
Non-Combat Skills: Climbing, lockpicking, demolitions, species physiology, species knowledge, tracking cooking, tobacco curing
Mana: Above-average for a kobold
Magical Schools: Impromptu
Magical Abilities:
Dispel Magic- Allows for the dispelling and negation of magical effects on objects (esp. things like traps)
Shadowmeld- Effectively full invisibility (including clothes) for a limited amount of time. Also serves to block against detect spells, but drains mana.
Night Vision- Allows for the ability to see in the dark at percieved light levels similar to a bright room. Basically it's night vision but with true color.
Detect Life- Allows for the spacial detection of living beings in the nearby area without visual sight.
Detect Magic- Detects enchantments and other magical phenomena in an area.
Techniques: Chameleon Scales- The ability for the scales on Irmo's skin to shift color depending on the enviorment to some degree, allowing for a degree of natural camoflogue that changes with his surroudnings. Biologically toggleable (if off, returns to pictured color)
Assassin Strike- A powerful lunging vital strike with Irmo's daggers that does significant damage and can disable unarmored or weak foes outright.
Artful Dodge- Irmo can evade an attack at the last minute in a springing sidestep that launches him several feet away, though this is quite bothersome to him.
Personality:
Irmo is a somewhat flippant and morally ignorant type of soul who would often drift into crime or at best the gray areas of society no matter where he was placed. However, if something interests him enough he is willing to take it seriously, no matter how much he may not act like it on the outside.
Talents: Ultimate Observer- Irmo can discern everything from the minor injury leading to a brief pause in a man's stride to the casual tic of a horse to veer ever so slightly left every few seconds. Whether or not he can use this is up to the situation and the smarts of Irmo himself.
Haggling- Irmo flippancy towards all but the highest people allows him to not take any price as something worth accepting, and combined with a natural charisima brewing deep within him allows him to be suprisingly good at getting him way in such a case.
APPROVED</s>
<|message|>Boris Egon
I stretch, and yawn, before looking at my surroundings. Where am I? I don't remember anything here, not the statue, the old worn walls, or the beings around me. Goodness, but they are huge, or perhaps I am small... I examine myself as carefully as I can, I have wings! I am small and I wear things made from nature itself, bark, some of it fur-lined. I have a blade at my side, it looks like a thorn. I draw it, but refrain from touching the blade, knowing somehow that it is poisoned. Can I fly with these wings? I re-sheath my thorn before attempting to fly, just in case, and then ... I'm zipping along, up and around the statue! Oh, what fun this is! Why would anyone walk if they could fly like this? And then I feel it, a dull aching, a sharp pain, I fall. Landing with, well to be honest a squeak. It's hard not to squeak when one's vocal chords are as small as mine, and the air pushed forcefully out ones lungs. The pain is gone, but the aching is not. It must have been a cramp, yes that's what it had been.
Where am I now? On the statue's left shoulder I see. I didn't like the aching, or the bruises forming on my chest and legs from having fallen on the statue. I can heal those! And I do, my skin turning a greenish hue for a moment as the bruises and aches fade. Then nothing, but I feel... less full. I don't think I can repeat my actions, at least not yet, so I sit up carefully on the smooth shoulder and watch the other beings quietly. Will they notice me? If they do how will they react to me? I am so small, I doubt I could hurt any of them even if I tried, but I wasn't about to be anyone's pet, and they'd better not call me cute. Oh no, several of them are female, I vaguely recall that females tend to associate cute with small things, in fact, a things cuteness seemed to grow as it shrank. I'm doomed, this is not going to end well, but ... I can't leave yet, where will I go? What will I find? ... Drat, I'll have to stick with at least one of these creatures... wonderful, ain't it great to be alive? I scowl as the others gather their wits, though my focus shifts from being to being.</s>
<|message|>Vaul
A still silence dominated the underground expanse, with only the sounds of dripping water from overhead stalactites and the flow of a small stream being audible, though no-one was there to hear it. Ubiquitous darkness shrouded everything in shadow, the lumen globes already drained of mana and the torches burnt to uselessness. Chests had already been looted, and scientific apparati shattered into shards and bent metal; and from the temple entrance to the farthest wall, there was a trail of broken limbs and mutilated bodies, the rusting iron of weapons carelessly strewn about, and torn, heavy banners hanging from the ceiling, swaying to and fro as they peddled their now meaningless symbols to the mild breeze. Of course, in the oppressive shadow, he couldn't see any of this as he awoke.
"Urgh," he groaned, as his nostrils flared, hungrily sucking up the dank air and the life the came with it. Lying face-down on the floor, a small pain was incessant in his chest from a pebble he had been laying on, and he found his arms incredibly weary as he moved them from their place near his hip, winning the battle against rigor mortis.
He moved his hands further along, at the sides of his head, and pressed his palms against the damp cavern floor as hard as it was possible. Still weak, the effort it took to even sit on his knees was almost insufferable with its intensity, and Vaul succeeded only barely. A flash of instinct told him then that something important lay just towards his right, and he followed it, fingers alert, to feel a solid, deathly cold rod. His hand clenched with force, and he hefted the staff up by the rearward portions of its shaft, then steadied the pommel on the ground and grabbed it with his other hand to finally wrench himself away from the floor. And yet, no matter how many times he blinked, it was still dark where he was at.
And so he gestured thoughtlessly, his arm going from right to left in an aimless wave, and at that very instance glittered the underground stream as light, for the first time in forever, greeted its waters, coming from lumen globes held in sconces along the walls of the cavern. Vaul looked around, examining his new surroundings, unsure of what to make of it all, as after he swiveled his eyes horizontally, taking it all in, and looked down at his feet, there was the grinning face of a disembodied skull.
Mildly startled, he kicked it without a thought, the sudden effort jolting his muscles to spasm protectively as the calcium husk rolled away. A dull, but very noticeable pain was welling up in his left calf, as the gravitas of many dozens of armed corpses and opened, desecrated coffins extracted from their places within the walls began to sink in.
He found a smooth enough piece of rock towards the side, one that he made his way to and sat upon. He was surprised to feel something poking his hide, so he shifted a bit on his impromptu seat to get comfortable. He continued to breathe, his lungs admirably remembering how to, but his respiration lessened in vigor as his need for air decreased with time. Then he figured out the cause for the shadow hanging overhead, and pulled back his hood, and reached further back to feel the long tresses of his hair. Tiredly did he sigh.
"A Necromancer," he half-whispered, his voice not quite there, but the characteristic, moderate inflections that indicated a male were definitely noticeable. He cleared his throat, and tested his vocal cords again. "A Necromancer..."
Such was the breadth of the underground temple that wherever he looked, he could see the messy aftermath of whatever battle had occurred here. Though the air was putrid, he could find no more flesh on what had once been thralls to whoever once owned this body. It had all rotted away, and a dozen skulls grimaced silently his way as he just sat there, finding hints of pain as he experimentally flexed his limbs. He brought his hands to his eyes and rubbed away the earthly crust that had formed on them, as he began to think on the road ahead.
And when he took his hands away, he finally noticed the statue of the goddess, and other other, peculiar figures rising from the floor far away, in the center of the expanse.</s>
<|message|>Alyona Moroz
The sound of feet, the cold ground under her body, the groggy sensation of waking before one wishes too, the slowly fading darkness, all of these were things Alyona experienced as she opened her eyes, rather unwillingly to find new sensation to experience. She could move her arms and tai-wait, arms? TAIL? As her vision sharpened, she could look at her arms, skin as white as fresh plaster. Alyona forced herself up off the ground, to a standing(?) position so she could look at her tail easily, instead she wobbled and fell backwards.
There was a small pain in her back as the rings of the chainmail dug into her back from falling on it. This new position offered a way to view her tail more easily though, and so, she tried her best to control the tail managing to raise it so that she could partially view it, a snake's tail. Raising her head, she looked down, it seemed that at her waist, her human body turned into that of a serpent of some sort.
Letting her tail fall to the ground with a slapping sound, Alyona tried again to stand, rolling over and then raising her torso up again. Wobbly still, she put a hand on one of the mossy walls for support and attempted to steady herself.
She used this time to study her surroundings, other figures visible in the room. They, however, failed to garner Alyona's attention as she stared at the statue in the center of the room. Majestic in its own right, seemingly the only thing in this room that had not crumbled away or been reclaimed by moss. Tearing her attention from the statue, she viewed the others in the room, both humanoids, one seemed intent to hide his features while the other seemed to be a pale human, though nowhere near as pale as Alyona herself.
Finally, she returned her attention to herself, finding some kind of satchel, of course inside wasn't much, some meat and some flint and steel, obviously fire starting implements. On her other "hip" she found a short sword. Not much in the way of equipment, obviously she needed to buy some actual equipment first chance she got.</s>
<|message|>Victor
A pile of rags and bone in the corner shifted. A fleshless scarecrow of a man, once strong; now dead. A lifeless husk of what it once was. Or was it? The skeleton shifted once again and went back to being still. The Skeleton rolled over and curled into the foetal position.
Five more minutes... Victor thought.
He shifted once again and tried going back to sleep, but he realised that it was strangely uncomfortable now, and something was poking him in the ribs.
Wait... Ribs... I'm alive? Victor thought.
He got up to a sitting position suddenly. A pirate hat fell off his head and onto his lap. Victor reached over to pick it up, but noticed that his hand was missing something. Namely flesh. He got up quickly and ran to a nearby puddle to check his reflection and a leering skull met his view. He reached up to touch his face and the reflection mirrored the action.
Nope, doesn't look like I'm alive. Victor thought.
He shrugged and walked away from the puddle. He was moving, at least. He could think. That was something. So maybe he was technically alive, but also not alive?
Victor scanned the room. Maybe there was something around that could explain why he was a Skeleton. He spotted a large, glowing statue in the middle of it.
Well, that looks pretty. Victor noted.
He decided to walk over and investigate it. Maybe it would have the answers he wanted.
(If you're wondering, the ground was poking at his ribs)</s>
| <|message|>Irmo Muskerra
A smaller, stranger looking figure than many who had already risen began to move ever so slightly. A wiggle of the finger, a clenching of the joints, a twitch of the tail. Irmo quickly ran through thoughts of how strange non-manual breathing was and how horrifically overstimulating life was before promptly pushing these thoughts down and opening his sensory organs- eyes in this case, quickly adjusting to the shaded recesses of the temple. He tried moving, stumbling slightly, before giving it another, more successful try. Standing on a pair of apparently digitigrade legs, the spirit began to ponder its situation.
This is... quite interesting in fact. Though very heavily disconcerting.
Irmo brought a hand to his face, tracing the lines in an attempt to get some impression of himself.
Snout, scales, "mustache", ridges. It appears I'm biologically aberrant, at least compared to that specimen Irmo thought to himself, noting a skull lying on the ground missing its jaw.
The kobold, satisfied with that basic inventory of his physical state, began taking inventory of his pockets and other accoutrement. A few knives, a pipe and some what appeared to be tobacco, some ceramic pots with fusing sticking out of them that some part of him suggested were some sort of bomb, and some other more general items like rope and a fine compass. Pulling out a flint and a stone he appeared to keep in a shirt pocket, he severed a piece of tobacco, gingerly inserted it into his pipe, and took his first smoke as a corporeal being while examining his surroundings. The statue in the center caught his interest, and as everyone else seemed to gravitate in that direction he decided that, lacking anything better to go on, to approach it.</s> |
<|description|>Irmo Muskerra
Gender: Male
Alignment: Chaotic Neutral
Race: Kobold
Appearance: As pictured, though he will dress down depending on the occasion, as well as generally toting around a hooded cloak.
Equipment: Two large iron daggers, ten black powder bombs, quite ornate brass compass (not entirely his), rope w/ grappling hook, cloak, pipe, flint and stone, twist of tobacco, kobold food rations
Combat Skills: Dual-wielded (offensive, assassination oriented) dagger fighting (High), throwing (Medium), explosives use (High), crossbow archery (Medium), hand to hand (Medium)
Non-Combat Skills: Climbing, lockpicking, demolitions, species physiology, species knowledge, tracking cooking, tobacco curing
Mana: Above-average for a kobold
Magical Schools: Impromptu
Magical Abilities:
Dispel Magic- Allows for the dispelling and negation of magical effects on objects (esp. things like traps)
Shadowmeld- Effectively full invisibility (including clothes) for a limited amount of time. Also serves to block against detect spells, but drains mana.
Night Vision- Allows for the ability to see in the dark at percieved light levels similar to a bright room. Basically it's night vision but with true color.
Detect Life- Allows for the spacial detection of living beings in the nearby area without visual sight.
Detect Magic- Detects enchantments and other magical phenomena in an area.
Techniques: Chameleon Scales- The ability for the scales on Irmo's skin to shift color depending on the enviorment to some degree, allowing for a degree of natural camoflogue that changes with his surroudnings. Biologically toggleable (if off, returns to pictured color)
Assassin Strike- A powerful lunging vital strike with Irmo's daggers that does significant damage and can disable unarmored or weak foes outright.
Artful Dodge- Irmo can evade an attack at the last minute in a springing sidestep that launches him several feet away, though this is quite bothersome to him.
Personality:
Irmo is a somewhat flippant and morally ignorant type of soul who would often drift into crime or at best the gray areas of society no matter where he was placed. However, if something interests him enough he is willing to take it seriously, no matter how much he may not act like it on the outside.
Talents: Ultimate Observer- Irmo can discern everything from the minor injury leading to a brief pause in a man's stride to the casual tic of a horse to veer ever so slightly left every few seconds. Whether or not he can use this is up to the situation and the smarts of Irmo himself.
Haggling- Irmo flippancy towards all but the highest people allows him to not take any price as something worth accepting, and combined with a natural charisima brewing deep within him allows him to be suprisingly good at getting him way in such a case.
APPROVED</s>
<|message|>Vaul
Vaul ran his tongue along the irregularities of his teeth, against the elastic resistance of his cheeks, and the unyielding quality of the roof of his mouth. Vigor was slowly returning to his body as he sat there on his comfy little rock, and finally he stood up after some time. Using his rather ornate staff as a walking stick, he stepped over the small underground stream in the dim light, managing not to wet the hem of his robes. It felt good to move, to relax and contract his muscles to construct a more or less steady gait. Eventually, he neared the figures clustered around the statue at the center of the temple.
His ears twitched as he caught the lamia whispering "Who is she? Why is it down here? Who am I and why am I here?" and at such a relatively far distance that he was surprised himself.
"Why indeed?" Vaul replied, as he came up behind her, more to catch her attention than to offer anything useful. His eyes had a strange glimmer about them as he eyed the scales of Alyona's serpentine tail, walking with close steps in a semicircle around her before stopping at her front.
"You're a snake down there..." he breathed out in genuine amazement, with a rather nonplussed expression on his face as the gravitas of the fact sunk in. "A snake starting from," he brought his eyes up to her midriff, "And then it's humanoid," then to her face, "Thereafter..."
The moment of silence hung thickly still in the air as he stared into her eyes, his face unreadable.
"Huh," concluded Vaul, failing to come up with anything more profound. "Isn't that something."</s>
<|message|>Alyona Moroz
Alyona decided immediately that the girl that had spoken first, Diana, was quite annoying already. Maybe it was her voice or the way she changed the tone and tempo of her speech as she spoke, but it was grating on Alyona's nerves, so she ignored the girl for the time being.
However, it seemed best to introduce herself with this name that she somehow knew was hers. However, as Alyona prepared to speak, she was startled by a voice behind her. She lost her balance and almost fell over again, however managed to right herself before she could actually fall. To say Alyona was surprised would have been an understatement.
Vaul's astonishment and rather anticlimactic statement left Alyona off balance, figuratively. There were no words. Instead she shook off the daze after a moment and decided to introduce herself instead of pick up from his rather broken verbal observations. "Errr, hello, you can call me Alyona, and you are?"</s>
<|message|>Vaul
"Vaul." He replied smoothly enough, tilting his chin up in an unnecessarily prissy manner, and living up to his body's elven nature. "I'd say it would be nice to meet you, but in such a dreary place," he gestured to a nearby skeleton, then to the other figures nearby, "And the fact that we all appear to be bewildered by the situation we're in, it would be rather inappropriate, don't you think?"
"I must say," he added, running his eyes down Alyona's half-serpentine figure again. "You have a very interesting physique."
He pursed his lips thereafter, and ran his tongue across their dry length to wet them.</s>
<|message|>Diana
"Nice to meetcha, Isa! Oh, and Mister Bones, sorry, I don't have any gold. Does that make me poor? Aw, I don't wanna be poor~" Diana hummed airily in reply, her tone having stabilized now after getting a feel for how to speak. At the reactions, or rather lack thereof, of the others who were present though, the mud doll's expression soured slightly.
"...boring. Come on, if Isa's in the same situation as me, I'm guessing you guys will be too, right~? And nobody wants to talk about that? Really? That's just plain disap-"
Diana cut herself off as she paused for a moment, her eyes narrowing slightly.
'...that's what that must be, right? Even if I don't truly remember, this body remembers so I can still remember. And this body is telling me that...'
Her eyes shifted back to the statue as she took a step forward, looking at it with a focus completely antithetical to her prior demeanor. '...let's see, then.' She recited to herself mentally, before making use of an ability that came to the forefront as easily as breathing: Detect Magic, initiate.</s>
<|message|>Isa Nicolai
Isa had been listening to the various conversations, when the sudden stop of Diana's voice drew all of her attention back to the girl. She was simply standing there, looking at the statue. Isa followed her gaze up, to where the figure's face would have been, had it not been so weathered away. There doesn't seem to be any thing wring with-!
Isa's thought stopped as she saw a slight flicker over the statue's 'face', like the ripples of a pond after a stone has been skipped across the surface. Isa placed a hand on the base of the statue, and with the other she held the amulet around her neck. What am I doing... As soon as she asked herself the question, she knew the answer. That's right, I'm looking for the traces of magic in this statue. I might not be able to tell what type of magic, but I will sense it if there is any.</s>
<|message|>Alyona Moroz
Alyona was unsure of how to respond to Vaul's rather upfront behavior. However, before she could responded to Vaul, Alyona noticed a strange presence in the room, not that of a person, but more like an aura. Magic? It seemed a feasible enough answer, and if she could sense magic, that must mean she can use magic...right? Well, why not give it a try?
The entire time, she failed to realize that her face had been contorting to match her thoughts. Now, she closed her eyes and tried to focus...on what? The aura? Sure. That seemed right. As she focused, she opened herself to a new sensation, one similar to the aura she was feeling in the room. Deciding to just hazard a guess, she tried to detect whatever in the room was giving off this 'feeling.' Well, here goes something, she whispered under her breath, "Detect."</s>
<|message|>Vaul
When Alyona turned away and began to narrow her eyes at something, Vaul was compelled to follow her gaze. But before he could ask if there was something interesting with the statue, he felt a sensation: a buzz in the air, a prickle on his skin, and a mild heat within his chest as he stared at the sculpture. His lips parted mildly in realization at this strangely familiar yet unfamiliar feeling, and with an effortless motion, as if by instinct, he raised his staff a few inches, muttered a heavy whisper, and brought the pommel down to cast the spell.
"Detect Magic."</s>
<|message|>Victor
"No money? Bummer." Victor said, swinging his jaw back and forth.
It was a little loose and fun to play with, but it probably wouldn't do well to lose it so he slotted it back into place.
"I wonder if can find some money..." Victor muttered.
His lust for gold was truly odd, but he had nothing else to go on. Acting on his instincts, his surveyed the equipment of the others around the statue. Some of it seemed to be extremely valuable and Victor would've liked to have it.
No stealing, though. Victor thought. Stealing is rude. Hmm....
He turned his attention to the various corpses that hadn't gotten up. Perhaps he would find something of worth among the cadavers.
"Alrighty then," Victor said, walking over to the nearest un-moving corpse and rifling through its pockets.</s>
<|message|>Boris Egon
Boris felt the energies move as the two other casters wove their spells, and decided that looking around in more than one way was a good idea, and reached for the currents with his small but rather sharp and strong mind, seeking the nature and sources of any magic in the nearby local. Fey magic didn't quite express itself in the same manner as the big-peoples magic did, but it served an identical function in many ways.
Oh dear... such clamorous beings, must they be so loud and obnoxious? Ooh... a greedy skeleton? This he had to mock. What could he possibly use gold for? Food and drink would be worthless to him, clothing pointless, and Boris was pretty sure the skeleton wasn't the vogue art collector type. He decided to play a trick on the old stack of bones, and pulled several small drops of water from the stream nearby, and used them to imitate flashes and glints of light, as the skeleton moved from corpse to corpse. After each flash of light, the drop of water would be dropped onto the floor where it slowly seeped into the ground and another was pulled from the stream to replace it. Boris chuckled to himself, disliking the high pitch of his voice, but expecting it from such a small frame. If the skeleton began following the trail of glints, he would wander in a around criss-crossing the same area though never returning to the same corpse twice.</s>
<|message|>Diana
"Oh?"
An airy smile crossed Diana's face as the result of her surveyance of the ambient magic in the room returned to her, information ingraining itself into her mind. Without another word, a pale hand of the homunculus reached out to pluck a small note off of the statue. After doing so, she emanated a slight giggle, as if awaiting the note to explode, or summon an eldritch abomination, or explode and then summon an eldritch abomination.
Well, you only live once. Or something. Derp charge ahoy.
"...what a joke. Someone here's got a sense of humor, that's nice~"
Speaking to herself but also speaking intentionally loudly as if to inform the others, she turned her eyes to the note with a raised eyebrow.
'Let's see what this has to say. I don't like being in the dark about this trash, not one bit.' She thought to herself as she trailed a finger along the note.
After a fraction of a second passed though, Diana raised an eyebrow. Even if she herself didn't recognize something of this nature, her body certainly did. '...huh, they really do have a sense of humor, leaving something completely useless like this here.' She thought to herself with a half-dissatisfied expression. "Bleh, that's disappointing."</s>
<|message|>Boris Egon
Boris lost his train of thought as one of the creatures surrounding him, and the statue, picked up a note he had over looked. He released the spell manipulating the water droplets, and watched as the note was read... waiting to hear what was said. He knew it held magic in it's frail form, but not what purpose the magic served. When the note was not commented on for some time, Boris's curiosity got the better of him, and he jumped from the statues shoulder and flew to the wrist of the hand holding the note. There he landed lightly and began reading it for himself. It didn't occur to him that his current position might not be smiled upon by the owner the wrist he stood on.</s>
<|message|>Diana
Diana raised an eyebrow as she turned to the fairy that had chosen to sit on her wrist, her hand not touching the note moving to lightly pluck him off. Of course, anything too rough could kill the poor thing, so she was naturally careful.
"What are you trying to do, Mr. Fairy~?" She asked. "Personal space is important, y'know."
Of course, upon looking at the note, he would have naturally noticed that it was completely blank.</s>
| <|message|>Irmo Muskerra
Irmo stepped around the homonculi after getting a look at the scroll from his perspective.
"Sso the scroll was blank. Thiss is a pity. Perhaps we should investigate that orb, no? As far as clues in this place go, that idol is all we have to go by. Unlesss you want to dig through the corpses. Does anyone object?"
The kobold approached the statue, waiting a brief moment for anyone to interject.</s> |
<|description|>Isa Nicolai
Gender: Female
Alignment: Chaotic Neutral
Race: Mer-folk
Equipment:* 20 different types of Knives and Daggers.
* A light short-sword in a scabbard on her back.
* Light armor on her upper body.
* A belt that she wears at all times. It has holders for Knives and Daggers, as well as places she can tie things to it.
* A small waterproof bag that she can tie to her belt to keep things that must stay dry with her, even if she's underwater.
* A simple dress and sandals she can put on whenever she goes onto land, kept in the waterproof bag when not being worn.
* A slightly larger bag for things like food and extra tools.
* about 5 pounds of Non-perishable food that can be eaten on land or underwater. (Mainly edible kelp and dried meats.)
* 23 seashells that could have multiple uses. (Such as a weapon if they are sharpened, or other tool.)
* Another small bag to keep money in. (She currently has 15 of each type of coin.)
* A strip of fabric to tie her hair up with so it does not get in her way. Is tied around her belt or wrist when she is not wearing it.
* A small necklace with a seashell locket on it that is enchanted so she can summon creatures to come to her aid.
Combat Skills: Preferably using Knives and Daggers, she is very adept at stealth kills both in the water and on land. Very agile, and quick-thinking. She's good at fighting, but it can be extremely difficult for her to fight more than two or three opponents alone. Can summon water-creatures to help her.
Non-Combat Skills: Swimming, endurance, cooking any type of food with few ingredients, good at puzzle-solving. Can communicate with water creatures, and they automatically trust her.
Mana: High
Magical Schools: Water-based Summoning, Religious-based Healing.
Magical Abilities:* Levitation spell: Grants the target the ability to 'swim' through the air so long as the caster remains conscious.
* Breath of Life: grants the target the ability to breathe in any environment, the effect remains until the caster recalls the spell. This spell can be cast on inanimate objects, where the effect is given to whoever is in possession of the object, and the object keeps this spell until the object is broken or the spell is recalled by the caster.
* Summon familiar: Summons one or two large creatures, or a whole horde of small creatures, to follow whatever commands the user gives. The stronger the creature, the less likely it is to listen. Causes dehydration.
* Wrath of Light: A religious-based attack spell that blinds the enemy and causes burns and the (temporary or permanent) loss of senses. it also strengthens the caster's religious spirit, but causes fatigue.
Techniques:* Song of serenity: Causes everyone in the area to become lethargic and generally calmer for a small amount of time. once the effect is over, the calmness will often linger.
* Berserker rage: Creates an aura of rage around her and grants strength to all allies within. Trades sanity for power, so she may even attack allies in this state.
* Song of the Reef: A water-based spell that heals sea creatures. Does not require much religious strength to cast, although the caster may get burned if they cast this spell with no will to actually help the target.
* Light of the gods: A religious-based healing spell that can heal any creature. The caster must be devoutly religious and have the will to help the target or risk severe burns and loss of the senses; like sight, hearing, and touch.
Personality: Never gives up, is kind and likes to help people. Is kinda ditsy when she's alone, and talks to herself a lot.
Talents: * Psychic ability (Like mind-reading)
* Puppet (Can be passed out but her body still fights)
Approved</s>
<|message|>Airan Vasilly
Everyone else should have been able to talk; why didn't they? Why did no one say anything, greet each other? How long would they stay in awkward silence before one would take the initiative to address the broader group? How much longer would everyone else be content to remain in this strange silence that Airan felt was unbearable? His own attempts to speak had all failed; it did not understand - other than the fact it simply just couldn't talk. Had this slime lost its ability to speak before its body was granted to him? Was this intentional?
Even as he approached the statue with everyone else, he could not help but feel agonized. The silence was dangerous. It was a sign they did not wish to communicate. That meant mistrust. The occupants of this room mistrusted each other, and that, Airan felt, was dangerous. Mistrust led to paranoia, paranoia led to recklessness and recklessness led to mistakes. Fatal ones. Killings in the name of self defence; any hope for teamwork and cooperation destroyed by the idea that each other was out to get everyone else.
...Come to think about it, maybe it was he who was just paranoid.
As he walked, one step at a time, his helmet's movement the only indication that his gaze was switching between all of the occupants in the room, the silent knight only wanted one thing.
Speak. Make conversation. Do anything to end this unbearable silence.</s>
<|message|>Diana
As if a benevolent goddess had deigned to answer the prayers of the metal-encased slime, the silence was broken moments later.
Though considering the means by which this occurred, perhaps it would be better to say that this goddess was less "benevolent" and more "bored". Who could really know what goddesses were thinking?
"Yo. Yo. Yo."
The homunculus who had been among the first to awaken emanated the sound three times, each time in a different pitch, as if she were deciding on which one felt most natural.
Loosing a brief cough afterwards, she then began speaking again, electing to go with the second pitch.
"Hiya, how is everyone~? You all look kinda confused too, so I'm guessing none of you remember anything before this point in time either, riiiight? Those wonderfully dumb, slack-jawed expressions of yours are just screaming the truth~!"
"...well, except for mister armor over there, but I'm sure he's the same way."
Diana immediately launched into a stream of dialogue, as if needing to warm up her vocal chords by alternating the speed of her speech from slow to fast in a mad cascade.
"Well, if you do remember stuff and I'm the odd duck out then that'd probably be for the better. Bunch of people all waking up in a room with amnesia or something, like, really? Way too coincidental to be normal, which'd mean there'd be a cause for it, which means it wouldn't be standard, which means we probably have some shared factor or situation, and that'd all be really annoying."
"Bleh, whatever, we can get to discussing what we know and don't know after we're all nice and acquainted, right? I'm Diana, but you can call me Diana. Or Miss Diana, I guess, but just Diana works too. Let's all get along~"</s>
<|message|>Isa Nicolai
Isa had just been about to say something, to break the silence between the other creatures, when one of them launched herself into a strange and somewhat annoying monolouge. Her pitch and tone and tempo changed constantly as she spoke, and Isa didn't like it.
"I find myself in a similar situation to you, Diana." Isa spoke slowly, calmly, not wanting to seem threatening to anyone, but not wanting to seem bubbly or immature as the girl, as Diana, had seemed to her. Isa walked closer to the statue that was in the center of the group, more so that they could see her than for her to see them.
Taking a breath, Isa made her tone lighter and tried to add a touch of kindness to her words. "I am Isa, by the way. I don't know who any of you are, but I suppose I should say that for some reason, I don't feel on edge around you. I may not remember the events that brought us together, but I trust my intuition. I dont think that any of us are meant to be enemies here."</s>
<|message|>Victor
While 2 others talked, Victor stared at the statue. It was likely that the others who were also staring at it had similar thoughts to each other, though their thoughts probably weren't the same as his own.
I wonder how much this is worth.
It was quite brilliant statue, actually. It was glowing and it was well made. It was probably magical, but there was no way he was taking it out of the cave by himself. With that said, he couldn't help but think about what he would get if he sold it, which was strange to a newly reformed body.
It was weird how the statue was surrounded by corpses, but it was weirder how he wanted to get a lot of gold. He wasn't sure why, but he really felt like he wanted a lot of money, like he couldn't live without it. The lust for gold nagged at his mind, and he couldn't hold explain it. It didn't feel like him to coop up his feelings, so he tried saying something.
His jaw fell open clumsily and a squeeky weeze emerged, somewhat reminiscent of human speech but intelligible. Something was stuck in his throat. He put his hand into his mouth and tried to clear his airway. When he pulled his hand out, it was covered in cobwebs.
Ew. Victor thought, coughing to clear out the remaining cobwebs.
"Ugh..." A voice said.
It was Victor's voice. His body's voice. It reminded him of a bad flute player's music. Probably what he should expect from a skeleton, really. But there was only one reason he tried to speak, one reason alone.
"Hey, anyone got some gold on them?" He said, adjusting his jawbone to speak better.</s>
<|message|>Vaul
Vaul ran his tongue along the irregularities of his teeth, against the elastic resistance of his cheeks, and the unyielding quality of the roof of his mouth. Vigor was slowly returning to his body as he sat there on his comfy little rock, and finally he stood up after some time. Using his rather ornate staff as a walking stick, he stepped over the small underground stream in the dim light, managing not to wet the hem of his robes. It felt good to move, to relax and contract his muscles to construct a more or less steady gait. Eventually, he neared the figures clustered around the statue at the center of the temple.
His ears twitched as he caught the lamia whispering "Who is she? Why is it down here? Who am I and why am I here?" and at such a relatively far distance that he was surprised himself.
"Why indeed?" Vaul replied, as he came up behind her, more to catch her attention than to offer anything useful. His eyes had a strange glimmer about them as he eyed the scales of Alyona's serpentine tail, walking with close steps in a semicircle around her before stopping at her front.
"You're a snake down there..." he breathed out in genuine amazement, with a rather nonplussed expression on his face as the gravitas of the fact sunk in. "A snake starting from," he brought his eyes up to her midriff, "And then it's humanoid," then to her face, "Thereafter..."
The moment of silence hung thickly still in the air as he stared into her eyes, his face unreadable.
"Huh," concluded Vaul, failing to come up with anything more profound. "Isn't that something."</s>
<|message|>Alyona Moroz
Alyona decided immediately that the girl that had spoken first, Diana, was quite annoying already. Maybe it was her voice or the way she changed the tone and tempo of her speech as she spoke, but it was grating on Alyona's nerves, so she ignored the girl for the time being.
However, it seemed best to introduce herself with this name that she somehow knew was hers. However, as Alyona prepared to speak, she was startled by a voice behind her. She lost her balance and almost fell over again, however managed to right herself before she could actually fall. To say Alyona was surprised would have been an understatement.
Vaul's astonishment and rather anticlimactic statement left Alyona off balance, figuratively. There were no words. Instead she shook off the daze after a moment and decided to introduce herself instead of pick up from his rather broken verbal observations. "Errr, hello, you can call me Alyona, and you are?"</s>
<|message|>Vaul
"Vaul." He replied smoothly enough, tilting his chin up in an unnecessarily prissy manner, and living up to his body's elven nature. "I'd say it would be nice to meet you, but in such a dreary place," he gestured to a nearby skeleton, then to the other figures nearby, "And the fact that we all appear to be bewildered by the situation we're in, it would be rather inappropriate, don't you think?"
"I must say," he added, running his eyes down Alyona's half-serpentine figure again. "You have a very interesting physique."
He pursed his lips thereafter, and ran his tongue across their dry length to wet them.</s>
<|message|>Diana
"Nice to meetcha, Isa! Oh, and Mister Bones, sorry, I don't have any gold. Does that make me poor? Aw, I don't wanna be poor~" Diana hummed airily in reply, her tone having stabilized now after getting a feel for how to speak. At the reactions, or rather lack thereof, of the others who were present though, the mud doll's expression soured slightly.
"...boring. Come on, if Isa's in the same situation as me, I'm guessing you guys will be too, right~? And nobody wants to talk about that? Really? That's just plain disap-"
Diana cut herself off as she paused for a moment, her eyes narrowing slightly.
'...that's what that must be, right? Even if I don't truly remember, this body remembers so I can still remember. And this body is telling me that...'
Her eyes shifted back to the statue as she took a step forward, looking at it with a focus completely antithetical to her prior demeanor. '...let's see, then.' She recited to herself mentally, before making use of an ability that came to the forefront as easily as breathing: Detect Magic, initiate.</s>
| <|message|>Isa Nicolai
Isa had been listening to the various conversations, when the sudden stop of Diana's voice drew all of her attention back to the girl. She was simply standing there, looking at the statue. Isa followed her gaze up, to where the figure's face would have been, had it not been so weathered away. There doesn't seem to be any thing wring with-!
Isa's thought stopped as she saw a slight flicker over the statue's 'face', like the ripples of a pond after a stone has been skipped across the surface. Isa placed a hand on the base of the statue, and with the other she held the amulet around her neck. What am I doing... As soon as she asked herself the question, she knew the answer. That's right, I'm looking for the traces of magic in this statue. I might not be able to tell what type of magic, but I will sense it if there is any.</s> |
<|description|>Isa Nicolai
Gender: Female
Alignment: Chaotic Neutral
Race: Mer-folk
Equipment:* 20 different types of Knives and Daggers.
* A light short-sword in a scabbard on her back.
* Light armor on her upper body.
* A belt that she wears at all times. It has holders for Knives and Daggers, as well as places she can tie things to it.
* A small waterproof bag that she can tie to her belt to keep things that must stay dry with her, even if she's underwater.
* A simple dress and sandals she can put on whenever she goes onto land, kept in the waterproof bag when not being worn.
* A slightly larger bag for things like food and extra tools.
* about 5 pounds of Non-perishable food that can be eaten on land or underwater. (Mainly edible kelp and dried meats.)
* 23 seashells that could have multiple uses. (Such as a weapon if they are sharpened, or other tool.)
* Another small bag to keep money in. (She currently has 15 of each type of coin.)
* A strip of fabric to tie her hair up with so it does not get in her way. Is tied around her belt or wrist when she is not wearing it.
* A small necklace with a seashell locket on it that is enchanted so she can summon creatures to come to her aid.
Combat Skills: Preferably using Knives and Daggers, she is very adept at stealth kills both in the water and on land. Very agile, and quick-thinking. She's good at fighting, but it can be extremely difficult for her to fight more than two or three opponents alone. Can summon water-creatures to help her.
Non-Combat Skills: Swimming, endurance, cooking any type of food with few ingredients, good at puzzle-solving. Can communicate with water creatures, and they automatically trust her.
Mana: High
Magical Schools: Water-based Summoning, Religious-based Healing.
Magical Abilities:* Levitation spell: Grants the target the ability to 'swim' through the air so long as the caster remains conscious.
* Breath of Life: grants the target the ability to breathe in any environment, the effect remains until the caster recalls the spell. This spell can be cast on inanimate objects, where the effect is given to whoever is in possession of the object, and the object keeps this spell until the object is broken or the spell is recalled by the caster.
* Summon familiar: Summons one or two large creatures, or a whole horde of small creatures, to follow whatever commands the user gives. The stronger the creature, the less likely it is to listen. Causes dehydration.
* Wrath of Light: A religious-based attack spell that blinds the enemy and causes burns and the (temporary or permanent) loss of senses. it also strengthens the caster's religious spirit, but causes fatigue.
Techniques:* Song of serenity: Causes everyone in the area to become lethargic and generally calmer for a small amount of time. once the effect is over, the calmness will often linger.
* Berserker rage: Creates an aura of rage around her and grants strength to all allies within. Trades sanity for power, so she may even attack allies in this state.
* Song of the Reef: A water-based spell that heals sea creatures. Does not require much religious strength to cast, although the caster may get burned if they cast this spell with no will to actually help the target.
* Light of the gods: A religious-based healing spell that can heal any creature. The caster must be devoutly religious and have the will to help the target or risk severe burns and loss of the senses; like sight, hearing, and touch.
Personality: Never gives up, is kind and likes to help people. Is kinda ditsy when she's alone, and talks to herself a lot.
Talents: * Psychic ability (Like mind-reading)
* Puppet (Can be passed out but her body still fights)
Approved</s>
<|message|>Victor
"No money? Bummer." Victor said, swinging his jaw back and forth.
It was a little loose and fun to play with, but it probably wouldn't do well to lose it so he slotted it back into place.
"I wonder if can find some money..." Victor muttered.
His lust for gold was truly odd, but he had nothing else to go on. Acting on his instincts, his surveyed the equipment of the others around the statue. Some of it seemed to be extremely valuable and Victor would've liked to have it.
No stealing, though. Victor thought. Stealing is rude. Hmm....
He turned his attention to the various corpses that hadn't gotten up. Perhaps he would find something of worth among the cadavers.
"Alrighty then," Victor said, walking over to the nearest un-moving corpse and rifling through its pockets.</s>
<|message|>Boris Egon
Boris felt the energies move as the two other casters wove their spells, and decided that looking around in more than one way was a good idea, and reached for the currents with his small but rather sharp and strong mind, seeking the nature and sources of any magic in the nearby local. Fey magic didn't quite express itself in the same manner as the big-peoples magic did, but it served an identical function in many ways.
Oh dear... such clamorous beings, must they be so loud and obnoxious? Ooh... a greedy skeleton? This he had to mock. What could he possibly use gold for? Food and drink would be worthless to him, clothing pointless, and Boris was pretty sure the skeleton wasn't the vogue art collector type. He decided to play a trick on the old stack of bones, and pulled several small drops of water from the stream nearby, and used them to imitate flashes and glints of light, as the skeleton moved from corpse to corpse. After each flash of light, the drop of water would be dropped onto the floor where it slowly seeped into the ground and another was pulled from the stream to replace it. Boris chuckled to himself, disliking the high pitch of his voice, but expecting it from such a small frame. If the skeleton began following the trail of glints, he would wander in a around criss-crossing the same area though never returning to the same corpse twice.</s>
<|message|>Diana
"Oh?"
An airy smile crossed Diana's face as the result of her surveyance of the ambient magic in the room returned to her, information ingraining itself into her mind. Without another word, a pale hand of the homunculus reached out to pluck a small note off of the statue. After doing so, she emanated a slight giggle, as if awaiting the note to explode, or summon an eldritch abomination, or explode and then summon an eldritch abomination.
Well, you only live once. Or something. Derp charge ahoy.
"...what a joke. Someone here's got a sense of humor, that's nice~"
Speaking to herself but also speaking intentionally loudly as if to inform the others, she turned her eyes to the note with a raised eyebrow.
'Let's see what this has to say. I don't like being in the dark about this trash, not one bit.' She thought to herself as she trailed a finger along the note.
After a fraction of a second passed though, Diana raised an eyebrow. Even if she herself didn't recognize something of this nature, her body certainly did. '...huh, they really do have a sense of humor, leaving something completely useless like this here.' She thought to herself with a half-dissatisfied expression. "Bleh, that's disappointing."</s>
<|message|>Boris Egon
Boris lost his train of thought as one of the creatures surrounding him, and the statue, picked up a note he had over looked. He released the spell manipulating the water droplets, and watched as the note was read... waiting to hear what was said. He knew it held magic in it's frail form, but not what purpose the magic served. When the note was not commented on for some time, Boris's curiosity got the better of him, and he jumped from the statues shoulder and flew to the wrist of the hand holding the note. There he landed lightly and began reading it for himself. It didn't occur to him that his current position might not be smiled upon by the owner the wrist he stood on.</s>
<|message|>Diana
Diana raised an eyebrow as she turned to the fairy that had chosen to sit on her wrist, her hand not touching the note moving to lightly pluck him off. Of course, anything too rough could kill the poor thing, so she was naturally careful.
"What are you trying to do, Mr. Fairy~?" She asked. "Personal space is important, y'know."
Of course, upon looking at the note, he would have naturally noticed that it was completely blank.</s>
<|message|>Irmo Muskerra
Irmo stepped around the homonculi after getting a look at the scroll from his perspective.
"Sso the scroll was blank. Thiss is a pity. Perhaps we should investigate that orb, no? As far as clues in this place go, that idol is all we have to go by. Unlesss you want to dig through the corpses. Does anyone object?"
The kobold approached the statue, waiting a brief moment for anyone to interject.</s>
<|message|>Victor
"Hmm... There's not much on these bodies..." Victor said.
Disappointing, really. He expected more, somewhat. Some of them looked like pretty good adventurers.
"What's this?" Victor said, suddenly noticing the trail of shiny things.
He walked slowly to a shining point and found that it was actually a puddle of water.
"Neat." Victor said. "It's like, light or something."
He began to follow the light, wondering where it led. He remained oblivious to the fact that it led him in circles.</s>
<|message|>Boris Egon
Boris noted that the note appeared to be blank, and was about try and touch it to see if he could ind any hidden information when he plucked from his perch. Annoyed, Boris listened to the big people, they were always so touchy about space, as if the had made the space around them, or bought it for a high price, it confused Boris really, especially when the same beings had no problem crushing entire cities, sometimes even entire countries, of little people as if they didn't even exist in the first place.
How is it that personal space is worth more than forcibly moving an entire person? Or do I not count as a person for some reason? You either know good and well what I was doing or you're to stupid for me to bother attempting to explain it to you, with my luck it's the latter.
He mumbles the last phrase about his luck. He shifts focus as the kobold speaks up, asking about the orb. Kobolds were nice enough, they rarely messed with little folk. Granted that might be due to their affinity for living underground, and so were less likely to run into little folk, but Boris didn't care about that.
Be my guest Scaly; Skeley there is already digging through the dead.</s>
<|message|>Diana
"If you wanted to know what the note was, you could've asked me, Mr. Fairy~" Diana hummed before looking back at the paper with a dissatisfied expression. "Either way, no harm in explaining, seeing as its equally useless for all of us. Even if I don't remember "me", I remember "this". This here is a magic little database. It's built to store information, like a better version of a book. It could hold arcane secrets, could hold a recipe for pie, could hold a compendium of erotica, who really knows? Maybe it's blank and we can use it as a diary." She explained, before letting out a slight huff.
"Problem is, this requires a magical password to access it, and seeing as nobody else seems to remember anything either, that means we won't be able to guess it. Brute forcing past the password is practically impossible, and on top of that I can't tell if this is even blank or not, so for now it's useless." She stated, reaching around with the hand holding the note to deposit it in her Bag of Miscellaneous Goodies, nestled firmly within the folds of her blanket. "I'll hold onto it on the offchance we figure out the password, but unless there's something in here that could be the password, the odds of that are just barely above zero, so don't get optimistic. Maybe it's the sort of thing we won't find a way to access until we're about to fight the Demon Lord, I don't know."
