[System]
Age: 33
Gender: Male
Rank: Pack Member
Skin Description: Full Body Shot, Top Half Close Up
Fur Description: Snarling front on, Full Body Shot
In-Depth Description: Blake is a large man, standing at about 6'5" in his human form. His dark hair transfers across into his wolf form, giving him dark brown fur that seems black in some lights. His wolf form has cold pale yellow eyes, bordering grey, which turn into a more blue-grey colour when he's in his human form. He stands at about 50" in his wolf form, filling out well to retain a muscular and bulky form. However, his large size may translate well in terms of strength and power, he lacks the agility many smaller wolves possess, though his stamina takes no hindrance.
Basic Personality: Blake is not a genius by any stretch of imagination, but nor is he stupid. He understands well the things he is used to, but can be slow to grasp new concepts and adjust to new ways of living. He is fiercely protective of his pack, and loyal to them also, but values the survival of the pack over any one of its members. Due to his slower physique, Blake prefers to lie in wait during hunts, let the faster wolves chase the prey to him, before he leaps out from hiding and uses his mass and strong jaws to take down most preys quickly and efficiently. He transfers this hunting technique to many other forms of conflict, including arguments. He is quite happy to watch a debate rage on between other members of the pack, calculating his move, before throwing his weight behind one side of the argument or the other at the opportune moment for maximum impact.
Brief History: Blake has grown cold to other lycanthropes over the past four years, and as such is finding it difficult to adjust back into pack life. He was the second child of the Alphas of the pack he was born into, and grew jealous of the older brother born minutes before him. His older brother had been smaller, weaker and by - Blake's belief - less intelligent than Blake himself. So when their father passed away in a hunting accident when Blake was 29, he attempted to take the position of Alpha for himself. None of the others supported Blake's claim, so instead, Blake attacked his brother during a hunt in their wolf forms. In his mind, Blake was doing what was best for the pack, by not allowing them to have a weak Alpha. The rest of the pack intervened, however, after Blake's brother sustained significant injuries in the fight, and Blake was forced to retreat and flee. He spent several years wandering alone, hunting alone and living alone, before he met the new pack.
Extra: Blake will remain fiercely loyal to the Alphas of his pack as long as he respects their strength. If they were to show signs of weakness, his loyalty could begin to waver and he might begin to question their legitimacy as Alphas...

Name: Jace
Age: 25
Gender: Male
Rank: Beta Male (?)
Skin Description: Human Appearance
Fur Description: Wolf Appearance
In-Depth Description: Jace stands at about six foot in height, with brown hair and a tanned complexion. His angular face is often framed by a scruffy light stubby, and his eyes are a hazel-brown colour. In wolf form, he stands at around 46" in height, and has brown mottled fur, threaded with white and some black in places. When in his human form, he is often found wearing jeans, a plain t-shirt and a leather jacket.
Basic Personality: Strong and dependable are two words with come to mind when describing Jace's personality. His loyalty is unwavering, and he believes in honour and doing what is right above all else. He has a strong sense of morality, and likes to think things through rationally before acting on them. He rarely gets angry, though can be quite stubborn at times.
Brief History: [Undecided. I'll probably work it out as the character progresses.]
Extra: Is a fan of classical music, and is quite proficient at playing the piano.

Name: Alexander, 'Xan'
Age: 20
Gender: Male
Rank: Pack Member
Skin Description: Human Appearance
Fur Description: Wolf Appearance
In-Depth Description: Xan isn't an overly tall man. Standing at around five foot seven, he is shorter than several of the other males of the pack. This carries across into his wolf form, where he stands at around 43" in height. In his wolf form, his dark human hair becomes a coat of light brown almost ginger fur, though he retains his brown eyes in both forms.
Basic Personality: Timid and a bit of a pushover, Xan is quite happy to go along with whatever everyone else wants to do. He's quite smart, but is scared of getting things wrong a lot of the time, so says nothing. Having only just reached an age where the pack considers him an adult, he's still quite unsure of himself and his place in the pack.
Brief History: [Undecided. I'll probably work it out as the character progresses.]

[User]
Juniper

---

Juniper usually would have walked right next to Jace's side as they headed for their new home but she found herself slowing in pace, keeping an eye on the little pup of their pack that had fallen to the back. It wasn't like Celeste wasn't capable but she had just lost her mother which was hard on any youngling without being surrounded by almost strangers. She had lost her own mother at such an age and it had been a heartbreaking if not a confusing time in her life without having to worry about others around her. Just looking at her gave Juniper a reminder of her past and the sadness it had held, making her want to watch over the pup a little more closely and be there if needed. She didn't make it extremely noticeable that she was watching but she did glace every once and awhile, the child in great thought it would seem or being distracted by this or that which probably wasn't a bad thing.

Ambra's voice had startled her a bit, her focus going back on what was ahead of them and glad to be that much closer to their destination. Spring was only just starting to truly show itself, the chill in the air and snow still across the ground which meant shelter would be a pleasant change of pace since even with her fur keeping her warmer it was still a bit too cold in the open night to be completely comfortable without being snuggled all together for warmth. It was as Ambra said, the cabins slowly coming into view not long after their Alpha had spoken. They seemed to be in pretty good shape from first glance for the age of the structures, of course some things would need fixings and not to mention homey touches after that but it would do for now. They would have shelter and a warmer place to sleep so things could be worst. She shrugged out of her pack, shifting into human form before picking the pack back up and following after Jace to explore. It was easy to say that the outside looked better than in, the furniture no longer salvageable and the windows seeing much better days but all and all everything else seemed sturdy enough. The claw marks giving a warning flag in the back of her mind but it wasn't anything they couldn't handle as long as they stuck together for awhile."Nothing like home."Juniper replied to Jace before setting her pack next to the sad excuse for a couch."I'll get a start on the fire wood if you like? The sooner we get some warmth going the better I would say."she said to Ambra.

[Assistant]
Cyrus

The small male wolf didn't even pause in his train of thought of 'happyhappyhappy' as he padded along the back-sides of a few of the cabins, nose wrinkling as he sniffed along the ground while he moved about. There were several times he managed to step on a few shards of broken glass, thankfully though none of it going through the tender flesh between his toes. He could recall instantly a number of times he had gotten glass through one of his feet- it was godawful having to spend hours trying to pick out all of the shards through skin that had already healed. Making a mental note of having to go back later to actually pick up glass, Cyrus quickly spun on heel from behind one of the cabins and made his way towards where the others were mostly at.

This place was practically a dump and was going to need a lot of work from the looks of it. Some of the wood was rotted out in places, there were so many broken windows, doors needed to be replaced, and with just a glance upwards, he already could tell that several roofs were probably going to need fixed too. Water damage was never pretty. But honestly, Cyrus couldn't say he wasn't too surprised. And really, he was actually still very excited to be here and couldn't wait to get started on fixing things up. As someone who had spent a good portion of their lives in homes similar to these, he knew a good thing or two about fixing things up so they lasted. Sort of. He wasn't very good at it, unless it was cleaning. BUT, he knew the base idea of it and that was better than nothing.

Cyrus didn't give the other wolves much thought as he slipped into the cabin where everyone was dropping off the bags. He quickly jerked his head around to grab a band on the pack that was attached to him before giving it a rough tug. The belt easily gave way and allowed Cyrus to drop the bag beside the others before he promptly spinning back around to exit, his tail wagging rather rapidly behind him. Intense vibes of excitement practically radiated off of him! Though they had just gotten here and there were things to do before the night- he wanted to explore and look around some more.

There were serious problems with having a one-track mind sometimes. And for Cyrus, this was most definitely it.

[User]
Celeste

---

---

Celeste looked around, seeing that the other wolves were exploring their new home. She also saw that they seemed to have dubbed a specific house to place all the packs and she wondered if they were all going to sleep in there for tonight. She felt a little nervous at this prospect, still a little unsure of her place in this new pack. Would they think her a burden? What if she accidentally got under their feet while they were working or broke something? She forced herself to take a deep breath and push those kinds of thoughts out of her mind. Everything would be fine. She then turned back to the rest of the cabins. They all looked in various states of disrepair. Would they be able to fix all this? Could they really call this place their home? That cabin didn't even have a door. It needed a door to keep out all of the bad things and besides, what good was a house without a door anyway? It couldn't even be called a house. She continued her exploration of the area.

Suddenly there was a sharp pain in her front left paw and she let out a high-pitched squeal and hopped around for a few seconds, hurt paw held off the ground. She looked down and saw a shard of glass embedded in her fur and let out a whimper. She felt slightly dizzy at seeing her own blood but shook her head to clear it. She needed to get the glass out. She sat down on her rump and carefully leaned down, gently gripping the glass with her teeth however when she went to try and pull the glass out, a whine escaped her at the pain it caused and quickly released the shard. She shifted into her human form and quickly realized that hadn't been the smartest thing to do as the healing wound ripped open again and more of her blood spilled down her hand. By this time, tears were building in her eyes and some spilling down her cheeks.

[Assistant] Weaving her way along the edge of the small settlement, Tris moved quickly towards the whimpering pup. "Stop that." Her voice cut cleaner than the glass. "Now hold still." Gripping the girl's foot in a vice of iron, the woman examined the wound. Glass could cause infection, especially old glass. Examining the glass, she gently spread the wound, to grip the glass in her fingers and pulling slowly. Adjusting her grip and easing out the pesky fiend. "Be wary of glass about the ground." She called out to the rest of the pack. "I don't need wolves limping to me become a regular thing." Setting the glass in her palm, she studied the wound. "It's going to need regular bandage washing and cleaning. Can you walk over to my packs?"

