[System]
"Hey, you wouldn't have seen any flower around here that has a yellow petal, would ya? I need one for, uh...'flavoring'."

"Charlotte LaChance. Now, if you don't need anything I really should be watching this beaker before it explodes."
"Nineteen."
Age:
19

Race:
Human

Appearance:
Charlotte stands around five foot six. A pale complexion with messy, somewhat unkempt dark brown hair and cold blue eyes adorn her face. She has a slender frame, with no obvious muscles as she's not entirely one for physical activity, often time spending her days reading or practicing her chosen craft. She wears comfortable clothes that look like one might expect of someone born from high-society. Short pants, held up by a belt with a golden buckle, adorned with various pouches to carry items. Comfortable shoes with long, knee-high socks. Over her upper body, she wears a thick cloak with a hood, designed mostly to protect the wearer from the cold. Rarely takes it off, even in the warmer lands she finds herself in.

Personality:
Insatiable curiosity, confident, stubborn, a bit on the childish side, doesn't like not getting her way, and has a bit of a one-track mind. As such her alchemy can sometimes suffer a bit as a result. Though indeed, she is talented, and if she doesn't let her one-track mind focus on something else after she starts something, she'd be fairly successful. She prefers to spend time outdoors with her plants and other alchemy reagents than in the company of people.

She tends to come off as rather serious and no-nonsense, and sometimes a sarcastic grump. Often time she wears a serious expression when people first meet her, though its only because she tends to have a one-track mind about things, and really doesn't like being interrupted. She's often thinking about various things and what properties plants might have.

That said, she is fairly friendly to most, and isn't hostile by any means. Just don't interrupt her work unless you have a really good reason. Aside from this, she's fairly intelligent and knows about a great deal many scholarly subjects. Mostly dealing with Magic and Alchemical pursuits, but she's read a great many number of books so she might surprise someone with her knowledge every now and then about something.

"DAMN YOUR EYES DON'T TOUCH THAT BEAKER-Argh, this is sensitive equipment!"

Abilities:
Aside from the obviously impressive physical and mental abilities that humans possess, Charlotte is adept at potion brewing. Meaning, alchemy and making useful concoctions out of herbs, remedies, antidotes and other items found in the natural world. She's pretty much a savant when it comes to everything relating to it. Add that to some beginner interest in Botany, she could probably make quite the living selling and brewing potions. That said, she is still fairly young and has a lot of room for improvement in the field. Plus, almost all the flora and fauna on this new continent has yet to be documented. Meaning, until she goes around documenting and doing some trial and error, she's gonna be somewhat useless.

Not something a lot of sleepless nights watching beakers and flasks bubble can't fix, however.

A neat little list:
-Good at alchemy
-Fairly intelligent
-Beginner Botanist
-Cold tends to not bother her so much, since her home country was notoriously cold.
-Not so good with animals, unfortunately. They tend to like using her as a chewtoy.
-Physically speaking, she's a wet noodle strength wise. Fairly average stamina due to her fairly active lifestyle.

History:
Born in Astril, Charlotte has been brought up around science, logic, reason, and even the odd magical related things most of her life. Aside from that, its not particularly interesting. While she herself wasn't born into the magic-using citadel of Astril, and was instead brought up in a small farming community near the border, she has always held an interest in magic, alchemy, and scholarly pursuits herself. So in between farming duties and helping her parents run the farm, she studied all sorts of books. Ones about history, magic, and otherwise.

And when she was fourteen, she was accepted into Astril itself as a student. And as confident as she was, she was sorely outclassed by a lot of the students there who had been training formally since their birth. She spent quite a few years there struggling to keep up with the other students, and quickly found herself as a bit of a loner and outcast among her peers. Not that she particularly minded, she'd rather have her books and studies anyways. Eventually she was labeled a bit of an eccentric.

It was when she was nineteen, she had to make a choice. Leave Astril and set off on her own, or effectively become a test subject. She doesn't like talking about the events that transpired leading up to that event, but she will say she killed about five scholars and blew up a lab.

Nation of Origin:
Astril. A small, somewhat isolationist country known for its heavy delving into intellectual pursuits of all kinds.

Nation Lore:
Astril is a small nation located far to north. Most of the country is cold, mountainous, and cold tundra and thick pine forests make up most of the climate. Over time, they have tamed the lands somewhat and built a thriving city located high in the frigid mountains. A tower like citadel, simply named 'Astril' over their first leader, that later became their small city.

In the past, they were a small group of intellectuals, scholarly types, dissatisfaction with their own cities. They traveled far to the north, seeking land unclaimed by others they could call home themselves. Eventually, they found their land in the cold north.

Overtime, they built a thriving city, founded upon not on diplomacy or military might, but on science, magic, and logic. When it was first founded, they welcomed all inquiries into the arcane and scientific nature, and shunned no question or line of research...no matter how 'unethical' it might have been perceived to be. Human, animal, and all sorts of experimentation was, and still is quite common. Of course, they don't exactly advertise this fact these days. If you're going to be doing something somewhat unethical, then you are expected to keep it under wraps and deal with any unintended consequences yourself...

Eventually, the city began withdrawing from the outside world, and though they still welcome intellectuals and those who wished to pursue arts of science and magic, they had developed a bit of a mindset that those outside their walls were somewhat...barbaric and uncivilized. Typical mage superiority mindset, really. Mix that with a somewhat reactionary mindset with a healthy dose of Xenophobia, (anyone considered an outsider and not born there, not racism per say. There are a variety of races that live here) you get some pretty narrow minded individuals.

Of course, it wasn't all easy for them. With their small numbers and generally small sized city, was almost taken over quite a number of times, if it wasn't for the quick thinking of their leaders. They maintain uneasy peace with any other city state in the area, but for the most part keep to themselves, and any outsiders are turned back at the border.

Misc:
-Not everyone pursues magic theory or science here. Not everyone has the aptitude to perform equally well with magic, after all. As long as you make yourself useful, you'll probably fit in well.
-A bit of a Meritocracy
-Ruled by the 'Deacon of Astril'

Other:
-Can be somewhat socially awkward at times, and has trouble holding a decent conversation about anything other than alchemy.
-Makes some questionable potions sometimes. You really shouldn't get curious about some of the stuff she makes.
-Don't bring up anything regarding an elixir of life or philosophers stone. You have been warned. If you do, bring ear plugs and make sure you don't have anything to do for the next hour.

[User]
Aislinn
Aislinn nodded in agreement - she didn't want to get injured by trying to get Charlotte to hit her either as being tied up the previous day was already scary enough. Though soon enough an idea appeared in the native's mind as she thought up a new game. "I have an idea! How about we go down to the river and put a small branch across it! Then we could try and play a game of balance! Perhaps the thought of being drenched will be enough to activate the ones for balance?" A wide grin ran across the girl's face.

"I don't have any tunes for balance, but I'm Queen so therefore I expect to win anyways!" The girl assumed a more assertive stance towards Charlotte, already pumping herself up for a challenge that hadn't even been accepted yet, sticking out her chest slightly and pointing at the black haired girl to see if she would accept it.

[Assistant]
~Charlotte LaChance~

---

At Aislinn's suggestion, Charlotte placed a hand on her chin, seeming to ponder the suggestion. Well, it certainly would have been much better than her trying anything on her own. There would be very little chances anyone could get seriously hurt, though she wouldn't really be too worried about getting wet. This dress wasn't one she was too extremely attached too, and it'd be easy enough to dry her hair.

"A fair suggestion. It's certainly better than having rocks thrown at you." Charlotte replied. She had never actually tried balancing on anything before, so this would be fairly interesting. She had climbed a few ledges before with the aid of some alchemy and natural hand-holds but for the most part she wasn't very good at it. At least, not better than average. Plus, she'd be lying if it didn't seem like a bit of fun to try and beat Aislinn. As much of a 'queen' she was, she certainly would be at least a tiny bit fun to mess with. So perhaps she could bring herself to actually want to win this little challenge.

"Well," She said with a small smile. "We'll see, but I don't expect to get soaked. Lead the way then, 'your highness'"

[User]
Aislinn
Aislinn practically jumped in excitement as she started leading Charlotte and herself towards the nearby river. She sensed something was up with the way the black haired woman was speaking but was glad to finally be recognize for the Queen of the forest that she was. For the first minute of the walk the girl with multicolored hair pictured how she wanted to completely prove to her subject how mighty she was in every single respect but eventually looked over towards her friend and gave her a beaming smile.

For a moment she seemed to reach her hand out to Charlotte's, but ended up withholding it as she realized that would likely make the other woman uncomfortable. It made her a little sad, but if she needed time to prepare herself for hugs then it would be rude to stop her.

Eventually the pair arrived to a narrower section of the river where a recently dead tree lay across forming a natural bridge over. The river itself was about thirty feet wide although the tree was much narrower with two feet hardly being able to be placed next to eachother. The native was curious about what felled such a young thing, but it served it's purpose. Although now she wasn't sure what this competition would consist of. "Ummmmmm ... let's start simple! Just going across it!" Aislinn jumped up onto the tree, feeling it shift just slightly beneath her feet as she walked across it with a completely normal pace. Eventually she arrived on the other side, giving Charlotte a confident smile as the river rushed beneath the log. "Your turn Charlotte! Your majesty will see you drenched!"