"Hey, Mr. Gold n' Bones, has your searching turned up anything that looks like a password?" She called out, releasing Boris from her fingers. "Sorry about the rough handling, Mr. Fairy~" She said with a slight giggle, "Didn't mean to be rude, let's get along!"</s>
<|message|>Boris Egon
Boris, glad to be free of the witch's claws, flew back to the statue, wondering if it held the password, whatever that was. Landing on the shoulder opposite his previous landing, and put one hand against the statues smooth face, trying to feel for anything magical from the weathered stone what kind of magic it held.
He hoped that being on the statue would prevent anyone else from grabbing him... He also noticed that the witch gave no reply to his question but still wanted be friends... She sounded rather like a fey herself, and he wondered if she had been made by one of the more powerful fey. They did such things occasionally, when they got bored, or wanted revenge on the big people for disturbing their smaller cousins. Boris wondered if any of the others even knew of the fey, the witch probably did, the skeleton and kobold might not though. The rest? hmmm, he wasn't sure yet about the others most of them hadn't said or done anything since waking up anyway, or at least he hadn't noticed them doing much of anything.</s>
| <|message|>Isa Nicolai
It seems that when Isa started to look for magic within the statue, her focus narrowed so much that she didn't notice anything that happened until she took her hand from the base of the statue. She hadn't been able to find more than just a thread of magic, so she was slightly disappointed as she broke her search just in time to hear Diana's lecture on how useless something was. Isa looked around the room, trying to figure out what all had changed while she was... entranced? Isa looked back to the statue in surprise. Had I been entranced when I touched it? That could explain the fact that I had only been able to find a thread of magic, I wasn't focused anymore when I was pulled into the trance... That means there is definitely some magic here, but I'm not going to try to find what it is again. At least, not yet.
While Isa was thinking, she had semi-listened to Diana's tirade, and when she looked over at the girl she was surprised to see her holding a Fey in one hand and a scroll in the other. The useless thing must be that scroll... But where did the fairy come from? Isa thought as she watched the girl put the scroll into a bag of hers and drop the fairy. As she got over her shock at seeing the girl be so careless to the creature, she noticed that there was now a Kobold standing by the base of the statue also.
Isa stepped away from the statue as she spoke to the Kobold. "I wouldn't touch the statue. It just... I think I went into some kind of trance when I touched it."</s> |
<|description|>Krzysztanzia Zaleski
Appearance - without shield or plate armour (outlined below)
Body Character Sheet
Gender: Female.
Alignment: Lawful Evil
Race: Dark Elf ("Drow", if you're being technical)
Appearance:
Personal plate armour (fitted to drow size):
Helmet – worn under hood (no horns):
Equipment: Two-handed greatsword w/ scabbard, armour, map, compass, preservable food (such as kept bread and the odd apple or bit of cheese), whetstone, polishing cloth and rucksack.
Combat Skills: Unable to rely on the grace and speed elvenkin are renown for, she is forced to rely on both brute force (what she can muster, that is) and any magic she could bring to bear, if at all.
Her primary expertise is with two-handed swords, longswords, maces and polearm weaponry. Conversely, she has little experience with any bowed weaponry and no experience with any other forms of weapon.
Unexpected Angles
To a veteran warrior, every possible part of a weapon could be another avenue for attack or defence - the flat of a blade, a mace's pommel, the shaft of a glaive and so on. All one needs is to recognise an opening, time it perfectly and, of course, practice, practice, practice.
Ambidexterity
Constant training and use of her two-handed weapon has given the wielder the ability to wield her cumbersome 'zweihander' with either her right or left hand in the predominant "control" grip of her weapon. This can allow her to counter-attack or defend against blows to either side of her body that a lesser-trained individual with a dominant hand (as well as no other form of defence, such as a shield) might find more difficult to compensate for.
Non-Combat Skills: Lowlight vision (inherent trait), intimidation (goes without saying, considering who she is and likely what she does), recognition of Dark Elf language and sigils, repairing and maintaining her arms and armour.
Mana: Mid-range mana-retaining capacity, though only usually enough for the abilities that are listed below.
Magical Schools: Diabolic (major)
Magical Abilities:
Smite Good
The very antithesis of do-gooders, such as warrior-priests or knights who serve those deities of heroes, the Blackguard draw on the magic of the world not to uphold the ideas of justice, but to strike down these weak-minded and naive fools. With a powerful blast of magic, the Blackguard could bring any character of Good alignment - at least, those unprotected by any higher power or enchantments against evil - screaming to their knees in abject agony.
Neutral or Evil character will remain unaffected.
Corrupt Blade
Just as a Paladin or warrior-cleric can invoke the name of their god to divinely empower their blade before facing the diabolical, so too can a Blackguard prepare their own blades before facing their opposite numbers.
At its simplest form, corrupting a blade would allow the Blackguard to inflict an incremental higher amount of damage against an opponent, reflecting the infusion of vile magics or runes into the weapon about an hour before the battle.
At its most powerful (and provided the necessary rites and work is done at least 48 hours in advance), the defiled blade can banish an enemy's soul to the hells if the weapon can inflict a single fatal wound, such as running it through the heart or by decapitation.
In both cases, however, the corruption will fade away as soon as the battle has concluded; the Blackguard must begin the rites again if he or she wants to corrupt their weapon again.
Techniques:
Unbridled Rage
Whether it is due to a trigger that sets off something within them or a sudden surge of fury imparted from their deity, the Blackguard suddenly feels their limbs cloaked in demonic fire and their soul filled by rage. Infuriated, the Blackguard immediately rushes towards the target of their anger, their strikes now enscorcelled by the power they serve and hitting harder then they could have before.
Any subsequent strikes inflicted by the Blackguard would hit harder then they would have under their own strength until the target falls. Once the opponent lies dead, however, this strength fades away.
Artificial Spirit Sheet
Personality:
Despite holding a feminine name, this spirit, wherever it has originated from (or from who), generally does not consider itself specifically feminine in its present state due to the lack of a body. It has, however, retained a feminine persona for simplified interaction between itself and others, to be able to relate to its present "host" and in order to avoid any confusion as to "why a woman sounds like a man".
Generally feels uncomfortable (if not near nauscious) when forced to kill someone in cold blood; a possible give away, considering the body the spirit will inhabit.
Talents:
Scion of the Forge Fire
Learning the art of forging, the spirit is able to, with enough practice within its new host and experience, able to forge basic level arms and equipment for those who require it. It will need to gather the necessary materials and equipment to complete weapons and armour, so more complex and powerful pieces would take anywhere between several hours to a week to complete and either fit for the client or prepare for battlefield use.
With additional learning, it could be possible for the spirit to be able to produce magically-enhanced equipment. However, these will take the longest time to produce and ready - up to a month of on-off work for the most powerful of enhanced works.
APPROVED</s>
<|message|>Victor
A pile of rags and bone in the corner shifted. A fleshless scarecrow of a man, once strong; now dead. A lifeless husk of what it once was. Or was it? The skeleton shifted once again and went back to being still. The Skeleton rolled over and curled into the foetal position.
Five more minutes... Victor thought.
He shifted once again and tried going back to sleep, but he realised that it was strangely uncomfortable now, and something was poking him in the ribs.
Wait... Ribs... I'm alive? Victor thought.
He got up to a sitting position suddenly. A pirate hat fell off his head and onto his lap. Victor reached over to pick it up, but noticed that his hand was missing something. Namely flesh. He got up quickly and ran to a nearby puddle to check his reflection and a leering skull met his view. He reached up to touch his face and the reflection mirrored the action.
Nope, doesn't look like I'm alive. Victor thought.
He shrugged and walked away from the puddle. He was moving, at least. He could think. That was something. So maybe he was technically alive, but also not alive?
Victor scanned the room. Maybe there was something around that could explain why he was a Skeleton. He spotted a large, glowing statue in the middle of it.
Well, that looks pretty. Victor noted.
He decided to walk over and investigate it. Maybe it would have the answers he wanted.
(If you're wondering, the ground was poking at his ribs)</s>
<|message|>Irmo Muskerra
A smaller, stranger looking figure than many who had already risen began to move ever so slightly. A wiggle of the finger, a clenching of the joints, a twitch of the tail. Irmo quickly ran through thoughts of how strange non-manual breathing was and how horrifically overstimulating life was before promptly pushing these thoughts down and opening his sensory organs- eyes in this case, quickly adjusting to the shaded recesses of the temple. He tried moving, stumbling slightly, before giving it another, more successful try. Standing on a pair of apparently digitigrade legs, the spirit began to ponder its situation.
This is... quite interesting in fact. Though very heavily disconcerting.
Irmo brought a hand to his face, tracing the lines in an attempt to get some impression of himself.
Snout, scales, "mustache", ridges. It appears I'm biologically aberrant, at least compared to that specimen Irmo thought to himself, noting a skull lying on the ground missing its jaw.
The kobold, satisfied with that basic inventory of his physical state, began taking inventory of his pockets and other accoutrement. A few knives, a pipe and some what appeared to be tobacco, some ceramic pots with fusing sticking out of them that some part of him suggested were some sort of bomb, and some other more general items like rope and a fine compass. Pulling out a flint and a stone he appeared to keep in a shirt pocket, he severed a piece of tobacco, gingerly inserted it into his pipe, and took his first smoke as a corporeal being while examining his surroundings. The statue in the center caught his interest, and as everyone else seemed to gravitate in that direction he decided that, lacking anything better to go on, to approach it.</s>
<|message|>Isa Nicolai
Gosh, why is it so dark? I cant see a thing. The thought caused Isa to blink, and soon the area around her was flooded with light.
Ah, I can see. That's strange. But what about-? Isa was looking around as she thought, and though she couldn't see much, what she had just seen made her want to cry in confusion. I- I'm a, FISH? I... The fish tail moved, and Isa began to calm down.
Oh, not a fish. A mermaid. That explains why everything's so wavy. I must be underwater. Isa was able to place her hands on the bed of sand below her and push up, forcing her head above the water.
What she could see now was, she had been lying in a small stream in what appeared to be a large cave or temple. Forcing herself to be silent, Isa observed as a few creatures, some close to her and some farther away, began to stir and rise from where they had been on the ground, very similar to herself.
"We may be the same." Isa spoke her thought, testing her voice. The melodic lilt that meet her made her want to sing. "Mermaids always had such pretty voices..." Speaking out loud again, Isa was about to attempt to haul herself out of the water, when her body seemed to give her a warning.
"Waterproof... oh, clothes." Isa had almost forgotten about clothes. "That's what I get for being a spirit for so long... how long has it been?" Isa mumbled to herself as she carefully slipped on the simple white dress and sandals as she got out of the water. Once she was out, Isa took inventory of everything on her new person.
Food, weapons, and a special necklace were a few of the more notable things, however Isa could not comprehend the reason for the large number of seemingly random seashells she had. "Could possibly be a collection... I better hang on to these for now." With everything important out of the way, Isa started walking towards where the bulk of the creatures seemed to be, gathered around a gorgeous statue.</s>
| <|message|>Krzysztanzia Zaleski
In one of the darkened corners of the ruined temple, a series of stone biers were set into the floor. The majority of them were bare, yet on one of them, an ebony armoured figure lay in repose. The body, indistinctive underneath the plate armour, hooded helm and cloak, was clutching a broad-bladed, two-handed sword in its gauntlets and, at the foot of the bier, was a rucksack containing various possessions.
All was still and silent within this corner of the building ... until a soft, sibilant command was whispered within it:
"Awaken."
Two tiny luminous scarlet orbs opened behind the helmet's visor; wearied, laboured breathing caused the armoured chest to rise and fall as ragged gasping for air forced its way through the tiny breathing grilles of the helm. Groggily rising to a seating position, the figure placed the sword to one side of the bier as it tried to get its sense of bearing and direction. Catching sight of her gauntlets and armoured legs, however, the figure fell of of the bier in a panic, landing on the floor with a clatter of armoured plating and chain-mail. She moaned, pain from landing hard on her back flaring up her spine as, righting herself on her knees and hands, she weakly began to look for something that she could use to get a good look at herself.
Who am I? she asked herself, crawling towards what appeared to be a cistern or a pool that was buried within the floor. A name floated to the surface: I'm ... I'm ... Krzysztanzia - that's it, that's my name. But where am I right now? And in whom or in what have I woken up in?
Like a wounded animal, the armoured figure came to a stop beside the cistern and, drawing the hood back enough, tugged the black helmet away from her head; it fell with a clang against the cobblestones, allowing Krys to see herself for the first time. Within the rippling reflection of the stream, she could make out a face - alabaster skin as ashen-grey as the stone she was kneeling on, crimson-irised eyes that stared back at her in utter confusion, pale white locks of hair that fell from beneath the hood that framed her face, and ...
Throwing the hood fully back, Krys gasped in shock at the pair of prominent ears that thrust themselves up from the sides of her head. She reached up with a gauntlet-clad hand and pressed the fingers against her face, gingerly caressing her cheek as if to confirm that the reflection in the water was, indeed, her.
This ... this is me. This is ME!
Scrabbling for her helmet, she placed it back over her head, her pale visage once again hidden by the protective steel that covered it. Wobbly getting to her feet and turning back to the biers in order to collect the objects that were left with her, she paused, noting that she was not alone within the temple's massive central chamber and that all of the other occupants were gravitating towards a massive statue within the center of the room.</s> |
<|description|>Airan Vasilly
Approved
Not a Human
Gender: Asexual
Alignment: Lawful Good
Race: Slime
Equipment: A Large suit of armour which is worn at all times, even during sleep. Also carries with it a greatsword and a shield. Generally also carries a bag, polishing cloth and a lantern.
Combat Skills:
"The Killing Blow" - a swordfighting style which emphasizes a constant, overwhelming offensive in order to force the enemy off if his guard in preparation for a great blow which tears through any defence the opponent can make.
"The Stalwart Defence" - a second swordfighting style which emphasizes, in contrast to "The Killing Blow," a defensive tactic allowing the enemy to create an opening through his own offence to exploit.
"Actually I'm a slime but shh they don't know that" - the use of its attributes as an acidic slime to its advantage; usually through coating Musana in its slime to use its acidic property to eat away at the opponent's sword, armour or other form of defence.
Non-Combat Skills:
Unified Language - Airan can understand any spoken language (writing not included). As an offset for this, it is completely mute.
Other than that, he is good at hand gestures as well as the polishing of armour and swords.
Mana: Average for a slime
Magical Schools: Acidic/poison magic, highly skilled in body forming.
Techniques: An emergency "dissolving" of its body into its natural slime state; its slime will pour out of every single crevice in the armour and reform very quickly. Doing this severely disorients it, leaving it with usually one opportunity but much too dizzy and disoriented to do more. This serves as its trump card.
Artificial Spirit Sheet
Personality: Cautious, very, very careful, wants to be left alone.
Talents:
Discernment - Airan is able to detect intent and falsehoods through dialogue.</s>
<|message|>Franz Nagel
The darkness was unbearable, it was shifting, amorphous, without definition or constraint. It was maddening. No words, no order, nothing to describe. He didn't like that. Then, as though a prayer had been answered, light, form, shape. Light cast away darkness... warmth and benevolence caused cold and cruelty to vanish. Light's purpose, its duty, is to illuminate, to guide. Duty casts away uncertainty. Yes, those words made sense, felt familiar, at least to Franz... Franz, the name felt right for some reason. His mind steeled against what darkness might remain, he looked upon the statue, its form, while beautiful (despite the lack of facial features), left him with a sense of revulsion, as though it should not be, as though its very existence was somehow..
"Blasphemous." Yes, the word felt righteous as it left his lips, Franz's voice ringing within his armor, freed from any sort of doubt his mind may have had. His muscles ached, stiff and burdened by his armor, heavy plate atop robes and padded cloth, adorned in icons, parchment, and a heraldry of some sort. Though their exact meaning was somewhat vague, he could not help but feel a sense of great pride, joy, and duty. As he rose, surprised by his own strength, he felt several items swinging from his waist, a few small books, more icons, and a heavy mace to be exact. The books were old, leather bound, and obviously used frequently. A sense of security came over Franz as he flipped through a tome called The Book of Deiwos. Upon his back was slung a pack, and a kite-shield of both wood and metal, painted with the same heraldry that adorned a section of his robes and armor. It depicted a great beast, appearing to be both reptilian and mammalian in nature, being felled by a mailed fist surrounded by holy light.
Turning his attention from his own personal affects, Franz looked to the other occupants of the room, many of them were revolting in body, inhuman monsters or creatures of a more ancient and natural world, a world before man. Those who did not disgust him outright with their appearance, still did not escape suspicion or disdain from his hidden glare and scowl. Even those who seemed trustworthy or of good nature, did not seem all too innocent in his eyes. After all, some force must have brought them to this place, brought him here, for what reason, he could only guess at. Certainly some greater power had seen fit to intervene in the world, perhaps their innocence and purity were to be tested by their maker? Such a thought brought both fear and delight to him, if such was the case, none would find him wanting.But for those who where, Franz would find out himself.</s>
<|message|>Roza Orzel
When the Dark Elf awoke herself, everything in her sight was a mashing together of various colors and hues. Her entire body felt like it had fallen asleep and was now woken up, making complicated movement hard. Almost involuntarily, her body began to breathe and stir again of its own accord.
With new found strength, she began rubbing her eyes with her left hand. The world around her began to come into view more and more, her natural night vision giving her a enhanced view of the world around her. It was becoming painstakingly apparent that there was nothing of note or interest where she was looking now. Light, real light, was pulsating from something in front of her body, making the ceiling of drab colors and tasteless symbols irrelevant to her.
She made an effort to pull her body upright, succeeding quickly with that precious blood that had been flowing through her veins for a few minutes. The scenery changed vividly in an instant, assuring her that she was not alone. There were many sitting alongside her, but most did not show signs of life or movement. This place was a hall of death, but after looking for an instant longer she saw just how wrong she was. A few other figures stirred and moved as well, beings of various sizes, races, and equipment. Some were somewhat monstrous, while most had a slim body type. She took a look down at her own static body, noting its shape, size, and barely illuminated color. It was obvious to her that she was very similar in temperament to most present, making her a part of the majority.
The Dark Elf attempted to speak up to greet her supposed compatriots, but all she could manage was a pathetic wheeze. The air here was not pleasant, and though the corpses did not stink the air in the room was lifeless and static. Determined to come into contact with those slowly moving toward the statue, she began to stand up the effort now easier now that her body was back online.
Now standing up right, she took a second to observe the world around her more carefully. Lights came into view a distance away; she could also see and to some degree hear nearby moving water. If that were the case, at least there should be a route to leave this place.
But she shoved that out of her mind for the moment. Her focus was on the statue itself, so out of place with the world around it. Though the statue fit with the rooms style, it seemed like something that shouldn't be in a room of corpses. Using its light to guide her, she took her first step forward. She was immensely curious as to what was contained under the robe she wore; however, the statue and others seemed far more interesting. By the time she arrived, many of the others were there or had come very close to being there. She examined the statue from its backside more closely, but was frustrated to find that it was featureless. One could tell it was a woman and that this statue once had immense quality; now it only slightly hurt her eyes to look at. She sighed in disappointment, before looking at the many now present around the statue.
...Just how many of them were there?</s>
<|message|>Boris Egon
Well, the dark elf made twelve others. Twelve, plus one of me, is thirteen in total. Thirteen is a lucky number right? I can't remember. What else can't I remember? I know my name, and what I am, at least physically, but how I got here I can't say. Did I die with all these other creatures and get sent back for some reason? Why would I have been with any of these creatures when they died, and why would I have come here? Hmm, all of these were big people, I don't know why, but I don't like big people. I really don't like big people, they crush the ground beneath their feet, they raze the forests to plant dull weeds for them to eat. They burned and destroyed the beautiful places almost as soon as they found them, they hated sharing almost as much as they hated playing. ... Wait, where did all that come from? I can neither remember nor forget these things. I have no specific memories, but I do not doubt that everything I remember is true and has happened. Perhaps I should leave before the big people notice me, but most of them are staring at the statue on which I rest. Perhaps they thought I was merely an insect or a leaf, others had made that mistake. When had that been? Never mind that, focus on getting away for now. Dare I risk moving, can fly fast enough to escape them if they do notice me? I doubt it, my muscles feel sore and ill-used. I'd only done a little flying earlier, surely that hadn't worn me out...
Drat the Dark Elf, she peers to closely for my liking, surely she sees me by now. Which rules out escaping... Next option, trick them! I love playing tricks, especially on big people. But trick them into what? I doubt I could get them to kill each other, perhaps I can pass myself off as a messenger of the godess on whom I sit! Whom do I sit on? Drat it all! I don't know enough myself, to play any good tricks. Hmf, I suppose I shall have to sit here and hear what I can. Maybe they will tell me enough to play a good trick!</s>
<|message|>Alyona Moroz
Alyona turned her attention back to those around her. It seemed that others had awakened as well. It seemed strange that so many would wake in a place like this, but surely she had no recollection of how she had gotten there, or anything for that matter. It definitely appeared to be a diverse group though, perhaps they knew each other? Why couldn't she remember anything?
Breaking away from her thoughts, Alyona looked around again, taking in their appearances once more before turning to the statue. Looking at it more closely, the weather had not spared it as much as she had initially thought. It was missing detail. It might as well have been faceless.
Speaking under her breath, "Who is she? Why is it down here?" Her questions turn back towards herself. "Who am I and why am I here?"
Alyona momentarily considered addressing the others, but decided against it. She didn't know who any of them were, so she would wait for them to notice her and react to how they acted.</s>
<|message|>Franz Nagel
Franz stood far from the statue, which he found increasingly repulsive (despite the beauty of its form). He stood away from the light, yet was still bathed in it. He stood, with his back to the wall, leaving no opening for any of the other occupants of the room to get the upper hand on him. Still, he turned his eyes from them, and began to read from one of the books he kept on his person, The Book of Deiwos. The many stories, verses, and mantras, put in him a feeling of pride, security, and righteousness.
All of it was so familiar, these stories of redemption, justice, and punishment. The unjust must be punished, the unclean must be purged, the innocent are never above suspicion. Such a sentiment appealed to Franz, as did Deiwos, a god of justice and mercy, deserving of worship, HIS worship. Perhaps thats why the statue filled him with such loathing, it was heretical, blasphemous in its very nature in the eyes of Deiwos. Franz was tempted to destroy the figure with his mace and a prayer to Deiwos, but he would not risk invoking the wrath of some heathen god, not now at least.</s>
<|message|>Verena Von Reinhard
With her eyes now open, Verena looked around at the figures who were in here with her. They varied in shapes and sizes, but that wasn't anything surprising. Two things shouldn't look the same, right? Of course not, that would be weird and impractical. There would be no way to tell who was who, and everything would be confusing. There were a few interesting figures, but the majority seemed rather boring. It was a shame, these people probably couldn't keep her entertained for long.
Oh well, they uninteresting seem to die anyway.
Once Verena was done inspecting her peers, she looked at the statue. As beautiful as the statue was, Verena couldn't stand it. No, that wouldn't be accurate. The statue itself was gorgeous, and something she would want personally. It isn't the statue she hated, but what time had done to the precious thing. It had to have had no rival when it was first created, but now time has taken its toll.
Is this the power of time? Does time truly destroy all eventually? Will everybody else in this room be given the same fate as the statue? She was a vampire, but even she feared that one day time might truly be enough.
No matter how far she ran, time was going to catch up with her one day, no matter how far into the future that is.
And this was a thought that bothered her, and one she would rather do without.</s>
| <|message|>Airan Vasilly
Everyone else should have been able to talk; why didn't they? Why did no one say anything, greet each other? How long would they stay in awkward silence before one would take the initiative to address the broader group? How much longer would everyone else be content to remain in this strange silence that Airan felt was unbearable? His own attempts to speak had all failed; it did not understand - other than the fact it simply just couldn't talk. Had this slime lost its ability to speak before its body was granted to him? Was this intentional?
Even as he approached the statue with everyone else, he could not help but feel agonized. The silence was dangerous. It was a sign they did not wish to communicate. That meant mistrust. The occupants of this room mistrusted each other, and that, Airan felt, was dangerous. Mistrust led to paranoia, paranoia led to recklessness and recklessness led to mistakes. Fatal ones. Killings in the name of self defence; any hope for teamwork and cooperation destroyed by the idea that each other was out to get everyone else.
...Come to think about it, maybe it was he who was just paranoid.
As he walked, one step at a time, his helmet's movement the only indication that his gaze was switching between all of the occupants in the room, the silent knight only wanted one thing.
Speak. Make conversation. Do anything to end this unbearable silence.</s> |
<|description|>Verena Von Reinhard
APPROVED
She wears a simple black gown that goes down to her ankles, with a pair of black shoes on her feet.
Body
Gender: Female
Alignment: Chaotic Neutral
Race: Vampire
Equipment: Animal bait, hunting traps, Umbrella, Torch, Flint and Steel, Flintlock Pistol, 25 extra bullets for said pistol, a holster, a Rapier, and a scabbard belt for said Rapier.
Combat Skills: Fairly skilled with a Flintlock Pistol, is skilled with her claws, as well as Classic Fencing. She can also move without making noise, and is fairly good at making herself blend in with her surroundings.
Non-Combat Skills:
Tea Making: She can make tea if given the proper tools.
Flexibility: She can easily bend and stretch her body beyond what most people can think. This allows her to be fairly athletic.
Soothing Voice: Her voice is calm and relaxing, which almost seems like it is trying to pull people into a trance. She isn't. Maybe.
Vampire Level: The body is average in age for a vampire, meaning that her vampiric abilities aren't anything special.
Mana: High
Magical Schools: Star Spawn Magic
Magical Abilities:
Star Spawn Magic: With the proper books, materials, and incantations, she is capable of summoning and binding or bargaining with Eldritch beings.
Tentacles: The ability to summon tentacles, just tentacles, that follow the summoner's every command. Verena may or may not be hiding these somewhere.
Techniques:
Magic Jet: An increase in physical capabilities by using Magical Energy as a propellant. It is very expensive to do this.
Artificial Spirit
Personality: Verena is a bit of a hedonist, doing everything she does for self-pleasure. She cares very little for the concerns for others as long as they do not affect her.
Talents: Memory manipulation, and weather control.</s>
<|message|>Verena Von Reinhard
There was darkness, nothing but the void surrounding a consciousness. The primordial state all living things feel before birth, and might just be the most uncomfortable state once they become sentient. It's kind of funny. The silence and darkness of the void is what people feel for the longest time, yet they forever fear to return to it.
Of course, Verena was no exception. The very moment light began to touch the consciousness, and thoughts were allowed to formulate, the very idea of returning to the void would chill Verena to the bone. Thankfully, she wasn't having these thoughts, but was thinking on how thirsty she was. A lifeless body might have the desire for nourishment, so that might just be it.
Despite her thirst, Verena managed to get other thoughts across her mind. Her name was Verena Von Reinhard, she was female, she had sharp teeth, and seemed to be a vampire.
Well that could be an issue. Her thirst was for blood, not for water. Well, there was water in blood, but that was irrelevant. She was a creature who lived by taking the life out of others.
This was an interesting though, and might question the morals she may or may not have.
She'd worry about all of this later, first, she had to view the new world around her, and move this body for the first time. Well, the first time she has moved it.
Verena opened her eyes, and for the first time, got to observe the world her dormant consciousness has never gotten to see before.</s>
<|message|>Franz Nagel
The darkness was unbearable, it was shifting, amorphous, without definition or constraint. It was maddening. No words, no order, nothing to describe. He didn't like that. Then, as though a prayer had been answered, light, form, shape. Light cast away darkness... warmth and benevolence caused cold and cruelty to vanish. Light's purpose, its duty, is to illuminate, to guide. Duty casts away uncertainty. Yes, those words made sense, felt familiar, at least to Franz... Franz, the name felt right for some reason. His mind steeled against what darkness might remain, he looked upon the statue, its form, while beautiful (despite the lack of facial features), left him with a sense of revulsion, as though it should not be, as though its very existence was somehow..
"Blasphemous." Yes, the word felt righteous as it left his lips, Franz's voice ringing within his armor, freed from any sort of doubt his mind may have had. His muscles ached, stiff and burdened by his armor, heavy plate atop robes and padded cloth, adorned in icons, parchment, and a heraldry of some sort. Though their exact meaning was somewhat vague, he could not help but feel a sense of great pride, joy, and duty. As he rose, surprised by his own strength, he felt several items swinging from his waist, a few small books, more icons, and a heavy mace to be exact. The books were old, leather bound, and obviously used frequently. A sense of security came over Franz as he flipped through a tome called The Book of Deiwos. Upon his back was slung a pack, and a kite-shield of both wood and metal, painted with the same heraldry that adorned a section of his robes and armor. It depicted a great beast, appearing to be both reptilian and mammalian in nature, being felled by a mailed fist surrounded by holy light.
Turning his attention from his own personal affects, Franz looked to the other occupants of the room, many of them were revolting in body, inhuman monsters or creatures of a more ancient and natural world, a world before man. Those who did not disgust him outright with their appearance, still did not escape suspicion or disdain from his hidden glare and scowl. Even those who seemed trustworthy or of good nature, did not seem all too innocent in his eyes. After all, some force must have brought them to this place, brought him here, for what reason, he could only guess at. Certainly some greater power had seen fit to intervene in the world, perhaps their innocence and purity were to be tested by their maker? Such a thought brought both fear and delight to him, if such was the case, none would find him wanting.But for those who where, Franz would find out himself.</s>
<|message|>Roza Orzel
When the Dark Elf awoke herself, everything in her sight was a mashing together of various colors and hues. Her entire body felt like it had fallen asleep and was now woken up, making complicated movement hard. Almost involuntarily, her body began to breathe and stir again of its own accord.
With new found strength, she began rubbing her eyes with her left hand. The world around her began to come into view more and more, her natural night vision giving her a enhanced view of the world around her. It was becoming painstakingly apparent that there was nothing of note or interest where she was looking now. Light, real light, was pulsating from something in front of her body, making the ceiling of drab colors and tasteless symbols irrelevant to her.
She made an effort to pull her body upright, succeeding quickly with that precious blood that had been flowing through her veins for a few minutes. The scenery changed vividly in an instant, assuring her that she was not alone. There were many sitting alongside her, but most did not show signs of life or movement. This place was a hall of death, but after looking for an instant longer she saw just how wrong she was. A few other figures stirred and moved as well, beings of various sizes, races, and equipment. Some were somewhat monstrous, while most had a slim body type. She took a look down at her own static body, noting its shape, size, and barely illuminated color. It was obvious to her that she was very similar in temperament to most present, making her a part of the majority.
The Dark Elf attempted to speak up to greet her supposed compatriots, but all she could manage was a pathetic wheeze. The air here was not pleasant, and though the corpses did not stink the air in the room was lifeless and static. Determined to come into contact with those slowly moving toward the statue, she began to stand up the effort now easier now that her body was back online.
Now standing up right, she took a second to observe the world around her more carefully. Lights came into view a distance away; she could also see and to some degree hear nearby moving water. If that were the case, at least there should be a route to leave this place.
But she shoved that out of her mind for the moment. Her focus was on the statue itself, so out of place with the world around it. Though the statue fit with the rooms style, it seemed like something that shouldn't be in a room of corpses. Using its light to guide her, she took her first step forward. She was immensely curious as to what was contained under the robe she wore; however, the statue and others seemed far more interesting. By the time she arrived, many of the others were there or had come very close to being there. She examined the statue from its backside more closely, but was frustrated to find that it was featureless. One could tell it was a woman and that this statue once had immense quality; now it only slightly hurt her eyes to look at. She sighed in disappointment, before looking at the many now present around the statue.
...Just how many of them were there?</s>
<|message|>Boris Egon
Well, the dark elf made twelve others. Twelve, plus one of me, is thirteen in total. Thirteen is a lucky number right? I can't remember. What else can't I remember? I know my name, and what I am, at least physically, but how I got here I can't say. Did I die with all these other creatures and get sent back for some reason? Why would I have been with any of these creatures when they died, and why would I have come here? Hmm, all of these were big people, I don't know why, but I don't like big people. I really don't like big people, they crush the ground beneath their feet, they raze the forests to plant dull weeds for them to eat. They burned and destroyed the beautiful places almost as soon as they found them, they hated sharing almost as much as they hated playing. ... Wait, where did all that come from? I can neither remember nor forget these things. I have no specific memories, but I do not doubt that everything I remember is true and has happened. Perhaps I should leave before the big people notice me, but most of them are staring at the statue on which I rest. Perhaps they thought I was merely an insect or a leaf, others had made that mistake. When had that been? Never mind that, focus on getting away for now. Dare I risk moving, can fly fast enough to escape them if they do notice me? I doubt it, my muscles feel sore and ill-used. I'd only done a little flying earlier, surely that hadn't worn me out...
Drat the Dark Elf, she peers to closely for my liking, surely she sees me by now. Which rules out escaping... Next option, trick them! I love playing tricks, especially on big people. But trick them into what? I doubt I could get them to kill each other, perhaps I can pass myself off as a messenger of the godess on whom I sit! Whom do I sit on? Drat it all! I don't know enough myself, to play any good tricks. Hmf, I suppose I shall have to sit here and hear what I can. Maybe they will tell me enough to play a good trick!</s>
<|message|>Alyona Moroz
Alyona turned her attention back to those around her. It seemed that others had awakened as well. It seemed strange that so many would wake in a place like this, but surely she had no recollection of how she had gotten there, or anything for that matter. It definitely appeared to be a diverse group though, perhaps they knew each other? Why couldn't she remember anything?
Breaking away from her thoughts, Alyona looked around again, taking in their appearances once more before turning to the statue. Looking at it more closely, the weather had not spared it as much as she had initially thought. It was missing detail. It might as well have been faceless.
Speaking under her breath, "Who is she? Why is it down here?" Her questions turn back towards herself. "Who am I and why am I here?"
Alyona momentarily considered addressing the others, but decided against it. She didn't know who any of them were, so she would wait for them to notice her and react to how they acted.</s>
<|message|>Franz Nagel
Franz stood far from the statue, which he found increasingly repulsive (despite the beauty of its form). He stood away from the light, yet was still bathed in it. He stood, with his back to the wall, leaving no opening for any of the other occupants of the room to get the upper hand on him. Still, he turned his eyes from them, and began to read from one of the books he kept on his person, The Book of Deiwos. The many stories, verses, and mantras, put in him a feeling of pride, security, and righteousness.
All of it was so familiar, these stories of redemption, justice, and punishment. The unjust must be punished, the unclean must be purged, the innocent are never above suspicion. Such a sentiment appealed to Franz, as did Deiwos, a god of justice and mercy, deserving of worship, HIS worship. Perhaps thats why the statue filled him with such loathing, it was heretical, blasphemous in its very nature in the eyes of Deiwos. Franz was tempted to destroy the figure with his mace and a prayer to Deiwos, but he would not risk invoking the wrath of some heathen god, not now at least.</s>
| <|message|>Verena Von Reinhard
With her eyes now open, Verena looked around at the figures who were in here with her. They varied in shapes and sizes, but that wasn't anything surprising. Two things shouldn't look the same, right? Of course not, that would be weird and impractical. There would be no way to tell who was who, and everything would be confusing. There were a few interesting figures, but the majority seemed rather boring. It was a shame, these people probably couldn't keep her entertained for long.
Oh well, they uninteresting seem to die anyway.
Once Verena was done inspecting her peers, she looked at the statue. As beautiful as the statue was, Verena couldn't stand it. No, that wouldn't be accurate. The statue itself was gorgeous, and something she would want personally. It isn't the statue she hated, but what time had done to the precious thing. It had to have had no rival when it was first created, but now time has taken its toll.
Is this the power of time? Does time truly destroy all eventually? Will everybody else in this room be given the same fate as the statue? She was a vampire, but even she feared that one day time might truly be enough.
No matter how far she ran, time was going to catch up with her one day, no matter how far into the future that is.
And this was a thought that bothered her, and one she would rather do without.</s> |
<|description|>Franz Nagel
Gender: Male
Alignment: Lawful Neutral
Race: Human
Equipment: Winged mace, wood and iron banded kite shield, Book of Deiwos, Hymnal of the long March, icon of Deiwos, coin purse, satchel, flint, dagger, Confessor's armor.
Combat Skills: Prefers blunt melee weapons, usually those which are one-and-a-half handed so that he might use them alone or accompanied with a shield. The beauty of maces, war hammers, and picks, is their simplicity and deadly efficiency, one needn't be a master of some hidden or grand technique of fighting, merely possess the will, strength, and fury to crush any foe beneath his might.
Non-Combat Skills: Oration, negotiation, intimidation, interrogation.
Mana: low for a human.
Magickal Schools: Divine (Deiwos)
Magickal Abilities:
Smite Guilty- The child of Deiwos calls upon the god of justice to deliver retribution through steel. The caster's weapon becomes imbuned with the holy might of Deiwos, ready to strike down the guilty. This holy strike deals immense
holy damage to those who have committed sins in the eyes of Deiwos.
Repentance- Confronts the guilty with their sins, causing them to either fall in guilt over their actions, or flee in terror of punishment. Live or dead, good or evil, none of the unjust will escape divine punishment.
Bless item- The warrior-priest may lay his hands upon an item, be it a weapon, charm, water skin, etc; and bless it by invoking the lord of justice and righteous might, allowing it to strike down or reveal the guilty, unclean, and unholy.
Techniques:
Righteous Fury- Zeal and hatred work in conjunction to push this mortal flesh beyond its limitations. Just as Deiwos strikes down his foes, so too shall his faithful messengers. Pain is what grounds the soul and mind to the body, with it removed, even for a short time, one becomes a fragment of the grandeur of the divine. Let not the innocent fall prey to your righteous fury, for Deiwos is a just god, only the wicked, guilty, and unclean will the war-priest smite, never forgetting the tenants of his faith.
Artificial Spirit Sheet
Personality: Determined, righteous, judgmental, suspicious, paranoid.
Talents:
Judgement- Innocence is an illusion, there are simply degrees of guilt, and situational trials. Franz has a knack for discovering who is and isn't deserving of punishment. A good judge of character, little goes unnoticed or without suspicion from him.
Demagogue- Franz seems to have an affinity to rile and frenzy those around him, drawing strangers of all kinds behind him and whatever cause he might be associated with. Playing to the mob, their fears, wants, hopes, dreams, without any real sort of logic, he can turn the lowliest of farmers into a force of pure fury and zeal.
APPROVED</s>
<|message|>Verena Von Reinhard
There was darkness, nothing but the void surrounding a consciousness. The primordial state all living things feel before birth, and might just be the most uncomfortable state once they become sentient. It's kind of funny. The silence and darkness of the void is what people feel for the longest time, yet they forever fear to return to it.
Of course, Verena was no exception. The very moment light began to touch the consciousness, and thoughts were allowed to formulate, the very idea of returning to the void would chill Verena to the bone. Thankfully, she wasn't having these thoughts, but was thinking on how thirsty she was. A lifeless body might have the desire for nourishment, so that might just be it.
Despite her thirst, Verena managed to get other thoughts across her mind. Her name was Verena Von Reinhard, she was female, she had sharp teeth, and seemed to be a vampire.
Well that could be an issue. Her thirst was for blood, not for water. Well, there was water in blood, but that was irrelevant. She was a creature who lived by taking the life out of others.
This was an interesting though, and might question the morals she may or may not have.
She'd worry about all of this later, first, she had to view the new world around her, and move this body for the first time. Well, the first time she has moved it.
Verena opened her eyes, and for the first time, got to observe the world her dormant consciousness has never gotten to see before.</s>
<|message|>Franz Nagel
The darkness was unbearable, it was shifting, amorphous, without definition or constraint. It was maddening. No words, no order, nothing to describe. He didn't like that. Then, as though a prayer had been answered, light, form, shape. Light cast away darkness... warmth and benevolence caused cold and cruelty to vanish. Light's purpose, its duty, is to illuminate, to guide. Duty casts away uncertainty. Yes, those words made sense, felt familiar, at least to Franz... Franz, the name felt right for some reason. His mind steeled against what darkness might remain, he looked upon the statue, its form, while beautiful (despite the lack of facial features), left him with a sense of revulsion, as though it should not be, as though its very existence was somehow..
"Blasphemous." Yes, the word felt righteous as it left his lips, Franz's voice ringing within his armor, freed from any sort of doubt his mind may have had. His muscles ached, stiff and burdened by his armor, heavy plate atop robes and padded cloth, adorned in icons, parchment, and a heraldry of some sort. Though their exact meaning was somewhat vague, he could not help but feel a sense of great pride, joy, and duty. As he rose, surprised by his own strength, he felt several items swinging from his waist, a few small books, more icons, and a heavy mace to be exact. The books were old, leather bound, and obviously used frequently. A sense of security came over Franz as he flipped through a tome called The Book of Deiwos. Upon his back was slung a pack, and a kite-shield of both wood and metal, painted with the same heraldry that adorned a section of his robes and armor. It depicted a great beast, appearing to be both reptilian and mammalian in nature, being felled by a mailed fist surrounded by holy light.
Turning his attention from his own personal affects, Franz looked to the other occupants of the room, many of them were revolting in body, inhuman monsters or creatures of a more ancient and natural world, a world before man. Those who did not disgust him outright with their appearance, still did not escape suspicion or disdain from his hidden glare and scowl. Even those who seemed trustworthy or of good nature, did not seem all too innocent in his eyes. After all, some force must have brought them to this place, brought him here, for what reason, he could only guess at. Certainly some greater power had seen fit to intervene in the world, perhaps their innocence and purity were to be tested by their maker? Such a thought brought both fear and delight to him, if such was the case, none would find him wanting.But for those who where, Franz would find out himself.</s>
<|message|>Roza Orzel
When the Dark Elf awoke herself, everything in her sight was a mashing together of various colors and hues. Her entire body felt like it had fallen asleep and was now woken up, making complicated movement hard. Almost involuntarily, her body began to breathe and stir again of its own accord.
With new found strength, she began rubbing her eyes with her left hand. The world around her began to come into view more and more, her natural night vision giving her a enhanced view of the world around her. It was becoming painstakingly apparent that there was nothing of note or interest where she was looking now. Light, real light, was pulsating from something in front of her body, making the ceiling of drab colors and tasteless symbols irrelevant to her.
She made an effort to pull her body upright, succeeding quickly with that precious blood that had been flowing through her veins for a few minutes. The scenery changed vividly in an instant, assuring her that she was not alone. There were many sitting alongside her, but most did not show signs of life or movement. This place was a hall of death, but after looking for an instant longer she saw just how wrong she was. A few other figures stirred and moved as well, beings of various sizes, races, and equipment. Some were somewhat monstrous, while most had a slim body type. She took a look down at her own static body, noting its shape, size, and barely illuminated color. It was obvious to her that she was very similar in temperament to most present, making her a part of the majority.
The Dark Elf attempted to speak up to greet her supposed compatriots, but all she could manage was a pathetic wheeze. The air here was not pleasant, and though the corpses did not stink the air in the room was lifeless and static. Determined to come into contact with those slowly moving toward the statue, she began to stand up the effort now easier now that her body was back online.
Now standing up right, she took a second to observe the world around her more carefully. Lights came into view a distance away; she could also see and to some degree hear nearby moving water. If that were the case, at least there should be a route to leave this place.
But she shoved that out of her mind for the moment. Her focus was on the statue itself, so out of place with the world around it. Though the statue fit with the rooms style, it seemed like something that shouldn't be in a room of corpses. Using its light to guide her, she took her first step forward. She was immensely curious as to what was contained under the robe she wore; however, the statue and others seemed far more interesting. By the time she arrived, many of the others were there or had come very close to being there. She examined the statue from its backside more closely, but was frustrated to find that it was featureless. One could tell it was a woman and that this statue once had immense quality; now it only slightly hurt her eyes to look at. She sighed in disappointment, before looking at the many now present around the statue.
