[System]
Age: 5 (in chronological age) 25 (In human years)

Description: Fairly tall and strong as goblins go, standing around 3 feet 4 inches tall, with a head of dark green hair on top of his head, complimenting his medium-green skin. He weights about 35 pounds and is fairly muscular. His skin is already somewhat scarred on his chest, the result of injuries on the hunt. He has emerald-green eyes and is reasonably handsome, but nothing spectacular.

Like most goblin males, he is only clad in a loincloth. His only garment is made of deer hide and keeps him modest on both sides. He wields a long stone hunting knife along with a spear, but he has only a handful of possessions otherwise. Like most goblins, he barters with what he hunts, gathers, farms, or catches, and he's been thinking about getting an iron weapon in the not too distant future.

Background: Born to a modest litter of only four siblings, Cyrus was the eldest child by a few minutes, ahead of his younger brother and two younger sisters. As with all males in his tribe, he grew up without knowing or caring who his father is, although he suspected that each of his siblings had a different father from him, given how different they looked. Encouraged by his mother to go into farming, Cyrus lost patience for the quiet life of a wheat grower and has been a hunter for years now. Although he is good at hunting, he yearns for more glory than tracking and killing animals can provide, and yearns to go on a raid. His actual experience with warfare is limited, having only been involved in a single one-on-one skirmish with a rival tribesman in which neither party suffered more than light wounds which were easily healed by the tribe's shaman.

Abilities: Although he is a rather mundane goblin, Cyrus is a reasonably skilled hunter and tracker, able to find his way around the woods, climb trees, identify animal tracks, and has a good arm for a knife or sword. As with nearly his entire tribe, Cyrus is illiterate. His skill in hand-to-hand combat is decent in terms of the strength of his blows, but it is crude and not particularly coordinated.

Property: Apart from his hut, Cyrus owns a stone knife, his loincloth, a wooden spear with a stone tip, and he usually has some food in his hut for eating at any given time. He also owns a pile of straw as his bed and a blanket in case it gets cold. Cyrus is considering the purchase of an iron sword, but he needs to save up a little bit more in assets before he can afford it, given that an iron sword is nearly the most expensive item the goblins of his tribe can produce.

[User]
Cyrus heeded her words. It sounded just like what the previous shaman would have said. "Certainly. I shall do just that. Thanks for the guidance." He paused for a moment. She looked like she fit the description of "the hungry." In spite of the fact that the shaman could basically take as much food as she pleased from the tribe's stores, this fact was either unknown to her or she didn't exploit it. Cyrus sat down near the sacred flame and began to cut the rabbit up into pieces, following her advice.

"Shaman... Jig, please, take this leg. You need it more than I do. As for the skull-" he tossed it into the sacred flames, which immediately burned the skull to ashes. Heads had a sacred meaning to goblins, as they were believed to be the conduits for the soul, even past one's death. Tribes at war would sometimes cut the heads off of the dead of their enemies and stick them onto spikes, and would return the heads of dead warriors at the end of a conflict to signify the return of peace. Of course, skulls could be used for darker purposes, such as necromancy, but that wasn't something this tribe was known to engage in. Tossing a skull into a tribe's sacred fire was seen as offering the most powerful part of the creature, and it also gave up the most useful part of a creature for magical purposes. As such, it was seen as a true sacrifice, as the animal's skull could be used as a focus for magic in a way which no other body part could.

Cyrus bowed and took his leave, heading to his hut with the remainder of the rabbit. He set the meat down on the floor, to give it to the appropriate parties later, after eating his fill of it, which he did so. After a brief yet bloody skinning, he gathered up several pelts from his previous hunts and made his way out of the hut. Gathering all of these was about to pay off. Although the goblin system of barter wasn't precise, he knew the approximate value of what he wanted, and these pelts were likely more than enough for it.

Cyrus heard and smelled the blacksmith's hut long before he saw it. Much like the sacred flame, this was also a place of fire, and held a less significant but still important role in goblin culture. Smiths were seen as sacred in their own way, taming the seemingly supernatural power of fire to bend the otherwise inflexible metal to their will. At least, most smiths were seen as sacred. This one, on the other hand...

"Clelk! I have the pelts! I can give you half now if you start on the sword!" They had discussed making him an iron sword a long while ago, something which was certainly a rare and coveted weapon among goblinkind. Knowing Clelk, this wouldn't be as simple as dropping off some animal hides or furs and walking away with a sword, even if Clelk had one ready, which was doubtful. Plus, he knew that Clelk, for all his valuable skills, never made anything easy.

[Assistant]
Clelk managed to get a few swings into his work when the same warrior from before ran up to him, calling out to Clelk. Clelk immediately stopped, not wanting to risk a distraction and breaking the bar, which would result in another hour or so of work reforging. It took a solid 5 seconds before Clelk managed to recognize this warrior - they had talked at length about making an Iron sword and Clelk spitballed some costs in order to get the goblin to leave him alone. He didn't expect Cyrus to actually collect all of the pelts since that took a level of self-discipline that most goblins lacked.

"Clelk! I have the pelts! I can give you half now if you start on the sword!"

Clelk set down his hammer and quickly jogged towards the approaching warrior, gently rubbing his meaty hands on the soft fur of the pelts. Even with half of them, Clelk would make up most of what his pot cost him, and the other half would put him well on his way to purchasing some other human knick-knack.

"My, if it isn't Cyrus! Glad to see that you are eager to begin our little agreement... By the way, did you know a sword is one of the most metal-intensive things I can forge?"

Even if the pelts were enough to cover his expenses for a while, Clelk knew that his services were valuable. Why settle for less when he could maximize his profits on what is, admittedly, a bigger project?

"I'm not sure if I'll be able to replenish my stores easily, especially considering how far the human village is, and how heavy Iron can be... I mean, I'm no powerful warrior after all!"

Clelk didn't expect Cyrus to trade for metal with the humans, and the thought that Cyrus could find the ore himself was laughable. Clelk had no idea where to find Iron since the village had no real supply or mine to draw from. No, instead this was an attempt at something that would only benefit Clelk, rather than the tribe as a whole.

"It might ease my consciousness using so much Iron if you could do something for me - would probably motivate me to work a lot faster too... If you ever find anything that looks human-made or some shiny rocks, I'd really appreciate you showing me before anyone else. And bringing some dry wood to me every now and then would be nice."

Clelk honestly thought he could have gone for more, but considering too high of a price might cause the warrior to ask his old master for the sword, Clelk chose to settle for less. The goblin was getting much older, and while he still worked the forge, his new apprentices were the ones doing the heavy lifting of the metals. Adding onto the old man's workload, even if unintentionally, would really be something that Clelk would regret.

Besides, even if he only managed to convince the warrior to gather wood for him, that was a major chore taken care of - leaving plenty of time to laze about, or even work on something if he felt like it.

[User]
"Yes, I suppose it is. But that's what you do, isn't it? Isn't that all you do? Work with metal?" Cyrus sighed internally, hoping that this wasn't going to be an attempt to squeeze even more out of him. The time it took for him to hunt all of these animals was far greater than the time it would take to forge the sword, and for goblins, the time spent making something was the main way its value was determined. This should have been obvious, given their lack of currency and their shorter lifespans relative to humans.

"I can get you some dry wood and if I find anything shiny or human-made in the woods, I'll give it to you, but there's no guarantees for those last two. We had a deal and I expect you to stick to it. Let me tell you, it wasn't easy getting all of those pelts. I had to track, kill, and skin those animals, not to mention drag their corpses around. I'll check in again to see how the sword is doing, but I expect you will work on it for the agreed-on price. Speaking of which-" Cyrus dropped half of the pelts at Clelk's feet.

"-that's half of it now. You'll get the other half when I have my sword. I'll be back later tonight with some dry wood from the forest, and if I can get any of that other stuff, I'll give it to you. Now, as there anything else?"

[Assistant]
Clelk did his best to restrain his smirk. He was fairly confident that Cyrus would be willing to bend to his requests since they were fairly minor all things considered. For all either of them knew, Cyrus may never encounter a single ore or human artifact on his own - really the pelts were more than enough alone to make the deal worthwhile.

"Don't worry Cyrus, I'm not expecting you to find either of those things - I'm just taking precautions just in case you do. All I really expect is a little wood and the pelts."

Clelk wasn't going to push his luck when it came to the rest of the pelts - there was no way that Cyrus would betray him since Clelk was one of only two blacksmiths in the whole village. Besides, the reward would actually give Clelk the motivation to finish the sword in a timely matter, rather than procrastinate on it and focus on something else. Clelk paused as Cyrus was about to leave, asking the fatter goblin if anything else was necessary for the deal.