[Assistant]
~Charlotte LaChance~

---

Before leaving, Charlotte quickly grabbed her cloak. While Aislinn would likely object, Charlotte wasn't leaving without at least some form of self defense. The cloak had a few pockets sewn into the inside of it for keeping things, in case of emergencies. An alchemist always had to be prepared, simple as that. She didn't have anything else to rely on, and she couldn't expect the tattoos to work as intended. For the most part, Charlotte walked in silence, making small mental notes of any plants in the area she hadn't noticed. She had a fairly good idea of the flora around the cave after living here for a bit, but it was always a good idea to check for new growth.

When they finally reached the river, Charlotte took note of the tree. Something felled it, perhaps? It certainly didn't seem old or rotten in any places. It could mean that there was something lurking in the area, but it was just an assumption. She'd keep her eyes and ears open. If it was something, she'd at least be able to make a reasonable getaway hopefully. For now, she focused on the tree and the river. About thirty feet wide, and not too deep. Well, she might as well.

With a sigh and a small, confident smirk Charlotte began walking across. The alchemist definitely wasn't as good as Aslinn, and had to take her time a bit and use her arms for balance. After a bit longer than Aislinn though, she made it. It wasn't anything she hadn't done before, so she could at least do this much.

"If it is simply walking across a log, I have done it a number of times. The freezing rivers back home make for ample incentive to not take a swim in one."

[User]
Aislinn
Aislinn pouted as Charlotte completed the task without taking a swim, but then smiled widely in excitement as it meant the competition would be more intense. The native decided to take this to the next level. "How about we go across, but like a rabbit?" The native ran back towards the log but this time instead of walking hopped across it jumping from steady area to steady area. The tree shifted beneath her feet but stayed in place well enough that the girl managed to get across without a soak.

"Now your turn! This river may not be cold, but my reign upon my victory shall be!" The native posed with her hands on her hips, face turned towards the sky in an attempt to be regal.

[Assistant]
Charlotte watched with some amazement at Aislinn's physical ability. By the stars, how did someone managed to do that? Well, it wasn't impossible, but she had never seen someone move in quite that fashion so quickly! The peoples that lived around Astril weren't exactly the agile sort. The other girls bragging didn't do much to sway her from trying though. Ah, how Charlotte wanted to just prove Aislinn so very wrong. Unfortunately, she doubted her skill in physical co-ordination, especially something like that.

But well, she might as well try. Wouldn't get anywhere without a little trial and error. Wouldn't be the first time she did something like this for science.

Taking a breath, Charlotte attempted to mimic Aislinn's actions. With a running start, the alchemist jumped, feet landing some distance away from the beginning of the log. Immediately, she transitioned into another jump, her feet hitting the log for a second time...and sliding over the edge of the damp wood. With a somewhat startled yelp, the alchemist lost her balance, falling over the side of the log face first into the stream.

A few seconds of fumbling around later, the alchemist managed to push herself to her hands and knees, coughing a bit as she tried to catch her breath.

"Argh, by the stars this dress isn't very water resistant..." At least her cloak did a good job of keep her backside from getting too wet. She pushed herself to her feet, looking over at Aislinn who was no doubt likely feeling smug.


[System]
Age:
15.

Gender:
Female.

Appearance:
Camryn has brownish skin and straight, black hair as a result of her Māori heritage. She's fairly tall (5' 10"), and usually wears her (quite long) hair in a ponytail. Her eyes are a light hazel color, over which she wears a pair of slim-framed glasses. She's generally seen wearing jeans and various space-themed t-shirts under her school uniform.

Personality:
Camryn is very gregarious and lively, always talking to people and trying to get to know them. However, if someone causes her to dislike them, they will know immediately, as her personality when talking to them will do a complete 180; she will become cold and harsh, throwing out sarcastic remarks like candy and never raising her voice.

History:
Camryn was born in Wellington, New Zealand, to an employee of Industrial Illusions' New Zealand branch, her mother, and a stockbroker, her father. As she grew up, she took an especial interest in two things: her mother's work (and Duel Monsters by proxy), and space. Over the years, she helped her mother design several cards, including some of the new Cyber Dragon support. Her parents got her a telescope and a Duel Monsters deck for her 13th birthday, and she's used both almost every day since. Her father heard about Duel Tower from a friend of his who sent his son there, and after talking it over with Camryn and her mother, they decided that she would enroll there to learn how to become a pro duelist.

Favorite Card/Archetype or theme:
The Gradius monsters (Falchion Beta, Victory Viper XX03, Blue Thunder T-45, etc).

Chosen courses:
Turbo Dueling/Xyz Summoning.

Current dorm:
Wind.

Chosen Structure Deck:
Deepspace Rebellion, a custom structure deck.

Custom Structure Deck List:
2x Deepspace Scout
1x Deepspace Stunner
1x Deepspace Infiltrator
2x Deepspace Berserker
2x Deepspace Suffocator
1x Falchion Beta
1x Lord British Space Fighter
1x Jade Knight
1x Blue Thunder T-45
1x Victory Viper XX03
2x Gradius
1x UFOroid
2x Gearspring Spirit
3x Cyber Larva
1x Cyber Eltanin

1x Deepspace Beacon
2x The Depths of Space
2x Solidarity
2x Burden of the Mighty
1x Riryoku
1x Berserker Soul
1x Mystical Space Typhoon

1x Solar Ray
1x Call of the Haunted
1x Ojama Trio
1x Beckoning Light
1x Painful Escape
1x Draining Shield
1x Compulsory Evacuation Device
1x Magic Cylinder
1x Rare Metalmorph

Chosen Pack:
Cybernetic Revolution.

Current deck:
2x Deepspace Scout
1x Deepspace Stunner
1x Deepspace Infiltrator
3x Deepspace Berserker
3x Deepspace Suffocator
2x Falchion Beta
2x Lord British Space Fighter
1x Jade Knight
1x Blue Thunder T-45
1x Victory Viper XX03
2x Gearspring Spirit
3x Cyber Larva
1x Cyber Eltanin
1x Machina Fortress
2x Cyber Dragon

1x Deepspace Beacon
2x The Depths of Space
1x Solidarity
2x Burden of the Mighty
1x Riryoku
1x Mystical Space Typhoon

1x Call of the Haunted
1x Ojama Trio
1x Beckoning Light
1x Draining Shield
1x Compulsory Evacuation Device
1x Magic Cylinder

Collection:
Chaos Emissary, Split Persona
Spellbook of Equilibrium x 3
Chaos Emissary, Lord of Summoning
The Depths of Space x 2
Deepspace Berserker
Chaos Emergence
The Chaos Emperor's Castle
Cyber Dragon
Gravesoil Sediment Golem
1x Steam Gyroid
1x Indomitable Fighter Lei Lei
1x Tyranno Infinity
1x Cycroid
1x Shien's Spy
1x Doitsu
1x Wroughtweiler
1x Steamroid
1x Cyber Archfiend
1x Berserker Soul
2x Gradius
1x UFOroid

Points:
50.

[User]
Ignia continued to dart around, as if she were a bee and Ethel the honey, with no end to the madness in sight. The tone of their voice kept switching, the way they behaved proceeded to jump from one thing to another. The bunny-girl's discomfort continued to grow each passing second, not knowing how to deal with this person... They also seemed to assume Ethel was strong, liked being approached, and liked new friends. Only the first of those three was true. "Ngh... You're energetic..." the girl muttered out, not knowing what else to really say in response to Ignia. Her last sentence asked to be friends, and honestly, Ethel didn't quite know what to do. She gets a feeling that, if Ethel refused, something really bad was going to happen to her.

"S-Sure... Let's... Be friends." they stuttered out, before fully thinking it through. Did she just say that out loud? Every muscle in Ethel's body relaxed for a minute, alongside her eyes becoming unfocused. Something inside of the girl seemed to stop working for a few moments, whilst she was thinking about what she just said. 'Ethel, you're an IDIOT!' she mentally berated herself, then put on a little smile. No taking that back now... "I accept your apology. And I did place in Light, thank you for noticing." Her tone of voice wasn't entirely sincere, but it was the best the girl could pull off on a whim.

[Assistant]
Angelo smiled as he got her to laugh for the first time since he got their. Finally this girl was starting to loosen up a little although Angelo could sense that he looked naïve in her eyes but honestly Angelo didn't mind as long as she was starting to feel happy even if she thought Angelo was dumb or something along those lines. Angelo then stood up and took a bow as she introduced herself finally to him "it is nice to meet you Tsukiko Ikushirou" Angelo said with a smile as he sat back down next to her. The sad thing was that Angelo could still sense some sort of despair in her eyes despite her starting to laugh and it would take more then a quick chuckle to make her feel better completely but as they say one must crawl before they can walk.

As she started to ask him what he wanted to do Angelo did want to duel that was no question but he heard from his D-ciever that she collapsed and the faculty was worried that she was working herself to much. Angelo gently placed his hand on her duel disk to stop her from putting it all the way back on "you don't need to duel me. I would like to talk if you don't mind, after all I came here to relax just as much as you did. It would be nice to simply talk to someone for a while and learn more about the students ill be working with" Angelo said but really he did want to duel but he wouldn't force the girl he didn't want to be responsible for her next collapse. Angelo wouldn't mind just talking to the girl after all since she started to become less and less hostile with each laugh Angelo was able to get out of the girl.

[User]
"AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH..."