...Just how many of them were there?</s>
<|message|>Boris Egon
Well, the dark elf made twelve others. Twelve, plus one of me, is thirteen in total. Thirteen is a lucky number right? I can't remember. What else can't I remember? I know my name, and what I am, at least physically, but how I got here I can't say. Did I die with all these other creatures and get sent back for some reason? Why would I have been with any of these creatures when they died, and why would I have come here? Hmm, all of these were big people, I don't know why, but I don't like big people. I really don't like big people, they crush the ground beneath their feet, they raze the forests to plant dull weeds for them to eat. They burned and destroyed the beautiful places almost as soon as they found them, they hated sharing almost as much as they hated playing. ... Wait, where did all that come from? I can neither remember nor forget these things. I have no specific memories, but I do not doubt that everything I remember is true and has happened. Perhaps I should leave before the big people notice me, but most of them are staring at the statue on which I rest. Perhaps they thought I was merely an insect or a leaf, others had made that mistake. When had that been? Never mind that, focus on getting away for now. Dare I risk moving, can fly fast enough to escape them if they do notice me? I doubt it, my muscles feel sore and ill-used. I'd only done a little flying earlier, surely that hadn't worn me out...
Drat the Dark Elf, she peers to closely for my liking, surely she sees me by now. Which rules out escaping... Next option, trick them! I love playing tricks, especially on big people. But trick them into what? I doubt I could get them to kill each other, perhaps I can pass myself off as a messenger of the godess on whom I sit! Whom do I sit on? Drat it all! I don't know enough myself, to play any good tricks. Hmf, I suppose I shall have to sit here and hear what I can. Maybe they will tell me enough to play a good trick!</s>
<|message|>Alyona Moroz
Alyona turned her attention back to those around her. It seemed that others had awakened as well. It seemed strange that so many would wake in a place like this, but surely she had no recollection of how she had gotten there, or anything for that matter. It definitely appeared to be a diverse group though, perhaps they knew each other? Why couldn't she remember anything?
Breaking away from her thoughts, Alyona looked around again, taking in their appearances once more before turning to the statue. Looking at it more closely, the weather had not spared it as much as she had initially thought. It was missing detail. It might as well have been faceless.
Speaking under her breath, "Who is she? Why is it down here?" Her questions turn back towards herself. "Who am I and why am I here?"
Alyona momentarily considered addressing the others, but decided against it. She didn't know who any of them were, so she would wait for them to notice her and react to how they acted.</s>
| <|message|>Franz Nagel
Franz stood far from the statue, which he found increasingly repulsive (despite the beauty of its form). He stood away from the light, yet was still bathed in it. He stood, with his back to the wall, leaving no opening for any of the other occupants of the room to get the upper hand on him. Still, he turned his eyes from them, and began to read from one of the books he kept on his person, The Book of Deiwos. The many stories, verses, and mantras, put in him a feeling of pride, security, and righteousness.
All of it was so familiar, these stories of redemption, justice, and punishment. The unjust must be punished, the unclean must be purged, the innocent are never above suspicion. Such a sentiment appealed to Franz, as did Deiwos, a god of justice and mercy, deserving of worship, HIS worship. Perhaps thats why the statue filled him with such loathing, it was heretical, blasphemous in its very nature in the eyes of Deiwos. Franz was tempted to destroy the figure with his mace and a prayer to Deiwos, but he would not risk invoking the wrath of some heathen god, not now at least.</s> |
<|description|>INDIGO
She has tanned stripes up and down her body, like a tiger, and a tiger tail
Age:18
Feren: Tiger
Origin:Sky-Dweller on on Tengu Island
Role: Long Range Support/Hunter
Font
Berseker - Indigo's speed and strength is increased substantially in a small burst in a short amount of time. Used only in bursts and prolonged use can lead to exhaustion. Indigo uses this ability to quickly attack her enemy and finish the job as quick as possible, usually aiming for the neck or the heart with her trident.
Color
Blue
Weapon
Charybdis: An extendable trident that Indigo carries on her back
Spears: Tribal spears decorated in feathers that Indigo carries around and uses to throw or engage in close up combat
Poseidon: The modern trident that Indigo recieved after she has fully accepted technology into her life. It is a trident that has a hidden polearm in it, with the prongs being collapsable. The pointed cone end can be thrown from the trident, attached to the trident through a rope inside of the pole, and is used to trip up the opponent or to capture. The three prongs can also be catapulted and shot out of the trident and towards the enemy.
Personality:
Indigo is a hot-headed, temperamental woman with a fondness for sarcastic remarks and biting responses. She is blunt and does not care what people think of her, telling how she thinks it is and not how people want her to think. Indigo can be described as "feral" or "animalistic." She does what she needs to do to win – if that includes biting or playing dirty, she will do it. Indigo hates to lose and is stubborn, doing whatever she can to get what she wants. However, when Indigo is close to someone, she is fiercely protective and caring, going out of her way to ensure that her friend – or lover – is comfortable; this is to the point of almost being clingy and overprotective.
Background:
Indigo's mother, a beautiful jaguar Feren named Taylern, once lived in Barallia. In Barallia, she met a beautiful human that went by the name of Davnes. Davnes was a simple baker who was fascinated by Feren and, considering his bread was so good, Taylern went there everyday. Eventually, Taylern and Davnes fell in love and two months later, Taylern was pregnant. Well, unfortunately, when people heard of her predicament, they were disgusted and outraged - a halfie? That can't be safe. And so, Taylern begged Davnes to run away with her, but Davnes, though he loved her, refused to leave his life behind, finding it more important than she. Taylern boiled with rage and she decided to reject all humanity and their technology. She left to live with the feral Sky Dweller Feren in Tengu Island, where she gave birth to the halfling, Indigo. Taylern named Indigo after the blueness she felt in her heart.
Growing up, Indigo did not see much of her mother as to Taylern, she was a reminder of what could have been and what wasn't. Taylern, though she tried to get over it, was distant with her daughter. Meanwhile, Indigo grew close to a girl named Linta and her family. Linta's family became family to Indigo and she protected them with everything she had. Around the time Indigo turned nine, Taylern died, killed by the Ground Dwellers. After that, the family completely adopted Indigo into their family and, even though she wasn't a bird, she might as well have been.
However, around the time Indigo was seventeen, a bird-typed Lost attacked the Sky Dwellers. There were not many of the Lost in Tengu Island due to their reclusivity and so they did not know how to handle the creature. Linta's younger brother was killed. Linta's parents subconsiously blamed Linta and the family was falling apart at the seams. This family was the only stable family that Indigo has ever had and so she fought to become stronger in order to prevent it from happening again. At the age of eighteen and nineteen, Indigo and Linta decided to have revenge on the Lost and join Echo.</s>
<|message|>Linta
\-\-\/-/-/
Dreams. An escape, for the mind, for the senses, sometimes even for the body. A passage to another realm, more open and ready to be shaped than any possible in reality. For some, a paradise-for others, an exercise in terror.
Linta, for now, dreamt of flying. Of leaning her weight on the wind, carried along smoothly and silently by the set of beautiful wings her bloodline had blessed her with. Ever dependable, sturdy, strong, her wings would never fail her, never drop her, never waver. Above her, the moons, her constant companions. All her life they'd watched her through the foliage, witnessed every moment and every milestone, a pair of distant observers to every event that shaped her. Around her floated the stars she'd tried and failed so many times to number, a myriad of dancing lights. Like children they followed her, like water they rippled out in her wake, drawing her path in the watercolour sky.
The colours, though, soon faded, plunging the bottomless sky into an eerie monochrome. The air grew heavy and cold, feeling as if Linta had to fight to stay in the sky, instead of being supported by the rising fingers of the once-helpful breeze. A steady beat shook through the air, at first barely noticeable, a vibration seated deep in Linta's chest. The beat grew stronger, faster, somehow soundless but reverberating through her bones. Blackened silhouettes crowded the air in a storming spiral all around. Panicked, Linta flew faster, only to be cut off by a swirling wall of writhing shadows, trapping her inside the eye of the storm. The beating grew harder and harder, buffeting her left and right and taking away her balance. She fought to stay airborne, but it was as if the air had disappeared, Linta could not find purchase, flapping like mad until blue feathers tore off of her wings and she, like the stars and moons, fell spiralling down into blackness.
\-\-\............./-/-/
Linda awoke with a start, breathing heavily with wings trembling and talons ripping into her sheets. A muffled pounding, like the rhythm in her dream, threatened to dent the door in its urgency. Suddenly angry, Linta screeched at the door, an ear-piercing, animal sound that sent the knocker running, if the thumping beyond the door was any indication. With a satisfied nod toward the door, Linta roused herself. Her tiny dorm was a mess, the few belongings that weren't nailed down littering the floor. Downy feathers were scattered there as well, and the blanket Linta had lain out on the floor had several large tears from her talons' iron grip. Linda scowled. She had a hard enough time sleeping in the tiny room as it was, and then some snake-witted idiot decides to wake her by pounding on her door? Evidently it would take more than a few weeks to get used to this place.
Deciding she needed to see something outside, Linta made for the door, catching a glimpse of herself in a mirror on the way out. Her braided hair was as much a mess as a braid could be, and her horrid 'uniform' clothes were wrinkled and twisted, but what actually miffed her was the unkempt state of her feathers. Hopefully late she'd be able to find some ample time for preening.
Linta made a beeline for Indigo's dormitory, but much to her discontent, she wasn't there. It wasn't until she couldn't find her sitting in a window somewhere that she remembered - some kind of gathering was organized for today. Maybe she'd be there.
It took some time, but with the help of a few attendants lint was finally able to find this meeting place. Unceremoniously, Linta managed to wrestle the doorknob enough to get it open and crept into the room, looking around for her sister. She found her, along with many other, very strange looking people. An unidentifiable person in a mask, flanked by stone-still attendants; a woman in armour, one looking like the gruff trunk of a tree, one whom Linta thought greatly resembled an icicle, and a nervous wreck of a girl who looked as if she was simply wearing a pair of wings. If it weren't for their subtle, living movements, Linta would have thought that they were exactly that: a costume. Nonetheless, Linta silently made her way to stand next to Indigo, nodding at the others as she went and really not fancying the idea of trying to fit into a chair.</s>
<|message|>Sylvia Sterling
Sylvia
Sylvia had walked into the meeting room as soon as the others began to show up. Quickly picking a spot on the wall, she propped herself against it, casually leaning on it with her long legs crossed around the knees. She observed the others walking in and taking their places. To each entrant she gave a different greeting. To Shae, a respectful smile and nodding of the head. To Kaalia, another smile and slight tilt of the head. To the girl with wings, who clearly looked nervous or just confused, a quizzical look followed by a shrug of apparent temporary satisfaction - none of which probably helped the girl's state of mind. To the tigerish one, a similar reaction to the nervous winged girl.
Sylvia then began observing the situation in general until people started talking.
Shae, as usual, was first to speak.
"I wonder what Harp has in store for us," the veteran huntress pondered. Now, Sylvia of course respected Shae like everyone else did - not nearly to idol status like a certain avian in the room would soon reveal - but also knew her personally, and how well she knew her wouldn't really affect Sylvia's sarcasm filter in the first place. None of it was in malice, after all.
"If I had to hazard a guess, I'd say it'll have to do with some Lost," she said, a little hint of a grin forming on her face. "I've noticed a trend recently," she said, resigning to her usual look of content.
Just then the winged girl piped up in fairly spectacular fashion. Sylvia made a mental note that she had been right about the feathered female being nervous - and apparently not a small amount. She couldn't help but mentally chuckle as the conversation between the new arrival and Harp continued. Archon give me strength, she thought.
She turned to Kaalia after the exchange had concluded. Her relationship with the bear feren was more one of mutual understanding than "let's hang out", but it was still one nonetheless. "You know, I like being on the B-Team," she said playfully. "It's less stressful than the A-Team, and there's more than one person in it. It's nice." Turning back to the room in general but looking in Shae's direction, she said "Welcome back to stardom, Miss Arca," with a grin.
Sylvia noted that the two new faces were quite silent, and decided to rectify that immediately. Turning to them, she spoke. "So, two Ferens, huh? What's your story?" Before she could deliver any breathtaking (i.e. boring) questions for them to answer, however, another new face arrived. An owlish girl, she silently walked in and stood next to the tigerish one. "Three Ferens? I must be dreaming," she remarked, stopping her barrage of comments and forthcoming questions there as everyone was now here, and that only meant one thing.
Harp speech was imminent.</s>
| <|message|>INDIGO
Indigo had not been paying attention to most of the proceedings, instead concentrating on the cover of the ceiling. Indigo cocked her head to the side, her black, greasy ponytail cascading down her clothed shoulder, pondering the reason of a ceiling. These people were strange; wouldn't they like to feel the air rush over their skin as the airship moved through the sky? Linta seemed to like it. However, when a voice inquired about a "story," Indigo casted her eyes towards the newcomer.
"Sto-ry?" Indigo muttered, "Yes, I shall tell a complete stranger my life story."
The sarcasm wasn't her sharpest, but it dripped like acid out of her mouth and she leaned backwards, crossing her arms, effectively closing herself off from the group. It was only when Linta walked into the room that Indigo uncrossed her arms, as if to welcome the owl girl with open arms. While she was not much of a smiling person, Indigo cared deeply for Linta, and so she allowed a small smirk grace her features. She was going to simply gesture at the girl to communicate her desire, but with so many of these "civilized" people around her, she thought it best to speak.
"Cutting it close, yeah, Linta?" She murmured, amused.</s> |
<|description|>Linta
Age: 19
Race: Feren (barn owl). Linta, like her animal counterpart, has superb eyesight (both at night and during the day, although it's better in low light) and incredible hearing. Also, thanks to the structure of her feathers, her movements are almost completely silent, save for the sounds of whatever she's stepping on. Lastly, at will Linta can vocalize like a barn owl would, the most common sound used being a piercing shriek that's ear-shattering at close range. (Note, not actually going to make ears bleed, just very loud.)
Nationality: Sky Dweller of Tengu Island
Role: Scout/Hunter/Healer thing (she's versatile alrighty?)
Font: Ghost. Linta is able to make herself and any objects she's touching physically intangible for a very short period of time. This means that physical objects, including people, will go through her as if she were a hologram. However, it's a double-edged sword, as while nothing can hit her, she also can't hit anything while using this font. As a result, she tends to only use it in very short bursts to avoid as many blows as possible and also land as many hits as possible. Of course, no one is perfect, and sometimes the ratios just don't work out. When using her font, she appears somewhat transparent.
Colour: Gray
Appearance: Linta stands at about 5'5 and weighs remarkably little (about 80-85lbs) however looks as healthy as the next slim person. This can be attributed to her hollow bones, allowing her to fly. Her body greatly resembles that of a bird, with large, four-toed and taloned feet, near-identical (albeit much larger) to a real owl's. Her face is mostly human, save for the noticeably large, golden eyes and her ability to turn her head further than any human would dare. Downy white feathers grow beneath her long white hair, and some longer, coloured feathers protrude from it as well. In her hair Linta wears a long blue, black and white feather, tied to a strand of hair by a leather cord sealed with tree resin. It is a memory of her brother, and a constant reminder of the resolve that sent her to Echo in the first place.
Her body's structure is comparable to that of a mythical Harpy. Where arms would be, Linta has wings with a total wingspan of almost 20 feet (each wing measuring about 9 feet with about 2 feet of shoulder space between them). At the pinion joint of these wings (the joint where the flesh and bone end and the flight feathers extend) three digits, two spindly fingers and a skinny thumb. These are remnants of what were once hands in her human ancestors, and she almost never used them until coming to Echo, choosing to keep them tucked under her feathers.
Her legs are a meld of human and bird, being muscular and humanoid until the mid calf, where her leg bends backward at a second knee and becomes far more birdlike, ending in those large taloned feet. She stands with her knees bent to allow for her lower legs. Stemming from her tailbone is a tail, her tail feathers making up most of its length. It is long enough to brush the ground when not held properly and fans out to a width of about 6 feet.
The colouring of Linta's feathers is exactly that of a real barn owl's. Her back, the outside of her tail feathers and the outside of her wings are a doppled golden brown with silver speckles and darker brown and grey streaks along her longer feathers. The underside of her wings and tail feathers, and the downy feathers covering her legs and much of her belly, are snowy white with occasional silver spots.
Weapon: Linta's weapons are a pair of bladed gauntlets worn over her talons. They feature 30cm curved obsidian blades, resembling and elongating the shape of her own natural talons. These blades are a deep, doppled black with a mirror shine and a blade sharp enough to cut through flesh like butter. The blades fit over her talons when extended, and can retract into a portion of the gauntlet attached to the lower leg so as not to dull the blades from walking. They can be extended with a certain movement of her feet. The gauntlets are held together with leather srips and reinforced with metal (especially on the bottoms of her feet to protect her flesh from blades).
(for those who've seen the Guardians of Ga'hoole movie, they greatly resemble the 'gloves' those owls wear. Yes, I am a dreadful nerd, I'm not sorry)
Personality: Linta, being more bird than human, acts a lot more feral than many Feren. While her time with Echo has taught her how to interact a bit better with 'normal' people, she still behaves a lot like an owl. She's mostly nocturnal, quite quiet and pensive, and always says exactly what she means. She finds the 'riddles' used in everyday speech to be entirely meaningless and inconvenient. To a 'normal' person, she'd probably be seen as cold and a little heartless, but this is not the case. She is simply blunt and tough, expecting toughness from others. While she is versed in field healing, she isn't a coddler; she'll tell you something will hurt like hell, and won't pity you when it does. Regardless of how she comes off, she is not cruel. Quite the opposite, in fact. When she needs to kill something, she will do it quickly, both out of respect and to make less of a fuss. Luckily, when the dirty work is done with, Linta is actually quite nice company, assuming you don't piss her off and encur her righteous ire.
Background: Linta was born a Sky Dweller, one of the three major tribes on the island of Tengu. She was born to a red-tailed hawk-melded Feren (her mother) and a golden eagle-melded Feren (her father). They loved her and taught her everything she needed to know, and six years later, she was followed by a younger brother, a blue jay-melded Feren named Mach. For many years they lived happily, Linta having grown up with a happy family and growing close to her friend and pseudo-sister Indigo, a Halfling tiger Feren who'd joined their tribe when she was an infant. When Linta was ten, Indigo's distant mother died, and Indigo herself was fully adopted into Linta's family.
For eight more years they lived happily together, learning from each other and from the tribe. Linta became a deadly hunter, using her natural silence to her advantage. She also learned some healing techniques from the Tree Dwellers below, having developed a knack for sealing wounds nearly as well as inflicting them. She'd been growing into a skilled young woman and valued addition to the tribe when a threat they'd never dealt with plagued the island. A flock of demonic, birdlike creatures, a practical mockery of the Sky Dwellers which she would later learn were category 0, 1 and 2 Lost, set their wretched sights on the inhabitants of Tengu. In little more than a day they ravaged the tribes, killing, maiming or outright carrying away many members of the Sky Dwellers. The other two Tengu tribes had their losses as well, but none so many as the Ske Dwellers, who's home high in the canopy made them easy targets, despite most of them trying to fly away. In the chaos, Linta's parents took to the sky with their weapons in an effort to fight off the Lost. they told Linta to take Mach to a safe place on an island nearby. However, in the chaos Linta got separated from her brother. She searched through the fight in a sick panic, but the only sign she ever found of him was found days later, in the form of a cluster of bloody blue feathers in a thicket of branches, days after the Lost had been fended off.
In the year after the incident, life never returned to normal. Linta did not think it ever would. Her guilt at letting Mach out of her sight consumed her, and had her either out in the field hacking up anything that moved or in her den, secluding herself in her grief and self hatred. Even worse, her parents, who had helped fight off the Lost, never looked at Linta the same way again. They grieved Mach for months, all but ignoring everything and everyone else. While they tried not to throw their blame at their daughter, in the backs of their minds knawed the thought that if not for her, their son may be alive would drive them away from Linta.
Eventually, enough was enough. Linta refused to let herself wallow in self pity for any longer, and she and Indigo set off to join Echo and exact their revenge on the demons who had torn their lives to shreds.</s>
<|message|>Sylvia Sterling
Sylvia
Sylvia had walked into the meeting room as soon as the others began to show up. Quickly picking a spot on the wall, she propped herself against it, casually leaning on it with her long legs crossed around the knees. She observed the others walking in and taking their places. To each entrant she gave a different greeting. To Shae, a respectful smile and nodding of the head. To Kaalia, another smile and slight tilt of the head. To the girl with wings, who clearly looked nervous or just confused, a quizzical look followed by a shrug of apparent temporary satisfaction - none of which probably helped the girl's state of mind. To the tigerish one, a similar reaction to the nervous winged girl.
Sylvia then began observing the situation in general until people started talking.
Shae, as usual, was first to speak.
"I wonder what Harp has in store for us," the veteran huntress pondered. Now, Sylvia of course respected Shae like everyone else did - not nearly to idol status like a certain avian in the room would soon reveal - but also knew her personally, and how well she knew her wouldn't really affect Sylvia's sarcasm filter in the first place. None of it was in malice, after all.
"If I had to hazard a guess, I'd say it'll have to do with some Lost," she said, a little hint of a grin forming on her face. "I've noticed a trend recently," she said, resigning to her usual look of content.
Just then the winged girl piped up in fairly spectacular fashion. Sylvia made a mental note that she had been right about the feathered female being nervous - and apparently not a small amount. She couldn't help but mentally chuckle as the conversation between the new arrival and Harp continued. Archon give me strength, she thought.
She turned to Kaalia after the exchange had concluded. Her relationship with the bear feren was more one of mutual understanding than "let's hang out", but it was still one nonetheless. "You know, I like being on the B-Team," she said playfully. "It's less stressful than the A-Team, and there's more than one person in it. It's nice." Turning back to the room in general but looking in Shae's direction, she said "Welcome back to stardom, Miss Arca," with a grin.
Sylvia noted that the two new faces were quite silent, and decided to rectify that immediately. Turning to them, she spoke. "So, two Ferens, huh? What's your story?" Before she could deliver any breathtaking (i.e. boring) questions for them to answer, however, another new face arrived. An owlish girl, she silently walked in and stood next to the tigerish one. "Three Ferens? I must be dreaming," she remarked, stopping her barrage of comments and forthcoming questions there as everyone was now here, and that only meant one thing.
Harp speech was imminent.</s>
<|message|>INDIGO
INDIGO
Indigo had not been paying attention to most of the proceedings, instead concentrating on the cover of the ceiling. Indigo cocked her head to the side, her black, greasy ponytail cascading down her clothed shoulder, pondering the reason of a ceiling. These people were strange; wouldn't they like to feel the air rush over their skin as the airship moved through the sky? Linta seemed to like it. However, when a voice inquired about a "story," Indigo casted her eyes towards the newcomer.
"Sto-ry?" Indigo muttered, "Yes, I shall tell a complete stranger my life story."
The sarcasm wasn't her sharpest, but it dripped like acid out of her mouth and she leaned backwards, crossing her arms, effectively closing herself off from the group. It was only when Linta walked into the room that Indigo uncrossed her arms, as if to welcome the owl girl with open arms. While she was not much of a smiling person, Indigo cared deeply for Linta, and so she allowed a small smirk grace her features. She was going to simply gesture at the girl to communicate her desire, but with so many of these "civilized" people around her, she thought it best to speak.
"Cutting it close, yeah, Linta?" She murmured, amused.</s>
| <|message|>Linta
Linta cocked her head at Indigo, raising an eyebrow. "But I wasn't cutting anything..." she deadpanned, slightly confused. But it looked like Indigo was amused, so it mustn't have been too bad.
Quickly losing interest, Linta looked around the room with quick, jerking movements, further resembling the owl she felt she was. At times her head turned rather far around in her observations, probably making her look pretty creepy to the other people there. Once she had a good feel for her surroundings, however, her focus turned to the people. The 'Harp', whom she assumed was the imposing person with all the attendants, was of little interest to her. In fact, at the moment she was only really interested in the girl with wings. Linda openly stared at her, taking in her wings and her human features, the way she sat and the way she muttered excitedly. Her owl's stare seemed to pass right through her, huge golden brown eyes wide with interest. The one who resembled an icicle had remarked that there were three new Ferens, and logic said that this one had to be one of them. She found it hard to believe, though. This girl looked like a human wearing wings on her back, and every avian Feren Linta had ever seen was more bird than human. How could someone be the same thing and look so vastly different?
Well, no matter. Even Linta could see that something important was about to happen, and so she settled herself, waiting respectfully for whatever would come.</s> |
<|description|>Luca Yuuki
Username: Vongola_Hasayo
Age: 14
Gender: Male
Country of Origin: Italy/Japan
Role: Soon-to-be Vongola XI
Flame: Sky
Weapon/Fighting Style:
Appearance:
Personality: In some ways Luca is similar his predecessor in middle school and in others they are complete opposites. Luca isn't the most socially adept, spending a lot of time by himself in the schools music room or his own at home. He's not as poor a student as Tsuna was but he's not making the honor roll anytime soon. His confidence is lacking and he has a fear of leadership that rivals that of Tsuna's fear of Reborn. Their similarities aren't all negative though. Despite all his short comings Luca has incredible perseverance. His confidence may be lacking but that doesn't mean he won't try and give everything he can. He has a good-heart and wouldn't wish harm upon others. At the same time he doesn't like to see others get hurt. That's were the similarities end.
Luca is a much more reckless and impulsive person, throwing himself in the middle of trouble. Though somewhat timid he can be quite the hothead around certain people. More over his aggression towards those he sees as enemies and scum comes as an intimidating glare that only targets them and only reassures the people he cares about. He's not as forgiving as Tsuna but given time he'll come around. While he's never quite sure if he can do something it never stops him from giving his all. There are only two things Luca refuses to do though: try to lead and play the piano inn front of others.
Luca can be somewhat oblivious but her it's actually very sensitive to the hidden feelings in a person's heart. In the end though he might try and keep his distance his warm and inviting air is ever present revealing his own true feelings in the moment.
History: Luca was born in a small town in Italy known as Trespiano to Katsuo and Felicita Yuuki.
Other: Luca is a talented pianist and enjoys writing music though he'll never perform in front of anyone.</s>
<|message|>Yuki Volkov
"WAH!"
The football slammed into the back of the net with a impressive thwack, a few strings even coming undone from the force. The poor girl that had avoided the ball, despite being the captain of the team and current goal keeper for this little end of semester match, gave out a thankful sigh. "Yuki, you can hold back, we are just meant to be playing around you know" The captain gave out a chuckle with a few others of the team as she went to get the ball.
"I know, and I was holding back"
Yuki was gracefully bouncing on the spot, the boundless energy that she was showing was in contrast to her expression. She had been here for only a month and yet she made a good amount of friends on the athletics teams of the school, it was rather a shame she joined so late in the year. It was the very reason she was annoyed at that moment, the fact that she was enjoying herself and yet..
The bell tolled and signaled the end of the semester, but just as Yuki was about to sprint off to her new source of excitement, her captain called out to her. "Yuki! I need you to help me clean up" She said it with a smile but Yuki was looking more annoyed than ever before as she started to make her way back, kind of hoping she could have caught Luca before he left.
A hour or so passed before she could make her way home, her spats and training hoodie still on as she did not waste any time changing out of them. Raising her gaze form the floor, her ice colored eyes locked onto a familiar form, causing her to go into a full on sprint! A few steps away she flung her arms around Luca from behind, of course she couldn't see his bruises and scraps so the hug may have been more painful than she intended...
"You're going home late Luca, did you wait for me?~"</s>
<|message|>Luca Yuuki
"I gotta admit Taiga's not all talk..." Luca muttered, flinching as he rubbed his cheek. After the skirmish all Luca wanted to do was take a bath and drop dead o onto his bed. Unfortunately, he knew that wasn't an option. As soon as he stepped through the door his parents were going to drag him out to the summer festival. Speaking of people who were probably going try and get him out to the festival.
Luca grunted in pain as he suddenly felt someone jump him from behind. "You're going home late Luca, did you wait for me?~" His face redened slightly as he looked back at the snowy haired girl. "H-Hey, come on..." Luca squirmed uncomfortably in Yuki's embrace. It was a stark contrast how Luca could go from being so bold and aggressive around guys like Taiga to being timid and unsure of himself with everyone else. "Actually, I was held up by Taiga..." His dwindled as he spoke knowing how Yuki got when it came to Luca and fighting. He didn't understand out but how she had become quite attached to him and could be somewhat...protective.</s>
<|message|>Rentarou "Ren" Kanesada
Tack......... Tack......... Tack.........
An echo of a bamboo sharply clacking against a rock reverberated throughout the serene, traditional Japanese garden, as the sōzu (water fountain) repeated its upwards and downwards motions with the filling and emptying of the bamboo fountain piece. The water in the pond stirred, koi fishes of different variety of colors decorated the viridescent waters, from orange to white to black, and even blue. A faint summer breeze blew past the now green cherry blossom tree, lightly rustling its leaves as a few number of them were carried away by the wind, eventually descending upon the ground. The only other sound that broke the tranquil silence was the shrilling of a cicada, which truly marked the beginning of the burning heat season.
A raven haired male was seated in a kneeling position on the wooden floor of a veranda with the scenery of the aforementioned garden. Still as a tree, the male sat down in silence with minimal movement, his blue eyes shut closed and hands firmly placed atop his lap. A wooden sword rested on the floor beside him as if it had recently been used. He was adorned in a kendogi, the appropriate uniform worn when one practiced kendo, which exactly hinted what he had been doing previously. Ren, the said male, was in the middle of his meditation after a strenuous sword practice session. Clearing one's mind of unnecessary thoughts in a relaxing environment was how he favored to take his breaks. How old geezer-like as it may sound, Ren was still a middle schooler but the influence of the people around him caused him to be this way. Being tutored at the comfort of his home without peers from his age group did not make the matters any better.
A set of footsteps from the hallway approached the young heir before it was revealed to be from his old butler. Ren stayed in his initial position with no reaction whatsoever, knowing well enough that it was possibly one of his servants. The old man upon being at a certain distance, deeply bowed as a greeting to his master and gently set a serving of green tea beside the boy before parting his lips to speak.
"Pardon me for my intrusion young master, but Master Kanesada has instructed me to inform you of your compulsory attendance to the summer festival this evening being held at the city."
"............... Is it truly necessary?"
"He has mentioned of an heir being announced tonight for our allied group, Vongola."
"..... Understood. Make haste preparations."</s>
<|message|>Asuka Argento
It was truly a beautiful day. The kind of day one would hope for, or rather expect, on the last day of school before summer vacation. Not to mention the coming festival. These days were particularly busy for Asuka. But she handled it all without batting an eye. It was simple really. In her words, If I couldn't do at least this much, I wouldn't be fit as Student Council President. That was usually her response when it came to matters like the amount of work she took on. Today. Today she was making a few rounds, seeing how the last day was going. She'd had a few meeting and appointments with future club heads regarding the budgets for next year. She could rework those over the summer. So confident she was that she wouldn't be losing her position.
Though this wasn't where her interest lied. No, her interest was in Luca. Sleeping throughout the end of class again was he? She supposed she could let it slide on the last day. Besides she had other things to attend to. Even so, she nearly butted in when he and Taiga decided on holding a little brawl on the roof after Taiga's announcement. She would have done something about this self-proclaimed successor to legendary Hibari Kyoya, but it was another matter that could be let slide. Especially, since the bell had already rung. She was technically off duty, but the StuCo President never officially clocked out, so to speak.
Still, here she was. Walking home while thinking of the next responsibility she would hold. She'd had a meeting with some teachers. The Student Council would be holding a booth at the festival. Rather they were requested to help with one. It seemed a local shop owner who had already paid the festival admission fee to run a booth had ended up getting hurt. She agreed to help, but the other council members all had vacations or other things to do. Sometimes it seemed as though she may as well be the only member. "Rice balls and chocolate bananas huh?" That was it. Making and selling rice balls and chocolate bananas. This shop was getting popular because of some of their special ingredient in each product. Which was why such simple things were their primary sellers.
"Hm?" She looked up, coming back from her thoughts when she heard two familiar voices. "Ah! Luca! Yuki!" She called out as she approached the two. "It's so good to see you two. It's especially good to see you awake." She spoke to both and then more specifically to Luca. "Though I do wish you and Taiga would keep your childish fights off of the roof. Somebody could get hurt." She added to him. "Or maybe don't fight on school grounds at all if you can avoid it. Would be much better than walking home bruises and hurt like this." She giggled looking him over once more. "Oh and how are you doing Yuki? I hope you've been adjusting nicely after joining us here." She was standing just a bit away from them now so as not to be too close, her bag held firmly in her hands in front of her skirt. These two would work. Even one of them would be find to pull into helping at the stand.</s>
<|message|>Victoire Roux
Victoire walks around curiously around town, smiling slightly at the sights Namimori has to offer. It was very refreshing for her to be in this place, the place where the Vongola Decimo grew up. While Victoire is wondering why the Vongola Family has to send someone from the Varia instead of their own agents to observe the next generation of the Vongola, but it's not like Victoire to question orders, so she didn't. The minute Victoire stepped out of the airport, anyone would figure out that she is not Japanese. The nineteen-year old woman was wearing what is to be presumed as the modern fashion trends in France, and can be assumed that she was just a simple tourist. Not a cold-blooded assassin, she brightly thought as she enthusiastically checks out the shops here in Namimori. Even though it's her first time here, she managed to speak good enough Japanese. After all, you need to speak at least seven languages to be a part of the Varia.
Victoire beamed when she heard about the summer festival tonight. "Hm...it sounds fun. Maybe I should go there tonight," she muttered gently to herself as she heads to a neighborhood. She blinked when she noticed two girls and a boy, all of them probably in middle school. Victoire silently hid herself from their view when she recognized the boy's face. Luca Yuuki, potential next boss of the Vongola Famiglia, she curiously studied his face, her eyes slightly softening. He's so young, but I heard the Vongola Decimo was about the same age when he started his training.
Of course, Victoire on the other hand, started training the life of a mafioso when she was about six or seven. She smiled fondly at those memories, kind of proud of herself now that they don't have to move house by house to avoid those who were chasing them. She shook her head, driving out the memories of the past. She turned around and went the other way, this time heading for the apartment building she will have to live in in her stay here in Namimori. Or I should buy a yukata for tonight. And the potential next Vongola might be there as well.</s>
<|message|>Yuki Volkov
Yuki's face darkened slightly as she finally noticed the bruises on Luca's face, and when he mentioned the name she knew all too well she looked back to the school. "I wonder if it is too late to go back..." She muttered under her breath, though being so close Luca would have been able to hear her plan to go back, likely just to scare the guy as she had never really interfered with Luca's fights.
"Ah! Luca! Yuki!"
However it seemed like her little revenge would have to wait as Asuka made her way over to the pair, Yuki turning with Luca so that she didn't have to let him go for the time being... What? She was nursing him back to health, and for some reason she had the feeling that they were being watched, strange... "Yeah, it is a shame I didn't have more time this year, I wanted to try out for one of the school sports teams" Since she joined just a month away from the end of the semester it was sadly not possible this time. "That reminds me, are you going to the festival miss president? Luca and I are" Of course if Luca said otherwise she would give him just a little squeeze to make sure he understood he was going...</s>
| <|message|>Luca Yuuki
Luca instantly registered Yuki's mood change at the mention of Taiga and her acknowledgement of his minor injuries. He heard mutter about going back which was exactly what he was afraid of. "That's okay I'm fine. Besides Taiga isn't worth it and bruises are nothing. Hehehe ow..." He hastily tried to calm her down by demonstrating how fine he was by patting his own shoulder which solicited a wince of pain.
Just when Luca was sure Yuki was going to start making her way toward the school the inevitable trauma her target was going to experience was avoided thanks to a timely appearance by the class president. "That's a relief..." He said to himself with sighed that was interrupted by Yuki's turn, still embracing him. "Luca, Yuki. It's so good to see you two. It's especially good to see you awake." Luca chuckled nervously at the comment on his sleeping habits. It was scary how Asuka always knew. However it wasn't so much of a mystery how she knew about his run in with Taiga. "Someone needs to teach that guy a lesson. I just so happen to be the one who's usually around..." Luca replied as he turned his gaze, the disdain he had for the guy apparent. His temper vanished as quickly as it had arisen and was replaced by his usual docile demeanor. Though he felt something was a little off.
Asuka always seemed to be planning and managing something in her head. The same went for now even as she talked to them. Luca had a bad feeling about this. Yuki asked the president if she would be attending the festival declaring that she and Luca were which he tried to protest but as he opened his mouth to say otherwise he felt Yuki's grip tighten and he fell silent. "Yeah, should be fun miss president..." Just as he anticipated he wasn't escaping it himself. As much as he wanted to be annoyed by that fact Luca really thought it might be fun.</s> |
<|description|>Luca Yuuki
Username: Vongola_Hasayo
Age: 14
Gender: Male
Country of Origin: Italy/Japan
Role: Soon-to-be Vongola XI
Flame: Sky
Weapon/Fighting Style:
Appearance:
Personality: In some ways Luca is similar his predecessor in middle school and in others they are complete opposites. Luca isn't the most socially adept, spending a lot of time by himself in the schools music room or his own at home. He's not as poor a student as Tsuna was but he's not making the honor roll anytime soon. His confidence is lacking and he has a fear of leadership that rivals that of Tsuna's fear of Reborn. Their similarities aren't all negative though. Despite all his short comings Luca has incredible perseverance. His confidence may be lacking but that doesn't mean he won't try and give everything he can. He has a good-heart and wouldn't wish harm upon others. At the same time he doesn't like to see others get hurt. That's were the similarities end.
Luca is a much more reckless and impulsive person, throwing himself in the middle of trouble. Though somewhat timid he can be quite the hothead around certain people. More over his aggression towards those he sees as enemies and scum comes as an intimidating glare that only targets them and only reassures the people he cares about. He's not as forgiving as Tsuna but given time he'll come around. While he's never quite sure if he can do something it never stops him from giving his all. There are only two things Luca refuses to do though: try to lead and play the piano inn front of others.
Luca can be somewhat oblivious but her it's actually very sensitive to the hidden feelings in a person's heart. In the end though he might try and keep his distance his warm and inviting air is ever present revealing his own true feelings in the moment.
History: Luca was born in a small town in Italy known as Trespiano to Katsuo and Felicita Yuuki.
Other: Luca is a talented pianist and enjoys writing music though he'll never perform in front of anyone.</s>
<|message|>Luca Yuuki
Luca turned hearing Yuki's voice and have her a bashful smile. "Sorry, yukatas aren't really my thing..." After looking over the snowy haired girl he averted his gaze and blushed slightly. "Y-You look really nice though~" He was glad she asked about the booth. The change of subject was surely needed our there might be a repeat of the afternoon's events. "Actually, I have no idea where it is. Though knowing the president probably snagged the best spot long before anyone else could." As if on cue he heard Asuka's voice over the crowd. Locating the source he saw the booth along with the president waving them over.
They made their way through to the booth. Noticing the other person working on the bananas and rice balls, Luca didn't expect to see the Archery Club captain here. Most of Namimori middle admired Hideaki. He was an ace archer, a model student and as far as Luca's heard a friendly person. Of course he's not lacking in looks either as evidenced by squeals from girls when he's mentioned in conversation. Even with all that Luca didn't feel like he knew anything about the bespectacled archer. And not just because they've never really spoken to one another. Meanwhile Asuka had that cunning look in her eye that she often had and Luca couldn't help but gulp feeling it had something to do with him. "Let's get started I guess." He said with a meek smile.</s>
<|message|>Yuki Volkov
Yuki may have retained her stoic expression but her face was bright red with embarrassment as Luca mentioned she looked nice, her mouth was unable to form words for a few moments before changing the subject at hand and making their way to try and find the booth. Unlike when there were others around Luca could render her defenseless like that pretty easily. Not that she disliked it but thankfully she had calmed herself down and with the greeting from the president returned her to her normal disposition.
"Yo"
She gave a small wave as they walked up, it was a nice sized booth, though did it really need all four of them to run it? Giving Luca a reassuring pat on the back Yuki made her way over to help in the creation, putting on some gloves of course. Looking over to Hideaki she gave a small nod in greeting. She had seen him more than a few times when she had been going around all the clubs over the past month, though leg based sports were more her thing.
As Yuki started to work on the rice balls she got a rather evil idea "I didn't know that this was a double date." she said in a dry tone, intending to imply that their president had brought her boyfriend along. She could not help but sneak at least one or two rice balls for herself to eat later, payment so to speak given that she was basically doing this for free, and a nice spot to watch the fireworks.</s>
<|message|>Rentarou "Ren" Kanesada
While making his way through the merry making crowd, Ren's eyes behind the mask briefly scanned through the area for any suspicious figure. None caught his attention so far, or at least, none that were suspicious by appearance. Laughter of lively children, clacking of wooden sandals against the pavement, chatters between chummy acquaintances, sizzling of a yakisoba grill, yells of merchants advertising their respective stalls; such were the sounds his ears caught at the area. This current area was clear of danger for now, hopefully the figure he was in search of would be in a safe area as well. The raven haired male slightly adjusts his fox mask in place while continuing his search.
It took quite a while of walking till a particular stall was in sight, a professional looking food stall like any other ones he had seen tonight but the only difference was the figure who resembled the picture of the blond Vongola candidate. To make sure it was the boy he had been pursuing after, Ren decided to make a purchase from the stall as a reason to confirm that the appearance indeed resembled the boss candidate. After the last customers left their stall with a stick of chocolate banana for each, the masked male approaches the stall and hands over quite an amount of money to the similarly raven haired female and utters in a quiet tone, "...... I will purchase 20 pieces of rice balls."
The front of the stall clearly lacked a couple of rice balls for his order to be complete, which he hoped would cause the female to leave temporarily so Ren may properly inspect the light haired male while he waited. It was no problem if she didn't do so, at least a careful glance could suffice.</s>
<|message|>Asuka Argento
With Luca and Yuki there, things really began. Customers were coming. Some young guys and girls, guys and girls their age, middle age women. A few of the older women would coo and pinch Luca's cheeks. Asuka couldn't help but giggle at that. The added attractiveness and cute factor did the trick alright. Older gentlemen didn't really come by. Asuka wouldn't have like that anyway. Middle aged men. She shuddered at the thought. Although, some guys and girls just a bit older, maybe in university, came by here and there. That was fun. Most were on dates so there wasn't flirting or anything like that. Not that it would have been appropriate or enjoyable. But they had a certain air about them. Everyone did! The festival was going well.
Still, Yuki's comment nearly made Asuka drop a whole batch of freshly made Chocolate covered bananas. She managed to save it and set it down, but it was still there. She glanced back. "Yuki. Please... Don't ever try and say something like that again. Even as a joke." It seemed that comment was an insult, no, a wound, fatal, struck deep into her heart. She was smiling, sure, but even the smile was nothing less than murderous. That was the severity of how she took even the simple idea or misunderstanding of any kind to relationship with Hideaki.
With that she turned back to the front of the stall just in time to be met with a young masked man already back to her normal cheerful demeanor. "Ah~ Of course." She looked down as she took the money to put it in the box and took out some to return the change. But... They were short. No matter, Hideaki and Yuki would likely bring some soon. It wasn't something that needed to be worried about. "Just a moment please." She gave a slight bow. Luckily there was a freshly finished tray beside Hideaki. Say what you wanted, he did work efficiently. But this meant she was only gone for about thirty seconds. It wasn't a big booth after all. "Here you go." She said placed a small box, she had them under the counter for larger orders like this, in front of Ren.
"Oh and that's quite a lovely mask, if you don't mind me saying." The fox motif was what she liked. But she hadn't had time to pick one up. All she had was a cat themed one given to her by some guy. He did it often. Little things like this. He had a crush, but he was also a jerk. She sighed. "I don't suppose you would want to trade." She gave a small laugh holding up her own mask. Though, in her mind, it was a long shot.</s>
<|message|>Rentarou "Ren" Kanesada
As the lady who was about to serve him his orders inevitably turned her back to fetch the rest of the lacking items, the fox masked male turned his face towards the blond male attendant. Azure orbs behind the mask intently gazed at him for a good couple of seconds in silence before the female attendant came back with his orders. 'He is the one...', Ren thought to himself, his mental image of the Vongola boss candidate clearly matching with the boy in front of him. As the box of rice balls were handed over to him, he mumbled a soft "... Thank you." He decided to hand them over to one of his men later for safekeeping, as well as distributing them to the others who were famished since he himself had no desire to eat and it was awkward to, half his face hidden while he would bite on a rice ball.