"Oh, only a little agreement I was thinking of - you can reject it if you want, it won't impact the deal we have on the sword in any way."

Clelk grabbed his hammer and placed the cool iron bar onto his anvil, preparing to start heating it for hammering.

"I may be willing to sharpen your blades on-demand - free of charge, of course. In exchange, I only ask that you come to me for anything related to blacksmithing. Leave my old master to himself, unless I give you permission."

Clelk readjusted his apron and was already beginning to heat the iron bar in the furnace. In the end, this second deal was really not a big deal - it was mostly offered so Clelk could pay back the goblin who allowed Clelk to live his current lifestyle. He wouldn't go so far as yo risk his deal with Cyrus solely to give his old master a smaller workload.

"Your choice, of course - be sure that the wood you bring back is as dry as possible, I plan to use it for kindling."


[System]
* Age: 24
* Appearance: Her practically universal attire. Aside from that, Ryuuko is unusually tall for a Japanese woman, and the kimono only somewhat succeeds in hiding her surprisingly ample curves. What cannot be seen is the clearly defined muscles the girl has--nor the sprawling tattoo that prohibits her from going many places in Japan less dressed.
* Personality: Superficially, Ryuuko appears to be a polite and congenial girl, mild in attitudes to a fault and a prime example of what every Japanese lady should aspire to be, by tradition. It isn't a fully manufactured façade; she places a high importance on her duty to her family and the skills demanded of a former head. It simply happens that one cannot be the future head of a yakuza family without some of that civility and good nature being a deliberate manufacture. Indeed, although she finds killing to be a matter of last resort, this is hardly from some moral consideration--all things considered, deaths attract suspicion and waste a potentially valuable resource.
This affected attitude is more than just a social convention, it's a method for suppressing strong desires to act at the other end of the spectrum--violent, brash, and hedonistic. Though she denies the impulses and refuses to act on them, she still takes pleasure in fights and keeps a very tight reign on her temper. Maybe it would be easier to simply express herself, but that would cause a loss of face even before the trouble itself started up.
Her likes and dislikes are simple: she dislikes shoes, hates roller-coasters and Toshiko's driving, and likes both sake and traditional styling in copious amounts. Outside of this and practising her skills, Ryuuko finds that little catches her interest and tends to be blatantly apathetic to it.
* Abilities: Ryuuko's first and foremost skill is her swordsmanship. Without this, her offerings to Fu Sonzai no Gensō would be completely non-existent. She has the ability to win tournaments with ease, if she would restrict herself to using the correct forms, but finds them to be completely wasteful. Where other children had friends or hobbies, Ryuuko had training with the blade and for her future role. Predominantly accomplished fighting with the single long blade, she is also versed with a shorter sword, a dagger, paired blades, and iaijutsu. Rounding out the skill set--at her mother's insistence she hone all the skills of a samurai--she's also got basic competence with the spear and bow.
Magically, she is a novice relying on Toshiko's training. Though an affinity for Void is an interesting, albeit highly negative, one with which to work, her presence at the agency is more for her own magical education than to provide her services--she has no need of the job. Her sole magical ability is the very most basic reinforcement.
Her physique, impressive as it is, doesn't come from the same sort of diligent training most would have to put into it. Though her denial of the impulses that come with her heritage prevents her from benefiting in most manners, being a hanyou still causes her to retain a far better figure in most regards with only her normal practice.
She also has a driving license.
* Equipment: Unless she wishes to owe her father special favours and call in her family's resources, Ryuuko has a simple tanto hidden in her obi and an heirloom sword. Forged by youkai, her father passed it down early as it does not suit his fighting style, and the blade is near impervious to any form of damage. It goes by the name of Yama-no-Hone-no-Tsurugi, which hints somewhat at what might have gone into manufacturing it...
* Brief Backstory: On one side of her family, she claims descent from the original Miura, and through them back to the Taira and Minamoto, and from there all the way back to imperial lines. On her mother's side she claims descent from... well, her mother claims to be the Shuten-Dōji but there's no way of verifying that. This is simply the most pronounced the family's mixed involvement in mundane and supernatural affairs, making her the first heir in the family with such direct involvement in both sides, though all have been raised in the knowledge that a supernatural world exists. However, she doesn't depart from tradition to not train the heir in magic or the supernatural until their basic education has completed--sufficient to run a major operation which works in the criminal underground on both sides of the border.
Being the heir to a yakuza clan with such a traditional background has its advantages, even though it harmed her ability to make friends or the like. With private tutors and no distractions, she graduated from the top of her class and entered into Todai, studying classical Japanese literature and learning how to manage business affairs in her own time. It was upon graduation that it was considered time for her to embrace her magical heritage, with her father seeking out someone willing to train one with such a materialistic and unsavoury background in exchange for money or--in this case--her services to the agency.
This delay in training is implemented for practical reasons, as any family head of theirs will need a wide set of skills to thrive in the difficult environment, but also from a belief that their affinity will show through stronger and manifest efficiently if left alone to adulthood. With Ryuuko's apathy to that beyond her narrow interests, it might be accurate indeed.

[User]
"Aoyama-san?" Tomoko asked, tilting her head slightly to the side as Ryuuko made her explanation, eyeing the maid. All of that made... far too much sense to her, and explained the white dust in the library if it had come from the wall, and just why the barrier had broken when the thieves had never actually entered the library. As for the maid, Tomoko was well aware of the maid's usage of trick nails for weaponry, traps and various other purposes. But if she didn't remember...

Tomoko reached towards the awkwardly-shifting maid, brushing her bangs back. There was the black rune, seemingly written in ink. For a few moments she stared, then narrowed her eyes.

"This rune is designed to suppress and eventually destroy specific memories," she commented, "Which means that the thief must have..."

She paused for a moment, while the maid fretted over the fact that her mind had been messed with.

"... But you said the thief was an onmyouji? Runecraft is a mage's work."

[Assistant]
Ryuuko paused, not having considered that. To her limited knowledge, the arts seemed more or less the same: you drew specific symbols, imbued them with mana, and that had some effect. But from Tomoko's answer, it seemed that there was more of a separation than she had assumed? In that case, perhaps here assumption that the same person was behind both was misinformed... had someone been trying to surreptitiously sabotage the theft? Or maybe they had been wrong and there wasn't an onmyouji at all?

"Though the evidence found at the site was undoubtedly a fragment of ofuda, I cannot say for certain whether it was indeed a traditional design or whether some foreign rune was imprinted upon it," the purple-haired girl admitted, "Or it might be that a second magic user was at work here, though the thief's injury and your maid's lost memories hide whose side they were really on."

[User]
"There's no way of knowing..." Tomoko replied with a sigh, trailing off... before she looked at her maid's forehead again. "Unless we can break the spell. I'm afraid I can't help due to my role in reestablishing this barrier, but if I'm not mistaken you could destroy it, possibly, by overloading the rune with mana to break it."

"Er... wh-what would you be doing to my head exactly?" asked the maid, nervously, taking a step back. It appeared that she really didn't like hearing that they would be shooting mana into her forehead.

"It's not a complicated process," Tomoko responded. This seemed to do little to soothe her maid's concern.

[Assistant]
"A rune has been placed on your forehead and I am going to remove it," the apprentice mage stated, not waiting for the maid's consent. For all she knew, the girl would be obliged to try and stop her because of whatever else the rune was doing. One hand blurred into position under black hair and the other got ready to stop anything that she might choose to do.

Maybe a more experienced magic user could have done this with no mental preparation or elaborate symbolism. Ryuuko had no such shortcuts available and split the simple operation into two parts: first establish a link with the target. Her fingers formed the physical bridge and from there made a path for the mystical. Then visualise a void within the rune, drawing down mana through the link, consuming all until the fragile symbol would be unable to take any more and the gaping emptiness would devour it as well.

The inefficiency of such an operation was clear; a spiky corona of darkness--coloured mana--engulfed her hand and the top of the girl's head, but she was sure that some of it was going into its destination and--hopefully--would remove the rune to continue their investigation.

[User]
For a few moments, nothing seemed to happen... and then the maid shut her eyes tightly and clapped her hands on her head.

"Ow ow ow ow ow ow ow ow headaaaaache..." she whined, trembling with effort to stay on her feet. However, once the process was complete, the rune itself seemed to have grown... hazy. Moments later, it flaked away entirely from the black-haired maid's skin... and she fell to her knees, wincing. Obviously, the experience of having something pulled out of her mind had caused some level of discomfort. Still, she didn't seem as if she was in actual danger... yet, and the rune had been removed.