[User]
Juniper

---

Juniper made her way to the door, standing by it as she waited for Ambra's reply just in case there was any objections or she had input on who she would like to come with her to collect firewood. It was then that her sharp ears picked up a high-pitched squeal, making her head turn quickly in that direction before she jetted out the door without waiting to hear the answer to her own question. That had not been a pleasant sound which made her worry that someone had found something unsavory that they should all worry about or worse had been harmed in some way. She listened to the whimpering, panic rising as she moved around the back of the cabins to where the sounds were coming from. A small sigh of relief left her lips as she noticed that there was nothing attacking but the smell of blood in the air as well as their healers presence was not a good thing at all."Who has been hurt?"Juniper ask worriedly as she stepped forward slowly, only to have Celeste come into her vision. She had no idea the kind pain the young pup was in right now since she had never stepped in glass but she hated seeing the girl in tears. Juniper carefully bent down next Celeste, rubbing the girl's back in circles to try and give some form of comfort to Celeste as Tris examined her. She almost cringed as she watched the glass being pulled from Celeste's hand and kept looking worriedly to the young girl who was being a pretty good trooper through all this in her opinion."If you don't think you can walk there than I would be more than happy to carry you."she offered the girl with a soft smile. She just didn't want to see this little girls tears anymore and wanted to do whatever was possible to make her happy or feeling better.

[Assistant]
Watching Juniper go with, Jace frowned a little, tensing until he could hear Juniper's voice around the back of the cabin. He couldn't make out her words, but her voice was softened, so she was not in any danger. He relaxed, and turned to the Alpha. "If you get the others settled here, I will take Blake on a quick scouting mission around the camp." He spoke in a low voice, soft but controlled, his gaze flickering to the large dark wolf sat by the trees edge in silence. Jace did not trust the big wolf, he was quiet, and rarely made contributions to the rest of the pack, and rarely changed out of his wolf form. Whilst others preferred their wolf forms for comforting reasons, Jace got the impression that Blake preferred his lupine form because it made him feel superior to others, from the way he sat upright and rigid, his muzzle raised a little.

"We'll make sure there's no immediate threats in the vicinity, and hopefully find a nearby source of water... Where there's water, there's prey." He let his eyes fall back to Ambra as he finished speaking, awaiting her approval.


[System]
Alias: Twilight

Age: 21

Personality: Juno is her mother's daughter, an arrogant soul who feels superior over most of the people in her life. However unlike her mother this superior nature is coupled with a razor wit and dangerous cunning all under a polite and amiable veneer. Where Kimiyo is upfront and no-nonsense about her feelings, Juno deflects and disarms others with her charm. She routinely deceives and manipulates when it benefits her and cares little for others when they get in her way.

Her assumption of superiority is not without merit for she is a driven and dedicated individual with great intelligence and willingness to go to whatever lengths are necessary to get the job done. In a team-setting she will try to take control whether overtly or not.

As a metahuman she often looks down on mundane humans and prefers the company of other superpowered individuals, save for those she truly finds exceptional like Batman. Even among Superhumans she considers herself part of a select elite, part of the established Superhero "legacy" apart from the emerging New Wave of independent heroes. This is much akin to nobility looking down on the bourgeois.

If she does not consider one an equal or a better she will take advantage if it suits her goals. A violent incident in recent years has hardened Juno and made her more vulnerable all at the same time, and her distance from most of the people in her life has not helped her move on.

Powers: Juno inherited the power of light projection and manipulation from her mother. With her bright white fields of light she can fly and construct light projections from her imagination as well as fire white beams of energy from her hands. Her projections rely on her mental focus and she control several simple objects or a few complex structures at one time. The more concentration she devotes to a construct increases it s durability. Her barriers block physical force as well as the full spectrum of energies. Her lasers range in power from simply stunning somebody to blasting a hole through them.

Weaknesses: She can only maintain so many objects at one time before they begin to drain her concentration and falter in integrity. If she erects a barrier it will start to crumble if opposing forces over-power or over-tax her will and any construct fails entirely if she cannot concentrate. She can only fly with use of her fields and each new construct she creates slowly tires her over time like any physical activity.

Her trust issues and arrogance impair her ability to coordinate with a team and she does not take being bested well. She is not immune to her own emotions and has a hunger for meaningful relationships with others outside of her family, a yearning which can be exploited.

Appearance: Juno is a young attractive woman of asian descent with deep brown eyes, lush black hair, and tan brown skin. She stands at 5'8 and has a toned athletic build. She keeps her hair cut shoulder length and curled. Her costume is a color flip of her mothers, with white on black and a seven pointed star as her emblem.

BRIEF Bio: Juno was born with the same powers that her mother the female Dr. Light possessed. Since she was a young child she aspired to be a superhero like her mother despite being encouraged to be a scientist instead. Juno was always top of her class and was known to use other children for whatever schoolyard desires may have manifested, she often charmed her adult teachers as well into getting what she wanted. If Juno pursued a course of action she gave it everything she had and excelled whether it was music, sports, academics, of other extracurricular activities.

Growing up, she had few true friends, her siblings being her only confidants and preferring the company of other metahumans. She graduated highschool early and earned several academic accolades. She rejected the path of university despite her mother's wishes however and had started her hero career early. She was a reserve member of Young Justice for several years and sought to advance into the ranks of the Justice League when she was older. She chose not to sidekick under her mother, to Kim's chagrin, and instead went it on her own with occasional team-ups with both other budding superheroes and experienced hands. Juno acquired a good reputation in the media and a growing fanbase among the cape-watchers.

She was a consummate professional in the field and learned how to manipulate the media and even her colleagues for the advancement of her career and public presence. She was a hopeful for full-fledged League membership and her future seemed bright. Until one incident in Keystone city involving her brother and an Intergang affiliate. Her brother, who had become an assistance at STAR Labs, was killed in a robbery attempt by the criminal organization.

Juno had ditched Superman himself during a promising team-up when she heard the news and raced to Keystone. The incident that followed was hushed over by the League but resulted in the complete dismantling of that entire chapter of Intergang in a series of violent and effective confrontations. If it wasn't for the intervention of senior members of the League, Juno would have likely gone to even greater lengths to exact her revenge.

That one moment halted her career and she was put in the reserve roster of the League. However, the incident had demonstrated Juno's prowess in the field as well as a willingness to go to lengths other heroes would not. She was seen as an ideal candidate for a different kind of hero team. Juno accepted the offer as a way to earn the good graces of her superiors and get her life back on track but she remains haunted.

What they bring to the team?: Juno has studied superhero and supervillain careers and confrontations her whole life and is a self-proclaimed expert on several notable villains and organizations as well as having a good head for tactics. Her academic achievements have resulted in a respectable knowledge of science and technical pursuits, making her light constructs an effective and reliable support asset for any team for both offense and defense. Her flight allows increased mobility and reconnaissance capabilities for the team and her intelligence is not to be overlooked. She has connections to several heroes as well as STAR Labs.

Notes: She has tried to engender a personal relationship with almost all of the living prominent superheroes and is a budding public personality herself. Also a lover of chocolate and novels. She regrets her codename also being the name of a series she absolutely reviles.

[User]
They were about to go into battle against a foe that specialized in killing. Fenrir's reaction was not the one Domini hoped for and hearing it took her breath away. Sure she looked quite young for her age but she didn't expect to be treated like a child. It gave her pause for a moment as she wondered where it all broke down with those before her. But now was not the time to dissent, she would have to save the lecture for later. They were already too far into this to back out now. Either Fenrir didn't know why they were there or didn't feel like sharing. Neither of those two would bode well in the long run.

With a plan in place the alien got ready. Since they were the bait so to speak things were going to get rough very quickly. Landing briefly they dropped off the first part of the team and Twilight took over piloting. That was good because she herself had no experience with such a thing and from speaking with the girl she appeared to have done it before. As they swung around it didn't take long before they were spotted. And that detail was made clear as the Cruiser began to get pelted by bullets. Glancing at the window she spotted an RPG being lifted toward them. "Hang on, we've got incoming rockets!"

Not much time the hybrid unbuckled herself and ran for the back of the cruiser and opened a hatch. By now the projectile was already in flight. Hands flashing a a deep purple she let loose a psionic blast. Thankfully not limited by physical resistance it met its target in seconds and exploded mid air. Having pretty much taken point she began returning fire and picking off anyone and anything she could. Getting shot out of the air was not high on her list of things to do in her lifetime.

Of course the growing sound was hard to understand before the man-bats swooped into view. Great, so it wasn't just the targets on the ground they had to worry about. While she was distracted the flurry of fire headed straight for her but were blocked by a force field of some kind. She had no idea the cruiser was equipped with such a thing. With that in mind she continued with her attack.

[Assistant]
Warpath was glad that he was included in main infiltration, but he kept a neutral look on his face. Adam wanted to see how his teammates did without his help and gauge their competence in the field. After the whole mess with training Warpath wasn't as desperate to be leader since he felt that it just created a split between the team with his and Twilight's rivalry. He was a soldier as well as a leader so for now he would listen and follow the orders that Fenrir gave him.

Warpath felt a bit of annoyance when Fenrir snapped at the new recruit Domini, but he remained silent. More angry words were just what they needed, he thought sarcastically to himself. They soon came to the drop zone and Adam disembarked with the rest of his teammates from the aircraft. He looked around at his surroundings and his eyes focused on the temple. His intuition told him that this was their entrance into the lair of the League of Shadows and he followed Fenrir and the others into the temple.

It was dark, but his enhanced vision made it easier for him to adjust to the low level of light in the overgrown structure. Warpath felt almost exposed going into a place he didn't have any knowledge about, they were on the League's territory and thus had the advantage in knowing the environment. Eventually they came to an atrium and Adam was impressed by the size of it. He was looking for any signs of their enemies when his excellent hearing picked up on noises that sounded almost like footsteps. Adam was about to say something when Fenrir spoke before him.

A dozen assassins dropped down from above them and Warpath created two European style arming-swords, which he held in both of his hands. The assassins sent a hailstorm of Shuriken came at them. Swinging his blades in rapid succession Adam was able to deflected a good number of them and took evasive action to try and dodge the rest. Warpath would then leap towards an assassin and try to slash them across his chest with his energy blades.