Just when the raven haired male was about to leave with his purchased goods, Asuka's compliment for his mask stopped him in his tracks. A nod of acknowledgment was given in return, he thought it unnecessary to reply back to the compliment. He supposed the fox mask was at least suitable to him but not exactly his tastes. Just when he thought he'd be released from the conversation, his eyes widened at what the female attendant flashed before him. A cat mask. "..........!" Ren's attention was piqued by the sudden appearance of the cat mask, its attractiveness and simplicity drawing him into agreeing to the mask trade. But was it the appropriate time for him to uncover his concealed face? Or was he willing to let this chance pass by and go on without possibly ever finding another cat mask in the festival? He thought for a moment, and a decision was made.
"......... Very well. I consent to the trade." With that, he lowered his mask, revealing the face of the young Kanesada heir. His gaze averted to the side as his arm stretched out with the fox mask in his hand.</s>
<|message|>Minase Hideaki / Yi Hyun-ki
"Hey guys!" Hideaki cheerfully greeted the athletic Russian and the blond-haired mafia boss. He wasn't too surprised Asuka had managed to rope in an underclassman with some underhanded scheme. At least the two workers would be tolerable. He could respect Volkov-chan's abilities. From what he heard, she went around testing all the clubs, not just his own. She also wasn't a rowdy fangirl, so she had that going for her as well. On the other hand, there was Yuuki-kun. He didn't hear much on his end, other than his fights with the resident Disciplinary Wannabe. He could hold his own though, which was good. The archer resumed his work after explaining the necessary processes, and was finishing off a batch when a certain phrase was said.
'Do you think this is a fucking game you impertinent little girl? Me and that fox? How sickening. Just the thought leaves the taste of shit in my mouth.'
Someone was a little bit salty after that date comment, it seemed. "...No," the archer said firmly but politely, having halted in the midst of his snack food assembly, "This is not a double date scenario, no." With that said simply, he resumed creating rice balls as if he wasn't practically fuming with annoyance on the inside. He did a perfect job of it, at least, with the only outward change being that he was now assembling rice balls at a much faster pace. They were still characteristically precise, however. He picked up his batch and moved it back over to restock the front of the stall. "Here you go, Argento-chan," he said, glancing at the other half of the mask trade. Going for a fox mask, what a surprise.
On his return from his station, Hideaki stopped by the post of the young blond-haired student. "So what'd the president do to get you roped up in this?" he asked casually.</s>
| <|message|>Luca Yuuki
This was going to be a long endeavor. Luca was being smothered by customers, a lot of whom were older women wanting to pinch his cheeks. If this keeps up I'll end up looking like a bloodhound... Out of the corner of his eye he could see the president's clear delight in the success of her well crafted plan. She truly was a cunning and frightening person.
"Hmhm~" With a slight chuckle the shorter off the two figures stood atop Namimori Shrine continued to observe the young heir. "Sawada chose a rather familiar successor." He said, watching Luca fumble around between serving customers and having his face assaulted. "What do you think? He'll be your responsibility very soon." He asked his companion.
After a some time business finally settle down leaving Luca to sink down under the booth exhausted. He rubbed his face trying to find any remaining sense of feeling. "Well, on the bright side this'll make fighting Taiga a little easier..." Muttered Luca with a sigh. "As long as you win I won't tell you're mother that you're out picking fights~" Luca stood up to look up at his smirking father, Katsuo Yuuki. "Then again she probably already knows." Luca smiled sheepishly. "Yeah...so, you want to buy a rice ball or a banana?" Katsuo shook his head. "I'm sure your mother is eating enough snacks for the both of us. I just wanted to check up on you. You seem to be having fun." He said looking around the booth, his eyes lingering on the customer in the fox mask. "I guess so. I'm kinda glad you guys made me come." Luca said bringing his father back to their conversation. Katsuo smiled as his son looked back at Yuki who also forced him to attend the festival. Luca quickly turned back to his father before he could remark on his and Yuki's relationship. "Good. You should let yourself have fun more often." Katsuo ruffled Luca's blonde hair and though he was smiling there was a melancholy undertone to his words and Luca's dodgy chuckle. "Alright, enjoy the rest of the festival..." With a glance at the shrine he turned walk away, Luca noticing worry hidden behind his father's eyes. "And be careful out there." Katsuo added as he left the booth.
Luca's gaze was drawn from his father as he felt someone else's on him. He glanced at the masked customer from his peripheral before being startled by Hidaeki's question. "Huh? Sorry senpai, I got a little distracted. Actually, she didn't have to do much. I owe her a few-actually a lot of favors. Hehe..." Luca chuckled nervously in in the upperclassman's presence.</s> |
<|description|>Luca Yuuki
Username: Vongola_Hasayo
Age: 14
Gender: Male
Country of Origin: Italy/Japan
Role: Soon-to-be Vongola XI
Flame: Sky
Weapon/Fighting Style:
Appearance:
Personality: In some ways Luca is similar his predecessor in middle school and in others they are complete opposites. Luca isn't the most socially adept, spending a lot of time by himself in the schools music room or his own at home. He's not as poor a student as Tsuna was but he's not making the honor roll anytime soon. His confidence is lacking and he has a fear of leadership that rivals that of Tsuna's fear of Reborn. Their similarities aren't all negative though. Despite all his short comings Luca has incredible perseverance. His confidence may be lacking but that doesn't mean he won't try and give everything he can. He has a good-heart and wouldn't wish harm upon others. At the same time he doesn't like to see others get hurt. That's were the similarities end.
Luca is a much more reckless and impulsive person, throwing himself in the middle of trouble. Though somewhat timid he can be quite the hothead around certain people. More over his aggression towards those he sees as enemies and scum comes as an intimidating glare that only targets them and only reassures the people he cares about. He's not as forgiving as Tsuna but given time he'll come around. While he's never quite sure if he can do something it never stops him from giving his all. There are only two things Luca refuses to do though: try to lead and play the piano inn front of others.
Luca can be somewhat oblivious but her it's actually very sensitive to the hidden feelings in a person's heart. In the end though he might try and keep his distance his warm and inviting air is ever present revealing his own true feelings in the moment.
History: Luca was born in a small town in Italy known as Trespiano to Katsuo and Felicita Yuuki.
Other: Luca is a talented pianist and enjoys writing music though he'll never perform in front of anyone.</s>
<|message|>Luca Yuuki
This was going to be a long endeavor. Luca was being smothered by customers, a lot of whom were older women wanting to pinch his cheeks. If this keeps up I'll end up looking like a bloodhound... Out of the corner of his eye he could see the president's clear delight in the success of her well crafted plan. She truly was a cunning and frightening person.
"Hmhm~" With a slight chuckle the shorter off the two figures stood atop Namimori Shrine continued to observe the young heir. "Sawada chose a rather familiar successor." He said, watching Luca fumble around between serving customers and having his face assaulted. "What do you think? He'll be your responsibility very soon." He asked his companion.
After a some time business finally settle down leaving Luca to sink down under the booth exhausted. He rubbed his face trying to find any remaining sense of feeling. "Well, on the bright side this'll make fighting Taiga a little easier..." Muttered Luca with a sigh. "As long as you win I won't tell you're mother that you're out picking fights~" Luca stood up to look up at his smirking father, Katsuo Yuuki. "Then again she probably already knows." Luca smiled sheepishly. "Yeah...so, you want to buy a rice ball or a banana?" Katsuo shook his head. "I'm sure your mother is eating enough snacks for the both of us. I just wanted to check up on you. You seem to be having fun." He said looking around the booth, his eyes lingering on the customer in the fox mask. "I guess so. I'm kinda glad you guys made me come." Luca said bringing his father back to their conversation. Katsuo smiled as his son looked back at Yuki who also forced him to attend the festival. Luca quickly turned back to his father before he could remark on his and Yuki's relationship. "Good. You should let yourself have fun more often." Katsuo ruffled Luca's blonde hair and though he was smiling there was a melancholy undertone to his words and Luca's dodgy chuckle. "Alright, enjoy the rest of the festival..." With a glance at the shrine he turned walk away, Luca noticing worry hidden behind his father's eyes. "And be careful out there." Katsuo added as he left the booth.
Luca's gaze was drawn from his father as he felt someone else's on him. He glanced at the masked customer from his peripheral before being startled by Hidaeki's question. "Huh? Sorry senpai, I got a little distracted. Actually, she didn't have to do much. I owe her a few-actually a lot of favors. Hehe..." Luca chuckled nervously in in the upperclassman's presence.</s>
<|message|>Yuki Volkov
Yuki gave a small pout as the pair seemed to dislike her little attempt at humor, it turns out it was harder than it looked but thankfully a customer soon caught everyone's attention. Going back to making rice balls she slowed down for a moment as she noticed she had already used 1/3 of the ingredients so the guys order was pretty much ready, but it was a little delayed due to the mask switching.
"As long as you win I won't tell you're mother that you're out picking fights~"
The voice drew Yuki's attention and as she had guessed it was Luca's farther, who was rather cool looking she had to admit. She gave a small lazy wave as he looked over to her for a moment before Luca made sure to change the subject to other things, they did not concern her so she looked back to her work... Which had gotten a little out of control as despite not looking she had used up yet another 1/3 of the ingredients and not there was a small mountain of rice balls beside her that threatened to topple over if it had not been so perfectly stacked. "I think I am done" She said to pretty much everyone in the booth with her, her gaze staring up to tower of rice balls as if it was a great work of art of some kind.
---
Meanwhile a strange figure wondered through the many stalls, a candy apple held tightly in her hand as she used fanged teeth to bite into it, a almost blissful smile coming over her that her tail almost wagged from its hiding place within her kimono. "Mmm, shame that we could not leave all this until after the festival~ " Another bite "But rules are rules. Now, where is he?"</s>
<|message|>Asuka Argento
Asuka smiled and took the mask before handing the young man her's. "Thank you good sir. Though it is a shame someone like you is hiding their face like that. Even if you would draw much attention." She could recognize him of course, even if she didn't openly say it. He knowledge of people extended much farther than the school. Possibly because of her mother's former position. A powerful woman aiming to take down the local yakuza. Still, that was long ago. She smiled and placed the fox mask on her head, before hearing Hideaki. "Heh~ As if he could ever be so lucky." She teased him, knowing she would hit a nerve. Would he keep up the charade under these circumstances.
With that she stopped to continue selling before Hideaki brought some more rice balls. "Ah~ Thank you Hide-chan" She added with a sly grin as she took the rice balls. She was calm, though now Luca seemed to be conversing with his father. A rather quick display ending with his father beginning to walk away. "Wait!" She called out. "Please buy something." She said the fox mask placed casually in a diagonal position on the upper left part of her head, a somewhat sad look with puppy eyes displayed. "If not for you, for someone else. We have to make as much as possible after all."
Asuka hoped to get favorable results, though Yuki chimed in saying she was done. "Luca. Take a break and relax with yuki. She deserves a bit of your time." The female Student Council president whispered, her gaze still fixed on the young boys father.</s>
<|message|>Rentarou "Ren" Kanesada
After the exchange of masks were complete, the male's face was quickly concealed once more, with an adorable cat mask this time. The last words that were offered to him, "Even if you would draw much attention.", slightly piqued his interest. What did this maiden mean by that? Could she have known who he was after all? No matter, since the raven haired female had not done any action or said anything further to prove his point. The young heir simply nodded as a response to her 'Thank you' and left the booth with a box of rice balls on hand. A few passerby glanced at him again, but not as often as earlier, due to how it seemed slightly off for a man to be wearing such a cute mask.
The target was finally spotted, and seemed to be in a fine condition so far. But he was never to let his guard down, it would not be as surprising in the underground world of mafia to attempt at murder within a minute or even seconds, if the damage was fatal. He hurried away to one of his subordinates who were standing around behind one of the booths and handed over the box of rice balls. ".... Distribute them among the famished men. I shall survey the target." The bulky man uttered a phrase of appreciation and obediently bowed before Ren paced back into the crowds on the street, keeping his eyes at the blond boy at a distance.
Will a third party truly strike at him in such a populated area? There were numerous people from left to right on the streets, not to mention how the boss candidate was in an enclosed booth at the moment. Though Ren did not know if there truly was a third party in the vicinity to begin with, but it was his sworn duty as a Varia and an ally of the Vongola to watch over the boy's safety.</s>
<|message|>Minase Hideaki / Yi Hyun-ki
'That cunning bitch-fox. I see what shrewd plan she's trying to put into action now. She's starting them off early to accumulate debt in order to place them in effective slavery! Hmm... How to warn these poor misguided fools...'
Hideaki nodded towards the younger student. "I understand," he said, looking for a moment almost like an old wiseman as he spoke, "Make sure you get rid of all of that debt in a timely fashion though, or you'll regret it." He looked over to the class president in question, who was allowing the two underclassment to depart and go about the festival at their own leisure. "..." Was it some sort of trap? Who knew? Either way...
...Mission accomplished? Mission accomplished.
Hideaki nodded to himself in satisfaction. His good deed of the day was complete, and he was basically 'done' all of his duties at this stand, so he had little else to do. Of course, he'd have to get that class president back for calling him 'Hide-chan' and implying that she was out of his league (though that was true, except that his league was the higher one in this case), but that could wait for later. He was good at playing the long game after all. "I'm done too, Argento-chan," he informed, "Have fun with the stand."</s>
<|message|>Naoki Shindo
"Distribute them among famished men. I shall survey the target" "Target?" Naoki watched the two men from behind a wall as the other man ran, Naoki scaled the wall following the man who just stood there in the crowd watching some normal people. "What could he be doing?" Naoki had ideas running through his mind he didn't like it, it hurt his head. Naoki wasn't sure to approach him or just get some food so he did both. He walked to the stands his tummy rumbling "One no, two chocolate bananas please" Naoki gave the man a quick 'Thank you' and ran back looking for the man in the crowd. Sadly He lost the man Naoki was shocked and jumped on top of a wall shouting for the man very stupidly. "Hello, Man in crowd!" Naoki Sat on the wall arms around knees with a sad annoyed face.
Naoki jumped off the wall and finished his chocolate bananas. He was ready to go and find another nice stand when he seen the man, he ran as fast as he could and poked the man on the shoulder. "Who or what is the target?" he said with a confused face.</s>
<|message|>Samael Alastor (Most just call him Sam and he's cool with that)
Samael | Summer Festival
"My, Japanese festival food, not sold in stores normally, this is a rare opportunity for me", he would say as he sat upon a bench literally filled to the brim with food he had bought himself, the Vongola family funded his stay here, he had no idea why, only higher priority members would ever get this monetary treatment, he only remembered 'something something Guardian something'. Oh well. Yakisoba, okinomiyaki, candied apples, chocolate banana, takoyaki, taiyaki, the variations available of the aforementioned, and oolong tea were seated beside him. He wasn't consuming this at a fast rate, if anything he was really taking his sweet sweet time, eating while observing the passers-by. Yukata, summer kimono designed to be light and thin, there was a tantalizing myth behind the lack of undergarments when a woman wore them. Fascinating. The sexual culture of Japan was far more liberal, or seemed to be, than that of the UK. Not to mention their transport systems, marvellous, though King's Cross was less confusing than Japanese rail networks, though Japanese were far more punctual. He's only been here for a week, and he is really enjoying his stay here. He did get a message today though...
"So I am to locate a... Luca Yuuki...", he muttered to himself. The job was protection. He had no idea why, and honestly, things seemed to be quite lax anyways, so he didn't feel any urgency. As far as he's read the kid is as normal as they come... Oh wait. Vongola... Oooohh...
"Oh... So that's why I'm here... Oh well", Sam was quite content to just continue consuming the food he had purchased.</s>
| <|message|>Luca Yuuki
Luca chuckled awkwardly listening to Hideaki's advice. "Sh-She's not that bad..." It was strange. Talking to the archery captain was unnerving. Luca couldn't tell one way or another what he was thinking and his and Asuka's friendly act was hardly convincing. "Luca. Take a break and relax with Yuki. She deserves a bit of your time." Luca looked over his face reddening slightly due to the president's phrasing. "R-Right. See senpai, she's not unreasonable. U-Um...I guess we should get going..." The young blonde trotted past Hideaki and over to Yuki. Stopped by Asuka's sales pitch, Luca's looked back and smiled. "You're a persistent young woman. Don't worry I'll circle back around if I get famished or if my wife starts to insist on a chocolate banana. Katsuo continued on his way, calling back to Asuka. "My son can be a bit of a handful. Keep him in line for me will ya? And Luca...don't get carried away with your companion there~" With that Luca's father slipped away into the crowd leaving his son red as one of the lanterns handing around the festival.
"A-Anyway, what do you want to do? You're the one who really wanted to come Yuki, so we'll do what you want..." Luca said scratching his cheek.</s> |
<|description|>Yuki Volkov
Username: Kitsune
Age: 16
Gender: Female
Country of Origin: Russia / Japan
Role: Sun Flame Guardian
Flame: Sun Flame
Weapon/Fighting Style: Armored Gloves & Socks for now
The style is designed to fight any time and anywhere against armed foes, having been brought about by traders having to deal with the mafia all the time, the style that once defended against them, now is used for them. Yuki has NEVER been seen using her hands, as she always has them in her pockets, even when using weapons she simply spins them around her legs/body just as easy. In her art her hands are only for touching the ones she loves or killing people that pose a danger to those very people... While using her hands she uses weapon breaking and armor piercing techniques. Strategy is Yuki's main tool; she uses the environment and improvised weaponry, box cutters/crowbar/telephone poles/trucks etc.
Appearance:</s>
<|message|>Asuka Argento
It was truly a beautiful day. The kind of day one would hope for, or rather expect, on the last day of school before summer vacation. Not to mention the coming festival. These days were particularly busy for Asuka. But she handled it all without batting an eye. It was simple really. In her words, If I couldn't do at least this much, I wouldn't be fit as Student Council President. That was usually her response when it came to matters like the amount of work she took on. Today. Today she was making a few rounds, seeing how the last day was going. She'd had a few meeting and appointments with future club heads regarding the budgets for next year. She could rework those over the summer. So confident she was that she wouldn't be losing her position.
Though this wasn't where her interest lied. No, her interest was in Luca. Sleeping throughout the end of class again was he? She supposed she could let it slide on the last day. Besides she had other things to attend to. Even so, she nearly butted in when he and Taiga decided on holding a little brawl on the roof after Taiga's announcement. She would have done something about this self-proclaimed successor to legendary Hibari Kyoya, but it was another matter that could be let slide. Especially, since the bell had already rung. She was technically off duty, but the StuCo President never officially clocked out, so to speak.
Still, here she was. Walking home while thinking of the next responsibility she would hold. She'd had a meeting with some teachers. The Student Council would be holding a booth at the festival. Rather they were requested to help with one. It seemed a local shop owner who had already paid the festival admission fee to run a booth had ended up getting hurt. She agreed to help, but the other council members all had vacations or other things to do. Sometimes it seemed as though she may as well be the only member. "Rice balls and chocolate bananas huh?" That was it. Making and selling rice balls and chocolate bananas. This shop was getting popular because of some of their special ingredient in each product. Which was why such simple things were their primary sellers.
"Hm?" She looked up, coming back from her thoughts when she heard two familiar voices. "Ah! Luca! Yuki!" She called out as she approached the two. "It's so good to see you two. It's especially good to see you awake." She spoke to both and then more specifically to Luca. "Though I do wish you and Taiga would keep your childish fights off of the roof. Somebody could get hurt." She added to him. "Or maybe don't fight on school grounds at all if you can avoid it. Would be much better than walking home bruises and hurt like this." She giggled looking him over once more. "Oh and how are you doing Yuki? I hope you've been adjusting nicely after joining us here." She was standing just a bit away from them now so as not to be too close, her bag held firmly in her hands in front of her skirt. These two would work. Even one of them would be find to pull into helping at the stand.</s>
<|message|>Victoire Roux
Victoire walks around curiously around town, smiling slightly at the sights Namimori has to offer. It was very refreshing for her to be in this place, the place where the Vongola Decimo grew up. While Victoire is wondering why the Vongola Family has to send someone from the Varia instead of their own agents to observe the next generation of the Vongola, but it's not like Victoire to question orders, so she didn't. The minute Victoire stepped out of the airport, anyone would figure out that she is not Japanese. The nineteen-year old woman was wearing what is to be presumed as the modern fashion trends in France, and can be assumed that she was just a simple tourist. Not a cold-blooded assassin, she brightly thought as she enthusiastically checks out the shops here in Namimori. Even though it's her first time here, she managed to speak good enough Japanese. After all, you need to speak at least seven languages to be a part of the Varia.
Victoire beamed when she heard about the summer festival tonight. "Hm...it sounds fun. Maybe I should go there tonight," she muttered gently to herself as she heads to a neighborhood. She blinked when she noticed two girls and a boy, all of them probably in middle school. Victoire silently hid herself from their view when she recognized the boy's face. Luca Yuuki, potential next boss of the Vongola Famiglia, she curiously studied his face, her eyes slightly softening. He's so young, but I heard the Vongola Decimo was about the same age when he started his training.
Of course, Victoire on the other hand, started training the life of a mafioso when she was about six or seven. She smiled fondly at those memories, kind of proud of herself now that they don't have to move house by house to avoid those who were chasing them. She shook her head, driving out the memories of the past. She turned around and went the other way, this time heading for the apartment building she will have to live in in her stay here in Namimori. Or I should buy a yukata for tonight. And the potential next Vongola might be there as well.</s>
<|message|>Yuki Volkov
Yuki's face darkened slightly as she finally noticed the bruises on Luca's face, and when he mentioned the name she knew all too well she looked back to the school. "I wonder if it is too late to go back..." She muttered under her breath, though being so close Luca would have been able to hear her plan to go back, likely just to scare the guy as she had never really interfered with Luca's fights.
"Ah! Luca! Yuki!"
However it seemed like her little revenge would have to wait as Asuka made her way over to the pair, Yuki turning with Luca so that she didn't have to let him go for the time being... What? She was nursing him back to health, and for some reason she had the feeling that they were being watched, strange... "Yeah, it is a shame I didn't have more time this year, I wanted to try out for one of the school sports teams" Since she joined just a month away from the end of the semester it was sadly not possible this time. "That reminds me, are you going to the festival miss president? Luca and I are" Of course if Luca said otherwise she would give him just a little squeeze to make sure he understood he was going...</s>
<|message|>Luca Yuuki
Luca instantly registered Yuki's mood change at the mention of Taiga and her acknowledgement of his minor injuries. He heard mutter about going back which was exactly what he was afraid of. "That's okay I'm fine. Besides Taiga isn't worth it and bruises are nothing. Hehehe ow..." He hastily tried to calm her down by demonstrating how fine he was by patting his own shoulder which solicited a wince of pain.
Just when Luca was sure Yuki was going to start making her way toward the school the inevitable trauma her target was going to experience was avoided thanks to a timely appearance by the class president. "That's a relief..." He said to himself with sighed that was interrupted by Yuki's turn, still embracing him. "Luca, Yuki. It's so good to see you two. It's especially good to see you awake." Luca chuckled nervously at the comment on his sleeping habits. It was scary how Asuka always knew. However it wasn't so much of a mystery how she knew about his run in with Taiga. "Someone needs to teach that guy a lesson. I just so happen to be the one who's usually around..." Luca replied as he turned his gaze, the disdain he had for the guy apparent. His temper vanished as quickly as it had arisen and was replaced by his usual docile demeanor. Though he felt something was a little off.
Asuka always seemed to be planning and managing something in her head. The same went for now even as she talked to them. Luca had a bad feeling about this. Yuki asked the president if she would be attending the festival declaring that she and Luca were which he tried to protest but as he opened his mouth to say otherwise he felt Yuki's grip tighten and he fell silent. "Yeah, should be fun miss president..." Just as he anticipated he wasn't escaping it himself. As much as he wanted to be annoyed by that fact Luca really thought it might be fun.</s>
<|message|>Asuka Argento
"No need to worry Yuki." Asuka replied almost immediately regarding her late coming resulting in a missed chance at joining clubs. "This just means rumors of your greatness will spread to schools faster. Without even playing you'll be a force to be feared." She chuckled lightly as though already having things set in motion.
"And as for you. Please do leave things such as that to the student council." She spoke to Luca. "Otherwise I'll get bored and have only paperwork and socializing to keep me busy." She chuckled. It wasn't so bad really. But she would have liked to handle taiga herself earlier. still her words were more of a formality. She was fine with his interference and knew she wouldn't be capable of stopping the young boy regardless. Which was good. Nobody liked a pushover which, for the most part, Luca wasn't. For the most part anyway.
Before she could speak up more on the subject Yuki asked whether she would be going to the festival or not. A perfect transition for her really. "I will be actual. My yukata is all ready. I was going to go home, wash up an change into it." With that her small smile faded slightly. "But it won't be all fun an games. Due to some circumstances I'll be managing a booth all by myself. I don't even know if I'll be able to handle that much work alone." He sighed before his gaze shifted between the two falling on Luca.
"Since you're going. Perhaps you'd like to help me out. It should be no problem given all the times I've helped you out of sticky situations with teachers and helped keep you out of trouble. Right?" She asked Luca, puppy dog eyes present with a small pout. Albeit those times did usually end in lecture, but that was gold considering how they could have ended.
"Oh and of course you could be by his side the entire time. It would likely be much less stressful than maneuvering through the crowds of people with him so badly bruised." And there it was. Her attempt to coerce both into aiding her. There was no real reason why it wouldn't work. And Luca would likely know she wouldn't be giving up so easily on this. Yuki could use the excuse to justifiably stick closer to the young man too. A perfect plan executed by the female student council president.</s>
<|message|>Minase Hideaki / Yi Hyun-ki
Clouds lazily drifted through the sunny sky as Minase Hideaki cleaned the archery dojo he cherished so very much. As captain, he'd dismissed the rest of the members early and insisted they go home to prepare for the festival, leaving the bowman to his own devices in the vast expanse of the empty room. It was almost soothing, in a way. No need for pretenses or facades here. Just him and the sounds of nature. 'It really is a nice day for a festival,' the blue-haired youth mused, small smile on his face as he put away the relevant gear and prepared to head back home, 'Hopefully it doesn't rain or anything tonight.'
Hideaki placed a hand on the range's sliding door, preparing to close it before retracting his hold. Nobody would mind if he took a few more shots at the straw targets. It was fine, he was still in dress and the one cleaning up after all. The half-Japanese young man opened the equipment locker and took a yumi as well as about nine carbon-fiber arrows. He walked to the edge of the range. Footing, body, aim, raise, nock - Hideaki paused on that step before reaching for two more arrows, nocking all three of them at once on a whim - draw, release, meditate, repeat three more times. Nine shots, nine hits. That went better than planned. The shooter crossed the range, plucked his arrows from the target, and returned his gear to storage after doing the necessary cleaning and maintenance. Now finished with his business here, the archery ace slid the doors closed on both ends, locking them up for the night. The kyudo captain sat in the center of the dojo and ran through his mental checklist. Bows were safely maintained and stored, range doors closed and locked, floors cleaned, etc... Seemed everything was all well and done here. Now he could head home and make the necessary preparations for the festival later that night.
Speaking of plans, though Hideaki could be considered a pretty well-known guy amongst his school's social circles, he hadn't made any socially-inclined ones for tonight. He owed the student council president a favor after all, and he wasn't going to let her cash in on her own terms. Besides, anything that upped his club's chances for additional funding was very much appreciated. Not that it was wholly necessary, considering the president would probably be inclined to help financial if he asked nicely. She was not a psychopath drunk on her own power - so far, at least. But you never knew what people were like underneath all the masks. He shouldn't be thinking bad about his peers though. It wasn't acceptable of him. Business at the dojo finished, Hideaki locked up the entrance with his keys and went on his merry way.</s>
| <|message|>Yuki Volkov
"This just means rumors of your greatness will spread to schools faster. Without even playing you'll be a force to be feared."
Yuki had to admit that Asuka knew how to talk to people, though really it was to be expected of the Student Council President. Being busy dealing with the entire student body had to be really hard work, not made easier by people like her and Luca, she could respect that... "Hmm, I guess you are right. I will be sure to keep up the rumors, just for you." She gave off a small smile.
However she also knew that it was a forked tongue, it did not hold any ill will though, and it could be used to get what she wanted but even that she could also respect. Of course just because she knew about this small little fact did not mean that she was immune to falling into the presidents well laid traps! As she worked her magic, Yuki listened intently, the very fact that she brought up that Yuki and Luca could spend it together basically sealed the deal! "Well, I think it is for the best" She blushed ever so slightly "After all Luca is hurt so staying out of harms way would be better."
She didn't wait for a answer though, as even if she was more than willing to do it as long as Luca was roped in she was not dumb. "However, I am guessing that since we are helping you out so nicely and all, we will be getting compensated correct? I am not interested in money though before you think so lowly of me." She then looked to Luca to see his opinion on this, not that it mattered all that much given how much pressure the two girls were putting on him to go.</s> |
<|description|>Yuki Volkov
Username: Kitsune
Age: 16
Gender: Female
Country of Origin: Russia / Japan
Role: Sun Flame Guardian
Flame: Sun Flame
Weapon/Fighting Style: Armored Gloves & Socks for now
The style is designed to fight any time and anywhere against armed foes, having been brought about by traders having to deal with the mafia all the time, the style that once defended against them, now is used for them. Yuki has NEVER been seen using her hands, as she always has them in her pockets, even when using weapons she simply spins them around her legs/body just as easy. In her art her hands are only for touching the ones she loves or killing people that pose a danger to those very people... While using her hands she uses weapon breaking and armor piercing techniques. Strategy is Yuki's main tool; she uses the environment and improvised weaponry, box cutters/crowbar/telephone poles/trucks etc.
Appearance:</s>
<|message|>Rentarou "Ren" Kanesada
"Assemble an adequate number of our men to scout the premises beforehand..." An order was dictated by the young Kanesada heir, who was now dressed in a jet black yukata with his dark, mid-length hair tied up neatly. The old butler, to which the order was directed to, bowed to acknowledge the command and off he left in a haste back to the traditional Japanese mansion. Ren was left to his own thoughts while he awaited in the limousine situated in front of his mansion's gates.
Compared to the majority of the attendees of the upcoming festival tonight, Ren did not choose to participate in it for merry making or cash earning, no. As an ally of the Vongola family and a newly scouted Varia member, he was obliged to protect the future Vongola XI candidate who was to be attending the said festival. While he has yet to be acquainted with the candidate, a photo was sent to him by the current captain of the assassination squad to "keep an eye on him". Just to be on the safe side, a tanto (a short type of Japanese sword) was well hidden in the secret compartment of his yukata, in case anything should go wrong.
A sigh of boredom escaped his lips as he absentmindedly stared out of the window until a soft meow was heard. As if on instinct, the azure eyed male averted his gaze towards the origin of the sound. A little black cat stood a couple of meters away from the vehicle Ren was in, licking its tiny paw to rub it onto its face in a grooming manner. Being the cat enthusiast he is, the temptation was too great for the fearsome yakuza heir to stay put on his seat, therefore leaving the vehicle and approaching the sighted feline. His arm reached out to slowly pet the cat to see its approval to be touched, then the little feline reacted with a delighted purr while rubbing its head against the male's hand. Taking it as a positive response, Ren gently placed his arms around the cat and lifted it up, cradling it in his arms as he continued to pet it.
"Young master, we are ready for departure." An old voice called out to the raven haired male, Ren was slightly irritated internally at how much of a bad timing he had. A pair of circular, sparkling eyes stared up at him as he released another sigh before replying to his butler.
"............. Leave me be, ...at least for a minute before departure."</s>
<|message|>Asuka Argento
Asuka smiled at Yuki. "Are you saying valuable quality time with Luca isn't enough to satisfy you?" She chuckled lightly before letting a soft gasp escape her lips. She wasn't really surprised about anything, but she was going to act like it. "Unless... You'd rather spend it alone doing all sorts of things." She covered her face with both hands and shook her head just a bit. "I had no idea you'd already begun engaging in such acts Luca." She sounded shocked, though she was just kidding with the two. Teasing really.
Luca's next words only helped her to further the little gag. His request for her to secure a spot, coupled with his shaky voice. "D-Don't tell me you want me to secure a small spot for us so you can try and add me into your impure acts." She uncovered her face and pinched both of Luca's cheeks. "I'll have you know, I am not that kind of girl." She tugged on his cheeks playfully before letting go and laughing a little. "Still, I suppose I could do something of the sort." She let the joke go. She didn't want them to get too flustered in the off chance that she continued. Besides, jokes like this were better kept short. "As for why I didn't just ask..." She stopped to think for a moment. She had her reasons of course.
"To be honest. The way I saw it. If I gave you the option to say no, I'd have had to go through the ploy anyway. Well, either that or drag you along kicking and screaming. Which would have been easy given your current state. And even with Yuki's gifted athleticism rivaling my own, she'd have been easy to deal with once I took you hostage." She explained how she theorized things would have gone had she gone about this in the more normal way. "With all else considered, this seemed like the simplest, if not slightly less amusing course of action." She smiled again at the young blonde and white haired pair.
"Do you disagree with my plan of attack?" She then asked referring to the little talk as an attack. To her just about everything was some form of battle or another. Whether it be mental, physical or emotional. She did her best to strike first and continue that attack without mercy. Probably part of the reason she was Class President and unopposed. Though even if she were opposed she would be a shoe in to continue her run in Namimori.</s>
<|message|>Minase Hideaki / Yi Hyun-ki
'I'm beginning to dislike this arduous situation. What makes her think I want to compensate for her inability to plan properly? Does she want me to ask her if she wants to accompany me to the festival or something? Doesn't she know that other people have their own problems to deal with? Self-sufficiency is a virtue, after all.'
"Mmm, sure," Hideaki answered, suppressed pessimism hammering against his consciousness like water trying to escape a dam, "It's no skin off my back." The upperclassmen put a hand to his chin in thought. Within the poisonous cesspool of his mind was a surprising amount of actual thought put into helping this girl. Credibility must be retained, after all, and besides, it was like his mother said: if you were going to do something, you do it right the first time. Unfortunately, though he'd much rather not bring her to help with the class president's operation, given his own motivations were not exactly out of charity, it seemed to be the only option that wasn't a rather blatant 'screw off' on his part.
"You could come with me to help the class pres," Hideaki suggested, finger pointed upward in representation of his 'new' idea, "I'm sure she'll need all the help she can get. From what I've heard, it looks like all her usual help left for the summer." He shrugged, "That's the best I can come up with at the moment, unless you want to stay at home."
The young bowman resumed walking away from the school, gesturing for the kendoka to follow after him. "Well if you aren't coming, I guess I'll see you later, maybe."</s>
<|message|>Yuki Volkov
Yuki listened to Asuka teasing them with what they wanted, her face remaining her classic blank look towards all that was being said as if it didn't phase her in the least, though the small blush across her cheeks said otherwise. Despite this she did have something to say to Asuka, raising one of her hands from Luca's shoulders she pointed it towards the girl before suddenly giving a thumbs up "No, but it wont be from a lack of trying" That was her little addition to the joke before moving on.
Though the next part did not really concern her, she did have a few things to add "I would prefer if you didn't try the hostage thing. I wouldn't hold back." She was pretty blunt about this as if it was already a decided fact, but really it was more about her confidence in her ability than Luca being harmed.
Either way they obtained what they wanted in return and Luca even agreed with her on the matter, though she did not know how good she would be interacting with so many people... She was hardly the president when it came to a friendly manner but in the end this was mainly on Luca anyway. "Either way" She said, letting her arms slide off of Luca and back into her track hoodie pockets, finally releasing him from his imprisonment. "We should all hurry home and get ready, if we wait around then the booth wont be set up in time."</s>
<|message|>Akane Kimiko Aloise
The redhead fought back a smirk tugging up the corners of her mouth. The upperclassman putting up a friendly front despite his distaste of her even being there was rather amusing for her. She knew about the president's need of help, and had put it as an afterthought to help with her booths in the festival, but hadn't confirmed the decision yet till then. Her approach on the archer was only to observe his reaction. In doing so, now the kendoka achieved a mental note of the two-faced personality of Minase Hideaki. And the fact that not many came to the pres' aid like she expected to. That she didn't know.
Deciding to play along, Akane kept a straight face, waiting a second or two before the archer finally gave his suggestion, index finger pointing upwards to illustrate the fact that it was 'new'.
"Will do then, senpai," she replied with a small smile, still fighting the urge for it to turn to a smirk. The girl felt quite two-faced herself, though she usually isn't as such. "I better hurry home to prepare. See you later." and with a wave of her right hand, she went her separate way.</s>
<|message|>Luca Yuuki
Luca's face felt like it was going to combust because of the heat building up in it due to Asuka's teasing. "I-I-It's not like that!" People would swear they could see steam rising off the young blonde's head when the president implied he was trying to add her to some kind of harem. "No way! I mean it's not thatyourunattractivebutIwouldn'ttrysomethinglikethatwithbothofyou! Ack! I mean I haven't eventhoughtaboutthatwithYukinothatIwouldn't...WHAT AM I SAYING!?" His speech had reach super sonic speeds as he tried to arrange his thoughts in the midst of his flustered state. It only worsened when his snowy haired admirer added on to the joke. These two can be so cruel... A thought only given more ground to stand on by Asuka's detailed reasoning for pulling guilt trip card, a card she'll have on Luca until further notice, rather than just asking for their help. When Yuki finally let go of the blonde he fainted to the ground due to overheating.
---
Namimori Summer Welcoming Festival
Namimori was never more active and alive than during the summer festival. The residents were happy and joyful, the food was extra delicious, and the town itself had an encompassing warm glow. Luca somehow managed to recover from the embarrassment of earlier and drag himself out to the festivities. As pessimistic as he was of coming he couldn't help but smile sincerely at the sight of everyone having so much fun. Though he refused to wear a yukata and opted for a light blue track suit that he wore when he went for the occasional jog. If he didn't stay in some kind of shape then who would deal with Taiga, who by the way Luca was enjoying seeing as the victim of the disciplinary committee's dunktank setup. "Enjoying yourself Lu~?" Luca turned to the source of the cheerful question he couldn't help but give his mother a judgmental look. Felicita Yuuki had a sweettooth with no rival and seemed to have visited every stand that sold chocolate and the like. "I thought you said you were cutting back on the sweets?" His mother just chuckled softly. "Come on Lu, it's the summer festival. Loosen up a little okay~ Oh! I didn't see that they had those here~" She took off towards another stand with her sweets cradled hin her arms. "Don't tell your father!" Luca sighed and chuckled. This wasn't gonna be so bad after all. Although this would be the last night he would enjoy a normal life...for better or for worse.</s>
| <|message|>Yuki Volkov
Yuki started to collect her things for the festival, her wallet, phone and also a small bag of high end candies being placed within her short yukata's pockets. It was not really the most traditional look with the autumn pattern yukata and black pants, but it was surely comfy. Walking up towards the door of her apartment she turned off the lights but then suddenly stopped, her hand resting on the handle of the door as she spoke to the person now behind her within the shadows.
"Will you be coming to the festival then?"
"Heheh, It seems more than a few people have taken notice. I may keep watch and try out the food they have"
"Fine, just don't wait up for me."
With that Yuki left, leaving the figure to take a drag on their pipe "Yes, things are going to get awfully interesting, all the pieces are almost in place" Blowing out a stream of smoke as they spoke to themselves, the figure soon started to leave as well, a cap being pulled over what could only be described as ears just as the door closed and locked.
Namimori Summer Welcoming Festival
Having just arrived Yuki was making her way over to the booths with her hands in her pockets, taking a good look around and wondering if there was any way she could pick Luca out from the crowd... Almost instantly she saw the boy, the fact that he was blonde made him stand out but the track suit he was wearing made him like a beacon. She could not help but let out a tiny chuckle before heading over to Luca "Hey. I was hoping you would come in something more fitting." It was a real shame but she would live with it for now. Taking a look around she tried to spot the pres next "Do you know where the booth is?"</s> |
<|description|>Rentarou "Ren" Kanesada
Username: Amaterasu
Age: 16
Gender: Male
Country of Origin: Japan
Role: Varia Member, Rain Guardian Candidate
Flame: Rain
Weapon/Fighting Style: Katana (Primary), Revolver (Secondary)
Appearance:
Personality:
Due to his childhood which was devoid of anything an "average" child would have, Ren grew up to be an indifferent, distant, and cold individual who will not speak unless necessary, most of the time. He would devote himself to whatever mission he was given in a hard working manner even if he may be indifferent towards a lot of things, since his missions were always his top priority. Despite all this, what manages to get the most reaction out of him is if his real name, Rentarou, is mentioned to his face in which he will either threaten to cut or shoot you if done again. Reaction may vary depending on who says it.
History:
Being born to the status of heir to the yakuza family, Kanesada Group, Ren's life was filled with hardships ever since he was a mere young boy. His mother's passing in his early years did not make his life any less difficult, and because of her dying words, "Please grow up to be a boy your father and I will be proud of...", his only inspiration and reason for living was to please his father for the sake of his mother's dying wish.
The harsh training in the ways of the katana and gun shooting was too strenuous for the young boy to handle but failure was not easily forgiven, regardless of his age. Punishments were given in a form of verbal assaults from his father or sometimes even worse, physical punishments. Due to this, he earns a trauma of displeasing his father or his superiors, where he has a mental breakdown and other side effects depending on how severe the disappointment or punishment.
Growing up in such a harsh environment and with great pressure to inherit the yakuza family, he has abandoned any sort of sentiment, except with few exemptions like his dear mother, which made his future tasks easier. No room for guilt or conscience upon murders and sabotage of destructive families, Ren has started to finally become a young man worthy for the title of heir of Kanesada Group.
Missions after missions being done for the sake of the Kanesada Group, word of Ren, the young heir to a yakuza family, has begun to circulate among the Vongola family, one of the Kanesada Group's alliance in Japan, as one of the hopeful candidate of becoming a mafioso. The word traveled through gossips and casual conversations among mafioso until it reached the ear of the Varia member recruitment scout.
Ren's father, pleased by hearing that his son could be of an asset to Varia, the assassination squad for the influential and powerful Vongola family, had given his approval of having his son under the wing of Varia to earn further experience before inheriting the Kanesada Group. Ren, being obedient to the orders of his father, agreed to become a part of Varia with no objections and thus started his life as a mafioso.
Other
Hobbies: Checking and maintaining of his weapons, target shooting, sword to sword sparring, reading books for knowledge gaining, shogi (Japanese form of chess) for strategic skill improvement, shodo (Japanese calligraphy), and feeding street cats.
Likes: Peaceful environment, old fashioned Japanese things like shogi, shodo, kimono and such, and cats.
Dislikes: Being called "Rentarou", father/superiors being displeased with his performance, unable to accomplish his given task/s, people being persistent or nagging about his behavior/personality especially if people point out his jiji (old geezer) like character and taste.</s>
<|message|>Yuki Volkov
Yuki listened to Asuka teasing them with what they wanted, her face remaining her classic blank look towards all that was being said as if it didn't phase her in the least, though the small blush across her cheeks said otherwise. Despite this she did have something to say to Asuka, raising one of her hands from Luca's shoulders she pointed it towards the girl before suddenly giving a thumbs up "No, but it wont be from a lack of trying" That was her little addition to the joke before moving on.
Though the next part did not really concern her, she did have a few things to add "I would prefer if you didn't try the hostage thing. I wouldn't hold back." She was pretty blunt about this as if it was already a decided fact, but really it was more about her confidence in her ability than Luca being harmed.
Either way they obtained what they wanted in return and Luca even agreed with her on the matter, though she did not know how good she would be interacting with so many people... She was hardly the president when it came to a friendly manner but in the end this was mainly on Luca anyway. "Either way" She said, letting her arms slide off of Luca and back into her track hoodie pockets, finally releasing him from his imprisonment. "We should all hurry home and get ready, if we wait around then the booth wont be set up in time."</s>
<|message|>Akane Kimiko Aloise
The redhead fought back a smirk tugging up the corners of her mouth. The upperclassman putting up a friendly front despite his distaste of her even being there was rather amusing for her. She knew about the president's need of help, and had put it as an afterthought to help with her booths in the festival, but hadn't confirmed the decision yet till then. Her approach on the archer was only to observe his reaction. In doing so, now the kendoka achieved a mental note of the two-faced personality of Minase Hideaki. And the fact that not many came to the pres' aid like she expected to. That she didn't know.