Nathaniel gave a loud sigh as he stretched out his arms over his head, the adrenaline leaving his body. It had gotten pretty dark while he and Megan were stuck in virtual reality playing card games, which probably meant that the time was getting pretty late since they were in a dessert. Considering how much of a sweat Nathaniel had worked up jumping around and climbing up and down ladders, it was probably a good idea to head back to his dorm and take a shower before going to bed. He had just Action Dueled in a dress shirt and tie too. Yeah, t-shirts will definitely be the order of the day tomorrow.

"Well, I should probably head back." Nathaniel said to Megan with a yawn and a stretch. "See you in class tomorrow."

Giving a wave to Camryn in farewell, Nathaniel left the arena and began his trek back to the main building. Now that the sun wasn't beating down on him like a drum, it was actually quite cool walking around in the desert night. It was a calming walk and his sweat cooled quickly. As Nathaniel came close to the Duel Tower, he suddenly thought that he should probably visit the card shop. Judging from his last duel, there were probably some cards he needed to replace. Like Fluffal Mouse. In fact, he wondered who included that in the decklist in the first place. Plus, there was supposedly a new pack that included new Performapal support, and that was always exciting.

When Nathaniel reached the building, he headed straight for the card shop. As he prepared to set his points down, so to speak, his gaze shifted towards a hulking giant. Seriously, this guy was huge. And Nathaniel was just standing there. In the card shop. With this giant of a man. What would his parents say?

[Assistant]
Just as Brad was about to leave for his dorm, he felt like he was being watched. Turning around, he spotted a sweaty fellow in some sort of fancy clothes. While people staring at him dumbfounded was not exactly an uncommon thing back home, considering that this school seemed to be some sort of weirdness magnet, he had not really expected it here.

"Hello," said Brad, his voice echoing in the mostly empty shop area. The temptation to add 'little man' to that brief statement was strong but Brad managed to fight it off.


[System]
Age: 211, to his best estimate
Height: 6'2"
Weight: 192 lbs
Race: Vampire
Birthplace: England, circa 1667 (Elizabethan era)
Short Bio: Born in the Elizabethan era and surviving into the Victorian, Vail has seen the rise and fall of two centuries' worth of dynasties—not just human, but supernatural as well. As a member of the Hygrace family, he was raised in the wealth and prestige of the most powerful vampire clan in London. His uncle, Lord Reginald Hygrace, was a respected leader, known across the nation for offering protection to any vampires who needed sanctuary from The Order of the Saints: an influential group of men and women who tracked down and killed the "demons" for a living.

For nearly a century, Reginald's efforts kept both his family and the rest of the vampires safe. However, around the year 1750, he made the mistake of taking in a man named Lord Elias Wynter. At a glance, Elias seemed like just another refugee seeking sanctuary with the Hygrace family, but in truth, he sought to overthrow the ruling dynasty completely.

Unbeknownst to the Hygraces, the Wynters had been plotting for quite a while to take over and change the way that vampires lived in England altogether. They believed that as "superior beings," they should fight back against humans instead of hiding from them in fear. They saw the Hygraces were weak and cowardly, unfit to lead their kind, and so started a rebellion.

When he commenced his attack, Elias managed to kill Reginald, but his attempt to finish off the rest of the oldest generation was cut short by his victim's younger brother—Vail's father—Peter, who went on to take over as the leader of the Hygrace clan in his sibling's stead. Unfortunately, the Wynter family refused to give up after just one defeat and has continued to fight for power against the ruling dynasty ever since.

For Vail, the following century of his life was spent predominantly in hiding. As the son of the most powerful vampire in England, he had to look out not only for members of the Saints but the Wynters as well. With such a large target on his back, he learned how to fight and wield a gun in order to protect himself. Both skills have saved his life since.

Of course, he can't spend all his time in seclusion without going stir crazy, so he finds time to attend parties and other large gatherings put on by other aristocrats in London to get out of the Hygrace manor on occasion.

[User]
Victoria blushed with coyness as Vail laced his fingers with hers and declared she was his. In a more formal fashion. He made his feelings perfectly clear to his own family before and now to his future mother in law, she hoped, at least. She was grateful that her mother was so accepting of him and took it so well but then again, she saw the horrors Lord Spencer had put her through.

As Victoria escorted Vail to the door, she smiled upon hearing his intentions were to keep loving her. She could not ask for more than that. Other than a gesture of commitment in the form of an engagement ring. Which would enrage his father, of course. She sighed when Vail expressed, he didn't have any kind of plan to win over Peter. Only time would tell. Or if the Wynters made a move on them. So, it was settled then, they would wait until the Wynters were dealt with. And that meant more training with the Order. Victoria wasn't going down without a fight. She only latched her hand tightly around Vail's cooler skinned hand.

She received his kiss with a soft sigh, she loved the feeling of his lips upon her porcelain skin. She swooned as he called her 'his love' for the very first time. She never thought two words would melt her heart so much than those he spoke. She smiled brightly when he declared he was going to fight for her, for them both to be together. She almost gasped at the mention he wanted to make her his fiancé and wife in the future, her cheeks flushed bright red. "I do trust you, Vail. With my life, my soul and my heart." She revealed softly. She was happy he wasn't going to let his father win in his decision to keep them apart.

"Once we deal with the Wynters and when everything has calmed down, we can discuss our future…" She didn't want to add 'if she lived' at the end of the sentence. She didn't want to think about that. "So I shall see you in three days' time?" She confirmed his plan. She knew he was still sneaking out of his manor house and keeping his rendezvous with his lover a secret from his father. "I'll miss you, until then I shall be waiting." She tiptoed up to peck his lips gently with her ruby ones. As she released his lips, she grinned at him. "My love."

[Assistant]
A pleased smile pulled at Vail's lip when Victoria declared that she trusted him with every part of her being. He could tell by her occasional questions that she wanted more than just an informal, secretive relationship with him, and he truly did want to give her more than that. He was grateful that she was willing to be patient for now. It would have been selfish of them to put their romance above the threat of the Wynters, because he knew that doing so would only further distract Peter and sever their trust in one another. For the sake of the slim chance that the clan leader might take his advice about preparing for war one day, he would have to keep meeting with the Crest heiress subtly. It was for the safety of his family, and he was glad that she seemed to understand his reasoning.

When she repeated the plan back to him, he nodded. "And no later," he assured her. Even though he was the one who had insisted that they wait, he wasn't eager to postpone taking another step forward with her either. Since her lifespan was so brief, it felt to him like they didn't have very much time. The few decades they would have together were a mere blink compared to his immortal existence. The knowledge didn't deter him from investing in her as a mate, but it still saddened him to know that the woman who had stolen his heart would only be able to hold onto it for thirty or forty years. He didn't want to wait any longer than was necessary to stop hiding and be with her every day.

Leaning down slightly, Vail met Victoria's lips as she kissed him and then met her blue eyes adoringly. "And I'll miss you as well," he agreed with a quiet exhale, though a soft smile graced his lips when she called him her love. Although she had been ill at the time, he had enjoyed the days they had been able to spend in his bedroom after he'd whisked her off to the Hygrace manor. It had felt like a window into the future that he longed to share with her, one in which they didn't have to spend more time apart than together. He hoped the next three days would pass by quickly, so he could return to see her again.

"Stay safe, Victoria," he advised, his thoughts wandering back to the ominously quiet Lord Spencer. "If you need me before the end of three days, don't hesitate to tell me. I meant it when I said you're mine, and I protect what's important to me. As long as I can help it, I'm not going to allow him to hurt you again." His lip curled slightly at the mention of the rival vampire, but the cold expression vanished as he planted one more kiss on her cheek. "Barring any incidents, I'll see you in three days."

Turning to the door, he stepped out into the cold night and casted her one last glance over his shoulder. "I love you," he said to her once more just before he closed the door behind him and began the walk back to the Hygrace manor.

[User]
Those three words had such power over Victoria. She felt a rush of tingles as he said he loved her. She couldn't be anymore lucky to have the vampire Lord's love, rather than just his desire for her blood. She bid him a goodbye blown kiss from her hand before he shut the door behind him. She then turned and leaned her back against the door, sighing contently. She wore a soft smile on her face and her cheeks felt flushed. She stared dreamily off into the distance for a few minutes thinking about Vail. She missed him already.

She ventured up to her room to get some much-needed sleep before training resumed tomorrow. She would keep herself busy until she saw Vail again in three days. She felt giddy knowing Vail vowed to protect her from Spencer. Instead of planning her wedding to Vail, she was training for an upcoming battle with the Wynter clan. She didn't exactly live a normal life to any other noblewoman.

---

It was nearly five am when there was a loud bang at the front door. Victoria awoke with a contorted expression. "What in the name of God…?" She sighed as there was no servants in to get the door. More banging ensued as she put on her long dressing gown and slippers. "Hold on!" She shouted as she hobbled down the stairs sleepily. She got to the door and shouted. "Who is it?"

"Ray and Gerald! Open up it's pissing it down!" Gerald shouted back through the wooden double doors. Victoria sighed and opened the door to the two drowned rats. "Do you know what time it is?"

"Five am." Ray declared as he rushed past with what looked like a tiny scroll that a carrier pigeon used. "The Wynters have landed in Southampton, sooner than we expected." He warned her as her expression turned to worry. "Really? That means they'll be here within two day or so at their speed of travel on foot." She knew the speed of vampires from learning more about them.

"We have no time to prepare. We must put our plan into action." Gerald stated as Victoria put her hand to her temple in frustration. "I thought we had weeks to prepare, not days…" She sighed and looked up at them both. "So what is the plan? Run, hide or fight?" She asked and folded her arms.