[Assistant] "Do you remember what happened last night? It seems that someone barefoot must have trod upon one of your nails," Ryuuko stated, not wanting to waste time waiting for the maid to get around to it herself. Her magic might have been successful for now but there was no guarantee that it would stay this way: she wanted to get the information out of the trap-laying black-haired girl and then let her go and try to recover from what had happened.

[User]
For a few moments, the black-haired girl rubbed at her temples and winced, not finding the strength to do anything other then try and sooth the throbbing ache in her skull. However, as those moments passed, it seemed like the pain must have been lessening, and slowly she opened her eyes... and then they widened as memories came flooding to her.

"Blonde hair! One was little and she had blonde hair!" she cried, waving her hands in the air, "She looked kind of like... like a doll! She was like... a little doll? Not literally but she looked really fragile! She only had socks on too and she stepped on my nail when she was coming in and then I jumped out to stop them! But then the bigger one, she had black hair, and she got really mad and hit me in the face!"

[Assistant] "Do you have any more details?" she said. This was a small step forwards--there had been two thieves, one having left the bloodstain behind and presumably removed the stained sock (or used it as a bandage?), for certain. There was little useful new information, though. Their second intruder was able to hit you in the face and disable somehow, possibly through force or through the rune that she had just removed, "For instance, were they known to your group or your employers? Did they have other distinguishing features?"

[User]
"Ummm.... I don't think we know them at all..." the maid looked thoughtful for a few moments, before glancing at Tomoko. The older woman shook her head, seeming just as surprised at the appearance of the two thieves as the maid was. Indeed, things seemed like they were really rather confusing in this circumstance, as far as the Daidouji household was concerned. There wasn't any recognition from either the family members or the maid. At least, not Tomoko and this specific maid.

"Er... Oh, I think the blonde one had... blue eyes?" she said, "I can't remember what color the black-haired ones' eyes were... even though she hit me in the face..."

The maid seemed rather sour about that last part.

[Assistant]
It seemed that neither of the mansion's residents had any idea who the invaders could be--a pity, since Ryuuko had no more idea herself and pink eyes were more unusual than indicative of any further abilities. The most that could be achieved with this information was to possibly ask after anyone of a matching description fleeing the mansion the previous night.

"I shall go inform Ando-shishou of further discoveries. It would be beneficial if you could search the mansion for anybody matching those descriptions, as the thieves may not have left yet," the purple-haired girl stated, bowing perfunctorily and walking back towards the entrance. Provided that she didn't get lost, it should be easy to find the vase-storing room and her teacher within short order.

[User] While the vase-storing room was easy enough to return to, it seemed as if something had perhaps gone amiss. Neither Toshiko nor the daughter of the Daidouji family remained there. Just where had they gone, and what were they doing?

[Assistant]
As if tracing her steps once wasn't enough, both her employer and their current guide had gone elsewhere in the mansion without warning. With a sigh, Ryuuko began to look around the room once again, this time for any trace of runework--on the case, nearby it, or even on the walls and ceiling. Though with the Daidouji's own brand of magic being western, it wouldn't be out of place at all... and Yuuno wasn't around to explain whether that should be there or not.

When she was done, if they hadn't already returned, the purple-haired girl rose up and turned to leave the room again. If she could find a maid, which shouldn't be hard at all, they ought to know where the hell the other two had gotten to... or anywhere that Yuuno might like to hang around, at least.

[User]
Eventually, the maid directed Ryuuko to the dining hall, where she had seen both Toshiko and Yuuno heading to. She hadn't disturbed them, as it was likely they were busy with something relating to the case. Regardless of just what it was, Toshiko had seemed in quite a hurry. Perhaps there had been some sort of revelation regarding the case?

Either way, it was clear where they were.

Upon arriving there, Ryuuko would see Toshiko and Yuuno seated beside one another. Toshiko seemed rather pleased with herself, so there must have been some kind of development.

[Assistant]
It was definitely strange that the pair of them had relocated into the dining hall but, given that her own sources of information had stemmed from accosting an unfortunate maid in the hallways, Ryuuko wasn't one to judge. She announced her arrival into the room and bowed perfunctorily--it was somewhat annoying to have found no more information on further examination of the room.

"Ando-san, Yuuno-chan, I have been able to learn more information about our thief. Firstly, calling them a thief is inaccurate, there were two partners in this crime. Secondly, we are dealing with both a western mage and an onmyouji."


[System]
Appearance: Emerald is a light-green-skinned Gem that is only about 4 feet tall. He wears a plain dark green tunic that doesn't have any decorations or faction-identifiers (Like the star for the Gems or the Diamonds for the Homeworld Gems so far revealed in the series.) This is because his development was cut off and he was awoken without aesthetic completion. Has glowing circular light green eyes that emit beams of light similar to a very bright green flashlight beam.

Gem: Emerald

Gem Location: Right below where the neck meets the torso.

Emotional Strength: Rather determined.
Emotional Weakness: Sadness/Depression.

Power: Can turn into a statue made out of grayish rock with green shiny speckles. It looks like however he does the second before he became a statue. Is incredibly durable and might make for a decent weapon in Amber's case. The statue CAN be broken, but it is many times tougher than rock. It is similar to retreating into a gem in the case that it can be used for healing, but it is likely to exhaust Emerald if used frequently. When Emerald comes out of the statue, gradual chunks fall off of the statue until it reveals him.

Advanced Armor: See the above, but moldable into armor shapes and, instead of having to dismantle it, he has to keep it into it's formed shape. Emerald currently can't do this.

Terrakinesis: Can control his special rock that is statue is made of. This is set aside from the others because he can make things out of it. VERY VERY LIMITED. Not practical in any battle situation whatsoever, better for making long-term structures or just very tiny things.

Weapon: Curved saber with a pommel that can switch between a full hand-guard or just a handle. It is the color of healthy grass, the handle/guard being the same color.

Weapon Power: None

Other: Uses male pronouns. Was grown in Earth's Kindergarten (the big one) but not influenced by anything, due to the site being abandoned before he was "finished". Also, likes repairing or tuning/tinkering with things as a frequent hobby.

Can't handle being insulted, even as a joke, and tends to start crying. A lot. The reason could be potentially blamed on the possible side effects of making a gem that isn't finished. Also, he doesn't really know what anything is. This isn't a deformity, he just hasn't been outside of his hole in the Kindergarten.

Door:

Normal Emerald^

Warning: teh falwining b much very importnents
On the states: Normally, these are triggered by these emotions being present, and these states hold onto them as well as reflecting the emotion. More than one is possible at a time, in which case the personality and appearance are a mix of both, but ones that directly conflict are not possible.

Happy: Appears to have lighter clothing, with a faint glow. This state is one of perpetual optimism.

Holding a Grudge (For lack of a better word): Has a yellow stripe on his left arm for each person he is holding a grudge against. This often combines with:

Paranoia: Emerald's eyes emit a blinding yellow beam of light, which at it's dimmest is still very bright. Very jumpy, scared of things that aren't there, very suspicious of anyone he doesn't trust.

Sadness/fear:Emerald turns a dark turquoise, with his clothing turning dark green. A bit depressed. Easily frightened.

Anger:Emerald turns dark green, and his teeth are sharpened. Highly unstable and vicious, even towards friends. Thankfully, this state is also extremely unlikely to occur, and if it does appear it usually doesn't last.

[User] Spinel could stay like this for maybe two more minutes. She waited to see Amber's reaction before making her decision. She was starting to become marginally more interested in what Bloodstone had to say, but not quite enough to show herself. A warp pad? Huh. I guess there's a lot I don't know about our technology. Spinel was still ignorant about a lot of things, apparently. Time would tell whether or not she'd be able to ask Bloodstone about any of it.

[Assistant]
"I think I'll stay here." Charles replied to Aquamarine. "I'm not fit for slaying monsters like that eye-beast, and if there are any more around, I should continue doing what I can for the town." He might have been athletic and fit, but he was not capable of fighting monsters. Even if he did, he himself had too much on the line. He had a family, he had a town, and he wasn't going to take chances every single time more and more dangerous monsters appeared to fight the gems.

"I'll do what I can and call the chief of police once I know that they town is safe again." He said to them, beginning to pick up a few things and try his best to make it just a little better.

--------------

That sounded strange to her. Why wouldn't he help the people that obviously needed it? Was it because they were out of his town or area, or because they weren't gems? Sodalite only had more and more questions as Bloodstone continued to speak. The prospect of a warp pad seemed interesting though. She didn't know what such device could do, but she had to keep focused on what he was telling the group of four, or three as Sodalite didn't know where Spinel was at the moment.

If it was his job to watch the planet, then why wouldn't he help? It didn't make sense. "Why won't you help them?" She asked him, her mind slowly coming to a realization which hadn't taken full effect yet.

"What about the Redeye?"