Deciding to play along, Akane kept a straight face, waiting a second or two before the archer finally gave his suggestion, index finger pointing upwards to illustrate the fact that it was 'new'.
"Will do then, senpai," she replied with a small smile, still fighting the urge for it to turn to a smirk. The girl felt quite two-faced herself, though she usually isn't as such. "I better hurry home to prepare. See you later." and with a wave of her right hand, she went her separate way.</s>
<|message|>Luca Yuuki
Luca's face felt like it was going to combust because of the heat building up in it due to Asuka's teasing. "I-I-It's not like that!" People would swear they could see steam rising off the young blonde's head when the president implied he was trying to add her to some kind of harem. "No way! I mean it's not thatyourunattractivebutIwouldn'ttrysomethinglikethatwithbothofyou! Ack! I mean I haven't eventhoughtaboutthatwithYukinothatIwouldn't...WHAT AM I SAYING!?" His speech had reach super sonic speeds as he tried to arrange his thoughts in the midst of his flustered state. It only worsened when his snowy haired admirer added on to the joke. These two can be so cruel... A thought only given more ground to stand on by Asuka's detailed reasoning for pulling guilt trip card, a card she'll have on Luca until further notice, rather than just asking for their help. When Yuki finally let go of the blonde he fainted to the ground due to overheating.
---
Namimori Summer Welcoming Festival
Namimori was never more active and alive than during the summer festival. The residents were happy and joyful, the food was extra delicious, and the town itself had an encompassing warm glow. Luca somehow managed to recover from the embarrassment of earlier and drag himself out to the festivities. As pessimistic as he was of coming he couldn't help but smile sincerely at the sight of everyone having so much fun. Though he refused to wear a yukata and opted for a light blue track suit that he wore when he went for the occasional jog. If he didn't stay in some kind of shape then who would deal with Taiga, who by the way Luca was enjoying seeing as the victim of the disciplinary committee's dunktank setup. "Enjoying yourself Lu~?" Luca turned to the source of the cheerful question he couldn't help but give his mother a judgmental look. Felicita Yuuki had a sweettooth with no rival and seemed to have visited every stand that sold chocolate and the like. "I thought you said you were cutting back on the sweets?" His mother just chuckled softly. "Come on Lu, it's the summer festival. Loosen up a little okay~ Oh! I didn't see that they had those here~" She took off towards another stand with her sweets cradled hin her arms. "Don't tell your father!" Luca sighed and chuckled. This wasn't gonna be so bad after all. Although this would be the last night he would enjoy a normal life...for better or for worse.</s>
<|message|>Yuki Volkov
Yuki started to collect her things for the festival, her wallet, phone and also a small bag of high end candies being placed within her short yukata's pockets. It was not really the most traditional look with the autumn pattern yukata and black pants, but it was surely comfy. Walking up towards the door of her apartment she turned off the lights but then suddenly stopped, her hand resting on the handle of the door as she spoke to the person now behind her within the shadows.
"Will you be coming to the festival then?"
"Heheh, It seems more than a few people have taken notice. I may keep watch and try out the food they have"
"Fine, just don't wait up for me."
With that Yuki left, leaving the figure to take a drag on their pipe "Yes, things are going to get awfully interesting, all the pieces are almost in place" Blowing out a stream of smoke as they spoke to themselves, the figure soon started to leave as well, a cap being pulled over what could only be described as ears just as the door closed and locked.
Namimori Summer Welcoming Festival
Having just arrived Yuki was making her way over to the booths with her hands in her pockets, taking a good look around and wondering if there was any way she could pick Luca out from the crowd... Almost instantly she saw the boy, the fact that he was blonde made him stand out but the track suit he was wearing made him like a beacon. She could not help but let out a tiny chuckle before heading over to Luca "Hey. I was hoping you would come in something more fitting." It was a real shame but she would live with it for now. Taking a look around she tried to spot the pres next "Do you know where the booth is?"</s>
<|message|>Victoire Roux
Victoire was having too much fun that what she should have in this mission. Wearing a yellow and red yukata with floral patterns, Victoire was trying out every single booths, savouring the Japanese summer festival experience. However, she was unfortunately banned from the shooting range. As if she didnt't have earned enough looks from people, with her obviously foreign looks. Getting banned from the shooting range slightly made her a little sad, having made to leave her FAMAS F1 rifle at her apartment since she couldn't bring that weapon here without earning unwanted and unnecessary attention, but she's not as foolish not to bring any weapon to defend herself if the situation arises by chance. The French woman managed to bring herself an Apache revolver, a gift from her father.
A handgun, knife and brass knuckles all in one! Thank you so much, Dad! she thought, too brightly as if receiving a weapon to kill for her birthday from her father is something to be normally happy about. Alas, she is one of the children of the mafia, after all.
She walked around, scanning the shops and booths, when she saw at the corner of her eye the familiar face of the next Vongola Boss. She inwardly smiled and subtly kept an eye on him, keeping her own distance, but not leaving him out of her sight, yet she never stares directly. Looks like I have to lessen enjoying for now and observe the Eleventh, she thoughtfully muses. Then there's the new Varia member I heard. How coincidental.</s>
<|message|>Momoe Uzuki
Momoe was munching on some candies she managed to get her hands on with the money her grandfather had given her before she had left home. She had heard about the Namimori Festival and decided to drop by. Plus, she had a feeling Luca would surely be hanging around at the festival as well. No...she was very sure he was around. All Momoe needed to do was find him though it would not be such an easy task with many people around and she getting distracted by the numerous booths set up. Looking around, Momoe wondered if she should have worn a yukata but she instantly rejected the idea. She was not really the type to dress up thus she was still wearing her purple blouse and pleated skirt.
"Where oh where could Luca be?"
While munching on her candies she tried to look for Luca however she found herself not making much progress at all with how crowded the place was. Momoe wished she could just jump out of the crowd and search from the trees but she did not want to make scene...well not yet anyway. Momoe may love fighting but even she knew where was the right place for it and a fight was not really suitable for the festival. Thus, Momoe's search for Luca continues.</s>
| <|message|>Rentarou "Ren" Kanesada
"Look at that guy over there! Isn't he kinda cute?"
"Him? Isn't he the son of that one yakuza boss? Kane-- something?"
"What? No way!"
Civilians whispered and gossiped among themselves as the Kanesada heir paced along the crowded street of the festival. Some were of fear while the occasional ones were of admiration of his appearance. While he wouldn't pay heed to what people thought of him in most cases, all of this unwanted attention could give his position away to any possible enemies of the yakuza group or their ally, Vongola. 'I've made sure to keep my men away at a distance this time, but what is this...? Perhaps a temporary disguise is required.' Ren thought to himself as he turned his gaze from left to right, seeking for some way to hide away his features.
As if on cue, Ren spots a booth with a variety of masks on sale, a couple of meters away from his current position. That was too convenient to be called a coincidence but it was. Approaching the booth with masks on display, the young heir took a quick glance about the choices he had before him. To his slight dismay, cat-like masks were unavailable, not even the iconic toon cat of Japan. Seeing as his actual choices were slim, Ren picks out a white fox mask and overpays the vendor without hesitance before leaving the stall with a man with his mouth agape at the money given.
The fox mask concealed his facial features properly, effectively causing the civilians to cease paying any attention to him. With that hindrance out of the way, now he could focus on the mission and obligation he was assigned to. He turned his head towards one of the men he commanded to scout the vicinity ahead, who was at quite a distance away from the boy, and made a gesture they agreed upon when one inquired about the whereabouts of the Vongola boss candidate. The tall, brawny man tilted his head towards a direction in response, meaning the candidate was already sighted and tracked down by his men. Ren nodded in acknowledgment and started on his way.</s> |
<|description|>Rentarou "Ren" Kanesada
Username: Amaterasu
Age: 16
Gender: Male
Country of Origin: Japan
Role: Varia Member, Rain Guardian Candidate
Flame: Rain
Weapon/Fighting Style: Katana (Primary), Revolver (Secondary)
Appearance:
Personality:
Due to his childhood which was devoid of anything an "average" child would have, Ren grew up to be an indifferent, distant, and cold individual who will not speak unless necessary, most of the time. He would devote himself to whatever mission he was given in a hard working manner even if he may be indifferent towards a lot of things, since his missions were always his top priority. Despite all this, what manages to get the most reaction out of him is if his real name, Rentarou, is mentioned to his face in which he will either threaten to cut or shoot you if done again. Reaction may vary depending on who says it.
History:
Being born to the status of heir to the yakuza family, Kanesada Group, Ren's life was filled with hardships ever since he was a mere young boy. His mother's passing in his early years did not make his life any less difficult, and because of her dying words, "Please grow up to be a boy your father and I will be proud of...", his only inspiration and reason for living was to please his father for the sake of his mother's dying wish.
The harsh training in the ways of the katana and gun shooting was too strenuous for the young boy to handle but failure was not easily forgiven, regardless of his age. Punishments were given in a form of verbal assaults from his father or sometimes even worse, physical punishments. Due to this, he earns a trauma of displeasing his father or his superiors, where he has a mental breakdown and other side effects depending on how severe the disappointment or punishment.
Growing up in such a harsh environment and with great pressure to inherit the yakuza family, he has abandoned any sort of sentiment, except with few exemptions like his dear mother, which made his future tasks easier. No room for guilt or conscience upon murders and sabotage of destructive families, Ren has started to finally become a young man worthy for the title of heir of Kanesada Group.
Missions after missions being done for the sake of the Kanesada Group, word of Ren, the young heir to a yakuza family, has begun to circulate among the Vongola family, one of the Kanesada Group's alliance in Japan, as one of the hopeful candidate of becoming a mafioso. The word traveled through gossips and casual conversations among mafioso until it reached the ear of the Varia member recruitment scout.
Ren's father, pleased by hearing that his son could be of an asset to Varia, the assassination squad for the influential and powerful Vongola family, had given his approval of having his son under the wing of Varia to earn further experience before inheriting the Kanesada Group. Ren, being obedient to the orders of his father, agreed to become a part of Varia with no objections and thus started his life as a mafioso.
Other
Hobbies: Checking and maintaining of his weapons, target shooting, sword to sword sparring, reading books for knowledge gaining, shogi (Japanese form of chess) for strategic skill improvement, shodo (Japanese calligraphy), and feeding street cats.
Likes: Peaceful environment, old fashioned Japanese things like shogi, shodo, kimono and such, and cats.
Dislikes: Being called "Rentarou", father/superiors being displeased with his performance, unable to accomplish his given task/s, people being persistent or nagging about his behavior/personality especially if people point out his jiji (old geezer) like character and taste.</s>
<|message|>Asuka Argento
During The Summer Festival
Asuka chuckled lightly as each of his comments before he finished in a more formal manner. "Please. Call me Asuka, Hide-chan." She giggled lightly. "After all, you truly are much more disgusting when you treat me so kindly and act so formal." She said something so mean with such a sweet smile. In truth it was easier to get along with hideaki when the young male wasn't putting on this charade. Still, she shook her head.
"Oh!" She smiled as she turned away to set up a few ready bananas and rice balls. "Luca! Yuki!" She called rather loudly over the crowd to her two friends and helped. "Come over here! Hide-Chan and I are already set up and ready to begin." Truly this was good. People were even coming over to begin buying. Which Asuka happily sold to. Three bananas and two rice balls so far. It already looked like things were going to turn out well. She would have Luca help with sales and Yuki help making the Rice balls and bananas with Hideaki. This way she wouldn't have to worry about socializing with anyone other than those in the booth. Plus Luca was cute. Cuteness sold. With her and Luca it would be great!</s>
<|message|>Luca Yuuki
Luca turned hearing Yuki's voice and have her a bashful smile. "Sorry, yukatas aren't really my thing..." After looking over the snowy haired girl he averted his gaze and blushed slightly. "Y-You look really nice though~" He was glad she asked about the booth. The change of subject was surely needed our there might be a repeat of the afternoon's events. "Actually, I have no idea where it is. Though knowing the president probably snagged the best spot long before anyone else could." As if on cue he heard Asuka's voice over the crowd. Locating the source he saw the booth along with the president waving them over.
They made their way through to the booth. Noticing the other person working on the bananas and rice balls, Luca didn't expect to see the Archery Club captain here. Most of Namimori middle admired Hideaki. He was an ace archer, a model student and as far as Luca's heard a friendly person. Of course he's not lacking in looks either as evidenced by squeals from girls when he's mentioned in conversation. Even with all that Luca didn't feel like he knew anything about the bespectacled archer. And not just because they've never really spoken to one another. Meanwhile Asuka had that cunning look in her eye that she often had and Luca couldn't help but gulp feeling it had something to do with him. "Let's get started I guess." He said with a meek smile.</s>
<|message|>Yuki Volkov
Yuki may have retained her stoic expression but her face was bright red with embarrassment as Luca mentioned she looked nice, her mouth was unable to form words for a few moments before changing the subject at hand and making their way to try and find the booth. Unlike when there were others around Luca could render her defenseless like that pretty easily. Not that she disliked it but thankfully she had calmed herself down and with the greeting from the president returned her to her normal disposition.
"Yo"
She gave a small wave as they walked up, it was a nice sized booth, though did it really need all four of them to run it? Giving Luca a reassuring pat on the back Yuki made her way over to help in the creation, putting on some gloves of course. Looking over to Hideaki she gave a small nod in greeting. She had seen him more than a few times when she had been going around all the clubs over the past month, though leg based sports were more her thing.
As Yuki started to work on the rice balls she got a rather evil idea "I didn't know that this was a double date." she said in a dry tone, intending to imply that their president had brought her boyfriend along. She could not help but sneak at least one or two rice balls for herself to eat later, payment so to speak given that she was basically doing this for free, and a nice spot to watch the fireworks.</s>
<|message|>Rentarou "Ren" Kanesada
While making his way through the merry making crowd, Ren's eyes behind the mask briefly scanned through the area for any suspicious figure. None caught his attention so far, or at least, none that were suspicious by appearance. Laughter of lively children, clacking of wooden sandals against the pavement, chatters between chummy acquaintances, sizzling of a yakisoba grill, yells of merchants advertising their respective stalls; such were the sounds his ears caught at the area. This current area was clear of danger for now, hopefully the figure he was in search of would be in a safe area as well. The raven haired male slightly adjusts his fox mask in place while continuing his search.
It took quite a while of walking till a particular stall was in sight, a professional looking food stall like any other ones he had seen tonight but the only difference was the figure who resembled the picture of the blond Vongola candidate. To make sure it was the boy he had been pursuing after, Ren decided to make a purchase from the stall as a reason to confirm that the appearance indeed resembled the boss candidate. After the last customers left their stall with a stick of chocolate banana for each, the masked male approaches the stall and hands over quite an amount of money to the similarly raven haired female and utters in a quiet tone, "...... I will purchase 20 pieces of rice balls."
The front of the stall clearly lacked a couple of rice balls for his order to be complete, which he hoped would cause the female to leave temporarily so Ren may properly inspect the light haired male while he waited. It was no problem if she didn't do so, at least a careful glance could suffice.</s>
<|message|>Asuka Argento
With Luca and Yuki there, things really began. Customers were coming. Some young guys and girls, guys and girls their age, middle age women. A few of the older women would coo and pinch Luca's cheeks. Asuka couldn't help but giggle at that. The added attractiveness and cute factor did the trick alright. Older gentlemen didn't really come by. Asuka wouldn't have like that anyway. Middle aged men. She shuddered at the thought. Although, some guys and girls just a bit older, maybe in university, came by here and there. That was fun. Most were on dates so there wasn't flirting or anything like that. Not that it would have been appropriate or enjoyable. But they had a certain air about them. Everyone did! The festival was going well.
Still, Yuki's comment nearly made Asuka drop a whole batch of freshly made Chocolate covered bananas. She managed to save it and set it down, but it was still there. She glanced back. "Yuki. Please... Don't ever try and say something like that again. Even as a joke." It seemed that comment was an insult, no, a wound, fatal, struck deep into her heart. She was smiling, sure, but even the smile was nothing less than murderous. That was the severity of how she took even the simple idea or misunderstanding of any kind to relationship with Hideaki.
With that she turned back to the front of the stall just in time to be met with a young masked man already back to her normal cheerful demeanor. "Ah~ Of course." She looked down as she took the money to put it in the box and took out some to return the change. But... They were short. No matter, Hideaki and Yuki would likely bring some soon. It wasn't something that needed to be worried about. "Just a moment please." She gave a slight bow. Luckily there was a freshly finished tray beside Hideaki. Say what you wanted, he did work efficiently. But this meant she was only gone for about thirty seconds. It wasn't a big booth after all. "Here you go." She said placed a small box, she had them under the counter for larger orders like this, in front of Ren.
"Oh and that's quite a lovely mask, if you don't mind me saying." The fox motif was what she liked. But she hadn't had time to pick one up. All she had was a cat themed one given to her by some guy. He did it often. Little things like this. He had a crush, but he was also a jerk. She sighed. "I don't suppose you would want to trade." She gave a small laugh holding up her own mask. Though, in her mind, it was a long shot.</s>
| <|message|>Rentarou "Ren" Kanesada
As the lady who was about to serve him his orders inevitably turned her back to fetch the rest of the lacking items, the fox masked male turned his face towards the blond male attendant. Azure orbs behind the mask intently gazed at him for a good couple of seconds in silence before the female attendant came back with his orders. 'He is the one...', Ren thought to himself, his mental image of the Vongola boss candidate clearly matching with the boy in front of him. As the box of rice balls were handed over to him, he mumbled a soft "... Thank you." He decided to hand them over to one of his men later for safekeeping, as well as distributing them to the others who were famished since he himself had no desire to eat and it was awkward to, half his face hidden while he would bite on a rice ball.
Just when the raven haired male was about to leave with his purchased goods, Asuka's compliment for his mask stopped him in his tracks. A nod of acknowledgment was given in return, he thought it unnecessary to reply back to the compliment. He supposed the fox mask was at least suitable to him but not exactly his tastes. Just when he thought he'd be released from the conversation, his eyes widened at what the female attendant flashed before him. A cat mask. "..........!" Ren's attention was piqued by the sudden appearance of the cat mask, its attractiveness and simplicity drawing him into agreeing to the mask trade. But was it the appropriate time for him to uncover his concealed face? Or was he willing to let this chance pass by and go on without possibly ever finding another cat mask in the festival? He thought for a moment, and a decision was made.
"......... Very well. I consent to the trade." With that, he lowered his mask, revealing the face of the young Kanesada heir. His gaze averted to the side as his arm stretched out with the fox mask in his hand.</s> |
<|description|>Rentarou "Ren" Kanesada
Username: Amaterasu
Age: 16
Gender: Male
Country of Origin: Japan
Role: Varia Member, Rain Guardian Candidate
Flame: Rain
Weapon/Fighting Style: Katana (Primary), Revolver (Secondary)
Appearance:
Personality:
Due to his childhood which was devoid of anything an "average" child would have, Ren grew up to be an indifferent, distant, and cold individual who will not speak unless necessary, most of the time. He would devote himself to whatever mission he was given in a hard working manner even if he may be indifferent towards a lot of things, since his missions were always his top priority. Despite all this, what manages to get the most reaction out of him is if his real name, Rentarou, is mentioned to his face in which he will either threaten to cut or shoot you if done again. Reaction may vary depending on who says it.
History:
Being born to the status of heir to the yakuza family, Kanesada Group, Ren's life was filled with hardships ever since he was a mere young boy. His mother's passing in his early years did not make his life any less difficult, and because of her dying words, "Please grow up to be a boy your father and I will be proud of...", his only inspiration and reason for living was to please his father for the sake of his mother's dying wish.
The harsh training in the ways of the katana and gun shooting was too strenuous for the young boy to handle but failure was not easily forgiven, regardless of his age. Punishments were given in a form of verbal assaults from his father or sometimes even worse, physical punishments. Due to this, he earns a trauma of displeasing his father or his superiors, where he has a mental breakdown and other side effects depending on how severe the disappointment or punishment.
Growing up in such a harsh environment and with great pressure to inherit the yakuza family, he has abandoned any sort of sentiment, except with few exemptions like his dear mother, which made his future tasks easier. No room for guilt or conscience upon murders and sabotage of destructive families, Ren has started to finally become a young man worthy for the title of heir of Kanesada Group.
Missions after missions being done for the sake of the Kanesada Group, word of Ren, the young heir to a yakuza family, has begun to circulate among the Vongola family, one of the Kanesada Group's alliance in Japan, as one of the hopeful candidate of becoming a mafioso. The word traveled through gossips and casual conversations among mafioso until it reached the ear of the Varia member recruitment scout.
Ren's father, pleased by hearing that his son could be of an asset to Varia, the assassination squad for the influential and powerful Vongola family, had given his approval of having his son under the wing of Varia to earn further experience before inheriting the Kanesada Group. Ren, being obedient to the orders of his father, agreed to become a part of Varia with no objections and thus started his life as a mafioso.
Other
Hobbies: Checking and maintaining of his weapons, target shooting, sword to sword sparring, reading books for knowledge gaining, shogi (Japanese form of chess) for strategic skill improvement, shodo (Japanese calligraphy), and feeding street cats.
Likes: Peaceful environment, old fashioned Japanese things like shogi, shodo, kimono and such, and cats.
Dislikes: Being called "Rentarou", father/superiors being displeased with his performance, unable to accomplish his given task/s, people being persistent or nagging about his behavior/personality especially if people point out his jiji (old geezer) like character and taste.</s>
<|message|>Rentarou "Ren" Kanesada
As the lady who was about to serve him his orders inevitably turned her back to fetch the rest of the lacking items, the fox masked male turned his face towards the blond male attendant. Azure orbs behind the mask intently gazed at him for a good couple of seconds in silence before the female attendant came back with his orders. 'He is the one...', Ren thought to himself, his mental image of the Vongola boss candidate clearly matching with the boy in front of him. As the box of rice balls were handed over to him, he mumbled a soft "... Thank you." He decided to hand them over to one of his men later for safekeeping, as well as distributing them to the others who were famished since he himself had no desire to eat and it was awkward to, half his face hidden while he would bite on a rice ball.
Just when the raven haired male was about to leave with his purchased goods, Asuka's compliment for his mask stopped him in his tracks. A nod of acknowledgment was given in return, he thought it unnecessary to reply back to the compliment. He supposed the fox mask was at least suitable to him but not exactly his tastes. Just when he thought he'd be released from the conversation, his eyes widened at what the female attendant flashed before him. A cat mask. "..........!" Ren's attention was piqued by the sudden appearance of the cat mask, its attractiveness and simplicity drawing him into agreeing to the mask trade. But was it the appropriate time for him to uncover his concealed face? Or was he willing to let this chance pass by and go on without possibly ever finding another cat mask in the festival? He thought for a moment, and a decision was made.
"......... Very well. I consent to the trade." With that, he lowered his mask, revealing the face of the young Kanesada heir. His gaze averted to the side as his arm stretched out with the fox mask in his hand.</s>
<|message|>Minase Hideaki / Yi Hyun-ki
"Hey guys!" Hideaki cheerfully greeted the athletic Russian and the blond-haired mafia boss. He wasn't too surprised Asuka had managed to rope in an underclassman with some underhanded scheme. At least the two workers would be tolerable. He could respect Volkov-chan's abilities. From what he heard, she went around testing all the clubs, not just his own. She also wasn't a rowdy fangirl, so she had that going for her as well. On the other hand, there was Yuuki-kun. He didn't hear much on his end, other than his fights with the resident Disciplinary Wannabe. He could hold his own though, which was good. The archer resumed his work after explaining the necessary processes, and was finishing off a batch when a certain phrase was said.
'Do you think this is a fucking game you impertinent little girl? Me and that fox? How sickening. Just the thought leaves the taste of shit in my mouth.'
Someone was a little bit salty after that date comment, it seemed. "...No," the archer said firmly but politely, having halted in the midst of his snack food assembly, "This is not a double date scenario, no." With that said simply, he resumed creating rice balls as if he wasn't practically fuming with annoyance on the inside. He did a perfect job of it, at least, with the only outward change being that he was now assembling rice balls at a much faster pace. They were still characteristically precise, however. He picked up his batch and moved it back over to restock the front of the stall. "Here you go, Argento-chan," he said, glancing at the other half of the mask trade. Going for a fox mask, what a surprise.
On his return from his station, Hideaki stopped by the post of the young blond-haired student. "So what'd the president do to get you roped up in this?" he asked casually.</s>
<|message|>Luca Yuuki
This was going to be a long endeavor. Luca was being smothered by customers, a lot of whom were older women wanting to pinch his cheeks. If this keeps up I'll end up looking like a bloodhound... Out of the corner of his eye he could see the president's clear delight in the success of her well crafted plan. She truly was a cunning and frightening person.
"Hmhm~" With a slight chuckle the shorter off the two figures stood atop Namimori Shrine continued to observe the young heir. "Sawada chose a rather familiar successor." He said, watching Luca fumble around between serving customers and having his face assaulted. "What do you think? He'll be your responsibility very soon." He asked his companion.
After a some time business finally settle down leaving Luca to sink down under the booth exhausted. He rubbed his face trying to find any remaining sense of feeling. "Well, on the bright side this'll make fighting Taiga a little easier..." Muttered Luca with a sigh. "As long as you win I won't tell you're mother that you're out picking fights~" Luca stood up to look up at his smirking father, Katsuo Yuuki. "Then again she probably already knows." Luca smiled sheepishly. "Yeah...so, you want to buy a rice ball or a banana?" Katsuo shook his head. "I'm sure your mother is eating enough snacks for the both of us. I just wanted to check up on you. You seem to be having fun." He said looking around the booth, his eyes lingering on the customer in the fox mask. "I guess so. I'm kinda glad you guys made me come." Luca said bringing his father back to their conversation. Katsuo smiled as his son looked back at Yuki who also forced him to attend the festival. Luca quickly turned back to his father before he could remark on his and Yuki's relationship. "Good. You should let yourself have fun more often." Katsuo ruffled Luca's blonde hair and though he was smiling there was a melancholy undertone to his words and Luca's dodgy chuckle. "Alright, enjoy the rest of the festival..." With a glance at the shrine he turned walk away, Luca noticing worry hidden behind his father's eyes. "And be careful out there." Katsuo added as he left the booth.
Luca's gaze was drawn from his father as he felt someone else's on him. He glanced at the masked customer from his peripheral before being startled by Hidaeki's question. "Huh? Sorry senpai, I got a little distracted. Actually, she didn't have to do much. I owe her a few-actually a lot of favors. Hehe..." Luca chuckled nervously in in the upperclassman's presence.</s>
<|message|>Yuki Volkov
Yuki gave a small pout as the pair seemed to dislike her little attempt at humor, it turns out it was harder than it looked but thankfully a customer soon caught everyone's attention. Going back to making rice balls she slowed down for a moment as she noticed she had already used 1/3 of the ingredients so the guys order was pretty much ready, but it was a little delayed due to the mask switching.
"As long as you win I won't tell you're mother that you're out picking fights~"
The voice drew Yuki's attention and as she had guessed it was Luca's farther, who was rather cool looking she had to admit. She gave a small lazy wave as he looked over to her for a moment before Luca made sure to change the subject to other things, they did not concern her so she looked back to her work... Which had gotten a little out of control as despite not looking she had used up yet another 1/3 of the ingredients and not there was a small mountain of rice balls beside her that threatened to topple over if it had not been so perfectly stacked. "I think I am done" She said to pretty much everyone in the booth with her, her gaze staring up to tower of rice balls as if it was a great work of art of some kind.
---
Meanwhile a strange figure wondered through the many stalls, a candy apple held tightly in her hand as she used fanged teeth to bite into it, a almost blissful smile coming over her that her tail almost wagged from its hiding place within her kimono. "Mmm, shame that we could not leave all this until after the festival~ " Another bite "But rules are rules. Now, where is he?"</s>
<|message|>Asuka Argento
Asuka smiled and took the mask before handing the young man her's. "Thank you good sir. Though it is a shame someone like you is hiding their face like that. Even if you would draw much attention." She could recognize him of course, even if she didn't openly say it. He knowledge of people extended much farther than the school. Possibly because of her mother's former position. A powerful woman aiming to take down the local yakuza. Still, that was long ago. She smiled and placed the fox mask on her head, before hearing Hideaki. "Heh~ As if he could ever be so lucky." She teased him, knowing she would hit a nerve. Would he keep up the charade under these circumstances.
With that she stopped to continue selling before Hideaki brought some more rice balls. "Ah~ Thank you Hide-chan" She added with a sly grin as she took the rice balls. She was calm, though now Luca seemed to be conversing with his father. A rather quick display ending with his father beginning to walk away. "Wait!" She called out. "Please buy something." She said the fox mask placed casually in a diagonal position on the upper left part of her head, a somewhat sad look with puppy eyes displayed. "If not for you, for someone else. We have to make as much as possible after all."
Asuka hoped to get favorable results, though Yuki chimed in saying she was done. "Luca. Take a break and relax with yuki. She deserves a bit of your time." The female Student Council president whispered, her gaze still fixed on the young boys father.</s>
| <|message|>Rentarou "Ren" Kanesada
After the exchange of masks were complete, the male's face was quickly concealed once more, with an adorable cat mask this time. The last words that were offered to him, "Even if you would draw much attention.", slightly piqued his interest. What did this maiden mean by that? Could she have known who he was after all? No matter, since the raven haired female had not done any action or said anything further to prove his point. The young heir simply nodded as a response to her 'Thank you' and left the booth with a box of rice balls on hand. A few passerby glanced at him again, but not as often as earlier, due to how it seemed slightly off for a man to be wearing such a cute mask.
The target was finally spotted, and seemed to be in a fine condition so far. But he was never to let his guard down, it would not be as surprising in the underground world of mafia to attempt at murder within a minute or even seconds, if the damage was fatal. He hurried away to one of his subordinates who were standing around behind one of the booths and handed over the box of rice balls. ".... Distribute them among the famished men. I shall survey the target." The bulky man uttered a phrase of appreciation and obediently bowed before Ren paced back into the crowds on the street, keeping his eyes at the blond boy at a distance.
Will a third party truly strike at him in such a populated area? There were numerous people from left to right on the streets, not to mention how the boss candidate was in an enclosed booth at the moment. Though Ren did not know if there truly was a third party in the vicinity to begin with, but it was his sworn duty as a Varia and an ally of the Vongola to watch over the boy's safety.</s> |
<|description|>Rentarou "Ren" Kanesada
Username: Amaterasu
Age: 16
Gender: Male
Country of Origin: Japan
Role: Varia Member, Rain Guardian Candidate
Flame: Rain
Weapon/Fighting Style: Katana (Primary), Revolver (Secondary)
Appearance:
Personality:
Due to his childhood which was devoid of anything an "average" child would have, Ren grew up to be an indifferent, distant, and cold individual who will not speak unless necessary, most of the time. He would devote himself to whatever mission he was given in a hard working manner even if he may be indifferent towards a lot of things, since his missions were always his top priority. Despite all this, what manages to get the most reaction out of him is if his real name, Rentarou, is mentioned to his face in which he will either threaten to cut or shoot you if done again. Reaction may vary depending on who says it.
History:
Being born to the status of heir to the yakuza family, Kanesada Group, Ren's life was filled with hardships ever since he was a mere young boy. His mother's passing in his early years did not make his life any less difficult, and because of her dying words, "Please grow up to be a boy your father and I will be proud of...", his only inspiration and reason for living was to please his father for the sake of his mother's dying wish.
The harsh training in the ways of the katana and gun shooting was too strenuous for the young boy to handle but failure was not easily forgiven, regardless of his age. Punishments were given in a form of verbal assaults from his father or sometimes even worse, physical punishments. Due to this, he earns a trauma of displeasing his father or his superiors, where he has a mental breakdown and other side effects depending on how severe the disappointment or punishment.
Growing up in such a harsh environment and with great pressure to inherit the yakuza family, he has abandoned any sort of sentiment, except with few exemptions like his dear mother, which made his future tasks easier. No room for guilt or conscience upon murders and sabotage of destructive families, Ren has started to finally become a young man worthy for the title of heir of Kanesada Group.
Missions after missions being done for the sake of the Kanesada Group, word of Ren, the young heir to a yakuza family, has begun to circulate among the Vongola family, one of the Kanesada Group's alliance in Japan, as one of the hopeful candidate of becoming a mafioso. The word traveled through gossips and casual conversations among mafioso until it reached the ear of the Varia member recruitment scout.
Ren's father, pleased by hearing that his son could be of an asset to Varia, the assassination squad for the influential and powerful Vongola family, had given his approval of having his son under the wing of Varia to earn further experience before inheriting the Kanesada Group. Ren, being obedient to the orders of his father, agreed to become a part of Varia with no objections and thus started his life as a mafioso.
Other
Hobbies: Checking and maintaining of his weapons, target shooting, sword to sword sparring, reading books for knowledge gaining, shogi (Japanese form of chess) for strategic skill improvement, shodo (Japanese calligraphy), and feeding street cats.
Likes: Peaceful environment, old fashioned Japanese things like shogi, shodo, kimono and such, and cats.
Dislikes: Being called "Rentarou", father/superiors being displeased with his performance, unable to accomplish his given task/s, people being persistent or nagging about his behavior/personality especially if people point out his jiji (old geezer) like character and taste.</s>
<|message|>Minase Hideaki / Yi Hyun-ki
'That cunning bitch-fox. I see what shrewd plan she's trying to put into action now. She's starting them off early to accumulate debt in order to place them in effective slavery! Hmm... How to warn these poor misguided fools...'
Hideaki nodded towards the younger student. "I understand," he said, looking for a moment almost like an old wiseman as he spoke, "Make sure you get rid of all of that debt in a timely fashion though, or you'll regret it." He looked over to the class president in question, who was allowing the two underclassment to depart and go about the festival at their own leisure. "..." Was it some sort of trap? Who knew? Either way...
...Mission accomplished? Mission accomplished.
Hideaki nodded to himself in satisfaction. His good deed of the day was complete, and he was basically 'done' all of his duties at this stand, so he had little else to do. Of course, he'd have to get that class president back for calling him 'Hide-chan' and implying that she was out of his league (though that was true, except that his league was the higher one in this case), but that could wait for later. He was good at playing the long game after all. "I'm done too, Argento-chan," he informed, "Have fun with the stand."</s>
<|message|>Naoki Shindo
"Distribute them among famished men. I shall survey the target" "Target?" Naoki watched the two men from behind a wall as the other man ran, Naoki scaled the wall following the man who just stood there in the crowd watching some normal people. "What could he be doing?" Naoki had ideas running through his mind he didn't like it, it hurt his head. Naoki wasn't sure to approach him or just get some food so he did both. He walked to the stands his tummy rumbling "One no, two chocolate bananas please" Naoki gave the man a quick 'Thank you' and ran back looking for the man in the crowd. Sadly He lost the man Naoki was shocked and jumped on top of a wall shouting for the man very stupidly. "Hello, Man in crowd!" Naoki Sat on the wall arms around knees with a sad annoyed face.
Naoki jumped off the wall and finished his chocolate bananas. He was ready to go and find another nice stand when he seen the man, he ran as fast as he could and poked the man on the shoulder. "Who or what is the target?" he said with a confused face.</s>
<|message|>Samael Alastor (Most just call him Sam and he's cool with that)
Samael | Summer Festival
"My, Japanese festival food, not sold in stores normally, this is a rare opportunity for me", he would say as he sat upon a bench literally filled to the brim with food he had bought himself, the Vongola family funded his stay here, he had no idea why, only higher priority members would ever get this monetary treatment, he only remembered 'something something Guardian something'. Oh well. Yakisoba, okinomiyaki, candied apples, chocolate banana, takoyaki, taiyaki, the variations available of the aforementioned, and oolong tea were seated beside him. He wasn't consuming this at a fast rate, if anything he was really taking his sweet sweet time, eating while observing the passers-by. Yukata, summer kimono designed to be light and thin, there was a tantalizing myth behind the lack of undergarments when a woman wore them. Fascinating. The sexual culture of Japan was far more liberal, or seemed to be, than that of the UK. Not to mention their transport systems, marvellous, though King's Cross was less confusing than Japanese rail networks, though Japanese were far more punctual. He's only been here for a week, and he is really enjoying his stay here. He did get a message today though...
"So I am to locate a... Luca Yuuki...", he muttered to himself. The job was protection. He had no idea why, and honestly, things seemed to be quite lax anyways, so he didn't feel any urgency. As far as he's read the kid is as normal as they come... Oh wait. Vongola... Oooohh...
"Oh... So that's why I'm here... Oh well", Sam was quite content to just continue consuming the food he had purchased.</s>
<|message|>Luca Yuuki
Luca chuckled awkwardly listening to Hideaki's advice. "Sh-She's not that bad..." It was strange. Talking to the archery captain was unnerving. Luca couldn't tell one way or another what he was thinking and his and Asuka's friendly act was hardly convincing. "Luca. Take a break and relax with Yuki. She deserves a bit of your time." Luca looked over his face reddening slightly due to the president's phrasing. "R-Right. See senpai, she's not unreasonable. U-Um...I guess we should get going..." The young blonde trotted past Hideaki and over to Yuki. Stopped by Asuka's sales pitch, Luca's looked back and smiled. "You're a persistent young woman. Don't worry I'll circle back around if I get famished or if my wife starts to insist on a chocolate banana. Katsuo continued on his way, calling back to Asuka. "My son can be a bit of a handful. Keep him in line for me will ya? And Luca...don't get carried away with your companion there~" With that Luca's father slipped away into the crowd leaving his son red as one of the lanterns handing around the festival.
"A-Anyway, what do you want to do? You're the one who really wanted to come Yuki, so we'll do what you want..." Luca said scratching his cheek.</s>
<|message|>Yuki Volkov
Yuki gave a excited thumbs up to Asuka when she suggested that Luca go off with her, as there was nothing she did not like about this plan what so ever! When Luca's farther decided to mention to him to not carried away before leaving all obsicals had been removed "Yuki get'o" She said and wrapped her arms around Luca's shoulders just as he was asking what she wanted to do. She had to think for a moment on what they could do first "Food." She stated plainly at first "I'm hungry after making all this food, could we go get a meal first? A romantic dinner at a festival~"
At this point Yuki would try pulling Luca away before Asuka tried to get them to buy something, the banana would be for after their meal, and besides she had to think of what kind of technique she was going to eat a chocolate banana with....
After that Yuki calmed down a lot, her excitement much more controlled than before so the pair of them could spend the time going around to several stands from her trying to get Luca to win her a prize at the shooting gallery to her going to the 'test your strength' attraction and using her powerful legs instead of the hammer to ring the bell at the top! The whole time the girls normal indifferent look had been shattered, a smile across her lips just like the first time she had ever seen Luca, a genuine smile and a sign she was truly enjoying herself.
------------ Fireworks Show --------------
While the pair were peacefully enjoying their time something was happening at the Namimori shrine, the figure from before dropped the candied apple stick to the floor before licking her fingers clean, a bushy tail swaying happyliy behind her as she did so. "I suppose it is time to call them here~ They have had enough time to enjoy the show." Turning around she smirked as many colored flashes of light bathed the shrine as the fireworks show was in full swing. Opening her palm a purple danced across it, and a moment later was tossed into the sky, arcing through all the fireworks until it reached their center, and then suddenly...
*BOOM!*
Suddenly a dull purple firework burst in the middle of the display, its trail clear as day from the explosion to the Namimori shrine, and yet despite this stand out display only a few select people would ever notice it as the illusion was a calling card for all those unique people, including one white haired girl and the boy beside her. "Ah... It seems like it is time. Tch, Luca we should get going?" She insisted, her hand looking for his own to hold onto "We have to go to the shrine it seems, and we wont be alone."</s>
| <|message|>Rentarou "Ren" Kanesada
As the target, Luca Yuuki, had started to make his move away with the girl with the pure white tresses, the young heir followed suit from a fair distance. Everything was going smoothly so far, nothing out of the ordinary but what seemed to be a regular "date". Ren did not take interest in whatever relationship the female had with the target, just looking out for his safety was the job appointed to him.
Just as the night was sailing quite well for the raven haired male, a light touch on his shoulder. He turned his head back in response but what the green haired boy inquired about caught him off guard. Azure eyes slightly widened in shock and silence.... Until Ren decided to speak. "......... I have no obligation to speak of such classified information." Before the other male could argue, the Kanesada heir started to brisk walk away from the scene while trying to merge with the crowd.
How could the boy have known about Ren having a target tonight? Was he a spy? Or were his conversations with his men overheard by a civilian? Either way, he did not wish to involve himself with an innocent civilian more than necessary. He may not give care for a stranger but unnecessary bloodshed was unwanted. Especially since their ally, Vongola did not wish to bring harm to the innocent.
While attempting to lose his chaser, his head turned back to check when he unfortunately collided with a bench full of different assortments of food. Due to the speed he was pacing at, the force was enough to violently rattle the seat and drop a couple of them on the ground. The mishap caught the yakuza heir off guard once more as he cursed at himself mentally for such a mistake.
As money was never a problem for such a person with wealthy family background, Ren lowered down to his knees and bowed his head on the floor apologetically in the most traditional way with money in his hands, more than enough to compensate for his damage. "....... I deeply apologize for this accident. Please receive this money as a form of apology..."
"Mommy, what's the guy with the kitty mask doing?"
"Don't look at him honey, he might have problems."
The little scene caused a little commotion among the crowd as an over exaggeration of apology from an odd man with a cat mask. This was going on before a loud fire work exploding noise was heard from the sky. The passerbys turned their attention from Ren and the blond, foreign male to the beautiful light work display coloring the skies. The male in the black yukata raised his head upward as well, his eyes caught a particular firework in the sky. The purple one The young heir knew what it meant and that he was to hurry to a certain place. "... Forgive me once again, stranger. Now, I must be on my way, farewell." Upon being on his feet instead of his knees, he handed the money to the victim, bowed, and made his way toward the shrine.</s> |
<|description|>Rentarou "Ren" Kanesada
Username: Amaterasu
Age: 16
Gender: Male
Country of Origin: Japan
Role: Varia Member, Rain Guardian Candidate
Flame: Rain
Weapon/Fighting Style: Katana (Primary), Revolver (Secondary)
Appearance:
Personality:
Due to his childhood which was devoid of anything an "average" child would have, Ren grew up to be an indifferent, distant, and cold individual who will not speak unless necessary, most of the time. He would devote himself to whatever mission he was given in a hard working manner even if he may be indifferent towards a lot of things, since his missions were always his top priority. Despite all this, what manages to get the most reaction out of him is if his real name, Rentarou, is mentioned to his face in which he will either threaten to cut or shoot you if done again. Reaction may vary depending on who says it.
History:
Being born to the status of heir to the yakuza family, Kanesada Group, Ren's life was filled with hardships ever since he was a mere young boy. His mother's passing in his early years did not make his life any less difficult, and because of her dying words, "Please grow up to be a boy your father and I will be proud of...", his only inspiration and reason for living was to please his father for the sake of his mother's dying wish.
The harsh training in the ways of the katana and gun shooting was too strenuous for the young boy to handle but failure was not easily forgiven, regardless of his age. Punishments were given in a form of verbal assaults from his father or sometimes even worse, physical punishments. Due to this, he earns a trauma of displeasing his father or his superiors, where he has a mental breakdown and other side effects depending on how severe the disappointment or punishment.
Growing up in such a harsh environment and with great pressure to inherit the yakuza family, he has abandoned any sort of sentiment, except with few exemptions like his dear mother, which made his future tasks easier. No room for guilt or conscience upon murders and sabotage of destructive families, Ren has started to finally become a young man worthy for the title of heir of Kanesada Group.
Missions after missions being done for the sake of the Kanesada Group, word of Ren, the young heir to a yakuza family, has begun to circulate among the Vongola family, one of the Kanesada Group's alliance in Japan, as one of the hopeful candidate of becoming a mafioso. The word traveled through gossips and casual conversations among mafioso until it reached the ear of the Varia member recruitment scout.
Ren's father, pleased by hearing that his son could be of an asset to Varia, the assassination squad for the influential and powerful Vongola family, had given his approval of having his son under the wing of Varia to earn further experience before inheriting the Kanesada Group. Ren, being obedient to the orders of his father, agreed to become a part of Varia with no objections and thus started his life as a mafioso.
Other
Hobbies: Checking and maintaining of his weapons, target shooting, sword to sword sparring, reading books for knowledge gaining, shogi (Japanese form of chess) for strategic skill improvement, shodo (Japanese calligraphy), and feeding street cats.
