[System]
Nickname(Optional): June Bug

Age: 33

Gender: Female

Physical Appearance: Sayeeda is a medium sized woman of middle eastern extraction. She has the wiry build of a swimmer or long distance runner. Her eyes are dark and almond shaped and focus slightly beyond the horizon most of the time. Sayeeda keeps her hair just longer than a buzz cut in order to facilitate wearing her helmet. She has a large tattoo of several owls in flight on her right shoulder. Sayeeda does have feminine curves but her breasts are on the smaller size of average and she does very little to emphasize her gender.

Clothing:  Camo pants and a tank top are her civilian dress. She wears a ceramic breastplate if she is expecting trouble and also has a commo helmet which she uses in battle and for technical tasks.

Personality: Sayeeda is a former mercenary soldier and has a fairly relaxed view towards life. Anything and anyone not currently shooting at her is the second priority. She is very tightly wound when it comes to people doing what she expects them too in dangerous situations and she is extremely punctilious when it comes to fulfilling any sort of formal contract.

[User]
Junebug had been in class one triage facilities on three prior occasions. Once on Temlek where artillery fire had gotten through the net of anti-ordance plasma guns and blasted the gun pits that she and her troops had been sheltering in whilst waiting for the reliving column to break through. A nearby vehicle had been hit and she had been sprayed with burning petroleum. Another time on Chadon's World, a directional mine had gone off beneath her combat car. She had been riding in the left wing gun and had been tossed clear before the secondary explosions had slagged the vehicle. A third time on Chalcedon she had been shot in a rear area when a bar fight escalated unexpectedly.

Just because a sensation was familiar didn't make it pleasant. The Terrans, like the Armored, used direct nerual impulse generators rather than anaglgesics once a soldier was safely in a med center. There were fewer side effects and they were more reliable. They also tened to scramble the mind of the patient when they were turned off. Light was suddely very bright on her eyes and she tried to cry out. Neraby a male voice said something and the light dimmed. After a moment she realised she was laying in a medicomp. Several nurses or doctors stood around looking at holographic read outs.

"Easy there Captain how are you feeling?" A man in a surgical mask asked. His right eye was covered with some sort of imager the clicked and whired. There was a powerful taste of antisceptic in the back of her throat.

"Just aces," she tried to say but her mouth felt gummy and the words came out garbled and unintelligble. Frowning she tried again.

"Just aces," she responded, clearer this time.

"Can I have some water?" she asked. Her mind knew she should be concerned with where she was, the last thing she remembered was shooting someone on a ship, though she couldn't quite remember why or who exactly. SHe had shot alot of people afterall her mind rationalized.

"Not just yet," the doctor replied, "we need to see how the resynths hold up." As he spoke he glanced over at one of the techs who was cycling through a series of read outs.

"You were in quite a state, very lucky that the overpressure didn't flat out smash any organs," the doctor went on. He sounded proud, pleased that nature hadn't been allowed to take its course.

"Sir I'm ready to return to my unit," she mumbled. Judging from the confusion that clouded the physician's eyes that wasn't quite the right response either. He exchanged looks with someone too far out of her field of view for her to see. Junebug tried to turn her head but the medicomp wouldn't allow it.

"Where am I?" she asked looking around. It was high tech for certain, probably better than most of the field surgical centers the Armored had used. State of the art without a doubt.

"You are aboard the Terran Vessel November Sky," a voice said from behind her, a moment later a mustachioed man strode into view. He had a wirey dangerous look and his eyes glinted with intelligence. A Terran warship? She had a confused recollection of the Terran's having captured the highlander. Adrenaline surged through her system and several alarms began to beep.

"Not to worry, you and your friends are our guests, your employers you might say," the man went on. He clearly intended to say more but Taya pushed past him and hugged Junebug, even though most of her body was still within the medicomp.

"It is good to have you back Junebug!" the girl all but wept.

[Assistant]
York gave a smile, though it was difficult to tell whether it was genuine or not with the impressive mustache. Meanwhile, Neil's smile was genuine. Not only Taya's affection for Junebug, but the fact that she looked like she would live. It was quick though, the smile. He heard various beeps and medical machines thrumming and he briefly wondered how such things work. He gazed intently at one of the contraptions, a tall cylinder with an oval head that read vitals through green waves on the screen.

"You should make a full recovery in the matter of days, Miss Cykali." York said. With her wits returning to her bit by bit, she began to realize the regiment she had believed herself to be in was not here, and she could afford to speak a bit less formally. "Captain Cykali," she corrected him. The man inclined his head as if to say 'fair enough.' "Where is my pilot?" she asked, a bit weakly after she had talked for a bit.

Taya waved Neil over, but he was too busy looking elsewhere. Taya then told Junenbug. "One second," and scurried over to literally push Neil over into Sayeeda's field of vision. Neil then got a good look at Sayeeda, and realized he had wanted to avoid seeing her so banged up. He played it cool though. "You feeling ok?" he asked her. "Next time don't slow me down." He joked. "When it comes to heavy weapons I get a little carried away."

[User]
"Please," Junebug said with a week laugh, "WIthout me you would be scattered across a city block." She didn't quite remember the specifics but it seemed like the thing to say. Her memory seemed to be clearing and a cool sensation was spreading down her right arm there was a quiet whir as a pneumatic pump delivered medication. There was a confused jumble of memories that seemed to seperate out into a half dozen battlefieds.

"It was nearly you who were scattered all over the pavement," Neil pointed out. Sayeeda made a dismissive gesture down at her medicomp encased body.

"Everything still on the inside, mostly at any rate," she said, "beside if I bitched every time I got a little blown up I'd never shut up."

York, still hovering put on a patronizing smile.

"Well I'll leave you to your reunion," the spy said, fluffing his mustache with his hand in a way that was meant to convey comradely bonhomie. Junebug fixed him with a steady stare. She had seen men and women like him before. In what Andor's armored euphemistically called 'the field police'. They looked human enough at first but their work turned them into something else. He reached the med bay door and looked back over his shoulder.

"I'm sure Mr Edwards will be happy to fill you in on the details of our arrangement," and with that he was gone. Junebug opened her mouth to ask what he was talking about when a calm female voice sounded over the public alert system. It sounded like a real voice rather than a synthesized computer simulation.

"All hands prepare for insertion." All around them the medics grabbed hold of whatever solid surface was to hand. The medicomp tightened around Junebug's body. A tone sounded followed rapidly by two more sequentials and then there was a sudden shuddering sensation and Junebug felt like she was about to vomit up her internal organs. Then the universe seemed to relax. They were in the RIP. Junebug arched her eyebrow at Neil.

"I'm sure Mr Edwards will be happy to fill me in on the details of this arrangement…"

[Assistant]
Taya opened her mouth to speak, and then suddenly gained a small twinkle in her eye and a mischievous smile, and she stepped out of sight. In truth, Taya just didn't want to interrupt Neil, or explain that she sat back and allowed the events to transpire. She had gotten braver since they had all met, but she still felt wholly inadequate when it came to certain things. That and a few other sly reasons.

"Can I get a seat?" Neil asked, one of the last nurses that were exiting their section of the medbay gave a smile and nodded, providing a rolling chair. After they had made it into R.I.P. space, of course. Neil plopped down, and he was going to place his hand on the holster of his gun, but the familiar resting place was gone and he recalled they had taken it. Maybe he could get it back considering they were now working for them. Speaking of which...

"Well?" Junebug said.

"Well, the dapper fellow that you had the pleasure of meeting earlier is called York and he is our new boss. Or employer." He imagined Junebug would take the news better if he didn't make it sound so subordinate. "They took Sven and Saxon I don't know where. But they saved your life, and I think they trust me now because I helped this man York apprehend Saxon-"

"Spit it out. What could they need from us that they can't do themselves?" She asked.

Neil gave a guilty smile and waved with his branded hand.

She tried to laugh, but coughed instead.

Neil shrugged. "They want to get into the Ancient Ruins we were in. In exchange they'll give us our freedom. No more bounty, and some reward money. I think it's not a bad deal, and I accepted it. Hope you don't mind."


[System]
Role: Blacksmith

Age: 5

Description: Clelk is in one of the highest castes in the village, and it is clear that he abuses the privileges that come with this. He is fat, weighing nearly 50 pounds and standing at 3 feet tall. He has some decent muscles thanks to lugging around the heavy metal involved in his craft, but his cowardice and risk-aversion have barred him from being a potent warrior. His face is scarless and while not necessarily ugly, lacks any defining features that make him appear interesting. His yellowed teeth point at odd angles inside of his mouth. Clelk has no hair on his head, and despite having deep-set dark brown eyes, his glares seem a bit too predatory. His skin is a dark green and either covered in soot and ash or far too clean for a goblin in a village, based on the time of day that you look at him.