"The plan is to fight with a back up to run and escape to your aunt's manor in Scotland." Ray revealed and beckoned her to follow him to her kitchen. He got out a map of London. "We'll set up the first defence perimeter here along London Bridge. Then the second defence line here at Waterloo, the third here at Piccadilly Circus and the final on the outskirts before reaching Crest Manor." He pointed out some markings at the locations. "And we'll set up a trap for the rest that filter through the defence lines." Gerald added. "With fire, brimstone and lots of silver."

"Shouldn't we let the Hygrace's know? I'm sure Vail will help us fight." Victoria suggested.

"We don't need that vampire to fight our battles." Gerald snorted and she sighed at him.

[Assistant]
The return journey to the Hygrace manor was uneventful for Vail. He made it back to his family's territory without incident and even arrived at his bedroom without being stopped and questioned by any of his relatives. Even though he'd already come up with an excuse to explain away the floral perfume that clung to his skin, he was relieved that he didn't have to use it before he retreated to the sanctuary of his private quarters for the night. Attempting to dodge a potential argument with Peter, he remained behind the closed door, occupying his time by reading more of the book he had found in the archive until his concentration was broken by a quiet knock.

He permitted the visitor to enter, silently praying that it wasn't his father, and then raised a brow bemusedly as his mother stepped into the room. She looked worn with tired eyes and skin that was slightly paler than usual, and her clothes were spattered with flecks of blood—not her own, Vail determined when he pinpointed the scent as human. "What are you still doing up?" he queried, setting his book aside to give her his full attention. Like the rest of their family, Katherine had adjusted to a daylight schedule, so he had thought she would be sleeping until sunrise.

"A new refugee arrived after you left," she sighed, closing the door behind her.

"Oh?" Vail mused, his hazel eyes drifting quizzically down to her stained clothes.

Katherine followed his gaze and shook her head sourly. "It belongs to a servant," she answered his unspoken question. "Erasmus forgot himself and bit the poor girl. I had to separate them before she fainted from shock."

Vail nodded thoughtfully. It was rare for one of his relatives to prey upon the humans who served them, but he suspected he knew why his cousin had done so. Even though the other Hygraces had laughed in his face about the threat of the Wynters, Erasmus must have secretly taken the warning to heart. If the cowardly vampire thought his life was in danger, he would have stopped leaving the premises to feed altogether until his bloodlust had grown so unbearable that he'd snapped. His cousin's mistake would be difficult for the rest of the family to recover from—anytime this happened, the servants became terrified of the vampire clan they served—but Vail was smugly pleased that his only potential competition for his inheritance had slipped up so royally. If there was ever a chance that Peter would have willed the Hygrace estate to Erasmus, it was gone now.

"Does any of this have to do with me?" he asked as his mother sat down in the chair across from him. As much as he enjoyed hearing that his relative had tripped over his own two feet, he didn't believe Katherine had come to his room just to tell him that news.

"No," she confessed, her eyes wandering down and up his frame. "I just had a suspicion that I wanted to confirm." A knowing expression took over her eternally youthful features. "You came back awfully late tonight."

"I went out to hunt," Vail shrugged nonchalantly. It was technically true, since he had fed on Victoria's blood when he'd visited the Crest manor. He just left out the detail that he'd done so whilst sitting with her in a bathtub.

"Mhm," Katherine seemed unconvinced. Her gaze was tinted with both concern and disapproval as she went on, "Vail, I think it would be best if you stop seeing that human, at least until you've given someone else a chance. Peter has been in communication with Sylvia's father, and they've arranged for the two of you to begin courting tomorrow afternoon."

"Why am I only hearing about this now?" Vail narrowed his eyes, feeling blind-sided by the reveal.

"Peter knows you wouldn't have agreed to it while you're still obsessed with the Crest girl," she replied matter-of-factly. "Keeping the arrangement from you was for your own good. I'm only telling you now so that you can behave with dignity when Lady Sylvia arrives tomorrow." She rose gracefully from her seat and smoothed down her bloodied skirt. "You should get some sleep while you can. Your father will be by tomorrow at noon to wake you for the outing. Goodnight, Vail." She bowed her head to him curtly and strode back to the door, leaving her son to process the news alone.


[System]
Handy video guide to understand Double's powers. Two characters counted as one.
* Age: Early 20's
* Gender: Male
* Appearance: Civilian form, Solo Joker form.
* World of Origin: Kamen Rider W
* Personality: A tough and cynical man… One who's cool under pressure and always gets his man… A hardboiled detective… That is not what Shotaro Hidari is. He's more accurately a halfboiled detective if anything. Shotaro typically tries to act like a serious and cool-looking guy, but it's very easy to poke fun at him and break that facade to reveal how emotional he really is. When it comes to his friends and clients, however, he's 100% serious for them if they're in any kind of trouble. If you make them cry, he's more than willing to return the favor.
* History: Shotaro was born and raised in the windy city of Futo. He has a great fondness for the city and has vowed to protect it from anyone who would make it (and its residents) cry. In his aspirations to become a hardboiled detective, he became an apprentice under Sokichi Narumi, an actual hardboiled detective. One night the two investigated a building researching Gaia Memories and rescued a mysterious young man Sokichi named Philip. On that same night, Shotaro's inexperienced recklessness caused Sokichi to be killed. To atone for it (and also to escape the building), he joined with Philip to become the two-in-one Kamen Rider Double. Together, the two fought against this organization and eventually put an end to it.
* Abilities:
	+ Ace Detective: His detective training had to pay off eventually. Shotaro is a very competent private detective with a keen eye for detail and deductive intuition.
	+ Kamen Rider Double: Using a belt called the Double Driver, Shotaro can link his and Philip's consciousness. Taking it further, using Gaia Memories with it will let Philip's consciousness enter Shotaro's and cause them to transform into a Kamen Rider.
	+ Kamen Rider Joker: Using a belt called the Lost Driver, Shotaro can use a single Gaia Memory to transform into a Kamen Rider by himself.
	+ Gaia Memories: Shotaro's Gaia Memories affect Double's left side and affect its physical capabilities They are also usable in his own Lost Driver.
		- Joker: Shotaro's default Memory. Greatly improves their hand-to-hand fighting ability.
		- Metal: Greatly improves their strength and resilience to physical harm. Gives them the Metal Shaft for a weapon.
		- Trigger: Greatly improves their marksmanship and equips them with the Trigger Magnum.
* Other: Shotaro's phone, watch, and camera actually have Gaia Memory utility too, but this is getting long so I'm just gonna have them not use it.

* Name: Philip
* Age: 17
* Gender: Male
* Appearance: Civilian form, Double form.
* World of Origin: Kamen Rider W
* Personality: Philip is the logic to Shotaro's heart, and the brains to his brawn. He approaches matters from a calmer standpoint than Shotaro, but should his friends ever find themselves in trouble he can easily get as riled up as him. When it comes to researching something interesting, Philip can have a bit of a one track mind. He can suddenly spend days at a time researching a topic without break if he can help it, and is known to go to extremes to better understand it. Once he's learned all there is, he can just as suddenly drop interest in it entirely.
* History: When he first met Shotaro, Philip had no memory of his past and simply worked in the research building Sokichi and Shotaro broke into. He's considered a highly valuable person to the organization he belonged to, and subsequently had to spend most of his time out of sight in the detective agency. As he and Shotaro defended Futo as Kamen Rider, he gradually came out of his shell and built a strong bond with Shotaro, his friends, and the city. They also learned the truth behind his past and his connection to the Gaia Library.
* Abilities:
	+ Gaia Library: Philip has a connection to the Earth itself, and can call upon its memories to learn anything he wants. Of course, this doesn't mean he learns things in a snap. The library manifests itself as a literal library and requires keywords to find what he's specifically looking for. Limited only to what his Earth knows.
	+ Kamen Rider Double: When Shotaro puts on the Double Driver, a second will manifest on Philip's body. While it's mostly Shotaro doing the transforming, Philip can take the reins as well if Shotaro puts a Memory in first instead of him.
	+ Gaia Memories: Philip's Gaia Memories affect Double's right side and give it different effects.
		- Cyclone: Philip's default Memory. Adds windy effects to Double's attacks.
		- Heat: Adds fiery effects to Double's attacks.
		- Luna: The "illusions" Memory. Allow's Double to stretch their limbs or bend their weapons.
		- Fang: A sentient Memory that serves to protect Philip. Using it has Philip take the reins to become the berserker-styled fighter FangJoker.
		- Xtreme: Double's strongest memory. It's also sentient and flies to Double on Shotaro or Philip's command. It can turn Philip into data so that he and Shotaro can become one. Turns Double into CycloneJokerXtreme and arms them with the Prism Bicker. The Prism Bicker can store four Gaia Memories (three of Philips, one of Shotaro's) to charge energy up for a finishing move. Transforming into Xtreme can potentially undo negative mental effects on either Shotaro or Philip. Limited to one use per world.
* Other: CycloneJokerXtreme can actually go EVEN FURTHER BEYOND if it gets hit by a lot of wind. It only gives them wings, though, and it never actually shows up in the series, so I'm fine with omitting it.

[User]
Guts watched through his one dark, visible eye as the different people, of all shapes, sizes, and colors, introduced themselves with different levels of cheerfulness. He still didn't speak, deciding to spend his time calculating the appearances of the others. There was a reason that they were all called here, young or not - they each must have possessed some sort of hidden power, not obvious on their appearance. The Narancia boy...he seemed to summon some sort of flying contraption, which he accurately guessed to be the boy's main source of offense, or maybe a defense? The male goofballs seemed to make a 'Kamen Rider', whatever sort of form that was, and he virtually had no other information on the numerous little girls dotting the room. He hated not having a plan, but he would have to deal with it until he saw them in action.