Likes: Peaceful environment, old fashioned Japanese things like shogi, shodo, kimono and such, and cats.
Dislikes: Being called "Rentarou", father/superiors being displeased with his performance, unable to accomplish his given task/s, people being persistent or nagging about his behavior/personality especially if people point out his jiji (old geezer) like character and taste.</s>
<|message|>Minase Hideaki / Yi Hyun-ki
The rest of Hideaki's festival experience following his departure from the student council food stand was a blur of repetition and mundanity. He exchanged trite pleasantries with his archery club associates and his classmates, purchased snack foods from competing stands - even with his increasing lack of appetite - simply to spite his childhood friend in the most petty way imaginable, tried his hand at some of the activities, and, at the end of it all, he was left with nothing but his own devices.
Though it might have been seen as lonely by some, Hideaki thought that such a solitary situation was ideal for observing the mainstay of the festivities. It was just him snacking down on a stick of yakitori as he waited for the scheduled fireworks to begin. From the hilltop patch of grass he had made his territory, the keen eyed archer surveyed the festival grounds. Even from this far, he could make out such minute details: Half-Ass-ka (truly Hide was a comedy genius of the highest calibre) closed down her precious stand even when he knew there was still some fucking stock back there and so did she god fucking da-
...And then there was the dude wearing Asuka's cat mask, darting about like a mad person as he was pursued by a greenet who looked like he was doing his best to emulate Assassin's Creed, with mixed results. Hideaki had to admit the whole scene was very televisionesque, complete with blunders and bystander bumping. A flash of light from his upper peripheral and the resulting boom attracted the archer's attention aloft for the ascending pyrotechnic display. Nevermind the events down below, there was a show to be seen above.
Wait.
That couldn't be right.
Hideaki took off his glasses and narrowed his eyes as a lazy, purple flare crossed the sky. The trailing firework was very out of place, definitely a far cry from the others detonating around it. He dropped his gaze to the festival, caught site of one of his archery club members, and went down to approach. "Excuse me, Koizumi-san, but did you see the weird firework?" he asked. When he received a negative response from his underclassmen and a question of why he asked, Hide answered, "No reason, just thought it was odd. Probably just a trick of the eye or a smudge on my glasses." Whatever it was, it looked to originate from the shrine...
...and, more importantly, a quick scan of the relevant area told him that he wasn't the only person who caught sight of the phantasm.
"Alright," Hideaki made his way towards the shrine, "I'll bite."</s>
<|message|>Luca Yuuki
To say Luca was enjoying his time with Yuki would have been an understatement. Though he was rightfully intimidated by Yuki's performance at the bell ringing game Luca couldn't help but smile the whole time. Somehow in the midst of his many failures at the game stands he managed to win her a small stuffed animal. Yuki seemed truly happy to be with him and Luca will never be sure what he did to earn her affections. He really didn't think he deserved it...or that he'd ever be able to return them. A bell rung throughout the festival signaling the start of the celebration's finale. "Ah, they're starting. Let's go watch. The prez did promise us the best viewing spot~" Luca smiled bashfully.
Sure enough Asuka was true to her word. The pair sat the perfect distance away on a small hill that elevated them just enough to have a completely unobscured view. The show was a dazzling spectacle. It lit up the night sky as if it was still an early afternoon. "Heh, I don't know why I even considered skipping the festival. I never get tired of the beautiful fire-" Luca's voice drifted off as he gazed at the girl next to him. Yuki's pure white hair caught the colors of the fireworks brilliantly and he couldn't help but think how pretty she- Suddenly a strange firework caught his attention. It's purple hue wasn't like any of the other pyrotechnics. "H-Hey Yuki-" His current question was answered when Yuki spoke but plenty more. She took his hand and guided him towards the shrine ignoring his fervent questions about what was waiting their for them...
Though the shrine was being illuminated briefly by the fireworks show every couple of seconds it was still very hard to see. "Yuki...w-what are we doing here?" It was not the white haired girl that responded but rather the environment itself. Suddenly, the lanterns around the shrine sparked to life and and lit the area. A figure atop the shrine came into view and leapt from it's perch. Luca felt something lightly land on his head then use it as a spring board as they tumbled back and landed skillfully in front of the pair, leaving on his backside and rubbing his head. "My apologies to have summoned you away from your quality time together. Your reflexes are lacking young Vongola~
"A-A baby? Who talks like monk!?" Luca blinked bewilderingly at the small boy with the monkey on his head. "Your questions will be answered soon enough, Luca Yuuki. The rest should be arriving shortly right Miss Volkov~?" He said referring to the footsteps that could be heard approaching the shrine. Luca looked to Yuki but something told him she wasn't who the infant was talking to.</s>
<|message|>Yuki Volkov
Yuki had her eyes downcast the entire trip towards the shrine, she had to ignore Luca's words for now and continue with her assigned task, that is what it meant to be a professional after all. As they reached the shrine Yuki allowed her hand to part from Luca's for a moment, and as she did so the lanterns around the shrine burst into a ghostly purple flame before dying down into a normal warm glow. Her eyes darted towards the tiny being that jumped from the top of the shrine and onto Luca, her leg twitching ever so slightly as if in resistance to a natural reflex to kick the little thing!
"Your questions will be answered soon enough, Luca Yuuki. The rest should be arriving shortly right Miss Volkov~?"
Yuki's gaze glared towards the shrine itself, a figure that was hidden within the shadows finally started to move "Seems that way. As exspected they noticed the signal as well, this should be fun~" Coming forward Shi's tail swayedfrom side to side happliy, her ears even perking up at the sound of people approaching. Yuki and Shi stared at each other for a good few moments [b] [color=fff79a]"It is good you had fun dear sister~"[/b][/color] Though the air seemed tense for a moment Shi relaxed "I do hope you got something for me on your date, after all- WHOA!" Suddenly Shi was forced to duck to avoid a flying round house kick from Yuki.
"What has got you so mad?!"
Shi exsclaimed as she raised her hand to block Yuki's follow up kick, the two locked in a power struggle. "You interrupted my date with Luca..." Shi gritted her fannged teeth, riasing her other fist and bumping the top of Yuki's head "Don't attack your own sister out of such a stupid reason! Jeez... We have a job to finish, come on." *Thwack* "Uuuuuu...." Yuki was squating down rubbing her head from the pain of sisterly punishment but seemed to have been calmed by the mention of the job. Speaking of which Shi made sure to bow before the new arrivals
"Welcome, you all have such good manners to answer our call right away. I am Shiso Volkov"</s>
<|message|>Samael Alastor (Most just call him Sam and he's cool with that)
Samael | Shrine
As Sam arrived at the shrine, there were people there already. He had heard mention of the Vongola too, so this was most certainly the meeting spot. In his arms were large bags of food, he set it down and took out one of the small plastic boxes and began to eat as he spoke.
"Ah, Vongola business, am I right?", he asked.
"So, who'll I be killing today? Or is it protection? Do I need to steal something? Questions", he began. A jovial smile upon his face as he said all that, eating as he did.
"But really, have you guys tried the yakisoba? It's incredible, and the takoyaki, I found this stand that sold them with these mayonnaise cores, and they are absolutely delightful".</s>
| <|message|>Rentarou "Ren" Kanesada
Upon his arrival at the shrine, a familiar, stubborn voice screams at Ren from behind him. The sudden killing intent surprised the young heir, with a quick movement of his feet, he side steps to his right to evade the attempt at grabbing him. The green haired boy was more of a nuisance than he had originally thought, perhaps getting rid of him was a wise choice. Before the hidden tanto in his dark yukata could strike at the pest with his left hand, other strangers-- ones he had previously seen, arrived at the venue, including the young Vongola boss candidate.
Seeing as there would be too many unwanted witnesses, the raven haired boy lowered his short sword and averted his gaze to the side. "............ Very well. If you wish to be enlightened, stay. But I cannot assure your safety for whatever judgment they may bring upon with your interferance..." After what needed to be spoken, the yakuza heir kept his lips sealed in silence for what was about to transpire.
A baby? No. He was no ordinary baby.... Being in the underground world for quite a time, he had caught a rumor of the seven powerful infants of the mafia world, their trademark being a pacifier hanging from their neck. Ren had been skeptical of such rumor until this moment, when one of them was in front of his eyes, in the flesh. The boy could somehow feel from the movements of the baby upon revealing himself that he indeed was no ordinary human. To be fair, a baby capable of pulling such a stunt would evidently be classified as abnormal.
From the tone of their voices, the figures who had appeared were not hostile towards his protection target or him. After establishing that they were involved with the Vongola, the Kanesada heir lowered himself on his knee, hand on his chest with a slight bow of his head. "Kanesada, Rentarou of the Varia, reporting for duty.... Though Ren is preferrable. I deeply apologize but an outsider has... followed my footsteps." The boy lifts his head to shift his eyes to the obnoxious boy to point him out to the two authority figures.</s> |
<|description|>Rentarou "Ren" Kanesada
Username: Amaterasu
Age: 16
Gender: Male
Country of Origin: Japan
Role: Varia Member, Rain Guardian Candidate
Flame: Rain
Weapon/Fighting Style: Katana (Primary), Revolver (Secondary)
Appearance:
Personality:
Due to his childhood which was devoid of anything an "average" child would have, Ren grew up to be an indifferent, distant, and cold individual who will not speak unless necessary, most of the time. He would devote himself to whatever mission he was given in a hard working manner even if he may be indifferent towards a lot of things, since his missions were always his top priority. Despite all this, what manages to get the most reaction out of him is if his real name, Rentarou, is mentioned to his face in which he will either threaten to cut or shoot you if done again. Reaction may vary depending on who says it.
History:
Being born to the status of heir to the yakuza family, Kanesada Group, Ren's life was filled with hardships ever since he was a mere young boy. His mother's passing in his early years did not make his life any less difficult, and because of her dying words, "Please grow up to be a boy your father and I will be proud of...", his only inspiration and reason for living was to please his father for the sake of his mother's dying wish.
The harsh training in the ways of the katana and gun shooting was too strenuous for the young boy to handle but failure was not easily forgiven, regardless of his age. Punishments were given in a form of verbal assaults from his father or sometimes even worse, physical punishments. Due to this, he earns a trauma of displeasing his father or his superiors, where he has a mental breakdown and other side effects depending on how severe the disappointment or punishment.
Growing up in such a harsh environment and with great pressure to inherit the yakuza family, he has abandoned any sort of sentiment, except with few exemptions like his dear mother, which made his future tasks easier. No room for guilt or conscience upon murders and sabotage of destructive families, Ren has started to finally become a young man worthy for the title of heir of Kanesada Group.
Missions after missions being done for the sake of the Kanesada Group, word of Ren, the young heir to a yakuza family, has begun to circulate among the Vongola family, one of the Kanesada Group's alliance in Japan, as one of the hopeful candidate of becoming a mafioso. The word traveled through gossips and casual conversations among mafioso until it reached the ear of the Varia member recruitment scout.
Ren's father, pleased by hearing that his son could be of an asset to Varia, the assassination squad for the influential and powerful Vongola family, had given his approval of having his son under the wing of Varia to earn further experience before inheriting the Kanesada Group. Ren, being obedient to the orders of his father, agreed to become a part of Varia with no objections and thus started his life as a mafioso.
Other
Hobbies: Checking and maintaining of his weapons, target shooting, sword to sword sparring, reading books for knowledge gaining, shogi (Japanese form of chess) for strategic skill improvement, shodo (Japanese calligraphy), and feeding street cats.
Likes: Peaceful environment, old fashioned Japanese things like shogi, shodo, kimono and such, and cats.
Dislikes: Being called "Rentarou", father/superiors being displeased with his performance, unable to accomplish his given task/s, people being persistent or nagging about his behavior/personality especially if people point out his jiji (old geezer) like character and taste.</s>
<|message|>Naoki Shindo
He blinked listening to Sam's words "You win this round magic man" He then did the whole I'm watching you thing. As he sat down he wondered where everyone else was "Hey Sam were we the only ones hyped for this?". Before Sam could respond Naoki rudly asked "Hey,your in with me on taking down Asuka right?. Because I tried to speak to the baby and I got floored, someone will hopefully join me now where do you stand?" he said leaning forward as if it was pier pressure
Naoki wasn't sure what his feelings were after everything that happened in the past 48hrs. He tried to look confident but really his feelings were still mixed. He could get up now and run but that wouldn't be him, he would stand his ground and just wait for what's going to happen, happen. Anyway he needed a new project.
"Also mind if I have some tea? If you have any left?..."</s>
<|message|>Samael Alastor (Most just call him Sam and he's cool with that)
Samael | Namimori Middle Rooftop
"Maybe, maybe not, I simply have nothing else to do today", he responded, taking another sip of his tea before splitting a piece of cake with his fork.
"Also I tend to stand where no one will attack me, but I do wish you good luck on your endeavours", he continued to just enjoy his tea and cake as he spoke. To be honest he didn't quite care what squabble they were getting into or voluntarily perpetuating. It was going to be a long wait, but there were large amounts of cake and tea here, biscuits too, and waffles, and a bunch of Japanese sweets such as mochi were available.
"And yes, help yourself to some tea, there is plenty left", he answered, motioning over to the tea pot, accompanied with a box of tea bags, and a boiler too. There certainly was enough for a whole day.</s>
<|message|>Luca Yuuki
The morning was quiet as Luca sat at the kitchen table, pushing his half eaten breakfast around his plate. He had been thinking about last night, how Asuka and Hideaki were doing, and just what he was gonna about his place in this Vongola business since the break of dawn. So far he had just gone around and around in his thoughts with no answer in sight. He was suddenly startled back to the table when Felicita, Luca's mother, placed a cup of juice in front of him. "Feeling okay, Lu~? You haven't said a word this morning." She inquired, feeling his forehead for any sign of fever. Luca looked at his mother and forced a smile. "I-I'm fine...just a little tired after last night's...excitement..." Lying to his parents was something he rarely did and he never considered himself particularly good at it but for now he had to. How could he tell his parents that he was the apparent successor to a huge mafia organization? Knowing his mother she'd probably march over to the school and demand that Shi never come near him again. Luca truthfully didn't know who he was more scared for in tat scenario. Dad...he was the very last person Luca would ever want to know.
"Really? You and Yuki didn't get carried away did you~?" Why did it seem everyone, including his own parents, insisted on teasing him about these things. Regardless, Luca barely reddened at all. "No, it was just a fun night...for the most part. I think I had a little to much to eat last night so I'm not very hungry." Luca slid the plate away from him and left the table, heading back up to his room. Felicita watched he son somber off and sighed. He was not the greatest liar.
Half an hour later the doorbell rang and Luca's mother left her sweet stash to answer it. She opened the door to reveal a young man wearing a suit. The teen introduced himself and she reacted slightly to the name. "An acquaintance? Isn't it a bit of a hot day to be wearing a suit~?" Felicita gave Ren a wry smile before stepping to the side and inviting him in. "Well, maybe my son could use a friendly face. He doesn't seem himself this morning." She offered to bring up some drinks and directed him to Luca's room.
Luca sat at his piano staring at a partially pilled piece of sheet music. His fingers danced across the keys as he remembered the notes by heart. He was completely absorbed into the moment until he reached where the sheet music cut off. For a short while he continued, the improvised notes blending perfectly with what was already there but then he started to slow and the notes became sloppy and unfitting. Luca's hands hovered over the keys as one started to clench out of frustration. If there was ever a clear tell that Luca was upset or had a lot on his mind it was when he had trouble playing. Just then he heard a knock at his door.
---
Sitting on the open windowsill in Asuka's room was a relaxed Fon as he took a deep breath of the morning air. Despite the chaos of the evening's gathering it had been quite the relaxing night. For him at least. The infant monk ha been worried about how his current host was going to react but to his pleasure she showed no signs of distress. In fact she seemed happier than he and Shi observed her to be at the festival. The rest of their night was quite fun and calm. "Hm?" Fon opened his eyes to his monkey climbing up into the window and onto his head. "You seem to have had your own adventure last night~" He said at it curled up and fell asleep.
It seemed like it would be fairly quiet until the meeting tonight. At least he thought it would. Fon looked down to see the archery captain arriving and fully equipped with a bow. The boy was a difficult one to read but Fon was hardly a newborn. "He's a curious one." Asuka came in offering breakfast and Fon turned to her with a smile. "Thank you. I'm sure you and our other guest have many questions and Ill be glad to answer them~" He said referring to Hideaki as the doorbell rang.</s>
<|message|>Asuka Argento
Asuka blinked when she saw there was apparently a small monkey now with Fon. It was strange. That was for sure, but so far there wasn't anything about this baby that was normal. So she could worry about that later. "First, I... Wait... Guest?" She asked before hearing the doorbell. Who would be visiting her at this time? She moved to the window and looked down. No... No! Why was he... Oh god who cared... He probably had questions to. "You can come in, but try anything funny and I'll break your jaw!" She threatened before she grabbed her house key and tossed it down. The small plush fox key chain would make it easy to catch. "Hurry up! I'm starting without you!" She didn't have time to go down, make more food or anything. She had questions. "Tell me about the Vongola." She then said to Fon. Still though, her anger was noticeable. How dare Hide try and move in on her time with the toddler?! There was something of an ominous aura around her. She wasn't happy about the new guest or the turn things might take.</s>
| <|message|>Rentarou "Ren" Kanesada
A blond woman came to answer the door, to whom the young heir had assumed to be the boy's mother. While the reaction was faint, Ren noticed the slight disturbance upon her expression when his own name was mentioned. Perhaps that wasn't too much of a surprise, considering his yakuza family was one of the more well known ones around Namimori. As if his status hadn't mattered to her, if she indeed knew who he was, the mother spoke casually towards the boy. At least it didn't have to end in a huge commotion with people screaming 'YAKUZA! YAKUZA! OFFICER HELP!' Merely nodding in his usual silence to her inquiry, which sounded more of a joke, Ren respectfully bowed as he was given entry to their house.
As he rose up the stairs as instructed to by Mrs. Yuuki, Ren paused before the door to the blond boy's room when he heard a piano playing. Seeing as it would seem rude to interrupt a performance of whoever it was, he quietly listened to the keys play a beautiful tune. Well, until the playing became rougher and slower till it stopped altogether. Taking this as a chance to intrude the owner of the room, the yakuza heir knocked onto the door twice. Pausing a little before parting his lips to speak, "...... Pardon for my intrusion, Yuuki. This is Kanesada. I wish to speak to you about important matters regarding last night..."</s> |
<|description|>Rentarou "Ren" Kanesada
Username: Amaterasu
Age: 16
Gender: Male
Country of Origin: Japan
Role: Varia Member, Rain Guardian Candidate
Flame: Rain
Weapon/Fighting Style: Katana (Primary), Revolver (Secondary)
Appearance:
Personality:
Due to his childhood which was devoid of anything an "average" child would have, Ren grew up to be an indifferent, distant, and cold individual who will not speak unless necessary, most of the time. He would devote himself to whatever mission he was given in a hard working manner even if he may be indifferent towards a lot of things, since his missions were always his top priority. Despite all this, what manages to get the most reaction out of him is if his real name, Rentarou, is mentioned to his face in which he will either threaten to cut or shoot you if done again. Reaction may vary depending on who says it.
History:
Being born to the status of heir to the yakuza family, Kanesada Group, Ren's life was filled with hardships ever since he was a mere young boy. His mother's passing in his early years did not make his life any less difficult, and because of her dying words, "Please grow up to be a boy your father and I will be proud of...", his only inspiration and reason for living was to please his father for the sake of his mother's dying wish.
The harsh training in the ways of the katana and gun shooting was too strenuous for the young boy to handle but failure was not easily forgiven, regardless of his age. Punishments were given in a form of verbal assaults from his father or sometimes even worse, physical punishments. Due to this, he earns a trauma of displeasing his father or his superiors, where he has a mental breakdown and other side effects depending on how severe the disappointment or punishment.
Growing up in such a harsh environment and with great pressure to inherit the yakuza family, he has abandoned any sort of sentiment, except with few exemptions like his dear mother, which made his future tasks easier. No room for guilt or conscience upon murders and sabotage of destructive families, Ren has started to finally become a young man worthy for the title of heir of Kanesada Group.
Missions after missions being done for the sake of the Kanesada Group, word of Ren, the young heir to a yakuza family, has begun to circulate among the Vongola family, one of the Kanesada Group's alliance in Japan, as one of the hopeful candidate of becoming a mafioso. The word traveled through gossips and casual conversations among mafioso until it reached the ear of the Varia member recruitment scout.
Ren's father, pleased by hearing that his son could be of an asset to Varia, the assassination squad for the influential and powerful Vongola family, had given his approval of having his son under the wing of Varia to earn further experience before inheriting the Kanesada Group. Ren, being obedient to the orders of his father, agreed to become a part of Varia with no objections and thus started his life as a mafioso.
Other
Hobbies: Checking and maintaining of his weapons, target shooting, sword to sword sparring, reading books for knowledge gaining, shogi (Japanese form of chess) for strategic skill improvement, shodo (Japanese calligraphy), and feeding street cats.
Likes: Peaceful environment, old fashioned Japanese things like shogi, shodo, kimono and such, and cats.
Dislikes: Being called "Rentarou", father/superiors being displeased with his performance, unable to accomplish his given task/s, people being persistent or nagging about his behavior/personality especially if people point out his jiji (old geezer) like character and taste.</s>
<|message|>Luca Yuuki
Arc 1, Daily Life: Lizards and Mice
---
"Whether your leadership guides us to prosperity or ruin is up to you."
Lungs burning, muscles aching, heart beating frighteningly fast. He didn't know how much longer he could keep this up. Even if he could what was he going to do. With ragged breath Luca leaned against the marble pillar he had made his hiding spot. "Kekeke~ This is the great Vongola Undicesimo, scurrying and hiding like a mouse to it's hole~" Luca shivered as a subtle sadistic chuckle echoed throughout the crumbling room. "If your what the Vongola has been chosen to become then they don't deserve to be on top anymore. Your era is over!" The battered blonde teen's eyes shot open wide realizing those last menacing words were suddenly closer than the previous. His body flew into motion as he tried to escape the incoming attack which crashed into the pillar he had used as refuge. The impact sent a portion of the pillar flying and caught Luca mid-sprint. He was thrown to the ground with heavy force.
"Kuh...ngh...haa...wh-what..." He struggled to lift his body off the floor but everything had gone numb now. Vision starting to blur he looked around at the others who were probably better off than him by now. They were still breathing but they'd taken a beating as well. He didn't want any of this. He told them he wasn't a leader, that he couldn't be boss. Luca managed to get to his hands and knees. "Huh?" His hand brushed against a soft material. Due to his blurring eyesight it took him a moment to recognize what it was. A tattered scarf. "You lasted longer...thaaan we probably should've allowed you to~" Luca's pursuers strolled up behind him, partially illuminated by the light from the skylight. One had a maniacal smile, the other a hollow satisfied smirk. The maniacal one started to whistle something of a sailing tune in a haunting tempo. "You put up a fight...can't say that I'm not a little disappointed though. Vongola XI, Luca...you've failed your family as boss." Luca didn't move, he barely blinked as he stared at the tattered he now gripped feeling despair start to envelop his senses.
"LUCA! ................."
"Ruin it is."
---
3 Weeks Earlier
"We're doing what?" Luca blinked curiously at Fon's little announcement. Fon smiled with slight amusement and reiterated his statement. "We'll be going on a camping trip. Now that your guardians have all chosen their path we thought it'd be best for you all to have some bonding time. Shi has gone ahead to set things up before we get there~" Luca somehow had a troubling feeling about that prospect. "I guess it could be fun...but, as much as I'm still unsure about it, shouldn't we focus on more...mafia stuff?" He still didn't want to be boss but he said he'd try so he was hoping to be getting a crash course in being a leader of a criminal organization. Wow, I've really ventured down the rabbit hole haven't I? Fon nodded, understanding the young Vongola's worries. "The most important part of being boss is your family. Your strength as a Vongola XI is determined by the strength of your family." Luca nodded sheepishly with a slight understanding of what he meant. He still didn't know what that had to do with camping though. "By the way, are we always gonna meet here? I mean someone's bound to notice eventually and we're not really supposed to be here now..." The blonde teen inquired referring to their current meeting on Namimori Middle's roof. Once again Sam seems to have set up a tea table like the day before. "It is temporary. We'll have a permanent headquarters soon. Hopefully before someone finds out~" The chibi monk said with an unnerving chuckle.</s>
<|message|>Rentarou "Ren" Kanesada
Sipping green tea from a traditional tea cup, was Ren. It seemed as if he had blended in with the tea party, like there was nothing wrong with the scene of a tea party at the rooftop of a school. In contrast to the surprised reaction of the younger male, his features remained solemn as he parted his lips away from the tea cup to speak. "I see... An opportunity to learn one's family members to promote cooperation among them. ....Are we to provide our own needs? Or perhaps...," he trailed off and paused. Azure orbs which were once shut open themselves as he continued, "We collect them ourselves as we set up camp?" If this were a camping trip affiliated with mafia training, it would not come off as a surprise if the monk's response was the latter.
The butler who serves the Kanesada family approached the group with the young heir's order, boxes of Japanese sweets, such as red bean paste mochi, castella, and youkan, on his hands. They were placed atop the tea party table as he bowed and left their side. Ren, who enjoyed traditional Japanese things, picked up a plate of castella and forked a piece to put it in his mouth. The scenery of a western mixed Japanese tea party on a school rooftop was quite silly.</s>
<|message|>Yuki Volkov
Yuki responded to Fon's mention of bonding by leaning against Luca and with a blank expression stated "We are already as closely bonded as we can get" That could have been taken so many ways and yet even when her sister looked on shocked at the pair Yuki continued to eat, leaving Luca with the repercussions of her misleading words!
Shi had one of her tails shift from behind her to cover her blushing face, it was a shock to her system to hear something like that "I knew your date went well but I would never have guessed how well..." She had moved off to sit at the tea table near Hideaki, sipping tea in a ttempt to calm herself, a dreamy far off look on her face as she dreamed of better days "Take good care of her ok?~" Looking over to Fon she soon sighed and decided to finally do her job, ignoring what Luca said for the time being "Yes I have made arrangements for the trip, do not think it will be easy since as Ren said you will have to hunt and gather what you can. You will be supplied the basics but that is it." Finishing off her tea she smirked at the mention of a place to call HQ "Wellll~~ I was thinking that since some of us here have connections that we could ask them... for instance I am in talks with both Asuka's and Hideaki's family in obtaining a secure place for us to stay. I do hope you don't mind keheheheh" The mischievous fox picked up a cookie from the tea table.
@Sho Minazuki@Vongola_Hasayo@Demon Shinobi@ChronoBovino@Amaterasu</s>
<|message|>Minase Hideaki / Yi Hyun-ki
Hide took a sip from his cup of tea, the perfect image of a well-mannered youth, complete with an outstretched pinky as the cup was tilted ever so slightly so as to let its contents be consumed. After doing so without a single drop spilt, he placed his cup of tea on the dainty little dish, and placed that dish and cup atop the daintly little tea table. He regarded the overexcitable fox woman next to him - no not Asuka, the other overexcitable fox woman next to him - with a peculiar look. "Calm down. Let's not get excited here yet," he interjected, grabbing on to one of the tails that Shi was using to conceal her lewd embarrassment. Was it an excuse to touch the fluffy tail? I mean, probably. There was definitely a non-zero chance. "I highly doubt the younger Volkov-chan and Yuuki-kun have surgically removed their kidenys and traded them like Y*gioh cards." He turned to Yuki the Russian, Shiso's tail still in hand, and asked, "...Or is there something I don't want to be aware of?"
That said, Hide rested Shiso's tail on his lap like it was some kind of particularly large ferret, or maybe a fat but also somehow very lightweight cat or dog. He was even stroking it like it was one, too. Could've been worse though; he could've been creepy about it and started smelling it or worse. But he was not creepy. He was Hide. And so Shiso would remain unmolested.
"You will not be using my family cafe as your base of operations," he stated flatly, picking up and taking another sip of his hot beverage, "Use Asuka's. I know for a fact that her house is far larger and her parents don't live there much anymore." The unfortunate implications of his statement were either neglected or ignored, and quite honestly, it would likely look worse had he tried to defend it. "That aside," he continued, casting his gaze aside on to the literal fox woman, "What will we be allowed to bring, and what will you bring for us? I like to be prepared."</s>
<|message|>Naoki Shindo
"CAMPING!".Naoki jumped with excitement, "Are we gonna be all like fighting bears, making fires, boom!". He kinda went rogue with this part. He picked up a stick and pretended to be a ninja fighting a bear. "Wait...were not gonna be like being chased by a murderer with a machete who kills camping teens?!" He started backing away, leaning against the door. He shook his head and raised one eyebrow, looking at everyone. He coughed, straightened up his body and said
"Shut up" Very fast as if he chocked up at the end.</s>
<|message|>Naoki Shindo
*Damn Double posts*</s>
| <|message|>Rentarou "Ren" Kanesada
The young heir watched the silly exchange between the fox tailed woman and her sister as he took a sip of his green tea like an old geezer sitting at the kotatsu on a cold winter day. Except there was no kotatsu nor was it anywhere near winter this time of the year. While he gave no concern to whatever personal incidents that may have transpired between the boss candidate and the ashen haired maiden, Ren focused his attention back to Shiso once she answered his inquiry.
"Just as I've expected...," the male trailed off as he started to plan what sort of tools and perhaps, weapons, were to be of use in the upcoming trip. While he was making mental note of what basic belongings to bring, Naoki had a sudden, excited outburst about the camp. "....While that might sound outrageous for an ordinary camping trip, having a hostile being in a mafia affiliated trip.... isn't as outrageous as it may seem." He justified the boy's claim as not exactly impossible before taking another slice of castella to put into his mouth.
The topic of conversation was switched to that of their future official headquarters as the older Volkov suggested Hideaki or Asuka's place, just to be rejected by the former one. "....Minase, was it? I agree, a public setting such as your family cafe will not be a suitable environment to discuss classified information. .....I may be able to provide it if neither is unable." Only now when his blue gaze directed itself across the table to Hideaki did he notice the other male stroking the older female's fox tail. While any ordinary person would immediately label him as a furry pervert, Ren's eyes stayed still at the scene until he called his servant back to whisper something. Not too long after, the old servant was back with a stray cat cradled in his arms until it was handed over to the young heir. In a similar motion to the archer's, the heir stroked the furry coat of the animal with an equally deadpan serious expression.</s> |
<|description|>Asuka Argento
Username: Demon Shinobi
Age: 15
Gender: Female
Country of Origin: Japan (Though she is half Japanese and Half Italian)
Role: Storm Guardian Candidate
Flame: Storm
Weapon/Fighting Style: Asuka utilizes a whip coupled with fluid, quick movements in battle. IN truth this was a weapon she was taught to use by her father, who used a chain sword.
Box weapons:
1) Catena Frusta di Tempesta (Chain Whip of the Storm) - With a grip resembling that of a sword and a 2 yard long chain topped with a kunai like blade at the end, this is the perfect weapon to accentuate her skill with a whip. This chain whip channels and can be engulfed in the Storm Flame at the user's will.
2) Volpe a Nove Code di Tempesta (Nine-Tailed Fox of the Storm) - A small black nine tailed fox, with white tipped tails matching it's white paws. It is incredibly fast. It can fire small balls from its tails made of condensed storm flames. It can coat it's paws in storm flames while running. And it can coat it's fangs and saliva in the flames when biting. All at the beck and call of it's master.
Appearance:
As she stands now, Asuka is a fairly well developed young girl. She stands at about 5'4" with lovely skin and a lovelier figure for her age.
In ten years not much has changed. She has grown taller, standing at about 5'8" and has grown more in the bust and hip areas, though no male (or occasional female) would care about that right? Overall, she had some what larger more accentuated curves than she had as a child.
Personality: Asuke is typically level headed and easy to get along with. Ever intelligent and kind, one might think Asuka is picture of perfection. She does not feel this way. She works hard and strives to be better when necessary. However, she is not oblivious to her looks, and figure and uses it to her advantage when possible. She can be manipulative, a bit of a flirt and somewhat teasing. But that is more so because she finds it fun and humorous. She can be a bit odd and random in her behavior, but she picks her moments. There is a time to play, a time to be serious, a time to fight, etc. etc. Still even with her confidence and somewhat flirty attitude, she is quite innocent can be made to blush if she isn't the one teasing, but the one being teased. Asuka is simply Asuka.
History: Asuka's mother was Japanese and her father Italian. How did they meet? Well her mother was the mayor of Namimori at one point. She was beautiful, responsible, fearless, and much more. She was practically leading the charge against the local thugs and yakuza. Of course, this lead to many wanting her dead. She thought it didn't matter, but others weren't so reckless.
Thus, her father was hired. A bodyguard for hire at the time, his strength was renowned. Even to those yakuza he was not only recognized, but respected for his skill and ability. This was no small feat. His presence brought along much more peace of mind. Even to her mother, though it wouldn't be admitted, at first. Still, as time went on and the two spent more time together, they would eventually fall in love. That love would blossom into the birth of a child.
After that, Asuka's mother resigned. With a baby on the way she couldn't afford to risk her life. And neither could her father. They settled in Namimori since he hadn't had a permanent of his own due to his constant travelling. Without her continuing her work there was no need to further pursue harming her or her future child. Besides nobody wished to cause more problems with Asuka's father.
She grew up normally. Of course, up until she was ten. Then he father began to make her exercise, work a bit a bit more and train so she could be able to defend herself in the case that he wasn't around. He gave her a weapon similar to his. A whip. It could suffice. She learned fairly quickly. Now she'd 15. Her parents are off travelling with full confidence that she can handle herself. She can too. Though not many know, she can fight fairly well. She can take care of herself and does quite well in school. She strive to maintain a good position like her mother did, and still does.
Other: The following are added information.
Hobbies: Asuka's hobbies include reading Manga, watching anime, studying, training, and cooking. She also enjoys the occasional online game and the very rare eroge. But that's a secret.
Likes: Asuka likes having fun, hanging out, making new friends and occasionally a good brawl if it can add a little excitement to her life. However, more than anything, she likes cute things, even if she denies it.
Dislikes: Asuka dislikes jerks and rude people, though can put up with them if she is close to them. She also dislikes killjoys and boredom. She isn't one to take well to being teased, as hypocritical as that sounds. And she doesn't like people messing with or insulting the things or people she cares about.</s>
<|message|>Asuka Argento
It was truly a beautiful day. The kind of day one would hope for, or rather expect, on the last day of school before summer vacation. Not to mention the coming festival. These days were particularly busy for Asuka. But she handled it all without batting an eye. It was simple really. In her words, If I couldn't do at least this much, I wouldn't be fit as Student Council President. That was usually her response when it came to matters like the amount of work she took on. Today. Today she was making a few rounds, seeing how the last day was going. She'd had a few meeting and appointments with future club heads regarding the budgets for next year. She could rework those over the summer. So confident she was that she wouldn't be losing her position.
Though this wasn't where her interest lied. No, her interest was in Luca. Sleeping throughout the end of class again was he? She supposed she could let it slide on the last day. Besides she had other things to attend to. Even so, she nearly butted in when he and Taiga decided on holding a little brawl on the roof after Taiga's announcement. She would have done something about this self-proclaimed successor to legendary Hibari Kyoya, but it was another matter that could be let slide. Especially, since the bell had already rung. She was technically off duty, but the StuCo President never officially clocked out, so to speak.
Still, here she was. Walking home while thinking of the next responsibility she would hold. She'd had a meeting with some teachers. The Student Council would be holding a booth at the festival. Rather they were requested to help with one. It seemed a local shop owner who had already paid the festival admission fee to run a booth had ended up getting hurt. She agreed to help, but the other council members all had vacations or other things to do. Sometimes it seemed as though she may as well be the only member. "Rice balls and chocolate bananas huh?" That was it. Making and selling rice balls and chocolate bananas. This shop was getting popular because of some of their special ingredient in each product. Which was why such simple things were their primary sellers.
"Hm?" She looked up, coming back from her thoughts when she heard two familiar voices. "Ah! Luca! Yuki!" She called out as she approached the two. "It's so good to see you two. It's especially good to see you awake." She spoke to both and then more specifically to Luca. "Though I do wish you and Taiga would keep your childish fights off of the roof. Somebody could get hurt." She added to him. "Or maybe don't fight on school grounds at all if you can avoid it. Would be much better than walking home bruises and hurt like this." She giggled looking him over once more. "Oh and how are you doing Yuki? I hope you've been adjusting nicely after joining us here." She was standing just a bit away from them now so as not to be too close, her bag held firmly in her hands in front of her skirt. These two would work. Even one of them would be find to pull into helping at the stand.</s>
<|message|>Victoire Roux
Victoire walks around curiously around town, smiling slightly at the sights Namimori has to offer. It was very refreshing for her to be in this place, the place where the Vongola Decimo grew up. While Victoire is wondering why the Vongola Family has to send someone from the Varia instead of their own agents to observe the next generation of the Vongola, but it's not like Victoire to question orders, so she didn't. The minute Victoire stepped out of the airport, anyone would figure out that she is not Japanese. The nineteen-year old woman was wearing what is to be presumed as the modern fashion trends in France, and can be assumed that she was just a simple tourist. Not a cold-blooded assassin, she brightly thought as she enthusiastically checks out the shops here in Namimori. Even though it's her first time here, she managed to speak good enough Japanese. After all, you need to speak at least seven languages to be a part of the Varia.
Victoire beamed when she heard about the summer festival tonight. "Hm...it sounds fun. Maybe I should go there tonight," she muttered gently to herself as she heads to a neighborhood. She blinked when she noticed two girls and a boy, all of them probably in middle school. Victoire silently hid herself from their view when she recognized the boy's face. Luca Yuuki, potential next boss of the Vongola Famiglia, she curiously studied his face, her eyes slightly softening. He's so young, but I heard the Vongola Decimo was about the same age when he started his training.
Of course, Victoire on the other hand, started training the life of a mafioso when she was about six or seven. She smiled fondly at those memories, kind of proud of herself now that they don't have to move house by house to avoid those who were chasing them. She shook her head, driving out the memories of the past. She turned around and went the other way, this time heading for the apartment building she will have to live in in her stay here in Namimori. Or I should buy a yukata for tonight. And the potential next Vongola might be there as well.</s>
<|message|>Yuki Volkov
Yuki's face darkened slightly as she finally noticed the bruises on Luca's face, and when he mentioned the name she knew all too well she looked back to the school. "I wonder if it is too late to go back..." She muttered under her breath, though being so close Luca would have been able to hear her plan to go back, likely just to scare the guy as she had never really interfered with Luca's fights.
"Ah! Luca! Yuki!"
However it seemed like her little revenge would have to wait as Asuka made her way over to the pair, Yuki turning with Luca so that she didn't have to let him go for the time being... What? She was nursing him back to health, and for some reason she had the feeling that they were being watched, strange... "Yeah, it is a shame I didn't have more time this year, I wanted to try out for one of the school sports teams" Since she joined just a month away from the end of the semester it was sadly not possible this time. "That reminds me, are you going to the festival miss president? Luca and I are" Of course if Luca said otherwise she would give him just a little squeeze to make sure he understood he was going...</s>
<|message|>Luca Yuuki
Luca instantly registered Yuki's mood change at the mention of Taiga and her acknowledgement of his minor injuries. He heard mutter about going back which was exactly what he was afraid of. "That's okay I'm fine. Besides Taiga isn't worth it and bruises are nothing. Hehehe ow..." He hastily tried to calm her down by demonstrating how fine he was by patting his own shoulder which solicited a wince of pain.
Just when Luca was sure Yuki was going to start making her way toward the school the inevitable trauma her target was going to experience was avoided thanks to a timely appearance by the class president. "That's a relief..." He said to himself with sighed that was interrupted by Yuki's turn, still embracing him. "Luca, Yuki. It's so good to see you two. It's especially good to see you awake." Luca chuckled nervously at the comment on his sleeping habits. It was scary how Asuka always knew. However it wasn't so much of a mystery how she knew about his run in with Taiga. "Someone needs to teach that guy a lesson. I just so happen to be the one who's usually around..." Luca replied as he turned his gaze, the disdain he had for the guy apparent. His temper vanished as quickly as it had arisen and was replaced by his usual docile demeanor. Though he felt something was a little off.
Asuka always seemed to be planning and managing something in her head. The same went for now even as she talked to them. Luca had a bad feeling about this. Yuki asked the president if she would be attending the festival declaring that she and Luca were which he tried to protest but as he opened his mouth to say otherwise he felt Yuki's grip tighten and he fell silent. "Yeah, should be fun miss president..." Just as he anticipated he wasn't escaping it himself. As much as he wanted to be annoyed by that fact Luca really thought it might be fun.</s>
| <|message|>Asuka Argento
"No need to worry Yuki." Asuka replied almost immediately regarding her late coming resulting in a missed chance at joining clubs. "This just means rumors of your greatness will spread to schools faster. Without even playing you'll be a force to be feared." She chuckled lightly as though already having things set in motion.
"And as for you. Please do leave things such as that to the student council." She spoke to Luca. "Otherwise I'll get bored and have only paperwork and socializing to keep me busy." She chuckled. It wasn't so bad really. But she would have liked to handle taiga herself earlier. still her words were more of a formality. She was fine with his interference and knew she wouldn't be capable of stopping the young boy regardless. Which was good. Nobody liked a pushover which, for the most part, Luca wasn't. For the most part anyway.
Before she could speak up more on the subject Yuki asked whether she would be going to the festival or not. A perfect transition for her really. "I will be actual. My yukata is all ready. I was going to go home, wash up an change into it." With that her small smile faded slightly. "But it won't be all fun an games. Due to some circumstances I'll be managing a booth all by myself. I don't even know if I'll be able to handle that much work alone." He sighed before his gaze shifted between the two falling on Luca.
"Since you're going. Perhaps you'd like to help me out. It should be no problem given all the times I've helped you out of sticky situations with teachers and helped keep you out of trouble. Right?" She asked Luca, puppy dog eyes present with a small pout. Albeit those times did usually end in lecture, but that was gold considering how they could have ended.
"Oh and of course you could be by his side the entire time. It would likely be much less stressful than maneuvering through the crowds of people with him so badly bruised." And there it was. Her attempt to coerce both into aiding her. There was no real reason why it wouldn't work. And Luca would likely know she wouldn't be giving up so easily on this. Yuki could use the excuse to justifiably stick closer to the young man too. A perfect plan executed by the female student council president.</s> |
<|description|>Asuka Argento
Username: Demon Shinobi
Age: 15
Gender: Female
Country of Origin: Japan (Though she is half Japanese and Half Italian)
Role: Storm Guardian Candidate
Flame: Storm
Weapon/Fighting Style: Asuka utilizes a whip coupled with fluid, quick movements in battle. IN truth this was a weapon she was taught to use by her father, who used a chain sword.
Box weapons:
1) Catena Frusta di Tempesta (Chain Whip of the Storm) - With a grip resembling that of a sword and a 2 yard long chain topped with a kunai like blade at the end, this is the perfect weapon to accentuate her skill with a whip. This chain whip channels and can be engulfed in the Storm Flame at the user's will.
2) Volpe a Nove Code di Tempesta (Nine-Tailed Fox of the Storm) - A small black nine tailed fox, with white tipped tails matching it's white paws. It is incredibly fast. It can fire small balls from its tails made of condensed storm flames. It can coat it's paws in storm flames while running. And it can coat it's fangs and saliva in the flames when biting. All at the beck and call of it's master.
Appearance:
As she stands now, Asuka is a fairly well developed young girl. She stands at about 5'4" with lovely skin and a lovelier figure for her age.
In ten years not much has changed. She has grown taller, standing at about 5'8" and has grown more in the bust and hip areas, though no male (or occasional female) would care about that right? Overall, she had some what larger more accentuated curves than she had as a child.
Personality: Asuke is typically level headed and easy to get along with. Ever intelligent and kind, one might think Asuka is picture of perfection. She does not feel this way. She works hard and strives to be better when necessary. However, she is not oblivious to her looks, and figure and uses it to her advantage when possible. She can be manipulative, a bit of a flirt and somewhat teasing. But that is more so because she finds it fun and humorous. She can be a bit odd and random in her behavior, but she picks her moments. There is a time to play, a time to be serious, a time to fight, etc. etc. Still even with her confidence and somewhat flirty attitude, she is quite innocent can be made to blush if she isn't the one teasing, but the one being teased. Asuka is simply Asuka.