His clothing is arguably the most outlandish part about him - rather than wear simple loincloths or rags like his fellows, Clelk takes extreme care in his outfits, doing his best to mimic humans (although his attempts are shoddy at best). He wears a thick animal pelt as an apron while working, and his cloth shirt and pants are a far cry from the rags that most goblins wear. Even if they're impressive for a goblin, humans would find the outfit only slightly better than the rags that most of Clelks peers wear. He even sacrificed some of his copper in order to forge crude rings, which he has extreme pride in despite their poor craftsmanship.

Background: The runt of a litter of 5, Clelk was destined for mediocrity from birth. He held little hope for being anything other than a grains farmer, considering he was fearful of even rabbits, but he earned the sympathy of one of the village smiths due to his poor social standing. He was taken on as an apprentice, and this kindness led to the smith being one of the few goblins that Clelk respected. Clelk was quick to abuse his new power, raiding the granary stores and hoarding anything he created for himself, only giving them away in exchange for shinier or more useful tools. When he first saw human traders, in their wagons and adorned with fancy jewelry, he was filled with wonder and awe. He wished to be just like these immaculate creatures, leading to his strange clothes and utter fascination with human culture. One of the easiest ways to get something from him is to offer a bauble or trinket from the nearby human town, with shiny coins being able to earn as much as arrows and even spears.

Abilities: Clelk is the opposite of what is respected in goblin society - he is a coward and balks at the mere implication of danger or conflict. His abilities reflect as such - he is one of the best smiths in the village, if only for the status that such a skill affords him. Additionally, Clelk has experience cooking, although goblin cuisine is about as unrefined as one can be. When not at the forge or eating more than he deserves, Clelk usually fishes, either alone or with the older members of the village. As such, his skill in fishing far outweighs his hunting abilities. One of Clelk's strongest skills is his literacy - his desire to emulate humans has encouraged him to learn something that few, if any, other goblins in the village know. While he cannot be compared to a scholar, he can actually read messages and writing, something that even some humans are incapable of.

Reputation: Clelk is rude, abrasive, and overall not an enjoyable person to be around. This, combined with how he ransacks the granary to sate himself on a slow fishing day have left most others in the village feeling quite angry at him. Nonetheless, it is well known that he will do nearly anything as long as he is given something in turn, and he has been all too willing to offer his weapons to the warriors before a raid (in exchange for some of the loot). No female in her right mind would give him the time of day, even if he is a smith. He is typically much more respectful to elders and the higher ranking members of the tribe, especially the last shaman and his old master. He was very upset when the former passed away, and is unsure of how to feel about the new replacement.

Clelk is regarded much more highly by the human traders that occasionally visit than he is by his goblin peers, considering he usually treats them with much more respect than he does the other goblins in the village.

Property: Clelk has some of the most possessions out of anyone in the tribe, by simple virtue that he is greedy and can produce his own tools.
A Forge, albeit a very primitive and basic one. It works and is one of the few sources of iron tools and weaponry in the tribe.
A hut, completly unremarkable from its peers. It is stuffed with various baubles and trinkets that Clelk has made and traded for, as well as various weapons and tools that he plans to trade with.
A fishing rod, which has seen extensive use and will continue to do so. Average for a goblin, very basic for a human.
An iron pot, designed for humans to cook with. In the hands of a goblin, it allows for the creation of soups and other very basic dishes. This cost quite a few animal pelts, which in turn cost Clelk a decent number of weapons, but Clelk treasures it as one of his few human-made possessions.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

[Assistant]
"I can handle sharpening myself, don't worry" Cyrus assured him. "Plus, I already said I'd get you some dried wood soon. That's already more than we originally bargained for. If there's nothing else, I'll take my leave." He knew that Clelk would have to follow through one way or another. Stiffing a customer wasn't just bad business, it could and would disgrace him. As there was a second blacksmith in the village, he could very well end up having his tools taken from him on the chief's orders and risk losing his job, or even be banished. Deals among the goblins weren't enforced by contracts or anything written, but one's word was binding.

"Oh, and don't worry. I'll be sure to visit our village's other smith if I need anything else. I wouldn't want to give you too much work to do, Clelk. You're far too busy as it is. In fact, I feel guilty giving you this nearly-impossible task. I couldn't possibly ask anything of you again." Cyrus chuckled, his voice dripping with sarcasm at that last part. "Anyway, I'll be heading out to get that wood. You'll get the other half of the pelts when I get the sword and make sure it's in good condition. Thanks again for making it."


[System]
Personality

One could consider Klaus to be a lazy drunk on first glance. They wouldn't exactly be wrong, either. On his off time, Klaus is most often seen drinking with others. His curt and brash tone often is heard as he sings shanties while blasted. To those who rarely interact with the sea wolf, they could easily misunderstand this tone as mean spirited and rude. While rude would most likely be correct, mean spirited is the furthest thing to what Klaus is. Years of the sea and White Harbor have since fouled his language and expressions, but his heart is as sincere as it can be. He deeply values honesty, refusing to lie even if he gets in trouble. He also cares deeply about others, though he refuses to say it.

He's also stubborn as a mule. Often having drinking competitions with others, he holds the fact that he's the best drinker in all of White Harbor close to his heart. Though, he has lost a considerable amount of times. He says that they were his 'off-days' and still makes dumb bets with random people. Despite this, others (especially the militia navy) still regard him as a good leader, though he is rather inflexible at times. During times of importance, Klaus is as sober as he can be. A captain through and through, he takes the vanguard and leads the way for others.

Appearance

Most notably, Klaus is not human. With the physical appearance of a humanoid wolf, Klaus stands at 6'8". With a muscular but slender build, it's hard for the average softie to not be intimidated by his size. His white and grey hair is combed well to prevent knots, but unstyled in any way. His attire consists mostly of thin coats, as his fur lets him withstand cold weather without the thick jackets the citizens of White Harbor usually wear.

"Damn, I thought this bottle would have rum in it."

| N a m e: |
Klaus D'Arnagan
| Alias|Nickames|Titles: |
Captain of the White Harbor Militia Navy
| G e n d e r: |
Male
| A g e: |
28
| R a n k: |
A
| Guild Membership Status: |
Since formation. While originally joining as a lost bet, he has since enjoyed the time he spent with them.
| Guild Seal Location: |
On the back of his left hand.
| History: |
Brought to shore in the ship wreckage, the young Klaus was found by the community of fishermen and sailors on the shore of White Harbor. Adopted by the former captain of the militia navy, he quickly grew into community of sea men. It was as if he was born from the sea, so much so that the ghostly revenant of a familiar ship followed him. First he gained his bearings as a fisherman. Then, he became a sailor for the militia navy. Learning from his adoptive father, he quickly rose up the militia's loose chain of command. With the untimely passing of his father, the rank of captain had been thrust onto the next person in the chain: him.

He proved himself as a great captain. Under his eye, the relative peace of White Harbor's shores were protected from danger. When he had heard a mage guild was opening in the city, he initially gave his wholehearted opposition. It wasn't until one of the founding members of the guild challenged him to a drinking competition that his mind would change. He was drunk under the table and as a result, had to support and join the guild. It wasn't all bad, though. He ended up thoroughly enjoying the guild.
| Magic: |
With the ethereal vestige of the ship Klaus had been found on, the sea wolf can summon the ghost of the ship "Wavecrasher" with his ship magic. The ship behaves like a regular boat, taking the same damage that a boat would take. This means it can't fly it the sky, nor can it safely move on land. As long as the boat isn't summoned, it slowly restores itself to its usual state with loaded cannons. He can also partially summon bits of the boat, such as the anchor or a single cannon. Taking the form of a small brigantine, the boat is sized for a crew of up to 15 people, though it doesn't require anyone other than Klaus since he can control the ship itself. With a total of seven cannons on deck, the boat is an incredibly mobile gunboat that can deal a whallop of damage.
| Strengths and Weakness: |
• Great swordsman, especially on unstable surfaces.
• Excellent captain
• Can handle his booze like nobody's business
• Cold weather rarely affects him due to his fur

○ His magic is heavily gimped on land
○ Most of his acquired skills are useless on land
○ Stubborn like a mule
| Miscs : |
He has a cutlass inherited from his adoptive family and holds it pretty dear to him.

[User]
Lee
Interacting with: @Raijinslayer@Grey

Following Arc and Claire, Lee was quieter than normal. If the air was already cold, Lee and Violet were positively frozen as the two went on guard immediately. The dim lights were concerning admittedly, but they did not seem attached to any spirit Lee could recognize. "I'll admit, it could be worse, though I would be lying if I said I knew what is going on here. Just try not to stray from the group just in case us losing sight of the others immediately and the unnatural darkness didn't catch your attention." If this was anything like what the child experienced, there was no doubt they would have been lost almost immediately.

Much like her father the air around her was cold, but filled with the familiar warmth of life that the small lights that oft accompanied the the two mages gave off in their presence "I don't feel anything yet, is that bad?" The lights danced around the Necromancers, even going as far as darting closer to the other two in the group, as if they were protective of the living mages they could recognize.