[User]
"Hogwash."

A while ago, Aquamarine had told Evenkite that she was only as small as she felt. And right now, she definitely didn't feel small.

With her frown now replaced with a grin, the little gem jumped off from her perch, apparently unfazed by the fact that she jumping from a height over three times her own. A little more than halfway down the jump, her eyes began to glow and her descend slowed, her jump becoming little more than a gentle float down. It wasn't quite the lift she had been able to pull off on that rock a week ago, but considering she hadn't been able to pull it off since and considering she didn't even know if it was something she could preform on herself, she was more than happy. Maybe a bit shocked. But she only revealed the former feeling as she walked up towards Bloodstone, running a hand through her still messy hair, picking out a dried leaf, and crunching it to bits in her hand before tossing the fragments to the side as she did so.

"I'm very curious as to what you have to say, Bloodstone, sir, but I doubt your words greatly. It is not wise to lie to those you wish to gain trust from, and it is downright idiotic to continue to lie right after your lies are seen through. Whatever makes you think that I wouldn't catch your lies a second time around? Your stalker's  reaction tells me a lot more about you than your flimsy words do. And besides your more blatant lies, things aren't adding up. If you really were in charge of keeping an eye on Kindergaten, then you haven't been doing a very good job at it. Otherwise I wouldn't have been stuck in this mess. I'd be there instead, and I'd love to still be there, but that's not exactly an option anymore. And if you don't care for humans, then why do other gems? What's your reasoning, and what's theirs?"

By now, Evenkite was only a few steps away from being toe-to-toe with Bloodstone, her arms crossed over her chest and her head tilted slightly to the side, her eyebrows raised. She let out a small snicker before continuing.

"In all honesty though, I am curious to know what you have to say, but you better cut the crap if you expect me to stick around and listen. I appreciate that you're telling us anything at all,"

Unlike some other questionable gems.

"But if you're going to continue to insult my intelligence by expecting me to buy your words, then forget it. They might not leave, but I certainly will."

[Assistant] "Look, everything I have said after coming clean the first time has been true, the human is simply upset that I insulted his sword-play. We kind of made nice after our... encounter. As to my capabilities to bring back the KinderGardens, well, your here aren't you? I wasn't sure when any new gems would awaken until it happened, so I set out to find you as soon as you awoke. The reason that I don't help humans is because I was sent here for one job and that job is you, what happens to the humans is none of my concern as for why others choose to help is a question you should be asking someone else," Blood started to become angry at the imp's disrespect, "And you had better learn who you are talking to before you make a Big MISTAKE!!" At this Bloodstone summoned his weapon and slammed it down beside Eve, so close that it cut off some strands of hair. Blood fixed himself and un-summoned his weapon, "I apologize, my anger sometimes gets the better of me, it being my powered emotion and all. Look, if you want more answers, I'll provide them." Bloodstone noticed figures walking this way, "But at a later point, I'm not one for large crowds and there seems to be more people arriving, so I shall be on my way." At this Bloodstone dashed off, not leaving the others any chance to ask more questions.

[User] Spinel became visible again and walked back to the group. "Well that was... a whole lot of nothing, really. But now that this Bloodstone is gone I guess we can return to our work, such as it as." Spinel only sounded partially interested in the words she was saying. "Unless this guy is going to turn into a gem too." she said half sarcastically. "But uh, on the more serious side of things, should we attempt to help you, sword man?"

[Assistant] Aquamarine nodded to the Mayor's statement to stay behind and his reasons were completely valid but now she needed to find the others. They could be anywhere at this moment which would mean taking a little while to find them but at least no real danger seemed to be a foot which she was grateful for. They all needed to sit down and talk everything over now that they had everyone up and around, instead of waiting on anyone to reform. They had a place that they could call a home for now and they could all choose to move somewhere else if that place didn't work out. She lead the others around, looking of the group of gems when she spotted them and rushed in there direction. She thought she saw them talking to someone and by the time she arrived, she noticed they were speaking to a human. "I'm glad I found you all. It seems the Mayor evacuated everyone rather quickly so we don't have much to help out with at the present moment. He did say that there was a temple nearby that we could could check out to live in if we choose. We were also able to find Johnny!" Aqua stated, updating them on the important matters. The look on all of the gems faces had her excitement drop and one of nervous confusion before going more of a serious calm."Have I missed something?"

[User] "Kindergarten... wait that place we woke up at? Amber asked half to himself after Bloodstone brought up the description of what his job was, which apparently had something to do with him and the rest of the Gems. Before he could continue with his line of thought Eve jumped from her spot in his hand and started to confront Bloodstone on what she believed were flaws in his story, some of which seemed to be questionable to Amber once they were pointed out. He listened to Bloodstone's reaction to them, which Amber was accepting up to the point he summoned some sort of weapon that he quickly slammed down next to Eve. "Bloody Hell is the matter with yo'?!" Amber exclaimed, he instinctively grabbed Eve away from Bloodstone and placed her back in his palm. But Bloodstone had seemingly already took off before he could answer Amber's oh so thought out question. It wasn't long after that Aquamarine appeared and asked if she missed something. "Uh Yeah! Some bloody eejit tried to take the lass here head off 'er shoulders!"

[Assistant] "What I think Amber means," Spinel began, temporarily removing her focus from Reggie, "is that an individual who identified himself as Bloodstone, although he originally appeared as a human, approached us and told us some things. He offered us what he must have assumed we'd consider important information, and claimed that he was only here for our benefit. He stated that he was essentially responsible for our existence, and that there was something called a warp pad in the woods somewhere. He also said that he was a commanding officer of some sort." Spinel put a hand on her chin as she tried to think of anything else that might be important to say. "He also claimed that his human attacked him. He seemd to be trying very hard to make himself seem trustworthy, which he was doing reasonably well at until Evenkite said some things that made him upset. Now he's gone"

[User]
Aquamarine's dark eyes turned into an icy glare as her eyes slid to the human, looking him over to see weapons and assuming that he was the one responsible for almost harming Eve. She stepped forward about to draw her weapon, very much ready to question the said human in a not so nice manner when Spinel spoke up causing her to stop dead in her tracks. She eyes widened, her body feeling almost frozen as different emotions shot threw her as once and thoughts a jumbled mess that she had barely heard all that Spinel said."Did you just say Bloodstone?" Aquamarine spoke softly, not even being able hide all of the fear in her voice as pulled her arms around her mid section. She dreaded Spinel confirming it since she knew it had been said and went directly to Eve."Are you alright? Did he harm you in anyway?! Aqua exclaimed, looking her over carefully as a mother would a child since panic was rising. They needed to talk about everything right now and start training very soon if they were going up against Bloodstone. She hadn't expected it to be him out of all the Home World gems. She didn't think a Commander would be the one watching over the Kindergarten but someone lower. After she was sure Evenkite was alright, she spoke up seriously,"I need to explain everything to you now. Everyone is reformed and none of us are missing. I will answer all your question and tell you everything I know."

Aqua moved over to sit down, glancing at Reggie for a second,"You are either very lucky or very skilled to have fought with Bloodstone. If you are hurt then I would be happy to heal you. Everyone else please have a seat."

[Assistant] Emerald found himself running after Aquamarine, not really knowing what was going on. When they met up with the other Gems he just sort of stared for a while, all this time muttering things like "What's happening?", "How much did I miss?", and "I want to go back to sleep." Emerald took a few moments to compose himself, and asked Aquamarine the one big thing that was going on in his head: "What the heck is going on?"


[System]
Gender: Male
Age: 22
Appearance: Long black hair with a middle parting, one long bang pulled out of a half updo. Light brown eyes that turn gold in different lights.
Personality: Shen Yu has always been known as one of the more serious generals. The 'Shen' of his name meaning he is a 'deep thinker' was the perfect name to give him from early on, for Shen Yu will always analyze everything for a good amount of time before taking action. The man has had most things given to him early on, so his endurance can be strained after awhile and he doesn't feel failure too often. Because of this, the man can easily be swayed to do irrational things when he is in a bind. The best way to beat him is to keep just out of his reach, a battle of endurance is much stronger against him then a battle of arms.

While he may be fully grown, the man has no woman around him and is quite oblivious in this respect. He has always loved the feeling of battle and such things as riding horses, never doing such things as worrying about the inner court. He knows that in the future Shen Yu will have to produce an heir, but until then he remains quite the single pringle. And it's not as if there haven't been advances, but the man is extremely oblivious, especially if the advances are from the same gender.