History: Asuka's mother was Japanese and her father Italian. How did they meet? Well her mother was the mayor of Namimori at one point. She was beautiful, responsible, fearless, and much more. She was practically leading the charge against the local thugs and yakuza. Of course, this lead to many wanting her dead. She thought it didn't matter, but others weren't so reckless.
Thus, her father was hired. A bodyguard for hire at the time, his strength was renowned. Even to those yakuza he was not only recognized, but respected for his skill and ability. This was no small feat. His presence brought along much more peace of mind. Even to her mother, though it wouldn't be admitted, at first. Still, as time went on and the two spent more time together, they would eventually fall in love. That love would blossom into the birth of a child.
After that, Asuka's mother resigned. With a baby on the way she couldn't afford to risk her life. And neither could her father. They settled in Namimori since he hadn't had a permanent of his own due to his constant travelling. Without her continuing her work there was no need to further pursue harming her or her future child. Besides nobody wished to cause more problems with Asuka's father.
She grew up normally. Of course, up until she was ten. Then he father began to make her exercise, work a bit a bit more and train so she could be able to defend herself in the case that he wasn't around. He gave her a weapon similar to his. A whip. It could suffice. She learned fairly quickly. Now she'd 15. Her parents are off travelling with full confidence that she can handle herself. She can too. Though not many know, she can fight fairly well. She can take care of herself and does quite well in school. She strive to maintain a good position like her mother did, and still does.
Other: The following are added information.
Hobbies: Asuka's hobbies include reading Manga, watching anime, studying, training, and cooking. She also enjoys the occasional online game and the very rare eroge. But that's a secret.
Likes: Asuka likes having fun, hanging out, making new friends and occasionally a good brawl if it can add a little excitement to her life. However, more than anything, she likes cute things, even if she denies it.
Dislikes: Asuka dislikes jerks and rude people, though can put up with them if she is close to them. She also dislikes killjoys and boredom. She isn't one to take well to being teased, as hypocritical as that sounds. And she doesn't like people messing with or insulting the things or people she cares about.</s>
<|message|>Minase Hideaki / Yi Hyun-ki
Not long after Hideaki had locked the archery dojo doors and set off homewards, Aloise Akane, the ace of the kendo club, had suddenly chosen to address him. She completely unmatched in her art, if the rumors held fast, and Hideaki could respect that. She was also foreign but that was not too unusual, the archer supposed. It wasn't an unusual sight; Namimori was practically full of foreginers these days, after all. Her query was in regards to his preparations for the festivals, something that the bespectacled bowman thought was distinctly None Of Her Business. He'd let it pass though, give her the benefit of the doubt that this budding conversation wouldn't be the droll exchanging of pleasantries he'd been so accustomed to.
"Hmm? Good afternoon, Aloise-san," the boy cheerfully greeted the younger girl, sending a curt wave and a practiced, imperceptively insincere smile her way. It was a sequence of actions practically seared permanently into his being. Though mostly extraneous social formalities like these weren't something he particularly enjoyed having to do over and over again, he'd play his part well, just like he always did. First impressions counted for a lot, after all. "Ara, that's right. I do have to prepare for the festival. Guess I lost track of time," he agreed, sheepishly rubbing the back of his head, "But it's fine, I've got my outfit ready and everything. So all I have to do is go home, dress up, and maybe help out the class pres with her booth, ne?"
"What about you, Aloise-san?" the two-faced archer asked politely with feigned concern, "Don't you have to prepare for the festivities yourself?"</s>
<|message|>Akane Kimiko Aloise
She did notice the pretense of a cheery attitude the archer had on. The insincere smile, the false front and deceitful facade. It had the air that it seemed as if he'd been already accustomed to it, however. That much she knew, for socialization was an everyday thing the kendoka was exposed to, and also a rather vital part of her role in her family. Akane shrugged off the observation. To each his own, she thought.
"Good afternoon, Minase-senpai. I do have my outfit ready at home too, but am rather lost as to what I may do to help with at the festival. I hadn't any plans, after all. So I thought I'd approach you on this. If it doesn't bother you, would you mind suggesting some things?" the girl replied with a smile, preparing herself for whatever answer she'd receive. What she said was... partly true, though. Seeing as Minase was the first person she spotted, Akane thought of inquiring him about that. She knew she should've done things like this earlier, but procrastination had gotten the better of her. Typical.
The archer did mention of himself helping with the student council president's booths. That was an option too. Any thing to help, as she wasn't going to wander around aimlessly without a cause.</s>
<|message|>Luca Yuuki
As Yuki and Asuka continued their conversation there was an underlying calculating tone as they spoke that made Luca rather nervous. It wasn't that the president's compliments and praises weren't genuine, it was just that she usually had some kind of goal when she spoke. Things were set inn motion as she answered their whether or not she was attending the festival. "But it won't be all fun an games. Due to some circumstances I'll be managing a booth all by myself. I don't even know if I'll be able to handle that much work alone. Since you're going..." There it was. Luca could do nothing to stop it. Between the presidents well laid traps, which no matter how many times he's been caught in them he never realizes it before it's too late, and Yuki's infatuation with him he was doomed from the start. Luca couldn't argue since Asuka had rescued him from numerous detentions, extra homework, double cleanup duty and the like. Not to mention those puppy dog eyes, practiced to perfection and strengthening her already impressive mastery of the art off persuasion. "Yup, no problem. You could of just asked though..." He said with a defeated sigh. Not only did she snare him but by exaggerating his injuries she gave Yuki a perfect extruse to stay close to him and also help with the stand.
"Well, I think it is for the best. After all Luca is hurt so staying out of harms way would be better." When did I become sine kind of burn victim...=_= To Luca's surprise Yuki didn't leave things at that and inquired about compensation with a smile similar to the president's when she negotiated. These women really were scary. He had no idea where the snowy haired girl was going with this but decided to offer anything he could when she looked at him. "Um yeah...well, working at the booth won't leave us much time to find a place to watch the fireworks so..." It was quite obvious he wasn't used to this as his voice shook slightly. "You think you could use that presidential charm of yours to secure us a good spot? If it's not too much trouble..." He added quickly.</s>
<|message|>Rentarou "Ren" Kanesada
"Assemble an adequate number of our men to scout the premises beforehand..." An order was dictated by the young Kanesada heir, who was now dressed in a jet black yukata with his dark, mid-length hair tied up neatly. The old butler, to which the order was directed to, bowed to acknowledge the command and off he left in a haste back to the traditional Japanese mansion. Ren was left to his own thoughts while he awaited in the limousine situated in front of his mansion's gates.
Compared to the majority of the attendees of the upcoming festival tonight, Ren did not choose to participate in it for merry making or cash earning, no. As an ally of the Vongola family and a newly scouted Varia member, he was obliged to protect the future Vongola XI candidate who was to be attending the said festival. While he has yet to be acquainted with the candidate, a photo was sent to him by the current captain of the assassination squad to "keep an eye on him". Just to be on the safe side, a tanto (a short type of Japanese sword) was well hidden in the secret compartment of his yukata, in case anything should go wrong.
A sigh of boredom escaped his lips as he absentmindedly stared out of the window until a soft meow was heard. As if on instinct, the azure eyed male averted his gaze towards the origin of the sound. A little black cat stood a couple of meters away from the vehicle Ren was in, licking its tiny paw to rub it onto its face in a grooming manner. Being the cat enthusiast he is, the temptation was too great for the fearsome yakuza heir to stay put on his seat, therefore leaving the vehicle and approaching the sighted feline. His arm reached out to slowly pet the cat to see its approval to be touched, then the little feline reacted with a delighted purr while rubbing its head against the male's hand. Taking it as a positive response, Ren gently placed his arms around the cat and lifted it up, cradling it in his arms as he continued to pet it.
"Young master, we are ready for departure." An old voice called out to the raven haired male, Ren was slightly irritated internally at how much of a bad timing he had. A pair of circular, sparkling eyes stared up at him as he released another sigh before replying to his butler.
"............. Leave me be, ...at least for a minute before departure."</s>
| <|message|>Asuka Argento
Asuka smiled at Yuki. "Are you saying valuable quality time with Luca isn't enough to satisfy you?" She chuckled lightly before letting a soft gasp escape her lips. She wasn't really surprised about anything, but she was going to act like it. "Unless... You'd rather spend it alone doing all sorts of things." She covered her face with both hands and shook her head just a bit. "I had no idea you'd already begun engaging in such acts Luca." She sounded shocked, though she was just kidding with the two. Teasing really.
Luca's next words only helped her to further the little gag. His request for her to secure a spot, coupled with his shaky voice. "D-Don't tell me you want me to secure a small spot for us so you can try and add me into your impure acts." She uncovered her face and pinched both of Luca's cheeks. "I'll have you know, I am not that kind of girl." She tugged on his cheeks playfully before letting go and laughing a little. "Still, I suppose I could do something of the sort." She let the joke go. She didn't want them to get too flustered in the off chance that she continued. Besides, jokes like this were better kept short. "As for why I didn't just ask..." She stopped to think for a moment. She had her reasons of course.
"To be honest. The way I saw it. If I gave you the option to say no, I'd have had to go through the ploy anyway. Well, either that or drag you along kicking and screaming. Which would have been easy given your current state. And even with Yuki's gifted athleticism rivaling my own, she'd have been easy to deal with once I took you hostage." She explained how she theorized things would have gone had she gone about this in the more normal way. "With all else considered, this seemed like the simplest, if not slightly less amusing course of action." She smiled again at the young blonde and white haired pair.
"Do you disagree with my plan of attack?" She then asked referring to the little talk as an attack. To her just about everything was some form of battle or another. Whether it be mental, physical or emotional. She did her best to strike first and continue that attack without mercy. Probably part of the reason she was Class President and unopposed. Though even if she were opposed she would be a shoe in to continue her run in Namimori.</s> |
<|description|>Asuka Argento
Username: Demon Shinobi
Age: 15
Gender: Female
Country of Origin: Japan (Though she is half Japanese and Half Italian)
Role: Storm Guardian Candidate
Flame: Storm
Weapon/Fighting Style: Asuka utilizes a whip coupled with fluid, quick movements in battle. IN truth this was a weapon she was taught to use by her father, who used a chain sword.
Box weapons:
1) Catena Frusta di Tempesta (Chain Whip of the Storm) - With a grip resembling that of a sword and a 2 yard long chain topped with a kunai like blade at the end, this is the perfect weapon to accentuate her skill with a whip. This chain whip channels and can be engulfed in the Storm Flame at the user's will.
2) Volpe a Nove Code di Tempesta (Nine-Tailed Fox of the Storm) - A small black nine tailed fox, with white tipped tails matching it's white paws. It is incredibly fast. It can fire small balls from its tails made of condensed storm flames. It can coat it's paws in storm flames while running. And it can coat it's fangs and saliva in the flames when biting. All at the beck and call of it's master.
Appearance:
As she stands now, Asuka is a fairly well developed young girl. She stands at about 5'4" with lovely skin and a lovelier figure for her age.
In ten years not much has changed. She has grown taller, standing at about 5'8" and has grown more in the bust and hip areas, though no male (or occasional female) would care about that right? Overall, she had some what larger more accentuated curves than she had as a child.
Personality: Asuke is typically level headed and easy to get along with. Ever intelligent and kind, one might think Asuka is picture of perfection. She does not feel this way. She works hard and strives to be better when necessary. However, she is not oblivious to her looks, and figure and uses it to her advantage when possible. She can be manipulative, a bit of a flirt and somewhat teasing. But that is more so because she finds it fun and humorous. She can be a bit odd and random in her behavior, but she picks her moments. There is a time to play, a time to be serious, a time to fight, etc. etc. Still even with her confidence and somewhat flirty attitude, she is quite innocent can be made to blush if she isn't the one teasing, but the one being teased. Asuka is simply Asuka.
History: Asuka's mother was Japanese and her father Italian. How did they meet? Well her mother was the mayor of Namimori at one point. She was beautiful, responsible, fearless, and much more. She was practically leading the charge against the local thugs and yakuza. Of course, this lead to many wanting her dead. She thought it didn't matter, but others weren't so reckless.
Thus, her father was hired. A bodyguard for hire at the time, his strength was renowned. Even to those yakuza he was not only recognized, but respected for his skill and ability. This was no small feat. His presence brought along much more peace of mind. Even to her mother, though it wouldn't be admitted, at first. Still, as time went on and the two spent more time together, they would eventually fall in love. That love would blossom into the birth of a child.
After that, Asuka's mother resigned. With a baby on the way she couldn't afford to risk her life. And neither could her father. They settled in Namimori since he hadn't had a permanent of his own due to his constant travelling. Without her continuing her work there was no need to further pursue harming her or her future child. Besides nobody wished to cause more problems with Asuka's father.
She grew up normally. Of course, up until she was ten. Then he father began to make her exercise, work a bit a bit more and train so she could be able to defend herself in the case that he wasn't around. He gave her a weapon similar to his. A whip. It could suffice. She learned fairly quickly. Now she'd 15. Her parents are off travelling with full confidence that she can handle herself. She can too. Though not many know, she can fight fairly well. She can take care of herself and does quite well in school. She strive to maintain a good position like her mother did, and still does.
Other: The following are added information.
Hobbies: Asuka's hobbies include reading Manga, watching anime, studying, training, and cooking. She also enjoys the occasional online game and the very rare eroge. But that's a secret.
Likes: Asuka likes having fun, hanging out, making new friends and occasionally a good brawl if it can add a little excitement to her life. However, more than anything, she likes cute things, even if she denies it.
Dislikes: Asuka dislikes jerks and rude people, though can put up with them if she is close to them. She also dislikes killjoys and boredom. She isn't one to take well to being teased, as hypocritical as that sounds. And she doesn't like people messing with or insulting the things or people she cares about.</s>
<|message|>Asuka Argento
During The Summer Festival
Asuka chuckled lightly as each of his comments before he finished in a more formal manner. "Please. Call me Asuka, Hide-chan." She giggled lightly. "After all, you truly are much more disgusting when you treat me so kindly and act so formal." She said something so mean with such a sweet smile. In truth it was easier to get along with hideaki when the young male wasn't putting on this charade. Still, she shook her head.
"Oh!" She smiled as she turned away to set up a few ready bananas and rice balls. "Luca! Yuki!" She called rather loudly over the crowd to her two friends and helped. "Come over here! Hide-Chan and I are already set up and ready to begin." Truly this was good. People were even coming over to begin buying. Which Asuka happily sold to. Three bananas and two rice balls so far. It already looked like things were going to turn out well. She would have Luca help with sales and Yuki help making the Rice balls and bananas with Hideaki. This way she wouldn't have to worry about socializing with anyone other than those in the booth. Plus Luca was cute. Cuteness sold. With her and Luca it would be great!</s>
<|message|>Luca Yuuki
Luca turned hearing Yuki's voice and have her a bashful smile. "Sorry, yukatas aren't really my thing..." After looking over the snowy haired girl he averted his gaze and blushed slightly. "Y-You look really nice though~" He was glad she asked about the booth. The change of subject was surely needed our there might be a repeat of the afternoon's events. "Actually, I have no idea where it is. Though knowing the president probably snagged the best spot long before anyone else could." As if on cue he heard Asuka's voice over the crowd. Locating the source he saw the booth along with the president waving them over.
They made their way through to the booth. Noticing the other person working on the bananas and rice balls, Luca didn't expect to see the Archery Club captain here. Most of Namimori middle admired Hideaki. He was an ace archer, a model student and as far as Luca's heard a friendly person. Of course he's not lacking in looks either as evidenced by squeals from girls when he's mentioned in conversation. Even with all that Luca didn't feel like he knew anything about the bespectacled archer. And not just because they've never really spoken to one another. Meanwhile Asuka had that cunning look in her eye that she often had and Luca couldn't help but gulp feeling it had something to do with him. "Let's get started I guess." He said with a meek smile.</s>
<|message|>Yuki Volkov
Yuki may have retained her stoic expression but her face was bright red with embarrassment as Luca mentioned she looked nice, her mouth was unable to form words for a few moments before changing the subject at hand and making their way to try and find the booth. Unlike when there were others around Luca could render her defenseless like that pretty easily. Not that she disliked it but thankfully she had calmed herself down and with the greeting from the president returned her to her normal disposition.
"Yo"
She gave a small wave as they walked up, it was a nice sized booth, though did it really need all four of them to run it? Giving Luca a reassuring pat on the back Yuki made her way over to help in the creation, putting on some gloves of course. Looking over to Hideaki she gave a small nod in greeting. She had seen him more than a few times when she had been going around all the clubs over the past month, though leg based sports were more her thing.
As Yuki started to work on the rice balls she got a rather evil idea "I didn't know that this was a double date." she said in a dry tone, intending to imply that their president had brought her boyfriend along. She could not help but sneak at least one or two rice balls for herself to eat later, payment so to speak given that she was basically doing this for free, and a nice spot to watch the fireworks.</s>
<|message|>Rentarou "Ren" Kanesada
While making his way through the merry making crowd, Ren's eyes behind the mask briefly scanned through the area for any suspicious figure. None caught his attention so far, or at least, none that were suspicious by appearance. Laughter of lively children, clacking of wooden sandals against the pavement, chatters between chummy acquaintances, sizzling of a yakisoba grill, yells of merchants advertising their respective stalls; such were the sounds his ears caught at the area. This current area was clear of danger for now, hopefully the figure he was in search of would be in a safe area as well. The raven haired male slightly adjusts his fox mask in place while continuing his search.
It took quite a while of walking till a particular stall was in sight, a professional looking food stall like any other ones he had seen tonight but the only difference was the figure who resembled the picture of the blond Vongola candidate. To make sure it was the boy he had been pursuing after, Ren decided to make a purchase from the stall as a reason to confirm that the appearance indeed resembled the boss candidate. After the last customers left their stall with a stick of chocolate banana for each, the masked male approaches the stall and hands over quite an amount of money to the similarly raven haired female and utters in a quiet tone, "...... I will purchase 20 pieces of rice balls."
The front of the stall clearly lacked a couple of rice balls for his order to be complete, which he hoped would cause the female to leave temporarily so Ren may properly inspect the light haired male while he waited. It was no problem if she didn't do so, at least a careful glance could suffice.</s>
| <|message|>Asuka Argento
With Luca and Yuki there, things really began. Customers were coming. Some young guys and girls, guys and girls their age, middle age women. A few of the older women would coo and pinch Luca's cheeks. Asuka couldn't help but giggle at that. The added attractiveness and cute factor did the trick alright. Older gentlemen didn't really come by. Asuka wouldn't have like that anyway. Middle aged men. She shuddered at the thought. Although, some guys and girls just a bit older, maybe in university, came by here and there. That was fun. Most were on dates so there wasn't flirting or anything like that. Not that it would have been appropriate or enjoyable. But they had a certain air about them. Everyone did! The festival was going well.
Still, Yuki's comment nearly made Asuka drop a whole batch of freshly made Chocolate covered bananas. She managed to save it and set it down, but it was still there. She glanced back. "Yuki. Please... Don't ever try and say something like that again. Even as a joke." It seemed that comment was an insult, no, a wound, fatal, struck deep into her heart. She was smiling, sure, but even the smile was nothing less than murderous. That was the severity of how she took even the simple idea or misunderstanding of any kind to relationship with Hideaki.
With that she turned back to the front of the stall just in time to be met with a young masked man already back to her normal cheerful demeanor. "Ah~ Of course." She looked down as she took the money to put it in the box and took out some to return the change. But... They were short. No matter, Hideaki and Yuki would likely bring some soon. It wasn't something that needed to be worried about. "Just a moment please." She gave a slight bow. Luckily there was a freshly finished tray beside Hideaki. Say what you wanted, he did work efficiently. But this meant she was only gone for about thirty seconds. It wasn't a big booth after all. "Here you go." She said placed a small box, she had them under the counter for larger orders like this, in front of Ren.
"Oh and that's quite a lovely mask, if you don't mind me saying." The fox motif was what she liked. But she hadn't had time to pick one up. All she had was a cat themed one given to her by some guy. He did it often. Little things like this. He had a crush, but he was also a jerk. She sighed. "I don't suppose you would want to trade." She gave a small laugh holding up her own mask. Though, in her mind, it was a long shot.</s> |
<|description|>Asuka Argento
Username: Demon Shinobi
Age: 15
Gender: Female
Country of Origin: Japan (Though she is half Japanese and Half Italian)
Role: Storm Guardian Candidate
Flame: Storm
Weapon/Fighting Style: Asuka utilizes a whip coupled with fluid, quick movements in battle. IN truth this was a weapon she was taught to use by her father, who used a chain sword.
Box weapons:
1) Catena Frusta di Tempesta (Chain Whip of the Storm) - With a grip resembling that of a sword and a 2 yard long chain topped with a kunai like blade at the end, this is the perfect weapon to accentuate her skill with a whip. This chain whip channels and can be engulfed in the Storm Flame at the user's will.
2) Volpe a Nove Code di Tempesta (Nine-Tailed Fox of the Storm) - A small black nine tailed fox, with white tipped tails matching it's white paws. It is incredibly fast. It can fire small balls from its tails made of condensed storm flames. It can coat it's paws in storm flames while running. And it can coat it's fangs and saliva in the flames when biting. All at the beck and call of it's master.
Appearance:
As she stands now, Asuka is a fairly well developed young girl. She stands at about 5'4" with lovely skin and a lovelier figure for her age.
In ten years not much has changed. She has grown taller, standing at about 5'8" and has grown more in the bust and hip areas, though no male (or occasional female) would care about that right? Overall, she had some what larger more accentuated curves than she had as a child.
Personality: Asuke is typically level headed and easy to get along with. Ever intelligent and kind, one might think Asuka is picture of perfection. She does not feel this way. She works hard and strives to be better when necessary. However, she is not oblivious to her looks, and figure and uses it to her advantage when possible. She can be manipulative, a bit of a flirt and somewhat teasing. But that is more so because she finds it fun and humorous. She can be a bit odd and random in her behavior, but she picks her moments. There is a time to play, a time to be serious, a time to fight, etc. etc. Still even with her confidence and somewhat flirty attitude, she is quite innocent can be made to blush if she isn't the one teasing, but the one being teased. Asuka is simply Asuka.
History: Asuka's mother was Japanese and her father Italian. How did they meet? Well her mother was the mayor of Namimori at one point. She was beautiful, responsible, fearless, and much more. She was practically leading the charge against the local thugs and yakuza. Of course, this lead to many wanting her dead. She thought it didn't matter, but others weren't so reckless.
Thus, her father was hired. A bodyguard for hire at the time, his strength was renowned. Even to those yakuza he was not only recognized, but respected for his skill and ability. This was no small feat. His presence brought along much more peace of mind. Even to her mother, though it wouldn't be admitted, at first. Still, as time went on and the two spent more time together, they would eventually fall in love. That love would blossom into the birth of a child.
After that, Asuka's mother resigned. With a baby on the way she couldn't afford to risk her life. And neither could her father. They settled in Namimori since he hadn't had a permanent of his own due to his constant travelling. Without her continuing her work there was no need to further pursue harming her or her future child. Besides nobody wished to cause more problems with Asuka's father.
She grew up normally. Of course, up until she was ten. Then he father began to make her exercise, work a bit a bit more and train so she could be able to defend herself in the case that he wasn't around. He gave her a weapon similar to his. A whip. It could suffice. She learned fairly quickly. Now she'd 15. Her parents are off travelling with full confidence that she can handle herself. She can too. Though not many know, she can fight fairly well. She can take care of herself and does quite well in school. She strive to maintain a good position like her mother did, and still does.
Other: The following are added information.
Hobbies: Asuka's hobbies include reading Manga, watching anime, studying, training, and cooking. She also enjoys the occasional online game and the very rare eroge. But that's a secret.
Likes: Asuka likes having fun, hanging out, making new friends and occasionally a good brawl if it can add a little excitement to her life. However, more than anything, she likes cute things, even if she denies it.
Dislikes: Asuka dislikes jerks and rude people, though can put up with them if she is close to them. She also dislikes killjoys and boredom. She isn't one to take well to being teased, as hypocritical as that sounds. And she doesn't like people messing with or insulting the things or people she cares about.</s>
<|message|>Yuki Volkov
Yuki had her eyes downcast the entire trip towards the shrine, she had to ignore Luca's words for now and continue with her assigned task, that is what it meant to be a professional after all. As they reached the shrine Yuki allowed her hand to part from Luca's for a moment, and as she did so the lanterns around the shrine burst into a ghostly purple flame before dying down into a normal warm glow. Her eyes darted towards the tiny being that jumped from the top of the shrine and onto Luca, her leg twitching ever so slightly as if in resistance to a natural reflex to kick the little thing!
"Your questions will be answered soon enough, Luca Yuuki. The rest should be arriving shortly right Miss Volkov~?"
Yuki's gaze glared towards the shrine itself, a figure that was hidden within the shadows finally started to move "Seems that way. As exspected they noticed the signal as well, this should be fun~" Coming forward Shi's tail swayedfrom side to side happliy, her ears even perking up at the sound of people approaching. Yuki and Shi stared at each other for a good few moments [b] [color=fff79a]"It is good you had fun dear sister~"[/b][/color] Though the air seemed tense for a moment Shi relaxed "I do hope you got something for me on your date, after all- WHOA!" Suddenly Shi was forced to duck to avoid a flying round house kick from Yuki.
"What has got you so mad?!"
Shi exsclaimed as she raised her hand to block Yuki's follow up kick, the two locked in a power struggle. "You interrupted my date with Luca..." Shi gritted her fannged teeth, riasing her other fist and bumping the top of Yuki's head "Don't attack your own sister out of such a stupid reason! Jeez... We have a job to finish, come on." *Thwack* "Uuuuuu...." Yuki was squating down rubbing her head from the pain of sisterly punishment but seemed to have been calmed by the mention of the job. Speaking of which Shi made sure to bow before the new arrivals
"Welcome, you all have such good manners to answer our call right away. I am Shiso Volkov"</s>
<|message|>Samael Alastor (Most just call him Sam and he's cool with that)
Samael | Shrine
As Sam arrived at the shrine, there were people there already. He had heard mention of the Vongola too, so this was most certainly the meeting spot. In his arms were large bags of food, he set it down and took out one of the small plastic boxes and began to eat as he spoke.
"Ah, Vongola business, am I right?", he asked.
"So, who'll I be killing today? Or is it protection? Do I need to steal something? Questions", he began. A jovial smile upon his face as he said all that, eating as he did.
"But really, have you guys tried the yakisoba? It's incredible, and the takoyaki, I found this stand that sold them with these mayonnaise cores, and they are absolutely delightful".</s>
<|message|>Rentarou "Ren" Kanesada
Upon his arrival at the shrine, a familiar, stubborn voice screams at Ren from behind him. The sudden killing intent surprised the young heir, with a quick movement of his feet, he side steps to his right to evade the attempt at grabbing him. The green haired boy was more of a nuisance than he had originally thought, perhaps getting rid of him was a wise choice. Before the hidden tanto in his dark yukata could strike at the pest with his left hand, other strangers-- ones he had previously seen, arrived at the venue, including the young Vongola boss candidate.
Seeing as there would be too many unwanted witnesses, the raven haired boy lowered his short sword and averted his gaze to the side. "............ Very well. If you wish to be enlightened, stay. But I cannot assure your safety for whatever judgment they may bring upon with your interferance..." After what needed to be spoken, the yakuza heir kept his lips sealed in silence for what was about to transpire.
A baby? No. He was no ordinary baby.... Being in the underground world for quite a time, he had caught a rumor of the seven powerful infants of the mafia world, their trademark being a pacifier hanging from their neck. Ren had been skeptical of such rumor until this moment, when one of them was in front of his eyes, in the flesh. The boy could somehow feel from the movements of the baby upon revealing himself that he indeed was no ordinary human. To be fair, a baby capable of pulling such a stunt would evidently be classified as abnormal.
From the tone of their voices, the figures who had appeared were not hostile towards his protection target or him. After establishing that they were involved with the Vongola, the Kanesada heir lowered himself on his knee, hand on his chest with a slight bow of his head. "Kanesada, Rentarou of the Varia, reporting for duty.... Though Ren is preferrable. I deeply apologize but an outsider has... followed my footsteps." The boy lifts his head to shift his eyes to the obnoxious boy to point him out to the two authority figures.</s>
<|message|>Naoki Shindo
It was Naoki's time to shine this leap of faith could help him catch a potential thug and with a single moment he face planted "To..much..pain" He lay there sore on his stomach and then brought his head up to see the man he chased looking at him. At that moment all of Naoki's self-pride was gone, so it was only logical to do the following he looked directly at the man who he heard name was Ren and stuck his tongue out. Naoki stood up feeling confused and forgot about Ten shortly after, as he seen a baby wearing an orange cloak with a red pacifier/dummy. He leaped to his feet and walked up to the cute infant.
"Hi name's Naoki how do you know Mr.Target? What's your name?" he didn't know why he asked the baby the questions and he didn't even know he was speaking to the great Fong. He reached out his hand stupidly to shake the babies hand, problem being he didn't know the difference of talking to a baby rather then
His potential target, adults, or people his age.</s>
| <|message|>Asuka Argento
Asuka had gotten to the shrine as the group was forming. It seemed this hadn't been a simple prank. Not even in the slightest. She smiled. That was good. But now she had some questions to ask. As she made her way into the group she placed a hand on Ren's head as she passed him by. "Good to see you again Mr. Kasenada." She said calming herself as she messed up his hair a bit. "Though it is curious to think that a simple feline lover such as yourself would be here." The same could be said for anyone else, including her, but she was mostly teasing him because of who he was. Especially after her thoughts were confirmed by his introduction of himself. Though she'd no idea was Varia was.
"Now. Miss Volkov. Could I assume you share some relation with..." She stopped in her tracks, just near Shiso. What was that she had seen? She turned her head to glance as the baby with the red pacifier around his neck. She looked back at Shiso and then again at the baby. Her heart thumped. A-A baby... It's... It's... She tried to steal herself as she looked back to Shiso. However, she could not contain herself. She lunged grabbing the child, pulling him away from the young green haired boy. "So cuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuute~" She spoke in a cheerful sing song voice as she nuzzled the baby, holding him close to her. "Do you have a name?" She asked him. She couldn't help it. It was adorable. Like a plushie.
Surely she should have been more serious given the situation. She knew at least that much. But how? How could she stand firm and resilient when faced with this level of adorableness?! How could anybody for that matter?! She didn't care. She could listen and hug the small infant. Though this was a rare moment, especially for those who knew her personally, and engaged her during the school year or when she was usually fulfilling her more professional role and being her normal self.</s> |
<|description|>Asuka Argento
Username: Demon Shinobi
Age: 15
Gender: Female
Country of Origin: Japan (Though she is half Japanese and Half Italian)
Role: Storm Guardian Candidate
Flame: Storm
Weapon/Fighting Style: Asuka utilizes a whip coupled with fluid, quick movements in battle. IN truth this was a weapon she was taught to use by her father, who used a chain sword.
Box weapons:
1) Catena Frusta di Tempesta (Chain Whip of the Storm) - With a grip resembling that of a sword and a 2 yard long chain topped with a kunai like blade at the end, this is the perfect weapon to accentuate her skill with a whip. This chain whip channels and can be engulfed in the Storm Flame at the user's will.
2) Volpe a Nove Code di Tempesta (Nine-Tailed Fox of the Storm) - A small black nine tailed fox, with white tipped tails matching it's white paws. It is incredibly fast. It can fire small balls from its tails made of condensed storm flames. It can coat it's paws in storm flames while running. And it can coat it's fangs and saliva in the flames when biting. All at the beck and call of it's master.
Appearance:
As she stands now, Asuka is a fairly well developed young girl. She stands at about 5'4" with lovely skin and a lovelier figure for her age.
In ten years not much has changed. She has grown taller, standing at about 5'8" and has grown more in the bust and hip areas, though no male (or occasional female) would care about that right? Overall, she had some what larger more accentuated curves than she had as a child.
Personality: Asuke is typically level headed and easy to get along with. Ever intelligent and kind, one might think Asuka is picture of perfection. She does not feel this way. She works hard and strives to be better when necessary. However, she is not oblivious to her looks, and figure and uses it to her advantage when possible. She can be manipulative, a bit of a flirt and somewhat teasing. But that is more so because she finds it fun and humorous. She can be a bit odd and random in her behavior, but she picks her moments. There is a time to play, a time to be serious, a time to fight, etc. etc. Still even with her confidence and somewhat flirty attitude, she is quite innocent can be made to blush if she isn't the one teasing, but the one being teased. Asuka is simply Asuka.
History: Asuka's mother was Japanese and her father Italian. How did they meet? Well her mother was the mayor of Namimori at one point. She was beautiful, responsible, fearless, and much more. She was practically leading the charge against the local thugs and yakuza. Of course, this lead to many wanting her dead. She thought it didn't matter, but others weren't so reckless.
Thus, her father was hired. A bodyguard for hire at the time, his strength was renowned. Even to those yakuza he was not only recognized, but respected for his skill and ability. This was no small feat. His presence brought along much more peace of mind. Even to her mother, though it wouldn't be admitted, at first. Still, as time went on and the two spent more time together, they would eventually fall in love. That love would blossom into the birth of a child.
After that, Asuka's mother resigned. With a baby on the way she couldn't afford to risk her life. And neither could her father. They settled in Namimori since he hadn't had a permanent of his own due to his constant travelling. Without her continuing her work there was no need to further pursue harming her or her future child. Besides nobody wished to cause more problems with Asuka's father.
She grew up normally. Of course, up until she was ten. Then he father began to make her exercise, work a bit a bit more and train so she could be able to defend herself in the case that he wasn't around. He gave her a weapon similar to his. A whip. It could suffice. She learned fairly quickly. Now she'd 15. Her parents are off travelling with full confidence that she can handle herself. She can too. Though not many know, she can fight fairly well. She can take care of herself and does quite well in school. She strive to maintain a good position like her mother did, and still does.
Other: The following are added information.
Hobbies: Asuka's hobbies include reading Manga, watching anime, studying, training, and cooking. She also enjoys the occasional online game and the very rare eroge. But that's a secret.
Likes: Asuka likes having fun, hanging out, making new friends and occasionally a good brawl if it can add a little excitement to her life. However, more than anything, she likes cute things, even if she denies it.
Dislikes: Asuka dislikes jerks and rude people, though can put up with them if she is close to them. She also dislikes killjoys and boredom. She isn't one to take well to being teased, as hypocritical as that sounds. And she doesn't like people messing with or insulting the things or people she cares about.</s>
<|message|>Samael Alastor (Most just call him Sam and he's cool with that)
Samael | Rooftop
"Hmmmm... Questions, well not really... Everyone here must've been already chosen for one of these 'positions', I think I'd like to know what they are", he knew what these positions were, they were revered among the family. The guardians of the flames, Storm, Mist, Cloud, Lightning, Rain, and the Vongola head's Sky. It was obvious that Luca here was the one who represented the Sky, but what about everyone else? Sam knew his own potential with Mist, so he had some idea.
"And so would they", he added.</s>
<|message|>Yuki Volkov
Shi's tail swayed from side to side like a ticking grandfather clock as she waited for the others to pose their questions, however when none came she suspected they understood just what they were getting themselves into, that was fine. Though Samael did pose one about just what they were picked to be, a understandable question after all she did explain about the guardians while they had all met at the shrine so that was what peaked his interest?
"Well, I suppose I can tell you. where shall we start? Ah, with the Guardians? My sister over there trying to feed your future boss-," She gestured to Yuki holding a hotdog on the end of a fork and trying to poke it into Luca's mouth, a rather innocent looking assassin it seems. "She was to join the ranks of Varia, but has forced the issue into becoming one of the Sun Guardian Candidates along with Akane Kimiko." She looked to the others, to make this fast she simply pointed to them in turn and announced what they were to be.
"Samael Mist Guardian Candidate
Naoki Shindo Thunder Guardian Canidate
Minase Hideaki Cloud Guardian Candidate
Rentarou Kanesada Rain Guardian Candidate"
Lowering her hands she waited for a few moments "And of course we have the Storm Guardian Candidate, who belongs too our late dear Asuka Argento" It was this moment this moment that the girl would have come through the door, Shi's ears were not just for show afterall. "You have not missed much, Fon will just fill you in while I explain this: There are also the Varia members, if you are chosen to become one of these you will discover what it means, however as of right now simply focus on the tasks at hand."</s>
<|message|>Asuka Argento
Just as Shi had predicted Asuka would burst through the door she appeared, hearing her name. "Well~ Seems you decided to aid me in making an entrance." She cooed playfully as she took a small bow. "Thank you very much." She smiled as she before giggling at the sight of Yuki trying to feed Luca. It was so cute. Especially given what they'd learned of her background.
Once she scanned the area, making sure she remembered each person who'd showed up, she took a position beside Hideaki before affectionately elbowing him in the side."Where's my key, Mr. Stalker?" She asked in a whisper a bit annoyed after finding that one of her keys was missing from he ring. Of course, she wouldn't be so loud as to make him out to look like a creep before their possible new comrades. Not until more was known about everyone. But she did want her property back.</s>
<|message|>Minase Hideaki / Yi Hyun-ki
With a slight raise of his eyebrow, Hideaki accepted the bento box handed to him by the younger, less foxy Volkov sister. He looked at the drink - grape soda, bad for the teeth - and then peeked into the bento - the usual faire, nothing special. After quickly verifying that there wasn't laxative or some kind of poison tainting his bento, as was usual protocol, he glanced around the rooftop for a free spot. He spotted a suitable seat that was close-but-not-too-close to the group, shaded from the summer sun, and situated nicely against the rooftop fencing, so naturally he seized the opportunity presented to him by walking on over and taking a seat.
Verdict: 1/10. Disgusting, but would still eat instead of fast-food take-out.
He grabbed another bite with his chopsticks and brought it up to his mouth. His pleasantly smiling face belied his true opinion as he ate and drank with his peers. If he was forced to give a formal critique, it would be long and nitpicky - as was the opinion of Minase Hideaki on most things presented to him. Still, he knew that flipping the bento over and throwing his carbonated drink at somebody was not a socially acceptable reaction to 99% of stimuli, so he kept quiet and ate. Hide was a patient person, after all.
And then that happened. Oh boy.
Across more than a thousand parallel worlds, the consequence of Asuka's seemingly innocuous action was met with an equally innocuous reaction from Hideaki. Perhaps he would've ignored her or just given the keys back. Or he might have tossed them over the chainlink barrier or not have taken them in the first place.
Fortunately or not, this was not one of those worlds.
Hideaki's lips curled into a smile that was equal parts amiable and shady as fuck. Suddenly, there was a movement of his closest arm, an incline of the torso, a parting of lips and a vibration of vocal cords. What was he doing? Why did it look like he was going to do a thing that he would regret after a few training montages? A still, silent moment passed and oh shit. Hide did the thing. He had his arm around Asuka' shoulder and was leaning in and whispering sweet nothings into her ear. Well, probably not that, they were still minors and Hide was not, as they say, 'a playah'. Either way after spinning a believable story about how he wasn't the dastardly stalker that Asuka thought he was, he spoke the words that she was dying to hear. Or maybe would rather die than hear, if she was a more melodramatic kind of person.
"...And that's the story all about why I'm disappointed to tell you that, unfortunately, I do not possess your key at this very moment."
---------------------------But this was all a distraction.
Yes. A distraction. A diversion. A ruse. An attempt at subterfuge. An example of prime HideAsu shipping material. A stepping stone to greater heights. Whatever you want to call it, that's what it was. Because while Hide did all that stuff that would probably get him set on fire later, his other hand was busy doing something sneaky. It was dexterously planting the key in Asuka's key pocket as the story went on. In other words, you could say that Hide was being...
...snea-key.</s>
| <|message|>Asuka Argento
Asuka was shocked by the sudden actions taken by Hideaki. The look on her face must have given in away. There wasn't a blush though. No, that might have happened had the one performing this were ANYBODY other than this two-faced, four eyed, pessimistic, sassy piece of crap. Still, she understood almost immediately as his little story went on. She knew him too well. All these years and he thought that he could get one over on her. It was as if he really did believe those ludicrous rambling about her being an idiot. He truly should have given her more credit than that.
And yet there was this voice in the back of her head. There were so many things that she could have done. Try to play along as though the surprised look that had appeared was one of childish joy not, the shock of an unexpected horror. Maybe horror was a strong word. Many thoughts race through her head as she got herself together and took a few steps away from Hideaki. Right now, Asuka knew. She had a bit of a plan. And with her skills in acting she could surely pull it off. At least to some of those who didn't know of her and Hideaki's standing hatred of each other. Which for the most part would be everyone.
She let out a sigh as she finally turned to face him. "I can't believe you!" She scoffed before turning away again, wiping a fake tear from her eye. "I'll have to change each of my locks tonight." She placed her hands over her face and shook her head, her hair draping over to add to the effect. "I thought if there was anybody I could trust it would be an old friend like you. Somebody I'd known since childhood. But you're just as bad as other guys!" She spoke between sobs as the tears continued to flow more strongly. Going as far as to cry. Crafty. "A dummy. A beast. A pervert." She went on with the list before finally stopping and crossing her arms over her chest, light tears still noticeable, though she seemed finished. "I just hope you won't be so unprofessional when on the job. It's bad enough you chose now to try and make such a daring move. I thought I'd told you enough that I wasn't interest in you like that."
With that she finally turned to everyone else. "Sorry you had to see that. It was never my intention." She said before giving a slight bow. Immediately she was make her way to Luca and pat him on the back assuming he'd accepted his position like she had along with everyone else, though it was all hopeful speculation. "NOW!~ Where were we? Has everyone made a decision and what not yet?" She said a bit more cheerily.</s> |
<|description|>Victoire Roux
Username: Lesli Fran Coly
Age: 19
Gender: Female
Country of Origin: France
Role: Varia Sun Guardian
Flame: Sun
Weapon / Fighting Style: FAMAS F1 assault rifle with a bayonet attached
Appearance: Present:
Future:
Personality: If people ever see Victoire, the girl is surrounded by a soothing and calm aura accompanied with a gentle smile. Victoire is welcoming and friendly, yet she maintains a specific distance between strangers. She is motherly and nurturing to her close friends and is loyal and obedient to orders, no matter what. She's determined to serve her superiors and will not hesitate to follow or question commands. Victoire is loyal to the core if you managed to earn her trust, which is surprisingly harder than it looks. It might look like she's an open book, but she's a very subtle person, and her real thoughts are sometimes heard if you take a moment to analyze her choice of words. Victoire is also a touchy-feely person who doesn't know the meaning of sense of privacy. She will hug her friends and sometimes kiss their cheeks just because she can, so don't take it to heart if she did.
However, she seems to have adopted a do-whatever-it-takes attitude when it comes to her duty that sometimes lands herself and others in harm's way. Despite the kindly atmosphere she surrounds herself in, she is still an assassin by heart. The death of a stranger or a target does not matter to her, since their death is the goal. She also keeps a "Kill Or Be Killed" mentality, so you can't be fooled by her pacifist attitude since being an assassin, bloodshed is an inevitable part of her life now, and Victoire has long accepted it.
History: Victoire's father, Lance Roux, is a former soldier turned hitman. At her first six years in this world, Victoire was spoiled and dearly loved under her mother Marielle. She was innocent and still had the face of innocence back then. She had no idea of how cruel the world is, much less the underground world her future self would belong in. Victoire would always remember that her father was a giant but quiet man who's not there all the time. He wouldn't play with her unlike her mother, but he would silently watch them with a sad smile. Victoire never understood why her father always looked so sad when she was so happy. She didn't until she was six and a half years old.
Marielle and her daughter were in their simple home, Victoire playing with her doll while her mother is watching TV. When suddenly Lance barges in and just orders them to pack up and leave quickly. It was the first time Victoire saw her father make an expression that isn't sad. It turns out that Lance is being targeted by a mafia family because of a mission he succeeded in doing, which is to assassinate the wife of the boss. While they managed to escape safely from their assailants, Lance was certain that the level of danger they are in is really high now, and decided to teach his only daughter to protect herself.