[Assistant]
Eldrid Isfjellbarn

Crashing into mossy soil and stone was never something to be triumphant about, but the sudden impact of the creature crashing to the marsh's floor was something of a win for Eldrid. It meant that the beast wasn't just going to skitter off back to its den the victor of this cowardly ambush. She hadn't expected to fell the thing with a few savaging blows, so its sudden shriek and reversal of the impromptu grapple she held on it did not surprise her much. Rather than try to struggle free from the monstrous creature as its shadowy maw grew to engulf her, she donned the wicked, battle hungry grin so common among those who practiced her magecraft.

"Better than you have tried this, asshole!"

Her hands slipped from its sides as its jaws saw fit to lock around her, fingers digging into the edges of its mouth in what one would assume to be a preventative measure to keep it from snapping closed on her. But it was not to keep it off her that she held so fast. Instead, it was to keep it from escaping her. Even as the whirring blades of its internal void sliced at her arms, the Dragonslayer inhaled a deep breath, the putrid swamp air mixing with the coppery scent of her blood. Then, with just as little warning as her earlier maneuver, she exhaled. Only, instead of the air she had sucked up, a cone of fire erupted from her mouth. Angry red dragonflame filled the beast's stomach in lieu of her flesh.


[System]
586 posts in 821 days
Online
Alias: Justice Yellow

Age: 31

Current Appearance:

Costume: Yellow top with crossed black lightning bolts, a white skirt, yellow stockings, white boots, and a yellow cape with crossed black lightning bolts. She also carries a metal staff that doubles as a lightning rod. "I look like a battery ad, but it could have been worse..."

Powers: As one would expect from her costume, Carrie's powers are all themed around lightning and electricity.

Lightning Leap: More of a utility move than anything else, Carrie turns herself into a bolt of lightning that travels a short distance before she reforms. Basically a short-range teleportation.

Thunder Breath: Just what it sounds like.

Electric Explosion: An area of effect ability, Carrie summons a dome of electricity that slowly grows and damages all in its path.

Electric Pillar: Carrie conjures a ground-to-air lightning strike to hammer a single opponent.

Wrath Of The Storm: A barrage of lightning bolts strike Carrie's staff, charging it up before unleashing an electric wave motion gun effect. Her finisher.

Source: A pair of lightning bolt shaped earrings.

History with Justice Heart: Carrie was one of the original Justice Heart girls- in fact, though she cringes at it, she came up with the name. She was always in the thick of the fight, thinking that the best defense is an overwhelming offense. Naturally, this led to her getting a bit of a reputation as a hothead. Her friends didn't like it at first, and it led to some arguments between over how best to defeat monsters. However, when she charged after Katarina alone one dark night, the Dollmaster beat her badly, and if it wasn't for her friends intervening and driving the villain off, she probably would have died. This led to better relationships with her teammates, as well as a calmer attitude in fights. Still, she had a good heart, and was a valued member of the team.

History After Justice Heart: When Dollmaster was defeated there was no need for Justice Yellow anymore... but that was kept Carrie going through the day. She had major depressive episodes, and while her grades had never been stellar, they only slipped further. Health issues and bad luck only further crushed her once-indomitable spirit, and she now works as a food court grunt, living with her parents because she's unable to make ends meet on her own.

[User]
Eileen Fang AKA Justice Violet and Judge Cinnamon
7:32PM on the road

"Hah!" Cinnamon cried out.

"Wh-what's wrong?" Eileen asked, continuing to drive in a hunched over posture, like an old woman.

Cinnamon was sweating bullets. How had his senses been so off? "This is bad!" he projected telepathically to all the girls, "Th-there's at least one monster for EACH of you! Abort rendezvous! Your top priority right now is survival! Fend off the one that is currently attacking you and report!" Cinnamon was shaking. Something of this magnitude had happened only once. Right before the final showdown with Dollmaster, Dollmaster had resurrected all past defeated monsters for one final blitz. Justice Heart was able to fend them off, but that was when they were at their peak. Cinnamon wasn't even sure if Justice Heart, old and rusty as they were now, could even handle one monster without taking a few casualties.

"Wh-what?!" Eileen asked, unconsciously swerving from Cinnamon's announcement, eliciting a loud, annoyed honk from behind. The offended car changed lanes and zoomed past Eileen's car, but not before the driver rolled down his window, flipped her off, and shouted, "Crazy Asian woman drivers!"

"Uuh...uuuuuuuugghhh..." Eileen slumped into her seat and slowed down some more, sobbing.

"N-now's not the time for that!" Cinnamon said, "There are two heading right for us! Two? Cinnamon looked out the window and saw Justice SolarFlare's car driving beside them. That made sense then. "Quick! You two should get out and transform!" Cinnamon announced telepathically only to Eileen and Fiona, but as the creatures began to catch up, Fiona started accelerating. Taking her cue, Eileen followed suit. "Wh-what are you doing!?" Cinnamon demanded, frantically attempting to buckle up his tiny plush body into the passenger seat. He missed the days when he traveled everywhere either being carried around in the bosom of one of the girls, or riding in one of their totebags. He had never gotten the hang of riding in these flimsy, tin suicide machines known as 'cars'.

"I-I'm j-just following..." Eileen squeezed out. As a timid driver, she had never driven this fast before. But due to her nature, she was usually perceptive when others gave her non-verbal cues, as her need to please others had become a sort of second nature.

What happened next was a blur, and before she knew it, Eileen was leaving a fireball of a wreck behind her, while rolling down the window to let her comrade and mother of two inside the car. Cinnamon was unable to escape as Fiona sat right into him, crushing him against the back of the passenger seat.

"G-good evening...oh what a day, what a l-lovely day..." Eileen replied, her brain and tongue confused from all the excitement. "Oh, uh...y-you're sitting on the Judge..." Eileen pointed out.

Communicating telepathically, since all his mouth could achieve at this moment were muffled mumbles, Cinnamon said, "That collision won't have killed it, and it has a friend. You girls should probably get out and transform."

[Assistant]
7:32 PM Fleeing

"Geeeh." Lily weakly protested as her body still reacted to the ruckus going outside. She really wanted to be sleeping and taking a rest right now, believing her part had been done. But there was an awful racket outside. "Buzz off". She groaned, still half drunk. It was then when Carrie's voice awakened her once again. It was Carrie. She was on top of the roof, and more magical girls were arriving. But still, the fact that her old comrade was back despite her life pains, and was already kicking ass, all while her sister was looking there still trying to drive and look panicked, awoke something in the eternal 12-year old.

"cksake." She half motioned as she pulled her pendant out of her purse, initiating a quick transformation complete with sparkly moves and the most tepid entonation of her transformation spell ever. "Star Transformation Water Lily whatever." She mumbled, as she pulled the door open and flung herself in the roof in the fray once more, her healing spells already burning the alcohol out of her body. She looked in top shape, in no in small degree the fact that she still fit the same childish dress of 20 years ago.

"Time to kick ass!" She yelled as she aimed her wand and..." Moonlight BeeEEEEEGHRRMG!"

Apparently that wasn't the type of projectile attack she wanted to do, but with the sudden jolts of the car, the healing rush, and the alcohol, the contents of Lily's stomach were flung at high speed towards the creatures.

Oh well, it would serve as a distraction.

[User]
'Star' Heart
7:32PM Fleeing by Vehicle from Police Bar
Direct Interactions - @AtomicNut@shagranoz
Carrie seemed to heavily injure the snake like monster with her Thunder Breath, the lightning electrocuting it to a critical state. The serpent was fast, but lightning was faster. It seemed this magical girl was ideal for fighting this creature. That wasn't the case for the armored creature running towards them however, which was barreling down on the now exposed lightning based magical girl.

"L-Lily? What are you doing!?" The older sister watched her little sister climb out of the car window and get on the roof. Did she use to be this crazy?

No, she was just drunk. The projectile vomit flew towards the armored creature. The attempt to have it be a proper distraction was effective though, with even the shadowy armored creature stopping at the display and blankly staring for a few seconds in complete confusion.

Emily took her opportunity. "H-Holy on Lily!" The car spun around - thankfully not into oncoming traffic, as the cars behind the fight had stopped and were desperately try and run away.

"Carrie! Get in, now! We can't fight it!" Carrie's powers were useful against a mobile target, she knew. But an armored target would likely be more resistant to her attacks.

As she waited for Carrie to hop in, Emily sung the ridiculous tune that was needed to make her transform. "Celestial world come to me! Starheart Transformation!" The ridiculous costume she wore as a young teenager appeared on her body, wand in hand. In an attempt to help out her teamate, Emily drew a path to the car door her companion would be able to move more rapidly across.

GM EVIL STUFF MUHHAHAHAHA
@Stern Algorithm - Driving together
The car transference was nothing short of epic, as the car crashed into the plastic market both setting it alight as a pile of smelly, burning plastic and likely driving up Fiona's insurance rates considerably. The pair of them were focused on bigger things however, as Cinnamon continued his desperate job despite his current, crushed state.