Biography: Shen Yu comes from an old noble family that has been running low on money ever since the civil war between the princes of the Qi kingdom. Usually a clan of scholars or merchants, in order to gain fame and favor for the Liu clan, Shen Yu went into the military. As a boy, Shen Yu had loved to be taught the way of the sword and horseback riding. After the required amount of teaching was over, the 12-year-old ran out and found a new master to teach him even better techniques. While he was from the main family, everyone called him some kind of brute for going into fighting instead of calligraphy and writings, but Shen Yu didn't care.

After years of being taught the means of being a soldier and the honor of being a military officer, his master Long Tian died. Grieving, but resolute, Shen Yu joined up with the military and steadily moved up the ranks. He had thought he had gained favor from the higher ups when he was given the position of general... only to find out that they wanted him to guard the border, not allowed to return back to his hometown or clan unless of the death of one of his immediate kinsmen. To make matters worse, his rations for his men weren't the best, making life miserable. Shen Yu's life from here on would be quite difficult.

[User]
There was a small smell of burning oil and wood in the air... along with another scent that Joshua's brain tried to correlate with an unwanted memory, but couldn't exactly place it. What was it? There was an overflowing metallic smell that overflowed the man's senses, giving the man's gagging reflux a chance to exercise. Blood... and a lot of it. As he opens his eyes, there's a cloudy sky directly above him, he's seemingly on his back. The clouds give off a weird feeling though, they are a mixture of smoke and strange moisture in the air. His body was temporarily immovable, just the nervous system trying to process what the hell was going on. He was lying on wet grass and as he raised his arm... the entire back of it was covered in browning blood.

Smoke licked at Joshua's nostrils and he began to cough maniacally. The man finally shifted into a sitting position before getting all the way off the ground. The grass was littered with body after body. Crushed heads under sliced up horses, legs sticking out of fallen war tents with astounding needlework and patterns. There was a nearby river that looked like it usually carried fresh water... but the liquid was dyed a deep blackish red and there, crossing from one side of the land to another was a row of wooden boats, slowly burning and all attached with a long chain...

That smell that no one could normally place was the smell of burning human flesh.

The sound of a cry of pain. There was someone still alive out there! A shadow of movement passing in between the fallen tents and what seemed to be plated armored soldiers that held bronze swords. Their hair kept in black high buns and waists tied with colored sashes drenched in blood. Out in the field of cut down tree stumps stepped out a man with only one arm, a cloth pressed tightly against the wound. He wailed in pain as he continued to move forward, his eyes blurry and his body ready to give out. Not looking where he was going, the man stumbled over a fallen horse and seemingly couldn't get back up.

[Assistant]
~ Animation ~

Plastic carrier bag clutched in one hand, he made his way up each slate step in the evening chill, and along a path or decorated stone towards a large, relatively worn but seen discernibly modern building, just off the outskirts of the city. They liked to keep the place out of the way, either to keep the patients from hearing the sound of traffic constantly, or to keep the crazy away from society. In either way, it was a pleasant walk up from the car park, just far enough of a distance to let him into a calm mood, on the off chance the visitation didn't go as planned.

She had already been locked up within the Harrison Private Psychiatric Hospital for four years now without signs of recovery. Some days she seemed to be a tad better, but any disparity in her condition reverted within the next couple days. For a few years Joshua had blamed himself; maybe if he was a better older brother, maybe if he had stood up to their father, or just been there more through their foster years, she wouldn't be in the state she was.

He couldn't let himself think like that, though. Couldn't harbour those kinds of beliefs and emotions. All they would do was hurt Emily. What if one day he could't visit her, or something else happened, while he was in his own self hatred? She could have another episode. If she was taken to a state hospital, who knew what they would do to her? It was a scenario Joshua simply wasn't willing to entertain.

But every step he took seemed to sound more hollow. As though the earth beneath each slated section of path had fallen away, deleted from under his feet. The world seemed to spin, the trees in all directions molding and warping in a psychedelic kaleidoscope of greens, and blues, and the oranges of the setting sun against a backdrop of grey clouds and white light from the city. It rained and snowed and thundered and the sun shone and detonated in a million sparkling stars shifting like a wave of diamonds that rained down on the planet and obliterated everything in their path to make way for a new reality.

His stomach lurched as he sat up, from those slated pieces of path surrounded on all sides by grass and trees, and the giant, wavering, illusory old but modern building. His clothes were soaked through from the rain, and the smell of pine and oak trees tickled at the back of his nostrils in protest to his location. The sky sat overcast, glaring at its newly procured victim with sneering beads of sunlight.

Yet the closer he looked, the more he let his eyes focus on the dim-lit sky and the rich, deep green trees, something clogged his view, blocking the passage of reality to his brain. No trees existed here. No overarching building of wood and glass, old yet new. No ornate path to the psychiatric hospital he had visited for the past four years. No grass. No glinting sunlight through dark thunderclouds.

Smoke and ash and blood and decay lingered in the air round his every molecule, filtering past his eyes and nostrils, the facade of a real world blemished with torment. This place wasn't real. He had just fallen unconscious, maybe slipped in a puddle on his way up the stairs. The life essence of human beings clung tightly in fabric to his skin, tarnishing his skin incarnadine. Turquoise eyes pierced the fog of war like a lighthouse beacon, radiating through the deaths of hundreds, and the burning of the churned and demolished land to see what he wanted.

For Joshua wanted nothing more than to see anything else. Bodies littering a wasteland of darkness, eclipsed in smoke from fires long since extinguished by time. The dull ring in his ears, taking in his surroundings from an upright position, letting feeling return to his legs and arms and brain to make sense of everything. Where, on Earth, had he ended up? Feeling the panic crawl its way into his throat with ragged breathing, caught on his windpipe, forcing out a cough from asphyxiation.

And a scream. A scream that drew his head instantly, despite the migraine that implanted itself deep into his brain. Even in an addled and vacant state of mind, Joshua had a duty; he couldn't let a person in pain or trouble to their own devices, especially not on the field of battle. The though had barely crossed his mind before he reached his feet and sprinted in the direction of the man.

Wounded, barley conscious, with his arm severed at the shoulder, collapsed against the bloodied corpse of a horse; the stench of decay clawing at his nostrils, forcing him to swallow down gag reflex time and time again. Just like that time.
"H-hey, hey, its okay." his voice shook as he spoke, still recovering from the dehydration in his mouth intermixed with the metallic tinge of blood, "Help! he felt himself shout, against his misgivings, "Th-there's a wounded here!" he took the cloth from the man and pressed it tight to the wound, attempting to stop the bleeding; he had basic medical training, but not for this. Not a severed limb or a... a sword wound.

Taking another glance around the field, everything seemed to slow. Corpse after corpse piled high against mud and dirt, peppered with smouldering fires trickling smoke high into the miasma of the sky. Horses lay strewed periodically, punctured with arrows and swords, much the same as the ones every soldier seemed to carry. Their weapons, their outfits... Where? Where the hell was he?


[System]
Super Powered name(optional): Tuner

Power(s): Sound Wave Manipulation.

Power Item:

Appearance:

Allegiance: Hero (Possibly on the path to becoming an Anti-hero)

Personality: Elijah is one of those people who can't seem to keep himself together. He has good morals and ideals, but it's common for his emotions and fears to get the better of him, especially in times like these. When Elijah steps into his "People Person" persona, he can be a very cheerful, charismatic and understanding person. Balancing the side of him that he shows others and the side of him that he shows himself, is one of his greatest struggles. Elijah can seem like a a very happy person, which he can be, but because he has this excessive care for what others think of him, he bottles up his feelings in order to make sure the people around him are okay.

History: Elijah grew up in the lower class. He was and only child being raised by a single mother. His mother , however, was a recovering alcoholic who was trying to put her life back together. His mother tried her hardest to be the best mother she could be, and for that, Elijah set aside his feelings about her alcohol addiction and encouraged her to get help. Because of her addiction, Elijah's mother couldn't keep a job for more than a month. This was incredibly difficult when it came to paying rent. His mothers on and off alcoholism went on for years.

"What do you want to be when you grow up?" Is a question Elijah was asked often, but he rarely thought about. he didn't care where he worked, as long as he could help out his mother make ends meet, he would be satisfied. Eventually luck came his way when he found a part-time job at a grocery store in the next city over. After a few short years, Elijah and his mother move into an affordable place in the city that Elijah worked in, the city of Grayshire. The city seemed quaint, which was perfect for the two of them. things were finally starting to look up for them.

On the day of the Gray Bomb incident, Elijah was working at the store until closing at midnight. That night was as ordinary as any other. When he arrived home his mother made a late night dinner than went to bed, Elijah followed suit after he ate. That next morning would change his life forever. Elijah woke up to see his mother packing everything she could into a single suitcase. She wasted no time explaining the situation to Elijah. Elijah went into his room and started packing as much things as he could. They had both rushed out of the house and drove out of the city to the closest train station. They bought tickets to New York City, the plan behind that was simple; in a city that big, who could find two people among the millions?