[System]
Codename/Alias:Nidhogg, Devourer of the Damned, The Black Dove, The White eyed Reaper

Mask:

Race: Ghoul

Age: 29

Gender:Male

Height: 6 ft

Eye Colour:Dark Grey

Hair Colour:Black

Personality: Itsuki is a kind soul, trying his best to help others when he can. He doesn't like that his kind is forced to feed on humanity, and looks disgusted whenever he sees other ghouls do it, but he knows that it's the only way for them to live. He despises gluttons, however, who eat more than they have any right to, as well as ghouls who like to torture their prey before killing them.

When he puts on his mask, however, Itsuki disappears and Nidhogg takes over. Nidhogg is basically Itsuki's other personality, the one that ruthlessly hunts down every criminal ghoul he comes across. He is a cold individual, speking few words most times, instead just taking to watching his foes from his glowing white eyes.

History: (If you wish to add one)

Occupation: None, he's homeless

Ward of Operation: He doesn't have a singular ward where he operates, but instead travels around the entirety of Tokyo to hunt down criminal ghouls. However, he tends to circulate through the wards surrounding Yatagarasu and Joker's End more often than the others.

Rating: A

Organisation: Independant

Rank: N/A

Kagune Type: Rinkaku

Kagune Appearance or description: Itsuki's Kagune takes on the texture of gnarled tree bark, with pulsating veins spread throughout the length of it. He can construct a maximum of 6 tendrils, which he can wrap around his limbs to give them an extra 'oomph' in terms of attack power. Nearing the ends of the tendrils, however, the Kagune can split into a multitude of thin, root-like appendages, which can be used to better grip objects and opponents.

Special trait: He has an abnormal level of strength in both his body and Kagune, even for a Rinkaku user. This adds to his physical attack power, making him a force to be reckoned with.

Other: Itsuki possesses a strange mutation that makes so that when his Ghoul eye activates, the pupil and Irish are white instead of red and slightly luminescent.

Smoking is bad, m'kay, but then again, so are a lot of things people love to do.

[User]
Bites

You're all going to die here

She felt the hit from the tentacle as the whip was once again smacked away from the target. However, she used that momentum that was built up from the rebound to wrap the whip around a nearby pole. It may have once been an antenna but it looked as if it had not been used for that purpose for some time. As the whip made contact she leaped into the air and let the centripetal force bring her flying around the pole and used herself as a projectile towards Floira, but with the angle being slightly off to the left of her but by looking at her, it would seem that she was aiming for Floria. As she came around, she brought her legs together to form into a large and narrow lance. Her speed was remarkable for what someone like her was capable of. As she would close the gap to about half a foot she would extend her arm out to form a semi thick and long blade in an attempt to either slice into her neck or knock her off the building. If it would connect, she would been blown back off the roof due to the speed and power of the attack. If she was to be blocked yet again, she would bring her legs down mid-air, reverting them back to
the axes as she would remove her mask, allowing her face to show her true self as the face she hade would morph into the symbiotic teeth and eyes. Her neck would extend outwards towards Floria's neck in an attempt to take a chunk out of her.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

"All I'm trying to do is live my motherf***ing life. Supposed to be happy. You know... wear a smile on my face, but there's a demon inside."
Somewhere in the Ninetieth Ward

As the car screeched away, he gave a nasty glare towads the cackling "bitch" who would taunt him as he was escaping. A vocal "tch" would escape as he tried to stand, his kagune disappearing. He quickly took notice to the visablility that he had due to the broken mask. As he gave a frusted sigh, placing the mask underneath his coat and brought his hood up. Most likely the girl her protected with silver hair would try to help him, if she tried he would wave her off and begin to limp away, repling with a "Thanks but I'll be fine." As he limped quickly out of the alleyway, before straining himself to walk normaly amongst the gowing crowd of humans. Mitsurugi would smile at the passerbys. He didn't particularly care if the SILVER HAIRED girl followed but he would make it difficult for her to keep up as he would dip in and out of groups of people, turn down multiple alleys before he made his way to a rather run down looking warehouse. He had come across this place a few times. It was a rather quiet area to lay low when an area would get too hot. As he entered he gave a sniff around, noticing he wasn't the only one in there. 'Tch, another ghoul. I'm not having such a great day am I.' He thought. His voice would echo through the warehouse like structure. "I know your here but I would like to point out that I have already had a rough day and I'm not particularly in the mood to get into another fight." He held a stance that showed alertness and the ability to strike at a moments notice while holding a calm posture.

[vFear] @Phobos @XxLyraxX

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
@Oblivion

Akira Matsumoto (Jinx), Above the Hydra/Joker's End Fight Beginning

Her screaming stopped as she watched her shards explode and disappear and Kazumo apppearing in front of her, all in a matter of seconds. Her eyes went wide. "Who the fuck, said you could intervene in my fight? "But-" Huh little shit? But he- Do you really think you will be of any help anyway? I-You think I am weak? N-no not at-If you wish to be here then sit the fuck down and watch." Kazumo said glaring at her before leaning in towards her ear. This caused her to gain some pleasure. "If you attack my prey again Jinx.... I'll kill you." Her voice had a sexual tremble to it as she replied. "O-o-ook~ heheheh~ Kazumo warned before appearing down towards Tatsuo again and frowning. She remained there in a fantasy like bliss until she turned her attention to Mizumu and the other chick and decided to have some fun with the both of them as she dipped low and moved across the building to get a better angle on the two. Her shards were aimed directly at the two and held it there, following their every movment.

[Assistant]
Kazumo Igiri
He would listen to tatsuo silently and for once Kazumo remained silent before dodging his own bike that Tatsuo dodge as he felt the vibrations. "Thats because only I'm allowed to kill those retards. I'm not letting you do it. But good to know, I'll remember to get rid of the vibrations for next time. Good idea, hope it doesn't bite you in the ass." Kazumo couldn't help but laugh as he cracked his neck as Tatsuo grew even more heads. "Well then, lets hope the climax doesn't fuck up anything else.... Ahh who am I kidding it will." Kazumo stated but as Tatsuo came at Kazumo, he would instead fly at a building. A rather large one as well, yet Kazumo shouted a bit as his Wings morphed to form some massive ass wings that were soaked in his blood and were much wider than the building length was. So as Kazumo flew at the building, he sliced clean through it, he just risked cutting up his face but the building falling straight down on Tatsuo would still be a sight to see. Floating in the sky he would almost look like a really twisted angel of death.

[User]
Itsuki, 16th ward, Old Warehouse

---

Itsuki made it to the warehpuse easily enough, but he npticed with a frown the chaos hoing on in one of the wards by sound alone. This is going to bring the doves down on us . . . hard. Dammit, it was tougn enough to avoid them before, but now shit is going to hit the fan. I may have to stick to eating from my supply until things die down a bit.

With that in mind, he made haste inside the compound, making his way through the many cold hunks of cattle meat until he arrived at his own particular corner with a box filled with his own, special food. Picking out a few chunksm he dug in, the disgusting flavor of ghoul flesh being something he'd long since gottem accustomed to. As he ate, he wondered ever so slightly about those rumors he'd heard of ghouls that cannibalized othrr ghouls turning into all powerful gods with monstrous kagune. He'd found the theory interesting if nothing else, but didn't truky believe since he'd been eating Ghouls for years and had yet to show any signs of this incredible power.

As he finished eating for the day, not his fill, but enough to get him through the month if doves start getting active again, he suddenly heard somethingnin the silence of the warehouse. Footsteps, and while that alone wouldn't normally make him nervous, it was the smell and the words that accompanied it that caused his heart to pick up. He made sure to seal the box back up, and cleaned off all evidence of his feeding from his face before making his way out into the open area between the freezer areas. Seeing who it was, however, he quickly let a grin cross his face as he approached.

"Well now, this is a surprise. What the hell happened to you, Mitsurugi, you look like shit. First time I think I've ever seen you look like you got your ass kicked." Itsuki had met the eye-patch wearing ghoul a while back as they were both homeless drifters who happened to run into each other. Seeing as how neither was predispised to violence, they sat down for a chat at the time and soon became good acquaintances. "So, who the hell did this to you, and why?"

[Assistant]
"All I'm trying to do is live my motherf***ing life. Supposed to be happy. You know... wear a smile on my face, but there's a demon inside."

He leveled a gaze in the direction of the smell and its owner who just now was entering into the light. As he stood there, Mitsurugi couldn't help but let out a light laugh as he lowered his guard to an old acquaintance, extending a greeting to him. "Well now, this is a surprise. What the hell happened to you, Mitsurugi, you look like shit. First time I think I've ever seen you look like you got your ass kicked." "Haha I still look better than you Itsuki heheh.  He frowned at the ass kicked part. "Please, I was far from getting my ass kicked." Just to remind him of the defeat, a sharp pain shot up his leg, causing him to drop to a knee. He looked down at the ground as sweat dripped down his face onto the ground. "Guess it took a bigger toll then I thought. Hey Itsuki-san, you mind if I gave you some company for a little bit? Heat may have picked up after the scuffle in the 19th district." He felt his eye go into its cold blackness, the other eye under the patch glowed lightly but enough to be seen from under the patch as his stomach growled. He had completely forgotten that he was still hungry and he felt his urge to attack Itsuki go up but if hadn't been for his experience with starving before he wouldn't be able to control it. Mitsurugi bit down on his hand as blood seeped out and trickled into his mouth as the rest ran down his hand. For him pain was the key to suppress it however it would only last as long as the pain did.

"I hate asking but you wouldn't happen to have some food that you could give me to stave off this hunger and in turn ill give you some hot coffee made by I think may be one of the best coffee brewers I think I've ever had the pleasure to meet. But if you don't it's not no big deal. I still got coffee for the both of us. Also buddy we got to do some talking-" He pulled out his newly filled coffee thermos and with his free hand wrapped it around his friend's shoulders both to show hospitality and for balance. "Cause it's been some time since we last did. Shit I'll also tell you how I got this." Bringing his leg up to show the graze down his leg.