The plastic monster was slowed down, but the shadow monster was directly behind them in the car, hiding behind their seats from the angle of the sun. "Kzzzzkreeet!" The shadow monster lunged for the driver - it'd probably be good to transform before the attack hit her normal body.

- Driving
Fortunately, Vivian would find herself receiving an additional warning before a gust of wind flew by her, shaking the motorcyle and likely tilting it slightly and lifting one of the wheels off the ground before slamming back into the highway.

In front of her appearing was a gigantic, humanoid, storm like creature that materialized next to the motorcycle, moving alongside and and reaching it's fist back.

Driving would likely find itself a secondary concern for Vivian shortly.

As Courntey's pain in the ass was easily removed - the poisonous spines were barbed however, so it carried a bit of extra skin along with it. She'd feel a little woozy from the blood loss and from something the spine had in it, but the transformation would fire off successfully, the twenty-year old costume assembling on her body with both pink guns materializing into her holsters. As she'd look up, she'd see the strange monster strafe throughout the sky, trying to find a favorable bead on it's currently hidden target once again.

Before Courtney would get too comfortable, the trashcan with ring loudly - with one of the spines sticking halfway out of her own side as the monster started to fire at it.

@Pyromania99 - Apartment
The couch was easily cut in half, pieces of wood shattering and fabric tearing as Vale sliced it in two. An ethereal shadow briefly appeared, before flying into the kitchen.

Cabinets began to open, drawers began to roll out, and their contents began floating as if carried by some unfindable force. Then they began to fly through the air at the earth-based magical girl.

As for her companion in more ways than one, the water monster indeed did explode, detonating by the soundwaves into a million tiny drops, soaking the floor. If Alice felt relieved for a couple seconds though, she was foolish: detonating a liquid monster wasn't exactly the most lethal thing in the world, and the drops recoalased into a bigger, larger monster, with more water still flowing into the apartment.

It was clear as the water elemental began to swing that the landlord would not be happy with them.

[Assistant]
With everything that was happening, Elise could only blink stupidly from her position on the ground. Running her head, she slowly got up and looked over to the fight. It looked like Courtney had caught a stinger to the ass, but she seemed to be handling it well enough. She'd managed to transform too, although the bug she was fighting probably wasn't going to make things easy for her.

"Well, I guess it's time I got started too." She said, standing up shakily and grabbing her necklace. "As the darkness fades, I'll open up to face the dawn! Justice Bloooo-"

And then she was cut off, as the electric monstrosity that she may have forgotten was also there threw her through the window of a nearby shop. For a moment, she simply lay there, slumped against the pile of glass and smashed furniture. To any onlookers, she may very well have looked dead.

That is, until a single, glowing gold flower petal floated past her face.

Suddenly, a second, a third, and a fourth joined the first, and it continued until a full stream of petals was floating around her.

And then she grinned.

"Promised Petal Blade."

And as she spoke, the stream flowed to surround her sword, which she promptly slashed upwards. As she did so, an arc of petals flew from the blade, colliding with the black lightning monster and sending up a cloud of dust and debris.

"You know, I'm pretty sure the old monsters at least gave us time to transform..." She said, cracking her neck as she reemerged from the smashed storefront. "Still though, considering you're fighting the strongest member of Justice Heart, I can't say I blame ya!"


[System]
"...don't make me get the Spectral Fishing Rod."
Gender: Female

Age: 17

Personality: One would expect the so-called eccentric club president of an Occult Club, a person with vested interest and belief in the supernatural, to be an audacious, broad-speaking, probably kinda chuuni class of being. In this particular case, one would be horribly wrong. While in her youth, Mitsuko did in fact fit that description rather well, the trials of being told "Ghosts aren't real, you dummy" over the course of her life have worn her down, turning energy into resignation. Rather than excitedly grabbing someone by the shoulders and shaking them whilst yelling about the existence of a ghost, Mitsuko is the kind to dryly roll her eyes as she denounces the empirical beliefs of another. Mitsuko can thus be compared to a high-class ice queen who does not find passion in the occult, but merely asserts it as a fact of life.
In her interactions with others, she is straight and to the point, seeming to want to end conversations as quickly and efficiently as possible. Thus, while she is not bad at reading the atmosphere, she often takes on the traits of someone who is. For instance, someone with said deficiency might walk into a funeral, look around, and say "Oh wow, who died?" whilst being oblivious to the event being a funeral. Mitsuko would walk into a funeral, look around, and say "Oh, who died?" whilst being perfectly serious about the question. Of course, given that she's not some sort of emotionless robot with no sense of social cues, this is an exaggeration.
In sum, Mitsuko's simply a standard kuudere who views the supernatural as an internalized premise rather than a horizon's goal.

History: A simple life, on the whole. Mitsuko was raised by a mundane family, and was a rather standard child. Like any other child, she believed in the classic supernatural stories told by parents to their children. Her life continued on in a predictable manner, the young Mitsuko going through school happily; her academic performance didn't stand out, and she could be called a precisely mediocre individual.
This, however, changed around the time she was twelve. While her classmates had outgrown those childish stories of ghosts and monsters under the bed, Mitsuko constantly yammered about their existence, carrying a net in her backpack to catch ghosts in case she found any, and trying to recruit classmates for the task of battling the supernatural. As a result, she became something of a pariah, "that weird ghost girl". Mitsuko was initially unchanged by this treatment, but over the years gradually became more withdrawn on the matter. It wasn't that she believed in the occult; to her, she knew the occult was real, but the mindless dregs around her simply refused to face that truth. Dismissing them as useless for failing to acknowledge this truth of the world, Mitsuko ceased to outwardly express these beliefs of hers, and instead simply focused on herself. In that sense, she largely became a "normal" individual again, an ice queen who fit into the school demographic perfectly. While her prior beliefs remained the same, the expression of them became less present. There are some rumors present regarding secret activities she has taken over the past few years, though, chief among them the creation of multiple "ghost hunting" tools. Regardless, as she no longer outwardly acted like "that weird ghost girl", her ostracization was largely weakened.
A short while after the beginning of her final year at Yurei High, after numerous appeals, Mitsuko finally managed to get faculty approval for the re-establishment of the Occult Club, which had been disbanded several years prior.
Come to the first meeting!

Skills:

Occult Knowledge: Mitsuko's mental compendium of the occult can be considered unmatched among the students and faculty of Yurei High, as well as the surrounding prefecture. While this sounds impressive, her overall occult knowledge is actually low, considering how large the pool is, but among humans this is still pretty impressive.

Photography: Quick with a camera and possessing excellent finger-focused reflexes. If she was more deviant, Mitsuko could probably make a living by selling panty shots.

Item Creation: The talent to combine mundane and supernatural items to create "magitech artifacts" which transcend human reason, reaching into the realms of the possible and impossible. Providing she possesses one supernatural artifact to serve as the "spark", and one mundane artifact to serve as the "base", she has an uncanny knack for combining them into a single cohesive existence. This skill can incidentally also be known under the moniker of "Duct Tape Ownership".

Other: -

[User]
Charles wandered through the halls, taking turns trying to find the hallway that would lead him to the door. Lousy club. At least I'll get a few days free from this supernatural shit. Charles scowled as he thought about the time he had just spent in the Occult Club. Stupid Mitsuko, what right does she have to blackmail the king of Yurei High? I never even wanted to be in this dump of a school, let alone this freakshow of a club. I could have been blackmailed into Rugby, Football, even photography, but no, I was blackmailed into the crappiest and weirdest club in the whole school.. Charles went to get out his phone to continue where he left off in his game, but to his utter dismay, he realised he had left it in the room in his haste.

Charles swore and yelled, and began the journey back to the Occult Club, occasionally ripping down a poster or kicking a locker on the way back in his rage. Lousy club, it's even making me forget my damn phone. God, this will be embarrassing when I get back to the club.. "Ooo, come back have you?" Charles mocked Mitsuko's voice, his face getting more and more furrowed in frustration as he got closer to the dreaded room 2-A. Charles seriously considered running in there and attacking everyone, this would be a good time to grab Seiko and Mitsuko's phone and make a run for it. But he couldn't. Even if they weren't expecting him to be there, they would most likely tuck their phone back in their pockets at the sight of him.

Finally, Charles arrived at the door of the Occult Club. He let out a quiet sigh. He could easily just leave his phone and entrust it to the people in the Club. But Charles knew that he couldn't do that. Makoto would probably break it, and Seiko would get her prying hands all over it, reading his texts, checking his pictures, messaging people from his account. He hastily glanced into the room, same old people, but there was someone else in there, someone that, unlike most of the other people in the club, he actually knew and liked. Eli! Charles thought with a smile. Ahh, this guy is a total bit of banter. He speaks English too. That means he could tell him about what was going on without the risk of unwanted ears prying into the conversation. Charles opened the door.

He quickly darted to his seat and grabbed his phone, which was lying face down under the desk. Untouched, thankfully. He checked it just to make sure. No embarrassing texts sent from him, no pictures added or deleted. He sighed in relief. Then he turned to Eli, and spoke in his posh, accented voice, but this time in English.