Elijah stood in New York City. The feeling of being overwhelmed by everything started to subside as he composed himself. From the moment his mother told him about the government troops raiding the city, to the time he got to New York, everything was a blur. Even one of the most important things...His mother was no longer at his side.

[User]
John was slightly confused when the small woman tapped on his shoulder. Most people on the streets avoided him. Which made sense seeing how he was ragged and head an intimidating mask to help cover the burns on his face. Maybe she just didn't really get a good look at me, he thought to himself.

He snapped back to the world around him as the woman started to scale the side of the building. "Wait, don't go in there." Not only was Jerome his only solid lead, but there might be some form of trap waiting.

John ran to the side of the building she climbed up. Thinking for a moment John spread out his arms. His shadow climbed up his body to form hooks on his palms. Using the hooks to scale the building, he climbed into the broken window.

Cutting his hand as he pulled through the window, John took in the room. The woman stood a couple steps away from him, and Jerome lay on the ground unconscious. Most of the room was on fire, and it looked like it had spread out into the hall. The room seemed to be covered in tech. Most of it was used to help people from Grayshire.

Moving past the woman to Jerome, "You can ask how I got up here after we get him out of here." He turned to her, the fire lighting up his figure. His voice had a slight rasp do to his mask, "I need you to get him out of here and meet me in the ally fifteen blocks south of here." John moved to a safe that sat under a desk. He made his shadow very thin and slid it into the small keyhole.

[Assistant]
If the pizza he brought with him wasn't a dead give-away his voice certainly was. He immediately recognized the voice as the one he had spoken to after he had taken the voice modulator off back in Grayshire on the video stream. "I was starting to think you wouldn't show up." Lexx said as the man sat down next to him. Lexx then shook his head and grinned at the suggestion. Not cause he refused a slice but because the man really showed up with a pizza. "I didn't really expect you to actually bring a pizza. Sure I'll have a slice." Still, even simplest acts like this tell a lot about a person. If this is hinting at anything, it's that the 'masked man' is dependable. Atleast I would hope so, Lexx thought.

"So what should I call you? Other than Mr. Anonymous." As he said that Lexx finally got a good look at his face. He had quite an average look, nothing noteworthy except how pale he was. It almost appeared as if he was sick.

[User]
The sheer amount of technology taking up the apartment threw Amelia off when she pulled herself through the window, and though she couldn't source the start of the fire, she was positive something had been rigged close to the door, where the fire had already spread out. To her surprise, she was joined shortly by the masked man, and she did a quick double-take when she noticed the mask. Okay, so it wasn't very frightening from the side, but a front view? That was a whole other story. Definitely not a shoe thief, then. How he'd even got up the building was a mystery, but she had to agree - they needed to get the unconscious man out before he caught fire like his computers.

"Right," she managed to get out, the smoke causing her to cough immediately after. When had she gotten so sensitive? She'd dealt with smoke before, and it never set her off so easily. Maybe sticking to everything but glass wasn't the only thing that had changed about her.

Taking a deep breath through her shirt, she picked the man up with ease, slinging him over her back like a sack and heading back to the window. It didn't occur to her until she was scaling down - a more difficult feat than she'd expected, because she couldn't go upside-down now that she was carrying someone - that she didn't know if she was supposed to bring this man with them or not. Witnesses were starting to gather, though; people that were evacuating the building, most likely. With a quiet swear, Amelia settled for picking up her shoes and leaving barefoot. She adjusted the man on her back to be more slung over her shoulder than behind her back, briefly considering how easy it was to carry him, and set off, ignoring the protests behind her. If this guy was being targeted, she was better off bringing him with her; she didn't just go in a burning building for fun, after all.

[Assistant]
Ved
He smiled gently, moving the box of steaming pizza in his direction, after he took a slice, he rose a shaky hand and took a piece himself. He took a bite and chewed thoughtfully, enjoying the flavor of it, as well as the dry spice to it.

"For the time being, please, call me Ved. It was the nickname my Mother gave me when I was young."

He said quietly with a subtle smile, reaching up and scratching slowly on one of the shaved sides of his head. His fingers, like himself, were long and thin, and his hands were incredibly cold.

"And what would you like me to call you?"

He asked as he lifted the slice to his mouth again and chewing slowly, then setting the slice on top of the closed box as a makeshift plate. He took in the man's appearance slowly, making sure to notice little details that would otherwise go over-looked.

[User]
I hope I can trust her, After half a minute John had gotten the lock to open. Inside the safe was three papers and two numbered USBs. Folding the papers he placed them and the USBs in a pouch on his belt and stood to look around the burning room. Water had started to come out of the sprinklers in the ceiling.

Thinking it over for a moment, John forced his shadow to form a glove on around his hands. "Sorry Jerome, but we can't risk it." John moved from computer to tower to terabyte tower smashing each. Soon the room looked worse then it began with.

As John moved towards the window part of the ceiling came down blocking it. damn, He turned and ran into the hallway. Most of it was fire, but on the opposite end was another window. Jogging to the other end, John looked out the window it sat just above the building next door. Taking a couple steps back before running and jumping through the window. Glass cutting his arms as he smashed through it. huf, He was just short, and landed on the edge of the roof. Using his shadow to form hooks again, John slowly climbed down.

Taking the long way around to the meeting place, he was starting to feel worn. Stopping in a dark ally to avoid police cars flying down the road. He had a moment to catch his breath. Finally reaching the meeting place, he turned to the corner and asked two things, "Can I trust you, and is he still breathing?"

[Assistant]
When Amelia reached the meeting point, she laid the man on the ground and started doing what she could to clear the man's lungs of any smoke. Though he was breathing on his own, his breaths were shallow and it was clear enough he was struggling. Just being in clearer air seemed to be helping, however, she had no idea if he'd wake soon or not. She was pretty sure proper care after inhaling smoke like he had required a manual resuscitator, and a small knot was forming on the back of his head. Throw in the preliminary burns from the initial exposure to the blaze, and she was amazed he was still alive. Fifteen blocks was no walk in the park, after all.

"I don't even know where the nearest hospital is," Amelia muttered irritably, wondering, not for the first time, if she should have left him outside of the building. At least when emergency services had arrived, he would've received more appropriate medical care. Not only that, but for all she knew, she'd just taken the man for his attacker.

Before she could dwell on the man's condition any longer, the masked man joined Amelia in the alley and fired off two questions as soon as he saw her. Standing from the crouch she'd been in by the man's side, her lips pulled down into a frown. He seemed to have his priorities pretty straight, but he was the one in a mask, and that first question should've been what she was asking. Regardless, she answered him after a few beats of silence between them.

"I'd like to think you can," Amelia responded, glancing over her shoulder at the unconscious man. "He's still breathing, but he's struggling. His arms have burns - probably second degree, given his proximity to the flames, and his head injury seems mild, despite the knot on the back of his head. On the upside, he's not bleeding." She ticked off the man's condition with her fingers as she spoke, then looked expectantly at the masked man. "Are you trustworthy?"


[System]
Nicknames: N/A
Age: 19 years
Gender: Female
Master of:
Command Seal Location:
Origin: Circular Flow「The Wheel of Samsara」

Personality: Hifumi's has a complicated personality as is expected of any human being. However, her regular self is a bit of diva. Because she's truly gifted and from a respectable bloodline, she tends to have a very big ego. Even though she's really self-centered, she's able to back up her words more often than not. That said, confusing Hifumi's ego with cruelty isn't appropriate. She's more likely to ignore than to torment others if they don't interest her. However, she does have a soft-spot for those she considers "interesting individuals", regardless of what that means.

Biography: A descendant of the one and only Murasaki Shikibu who's an extraordinarily talented writer and mage on her own merits. She was born out of an arranged marriage, to the Second Owner of Japan's most powerful spiritual grounds—the city of Kyoto. From her earliest childhood, Hifumi never disappointed her parents, always showing what the combination of a privileged bloodline and proper upbringing can do. Not only did she excel at magecraft, but also in her mundane tasks as well. In fact, by the time she concluded high school and moved to England to continue her magecraft education at the Clock Tower, Hifumi had 4 published novels all of which are on track to become modern classics of the Japanese literature.
 It's expected that after learning about the Holy Grail War—a ritual that she was well acquainted with since it originated from her homeland—Hifumi jumped at the chance of taking part of it. After all, it's nothing short of her obligation to recover this "wish granting device" and bring it back to where it belongs.