[System]
Nicknames: Scythe-Freak, Rock for brains, Wannabe-hero - Nicknames gifted by his blacksmithing master.
Age: 23
Gender: Male
Level: 7

Class: Fighter

Hero Class: ----

Specializations: Forging, weapon making, enchantments

Magic Affinity: Fire/Earth

Griffon comes from a small village, far on the outskirts of no where and I think I've seen that tree before. It was a small farming village, Larozenia, There wasn't much to write home about at the village. The lord who ruled over them was fairly kind and fair to the villagers, he didn't tax them too harshly and would accept their crops, or wool… whatever they managed to make, as payment when money was tight. The village itself was far out of the way of most people, so they never did see a whole lot of travelers.

The villagers made most of their money selling to various traveling adventurers and merchants who'd make their way through to trade and sell wares. Griffon was the son of a beer maker, often during his childhood his father would send him out with the scythe to harvest the grains. This may have been where his love for the weapon began. The villages life was peaceful and often Griffon's father would try to get him to learn how to brew the beer… but he was met with the same response each time. "DON'T WANNA!"

When his father would ask him why, Griffon would shy away from an answer… normally instead running off to go play with his friends shouting "It's a secret!" But… One day, when he was a little older, he decided to let his father in on the secret. "I want to be one of the great heros!" He shouted proudly holding his scythe up to the air. His father simply laughed and pat his son on the head… before heading back to work.

That was the last real conversation Griffon had with his father. After that, things got… dark. Monsters befell the village, with it being so far from any reinforcement's it was left to the town guard to try to protect it! But the once noble lord, called them all to his mansion, to defend himself and his staff. The villagers stood no chance against the monsters. Griffon's father did his best to protect the family, trying to hide them away… but Griffon didn't hide, he wanted to be a hero! He rushed for the shed where the tools were kept and took up his mighty scythe!

He charged at the beasts that tried to kill his family, preparing to swing his mighty weapon! But… it was shattered in an instant, the beasts claws tearing through the wooden handle as if it were paper. Griffon was left speechless, his weapon destroyed, staring eye to eye with a monster about to do to him what it did to his scythe. As the beast went to strike him, his father leaped in the way, taking the hit.

"RUN!" The last words his father ever said, like a good son, Griffon obeyed his fathers orders and ran. He didn't know where to go, he just ran. A few days past, the village was in shambles and his family was no more. A merchant had been kind enough to take him in for a little while, dropping him off in a fairly well populated village.

He didn't want to give up his dream… He had seen how weak he was. This time, Griffon dedicated himself to becoming an adventurer. But he needed money and weapons… He managed to convince a local blacksmith to take him on as an apprentice… at first things were clumsy, he'd be yelled at often. His master would call him rocks for brains, scythe freak, wanna-be hero… all sorts of nasty names. But it didn't dissuade him from his goal.

As time went on, he learned the tricks of the trade and the yelling became a thing of the past. He didn't screw up the material mixtures, or over head the metal anymore. He even got quite good at sewing… though he doesn't brag about that too much.

When the time came, his master allowed him to make one weapon, using the materials they had… a weapon he could take with him on his adventuring. That is the scythe that he currently wields today. It's nothing special, a simple scythe, but it's constructed well and the wood used for it's handle section came from his old village.

Griffon started his adventuring career! It started off simple enough, some balloons here and there… a couple wolve's going after some traveling merchants. Truth be told, he hasn't been adventuring too long, he spent most of his life at the blacksmiths learning how to forge weapons… and when he wasn't doing that he'd go out to the forest and practice with them till the sun had completely vanished and the moon was far over head…

But recently he'd taken up a job clearing out some bandits from a mining facility. The villagers were too afraid to confront them themselves and he gladly took up the job… though it was rough going, the bandit leader was quite strong and Griffon felt like he was going to die… he managed to pull it out somehow and was even given some ore as a reward… all in all, it was a fairly good job for him.

Now though, he hears tell that the waves are coming and the heroes will be summoned… He's looking forward to finally getting his chance to shine, among the heroes of legend… even if it's just as a companion.

---
Preferred Weapon(s): Scythe, Pole-arms

Appearance of Weapon:

Abilities of Weapon: None Currently
---

Name of Skill: Tempest Strike

Abilities of Skill: Spins his scythe around above his head before slashing the enemy, adds a little extra damage.

Downsides of Skill: Leave's his body open for attacks.

Name of Skill: Root Bash

Abilities of Skill: uses the back end of the scythe, with the blade facing away, to strike at the enemies feet. Intending to knock them down.

Downsides of Skill: Can be easily avoided and leaves him open to attacks from above and behind.

Name of Skill: Inferno Blade

Abilities of Skill: Using a bit of magic, ignites the blade of his weapon on fire adding mild burning damage to his attacks.

Downsides of Skill: Can only be used once per combat, as it has the tendency to dull his blade after use. "I'm still new at this!" - Griffon to his master.

Name of Skill: The Griffon Special

Abilities of Skill: There's nothing special here- He punches them in the face.

Downsides of Skill: It brings shame to himself and his comrades.
----
Inventory:
Tent.
Tinderbox.
12 bandages.
3 bottles of disinfecting medicine.
1 bedroll.
34 silver.
2 gold.
Portable anvil and hammer.
a small satchel of ore.

[User]
---

---

 Well, they bought the act. While it was true she didn't want her status as a demi-human to get out, it wasn't because of the reason she stated. If the people in charge of this get together realized a demi-human child had snuck in alone she doubted she'd be able to convince them she was supposed to be here. There was a chance they had a list of people who were coming and she couldn't risk putting herself out in the open.

 Then they were told that it was finally time to meet the heroes. Well, this could be the make or break time. I've either got to get in a heroes group without being noticed to early or just hope the hero says nothing. Elysia activated her conceal skill walking in the center of the throng of adventurers. She had been distracted for too long talking to the other two and was just lucky that no one else seemed to notice her. Once they entered the room in which the heroes were waiting she stood towards the back of the crowd looking through the cracks studying each hero. She partially paid attention to the words being said by everyone else but her attention was largely on the heroes. She had to determine her target.

 The first one who spoke up, someone calling themselves Cole Smith. He looked kind of creepy but something about him seemed prim and proper. Maybe it was just the way he introduced himself. The next was definitely not prim and proper. Elysia wasn't gonna lie to herself, that girl terrified her. Absolutely no chance of her joining that hero, if she could even call her that. After her was one Garret Lancaster. For some reason, upon hearing that he was the shield hero she started remembering stories that she had been told about past shield heroes and how they seemed to be the kindest of the heroes to demi-humans. That right now didn't matter to her as if she went through with stealing from her mark it wouldn't be likely they'd be kind to her. The last hero to introduce himself said his name was Frederick Ryker Jones. He seemed quite a bit older than the other three and what he said confirmed that. There was a good chance it'd be harder to trick him.

 Taking all that in mind that left her with two choices of who to join for now. Either the sword or shield hero. She decided to try and figure out where the other two were. The 'super-adventurer' was still standing among the crowd and it seemed some of the other adventurers were giving him the side-eye. Weird. The lady had approached the sword hero. Looking at the two it seemed that she was joining his party. Due to that, Elysia reconsidered potentially choosing the sword hero. The Lady seemed to be fairly observant. It may be harder to do what she wants with her around. That just leaves her with the shield hero. Unfortunately, not many adventurers had made any movement. Especially towards the shield hero. If she made this decision now she could risk being noticed, but if she waited too long in the lingering crowd it may get worse.

 She took a big gulp and decided to just take her chances. She deactivated conceal and began briskly walking through the crowd and then towards the shield hero. She didn't look up keeping her eyes level. She didn't even look at the shield hero. She simply walked straight in his direction and then went around him and stood directly behind him. If he turned around and tried to talk to her she'd just have to turn on the charm. He looked easy. Easier than Super-adventurer. This would be a piece of cake right? She just had to continue playing the role. In order to make her seem at least a little like an adventurer, she subtlety made sure one of her daggers could be seen attached to the side of her belt. Hopefully, no one would see her tail through her cloak. What wasn't good was that the bottom of her tail still slightly poked out of the bottom of her cloak. Despite how calm she was trying to appear she was freaking out. She was breathing shallowly and her body was getting stiff. Elysia was nervous. This was the most dangerous thing she has probably ever done. Please, just let us leave soon.

[Assistant]
"Oh, I do not mind," Myrila replied with a smile. "Unlike some, I am not prejudiced to those without noble blood in the slightest," she exclaimed proudly.

Hearing his declaration of his priorities, she gave him another warm smile. Putting her gloved right hand above her chest, she said, "Do not worry. I understand your reasoning perfectly. And I would be willing to follow it. As long as it remains reasonable, of course," she added, her smile turning into a slight smirk. "I wouldn't let you just choose the easiest path you could find. After all, the path of a hero is always difficult and full of hardship."

Suddenly, she kneeled in front of him on one knee, still putting her right hand above her chest.

Which now conveniently drew attention towards her cleavage, which were easily visible to the hero as he was looking from above.

"But do not fret, for I am there with you all the way. For I, Myrila Astinili, pledge myself to your service."

It was a knightly oath, even though she wasn't a knight herself. She simply felt it would be appropriate for the occasion.

[User]
Well… at least he's all gung-ho about this, is all Garret could think of as the scythe wielding man spoke aloud to them. He felt a bit good at the idea that someone was considering joining him, though he agreed with Marcino that saying aloud his focus on two of them over the others could be construed as rude.

As the young king added to the discussion, Garret could just feel the sweat drop from the last part of the king's statement. "Even the shield hero, huh? Geez. That sure sounded like a backhanded assurance…" he grumbles rather quietly under his breath. It wasn't like he chose the shield himself.