"Hey, I know you! How are you Eli? What are you doing here in this freak show? Blackmailed as well? Well, whatever the reason, watch out for Makoto, she punches, and watch out for Seiko, one tiny mistake and you're screwed. Big time.".

[Assistant]
Yurika Yurumiya
Class 2-A, Yurei High School

Yurika was slightly hurt ,but did not show it, by the expression Mitsuko had on her face when she had asked about the brownie recipe. Moreover, the hasty response given by her president gave off the feeling the girl was hiding something. Or maybe she is just shy, haha... Before Yurika could give a response, Mitsuko had moved over to the girl who hit by the stapler. Yurika's gaze fixed on Mitsuko for a while and if this was an anime, people watching would have their yuri goggles levels at maximum. She heard the stapler girl introducing herself to Mitsuko and then talking to Makoto. Octavia...quite a unique name for a foreigner. The duo seem to be speaking english as Yurika had a bit of trouble understanding what they were talking about.

She then turned to see a newcomer who had arrived late who seems to be yet another foreigner. She saw Charles re-entered the room after slamming it shut moments ago. Did he forget something? She noticed Charles's mood improved a bit when the newcomer came and heard him saying the name 'Eli'. Isn't that usually a girl's name? Yurika saw Seiko and Mura talking to each other. She had considered walking over to them to join their conversation. However, her thoughts were still on the white-haired girl who was now standing all by her lonesome by the table. She slowly walked over and stood beside her president.

"Why are you standing here all by yourself and not mingle, oh dear president? You should talk with your members and get to know them...not just for a standard Q&A. Sorry if I am annoyed you with my weird questions all afternoon...its just...I want to be your friend and I hope you will let me," said Yurika who tried to put the most friendliest and sincere smile she could on her face to try to get Mitsuko to open up. She really hoped for a positive friendly response. "We could do many interesting things or just hang out together!"

[User]
Yeouch.

The girl that turned to face Eli looked...serious. Like, waaay too serious. That was the kind of look you only got when you've seen some shit and somehow walked away from it. If Eli had to guess, going off every single detail he knew about her (absolutely zilcho), then he would say...murder. This cold mama probably killed a couple fools on her way here this morning. Probably runs a massive criminal empire to boot.

Eli felt himself grinning despite his current predicament. Alright, so his little analysis of the girl was most likely downright wrong on so many level. Too many movies, Granny would say. But Granny also thought aliens were trying to abduct her cats so...maybe not linger too much on that bit of criticism. In any case, Eli managed to calm himself before he so rudely burst out laughing like a madman. The girl sized him up, then launched into a spiel that sounded...well-rehearsed? If not, somebody get this chick an award for some epic improv skills.

She introduced herself as Matsushima Mitsuko
that was a bit of mouthful
, and confirmed that this was indeed the Occult Club, of which she was president. Eli let out an audible sigh of relief, and his entire body seemed to relax and loosen up. He'd take being late over being lost anyday. But as the girl went on with her speech, he couldn't help but feel as if she seemed a touch...annoyed? Miffed?

…

Alright, to be honest, that was fair. He WAS about thirty minutes late to a one-hour meeting. If her speech normally took thirty minutes and she pretty much just condensed it down to...less than one? Well, yeah, he'd probably be a bit annoyed himself if he were in her shoes. He had a decent excuse in his mind but...well, even a great excuse was still just an excuse. He'd have to figure out how to be a bit more punctual for next time. If need be, he'd talk to coach. He really didn't WANT to have to do that, but if his hands were tied then…

Oh. Earth to Eli, come in Eli. What had she just said? He had been a bit wrapped up in his own thoughts that he hadn't been paying full attention to her speech. Well, asking her to repeat herself was out of the question. She might not be some sort of mafioso, (or would it be yakuza here?), but he for whatever reason felt like it would be in his best interest to not get on Madame President's nerves any more than he had already done. He did manage to pick up a few things, some of which may be important. Something about the Halloween Extravaganza and a ghost hunt at the school. Some more about a waiver to be returned by Thursday. There was also something about brownies.

Eli gave her a couple nods, indicating that he was following her - which he did, for the most part. "Thank you very much." he called to her in whatever bastardized form of tongue that he was trying to pass as Japanese. Strolling over to the table with the waivers and brownies, Eli glanced around at the other students chatting lowly. He was just double checking, but no, he really DIDN'T know anyone in the club. He'd have to change that. Maybe this Halloween event then? Probably.

"Hey, I know you! How are you Eli"

Huh? That sounded pretty close. Eli turned around - just in time to see Charles. Eli grew a big shit-eating grin, before launching into some short choppy laughter. Well shit haha...if it ain't my boy Charlie! What's good, son?"He lifted up a fist and held it out for Charle to bump.

He liked Charlie well enough. Granted, being two foreigners in a majoratively Japanese high school...in Japan, might have had just a bit to do with it, but Charles actually wasn't a bad guy either. Maybe a bit delusional at times, but hell, who wasn't these days?

"What are you doing here in this freak show? Blackmailed as well? Well, whatever the reason, watch out for Makota, she punches and watch out for Seiko, one tiny mistake and you're screwed. Big time."

Eli laughed again. They couldn't be that bad. Charles had a bit of a flair for drama at times. Still, part of his mind went back to the President. If she really was using blackmail or bribery just to get members to join her club...well maybe she really WAS the head some criminal organization?

…

He wouldn't cross it off the list just yet.

"Heh, ain't no blackmailing or sexual favors for this guy. So I guess I'm just one of your freaks." He ended with a shrug. "But uh...what about you? You mentioned blackmail...do they really
 have anything on you?" He paused for a moment, considering his buddy. Of course they did….

 "That bad?, eh?"

[Assistant]
Classroom 2-A, Yurei High School

Mitsuko was jolted out of her thoughts when Yurika approached her, the girl tilting her head to the side slightly at Yurika's question. Had she come across as antisocial? She was just waiting for the people who said they wanted to talk to her after the club meeting to do so, after all, but maybe that could have come across as not wanting to converse with her club members? This was hard.

"Ah, you don't have to worry about your questions, Yurumiya-san. I won't ask you to forcefully restrain your personality while in my club; that would hardly be my goal. If you would like to be my friend, then I will be happy to consider you as one." She replied with a rather curt nod. While there wasn't an overt amount of excitement present in the occult eccentric's tone, a slight lilt formed in her voice towards the latter half of her statement, what seemed like an attempt at a smile playing along the edges of her express.

"I do hope you didn't take my mother's business as a personal insult, though. I really just don't want to inconvenience her more than she already is, but if she ever has the time, I will mention your request."


[System]
Offline_

Appearance:

Age: 21

Major: Criminal Psychology

Part-time Job: Saya currently works as a bouncer at a bar a few blocks from the university.

Personality in 3 Words: Observant, stubborn, empathetic.

Dream Job: Detective

Online_

Appearance:

Username: Duskwalker

Class: Knuckle Master

Current Level: 11

General Combat Style: Support, finds weak points in the enemy, distracts and draws fire, lets others do the heavy hitting.

General Playing Style: More of an explorer and treasure hunter than a fighter. Excels at finding and disabling traps.

[User]
Offline_Aika's Apartment_

"I really wanted it to be a different shade of blue."

Nodding, Aika would select the color on the picture. "Were you imagining a lighter or darker shade for the dress?" She asked her client.

"Uh...maybe if it was just...bluer."

Temporarily muting the call, Aika threw her head back and let out an annoyed groan. In her line of work, she was much too used to people constantly nitpicking her work. Actually, it came naturally; her job was to bring their ideas to life, her commissions however came from her own mind, and it may not fit what her clients wanted. She was always able to adjust, making sure to take every detail they desired down, and tried to go above and beyond if it meant a job well done at the end of the day. It may have started as a hobby, but it grew into a passion of sorts, and it wasn't a bad way to pay her bills, either.

But of course, once in a while, she got those sorts of customers.

Her current client's request seemed simple at first. An animated girl with black hair and a blue dress, both being blown by the wind as she looked at her town. First, the girl's hair was too long. Then the dress wasn't as flowy as it should have been. After that, she felt that the girl should have a more innocent look on her face. Time after time, every complaint came no matter what she did, and just as Aika thought she was home-free, she was proven wrong. And so she started a one-way video call with audio going both ways, making sure to share her screen so she could see if there was a way to salvage the request. "Was there a specific shade you were thinking of?" She asked as she unmuted herself.

"Maybe...cornflower blue?" The voice asked. As Aika clicked it into place, however, she sighed. "Oh, is that what that looks like? I always thought it was a prettier color..."

Aika cycled through various blue colors until she got an answer she liked. "Alright, I'll email you the final product." She said, ending the call. Taking her headset off for a moment, she let out a long, sad sigh. Why did people have to be so picky? As she closed the programs, she resisted the urge to chuck her computer out of the window. Placing her head on her desk, she let out a small wail, though a notification caught her attention.