School of Magecraft: While Western Magecraft isn't her forte, the basics of the General Magecraft taught at the Clock Tower are like a children's play for Hifumi. Along with knowledge of what may as well be considered a mage's best friend—the nordic Curse Gandr.
 However, the Foundation of her magecraft lies in the exploration of art. Most specifically, in the written form. It's a subtle type of magecraft excelling at Bounded Fields—especially when combined with Hifumi's talent wit Imaginary Numbers—and Mental/Sensory Manipulation. In a way, it can be considered the perfect magus' art, a product of boundless at beauty and refinement. Or at least this is what Hifumi thinks of it.

Skills/Spells List:
【Gandr】The only actual directly offensive known by Hifumi. It's essentially a simple sickness curse that has been crank up enough to the point it becomes capable of hitting targets with a power similar to a handgun's bullet. It's a really simple and economic spell—with plenty of interesting variations—for a mage of Hifumi's talent, which allows her to use it more or less at-will (in a manner similar to Rin).
【Bounded Field Creation】The primary use of her magecraft, however it's not a combative one but rather the ability to generate advanced bounded fields with a wide range of effects. Given the fact that this falls under the category of a ritual, the concept of daily usage really doesn't apply here but for simplicity's sake 12/day is probably more than she'll ever do.
【Imaginary Numbers Magecraft】Imaginary Number Space manipulation, this isn't a magecraft that can normally be used on its own but rather as a mean of augmenting Hifumi's Bounded Fields, as such it falls under the same limitations as them.
【Japanese Witchcraft (Poetry/Lyrics)】A specialized form of magecraft derived from onmyōdō and other forms of Far Eastern withcraft styles. As expected, it's forte are curses and spiritual manipulation, applied to writing. A sympathetic type of magic that relies on producing the likeness of others—and thus, influence their—through words rather than a physical or spiritual connection.

Based on the axiom that "a writer creates a world whenever they put their hands to work", a universal through that—even to this day—is recognized by anyone who has ever read a book in their life. With the same ease, that they create a world, they do change and shape our perception of reality itself.

Words are powerful weapons. "The pen is mightier than the sword" and, for this reason, shaping reality with them is easy.

While the bounded field creation aspect is what Hifumi focuses on the most, using her words to create barriers, and zones that are almost completely cut from reality—shaped by nothing but the power of her imagination—thanks to her ability to tamper with Imaginary Numbers Space.

In fact, her strongest bounded field is simply the ability to create a "line" that separates space by producing a small "gap" leading to Imaginary Numbers Space. While it's not wide enough to use for travel or to dump others into, it's a barrier of near total isolation that displaces space around itself. She can also create bounded fields that camouflage the space around themselves, curse others and a number of any other advanced effects.

Naturally, this also allows her to store her magic in specially prepared mystic codes in the format of scrolls, in a manner similar to that of those who practice Gem Magecraft.

Specific uses other than bounded field creation and alteration are:
 【Curses】The ability to change other's fate. It can go from giving them a headache, causing them to stub their toes on a staircase, all the way to tripping down stairs, losing the lottery, to even deadly sickness and outright death by accident or illness. On the other hand, these can also heal, help you find a lost item, find your way out of a maze, among any number of benign ways to alters one's fate. Sadly, a curse to win the lottery is a bit too high level for Hifumi. Effects that rely on affecting the bodies and minds of others who also possess large magical energy reserves are notoriously hard to accomplish, but alteration of external fate is far more possible. 12/day
 【Rewriting】Altering existing magecraft to fit one's needs. As long as Hifumi is able to comprehend the workings of someone else's foundation, she can rewrite their magic to fit her will. This is not very useful in a combative manner (like the rest of her magic) but can work like a dispelling effect. It really shines when dispelling and altering the effects of lingering magic (especially those that relies on glyphs), making it very suitable for destroying others' bounded fields, and counter cursing. 12/day.
 【Imaginary Song/Phantom Poetry】The ability to create a world through words and reflected shadows. This is not an illusionary trait but rather the shaping of Imaginary Numbers Space into something that can affect reality through the careful application of words. In essence, it creates "that which does not exist". Hifumi uses this to produce Imaginary Familiars able to influence the world around herself. However, since they aren't real and "do not belong" in reality, their appearing is vague and foreboding to anyone who hasn't read, or heard, the story Hifumi created for them. In essence, they look like blobs of shadow given physicality, but since they aren't real their shape is limited by the observer's imagination until it's "fixed" by an external source. A concept similar to that of the Schrödinger's Cat, in which the reflected shadows both exist and not until being confirmed or denied by an onlooker. This can also be used to generate "phantom attacks". However, as expected of Imaginary Numbers based effects, they are almost worthless against "things that exist" but very powerful against things that "don't exist" including others spells and all manner of spiritual bodies. Though, it's unlikely that Hifumi is powerful enough to seriously harm any existence greater than a familiar or non-incarnated demon. 12/day

Mystic Codes:
"Ink blacker than shadows
Paper whiter than snow
A fox's tail brush dances in the poet's hand"

A conceptual set of implements used for Hifumi's art. They are amplifier type mystic codes helping her focus and control the flow of her magical energy much better than if she were to do use undignified tools to work her craft.

"A robe of the finest silk
Twelve layers within
A maiden wears it"

A magnificent twelve-layered ceremonial kimono, used solely by those who belong in the Imperial Court as princesses and ladies-in-waiting. A set of formal wear that Hifumi usually doesn't make too much use of because it's cumbersome to wear and seriously limits her mobility for daily life purposes. However, if she wears it while practicing her writing, inside of her workshop, it further amplifies her magecraft skills to a nearly unbelievable level. It's a tool that stores an enormous supply of magical energy, soaked into every of its fibers.

For all intents and purposes, whenever Hifumi is wearing her ceremonial robes, she can use twice as much magic as she would normally be able to. Even though the output of every individual spell doesn't change, just their quantity that increases.

Amount of Magecraft Mana: A

Other: She has a pair of servants to help her with the complex process involved in the preparation of her magecraft, as well as work as maids serving her in all needed purposes.

Class Name: Archer
True Name Atalanta
Nicknames: The Chaste Huntress
Alignment: Neutral Evil
Servant of:
Weapon(s): Bow「Tauropolos: Bow of Heaven」
Wish: "The salvation of all children."

Class Skills:
Independent Action A
Magic Resistance D

Personal Skills:
Crossing Arcadia B
Aesthetics of the Last Spurt C

—Parameters—
Strength: D
Endurance: E
Agility: A
Magical Power: B
Good luck: C
Noble Phantasm: C

—Noble Phantasms—
Name: Phoebus Catastrophe「The Complaint Message on the Arrow」
Rank: B
Type: Anti-Army
Range: 2-50
Description: A complaint letter on an arrow seeking the divine protection of Artemis and Apollo with the Tauropolos received from the Guardian Deity Artemis. In the next turn arrows will rain on all enemies as if a downpour. Range can be set.

Name: Agrius Metamorphosis「The Boar of Divine Punishment」
Rank: B+
Type: Anti-Unit(Self)
Range: 0
Description: The Monstrous Beast of Calydonia that Atalanta killed. A cursed Noble Phantasm where one owns the power of the Monstrous Beast when she wears the pelt.
 Even though Tauropolos is sealed (however, she receives a "dark bow'" with different properties in its place), other than luck, all other stats rise. And an A Rank "Mad Enhancement" equivalent status is taken on. The skill Self-Evolution is added. In battle, the wearer's form, therefore nature, changes.

[User]
𝙼𝚞𝚛𝚊𝚜𝚊𝚔𝚒 𝙷𝚒𝚏𝚞𝚖𝚒Hifumi didn't imagine the day could get any less interesting. Introductory Formalcraft classes were far below her level, yet she had to preserve her reputation and thus gave her whole attention to her morning classes.

Thankfully, she had an appointment that felt like it would ease her up, in the afternoon.

Until the time came, she spent the rest of her break at the library examining an unpublished manuscript said to belong to Britain's greatest writer—William Shakespeare, a man that's often compared to her own ancestor when it comes to prominence in their respective literary spheres.
—𝚇 𝚇 𝚇—Hifumi arrived at Director Orson's office as soon as the appointed time came.

The room was simpler than she expected it to be. Perhaps it was a statement of the man's sobriety, nevertheless the fact that it was occupied by three old—and unappealing—men made she frown in an almost imperceptible way.

"It's only expected..." she thought as she closed the door behind herself.

As soon as she did so, Hifumi bowed and introduced herself, "Good afternoon, I'm Murasaki Hifumi, of the Fujiwara Clan. May I ask why is it that you summoned me?" she said in a tone.