The being that had brought him to this place reappeared, and explained that three portals, set in front of the group, would take them to three different worlds...the worlds themselves being unknown. This was the start of the mission, then? He could choose his own path...already, he was feeling better about this whole thing, not being forced onto one singular world with all of these unknowns. Without hesitation, he stepped into the portal on the far right, no hesitation. His face was stoic, eyes narrowed and fierce. This was the start.

When he felt his feet feel broken concrete, the smell of ash and corpses filling his nostrils, Guts' instincts began screaming. The man only did what was natural. A group of six infected had already been a mere few feet away, and as soon as they lunged, the gigantic Dragonslayer sword was already being swung in a wide arc, held by one hand as if it was a mere stick.

Six heads went flying into the air, followed by disgusting spurts of thick brown blood.

Guts ignored the blood as it splashed onto his Berserker armor, lips pulling down into a snarl as he began to survey his surroundings. Already, more of these Ghoul-looking beings seemed to be attracted to the portal. Gripping his buster-like sword with a steel-like, right-handed grip, Guts narrowed his one visible eye...and disappeared. It was like, one second he was there, and the next, he was in the midst of the herd of infected, blade cleaving through torsos and heads with reckless, yet oddly pinpoint precision, before they could swamp the portal and attack whomever would be his teammates for this mission. He had only came through the portal for 30 seconds, and he was already laying waste to his first obstacle.

A grin began to build on his lips, in spite of himself. Guts backhanded a zombie as it got too close, sending it flying onto the ground as he turned around and abruptly slashed Dragonslayer up, towards the sky, cleaving another zombie completely in half, from it's groin to it's brain.

[Assistant]
Alex watched from afar as the strange group of individuals... 'talked' amongst each other. 'Talked' since they had a really funny way of communicating with each other. Still, these were the people Alex was going to work with if he was going to save the life of normalcy he had fought so hard for.

At first, Alex did not believe the situation he was in. He was ready to call the bluff and leave for home. However, he was a virus. He cannot hallucinate and everything he saw was as it is, even if all the scientific minds he had consumed could not comprehend it. It was all surreal but it was all real too. The only thing Alex could do was play along, and hope 'Lydia' was telling them the truth and send them all home after all of this was over.

Suddenly, the being Lydia reappeared. The portals were ready. Behind her emerged three doorways, each leading into a spiraling vortex. The leftmost one seemed to be leaking a grey fog, covering the ground nearby with it. From the center, a similar, but more sinister blackish-blue fog seemed to spread out. The rightmost one, however, seemed to be the most ominous: faint screaming and moaning could easily be heard past the gateway.

It was game time and the one with the huge sword had already gone and left. But between the portals and Alex were the crowd of his teammates. Pushing and shoving through them would be a pain, not to mention rude so the Blacklight virus simply made a huge leap to get himself over the crowd and in front of the portals. Before he went into the fray though, he turned to his teammates.

"I'm... Alex. I'm younger than I look." Glancing back to the portals, he added. "Anyone who wants to come with me is welcome. I uhh, look forward to working with all of you." Courtesy was one of the things Dana had taught him if he was going to live the normal life though Alex felt he was a little off.

The portal Alex went into was the middle one, the one with blackish-blue fog. The virus was not sure what he was going to see in the other side but if he has survived a nuke, he can survive this.

------
13th Hierarchical City of Kagutsuchi
------

Alex dropped into a thin alleyway, his weight forcing dust and wind to fly off a bit upon his landing. Alex checked his surroundings, the ominous fog that haunted the portal he entered was practically nowhere. The only traces of it that he could see is a very thin layer hovering right above the ground, just faint enough to slightly tint it a slightly darker shade of grey and brown. If anyone was going to go with him, he'd expect them to plop here too.

The virus heard sounds of fighting in the distance and decided to exit the alleyway. What greeted him was a world straight out of fiction. The weird mix of technology left and right yelled 'Steampunk' to Alex. He wanted to explore this world more, both to complete his mission and to sate the curiosity. However, he figured to wait for any allies that also chose this world to fix first before investigating the sounds of combat.


[System]
* Age: 16
* Gender: Female
* Race: Human
* Appearance: Armored, Unarmored. She is 5'1, with pale skin, blue eyes, and blonde hair. Her armor is silver with gold decorations. Her sword has a golden hilt.
* Personality: Fanilly is one to take her duty seriously. This is both due to a belief in the cause of the Iron Rose Knights, and a severe insecurity and self-consciousness about her position. She is well aware that she is young and comparatively inexperienced. She knows that she is only in the position she is because of her birth, as she was born under a full moon. This only makes her feel worse about it. For Fanilly Danbalion, captain of the Iron Rose Knights, she can't help but feel that they have a point. She's young. And even though the founder was the same age, she was viewed as something miraculous, almost a saint. Should Fanilly truly be leading them? This weighs heavily on her mind, and thus one of her biggest desires is to prove that she is. In spite of her young age, in spite of how this tradition has worn thin for some, Fanilly wants to prove that she is a worthy captain of the Iron Rose Knights above all else. Aside from this desire, the girl is somewhat socially awkard, sometimes unprepared for conversation. However, she is not really shy and can generally deal with attending various functions in the capital, as is expected of the Iron Rose Knights. She is dedicated to the purpose of the order, to defend the innocent and protect the land of Thaln. However, the doubts surrounding her have lead to a lack of confidence in herself. Fanilly has a younger sister and as a result has a somewhat stronger affinity for children and desire to keep the safe, but as someone dedicated to the Iron Rose Knights' cause she wishes to protect all those in need. While she has a lacking in confidence, she retains some pride in her training, as she has proven to be skilled at swordplay in spite of her youth.
* Brief Backstory: Fanilly was a daughter of the Danbalion family, a noble family already. While they had never been knights, her birth on a full moon immediately made her a potential future candidate for the Iron Rose Knights' captain. She was simply needed sooner then many expected. And so she experienced training for several years leading up to her instatement as the Captain of the Iron Rose Knights. Initially she was confident in herself, but it quickly became clear that even some within the Knights had grown tired of the tradition of selecting a maiden born on a full moon to be the captain. This wore on her quickly, and has lead to her desperation to prove herself.
* Equipment: Fanilly wears a well-made set of somewhat ornate armor. She wields a fine longsword in her right hand and a dagger with a curved hilt for trapping weapons in her left.
* Skills: Fanilly has experienced extensive training in swordplay, specifically in the use of a longsword in both hands, or paired with a unique parrying dagger.

[User]
Julianna managed to push her way through the crowd and find her way to the door the assassin was no doubt attempting to flee out of. Julianna could not help but think of other ways the assassin could escape, such as the windows but there was no way she could effectively block such things. It appeared that Sir Tiral already had that covered though as the beautiful glasswork was frosted over, which quickly thickened into ice sheets, so at least they wouldn't have to worry about that anymore.

It appeared that she had gotten there just in time, the knights that were charging after the assassin had forced her to deal with them, slowing her progress toward the exit. Julianna hadn't got a good look at the assassin before but, man that was one small assassin! Stopping such a tiny combatant would be a lot easier if she had a shield to bash her head in but a shield would have been too cumbersome and out of place in a dress. Now, she only had a small dagger with which to defend herself and stop the chibi killer, well she also had her body if it came down to that though that was risky against someone who was a hitman.

She could see her father and brothers headed her way as well but it looked like they wouldn't arrive until the assassin was on top of her. The knights were chasing the assassin but she was the only one between the assassin and escape right now. Gripping the dagger tightly, Julianna make sure to lower her body so she could easily react to the assassin.

"Goddess Mayon, guide my hand and my body in the defense of your people. Give me the courage and strength to defend those I have been charged to protect and deliver retribution to my enemies. Make me your vessel to accomplish your will." Julianna recited the prayer to herself as she prepared to stop the assassin. Her amber eyes locked onto her enemy with extreme focus as she chanted, her eyes appeared to glow in the light as she appealed to the goddess for strength.

Julianna prepared to block the assassin with everything she had, as long as she could prevent the killer from getting around her it would be the Iron Rose Knights victory. She made she she was ready to move into the assassin's path however she attempted to escape.

[Assistant]
Gillian held his glare until Sir Garret placed himself between him and the undead knight. As the barbarian talked to the undead, his glare turned on the barbarian, still hot with rage before cooling slightly. It made sense, after all. Gillian had no rank and over step his bounds, so of course HE'D be the one to be pushed out, if only to preserve what little social graces remained. He turned on the trio, fury still burning in him.

Were he speaking truthfully, he'd have loved for the exchange to come to blows. His reputation would have been destroyed, but he had far less standing to lose than that arrogant red eyed chibi. And atleast then he'd have had the pleasure of getting a few good licks in on the conceited knight. "Thinking out of their rank.." He grumbles, heading to a small bar, taking up a heavy drink. "Brat. Were the saint herself still with us, I'd pray she'd have to good sense to put you to the sword for such casual disregard for your comrade's lives." He grumbles, ignoring the stares (some of annoyance, some surprisingly in admiration.)