Adjusting her glasses slightly, her eyes skimmed through the email, widening by the time she reached the end of it. "What the--" She stopped herself, fishing her cellphone out from her pocket. As she began to dial, she noticed the time. She wanted to text someone to see if they knew if this was real, but it looked like she'd have to log in and see for herself. For the moment she ignored her higher leveled character and selected her lower leveled one--the one her friends knew her as--and dived into The World.

Online_Mac Anu_

Cyann came to life, though a loud yawn escaped him. He liked to think that whenever he was offline, he was sleeping. The whole roleplaying aspect of the game was something he was curious about, but for now, the thought was put aside as he immediately headed towards the Gate. How could a game cause comas? Sure, there were rumors about it, but Cyann was always skeptical. It was suspicious that CC Corp denied the rumors--why even bother giving them attention if they weren't true? If he fished around, he was sure he could find more on it, but he felt that he needed to confirm KISU's message first. Something just didn't sit right about all this.

Tapping his foot on the ground, he wracked his brain as he tried to remember the keywords. Hidden Forbidden Holy Ground. Oh yeah, those words weren't omnious at all. Letting out another sigh, Cyann entered them, watching his surroundings change as he was teleported.

Online_Hidden Forbidden Holy Ground_

"Holy crap," Cyann blinked, looking around. He half expected to get bounced back, but it looked like the place was real after all. Scratching the back of his head, he noticed some familiar PCs. No KISU yet, though. "Anytime you think you have a grasp on this place, something completely new pops up," He said out loud, clearly distracted by their surroundings.

[Assistant]
Offline_Home_study_

Setsuo Akenomu was currently researching some local new cafes and restaurants, as it was part of his job as concierge at the hotel he worked at. Setsuo worked at a fairly high-end hotel and never gave the name of it, wanting to keep his professional life and personal life separate. That said, none of his friends would ever consider Setsuo to be deceptive or sneaky. Setsuo was a warm person who loved helping others in his own way. He just so happened to love scouting places to eat or venues to enjoy and was able to use his talents to help locals and tourists alike. To him, it was important to give everyone the best experience and recommendation possible. For now, his job as concierge was one he truly enjoyed. Having patrons return fomr an outing and thank him for his insight, was such a delight.

As he was recording some possible places to check out, he'd surely invite his friends as he often did when doing such research, he caught sight of a sudden new email. Setsuo opened it and found the contents rather upsetting. As someone in the service industry, English had been an important class to take and he had taken a few of them under Nanae's guidance. His stomach lurched at the vision of her in a hospital, bound to machines, likely alone and afraid. He didn't think Kohe needed to be doing anything online and needed to be by her side. Still, it wasn't his place to say such a thing and decided he had to meet him in order to get a better picture of things.

Online_Δ Hidden Forbidden Holy Ground_

He logged in and his black hair was replaced with long flowing honey hair. He had on a long brown cloak and had a stern looking bayonet attached to his back. Roamer quickly went to the new location and found himself in a very strange place. It was quiet and it was secluded. He hoped whatever was waiting for him wasn't some horrid trap. Right behind him, a young girl appeared who had an absurdly large sword attached to her own back. Since she didn't look at all familiar, he had to guess she was Kohe, using his mother's account. Above her head it read: KISU.

"Hey, are you the one who sent-"

"Yes." Kohe interrupted him. "Come on." He said as he walked down the long stone walkway. Roamer followed and soon the pair emerged on the opposite side of the church's doors. While Kohe was glad for Roamer's appearance, he had braced himself for one or two individuals. He was deeply surprised, and moved when he saw such a collection of concerned people. These people were ones who cared for his mother and he was grateful that they had come, even just to listen to his tale of mystery and woe. "I can't believe you all showed up." He said, the female character walking further into the cathedral, down the center as Roamer stayed a bit behind him. "I mean. Thank you." KISU corrected himself. "I was nervous that some might scoff at this kind of invitation, I know it sounds hard to believe but...I do believe that there is some correlation between this game and my mother's comatose condition."

"That's a bold statement." Roamer spoke up. If it was possible, CC.Corp would be having some kind of PR nightmare which he couldn't fathom at all. "Plus it sounds-"

"Impossible. I know." KISU cut him off once again, turning to give Roamer a glance before his attention went toward the others. "I don't know anything concrete yet but I am sure if we retrace the places my mother went, the areas, then...then I am sure we'll find some clues." KISU insisted. "There's also another means in which we will operate but..." He paused and swallowed. "The way I'm thinking, we have to find a way operate and move beyond the system itself. If there are secrets in this game, we'll have to be bit more brazen than regular players."

"Like hacking?" Allegory spoke up. "Wouldn't we be banned?" She asked, glancing to her friends. They had all worked so hard to save up for The World and to put it on the line for a hunch was a big favor to ask of someone. She glanced down, not sure if she felt comfortable breaking the rules, even to help a dear professor of hers.

"Believe it or not quite a few hackers go unnoticed. If they're good, anyway. There's millions and millions of players and only a limited amount of Admins monitoring player activity. I'm not suggesting we do anything grand or overt. I just know in order to collect as much information, we need to bend the rules and dig deeper." KISU said. He knew it was a tough sell but hoped even a few of them would agree to his line of thinking. "I can give you a quick example if you'd like. It's nothing scary and your data would be perfectly safe." He offered them.

Walking closer to the group, Roamer gave KISU a sideways glance. "You picked this Lost Ground because Admins don't really bother to keep tabs on who goes and does what. Right?" He commented. KISU nodded. "I guess I don't mind seeing what crazy trick you've got up your sleeve, kid." Roamer shrugged. He felt bad for Kohe and was sure the kid was doing his best to find his own way to help, even if Setsuo disagreed with his methods. Even if a game could put someone into a coma, what would proving that do for Hitsu? How would it help her wake up?

Allegory held onto her staff. "I suppose I have to admit...I am a little curious." She said quietly.

[User]
Hulle Granz Cathedral
"Well, I'll definitely have to remember the keywords to this place for a later time. Who knows what I could learn by sticking around and examining it more closely..." no surprise there. Kotaro enjoyed studying new area types, and this looked about as unique as it could be. But he had to keep the reason they all came in mind, "...ah, but first thing's first. I already asked my circle of friends on the forums if they had heard anything about players going comatose, but didn't wait for a reply, so after this maybe I should switch to the Discussion Forum and check for a response-"

He probably would have rambled a bit if not for entrance of few more. First Dusk, then Cyann. A short greeting was exchanged but then another pair arrived. One was Roamer, and the other was a familiar Heavy Blade named KISU. Hitsu's character. Kohe did say he would be using his mother's account for the investigation. That was when the debating started. Roamer appeared to be skeptical of idea of a game causing a coma. More to the point, however, KISU voiced his intention to bend the rules, break them entirely if necessary to get to the bottom of this.

"Hmm..." Grim didn't speak just yet, instead waiting for Al to speak her piece. She made it clear she didn't feel comfortable going outside the rules like this. To be honest, Grim had his doubts as well, but did at least think of a way for them to make a compromise.

"Going outside the system could be dangerous, and probably not a wise choice." he sounded like he was agreeing with Al but then quickly added, "...At least not one we all should make. In fact," he rubbed his chin thoughtfully, "whoever does go outside the rules would be wise to have people who are still on the inside, who aren't actively drawing attention to themselves, just in case someone on the inside is indeed needed." to put it simply, Grim agreed with KISU to a point, but offered a compromise for anyone not willing to go that far.

"But I digress. Kohe - er, I mean KISU, you said you wanted to show us what you mean by all this?"

[Assistant]
Online_Delta Server_Hidden Forbidden Holy Ground

Duskwalker offered a smile as Allegory tried to comfort her, but in the wrong way. She hadn't said this place was scary, or dangerous, she had said it felt too peaceful. There was something very off about this place. But she didn't bring it up, the gesture was still very nice. There wasn't time to bring it up anyway. Marill and Cyann showed up shortly after that. Duskwalker was happy with the amount of her friends that were willing to show up, she had really thought that she'd be the only one to care about this.

Before there was much time to chat, two more people showed up. One was Roamer, the other was KISU. But the person behind KISU wasn't the usual one, even if she hadn't known that already she would have been able to tell, they way they moved even as the same character, was completely different. Duskwalker was silent as KISU began to explain everything. She nodded when she mentioned the possible connection between the game and the coma, if her own theory was right then that was very true.

When KISU mentioned the possibility of investigating outside the game, or hacking the game and going beyond what normal players would, Saya sat up a little straighter, and Duskwalker who's head had been down as she listened, suddenly snapped up. "I'm your girl for that. Hacking isn't my strong suit, but I can learn, and I'm already working on some theories outside the game. Speaking of, I've got some questions to ask you about your mother and her condition, might help us get closer to the truth."