It was during his grumblings that he sees an unexpected sight. One of the adventurers, small and near fully cloaked, had stepped out from the group and headed straight to him. He blinked as said individual said nothing to him, slipping into place behind him. There wasn't much to go on with said person, with what seems to be a dagger sticking out from the front of the cloak. He thinks he sees motion on the back side, though he couldn't see what exactly it was from here. Another weapon, perhaps? In any case, it would seem he would need to start the introductions himself.

Leaning over slightly to get closer to eye level, he gives a little wave to the hood. "Yo. Nice to meet ya stranger. You may have heard my name, but just in case, I'm Garret Lancaster. But you can simply call me Garret. May I have the name of the first to decide to join my party?"

[Assistant]
Griffon grumbled to himself. "My reasons for joining those two hero's are my own. The shield hero bears a shield and no sword. The bow hero has a bow, which isn't suited for close range combat." He sighed and shook his head. "Anyone with a brain would know that a spear and sword are best suited for close range, meaning it would be more convenient for a companion who can cover the areas they are weakest in." He made his way towards the older gentleman, the hero of the bow. "Which means I will pledge myself to join you on your quest bow hero." Griffon folded his hands over his chest.

"I will do that which you can not do. In turn, I hope you do that which I can not do." He held out his hand, an offering of friendship and camaraderie. "I know the ins outs of adventuring... for the most part. I'm handy in places like smiths and weapons shops. I can help keep the enemy away from you when fighting." He was trying to sell himself up a bit... He wanted to be recognized by the hero's, ever since he was a kid... this was his dream. Right here and right now, he would finally get to live it.


[System]
SEX: male
AGE: 44 (middle aged)
HOMELAND: Republic of Carise
BACKGROUND: Criminal

TRAITS:
Brawny - Boran is muscular and possesses considerable physical strength
Cool headed - Boran is not easily fazed even in the face of danger
Open minded - Boran is always willing to consider new ideas and concepts without being prejudiced
Illegal dealings (Criminal) - establishing connections and doing business on the underground market (which can be less expensive and have more exotic stock) is no problem for Boran

FLAWS:
Low stamina - due to his age and general physical condition, Boran tires out easily
Crude - not the politest person

PROFICIENCIES: 16+1

EXPERTISE
History I (1pt)
Folklore I (1pt)

SKILLS
Skulduggery II (3pts)
Appraisal I (1pt)

SOCIAL
Deceit II (3pts)

Weapons
Axes II (3pts)
Hand-to-hand II (3pt)
Shields I (1pt)
Maces I (1pt)

PERSONALITY: While not the most talkative type, Boran does like good company. However, he is not the best one out there himself. On one hand, he can be coarse and blunt with a weird sense of humor most people "just don't get". On the other, he is somewhat aloof, prone to letting his mind wander off at random moments. His peculiarities do not stem from ill intent, but rather from an overarching carefree demeanor he has adopted following his tumultuous past life. Be it in times of peace or peril; if he is alone or with others, Boran is in "fixed gear", which can be seen both as a weakness - in terms of thoughtlessness and recklessness - but also a strength by keeping a level head in any situation. When it comes to matters of his person, Boran is an open type who doesn't fear tearing down his walls. He has done enough self-contemplation to be confident. There is an air of confidence, even slight sophistication in him, hinting at an upbringing not usual for a common man.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Boran is a true mixed-blood. Standing at just above 180cm/6ft, with broad shoulders, square jaw and strong nose, he is a rather masculine man. He has medium length, wavy black hair, thick eyebrows and a rough stubble, but strangely pale skin.

EQUIPMENT:
* a combat knife in a sheath and a buckler on his hip, the buckler has an adjustable grip so it can be slid up to his forearm, freeing his hand
* an axe with a blunt butt/poll that can be strapped on his back for longer travels, for quicker access there is a noose on his hip. Boran has enough strength to wield it one-handed for some time, but it is cumbersome to do so and it's meant for two handed use.
* a small backpack that contains some food, a flask for water, another one for some booze, a sharpening kit and usually a random book to read.
* Black/brown gambeson armor, padded greaves and bracers, which are in good condition. A tiny bedroll, just enough to fit him.

HISTORY: As the only child of a wealthy businessman in Carise, Boran could enjoy luxuries that most people in the known world could not. At the same time, his freedom was also quite a bit more restricted. Taught by a private tutor, together with a small group of other privileged children, he studied a wide range of subjects - from mathematics and economy to etiquette and philosophy. What time was left over from studying was spent on training in the arts of combat. And what tiny amount was left even from that was mostly spent with his father, whether it be mentoring sessions about the business or formal meetings, dinners and gatherings with his associates. Boran didn't mind that he didn't have a normal childhood, because he was good at what he did. Too good. Brighter and more physically capable than his peers, Boran started developing a superiority complex that would bite him back in the future.

By the time he reached teenage years, it was already obvious that his father's business wasn't exactly legal. More precisely, he ran one of a dozen smuggling rings inside an organized crime family's trading company. For Boran, this was an opportunity. In his early 20s, Boran had integrated well into the business, solidifying his position as a good partner and future successor to his father; even gathering a small band of underlings of his own. Yet he remained a subordinate, an inferior. Driven by his ambition, overrated abilities and misplaced moral values, he tried to aggressively take more control inside the company. This did not sit well with his superiors - including his father-, who saw his crude methods and lack of loyalty as a direct act of defiance rather than any show of ability. Humiliated, Boran was allowed to escape Carise.

He vowed to get his vengeance as he sailed towards Abagon. Over the years he led and was part of many different bands of criminals - from the more sophisticated subtle types to even the lowliest thugs - hoping to build an empire of his own to one day get back at the people who had done him wrong. None of it came to fruition. With the war looming over Abagon as well, Boran eventually found himself in Beldemar. Years had passed, his youthful, reckless drive had been smothered by constant failures. Looking for some straightforward coin, Boran, nearing his fortieth birthday, signed up as a mercenary. Free from his futile pursuits and perhaps due to age, he found time to contemplate and find solace in a simpler life devoid of unnecessary stress. After all, a lot of time had passed and the people he once hated are already most likely dead.

[User]
"Oh do I need a good drink right now!" exclaimed Boran as the barman filled up some tankards. Turning around, he saw the party leaving. Flint had offered himself and Boran to start preparing for the job by getting supplies. He got no objections from the other two, who suddenly seemed to be too preoccupied with embracing each other to notice anything else.

"Will you look at that," Boran said with a chuckle, pointing at the leaving pair, "kids these days!" When Flint approached, he raised his hand to take a drink, but continued with a slightly more serious tone: "Gonna turn some heads on the streets."

The mead was... less than adequate. After a big sip of the watery liquid, Boran put the tankard down and pushed it as far away from himself as he could. This confirmed his earlier suspicion about the quality of the booze.

"Well," he started, turning his attention to Flint, "just this once I'm gonna let the "old man" comment slide, but in the future, you'd better watch it." His tone was suddenly cold and serious; his gaze piercing Flint as he continued: "And this was in no way my first drink. But it sure will be my last."

He paused for a moment, dropping the aggressive mask.
"Wow, that sounded kinda ominous, didn't it?"

Visibly offended by Boran's opinion about the quality of the mead, the innkeeper exchanged some threatening glances with Boran.
"Alright, boy, we'd better get a move on before we're gonna get in some biiig trouble." He gave Flint a joyous pat on the shoulder and headed towards the exit into the cold autumn night, stopping briefly at the door before finally stepping out: "We might find some places still open at this hour."

[Assistant]
Flint paused as Boran made a not-quite-subtle note on the drink. Couldn't he have at least waited until they were out of earshot to say that? Nevertheless, he trudged after his chosen companion to the door. Once outside, he took a deep breath of the evening air. The cool air was sharp in his throat, and he wanted nothing more. It would keep him alert on this little escapade.

"You underestimate merchants, Boran. Or at the very least, jewellers. If we can find one of those, we're a lot more likely to find ourselves with some coins to spare. They're always in need of stock, and good stock, at that. My main reason for bringing you is the look of you. I warrant that you've got a shrewd eye, and if anything, I'd appreciate the back-up."

He kept in stride with the taller man until they reached the end of the street. He cast his gaze about to get his bearings - things always looked different in the dark - then nodded down another lane.

"The market's down this way." he said briefly, before beginning to walk at a brisk pace.

[User]
Riley and Lothair were able to stalk the stranger for a while as he left the inn and went out the door, the young lord and the mercenary girl watching him from a safe and careful distance. It was not a difficult task to keep pace with him. He seemed to be moving at a steady pace, unaware of those following him, walking like a man on his way to work, making his way deeper into the poor residential district they were in.

The pair noticed a few more gazes settling on them as they went into the narrow and winding corridors of the slums. While relatively empty (thankfully), it seemed as if those still walking the street were against the two youths. Their faces wore a myriad of expressions, and their stances were reserved or defensive. It was odd. Were they all part of some plot? Was-

"Oi, oi!" called out a drunken man in his forties, snorting a little as the pair passed. "D'you buttercups got room for a third? Three men's better in bed than one, innit?"

Oh. That was why they were getting odd looks. Riley was a boyish girl.

The outburst from the sot was enough to make the pair's quarry turn his head. His eyes went wide, and he immediately went into panic mode, grabbing the nearest things his hands could find: pottery, empty crates, and an unattended lantern. He quickly threw all this these onto the ground behind him in a flash of motion, smashing them upon the rough cobblestone and bolting down into the twisting paths of the slums.

The pair had time to catch up, though the man definitely wasn't going to make it easy. However, that moment was when someone threw the door adjacent to the broken stuff open, and out stepped an alarmed and angry looking man with a spiked club.

"You rat bastards!" he snarled. "You breakin' my shit, are ya?" He hefted his club up menacingly.

Lothair felt pretty sure he could talk the angry peasant down, though it would take a moment. Otherwise, given how angry he seems... It seemed entirely likely that the hunt for his stalker could end with them being chased in turn by this furious commoner.