As he drank he'd realized he'd have to apologize to the captain, an act he'd not look forward to. Tyaethe's flippancy aside, he'd given his word to attempt to behave. "That is decidedly a failure…" he thinks, throwing another swig back, counting the moments before he'd excuse himself for the evening. Course, if her undead groupie was any indication, the captain would be equally livid that he'd not taken to lying for her the sake of her valor. He rolls his eyes, regretting the evaluation he'd given Klien and then the Princess before turning away from the bar and heading back towards the group. He should have never taken on Klien's off-
"ASSASSIN! Iron Roses, to arms! Stop her!" He hears shouted above the din of the crowd. The world around him seems to explode, nobles panicking and rushing past Gillian like a stampede. Furniture and nobles alike toppled in the chaos, and Gillian only barely managed to see a few knights charging after what seemed to be a child. He draws his sword, anger now forgotten and replaced with worry. Wolves rarely hunted alone, same went for the kind of low life who'd take assassination as a profession. He pushes his way through the crowd back towards Fanlily and company. He looks visibly relieved as he spots the young captain, unharmed, hovering dutifully by the princess.

He rushes to the side of the young hundi Ian, something strange nagging at the back of his mind. The timing of the attack was…uncomfortably perfect. Their expedition had not been out of the capital for long, and they'd only returned a day ago. But this was no rush job, the stealth of it all was too perfect to be done on short notice. He continues to scan the crowd, the reek of a set up hanging in the air. "Your highness…" He begins only just audible above the crowd, "You mentioned that you were the one brought the attacks by the bandit king to the attention of your father. From whom did you learn that from?" He asks, praying that it was simply paranoia on his part. But something stank in the state of Thaln,...well, more so than usual.

[User]
Her factions strained, Sult gave a pearly smile as she nodded to the comments of the people surrounding her. She did her best to hide it beneath her perfect demeanor, but deep inside she was seething.

She had missed everything. The princess, the dolled up knights, Fanilly in a dress, Garret in a ceremonial suit. Swarms of fly-like would-be pretenders had flocked around her, and were once again, courting the thorny Rose of the Sunfield. Some idiot had spread a rumour that she had finally settled her head and would not refuse advances any longer. It didn't help her dress caught the eye of a lot of them, white and blue with certain highlights, which emphasized her bust and gave her quite the hourglass figure. Long, elbow length gloves with a blue ribbon completed the suit, as her hair had been tied up in a bob decorated with a white, fragant rose. Her fine, porcelain-like white shoes clapped rythmically, as the diamond earrings and pendant sparkled so slightly.

But fragant roses always have bugs droning about, as she bit her lip and politely dejected the newest suitor. She was improving, at least this time she hadn't soaked someone's face in wine.

She had the deep suspicious that the one who had started such a farce of rumour to hamper her had been her brother, Nero. At the very least, he was enjoying her personal struggle to not be buried in droll suitors. The smug knight was even swirling a glass of wine, savouring the moment! The nerve.

And unlike her, not many people were trying to bother him. He had chosen a bold choice of clothes. His battle, black armor, polished until it could be used as mirror, was his formal wear. But it was clear, because of the sparse decorations and dents, that unlike some armors, this was far from a ceremonial armor. He completed his garbs with his sword at his hip, and a luxurious cloak of black raven feathers, which rested atop his shoulders and back. He wasn't wearing any helmet, and he had combed carefully his tresses.

It was you, you bastard.

Sult would give anything to distract the insistent males.

And then her wish had been granted, in an awful manner.

"WHAT?" Most of the nobles looked in the direction of the princess, giving Sult's cue to sneak away from their encirclement and approach her fellow knights.

It was a no brainer on who she stick to, standing tall amidst the chaos in the crowd. Delicate gloves took the muscular arm of Sir Garret.

"What's going on, Sir Garret?" Sult said, concerned and relieved that she had finally managed to shake off the male crowd his brother had summoned. "Is...that..Tyaethe??" She added, her eyes widening.

Meanwhile, Nero's wine cup had stopped swishing, as he looked with half boredom, half annoyance the attempt on the princess. Well, talk about bad luck. Fanilly and her knights seemed to be hogging the spot as royalty's favorites.

Torn between ignoring it, and making a last attempt to save face, Nero chose the later, as he raised his hand and voice. "Ravens! To arms! Support the Roses and protect the princess!" He beckoned to the few scattered men he had around the party, as he himself trounced forwards the center of the chaos, hand in the sword pommel.

Someone dying messily in this circumstances would be quite troublesome, even if by supporting the Roses he would probably lose funding opportunities to his knights.

[Assistant]
Christina shook her head, keeping half of her focus on maintaining the barrier. The magic didn't like being cast without an anchor, and if she let it the shield would shrink until it settled onto one. Beyond that, she spent the effort to respond to her captain.

"Unless the assassin brought a battlehammer or a magic user, I should be able to hold this barrier until the danger passes." She spoke through clenched teeth, her body rigid as she fought the will of the barrier. Still she didn't seem to be losing.


[System]
Model: OAC GT-011/S

Specialty: Mass Production General Purpose HFV

History: The eleventh HFV manufactured by the Olympus Arms Company's factories on Mars, the GT-011 is their third attempt at mass-production. It has been quite successful, having been adopted by numerous organisations on both the red planet and the colonies as a general purpose HFV five years ago to replace its predecessor, the GT-009. While not without its flaws, the GT-011 is considered to be an especially effective machine, a reputation it has upheld in skirmishes against pirate forces. The current variant of the 011, the Type S, has been equipped with a more powerful reactor, furthering bolstering its strengths.

Appearance: Standing at a height of 24 metres, the GT-011 is larger and more heavily armoured than the average HFV. Its humanoid form, usually painted in a shade of butterscotch shared by the Red Planet, is noticeably bulky, and two powerful thrusters have been attached to its back, providing it with incredible speed. Most units come with a large shield that can be placed upon one arm, which also serves a secondary function in storing equippable weapons. Its cranial unit is mounted with vulcans, and also possesses three 'eyes', with two serving as cameras while a third doubles as a targeting sensor, and in contrast to the colour of its armour, are a stark red instead.

Features:* Targeting Sensors
* Forearm-mounted shield

Armaments:* 60mm Vulcan Gun (2x): mounted on cranial unit.
* 100mm OAC.OnH Machinegun: clip-fed
* OAC.OnP Beam Rifle: fires a stream of particles; very hot, do not stand in the way.
* Beam Saber (1x): stored within recharge racks either on its body or within the shield, the beam sabers utilised by the GT-011 and other machines are, despite their name, essentially streams of plasma held within a magnetic field shaped into a blade.
* OAC.OnR Bazooka: contains eight rounds.
* 3-Slot Grenade Rack

Weaknesses: In comparison to other general-purpose HFVs of its generation, the Martian-built GT-011's armoured frame makes it significantly larger and heavier, turning it into a larger target, and also limiting its effectiveness on Earth, where the blue-green world's gravity poses a problem, one that it usually doesn't face on Mars or in space. Although it possesses incredible speed, its manoeuvrability is an issue, taking longer than other HFVs to turn 180 degrees and in general being less capable of avoiding attacks.
Pirate HFVs
Model: Mm C44 "Bradley"

Specialty: Mass Production General Purpose HFV

History: On the 3rd of July in the 105th year of the Solar Age, the autonomous O'Neill cluster of New Copenhagen declared total war upon its neighbours, with its leader, the eccentric Governor Werribee Bradley, announcing his intention to unite the colonies of the Earth Sphere into a single entity. Backed by an existing arms manufacturing industry and wealth gained from a strong relationship with asteroid miners, the colony was able to rapidly produce significant numbers of HFVs for its war effort, and within two months had already occupied three of its closest neighbouring colonies. Of its many HFVs, the most infamous was the Mm C44, a general purpose mech that soon grew to symbolise New Copenhagen's armies. The brainchild of the governor himself, exactly eight hundred and thirteen units were produced by the Vimana Institute, and were his vanguard against those that opposed him, the relatively high performance of the machines superior to much of what the colonial militias could deploy. However, it would be the intervention of an UN coalition in the fourth month of the war that ended their advance, with the Earth-built machines managing to be achieve technological parity, or even superiority, with the C44s. Six hundred and ninety-two of the "Bradley"s (a moniker given to them by coalition forces) would be destroyed, and by Christmas that year, the UN had successfully expelled New Copenhagen's forces from its occupied colonies, bringing an end to Bradley's ambitions (although he would escape arrest). The surviving C44s would find their way either into the hands of UN member states or amongst mercenaries and pirates, and are still a distinctive sight throughout the space routes.

Appearance: The "Bradley" is merely 19m in height, but due to the presence of its large backpack, which stores the secondary reactor, appears to be far bigger in size. The standard colouring of the unit when in the service of New Copenhagen had been a navy blue, with the backpack painted in black, although following the polity's defeat, they can be found in all sorts of different colourations depending on the pilot. Most units however, still utilise an offensive shield, which tends to be attached upon the forearm, and can swivel around to block enemy attacks from different angles. The "Messer" drone protrudes from its right shoulder, a rounded object with a gun pointing out from it. Unlike most machines produced in the Earth sphere, it lacks a signature mono-eye, with its cranial unit instead possessing a prominent, light blue visor that protects its sensors and cameras. Two miniature "horns" also jut back from its head just above its Vulcans, smoothing back down in an almost 'punkish' look.