Duskwalker put her hands on her hips. "I do agree with Grim though, if we're going outside the rules of the game, we need people on the inside as well. It's gonna be dangerous. But, what's an investigation without a little danger?" Duskwalker was clearly excited about the possibility of doing a real investigation for once. Of course the situation was tragic but it wasn't as if the professor was dead, comas could be reversed, people came out of them all the time. If they could find out what caused the coma, it would help doctors bring her back.


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

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

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

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

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

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

[User]
At least Victoria seemed to desire his touch as much as Vail craved hers. He relaxed into the mattress as she drew closer and nestled her head beneath his chin. Her lithe body fit comfortably against his, staving off the slight chill in the air with its warmth. He was glad he had ventured to put his arm around her. Their current position was quite comfortable, only adding to the bliss he already felt after achieving physical satisfaction with her. He was nearly tempted to fall asleep as he was, though he knew he needed to remain alert so they wouldn't linger at the inn too long. They still had time left before dawn, but that didn't mean they didn't have a deadline to observe.

As she joked about him trying to get rid of her, he rolled his eyes but couldn't help the faint smile that pulled at his lip. Like her mischievousness, he found her bold humor endearing. Her willingness to poke and tease a man she barely knew was something that separated her from the other human women who lived their lives in boring meekness. It wasn't very respectful, but respect for social convention's sake was overrated anyway. He much preferred when she spoke her mind without fear of how she would be perceived by him. Her honest personality was refreshing, and he knew he could expect her to tell him what was on her mind without any tricks or games.

He liked her unapologetic affection too. While he had been nervous to even wrap one arm around her midriff, she seemed to have no trouble cuddling up to his side and even nuzzling his chin with her head. Her obvious comfort helped him relax enough to stroke her back with his hand, less concerned about her opinion now that he could see that she enjoyed their closeness just as much as he did. It was funny how quickly they had gone from predator and prey to this. He never would have imagined there would come a day when he would call a human his lover. Yet, here they were, resting in each other's embrace in the hazy euphoria of post coital felicity.

Despite his query about her sleep, Vail was glad that Victoria preferred to stay longer with him. He was content lying beside her until the minute they had to leave. As she settled down against him with the intent to rest, he closed his eyes as well. Of course, he wasn't going to let himself drift off with her, since one of them had to keep track of the time, but he wanted to unwind a little too. As long as he made sure he didn't grow too tired, he was confident he could last until close to dawn.

He passed the rest of the time by letting his mind wander to meaningless things and simply enjoying the feeling of Victoria's body pressed warmly against his. Knowing she was probably more tired than she let on—he didn't know any humans who operated nocturnally like his kind did—he let her sleep until about an hour before sunrise when he finally roused her with a gentle shake of her shoulder.

"We should get going," he murmured, stifling a yawn as he sat up on the bed. Even though he was used to staying up all night, it was nearing the time when he would normally settle down to sleep for the day. His exhaustion was beginning to catch up with him, and he could feel it. "Will you contact me the same way next time?" he asked, attempting to keep his thoughts off his weariness by conversing with the Crest heiress.

[Assistant]
Victoria had drifted off happily into a light slumber as she felt warm and relaxed by his side. His soothing stroking of her back helping her to feel so calm. As he shook her lightly awake, she stirred and didn't want to move. At some point during their nap they had gotten underneath the bed covers. She slowly opened her eyes and realised she wasn't actually dreaming, she was still here laying with Vail, naked beneath the covers. She hadn't let go of him once throughout the night as if she were latching onto him for dear life. She protested at having to let him sit up on the bed. She remained laying down and even buried her head into the pillow. Alas, it was time to go. She sighed and pushed herself up weakly. She only needed to ride back to the manor and creep back into her bedroom before Gerald came back to discover her gone.

She leaned up as Vail enquired if she would contact him the same way next time. She really hadn't thought about that. She didn't know how she would be contacting him in future. "I…don't know. I will try to if I can, but it may not be hat simple or easy being under such heavy watch. I'm sure I'll think of something though. And if you don't hear from me, stay away, it won't be safe..." She could only imagine it would get harder to communicate with him. Maybe she could get some messenger pigeons somehow. She sighed thinking about it. She joined him sat at the edge of the bed. "I do want to see you again." She reassured him she wasn't backing out of their deal even now. "But I no longer hold you to your end of the bargain…about killing Spencer." She revealed sadly as she stood up but not before planting a delicate kiss on his shoulder joint. "I don't want to see you get hurt over me again." She ventured toward the chair where her clothes sat neatly folded. She began to cover herself over little by little to Vail's probably disappointment.

It seemed the dynamics of their affair kept evolving even now. She couldn't see a way past killing Spencer without having the whole Wynter clan wreaking havoc on Vail's family. It was too dangerous for him now. But that meant if he didn't kill Spencer, she had to do it herself somehow. Maybe it meant letting him feed on her, catching him with his guard down. Yet she couldn't know the extent of Vail's jealousy of that plan. Gerald knew about Vail so if she did not return, he'd blame Vail and go after him. She still needed many answers from him about her father. "I don't know when I'll get to see you again…so just keep safe until then." It was clear she cared deeply for him, she cared about his welfare and his safety. It was ironic that a human worried for a vampire's safety. The clever thing about having removed all her clothes was no risk of getting them blood stained. All she had to do was keep her bite marks covered. With the last of her garments put on, she moved to slide her legs into her knee-high boots.

She had a feeling she would be thinking back to this night for a very long time. It was not only her first ever intimate encounter, it was an encounter with an intoxicating vampire she was beginning to fall for. Although she knew it best to keep that to herself for now. She knew it would be taboo for a vampire and a human to become a proper couple. She knew it could never happen that way for them. And she also knew that one day she may grow tired of just one nights with him here and there that it would be too much to be without him on the days she didn't see him. She knew eventually she'd want more, a full-time relationship. If she survived the Order and Wynter ordeal that is. She turned to face Vail once more as she finished putting her boots on. She didn't know if kissing him goodbye was a good idea. It would only leave her to crave more of him again. She already had trouble tearing herself away from him. Was it in fact she who had now grown addicted to him?


[System]
Gender
Cisfemale

Age
18

Appearance
Na is a young and beautiful adult with long ash red hair that stops around her lower back, purple blue eyes and fair skin. Standing around 5' 4", Na is often seen dressed in a slightly over sized navy blue raincoat with simple clothes underneath. She normally has on skirts or shorts on and always has on a dirty pair of combat boots.

Personality
Peace, love, and harmony is Na's main objective. Most are instantly be swept away by Na's rustic charm and pleasant demeanor, enchanted by her wide array of conversation topics. She can be reserved and formal at first. But once you get her talking, a five minute conversation can morph into a three-hour philosophical discourse. Because Na seeks compromise, she dislikes conflict and anything that feels "unfair." In fact, that's the only time one would probably see her angry. Her system simply can't tolerate it. She's a natural diplomat who will do everything to negotiate between warring parties that just can't get along. She can accurately see both sides to a situation, and often resolve disputes in an equitable way for all involved. Although she hates doing such, Na will use her natural charms and good looks to manipulate others into taking care of her or doing her bidding. When it comes to her own decision-making, she has an even harder time and will vacillate between "Should I?" or "Shouldn't I?". And when it comes to her little brother, she'll glad fight for him and take his side in almost every argument.

Family
Alistair "Al" -- Younger Brother

Trivia
- Na has a strange habit of biting her nails when stressed out to the point of biting her fingers if she isn't paying attention.
- Na has a very soft Irish accent so most would think she's fragile and small despite that being far from the truth.
- She doesn't sleep that often as she's scared to leave her little brother alone. Literally she wouldn't ever leave him out of her sight.

Name
Nino [REDACTED]

Gender
Cismale

Age
14

Appearance
Nino is a very small and sickly young boy with short pinkish purple ombre hair that stops around the nape of his neck, purple blue eyes with noticeable bags under them, and naturally pale skin. Standing just under five feet, Nino often wears baggy clothes, hoodies, and worn out hand me downs that fit his bony frame. He normally doesn't have shoes and instead just wears socks.

Personality
Nino can be tricky to spot. With his reserved and sick persona, he seldom starts a conversation or express interest in others openly—unless he feels out the situation first or its his older brother; and even then, he has a hard time talking to others in general. Once you get him to open up, however, he shows a vast amount of silent love and appreciation towards said person. Known to read people as easily as a children's book, Nino seems to just KNOW all secrets, soft spots and fears. His focused attention can be addictive, and even painful when it's pulled away. While he doesn't give up his loyalty and trust easily, once he does, he'll stick with you through thick and thin. Don't even think about double-crossing Nino or his sibling, though, because he WILL unleash his fury on you despite his sick body, divulging all of your secrets and airing your dirty laundry. On a positive note, Nino is the perfect person to talk to about anything as his patience is incredibly high. He secretly yearns for the very thing he fears: true intimacy with others, but it takes a lot for Nino to reveal his vulnerability until it him right in the face (i.e. getting sick). As Nino opens up and learns to show his shadow side, he can heal in ways that are truly profound.