Riley noticed a glint of steel from beneath the otherwise impoverished looking fellow's old cloak. He was armed, though she couldn't be sure with what.

---

As it was night still, the open market itself had wound down already. However, there were a few shops which would be open still. With any luck, there'd be a jeweler open, or at least a pawnbroker. Someone would be available to gauge the value of their gemstones at the least.

Of course, anyone up at so late an hour was certain to either be wary of their customers or to be untrustworthy themselves.

As luck would have it, there was a shop with a sign of a statuette, some coins, and some gems painted onto it. The building's windows windows were lit by candles. The words "Ghilas' Appraisals" were written in colorful font over the entryway. It was a small building, but it was well-maintained and well decorated.

Boran was familiar with places like these. His father used to run a few less legitimate pawnbrokers and appraisers, selling illegally procured wares through them. By the looks of the place, this particular company leaned more toward the respectable side... which meant that the man running the place, Ghilas, probably had hired help.

Each of the windows is lit by precisely two candles: one red and one blue, representative of the sun and the benevolent moon. In Westerling folklore, this is a means of warding off evil spirits. Has evil befallen this place recently?

[Assistant]
Flint paused, looking at the candles. That wasn't a common sight. The only thing was, was this before or after some kind of misfortune? His hackles on end, he walked in, briefly taking note of the bell above the door.

"Hello?" he called, glancing around at the room.


[System]
Age: 30

Sex: Male

Appearance: 6'2" with black hair and blue eyes. White skinned. Noticeable facial hair at the chin and finely trimmed. Sporting a more Westerly appearance with a short and thin leather duster coat, white button-up shirt with a popped-out collar and a loose scarf-like tie, dark faded blue jeans, and boots.

"Shh, I'm focusing...And trying to look intimidating."

Like many of the Societas Academia, Travis has a very good understanding how magic functions and how certain spells are performed. Being an Untalent however, much of what he has learned is unfortunately outside of his realm of implementation and only gets by with the bare basics of each aspect. But to him, this is perfectly fine; the spells Travis can produce by himself are considered useful survival tools in order to help him get by.

His real prowess is through the deciphered tomes and runes recovered throughout his journeys, capable of extending his abilities beyond his current potential. Though if anything, they too are yet another means of allowing him dissect and better understand their magical functionalities and eventually reproduce their effects in more manageable and efficient methods.

Funnily enough, given his recent and occasionally perilous encounters, Travis has been seen to be a rather surprisingly athletic runner.

"Magic is simply another form of science that is growing and evolving as we continue to discover and learn more about it."

Being an Untalent amongst a rather social community of more capable Talents can definitely be rough. Condemned to a lesser status because of one's natural inability to coordinate with magic fluidly was the fate many Untalents within the Societas Academia faced almost daily. Travis however didn't seem to be bothered by this too much. In fact, he was perhaps too busy studying and discussing theories to really care at all.

While as an Untalent and indeed had higher expectations set against him by his self-deserving peers, he enthusiastically conceptualized these endeavors as welcomed challenges in order solve rather petty societal crises to stress about. Though Travis was no ace mage and was more likely a magician as far as skills go, his main strength was his constructed knowledge base with a fierce understanding of the architecture of mana and magic implementation.

After years of hard study and grueling practice, Travis eventually achieved the rank of Aspect trainee and began the next phase of his training. Without any particular proficiency found in any particular set of spells, he would then opt-in into the Aspect of Scholar. As one would expect from his intuitive personality, Travis had felt right at home with his new position and became eager to set out for new discoveries.

What he didn't know was how cruel and horrifying the world could be outside the Societas Academia. The concept of death was something many students were well versed in, some more than others, but to experience and its many forms was something rather undesirable. Thus for Travis, now a Scholar, would soon come to know and witness this concept on more than one occasion as he pursues his quest for knowledge.

"So I spoke to an ebony dressed lady from the Cult of the Enlightened. We actually had a pleasant conversation until I asked about the concept of soul weaving. She laughed. Her fur coat cried. Suffice to say, I left in a hurry."

Despite his humble demeanor, surprisingly as an Untalent, Travis is certainly not afraid to speak his mind and express his views when necessary, sometimes comical or sarcastic if it benefits the mood. Being an easily fascinated and curious sort, he takes his role as a Scholar by heart (if not seriously) and seeks knowledge whenever he can find it; until it gets him into trouble. Nonetheless, he does show great pride and devotion to his line of work, atypical as it may be.

Travis can sometimes be described as a pacifist or "pass-the-fist" as he himself describes it. He sees no need for violence and certainly rejects the notion of killing but acknowledges the need for self-defense if he cannot negotiate his way out of a troubling confrontation. Of course said confrontations are usually created by something he may have said or done without any harmful or insulting intent.

"When the going gets tough...See to it you're not where the tough goes."

[User]
"You're very welcome," Travis kindly smiled as Zuri accepted his congratulatory response. With that, Felix had then announced their mission was now starting over the mansion's PA system as the three of them left the laboratory. As he left the basement, he turned to the both of them, "allow me to prepare a few things. I shouldn't be long."

Without waiting for an answer, the Untalent separated from the group and hastily made his way be to his quarters. He certainly was not properly equipped to participate in the mission and he rather avoided a fight in his perfectly good morning robe. Of course, he mostly wanted to avoid any fighting if it could be helped. Upon accessing his room, he immediately cast away his robes and dressed into his trademark trench coat and checked all of its compartments to verify his current inventory. Once he looked the part, Travis then wrapped a couple of cargo belts around his waist and around his chest and back before taking an array of small items and placing them within each pouch.

Once the small things were done, he then walked to his mythical chest of untold deepness, opened it and reached into is infinite confines. He retrieved several tomes and a few larger items before taking out along horizontal long box whose physical dimensions betrayed that of the chest it was recovered from. Opening the box revealed a row of greyish capsule-shaped items all lined in their slots up in a perfect row. A small tab inside the lockbox produced a low green hue, illustrating the sub-text below it that the contents were charged.

"Perfect," Travis said to himself as he pulled several of the capsules and housed them each within the inner pockets of his coat. Each of the objects he retrieves had the texture of a smooth but foam-like make-up as if it was intended to act a sort of an encasement.

He soon stored the closed box within the chest before sealing it and began making his way to the door. Just before he could get past his desk, he then realized that he still had with him the runic plans that blinded their Paragon earlier. Travis quickly took out the parchment but eyed for a moment as he was nearly ready to place it on his desk. He then began to ponder about its other applications as Felix announced before, speculating on what it also capable of doing. With a small groan, he opened up the plans and grabbed a crystalline case from his desk before imprinting the rune's design into the hexagonal prism. Chanting a quick incantation over the case, he then stowed it too within his trench coat, before leaving the plans on his desk and hurried out of his room to join the rest of his team.

[Assistant]
Nemo sat at the table by himself now. He flipped his balisong knife closed and placed it back into his pocket and then started to de-spawn all the weapons he brought out, finishing it out with the two tumbler glasses. He picked up the bottle of umeshu, the medium sized bottle only had about one fourth of the liquid it started with left. Nemo checked to see if the coast was clear before unceremoniously chugging the rest of it.

Eventually he appeared in the living room and sat down on the same sofa Raiya did. Nemo leaned over onto the armrest and looked to his manadial to glance at the time. No other members had reached the room yet, so Nemo figured he had time for at least one more question while they were still on their way. "Have you ever done something that you really regret?" Nemo asked, quieter than usual. He only looked over to her once he had finished speaking.

[User]
Zoey simply melted through the shadows in the corner of the room, flopping in an arm chair like she'd been there for hours. She felt a bit like she had, and she was glad to finally be getting out of this cabin. For some reason, it vaguely reminded her of a large fire. But maybe that was just another nightmare.

She noticed instantly that the room smelled a bit like alcohol. Fantastic. Stealth mission, lets drink. Solid. If she gave a damn, she'd probably be able to tell which drink. But she really didn't give a damn. At this point, she would consider just getting on the boat without something going horribly wrong a successful mission. She eyed Travis and wondered if he was coming. She assumed he was, but she didn't really see him as a stealth operative. In fact, he reminded her a bit of the guy Cyril from that TV show... which was it? Archer, that's right. Capable of maybe doing something good, but more likely to be a punch line. She was so positively astonished by this line up that she started thinking of drinking herself. She had a small vial of moonshine. After all, she might need it for when his all goes horribly wrong. At worst, the damn thing would make her drunk enough to find the humor. At best, soaking in the moonlight of a few nights might help give her a boost. Either way, she was already coming to grips with the fact that this mission might already be majorly boned.

[Assistant] Raiya tilted her head to the side, "Something I regret? Do you mean besides making a drunken bet with you that essentially chained me to a team of misfits and vagabonds...?" Raiya pursed her lips and put her index finger up to them. "I regret putting my faith into an organization that would betray me and toss me aside. I regret ever thinking of Felix as a brother. I regret not being strong enough to take down Thadeus myself when I had the chance. Other than that, no I can't say I have any major regrets." Raiya replied.

[User] Travis had only spent a few minutes preparing and arming himself upstairs before returning to the main lobby and into the living room where most of his team had gathered, "I hope I didn't keep everyone waiting. Is there anything we need to go over before departing?"

[Assistant]
Something seemed to be on Nemo's mind, but he jumped on the opportunity to change the subject once it presented itself. "What history do you have with Thadeus?" Nemo asked. "It seems he'll be a recurring cockroach in our journey, so I wouldn't fret too much about not defeating him. I'm sure you'll get another chance."

"You're just in time Travis, we're almost all here now." Nemo responded. "There isn't anything I can think of to discuss now, but I'm sure that will change once this show gets on the road." He added.

[User] Zuri follows Felix over to the living room. She looks around at the others as more people started to show up. Listening to the things Travis and Nemo said, she has no idea what was going on, but all she knew was to try to help her team in any possible way in order to recover a dangerously powerful relic.