Features:* Long-range targeting sensors
* VI-EX02 Reactor System: each "Bradley" unit possesses a secondary backup reactor that provides it with greater energy use, as well as allowing it to serve as a power source for the weapons of other HFVs if necessary, such as the GT-010's Mega Beam Cannon.
* Offensive Shield: swivel-mounted; beam-coated; contains two small missile launchers
* Rocket Anchor (2x): each arm of the C44 is equipped with a rocket anchor, which can be launched to grab onto foes or parts of the environment.
* VI-R01a Drone Control Transmitter: certain command units during the war were equipped with a transmitter that allowed control over a single drone weapon.

Armaments:* 60mm Vulcan Gun Pod (2x): mounted on cranial unit
* Repeating Beam Gun (1x): the "Bradley" utilises a small repeating beam rifle as a standard weapon at short ranges to great effect, its high rate of fire making up for the reduced power in comparison to the more common beam rifle, and thanks to the presence of its secondary generator, is longer-lasting
* Beam Saber (6x): stored in recharge racks in its legs and in its backpack
* 3-Slot Grenade Rack
* VI-R01b "Messer" Drone: certain command units control a single drone that, when not in use, is attached to its right shoulder, serving as an extra, fixed beam gun that feeds off its secondary generator; when launched however, it can be flown up to 500m away, and acts as a weak beam gun (due to reliance on internal batteries to fly) that can harry or hurt enemies. It can also be equipped with a camera or other surveillance tools.

Weaknesses: The C44 "Bradley" is highly limited in regards to long-range combat, with its "Messer" and its weak beam gun serving as its only source of attack beyond close proximities. While it can use its rocket anchors to reduce the distance between it and enemies, such tactics rely on being able to catch its target. It was also built entirely for space and colony-bound combat, and can barely function within atmosphere. The second reactor can be dangerous, with any damage dealt to it possessing far riskier effects upon the pilot and the machine compared to the main reactor.Model: OS Type 2 "Rook" (??? Specification)

Specialty: Mass Production General Purpose Skirmisher HFV

History: ???

Appearance: At a height of 18.5m, the ???'s space variant of the standard OS Type 2 is slightly taller and bulkier, but still remains faithful to the 'walking tank' aesthetic of the United States' mainstay HFV. It is definitely more heavily armoured than the original Rook, but despite the fact it is actually incredibly mobile, possessing a number of multi-directional thrusters across its body, as well as four powerful accelerators on its legs, allowing it to match modern machines quite easily at the cost of greater power consumption. It retains the two large shoulder shields (now increased in size), although they are more rounded in comparison to those of the original. Certain models also possess extra weapon hardpoints on their forearms.

Features:* Long range sensors
* Detachable shoulder shield (x2)
* Beam-treated heavy armour
* Bazooka autoloading backpack

Armaments:* 550mm Missile Launcher (x1): A bazooka that fires 550mm caliber missiles. It uses a double barrel type of magazine that can hold up to ten missiles at a time. The rear barrel can be adjusted via a slide based on the range of the target and the ammunition type currently used. The weapon is reloaded from a backpack mounted autoloader that can hold up to 50 missiles before needing a reload.
* DyPW Variable Beam Rifle (x1): A beam rifle with two settings - powerful, single-shot bursts and a rapid-fire mode with lower power.
* 90mm Linear Railgun Rifle (x1): A weapon that fires high-speed projectiles.
* 80mm Forearm Gatling Gun
* Beam Saber (x2)

Weaknesses: Although this variant of the standard Rook is incredibly fast and mobile, capable of matching modern machines, its operating time has suffered as a result. It is essentially a skirmisher unit, one built more for hit-and-run attacks (hence its use by a pirate advance force), and while in possession of beam-treated heavy armour, will be a sitting duck the moment its power runs out. It has no recharge racks for its beam sabers either, and its beam rifles feed off its power generator, thus ensuring greater ammo dependency for the machine. It is also rather immobile under gravity.
UN HFVs
Model: OS Type 2 "Rook" (OSDT Specification)

Specialty: Mass Production General Purpose HFV

History: One of the many variants of the standard Rook is the (OSDT Specification). Due to increased demand for space-capable HFVs and the loss of US support following the dissolution of the Omni Program, the OSDT took it upon themselves to request refits and upgrades for a number of their existing Rook units, thereby allowing their aging machines to reduce the technological gap between them and the more expensive, newer HFVs. While the (OSDT Specification) still lagged behind recent developments in HFV technology, it was an upgrade that the OSDT's base Rooks sorely needed. Only twelve units were successfully upgraded, with two of them having been assigned to the Jannah.

Appearance: The OSDT's variant of the US mainstay HFV does not differ radically from original design, maintaining the similarity to a bipedal tank that essentially defines the OS Type-2. It stands slightly taller, at a height of 18.8m, and while its mass is generally the same, its effect on the Rook's mobility is lessened by the (OSDT Specification)'s focus on space performance. Indeed, the refitted mech possesses prominent multi-directional thrusters, allowing it to manoeuvre better in vacuum, as well as two, slimmed-down accelerators on its legs. While the rotating leg shield has been removed, the leg armour and the inner frame has been reinforced, thus maintaining adequate protection. Indeed, the OSDT's Rook has a generally bulkier appearance, having layered on more armour to increase its survivability. The two large shoulder shields remain, but can now detach to be deployed as cover. An antenna now protrudes from its cranial unit instead of utilising the shields, a sign of technological progress over the years.

Features:* Long range sensors
* Detachable shoulder shield (x2)
* Beam-treated heavy armour
* Bazooka autoloading backpack

Armaments:* 550mm Missile Launcher (x1): A bazooka that fires 550mm caliber missiles. It uses a double barrel type of magazine that can hold up to ten missiles at a time. The rear barrel can be adjusted via a slide based on the range of the target and the ammunition type currently used. The weapon is reloaded from a backpack mounted autoloader that can hold up to 50 missiles before needing a reload.
* 60mm Chest Vulcan (x2): Two 60mm Vulcans are attached to the hardpoints on the Rook's chest, providing it with the increased application and versatility provided to other HFVs by their 80mm head vulcans.
* OAC.OnP Beam Rifle: Fires a stream of particles; very hot, do not stand in the way.
* Beam Saber (x1): A stream of plasma held within a magnetic field shaped into a blade.

Weaknesses: While the addition of extra thrusters and the complete rehaul of the power generator to meet modern standards has drastically changed the Rook's operational time and general manoeuvrability/speed in comparison to other HFVs, its status as an upgraded ancient machine still keeps it from catching up with more modern mechs. It is still noticeably slower, a fact that enemies can easily take advantage of. Its beam saber lacks a recharge rack, so also has limited operation, and its continued reliance on ammunition is a major issue, especially when its mounted ammunition hoppers are easy targets.

[User]
OSDT Jannah - Martian Sphere
"There were a lot of squad leaders who refused to submit quietly after the war," explained the mechanic, watching as his team got to work. Water sprayed across the bay, spreading across the floor in pools tinged with red. Once the initial hosing was complete, they'd move onto the bleach, and from then on he could finally get to work fixing up the cockpit ... or at least modifying a spare Rook one to work with the Bradley. It all depended on how much damage had been done to the machine, and how quickly they wanted the HFV in action. "This actually isn't the first command unit I've fixed up."

In fact, it was his familiarity with the unit that had lead to Steakhouse assigning him this job. Most of the OSDT's members had likely never touched a Bradley before, and those who did were probably like Harrison or the Lumen Team's Prettyboy Duo: they had been busy fighting them during the war rather than actually having done any tech work on them.

[Assistant]
James Harrison — Jannah hangar

"That so?"

Harrison had indeed fought Bradleys during the war: in fact, they had been his first taste of mech-on-mech combat. Back then, the Bradley wasn't the rarity it had since become but the backbone of the secessionist army, and not so much a target for capture as one for wholesale destruction.

That's not to say he hadn't come across them since. Larger pirate gangs sometimes had a couple of the basic units, and his old MSS squadmate Hills had flown one back when they were guarding mining stations in the asteroid belt...until it took a railgun round to the backpack, which promptly went critical. That time, there wasn't anything left to repair.

"How long will you boys need to get her operational, then?"


[System]
PENNY MAVERICK
Appearance:
Age: 23
Role: Sharpshooter/Sniper
Personality: Penny is a spunky and inquisitive type who is endlessly curious about people and events and is know to ask a lot of (somtimes too many) questions. She is also fiercely savvy at public relations especially when it comes to corporate types.

Backstory: Daniel Maverick, Penny's grandfather was one of the settlers who helped build Smith's Rest as he was stationed in Alaska during the time. Because of this, Penny's Father Jacques always made sure his daughter was very aware and proud of the Maverick name as he felt Smith's rest was a part of the families history. But Penny grew up curious about the world outside of Smith's Rest and became a journalist at age 17 using her media work to travel the world and to learn more about the current world situation following the Elysian war. After making a healthy profit selling high interest stories to the news divisions of corporation owned websites she used all of the money to buy a salvaged NC and formal pilot training as she felt that this was the next step to learning more about the world. She didn't have to think twice when learning about Graham's recruitment and signed up instantly.

Tactical Preference & Skills: Penny chose an NC which would allow her to take more time to fire her shots and not get caught in the chaos of the melee as her reflexes arent particularly fast. So sniping came fairly easy to her, but she was cautious enough to train in the use of the Gatling gun for mid range combat to keep enemies off of her who try to close the distance. She typically likes to fly to high vantage points and fire high damage shots at unsuspecting enemies from a distance.

Notes:
She has an addiction to energy drinks that she would never admit to.