Family
Giovanni -- Older Step Brother

Trivia
- Nino suffers from severe epilepsy, often experiencing tonic clonic seizures more than the other variations.
- Has a terrible immune system and is known to stare off into space if left alone for long enough.
- Nino easily feels guilty and thinks that his brother would probably be better off without him. He would never say something like that out loud though.

[User]
"Who the hell cares if you aren't related by blood?" Al asked, practically seething at this point. "That doesn't make you a burden! I don't care what he's done for you! You're a human being, and he's talking like you're a ball and chain strapped to his feet! You should talk back to him, otherwise he'll keep treating you like crap forever!"

He gave the frail boy a vigorous nod when he mentioned his sister.

"You're damn right, I do! And unlike your scumbag brother, I like to make sure she knows it."

He paused, before nodding resolutely and standing up.

"You know what? I'm not letting things go this way. Tonight, we should leave. Make our escape while that jackass is still asleep. Maybe then he'll realise how important it is not to treat the only people who like you like crap!"

Meanwhile, in the bedroom, Giovanni continued to relax on the bed.

"Tempting, but I think I'll pass. Leave practising what you preach to the people who actually care about being called a hypocrite."

He sighed as she got up to leave.

"Well, at least you understand a little." He said. "Once you'be finished eating, get some rest. Big day tomorrow, and we wanna be up an leaving pretty early in it."

Once she's left though, the tired, easy going smile on his face warped into a frown, and he rubbed his temples in frustration.

"I guess I said something pretty shitty again, huh?"

[Assistant]
Nino flinched as Al steadily rose his voice, urging him on to talk back to his older brother. And while the younger boy thought he had every right to stick up for himself, Nino was still skeptical.
"B-But...talking back is like, super disrespectful isn't it? I don't want him to be mad with me or else he'd really leave me behind." He responded with a saddened expression before lowering his head to stare at the ground. Somewhere in his mind, Nino was agreeing with Alistair entirely, but how could he talk back to someone that's been so willing to help him out for so long?

Hearing that Al often let Na know what was on his mind, Nino could only keep his mouth shut. He's had multiple chances to say what would on his mind to Giovanni, but whenever the chance came, he would always quiet or go along with what he said. Was it natural to verbally show gratefulness and disdain for someone you're suppose to look up to?

Nino had been so caught up in his thoughts, he visibly straightened when Alistair stood, the ombre teen now staring up at him. Hearing what the redhead had to say caused Nino to gawk at the young boy with a frown.
"You want us...to leave my brother and your sister, basically run away from them, just to prove a p-point?" He whimpered, eyes wide with fear as he frantically shook his head. "I couldn't! Th-That would put you in danger! We could die o-out there without my brother!" The ombre teen panicked, his eyes wide and his frame shaking.

---

"Sure thing, Mr. Hypocrite." She hummed in response as her gaze remained on the brown haired man for only a few seconds longer before she took her leave. As she was almost to the door, Na hesitated as Joe had a few more words for her. Without turning, she responded. "Got it, I'll make sure the others are in bed before that." Na mentioned before leaving the room.

Since all the rooms were occupied by the three boys, Catrina opted for sleeping downstairs. But after the events of earlier in the day, she ultimately decided to crash on Al's floor for the night. He might not like it, but she rather make their 'guests' comfortable.

As she approached her own room, she could hear the other two having a conversation with each other. She didn't really think anything of it, so she simply walked in, only to tilt her head in confusion.
"Why are you standing like that? Did you finish your food? If so, then go to sleep. I'll be crashing on your floor, just as a heads up." She said, eyeing both boys with a mostly oblivious expression.

[User]
"What? No!" Al said quickly. "We wouldn't be leaving my sister, I could never leave her behind! Your brother, on the other hand, has done nothing but act like a right bastard, both to us and you. And let's be honest, I reckon we're more likely to die with him than without. Hell, I nearly killed him before, and it was easy! That doesn't sound like someone who could protect us. It doesn't sound like someone who can protect anything."

However, he quickly stopped talking when Na walked back in.

"Yeah, I'm done." He replied to her. "I guess I'll turn in too. Not much to do now that it's dark anyway..."

He gave Nino one last look, before heading to the other room. Despite his words, he wasn't anywhere near prepared enough to put his plan to action just yet, but if Nino was wrong, if that jackass couldn't protect them like Nino was saying, then he would sure as hell be working on it.

[Assistant]
Nino frowned at what Al had to say about his brother. He didn't understand how much of a lifesaver Giovanni could be when it's a life or death situation. The ombre teen was about to voice his thoughts too, it it hadn't been for Catrina entering, halting their entire conversation from escalating any further. He kept his mouth shut as Al bid his farewells for the night, the both of them sharing one more glance before the younger one left. Nino shook his head slightly before bringing his attention to Catrina who was now eating.
"I-I'm go and dispose of this plate then go to bed. U-Uh, fill free to stay here until you're finished." He mumbled, as she slipped on the rather comfortable shoes before making his way down the steps. He took his sweet time too as he would rather not have a girl watch him while he's asleep; but it was her room so he couldn't just tell her to get out...

---

Catrina looked back up when Nino returned from his trip downstairs. It was clear as day that he was nervous and avoiding any form of eye contact, but a few minutes after his head hit the pillow, he was completely knocked out. He must have been really tired still...and on edge from being in such a new place. Not wanting to bother him any longer, Catrina gobbled up the rest of her food quickly before hurrying out of the room. They had a big day ahead of them and she knew she would need to sleep to keep up with it.

---

Before she even knew it, Catrina's phone blared to life, a soft chime ringing throughout Al's room. Having crashed on the floor, and placing the phone on the dresser at the other side of the room before doing so, Catrina let out a sleepy mumble as she shifted on the floor, her eyes still closed and expression showing she was still in dreamland. Despite this, however, the redhead spoke up to the other occupant in the room.
"Could you get that for me Al?" She grumbled as she curled up to a more comfortable position.

[User]
Eyes wide, Al ran for the phone, turning it off before shaking his sister awake.

"There are people standing outside the house." He whispered into her ear, before slowly backing away. Nervously, he reached backwards and grabbed the javelin before positioning himself by the door.

Meanwhile, Giovanni had already woken up, taking an instinctive look through his window to see the people outside.

"Ah, hell..." He slowly mumbled to himself. Before he could even begin to get himself ready for the coming fight however, he felt a mild yet searing pain in his chest, and let out a silent sigh. Yep, that was heartburn, alright. That was going to lower his kickass fighting skills by quite a bit.

So that meant he'd have to go with plan B...

As quietly as he could, he moved through the house towards Nino's room, softly shaking him awake.

"Nino, they followed us. Be as quiet as you can and follow me, ok?"

After making sure his brother was behind him, he continued down the corridor to Al and Na's room.

He gently opened the door, only to have to bend into a limbo position to avoid the javelin that otherwise would've gone straight through his neck. Barely catching himself from falling backwards, he gave Al a wide eyed, frustrated glare, before turning to Na.

"We need to leave, as quickly as possible."

"DRIFTERS!" A gruff voice shouted from outside. "YOU'RE IN THERE, AREN'T YOU?!"

Joe had to forcefully stifle the urge to reply with a loud 'No', realising that unlike usual, he probably wouldn't be able to take on all these loser at once. Not just because of his not only because of his now very bad heartburn, but also because he had to protect two more people than usual. Instead, he turned to the others, an unusually serious look on his face.

"Alright, if this house has a back door, use it now. Just like before, keep away from any windows, I'll stay up here and distract them, got it?"

[Assistant]
Na probably would have went back to sleep if the memories of the days prior hadn't immediately come back to her. Within the next few seconds, the redhead was up and alert, believing every word Al said despite not looking herself. Why were they people here? Were they like Nino and Giovanni who were trying to break in? Or were they an actual threat trying to attack them for who knows what? Watching her little brother prepare himself with the javelin, Na did what she could with what she had, and grabbed the nearby lamp, gripping it tightly as she situated herself on the other side of the door.

Meanwhile, Nino woke up to the sight of Joe looming over him. While he knew something had to be wrong if that were the case, the ombre haired teen was still terribly drowsy as the symptoms of his fever had yet to fully subside. However, being rather use to this, the boy nodded halfheartedly before shuffling closely behind Giovanni. As they made their stop in front of Al's room, Nino let out a yelp as surprise when Giovanni suddenly leaned back towards him, covering his mouth quickly after.

Catrina let out a shaky sigh of relief when she saw it was just the Italians, lowering the lamp in her hands.
"R-Right, b-but what about our thing--" The redhead was cut off by an unfamiliar voice. Fear flash on her face for a quick second before she wrapped an arm around Alistair and grabbed Nino's hand. "Be careful okay?" She whispered before she pulled the other two down the hallway and the staircase. Getting a little close to the front door when it was still slightly broken was making Katrina nervous, but she tried to remain quiet as she forcibly pulled the younger boys towards the kitchen and into the living room where the back door was just one hallway away.