[Assistant]
Kaybernett

Head Office, Clock Tower

---

The meeting place was just a hop and a skip away from the duelling grounds, so Jack had the pleasure of an easygoing stroll through the storied halls of the Clock Tower on a sunny afternoon. The paths to different departments of the association were very familiar to him, and the head office was no exception, so he was able to get there more-or-less on time despite his pace.

Jack's suit-jacket had been stained with blood during the process of saving the loser of a violent duel a few minutes ago, and while he wondered if walking into the war meeting looking like that would have helped him seem strong and intimidating, he decided against doing so, tucking the jacket away in his case and resolving to clean it later.

The Meatmaster had met the headmaster before, but the business today was apparently being led by a higher-up named Orson. The name certainly sounded familiar, and as Jack stepped through the door and gazed about, he recognized the face of the old man behind the desk as well. Added on to that were two seated men who gave the distinct impression of combat experience- and Jack would know, given his usual job was to stand by while people fought all day. Finally, a younger woman still standing in front of Orson's desk.

"Nobody let you know what we're doing here? The Director here must think pretty highly of you as a mage, Miss Hifumi, because you've been picked for the operation against the Grey family." He said so as if he hadn't been picked for the exact same thing.

I got picked because of my healing. Not because I have a track record of assisting against rogue families, right..?  He took another sweep of the office. "Afternoon, all. I'm Jack." Not taking a seat as of yet, he sent friendly looks around the room, and an offhanded nod to Orson.


[System]
Gender: Female

Age: 21

Career/Class: Courtesan/Duelist

Physical Description: Camilla is a medium sized woman around 5'5. She possess the slightly bronzed skin, angular features and dark hair common among Tileans. She has the smooth clean lines of a classical statue and the lean musculature of a dancer. Every part of her seems artfully contrived, as though she stepped from the canvas of a master painter. Camilla moves with deliberate grace which is appropriate to her profession.

Mental Description/Personality: Camilla is a fiery impetuous young woman. As a child she was selected from among orphan's for her physical beauty and raised to fill the role of Courtesan in the decadent courts of her native Tilea. Among her studies were poetry, dance, repartee, song, politics, literature, art and sword play.

Camilla is out of place in rough and dangerous situations, and although naturally adventurous and curious about the world she is no heroine. She has a fiery temper and has a tendency to act rather than to wait if given the chance. While technically trained with the sword, Camilla's education is that of the stylized art of the sword rather than the rough and brutal style of real combat, while she is perfectly comfortable fighting a duel to the tough for the entertainment of a crowd, she had little experience with real killing.

Camilla has a passing devotion to Randald and Shyalla, although she tends to focus on the world in front of her rather than the world beyond.

[User]
Emmaline, moved furtively through the streets of Lashiek. It was the first time she had been in the city, save for when she had been auctioned off to the Emir but fortunately most port cities shared a number of similarities. Her stolen clothing didn't make her particularly inconspicuous and her pale skin and golden hair were a problem as well. It was doubtful that the Emir's guards would pursue her, right now the Emir's several sons were no doubt fighting for their father's inheritance, and though they might eventually seek out their father's murderess she intended to be long gone by then.

Like most of the night shrouded city the Goldsmith's quarter was not particularly busy at this late hour. Stoney faced guards holding spears and vicious looking cudgels stood at street corners, each bearing an armband of deep green that identified them as belonging to the Goldsmith's guild. It was easier to dissuade thieves with a community effort it seemed. A few of the shops, either more enterprising or working late to finish particular contract, remained opened, the light streaming from their white washes doorways and curtain shrouded windows giving them away. Picking one at random she stepped inside, pleased and surprised at how much cooler it was. The store was a single large room, filled with tables atop which a variety of jewellery mostly brass and copper but with occasional pieces of gold, were laid out on rather moth eaten fabric trays. A dripping clay urn hung from the ceiling suspended by slime slickend ropes, acting to cool the room. A seedy looking shop keeper in a red fez looked up from behind the counter where he was working on a pendant of some kind, a cracked monocular on one eye.

"Can I help you?" he asked in a voice as dry as the desert wind.

"I'd like to sell a piece of jewelry," she said, they shopkeeper looked surprised at her arabic, but a year as a slave had given her plenty of time to master the language. She withdrew the ruby ring, the smallest of the pieces she had taken from the body of her former owner and held it out for inspection. A crafty look crossed the old man's face and he glanced out towards the guards on the street.

"I wouldn't," Emmaline warned, "I might be a forgiener, but im not stupid." She drew back her cloak to reveal the hilt of the stolen scimitar.

"If you call out to the guards to claim I stole it from you, I might be in trouble, but you WILL be dead," she promised. The shopkeeper looked a little sulky at that.

"No need for threats mistress," he whined.

"Not if you deal fairly with me at any rate, it will be much easier for both of us," she returned. It took about a quarter hour, and she allowed the man to cheat her slightly to salve his pride, but she emerged from the store with a bag of coins and a satisfied expression. Now if only she could find some local clothes that fit her a little better than the stolen guard uniform.

"Stop in the name of the Satrap!" a voice barked from the end of the street. A guard, this one dressed much more grandly than the bored looking mercenaries, stalked towards her with a scimitar in his hand.

"Uhh…" Emmaline temporised.

"Is there a problem?" she asked, edging back away from the man. Surely he wasn't from the Emir.

"The satrap was robbed, we are rounding up suspicious people, such as Godless foregin whores abroad in the middle of the night," he snarled. Emmaline resisted the urge to scream in frustration and forced herself to stand very still.
"I see," she said in Riekspiel, "and may Ranald take your bloody balls."

The guard clearly didn't understand the words but seeing she intended no resistance, stepped towards her and reached for her with a gauntleted hand. With a scream she bought her knee up and drove it into the Arabyian's crotch with all her might. He let out a scream of agony and doubled over. Without a second thought she turned and bolted down the nearest alleyway as fast as her legs could carry her.

[Assistant]
Watching from above, Amal had taken out a sackcloth of dates and had begun to eat gingerly, watching this woman haggle with the goldsmith as his men leered at her from behind. Amal had all the gold he needed for a tenday, and so he thought he get some free entertainment. Fortunately for the woman, she managed to get out of the predicament scot free. Amal would have applauded her if it wouldn't have announced his perch, so he simply continued to watch, wondering why the Goldsmith's men did not simply rob her after.

He got his answer when a royal guard in a familiar garb approached from the east, pointed nose poking out of his proudly, uniformly trimmed beard. He could already tell what was about to transpire before the threats had begun, and he did laugh aloud when she kicked the guard in the groin. If only everyone in Araby had such daring! She ran as if her life depended on it, and it certainly did. Two more royal guards saw her fleeing form escape down the alley, and they drew their swords, running past their downed comrade.

Normally, Amal would have simply let it go there. In fact this was the perfect scenario. Having someone fall for the crime he committed. The thief would have laughed and bragged about such a thing for days after. But something made him second guess himself. An old friend of his had once told him, A tree that affords thee shade, do not allow it to be cut down. For you see, there were only three things Amal truly appreciated. Beautiful women, treasure, and a sense of danger. This woman represented all three in spades, and he knew something else. She had been running from the law even before they had accused her of stealing from the Satrap. Her manner and stolen clothes confessed to it.

He downed the last of the dates, hopping to his feet and scaled down the building to the second floor, strong fingers gripping the sandstone of the walls. Kicking off, he made it to the lower rooftop and raced across the buildings. Having traversed these streets for over ten years, he could adequately guess where the foreigner was going, seeing her golden hair turning a corner not a moment later as he crossed a gap between the seammaster's residence and the shoe maker shop. He readied a rope, tying it to the pillar of the top pavillion of the following building.

"I will take your mane as a trophy, whore!" One of the guards cried out, echoing into the night. Emmaline turned at the sound of the voices behind her just as Amal landed right before her path. Her eyes spotted him as she turned back just in time not to run into him. The thief, breathing heavily from the acrobatics, didn't have time to explain he was not here to gut her before she kicked at his groin on instinct. He had already seen her use the move though, and he blocked it with his hands.

He waded back, holding his arms up to show he meant no harm. "Wait, wait! I am not here to cut your pretty throat, though I am curious on the color of foreigner blood." He said with an open mouthed grin. "I am here to help, or would you like to take your chances with the Satrap's men?" Not a moment later, he was already grabbing the rope he had laid down with one, strong hand as he held the other out for her to take.

If she took his hand, he would pull her on his back and used his considerable strength to haul them both up atop the roof, pulling the rope up just as the Satrap's men would turn the corner. In a small gesture of bravado, Amal would blow them a kiss and wave them farewell as the men on the ground cursed their luck. "Now that they have lost you, you might get your wish," he said in heavily accented Reikspeil, and looked at her with a devilish smirk. "Their balls may well be removed."