For the next seven years, Victoire was trained by her father. Imagine, a six-turning-seven year old girl being made to do push-ups, sit-ups, and run one hundred laps a day. Being forced to be surrounded by different kinds of guns and how to use them. Being forced to learn hand-to-hand combat. But it wasn't until she was thirteen when she was forced to kill a life.
It didn't take long for Victoire to soon take up her father's line of work. Like Lance, who has now retired, she was a freelance hitman. Her successes in each of her missions spread throughout the underground world, until the Varia Assassination Squad has finally offered her to be a member. Victoire, being aware of the influence the Vongola Famiglia are, accepted the offer as she can provide her family protection and security.
Other: Victoire seems to be fond of flowers for some reason, and likes making flower crowns and putting them on her friends' heads if she feels like it. She's also very physically affectionate. Victoire likes reading and History if she has free time, sometimes just roaming around a garden, sitting and making daisy chains with a cup of tea. She doesn't take it kindly in threatening her family or even Famiglia, if Victoire swore her loyalty to you, she will be loyal to you.</s>
<|message|>Yuki Volkov
"WAH!"
The football slammed into the back of the net with a impressive thwack, a few strings even coming undone from the force. The poor girl that had avoided the ball, despite being the captain of the team and current goal keeper for this little end of semester match, gave out a thankful sigh. "Yuki, you can hold back, we are just meant to be playing around you know" The captain gave out a chuckle with a few others of the team as she went to get the ball.
"I know, and I was holding back"
Yuki was gracefully bouncing on the spot, the boundless energy that she was showing was in contrast to her expression. She had been here for only a month and yet she made a good amount of friends on the athletics teams of the school, it was rather a shame she joined so late in the year. It was the very reason she was annoyed at that moment, the fact that she was enjoying herself and yet..
The bell tolled and signaled the end of the semester, but just as Yuki was about to sprint off to her new source of excitement, her captain called out to her. "Yuki! I need you to help me clean up" She said it with a smile but Yuki was looking more annoyed than ever before as she started to make her way back, kind of hoping she could have caught Luca before he left.
A hour or so passed before she could make her way home, her spats and training hoodie still on as she did not waste any time changing out of them. Raising her gaze form the floor, her ice colored eyes locked onto a familiar form, causing her to go into a full on sprint! A few steps away she flung her arms around Luca from behind, of course she couldn't see his bruises and scraps so the hug may have been more painful than she intended...
"You're going home late Luca, did you wait for me?~"</s>
<|message|>Luca Yuuki
"I gotta admit Taiga's not all talk..." Luca muttered, flinching as he rubbed his cheek. After the skirmish all Luca wanted to do was take a bath and drop dead o onto his bed. Unfortunately, he knew that wasn't an option. As soon as he stepped through the door his parents were going to drag him out to the summer festival. Speaking of people who were probably going try and get him out to the festival.
Luca grunted in pain as he suddenly felt someone jump him from behind. "You're going home late Luca, did you wait for me?~" His face redened slightly as he looked back at the snowy haired girl. "H-Hey, come on..." Luca squirmed uncomfortably in Yuki's embrace. It was a stark contrast how Luca could go from being so bold and aggressive around guys like Taiga to being timid and unsure of himself with everyone else. "Actually, I was held up by Taiga..." His dwindled as he spoke knowing how Yuki got when it came to Luca and fighting. He didn't understand out but how she had become quite attached to him and could be somewhat...protective.</s>
<|message|>Rentarou "Ren" Kanesada
Tack......... Tack......... Tack.........
An echo of a bamboo sharply clacking against a rock reverberated throughout the serene, traditional Japanese garden, as the sōzu (water fountain) repeated its upwards and downwards motions with the filling and emptying of the bamboo fountain piece. The water in the pond stirred, koi fishes of different variety of colors decorated the viridescent waters, from orange to white to black, and even blue. A faint summer breeze blew past the now green cherry blossom tree, lightly rustling its leaves as a few number of them were carried away by the wind, eventually descending upon the ground. The only other sound that broke the tranquil silence was the shrilling of a cicada, which truly marked the beginning of the burning heat season.
A raven haired male was seated in a kneeling position on the wooden floor of a veranda with the scenery of the aforementioned garden. Still as a tree, the male sat down in silence with minimal movement, his blue eyes shut closed and hands firmly placed atop his lap. A wooden sword rested on the floor beside him as if it had recently been used. He was adorned in a kendogi, the appropriate uniform worn when one practiced kendo, which exactly hinted what he had been doing previously. Ren, the said male, was in the middle of his meditation after a strenuous sword practice session. Clearing one's mind of unnecessary thoughts in a relaxing environment was how he favored to take his breaks. How old geezer-like as it may sound, Ren was still a middle schooler but the influence of the people around him caused him to be this way. Being tutored at the comfort of his home without peers from his age group did not make the matters any better.
A set of footsteps from the hallway approached the young heir before it was revealed to be from his old butler. Ren stayed in his initial position with no reaction whatsoever, knowing well enough that it was possibly one of his servants. The old man upon being at a certain distance, deeply bowed as a greeting to his master and gently set a serving of green tea beside the boy before parting his lips to speak.
"Pardon me for my intrusion young master, but Master Kanesada has instructed me to inform you of your compulsory attendance to the summer festival this evening being held at the city."
"............... Is it truly necessary?"
"He has mentioned of an heir being announced tonight for our allied group, Vongola."
"..... Understood. Make haste preparations."</s>
<|message|>Asuka Argento
It was truly a beautiful day. The kind of day one would hope for, or rather expect, on the last day of school before summer vacation. Not to mention the coming festival. These days were particularly busy for Asuka. But she handled it all without batting an eye. It was simple really. In her words, If I couldn't do at least this much, I wouldn't be fit as Student Council President. That was usually her response when it came to matters like the amount of work she took on. Today. Today she was making a few rounds, seeing how the last day was going. She'd had a few meeting and appointments with future club heads regarding the budgets for next year. She could rework those over the summer. So confident she was that she wouldn't be losing her position.
Though this wasn't where her interest lied. No, her interest was in Luca. Sleeping throughout the end of class again was he? She supposed she could let it slide on the last day. Besides she had other things to attend to. Even so, she nearly butted in when he and Taiga decided on holding a little brawl on the roof after Taiga's announcement. She would have done something about this self-proclaimed successor to legendary Hibari Kyoya, but it was another matter that could be let slide. Especially, since the bell had already rung. She was technically off duty, but the StuCo President never officially clocked out, so to speak.
Still, here she was. Walking home while thinking of the next responsibility she would hold. She'd had a meeting with some teachers. The Student Council would be holding a booth at the festival. Rather they were requested to help with one. It seemed a local shop owner who had already paid the festival admission fee to run a booth had ended up getting hurt. She agreed to help, but the other council members all had vacations or other things to do. Sometimes it seemed as though she may as well be the only member. "Rice balls and chocolate bananas huh?" That was it. Making and selling rice balls and chocolate bananas. This shop was getting popular because of some of their special ingredient in each product. Which was why such simple things were their primary sellers.
"Hm?" She looked up, coming back from her thoughts when she heard two familiar voices. "Ah! Luca! Yuki!" She called out as she approached the two. "It's so good to see you two. It's especially good to see you awake." She spoke to both and then more specifically to Luca. "Though I do wish you and Taiga would keep your childish fights off of the roof. Somebody could get hurt." She added to him. "Or maybe don't fight on school grounds at all if you can avoid it. Would be much better than walking home bruises and hurt like this." She giggled looking him over once more. "Oh and how are you doing Yuki? I hope you've been adjusting nicely after joining us here." She was standing just a bit away from them now so as not to be too close, her bag held firmly in her hands in front of her skirt. These two would work. Even one of them would be find to pull into helping at the stand.</s>
| <|message|>Victoire Roux
Victoire walks around curiously around town, smiling slightly at the sights Namimori has to offer. It was very refreshing for her to be in this place, the place where the Vongola Decimo grew up. While Victoire is wondering why the Vongola Family has to send someone from the Varia instead of their own agents to observe the next generation of the Vongola, but it's not like Victoire to question orders, so she didn't. The minute Victoire stepped out of the airport, anyone would figure out that she is not Japanese. The nineteen-year old woman was wearing what is to be presumed as the modern fashion trends in France, and can be assumed that she was just a simple tourist. Not a cold-blooded assassin, she brightly thought as she enthusiastically checks out the shops here in Namimori. Even though it's her first time here, she managed to speak good enough Japanese. After all, you need to speak at least seven languages to be a part of the Varia.
Victoire beamed when she heard about the summer festival tonight. "Hm...it sounds fun. Maybe I should go there tonight," she muttered gently to herself as she heads to a neighborhood. She blinked when she noticed two girls and a boy, all of them probably in middle school. Victoire silently hid herself from their view when she recognized the boy's face. Luca Yuuki, potential next boss of the Vongola Famiglia, she curiously studied his face, her eyes slightly softening. He's so young, but I heard the Vongola Decimo was about the same age when he started his training.
Of course, Victoire on the other hand, started training the life of a mafioso when she was about six or seven. She smiled fondly at those memories, kind of proud of herself now that they don't have to move house by house to avoid those who were chasing them. She shook her head, driving out the memories of the past. She turned around and went the other way, this time heading for the apartment building she will have to live in in her stay here in Namimori. Or I should buy a yukata for tonight. And the potential next Vongola might be there as well.</s> |
<|description|>Victoire Roux
Username: Lesli Fran Coly
Age: 19
Gender: Female
Country of Origin: France
Role: Varia Sun Guardian
Flame: Sun
Weapon / Fighting Style: FAMAS F1 assault rifle with a bayonet attached
Appearance: Present:
Future:
Personality: If people ever see Victoire, the girl is surrounded by a soothing and calm aura accompanied with a gentle smile. Victoire is welcoming and friendly, yet she maintains a specific distance between strangers. She is motherly and nurturing to her close friends and is loyal and obedient to orders, no matter what. She's determined to serve her superiors and will not hesitate to follow or question commands. Victoire is loyal to the core if you managed to earn her trust, which is surprisingly harder than it looks. It might look like she's an open book, but she's a very subtle person, and her real thoughts are sometimes heard if you take a moment to analyze her choice of words. Victoire is also a touchy-feely person who doesn't know the meaning of sense of privacy. She will hug her friends and sometimes kiss their cheeks just because she can, so don't take it to heart if she did.
However, she seems to have adopted a do-whatever-it-takes attitude when it comes to her duty that sometimes lands herself and others in harm's way. Despite the kindly atmosphere she surrounds herself in, she is still an assassin by heart. The death of a stranger or a target does not matter to her, since their death is the goal. She also keeps a "Kill Or Be Killed" mentality, so you can't be fooled by her pacifist attitude since being an assassin, bloodshed is an inevitable part of her life now, and Victoire has long accepted it.
History: Victoire's father, Lance Roux, is a former soldier turned hitman. At her first six years in this world, Victoire was spoiled and dearly loved under her mother Marielle. She was innocent and still had the face of innocence back then. She had no idea of how cruel the world is, much less the underground world her future self would belong in. Victoire would always remember that her father was a giant but quiet man who's not there all the time. He wouldn't play with her unlike her mother, but he would silently watch them with a sad smile. Victoire never understood why her father always looked so sad when she was so happy. She didn't until she was six and a half years old.
Marielle and her daughter were in their simple home, Victoire playing with her doll while her mother is watching TV. When suddenly Lance barges in and just orders them to pack up and leave quickly. It was the first time Victoire saw her father make an expression that isn't sad. It turns out that Lance is being targeted by a mafia family because of a mission he succeeded in doing, which is to assassinate the wife of the boss. While they managed to escape safely from their assailants, Lance was certain that the level of danger they are in is really high now, and decided to teach his only daughter to protect herself.
For the next seven years, Victoire was trained by her father. Imagine, a six-turning-seven year old girl being made to do push-ups, sit-ups, and run one hundred laps a day. Being forced to be surrounded by different kinds of guns and how to use them. Being forced to learn hand-to-hand combat. But it wasn't until she was thirteen when she was forced to kill a life.
It didn't take long for Victoire to soon take up her father's line of work. Like Lance, who has now retired, she was a freelance hitman. Her successes in each of her missions spread throughout the underground world, until the Varia Assassination Squad has finally offered her to be a member. Victoire, being aware of the influence the Vongola Famiglia are, accepted the offer as she can provide her family protection and security.
Other: Victoire seems to be fond of flowers for some reason, and likes making flower crowns and putting them on her friends' heads if she feels like it. She's also very physically affectionate. Victoire likes reading and History if she has free time, sometimes just roaming around a garden, sitting and making daisy chains with a cup of tea. She doesn't take it kindly in threatening her family or even Famiglia, if Victoire swore her loyalty to you, she will be loyal to you.</s>
<|message|>Minase Hideaki / Yi Hyun-ki
'I'm beginning to dislike this arduous situation. What makes her think I want to compensate for her inability to plan properly? Does she want me to ask her if she wants to accompany me to the festival or something? Doesn't she know that other people have their own problems to deal with? Self-sufficiency is a virtue, after all.'
"Mmm, sure," Hideaki answered, suppressed pessimism hammering against his consciousness like water trying to escape a dam, "It's no skin off my back." The upperclassmen put a hand to his chin in thought. Within the poisonous cesspool of his mind was a surprising amount of actual thought put into helping this girl. Credibility must be retained, after all, and besides, it was like his mother said: if you were going to do something, you do it right the first time. Unfortunately, though he'd much rather not bring her to help with the class president's operation, given his own motivations were not exactly out of charity, it seemed to be the only option that wasn't a rather blatant 'screw off' on his part.
"You could come with me to help the class pres," Hideaki suggested, finger pointed upward in representation of his 'new' idea, "I'm sure she'll need all the help she can get. From what I've heard, it looks like all her usual help left for the summer." He shrugged, "That's the best I can come up with at the moment, unless you want to stay at home."
The young bowman resumed walking away from the school, gesturing for the kendoka to follow after him. "Well if you aren't coming, I guess I'll see you later, maybe."</s>
<|message|>Yuki Volkov
Yuki listened to Asuka teasing them with what they wanted, her face remaining her classic blank look towards all that was being said as if it didn't phase her in the least, though the small blush across her cheeks said otherwise. Despite this she did have something to say to Asuka, raising one of her hands from Luca's shoulders she pointed it towards the girl before suddenly giving a thumbs up "No, but it wont be from a lack of trying" That was her little addition to the joke before moving on.
Though the next part did not really concern her, she did have a few things to add "I would prefer if you didn't try the hostage thing. I wouldn't hold back." She was pretty blunt about this as if it was already a decided fact, but really it was more about her confidence in her ability than Luca being harmed.
Either way they obtained what they wanted in return and Luca even agreed with her on the matter, though she did not know how good she would be interacting with so many people... She was hardly the president when it came to a friendly manner but in the end this was mainly on Luca anyway. "Either way" She said, letting her arms slide off of Luca and back into her track hoodie pockets, finally releasing him from his imprisonment. "We should all hurry home and get ready, if we wait around then the booth wont be set up in time."</s>
<|message|>Akane Kimiko Aloise
The redhead fought back a smirk tugging up the corners of her mouth. The upperclassman putting up a friendly front despite his distaste of her even being there was rather amusing for her. She knew about the president's need of help, and had put it as an afterthought to help with her booths in the festival, but hadn't confirmed the decision yet till then. Her approach on the archer was only to observe his reaction. In doing so, now the kendoka achieved a mental note of the two-faced personality of Minase Hideaki. And the fact that not many came to the pres' aid like she expected to. That she didn't know.
Deciding to play along, Akane kept a straight face, waiting a second or two before the archer finally gave his suggestion, index finger pointing upwards to illustrate the fact that it was 'new'.
"Will do then, senpai," she replied with a small smile, still fighting the urge for it to turn to a smirk. The girl felt quite two-faced herself, though she usually isn't as such. "I better hurry home to prepare. See you later." and with a wave of her right hand, she went her separate way.</s>
<|message|>Luca Yuuki
Luca's face felt like it was going to combust because of the heat building up in it due to Asuka's teasing. "I-I-It's not like that!" People would swear they could see steam rising off the young blonde's head when the president implied he was trying to add her to some kind of harem. "No way! I mean it's not thatyourunattractivebutIwouldn'ttrysomethinglikethatwithbothofyou! Ack! I mean I haven't eventhoughtaboutthatwithYukinothatIwouldn't...WHAT AM I SAYING!?" His speech had reach super sonic speeds as he tried to arrange his thoughts in the midst of his flustered state. It only worsened when his snowy haired admirer added on to the joke. These two can be so cruel... A thought only given more ground to stand on by Asuka's detailed reasoning for pulling guilt trip card, a card she'll have on Luca until further notice, rather than just asking for their help. When Yuki finally let go of the blonde he fainted to the ground due to overheating.
---
Namimori Summer Welcoming Festival
Namimori was never more active and alive than during the summer festival. The residents were happy and joyful, the food was extra delicious, and the town itself had an encompassing warm glow. Luca somehow managed to recover from the embarrassment of earlier and drag himself out to the festivities. As pessimistic as he was of coming he couldn't help but smile sincerely at the sight of everyone having so much fun. Though he refused to wear a yukata and opted for a light blue track suit that he wore when he went for the occasional jog. If he didn't stay in some kind of shape then who would deal with Taiga, who by the way Luca was enjoying seeing as the victim of the disciplinary committee's dunktank setup. "Enjoying yourself Lu~?" Luca turned to the source of the cheerful question he couldn't help but give his mother a judgmental look. Felicita Yuuki had a sweettooth with no rival and seemed to have visited every stand that sold chocolate and the like. "I thought you said you were cutting back on the sweets?" His mother just chuckled softly. "Come on Lu, it's the summer festival. Loosen up a little okay~ Oh! I didn't see that they had those here~" She took off towards another stand with her sweets cradled hin her arms. "Don't tell your father!" Luca sighed and chuckled. This wasn't gonna be so bad after all. Although this would be the last night he would enjoy a normal life...for better or for worse.</s>
<|message|>Yuki Volkov
Yuki started to collect her things for the festival, her wallet, phone and also a small bag of high end candies being placed within her short yukata's pockets. It was not really the most traditional look with the autumn pattern yukata and black pants, but it was surely comfy. Walking up towards the door of her apartment she turned off the lights but then suddenly stopped, her hand resting on the handle of the door as she spoke to the person now behind her within the shadows.
"Will you be coming to the festival then?"
"Heheh, It seems more than a few people have taken notice. I may keep watch and try out the food they have"
"Fine, just don't wait up for me."
With that Yuki left, leaving the figure to take a drag on their pipe "Yes, things are going to get awfully interesting, all the pieces are almost in place" Blowing out a stream of smoke as they spoke to themselves, the figure soon started to leave as well, a cap being pulled over what could only be described as ears just as the door closed and locked.
Namimori Summer Welcoming Festival
Having just arrived Yuki was making her way over to the booths with her hands in her pockets, taking a good look around and wondering if there was any way she could pick Luca out from the crowd... Almost instantly she saw the boy, the fact that he was blonde made him stand out but the track suit he was wearing made him like a beacon. She could not help but let out a tiny chuckle before heading over to Luca "Hey. I was hoping you would come in something more fitting." It was a real shame but she would live with it for now. Taking a look around she tried to spot the pres next "Do you know where the booth is?"</s>
| <|message|>Victoire Roux
Victoire was having too much fun that what she should have in this mission. Wearing a yellow and red yukata with floral patterns, Victoire was trying out every single booths, savouring the Japanese summer festival experience. However, she was unfortunately banned from the shooting range. As if she didnt't have earned enough looks from people, with her obviously foreign looks. Getting banned from the shooting range slightly made her a little sad, having made to leave her FAMAS F1 rifle at her apartment since she couldn't bring that weapon here without earning unwanted and unnecessary attention, but she's not as foolish not to bring any weapon to defend herself if the situation arises by chance. The French woman managed to bring herself an Apache revolver, a gift from her father.
A handgun, knife and brass knuckles all in one! Thank you so much, Dad! she thought, too brightly as if receiving a weapon to kill for her birthday from her father is something to be normally happy about. Alas, she is one of the children of the mafia, after all.
She walked around, scanning the shops and booths, when she saw at the corner of her eye the familiar face of the next Vongola Boss. She inwardly smiled and subtly kept an eye on him, keeping her own distance, but not leaving him out of her sight, yet she never stares directly. Looks like I have to lessen enjoying for now and observe the Eleventh, she thoughtfully muses. Then there's the new Varia member I heard. How coincidental.</s> |
<|description|>Minase Hideaki / Yi Hyun-ki
Username: Grey
Age: 15
Gender: Male
Country of Origin: Japan (Zainichi Korean)
Role: Vongola Guardian Candidate
Flame: Cloud, Lightning
Weapon/Fighting Style:* Bow and Arrows - As the captain of Nami Middle's Archery Club and one who lives by the traditional Japanese philosophy of archery, Hideaki's skill in bow-based marksmanship is supernal. Furthermore, Hideaki possesses exceptionally keen eyesight that assists in sniping targets moving at fast speeds and at super long-range. Among mafiosi, the perception of his eyes is one of, if not the, best.
* Razor Wire - A spool of monofilament metal wire and a pair of gloves with wire running through them. It's a very versatile weapon, equally capable of laceration and strangulation, among other things, but requires a high degree of skill to properly utilize. The wires capitalize on Hideaki's superior dexterity and agility moreso than his mediocre physical strength or endurance, and, in the future, his proficiency with these wires is equal to or surpassing his marksmanship. Currently located within a mundane box in his attic.
Appearance: Present Day -> Ten Years Later
Personality: The phrase 'alone in a crowd' sums up Hideaki very well. Though he seems to be the kind of naturally-popular, outgoing sort of person in his daily interactions with others, he's actually a rather detached person. He's not a loner by any extent, but he can't consider anyone his friend on principle. There's an old saying that 'the perfect archer has learned to suppressed the self', and Hideaki has done this to a T. In the face of discrimination against his people, Hideaki's learned to act the part of a wholesome Japanese young man and hide any perceived imperfections in his personality in public, but even sometimes he doesn't know where 'Minase Hideaki' ends and 'Yi Hyun-ki' begins. He's a very proficient actor nonetheless. In terms of his "true" personality, Hideaki is very much one to toss aside the fetters of traditional morality and follow his own path, not those that offend his sensibilities. Fortunately events in his daily life are not too contrary to his beliefs, even though he hates having to put on his happy face for the sake of his mother and his family's social standing and is actually kind of a two-faced asshole when it comes to his real opinions. His beliefs can be rather unorthodox at times, but it all lends to a decent capacity as a 'left-hand man' of sorts
History: Hideaki, born under the name of Yi Hyun-ki, seems to come from a rather innocuous family. His mother, a hardworking Japanese woman in her mid 30s, runs a book cafe in downtown Namimori while his Korean father works overseas and only really returns home once in a blue moon. However, his family is far more unusual than it would seem at first glance. Though unbeknownst to even Hideaki himself, his father is a notorious agent under the codename 'Tarantula' who works for an international police organization opposing the mafia whilst his mother, though now genuinely a functioning member of normal society, was born into a criminal organization and used to leverage her appearance and occupation as an investigative journalist to act as their informant. Incidentally, they both met without knowing a thing about each others' allegiances. When they learned that Hideaki was on the way, they changed their identities and relocated to Namimori, mostly as the Vongola Famiglia was not one to tolerate civilian attacks or enemy factions making trouble in their territory. As a result, Hideaki led the normal life his parents wanted for him, even if his father was hardly present for any of it, free from the influence of any criminal enterprises. However, he wasn't free from the second class status that came with his particular half-blooded ethnicity. His mother, ashamed of his status, unintentionally instilled Hideaki's warped, two-faced values with her cynical, heavy-handed, and sometimes traumatic teachings on the ways of the world.
Other:</s>
<|message|>Minase Hideaki / Yi Hyun-ki
Not long after Hideaki had locked the archery dojo doors and set off homewards, Aloise Akane, the ace of the kendo club, had suddenly chosen to address him. She completely unmatched in her art, if the rumors held fast, and Hideaki could respect that. She was also foreign but that was not too unusual, the archer supposed. It wasn't an unusual sight; Namimori was practically full of foreginers these days, after all. Her query was in regards to his preparations for the festivals, something that the bespectacled bowman thought was distinctly None Of Her Business. He'd let it pass though, give her the benefit of the doubt that this budding conversation wouldn't be the droll exchanging of pleasantries he'd been so accustomed to.
"Hmm? Good afternoon, Aloise-san," the boy cheerfully greeted the younger girl, sending a curt wave and a practiced, imperceptively insincere smile her way. It was a sequence of actions practically seared permanently into his being. Though mostly extraneous social formalities like these weren't something he particularly enjoyed having to do over and over again, he'd play his part well, just like he always did. First impressions counted for a lot, after all. "Ara, that's right. I do have to prepare for the festival. Guess I lost track of time," he agreed, sheepishly rubbing the back of his head, "But it's fine, I've got my outfit ready and everything. So all I have to do is go home, dress up, and maybe help out the class pres with her booth, ne?"
"What about you, Aloise-san?" the two-faced archer asked politely with feigned concern, "Don't you have to prepare for the festivities yourself?"</s>
<|message|>Akane Kimiko Aloise
She did notice the pretense of a cheery attitude the archer had on. The insincere smile, the false front and deceitful facade. It had the air that it seemed as if he'd been already accustomed to it, however. That much she knew, for socialization was an everyday thing the kendoka was exposed to, and also a rather vital part of her role in her family. Akane shrugged off the observation. To each his own, she thought.
"Good afternoon, Minase-senpai. I do have my outfit ready at home too, but am rather lost as to what I may do to help with at the festival. I hadn't any plans, after all. So I thought I'd approach you on this. If it doesn't bother you, would you mind suggesting some things?" the girl replied with a smile, preparing herself for whatever answer she'd receive. What she said was... partly true, though. Seeing as Minase was the first person she spotted, Akane thought of inquiring him about that. She knew she should've done things like this earlier, but procrastination had gotten the better of her. Typical.
The archer did mention of himself helping with the student council president's booths. That was an option too. Any thing to help, as she wasn't going to wander around aimlessly without a cause.</s>
<|message|>Luca Yuuki
As Yuki and Asuka continued their conversation there was an underlying calculating tone as they spoke that made Luca rather nervous. It wasn't that the president's compliments and praises weren't genuine, it was just that she usually had some kind of goal when she spoke. Things were set inn motion as she answered their whether or not she was attending the festival. "But it won't be all fun an games. Due to some circumstances I'll be managing a booth all by myself. I don't even know if I'll be able to handle that much work alone. Since you're going..." There it was. Luca could do nothing to stop it. Between the presidents well laid traps, which no matter how many times he's been caught in them he never realizes it before it's too late, and Yuki's infatuation with him he was doomed from the start. Luca couldn't argue since Asuka had rescued him from numerous detentions, extra homework, double cleanup duty and the like. Not to mention those puppy dog eyes, practiced to perfection and strengthening her already impressive mastery of the art off persuasion. "Yup, no problem. You could of just asked though..." He said with a defeated sigh. Not only did she snare him but by exaggerating his injuries she gave Yuki a perfect extruse to stay close to him and also help with the stand.
"Well, I think it is for the best. After all Luca is hurt so staying out of harms way would be better." When did I become sine kind of burn victim...=_= To Luca's surprise Yuki didn't leave things at that and inquired about compensation with a smile similar to the president's when she negotiated. These women really were scary. He had no idea where the snowy haired girl was going with this but decided to offer anything he could when she looked at him. "Um yeah...well, working at the booth won't leave us much time to find a place to watch the fireworks so..." It was quite obvious he wasn't used to this as his voice shook slightly. "You think you could use that presidential charm of yours to secure us a good spot? If it's not too much trouble..." He added quickly.</s>
<|message|>Rentarou "Ren" Kanesada
"Assemble an adequate number of our men to scout the premises beforehand..." An order was dictated by the young Kanesada heir, who was now dressed in a jet black yukata with his dark, mid-length hair tied up neatly. The old butler, to which the order was directed to, bowed to acknowledge the command and off he left in a haste back to the traditional Japanese mansion. Ren was left to his own thoughts while he awaited in the limousine situated in front of his mansion's gates.
Compared to the majority of the attendees of the upcoming festival tonight, Ren did not choose to participate in it for merry making or cash earning, no. As an ally of the Vongola family and a newly scouted Varia member, he was obliged to protect the future Vongola XI candidate who was to be attending the said festival. While he has yet to be acquainted with the candidate, a photo was sent to him by the current captain of the assassination squad to "keep an eye on him". Just to be on the safe side, a tanto (a short type of Japanese sword) was well hidden in the secret compartment of his yukata, in case anything should go wrong.
A sigh of boredom escaped his lips as he absentmindedly stared out of the window until a soft meow was heard. As if on instinct, the azure eyed male averted his gaze towards the origin of the sound. A little black cat stood a couple of meters away from the vehicle Ren was in, licking its tiny paw to rub it onto its face in a grooming manner. Being the cat enthusiast he is, the temptation was too great for the fearsome yakuza heir to stay put on his seat, therefore leaving the vehicle and approaching the sighted feline. His arm reached out to slowly pet the cat to see its approval to be touched, then the little feline reacted with a delighted purr while rubbing its head against the male's hand. Taking it as a positive response, Ren gently placed his arms around the cat and lifted it up, cradling it in his arms as he continued to pet it.
"Young master, we are ready for departure." An old voice called out to the raven haired male, Ren was slightly irritated internally at how much of a bad timing he had. A pair of circular, sparkling eyes stared up at him as he released another sigh before replying to his butler.
"............. Leave me be, ...at least for a minute before departure."</s>
<|message|>Asuka Argento
Asuka smiled at Yuki. "Are you saying valuable quality time with Luca isn't enough to satisfy you?" She chuckled lightly before letting a soft gasp escape her lips. She wasn't really surprised about anything, but she was going to act like it. "Unless... You'd rather spend it alone doing all sorts of things." She covered her face with both hands and shook her head just a bit. "I had no idea you'd already begun engaging in such acts Luca." She sounded shocked, though she was just kidding with the two. Teasing really.
Luca's next words only helped her to further the little gag. His request for her to secure a spot, coupled with his shaky voice. "D-Don't tell me you want me to secure a small spot for us so you can try and add me into your impure acts." She uncovered her face and pinched both of Luca's cheeks. "I'll have you know, I am not that kind of girl." She tugged on his cheeks playfully before letting go and laughing a little. "Still, I suppose I could do something of the sort." She let the joke go. She didn't want them to get too flustered in the off chance that she continued. Besides, jokes like this were better kept short. "As for why I didn't just ask..." She stopped to think for a moment. She had her reasons of course.
"To be honest. The way I saw it. If I gave you the option to say no, I'd have had to go through the ploy anyway. Well, either that or drag you along kicking and screaming. Which would have been easy given your current state. And even with Yuki's gifted athleticism rivaling my own, she'd have been easy to deal with once I took you hostage." She explained how she theorized things would have gone had she gone about this in the more normal way. "With all else considered, this seemed like the simplest, if not slightly less amusing course of action." She smiled again at the young blonde and white haired pair.
"Do you disagree with my plan of attack?" She then asked referring to the little talk as an attack. To her just about everything was some form of battle or another. Whether it be mental, physical or emotional. She did her best to strike first and continue that attack without mercy. Probably part of the reason she was Class President and unopposed. Though even if she were opposed she would be a shoe in to continue her run in Namimori.</s>
| <|message|>Minase Hideaki / Yi Hyun-ki
'I'm beginning to dislike this arduous situation. What makes her think I want to compensate for her inability to plan properly? Does she want me to ask her if she wants to accompany me to the festival or something? Doesn't she know that other people have their own problems to deal with? Self-sufficiency is a virtue, after all.'
"Mmm, sure," Hideaki answered, suppressed pessimism hammering against his consciousness like water trying to escape a dam, "It's no skin off my back." The upperclassmen put a hand to his chin in thought. Within the poisonous cesspool of his mind was a surprising amount of actual thought put into helping this girl. Credibility must be retained, after all, and besides, it was like his mother said: if you were going to do something, you do it right the first time. Unfortunately, though he'd much rather not bring her to help with the class president's operation, given his own motivations were not exactly out of charity, it seemed to be the only option that wasn't a rather blatant 'screw off' on his part.
"You could come with me to help the class pres," Hideaki suggested, finger pointed upward in representation of his 'new' idea, "I'm sure she'll need all the help she can get. From what I've heard, it looks like all her usual help left for the summer." He shrugged, "That's the best I can come up with at the moment, unless you want to stay at home."
The young bowman resumed walking away from the school, gesturing for the kendoka to follow after him. "Well if you aren't coming, I guess I'll see you later, maybe."</s> |
<|description|>Minase Hideaki / Yi Hyun-ki
Username: Grey
Age: 15
Gender: Male
Country of Origin: Japan (Zainichi Korean)
Role: Vongola Guardian Candidate
Flame: Cloud, Lightning
Weapon/Fighting Style:* Bow and Arrows - As the captain of Nami Middle's Archery Club and one who lives by the traditional Japanese philosophy of archery, Hideaki's skill in bow-based marksmanship is supernal. Furthermore, Hideaki possesses exceptionally keen eyesight that assists in sniping targets moving at fast speeds and at super long-range. Among mafiosi, the perception of his eyes is one of, if not the, best.
* Razor Wire - A spool of monofilament metal wire and a pair of gloves with wire running through them. It's a very versatile weapon, equally capable of laceration and strangulation, among other things, but requires a high degree of skill to properly utilize. The wires capitalize on Hideaki's superior dexterity and agility moreso than his mediocre physical strength or endurance, and, in the future, his proficiency with these wires is equal to or surpassing his marksmanship. Currently located within a mundane box in his attic.
Appearance: Present Day -> Ten Years Later
Personality: The phrase 'alone in a crowd' sums up Hideaki very well. Though he seems to be the kind of naturally-popular, outgoing sort of person in his daily interactions with others, he's actually a rather detached person. He's not a loner by any extent, but he can't consider anyone his friend on principle. There's an old saying that 'the perfect archer has learned to suppressed the self', and Hideaki has done this to a T. In the face of discrimination against his people, Hideaki's learned to act the part of a wholesome Japanese young man and hide any perceived imperfections in his personality in public, but even sometimes he doesn't know where 'Minase Hideaki' ends and 'Yi Hyun-ki' begins. He's a very proficient actor nonetheless. In terms of his "true" personality, Hideaki is very much one to toss aside the fetters of traditional morality and follow his own path, not those that offend his sensibilities. Fortunately events in his daily life are not too contrary to his beliefs, even though he hates having to put on his happy face for the sake of his mother and his family's social standing and is actually kind of a two-faced asshole when it comes to his real opinions. His beliefs can be rather unorthodox at times, but it all lends to a decent capacity as a 'left-hand man' of sorts
History: Hideaki, born under the name of Yi Hyun-ki, seems to come from a rather innocuous family. His mother, a hardworking Japanese woman in her mid 30s, runs a book cafe in downtown Namimori while his Korean father works overseas and only really returns home once in a blue moon. However, his family is far more unusual than it would seem at first glance. Though unbeknownst to even Hideaki himself, his father is a notorious agent under the codename 'Tarantula' who works for an international police organization opposing the mafia whilst his mother, though now genuinely a functioning member of normal society, was born into a criminal organization and used to leverage her appearance and occupation as an investigative journalist to act as their informant. Incidentally, they both met without knowing a thing about each others' allegiances. When they learned that Hideaki was on the way, they changed their identities and relocated to Namimori, mostly as the Vongola Famiglia was not one to tolerate civilian attacks or enemy factions making trouble in their territory. As a result, Hideaki led the normal life his parents wanted for him, even if his father was hardly present for any of it, free from the influence of any criminal enterprises. However, he wasn't free from the second class status that came with his particular half-blooded ethnicity. His mother, ashamed of his status, unintentionally instilled Hideaki's warped, two-faced values with her cynical, heavy-handed, and sometimes traumatic teachings on the ways of the world.
Other:</s>
<|message|>Minase Hideaki / Yi Hyun-ki
"Hey guys!" Hideaki cheerfully greeted the athletic Russian and the blond-haired mafia boss. He wasn't too surprised Asuka had managed to rope in an underclassman with some underhanded scheme. At least the two workers would be tolerable. He could respect Volkov-chan's abilities. From what he heard, she went around testing all the clubs, not just his own. She also wasn't a rowdy fangirl, so she had that going for her as well. On the other hand, there was Yuuki-kun. He didn't hear much on his end, other than his fights with the resident Disciplinary Wannabe. He could hold his own though, which was good. The archer resumed his work after explaining the necessary processes, and was finishing off a batch when a certain phrase was said.
'Do you think this is a fucking game you impertinent little girl? Me and that fox? How sickening. Just the thought leaves the taste of shit in my mouth.'
Someone was a little bit salty after that date comment, it seemed. "...No," the archer said firmly but politely, having halted in the midst of his snack food assembly, "This is not a double date scenario, no." With that said simply, he resumed creating rice balls as if he wasn't practically fuming with annoyance on the inside. He did a perfect job of it, at least, with the only outward change being that he was now assembling rice balls at a much faster pace. They were still characteristically precise, however. He picked up his batch and moved it back over to restock the front of the stall. "Here you go, Argento-chan," he said, glancing at the other half of the mask trade. Going for a fox mask, what a surprise.
On his return from his station, Hideaki stopped by the post of the young blond-haired student. "So what'd the president do to get you roped up in this?" he asked casually.</s>
<|message|>Luca Yuuki
This was going to be a long endeavor. Luca was being smothered by customers, a lot of whom were older women wanting to pinch his cheeks. If this keeps up I'll end up looking like a bloodhound... Out of the corner of his eye he could see the president's clear delight in the success of her well crafted plan. She truly was a cunning and frightening person.
"Hmhm~" With a slight chuckle the shorter off the two figures stood atop Namimori Shrine continued to observe the young heir. "Sawada chose a rather familiar successor." He said, watching Luca fumble around between serving customers and having his face assaulted. "What do you think? He'll be your responsibility very soon." He asked his companion.
After a some time business finally settle down leaving Luca to sink down under the booth exhausted. He rubbed his face trying to find any remaining sense of feeling. "Well, on the bright side this'll make fighting Taiga a little easier..." Muttered Luca with a sigh. "As long as you win I won't tell you're mother that you're out picking fights~" Luca stood up to look up at his smirking father, Katsuo Yuuki. "Then again she probably already knows." Luca smiled sheepishly. "Yeah...so, you want to buy a rice ball or a banana?" Katsuo shook his head. "I'm sure your mother is eating enough snacks for the both of us. I just wanted to check up on you. You seem to be having fun." He said looking around the booth, his eyes lingering on the customer in the fox mask. "I guess so. I'm kinda glad you guys made me come." Luca said bringing his father back to their conversation. Katsuo smiled as his son looked back at Yuki who also forced him to attend the festival. Luca quickly turned back to his father before he could remark on his and Yuki's relationship. "Good. You should let yourself have fun more often." Katsuo ruffled Luca's blonde hair and though he was smiling there was a melancholy undertone to his words and Luca's dodgy chuckle. "Alright, enjoy the rest of the festival..." With a glance at the shrine he turned walk away, Luca noticing worry hidden behind his father's eyes. "And be careful out there." Katsuo added as he left the booth.
Luca's gaze was drawn from his father as he felt someone else's on him. He glanced at the masked customer from his peripheral before being startled by Hidaeki's question. "Huh? Sorry senpai, I got a little distracted. Actually, she didn't have to do much. I owe her a few-actually a lot of favors. Hehe..." Luca chuckled nervously in in the upperclassman's presence.</s>
<|message|>Yuki Volkov
Yuki gave a small pout as the pair seemed to dislike her little attempt at humor, it turns out it was harder than it looked but thankfully a customer soon caught everyone's attention. Going back to making rice balls she slowed down for a moment as she noticed she had already used 1/3 of the ingredients so the guys order was pretty much ready, but it was a little delayed due to the mask switching.
"As long as you win I won't tell you're mother that you're out picking fights~"
The voice drew Yuki's attention and as she had guessed it was Luca's farther, who was rather cool looking she had to admit. She gave a small lazy wave as he looked over to her for a moment before Luca made sure to change the subject to other things, they did not concern her so she looked back to her work... Which had gotten a little out of control as despite not looking she had used up yet another 1/3 of the ingredients and not there was a small mountain of rice balls beside her that threatened to topple over if it had not been so perfectly stacked. "I think I am done" She said to pretty much everyone in the booth with her, her gaze staring up to tower of rice balls as if it was a great work of art of some kind.
---
Meanwhile a strange figure wondered through the many stalls, a candy apple held tightly in her hand as she used fanged teeth to bite into it, a almost blissful smile coming over her that her tail almost wagged from its hiding place within her kimono. "Mmm, shame that we could not leave all this until after the festival~ " Another bite "But rules are rules. Now, where is he?"</s>
<|message|>Asuka Argento
Asuka smiled and took the mask before handing the young man her's. "Thank you good sir. Though it is a shame someone like you is hiding their face like that. Even if you would draw much attention." She could recognize him of course, even if she didn't openly say it. He knowledge of people extended much farther than the school. Possibly because of her mother's former position. A powerful woman aiming to take down the local yakuza. Still, that was long ago. She smiled and placed the fox mask on her head, before hearing Hideaki. "Heh~ As if he could ever be so lucky." She teased him, knowing she would hit a nerve. Would he keep up the charade under these circumstances.
With that she stopped to continue selling before Hideaki brought some more rice balls. "Ah~ Thank you Hide-chan" She added with a sly grin as she took the rice balls. She was calm, though now Luca seemed to be conversing with his father. A rather quick display ending with his father beginning to walk away. "Wait!" She called out. "Please buy something." She said the fox mask placed casually in a diagonal position on the upper left part of her head, a somewhat sad look with puppy eyes displayed. "If not for you, for someone else. We have to make as much as possible after all."
Asuka hoped to get favorable results, though Yuki chimed in saying she was done. "Luca. Take a break and relax with yuki. She deserves a bit of your time." The female Student Council president whispered, her gaze still fixed on the young boys father.</s>
<|message|>Rentarou "Ren" Kanesada
After the exchange of masks were complete, the male's face was quickly concealed once more, with an adorable cat mask this time. The last words that were offered to him, "Even if you would draw much attention.", slightly piqued his interest. What did this maiden mean by that? Could she have known who he was after all? No matter, since the raven haired female had not done any action or said anything further to prove his point. The young heir simply nodded as a response to her 'Thank you' and left the booth with a box of rice balls on hand. A few passerby glanced at him again, but not as often as earlier, due to how it seemed slightly off for a man to be wearing such a cute mask.
The target was finally spotted, and seemed to be in a fine condition so far. But he was never to let his guard down, it would not be as surprising in the underground world of mafia to attempt at murder within a minute or even seconds, if the damage was fatal. He hurried away to one of his subordinates who were standing around behind one of the booths and handed over the box of rice balls. ".... Distribute them among the famished men. I shall survey the target." The bulky man uttered a phrase of appreciation and obediently bowed before Ren paced back into the crowds on the street, keeping his eyes at the blond boy at a distance.
Will a third party truly strike at him in such a populated area? There were numerous people from left to right on the streets, not to mention how the boss candidate was in an enclosed booth at the moment. Though Ren did not know if there truly was a third party in the vicinity to begin with, but it was his sworn duty as a Varia and an ally of the Vongola to watch over the boy's safety.</s>
| <|message|>Minase Hideaki / Yi Hyun-ki
'That cunning bitch-fox. I see what shrewd plan she's trying to put into action now. She's starting them off early to accumulate debt in order to place them in effective slavery! Hmm... How to warn these poor misguided fools...'
Hideaki nodded towards the younger student. "I understand," he said, looking for a moment almost like an old wiseman as he spoke, "Make sure you get rid of all of that debt in a timely fashion though, or you'll regret it." He looked over to the class president in question, who was allowing the two underclassment to depart and go about the festival at their own leisure. "..." Was it some sort of trap? Who knew? Either way...
...Mission accomplished? Mission accomplished.
Hideaki nodded to himself in satisfaction. His good deed of the day was complete, and he was basically 'done' all of his duties at this stand, so he had little else to do. Of course, he'd have to get that class president back for calling him 'Hide-chan' and implying that she was out of his league (though that was true, except that his league was the higher one in this case), but that could wait for later. He was good at playing the long game after all. "I'm done too, Argento-chan," he informed, "Have fun with the stand."</s> |
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