[Assistant]
Raiya's ahoge began to vibrate with energy as her anger surged. Thinking about Thadeus irritated her above all else.

"Cockroach indeed... He is the lowest of the low, and the one responsible for me being excommunicated. He experimented on villages, razed them to the ground with agnes spheres for no logical reason. The worst part is that he wasn't all that powerful for an arch-mage. It was nepotism that got him the position he holds. Because of his family ties, he was given access to a high seat and all the political power that it comes with. The funny thing is, he could not stand Felix, because Felix was the genuine article, a real powerful mage worthy of the title of arch-mage. You should have seen his face when he first saw Felix's manaegis. A mixture of jealousy and rage. The thought still make me smille." She finished with a grin

---

Felix entered the living room where everyone was gathered.

"Well, if there is not anything else to keep you... allow me to open the portal." Felix drew the cross glyph in the air in the middle of the room, opening a rift to what looked like an alleyway between warehouses near a harbor of some sort. "Off you go." Felix finished.

[User]
"If all of his titles were handed to him it's just another reason he shouldn't be much trouble for us in the long run." Nemo replied. "Am I to presume that his brother is the Papal Magi now?" He asked afterwards.

Nemo got up, walking over to the portal. "Here goes nothing," he commented as he passed through. After reaching the other side Nemo examined his surroundings. The smell of saltwater flooded his nostrils; they were definitely close to the docks. Luckily, being placed in the alley meant nobody was around to notice them.

Nemo brought up his manadial, getting a better map view of the area. Two small markers dotted out Nemo's position and where they needed to be. Judging by the distance, they were only about eight minutes away from the endpoint. He waited for a couple moments to let the group cross over and then began to head off towards the objective.

[Assistant] Zoey crossed over after him, also looking around. They appeared to be in some sort of alley. It wasn't too dark yet, but it was close enough to smell like the ocean brine. She followed Nemo and the rest of the group, watching their surroundings carefully. She also double-checked that her illusion was up; didn't need to freak anyone out yet.

[User] The rift looked mesmerizing as Zuri stares through it for a few seconds before she walks through it. 'A quick method of transporting multiple people to a completely different location.' she thought as she wandered a few steps around to examine her surroundings and reminded herself to keep quiet so she doesn't cause any unnecessary attention. She stood close to Nemo and waited for the others to step through the rift.

[Assistant]
One by one, every member took their opportunity and crossed through the portal and out to wherever it lead to. Travis the took his turn and stepped through and soon arrived in their new industrialized environment. Shifting between the more cozier and quite place and into the now lauder and sea-pungent locale was certainly a very unusual sensation to experience. Travis could almost conceptualize the notion of simply stepping out of the mansion to busy urban dock.

Like everyone else, Travis took the moment to familiarize himself with his surroundings and determined they has exited into a confined area between buildings, away from anyone's notice or care. It was a good place to start for now before they get going into the more dangerous territory. As he looked back at the portal to see if anyone else was coming through, Travis spoke his mind but took care to keep his voice down, "now that we're here, what's next?"


[System]
23 years old
Knights; Spies for the Rebellion

Daryn and Daelyn share a past that they do not like to repeat. The two of them grew up on a tiny fishing boat which only came to shore to sell its wares. The fishing boat was a relatively wealthy business, and most of their youth was pleasant. The rebellion kept its distance from the four of them, although they understood enough of what was going on. At some point, their mother was asked to come help with the rebellion, because she was from one of the families that founded the rebellion. She did, leaving her children on the boat. At the age of twelve, Daryn and Daelyn watched their mother's execution, hidden behind their father in a crowd of people.

Something in the children sparked as they watched their mother being carried to a pile of bodies. When they turned 18, they both left their father's now failing fishing boat to join the rebellion, with a promise that they would return with enough money to fix his boat, if not buy him a new one. That was five years ago.

When they joined the rebellion, they were thrown into training as blank slates. Daelyn wasn't a fighter; that was easy to see. He had the strength and the size, but he couldn't stand to kill, to see the light fade from their eyes. He was too gentle, too nurturing. Dae became a shy boy, rarely ever talking, cradling animals and babies. Eventually, he was moved to help care for the animals around the base. Daryn, on the other hand, flourished. What she lacked in muscle, she made up for in agility and wit. She was smart, and she could beat any man in a sword fight. Yet, Daryn was rough, crass at times. She didn't know how to hold her tongue or her temper, and often, she found herself in trouble. Daryn cared for Dae like she was his mother though. Protecting him endlessly put a joy in her heart that she couldn't explain. They would often be seen, standing, shoulders touching, just whispering or breathing.

One can tell that Daryn and Daelyn are identical twins. Both of them have brown, ringlets of hair. Daryn keeps it at rest on her shoulders; Daelyn at the ear length. To lesson the confusion, Dae shows a full brown beard. Both adults have bright, sea blue eyes that reflect the very waves of the ocean they grew up on. They are beautiful people, in two very different ways. Since they live as peasants, both of them wear gray tunics that reach about mid-thigh, black pants, and gray ankle height boots. Daelyn wears a necklace that once belonged to his mother; Daryn wears a bracelet made from fishing twine all braided together, a gift from her father.

[User]
Enn dug through his satchel, pulling out two new uniforms for them and some apples. He threw the apples to each of them, setting the clothes on the bed.

"I got those for you from the kitchen. Do not expect food to be given to you on a regular basis. Some of us can go all day without eating. Enjoy that." Daryn had already eaten most of it when he finished talking, and she kicked herself. She may have been hungry, but she would have saved the apple if she had known it might be her only food for the day. Daelyn held his in his hand, laughing at the internal battle that crossed her face. He watched her decide to finish it, tossing the core to one of the dusty corners. Daelyn stuck his own apple on the bed, planning on sticking it in his new tunic. Enn continued, "Get changed, and then meet me outside. You'll be staying in the prince's personal guard quarters, so you are pretty lucky."

With that, he walked out the door, shutting it as best he could. The door slipped a little further off the hinges, leaving a huge gap in the frame. Daryn was already pouring over the new outfits, hoping hers wouldn't be so small this time. She held them up one at a time, fingers running over the soft fabric. She threw the taller one to Daelyn, laying hers back on the bed. The fabric was soft, new. The outfits had never been worn, unlike the one she wore now. It was a deep red, a color that reminded her of blood. The sleeves would come down to her elbows, but there was a stretch to the fabric. It would be easy to move in. She put the outfit on, seeing that it did fit her better, but there was still no hiding her femininity. She turned to face Daelyn, grimacing.

"Why are all these outfits so masculine?" she asked, holding her arms out. Daelyn laughed at her, looking down at himself. His old gray boots didn't really fit in with the unworn outfit.

"Because you're the first female knight. Therefore, you are the first female guard to the prince." Daryn made a face, stepping forward and running around the room to make sure she could move. It was easy, and she didn't work up a sweat.

"These are nice," she said, as they walked out the door. Enn was waiting there, digging his toe into the ground. He smiled up at them, nodding his head. Daelyn looked around the area, seeing the same men that were standing around the well the night before. Now, they saw Daryn, with her long curls, her body shape, her sunburnt cheeks. It was as if no one had ever seen a woman. Daryn was too busy picking at her tunic to notice. Daelyn did, though, as men elbowed their friends, pointing towards his sister, incredulous. His fists tightened at his side, anger building up in his stomach. Some man whistled, catching Daryn's attention at last. She found the source of the whistle, shooting the man an obscene gesture. The man and his friends laughed, bending at the middle. Enn chuckled at her, ignoring the men.

"Giving you a weapon might not be a good idea," he said, still laughing, "But that is what we need to do first." He lead them both away, towards another building outside the castle. It was a smaller stone building, another one room all to itself. This door stayed on its hinges, though, Daelyn noticed. They stepped inside to see the walls lined with swords, shields, armor, bows, and quivers full of arrows. "You may choose a sword to carry. It will be your sword from here on out." The twins found belts with sheaths for their swords and then began to look at swords. Daelyn lifted every sword he came to, tossing it from hand to hand. Most of the swords didn't balance right or they felt too heavy. Eventually, he found a sword in the back, dusty from not being used. It fit in his hand, didn't tilt one way or the other. It wasn't heavy, but it wasn't too light. He took it, watching Daryn inspect the weapons. She simply touched the hilt, probably getting a years worth of history from feeling the grooves made by hands over the years. He watched her pick one up, running her hand the length of the blade. It was a newer sword by the looks of it, but it had an imprint in the hilt. Daryn stared at it, thinking. Her brows furrowed, and then she turned back to the two of them.

"Why that one?" Enn asked, making a face at her.

"It is a newer blade, forged within the past five years. Yet, the person who carried it used it often. It's experienced, and it's young." She fell silent, putting it away. Daelyn could have finished her thought. Just like them. Young and experienced. Enn shrugged his shoulders and led them out, walking towards the castle finally. They walked in, following him through the corridors and halls, watching the many maids bustle on past them. Daryn got more than one strange look, but several of the maids gazed at Daelyn as they walked past. Enn turned the corner into a room filled with white. They must be in the infirmary. Enn led them towards the back, where the shadows of three people were cast against the ground. When they came around the corner, it was the prince and two of his mages. Daryn recognized the female.

"Your majesty," Enn said, bowing at the waist to the royal figure. Daryn and Daelyn did the same, standing on each side of Enn. "Your knights, just as you requested. With that, he left, leaving Daryn and Daelyn standing there, hands behind their back. A feeling of awkwardness passed over Daryn, looking at the two mages, who had been laughing at something when they walked up. It was odd, seeing them in this position.

[Assistant]
"Ah! Welcome." Triver said as he stood up from his chair. "I am Triver and these are my friends." The prince gestured to the two mages on either side of him.