Text Color: color=fff200 or Yellow

THE VANGUARD SAINT

Codename: 'The VanGuard Saint' Interceptor-2638 Model MkII
Appearance :
Body & Type: Bipedal Flyer-Type
Equipment & Armaments :

Right Hand:
High Power Dual Purpose 'Avenger-Longshot' Rifle (Doubles as High Power Sniper and a Flamethrower for closer range)

Left Hand:
'Chewing' High Velocity Gatling Gun with single use heat laser.

Left Shoulder:
Standard EMP Launcher (For disrupting enemy units.)

Body:
Heavy Armor Plating and Powerful Jet Pack Flight System
No real Melee capabilities, and slow PvP reflexes.

[User]
Agatha SmithDEPOT STATION, NEW ANCHORAGE

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"Sir."

Agatha's head turned mechanically towards Graham. In contrast to her aroused neighbor, she viewed Graham with a level of heightened curiosity and respect. Being formerly an independent NC pilot, Agatha was familiar enough with working under a cornucopia of commanders whose skill and leadership ability could fit on a sliding scale from Suicidal Incompetence to Future Emperor of the New World Order. Regardless of who she worked under, it was expected and appreciated if she could be respectful until she had seen them act under pressure. Being cocksure and dismissive under a good commander reflected poorly upon yourself, while slighting a bad commander would find your life at risk in retribution.

Furthermore, this wasn't the first time she had encountered Graham. Even with thirty years of history separating their first and last encounter, she wouldn't forget that final battle In her old career. His skill behind an NC was beyond reproach, but she couldn't judge him as a leader of people just yet. Just as she had to prove herself to him, even in her desperation she had to gauge the man who effectively owned her.

"What would you consider an unacceptable action during an operation or on base? What lengths are you willing to go to achieve New Anchorage's goals and your own?"

Would they partake in the slave trade? Raid bountiful settlements for resources? Sell there services to fight in corporate proxy wars? She didn't have an personal issue with the actions, but knowing the lengths their commander would go was a good judge of his character for Agatha.

[Assistant]
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GRAHAMDEPOT STATION, NEW ANCHORAGE

AROUND NOON

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Graham nearly smirked. After all this time she still was as aggressive as ever yet with enough wit to know how to phrase the question without incident. It was interesting to him to see Agatha still had her "edge" despite retiring to three decades of being a scrapper and scavenger over what she was actually good at. All those years ago with him being an upstart brat in an iron armor… did it make her quit being who she was? or was it simply the fact of her children? Either way, he was glad he had not demoted himself to such things – it made him know he was different, and perhaps greater than what was effectively a husk of what once was even if she tried to have the same bite as before. He wondered if she could pass his test? It would be interesting to see.

Graham thought about this question often because it had been one that came up with valiant cries of morality that many people had shot at him in the past; cries he had rejected entirely. The first part of Agatha's question was one that was often directed about how far was morally or ethically acceptable with things such as slavery, raiding, genocide, and so forth being accompanied with the conversation. While Graham viewed all of those things as bad he didn't think so for the same reasons as his peers. It brought him back to a talk he had with the second member of the trinity back when he was still just a simple NC pilot... it had been after the Elysian War.

"That is a very large question." He stated as he stepped outside to the white fuzz of a "mild" snowstorm before turning his head.

"This obviously goes beyond simple insubordination and circumnavigation of authority or regulations."

"Let me make something abundantly clear to all of you. I don't believe in children's fantasies of 'good' and 'evil', I believe in the absolute principle of order— a concept that promotes excellence, professionalism, integrity, organization, and heart. Order doesn't allow fantasy, order allows you to be happy with your reality. I will tell you that I will do everything in my power that I can to make New Anchorage efficient with no empathy for fantasies of my officers. There is no place for it in my organization. None."

He took a light breath, the cold air leaving his lips.

"If it requires me to be "unfair" than I will do it. If that scares you… then resign right here and now, and take your tail between your legs and get the hell out of my base. I refuse to have pilots who get a little queasy around decision and shake when the cards are drawn."

His brows narrowed as his turned head looked over the group in their entirety.

"So what of it? Are any of you rabble not worth your spit? Are any of you unable? Tell me now."

[User]
Joshua Ray, himself, was taken aback by the qualities Graham just presented.

He wants to reward... goodness? He wants to sponsor and foster better people? Not monsters? Not slave-soldiers?

A mild surprise, this was. "So... you're saying, what are you saying?", he mumbled out, before saluting and speaking up, his knees like jelly. He hated having to speak in crowds but god dammit, he had principles and he wanted to make sure he wouldn't have to break them. Of course...

"Sir, does... 'Honor' have a place in your.. uhh, 'order', sir?, He straightened up a bit more, and breathed a few breaths a tad heavier before calming down about having to talk in front of so many people. For his standards, anyway. "We're.. not going to act like a secret police force, or, needlessly kill people, or...-, he paused a bit, looking at Graham but avoiding his eyes in fear, "I'm not going to have to go into a quaint little town somewhere in the middle of the night and terrorize innocent people over a damn percentage, r-right?"

He went a bit quiet and looked away, shrinking like a kid who got into the cookie jar and was caught with red, crumby hands. "Uhhm... uhh.. if We're not gonna do that I won't complain. I'm fine with.. y'know... uhh...--", he took a step back, mumbling once more, "Lesser evils for the metaphorical greater good."

[Assistant]
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GRAHAMDEPOT STATION (EXTERIOR), NEW ANCHORAGE

AROUND NOON

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Graham's eyes looked to Joshua's direction, a fire still inside of the commander for all to see. Though, Joshua's demeanor and phrasing didn't offend him he decided to not berate him immediately— there was no point in ostracizing his pilots who might stay on with their contract, after all.

The question of honor was one less so about morality but ethics; which was a thing Graham did slightly align with considering he believed he was an "ethical" soldier. All of the problems and horrors that came with the type of people that he mentioned were worthless as per Graham's ideology due to the fact that they disallowed people to be the best they could aspire to be; they were given no opportunities and were forced to succumb to it. At the very least Graham was giving opportunity and he was giving choice, even if it was a bit of an abrasive and despot-like way to do so. But Graham had dealt with real slavers and knew no intelligent individual could paint him as such.

"If what you are asking is if I am going to turn this unit into a bunch of rapists, slavers, raiders, and thieves then the answer is most definitely not. While my perspective might be different on why I can tell you directly that no is the answer to that question."

He turned his look to the others that were listening.

"You are becoming soliders. You are no longer children in an iron giant and will be treated like such. I may not offer the kindest or easiest approach, but find me an operation that does that still exists. You won't. The idea of freedom and easy life that a lot of people cling onto is a twenty-second century ideal; people need to wake up and unfortunately remember that they are in the twenty-seventh century. Trust me, I grew up in a megacity, I know the shadow of the corporation... the real corporation."

[User]
ALEXANDER SKYLOCATION, NEW ANCHORAGE

Alexander's initial reaction on hearing Graham's words was feeling as though he had been stabbed with an icicle. Infatuation was forgotten as the twenty-four year old tried to muster a response to Graham's words; leaving was out of the question; he would not dare show weakness to this 'man of stone'. Despite having a high sense of morality, Alexander knew this, that he can now appreciate the struggles and motivations of others, regardless of whether he agreed with them or not. So he would wait, wait to see how others responded. But he would think this:

The root of our 'morality' is the desire to live a better life than our parents have, and for our own offspring to live a better life than we have. Can your 'Order' provide that, Michael Graham?

When Ray spoke up, asking Graham for further clarification, Alexander made to put his hand on the other NC Pilot's shoulder in a gesture meant to be encouraging, when Graham spoke up, offering an affirmative answer, genuine admiration flowed through the young pilot's veins, along with a new insight into the man. He couldn't help but smile, despite the risks it carried.

The next thing Alexander knew, he was giving a slight bow, before getting up, making eye contact, and saying:

"Sir, this is all I can ask for; thank you." It took a lot out of Alexander to say those words, and one can see that.

"I can't wait to see what kind of world you create," more words blurted out.

Morality will never stop being my dream; Good and Evil, those do exist - I believe that. But part of being a good person is understanding and even working with, or in this case, following, people who believe other things than yours'.

And, Michael Graham, you are that person.

[Assistant]
Graham was pretty much everything her grandfather described him as. Stoic, with a machine like approach to duty and practice, and ironcast to his philosophical belief. It was admirable but very familiar, being a local girl, Penny had grown up around men and women like this her entire life. This part of Alaska breeds this sort of attitude.

Listening to the other pilots ask questions was fascinating, like watching an impromptu interview take place in front of her very eyes, she noticed that while visibly intimidated that the commander Joshua Ray was firmly sticking to his morals about not committing senseless crimes, which Penny could respect at least. But her stance was different, Penny had no problem killing people, seeing vicious atrocities across the globe in her media career had made her quite desensitized to mindless violence, and while not a sadist herself, she would be happy to follow violent orders. Her only real empathy is for the people of Smith's Rest where she considers her home and her community. Her family instilled it in her to protect it at all costs, which includes killing people from other areas and factions. Her mind was made up. But she was still curious about something.

Sir, I've lived in my Smith's Rest my entire life and my family helped build the colony when it was founded. I love being here, but will our missions allow us to travel the world? I want to learn as much about the other factions and civilizations as possible,for the greater good of protecting my home here.

She glanced around the room after she spoke, getting a quick peek at Tahlia before returning her attention to Graham.