Inaris gave a short laugh, "More like we're his babysitters." Ser'deni threw her pillow at him. Inaris threw it back, only for it to accidentally miss and hit the prince. Triver's cheeks flushed pink as he picked the pillow up off of the ground. He launched the pillow at Inaris with an irritated growl.

"Watch where you're throwing things!" Triver said before rubbing the red spot on his cheek. The unholy pillows of the infirmary felt more like pieces of wood that feather pillows.

"Aren't you going to introduce us?" Ser'deni asked as she turned her attention towards the direction of the knights. "I see that you've healed nicely." She said to Daryn, "And how's your brother's injuries? Rean healed him but everyone knows she doesn't like to put her full effort into it."

Triver tried not to laugh. The prince was a goofy boy when he was with friends. This was the true Triver - he enjoyed a good laugh or two and would gladly be the butt of the joke. Not many people got to see this side of him. He cleared his throat before speaking up. "Where are my manners? This is Ser'deni," The woman bowed her head, "And he is Inaris." the blond man gave a slight wave before lying back in his bed.

"Why don't we give you a tour of the castle and then we can go about doing a few things for the day?" Triver suggested. He smoothed out his clothes before looking at the two mages. "We will come back to visit you--"

Inaris held up his hand to silence the prince. "We're fine. Just still a bit tired and the nurses aren't watching. This place is too stuffy." He got out of the bed and slipped on one of the robes that were off to the side of each bed. The patients usually were in their underclothes and the robes were for modesty's sake, although Inaris really didn't care about being modest. He just didn't want to sunburn or blind anybody.

Ser'deni also ignored the pleas of the prince to stay and rest. They only needed to rest after yesterday's events. It wasn't like they had their legs cut off or something. She tightly wrapped the robe around her body before walking around her bed and towards Inaris. Together they walked towards the doors of the infirmary.

"I think I stood up too fast."

"Shh...We're going to get some food. I'm tired of gruel."

"Do you think little Triver would mind?"

"He's going to take the knights for breakfast. I'm not going to miss out on that."

Triver sighed before turning towards the twins. "I am sorry for the way they are acting. Usually they are quite...creepy. But they will be joining us for a while today so please...just don't take anything they say to heart." If he knew the mages, they would try to make the new knights as uncomfortable as possible. Well Inaris would, Ser'deni would just sit there and nod her head when appropriate.

The prince led the way as he pointed out some of the important areas of the castle and finally when they reached a small dining room closer to his wing of the castle, Triver motioned for them to take a seat. "I've never taken knights before but I will treat you both well. This is where you will come to eat if you wish; it is a private room for my servants to dine in, and there will be no men who will hit on you in here." He said to Daryn. Triver helped the servants bring out the food and set it on the table before taking his seat again.

"I will ask of one thing of you both. So long as you serve under me, please do not think of me as just a prince."

"He gets touchy about that." Ser'deni spoke up as she stole a piece of ham. Next to her, Inaris was busy stuffing his mouth with a few rolls spread with honey and nuts. "Just think of him as a kid that needs protecting."

"I am not a child anymore."

"You will always be our little prince, we will always protect you."

Triver felt his cheeks warm up in embarrassment.


[System]
Gender: female

Age: 15

Appearance:
Sophia is shorter than average, in fact she has never met anyone who could look her in the eye without looking down or bending their legs. Her face is very expressive, particularly her grey eyes, due to it being one of her primary ways of communicating. She has a very lithe, slightly muscular build from all the running and climbing she does. Because of her active lifestyle, she prefers to wear t-shirts, shorts, and running shoes or hiking boots. She also wears a shark-tooth necklace.

Personality: Sophia doesn't speak. Period. She has not spoken so much as a single word her entire life, and it is not known whether this is due to some unknown brain condition, or if she simply chooses not to. Regardless, this does not seem to hamper her much, as she always finds some other way to communicate what she wants to others. She's also very active and athletic, usually going on a run before school, participating in her school's track team, as well as being a parkour expert; if she doesn't want to be caught, then no one can catch her short of flying. She's also recently started teaching herself MMA, mostly by watching videos on the interwebs.

Because of her apparent "disability", she is subject to a fair degree of ridicule and teasing, particularly from those who believe that she just chooses not to speak (her most common nickname is "Silent Sophy"). Her typical responses to this are scathing looks, sarcastic comments delivered via a text-to-speech app on her phone that she had downloaded, and rude gestures delivered at point blank range. In fact, Sophia doesn't seem to place much, if any great importance on personal space; she loves to communicate through physical contact, particularly with hugs, slight caresses, or drawing on someone's skin. However, she will give space if she sees that her actions are making the recipient particularly uncomfortable. Those who know her know that this is just her way of demonstrating affection.

Background: At the tender age of 18, Madeline Callahan left her small town roots and made her way to the sunny shores of California, in pursuit of great dreams, good friends and a bright future. Upon arrival, she promptly shirked those dreams and indulged in every pleasure possible. She was a party girl, living the good life without a care in the world…
Until reality came knocking, and she found herself pregnant. Abandoned by most of her friends, Madeline was still determined to live her life her own way. She decided to keep the baby, more or less cleaned up, and managed to support herself and her daughter, whom she named Sophia, as a waitress. It was not an easy life, but with the help of a couple remaining friends, it was a more or less good one for the first couple years.

However, Madeline became troubled. Even up to the age of four, Sophia had still not spoken a single word. There didn't seem to be any apparent medical reason preventing her from doing so, and she seemed to understand others perfectly; she just didn't speak herself. Madeline attempted to get a speech therapist to help her daughter, however she was unable to continue paying for them. Additionally, Sophia had seemed to have inherited some of her mother's wilful attitude, since she didn't pay the slightest attention during the few sessions that she did have.

Out of both options and money, Madeline made the grudging decision to move back home, where she has lived with her brother and sister-in-law ever since.

Relationships: Richard Calhoun has been Sophia's best friend almost since the day she and her mother moved in with her uncle. People love to tease about them being an "item", and while Sophia has never said yes, she's never said no either.

Powers:

[User]
Thursday, March 21, 2016

"Richard! Get your butt out of bed, you're going to be late!" Richard Calhoun groaned and rolled over, pushing his blanket aside, and slid slowly out of bed and to a standing position.

"Yeah, mom," he mumbled half heartedly in the direction of the stairs leading down to the kitchen. He stumbled from his room, across the hall and into the bathroom to splash some water and his face and brush his teeth. Morning ritual officially begun he started to feel a bit more alive, more human, and within minutes was back in his room, alert, and dressing for school.

"Richard! Are you up?"

"Yeah, I'm almost dressed," he called back and rolled his eyes.

"I know you rolled your eyes," his mom yelled back and he winced. He tugged his boots on and pulled his jean cuffs down over the tops of them. Simple black t shirt with an open button down shirt pulled on over it and he was ready to go.

He clattered down the stairs, boots thudding loudly on the wooden surface, and careened into the kitchen like a runaway wrecking ball. His mother shrieked as he spun quickly on his heel, narrowly avoiding crashing into her and the plate of food in her hands. "Richard!" she shrieked.

"Sorry, mom. Running late I gotta get going." He grabbed the plate from her, piled high with bacon and scrambled eggs and set it down on the kitchens center island. Eggs on top of toast, bacon on top of eggs, toast on top of bacon. Wrap it all up and he had a nice bacon and egg sandwich to go. "See you later," he said, kissed her on the cheek and was out the door before she had a chance to react.

Richard took a big bite of his sandwich and ran across the strip of grass separating his house from the neighbors. He'd known her for years, his best friend since he was 4 years old. "SOPHIA!" he bellowed and pounded on the front door with one closed fist. "Come on! We're gonna be late for school!"

[Assistant]
Thursday, March 21, 2016

3:00 AM
Mina Cain opened her eyes. All she could see was black. She lifted up her arm to check the time on the watch, then quickly dropped it. There were only 3 hours left until school. She jumped off of the bed and pulled out her homework binder. No matter how tired I am, I have to finish my homework.

After speeding through her AP Calculus workbook, Mina stretched out her arms. She was lucky she had finished most of it the night before. She put her binder by the door so she wouldn't forget it, and walked to the closet. Mina grabbed her usual outfit, a hoodie and black leggings, and quickly pulled them on. The only time I'll dress up will be for my wedding. Which is never.  She flopped back onto the bed and read the book "The Silence of Bonaventure Arrow". I wonder how it must be like to not be able to speak.

6:50 AM

As she walked out of her bedroom, she checked that her gray converse was still safely in front of the front door. Even if she wears them everyday, they were still her precious shoes.

Max, Mina's brother, handed her a piece of toast with peanut butter.

"Thanks," Mina said, and grabbed the toast, "I have to go to school early today."

"You always do," Max replied, shaking his head, "Alright. Have a good day, okay? I'll be in class all day, so just text if you need anything. Don't call, though, unless it's an emergency."

"Got it! I'll see you at dinner then."

7:15 AM

Mina walked safely on the side of the street. She did not want to meet the same fate as her mother. But she couldn't do anything about her dad's. Mina's dad had passed away because of cancer when she was just three, and her mom passed away three years after in a car accident.

She felt horrible for not feeling any emotions when she thought about her parents. The fact that she felt fine reminded her that she was a monster. Normal humans care about their parents right? What am I? All I care about is that I get into a good university. She sighed. Well, I am trying to get into a good university because I don't want Max to be the only one trying to support our family, but still.

Mina took her iPod out of her pocket to change the song she was listening to through her earbuds. Although she wasn't able to afford a phone, she was still extremely grateful that she had a iPod. Max was smart, just like her, so he was able to land in a good internship that paid lots. This "lots" weren't able to pay for the education, food, rent, AND her phone, though.

There was no one in front of the school when she arrived. Duh, there's still an hour until school starts. She took a seat beside the front doors and took out her computer. There was a chemistry test today, and she wanted to make sure she got perfect. This would be very challenging, and Mina doesn't fancy challenges, but she had to do it for her brother's sake.